I'm a wreck...

[fajrdrako]

I'm a wreck because of allergies. Ugh! I'm not sure if it's simple allergies or allergies plus candidiasis - probably both. I could hardly to anything last night but sleep. I did manage to watch some TV, mindlessly, with maaseru. While maaboroshi was there I saw a few minutes of Mars Attacks, which, as you may know, is a comedy. I am somewhat averse to comedies and it's a symptom of my lack of energy that I didn't go running out of the room at once. As it was I watched an amusing scene with Pierce Brosnan smoking a pipe in a polka-dotted chair.

Then maaseru and I watched a rather assinine show on the History Channel about Stonehenge. It purported to be serious research but seemed like a parody of such. At one point maaseru asked, "Is this for kindergarten?" There was nothing new in terms of information about Stonehenge or the other megalithic sites, of course. There were some gorgeous shots of the Ring of Brodgar and the Tomb of the Eagles and Skara Brae.

If I hadn't been half asleep I'd have gone home then, but as it was, I stayed for an episode of Coronation Street, catching up a little - I haven't watched a whole episode in years. They were celebrating New Year's Eve, which shows you how far behind the CBC is on new episodes.

Then I went home, and slept soundly, and never wanted to get up. It was rainy and humid and I felt more tired than ever. Treated myself to a major breakfast from Nate's. Did it help me to wake up...? Not much. I feel out of sorts and grumpy.

At least I wasn't rained on, like yesterday.

Comments

[maaseru.livejournal.com]

Sorry to hear you are still feeling yucky this morning. Maybe when this hot weather goes away your symptoms will go with it.

I think that thing you watched with maaboroshi wasn't Life on Mars but a ghastly movie called Mars Attacks or Attack from Mars, or something like that.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Yes, I think it's the combination of warmth and humidity. Makes me feel as if I'm pushing a hundred pounds every time I move. All my skin is swollen.

You're right, it was Mars Attacks, I can't even think clearly eough to remember that this morning. Aaaargh!

Grump grump grump.

But that's a really beautiful icon you have there.

[nacbrie.livejournal.com]

Are you taking any antihistamines for the allergies? They are wonderful, wonderful drugs, which allow me to touch cats without becoming incapacitated for four hours.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Yes, I've been taking antihistamines. They do work well to combat my cat allergies! This is why I think the problem is probably candidiasis as much as allergies - and candidiasis can cause allergies, so that doesn't help. And antihistamines don't help.

I wanna sleep some more....

[wijsgeer.livejournal.com]

come here!! it is fall over here!!! *bleeeh* much to my dismay.

I think the secret with CBC and Coronation Street is is that they are actually ahead, Canadian spies raided the BBC vaults and took a year's worth of Coronation Street. Due to the repetitive nature no one has yet found out.

(disclaimer, I've never even watched any episode of Coronation Street and I don't know what I am talking about)

Hope you feel better soon

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

It is fall here, too, except the weather can't make up its mind whether to be hot and rainy or cool and rainy (which suits me much better) or sunny and changeable.

I like your theory about Coronation Street and the CBC! Time warp - or perhaps I should say, timey-wimey stuff.

Not watching Coronation Street is probably good for your sanity. It's about a bunch of people who mess up each other's lives endlessly - and their own at the same time.

Thanks for the good health wishes. I hope you're having a good health day!

[silverwhistle.livejournal.com]

Then maaseru and I watched a rather asinine show on the History Channel about Stonehenge. It purported to be serious research but seemed like a parody of such. At one point maaseru asked, "Is this for kindergarten?" There was nothing new in terms of information about Stonehenge or the other megalithic sites, of course. There were some gorgeous shots of the Ring of Brodgar and the Tomb of the Eagles and Skara Brae.

From the History Channel programmes I have seen (recorded by friends for me) I am inclined to agree that they are hideously dumbed-down in comparison with what BBC 2 used to do in the halcyon days of my youth. Thankfully, I now have a stash of decent DVDs, such as Kenneth Clark's Civilisation, Jacob Bronowski's The Ascent of Man, Francesco da Mosta's Francesco's Italy, and Brian Sewell's jaunts to Compostela and the Grand Tour.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I liked those shows, though there was one of them - was it Civilisation? - that annoyed me because once they got to a really interesting point they moved quickly onwards, leaving me wanting more detail about everything.

On the whole, the History Channel has some of the worst television I've ever seen. Occasionally it rises to the amusing. Mostly it confuses history with trivia (and vice versa) and has never heard of historiography, sources, reasoned argument, or cause and effect. Lots of feeble recreations of old battles in which it doesn't look as if anyone is trying very hard to kill anyone else.

Though I admit, the pictures and details of the Roman ballista in that show were interesting.

I never saw or heard of Francesco's Italy - it sounds like something I absolutely must see!

[silverwhistle.livejournal.com]

I liked those shows, though there was one of them - was it Civilisation? - that annoyed me because once they got to a really interesting point they moved quickly onwards, leaving me wanting more detail about everything.

Yes! It did a nice episode on the 12C Renaissance.

On the whole, the History Channel has some of the worst television I've ever seen. Occasionally it rises to the amusing. Mostly it confuses history with trivia (and vice versa) and has never heard of historiography, sources, reasoned argument, or cause and effect. Lots of feeble recreations of old battles in which it doesn't look as if anyone is trying very hard to kill anyone else.

