The 2021 film 'River' – promoted belatedly for Earth Day 2024 …

 

Our fresh water supplies … the rivers of this world … and their journeys around our planet …

Okavango delta - an inland one
in Botswana, Africa

River, rivers burning bright, sparkling perspicuity for life on earth … though this now is almost not so …

… recently we've had fire, floods, storms and all manner of natural plagues that our earth has to deal with, humans have to cope with as per their apparent ability to believe they can control ...

Ural River - flowing south from
Russian into Kazakhstan

… two mega river floodings very recently in the enormous continent that is Eurasia (Europe, Russia, China and the far East); fires burning again in western Canada …

We've manipulated some rivers – which haven't done us any favours … however to get back to my subject for Earth Day … the film 'River' – which our film society promoted in 2022 …

Pearl River basin

It's an Australian film – with an outstanding exploration of the timeless relationship between human civilisation and Earth's rivers, in all their majesty and fragility.

Six rivers in six continents … reflect the extraordinary differences of each of these water-courses … I cannot now remember exactly which rivers were highlighted …

Our six continents
(Eurasia counts as one)

There's captivating cinematography, with distinctive narration from Willem Dafoe, the music score is exceptional … and is available to listen to …

I've been wanting to write about this film for ages and need to re-watch it … there's so much to it – and I often need to see or read things twice to absorb the salient bits I can get my head around …

Poster for the film

If you get a chance do watch 'River' – it is different … the trailer (2.28 mins) will tempt you to see the film …

As the tag line notes: 'The arteries of the planet are the arteries of humanity' – it is a cinematic odyssey exploring the waterways that have shaped our world, in all their majesty and fragility.

Please see Wikipedia for further details of
these amazing instruments - the didgeridoo

The score features iconic works by composers including Bach and Ravel, music by Jonny Greenwood and Radiohead, new original music by Richard Tognetti and the peerless indigenous composer William Barton …

Australian Chamber Orchestra logo

Jennifer Peedom's astonishing visuals are extraordinarily powerful … reminding us of the fragility of this world, and the damage we, as humans, are doing to it - we are poisoning it …

Let us seriously reflect … each day we must do a little more to help life on earth … the rivers are our life-blood …

Belated Earth Day … take your time, absorb the film and its impact …

Directors Jennifer Peedom and Joseph Nizeti;

Robert McFarlane's accompanying words, narrated by Willem Dafoe;

Music by the Australian Chamber Orchestra, and Radiohead;

Conductor, composer and artistic director – the Australian violinist Richard Tognetti; and indigenous composer William Barton, and didgeridoo player.

Enjoy – it will make you think …

Australian Chamber Orchestra 'River' film link ... 

IMBd - link to trailer for 'River' ... 

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories

Write … Edit ... Publish ... Bloghop: Out of Africa …

 

Out of Africa – never – so true that phrase – anyone having spent time or lived in Africa - it is not possible to take Africa out of one's system ...

Film poster

… embedded for ever – perhaps tied to the roots of the human race, or perhaps just imprinted into this blogger's life … BC blogging …

Out of Africa - first
edition cover of the book

… then along comes the Write Edit Publish group with prompts for the blogger of positive intent to join in with … at first with trepidation, then later with random abandon, as the poor Phantom of the Opera found out, regarding her input …

Freedom Morning has arrived … Freedom of Speech was accomplished … the Caged Bird escaped into the WEP world …

A bit late for this to
appear ... ne'er mind!

A Hard Rain's Gonna Fall … which created an Urban Nightmare from The Great Wave … but The Kiss had a fun story to tell …

There was Grave Mistake, a smelly Antique Vase, a pretty Jewel Box, Long Shadows spread over a delicious meal, Horrible Harvests did not prevail at that time, Dark Places were brightened with memories of the Red Wheelbarrow days …

Not to be read before a meal!

