Well, as of this afternoon I’m declaring myself on holidays until the 21st of January (three blog posts in a row was just too much for me). I’m looking forward to finally reading Stiff by Shane Maloney and also Bernhard Schlink’s latest book. Schlink’s The Reader was a challenging and captivating look at issues such as guilt and the capacity of us all to do things we otherwise wouldn’t in certain circumstances. When I’m not gazing into my soul (“hello, is anybody at home?”) at meditation classes, I also hope to keep listening to and watching my hero, Ricky Gervais. Gervais is kind of obsessed with the idea of men as boys and women as adults (mmmm). Best wishes to one and all. You’re all good sorts. For my last 2007 post, I leave you with the cultural moment of the year. Yes, it’s the lyrics to the United Kingdom’s unsuccessful Eurovision Song Contest entry:
Flying The Flag (For You)
This is your captain speaking
I’d like to welcome you aboard this Eurovision flight
The duration will be three minutes exactly
Now sit back, relax and enjoy the flight
Ba-ba-da, ba-ba-da, ba-da-da-ba, ba-da
Duty free madam?
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Ba-ba-da, ba-ba-da, ba-da-da-ba, ba-da
We’re flying the flag all over the world
Flying the flag for you
London to Berlin
All the way from Paris to Tallinn
Helsinki on to Prague
Don’t matter where we are – yeah yeah ye-ah
Flying high in Amsterdam
Why don’t you catch us if you can
Now we’re cruising in the sky
And we’re singing it for you
Ba-ba-da, ba-ba-da, ba-da-da-ba, ba-da
Some salted nuts sir?
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Ba-ba-da, ba-ba-da, ba-da-da-ba, ba-da
We’re flying the flag all over the world
Flying the flag for you
Would you like a complimentary drink with your meal sir?
We’re flying the flag all over the world
Flying the flag for you…
Ladies & Gentlemen, your exits are located here, here and here
To fasten your seatbelt insert the fitting
To use the life vest, slip it over your head
Pull firmly on the red cord and blow into the mouthpiece
Ba-ba-da, ba-ba-da, ba-da-da-ba, ba-da
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Ba-ba-da, ba-ba-da, ba-da-da-ba, ba-da
We’re flying the flag all over the world
Flying the flag for you
We’re flying the flag all over the world – yes we’re flying – take you all around the world
Flying the flag for you
Would you like something to suck on for landing sir?
We’re flying the flag all over the world – yes we’re flying – take you all around the world
Flying the flag for you…
We’d like to thank you for flying with us today
Darlene, you’ve done a great job keeping the blog fire burning these hols and giving Pyzo free rein to do his equusonification thing; and you’re not a control freak like Robert(bless ‘is cotton socks and lederhosen).
Since you’re gonna do Bernhard Schlink’s newie, be interested what you think of it after your break. Hope you like the music(below) and have you seen the intriguing German film Vier Minuten? There’s something about Krauts and their pianos than goes right to the septum of the German musical heart.
Darlene
You are a gem and a grouse sheilha to boot! I will miss you, while you are gone, but will no doubt cope. Have a great break. Sink heaps of piss, take heaps of drugs, and get heaps of roots!
You Go Girl!
Thanks, EC. Pyzo can do his horse thing. Neigh, neigh.
Kraftwerk are very cool. Cheers for that. Of course, once is reminded of that episode of The Simpsons where some rich German guy reclaims the stolen Nazi art, and in drives off in a fancy car with Kraftwerk playing.
A review of Schlink’s book to come after the 21st.
Cheers from me.
Gawd, it stinking hot in Melbourne.
Have a good New Year.
I am sure you will cope, JG.
And by the way, I am actually a non-swearing American professor in real life, so cut the fucking language, maaaaaaate.
Good on ya. Have a good New Year.
Nice work there Darlene and enjoy your break.
You know when you meditate, really deeply, and you get in contact with the inner self, do you reckon Pyzo will enter the void and chuckle?
Or worse still, a memory of THE VIDEO, Flying The Flag (For You), sends the spiritual development back 5 years. And worser still, how did Warney get a birth, as the Captain, in the ill fated, English, Eurovision Crash?
Darlene,
Have good holiday. Thanks for all the fun posts.