“The problem with the world is that the intelligent people are full of doubts, while the stupid ones are full of confidence.”
Charles Bukowski
Monday, 23 November 2015
Sunday, 23 August 2015
A few days in Edinburgh
I went to visit Ag, Colin and Grace in Edinbugh 17th - 20th August :-). I waited for a bit in town on Monday and Ag collected me after work. I was just in time to say 'Goodnight' to Grace, and we had gluten-free pasta with a creamy courgette sauce for dinner.
On Tuesday, Ag, Grace and I went to drop off Ag's car at the garage and then to visit the Festival, including the BBC pink tent and the Udderbelly - here it is: :-)
We resisted going to see Julia Donaldson, as Grace needed her nap, so we headed home on the bus. We went for a walk in the afternoon, and I even looked after Grace on my own for 10 minutes. Colin came home, we had fish and rice for dinner, watched TV and went to bed.
On Wednesday, Colin and I stayed with Grace in the morning and went to the park. Then Colin went to work, Ag came home at lunch time, and we went to the library. Agata and I went out in the evening and saw Milton Jones ('and the Temple of Daft'), who told us about his daring adventures trying to find a treasure, the map to which he'd found in Amber's handbag. Unfortunately, the map turned out to be part of Amber's daughter's homework, but Milton and Amber took part in a number of teacher and education themed adventures in the meantime, including Teachers' Paradise, where there are only teachers and staff (no pupils), including a dinner lady made of... dinner. Ag and I had Pizza Express pizza after.
On Thursday morning, Ag, Grace and I went into the city centre, where we met some of Ag's mummy friends with their toddlers in a festival play area. I went straight to the train station from there and was home in the evening :-).
On Tuesday, Ag, Grace and I went to drop off Ag's car at the garage and then to visit the Festival, including the BBC pink tent and the Udderbelly - here it is: :-)
We resisted going to see Julia Donaldson, as Grace needed her nap, so we headed home on the bus. We went for a walk in the afternoon, and I even looked after Grace on my own for 10 minutes. Colin came home, we had fish and rice for dinner, watched TV and went to bed.
On Wednesday, Colin and I stayed with Grace in the morning and went to the park. Then Colin went to work, Ag came home at lunch time, and we went to the library. Agata and I went out in the evening and saw Milton Jones ('and the Temple of Daft'), who told us about his daring adventures trying to find a treasure, the map to which he'd found in Amber's handbag. Unfortunately, the map turned out to be part of Amber's daughter's homework, but Milton and Amber took part in a number of teacher and education themed adventures in the meantime, including Teachers' Paradise, where there are only teachers and staff (no pupils), including a dinner lady made of... dinner. Ag and I had Pizza Express pizza after.
On Thursday morning, Ag, Grace and I went into the city centre, where we met some of Ag's mummy friends with their toddlers in a festival play area. I went straight to the train station from there and was home in the evening :-).
Sunday, 26 July 2015
Anonymous quote
"Change is hard at the beginning, messy in the middle and gorgeous at the end."
Anonymous: https://twitter.com/InspiringThinkn/status/605963505322225664
Anonymous: https://twitter.com/InspiringThinkn/status/605963505322225664
Saturday, 25 July 2015
Play: 'To kill a mocking bird'
On Saturday 18th July, Tania and I saw a play of Harper Lee's 'To kill a mocking bird' at the Barbican Theatre in London.
Scout, an intelligent and independent girl, views the events of a trial of a black man accused of raping a white woman in 1930s Alabama, who is being defended by Scout's father, Atticus Finch. Over the space of two summers, Scout, her older brother Jem and friend Dill experience adventures including uncovering the true nature of the loner Boo Radley, and learn about life, prejudice and morality.
A wonderful book and a wonderful play.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/To_Kill_a_Mockingbird
http://tokillamockingbirdplay.com/
Scout, an intelligent and independent girl, views the events of a trial of a black man accused of raping a white woman in 1930s Alabama, who is being defended by Scout's father, Atticus Finch. Over the space of two summers, Scout, her older brother Jem and friend Dill experience adventures including uncovering the true nature of the loner Boo Radley, and learn about life, prejudice and morality.
