Get outta my way

It seems like forever ago I wrote my last annual review however it does feel like this year has passed by rather quickly. What's most disconcerting is that I can't remember much of it. I had to look most of it up. For instance, I can't remember the last time I read a book.

Another thing was when I took a couple of those news tests where you have to remember certain things that made the news this year. It gave me a 4/20 and a comment of "were you out of the country a lot?". Which I wasn't. I was home all year long, but I must not have paid attention. Then I took the 'celebrity scandals of 2010' test and scored 9/13. If that's a good or bad thing, I'll leave up to you to decide.

The year did just fly by, and we saw Kylie releasing a new album, Robbie rejoined Take That (and practically took over the BBC and ITV it seems) and The Black Eyed Peas went number 1 in the UK with the worst single of the year The Time (Dirty Bit).

There was also some Royal news as the Norwegian king had an affair, Prince William finally proposed to his Kate, Danish Queen Margrethe II turned 70 and Princess Mary of Denmark got pregnant again (baby expected to drop any minute now).

Let's face it, it's not really about *them* though, is it? It's about me. I can do that, this being my blog and all. So, shall we?

Book Challenge

The challenge of the last few years, was for me to read 12 books. One per month. However as I mentioned earlier, I can't remember the last time I picked up a book. So it was rather shocking for me to realise I've read 16 books!

Not all the books were mentioned here on the blog, so I'll list them all for your viewing pleasure.

My Side of the Story by Will Davis

See here

I Lick My Cheese and Other Notes: From the Frontline of Flatsharing by Oonag O'Hagan

See here

The Straight Road to Kylie by Nico Medina

See here

The Distance Between Us by Bart Yates

See here

The Sims 3: World Adventure Game Guide by Prima Games

It's a game guide, so I can become even more enlightened when it comes to the true glory of The Sims 3

The Englor Affair by JL Langley

See here

The Broken H by JL Langley

See here

Handyman by Claire Thompson

See here

The Assignment by Evangeline Anderson

See here

Lovers Who Stay With You by David MacMillian

Basically an erotic anthology with a vampire theme. Not at all my thing. I read a few of the stories but it left me a bit sick and I had nightmares. Not at all sexy.

Precious by Sapphire

See here

Being Human: The Road by Simon Guerrier

See here

Being Human: Chasers by Mark Michalowski

A sequel to the other Being Human book.

Being Human: Bad Blood by James Goss

A sequel to the other Being Human books.

Pretty in Plaid: a Life, a Witch and a Wardrobe, or the Wonder Years Before the Condescending, Egomanical, Self-Centered, Smart-Ass Phase by Jen Lancaster

See here

Most were enjoyable, but I must admit that I much prefer this one.



With the success of Book Challenge 2010, I think I'll try again next year. I've got a lot of books stashed away under my bed for these cold and snowy/rainy days. In this type of weather, I find that a good movie is there to help me along. Either at the cinema or a DVD.

Movies of 2010

I love movies, and I've got a few DVDs so in order to find out what I've actually watched this year, I've had to look through my bookshelves as well as search my mind to see what I've actually watched this year. I think Hermoine was a little too thorough when she did that Obliviate spell a few weeks ago.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1

The first of the last Harry Potter movies. It had a good build-up to the big climax. I still don't fancy Harry as it just seems so wrong. He's 21 but I remember him as that little boy with the round glasses. Ewww. Can't wait to see the final movie though.

Up In The Air starring George Clooney, Vera Famiga, Anna Kendrick and Jason Bateman

This was good. You'd think any movie that's nominated for Oscars would be good. Yet, I made the mistake with Sidewaysbut Up In the Air is good. George Clooney could charm his way through anything I'm sure.

Sex & the City 2 starring 'The Girls' and Liza

Everyone says this is terrible, and was even worse than the first one. I actually prefer this to the first one. Although I must say I don't much care to get Carrie'd away. She's so whiney.

