Monday, December 04, 2006

Other people have the best ideas.

I didn't know what to post and I am struggling with a (ahem) side project which at the moment appears to be much more trouble than it will be worth in the end, and then I read patroclus and I thought what a good idea I'll nick that.

What have I learnt from men? Well patroclus has had 4 serious boyfriends in the last 15 years but I've just had Mr. realdoc who, as you may know, is not very communicative and has borderline Alzheimers, so the answer to that would probably be frig all. But after some thought that's probably a little uncharitable so my list of things I have learnt from men is as follows:

googlie bowling, the difference between pinot and cabernet, the physics of MRI scanning, an appreciation of Beethoven (sort of), fire lighting (the proper way, no firelighters allowed),knot tying, astronomy and the Yorkshire method of putting on socks.


**UPDATE** But obviously not googly spelling (thanks dave)

30 comments:

Vicus Scurra said...

So much more informative than P's list. Not sure about the wine thing, and the MRI. I suspect they might have been his off days.

Zig said...

I bet you know what a bye and a leg bye are eh eh? and probably the off side rule as well! Men, they're mines of information - shame it's never useful.

herschelian said...

I didn't know there were regional methods of putting on socks - mind you I'm just a colonial and we don't wear socks very often.

Mangonel said...

Is Mr R now, or has he ever been, a boy scout? It sounds like his arms would have been stiff with badges.

patroclus said...

I'm all agog to know what the Yorkshire method of putting on socks is.

Billy said...

After the trousers maybe?

Dave said...

Do you mean you understand what a googlie is, or that you can actually bowl one?

Either way, you're doing better than the rest of my virtual cricket team, and I think you ought to consider joining next season.

Spinsterella said...

the socks - please explain!!!!

Billy's comment made me laugh.

Spinsterella said...

Also, I've been working on my own version for the past hour-and-a-half, and it's made me awfully depressed.

Moominmama said...

i want to know about the socks, too.

and the googlie bowling. i'm dating a cricketer.

Rog said...

I know. They put on three pairs of socks and go for a Tramp on the moors.

Johanna said...

Yeah, I have to second (or third) that, please tell us about the socks. Although it will probably be a terrible letdown after this build-up.

realdoc said...

I can bowl (and spot) a googlie amongst my variety of leg spin deliveries.
The sock thing is not as exciting as those of you with sad and empty lives are hoping for...
The Yorkshire method of putting on socks is to turn them inside themselves halfway so they fit over your foot before you un fold the top half over your leg. Rather than pulling them straight on which is what everyone in the world does except Mr. realdoc. This method was taught to him by his Yorkshire granny so apparently there's no arguing.

Dave said...

'I can bowl (and spot) a googlie amongst my variety of leg spin deliveries.'

Assuming you've not had a call requesting your presence in Australia, you'd be a welcome addition to our team. I fear Vicus isn't the bowler he used to be, and I'm thinking of replacing himn with a younger model next season. The job's yours if you want it.

You will have to grow a beard though.

Dave said...

Actually, on reflection, I'm going to write about this tomorrow. You'll see I'm making you an even better offer.

Oh, and it's 'googly' apparently.

Spinsterella said...

That sock thing is insane - I have just tried it (no, i'm not in the office at the minute).

llewtrah said...

I thought the Yorkshire method of putting on socks would be to tuck the trouser hem into the sock so the ferret can't run up the leg (or to keep the ferret hidden in the trouser leg when rabbiting on someone else's land - a ferret? Bah goom no, ah've allus had a bit of a limp)

Smat said...

re the sock thing - in the wild north of Scotland it's still practiced and called "flipe-in' yir socks".

Moominmama said...

I STILL DON'T KNOW WHAT GOOGLY BOWLING IS!

*kicks and pounds floor with fists*

Mangonel said...

But that method was the only method possible for several million years until some spark invented elastic, and socks gained enough 'give' to stretch over yer whole foot. I'm just glad to see someone preserving the old traditions.

llewtrah said...

About the googly

Googly on BBC Sport
Googly on Wikipedia
Googly in Baseball Terms A pitch which is thrown with baseball's "screwball" grip but reverse finger spin... to look like a leg-break (see definition) that should move across and AWAY from the batter, but actually moves in the OPPOSITE direction, i.e. INTO the batter like an off-break (see definition), after it bounces. (also see definition of "chinaman").

Vicus Scurra said...

llewtrah. You better not let Mr Realdoc see you using baseball terms when it comes to cricket. You may think that you are being helpful, but you have likely caused the poor man to treble his blood pressure.
Let's hope he doesn't see it. Realdoc, you keep him talking, we'll divert the discussion back to MRI equipment.

realdoc said...

Mr realdoc's BP is already sky high thanks to the gutless choking of that bunch of losers out in Australia.

Rog said...

It goes to show that blogging about your socks life sparks a lot of interest. There could be a publishing deal afoot here...

Moominmama said...

llewtra: you da bomb! thank you!

vicus: llewtra was being perceptive and remember that as a Yank, cricket concepts are easier for me to grasp when compared with baseball. The Pirate does this for my benefit when I am watching his matches, and I find it most helpful.

RD: sadly, "losers" is the one word we can't really apply to the auzzies at this point. Pirate rang me last night in tears, bless him.

Zig said...

OK I've just tried the sock thing - it's ok, but I didn't, to be honest, find it any improvement on the usual method. I know that I am half way down a bottle of Pinot Grigio so it may have some baring, but, it doesn't work at all with tights. hic.

rockmother said...

That's really funny - I use the Yorkshire sock method - and my granny was from Yorkshire although I don't recall her showing me how to put on socks. Anyway - new podcast is up and running - turn it up! xx

Mangonel said...

So what's the (ahem) side project and how is it going?

Molly Bloom said...

You are so wonderful Realdoc. Teaching us about sock pulling. My mum used to do this thing with tights which was really weird. It was a kind of frantic ruching onto her hand and then it just kind of slipped onto the foot really easy. It was a very strange thing. Really fast. I've tried to do it, but I never can.

realdoc said...

The (ahem) side project is a podcast. Bloody hell they are complicated and take ages and it's probably going to be crap. Much respect to Romo, billy, Mr Swipe and the others who do it regularly. Think I'll do a post instead.