On The Up!

 Friday 10th April. 2.35 p.m. Another sunny and warm day. The current temperature on the digital thermometer reads 21ºc.

Yesterday afternoon I went to see the musical "Miss Saigon" which is currently touring the country, and on at Milton Keynes Theatre (could they have found a more imaginative name? Merely calling it Milton Keynes Theatre does show a lack of not only imagination, but it just doesn't stand out.) It was a good production, and a show I've wanted to see  from the time when it was first on in the West End in around 1989 and running at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane. I recall standing outside the theatre and reading the posters and looking at the artwork and not knowing what it was about. I believe that it was inspired by a photograph showing refugees escaping from Saigon during the Vietnam War in 1975. It is loosely based on the opera Madam Butterfly. It was written by the two who wrote 'Les Misérables', Claude-Michel Shoenberg and Alain Boublil, with additional lyrics by Richard Maltby. It is a joint production of Cameron Macintosh and Michael Harrison.

The show has clever staging, utilising modern technology, allowing pieces of the set to move around effortlessly, as well as a central revolving section, and a variety of bits of set flown in, such as banners and electronic neon advertising signs.

If I have a complaint, and it's not about the show itself, but is connected to the sound. In the first 10 minutes or so, it was almost impossible to hear the lyrics, and because it was so loud, it hurt my ears. Just a minor tweak might have made it easier to listen to. As a result, I couldn't learn where the story was going, although, as the show went on, this became apparent. I think the sound department should have done pre-show checks, which I know happen, as I have worked in professional stage management, usually in the hour before the audience is let into the auditorium. Not just sound, but lighting, set, props and everything to make sure the show runs smoothly.

I have found someone on YouTube who has seen this show during its tour, I think probably in Birmingham or somewhere in the Midlands. They also picked up on the sound issue, which, if that is correct, nobody has managed to fix the problem if it was some months ago, and it is still an issue when the show arrived in Milton Keynes. I think if I were the director of a show or producer, and I was checking up on my production, and this sound issue came to light, I would certainly get it fixed. Cameron Macintosh, one of the producers of this show, and who is so totally involved in all aspects of his productions, would seemingly want it fixed.

Chilly Weather

Wednesday. 6.15 a.m. Alfie and I were out at around 5.40 this morning. We did another circuit of Oldbrook Green. It is actually quite chilly out.

10.00 a.m. I had home contents covered with Sainsbury's bank. I've been with them for two years. I had a reasonably good deal, and as a sort of incentive, I got double Nectar points when I shopped in Sainsbury's supermarket. But I got an email, informing me that my policy was ending and that the Nectar incentive was ending, which was a pity. So, I decided to find an alternative policy, so I went on the Compare The Market website and went for an Admiral Contents policy. Actually a bit cheaper. It is now set up and the deposit has been paid and the Sainsbury's bank policy has been cancelled. It just goes to show how easy it is to arrange such things as insurance and why so many of these businesses no longer have bricks and mortar establishments on the high street.

4.10 p.m. I have now cut and pasted a further writing section into my writing 'project. It now has a word count of 40,000, which is quite impressive, even if I say so myself. It needs a great deal more work doing on it, editing and rewriting before it is anywhere complete.

I am currently reading 'Les Misérables' by Victor Hugo. It is the basis for the musical (as if you didn't already know that.) I have seen the original West End production as well as the touring production, which came to Milton Keynes in 2019 and visited again last year. I have also seen the film adaptation as well as the more recent nonmusical  BBC adaptation of the novel, with a script by Andrew Davies. Not only that, but I had already read a version, but this is a Penguin Classics edition and uses a brand-new translation. I am interested in how the story is told, and how the various elements of plot and character and linked, which is what I am endeavouring to achieve with my writing. Some of the plots in the stage musical were difficult to comprehend, and it wasn't until I read the novel that I realized that some characters are related. With the print version of the novel, there are notes which help to clear up some of the background to how it was written and explain a lot of the details, which makes reading it more worthwhile.

Thursday. 6.30 a.m. It was light enough for me to take Alfie out at 5.45 this morning. I think it was a surprise to him when I went into the bedroom and picked him up to go out. He is usually barking noisily when I get ready to go out. If I so much as touch his lead, he starts barking.

Friday. 6.55 a.m. Last night there was a members' meeting at the Oaktree Centre. It was mainly about changes to the governance of S.C.F. (Shenley Christian Fellowship.) A chance to discuss any changes, which won't be implemented until the whole situation has been discussed and ideas put forward. This ended at 9.30 and then I went home and ate apple and blackberry pie, which I hadn't eaten with my evening meal.  I think it was gone at midnight when I eventually went to bed, and that it probably the reason I didn't wake up until 5.40 or thereabouts. I took a  very sleepy Alfie out, much to his amazement.

Good and Bad Characters

 How is it that so many good characters, in literature and films, and probably in other works such as stage plays, are so dull? Just think of the princesses in Disney animation, such as Snowhite, just so flat and two- dimensional. On the other hand, the villains are generally far more interesting and complex and make more interesting characters, which, although we know they are evil in most cases, we tend to root for them and cheer for them usually. Think of Abanazer, the wicked character in the 'Aladdin' pantomime, or the Ugly Sisters in 'Cinderella,' they are more fleshed out than the flat and rather dull central characters of Aladdin and Cinderella. In Dickens, so many of his central characters seem rather uninteresting. Think of Oliver in Oliver Twist. He's at the centre of the story, things happen to him, but he never initiates anything. Similarly, with David Copperfield and Nicholas Nickleby. These characters don't appear to have any effect on what happens to them, it's the characters who revolve around them who do all the work of moving things forward. In that respect, they are somewhat helpless. It appears that they can't change the course of their lives or their story journey. At the heart of a good story, there should be a journey in the sense that the lead character changes during the course of the story, so by the conclusion they have learned something and in that respect, changed.

In any form of storytelling, you have to have some sort of conflict, otherwise, your story can become flat and routine. The main protagonist needs a character to work against, so a good villain should be the character who creates this conflict. It's rather like sandpaper. It takes off the rough edges, shapes the protagonist. If he/she can overcome their problems, then they will grow and by the end of their journey through their story, they will have learned something.

Some cliches are used whenever the author wants to make sure the reader 'gets' whether a character is either good or bad. Used a great deal in television drama. Think EastEnders or Coronation street or one hundred and one Hollywood blockbusters. Colour is often used, as regards clothing. Dark is usually associated with 'bad.' (For years in television westerns from what I remember from being a child.) The villain almost always wore a dark shirt or jacket. The goodies usually wore light-colored clothing.  Think Dark Vader in the Star Wars films. He's black. You can't see his face (generally, if you can't see a character's face, either because he wears a mask (as Vader does.) or dark glasses, usually highly reflective, he's the bad guy. 

