Au revoir
So, it's my last blog - for now at least. It's been great doing business with you all as I've negotiated my way up the learning curve that is steep and wiggly. Ups and downs. Highs and lows.
Today I'm sorry about being a bit late with my contribution. Lissa has already been nagging me . Quality service will be restored when Dr Muir returns next Monday after his trip to ?????? He is an international man of mystery.
We've just been entertaining ourselves trying to think of words that rhyme with Hoon. Geoff Hoon is someone we'd like to have on the programme this afternoon but he is "coccooned" in meetings in Brussels , looking for a spoon that he lost in June and hoping he doesn't look like a goon , and now we've run out of words and I have to go and record an interview . Over to you.
RSS feed
Email us
Listen to PM
Loon's a good one. In Aberdeenshire it means "chap", "guy", nothing nasty!
A bientot sequin! Thanks.
SB1 but I doubt it
Thought for a moment that the comments box had reverted to the top. Then I realised that no blogs had been put up.
Great improvements in the text contrast Lissa.
We'll miss you, Cap'n sequin.... Come back soon!
sb1
Ah now Carolyn, you gave up too soon.
Seeking words that rhyme with Geoff Hoon,
I've some down on a sheet
which (how's this for a feat)
Can be sung to a rather nice tune
Sorry but couldn't resist
SB1
I see from the newsletter that tonight's programme will discuss teaching Shakespeare. The late Angela Carter was once asked about the best way to English in schools. 'Easy'. she replied, 'you stand at the front of the class with the complete works of Shakespeare in one hand and a bull whip in the other..'
There was an MP called Geoff Hoon,
Who called his PM a baboon,
He said, "Gordon's much better,
"So I'll sign the next letter,
"And hope that Tone's gone from here soon!"
Or...
There was an MP called Geoff Hoon,
Who really could not hold a tune,
Still he sung Tony's praises,
and said "Gordon is crazy,
"And he has a sour face like a prune."
Depending on who's side he's on.
How about buffoon to rhyme with Hoon who is a bit of a cartoon character not in Toon with his colleagues?
There once was a hairy baboon
Who dined out on pretzels and prunes
His bottom turned red
After somebody said
Hey! He looks like a minister named Hoon!
Thanks Sequinn -- it's been fun!
Can't think of a witty fling on Geoff Hoon. Have a very complicated set of feelings about that. If I can't make up something astringently and viciously funny about HIM, I'm in real trouble. My powers have left me.
And the only rhyme I can think of is "rune".
Going to go and finish writing appraisals, "I cannot comment on this officer's ability as he has not, as yet, shown any"...
Au 'voir Sequin.
I see from the newsletter that the teaching of Shakespeare is on the menu.
Why not teach by example?
The Fall of Tony Blair
"I
t may look and feel like a farce right now, but one day some future Shakespeare might write it as a tragedy: the fall of a powerful, popular leader broken on the wheel of war. For make no mistake: if not for the criminal folly of the Iraq invasion, British Prime Minister Tony Blair would not have been unceremoniously shoved toward the exit last week by his own party, including some of his fiercest loyalists."
--Chris Floyd
Couldn't resist it ;-)
ed
SB10, although I don't know why I'm still doing that.
Bye for now Sequin. Thanks for an entertaining couple of weeks, and for reading the comments which we all know is more than Eric ever does. Still love him though, can't help it. I bet he can think of a good rhyme for "Hoon".
Poltroon!
I feel soooo much better now.
Think I'll go and treat meself to a new Gore Tex jacketl for winter mountain fun
Everyone seen the new Tory logo? LOL
The loveable Geoff-e-ry Hoon
Decided to cycle to Troon
He pedalled his best
In his sweatiest vest
It distracteth us from Broon the Loon
I'll get me shoes...
SB11
"Whisht" is also a Geordie expession, as heard in the traditional North East song "The Lambton Worm":
"Whisht lads, had yer gobs an' al tell yers all an arful story,
Whisht lads, had yer gobs an' al tell yer 'boot tha worm,"
Mercifully, that's all I know.
Oh b*gger, I put that "Whisht" stuff on the wrong day didn't I?
