[janetteB @replies]

@jimthefish I love Our Mutual Friend. One of my favourite Dickens’ adaptations. I started watching the Hanging Gale when it was on TV many years ago but had trouble distinguishing which brother was which. I am due for a rewatch. (it should be in my collection somewhere.) I was pointing out one of the McGann brothers to my youngest the other day in Shackleton. They do all look alike.

I really enjoyed P.M in the minsode. I think it is a pity he didn’t get to do more. I have only heard one Big Finish. He has a good voice for Radio work.

Cheers

Janette

 

[janetteB @replies]

@jimthefish. I did not think Danny was passive aggressive. He was suffering PSTD and clearly had some issues relating to that, which made him “touchy” which became important in the end but really needed more screen time perhaps to better develop a character that the audience could empathise with. He was often hurt but mostly all he asked was the Clara be honest with him. Clara was lying to him constantly and he knew it. He did not order her not to travel with the Doctor though she acted as though he had. Her lies often seemed to be unjustified. I think though the problem with Danny as a character is the way he was “jumped” into the story. We did not see their relationship develop, those essential moments of harmony that I assume they experienced so their attachment to each other felt artificial. Given that every time we saw there together there was tension and grief there seemed no reason for either to care about the other.

@puroandson

I may be easily pleased when it comes to Dr Who but I enjoyed the series. There were some episodes which didn’t really work, always are some that don’t quite hit the mark but PC Doc was compelling from the moment he lumbered out of the Tardis. Listen remains one of my all time favourites. I have lost count of the number of times I have watched it.

Cheers

Janette

[janetteB @replies]

@ichabod  There are good changes bad changes. Change is not good simply for the sake of change. AG Who changed a lot but it maintained a feel that made the series still recognisable as BG Who. The Canadian film for instance failed to do that and that is why it failed and fans generally hated it. Dr Who has a certain “feel” to it that means that one can watch a recent episode and watch a story from the first series back in 1963 and accept that it is the same series. Superficial things, such as the gender of the Doctor, can change without altering that fundamental feel. The Doctor becoming an out and out beefcake action hero (for example) would alter the fundamental nature of the character. Urgh. Please no. The portrayal of the Doctor in the film, (from memory) was not the issue but the script was wrong and the overall glossy look was too radically different from the quality of the original.

Some people will just object to any and all changes without consideration of how those changes affect the underlying nature of the show, if they are necessary to keep the series “current” and if they add something new and wonderful to something that must always grown and develop. That is human nature.

Cheers

Janette

[janetteB @replies]

@craig I echo all the best of health wishes. Will be good to have you back with us again, when you are up to it and have time. In the meantime get as much rest as you can and take care of yourself.

Cheers

Janette

[janetteB @replies]

Just saw the new Star Trek Movie. I enjoyed it rather more than expected. I have always been rather lukewarm about Star Trek and considerably less than lukewarm about Hollywood movies in general. There were numerous moments when I was reminded of Galaxy Quest but the script was sharp enough, (maybe kudos to Simon Pegg) and the characters engaging. The space scenery is very impressive on big screen. The story was very stock sci fi but thankfully the action scenes, though massively overdone, were not overlong. I was only tempted to pull out my phone once to check on the time. It had the feel of a rather expensive Star Trek episode which isn’t entirely a bad thing.

Cheers

Janette

[janetteB @replies]

@missrory your story about your friend reminds me that many many years ago I was friends with someone who did not particularly like Tom Baker and thought the show had really gone downhill since he took over. I sometimes think I am just way too easy to please. There is only one incarnation of the Doctor whom I haven’t liked. I do however think that AG (after gap) we have been rather blessed with four superb actors who really fit the role.

Cheers

Janette

[janetteB @replies]

While the Doctor is talking to Clara he does not recognise her because he has no memory of Clara herself. He knows only the hole that is left where the memory should be as he says. At the end though, when he sees Rigsey’s portrait on the Tadis he must realise that it was Clara he was talking too and that is the moment that he “lets go” of his grief and accepts that she is gone knowing that she is off having adventures in her own Tardis. His not recognising her is essential for the poignancy of that ending. (which is as near to perfect a series ending as I have ever seen.)

Cheers

Janette

[janetteB @replies]

@missy @winston @missrori

Oooh making a list of possible historical companions, that is a fine way to pass the time..

Alfred the Great or Elfrida, first queen of England.

