Two Movies Back to Back

My computer crashed a couple of weeks ago and has been at the repairman. I haven't heard from him and I'm using Gord's computer to attend to my email and do other things, so it is for that reason I haven't posted for a while, as I use the his computer when he is not and I'm bound by priorities in that limited time.

It has meant I have watched television more than usual in the evenings and last night I watched two movies. We surfed the menu to see what was on and Lib said she had not seen 'Easy Rider' and asked me had I, to which I replied that I don't think I'd ever seen it through because when I had started watching it I didn't like it and turned it off. In fact I think the first time I watched it was at the drive-in with Rickyralph and we left well before the movie ended because it was not our cup of tea (I maybe wrong there, Rr will let me know, he remembers much).

So Lib and I settled down to watch. I certainly could not remember much about my previous viewing/s. We both found it boring and quite silly in the story line and dialogue, perhaps Jack Nicholson's short role was the only point of interest for me besides the wonderful scenery as the bikers toured across the the USA from California to New Orleans. Perhaps it was message movie, a spoof on US society, but Lib had given up and gone to bed before we could glean what it it was about. All the drug and hippy stuff alienated us. So much bloody nonsense.

I did watch it right through, the landscape and cinematogrophy was enough to hold me. When it was over I sat a bit stunned and despondent by the crap (mostly) I had just sat for two hours watching. The next movie didn't start for 15 minutes and I sat through all this mind numbing advertising and promo stuff, just what we originally purchased the satellite conscription to avoid, and somehow or other I was still watching when the next movie started. It was called 'Keeping Mum' and the only two actors on the info blurb were Rowan Atkinson and Maggie Smith. Now I can't stand Mr Bean, the character just annoys/worries the hell out of me, so I thought I'd be turning in pretty soon.

In my mind I couldn't place Maggie Smith as an actress. The movie started with an attractive lady who was vaguely familiar, and an "F" word or two, in context, that had me laugh a little and watch some more. As it unfolded the lady was a minister's (Rowan Atkinson) wife, and there were family problems between husband and wife and with their two children. They employed a housekeeper who I realised was Maggie Smith and the movie went from there in what I thought was a brilliant script and story line with superb acting. For sure it was a bit over the top but the humour and general good entertainment left me completely surprised. Nothing like a good laugh and unexpected turns in a movie.

I know Lib would have liked it and I'll keep my eye out to see if comes on the satellite stations again and record it for her. The credits at the end showed the the wife actress was Kristin Scott Thomas  and it also had Patrick Swayzee. I thought all the actors including rowan Atkinson were brilliant.

Cricket Karma

Well done Poms. That was a demolition. I enjoyed every minute of it. Before the first day of the first test Michael Clarke said his team would not go in for a drink (they had been invited by the English team) at the end of the test as they wanted to foster a hard attitude and not fraternize with the opponent. What a shameful attitude, and one I hoped would come back to bite.

In today's paper there was reference to a feud between two wives of players which created tension between the husbands, and animosity over the timing of announcement of players non selection. And of course there was an article by Michael Clarke saying his timing was right to retire and with the support of his wife and Shane Warne who asked him lots of relevant questions he realized that yes the time is right. The trouble is that this time last week his article in the same paper was all about how the pressure was on him to perform and he thrived on this and win lose or draw he was not going to retire as he was still hungry and loved getting up at 5.30am every day to work on his body. I just hope the bugger doesn't get a plum commentator's job like most of them do so I have to put up with more of his BS. Not that I watch much.

As you may have gathered in the past I haven't been a fan of the Australian cricket team for many years, perhaps as many as twenty. I barrack for their opposition in every contest. The Australians have been arrogant bully boys for a long time: sledging, spiteful whingers and bad sports, and big heads.

I know I'm supposed to be blindly loyal to my nation's sporting teams, and I wonder where I went off the rails. I think it's something to do with backing the underdog. Perhaps I've felt a bit like an underdog most of my adult life, firstly being a Melbourne supporter and secondly being self employed for 35 years, at the mercy of every petty bureaucracy under the sun. I could go on but this was not intended to be my sob story.

I'm just glad the Gods of cricket brought some Karma, Let's hope the Aussies can gain a little humility and sportsmanship.

Profit

Last week I helped out friends. No big deal, just a bit of gardening for a couple of hours spreading mulch. I sometimes do a bit of work for them. As I finished and was leaving, to where on their property I was to pick some bay foliage that they kindly let me do, my friend said, "What do I owe you?"

I said, "Nothing, I'll get $50 of bay from that tree in no time."

My friend replied, "No, what about your profit?'

I said, "Sometimes getting my bay is more important than profit," as I declined his offer of payment.

I thought about it later and was most comfortable about it. Sure it would have been good to be paid for my time then get some foliage and have a profitable morning. But as it panned out I came away with what I needed to make a customer happy, my friends were happy as they had my help at no cost, and I had a pleasant morning to boot. Goodwill all round, and I know I'll be welcome to pick bay there next year when the trees have put growth back on. And they are happy for me to pick other things they may have as need drives me.

The end of the story is that that goodwill is sometimes more important than profit and money. And it makes you feel good going to bed that you have done something for someone that helps them and at the same time have resisted greed and yet helped your own situation. Good all round.

Let's hope for a good week ahead. The weather was better today (Sunday, although it's after midnight and this will come up posted Monday), a few degrees warmer and no rain. I actually got the whipper going and slashed back a heap of stuff that needed doing. And yesterday, after a delivery guy in a van came into our place (wrong address) the previous day, the wrong way down the drive and couldn't get out without a lot of mucking around, Gord and I patched up the driveway with three metres of crushed rock. It was quite funny really; the truck delivering the rock slid off the driveway as he backed down and couldn't get out after wedging up against a tree. He had to organize a tow out, after we had shovelled off most of the gravel by hand. Just a bit of Saturday morning drama to not let me get too relaxed about life on a daily basis.