The Man in the High Castle — Series 3 — Episodes 6 and 7: History Ends and Excess Animus

18th October, 2018

No, I’m right, aren’t I … ?

Stuff doesn’t get built to last!

I only changed the bulb in the lamp — the one in the lamp shade right next to my desk — a couple of days ago.

And … ?

And, JUST when I want to record an intro video, and want half way decent lighting … ?

‘Click,’ goes the bulb … 

And out goes the light.

I think I’m going to have to visit Poundland in the morning!

Or possibly Wilko’s, going by the web site!

At ANY rate … ?

It’s been a quiet day off … 

That’s seen me catching more TV.

You can tell I’m going to mention the third season of The Man in the High Castle, again, can’t you … ?

~≈§≈~

The Man in the High Castle — Series 3 — Episodes 4 and 5: Sabra and The New Colossus.

16th October, 2018.

Yes, OK … I’m getting old.

But … ?

Frankly … there’s a couple of things.

First off … ?

I’m in a Facebook group: for Dr Who fans.

This year’s celebrity gimmick?

Get J. K. Rowling to do a script for Dr Who.

Personally?



I read the first of the Harry Potter books, a long time ago: I can see the appeal, but felt the series wasn’t for me.

Although, yes: it’s got kids into reading.

Which is a big achievement.

But … ?

The fact EVERYONE keeps going on about Ms Rowling, AND the Harry Potter franchise, as if it were the only thing on the bookshop’s shelves?

Is just a little bit off-putting.

The more I hear … ?

The more annoyed I get about it.

And secondly … ?

Yes: I got some cheap Sainsbury drinking chocolate.

OK, twenty years ago, that possibly would’ve been a beer.

Frankly?

I’m glad I’ve replaced it with cocoa … 

And a TV show.

Yes, you’ve guessed it: I’m catching up with The Man in the High Castle, season three, again … 

~≈§≈~

The Man in the High Castle — Series 3 — Episodes 3: Sensô Kôi

9th October, 2018.

Yes … 

There’s officially a story behind every post.

Ones with heat, passion, love, hate, rhubarb, big dinners …

And almighty cocks up, SOMEWHERE along the line.

Apparently?   I’m supposed to be at work.

Today, tomorrow, and Thursday, as well as on Saturday and Sunday.

Which ISN’T on the copy of the rota I got, lets put it that way.

Basically?

I’ve work tomorrow, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday … 

Instead of the unpaid few days off I was expecting.

Frankly?

That means an early night tonight, and emergency train ticket collection, tomorrow.

Oh, and whilst Architecture and Morality plays in the background?

Telling you about the one episode of The Man in the High Castle third season I saw, tonight … 

~≈§≈~

The Man in the High Castle — Series 3 — Episodes 1 and 2: Now More Than Ever, We Care About You and Imagine Manchuria

8th October, 2018.

You know, I’ve had time off … 

I like time off: PAID time off, that is.

Work, at the moment is complicated: and has given me very few shifts.

Last week … ?   I managed to use up a lot of holiday time, let’s put it that way.

Next week … ?   And this week … ?

Well, I suspect I may have to take some very good advise I’ve had, And start looking at giving either the Citizen’s Advise Bureau or ACAS a call.

Just to see what they can say.

~≈§≈~

At any rate … ?

That amount of time of time off has done one thing … 

Well … a couple of things.

Job-hunt, obviously.

Catching up with a few movies, last week.

This week … ?

Given it’s a new — ish — release?

The third season of Amazon Prime’s The Man in the High Castle.

It’s easy to forget quite how disturbing it could be … 

~≈§≈~

The Man in the High Castle — Series 2 — Episodes 9 and 10: Detonation and Fallout

30th March, 2018.

Yes … 

I think ‘satisfying’ is possibly the word, here.

Can I make a slight confession?

I’m — at the moment — off ill.

A case of Bell’s Palsy: a — temporary, I’m told — trapped facial nerve which makes me look and sound slightly odd.

Which you’s possibly worked out.   Especially if you’ve seen the intro video for this morning’s Daily Teaser, and started wondering if I look like J. W. Pepper … !

