Tuesday, April 28, 2009

one flu over the cuckoo's nest



I heard on the news Monday evening that the alert for this Swine Flu has been upgraded and it is now two grades below being called a global pandemic. It's alarming and my sympathy goes out to the families of those who have perished.

Not to make light of the situation, but all this talk about flu at the same time that demolition has begun on the very wing of the Oregon State Hospital where One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest was filmed has me grateful for health care workers and even the Nurse Ratcheds of the world who are on the front lines of the flu war.

I thought you movie buffs and Ken Kesey fans might like to see a short clip of the inside of the building prior to the beginning of demolition.....

[note after initial post: I had to remove the video because the audio came on automatically, which was driving me nuts! This link will take you to the interesting video.]



If Mr. McMurphy doesn't want to take his medication orally, I'm sure we can arrange that he can have it some other way. - Nurse Ratched



While doing this post I found a new (to me) blog. Before she moved her website here: Nurse Ratched's Place, she wrote a post, titled In Defense of Nurse Ratched at her old blog. Click on the link to read it and also see that I acquired this Cuckoo art from her post.

My favorite nurse, however, remains Distracted by Shiny Objects over at A Tidings of Magpies.


The video below chimes "Cuckoo, cuckoo" in a farewell message to the Swine Flu. Now get out of here you crazy bug.


.

12 comments:

Batteson.Ind said...

that's some nice, wierdly related posting!..lol. I can't help but wonder (in my cynical headedness) if the media aren't just using "SWINEFLU"! as another brilliant headline grabber. I'm sure it's serious, but so is walking in front of a bus and that happens to people every day too..I'm still glad I got rid of our pigs though!
One flew over the cuckoos nest is one of those books that sits at my bedside..I love everything about it, wierdly I've never seen the film..cheers! p.s, was wondering what the word verification thing was about?.. is it a game? (excuse my numwitedness!)

Unknown said...

Would have loved to take a walk about in that building before demolition. Worked in a psych hospital once upon a time. Beautiful old gothic architecture. We snuck up to the attic one afternoon and found weird pieces of metal equipment and pages of charting in spidery handwriting under the titile of XXX Lunatic Asylum. It was all wonderfully spooky.
There's a lot of pain left in those buildings though. I'll bet there were some folks relieved to see it torn down and let those spirits rest.

Melinda said...

Hi Lydia,

I LOVE that movie, "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" and I really enjoyed the video you provided us with. Such a classic film--and Jack Nicholson was nothing short of brilliant in his portrayal of McMurphy. I was in that play once, long ago in San Francisco. I played McMurphy's 'girlfriend' (she was a hooker) but I really wanted to play Nurse Ratched! What a plum of a role that was! I'd forgotten that line of Nurse Ratched--a classic also!

Melinda

Unknown said...

PS. I got distracted by a furry object wanting to go outside, but I luv ya right back:>)

Darlene said...

I can close my eyes and see Jack Nicholson leading that bunch singing "Hit the road, Jack" as they sped down the highway. I loved that scene and loved the movie.

It would be hard for me to defend Nurse Ratched, though.

Marie Reed said...

The second little video has me rolling! It's truly bonkers!

Lydia said...

@the watercats- I'm glad you got a kick out of this.
This swine flu most likely does have that element that you described. I feel sorry for pigs right now. And people from Mexico, too. We ate at a local Mexican restaurant Tuesday night to give them support, and we were the only diners in the place. :(

I hope you see the movie sometime!

Oh, the word verification thing is not a game. But when a particularly strange or uncanny or ironic or funny word is actually there, I like to jot that down as an aside (I've seen others do this and picked it up along the way...).

@Distracted- I'm glad you saw and enjoyed the vid, as I had to remove it this morning. The audio came on even when it was no longer the main post - arggh.
Loved your description of the hospital where you once worked. Loved your sensitivity overall to the pain that prevails. They found shelves of boxes with cremains, some not identified, when they started peaking in places like you described.

@Darlene- It really was an iconic movie, and I loved that scene too. Defending Nurse Ratched is a strange concept, I must admit, not one that I'd ever have entertained either.

Lydia said...

@Melinda- 'Scuse me for missing a comment to you in the thread above! I was just telling my husband that you were in the play and it dawned on me that I didn't tell YOU how great I think that is!
I thought the video was really interesting and it irked me that I had to remove it (see comment to Distracted above).

Lydia said...

@Marie- Your comment was hanging out waiting for approval and I just found it. Good! I'm so glad you got a good laugh from the second video! I think it's bonkers too, but in a totally great bonkery kind of way! :)

Beth Niquette said...

Wow--that's interesting! I live near where they shot that film. My Father actually worked as an aide at another mental hospital while they were shooting some scenes there.

I wonder what things they will find in the rubble? That is an OLD building which holds much history, not to mention the stain of many tears.

Thank you for sharing!

coeline said...

wow.. that's great,.. do u happen to know where your friend lives here in the philippines? By visiting other blogs, I encounter different interesting widgets that we can embed at our own blogs. Thus, I discovered that cute watch for my blog. :)

Lydia said...

@Beth- I live near there too! Drove by the place on my way to work for many years, but now only husband makes the commute to Salem. You wondered what they'd find in the rubble and I wonder also. I'm also in hopes that they make an effort to save as many of the trees nearby as possible....

@Coeline- He is in a state of transition right now, so no regular address. Read this post of mine to learn more. Also, a co-worker with my husband told him about this girl's website. We visited it, clicked on her BLOG tab, and understand why it's popular, and you might like it too!

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