Disney has recently been raiding their back catalogue to reinvent some of their villains, such as Maleficent, who is the bad fairy who didn't get invited to the princesses Christening in the 1950's animation, 'Sleeping Beauty' and given her own film, starring Angelina Jolie. More recently they have given Cruella De Vil, the villain who wants to make dalmation puppies' coats into her own fashion accessory, namely, her own coat, in the 1961 animation classic '101 Dalmations' and the 1996 live-action remake. It's as if they are trying to give these characters a reason to be the way they are. Backstories or 'origins' stories. Disney is busily remaking all their classic animation movies, 'Beauty and The Beast,' 'Cinderella', 'Jungle Book', 'The Lion King' etc etc. Really for no better reason than they have the technology to make them using such things as three-dimensional computer animation. Not actually an improvement on the original and, frankly, a lazy way to create films.

Some, what I would call 'classic' villains in some of the classic fiction have been weakened by being portrayed as comic in such shows as 'Oliver!' and 'Les Miserables.' Fagin, the pickpocket gang leader, is made out to be a comic character in the musical when he's anything but comic in the novel on which it is based. He's far more evil and contemptible than the portrayal in the stage and film adaptation. The same can be said of Thenardier and his wife in 'Les Miserables' where they are sort of knock-about characters, but with a villainous streak. Perhaps this watering down of these characters is to make these shows more palatable for family audiences.

Why do so many villains in fiction have sidekicks who are often portrayed as bumbling idiots? The two henchmen of Cruella De Vil in the original novel by Dodie Smith and then the Disney versions of 'The 101 Dalmations' are shown to be totally inept. In some ways this is just for comic effect, but why on earth would someone employ such totally incompetent?

So, to wind up. I think I have managed to give fairly good summation of why and how so many dull characters, usually the central protagonists in some stories are so dull, compared to the more rounded and complete characters of the villains. We, as the audience, tend to want to root for those characters rather than the limp central characters.

Is It Over And Out?

Monday. 6.00 a.m. So, Matt Hancock, Secretary of State for Health, has resigned over breaking social distancing regulations that he helped set up. All due because he was caught kissing his aide which was caught on CCTV camera. It wasn't necessarily the kiss that has caused the uproar, but the fact that they were in a clinch and obviously breaking the social distancing regulations. All this makes a mockery of the rules on this and is like rubbing our faces in the dirt, those of us who have gone along with what we've been told, kept strictly to the rules. It's a certain hypocrisy  amount of which is so unbelievable, a case of 'do as I say, but not as I do.' So, it would seem it's definitely 'over and out' for Hancock. The question everyone is asking, was he pushed, or did he jump? 

Well, that's over. Can we now get on with our lives? No, you can't. You've got to be good and do as you're told. Or you'll be arrested and have to pay a fine.

I was surprised that it was raining when we went out at 5.50 a.m. Alfie didn't stay outside too long when he realized it was raining. 

I'm currently watching the recent BBC1 adaptation of 'Les Miserables', the version which was shown over Christmas and New Year 2019. It's adapted by Andrew Davies who has made a successful career out of adaptations for television of classic novels, including the 1995 'Pride and Prejudice', which had Colin Firth as Mr. Darcey in it and has become the definitive version of that novel. Having seen the musical version on stage twice, once in the West End at the Place Theatre and then two years ago when the touring version visited Milton Keynes as well as seeing the 2012 film adaptation as well as reading the Victor Hugo novel (some 1500 pages or so.) I think I know the story very well. This is a more faithful version that has six hours to tell the story and can therefore go a good deal deeper than a 3-hour stage or film musical can possibly manage. 

Tuesday. 6.45 a.m. Another somewhat overcast day. It seemed dry enough when I took out Alfie for his usual walk.

Still in Groundhog Day. Now that Hancock has gone as Health Secretary we have a replacement, Sajid Javid, former Chancellor of The Exchequer. His approach to the pandemic is a good deal less 'Nanny State' and insists that we return to near-enough normality on 19th July. Thank goodness! I just hope that we can at least not have to wear face coverings and social distancing is either entirely removed or somehow relaxed in some way.

Wednesday. 6.00 a.m. I was out with Alfie around 5.30 this morning. Well, if you're awake and you have a very lively Yorkie that's got a need to go out, why not just go for it? Not warm, but still mild and fairly pleasant.

There was a certain amount of noise coming from The Cricketers (well, I presume it was there.) as I did washing up yesterday evening. I think it was because England had just beaten Germany in their game in the Euro football game. I'm not interested in football, as you will have realized if you follow my blog posts. But it's good that there's something positive to give people a lift after near enough eighteen months of lockdown and misery which it's caused. The outside of this pub has been decorated with flags of all nations in celebration of this football competition and certainly adding a touch of colour to the area around Chadwick Drive and Oldbrook Boulevard.

I have a new iPhone 12 arriving sometime today! My contract with Sky Mobile has finished and because Sky had a very good deal on iPhones (other mobiles are available, even if they're not as good as iPhones!) I decided it was too good to miss. I won't be paying much more per month than I am currently with around the same amount of data. I will return the old iPhone 7 back to Sky and get a credit on my new contract and, with the data I have used each month 'rolls over' and can be used to get a discount on the contract. So getting excited about it arriving. Red iPhone 12. Now I have the fun of transferring the SIM card from the old mobile into the new iPhone, which isn't difficult but very fiddly getting that tiny little chip into the little tray that slides out of the side of these mobiles. This is because I will be keeping my phone number as I really don't want to change it. I ordered a case for the new case which had arrived in the post from Amazon. I always get cases for my various gadgets because I want to look after them. My iPad and this MacBook air which this is being written on have their own cases. If you're going to buy expensive gadgets, then it makes sense to me to keep them in good condition.

Alfie Has A Trim (Amongst Other Things)

(Monday)I went to the Willen Hospice coffee morning at John Lewis this morning. I haven't been for
quite a while, basically because I've been so busy moving to the flat. I was the second person there and some of the tables we usually sit at were missing. When more of the regulars arrived, they decided to move the tables back so that everyone could sit at them. Logical, really.

I sat next to a man who told me he worked as a supporting artiste/extra, so we had things in common to talk about. I am envious of him because he worked on the film version of 'Les Miserables,' and got to sing in he finale of the film, which was shot in Greenwich.

