"Down to the sea"

Was standing in the check out line at the grocery store Saturday morning, when I started flipping through the tabloids. To give the people credit, they do manage to come up with catchy headlines. 'Course, you do have to read them correctly. "James Brown Rapped Me" was really "James Brown Raped Me!" There was a parody of tabloid headlines that said something to the effect: "Lesbian Nun Has Elvis' Love Child!" Garrison Keillor of "Prairie Home Companion" mentioned one several years ago: "Flesh-eating Flamingos Found in Florida! Nest Surrounded by Hundreds of Baby Shoes!"

I seemed to have worked all week end on various jobs such as laundry, vacuuming, cleaning, etc. Even did the state income tax report. But I don't remember having much time to relax. Did watch part 2 of A&E's "Horatio Hornblower" series. In fact, I became so engrossed in it that I stopped reading, turned off the lamp and did nothing but watch. An incredible production that manages to re-create the world of the late 18th century British navy. What makes it so right are all the small physical details as to how a ship and a navy would operate at that time. But attention is also paid to the psychological aspects of ship's life. Hornblower meets a flashy captain with a reputation for derring do; he comments on the man's fame; but a fellow officer indicates "at what price, Mr. Hornblower?"

Hornblower feels he has failed a sailor that is killed because he could not get inside him. Ioan Gruffudd offers an almost perfect sense of Hornblower's youthful exuberance, sense of duty, intelligence, bravery and resourcefullness. But he also reveals a man marked by knowledge of failure, self-doubt, introspection and remorse.
Although Gruffudd is a strikingly attractive individual, his performance is so strong that the looks become part of the character and not just the actor.

It is quite amazing to consider the number of efforts that have dealt with the allure of the sea. From "Moby Dick" to "Old Man and the Sea" to "Jaws" and "Titanic" Even efforts that occur in space follow the conventions of the sea stories.

PAX!