Time for the last coffee of the afternoon I think.
A dashing young lady called Sequin,
Entertained for a fortnight as stand-in,
Now Eddie's back soon,
No more rhyhms for Geoff Hoon,
We look forward to hearing you agin!
Thanks and cheerio for a bit, Carolyn!
Re: 6
Mr Stainless Steel Cat! I know you from somewhere. Was it AFP? You may remember me from the unfortunate "Is Pterry really a badger?" epsiode . . .
Several years ago when the present lot were new, I remembered them by
Buffoon - Hoon
Plonker - "P"lunkett
The straw dog
and B(illy) Liar
Prophetic or what?
sb11
Does anyone have a solution for my current predicament? The company we share a building with have just started playing VERY LOUD MUSIC downstairs on the production floor, as all their managers have left for the day. I can't use earplugs, as I need tro be able to talk on the phone & with my boss opposite, and the guys downstairs don't care that they're making life hell for us. Is it a good idea to retaliate by pulling the mains fuses for their floor?
Have been reading this blog since it started, but was reluctant to contribute on account of not having a website, lots of shooz, the ability to write HTML, a fascinating secret life or anything remotely interesting to say . . .
This must be why I - unlike Valery (or was it Aperitif?) - am still writing job applications and you lot aren't!
Harrumph.
Thanks to Sequin for all her day-brightening blog messages (is 'blessings' the right word for a collection of them?). The Lovely Eric's emails are entertaining, but her posts are funnier. And longer, too . . .
SB21
Um, Fearless (20), have you tried "asking nicely"?
If yes and you have been ignored I say go for it: Unplug and be damned!
Or give up and have an early finsh...
blimey - hearing a lot of "whishts" (though all educational rather than directed for once...)
Thanks - didn't know about the Geordie connection!
as for Shakespeare, I'm not sure, but isn't Blair guilty of what Lear did by abdicating yet trying to retain power?
Think there were ructions there too.
and "noises off"
umm, Yep we asked. I've had enough and I'm now at home, with the obligatory glass of vino:o)
Okay, here's a poser for you... Mister Ed and Cap'n Sequin are the Bloggers. So, what are we "lurkers" who post all the comments? Are we Bloggees? Bloggettes? This is going to bug me for ages unless anyone out there who has better knowledge of blog ettiquette (bloggiquette?) who can help....
Plus, what's the collective noun for us? A web?
sb I have no idea! I'll guess at 24
Well welcome Lady Penelope (21) - I too read for quite a while before joining in. It is addictive, I'm sure you know.
Nope, definitely not me doing job applications - have enough jobs already thank you! But good luck with yours. I believe there may be a vacancy for leader of the Labour Party going rather soon, if you're interested? Not sure how widely that's known, and it's only a rumour, mind you... Actually, after today there may be a vacancy for Leader of the House of Commons even sooner that that... ;)
Good thinking Fearless, enjoy your vino.
re the person who got in too late to listen (can't find your comment again) IT IS NEVER TOO LATE TO LISTEN TO PM...listen back on the website. While you're at it be bold and download the Radio News podcast with the best snippets of Radios 4, 5 and World Service. You know you want too.
re Ann's comment's about Rupert's photo...he's svelte. Honest. Just my phone camera and an unflattering angle. And surely using him as darts fodder is over the top just for sending out the newsletter late? And re the Borg Queue, I was never a Trekkie but I think there are three of them which explains the sometimes confused order of postings. They will probably try and take over the world. Dr Hackenbush is right that resistance is phew-tile.
re Rupert moving to the Forward Planning desk (Stainless Steel Cat), no it's not so sequin can keep an eye on him. But it will mean he'll be almost back to back with Eddie next week.
re the missing bike photo (sprout)...sorry my camera phone refused to send to my email the other day so I was too late to get Chris on his bike. Will try and get some more action photos next week rather than boring desk shots. Plans are afoot to invite photos from (not of) listeners....will keep you posted.
re lack of photos...(essex bound) - what on earth are "third party cookies"...I'm a nerd but not that nerdy? All our cookies get eaten here.
re various comments about layout, glad most of you seem to prefer it. Sorry to those of you who don't like the positioning of the comments box.
re spelling sequin...she is indeed a Carolyn not line. Thanks for keeping up the standards of your fellow bloggers Charles H.
