Pique-nique
Back on a nice big computer which, after yesterday’s painstakingly-typed-on-a-mobile-phone blog, feels like splashing about in a big swimming pool compared with standing under an unreliable shower. Admittedly this is only a PC, and the way some folks talk these days, you would think a PC wasn’t a computer at all, but a sort of primitive calculator which people use if they can’t afford a Mac. However, I’m a creature of habit and will not be going over to the Mac side any time soon. I might blog on this subject in earnest some time, because I find the quasi-religious mania around Macs slightly alarming. But anyway. As long as the blog gets online, I’m happy to do it on a Tamagotchi.
Amendment to yesterday: it should have been KATY not Katie who was top of Where’s Watson. I’m normally pretty hot on ‘ie’ and ‘y’, and different spellings of Claire and so on, as you’ll know if you’ve ever asked me to sign anything, but I don’t think I ever saw Katy’s name written down. Anyway, well done to her. But there’s already a new leader because I am going to award points to Hornseygirl for having spied me both at the baby weigh-in clinic in our neighbourhood, and at ‘the bakery (established 1820)’. I’m impressed with her sense of local history as well as Watson-spotting skills. I guess one or more of her sightings might have come before the game was launched, so I’m going to award a total of three points. The scoring of Where’s Watson is not entirely scientific.
Now, some news about somewhere you WON’T see me (unfortunately), but will see some other people who read this blog. And have fun.
It is, in short, a picnic. That’s right! Everyone loves a picnic! It’s like a meal, but outdoors, and you have to bring the good.
It is a picnic (the first, perhaps, in a series) for… well, people who read this blog, as I said. I nearly said ‘Watsonians’ but it feels slightly narcissistic to do that. I’m fine with people referring to THEMSELVES as Watsonians but I’d look a bit smug, I think. Anyway. For those people. For you.
If I could go to this myself, I would. As it happens, though, it’s this Saturday, and that is the very day I am off to Portugal on holiday. In a way, I think this may be for the best. Our present relationship is that you don’t see me in person, but we communicate from long range. Who knows, if you saw me eating a Bakewell tart, whether you’d feel quite the same way about me. But I am delighted this is happening, and since it happens to be the day I’m leaving for a week, I thought perhaps you could write the blog collectively and put it up in my absence on Saturday, as a historical record of this notable day in the blog’s history. I will give the login details to Misha, every-day-reader and Watsonian Extraordinaire (oops, I’ve written it now), and await news.
If you are in London, or near it, or the kind of crazy spontaneous fucker that will just drop everything and saunter off to the capital to eat grapes, then the details are: meet at noon, at Marble Arch (I don’t know if it’s the tube station or the actual arch, but the organiser will clarify below, I’m sure). Later on, it will head to the Serpentine. If you want to arrange to meet the group later on, or in fact if you want to communicate with them at all, I’m sure you can use the Comments section to liaise – to use a strange but necessary word.
The question of what will happen for the rest of my holiday is a tricky one. I’m hoping to write a couple of blogs and keep them in reserve. But we will definitely need at least a couple of Emergency Bloggers once more. If you fancy doing one – from a list of subjects which I will name nearer the time – then, as always, apply below.
The last item in a blog full of heartening community news is that the iPod, which we are fearlessly passing amongst ourselves in different parts of the country, underwent its fifth handover this week. More news on this shortly. Well done everyone. This iPod business has been a blast. I think the picnic will be a pretty awesome picnic. I think we can all agree we are pretty awesome people. Bye for now. If you want to see me being asked to perform jokes as if it were a natural conversation, tune in to Vernon Kay’s 5 O’Clock Show on Channel 4 tomorrow. I shan’t insult you by mentioning what time it’s on. That is all.
Posted by Ben Draper on July 8, 2010
I would love to blog.
Posted by Kate W on July 8, 2010
Sad I can’t come to the picnic, but it’s in a TYSIC-related cause – rehearsal for my Camden Fringe play, followed by a rehearsed reading of my other play mean I’m going to miss it completely. Have fun, all those who pic and nic!
@iamianicelady TYSIC round-ups lady would be me *waves* Off the top of my head, most common goals are: writing, learning/improving at a musical instrument, getting into comedy, getting fit/losing weight and being more confident/less anxious/more out-going/dealing with depression.
