[syzygy @replies]

@arbutus

I did! Thank you for your wishes. It was so great!  It was an hour and not like the $300 for 8 to 11 minutes which is pretty expensive for the time. This was $67 (I found the receipt because Mum has to get better at hiding things) and the hour also involved walking around the copter and learning what all the different pieces of instrumentation did -so, what the inside did and how it was connected to the outside? If that makes sense.

He didn’t let me take off because there was some turbulence and the whole thing was glass. I started to feel sick straightaway and he said “look at the horizon and match up the gimble with it so the machine always flies straight unless you’re turning” so I did that and any sickness disappeared.

We flew to a small island and landed there which was fantastic. We flew over the city as well and there I was actually flying within the first 15 minutes. Turning and flying over the skyscrapers.

Naturally at one point he turned off ‘my side’ and said that my parents would kill me if I didn’t at least “feel like you are going to poo your pants” and suddenly he was zooming up and I was flung tight back to my seat. He then did a few 360s and then flew STRAIGHT DOWN  and hitched up and suddenly said “you have control” at which point a pilot would say “I have control” or “I don’t have  control” to answer. I answered the first way and got the craft stabilised on the gimble. It was a terrific thing to do. And, sad, to say, I don’t actually even have my driver’s license yet.

Priorities.  @miapatrick That is SO cool! I am pretty scared of some birds. Birds of prey though are amazing to look at. Mum is on the site that is the Wales one -birds. Yeah, that’s embarrassing as I forgot the name of the place/location and the bird’s names 🙂 Wearing a glove protects your arms?  A falcon is a beautiful creature.

We have magpies which are very clever. People scream when they wooz by your head & naturally they do it again. We have two in our tree because they know us they never attack. If they attack someone & we’re outside (mum’s always in garden: she wants a rock-garden built up & last month she wanted a stream. She’s worse than me!) we tell them to glare them down & act firm  (@mudlark would have an awesome garden)

Then they walk beside you & don’t attack. They’ll protect you. Eagles are cool too. I’ve never seen one up close.

But I did see a long harmless brown snake under the house when I was made to clean it. It scared the hell out of me. I’ve realised that I don’t like snakes. In North QLD, they can hide in and around the top of the toilet bowel. 😉

T16

[syzygy @replies]

@ichabod

Bet I’d feel differently if I had some kids here to watch it with me!

But you do. I’m here. Also, @pedants niece and other assorted kids. They may not be in front of the telly but they’re coming to the site…..

T16

 

[syzygy @replies]

@paul

I’m not sure.

But I actually think three “f” over 19 words isn’t sufficient for alliteration?

Paragraphing is your friend, Paul, especially during persuasive writing: which it was.

Nice to read your opinion.

T16

[syzygy @replies]

was it said by people that the Doctor “ate shit”

She’s a shit eating grinner even?

I love that. Almost as if in the chaos of time the writer knew people would be complaining. On one of our other threads a person is saying the last doctor and companion were the best ever. Or was it….Can’t remember. LOL. That might learn them. As mum would say.

I don’t understand the triangles everywhere. A maths thing? Or a pyramidy thing? Like meditation. Or some weird triangle universe. Who built the mirror. Was the house always part of the solitract or did it feed off Erik’s depression?

[syzygy @replies]

@arbutus

Thank you v3ry much! I liked the 2nd one the best. You can see them all having fun. I have no clue to understanding this music as I mainly like punk, rock 80s rock and then the people from the 50s but this is very interesting music. My head is nodding 🙂  Yeah, it’s nodding! And my foot too!

@whisht

Happy dreams dude.

Thane

[syzygy @replies]

@amdamiri I am with @nerys. Also, kinda looks like you’re complaining. Have you seen Rectify? I mean, you can complain ! 🙂 That’s alright! Maybe there was something you liked in the episode too?

@ichabod

As a 17 year old 🙂 I think “gravitas” doesn’t have to be all “old” and “parchment” and “maaaa story iz  soooo long, maaaa memories are soooo saddd” (I’m trying to do Smith and Capaldi) because it could seem as if  gravitas comes only from the old, only from the men in bow ties and suits and never from a white woman wearing long pants??

She’s a new regen now. She’s completely a new person but she still has, deep inside, those memories, that sadness and that loss. It isn’t front and centre. This world is not just about the Doctor anymore. It’s like she steps back to serve. Or, almost, like she’s an idiot in a box, stepping in and out to help when she can 🙂

Thane.

[syzygy @replies]

@bluesqueakpip @tardigrade

True. That’s a good point. But I liked the frog -I think it’s very ‘Daniel’ from Rectify. It wouldn’t be that would it @cathannabel? Except there was no actual frog – just mentioned by Daniel and Tawnee. I’ll ‘ogle it 🙂

I was concerned it would be a real ominous talking person, all ‘received pronunication’ and filled with mysterious phrases. This seemed more fairytale and just more Dr Who to me anyway.

T16

[syzygy @replies]

@craig! Man that IS AWESOME!  I know this story. I thought I did, I mean. I heard of this

I’m telling Dad.

T16

[syzygy @replies]

@notime @ichabod

pos coz the story wouldn’t have needed anymore pin-pointing of this? It’s in the “clever”  already? Or the time limits meant we had a good paced,on the edge of your seats thrill which is in symmetry with the nature of the siren idea?

T16

[syzygy @replies]

@pedant You tend to keep an eye out for the thundering bellends or the shouty-boyz. I wonder if anyone moaned at Yaz’ “that’s shocking parenting” comment?

