c4countdown

Hi everyone,
Firstly I want to say this: if you don't like this topic, don't blame me - blame Adam Gillard, it was his idea for me to make a topic named Sophie Krol's Musings.

1) Right then, I had a Grade 2 Violin Exam today. I was very nervous, but it did go well. If you are ever quite nervous about anything you are about to do, eat a banana (if you like them) roughly 25 minutes before the thing, as - as well as being healthy and having a lot of vitamins in them - they are supposed to calm you down. My violin teacher told me that. It's called the Banana Trick. I tried it today. It worked for me a bit. I also teach myself a bit of keyboard. I like lots of music, really. Do you play any instruments?

2) What is your favourite shop? I really like Marks and Spencer and Claire's, but as I go through life, I will undoubtably explore different shops - so I don't think M&S is my best shop. I don't particularly have one. Not yet, anyway.

Soph K wrote:Do you play any instruments?

I play the double bass, and had lessons (but would never really claim I could 'play') on the piano. I remember the ordeal of music grade exams, glad they're (long) behind me.

Michael Wallace wrote:I play the double bass

<3

Soph K wrote:if you don't like this topic, don't blame me - blame Adam Gillard, it was his idea for me to make a topic named Sophie Krol's Musings.

Yep. I can feel the blame already. But the idea was that lots of musings could be contained within this single topic, without the need to create a new topic every time.

Soph K wrote:It's called the Banana Trick.

I wonder why it's called that? I might suggest to Susie Dent that she covers it in her "Origin of Words" segment.

Jon Corby wrote:

Soph K wrote:It's called the Banana Trick.

I wonder why it's called that? I might suggest to Susie Dent that she covers it in her "Origin of Words" segment.

This sort of thing only happens when Tim Vine is on ("as cold as ice" etc.)

Has Sophie's ban on new topics been lifted, or was it just a temporary measure for this one?

Gavin Chipper wrote:Has Sophie's ban on new topics been lifted, or was it just a temporary measure for this one?

It was only a request. It's now a ban.

Charlie Reams wrote:

Gavin Chipper wrote:Has Sophie's ban on new topics been lifted, or was it just a temporary measure for this one?

It was only a request. It's now a ban.

...which means that my idea that all of Sophie's topic ideas should be in a single topic may actually come to fruition.

I like your thread Sophie. It's a good idea.
Good luck with your violin exam. When do you get the result?
I play piano and guitar.

Charlie Reams wrote:

Gavin Chipper wrote:Has Sophie's ban on new topics been lifted, or was it just a temporary measure for this one?

It was only a request. It's now a ban.

This thread was Gillard's fault. You should ban him too.

(Not really, Adam!)

Gavin Chipper wrote:This thread was Gillard's fault. You should ban him too.

If he doesn't, I think it will finally validate the 'misogynist' claims handed down by all those stupid crazy rabid women back in the day.

Jon Corby wrote:

Soph K wrote:It's called the Banana Trick.

I might suggest to Susie Dent that she covers it in her "Origin of Words" segment.

No

Ralph Gillions wrote:When do you get the result?

In a couple of weeks I think. The sight reading was really hard! The sight reading only is out of 21 I think, so I think I just got about 13...

Adam Gillard wrote:

Charlie Reams wrote:

Gavin Chipper wrote:Has Sophie's ban on new topics been lifted, or was it just a temporary measure for this one?

It was only a request. It's now a ban.

...which means that my idea that all of Sophie's topic ideas should be in a single topic may actually come to fruition.

what does fruition mean?

Soph K wrote:what does fruition mean?

Sophie, I know you're young, but you'd help yourself here (if I may be so bold) if you didn't ask questions that a simple Google search would answer. Now a question like "what have you got left if you've eaten one of the two bits of those double Mars Bars" is a much more c4c-type of question, as we're into the realms of philosophy, and the sort of question that some of the finest minds on the internet like to chew over.

Brian Moore wrote:

Soph K wrote:what does fruition mean?

Sophie, I know you're young, but you'd help yourself here (if I may be so bold) if you didn't ask questions that a simple Google search would answer. Now a question like "what have you got left if you've eaten one of the two bits of those double Mars Bars" is a much more c4c-type of question, as we're into the realms of philosophy, and the sort of question that some of the finest minds on the internet like to chew over.

Well said.

Charlie Reams wrote:Well said.

.. apart from my typo - I should have said "the reams of philosophy", obviously.

Charlie Reams wrote:

Brian Moore wrote:

Soph K wrote:what does fruition mean?

Sophie, I know you're young, but you'd help yourself here (if I may be so bold) if you didn't ask questions that a simple Google search would answer. Now a question like "what have you got left if you've eaten one of the two bits of those double Mars Bars" is a much more c4c-type of question, as we're into the realms of philosophy, and the sort of question that some of the finest minds on the internet like to chew over.

