Wednesday 18 March 2009

How do you start the week?

I have a particular fondness for staying in on Monday nights and listening to Start the week with Andrew Marr on Radio 4.

I understand that the week is actually started in the morning by Andrew and his guests but as I am at work then I don’t get to listen to the programme until later.

I don’t know why I find the programme so pleasing but it’s half an hour that I always enjoy. The guests and topics are varied but the discussion always relates to books, films, series or other cultural happenings that are scheduled for the week ahead or very soon after. I suppose listening to a radio programme forces you to hear about things you might not think you are interested in. So if there was a review of a book on the history of the economy I might skim over it in a newspaper but on Start the week I continue to listen and usually find I am interested- or if I’m not I will have learnt something.

I find the constancy of Radio 4 extremely comforting. I greatly admire a rich smooth voice and find even something like the shipping forecast quite hypnotic and mesmeric but when the chat is interesting and delivered like oral hot chocolate I am doubly happy.

Andrew Marr has a surprisingly good radio voice, it’s an engaging smooth baritone which is comforting but not too soporific . He isn’t quite at the level of an Alan Rickman who has my all time favourite speaking voice I think (and who I’m sure could convince people to do virtually anything with his voice, like a modern pied conversationalist of London).

In an ideal world I would start the week with Andrew and his guests, a pot of tea and the remnants of the Sunday papers that I never manage to read on Sunday. I am always unfathomable tired on Monday nights because I continue to make the mistake of sleeping in on Sunday mornings and then going to bed far, far too late on Sunday night and getting about 4 hours sleep- which is most definitely not the way to start the week.

8 comments:

The Daily Connoisseur said...

Hmmm that is a good question. I actually start the week on Sunday night when I attend a meditation class... It makes me feel as though I am starting the week with a clean slate.

Love Radio4 and listen to it every time I am in London!

Cassandra said...

I absolutely ADORE radio 4, it's the only station I listen to - I was born middle aged! My absolute faves are I'm sorry, I haven't a clue (RIP WONDERFUL Humph!) and The Now Show. I like Andrew Marr's voice, too. The most comforting voice of all, though, is a TV voice - Arthur Lowe's narration on the original Mr Men. His voice is WONDERFUL. I love talking books too! All FANTASTIC. Cx

Rose said...

Daily- you are a true Brit when you're here, glad to here you have been inducted into the ways of Radio 4! meditation does sound like a good way to start the week, better than my going to bed at 2am on Sunday nights...

Rose said...

Cassandra- It's wonderful isn't it, worth the licence fee alone. If they ever tried to mess with it I feel like the country would fall down... it's like the ravens at the tower... except more so.

I love talking books! Stephen Fry doing Harry Potter is especially good. I don't remember the Mr Men's but I'm sure you're right.

vicki archer said...

I start the week wishing for the weekend! No I am kidding. I don't often listen to the radio but I know I should and I am always up too late on Sunday night to get that running start on Monday that I would like. xv

Rose said...

Hi Vicki, I think we all do!! I'm not joking... well I am but only a bit!

Perfumeshrine said...

Ah...Mondays....That's a toughie!! The morning starts with my cleaning lady buzzing on the door, so all goes downhill from there, me catching up on work, things being hectic, mails to respond to, phonecalls to make, papers to prepare etc. It really comes to one's own however in the evening, when I collapse on the couch, put some lotion on my freshly bathed legs (*sigh*) and watch something on the DVD. Ah, bliss, Monday is over!

Rose said...

Hello E, They can be tough can't they. Although sometimes Tuesdays are even more Monday ish!
A bath and a dvd sounds very good to me at any time of the week- but especially on a Monday!