It's the end of an era over here in Princess world. I have retired my pink Nalgene bottle. Please, no flowers.
Honestly, my pink bottle has more air miles than most people I know. I got it in a shop (a mercantile, if you will) in Hicksville, just a day or two before I went to Korea for the Conference. It came with me. It came it home and then to Singapore. It lived beside my computer in my classroom and travelled daily to the staffroom for refilling. It's been around the world (aye aye aye...), been in more meetings that it would care to remember, and last week it was in Serbia on its last mission in keeping me hydrated.
But the time has come to put it into retirement. I'm a little bit sad about it, so many memories and good times we've had together. It was still going and still so strong. But alas, it is not BPA free. That's a bad thing, they say.
So I got a new one. In exactly the same shop I got my last one. It proudly displays its BPA free-nees. Hurrah and huzzah.
There wasn't a coronation or anything, but all hail the new pink bottle.
I like using a refillable water bottle. It makes me feel like I'm saving the world. Plus I save money. If Coke, or that Tesco Tropical Juice that I'm so partial to, came out of the tap for (close to) free, would I buy it? Heck no.
This is my blog; I can say what I like (so long as it's legal), so I'm just going to come out and say it: buying bottled water is ridiculous. Bottled water uses two of the earth's most precious resources, oil and water, creates CO2 emissions in the delivery and most of the bottles end up in land refill sites. Yet, in the vast majority of cases, we have clean, safe drinking water at our disposal. How many people in the world don't have that luxury? So many that 'luxury' is the right word to use here.
But we buy bottled water because we've been marketed to. We've bought into the myth that drinking bottled water is better, cleaner, healthier and heck, even cooler.
I know, rant, rant. But really look into some of the facts for yourself. Try here, here, or here. Or use the mighty power of the interwebs for yourself.
And why not get yourself a reusable bottle? BPA free, of course.
The first thing I noticed about this
year's BBC Sports Personality of the Year award nominees was that none of 'your kind'
had made the list. 'Huh', I thought to myself and then I began to wonder who
should have been nominated instead of all these men.
After a second I realised Jess Ennis
should have been, but her silver medal at the World Championships was probably
a bit of a disappointment to these fine people who nominate the shortlist.
Afterall, she got gold in 2009 and could only manage third in the public vote.
Last year, when she won the European Championships with a personal best, again
she was third. So yes, second in the world is a bit of a disappointment and
let's face it Jess, you're not going to make any improvement on your third
places with that. But wait now. Wasn't Andy Murray also second in the
Australian Open? Well still, he won Wimbledon so that's probably ok then. Oh
no, wait, I just remembered that he went out in the semi-finals...again.
Then there's Rebecca Adlington. She's
always winning things. And yup, in 2011, there she was winning a world title,
casual as you like. Although, I say that, it was anything but casual. Adlington
was 0.65s behind Friis (in first place) at the bell, she turned it round in the
last 100m to win by 0.69s. And let's not forget, this was the 800m; the rest of
the competitors came in 5-15s later, just to highlight further the fight she had on
her hands. I should make mention of her silver medal in the 400m too.
But again, though in this award, you women shouldn't expect too much. In 2008, when Adlington won two, two
gold medals at the Olympics, she came third. Nevermind Adlington's medals
were the first Olympic golds any British woman had won in the pool since 1960 -
before Gary Lineker was even born. She was third to some fine sportspeople
though. Chris Hoy won. Well three golds is more than two golds. Fair enough.
Lewis Hamilton was second that year, and
oh my, how those Formula One drivers have had to wait to be recognised. Not
since 1896 has a Formula One driver won SPOTY. Sorry, I meant 1996. There were
no cars in 1896, silly. In fact, Formula 1 personalities have only won SPOTY
six times. Out of a whopping 57 times it's been awarded. Why, that's less than
half the number of times a woman across all sports have won it (12.5
awards to women, Jane Torvill having the 0.5 award when she won with
Christopher Dean.) So poor old Formula One. Although, comparing the winners of the Driver's Championships with the placings of the SPOTY, it does seem to
guarantee that you'll at least place. Jenson Button, Lewis Hamilton, and James
Hunt all placed while Damon Hill (twice), Nigel Mansell (twice), Jackie
Stewart, and Stirling Moss won it. See women if you were to get a bit more
involved in Formula 1, then you'd be sorted and there'd be none of this
complaining nonsense.
A few people have mentioned that
Chrissie Wellington should have been nominated. Truthfully? I've never heard of
her before. Which is remarkable because apparently she has won four Ironman
Triathalon World Championships, you know the one where you swim forever, cycle
forever and then do a marathon? Yeah, that. She's won that four times! Quite
the achievement, eh?! Why have I not heard of her before? Still Chrissie, take
heart. Look at poor Phil 'The Power' Taylor. He had to win the PDC World
Championship (you know the one half the darts players play in?) 13 times before
he got second place last year at SPOTY. Ah now, Chrissie, let's not go down the
line of saying darts isn't a real sport. It's throwing. And walking. And darts
players are well known for needing emergency rehydration...at the bar.
I do have a vague memory of Kath Grainger winning something this year too. Although I can't quite remember what
it was exactly. Sorry, I was busy in the roof space during the highlights of
the rowing World Championships and couldn't make it out. But can you blame me?
Men's sport is built up to be event television. Women's sport
is...well, something to put on the red button. Look at how the Football World
Cup was shown this year. Yes, this year, not 2010. Sorry, did I not say the
Women's World Cup? I should have been more specific. Anyway, there it was on
the red button - until the English team made it to the quarterfinals. Now, come
on, don't be silly, it wasn't quite as simple as just getting to the
quarterfinals to get on regular television. Oh no, what's women's sports mainstream
coverage without a bit of last minute letters from politicians to campaign beforehand? Apparently, the reason why it couldn't be scheduled to be on BBC2
before was because of those pesky male golfers and their British Open were on BBC1. Oh
you're right, the BBC does have two mainstream terrestial channels, but who
wants sport on both of them? Especially so soon after Wimbledon and all
its simultaneous BBC1, BBC2 and red button coverage.
