Cheerio from the Cheeser...

Well. I really didn't want to have to do this. In fact, I can't quite believe that I'm contemplating it. But it seems like I ain't got much choice, my lovelies...

Since I started my new teaching job time has been precious for me, in fact, I still can't find enough of it. My evenings and weekends have become full to the brim with preparing, marking, reading and so forth. We've got an OFSTED inspection coming to the college next week and that's added to everything else for me. I know you have heard this all before, my fellow bloggers and readers...

You can probably guess where this is going can't you?

I've going to have to stop this blogging thing.

Yes. Or, to be more precise, I'm not going to be updating my own blog any more, and probably not for some time to come. Yes, I've had my hiatuses before, my "I'm having a break for a few weeks and I'll be back" type declarations (God I'm finding it hard to get the words out, so much for being a ruddy English teacher!) but this time it's likely to be for good. It's just been so hard to claw back time and at present I need all that I can get hold of (sounds like another of my classic Cheeser double entendres, something I'm sure you'll remember me for if nothing else...)

This decision really doesn't come easily, I can promise you. I have loved having my own blog for so many reasons: the chance to be creative and to write about all of my joys and passions - music, movies, tv (being the "banner" topics but of course you all know I'm a major Dr Who fan); not to mention a vast array of cheese and retro-related topics that have enthused me along the way and also what's current ; writing long and detailed reviews (and boy am I good at them!); "Tagging" my fellow bloggers to write on an array of subjects ... and last but definitely not least hooking up with and getting to know a vast array of other bloggers in the process. And boy, have I met lots of people!

And in no particular order, they are:

The witty and erudite Steve, from Luscious Leamington Spa. Our communiques kicked off with various anecdotes about Beverley Craven and a marrow - I kid you not. He's a proud Dad of two and a bit of a polymath (writer, web designer, facilities manager...!) In our time we've exchanged many a thought on Torchwood and Big Brother. Steve's a bit of a cultural critic too and has a very observant eye/style. Actually I'm wondering if it was Bev that started it all off after all, I actually think it was Leo Sayer's underpants. What an opening. Not that I really want to see Leo's opening...

The lovely boy from US Gaytown, Matty, who never ceases to amaze me with his tales of encounters with weird and wonderful San Fran folk and his conversations with them - plus his love of film, tv and music was something we both shared. He's also an arty and sensitive kind of guy with his heart in the right place (and we've never even met!) with a Barbra Streisand fixation. And a cute dog called Bagel! Going back to Queen Babs, I think that's how our friendship got started - me suggesting that Bubbly Babs go for a "ghetto Barbra" image with lots of bling and a velour tracksuit - I'm sure it would compliment her bubble perm perfectly not to mention revitalise her career...

Amanda from New Zealand. A fun and witty lady who never ceases to make us jealous with her tales and photos of the beautiful NZ scenery and weather. One of her daughters is also a major Dr Who fan - she's obviously been brought up the right way. I can't quite remember how Randy Mandy and I hooked up - probably through another blogger, it always seems to be the way - but I've enjoyed all my chats with her and reading her updates. A fabulous lady.

Tim aka Timewarden! A blogger who has regenerated almost as many times as the good Timelord himself - who knows, PERHAPS I might follow his example. Tim is a major DW fan too, hence the connection. Tim is an "Old Skool" Whovian and I'm sure he won't mind me saying he's much more of a fan of the original series rather than new one. This has lead to many interesting debates between us! He also has an incredible memory for detail (guest stars from DW who have starred in other things) - I thought I was bad! (Or should that be good - look it's a talent, all right??)

High Camp Caress Morell. Named after a character from Dynasty no less, Caress is in fact a gay Glaswegian called Jaimie who has a love of, surprisingly, camp and trash such as Prisoner Cell Block H, Dynasty and Joan Crawford movies, to give just a few examples. He's currently compiling his Top 25 Campest movies and some of the choices have actually taken me by surprise! Like Tim, he's a mine of information (or should that be trivia? I can talk...) when it comes to movies and tv shows - this boy knows so much! He also has a love of ... cock ... and has written a fair few naughty stories on his blog - fair go to him!

