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Tumblr is looking so appealing to me right now, but I've worked so hard and long on this blog, it's probably better to just keep it.

Issues in Contemporary Media.

My essay is done, I am please.
I hope to see an old friend tomorrow evening for drinks. What a reward for one evening of solid work.

3D is awesome.

Just come back from seeing Avatar, which undoubtedly everyone has heard of.

It's as brilliant as everyone says. I can't really say much about it without ruining it but the 2h42m is definitely worth the bum-numbing.
There is great integration of 3D technology and the storyline, unlike previous 3D movies I've seen which often substitute storyline with obvious 3D effects. It does sneak one obvious one in there but by that point, everything is so mind-blowing that it's just a minor reference to bygone tacky 3D.
I recommend it to everyone and it's a deserved film of the decade - too bad it's come out right at the very end. But I don't think it's going anywhere obscure for a while.

It's just a shame that when it comes out on DVD that everyone will have to watch it with those horrible red-and-blue specs, although who knows, there could be an exception on the horizon - I hope so, this is the film that 3D came back into vogue for.
I wish that someone could explain the difference in technology to me. All I see without the 3D glasses in the cinema is blurry lines, not the usual red-blue-green that you get at home. I guess I'll just sit in anticipation for that one.
Surely with the emergence of 3D SkyTV, the crappy glasses are gone for good?

On top of how good that Avatar actually was, it also relates to my Issues in Contemporary Media essay. Was happy when it did, it was interesting how my brain processed it all, now I've informed myself so much about disability in the media. It does have a restrictive - in terms of disability - ending, but unless it's an issue that is particularly close to home, I doubt many people would see it as that significant. It is also slightly perturbing that the lead actor is able-bodied when his character isn't, but again unless you are part of a disability activist movement, it won't be that important to you.
I can't say much else without giving anything away, but I definitely give it a 10 out of 10 - even letting go that the reason for the action in the film is the substance 'unobtainium'.

Stupid.

I'm bored of other people's relationships, I'm bored of other people. I can't be bothered with people who annoy me, especially those that I like. Why are you annoying me when I'm handing out my friendship to you? I don't get why some people will criticise someone all the time and yet that person will still be the person to go crying to when you're feeling blue. I wish 2009 would get over itself because despite everything that I've achieved it pales in comparison to what has been rubbish about it and it's crap that that's not really an exaggeration.

I can't wait for New Years Eve - to do something as a couple without anything to worry about, like we did when we were 17.
I will cook nice food, we will drink fizz, watch Where The Wild Things are and the London fireworks on television without anybody spoiling it.

Christmas Day 2009.

It has become tradition that we venture round to Holmwood to visit the house out there that has a pretty impressive set of outdoor lights. I personally think that everyone should do up their houses like this for the duration of the Christmas period. It's much more festive. The reindeer shown in these photos move.

© Ruth Johnston

Christmas day was quite nice. I got some really nice presents. Including a pair of those super-soft boot slippers - it's probably like walking on a cloud, they're that soft. Moon got me some tasty perfume, a spice rack, a massager, a necklace and a pretty bowl.
One of the presents I got him was tickets to the circus and a trip on the ferris wheel at Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park on New Years Day - it will be lovely. It's the only thing I'm next looking forward to, considering that from here on in I am working towards finishing off all the work I gave myself to do over the holidays.
An essay and my RDB for Documentary Practices - which I am now completely fretting over, due to ordering that book and being told that it won't be sent off until the 6th January and will take 3-5 days. . . I'm sure that eventually it will be fine, but it will definitely be playing on my mind until it gets here. Even without the book, I probably will pass, but it's still scary.

Christmas Day was as relaxing for me as it should have been and the food was great. Glad it's only once a year though, I was so uncomfortable going to sleep. It was re-affirmed that my sister's head is too big for cracker Christmas hats, one of my favourite recurring facts, ever.

© Ruth Johnston

I'm kind of missing Moon a bit, even though I was with him yesterday evening and this morning, it's different, as I am now not with him again and won't be seeing him until New Years Eve - which will be a very straight affair, not unlike last year, due to the fact that the people we would most likely spend it with are either working or have sixteen year old girlfriends, which is very depressing.

I feel like since the reunion, I have rebuilt some bridges so the time off I have once my work's handed in on the 16th might not be so empty. Which is something else to look forward to.

Christmas, part one.

This year, I get at least two Christmas dinners.
Just had the first part, a huge roast chicken with all the trimmings with my Gran and my sister.

Bit o' 'bokeh'.







© Ruth Johnston 2009

Tomorrow, I get turkey - plus leftovers at Moons afterwards and then more leftovers on Boxing day.
Christmas is by far the best time of year ever, gluttony is wonderful.
I'm currently writing a list of things I've achieved in 2009 - I'm not sure it will be that long, I anticipate that 2010 will be much more go-getting.

