4456/17375
Still waiting for our new lodger and understandably we’ve been taking it mainly easy. We watched the first series of the Office for the first time in a long time. It’s a remarkable show, mainly because they were the first people to realise the benefits of putting Tim from the Office in a show. This is perhaps the finest use of him. It makes more sense than having him in the Hobbit or Sherlock, though they missed the opportunity to say “Elementary my dear Tim from the Office” in the Office, which means they lose one star. The first episode feels like an extended though extremely good sketch about someone who uses management speak and I think some of the reactions of the regular characters to Brent don’t make sense if they are aware of what he’s like. But very quickly the show hits its stride and becomes much more intricate and episode 4 when Brent gets out his guitar, is one of the most perfect sitcom episodes of all time. Well done to the team behind the Office. Hopefully one day you will get the recognition that you deserve.
It’s amazing to see how much technology has changed in the last decade with Tim from the Office using an actual dictionary and clunky ansaphones. Even a lot of the references, out of date at the time, now seem ancient. And this time round I spotted people I didn’t know were in the show, including future stand-up Tiffany Stevenson snogging Finchy and Jeff from Peep Show as the applicant at the beginning of the first episode. Very interesting to watch it again.
I tried to run into town to pick up some stuff that we need for the baby, but only got as far as Queensway before running out of puff, still a 20 minute run. On leaving John Lewis, one of my purchased items set off the alarms at the exit. Given my pick and mix and plastic bag thefts I worried that these machines were now calibrated to take account of previous crimes. The security guard took me to one side and looked through my bag. I had my receipt in my hand. He knew he had a criminal, but this time, luckily I had not chosen to pilfer anything and he couldn’t get me. I had however bought some overpriced and oversized liquorice wheels, which embarrassingly I was halfway through eating before I’d even left the shop. He could see my liquorice greed. And the fact that I was 47 years old. I couldn’t pass it off as a gift for a child as I was caught red-handed and black-mouthed. I knew he was judging me. It turned out a small gift for my wife had not had its tag removed. Evenso perhaps the net is tightening around me. Will I miss the birth of my child because I am banged up? Let’s hope not.
The tag was not removed from the gift (as it was wrapped up), so when I went into another shop, the alarms went off again, like a cloak of sound following me around, proclaiming my guilt. No one came to stop me on the way out. After I’d done my shopping it was rush hour so I decided to walk back some of the way. I enjoyed the solitude and appreciated what I have now, whilst still looking forward to how my life will change. I can still walk into town, but I might be pushing a pram. And whilst I will be allowed out alone again, perhaps I will not be able to consciously waste time like this and shoot the breeze and relish the feeling of no commitments. I got the tube at Lancaster Gate, my sense heightened. The tube train lights approaching down the tunnel seemed incredibly beautiful and symbolic as well. The light playing on the walls was hypnotic and I felt like I had eaten magic mushrooms. In fact i had just eaten a bit too much liquorice. But the world looked beautiful and the world is beautiful. Even in a filthy rush hour tunnel.
I put up some more stuff on ebay including some snooker balls signed by the stars of Me1 Vs Me2 Snooker (it will be interesting to see who is the most popular player in terms of cold hard cash), my slightly moth-eaten Big Daddy costume from TMWRNJ, the a shrek mask from RHLSTP and a Lionel Nimrod pilot script (which includes never broadcast material that I had forgotten we ever did) and a rare Lee and Herring Rod Hull T-shirt.
You can bid on these items here 
