Recommended
This Is This recommends
Baking bread
It looks difficult, but it takes about fifteen minutes. The rest is just waiting for the next bit. Some people live their whole lives like that.
Using the word fantastic properly
As in “the stuff of fantasy” or “unbelievable”. “I want to make director in the next six months.” “That’s fantastic.”
Eighteen wheelers
Proper classic ones, with airbrushed movie stars on them and two hundred and eighty pounds of homespun wisdom behind the wheel.
Dr Pepper
My personal hangover physician, but even in peacetime it’s the King of Soft Drinks.
Aquaducts
What happened to these? What’s not to love about water travelling overground? Should we really hide everything away in pipes? We should be proud. Water? Right up there. Who’s thirsty?
White underwear
Hot. Next. Unless you’re pale, in which case dark blue. Growl.
Shopgirl
Steve Martin wrote this beautiful film, which is funny, subtle, powerful, tender and warm.
Madonna in the Rain video
Beautifully yearning and I’m not even a fan.
Echoes
You have to find them out these days, and normally it’s a surprise at first, plus we get so much fake reverb these days that it’s always welcome.
The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn
‘All modern American literature comes from one book by Mark Twain called Huckleberry Finn,’ Ernest Hemingway wrote, ‘it’s the best book we’ve had.’ Papa don’t preach.
The Moyenne Corniche
There is something magical about driving from France into Italy that makes you feel like James Bond.
Hannah And Her Sisters/Annie Hall/Manhattan
The holy trinity of Woody Allen’s finest hour.
Cracking ice over puddles
It’s a great feeling. Also, you’re walking where no one has ever walked before, or ever will - and it’s not even our of your way. Especially good if there is air, but no water, below the ice. It’s the perfect crime. You’re hearing it now, aren’t you?
Duct tape
Genius. End of story.
Using old-fashioned words
Justin brought sexy back. Why not reinstate akin, tantamount and hulabaloo?
Pyjamas
After a twenty year lapse, I’ve gone back to pyjamas. For the full effect, and ladies you know this, go with the whole slippers and dressing gown combo. Also, adult pyjamas have pockets, which is great because when I was a kid I used to have to hold my stuff while I slept.
Opening the debate about outsourcing
We need to discuss the amount of jobs which are being lost to countries with cheaper labour costs. We no longer have much of a manufacturing industry in the UK, and service industry jobs are going now, too. Companies should be proud to announce they have a ninety per cent UK workforce. And by UK I’m including immigrants who pay British taxes. This isn’t about race, it’s about our national interests. When I do my banking on the phone, I want to talk to someone in the UK who will get paid in pounds and then go and spend those pounds buying stuff made by the company I work for so I get paid and put my money into a bank that pays people here to answer the phones when I call. Should a US company set up business in the UK and outsource jobs to India? And if you want to be socialist and say that people on lower incomes abroad deserve our work, then fine, but look out, because you’ve just made a pitch for globalisation and the exploitation of foreign workers. Aren’t those right wing views? Why not raise taxes while we’re at it because fewer people are earning and spending in the UK?
Bob Monkhouse
Vastly underrated, hard working and effortess.
Violas
They are the instrument that violins never were. Rich, dark and full bodied, just like my coffee. And ladies. Also like my ladies.
Sun dried potatoes
Seriously. Ask for them. Here she comes now, look. Ask her. (snork)
Saunas
In fact, reading Huckleberry Finn in a sauna to a taped-up Bob Monkhouse. All right, no.
