No Steam Punk for Me

Thought I'd make a change in my reading habits... (the homeopathy effect) ... March off to my local library armed with the names of some Steam Punk authors. (See previous post).

Look in the Sci-Fi section. No Steam Punk there.

Check out authors under general fiction. Zilch. Nada.

Homeopathic calm a little dented at miserable shelf search results. Come home with the usual bunch of foreign crime fiction books: US , Icelandic, Scottish, Swedish.

Disappointed bout that Steam Punk sci-fi.
Whoo-woo-chugga-chugga-hisssssss-chug.

Moon Tranquility

Whilst I am bobbing about on Moon Tranquility

.... I am reminded that I haven't checked out an AbeBooks link to their own article on "Steampunk".

So for all you sci-fi fans... let's read it together.

Homeopathy Treatment: Day 2

One tablet last night. One tablet this morning.

Voila. C'est tout. Finis.

Feeling very calm.

The Tooth of the Matter

Last week my tooth started to play up like it does every now and then. I goes to the dentist. After some x-raying and humming and aah-ing. I'm told it's likely a root under the crown what was fitted a couple of years ago. I'm smilingly given some possible plans of action that sound drastic, and range in price from one to three new house windows, I reckon. And new windows is what we need sometime soon, I thinks.

It takes a while for the shock to set in.

Meanwhile, after discussion with The Old Man, I decides to find a homeopath and see what might be done.

I duly see the homeopath this week, and have a lovely two hours talking all about myself. She warns me that teeth are teeth and may just have to come out... and that's all there is to it. But seeing as I am also talking about migraines, she thinks that she can try tackling them. She's sending the remedy to me in the post. Then I get in touch for a follow-up in a few weeks time.

I feel really sorted all that day. Next morning I wakes with a headache. Seems I only have to talk about headaches and their possible triggers - to start one. Never mind - I'm sure it's just so's I can paint a more accurate picture. And this one only lasts 24 hours instead of the usual three days.

Let me set the record straight. I have no problem with the "placebo effect". What I say is, if a sugar pill and a sympathetic ear sets me to rights. Roll on placebos. Particularly in opposition to a dental bill of literally thousands.

Anyways, this morning my two tiny tablets arrive in the post. One for tonight and one for tomorrow morning. Whoo-woo. It's Jekyll & Hyde time.

Travels with my Film-Life: Sweden

We's just been visiting Sweden via Roy Andersson's film: "Songs from the Second Floor".

'Cept... it's not exactly visiting Sweden... It's... erm..
It's entering an absurdist or Samuel Beckett version of Sweden. References and flavours that crop up after I watch the film are a collection of "B"s: Bunuel, Beckett, and Pina Bausch... with a little bit of Laurel and Hardy thrown in, especially the impotent rage of Oliver Hardy.

Beautifully and painstakingly filmed, with a succession of vignette scenes played to a fixed-point camera, in only one scene does the camera move. Finding this out, I realise why I am drawn to theatrical comparisons. In the sense of viewpoint, it's as though I am watching a proscenium theatre piece.

The occasional foray into white-faced makeup makes me think of silent films; the repetition of phrases and themes ... Beckett and Bausch; the procession of self-flagellating stockbrokers, and the serried ranks of bishops ... Bunuel.

But make no mistake, this film is not just a hotch-potch of references. It is a dark, funny, surreal, coherent piece, in which characters wander through office buildings, psychiatric wards, cafes, and an urban landscape dominated by an endless traffic jam. A railway station and a desolate, fringe-urban "plain" fill out the film's setting.

Andersson took four years to complete the film. He doesn't use storyboarding to plan scenes and shots - but walks through the scenes and situations with himself, crew members, and actors - until he has built the scene and the camera viewpoint that he wants.

Music is by Benny Andersson. No relation to the director. But yes. That - Benny Andersson. The man from Abba. I'm not an Abba Girl but ... this film's music progresses around my brain as I write.

"So who is this Pina Bausch then?" ask you.

Aah... wonderful, wonderful dance-theatre maker who died in 2009. The Old Man and me managed to see performances in London and Edinburgh. In fact, some years ago, I book tickets for a performance at Sadler's Wells. The performance coincides with The Hospital calling The Old Man in for treatment of an extreme nature... and he told 'em:

"I ain't coming in til I seen this show."

And neither did he.

The last piece of hers that we were able to see...was in 2002. We'd just moved to Cornwall. But we went back up to London to catch it. And glad we were too. This is a sample of the same piece, "Kontakthof" from another performance. (Click on that link if you want to know more.)

But I digress.
I love this here Andersson film. So I tries to find a link for you to watch a sample. Here is a trailer for it... If you are not ready for "some scenes of an adult nature" as they say .... then don't click here.

Mothering Sunday

Today is for Mothers. So let me say now that I did have one...

When we was cheek by jowl, things got scratchy and irritable. And I really saw no common ground between us. But now that she has passed on, I am able to say ..... that I am my Mother's Daughter.

Mindful of her, I wear a pinny when I eat - because of the boiled egg down my front. In her honour I swear like trooper whilst in the kitchen. In her honour I build Castles in Spain.

At her knee, I learned to read books. I make stuff and accumulate what my Father would call "schmutter"; I plant things in the garden... and tell them they're beautiful. I cook soups.

In her honour I rail around and get angry, but I continue. Like her, I sometimes bury my head in my hands... and have a little glass of sherry. In her honour I put on a hat and some lipstick.

And in her honour I imagine the possibility of being able to do something, somewhere, sometime ...

Two Things I Love...

....the music of Lhasa de Sela and animation. Just found this video for a Lhasa track on You Tube.

Play and Enjoy.

The Money and the Mouth

A somewhat socialist friend of ours... long, long ago... would roll around on the floor laughing when we discussed politiks, etc.
"You're not socialists" say she, "You're anarchists..."

Can't be... I'm just a sweet Little Old GreyDoll.

One thing is for sure. It's time to put some money where the mouth is.

So I's switched me electric from Monsieur Le Nucleaire EDF .... to Windblown in the UK Good Energy.

We-e-ell. Haven't got time for this Government to go Green... Cameron had to take his windmill down cos the neighbours objected. Think he's decided being Green ain't a selling point anymore.