Rowan / Megan

Doug’s visit was excellent, and I had delicious leftovers for dinner last night (including Apple pie) after Doug left.

Today has dawned cold (2°) and bright. I’m going on the dog walk and then coming home for a day of “recovery.” 

I am definitely over seizures. They’ve devolved to short bouts of hyperventilating. I asked Dr. Shoja if what I experience are panic attacks, and she said, “No.” But I don’t remember the explanation for her answer. So I call what happens to me, “anxiety attacks” (AAs) now, because my experiences are a symptom of an anxiety disorder (C-PTSD). During the time Doug was here, I had eight AAs.

I don’t care that I have them, and Doug didn’t care either. None of my friends care. It’s like I have a limp; my condition is no big deal to anyone any more. But it exists, and the AAs exhaust me. So today: Rest!

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Have you seen the Maigret  series starring Rowan Atkinson?

I absolutely adored his character, Mr. Bean. His mastery of physical comedy is on par with the genius of Charlie Chaplin. I love how as Mr. Bean, he creates the “bigness” of comedy from the “smallness” of details of a simple man. That’s what makes us adore him; he is each of us. He is entirely, and always, human. He makes the simplest of mistakes and soon everyone around him is involved in his escapades.

As Maigret, he is antipodal to Mr. Bean. His Maigret is slow, pensive and flat but entirely fascinating. It’s a treat to see such masterly diversity in an actor. I love my Thursday nights now, when Maigret  is broadcast.

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Another question: Did you watch the Giller Prize  ceremony on TV? I did. And I fell in love with Megan Gail Coles due to her charismatic presence on screen. The way she delivered her novel’s synopsis, her cute-as-stink curtsy at end and her enthusiasm for the winner (Ian Williams)—all these things made me commit to reading her novel, Small Game Hunting at the Local Coward Gun Club.

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Poor Liz! She can’t fire Andrew, and disowning him is likely impossible as well. SO “stepping aside” (isn’t that a lovely little euphemism?) from royal duties seems like all ‘the firm’ could force on him.