Friday 19 January 2018

10:00 Lois and I walk into the village. We pop into Waghorne's, the local butcher's shop to buy meat, bread and cheese. On our way home we swing by the local pharmacy to pick up Lois' pills, both her usual statins and the pills that our doctor prescribed on Wednesday to hopefully solve her digestive problems.

11:30 We come home. I look at my smartphone and I get a bit of a shock, I have to admit. Steve, my American brother in law, has sent me an email giving me advance information about game-changing developments in Lois' and my favorite sitcom, the Big Bang Theory.

We Brits have so far only seen the first 11 episodes in the current season, but I find out from Steve's information that in the 14th episode Raj starts an affair with a woman, Nell, that he meets while working at the local planetarium. He finds out that Nell left her husband Oliver just two weeks previously. 

Raj meets up with Oliver, stops sleeping with Nell, and becomes close friends with Oliver. At the same time, confusing changes get made to Sheldon's and Leonard's apartment-sharing agreement. My god what madness! But even after 10 seasons, the series continues to come up with refreshing new story lines, which is nice.

This 11th season is the sitcom's penultimate. Lois and I often discuss the problems faced by long-term sitcoms. After a certain number of seasons the authors always tend to get some of the various couples to marry, have children, etc. because these events offer a lot of comic possibilities, but the downside is that the series then loses a lot of its comic tension, and the spark goes out of the main characters.

Yesterday we talked a little about Frasier because we saw "Frasier's father" (John Mahoney) in a movie on TV, Moonstruck. I think the Frasier series lost a lot of its comic tension after Niles married Daphne, and this eventually hastened the end of the series. Lois, who always had a megacrush on Niles, has more of a tendency to immerse herself in the situation and to look at the characters as real people. So the jury is still out on all that.

Spinoff series are not always successful. Who can forget the famous episode of "Friends of Friends" where Charlie and five casual acquaintances just sit around and talk about what a great guy Ross is, while trying discreetly to check the time. The series was cancelled shortly after, and rightly so!

"Friends of Friends" - the fateful episode that hastened the

series cancellation (source: Onion Entertainment)

12:00 We talk a little about the issues of actors who have become so famous in their role in long-term sitcoms that they have trouble getting new roles after the sitcom ends.

We found it very nostalgic recently to hear about "Butch" Patrick, the former child star of "The Munsters", which Lois and I both liked as children (report, May 25, 2012, same source).

Patrick, a local man who actually lives in our neighborhood, hit the national headlines recently when he announced he was planning to write his autobiography on a word processor he bought in a yard sale.

The former child star, who from 1964 to 1966 played the role of Eddie Munster in a CBS sitcom about a family of monsters, discovered the Smith Corona personal word processor at a yard sale where it was just sitting there on a blanket in the grass. He immediately picked the device up and allegedly carried it around while continuing to browse, in order to prevent another savvy customer from swooping on the used electronic equipment and nabbing it.

"I'm really lucky I didn't get there five minutes later, because I'm sure it would have been long gone," said Patrick, adding that he got a great deal on the word processor and that it would be "perfect " for finally getting his memoirs down on paper. "This thing costs a lot of money at Radio Shack now, but I got it for a steal. And the best part is I even got a discount." 

"There are some perks to being famous!" Patrick concluded.

According to the yard sale organizers, Patrick was very excited about the electronic typewriter and approached several strangers who were examining items on a folding table, to explain that the machine had a few small scratches on it but was otherwise in "pretty good" condition. Patrick also pointed out on several occasions that the word-processor had a screen that showed multiple lines of text at the same time.

"This thing is cool, because if you screw up, it's not a problem, you just use the backspace button to delete the error," said Patrick.

"When you're in showbiz, you need everything to look very professional," he added. Patrick's last major role was in 1971 in Sid and Marty Krofft's show Lidsville, where he played a teenage boy who magically enters a world of living hats. He also informed customers that his new purchase would mean a quick speeding up of efforts to complete the first draft of his autobiography.

"I've already got 30 pages down on hotel notepads about a lot of the things from the first season of Munsters," Patrick said.

12:15 I mention Patrick's autobiographical breakthrough to Lois. I have often considered publishing my own autobiography, and 12 years ago (when I retired) I wrote the first 5 lines that I have been busy perfecting ever since. But it's difficult to concentrate on them sometimes. 

