Friday, September 7 2018

07:00 Today, Josie, the oldest of our 5 grandchildren, has a birthday - she turns 12 years old. Good grief, time flies. It was the very day in February 2006 that Lois and I retired, when our daughter Alison phoned us and told us she was pregnant.

Josie has had a traumatic week to say the least. She started on Wednesday at an English high school after 6 years of residence in Denmark, and yesterday her beloved Danish ex-alley cat, Albus, was run over by a vehicle right in front of the family home in Haslemere, Surrey - poor Albus died a couple of hours later at the local veterinary clinic. Poor Josie.

I take a little look at my smartphone and I see that Alison has posted 3 charming pictures of Josie opening some of her birthday presents from us.

Josie opening her birthday presents from us - how charming she is!

10:00 After breakfast I start reading the first 150 lines or so of a medieval mystery play, "The Harrowing of Hell", because Lynda's U3A "Making of English" group is holding its regular monthly meeting today at the Everyman Theater, and this mystery play is the group's current project. I will be doing more careful preparations this month than usual, because Lynda herself is on holiday this week in Somerset and Dorset and she has asked me to lead the meeting in her absence - oh dear!

The mystery play is about the soul of Jesus who, after his body's death on the cross, decides to leave the body in the grave and descend into the underworld to "save all the righteous people who have died since the beginning of the world" including unborn children, Adam and Eve, and a bunch of other people.

The puzzle is that the underworld is often described also as the place where the non-righteous are tortured forever, so some have wondered if the underworld had actually been divided up into two separate areas, one a massive torture chamber, the other a kind of waiting room, not unlike the kind of waiting room you come across in big hospitals, with people perhaps queuing up to be saved.

In the Bible itself in fact, there is very scant evidence that Jesus ever descended into the underworld - we have Peter's first epistle where it says that "the good tidings were proclaimed to the dead" (throwaway remark without any details given ha ha) and in Paul's letter to the Ephesians: "Christ descended into the lower parts of the earth". Apart from these 2 references, there is complete silence on the subject.

I think, however, that later Christians had a problem with it not seeming fair that "good" people from the Old Testament, also unborn children, etc. seem to have missed out on salvation because they never got the chance to be baptized in the normal Christian way. That's why Jesus's mission to the underworld seemed like a good idea, and something that would make everything fair again. Good grief, what madness !!!!

12:00 Lois and I have lunch and afterwards I go to bed and take a short afternoon nap. I get up at 1pm and after about 30 minutes of chit chat we both go off, but in different directions - Lois goes along to the local library to help the staff organize and lead this afternoon's "Baby Bounce and Rhyme" session for young mothers and their little children.

Lois is very excited about attending these sessions because she often gets the opportunity to cradle some little child or baby on her lap, which is very nostalgic - unfortunately, all our 5 grandchildren now live far away, Alison and Ed's children in Haslemere, Surrey and Sarah and Francis's 5-year-old twins in Australia, on the other side of the world.

Meanwhile, I take the bus to the town center and walk along to the Everyman Theater. I have a cup of coffee and a piece of cake in the theater café and then walk up the stairs to the bar on the 1st floor.

14:30 Our group meeting starts - there are only 6 of us today because of Lynda's absence on vacation. We start discussing our mystery play, "The Harrowing of Hell".

Although the subject of our mystery play seems to be a serious one - Jesus's journey to the underworld to save souls, etc. - the play is actually full of comedy, which was what audiences wanted, then as now. It in fact mostly  features a gang of comic devils: not just Satan himself but a bunch of subordinate under-devils and mini-devils who go in for a lot of slapstick and physical gags.

It is interesting that one of these devils happens not like any noise or ruckus - and he has a problem here because all the souls in the underworld become very excited when they hear that Jesus has come to save them, and they begin to scream and shout with excitement. I do sympathise with this devil: this kind of noise often gives me a bit of a headache too, I have to admit!

I recall the poor sound engineer who was working on Stan Freberg's recording of "Day Oh" (The Banana Boat Song) - the man found the banana picker's deafening cries of "Day Oh" more than he could take. It was  just "too piercing", he said. The solution, as I recall, was to make the banana picker stand just outside the recording studio on the other side of a closed door. My god, what a crazy world we live in !!!

a typical medieval York mystery game underway

on the streets of York City

The previous York mystery play that our group read also had a serious theme superficially - Jesus' death on the cross - but it actually showcased another gang of comic incompetents: workmen making a mess of assembling the Cross itself from an IKEA-style flat-pack, where the holes had been pre-drilled in the wrong places. Whatever the subject, people like to laugh, that's for sure.

Make'em laugh, make'em laugh, make'em laugh!

