Myst 2024

I have now completed all of the Myst versions for PC that I know of.  I played the original way back when.  It came on a single CD.  I was mesmerized.  It was rendered in 256 colours.  Then came Myst Masterpiece, rendered in thousands of colours.  Eventually, a long time later came RealMyst.  The slide show format was gone forever, and though the game ate a lot of computing power back then, I managed to get through it several times without a crash.  I still love that version and will replay it many more times, I hope.  It introduced the day/night cycle to Myst, and I still love sitting upon Myst Island and watching the sunrise, moonset, sunset and moonrise.  It also introduced a new age!

Now we come to Myst 2024, which was originally conceived for VR (someday, perhaps!).  I guess they figured that it wouldn't sell many copies, so they also produced a new PC version.  Gone is the day/night cycle, and we are stuck with what we get.  Now for the good and the bad.  First the bad.  Out of the six areas one can explore (the island, the original four worlds, and the new world Rime), two are quite disappointing, one is at least equal to the other versions, and three of them hit the jackpot for atmosphere and effect.

 

 

Now for the two disappointments.  Myst Island is quite a disaster.  Usually it's one of my favourite places to hang out, but this game makes me want to get away from it as soon as possible.  It is overlit, and even the shadowy areas offer no respite.  In an attempt to create atmosphere, everything is overdone.  Each scenario has mist upon the water, and sometimes upon the landscape.  Even that doesn't help the bright afternoon sunlight we are relentlessly faced with.  The less said about this the better.  My guess is that with VR a lot of light is needed, at least at first while players get used to the environment.  There is very little that is mysterious here on arrival.  I will make a general positive comment at this point, however.  ALL interiors are very well done throughout the game, including the library, tower, various bedrooms, tunnels etc.  A lot of work went into texture and lighting.

 

 Disappointment number two is, unfortunately, often the favourite world for players.  Yes, Channelwood is a mess.  Again the lighting is too strong, the sound effects are bad and we have a few tiny frogs hopping along the walkways and jumping into the water.  The bottom of the trees are rendered okay, I suppose, but the branches with leaves are atrociously done.  The windmill looks good, and the interior rooms are beautifully done.  Of course these were the two areas I played first, so I nearly gave up at this point.  However, I decided to at least have a quick peek at the other worlds before panning the game totally.  I'm glad I did.  Whereas the most recent version of Riven was perfect from the get-go, Myst already had some serious flaws.  I spent very little time in Channelwood, and have no urge to return in this version of the game.

 

I next went to the Mechanical Age.  Finally I felt as if I was playing Myst again!  Though there was nothing too surprising here, at least everything looked right and felt right.  The mist on the water was peaceful and I felt that I could watch the clouds pass overhead for some time.  Throughout the game there were small changes, most of which improved on the original game, and most often with the puzzles.  All of the puzzles are essentially the same, however, so that old walkthru you might still have can still be used. 

 

  

Feeling buoyed by my visits ( went back for each page here) I moved on to the Stoneship Age.  Jackpot!   While I love the thunderstorm in RealMyst, I never felt like standing around outside very much.  The sky here is glowering and stormy looking, but it doesn't rain.  The sea looks menacing, and the lighthouse is a welcome retreat.  The upper area has been changed, and one can now walk all around once up top.  Nearly every viewpoint gives wonderful atmospheric views.  There are some fun additions once the underwater lights are turned on, too.  I really loved my time spent here, and again went back for both pages.

 

 

The Selenitic Age is another marvel of design, colour and atmosphere.  While the old sounds have been kept, the age has been given a perfect makeover.  It is foggy and quite dark here, and the lights on bridges and pathways enhance the chilly, damp atmosphere.  I always liked to hang out up in the forest by the little waterfall, and this area has been done to perfection!  The designers have done a perfect job here.  Bravo again!

 

 

Now we come to Rime, the add-on age from RealMyst days.  I always loved it here. but found it rather cramped.  Playing with the aurora machine always gave me a rush.  The age has been expanded slightly, and still feels as cold as ever.  There are several new areas to enjoy a chilly nighttime walk.  Best of all, once the aurora have been set in motion, they continue on indefinitely, so that one can walk around again under different coloured lights.  Sharp-eyed folk will also spot a whale surfacing!  The interior cabin areas have been expanded and enriched, and Rime is now an age on equal footing with the other worlds.

 

 

So there you have it.  Two dud worlds, one "B" and three "A+s".  I will revisit my favourites again before unloading this version and uploading RealMyst for another go.  Playing the latest versions of Myst and Riven has been a gaming highlight for me this year!!

 

In other gaming news I have upgraded to the brand new Train Sim World 6, with three routes.  With each edition of the game the routes are longer and more complex.  I can still drive classic engines, though I choose not to drive steam (way too complicated).  But I love the early diesels, especially the British ones that chug their way through stations hauling classic passenger cars filled with tourists, and belching smoke and fumes as we go, especially uphill.  I now have nearly 40 routes to drive, with well over a hundred engines, each with their own timetable.

