Small Things Like These

Trashed the Cillian Murphy GQ Cover watercolor - I kept screwing it up in attempts to fix sections of it. Watercolor is not a flexible or forgiving medium, to say the least. Also was haunted by an old woman who had to pee at the back of the Carnival food store about two weeks ago. We had passed the pharmacy, she was behind me, and was muttering - I have to pee, I have to pee, they wouldn't let me - oh I know, I'll go over here. She had white hair stained with green, and a green tye dyed skirt and a jacket, with two bags in her hands, and in her green boots went over to the back of the stalls, pulled up her skirts and squatted. I looked away embarrassed and guilty for not being able to assist her.

It's not that the city doesn't have restrooms so much as it is reluctant to share them? I understand why - but, it is an issue. They are trying to correct it - there are usable restrooms in some of the subways now - Church has them, and some areas in the city have public restrooms. But it is also harder - Barnes and Nobel no longer has public restrooms and a lot of churches no longer permit access - mine doesn't, for safety reasons.

After reading "Small Things Like These" - I decided to watch the film adaptation starring Cillian Murphy via AppleTV (rented for $5.99), in some respects I prefer the novella. On the other hand, the film is admittedly less heavy handed, and some characters come across a bit more sympathetic in the film than the book - such as Eileen, who is portrayed by the marvelous Eileen Walsh. It did make me angry at the Catholic Church once again. I totally understand why Sinead O'Connor was literally screaming at it from the top of her lungs in the 1980s and 90s. People said she was crazy - she wasn't crazy.

That said? It's not really about any of that. The story is about a man's crisis of conscience and how he resolves it, and basically questions how we the reader or viewer would handle it in similar situations. Basically how far are we willing to go to help another? To what risk? And when? And should we? All are interesting questions, particularly now.

I met someone who took a homeless person in off the streets to live with them - then couldn't get rid of them, and ended up becoming estranged from their own family and negatively impacted both physically and mentally by their act of kindness. So...there are limits, I guess.

Neither the movie nor the book provide any answers on that score and I don't have any. At the end of the day, I think we all can only do what we can, no more no less than that.

Thought about renting Wicked as a palate cleanser - but it's $19.99 to rent, and $29.99 to buy, and just no. I'll wait until it either comes down in price or pops up free, which will be a while since Peacock has first dibs.

Rest of January Memage..

6. When was the last time you cleaned/polished your shoes?

I don't remember? Probably sometime in the early 00s when I had shoes requiring it?

7. It’s Nick Cage’s birthday (b. 1964) – have you seen any of his movies?

Sigh yes. ( list of Nick Cage Films that I've seen with commentary )

I don't know why I've seen so many of his films - the actor annoys me. I think I'm slightly masochistic?

8. Do you tend to text people or phone them and chat?

Depends on the person? ( Read more... )

9. On this day in 1969, the first trial flight of Concorde, the supersonic jetliner, took place in Bristol, England. Have you, or anyone you know, been on Concorde?

My father took it once. I don't think I have.

10. Has anything recently made you laugh out loud?

Yes. But I can't remember what it was?

11. How good are you at creating routines for housework? Do you have specific days for doing household tasks?

Well...mediocre? I do laundry on Thursday nights though - because it's the best time to do it, and usually vacant.

12. In 1966 Adam West debuted in TV’s Batman. Do you have a favourite actor who has taken on the Batman role on TV or in film?

Yes, Christian Bale, ( Read more... )

13. What’s the weather like where you live today? Is it typical for your area at this time of year?

Cloudy, gray, cold and threatening to rain. Yes, this is typical January weather. Although it has been all over the place of late. We get a lot more rain now than snow, we used to get more snow.

14. Ironing – yes or no..?

No. I can't remember the last time I ironed something.
( 15-31 underneath the cut.. )

Next up February, which I do not plan on doing all at once.