Author: Paul B

  • Two Pints Good, No Pints Best

    I went out last night for a belated birthday meal and drink. We had main and desert at Simple – a bar and restaurant – in Manchester, then headed a little way up the street to The Millstone, a bit of an old mans’ pub, which nevertheless is the sort we prefer over ‘younger’ models.…

  • Time And Relative Breakfast

    I’d love to understand why I always seem to end up taking more time to have breakfast than anything else in the morning. If I want to get out early, I choose to have toast. If I want to get out really early, I skip breakfast altogether. A full toast, cereal and mug of coffee…

  • One of those Days

    I have had a slow Saturday where, despite having the time to do all the things on my To Do list, I have managed, largely, to do a whole load of things I hadn’t intended to do. I haven’t been wasting time, by any measure. However, in the greater schemes of things I have erred…

  • The Beast Below

    I think you could describe this as the first Marmite episode of the season, because you’ll either like it or you won’t – as like Prisoner Zeroes hiding out for 12 years in Amy’s house, you’ll either suspend disbelief or not. Thinking on it, “The Beast Below” feels a little like a campaign supplement for…

  • Debate, The Second

    Thursday night, I watched the second debate on Sky News. I watched for the whole 90 minutes, as compared to the 30 minutes last time (because, frankly, there was a DVD I wanted to watch and in the balance it was preferable to watch that rather than three men yapping). I listened intently and watched…

  • The Eleventh Hour

    I think that the problem with a new Doctor is that it challenges what we’ve grown comfortable with. I mean, who would have thought that anyone except William Shatner could play Kirk? Thing is, unlike ‘Star Trek’, Who challenges you with change every few years (or a couple if you’re unlucky, Colin). So, we, as…

  • You Might Have Noticed

    Yes, I know. I haven’t had time to digest the last two episodes yet to allow me to field an opinion. Thus far, I enjoyed ‘Eleventh Hour’ and I’m still on the fence with my judgment on ‘The Beast Below’. I will post something more… substantial… soon. In the meantime, one thing about the episodes…

  • Heroic Effort… Not!

    I have the feeling that Heroes (Season 4) has become the uncle you have to invite round for Christmas despite the fact you find him creepy, that he always drinks too much and if given the chance will corner you to discuss the finer points of Real Ale. Whatever you’re misgivings you have to invite…

  • Seizing Up

    I’m getting old, apparently. Actually, according to my physiotherapist, I have bits that have got old before their time. The wear and tear on parts of my spinal column appear to be progressing ahead of schedule for the average adult. I had to spend 15 minutes in a grinding, clunking, banging MRI machine to discover…