Have a good weekend. I'll be down at Lib Dem conference on Sunday for The World this Weekend. Tune in if you can. 1pm Radio 4.
Well guessed Fearless!
Question - if vino is the answer, then what is the question?
To answer yours - we must be posters, I think, I'll be the one of the pretty lady tennis player, or perhaps the Lady of Shallott floatingly onionly down a river (before your time?). Or even, on a bad day, Che Guevara!
I know that Lambton Worm thing - we have a book which used to belong to the Kraken which we bought on a Road Trip, when he was but a babe. Of course I can't possibly post any of it as I'd just get moderated again....sigh!
Welcome Lady Penelope, it matters not a jot what your strengths and weaknesses are. Enjoy!
Going to join you in a glassa FF, after all it's Friday at last.
Well done with the lady delivering the alternative food parcels Sequin, can't have been easy.
SB 25
btw FF - you know the link for the end of the day site, well I've lost it, eeek! Can you send it again pretty please? Tried to look back through several days' Blogs but I seem to have been doing that on and off all day to catch up (you see it's totally addictive Lady P), and I'm going cross-eyed. Not a good look.
I was trying to show S.O. who thinks this whole blog escapade is sheer nonsense and time wasting (but REALLY loved the jackson p site, and all the sites belonging to you other clever people). Well done for the underlining addition Lissa-with-an-a, for un-nerds like myself. I may yet convert him...
SB28?
No problem, V! For all the others who didn't catch this link the first time round, it's just one I like to go to at the end of a long day. Scroll down to the photo and click on it. :o)
To get to the website click
For those wondering how to do all this html lark, I found a good primer
As an example, both the links in this post are Anchor tags
p.s. I guess I'll have to try and work out what sort of poster I am, then. The only one that springs to mind is one I used to have in my room at Poly for the U2 Live at Red Rocks album!
SB29
Lissa (26) - 鈥淒r Hackenbush is right鈥
This is a world exclusive - you read it here first folks!
By the way, as a self-confessed 鈥楤loggist鈥, do you therefore discriminate against certain types of blog, much as a typist does against typos?
Question: Can you apply for the post of leader of an organisation just so you can disband it once you get in? Having awarded yourself a big pay bonus first, of course. Maybe the Doc could try this thing 鈥榳ork鈥.
If I am a poster I wnat to be Edvard Munch's 'Scream'. I would in fact have a good quality print of this over my fireplace if it wasn't that the other half will not let me, on account of what it would say to visitors about us. Plus he probably doesn't like it very much.
Lissa-with-an-a you are so good, reading all this stuff and then even replying and trying to keep us all happy. You will never manage to please us all, but I do admire you for trying.
As for it being unfair to put Rupert on a dartboard, well maybe...but there was a time when the newlsetter came late ot not at all or you got six copies of it straight after one another and you just had to think 'How hard can it be to press a button once and send out a newsletter?' I accept your word that he is svelte.
as for the noise FF, many years ago when we lived in a semi one of the next door's teenagers used to play loud rock music in his bedroom which backed on to our spare room which I used as a study. I would put up with it for as long as I could, then I used to play opera back to him even louder. It worked. He would turn down his stuff very quickly. Maybe you should invest in some Verdi CDs for the next time it happens.
Welcome Lady P. You do not need to lurk just because you haven't got hundreds of shoes becaue I haven't wither, but somtimes as I go past shops, I hear handbags calling out to me...
Harry:
Yay! A fellow afper...
Long time no read, Lodestone.
Okay, scratch what I said as being my "poster" earlier in #29. I've realised what poster I am. It's a print that I have downstairs in the living room. I bought it when I was over in Dublin a number of years back. It's called The Blind Piper, by Joseph Haverty. If you click it's the first picture:o)
p.s. A belated welcome, Lady P! The more the merrier here, I think. Is Parker with you?
