Chris Moyles Show

Long time no....write. I know. I've made myself extra holiday recently and went with my sister and niece to Spain:) Then, it took me some time to come back to reality and sort out my professional life. But here I am, ready to blog on ;)... so what do I do this morning? I turn on my computer, as usual, sip my coffee, as usual, do the usual round of my fav sites and head straight for bbc radio 1 to listen to the "old chap" Chris Moyles, and....surprise surprise! Instead od Moyles's breakfast show I hear some...Nick ...something (forgive me my ignorance Mr Nick). So I do some research and come across this headline:

Chris Moyles says goodbye to Radio 1 breakfast show

...and my mornings will never be the same...;)

To be honest, I've never been a devoted fan of the show but since my old friend recommended it to me maaaany years ago, I've got used to it so much that every now and then, especially when I wanted to have a good laugh, I turned to this guy as my last rescue. Sometimes I didn't even get his jokes (blaming it on cultural differences) or prefered  not to get it coz mostly they were politically incorrect and made my eyes get rounder and bigger and my jaw drop. However, he had MILLIONS of listeners (7.9 at its peak) and well, like it or not, I was one of them and in a quirky way I liked it. 

What's more, I thought this show was eternal....like grass. 

I've realized I am one of these people who appreciate things only when they lose it. And I simply took it for granted.

It was said in the article: " At 38, Moyles has also been criticised for being too old for Radio 1, which is currently struggling to attract a younger audience.

His replacement is 10 years younger.."

As far as I can judge, men in their 30s and 40s are in the prime of life, but what can I know, right? Still, bbc radio 1 shame on you, SHAME!

I know I'm being oddly sentimental... but who cares.

Below, the last 5 minutes of the very last show:

For those who got interested, go here and here... and a lot more that you can find in the web.

And one more thing - THANK YOU for being my window to the other side of Englishness Mr Moyles ;)

source: youtube, google images.

Catchy ad slogans

Advertisements are ubiquitous, we all know that. Most of the times it just annoys me but the other day when I got stuck in a traffic jam and was bored to death I started to read some of the ad slogans and realize you can actually learn from them - at least a bit:) they are catchy, sometimes witty and in some cases show how the language works. Do you have your favourite ones?
Have a look at mine:

 

 

 

source: google images

confusing words - part two: holiday vs vacation vs leave

HOLIDAY vs VACATION vs LEAVE

HOLIDAY/HOLIDAYS (British English) -  a time of rest from work/school etc.

[`holɪdeɪ] countable and uncountable

Where are you going for your holiday this year?

Sandra is on holiday all next month.

I get 22 days' holiday with my new job.

Where are you going for your holidays this year?

VACATION (American English) - a time of rest from work/school etc.

[və`keɪʃən] uncountable and countable

Did your parents really go to Tasmania on vacation?

When are you going to take a vacation: in August or in September?

British English speakers say holiday , not holidays in the structuresbe on holiday, go on holiday and return/come back from holiday• something to read when you are on holiday (NOT when you are on holidays)• When you come back from holiday, it's hard to work (NOT When you come back from holidays).Holidays is usually used after the, my, your etc• Soon it will be the holidays.• Where do you want to go for your holidays?!! Do not say 'be in (your) holidays' or 'go in (your) holidays'. Say goon holiday or go on your holidays or be on holiday or be on your holidays.!! Do not say 'make a holiday'. Say have a holiday .

COLLOCATIONS:

HOLIDAY:

on holidaygo on holiday also go on your holidayshave/take a holidayholiday abroadsummer holidayfamily holidayskiing/camping/walking etc holidayholiday resort (=a place with many hotels where a lot of people go on their holidays)holiday brochure (=a magazine that advertises holidays)holiday snaps informal (=photographs taken while on holiday)holiday romance
VACATION:

summer vacationtake/have a vacationChristmas vacationfamily vacationtwo-week/three-day etc vacationvacation spot (=a place where a lot of people go on vacation)

LEAVE - time that you are allowed to spend away from your work.

annual leave

maternity leave

paid/unpaid leave

sick leave

compassionate leave

I've applied for three days' leave.

She's on leave.

Your basic annual leave is 20 days.

We can also say to TAKE/HAVE some time ( e.g. a few days) OFF.

Would you be able to take some time off?

I have time off at Christmas.

And now the promised answers to the Waking Life part 2 listening:

1) life's waiting room

2) infinite possibilities

3) minimum wage

4) fancy myself

5) anxiety stuff

6) less bizarre

7) alternate universe

8) going off

9) in the first place

10) awake

11) sleepwalking

12) unstable

13) light switch

14) dimensions of reality

15) dig

16) whispers

source: google images; Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English; Angielski Wyrazy Kłopotliwe.