Janet C. Smith's Blog, page 3
January 9, 2025
'I am Legend'. Vampires.
Discovered 'I am Legend' by Richard Matheson on our bookshelves. How did it get there? First published in 1954, the horror/suspense/sci fi/mystery writer Dean Koontz, calls it 'The most important vampire novel since Dracula.'
Taken upstairs for a bedtime read, I had a restless night. I had a solid read before initially falling asleep, then waking in the night, as I often do, snacking, or possibly sucking, all the way through.
By morning, I'd had enough, and suppose that I've become a vampire. Own fault really.
Taken upstairs for a bedtime read, I had a restless night. I had a solid read before initially falling asleep, then waking in the night, as I often do, snacking, or possibly sucking, all the way through.
By morning, I'd had enough, and suppose that I've become a vampire. Own fault really.
December 31, 2024
Wishing All a Happy and Healthy 2025
Wishing All a Happy and Healthy 2025. Ah - the un-capitalised 'a' looks lonely on its own, so 'Wishing All A Happy and Healthy 2025'. No - now the capitalised 'All' looks odd, so let's try 'Wishing all a Happy and Healthy 2025.' I think that's OK - oh - perhaps OK should be un-capitalised ok? Do you write like this - doesn't it drive one mad!!! Apparently Scott Fitzgerald was just the same, so we're in good company with him - although maybe he not so much with us.
November 23, 2024
'The Two and a Half Pillars of Wisdom'
In the beginning, was the word, which is a very odd way of beginning, because thought always has to precede the word.
When I was passed a copy of 'The Two and a Half Pillars of Wisdom' by Alexander McCall Smith, my initial thought was that in the beginning, a word in the ear of the author might have been wise. So ludicrous seemed the German protagonists and their names; Professor Dr Moritz-Maria Von Igelfield, Professor Dr Detlev Amadeus Unterholzer, and Professor Dr Dr (honoris causa) Florianus Prinzel. So silly seemed the situations. The person who passed the book to me had had no luck with it, and I was quite prepared to bin it (recycling of course).
Looking curiously at Goodreads reviews the following day, they were good enough for me to doubt my first impression and persevere. Which was a good idea, because it became my
bedtime read. A non-threatening, amusing, and philologically enlightening experience.
In a way the little stories reminded me of 'The Pat Hobby Stories' by F. Scott Fitzgerald, a previous light bedtime read, set in the quite different world of a film studio.
By the end of the Pat Hobby stories, I'd had enough; and I'd had enough two thirds of the way through the 'Two and a Half Pillars of Wisdom.' This was likely because the book incorporates three novels; 'Portuguese Irregular Verbs', 'The Finer Points of Sausage Dogs', and 'At the Villa of Reduced Circumstances'. But what I did read, I enjoyed, and there are many pearls of wisdom to be garnered.
By the way, if anyone is squeamish about surgery, or a fan of sausage dogs, it would be best to avoid the chapter titled, 'A Leg to Stand On'.
When I was passed a copy of 'The Two and a Half Pillars of Wisdom' by Alexander McCall Smith, my initial thought was that in the beginning, a word in the ear of the author might have been wise. So ludicrous seemed the German protagonists and their names; Professor Dr Moritz-Maria Von Igelfield, Professor Dr Detlev Amadeus Unterholzer, and Professor Dr Dr (honoris causa) Florianus Prinzel. So silly seemed the situations. The person who passed the book to me had had no luck with it, and I was quite prepared to bin it (recycling of course).
Looking curiously at Goodreads reviews the following day, they were good enough for me to doubt my first impression and persevere. Which was a good idea, because it became my
bedtime read. A non-threatening, amusing, and philologically enlightening experience.
In a way the little stories reminded me of 'The Pat Hobby Stories' by F. Scott Fitzgerald, a previous light bedtime read, set in the quite different world of a film studio.
By the end of the Pat Hobby stories, I'd had enough; and I'd had enough two thirds of the way through the 'Two and a Half Pillars of Wisdom.' This was likely because the book incorporates three novels; 'Portuguese Irregular Verbs', 'The Finer Points of Sausage Dogs', and 'At the Villa of Reduced Circumstances'. But what I did read, I enjoyed, and there are many pearls of wisdom to be garnered.
By the way, if anyone is squeamish about surgery, or a fan of sausage dogs, it would be best to avoid the chapter titled, 'A Leg to Stand On'.
October 25, 2024
Bocking Theatre Club. Murder Mystery. 'Manifesto for Murder'.
Break a leg! Bocking Theatre Club, Braintree, are performing the murder mystery, ‘Manifesto for Murder’, at Bocking Village Hall, on Thursday 7th and Friday 8th November. A ploughman’s supper is included in the ticket price to nourish the little grey cells.
'It’s election time in Smallbury, where the incumbent Independent MP has reigned for ten years. The arrival of a challenger stirs up sediment in the community, and one character will be permanently voted out!'
'It’s election time in Smallbury, where the incumbent Independent MP has reigned for ten years. The arrival of a challenger stirs up sediment in the community, and one character will be permanently voted out!'
September 28, 2024
Pinchbeck. Highfalutin. Vocabulary.
