(A newer "Version 2" of Room Lovely is here)
(This could prove to be one of my longer blog posts....you have been warned!)
For those not familiar with the concept of Room 101 - (the TV show, not the one in 1984, although the latter inspired the former) allow me to explain. Basically, it was a BBC TV comedy show with, according to the BBC microsite, one with a 'simple premise':
One of the episodes I particularly enjoyed was Stephen Fry's appearance and his attempt to put Room 101 into Room 101 itself. Not because he didn't like the show, not because he didn't like the presenter, but because it focused too much on the negative - the things people didn't like. And so, Stephen Fry was granted a 'Room Lovely' to discuss what things should go into a place filled with all the niceties in life.
You can watch Fry's appearance on Room 101 on YouTube (from 3 minutes in is the "Room Lovely" section)
So, this blog post is about some of the things I would put into Room Lovely - and where appropriate (or required!) my reasons. Yeah, I know it's self indulgent, but hey this is my blog isn't it - you can go make your own!
So, vamos a ver!...
Oh, I should mention that I am not including the obvious things like food, water, oxygen, medicine, family, love, Rachel Stevens etc (putting a hyperlink in for Rachel Stevens is for my benefit to save me having to type it in later! Focus Phil!, focus!). These are in no specific order. Oh, and I am also excluding raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens...
1. BBC News - For good (as unbiased as you can get nowadays!) news reporting. Professional sitting at a desk saying what is going on in the world.
2. Atlases - I personally find looking at an atlas an almost sexually exciting experience (but not quite - so no need to call the men in white coats yet). When at school, my friends would be saving up for playstation games, or asking for them as presents for birthdays, but instead I got all excited when the latest edition of the world atlas came out and would want that! I could just look at all the places for hours on end, trying try to understand how different places were related, how diverse and beautiful our natural landscape can be.
3. Mark Knopfler - Do I really need to add more here? If you've looked at my blog already, you will know how great I think he is.
4. Piano - OK, so I'm no Jools Holland (oh, he should go in Room Lovely too!), but I do play and think the piano is a wonderful instrument.
5. Newspaper articles - I don't read them as much as I should, but occasionally there will be one that takes my fancy. This goes in to Room Lovely though more because it's the freedom of healthy thought provoking opinion we are supplied with in copious amounts.
6. iPhone - I think the phone itself is a feat of technological engineering (I have one myself), but this goes in just as much for raising the bar for what a mobile phone should be about. Touch screen is now the norm, and people expect their phone to do much - quickly and easily. Thank you iPhone for creating this leap.
7. Microwaves - Because I would starve without one! (oh and I'm adding microchips to this!)
8. Kit Kats - What, you mean you haven't figured out why this is in?....Look at the name of blog!
9. Encyclopedias - Cos I like to know stuff! And a place to go for all of this is neurologically fulfilling!
10. Cameras - To help keep memories alive. The emotions looking at a picture can exhibit demonstrates their power. The photo of an old pet, the view from your old bedroom window, that holiday shot of whatever it was that made the people involved get the giggles.
11. Amygdala - My favourite part of the brain. Without it, we'd be pretty dull people!
12. Soap - Think about it - is there anything nicer than knowing you have clean hands? Sure, but not stuff I'm gonna put on a publicly accessible blog!
13. Official Monster Raving Loony Party - For those outside the UK, the Official Monster Raving Loony Party is an officially registered political party in the UK. They'll never win (tragically!), but I just love their humourous (and it's the fact this is official) take on political activity. I strongly encourage to study their Manifesto. Where else do you get policies such as;
"Cool on the outside:
To combat global warming and climate change all buildings should be fitted with air conditioning units on the outside."
"Terror Passport
Separate Passports for Terrorists: Terrorists should be required (by virtue of law) to apply for separate passports in which they give there full contact details, number of explosives, and time (as well as location) of any plot. This would save time and money in gathering intelligence, and could also help identify the intended ambition(s) behind any atrocity(s)."
"Interesting News:
Every day the news should tell people an interesting fact in a hope to increase people's knowledge."
"Nice Curves
A government agency will be set up to paint contour lines on to hills and colour roads the same as on maps. This will help people know where they are."
"National Defense.
To keep our nation on it's toes, we should have a minimum of 2 nuclear war drills a day."
"Nessie
The Loch Ness Monster should be added to the endangered species list."
