2008 — 1 November: Saturday
I was listening to just the sound from a BBC4 Neil Young documentary a little before midnight and had to snort with derision at a voice suggesting the U.S. needs another four years of Dubya. Yeah, right! Oh well, it takes all sorts. "Rabbits!"
Time for tonight's artfully blurred picture of Christa, quite possibly taken by my then future brother-in-law Karl, and showing my then future brother-in-law Georg:
The artfully blurred trio, September 1974
Brrr, it's still cold. G'night.
Consciousness returns
It's a cold morning, too, at 09:01 or so. I think I need a cuppa before I can face the planet... That's better.
Well, now, I love some movies and I hate others:
One major difference between love and hate appears to be in the fact that large parts of the cerebral cortex — associated with judgement and reasoning — become de-activated during love, whereas only a small area is deactivated in hate.
David Thomson's "Have you seen...?" sounds interesting, if idiosyncratic. (Link.) It also gets an excellently-written review on Amazon. I have picked up (and put down, an equal number of times) his Biographical Dictionary of Film, but I have to admit the only book I have actually read by him is his "Beneath Mulholland". And that seems rather to have fallen by the wayside. Pity.
This sign, also on the wayside somewhere in Wales, apparently fails to offer an accurate translation of the English text. The perils of email:
It's one of the three top stories in that fine country today (and don't forget, I am 50% Welsh if my NZ sister-in-law's genealogical research is as impeccable as it should be).
Is there anything more depressing than cold, wet weather? Apart from the drivel that is passed off as news, of course. Well the day is just at its half way point; it can only get better. (Good grief! The theme tune from the West Wing is being used on a radio U.S. election trailer.)
What's next, Mrs Landingham?
Well, it's 13:51. Have you eaten? (Yes.) Are you listening to "Any questions?"? (Yes.) Is the weather still rotten? (Yes.) Then I suggest you find some indoor activity to tide you over until it's time to set off for the evening Dinner Club. Just make sure you know the route!
Just listened to a delightful play by Robert Nye — The late Mr Shakespeare — the sort of thing the BBC tends to do infinitely better than some of the so-called edgy comedy that has dominated the news cycle for the last few days. I suspect the audience figures won't have been very high, though. And it's still pouring with rain (we'd originally thought we might be able to get out for a walk today).