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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 20 of 20. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by fayeroe on April 7, 2009, at 20:56:06
Posted by Sigismund on April 8, 2009, at 4:04:42
In reply to 'One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest', posted by fayeroe on April 7, 2009, at 20:56:06
It was a great book.
Posted by Phillipa on April 8, 2009, at 10:53:55
In reply to Re: 'One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest', posted by Sigismund on April 8, 2009, at 4:04:42
Such a long time ago I do remember the movie vaguely. Phillipa
Posted by fayeroe on April 8, 2009, at 10:59:55
In reply to Re: 'One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest', posted by Sigismund on April 8, 2009, at 4:04:42
Posted by 10derHeart on April 8, 2009, at 13:15:15
In reply to 'One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest', posted by fayeroe on April 7, 2009, at 20:56:06
It's am amazing play. Cool they care about preserving such things.
I played Nurse Ratched in a high school production. Well, not a production in front of the whole school or the public, but one where at the end, all drama classes gathered to watch it, critique (!) and all that. I remember....it was strange playing someone so cruel, but OTOH, it was sort of "easier" than other personalities. Years later I think this is because taking the more 'evil' path is, on its face, "easier" and humans have a tendency to "enjoy" on some dark level, at least acting nasty. It seems innate. The key is to limit it to acting, I believe, and fight it in actual life...
The really clear memory is that I had a severe crush on the guy playing McMurphy, and as the lead - of course - we had so many scenes together.
I remember loving it and hating it at the same time. I got to be around the guy but I kept flubbing lines and being unable to look at him without blushing. The play has scenes where those two characters really are supposed to be right up in each others' faces, literally....eeek!! I think our teacher/director was such a cool, nice guy he clearly *knew* of my crush and was extra-patient, although he must have been rolling his eyes secretly at all the teen-aged angst that meant we had to rehearse things over and over....
Can't recall the McMurphy guy's name, and I know he never really gave me the time of day "romantically," but I think I do remember he was polite and decent to me, which is nice at those ages.
Gosh, I haven't thought about that drama class and plays and stuff in a bazillion years. Hey, Pat, thanks for inadvertently triggering me to remember that part of HS - it's not a bad memory at all....
Posted by fayeroe on April 8, 2009, at 13:29:14
In reply to Re: 'One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest' » fayeroe, posted by 10derHeart on April 8, 2009, at 13:15:15
Posted by Sigismund on April 8, 2009, at 16:10:48
In reply to Re: 'One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest' » fayeroe, posted by 10derHeart on April 8, 2009, at 13:15:15
It had never occurred to me that you could do a production where Nurse Ratched was sexually attracted to McMurphy, and that it was precisely this attraction that gave her cruelty its potency.
That is quite interesting.
Posted by Sigismund on April 8, 2009, at 16:16:39
In reply to Re: 'One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest' » 10derHeart, posted by Sigismund on April 8, 2009, at 16:10:48
It's not that weird. I imagine that the master (how we give ourselves away) at boarding school who caned half the dormitory in their pyjamas because someone had spoken after lights out and none of the boys would give up the offender, found the sight of all those backsides and the swing of the arm that held the cane, the way the cane wrapped around the boy, all that....not without some emotional content. This bloke went on to be a rightwing shockjock, but back then he was called '3 strokes draw blood'.
Posted by fayeroe on April 8, 2009, at 16:19:47
In reply to Re: 'One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest', posted by Sigismund on April 8, 2009, at 16:16:39
> It's not that weird. I imagine that the master (how we give ourselves away) at boarding school who caned half the dormitory in their pyjamas because someone had spoken after lights out and none of the boys would give up the offender, found the sight of all those backsides and the swing of the arm that held the cane, the way the cane wrapped around the boy, all that....not without some emotional content. This bloke went on to be a rightwing shockjock, but back then he was called '3 strokes draw blood'.
How interesting, Sigismund...it makes sense because people who tend to go to their dark and violent side speak about the feelings that they get when they are committing the act.
I was afraid that no one would respond to this and you and 10derheart "get" it. I really liked 10derheart's telling about her director who was kind and didn't embarrass her. We need more of those. p a t s y c o l e n e
Posted by Sigismund on April 8, 2009, at 16:22:27
In reply to Re: 'One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest', posted by Sigismund on April 8, 2009, at 16:16:39
Naturally he coached the sports teams, and spent a lot of time with the better looking, stronger boys.
These are the kinds of masters who, when you hand them your detention, will let it fall, just so you have to bend down and pick it up from their feet.
This gave me a lively appreciation of the value of sport and feelings about it which persist to this day.
Posted by Sigismund on April 8, 2009, at 16:25:43
In reply to Re: 'One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest', posted by Sigismund on April 8, 2009, at 16:22:27
The mental hospital and the boarding school (like the jail) are both 'total' institutions, if that is the right description.
Posted by fayeroe on April 8, 2009, at 16:25:53
In reply to Re: 'One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest', posted by Sigismund on April 8, 2009, at 16:22:27
> Naturally he coached the sports teams, and spent a lot of time with the better looking, stronger boys.