16:00 The meeting ends and I take the bus home. I've missed one of our favorite radio programs, "The Last Word". Lois and I have got in the habit of listening to this program every week because we want to find out if anyone has died or not over the past 1-2 weeks (I have noticed that most weeks exactly 5 deaths occur ).

Fortunately, Lois is there to give me a quick overview of this afternoon's program. Burt Reynolds, the famous movie star died yesterday sadly. This morning in fact I saw a recent picture of him online, but I hardly recognised him. Of course, he was now in his 80's and much thinner than before - no surprise there.

Lois said that in his younger years Burt posed for a centrefold picture in some Playboy-style magazine, but later admitted that it was one of his biggest mistakes, and one which ruined his sex life for ever after. Women now expected him to be super good in bed, even though he was actually quite "average", he admitted - my god, poor Burt !!!!

18:30 We have dinner and spend the rest of the evening watching television. A documentary is on, all about 18th century Britain, and the characteristically libertine spirit of the period - oh dear!

I see immediately that the style of this documentary is going to be the kind I do not like - full of gimmicks of one kind or another: words and images projected onto the backs of nude female dancers, like in the opening sequences of a James Bond movie; historians and other experts giving their comments while lying on beds in dimly lit bedchambers; Matthew Sweet, the presenter, wandering at night through dark streets in London's red light districts or lying on a bed right there on the pavement, etc. Good grief, pass the sick bag, Alice!

The program presenter, Matthew Sweet, talks with us from a double bed

out on the street - one of the many annoying gimmicks in this documentary

I want to switch the program off, but Lois suggests that we wait a bit - and she is right. Despite the program's annoying style, there is a lot of interesting information beneath all the gimmicks.

The program points out that all new technologies are, and always has been, very quickly exploited for sexual purposes, pretty much as soon as the technology is introduced. The development of cheap ways of printing and distributing books and images in the 18th century was almost immediately exploited for selling salacious so-called "biographies" and saucy prints, because those were the kind of books and prints that made the fastest and biggest profits, that's for sure. 

At the same time there was almost no censorship then and no proper police force. Religion was in decline, there were thousands of prostitutes in London, and people in the capital were out to get as much pleasure out of life as they could, it seems.

At that time there was not much of a middle class either - and especially in the big cities you were either an aristocrat or a member of the working class - and the two classes mixed freely with each other, especially in places like London.

A bit later on, however, i.e. in the late 18th century, all this freedom began to disappear - we see the rise of the middle class, the coming of respectability, and of various new popular forms of religion such as Methodism, Evangelism, etc. The French Revolution also scared middle class people in England and brought about a new desire to enforce rigorous moral standards in both public and private life.

Since that time, further new technologies - the camera, the movie, the internet - have all in their turn been quickly exploited to popularise and distribute salacious books, stories and images, and both soft and hard pornography, but all these things were no longer respectable, as they were in the 18th century, and until recently were enjoyed only covertly.

It is strange to think that the worthy tradition of novels in the English language actually evolved from the naughty beginnings represented by these saucy 18th century works. The first stage was the appearance of sensational Gothic horror novels late in the 18th century, and only after that do we begin to see the more "respectable" novels of Jane Austen, Charles Dickens etc., for example.

Lois once read "Fanny Hill", one of these saucy 18th-century novels. About 15 years ago we were on holiday in France and were staying in a holiday cottage where the owner was a Dutchwoman, and all the books on the bookshelves were either in Dutch or in French, except for a copy of Fanny Hill. Lois says that these 18th century novels, unlike both earlier and later works, generally approved of the idea of women enjoying sex, but they still portrayed women's desires from the point of view of male fantasies. No surprise there!

22:00 We go to bed - zzzzzzzzz !!!!!!

Danish translation

07:00 I dag har Josie, den ældste af vores 5 børnebørn fødselsdag – hun fylder 12 år. Du godeste, tiden flyver virkelig af sted. Det var selve dagen i februar 2006, da Lois og jeg gik samtidig på pension, at vores datter Alison ringede til os og fortalte os, hun var blevet gravid.

Josie har haft en traumatisk uge for at sige mildt. Hun startede i onsdags i en engelsk højskole, efter 6 års ophold i Danmark, og i går blev hendes elskede danske eks-gadekat, Albus, kørt over af et køretøj lige foran familiens hus i Haslemere, Surrey – Albus døde desværre et par timer senere på den lokale dyrlægeklinik. Stakkels Josie.

Jeg kigger lidt på min smartphone og jeg ser, at Alison har lagt 3 charmerende billeder af Josie i gang med at åbne nogle af sine fødselsdagsgaver.

10:00 Efter morgenmad går jeg i gang med at læse de først ca. 150 linjer af et midalderligt mysteriespil, ”The Harrowing of Hell”, fordi Lyndas U3A ”Making of English” gruppe holder sit regelmæssige månedlige møde i dag på Everyman-teatret, og dette mysteriespil er gruppens nuværende projekt. Jeg skal denne måned dyrke mere forsigtige forberedelser, end normalt, fordi selve Lynda denne uge er på ferie i grevskaberne Somerset og Dorset, og hun har bedt mig om at lede mødet i hendes fravær – pokkers!

