Damn but I’m gonna miss this show.

Now I’ll be the first to admit that the show is *sniffle*, sorry, was spectacularly violent. Borrowing heavily from the visual style of 300 there were BUCKETS of blood in every single episode. I don’t think I have ever watched anything else that reveled in the violence quite so much. If you don’t like depictions of violence then this show would definitely not have been for you. That said, you have to give the producers and directors a little credit, when it comes to inflicting brutal death on people they’re an inventive bunch. I distinctly remember an episode where some poor sucker got his entire face sliced off…HIS ENTIRE FACE! I’m sure we can all agree that falls into the category of “fucking bonkers“. It became a bit of a running joke in our house. What will win the prize for outrageous slaying of the week?

It’s also pretty heavy on the swears. There are some truly EPIC insults. I found this clip on You Tube. This is all the swearing from just the very 1st episode.

John Hannah doing some sterling work there.

There’s also enough nudity to make Lady Godiva blush. Lets be honest, there were acres of naked flesh as far as the eye could see at some points. In fairness though it always seemed like it was equal opportunity nudiness. Spartacus actually had quite a refreshing take on gender as well, it just didn’t matter. There were same sex relationships, strong female characters and I always rather like that. (They never did manage to top James Purefoy’s 1st scene in Rome though did they? If you haven’t seen it you should seek it out. Full on starkers while getting oiled up by a slave. Mrs Cheesecake still talks fondly about that to this day. She met “the Purejoy” once you know.  I could have been on fire at that moment and I doubt she would have noticed. He does do a mean Blue Steel it has to be said…Just to clarify he was fully clothed when they met. He was only naked on the TV).

The cast have been just brilliant. Andy Whitfield and then Liam McIntyre have each brought their own unique interpretation to Spartacus. I admit that I was more than a little sceptical that the show could survive the loss of it’s main star. Whitfield was great to watch and I saw masses of potential there. McIntyre did the most sensible thing he could do when he stepped in. He let the writing guide him and over the course of two seasons he added his own dimension to the solid groundwork of Whitfield.

All the other actors and actresses have been great as well. Early on Lucy Lawless and John Hannah were magnificently decadent as Batiatus and Lucretia. Nick Tarabay was supremely sleazy as Ashur and Peter Mensah brought a quiet dignity to Oenomaus. In more recent series Pana Hema Taylor and Cythina Addia-Robinson were great as Nasir and Naevia respectively.

It has to be Daniel Feuerriegel, Dustin Clare, Liam McIntyre and Manu Bennett as Agron, Gannicus, Spartacus and Crixus that made the show for me though. I mean c’mon. How can you not love this? I ask you.

It’s highly likely that the Fab Four are about to fuck you up

Here’s the interesting/surprising thing from my perspective. Setting aside all the violence, swearing and nudity, (much as I enjoy it all), this did actually make me want to learn more about history surrounding the real people that the characters are based on. I know that the show has glorified a brutal time for the sake of entertainment but the flip side of that is that I now have burning curiosity to separate the fact from the fiction.

So where do we go now? Who will fill the void now that Spartacus is no more. I’ve thought about this long and hard and I reckon that this fella shows a certain amount of potential.

Meet Slaine Mac Roth

Are you listening Raimi, Tapert, DeKnight??? (they’re the producers before you ask) Gannicus the celt was one of the most popular characters on the show. I’ve heard talk of a spin off for Julius Ceasar. Don’t waste your time bothering with that. Check out Slaine and bring him, Ukko the dwarf and the glories of the warp-spasm to the small screen. (Yes, yes. I know this is never going to happen. Don’t spoil the lovely daydream I’m having. I’m clutching at straws here people).

If you’ve never seen Spartacus I advise you check it out in all of its raw, base glory. I loved it and I’m going to miss its mixture of slo-mo beheadings and fruity language.

Mad, bad and dangerous to know Spartacus has been one hell of a ride.

Till next time

Live Free and Die Well!

