TV Review: Banished

Sometimes on TV can be rubbish and nothing worth watching. Then there comes a period when there is many good programmes to watch, it’s not usual but since January there have been good programmes to watch.

One of these programmes is Banished which is being shown on BBC2 at the moment. Banished is a British drama created by Jimmy McGovern previously of Brookside fame.

Banished is set in the 18th Century, specifically 1788 in the first penal colony founded by the British in New South Wales, Australia. There are a thousand convicts who have been sent by Britain and they are being kept prisoners by 100 Royal Navy Men.

There is a rule where for every five men there is one woman for them to be partnered which causes tension between the Navy Men. None of the convicts are allowed to have a woman, they are only for the Navy men. All married men are out of bounds.

The cast is fantastic and includes Russell Tovey (of Being Human fame) who plays James Freeman, a convict who ends up imprisoned for being a pickpocket.  Tovey is a brilliant actor and great in this role where we have seen play:

• ·         Victim – his food was being stolen from him by another convict, Marston (played by Rory McGann). Food Is rationed b the Navy Men and they got served small portions so not being allowed to eat was hell for Freeman but Marston wouldn’t give in and made Freeman very angry.
• ·         Jealous Lover – He is in love within Elizabeth Quinn (MyAnna Buring) who is in a relationship, a forbidden one, with Freeman’s best friend Tommy Barrett (Julian Rhind-Titt). Even though they are friends there is no tension between them due to being in love with same women.  They look after each other as friends are precious.
• ·         Murderer – Marston was so ugly to Freeman and all the other convicts that he decided something needed to be done and along with Tommy they murder him.  First they bury him in the sand but when the dogs start sniffing around him. They get scared and decide the sea is the best place for him as with enough weights they hoped he would sink to the bottom and never be discovered.
• ·         Runaway – Their plan didn't work as Marston was found by one of the girls who tried to kill herself by drowning but bumped into him and screamed. Major Ross (a prominent figure) suspect Freeman was the murderer and sets his men on him so he runs away.  After a few days Freeman comes back due to lack of food and water leading to dehydrates.

On arrival back at the colony, Freeman is arrested.  His punishment was to be hanged. However he makes a deal with the Governor and Major Ross he is free again but pays a price as he will be the hangman when the next person has to be hanged. If he doesn't then he will definitely be hanged.

There is one character who really annoys me and that is Major Ross who is portrayed by Joseph Millson. He is a horrible and manipulative guy. He doesn't not have a women but thinks it his right to have any women he wants whenever he wants. He goes after Katherine McVitie (Joanna Vanderham) who belongs to another Navy man already but this doesn't deter him and he demands he shares her, much to her disgust and unhappiness but he is the ‘Major’ who has to be obeyed.

One night feeling so disgusted by having to sleep with Major Ross, Katherine tries to drown herself and in the process finds the body of Marston which stops her from drowning herself. Major Ross is angry at Katherine for trying to kill herself and demands she is flogged.

However this never happens because the Colony Minister is so outraged at how Major Ross treats Katherine that, in front of the Governor, he tells him to stop this behaviour and if he doesn't he will be banned from attending the church.

The Major doesn't take this too kindly as he is religious and feels the Minister has to right to ban him but the Governor agrees. So Ross agrees to be kinder to Katherine and tells her that he still wants her to visit but there will be no more sex, but he would like if she would just lie on the bed with him fully clothes to just talk to each other.  I think this is devious on his part as by talking to her is getting into her head which can be more intimate than sex.

It will be interesting to see how everything turns out for Major Ross, Katherine McVitie and James Freeman. 

What Shapes You?

I was reading Emma Scrivener's blog A New Name where she had put up a post entitled "(Some) things that have shaped me", she ended the post by asking what had shaped us, so it got me thinking about what has shaped me: 

• Being the youngest child
• Being  a ministers daughter
• Being adopted
• The joy and love of reading 
• Psalty and his Singing Song book
• Getting bullied
• People's opinions of me and their words directed to me
• Writing Poetry
• Fear of rejection
• Trust issues
• Going to an all Girl's School
• Going to University
• My family
• Friendships and finding true friendship 
• Growing up in Northern Ireland - and then leaving it - then returning again
• Sunderland
• London
• Peru  - the culture and the people I met there. 
• All Souls, Langham Place and the ministerial team
• West Church Ballymena and people's love and support for me there
• Having Multiple Sclerosis
• The Music of U2
• Jesus dying on the cross for me
• God's unconditional love for me
• Confidence issues

What are yours?