The “PC” Brigade will no doubt pick up on how “we parents should be allowed to parent our off-spring however we damn well please, whether a blind kid’s abandoned in a house all day and night or not: so we adults can have as much sex, drugs and booze as possible!”

Puro

[syzygy @replies]

@bluesqueakpip @rob  great analysis.

brilliant: The Monsters Four.

somebody needs to write a choon to that.

 

[syzygy @replies]

@tardigrade

the run of not-really-all-that-scary monsters continued, with the creature of the week being moths. They’d need to be a whole lot bigger to present much of a realistic-appearing threat, at least to me.

True: they seemed ‘OK’ if you stayed still but the Scary Hungry Baddie was eaten almost as fast as if he’d been attacked by a swarm of vashta Nerada! But to me, the baddie was the solitract: luring people with promises of “forever.” Allowing themselves to be gradually ensnared and enticed forgetting their responsibilities and possibly their memories until all would be lost. The solitract, after a decade, might want more, to be more, so it could have attempted to (eventually) enter the portal into our universe but with disastrous results.

For me, it was also a tale of love and remembrance -of loyalty and also charm. The charm of those who are real flesh and blood thus genuine and the surface charm for those who aren’t exactly what they seem.

Lots to ponder. Love the triangle imagery and the mathematics.

Puro

[syzygy @replies]

Within minutes of Frog Appearance, I slapped my head and said the same: “oh Yes!”

In between a few bouts of dusty eye *\*

It doesn’t matter (to me) whether it was a frog,  talking flowers or a lizard. Even madness itself. 🙂 The Greeks had a great many stories to tell of frogs -lyrically and musically. It felt both fairy-tale and “inner madness” mixed with hope and longing. @ichabod I think you might like this one?

Puro

[syzygy @replies]

That episode made me weep.

It also reminds me, in a few ways of this,

And to those who thought it lacked “depth” I would tend to disagree a little. To me, depth isn’t measured in minutes but in clarity and quality.

Puro

 

[syzygy @replies]

In rifling through my files I came across a song which reminded me of another. In 1684 (and we’re not even in the same decade as the Witchfinder’s James), Lully in France composed Amadis. During this period, French opera and French music had greater influence on the evolution of music, generally, and opera specifically, than English music. Most English composers during the reign of James 1 looked to France or stood squarely in their ‘own way.’  🙂  I like this verse for The Witchfinder’s, though, which roughly translates as: “Thick forest redouble your shadows; you cannot be dark enough, you cannot sufficiently conceal my unhappy love.”

Puro

 

[syzygy @replies]

@pedant

On Heaven 17 Lookee! It’s Justin Beiber time travelling with eyeliner.

Well, no, not really, as that’s offensive to musicians.

@whisht

Great doco!  @cathannabel I think I posted a comment on the Sofa or Pub about Human League/Wikipedia/Bowie etc. But I could have imagined posting it (that happens a bit).

The thing with this Forum, is, even if some of the episodes don’t thrill some of us, some of the time, there are blogs, a Pub, a Sofa and a Music Hub.

I haven’t caught up with latest ep. Now that it airs Sunday night in the UK (and possibly in the states. @lisa would know), it airs at 6 pm (I think) on Monday night but Thane’s been watching it on Monday morning (*cough cough never, ever, at school when there are SO many better things to watch).

Now you know, Thane aint a dumb kid, he writes fairly well but is firmly in the Humanities area for next year (final year). Later I might head over to Pub to discuss our weird marking system -it might be the same in South Aus for @janetteb  and fam. Or not.

Must dash and check emails.

Puro

[syzygy @replies]

@pedant

I’ll be sure to let him know of this: have to say I hadn’t heard of Heaven 17 (red with embarrassment) but Human League -that makes perfect tonal sense. Something was nagging at me: kept grabbing my head, asking “what is THIS?”  I remember fondly, “Don’t you want me?”  More than fondly. Early ’80s spawning SO many groups and songs in the next 3 years. The musical plan, alone, is insanely simple, but it’s still a superb example of pure pop: mixolydian mode moments, imperfect scansion at times which works nicely, clarity, Q&A style verses in line with what Cat Stevens had done/was doing. Oakey was pretty pissed with Virgin about it -Wikipedia doesn’t quite paint the correct picture.  Bowie was very interested in League’s image/style. They favoured Truffaut’s filmic preferences & there’s a couple of those in the vid track as well as a cryptic point to The Hundred Club (‘100’) in: Sheffield 🙂   Timey whimey, Doctor Who-ey.

I love their riff;  whenever people cry “oh no, the best riff, ever is: ‘Smoke on the Water,’ ” I have to shake my head. Sure, it’s popsicle, but you’ve got good ingredients with pedal points and, deliciously (you know it’s coming), dominant, subdominant transpositions & key changes which just make you feel damn good! It fixed in the musical minds of Bonnie Tyler & that comprehensive group of singer song-writers thereafter.

Thane is, at the mo, on youtube, madly trying to figure out helicopters! He’s having an instructional lesson as a birthday present. Since the age of 1 Thane has received two sets of things. Generally one or the other (can’t spoil the spawn!): an album of one of the top 50: My Generation, Pet Sounds, Mike Oldfield, the 2 best Beatles albums. It was always a ‘thing’ whether Revolver or Sgt Pepper’s made the ‘top.’

The other thing =experiences, rather than things. This is why he buys clothes from Vinnies for $4 so last year, in Adelaide, Thane and dad hopped on lovely catamaran and swam with the dolphins for 4 hours. Terrifying but one of his best memories. Rock climbing once & Snuba  (TM) diving, feeding coral fish. These days they supply people with a USB of their ‘experience’. Thane’s worried about the veritable nervous pee ‘experience.’

