A compliment from Sharon (LOL)

Just to note that I eventually got a reply from Sharon re my 'zut' comment.

It was just three letters, but I think they were complimentary in the current vernacular: 'LOL'.

Metro madness/A zut by any other name

You know how, when you do something stupid, you sometimes just have to go through with it, rather than immediately admitting you're an idiot?

OK, maybe not...

Anyway, I was on the tube yesterday, and I fancied sitting down.

There were two young women sitting next to each other, and there seemed to be a bit of a gap between them.

So I said to one of them, 'Can I sit here?'

She looked a little surprised, but indicated that it was OK.

Of course, as soon as I lowered my buttocks to the seat, I realised my error. It wasn't really a seat; the two girls were occupying spaces for two. It was just that they were quite slim, and there was a gap.

But then I couldn't just reverse my descent, for fear of appearing stupid. Instead, I leaned forward, to minimise the space I was taking up, and sort of perched between them.

At the next stop, I got up (not looking back) and stood for the rest of the journey.

What a fool.

PS Sharon has taught me a new word: 'zut' (pronounced 'zoot', I think).

The conversation went

SS 'is just about to smoke a zut'

DS comment 'Is a zut what I think it is?'

SS 'yeh..y?'

DS comment 'coz I've never heard it called a zut B4'

So I'm almost using textspeak...

Facebook follies

I'm keen on family.

So I'm doing an extended study of all the people with my surname (that's Sheraton if you don't already know: as in furniture, and of course hotels)

My assumption is that we're all related somehow-if you go far enough back.

Anyway, one of the ways I do my research is to get in touch with other Sheratons via the Internet-and Facebook is one way of 'meeting' a lot of extended family.

One of my FBFs is a young lady of about 18, living in London, with an active social life: let's call her Sharon Sheraton.

On each person's Facebook page, they can put a little 'status' message: 'David is bored', 'David is just about to go to bed', etc.

Unexciting stuff, but Sharon uses hers to boast about the less legal side of her activities: 'Sharon is waiting for a delivery of ganja from her dealer', 'Sharon is just about to smoke an enormous spliff', and so on.

I'd tell her not to be so silly: who knows who's reading?: but I'd probably just get a load of abuse.

So I just carry on reading...

Sincerely, L Cohen

We went to the BIC (Bournemouth International Centre) on Tuesday, to see Leonard Cohen.

I'd seen him back in 1970 at the Isle of Wight, and then in 1976, so I wasn't sure what he'd be like now.

Certainly his voice sounded rough on recent albums, although he looked on good form at Glastonbury (from the YouTube excerpts: of course, they're all taken on somebody's mobile phone, and the crowd activity tends to obscure the stage action)

Anyway, he was brilliant.

He looked amazing (hope I'm that good at 74), he literally ran onto the stage, his band was superb, especially the Spanish guitarist, and even his voice didn't sound that bad: he's learned to live with the (very low) limited range.

And of course, the songs...wonderful.

The audience was incredibly middle aged and middle class, so there wasn't a lot of stage surfing or dancing in the mosh pit, but they loved it anyway.

He has a lovely dry wit: "I last appeared on stage 15 years ago. I was 60: just a young kid with a crazy dream."

He gave good value for money too: there must have been half a dozen encores, and he didn't finish until 11.

The only trouble is, we're not used to late nights these days, and we're still not quite over it: but it was worth it.

Lazy Sunday

...as the Small Faces had it.

Goodbye to the lovely Laura

I haven't mentioned TXF for the last couple of weeks, because it hasn't been that exciting, but I guess I must mention the end of Laura.

She was astonishing on the first week's show, with Alicia Keys' "Falling", but hadn't done anything outstanding since, although I still liked her.

My other favourite, Rachel, survived despite some bad publicity and a lacklustre performance.

Meanwhile JLS and Alexandra continue to impress each week.

Monday Monday

Nobody's reading this, so I can say what I like...

Another Saturday Night

Much beloved of Cat Stevens, and of course the Bay City Rollers (while for Elton John it's a good chance for a bit of rough-and-tumble) but for me it's still a night in.

Anyway, last week's wasn't that remarkable.

Laura and Rachel were again good (I love the way Rachel smiles sweetly at the judges' comments and assures them that 'It's all taken on board' while actually she wants to strangle them); Diana now seems to be the favourite, and I like the boyband, as I have from the start.

Hopefully more excitement tomorrow.

Past and present

Suffering from logorrhoea today...

I think I've discovered two new tenses in the Englsih language.

There's football commentator's past:

"He's come up the wing, he's centred the ball, and Rooney's shot for goal" (trans: "He came up the wing, he centred the ball, and Rooney shot for goal")

And then there's Macdonald's present:

"I'm liking your hair" (trans: "I like your hair")

Not sure what their significance is, just thought I'd mention it...

My friend the radio

For years I've tended to go to sleep with the radio on, and usually find it still on all through the night.

I often wonder whether, if I left it on, say, a French station, I'd eventually wake up with perfect French. Don't think so, but you never know.

For a long time-maybe twenty years-it was always Radio 4 on long wave, which at about 2am changed into the BBC World Service, then back again at about 5:30 to good old Radio 4.

The World Service always had its own distinctive character.

It sounded like it was coming from a long way away, and the voices always sounded slightly shouty, and slow, and clearly enunciated, like they were English people trying to get foreigners top understand. And of course there was the theme tune, Lilibullero (sp?)

Some time ago, I became a Radio 5 Live fan, and that of course is on through the night anyway (the title 'Up all night' always raising a slight titter) so I've tended to listen to that.

But then last Xmas I got a DAB radio, and one of the stations that gives you is the World Service.

But it's not the same: it just sounds like another BBC channel, a combination of 4 & 5 perhaps, without its own distinctive slant, its feeling of being 'away from it all' somewhere around the world.

Back to the nonsense next time, after I've watched this week's X Factor.

My b logging history

I only got into this because I found a blog on the internet from someone with the same surname as me (I won't say her name as she likes her privacy)

I became fascinated over a period: the content was very much about her ordinary life, with its ups and downs, but the story was told with an outstanding honesty.

Anyway, I'm now trying the same thing: the trouble is, I'm not sure if I can do the same honesty.

Have to be light-hearted nonsense, then.

Saturday night

Beloved of Sam Cooke, and Whigfield, but for me it's usually meant a night in.

Tonight, the first 'live' episode of TXF, and as usual there's a split between the good (potentially great? they always turn out a bit of a disappointment in the end), the blurgh, and the utter crap.

Rachel always looked the most talented performer this series, and so she still is-spunky personality, too.

But then Laura appears as the last act, and she's beautiful-& sounds wonderful. I'm smitten.

My first B Log

So this is B Logging.

They all seem to be at it, so I thought I'd 'ave a go.

More difficult than you think, though...