Sadly, the team got beaten on
penalties. Imagine if they'd won; they might have been in with a shout
of the Team of the Year at the awards. I say might, because it seems women's
teams have only ever one once, the 1969 4x400m relay team. And they had to
share it. Well, it was a Ryder Cup Year. Reading the Wikipedia entry for the Ryder Cup that year though, you'd wonder why. It was marred by
unsports...person like behaviour from both sides. And it was tied so the USA
actually retained the Cup. So that's why I say the footballers might
have won. It seems that men's teams can win Team of the Year, by not even
winning their competition outright, and can be unsporting in doing so.
The important thing here, British Sportswomen, is not to panic. It's not like there's any different treatment for international sportswomen, for they have only managed to win Overseas Personality of the Year six times, out of 51 times it's been awarded. That said, I'm pretty sure that wasn't the equality you were after.
But see, the really difficult thing,
girls, is that's it's the Sports Personality of the Year; you need to capture,
not only the public's imagination, but as we're learning, also the sports editors and journalists from papers around the country. If only you had some interesting
stories which they could tell and then we could read in order to capture our
imagination. Like Darren Clarke, he's nominated this year. He'd never won a
major before, but aged 42 he did! Of course, many of us remember the
terrible tragedy of him losing his wife to cancer in 2006. Yet, he helped Europe
to a famous victory in the Ryder Cup just a few weeks later. An awful story
like that can't be compared with another, of course. But if all things were equal, SPOTY recognition would surely be coming Sarah Stevenson's way. She won a gold medal in the Taekwondo
World Championships in May while both her parents were in the last grips of
terminal cancer. Sadly, she lost both of them within months of each other. Wow.
Talk about mental strength. I hope you can win gold next year at the Olympics
Sarah, when no doubt you'll get lots more coverage.
Gary Lineker said on The One Show when the ten nominees for SPOTY were announced,
"Perhaps not been a strong year in women's sport for British women...let's
hope that'll change next year with the Olympics." But you see sportwomen, I beg to differ
with Sir Gary. I’d change his words to "Perhaps not been a strong
year in women's sport coverage for
British women...that will change next year with the Olympics." We know that on previous Olympics years it has changed. Maybe not enough
to win the award, but enough to be recognised. Thank goodness they don't have separate medals tables, one for the men and one for the women, eh?
So keep doing what
you’re doing. Keep being brilliant, keep winning, keep fighting. Some time,
somehow, the press and the media will actually give you
widespread coverage in non-Olympic years.
Yours,
Tina
______________________
Dear BBC,
I love you. You know I do. But maybe Gary shouldn’t have been so quick to blame
the newspapers for the nominations. Perhaps look to the coverage you provide
of women in sport yourself. Yes, I'm thinking of the red button here. It's good, but it's not great.
And maybe, as a separate issue, you could expand the list of who is asked to nominate to be more, I don't know, inclusive. Just a thought.
Warm regards,
Tina
______________________
Dear Daily Post, Daily Star Sunday, Evening Standard, The Independent, Irish News, Metro, Nuts, The People and Western Mail and Zoo
You suck. Sorry to be blunt. But if you're in the business of sports reporting and can't see how female sports performances and achievements are worthy of reporting and how they've captured the public's imagination, then it needs to be said, out loud and to your face. So again I say: You suck.
Please do better in future. Assuming you're asked again of course.
You remind me of a great CJ quote in The West Wing:
Sam: Where'd you get the bathrobe? Carol: The gym. Sam: There are bathrobes at the gym? CJ: In the women's locker room. Sam: But not the men's. CJ: Yeah. Sam: Now, that's outrageous. There's a thousand men working here and 50 women. CJ: Yeah, and it's the *bathrobes* that's outrageous.
Oh, wait. Did you mean women footballers were snubbed in the year of a decent performance at the World Cup? Yeah, that is ridiculous.
Yours in blogging,
Tina
______________________
Here's a great article with some stats about coverage, sponsorship and number female sports journalists. Even if you don't read it, this is worth knowing: women's sports coverage makes up just 5% of all sports media. In a good year.
I don't know why Hallowe'en is as big as it is really. It must be the dressing up. It kind of annoys me. Like today on This Morning there were witches (I'm not actually sure if they were witches or 'witches', I didn't watch long enough to find out). Do they ever have Christians on when it's Christmas or Easter? I've never seen that happen.
Anyway, that said, last week on our YF weekend we had pumpkins to carve.
My group did the Christian thing to do crosses on it.
I've never carved a pumpkin before so it was quite cool. Back when we younger you didn't ever see a pumpkin in the supermarket, no way. But now they're all over the place. So along with the younger generation thinking ours is weird because we didn't have mobile phones or the internet, they're also going to think it's hilarious that we didn't have pumpkins, like we were living through the War when they didn't have bananas.
We used to carve turnips. In fact truth be told, I used to think that American turnips were really orange in colour. Yeah, I know. Shut up.
You don't often see a pumpkin head with a moustache. That's Hallowe'en's fault for being before Movember.
Reminiscing about carving turnips turned into a funny Yorkshiremen-esque bit between me and a co-leader:
Pumpkins! Luxury! We never had pumpkins. No, never. Turnips. We carved turnips. Turnips? Luxury! We used potatoes. And then we had to eat them. Eat potatoes?! We used to dream of eating potatoes...
It really helps if you read it with a Yorkshire accent in mind. Not that I can do one, you understand.
Paradise!
And just while I'm on this little Hallowe'en rant, what's the deal with trick or treating? Give me a bit of hallowe'en rhyming. Youth clubs around NI could probably get European funding to protect that part of NI culture.
Last weekend I watched all of series one of Downton Abbey. In fact, I watched in a day, well essentially an afternoon. I started at about 12.00pm and finished by YF. Not bad going eh?! Well it was easy, it's very good. Maggie Smith is her standard self, that is to say she is absolutely fantastic and kills it with her lines. I like Hugh Bonneville too, and the history part is quite interesting, although probably not as good as Mad Men's if I'm honest, but comparing the two isn't fair.
I would say I don't know why I missed it first time round, but I know exactly why. The reasons are two fold.
1. It's on a Sunday night. That's YF time and has been since about 1992.
2. I don't really like costume dramas.
This second one needs further explanation, for a history geek like myself should be all about them. Well, I blame my mother. Now wait, let me explain.
