BBC Seven Worlds One Planet 7/7: Africa

 

In this episode we have: a chimpanzee learning how to make tools, a group of five cheetahs devising a new strategy of hunting (using decoys, how smart!), an aardvark who can dig to six meters down, cichlid fish that use their mouths as a nursery (buccal incubation) - and cuckoo catfish that add their eggs so cichlids would care for them. The babies are ruthless - they eat all cichlid babies. 

Also, less than 8000 cheetahs left and two white rhinos females.

BBC Seven Worlds One Planet 6/7: North America

In this episode: a hare faster than Canadian lynx, a road runner running after lizards, polar bears cooperating in lean summer months, alligators that can slow down their heartbeats to ONE per minute and shoals of fish called mullets.

Saturday Poetry Corner 23: Hope is That Thing With Feathers

 

 

Today a very short poem by Emily Dickinson.

 

[Review Part 3] The History

The story takes place in 1614. But the events are going back to the past and into the future – we are transported for a short while into the Imjin War that lasted for 6 years (1592-1598) and the last episode jumped 9 years to the year 1623, the year of Injo Revolt. Japanese invasion ruined Joseon on many levels, economically, politically, artistically. The people’s trust towards royal family, never especially high, deteriorated to never recover. 

Throwback Thursday Part 49

"In 1897 Elva Zona Heaster is found dead in Greenbrier County, West Virginia. Resulting murder trial of her husband perhaps only case in US history where the alleged testimony of a ghost helped secure a conviction."

This is why today's Throwback Thursday is to ghosts :)

BBC Seven Worlds One Planet 5/7: Europe

In this episode we witnessed: a monkey baby kidnapping (a higher ranking female wanted a baby so she snatched herself a baby), a pack of wolves hunting and being chased by sheep-herding dogs (that in turn nommed on the red deer the wolves got), Iberian lynx being pretty and hamsters' fight for the best flowers at a cemetery.

Saturday Poetry Corner 22: A Dream Within A Dream

 

Once again Edgar Allan Poe makes an appearance on this blog and it will not be his last.

BBC Seven Worlds One Planet 4/7: Australia

 The land where everything is out to get you. Regardless if you're a lizard or a bat.

Saturday Poetry Corner 21: La Belle Dame sans Merci

Painting by Frank Dicksee

I present you the revised version from 1820. A poem by John Keats.

He was one of the main figures of the second generation of Romantic poets, along with Lord Byron and Percy Bysshe Shelley, despite his works having been in publication for only four years before his death from tuberculosis at the age of 25.

[Review Part 2] Jeon Nokdu – The Hero of a Thousand Faces

Story can mend, and story can heal (J. Campbell)

Until the last episode I just suspected and had hoped for it, but the second half of it closed the story beautifully and in line with almost every great myth of a hero – he came back to the point of his beginning. After that, all elements fell into their right places and the story achieved its goal and its closure, although a little bittersweet. 

Throwback Thursday Part 48

In 1839 Thomas Henderson measures 1st stellar parallax (Alpha Centauri). Therefore today's Throwback Thursday is to everything of cosmic relation. 

BBC Seven Worlds One Planet 3/7: South America

This episode was very funny, very colourful and very informative.

Saturday Poetry Corner 20: The Upas Tree

 

 

For today - a poem by Alexander Pushkin.

BBC Seven Worlds One Planet 2/7: Asia

In this episode a group of walruses fell from a cliff. They climbed it to avoid the scene seen above. Little did they know, polar bears can also climb. So in a desperate move to run from those, a group fell from the cliff what induced panic and stampede in others below. Some viewers demanded the scene to be cut because it was too disturbing.

I mean... nature?

[Review Part 1] Tale of Nokdu

"Don't walk behind me; I may not lead. Don't walk in front of me; I may not follow. Just walk beside me and be my friend." (Albert Camus)

The review is divided into 3 parts:

Review Part 1: Tale of Nokdu

Review Part 2: Jeon Nokdu – The Hero of a ThousandFaces

Review Part 3: The History

It has been a while since a tv series engaged me this much on every level. And I mean worldwide made series, not specifically Korean. It came at the right moment when everything felt as too overwhelming and too pressuring, so a space for breathing was all that was needed and nothing more. And I admit, reading the synopsis made me feel as if this could be a disaster – after all, we had projects in which women pretended to be men, but the reversal of it is almost always cringe-worthy (and I stand by this opinion, maybe Some Like It Hot was the best incarnation of the motif and that’s it, not Tootsie, not horrendous for me Mrs. Doubtifre). I also was hesitant seeing Kim Sohyeon’s haircut, thinking about fusion sageuk and the bizarre entourage it usually brings along, but a kind soul (Issy) explained it made sense in the story. Therefore, I gave up my suspicions and fears and reservations about the slapstick. Thankfully, it was not the case here and I’m glad I gave in and tried. The fan dance also helped. Up until that I only finished The Crowned Clown and Kingdom earlier in the course of the year. I’m seeing now a pattern emerging – both were sageuks.

[Advent drama calendar 2019] Day 24: Which Series You Wish Continued

And I end this amazing calendar with a post especially for Mila!!

I also want to thank Luthien for creating it - I had so much fun and it helped me get through December!