It Turns Out TV Is Actually Better When You Are Tired

I seem to have had quite a lot to say this week. The truth is, I always do have a lot to say, only I have always been taught that it is more important to listen than to speak, and that there is a time to speak and a time to keep quiet.

Anyway, it is Friday…the end of the working week for many. I wanted to publish something more lighthearted today. So I thought I would share with you something fairly trivial but significant to me:

I have started to notice things again!

Just to explain…when I was working in an NHS role during the Pandemic, I think I had become chronically tired on some levels. I gave the best of my energy and mental alertness to work, caring for our patients, but I sometimes noticed that I was so tired by the time I reached home that I could not take anything in. I explained how this was effecting me in a post I published last summer:

https://crushedcaramel.wordpress.com/2021/07/28/i-need-to-concentrate-on-the-weather-forecast/

Well, as many of you know, in February I started a new job. I noticed last week that now I seem to be able to concentrate on the weather report and remember what the forecaster said afterwards!

I also noticed things like…

• during one weather forecast this week, a commercial started to play at the same time as the forecaster was speaking – it totally put him off – somebody clearly realized the technical gaff and stalled the commercial, and the disgruntled forecaster resumed his description of the wind direction
• announcing the classic dramatization of Jane Austen’s classic starring Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle, the broadcasting channel displayed the title as “Price & Prejudice” – tut tut- spelling mistake
• one media outlet completely confused the facts and figures involved in two reports – a bombing in Ukraine and the floods in South Africa. It was painful as incorrect figures were displayed for several minutes on the screen while the presenter voiced contradictory information, seemingly oblivious to the false information displayed on screen
• a presenter on a pre-recorded and edited television show was allowed to commentate throughout the filming with nobody thinking to inform him that he needed to blow his nose

So….I have learnt something – television is far less enjoyable when you are alert. You start to notice all sorts of mistakes and technical issues that make you think – perhaps the TV peeps are more exhausted than I used to be working for the NHS?

I Am A Scaredy-Cat!

Jack likes the ITV drama Endeavour. The new series has been broadcast over the past three weeks, and after working all day together on a Sunday, he has wanted to curl up on the sofa with a glass of wine and watch each two hour episode.

It is a great show. It does so much justice to the original Morse series. I remember a few years ago, they had a brilliant series – so so clever – and I told Jack I was happy to watch Endeavour with him.

But last night, my oh my, the episode completely frightened the wits out of me. I am not going to give away the end result, in case you are planning to watch the episode that aired last night. But a group of people ended up stranded due to bad weather. Power-cuts, darkness, creepy goings on, people going missing. I was so scared, scared.

I really really don’t find any enjoyment in being scared.

The end result…..I had to close my eyes and stick my fingers in my ears at certain parts. Jack said I was adorable, and gave me lots of hugs and kisses. The glass of wine helped me sleep very well, but I could tell Jack was holding me in his arms. I don’t like being scared. I really really don’t.

Magnificent Masterchef

There’s not a lot that is worth watching on television….however, I do like Masterchef. There are three versions each year on the BBC, the normal Masterchef – which is always my favourite, the professionals Masterchef which I have started to enjoy almost as much as the original version, and the celebrity version, when around twenty “celebrities” (only five of which do I recognise) test my patience as find that the audience are actually watching because they are interested in cooking, not in celebrities.

But I have to say, I have really enjoyed the episodes of this year’s Celebrity Masterchef which ended last night with a fantastic final. Don’t worry I am not going to say who wins., I know there may be some still planning to catch up on it later.

Photo by ELEVATE on Pexels.com

I just want to say…I really really was impressed by Penny Lancaster’s dishes. I watched her cooking and decided to myself that surely she has had chance to eaten some very fine food in her life.

Overall, there were two contestants that I could not get enough of and I rated as fabulous. One was to my surprise – Bez – he was just brilliant. I also loved watching Melanie Sykes, and probably her dishes are more my cup of tea than most in the competition. But perhaps picking two northerners out reveals some bias on my part.

I also have to mention Megan – one of the celebrities that I had ever seen before – in my opinion she was the most consistently good from the start. She impressed, and oh my, she made gluten free look sensational.

But the one contestant I have been bowled over by is Joe Swash – again did not have a clue who he was, but I did recognise the name of his fiance Stacy Solomon. Joe, Joe, Joe – what a mucky pup – but his progress was outstanding. He went from being the most irritating of all the contestants to being the one I wanted to watch. I actually felt excited for him – what is Joe going to do this week?

So…”celebrities”….bit of a nonsensical term in my opinion….but I love seeing a bunch of people, a few of whom I recognize, most of whom are complete strangers to me…falling in love with cooking. It’s a great show, and it is one of the few shows I actually think are worthy of my taking a little time out for.