When I was young she had on video Pride and Prejudice and watched it. All. The. Time. And I don't mean the (apparently) cool 1995 Colin Firth one. Oh no! I mean the 1980s one which had Raquel from Only Fools in. (I was giving it the benefit of the doubt there when I said 1980s, I just looked it up, 1980. It's as old as I am. A classic indeed.) They'd all just sit around in bad light with their bonnets on and talk in riddles while eating with an occasional set dance. Well that's how it seemed to me anyway.
You see my problem, it started with adaptations of great books you're supposed to have read. At age seven or eight I hadn't read Pride and Prejudice. What am I talking about? At age 31 I still haven't read Pride and Prejudice. I'm not likely to either. I not fussed on reading, but that's a whole other post. But you see, you're supposed to have a clue about Mr. Darcy or Elizabeth. I don't. I don't know about Bleak House; I don't know about Jane Eyre; I don't know about Tess of the d'Urbervilles. You name a classic book by a literary 'great' and I won't know about it. Well except for A Christmas Carol, but that's because of The Muppets.
Maybe it's because of my English classes at school. In GCSE we did Pygmalion and Animal Farm. Well that's just My Fair Lady and talking animals. The only Shakespeare I ever did in school was in third year (Romeo and Juliet). I've seen Macbeth since, in the theatre, but I only went because I had to, a colleague was in it. Actually now that I've said that I can't be absolutely sure it wasn't Hamlet. See what I mean? I'm just not interested.
The problem is compounded by the fact people go on about them and make them sound so worthy. Not people people, but like the Radio Times falls over itself when there's a new adaptation of something. There's behind the scenes, interviews, comparisons...yawn. Like I said, I don't know how the character was written, I'm not bothered by some new director or producer's take on him. Or how (s)he's more evil/better looking/smarter than (s)he is in the book.
So it's from all this that I got my aversion to costume dramas. For I discovered it's better to avoid anything remotely in the costume drama genre. You might only become one of those luvvy types.
All that said, if you're like me and haven't seen Downton Abbey and have no apparent interest, please enjoy these spoofs that were shown as part of Comic Relief this year. They make fun of the style of show and are actually a good way in to the story.
If you love Downton Abbey, you'll still enjoy these - even if you've seen them before!
I'll warn you right now, this post is a bit of a mix. And I'm still deciding how much of my hoarding I want to share while weighing up how bored you might get of all my reminiscing. But that's not important right now.
[Sorry the videos cut across the side bar. Hope it doesn't impede your viewing too much. And sorry the first one starts straight away. Good job they all don't. That would be video carnage.]
Video 1
So first things first, a funny cat video. Who doesn't love a funny cat video?! Not me, that's for sure. Please enjoy this offering from The Telegraph. I particularly enjoyed seeing Simba himself as a walk on extra in this one.
Video 2 and a rant
Seondly, I can't not make mention of the World Athletics Championships. You know me, I like a bit of athletics and I love the BBC which is why I was disappointed to discover than Channel 4 won the rights to the IAAF Championships. Gutted actually. I went from being excited about the Championships to, well, not. And with some justification as this second video shows, the anchorman just wasn't up to it. I think this is all from the first day and in fairness, he did get a bit better before he was 'demoted' yesterday (and by demoted I mean axed). However, asking Michael Johnson if he's ever tried the pole vault probably isn't the best line of questioning without having some indication of a cracker anecdote he has.
Anyway, try to watch it without cringing.
It makes me appreciate Sue Barker and the master, John Inverdale, all the more.
So now that they've lost Ortis, why is it so terrible? Well there's the adverts. I know that how the BBC works is from the licence fee and how the others work is from money from adverts. But really? Back from a break and one 400m race and back to adverts? And so help me if I see that Clio advert one more time...
And I miss Phil Jones trackside. The woman C4 have isn't very good, a bit patronising and probably because of the rush to ads, comes across abrupt with the athletes. I miss Steve Cram too. He sees things the average viewer or indeed, the camera missed.
There have been a few good things about the coverage. We don't get the little hamster, Colin Jackson, nodding along to everything Michael Johnson says (but happily still get Michael Johnson). Neither is Denise Lewis there to add in cliches. Katherine Merry is very good and Dean Macey is brilliant at the field events, mostly because of his excitement! And he called the 110m hurdles right (the tangle and why Lui Xiang hit the last hurdle) immediately afterwards which C4's actual commentator didn't see apparently. Well, can't blame him, it all happens in 13 seconds. However, keeping an eye on the two British athletes you'd think would be key for the British broadcaster of the Championships. Not so much though, as we got told 'Andy Turner finished some way down the field'. He didn't, he finished fourth and then got promoted to 3rd when Robles was disqualified. That said, Dean Macey's grammar isn't great, sorry I mean cracks me up, but I shouldn't complain. Not just anyone can do TV you know, as poor Ortis showed.
Video 3
Thirdly, a video from UTV (for which you have 23 more days to enjoy). I'm not a UTV kinda girl (see above re. BBC) but Nicky told me to watch this video. I did and I wasn't disappointed. It's pun-tastic just the way local news should be.
I imagine there was a lot of high fiving with the cameraman when he came up with another cow pun to include. And I particularly enjoyed the job title of 'Cow Rescue Specialist'. Apparently it's five more rescues til he gets 'Expert' status.
Video 4
Like I said, I like BBC and BBC Newsline is no exception. Donna, Noel, Jackie, they're like family to me now. Not to be outdone by their rivals they had their own animal interest story about an abandoned donkey with hooves that had grown into elf feet (I don't think that's the technical term).
I encountered donkey neglect during my Methodist publication research last year (blog posts here, here and here) because the Irish Christian Advocate used to have an advert from the USPCA or some such about it with this photo.
The advert appeared with amazing regularity.
I'd take a few Florida Apartment or Flower Show ads any day over a Donkey Elf Feet picture.
Anyway, back to the report. Because it's the BBC I can't embed the video but the link is here. Do please enjoy it. My own highlights are:
- his name. I've said it before, animals shouldn't have human names. Johnny the donkey? Are you kidding me? The report also mentions Brian the donkey. I promise I'm not making this up.
-the 'photographer lady knowing the feet weren't right'. When you see the video I think you'll agree she is the winner of today's No Shit Sherlock Award. Congratulations to you, Photographer Lady.
- the fact that a few years ago it was 'chic' to own a donkey. Seriously? Not quite a chihuahua in a handbag, is it?
