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Apr. 2nd, 2009 10:19 pmWent to the Vue at Gunwharf this morning to see The Damned United. Arrived outside the cinema at 10.40 - ten minutes before the programme started - to find the box office empty. After waiting for a few minutes for someone to appear, I spotted the automated card-payment ticket machine in the corner, twigged it probably represented my only hope of getting a ticket and went over. Though I just might have got away without buying one, since nobody at any time stopped me and asked to see it. The only people in the foyer were those staffing the food and drink stalls. I was charged £2.50 for a minute tub of Bailey's Haagen-Dazs.
The film was very good. Like the book, it constantly cut between Brian Clough's tempestuous 44 days at Leeds and his successful time with Derby, though the film focused much more on the animosity between the two teams than the book did, and condensed events a little. Michael Sheen was superb as Brian Clough and Timothy Spall very good as Peter Taylor, and the 1970s and the football of the era were really brought to life. I wasn't sure about the final scene of Clough apologising to Taylor on his knees in his driveway in Brighton, though - this doesn't appear in the book, and for me either the scene where the Leeds chairman asks Cloughie "Who the hell do you think you are?" and Clough replies "Brian Howard Clough", or the final Clough/Revie TV debate, would have made a better finale.
From there I took the train to Fareham, to buy Lady Mélisande her Easter egg and pack it off to her by air mail. She had said not to send anything this year as she didn't want me spending my money or inconvenienced, but I know how much she misses her English chocolate while she's Stateside, and I guess I want her to know I'm still extremely attracted to her.
While I was queuing in the Post Office, a Scouse girl named Sarah from the Vodafone customer service centre phoned me. I was expecting it, as I'd written to them to serve notice of not renewing my contract when it runs out in a few weeks. Sarah asked me why I wanted out, and I explained I'd had a very unhappy experience with their customer services last summer, telling her a few details. She said she was very sorry I'd been through that, then cut to the chase. I knew well that the whole purpose of her call was to persuade me to change my mind, and sure enough she asked if she could convince me to stay "with a favourable price plan". I asked her what kind of price plan she had in mind, then had to ask her to repeat what she said as someone in front of me in the queue was talking - "sorry, I'm in a post office queue". She was mucho embarrassed that she'd rung me at such a time.
Sarah offered me a continuation of my current plan, except without the insurance (which I'd had to take out to get a courtesy phone last year) on a 24 month contract, for just £9.78 a month, as a 'special half price offer', as opposed to the £40-odd bills I'm currently paying. If I'd gone to any new provider I'd have been paying £15 a month or more, so I accepted, because with the credit card bill around my neck any cutting of my monthly expenditure is to be welcomed, and because I'm a whore.
As Sarah was running through some of the fine print with me I had to ask her to hold on for two minutes, as I'd reached the front of the queue and was being called to one of the counters.
When I'd done in the post office I just had time for a meal in Burger King before the bus left for work.
Earlyish in the shift my beloved Julieann passed round a box of chocolate coconut macaroons. I was interviewing at the time so had to quietly whisper "no, I'm OK, but thank you very much," then a bit later when we were both off the phone I had to beatle over to her to say thank you very much for the offer but explain that I've given chocolate up for Lent. Thank goodness, she was fine with that, even commending me for "being good"...
The film was very good. Like the book, it constantly cut between Brian Clough's tempestuous 44 days at Leeds and his successful time with Derby, though the film focused much more on the animosity between the two teams than the book did, and condensed events a little. Michael Sheen was superb as Brian Clough and Timothy Spall very good as Peter Taylor, and the 1970s and the football of the era were really brought to life. I wasn't sure about the final scene of Clough apologising to Taylor on his knees in his driveway in Brighton, though - this doesn't appear in the book, and for me either the scene where the Leeds chairman asks Cloughie "Who the hell do you think you are?" and Clough replies "Brian Howard Clough", or the final Clough/Revie TV debate, would have made a better finale.
From there I took the train to Fareham, to buy Lady Mélisande her Easter egg and pack it off to her by air mail. She had said not to send anything this year as she didn't want me spending my money or inconvenienced, but I know how much she misses her English chocolate while she's Stateside, and I guess I want her to know I'm still extremely attracted to her.
While I was queuing in the Post Office, a Scouse girl named Sarah from the Vodafone customer service centre phoned me. I was expecting it, as I'd written to them to serve notice of not renewing my contract when it runs out in a few weeks. Sarah asked me why I wanted out, and I explained I'd had a very unhappy experience with their customer services last summer, telling her a few details. She said she was very sorry I'd been through that, then cut to the chase. I knew well that the whole purpose of her call was to persuade me to change my mind, and sure enough she asked if she could convince me to stay "with a favourable price plan". I asked her what kind of price plan she had in mind, then had to ask her to repeat what she said as someone in front of me in the queue was talking - "sorry, I'm in a post office queue". She was mucho embarrassed that she'd rung me at such a time.
Sarah offered me a continuation of my current plan, except without the insurance (which I'd had to take out to get a courtesy phone last year) on a 24 month contract, for just £9.78 a month, as a 'special half price offer', as opposed to the £40-odd bills I'm currently paying. If I'd gone to any new provider I'd have been paying £15 a month or more, so I accepted, because with the credit card bill around my neck any cutting of my monthly expenditure is to be welcomed, and because I'm a whore.
As Sarah was running through some of the fine print with me I had to ask her to hold on for two minutes, as I'd reached the front of the queue and was being called to one of the counters.
When I'd done in the post office I just had time for a meal in Burger King before the bus left for work.
Earlyish in the shift my beloved Julieann passed round a box of chocolate coconut macaroons. I was interviewing at the time so had to quietly whisper "no, I'm OK, but thank you very much," then a bit later when we were both off the phone I had to beatle over to her to say thank you very much for the offer but explain that I've given chocolate up for Lent. Thank goodness, she was fine with that, even commending me for "being good"...