Alfie has been booked in for an appointment at The Groom Room at the Bletchley branch of Pets Are Home for the past few weeks. His coat was beginning to look really untidy. He could barely see where he was going because of the hair over his eyes and he has a build-up of the horrible mess under his eyes. I do try to remove it, but he doesn't like it. I had to discreetly take the cage, which folds up and is stored under my bed (definitely no room elsewhere in the flat.) and took it out to the car on Sunday afternoon. So, at around 12.40 on Monday I got him ready to go, with the usual barking and yapping which goes with putting on his lead. I got him out to the car, hatch open and the caged door open and he goes in without any problems, with the end of his lead outside the cage (I have learnt all these 'tricks' over the years.) The cage door has to be arranged inside the car facing right, the small end of the cage, which makes it easier for Alfie to enter. Then, cage door shut and firmly closed so he can't push it open from inside, I drive off to Bletchley. With the luggage shelf in place, it makes the cage darker and this seems to suit Alfie and he likes to have calming music playing on the car radio.

On the way home I went to Lidl in Oldbrook Boulevard and then returned home to unpack what I'd bought. I had to be at The Groom Room to collect Alfie so I had plenty of time. You can see the results of the grooming session if you look at the photograph I've attached to this blog at the top of this post. It's great that his eyes are now clear of that nasty gunge which builds up under his eyes and the hair on his face is cut so he can see where he's going. They didn't give him a very short all-over body trim and left it a good deal longer than last time. I bought him a rather smart jacket because I didn't think it was fair to have him clipped when we're about to go into colder weather. Rather nice, with a zip along the back which makes it a good deal easier to put on him.

Stranger Danger And Other Dramas

On Tuesday I went to Camphill as usual. I'm now there all day so I'm better able to join in more with the students. They seem to like having me with them. Really enjoy our relationships. They are such a lovely group and to think so many of them have problems with communication, speech and probably the biggest one, confidence. There is an extra supporter who has been working on Camphill's care bank, which is a similar system for staff to do shifts whenever permanent staff go on leave. Also, a young girl who is doing a placement from university and she was given a tour of the theatre. She is doing a creative writing degree so she should be very helpful with the writing of the next project, based loosely (and I mean loosely!) soon 'Treasure Island'. During the morning the students did more work on the lines for the 'Stranger Danger: Three Little Pigs' play. The group was divided into two groups, some working in the theatre and the rest either downstairs in 'The Crypt,' or in the foyer area.

Jeremy, who has been videoing the Stranger Danger: Three Little Pigs' project, came in with DVDs and Memory Sticks on which the completed video had been put. These were handed out at tea break.

After lunch, which I had in the Camphill café, (a lovely atmosphere in there. Must be extremely popular because it gets quite busy at lunchtime.) we began working on developing the next project, which, as I've mentioned in an earlier blog post, is to be based on Treasure Island. We were split into two groups and sat around a table and each of us had to come up with a line for the narrator of the ply to speak, making it as imaginative as possible and building up the dialogue. Some really amazing ideas came out of this. A really brilliant way to workshop and devise a storyline. Almost like the traditional part game of Consequences, which I very much remember playing as a child. So where next with this new project? Keep coming back to my blog to find out!

(Wednesday) I've got rid of the old, broken plastic drawers from the fridge/freezer. I took them to the tidy-tip at Bleak Hall. That is one job done from my 'to-do' list. I am now waiting to hear from someone from church who is going to cut the grass (I refuse to refer to it as a 'lawn.') It's tough old grass which I can't cut myself. The electric hover mower wouldn't manage to cut it, it's not designed to cut such tough grass. The grass has got so long Alfie almost gets lost in it! He looks like a lion or a tiger in the grass in Africa or India or some such similar. It's also seeding, which means it it's not cut soon it will be virtually impossible to mow.

(Thursday) I was looking forward to my theatre trip to see 'Les Miserables.' My ticket had been booked for quite some while now. I really couldn't miss the chance to see it again. I saw the original London production at the Palace Theatre, probably only a couple of years after it transferred from the Barbican where it was staged in association with the Royal Shakespeare Company and directed by Trevor Nunn. I drove in to park near the XCape and walked through to the theatre and waited outside briefly because I got there at around 2 o'clock and the show didn't start until 2.30. I was making sure I wasn't late! I wasn't going to be. I waited by Door 5 on the first floor of the theatre. I had a seat in the Circle. Thank goodness I hadn't got a seat in the next layer of seats up. Carol and I had gone to see a production of Guys and Dolls and had seats in that area and it wasn't a good place to sit because you got a really awful view of the stage and it felt really cut off from what was going on on stage. You couldn't see everything. I found my seat, Row A, Seat 5. A good view of the stage. An excellent view of the stage. I love the buzz of a pre-show audience. The expectation of what's about to come. I've always had this since I was a child, probably from my first experience of 'live' theatre, being taken to see 'Peter Pan' by Sister Watson, a lady with whom my mother nursed before she was married. It was a regular production, at the Scala Theatre, it was on every year for years and years. I recall the flying. How was it achieved? I know, the actors were on wires, a sort of counterweight system, with pulleys and they wear a special harness under their costumes. Must be painful. Done by an outfit called Kirby's Flying Ballet.  Can't imagine what it would be like. Peter, played traditionally by a girl. The scene on board Captain Hook's ship, the fight with Peter. Loud explosions of cannons. I was hooked on the whole thing. And having tea, on a tray, in the auditorium, during the interval. They don't do that any more. Probably against our old enemy, Health and Safety. Goodness, sitting with a tray of BOILING WATER! Not possible now. Anyway, I digress. I think it's definitely the excitement of waiting for the show to start. I know the pressures on the actors and stage management, because I've worked as an Assistant Stage Manager and Deputy Stage Manager, have sourced and set props, operated the sound desk, moved props and scenery and, most important of all, run the prompt corner, done 'The Book,' prompted when actors fluff their lines, and generally run plays from that position.

As you face the stage, before the show starts, there is a curtain. I'm not sure whether it's what they call a scrim, made of a material which is transparent and when it's lit from behind, a bit like a lace curtain, you can see what's beyond, the actors and the scenery. When the lights are off and the stage is in darkness, then it appears solid. It can be painted as any other stage cloth. It was this that you see at the beginning of the show, with the words 'Les Miserables' in a sort of hand-written style, and the name 'Victor Hugo' at the bottom (the author of the novel which the show is based on.)