If you didn't see it live, you'll also have missed the reporter holding Johnny's cut hoof like it was the most normal thing in the world. Put me right off my Milky Bar dessert I can tell you.
I don't know, you wait years for a mother-daughter trip and then two come along at once. This trip was inspired by last year's Wimbledon trip. Mum has watched Wimbledon forever, well she doesn't remember Fred Perry or nowt, but a few years anyway. So this year it was my great pleasure to announce that once again I had tickets and mum was in! Way to score Daughter Points, Tina!
So at the end of June we were off. In order to make it a real trip we, of course, scheduled a trip to the theatre. Mum wanted to see Billy Elliot. Happy with my points from obtaining tickets, I vetoed it. We settled instead on Pygmalion. Sure the dancing and songs aren't as good, but the acting and the writing?! Tip top. Rupert Everett and Kara Tointon were in it, and they were ace. I tweeted afterwards that it reminded me of being in Mrs. Brown's English Lit class only with better actors. Actually, I can't be absolutely sure we ever acted it out, all I remember from Mrs. Brown's English class is her furiously writing notes on the blackboard, us geeks at the front writing them down and girls at the back asking if we had any magazines to read. Active learning my ass.
The next day we were off to SW19. It was men's quarterfinals day. On Centre Roger Federer was playing against Jo-Wilfred Tsonga and then Andy Murray against Feliciano Lopez. If you know my tennis preferences at all, you'll know I'm not greatly fond of Federer. He seems a nice enough man, sure. Til there's a record to be beaten and out he comes with his specially made jacket with his big RF all over it to wear for the presentation. What a big head! You also might know that I love Rafa Nadal. A lot. But that's not important for this story, he was playing on Court 1.
We went to the same entrance that Ruth and I used last year so Mum could see what it's like courtside.
This man appeared through the door. I don't think he plays on the tour.
Then we hung around the Press Centre. Right beside Roger was warming up.
You can imagine my excitement.
Martina Navratilova and Jana Novotna were playing on Court 18 and so we waited for them to walk past. While we waited I got talking to a man in a shirt and tie. Throughout the course of our conversation it emerged he worked for the ATP as an announcer and used to umpire matches (including some of Navratilova's wins at Wimbledon and Stefan Edberg's win in the 1980s). He was a super nice man and we had a lovely chat.
All the while we were waiting there was a young fella walking around. Only later that evening we realised it was future British star Liam Broady. Should have taken a picture of him. But he hadn't beaten the world number 1 at that point!
Honestly, you hang around for twenty minutes and then a stupid woman with a ponytail walks infront of your photo of Martina and Jana. I'm shaking my fist at you Ponytail Lady!
Before too long we were back to Centre Court, ready for play to start.
The royal box was getting full. It was exciting to get texts from Ruth watching at home, telling us who to look out for. Such celebs as Amanda Holden, Les Ferdinand, Greg Norman, Lewis Hamilton Michael Caine, and Sir Cliff. Then the exciting news came through that Pippa Middleton was there! It quickly became apparent she wasn't in the royal box, but with only a red dress to go on it took a while to find her. But find her I did!
I lent her that red dress.
Oh yes. There was tennis too. We didn't have a spectator meeting beforehand or anything, but there was definitely a feeling that the big match that day was going to be the Murray match. Well no one told Tsonga that. After coming out and losing his first service game and the first two sets he woke up. Bam. It was a brilliant match, and not just because he was beating Federer.
Please enjoy this video of match point. Whooping, hollering and shaky camera work included. But look at his little victory dance. Bless.
Like I said, no one really expected it to be as good a match as it was. Or that it would go to five sets. By the time Murray came on, there the court was about two-thirds full. I, myself, went out during the first set. After some crap directions to the bathrooms from an employee I chanced upon this view of Henman Hill.
Bunged.
Murray made short work of Lopez and was soon walking off, safely through to the semis.
He passed by our old seats. Still, I'd have Rafa's autograph any day over Murray's. No offence, like.
To finish the day off with we had some doubles. Todd Woodbridge and Jonas Bjorkman against Cedric Pioline and Barry Cowan. Yes, no I'd never heard of him either. Apparently he was a doubles player back in the day.
Boom.
And so that was that.
A good day was had by all.
Except for possibly my mother, who got food poisoning from something that day. Though she'd probably prefer if I didn't tell that story I will say it's miserable to be that sick away from home.
The next day I went into London town by myself. I had about two hours to walk around. But I consider it quite successful as I found my dress for graduation (in about 5 minutes, I thank you), saw the Olympics countdown clock, bought a Krispy Kreme doughnut, and went to Covent Garden.
In Covent Garden Tube Station I just about lost it with a woman. I couldn't get through the barriers because my Oyster card needed more money on it. It had started to rain and the tiniest Tube Station in the world became rammed. I fought my way back to the window (the one window) and queued. Imagine my joy when the woman in front of me wanted to have discussion about how best to get her group of 17 to wherever and what sort of ticket was best to buy. I bit my tongue and said nothing.
However, when it came to paying I could not remain silent when she turned to the group of 17, scattered throughout the station (which was rammed, remember) and asked that each person bring her £1.50 to pay for their ticket. I might have told her that wasn't the best way to do things. She might have replied that she had no choice. Then I might have replied and said with great exasperation 'This is London'.
Two days in London and I became a huffy Londoner. Well, when in Rome...
You thought you had me and then I disappear again. I didn't even make it here for the 31st International Tina Day. Eek.
I have been meaning to blog, about loads of things actually. And look, now it's CHW week and I haven't. So I'm going to attempt to write a few posts for while I'm away and at the very least get my July blog count upped past one, which, I think anyone would agree, is piss poor.
This past week I travelled was in Dublin. I haven't been in Dublin, like proper Dublin (not counting airports and concert venues) for about 18 months. This week I spent 4 days out of 7 there.
Trip one was for my birthday. I had the super idea after meeting Jools in the airport at Christmas to spend my birthday at his house. Why? Well, birthday roadtrip? I love a roadtrip, I love my birthday! Notch up another location for ITD? I love new locations for ITD! Have super fun with friends? I love having super fun with friends. Win. Win. Win.
Trips two and three were for meetings. They're not wildly exciting for blogging. For the first one I got the train down. Like Julia Roberts would say, big mistake, huge. My two hour meeting took 12 hours of my day. Mostly because it took two and half hours to get home from Lisburn. Got to love Translink.