Eleanor of Aquitaine. (I think she appeared in a very early story)

And more artists, scientists, authors, really interesting people Starting from ancient Greece, the ancient philosophers who no doubt got a helping hand from the Doctor, Copernicus and Galileo or, moving forward, Newton, and as the Doctor has a predilection for the English and for “underdogs” John Harrison of Longitude fame. Voltaire, Some Enlightenment figures and then the romantics, Byron and Shelley. Maybe he visit Mary while she was telling the story of Frankenstein.

MIssy. I don’t know when Class is starting. I would be surprised also if it makes it all the way down here. Sarah Jane Adventures didn’t.

Cheers

Janette

[janetteB @replies]

@ichabod I actually suspect that the blame for both the Tea Party and Brexit rests with one single individual, that thrice damned ex Australian billionaire. (Phillip Pullman summed it up rather well in a recent Guardian article.)

Cheers

Janette

[janetteB @replies]

I think the fact that nobody has at yet complained about this story being in News rather than Spoilers indicates how little credibility it has. The story claiming that Chibnal has asked Capaldi to do at least one series with him however does seem credible and is no less than I would expect. All digits crossed that P.C. will stay on. I want him to do at least five more series. I feel as though he is only just settling into the role.

It is possible that Matt is going to make an appearance in Class and that is what has feed the rumour mill.

Cheers

Janette

[janetteB @replies]

@purofilion I agree with you re’ debt and tax. We lived in Sweden for a year, a country with extremely high tax and the standard of living was to be admired. Tax equals services. The Cut Tax adds really annoy me. Do people realise why we pay tax? I am certain that a fair percentage of the electorate don’t. I share also your abhorrence of Murdoch press. I commented on the dishonesty of the huge placard promising that a Coalition vote means a strong economy. The guy handing out “how to votes” for the Libs informed me that Murdoch press is the only reputable news. He was also the individual behind covering a hill with houses a few years ago in what is surely the ugliest housing estate in the North. Not a tree to be seen and ironically the named the streets after native birds.

Was interesting to see the rising in popularity of the minor parties this election.  I suspect though that was in part due to dissatisfaction with Lab and Lib.

Cheers

Janette

[janetteB @replies]

@puroandson You have summed it up well as far as I can tell though I am reluctant to follow results too closely. I suspect the Libs will hang on with a narrow majority but given their inability to achieve much when they had the clear majority I suspect they will be rather ineffectual because like “Mr Wolf” in “Preston Pig”, which you might recall from your younger days, they are not very good at being bad. Fingers crossed anyway.

(Hope your Mum is ok.)

Cheers

Janette

 

[janetteB @replies]

@mudlark I read the article about The Living and the Dead on the Guardian and am looking forward to watching it. Sounds very interesting indeed. Just what I need to cheer me up after our election. (Though the results are much as expected and hopefully an improvement on what we have had for the past three or so years.)

Cheers

Janette

 

[janetteB @replies]

@bluesqueakpip Indeed. My partner’s mother swung to the left in her later years from hard line “Liberal voter” to a confirmed ALP voter. (Might have been our influence but I think other factors played a part.) My Mum also began to vote Labor but I do think that was mostly my influence however it was Mum to introduced me to the concept of Socialism. Like many voters she did not marry her ideas to her voting preference. Ie she believed in equality but voted for the party of inequality. I suspect that, like Mum, many voters don’t really understand just what they are voting for.

Cheers

Janette

 

[janetteB @replies]

@thedentistofdavros I have yet to see it but is on my wish list. I loved Dad’s Army when I was a kid and naturally introduced it to my sons when they were growing up. Have you seen the TV Drama about the making of it, We’re Doomed the Dads’ Army Story? I suspect it was inspired by An Adventure in Time and Space. It was also very well done. I feel somewhat ambiguous about the movie as the original actors were the characters. I think I would have preferred a Blackadder Home Guard series, (which was being planned but did not eventuate).

Cheers

Janette

[janetteB @replies]

@puroandson Well said. I spent three hours on a polling booth yesterday handing out how to votes, a seriously depressing task. Fingers crossed it will be a hung parliament thus limiting the amount of damage “they” can achieve. Our eldest did scrutineering last night and found it an interesting exercise. All in all I am glad the weekend is over.  I hate elections.

