venta | Well, that was unexpected.

So, yesterday I go to work with plans to trot home at five, cook dinner, do some tidying, maybe a little writing. Then an ICQ from a friend rolls up saying do I want a ticket to see the Royal Ballet perform Manon at the Royal Opera House in the evening, as its intended owner is ill and not feeling up to it.

So... I've never seen a ballet, so it seemed like a worthwhile venture.

First off, we missed buying a programme on the way in, so knew only the rather minimal plot synopsis from the flyer. So, the curtain came down on the first act with neither us having any kind of clue what was going on. One hasty purchase later, we were trying to piece together the story:

"So, I think the rich dude is the one in the orange coat."
"Was there a guy in an orange coat? Is he the bad guy?"

Then, of course, they all maliciously had costume changes for the second act and I was all at sea again.

I'm not wholly convinced about ballet, you know. I'm impressed at the things the dancers can do, and it's technically amazing, but... but... I don't find it all that appealing or pretty to look at. I'm quite prepared to believe that if I knew more about it I'd be capable of appreciating it more, but I was left rather unmoved by the whole experience.

In addition, when younger I knew someone who learnt ballet to quite a high level and I find it very difficult to disassociate what I know of the strain and the bandages and the bleeding feet from Manon pirouetting across the stage. So I'm not sure I'll be repeating the venture, unless someone who's very knowledgable recommends something, and explains all the hard parts to me.

On a related note, Ponti's in Covent Garden do really rather poor sandwiches. Their ciabattas were very dry and chewy, and far too much like hard work to eat.

On getting up this morning, I decided that the bite I collected at the weekend was just too damn painful (besides, it's stopping me from moving my arm) and took it to the doctor. She looked a bit bemused, and gave me antibiotics on general principles (4 times a day on an empty stomach? I'm not sure I have an empty stomach that often). The good news is it probably wasn't a crocodile, but the bad news is it might be shingles :( Wait and see...

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You can be bitten by shingles? Sorry, only kidding. Hope it isn't shingles and get well soon. Do you still see the doctor we had at St Hilda's? It's just that the standard observation made about the Hilda's doctors was that one of them always prescribed antibiotics. No matter what you had. Which wouldn't have been so bad only the other one always prescribed the pill as a cure-all...

I didn't see the Hilda's doctors, they won't let me any more :)

First time I tried to go to the doctor after I left college, I rang the Banbury Road practice, and was told I couldn't have an appointment because I didn't live in their catchment area any more. The fact that I was really quite ill, and not up to re-registering myself with another doctor didn't appear to be relevant.

I was very surprised, since the doctors in Darlington where I grew up won't let you change practices, even if you move house. The doctors my parents attend moved its premises to the other side of town, but they still have to trek over there even though there's now a new surgery 2 mins from their house.

the doctors in Darlington where I grew up won't let you change practices

Surely that's illegal.

They get round that - you can apply to move practices, and they will assign you to A.N.Other practice in the town. You can't choose to move to a particular one.

Oh, I see what you mean. I thought it was just the old doctor trying to stop your parents leaving - I didn't realise that the new doctor was in on it too, and was refusing to take them on.

I must admit to being a bit hazy about who "they" are, as referred to in my post above. But yes, this is an agreement all the practices in the Darlington area have reached.

Apologies if my slightly frothy-mouthed explanation was unclear in the first place. It annoys me, given how much having their doctor two bus-rides away inconveniences some people.

Curious. I'm still have the same doctor I had when I was in Corpus, despite note really being in his area any more.

(a) Maybe different practices have different ideas.
(b) Have you actually told them you've moved ? That was my mistake.

My father has them, recurrently. They're a big annoyance.

I hope the best for you. And as a former downtown London resident, I'll say this: Ponti's is garbage... try elsewhere. :)

Ooh, hello, are you back in civilisation ? (I use the term loosely, you understand :)

Ponti's was close and we were short of time. That's my excuse.

Oh, don't get ill, that would be bad. And if you must, make sure that you get well again soon.

Ballet sounds quite interesting though.

Erk. *hugs*

I hope it's not shingles, and if it isn't I hope it's not black death or ebola, because I've heard those are quite nasty too.

Good to know it isn't a crocodile bite though -- you might've been missing an arm without even realising or something...

"In addition, when younger I knew someone who learnt ballet to quite a high level and I find it very difficult to disassociate what I know of the strain and the bandages and the bleeding feet"

I once knew a professional ballet dancer. She conformed precisely to the stereotypical view I had of ballet dancers in that she was painfully thin and had bad skin due to a combination of starvation and chain smoking.

It's a weird profession.

Well, that was unexpected.

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Not shingles...

Re: Not shingles...

Illness

Crocodiles, H. Zoster et al.

ballet dancers