At badminton last week I made a comment after someone had said something in Dutch. It turned out that I'd repeated what they had said word-for-word leading to questions of whether I could actually understand Dutch and just made the rest of the class sit through the English translations to be awkward. Alas, I assured them that it was pure coincidence, for my understanding of Dutch remains stubbornly low. But it's good to know that I can bluff when needed!
I had a similar experience today watching the Formula One race in Dutch, where it felt like I knew what they were waffling on about. But then I realised that the only reason I felt that way was because there wasn't anything going on in the race for them to talk about - so I knew what they were saying, simply because I was seeing it myself. Sometimes I despair at how boring F1 can be. I think the last time I actually saw a race that I enjoyed was Silverstone in 2003, and that was only interesting because a drunk and mad Irish priest dressed like a leprechaun ran onto the track.
But that's not the only thing I've watched on TV this weekend. After completely messing up my plans by failing to get to the library before it closed (at 4pm on Saturday - why I ask you?) I've been left with no work to do. So last night I settled down for the Eurovision. I'd always had a good laugh at the contest and accepted it for what it is, but last night I had to reassess after having to explain the whole concept to my American flatmate. He ended the evening distinctly unimpressed, although he did see the merit in Terry Wogan. As for our entry, what's happened since we won in 1997? In ten years the contest seems to have gone from producing pretty reasonable songs to seeing how can be the most outlandish performer. It's just not cricket, and perhaps (tactical voting aside) that's why we're destined not to win for quite a while - outlandish isn't something we really do that well is it? At least Ukraine didn't win though - what on earth was that all about?!
This evening I also decided that I'd take my TV watching to a new level by going to see Spiderman 3 at the cinema. A part of me was curious to see how you can possibly spend $258 million on a film, and another part wanted to see whether it could be as truly appalling as the second instalment was. Unfortunately, I really wish I hadn't been so intrigued. It's appalling. No, that's doing it a favour. It's crap. It really is. Oddly, the last film I considered walking out halfway through was Spiderman 2, and although it's easier to do in Dutch cinemas seeing as they have an interval, only the thought of my €8.50 ticket kept me in my seat. I don't usually do movie reviews, but I cannot stress how many things are wrong with this film; bad acting, plot holes, ridiculous coincidences, poor computer effects. I'd rather have given my money to the Labour party. There is absolutely nothing to recommend it. If I were the account manager I'd have asked for my money back. The only possible saving grace is that it still cost less the Millenium Dome, and that's not saying much. In fact, there was another good thing - I was so disinterested in what was going on that I took the opportunity to read the Dutch subtitles, so I finally know what echt means. Please, please, please save your money.
Keeping with the TV theme, there's an advert on at the moment advertising a 'green' bank account from the RaboBank. Said advert features two people walking down a street after they've left a cinema showing of 'An Inconvenient Truth'. Rather (un)excitingly I know this street, as I walk down it quite often in Utrecht, but they've made a mistake. The shot after they leave shows them walking towards the cinema. Needlessly picky? Moi?
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