 

We just upgraded the main computer as well, to an up to date gaming machine.  With a super fast processor and a top notch video card, we are good to go for many years.

 

In movie news there are three to report.  Most recently we finished a brand new (2025) documentary on the brief life of John Candy, the Canadian comedian who won fans wherever he went.  We first met him in the SCTV series, still probably our favourite comedy show of all time.  Many of his films, especially Planes Trains and Automobiles remains one of the best holiday films ever made.  Interviews with John's wife and two children, as well as with virtually every comedian he ever starred with (think Stripes, for one).  A must see film for fans.  Even if you don't think you are a fan, you will be after seeing I Like Me.  It is showing on Prime.

 

A terrific and moving tribute to the great man.  Showing on Prime. 

 

Still Life is a 2006 film from China.  It takes place during the building of the three Gorges Dam, when cities were being evacuated and pulled down.  Two love stories intertwine in the area, as one man leaves his village after 16 years to finally search for the wife that left him.  She took his baby daughter with her, and he wants to see her.  The second story is about a woman who comes looking for her husband, who has been out of contact and away from her for two years.  The backdrop of the city and some of the remaining people (most of them are employed to demolish the buildings, using sledge hammers) is the main story, however, as we watch a way of life disappear forever.  Well worth sitting through, it has some odd moments as well (a ufo sighting, and a large monument taking off into space, to name two).  It is leaving Criterion Oct. 31st.

 

Leaving Criterion Oct. 31st. 

 

A Chinese Ghost Story is from 1987, and is a kind of wuxia/horror/comedy film.  It was made in the same year as The Princess Bride, and seems to share a similar type of humour and overall outlook.  While some of the jokes are crude and fall flat, many hit the target.  An innocent and child-like man attempts to save a dead princess (yup).  Other ghosts have different ideas, but with the help of a martial arts/wizard master, the man helps battle the forces of evil when he not trying to run away.  The ending is somewhat unexpected, as guy does not get girl.  But wait--there are two more film sequels.  Stayed tuned.  This was a fun film to watch and I am looking forward to the 2nd one, which was made three years later.

 

Now showing on Criterion.
 

 In final news Deb had a couple of invasive medical tests today.  One was negative and one turned up something that might help explain many of her symptoms.  More later.  

 

In final final news, here is a picture of our front garden.  It's sunny today and quite warm, but that should be changing very soon.

 

Happy October! 

 

Mapman Mike 

 

 

Back From Sudbury

We left for the north last Wednesday, poking along for a day in southern Ontario and staying overnight in Collingwood.  We made stops in Alvinston (Munroe Meadery) and Thedford (Twin Pines Orchard).  The latter was a first time visit, as they make hard cider from their own apples.  I came home with a jug of their original cider, as they were out of apple/pear cider.  We arrived in Collingwood just before 5 pm, checked into our hotel, and then undertook the short walk to Endswell Beer.  We had fine ales here and pizza, then took a sunset stroll on the adjacent trails.  Collingwood is a major ski resort in winter, but it sits right on Georgian Bay, so it is also a boater's paradise in summer.  There is hiking in the nearby mountains (we could see the ski runs from our hotel window), but my foot is still not up to the challenge.  However, on this 6 day journey I did manage 4 walks, two of them for forty minutes.  I had intended to take a lot of photos on this journey, but alas I forgot my camera at home.  So these few photos were taken with the android phone.

Three photos from our walk in Collingwood.  that's me in the 2nd photo, and that is part of Georgian Bay in the last one. 

 

Next day we drove to Coldwater, a small and pretty village that is a favourite stop of ours when northbound.  They have a nut roastery there that always gets our business, and a small street of very interesting shops.  Deb was able to buy an old suitcase that she needs for an upcoming film shoot.  We stayed for about half an hour before pushing on north.

 

A decorated shop in Coldwater.

 

The old mill has been kept up and is now a bar and restaurant that also sells deli items.

 

The Coldwater River flows beside the 1833 mill in the downtown area of Coldwater. 

 

Shortly after leaving Coldwater and heading north drivers cross a large bridge over an inland bay (Matchedash Bay).   Almost immediately afterwards comes another bridge with very fine views of Georgian Bay.  Immediately after this bridge one suddenly finds oneself in Northern Ontario, amidst the Canadian Shield.  It is a sudden and shocking change of scenery, and from here on north as far as one wishes to go are the thousands of lakes, rocks, and mountains of the Shield.

    We stopped again in Parry Sound for ales from Trestle Brewing, and this time finally made our first stop at Norse Brewery, several miles north of the the Sound.  Then it was a straight run into Sudbury, which is about 440 miles from our house in Amherstburg when the quickest route is chosen.  Usually heading home we take the fast route, which takes about 8 hours if traffic isn't too bad.  For European readers, this 8 hour and some 440 mile drive only covers a small portion of Ontario.  To drive to Kenora, near the border with Manitoba, from Sudbury would be another 900 miles.  Ontario is absolutely enormous, and would fit many countries into its borders.  It is also filled with parks, so that many of the best natural areas are accessible to the public.

