The End of Bond? A long post on Spectre.

[AmateisGal]

Perish the thought, John Gardner's: "Licence Renewed," was an absolute riveting read, so too was a small précis that he wrote about the conflict within himself at producing a 'Flemingesque," kind of style.


That is what I was trying to present, only I lack the writing skills to present it as eloquently as that. Fleming's Bond is of an era, whereas the screen Bond fluently absorbs each new world invention, like the internet, mobile technology and every conceivable digital gizmo like he swallowed the instructions down, with his mother's breast milk.



That, more or less, is my sentiment too.

A life in management has left little time for perfecting the craft of writing, but hopefully, my English teacher's best efforts were not altogether wasted. Management means attending meetings, which means prepared speeches, plans and budgets. Modesty forbids reproducing the compliments, but more than one director (vice president) has sent me a complimentary memo on a speech that defined the company's agenda.

AmateisGal, I would have loved to be able to write with the sort of flare that others here have, but time constraints prevented it, however, there is one talent that I have always been amazed that I can do, quite well, modestly speaking. As a foil to the pressures of work, my wife and I are accomplished ballroom dancers. Wherever we go, outside the sphere of the world of dancing, we end up being the cabaret. The time spent with my wife learning, rehearsing and presenting dance routines has been far more rewarding than any speech made. She's an incredible woman. How lucky am I?

You are indeed very lucky! My husband and I always wanted to learn swing dancing. We haven't gotten around to it yet - maybe soon.

 

[GHT]

You are indeed very lucky! My husband and I always wanted to learn swing dancing. We haven't gotten around to it yet - maybe soon.

You should have said, we could have met you in London during your recent visit and taken you to a swingjive night at The Rivoli Ballroom. Check out the photos.

 

[GHT]

I take back my somewhat cynical observation of Bond being versed and skilled in just about everything. There's a scene in: Never Say Never Again, where Bond, (Connery,) dances The Tango with Domino, (Basinger.) He is absolutely wooden. Yay, that's cheered me up no end.

 

[Fading Fast]

I take back my somewhat cynical observation of Bond being versed and skilled in just about everything. There's a scene in: Never Say Never Again, where Bond, (Connery,) dances The Tango with Domino, (Basinger.) He is absolutely wooden. Yay, that's cheered me up no end.

Not to diminish your point, but I can not watch that Bond as all I see is an old, not-in-great-shape, toupee-wearing Connery (yes, he worn them in earlier ones too, but it is so obvious in this one) trying to play a suave spy - it is painful to see. Yes, Moore almost always looked silly, but Connery should never have tarnished his Bond image with this mess of a movie.

 

[Harp]

From an over 50 bachelor:

I was recently invited to dinner by a lady whom I had met professionally....and she asked why I never married-and I recalled George Lazenby
in Her Majesty's Secret Service remarking that he "preferred a bachelor's freedom." There was unmistakable pejorative put with the querry.
I was sorely tempted to borrow Lazenby's line, but I wuzzed and said "I never met the right girl." Maybe next time....LOL

 

[Fading Fast]

I was recently invited to dinner by a lady whom I had met professionally....and she asked why I never married-and I recalled George Lazenby
in Her Majesty's Secret Service remarking that he "preferred a bachelor's freedom." There was unmistakable pejorative put with the querry.
I was sorely tempted to borrow Lazenby's line, but I wuzzed and said "I never met the right girl." Maybe next time....LOL

If you thought her delivery of the question intentionally disparaging - and you didn't care how the evening went from there - and you delivered it with enough of a lilt that it left in doubt how serious you were, then it would have been fun to see her response. I am not advocating being rude to a date just because she might have been a bit rude, but wading into the same grey area that she did has a fairness and, oddly, might have worked in a good way. To wit, had she responded to your comment with, "yeah, I deserved that," then the evening could have taken a nice turn. Sometimes a very minor dust up opens the way for a more natural conversation. Again, not advocating rudeness, not saying you should start it, but sometimes, you have to play the hand your dealt. Plus, how often do you get to use a Bond line in an unforced way?

 

[GHT]

Plus, how often do you get to use a Bond line in an unforced way?

There's an American expression, at least I think it's American, that goes: "I'm good." Meaning that you have enough.
Early on in our marriage, we were at some swanky function, dressed up, as in my avatar. My wife was driving us home that night, when I asked her if she wanted any wine she replied: "I'm good," whilst holding her hand up, palm outwards to signal a polite no thank you.
It was the first time that I had heard the expression. "I'm good?" I said, quizzically. "I've plenty," she explained. I couldn't resist it, staring straight at her décolletage, I said: "Of course you are!" We both burst out laughing with the surrounding company saying: "What's the joke?"

 

[Edward]

I was recently invited to dinner by a lady whom I had met professionally....and she asked why I never married-and I recalled George Lazenby
in Her Majesty's Secret Service remarking that he "preferred a bachelor's freedom." There was unmistakable pejorative put with the querry.
I was sorely tempted to borrow Lazenby's line, but I wuzzed and said "I never met the right girl." Maybe next time....LOL

A tremendous conversational tool for such questions is simply to respond "Why do you ask?" I usually find those who were being plain nosey and/or rude tend to get a bit flustered and change the converation at that point.