A wonderful book and a wonderful play.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/To_Kill_a_Mockingbird
http://tokillamockingbirdplay.com/
Michaelangelo quote
"If people knew how hard I worked to get my mastery, it wouldn't seem so wonderful at all."
Michaelangelo, http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/m/michelange183868.html#s4l9asUIqxzOLSQY.99
Book: 'A study in scarlet' by Arthur Conan Doyle (the first Sherlock Holmes mystery)
Dr Watson, an army doctor on leave in order to recuperate from sustained injuries, meets and rents an apartment in 221b Baker Street with Mr Sherlock Holmes, a "consulting detective".
Watson witnesses Sherlock solving a case involving Jefferson Hope, an American, who travels to London in pursuit of two men from the Mormon community, who he holds responsible for killing his fiance and her father.
"There's the scarlet thread of murder running through the colourless skein of life, and our duty is to unravel it, and isolate it, and expose every inch of it." (Sherlock Holmes, 'A study in scarlet', Chapter 4)
Watson witnesses Sherlock solving a case involving Jefferson Hope, an American, who travels to London in pursuit of two men from the Mormon community, who he holds responsible for killing his fiance and her father.
"There's the scarlet thread of murder running through the colourless skein of life, and our duty is to unravel it, and isolate it, and expose every inch of it." (Sherlock Holmes, 'A study in scarlet', Chapter 4)
Ida B Wells quotes
"The way to right wrongs is to turn the light of truth upon them."
"One had better die fighting against injustice than die like a dog or a rat in a trap."
Ida B Wells: http://www.vox.com/2015/7/16/8978257/ida-b-wells and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ida_B._Wells
Wednesday, 1 July 2015
John Ruskin quote
“It is only by labour that thought can be made healthy, and only by thought that labour can be made happy, and the two cannot be separated with impunity.”
John Ruskin, http://tinyurl.com/no4jdnn
John Ruskin, http://tinyurl.com/no4jdnn
Sunday, 21 June 2015
Film 'No'
On Wednesday 10th June, I went to see the film 'No' with a group of friends (Steve, Will, D, Amy, Cathy and Hannah (Cathy's friend)). The film was shown as part of a political season at the Phoenix (as with 'Mr Smith goes to Washington'), with an intro and discussion led by a PhD student from UEA (which once again proved to be really valuable :-)).
'No' is a Chilean film, filmed in 2012 with 80s technology, resulting in an authentic 80s look complete with the old-fashioned, narrower screen ratio. It's directed by Pablo Larrain and stars Gael Garcia Bernal as Rene Saavedra: an advertisement maker. The background to the film is the 1988 Chilean referendum in which people voted whether to keep Pinochet in power. (He instigated the referendum due to international pressure.)
Saavedra is depicted as more or less apolitical, particularly at the beginning of the film. However, when he is approached for input into the 'No' campaign by a family friend, he eventually agrees. His outlook on life and the campaign is based on neoliberal capitalism - he aims to 'sell' the 'No' message, and envokes happiness and aspiration, together with a multi-coloured flag and a jingle, to do so. His advertisements form a sharp contrast to the reality of living under Pinochet and his brutal regime, and some of the other broadcasts, such as those depicting the widows of the 'missing', portray this more realistic picture. Saavedra clashes with several campaigners who see his broadcasts as shallow and misleading. However, they appear to work and contribute to the success of the 'No' campaign, as shown by the adoption of Saavedra's jingle ('Chile: Happiness is coming') by the celebrating crowds. The film intelligently exposes Saavedra's approach as both superficial and potentially false, but also attractive and comforting, and to me succeeded as it both made its point, but demonstrated a warm understanding for human nature. The film ends with Saavedra, the political drama of the 'No' campaign behind him, filming an advert for a soap opera. Actresses in black dresses pose on top of a high rise building with the soap heartthrob approaching by helicopter. One of the actresses alludes to a previous career dancing in a burlesque bar - we will always be drawn to lighter matters and entertainment, and the success of the 'No' vote has not stopped the tide of capitalism bringing us an abundance of those on a plate, but that's the way things are, and they could perhaps be worse.