    We got to visit with my mother (96!), my younger brother Steve, his wife Lynne, and my two nieces.  Alicia is the oldest, a soldier in the Canadian Armed Forces.  Emma Lee is the youngest, currently in Grade 11 at a high school for girls.

    We also visited Lake Penage, Deb's first visit in many decades.  We were actually given a tour of the inside by Tony, the current owner.  He has done a beautiful job with the camp, which is now accessible for most of the year.  My cousin still owns the adjacent lot with two camps, but he wasn't there today.

    It was unseasonably warm on our visit north.  Though the leaves were changing to fall colours and the smell of autumn was in the air, it was in the 80s so it didn't feel quite right.

 

Found near Norse Brewery, Nobel ON.

 

A walking trail in Sudbury that we take to reach Beard's Cafe and Bakery, and all-vegan establishment.

 

View from the deck at camp, Lake Penage.  Now owned by Tony and his wife, this is where I grew up during summers since the age of ten.  The lake is still clear and clean and very very inviting. 

 

We got to watch some TV while visiting family.  We don't subscribe to either Netflix or Disney, but they do.  We managed to finish up season 15 of Dr. Who, and are now all caught up with the series.  We also watched an 8 part series on Netflix called House of Guinness, detailing the history of the great Irish brewery from the death of Benjamin (1868) onward.  The series has good actors, some very fine writing (though it includes more F bombs than any other show I've ever watched), and some of the best night photography I've ever seen.  While I can highly recommend the series, beware that the final episode ends in a really stupid cliff-hanger.  While there will probably be a season two, it's still a terrible way to end a series that people have watched for nearly 8 hours.

 

Now showing on Netflix.  It's an 8 part series. 

 

Turning to Doctor Who, we managed to finish up the 2nd series with Ncuti Gatwa, watching episodes 3-8.  They were all pretty good, with Disney's budget allowing the show to at least equal the effects of Star Trek and its ilk.  These stories were usually much better than Star Trek, too.  The final two episodes were linked, and made a fine conclusion to Gatwa's era.  He is among my favourite doctors now, with an energy and outlook that really boosts the show.  And Varada Sethu as Belinda, his companion for several episodes, is now one of my favourite companions.  The 5th episode, "The Story and the Engine" is set in a barbershop in Lagos and features an all-coloured cast.  It uses mythology heavily in its storyline and to great advantage.  "The Interstellar Song Contest" could have used more alien songs, though it was a fun episode.

It was exciting to see Susan helping the Doctor to control his temper.  We have heard nothing of his granddaughter since she left the show back in the days of the first doctor.  She is way overdue for a reappearance.  I can't say I got too excited when I saw Billy Piper at the end of the series. A third season with Disney is likely, though I would guess that the show is far too "woke" for the present state of American entertainment.  I suppose the return of a blonde white female might be just what Disney needs to convince it to undertake another season.

 

Mapman Mike 

 

 

 

 

 

September Reading Summary

I gave Tubb and Bulmer a miss this month so that I could fit in a long read by Moorcock.  I won't do that again for some time.  In fact, I only have one more Moorcock book on my shelf.  As with Piers Anthony, I have likely run my full course with the author.

From the year 2000 comes Michael Moorcock's King of the City, a 421 page small print hardcover that purports to be a novel.  With 27 chapters, several of which are very long, it took me 10 1/2 days to get through this mess.  If you only read chapters 1, 25, 26, and 27 you won't be missing a thing, and the story might actually make sense.  I think that Moorcock is attempting to channel Iain Banks, who wrote some of the finest and much more timeless novels of contemporary times.  He fails miserably.  Most of the book is filled with name dropping, which won't mean anything today to many readers, and absolutely nothing to younger readers.  Moorcock's biggest fantasy yet is that he seems to want to be a rock star and musician (the two often do not go together), and so his drugged out avatar Denny Dover gets to play in the greatest rock concert since Hitchhiker's Guide (oh wait, that might have been in the future).  But it's meaningless to him since the girl of his dreams is giving him the frozen shoulder.  The problem with "contemporary" fiction, that is fiction that uses real people and real events, almost immediately dates itself.  Published a year before 911 events, the big deal here is the death of Diana, Princess of Wales.  The big war going on is the Bosnian War, which most people today have completely forgotten or never heard of.  The big genocide event was in Rwanda, again mostly forgotten today.  Events in the story were upended by 911, the two wars against Iraq, the Afghanistan affair, President Trump, the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the civil war in Sudan, and on and on.  Perhaps if I'd read the story 25 years ago I might have felt different about the book.  But I doubt it.  It is poorly written, a sad imitation of James Joyce's Ulyssess in places, and mostly gives us the thoughts of a crude though half intelligent paparazzi (Dennis Dover) and the people he most interacts with.  Though he makes continuous fun of magazines like Hello! and People, the author gives us his own version of the same, and much of it is incoherent.  Sometimes writers write to impress other writers, friends, and a certain type of (clueless?) reviewer.  His audience for this novel must be a very small one.  Not recommended, though there are a few very funny passages that break up the monotony.  And the first chapter and the last three are quite good.  It even has a happy ending, a sort of utopia that came about rather unexpectedly at the very end.