Pablocus Cheesecakeus

* Oh come on, I couldn’t not use that particular insult as the title for the blog post. The first time I heard a character exclaim using this particular epithet my reaction was similar to this!

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Let me explain

I’ve been pondering the big four oh for a while now, weird because mentally I think I’ll always be  perpetually about fifteen but hey ho. I suppose I view reaching this age, like a lot of people, as something of a milestone. Now, I’ll admit that I’m not quite there yet (my 40th birthday isn’t actually until 24th July 2014. Feel free to mark it on your calendars NOW people!) but it has given me a bit of an idea. I’ve decided that from my thirty-ninth birthday until the big day I am going to attempt forty tasks that I’ve never done before. You know, sort of a bucket list type thingee.

This audacious plan involves me creating a new website where I’ll blog about my various adventures and maybe even get some amusing photos/videos posted. I’ve purchased the domain name pablodoes40things.co.uk (calm down, don’t go there yet just yet. I’ll let you know when it’s live.)

To begin with though I need a bit of help from you lovely virtual pixes that live in the InterTubes. I need some suggestions of things that I can try/do as part of my mission. There are only three rules to this.

• Firstly,  I really can’t do heights AT ALL so I wont be throwing myself out of any planes or bungee jumping naked off Big Ben.
• Secondly,  I’m not independently wealthy so cost is a factor. Please take that into consideration if you have an idea.
• Finally – I am a delicate flower so contact sports are out. (Sad I know, pesky brain injury. I always imagined I’d be rather good a rugby.)

To give you an idea of that sort of thing I am talking about here is the list as it currently stands.

1. Knitting
2. Ice Skating
3. Read ‘Catcher in The Rye’
4. Knife and Axe Throwing
5. Visit Stonehenge
6. Visit Glastonbury Tor
7. Falconry
8. Skype someone in another country
9. Walk a dog (I’ve been with people who have walked their dogs but I’ve never actually walked a dog myself. I know, crazy).
10. Got to an observatory
11. Enter a race. (They tell me that it’s the taking part that counts.)
12. Watch the number one film from each year from 1974 onwards. For reference I’m using this site http://www.films101.com/y1974r.htm
13. Get my back waxed (*gulps*)
14. Climb a mountain
15. Go to a ballet
16. Eat a Pontefract cake
17. Go to an opera
18. Create a short film
19. Attend a dance class (not sure what style yet?)
20. Yoga

Sadly (you may have noticed) I’ve only have twenty things at the moment. You all have to help!!! and remember this is things I have never done before.

If you have an idea feel free to leave a comment or drop me a line at pablocheesecake@me.com

I look forward to your nonsense with anticipation.

Pablo “does 40 things before he’s 40″ Cheesecake

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It makes me just a little bit sad. Unlike most people, I’m gonna miss it.

Why? Well, I could tell you I like to go sledging or I have a penchant for winter fashions. I could even suggest that I enjoy putting my feet up in front of a roaring fire (all of these things are true by the way but none of them are the real reason). The real reason is that the cold weather, particularly heavy snow, always reminds me of home.

Way back in the dim and distant past of 1978, I was involved in a serious road accident. I was 4½ years old at the time. I won’t bore you with the gory details. All you need to know is I suffered a serious head injury and ended up in hospital for a long time (don’t feel badly for me I was incredibly lucky it turns out.)

Every memory prior to that protracted hospital stay is gone now, and I mean every single solitary thing. For all intents and purposes, Pablo Cheesecake began in that hospital. What I do remember, and I remember it in vivid technicolor-esque detail, is looking out of a window and seeing snow. Lots of it.

Now, whenever I see snow I remember that hospital stay, and more importantly I recall the day that I got to go home. There is a photograph of me, no doubt tucked away in a cupboard somewhere, that shows a young Pablo Cheesecake standing outside a house snow all around. He’s lucky to be alive, and you know what? Even now, 35yrs later, he ain’t ever gonna forget it.

A typically wintry scene

I would apologise for being overly sentimental in this post, but fuck it. I don’t care. I like to sit and ponder the nature of existence, and it just so happens that snow is one of my triggers.

