[janetteB @replies]

@craig Sounds great. I do love this rewatch iniative. It is so positive and that is just what we need right now. Look forward to hearing more. Have not watched Rose for many a year so will be good to re watch it.

cheers

Janette

[janetteB @replies]

@miapatrick Yes I am envious of all those people who are finding they have more time. I too have less. WE have had to go out almost every day this week to stock up because we can no longer buy enough on our one weekly shopping trip. So much for limiting shopping. The restrictions make that impossible because they make no allowance for larger households. We don’t know now how long our extra guest will be staying. They are still waiting to hear about the house they were hoping to move into to but apparently the owner was supposed to be moving into nursing home so that could be delayed indefinitely which means we remain a household of seven adults. Well at least we won’t be starved for company. Meal times are like parties. Fortunately all lectures/classes are being done online so only the youngest who is still at school has to go out at all.

Cheers

Janette

 

 

 

[janetteB @replies]

@nightingale This crisis is demonstrating that our entire economy and social model is without solid foundations. One little shake and it all tumbles down. One thing  I really hope is that this situation will lead to some revolutionary social change. Our excuse for a government has already demonstrated that they actually know that “trickle down” economics don’t work by suddenly doubling welfare payments, those same payments which they were about to ditch in favour of “food stamps”. Fingers crossed some good will come out of this.

@thane16 Good to hear from you. I have been wondering where you are. Do keep safe and well. Queensland now seems so far away. Our states are fast becoming separate nations. I think the last time state borders closed with in the late 1920s due to a polio epidemic. I did not think it would ever happen again, certainly not in my lifetime.

Cheers

Janette

[janetteB @replies]

@miapatrick. Sorry to hear about your S/O It is a difficult call for hospitals right now. Our neighbour is currently on chemo and I am concerned about her. It is a double whammy, at higher risk from Covid19 and at risk from the suspension of cancer treatment. Hoping it does work out for your partner.

Still feels like we are on the edge of the storm here, though it is rapidly advancing upon us. We still have a house full so don’t feel isolated at all. Dinner is like a party when all the kids make it to the table. Missing my usual Thursday writing group this afternoon however. IT has been part of my routine for so long now, but we are looking at ways of catching up online and my S/O has revamped the website which was something that we always talked about doing but never got around to.

Stay safe and well, and above all, keep cheerful. (Watch Dr Who as and if required. It always helps me.)

cheers

Janette

 

[janetteB @replies]

@nerys I don’t envy you right now. Supermarket staff are really on the receiving end of the panic and frustration of the population. Went shopping today and was a nightmare. Just the sense of tension and “me first” and the frightening degree of stupidity on display. Sad that this crisis is escalating selfishness and social division when it should be bringing us together.

@winston thinking of you too. It is wisest to stay home if possible. We are only venturing out now when we need to buy essentials though our youngest is still going to school. Pubs closed today so our writing group won’t be able to meet. My S/O is currently working on converting the website into a blog site so we can share our writing online. We are also planning do to our podcasts “online”. So really battening down the hatches now. Had the first cases out in the Barossa, north of us. Wealthy American tourists who no doubt toured all the wineries, spreading their germs. So no winery visits/picnics for a while.

I feel as though all society is currently in a state of shock, both those who panic and those in denial. Westerners no longer expected this kind of thing to happen “to us”. Epidemics were things that happen to others, “off stage” and so we are really floundering and the spread of illness reflects that.

cheers

Janette

[janetteB @replies]

@blenkinsopthebrave Thank you for that review of the latest bilge to flow from the pen of Julian ‘get me a bucket Fellows. It is more than time that British TV Drama departments found better writers than J GMAB F and Andrew Davies to write historical dramas. There are so many great novels crying out for adaptations  and so many “stories to tap into. A shame to see Fran, AKA Tamsin Greig wasting her talent.

We will be watching the most recent episode of Picard in a couple of days time. (When homework is done and duly handed up.) so will keep your Who connection in mind.

Cheers

Janette

[janetteB @replies]

I think @jimthefish has really covered it perfectly, only disagree about the Zygons. They are classic rubbery Old Who monsters, more comedic than scary, other than for their shape shifting abilities but Terror of the Zygons was my introduction to Dr Who so I have a sentimental attachment to them and when I heard that they were to feature in the anniversary special I was delighted.

