I couldn't be arsed to read EIKAL the book, because I find Dolly A irritating as a columnist, so I'm unsure whether she turned the over-hyped memoir into good tv; I've watched the lot (on your recommendation) over the weekend. Also wonder how much my enjoyment was fantastic casting, though. Boringly, I'm pleased that I wasn't young then... I too shared a house with three University gal-pals in the job-seeking early eighties; we lucked out and had a fantastically cheap house in Elizabeth Street, Belgravia. Parties, yes, rivers of drink, yes, but only the occasional spliff, and always from male guests. Two sons of my best friend/flatmate from those days have serious addiction problems at 33 and 31 respectively, and seem unable to start their adult lives. So I;m not a fan of drugs looking fun on TV. That said, I drink more than I should... Lxx
At the risk of sounding like a total suck up I would never have watched this had it not been for The Spike, so thank you.
I have a terrible habit of avoiding things that make me feel disappointed in myself.
I stopped following Reverend Kate Bottley on Twitter as she is the same age as me and appears to live this exciting and adventurous life. She said something once about doing too many funerals where all she could say was the deceased had enjoyed a crossword. Anyway no offence to the woman but I just felt inadequate as I wasn’t open air swimming, or hosting a huge Eurovision party and after a while I just thought fuck this.
Anyway I was so bloody boring and sensible in my 20s I think I would detest my younger self if I met her now. I was escaping all sorts of things and ended up with a serious job and a mortgage at 24 hardly a party lifestyle.
I went a bit crazy in my 30s and started doing slightly irresponsible things. Met my husband at 37 and I can honestly say my 40s have been great. I now realise I never really wanted to shag married men, take drugs and drink to oblivion. I just wanted to make packed lunches, and organise school uniforms and have a very well stocked first-aid kit for a family holiday.
Happier than I’ve ever been.
That said, I absolutely loved this series. I never love anything. Also really enjoying Chivalry at the moment.
The last time I wrote so much on one of these comments was about my awful experiences at the school gates and how I simply do not fit in. This blog is becoming more and more like therapy to me 😃
Ok, I’m now going to watch this. I had just assumed it wasn’t going to be for me at all, as a 47 year old Gen X-er, feeling fairly cynical and hard-bitten these days…(not proud of this, by the way). The closest tv representation I have ever found to my life in my 20s is the 90s BBC2 show This Life (highly recommend a watch, if anyone hasn’t seen it). I was a trainee criminal barrister in those halcyon days and that programme felt pretty close to my day to life (although without the cocaine - don’t know whether it’s anything to do with my particular generation, but I never managed the care-free drug-taking thing; maybe felt too close to the lives of my clients at work, don’t know). Anyway, sounds interesting - I’ll always check something out if you recommend it Esther!
Definitely going to watch this. I also hated most of my 20s. So lonely, hopeless boyfriends and no idea what I was doing. But I love a vicarious romp through someone else’s 20s - the ones I THOUGHT I was going to have. I binge watched Emily in Paris for the same reason. (although with a side-crush on the impossibly elegant 50 somethings Sylvie, who I am definitely going to become when I’ve lost 20 pounds and taken up smoking Sobranie or something). Also - anyone else feeling like 40s are your flipping prime years?! I’m early into the decade, but I have this new, frankly odd level of self confidence and contentment that I never achieved in my striving 20s and 30s. A sort of - god I’m being weird again. I love me - type thing. Anyone?! 🤣
I love it. Cast are superb and it captures the energy of the book. I follow everything Dolly does - her wisdom as an agony aunt slays me every week. I did have a flat share experience in my 20’s but was in the 80’s/90’s and whilst ours was a poorer experience (no synchro dancing/makeovers/drugs off salmon platters) there was certainly that mutual support and crazy evenings. I am waiting to hear what my ex flatmates make of it. Maggie does drive me bonkers (just go to bed by yourself every now and then please) you can see how she draws everyone into her world.
I've also got Ondansetron and Valium. Like, not to brag... but...
