The Year of Covid and Cavill

     Today I am celebrating the one-year anniversary of my affair with Superman.  Yup, it was on this day one year ago that I entered into a deeply committed relationship with dreamy British hunk, Henry Cavill.  It's true I don't actually know Henry Cavill, and he certainly doesn't know who I am, nevertheless, over the past 12 months we have become very close.  In fact, I can say with certainty that Henry Cavill, almost singlehandedly, has gotten me through a year of political angst, social media addiction (sort of), and pandemic isolation.  

     Now, for the record, I'm fully aware that I am one in a legion of Cavill fans, numbering in the millions.  However, it's of interest to note that one year and one day ago, I had never heard of Henry Cavill.  As with most love affairs, it began innocently enough.  I was just a clueless Netflix member who wandered into a new series titled "The Witcher", when our eyes met across my living room rug.  I won't detail what happened next here, but if you are interested, I wrote a somewhat lengthy blog about the early days of our relationship back in February titled "Adventures in Instagram...or How Henry Cavill Ruined My Life".  The abbreviated version of this blog is how my determination to master Instagram collided with the massive social media presence of a Hollywood sex symbol.

     Then came March and Covid, and what had been a fun, brief flirtation with fandom, became a virtual lifeline in the months of isolation that followed.  Oh sure, I had books to read, masks to sew, every television streaming service you can name, hell, I even resorted to puzzles and organizing every closet and cabinet in my house!  But, truth be told, it was Henry's handsome face that got me out of bed every morning.  Before my coffee was brewed, before MSNBC's Morning Joe, before checking my email or taking my blood pressure medication, I scanned the internet for anything Henry.  Had he posted anything new on Instagram?  What was Netflix saying about the filming of Witcher Season Two?  What photos of Henry were the countless fan sites posting?  Over the course of the next seven months, I, occasionally, commented on his posts, wrote blogs about his cooking and home decor, became Facebook friends with a few fellow fans, and even paid tribute to his beloved Kansas City Chiefs with a custom cookie.  I'll stop short of admitting that I was obsessed, but I'm pretty sure I could kick ass in a Henry Cavill trivia contest.

     The real test of the bond between me and Henry came during the presidential election.  My anxiety over the political drama playing out on my TV and, basically, the fate of my country in the balance, had me wondering if my affection for HC could endure as my distraction safety net.  The Netflix movie, "Enola Holmes", with Henry playing the role of Sherlock Holmes. had gotten us over the hump in September, but filming on Witcher's second season had resumed and, presumably because he was busy working, there were no new posts or fan sightings to report.  Just as I had resigned myself to going it alone, there he was on Instagram, jogging around some lake on location, all smiles and muscles and slightly breathless British accent.  And, as if on cue, the sun came out and, somewhere, church bells were ringing (actually, I know where, because I live two blocks from the church). 

     And, that brings us to today, Sweet Henry, our one-year anniversary.  Of course, like all torrid affairs that burn red hot in the beginning, ours was sure to cool off with the passage of time.  Now, instead of my little heart skipping a beat over a photo of a stray curl falling across your forehead, I see recent photos of you and think, "Gee, he looks a little tired, I hope he's getting enough rest", and "For God's sake, Henry, put on a sweater, you'll catch your death!"   Yes, Henry, we've officially moved into the friends zone, but, I'm completely certain I couldn't have made it through this past year without you, and for that, I am your devoted fan.  In the words of our divine goddess, Dolly Parton, I will always love you.

XOXO,

Sally

P.S.  The traditional one year anniversary gift is paper...just sayin'.

P.P.S. All kidding aside, this has been a hard year for us all, Dear Hearts.  I am wishing you all a happy and healthy holiday season and looking forward to a brighter future for us all in the new year.  Much love, SEH.

Super Curtains

Superman, Henry Cavill, broke the internet last week with an Instagram video of himself constructing a complicated PC gaming console.  I'm quite sure the video would have gone viral with gamers alone, but the Barry White soundtrack and Henry's trademark, muscle revealing, blue tank top made it a media sensation.  For five minutes we watched him painstakingly read instructions, scratch his head, read more instructions, and install and reinstall what looked like a lot of expensive parts.  Day moved into night, then back to day and finally...success.  And there were those curtains.