We still have our daughter Sarah's old word processor up in the attic, where there is peace and quiet. Maybe I could work up there and finally finish the most important introductory lines, describing my birth. I have already written the rest of the book in my mind, so it should be an easy matter to complete it. We shall see!

12:30 I take a little look online. I get another shock. "Kvindelandsholdet" (the "Women's National Team") has been chosen as the Danish word of the year. It seems a strange choice, but it results from the success of the Danish women's national football team, which in 2017 won silver at the European championships.

The Danish word of the year has been chosen:

and it's "Kvindelandsholdet" ("Women's National Team")

The jury justified the choice amongst other reasons because of the fact that the women's team has played a big role in making women's football popular in Denmark. In addition, they pointed out that the word-of-the-year competition was a great success story for women as a whole, because the expression "#Metoo" has also done great things in Denmark in 2017.

"I think it's nice that some of the things that have created a buzz in 2017 for women, have been successful here. Without necessarily focusing only on the sexual harassment, on the bad things, but instead on what is good and what works", said Tine Gøtzsche, on the competition website, when the award became a reality.

I also note that the word "krænkelseskultur" ("sexual harassment culture") is also there on the short list, which is a little worrying.

Apart from the "Kvindelandsholdet", "#Metoo", and "krænkelseskultur", there are some words on the short list that are not about women's issues, including some English words: "bitcoin", "disruption" (new types of business that cause chaos in some market or other, such as ubu, airbnb etc) and "fake news".

Another English word, "clickbait", I had to look up online - I'm just an old crow after all. Clickbait is a bait to make you click on something online, something  designed exclusively to fool the user into looking at advertisements. Good grief, what a crazy world we live in !!!

Another interesting word is "Grønländerstiv" (Greenland-stoned, i.e. incredibly "wasted"), an expression seen since 1993 which is based on the stereotypical view that Greenlanders generally drink more than Danes. A Greenland woman has said recently that as soon as she mentions she comes from Greenland, the prejudices come out. "People will say right away: so you're probably Greenland-stoned (i.e. totally “wasted”). It’s a very common expression I have often met in the years I have lived in Denmark.”

Contradictingly some say that in the last 20 years, alcohol consumption in Greenland has gone down, and today’s Greenlanders are actually drinking less than the Danes.

I ask Lois why she thinks that alcohol consumption in Greenland would have plummeted and we speculate whether global warming is to blame - maybe there are more opportunities for playing healthy outdoor sports, such as tennis for example. But that's something we are not entirely sure about.

12:30 We have lunch and afterwards I go to bed and have a huge afternoon nap. While I'm sleeping, Lois walks around the corner to the local library to help the staff organize and lead the afternoon's weekly Baby Bounce and Rhyme session for young mothers and their little children. She is very excited to attend these sessions because she often gets the chance to cradle some little child or baby on her lap, which is very nostalgic - unfortunately, all our 5 grandchildren live all over the world and for at least 2 years we have had "empty nest" syndrome in spades: I have no doubts about that.

15:30 Lois comes back from the library. We relax with a cup of tea on the couch and she tells me a little about the afternoon session, the first one in 2017.

16:00 We listen to the radio, an interesting program called "The Last Word". Lois and I have a habit of hearing this program every week because we want to find out if anyone died or not in the last 1-2 weeks (I have noticed that most weeks exactly 5 deaths occur). The host of the program is the charming Matthew Bannister.

The poet Jenny Joseph has sadly died. She wrote, among other things, the poem chosen as the poetry-lovers' favorite poem, "Warning" (1961), in the 1990s, all about a woman who plans how she is going to behave when she grows old. In brief, she intends to grow old gracelessly.

Lois found a copy of this poem in her mother Ruth's handbag after she died. She had cut the poem out of a magazine, which I find incredibly touching.

When I am an old woman I shall wear purple

With a red hat which doesn't go, and doesn't suit me.

And I shall spend my pension on brandy and summer gloves

And satin sandals, and say we've no money for butter.

I shall sit down on the pavement when I'm tired

And gobble up samples in shops and press alarm bells

And run my stick along the public railings

And make up for the sobriety of my youth.