*blows raspberry*

If you don’t like it the door is just over there. Don’t let it hit you on the ass on the way out.

Anywho… I think that’s enough of this dwelling on the past malarkey. Lets look to the future.

Later Internet Brethren

Pablo

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Pablo Cheesecake versus Subconscious Sabotage

My brain and I are currently at loggerheads, at least it seems that way to me.  On 15th December I found myself in Accident and Emergency at around 12.30am. I had experienced what the paramedics called ‘some sort of seizure’.

….Fortunately things weren’t quite this bad.

The worst/scariest part of the whole thing was that, from my perspective at least, I was utterly absent when this happened. I have no memory about any of this at all.  Apparently I rolled out of bed, landing on my shoulder, I bit my lip and was doing the whole frothing at the mouth.  I’m just incredibly lucky that Mrs C managed to keep calm (I don’t know if I could have) and got an ambulance to whisk me to hospital.

A couple of weeks have passed now and I’m glad to say report that there has been no further recurrence.  I feel 100% ok. I’ve visited the local hospital and the likely prognosis is some sort of epileptic fit. There are going to be more tests but I suspect I will probably end up on meds to manage this.

Oh yes, there will be tests.

If anything, this whole incident has made me re-evaluate a lot of things. Which brings me nicely onto my next topic of wittering.

The Eloquent Page

Last year was a pretty damn successful year for the old book blog. Over one hundred reviews, three conventions, and I got the chance to read some of the best fiction around. That can’t ever be a bad thing can it? Well, what I did come to realise is that it was taking up just a bit too much of my time. Don’t get me wrong, I love to read (I frickin adore it), but I just couldn’t keep up that pace.  Two books a week was cutting into the rest of my life way too much. I could have asked MadNad for more assistance but she already helps out whenever she can and she currently runs a couple of her own websites so. I couldn’t really expect her to give up her own projects.

The delicate balancing act continues

So since January 1st I’ve cut down to just one review a week and I think this is working out much better. I can take more time over each book but still get to spend time doing something that I love. Perhaps I’ve finally figured out a balance that works for me? Time will tell.

It’s Not All Doom and Gloom

Oh dear, this post seems to have taken a slightly downbeat turn doesn’t it? Can’t be having that. I’m all about the upbeat and spangly after all. In an effort to combat this existential funk lets finish on a high shall we. Look here’s a picture of a nude banana.

Gratuitous Fruit Nudity!

Till next time. (No, I don’t know when that will be either).

Be good

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What prompted this lunacy?

I give you exhibit A

The Horror. Run away, flee!!!

I detest myself in this photo. I look like a gurning, chubby King Edward potato. I just loath how I look. On a more positive note it was one of the things that finally forced me to get off my arse and start this whole healthy lifestyle malarkey in the first place.

Random facts about my run

• 500 kilometres is just over 310 miles. Lets put that in perspective – distance between Nottingham and London is 128 miles. Nottingham to Greenock, where I was born, is 303 miles. (You get the idea. It’s quite far).
• This mighty endeavor was all achieved indoors. Mostly because I would be a danger to other road users if had attempted it outside. I do have a tendency to be quite clumsy.
• First time I attempted 5k it took me 44 minutes (in my defence remember I did say there had been no running prior to this point). I did manage to improve a bit as well. Fastest time was just over 28 minutes.

What does the completion of this challenge mean to me then?

• I’ve lost four inches off my waist. I’ve gone from 38inch to 34 inch waist. From XXL to L if you prefer
• I’ve dropped 4 and ½ stone in weight. Or 28 kilograms. Fucking Hell that’s SIXTY THREE pounds people!
• I feel a bit more confident in myself. I suppose if I can do this then I can probably do anything. Scary but true! (I should stress I am going to be sensible about this new found confidence. Not going to leap off a bridge and try to fly. Contrary to popular belief I’m not that fucking daft).
• I kinda like going to the gym now. I guess it has become a bit of a habit.

