Magic girl, "Predator" & Blue Nun

Although Fram the First has been put to rest (for the moment), I am including another photo of the River Thames today. It shows what I think is a rather unique walking bridge. I did not know at the time I took the photo if I liked the bridge or disliked it. All I knew for sure was that I had never seen any other quite like this "Millennium Bridge." Also, since I ran two photos from Rome, I feel "obligated" to run two from London, and will run a second from Paris. This way, I do not have to write as much. Method to the madness, or is that the other way around?

More about magic girl ....

A couple of people were curious about her: I did have one face in mind, but more than one person. The reason for one face is because I recently had seen two photographs of the same woman, one at approximately age 20, the other at, say, about age 40 to 45. The face was very recognizable, but there were signs of 20-some years "wear and tear" caused from work, from men, maybe from children, possibly from illness -- simply from living life.

This woman, therefore, was known to me, although more symbolically than as an individual. I knew her in the sense that I have known women who are 20 and others who are in their 40s. But, because I have not been present in the life of this symbolic woman between the ages of 20 and 40, I am uncertain who she is today. She, now an individual rather than a symbolic ideal, is knowable, but still unknowable because of those missing years. That is the question she must ask herself when I ask her if she can be a magic girl. How much of her youth does she still possess? How much of the 20-year-old is present right now in the 40-year-old?

The magic girl has maturity and (hopefully) wisdom gained by having lived 40 years, but can she still be the eager, daring, excitable, adventurous girl she almost certainly had been at age 20? Has life worn away her youthful exuberance? Can she now, at 40, be both a woman and a girl? Only she knows the answer. Is this a typical male query?

Intelligence is a prerequisite and having a number of common interests is mandatory, from my perspective. I have some sort of ideal in my mind, but my thought certainly is not to mold someone ("Vertigo" style) into a particular image. My only hope is to get it right this time around (if there even is a "this time around"). Maybe I am being too structured about it, but I have not done well with spontaneous combustion in the past.

Beautiful women, et al ....

Perfectly beautiful women cause me to stare in awe, even though I have known a few. Women who are true ladies in a classic sense rattle me, because they are very rare, and they know it, and they know that I know it. Women with expertise in fields where I am confident I am knowledgeable thrill me. Women who look equally good both in an evening dress and in jeans, and actually are comfortable in both, amaze me. Let me see, now. Who is that rattled, trembling, speechless, gawking man off in the distance?

"Predator" was hypnotic ....

Sort of sliding sideways: When I bought a copy of the movie, "Predator," I was on vacation and I had never seen it. I flicked the switch while settling into a comfortable chair with a drink in hand and .... and I watched it from beginning to end four times in a row. I watched again the next day, multiple times, and the next. In total, I watched 18 times over a span of four days. Its effect on me was near-hypnotic. This fascination was not a fixation on Arnold Schwarzenegger or Jesse Ventura, I guarantee you. (Although, Elpidia Carrillo looked great.) Parts of it seemed like a home movie of me to me, which probably goes back again to dreams.

The concept of the movie is old. Native Americans were known to allow captives a head start in a race for life or death. Richard Connell published a short story in 1924, "Most Dangerous Game," in which a man hunts human prey. But, "Predator" twisted conventional terror into galactic terror, and into an even greater personal challenge. This was not a fight between equals, rather one where there is no logical reason to expect an "earthling" to survive being hunted by an alien with superior strength and weaponry. But, the "earthling" does. I think the movie should be considered a classic in its genre.

Back on topic: A movie was made of the "Most Dangerous Game." Fay Wray was among the cast. Talk about a beautiful woman in her time. See me staring?

Getting to the church on time ....

Quantum physics, I have read, basically puts forth the theory that the past, present and future happen all at once, all at the same time, and are not actually linear as humans perceive them to be. So much for getting to the church on time. Why bother? We've already been there and left.

Springtime equals picnics ....

I launched spring yesterday by indulging myself with a sort of picnic. I went outside for a 30-minute, 40-degree lunch: Homemade potato salad, store-bought cold slaw and a couple of glasses of Blue Nun. I am smiling still.

Music Note: Listening to Pink Floyd ....
Specifically, A homemade tape labeled "Live" ....
("Shine on You Crazy Diamond" & "Wish You Were Here")