I went to see MacBeth at the Royal Exchange in Manchester this afternoon, Kim was going along and suggested (since I was not seeing my son this weekend) that I might like to come along. Tickets were for the front row and there were hints from Kim that this might be a risky location given the amount of fake blood involved in the play! Hmmm, wasn't sure about that, sounded like it might be a bit scary.
And it was, but not in a bad way. It was very intense, modern, thought-provoking, and thoroughly enjoyable (that's maybe not the right word given the subject matter). I've never read any Shakespear (didn't do it at school), nor seen it performed before, and I had to admit I found the dialog hard to understand at first but it gradually got easier and didn't really detract from my understanding of what was going on.
The performances were very powerful and it was easy to get totally engrossed in what was going on. All this in a circular area of, essentially, floor - there is no raised stage and the audience sits around the space in which the actors perform with them running on and off, actually past where our seats were. Everyone actually seemed really tall from our vantage point which made it even more intense.
I don't think I have the words to describe how good I thought it all was or to even try and convey what was going on but I'm so glad I went! Gave me lots to think about and would HIGHLY recommend you go see it!
Showing posts with label culture. Show all posts
Showing posts with label culture. Show all posts
Saturday, 28 March 2009
Sunday, 8 March 2009
Boobs and stuff
I just thought the title was fun, I was going to say "Boobs and shit" but thought I'd keep it a bit cleaner. The boobs do, however, make an appearance (not literally) in this post so if you're of a nervous disposition then please look away now.
So, yesterday I went down for my 2nd laser treatment of this course and was running late as usual so forgot to take pain killers which I've used, with some success, before. However, I needn't have worried as they had forgotten to tell me I actually needed another patch test as they have a new machine now! I guess it all worked out okay but it does mean I need to go down again which is a bit of a pain!
Anyway, the new machine doesn't give the characteristic pain that the previous one did - often described as like being flicked with an elastic band. Instead this one is meant to be "pain-free" (it's isn't but it's close) and actually they move the wand/gun with the laser in over the area of face in about 5 quick sweeps, kind of gradually building up heat in the hairs. I did feel some tiny prickles which I guess must have been the hairs, but the main sensation, all over the area they tested, was of heat. At one point it actually felt very hot and I moved away which is a bad thing apparently (must remember not to do that again).
I was told that the heat is a bit like having a hot stone massage which I've never experienced before but always suspected would not feel a nice comfortable warmth but actually rather too hot to feel safe. I think this new laser is the same: any redness (and there was plenty) quickly faded with no obvious marking, so it must have been safe, but it really didn't feel it at the time! I'll write more after Tuesday when I have my actual treatment.
After that, I went into Manchester city Centre to do a bit of shopping - wanted to just get some more things from Primark as well as execute the plan I had regarding my boobs, or more precisely the bras I wear.
Since going fulltime I have worn 38B bras, obviously with breast forms since there was nothing else to fill the space! I've never been measured properly but had found that 36/38 seemed to be an okay fit and had erred on the side of caution and also tried to stick to something sensible. I know there can be a tendancy to go for ridiculously large breast but that it not something I ever wanted: realistic and normal was what I've always aimed at and in some ways smaller is better (assuming I can lose enough weight from the rest of me!).
There have been two problems with the original arrangements now that my breasts have started to develop 1) squising the "girls" with forms is rather uncomfy and (I know this sounds silly) I don't really want to hold them back by doing this, 2) what was, what I believed to be a 'normal' chest-area look, has obviously increased in size - 38C now seems to be more suitable bra size and that is too big for me.
So, I've now ditched the forms and am wearing (admittedly quite well padded) 36A bra's which actually do fit quite well but are proving to be more comfortable than the alternative. I had planned to get these from Primark since I, possibly naively, hope that I'll be able to move onto a bigger cup-size eventually but sadly B is the smallest they do. So if anyone else is in the same position as me, save yourself some time looking around and simply head to Marks & Spencer.
Anyway, I do look noticeable smaller now but at least I'm more real :)
The day was rounded off by seeing a performance at Contact Theatre by Polarbear called "If I cover my nose you can't see me". This was a spoken word performance and essentially consisted of the guy, Polarbear, standing up and reciting the story that he had written. Think of it as a more adult version of Jackanory done from memory and without the aid of autocues!
I should really dignify this with it's own blog entry but I doubt I could really do it justice as I'm new to all this culture stuff and it was pretty hard to follow - Polarbear talks fast and I'm more use to movies which I can rewind or books where I can flick back a few pages if I think I've missed something. Also the sort of thing I usually watch/read doesn't require so much thought and understanding, little is left to the imagination so I was struggling to keep up.
But it was enjoyable and did make me think as well as being a very relaxed atmosphere. Certainly something I would be interested in going to see again and would recommend to others too.
Anyway, drove back late at night singing to the Mamma Mia soundtrack (my brain had to revert to something easier to grasp, it can't be intellectual ALL the time) and am now spending Sunday tidying up and eventually trying on all the clothes I bought from Primark yesterday :D
So, yesterday I went down for my 2nd laser treatment of this course and was running late as usual so forgot to take pain killers which I've used, with some success, before. However, I needn't have worried as they had forgotten to tell me I actually needed another patch test as they have a new machine now! I guess it all worked out okay but it does mean I need to go down again which is a bit of a pain!