There was a Thriller in the authorship of A Change of Heart (ugh!) … Gone with the Wind hastened the Unravelling of the Yarn …

A Grave Mistake could have been made when the Back of the Drawer was opened to find the Letter that was begging Please to be Read, while the Moonlight Sonata resonated in the background …

Probably my 
favourite entry

Bridges were mended, a Reunion would take place in the Cafe Terrace, besides the river where Like Water for Chocolate was enjoyed by all the WEP group remembering All You Need is Love …

The Last Remembrance we will have is of Footprints for our memory bank … while we as a group will all reflect Peace and Love for the world.

Write one's memories
to be held for the future

The little Voodoo is doing its thing weaving, diving, spinning and in true childish passion will be remembered in our penned compositions …

Prompt for Dec 2017

From this Blogger to all WEPpers, particularly the administrators, I acknowledge you … and even though I for The First Time I Ever Saw Your Faces was and is on the screen … where you were Unmasked … this End is now the Beginning for you to enjoy your Freedom Mornings …

This another personal prompt

… before I get In Too Deep and mushy in thought … I will say Farewell to WEP and thank you all profusely for organising, initiating the fabulous thought provoking prompts, for all generous commenters, and supporters …

A fond goodbye to Write Edit Publish … and I've just scraped into the time frame … though Out of Africa was going to be my last WEP – it changed its spots! …

Proposed mock up for the
2024 WEP Anthology

… however if a piece for the Anthology is required, please administrators let me know … and I'll craft an entry before the year end.

Cheers from the Positive Blogger …

Note all highlighted phrases or titles were prompts ...

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories

Yakety-Yak part 2 …

 

Lunana, a Yak in the Classroom film … is a quite delightful story telling about a Yak in Bhutan, a recalcitrant youth, and a school high up in the Himalayas in need of a teacher …

Lunana is between the 'M & A' of the 
Himalayas name

… said youth had to finish off his teaching diploma before he could leave Bhutan, with his guitar, to pursue his dream of achieving a musical career in Australia – for which he already had a provisional visa.

Ultimately he has to qualify as a teacher … so off he goes up into the Himalayas … grumping and groaning as only a rebellious youngster can …

Pokhara Valley in Bhutan

The headman sends two herdsman to meet him – when the 'road runs out'; he has his walkman headphones permanently clamped to his ears … ultimately the batteries run out …

… the two villagers reassure him the walk is easy – it's along a river – yes, but that stream is pouring down the mountains – so the walk is an uphill wet trog. He'd purposefully bought Goretex boots before leaving – well they're no good – soggy wet feet step onwards!

Poster for film

We journey with him … it is beautiful, hardwork, we see cultural aspects, are introduced to a few peoples along the way.

Eventually he arrives – it is basic to put it mildly – he has his own hut … he's fed that first night … and given some basic instructions about how things work – he needs to light his own fire, cook his own food etc etc … eventually sleep comes …

Early the next morning there's a knock on the door – by the littliest schoolgirl – we're ready for you 'teacher' she beams announcing with delight …

See link at end

… oh dear – nothing's organised … eventually things sort themselves out – he's beguiled by the children, copes with wet yak pats – told he needs dry ones to light his fire … etc etc

His guitar comes out – he recognises there are excellent songsters in the hamlet … he sends for teaching tools from Thimphu, capital of Bhutan …

A Yak - they're sleek animals

He's given a Yak to look after – who has pride of place in the classoom – domesticated yaks are highly regarded for their milk, fibre and meat, and as beasts of burden – then there's their droppings – fuel for their fires … but the yak will not eat grain … they must have grass …

… in the end they have a happy year – but he's determined to leave … and does … he's qualified and can travel to Australia … his dream has come true … but has it …

Here he's playing his guitar to his yak!