Sadly, some of the terrestrial channels here are buying in History Channel programmes here. There's far too much reliance on hokey re-enactments, instead of serious discussion. They also tend to present things as unequivocal, not representing disagreement between historians in interpretation.

I never saw or heard of Francesco's Italy - it sounds like something I absolutely must see!

Your wish is my command… Will see what I can do!

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Generally speaking, I think the 12c Renaissance is under-represented in the popular media. Yay! to shows that feature it.

That program I was watching presented the revelation that Maiden Castle had ramparts as if that were extraordinary - not didn't bother to explain what they meant in any case.

There is a certain charm to seeing computer graphics fill in the 'artistic representation' of what a place or structure might have looked like at one time... But they should remember that this is no more than an 'artistic representation'. And if it is more than that, they should explain why, and how, and how they know.

On the other hand, I got excited when they showed the interior of Maes Howe. I always do. I can't help it. "I've been there!" I chirped and maaseru smiled indulgently. I think she's been there, too.

[catalenamara.livejournal.com]

Good luck with your allergies! I almost never have problems in the fall, but our weather seems to be about 100% reversed here this year and I am having *so* many problems right now. I'm getting the shots, as the antihistamines knock me out, alas.

Oh those History Channel shows! They seem to get their writers out of the tabloid papers...!

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I usually say that Sept. 6 is my worst day of the year, allergy-wise, but I get a bad spell in April and this year the whole thing seems to be pushed back chronologically. I went most of last year without needing antihistamines at all. I'm not sure how much they're helping now, but at least I can breathe today.

Hope you feel better soon!

Yes, that show on Stonehenge - it had a tabloid-like sensationalism with absolutely no content at all, least of all new ideas or information. I hate what I call the Von Daniken school of journalism, where the content is all innuendo and questions, usually beginning, "Could it be that...?" And no evidence whatsoever! Least of all any sense of history.

But I did enjoy the pretty pictures.

[catalenamara.livejournal.com]

I hate what I call the Von Daniken school of journalism, where the content is all innuendo and questions, usually beginning, "Could it be that...?" And no evidence whatsoever! Least of all any sense of history.

Isn't that the truth! "Could it be that zebras can fly?" "Could it be that aliens ate the brains of the producers?" You can come up with any sort of nonsense and if you phrase it as a question you can escape all the hard issues, like evidence and credibility.

Good luck!

I usually say that Sept. 6 is my worst day of the year, allergy-wise, but I get a bad spell in April and this year the whole thing seems to be pushed back chronologically. I went most of last year without needing antihistamines at all. I'm not sure how much they're helping now, but at least I can breathe today.

Glad you're feeling better! The weather has been so reversed in California this year. Our rainy season is usually in the spring - this year, not a drop. It never rains in the fall - it's been raining and on for a week. I'm sure that's why my allergies are flaring up. September is usually my most allergy-free month.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

"Could it be that aliens ate the brains of the producers?"

We might possibly have self-evidential proof of that one! Unless possibly they had no brains to be eaten in the first place.

Yes, my allergies seem to have disappeared today. I am happy! And for a change, I have some energy!

[mmegaera.livejournal.com]

Allergies are Evul. You have my sympathies.

I've watched about two minutes of Coronation Street in my time. Can't say as I get it, but that's probably just me. I do remember one time in a hostel in the Lake District walking into the lounge one evening only to find a crowd of people all glued to the television and when I asked what was on, got a whole bunch of shushing and one whisper of "Coronation Street."

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Thank you for the sympathies. I just finished a major nap. Feel better. Hope it lasts.

My mother used to watch Coronation Street decades ago. I therefore have a sort of fond familiarity with it, all the more in that maaseru follows it. I watch it once a decade or so, and know some of the names. Sometimes. It's one of those shows that isn't just a show, it's a sort of institution, or lifestyle, or something.

[mmegaera.livejournal.com]

I suspected as much. I know people who are addicted to American soap operas, as well.

My only attempt in that direction involved a summer of watching All My Children when I was in high school, some 30-odd years ago. I never will understand the appeal, I'm afraid (says the woman who is addicted to Grey's Anatomy [g]).

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I don't think it's such a big step from Coronation Street to Grey Anatomy - it's all the appeal of character-based sequential entertainment. My lifelong addiction is X-Men!

[mmegaera.livejournal.com]

Or, really, not that big a jump from soaps to series fiction (like Amelia Peabody or -- gasp -- Miles Vorkosigan [g,d,r]).

I think it's got a lot to do with what one looks for in entertainment. Me, if I like the people (if the characters are Real People [tm]), they've got me, pretty much from the getgo. Series tend to do that sort of thing better than single volumes, of any media.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

not that big a jump from soaps to series fiction (like Amelia Peabody or -- gasp -- Miles Vorkosigan [g,d,r]

Oh, absolutely. I love series. In general. Especially when the characters are particuarly entertaining, or heroic. Miles fits perfectly!

[auriaephiala.livejournal.com]

As soon as you mention Coronation Street, its theme song echoes in my head. And the funny thing is, I've never watched the show -- I would just walk through the living room when my mother was watching it. But that music is seriously sticky.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

that music is seriously sticky.

It is, isn't it?

Maybe that's part of its magic, that created its devoted following. You know how they used to talk about subliminal images in film for advertising. Maybe this is ... subliminal audio.

[meret.livejournal.com]

I hope you feel better soon!*hugs*

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Thank you! The fugue state seemed to lift yesterday evening, and I feel terrific today. Thank goodness.

*hugs back*