ain't no lie baby bye bye bye

[pensnest]

Beast and I watched Deadpool and Wolverine a couple of days ago. No spoilers, but if I wanted to watch mindless, stupid, choreographed, repetitive and completely pointless violence for a couple of hours I could have been a wrestling fan. The movie majored on icky violence and bad language, some of which (not enough) was funny, but forgot the inexplicable charm of the first Deadpool film. And to include a coherent storyline. I wouldn't bother if I were you.

Why is it that so much entertainment these days involves brutality and death? I'm not talking about murder mysteries, because they are in essence about justice, about making sure that perpetrators are caught and held responsible. And also about figuring out whodunnit, although that is not always true, depending on the writing. But the superhero stuff is all about being able to kill people in Really Cool Ways, and there are so many non-superhero stories around that just seem to rely on killing as providing the solution to problems. It cannot be good for us. The recent murder of a healthcare CEO is a case in point: I cannot bring myself to feel sorry for the guy, or to hope that the perpetrator is caught, even though I don't approve of murder. And I'm not at all surprised at the reactions I'm seeing on places like Reddit.

But as a society, resorting to killing instead of sorting out problems is a really, really bad path to be going down.

*


I manage to put my own knickers on this morning. This is a small triumph, but still, an advance.

Had my dressing removed yesterday. Alas, no expensive banana was revealed. Instead I have a 'beautiful scar', apparently (nurses have a weird sense of aesthetics) which looks like the frown of a sad emoticon. If I spread out my hand I can - just - cover it between thumb and longest finger. (It is *huge*) But I think it's more comfortable now that the dressing is off, plus, I had a proper shower last night, no manoeuvering to avoid wetting the dressing, just nice hot water and soap everywhere. Phew! I am sure Beast must be relieved, though he has not complained.

I'm getting better at lifting my leg up at the front, though it is still the hardest of the exercises. Walking around the house quite happily without the crutch, though I would still use it to go for a walk outside, since there are lots of dead leaves about and the pavements are uneven. I am, for the first time since our wedding, lighter than my Beast. I suspect my hard-won muscles are melting into fat, which is a bit sad, but I dare say my new diabetes medication is also helping. Am contemplating doing some arm work with our 6kg home weights, the ones we bought during lockdown.

And I'm down to paracetamol three times a day now, which seems perfectly adequate.

Comments

[minoanmiss]

I will say that The MArvels talked about the cost of dealing death and de-emphasized killing in a way I liked. But by its mere existence it pointed out the awful violence you accurately point out in so much of entertainment. I've always been puzzled and dismayed by how many people think someone getting shot is G-rated, a het kiss is PG and a same-sex kiss is R or pornographic.

In other news, hooray for your good scar! I can tell from the description that it came together without buckling or keloids or any other issues -- that's what's meant by "a beautiful scar". I have a / on my right hip from where they removed the tentacle monster and it was such a relief that it's just a nice straight sealed line I complimented the surgeon lavishly. hahaha

[pensnest]

It's such a, a, I dunno, a *basic* response to assume that killing someone Solves The Problem. I mean, it sorta does, but... and so many movies show no consequences at all. It's no wonder you have, say, road rage incidents where someone is shot. And of course the movies romanticise the whole thing so that the Good Guy With Gun always disposes of the Bad Guys. Yeah, right.

*grins* It does seem like a good scar, although at present it's a bit rough-edged, apparently the stitches take a while to melt away, but the nurse was instructed to trim the ends, not to remove anything. So it's a bit textural, but no puckering etc. I'm quite impressed. Not that I can see it very well, it being on my posterior, but hey.

[rebeccmeister]

The violence in movies is such an American phenomenon, and a terrible one.

I'm so glad to hear it sounds like your recovery is progressing smoothly!

[pensnest]

I suppose it comes from having a society in which it is normal to have guns. Not that I mean to say everyone has a gun, but it's not unusual or weird to do so. In British cop shows, f'rinstance, there *may* be firearms brought out, but it's unusual and treated as such. I think maybe a lot of Americans still have a Wild West mentality, without really understanding how awful it must have been if people were casually shooting other people to remove them as obstacles.

I'm very happy with my recovery so far. Today I have parked a crutch in the kitchen in case I feel wibbly, but have been going about the house quite happily without it. My natural laziness is ensuring I also have plenty of rest time!

[jacieleigh]

I agree that there is way too much violence in movies and video games. I'm sure we here in America can blame much of the bad driving (people passing on the shoulder of highways at 90+ MPH, driving through stop signs and stop lights at 60-90 mph, doing donuts at intersections to smoke the tires - much being done by minors in stolen vehicles...) and a lot of the senseless gun violence deaths on such things. My XBF loved a violent movie with little in the way of plot as long as there were a lot of fast cars, explosions and guns being fired. Not my thing. I think my dad sort of liked that stuff, too, but preferred a good mystery.

I'm glad to hear you're healing well and making good progress in your recovery!

[pensnest]

I always find the 'action scenes' in movies to be the most boring parts. Car chases too, with an honourable exception for the one in Fast & Furious V (the one where they are towing a safe) which is completely and adorably hilarious!

A useful rule when you're writing a sex scene is, have Something Happen as well as the sex. It ought to be a rule in 'action scenes' but really, that doesn't seem to be the case most of the time. There should be another rule that says fights are not allowed to be shot in the dark. If I'm to be subjected to a fight scene I would at least like to be able to see who is who!

[frausorge]

An unimpeded shower is a fine thing indeed. Congrats on the progress and I hope your healing and recovery keep going on the upward path!

[pensnest]

I feel slightly guilty about the showering because I cannot easily get down on my knees to clean the shower, so Beast has to do it. In normal times we both shower at the gym and neither of us has to worry...

[turlough]

You don't realise how much you take for granted until you can't do whatever-it-is any more. And what a triumph it is when you can do it again!

That's a huge scar indeed! I'm glad to hear the nurses approved of it :-) And glad to hear you can move around freely again!

[pensnest]

Yes! Like, being able to put on my underwear and trousers by myself is a big deal! I was wearing skirts for the first week or so, but I don't have many suitable for winter dresses or skirts so I have been resorting to soft (ie not-jeans) trousers for the last several days.

[wenchpixie]

I'm so pleased to see your recovery going so well - all the small steps add up! When are you likely to be signed off finished?

[pensnest]

I get to visit the surgeon again six weeks after the op, but he said it would be 'three months of your life' to recover properly. After Christmas I shall be going to 'hip class' for six weeks, getting a few more exercises and easing back towards the process of being allowed to go back to the gym. What I really want is to be allowed to go to sleep on my side!

[turps]

You're making such amazing progress. That shower must have been bliss.

[pensnest]

Yes, indeed! There are quite a lot of tiny victories along the way, which is encouraging.

[chalcopyrite]

Showers are such a small thing, until you can't have one. Here's to many more unimpeded showers!

It's very tempting to think that problems can be resolved by removing one person, and it's a really easy narrative to sell - but we know it doesn't work outside a cinema. I can't muster much sympathy for the healthcare CEO either, but his death isn't going to fix anything about the system. Ugh, sigh, etc.

[pensnest]

I have of late taken to fantasizing about What If Time Travel, which would involve quietly killing off Donald Trump and putting the fear of God and Brexit into David Cameron... thus setting quite a lot right about our timeline. But fantasizing about murdering people is not the same as actually doing it. I dunno, I have often wondered why Americans do not rise up and slay their masters. Perhaps they are beginning to do so.

[brandywine28]

Yay to small triumphs, beautiful scars and crutchlessness! (And boo to bland, bloated, cinematic ickiness!)