The Blind Side starring Sandra Bullock, Tim McGraw and Kathy Bates

I'm not into sports movies and the only reason why I watched this was because I adore Sandra Bullock. She delivers and deserved the Oscar. It's a wonderful movie about so much more than American football.

Post Grad starring Alexis Bledel, Jane Lynch, Carol Burnett and Michael Keaton

Sweet little chick flick starring Rory from Gilmore Girls about the troubles after you finish college.

Vampires Suck

Anything that mocks Twilight is alright in my book. I'm shocked it's not a Zucker Bros. movie.

The A-Team

Action/comedy starring the always hot Bradley Cooper. It's funny and action packed. I'm not sure if it's anything like the original TV show because I haven't watched that but the writing is not exactly Hemmingway or Henry James.

The Expendables

I'm not a fan of this. Hard hitting action with a touch of comedy. Basically it's an 80s rehash of all the B-movies these has beens have starred in. I do however fancy the pants off Jason Statham

Inception

I like the idea of this movie. The acting was good, and the CGI was not bad. A fan of CGI, I'm not but it worked in this. This wasn't CGI for the sake of CGI or cutting cost or saving a trip to the actual place.

Avatar

I watched this in early 2010 I think. Needless to say I didn't like this. It will be very difficult to find a more overrated and over exposed movie. EVER. I think I'd prefer to watch Twilight see my commentary on this here again. Blue creatures who run around on a planet and speak their own 13 word language for 162 minutes. No thank you. The story could have been, and probably was written on a cocktail napkin. My reason to watch this CGI travesty was the 3D. I had to see what that was like. Meh, I wasn't impressed.

My favorite is this one





I may have watched more movies that came out in 2010 but I honestly can't remember. That Hermoine is a skilled witch. Either that, or my Time Capsule is playing tricks on me.

TV Shows

I've followed 6 new TV Shows (new episodes) and 3 vintage ones. By vintage I mean old, taken off the air shows. They are as follows

Desperate Housewives

I wasn't too keen on Edie being fried and Kathrine being committed, but I still like it.

Being Human

I'm not really a vampire/werewolf kind of person, but I did think the idea of a ghost, werewolf and vampire living together trying to lead ordinary lives. It's good!

Hawaii Five-O 2010

I've never seen the original series, but this is action packed, bright, sunny and beautiful people. How can you not like that?

Bones

I'm not keen on dead people or soggy corpses/remains but I am keen on David Boreanaz and I like the chemistry between the characters.

White Collar

Matthew Boomer. Enough said.

Covert Affair

She fights crime in Christian Louboutins. Oh yes!

Dynasty (vintage)

I've got the first 5 seasons on DVD, and season 6 was just released in Denmark. I love that show. Takes me back. Shoulder pads and BIG hair galore.

The O.C.

I started recording this, and watching it on the weekend. However it never quite caught on. I spent some time mocking it a little on Twitter but it wasn't enough to keep me watching. Perhaps it was Tate Donovan who was just way too awkward and plasticy.

Beverly Hills 90210 (vintage)

I've been recording this on my box, and it's great. We've made it to episode 86 which is around the time the gang made it to college. The Dylan/Kelly romance (he should be with Dylan!) is a little rocky and Brenda had a brief stay in Minnesota.

My favourite



Dynasty



Biggest disappointment is still



From movies and TV we move onto music.

Top 4 albums I bought

I didn't buy a lot of albums this year. To be honest I don't buy a lot of music so it has to really catch my interest.

1. Kylie Minogue - Aprodite

The album contains the 3 singles All The Lovers, Get Outta My Way and the most recent Better Than Today. It's a complete hands up in the air dance pop album. Very positive and upbeat.

2. Scissor Sisters - Night Work

Contains singles Fire With Fire, Any Which Way and Invisible Light Utterly brilliant camptastic pop album. Pure joy with little nuggets of hilarity if you listen to the lyrics.