>
> These are the kinds of masters who, when you hand them your detention, will let it fall, just so you have to bend down and pick it up from their feet.
>
> This gave me a lively appreciation of the value of sport and feelings about it which persist to this day.hmmmmm. Like my uncle-in-law who drove the school bus and coached basketball....he told me that he always arrived at my house a little early so he could watch my breasts bounce when I had to run to catch the bus.
I told my parents and they ignored it. After all, I was 13 and he was an adult. Right?
Posted by Sigismund on April 8, 2009, at 16:28:29
In reply to Re: 'One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest' » Sigismund, posted by fayeroe on April 8, 2009, at 16:25:53
Kids today are different and so is the reality. There is someone my daughter simply calls 'the paedophile'. I think she's not being very understanding, but of course I am behind the times.
Posted by fayeroe on April 8, 2009, at 17:09:28
In reply to Re: 'One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest', posted by Sigismund on April 8, 2009, at 16:28:29
> Kids today are different and so is the reality. There is someone my daughter simply calls 'the paedophile'. I think she's not being very understanding, but of course I am behind the times.
Sigismund, there are times when my 10 year old granddaughter knows more about something current than I do. The slang, clothing and music! eeeeeeeee.
Posted by 10derHeart on April 8, 2009, at 17:56:26
In reply to Re: 'One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest' » 10derHeart, posted by Sigismund on April 8, 2009, at 16:10:48
well, I'm not sure if you are kidding or serious, but anyway.....I don't think back on these sorts of crushes as sexual. I don't think I was a particularly sexual being at 16 or 17, except for maybe stupid, crude jokes, and the occasional fantasy or something....but as far as that crush....my memory has it being very "pure" (whatever that means)and romantic with little, if any, sexual component... I was too busy with "life" (long story) to be sexual, plus I just didn't care.....yet.
But who knows about the mind and how it records memories of past relationships or encounters, etc? Usually strange and unreliable for me. Maybe I was constantly aroused during that play and don't remember it!! lol.
As far as the two characters go....I don't know. Never occurred to me either, and it was so long ago.....
Posted by Sigismund on April 8, 2009, at 19:02:17
In reply to Re: 'One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest' » Sigismund, posted by 10derHeart on April 8, 2009, at 17:56:26
Not being the sporty type, I signed up for the school Gilbert and Sullivans.
When full dress rehearsal time came and half the boys were dressed up as girls, there was a definite frission.
I wouldn't call it sexual exactly...it certainly contained elements of longing that come with the territory of an all male boarding school suddenly presented with facsimiles of girls, given the alibi of femaleness to make safe love, sex and (most of all) touch.As for some of the teachers, that was sexual enough.
One a year every couple of years was asked to leave after an indiscretion, maybe a grope.
All the boys knew, almost by instinct, whom those teachers were, and in any case there was worse to worry about.
One enterprising kid turned it to his advantage and manufactured a complaint which got a sadist booted out, and who earned my lifelong respect by so doing.
The more kind and gentle teachers of that type would have unsuccessful attempts...... One dosed a good looking (and as things turned out highly unsuitable boy) on Mandrax and tried it on, but the boy ran yelling down the corridor and the teacher had left by the end of the next day.Everything I know about group dynamics I learned in boarding school.
Of course I'm serious....this is the world as I found it.
Posted by Sigismund on April 8, 2009, at 19:10:14
In reply to Re: 'One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest' » 10derHeart, posted by Sigismund on April 8, 2009, at 19:02:17
Being anglo-saxons of that time, boys would go the whole term of around 13 weeks with no touch whatever, certainly not between the boys if they wanted to survive, except for punishment, sent there by their parents (in my case) from the age of 11 to 17, in order to toughen them up.
Posted by Sigismund on April 8, 2009, at 19:16:20
In reply to Re: 'One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest', posted by Sigismund on April 8, 2009, at 19:10:14
So I need to remind myself (as I try to remind others) that if I feel massively f*ck*d up, that's quite understandable, nothing to worry about.
My son took it upon himself to dispel my sense of physical awkwardness by initiating manly hugs before and after parting.
I was quite impressed by his assertiveness.
Posted by Sigismund on April 8, 2009, at 19:28:03
In reply to Re: 'One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest', posted by Sigismund on April 8, 2009, at 19:10:14
Forgive me, this will be my last post.
It reminds me of those English parents who, knowing the value of touch and the problem of spoiling boys, and of the things that make a man, decided to allow (but only on Sundays), a handshake between the boy and themselves, as the only form of touch that would not spoil his character.
And it reminds me of the man who said to his mother
'Mother, I'm going to die now. Could you please leave the room?'Cold and true.
Posted by fayeroe on April 8, 2009, at 19:53:18
In reply to Re: 'One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest', posted by Sigismund on April 8, 2009, at 19:28:03
It reminds me of seeing Prince William and Prince Harry walk all that distance between Prince Charles and the other one...Phillip and nary a gesture, touch, eye contact.....nothing.......I was so upset to witness those little boys without any support on that long walk.
They have grown up to be pretty nice kids.....as far as I can tell from Texas.
This is the end of the thread.
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