At ANY rate: I’m trying to say I’ve had time off.

And time to catch up with both Teaser videos: AND a box set.

As you may also have worked out?

Is that the box set of the month is season two of The Man in the High Castle.

Yes: I think satisfying is the word … 

~≈§≈~

The Man in the High Castle — Series 2 — Episode 8: Loose Lips

29th March, 2018.

Yes: I’m officially off ill.

Which I don’t like.

The’s job centre doesn’t necessarily cover it: at least … as regular sick pay, it won’t: just pay me extra Universal Credit … toward’s the end of the month.

Which I still don’t like … 

I’m ill.



Which I like even less.

With the bailiffs (metaphorically) banging at the door?

I’m worried … but have at least been able to make arrangements.

Or, at least, start to make arrangements: to get everything in place, and fend off SOME forms of starvation.

Right now?



I’m worried … 

But can’t do much more.

Bar try to relax.

And catch up with a TV I’ve missed …

~≈§≈~



It’s at times like this … ?

That, frankly, I’m grateful I’ve a box set or two, in hand: have sone for some time.

And, as you’re possibly aware?   I’ve been happily catching up with The Man in the High Castle over the past few weeks.

Season two, if you must know.

And yes: episode eight — out of a potential ten — is building to a big climax.

~≈§≈~

The Man in the High Castle — Series 2 — Episode 6 and 7: Kintsugi and Land o’ Smiles

26th March, 2018.

It’s a bit of a … you know … conundrum … !

I am actually missing a series from my otherwise flawless Dr Who collection: and  I don’t know where it’s gone!

The Creature from The Pit, wouldn’t you know?

If anyone’s got a spare copy I could beg borrow, I would LOVE to hear from you!

It’s going to bother me for minutes!

Ahem!

At ANY rate … ?

~≈§≈~

At ANY rate, and as you’d possibly guessed?

I’ve not been without a favourite piece of TV.

Oh, no.

No, tonight?

On my last day off of the week?

I got to do two things.

1).  Check in with my GP.   You HAVE to, after the sort of weekend I’ve had.

And …

2).  Watch more of the second season of The Man in the High Castle.

Because you have to … !

~≈§≈~

The Man in the High Castle — Series 2 — Episode 4: Escalation

19th March, 2018.

Which is decidedly odd.

I’ve had most to the relevant files for quite a few years: and some for a lot less time.

All of which have happily shown up on my AppleTV: when they’ve been dragged into whatever my current version of iTunes is.

All I’m getting from them … ?

Is a very strange dialogue: telling there’s an unknown error.

And giving me the error code, 1718449215.

Quite what’s happening there … ?

I really couldn’t tell say.

~≈§≈~

On other fronts … ?

On other fronts, I’m now the proud owner of a new blu-ray drive: now happily hooked up to my new iMac.

Granted, I can’t seemingly get HandBrake to work on DVDs, under High Sierra: despite there being a hack for that.

But I can still use MakeMKV to turn the contents of a DVD into MKV files.

Which can then be converted, as per usual, into mp4 files I can stream straight over to my TV.

~≈§≈~

Actually … ?

I’ll make a confession, here: if I may?

I’ve just done a test rip — with HandBrake —  of one of the problem children in my media library.

Some of them?   Have an extra layer of audio file.

Commentary, mono mix of the show’s audio, what have you.

Re-ripping them, minus that extra audio track?

Seems to help.

~≈§≈~

At any rate … ?

It’s Monday night: a Monday I’ve had off.

And, with all this talk of TV?

You can bet I’ve been watching some, can’t you … ?

You’d be right.

It’s another episode of The Man in the High Castle second season.

Because I’m worth it … 

~≈§≈~

The Man in the High Castle — Series 2 — Episode 3: Travelers

18th March, 2018.

Yes, I know … the simple fact I can smell cocoa?

Is possibly not something to write home about.

Or a post about.

But … ?

As I know Debbi and her husband, Rick, will know — after their visit, back in the day — I gave up smoking some seven years ago: not long after my nephew, Jude, was born.

