The lockdown continues. It looks as if it's likely to continue, at least until they have the infection under control, but as I write this on Wednesday, it doesn't seem likely. The three weeks of lockdown expires tomorrow (Thursday), so by the time I have finished writing this post, we might hear something to the contrary, but it seems unlikely. At what point does the number of people who have contracted the coronavirus peak, and the daily number of deaths begin to fall?
It is sunny as I write. It's actually quite bright as I write this at 1.07p.m. on Wednesday April 15th. I have done more work on my writing project, but somehow I have made a bit of a mess of the pasting of a new sequence and now I can't print out the entire document, which runs to over 30 pages. I had begun to print it off, but part way through the ink showed signs of fading and it was clear it was actually running out, so I will just have to abandon that idea until I can order new ink cartridges, probably on line as I can't get to a shop because of social distancing and anyway it can wait as it's not all that important.
I've continued to transcribe more of my written material onto my computers. I have been using the dictation mode on the iPad which I have mentioned in an earlier post on here. It is definitely a good deal quicker than using the keyboard, but there are some problems, as some words don't come up as they should, at times with quite comical results. I wanted to write a line which said 'he had pustules all over his face,' but the iPad wrote 'pastles,' which definitely changes the meaning of the sentence. Another, referring to chickens roosting in trees, misunderstood (if a computer system can misunderstand.) and wrote 'roasted.' It's the idea of having chickens roasting in the trees which made it hilarious. Never mind. I can easily go through the piece of writing and correct it, one of the major advantages of word processing.
(Friday) Alfie has been whittling all day to go for a walk. I think he's probably as fed up with being stuck in the flat because of lockdown as much as I am. We were out by 6.45 this morning and then about 9.15. I was determined to watch the National Theatre's production of 'Treasure Island' which is currently being streamed free on YouTube, following the production of 'One Man Two Guvnors.' It was good up to a point, they managed to avoid the usual clichés that usually go with anything related, such as a corny 'yo-ho-ho' accent and the Robert Newton voice, sort of 'aye! Jim Lad!' etc etc. Jim was a girl (from Jemima. I did wonder about how they would deal with that.) No problem with that. But the best part of the show was the set, which fills the Olivier Theatre stage (which is vast) and utilises the amazing drum revolves (a bit difficult to describe here, but it allows for very quick scene changes, not only revolving, but the centre can disappear down five stories and allow scene changes to be done. Quite spectacular and it gets a round of applause, allowing us to see a sort of cut-throughs section of the Hispaniola, the sailing ship which takes the crew along with Jim, Squire Tralawney and Doctor Livesey (also played by a woman) to Treasure Island. But the show doesn't come off entirely convincingly. Long John Silver isn't scary or villainous enough. And there isn't much of a feeling of conflict after the pirates mutiny on the way to the island. The pirates are given plenty to do and are differentiated nicely but the ending is a bit vague. When the treasure is eventually discovered, it just fizzles out and doesn't have a very conclusive ending but it's a good entertaining piece, but would be quite scary for some children, as it was intended as a children's play, done as a Christmas production in a similar way 'War Horse' was in a few years ago.
It is sunny as I write. It's actually quite bright as I write this at 1.07p.m. on Wednesday April 15th. I have done more work on my writing project, but somehow I have made a bit of a mess of the pasting of a new sequence and now I can't print out the entire document, which runs to over 30 pages. I had begun to print it off, but part way through the ink showed signs of fading and it was clear it was actually running out, so I will just have to abandon that idea until I can order new ink cartridges, probably on line as I can't get to a shop because of social distancing and anyway it can wait as it's not all that important.
I've continued to transcribe more of my written material onto my computers. I have been using the dictation mode on the iPad which I have mentioned in an earlier post on here. It is definitely a good deal quicker than using the keyboard, but there are some problems, as some words don't come up as they should, at times with quite comical results. I wanted to write a line which said 'he had pustules all over his face,' but the iPad wrote 'pastles,' which definitely changes the meaning of the sentence. Another, referring to chickens roosting in trees, misunderstood (if a computer system can misunderstand.) and wrote 'roasted.' It's the idea of having chickens roasting in the trees which made it hilarious. Never mind. I can easily go through the piece of writing and correct it, one of the major advantages of word processing.
(Friday) Alfie has been whittling all day to go for a walk. I think he's probably as fed up with being stuck in the flat because of lockdown as much as I am. We were out by 6.45 this morning and then about 9.15. I was determined to watch the National Theatre's production of 'Treasure Island' which is currently being streamed free on YouTube, following the production of 'One Man Two Guvnors.' It was good up to a point, they managed to avoid the usual clichés that usually go with anything related, such as a corny 'yo-ho-ho' accent and the Robert Newton voice, sort of 'aye! Jim Lad!' etc etc. Jim was a girl (from Jemima. I did wonder about how they would deal with that.) No problem with that. But the best part of the show was the set, which fills the Olivier Theatre stage (which is vast) and utilises the amazing drum revolves (a bit difficult to describe here, but it allows for very quick scene changes, not only revolving, but the centre can disappear down five stories and allow scene changes to be done. Quite spectacular and it gets a round of applause, allowing us to see a sort of cut-throughs section of the Hispaniola, the sailing ship which takes the crew along with Jim, Squire Tralawney and Doctor Livesey (also played by a woman) to Treasure Island. But the show doesn't come off entirely convincingly. Long John Silver isn't scary or villainous enough. And there isn't much of a feeling of conflict after the pirates mutiny on the way to the island. The pirates are given plenty to do and are differentiated nicely but the ending is a bit vague. When the treasure is eventually discovered, it just fizzles out and doesn't have a very conclusive ending but it's a good entertaining piece, but would be quite scary for some children, as it was intended as a children's play, done as a Christmas production in a similar way 'War Horse' was in a few years ago.
No comments:
Post a Comment