Puro

[syzygy @replies]

AH, @pedant in my ‘recommended for you’  I saw “bowel streak” and left a post. I believe I used Pustulant sore on the arsehole… I couldn’t come up with a better insult. I’m pretty certain he and his ilk have already visited the site.

They seem to favour only one Doctor Woman: Doctor Donna and 868 people agree -there.

Sad, aint it?

Puro 🙁

[syzygy @replies]

@rob me too! Last week and lost the whole hog. Luckily, a mate had brought me a new (very small, mind) coffee plunger with a sweet bean. I had just come home and fancied a good brew. So, rob it calmed me down. We have merlo coffee here? And if you purchase a large tin of it (as I did about 3 months ago) they give you a free coffee AND a $5 voucher which my mate used to buy the plunger. And was it<i> delicious. </i> I could imagine the actual coffee bean and where it had grown….

<i></i>But a pint at the pub would work just as well.

Puro.

@rob @craig @jimthefish @blenkinsopthebrave (they were amazing! Dadn & I had seen some before of ’17’ but not for ages) @pedant (that was a interesting song. I have not known of that group before) @bluesqueakpip @mudlark @nerys @kevinwho @arbutus  @janetteb @lionheart564 (amazing characters! That’s what we call them here? For either Japanese or Chinese and it’s so hard! YOu must be a very clever person and your English is very very good) @whisht  @miapatrick @winston (I wish we could exchange heat for snow!)

Thank you for your birthday songs and wishes and vids and also a blog about important issues @pedant.

Who has moved into new times. Many of my mates feel there isn’t much to watch for. I’m trying to change their minds. It’s hard. People are hard to change 🙂 And dad says we cannot be the same. If we were what would we discuss. Maybe Hair -Styles? Toenail polish? 😉

On that topic mum has decided she is now too old to wear bright red toenails. I prefer no polish but I am a guy but I have never understood the allure of makeup (thankyou for spell-check on allure). The gals at school pile it on every day. I once said to a chick at a party (my 1st ever party at 16) ‘you look better without it’ and she nearly thru my drink back at me. It was only lemonade. I won’t make that mistake again I always comment on how awesome their shoes are even if they can’t walk properly. 🙂

Loved the last Who. Took me awhile to understand the satire and the ‘camp’ dude. I didn’t know what ‘camp’ meant. At school people say “gay” except it’s not the same ,  is it?

Sorry, I do not want to offend. Also at school we say LGBT not LGBQT and I know what ‘Q’ stands for but I don’t get an answer at to why we can’t use that term (‘Queer’) – I am not even sure if putting it in ‘    ‘ is correct either!

Thank you to all.

Thane16. (Timey whimey)

[syzygy @replies]

“It’s the only way to be sure.”

@blenkinsopthebrave

Thank you! 🙂

As SOON as I heard that voice: “it can’t be happenin’ man, it can’t be” I knew it was the same actor in True Lies, which, for all its dreadful racism, is one of Thane’s favourite films. I think he plays a waiter, lives in a trailer and pretends to be working for the CIA, NSA or another 3 letter organisation?  @bluesqueakpip @kevinwho @cathannabel @craig and gracious others: on the topic above, I think there are trolls and trolls. Dozens are SO stupid that they spell easy words wrong, don’t tag and watch Tennant-era eps on repeat (as their favourite iteration): Smith would be too “gay;” Capaldi, “too old & not a heart throb” whilst banging on about “Moffat’s inability to handle Sherlock and Who at once:  with too clever arcs and lazy writing.”

Some stay for a while.  They often tag people and aren’t the “spit out a post and vanish” type. Example: ‘bahar’ (cant recall his tag) spoke of the terrible music; that the composer and orchestrator lacked talent and had been chosen for his “black skin.”

He spoke about that several times and so it wasn’t a drive-by troll. He loved the 50’s -70s music scores and that as a middle aged white guy whose partner had died, it implied he had the necessary criteria to despise people who were accepted in positions when merit wasn’t the criteria. I argued against that. He loosened his grip a tad, others attempted to argue with him, and he kept on going. There’s always the idea “one can never change their minds” and yet we have 3 current new members who admitted to having their minds changed and that’s good  -but it’s rare.

I think this isn’t a complicated situation. They’re bullies; we all know what bullies do, how they act, and so reasoning with bullies is difficult, often impossible. Two years ago I left Seeoswald with a little lesson: use a topic sentence, explain why you dislike something, give examples, etc etc and she vanished and then….returned…not changed one iota.

She said she was born in ’66 and that makes her a year older than me (if that’s to be believed on her part) and THAT’s worrying. It’s not always the shouty lads on half term. Frequently it’s shouty women in their 20s -50s who  don’t support the ERA, firmly insist husband as head-of-house etc.  They believe African Americans are naturally inferior because of their colour, that the previous president was Muslim and born in Qatar. Sometimes they come here to make an account like “turntheclock” deliberately finding a place to spread venom. I don’t like killing cockroaches and I collect spiders and put them outside. Anything truly venomous like green ants, with their nasty bite, I kill stone dead and forget about them.

I guess I feel that way about the bile and venom of certain posters on youtube. I don’t even visit The Guardian pages where I imagine I’d be horrendously rude to anyone who claims “the Doctor can’t be a woman and Ryan’s an idiot and Yas is Indian: why isn’t there a female, white companion?”  which is why I stay put here. But I know good people do visit those sites in order to create a balance (of a sort) and I worry that the BBC, despite the excellent ratings could end the Chibnall era early.

