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The Very British Meme
Apr. 14th, 2005 11:12 amGakked from ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
doyle_sb4.
Things I've done are in bold, my comments in italics.
Waited for forty minutes in the rain for a bus and then two come at once.
Fought someone bodily for the last packet of butterscotch Angel Delight in the convenience store.
Likedoyle_sb4, I've never used the phrase 'convenience store' either. They're called shops, dammit!
Failed to find Last of the Summer Wine at all amusing. Or indeed, to have any point whatsoever.
Danced with delight the morning after a general election.
Shouted at Radio 4.
Bought Marks & Spencer's underwear.
Made bubble and squeak.
Complained about the weather.
Stood in the doorway or by the window gazing out at rain/snow/hail as though it were a new phenomenon.
Tried to use a public loo and been forced to walk out again and cross your legs till you got home due to sheer disgustingness of same.
Had a Hornby train set.
Said 'ah well, mustn't grumble'.
Honestly believed that Marmite is an actual foodstuff.
Ugh. It's only Australians who actually stereotypically eat that stuff.
Thought that cider was a girlie drink and only realised the error the day after, when that whole hideous karaoke striptease incident comes flooding back and you realise you're wearing someone else's pants.
Made Heath Robinson-esque sculptures out of Meccano.
Used leaf tea, warmed the teapot, and put the milk in last.
Been taken to 'The Nutcracker' as a Christmas treat.
Taken ballet lessons.
Been to a panto.
Read Noddy books as a child.
Had riding lessons and joined the Pony Club.
Watched 'Blue Peter' twice a week, every week, for at least five years.
Know that 'Dr Who' had an existence prior to his incarnation as Tom Baker.
I've always known about the TARDIS and time-travel and the Daleks, the same way as I've always known who Luke Skywalker's father was. In fact, they probably made Daleks out of washing-up liquid bottles on Blue Peter at some point.
Consider 'Blake's 7' the apotheosis of British TV science fiction.
Had nits.
Seen a performance by Morris Dancers.
Been to the Glastonbury festival.
Said 'bollocks' a lot.
Played on an old Second World War bombsite as a child.
Had a father/grandfather who fought in the War but never talked about it.
Know that the Second World War started in 1939, not 1941.
Have parents/grandparents who remember the Blitz and rationing.
Been hunt sabbing.
Played in a children's playground floored with SOLID CONCRETE!
Been stuck on the Tube for more than 20 minutes for no reason that is ever divulged to anyone.
Not the Tube, because we have none in Belfast, but I challenge the Tube to beat NIR for stupid delays and sheer bloody-mindedness.
Gone Christmas shopping in Harrods/Selfridges.
Bought the Big Issue.
Given old clothes/books/stuff to Oxfam.
Been to France on a school trip.
Made a crown for a nativity play with old-style Rowntree's Fruit Gums.
Made anything from a Blue Peter programme. (Bonus points if you attempted the comedy Christmas Wreath using M&S food bags.)
Carry an umbrella for more than three hundred days a year.
I always carry an umbrella 9a titchy folding one), or else a raincoat.
Had a parent who stood, most embarrassingly, for local council elections.
Managed to live in the UK but not visit all of its constituent counties.
Well, have you Yanks been to all 50 states, either?
Been to a foreign supermarket and stocked up on Nutella to a ludicrous extent.
Been on a booze cruise to Calais.
Holidayed at the seaside every year and caught crabs in rockpools.
Consider 'Europe' a foreign country.
Were christened CofE, but have never been to church except for weddings, christenings and funerals.
Had a Sindy doll.
I cut her feet off because the dog chewed them.
Remember 'Marathon', 'Opal Fruits', 'Jif' and 'Oil of Ulay'.
Yes! Stupid Snickers, Starburst, Gif and Oil of Olay.
Consider fish 'n' chips a basic food staple, not a Quaint British Novelty.
Had curry sauce on your chips.
Don't celebrate St Patrick's Day. Still less call him 'St Pat', 'St Paddy' or, as I have seen today, 'St Patty'.
Don't celebrate it, beyond saying, 'Great, day off.' It is called 'Paddy's Day', though. And I hate Guinness.
Never say "gotten"
Harbour fond memories for the Beano and Dandy
Was a Brownie and then a Girl Guide
Watched Hetty Wainthrope the first time it was shown and thought little Geoffrey was sweet.
Remember Kathy Gale (Honor Blackman) in the Avengers.
Far too young
Get ALL the jokes in Monty Python.
In addition:
Remember the days when 'Top of the Pops' could make or break a popstar.
Travelled from one end of the country (let's say England) to the other in one day and called it a long but do-able journey.
Belfast to Co Wicklow.
Used a racist term and then paused, waiting for someone to come arrest you for being un-PC.