The sets for this production are not by John Napier who did the original Barbican, RSC co-created production, which I recall had a revolving stage and the two sections which became the barricade came of from either side of the stage and became other locations. This production had large doors which opened and closed for various scenes and the wing-pieces had doors and windows in them on several levels and other scenes were achieved with sections of scenery which slid on and off and a sort of 'track'across the stage which allowed pieces of furniture to move and be set in position. There was much use of what I assume was digital projection, but I couldn't work out where the projectors wee for these sequences. Very clever use and achieved very quick scene changes. Much impressed by the sound engineering. It must be extremely difficult to balance the singer's on stage with the orchestra in the pit. You could hear almost all the words the actors/singers sang and then have each actor with those tiny microphones taped or otherwise attached to their faces or in their hair which you couldn't see, thankfully. I've seen shows where there is absolutely no attempt to hide these things. It just goes to show it must be done. And then they'd have to hide the radio transmitter unit under costumes and also the engineers would have to balance the singing voice with the orchestra. All extremely well done and not interfering with the enjoyment of the show.

Sunday, Monday, Weather

(Sunday)It was a bit wet when I took out Alfie this morning. Not drenching, but wet enough. We didn't do the entire circuit of Eaglestone Park, but nevertheless, we managed to get out by 6.30. I do't think Alfie could wait a minute longer. He came back looking really wet and bedraggled, and it took him a while to dry off. As I write this, there is a howling wind outside. It seems to have got up by the time I got to Shenley Christian Fellowship a good deal earlier than usual, because I am now on what's called the Genesis Team, and we're there to set up for the day's services. Not actually a great deal to do. I shan't be on the rota for another month or so, but one Sunday in perhaps 4 or 6 won't make  great deal of difference to me. Anyway, the wind was so strong that it blew over the sign which is put up outside the building, just before the service begins and also the poster which was pinned to it was blown across the carpark.

(Monday) I had intended having at least an extra hour in bed this morning. I hadn't seen the necessity to be up and dressed so early, but it didn't work out that way. Alfie didn't appreciate the fact that he wasn't going to get his early-morning walk around Eaglestone Park. I straightened out the duvet and refused to move, but it didn't prevent Alfie coming and prodding me with a paw to remind me of my obligations to him. Still, I did have around another 20 minutes of shut-eye. I knew it was quite sunny outside with the sun streaming in at the bedroom window. Alfie shuffled about in the bed. He sometimes gets in under the duvet and pushes himself up against me, which he did this time, but he just couldn't settle. He knew it was past the time we usually go out. So, with a deep sigh, I slid out of the bed and sorted out my clothes and got dressed and went downstairs. The minute Alfie realised I was about to take him out, he started barking and making his usual din. I popped my medication out of their packets and took it all, put on my shoes and we went out. Trying to attach his lead to the D rings on his harness is difficult because he wriggles about but I managed it and we got through the front door. Although it was sunny and bright, there was a keen wind blowing, almost wintery. Yesterday I saw a few flurries of snow, which was something of a surprise.

For the last couple of days there's been a car parked more or less opposite our driveway. Not really a driveway, just the bay where I park my car. I hadn't really paid it much attention. It was a grey/silver Peugeot 208 I think. I'm not very good at types of cars, their numbers etc. It was parked in an annoying place, because when I wanted to reverse into the road it was in such a position I had to manoeuvre in such a way so as to avoid hitting it. Together with the fact that a white van was parked on the footpath opposite and blocking my sight to the left when I came out with the car. Anyway, this silver car had been in exactly the same position for some considerable time. I assumed it belonged to someone living nearby, probably in one of the bungalows opposite my house. Then, the other morning, when I was standing at the sink doing some washing up, my eye was caught by the sight of a low-loading breakdown truck that was parked behind this silver car, with the slope down and the driver attaching cables to the car and about to winch the car onto the back of the low loader. So, it would appear from what I saw, that this silver car had probably broken down somewhere or other, probably on Saxon Street, and had been left where it was parked until a breakdown company could come and remove it. Not entirely sure why it was there, but this might be the explanation.

Later. I had a letter from NatWest about the car loan this morning. Because it was taken out in Carol's name it will be written off since she passed away. I'm quite overwhelmed by this, because I had been concerned about paying for the loan because I'd never be able to afford the repayments. The letter this morning was under the terms of the Consumer Credit Act of 1974. Something do with arrears on the account. I rang and spoke to someone and apparently I do not owe this sum of money, in the region of a little over £500. I have been told that this letter is just a formality which they have to send out. The loan will be written off officially after nine months have passed since Carol's death. All this is a weight off my mind. I was concerned that I would have to give the car back and then be without it. I suppose I could survive without a car, but it would have made life difficult if it had been surrendered.

Once I'd dealt with the bank (incidentally, all this is done via a phone call. I couldn't deal with it in the NatWest branch in Milton Keynes which I use most often, although the account is actual held in the High Street Bedford branch where it was originally set up.) I went into Milton Keynes centre because I was going to the Willen Hospice support group which meets in John Lewis every Monday morning at 10 a.m. Because I got parked and was too early to go to the John Lewis café where the group meets, I decided to walk to Milton Keynes Theatre, because I was intent on booking myself a ticket to see 'Les Miserables' which is due to vast Milton Keynes in a couple of months time. I walked all the way there and discovered that the box office didn't open until 12 midday. Which was annoying, but nevertheless, I decided that I would return later when it was open.

I went to John Lewis and had a rather tasty caramel latte and a blueberry muffin and met up with the rest of the Willen Hospice group. I suppose I was there for an hour and a half, but I had forgotten that my carpark ticket would run out at 11.30, so I had to leave  before I got a fine, because I've seen the parking wardens checking cars for either expired tickets or none at all. Fortunately no such parking wardens around when I got back to the car and put a further £1 on the car so I could walk back to the theatre to attempt to get my Les Miz ticket.

I walked the length of the shopping centre again and arrived at the theatre. A lot of building going on. Some workmen putting up a new signpost, and work going on ready for the art gallery to reopen, which is next to the theatre, which has been given a revamp. Apparently it's going to be reopened on the 16th March, which I saw on a poster when I was walking through the shopping centre. Anyway, a group of people waiting outside the theatre, about to buy tickets like me, it turned out. The doors were opened and I had to stand in line at the box office and managed to get my ticket for 'Les Miserables' on 30th May, for the matinee at 2.30 p.m. I saw the original West End production at the Palace Theatre, loved it then, and have also seen the film version. So, having paid for my ticket, I left the theatre a happy man and walked back into the shopping centre.

