The Patent Dragon's Zone of Soul Retraction

*sighs* Not been such a great summer, with my back messing up, and all this Snoopers' Charter sh8 - and it's been so damn hot recently that I struggle to stay awake sometimes. It should therefore come as no surprise that blogging has taken a definite back seat of late - so, what's new(-ish)...?

ITEM! The current series of Star Trek Online videos on my channel continue to be the biggest draw of views I've had since the DaveChaos "tutorial". This probably means that the remaining "Stargazer" videos won't now appear, unless I receive more response to what's already been posted. It could be that the "market" is already saturated - or that I've completely misjudged my marketing methodology.

I'm thinking of posting a VLog at some point - with Tera Online as a backdrop. I have plans there...

ITEM! Saw Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes at the weekend. It was pretty damn good, but I struggle to find the time, or energy, to give it a full review. Probably good for a 8.25/10, with my only criticisms being:

1) Caesar looks too human (but Andy Serkis is still an absolute master of performance capture).
2) The humans seemed a bit lacking in "substance", their characters perhaps lacking in development, where the same couldn't be said for the lead apes.
3) Just stop with the 3D conversions where it simply ISN'T needed!

ITEM! I am all booked up for GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY. Plans previous associated with this movie viewing have had to be shelved following my recent infirmities - but I may just do something along the planned lines for AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON next year!

ITEM! Josh Brolin... James Brolin... who care so long as he rocks Thanos? We'll soon see...

Current Status: Fair. Not in agony, and managing to get around a whole lot better than Day 1 or 2. Having a weekend to crash out throughout has been a big help, although I'm still not entirely sure some of the drugs are doing what they should, whilst others are doing a good deal more to ease me through this.

Not a lot else to report, apart from the scheduled videos. Just can't be arsed to link to them right now.

UPDATE: Doctor Who returns Saturday 23rd August. Niiiiice.

ITEM! Feeling a bit better, as the exams draw to a close. Direct correlation? If I've been reducing my viral load by (quite coincidentally) sharing it around several hundred students, then yeah. Hopefully, I have shaken The Dreaded Bug...

ITEM! Surprise, surprise - there are plans to carve up my Friday, even after I booked tickets for War Horse...

ITEM! I could have Dancers of Freeport (that's Part One of Mane-of-Night and The Brave New World) completed by the end of the weekend, external hassle willing...

...that probably means I'm doomed to failure, you know.

Next Week... I wonder if I'll get a chance to make any more Mission 101 progress? I really need to refamiliarise myself with my List, and see what I can do to complete some more Tasks. I know I could finish watching The Prisoner, for a start (6 out of 17 episodes so far!), but I want to advance more creative plans as well.

Okay, better drop some drugs if I want to make anything of the weekend...

Ah, poo - I have one day more of exams than I expected. However, this allows me to carve up my work-week in a very convenient fashion. Once the exams are done, I have one work-day left this week - and given my current medical status, I'm staying home. I wonder how long it'll be before that day gets usurped by someone else's plans...?

Development News... Work continues on Mane-of-Night and The Brave New World, with significant progress made every lunchtime, and some pen-and-paper work at bedtime - and then, today, an idea came to me...

I was thinking about the upcoming John Carter (of Mars) movie, and how weird it would be if they used the Narnia system for their titles - The Chronicles of Narnia - insert book title - and called the movie (of the first book) John Carter - A Princess Of Mars...

Sorry, meandered for a bit there. Blame my snot and paracetomol-soaked brain.

Anyway... it struck me that giving the "...Brave New World" stories suitably "pulpy" titles would be fun - so I'm now working on something going by the name of Dancers of Freeport, with Pirates of Freeport to follow...

Talking about my ongoing illness, I made a critical error this morning. I popped a medicated sweet in my mouth as I set out for work this morning, and when said confection started to work, it opened up by bunged nasal passages... and let in a stream of frigid morning air that very nearly stopped me in my tracks. And here was me thinking I couldn't feel worse.