Weekend Wanderings

I compared de-caff cappuccinos in Cafe Nero and Caffe Internationale (?) near Piccadilly Circus before and after watching Sex and Drugs and Rock and Roll with my friend S, at the Odeon Panton St. Coffee wise, nothing between them. But Caffe Internationale had table service and looked great for old fashioned teas with cakes and scones.

It was a fantastic film – just as Ian Dury would have wanted it I think, surreal and full of heart and rebellion, showing it as it was. I love his music. I think I was infected with his spirit as I was compelled to complain afterwards about the poor quality of sound – I know I’m not so sharp in my hearing these days but at times the projector or the air-conditioning, some whirring sound near the back, was louder than the softly spoken Andy Serkis. Maybe Screen 4 is not the best place to watch this film....anyway, the management were completely brilliant, and offered us free ticket vouchers, as well as agreeing to check it out immediately with their projectionist etc.

There’s a very English habit of not complaining about things, as though it’s impolite. But it seems to me, if no-one lets the management know, then how can it be changed? And maybe the next audience will have a better time. It’s the same with restaurants, if the meat is tough or something is not cooked well.....I’m sure the restaurant would want to know.

On my Alexander training in 1980 there was an American student, Ph, who was always the first to put her hand up and volunteer for demonstrations by a visiting teacher, always rapidly ask questions, whilst the rest of us were still in our British middle class deferring habits of ‘o no, after you’ - putting ourselves forward may have seemed rude. And our own thoughts of our ‘pushy’ American cousin would not have been favourable! Later, when I was talking with Ph on a social occasion, she owned up to her horror at how rudely we were treating these guest teachers by NOT rushing forward for work. I enlightened her to the British custom and her jaw dropped in amazement.

Apart from our personal habits we have our social habits too. The unspoken messages. This came up and explained very well when I was supply teaching at Islington Green School in 1980’s. We had 27 different languages spoken in the school at that time, and we had training in social customs of different cultures. I remember particularly learning how in the West Indies it would be the height of rudeness for a child to look at a teacher in the eye, particularly if they were in troublet. Compared to our ways – ‘Look at me when I’m speaking to you!’ woud be the response.

I went swimming again at Ironmonger Row baths. I am making the most of it before Islington Council close it for renovation in May. I am sad for this, as I know one of the things that will be lost is the glass panels in the roof, that made yesterday’s swim so delightful, having sunshine sparkling onto the water. I was experimenting with floating on my back and also saw the shadow of a plane tree in the large high frosted window at the end, waving in the wind....I realised I had unified my attention much more and was really taking in the environment as well as my use and my task. My task usually is to improve my stroke, so I slip effortlessly and powerfully through the water. I changed that today. I decided not to bother too much about all that. And I had a lovely time AND enjoyed the environs. That’s right, I gave up some of my end-gaining. I still had my intention to swim for half an hour and open myself to change, but then it all became much less of an effort – 'less is more' magic. There were only two others in the slow swimming lane, so it was really, really pleasant. One day I may end up in the fast lane. If I want.

Before my friend A came round for supper I finished reading The Mermaid Madonna by Stratis Myrivilis – a joy, so delicately written, like sipping a mature red wine, not to be gulped, but every sentence savoured.

And best of all, I caught David Tennant being Hamlet on BBC4. It was just that snippet when Rosencrantz and Guildenstern arrive followed by the Players. And in that snippet, 2 of FM’s favourite quotes: ‘There’s nothing right nor wrong but thinking makes it so’.....Hamlet himself says that which I hadn’t realised. And then later ‘What piece of work is a man?’ Hmmm. That was a treat. And Tennant is rather good. No wide eyed Doctor Who there. And sometimes he wasn't pulling his head back. I suppose in Dr.Who he has to show some fear......