Posters eh? I have long thought of this one as very me:
(Picasso's Blue Nude).
You can probably guess that it hasn't been the greatest of days :(
VE-ery attractive FF! Go for it.
I may re-think mine, given that it is no longer the 60's/70's.....
Tonight, it has mainly been sauvignon blanc.
Btw thanks for refreshing the link - it went down really well with S.O. I'll check out the primer idc...
PS FFF, is the bored-looking child with you at all times, or just when you're playing your bagpipes?
Morning, Appy! Unfortunately, I think one of your posts has disappeared, so I can only guess what you said! But I can reply to your p.s. It's a little known fact that whenever you sit down to play the pipes, a bored-looking child will turn up, even if you're halfway up a mountain. I guess it's just one of lifes' imponderable questions...
I'm listening to Figlovers's new show at the moment. so far it's been good, but I can tell from their blog that they don't have a Lissa looking after it. It's the same layout as this, but they have the "Post a comment" section at the top, not the bottom. Our lovely Lissa , PM Bloggist would've seen the flaw in that:)
Thanks for welcomes. What nice people!
No, FF, Parker went long ago (33) - all that ridiculous bobbing & weaving was getting right up my nose and, besides, the Roller failed its MoT . . . It was getting too expensive to run anyway, and some funny looks from fellow customers at my local Tesco garage.
(Have you noticed how aristocratic and privileged it makes one sound when one says 'my local garage'? As if one is its only customer? Like referring to 'my brain surgeon'. Very Lynda Snell.)
I thought you were in your thirties, FF. If you look anything like your bagpiper, you must have led a fairly dissolute life (what fun). Do tell.
I have nothing illuminating to say about anything in the news, except that it amuses me hugely to hear politicians say things like 'What the people REALLY want is for us to forget about internal squabbles, faction fighting and personality clashes and concentrate on running the country'. Well ackshirley, guys . . .
Morning, Lady P! We're just glad to welcome a like-minded soul to the blog :o)
Ah well, that explains why I spotted someone I thought was Parker propping up the bar in the pub near me. I thought the weaving was due to excess alcohol, but it looks like I was wrong!
I am in my thirties, Lady P, honest! The picture sort of goes toward my state of mind, particularly after a long week. The thought that I know when I get home I still have all those other things to do like cook, clean the house, do the shopping etc. Argh! It's too early in the w/e to be dragged downward by all this....
I tend to agree with you about politicians. Since when did they actually ask us what we want them to do! Nowadays, all we want them to do is shut up & listen!
Anyway, enough depressing thoughts. Time to meander downstairs to make a coffee and relax:o)
Morning! Hope you're feeling cheerier, Appy.
Neat HTML site, FF.Also liked your picture - kule hair. Why isn't the bored-looking child upstairs in its bedroom playing with its playstation?
It's been a busy and tiring week, but I plan to do almost nothing tomorrow (yipeeeeeeee!)
Ave atque vale - welcome back, Lissa. and bye and thanks for all the fish, Sequin
Valery - fit like, quinie?
(no, this isn't rude, mods)
Fearless: I was thinking the same about Fig's Lissa-less blog. there don't seem to be many posts either. I've sent something off, though it hasn't appeared yet.
Sadly, I couldn't sit still long enough to hear more than a minute or so at a time, so I don't know how the programme went.
I wonder if Fig's going to be a blogger in the hands-on vein of Sequin, or a loof like our Eduardo.
Hi SSC
I just checked and the posts are up now. Oh dear! It looks like Figlover isn't going to get the sort of poster that seems to lurk here on the PM Blog. The feedback seems to be split quite evenly, with half liking the show, and the rest hating it quite vehemently. Poor Figlover... Maybe she can take over from Mister Ed, and join us all here!
Fred: Fig's going to have a rough time; that Saturday slot seems cursed.
I remember some vehement complaints about John Peel & Home Truths right up to his death - and probably beyond.
I can just imagine John in heaven, surrounded by racks of vinyl as far as the eye can see, happily messing up his segues on Paradise FM when some ex-Radio 4 listener stomps up to his cloud and complains about the lack of seriousness he displayed in one particular Home Truths and demanding more Gyles Brandreth...
