In short, things have been busy as fuck at work.
This is the conversation I had with my boss last week:
Me: "I'm feeling overwhelmed, for X, Y and Z reasons. I don't want to drop the ball on anything."
Boss: "You haven't dropped the ball on anything. If you do, we'll talk about it."
Me: "I'm talking about it now so it doesn't happen."
Boss: "Well, just tell me if you start feeling overwhelmed."
There are a number of things I do to prevent myself from spontaneously combusting. These include baking, working out, reading about things that happen in crematoriums (yes, really, I have a fascination with the funeral industry), and watching/reading murder mysteries. By the way, the book is amazing. Highly recommend it.
Last week we watched a new one from BBC (which thankfully got its contracts with Netflix settled) that was filmed in Wales.
After 10 minutes of trying to read lips, I turned to Mr. RK and said, "Can you understand any of this?" Quickly we agreed to turn on the subtitles. (I can hear you laughing, but consider this: the title of the show in English is Hinterland. The title in Welsh is Y Gwyll. So much for the part of our roots that come from the UK.)
I have to say, I got so focused on trying to figure out what people were saying that I forgot all about the stuff that was stressing me out. As a decompression method, I highly recommend it.
And randomly, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention that Paddington is a fucking hilarious movie. I love the books and as you know, movies tend to make ruins of them, but not this one.There are many grownup jokes, and Peter Capaldi steals the show.
What's not to love?
20 comments:
I loved Paddington as well. Hilarious and utterly charming.
While you are watching PADDINGTON, I am watching THE AMERICAN SNIPER, JOHN WICK, and every other bloody thriller I can find. Can't explain it. I did enjoy the comedy drama ST.VINCENT but there was a little blood in it also.....just a little.
You are so brilliant! Who would have ever thought of turning on the subtitles as a way of dealing with British accents? I just turn up the sound really loud and go back and back and back to catch what they're saying!
You know, I was not going to go to Paddington but I've been reading such great things about it on people's blogs (like yours) that I'm having second thoughts now and may go.
Odd about your boss. I would have thought that he would have had extra awareness of stress and stuff? Clearly not!
I was not impressed with the clips of Paddington that I saw, looked like they tried to make it more exciting than the books really were. But I will give it a chance now that you have said it is good!
Welsh TV? We get a Welsh channel here - never thought to use subtitles! In fact, the husbamd of one of my colleagues has appeared in a Welsh soap opera! I bet you are impressed!
By the way, on accents. My wife used to watch Rab C Nesbit - set in the poor areas of Glasgow. The accents were amazing, I had real trouble understanding them. So we turned on the subtitles only to find that they were written with the accent added in! So "my head" was written as "mah heed"! Not really much help!
Sounds like watching this would be quite a bit of work. I'm not sure I"m up to it.
We've had that happen to us before as well where we cannot understand something supposedly in English (mostly because of fast talking). Never thought of the subtitle trick. Thanks!
Well it doesn't sound as if you are getting any support there! But I like your outlets - thrillers and cool subtitle shows!
That book sounds right up my very broad reading street. Drat you. I need another to-be-read like I need ebola.
I was surprised at how much I enjoyed Paddington. They took liberties with the books (of course) and still retained quite a lot of Paddington charm.
It never ceases to amaze...and annoy...me how many people just don't listen when you speak. Your boss is another example. That's why I prefer writing...no one interrupts me...except my two furry rascals at times...like right now!
I have trouble understanding a lot of British shows, too, at times...I thought it was just me.
Paddington I must see.
Hang in there, RK...don't let them win! :)
PADDINGTON sounds really good! I need the CC quite often when the accents are really difficult to understand....I like your solutions for stress, a whole lot!! Don't let the Bastards get you down, my dear....!
I've had a few bosses like that. It reminds me of one of the saying we use around here: The beatings will continue until morale improves.
I haven't found any Welsh TV, I just stick with my regular BBC shows. I've was in that region last year on one of my trips and the language/dialect does take a bit of getting used to.
How come Brits understand American accents but Americans don't understand ours? :D A very strong Scottish accent is a tough one though. :D
If I lived anywhere but here, the only words you would hear between me and the others would be "huh?"
But relax about life at work. After I retired ten years ago, EVERY NIGHT I still have nightmares about it. At least YOUR boss (unlike mine) hasn't yet lost his temper to such an extent that he came flying over his desk at you, like mine did to me. It took four other firefighters to hold him back while I ran for my life. I still don't know what it was about, because he was crazy with all of us.
I had a boss like yours once. We called him "Clarabelle".
AHA! I'm not the only one! I remember my husband and I struggling with some British show and resorting to the subtitles. Wonderful thing, subtitles.
...by the way, thanks for the book recommend. Looks good!
So Mr. RK and I totally cracked up at these comments! (Really? Louder volume? Or are you just trying to make me laugh?)
Abby: It's a fucking great book. Not only is there morbid shit throughout that you always wanted to know, but it's really a great argument against the commercialization of death.
It's the deep Scottish accents I can't understand. Even with subtitles on I'll usually look at the wife and say, "They got THAT out of what he just said?"
Haha! We always watch the British shows with subtitles. Some of their phrases are extremely foreign to us too! My hubby loves the car show Wheeler Dealers and I've picked up phrases like "fiddly bits", which sounds kind of naughty!
RK what would I do without your hilarious commentary!?
Things have been busy as... fuck? Look at your colleagues and press delete. No?
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