@arbutus   Sad, and bad for us as a culture.  A lot of men seem to be so insecure about the adequacy and focus of their own sexuality that they shy away from any degree of ambiguity or blurring of boundaries between this type of love or that type of love — complexity of any kind, really, around the subject.

@arbutus I just think it stands to reason that he’d at least be a little different. After all, River goes to the Library knowing with certainty that The Doctor a. loves her and b. that he’ll turn up whenever she asks him to. She’s also changed enough to sacrifice herself without giving it a second thought after verging on begging him to re-write…[Read more]

@theconsultingdoctor  Oh, I absolutely agree with Moffat on this hyper-sexualization of *everything*, even when that’s not actually what a story is about.

@arbutus  Exactly, re the long-standing tradition of “buddy” movies (I meant to do a post just about that, but you’ve done it, so thanks).  The deeper exploration of non-sexual but powerful bo…[Read more]

@puroandson  Oh, thanks for the suicidal zygon scene — forgot that one!  It certainly belongs in our catalog of CapDoc’s sympathy and empathy.  And of course there are those moments when he recoils from his own softer feelings into harshness as a way of avoiding being overwhelmed, best example in Dark Water, after “Do you think I care for you so…[Read more]

@lisa    I agree with you about gardening! There can never be too much.

@puroandson Yes I love my greenhouse because it does have shelves to save my back a bit.Mind you they do go in the ground and there is the bending that hurts my back. My hubby has been turning my beds into raised boxes so I can sit and weed but there are still regular bed…[Read more]

@arbutus  I rather like the idea of Bill’s relationship with the Doctor starting off a bit less warm and fuzzy. It would be rather fun, in fact

I’d be happy with that too.

@arbutus   I think Donald Trump is his own focus group.

And his own Companion, too.  Well, nobody else should *every* be stuck with that job, unless they are willing to endure it in order to come out well-fixed for money for life.

@missy  Perhaps he should have been suffocated at birth?

Alas, it is too late . . .

Ichi

@arbutus   CapDoc shows up strongest when he is challenged. He can use a few well-chosen, acerbic words to put them in their place!

Yes — but you have to be careful, or you get people whining that the Doctor isn’t supposed to be “mean” to his companion, let alone to be seen to be “putting down” a female companion.  It’s a tricky line to walk, an…[Read more]

@arbutus

Perhaps he should have been suffocated at birth?

Cheers,

Missy

@Arbutus Autumn here means the start of gardening season. I am eagerly awaiting the autumn rains before I start planting as I am so tired of watering. They are quite late this year. I have a few plans for the winter. I hope to remove at least one unwanted bush which is taking up far too much space and plant a couple of shrubs. I also plan on…[Read more]

@pedant  and @arbutus    I remember when this terrible accident happened and how it was reported here in Canada. We were told that that it was caused by rioting fans and also told about the robbing and urinating. As told , it was a shocking event caused by bad/stupid people. Being pre-internet the newspapers and TV were my only sources and aft…[Read more]

@arbutus

I have friends in Boston, so am legally obliged to be a Red Sox fan, and have a passing interest in the Celtics. But the Bruins had all but passed me by until the won the Stanley Cup.

I read about the trouble in Vancouver afterwards and gently ribbed a few Canuck chums. By God did they not like the comparison with football, but I’ve s…[Read more]

@arbutus @puroandson

But are you against caged people?

“If you treat people like prisoners of war, you should not be surprised if they act like them” – Lord Justice Taylor, on the release of the original Hillsborough Inquiry, 1990.

@arbutus

Some years ago a friend took me to a concert of early works of Thomas Tallis, about whom I was wholly ignorant.  It was fascinating – you could, essentially, hear modern music being invented.

sorry, sorry! as @arbutus said, re contrast.

@janetteb– good point over football. There should be some though. James Cordon?

@Arbutus

Pleasure to be of service!

Hey @Arbutus – thanks for that!

Yep, just scraping Family Guy out of my brain now…. (actually I love Family Guy!).

I’m really glad you posted that as hearing that on headphones makes me realise just how amazing that song is – its bonkers!
The production is really raw, the people playing it are going at it full tilt… they’re not holding a…[Read more]

@arbutus

Classic, isn’t it.

I find that I’m using the word now. when asked yesterday “how di yoy do that?” I replied:

“A thing happened.”

Sorry, cant help myself it’s adictive. *big grin*

Cheers,

Missy

@arbutus Re “acting”, I’m reminded of Peter O’Toole’s wonderful line “I’m not an actor, I’m a movie star!”

Now there I disagree. Peter O’Toole, was an exceptional actor – not a film star. Memories of Lawrance of Arabia and The Lion in Winter are prime examples of his talent.

Cheers,

Missy

@puroandson  Like when guys buff up like mad to play boxers or beefy midwestern guys . . . I guess it depends on the reasons for “looking like” that character’s description, and how far you’d have to go for how much of an effect.  Is there a bit of a double standard about this, too?  Lots of “ugly duckling” movies with women dolled down to look ho…[Read more]