What next?

I plan on shifting the final ½ stone and then the real test begins. Maintaining my new ‘healthier’ lifestyle. I can’t let things slip. I’m going to take a short break to enjoy Xmas but in the New Year I’ll be back at the gym burning the calories again. See, I’ve been thinking and I have this grand plan,  something about cycling 1000 kilometers in 2013

Well at least there is less of me now. Sorry can’t do anything about the face.

till next time my internet brothers and sisters

be excellent to each other…..and party on!

Pablo ‘The Running Man’ Cheesecake

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I can get a little obsessive about stuff at times. During the week Mrs C pointed out a particularly good one. An obsession that I’ve never noticed before. (Turns out she spotted it years ago but never felt the urge to mention it before as she found it funny). It appears I have a habit of making verbal lists. Just can’t help myself. Most notably this happens when we first wake up or are on our way home from work. I feel compelled to tell MadNad exactly what I am going to do. Think a slightly more domestic version of this (with marginally less zombie killing and you’re thinking along the right lines).

Of course now that I am aware of this habit of mine it is driving me a little insane. The lists still kept forming in my head and I keep trying to stop it escaping out my mouth. Sad I know, but true. You know thinking about it I’m pretty sure that if I didn’t have something to obsess about I’d more likely than not obsess about that.

A Number of Cool Things

Some cool occurrences this week

• My collection of Lego minifigs has a new addition, The Daredevil. The comment was made that there is a passing resemblance between him and I. You know what? I’m totally ok with that.

He has his own mutherjeffing cape!

• I got to exclusively reveal a book cover to the world. That was pretty frickin sweet.
• Mrs C bought some epic shoes. Brothel Creepers are so rock and fuckin’ roll
• I finally saw The Raid. Bonkers, Insane and more than a little bit Intense (are just some of the words in this sentence).
• I listened to a story about a man and his search for a very special pipe tobacco. Sounds weird, don’t it? It totally is but it is also entirely worth your time.

So Much TV, So Little Time

Currently Mrs C and I are watching/attempting to watch the following programmes regularly – Face Off, Continuum, Fringe, Merlin, Arrow, Last Resort, Warehouse 13, Haven, The Wire, Mad Men, Hunted, Grimm, The Almighty Johnsons, White Collar, True Blood and The Walking Dead. Next week Big Bang Theory returns as well.  All of it is pretty great tv but it is definitely getting trickier to keep on top of all this. I’m concerned that my brain is going to start bleeding out my ears.

Anyway enough of this meaningless frivolity. Tomorrow should hopefully bring Windows 8, Blood Fudge, Richard Burton and naked space vampires. I can’t really imagine that life can get much better than that can it?

Later my denizens of the Interweb

Mr Obsessive Compulsive Cheesecake

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I’ve read elsewhere that this Bond feels to many like a reboot of the franchise and I have to say that I tend to agree. It was Bond in its rawest form. There was a distinct lack of gadgets and the seemingly obligatory Bond girls were also kept to a minimum. There was also some insight into Bond’s history which has always been sadly lacking in previous films. Felt like we actually got under his skin a bit for once.

I mentioned a couple of weeks ago that Istanbul appeared to be the ‘go to’ location for rooftop chases. The Bond producers appear to agree. That’s nice.

One thing that irked me a little was all the damn product placement. Cars, booze, computers and countless others that I probably didn’t spot but have no doubt already worked their way into my already ravaged psyche. Too much. I can appreciate that Bond is a brand in itself but it all felt a bit in your face.

I also wasn’t so hot on the title song. Don’t get me wrong. Adele has a cracking voice but I’m just not sure the tune was Bond enough? Time will tell I suppose. In fairness I loathed the theme to The Man With The Golden Gun first time a heard it but I rather like that now. I’m nothing if not fickle.

Overall Sam Mendes has brought Bond slap bang up to date and it works bloody well. Like the end credits said BOND WILL RETURN.

