First rent (from my own funds) is due in a few days, it's all sitting in my bank ready to fly into my landlady's account. Not interesting for you, but exciting for me - it's my first ever residence-based payment that I've earnt myself! Living expenses are a little tight, but it's all working out fine, I have plenty to survive on! Working a 5 day week isn't so bad when you've got a genuine incentive and goal to meet, I'm not tempted to skip work any more. Well, sometimes I am. But a boy needs holiday time! If you want to see my room/flat and haven't yet then head over to youtube.com/blogmaths.
I'm determined to strengthen my DVD collection while I'm living here, especially after meeting a new friend recently and hearing about his 900(!!) strong collection. I've just ordered The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, The Darjeeling Limited and Road to Perdition, three of my favourite films ever, as well as The Science of Sleep, a film directed by Michel Gondry that I haven't seen and am really interested in. "But what's already in your DVD collection, Ivens?" I hear you cry. 'Ave a butchers (click for big version):

I still need another 20-30 to reach my desired minimum collection of personal favourites and then I hope to extend it to loads of films I've always liked, loads I've always wanted to see and then thanks to Amazon's 'you might also like...' feature, loads I never knew about that I should add to it. Not to mention many box sets and TV shows. The collection's missing 3 or 4 DVDs that are currently on rent to friends by the way.
A gradually increasing group of myself and friends have all decided to hit up Serbia this Summer to attend EXIT festival 2010 - check out www.exitfest.org for photos and line ups of previous fests. Firstly it's in a lovely town called Novi Sad (which I have been told is nicer than Marlow, for you Bucks dwellers) and everything is stupid cheap - most expensive pint of lager being 90p. Fucking win. Everything else is just as cheap too. For a 13 bedroom complex with a pool, kitchen and living room, we're looking at £120 a head for 5 nights, which is blindingly good. With flights, festival ticket, accommodation and spending money we're looking at £500+ but friends who attended last year have assured us it is worth every penny! Can't wait!
Peace out home boys and girls, I'll be back soon. For now keep an eye on Blogmaths.