My S/O gave me the novelisation of Day of the Doctor penned by Steven Moffat himself, for Christmas and it was a very, very enjoyable read.  I recommend it.

Cheers

Janette

[janetteB @replies]

@xad4 Thank you for the link. I am now properly excited. Just watched Day of the Doctor as we will be asleep when it is shown and the S/O and I were alone tonight which does not happen often. Really looking forward to seeing the new material tomorrow.

Cheers

Janette

[janetteB @replies]

@winston. Hopefully we will learn something from this crisis, that it is possible to keep our world cleaner than we have been doing.

It is a bit later than 7.00 pm but much earlier than 7.00 back in “home country” so we are now watching Day of the Doctor. And my heart is already feeling like a bit of chocolate left out in the sun. Love this so much.

Cheers

Janette

[janetteB @replies]

Have six ranting Young Adults in the room so not really able to concentrate on the posts above but want to add my endorsement to the suggestion of doing a “Day of the Doctor” re watch. If I may dare, (not having read the relevant posts) can we also do a watch or re watch of The Five-ish Doctors Reboot. (I don’t recall if we ever did a viewing of that one.) We have a family member who has not yet seen it.

On to the other topic again I wish everyone the best. Sorry to hear about your partner’s health problems @miapatrick and hope that @bluesqueakpip is fully recovered soon.

Here is feels almost as though nothing is happening. Sitting in the pub yesterday afternoon, looking out at the main street, life goes on as per normal. Superficially nothing has changed, only inside the supermarket is it clear that something is very very wrong. Right now the epidemic seems to be mass panic. Hopefully it will stay that way here. We tend to think that we are a special State, overlooked by the rest of the nation and the world, and that epidemics, like international bands will just fly straight overhead.

This morning I watched the first episode of “Goodnight Sweetheart”, perhaps because it does have a bit of a wartime feel here. Borrowed The Thick of It from the library last week so will finally catch up with that though as I work from home anyway the “stay at home” really does not make much difference.

cheers

Janette

[janetteB @replies]

Hi all. Been busy with R/L, helping the youngest with an essay on the Punic Wars and trying to keep up with the podcasts etc that I edit. Meetings have been continuing as normal but are all being put on hold in the next month. Rather to my disappointment we had to defer the book sale. The cupboard under the stairs, AKA Harry’s Room, is filling with books that are being donated and I try not to peek and see what they are. We are planning on restructuring the festival we run in last July in case things are not back to normal by then.

The other kids are home now from Uni. All classes are being done online. Only the youngest who is at school has to go in to lessons. We are not stockpiling. I don’t think it would be possible to do so as we now have seven adults in the house. (One of R.2’s friends is “couch surfing” for a few days while his father sorts out somewhere to live as their house was sold.)

I am mostly worried about the small businesses. Our favourite local cafe closed today. They are in the Civic Centre and hoping that the council will be kind and enable them to keep the space. I think they will as they wanted these people to set up there in the first place.  I also worry about our local Pub which is the only one in town that is “pokie free” My writing group are meeting there tomorrow but fear it might be the last meeting for some weeks or even months. Many of our group are in the higher risk category and so just too risky. We are looking at ways of keeping the group active and engaged online. As @whisht observed above, it is about “physical distancing not social distancing”.

You welcome spring, we welcome autumn. No more heatwaves or bushfires, and soon, hopefully we will get rain. We often “picnic” outside now, enjoying the mellow warmth of the afternoons, and the garden, what there is of it.

Best wishes to all here, keep safe and well, and in touch.

cheers

Janette

 

 

 

[janetteB @replies]

@jimthefish. Moffat made an excellent point re’ binge viewing. We don’t read books a chapter a week so why should we watch Tv that way just because it is how it was done since the fifties. Reading fiction is like stepping through a door into another reality which is why we have trouble putting down a good book until it is finished. Watching an episode a week one just gets absorbed into the story and then are yanked back out of it. I would much rather binge watch Picard and will probably re watch “at my own pace” it after it is finished, as I did with His Dark Materials and enjoyed it way more watching in my own time.

