Tops 2005

My top things of 2005

(Lists are in no order)


Albums:

Okkervil River 'Black Sheep Boy'
Ryan Adams and The Cardinals 'Jacksonville City Nights'
Giant Drag 'Hearts and Unicorns'
Editors 'The Back Room'
Bright Eyes 'I'm Wide Awake, its Morning'
Sigur Ros 'Takk'
DFA 1979 'You're A Woman, I'm A Machine'
Ryan Adams '29'



Top Sing-Song Singles:

Couldn't do this. There were too many good songs out this year. Okkervil River 'For Real' and Sleater-Kinney 'Entertain' being my absolute favourites.

2005 was too good for limb-waggling tracks.


Top Moments and Things About 2005 (Completely random):

Asking Kevin Smith a question at his Q & A in London, The Prank Wars (i.e The War of Westfield) with The Steve (Steve won. He's too devious, V 2005 (Lots of drunken moments plus I learned that I would never 'take one for the team' to get sausage sandwiches), Brighton with Stephanie, 'Buns and Guns' Day, Gonzo Night (Where we danced with members of GLC and I helped judge an impromptu break dancing contest between Zane Lowe and Be Your Own Pet), My birthday weekend, Steve's '26 and a half' celebration, Southampton x2 (The Hobbit is the best bar EVER!), Monday Night Fandango, H's birthay and the night of two house parties, A drunken feud with Towers of London at The Planet ("I look forward to downloading your album"), Tom pole-dancing at Boom, drawing a line under old issues, The 'Franz Dance', FINALLY finding out who I am (I'm the same just more optimistic and happy), Wrestling Mans in the Sumo Suits (I got my ass handed to me in front of hundreds of people), Death Rides The Nine finally coming out for people to see (And hopefully more will in '06), Ellie, David J's Bonfire party, Alkaline Trio after show/ Ram shackles: Nick and I providing dance floor entertainment with possibly the stupidest dancing ever that caused people to put down their cheap drinks and take to the floor (We got applause and everything), drunk dodgems at the better-than-we-thought office Christmas party, winning three MTV2 competitions in 3 weeks (The last thing I won was a panda backpack 15 years ago), Go-Karting (or at least the one lap I did before I took most of the Karts off the course thanks to my crappy driving)


Top LIVE bands (There has been sooo many gigs this year):

Okkervil River, Bright Eyes, Sigur Ros, Manic Street Preachers @ The Civic (Big band, small venue), The Frames @ V2005


Worst:

Babyshambles (As expected)



My addictions as of 2005:


Curb Your Enthusiasm, Dying my hair (Fuck natural brown! I'm 'Midnight Blue' and proud!), Soul Seek, t-shirts.com, My Creative Zen, Your blogs, Smackdown Vs Raw 2006, trying to attack Steve (Never works), Blast Off, The Planet, Dance floor sliding, wild air guitar at H's, Jelly Fish shots, Westfield.



I just want to give a special mention to the bloggers/new friends I have made this year. You have saved my sanity on many a work day. Thank you for stopping by. Keep up the good work, each and all.


Goodbyes:

Granddad (I really hope you're at least a little proud of the person I've become. I'm sorry I became that guy too late.)

Lambert (H's cat)

That damn girl.


Plans for 2006:


DRTN screening @ The Lighthouse, More of the above, world domination, drop a bit of weight, tattoo? (We'll see)

Back Soon

Promise. In the mean time, I hope you enjoy the new digs.

Seasons Greetings

Just a quick post to wish everyone a Happy Holiday whichever way you celebrate it. Thanks for the cards, gifts and Ass Mats. They're all appreciated and awesome.

I'll post a more detailed post when the merry madness dies down.

Love and baubles,

C-Bizzle

DRTN blurb on plotonline.co.uk

Here.

Birthday Funs Part One: Thursday/ Friday

The Planet (Which now opens until 4am! Thank you newly relaxed licencing laws!)
My brother Nick and Mans (Pre-booty bouncing)

Doing the Sea No Evil, Hear No Evil, Speak No Evil thing at The Royal London. We did pretty much all of that. The Royal London. The Varsity, Wolverhampton (Pre-drinks) Mans at the bar (Royal London) He brought me 'Girlfriend In A Coma' by Douglas Coupland for my birthday. The envelope of the birthday card that I got from the people at work.
Post-Planet snack run.

Twenty-six

Just a quick post to say thank you for all your well-wishes and emails. I will do a proper post soon that details the nit and the grit (I have a week off from work so I/we will be celebrating lots)

25 was awesome for many, many reasons. I hope 26 will be as grand if not grander.