Aside from delays, it was a hateful journey home for another reason. Mostly because of the man sitting beside me. On the way down I had a smoker sitting opposite me. Bad. The way back was much worse. In fact, I was moved to writing this letter to the man. I didn't actually give it to him, but he might have seen my phone screen at one point. Oopsy.
Dear man sitting next to me on the 16.50 Enterprise from Dublin whose leg has been annoying me for the past hour, You haven't travelled on public transport much, have you? I have some experience so let me pass on some of my knowledge: if you were to move your bag to the overhead shelf you'd be able to move you leg away from mine. This would also solve the problem of your foot being practically on top of my handbag. No offense like, but, you see, I'd prefer if our legs weren't touching. I don't know you and I'm a personal bubble kinda gal with new people. Every time I move away from you, you then take that as as invitation to fill the gap. In a while I'll be stuck to the window like Spidy himself. I wouldn't even mind your complete dominance of the arm rest if you could just ensure our thighs were independent from one another. Kind regards and happy future travelling, Tina
Touching, touching. I can get mad because you're touching.
I don't really consider myself a lucky person. Other people might disagree; mostly because I've been known to have a bit of luck in obtaining tickets for things. Take for example my 2nd row centre court tickets for the Men's semis at Wimbledon last year. Or how I managed to get Take That tickets for later this month. Actually I got three sets of Take That tickets, so I can maybe see their point.
But it was with nervous anticipation I checked (and kept checking) my bank account yesterday, the final day for money to be taken out of your account for the Olympics. Eventually a phonecall to the bank confirmed the reason for my reduced credit limit was indeed for 2012 tickets!
Lucky? I'm not so sure. I wasn't the best at Maths, but the only thing that I can see that adds up to that amount is...wait for it...Handball.
Are. You. Fricking. Kidding. Me? Handball?
Aside from a two second 'Zambia won the gold medal' highlight, I have never seen handball in my life. I don't know the rules. I don't know what a good score is. I don't know how long a game (or match? See I don't even know the terms!) lasts. But because of a last minute whim on my ticket application by throwing in a just-for-a-laugh sport that's what I'm going to see at the Olympics!
To say it's my Olympic dreams coming true is an understatement.
Is it possible to teach yourself handball via YouTube?
Still, it's not all bad news. Mum has an amount taken which opens up a couple of possibilities. So with that and my lucky handball tickets (ahem), at least we're getting to go to something. Plus there's always the second round and resale options, although it looks like everyone got so little no one will be selling anything on.
So with muted enthusiasm I say:
2, 4, 6, 8, what do we appreciate?
Using our hands!
Look at this. Just three weeks after my resolution to write more I am back on my blog. It wasn't so easy to blog from Colorado. Well just take a look at the shape of the blog post I did manage. The layout annoys me. Plus I got sick towards the end of Colorado, actually right in the middle. Skied on, trooper that I am, but I did have afternoon sleeps and early nights. Still got a bit of a cough at the minute but I'm doing my best to eradicate afternoon sleeps.
Skiing stories will come, just as soon as I have the energy to tackle photos on Blogger, but for now you will receive a rant about one of my favourite TV shows ever, The Daily Show. It's been shown on More4 for the past 5 years or so (apparently...I've been watching since 2008 and my return). I watched it in NC and the weekly Global Edition in Singapore and you might remember I went to see a show be taped when I was in NYC in January 2008.
WELL...
More4 have only gone and decide to stop showing it. Gutted. Beyond belied. Because I watched on Sky Planner I totally missed the announcement that came at the end of the last show before Christmas:
"and that's the end of The Daily Show on More4 but the Global Edition returns on Monday 10th January."
From four shows a week to a hotch potch, mishmashed one episode?! That hardly seems fair! The best stuff Jon Stewart does is at the beginning of the show when he shows clips from the news channels and makes fun of their one sidedness/over-reaction/misunderstanding of events. The majority of this is all cut to about ten minutes. The guests too, cut down from four to just one. Last week, according to their website, they had Denis Leary (an actor), Colin Firth (an actor...you knew that, right?), Tim Pawlenty (former Minnesota Governor and potential 2012 Republican candidate) and Ron Howard (Sunday, Monday, Happy Days, oh, and an Oscar award winning director). Who was the guest they chose to put out on the Global Edition? Denis Leary! Not just my last choice of interview to see, but I'd say probably yours too.
The interwebs has been a buzz with the decision from More4. No really it has, you just have to look for it. There's an article here from the Guardian. One here from the New Statesman and forums and blog posts and Facebook pages.
For my part, I have written two emails, one to Comedy Central asking them to consider showing the proper Daily Show on their UK channel. Well, it is a Comedy Central show after all. No reply yet from them. Hmm. Probably just looking into their finances and where to schedule it?
The second email I wrote was to the good people at Channel 4/More4 who made this decision. From having done my research on t'internet, I knew there was a copy and paste email that I was bound to get back. So to beat them to it, I pasted it in to my email along with expressing my disappointment that such a great show be stopped in the UK. The typical response from C4 reads something like this:
Thank you for your e-mail. We are sorry to read that you are disappointed about More4's decision to discontinue showing The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.
The Daily Show has been a fixture of weeknights on More4 for five years now and - just like with 'Friends' on E4' - the time eventually comes to say goodbye to programmes we've loved to make way for other programmes.
The Daily Show is an US acquisition and while we will continue to buy overseas programmes for More4, we have decided to spend more of the More4 budget on local commissions such as True Stories, which help support the UK independent production sector.
You will still be able to view The Daily Show Global edition every Monday on More4. We've also got our own home-grown satirical take on the week's news coming up later this year on Channel 4 in the form of the 10 O'Clock Show, which we hope you will enjoy.
Please be assured your complaint has been logged and noted for the information of those responsible for our programming.
Thank you again for taking the time to contact us. We appreciate all feedback from our viewers; complimentary or otherwise.
Regards,
Someone Someone
Channel 4 Viewer Enquiries
So my email included these points which I politely asked them to respond to:
1. The 10 o'clock show is unproven as yet. Can you confirm it will cover American politics and get equally important 'big name' guests such as Barack Obama, Tony Blair, Gordon Brown and Condoleeza Rice?