 

James Branch Cabell's sublime novel The Cords of Vanity is from 1909.  I first came into contact with this author as a teenager collecting Lin carter's Adult Fantasy series.  Carter published several novels by Cabell.  At the time I didn't like them and didn't "get" them.  Rereading them in later years I came to appreciate the incredible talent of this writer, almost forgotten today.  I was so pleased when Delphi Classics came out with his complete works!  This novel follows an idle and selfish young man in his various love affairs, and can seem at times like Oscar Wilde prose.  The wit is similar, as well as the understatement when dealing with emotions.  We begin with Robert (Robbie) Townsend's first love as a boy in his early teens, and follow him through to his disastrous 26th year.  That is the year that Robbie (hopefully) grows up and becomes a man.  The tragedy at the very end comes as a big surprise.  I had to read it twice to make certain I'd read it correctly at first.  I had.  A stunning novel, and worth many readings.

 

Ashes of Empire continues the tale of the invasion of France and the siege of Paris by the Prussians in 1870-71.  Robert Chambers' three novels give a complete chronicle and insider's view of those devastating events.  This novel, from 1897, was the last to be written on the subject.  However, to read them chronologically (I didn't) begin with Lorraine.  Next comes The Red Republic and finally Ashes of Empire.  Though Chambers is remembered more for his spine tingling tales, including The Yellow King series, his knack for historical fiction is quite amazing.  What struck me again and again as I read these 3 novels over a period of about 2 1/2 years was how much of this kind of murderous nonsense still continues today.  The novel is written in such a modern style that it hasn't dated much, and the basic facts of the war in France remain accurate.  By adding fictional characters, in this case two American reporters and twin sister from Breton who are in Paris, the emotional depth of what was occurring really strikes home.  The girls arrived in Paris to look after their uncle's pet shop after he died.  While the birds were released just before the siege, the lion (very tame), monkey and tropical bird had to be sent to the zoo in order to be fed.  One feels just as sorry for the lion as one does for the suffering people, as it is badly affected by the sound of canon fire.  I highly recommend the entire series, available very inexpensively as part of the Delphi Classics series for Kindle.  Then you can also read the King in Yellow, another must read.

 

Pearls Are a Nuisance is a novella from 139 written by Raymond Chandler.  It's an amusing and quite short read, as the detective strives to find missing pearls, which he knows are fake.  With very few characters in the story, it isn't too difficult to figure out who done it, but Chandler throws out all the roadblocks and red herrings that he can.  A fun story to read, and though it isn't classic noir, the style is spot on.  Recommended.

 

Uncollected Short Stories by Kate Chopin.  There are 44 of these small treasures, and it will take them 11 at a time.  

"Wiser Than A God" (1889) tells the story of Paula Von Stolz, who wishes to become a concert pianist.  She is highly sought after by George, an agreeable man, who eventually proposes marriage.  Paula realizes that if she accepts, it will likely be the end of her career chances.  What will she do?  Hint:  this is Kate Chopin writing, one of the earliest female writers to stand up for women.

"Emancipation: A Life Fable" is the story of an unnamed creature accidentally freed from its cage and venturing out alone into the big wide world.  The story can be taken as allegory for any number of situations, including and not limited to an animal becoming free to roam, a woman coming from from her closed environment, or a slave being freed and having to face life on his or her own.

"A Point At Issue" (1889) is a sweet tale of a husband and wife who appear to be in love and a perfect emotional and intellectual match for one another.  While their post-marriage relationship appears strange to outsiders (including readers), it works out well for them, until the big change finally comes.  A lovely story.

"Miss Witherwell's Mistake" (1889) is a humourous tale about a 19 year old girl suddenly showing up at her aunt's house, in a small town far from where she grew up.  What is her reason for being there?  The reasons she gives her aunt seem plausible enough, but eventually we learn the truth.  Another sweet story and not without humour..

"With The Violin" (1889) is a truly Victorian tale, as a grandfather tells his young grandchildren a true story of how a handsome young musician and his music saved the life of someone who was at the very end of his rope.

"Mrs. Mobry's Reason" (1893) is a tragic tale of a woman's attempt to keep her son and daughter from marrying.  Readers will assume that the woman is just being too possessive and selfish, but we don't find out the sad truth until the very end.

"The Going Away of Liza" (1892) Liza left her husband suddenly one day.  This is the story of her unexpected return.

"The Maid of St. Philippe" (1892) is a tale of the early settler days.  A French town musts evacuate as the land has been turned over to the English.  One young resourceful woman and her father refuse to leave.  When he dies she has several options from which to choose.  She chooses the one that suits her best, alarming her friends.

"A Shameful Affair" (1893) A 19 year old girl visiting a farm becomes obsessed with a handsome young farmhand.

