No meat today

We know several people who are vegetarian or vegan. We know they are because they tell us, often, that they are.

Even the nurse at my GP’s who was giving me a jab told me three times in 7 minutes that she was veggie.

We don’t go around telling people we eat meat. So, we have various theories as to why they need to keep telling us:

  • they feel they are superior to us
  • it’s like a religion, and they have to keep saying it to reinforce their faith
  • they are trying to annoy us into changing
  • they feel they are doing something good and want people to know it
  • they hate it and secretly regret it, so they are trying to convince themselves

Or maybe there’s another reason.

Years ago we were at a recording of Just A Minute at the BBC. One of the panellists was Sheila Hancock. She was getting on for 80 then. A subject that came up was something like Smashed Avocado, and she went on about how she was veggie and ate it everyday and hated it and hated so much of the food for being tasteless.

On the rare occasions when we go to restaurants, we notice that there are always veggie options. Maybe it’s a law, don’t know. But if you go to a vegetarian restaurant, there are no meat options for the non-veggies.

People are allowed to eat what they want, and it’s nobody else’s business.

Be careful

A friend was telling me the other day about something unpleasant that had happened to her.

She had gone for a coffee and cake at some place, and paid by card.

A while later, when she was out shopping, she realised she was getting lots of texts from her bank. Suspicious activity on the account, transactions blocked etc.

She checked her cards. The wallet and all the cards had gone. Also driving licence, work security card and everything.

They had been kept in her zip up bag she carried on her back. The guess was that someone had seen her use her credit card, followed her into the crowded streets, opened the bag and removed the lot hidden by the jostling crowds.

She lost a bit of cash, and all the cards. A visit to the police was required and that’s not fun. There was palaver and cost and inconvenience replacing all the stuff. It didn’t feel nice.

So, a reminder especially as Xmas is here and places are busy. Be aware, be secure, only take out what you really need, make sure you have details of cards and apps from your bank or whoever.

Being Frank

This is the time of year for the London Film Festival.

One of the things they had every year was Live Cinema, or Thames Silents, or Channel 4 Silents.

With orchestral accompaniment conducted by and/or written by Carl Davis, we saw some great ‘silent’ films like The Big Parade, The General, City Lights and Napoleon.

Live Cinema continues around the world, and, of course, in London. Wilton’s Music Hall has some, as does Cadogan Hall, near Sloane Square.

This Sunday sees the 1931 Frankenstein, with a new score played by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. There are two performances, afternoon and evening, a bit more than one hour though no doubt there will be chat. There are still some tickets available.

We’ll be there, so do say hi!

This actual film is, of course, not silent but this event follows a popular trend of taking a talkie, removing the recorded music and playing it live. The first we ever saw was 2001 at the Royal Festival Hall, when it was a novelty, but now it is something done very often, even for modern films.