My mini tour came to an end and at least today my driving was over by lunchtime. In fact Collings and I had an incredibly trouble-free ride back from Bristol. We took the opportunity to record a spare podcast to release in a future week when we might not have time to do a topical one. It won't be out for a couple of weeks at least - just depends on our schedules, but it was a relaxing chat in a moving vehicle in which Collings, like the soot-eating toddler that he is, mainly spent his time reading the names of companies off of trucks and describing what he could see out of the window. And we almost ran out of petrol so there's a good five minutes when he is in the car alone as I fill up the tank and pay, so who knows what you will have to put up with once the thing goes out.
We did discuss a mildly amusing incident that happened as we left the hotel carpark. I had been given a card to exit through the barrier, but it didn't work and got swallowed by the machine. I was just steeling myself to head back to reception to ask for another one when a man pulled up in his car on the other side of the barrier. He looked like he wanted to force his way through, even though there was only roo for one car, but then chivalrously, took his ticket and then backed away so we were able to drive through the now raised gate. Of course as he drove back into position the barrier came down again, luckily before he got there, rather than when he was passing through. It was only a mild inconvenience for him as he would have been able to take another ticket, but essentially he had rescued us and then been punished for his kindness. I laughed at him anyway. There is nothing that I enjoy more than the mild misfortunes of others!
In the afternoon I had a chat with a man from Celebrity Mastermind, which I am appearing on in less than two weeks (it will be on over Christmas). I haven't done any prep yet and have perhaps foolishly chosen the specialist subject of Rasputin, which I am not totally ignorant of, but I need to read (and learn) two big books in the next eight days and commit to memory a lot of complicated Russian names. I started work on it after the call and it's hard to know how detailed to go. For example, will John Humphreys ask me the name of the woman who supposedly sexually humiliated Rasputin when he was a young man? Or will it be more like, What was the name of the wife of Tsar Nicholas II? Because I can answer the second question now, but even though I tried to learn that first one, I have forgotten it already. It might be a tough and embarrassing show. But at least I get to sit in that famous high-backed armchair - I don't know if they will let me take my semi-circular toilet mat with me though.
I was always good at quizzes and exams and learning stuff as a youngster, so hopefully I won't embarrass myself, but I wish I had chosen a slightly less complicated subject.
Tonight we went to the Vue Cinema in the Westfield to see "The Social Network" which is a very enjoyable film. We were in one of the Xtreme screens at this new cinema and I wasn't sure what to expect. Perhaps the seats would jump up and down like Bucking Bronchos or cold water would be hosed into our faces. But it turned out it was just a very big screen, which filled the entire wall and was crisp and clear. Which was probably a better idea than mine. The legal complications behind the creation of Facebook proved to be surprisingly gripping - it's a great and intelligent film and an amazing story of a nerd coming up with an idea that would make him a billionaire. I quite liked him by the end of it and was trying to think of an idea that might make me a billionaire. One day they will doubtless actually make a film like this about As It Occurs To Me. But I am going to keep the billions. Emma Kennedy is getting NOTHING!