Anyway, the new machine doesn't give the characteristic pain that the previous one did - often described as like being flicked with an elastic band. Instead this one is meant to be "pain-free" (it's isn't but it's close) and actually they move the wand/gun with the laser in over the area of face in about 5 quick sweeps, kind of gradually building up heat in the hairs. I did feel some tiny prickles which I guess must have been the hairs, but the main sensation, all over the area they tested, was of heat. At one point it actually felt very hot and I moved away which is a bad thing apparently (must remember not to do that again).
I was told that the heat is a bit like having a hot stone massage which I've never experienced before but always suspected would not feel a nice comfortable warmth but actually rather too hot to feel safe. I think this new laser is the same: any redness (and there was plenty) quickly faded with no obvious marking, so it must have been safe, but it really didn't feel it at the time! I'll write more after Tuesday when I have my actual treatment.
After that, I went into Manchester city Centre to do a bit of shopping - wanted to just get some more things from Primark as well as execute the plan I had regarding my boobs, or more precisely the bras I wear.
Since going fulltime I have worn 38B bras, obviously with breast forms since there was nothing else to fill the space! I've never been measured properly but had found that 36/38 seemed to be an okay fit and had erred on the side of caution and also tried to stick to something sensible. I know there can be a tendancy to go for ridiculously large breast but that it not something I ever wanted: realistic and normal was what I've always aimed at and in some ways smaller is better (assuming I can lose enough weight from the rest of me!).
There have been two problems with the original arrangements now that my breasts have started to develop 1) squising the "girls" with forms is rather uncomfy and (I know this sounds silly) I don't really want to hold them back by doing this, 2) what was, what I believed to be a 'normal' chest-area look, has obviously increased in size - 38C now seems to be more suitable bra size and that is too big for me.
So, I've now ditched the forms and am wearing (admittedly quite well padded) 36A bra's which actually do fit quite well but are proving to be more comfortable than the alternative. I had planned to get these from Primark since I, possibly naively, hope that I'll be able to move onto a bigger cup-size eventually but sadly B is the smallest they do. So if anyone else is in the same position as me, save yourself some time looking around and simply head to Marks & Spencer.
Anyway, I do look noticeable smaller now but at least I'm more real :)
The day was rounded off by seeing a performance at Contact Theatre by Polarbear called "If I cover my nose you can't see me". This was a spoken word performance and essentially consisted of the guy, Polarbear, standing up and reciting the story that he had written. Think of it as a more adult version of Jackanory done from memory and without the aid of autocues!
I should really dignify this with it's own blog entry but I doubt I could really do it justice as I'm new to all this culture stuff and it was pretty hard to follow - Polarbear talks fast and I'm more use to movies which I can rewind or books where I can flick back a few pages if I think I've missed something. Also the sort of thing I usually watch/read doesn't require so much thought and understanding, little is left to the imagination so I was struggling to keep up.
But it was enjoyable and did make me think as well as being a very relaxed atmosphere. Certainly something I would be interested in going to see again and would recommend to others too.
Anyway, drove back late at night singing to the Mamma Mia soundtrack (my brain had to revert to something easier to grasp, it can't be intellectual ALL the time) and am now spending Sunday tidying up and eventually trying on all the clothes I bought from Primark yesterday :D
Monday, 9 June 2008
Socialization sucks
Another bizarre stream of conciousness that I thought I'd subject the internet to:
I saw an update from someone on Facebook about dropping their daughter off at Grandmothers for the weekend. Not too surprising, but what made me think is that this person apparently writes about open relationships and I presume practices what she preaches.
It got me wondering what that was like for a child growing up in such an environment, it might be a bit like going through multiple seperations or divorces I decided. Much better to have a nice stable married couple to bring up a child, that's the ideal after all.
And then it hit me: I remember reading that marriage is only a relatively recent concept, or certainly the idea that it was the 'ideal' scenario is only something that has been pushed (I think it was within the last few hundred years).
So my reaction to what I read was entirely based on what I had been told to expect and see as ideal! Just a cultural bias rather than an objective opinion. It is amazing how much prejudice is actually built into your head without you knowing it.
I saw an update from someone on Facebook about dropping their daughter off at Grandmothers for the weekend. Not too surprising, but what made me think is that this person apparently writes about open relationships and I presume practices what she preaches.
It got me wondering what that was like for a child growing up in such an environment, it might be a bit like going through multiple seperations or divorces I decided. Much better to have a nice stable married couple to bring up a child, that's the ideal after all.
And then it hit me: I remember reading that marriage is only a relatively recent concept, or certainly the idea that it was the 'ideal' scenario is only something that has been pushed (I think it was within the last few hundred years).
So my reaction to what I read was entirely based on what I had been told to expect and see as ideal! Just a cultural bias rather than an objective opinion. It is amazing how much prejudice is actually built into your head without you knowing it.
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