Well said.

* LIKE *

Soph K wrote:

Ralph Gillions wrote:When do you get the result?

In a couple of weeks I think. The sight reading was really hard! The sight reading only is out of 21 I think, so I think I just got about 13...

Let us know when you get the result. Fingers crossed!

Brian Moore wrote:

Soph K wrote:what does fruition mean?

Sophie, I know you're young, but you'd help yourself here (if I may be so bold) if you didn't ask questions that a simple Google search would answer. Now a question like "what have you got left if you've eaten one of the two bits of those double Mars Bars" is a much more c4c-type of question, as we're into the realms of philosophy, and the sort of question that some of the finest minds on the internet like to chew over.

Very nicely put Brian.

I would add that it doesn't seem unreasonable to expect everyone on this forum (given it is a forum dedicated to a word game) to either have access to a dictionary or to be able to look words up on Google.

Brian Moore wrote:Google search

OR Mozilla Firefox, Internet Explorer, MSN...etc etc.
Brian, I know you're an adult, but you shouldn't just say Google when there are plenty other search engines. lol

Do you like Harry Potter? Which is your favourite episode/book? Mine is probably the 7th.

Soph K wrote:OR Mozilla Firefox, Internet Explorer, MSN...etc etc.
Brian, I know you're an adult, but you shouldn't just say Google when there are plenty other search engines. lol

I'm also a pedant, so ought to point out that Firefox and Internet Explorer are browsers, and MSN is a portal.

Yes, there are lots of other search engines out there, but (and I'm not just saying this because Charlie worked for Google) Google seems to do a good job (and, also has entered the language as a verb.)

Sophie, you're so lucky to have these incredible resources at your fingertips. When I was at school (a mere 30 years or so ago), the only sources of information were teachers and books (so more or less unchanged from the previous 3000 years). If I came home from school and needed to know something, and I didn't have the relevant book at home and the local library was closed, I was stuffed. Later on posh people got TVs with Teletext (I think the Romans invented that). If you went to the library when it was open, you had to wade through catalogues (and bibliographies if you were really keen), and then actually read the books. There really has been an information revolution since then - I did an academic course a few years ago, and couldn't believe the amount of fully searchable academic (and other) texts that were out there. So if you want to become an expert on anything, (on the meaning of 'fruition' or, in my case 'participatory discrepancies') you can get close to the current thinking on just about any subject pretty quickly.

You'll get a long way if you learn to ask intelligent questions ... and then find out how to answer them. And then you'll find for each question you've answered, you'll have half a dozen more questions. That's what learning is all about. If you have an insatiable appetite to learn, and know how to learn, you'll go far.

Weird and wonderful world records!
Post here about weird, wonderful, gross, amazing world records!!


P.s. Please can I make my own threads now again Charlie?

Brian Moore wrote:

Soph K wrote:OR Mozilla Firefox, Internet Explorer, MSN...etc etc.
Brian, I know you're an adult, but you shouldn't just say Google when there are plenty other search engines. lol

I'm also a pedant, so ought to point out that Firefox and Internet Explorer are browsers, and MSN is a portal.

Yes, there are lots of other search engines out there, but (and I'm not just saying this because Charlie worked for Google) Google seems to do a good job (and, also has entered the language as a verb.)

Sophie, you're so lucky to have these incredible resources at your fingertips. When I was at school (a mere 30 years or so ago), the only sources of information were teachers and books (so more or less unchanged from the previous 3000 years). If I came home from school and needed to know something, and I didn't have the relevant book at home and the local library was closed, I was stuffed. Later on posh people got TVs with Teletext (I think the Romans invented that). If you went to the library when it was open, you had to wade through catalogues (and bibliographies if you were really keen), and then actually read the books. There really has been an information revolution since then - I did an academic course a few years ago, and couldn't believe the amount of fully searchable academic (and other) texts that were out there. So if you want to become an expert on anything, (on the meaning of 'fruition' or, in my case 'participatory discrepancies') you can get close to the current thinking on just about any subject pretty quickly.

You'll get a long way if you learn to ask intelligent questions ... and then find out how to answer them. And then you'll find for each question you've answered, you'll have half a dozen more questions. That's what learning is all about. If you have an insatiable appetite to learn, and know how to learn, you'll go far.

Ok ok I get the picture!

Soph K wrote:

Brian Moore wrote:

Soph K wrote:OR Mozilla Firefox, Internet Explorer, MSN...etc etc.
Brian, I know you're an adult, but you shouldn't just say Google when there are plenty other search engines. lol

I'm also a pedant, so ought to point out that Firefox and Internet Explorer are browsers, and MSN is a portal.