Love,

Chris 'Birthday Boy' Bate

SCENES FROM THE BAR

The Steve, doing his thing @ The Little Civic
Me in the Kitchen of Westfield. I am almost 26 years old. (Wednesday 14th)
Mans, Me and Mark @ Blast Off. I'm smiling now but I threw up not long after this picture was taken. Stupid cheap lager.

Simply Scripts

I love simply scripts.com.

They were goodly enough to host Death Rides The Nine before it got lensed and lensed good.

They were kind enough to put a nice message on their site.

This is a long overdo thank you to the good folks at Simply Scripts.

Freakend Wishes

Enjoy your Freakend.

Take it and make it your own.

Put aside the working week and let yourself off the proverbial leash.

If you've had a bad week, make sure this freakend puts a cap on it.

Break-up? Use the Freakend to help draw a line under it.

Gather together with your nearest and dearest.

These are the rules of the Freakend.

Heed them good.

Have fun. Take care.

Drink one for me.

(Make that two)

Here's to you good, good people.


~~~C~~~


(P.S For those that haven't seen it, please have have a gander at the post below)

Death Rides The Nine/ "4 Shorts for 4 Bucks"

Death Rides The Nine screening at the Tower Theater, Utah on Tuesday December 20th, at 7:00pm.

DRTN will be screening with three other local short films. Death Rides The Nine, together with Ignoble, Hero To Me, and Passing Season will be shown as a feature-length show currently entitled "4 Shorts for 4 Bucks", and will be followed by a Q&A with the directors, cast & crew.

The Salt Lake Film Society (the owners of the Tower Theater) have suggested a possible interest in continuing to screen these four films for a week-long run, or longer depending on turnout and response to this premiere night. This is significant, because with that week-long run comes the official claim of "theatrical release", which entitles us to reviews from local newspapers and radio shows. The corresponding press from that, as well as the status of "theatrical release" opens doors for future distribution deals and investor interest in future projects.

Admission to the screening is, you guessed it, $4.00 for the general public, and comp tickets are available for cast and crew members.


---Of course, there is The Light House screening Febuary 16th 2006 for curious parties in the U.K

Christopher Bate Sells Out.

More to follow...

Hearts Sake

Another little short/scene about lonely hearts agencies.

'Hearts Sake'

By Christopher 'Has never signed up for lonely hearts (honest)' Bate


INT - HEARTS SAKE - DAY


A disgrunted looking Dylan,26 sits in the office of 'Love Agent' Jeff Lowes, 35

Dylan waits for Jeff to finish shuffling through his paperwork.

DYLAN
Jeff.

JEFF
Dylan! I was just thinking about you!

DYLAN
Really?

JEFF
Yeah.

DYLAN
Why?

JEFF
I'm not sure. How are you?

DYLAN
Well, you should be able to tell me that. Have I had any responses?

JEFF
We've had thousands.

DYLAN
Thousands?

JEFF
Well, not thousands. That was a bit of an exaggeration.

DYLAN
Hundreds?

JEFF
Not hundreds, per say. A bit less.

DYLAN
Fifty.

JEFF
Five. We've had five.

DYLAN
I suppose five is better than nothing.

JEFF
Exactly! (Slaps table) That's exactly the kind of optimism you need!

DYLAN
In regards to the applicants?

JEFF
No, just in life.

DYLAN
Let me ask you something, Jeff.

JEFF
Okay.

DYLAN
You have to give me an honest answer.

JEFF
Right.

DYLAN
Do you promise?

JEFF
Yeah.

DYLAN
So your word is bond?

JEFF
Yes.

DYLAN
You don't sound very enthusiastic. (Beat) They're all mingers, aren't they?

JEFF
I wouldn't say mingers exactly.

DYLAN
But they're not pretty?

JEFF
It depends what you mean by pretty, Dylan. I mean, beauty can be defined by different eyes.

DYLAN
Let me see the files.

JEFF
It's part of my job to read them out.

DYLAN
This isn't the news, Jeff. Just give me the files.

JEFF
Okay.

DYLAN
Applicant number one.

JEFF
From Huddersfield.

DYLAN
She's a dog, Jeff.

JEFF
That's a bit harsh.

DYLAN
No, Jeff, she's an actual dog. A German shepherd if I'm not mistaken.

JEFF
Nice breed.

DYLAN
But not really someone I'd want a relationship with.