Where do our ‘jobs’ as forum members begin and end? What is the job of moderators? Should mods say “I’m done now. I’m packing it in” or should they moderate and encourage people to look for what’s exceptional about a set of episodes?  And how do we stop the rot? I don’t have the answers myself. But somebody must.

I haven’t checked lately but the ad hominin attack rule on our front page might need an English trans? Apologies if that happened two years ago!

I wonder about actually saying, “if you’re here to hate the female doctor, hate the writer, complain about lax writing then ship off.” That’s harsh but what tends to happen is that posters do exactly that and then people start to ‘reason’ with them which takes valuable time from enjoying theories and bonkerising leading to weariness.

Is it possible that when showing a scene from the new Who episode that week that a short 3 mins youtube clip from AG Who which dealt with exactly the same issues (or similar) could be inserted as a method of showing viewers that actually Who has been spreading “social messages” since ’63? Not sure about copyright but I reckon poor Chibbers would be dead thrilled. I can’t imagine what he’s feeling right now. Personally I fell in love with “gabby Doc” like Thano from ep 1 – a very different ‘gabby’ quality from Tennant although the baleful whining has often included: “Jodi is trying to be Tennant. She’s basically the same. Find a different personality” 🙁

Puro Pondering.

[syzygy @replies]

Thankyou to all! Muuum. You should have said nothing! 🙂

I came home for lunch but as there’s no cake yet I’m going back to school where it is really hot.

Lots of discussions have occurred over the night. For me, I tend to say (I know I didn’t last week but ) very little when the dweebs or twoobs come out. Generally, on Instagram and snapchat I type “okay” and they get pretty upset -and then they disappear. They probably think i’m special or something.

These are strange times …..

Thane16 and Puro

[syzygy @replies]

Well, I’d personally weaponise the fuckers pretty damn quick.

I know Thane really wants “an ignore” approach but it should also involve lots of “pointing and laughing” as were the words spoken by David Tennant’s Doctor in: Silence in the Library. And wasn’t there lots of fabulous retrospective discussion about THAT? So, the 17 year old has a point, but me? Nope. Scramble the jets.

Puro

[syzygy @replies]

@bluesqueakpip

I mentioned above the concept of “not changing” as a metaphor for “look beyond our clothes -we’re more than that.”

That’s possibly a tad corny though.

[syzygy @replies]

@blenkinsopthebrave

Sorry abt that: I meant the older seasons many decades ago, where they had an eon to change attire. 🙂

And yes, I don’t fully understand the complaints. It was a good ol’fashioned romp made a lot smarter as a woman managed to “keep talking because she’s in favour of it because it solves problems.”

I was excited by -what I call – “gabby doc” because it’s seems to be written  seamlessly -mostly -and it adds to the team/fam idea whereby there’s little mystery to the Doctor. She needs ‘the team’ to actually do things that genuinely help her and aren’t just faffing-around-jobs-just-to-keep-them-happy before they get exploded by a square-ness gun.  😉 It’s been the case from Ep 1 where we get the “flat leadership structure:” more wonderful hints about how the world can improve or listen without the gabbiness as over-clunky or speechy – to me, at any rate.

Puro (the red wine kept  me awake!).

[syzygy @replies]

And literally nobody gave a fuck…So why is it suddenly an issue when Chibnall is doing what has usually been done?

@pedant I think asking that question leads to more alcohol -or chocolate consumption.  🙂

They are finding anything to pick on because they might not necessarily a) want him or JW to succeed b) or, it’s pretty good, so finding anything makes them feel righteous or, c) they may’ve complained about these things before, but 3 or 5 years ago, they may’ve have discussed this with people in a different manner -around the watercooler type thing.  Some of the nitpicks are understandable, I guess, and certain posters aren’t complaining exactly but admitting they’re nitpickers because they understand that particular portion of history in tremendous detail.

Others, though, are determined to be unhappy and still others create accounts just so they can complain and hope others jump on the bandwagon (safety in numbers and in cowardice).

Puro Urgently- Rambling- On.

[syzygy @replies]

@miapatrick: good points. And valid as it explains why the villagers wouldn’t have questioned the ‘dress code’ – what with them all summoned to the lake for a prompt ducking. Also, dress code: not a priority considering the dead horses, 35 people ducked and dead, etc

@kevinwho I think that the prisoners had been particularly bad -the fact they’d been imprisoned for millions/billions means something was truly awful 🙂  Perhaps the gaolers had died? Certainly, in Tennant’s episode with Martha  -where the Doctor had to become human, he imprisoned the entire alien ‘family’ who had murdered and taken over many villager’s bodies for considerable eternity -which could be an eternity encompassing only Tennant’s Doctor! 😉

@tardigrade

The psychic paper works on me too. When I look at it, I see the words “Plot Device” printed in bold lettering. I find it a bit clunky.

..Roses’s miniskirts…

I think Amy was “the legs” which didn’t bother me, particularly. Bill Potts had high -cut tight jeans whilst Donna had quite the bust as did Rose’s mother. 🙂  As for the psychic paper, I like it but thought it was an old device? And a wonderfully good one here considering how in The Witchfinder, Becka Savage read it “as Witchfinder General” and the King, “witchfinder: assistant”  (or something to that effect) which naturally highlights the comedy and romp of the season and the issue of King James not seeing “woman” as anything but ‘witchy’ considering his own experiences.

@pedant I think it was a Union Jack t-shirt in that episode with Eccleston?

@blenkinsopthebrave That makes sense -they had a virtual eon to  choose the correct attire. But perhaps not changing is suggestive of “who you see is who you get.” Or “our clothes shouldn’t always define us.”