Cheers

Janette

[janetteB @replies]

@winston and @davros We often quote the “tin dog” line. It was so good to see Sarah Jane again. She was my “first” companion and I always loved K.9 We have a plastic model on the mantle shelf in the living room. I really enjoyed Sarah Jane Adventure too. So much better than Torchwood.  Tooth and Claw is a good episode too though I think that was when I began to reaslise that Rose can be very irritating and I disliked her treatment of Mickey too.

@mark-reach Welcome.

Cheers

Janette

[janetteB @replies]

@thecityofjeff Hi. Welcome. I started watching in about 1978 when I was in my teens and was not scared of robot dogs. 🙂

cheers

Janette

[janetteB @replies]

@blenkinsopthebrave You have a point. I am really enjoying Picard.(and I a not a “treckie”) but won’t be able to watch the most recent episode until next week however. It has become one of those rare series that we watch together and the kids are out and about this weekend. We have done a podcast reviewing the first episode which I should get up on the site in the next day or so. (editing takes forever..)

cheers

Janette

[janetteB @replies]

A good episode. though like @mudlark I was not keen on the bad “Jane Austen pastiche ” at the beginning. It felt “soapy” and reminded me too much of a certain Red Dwarf episode. the S/O was saying that he preferred last week’s episode but then the story picked up and all was forgiven. I do love the Mary Shelley story though am not an authority and so enjoyed the criticisms of @jimthefish. Perhaps it was the experience here that gives Byron the ability to overcome his cowardice and go on to fight in the Greek war of Independence. He certainly was an arse but he did defend the Luddities and deserves kudos for that.

I feel as though I need to watch it again.  I liked the the mystery of the “ghosts” Graeme saw was not resolved.  i thought it a play upon the classic, it may or may not have an natural explanation kind of ghost story so hope that we never do find out if they were actual ghosts.

I agree with the comments above by @blenkinsopthebrave regarding the pacing. Even though many of these historical episodes are not written by Chibnell I feel he is more “at home”, in the historicals or present day stories. It is mostly the historical episodes that stand out, that are memorable from both the last and current series. The only non historical story from last series that I have re watched is the one set in Norway but that is set in Norway.

Agree with @jimthefish that it was nice to see the Doctor get angry. That “spark” was very long overdue.

@lisa I hope you are wrong about Yaz.  I think she is a great companion and hope she will be part of “team Tardis” for a long time yet. I do like your theory regarding “Ruth Doctor.”  I have long wished for a story where the Doctor encounters a future regeneration. It has to be done..

Cheers

Janette

[janetteB @replies]

A much better episode than expected. A really liked the story. It did resolve rather quickly. I do feel as though a re watch is required.

Read the comments on Dan Martin’s thread and do not agree with the criticisms of the Doctor’s poor handling of Graham’s expression of concern. The Doctor is not human and does not always “get” human emotions and fears. Not demonstrating due sensitivity at times is a long established character trait and nice to see it is not forgotten.

this episode, to me at least, had a very strong B.5 vibe, both in the dialogue and story about the gods destroying younger races in their eternal warring. The villain’s big speech had a very strong B.5 ring to it, not sure exactly how and when but it worked. (I am never going to complain about something reminding me of B.5)

Cheers

Janette

 

[janetteB @replies]

so catching up but still very behind. Just watched Praxus and really enjoyed it. Must say this series is really upping the game. The “fam” especially are really growing in confidence and I liked that they got to go off and do their own thing in this story. Was nice to see Yaz and Ryan especially having their own adventures.

It did feel very topical though the lack of quarantine perhaps was rather glaring after weeks of seeing images of people in masks and full body cover.

I liked the point made about micro plastics once again however it left me thinking, “without the Doctor we are really in trouble.”

Cheers

Janette (off to find that Tim Minchin song mentioned by @craig which I am not familiar with.)

[janetteB @replies]

@blenkinsopthebrave. We really enjoyed the series. Dolly Wells, (Van Helsing) is now on my “potential Doctor” list. We are really enjoying Picard too. It is another series the entire family watches, a rare thing these days.

Cheers

Janette

[janetteB @replies]

This is going to be a long post as I have only just caught up with the new Sofa thread and there is much to comment on. (I have been making notes as I read through.)