So … ?

Being able to smell any thing — tea, cocoa, someone’s perfume, me own rather sweaty armpits* — is sort of amazing.

With the possible exception of the armpits …

~≈§≈~

At ANY rate … ?

Today is, officially?   The day of the Mini/Small/Lesser† beast from the East.

In other words?   A second batch of bad weather: coming in after last week’s Beast From the East.

Frankly?

I stayed indoors for most of it.

Venturing out with the intention of getting some milk from the local shop: but coming home with some washing up liquid, and some incense.   And a lighter: to light the incense.

Sense of smell, remember?

Frankly?   I wanted indoor to smell nice, as well as — ha! — clean.

At ANY rate … ?

I’ve been at home: laundering, making videos, editing metadata on my video library …

And wanting to catch up with something.

More episodes of Series 2 of Man in the High Castle.

It’s intriguing.

~≈§≈~

The Man in the High Castle — Series 2 — Episode 2: The Road Less Traveled

15th March, 2018.

OK, OK … I’ll put a shirt on* … 

As long as you never mention the fact I’m at home, on my own … and aren’t expecting visitors!

OK, I’ll confess: today’s been a day off: one I should have had a CT scan on.

But, for various reasons, didn’t.

Mostly, where I didn’t read the relevant letter, informing me of the basic procedure until the last minute.   Only realising, yesterday afternoon, I was supposed to have a blood test, last week: a week before the test.

Kick me, would you?

I try and do it, I’ll miss.

~≈§≈~

At any rate … ?

I had time off.

Time off to do stuff around the house.   Make a few videos … have some tea …

And, just as importantly … ?

Watch more TV.

Yep, you got it: more of The Man in the High Castle second season.

It’s just starting to warm up … 

~≈§≈~

Episode 2 — The Road Less Travelled — shows us Inspector Kids (Joel de la Fuente) investigates the apparent shooting of Juliana Crain (Alexa Davalos): apparently shot trying to escape.

In the meantime … ?   The Inspector has a problem.

Frank Frink (Rupert Evans) has seriously impressed the local Yakuza boss.

There’s a price for working for him, though … 

Releasing Ed McCarthy (DJ Qualls) from the Kempetai gaol he’s held in … 

Juliana, meanwhile?   Is having issues.   The films that she’s been show tell her one thing.

That the Empire?

Is going to bomb San Francisco.

Getting out seems to be just the thing.

Finding someone she can trust, like — ooh — double agent and spy, Joe Blake (Luke Kleintank)?

Is going to be tricky …

~≈§≈~

Now, I have to confess that yes: series two of The Man in the High Castle does still seem to be drifting from The original novel.

But?

I’m not sure I’m worried.

We’re getting hints of n interesting story, one headily influxnced by Dick’s book, striving to keep that sense of ambiguous realities, and identities … 

And stilll being an interesting watch.

Personally?

I’m off, again, on Sunday.

I’ll be cueing up more episodes of The Man in the High Castle.

*        I want cocoa.   Cocoa, dammit!   It’s too cold in here!

The Man in the High Castle — Series 2 — Episode 1: The Tiger’s Cave

11th March, 2018.

Yes: quite definitely in something of a funny mood: with a feeling of …

Incompleteness, if that’s the right word.

You see, something that’s been nagging at me for a couple of weeks, now?

Is the simple fact I’ve still not transferred over my complete iTunes library from my old machine, to my new one*.

Same for my old iPhoto library: although I’ve got key elements from both moved over.

Frankly?

It’s taking its time … and worrying me, as it’s not done.

~≈§≈~

The Man in the High Castle — Series 1 — Episodes 9 and 10: Kindness and A Way Out

14th August, 2017.

Oh, I hate that when that happens …

You get a phone call … from a withheld number!

And right in the middle of things!

I’m JUST wondering if it was work: calling me in to say I’d misread my rota.

Or possibly regular contributor, Debbi Mack: who I know’s been meaning to try and call for a while.

Blowed if I know!