Adventures Every Day

What is one television show or episode from your childhood

that you still remember today?

I remember several shows from childhood. My childhood memories seem very sharp, unlike the memories from my twenties (since my head injuries). But one show comes to mind as one of our all time favourites. My brother watched it, and my two younger sisters and I loved it.

It called The Mysterious Cities Of Gold. It was truly epic! It was about three children and a whole bunch of adults with their own self-interest at heart who are traipsing around South America in search for “The Cities Of Gold”. Adventures every day!!!

This is the theme tune, shown at the start of each episode, which I still sing thirty years after watching that show.

I don’t have the time today to tell you all about it, maybe I should try another post with more detail about it. There was so much going on. We learnt all sorts about the history of the Americas. We loved those three children.

If you are curious, then there is the link at the bottom of this post so you can read what Wikipedia has to say about the show. But the best way to enjoy it, is to go back to being seven years old and be riding around on your bike and then to realize is is almost time for your favourite show. Then come running into the house and lollop onto the sofa with your siblings all ready to sing along at the top of your voices to the theme tune and twirl around with your arms outstretched like a giant condor.

What a show!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Mysterious_Cities_of_Gold

A Very Little Television

I am super happy because one of the very few television shows I actually am willing to watch because I enjoy it (usually) is back! The first episode was last night. For the next few weeks I will be watching “Death In Paradise” on BBC1 on Thursday evenings when i come home from work. I wrote the post below two years ago – and I have to laugh, my television viewing preferences don’t seem to have changed at all!

I don’t particularly enjoy television. I mean yes, I am a sucker for a great period drama, but I can’t stand all these soap operas, reality shows, entertainment competitions. I did not have a television for ten years when I left home, so it all seems rather strange how much shows have changed.

There is so much I don’t like. However…

…there are a few things that I can enjoy on an evening when I am in on my own. I normally do my ironing at the same time as watching them out of the corner of my eye. At the moment, I have a heavy heart and to stop me from dwelling on sadness, it is kind of healthy to watch something light hearted to absorb my attention and distract me.

One show is Masterchef (the British version only – the emotional hype in the American version is bizarre. It’s supposed to be a food show, what is with all the emotional drama and tears?  It’s also very disconcerting that in the Australian version every contestant is so beautiful! There are a lot of beautiful people in Australia). Masterchef is very interesting although it does make me feel rather inadequate in the kitchen. There are also a couple of detective shows I like as long as they are not too scary.

A show that I have been watching is the new series of the BBC’s “Death In Paradise”. I missed the last episode in the current series on Thursday night because I was with a friend. But I can catch up sometime over the weekend.

Now I do not want to tell you what has happened so far in this series in case you are planning on watching it, but I hope it does not ruin it for anyone to say that we have seen more of the character Florence, played by actress Joséphine Jobert. I have been pleased to see more story line developed around her character, because there were some points when I could not detect much personality in the character.

Now…I know you should not compare, but I really really like the first female lead who starred in the first three series of “Death In Paradise”, the character Camille, played by Sara Martins. I thought Sara Martins was superb. But one thing I will say is that I like Joséphine Jobert. I do not rate her as highly as I rated Sara Martins, but I really like Joséphine Jobert, there is something very sweet about her that makes more than happy to overlook times when I have felt there is a lack of character in her character Florence.

The reason I like this show is that it is so pleasant and affable and merry – and I know it is essentially about a heinous crime and deceitful criminals, but in this show, nothing is frightening! It is all so tame.

I absolutely love the male star of the show at the moment. I loved Ardal O’Hanlon being in the show right from the first episode and he seems to get better and better as he has settled into the role. I have decided he is the perfect man for me! I mean the character he plays, Detective Inspector Jack Mooney! Adorable and brilliant and people loving and fun! With the perfect male shape (to make me feel like I am the hot one in the relationship)!

Goldfinch was most definitely the hot one when it came to our relationship!

Where Everybody Knows Your Name

Jim Adams, aka Newepicauthor, the creator of A Unique Title For Me, is hosting SONG-LYRIC-SUNDAY and this week he has chosen the theme: A SONG FROM A TV SHOW

I think most of the songs I know from television shows are from the children’s shows I watched as a child. But I have posted some of those in other posts.

So, instead I have chosen a theme tune, or more an anthem, of a show that I was too young to watch when it was broadcast really. “Cheers”…which I am sure is one of the most popular television shows to have aired had a phenomenal theme tune that must have struck a chord with many. Despite not watching the show, I knew the theme tune, and the sentiment in the lyrics is something I often feel and I find myself singing this song to myself. Surely everyone wants to feel that way.

I have seen some episodes and loved them. I have to admit, the last place I would go to find a group of people I feel at ease with is a typical London pub! But, there are other places I love to go, knowing everyone knows my name, and they are always glad I came!