@phaseshift, Sorry to hear about the health problems. Hope you will soon be fully recovered. Good to have you back on the forum.

@rob Hi. Good to have you back.

@peacefrog Welcome. Too many government are attacking public broadcasters at the moment, because they think anything not owned by their coal-hugging mates (mostly Rupert) is “left” and they consider that public ownership of anything is a offence because it is denying their other tax avoiding mates the opportunity to profit from the public purse. Don’t get me started or I’ll sound like J.W. Doc at the end of every episode. Opps you just did. 🙂

Tom Baker was also my first Doc. Wonderful times.

@harrykeogh Welcome I get your point about the heavy handed “messages” in the recent series. I always thought it not possible to be too didactic but sometimes recently I have questioned that. The problem is one of “show, don’t tell”. The episodes do a good job of “showing” and so there is no need to “tell” as well. By “telling” that which has already been shown they are more likely to negate the message because it comes across as patronising which is a shame, and frustrating because the message is good.

@blenkinsopthebrave I rewatched Empty Child/Doctor Dances recently too and really enjoyed it. I thought it held up well still A+ episodes in my reckoning. J.W.Doc does indeed need a Moffat story. As yet none of there have been no stand out episodes, nothing beyond a B+ but there have been no real fails either so I guess at least there is balance.

@beechgirl10 Welcome to the forum. You will find friends here.

And  I have come to the end of my notes. Hopefully I will be able to keep up now.

Cheers

Janette

 

[janetteB @replies]

We have now watched the first three episodes of Picard, and recorded a podcast about the first. In the past watched Star Trek intermittently but aspects of the show annoyed me firstly the lack of story development. I dislike episodic tv where you know that everything will end back where the story began. Also I disliked the utopian starfleet which to me had a strong hint of propaganda. As @blenkinsopthebrave described it, “Californians in outer space”. I understand that Roddenberry was aiming to show society as it should be but it came across as “aren’t we perfect now”, to me.

Picard has none of those faults, reflecting perhaps the less idealistic times we now live in and it feels stronger and more real for that. Before Picard and co felt like “police in outerspace” now they are the rebels, which I can relate to. By the end of the the third episode I was complaining, “what is it finished already. I want more.” So also cannot wait for the next episode.

Cheers

Janette

[janetteB @replies]

I just typed a reply to the discussion about Picard but realised it would better suit the TV thread so I am cutting and pasting my comment there. Instead will just say hi as I have not been posting for a while. R.L seems to take up ever more of my time annoyingly. We have only just caught up with the new series of Who and I am so far behind on the discussion here I don’t feel I will ever catch up.

Cheers

Janette

[janetteB @replies]

@winston excellent words. I also loved the history docos he did, The Crusades and The Barbarians being two of my favourites. Also enjoyed reading his kid’s books to our boys. (I will try and find Chaucer’s Knight as I have not read that but suspect I would greatly enjoy doing so.) A hugely talented man and someone that was just inherently likable.. Very saddened by the news.

Cheers

Janette

 

[janetteB @replies]

@blenkinsopthebrave  I don’t think the online craziness represents the thinking of most Australians. Thousands turned out to protest against the Government on Friday in every capital city at very short notice and there was a sense of strong community sympathy at least here in Adelaide.

I also suspect that the “dark web” is obsessed with driving climate catastrophe because there is a lot of funding going that way from the fossil fuel industry and perhaps the governments of certain countries which stand to gain from Global Warming, at least in the short term.

@thane16 Our children do not look to the future with optimism which I find heartbreaking. They do not expect to ever own a house of their own and are not at all confident about job prospects either. And this current government is just making it all so much worse..

Cheers

Janette

[janetteB @replies]

@cathannabel Heavy heart indeed. This is not a New Year’s Eve to celebrate. Sickened right now that fireworks went ahead in Sydney. We did however raise a glass and toast the New Year because we have to hope that it will get better.

Looking forward to Dr Who and Dracula.

Best wishes to all for 2020..