"Bon Voyage
We will pass a law ordering British Airways flight attendants to CHEER UP"
And it should be noted, that some of their policies have become actual law.
14. Elmo - Because.....
15. Snooker - My favourite sport. I also really like it because the professional circuit has such a warm family feel to it. Cheating and being disrespectful are still very rare and frowned upon. Not to mention that a great amount of skill is needed to play. There's really nothing quite like a cold winters evening watching the final of the Masters with Willie and Dennis in the commentary box, popping back to the studio for a quick comment by Steve Davis to get you chilled!
16. Sir David Attenborough - Watch, and enjoy. What a wonderfully, fantastic man. A genuinely brilliant human being whose passion cannot be ignored.
17. Baywatch - Run Yasmin, run like the wind (although Pamela Anderson was my favourite!) Yeah I know it's wrong to put this in, but my youth is in this show and I will defend it! So many memories, ah.
18. Paul Merton - He is a fantasticly witty comedian with a very dry and unbelievably quick sense of humour. He represents the type of humour that I adore. Clever. I think also, Have I Got News For You is very representative of the British sense of humour (of which I'm a big fan).
19. Satire - This leads on to satire, which deserves its own place. I think it's very healthy to make things humourous where ever possible, and done in a slightly 'dry/can you get away with that?' manner is both very clever and good for us.
20. Friends (the TV show). Princess Consuela Bananahammock, Hey, How you doin? There are many more moments!
21. The internet. For all it's spam and things we don't want to see, it really has changed society I think. We rely on it so much and when it does what it's supposed to, it's just wonderful. It certainly has changed my life.
22. Ray Mears - Whilst writing this blog post title The Real Heroes Of Telemark - In Streetview I realised that of course Ray Mears should be in Room Lovely! For his genuine enthusiasm of the natural world, the heritage of it and our responsibility to it, and how there are skills we can learn and carry with us so that no matter where we are - we are able to survive.
23. Stephen Fry - Because he came up with the idea of Room Lovely in the first place!
Now.....I wonder what would be on your list?
(This could prove to be one of my longer blog posts....you have been warned!)
For those not familiar with the concept of Room 101 - (the TV show, not the one in 1984, although the latter inspired the former) allow me to explain. Basically, it was a BBC TV comedy show with, according to the BBC microsite, one with a 'simple premise':
"Celebrity guests come on and consign to Room 101 anything they particularly loathe and despise, arguing with the host as to the merits of chucking Football, France or Novelty Underpants to oblivion."
One of the episodes I particularly enjoyed was Stephen Fry's appearance and his attempt to put Room 101 into Room 101 itself. Not because he didn't like the show, not because he didn't like the presenter, but because it focused too much on the negative - the things people didn't like. And so, Stephen Fry was granted a 'Room Lovely' to discuss what things should go into a place filled with all the niceties in life.
You can watch Fry's appearance on Room 101 on YouTube (from 3 minutes in is the "Room Lovely" section)
So, this blog post is about some of the things I would put into Room Lovely - and where appropriate (or required!) my reasons. Yeah, I know it's self indulgent, but hey this is my blog isn't it - you can go make your own!
So, vamos a ver!...
Oh, I should mention that I am not including the obvious things like food, water, oxygen, medicine, family, love, Rachel Stevens etc (putting a hyperlink in for Rachel Stevens is for my benefit to save me having to type it in later! Focus Phil!, focus!). These are in no specific order. Oh, and I am also excluding raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens...
1. BBC News - For good (as unbiased as you can get nowadays!) news reporting. Professional sitting at a desk saying what is going on in the world.
2. Atlases - I personally find looking at an atlas an almost sexually exciting experience (but not quite - so no need to call the men in white coats yet). When at school, my friends would be saving up for playstation games, or asking for them as presents for birthdays, but instead I got all excited when the latest edition of the world atlas came out and would want that! I could just look at all the places for hours on end, trying try to understand how different places were related, how diverse and beautiful our natural landscape can be.
3. Mark Knopfler - Do I really need to add more here? If you've looked at my blog already, you will know how great I think he is.
4. Piano - OK, so I'm no Jools Holland (oh, he should go in Room Lovely too!), but I do play and think the piano is a wonderful instrument.
5. Newspaper articles - I don't read them as much as I should, but occasionally there will be one that takes my fancy. This goes in to Room Lovely though more because it's the freedom of healthy thought provoking opinion we are supplied with in copious amounts.