I fear you may be right, SSC. I'll admit, I was never that interested in Home Truths. I listened to it a number of times when I was regularly travelling on a Saturday morning, and while some of it was interesting, it never really grabbed me. However, I wasn't rabidly for or against it. There's space in the schedule for everything.
It's wierd how certain bits or timeslots of R4 create such vehement likes and dislikes. Just think back to the R4 Theme being canned a few months ago. I've heard that probably a little more than most, as I'm a fairly frequent traveller into Europe, so I would hear it in the car as I drove down to London to get the first flight out of Heathrow. I found that 5 minute piece of music to be rather twee and patronising to be honest. But, as soon as it gets canned, everyone's up in arms! Ridiculous!
Still, rant over, I have to get back to "lovely" housework. All I can add is that I found Figs' new show be be interesting, so I'll be tuning in again next week:o)
Hi to the new bloggers.
I caught most of Fig's Sat Live (I made a comment about the empty blog a few days ago). SSC, you've a good point(*), I was not that impressed by show 1, it seemed to be trying so hard *not* to be Home Truths it almost went all the way around and approached being HT from the other side. But it had some Fig details, like the wrong time check, and the overblown apology for it afterwards. Do you think Fig's voice is slightly lower now?
Not normally able to listen to this slot, today was waiting in for delivery that never appeared. Icaught the odd Home Truths, and Peel's previous programme in that slot, Offspring, which I could hardly tell the difference. Programmes in that slot appear to have a similar feel, and I sometimes wonder why not a complete change, when change was needed.
Talking of Blogs, someone's tinkered with the code and corrected the "Required" starting within the name box. Well done, Lissa.
Who caught Sequin on Today this morning - only 13 hours since she signed off PM yesterday (and obviously less due to debriefing, then preparation for Today).
* Just like some shop locations seem cursed, even though shops either side seem to thrive.
SS Cat (44),
Personally, I thought Home Truths was a complete waste of time. It is one thing to reminisce about John Peel ( and I remember when he was John Ravenscroft in the US) as a DJ, but HT was rubbish. Incidentally, I come from Cleveland, Ohio, the home of the R&R Hall of Fame and Museum. I remember when if you wanted a record to become a hit, you took it to a DJ in Cleveland, Bill Randle etc.
Please may somebody put up a link to the Fig Lover blog? They (whoever they are) seem to be hiding it awfully well because I can't find it. Is it because I is working on a Mac?
Hi Penelope,
It's at /blogs/saturdaylive
but not one comment has appeared in Fig's latest blog, presumably done ~10:30 this morning.
Aperitini - why so blue? Re a previous boasty post of mine about checking out Dali earlier in the summer (his jewellery is unmissable), I "took in" Picasso too and saw this very nude in the flesh (so to speak) - wonderful, and not at all depressing. Think of her as re-grouping and preparing to unleash herself on her unsuspecting public!
I liked Fi this morning, and I LOVED Home Truths, the great John Peel could never do any wrong as far as I was concerned - he could have read the telephone directory out for an hour (or more) and I'd have listened...my introduction to him was through my brother taping the Pirate Radio London (and other pirates) in the sixties, on his old reel-to-reel. My formative years!!
Good ole Cap'n Sequin, what a pro. Stand-in extraordinaire. Give that woman a show of her own.
Tonight it will be a cheeky little Catalunyan Crianza. Slainte! Aye, fit like Frances O! Glad someone knew I wasn't being nasty ( though heaven knows I could be!)
SB49
Lady P., The new Fig Lover blog (or should I say Saturday Live Blog...) is here. Mind you, I think the lurkers/posters here on the PM blog seem to be a much nicer crowd to be around:o)
Hmm, a little Crianza, eh? I think I can let that pass :p I'm in the middle of a very nice Bordeaux as I watch the last 4 episodes of The West wing
Lady P,
Whoops, the code I used to write that link would work on my blog, but not here it seems. The address as it appeared
is correct, or else follow FF's link (51). I also agree with FF regarding the bloggers who have commented there (at least those that have appeared so far).
