Today is the Queen’s Birthday. Not her real Birthday, mind you...just one of the many she gets each year. There is her Actual Birthday, her Official Birthday, and her Celebrated Birthday. There might be more, but I only did a quick Google.
I found out about this one (today is her Celebrated Birthday) when I turned the television on this morning to all channels covering the parade. Yes, she gets a parade. I guess it’s not that big a deal...she IS Queen. Being born into privilege is such an accomplishment, so I suppose it deserves the honor of a parade.
I thought it might be fun to go, so I started making tube routes and mapping the free area where peasants are allowed to watch from far away. Plenty of time, I thought. Coverage started at 10:30. Surely, I thought, it doesn’t start until much later.
That, however, was my flawed American mistake.
In America, coverage for something as huge as seeing the fallacious figurehead of our Nation’s power (in America’s case, the President [footnote 1] ) would mean competing newscasters filling no more than 10 hours of pre-event air time with as many compellingly insignificant sound bites as possible. “We have word...yes, it’s confirmed! We have an exclusive! The Queen will be wearing blue! Yes, blue! You heard it here first, ladies and gentlemen! We broke the story first! The Queen will be in blue! Now, here’s Fred with an in-depth look at everything that can be colored blue....”
But here...it was wham, bam, thank ye Queen mum. 30 minutes, start to finish. No mucking about for these Brits. There’s pints to be drunk.
Still, it was lovely to see. Such pomp and circumstance. And at least I was able to snap a few pictures of her Royal Highness.
Yes, I’m that much of a Geek. I took pictures of the telly.
.
[footnote 1 - I’m already on The List. Can’t make it any worse than I already have]
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Times today I’ve narrowly been missed by a car whilst crossing the street = 4
Hours there has been a traffic jam on my street so far = 8
Groups playing football in the park today = 11
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6 comments:
I am shocked, SHOCKED, that you didn't make it in time for the parade. Not like you at all, Stephanie.
We watched Bridget Jones last night. It's almost like I'm there with you.
Shocked? Or not surprised?
;)
Oh...and have you read the book? It's really very good. I have it somewhere on the shelves - you're welcome to try and find it. It might take you a while, though....
30 minutes? Geez, Fox news would of spread that out for a few hours by listing all the tiny little things going on.
"LOOK AT THAT PARADE WOW!!!!!!!! ohbythewaythousandsmorehavvediediniraq OMFG A JUGGLER!
Xan, your blog made me weep with laughter. It's mighty wrong, and I should be worried...but a little therapy is worth a good laugh.
First Bruce: Well Bruce, I heard the Prime Minister use it. "It's hot enough to boil a monkey's bum in here, your Majesty," he said and she smiled quietly to herself.
Third Bruce: She's a good Sheila, Bruce, and not at all stuck up.
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