I enjoyed and admired the film very much and learned about Chilean history too, so a double thumbs up, plus it was good to catch up with so many great people :-),
["No (2012 film)" by Pablo Larraín. Via Wikipedia -https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:No_(2012_film).jpg#/media/File:No_(2012_film).jpg]
The wikipedia page is here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No_(2012_film).
'No' is a Chilean film, filmed in 2012 with 80s technology, resulting in an authentic 80s look complete with the old-fashioned, narrower screen ratio. It's directed by Pablo Larrain and stars Gael Garcia Bernal as Rene Saavedra: an advertisement maker. The background to the film is the 1988 Chilean referendum in which people voted whether to keep Pinochet in power. (He instigated the referendum due to international pressure.)
Saavedra is depicted as more or less apolitical, particularly at the beginning of the film. However, when he is approached for input into the 'No' campaign by a family friend, he eventually agrees. His outlook on life and the campaign is based on neoliberal capitalism - he aims to 'sell' the 'No' message, and envokes happiness and aspiration, together with a multi-coloured flag and a jingle, to do so. His advertisements form a sharp contrast to the reality of living under Pinochet and his brutal regime, and some of the other broadcasts, such as those depicting the widows of the 'missing', portray this more realistic picture. Saavedra clashes with several campaigners who see his broadcasts as shallow and misleading. However, they appear to work and contribute to the success of the 'No' campaign, as shown by the adoption of Saavedra's jingle ('Chile: Happiness is coming') by the celebrating crowds. The film intelligently exposes Saavedra's approach as both superficial and potentially false, but also attractive and comforting, and to me succeeded as it both made its point, but demonstrated a warm understanding for human nature. The film ends with Saavedra, the political drama of the 'No' campaign behind him, filming an advert for a soap opera. Actresses in black dresses pose on top of a high rise building with the soap heartthrob approaching by helicopter. One of the actresses alludes to a previous career dancing in a burlesque bar - we will always be drawn to lighter matters and entertainment, and the success of the 'No' vote has not stopped the tide of capitalism bringing us an abundance of those on a plate, but that's the way things are, and they could perhaps be worse.
I enjoyed and admired the film very much and learned about Chilean history too, so a double thumbs up, plus it was good to catch up with so many great people :-),
["No (2012 film)" by Pablo Larraín. Via Wikipedia -https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:No_(2012_film).jpg#/media/File:No_(2012_film).jpg]
The wikipedia page is here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No_(2012_film).
Friday, 19 June 2015
Haruki Murakami quote
“When you come out of the storm, you won’t be the same person who walked in. That’s what this storm’s all about.”
― Haruki Murakami, Kafka on the Shore
(http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/520313-when-you-come-out-of-the-storm-you-won-t-be)
Saturday, 30 May 2015
Henry David Thoreau quote
"I know of no more encouraging fact than the unquestionable ability of man to elevate his life by conscious endeavor."
Henry David Thoreau
Henry David Thoreau
Sunday, 24 May 2015
Iris Murdoch quote
"It is difficult in life to be good, and difficult in art to portray goodness"
Iris Murdoch, 1990, The Paris Review (interview)
Iris Murdoch, 1990, The Paris Review (interview)
Sunday, 17 May 2015
Film: Mr Smith goes to Washington
On Wednesday 13th May, I went to see the film 'Mr Smith goes to Washington' with Meetup at the Phoenix. It's a Frank Capra film, released in 1939 and starring James Stewart. Jefferson Smith (Stewart) is selected as senator for an unnamed American state by corrupt officials, who hope that he will neither notice nor scupper their and a businessman's plans to profit from a proposed dam.
Jefferson feels initially honoured but ill-prepared. After being ridiculed by the press, he decides to take a more active role and proposes a boys' camp to be built on the very land which the others have selected for the dam. Once he finds out about their plans, he refuses to be bribed, but puts up a determined defence, helped in no small part by the worldly-wise but not quite entirely dejected secretary Clarissa Saunders (Jean Arthur). When the corrupt senator Paine produces papers claiming to prove that it is Smith who hopes to profit fraudulently from the land, Smith takes to the floor of the senate and spends several hours attempting to convince the senators of his innocence and the need for justice for all people - not big business, in politics. Clarissa directs him from the viewing gallery and falls in love with his determination and genuineness. Smith collapses when he sees telegrams from his state calling for him to stop after an orchestrated newspaper campaign, but senator Paine finally succumbs to his conscience and confesses all after an unsuccessful suicide attempt.
