No end in sight (Day 227 since our first Lockdown)
We're about to go into our second lockdown and waking up this morning to American election news means good cheer is in rather short supply. Admittedly our second lockdown is not going to make an awful lot of difference to us. I am going to miss my trip to my hairdresser next week, but I have one booked for December (hopefully), my exercise classes never came off Zoom, we have plenty of food in the house and I have various projects to keep me busy. I will miss dog walking with my brother and meeting my niece's new puppy, who looks completely adorable, but presumably those will happen eventually. I feel dreadful for businesses, like my hairdresser, who has made every effort to be covid secure but now have to shut down again, but there are some idiots about. J walked past our local pub yesterday and one bar was packed with people who can't have been socially distanced, so I'm not surprised the hospitality industry is closing again.
We streamed The Royal Ballet: Back on Stage over the weekend which was all a little ironic as everyone was saying how lovely it was to be back dancing in front of a (socially distanced) audience but it was beautiful to watch, particularly as they did a version of Elite Syncopations, which was what persuaded J that he did enjoy ballet when I dragged him, mentally kicking and screaming, to watch it a couple of years ago. I hope we will be able to watch something live again next year.
Back to the meme.
1. Who is one of your “saints”-a person who was very influential in your faith, spirituality, or life philosophy?
For "life philosophy" I would have to answer that I have two "saints" and they are my mum and dad. They both had qualities that are really important, particularly at the moment. My mum had a wonderful sense of enjoyment of life, no matter what it threw at her. Even when she couldn't really go out any more, after having led a very busy and active life, she managed to discover smaller things to enjoy like finding out the life stories of all the district nurses who came to visit her and being interested in every one of them. My dad had a continuously enquiring mind and could always find some way to entertain himself. Being interested in people and things and enjoying and appreciating life as much as you can no matter what are really, really valuable things to have as an example I find, particularly now.
2. Have you ever considered moving because of an election result?
No. Even if I had it would have to be somewhere where English was spoken as I am completely unable to learn a foreign language and while New Zealand is quite tempting it's far too far away.
3. Have you ever been disappointed by a screen adaptation of a favorite novel or story?
Not really because if it's an adaptation that I know is going to disappoint me I don't go and see it i.e. the film version of The Dark is Rising. There are always going to be things that I can quibble about in any adaptation of a favourite story. I *love* Peter Jackson's version of The Lord of the Rings but there are things about it I don't love. I enjoyed The Eagle but apart from the story outline it doesn't bear much resemblance to The Eagle of the Ninth as it lives in my head, but I went into it knowing that so wasn't disappointed. I try to see a screen adaptation as a separate entity.
4. Have you ever seen a film that you thought was better than the book?
See above about trying to see them as separate entities. I can't think of a film that I thought was better than the book but some films can illuminate certain aspects of the book that I had failed to notice. The two most recent versions of Little Women have both been fantastic at taking things from Louisa M. Alcott's own life and using them in the films but I wouldn't say either of them were better than the book, just more adapted to a modern audience. I'm not sure that makes sense but I think I know what I mean!
The rest of the November questions are behind the cut
5 How do you keep up to date with the news?
6 If you could spend one year in perfect happiness but afterward remember nothing of the experience would you do so? Why? If not, why not?
7 Would you rather be a member of a world championship sports team or be the champion of an individual sport? Which sport would you choose?
8 Who are the three people you spend the most time with each week? How do these people affect you?
9 Would you accept $1,000,000 (or equivalent of your currency) to leave your country and never set foot in it again?
10 What was the last really bad movie you watched, and what was bad about it?
11 If you were able to live to the age of 90 and retain either the body or the mind of a 30-year-old for the last 60 years of your life, which would you want?
12 If you knew of a way to use your estate, following your death, to greatly benefit humanity, would you do it and leave only a minimal amount to your family?
13 Do you prefer being around men or women? Do your closest friends tend to be men or women?
14 What’s something you’re really good at, but you don’t like to do?
15 If you knew there would be a nuclear war in one week, what would you do?
16 If you went to a dinner party and were offered a dish you had never tried, would you want to taste it even if it sounded strange and not very appealing?
17 What behavior in others do you have zero tolerance or patience for?
18 When did you last sing to yourself? to someone else?
19 If you could have free, unlimited service for five years from an extremely good cook, chauffeur, housekeeper, masseuse, or personal trainer, which would you choose?
20 Does the fact that you have never done something before increase or decrease its appeal to you?
21 Would it disturb you much if, upon your death, your body were simply thrown into the woods and left to rot? Why?
22 If you were to become famous, what would you be famous for?
23 Before making a telephone call, do you ever rehearse what you are going to say?
24 Do you establish routines in your life? For example, do you usually sleep in the same place in your bed? eat meals at the same time? regularly return to the same vacation spot?