From A Voice Plantation aka my old friend Thomas. We both went to Sussex University about 15 years ago (Jesus! Where does the time go?!) and have stayed in touch since - well sporadically, but we're back in touch now, which is good. Thomas is into Indie music and also has his own band, Plus! Go see them! Of course I remember his Janet Jackson period, and Absolutely Fabulous fixations, but I'm not sure he'd want me to remind him of those ... Thomas also blogs about the country walks he's fond of going on, which I can definitely relate to - getting out of London can only be a good thing!

Hot Lunch aka Alan from Chicago! Another American diva queen! Alan actually originates from Bradford ooop North so is a Yorkshire boy by birth (he once wrote to me asking me about meat pies that came from there - I was damned if I knew!) Now he's into music and movies, including the kind of stuff I like. And he also has a bit of a thing for Sheena Easton in fact.

Flaming Nora. A displaced Makem now living in London. She's a major Coronation Street fan and even has her own blog on the topic and once kindly published an article of mine on gay and lesbian characters in soaps. Another cultural critic who is always going to the theatre and gigs. It makes me wonder why I don't bother being a London dweller too. She also used to work near me although we never actually met - may have passed each other on the street at some point though, who knows!

Newplanet aka Graham another bonnie gay Scots boy! Graham is a bit of a Kylie and Kim Wilde fan and again likes many things poppy. He also has a thing for horror movies and every October gives his blog a Halloween style makeover, as he has done now.

And there's a few other numerous people too who I haven't mentioned (soz folks) but if you want to check them out go to my blog roll. All I can say is, ladies and gentlemen, it's been lovely knowing you!!

So before I go...

I will be keeping this blog "live" i.e. I won't be deleting it despite the lack of updates, so anyone and everyone can go back and read all my previous posts! I have actually worked very hard on it in the past and don't see the point in just scrubbing out all of that.

I WILL still be checking into everyone else's blogs, to see what they're up to, what they're writing about and leaving comments where I can. I want to keep in touch! And it isn't the reading that's time consuming, it's the writing that is!! Oh I wish I didn't have to do this but ho hum ....

Incidentally - Pakipoptart aka Deemer, are you still alive? You stopped blogging and deleted your website, but I was just wondering if you're okay? If you read this please drop me a line to say hi and reassure me.

Well. This looks like it. Really can't believe it! Who knows, I might do a Timewarden and come back from the dead, but for now it really does have to be goodbye. We'll see. Take care and all the best.

Big hugs to you all and ... I almost forgot to say ... many, MANY thanks for checking into and reading my blog and your various comments! It's been much appreciated.

Love Simon aka Old Cheeser
XXXXXXXXXX

BYYYYYEEEEEEE!!!!

I'm sowwie

Hey everyone

Sorry about the recent lack of posts - just for a change. I'm up to my eyeballs in teaching stuff and my weekends have suddenly become chock-full of preparation and marking, etc etc. Natually all of that's had to take priority. I'll write something more substantial when I can find, oh, a few spare micro-seconds or something.

Meanwhile: It seems that the E-Space Trilogy might be coming out on DVD in the not too distant. Hoorah for the rather-good "Full Circle"! And the Marshmen! And Romana being bitten by a marshspider and turning all veiny and nasty! And procrastination aplenty! Hoorah for the very deliciously gothic "State of Decay"! And the Three Who Rule! And lots of vampire bats on strings attacking the Doc and Romana in the woods! And Paddy Kingsland's wonderful incidental musical scores in the aforementioned two stories! A semi-hoorah for "Warrior's Gate"! (A bit of a weird story in my book and not one of my all-time faves, but with some merits nonetheless...) And the lionine Tharils! And a nasty villain in Clifford Rose! And the touching departure of Romana and K9 Mark II! And last but not least, a less-than-hoorah for the debut of mathematical genius cum brat with crap pudding bowl haircut, Adric! Anyway I look forward to that one.

Mmmm. So much for not having the time to write.

My driving lessons are continuing to go okay, though not as frequent as I would like. I'm currently doing right hand turns. My steering needs some attention and the concept of the clutch is a new one to me, but I'm getting there.

Back inside the walls of Wentworth, Doreen's been packed off to the funny farm after twisted psychologist Peter Clements sends her round the bend by suggesting she might be a lesbian (like you do).