6. iPhone - I think the phone itself is a feat of technological engineering (I have one myself), but this goes in just as much for raising the bar for what a mobile phone should be about. Touch screen is now the norm, and people expect their phone to do much - quickly and easily. Thank you iPhone for creating this leap.
7. Microwaves - Because I would starve without one! (oh and I'm adding microchips to this!)
8. Kit Kats - What, you mean you haven't figured out why this is in?....Look at the name of blog!
9. Encyclopedias - Cos I like to know stuff! And a place to go for all of this is neurologically fulfilling!
10. Cameras - To help keep memories alive. The emotions looking at a picture can exhibit demonstrates their power. The photo of an old pet, the view from your old bedroom window, that holiday shot of whatever it was that made the people involved get the giggles.
11. Amygdala - My favourite part of the brain. Without it, we'd be pretty dull people!
12. Soap - Think about it - is there anything nicer than knowing you have clean hands? Sure, but not stuff I'm gonna put on a publicly accessible blog!
13. Official Monster Raving Loony Party - For those outside the UK, the Official Monster Raving Loony Party is an officially registered political party in the UK. They'll never win (tragically!), but I just love their humourous (and it's the fact this is official) take on political activity. I strongly encourage to study their Manifesto. Where else do you get policies such as;
"Cool on the outside:
To combat global warming and climate change all buildings should be fitted with air conditioning units on the outside."
"Terror Passport
Separate Passports for Terrorists: Terrorists should be required (by virtue of law) to apply for separate passports in which they give there full contact details, number of explosives, and time (as well as location) of any plot. This would save time and money in gathering intelligence, and could also help identify the intended ambition(s) behind any atrocity(s)."
"Interesting News:
Every day the news should tell people an interesting fact in a hope to increase people's knowledge."
"Nice Curves
A government agency will be set up to paint contour lines on to hills and colour roads the same as on maps. This will help people know where they are."
"National Defense.
To keep our nation on it's toes, we should have a minimum of 2 nuclear war drills a day."
"Nessie
The Loch Ness Monster should be added to the endangered species list."
"Bon Voyage
We will pass a law ordering British Airways flight attendants to CHEER UP"
And it should be noted, that some of their policies have become actual law.
14. Elmo - Because.....
15. Snooker - My favourite sport. I also really like it because the professional circuit has such a warm family feel to it. Cheating and being disrespectful are still very rare and frowned upon. Not to mention that a great amount of skill is needed to play. There's really nothing quite like a cold winters evening watching the final of the Masters with Willie and Dennis in the commentary box, popping back to the studio for a quick comment by Steve Davis to get you chilled!
16. Sir David Attenborough - Watch, and enjoy. What a wonderfully, fantastic man. A genuinely brilliant human being whose passion cannot be ignored.
17. Baywatch - Run Yasmin, run like the wind (although Pamela Anderson was my favourite!) Yeah I know it's wrong to put this in, but my youth is in this show and I will defend it! So many memories, ah.
18. Paul Merton - He is a fantasticly witty comedian with a very dry and unbelievably quick sense of humour. He represents the type of humour that I adore. Clever. I think also, Have I Got News For You is very representative of the British sense of humour (of which I'm a big fan).
19. Satire - This leads on to satire, which deserves its own place. I think it's very healthy to make things humourous where ever possible, and done in a slightly 'dry/can you get away with that?' manner is both very clever and good for us.
20. Friends (the TV show). Princess Consuela Bananahammock, Hey, How you doin? There are many more moments!
21. The internet. For all it's spam and things we don't want to see, it really has changed society I think. We rely on it so much and when it does what it's supposed to, it's just wonderful. It certainly has changed my life.
22. Ray Mears - Whilst writing this blog post title The Real Heroes Of Telemark - In Streetview I realised that of course Ray Mears should be in Room Lovely! For his genuine enthusiasm of the natural world, the heritage of it and our responsibility to it, and how there are skills we can learn and carry with us so that no matter where we are - we are able to survive.
23. Stephen Fry - Because he came up with the idea of Room Lovely in the first place!
Now.....I wonder what would be on your list?
It'd be lonnnnnng, I actually have one :D
ReplyDeletePublish it - or at least send it me :)
ReplyDelete:D ok, I have to type it, it's... in paperrrrrr!!! :D
ReplyDelete