Thank you Blurb.com

After panicking, I sorted out my book photos and layout in about 45 minutes.
I've sent off for two copies, £40 including p&p, but that's not too bad in the world of print, as I've learnt. Definitely printing the images for mounting at home as they're not really part of the final piece, they're just a selection.
I'm not sure what kind of marks I'm going to get but I really love my concept - although I've been thinking more and more about family portraits and brother/sister relationships since being back, I think it's a Christmas thing. But, since I've sent this book off and worked so hard on theories, it would be stupid to change it last minute.
Should have just done what a girl on my course was doing and based it around 'the family at Christmas' - much easier and less stressful.
I do prefer it when fun is work.

Arms of Kings.

© Ruth Johnston 2009

I proceeded to get drunk and fall over on the ice on the way home.
But my snow boots finally came yesterday and I got refunded the £4.99 I paid for 'next day delivery'.

This is a good photo, but I didn't take it.

"I'm not spoilt"

Just watched "Fearne Cotton and Peaches Geldof" out of curiosity from seeing it on Screenwipe. What a pretentious, conceited girl Peaches Geldof is...
(y)

I love my cat.

My cat doesn't love Whiskas, my cat doesn't like cat food, she'll eat it, but she'd rather have people food. She is basically a small furry person. Not in a weird 'cat-person' way though.

© Ruth Johnston, 2009

The snow is lovely but deadly, it's a bit too slippy to actually do much outdoors - I'm not sure much of it is snow anymore.

© Ruth Johnston, 2009

I have bought these boots specifically to cope with these situations though.
I hope they'll come tomorrow so I can actually finish my Christmas shopping.
No physical work has been produced since yesterday afternoon, I should probably get onto that. Although I have done a lot of reading for my essay.

Glad that's over..

This is what my hair looked like when it was cut..

This is what it looked like this morning..

It's washed and not like either of these anymore, thank God.

My cat slept in the covers with me last night, I love my cat.

I have both the American Tails to watch today, Sundays are sweeeeet!

Neat.

Finally have the cable to connect my laptop onto the shiny 50" TV :)
But it also means I can hook it up to any nice LCD tv. It looks nice too. Hasn't got sound, but that cable's in the post. ♥


I have got all my Christmas shopping done for everyone - apart from my sister, but that's easy. I did it all at once, my arms hurt so much. Here are the cute cards I bought to give to everyone, puns are great.


I got my haircut today - the way the hairdresser did it was pointless, I will never do my hair like this ever, plus it hurt a little as she was doing it.


Feeling quite excited for Christmas and have 600 words (all of which is awesome) of my essay done. Just need to sort through photos for my book and then it's done. I'm so sad that there's no snow in New Malden - but then again I've been waiting so long for sun and that's what I've got - I'm going down to Dorking later, where apparently there's still loads of snow, can't wait to build a snowman, hope it's still there.
I hurt my foot this morning - apparently I haven't actually felt physical pain in a while, it hurt so much. I slipped down the stairs and my suitcase fell on it. Quite spectacular.

Harrods.

So, yesterday my Gran took my sister and I to Harrods.
I'm not sure whether it was because it's Christmas time, but it really was magical. If that doesn't sound lame, it has everything. I didn't even realise. We had a nice afternoon tea there, which was pricey but worth it. It was such a nice afternoon, I came back feeling really Christmassy.
These are the photos I took, being a tourist attraction, no one minded me getting my camera out, it was nice to not be looked upon as suspicious.

For some reason, which I didn't catch, the theme for Harrod's 70th anniversary was the Wizard of Oz.
Too cute :)




I wanted one, just to have, but I guess Harrod's can keep it for £40.









Probably quite a novel gift for your dog, but when it comes down to it, almost entirely pointless.







© Ruth Johnston 2009 More photos here.

I couldn't sleep last night for all the worrying I did about all the work I've yet to do. I have to finish off reading for the Issues in Contemporary Media essay and have worked out that if I'm doing a book for Documentary Practices it needs to be sent to the printers before the New Year in order for me to get it before the deadline. I could make one, but I think for this project a standard photobook is more apt, and a bit more sleek. Plus I'm not very good at that kind of thing - that is actually what I'm going to put in my RDB. So I'm going to have to select my final images even though I haven't taken them all yet.
I've selected around 100 images, which probably needs to be narrowed down to 30-40 for the book. Shouldn't be too hard but I don't know if they're all good enough. I guess it means the RDB work won't be as strenuous though, what with the actual final piece being done.
STRESS.STRESS.STRESS.
On the plus side, at least I've done the Case Studies for Project Management (the exhibition project) - as well as completing all my development notes - I've only got a bit of research that needs typing up and I probably won't worry about that until a couple of days before the hand in...

Bring on the two days off Christmas Eve & Day bring. ♥
It also snowed yesterday, but only for a bit.