Its so cold. I really can't feel my hands properly and my nose is really cold. Hope the heating's still on when I get back from fencing, I think I'll need it.

I remember watching Buffy series 6, the second half especially, and thinking the BBC will have to cut quite a bit. They definitely cut the zip-opening sound from Smashed. Tonight I kept waiting for Buffy to go outside with Spike, but she never did. Why don't they put the Friday night repeat on at a reasonable time?

Now I'm a member I have found loads of stuff at Henneth Annun, its great. Apart from all the really good fic there, I mean. Its also easier to find stuff that you will potentially like using the searches and looking at other people's recommendations if they like the same stuff as you. The people there all seem really nice and helpful too.

Been playing Bureaucracy. Its hard (and not just to spell either). The trouble is that unlike Hitch-hiker's (or the beginning at least) if you go wrong you don't die. You just wonder around a lot not being able to do stuff. I had a look at the clues when I got stuck and found I'd gone wrong on the second move. I suppose while my download's not doing anything I should restart and see if I can convince my printer to print. And watch last weeks Angel.

I am going to take this opportunity to complain about Valentine's Day. Apart fom being totally pointless and far too sickly sweet, I have major problem with it. You can't find any birthday cards. Go into any shop that sells cards and they'll be full of Valentine's Day cards. You're obviously not allowed to have a birthday at this time of year. Luckily I bought the ones I needed to a few weeks ago. Okay so thats pretty much it for the rant really.

The other thing annoying me at the moment (one of may things admittedly) is books. Which includes just about anything readable in whatever format. If its good you want to keep reading it to find out whats going to happen next. The best thing about reading something for a long(ish) period of time is that you can lose yourself in that universe and you remember more of it. The trouble is that you don't want to read it too fast because then it will be over. And then what do you do? Nothing else seems quite so good after that. Although if its long and complicated enough the answer is to re-read it. Or go and read something you know is good (because you've read it before). Then you can go onto something new. The best thing, of course, is to find something else good and new. Sadly, I can't afford that many books. Or time to read them.

I don't think I'm going to be updating my site till next month at the earliest - I'm so booked up there's non time! I really mean to do stuff with it this time, honest guv. Really tired this week due to lack of sleep. I'm now halfway through the FOTR writers commentary which is the most interesting one so far. They talk about what they changed from the book, what they kept the same and which bits they restored for the DVD and why. I've been trying to work out how to get it to give me other languages and subtitles and stuff, although I have only tried the one DVD, so that could have something to do with it.

A new LOTR rec - Legacy by Anglachel. Its about how Frodo comes to live with Bilbo. Its almost horrifying in places (I don't see any of the slash in LOTR) but it is quite sweet, and sad in places.

I got up in time to watch Quantum Leap on UKGold this morning and it was the only season 1 episode I haven't seen. It wasn't that good, but its always nice to be reminded how good the series was as a whole. If they did any more - TV movie or whatever - they couldn't do it without Scott Bakula and Dean Stockwell though. I'm sure they can fit it in round Enterprise.

I considered watching Stargate on Sky One on Wednesday, but then it occurred to me that it would have adverts in it in annoying places and it clashes with The Bill. So I think I'll download it.

I have now watched every documentary on the Lord of the Rings DVDs. And I worked out how to get to the Two Towers trailer. I found a really funny set of fics yesterday - Bagenders. Its a cross between LOTR, The Young Ones and Father Ted. Its one of the few stories that have made me laugh out loud, the others being The Sith Academy (where Darth Maul is given menial rage-honing tasks to do by his master, Darth Sidious) and Daniel Jackson's Diary (similar to Bridget Jones's Diary).

I wasn't that impressed with Farscape last night. The story's been done before (Polymorph springs to mind for a start) and the ending seemed a bit contrived. The writers probably had it mind the whole time, but it doesn't explain why he doesn't tell her earlier. And Scorpius gobs in his eye. Ugh. He gets more gross with each episode.

Now this Lord of the Rings 'rumour' is funny. There's a site out there called What Tolkien Officially Said About Elf Sex. Its almost worrying really. And lastly a nice Hobbit-theme piece of fanfic called The Care and Feeding of Hobbits.

I took a while, but I realised why I keep thinking The Two Towers should be shortened to TT, and not TTT. Its because there's no T at the start of FOTR or LOTR is there? Can we at last be consistent here?

The annoying thing about watching the FOTR DVD is it keeps making me want to read the book again. I'm nearly up to the Frodo and Sam bits of TT and thats only because I spent three and a half hours on a train (techincally there were two trains involved) reading it. I seem to remember the first time I read it (I'm on my second reading now) that I pretty much skipped the non-Sam and Frodo bits because they were boring. And I only had a week to read the second and third books (the first had taken me three weeks on its on, and I still skipped all the descriptive bits). Although I am liking any bits with Merry and Pippin in, and Aragorn and Gandalf are getting quite interesting too.