@Adam I’ve heard that too and wondered the same thing. If it’s not Key, it sounds extraordinarily like him.
(Mark – the last TYSIC update was a month ago, so let me know if you think it’s time for another. Or not; monthly may be too often on a decade-long project.)
Posted by Bennigee10 on July 7, 2010
Hi mark. Sorry it was can i help you 3. Under the name of ben! Just realised my post was a day late so hopefully you’ll get to read it.
Posted by Bennigee10 on July 7, 2010
Hey mark. I hope you’re well. I haven’t been on the site for a while so apologies for that, got a new job and everything but got some news for you. I was the guy back in april (i think) from ‘can we help you 2′. Where i asked about how you knew whether you’d be a good dad. As the whole money and shit scarediness were major factors in taking the next step. Well i’d just like to let you know that my girlfriend is now 10 weeks pregnant and little baxter (thats what we call it – after the dog in anchorman) is due in early feb. It was a little unplanned but we’re both so happy. When my girlfriend told me (she’d been in the loo for ages and i was happily playing call of duty on the xbox for ages) she was mega worried about how i’d react, she was Very tearful and hiding behind a cushion. I hugged her and then showed her my email to you about having a child and she cried with happiness that i’d been thinking of it, your ace response was a great help. It was an amazing moment and i’d like to thank you for having a small part in making that day one of the happiest of our lives. I’m not sure whether this is the first child in part due to the mark watson blogging era. But it feels so special that i’d like to make you aware and thank you anyway. Keep up the amazing work and we’ll both hopefully see you in winter at the hammersmith apollo. When my girlfriend will be taking up two seats! Take care and have a great holiday. Ben
Posted by MusicalLottie on July 7, 2010
I’d love to apply to be an Emergency Blogger but I don’t know what days / hours I’m working next week, and I have NO time this weekend.
Have a great time in Portugal! I shall have to catch up on the 5 O’Clock Show at some point; I saw you briefly for a couple of seconds near the end of the show but that was all. I look forward to it.
Picnickers – enjoy! There are a million and one reasons why I can’t come but the weather looks good for you
Posted by Corey on July 7, 2010
Hope the picnic attendees have a great time on Saturday. I will offer my services to blog in an emergency situation should I be needed, but will then be nervous as should I be picked I’ll worry about ‘balls-ing’ it up.
The pressure to keep it up is immense……. what if I had a power cut, what if my laptop got stolen, what if tiscali go bust!?!? I worry too much
Posted by LisaBrunders on July 7, 2010
I didn’t get home til about twenty to seven, so I saw you bravely trying to keep up with the big brother chat on 4+1, and was reminded that you’d forseen this eventuality! And I wished I’d tweeted you some hints!
Posted by Juliet on July 7, 2010
I’d be more than happy to write something for you. Have a good time in Portugal!!
Posted by Lydia on July 7, 2010
The community made here is so awesome.
Posted by Rachael on July 7, 2010
I used to make my mum take my tamagotchi to work and look after for me while I was at school. I still can’t believe she actually did it.
Posted by A lot of Rach[a]els on July 7, 2010
I’m really looking forward to the picnic, I’m making Watson orientated biscuits… sad and creepy? yes. Tasty though? Hell yeah.
I’m off to get supplies now.
Have a great time in Portugal (sort of good they’re not in the world cup anymore then). Have a good flight and rest of the week
rachx
Posted by Britt on July 7, 2010
In probably a little too late to apply to be an emergency blogger, but I’ll put my hand up all the same. I run a music/pop culture blog at http://BrittPop.com, and as for my TYSIC developments – I’ve just been allocated a timeslot for my radio show, which is incredibly exciting. Reading the comments, I can’t really help out with people wanting to get into comedy (although I do know quite a few comedians, so I could investigate if need be), but I do know a thing or two about community (ie unpaid) television or radio (which are part of the journey towards a career in the media industry – and if one day I could be paid to work in any of the positions that I do as a volunteer now, I would be a very happy human being).
Anyway, that’s enough rambling for now. Let’s have a picnic for Watsonians in Melbourne! (But I’m not organising it).