Flash Fiction: The Juggler Dropped His Knives

During the summer I went to the circus with my family. I had a nice time. We saw lots of funny clowns. They had red noses, fuzzy blue hair and threw cream pies in people’s faces.

Then there was a man walking on a wire across the tent which was very scary for me as I thought he would fall off and hurt himself. I had to hold my breath the whole time I watched him.

And we saw big Elephants. I don’t know what they were doing, but one of them did a big poo and it made me laugh so much.  Mummy told me not to write that bit, but I found it so funny. Mummy’s just boring.

It was a very noisy circus, but I am glad we went.  We saw a man riding a bike with only one wheel and a huge saddle. I want to do that when I am older. It looks cool.

My brother loved the people who jumped through rings of fire but again I had to close my eyes.  He also liked the juggler and we laughed so much when a lion roared so loudly the juggler dropped his knives. 

Flash Fiction: You told my family I was dead?

You told my family I was dead? Why would you do that? What kind of sick person would tell a joke like that?

It wasn't a joke. I thought you were dead. The last time I saw you, you were being chased by a gunman and I thought he had caught you and killed you

Or, you wish he had of killed me, that’s probably more accurate, no?

Why would I want you dead?

Because you want access to my money and you would only get that if I was dead.

No, I love you too much to want you dead

Yeah you love me so much you hired a gunman to kill me.  You got him to mug us, let you run and then chase me

I would never do that.  I told you I love you

I do not believe you. The gunman whose name is Javier, in case you didn’t know, and I had a lovely chat over a coffee in Starbucks. And he told me everything

Why would you believe a jerk like that over me, the man you married?

Why wouldn’t I? You certainly haven’t been Mr Perfect since you started your affair with Pam.

What? What? ... How? … How did you know about that?

A women always knows when their man is cheating.  I always suspected something but Pam rang me up a few weeks ago, asking to meet for a coffee and then confessed everything

Everything?

Yes everything.  All about the year affair, how you were planning to leave me, but because of all your debt and my recent windfall you thought you would have me killed instead, leaving all the money to you.

No, no she’s lying.  I would never do that

Yes, you would and you just did.  Jerk!

(299 word story dare) 

Flash Fiction:: Quiet Please!

I can’t believe we have to research this book for school.

Oh do we, I thought we were just looking at it for fun

Man, do you ever listen in class?

Nah. but hey look at this, how funny is that?

It’s hilarious, how would that work?

I’ve no idea, but look at that one, how uncomfortable does that look?

Oh my word, check this one out, HA HA, look at that the way they are positioned?

Shhhhhhh Man you are being very loud

So are you

But this is a library we are meant to be quiet, or the librarian will be over to tell us off!

You are louder than me

No you are louder

Whatever man, you are way louder than anyone else, people are staring at you

I know but it’s because I am drop dead gorgeous!

Whatever! I am going back to this book. It’s brilliant, you might learn something useful!

Yeah you too! You are a novice! You need educated

You are so rude and just jealous of my track record!

Whatever! Why would the teacher make us research this book?

HA man, did you really believe me, this is just for fun or other educational purposes if you like!

Good, cos for one moment I thought we were going to have to write an essay on this, and that would just be so weird.

Shhhh, you’re still being loud, if you are any louder we will be kicked out and we don’t want the librarian to know what book we are reading, we might get into detention again for reading inappropriate material!

Ok, I will be quiet. Let me see some more of those.

Ok, hey look at that, HA HA HA HA

Shh man stop laughing so loudly

Why?

Because the librarian is coming our way

Crap, shove this book on the nearest shelf. We need to go before we get into trouble AGAIN!

OK, RUNNNNNNNNNNNNNN

Flash Fiction:: He choked to death

It was 36-22, England were doing their best to beat France and win the Championship. They just needed to win by 26 points.

Henry was enjoying the match yet very nervous as he is Irish and needed England not to get ahead so Ireland would win the tournament.