I was born a “leftie”  I think. It seems to be in the DNA though it skipped a generation with my parents who were both conservative, Menzies voters. The extended family on my mother’s side all lean heavily to the left. My great grandfather was a socialist and a story teller. He wrote short stories for his sons when he was away working. (Which we still have fortunately though I struggle with the handwriting.) It was said that he never “hit” his sons as was convention at the time however one day their fighting had driven their mother to distraction and so he pulled off his belt to give them “a hiding” swung it and it caught on and smashed her favourite vase. Needless to say he never resorted to corporal punishment again.

Not all “lefties” swing to the right with age. We have a ninety year old friend who has lost none of his youthful idealism and remains politically active. He is still a card carrying member of the Fabian society.

Sorry I have not been posting lately, simply “lurking”. I have been following the discussion here, especially in regard to Brexit but busy with various projects and feel that I have nothing worth adding to what has already been said.

cheers

Janette

 

 

 

[janetteB @replies]

@ichabod Thanks for the link. My boys will all enjoy that one too. Just proves that when it comes to insults a Scottish accent is a definite plus. (but then I can’t think of any circumstance where a Scottish accent is not a plus)

@mudlark Don’t know what a “shitgibbon” is either but it does sound very apt though maybe insulting gibbons a little still I think I need to add it to my vocabulary.

Cheers

Janette

[janetteB @replies]

@missy River was aware of the Tardis and expected the Doctor/codename Damsel to be there. She had sent her cute husband out to look for him giving him the images of the twelve earlier incarnations. Doctor points to his face but she ignore the gesture assuming it is the warm up routine for his demented stick insect dance.

I watched again this morning and enjoyed it thoroughly. It is a episode that always proves to be more enjoyable than I expect. I don’t know why. It is such a change of tone from the previous three episodes too. Almost like watching a different show altogether, yet under all the humour and silliness of giant fighting robots and felt antlers there is the gut wrenching human drama that underscores Moffat’s writing.

Capaldi is so brilliant as the Doctor. Long may he wield the sonic.

Cheers

Janette

[janetteB @replies]

@bluesqueakpip I have a book about Hannah and Arthur. He did not publicly acknowledge their marriage and yes it was indeed a somewhat strange relationship. I think I read that there were other marriages between “masters” and “servants” but they were rare and generally not spoken of in “polite society”. The reaction of “society” to the marriage of Eugene Wrayburne at the end of Our Mutual Friend demonstrates why.  Must look for the Kathryn Hughes and Ruth Brandon books.

In Australia it was not uncommon for housekeepers to marry their employers in the Victorian age. Classes were far more fluid then as a lot of the employers were “self made” anyway and there was a shortage of women, especially single ones as they tended not to immigrate alone.

Cheers

Janette

 

 

[janetteB @replies]

@ichabod the one novel I am aware of that is about a Victorian servant is Esther Waters by George Moore. There was a BBC adaptation of it but that is long forgotten. I guess Tess D’Urbervilles is also a servant. The two novels were written at about the same time but take vastly different approaches the former being more social realist.

I don’t really think of Jane Eyre as a servant as governesses were somewhat more privileged. Many were daughters of middle or upper middle class families fallen upon hard times. That is one reason why the position was so hated as they were neither “upstairs” or “downstairs”. It was a very lonely life quite often.

Cheers

Janette

 

[janetteB @replies]

@mudlark Good to hear from you. I have been thinking of you, wondering how the recovery was going. I hope that soon you will have progressed from tortoise to mountain goat.

@blenkinsopthebrave I wanted to comment on one of your remarks up thread which I heartily agreed with but have now forgotten what it was. I don’t think you have said anything I don’t agree with so you can take your pick.

@puroandson re the people fantasising about the past. I once wrote a novel, or part of one, about a nineteenth century servant in response to a friend who would often say how she wished she lived in the nineteenth century having watched too many costume dramas. I love period dramas too but it frustrates me that all of them depict the lives of the privileged few. For every Elizabeth Bennet there were three or four servants living lives of absolute drudgery.

Re’ blindly clinging to the wreckage of the past and somehow thinking that it can be brought back pristine and whole is destructive. I see it all the time in our town, people who cling to the old business model and wonder why they are going bankrupt. We have to accept that tsunami as @ichabod so aptly described it, and be ready to ride it out. Years ago an enlightened South Australia premier foresaw a time when there was no long mass employment and began planning for that. However nobody else followed up on his vision and some forty years later all our politicians are still trying to revive the economy of the nineteenth century.

As my page has not refreshed since last night the conversation has almost certainly flowed away..