I shall go out in my slippers in the rain

And pick flowers in other people's gardens

And learn to spit.

You can wear terrible shirts and grow more fat

And eat three pounds of sausages at a go

Or only bread and pickle for a week

And hoard pens and pencils and beermats and things in boxes.

But now we must have clothes that keep us dry

And pay our rent and not swear in the street

And set a good example for the children.

We must have friends to dinner and read the papers.

But maybe I ought to practise a little now?

So people who know me are not too shocked and surprised

When suddenly I am old, and start to wear purple.

   

"When I'm an old woman, I shall wear purple with a red hat." That poem inspired the creation of the now-global Red Hat Society, which celebrates women over 50. These women share the common belief that aging should be faced with excitement, fun, laughter, and adventure.

Ruth, Lois' mother, was a very private but brave person who spoke little about her personal thoughts and feelings so it was very touching to get a little insight into the reflections she had when she was thinking about her own old age, I think.

18:00 We have dinner and watch television. An old episode of "The Good Old Days" is on, a program that tried to recreate the mood of the old vaudeville theater. The episode was first aired on December 31, 1980 when Lois and I were 34 years old.

A very warm and cosy show, decorated with a big Christmas tree just in front of the stage. The show ends with the participants and audience singing the traditional "Auld Lang Syne".

Auld Lang Syne - I always find it touching to see New Years Eves from "auld lang syne" (ha ha ha). I think of people's eternal optimism for the coming year, and I think of the year they actually got (1981 in this case). I cannot really remember a lot about the year - I think Charles and Di got married.

In the summer, I visited the USA for the first time on a business trip to our sister agency, together with Harvey, my boss. In our free time we drove to Harpers Ferry, a historic little town in West Virginia, at the confluence of the River Potomac and the River Shenandoah. 

I swung by the town's custard shop, which sells the world's best custard, according to the shop owners. Yummy !!! Harvey and I also visited Washington DC's National Air and Space Museum. I bought a great kite for Alison and Sarah in the museum shop.

I was very impressed by the United States and I was very struck by how friendly and welcoming people over there were and how good the service was in restaurants - my god! So, after my return, I put my name down on the list of volunteers who would like to work over there on a 3 year posting, and I was accepted.

22:00 We go to bed - zzzzzzzzz !!!!!

Danish translation

10:00 Lois og jeg går hen til landsbyen. Vi smutter ind i Waghornes, den lokale slagterforretning for at købe kød, brød og ost. På vej hjem vi kigger ind i det lokale apotek for at hente Lois’ piller, både hendes sædvanlige statiner og også de piller, som vores læge i onsdag ordinerede for håbentligt at løse hendes fordøjelsesproblemer.

11:30 Vi kommer hjem. Jeg kigger på min smartphone, og jeg får lidt af en chok, det må jeg indrømme. Steve, min amerikanske svigerbror, har sendt mig en email, der giver mig information på forhånd om spilskiftende udviklinger i Lois’ og min yndlings-sitcom, Big Bang Theory.

Vi briter har hidtil kun set de første 11 afsnit i den nuværende sæson, men jeg finder ud af fra Steves information, at Raj i det 14. afsnit, starter en affære med en kvinde, Nell, han møder mens han arbejder på det lokale planetarium. Han finder ud af, at Nell er for 2 uger siden gået fra sin mand, Oliver. Raj mødes med Oliver, holder op med at sove med Nell, og bliver faste venner med Oliver. Samtidig bliver forvirrende forandringer lavet i Sheldons og Leonards skriftlige kontrakt  om at dele deres lejlighed. Du godeste, sikke et vanvid! Men serien fortsætter endda efter 10 sæsoner, med at finde på forfriskende nye historielinjer, hvilket er rart.

Dette 11. sæson er sitcommens næstsidste. Lois og jeg diskuterer ofte problemerne af langløbende sitcoms. Efter en vis antal sæsoner viser forfatterne altid tendens til at få nogle af de forskellige par til at gifte sig, få børn osv, fordi disse begivenheder tilbyder en masse komiske muligheder, men ulempen er, at serien derefter går glip af en masse komisk spænding, og gassen går ud af hovedfigurerne.