Posted by Ally on July 7, 2010
I don’t understand the Mac hype either. I’ve never really understood how to use them. Sigh, it’s a pity that the picnic is in London, I would have some difficulty in getting there
I don’t know if there are enough blog readers in Sydney for a picnic over here to work.
I’ll also apply to be an emergency blogger as it will no doubt prove a useful experience as well as being something to do during my Uni holidays.
Posted by h2osarah on July 7, 2010
I like that Misha’s a Watsonian Extraordinare.
You deserve it Misha! I’m a little bit annoyed/jealous that an iPod is being successfully passed around the country between strangers while 2 laptops, safely within my own house, have been stolen. It’s at times like this that believing in karma would be great, cos something really awesome would be coming my way to make up for that shit. Sorry, that’s really just grumbling, and something to occupy my brain and fight off the paranoia. On an optimistic note, my new (albeit horribly expensive) laptop is pretty sweet. I’m really happy with it. x
Oh right, and I’ll be emergency blogger if required.
Posted by Madeleine on July 7, 2010
Yeah, I’m not really for paying double the price for something with no right click. Sure they look cool, but a uni library that I use has started using the Mac monitors but running them with PC software, which I think speaks volumes.
I would love to blog again for you, It was brilliant doing the last one and it got a pretty good response and I’m addicted to validation.
But if you wanted it to be all “fair” and “stuff” I would understand picking someone else.
Have fun in Portugal, give Ronaldo a kick from me.
Posted by Alot of rach[a]els on July 7, 2010
I’m really looking forward to the picnic and am making some Watson orientated biscuits. Sad/creepy? Most likely. Tasty though? Hell yeah.
Have a great time in Portugal and hope it’s all good.
Posted by Someone on July 6, 2010
Aw, I was all up for the picnic and being a ‘kind of crazy spontaneous fucker that will just drop everything and saunter off to the capital to eat grapes’ back when it was thought up… but now it’s all near and I just kind of… can’t. Chicken me.
.
Hope y’all have a laugh though
Also I am all for the PC, not the mac. I had a bad experience with one once and since refuse to move on.
Posted by Alex on July 6, 2010
Aww the picnic sounds truly wonderful and socially terrifying in equal measure. Sadly London is quite a long way away, I have very little money and I have my usual theatrical commitments in the evening. Sad face.
Posted by K on July 6, 2010
@Megan – Yes! I too will be at the Newbury do, all being well. Good job you reminded me, I’ve been so busy dithering about whether to go to the picnic I’d nearly forgotten
Dither dither fuss.
Posted by Misha on July 6, 2010
On a picnic related note:
A couple of requests:
if you can make it, bring food or drink! We’re trying to make sure there’s enough to go around. And of course picnic blankets etc to sit about on.
And related, does anyone have a dongle we could borrow in order to blog from the park? I can do it off my phone (even through it’s not an iphone, shock horror!) but it would be easier if we could do it on the mac.
Oh and PICNIC Sam, Clearly picnic.
Posted by Steph on July 6, 2010
Whoops didn’t add my link!
Here it is: http://stephdoestysic.blogspot.com/
Posted by Anji on July 6, 2010
*love a mac. Not sure you can lobe one. Thank goodness it’s not me posting a whole blog from my iPhone. Guess work would be the bulk of it!
Posted by Steph on July 6, 2010
I am now in possession of the teeny-tiny blue iPod. THERE’S NOTHING OF IT! I am now awaiting instruction as to who I should entrust it to at the picnic on Saturday! If you’re coming and want to get your hands on it, get in touch with the mp3 team by email.
If anyone wants to read my account of the handover (and some awesome pictures of the iPod sitting in Charles Darwin’s lap at the Natural History Museum, follow this link:
I would like to be an emergency blogger. I haven’t eaten a Bakewell tart in a long time. That’s not my argument for being blogger btw. It is this: I am 18 years old and have nothing to do, like many readers of this blog, and I try to write in full with good spelling and punctuation. Also I am making biscuits for the picnic on Saturday.
Posted by Kathryn on July 6, 2010
Oh dear. I’ll be in London tomorrow and Thursday and then I’m going to France for two weeks. Which rules me out of both the picnic and the emergency blogger position. Although if you needed musical advice for TYSIC I could possibly help with that. (twitter- @trianglegirl42). I could have a go at the blog-via-iPhone thing, if necessary.