Cheers

Janette

[janetteB @replies]

Pleased to hear that Natdole will return but I will be heartbroken if there is no return of the Paternoster Gang who really deserved a spin off series.

cheers

Janette

[janetteB @replies]

@ichabod That seems like very sound advice to me. I have often felt caught in a catch 22 in regard to professional editors. I can’t afford editing unless I have some certainly of being published and have no chance of being published without editing. I attempt to muddle through, re editing my own work, usually after a break of at least a year. The novel i started writing while at Uni is the one I currently have my son editing. It is older than he is. Putting it up on Amazon basically meant that people (friends that is) could read and critique it which has been very helpful. I am about to take it down and replace it was the newly edited version. I did read one of my novels aloud to my partner some years ago which was useful. I am also “going to” read some of my work aloud and record it for a podcast. (My great grandfather was called “going to”. In our family the words infers intentions rather than actions)

Cheers

Janette

[janetteB @replies]

Ooh Something  fun to listen to tomorrow while “photoshopping”. Thanks @taplandia and welcome. (I don’t think I have seen you about here before.) I like the cat.

Cheers

Janette

[janetteB @replies]

thanks for the link @toinfinityandbeyond I am so starved of Who news that I read all two pages of zero information on Cult Box. Glad that Missy is likely to return. Not surprised though. She is far too good to not keep on. The more I re-watch the stories which feature her the more I like/dislike the character. (One isn’t supposed to “like” Missy.)

Cheers

Janette

 

[janetteB @replies]

@pedant. Agents are indeed the gatekeepers to publishing but right now they appear to have those gates well and truely closed to new writers. I approached every listed agent in Australia a few years back and did not get a single response. I resorted to self publishing on Amazon, (I know, a total sell out) which of course means one’s work is totally lost. However I have had some positive feedback of late and have an editor, He works for board. (my eldest scored the job after picking up a spelling error in the acknowledgement and as he is currently unemployed I thought it would be “good for him” as well as for me.) In the end though I have decided that I write because for me is is as essential as breathing and if nothing ever comes of it I won’t have wasted my life doing it. It still beats housework.

Cheers

Janette

 

[janetteB @replies]

In my opinion it is never possible to have sufficient back ups. I carry two hard drives with me now. Back in December 2009 my laptop motherboard, friend, the third motherboard in as many years and we decided it wasn’t worth replacing again. I borrowed a laptop swapping the hard drives. At that time my desk top back up hard drive was full so I only had the portable hard drive back up which was in my laptop bag in case the hard drive went the way of the motherboard. Was working on a photography assignment. Rushed in, dumped the laptop bag by the table and headed off to a neighbour’s christmas party. Got back at midnight to find the back door open and no laptop. There were four teenagers in the house at the time but of course they were playing games in the next room and did not notice a thing.

I lost about three months work and basically meant the project did not go ahead as planned which was disappointing. Luckily my writing was backed up on a two gig usb. Now my back up hard drives are never more than a few feet from me. I also find that having regular back ups of writing helps if I really stuff up. I can always go back to a previous save. Talking of which a back up is in order now.

Cheers

Janette

[janetteB @replies]

@arbutus your system sounds exactly like my system. I was just sorting through some of those piles of paper earlier today looking for something. I try to avoid writing on paper now but still end up with piles of written notes to add to the confusion.

I will describe the current state of our table. At the far end is a projector, behind that a D&D diorama. It is a little inconvenient as it takes up half the table but we manage to eat around it. Then there is a box of paints and items in various stages of painted ness. There is a serviette holder, a desk lamp and a model house, oh and a scatter of dice.

Joining onto the main rectangular table is a round table. That is supposed to be the work/junk table but there is so much random junk, papers, paint brushes, molds for model making, photos, Playmobil and a candelabra, that there the junk is spilling over onto other tables. My laptop is on this table and so I work amidst the mess. Most of the chairs have papers on them or books. I do occasionally try to tidy up but everything is being used or about to be used and if i do it is never more than a day or two before the mess starts to creep back.

At one stage I had a “quest” to find a house messier than mine. Surprisingly I succeeded, our Landlord’s house in Sweden. It wasn’t just messy it was occupied by random animals. There was a cage of small furry creatures, lemmings maybe. During the night (when we were guests) we were woken by a kitten nibbling on my partner’s toes. There were dogs and hens roaming freely through the garden. No wonder the house we rented felt so “homely”.

