Dear Moon~

It's nice to hear from you and no, I've not abandoned this thread, it comes in fits and starts. I was both sad and glad to hear of your encounter with that caring person.

As you will have seen on the book thread I've just read one of the very early David Rabbitborough - excuse me Attenborough - books about his adventures when impossibly young sailing around Indonesia looking for dragons. Takes me to a time when the world was a different place. You would of course be far too young to remember:)

Movies? Well I saw The Shape of Water which was a sort of cold war science fiction story involving a clone of the Creature From The Black Lagoon. It was most enjoyable, a rather continental attitude to people and relationships, and had a happy ending for the good guys, and a suitable one for the bad.

Its flavor is very similar to Hidden Figures, which tells the tale of female African-American mathematicians in NASA, and how they came to be valued. Both films have Octavia Spencer, a pretty good actor.

I see you did not like Mr Hinch's latest book, is there one you have enjoyed recently?

Croix

As I said on the What book have you read lately? thread....I quite liked Kerri Anne Kennerleys, A Bold Life...even though never an extreme fan of hers on TV...really encapsulates how random this life is - after years of wealth, fame, luxury, living the high life.....her husband John is now a quadriplegic due to a split second falling off a low wall, while they were posing for a photo for fans.

Would like to read Rebel with a Cause by Jackie Lambie...and one called The Trauma Cleaner (non fiction) about a present day woman whose job it is to clean up houses, dwellings etc that have been recently departed by a deceased person, ill or disabled...etc. (not sure if that includes crime scenes)

Don't think it is told in her own words...think she is interviewed by the writer. (by the way the cleaner is transgender, so I suppose that aspect may feature in the book also) anyhow it sounded interesting.

Stone the Croix's! ✨

It's been quite a while hasn't it? I saw the thread was bumped up and thought I might join the convo if that's ok. Movie's and non-fiction float my boat..

I loved Hidden Figures! I can still see her running miles to the toilet with books in tow; how tragic! Real life beats fantasy hands down..

Thanks for the quick review of 'Rebels with a Cause' Moon, it sounds fascinating. I haven't read a book in ages as my concentration was all over the shop, but I might see if things have improved and give it a look-see.

Croix; I watched a clip from 'The Shape of Water' but found it a bit science fiction-y for my liking. I do grasp your reference to Hidden Figures though re the deaf/mute woman.

I recently saw 'Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri' with Francis McDermott. A woman personally challenges local police to solve her daughter's murder, then things spiral out of control with one mishap after another. The F bomb's a constant but it actually adds to the quirkiness and drama. A very odd and sometimes shocking story.

Hope your Sunday's a good one 👌

Take care;

Sez 🌸

Dear Sez et al.~

It's lovely to see you here (even if you are casting stones:). I hope your concentration (but not your aim) improves and you can go back to enjoying reading.

Hidden Figures was excellent and I think really did capture the way things were in the 61, even to no female African American toilet. It was interesting to see the first introduction of computers too.

Shape of Water is SF, so probably won't appeal, though the SF was muted and was there as a reason for attitudes to play out as much as anything else.

I missed Three Billboards, it shot though my local theater while I was watching Darkest Hour about Churchill at the start of WW2 played by Gary Oldman . Although it only covered a couple of weeks in his life it was riveting, and good use was made of his speeches. Showed the political situation (something I normally do not like) in great and understandable detail.

I will get Three Billboards on DVD when I see it s/hand. The shorts looked good and verbal color does not really affect me (as you might expect given my background:) You make it sound quite interesting.

I'll also be on the lookout for The Trauma Cleaner, a book that Moon recommends too.

Croix

Hi criox and all

I have two videos on my shelf...only two

1. The good the bad and the ugly (love the music)

2. The legend of 1900

Have you heard of 1900?

Tony WK

Hi all

Love the Good, the Bad and the Ugly. Music too is good.

Googled Legend of 1900 - looks good, might get it out of the library.

Had planned on seeing Three Billboards, but missed it. Don't know Hidden Figures or Shape of Water. Will have to google these too. Always looking for good movies to watch.

Hope you travelling okay Croix.