@henrycavill/Instagram

While fans and gaming geeks world-wide went ape-shit over Henry and his "equipment", there was also a small contingent of followers who focused on the pretty, floral print curtains behind Henry's desk.  I was squarely in that contingent, mainly because I have no idea what a gaming console is, nor do I care.  I will fully admit to admiring Henry's physique, although I have "issues" regarding tank tops (that's a subject for another day).  So within seconds of watching the video I found myself distracted from the lovely Henry by the lovely curtains in the background.

@henrycavill/Instagram

Now, I was on a mission.  For the next several hours I searched the internet for the curtains and/or fabric.  As you can imagine, a traditional, English, floral print is very popular and a decorative mainstay for probably 200 years.  Predictably, after exhausting all my investigative skills I came up short and although I found many similar prints, the exact print eluded me.  I came to assume the fabric was that of an English manufacturer, but I had no idea how to begin exploring those companies.  I gave up my search and was prepared to turn in my Nancy Drew Girl Detective i.d. badge, when a Reddit post popped up on my screen and the mystery was solved!

Credit: Honeysuckle by Colefax and Fowler

A scrappy young woman named Sarah Woolley had found the curtains!  I wasted no time replying to her Reddit post, commending her on her investigative prowess.  As it turns out, the fabric is a traditional English print from an ages old English manufacturer, Colefax and Fowler.  Sarah is English as well, in fact, she is a writer and researcher based in London, according to her website, sarahwoolley.com.  You can go to linktr.ee/SarahWoolley to find out Were To Buy Henry Cavill's Curtains.  If I had her address I would send her my Nancy Drew badge. 

Adventures in Instagram...or How Henry Cavill Ruined My Life

So how did British actor Henry Cavill ruin my life, you ask?  We'll get to that later, but first, I must tell you about my 2020 new year's resolution.  In addition to my annual resolutions to learn French and take up tarot card reading, this year I made the decision to expand my understanding and utilization of social media.  Lately, I've become disenchanted with Facebook, which has been my lifeline to the world beyond my doorstep for God knows how long.  I knew I had ridden that horse as far as it could go and it was time to graduate from the home school comfort of Facebook and enroll in the scary public school of Instagram.  As many of you know, I am semi-retired and work part-time in the peaceful, solitude of my cozy little apartment.  Sitting daily in front of my laptop, I was painfully aware that I was missing the opportunity to expand my digital world and explore new social media frontiers.  I determined that mastering Instagram would be the vehicle for my maiden voyage into the open sea of the world wide web.

Now up to this point, I had only used my Instagram account to view the photos of the three friends I followed.  Although I was truly intimated by the platform, I was determined to master something most five-year-olds could navigate with ease.  With the help of Google ("how do hashtags work?"), a few YouTube videos and much trial and error, I dove right in.  First, I had to actually learn how to use my smartphone.  It was pretty rough going at first, but soon I was posting photos, videos, and other fun stuff.  I was having a great time and that's when Henry Cavill came into the picture and it all blew up.