3. Hurts - Happiness

It's a bit Pet Shop Boys ish album. I like it. There's first single Wonderful Life which is just brilliant along with Better Than Love and Stay. Kylie joins Hurts for a duet on Devotion. Not really my type of album but I like it a lot.

4. Lady Gaga - The Fame Monster

I didn't buy the first version of this album, but I thought it would be fine to get this one. With all the 'old hits'. The only really awful track on it is the Telephone one with Beyonce. I'm not saying this album is amazing but it's a good 'greatest hits' album considering she's only done this one proper album she's done pretty well for herself. She's gone overboard with the styling though. When she put on that meat dress and the telephone hat, she became a caricature of herself. A bit of a joke really.

My singles top 10 of 2010

Kylie Minogue - Better Than Today (Club Junkies Remix)



I didn't quite know if I should pick Get Outta My Way (7th Heaven Remix) or this one, but I opted for this because it's a little bit overlooked brilliant.

2. Example - Kickstart



Love it!

3. Scissor Sisters - Any Which Way



Camptastic, and love the video.

4. Cheryl Cole - Parachute



Her most recent stuff doesn't really tickly my fancy but I like this. The video is gorgeous.

5. Hurts - Wonderful Life



Love it. I'm glad that I'm not one of those Hurts girls though. Not a fan with being too long under water. I prefer it a bit more sunny and lounging by the pool with a colourful umbrella cocktail.

6. Roll Deep - Good Times



I've never heard this on Danish radio or on any of our music video channels. I did however watch this on the UK Top 40 and I love it. It's so happy.

7. Robyn - Dancing On My Own



I remember this girl from the days of Do You Really Want Me. She was huge in Denmark back then, and voilà she is again. Love this song. She's quirky and not conventionally pretty. I mean that as a compliment.

8. Take That - The Flood



They were everywhere with this song, which is a shame really. I love it, but there is too much of a good thing (when we aren't talking Kylie). It's mostly just Robbie Williams feat. Take That. That's how I prefer it. The Robbieless Take That were boring.

9. Alexandra Burke - Start Without You



I like this song, but I do have to confess that the video does have something to do with it getting into my top 10.

10. Katy Perry - California Gurls



I hate to admit I like the song, but I thought this was great too.

From the best to the worst songs of 2010.

Top 3 worst songs of 2010

A lot of crap was released this year, but these 3 take the cake.

1. Black Eyed Peas - The Time (Dirty Bit)



Quite frankly the most hideous track of 2010. I mean, if Ann Widdicombe had released a song it would still be better than this pile of shite.

2. Rihanna - What's My Name



Just no. No, no, no, we don't care.

3. Duffy - Well, Well, Well



Well, well, well... What the fuck happened to Duffy. I mean, I've never cared for her music but this is awful.

Before we end this almost epic review, we have one more thing to do..

Top 10 hottest men of 2010

1. Ryan Reynolds



2. David Boreanaz



3. George Clooney



4. Jake Gyllenhall



5. Bradley Cooper



6. Cesc Fabregas



7. Matthew Bomer



8. Chris O'Donnell



9. Zachary Quinto



10. Mark Salling



So, the annual review is over now. Happy New Year everyone (and thanks for all the holiday wishes)

Testing 1-2-3

So, last night I brought my laptop and Time Capsule along when visiting the parental unit. I also brought a bag of exotic cooking oils, marinates etc., home made biscuits, fresh home squeezed orange juice and a bottle of Mumm Champagne but that's beside the point. My point was, as it gets older by the second, I don't have actual Internet access but rather am blogging from an iPhone app. As always there's an app for that!

All I really wanted was to wish you all a very merry Christmas as my Christmas is today AND tomorrow. I've got a million things to do before then. First I'll have a glass or two of Mumm to steady myself and maybe watch this again. Bless.

