Living the Dream: The tea, ramen and rice edition
Fri, 12/02/10 – 20:26 | No Comment

So the snow has, fingers crossed, finally gone. Brrrrrr. Sadly it’s still cold and as a result I’ve been subsisting on tea, onigiri and beans on toast … and ramen. Yes I have the world’s …

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Journalism and the Media

The industry in which I work and play.

Me and Mine

Anything about me, my family and my kitteh(s).

Television and Film

Here you’ll find posts about the TV shows I follow and the films which have me hooked.

Through the Eyes of an Author

My musings on my creative works.

World of Warcraft

This is where all the posts concerning my Night Elf Druid Serisa (EU-Daggerspine) belong, as well as anything else WoW-related.

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Articles by Lesley Smith

Julie & Julia (Blu Ray review)
Sunday, 7 Mar, 2010 – 15:43 | No Comment
Julie & Julia (Blu Ray review)

Julie & Julia is one of those quirky little films which mixes real life and a touch of fiction. The story itself is actually a blending of two: the life of the late cooking maestro …

BioShock 2: BradyGames Signature Series Guide (Review)
Friday, 26 Feb, 2010 – 13:43 | No Comment
BioShock 2: BradyGames Signature Series Guide (Review)

These days strategy guides go hand-in-hand with all the big releases. Even better, many have special limited edition versions which aren’t just about getting from start to finish. These volumes are about the artwork, about …

Doctor Who: Time vortex trailer released
Sunday, 21 Feb, 2010 – 10:34 | No Comment
Doctor Who: Time vortex trailer released

This is so seriously cool. So cool, in fact, that I missed it last night. What kind of sci fi fan am I? Yeah I know … anyway I was initially sceptical about Matt Smith …

Living the Dream: The tea, ramen and rice edition
Friday, 12 Feb, 2010 – 20:26 | No Comment
Living the Dream: The tea, ramen and rice edition

So the snow has, fingers crossed, finally gone. Brrrrrr. Sadly it’s still cold and as a result I’ve been subsisting on tea, onigiri and beans on toast … and ramen. Yes I have the world’s …

Karigurashi no Arrietty teaser in the wild
Friday, 12 Feb, 2010 – 19:52 | No Comment
Karigurashi no Arrietty teaser in the wild

I vaguely remember thinking ‘meh’ when Studio Ghibli’s latest film project, Karigurashi no Arrietty, was announced late last year. It is, essentially, a retelling of The Borrowers but set in Japan and is due to …

Business cards GET!
Friday, 12 Feb, 2010 – 19:02 | 5 Comments
Business cards GET!

So I’m off to Japan in less than two months. Huzzah, argh etc. As a result I wanted to get some more business cards done and the lovely Craig of Project Studios, who did my …

BioShock 2: Official launch trailer out in the wild
Thursday, 4 Feb, 2010 – 19:08 | 4 Comments
BioShock 2: Official launch trailer out in the wild

There’s less than a week till BioShock 2 finally hits and I can’t wait. I’ve been excitedly following the game since it was announced and really, really want to get my hands on the shiny …

BioShock: Revisiting Rapture
Wednesday, 3 Feb, 2010 – 12:33 | 5 Comments
BioShock: Revisiting Rapture

Now it’s well known that I am not a fan of first person shooters, thanks to one sorta-working eye. BioShock, however, is the one game that I made an exception for. I first played it …

Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles (DVD review)
Friday, 29 Jan, 2010 – 16:39 | No Comment
Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles (DVD review)

Of all the sci fi series canceled in 2009, T:SCC was the one I was really hoping would survive, especially with the killer twist in the final episode. It was ripe for renewal but sadly …

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (Blu ray review)
Monday, 25 Jan, 2010 – 12:49 | No Comment
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (Blu ray review)

I’m quite a fan of CG animated movies and while Pixar remain the masters of the genre, they’re not the only ones creating awesome movies like Bolt and the cliché-ridden Monsters Versus Humans. Cloudy with …

Counting cats: How many do I have again?
Friday, 22 Jan, 2010 – 19:16 | No Comment

So I’m full of the lurgy and made a point of going to bed early last night. Some time around 2:30am I heard a banging coming from downstairs. Ceri has been known to headbutt the …

Nip/Tuck: Season Five (DVD Review)
Tuesday, 19 Jan, 2010 – 16:54 | No Comment
Nip/Tuck: Season Five (DVD Review)

Thanks to a year-long hiatus mid-season, season five of the surgical drama Nip/Tuck has been a while coming. McNamara/Troy has moved to trendy LA but their appointment book is empty and they are unknowns in …

Doctor Who: The Writer’s Tale – The Final Chapter (Review)
Wednesday, 13 Jan, 2010 – 20:36 | One Comment
Doctor Who: The Writer’s Tale – The Final Chapter (Review)

It seems odd to start with a conclusion to a review but, simply put, The Writer’s Tale, is both the book for Doctor Who fans who want to know the hows and why but it’s …

Being Human: Series Two (Preview)
Saturday, 9 Jan, 2010 – 10:40 | No Comment
Being Human: Series Two (Preview)

I’m a huge fan of Being Human and the BBC kindly sent a previews disc of episode one my way and the disc arrived earlier this week! The series continues the story of George, Mitchell …

Living the Dream: The ‘let it snow’ edition
Saturday, 9 Jan, 2010 – 10:17 | No Comment
Living the Dream: The ‘let it snow’ edition