"A Harbinger" (1891) is a very short tale about an artist who paints a beautiful girl's portrait one summer.  He thinks of her often over the winter and returns the following summer hoping to win her as his wife.

"Doctor Chevalier's Lie" (1893) A doctor in a poor and rough area of a town comes across a victim whom he had personally known.  He writes to the parents regarding the bad news, lying to them about the cause of her tragedy.

 

I finished the month with another story by The Old Sleuth.  A Desperate Chance, Or The Wizard Tramp's Revelation is from 1897.  This is an adventure tale rather than the usual mystery story.  It begins in the wilds of the Rocky Mountains as a young man teams up with an old timer to look for gold.  They in turn hook up with a third member.  The young man finds a stash of gold and he is sent back East to attend university.  He has an adventure on the train ride home with some card sharps, and eventually makes it to university.  This story is a bit unusual from the mystery stories I have read by the author previously, and not nearly as interesting.

 

I finished up the month with Meteor Menace, a Doc Savage adventure from 1934.  A long time ago I purchased a ten-pack of these fun pulp SF novels, and read one of them occasionally.  As a young teen I read nearly the entire canon, over 80 novels.  This is one of the better entries in the vast series.  An ancient meteor that crashed into Tibetan mountains has been harnessed for evil purposes by a brilliant professor, and Doc and his gang of 5 assistants have to stop him.  A beautiful girl figures into the plot, and for a time readers are led to believe that Doc is engaged to her.  As if.  He even blushes slightly at one point.  The tale begins in Chile before moving to Tibet for the finale.  Doc's list of scientific gadgets and weapons would make James Bond envious.  An exciting adventure, and Doc really does get his clothes tattered, too!

 

Cover art from 1964 paperback edition by James Avati.
 

 Mapman Mike 

  

The Return Of The World Travellers

 After a one year hiatus, mostly due to health reasons, our travel life has resumed.  Deb was invited to an animation festival in Toronto, strangely enough called "Toronto Animation Festival" and felt well enough to attend.  It had been two years since she had accepted such an invitation from the many festivals that invite her.  We chose to go by train, leaving Thursday morning from Windsor and arriving back where we started Friday afternoon.  Not much of a journey, I'll admit, but it's a start!  Toronto comes very close to being a Hong Kong look-alike.  With a metropolitan population hovering around 6 million, at least half must be Asian.  There is block after block of noodle shops and restaurants from all across Asia.  Whereas Detroit has added 5 or 6 new tall buildings in the past few years, Toronto has added over a hundred.  Many of them are condos and apartments in the downtown area, making for a very animated city night and day.

It was a cloudy and stormy arrival day.  Our hotel room overlooked Lake Ontario (That's Toronto Island back there) with a busy boating schedule.  Bottom right is the brewery. 

View east from our 7th floor hotel room window.  We were just at the foot of the CN Tower and the baseball stadium, so it was a very busy area.

 

There were two ales for me and two for Amanda.

We chose business class on Via Rail, and though it's on the pricey side we both felt it was worth it.  We received our vegan meals, and there were free beverages, including alcohol.  There is also a very nice v.i.p. lounge at Union Station in Toronto.  We arrived in the big city in early afternoon, and it was a short walk to our Radisson Blu Hotel.  We never stay at expensive big city hotels, but we had enough points from past trips at smaller hotels, mostly in the US, to enjoy a free night at rather nice joint.  Just opposite our hotel was Amsterdam Brewery.  Amanda met us there for some refreshment before we headed uptown for dinner.  Her boyfriend, Bill, would meet us later at the cinema, as would two very old friends of mine, Bill Smith and Dino, who was my best friend growing up in Sudbury.

 

We ate at a Chinese veg restaurant called Veggie Delight, which was about a 15 minute walk to the cinema afterwards.  The food was really good, and as I was served a virtual mound of tofu with my entree, all three of us ate it up eventually.  Deb had a bowl of soupy noodles, while Amanda had a steaming veggie dish served over crispy rice.

 

The event was held in a small theatre, and there were six of us as a group.  There were probably about 40 people in all, and ten animated short films were shown.  Deb's film "Once Upon A Time", with her original song as the base, was easily the best film overall.  It looked really fantastic on a big screen, and the sound was perfect, too.  Others had some very good music, but the animation did not measure up.  A few were too long.  One had totally fantastic animation, but the song was a really bad religious one.  Afterwards Deb and two other filmmakers who attended did a Q & A for about 30 minutes.  After the show we tried to find a bar but everything was jammed up tight.  So we just ended by splitting up into our three groups and going home.  We managed to hail a cab just as the rain began to pelt down once again.  We were soon snug in our room, very tired.

 

Three filmmakers at the Q & A.

 

Deb answers a skill testing question from the audience.

 

Back of head from l to r: me, Dino, Bill Smith.  Photos by Amanda, who sat just behind us with her own version of Bill. 

 

I must have walked several miles on Thursday, and much to my great surprise my toe did not hurt!  Does this mean we might be able to squeeze in a trip to London or Vienna before Christmas?  Stay tuned to this channel to find out.