2. While it is available on iTunes, it costs £10 for 16 episodes. Can you provide me with contact details to Courvoiser (the UK sponsors) so as they could continue to sponsor my viewing of The Daily Show?
3. Friends ended in 2004 and the repeats have been shown here on E4 for more than six years. Are there plans for repeats of The Daily Show to be shown 4 or 5 times a day on More4 for an equally long time? I ask, because you are the one who made the comparison to Friends.
I'm not hopeful of any sort of different reply to the kind others have received, but it might make someone smile, somewhere, somehow.
Interestingly, one of the people who can use their sway to reverse this decision is Jay Hunt, the new Chief Creative Officer at C4. You might have heard of her before, she's the woman who cut Adrian from Friday nights at The One Show to make way for Chris Flipping Evans, which caused Adrian to leave the BBC and Christine to follow suit.
I shan't hold my breath then.
(If you'd like to join the protest and log your complaint, email ViewerEnquiries@channel4.co.uk. Go on even if you don't care send them a wee email saying you're disappointed.)
I love Twitter. It's so quick and easy to use. You only get 140 characters so it can be quite a challenge to fit what you want in. I have been known to continue on a thought on subsequent tweets. Well, like my bio says, when something's funny, life is too short not to laugh at it.
I also like reading tweets. I like the people I follow. Some are people I know, most are 'celebs'. I am in charge of who I follow. I've been following Alan Sugar for a while. Mostly because there was a bet he had with Piers Morgan, but his tweets became so full of hate I had to stop. One of my favourite celebs is Dave Gorman, he is brilliantly clever. I could probably stop following both Barack Obama and Stephen Fry, but that might be rude because both the President of the USA and the President of Twitter follow me. Awk-ward.
Of late I have noticed myself rolling my eyes at two particular kinds of tweet and I think here is a safe place to rant about them. I don't know why, but I suppose writing it on Twitter might be a little bit rude. (Please don't be offended if I follow you on Twitter and these are something you have done. This has taken months of build up.)
1. Something + something = something else.
Yawn. If you're going to get mathematical at least make it a more complex sum than something a P2 would do. You could subtract something. Or for real A Level maths tweets why not introduce a bit of < or >? Or how's about a ≠. Go on, if you're a P2 maths tweeter, branch out and put a little thought into your maths based tweets.
2. Something something. That is all.
You just wasted 12 whole characters telling me 'that is all' when one full stop already told me that was the end of your thought.
And just while I'm ranting, can we get some sort of ruling on smileys that go the wrong way. The eyes should clearly be first, thus ;) I think people who do the smiley part first s: should have their face made to stay that way.
Whilst we are pleased to receive your wishes for a merry Christmas and happy new year, we would prefer these at a more seasonal time. We got your card this morning, which means that you probably wrote it at the weekend, when it was still October! That is altogether too early for such passing on of Yuletide merriment. It nearly seems like you don't wish Christmas cheer upon us, but that you are merely working your way through your Christmas to-do list, which diminishes the kind Christmas wishes somewhat. I am sure that was not your intention.
Might I suggest next year, if you write your cards early (which you clearly will, you've proven yourselves to be the sort), that you put them in a drawer until late November. That way you will have completed that item off your to do list, but your greetings will not receive ridicule and mocking from us at the breakfast table, thus being received in the spirit that was intended.
I am probably much like you - I follow Stephen Fry on Twitter. Over the last number of months I've appreciated his witty insights. But then yesterday I saw this and it made me go off him somewhat.
I do think it matters. I do think people go off politicians because of this. Yes, people should care more about the big issues, but when it's my tax pounds they're fiddling then I have a problem with it. In most cases, everyone else who fiddles expenses does it to a company which loses out on profits. It's not still not right, but it's not me they're stealing from so I care a bit less.
I mean, really? Someone claiming the second home allowance in Southampton when their main home is in Luton and they work in London? Claiming for dog food? Are you joking me, how do you need that for your job as an MP? And then there's claiming for horse manure and just plain taking the piss.
If I hear one more time from a MP trying to save face that they were only acting within the rules and that it's a 'rotten system' (I'm looking at you Shaun Woodward) then they may be responsible for paying for my TV when I smash the old one to smithereens listening to them.
I found this list on the BBC and it renewed my faith somewhat in politicians. Ann Widdecombe has a point. First time I've probably said that.
Now, can we all agree that what they've claimed for is now owned by the state, set up some sort of halls of residence for them all, and then let's move on.
I really hate bad service in shops and restaurants. I think it's incredibly rude and unhelpful. Just because I'm having a bad day doesn't mean I take it out on my students. I'll often vote with my feet and never go back. A case in point, Frasers (or is a Z? See, I never go. It is dead to me. I am as stubborn as my grandfather sometimes.) in Belfast. I haven't darkened the door of that shop since the mid-late 90s after bad service. Obviously this ploy hasn't worked so well as it's still standing. But not because of my money. Ha.
Anyway, as the Christmas shopping season has hit, I, like many people, buy things online. Well this one idea (let's just say it was a 'keyring', they read this) I had for my nearest and dearest really required a conversation with someone. I called one company and the girl couldn't tell me the answers to my questions, and even though it was 4.15pm she said she couldn't let me know until tomorrow, therefore potentially missing the Christmas deadline delivery. It was so much that as her unhelpful nature when she spoke which was annoying.
I called another company and it couldn't have been more different. She knew the answers to most of my questions and promised to find out the ones she didn't know in fiveminutes. When she called me back they weren't quite as I hoped, I still felt a certain sense of comfort in ordering said 'keyring' with her. Ten minutes later she called me back to say that she'd messed up and delivery would be slightly more I didn't mind because she was so apologetic and polite about it.
When Christmas is all over with and the 'keyring' goes down a storm I'll maybe put a link on then incase you want to order a 'keyring'. Good people like this deserve to have their name known.
Not actually me I suppose, I feel like writing one. Mostly because I have work I should be marking, but as that doesn't really need done yet I'm holding off. Some might say dossing, but iI'll stick with my first choice of holding off.
I like it when Tuesday is over with because those are my worst days. Well Thursday isn't pretty either but it feels better because once it's over it's Friday and who doesn't like Fridays?! Actually I've never liked Thursdays. Even in Primary School I can remember not like Thursdays, even though we had craft on Tuesdays and Thursdays and craft was my favourite. I think it must be something to do with being so close to Friday and not actually being Friday. Anyways, I think I am waffling now because today isn't even Thursday, it's Tuesday. But boy, what a Tuesday!