Cheers

Janette

[janetteB @replies]

@miapatrick I wish you all the best though I am not entirely sure what a PIP assessment is. I am guessing a kind of sickness or disability assessment from a brief Google search and if so I double the well wishes. I have a friend on disability allowance who is currently afraid of loosing it because her husband is in hospital. (They might think she is managing without him so doesn’t need the benefit, as though the worry about his health isn’t worry enough or he chose to go into hospital and leave her career-less and there is a big difference between surviving and coping.) Very best of wishes with the creative writing module too and hope you find more time to devote to what really matters, ie Dr Who, soon.

Cheers

Janette

[janetteB @replies]

@missy I am indeed a fan of Charles Dickens. I really enjoy his works, especially the later, more complex novels.

Cheers

Janette

[janetteB @replies]

@theconsultingdoctor though you would not suspect give my usually half garbled posts here I am also a writer. I have a growing collection on unpublished work, which I now despair of ever getting published. At the moment, however, the household are work-shopping ideas for a sci fi audio drama. So many ideas, so little time to get them all down. I need the regenerations of a time lord.

@puroandson and @thedentistofdavros. My sons’ school gave career guidance but no help at all with actual job seeking. The elder two completed year 12 with no idea of how to actually apply for jobs. When I was at school, a few years ago now, (and a few years more), we had a subject, (which I despised) that taught us “life skills”, ie how to buy a house or car, organise a holiday or apply for jobs. I was too busy daydreaming to learn anything useful at all however. There was a careers office which succeeded in putting me of the concept of “career” for life. When I said I wanted to be a costume designer they told me to look at secretarial work or nursing. I “gave up” and opted for teaching. They told me there was a glut of teachers and I would not get work at which point  I decided that travelling might be my best option. Fortunately I had an inspirational year 12 English lit’ teacher who convinced me to aim for University.

Cheers

Janette

 

 

[janetteB @replies]

I really enjoyed “Crocked House”. The Signalman is also a favourite. I watched it when I was a teenager and it had that haunting quality that stayed with me. I was so glad when my S/O tracked it down a few years ago.

@thedentistofdavros I only discovered M.R. James recently courtesy of Gatiss who is a big fan. He discussed James’ work in one of his docos. I have Stalls of Barchester but yet to watch it. I think it has just moved up a few spaces on my “to watch” list.

Cheers

Janette

 

[janetteB @replies]

@StitchinTime. Well said.

@arbutus. Like you I have been following the discussion of late but not contributing in part due to other commitments. I once saw a forum tear itself apart over the smacking issue and so would rather leave that discussion alone now.

The topic of schools and excessive pressure on students is a different matter. I am certain it is not much different in Canada to here where I have realised that the excessive pressure on students is not for their benefit but for the schools, so they can brag about how successful their students are. I found out very recently that after two years the year 12 results count for nothing and there is a “Stat” for Uni entrance. So all that pain for nothing. grr. The pressure is not only harmful to the student but impacts on the entire family. Likewise the testing done throughout schools now here and in the U.K is putting undue pressure on kids and teachers and achieves very little. I learnt long ago that stress does  not enable children to learn better. When our eldest was six he was doing “spelling exams” at the end of every term and by term four had to study the entire year’s spelling lists which involved homework every night. I realised that he was getting stressed, thought “no way” and stopped the spelling homework. His mental health was far more important than a few test results. His results in those tests actually improved and he was far happier. He still has excellent spelling which he is putting to good use editing a novel for me.

Cheers

Janette

[janetteB @replies]

@lisa keep up the good work. Looks like I will be on the phone to the local MP on Monday to offer my help and to report some election material that went up a day early. So the election was only called today but the “playing dirty” has already begun. (Our local Federal MP distinguished himself during the Abbott tenure by being repeatedly ordered out of Parliament. We are proud of him.)

@puroandson I am not really a fan of Shorten but I certainly hope your prediction proves true.

I am still waiting on rain, real, decent, soaking rain, before I start planting but I picked a rather stunted capsicum and some chilies yesterday and cropped the basil again today for pesto. It seems the only thing I can grow is parsley but I might attempt some veggies if we do get any rain this winter!!

Cheers

Janette

[janetteB @replies]

@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 planting another fruit tree as the plum I put in last year survived the summer.

I agree re’ doing tactile things. Of late I have been helping paint miniatures for D&D. There is a near bottomless pit of things to be painted so I have plenty more of that kind of work to do between designing flyers, posters, and writing press releases. (All of which I should be doing right now.)