By now I was feeling somewhat hungry. I walked past Costa near Middleton Hall, but there was too much of a queue, so I walked on and saw that there was no long queue in Caffe Nero. I ordered a Passion Fruit and Mango Booster, a cold drink, because I just didn't fancy a hot drink because I'd had a latte when I was in the John Lewis cafe earlier. Also, a smoked salmon and cheese sandwich. All rather pleasant. I must say I'm a little more positive of this particular branch of Caffe Nero, because the last time I was in here I had to say the girl on the till was not in a very good mood and didn't impress with her style of customer service. I like the fact they play jazz over their sound system, a good deal better than the usual awful noise you have to contend with in some places. I was also impressed with the couple who had two babies in a double buggy, presumably the babies were twins. They sat at the next table to me, and the amount of equipment they had for the children would have needed a large vehicle to carry it about. Both babies seemed in fine form, giggling and gurgling and wiggling about in the buggy. Must have been  real effort for the parents and presumably the babies grandfather who was with them.

I am currently looking for some new shoes. I had been into Sports Direct, where my Adidas trainers were purchased, but nothing I have seen appeal. I walked past the Clark's shoe shop window in the shopping centre and have seen some of their new styles of shoe and they do look the sort of thing I'm after, although they are quite expensive. Having taken the cost of them into account, and the fact that I have bought Clark's shoes in the past, they are a good brand and last well, being well constructed and comfortable, so may go back to try on a pair before making a decision.

Further Thoughts on 'Downton Abbey'

Warning: Spoilers

We have been watching the television series 'Downton Abbey' on catch-up. Over the last few weeks we have more or less 'binged' on the show.  The earlier episodes have been shown on the digital channel I.T.V Encore and then put on download or 'catch-up' through our Sky subscription, but we were stuck at the end of series 4 and there were no more episodes so we were left stranded, mid-air, as it were. We now have an Amazon Fire Stick which allows you to watch films and television shows which are streamed via the internet and, as members of what is called Amazon Prime, we can see a lot of stuff free (although we pay a £79 annual subscription which also means we can get free postage and packing when we buy anything via Amazon's website which is very convenient.) We did attempt to see the first episode of the series when it first came out, but, having watched it including advertising, we gave up. It has been taken over by so much advertising we couldn't cope with it, and  one of the advantages of catch-up television is that there's no advertising every ten minutes or so. Ads for sofas, car insurance and mobile phones is enough to put anyone off. We discovered that 'Downton Abbey' was one of the many television series we could watch, but up until the end of series 4. It appears that the final series is not free to watch. We will have to pay considerably more to watch it, but it's likely to be free once the final, Christmas episode is shown on Christmas Day. I have mentioned the show in previous posts but since watching it up until the end of series 5 (sorry, I refuse to use the American term 'season.') there is a good deal more about it which I want to discuss.

I'm still more interested in the 'downstairs' staff than the 'upstairs' family. The Earl of Grantham, as played by Hugh Bonneville, is a real stick in the mud. Reluctant to break with tradition and see the estate move forward into the 20th Century, or so it seems. Likewise, Carson, the Butler, seems to do anything to avoid any sort of modernisation. Why do the ladies need maids to help them dress and undress? Likewise, the gentlemen, can they not dress themselves? I understand that, during the earlier period, the Victorian and Edwardian eras, when the women wore corsets, loads of petticoats, had lots of hooks and eyes in their boots and shoes and cross-lacings in their dresses which would require a lady's maid to help, and the men wore stiff collars and cuffs in their shirts and the fact that clothes needed more care because they needed folding neatly, but it seems the aristocrats are incapable of any sort of work. But in the later period, for example the 1920's when clothing became simpler, ladies wore lighter dresses without any sort of lacings, they wouldn't obviously need assistance with their dressing and undressing. I can see, as regards plots, the valets and ladies' maids are integral to the storilines as they have to keep secrets divulged by their misstresses and masters. As regards the kitchen staff, as time goes on there are more appliances used in the kitchen which made the staff's lives much easier. We have visited many National Trust properties and seen the kitchens, notably Crag Side in Northumberland and Ickworth in Suffolk and they have modern (or at least, modern at the time they were introduced in, say, the 1920s and 30's.) At Cragside, for instance, the whole house was run using hydrolectric power. Infact, I believe it might have been the first country house to use any sort of electricity. The power generated worked such things as spits for roasting and even a lift between floors of the house and lighting. In 'Downton Abbey' the introduction of the telephone and radio seems to cause a huge stir amongst the artistocratic members of the household and the downstairs staff. At one point Carson is horrified by the thought of having to use the telephone but after a while relents and uses the thing frequently.

The 'downstairs' staff have more interesting 'story arcs.' Daisy has had the most interesting 'story arc' and has definitely grown as the show has gone on. She is now considering an education and hopefully will be able to break free from a life of drudgery downstairs. All this bought about since she had lessons with the schoolteacher, a rather firey character with Socialist leanings. In one particular scene when she comes to dinner at the house, she gets on the wrong side of the Earl of Grantham with her left-wing views. At this point we see a different side of Robert not seen until then. I think the way the stories have managed to utilize historic events, such as the sinking of the Titanic at the very beginning of the first series, the First World War and it's effects on staff and family, the move forward into the 1920's, the 'Jazz Age' and the introduction of such things as motor transport, radio, telephone and so on has been well done. Also, how the class system has shifted and how ordinary people has aspire to greater things rather than be stuck in a rut at the bottom of the pile. However, it will be interesting to see how the aristocracy cope with change as they have to come to terms with this shift in the class system and how they manage to deal with declining estates, the upkeep of large houses and also their fortunes being eroded by higher taxation etc etc.

The Grantham family run and own a vast estate with acres of land and property and they are often seen on horseback. But only minimally. I think there has been a foxhunt at some point and we've seen one of the ladies on horseback at a steeplechase. I think the fox hunting element has been only seen on a very small amount  of screen time to avoid upsetting the politically correct contingency, but let's be honest, the aristocracy have not been known to avoid upsetting people with their hunting, shooting fishing and generally ill-treatment of the wildlife of the countryside. There has been some shooting going on, but what else do these 'types' get up to? Compared to the downstairs staff, they're generally a very dull lot. 'Stiff upper lip' describes them well. Don't show your emotions (the men, of course.) except when the dog dies, not show any affection for your better half. Reserved, stoical etc etc. Meanwhile, the women are self-centred, moody, emotional, and thoroughly heartless in some cases. Mary spent episode after episode moping after the death of Matthew (understandable, up to a point I suppose.) And then she became a man-chaser. Building up the hopes of many men and then ditching them at the last moment. Lady Edith has been seen moping over her child which she had illicitly and then tried to palm the poor child off on a farmer and his wife who live on the estate and then pretended that she wasn't her child. What a tangled web etc etc.

