Monday, February 09, 2009

I've got the Wellies

It's taken me over a year of living in the countryside to finally get around to buying a pair of wellies. Wellington boots – named after the first Duke of Wellington – are great. I bought mine late last year, just before the heavy rain and flooding which came up to our (back) doorstep (there's a stream at the bottom of our garden). During this last week of heavy snow I've barely taken them off.

Wearing wellies is the nearest I'll get to being a superhero. In them I feel invincible: I can walk on or through any surface nature throws at me – mud, water, sleet, snow, ice – without feeling it. Most superheroes wear boots too.

The only quandary was – what colour to buy. Controversially, I went for green. I know black's more subtle but I figure if you're going to wear boots, and live in the country, you've got to do it wholeheartedly. Green is: yes, I live in the countryside; no, I don't care what you think of me; yes, I may well be a farmer, what about it?

Monday, February 02, 2009

Top 10 Film Directors

1. Robert Altman (American, 1925-2006)
2. Luis Bunuel (Spanish, 1900-1983)
3. David Lynch (American, b.1946)
4. Roman Polanski (Polish, b.1933)
5. Werner Herzog (German, b.1942)
6. Maurice Pialat (French, 1925-2003)
7. Jan Svankmajer (Czech, b.1934)
8. Jean Vigo (French, 1905-1934)
9. Andrei Tarkovksy (Russian, 1932-1986)
10. Martin Scorsese (American, b.1942)