NASA
Snow snow snow snow snow. It’s everywhere and just keeps on falling! We’ve had over three weeks of it now and it’s getting to the point where enough is enough. Still, it is pretty. There’s …

Oishinbo: A La Carte Edition – Volumes Six and Seven (Book review)
Saturday, 2 Jan, 2010 – 17:49 | No Comment
Oishinbo: A La Carte Edition – Volumes Six and Seven (Book review)

© Tetsu KARIYA, Akira HANASAKI/Shogakukan Inc.
It only feels like yesterday that VIZ announced its plans to release an a la carte menu of the finest chapters from the Japanese foodie manga Oishinbo. Each volume has …

Doctor Who: First look at series five
Friday, 1 Jan, 2010 – 22:13 | No Comment
Doctor Who: First look at series five

The BBC has ever so helpfully overhauled its Doctor Who website, just in time for the regeneration of the Doctor. They’ve also included a really stylish looking sneak peak of series five – which is …

Doctor Who: The End of Time – Part Two (Review)
Friday, 1 Jan, 2010 – 21:26 | No Comment
Doctor Who: The End of Time – Part Two (Review)

Excuse the profanity but WHAT THE FRAK?????
Seriously??!!! OH MY VARIOUS GODS!!!!
Usual amount of spoilers after the jump. I think I need to put my head between my knees for a minute.

Living the Dream: The ‘Happy New Year!’ edition
Thursday, 31 Dec, 2009 – 13:12 | No Comment
Living the Dream: The ‘Happy New Year!’ edition

This is how I’m spending my new year, with my girls (Mama Isis is on the left and Ceri on the right). New Year is always a sedate affair for me and this year is …

District 9 (Blu Ray review)
Monday, 28 Dec, 2009 – 9:00 | One Comment
District 9 (Blu Ray review)

District 9 is a fascinating film, not just because of the way it was made but also because it takes a realistic approach. It also tries to break away from that tried, tested and tired …

Being Human: Series One (DVD review)
Sunday, 27 Dec, 2009 – 18:31 | No Comment
Being Human: Series One (DVD review)

Being Human is one of those rare shows – along with Doctor Who – that makes me want to give the BBC vast sums each year for the license fee. I originally caught the pilot …

Doctor Who: The End of Time – Part One (Review)
Friday, 25 Dec, 2009 – 19:02 | 4 Comments
Doctor Who: The End of Time – Part One (Review)

Ah Christmas Day again. This means only once thing: Doctor Who (those of you who said the Queen’s Speech, get iPlayer up NOW and be ashamed of yourselves, dear me). Unlike previous years though, this …

Living the Dream: The ‘Merry Christmas’ edition
Friday, 25 Dec, 2009 – 16:36 | No Comment
Living the Dream: The ‘Merry Christmas’ edition

Yes, I have changed this column title, post-epiphany it seems rather appropriate. and even more so with the approaching new year. But we’re not quite there yet, oh no. Yes, it’s Christmas and I am …

Terminator: Salvation (DVD review)
Friday, 18 Dec, 2009 – 16:17 | One Comment
Terminator: Salvation (DVD review)

This movie feels like it’s been a long time coming. For me, Terminator 2 was the pinnacle of sci fi movies and the hints given about the world post-Judgement Day were tantalizingly brief. Then we …

Living the Freelance Dream: The ‘epiphany’ edition
Thursday, 17 Dec, 2009 – 22:37 | One Comment
Living the Freelance Dream: The ‘epiphany’ edition

It’s been no secret that I’m not a happy bunny being a freelance journalist. I’m sick of the constant struggle for work, for money, for respect and the basic decency usually afforded to every other …

Living the Freelance Dream: The ‘Yule is a-coming’ edition
Monday, 14 Dec, 2009 – 18:51 | No Comment
Living the Freelance Dream: The ‘Yule is a-coming’ edition

Can you smell the snow in the air yet? Apparently we’re due some on Wednesday and I’m a little excited, even if I hate becoming housebound. But I digress. Yes, the tree is (still) up …

The Tudors: Series Three (Blu Ray review)
Monday, 7 Dec, 2009 – 17:24 | No Comment
The Tudors: Series Three (Blu Ray review)

The Tudors is one of those unique series which has managed to captivate Americans. Now on its third and penultimate series, the reign of Henry VIII is becoming even more tumultuous. Last series, he wedded, …

Doctor Who: The official Christmas ident
Friday, 4 Dec, 2009 – 12:53 | No Comment
Doctor Who: The official Christmas ident

Yes, Christmas is apparently here and I’m looking forward to one thing: Doctor Who. Part one of The End of Time airs on Christmas Day, with part two to follow on New Year’s Day. It’s …

Halo Encyclopedia (Book review)
Wednesday, 18 Nov, 2009 – 18:56 | One Comment
Halo Encyclopedia (Book review)

First off, a confession from me: I don’t like Halo. Actually, that’s not strictly true. The storyline intrigues me and the graphics are gorgeous but the game play … it’s a FPS. Definitely not my …

Living the Freelance Dream and Through the Eyes of a Journalist: The ‘fifty pence’ edition
Tuesday, 17 Nov, 2009 – 21:15 | One Comment
Living the Freelance Dream and Through the Eyes of a Journalist: The ‘fifty pence’ edition

In my purse, there is a battered fifty pence from 2000, minted to commemorate British libraries. It’s tucked away in a pocket I seldom go in, a special place where I will completely forget about …