… he's playing in a bar in Sydney and realises no-one is listening to him … they're all nattering away … he's upset … then appreciates there's a calling at home – high up in Lunana …

Some brief stats and info … Lunana's administrative area has a population of under 900; rainfall is over six feet a year; many of Bhutan's glaciers are within the district, which lies at an altitude of 3,400m (over 11,000 feet); yaks are related to cattle and are also known as the Tartary ox, grunting ox, or hairy cattle …

The movie inspired me – and still does – I hope you'll be able to make a plan to watch it sometime … 'a teacher touches the future' and 'you find what you seek in a place you least expect' …

The trailer to watch ... Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom 

Wikipedia's page on the film ...

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories

Yakety-Yak … part 1 …

 

Absent without leave … the brain being 'overwhelmed with 'to dos''and as you'll gather not getting very far. Yes, I do want to write about Yaks … strange, but true …

I've had a few things going on … the brain works, but not much else apparently – so my grey cells tell me!! Also I got a whammy … my blood pressure has decided to not agree with me … which needs to be addressed – i.e. slow down, de-stress … not something I needed right now – but obviously I must deal with it.

We had a wonderful talk from the Finnish Ambassador - he was great … very personable … he'd accepted our European Movement (see January post) invitation last June – mentioning he never confirmed speaking dates so far in advance … but for your meeting I have.

Apparently he'd been looking forward to coming back to the Sussex coast since the 1980s when his father had sent him over on a student exchange … we'd opened the door for that return.

His talk revolved around the history of Finland over 1,000 years – it was fascinating in the context of a country being part of an evolving area of Europe.

Identity Global image - website here

This month we had a local high achiever as our speaker, whose Identity group has been responsible for organising the Coronation, other global events ...

... including messing up 'my childhood beach at Carbis Bay, Cornwall' for the G7 Leaders get together (their Summit!) last summer, COP26 in Glasgow and the recent NATO summit … we had a really fun evening …

Perhaps to get back to this age ... of no worries!

I'm trying to cut back to give myself more time away from committees – so re-evaluating life and getting my 'rambling' health back into line. I'm fine – just need to make sure I get back to being healthier.

I think I'll stop there … having just heard a snippet about the Michael J Fox film 'Still' on his life and living with Parkinson's disease for over 30 years … the word 'attitude' was highlighted – I need to get over myself right now – and get back to normal.

I'll be curating a few other happenings – my brain is full on at the moment … and I need to lighten its load – poor grey cells - which means overloading your visits!!

Thanks for bearing with me – I'll be around soon … Happy Mother's Day weekend to those in the States …

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories

Surfing … Big v Small (film) – Nazaré, Portugal ...

 

I'd often wondered about the draw of the Portuguese coast's Nazaré monster surfing waves – but had never been inquisitive enough to look further …

Monster breaking wave at the end
of the underwater Nazaré canyon

What was it … and why were the waves so big …? well now I know – and so will you in a few hundred words!

A recent Film Society Film 'Big v Small' explained a great deal, as well as opening my eyes to how we can tame the fears inside us … under the ice in Finland.

Holding our breath for any length of time for most of us is nigh impossible … and we all have fears of some sort … perhaps mostly hidden from our friends and the outside world.

Joana Andrade

Joana Andrade, the Portuguese surfer featured, is of tiny proportions – not obviously hugely tenuous … yet this film shows us what can be achieved – by an intrepid character … her comment from Surfer Today just explains her attitude to life:

"I am a small woman - 1.56 meters tall - and not very muscular. My strength comes from the head through a lot of meditation and breathing exercises. I train at home to relax, connect with my inside and find the way to trust myself."

The 'Oeste' Administrative
area on the coast of Portugal

Growing up on the Oeste coastline – about half-way up Portugal's coast – Joana, as many a normal kid would do, rebelled against her mother … no surfing … not in those waves … but Joana had other thoughts. Typical rebellious kid!

She looked and looked at those huge breakers, while improving her paddle-board surfing skill along the coast … at that stage: self-propelled with her surfboard.