G’night Team Tardis 🙂

Puro.

[syzygy @replies]

Thane is 17 tomorrow!! Whoo-hoo. Not sure what kind of a day he’ll have -because after 5 days at home he’s actually required to attend school. After a bit of a difficult year (and a day, today, of 38 degrees!) he made it.

Puro

[syzygy @replies]

@pedant. That. Is. Gorgeous.

And so obviously true.

Puro

[syzygy @replies]

@jimthefish @janetteb @pedant

It is wearing and I’m sympathetic.

Yes, it’s combative. These people aren’t going to beat chests about nuclear missiles so we can talk them ‘down’ to conventional, sensible weapons. I tend to think if they want combat then they need to see what it looks like.

And they should be prepared for it.

At risk of cliché, if we don’t stand up: we’ll fall.

Puro.

[syzygy @replies]

I think someone mentioned Manchester-by-the-Sea? Film with Casey Affleck directed by Kenneth Lonergan. It’s not exactly a ‘happy’ film, but God, does it bring you to your knees.

Honestly, I’ve heard so many versions and re-adaptations of scores but there’s a superb Jules Massenet featuring Dawn Upshaw and the most uplifting Albinoni adagio I’ve heard in a very long time. Also, a spot of The Messiah in a pleasing gentle walking pace….

Affleck does a tremendous job.

Puro

[syzygy @replies]

I have to say, as a historically lazy woman that one thing that made me go: “woo!” was the FEEL of it. Just like when I was 7: mud, or corridors, madness, or jokes about my “pricky” de-vice (said salaciously).

Loved it. Also, Cummings was brilliant to me: tormented, frightened, a little learned and the Doc had  massive-grunt. More of that please. And I really want to see it again. I was looking for that ‘feeling’ or urge.

I know very little of this historical period, but I thought the dress, the manners, the general poverty and quite obvious misery was pretty appropriate to that period…..and probably for a thousand years before (well, almost).

But. To the pub for a mention of a film I have just seen…

Puro

[syzygy @replies]

@turntheclock

“it’s religious bullshit.”

How the HELL is it religious? It’s POLITICAL. I am 16 and I know this. What are you, 10?

Thane16

[syzygy @replies]

@turntheclock

I like your handle.  You missed the word “back.”  It speaks of “social messages:” let’s get back to racism, poverty, homophobia, anti-intellectualism, anti-thought, anti-history, pro-gun, pro-shitty messages, pro-bad-television and on and on.

You came here, made an account, just to complain, right?

Who would WANT to turn back the clock? To right-wing, deterministic, middle aged, white dominance?

Yeah, right on.

Sorry mods, I feel we need to slap ’em down. Sometimes. But not always.

Puro and T16.

[syzygy @replies]

@tardisprototype94

Yes Lawks! “social messages”

oooh, oh no! The Social Messages! We will never survive. As monsters of humanity we must band together and stop all social messages. We may become cleverer if we listen to them, less monsters, more human, we may even be kinder…This must stop. We must continue to be marauders against truth, purveyors of false news, we must be unkind, volatile, angry, resistant to change.

Ah, The social message…..it’s got me……I’m dying……Ah, oh, no, gulp, whimper, I. Am. Dyingggggg.

[syzygy @replies]

@fatmaninabox a sort-of kebab (no calculator but with chilli) as I mentioned that….person. 🙁

@mudlark

Now, mudders! Definitely you wrote a post describing the furious winter experience from which I took a “whoa, THAT’S a serious winter. That. Right there.” 😉

Not to worry. If it was more humorous than, “awful. This is awful” awful then that’s a good thing but I apologise for misconstruing it. The other mention of life and death was tagged with other discussions where people -in Aus generally and QLD, specifically, romanticise winter. A little bit like me, at 26, saying to my date: “Oh, a motor-bike. That’s friggin cool, man. It must be awesome riding through the rain on winding roads, in your leathers, hopping into a pub and having a hot meal and a hot drink.”

He had to marry me -he said. Chiefly because anyone who thinks riding a motor cycle in the rain is “cool” needs to be schooled, taught to ride a bike and hopefully has a damn good sense of humour. Which, to the latter, emerged after about 20 years….as to the rest that’s entirely my business 😀

@idiotsavon  Savon Manor: I hope things aren’t too challenging??

@pedant the anecdote regarding winter etc reminds me, yet again, of the lesson: “an anecdote is not the singularity of evidence (if I have that wrong I shall blame Spawn of the Hospitalised who re-told it aka Chinese Whispers).

@janetteb  It’s awful isn’t it? I think it’s an issue of disposable income/cost of living. Local cafes nearby have ‘mugs’ of weak coffee for $5. A few former colleagues in Sydney changed in the early ’80s to superannuation plans SO good it virtually assures entitlements forever. Daily, they take a 40 min walk to a local beach (Coogee; Bondi..) stop for a $6 coffee and walk home -excellent exercise, buy a paper, or use the one at the café.

I imagine once retirement has hit fully (where that super option wasn’t open to us) we’ll be attending to every red cent by necessity what with purchases for water equalling $1200 a year, something we didn’t foresee ten years ago. Rates are added on top of that and if we want, say, a ‘green’ bin for emptying garden waste that’s another $15 per month so we plop our garden-ey waste into our normal-size red bin for standard waste (as does everyone on our street).