This 大象传媒 blog system has some strange HTML " features", as we have discovered in the past. And how a whole page changed because of a missing > sign in the strap-line!
Oh, and not to forget SB52
Hi FF, just watching the Scissor Sisters here, whilst waiting to be summoned as a taxi service....so have had to hide the rest of the Crianza so that S.O. doesn't inadvertently polish it off while I'm away!! Must own up to never having watched the West Wing - blush.
I'm going to go, immediately, and check out your html link :o)
SB53
So far, so great, I've discovered what html stands for - hypertext something - sh** I've forgotten already, grrr
So far, so great, I've discovered what html stands for - hypertext something - sh** I've forgotten already, grrr
Ok hypertext markup language. Hmm, Wednesday I found out about NLP, neuro-linguistic programming.
I can see that'll take some serious investigating.... Why do the words old, new, dogs and tricks come to mind? :O(
I may be away for some time
SB54
Hasn't Fi got loadsa photos on her blog? Why are we stuck at 5 Lissa - is it cos she's allowed to do product placement in hers?
SB56
I think that Fig managed to justify all the photos as hers is a new show. But you're right, V... a few more photos (maybe even one of the lovely Lissa herself) would be nice :o)
So how are you getting on with the html, Valery? I'm sure you'll master it in no time.
Afternoon all!
Okay, here's a semi-serious thought to consider, as we all sit back and relax on a fairly sunny sunday afternoon. As we've no doubt noticed, when you compare the posters here with the posters that have appeared on Fig Lovers' new blog for Saturday Live, I think you can spot a very obvious trend. PM is more of a serious News Briefing type of show, but the posters here tend to be more light-hearted and tolerant. However, for Saturday Live, the posts on the blog are a lot more heated and direct. I mean, just compare some of the recent conversations here (what poster we are, the collective noun for rabbis) whith what's on the SL blog where they're all serious about whether Giles Brandreth is better than John Peel!
Is it me, or is the type of poster inversely proportional to the subject matter of the program? If so, what sort of person would log on to the Today In Parliament show blog????
Now ths is all very well. C Green (Seagreen??????) as the gorgeousest voice in the world. Our Figgy photos ditto or at least similar.
But as a gurly - *where* are the scrumptious-voiced men? Where (apart fromb Eric) the hunks?
Snot fair.
Come on, blokes. Give us a break...
sb60
Frances, my Lovely,
We chaps are well catered for in the announcers' voices stakes and, clearly, I am not best placed to determine what is music to the female ear; but Brian Perkins (retired [but not really]) seems a likely pin-up. Another voice which I feel could be a contender belongs to Neil Nunes. He seems to work unsocial hours - late night Radio 4 and World Service as continuity and news reader.
There are a couple of others but I can't guarantee getting the right names to the voices.
Out of interest, perhaps, BP has now disappeared from the R4 presenters corner, and NN has not yet been included, but Sequin has had her "file" corrected to read Carolyn throughout.
Valery, (56),
I'd noticed the product placement in the Fig photos as well, just hadn't commented on it as did not want to raise the profile of said products, as it were. Now you've mentioned it, I'll point out that the previous week's blog for their trial run equally had product placements. I wonder if that company runs a concession within BH? Remember when Blue Peter would have the brand names either removed or blanked out (and if only an enterprising company had printed their logo on the toilet roll inners....would that have changed history?)
And don't expect all the html you learn to work when posting here...as I've found more than once. Like having to write > when you want an > to appear (and you view this one step down the path, i.e. I've had to spell it out even more for this to actually appear!).
Frances (59),
Well done for elucidating Seagreen.
While obviously a bloke, I think Peter Gibb's voice (weatherforecaster and GQT stand in) is one I for one would like to hear more of. Mind you, the newish R4 announcer Neil has quite a f fan club, according to Feedback.
Cannot see it myself. And I've had to deal with Jamacians (in real business, note), whose accent was so broad their daughter (working in the family firm) had to translate for me, and that was not me being difficult, I was giving them work, I was just asking how soon they could deliver...
