dual personalities

Quiet on set, please!

On Monday Tim and I made our acting debuts as “background artists” (formerly known as extras) in a feature film. We spent an hour or so walking repeatedly down a hall while they filmed various takes of a one-minute scene. We were people on their way to a cello recital and then we got to be the audience. Alas, you’ll have to wait to see our two seconds of fame because I don’t have a picture. But here’s one that shows the director and crew getting ready for a shot. Note Chris, the stalwart PA, in the bottom right:

Our participation only took a couple of hours, but Chris was hard at work until 1:30 am. C’est la vie.

Monday not only marked the end of my acting career, but it was my 24th wedding anniversary.

I probably used this last year

For the first time since we had children we celebrated alone (usually we don’t celebrate at all): nice bottle of wine, cheese and crackers, veg and dip — very much a normal evening.
Of course, Monday was also the new royal baby’s birthday.

I can’t say I was in the least caught up in “royal baby fever” and I don’t care what they name him, but I’m a sucker for a cute infant. I love his little hands and squished up face, don’t you?

Note: movie pics taken from facebook.

not a week off. Unusually hot, humid weather (no kidding, we broke 90) and spotty air-conditioning slowed everything down, especially me. Nothing felt right or fun or productive, but we had a couple of good storms.

photo by Bruce Dana, northcountrynow.com

I started watching Jane Campion’s New Zealand missing person mystery, “Top of the Lake” on Netflix. The scenery is breath-taking

but the show is unrelentingly grim and just teetering on the “men are bad and women are victims” abyss. It’s also rather mesmerizing and has good people in it. I may try again when I’m feeling perkier.

I also started reading a fascinating book about William James (famous philosopher and brother of the novelist, Henry James) and his “search for scientific proof of life after death”. The title,Ghost Hunters is unfortunate, but the book is readable and gives a detailed account of the conflict between science, popular spiritualists, and religion during the 19th century. Honestly, I thought only modern scientists were narrow-minded and arrogant about such matters — who knew it went back that far? Poor James and his cohort were basically pilloried for even suggesting that supernatural phenomena and the possibility of immortality were worth scientific investigation. I’m only about half-way through, so I reserve judgment.

And work has been particularly unsatisfactory.

if only they dated their letters!

The two projects I’m working on are driving me nuts. The evidence is like one of William James’s wispy ghosts — I can’t pin it down. Consequently, (metaphor alert!) my arguments seem to me about as solid as a house of cards. I have no confidence in any of it and feel like a fraud writing as if I do. Humph.

But never mind! My husband bought me another air-conditioner, so at least I’m cooler. How did your week go?

It’s hard to believe that just a week ago we were arriving in London after a delightful stay in Devon. As cities go London is really quite nice, but truth be told I much prefer the countryside. Cities have way too many people, who all seem to be going to the same places I am. But let’s concentrate on the good stuff like the British Museum

Before the hordes of tourists arrive

where we saw the fabulous Pompeii and Herculaneum exhibit and where I spent the bulk of two days studying my Assyrians.

see how he uses his shield?

We went to the theater and saw “The 39 Steps” which the incredibly clever staging made truly delightful.

Though it was a comedy, they stuck to the original story very well and I was not offended on John Buchan’s behalf.

We also went to the Royal Albert Hall to see Verdi’s “Requiem” performed by four soloists and a chorus of over two thousand (yes, two thousand).

What a place! Since it was a super hot day (maybe 81) and since London doesn’t really do air-conditioning, they moved us from our boiling seats in the upper tier to the pleasantly cool second row, where the view was perfect.

On our last night, we went to the British Film Institute for their retrospective screening of Werner Herzog’s “Fitzcarraldo”. It was an unusually nice film-going experience: no one talked or rattled wrappers and the seats were really comfy.

We enjoyed good pub food

the Marlborough Arms

and we did a lot of walking…

walking across the Thames to the BFI

Sometimes we rode the jam-packed, incredibly hot Underground. No kidding, it was the stuff of nightmares for yours truly, the people/claustrophobe. By the end of the day we all needed refreshment a stiff drink)!

at the bar in our hotel

Honestly, though, there’s no place like home. I’m all traveled out — especially since I had one day of jet-lag recovery before driving off to Vermont with Tim for his college orientation. I cannot tell you how nice it was to sleep in my own bed last night!