Cried when we lost the World Cup in football (that game with a round ball and two goals, NOT the American version of rugby).
doyle_sb4.Things I've done are in bold, my comments in italics.
Waited for forty minutes in the rain for a bus and then two come at once.
Fought someone bodily for the last packet of butterscotch Angel Delight in the convenience store.
Like
doyle_sb4, I've never used the phrase 'convenience store' either. They're called shops, dammit!Failed to find Last of the Summer Wine at all amusing. Or indeed, to have any point whatsoever.
Danced with delight the morning after a general election.
Shouted at Radio 4.
Bought Marks & Spencer's underwear.
Made bubble and squeak.
Complained about the weather.
Stood in the doorway or by the window gazing out at rain/snow/hail as though it were a new phenomenon.
Tried to use a public loo and been forced to walk out again and cross your legs till you got home due to sheer disgustingness of same.
Had a Hornby train set.
Said 'ah well, mustn't grumble'.
Honestly believed that Marmite is an actual foodstuff.
Ugh. It's only Australians who actually stereotypically eat that stuff.
Thought that cider was a girlie drink and only realised the error the day after, when that whole hideous karaoke striptease incident comes flooding back and you realise you're wearing someone else's pants.
Made Heath Robinson-esque sculptures out of Meccano.
Used leaf tea, warmed the teapot, and put the milk in last.
Been taken to 'The Nutcracker' as a Christmas treat.
Taken ballet lessons.
Been to a panto.
Read Noddy books as a child.
Had riding lessons and joined the Pony Club.
Watched 'Blue Peter' twice a week, every week, for at least five years.
Know that 'Dr Who' had an existence prior to his incarnation as Tom Baker.
I've always known about the TARDIS and time-travel and the Daleks, the same way as I've always known who Luke Skywalker's father was. In fact, they probably made Daleks out of washing-up liquid bottles on Blue Peter at some point.
Consider 'Blake's 7' the apotheosis of British TV science fiction.
Had nits.
Seen a performance by Morris Dancers.
Been to the Glastonbury festival.
Said 'bollocks' a lot.
Played on an old Second World War bombsite as a child.
Had a father/grandfather who fought in the War but never talked about it.
Know that the Second World War started in 1939, not 1941.
Have parents/grandparents who remember the Blitz and rationing.
Been hunt sabbing.
Played in a children's playground floored with SOLID CONCRETE!
Been stuck on the Tube for more than 20 minutes for no reason that is ever divulged to anyone.
Not the Tube, because we have none in Belfast, but I challenge the Tube to beat NIR for stupid delays and sheer bloody-mindedness.
Gone Christmas shopping in Harrods/Selfridges.
Bought the Big Issue.
Given old clothes/books/stuff to Oxfam.
Been to France on a school trip.
Made a crown for a nativity play with old-style Rowntree's Fruit Gums.
Made anything from a Blue Peter programme. (Bonus points if you attempted the comedy Christmas Wreath using M&S food bags.)
Carry an umbrella for more than three hundred days a year.
I always carry an umbrella 9a titchy folding one), or else a raincoat.
Had a parent who stood, most embarrassingly, for local council elections.
Managed to live in the UK but not visit all of its constituent counties.
Well, have you Yanks been to all 50 states, either?
Been to a foreign supermarket and stocked up on Nutella to a ludicrous extent.
Been on a booze cruise to Calais.
Holidayed at the seaside every year and caught crabs in rockpools.
Consider 'Europe' a foreign country.
Were christened CofE, but have never been to church except for weddings, christenings and funerals.
Had a Sindy doll.
I cut her feet off because the dog chewed them.
Remember 'Marathon', 'Opal Fruits', 'Jif' and 'Oil of Ulay'.
Yes! Stupid Snickers, Starburst, Gif and Oil of Olay.
Consider fish 'n' chips a basic food staple, not a Quaint British Novelty.
Had curry sauce on your chips.
Don't celebrate St Patrick's Day. Still less call him 'St Pat', 'St Paddy' or, as I have seen today, 'St Patty'.
Don't celebrate it, beyond saying, 'Great, day off.' It is called 'Paddy's Day', though. And I hate Guinness.
Never say "gotten"
Harbour fond memories for the Beano and Dandy
Was a Brownie and then a Girl Guide
Watched Hetty Wainthrope the first time it was shown and thought little Geoffrey was sweet.
Remember Kathy Gale (Honor Blackman) in the Avengers.
Far too young
Get ALL the jokes in Monty Python.
In addition:
Remember the days when 'Top of the Pops' could make or break a popstar.
Travelled from one end of the country (let's say England) to the other in one day and called it a long but do-able journey.
Belfast to Co Wicklow.
Used a racist term and then paused, waiting for someone to come arrest you for being un-PC.
Cried when we lost the World Cup in football (that game with a round ball and two goals, NOT the American version of rugby).