I don't think I could cope with an election as long as America has. I suppose that's one of the benefits of the 'call-it-when-you-think-you'll-win' power of the Prime Minister (I'm sure this has a better name that I can't think of right now). Everyone has known this election has been coming and so for nearly two years candidates have been publically campaigning. When I was there last week it was impossible to turn on the TV, listen to the radio, or drive 100m without seeing or hearing something about it. I'm sure you've seen those political adverts, typically with the deep voice. They were All. Over. The. Place. And just by the way, I don't know much about Kay Hagan, but they don't like her round my neck of North Carolina. Although given that it's Hicksville Central that's hardly a big surprise. But I am very excited my adopted state may go blue for the first time since Jimmy Carter!! North Carolina: Not quite as south as...well South Carolina.
When I was there I was surprised to hear from my ex co-workers that they can vote early. They voted a full two weeks ago. Apparently they reason for it is to stop big lines trying to vote on the actual election. But here's the thing I don't get - America is about the 24 hour convenience. Plenty of stores are open 24 hours. Ok, so Wal-Mart and grocery stores and that, but still. In North Carolina the polls are open til 7.30pm. Eh hello? Stay open longer! Or have more polling centres. Revolutionary ideas here, I know. I mean, I suppose there's nothing really wrong in early voting but what is something major emerged in the last days and you wanted to switch? Nevermind the fact that corrupt officials could get up to some funny business. Well you never know! Plus, and I'm no expert, isn't there something in the Constitution that picks out the date for the election. The Tuesday after the first Monday or something? Maybe I should draft an email to someone about this:
'Dear Sir/Madam,
I was surprised to learn of your early voting opportunities....Whilst I agree with the need to get the vote out, as it were, I am concerned about the Constitutional ramifications of said early voting...Might I suggest you look into the possibility of longer hours at polling stations...or perhaps even more polling stations...We certainly don't want the Supreme Court deciding the outcome of an election because of Constitutional issues, as one would have to say that didn't work out so well last time...
I look forward to your response to this important matter,
Respectfully yours,
Tina'
So what else. Autumn Soul was at the weekend. Sadly, although I took my camera I didn't actually take any photos. I know, you're gutted. For the first time I was on the Prayer Team. Actually that's not true. Just the first time we didn't pray with anyone because the speaker went on that flipping long he sapped the life out of everyone there, so I don't think that counts. It was a great weekend though, made even better by staying with Nicky and Heidi and not a church hall floor. Heidi, even though she was in the final days of her pregnancy, offered me a bed! I made such a ruckus having a shower it was a miracle Bumpus didn't arrive early to hear what all the noise was about. Sorry...again.
Just like November 4th was a long time coming, so too was November 5th! But it's tomorrow! Good luck everybody, well really just Nicky and Heidi! And of course Bumpus!
I know, just when you think I'm back blogging regularly I stop again. But I have been working. All. The. Time. Some time back I thought it would be a good idea to do some external exam marking. Ha. Good one Tina.
It's quite fancy, all the papers have been scanned in and are online. Now, I can doss on tinternet with the best of them, but reading something that matters, that's different. I have a set of deadlines which are keeping me on my toes but with some concerted effort they have been met. That was until yesterday.
Yesterday was a 'long' essay day. Progress is slow on those days. I reach lunchtime contemplating my wisdom in signing up for said marking. By the time dinner comes around I am genuinely questioning whether I should sign my life over to some sort of legal representative as I clearly I should not be making decisions for myself. By suppertime only the fact that my brain is beginning to ooze out of my ear stops me becoming danger to myself.
By 5.30pm yesterday I had only marked 22 essays. But that was ok I told myself, the afternoon is not my most productive times, (much like when studying for exams funnily enough) I still had the evening.
That was until the super people at BT got involved and tinternet died. [Isn't funny how when you forgot your mobile or you don't have internet you feel like your right hand has been cut off?]
Two hours I spent on the phone with them. Two hours! They failed to understand that despite all the lights being on the router there was something wrong with their side of things. They also failed to realise that it was nothing to do with any settings on my computer because it affected all our computers which are all on different operating systems and different browsers. At one point she had me so far into the settings of the computer with no clear purpose I thought she was going to suggest that I poke my fingers into the DVD drive to see if that made any difference.
As time went on it emerged that other people in the 'head were having similar problems. (I resisted calling them back with a big 'sooooo yooooooo!') Eventually this morning someone at BT (with a bit of sense) agreed that there was a problem. But worse, that it had been 'escalating' from about Sunday, and that he didn't know when it would be fixed.
It was clear that sitting here and waiting for a BT engineer wasn't going to do me or my deadline any good.
But with so many losers in the situation, there had to be winners! Step up Nicky and Heidi! They got the pleasure of my presence in their home all day while I caught up and tried to make the deadline. You'll note the careful use of 'presence'. I only really came out of the room for meals and bathroom breaks. But the deadline was met and our tinternet is up and running again.
Fingers crossed it stays that way, tomorrow is long essay day again. Oh die.
My dad and I often laugh at spokespersons on TV, especially Northern Ireland ones. They are hilarious, unintentionally of course. Pay particular attention to the PSNI ones. I can just imagine the training they get; 'be as dull as you can and never raise your voice over the flat monotone you start out on. Oh and bonus points for getting 'community' in'.
Caitriona Ruane is another kettle of fish. She must use key phrases several times an interview, presumably approved by the Sinn Fein Press Office:
1. 'I am the Minister of Education...'
This reminds everyone just who you are and the power you have, yes, nevermind you can't act unilaterally, make people think you can.
2. 'Failing our children'
Is there anything more damning than something that fails children. No, wait make it personal, fails our children.
A clever double swipe, the poor little kiddie-winkles going through big bad exams, but don't just leave it there, go on and remind everyone we don't say 'Northern Ireland'.
5. 'Moving forward'
Implies every other viewpoint is backward, ergo academic selection is bad.
6. 'Educationalists'
This makes you sound smart, that you know what you are talking about and given this more thought than it would appear.
Most of the time I see her I try to imagine her as a tennis player. It distracts me enough from shouting at the TV.