25 Can you be counted on to do what you say you'll do?
26 Do you think there are benefits to feeling grateful?
27 In conversations, do you tend to listen or talk more?
28 Sum up your personality by choosing three fictional characters that you might combine to make YOU.
29 What’s your favorite color in the Crayola 64-crayon box? If you are super-fancy and sophisticated and use the 150-crayon size box, that’s fine, too. Ya diva.
30 What’s your favorite tree?
Stay safe and sane everybody.
We streamed The Royal Ballet: Back on Stage over the weekend which was all a little ironic as everyone was saying how lovely it was to be back dancing in front of a (socially distanced) audience but it was beautiful to watch, particularly as they did a version of Elite Syncopations, which was what persuaded J that he did enjoy ballet when I dragged him, mentally kicking and screaming, to watch it a couple of years ago. I hope we will be able to watch something live again next year.
Back to the meme.
1. Who is one of your “saints”-a person who was very influential in your faith, spirituality, or life philosophy?
For "life philosophy" I would have to answer that I have two "saints" and they are my mum and dad. They both had qualities that are really important, particularly at the moment. My mum had a wonderful sense of enjoyment of life, no matter what it threw at her. Even when she couldn't really go out any more, after having led a very busy and active life, she managed to discover smaller things to enjoy like finding out the life stories of all the district nurses who came to visit her and being interested in every one of them. My dad had a continuously enquiring mind and could always find some way to entertain himself. Being interested in people and things and enjoying and appreciating life as much as you can no matter what are really, really valuable things to have as an example I find, particularly now.
2. Have you ever considered moving because of an election result?
No. Even if I had it would have to be somewhere where English was spoken as I am completely unable to learn a foreign language and while New Zealand is quite tempting it's far too far away.
3. Have you ever been disappointed by a screen adaptation of a favorite novel or story?
Not really because if it's an adaptation that I know is going to disappoint me I don't go and see it i.e. the film version of The Dark is Rising. There are always going to be things that I can quibble about in any adaptation of a favourite story. I *love* Peter Jackson's version of The Lord of the Rings but there are things about it I don't love. I enjoyed The Eagle but apart from the story outline it doesn't bear much resemblance to The Eagle of the Ninth as it lives in my head, but I went into it knowing that so wasn't disappointed. I try to see a screen adaptation as a separate entity.
4. Have you ever seen a film that you thought was better than the book?
See above about trying to see them as separate entities. I can't think of a film that I thought was better than the book but some films can illuminate certain aspects of the book that I had failed to notice. The two most recent versions of Little Women have both been fantastic at taking things from Louisa M. Alcott's own life and using them in the films but I wouldn't say either of them were better than the book, just more adapted to a modern audience. I'm not sure that makes sense but I think I know what I mean!
The rest of the November questions are behind the cut
5 How do you keep up to date with the news?
6 If you could spend one year in perfect happiness but afterward remember nothing of the experience would you do so? Why? If not, why not?
7 Would you rather be a member of a world championship sports team or be the champion of an individual sport? Which sport would you choose?
8 Who are the three people you spend the most time with each week? How do these people affect you?
9 Would you accept $1,000,000 (or equivalent of your currency) to leave your country and never set foot in it again?
10 What was the last really bad movie you watched, and what was bad about it?
11 If you were able to live to the age of 90 and retain either the body or the mind of a 30-year-old for the last 60 years of your life, which would you want?
12 If you knew of a way to use your estate, following your death, to greatly benefit humanity, would you do it and leave only a minimal amount to your family?
13 Do you prefer being around men or women? Do your closest friends tend to be men or women?
14 What’s something you’re really good at, but you don’t like to do?
15 If you knew there would be a nuclear war in one week, what would you do?
16 If you went to a dinner party and were offered a dish you had never tried, would you want to taste it even if it sounded strange and not very appealing?
17 What behavior in others do you have zero tolerance or patience for?
18 When did you last sing to yourself? to someone else?
19 If you could have free, unlimited service for five years from an extremely good cook, chauffeur, housekeeper, masseuse, or personal trainer, which would you choose?
20 Does the fact that you have never done something before increase or decrease its appeal to you?
21 Would it disturb you much if, upon your death, your body were simply thrown into the woods and left to rot? Why?
22 If you were to become famous, what would you be famous for?
23 Before making a telephone call, do you ever rehearse what you are going to say?
24 Do you establish routines in your life? For example, do you usually sleep in the same place in your bed? eat meals at the same time? regularly return to the same vacation spot?
25 Can you be counted on to do what you say you'll do?
26 Do you think there are benefits to feeling grateful?
27 In conversations, do you tend to listen or talk more?
28 Sum up your personality by choosing three fictional characters that you might combine to make YOU.
29 What’s your favorite color in the Crayola 64-crayon box? If you are super-fancy and sophisticated and use the 150-crayon size box, that’s fine, too. Ya diva.
30 What’s your favorite tree?
Stay safe and sane everybody.