Posted by Andy on July 6, 2010
By weird coincidence, I’ve also been invited to another picnic in Hyde Park on Saturday which is a work reunion for somewhere I worked 15 years ago. Sadly, i can’t do either of them as I’m 250 miles away waiting for my wife to (finally) give birth to our second child. Still, I may go out into the hospital grounds and eat a pork pie on the grass as a sort of mini event of my own.
Have fun everyone
Posted by Anji on July 6, 2010
Mark your no love towards a Mac makes me smile. I’m sure I remember a tweet about not having an iPhone and not converting (or something along those lines). And now look at you, posting blogs from one! I’d lobe a mac, but I’m fickle and love to try new toys, fall in love, get bored and stash them away to gather dust.
Being so far from London I won’t be able to make the picnic – however I am having a BBQ in my garden with friends, so a similar activity and I will think of you all, and maybe exchange a tweet or two ( @AnjiMorrish ) and it’ll just be like being together!
Posted by Adam on July 6, 2010
Mark, I’ve been working in some dreadful warehouse lately and on the radio I keep hearing an advert for lastminute.com. Is that Key’s voice I think I hear?
Posted by Marie on July 6, 2010
I would give my left arm for a Mac. I adore them. Sadly, being poor and (currently) unemployed means I can’t have one. Just yet. I’m making do on a five-year-old laptop that has no number 6 button, and can’t be left on a flat surface too long without overheating.
But seriously. Macs are awesome. Even the best PC can’t compare.
All hail the Mac!
Huh… I’m guessing this is what you mean by ‘quasi-religious mania’…
Posted by Jay on July 6, 2010
I can’t make the meet-up in London, but I can do a blog if you’re in need of someone. I blog several times a day on my own blog, if that matters, not that it’s successful but hey, I thought I’d offer my services.
Posted by Tor on July 6, 2010
Oooh this is all new, I’ve not commented before…
Unfortunately I can’t make the picnic as I’ll be in Chester for the weekend but if you do still need a stand-in blogger, can I volunteer please? I write for another blog so have a bit of experience. It’s footy related by the way but I PROMISE not to mention footy on your blog. After this I mean.
Anyway, either way, have a wonderful holibob!
Posted by Sam on July 6, 2010
Emergency Blogger Application:
I recently held up a daily blog for 85 days, I only had to stop as I was moving house so didn’t have internet or acess to somewhere with internet for a few days. I miss the feeling of blogging consistently, what better a way would there be to launch myself back into it then a guest spot on here? Possibly a few, or at least many which are potentially less embarrassing, but nonetheless consider my hat thrown into the ring, although I would at some point like the hat back.
Picnic:
You guys will be biased, I’m short on money at the moment and currently have two choices for Saturday. It is likely to be one of the few things I actually get to do this summer. Financially its best if I don’t do anything. However Eastleigh (which is up the road from me) is having a music festival with Badly Drawn Boy, Field Music and Peggy Sue playing. Or there is the much anticipated Watsonion picnic. Either would cost me around twenty pounds. I am currently using a walking stick to walk due to a painful knee industry. I have a train early to Bristol the following morn, and the picnic will no doubt end earlier than the fest. These are all the factors to take into account. Judge for me. Cheers.
Posted by Sarah on July 6, 2010
On the Mac / PC subject… I have used PCs all my life and was completely settled in using them, but they do get ridiculously slow after a few years. So, I now have a Mac! And I really love it. It’s so FAST! It shuts down in THREE SECONDS. THREE. Can you believe that?! First time, I was looking at it wondering what it was doing for a while before I realised it was… off! There are some differences in the way you use a PC and the way you use a Mac, but you soon get used to it.
I’d love to come to the picnic but it’s my friend’s birthday, so perhaps I can join you all next time!
Posted by Lynsey on July 6, 2010
I’d be happy to be an emergency blogger for you. I keep my own blog, although I have been a bit slack with it of late,mainly due to bloggers’ block – which is not a million miles away from writers’ block (oh alright then, it is writers’ block).