@puroandson

I hope son will be back on his feet soon. Bronchitis is indeed no fun at all.

Cheers

Janette.

 

[janetteB @replies]

@pedant I agree re’ Bill not that there is anything wrong with being “a “girly” girl”. 🙂

Cheers

Janette

 

[janetteB @replies]

@craig Whatever you feel is necessary. I do like to have the ability to PM people occasionally but it isn’t essential.

Sigh. I suppose I should do some “housekeeping” and clean out my PMs. I have been avoiding it but see from Email that I have been receiving a few of late.

Cheers

Janette

[janetteB @replies]

It makes sense for the companion to be from the 80s before all those much publicised alien invasions otherwise it makes no sense for the companion to be all, big eyed surprise when they first encounter daleks, sontarans, cybermen, etc. One thing that BG Who has done is to make alien invasion the “new norm” for the inhabitants of planet earth. That undermines an essential convention of the series, the unknowing companion. Donna was taken by surprise because she “was on holiday” or had a hangover when “things happened” and Amy’s lack of knowledge reflected the problem with the universe. The issue simply wasn’t raised with Clara as I recall anyway.

Also I still think she is called Bill as a nod to the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death.

Cheers

Janette

[janetteB @replies]

I wondered if the choice of name was a nod to the Shakespeare anniversary this weekend.

@miapatrick I waded through three pages of Guardian BTL recommending where required,( good to see @bluesqueakpip keeping up the good fight) until my faith in humanity was so eroded  I gave up.

I was surprised however at the timing of the announcement. My S/O remarked that the BBC was aiming at the wrong audience demographic. I did point out that it is possible to be both a fan of football and Dr Who but then could not think of a single example amidst our acquaintances to prove my point.

Cheers

Janette

 

[janetteB @replies]

@missy. I agree with you. Capaldi is attractive in a complex way. Watching Listen again yesterday it occurred to me that he has the look of a magician, (of the fantasy kind not the pulling of rabbits from hats variety) I really really do hope he stays for at least one more series after S.M moves on. In fact  I think the Doctor whose tenure he should be emulating is Tom Baker’s. Like Tom he seems to have been born for the role. He is such a perfect fit.

Cheers

Janette

 

[janetteB @replies]

@missy. I live just north of Adelaide. My old school friend used to live in Perth and so I visited often back before the family arrived. She and her hubby are considering moving back so I might be visiting again in the future. Perth is a lovely city.

I imagine it is hard to beat the sheer thrill of the Royal Albert Hall. I have only seen it from the outside

On a slightly different note yesterday was David Tennant’s birthday. I should remember as it is also my S/O’s birthday. The historical costuming site, Frock Flicks did a blog on him which featured among other historical drama roles Human Nature/Family of Blood and he does indeed look good in a hat. (They have also done blogs on the historical costuming in AGWho though they have not covered the most recent series. Maybe due to a lack of historical stories.)

Cheers

Janette

 

 

[janetteB @replies]

What part of OZ are you in @missy? for some reason I keep thinking you are in the UK or US.

I have a friend who goes to all the sci fi conventions in Oz and volunteers at some I believe. Apparently she once gave Colin Baker a lift in her car from the airport. I tend to look at the ticket prices and opt for just staying home and re-watching old episodes.

Cheers

Janette

[janetteB @replies]

@kharis Well explained and I do see your point regarding the all perfect, good looking teens.

@winston Sarah Jane/Elizabeth Sladen really came into her own as a character/actor I thought and I also like the teens in SJ Adventures.

Cheers

Janette

[janetteB @replies]

I agree that it is far too early to make judgements regarding Class. I am also looking forward to it. Given that S.M is exec producer I expect it will not be anything like either Sarah Jane Adventures or Torchwood both of which were produced by RTD. If it were though I would prefer it leaned towards the former rather than the later.

AS for the question of diversity, while not being familiar with the Coal Hill school area I always thought London in general was a huge cultural melting pot or a portal through which all the peoples of the world flowed, depending on the day. It has long been that way too. It is remarkable how many historical figures who were not English found their way to London. Voltaire, Franklin, Marx of course, Lenin, ,..

Cheers

Janette

 

[janetteB @replies]

Just saw that @bluesqueakpip. Also he was in Torchwood, (I don’t know which episode) His role in Children of the Stones is also worthy of note. I loved that series when I was young, (at the same time I was hooked on Blake’s 7) I re watched it a couple of years ago and still enjoyed it. It is certainly a product of its time however.

