Yay! More Mr Tennant on my TV screen!

I’ve just read that the BBC are making a new four part drama starring David Tennant! Yay! And, it’s set in Glasgow so he should be using his beautiful Scottish accent for the role! Double yay! Happy Jennie!

Plus, tomorrow’s afternoon play on BBC Radio 4 is also starring David. Excellent! Tomorrow will be a good day!

David Tennant to reprise Hamlet!

Woop! It has been announced that David Tennant will be reprising his role as the eponymous hero in the RSC production of Hamlet, together with all the other key actors from the sell out run! Yay! I went to see it in London just before Christmas, but unfortunately missed David’s performance as he was still recovering from the operation he underwent on his back. Even without him it was a fabulous performance, and I wouldn’t have missed it, but I’m extremely glad that I’ll get the chance to see it on BBC2 at some point later this year. And if BBC2 have commissioned it, you can be sure that it won’t be long before it goes to BBC America and ABC in Australia, or similar networks, thereby allowing millions more to see a performance that was described as “the greatest Hamlet of his generation”.

There has been a huge public demand for a repeat performance of Hamlet by David Tennant, so I’m really glad that the BBC have got behind it and are doing this. Makes the television licence fee more palatable!

Another part of my childhood has gone…

…with the news today of the death of Sir Clement Freud. He is synonymous in my mind with mealtimes listening to ‘Just a Minute’ on Radio 4, giggling at his quick wit and ready ability to bring a smile to the lips, even whilst talking about the most unlikely subjects. I’m too young to have a clear recollection of his career as an MP, and wasn’t born when he did many of the things that he is famed for. However, those episodes of ‘Just a Minute’ are an integral part of my childhood memories, and it’s sad when another part of your childhood slips irretrievably away.

Update on handwriting

A few days ago, I posted about a survey type thing that the BBC were conducting into the varying styles of handwriting among different age groups. I submitted mine (as I blogged here) and it has been put on the BBC website! Most exciting! Well, I’m excited anyway! If anyone shares my geek-like excitement and would like to see my handwriting in a second website, head over there now. And while you’re there, have a look at Mr Richard Norfolk’s handwriting, situated a little over half way down the page. How gorgeous is that? I’d love to have handwriting like his!

Thanks very much to Sandie for pointing out my moment of fame!

Genetics or chance?

I apologise in advance for the poor picture quality of my ‘letters’ – I photographed them rather than scanning them onto my computer, purely out of laziness – the camera was right by my side, whereas I would have had to walk into the next room to use the scanner! However, it’s readable, so I’m not going to the extra effort now! 

Dad's handwriting sample

My handwriting sample

Mum's handwriting sample

Handwriting

Recently, both my dad and Welshpurpletree wrote a post about handwriting, having read the BBC article on the subject. I decided to take part as well and submit my sample of handwriting for posterity.

And here it is.

Not the best, but certainly not the worst, I think! I enjoy writing by hand, as long as I have a nice pen and plenty of time (I hate rushing to finish anything).

Anyway, if you fancy submitting a sample of your handwriting to the BBC’s survey, click here and read the article about the declining standards in handwriting.

Good old bilingual road signs! Always good for a laugh!

Please, please have a look at this article on the BBC website today – surely this can only happen in Wales?!? Is there anywhere else in the world where this sort of error routinely happens?

Just in case you can’t be bothered to read the whole thing – here’s a teaser for you;

When officials asked for the Welsh translation of a road sign, they thought the reply was what they needed.

Unfortunately, the e-mail response to Swansea council said in Welsh: “I am not in the office at the moment. Please send any work to be translated”.

So that was what went up under the English version which barred lorries from a road near a supermarket.

Isn’t this fantastic! Follow the link to see a picture of the actual sign – I (as a Welsh speaker) would have loved to see this before it was taken down!

According to the article there have been many other examples of the translators and proof readers falling down on the job of making road signs in our country, including one quite worrying instance of the English version of the sign telling people to ‘look left’ while the Welsh asked them to ‘look right’! Hmmm. One hopes that any Welsh speakers who read the sign could also read English, or an unfortunate accident may have occurred!

Cycling tips

I’ve just found this article on the BBC website with ‘tips’ for bicycle riding commuters, taken from the example set by the medal winning British Olympic cyclists in Beijing. All well and good, and as with the commenters on the article I both agree and disagree with various of the pieces of advice offered. However, my biggest stumbling block which has stopped me getting on my bike for the last month has been the rain – I don’t think we have had a consistently dry period in the last month. And if we did I was either in work or asleep! Roll on September, if the dry weather is returning as promised, so that I can get back to my cycling for fitness and fun.

An experiment, of sorts

I hardly ever post on a Saturday, as I’m usually in work or doing something else which takes me away from my computer. However, in an effort to remain consistent and try to post something most days, I’m trying out the feature on WordPress which allows me to delay posting for a few hours. The theory being that by the time I’ve eaten my dinner tomorrow night and get round to checking my e-mail, this will already have been published for a few hours. Well, it’ll be interesting to see whether I can make it work!

In other news…the weather. When will it get predictable and monotonous? I’m waiting for April Showers to turn into May Flowers (although that doesn’t exactly preclude rain from the equation) but it’s been very changeable today in South Wales. At one point just after lunch I was looking at the BBC weather website which told me that it was dry with sunny spells outside, and yet through my window I could see the rain coming down in stair-rods out of very menacing looking clouds! Admittedly, it did dry up in time for the school run, but the BBC were still wrong, and I don’t like that! It’s very unsettling!

I’ve asked it to publish at 10am BST tomorrow, so let’s see what happens…