I suppose 'Downton Abbey' does have it's appeal. It's well enough made, written and acted. A lot of time and effort has gone into the look and feel of the thing. The period is evoked well with both the settings and costumes. But to be honest it's somewhat dull. It can best be described as 'chewing gum for the eyes.' What I mean is, it doesn't take many risks. It's typical Sunday evening entertainment. It fits the so-called 'Ovaltine Television' mold. We always seem to get either vets, nurses, midwives and other assorted professions in our weekly dose of drama on a Sunday night. And invariably costume drama of some sort. It's the sort of last thing we see before we go to bed as the weekend draws to a close and have to contemplate going back to work on Monday morning. It's totally inoffensive, doesn't upset anyone in any particular way and is thoroughly Middle Class. We get our fill of nostalgia, although, as someone or other said, 'Nostalgia's not what it used to be.' It moves along at a snails pace. No speeding cars, police chases, guns being fired. It won't 'frighten the horses' as someone else also said. I don't dislike it and it gives employment to a great many good actors. I have to say it's great to see Dame Maggie Smith in something and definitely in her element. As I've said in an earlier post, she does seem to get the best lines.

The upstairs characters are not really characters I can identify with. They're rich and arrogant. Can't they see that their lifestyle is gradually coming to an end? Would they not have had some idea that things would change after what happened in Russia in 1917 with the Revolution? As would have happened when Charles I was beheaded and Cromwell took over with the Commonwealth? I can't really identify with them. They don't in general terms have 'character journeys' because they don't have to strive for a better life because they have money, position, power and so on. Meanwhile, the downstairs staff have to not only work extremely hard, but if they want to break free from their lives of drudgery, they have to work harder than most to get anywhere away from the confines of the house. Although, saying that, they do have the protection of the house and the family, security up to a point, a roof over their heads and free board and lodging.The best drama comes when the characters have to go on a journey, a really good story arc, which means that by the end of the novel/play/film or whatever they have changed from how they started at the opening of the story. Think of Oliver Twist or David Copperfield or even Les Miserables, where Jean Valjean changes gradually during the course of the story.

I have seen documentaries on television which give a relatively accurate picture of what life in a country house would have been like, similar to the large house depicted in 'Downton Abbey.' Yes, I know, it was never intended to be a documentary. It's more of a soap opera for those who want to have aspirations above their current position in life. Similar in some ways to 'Dynasty' or 'Dallas.' But there are aspects of life on a country house and estate which seem to have been conveniently forgotten. Such as the fact that the staff have to get up extremely early each morning (usually before 6 a.m.) to make up the fires, carry coal in buckets great distances from goodness knows where, empty the slops (or to be more accurate, the bed-pans, 'guzunders' etc etc.) because most of these houses didn't have sanitation as we know it in the 21st century. Then there's the matter of slave ownership, as many aristocrats made their fortunes by owning slaves who worked for them on cotton plantations. And then when slavery was abolished many former owners got large sums of money in compensation from the British government which they then often used to invest in such things as the railways, canals and many industries. And I suppose to be fair, 'Downton Abbey' is set in the early part of the 20th century when most of what I have mentioned in this paragraph would have been eradicated. Also, many of the owners of these houses and estates were fair employers, who treated their staff with respect and gave them decent wages, for the time.

Blackberry-Picking and Sunshine

It's been a bright and sunny day today. Having seen blackberries on the brambles all along the Redway, as I walk with Carol to and from the Academy, it was too much for me to ignore them and so I went out this morning and picked quite a few. It looks, though, that others have had the same idea. Probably not as many as there might have been. And you can hardly blame people for getting the same idea as me as it's just a few yards from the back of our house onto the Redway and pick a bowlful of berries.

We have been searching for Carol's Driving Licence. The plastic card bit, which contains her driver's number. I have been on-line attempting to find a reasonable quote for our car insurance which runs out at the end of October. You have to put in your car registration number as it links to the D.V.L.C. database which brings up the make of car, model etc. I have my driving licence card in my wallet where I keep all my cards, loyalty cards such as Nectar and Tesco Clubcard, Debit cards etc. You also enter this driver number to show proof of your identity in order to set up your car insurance when you do this on-line with a number of insurance companies. So we have spent the past day searching the house for this card and eventually found it in the most unlikely of places but then we decided to just ring our current insurance company, Swinton, and decided to continue with our current company, but managing to get a better quote and avoid the hefty excess that was on the current policy. So, it's done and the policy will start at the end of October. The plastic card and the paperwork for Carol's driving licence was still stuck onto the 'Counterpart' paperwork section of the licence, as it had come in the post all those months ago and obviously had never been separated. They always seem to use the most sticky substance to attach these cards to either letters or 'counterpart' driving licences which are really difficult to remove. A gum-substance like chewing gum which then gets stuck to everything else it comes into contact with. Just annoying and unnecessary.

You no longer need to have the paper part of your driving licence. They have done away with this seemingly pointless bit of paper from the 8th June. I could never see the point of having the paper part of your driving licence as it was always getting lost. If the system was completely computerised it seemed a bit of a waste of time having it also on a paper document which was always going to be separated from the neat little picture card which you carried around in your wallet as I do with mine.

I walked to the shop in Galloways in Coffee Hall to take money out of the A.T.M. there this morning. Not only is walking good exercise, but it allows me to think positively about my writing and I've now got some more ideas to put into the various bits of work I'm working on. Well, if walking was good enough for Charles Dickens, who used to do his best thinking for his novels whilst walking, then it's good enough for me. it's so easy to take my iPod and listen to a podcast which I can download easily, but pondering plot-structure seems far more positive and useful. No end of squirrels chasing up and down the trees and on the grass. They come really close to me and I spent some time watching them. We seem to have quite a few of these cheeky, nimble little creatures around Milton Keynes. Also, I find many conkers under the horse chestnut trees along the side of the road and pick a handful up to take home. Do children still go 'conkering' as we used to as children? Do they still tie them onto bits of string and play the game of 'conkers' or have the 'health and safety' people stopped this game? Pity if they have.

