Things are looking up

Everything on telly is crap.

How do I know that everything on telly is crap? I've just spent five days stuck in hospital. Trapped with only a TV and occasional flower-bearing visitors for company, frustratingly,

I didn't have quite enough extension cord to get my laptop to go for longer than its stupidly short, dimly-lit battery life.

That's why I read five novels, one autobiography and every women's magazine published that week (they're also rubbish).

It's one of the random drawbacks of film reviewing - by the time a flick has got to Sky Movies you've seen it already. Either that or it's straight-to-DVD drivel that insulted even my semi-conscious, anaesthetic-clouded brain.

That's not completely true. I couldn't be arsed getting my laptop out. It seems such a long way to get out of bed and faff around with plugs and computery stuff and DVDs when it's nearly time for the next jab/bloodtest/fainting spell.

I was kidding myself that I could even get out of bed, really, when for the first two days I couldn't go to the ensuite on my own without a back-up team on red alert to pick me up off the floor afterwards.

I lived in fear of squishing my lovely but teeny-weeny Filipina nurse Aimee on my way to horizontal lala land. When I was conscious, that is.

You know you're in a bad way when you don't mind a stranger showering you, while you're sitting down. No wonder nurses have such good senses of humour.

Once I was over the fainty bit, hospital emerged as a weirdly twilight-zoneish place, where time has no meaning. You lose track of days and can only tell time by whether the curtains are open or shut. I swear the Overlord grew a few sneaky inches while I was locked away in the Randolph ward. The weeds in the garden definitely did. Not that I'm comparing my darling cherub to weeds... or maybe I am.

I've been feeling a bit blah since then - but a bit better every day since getting home.

Today I'm feeling happy that I've finally finished the course of post-op jabs (yay nice Nurse Maude nurses who don't mind my silly pup jumping all over them during housecalls, Boo for horrid blunt needles that sting like buggery).

I was also cheered up a ridiculous amount by a nice letter-to-the-editor published this morning that said:

"I thank Margaret Agnew for her film reviews in The Press Go supplement. They are so well written, whether favourable or negative." - Barbara Sharpe.

Like her name, Barbara is indeed sharp. And very discerning. You can tell she is also very intelligent, incredibly good-looking, and quite possibly a gifted racantour. I've never met her but she's welcome to look after the Overlord whenever she likes.

It's usually been my experience that people only write mean things about you to the editor, so this was a bit of a surprise. It may be only the second or third time its happened in my entire journalism career - someone writing nice things about me in a letter-to-the-editor, that is.

Occupational hazard when you're a critic. People tend to take it personally when you're disparaging about their favourite actor. I once received a two page diatribe about why Ben Affleck was a really good actor and I was just a big meany.

I shall now take myself off for a wee walk with my dog and feel more benevolent in general towards the world. And wherever Barbara Sharpe is, may angels shine down blessings and good things upon you.

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paul   #1   08:49 am Oct 22 2009

Welcome back Margaret. Hope it was nothing disturbingly serious that had you at the whim of our public health system.

Ben Affleck is a better director than he is an actor. Tropic Thunder was great.

H   #2   09:04 am Oct 22 2009

@Paul#1 think you're thinking of Ben Stiller there buddy.

feel well!

JeM   #3   10:19 am Oct 22 2009

Glad you're on the mend.

I dont mind daytime telly except for the few patches of infomercials (around 10am) and then the kids tv stuff (around 3pm). Other than that, I love lying in bed on a sick day watching Tyra, Dr Phil, Oprah etc.

Im gutted with the Wednesday night 8.30pm timeslot though. Weds used to be my FAV tv night with new episodes of Two and a Half men, Big Bang Theory followed by Lost. Now it's 5yr old repeats of Two and a Half men (as if the repeats on Friday and Sunday nights arent enough) and no Lost.

1977   #4   12:09 pm Oct 22 2009

I'm with JeM on Wed night tv being average. I'm well over Two and a Half Men. It's on way too often and the storyline is stagnant. And nothing much on Sky. I think I only really loved Wed tv for Lost and the last season is approaching I don't know what my coping strategy will be once Lost is gone for good. That Fringe show is a load of bollocks too.

paul   #5   12:25 pm Oct 22 2009

@H #2

Doh! So I was... Affleck... oh yeah... he's a complete waste of cellulloid. Didn't he run with Jennifer Lopez for a while? 'nuff said.

phee   #6   01:14 pm Oct 22 2009

@ H and paul: To be fair the comment also holds true for Ben Affleck - seen Gone Baby Gone?

Niri Tacen   #7   09:40 pm Oct 22 2009

Welcome back Margaret! I can empathise - I've been through the long drawn out surgery as well. I hate the bit where you're bored out of your mind but haven't the strength to do anything about it. :-(

I hope the hubby waits on you hand and foot, and the Overlord takes it easy on you for a few days.

Best wishes!

paul   #8   10:19 am Oct 23 2009

@phee #6

Yes, didn't Gone Baby Gone have his younger brother in the starring role? Good Will Hunting is still a classic (writing credit).