Cheers

Janette

[janetteB @replies]

@thane16 nooooo Don’t go there. I spent months trying to work out how the Toy Soldier  got around and came up with an entire swag of absurd theories. I even had it getting from the Doctor back to Danny through Susan or something. I don’t recall the full details now.  Listen generated so many loose narrative threads which, I suspect, S.M, did not resolve himself. It is still one of my favourite episodes. I watched it too, just a few weeks ago when I was going through the Christmas Specials.

Cheers

Janette

[janetteB @replies]

thank-you @/blenkinsopthebrave. That was greatly needed. I came here to forget about a combative issue that has arisen in “R.L” and did not need to find issues here too. I got through my Christmas Dr Who re watch. What a fine episode Twice Upon a Time is, a perfect ending for the Moffat era.

Sadly we cannot buy proper Jammy Dodgers here any more. I keep looking for them. Might have to make some for the New Year’s special, if I have got over the Christmas Baking frenzy by then. (Left it all till yesterday because of the heat and podcast editing.)

Cheers and have a lovely Christmas

Janette

[janetteB @replies]

@thane16 Finally!!! I thought of something I could contribute to this, (we are having a “music” night, something we often do on a Friday) apologies if it has already been posted but this is in honour of a real Prime Minister. (Far from perfect but the good he did outweighed the harm, with the exception of East Timor which I regard as his greatest mistake.) Not their best song but this is for the subject,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rdo1uRIZMcc

cheers

Janette

 

 

[janetteB @replies]

@thane16 thank you, that is very appropriate for the moment, (and I always enjoy ‘the Oils”) and as for the insulation thing, it was greatly overblown and he took the blame and fell on his sword but the right just get away with mess up after mess up never admit to being a fault and the media just turns a blind eye.

Cheers

Janette

 

 

[janetteB @replies]

@whisht You covered some of the things I have been mulling over since this conversation started. I can only speak for the left in South Australia where there are some black and white attitudes regarding Israel and Palestine which do lead people to be blinded to faults on one or other side. I suspect that is being exploited by the right to both destroy the credibility of the left, because bigotry and racism is not supposed to be tolerated in the left, and to promote racism in the right. One of hte problems also is the tendency to conflate critcism of a government with criticsm of the people. I don’t like the way the current right-wing government of Israel is acting, nor to many Israelies. I cannot express how much I hate the current way our own right-wing government is acting and don’t know too many Australians who do not share my despair. Sadly that did not play out last election..

I have just watched the final Christmas Special and the point really came home, we live in the world without the Doctor, there is nobody to save us, or protect us from ourselves. We are in deep trouble, and sitting here at the table, sweltering despite the air-con thrumming away in the background, family member who used to be a “firey” checking the CFS feed. We have had two fires to the west of us but they are now contained, there are new fires popping up everywhere due to lightening strikes as the change comes in, and there is a huge fire burning east of us in the hills. The town which is the go to place for Christmas lights is currently on evacuate status, and I can’t even bear to think of the tragedy happening in N.S.W, and while all this is going on the pathetic louse who calls himself Prime Minister, (I refuse to grace him with that title) is off on holiday in Hawaii. He is sorry if that causes offence.

Our country is burning and those who are supposed to be leaders have their heads in the sand, fingers in their ears, humming very loudly.

As you say, all very sad, and getting sadder..

cheers

Janette

[janetteB @replies]

@thane16 Your story about your Mum reminds me of my first horse riding experience when I was a kid. Mostly all I remember is sheer terror. I did go horseriding with friends in the Lakes District, back in my backpacking days and that was lovely though I was still very nervous. A year or so after that I rode a aged children’s pony around a farm in Dorset or Somerset. (Down that way) My feat almost touched the ground so that was fine though I would have walked faster.

I do want to contribute a few thoughts to the above discussion but might have to wait until after next week. I have a fifty minute podcast to edit and recording another this afternoon, plus I have not even started on the Christmas baking and most of my energy is being taken up by trying to  keep the garden alive through this horrendous heat. About 46c here today. I have strung up sheets over my garden to stop the plants from burning. Looks like the kind of play tents I used to make in the dining room when I was a kid but right now aesthetics are my least concern.

