So this is Christmas, and what have you done? Sleepinginmyhead took a different turn towards the latter half of this year, and I think it has been for the best. It’s not such a burden to me now, and I’m enjoying blogging again. Some folk seem a little disappointed though, and many of you miss the webwatch section, so for today you can rejoice. Here’s a bumper Christmas special of all your favourites, for those long afternoons avoiding crappy TV and holding your swollen belly. Happy christmas!
10 WORD FILM REVIEWS
burn after reading - watching smart people act dumb makes for a satisfying comedy
mary shelley’s Frankenstein - gloriously camp Branagh vehicle with the bonus of de Niro
quantum of solace - confusing mess, a disappointing sequel to the excellent first film
blood simple - stunning coen debut, excellently shot and gripping to the end
dazed and confused - weirdly reminds me of a childhood which I didn’t have
ETYMOLOGY CHRISTMAS!
TURKEY –The large North American bird (Meleagris gallopavo) was domesticated by the Aztecs, and introduced to Spain by conquistadors in 1523, and thence to wider Europe, by way of North Africa (then under Ottoman rule) and Turkey. The word turkey was first applied to it in England in 1555 because it was identified with or treated as a species of the guinea fowl.
GRAVY – this is most likely a mis-reading of the French word ‘grané’ meaning “properly grained”, or “seasoned", from the Latin granum meaning “grain”.
CRANBERRY – thus called because when flowering, the stamens of the cranberry flowers resemble the beaks of cranes, hence “crane-berry”
BRANDY – this is an abbreviation of brandywine from the dutch “brandewijn” meaning "burnt wine," so called because it is distilled through burnt wood.
SANTA CLAUS – from the dialectal Dutch. Sante Klaas, a shortening of Sinter Niklaas "Saint Nicholas," bishop of Asia Minor who became a patron saint for children. In Japan he is known as ‘santakurosu’
SLEIGH FULL OF LINKS
sweet map quilts from leah evans, what santa sees when he flies over the planet
I vividly remember watching christmas movies in summer, and laughing at the DFS sale adverts on my recordings, but this christmas officially marks the end of the VHS tape, and it feels quite sad.
lil' baby jesus was given gold for his birthday, and he should have been grateful. Gold is expensive because there isn't much of it. If you melted all the gold in the world together, it would make a cube with sides of 25m, not that big really.
Wintertime can be tough on the lips, you need to keep daubing on the chapstick. My favourite is apple flavour, but these folks have made one with caffeine in, and it's called... wait... they called it what?
Christmas is traditionally time for kindness and tolerance, but this cat certainly wins the first prize.
Not sure what to buy for that friend who has everything? How about a canvas picture of Jonothan Ross's brother, the lesser known Paul Ross of 'Win lose or Draw'
This new year, when it comes to fireworks, forget the ordinary rockets and firecrackers, and try a lighter in a blender.
If your neice is into Hitchcock thrillers, then 'The Birds' Barbie should do the trick.
Unsure of what to do with all that old giftwrap? Try making some of these.
Christmas carol, as rendered by microwave ovens
If you don't get that new small MP3 player for christmas, buy these massive earbuds, and your old player will look the smallest on earth.
CHRISTMAS MUSIC SPECIAL
Christmas In Jail - The Youngsters
Cold Chillin' Christmas - Cold Chillin' Juice Crew
Christmas Rappin' - Curtis Blow
Here's wishing you all a very merry christmas, and here's to 2009, may it be considerably better than 2008!
Recent Comments