Odd mood

bentleywg introduced me to the BBC's "In Our Time" that covers a wide range of cultural and historical topics, some I have a passing knowledge of and others I have none. Fortunately BBC has seen fit to have them all available online in some fashion, so I've been wading in.

With the anniversary of the sinking looming again, I also listened to a few of their programs on the Titanic and its storied history. Titanic Town talked about Belfast and the Harland and Wolff shipyard and how until fairly recently they didn't like to play up their connection to the ship of dreams. I was reminded of last year's "Titanic Minute by Minute" that included a repurposed Elvis Costello song "Shipbuilding" performed by Hue and Cry. (A little odd listening to that song in light of Thatcher's death since Costello wrote it during the Falklands.) I also listened to the Titanic Letters podcast that use actual letters from Titanic passengers before and after the tragedy. The early ones sent from Southhampton/Queenstown are so jubilant and hopeful and awed and then the ones written from the Carpathia and later are so... broken. I can see why some survivors never wanted to talk about the experience ever again.