I går snakkede vi lidt om Frasier, fordi vi så ”Frasiers far” (John Mahoney) i en film på tv, Moonstruck. Jeg synes, at Frasier-serien gik glip af en masse komisk spænding, efter Niles giftede sig med Daphne, og dette til sidst fremskyndte seriens ende. Lois, der altid havde en megacrush på Niles, har mere tendens til at fordybe sig i situationen og at se på figurerne som reelle mennesker. Så er juryen stadig ude om det hele.

Spinoff serier er ikke altid succesfulde. Hvem kan glemme det berømte afsnit af ”Friends of Friends”, hvor Charlie og 5 lejlighedsvise bekendte sidder og snakker om, hvor flot en fyr Ross er, mens de prøver på en diskret måde at tjekke uret. Serien stoppede kort efter, og med rette!

”Friends of Friends” - det skæbnesvangre afsnit, der fremskyndte

seriens aflysning  (kilde: Onion Entertainment)

12:00 Vi snakker lidt om problemerne af skuespillere, der er blevet så kendt i deres rolle i langløbende sitcoms, at de har svært ved at få nye roller, efter sitcommen ophører.

Vi fandt det meget nostalgisk for nylig, at høre om ”Butch” Patrick, den tidligere barnstjerne fra ”The Munsters”, som Lois og jeg begge godt kunne lide som børn (rapport den den 25 maj 2012, samme kilden).

Patrick, en lokal mand, der faktisk bor i vores villakvarter, ramte de nationale overskrifterne for nylig, da han annnoncerede, han havde tænkt sig at skrive sin autobiografi på et tekstbehandlingsanlæg, han købte på et loppemarked.

Den tidligere barnstjerne, der fra 1964 til 1966 spillede rollen som Eddie Munster på en CBS sitcom om en familie af monstre, opdagede det Smith Corona personlige tekstbehandlingsanlæg ved et gårdsalg, hvor det sad på et tæppe i græsset. Han samlede enheden straks op og angiveligt bar det rundt mens han fortsat med at gå på opdagelse, for at forhindre en anden erfaren kunde fra at slå ned på det brugte elektroniske udstyr og nappe det.

"Jeg er virkelig heldig, jeg ikke kom her fem minutter senere, for jeg er sikker på, at det ville have været længe gået", sagde Patrick og tilføjede, at han fik et flot tilbud på tekstbehandleren, og at det ville være " perfekt " for endelig at få sine memoarer ned på papir. "Denne ting koster nok en masse penge på RadioShack nu, men jeg fik det for en slik. Og det bedste er, jeg fik endda rabat."

"Der er frynsegoder at være berømt," fortsatte Patrick.

Ifølge gårdsalgsarrangørerne var Patrick meget begejstret for den elektroniske skrivemaskine og henvendte sig til flere fremmede, der i gang med at efterse genstande på et bord på bukke, for at forklare, at maskinen havde et par små ridser, men var ellers i "temmelig god" tilstand. Patrick påpegede også ved flere lejligheder, at tekstbehandleren havde en skærm, der viste flere linjer tekst på én gang.

"Denne ting er sejt, for hvis du fucker op, er det ikke et problem, du bruger bare backspace-knappen til at slette fejlen," sagde Patrick.

"Når du er i showbiz, har du brug for, at alt ser meget professionelt ud", tilføjede han, hvis sidste store rolle var i 1971 på Sid og Marty Krofft-showet Lidsville, hvor han spillede en teenage dreng, der magisk kommer ind i en verden af levende hatte. Han informerede også kunderne om, at hans nye køb ville betyde en hurtig fremskyndelse af indsatsen for at færdiggøre det første udkast til hans selvbiografi.

"Jeg har allerede fået 30 sider ned på et hotel notesblok om mange af tingene fra  første sæson af Munsters ," sagde Patrick.

12:15 Jeg nævner Patricks autobiografiske gennembrud til Lois. Jeg har ofte overvejet at udgive min egen autobiografi, og jeg for 12 år siden (da jeg gik på pension) skrev de første 5 linjer, som jeg har været i gang med at perfektionere nogensinde siden. Men det er svært at koncentrere mig om dem. Vi har stadig vores datter Sarahs gamle tekstbehandlingsanlæg i loftet, hvor der er stille og roligt. Måske kunne jeg arbejde deroppe og endelig klare de vigtiste indledende linjer, hvor jeg beskriver min fødsel. Jeg har allerede skrevet resten af bogen i hovedet, så det skulle være en let sag at fuldende den. Vi får se!

