Anthropax's Old Blog

At work experiance for my Human resources module - lot of nice people around - Still reading JS Mill On Liberty, as well as 'Watching the English' - a 'pop' social anthropology book, not to mention the 'Stalingrad' book. Went up to Hereford the other day,and got quite a few things, including 'Who killed the Zoutons' (only £7.99) and Knights of the old republic (only £20). Not bad then...

In about 25 hours, I will have my AS results! I had a nightmare (or premonition) that I would get straight 'F's. Hopefully this will not happen, but I expect to resit one or two RS modules, and perhaps re-submit my Business at Work courcework to get it up to an 'A'. Media: watched the start of the new Six Feet under series. I don't think it is as good as the original series, but it is very good nonetheless. I am getting a bit worried about Nate, as he had to bring home his wife's gelatinous remains, but at least two 'alternative' couples are happy - the gay couple and the older couple. Is it liberal propaganda? It may be, but in the nicest way - It is good to have a positive light on more 'mature' people who can live their lives freely, paticularly Ruth, who seemed very repressed originally, but has become far more liberated. Great stuff. Also watched 'That'll teach 'em' - A program that sends a group of teenagers who had just finished their GCSE's back to a 1960's education. The voiceover seemed quite sneery about modern education, and perhaps it is just a great big egotrip for the middle aged who despair about modern education. Quite conservative, yet entertaining - particularly a girl called Sophia who was relatively ignorant - not the best name for her. Read 'Utopia' yesterday, and started on Karen Armstrong's 'Battle for God' on fundamentalism in the three monotheistic traditions The spellcheck doesn't seem to be working, and so I'll have to come back to edit this later

Parents came back from holiday in Cornwall the other day. The delighted in telling me about every aspect of the trip, in particular the three course meals every day. During the week I cooked pasta with a tomato sauce for myself, and ate it out of a bowl with two forks. Quite a lot of rain today, as well as a bit of thunder and lightning. I was disappointed with my mother as her sense of humour seemed to have withered while she had been away from me. She insisted on telling anyone who would listen about my fathers antics during a game of 'call my bluff'. She teased me by telling me about 'Ingrid' an Austrian woman who was apparently a spy - she had 'that look about her' so it was a dead cert. Will post again in a bit, before results day. Need to get hair cut. (me not you)

Well, quite a good night, visited various pubs and had a nice chat with friends, meet a couple of new people who were very nice. Didn't have much cash and so only had two pints of strongbow, and a shot of 'sourz' not bad, and was only a pound. Had a chat with Huw about utilitarian and liberalism, and discussed why pedophilia will not be tolerated in say 50 years, as he compared it to homosexuality in the 50s. I said that as the child cannot truly give consent then it is really rape, and although people may be mature enough at 15 or so, and the age of consent will get lower, young vulnerable people should still be protected. Stayed at Tims in the 'Rose room' and watched a few episodes of 'House of Cards' good. Been lookin at Akbar and Jeff conics as well as Kieron Gillen's blog

Going out tonight to Chepstow with a few friends, will probably get rather drunk and start discussing various things, and perhaps have a midnight picnic near the all-night Tescos. Will write more in the morning. bye

If the title for the utterly sublime game that is Deus Ex is created from a shortened form of Deus Ex Machina, then what does that mean? I recall a conversation with one of my lovely classics teachers about an Euripides play, either The Bacchae or Hippolytus (I can't quite recall which) and the literal translation means 'God in the Machine'. My teacher seemed to believe that this was a reference to the mechanics used to turn things round, make people seem to fly etc, but I had always been led to understand that it was to do with fate, in that once a person had been set down a path of action by the gods. The person would not be able to leave the path that had been set for them, no matter how hard they tried, and could only put of their fate for a while. Moving this to Deus Ex, I think it means that JC is bound to his general path (by the game itself) and is only able to make relatively small choices, as others manipulate his path for him, no matter what he does. He will always have to fight Simmons, as if you try to get away he still comes after you later. JC is dragged along in the general pathway, but can make choices along it. That is the why Deus Ex is one of the very best games ever. This may seem a bit garbled, but if anyone else gets my gist, then please comment or something.

Well, quite an uneventful day today, cooked a large mango chicken thing, with rice and naan bread, but didn't really feel hungry and let the dog have most of it. Watched 'The Pianist' on DVD. May watch Kandahar on 2 tonight and the pilot of Nip/Tuck on 4. I really do prefer Channel 4 as the station seems more 'alive' and has quite a lot of good, thought provoking programs, and top US drama (six feet under, the west wing) as well as comedy (Will and Grace and early six feet under). Well that's about it. Drank a lot of milk

Hello. Well, this is the first. What have I done today? well, first thing I was woken around 8.10 by my Grandmother phoning. This grandmother (called 'Nan') was to take me up to my other grandmother's home (the Priory) so she could have her hair done. I heard the phone ring and staggered from bed without putting on my glasses. this led to a blured conversation in which Nan told me that she would be over in around half an hour. In that time I had to feed the chickens, let the dog (Patch) out and feed him, followed by feeding myself. I did this and had cornflakes that I had not finished by the time she arrived. I ran and got my coat ( it was quite misty and I felt that I may need my replacement to Mangy Green Fleece) and went. We got there eventualy and I went in to pick my Gran up. As we drove over to the hairdressers, she started talking about some realy odd things. She told us about how she had come over all dizzy and couldn't move for a while. This sounds like one of her mini-strokes, and it makes her a lot more confused. She started to talk about how we should head to Cardiff and on to London and Paris. It is rather sad, although she did seem ore lucid than when we had her to stay for seven weeks last year. Then she told me that she knew that I wasn't the real Royston, although I looked a bit like him. Also my mother had become the Danish Au Pair girl, and she tried to walk to Newport (20 odd miles away). After taking her back to her home and taking her up to her room (with a nice balcony and good views) I went into town. I told my grandmother that I was meeting up with a friend, so she now thinks I am seeing someone. I had half a crab baguette for lunch and sat on a bench by a church reading 'On Liberty' by JS Mill. My friend Tim came along and we went to the Malt House. I had a couple of Olives and a coffee, and then retired to the student section and had a flick through the Daily Mail while Tim had a few cigarettes. I tried to find something to mock it over, and appart from a few overreactions there was nothing. Saw a couple of people walk past who I knew and went out to wave at them. It was David who I sat next to throughout GCSE English, and formed a bit of a bond with, and his Girlfriend Bex who I have sat by in RS. She is really friendly, and cheerful but is giving it up to continue with her 'science'. We walked up town and met Robin and Lou, two girls who I get on well with. I air-kissed and hugged Robin, and then moved on to a shirt shop. I saw a very nice one but as It cost around £50 I decided to give it a miss. Decided to invite Tim back to my place, as my family would be away. I havn't had anyone around for years and years as I was a bit worried about them meeting my family and seeing the home as it is a bit messy. It turned out fine as I took Tim around our fields and showed him the place that is being worked upon to be our new house. Couldn't get in as I had left the key somewhere else and so we just wondered around outside before walking back down the hill. Felt a bit tired and so had a bath and sat for about half an hour watching the news and eating a bit of Green and Blacks ice cream. It tasted fantastic. Reading: 'On Liberty' by JS Mill Listening to: Franz Ferdinand and The Libertines: can't stand me now Computer Games: None today - been too busy