They withheld their number!

Don’t you just hate that … ?

There’s a couple of upsides, though.

Firstly?

If it wasn’t Debbi or work, it could WELL have some bloody idiot in a call centre, somewhere.

Trying to sell me a boiler.   Or help me with a PPI claim.   Or tell you their records show my PC is working slowly.

Anyone who knows me will tell you that me and the several Macs I’ve had AREN’T going to fall for that one!

The other upside … ?

Was that it didn’t spoil my evening.

Not with the last two episodes of series one of The Man in the High Castle involved it didn’t … 

~≈£≈~

The Man in the High Castle — Series 1 — Episodes 7 and 8: Truth and The End of the World.

10th August, 2017.

You know … 

I think I can have to much of a good thing.

Or possibly not enough.

Hmmm … 

I’ll possibly have to re-read that sentence, later, and see if it makes sense … 

At ANY rate … ?

I have a short week, next week: some 25 hours.

There’s possibly a shorter one the week after.

As we have a bunch of new trainees coming on-stream.

I’m understandably, concerned: concerned enough to think making discreet enquiries at the job centre would be an idea.

But … ?

Well … 

I’ not sure if I could tell you exactly how, what or where my thoughts are going.

All I could tell you … ?

All I could tell you is that tonight is/was a night off, for me.

And, as I have done for the past few weeks?

Catch some TV.

In this case … ?

More of the formidable The Man in the High Castle.

~≈‽≈~

The Man in the High Castle — Series 1 — Episodes 5 and 6: The New Normal and Three Monkeys.

3rd August, 2017

You know, this SEEMS to be the week for damage, doesn’t it?

Doesn’t it?

I mean … the light in the kitchen, last week, the glasses, the other night … 

And now … ?

The light in my hallway.

And guess what … ?

I’ve tried changing the bulb.   A bog standard bayonet bulb.   On a flex with a bog standard — apparently — bayonet fitting.

Which refuses to take the bulbs with the bayonet fittings I actually HAVE!

~≈Ÿ≈~

Yes, yes, yes: I’ve managed to do some online reporting, before you ask: and reported this to my landlord.

HOPEFULLY?

They’ll be able to get out, in suitably brisk form, and replace the fitting.

Standing on a ladder, trying desperately to replace a bulb, in the dark?

Wasn’t something I was expecting to do in the middle of watching my new favourite series, The Man in the High Castle.

Funny how evenings go … 

~≈Ÿ≈~

The Man in the High Castle — Series 1 — Episodes 3 and 4: The Illustrated Woman and Revelations

27th July, 2017

You know, today is my only day off, this week.

Really.

And, as much as I complain about how my hours go up and down … ?

There are times when less hours — on double the money — seems nice.

As would a humongous great lottery win.

Nothing fancy: just enough to pay off my debts, buy my flat, take driving lessons, refurbish my kitchen, buy a new Mac, and a bigger TV … 

And possibly buy anyone who asks nicely a new computer, but, hey … !

At ANY rate … ?

A night off …

A night off, a TV set, and an Apple TV streaming box?

And a couple more episodes of The Man in the High Castle?

Well, it’s be rude, not too, frankly.

~≈⌘≈~

The Man in the High Castle — Series 1 — Episodes 1 and 2: The New World and Sunrise

21st July, 2017

You know, I really should be trying to maybe — maybe — get out and about, at some point.

Press the flesh, give the flesh an airing, what have you.

On the other hand, though?

I had a lot to try and get done, today.

In fact?

I still have laundry on the go, as we speak.

You’d think bedsheets would bend, sometimes, wouldn’t you?

At ANY rate … ?

I now have cleaner clothes than I did.

Cleaners clothes … and more of a TV series to work through.

You see, I faced a dilemma, tonight.

Should I go for the third series of American Horror Story?

Or should I go for something a little different?

Should I go for the Amazon produced, alternative Cold War history drama that is The Man in the High Castle.

I went for the latter.

I’d read the Philip K. Dick novel, many years ago.

And wanted to see what the show could tell me.

~≈Á≈~