I have established that I can't find DVD Easter eggs even when I have exact instructions. It just doesn't work! Its no use typing numbers in, they just refer to menu items. Aah! It's doing my head in. But I do like the zoom button. There are some quite interesting documentaries on the LOTR DVD, its just hard to find anything amongst all the stuff on there.

Quick Nemesis review - it was good. I think there were some other bits they could have done differently and, going by the length of Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter, it could have been longer. But it was an enjoyable way to spend a couple of hours. And I noticed one of the ships they were headed towards (but never got to see) was the USS Archer. Ever since Virtual Voyager had a shuttle Mayweather (last week, admittedly) I remembered to look out for anything like that.

I added some fic recs, one for LOTR which is one of the few I've seen that isn't slash. She's also written some other stuff, all focusing on hobbits. The Elves one is very funny. Also strange, but thats the point. I'd add another journal, but unless you've seen Buffy season 7 so far (in America) it will totally spoil it. I can't even add the link without the address revealing so many things. So its not going in here until we're halfway through it on BBC2. Assuming this journal, and mine, still exists, that is.

Quick Farscape review - I thought we found out in Look at the Princess that Crichton has two sisters? I could have heard wrong though. It was very interesting, and sad at the end. Now we're back to the rest of the season after that 2 week break on Earth. And hah! to all the Americans out there.

My Hobbit Name is Ruby Gamwich of the Bree Gamwiches.
My Elvish Name is Nessa T�ral�m.

Cool eh?

Going to see Star Trek Nemesis tomorrow - on opening night!

I'm on a Trip/T'Pol fic reading mission at the moment. I really don't want to go back to work tomorrow. I've been thinking about various characters in TV/Books etc, particularly the ones that everyone likes, so here's my late night analysis (still thinking 10 o'clock is pumpkin time after last week).

Duncan Lennox (The Bill)
I remember my first impressions of Duncan were that he was a nice guy. And he is, its just that putting my finger on exactly why is more difficult. Up until the fire (I'm not talking about post-fire Duncan at all) he had it all. He was married to a woman who worked in the stock market and therefore earned a lot of money. He had a really nice apartment (ie too big to call a flat) overlooking the Thames. And as other people in CID pointed out, he wasn't the one who paid the mortgage. When Liz was sent threatening letters he made sure she was safe by letting her stay at his place (his wife being away at the time). He and Liz always got on well, but then everyone got on with Duncan. I was thinking that he's always happy, but then he has does his fair share of whinging. I think perhaps people like him because he does all the polite stuff, but because he geniunly wants to know, not because he's honest.

Captain Carrot (Discworld)
Terry Pratchett explains it better than I could, I just haven't read any of the relevant books recently. In a way he's a lot like Duncan, in that he's very honest and he will ask people how they are because he wants to know. It helps that he has a good memory, mind you. He has also got the girl.

Trip Tucker (Enterprise)
Trip is slightly different from the other two. He is also honest, but he is more blunt. He says what he thinks, which isn't so good when he's in command of the ship and has to be diplomatic to other species. I'm not so sure everyone automatically likes him, he's had to work at it. Admittedly, a small group of people thrown together with only other species they've just met for companship, disliking anyone on the ship is a bit of a problem. At first Trip has a tendency to rub people up the wrong way, but I think that they get used to his particular brand of 'honesty'. Having said that, the thing he has in common with the other two is that the polite stuff he does is because he wants to know.

Really shouldn't get into all this deep stuff while I'm tired, but if you disagree with any of the crap I just wrote (or if you agree) send me an e-mail. I'm working on getting a comments thing for this.

I was sitting in the shade yesterday so I thought it was a bit chilly, but today was definitely very hot! Yesterday was the Beeblebears Picnic in Battersea Park, which was fun. Everytime I go to one I think I must get a Beeblebear, but haven't quite managed it so far. Then I met up with some friends from uni, so it was good to catch up. Its quite refreshing to spend time with them because nothing much has changed since we left, unlike people at work who are all boring and getting married etc.

Went to Reading today and got, among other things, a bigger blow-up chair. Its really comfortable to sit in, even if I am a bit too close to the TV when I'm in it. Sadly, there's no space for it in my room! Its sitting at one end at the moment, so I can't get to my clothes rail or the bookcase with my food on.

So glad I only have a 2 day week, specially if it'll be hot. Looking forward to going to The Bill studios, and should be going to see some other friends in London while I'm there. Its quite strange going from having your friends within walking distance and seeing them nearly every day, to only seeing them every couple of months. Although if I go travelling I'll see them even less during that time.