Friday, January 30, 2009

Come in, sit down

Let's have a a bit of a chat. Pull up a chair. Not that one it's broken. That's better. Thing is, you're just not pulling your weight. I know, I know, you've been busy. But how on earth do you expect me to provide pithy input that will kick start your cerebral metabolism if you don't give me some raw materials?

So you need to help. You used to be so good. Comments about posts that led to more posts that led to long discussions about life the universe and everything, even at one stage attracting the interest of a blog called Life, the Universe and Everything.

At the moment my head is full of quite a lot of stuff I can't tell you without having to swear you to secrecy. I tried swearing the internet to secrecy once. Not easy but I got off with a fine.

So here's the deal. It's your turn. Please post suggestions of topics from the minefield in which you'd like MSS to stomp and I'll do my best. Ask embarrassing questions. Make me entertain you. And on that note, a tale to end...

At St John's, Nottingham the service books were constantly being removed from the chapel by students preparing future acts of corporate worship. The number of books dwindled and, despite an amnesty, eventually a reprint was necessary.

The reprinted copy had something like this text at the front. 'This book belongs in the Chapel of St John's College, Nottingham. If you find it anywhere else please feel free to ask embarrassing questions.'

Finding a copy of the book in the college chaplain's study, it is said that one student asked the Chaplain, now the Bishop of Down and Dromore, 'Harold. What colour are your underpants?'

8 comments:

RHK said...

The colouring of Mr Gnome's underpantings remains an impenetrable mystery.

Do you think world peace would break out if every summit conference had an obligatory session in which all participants wore only their underwear?

Probably not a good idea, actually - Mr Putin and Mr Sarkozy would probably been only too delighted to flounce around in their CKs.

Which wouldn't be much fun for Gordon - or, for that matter, for one, were one to find oneself whooshed by Dame Fortune into such an unlikely situation.

Fairly recently, I attended an event graced by a large number of high-level Anglican clergy.

During a longueur, I was shocked to find myself pondering the publication of fund-raising calendar: 'Prelates in their Pants' - along the lines of Paula Yates's 1980s classic 'Rockstars in their Underpants'....

That's enough for the time being....

Anonymous said...

Could we not go further up the clerical tier... in fact why not go 50/50 with the WWF (no not the wrestlers!) and produce a "Primates in Pants" calendar? Having grown up not far from Twycross zoo, fabled home of the PG Tips Chimps (the flesh and blood type not the grey knitted hand puppet of the modern campaign) I have lived safe in the knowledge that humour begins in anthropomorphism! There's nothing guarantees a favourable reaction more than an animal in clothing... and you never know some of that goodwill might just rub up on the Religious figureheads pictured alongside the underwear sporting Monkeys! Hmmmm just a thought, do you think it would be taking it a step far for the Bishops and the Apes to be wearing matching briefs?

Chris said...

It may not be a very exciting subject, but anyway...

How do you choose which church to go to? It's been fairly simple for the last few years - we've gone to the one E has worked at. Now she's not going to be working for a church in her new job we've got to pick one to join. Do we go local and support and help build up one really local to us? Do we go for the latest hip and trendy one (for want of a better way to describe a church) that's within 30 mins or so car journey? Just thought - there may not be a hip and trendy one within 30 mins?!

Chris said...

Oh - and if you haven't done it already, don't forget to have a spring clean of your side bar thingy.

You did want nagging about this didn't you?

Steve Tilley said...

This is more like it. Appropriate nagging. Bishops unfrocked. An iedea for a post. I knew you could do it. You were just teasing me really.

Oh and Mark B - Radio 4 star - send autograph.

RHK said...

Meanwhile, anyone yearning for a calendar of modestly be-cassocked clerics should order the Calendario Romano:

http://www.calendarioromano.co.uk/

Holy hair gel

Steve Tilley said...

Mr G. Well really. (Actually I quite fancied some of them myself.)

RHK said...

: - )

One became aware of this publication when a colleague returned from honeymoon in Rome bearing a copy as a gift for her workmates.

Perhaps you could organize a similar calendar of smouldering Somerset saintliness....