Yes, there are lots of other search engines out there, but (and I'm not just saying this because Charlie worked for Google) Google seems to do a good job (and, also has entered the language as a verb.)

Sophie, you're so lucky to have these incredible resources at your fingertips. When I was at school (a mere 30 years or so ago), the only sources of information were teachers and books (so more or less unchanged from the previous 3000 years). If I came home from school and needed to know something, and I didn't have the relevant book at home and the local library was closed, I was stuffed. Later on posh people got TVs with Teletext (I think the Romans invented that). If you went to the library when it was open, you had to wade through catalogues (and bibliographies if you were really keen), and then actually read the books. There really has been an information revolution since then - I did an academic course a few years ago, and couldn't believe the amount of fully searchable academic (and other) texts that were out there. So if you want to become an expert on anything, (on the meaning of 'fruition' or, in my case 'participatory discrepancies') you can get close to the current thinking on just about any subject pretty quickly.

You'll get a long way if you learn to ask intelligent questions ... and then find out how to answer them. And then you'll find for each question you've answered, you'll have half a dozen more questions. That's what learning is all about. If you have an insatiable appetite to learn, and know how to learn, you'll go far.

Ok ok I get the picture!

I'm not sure you do, as that would involve doing a Google search and then changing it from Web to Images, which is even more clicks.

Matt Morrison wrote:

Soph K wrote:Ok ok I get the picture!

I'm not sure you do, as that would involve doing a Google search and then changing it from Web to Images, which is even more clicks.

I may be the youngest on Apterous and C4C, but I am not a dumbo.

Soph K wrote:I may be the youngest on Apterous and C4C

No, you're not. Most verbose possibly, but not the youngest.

(In case you're wondering, my brother Max has an apterous account, and he's 8.)

Lesley Hines wrote:

Soph K wrote:I may be the youngest on Apterous and C4C

but not the youngest.

Aren't i? Who's the youngest then?

Soph K wrote:

Lesley Hines wrote:

Soph K wrote:I may be the youngest on Apterous and C4C

but not the youngest.

Aren't i? Who's the youngest then?

Kai Laddiman wrote:(In case you're wondering, my brother Max has an apterous account, and he's 8.)

Soph K wrote:

Lesley Hines wrote:

Soph K wrote:I may be the youngest on Apterous and C4C

but not the youngest.

Aren't i? Who's the youngest then?

Kai Laddiman wrote:(In case you're wondering, my brother Max has an apterous account, and he's 8.)

[/quote]
Oh. I've never ever seen Max Laddiman on Apterous though...

Anyways, I still am the youngest on c4c, arent i

Lesley Hines wrote:

???????? I really don't get why you put that on

Stop digging Sophie. Stop digging.

Any news of your violin results yet Sophie?

Ralph Gillions wrote:Any news of your violin results yet Sophie?

Yes.

I would be blown away if there's anybody who still can't understand why the Sanctum existed.

Matt Morrison wrote:I would be blown away if there's anybody who still can't understand why the Sanctum existed.

ExistED? You don't fool me for one second, Morrison.

Matt Morrison wrote:I would be blown away if there's anybody who still can't understand why the Sanctum existed.

I was never sure if it was intended as a place for serious discussion of matters relating to the Channel 4 game show Countdown without being distracted by the inanities of the riff-raff, or whether it was just for slagging of said riff-raff behind their backs. Either way, it must be buzzing now.

David Williams wrote:

Matt Morrison wrote:I would be blown away if there's anybody who still can't understand why the Sanctum existed.

I was never sure if it was intended as a place for serious discussion of matters relating to the Channel 4 game show Countdown without being distracted by the inanities of the riff-raff, or whether it was just for slagging of said riff-raff behind their backs. Either way, it must be buzzing now.

Both. And no, not at all.

Matt Morrison wrote:

David Williams wrote:

Matt Morrison wrote:I would be blown away if there's anybody who still can't understand why the Sanctum existed.

I was never sure if it was intended as a place for serious discussion of matters relating to the Channel 4 game show Countdown without being distracted by the inanities of the riff-raff, or whether it was just for slagging of said riff-raff behind their backs. Either way, it must be buzzing now.

Both. And no, not at all.

May it's just that Countdown's going nowhere at the moment, and there's nothing new to discuss.

Don't you wish Jeff and Rachel would drop the leaden scripted joke and banter at the start? It's just embarrassing.

David Williams wrote:Don't you wish Jeff and Rachel would drop the leaden scripted joke and banter at the start? It's just embarrassing.