Holiday mix CD 2010

I've been spending this weekend trying to figure out how to get my new Time Capsule to work. Which of course it doesn't, or sometimes and not perfectly. You'd think it would be easty to just power it up and BOOM! you've got yourself af new wireless harddrive for your laptop that also works as a router. I wish. With some jiggery pokery, I did manage to force it into working as a router, only to discover that I have to constantly register my devices including but not limited to my MacBook Pro, iPhone 3G S and an HP media center with my Internet supplier. Of course I can also only access my beloved Time Capsule from my HP media center, which makes complete sense because I haven't installed the AirPort programme that the MacBook apparently requires to set it up. Yes, I'm beyond thrilled.

So this is my first blog entry through this Time Capsule device, and if it's going to be my last you'll never know. Because of all this, I've decided to be a little festive, and steal an idea from the fabulous Tim and do a mix CD. This however will be more holiday related, so if you are all bah humbug you'll have to deal with it. The songs are not in any kind of order as to which one I like the best, although you can imagine about the first one on the list.

1. Kylie Minogue - Let it Snow

This is a new recording from Miss K and I think it's fair to say that it's pretty damn good. I first heard of it on Twitter, and then before long it was available on iTunes bundled with her delightful cover of Santa Baby (performed live at the tree lighting ceremony in NYs Rockerfeller Center 2010).



2. Mel & Kim - Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree

This is, to me, a classic. Probably one of the first contemporary Christmas classics I liked. It's fun, it's catchy, the video is hilarious and I liked Kim Wilde. I have memories of dancing around the Christmas tree in our hall to this song wearing a pair of grey leggings and an oversized red jumper. Good times!



Some might prefer the lovely Brenda Lee version to this though. I like that too.

3. Shakin' Stevens - Merry Christmas Everyone

To be honest, I had never heard this one before last year. I own quite a few Christmas albums and how this didn't make it onto any of them is just shocking! Outrageous!



How great is this!

4. Bing Crosby - White Christmas

This is probably THE Christmas classic. I adore this, and it shouldn't be covered because nothing will ever come even remotely close to it. We'eve always heard this at my parents house at Christmas. I even bought the movie White Christmas because of it. This is the essense of Christmas. Funniely enough, it looks like it'll be a white Christmas again this year.



5. Ove Sprogø - Når Du Ser Et Stjerneskud (When You Wish Upon a Star)

The Danish version of Jiminy Cricket (Jesper Fårekylling) When You Wish Upon a Star that features in the Disney From All of Us to All of You show. It's not Christmas eve before you've heard (and seen) this. They show it every year and evil bro and I used to sit and watch it with our crazy aunt. When that song came on, we knew it was not long before the big feast and then it would be time to dance around the tree and get our presents.



Sing along now. Come on everyone!

6. Nat King Cole feat. Natalie Cole - Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire

This is not a song I've ever looked for, but rather one that my mother was really fond of. Sometimes these things rub off on you. It's like Sir Cliffs - Mistletoe and Wine which I am shamefully admitting to liking too. We always heard these songs for Christmas.



7. MC Einar - Det' Jul Det' Cool (it's Christmas, it's cool)

This is a late 80s early 90s Danish Christmas classic. One that I started by thinking was fun, but now it really is kool. A little dated, but kool. It's not your typical romaticising Christmas, but rather dealing with all the over consumption and greed in a very smartly sarcastic way without alienating people. You may just think it sounds weird, and if I were in your place I would have to agree. I have a memory of sitting on the loo singing it on the top of my lungs once I was home alone, and the paperboy came and he yelled at me to shut the fuck up. Of course, at that point it was June.



8. Wham - Last Christmas

There simply is no Christmas without Wham Last Christmas. Everything from the song to the video just screams perfection. I can't hear it enough. It's another song that I've danced around in grey leggings and oversized red jumpers to.