Spawn has been attending a few parties recently and whilst we have by no means a life of penury, he’s a bit amazed at the homes visited: 6 bedrooms, two pools, pine trees (apparently hauled in for 1000s of dollars); film theatres, outdoor kitchen (now the standard house includes an outdoor kitchen and a plunge pool no matter how small the land) and so many other rooms, spectacularly modernist in decoration, that he gets lost frequently. Mind you, his sense of direction isn’t that much better than mine   😈

My ‘grand’ wish:  as this area had a stream running thru it sixty years ago;  boulders pushed out of the earth like the horror film Poltergeist (I think?), I wanted to create a hand ‘operated’ stream with a few old pieces of tile etc occasionally turning on the hose near it, sitting on the grass and popping one’s feet in of a summer night…luvly-jubbly. Who needs a 2nd kitchen or a home-theatre? I just don’t geddit. My parents, originally from Europe, liked to make a $$ ‘splash’ with large formal lounges forbidding entrance unless disinfected, showered and powdered like Rose and the Doctor in the episode New Earth. Eventually they came to their senses.

Puro-undisguised-rambling-on.

[syzygy @replies]

@fatmaninabox

For thee:

Puro and T16

[syzygy @replies]

@pedant

uhm? Did I say “no arc?”

THANE? Did you?

Definitely hints of arcs. For instance the crack in the wall was very little -at first (as an idea/arc. Cute! The crack had. An. ARC. Geddit?? ROFL!). OK, seriously now, the crack continued right to the end of Smith’s era. Other little arcs and clues such as “I was born under a clock” says Clara-Prime (if there’s ever a prime) I only now recognise as part of the clock-work in PC’s Tardis; so surrounded by books and arm-chairs and other analogues was effectively one birth ‘symbol’ of Clara.

But off topic. I like the moral arcs and the arcs of people and characters learning. Which I said on the Blog a few mins ago and which vanisho into Chaos and the Problem of Evil…. 🙂  I also mentioned that there is lots to discuss, still. The puzzle and clue might be missing to some….but I think it’s still there. It’s hidden, a different kind of nuance. A bit like the Tardis taking the Doc wherever they need to be, still.

Someone said the bit of dangerous cloth- was The Remnant. I thought of the series: The Leftovers. I suppose they were leftovers, in one sense.  🙂

Puro.

[syzygy @replies]

@arbutus

I think I referred to your lentils dispute (Lentil-gate) on The Sofa? But I didn’t catch up on your mention of T16s rather horrendous essay in maths class. Indeedy! Except it nudged him to a ‘B’ what won’t be a B or even a pass in the exam yesterday where he texted me with: “I had 2 on the C level correct and 3 of the D level correct. Out of 16.”

At first I’d said, “so please tell me that’s 5 out of a top mark of 8 or even 10” which reminded us instantly of a Tommy McTiernan comedy sketch on that exact thing which I must find for a laugh.

I have to say arbutus that I’ve not heard of an olive oil dispenser! But thank goodness you weren’t eating lentils with your coffee for breakfast. 🙂

Thane completed his philosophy but the teacher smiled in a way that implied Thane didn’t do this all himself which is quite untrue. Unfortunately, after a stellar yearly start to the subject, he received an C- last term to do with Logical Philosophy which is very ‘mathematics’ and as an exam, without any possibility of cheating or getting help, the teacher is wondering how Thane could do so well with the Problem of Evil and The first task (2 weeks ago -therefore I can’t remember it!). But do it he did, which is terrific. No way on earth I could’ve helped him – the concepts were waaay beyond me. I get the odd syllogism….

@fatmaninabox good to see you again! I did so love The Invisible Man.  Sounds like a great channel for the UK. Something good needs to happen in your neck of the woods what with Theresa May’s “Brexit is happening next February (?) whether you all like it or not” comment.

Puro.

[syzygy @replies]

@whisht

Ah, the Eastern vibe 🙂 Yes, absolutely you can hear some non-Western tonal music. Some of it reminds me of the Javanese Kacapi with its particular range/compositions as well as ‘idiomatic’ modes generally not favoured by rock’n’roll but enjoyed by jazz fusion artistes nonetheless.

Puro  (yes, thank you from upthread. Am home for a pass ‘out’ and night ‘out’ and then fully home on weekend or Monday  –  the pharmacy generally closed Sundays 🙁   But all’s good.

Puro

[syzygy @replies]

watching ABC Happy Hour with Silence in the Library. Tennant was brilliant and it’s terrific to watch Kingston play against such an accomplished actor. His nervous, “who are you to me? what’s in that book?”

Donna’s suspicious and can’t work out what River is saying with her, “I sent a note and it got here too soon. This is early in his future.”

I love River’s, “have we done The Crash of the Byzantium? Picnic at Asgar?” Interesting that, based on his face, she -human of a certain percentage-  still isn’t sure which ‘face’ arrived at those places in time.

Also funny to see attitudes to companions: how Donna is teleported away without any explanation from the Doctor who basically talks very fast and lies in order to protect his companion. The Doctor’s “I’m so sorry, so, so sorry” to Proper Dave who turns into a Vashta Nerada swarm is a regular beat with this particular Doctor. Moffat had terrific monsters! But I think now is the time to change things ‘up’ with the true monsters being ourselves.

@arbutus I missed your tale of exploding lentils! Awful! I have done this myself with pumpkin soup. Fortunately the apartment had low-ish ceilings and they were a pale apricot (not our choice) so the problem was easily remedied. But I smelled pumpkins for 12 months after… Actually To all Word Smiths: is it “smelt” or “smelled?” Is the former more ‘industrial’ and arcane?

