Sherwood, a two-season British crime drama we’re watching on Britbox, holds my rapt attention (so far, at least) with every episode. I rate it very highly and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys British crime dramas as a genre. The storyline differs considerably from the actual story, but its parallels are clear. The experiences that triggered the series involved two murders in Nottinghamshire in a community that still suffers from the rifts created from the 1984-1985 miners’ strike.
The brief on-screen reference to the situation upon which the story is based prompted me to explore just a bit of the history that led to the series. The real circumstances that inspired it make an equally (if not more) riveting story. After we finish the second season (and, perhaps, a third season said to have been announced), I plan to do a bit of research into what prompted the original murders and led to one of the biggest (if not largest) manhunts in UK history. I have no plans to “use” the results of my inquiry, other than to feed my interest…but it will give me something to do with my significant amount of free time. My search for information will begin here.
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I find it a bit hard to come to grips with the knowledge that I have a terminal disease but no idea how long I might have to live; it could be several years, though more likely (I think) it is several…or a few…months. It’s considerably less likely that it could be just weeks or days. The side-effects of treatment so far have not been nearly as hard on me as they are on some people, but they are sufficiently intrusive and disruptive that I’d rather not have to deal with them. But, so far, I can cope. Even with events like my most recent hospital stay: two weeks, including several days in intensive care. I think back to my diagnosis of cancer’s recurrence, December 2023, and count too many visits to the emergency room and admissions to the hospital. I find myself frequently searching the internet for more information that might give me a clearer idea of what to expect in the coming weeks and months…or longer. By now, of course, I realize I probably am wasting my time. But, still, I want to know, so on the chance I might stumble upon something useful, I keep looking. The fact is that no one has an answer; the closest thing to an answer is a guess—the value of which is questionable because of all the constantly-adjusting variables. In an ideal world, I’d wake up and discover that all this cancer crap and all the hospitalizations and so forth have been just unpleasant dreams. But I know better than to put any stock into the idea of an ideal world.
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Distractions lead to consequences we should anticipate but—because of the distractions—don’t. Following a news story or reading an email, for example, instead of paying attention to the pavement in front of us might result in stepping off the subway platform onto the tracks, in front of a speeding train. But our lack of attention may result in taking a step that puts us just one step away from a car bumper as it whizzes by, thus saving us from a leg amputation or worse. Some people, commenting on both, might say “it’s the will of God.” Others might explain the events simply as “random occurrences.” Still others, expressing certainty in words and tone, would assert, “they’re both the luck of the draw.” And a few might claim the situations arose in response to the “kind of person” involved in the events: “dimwit,” for example, in one instance, or “a good guy getting repaid for a good deed,” in the other. The main differences in the explanations, though, amount to this: some are judgmental, some are not. Some people who are affected by distractions are given the benefit of the doubt; others are viewed as beneficiaries (or deserving victims).
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Pets are kept for many reasons, each reason unique and personal. Among the motives are companionship, stress reduction, fear/protection, status/prestige, control/power, etc. Understanding the motives for keeping dogs is simple: they generally offer companionship and can offer protection. Domestic cats…hard to fathom, but companionship is claimed to be a driving force in cat-keeping. Some people view tigers, lions, and other such exotic felines as conveyors of status/prestige to the owner/keeper. Horses; I’ll have to ask around about them. But what about snakes? Who wants to keep snakes and why? Maybe it’s similar to the motive for exotic big cats. Perhaps it’s some sort of demented connection to the creatures’ potential deadly bites…power, control…something a little weird, I would guess. Why is this issue on my mind at the moment? No clue; probably an accident. Or it’s someone else’s interest that got misdirected by time and damaged energy fields and then landed in my brain.