 

Friday morning we got up late, checked out and wandered towards the train station.  We ate breakfast in the special lounge, then boarded our comfy train car ahead of the mob.  The trip home was quiet and relaxing, again with a decent vegan meal served us.  Once in Windsor (the train was 30' late) it was a 31' drive home through Friday rush hour traffic.

 

What's next for the world travellers?  A trip to Sudbury very soon to visit family.  And likely something bigger after that.

 

Mapman Mike 

Normalcy Returns

Deb's stent was removed last Thursday, bright and early at Met Hospital.  It was becoming very uncomfortable, so she is happy now that it is gone.  Three days later and she finally feels more like her old self.  Speaking of old self, yours truly has a birthday today, along with Bilbo and Frodo and the Autumnal Equinox.  There will be much celebrating.  There will be cake.  No wood fire, however.  Yet again the weather is too summer-like to have a fire.  It hasn't rained here in nearly a month, so for my birthday I want rain; lots of rain.  I've been watering our new grass around the deck and it is growing just fine.  But everything else is very very thirsty.

Last time around I promised myself some reflecting.  I will focus first on Travel, and what we have accomplished so far in life.  My love of travel hit me at a very early age.  As a young teen I would walk the railroad tracks near our house, often for many miles, just to see what was around the next curve.  Various friends would accompany me and we would have a fine day.  No food, no water.  Crappy shoes.  Just walking all day, often in the sun.  Usually we would hear trains approaching us from behind, but sometimes they would sneak up if they were coasting.  Two close calls.  We usually hitch-hiked home afterwards, tired and very thirsty.  There were no plastic water bottles back then, only canteens.  We carried nothing.  Sometimes we would have money, and if we ended up in a town with a corner store we would buy a pop.  Later on I did some solo hitch-hiking, mostly south towards Parry Sound.  Maybe a part of me knew that Deb lived there.  I made it as far as Pointe-au Baril one Saturday, about 75 miles from home.  No i.d., but some cash.  There was a store at the end of my journey, with a very cute and very freckled girl working there.  We chatted while I drank my pop, then I turned around and got a lift back to Sudbury.  This ride was interesting.  It was two black dudes from Detroit and they were driving a Cadillac.  I could barely understand them, but they were fun to ride with.

 

Lake Penage was where our family camp was located.  It was a camp at first, too.  No electricity, no phone and no road.  We had to arrive by boat.  Over the years the camp got turned into a "cottage", which was pretty much like a house only right on a beautiful lake.  From here I would do day trips with a small boat, sometimes alone but often with Kenny T., a cousin-like friend who had a camp near us, and a very young cousin, Bill.  Bill and I ended up going for a really fun canoe day trip, driven far into the wilderness by my Uncle Jimmy.  He picked us up later.  We explored a lake, having to portage in, but we found a creek that allowed us to paddle out.  We also encountered a black bear.  I have many black bear stories, including a few from New Mexico.  But this time we were paddling out from our day at a remote lake along a very shallow and very narrow stream.  We came across what we thought was a small bear.  We stopped paddling to watch it.  All of a sudden the bear became very, very large.  It had been standing in a hole!  We both started paddling, but in opposite directions.  The canoe made a complete circle before we finally got going.  We were laughing so hard we could barely paddle.  The bear could have had us for dinner quite easily, but luckily it became startled by two maniacs in a canoe and it took off.  Here's the punch line.  Behind the bear, which was only about thirty feet from us, was a rock wall, a cliff about thirty feet high.  That bear just ran right up the cliff before disappearing into the woods.

The La Cloche Mountains as seen from the big hill behind our camp.  Part of those mountains could be seen from our camp.  They are about 20 miles away to the southwest.

 

When Deb began visiting the lake she and I would do similar day trips to the far reaches of the small lakes that surround Penage (dozens of lakes).  We spent our honeymoon in August of 1976 at the camp, doing canoe and boat day trips (we also got married at a small church on the lake).  That led to two major canoe trips in the fall of 1977 and 1978.  From the camp, and from any nearby hill, the outline of the La Cloche Mountains could be seen.  They were about twenty miles away to the southwest.  As a kid I often fantasized about those mountains.  I could see them very clearly in the telescope from camp.  But it wasn't until Deb and I undertook our two canoe trips that I really got to know the mountains.  It was my very first taste of real mountains.  It was also the first time I heard pine trees sighing mightily in the night time downdraft from the mountains.  That was to become a frequent sound in New Mexico, and much sought after even today.  Not only did I never forget those two trips (one of them, the first, being more memorable due to an ungodly overnight series of thunderstorms that left us totally soaked), but it led us on to more and more mountains, including Mexico (three trips) and Spain (2 visits to mountains).  Then, of course, came New Mexico... (to be continued).

 

Some scenes from our two long distance canoe trips in the La Cloche Mountains, 1977 and 1978. 