Hello, lovely Esther, just subscribed!
I couldn't be arsed to read EIKAL the book, because I find Dolly A irritating as a columnist, so I'm unsure whether she turned the over-hyped memoir into good tv; I've watched the lot (on your recommendation) over the weekend. Also wonder how much my enjoyment was fantastic casting, though. Boringly, I'm pleased that I wasn't young then... I too shared a house with three University gal-pals in the job-seeking early eighties; we lucked out and had a fantastically cheap house in Elizabeth Street, Belgravia. Parties, yes, rivers of drink, yes, but only the occasional spliff, and always from male guests. Two sons of my best friend/flatmate from those days have serious addiction problems at 33 and 31 respectively, and seem unable to start their adult lives. So I;m not a fan of drugs looking fun on TV. That said, I drink more than I should... Lxx
At the risk of sounding like a total suck up I would never have watched this had it not been for The Spike, so thank you.
I have a terrible habit of avoiding things that make me feel disappointed in myself.
I stopped following Reverend Kate Bottley on Twitter as she is the same age as me and appears to live this exciting and adventurous life. She said something once about doing too many funerals where all she could say was the deceased had enjoyed a crossword. Anyway no offence to the woman but I just felt inadequate as I wasn’t open air swimming, or hosting a huge Eurovision party and after a while I just thought fuck this.
Anyway I was so bloody boring and sensible in my 20s I think I would detest my younger self if I met her now. I was escaping all sorts of things and ended up with a serious job and a mortgage at 24 hardly a party lifestyle.
I went a bit crazy in my 30s and started doing slightly irresponsible things. Met my husband at 37 and I can honestly say my 40s have been great. I now realise I never really wanted to shag married men, take drugs and drink to oblivion. I just wanted to make packed lunches, and organise school uniforms and have a very well stocked first-aid kit for a family holiday.
Happier than I’ve ever been.
That said, I absolutely loved this series. I never love anything. Also really enjoying Chivalry at the moment.
The last time I wrote so much on one of these comments was about my awful experiences at the school gates and how I simply do not fit in. This blog is becoming more and more like therapy to me 😃
Ok, I’m now going to watch this. I had just assumed it wasn’t going to be for me at all, as a 47 year old Gen X-er, feeling fairly cynical and hard-bitten these days…(not proud of this, by the way). The closest tv representation I have ever found to my life in my 20s is the 90s BBC2 show This Life (highly recommend a watch, if anyone hasn’t seen it). I was a trainee criminal barrister in those halcyon days and that programme felt pretty close to my day to life (although without the cocaine - don’t know whether it’s anything to do with my particular generation, but I never managed the care-free drug-taking thing; maybe felt too close to the lives of my clients at work, don’t know). Anyway, sounds interesting - I’ll always check something out if you recommend it Esther!
Definitely going to watch this. I also hated most of my 20s. So lonely, hopeless boyfriends and no idea what I was doing. But I love a vicarious romp through someone else’s 20s - the ones I THOUGHT I was going to have. I binge watched Emily in Paris for the same reason. (although with a side-crush on the impossibly elegant 50 somethings Sylvie, who I am definitely going to become when I’ve lost 20 pounds and taken up smoking Sobranie or something). Also - anyone else feeling like 40s are your flipping prime years?! I’m early into the decade, but I have this new, frankly odd level of self confidence and contentment that I never achieved in my striving 20s and 30s. A sort of - god I’m being weird again. I love me - type thing. Anyone?! 🤣
I love it. Cast are superb and it captures the energy of the book. I follow everything Dolly does - her wisdom as an agony aunt slays me every week. I did have a flat share experience in my 20’s but was in the 80’s/90’s and whilst ours was a poorer experience (no synchro dancing/makeovers/drugs off salmon platters) there was certainly that mutual support and crazy evenings. I am waiting to hear what my ex flatmates make of it. Maggie does drive me bonkers (just go to bed by yourself every now and then please) you can see how she draws everyone into her world.