PamelaR

Dear Tony, PalelaR et al.~

Nice to see you here Tony, and I agree about Ennio Morricone's music, a real icon in western music, as the film is too. I actually prefer The Magnificent Seven (or the original Seven Samurai ) in westerns as it has a kinder feel. Mind you still plenty of violence. I'm a bit sensitive to films nowadays -more's the pity

I'd not heard of The Legend of 1900, I'm busy working my way thought the soundtrack now, stating with the Jelly Roll Morton duel, and enjoying it, so thanks Tony.

PamelaR: I see Shape of Water did well at the Oscars yesterday, so would recommend it to even a non-SF audience. Sadly Hidden Figures didn't rate a mention as far as could see, pity.

And yes I'm managing OK, hope you are too

Croix

Hey Croix...guess who this is? Haven't spoken for a while...have explained on my thread "Can't find the right..etc etc"

I'm sure you'll understand the kind of work I have taken on suddenly and very unexpectedly, leaving me little time for anything else....but won't last forever! (nothing ever does does it?).......hope all is well with you....Moon S xo

Hello to you all from me too ...

This is my first post and it feels like a good place to start, as I am really tired of talking about ‘my stuff.’ Sometimes there seems to be no end to one part of it in particular.

Croix might not know about The Legend of 1900 but I do. I’ve got it on DVD and last saw it a long time ago. I must watch it again - it is a great movie

Does anyone else ever think to themselves “no one thinks like I do, no one understands ... “ ? I do, but online recently I came across someone who does think like me, but unfortunately we don’t know each other 😕. This is some of what I read ...

”I find myself lost in admiration for the things human beings can build. The urban landscape is an incredibly complex combination of architecture, engineering and science. Where has the mysterious human mind come from? Things like giant gravity defying bridges and skyscrapers amaze me. Buildings in cities have lifts moving up and down inside them, and electricity and water flowing through pipes in the walls. Every room has machines and appliances running on this electricity. People are in these rooms communicating with others across the world on their computers. Jets fly across the sky and cars fill the roads, stopping and starting at traffic lights run by computers. All of the building materials that make a city are taken out of the Earth. By some sort of magic concrete, bricks, steel and glass are sculpted into all sorts of interesting shapes. For millions of years the night was dark on this planet but now it is alive with colour and light. Cities are visible from space in this age. Everything from the smallest house to the most massive skyscraper has been dreamt up and designed by a person, engineered by someone else and then constructed by a builder. If you were born one thousand years ago you could never have imagined what this modern world be like. The story of our civilisation amazes me and ... “. Very eloquent words by the writer don’t you think ?

Celebrity news and reality tv doesn’t cut it for me. Where are the people who think like the writer of these eloquent words ? Are you out there in this forum ?

bye for now everyone 😀

Dear Moon~

I've been away for a couple of days and come back to find you have landed on your feet (a well known bowling term:). I'd be certain you were not involved in that most opportune illness - um were you?

I can will imagine it takes up all your energy but am pretty certain you will not collapse under the weight - old traditions will keep you going.

Thanks for letting me know, it does make for a happy memory

Croix

Dear Speak Your Truth et al.~

Thank you for joining us here, I think you have correctly divined the purpose of this thread -to step aside from the pressing demands of illness and simply talk, wonder, relate in a relaxed and unhurried manner.

Yes I can see the wonder in the words you quote, which seem to relate to mankind as a whole and it's accomplishments. I guess things that come to mind are Jacob Bronowski's Ascent of Man, which is a celebration of man's development and Civilisation: A Personal View by Kenneth Clark which does much the same for Art.

I can't pretend to such insight, my wonder is limited to smaller trifles -a horse that knows better than his master how to go, the development of a cat from fearful to confident. Little things.

While I enjoy the music of The Legend of 1900 I'm not sure I'll watch it, the plot sounds sad, something I avoid nowadays due to limitations from the past.

Can you say your favorite medium - books, film, music paint ... ?

Croix

Thanks for your reply Croix. When I said The Legend of 1900 was a great movie I was subconsciously just thinking remembering I enjoyed it at the time I guess. Maybe I wouldn’t think that way now, I saw it a long time ago.

I like lots of things - books, film, music, getting inspired by little things.

