TRAINS, PLANES AND TELEVISION SHOWS
Tuesday 11 December 2007
WMESB™: 3 people on it again today.
Driver (X57): I had a stand up argument with the driver, the same one as yesterday, about where the X57 should stop and this was before the bus even left the Ferrytoll. He said that the timetable changed on 29 October 2007 and the X57 shouldn’t stop at the Learmonth Hotel. I said if that was the case then why has it stopped there for the last six weeks? I had to then get off the bus, before it left, and wait on a 53 or 55. Needless to say another strongly worded missive was sent off to Stagecoach.
As soon as I got in last night I started on my piece about my Top 5 Christmas records. Originally the piece was to be done “whenever”, then it was in the next couple of days and then I received an e-mail last night asking for it before lunchtime today. That’s the world of newspapers for you – deadlines, deadlines, deadlines.
I made a cool Christmas compilation for my colleague Nikki and now my supervisor wants one! It’s a goody, even if I do say so myself, and it avoids all the usual suspects.
Wednesday 12 December 2007
The trip to Manchester for my latest quiz/game show appearance (“Brainbox Challenge”) couldn’t have run any smoother. Two buses, a plane and a train and I was in Manchester before I knew it. My room at Jury’s wasn’t going to be ready for an hour so I went for a wander and some food. I walked to the Granada Studios just to see where it was and I saw Johnny Briggs (aka Mike Baldwin). He didn’t recognise me though. (I saw from a news item later on that he’s doing panto and he was at Granada to promote it). I also took a picture on my phone of the Patricia Phoenix commemorative plaque, which is on the building. If I knew how to get the picture off my camera I'd add it on!
I scoffed the largest Brie Salad Ciabatta I’d ever seen as my plans to spend the afternoon shopping went by the way. Instead I watch Diagnosis Murder (a bloody repeat), Countdown, Deal or No Deal and The Great Pretender, which I fell asleep during. I went down to the bar for something to eat (an uninspiring Cajun Chicken Burger) and watched a bit of the football before boredom sent me back to my room for Watchdog and The Secret Millionaire.
Thursday 13 December 2007
After the obligatory I-might-as-well-eat-as-much-as-I-can-because-it’s-free breakfast, the contestants gathered in the reception. No one was really speaking until the runner from the Beeb turned up. We were taken to the studio in shifts so Ben, Hannah and Jenna and I got to know each other while we waited. As usual the conversation soon turned to “So, what else have you been on?” I didn’t let on about all the shows I’d done although I did say, “I’ve done that one” a lot!
We had seven hours in a Green Room together with only occasional respite from cabin fever with trips to wardrobe, make up and the toilet. As well as the aforementioned “gang of four”, we also had the pleasure of the company of Julie from Northern Ireland, Martyn and Driss.
Highlights of our confinement included:
- Hannah sliding off the leather settee, much to everyone else’s amusement
- Julie and I showing everyone how to do The Slosh (she calls it The Slush)
- My incessant winding up and teasing of Hannah (I still have the bruises)
We got to see the audience for The Jeremy Kyle Show coming and going. Actually we heard them first, with the sound of knuckles dragging echoing along the corridors! Jenna and Hannah’s repeated requests to meet Jeremy fell on deaf ears.
I finally got into the studio around 3pm. I won’t tell you what happened (don’t want to spoil the results) but I’ll give my side of the story when the show airs in February/March. The host is Clive Anderson.
Hugs and kisses all round as we said our goodbyes and exchanged contact details.
I found the journey home a real drag. After a train from Piccadilly to Manchester Airport, an interminable wait there (I couldn’t even phone or text anyone as I ran out of credit) and two buses home, I finally arrived home at 9.15pm.
Friday 14 December 2007
Back to the “real world” and work.
An e-mail from Steve Walker confirmed that although X57 shouldn’t stop at Learmonth Hotel it now would, although technically it shouldn’t until it has been re-registered.
After a buffet lunch, we’re allowed away early (at 1330) and I decide I have enough time to go home to get ready for our departmental Christmas do. The buses are running late and the D7 is 18 minutes late! I finally get to Edinburgh for 5pm and I’m only five minutes late for our meal at “The Room in the West End”, which was excellent.
We had tickets for the Christmas Disco at the Police Club and we sent a scouting party ahead to ensure a table. We needn’t have worried, as we were first there. I even had time to teach one of the bar staff The Slosh.
A drunken night ensued as I spent most of the night drinking and dancing. We had three Slosh records (Dawn, Daniel Boone and Tony Christie), three Northern Soul classics (“There’s a Ghost in my House”, “The Snake” and “Ski-ing In The Snow”), the “Cha Cha Slide” and most of the records we asked the DJ to play. Nikki even taught me the dance to Whigfield’s “Saturday Night”. I was that drunk!