12:30 Jeg kigger lidt på nettet. Jeg får endnu et chok. ”Kvindelandsholdet” er blevet valgt som årets danske ord. Det virker et mærkeligt valg, men det resulterer fra succesen af Danmarks kvindelige landshold i fodbold, der i 2017 vandt sølv ved Europamesterskaberne.

 årets danske ord  er blevet kåret: og det er ”kvindelandsholdet”

Juryen begrundede blandt andet valget med, at kvindelandsholdet førte an i at gøre kvindefodbold populært i Danmark. Derudover pointerede de, at det var en stor succeshistorie for kvinder, hvor blandt andet ordet "#Metoo" også har fyldt meget i 2017.

- Jeg synes, at det er skønt, at noget af det, der har fyldt allermest i 2017, nemlig kvinder, at det slår igennem i det her. Uden at der nødvendigvis kun er fokus på krænkelserne, på det der er skidt, men i stedet på det der godt, det der fungerer, sagde Tine Gøtzsche, da kåringen var en realitet, står der på konkurrences websted. Jeg bemærker også, at ordet ”krænkelsekultur” også findes på kortlisten, hvilket er lidt bekymrende.

Bortset fra ”kvindelandsholdet”, ”#Metoo”, og ”krænkelseskultur”, der er nogle ord på kortlisten der ikke henviser til kvinders spørgsmål, herunder nogle engelske ord: ”bitcoin”, ”disruption” (nye typer af forretninger, der skaber kaos i et eller andet market, som fx ubu airbnb osv), og ”fake news”.

Endnu et engelsk ord,  ”clickbait”, som jeg måtte slå op på nettet – jeg er bare en gammel krage trods alt. ”Clickbait” er lokkemad, som får dig til at klikke, når du er på nettet. ... Derfor bruges begrebet clickbait nu stort set kun om overskrifter eller linktekster, som udelukkende er skabt med henblik på at narre brugeren til at se reklamer uden samtidig at give brugere reel værdi. Du godeste, sikke en skør verden vi lever i !!!

Endnu et interessant ord, ”grønlænderstiv”, et udtryk kendt fra 1993 der bygger på den stereotype opfattelse at grønlændere generelt drikker mere end danskere. Og en grønlænder har sagt, at lige så snart hun nævner, at hun kommer fra Grønland, kommer fordommene frem. »Så siger de straks: Så skal du nok være grønlænderstiv. Det er et meget gængs udtryk, jeg ofte har mødt i de år, jeg boet i Danmark.” Tværtimod siger nogle, at de seneste 20 år er alkoholforbruget i Grønland nemlig raslet ned, og i dag drikker grønlænderne faktisk mindre end i Danmark.

Jeg spørger Lois, hvorfor hun synes alkoholforbruget i Grønland kunne have raslet ned, og vi spekulerer på, om global opvarming har skylden – måske er der flere muligheder for at spille sunde udendørs sports, som tennis for eksempel. Men det er vi ikke helt sikre på.

12:30 Vi spiser frokost, og bagefter går jeg i seng for at tage en gigantisk eftermiddagslur. Mens jeg  sover, går Lois hen rundt om hjørnet til det lokale bibliotek for at hjælpe personalet med at organisere og lede eftermiddagens ugentlige ”Baby Bounce and Rhyme” session for unge mødre og deres små børn. Hun glæder sig meget til at deltage i disse sessioner, fordi hun ofte får lejligheden til at vugge et eller andet lille barn eller baby på skødet, hvilket er meget nostalgisk – desværre bor alle vores 5 børnebørn i udlandet og vi har siden mindst 2 år haft ”tomme rede” syndrom og mere til: det har jeg ikke nogen tvivl om.

15:30 Lois kommer tilbage fra biblioteket. Vi slapper af med en kop te i sofaen og hun fortæller mig lidt om eftermiddagens session, der var den første i 2017.