And though I do not at the moment want to discuss politics I cannot help but remark on the remarkable absence. (I am sure Thane knows what I am referring to.) We don’t buy newspapers either and I prefer world news, partly because I like to know what is going on everywhere and also partly because I don’t want to concentrate on what is going on in my own country because it makes me too “b****y” angry. so before I go on a rant,

I hope you guys are ok up in Brisbane and keeping cool and I hope all our friends in the north are keeping warm.

cheers

Janette

[janetteB @replies]

@winston I was planning to watch The Man Who Invented Christmas after watching the Dr Who Specials but not sure I will get time now. Still have so much to do. I have a Documentary about Dickens and Christmas which I re’ watch most years before Christmas. Can never have too much Dickens at Christmas.

I do recommend HDM. It is really good. The entire family are watching and enjoying it, a rare thing indeed. I don’t think they have all been so enthused about a TV series since Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell.

cheers

Janette

[janetteB @replies]

Damn. Damn Damn. The world just got a little darker.

Janette

[janetteB @replies]

@miapatrick. I hope at least that your candidate wins. Having a good local MP is a benefit. We have been fortunate here to have a local state MP who consistently polls well regardless of how the party fares because he has won so much respect locally. Right now however he has a fight on his hands as Labor is in opposition and our electorate is being punished for not voting for the self entitled Libs. Our Mayor also leans to the left side of the political spectrum. If only those running the country had half the intelligence of our local leaders. (Even half would be a great improvement) But I will not venture onto that subject as right now I am so ****** angry about the idiocy of our so called “leaders”.

To more pleasant topics did not realise that you live in North Wales. I have very fond memories of my visits to North Wales. I took the boys “castle hoping” by local bus when they were younger.  We visited so many castles that by the time we reached Cardiff we were only too happy to skip the next castle on the itinerary and go to the Dr Who exhibition instead.

Cheers

Janette

[janetteB @replies]

To our British friends, best of luck with the trial of the next day or so. (I hate elections. they always seem to end in tears here in Aus in recent years at least.) I hope that the polls have been misleading and you get a better result than feared. I think the entire world needs to see one positive political outcome in these dark days, they are so few and far between.

Cheers, and fingers crossed,

Janette

[janetteB @replies]

@missy did not know that you also liked B.5.  It is one of my favourites. We are going to do a podcast about it next year. I will let you know when.

@winston I am slowing reading through the Discworld series though I fear I won’t get to re watch Hogfather as I  am running out of time to complete my Christmas viewing this year. I always leave it too late to start then get caught up in Christmas madness.

Is anybody watching His Dark Materials. (We are and loving it. It has been a long time since I read the book but I feel that this series captures the depth and complexity of the books far better than the film did.)

Cheers

Janette

[janetteB @replies]

@cathannabel So sorry to hear about your brother. I hope you are able to be with him for the last few weeks. Such time is precious.

@missy. Sorry too to hear about your husband. I knew he was ill and was concerned for you.

This forum is a good place and long may it remain so. I dread the influx of trolls whenever there is a new season but they quickly get bored and go. This forums is like an extra room in the house where friends gather, the digital living room.

Regards

Janette

[janetteB @replies]

@thane16 that left me in tears. I have yet to watch “The Thick of It or In the Loop. Both just jumped quite a few spaces on my “to watch list.”

I recommend Galaxy Quest. It is one of those underrated gems of a film that every so often, the entire family will re watch.

@miapatrick. I laughed when you described bad handwriting masking spelling errors. I know that trick very well. My handwriting is bad for that very reason. Spell checker has helped me a lot with spelling. I avoid auto correct as I prefer to have the errors highlighted so I have to correct them. Any form of writing that does not have the benefit of spell checker however is still stressful and of course there are errors that spell checker does not pick up. Right now I have my eldest son proof reading one of my writing pieces and he has picked up quite a few errors that slipped past the checker.

Cheers

Janette

 

[janetteB @replies]

@thane16 Thanks for those links. Alan Rickman was so good. The night after he died we all sat down and re watched Galaxy Quest. (I think re watched Sense and Sensibility on my own the next day.) Loved the Q.I scene. Another brilliant show.

Cheers

Janette

[janetteB @replies]

@thane16 Badmintten was the only sport I ever enjoyed. My friend, who was my equal in sport, and I would play at lunchtimes but then the teachers joined in and we quickly disappeared. We did join a school  squash team but lost every single match and the sports teacher made sure we were not about when he made up the teams the following year. Enjoyed the walk home from the squash courts however, around the lake at dusk.

