Reviewing

 

Hello all. I hope you are well. We are fine here, all things taken into consideration. I just finished watching the netball, which was rather marvellous (except for the eventual result) and it took me back. Did you play netball at school? I did. Despite hating school sport, I didn't mind netball. If you got to be GK or GA you could only go in one little semi-circle the whole time, which even I could accomplish. Goal Attack was a bit pressured because people kept passing the ball to you, expecting you to score. Goal Keeper was better because you just had to show a bit of willing when the opposition came into your semi-circle by getting as close as you legally could and waving your arm above the shooter's head. Even though I had no skill at all, this was often surprisingly effective. What surprised me about the World Cup was how physical it was. When I played at school, if we as much as thought about barging into the opposition (which I think I could have been quite good at, what with the size of the thighs on me) Miss Quarnby would come running between us blowing a whistle furiously and then shouting "Three Feet! Three Feet!" I think there must have been a rule change because these women on the telly are loving a bit of argy-bargy. 

Anyway, I digress. I was going to tell you about leaving the house on a regular basis this week. Mainly, we have been to the pictures and we went to see the Barbie Movie and Oppenheimer. My daughter who, as you probably know, is one of the managers at a popular cinema chain said that she had never seen numbers like it - they almost ran out of Nachos, which would be no bad thing as far as I am concerned. Smelly food should be banned in the cinema. I know you didn't ask but I thought that I would give you may opinion. Barbie first. Hmmm. It's fine. Well, it's probably better than that but I think your enjoyment will be measured by how funny you think it is to watch Ryan Gosling make a complete twonk of himself for 2 hours. Sometimes I was just thinking "Make him stop." especially in the dancing and make my eyes go blurry.  Still there are some very funny lines. The patriarchy gets a kicking, which is fine but I struggled to see why women were hugging strangers and crying in the foyer. HOH said he filled up a bit but he is nicer than me so that is easily explained. I wonder if the dream houses and ponies and all the other merch was more of an American thing. I had a Barbie, as did many of my friends but we mainly only had clothes and a few bits and pieces which we all kept in shoeboxes. I know I am making my childhood sound like Bleak House now but I don't think we knew Dreamhouses were even a thing. 

I moaned for a week about the idea of going to see Oppenheimer. Mainly about the length of the flippin' thing. I mean we went in to see it at 11.50 and actually left the cinema at 15.15. Good Grief. It's nearly time to go back to work. However, I thought the film was amazing. Take care - it's very, VERY loud. We saw it on an IMAX screen and my daughter says that there are parts of it that make the glasses move across the desk in her office. There is very little gore and what there is is too affecting to be offended by. It's morally complex, brilliantly played and made me quite depressed. It's also a thriller with a decent espionage twist. For those that don't know (The only reason that I have any extra info is a three part The Rest is History podcast special) Oppenheimer had associations with the Communist Party before the war and this eventually brought him to the attention of the Un-American Activities Committee. There are a few clunky bits. Florence Pugh must have been cock a hoop when she got the part of Jean Tatlock - Oppenheimer's on and off lover. She was an interesting woman, a paying Communist with crippling bouts of depression but still fascinating to Oppenheimer. Unfortunately, she gets to portray this complexity via the medium of getting her baps out every five minutes. We need to get Barbie and her feminst crew on this. Is there a way to portray an intelligent, fragile woman who is both disturbed and disturbing without her having to take her bra off. We should be told.

Lastly, a little catch up on me saying that I have the concentration levels of a knat and cannot use Lectio 365 on my phone without being distracted by all the pretty apps. Actually, I do still dip in. This week I read a quote from George Muller on it. He cared for thousands of orphans in Bristol in the 1800s and seemed to exist mainly on miracles. One of my favourite quotes of his was 

"The first and great primary business to which I ought to attend every day is to have my soul happy in the Lord"

But, I have been looking for an actual book to supplement the app it but have struggled to find anything which wasn't too American. I understand that sounds like an insult. It isn't meant to be - it's just a bit of a different cultural approach that's all. However, when sorting some stuff out of my Mum's I found this old Martyn Lloyd Jones daily readings book. Actually, it was my book. Aged Parent was forever on the nick with my books. At first, I thought "No" because it's a bit worse for wear and the writing is very small but I have given it a go and I'm loving it. I'm obviously a much deeper person than I thought. In truth, I had forgotten how useful his stuff was. Books like Spiritual Depression and From Fear to Faith address very current problems and he's much more upbeat than you would think. Who knew? 

Before I go, just to address the burning questions you will have from the photo above. Yes, that is a professionally framed photo of a Vanity Fair cover containing the complete Star Wars cast. What of it?

Also, what is happening with that Cactus? There are tendrills coming off it all over the place. It is on drugs. I keep thinking I will walk into a room and find it has made itself a ham sandwich and is whistling the theme to Gardeners' World. I will, as they say, have what it is having. 

Have a great week.