We introduced the boys to Blake’s 7 when they were young though only the first two series. IT really went downhill after Blake left.

I also like the suggestion @pedant of a Bletchley based Who story. I would also like to see the Doctor run into Ada Lovelace at some point.

Cheers

Janette

[janetteB @replies]

Lovely description @pedant and photos. I particularly liked the shots of the cows and the robin.You have some very nice lenses already I am guessing from the quality of the shots. You captured the skies well. They look quite dramatic in the landscape shots so turning down the blue luminance clearly worked.

I loved Wales too. The first time I was there was in February but we had a car. I returned with the boys again in February but a considerably warmer Feb in 2007. After walking the walls of Conwy we were all in tee shirts. We travelled by local bus which was brilliant and Youth Hostelled, playing different version of Monopoly every night and recording it so we could continue the game. One of the highlights of the trip was in Cardiff. Having spent a week visiting castles down the coast we planned on visiting yet more castles the following day but then saw the Dr Who exhibition posters on the YHA walls and there was an instant change of plan. We did still manage to fit in a castle visit though.

Cheers

Janette

[janetteB @replies]

@mudlark. You are about to embark upon a reading holiday. From my experience the best thing about being an invalid was having oodles of time to read. It was however just my luck to be confined to a sofa for a month’s convalescence when on the opposite side of the planet to my book collection. I had a few books with me but quickly ran out and was not able to get to a bookshop (and English books were limited anyway) to replenish. I wish you well with your reading.

I used to buy the English Archaeology Magazine which was interesting for the casual reader like me. I was annoyed to discover recently that my old Uni now has archaeology courses though, to be honest, there just isn’t very much “buried history” here. When I was a child I visited a river island which had been a burial ground and picked up some interesting artifacts. Sadly my mother thought that grinding stones were just “rocks” and persuaded me to throw them out into the garden. I do wish I had kept all the bits and pieces i have dug up in our own garden, mostly broken china and glassware. We tend to think that because nothing is really more than a hundred years old it isn’t of interest, especially after watching docos on British archaeology where finds go back potentially thousands of years.

Cheers

Janette

 

[janetteB @replies]

I have always disliked long running TV series where each episodes ends where it began. Nothing changes or develops. That is why I was hooked on B.5 The first episode I really watched turned the political situation on its head.

Since the reboot the Doctor has shown some degree of change and development as a character. The nature of the show demands that be limited which is why, (imho) the companion has become more central to the story because the companion can and does develop.

I think that DT and MS are doing quite well career wise. D.T. has done a lot of stage work, stage being his first love. Also he now has  two children which might make quite a difference to his aspirations. Ie I doubt very much he has his sights set on Hollywood. M.S. is getting roles in Hollywood albeit not in blockbusters. Apparently his Mr Collins was one of the best things about P&P and Zombies. I might even watch it one day just for him.

In the past Patrick Troughton carried on post Doctor with a steady career in TV and Brit Flicks. Davidson has has a solid career, though nothing to compare to his fine portrayal of the Dish of the Day in Hitchhikers’ and McCoy was cast in the Hobbit movies because of his role in Dr Who, a bit of a long time coming kind of reward admittedly. Their careers may not have taken off due to Dr Who but I don’t think Who damaged their careers either.

Cheers

Janette

[janetteB @replies]

@mudlark, Best of wishes for the coming op. I trust you also have a good stash of books laid by.

@Wiston. Your spring sounds lovely. We don’t really get spring here. It goes from cold wet and dismal to blistering heat overnight.

@Puroandson I have a friend who worked in Social Service for years and she tells some amusing stories about Tats too. They used them to identify people, often from prison records, only as people age so do their tattoos. And ah those fifties Aussie names, Nolene, Doreen (ine een, it is all the same.)

Cheers

Janette

[janetteB @replies]

Happy EAster all.

@purofilion I don’t really like chocolate much but another family member scoffed enough eggs today to make up for my abstinence. R.3 noticed that some of his eggs, which he had left conveniently on the coffee table, were missing. An investigation of the dog yard revealed lots of shiny egg wrapping. Oops. Having calculated that it was probably not a lethal dose she was then caught bolting for the back door with a chocolate bunny in her jaw. The bunny was rescued, (or the dog) with only one canine puncture mark and hopefully the dog will survive her stolen feast.

Cheers

Janette

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