Tuesday, January 02, 2018

These foolish things

Social media has its critics - and I can be amongst them at times - but it has its benefits too. This last year I have reconnected with an old school friend, Vivien. After decades of no contact except the occasional collision in Sainsburys we've now met up again - in real life as well as virtual - and keep up with each other's lives on Facebook.

*Which leads me into my 'thought for the day'. (Which in turn reminds me that I have an article to write for The Bay by 15th January.)

After years of being in the wilderness smoking is reappearing on television. I noticed it in ... oh, what was it called, the JK Rowling private detective thing with my favourite Musketeer? What do you mean you need more information than that?! Hang on, I'll google it.

Strike Tom Burke smoking
Strike starring Tom Burke. He smoked. Admittedly he'd lost a leg and a girlfriend and lived in his office so maybe he had an excuse. And I've been watching Feud, in which the leading ladies are rarely seen without a cigarette in their mouths. Again, that is set before the dangers of smoking were appreciated and when These Foolish Things were even seen as something romantic. 'A cigarette that bears a lipstick's traces.'  Even though they are harmful, make breath smell and are generally foul things.

In Call the Midwife the nurses in the 1960s still smoke although the doctor was made aware of the risks he was taking and nagged by his son until he gave up. It will be interesting to see if cigarettes begin to insidiously insinuate their way back into popular culture. I hope not.

P.S. Do the actors actually have to smoke or is it pretend?

* Vivien quoted These Foolish Things on her blog.

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