I look like this in my pants as well you know #fact

Saw the trailer for Django Unchained and The Hobbit part 1. Both look very interesting. Django has got a kinda 70′s gangster vibe going on (I suppose you wouldn’t necessarily expect that from a western. Tarantino mashing it up as ever). The Hobbit looks lovely on the big screen. I’ve heard people muttering about it but I seem to recall they all did exactly the same prior to LOTR. I, if I’m being brutally honest, can’t fucking wait

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Ok, so its possible that you are familiar with the book reviews that I post, or you’ve followed me on some sort of social media or another but perhaps you’ve never found yourself here before? This is where I come to shake what is in my head out to see what happens. This is the land of do as you please. I don’t follow any rules here, including the laws of grammar (as I’m sure some of you have already spotted). This is just a big o’ heap of stuff. If you like, well thats just luvverly. If you don’t then please ensure the door don’t hit you on the ass on the way out.

Any-who , on with this evenings show…

The Crimson Cheesecake and other Golden Oldies

Recently, in life, things have taken a distinctly piratical direction (no, I’m not going to tell you why). This culminated at the weekend with a viewing of The Crimson Pirate. I love that film. It harks back to the days when colour was GLORIOUS TECHNICOLOUR. Burt Lancaster wears stripey tights and manages to make them look manly. His acrobatic skills (from his days in the circus?) get to shine. Hell, at one point even a young Christopher Lee pops up being all evil and sinister.

The whole experience got me thinking about old films I really enjoy. I immediately bought The Medusa Touch. I think I’ll have to see if I can also source The Cassandra Crossing and Holocaust 2000.  All these films left a very distinct impression on an entirely suggestible young boy many years ago. I think it is high time I revisit them all.

That Whole Reading Thing

This year I am on course to read around one hundred books. I’ve been thinking about this and I reckon it may have been the silliest fucking thing I have ever done. I’ve always been able to read quite quickly but I feel like I’m really pushing my limits a bit. I can tell you one thing, I wont be doing it again. When reading begins to feel like a chore rather than a joy I think thats the time to stop, take stock and re-evaluate. I think 2013 will have to have a far more sedate pace. I spectacularly lucky that from time to time I get sent copies of books to review and it is always a pleasure to receive them but I have to be realistic and accept the fact that there is no way I can keep up the frantic pace. My brain is starting to bleed out my ears. The book I finished tonight had nine hundred and sixty eight pages for fucks sake.

2012 Challenge Update

420km run, 80km to go. Its all feel rather academic now. With the exception of getting hit by a bus, or stray meteorite, there is every chance that I will complete this. With that in mind my gaze turns towards 2013. What feat of lunacy will take up the next twelve months? I reckon the cycling is next on my agenda. So without any further flim-flam or shilly-shally I am glad to confirm that next year I will cycle 1000k in 12 months (What made me think this was a good idea again? I must be mental).

In a gym related aside. I had a rather wonderful moment in the gym on Monday. I was on the treadmill doing the running thing, no-one else was in the room, and this came on my iPod.

I found myself running much faster than normal with a big, dopey grin on my face. I must have looked like a prize tool but I was ridiculously happy. I think I might of been having what the young kids call ‘fun’? (Yes, it was a surprise to me as well).

Tonights blog was brought to you by the letter R and the number 3.

Adios muchachos, till next time

And remember if you can’t say anything nice…dont say anything at all shut the fuck up.

Cheesecake Out

* It’s either this or unleashing me back into the wild. You decide. I don’t care I’ll do either. 

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Yesterday was a nice random collection of splendid moments. I woke early after a strange dream where I owned a notebook who insisted he be referred to as Arthur. That was the entirety  dream. Very odd indeed (and for me that’s saying something). Mrs Cheesecake and I went into town and I got my first taste of Starbucks new Salted Caramel Mocha. My goodness it was mighty fine. After a quick side trip to Forbidden Planet to pick up a plush Dalek as a late birthday gift we headed off for a double and the cinema. What did we learn?

