I Ain't Afraid of No Daleks

"Erm--Freema, this is my girlfriend...erm--sweetheart, I know this looks bad, but..."

"...and that cloud looks like a swan, and oh, that one looks just like your tiny little..."

Sometimes, when I grow weary of the daily emptiness, the utter nothing of the endless days, I try to find happiness in the little things--because, in the end, that's really all I have...maybe, all I ever did have.

Today, I look, and I see cobalt blue skies, puffy cotton ball, virgin white clouds floating about, the leaves of the maple, poplar and oak, reflecting back the brilliant sun, fluttering, dancing in the whispering breeze.

I hear, I see, I feel. I write and I think. And really, in the end, isn't that what's most important? Or maybe not. Maybe I'm just dull and lifeless, and feeling sorry for myself again.

What things are most important to you, in this life?

"Finally! Got the Tardis to myself! Companions! Always on at a Timelord, 'When you gonna' clean the control room? Will you take me shopping in ancient Egypt?, Are you going to wear THAT tie?' Nag-nag-nag! Time to strip down to my underwear, get a beer and watch some football--and, I can fart to my heart's content, and leave the seat up on the loo..."

When I was a small child, I grew up watching television--three whole channels, back then, CBS-ABC-NBC. We didn't even get public television, where we lived--tho' for some really odd reason, the folks on the other side of the four-lane roadway on the hill that our street was off of--essentially, the entire rest of our village--could get PBS. No clue why the antennas on our side of the little hill (the highway was built up onto the top of this wee steep-sided hill) could not get the likes of Sesame Street and such.

But we grew up watching tele, that's for sure--even incorporating it into our play: Man from U.N.C.L.E, Daniel Boone, Lassie (the forest rangers on the show, not the dog), TV westerns like the Rifleman, Cowboy in Africa, the Virginian, High Chapparal and, of course, Zorro (yes, I had a Zorro sword), and, for us girls, Family Affair (Okay--how many of you over 40 American women out there, had a Mrs. Beasley doll?), and, also, playing Sally Fields as the Flying Nun--swinging from a swings, pretending we were flying in our little nun-hats.

And, we loved other shows as well, particularly, That Girl and the Odd Couple. It was through these last two programmes that I developed a definite love for New York City...to my childish eyes, it was a truly magical place, where anything could happen. It was glamourous and exciting...especially when we were watching "That Girl."

The world of That Girl was wonderful and glamourous, and we all wanted to be aspiring actresses--okay, well, for a time, I did. The New York portrayed on these shows was a grown up wonderland, and for years I dreamed of getting to see it...and was, I'm afraid, a bit disappointed when I finally did, in the spring of 1974. But--from the mid-60's to then, I was able to keep my vision of what NYC was like, and I don't regret that--and, I still love New York...just wouldn't want to live there.

Well, I was sent this pic of Tennant in my e-mail this morning, by this young lady, whom I refer to as a "walking David Tennant encyclopedia." I'd never call her a drooling fangirl, but...wouldn't be surprised if she wore a bib while watching Dr Who...

Mr. Tennant, I take it, is playing himself...erm, I mean, a geek.

I barely know this girl, but still, she's always sending me stuff--sometimes I read it, to be polite, and sometimes-into the rubbish bin it goes...sorry David dear, but, while I, in all sincerity, think you're truly an awesome actor, and you seem like a pretty nice kid--you're just not my type.

What is my type, looks-wise? Beats me. I prefer someone I can talk with and just enjoy being around, over someone who's more into trendy clothes and hair gel, that wants me to fawn over his sexy maleness all of the time. Yech. Guess that sounds rather trite--or, perhaps, just plain lame, but it's the truth--which is why I'm an old maid, I suppose, and haven't dated in 10 years. There was a time, when I was younger, I went for the clean cut good looking type of celebrity: Parker Stevenson, Jameson Parker, Richard Dean Anderson.

Now...meh, don't care. If it makes you fangirls feel any better, John Barrowman's looks don't do anything for me, either. Or, his apparent behaviour--I am too old now, to want to be attracted to a guy who appears to be a permanently stuck in puberty. I'm sure he's a terrific guy--he seems charming, in the one or two interviews I've seen--but, I will never be attracted to a grown up teenager. I want a m-a-n. Oh, I'm all for laughing, kidding around, having fun--but grown up fun. I (mostly) left the loo humour behind at age 15 or so. He too, seems like a nice boy, but I also find Barrowman a bit--tiring.

Well, the above is the sort scene you'd see, if you went out on Lake George today. Our heat spell is broken!!! YES!!!! (punches the air)

Oh yes, it's gorgeous out there today. This morning, I opened the door to the front room, and it was like air conditioning in there. It's just a perfect 10 today, weather-wise. Very refreshing after that brutally awful steam heat we've had for the last several days.
A lot of people getting sick and having breathing and heart problems, I was told.

It's the kind of day, if you aren't working, you just want to jump in your car and drive somewhere--take a picnic lunch or stop at a little cafe on the way, just drive through the mountains and rolling hills and admire the fantastic views.

To the few of you who happen to be actually reading--and perhaps maybe even, following along, with Time Lords Don't Cry (originally written before I knew who David Tennant was, and a few weeks before I'd seen Rose's departure in "Doomsday," by the way), now have a chance to participate in the story-writing process.

You see, as originally written, the story has a more or less happy ending. But, since this is, sort of, a darker, more Gothic style story, I've toying with the idea of killing off Marie in the end.

So, here's your chance to vote:

In "comments" vote "YES" if you want the happy ending to stay in.

Vote "NO" if you want a sad ending, and Marie killed off.

If anyone's missed a chapter, here's the links to the chapters so far, in order:

(Chapters One, two, etc.):