But then there was the time I rang up a woman friend (on social business), and she did not realise who I was at first. When she finally twigged, it was "Oh! John, why are you talking in such a sexy voice?"
And just noticed that Mark Darcy is on Westminster Hour tonight. How many f listeners cannot help thinking of Bridget Jones and Colin Firth at that name....
FF (59).
Do you think that some of the ire etc is because many did not want Home Truths to end, and some were horrified to learn that Fig had got the new gig. A colleague once had his email read out on HT, (he told me, I listened to the repeat), but then he had teenaged children at the time, probably the reason they were listening as a family at breakfast.
Valery - SB60.
hey John W - glad someone else is still playing, Should we give up?
Wondered if I would get modded at the mention of product placement, but what the hell, I'm a grown up, thought I could handle the outcome! Where would we be without sticky backed plastic ( I always thought they were talking about fablon rather than sellotape. Tried to buy fablon recently and the children serving in the shop treated me as if I came from another planet) (Pluto?)
S.O.tried to give me a lecture in html, I snoozed off...Back to FF's primer then. Guess I just have to plunge in.
SB62
SB62
Well hello, I turn my back for - er, about 48 hours? - and everyone's on about some other blog!! I've decided not to visit: I didn't hear the programme and probably won't often get to, and from what you've all said the blog doesn't sound like a lot of fun. Besdies, one addiction is quite enough thank you.
Thank you Frances and Valery, I have cheered up since Friday. A trip to the cinema (Volver) and some eats and drinks with chums, and some work done this morning seem to have sorted me out - I was stressing about being behind with a project and I think that tipped me over the edge. I've still got heaps to do but a little progress helps a lot.
FFF (37) I can't remember what came before the PS! How annoying. And re 58, I admit, I would probably log on to the 'Today in Parliament' blog, so please tell me there isn't one!!!
Lady Penelope, re your 38, I have to disagree: I do want MPs to forget about internal squabbles, faction fighting and personality clashes and concentrate on running the country. I don't like the contemporary 'received wisdom' that allows us to presume that if someone is in polictics they are automatically on the take/a liar/worse. I honestly believe that most people who go into politics do it out of a strong belief in the party and/or ideology they support. Talented, eloquent, hardworking people can make much more money as 'Captains of Industry' after all - and they wouldn't have to put up with nearly so much cynicism and tabloid sh*t. Of coures there are 'bad apples' in politics but power corrupts in every walk of life, and many people with far fewer talents and much dodgier private lives are hero-worshipped without nearly so much scrutiny. The few MPs that I do know are really genuine, sound people, committed to what they do and to their constituencies. It's just too easy to assume otherwise.
Oh dear, very sorry, I got all serious there for a moment and went off on a tangent (or "on a tandem" as a dear late lady I adored used to say. She would also, quite innocently, advise that one might "go all day on a banana" which caused endless mirth, but I digress). I don't mean to suggest that you were being quite that cynical Lady P., it's just that once-I-get-going thing, you know? Perhaps I ought to make me'self a horlicks* and go to bed...
A quick final confession first - I am very excited about the return of Eric tomorrow - roll on five o'clock!!!
*other boring bedtime drinks are, of course, available.
G'nite all - moff for my alternative boring bedtime drink. It's a public hol in this sector of Mairland tomorrow, but I have an out-of-houser. Catch you, and Eric, later, wonder if he'll tell us where he's been??
Thanks for the Figlink, which I think I shall now lose.
Aperitif - I'm sure most MPs are good eggs, working their socks off (now THERE's a picture. Where would an egg wear socks? And how would it keep them up?) for the benefit of others. My point (badly made) was that I for one enjoy the odd personality clash or faction fight every now and again to leaven the mix a little . . . they can get so dreadfully pompous and self-righteous sometimes (as can I, of course. Touch of the pots & kettles there.) Not to mention bombastic (what a lovely word). And unfortunately 'worthy' so often goes along with 'dull' . . .
That's one of the reasons I enjoy The Lovely Eric in tongue-in-cheek mode and why PM so often refreshes the parts other news programmes don't. (To plagiarise Valery: 'Other news programmes are, of course, available'. Oh! Would that be a good strapline?)
