Another Catch Up

[seraphflight]

My apologies if you left me a message or replied to a post here, as I've managed to commit technical mayhem again and accidentally deleted everything before I could even read them, never mind reply. Despite having been regularly online for the last 25 years, I can still mess up now and then.

So, I finished The Originals, which was okay. The series would have been much stronger if edited more tightly, which would also make the series shorter but quality beats quantity. It seemed to be hampered by a cast of thousands - I kept losing track of who was who, which was not helped by too many of the female actors looking too similar. But it was okay, though hardly original. The werewolf aspect of the series could have been explored a lot more fully, as they really didn't do much beyond exist. I still say Klaus and Elijah were just Lestat and Louis rewritten, though, or maybe I'm just hard to please. Still, the man playing Elijah was easy on the eye.

I've watched the first two seasons of The Strain, which I didn't get into at first but it's grown on me hugely. The basic plot initially relies on Stoker's story of Dracula's arrival in England, the empty ship, etc., which is a tad well-trodden, but then a whole bunch of fresh ideas and new angles unfold, supported by a great cast of actors, strong characters and believable dialogue.

I've also been watching The Shield, which is a fast-paced and gritty police drama that's entertaining, and a spy thriller series called Spooks, which is very good.

Browsing for vintage bargains is a long-time hobby of mine. Consequently my home is full of pretty treasures that I haven't enough room for, but I'll never part with! Earlier this week I came home happily clutching a glass vase hand-painted with delicate flowers. It's just so adorable, and was only  £3 - far too tempting to leave behind! And then I also spotted a ceramic pot with lid, hand-painted, and fell in love with the rich blue and purple tones. I have absolutely no idea what I'm going to use it for yet, but it's been washed, and now it's sitting on my fire surround till I figure out where it's going to live.

YouTube has many "thrifting" videos (as Americans call it; here we say charity shops). Other countries seem to have much better charity shops than we do - much bigger and displayed better, with more choice. I'd say 98% of stuff in British charity shops is junk. The quality isn't what it was, as the better things now get sold online, eBay usually. Car boot sales are better, if you're willing to do the footwork. I never bother looking at clothes in charity shops. They're nearly the price of new stuff in Primark or similar, so why bother buying something that's half worn out already but only a bit cheaper than new? Plus charity shop clothes pong to high heaven more often than not. 

I've another holiday jaunt booked, and I am totally looking forward to that. I've not been to Edinburgh since I was a teenager, and then I was with a family group and we did stereotypical touristy things. It's a mid-week break, before the season gets going properly, to avoid crowds. All I need to do now is plan a proper itinerary, to make the most of my time there. If you've any suggests for any "must see" places, let me know.

Comments

[cairistiona]

Ooh, Edinburgh! I've never been, so I hope you post pics!

I live in America and have never seen the thrift shops you see on videos--even ones run by the same charity here seem to have nothing but junk, but I think it's a reflection of the area's economic level. This isn't a posh or rich part of the country, so by the time something is used so often it's ready for donation, it should really be sent to recycling or the landfill. :/ People here tend to hang onto the nice things they acquire, until they're absolutely useless. (And then they still donate! I imagine the thrift shops here are just intermediaries who take the junk to the landfill for the donor, honestly.) Garage sales are just about as bad. I never seem to find anything at them save for old underwear and broken-beyond-repair furniture, though I remember my MiL used to find all kinds of treasures. I just don't have her knack, I guess.

[seraphflight]

I follow Elise Buch on YouTube, and she shows viewers round some absolutely fabulous charity shops where she lives in Denmark. They're really quite enviable shops.

The link to her page: https://www.youtube.com/@EliseBuch

Her videos also show how she's slowly improved the small bungalow she bought, which started out as a rather plain, boxy place and is now really lovely.

Why do people donate such awful clothes? Go into most charity shops here, and all you can smell is musty clothing, like the dog's slept in it for months already. No thanks.

[rhoda_rants]

I still say Klaus and Elijah were just Lestat and Louis rewritten, though, or maybe I'm just hard to please.

Honestly, most roads lead back to Lestat and Louis, when it comes to monster media. Damon and Stefan are Lestat and Louis. Spike and Angel are Lestat and Louis. David and Michael are Lestat and Louis. The Fun One Who Loves His Job vs The Angsty One Who Feels Bad About It Sometimes (but has done more murder if you actually do the math). It's formulaic but it works.

I'll echo the sentiment that charity/thrift shops really depend on where you are (although I've noticed the price hikes everywhere too). There's a pretty good one here! My main struggle is finding good sizes. I have heard that about shopping online, but I hate getting clothing without trying it on first. I need to *touch* it.

[seraphflight]

I agree with you absolutely with the Lestat and Louis thing. Absolutely. Little of anything new, ideas-wise, has been on offer since Anne Rice's novels. I know her last ones were much weaker, and I wish she'd not gone down the awful Atlantis rabbit hole... But no doubt plenty of people disagree with me on that.

Where I live is not a wealth area by any means. The little town's shops are mostly charity shops and cheap household supplies. There are very few quality shops there, and those which are cater mostly to teen fashions.

[rhoda_rants]

LOL I picked up the Atlantis one after a library purge a couple years ago. I've been saving it for a special occasion, like when I'm in a particularly silly mood.

Yeah, that's the other thing—so many teen fashions. Again, it mostly depends where you are. But also I think because "micro trends" are a thing now, a lot of clothes cycle in and out a lot faster than they used to. I was reading something awhile ago about how most people don't keep the same sweater for more than a year or two, and I was like, "UM, who is this 'most' you speak of, and why don't they keep their sweaters??"

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[seraphflight]

I had to chuckle over your comment about "most" people not keeping sweaters for more than one year. I have clothes old enough to make a mere year-old thing seem like brand new still! Granted, I'm a menace for hanging on to favourites even after they've been worn past their fit-to-be-seen-in-public stage. I have no interest in this fast fashion nonsense, reasoning that it benefits only manufacturers.

[rhoda_rants]

Exactly! I used to get hand-me-downs as a kid, and it was never presented as a weird thing. I don't understand this world where literally everything is built to fall apart as soon as possible. It's ridiculous.

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