Author: stevendouglasblog

Born in 1954. Chequered career including Lecturer in English, Social Worker and Lecturer in Social Work. Had breaks related to mental health that also meant I worked in social care. Now retired.

Not seeing ‘the Maidenhead angle’ on stories about the refugees of war and oppression. Is ‘One Life’ a film relevant to today or a prompt to easy emotion about events without current context? I saw this film with Geoff at the Durham Odeon, Monday 1st January 2024, 11.30 a.m.

January 2, 2024

Not seeing ‘the Maidenhead angle’ on stories about the refugees of war and oppression. Is One Life a film relevant to today or a prompt to easy emotion about events without current context? I saw this film with Geoff at the Durham Odeon, Monday 1st January 2024, 11.30 a.m. Geoff and  I saw this film … More Not seeing ‘the Maidenhead angle’ on stories about the refugees of war and oppression. Is ‘One Life’ a film relevant to today or a prompt to easy emotion about events without current context? I saw this film with Geoff at the Durham Odeon, Monday 1st January 2024, 11.30 a.m.

A blog on Gary Indiana’s ‘Rent Boy’. In a society run by a ‘gang’ whose purpose is ‘to perpetuate itself and its ownership of everything’, then being a ‘penis for sale’ may teach you about the rule of power and money over human desire and self-worth.

December 31, 2023

In a society where, as Guy Crashnitz in Gary Indiana’s Rent Boy (the crooked medic who sells stolen internal human body organs for a nice fortune) says ‘the global criminals, the ones gouging out billions here there and everywhere, not only never go to jail but in fact run the government from behind the scenes, … More A blog on Gary Indiana’s ‘Rent Boy’. In a society run by a ‘gang’ whose purpose is ‘to perpetuate itself and its ownership of everything’, then being a ‘penis for sale’ may teach you about the rule of power and money over human desire and self-worth.

A very long life? ‘Tis ‘A white-hair’d shadow roaming like a dream / The ever-silent spaces of the East’

December 30, 2023

Okay, said young Tithonus, to the goddess of the Dawn, as she senses that this boy has prominent qualities that make him worth the effort of capture – ‘but as long as I can live forever’ he says. At which the Goddess possibly smiled. Humans never work their wishes through do they? Tennyson says it … More A very long life? ‘Tis ‘A white-hair’d shadow roaming like a dream / The ever-silent spaces of the East’

A bibliophile talks to himself almost all the time! Even when shopping 🛍️

December 29, 2023

List your top 5 grocery store items. Go to town today and buy a good book But whilst you are there, why not take a look At the market, you could draw up a list Of groceries needed, items you missed When last you dashed round Aldi, at least five Come to my mind straight … More A bibliophile talks to himself almost all the time! Even when shopping 🛍️

Frank Ormsby a Northern Irish poet who has Parkinson’s Disease, experiences, like others with the same diagnosis, presences near to him that are usually ‘silent and unthreatening’, like, for example: “… Who is that girl / I sense at my shoulder?”[1] Ben Alderson-Day (2023) ‘Presence: The strange science and true stories of the unseen other’.

December 28, 2023

Frank Ormsby a Northern Irish poet who has Parkinson’s Disease, experiences, like others with the same diagnosis, presences near to him that are usually ‘silent and unthreatening’. He writes about them in his poem Side Effects 1, thus for example: “… Who is that girl / I sense at my shoulder?”[1] This is a blog … More Frank Ormsby a Northern Irish poet who has Parkinson’s Disease, experiences, like others with the same diagnosis, presences near to him that are usually ‘silent and unthreatening’, like, for example: “… Who is that girl / I sense at my shoulder?”[1] Ben Alderson-Day (2023) ‘Presence: The strange science and true stories of the unseen other’.

How have your political views changed over time? This question demands a story or two in answer?Forever RED in the UK or Just Nostalgic for a RED past?

December 26, 2023

I recently  blogged on the work of the brilliant Matt Colquhoun as it touches upon and works with the thought of his no less brilliant deceased mentor, Mark Fisher (see it as this link). I summarised the view they both promote and which Matt is consciously developing apace now, that the left of UK politics: … More How have your political views changed over time? This question demands a story or two in answer?Forever RED in the UK or Just Nostalgic for a RED past?

‘Ida played her wonderhorn / to rock the baby still – but never watched’. This is a blog on why Maurice Sendak’s art embraces stillness and yet still ensures that its audience carefully watch for the good or ill in the causes of human behaviour.

December 25, 2023

‘Ida played her wonderhorn / to rock the baby still – but never watched‘. This is a blog on why Maurice Sendak’s art embraces stillness and yet still ensures that its audience carefully watch for the good or ill in the causes of human behaviour. In Outsider Over There, Maurice Sendak portrays a girl, who … More ‘Ida played her wonderhorn / to rock the baby still – but never watched’. This is a blog on why Maurice Sendak’s art embraces stillness and yet still ensures that its audience carefully watch for the good or ill in the causes of human behaviour.

The skills and lessons that assist us are usually old ones we later ‘learn’ to disregard or fail to respect: recently, via a blog I am preparing about the artistry of Maurice Sendak, I have begun to relearn the value of reading looks using, let’s call it, ‘primal vision’.

December 23, 2023

What skills or lessons have you learned recently? When I taught literature at the Roehampton Institute, I once composed a lecture on Jane Austen’s Persuasion, my favourite of her novels, about the agency of ‘looks’ in that story. It matters because it is a novel of total concern with both how you look (the vanity … More The skills and lessons that assist us are usually old ones we later ‘learn’ to disregard or fail to respect: recently, via a blog I am preparing about the artistry of Maurice Sendak, I have begun to relearn the value of reading looks using, let’s call it, ‘primal vision’.

Wake me up when it’s yesterday. Nostalgia revisited because tomorrow should not WAIT.

December 22, 2023

Below is a starter on our nostalgia trip. This is a brilliant photo-collage showing triggers to possible nostalgia and I suppose it is things like these pictures or the objects in them that this question looks for us to name – and what is amazing is that they all, as photographs at least, sort of … More Wake me up when it’s yesterday. Nostalgia revisited because tomorrow should not WAIT.