I'm actually reading a Charles Dickens novel at the moment, 'Nicholas Nickleby.' I read it over 30 years ago, just before the famous Royal Shakespeare Company production was shown on Channel Four in  it's opening year. A good old-fashioned story that fair cracks along at a good lick and keeps you entertained with some of his most intriguing and preposterous comic creations. I'm sure that Victor Hugo must have read it, along with 'Oliver Twist' as there are some similarities with his 'Les Miserables' which I have also read. 

Recent Reading . . . and Some Writing . . . Part 3

I have an interest in history. Not because of anything educational. I was doing 'A' Level History and 'A' Level English Literature at Mander College in Bedford as I was supposed to have gone on to do a drama degree at Bristol University but didn't get on with any of the course and left to go to work as a student  A.S.M. at the Everyman Theatre in Cheltenham instead of doing a degree course in 1969. I have to say that the 'A' Level courses I did were so boring they would have put anyone off English literature, particularly Shakespeare, possibly for life. We were studying Othello and The Tempest. Just plain DULL for an 18 year old. The history course, just the same, so dull it would have driven anyone to not want to look at history again, American history as well as European. I think I have got my interest in history from being a member of the National Trust and visiting their properties. I came across a book called "The Real Oliver Twist: Robert Blincoe- A Life That Illuminates an Age" by John Waller. There is no actual proof that Charles Dickens read about Blincoe and that he used it as a basis or background for his novel "Oliver Twist", but it certainly gives you a good idea of what life was like for those working in factories during the Industrial Revolution in the early years of the 19th Century. A real eye-opener. I have to say that I prefer 'real' history rather than 'historical fiction.' I never got all excited over the 'Wolf Hall' novels of Hilary Mantel or the television series or, for that matter, the R.S.C. stage productions. I think perhaps I know the Tudor period it covers too well. I did see the first episode of the B.B.C. production but didn't get drawn in to watch any more of it. There is far too much material available, such as documents, letters and archives, to start making up fiction to really interest me. Another book I read which I found in the amazing The Works shop in Milton Keynes Central Shopping Centre is "Bess of Hardwick: First Lady of Chatsworth" by Mary S. Lovell. An amazing lady living during the Tudor period. She was married at one time to a husband who was responsible for inspecting the monasteries and other institutions at the time of the Dissolution of the Monasteries under Henry VIII and for keeping Mary, Queen of Scots imprisoned during  the reign of Elizabeth I. A really fascinating read and I can highly recommend.

I am a subscriber to "B.B.C. History Magazine" and have been reading it for several years now. The first couple of years you got a free book with your subscription and the first year I had the first of Peter Ackroyd's series of books on the History of England called "Foundation" and then the following year it was "Tudors" and the most recent volume "Civil War," which Carol bought me as a Christmas present last year. There are to be six volumes which presumably brings the history right up to the present day. I'm not sure when the fourth volume will be published, but, considering the number of books that Peter Ackroyd writes I imagine it will be until next year. Just have to wait and see when it is released.

Having delved into the world of Sherlock Holmes and his side-kick Dr John Watson, I then got into other crime literature. I have read and enjoyed P.D. James's novels, the Adam Dalgliesh series, with "Devices and Desires" and "The Private Patient." Then the Dalziel and Pascoe books written by Reginald Hill and the television series which starred Warren Clark as Andy Dalziel. The part was made for him and he seemed to inhabit the character. Colin Buchanan played his opposite number, Pascoe. I like the books because they have an underlying comedy which so many 'whodunits' and crime fiction seem to lack. I have also read quite a few of Val Mcdermid's novels, "The Grave Tattoo" being one, but the last two I read, "The Skeleton Road and "Vanishing Point" were not as good as her earlier work and rather a let-down. Too predictable and formulaic as far as I was concerned, as good as her earlier work and rather a let-down. I don't think I'll bother with her newest novel when it comes out.

As regards my own writing, I have been working on a project which I have been developing slowly for the past couple of years which has multiple 'layers' or story, seen from different perspectives. It's set in one location, much like a soap, with characters who come and go. I have up managed to publish some of this on a website called Shortbread so at least it's got people reading it and making some comments.I  have  been keeping notes on story ideas and doing observations for characters which is useful for developing my own material. I did a one-day creative writing course at Milton Keynes Art Centre nearly two years ago and that sparked off a lot of ideas and shoed me how to get started with writing. I had signed up to do a 10-week follow-up course which would have been even more useful, but unfortunately it was cancelled due to the lady who lead it being ill. It has not, unfortunately, been re-scheduled, which is a real pity. I did, however, sign up to do another course run by Milton Keynes Council and running over 8 weeks at the Milton Keynes Academy last September (2014) but I just couldn't get on with it and didn't complete the course. I have since bought a book on creative writing and used some of the exercises in that as well as doing a free on-line course run on something called Futurelearn which was quite useful. I have since done several other of their courses, one on Shakespeare and another on archaeology.

I read "Les Miserables" a couple of years ago. I managed to get the Vintage Books paperback edition which is in a translation by Julie Rose. I saw the original London stage musical back in around 1989 or thereabouts and loved it and have since seen the film version, which I was very impressed by. I had grave doubts that it would ever do justice to the original stage show, because, on balance, the film versions of musicals never seem to be as good, usually because they seem to insist on using actors who were never in the original or at least can't sing. In the movie they didn't use 'dubbed' voices for the singing of the songs but used a system whereby the actors sang 'live' and had tiny ear-pieces through which they could hear a pianist playing 'live,' which meant that the finished performances were far more spontaneous than having the actors dubbing to a pre-recorded soundtrack. You always seem to have the feeling in a lot of  musical films that the actors are miming and in some cases they don't use their own voices. Think Audrey Hepburn's voice being dubbed by an actress called Marni Nixon for "My Fair Lady." I was surprised how well Russell Crowe managed to perform and sing the role of Javert in the film of "Les Mis." I was determined to read the novel first before I saw the film when it came out in 2012 and as a result it made the story a good deal clearer. Actually, that was another thing I noticed about the film version: the story was a good deal clearer. I wasn't aware that Gavroche and Eponine were the children of the Thenardier's. The book is some 1100 pages long and, to be honest, there are huge tracts of it which are extremely heavy-going and it took some effort to skip. Victor Hugo, the author, does tend to put his point of view in far too much, intervening in the story many times. I know Charles Dickens does use his novels to point out social issues in his novels, but he doesn't let his 'voice' get in the way of the plot. There are certainly many chapters which are nothing to do with the story at all but talk about subjects related to the plot and nothing more. In some ways the film improves on the original because these bits are cut out, thankfully.