Tow-in Surfers shown on the waves

The technique of tow-in surfing came about in the 1990s … when a surfer is towed by a partner into a breaking wave – using a Jet Ski or helicopter. It was pioneered in Hawaii …

Monster surfing waves are found in Hawaii, off California and Nazaré, Portugal … there are other notable big wave surfing spots. These waves could only be caught using the tow-in method …

Joana Andrade surfing a giant wave

This was when waves over 30 feet (9 metres) were beyond the bounds of a surfer … after the tow-in method evolved waves over 50 feet (15 metres) could be surfed …

The ups and downs of 'tow- in surfing fashion' has in the last five decades or so – opened up other areas … one of which is Nazaré – where the waves break really close to the shore … the area known as Praia do Norte (Nazaré).

Geomorphology of
Nazare's underwater canyon

The Nazaré underwater Canyon … is the largest submarine canyon in Europe … reaching depths of about 5,000 metres (16,00 feet) along a length of about 230 kilometres (140 miles). 

There are three distinct sections … one of which I must remember to mention when I get back to my English Language post/s.

Another problem was holding one's breath should one fall out of a wave, as another huge wave would be waiting to break, with perhaps a third soon behind …

Johanna Nordblad - under the ice

So on searching for help … Joana came across another … in this case … Johanna Nordblad from Finland – who is an ice diver, and freediver – who also holds the static breath record of 6 minutes 35 seconds.

They went to Finland to help Joana Andrade hold her breath for longer, as well as overcoming her fear of being submerged … in this case under the ice for a period of time …

Fort of Sao Miguel Arcanjo (1577)

Mind over matter … something at that level beyond my desire to attain … but the film was very intriguing and very absorbing.

The links fill in or add to the informational spaces …

Big v Small IMDb documentary film ...

Portuguese Joana Andrade - article in Surfer Today ... 

Free Diver, Ice Diver from Finnish Johanna Nordblad ...

Adding another link I'd forgotten about: From Cambridge University about 'cold shock' being tested for its value with various diseases". I can't seem to provide a link - but if you're interested ... please type in the sentence below and you'll be sent to the link.

Scientists in Cambridge and Berlin have used a form of gene therapy to increase levels of the so-called ‘cold shock protein’ in the brains of mice, protecting them against the potentially devastating impact of prion disease.

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories

Miscarriage of Justice ...

 

Free Chol Soo Lee – an American documentary film released late last year – has just been screened by our Film Society … how evocative, while being informative, it was … quite, quite extraordinary …

The Towner's guide review is as follows:

Julie Ha and Eugene Yi’s intelligent, insightful and vital documentary explores systemic racism within the American criminal justice system via the extraordinary story of one man.

In 1970s San Francisco, 20-year-old Korean immigrant Chol Soo Lee is convicted of a Chinatown gang murder after cursory racial profiling.

After spending years fighting to survive, investigative journalist K.W. Lee takes a special interest in his case, igniting Soo Lee’s hopes of acquittal and inspiring an unprecedented social justice movement that spanned generations.

At a moment when the Asian diaspora is experiencing a surge in racist violence following the pandemic, this extraordinarily moving documentary feels especially timely, a way of entering and understanding the long history of discrimination faced by this international community.

Exploring Soo Lee’s complex life after being freed, as well as his time in prison, Free Chol Soo Lee is a powerful indictment of systemic racism and the criminal justice system, and the stunning latest in a series of US films and TV series placing a contemporary lens on historic miscarriages of justice and bringing them back into the light.

