Back to Normal...

[endlessrarities]

For the last three months, I've been bogged down in my survey work.  Since that time, everything else has gone to pigs and whistles.  My fitness.  My writing.  The housework.  Okay, so the garden's still doing well, but that's about it, thank you.

Last night I had a welcome respite before trying to reorganise my life into something approaching normal.  I watched Fahrenheit 451: I remember enjoying it as a teenager, when I was really into Ray Bradbury's writing and SF in general, but I hadn't actually seen it since.  It was strange how much I actually remembered visually, which means it must have made an impact at the time, but all in all, it didn't seem to have aged very well.  The futuristic architecture was very dated (a bit like my dear old munitions factory) and so were the vehicles, which included a Hillman Imp...  My verdict?  Good film, with a very thoughtprovoking story, but in terms of the visuals, it comes across as an odd hybrid of The Prisoner and Trumpton. 

I think one of the most interesting things about watching these pioneering SF films now, in The Present, is seeing how much these interpretations of 'The Future' differ from what was The Future has actually turned into now it has become The Present.  If you see what I mean...

This morning, I've been a good girl by starting the long climb back to fitness.   I've decided to get myself back into things gently, but my aim is build up steadily week on week by doing something regularly.  This morning I did twelve minutes of my workout (just ten minutes stretching & warm-up, and two minutes cardiovascular) with twenty-five minutes of pilates on top of that.  Plus my regular forty minute walk up and down the village.  Since the weather's going to be dire this weekend, with no cycling timetables, my aim is to repeat this tomorrow (perhaps adding ten minutes on the turbo to ease myself back into cycling) and also on Tuesday and Thursday, adding some more of the workout later on in the week.

Let's hope this endless rain will at last come to an end and I'll be able to get back on my bike again.

And now some good news...  My step-grandaughter has become a Dr Who fan, thanks to the current series and the endless BBC marketing of the franchise for kiddies.  This was encouraging enough, but...  When I dug out one of my Sylvester McCoy DVD's and sat her down in front of it (Remembrance of the Daleks, if you're interested), she liked it so much that she threw a hissy fit because she was having to go home before the end.

She wound up borrowing it, with the promise that when she brings it back she can borrow another one.   She likes Sylvester McCoy, which means that I might yet succeed in making her a Retro Dr Who fan!  Here's hoping!!

Comments

[gillpolack.livejournal.com]

The world is a strangely synchronous place: I re-read Fahrenheit 451 last night.

[endlessrarities.livejournal.com]

Confession Time: as a teen, I never actually enjoyed it enough to finish it. I voraciously lapped up loads and loads of Bradbury short stories in various anthologies, but never liked Dandelion Wine or Fahrenheit 451. That's another thing to tick off in the 'Things To Do Before I Die' list...

There was a fascinating interview with the author as an extra on the DVD - I knew he was a fast writer, but to write the thing in nine days! Wow!!!

[gillpolack.livejournal.com]

I loved it as a teen, but didn't enjoy it so much on re-read. It felt undeveloped, despite the fact that Bradbury's prose was (as it always is) near perfect. He explained his processes in the introduction and I found myself nodding and thinking "Yes, this is why it's not quite there." I almost regret revisiting, but I found I couldn't remember it and that bugged me and I had to find out why I had forgotten something by one of the most memorable writers around. What I suspect happened is that the film overwrote the novel because it was a fuller construct.

[heleninwales.livejournal.com]

I know what you mean about giant projects. I want this dissertation written and done with because I want my life back! I just can't do more than one big project at a time, so everything else has gone by the board, including housework, the garden and the fitness.

[endlessrarities.livejournal.com]

Problem is: my life is FULL of giant projects, all at various stages of completion and/or atrophy.

[lizziebelle.livejournal.com]

One of my proudest moments as a nanny was turning my little charge onto Doctor Who. They were showing the Tom Baker series on our local PBS station, and one hot summer day, as he was making noises through the fan (as kids do), he got that light-bulb-over-the-head look and started saying "Exterminate!" through it. \o/

I also turned him onto Star Trek, and it wasn't until I watched it with a five year old that I noticed Captain Kirk kissed the girl in nearly every episode. "Is he going to kiss her? He's going to kiss her!" every day. *g*

[endlessrarities.livejournal.com]

I firmly believe that it is the solemn and noble duty of nannies and older relatives to try and transform small children into Dr Who fans...