Mysteriespillet handler om Jesus’ sjæl, der efter kroppens død på korset, beslutter sig for at efterlade kroppen i graven og stige ned i underverden for at ”frelse alle de retfærdige folk, der var død siden begyndelsen af verden”, herunder for eksempel ufødte børn, også Adam og Eva, og en flok andre folk.

På den anden side er underverden ofte beskrevet som stedet, hvor de uretfærdige blive tortureret for evigt, så nogle har spekuleret på, om underverden faktisk er blevet delt i to områder, det ene en massiv torturkammer, det andet en slags masse ventesal, ikke ulig den slags ventesal man falder over i hospitaler.

I selve biblen er der faktisk meget knappe beviser på, at Jesus steg ned i underverden – vi har Peters første brev, hvor der står, at ”derfor blev Evangeliet forkyndt også for døde” (throwaway bemærkning uden nogle detaljerne ha ha), og i Paulus’ brev til Efersene: ”Jesus Christus er også steget ned til den lave jord”. Bortset fra disse 2 referencer er der fuldstændig tavshed om emnet.

Men jeg tror, at senere kristne havde et problem med, at det virker ikke ret fair, at ”gode” mennesker fra det Gamle Testamente, også ufødte børn osv synes at være gået glip af frelse på grund af, at de aldrig fik chancen for at blive døbt på den kristne måde. Så derfor virkede Jesus’ mission til underverden en god idé, for at gøre alting fair igen. Du godeste, sikke et vanvid !!!!

12:00 Lois og jeg spiser frokost og bagefter går jeg i seng for at tage en kort eftermiddagslur. Jeg står op kl 13 og efter ca 30 minutters snik-snak skal vi begge af sted, men i anderledes retninger  – Lois går hen til det lokale bibliotek for at hjælpe personalet med at organisere og lede eftermiddagens ugentlige ”Baby Bounce and Rhyme” session for unge mødre og deres små børn.

Lois glæder sig meget til at deltage i disse sessioner, fordi hun ofte får lejligheden til at vugge et eller andet lille barn eller baby på skødet, hvilket er meget nostalgisk – desværre bor alle vores 5 børnebørn langt væk herfra, Alison og Eds børn i Haslemere, Surrey og Sarah og Francis’ 5-årige tvillinger i Australien, den anden side af verden.

I mellemtiden tager jeg bussen til bymidten og går hen til byens Everyman-teater. Jeg drikker en kop kaffe og spiser et stykke kage i teatrets café, og så går op ad trappen til baren på 1. etage.

14:30 Vores gruppemøder starter – vi er kun 6 i alt på grund af Lyndas fravær på ferie. Selvom mysteriespillets emne virker at være seriøst – Jesus’ rejse til underverden for at frelse sjæler osv – er det faktisk hele fuld af komedie, hvilket var det, publikkerme havde lyst til at se, dengang som nu. ”Harrowing of Hell” fremviser et sjak af komiske djævle: ikke bare selve Satan men en flok af underordne underdjævle og minidjævle, der dyrker en masse slapstick og fysiske svinerier osv.

Det er interessant, at en af disse djævle ikke kan lide støj og larm – og han har lidt af et problem, fordi alle de udøbte sjæle bliver meget begejstrede, da de hører, at Jesus er kommet for at frelse dem, og de begynder at skrige og råbe af begejstring. Jeg sympatiserer med denne djævl: den slags støj giver mig ofte lidt af en hovedpine,  det må jeg indrømme.

Jeg mindes om den stakkels lydingeniør på Stan Frebergs optagelse af ”Day Oh” (Banana Boat Song) – manden fandt banan-plukkerens massivt højlydt råb lidt mere, end han kunne udholde. Lyden var for gennemtrængende, sagde han. Løsningen var at få banan-plukkeren til at stå lidt udenfor optagelsensstudiet bag en lukket dør. Du godeste, sikke et skør verden vi lever i !!!

et typisk midalderligt York-mysteriespil, der er i gang med

at blive opført på gaderne af byen York

Det sidste York-mysteriespil, som vores gruppe læste, havde også overfladisk en seriøs tema – Jesus’ død på korset, men faktisk fremviste det endnu et sjak komiske og uduelige håndværker i gang med at fucke op samlingen af selve korset fra en IKEA-stil flatpack, hvor hullene var  blevet forboret i det forkerte sted. Uanset emnet, kan folk lide at grine – det ved jeg med sikkerhed.

Få dem til at grine, grine, grine haha.

