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So, it's been the usual 6 month gap.

What's happened in the meantime? Well, I managed actually to save some money in between DVD buying sprees and am thus the proud owner of a 2 bed flat. I'm also the less proud owner of a mortgage, but still, must look on the bright side biggrin

I'm not entirely sure why I suddenly decided that 10pm on a work night was an ideal time to update this journal, but I suspect it will be a relatively short entry.

I hear today that Nintendo & Sega are going to release an Olympic-themed game, starring both Sonic & Mario. Excuse me while I pick up my jaw off the floor. I'm wondering whether this is in fact the first sign of an impending apocalypse and maybe I should put my affairs in order...

However, if this is going ahead (and signs are that it's all true), it's an intriguing notion. How exactly does a character that jogs at the speed of sound race against a fat plumber? How does he manage in swimming contests, given his complete phobia of water? Who on earth came up with the idea of Mario & Sonic racing in any way at all?? The mind truly boggles...

At some point I'll really have to pick up a Wii and get hold of Sonic & the Secret Rings, too. One thing holding me back so far is that I haven't actually unpacked my Gamecube since I moved house in November (except for one weekend when a couple of friends visited and one of them whupped me at Sonic 2 - unheard of!). I just haven't had the time. I've been watching DVDs, getting into NCIS, surfing the net and starting a new cross-stitch project. What with that and sorting out the flat (and of course work!), I've been somewhat busy. It would be a shame to spend a fortune on a games console and then not use it.

I've been brushing up my languages recently too, although not in any strenuous way. I finally bit the bullet and decided to buy the complete "Mysterious Cities of Gold" on DVD from France, which has had the set for the last few years. There were no signs of any English-language release, so I figured, given that I studied French for about 7 years or more, I might as well use it.

Of course, now there are big rumours afoot of a region 2 release in English, but c'est la vie...

The great thing is that apparently my French is good enough to understand everything that's going on with little trouble, so I can truly enjoy the cartoon.

The other language exercise involved a mini-trip to Spain for work. I had 3 days of work, then I got to play Friday afternoon (everyone finishes at 3pm!) and Saturday, before heading home again Saturday evening.

I met up with a colleague who used to be in Edinburgh and moved out to Madrid; and also with some old friends I worked with when I had 2 years of uni there. I had a great time, really enjoyed catching up with them and finding that my Spanish hasn't left me.

I also took the opportunity to grab "Alatriste" on DVD, which isn't even out in UK cinemas yet; along with "The Legend of Zorro" in Spanish. I completed my Alatriste book collection, too. I even reacquainted myself with the concept of 1 litre of sangria for €1! smile

The only downside was when I came out of an underground station one night and was looking around to get my bearings and find my hotel. While I was doing that, I should have been looking at the ground. I tripped in a gap where they'd removed a paving stone and went straight over on my ankle. Yowch. Luckily I didn't properly bust it, but it's still a little weak now. I felt like such a fool - twisting your ankle is such a girly thing to do smile A guy on a bicycle went past at the time and he slowed down to look at me. I like to think he was checking that I could still walk and was OK - and that he didn't slow down to laugh...

The weirdest thing was that I found myself swearing in French when I did it. In French? I was in Spain, you'd think I could have mustered up a Spanish swear word! Still, it's definitely true what they say, it's easier to be coarse in a language that is not your mother tongue. I find myself cursing in French a fair bit, with words I wouldn't use in English. I think I'd better try and put a lid on that.

Anyhow, I have now rambled on for quite long enough. No doubt I'll write again in another 6 months...

DW