He was sitting at home, drinking beer and eating peanuts. Henry had just thrown a handful of peanuts into his mouth when England scored another try. Jumping and yelling at the TV and he started to cough and choke, the peanuts went down the wrong way and he choked to death.

Flash Fiction:: What a Terrible Date

At 7pm Jules was waiting outside the Italian restaurant waiting for her blind date, David. They were supposed to meet at 6.30pm. A half hour go. Not a good sign.

Jules was about to go home when David arrived, still in his work overalls and apologising. Not a great first impression.

Jules got ready to leave again but David persuaded her to go get something to eat as he was hungry. He took her to McDonald’s.

Jules groaned. She was dressed up to the nine’s and she was in McDonald's with an idiot. What a terrible first date!

Flash Fiction: Burying Fusco

Can you dig any faster?

I am trying but the ground is tough

But we need to be quick

Yes but we also need to be quiet, so hush yourself

Sorry I forgot we can’t let little Jen hear us

She’ll be devastated when she wakes up in the morning and discovers Fusco has gone

I know but we could not let her see him in this state or she would know what I have done to him

It was unavoidable Jake, he ran in front of the car so quickly. It was either hit him or you would have crashed the car and the impact would have killed you. Who do you think Jen would miss the most Fusco or her dad?

I would like to hope she would miss me more than Fusco but you know how much she is devoted to him

Keep digging in case she wakes up

I am doing my best Susan, my utmost best but I am still in shock too, the dog belonged to us all and he was mine before we married and Jen came along

I know, I know. Please don’t blame yourself for what happened, I certainly don’t.

Thank You.

Ok do you think this hole is deep enough yet?

Yes, let’s lift Fusco in now, gently as he is very heavy, and let’s do it quietly, don’t put him in with a thud as it could wake Jen up. Ok, on my count, one, two, three, lift.

Boy he is heavy, what did we feed him?

He ate his own dinner plus whatever Jen would give him when she thought we weren’t looking!

Ok, he is in now, let’s put the soil back in, again quietly.

Before we do, let’s take a moment to remember Fusco and all his antics.

Good idea

Ok, minutes up now, let’s fill the hole in

Ok, quickly I am freezing.

Right, that’s it finished. We need to make it look like nothing happened here.

Good idea, I know how curious Jen can be and all the digging she likes to do.

The ground looks normal now, all even. Let’s get inside and get some sleep. It will be hard tomorrow when we need to tell Jen that Fusco has gone.  She won’t believe us when we say he’s run away

I know but what else do we tell her, we can’t tell her the truth

It’s going to be hard, I agree, we have no other choice, because like you say we can’t tell her the truth, it would kill her. 

Flash Fiction: I found a quiver of arrows in the forest

99 word story dare starting with the sentence: “I found a quiver of arrows in the forest”

I found a quiver of arrows in the forest. Strange. Who do they belong to? I thought. Who plays bows and arrows these days? I decided to investigate as I was curious, so I wandered through the forest where there were more strange items: a red cloak, breadcrumbs, a red apple and a shoe”

I thought thus was getting strange by the second, it felt like I was in fairy land. To cure my curiosity I continue on walking till I abruptly reached the end of the trail, shocked, all the fairy-tale characters were tied up together looking terrified.  

Flash Fiction: I got an error message

99 words writing dare  starting with “I got an error message”

I got an error message when I turned on my laptop, it wasn't any normal message, it was eerie, like someone had hacked into my laptop as the message was personal as it said, “I am watching you”. All written in bold font and red. I looked around scared but saw nobody. I press CTL, ALT and Delete, another message appeared, “You can’t see me but I can see you” I was freaking out by now. I pressed the buttons again, another message “I am behind you”. I froze. I screamed. I’d been stabbed, blood everywhere. I faint. 

MS: Things You Should NOT say to People with MS,

In December I wrote a blog entitled Things You Should Say to People with MS, now here is a blog about Things You Should NOT say to People with MS. 

