Meniere's Update, and Some Politics

 I saw Dr. Ling again yesterday for a followup, after two months of taking the prescribed medicine for my Meniere's attacks.  I haven't had a vertigo episode or dizzy spell since October, and some of the hearing in my right ear has returned.  I was taking three pills a day, and it really helped, especially in removing the feeling of intense pressure in the ear.  That feeling is rare now.  So I am cutting back the meds to 2 pills a day, and if that seems to work, I can cut to one a day, then one every other day, and then none.  Or go back to three a day if needed.  Progress.  I will see the doctor again in early July.  Interestingly enough we spent about 7 minutes discussing my ear, then we got sidetracked on piano.  After telling him I was a pianist and happy to have my hearing return, he told me he was, too.  So we spent the next 15 minutes discussing Chopin, Beethoven, etc.  I deeply apologize to all the waiting patients, but it was pretty cool.

Turning to political news, as I write this police are still trying to clear rioters from the Capitol Building in Washington.  That is actually of minor importance at the moment--the big news is that the Democrats have won both Georgia Senate seats, meaning that the good guys control both the House and the Senate, at least for the next two years.  Huzzah!!  The rioting will get sorted, some of them will be charged with federal crimes, and Trump has sealed his doom, politically and personally.  Things actually couldn't get any better!  Funny, I never thought I'd share a border with a banana republic, even temporarily.

In movie news, I'll begin with the most recent film watched, Palermo Shooting by Wim Wenders, from 2008.  The movie begins badly, and it seemed for a short time that we would not get through it.  However, after a stretch of bad music and following the nearly pointless life of a big league art and fashion photographer, the film gained steam, getting better and better.  Once in Palermo (capital city of Sicily), the film really rocked.  It doesn't get any better than many of the dream sequences included in this film, or having Dennis Hopper play the figure of Death!  Never take a photo of Death!  Worth more than one viewing, and highly recommended.

                        Now showing on Criterion Channel, a film by Wim Wenders from 2008.

Earlier, we watched Kirikou and The Men and Women, from 2012, Deb's main pick for the week.  This is our 2nd Kirikou film (one more is still out there somewhere).  This hilarious and artistically successful animation stars the amazing baby boy named Kirikou, living with his mother and tribe in West Africa, and getting into several unique adventures.  The evil sorceress is back, with her hilarious fetishes to do her bidding.  This film is a compilation of four shorter tales, each one a treasure and a delight to watch.  Don't miss!

                                        From 2012, now showing on the Criterion Channel. 

 

Earliest was Deb's pick from films leaving January 31st.  She chose King of the Hill from 1993, directed by Steven Soderbergh.  Purported to be from on the memoirs of A. E. Hotchner, the screenplay is by Soderbergh.  However, despite being a well-liked film, I see Hollywood written all over it.  The lead child actor is good, if a bit too well scrubbed for depression era St. Louis, and the period autos are just a bit too clean and sparkling and highly waxed.  The bad cop and bad bellboy, who both get their comeuppence at the end (thanks, Hollywood, we feel better now), to the over dramatization of the downhill car scene, all seems to be laid on a bit thick for my tastes.  Even so there are some lovely moments, as the boy dances with a female friend who has epilepsy, and almost any scene with his little brother, who is even cuter than the lead boy.  There are many harsh moments, including a harrowing encounter with a man who used to live down the hall from the boy, now living rough and looking totally defeated and helpless.  Of course there is a happy ending for our boy hero, as the separated family reunites and lives happily ever after.

 

                                        Showing on Criterion Channel until the end of January.  

 

Coming soon, an update about our local fateful fight with covid, and some art from the DIA.  And likely one more film.

 

Mapman Mike

 

September in November

It's been a warm start to November, and sunny, too.  But not clear enough for astronomy, as high haze has dampened my spirits all day today, the first one of the new session.  Tomorrow will likely be a repeat.  So I'm stuck at home watching for confirmation of Biden's win over The Monster.  Should happen tonight.

 

I saw my specialist yesterday, re: my vertigo. Hearing test came out as expected, with the left ear mostly normal and the right one--well, let's just say the hearing aid will continue to come in handy.  He put me on betahistine, 16 mg 3X daily, which is supposed to ease up things a bit as far as attacks of dizziness go.  Since cutting out most caffeine and all alcohol, and lowering my salt intake, I'm down to only about an attack a week right now (instead of one every five years or so, previously).  I am continuing with the exercise program, though it is mostly maintenance right now, until we can hike again.  We have been outside walking segments at a time of the local rails to trails pathway.  I have lost weight, especially in the middle area, and feel quite good these days, most of the time.

 

We both have had our flu shots now, though Deb is a week ahead of me as far as immunity goes.  And Gustav's ashes were available to us today, so he is currently sitting in a small velvet pouch on our Day of the Dead altar.  Usually our Samhain stuff is put away by now, but we extended it by a week.  Piano practicing continues, and if the drug helps hold off further attacks of vertigo, I will re-invite a few friends at a time over to hear the pieces.

 

In film news, we watched an amazing animated feature called Kirikou And The Sorceress.  From 1998, it incorporates several West African folk tales in a colourful and very fun story for all ages, as a unique new born baby faces off against all manner of dangers and tribulations, including the aforementioned sorceress.  This one is highly recommended!

 

Now showing on Criterion. 

 

That was Deb's pick, followed by end of the month film festival.  I chose only one film, but it was four hours and 47 minutes long.  Wim Wenders' Until The End of the World was first released in 1991, and he was forced to cut it to 3 hours.  We saw that version and didn't like it very much.  The director's restored version adds nearly two hours to the film, and though still with flaws, it was a much better epic to watch in this version.  If you saw the earlier version, then don't judge the movie yet--try and watch the longer one.  Though we had to break it up into several sessions, the time flew past.  The story gets really interesting when all the characters are assembled in an oasis in the Australian desert, at an Aboriginal cultural centre.  This part is among the best film segments I have ever seen!  Sadly, the movie (a SF) loses its focus and changes gears, getting involved with recording dreams, which become addictive to the dreamer/viewer of such material.  But up till that point (Wenders cannot end a movie satisfactorily in most cases), it is really quite amazing.  The world wide locations and photography are astounding, with the best parts set in Japan and Australia.

 

 

Next, we began a new TV series by Fassbinder called Eight Hours Don't Make a Day. Each episode is an hour and 47 minutes long, and seems to be a German version of East Enders, only more intelligent. The first episode was pretty decent, and stars a lot of the usual Fassbinder acting clan. Grandma's birthday is quite memorable, as is grandma! Seems promising enough to stay with it.

 

Now showing on Criterion.

 

After that came Jan Svankmeyer's Alice, a film we saw many years ago.  It's a flawed masterpiece, with some truly genius work being done here.  It is easily the strangest Alice adventure ever made, though it follows the story very closely most of the time.  It is very funny, very sad, scary, and very, very strange.  It is fitting that the Quay brothers paid tribute to the director with one of their own films.  Definitely worth repeated viewings.  No drugs needed.

 

Ending November 30th on the criterion Channel. 

 

Mapman Mike