Another reason to stay in the house

Dancing on Ice is just starting. I could fight it, but I am too weak.

Did anyone else watch So You Think You Can Dance last night? I rather enjoyed it. I mean, for a start they can all actually dance, which is nice. I'll keep watching. Here are my thoughts for those of you who might be interested.

1. The lack of "celeb" recognition factor was not in any way a problem for me until the judges' recap at the end. "I loved Blah and Blah, but Blah and Blah could be in trouble tonight," etc. It's going to take me a few weeks to know who's who and even longer to care, I suspect.

2. Having said that, I am developing a low-level crush on Alastair. He grew up on a farm and also does ballet. It's all terribly Billy Elliot.



3. Nigel Lythgoe actually speaks sense. Can we have him on Strictly? Instead of Len? I hate Len.

4. Cat Deeley can host whatever she likes. Her and Schofield. I love Schofield. Let's sack Tess and Bruce and Len and get Cat and Schofield and Nigel. Lovely.

5. All of Strictly's mad camera swoops seem to have made it in tact to this show, which is very disappointing, because this show actually has some dancing that we might like to see. Also, all routines are choreographed for a proper stage rather than a ballroom floor, so the camera swoops are unnecessary and distracting - we don't need to see this dance from the back, you fools. Sort it out, please, BBC.

6. Here is the boy who went out last night:



I think he looks like the progeny of Freddie Prinze Jr and Ray Quinn.



I am quite glad he has gone home.

Overdue

Where have I been? Lazing around, that's where I have been. I've also been watching a lot of TV, which I'll fill you in on later. In the meantime, here's a snippet I enjoyed from the So You Think You Can Dance website:

"He left school before completing his A-Levels after being offered the opportunity to understudy the role of Mr Mistoffelees in Cats in Germany – his dream job."

Dream big, my friend. Dream big.

It's Christmas!

Those of you who know me will know that I love University Challenge. Love it. Like, the hate-going-out-on-Monday-nights kind of love it. And as of this week I have a new favourite contestant. He is on the Warwick team. His name is Christopher Christmas.

My previous favourite was Martin Heighway, on the Open University team. I loved him partly for his raffish gulp of water each and every time he successfully answered a starter for 10, but mainly because when he hit the buzzer first on said starter for 10, Voiceover Man would shout with delight, "Open Heighway!" It literally (for me) never got old.

Christopher has neither a raffish style of water-drinking nor a funny punny name. But, you guys? His name is Christopher Christmas.

Sunday morning thoughts

The title of this post was meant to lull you into thinking this post might be about many different things. It isn't. You know what it's about. I almost can't wait for 19th December so that my mind might turn to different things.

1. I voted for Chris and Ola again. I seriously think I might have lost my mind. In previous years I have been secure in the knowledge that I was supporting the best dancer, even when that dancer wasn't going to win. But this year something has changed. I have become one of the other sort, the sort that votes for the couple they like rather than the couple who can dance. Why? What's changed? Is it me? Is it the show? It's me, isn't it.

2. I think Bruce was on something last night. Possibly Pro Plus.

3. Can Bette Midler please learn another song? She's been popping up on these light entertainment shows for years and she always sings The Rose or the dreaded Wind Beneath My Wings? Why? Why does she do this? What is she selling? Is it in her contract that she never has to learn a new song ever again? If so, why? Why is it in her contract? Why do people keep agreeing to the contract? So. Many. Questions.

4. Tess needs to sort her wardrobe pronto. Part of the joy of Strictly has always been checking what horror Tess is in that week and wondering who in wardrobe she has pissed off, but we seem to have added a new element to all this - Boob Area Catastrophe (BAC). Last week, poor bra choice meant a couple of boobs too many. This week, poor bra choice and slightly too low a neckline demonstrated that gravity always wins. Somebody help her.

5. Why don't I like Ricky Whittle?

6. I once sent Rhona and Alice a long e-mail about how I felt about Anton and Laila doing Latin. Basically it makes me feel upset and dirty. Thank God they've finally gone home.

Strictly terrifying

I have been trying to figure out exactly why I find Natalie Lowe, new Strictly professional, so unsettling. I mean, she and Ricky Whittle can be a bit annoying, but they're pretty good and I forgive them many transgressions because their quickstep was awesome, but she just... freaks me out. Today I finally figured it out.

Here she is in Strictly:








And here she is in Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines:














Natalie for the win! Don't hurt me, please don't hurt me!

Le tennis, encore une fois

I did not cover myself in glory at the tennis on Friday night. In fact, what I covered myself in was beer - I spilled half an expensive pint over my own lap. I still don't know quite how it happened. I got in a grump and could not cope with the damp and the stale beer smell so in the end I left after a set and a half. Had it been the Fed, it's possible I would have got over it, but Davydenko vs Soderling? I just couldn't bring myself to care.

On the upside, the view even from the cheap seats was really jolly good, though vertigo sufferers would be advised to splash out on courtside seats. It's not for the faint-hearted up there.

It has been a busy weekend of culture and social engagements. I'll write about those when I have been fortified by Shepherd's Pie.

Anyone for tennis?

I am off to the O2 arena this evening for a spot of tennis-watching. I have never been to the O2 before and I have not been to see live tennis for a number of years so, as you can imagine, I have been rather excited. I have checked today's order of play. That's the order of play for the ATP World Finals, featuring the top male players in the world this year. What will I be watching?

Davydenko vs Soderling

That's right, team. Davydenko vs Soderling. In a championship featuring Federer, Nadal, Murray and Djokovic, the Friday night game is Davydenko vs Soderling.

Now, let me be very clear. I rather like Robin Soderling. I think he's got a nice line in self-deprecating humour and he beat Nadal at the French this year, which was the only way that Federer was ever going to win the title, and God knows I love Federer. Plus he's only in there because my adored Andy Roddick is injured, so underdog etc etc. Davydenko, though, is another matter. He is a player who seems to have been in the top 10 forever while not actually doing very much. I mean, obviously, he does rather a lot and must win a lot of matches, but did we enjoy any of them? Do we remember any of them? And is he, in fact, a bit dodgy?

My point is, I will have no difficulty finding someone to get behind and I will enjoy myself because it's live sport with a bunch of my friends. BUT it's the ATP finals, the end-of-year extravaganza and I'm watching Davydenko vs Soderling.

Not cool, ATP dudes. Not cool.