The winsome n' whiney Lynn Warner has finally departed the show, never to be seen again (rumour has it she later turns up as an alien in "Star Trek: The Next Generation" and some kind of princess in "Dynasty"... No lie ...)

New arrival and baby killer Bella Albrecht (above with fabulously flicked 70s barnet) has been drowned in a sink with Bea and Monnie being the prime suspects.

However it transpires that it's actually the devious Martha Eaves (aka "Big M", above with Vinegar Vera) who is the culprit. Martha then decides to go up on the prison roof and hold Vera hostage with a kitchen fork (like you do) but eventually gets caught, not before we see that Wentworth is in fact a TV station (hence the radars):

Who knew?! Or could it in fact be a tracking station to locate alien intelligences like the Pharos Project (well, there's precious little intelligence inside Wentworth, so they've got to find it somewhere ...)

Fabulously flouncy prison social worker Jean Vernon has allowed Noeline Burke's daughter Leanne (above, an even better example of white trash than her mum) to stay in Meg Jackson's house, to the latter's chagrin. Cue hilarious scenes of Leanne trashing the joint and lounging on Meg's sofa, smoking loadsa fags, drinking loadsa tinnies and listening to loadsa naff 70s wah-wah music (which also seems to get played on the radio in the Wentworth laundry rather a lot - God, but they had excellent taste back then).

And future full-time warder Colleen "Po Face" Powell has made her first fleeting appearance. Not sure about the John Lennon look though, Colleen, love.

Right. Best go then. Strange how I can suddenly start waxing lots of lyrical when I get onto a favourite subject, isn't it?!

Hope you're all having a good weekend me lovelies ...

OC xxx

The Great Exhibition of 2008

Yaaaaay!! It's taken me a bit of time to report back on this one, but a few weeks back, my good friend from ooop North, Stephen, his lovely son Max and myself all made a trip to the Dr Who Exhibition which is currently showing at Earls Court. And a very good time was had by all.

It was so funny/strange taking Max with us. He's five years old and just getting into the whole Dr Who thing. There were lots of other kiddies there too who were equally relishing the experience, running around and shrieking with excitement on seeing their favourite monsters / creatures and all of it took me right back to my own childhood. It really doesn't seem so long ago when me and my friends in York, all die-hard Whovians, used to hold "group meetings" in which we got together to "rap" about DW and watch badly copied VHS tapes of old DW stories, which we'd paid through the neck to get hold of (we had a "contact" in Leeds who helped out for some extortionate price ... All I can say is THANK GOD for the advent of the DVD ...) I was also a member of the DWAS (that's Dr Who Appreciation Society to you plebs out there) and a regular subscriber to Dr Who Weekly (I still have a copy of the very first issue), closely followed by Dr Who Monthly. And erm, you are going to think me frightfully naughty, but me and a friend who shall remain nameless once wrote an "adult" version of the Colin Baker story "The Mark of the Rani", on his ZX Spectrum. This was in our later teens, you understand and we were, testosterone-infused not to say frustrated youngsters ... (Mind you it's probably no worse than this recent effort or this one, is it? Some things never change ... ) Regrettably "The Mark of the Randi" never got published.

Another highlight of my Who-infused childhood was a visit to the Dr Who Exhibition in Blackpool - which is still going strong. I think I went in about 1982 or 1983 and remember being terribly, terribly excited. I didn't get out of York very much and this felt like a trip to the USA or something similar. With hindsight I now realise Blackpool is probably one of cheapest and tackiest places one can visit but at the time it all felt sooo glamorous. And we went to the DW Exhibition and loved it. They had the regeneration scene from "Logopolis" on a looped video in the shop and I remember buying a china TARDIS money box and having my picture taken with my friend and his brother outside by the "TARDIS" entrance.

Anyway, flash forward to 2008 and Earl's Court. Here's a pictorial guide of what was on offer that day!

A taster of things to come!

Stephen and Max getting all excited in the foyer!

Doctors numero Nine and Ten invite you to the Exhibition ...

There were lots of good pictorial displays like the one on the right ... lots of good Who info and facts! It was probably more informative than the Blackpool Exhibition I'd say.

Saints preserve us! It's shop dummies coming to life! Could they be ... Autons?

Does the Henriks logo remind you of anything?

