Xmas TV

There are occasional instances where I wish I was back in England. The most common cause of this, sadly, is seeing what's going to be on the television. With the intention of catching up on events in the UK (such as the Comodo Virgin Births) I checked the BBC website, only to be blown totally off-course by a banner advertising tonight's adaptation of Dracula. The synopsis sounds interesting, and I'm amused to see that the theme of syphilis, that old Victorian curse, plays a part. I think I waxed quite lyrical in my university essays about the role of syphilis in Victorian social anxiety(and vampires of course) so am interested in seeing this adaptation. It would also be good to see a version which isn't the Coppola one. Despite the bad accents and various other problems, I still love that version (mostly because of Gary Oldman and the costumes). All of my Draculas have long flowing locks and blue-tinted glasses.

However, the Beeb doesn't broadcast in Japan, and the likelihood of it ever being picked up on the local cable network is more remote than my getting bitten by Dracula himself. So, I've had to make do with the cult magazine section the Beeb has come up with, including a brief documentary featuring somebody I'm sure I've come across before. There are some vampy stories on there from Graham Masterton, Kim Newman and Michael Marshall Smith (amongst others) so I'll be giving myself the willies with them later on.

I'm also stamping my feet in frustration as there is not only an adaptation of Wind in the Willows, but also of Philip Pullman's Ruby in the Smoke. I shall be scouring the web for a downloadable versions ASAP.

No More Computers!

I am sad to report that I have not left my apartment all day. I did poke my head out the window at about 1pm, but it was windy and snowing in that peculiarly British way it snows, except this is Japan and has no excuse for it.

I woke up and sat in bed watching V for Vendetta, which I enjoyed; Natalie Portman gets an A- for the English accent. Since then I've made some food, had my head in my Japanese books, done my accounts for the month, written some cards for New Year and somehow wasted most of the day flitting between LJ and various other websites as they have taken my fancy. Oh, and I finished a short story. Go me.


I've got a couple of downloads to check out, then I'm going to make myself finish "The Whisperer in Darkness". I decided to re-read all the HPL I haven't read in a while, and am coming to remember why I don't read some of it a great deal - it's just not up to the standard of my favourites - "The Shadow Over Innsmouth", " Call of Cthulhu", "The Colour Out of Space" etc etc. At least "...Innsmouth" is next, though I may take a break for a while. I've also been re-reading all of greygirlbeast's Sirenia Digests. I'm up to No. 4 and am glad that I have subscribed to this monthly delight since last December. I recommend you do so that you too can experience the anticipation of receiving something which is guaranteed to take you by surprise every time.

That's it now. No more internet today, or until the New Year as I'm off to Nagano to get naked in a hot spring (!) and enjoy real snow, and the Zenkoji temple. Back on the 1st.