16:00 Vi lytter til radio, et interessant program kaldet ”Det Sidste Ord”.  Lois og jeg har for vane at høre dette program hver uge, fordi vi ønsker at finde ud af, om nogen i de seneste 1-2 uger døde eller ej (jeg har bemærket, at der i de fleste uger sker nøjagtig 5 dødsfald). Programmets vært er den charmerende Matthew Bannister.

Digteren Jenny Joseph er desværre død. Hun skrev blandt andet digtet, der i 1990’erne blev kåret som poesielskeres yndlingsdigt, ”Advarslen” (1961), der handler om en kvinde, der planlægger hvordan hun skal føre sig, når hun bliver gammel. Kort sagt, hun har til hensigt at ældes uden ynde.

Lois fandt et eksemplar af dette digt i Ruth, sin mors håndtaske, efter hun døde. Hun havde klippet digtet ud fra et magasin, hvilket jeg finder utrolig rørende.

When I am an old woman I shall wear purple

With a red hat which doesn't go, and doesn't suit me.

And I shall spend my pension on brandy and summer gloves

And satin sandals, and say we've no money for butter.

I shall sit down on the pavement when I'm tired

And gobble up samples in shops and press alarm bells

And run my stick along the public railings

And make up for the sobriety of my youth.

I shall go out in my slippers in the rain

And pick flowers in other people's gardens

And learn to spit.

You can wear terrible shirts and grow more fat

And eat three pounds of sausages at a go

Or only bread and pickle for a week

And hoard pens and pencils and beermats and things in boxes.

But now we must have clothes that keep us dry

And pay our rent and not swear in the street

And set a good example for the children.

We must have friends to dinner and read the papers.

But maybe I ought to practise a little now?

So people who know me are not too shocked and surprised

When suddenly I am old, and start to wear purple.

   

"Når jeg er en gammel kvinde, skal jeg bære lilla med en rød hat." Det digt inspirerede oprettelsen af ​​den nu globale Red Hat Society, som fejrer kvinder over 50 år. Disse kvinder deler den fælles tro på, at aldring bør blive mødt med spænding, sjov, latter, og eventyr.

Ruth, Lois’ mor, var en meget privat men modig person, der talte meget lidt om sine personlige tanker og følelser, så det er meget rørende at få et lille indsigt i hendes reflektioner, mens hun tænkte på sin egen alderdom, synes jeg.

18:00 Vi spiser aftensmad og ser lidt fjernsyn. De viser et gamle afsnit af ”De gode gamle dage”, et program, der prøvede at genskabe stemningen af det gamle vaudeville-teater. Afsnittet blev først sendt den 31. december 1980, da Lois og jeg var 34 år gamle.

Et meget hyggeligt show, pyntet med et stor juletræ lige foran scenen. Showet ender med, at deltagerne synger den traditionelle ”Auld Lang Syne”.

Auld Lang Syne: jeg finder det altid rørende at se nytårsaftener fra ”længe siden” (ha ha ha). Jeg tænker på folks evige optimisme overfor det kommende år, og så tænker jeg på året, som de i virkeligheden fik (1981 i dette tilfælde). Jeg kan faktisk ikke huske særlig meget om året – jeg tror, at Charles og Di giftede sig.

Om sommeren besøgte jeg for første gang USA på forretningsrejse til vores søsteragentur, sammen med Harvey, min chef. I vores fritid kørte vi til Harpers Ferry, en lille historisk by i West Virginia, ved sammenløbet af floden Potomac og floden Shenandoah. Jeg kiggede ind i byens vanillecremebutik, hvor man solgte verdens bedste vanillecreme, ifølge butikkens ejere. Nam nam!!! Harvey og jeg besøgte også byen Washingtons nationale luft- og rummuseum. Jeg købte en flot drage til Alison og Sarah i museets butik.

Jeg var meget imponeret af USA  og jeg blev meget slået af, hvor venlige og imødekommende folk derovre var, og hvor god betjeningen var i restauranter – du godeste! Så derfor efter min hjemkomst skrev jeg mit navn på den liste af frivillige, der gerne ville arbejde derovre som en 3-års udstationering, og jeg blev accepteret.

22:00 Vi går i seng – zzzzzzzzz!!!!!