I don’t know if it happens in America but on UK Quiz Shows they often ask contestants about themselves instead of getting on with the questions. And the contestants seem, these days, to find it almost impossible to answer without starting “So . . .”
It’s something I have noticed over the last few years. I assume that either they didn’t do it a few years ago, or that I didn’t notice it. It is very irritating. To start “Err . . .” as the brain picks up speed is human frailty, but starting “So . . .” just signals membership of a pervasive fellowship of irritating TV contestants.
Talking of irritants, I see that there has been a large number of complaints about bad language an episode of Love Island. I would have thought that the language was one of the least offensive things about the show. I’ve only seen clips of it on Gogglebox but the concept, the contestants and the general level of conversation is all dreadful too. Coming from a man who watches a TV programme about watching people watching TV, this concern with quality content may seem out of character, but I assure you, I do have standards. They are low standards, and Love Island fails to meet them.
I will leave you with a couple of poems. They were first published in Eucalypt 33.
the letter
from the lawyers
on the mat
lit by a sunbeam
—floating dust
that morning
in the coffee bar
I had no plans
to meet my one true love
—you said the seat was free
They could be reversed and read as a pair, I suppose, but that’s not how they were written. As the exotic beauty of the second poem has just given me a coffee and two fig rolls for elevenses approximately 42 years after the events described in the poem, there have clearly been no lawyers involved. For the sake of accuracy, may I add that there was a mutual friend sitting at the table too, I am not the sort of suave lounge lizard who finds it easy to approach strange women in coffee bars.
Coconut macaroons and hilarity in Bakewell. Can you see a theme developing?
Wonderful poems, Simon. And that photo of your sassy wife is my favorite.
Thank you. More acceptances today! And fish and chips! 🙂
So fun filled
Fun, like old age, is preferable to the alternative. 🙂
I enjoyed your poetry, and the photos, too. I seem to remember that twin macaroons photo from an earlier post? 🙂
Thank you. Yes, it’ s one of my go-to pictures. 🙂
Me too! That’s all I needed to know I love Julia. lol
Me too. Though I still introduce her as “My first wife” to ensure she doesn’t take me for granted. 🙂
That’s a good plan. Keep her on her toes.
🙂
Good to see such a lovely picture of Julia in her green print dress and matching brassicas. I like this theme!
Lounge lizard. I haven’t heard that phrase in years. Unlike the irritating ‘So….’! I have noticed my elder daughter using it recently in her social-media posts; she has a PhD and works in a university, for goodness sake!
Like so many things, the speech habits of the young run across all barriers of education. I blame the Americans. They, in turn, claim just to be using the original Elizabethan forms. Of course, like their tendency to mumble, it might just be that I am turning into my Dad.
My mother-in-law used to accuse everyone of mumbling and I now see what she meant by it. People don’t move their mouths either so lip-readers must be just as confused as you and me.
The first time I muttered about people mumbling I realised I was turning into my Dad . . . 🙂
😀
Lounge lizard. I still hear that often enough over here. 🙂
🙂 You probably have more lounges.
And more lizards… 🙂
Yes, I imagine you do. 🙂
So . . . I like both the poems and the post . . . and the pictures.
I think that the ubiquitous ‘so’ comes from having rehearsed the answer beforehand. It gives the contestant time to remember what he or she is supposed to say rather than answering spontaneously.
Yes, that would make sense. Thank you for your kind comments.
Lovely story!
🙂 Thank you.
😉