9. Eartha Kitt - Santa Baby

Santa Baby has got to be the most covered Christmas song of all time. Everyone from Ally McBeal to Madonna, to The Pussycat Dolls and Taylor Swift have covered this track. Even Kylie made a delightfully sensual attempt (which I prefer to most of the other versions). Eartha Kitts version is still number one in my book. *PUUUUUUURRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR*



10. Britney Spears - My Only Wish This Year

I know. I'm not proud, but I really do like this. I ended up buying a really bad Christmas album called Platinum Christmas back in 2000 because of this one song. I tell you, the rest of the tracks from S Club 7, Steps, Monica, TLC, R Kelly to name a few were absolute crap. This song made up for the $20 it cost. CDs were very expensive back then - and still are around here.



11. Mariah Carey - All I Want For Christmas

This is another song you just can't get around. The year it was released it was in the Danish top 10 through mid January. There was no denying it. Of course, I waited years until I bought the album. Mostly because I'm not a Mariah fan. Still, this is a delightful little holiday nugget. It's like the Pringles - once you pop you can't stop.



12. Various Danish Artists - Let Love Be Love

Probably one of the only good Danish holiday songs. This also did incredibly well on the Danish chart. It seems we (and by we, I mean everyone else) love our Danish artists. You may recognise SOAP who had that hit Soap is in the air. It's a little sappy, but that's the holidays, isn't it.



Because I'm really nice, I'll include some guilty pleasures as B-sides.

B-Side - Spice Girls - Sleigh Ride

There really are no words.



B-Side - Aqua - Spin Me a Christmas

If for nothing else, their videos are hilarious. This one too.



Until the Time Capsule works again, Merry Christmas my pretties.

My first time

This is my first. My first time.

There are a lot of firsts in ones life. Some more pleasant than others. The first time we spoke, crawled, walked, got an A in a test or on an assignment. The first time you played a computer game, jumped off the 10 meter at the local pool, wore pink, had sex, mixed wine and strong liquor, saw Paris Hiltons coochie, watched Gilmore Girls, saw Kylie live in concert and read that one book that came to mean so much to you.

It's a very long list.

I had another first on Thursday. It was very day. You see, Friday last week, I got an email from a delivery service that confirmed they would deliver my Apple kit Thursday. So, Thursday I was home around 3.30pm because the delivery boys would be by any time between 5 to 10pm. Naive as I am, I thought they'd be by pretty early because I live in the centre of town but by 8pm I was very impatient and pretty much giving up due to the snow. At least they could have called or emailed that they wouldn't deliver, I thought.

Then at 9pm they came. I must say what the delivery boy lacked in beauty, my Apple kit most certainly made up for. Everything was there, except the Time Capsule which will be delivered at some point I assume. Although there's still no news on that.  Anyway, everything is so gorgeous - even the boxes everything came in was gorgeous. There's no excess styrofoam or other junk, everything is precise and luxoriously made just like my MacBook and Apple Cinema.

After unwrapping the gorgeous equipment, I started corrupting it. Most Mac enthusiasts (fantatics?) would call it the abomination, OUTRAGEOUS! even. However, I'm not one to be playing with a Snow Leopard, you could lose a finger or worse. Being an MS Windows gay, and having been for about 15 years it's not easy to change, and you know what they say. A leopard can't change its spots, or something to that effect. Anyway, it proved pretty easy to violate the sanctity of the Snow Leopard, and my MacBook is now dancing with the devil.

Now, I just need to learn how to use it properly. You see, obviously there are no Windows keys, that's a given. However, there is no Del, End, Home or Insert keys either, and it took me a while to figure out how to work out how to correct the whole issue with the ONE button mouse/mousepad.

I promise I'll take a photo of the setup when I'm all done. I was supposed to clean my flat today, but somehow I can't find the energy and inspiration for it.

This is my first blog post I've done on this fabulous MacBook, and I'm obviously doing it from my sofa while watching the show White Collar (first time watching that!). There's just nothing bad I can say about this laptop. It's divine.

I find that I must stroke it every day, the MacBook (you filthy people!). On that note..



THE FILTH!

Now that we know the O faces of the JLS boys, how do you look at that magic moment? Please feel free, to share your photos.