Ekmek var mı?
Posted: February 8, 2009 Filed under: Languages, Travel, TV 4 Comments »There’s a programme on about Turkey this evening. Very excited about watching it as I have become quite obsessed with Turkey recently, and have a growing desire to live there one day.
What draws me to the country are stunning landscapes, the language (love the way it sounds!), the food, the people, the climate … many things in fact! The only thing that puts me off is the fact that, in spite of it officially being a secular state, religion (Islam) looms large. (Before anyone gets the wrong idea, I am not an Islamophobe, I’m just an organised-religionophobe).
I have been learning Turkish for a while now, too. I’m a beginner still though, as have not been disciplined enough to study regularly … and have never actually been to Turkey! But I now have some Turkish students in my ESOL class, and have been able to practise a little with them.
Also, mega-exciting, I had a monolingual Turkish speaking child who came to the clinic the other day and I was able to pick out some of the words and phrases that he and his mother were using!
Hope the programme will give me an insight into how big an influence religion has on daily life in Türkiye Cumhuriyeti and help me make up my mind …
X factor debrief
Posted: November 30, 2008 Filed under: TV 7 Comments »After trying not to watch X factor for weeks and weeks, and attempting to feign indifference, I have now come to terms with the fact that I am completely hooked. (Two posts about it in the space of a week!). I got my fix last night, thank God, but for the next two Saturdays I am going out in the evening - YIKES – what am I going to do?!! It’s the semi-final next week and the final the week after …!
I really enjoyed last night’s shows. I am not sure whether Ruth should have been voted off – I mean she was better than Diana, wasn’t she? Diana just seemed to screech and warble through her second song (as last week). Is it because she is prettier/ less ‘chunky’/ more girl-next-door than Ruth that she got to stay?
After all the hype, I was looking forward to seeing Britney Spears sing live (and I really like her “Womanizer” song). Ha! Live, my arse! The miming was terrible! And the dancing was not fantastic either (although surely better than I could have done, admittedly). The audience seemed to love her, though … as did the judges, who gave her a standing ovation. But what else could they do really? Her interview with Dermot was rubbish, too. He asked her views on the contestants’ versions of her songs but she seemed to answer a completely different question …
Dermot: “Our acts have been doing your songs tonight, I know you’ve been backstage. How do you think they’ve got on?”
Britney: “[shocked thinking time] … Um … amazing. I met so many different people, the place is beautiful and I love being here in London, it’s awesome”.
????
She clearly hadn’t been watching, then!
Dermot then said, ”… I know you just want to wish our contestants good luck tonight cos … you know how it is to come out on the big stage … perform in front of loads of people. What do you want to say to them?”
Britney: “Good luck and just keep doing it!”
Wise words indeed. I wonder how much she got paid for her performance?
p.s. Can you believe that someone has already uploaded this clip to You Tube? (yesterday, in fact!)
Brrr…
Posted: November 22, 2008 Filed under: TV 3 Comments »Gosh, it’s cold today. Very glad that I am having a cozy night in. I’m currently watching X factor and then later on, pizza and Meet the Fockers on DVD! I saw Meet the Parents yesterday for the first time and thought it was hilarious – just my sense of humour!
Currently Rachel Hylton is performing, and she really is terrible. Why does she keep getting through week after week? She has a big voice, but she’s always out of tune. I don’t think she’ll be around next week – apart from the crap singing, she’s just not likeable enough for most people what with all the gun gestures, drugs and stuff.
I think Alexandra has been the best singer so far tonight. Ruth was good, too. JLS were average, nothing spectacular … and aren’t there enough of those sort of boy bands around anyway?
Diana is currently warbling her way through Patience by Take That. Why does Simon think she is so good? It’s telling that Louis described her as a “good recording artist”, i.e. she’s not very good live.
One more to go: Eoghan. Great voice, but he hasn’t got the X factor – he’s way too baby faced.
That’ll be my thoughts on the X-factor contestants, then. Pizza time!
Parrots on Prozac
Posted: November 20, 2008 Filed under: TV 4 Comments »I’m watching a programme about pets with special needs. Yes, really.
The TV guide promises a nappy-wearing rabbit that uses a wheelchair, parrots with mental health problems, a dog that uses a stairlift and sexually disturbed birds.
I know I shouldn’t laugh, but this programme is hilarious.
Update: Here’s a clip of Ethel the rabbit from the programme.
In case you hadn’t heard …
Posted: November 19, 2008 Filed under: TV 1 Comment »… John Sergeant has quit Strictly Come Dancing!
Actually, I’m sure you don’t need to be told, because the BBC has been banging on about it all day.
Five whole minutes on the the Six O’Clock News, and about five or ten minutes every hour or so on News 24. And at the moment, it’s news story number three on the BBC’s homepage (ahead of “Al-Qaeda vows to hurt Obama’s US”, “Bosch confirms 250 jobs at risk” and “DRC rebels pull out to let aid in”).
Am I missing something? Why so much coverage? Is it because he was a journalist … one of the news producer’s mates? Is “Strictly” really more important than what is going on in The Democratic Republic of Congo?
I must admit I haven’t been following the programme … and maybe if I had then I would be lapping all this up. But as it is, I think the BBC’s coverage is completely OTT. It’s just another reality TV show after all!
