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