Quick Shots

• The fam and I watched Room With A View on PBS's Masterpiece the other day.  Masterpiece was formerly Masterpiece Theatre and the name was changed because.... I have no idea actually, and can only venture a guess.  Was "theatre" considered too stodgy?  Was Masterpiece Theatre too long a phrase for stunted contemporary attention spans?  If so, I fear the change demonstrates a lack of understanding of their core demographic: people (even relatively young people, like myself) who yearn for the stodgy and have abnormally long attention spans.  But I digress.  The film itself was a joy: lovely to look at, marvelous performances.  The whole thing felt much more grounded in life, more warm flesh and blood than the Merchant-Ivory film of two decades ago.  I wasn't sure about the non-canonical book ends (I will not spoil, have no fear), but there is no doubt they add another level of poignancy and I quite warmed up to them by then end. 
• We're holding auditions for the theatre this weekend.  My father is pissed that they conflict with the NFL draft.  (We are an odd family, I've always known that).  Still, he plans to check in on the Steelers' progress during breaks.  If they aren't focusing on the offensive line, he's not going to be pleased. 
• From the Carbolic Smoke Ball: The Steelers combine all my father's interests by drafting Bill Shakespeare.