Cinema Visit To see Les Miserables

We went to see the film of 'Les Miserables' yesterday. I've been looking forward to seeing this film for quite some while, and have read reviews of it and been following quite a few blogs on it's making so was more than keen to go and see it. I have seen the stage version, which I really enjoyed, and as a result have  CDs of the music so I'm very familiar with it. I have recently just completed reading the novel by Victor Hugo which is the basis for both the stage and film versions.

We decided to go to an early showing at the Cineworld multiplex within the Excape complex in Milton Keynes. We took Sam to work as he had to be there at 8.30 so we had lots of time spare before the film started. We got into the centre of Milton Keynes and fortunately we parked just opposite the Excape and went to get our tickets in good time and then went to Costa for coffee. Around 9.50 we decided to go into the cinema and found the auditorium completely empty, so it seemed that we'd be the only people watching the film, but a few more turned up, although even then it wasn't very full. The showing began, but not before we had to sit through a good 40 minutes of advertising and trailers for forthcoming films. Why is it that they advertise the film for 10.10  but it doesn't actually begin for a good half hour or so? Had we known, we could have skipped the confounded ads and trailers. 

I have to say that the film was well worth the wait. It exceeded expectations. Hugh Jackman as Jean Jaljean was really good. He managed to convey the character with extreme conviction as well as having a good singing voice, as did Russell Crowe as Javert. When I first learned that he was to be in the film I had my doubts, but he was really good. The film has an epic quality to it, and the sets, costumes and camerawork are excellent and it deserves to win at the Oscar ceremony. In fact I can go as far as saying that I can highly recommend it as a movie. My only criticism is the cost of the cinema tickets, at a little over £9 it seems a very expensive.

Foggy and Gloomy

Walked to Netherfield along the Redway this morning. Been to buy milk in the Co-Op there and to post a letter. The trees have still got a lot of their leaves, and those are mostly a variety of browns, yellows and in between. Quite vivid. I have taken some photographs are the colours are stunning. No sun out this morning, as there's a thick fog, although by the time I set out to walk to Netherfield the visability had improved. 

We have recently bought a Samsung Galaxy tablet. We had a demonstration of these devices in the Milton Keynes Shopping Centre a week or two ago, and were most impressed by the performance. We then went to John Lewis and had a similar demonstration of the latest iPad, and afterwards came to the conclusion that the Samsung was the better of the two touch-screen tablets. Apple spends a fortune on advertising and publicity. You cannot turn around without there being something about their gadgetry, whether it's for the latest iPad, iPod or iPhone. I have always been an Apple fan and have used them since university, which is where I first used computers and have always used Apple computers (this is written on an iMac, although not the most up to date model, running the latest version of OSX.) But I have to say the Samsung is a very good machine and is perhaps better than the Apple iPad. You get a lot of software already loaded, such as Photoshop photo editing and word processing. There are plenty of apps that run on it, too, and a lot of them are free. It is wifi-connected, and it's relatively easy to set up. We had the thing up and running within minutes of opening the box when it arrived.

I am continuing with my novel. I have at last found a way of linking some of the story-elements together which I hadn't got previously. As I've said in an earlier post, the plotting and story-construction is probably the most important factor when writing something like this. Once you have it in place, the actual writing is surprisingly easy. Just getting something down on paper means you can sort of 'join up the dots' if you like, and the story takes shape accordingly. With so many 'plots' this is quite important. 

I am currently reading 'Les Miserables.' It is an extremely long book, around 1600 pages or so. A lot of different plots, and the construction is a real influence on my own novel. I have seen the stage musical, which I loved, and I'm really looking forward to the film which is due out around Christmas.  Makes you wonder, having read the novel, how on earth anyone would attempt an adaptation. I have seen the trailer, and, if the it's is anything to go by (some trailers don't do justice to the actual film.) the film should be very good. It would appear to have an 'epic' feel to it. The other film that I can't wait to see is 'The Hobbit' although I can't see how such a slight book can be made into three films. I really loved the 'Lord of The Rings' trilogy, perhaps the most faithful adaptation of a novel that I've seen. I have read this 4 times and each time I find something different in it which I didn't find in the previous reading. I just hope these new films come up to expectations. Again, the trailer would suggest that it's going to be very good.

The 300th Post!

Quite a momentous day, this, as this is the 300th post. The first post was written on 27th September 2009. A little over three years. I was writing about 'the season of mists and mellow fruitfulness.' Yes, a very similar day as I write this. The trees are slowly changing colour to every variation of brown, russet, red etc. It's a rather over-cast and dull sort of day. The sun is out and it is fairly bright, but there is quite a keen wind.

I can safely say that I feel a good deal better than I did when I began writing this blog, considering the fact that I had a heart attack in May 2006 (see earlier post for greater detail.)  I had intended the blog to be a discussion of my experiences of having a heart attack, and hope that my thoughts, experiences etc might be of use to anyone else who is going through the same things or has a partner or knows someone who has had a heart attack or has problems with, say, the side-effects of the medication. I think that a lot of my health problems are caused by the side-effects of  the medication, particularly statins (for example, muscle cramps, particularly in the stomach. I have now discovered that drinking some fizzy drinks such as Lucozade, can help relieve these side-effects, along with taking mint capsules, which I have on prescription.) I have not had a really bad angina attack, having been prescribed with isoborbide mononitrate. This working in the same way as the glyceryl trinitrate pump spray which I used to use if I had a really bad paid with an angina attack, as it opens up the arteries and allows better blood flow. I take these tables twice a day, at 8 a.m. and 2 p.m.

As mentioned in an earlier post, I am writing a novel. This, since the beginning of writing this blog. I never thought that it would develop the way it has gone, but I am really getting into my stride now. I'm currently reading Les Miserables, by Victor Hugo (the novel which is the basis for the musical and soon-to-be-released film version.) I'm quite amazed by this. It is an almighty work of fiction, some 1,500 pages. I am being influenced in my own attempts at writing, not necessarily by the story or the characters, but by the construction (ie. multiple storylines and characters that intertwine.)  For those who have not read this novel, I can recommened it, and in particular the version I am reading currently. It in a new translation by Julie Rose, and is in paperback, published by Vintage Classics.  The ISBN number is: 9780099529965 for those of you who want to find it in whatever catalogue or computer system you are likely to use. In Waterstone's, the British bookstore, it is currently on display, or was when we went to the Oxford branch two weeks ago.(no doubt in preparation for the imminent release of the film.) In America it was published by The Modern Library. There are good notes at the back, which are always useful for a novel of this sort.