New to me is a most descriptive adjective - pinchbeck, which sounds rather Jane Austin-ish. Apparently pinchbeck is an alloy of copper and zinc, used particularly to imitate gold in jewellery. Another meaning, is something that is fake, or false, such as in 'The other competitors congratulated the winner heartily, although some were suspected of being pinchbeck'. I wonder if I'll have opportunity to use the word; and if the recipient of my new gem will understand or appreciate it! Reticence over using words new to us, perhaps lies with not wanting to be perceived as highfalutin (another wonderfully descriptive word!)
September 2, 2024
Broadclyst Theatre Group. 'Murder on the Catwalk' performance.
Good Luck to Broadclyst Theatre Group, Devon, for their bumper benefit double bill of murder mystery, ‘Murder on the Catwalk’, followed by Youth Theatre Cabaret Night, on Friday 6th and Sunday 8th September, in aid of Clyst Caring. Yummy home made cake available before being whisked off to the West End by the youth theatre. What's not to like!
August 27, 2024
English Theatre Group of Zug. 'Murder at Cliff House' murder mystery.
Viel Gluck (Good Luck) to the English Theatre Group of Zug (what a fabulous place name!), near to Zurich city, Switzerland, who are performing the murder mystery ‘Murder at Cliff House’ at Restaurant Brandenberg, Uerzliken, at 7.30pm, on Saturday September 14th.
August 20, 2024
'Gowpenful'. Scrabble words.
What wonderful words there are in the English language! According to the Oxford English Dictionary there are 170,000 of them in current use. The average person is said to have a vocabulary of between 20,000-35,000, which means that 135,000 words are hardly ever used. Unless of course, different people have an entirely different vocabulary to others! But that is doubtful, because of the whole, people tend to express themselves in pretty similar ways.
So who uses these 135,000 excess words;? these poor unloved, unknown to most people, words? Apart from technical words, and answers in crossword puzzles, I reckon serious scrabble players gobble them up. One likely candidate for a word only used in Scrabble games, (Collins Scrabble Dictionary) is 'Gowpenful'. 'Gowpen' is apparently a pair of cupped hands, and 'Gowpenful' the amount that can be held in cupped hands. To be honest the word seems somewhat superfluous - I mean, what's the matter with cupped hands, or a handful?
So who uses these 135,000 excess words;? these poor unloved, unknown to most people, words? Apart from technical words, and answers in crossword puzzles, I reckon serious scrabble players gobble them up. One likely candidate for a word only used in Scrabble games, (Collins Scrabble Dictionary) is 'Gowpenful'. 'Gowpen' is apparently a pair of cupped hands, and 'Gowpenful' the amount that can be held in cupped hands. To be honest the word seems somewhat superfluous - I mean, what's the matter with cupped hands, or a handful?
August 12, 2024
'George Orwell'. 'Why I Write'
When imbibing in all things arty at the Buxton Festival, a trip to the nearby High Peak Bookstore is a must for us. Basically it's a large unprepossessing warehouse filled with discounted books; a bonus point being its chill cafe, serving yummy, reasonably priced food. This year, from amongst the eclectic array of book titles I plucked out, was 'Why I Write' by George Orwell, a slim 'Great Ideas' publication by Penguin Books.
Excited by the prospect of trade secrets being spilled by a master wordsmith, I was rather peeved to find that after chapter one, it turned into a political essay. Which of course, stupid me, was the whole idea. Why George Orwell wrote, was to reveal the truth about things that mattered to him, predominantly the global political landscape. Making it relevant to the timeframe it was written in, his now classic 'Animal Farm' had been published the previous year in 1945.
Excited by the prospect of trade secrets being spilled by a master wordsmith, I was rather peeved to find that after chapter one, it turned into a political essay. Which of course, stupid me, was the whole idea. Why George Orwell wrote, was to reveal the truth about things that mattered to him, predominantly the global political landscape. Making it relevant to the timeframe it was written in, his now classic 'Animal Farm' had been published the previous year in 1945.
August 6, 2024
'Over the Wall Players'. 'Heirs and DisGraces'. Murder Mystery play.
Bon Chance to the Over the Wall Players, who are reprising their successful performance of ‘Heirs and DisGraces’, at Bardon Mill, to Greenhead Village Hall, on Friday 9th August. Doors open 6.45pm for 7pm start. £8 ticket includes light refreshments to nourish the little grey cells!
‘The family of Lord John Barleycorn Withers are summoned urgently to Withering Hall. Imagining the elderly Lord to be dying, they rush home to find, instead of the deathbed scene they had anticipated, the old squire in tip top health preparing to marry a Land Army girl! This news is not greeted with universal delight, and the family all have reasons for ensuring the marriage does not go ahead. That evening his Lordship gives a banquet in honour of his bride to be – but for one, it will be their last supper.’ Can the audience solve the murder mystery?
‘The family of Lord John Barleycorn Withers are summoned urgently to Withering Hall. Imagining the elderly Lord to be dying, they rush home to find, instead of the deathbed scene they had anticipated, the old squire in tip top health preparing to marry a Land Army girl! This news is not greeted with universal delight, and the family all have reasons for ensuring the marriage does not go ahead. That evening his Lordship gives a banquet in honour of his bride to be – but for one, it will be their last supper.’ Can the audience solve the murder mystery?