Puro

[syzygy @replies]

@jimthefish

I never thought about the episode in that way: it’s the first time the Doc doesn’t attempt to destroy the over-arching ‘system.’ And it’s interesting. As my 2nd viewing is happening as I comment, I’m aware of the Doc saying, “you have a great attitude to life, Kira” when she recounts imagining a person receiving a Kerblam!

Judy, head of People, seems to be genuinely interested in her workers and even Slade after the “find your brain, Kira” comment is concerned about why workers are vanishing. The galaxy is under-employed; but the work, obviously necessary to the Organics, has positive elements: the ‘bots’ don’t ‘harass’ the staff but say, “keep your over-long conversations to leisure breaks” whilst the leisure ‘park’ is quite something in itself. I’m wondering if the work being pointless and “very repetitive” as mentioned by the Doctor at least twice in the first 20 mins could improve -when Judy recognises things are dreadfully wrong with Charlie?

I got the distinct impression Judy cared and so removing some repetitive  jobs in line with galaxy rules could occur: but the galaxy laws would be difficult for the Doc to do anything about, I think?

I noticed Charlie looked worried when Graham said, “I can detect even the most subtle of social cues” but corrected himself, saying, “it’s obvious.” If he had detected ‘everything’ maybe Charlie would’ve ‘put Graham away’ to prevent interference with his terrorism?

I have a nasty feeling Graham will die in this series: “I am 310!” and other hints.

The bots were similar to Oods to me -a bit, at least. The Ood are a real race used as slaves and now the bots are re-vamped by Charlie….

Puro

[syzygy @replies]

I noticed that the workers are given jobs based on “mental fitness (approximately), stamina etc and the Doc wants the Purple Group Loop but is assigned a ‘white’ one. She then swaps with Graham who initially had the cleaner’s job.

I thought “hmm” the machines assign the work according to one’s brain/experience etc etc and yet the Doc is a cleaner! Having read @xad4 ‘s comment above, though, cleaner is caretaker -as in PC’s first season and also Tom Baker’s cameo in the 50th Anniversary Special.

Puro

[syzygy @replies]

@blenkinsopthebrave Hail all conquering heroes of the Dark Arts Technology!

How have you warmed to the series? I use ‘warm’ metaphorically, considering your mention of Jacarandas and Brisbane summers which, I fear, are worsening, but we have air-conditioning which is hardly appropriate to global warming: it’s that or sitting in a bath of ice for the duration. The Junior likes to run in the middle of the day to improve stamina which is fine by me because then he can dig out summer weeds with nary a complaint.

Generally, I peek out at 5pm to water (the grass meanwhile happily churns out weeds if it rains or yellow dust if it doesn’t), then quickly slam the door, turn on Christmas lights, have an ice-coffee with no milk or sugar -just crushed ice and a cold mince pie with ice-cream (or as I’m doing at the mo: many flavours of cold jellies and a thing I’ve not seen before which could be cold chocolate soufflé).

Any winters over-seas were an awful long time ago and at just four weeks per visit, head stuck in books, and with no need for driving, I never mastered the other Dark Art of Keeping Safe In Winter Weather: the knack to look for black ice; winter tyres/chains; storm windows; knee-high boots for pushing out cars from muddy-bogs etc. I complain about the heat, but it really doesn’t affect us -obviously the very elderly and the youngest of infants require proper warnings, but I’m fully aware just how dangerous the winter is in so many countries: how dark, how cold and wet; and how miserable it must surely be.  It’s easy to romanticise cold weather when it’s so very bleak for many weeks. No wonder Thane noticed every home and commercial office or shopping centre loaded with decorations and lights!

So, lots of warm wine, warm mince pies, a log fire (not for fun as it can be here but an absolute necessity without other heating). Last year @mudlark wrote interesting mini-memoirs about winters in the UK when she was moving about with her family and needing both dry clothes, a heated room and hot food. The absolute difference between life and death.

I also read, ’round the same time, a fantastic blog by our own @cathannabel discussing how the poor in the UK get by in the coldest months, including the use of tea- lights and bubble wrap to ensure they’re warm. People, who in their teens, would never have thought they’d be a statistic ten years later, are barely surviving due to often unrecognised -or ignored- poverty.

Indeed Mr Blenkinsop: the Jacarandas are out and about. There are only two in this area -more beautiful specimens are  further away in Holland Park or Lower Mt Gravatt and border the river in Auchenflower and St Lucia.  My mother naturally hated them: we had two at one point requiring sweeping up daily. I preferred to let the blossoms lie there but mama would have none of that. She was annoyed that the neighbours let theirs get “completely out of control.” The other thing you’re not missing are changes with J. Packer LTD and the various affiliates such as The Age, TFR and Sydney Morning Herald.

Puro x

[syzygy @replies]

@miapatrick

I noticed your comments and @janetteb ‘s on dyspraxia? Yes, I worked at bars/waitresses/waiter and was terrible. I have no dyspraxia: I was just generally nervy and bad with numbers. At 16 I was still counting with my fingers. I had to do this to count myself into a musical score which was mildly embarrassing!

Yes, the boys in the schools I worked in were called “YOU! Mockton, get over here and Strange? Is that YOU in the cupboard?” etc etc.

Us girls were: “Kylie, get a move on!” No fair.

Ooh I like “Smock” = S. Moffat? So Toc for Dennant (I mean Tennant) or Woc for Whitakker Doc?  Er, no, actually, that’s awful. SWock….?

Don’t mind me, I’m eating 4 different flavours of jelly and a milkshake and the sugar is clearly getting to me. I also notice a very large storm heading my way…And not a TenDoc ‘Oncoming Storm’ either. Summer is definitely here.

