Too much TV

Before this whole blog turns in to a Barry Norman commentary website, telly is only a small portion of my life -however telly is a talking point for many nowadays - old fashioned ones decry the fact that kids watch too much tv, but it has been found that families that watch telly together bond better over conversation...its one of the subjects that can be broached by parents with teenagers. A recent paper study suggested that one shopuldlearn how to beat the kids at playstation if only to communicate with them on an different level.

Quote of the week

"You surprise me."
"Why's that James."
"I thought Christmas came but once a year."

(from The World Is Not Enough)

J x

My son the fanatic

Possibly one of the best films i ever saw with Om Puri (famous indian actor in just about every major role in western films ever) and Juliette Lewis (NBK, SIx Feet Under, and Cape fear.

Touching build up of strong friendships and affection between Pakistani Immigrant Taxi driver and prostitute both living in Bradford.In meantime his son goes frombeing a model to rejecting all western ideals (hence title)...

Best quote in the film from Om himself

"I have destroyed everything - I have never felt so wretched.....I have never felt so relieved"

Amnesty International

I stayed up late tonight watching BBC4 - of course having a surgical course tomorrow still hasnt stunted my ability that when i feel an easy day is coming on rather than the humdru mof work, my ability to organise my life goes out the window. I went to a very old public school...one arose at 7.20 in the morning when this big fuck off (copyright to Mr Eddie Izzard of course) alarm bell went off throughout the school.

One would put on ones trousers, still stripped to the waist and trudge to the washbasins, give the teeth a good seeing to, wet ones hair by some gymnastic talent being able to fully immerse ones head in alternately artic water then infernally hot steam that issued from the other tap. The basin was of course about 5 foot off the ground, so those of my fellow pupils who at 13 hadnt started their growth spurt headed downstairs to breakfast with shocking hair - i being taller of course managed to sport the latest floppy curtains hairstyle going.

Again I desist - i still set my alarm for 7.20 - promptly ignore it for as long as possible and then see if i can gather my stuff together, scald throat with hot tea and a single dry weetabix and zoom to work. Why is it ideed that now living in a house on my own, my ability to have a timetable goes to pot?

All asides aside - i watched this programme tonight that charted the history of the Amnesty International stage shows that included such luminaries as Peter Cook, John Williams playing Il Cavatina from the Deerhunter and of course Monty Python. It brought back a lot of memories of having seen such sketches as the Parrot Sketch and the introduction of Rowan Atkinson as the Sadistic Headmaster, at an age that was far too young to enjoy such things thoroughly - but enjoy them i did....why do i go on...well simply, as Stephen Fry said at the end of the programme..."To quote some dead poet, as time progresses one never experiences the initial rapture of something first experienced".

I have to agree, whether it is a joke, a monument in some far flung place in the world, a first kiss or the sunset in a certain place. The latter of course never ceases to amaze me as which two sunsets could ever be the same? But I have found this certainly to be true, this lack of wonderment after first experience that has led me to find difficulty in staying in one job, on one career path, in one city, for long. Im not easily bored but just crave the new and wonderful all the time. I finally chose to become a doctor because the sheer multitude of difference diseases, or how they present, or how the story of the build up of the condition is related by a patient, never fails to amaze. For me the mixture of surgery and medicine and treating patients of all ages in Obstetrics and Gynaecology is far greater than any other speciality, and with each experience comes a new responsibility:

And so this brings me back to my public school, whose motto in ancient french "Quant Je Puis" means not "when I can" but " as much as I can." It still rings true today and I hope I never stop wishing to visit and take part in the new future - Brave New World perhaps still in an original 1948 copy sat on the cistern of the toilet of my old english teacher - now 76 and going strong.) Peter H thanks for the opportunity to discover new things.

Apologies

For those of you who think I can actually understand anything written by the genius in the last posting please believe me, I cant and didnt mean to imply that - if you know who wrote the thing below then you will find a "beautiful" film out there to watch.

Speaking of which "The Man" was a reasonable laugh - thanks Liv
"Must Love Dogs" on the other hand was abysmal even though starring whats his face from Gross Point Blank and High Fidelity (ahh yes John Cusack that was it) - what could have been a funny sweet film with some big names turned out to have a script and acting worse than and Dallas episode, which is somewhat amusing as most of the cast were from Dallas. Again my apologies to Sarah W, but you saw the trailers too!

In connection with the above film, several of my friends have become recently single, so we have tended to meet up for drinks from time to time...and it appears that some of us feel society is changing - almost all my friends are now married, and it made me realise that I havent yet been in the situation where I would propose...sure it would be a nice way to show that someone i truly love is someone i truly love, but loving someone and marrying them are two completely different things. What if you are at different crossroads in your life? Look at Renee Zelwegger and her Country and Western bloke - she cited deception in the divorce proceeds (or was it fraud) in that he had apparently promised to move in with her in Connecticut and then proceeded to want to stay on his ranch in California or the one in the caribbean. Tough love eh? But perhaps such intolerance has its place.

Although I am of settling down age, and am in a profession that leads people to marry others in the same profession, buy a house and get the shares portfolio running - i have yet to want to do so... i see a partner as someone you can share life with not necessarily a home. Although i am 31, because I spent a long time at uni im lifewise about 24 to 25 in keeping with my contemporaries. Because of this i tend to go out with people of that age. Its this lifewise age that means I still want to travel the world and shirk perhaps the odd responsibility, i want to perhaps change careers at some point and because...well just because. I have always felt sad that people might consider my age a shortcoming..i on the other hand think it has advantages...i feel less panicky about the unknown but am still young enough lifewise to still have the thrill of discovering the same! Life to me is STILL a journey and just as travelling abroad is far much more fun if someone travels with you (a shared experience always far outweighs any solo experience), I will always relish having someone to share life's journey....if they or I then wish to settle down then thats another hurdle to cross but not one so close yet. My father had my younger sister at the age of 50.... After all whats the rush?...and so I told my friends....we all left with smiles that night.

Problems

Can anyone tell me who wrote this theorem? - he is still alive and lectures at Princeton University

Internet bah!

Being of noble character today I thought I would pay for an download the the new Warchild Album (try but low and behold, although they have MY money they keep coming up with an error about the server being busy...sigh

My little so called quiet sister now has PURPLE HAIR and listens to thrash metal - what next i wonder?

Go and watch mercury music prize = its worth it

Jxx

absent friends

Today I go to sleep a very happy man. I discovered that the people you once thought you knew are still themselves, but with the mutablilty of life and time, everything takes a different slant.

I visited a beach today that i thought a while ago i would never see again - it was raining, there was lightning in the sky, but still i went into the fresh cold sea avoiding the rocks in the shallows with flipflops still on...and it was cold, but the best damn hangover cure i ever had...of course with exceptional company, one can do anything and believe they are capable of anything...thank you my friend.

J xx

Two good films seen this week

The First is a spanish subtitled DVD called The Other Side of the Bed - lots of funny twists and turns with infidelity

THe second, which surprised me as it got so badly panned by the critics was The Island. Aside from obvious eye candy as Ewan MacGregor and Scarlet Johanssen the plot has lots of very good twists and turns and dollops of sci-fi and future bits and all sort for you to go and watch, and for those of you who know me if I like a thriller then it must be good as its my least favourite genre - anyone who isnt going to watch it can email and ill let them know the synopsis.

Take care

Jx