It was amazing to see a film 76 years on, showing so many issues relevant today, including corruption in politics, and the role of media and big business. Clarissa was an intelligent, articulate and proactive character, and it was brilliant to see this in a classic film. I enjoyed this very much - more please!
Jefferson feels initially honoured but ill-prepared. After being ridiculed by the press, he decides to take a more active role and proposes a boys' camp to be built on the very land which the others have selected for the dam. Once he finds out about their plans, he refuses to be bribed, but puts up a determined defence, helped in no small part by the worldly-wise but not quite entirely dejected secretary Clarissa Saunders (Jean Arthur). When the corrupt senator Paine produces papers claiming to prove that it is Smith who hopes to profit fraudulently from the land, Smith takes to the floor of the senate and spends several hours attempting to convince the senators of his innocence and the need for justice for all people - not big business, in politics. Clarissa directs him from the viewing gallery and falls in love with his determination and genuineness. Smith collapses when he sees telegrams from his state calling for him to stop after an orchestrated newspaper campaign, but senator Paine finally succumbs to his conscience and confesses all after an unsuccessful suicide attempt.
It was amazing to see a film 76 years on, showing so many issues relevant today, including corruption in politics, and the role of media and big business. Clarissa was an intelligent, articulate and proactive character, and it was brilliant to see this in a classic film. I enjoyed this very much - more please!
[By Trailer screenshot (Mr. Smith Goes to Washington trailer) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons]
Trip to Bletchley Park
On Saturday 16th May dad and I went to Bletchley Park, (Wikipedia link) as a belated present from me for his birthday. We saw the mansion (including 'The Imitation Game' exhibition), huts where most of the code breaking took place (including Alan Turing's office), the museum which included a replica of the Bombe machine which helped to speed up the code breaking, the National Radio Centre and the National Museum of Computing:
We learned about what the codebreaking included; here is a little bit more about the Bombe machine:
The visual-audio guides were great, and included interviews with people who actually worked at the park during WWII.
We only had an hour at the computing museum, but saw some replicas (including Colossus - the first computer, again used for code breaking) and actual examples of old computers. This is the Colossus replica:
We learned about what the codebreaking included; here is a little bit more about the Bombe machine:
The visual-audio guides were great, and included interviews with people who actually worked at the park during WWII.
We only had an hour at the computing museum, but saw some replicas (including Colossus - the first computer, again used for code breaking) and actual examples of old computers. This is the Colossus replica:
Great day :-)
Saturday, 2 May 2015
Handmade Festival 2015
Alex and I went to the Friday night (1st May) of the Handmade Festival (I was extremely impressed by Alex's thorough preparations, including a table of the artists with star ratings and notes on type of music played). We saw a couple of noisy bands at the beginning, which were not too great. Francisco the Man, an indie band from Los Angeles, were more rocky than what I usually listen to, but a good experience (and provided us with a hilarious sound check). We didn't get on with Bad/Dreems or Delta Sleep, as they were too shouty and the volume level for the whole festival was just set at too loud! Honeyblood were a little dull (and once again rocky), so we went to see Grace Petrie, an acoustic singer songwriter with a guitar, who was good, if young and political (not that either of those is a negative) :-)
Childhood were interesting, but too loud, and Alex watched from outside, while I chickened out due to the cold and watched a bit of 'The House on Haunted Hill' (an old 1959 horror depicting stable men, loopy women and horrendous ghostly masks ) in the cinema room. We then saw Sam Duckworth, another young, political singer songwriter, bizarrely also into wresting :-).
Though not all of the music was amazing, and the volume was just too loud, it was a good experience, and it was great to catch up with Alex. :-)
Childhood were interesting, but too loud, and Alex watched from outside, while I chickened out due to the cold and watched a bit of 'The House on Haunted Hill' (an old 1959 horror depicting stable men, loopy women and horrendous ghostly masks ) in the cinema room. We then saw Sam Duckworth, another young, political singer songwriter, bizarrely also into wresting :-).
Though not all of the music was amazing, and the volume was just too loud, it was a good experience, and it was great to catch up with Alex. :-)
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