The David Tennant incarnation of the Doc outside the TARDIS. If you're wondering why his face is blank, there was a projector which "shone" a moving DT face onto the dummy .... unfortunately it didn't come out very well in the photo so he actually looks kind of sinister!

A David Tennant / Tenth Doc display.

Mewsters! It's a cat nun! Tin of kitty kat, anyone?

Lordy lordy! It's the wise and reputable Face of Boe! What a humongous head (oh, no comments please ... )

Me attempting to commune with the Face of Boe ... you can see the difference in head size ...

A bendy-wendy Slitheen! He (or she?) was positively huge! Big pincers too!

That famous model of Ben Ben from the first Slitheen story. Good model!

Aaaaah! It's that bitchy stretchy piece of flesh, Cassandra!

And one of the Trinnie / Susannah (not sure which it is) robots from "Bad Wolf"!

Uuuuughhh! The Empress of the Racnoss!!

An Ood waits patiently in a corridor. One of the best of the new Who monsters in my opinion ...

A Santa Claus robot! Rather silly staring eyes though.

This was an interesting display - showed you how they "made" an Oood mask. Who knew the spaghetti heads used blusher?

It's - that monster with the long name from "Love and Monsters"! Didn't look as good as on screen, I have to add. The jock strap didn't seem to ... hold very much.

Affirmative Master! Everyone's favourite doggie on show.

One of those scary looking clockwork dolls. Nice britches.

Enter ... the Cybermen!! Great display and great design. Kind of looks like they're on TOTP though.

No, no, NOOOOOOOO!! Don't delete me!!

Roger Lloyd-Pack, or should I say the Cyber-controller?

A solitary Cyber-bloke.

Rose's gorgeous costume from "Idiot's Lantern". Again she seems to be sans face ... but that's what happens when Maureen Lipman sucks the life out of ya ...

Couldn't resist a close up of Rose's lovely pink heels.

Remember those pictures the girl in "Fear Her" drew? The one of the absent Dad was rather horrible ...

Heaven help us! It's Wendy the Weeping Angel! I thought she was a testcard girl?

And no DW Exhibition would be complete without ... the Daleks! Enter the Black one ...

This was a cool bit of the Exhibition. You can't really see it from the photos (and the dry ice kind of obscures things) but three Daleks glided onto the "stage", threatened the audience as "unidentified intruders! and then shot them! Cue lots of laser beams ...

A Sontaran, recently returned to DW! Again didn't like the silly staring eyes though. Guess they couldn't exactly use real ones ...

One of those fishy aliens (again I can't be bothered to find out the name) who got all loved up with Martha in "The Dr's Daughter".

A scary scarecrow! Another one of my fave DW creations ...

A model of the Dalek Emperor.

Please do not touch the exhibits. Or you will be EXTERMINATED!!

The truck thing driven by Kylie of Minogia in "Voyage of the Damned". Remember?

Bannakaffalatta. Is he Darth Maul's baby brother?

Stephen and a Dalek. Actually you can't see, but Max is inside! They had a microphone inside in which you could imitate the Dalek voice - great fun! Naturally the place was filled with screeching kid's voices, all going "Exterminate!" again and again. I guess if you worked there it might drive you slightly mad ...

A saucy showgirl from the Daleks in Manhattan two-parter. Great outfit!

And later at home, Max tries out his newly purchased radio-controlled Dalek!

How exciting!! Oh to be young again ...

Well it was a good day in all. What Stephen and I both noticed (and as you'll probably have gathered from the photos above) was that the exhibition focussed almost entirely on NEW Dr Who monsters (apart from the obvious "crossover" aliens like Daleks and Cybermen) from the revived version of the series. There were no old ones, which was a slight pity. I guess the reasoning behind that is that a lot of the attendees will be too young to remember DW Mark One and far more au fait with Mark Two, hence the recent exhibits. Also the fact that if there had been monsters from Mark One PLUS Mark Two, a very big venue would have been needed! (And Earls Court is pretty big as it is - much more spacious than the Blackpool Exhibition for instance). But it's still great to know that the DW legacy lives on and that a whole new generation of children are being reared on the show, as I once was. Okay, what's the point in denying it. Going to these kind of things is really just an opportunity for my inner kid-like Whovian to manifest itself. Or, should I say, materialise!!