 

In movie news there are three to report.  We finished the series called The Last Enemy.  From 2008, its five episodes are a paranoid conspiracy theory nutcake's dream.  In fact, I now wonder just how much this series influenced all the anti-vaccination fruitcakes out there.  The government already controls most people through identity cards and universal surveillance, but they want to take it much further in this near future dystopian nightmare.  They vaccinate a group of Afghan refugees against disease.  All well and good.  But they include a microscopic i.d. chip to help trace where these people end up.  But things go badly wrong and the added chip causes a death from flu-like symptoms.  Things go quickly downhill from there.  So the lesson from this, my friends, is don't drink the government kool-aid, or take their damned vaccinations.  Anyway, it's a pretty taut and dramatic series with some fine acting.  However, I would have no great urge to ever rewatch it (until it all comes true).

 

Now streaming on PBS Masterpiece. 

 

Nell is from 1994 and was directed by Michael Apted.  It stars Jodie Foster, Liam Neeson and Natasha Richardson.  Here is the blurb from Criterion:

 

Inspired by the true story of Poto and Cabengo—the American twins raised largely in isolation who were found to have developed their own language—this poignant drama soars thanks to an extraordinary, Academy Award–nominated performance from Jodie Foster. When doctor Jerry Lovell (Liam Neeson) discovers a young woman (Foster) living in seclusion in the backwoods of North Carolina, he is intrigued by her unusual behavior and unique pattern of speech. Together with a psychologist (Natasha Richardson), Lovell is determined to pierce Nell’s private world and protect her from the courts—and a life of scientific study. In a race against time and a system bent on shattering her spirit, he and Nell forge a connection that will transform them both. 

 

Foster is pretty amazing in her role as the surviving twin, who learned to talk from a mother who had had a stroke.  Add the Tennessee twang to that and see if you can understand anything she says.  Also, the girls invented words.  Finally discovered after the death of her mother, we watch Neeson and Richardson, both doctors, try to bring the surviving girl into the 20th C.  Foster's body language, added to her facial expressions and unique way of speaking, add up one pretty amazing performance.  A rewarding film to watch, this one is highly recommended.  Foster was nominated for the best actress award, but lost out that year to Jessica Lange.

 

Leaving Criterion Sept. 30th. 

 

Lastly comes another Sammo Hung kung fu film from Hong Kong.  The Magnificent Butcher is from 1979 and was directed by Yuen Woo-Ping.  Bogged down by endless "fighting", the kung fu is more like the Chinese circus acrobatic kind, which is at first quite amusing, but quickly wears thin.  Imagine a concert pianist sitting down and zipping through some scales before he begins to play.  But instead of actually playing any pieces, those scales just keep coming and coming.  For two hours.  Some of the humour works, but some doesn't (an alcoholic kung fu master is just a wee bit overdone).  Mixing humour with horrible violence and the deaths of innocent people seems to be the way Sammo works.  This might be the last of his films that will be reviewed here, though he did a horror kung fu movie that I might look at someday.

 

Now showing on the Criterion Channel. 

 

Mapman Mike

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reflecting

Sticking so close to home for as long as we have of late, there has been time to catch up on some thinking.  Not the kind that hurts (like memorizing piano repertoire), but a more pleasant kind, as in what have I seen and done during my long life.  Our most recent travels have mainly been to the USA, with a road trip to Little Rock with a focus on prehistoric sites, a flight to New Orleans with a road trip from there to visit some State highpoints, as well as visit New Orleans for the first time, and a much longer road trip last October with some spectacular hiking in Indiana, Oklahoma, Texas and New Mexico.  I have several blogs devoted to travel.

Though travel has been and always will be part of my life, it isn't the most important part.  First comes music, both learning repertoire for piano and playing it for friends, as well as attending concerts.  Next comes Astronomy.  If I lived in a dark sky location I would use every available clear night for some kind of observing program; as it is I have to drive 38 miles each way to reach a suitably dark sky.  Reading would have to rate very highly, also.  I read every single day, at least two hours if possible.  I have two separate blogs for what I read, as well as monthly summaries reported here.

 

Between now and ? I will take some time when writing these blogs to discuss some of the highlights of my life in each of these categories: music, astronomy, reading and travel.  Those four activities probably define who I am than any other ones.  I watch a lot of movies, too, and TV series, but that aspect in usually covered in my everyday blogs (here).

 

In health news Deb began to feel better on Thursday, nearly a week after her surgery.  She actually put her pajamas and housecoat aside and got dressed, a good sign in itself.  One more week with the stent (6 days, actually), and hopefully all will be well as far as urology goes.  The next crisis point will be her first of what will become monthly blood tests to see if her liver can handle the new RA drug.  We should know by the 25th of this month if she can continue using it.

 

Meanwhile, her newest film has just been released (see her website, listed at top left margin).  She has two other films showing in England, one on Saturday in Lewes and one soon in London.  And next week she has one showing in Toronto.  She is always invited to these things.  We'll see about Toronto, as it's still pretty far away.

