It�s nice having an empty house again. Its huge and way too big for just the two of us (and cat) of course but its just a nice feeling to get home, walk through the door and have just the empty place (and cat) greet you. Both Jess and I had forgotten just how good it is... We saw The Royal Tenenbaums again. Just as good if not better - you get to watch all the detail that layers every shot - I noticed this time for instance that in the ice cream parlour towards the end of the movie all the other customers with Royal and Margot are fathers and daughters. Richard thought he'd spotted a continuity error but I watched really careful the scene where Chas throws Eli over the wall - Richard suggested that Eli is thrown to the right but when Royal and Henry go to retrieve him they set off for the embassy next door on the left. Actually if you watch the scene carefully and follow the chase through the house, the wall that Eli is tossed over is right next to Etheline's office and the POV that Anderson gives us is the rear of Archer Avenue. So even though Eli is thrown to the right both Henry and Royal go in that direction to get him but we just see it from the opposite point of view. Trust me. I watched it again on my burnt copy just to make sure... I can post a map if it helps. I did spot one interesting thing - the copy of 'Between the Buttons' that Margot listens to in Richie's tent does not exist - its a great moment when they lie together and we see the arm of the record player finish with 'She Smiled Sweetly' and then go straight into 'Ruby Tuesday' but on my copy of the album (and the one on Amazon) 'Ruby Tuesday' is the third track while 'She Smiled Sweetly' is the fifth... still seeing as New York hosts neither an Archer Avenue or regrettably a Gypsy Cab company I guess we can allow The Rolling Stones to be slightly different in Wes Anderson's world too... Was that too anal? Sorry... just go see the bloody film. It may be the best of the year. Work was ok today. I should find out tomorrow if I'm going to be a permanent fixture over there. I'm hoping so because it seems a really nice place to work, the people are cool and its just what I need at the moment. I'm satisfied I did a full days work and yet here I am at 2am still productive and managed to get a 2 hour movie in as well... I hadn't realised how much the old job was taking out of me. Speaking of the old job... Chris handed his notice in today. I'm hoping he won't mind me mentioning it here as it seems to be common knowledge now (Is that a cry of "Nooooooooo....." I hear from the direction of Helsinki?). It�s a shame for the place and the other people because Chris is such a joy to work with but it�s a good move for him and I know he's making the move for similar reasons to my own. I don't want to get into the final straw that not only broke the camel's back but also decapitated the poor beast and skull fucked it... needless to say it could have easily been avoided if everyone was as professional as they should be... leading by example just isn't a strong trait in some people I'm sorry to say... Still, the end result is that Chris will be happier and the store, like the Flying Dutchman, will continue to sail regardless... Jess was real sweet today - she gave me the new DVD of An American Werewolf in London that I've been craving and all because I've been hell to live with this week. Its always the ones you love that you take things out on and I was a cunt to live with this weekend... that�s why the blog was a little light too - I was in such a foul mood. Stu pointed out that I was a prick - that I should thank him for and I need to apologise to Jess (which I�m kind of doing here) but overall I just need to grow up... The flipside of course is that if you act childish you get bought things... My fellow commuters are still an odd bunch. This evening I watched this guy in a suit eye up the ladies on the tube. His eyes would wander from blouse to skirt to legs and finally back up to face before settling back onto the chest department... constantly upgrading the view as the tube got more crowded... he actually had a sad expression when one young woman left only to be replaced by another who was wearing considerably more... the advertisers have obviously got it wrong... all those dumb posters need to be relocated onto tight t shirts and hem lines and then at least that way the women on the tube may get some compensation for being treated like peep shows... Do I sound like the defender of womankind yet? Not really - I'd just rather read a good book than risk getting a glimpse of something disturbing and rancid hidden in the folds of flesh belonging to some of the hags that populate the London underground... its like an Evil Dead movie... especially in the morning I half expect something to whisper in my ear "dead by dawn" - it would be the perfect accompaniment to all the rancid cemetery breath that fogs up the train... I had a great 'movie' moment today when I was stood at a window looking out onto the back of some building opposite. As I stood there with my coffee looking at the flotsam abandoned by workmen over the years around all the skylights and rooftops I noticed a figure directly opposite looking in the same direction with cup in hand... I waved but got no response, which was a shame. It would have made me feel like I was on a ship as opposed to being inside an office building - a bit like that opening movie right at the beginning of Monty Python's Meaning of Life... I'm still reading the Harry Knowles book which is a great read... much better than I'd expected. The stuff about his family is right out of the 'Preacher' comic books - pretty fucked up. Check out his site - the bastard has already seen footage from the next Lord of the Rings movie... I hope there's still time to digitally edit Halle Berry in though - she's such a talented actress and the award last night just underlines that... I think she should be in every movie from now on... oh apart from the X Men sequel cos she's fucking shit I'm going to call it a night - tomorrow I have a full day and a night of webby stuff to get on with... more robots and all that. I also need to catch up with Tash and maybe arrange some drinks in the Duck... Saturday night anyone??? Mike is blogging to: Frank Zappa - Strictly Commercial