Morning procrastination

[altariel]

My god, though, short story writing. It's all the imaginative slog of novel-writing and none of the cheap thrill of steadily increasing word count. Also, I am very late with this one.

Things I have enjoyed in recent weeks: this season of Hustle downplayed heist plots to give us time-tested stories such as "rob the rich and give to the poor" (they are now our last best defence against Teh Evil City Bankers) and "break comrades out of prison". All done with so much witty banter that it was basically Blake's 7, only without the spaceship and the cheap clothes. There was even a recurring Travis character: "[waves fists] Damn you Roj Blake Mickey Bricks I'll getcha next time!" Joy.

For mraltariel's birthday (as well as the feast of gigantic skill), we had an Enemy at the Door mini-marathon. This is the early 80s ITV drama about the Nazi-occupied Channel Islands which I have raved about in the past. This last batch of episodes contained my absolute favourite so far. The Nazis agree to allow the inter-island chess tournament to take place - but only if they can participate, on account of their commandant being a Grand Master or Wizard or whatever it is in the chess world. The only serious competitor from the Islands is a man whose nerves were shattered under interrogation in Italian-occupied Abyssinia. This is revealed in scenes with his wife, where it is also revealed that she - a quiet, retiring middle-aged housewife - is also his coach and at least his equal at chess. "Oh," I grumped to mraltariel, "This is going to be all about him overcoming his demons, when it should be about her hammering the Nazi at chess."

BUT I SHOULD NOT LOSE FAITH IN TELEVISION.

The Gestapo officer (played by Simon Cadell - YES from Hi-de-Hi, do you see why I rave about this programme?) keeps sending round his thugs to harass the nervy chess champion, with the aim of making him lose concentration in his matches. But eventually he is pushed too far, and cannot play. So his wife steps in (imagine my heels kicking in joy). She loses the first match - for she has little competitition experience - and courteously compliments her opponent's matchplay. She wins the second match. In between sessions, she and her friend (the wife of the local doctor) sit with their hats and gloves and handbags and enjoy a sneaky, mutinous fag away from the menfolk. Then the third match - which of course she wins. Her prize is a pound of real coffee.

How awesome is that? Why can I not see things like this on ITV any more? I love the faith in story, in character, in acting, in the simplicity of it all. Nothing flashy. Just two middle-aged women sitting in a corner in their hats and gloves, trying to give one of them the courage to do something brave.

Things I am about to enjoy: I am off to Redemption tomorrow, where I shall be taking part in such panels as a Lois McMaster Bujold love-in, and a discussion about the best writer of Doctor Who. Also I'm doing the book thread, which is three sessions in which people who love books sit around and groove about them. Also - YAY! REDEMPTION! YAY!

In the meantime, and because I need distractions today like I need a hole in the head, here's a meme from fjm:

• Describe me in one word - just one single word. Positive or negative.


• Leave your word in a comment, before looking at what words others have used.


• Copy and paste the meme to your journal to find out how people describe you when limited to one word.

Comments

[kerravonsen]

Una-ique.

(I couldn't resist)

[altariel.livejournal.com]

:-) And I like that icon!

[geekette8.livejournal.com]

Cerebral.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Lawks!

[gair.livejournal.com]

Ooh, I like that! I nearly said 'Thinky', but then I didn't.

[infinitlight.livejournal.com]

I should look up that Enemy at the Door episode for my dad, who is chess-obsessed. (He does chess trivia contests sometimes (I have never attended one of these, and I have no idea if they are seekritly awesome rave parties held by old men in jumpers, or as boring as they sound. I helped him with a "Does Bart Simpson play chess?" question once).)


Meme: "calm" is the first thing that came to mind, but I'm not sure I can articulate why. I'm pretty sure it's a compliment (I am decidedly un-calm, myself)).

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Boy, I love a good chess story! It's episode 9 if you scroll down on this page. (And don't miss the picture of young Anthony Stewart Head here!) I've no idea how easy the DVDs are to come by outside the UK, it's a pretty obscure show.

I think of myself as pretty highly-strung, so calm is an interesting one.

[applegnat.livejournal.com]

but only if they can participate, on account of their commandant being a Grand Master or Wizard or whatever it is in the chess world

In the middle of a hugely interesting entry that opened my eyes to something wonderful that I was hearing about for the first time, that line still carried my heart away.

