Talking to Yourself: Not Just For Hobos Anymore!

So I have a problem.
I guess I had it before now but I think it may be getting worse.
Or maybe it's just that I'm paying more attention to it.
I'm not sure which is worse.

My problem is that I have a tendency to talk to myself in public.
It's not just in public, of course, it's just I talk to myself all the time and sometimes forget to shut the hell up if there are people around.

Now thankfully most people don't notice.
I'm generally pretty quiet regardless, so I can usually bank on nobody having heard.
But sometimes there are those instances where there's no way they didn't hear.

(sidenote: All of these have happened to me, almost word for word)

So what do you do?
They're three inches away, and either looking right at you or are the only other person in a small room FILLED WITH TILE.

Way I see it, there's three options you can take:

1. Try and play it off like you were starting a conversation. (WARNING: Severe risk for crushed self-confidence and self-loathing; PROCEED WITH CAUTION)

 

2. Pretend you weren't in fact talking to yourself. (Only works if in enclosed space--otherwise YOU WILL LOOK CRAZIER)

Has highest success rate

3. Just fuckin' roll with it.

 

 

Doctor Who: SO BRITISH.

I have a confession to make.

I am a Doctor Who fan.

I know that this is a fairly controversial subject in some circles, but I must be firm in my love for this show.

Yes, sometimes it's silly, sometimes it's cheesy, sometimes it's far fetched.
But that's just why it's so fantastic.

I mean, seriously, are those egg beaters?

It is one of the most charming, most entertaining, and most fiercely original shows on television today, and I hope it keeps up the good work for years to come.

Now, I was watching Doctor Who earlier today and something struck me. The thought has occurred to me before but never as fully formed as today.
The thought: there's a certain British ethnocentrism to this show you just don't see a whole lot in British entertainment that is very refreshing.

It's not uncommon to see American ethnocentrism.
To see a drama or scifi or fantasy show/movie in which EVERY important event just so HAPPENS to ALWAYS take place in either New York or Los Angeles, or worse, some Podunk town with a population of 50 (*cough*Buffy*cough*).

Drama drama drama..

And Americans always save the day and Americans always come out as the heroes/awesome guys at the end of it.

Which is perhaps why I find it so refreshing, and a little bit hilarious, that this show does the same thing but for London.

Why is it that aliens just HAPPEN to keep landing smack dab in the middle of London, every single time?
Even though New York, Tokyo, Paris, hell, even Berlin are just as big or bigger?
And in the episode I just watched, the Prime Minister is suddenly taking the reins and claiming to be the representative for the entire world?

For that matter, take a look at the American characters on this show: Captain Jack Harkness, the biggest, loudest, most self-absorbed jackass in the universe (literally), and the President, who, whenever mentioned or shown, is always the abrasive, loud-mouthed, war-crazed idiot that would screw everyone over if given half a chance.

I'm not criticizing, mind you.
Because we do it worse than anyone.
But most British shows and movies I've seen either self-deprecate or are extremely humble about England's place in the world.
There's always a sort of "oh, don't mind us, we're not here to make a fuss" vibe around most British entertainment that Doctor Who proudly shrugs off.

I guess the thing that made it really stick out to me was when the thing that revived both the TARDIS and the Doctor was that classic British staple, a simple cup of tea.
And not only did they point out how insanely British of a thing that was, but they actually carried the plot point out loudly and proudly.

I guess in that way it's almost American in its Britishness.
Maybe that's why it's such a hit over here.
It's unrelentingly British, but it's got just enough American that we can relate as well.

I'm not really going anywhere with this, just a thought.

Anyway, as always, thanks for reading!

Yours,
Amanda