 

In film watching news there are two to mention, both chosen by Deb.  One from China and one from Japan.  Dying To Survive is the Chinese one, and is from 2018.  It is more or less the true story of one man's attempt to get cheaper medicine smuggled in to the country for leukemia patients who can not afford the officially approved medicine.  Told with considerable humour, the sympathy is also there but not overplayed.  The film was a huge hit in China and actually caused the government to relent and begin covering the cost of the drug for patients.  Recommended viewing and directed by Wen Muye.

 

Leaving Criterion Sept. 30th. 

 

From Japan comes Undercurrent, a drama from 1956 directed by Kozaburo Yoshimura.  A beautiful woman who dyes cloth and designs kimonos falls in love with a married university professor.  Though she has no problem allowing him to cheat on his wife, things take a different turn when she finds out that the wife is dying.  He says something to the dyer that immediately turns her off to him, though to a westerner it seems an innocent enough comment, about them not having to wait long now to be together.  She assumes he thinks that she has waiting for the wife to die.  A miscommunication and she destroys her one chance for happiness.  Though essentially a soap opera, it is very well done.  The kimono designs, however, is probably the best reason to try and catch this film for yourself sometime.  An honest film with some very odd turns.

 

Undercurrent is now showing on Criterion. 

 

We are currently watching a 2008 4 part series called The Last Enemy, starring Benedict Cumberpatch, Robert Carlyle, Eva Birthistle.  More later.

 

Mapman Mike 

 

 

Surgery Success

Deb's 2nd kidney stone removal surgery in 4 months finally happened today.  She was first on the table this morning in Leamington, which meant a very early start for us.  We left home at 5:45 am to get Deb there by 6:45 am.  She was out and back in the car well before 10:00 am and is currently at home, resting comfortably, as they say.  Or perhaps not so comfortably.  She has a stent in place for the next two weeks, and can't go far from home.  She has some happy pills to take for the first few days.  Her newest urologist is keen to discover the reason why these things are happening.  Not only did he zap a 1cm beastie this morning, but he also found two more in her kidney which he also removed.  So now we can concentrate on getting her RA back under control again, then worry about her lung blood clots.  Fun times.  Funny thing is she will likely be ready for a trip to London next month, but my foot is still holding me back.  I went off anti-inflammatory pills for several days to see how things were going.  I'm back on the pills today.  I've had no contact from my physician regarding the recent ultra sound results.  I guess I will have to contact him.

We finally watched the final episode of Season Three of Picard.  It's not that it's bad, but it's just the same old stuff over and over again, this time with the full old timer crew from Next Generation taking part.  There is nothing new in Star Trek, and there hasn't been for years.  In this series the big bad Borg are back, the writers seeming to forget that the first season was all Borg related, too.  With a full ending that saw the evil Borg queen combined with a good human, thus ending her days of tyranny.  No mention of any that in season 3. Sigh and ho hum.  I will spoil the ending for everyone by saying that at the very last second the good guys manage to save the Universe and everyone in it, with barely a scratch suffered.  Good job you guys.

 

We've been watching a British series called Canal Boat Diaries, where "Robbie" takes on English canals by himself for five seasons of narrow boating. Robbie is a good bloke, and his boat, the Naughty Lass--a pun on the Nautilus--has many quiet adventures on the mostly peaceful canal.  Robbie is an explorer at heart, always on the move (albeit slowly) and always looking forward to the next lock or bend in the river.  The English canal system is a true marvel of the world.  While the US also had a vast canal system, it was abandoned long ago and never rebuilt for pleasure boaters.  Ontario also has a great canal system, though I have never seen a long series about it.

 

Two recent films are up next.  To The Devil A Daughter is a suitably gory Hammer film from 1976 and directed by Peter Sykes.  It has a big name cast that includes Richard Widmark as the Van Helsingish hero, Christopher Lee as the Dracula-ish villain and Nastassja Kinski as the 17 year old nun who is at the centre of the evil plot.  She was only 15, and appears in a total nude scene near the film's end.  A number of unnecessary deaths plague the film, not to mention the nude scene.  A filmy flowing gown would have been much better (for the actress, too).  It was Dennis Wheatley's second collaboration with Hammer.

 

Now showing on Criterion as part of their Nunsploitation series. 

 

We last watched Port of Shadows in May 2014, so it was high time to see it again.  From 1938 the film was directed my Marcel Carne and stars the immutable and unflappable Jean Gabin as a soldier who has deserted.  He becomes involved with the incredibly beautiful Michele Morgan, stuck working for her lusty godfather played evilly by Michel Simon.  It's a great little film filled with small but interesting characters and situations.  The film seems to centre around a small dog that befriends Gabin when he saves it from being run over by a truck.  The dog follows him everywhere and might be the most interesting character in the film.  As soon as the dog joins him Gabin's luck turns to the better.  However, the one time that he leaves him behind is the one time that his luck runs out.  The dog returns to its shadowy life in the woods, along again.  I felt sadder for the dog than for the woman who lost Gabin to a low life cheap hoodlum.  A recommended film.

 

Leaving Criterion Sept. 30th. 

 

Mapman Mike