• You don't look sick
• You Shouldn't drink diet coke or you have dunk too much diet coke (apparently the Aspartame in Diet Coke may produce MS type syndrome!)
• You need to take more vitamins
• You need to eat better
• Aren't you taking your meds? (yes...) then why is your MS bothering you still? Do the meds not work?
• Can I get MS from you?
• When will you recover from your MS?
• You not better yet?
• What did you do to get MS?
• I know someone who had MS, they climbed Mount Everest
• I know someone who had MS, they are dead now 
• You need to exercise more
• You shouldn't do to much, you need to rest more 
• So and so celebrity has MS, they seem fine
• Don't say that you have MS as that's giving in to your illness
• You can't possibly do that, you are ill (Let us make our own minds on what we can and can't do!)
• Why are you always tired and yawning when you slept all night
• You were fine yesterday, what's wrong today?

Someone told me the other day if your going to criticise someone, sandwich it between two encouragements. 

I am so thankful that I have supportive family and friends. 

Flash Fiction: The Wolf Packs

199 word story dare with anime, disloyal, feather, wolves and mountains.

Evan was a film director. He worked specifically on anime movies, the Japanese animated computer animated productions. They have gained quite a following in the western culture and Evan thought they were the way forward.

Evan was on his third film, the last two were greeted well by the fans and the critics.  It was always important to make sure the fans were happy.  Evan strove to make good productions and not be disloyal to the genre.

This fourth film was going to be the story of two packs of wolves who lived in the mountains. The two wolf packs were at war with one another and defended their territories ferociously.

The two packs started off as friends, but their feud had been going on for years, and no one knew why they hated each other. It was an ancient feud, started before the current members were born.

The anime will focus on this feud but at the end of the movie we will find out what started the fighting and will also see the leaders of the packs come together and draw a truce to the war once and for all. They buried the hatchet with a feather.

Flash Fiction:: She Skipped Away

99 word story dare using the ending “she skipped away”

Helen and Dani were best friends and did everything together. One sunny afternoon they were playing in the field behind Helen’s house.  They were running around carefree soaking up the sun and making daisy chains.

As it was so warm they decided to go for a swim in the nearby river. They didn't have swimwear on so they went in with their clothes on. They were having fun splashing each other and going underwater holding their breath to see how long they could stay underwater. Dani went under and Helen held her down, she drowned. Helen, she skipped away.

TV Review: Don't Know Jack

It seems to me that all the lone ranger tough guys, who are not out to save the world but end up doing it anyway are called Jack.

We have Jack Bauer of 24 who is portrayed by Keifer Sutherland. He works for the government department CTU. Over the seven seasons of 24, where each season is one whole day meaning everything takes place in 24 hours.  And they usually all end up with Jack being beaten up, shot, imprisoned and getting into all sorts of trouble. People are always out to get him but he always comes up trumps and is the good guy who saves America.

Next up is Jack Reacher created by author Lee Child (and recently portrayed by Tom Cruise in film, a controversial casting due to height difference -  as Reacher is 6ft 4 and Cruise is 5 ft 2).  Reacher travels through America hitch hiking and has no possessions to his name - no passport, no identity card of any sort, no home, he is a nomad just going from place to place as he sees fit. He is ex army and from a military family as well.  With the size of Reacher, he is not the kind of person I would want to get on the wrong side of but people seem to want to mess with him.  

He always seems to end up getting into some sort of trouble and gets beaten up a lot as well. He is a bit like James Bond as well as he has a way with the ladies and in most of the 19 books written about him, he usually gets the woman as well as solving the problems that arise and becoming some kind of Hero. 

Now onto the third Jack, who I have recently discovered and that is Jack Taylor. He unlike the other two Jack's is not American but he comes from Galway in Ireland. 

Jack Taylor is the main man in novels written by Ken Bruen. These novels have been made onto mini films for TV as well with Jack being portrayed by Iain Glen (with a bit of a dodgy Irish accent).

Taylor is a former officer with Gardia, the Irish police (also known as the Guards).  He was fired due to unruly behaviour.  We first meet him in his patrol car drinking and then chasing down an official government car and when the car stopped he punches one of the officials in the face. Not really normal police behaviour, is it?

Taylor then by chance gets into the work of Private Investigation and gets a business partner called Cody. He spends a lot of time being beat up by people who want him dead. He also spends a lot of time nursing his wounds, drinking and flirting with women. He usually gets the girl as well. 

