Today for a change I thought I would listen to Classic fm. The host of the programme read out a request from a husband to his wife on her 75th birthday and then said ‘Congratulations and what an achievement’ !!
If he had said that to Dolly Parton or Dame Joan Collins or Dame Judi Dench I think he would have received a mouthful.
I’m sure the late Betty Davis would have come up with a cracking reply.
If you like classical music, but find the chat and adverts on Classic FM irritating, why not listen to Radio 3 instead! It’s a lot more intelligent, and no advertisements.
I wonder if, in some years from now, the word dementia will be thought outré. My grandmother suffered from it but in her day it was simply said that she had "gone senile". It wasn't insulting. It's just another way of saying that she suffered from a disease most commonly associated with old age.
What did annoy me a couple of weeks ago was the answer for "old age" in the I crossword - senility. It made some other readers annoyed too - as the readers' letters indicated on the following day.
But that is one of its meanings (check out any good dictionary) along with more verbose ones such as "characteristic of or accompanying old age". Some people may use the words senile and senility in insulting ways but the words themselves are descriptive, not insulting.
There a (minor in my case) skin condition whose medical name I cannot remember but which used to be described as "senile warts". I'm perfectly comfortable with that. All it means is that the warts are more common on older people than younger.
This reminds me of a story regarding my late aunt and uncle. They invited a financial advisor to their home. He noticed, hanging on the wall, a photo of their exceptionally pretty daughter - my cousin. He asked who the pretty girl was and when they said it was their daughter he then asked where she'd got her good looks from? He didn't get any work from them after that.
What did annoy me a couple of weeks ago was the answer for "old age" in the I crossword - senility. It made some other readers annoyed too - as the readers' letters indicated on the following day.
Yes, ridiculous comment isn’t it? As if the mere act of staying alive was down to one’s own willpower or talent.In any case, 75 may have been a staggering old age in 1620, but not the case in 2020.?
The average life expectancy in the UK is currently 81.15, slightly less for males. The average life expectancy in 1620 was around 38 and hovered around the low 40's until 1880, since the increasing slowly util where we are now.
The adverts on classic fm annoy me so I mute them whenever I can. Classic fm has ruined a lot of classical music for me by repetition. I turn to radio 3. I ignore all the talking bits in classic fm.
I used to be a loyal listener but since John Suchet left the morning slot I never tune in alexander Armstrong is terrible . I use mt Echo dod to play music and get no silly adds either.
It sounds like the kind of thing the guy who does Pointless would say (not the tall one). Not said with any particular sincerity but quite harmless as far as I can see. There are far worse things to be fuming about IMO.
I didn’t hear that one, but IMO it wouldn’t have been as irritating as some of the endlessly repeated ads on Classic - I’m forever switching off because I can’t bear to hear this or that one yet again - and then forgetting to switch back on again.
Sounds to me as if the presenter just wanted to say something congratulatory - but got it somewhat wrong.
Sometimes I follow a link to a music quiz, run by Classic FM. Recently I did one that claimed to predict your age based on your taste in music.
Apart from the fact that several of the questions mentioned film music from films I've never seen, I don't think they even contemplated the fact that people live longer than 40 years.
It was probably kindly meant if a bit thoughtless. If I had heard it I would have just found it amusing 'achieving' 75 years old. I am not far off that achievement.
I’m with Bluebell I wouldn’t have noticed it and if someone says that I look younger than I am, then I’m pleased about it. Worse things happening at the moment to get angry about, in my view.
I too can’t see any point in being ‘fuming’ afraid it would have passed over my head and it did when I read your post Lots of other things get me worked up but not that