It's been a while hasn't it? The past weeks have been particularly busy for me, getting courses finished, and revision classes set up. And you know, dossing and what not.
But I must be more careful in agreeing to Revision classes in future; they're much easier to do if:
1. You taught it first time round.
2. You learnt the stuff yourself in the, oh say, last five years or so.
But I made it through. May Day was a bit of a wash out though, which is a shame because it looks like that might constitute a large part of the 'NI summer'.
Speaking of which I have rediscovered the glory of Fabs, the ice lolly. Every layer is a treat.
What else?
I hit the cat today with a bit coal. Right square in the face too. Before you report me to the RSPCA let me just explain. Firstly he was eating grass, cats eating grass never turns out well in my experience. Secondly, shouting at him wouldn't stop him. Thirdly, I'm a crap shot. It was meant to land just beside him. I honestly, truly didn't mean to hit him with it. Fourthly, I swear he moved in to the missile so as to generate more love and hugs from my mum. All the same I did feel terrible. I think he is slowly forgiving me and now doesn't seem quite so keen to run away from Scary Coal Lady, which understandably, in the aftermath he did.
I've been listening to Radio 1 a lot recently, as always. My classes in school were surprised, I think were expecting Radio 4. I put this down to my political and analytical mind. Ha! I love Chris Moyles and Dom more and more every day. Quite often I'll look round in the traffic queue to see if anyone else is laughing as much me. Last week I thought I was going to have to pull over when Chris was going on about kids with pierced ears. Funny stuff.
Coming home I hear altogether too much of Edith Bowmen. Back in the day of Colin and Edith, I used to think Edith was the one I liked. Now I realise I did my fellow country...person(is that a term?) a disservice. He was the good one. I count the links (get me and my radio terminology) she does mentioning films. Shut up already and play a song! Even if there's a guest in not remotely related to the movie industry she asks them about films. Honestly, if she's not angling to get the Film 2000andwhatever spot from Jonathan Ross I'll eat my hat.
So that's the round up from me. Hopefully it won't be so long next time round.
Oh one more thing. Chris B. showed us these fake trailers which completely change the genre of the film the other day. Look what they have done to Mary Poppins.
But they'll have to try harder than that to ruin the magic in it for me!
I'm excited because tomorrow I'm on a school field trip which means a later start in the morning and no lunch to have to make. The lie in is not really substantial but I may wear make up tomorrow just to celebrate. Make up in the morning is, quite frankly, more than I can handle. What am I saying? Talking in the morning is more than I can handle! Although I am positively Miss Sunshiny 2008 compared to Jud. Roll on CHW!
What else? Teaching is going well, although I missing the benefits of my classroom in Singapore. Somewhere to leave your coat for example. Not that I ever took a coat to school, or even had a coat in Singapore. The other big loss is data projector. I think these should be provided for every teacher as standard. Overheads are so last century. And mine is a crap overhead at that, all dingy around the sides. I'm also gutted that I can't use my cool new whiteboard pens on the Nineteenth Century blackboard I have.
Still, the one ray of sunshine is that my job doesn't require me to go anywhere near the West Link. Although I did have to go there yesterday.
Nice of them to tell us that delays were possible in 300 yards, 600 yards into the actual delays.
Especially when they are too small. Take for example the PDF form issued by a certain south easterly board which gives 3cm x 2cm for all the modules you completed in each year at university. 3cm x 2cm isn't big enough for some of the modules I did, let alone the entire year's work. Like 'The Sociology of Racial and Ethnic Conflict' for example. It was a bugger to do at the time but trying to fit it in application forms is nearly worse.
And another thing, while we're on the topic, I hate writing 'International'. I have to write it all the time. It's in the name of my degree, half my modules were concerned with it, it's the type of school I worked at, it's in the name of the school I worked at, I taught International GCSE, it had it in the name of board we did, and I was trained in flipping well International Baccalaureate Extended Essays.
That's a whole lot of internationals to fit in (especially on badly laid out forms).
So you'd think I would spell it right more than I do.
My first proper guests arrive tomorrow and I am so excited. Even though I have a thousand things to do for school and my house is tip, I'm so excited. You know Ruth, she comments on here once in a while. I reckon she's now one of my oldest friends (as in known the longest, she's not 80). We were in the same Science class in 2nd Year, we shared a study booth in 6th Year and I made her wedding stationery (v. stylish they were too!). One of the smartest things we ever did was to decide not to buy each other a Christmas present as there is enough expense at that time of year. Yet she is one of my best friends.
So Mark* and Ruth will be in my room whilst I move to the spare room.
However in the attempt to move my stuff to the other bedroom, I broke the wardrobe. Not badly. It wasn't a sofa cushion shrinking moment or anything. It should be a relatively easy fix. (I say this as if I am some sort of expert. Although let's not forget I am my dad's right hand girl when it comes to the old flat pack. We put together that computer-desk-cupboard-thing for my mum in a matter of...hours).
But the one sticking point right now is that I don't have a screwdriver to do it. And it being 1.00am I think I'll have to wait until tomorrow until I can get one. ('Can you believe there are no hardware stores open in the city past 1.00am?!') But unfortunately that means my tidying and swapping bedrooms has been put on hold.
So instead I am writing here and watching 'Later With Jools Holland' on BBC Entertainment. I think it must be fairly recent (as in this year) as Amy Winehouse and Muse were on. Duke Special is playing at the minute. I realise what I am about to say is about as controversial as my 'I don't really like Portrush' statement but I am 8000 safe miles away from getting mobbed so I'll take my chances and say I don't really get Duke Special. Call me 'mainstream' but he's odd. Leaving aside his appearance, he sings with a big old NI accent (and not in a Juliet Turner cute kind of way) and uses cheese graters in his songs. Hello?! Emperor's new clothes?! Am I the only one to realise you're being conned? Of course, I realise that when I come back home and am fully immersed in NI culture again, I'll eat my words and think he's the best thing since...some other fantastic NI artist with cult status.
In other news, I had an impromptu dinner party last weekend when my fridge freezer died. I didn't want to waste the food so invited people round to share in my thawed Bolagnese, Curry and Mushroom Chicken Something. Unfortunately it was too late for the Ben and Jerry's. My new fridge arrived on Wednesday and while I am excited by the turny ice cube trays, I am distressed that pizzas have to be taken out of the box to fit.