Posted by Rachel on July 6, 2010
Damn. I’m in London on Friday but fly to Croatia on the Saturday. It’s with school so I probably couldn’t have attended anyway
Maybe next time… Will look forward to the blog post, have fun!
Posted by Aislinn on July 6, 2010
a) I am definitely at the picnic and
b) I would definitely like to write a blog.
The fact I am unlikely to write anything interesting/humourous is almost counteracted by my spelling and grammar skills.
I also enjoyed how, at the beginning of this blog, you described a PC as ‘a sort of primitive computer’, as the initials of the phrase ‘primitive computer’ are actually PC.
Posted by Megan on July 6, 2010
I won’t be greedy and say I’d like to emergency blog again. Except I just did. (Actually, I think I’m going to (gasp!) start a blog for my blithering. This will be attempt number five at keeping one.)
There’s also a new batch of Very Late Reviews that (I think) Mr Watson will be posting soon. Unless I really ballsed it up.
(Is anyone else going to the show in Newbury next week?)
Posted by Ivan on July 6, 2010
I’d love to do a blog if you still need a filler inner. I’ve had a rather successful start to my TYSIC (getting a book published being the main aim) and would love to share some of that.
Or whatever, if there are set topics I’m sure I’ve got far too much to say on any subject!
Posted by ChrisP (ollington) on July 6, 2010
After some of the more personal things you’ve shared with your humble followers on this blog, I don’t think anybody is to be convinced that you somehow become less respectable after eating bakewell tart. Although understandably, due to the one way nature of the ‘relationship’ it would be a lot more weird for you than for us, because we see the inside of your head of a week in week out basis, and you see a name and a couple of sentences of us (or in my case chapters/volumes) .
I’ll happily be an emergency blogger, I’m not doing a journalist course, or a poet, or a comedian or anything else that involves talent (although I am musical) but I do enjoy contributing comment after comment on the blog and would really try to become a bit more structured and insightful, or whatever is required of me.
Posted by Marbles on July 6, 2010
Enjoy Portugal Mark, I love it out there and am hiding away out there in September for a bit before I go back to uni
Picnic – excited! I’ve still not managed to get my arse in gear and arrange my contribution, past paper plates and plastic cups!
Also on a mild note of panic – good luck to all getting results this week!!
This is a waffley, mainly irrelevant, comment – apologies.
Posted by hornseygirl on July 6, 2010
Huzzah! I shall try and curb my competitive nature! ; )
Posted by Alice on July 6, 2010
Quick application for emergency blogger, it’s very good discipline for my own and it was interesting to see the other bloggers write to a set subject when you were in senégal.
I find the PC/Mac thing troublesome, like deciding between an intelligent, decent but slightl dull person and a delightful, witty, attractive moron as a date to a party. I know who will be more fun but can it ever go beyond the admiration of my friends?
Posted by helen (@iamanicelady) on July 6, 2010
re. emergency bloggers.
seeing as Mark has already done some TYSIC-motivated advice for those who are looking at writing or getting into comedy, how about getting some other people to do the same? It seems that there are lots of common goals (learn a musical instrument, get fit, get more confident, read more, etc) could someone – perhaps the lady who is in charge of TYSIC round-ups whose name I apologetically can’t remember – could try and find the most common few goals and then people who feel qualified to have a ramble about them could offer to have a write and then Mark could choose the one with the best credentials to be said emergency blogger. This process sounds a lot like Dragons’ Den, though I’ll let Mark choose which one he’d like to be.
see y’all at the picnic..!
xx
Posted by Misha on July 6, 2010
It’s Marble Arch the arch, i’ll be there with a small person in tow, a paper sign and a canvas bag with “Official Watsonian” written on it. Really.
If anyone wants me, I can be found all over the internet. But twitter is probably easiest (@howlieT)
And the idea of a group blog sounds lovely Mr Watson, I shall have to drag my mac to London with me. (not an apple lover, but the sound recording software i’ll use at uni happens to all be for the mac).
Posted by Rachel/Pandora on July 6, 2010
The iPod is awesome, yes. But as one of the organisers I would say that. Its a shame you can’t make the picnic Mark, but I’m sure there’ll be another on in the next ten years or so.
I’m available for emergency blogging too. It would be a nice break from watching back to back Buffy the Vampire Slayer. x