But, before we get to Mr. Cavill specifically, let me share my views about celebrities in general.  Now, I get a kick out of seeing someone famous as much as the next person, but I've never really been a "fangirl".  I lived in the French Quarter in New Orleans for many years which was a little like living in a perpetual movie set.  I nearly ran over Clint Eastwood with my bicycle, I've sat on my balcony watching Paul Newman film on the sidewalk below, given Blythe Danner directions to her hotel, and waved to Kevin Kostner and Oliver Stone every morning for months on my walk to work.  The Quarter was and still is, a destination for famous writers, athletes, actors, and, of course, world-class musicians.  In all those years, only once did I initiate an encounter with a celebrity...I regretted it immediately.  When the 1986 Super Bowl was held in New Orleans, I had the good fortune to attend one of the big NFL gala dinners.  When I took my seat at our table I noticed that legendary quarterback, Bart Starr, was sitting at the next table in the seat closest to mine.  I was so excited and I knew my Dad would never forgive me if I didn't take the opportunity to meet him.  I decided that asking for an autograph was the best excuse for approaching him.  As inconspicuously as possible, I slipped out of my chair and sidled up to Bart's chair.  As I should have anticipated, being a gentleman, Bart stood up when I appeared at his side.  He politely introduced himself, shook my hand and then proceeded to introduce me to everyone at his table, who turned out to be his wife and their adult children.  Ashamed of my intrusion, I got my program signed as quickly as possible and scampered back to my own table, but it was too late, the damage was done.  Before my butt could hit the chair, women from all over the room were headed towards him.  I don't think the poor man sat down again for the rest of the evening.  As his steak grew cold on his plate, all I could do was catch his wife's eye and mouth "I'm so sorry", to which she just smiled and shrugged her shoulders.  I swore I would never do THAT again.

So, I hear you say, "Sally, that's all very interesting, but where does Henry Cavill fit into this story?  And, how did he ruin your life?"  I'm glad you asked.  During the Christmas holidays, I kept with my tradition of curling up in my comfy jammies with a cup of eggnog and indulging in some serious television binge-watching.  At the top of my binge list was this new Netflix series The Witcher.  OK, don't judge me, but I had never heard of Henry Cavill until I watched Witcher.  I KNOW!  Exactly how big is the rock under which I live?  According to all my friends, under the age of 40, a large, very large rock.  I'm not embarrassed to tell you, I was completely captivated by this man's performance and his ridiculous good looks (not necessarily in that order).  In fact, I had to watch the entire series twice.  I was so distracted by Geralt, I completely lost the plotline during the first go 'round.  So, of course, I googled him.  I'm not really a superhero or action movie fan, so his filmography explained how he had escaped my notice.  Frankly, for women my age there are three unassailable movie pillars...the only James Bond is Sean Connery, the only Batman is Michael Keaton, aaaannnd, the only Superman is Christopher Reeve.  Watching Cavill's Superman did not shift any of those paradigms for me, but he definitely gets an A for effort.  I even girded my loins and watched The Tudors.  Let's be real, the life story of a misogynistic, sexually abusive, toxic narcissist king was hitting just a little too close for comfort, but I focused on Cavill's character and soldiered through.  I took in a couple of his other movies as well  (The Man From U.N.C.L.E. was my favorite...stylish and witty, Cavill and Hammer are a man-Twix bar of deliciousness).  I know this all sounds a little obsessive, but in my defense, I just have way too much time on my hands. I figured I now had the complete 411 on Monsieur Cavill, then I remembered my social media new year's resolution and wondered, "Is he on Instagram?".  And, Dear Hearts, that's when my little, insulated online world exploded and I found myself in an alternate universe.

Of course, he's on Instagram!  I realize how very naive this sounds, but, I was not prepared for the sheer volume of online engagement that could surround one person!  I was also not prepared for how quickly this cynical, sarcastic, old broad could get swept up into it.  Cavill is a master at keeping his fan base engaged online.  He posts something on Instagram pretty much daily, and the responses to each posting often number over a million.  He is quite accessible online via Instagram, Facebook, various websites, and his fans are crazy in love with him! There must a team keeping this engine going.  It's really impressive.  So, just for fun, I commented on a couple of his posts, in my usual, not so serious, way.  Suddenly, I was being followed by people I did not know, from all over the world, and some sending me messages and requesting to friend me on Facebook.  Then there were all the Henry Cavill fan sites or trolls or bots...I don't know what or who they were, I just knew I was now completely out of my comfort zone, in over my head, and starting to panic!  Yes, for a hot minute, Henry Cavill had ruined my life, but, he had also served to propel me, most unexpectedly, into the social media world I was seeking.  So, thank you, Henry.  I'm going to bravely continue my online journey, but, I'm currently not bothering with any other major movie stars.  I'm all yours, Henry, unless Sean Connery is on Instagram, then we may have to break up.

Cheers,

Sally