I’m feeling sad, tired and a bit sick in the stomach today so I’m a bit short on being chatty. It would be so nice if someone like you were sitting here with a coffee and to chat. Bye till next time

Dear Speak Your Truth et al.~

Somebody here called Dottie once offered me a virtual box of tissues - which was much appreciated at the time, so I guess maybe I can offer you a virtual cuppa to natter by.

As time and experiences mount up my tastes have changed. Before when first invalided out of my occupation I could not watch anything to do with police, not even stupid comedies like "Car 54 Where Are You" or "Barney Miller".

Things are a lot better now and provided it is not too realistic I'm OK. Happy endings are however mandatory, a complete change from before, which is why I doubt I'll watch "The Legend of 1900" as the main character does not survive.

I'm sorry you are somewhat down today. When you get the chance I'd be interested to know your tastes and what you think is good or well produced.

Croix (who hopes Moon is bowling them over:)

Hi all.

Welcome Speak Your truth. Would love to hear more from you and your preferences for books, music, art, etc. (Not taking over Croix :) )

Croix, you are a wonder. I know what you mean about not watching specific programs. I'm exactly the same. There can be so many triggers and consequently so many sleepless nights. I pick and choose now. Love comedy, but too much laughter sets off the adrenaline too. Can't win, but hey, ultimately it's my choice what i watch :)

Thanks Croix for your reply and the virtual cuppa. I’ll take a virtual box of tissues too if you have one.

thank you PamelaR - your post arrived while I’ve been writing this.

I think my favourite kind of books are biographies/autobiographies but also like mysteries, historical and family sagas based on fact. It’s been a while since I’ve read anything though. I find it very hard to settle down and relax enough to read without being distracted way too easily. Unfortunately I think tv makes it too easy, although there’s been very little worthwhile of that anyway lately. Call The Midwife is wonderful, like Australian Story, Landline, sometimes Insight, and currently enjoying Unforgotten and Safe Harbour. I like dramas, thrillers and comedies (absolutely no horror, sci-fi, animation etc.). I like programs that are well acted with good scripts. With music I like lots of different kinds - depends on the mood I’m in. My favourite would have to be classical - Vivaldi, Puccini, Mozart etc and light classical/modern like Andre Rieu. But I also like folk, ethnic, jazz.

I saw a movie recently that I loved, although it might be a step too far for you. It’s rated as a comedy/drama with 5/5 or 6.9/10 star ratings - it has mixed reviews but I loved it. It does have family dysfunction scenes and death of an elderly man, but it does have a happy ending. The children in it are absolutely delightful. Does that sound like your sort of thing ?

so tired now. It’s been good “to chat”, bye 👋

Hiya Speak Your Truth -

Love Vivaldi, Mozart, Beethoven etc. Also an avid listener of folk, ethnic and jazz. How good is that. Generally listen to ABC classics and our local classical community station. However, I have loads of CDs of folk artists.

Comedies, dramas, thrillers, whodunnits are all the genres I love to watch. Must confess to not liking period/historic material (e.g. Poldark). So in reality I love those things that set off my emotions LOL. I live with it. Keeps me alive and sane.

I particularly love - Death in Paradise, Pie in the Sky, The Tunnel (also The Bridge - love Saga), the list goes on. Can also do 'Spicks 'n Specks', 'River Monsters'....

Nice to hae you here. Come back when you feel like chatting some more.

Kind regards

PamelaR

Dear PamelaR and Speak Your Truth et al.~

PamelaR: you are not taking over, you say as much here as you like, all good. Do you like Tom Waite?

Speak Your Truth: Vivaldi is a favorite for me too. When I met my second partner we were both of middle years so I gave her a copy of the Autumn concerto from The Four Seasons. Call the Midwife is a little too realistic at times, my partner likes it but I tend to steer clear. That being said I like the ABC, not only Classic FM but lots of podcasts, Robyn Williams has been a favorite for over 40 years.

I think the film you mentioned sounds OK, I enjoyed Last Orders and Big Fish, both of which have a death, so that give you an idea. So which one are you referring to?

Happy endings include Amélie and another work by Jean-Pierre Jeunet, Micmacs, plus of course his more recent film The Young and Prodigious T.S. Spivet.

