Round-Up

Jul. 18th, 2011 02:10 pm
stapsdoes101things: '101' superimposed on a stylised picture of a teapot (Default)
4 June 2011

I've been making odd bits of progress here and there. I've crossed off a few goals and not written them up. I'm plodding on with some ongoing ones. A couple have more or less stalled for the moment.

Writing them up has been problematic because I always like to put in a photo. However, my desktop computer has reached the end of its useful life (useful as a computer, I mean, rather than as a coffee table) and this little netbook is no use at all for sorting photos out. So, rather than wait and wait, here's a summary of what I've managed to do, and maybe I'll do proper posts with photos at a later date.

- I've tentatively booked myself on a retreat organised by some people at church. It will be taking place early next year and is on the theme of Silence. I've also picked up a leaflet from our local retreat centre and may go along to something there. (Goal 2)
- Um, I might have got slightly tipsy on Saturday and sung Moon River with the jazz band at [livejournal.com profile] angelil's wedding reception. I don't think anyone was actually listening (just as well) but this still counts for Goal 7.
- I've written a funeral plan (Goal 18)
- I entered a competition in a magazine to win a plate of rubber stamps. (Goal 47)
- I listened to two Proms concerts yesterday - the organ recital by Stephen Farr and Havergal Brian's Gothic Symphony. (Goal 58
- I've spent quite a lot of time in London recently and, over the space of two visits, spent a couple of hours in the British Museum. I spent the first visit looking round this exhibition. I have to say, most of the reliquaries didn't do much for me, feeling extravagant, creepy, or both, but I did like the Roman section and the part about pilgrimage. The next weekend, I looked at the exhibition of clocks and watches, and glanced around the Medieval room. But really, there's so much there that it would take a lifetime to see the lot. (Goal 73)
- I've made a finger labyrinth out of air-drying clay. It's dry now, but I think it wants some kind of paint or varnish. I'm not sure what yet; I'm waiting for inspiration to strike. (Goal 75)
- I watched The Way; I'd like to see it in the cinema, though. Goal 79)
- You'll see from the photo above that I've begun work on exploring my square mile. I've marked it out on the A-Z and walked down a few of the streets. This is another one for which I really need a working camera, though. (Goal 86)
- I have bought a monocle. Yes, there will be pictures. May I recommend I Need Spex, who not only produced the damn thing to my prescription, but, when they did it for the wrong eye, sorted it out very quickly and politely. (Goal 100)

- Due to computer problems explained above, Project 365 has stalled for the moment. I intend to restart on my birthday. (Goal 8)
- I haven't really been keeping track of my depression, mainly because I've not been depressed for a while. So that's good. (Goal 19)
- I'm not sure what's going on with my watch. I got its battery changed, and it worked for a while, but now it keeps stopping and starting. I think I shall have to mark this as uncompleted again. (Goal 89)

- I am going to change Goal 76, because it's just not happening, and when it is I'm not enjoying it. But that does deserve a post to itself.
stapsdoes101things: '101' superimposed on a camera lens (101photography)
National Media Museum

Well, I'm back from Yorkshire, via some excursions in Bedfordshire and Derbyshire, and am just about recovered from the trip. I've gathered enough to call goal 74 complete, but more on that in the next few days. I also took the opportunity to visit one of the many museums I've never been to before - the National Media Museum (formerly the Museum of Photography, Film, and Television) at Bradford.

I am more into photography than I am film or TV, so I started in the basement, where there was a Kodak-sponsored, but very informative generally, exhibition on the history of amateur photography. There was plenty to look at, though I must admit that I moved rather swiftly past the rows and rows of Brownie cameras. I was more interested in the very early stuff, and the mock-ups of Victorian photographic studios and drawing rooms.

Then I started working my way upwards. The ground floor is devoted to the shop, the cafe, and the cinemas, so I skipped that. The first floor is special exhibitions, except there weren't any, so I kept going on up.

Second floor: TV. Proper interactive kiddie stuff about how it all works, and how TV programmes are put together; also some early works by John Logie Baird, ancient TV cameras, etc. And a 3D TV room. (It doesn't do it for me. I seem to see several layers of 2D, not what I would call 3D, and it's just distracting.) Across the corridor the focus is more on what you see on the screen. There was a replica Dalek. And some replica Thunderbirds. And some Wombles. I am drawn to the sophisticated end of the schedule, I am...

Moving upwards, there was a floor devoted to animation. I wasn't familiar with much of this (I am a philistine - blame my TV-deprived childhood), but there was some gorgeous work there. And the museum set from The Wrong Trousers

Up to the top floor - which probably would have been more interesting had there been a film showing, as it contains the projection room. As it was, there was a small exhibition on 3D cinema.

Lastly, I went down to the floor below, where there were all sorts of lenses and mirrors to play with, which I would have enjoyed hugely had there only been time. Alas, it was five to six, and chucking-out time.

Highly recommended. It's a very good museum, and it's free to get in.
stapsdoes101things: '101' superimposed on a stylised picture of a teapot (Default)
Prospero

Why do I want to do this?

Museums are fantastic - I love wandering around, looking at beautiful things, interesting things, important things, things that meant something. I don't go to as many as I'd like, and when I do go I tend to stick to ones I already know.


How will I know I've done it?

I'll have spent at least an hour in each of six different museums. I will have previously visited three of these, but the other three will be new to me.


I'll record this in posts in this journal.

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