JEFF
Are you sure?

DYLAN
Of course I'm bloody sure! I can't stress this enough, Jeff, I want HUMAN INTERACTION. No animals.

JEFF
What about a sexy looking chimp?

DYLAN
There is no such thing.

JEFF
Helena Bonham Carter in 'Planet of the Apes'.

DYLAN
She was an actress in make-up!

JEFF
I know but still, you would-

DYLAN
I wouldn't.

JEFF
I thought she looked better as a monkey.

DYLAN
Right. Okay. Let's move onto number two shall we?

JEFF
So number one is a no-no?

DYLAN
Yes.

JEFF
Number two. Lisa from Chelsea.

DYLAN
Right.

JEFF
You like?

DYLAN
Where's her photo?

JEFF
She didn't supply one.

DYLAN
Why not?

JEFF
She doesn't believe in capturing images.

DYLAN
So, she's a freak?

JEFF
She could just be shy and old fashioned.

DYLAN
Be that as it may, her interests are; Cleaning, eating Sugar Poofs and photographing children. She sounds like the epitomy of sanity.

JEFF
Oh! Shall I put her on the 'Yes' pile then?

DYLAN
I was being sarcastic, Jeff.

JEFF
You know I can't tell when you're being sarcastic. Could you knock on the table when you are so I know?

DYLAN
Knock on the table?

JEFF
Yes.

DYLAN
Everytime I'm sarcastic?

JEFF
It would help.

DYLAN
You're an intelligent man who is good at his job.

Dylan raps on the desk three times.

JEFF
That hurts. I try my best.

DYLAN
Now you're being sarcastic!

JEFF
It's not easy, you know? People are picky these days

DYLAN
So what are you saying?

JEFF
Just, uh, you know, uh, you're a little - what's the word I'm looking for? - Beige.

DYLAN
Beige?

JEFF
Yep.

DYLAN
That's a colour.

JEFF
That's how I'd describe you.

DYLAN
Beige?

JEFF
Perhaps a mustard yellow.

DYLAN
Let's pass on number two.

JEFF
No on two.

DYLAN
Let's see what horrors number three yields.

JEFF
I have a good feeling about number two.

DYLAN
Jeff.

JEFF
Yeah?

DYLAN
It's a blank page.

JEFF
What do you think?

DYLAN
I think you're an idiot to be brutal.

JEFF
Sometimes blank paper gets mixed up. It's not my fault. It's just me here now. I have to do everything because I fired Gemma.

DYLAN
I wouldn't why I could smell cheap perfume when I came in. Why did you fire her?

JEFF
You promise not to tell anyone?

DYLAN
Of course I'm not going to tell anyone. How will that sound; "Hey, lads! Did you know that they fired the perky receptionist from the lonely hearts agency I go to in an desperate attempt to find a compainion."

JEFF
She was stealing.

DYLAN
Money?

JEFF
Clients. Men---and a couple of women.

DYLAN
Do you mean she was-

JEFF
She was setting herself up.

DYLAN
Oh.

JEFF
That's one rule you never break in this business.

DYLAN
I wonder why she never 'stole' me.

JEFF
She thought you had the features of a ruck sack, or was it a satchel?. It was some kind of shoulder hold-all anyway.

DYLAN
She said I looked like a bag?

JEFF
I said you looked like a confused child.

DYLAN
Lovely. That really boosts my flagging spirits. Cheers.

JEFF
She's gone now.

DYLAN
Good riddance.

JEFF
Its left me with heaps of work to do.

DYLAN
Let's get back to the task in hand. So applicant number three doesn't exsist?

JEFF
No. Sorry. It was an oversight.

DYLAN
Nevermind. Number four.

There is a long pause as Dylan looks at the file.

DYLAN (CONT'D)
She's dead.

JEFF
Dead?

DYLAN
Yup.

JEFF
Since when?

DYLAN
Since nineteen ninety-two.

JEFF
She never said.

DYLAN
I suppose it must have slipped her mind.

JEFF
She should have said.

DYLAN
Yup. Some people, eh?

JEFF
I'll take her off the list.

DYLAN
That would be a genius idea.

Dylan gets up out of of his seat and heads towards the door.

JEFF
Where are you going?

DYLAN
I quit.

He exits.

JEFF
Wait! I didn't hear you knock! I don't know if you're being sarcastic! Dylan? Dylan?


THE END

Show me the way to Hogwarts

Bloggin' on Baker

Ben Baker of 'Fighting In Pubs' and 'Taxi For Baker FM' fame kindly asked me to write a 'Guest Post' on his splendid website.

I am the third guest in recent days and, like the people before me, have been asked by Ben to write about my 'Best/Worst Christmas'

Please go there and checkity-check it out.

I'll be here. Waiting and whistling.