Wednesday, March 08, 2006

Stroppy

Warmer in London today, but wet and miserable. Which is better than cold, windy, wet and miserable - but still miserable!
But this won't be a miserable blog.

It might be a stroppy one.

Political (local) environmental stroppiness:

Greenwich Market - historic market in the cente of Greenwich, London, granted a royal charter in 1849; close to the Cutty Sark, the Maritime Museum, Wren's Royal Naval College, Inigo Jones' Queen's House, Greenwich Park, the Royal Observatory... i could go on. You get the picture - Greenwich is chock-full of historic interest plus lots of good places to eat. The market has arts and crafts and food at the weekends when it is teeming with visitors, locals, tourists, families, buskers, street entertainers. You can buy anything from hand-made felt bags, to olives, cheese, handmade jewellry, toys, clothing, art, indian head massage..... During the week there is a farmer's market, a vintage/second-hand market... basically, lots of cool stuff.
Do I sound like a tourists' guide yet?

The owners of the market site have decided in their wisdom that Greenwich needs some high-street shops and more offices, instead of this hub of creative and cultural interests and activity. They want to knock down/clear the market space and re-develop it. Can you guess how good or bad an idea i think this is?

Speaking as a local resident and someone who works in the centre of Greenwich, we do NOT need high street shops, we can find these within spitting distance in Lewisham, Docklands etc.

The capitalist barbarians are thus at the gates! help us to fight them off. If you know or have visited Greenwich, if you have friends who live near Greenwich (if you read the blog of someone who works in Greenwich...) click here for more information and to sign a petition against this insanity.

I will keep you informed.....



Cinematic stroppiness / political (American... hence global...)(huh)

I saw Good Night and Good Luck yesterday, and would recommend it.
I thought it was excellent. It was compelling, and conveyed tension in a very understated way.

The contemporary resonance was dramatic - in relation to the current global situation, and especially America and Iraq, and the relationship between the individual (and individual freedoms) and the state. Also in relation to dumbing down of TV news, and the role of the media generally. Though all this was also very understated which made it more dramatic than if they had made a meal of it. Gripping and very well done, and quite scarey if given too much thought.

And the admirable Mr. Clooney co-wrote the screenplay, as well as co-starring and producing!!

So - Go George!! ( who looked very good in a 50's suit. And Robert Downey Jnr. seems to get more and more yummy with age.)


Personal stroppiness

(No picture)
Counselling this morning. Sessions only once a fortnight, rather than weekly....
But the process is achieving something important - we're talking about things we should have talked about years ago - i'm sure we're understanding each other/ourselves better.

Communication is so important in a relationship and without it some things assume a significance they should never have. ... I feel another letter coming on. I've written 2 long letters so far, its a good way of sorting things out in my mind and communciating with time for reflection at both ends.... Letter No. 3 coming up, I think.


Stroppy dillo
Dillo No. 10 is the stroppiest I could find:

9 comments:

Molly Bloom said...

Wow! I loved reading your blog today. It is very eloquent and powerful. It would be a real shame to lose the market wouldn't it? I think it would make Greenwich really boring and just another load of shops we don't need. Also, the market is really brilliant. We can't lose that. I'm glad you're talking - talk is so important. We don't talk enough to each other. I hope it works out for you.

ramblingwoman said...

Don't look at Greenwich, it's really boring....is something we REALLY don't want to say!!! I feel pretty sure they won't win....but the fat cats do have a tendency in these matters to win, which is such a shame. Mind you they didn't win at Gabriel's Wharf so we can hope (and sign petitions).

I will go and see GNandGL as soon as I can. I'd forgotton R Downey Jnr was in it and you know how much I HEART him!

As for the counselling stuff,....I'll speak to you on MSN! (We managed the phone yesterday!)

Tanya said...

Yeah wow indeed Lettuce! I now want to see that film, have long been a fan of Mr Clooney since I saw him in "Oh father where art thou or thy" or something like that. Greenwich market, that makes me so cross and I'm signing that petition. I once spent a cold winter working on a stall and Trac one cold morning (we drank and ate to keep up the momentum) Also my friend has a stall there now!!! infuriating.
Is M being stubborn, you so need to talk? I hope it all works out, I think of you so often, give Netty a tinkle and meet up...Or better still come over with her....

lettuce said...

ha ha Tat - its "O Brother where art Thou" - brilliant film (included in my profile, in fact). I think GC is getting better and better.

The fabric of my life said...

Oh no I can't believe that they could possibly ruin the essence of Greenwich. I used to have a stall there too selling jewellery that I had made and also spent years trawling for goodies, most of which I still have. I'm off to sign the petition.

The fabric of my life said...

btw: I think stroppy lettuce suits you and is more powerful than limp lettuce ;-)

lettuce said...

thanks Trac! maybe i need a 3rd blog.... Multiple identities.

grumpy old woman said...

Thanks for giving me the chance to sign the petition about Greenwhich Market - I love the place - spent many happy hours there.

Your blog was powerful today - I found it very moving.

Keep on trucking Sweetie ~(:o})=

PS - Did you mean to say "trac" in your entry above this?

lettuce said...

you're quite right, i meant thanks Dons, not Trac! thanks Dons.