I was re watching the Christmas Specials but now  sure how that is going ot work now as the wireless head set I use appears to be dying and I still have three to go.

I usually watch one version of A Christmas Carol but don’t think I will get time this year. Watched the Blackadder version for the podcast a couple of weeks ago. It was not as funny as I remembered. Several people suggested that we discuss the Muppets Christmas Carol next year so I will finally get to see it.

Cheers

Janette

[janetteB @replies]

@bluesqueakpip Yes indeed. There is nothing more annoying than the old, “try hard enough and you will do it” line because sometimes no matter how much time is wasted trying it is impossible master it. Ie ryan and the bikde and me and spelling. That applies to everyone really without or without dyslexia/dyspraxia. A very dear friend just does not get along well with technology, particularly anything post fifties and most particularly computers. She uses them for work but does not enjoy doing so. One night she threw her laptop across the house, into a door. (Ryan’s throwing the bike reminded me of this story) Feeling better she collected the parts thinking up a story to  tell her son when he got home, to explain why the laptop no longer worked. He went to his room and returned holding a hard drive. “Muum what did you do?”

@winston  I fear that they are busy under those rocks preparing the ammunition for when the series does start.

Cheers

Janette

[janetteB @replies]

@pedant thanks for the link. That has a “Fringe” feel about it. (Which in my view at least can never be a bad thing.)

Cheers

Janette

[janetteB @replies]

@miapatrick. I am like you, unable to spell at all. I lost grades in first year Uni due to spelling it being before the days of hand written essays. I was told I was dyslexic which, being an avid reader, I am clearly not. My dyspraxia did not however effect my ability to ride a pushbike though I am happy to use it as an excuse/reason for being so hopeless at competitive sports. I just wish that I had been able to do so when I was a kid, getting bullied for missing the ball yet again. Hopefully kids are more aware and forgiving now then they were then now that we have greater knowledge and understanding of “condistions” like dyslexia and dyspraxia and “the spectrum”.

Cheers

Janette

[janetteB @replies]

@winston I intend to share it. Will get it proof read first though as like Ryan, I have dyspraxia.

Regards

Janette

[janetteB @replies]

@fatmaninabox Just echoing what @thane16 (aka Puro) said. Good to hear from you.

Cheers

Janette

[janetteB @replies]

Lovely trailer for a change. (In general I dislike trailers) It has vineyards, French vineyards, which bring back some happy memories.. Now I am excited. I was watching Christmas Specials yesterday and feeling a bit sad because I did not think there would be a seasonal special this year so started writing my own. (Now at almost 3,000 words and not even half way through. A reminder of why I don’t attempt short stories.)

Cheers

Janette

[janetteB @replies]

@thane16 We re-watched it a few weeks ago and though I had seen it I had mostly forgotten what happened. Just remembered that we liked it at the time.  The mood/feel of this most recent series is very different, maybe in part because of the difference in music but there is a difference in (visual) tone too.

It was an interestingly different type of Dalek story which was good. So hard for writers to make a story involving Daleks feel new and fresh after fifty + years and so kudos to Chibnell for achieving that, Having forgotten much of what happened I got a bit of a chill when I realised that the “creature” was the blob from inside a Dalek.

Cheers

Janette

[janetteB @replies]

@pedant that is just what I was looking for last night. I do love the theme music.  Delia Derbyshire was indeed ahead of her time and her realisation of the music is inspired. Ron Grainer also deserves credit for composing it. I am always impressed at how well the music loans itself to new interpretations.

Cheers

Janette

[janetteB @replies]

@winston Hope you are feeling better soon and that the Doctor helps. I also watch Doctor Who when I need cheering up.  I am currently doing my annual pre Christmas re watch of the Christmas Specials, and the odd favourite episode in between.

Cheers

Janette

[janetteB @replies]

@blenkinsopthebrave You can listen to the podcast here  Warning though, some of our members are not “Clara” fans.

There is a reconstruction of a Hartnell episode which sounds interesting. Mission to the Unknown. It is done by Uni students. I have not been able to track it down as yet but read about it here

Cheers

Janette

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