Michael_3165

Just finished The Gunslinger by Stephen King. It was okay though didn't feel like it got going before it finished. 

 

Reading The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde. 10 pages in and I already really like it. 

I really hope they keep up the momentum. Given the reviews of this show they should avoid going backward. I hate that the network doesn't show RAW straight away as I don't have cable anymore

Reading 'The Greatest Show On Earth' by Richard Dawkins - a bloody brilliant, albeit somewhat preachy, explanation of evolution by one of the greatest writers in its field. I personally love Dawkins, one of my all time heroes, and so of course I would love the book too. It is a tad heavy in places. 

I have never bought Balor - not quite sure what the fuss is about. He can certainly work but I have no reason to like or dislike him, he is Randy Orton for the future - a guy that can have a decent match but who just doesn't do it for me at all. 

 

He was excellent in NJPW and others where he didn't have to rely on a gimmick but the Demon thing just seems pointless. When he cuts a promo he looks out of place and seems to flounder - see his promo leading to the announcement of Balor vs Nakamura. 

 

I can see him going to shit on the main roster when you have the likes of Styles, New Day etc who have the crowd eating out the palm of their hands. 

I was tad disappointed with the Nakamura vs Balor match this week. Something was missing and I believe that had it been in an arena that didn't have fans who weren't interested or which tried to use chants to get themselves over it would have been blistering. Dallas crowd would have worked perfectly. 

I am bisexual and dated guys for TEN YEARS... then got with a girl that I knew since we were in our teens. How weird is that!?

I was a tad let down this month though that is a one off as I love some of the articles normally. The MMA top fights was a little flat but that is because I don't watch. I have always seen FSM as more of a wrestling magazine so when we get lengthy MMA articles I skip half the magazine. That said for those who like both products I am sure it was a good edition. 

How can I see up to date ROH online ? 

A few cool matches on the new collections including Tiger Mask vs Jose Estrada, Bryan Danielson vs Jamie Noble (Velocity) and a four way match featuring Mysterio et al from Velocity too. 

I am currently reading (and massively enjoying) The Gunslinger by Stephen King. Fantastic fiction by the king (pun intended) of horror which is more heavily focused on fantasy with less of the horror elements that can often turn off the readership. It is a relatively short novel too which really helps for those who don't want to trudge through the likes of 1000+ page 'It' or Under the Dome. 

Anyone tell me why I can't see anything on the WWE site? I have put in wwe.com but it just has the logo? 

I really don't see the fascination in Balor. He is dull as dishwater from a personality perspective, he isn't believable on the mic and sure he can do wonders in the ring but I don't get the gimmick either. 

 

Nakamura was a bit too hammy with the facial expressions during the promo but I still love everything about the guy inside and outside of the ring. He is mesmerising and I can watch him all day but I have to admit the grimacing mid-promo was a little weird. That said he is massively different to everything else on any of the shows that you can hardly moan. 

I am a few days late for the Osprey/Ricochet spot-fest but wanted to add some thoughts to the others people have posted. 

 

The match was great if that is the style that you appreciate. I personally like a bit of variety and for me a spot-fest can be a good thing when done right and it is not the ONLY thing on the show. I have a tendency to be put off by Ricochet because he comes off a bit 'marky' on twitter and his nods to The Rock in the past have been a bit cringeworthy but I can live with that. This style is a niche style and if you can forget the psychology aspect for the 20 minutes or so it can be rewarding. 

 

That said I particularly dislike spots where the pair end up doing the same thing 'in sync' only to pause for the crowd adoration. It feels contrived and whilst I am trying to suspend my disbelief for a moment this is the one thing I go 'AGGHH' at! 

 

People need to be smart. If the posts above are anything to go by Osprey is already becoming a physical wreck and whilst these matches can be entertaining I would prefer to be a boring fucker that has longevity than a guy that does fantastically intricate spots that is wheelchair bound at 40 years old.  What Osprey (and Ricochet to a lesser degree) seems to have forgotten is that you can't keep up that style or pace for twenty years. If you don't hone your psychology and selling skills once you can't do those spots any longer what do you have left? 

 

For example, it could be argued that Shawn Michaels best matches were following his back surgery when he had to be less risk-taking and more focused on psychology. AJ Styles is another who was a great wrestling but became a better worker once he knew how to pace his spots for best effect. 

What is up with the camera being all over the place in the beat down of Cena? I am finding the whole wobbly camera thing very off-putting to the point that I can barely tolerate it. It was never more noticeable than during this segment. 

Mysterious Skin was a great movie as well, except for the wretched acting of Michelle Trachtenburg.

 

Never seen the movie but may look into it if the book ends well. Good to know though  

I am reading 'Mysterious Skin' by Scott Heim. 

