Weekly Chat (Non-Osprey), 31 January 2021

Good Morning. Thank You so much to DIANE for giving us the cheery pictures as well as starting us off again.

My pics above, were taken as I arose this morning at 7.30am - I said to my OH "Just look at this" as he came upstairs with a mug of tea. "That's nothing" he said "You should have seen it before you got out of bed!!" The sky was red from end to end, with ripples of beautiful pinks and purples - too wonderful to record even on a camera.

Annette: We had huge debate about what to do, a couple of years ago, as we were not enjoying the TV dramas nor the films shown, due to the bad quality of the sound. We then read that since TVs have been concentrating on how big and wonderful the picture appears, they have neglected the kind of sound given out as no one notices it when they are in a showroom choosing a new TV!! Of course, the sound is usually coming out of the back of a lot of TVs now as they like to look streamlined. We investigated, and bought a soundbar.

This has helped I would say, about 80%. We now enjoy concerts better as the sound is more rounded and full, and the films have a setting on the soundbar remote control which you can use, which gives out the sound you might hear if in the cinema. HOWEVER... I'm sorry to say, that a lot of the USA films seem to suffer from what we both call "mumbling" where it now seems fashionable to mutter things under your breath. This is not evident if you watch an old film. Also, the music is often prominent and interferes with hearing the dialogue. I realise that this may also be our age, as we both say that we cannot hear what people are saying to us if we are in a large gathering of people and there is much background noise. I understand from reading about ageing that this is something the brain can't cope with as well as the fact that our hearing becomes dulled with age. But I still jump up and down, as after all, there are so many of us "oldies" and why should we be deprived of some of the output of dramas and films?

We struggled with the film I described this week "The Light Between Oceans" as there was a great deal of mumbling going on, and twice my OH threatened to give up, but I actually had to translate a running commentary on some of the dialogue for my OH or he would not have been able to enjoy the film. Yet last night we watched a DVD of "The Barchester Chronicles" (Trollope) and understood every single word.

Edit:  And its an excellent series - Nigel Hawthorne and Donald Pleasance at their best!)

Off now to ring my cousin who lives alone, and to order a new microwave as ours went "Bang!" yesterday and smoke came out of the works, so I had to switch if off and declare it deceased. We've had it for about 5 years I think.

I bought a sound bar about eight years ago and it has definitely helped. I do agree with Lindy, though - why do people have to mumble and whisper so much? And why is 'background' music usually more in the foreground than speech? And why are some programmes broadcast at a different level of sound???? I turn the volume up for one programme and the next one booms out at me and disturbs my neighbour!!

And how difficult it is to hear people being interviewed while wearing masks. Hopefully that is merely a short-term problem.

I caught a lovely photograph this morning when I got up - the sun reflecting on the clouds behind trees with the waning moon still high in the sky. Isn't it amazing when we catch these very special moments.

Have a good Sunday, everyone. Glad I went out for a walk early - although it was very cold, it was dry ... we are promised yet more rain later.

Thank you DIANE for starting the week and the lovely flower pictures, which I always like.

Thanks also LINDY, for your sunrise photos. I saw similar colours this morning, but by the time I told my OH, they had diminished. Those striking colours do not last long.

Thank you to others for news etc.

I agree about the tv sound, and current 'fashion' for mumbling. We now use sub titles for plays, or whenever it is available. It can be a little distracting at first, but at least we get to know what is going on! They even mention dogs barking, and other 'noises off'
And don't even mention the 'background' music, which is very much in the foreground, as Pat says.

LINDY Wonderful pics.

OG so pleased you have a day for your vaccines.

We watched the garden birds this morning and only saw 3 between 0830 and 0930. I have tried to post this on the survey site but it keeps on coming up.... not available

It's always difficult to get on there, at this time, dibnlib. I usually submit my numbers on Monday afternoon!

Morning all:

Diane: Thanks for that link; we have a trial subscription to Wired.  Will check out the link later.

AQ:  Sign me up for the alcohol challenge!  I've seen the first one on a T-shirt. 

Lindybird:  Just a gorgeous sunrise!  Too bad you missed the earlier version.  That is SUCH an interesting point you make about sound quality on older films, TV shows, etc., which is indeed much crisper.  Must share that with my OH.  It also doesn't happen with newscasts now I think about it or the lecture-type history programs he likes.  Hmmm. Given that, I hesitate to blame it on age, but just poor quality control/recording equipment/software.  Hmmmm.  Lots of food for thought there.  I look at some of those TVs in Costco that advertise umpity-billions of pixels.  I like to go up and down the aisles there just to see all the stuff I can live without.  :-)