Our Chairman sent out a reminder to members that they'd be missing out if they didn't get to see the 2^nd showing … the early group all praised it to the rafters …We complete a reaction slip for each film society programme we watch … one member confirmed the film as 'totally engrossing and absorbing' …

Chol Soo Lee

Story telling at its best – but about a real person … I was completely bowled over … so I do hope you'll be able to look into this documentary (86 minutes) … I can't praise it enough … and cannot do anymore than recommend it and hope you all will make a plan to see it …

Mentally I came away wondering how on earth one man could have lived a normal life after being in prison and on death row for years … the torment he must have experienced …

… then relate it to immigrants, and here to refugees, who have travelled vast distances, crossed seas … encountered who knows what …

… coerced into actions they'd never normally take … I am so lucky I live in the world I do … this film and others, I hope, make us realise how fortunate we are … I'm going to hear a talk by an Afghan refugee tomorrow night …

Oh how I would like people to be kinder, more thoughtful, not jump to conclusions … think about things – would you like that to happen to you … we are not living in easy times …

Tony Serra - courtroom sketch

I was intrigued to learn about Tony Serra – the civil rights attorney, activist, tax resister – who came to defend Chol Soo Lee … another real-life character worth knowing about …

Chol Soo Lee – Wikipedia

The Towner Film section … Free Chol Soo Lee

Tony Serra - Wikipedia

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories

What's Been on Your Calendar – January 2023?

 

Life seems to rush by … and I gather it gets faster as one gets older …

Donna's badge for her WBOYC post

Donna with her blogging friends started this – at least two of them are on Vancouver Island, when I was there, but we only blog-connected as I was leaving …

Tai Chi - c/o Wiki solo forms -
Taolo form - painting from 1300s 

I keep myself rather well occupied, but need to do more walking, and thought I'd start Tai Chi, with Qigong, at home on a daily basis – something I used to do … and include breath exercises as an extra … I need to work a schedule out

Overview

For ten months of the year … I co-ordinate a dinner for our European Movement Members at a local hotel … we're only at 50 – 60 at the moment, but hope to climb back up.

I've omitted contact details for obvious
reasons, I hope -

This keeps me occupied for the first fortnight or so of each month – meaning there's no peace for the wicked in January – even if it's a birthday month.

I belong to the Eastbourne Meads, University of the Third Age and Bazza on his blog – gives an overview of the organisation … for which I'm very grateful to be able to refer you to.

Eastbourne Meads U3A welcome
image - showing off Beachy Head
lighthouse by the white cliffs

Each group has different programmes depending on its members … I go to History (and give the odd talk), Memoir/Writing, Music Appreciation … I've just started, as our Geology/Life Science 'maestro' has just decided to stop – many of us will miss that class. For the next five months I'm organising the Speaker for our monthly meeting – I enjoy that.

Re our 'maestro' – as a final farewell he made an interesting comment … saying that although it was a lot of work (he was very,very thorough!) … he'd loved doing it – as he learnt so much … remind you all of us: bloggers?! I feel like I'm getting a University degree – granted an eclectic one to put it mildly – but 'boy' have I learnt.

Just finishing off the artwork 'Dance Diagonal'
as the new piece of art for the Towner Art Gallery

I go to the local film society films – exceedingly interesting – held in the local art gallery, as too various other more avant-garde films …

Fuseli's 'NightMare' painted 1790-91
one of his variations on the theme
(Erasmus Darwin underscored
his short poem 'Night-Mare')

Then finally I belong to a Read Aloud group in the library – we bring something relevant to that week's topic to read … tomorrow is Dreams/ Nightmares – a few minutes worth of reading … we don't discuss much – as the schedule doesn't allow.  (Tomorrow's reading solved -on looking for an appropriate image!)

Well obviously not finally … meet ups with friends and family as far as we can all tie in ...and a few other societies I try and keep up with …

Penguin Classics

Also I'm incredibly lucky as I can walk or bus to most things … being one of the eldest left in the clan, I've done my caring role – and so can spend a little time on me. Lots to read too …

This was longer than intended … but c'est la vie … this year I must be more organised – re diaries … my online one prompts me … but most is in my head … that curious brain I'm very thankful for … I have a paper one I want to start using …

Donna's Retirement Reflections blog ... 

Bazza's blog: To Discover Ice - University of the Third Age (U3A) ... 

Big Think - How You Breathe ... 

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories