Adamant part 2

Four months after posting "Adamant", I feel an urge to write a continuation, which speaks volumes of my thought processes.
In other words, I have another speech whine to get out of my system.

The problem that I have this morning is that I'm sure that I've moaned about this stuff before!
I've looked through old blogs and can't find anything on here, so can only think that I've not put my moans into blog form.

I listened to a lot of music when I was growing up. It was almost a constant in my life.
As a result, there are a lot of lyrics that have wedged a place in my psyche. So, when I hear a phrase that was part of a lyric that I've heard, it tends to trigger the next line of the lyric.

I know I'm not the only person to be inflicted with this.
I first became aware that I wasn't alone, as a young man.
My friend asked me what I was going to do.
I answered, "I haven't got a clue, what to do." Which I believe, is a line from 'Block Buster' by Sweet.
For any youngsters, it was a massive hit in the 1970's.
My friends laughed, so obviously didn't think, 'What the fuck is he talking about?'

This probably isn't something that crosses age barriers, because people tend to listen to music that is relevant to their age group. (Yes Lily, you are an exception!)

An example of this is, a lot of people who enjoyed music in the 1980's, can't hear somebody describe something as, 'Around the outside', without repeating the phrase twice. You can thank Buffalo Gals by Malcolm McClaren, if you're inflicted with this.

One of the more common examples for a similar age group, which reaches a point of annoyance that could've led to physical attacks on Paul Hardcastle, was his song, '19'.
You almost have to avoid using the number 19 in conversation.
If I was stupid enough to utter the number 19 to anybody of a similar age to myself, I'd automatically take a pause, to allow the other person to get the, 'na, nana, na, nanana...' out of their system.

As a big music lover, I've got hundreds of these things flooding through my mind, throughout most conversations. Which could be explain my concentration issues.

This has all been highlighted recently by the increase in a phrase in everyday chat.
People have recently started using the phrase, 'It seems to me', which forces my mind to complete the lyric.
I know this has only started recently because, Elton John's Candle in the Wind, is an old song.
'It seems to me, you live your life, like a ...' (Everybody!)
So, if you use that phrase, please take a pause, and allow me to mentally complete the lyric.
I'll catch up eventually.

Comic Relief

I had the misfortune of catching a couple of minutes of this years Comic Relief.

I know it's for a good cause and I'm not knocking the sentiment, or the cause.

However, it seems to have become a relief from comedy. (See what I did there?)

I think part of the problem is that now days, comedians are superstars, regardless of how funny they actually are.

'Comedian's' do a couple of panel shows and before you know it, they're selling out major venues.

There are only a handful of really good British comedians, yet there seems to be an endless tirade of wannabes who are making a good living out of being below average.

It's not just the new comedians who are on this gravy train.

It was upsetting, how unfunny Peter Kay was last night.

Michael McIntyre was clearly struggling without the benefit of a script.

Does Lenny Henry have some legal rights connecting him to the phrase 'Comic Relief'?

I honestly can't see any other reason for digging him up every year.

He's a likeable guy but funny?!

It's like we've slipped into the same problem that we had before Alternative Comedy.

Not that alternative comedy was the answer.

Unfortunately, I can't see a way out of it.

If enough people find Russell Howard funny, he'll stay in the business.

What kind of person spends good money, to spend an evening watching Andy Parsons?

I can only hope that the booking agents provide a thorough list of the names and addresses for the authorities.

Those people need to be under severe scrutiny.

Adamant

I know it speaks volumes of me but I can't hear somebody use the word, adamant, without thinking of Adam Ant. (I know! I know!)

There have been times when a phone call has come through at work. A colleague said, 'There's a man on the phone for you, who wants to speak to you. He's adamant...'

It doesn't matter what the colleague says after that. All that's going through my head is, 'Adam Ant?'

Even if somebody uses the word, when they're talking to me directly, I lose track instantly!

'... and I want you to know that I'm adamant'

At which point, I'm thinking, 'You're Adam Ant?!'

I realise that it's very childish but I can't see myself growing up now!

TV

I've come to the conclusion that I'm quite unusual, when it comes to my television viewing.
There are several shows that I enjoy watching but there isn't one that would affect my mood, if I missed it.

I know people who record their favourite soap operas, so they can watch them at a time that they won't be disturbed, And if they are somehow disturbed, they can pause the playback!

I also know several people who enjoy reality TV and soap operas.
TV companies are aware of the popularity of both of these, so they schedule them, so they don't screen them at the same times.
This can result in the people who enjoy both being almost unavailable from 7pm until 10pm most weekday evenings.
This is a situation that amazes me but I'm beginning to think that I'm the one who's unusual.