Puro

[syzygy @replies]

@lionheart564

Ah I see Thane16 tried to recall your name/handle -for some excellent points you offered for his 1st of 2 incredibly difficult philosophy assignments. I’m his  mother hen, sometimes known as “muvverphucker” when things get tough! So thank you.

I understand your point about surnames. I have to admit it wasn’t my original concern: I didn’t even think about it! That it occurred to others helped me to understand ‘hang on, there’s something there I should I pay attention to.’ Possibly I would’ve written: PC and Jodi or Tennant and Rose simply because people understand that immediately. I guess the problem is ‘why they understand it so easily?’ In my ancestry names are feminised by the ending thus eliminating the need to place ‘Mr’ or Mrs/Ms at the beginning of their name.

I JUST managed to watch Kerblam! and thought it was the best so far with echoes of The God Complex and The Beast Below which others above picked up. I didn’t question the fact that JW has actually sided with the corporation rather than blowing it all up! But then as far as I can tell, the Robots would’ve delivered packages to millions of people about to die and the antagonist broke the ‘thingamebub’ so the Doc had very little time to vary the options. I also thought the character beats were very nicely done with tight angles, excellent editing and subtle uses of a dry score -although some Trent Reznor style melodies would’ve added more sophistication  but it’s all about dollars and pounds 🙁

Also I like how BW calls her “Doc” – it fits nicely.

Puro

[syzygy @replies]

@miapatrick That’s it! He does seem to stand with the contestants doesn’t he? He says “we could’ve won this” not “you could have” even though it would be “you” . The scary guy knows all the answers. His face never ever moves! There’s an Australian show called Letters and Numbers (probably it started in England) and I really like it. It’s something you can make at home. We also have “HARD Quiz” which is hosted by a comedian who tends to be ‘rude’ to the contestants (in a nice way) and they’re rude back. Everyone has 3 different sets of questions and because it’s the ABC there is no prize money. Its all fun.

Bradley Walsh acts in a subtle way. I don’t why I thought he wouldn’t? I think there were auditions – – for something that causes so much love (and hate) and is so personal. I think there was no way in the 60s this would have been anticipated. But it has become a huge series with unveiled stars. On that, I don’t know what Pearl Mackie is doing now (I love the name).

I noticed most people didn’t call her “Pearl” but Bill Potts (shorter to type?) whereas people who don’t like Whittaker call her “Jodi” which is an interesting type of insult. It’s not a proper one but a dig.  Just saying that I didn’t notice it with Mackie & that might be because everyone liked her??

T16. (long post)

[syzygy @replies]

@janetteb

I think Bradley Walsh was or is a host on a question/answer show? mum hadn’t seen it but I used to watch it. It was pretty silly. I saw it again last night and it would be a repeat: his hair was brown and he was a bit less heavy. Not that he’s a fat guy! He just seemed younger. I wasn’t sure about him either but I like him a lot. He’s my favourite of the Adventurers but I think Ryan may take that place: he’s more my age and he’s nervous and funny but he’s kind. I like “kind” and “nervous” and I think that there’s a lot to like and laugh at as @idiotsavon said. “Rosa” was my fav.

I think the Savon Manor is a major good title . My writing skills have dived after the final theodicy paper on The Problem of Evil. 🙂  I was  very worried . Until I handed in the paper and the two speakers before me didn’t mention the ‘actual’ problem of evil, nor did they refer to any philosophers which is seriously off. So thank you! And big news: I used a LOT of Alvin Plantinga. @bluesqueakpip that’s down to you.

So, I thank you again: @pedant (you’re being called a ‘fish’ now?) and those just mentioned and  @janetteb for your assistance. Also @kevinwho and there was another person (whose name I have not recalled fully but)  who is Chinese. Thank you also for your excellent points. I have History tomorrow, then Maths then OVER for 8 weeks. Sweet!

T16

[syzygy @replies]

@seeoswald

You’re back. Personally, I’m SO glad that there are SO many people who are clever, who are thinkers, who are thoughtful who like this new series.

Things change honey-bunch. And that’s a good thing.

If you hate it, sweet. More for me to like. As for tweets, the people you like do it: Capaldi, Moffat …. even Whedon. I forget, you mean: Pete, or Stevey or Joss.

Mate, I’m yawning.

@pedant me and dad visited the Town Hall for an hour with a writer I like: (bad time, middle of exams) and he made pertinent statements: as a script writer and novelist he said in answer to a question, ” people who proclaim “this is good!” or “this is rubbish” have never ever put pen to paper.”. He says “sure, they’ll say they’ll do, they’ll lie but actually you can bet their knowledge of writing smells of lower school or middle school. Never listen to them. Also, insulting actual writers only makes those writers extremely happy because somebody’s mad (and stupid) enough to make a comment and whatever the comment it can make that writer’s day. If only they realised that for us writers the best insult is silence. They can’t do that so they sit in corners shouting “boo” to mirrors.”

Awesome!!

T16

T16

[syzygy @replies]

@geoffers

The parker-isms are probably my mis-interpretation but I feel the bebop thing & am probably the only one in the world to do so! 🙂

When you wrote “Keith…” it was on one line and so I thought (I made a bet) you might write… Jarrett but you wrote “Emerson” so I lost…except I actually ‘won’ what with Emerson being awesome ‘n’ all. Totally get being an instrumental over vocal type. I am very close to that….. The track you linked? Fabulous, and very Jarrett and Miles Davis too. A few other hints .

Puro

[syzygy @replies]

@mudlark @pedant

I think P’ting was satire nicely done.

Thane16

[Author]

Posts