 

It is a great read which isn't a chore to get through. It is based on gay characters and focuses on childhood and the impact of events on today. Some of the content is a tad adult and could easily offend - having a similar theme to the classic banned novel Lolita. 

 

I recently finished The Bell by Iris Murdoch which was another stunning read though the lack of dialogue made the whole thing a little tedious in places. Tim Weaver's Vanished was also a good, quick read but the ending is a tad flat. 

 

I came across a few stunning books including:

 

More Letters of Note by Shaun Usher - a collection of fun letters from famous people including Sylvia Plath, Marge Simpson, Aldous Huxley and others.

 

The 20th Century in Poetry - a monster of a pretty book which if you like that sort of thing is amazing

 

A London Year - letters, journals and reflective accounts spread across 400 years from those living in London. Most of them are famous people and it gives a great view into London life through the centuries. 

They need to upload all of the Smackdowns for 1999-2003 because a lot of the RAW stuff then merges with Smackdown... bit pointless having one but not the other imo. 

As an employer there are a few 'tips' I can give on what I look for with prospective employees...

 

1) Hit the points in the person specification... if you are asked in the person specification if you are conscientious then tell me... I know you are bullshitting but I can't progress to interview if you haven't at least pretended. 

 

2) When asked why you want the job be honest. I don't want to hear 'it's all I've ever wanted to do with my life' - I hear that one hundred times a year. Bring me something unique.

 

3) Know the job and the company. I got told by one interviewee recently that they hadn't read the job description because they were 'too busy'... so I was too busy to give them the time in the interview...

 

4) When you get asked the dreaded 'what are your strengths and limitations' question just say what they are! SELL YOURSELF! I know people don't like to brag but the next person will and they will be the one that I notice. Tell me proper limitations not 'I am too much of a perfectionist'. It screams that you are framing a positive as a negative. Be brutally honest, I appreciate that much more. 

 

5) Don't dither and go round the question. If you don't know just say so. I prefer someone I can mould and develop than someone who tries to bullshit their way through life. If you show me you have potential I will give you the job. If I think you are saying what might be the right answer you may as well give up. 

 

In short... be honest, say it as it is and admit when you aren't sure. I don't want a guy with a PhD in the subject if their attitude is shit. But that's the industry I am in. If you went to another industry they would want you to suck arse... its not my style personally but you have to play the game. 

 

Just a few other things...

 

As sad as it sounds you have to keep hounding these people. When you have 60 people applying for one post the employer is not going to be worried if one or two get pissy and go elsewhere... I find that most of the time you have to chase the employers for any kind of update especially if its agencies. I personally take every application seriously because I know people want jobs but there are a lot of employers that don't think far ahead in terms of reputation etc. 

 

If you go for an interview and they ask if you have any questions don't do any of the following:

 

1) Ask 'do we get paid sickness...'

2) Tell them that you need flexible working patterns

3) Disclose that you have a lot of family commitments/carers responsibilities

4) Mention pregnancy, maternity leave etc 

 

I say this because although it shouldn't be the case I know several employers that will hear any of those four things and already have the application in the bin before you walk out of the door. 

I personally didn't get anything new from the Table for 3 with the Horsemen. Arn comes off as a miserable old man... Flair looks like a raspberry nosed alcoholic... the only one that looks like he is happy in life (or healthy) was Blanchard and good for him. 

 

WTF is up with Flair's hair! 

When i watch the attitude era raw's and compare the noise level and passion of the crowds compared to the current product it makes me realise how lucky i was to grow up in the mid to late 90's .

 

I definitely agree about the crowd reaction but if you compare that to the late 80s NWA.... every decade seems to have a decrease in reaction generally. 

 

From an in ring perspective though some of that era was the pits. 

I think he needs to tone back his facial expressions a little. My only fault with the match was that they are a little too distracting. But fuck me the amount he stands out compared to anyone else is superb. Even in his Test away kit pleather trousers.

I disagree. I believe he is by far the best seller that there is out there. Half of the reason most of the roster is so bland is because they don't 'show out' facially. Everyone can see whether he is in pain or not and without the facial expressions he would be less Nakamura than he is.

Nakamura won't be able to kick the fuck out of the main roster like he did last night. It was a fantastic spectacle but I can't see many blokes who'll take his offence.

 

I believe his offence isn't half as brutal as it looks. WWE wouldn't put him out there if he was a liability to ANY of their performers. It is clear the guy has talent and it looked as though he was able to reign in some of his offence so it looked brutal but wasn't as heavy as in his NJPW matches. 

I am bias as a huge fan of Nakamura but I really loved the match... there was a story, everything meant something, they SOLD! 

Nakamura's debut is perhaps the most excited 30 year old me has been for wrestling in a long time!