I almost missed my night bus home, which wouldn’t have been such a bad thing. It was full and I had to pay £6 to stand. Luckily, I was engaging a friendly girl in conversation, which was a good distraction from the torture of the journey. A lot of people were asleep on it and one girl was sick. Interestingly, I wasn’t so drunk that I didn’t notice the bus going the wrong way! Luckily, it stopped a short walk from my house. I got in at 2am.
Saturday 15 December 2007
I didn’t feel so bad when I finally got up. Mind you there was to be a “royal” visit from my mother. I’m lucky if I see her or hear from her more than twice a year. It passed off fairly smoothly. We were rather amused when she asked Flick about her “advert” calendar.
Watching BBC1’s lottery show “Who Dares Wins” I was rather surprised to see them mention The Clash as having done a Bond theme.
Sunday 16 December 2007
An industrious day. I dropped the girls off at church and then drove around Rosyth and Dunfermline delivering Christmas cards, before heading off to Asda, where I managed to find the Ally Kerr CD, and Homebase (bird feed). Picked up the girls from church, had lunch, did the crosswords and competitions and then headed back out later on to Tesco (recycling and petrol) and Asda to return the Ally Kerr CD, because the box was smashed to pieces!
After dinner, I did some more competitions, recorded Christmas compilations for my colleagues and updated the Jock ‘n’ Roll website with some bits and pieces.
Watched Europe win the Mosconi Cup, the pool equivalent of the golf’s Ryder Cup. The Americans, particularly Earl "The Pearl" Strickland, behaved appallingly in defeat. (I wrote again to the BBC to ask why the event wasn’t being covered on their website. I’m still awaiting a response.)
Tuesday 11 December 2007
WMESB™: 3 people on it again today.
Driver (X57): I had a stand up argument with the driver, the same one as yesterday, about where the X57 should stop and this was before the bus even left the Ferrytoll. He said that the timetable changed on 29 October 2007 and the X57 shouldn’t stop at the Learmonth Hotel. I said if that was the case then why has it stopped there for the last six weeks? I had to then get off the bus, before it left, and wait on a 53 or 55. Needless to say another strongly worded missive was sent off to Stagecoach.
As soon as I got in last night I started on my piece about my Top 5 Christmas records. Originally the piece was to be done “whenever”, then it was in the next couple of days and then I received an e-mail last night asking for it before lunchtime today. That’s the world of newspapers for you – deadlines, deadlines, deadlines.
I made a cool Christmas compilation for my colleague Nikki and now my supervisor wants one! It’s a goody, even if I do say so myself, and it avoids all the usual suspects.
Wednesday 12 December 2007
The trip to Manchester for my latest quiz/game show appearance (“Brainbox Challenge”) couldn’t have run any smoother. Two buses, a plane and a train and I was in Manchester before I knew it. My room at Jury’s wasn’t going to be ready for an hour so I went for a wander and some food. I walked to the Granada Studios just to see where it was and I saw Johnny Briggs (aka Mike Baldwin). He didn’t recognise me though. (I saw from a news item later on that he’s doing panto and he was at Granada to promote it). I also took a picture on my phone of the Patricia Phoenix commemorative plaque, which is on the building. If I knew how to get the picture off my camera I'd add it on!
I scoffed the largest Brie Salad Ciabatta I’d ever seen as my plans to spend the afternoon shopping went by the way. Instead I watch Diagnosis Murder (a bloody repeat), Countdown, Deal or No Deal and The Great Pretender, which I fell asleep during. I went down to the bar for something to eat (an uninspiring Cajun Chicken Burger) and watched a bit of the football before boredom sent me back to my room for Watchdog and The Secret Millionaire.
Thursday 13 December 2007
After the obligatory I-might-as-well-eat-as-much-as-I-can-because-it’s-free breakfast, the contestants gathered in the reception. No one was really speaking until the runner from the Beeb turned up. We were taken to the studio in shifts so Ben, Hannah and Jenna and I got to know each other while we waited. As usual the conversation soon turned to “So, what else have you been on?” I didn’t let on about all the shows I’d done although I did say, “I’ve done that one” a lot!
We had seven hours in a Green Room together with only occasional respite from cabin fever with trips to wardrobe, make up and the toilet. As well as the aforementioned “gang of four”, we also had the pleasure of the company of Julie from Northern Ireland, Martyn and Driss.