I love Seinfeld, Cheers, Big Bang Theory, Burn Notice, Modern Family, Would I lie To You?, 8 Out Of 10 Cats, and to a lesser extent, NCIS but if I miss an episode, generally, I think I'll catch it another time, and if I don't, life will go on.

As a person who doesn't enjoy soap operas, the rotating plots seem to be based around an argument, a fight, an affair, a gay relationship (male and/or female), a marriage, a death, and a murder (often saved for Christmas). These things are held together with chit-chat, and depending n your choice of soap, bad jokes, or misery.

Reality TV 'stars' vein people, who are trying to become famous.

Celebrity Reality TV 'stars' minor celebrities, who are also vein but are either desperate for a bit more fame, or desperate for money.
Whatever the reason, they're not the kind of person that I can give a shit about. Therefore, I have no interest in anything they say, or do.

As I say, I appear to be the unusual one.
Please forgive me for not having an interested in what an ex Pussy Cat Doll says, or does, in  'junge' environment.
There must be something wrong with me

Miserable fucker

At the risk of turning this blog into a list of things I hate (Too late?)

I caught the end of yet another climate change show last week.
It never ceases to amaze me, how there seems to be an endless supply of money available to make these kind of doom and gloom shows.
It seems to be the modern equivalent of those people that used to walk around, wearing a sandwich board, shouting, "The end is nigh!"
I've not managed to watch anything that contained proof that we humans are causing the impending end of the World, yet we always seem to be getting the blame.
My own personal belief is that the earth's climate is changing but it's just a natural change. It will happen, despite any actions that humans take.

Dinosaurs are generally thought to have died out as a result of an ice age (climate change). I'm not sure if it was as a result of their excessive use of fossil fuels or their excessive use of 4 X 4 vehicles. Whichever one it is, we seem to be repeating their errors.

The late, great Sam Kinison said that whilst watching a show about a desert tribe who suffered starvation every year because of drought, he came up with a solution to the tribes suffering. "Don't fucking live there! MOVE!!!"
A bit crass maybe but not completely unreasonable.

And on that note, I've grown bored with this subject in mid composition!

Maybe I'll take another crack at it some other time.
Until then, live long and prosper.

Pigeons

I hate pigeons.
The phrase, "rats with wings" completely sums them up, for me.
I don't know how true it is but I actually believe them to be disease, flea ridden creatures.
Despite this belief, I'm just like the majority of other men, and pretend to be indifferent to them.
It wasn't until I observed a man today, that I realised that it's not just be but most men.
Eight or nine pigeons startled (As they always fucking are!) by a bus, suddenly took off in the direction of this man. He tried his best to remain calm but when one of the pigeons got a little too close, he waved his arms around and ducked.
I could see that he was annoyed but I knew that, that (that, that, that...) was partially because he felt that he'd embarrassed himself over a stupid bird.
I've seen young women run screaming in similar situations, which seems to me to be the sensible reaction.
I don't believe we should all react like we're starring in the movie, 'The Birds' but there's an acceptable medium.
If you feel like you're almost being attacked by pigeons, feel free to wave your arms and make some noise, without fear of embarrassment.

I'd like to apologise ahead of this post.
I'd like to...
This is going to be another language gripe. Hence the non-apology.

A genuine apology to Lily though, for turning part of an email conversation into a blog post.

Today's whine is about the phrase, 'Elephant in the room'.
Although I understand it's meaning and it's origin, I feel that it's far too abstract. Especially to warrant it's current popularity.

An elephant is just a large thing that it would be hard to ignore, in the suggested place. It would be possible to substitute elephant with anything of great size and the phrase would retain just as much relevance.
We may as well be using the phrase, 'Everybody's ignoring the big thing in the room'.
Please refer to some suggestions below;

Everybody's ignoring the buffalo on the barbecue.
Everybody's ignoring the battleship in the duck pond.
Everybody's ignoring the spaceship on the roof
Everybody's ignoring the rocket ship in the garden
Everybody's ignoring the blue whale in the armchair.
The later being my personal favourite.

If you're the sort of person who uses the elephant in the room phrase, I'd like to take this opportunity to encourage you to try blue whale in the armchair instead.
I think if we all start using my version, we could ease the elephant out of the room!

Alternatively, I could just be ignoring the blue whale in the armchair, that I'm far too easily aggravated by issues of complete unimportance!

You decide