All the Jack's have no respect for authority or rules and think rules are meant to be broken and they: 

• are lone ranger type of men
• get beaten up all the time
• get the women
• get in trouble with the law

I like the three Jack's, there is something about them that appeals to me, there is a mystery surrounding both of them and they are all bad boys - men you wouldn't want to take home to your parents. They all have sex appeal, seem lose and are vulnerable which makes women attracted to them.

I wonder if there are any more Jacks out there?  I know there is a Jackson Brodie from Case Histories by Kate Atkinson who in the TV series of the same time is portrayed by Jason Issacs. Another brooding male who fits in the same categories as the other three Jacks.

Writing: Rant and Rave

In the writing group was asked to do an 80 word RANT and an 80 word RAVE, about anything at all.

Here is my RANT:

Do you know what really annoys me? People who walk their dogs, let them poo and never pick it up after them. It’s common decency to clean up after their dogs, but some people are so lazy and just leave it lying, so other unfortunate people walk in it and spread the mess and smell everywhere they go. What does it take to carry a plastic bag with you, walk over to the poo, pick it up and bin it?

(80 Words)

Here is my RAVE:

I love Marshmallows, they were a great invention, who would have thought that sugar whipped to a spongy consistency would taste so great and create memories like playing fluffy bunnies.  They can be eaten on their own, in puddings or in hot chocolate. Watching them melt in hot chocolate reminds me of clouds moving in the sky.  You can squish them, pull them put them in different shapes. They come in all different forms and colours. Marshmallows taste like heaven.

(80 Words)

Writing: Homesickness

For my writing group I had to write a piece on Homesickness, and it had to be 250 words and no more. Here is my piece. For some reason I wrote it in third person:

Jo Anne never wanted to leave Ireland, she was a home bird. She didn't like her home town but she felt scared about leaving her parents who were her safety net. However, she went to Sunderland for University, but every Sunday she suffered from a severe case of homesickness. She missed her Mum’s Sunday Roasts! This Sunday homesickness continued all through University life despite the fact she had friends to be with. She still missed home, she missed her cat.

After University she moved to London and the homesickness stayed with her, she felt alone in the big city and just wanted to be at home, she dreaded Sundays. After time she found a good church and Sunday’s began to look up, she had people to go out for lunch with. This was a good thing yet the homesickness still haunted her.  The question always on her mind was, why do Sunday’s make me feel so homesick, what is it about them?

This unwanted feeling of being homesick on Sundays followed her to Peru where she lived for a year. However, for the first few months she felt homesick on other days, not just Sundays, because she felt like a fish out of water at times. She was homesick for Ireland and London. After time, homesickness just hit on Sundays, these were the hardest days, and she just wanted to be with people who knew her and who spoke English!  And now back home in Ireland, she is homesick for Peru. Ironic!

MS: World Distribution of Multiple Sclerosis

Above is a map of the world and it highlights the places were the most people are affected with out are at high risk of Multiple Sclerosis.

It is interesting that in the following there is hardly any risk at all of getting MS:

• Chile
• Argentina
• Madagascar
• Norway
• Parts of China
• Parts of Canada
• Greenisland
• Papua New Guinea
• Islands above Russia
• Parts of Malaysia 

And a high risk in:

• United States of America
• United Kingdom
• Ireland
• Germany
• Poland 
• New Zealand

Wonder why some of those countries are high risk and the others are low risk. For me its a very interesting map.

Flash Fiction:: Saving the World

This is my attempt at a  200 words story dare with the first line “Sometimes you feel like you have just saved the world”

Sometimes you feel like you have just saved the world. Ever woken up feeling like this. I do nearly every day.  My dreams are always full of disasters and for some reason a superhero is always around when needed. It’s either Superman, Spider-man or Batman, but they are always there to help me save the day.

Last night I was in New York where a man was running riot in the middle of the streets shooting people for no reason. I tried to run away as I am not a superhero, but all of a sudden Batman showed up beside me. The next thing I knew I was all suited up and running after Batman to stop the mindless shooting.

We found the shooter and boxed him in a corner so he couldn't escape, he was yelling angrily at us, demanding to know why we were trying to stop his mission.

“Because Mr, we are vigilantes and that is what we do, save cities and people from being terrorised by people like you”

“Let me go, or I’ll shoot you”

“You wouldn’t dare shoot us I'm Batman and he’s Iron-man”

I thought “Iron-man me, maybe I'm now dreaming after all”