Lists
I have random notes and lists all over my house, on the backs of old receipts in my purse and scribbled in notebooks--things I think of that I think I'll want to remember later, ideas or lines of dialogue to incorporate into a story or ideas for my class next semester, or whatever. But often when I look back at them, I have no idea what I was talking about. For example, I have no idea what this means (scribbled on a raggedy sheet of paper in my "things to take care of" box): "She'd gotten hold of some of our collaborative writing. Quote!" Other things make sense but it's a shame that I wrote them down, such as two bullets on a list:
.Buy juice, granola bars, cat litter
. Don't be self-pitying
I also think it is sad that I made a list called "Foods I like," as if I would not be able to remember. Underneath that list, there was also some self-help advice: "No. Don't be tragic. Be fun, and casual, and light-hearted!"
But by far the stupidest old list I found today was called "British Things to Say." Here it is:
British things to say:
nackered (=tired)
cheerio
jolly good
brilliant
"Is it meant to do that?"
I am not sure why I thought I would ever have the need in my life to sound British, or why I thought these particular expressions would create the illusion of my Britishness. Or, maybe I was going to create a British character in a story, and the way the readers would understand his or her Britishness was by virtue of these catch phrases? If so, that is pretty lame and gimmicky. I don't think I was planning a British character, though. I must have wanted to sound British myself. How sad. ("Don't be self-pitying!")
Cheerio,
Sarah
.Buy juice, granola bars, cat litter
. Don't be self-pitying
I also think it is sad that I made a list called "Foods I like," as if I would not be able to remember. Underneath that list, there was also some self-help advice: "No. Don't be tragic. Be fun, and casual, and light-hearted!"
But by far the stupidest old list I found today was called "British Things to Say." Here it is:
British things to say:
nackered (=tired)
cheerio
jolly good
brilliant
"Is it meant to do that?"
I am not sure why I thought I would ever have the need in my life to sound British, or why I thought these particular expressions would create the illusion of my Britishness. Or, maybe I was going to create a British character in a story, and the way the readers would understand his or her Britishness was by virtue of these catch phrases? If so, that is pretty lame and gimmicky. I don't think I was planning a British character, though. I must have wanted to sound British myself. How sad. ("Don't be self-pitying!")
Cheerio,
Sarah
posted by Sarah Goss at 11:01 AM
4 Comments:
Okay, you NEEEEED to listen to the Ricky Gervais episode one podcast. Go here: http://www.gigadial.net/public/station/1384 and find "The Ricky Gervais Show - Episode 1" (12Mb). There is a choice reference to scary lists scribbled on paper in a decrepit house. And it's British.
I, too, shall offer a tasty British treat: as stimulating as good hot tea and with less cholestrol than clotted cream, by a long shot. Try http://www.rathergood.com.
The "Wrong Bananas" song is not to be missed.
PS: Before you even ask, ever: Yes, it's meant to do that.
and let us not forget 'smashing' - one of my favorites...."I'm having a smashing good time riding in this smashing hot car in my smashing new frock."
and isn't there a nifty one, that's something like 'codswhallop!' (um, yeah, but not spelled like that)
One of my favorite British expressions--because of its limitless potential for trans-Atlantic misunderstandings of titanic proportions--is "knock up," which over there in Merrie Olde means "to wake someone up," as in "I'll pop by in the morning and knock you up." "Oh, no, you most certainly will not!"
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