16:00 Mødet slutter og jeg tager bussen hjem. Jeg er gået glip af et af mine af Lois’ yndlingsradioprogrammer, ”Den sidste ord”. Lois og jeg er kommet i vane med at høre dette program hver uge, fordi vi ønsker at finde ud af, om nogen i de seneste 1-2 uger døde eller ej (jeg har bemærket, at der i de fleste uger sker nøjagtig 5 dødsfald).

Heldigvis kan Lois give mig et hurtig oversigt af eftermiddagens program. Burt Reynolds, den berømte filmstjerne døde desværre i går. I morges så jeg faktisk et nylige billede af ham på nettet, men jeg næsten ikke genkendte ham. Selvfølgelig var han nu i 80’erne og meget tyndere, end før – ingen overraskelse der.

Lois sagde, at han i sine yngre år poserede for et centrefold billede i et eller andet Playboy-stil magasin, men han indrømmede senere, at det var en af hans største fejl, som derefter ødelagte sit sexliv. Kvinderne forventede, at han ville være superdygtig i sengen, selvom han faktisk var bare ”gennemsnitlig”, tilstod han  – du godeste, stakkels Burt !!!!

18:30 Vi spiser aftensmad og bruger resten af aftenen på at se lidt fjernsyn.  De viser en dokumentarfilm, der handler om Storbritannien i det 18. århundrede, og periodens karakteristiske ryggesløse tidsånd – yikes!

Jeg ser umiddelbart, at dokumentumfilmens stil vil være den slags, jeg ikke kan lide – fuld af gimmicks af en eller anden art: ord og billeder projikerede på ryggen af nøgne kvindelige dansere, som i de åbnende sekvenser af en James Bond film; historikere og andre eksperter, der giver deres kommentarer mens de ligger på senge i svagt oplyste sovekamre; Matthew Sweet, programmets vært, vandrende om natten igennem mørke gader i Londons bordelkvarterer osv. Du godeste, ræk mig lige opkastningsposen, Alice.

Programmets vært, Matthew Sweet, der taler med os fra en dobbeltseng

på gaden – en af de mange irriterende gimmicks i denne dokumentarfilm

Jeg har lyst til at slukke for programmet, men Lois overtaler mig at vente lidt – og det har hun ret i. På trods af programmets irriterende stil, er der en masse interessante oplysninger under gimmickserne.

Programmet klargør, at ny teknologi altid bliver hurtigt benyttet til seksuelle formål, meget snart efter denne teknologi er blevet introduceret. Udviklinger af billige måder at printe og uddele bøger og billeder i det 18. århundrede blev umiddelbart udnyttet for at sælge frække såkaldte ”biografier” og reproduktioner, fordi det var sådanne bøger og reproduktioner, der gav den hurtigste og største tjeneste, ingen tvivl om det. På samme tid var der dengang næsten ingen censurering, og ingen ordentlige politistyrke. Religion var i tilbagegang, der var tusindvis af prostituerede i London og kort sagt havde folk lyst til at få så meget nydelse som muligt.

Der var dengang næste ikke nogen middelklasse – du var enten en aristokrat eller et medlem af arbejderklassen – og de to klasser omgiks hinanden frit, især i de store byer som London.

Men sidst i det 18. århundrede begyndte tingene at ændre sig – samtidig med stigningen af middelklassen, respektabilitet, og nye populære former for religion som fr eksempel metodisme, evangelisme osv. Den franske revolution skræmmede også middelklassemennesker i England og der opstod en ny ønske om moralske standarder osv.

Endnu nye teknologier – kameraet, film, internettet - fortsatte med at blive udnyttet snart efter deres introduktion til frække historier og imager, og blød og hård pornografi, med det hele var ikke respektabelt længere, som det i vis grad var i det 18. århundrede.

Det er underligt at tænke på, at den lange respektable tradition af romaner på det engelske sprog faktisk udviklede sig fra disse frække begyndelser. Gotiske romaner begyndte at blive udgivet sidst i det 18. århundrede, og derefter ser vi de højt respekterede romaner af for eksempel Jane Austen, Charles Dickens osv.

Lois læste engang ”Fanny Hill”, en af disse frække romaner fra det 18. århundrede. Vi var for ca. 15 år siden på ferie i Frankrig, og vi opholdt os i et feriehus, hvor ejeren var en hollandsk kvinde, og alle de bøger på bogreoler var enten på hollandsk eller på fransk, bortset fra et eksempel på Fanny Hill. Hun siger, at disse slags romaner i det 18. århundrede, ulige tidligere og senere værker, generelt bifaldt, at kvinder kunne nyde sex, men de skildrede imidlertid kvinders lyster fra synspunktet af mandlige fantasier. Ingen overraskelse der!

22:00 Vi går i seng – zzzzzzzzz!!!!!!