As for the meme: catholic. ♥

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Oh, and I only wrote that line because I wasn't quite sure if I could remember exactly and couldn't be bothered to check, so fudged!


meme: catholic

So much preferable to "low-brow"! :-D

[jhall1.livejournal.com]

I think I remember that series, unless there was another one that was set in the Nazi-occupied Channel Islands. I liked it, though I didn't think that it was exceptional. Maybe it would look better to me now because the general standard of TV has fallen so much. I think I must have missed that episode, though, as I don't recall it.

As for a single word to describe you, I might well have chosen "cerebal" too, but as that has gone I will say "tall". I have no idea whether you are really tall, but somehow in your writing you come across as that. :)

[jhall1.livejournal.com]

...before looking at what words others have used

Oops! I fail.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

It seems to get unfavourably compared with Secret Army, which lots of people remember extremely well (tho' you have to wonder how much 'Allo 'Allo contributes to that...!). I think it's extremely good, if one's taste runs to studio-bound talky television drama - which mine does!


I will say "tall". I have no idea whether you are really tall

LOL! I am tiny. Seriously. Five foot nothing. I put leggy Amazons in my icons to compensate.

[manna]

Magical.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

*goes shy and shuffles feet*

[thanatos-kalos.livejournal.com]

Brilliant.

(have fun at Redemption! Wish I could be there!)

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Why, thank you!

(I shall! And there are always other cons!)

[gair.livejournal.com]

MULTIVALENT

[altariel.livejournal.com]

I had to look this up!

(It said: "containing several kinds of antibody".)

[jthijsen.livejournal.com]

Warm

I knew you weren't tall, because I met you at Redemption once.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

:-)

I just play someone tall on the Internet. (Enjoying that icon!)

[the-wild-iris.livejournal.com]

Inspired.

[bluetyson.livejournal.com]

I did this a while back, actually think Adrian Lester would take a decent crack at Avon :-

http://bluetyson.livejournal.com/11872.html

[executrix.livejournal.com]

You have intrigued me! So I looked it up on Netflix--USians can get the first series by Netflixing "Enemy at the Door." They also have the Jude Law movie "Enemy at the Gates"--sounds like "The Macintosh Story" to me.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Enjoy!

That word is

[(Anonymous)]

Joy.

Re: That word is

[altariel.livejournal.com]

:-)

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Wilco! :-)

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

I'm loving Hustle too; they really needed Mickey Brick back. It is again a thing of joy.

I'd have expected the chess plot to go the way you though it might too; yay for the woman stepping in and creaming the Nazis. I very vaguely remember that program being on here when I was a kid, and Cadell's sinister face. I'd like to watch it again too, but I have such a huge waiting pile. How many eps were there?

Oh and: brilliant.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

The actor playing the young lad, Matt di Angelo, was runner-up in Strictly Come Dancing in 2007, and turned from a slightly cocky young man who was too embarrassed to try to a genuinely excellent dancer who wore his heart on his sleeve. Quite won my heart.

I very vaguely remember that program being on here when I was a kid, and Cadell's sinister face. I'd like to watch it again too, but I have such a huge waiting pile. How many eps were there?

Yes, Cadell is fabulous! Such a difference from his role in Hi-de-Hi. There were two seasons, 26 episodes in total (more here).

Thank you. "Artistic", for you.

[raspberryfool.livejournal.com]

Wowfabgroovy...

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Very Sixties! :-D

[fallingtowers.livejournal.com]

If I can ever lay my hands on this show or stumble across it by chance, I will make sure to watch that particular episode.

Do enjoy yourself at Redemption! How about a con report for those poor deprived folks on the other side of the Channel? :)

Meme:

Transformative.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

I had a brilliant time at Redemption, thank you! Slowly writing up a very long con report.

Meme: Gosh. For you: eclectic.

[katlinel.livejournal.com]

Beloved.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

*hugs you*

[greylin.livejournal.com]

How late is this?! Still, I didn't want to miss the opportunity to say: "wise". One of your stories helped a great deal during a difficult time in 2003. Thank you. :)

[altariel.livejournal.com]

My turn to be late replying. My pleasure and privilege.

(And Seventh Swan has arrived safely, thank you!)