After watching bits and pieces all week we finally finished watching Russian Ark (imdb | rotten tomatoes) this afternoon. I kept it on the PVR because I think we’ll need to give it another go, hopefully uninterrupted this time. I suspect it would be even better on DVD (the version we recorded on CBC has commercials). The reason continuity in viewing is so important is because of the way the film was made: it’s actually one long, stunning shot (in first person) moving through the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg. It’s hard to believe what you’re seeing as you watch it, especially when you consider the hundreds, thousands maybe, of actors and the fluid way in which they interact with the camera. The only thing more remarkable than the skill used in making the film was the museum itself, and the art it contains.

I can’t recommend Russian Ark enough.

It’s been a busy 24 hours.

Last night after watching The Daily Show and Oprah’s appearance on Letterman I was trying to fall asleep when my tooth (the one that got worked on last week) started throbbing in pain. I took some advil to fall asleep, but then some assclown in another apartment started hammering nails into walls. At 12:30 AM! And it kept going for an hour! Needless to say I did not sleep well. I got up and called the dentist, asking for a look on short notice. They got me in for a quick look and a scrip for some antibiotics in the hopes that it’s just infected and we can ward off a root canal; I left, fought my way through the morning surge coming out of Union Station and headed off to work, picking up a croissant from Holt’s and some hot chocolate from Second Cup along the way.

I finally got away from a busy morning at work — mostly finishing up a group project for school that’s due Monday — for lunch, and found that my computer had arrived. I carried the boxes upstairs, built a fort for the cats and went back to work.

Since I’ve barely seen Stanzi in three weeks I met her for hot chocolate (yes, another one) after work. We chatted for a bit, then went to m0851 to look for an xmas present for her brother-in-law. She found a pretty good one and I found a spring/summer jacket that I think I’ll buy tomorrow. I headed back to the drug store to pick up my prescription and head home. Someone from the pet sitting service that we use to look after the cats when we’re away came by to introduce herself, so we had to do some hasty cleaning. The boys put on a show…until Nellie took out the carrier bags (just in case the lady has to take them to the vet while we’re away), which freaked Michael out (’cause, to him, the bags = the vet = needles and rectal thermometers) and he hid behind the bed. As would I.

Finally, we were able to order some food, watch the Raptors squeak out win #2 and watch Weeds on the PVR. We’ll take it easy the rest of the night, maybe watch a movie and fall asleep early with advil for the tooth, and earplugs lest the hammering resume. Tomorrow’s going to be even busier, I think: lots of xmas shopping, personal shopping, errands, reading, maybe hanging out with friends if we can arrange it.

And at some point, I’ll want to get that new computer fired up. Mmmmmm, 19″ ultrasharp LCD…

My new computer’s been shipped. It was expected to arrive today, but no dice. Maybe it’ll arrive tomorrow and I can ignore my economics work all weekend. I have to get the new one set up, transfer the 120GB drive from the old one to the new one, then wipe the old one as a friend of a friend is going to buy it. It’s nearly 7 years old so I couldn’t get much for it, except that the LCD monitor is newer.

.:.
Speaking of economics, I’m having a hard time getting back into work mode. I’ve had several months of HR & IT, which didn’t require a whole lot of effort, so now getting back into the habit of reading 40 pages of microeconomics every night is a bit daunting.

Ladytron‘s Witching Hour disc starts off with the best 1-2-3 combination I’ve heard this year: “High Rise”, “Destroy Everything You Touch” and “International Dateline.”

J’aime L’Onion. This week’s edition was especially strong:

• CIA Realizes It’s Been Using Black Highlighters All These Years
• Impersonal Trainer Couldn’t Give A Fuck What You Do With Those Free Weights
• RIAA Bans Telling Friends About Songs

T-Bone said last night she’d never read The Onion, which I find sad. How depressing that someone could go through life without reading classic groundbreaking articles like “Nation’s Porn Stars Demand To Be Fucked Harder” and “Eight Pound Man Removed From Woman’s Vagina“.

All dumb things must come to an end.

Just got home from basketball. The stinking has resumed. My feet don’t hurt, I’m not sore at all, there’re no little cuts and scratches on my arms, and I’m not realy tired. But I did re-sprain my middle finger.

.:.
The Canadiens, not surprisingly, got their asses handed to them by the Senators tonight. And I think I’m in trouble in my pool.

Zip seems to have put a processing centre in Mississauga (immediately to the west of Toronto, for those who aren’t local) which means my movies are getting there and back MUCH faster. It used to be 3 days each way, but now they’re receiving my envelopes the day after I send them, and I receive my new movie the following day.

But they *still* won’t send me season 2 of Arrested Development.

Argh. This tooth wasn’t bothering me until last week when my dentist put in a new filling. Now every time I drink something cold: shooting pain. If it doesn’t get better in a few days I’ll have to go back and get more shit done. I’m sure this is the tactic…destroy filling that works perfectly well, charge $300 to put in shitty filling, wait one week, charge enormous amounts for root canal. I can’t wait.

.:.
Questionable Content started gettin’ gooooood yesterday. I guess Jeph decided #500 was a good place to start the drama. I feel like I’m watching a soap opera in 24-hour time lapse.

If someone tells you The Postman Always Rings Twice (imdb | rotten tomatoes) is a good movie, don’t believe them. The 1981 version anyway; I can’t speak for the 1946 version.