• Liam Neeson may have a special set of skills. Picking a holiday destination is not one of them. Do not trust his tourist advice. It’ll end badly.
• The Bourne Ultimatum suggested it and Taken 2 confirms it. Istanbul is the go to locale for rooftop chases.
• The Brotherhood of the Cruciform Sword from Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade really have hit rock bottom of late.
• Liam Neeson’s driving lesson technique involves a metric fuck ton of shouting. It’ll work though, you’ll pass
• Joseph Gordon Levitt’s nasal prosthetic in Looper is first class.
• Re: Looper – I speculate there will be a lot of picking apart of the plot. Personally I just enjoyed the ride.
• Star Trek and now Looper have both featured flying motorbikes. I expect an imminent announcement confirming their actual existence.
• Bruce Willis looks like a bit of a twat with long hair.
• Good, bad or indifferent you could have heard a penny drop after the end of the showing of Looper we saw yesterday.
• This last one though not entirely related to cinema happened at lunch so I’ll add it in – I’ve discovered my favourite of the seven dwarves in Ennui. (He so is a dwarf, he just gets very little screen time)

A Magical Musical Mystery Tour

My Spotify membership is starting to pay dividends. Over the last couple of weeks, via various splendid folks, I have discovered and really enjoyed  - Infected Mushroom, Red Fang and Mustach. Plan B’s soundtrack album for Ill Manors is also exceptional. I’m always pleased when I find new musical favourites. I even got the chance to pass some of these finds on to others.

Souper Trooper…

Mrs Cheesecake has spent most of today making soup. Four different kinds. Yesterday  she made four loaves of bread and a pot of goulash. She is like a frickin machine. The best thing I get to test/eat the outcome. Its great having a spouse who rocks in the kitchen.

So there you have it. A weekend of visual, musical and gastronomic delights. I have to say I enjoyed it all thoroughly like the pop culture sponge that I am.

till next time

Adios

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Exercise Update

Well it wouldn’t be blog post if I didn’t talk a bit about the 2012 challenge now would it? So I’m now 72% of the way there. I said I was going to run 500km in 2012 and so I’ve run 360km. Not bad considering last year I ran fucking nothing What is the overall effect on my health? Lets see, well when I started this thing I was 259lbs, as of this morning I am 197lbs.

The only drawback to this new lifestyle is that the vast majority of my clothes no longer fit. They are all far to baggy. The best example of this occurred last Monday when I was at the gym. I nearly lost my jogging trousers when I was on my treadmill. It turns out trying to resolve this situation while still continuing to run not the best of ideas. This guy knows what I’m talking about.

That is a reasonably accurate representation of what nearly happened.

Down Time

We have a holiday come up. I whole week out of the office, I can’t hardly wait. You know what? I fucking need it. My brain feels all fuzzy at the moment. I think I just need some time to clear out the cobwebs.

The Con is On

Not long to this years FantasyCon. I have to admit a certain amount of excitement. Brighton was great fun last year and I enjoyed my visit immensely. Looking at the attendee list there will be plenty of folks there that we know. I think the key to a good Con is without a doubt the people. FantasyCon attendees are a top bunch of folks. This is good news as my natural shyness is always less pronounced when I’ve meet people before.

There are a good number of books I fancy trying to gets copies of as well. Myself and Mrs Cheesecake will be around for the entire weekend and though I’ll be the first to admit that I look a bit like the bastard son of an escaped gorilla and a Crimewatch photo-fit I promise I’m harmless really. I will happily engage anyone in conversation. Don’t be shy, do say hello!

Judge Cheesecake

Last night Mrs C and I finally managed to catch a showing a Dredd. I was over the moon to discover that  more than lived up to my expectations. Mega-city One was grungy and grim, Karl Urban’s chin was doing some superb work and having a plot that was simple and straightforward  was entirely the right way to go. It was just great to see Old Stony Face come to life in such a vivid fashion. HE IS THE LAW! *

*Let us never speak of Stallone – He Was NOT The Law

Till next time

Please be excellent to one another

Chief Judge Cheesecake

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