Why I love X from work: aside from being a very funny fellow, he is a good man to have at your back. I made a stupid error yesterday and got yelled at by someone from another dept. It was my error but it was way smaller than he made out. Still, I felt stupid. I emailed XFW and apologised for the mistake and the inevitable wanky emails that were heading his way.

His response: "Oh they've messed us about so much that they can get to fuck and I'll tell 'em so". Direct quote.

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The BBC iPlayer has Point Break on it -- Point Break! One of my absolute *favourite* stupid, pseudo-spiritual macho movies. Oh BBC, I love you. I loved you anyway, on account of BBC4, BBC7 I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue, The News Quiz, Gavin and Stacey and the many iterations of drama I adore, but seriously, if you ever have Shining Through on the iPlayer, we're going to have to smooch. Because that is my absolute favourite completely terrible movie and I haven't seen it in ages.

The random zebras are but a faint clattering of hooves in my head! I can only barely recall Michael Douglas staggering into Switzerland bent under the weight of Melanie Griffith! How sad and wrong is that?

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Yesterday (actually the day before the day before yesterday now) I was at work when all hell broke loose and bunches of Wall Street bankers looked as though they were afraid it was going to start raining colleagues and the politicians were grey and bitter. And C said to me, "you know, this would be exciting and even pretty funny to watch, were it not for the fact that we're all *completely fucked*"

When I got home the other night, very, very late after watching the western world's financial systems continue their slo-mo crash and burn, I watched

I think paratti had it right when she said that in The Last Sontaran every one gets their moment of grace, even Chrissie, who is usually sort of oblivious and irritating. You can see why Alan loved her once, even if you don't like her -- she's funny and forceful.

The main plot need not take up much of your time, being merely the spindly tree on which are hung lovely glittery ornaments of good lines and the glorious tinselly goodness of proper characterisation. And the fairy lights of continuity. Okay, let's stop the metaphor right there before I beat it to death with a shovel.

Maria and Alan weren't just hustled out of the door, they were given a proper exit, which meant something to every character. I loved Sarah Jane's first reaction to Maria's revelation that she was leaving was to shut down and pretend she wasn't that arsed. That felt like a real and uncomfortable reaction. And then she apologised, which also felt honest.

They've shifted the viewpoint character to Clyde, who is funny and adorable and in danger of turning me into a filthy old lady. I will miss Maria but I am quite keen to meet new girl.

In predictions for the future time, I think their act of non-violence in letting a vicious warlike alien leave in peace is going to come back and bite them; and if I had to judge by the number of references to the Doctor in this episode, we'll see a cameo by the end of the season. Who knows though? They lie all the time, bless them.

I shouldn't like a kids' show this much, really, it's just that it's so bittersweet and right, in the way that the mothership is at its best

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Later: It turns out that Point Break is kind of hateful and testosterone-poisoned. I don't remember it being this irritating when I watched it first. Are we genuinely supposed to sympathise with that pretentious psychopath Bodhi? As much fun as it is watching Anthony Kiedis get his head kicked in, I am not sure I want to watch the end of this. Will Shining Through disappoint me as much if I watch it again? Will the majesty of random zebras be lost on me?

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eloiseinparis has declared this month ROCKTOBER. All in caps. The idea is to post a song a day to share and enjoy. I missed yesterday because I was so fed up about yesterday's work error. So I will post two today and try to keep up until I am not here any more.

First of all is a song from Glasvegas, who are the bright young things of British music. They dress in black, they have a female drummer who plays standing up, they sing in their own accents. Their album is not as good as everyone says it is, but it's pretty good. Geraldine has gorgeous lyrics with a surprise at the end. It's not addressed to who you think it is for the reason you think it is.

Fuk Dat by Green Velvet, ft Sagat.
An incredibly intemperate short piece of angular dance music, with the chorus "Fuck that, get a life"; I find this very soothing on days like yesterday. It's from the 2 Many DJs/Soulwax radio show, which I acquired by dodgy means. I am not sure you can get it by undodgy means. You can listen to their work here if you want

Finally, I downloaded this cover at the end of spring and never posted it. It's by a band who I think may be Italian, of a piece of dance music called Rhythm of the Night by Corona. I recommend going here first to listen to how it was originally done, cheesy 90s dance style, complete with trippy cheap video.

Then go here and see how charming it can be as a little guitar number sung by Italians in English
Rhythm of the Night by Ex-Otago