Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 1st March, 2022.

1st March, 2022.

Right … I’m on a weight loss programme or two.

And … ?   I’m having mixed results: my weight’s slowing going down, seemingly … but my weight does seem to be yo-yoing.

So … ?   I’ve booked an appointment with my GP: to discuss weight loss injections that have been recently approved.

We’ll have to see what happens.

~≈⚖️≈~

I’m job-hunting: but you knew that.

I’m job-hunting: ands on a Job Centre mandated course — called Restart — that’s supposed to help me find work.

At my last face to face meeting?   My case worker put me up for a position with Direct Line.

I had to fill the online form in, at their office.

Direct Line emailed me: to ask me to complete an assessment.

On their website.

When I clicked the link, this happened;

I got a message that my default browser, Safari, was unsupported.

And I got a list of recommended browsers: Firefox, Edge, Google Chrome … and Safari.

I got told things.

Mostly that I should install and use Chrome: as it had a video player.   Safari’s supported most video formats since its introduction in 2003.

I point blank refused to: and said that to both Direct Line and my case worker.

It’s something of a point of principle for me.

If you’re not going to make your website work in my default browser, I’m not going to use your website.   I don’t see why I should have to waste time and hard drive space, installing more software than I usually need*.

Especially if it’s just one site causing problems.

I eventually used Firefox: which I’ve had for a while, and use for several things I know Safari can’t do.   Its got uses, beyond accessing sites I can’t open in Safari.

Despite being told to use Chrome because it had a video player†?

The actual assessment was a text based one that used radio buttons to pick options.

Something that Safari handles well enough.

I failed the assessment.   I’m grateful I did so.   And will only re-take it, if Direct Line updates their site.

~≈⚡️≈~

mother!: what the duck?

21st January, 2018.

No, really, I’m a duck … !

Yeah … quack, quack … !

Ahem … !

Just in case you hadn’t realised … ?

That’s me in that introduction.

Fresh off of tonight’s movie action.

~≈§≈~



Let me briefly introduce myself, here, if I can … ?

My name’s Paul: also known — for various reasons — as Nik Nak.

I’m — currently — working in a call centre: but have worked in  pubs, fast food gaffs, toyshops … and ran pub quizzes.

I’ve also blogged about all and sundry: for the past decade.

Including about TV shows I’ve watched.

And movies.   I like the occasional movie.

It’s a movie that I’ve watched, tonight.

The 2017 film, mother!: written and directed by Darren Aronovsky.

Something I’d fancied seeing, as two previous Aronovsky films — π and Black Swan — had mildly impressed me.

And?

Strange … ?

~≈§≈~

mother! is set in a house in an isolated glade: owned by an unnamed poet — only referred to as Him, played by Javier Bardem — that’s been burnt down by a fire.

And being reconstructed by his equally unnamed wife — referred to as mother, and played by Jennifer Lawrence — who’s throughly enjoying the quiet life.

Until one day … ?

Their lives are interrupted by uninvited guests.

A dying, equalling unnamed, doctor — ‘Man’, played by Ed Harris — and his wife, ‘Woman,’ Michelle Pfeiffer.

Which is where …

Things …

Get … 

Disjointed … 

And mother’s life is irreparably changed … 

~≈§≈~

Now … 

Strange … ?

Strange is the word.

Or one word, certainly.

The other one I’d use?

Is ‘dream-like.’

Aronovsky has written and directed mother! so that it comes across with the disjointedness of a waking dream, with jumps from one line to another, Him disappearing from one door to come in at another, and discussions and conversations taking different directions: seemingly at random, and seemingly with no apparent cause.

mother get’s abruptly pregnant, for example: immediately after after a tastefully rough bedroom scene.

Him writing a poem which never, seemingly, leaves the house …  only for his publisher to phone to say how much she liked it.

Leaving mother very confused: as this is seconds after she’s given her opinion of it.

Confusing?

Well made?

The answer’s got to be yes: to both questions.

~≈§≈~

Now … 

You’re possibly saying “Paul, what did you think of mother! … ?”

Oh, that’s a tough one.

Frankly?

That really is tough … 

Right now, I don’t know that I could tell you I liked it.

It is very well made: with — possibly — a lot of depth, meaning, and philosophy there, if you chose to look for it.

But I think it’s a film I found mildly confusing.

Not that I mind confusing, occasionally.   I’m a fan of 1960s version of The Prisoner, which some will tell you is incredibly confusing.

And of Denis Potter’s The Singing Detective: which some will tell you is just as confusing.

Both of which?   Both of which I found straight-forward, compared to mother!: even though both The Prisoner and mother! — in their final scenes — loop back around to their respective starts, after convoluted finales.

Personally?

mother!’s only getting two stars from me.

It’s a well crafted movie: and one that is, with its dreamlike logic, worth watching at least once.

You might take to it.

But, ultimately?

mother! wasn’t for me.

mother!
★★☆☆

Skyfall: Bond’s Birthday Bash …

It has to be said, sometimes.

That anniversaries can be a lot of hot air.

No, really … !

I spent last night, watching Skyfall, Eon Productions’ latest entry into their James Bond franchise: the 23rd film in the series had a cinematic release that heavily trumpeted the fact it was the 50th year since the release of the original film, Dr No.

Hmm … 

This possbly sounds like I’m going to tell you about a film I’ve seen and how I’ve possibly not enjoyed it it.

Not quite.

Hmmm …  let me try and tell you about Skyfall … 

~≈M≈~

No Country For Old Men: Blood, guts, and a touch of dissatisfaction.

Hmmmm …

Can I make a confession, here … ?

I’ve just seen a Coen Brothers movie.

The first one I’d seen.

And — cinematic geniuses though they may be — I’m not too sure that I can say I’m entirely happy about it …

Seriously …

Now, as you’ve probably worked out that — as it’s Tuesday — tonight was Movie Night: and us regulars — myself, Movie Night Adrian and Kevin D — were joined by both my niece, Squeaky, and Kevin’s wife Sarah.

And the Coen Brother’s film in question … ?

Was the 2007 No Country For Old Men, based on the 2005 Cormac McCarthy book of the same name.