Yep. Oh look a joke about Jeff's height. Oh look a joke about Man United or Hartlepool. Oh look a joke about Rachel being young and not knowing what Jeff is on about. Definitely something needs to be done, I can barely watch Countdown 'live' anymore because of this, it's far easier to just skip through it all in about 10 minutes skipping all the poor banter.

At least they bring smiles to the programme.
Apart from attractive Andrew and happy Emma, we have had a run of UNsmiling contestants.

Do a lot of people watch Countdown for the smiles?

Charlie Reams wrote:Do a lot of people watch Countdown for the smiles?

I doubt it. But smiles are nice.

Ryan Taylor wrote:

David Williams wrote:Don't you wish Jeff and Rachel would drop the leaden scripted joke and banter at the start? It's just embarrassing.

Yep. Oh look a joke about Jeff's height. Oh look a joke about Man United or Hartlepool. Oh look a joke about Rachel being young and not knowing what Jeff is on about. Definitely something needs to be done, I can barely watch Countdown 'live' anymore because of this, it's far easier to just skip through it all in about 10 minutes skipping all the poor banter.

I was saying this about Whiteley and Vorderman in the 90s, tedious shite. Cut the programme back to half an hour and just get on with it.

Ian Volante wrote:

Ryan Taylor wrote:

David Williams wrote:Don't you wish Jeff and Rachel would drop the leaden scripted joke and banter at the start? It's just embarrassing.

Yep. Oh look a joke about Jeff's height. Oh look a joke about Man United or Hartlepool. Oh look a joke about Rachel being young and not knowing what Jeff is on about. Definitely something needs to be done, I can barely watch Countdown 'live' anymore because of this, it's far easier to just skip through it all in about 10 minutes skipping all the poor banter.

I was saying this about Whiteley and Vorderman in the 90s, tedious shite. Cut the programme back to half an hour and just get on with it.

Me too, but in the pre-digital age I used to watch it. RW was very good at off-the-cuff wittering, and CV was sharp enough to come up with a response every time. People did watch just for the banter. I bet they don't now. Jeff in particular is an excellent host, but some entertaining people just can't tell jokes.

Ryan Taylor wrote: Yep. Oh look a joke about Jeff's height. Oh look a joke about Man United or Hartlepool. Oh look a joke about Rachel being young and not knowing what Jeff is on about. Definitely something needs to be done, I can barely watch Countdown 'live' anymore because of this, it's far easier to just skip through it all in about 10 minutes skipping all the poor banter.

To me, Countdown seems to have an identity crisis. It wants to be, as Damian quite beautifully put it 'a unique oasis of intellectual, enjoyable interactivity in a minefield of televisual shit' and avoid being like the inane crap which is DOND, yet it doesn't want to portray itself as élitist and dominated geeky kids like myself, or serious like University Challenge or Mastermind. I'm bored by the jokes and 'banter', but I guess it's not supposed to appeal to people like me. Then again Ryan, considering you read the DM, I thought you'd enjoy the constant talk of how political correctness has gone mad, a topic nearly as common as the ones you've listed. For an example of how chat should be done, watch Only Connect, Vicky Coren (calm down Charlie + others) is able to make comments which are interesting and occasionally humorous.

Oliver Garner wrote:Vicky Coren

uhhh

Oliver Garner wrote: (calm down Charlie + others)

Too late.

Charlie Reams wrote:

Oliver Garner wrote:Vicky Coren

uhhh

Oliver Garner wrote: (calm down Charlie + others)

Too late.

HELLO HELLO HELLO PEOPLE.
QUESTION IS: IS JAMES NGUYEN ON GUESS-A-SKETCH (the awesome website that i go on and i tell people on apterous i go on etc) WITH A NAME 'JULIENGUYEN'?
cos on there i said 'do you go on apterous?' and also 'i am sophie and i am random, do you know me now?' He replied 'whatever' and 'i really dont care, coolchicxox' (coolchicxox is my name on there) and would not answer my question.
JAMES PLEASE TELL ME THE TRUTH AND OTHER PEOPLE, WHAT DO YOU THINK?
Bye Bye Bye Bye Bye Bye Bye people. Soph!!

Think we've been krolled over again.

As Liam Gallagher once said 'you gotta Krol with it'
Glad your phread's not been locked yet.

Rhys Benjamin wrote:Think we've been krolled over again.

what do u mean but KROLLED?!?

Why do I bother?

Rhys Benjamin wrote:Why do I bother?

I worry for you Rhys. I think I made it to at least 14 before this became my outlook on life.

Adam Gillard wrote:

Rhys Benjamin wrote:Why do I bother?

I worry for you Rhys. I think I made it to at least 14 before this became my outlook on life.

I didn't even get that far.