Corrie quotes

Sylvia: "It's an aloe vera plant. I bought it as a present for Hayley."
Roy: "Why? It's not particularly attractive."
Sylvia: "Well, neither are you, but she's still smitten."

~ Coronation Street, 20 June 2011

Mum's the word for Stella and Leanne!

Well, we’re only two days into Stella’s reign at the Rovers, and already we’ve seen the first signs of the storyline that will apparently see her revealed as Leanne Barlow’s long-lost mother – probably sooner rather than later, at this rate. It was nicely done, the way she quite subtly pumped Ken and Deirdre for information under the guise of idle chitchat, oh-so casually dropping into the conversation that she remembered reading about Peter and Leanne’s hospital wedding back in December. Oh-so casual, except that no one would have remembered all the details, such as Peter’s name, from a random newspaper article they read six months ago – not unless they had a damn good reason to make a careful note of those details, because it mattered to them. And of course it matters a great deal to Stella, because that newspaper article is evidently how she found out where her long-lost daughter is now living, which makes total sense, and is therefore the reason she has moved to Weatherfield now.

It’s taken her six months to come looking for Leanne, however – she’s clearly been biding her time and it makes sense that she’d have reservations and might be nervous of how she’ll be received by the daughter she lost contact with so long ago, long enough ago that Leanne won’t even recognise her when they finally meet. Maybe she’s been dithering for all those months over whether to come looking for Leanne or not, and then seeing Steve’s advert for a bar manager gave her the push she needed to go for it.

Now that the story is underway, I think it is a real shame that Janice isn’t around anymore. Like her or loathe her, Janice is the only mother-figure Leanne has ever known, and her presence would add a fascinating dynamic to the storyline. Even without her, though, the storyline is bursting with potential. Leanne needs connections outside of the Barlows - she's been pretty isolated since Janice left and her bust-ups with Carla and Cheryl. This storyline is an opportunity to explore her background a little more - to find out why she ended up being raised by her dad, why her mum left her, and how she really feels about it. She almost never talks about her mum - is that because she doesn't care, or because she has buried those feelings of abandonment as deep as possible? Is that sense of having been abandoned by her own mother perhaps part of the reason she latched onto motherless little Simon so very strongly? Plus, by creating this connection between Leanne and Stella, the new family are given instant links to established characters on the show, which should help them bed in.

I’m really fascinated to see how the story unfolds from here.

Holby quotes

Jac: "Are the rumours true?"
Hanssen: “You’ll have to be more specific. The one about me being undead is fallacious, for example.”

~ Holby City, 2011

Ithaca

When you set out on your journey to Ithaca,
pray that the road is long,
full of adventure, full of knowledge.
The Lestrygonians and the Cyclops,
the angry Poseidon -- do not fear them:
You will never find such as these on your path,
if your thoughts remain lofty, if a fine
emotion touches your spirit and your body.
The Lestrygonians and the Cyclops,
the fierce Poseidon you will never encounter,
if you do not carry them within your soul,
if your soul does not set them up before you.

Pray that the road is long.
That the summer mornings are many, when,
with such pleasure, with such joy
you will enter ports seen for the first time;
stop at Phoenician markets,
and purchase fine merchandise,
mother-of-pearl and coral, amber and ebony,
and sensual perfumes of all kinds,
as many sensual perfumes as you can;
visit many Egyptian cities,
to learn and learn from scholars.

Always keep Ithaca in your mind.
To arrive there is your ultimate goal.
But do not hurry the voyage at all.
It is better to let it last for many years;
and to anchor at the island when you are old,
rich with all you have gained on the way,
not expecting that Ithaca will offer you riches.

Ithaca has given you the beautiful voyage.
Without her you would have never set out on the road.
She has nothing more to give you.

And if you find her poor, Ithaca has not deceived you.
Wise as you have become, with so much experience,
you must already have understood what Ithacas mean.

Constantine P. Cavafy (1911)

Desiderata

Go placidly amid the noise and haste,
and remember what peace there may be in silence.
As far as possible, without surrender,
be on good terms with all persons.

Speak your truth quietly and clearly;
and listen to others,
even to the dull and ignorant;
they too have their story.

Avoid loud and aggressive persons;
they are vexations to the spirit.

If you compare yourself with others,
you may become bitter or vain,
for always there will be greater
and lesser persons than yourself.

Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.
Keep interested in your own career, however humble,
it's a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.

Exercise caution in your business affairs,
for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;
many persons strive for high ideals,
and everywhere life is full of heroism.

Be yourself.
Especially do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love;
for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment,
it is as perennial as the grass.

Take kindly the counsel of the years,
gracefully surrendering the things of youth.

Nurture strength of spirit
to shield you in sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.

Beyond a wholesome discipline,
be gentle with yourself.
You are a child of the universe
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore be at peace with God,
whatever you conceive him to be.
And whatever your labors and aspirations,
in the noisy confusion of life,
keep peace in your soul.

With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world

Author - Max Ehrmann (1872 - 1945)