Making your way in the world today takes everything you’ve got.
Taking a break from all your worries sure would help a lot.

Wouldn’t you like to get away?

All those nights when you’ve got no lights, the cheque is in the mail.
And your little angel hung the cat up by it’s tail, 

And your third fiance didn’t show!

Sometimes you wanna go…

Where everybody knows your name
And they’re always glad you came.
You wanna be where you can see,
The troubles are all the same.
You wanna be where everybody knows your name

You roll out of bed, Mr. Coffee is dead, the morning’s looking bright
And your shrink ran off to Europe, and didn’t even write, 

And your husband wants to be a girl!

Be glad there’s one place in the world

Where everybody knows your name
And they’re always glad you came.
You wanna go where people know,
People are all the same.
You wanna go where everybody knows your name.

Where everybody knows your name.
And they’re always glad you came. 

Written by: Gary Portnoy and Judy Hart Angelo

 

Go Nadiya!

I think I have mentioned that I did not have a television for about ten years. After a ten year break from television, most of what seemed to be broadcast seemed astoundingly awful. After I left hospital, I went up north to stay with family to recover from my injuries and the trauma of what had happened to me. When I was with my family I saw some television programmes they recommended including “The Great British Bake-Off”. I did like that.

I watched some of the series which was eventually won by Nadiya Hussain. When I was watching the episodes, I liked all of the contestants. But since she won the contest, I have loved the cooking programmes I have seen Nadiya involved in.

I found an episode on BBC i-player of a show where she visited Bangladesh, where her family are from. I love love loved it! I really like watching her, she has such an appealing personality. But it was just fascinating to see the people she met along her journey and have glimpses of their way of life. In all honesty I completely lost interest in the food part of the show, because it was the scenery and the people that caught my attention.

I love our human family so much. I am grateful that the Beeb sent Nadiya and a television crew out to Bangladesh to show us more about our family. Our beautiful fascinating human family. Go Nadiya! Your cooking and travelling programmes are the best of television as far as I am concerned.

I don’t have a lot of spare time at the moment, but if I do have chance to relax on the sofa, I shall be searching through BBC i-payer for more Nadiya shows.

Switching On The TV… And Seeing One Of Your School Friends Staring At You

I guess this post is rather self-explanatory if you have looked at the title.  I think I need to shorten my titles.  They seem to be growing longer and longer.

I did not have a television for over ten years after I left home.  So I am rather out of touch with current actors and presenters.  I have one here in my current accommodation. Everyone is a new face to me….except the face you see above.

It was a nice surprise… but definitely a surprise to see Leon on the screen this morning on the BBC Breakfast Show as I was eating my Weetabix and drying my hair.  I went to high school with Leon.  We were in different forms but we were in the same classes for a lot of subjects.  Definitely English, probably Maths and Science too.  It is an awful long time ago!

I am pretty certain that when we went to High School Leon was already playing for the junior or youth team for one of the major football teams in the region.  (Everton I believe.)  I think he also played for the junior England team as a teenager.  I seem to remember a school trip to watch him represent England.

After that….well, after school I was busy.  I did not really follow football, but my Dad has definitely mentioned over the years that Leon was playing professionally.  I asked Google earlier and I found an outline of Leon’s football career.  He has been busy.

Now it seems he is involved with presenting shows in connection with football.  He was talking about the teams playing in the World Cup when I saw him today.

Seeing him brought back into my head a million memories of school.  I have not kept in touch with many school friends simply because life as a volunteer meant travelling so much.  I met thousands of people and made life-long friendships with some of those I worked with.  Well a handful of school friends I have kept in touch with and I went to their weddings and wrote to them for years.  But when I moved down south, regrettably, we have not kept in touch as often.  Sigh!

The years have flown by.  So much life… so many stories to share with you of people I have met… which has just reminded me.  I have to tell you about Lucy.  I will tell you soon.

But for now… this post is all about how strange it is to switch on the TV and see a school friend who you hung around with everyday for several years… staring back at you while you munch your Weetabix.  I could tell you lots of stories, but I won’t.  Leon might not like that.  That is the thing about publishing on-line.  You have to be so careful that anyone else you write about could not be remotely upset.

Apparently the English football team won their first match. Sorry if I have ruined that for you.  No idea who they beat.  I have no idea what the score was.  Or the names of any of the men who played.  Oh dear.  Nope!  Definitely not remotely interested who wins the World Cup.  Fortunately for me, neither is Goldfinch.  (I am going to visit him this weekend.)

I love playing football… but I not intersted in watching professional footballers I am afraid.  Sorry football fans.  Still, it would be nice to see more of Leon on the TV… brings back so many memories.