Neil Nunes's voice (JohnW, 61) doesn't do it for me at all. I thought he was Paul Robeson the first time I heard him on the World Service in the middle of the night. Does the man never sleep? He has the same kind of strangulated voice as R*th K*lly, who sounds to me as if her throat's closing up around her words in an effort not to let her get them out. And the way she says 'um' really gets up my nose.
Perhaps I should get out more . . .
Morning All!
So, will Mr Ed tell us where he went on his hols? Will he post any piccies up?
Valery, The best thing I can suggest is looking through the table of examples on that page, and when you find the one you want, copy and paste into the comment box, then change the text to be what you want. Then, before posting, be sure to preview it, just to be sure. Once you've seen it in situ a few times, you'll soon find it easier to type the tags instead:o) Also, I think you're right about the sticky-backed plastic being fablon. Remember the presenter always used to talk about using double-sided sticky tape for speed, so that was the sellotape.
Frances, are you saying that Mr Ed's voice isn't hunky enough for you?
Appy, glad to hear you're not so blue:o) I know how projects can drag you down, so you have my sympathies! As for a TiP blog, I'm fairly sure there isn't one, and this is still THE blog to be posting on. The mob over on Fig's blog seem to be a humourless bunch, not like the nice crowd we have here...
SB65
SB67
Hello,
Is this a bad time to mention that I'm not keen on Fig's voice? Although I do get the Seagreen thing: If I were a boy I'd be hanging on her every word. Quite like Neil Nune's voice but it does rather cause one to wake up just as one has got off to sleep (Lady P., I'm sure you're right - he never does). Eddie, though, ah Eddie... Sorry, where was I? Oh yes, actually, I'm not that keen on Fig full stop. Am I to be banished? - It seems she has many fans on this blog. It's not full-on loathing: she's alright - I'm just, as I said, "not that keen".
Lady P., you are right; "bombastic" is a fantastic word. I shall make it my business to include it in my conversations whereever possible for the rest of the day.
Valery, Fearless, you're right about the Fablon/Sellotape thing. Definitely. We never had "double-sided" sticky tape in the house; I had to make do with doubling over one-sided tape. Deprived childhood you see. I have such a variety of tapes and papers and plastics in the house now you would not believe. And no use for them whatsoever.
Anyone want to share their sock-colour-of-the-day? (Not wearing any myself - toenails are dark red though, so there is a splash of colour...)
Work calls.
I'm afraid it's boring black for me today, Appy. I hope I haven't disappointed you!
re 68
Are the shoes and/or trousers black too?
Lissa (26)
Despite being an inveterate 大象传媒7 Listen-againer, I didn't think of using the facility to hear Fig Lover's new show. (Sound of hand hitting forehead) "Doh!" Will listen-again (though how can I as I didn't listen the first time....) immediately
I'm guessing by the number of Limericks above that I am not the only ISIHAC-er on this blog!
SB66
Woah! today's whole blog thread has just disappeared!!
btw: yes to both, Appy
re 71
In that case, fine: some days one just needs simplicity and elegance - I am not disappointed at all.
Yeh, today's whole thing keeps coming and going. Poor Lissa - I 'm picturing her tearing her hair out. Great tufts of it everywhere... or maybe she's sick of the complaining and has done it deliberatly?
Hissy fit alert! Hissy fit alert!
(Stroppy) Stephen, bring me the head of Alfredo Blog-mistress...
Could we bring 2 threads together and call ourselves Blogoons? Sorry if this has already been said, but there were so many comments I couldn't be bothered to read them all.
Also balloon, spitoon, croon etc. What a lovely sound ..oon is.
Re 71 & 72:
And please welcome Mr & Mrs Bennett-I-bet-they-take-forever-to-get-this-blog-working-correcty, and their son Gordon
Glad to hear you approve! Although I'm not looking forward to Wednesday... I have to be smart for a trip to Head Office in Bracknell :(
I want to be on the radio!
Neil Nunes talks with a mouth full of unstoned prunes