Highlights of our confinement included:
- Hannah sliding off the leather settee, much to everyone else’s amusement
- Julie and I showing everyone how to do The Slosh (she calls it The Slush)
- My incessant winding up and teasing of Hannah (I still have the bruises)
We got to see the audience for The Jeremy Kyle Show coming and going. Actually we heard them first, with the sound of knuckles dragging echoing along the corridors! Jenna and Hannah’s repeated requests to meet Jeremy fell on deaf ears.
I finally got into the studio around 3pm. I won’t tell you what happened (don’t want to spoil the results) but I’ll give my side of the story when the show airs in February/March. The host is Clive Anderson.
Hugs and kisses all round as we said our goodbyes and exchanged contact details.
I found the journey home a real drag. After a train from Piccadilly to Manchester Airport, an interminable wait there (I couldn’t even phone or text anyone as I ran out of credit) and two buses home, I finally arrived home at 9.15pm.
Friday 14 December 2007
Back to the “real world” and work.
An e-mail from Steve Walker confirmed that although X57 shouldn’t stop at Learmonth Hotel it now would, although technically it shouldn’t until it has been re-registered.
After a buffet lunch, we’re allowed away early (at 1330) and I decide I have enough time to go home to get ready for our departmental Christmas do. The buses are running late and the D7 is 18 minutes late! I finally get to Edinburgh for 5pm and I’m only five minutes late for our meal at “The Room in the West End”, which was excellent.
We had tickets for the Christmas Disco at the Police Club and we sent a scouting party ahead to ensure a table. We needn’t have worried, as we were first there. I even had time to teach one of the bar staff The Slosh.
A drunken night ensued as I spent most of the night drinking and dancing. We had three Slosh records (Dawn, Daniel Boone and Tony Christie), three Northern Soul classics (“There’s a Ghost in my House”, “The Snake” and “Ski-ing In The Snow”), the “Cha Cha Slide” and most of the records we asked the DJ to play. Nikki even taught me the dance to Whigfield’s “Saturday Night”. I was that drunk!
I almost missed my night bus home, which wouldn’t have been such a bad thing. It was full and I had to pay £6 to stand. Luckily, I was engaging a friendly girl in conversation, which was a good distraction from the torture of the journey. A lot of people were asleep on it and one girl was sick. Interestingly, I wasn’t so drunk that I didn’t notice the bus going the wrong way! Luckily, it stopped a short walk from my house. I got in at 2am.
Saturday 15 December 2007
I didn’t feel so bad when I finally got up. Mind you there was to be a “royal” visit from my mother. I’m lucky if I see her or hear from her more than twice a year. It passed off fairly smoothly. We were rather amused when she asked Flick about her “advert” calendar.
Watching BBC1’s lottery show “Who Dares Wins” I was rather surprised to see them mention The Clash as having done a Bond theme.
Sunday 16 December 2007
An industrious day. I dropped the girls off at church and then drove around Rosyth and Dunfermline delivering Christmas cards, before heading off to Asda, where I managed to find the Ally Kerr CD, and Homebase (bird feed). Picked up the girls from church, had lunch, did the crosswords and competitions and then headed back out later on to Tesco (recycling and petrol) and Asda to return the Ally Kerr CD, because the box was smashed to pieces!
After dinner, I did some more competitions, recorded Christmas compilations for my colleagues and updated the Jock ‘n’ Roll website with some bits and pieces.
Watched Europe win the Mosconi Cup, the pool equivalent of the golf’s Ryder Cup. The Americans, particularly Earl "The Pearl" Strickland, behaved appallingly in defeat. (I wrote again to the BBC to ask why the event wasn’t being covered on their website. I’m still awaiting a response.)
4 comments:
This finally inspired me to finally do my blog on our show :D
It' like the only blog I've ever done with any fairly exciting content :O
I understand your moaning of the stops but not the moaning that your ticket was cheaper :P x
I did moan about the ticket because it was wrong. Stagecoach drivers and their trainers haven't got a clue. You pay peanuts, you get monkeys!!
Hi there!
Found your site searching for Brainbox Challenge. We must have met there because your show was just after I left (I'm Mark. I won a couple of games before going out). I have a feeling you were on right after me. I would be interested in "your side" of what happened cos there was a bit of controversy in my last game as well LOL. By all means, send me an email at halibut2209 at googlemail dot com :)
(Seeing as you have comment moderation, there's no need to publish this if you don't want to :) )
Mark
Hi Mark,
Nice to hear from you.
I did hear of some controversy involving your show but I was kind of pre-occupied with own performance. I'll e-mail you later with what happened with me, although their wasn't any controversy.
Happy New Year
Paul
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