Happy Anniversary, Doctor Who!

Cinedork

It’s finally upon us, the day many of us doubted would ever happen – tomorrow marks the 50th anniversary of the first time we saw the strange man with the secret and that dimensionally-transcendent police box that took us away on so many adventures.

Doctor Who was first broadcast November 23, 1963, and in the decades since then it has survived replacement of its lead actor, changing heads of broadcasting, cancellation, film destruction and attempts at Americanization, to come out as one of the most popular shows ever created.

50 years of awesome

50 years ago, on a stormy New Brunswick day, Arthur and Geneva said their vows and cut their cake.

Life Songs: 2010–2012

I’ve been putting off writing about the more recent life songs because, to be honest, I don’t really listen to the radio anymore so I’m not as familiar with newer stuff. I know, I know, that makes me sound really old. Well I am, live with it.

That said, I can think of a few I’ve heard and like...

Love it: Shakespeare in the rough

So this evening Jennskoot and R and I went to see CanStage's latest summer Dream In The Park production: The Taming Of The Shrew.

Seven years ago

Some things that happened up to today, seven years ago:

Jake

Jake in Killarney 2009 (mine)

So less than an hour after hearing the Peter Capaldi news, my excitement was completely dampened by awful news.

Another day, another Doctor

Know what I like? Police officers who do their job without being a dick. Also veterinarians who are really nice to your pets (T and I are at one right now with Jake, it's not fair to get sick when you're on vacation, aaaw).

Aaah...

T and I are all settled in at the cottage, the cats are meandering and all is well. The forecast for tomorrow is already 2 degrees warmer than it The Weather Network predicted this morning, so I have high hopes!

Apparently there was a big Dr Who-related announcement, I haven't gone online to find out what it is yet. And 12th DOCTOR ANNOUNCEMENT on Sunday, excited! Peter Capaldi has recently been getting bookie attention…

20° Sunny

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later

So the announcement was that there was going to be an announcement on Sunday. Feh.

Love it: WonderPens

A few days ago I stumbled across WonderPens online and let out a little squeal of delight – a fountain pen shop for everyday people, right here in Toronto! I feel uncomfortable when I visit most pen shops, underdressed and just not rich enough – but reading Jon and Liz Chan's blog (it's their store, a labour of love by the sound of it) I could tell that wouldn't be the case here.

Visiting the vampires

Owie.

I'm at the blood clinic near my office, waiting for my turn to donate. I've been putting it off for a couple of weeks for no good reason, just too lazy to drag myself in here I suppose - I've already been poked in the finger and I'm good to go.

Classic Doctor Who — where to begin?

www.bbc.co.uk

Back in the summer of 2010 I was at a party, discussing Dr Who with a friend who was really getting into the new series. Turned out he hadn’t really watched the classic series at all and was curious as to where he should start. My gut reaction was to suggest ‘start at the beginning!’ but I realized that might be bad, so I told him I’d give it a think and get back to him.

Here’s what I sent him a couple of days later. These are not necessarily considered by all and sundry to be the most iconic, most pivotal, best stories or best performances for each of the Doctors, but they’re the ones I liked for this. Keep in mind, these were my thoughts in 2010…

I always run into people I know at Ikea.

This weekend I ran into TWO people I know at Ikea. Sort of.

Springtime with my folks

I spent this weekend with my parents, which is always nice.

Life Songs: 2005-2009

Oops, been a while, hasn’t it? Okay, here’s the next list. I had a good long think about these...

Daylight

Home from work. Sitting in a comfy chair. Reading a book. By SUNLIGHT.

Roll on Spring!

Random observation.

There is never an appropriate time and place for a matching velour track suit. Seriously. They looked like trash in the '70s, and they still do.

Also, the idea of wearing expensive clothes that look cheap is the dumbest thing since the automatic spaghetti fork. The point is to wear cheap clothes that look expensive, people. Or, better yet, spend some real money on something that looks like you spent real money on it.

You have to be a whole new level of stupid to spend $800 on torn jeans or a lumberjack shirt.

That is all.

Love it: Banana Sticky Buns

When I was growing up I used to like to take things off the shelf that I already knew front to back and examine them again. One of those things was my Mum's Betty Crocker recipe card box. I would take it out, remove all the cards and them put them back one by one, pausing with each to read through the recipe, study the picture and try to imagine what it would actually taste like.

I recall a number of things that would never, ever get made (really, a baked alaskan?), but there were a few that were made over and over again - and one of those was for Banana Sticky Buns.

So simple, yet so awesome.