I used to find it almost impossible to settle down to read after the PSTD bit me, but eased my way back in reading very simple books. One that was packed full of puns to enhance the plot got me going again.

Do talk again when you are able.

Croix (who dispenses copious amounts of virtual coffee and tissues at vast virtual expense)

Love Tom Waites! Haven't listened to any of his recently. Though might just do a search on google and play some.

Also loved Amelie. It was good, though it was awhile ago that I watched it.

Coffee tomorrow morning would be great. Too late for me now.

PamelaR

I haven't met Speak Your Truth before.....but just wanted to agree with Call The Midwife, a fantastic production she mentioned....I absolutely love it and bought a few series on DVD...plan on getting the others one day so I will have the full collection!

Had to check in to tell you Croix, despite being so stressed and thrown in the deep end with this unexpected place on the team becoming vacant..it has done me a lot of good, mentally and emotionally. I can't explain why and doubt my counsellor or GP could either!!

Think of the very last thing you would expect someone with severe anxiety to do.....add to that mix the additional stress of no time to prepare for it....and you'll know what I have been up to........xox

Dear Moon~

Well I'm very pleased you are in your element, that's realy great, mind you I was puzzled for a moment when you said

Think of the very last thing you would expect someone with severe anxiety to do

Then I realized you must be the new PR person for a current US political leader

Croix

😂 😂 😂

current US political leader 🤮

Did you ever ask yourselves..."How the hell did that happen???".....have a good weekend guys!!

Yeh, I did Moon. Came up empty of answers!! TBT, not sure where the discussion is going. I feel somewhat like smith in space.

You all have a good weekend too.

Dear PamelaR et al.~

I can think of two smiths in space - Dr. Zachary Smith from 'Lost in Space', and Steven Lee Smith from Real Life™. I do hope you mean the latter, the former was a most unpleasant character:)

Incidentally which discussion? The ones here just meander along.

Moon~ It would have happened because your true worth shone though - as Cecily would say "That certainly seems a satisfactory explanation, does it not?"

Croix

LOL Croix. Must confess - I was thinking of Zachary :) However the Real Life character is good.

Okay, I'm good with meandering conversations / discussions.

That does not affect the wonderful beauty of his {your response} answer.

PamelaR

Croix....I noticed you mentioned the Mona Lisa on another thread....have you seen the real Mona Lisa in the Louvre? I used to be crazy about her in my teen years....also like that old Nat King Cole song "Mona Lisa"...

.read a great book Dinners with Edward.....and see it's to be made into a movie with David Suchet (Hercule Poirot)...should be a beauty. I like movies about mismatched friends, couples...platonic and far apart in ages but each finding such sustenance and sharing in their friendship.....

Read the book Tuesdays with Morrie recently too...it was made into a film too....with Jack Lemmon.

Dear Moon et al.~

Yes I had the obligatory look during a school outing, though at that age I had no appreciation at all, frankly I was much more interested in the street markets that abounded in those days, plus one of my freinds had a cigarette lighter that converted petrol to gas - fascinating, at least to me at the time:)

I tried the Tuesdays with Morrie book, but returned it half unread. I was all too conscious of the ending which alternately made me want to hurry up and stall.

"mismatched friends", did I ever mention to you the Les Intouchables ? If there were ever mismatched friends this is it. My apologies if I have cited it before.

Talking of apologies, fancy misquoting the inestimable OW! Tut tut. Still as he himself said "A poet can survive everything but a misprint"

Croix

Croix...do you like Haiku style poetry? can you write any? what about Rumi, the great Persian (I think) poet...one of his is quoted at the end of the film, Diana, after she died....."somewhere there is a garden, beyond right and wrong...I will meet you there"

I like the Haiku one that J.D Salinger wrote in one of his brilliant books.

"the little girl on the plane

who turned her doll's head around

to look at me".......................

Dear Moon et al.~

Moon goes to bowling
Her escape and distraction
One wonders at bowl

Croix (who finds Haiku too deep - what did you expect of a walrus anyway?)

Croix...dear sweet Walrus....I don't think your haiku was quite constructed 100% adequately...i.e. number of syllables in the 2nd and 3rd lines....but full marks for trying!! when inspiration hits...I will put one of mine up here...not as easy as it looks!