usedtobeljs

Hurricane Helene has come and gone.

Here in my part of the subtropics it was a complete nothing, for which I'm thankful. A day off work, a four-hour period of gusty winds and resulting tree trash in the yard, and nothing else. (Well, there was anxiety, because I hate hurricanes, but that's a me thing.)

However, the storm has been unbelievably devastating elsewhere. The west coast of Florida had storm surge well away from the actual landfall, so there's big damage on the Tampa Bay-area barrier islands. But I am more worried about the historic rainfall and winds in Helene's path through Georgia, and the apocalyptic floods in western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee. I know so many people in Asheville and surrounding towns, and their lives are going to be absolutely upended for the next months, or years.

A candle is lit for them. :(

Televisual watching: I've started and am keeping up with Agatha All Along -- I enjoy the performances and the direction, although it's not exactly my genre. I've also started watching A Very Royal Scandal,
wherein Michael Sheen is doing a great but repulsive job as Prince Andrew and, in a small role, my fave Alex Jennings is killing it as Sir Edward Young, the senior courtier on the Queen's team.

Alex Jennings also gave a lovely commentary on the occasion of the great Dame Maggie Smith's death. Her passing is sad, and the harbinger of the end of a generation -- only Dame Judi and Dame Julie Andrews are left. I've been thinking about the only time I saw Dame Maggie onstage in Alan Bennett's The Lady in the Van; the absolute control of character, voice, and story she had! She was remarkable for sixty years, a one-off, wit and acid and beauty all her life. What a great woman.

Lastly, I had one more Twisters fic in me: "Indiscreet", Tyler/Kate. This started out as a scene, which led to me thinking of that fandom staple structure Five Times X Happened and One Time It Didn't; as I wrote, however, it just turned into Five Times Tyler and Kate Did Not Know the Meaning of the Word 'Discretion.' There is no One Time They Did. ;)

Hugs to all, and may the next week be a good one.

So sad today to hear of Queen Elizabeth II's passing.

I have a lot of anti-royalist friends, and I totally see why they dislike the monarchy. I also know a lot of folks who point out the British Crown's less than glorious colonial past, and that's fair too. I know the public mourning is going to be So Much Too Much for a lot of people.

But I have always respected and admired Queen Elizabeth, for her sense of service, for her surprising moments of warmth, for her graciousness and humor. Also, the hat and colorful coat game was unparalleled, and we shared a love of Corgis. This loss marks the end of an era, truly.

I think my most unpopular opinion is this: while lord knows the man has made mistakes, I am fond of King Charles (SO WEIRD TO WRITE THAT) and Queen Consort Camilla, and I know they are going to have a (probably deserved) hard time in the coming years, for which I'm sorry.

(I...do not have a good opinion of William, alas.)

Anyway, I'll think of the rainbow over Buckingham Palace today and make myself smile.

Cheers to all.