Colm O'Regan: You know about crisp sandwiches, but what about 'work biscuits'?
Work biscuit: It sounds like a unicorn $100 billion company that promises an AI platform that will revolutionise how we blah blah.
But it's not. Work biscuits are just biscuits that are suitable to store at work. My wife coined it for biscuits that need to be nice enough to give a little bit of a kick but not nice enough to be all eaten in one crumb and regret laden orgy.
Now that's a tribute to her wife's self restraint. Regardless of what they are, I will eat my village's entire winter stores of biscuit while standing at the sink, without any memory of ever having eaten them.
It gets me thinking about the other things that are surprisingly suitable. Things that fit the moment...
Sandwich crisps
Like the choice of 'sandwich crisps'. Crisps that are the right flavour and shape to be laid delicately on top of a layer of bread, strong enough to hold their own against the sandwich filling flavour, and not break up into a million pieces.
For me it's the Manhattan Cheese And Onion variety in its sleek black packaging. Too strong to binge on them neat but in a sandwich, perfect. They are pub crisps and rarely found in shops unless it's a small shop where the owner knows a fella.
Hotel TV
What are the programmes you can watch from the bed or listen to from the jacks? It can't be too long. You're there for a stag/hen even though truth be told you'd rather stay in as this is the best chance of doing nothing that you'll get in yonks.
But to leave your partner at home and then go away and just sleep is nearly worse than going out and getting balubas. It's an unauthorised change in the contract.
For Hotel TV I recommend one episode of an average American procedural cop show like NCIS, one episode of a baffling British quiz show presented by someone who used to be funny, or just inexplicably getting stuck into a documentary on solar power in Botswana on Bloomberg Africa.
Colm O'Regan: "They come and go in fashion but the basic denim jacket has a surprisingly suitable trick up its sleeve..." Picture: Chani Anderson
Ireland's Own
Next up, you're in a waiting room. The TV NOW! magazines are not doing it for you. But peeping out from underneath a GET 100 ABS! men's health magazine, there's an Ireland's Own.
You haven't read it in yonks but now you're finding out a surprising fact about Philomena Begley or wondering how amateur detective Miss Flanagan will get to the bottom of this week's mystery (...she was a retired school teacher in it decades ago, so could be well into her eleventies now).
Denim jackets
They come and go in fashion but the basic denim jacket has a surprisingly suitable trick up its sleeve. Or rather next to its sleeve.
The Denim Jacket's Inside Pockets. An anomaly of physics. How a simple jacket that is barely the length of your torso has inside pockets that hold as much as a small van.
Scarves, books, cans, shopping, umbrellas, a spare jacket. An underappreciated design classic.
Replacements
And one final, category of surprisingly suitable are Things You Bought Because Your Forgot Your Own One.
These iconic replacements are still around decades later. These are the Michael J Fox in Back to the Future, the Whoopi Goldberg in Sister Act. Stars who were not the first choice but turned out to be perfect in a role.
Black shoes bought in a hurry in Dunnes 10 minutes before a wedding. That coat that wouldn't normally be you but it helped you out of a hole so you're fond of it. These have all stood the test of time and you've forgotten who they replaced. The Bette Midler (Sister Act) and Eric Stolz (Back to the Future) wardrobe items have long been sent to the charity shop.
What's your surprisingly suitable?
Colm can heard weekly in a new podcast called
A Few Scoops with Aoife Moore on GoLoud or wherever you get your podcasts
Read More
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Irish Sun
3 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
I stayed at the English beach holiday park following its £15million makeover with a massive waterpark and soft-play
'WOW, this is the best house ever,' scream my two kids. While their reactions slightly rile me — having just decorated both their bedrooms back home — I can see where they are coming from. 4 Enjoying a stroll along the beach Credit: Supplied 4 We had buckets of fun at Splash Waterpark, only 50 yards or so from our lodge Credit: Supplied For starters, our eight-man Platinum lodge at Unity Beach in Somerset has a hot tub — and it comes complete with undisturbed views of Brean's windswept coastline and a clear sky at night. Everything inside is sleek and stylish, with a statement electric fireplace in the centre and Scandi-style wooden furniture that makes the place look more like a fancy prize draw house than a holiday park lodge. I was staying there with my partner Bianca and two little ones, Frank, six, and Pearl, four. The fun-packed resort has recently been redeveloped as part of a READ MORE ON FAMILY HOLIDAYS The presenter said: 'There's a misconception that British seaside parks are outdated. Unity Beach proves that's no longer true.' I can't argue with her. Even though there was so much to do at the 240-acre resort, we could easily have spent a few hours relaxing in our new home. As well as a decking area with hot tub, it included a spacious lounge with a giant TV (as well as televisions in every bedroom), a fully-fitted kitchen, two double bedrooms with en suite bathrooms, plus two more twin rooms. Most read in News Travel The lodges are really close to most of the activities and restaurants, too. These include the new Wonky Donkey, which serves brekkie and pub grub such as scampi, lasagne and burgers, and the Sports Cafe, where kids can play arcade favourites and cutting-edge VR games in between bites of pizza, while adults watch live sport on the large screens. Top Seashore Holiday Parks for Family Fun There's also the revamped Pavilion Theatre, where guests can tuck into wings, loaded fries and kid-sized lighter bites all while watching live game shows and tribute acts. And with a proper kitchen in our lodge, we could always mix it up with a takeaway from the on-site chippy or Chinese. Then there's the retro-decorated RJ's, which offers American diner-style classics such as pizzas, wings and build-your-own burgers. And with a proper kitchen in our lodge, we could always mix it up with a takeaway from the on-site chippy or Chinese. When we weren't sampling all the food, we had buckets of fun at Splash Waterpark, only 50 yards or so from our lodge. It costs extra to visit (from £3.25pp) but it's well worth it, with a kids' pool, play areas and plenty of slides. Ninja Zone The pre-booked 90-minute pool sessions were just enough for our two, although bigger kids, who can go on all the flumes, might want to stay longer. Despite tearing around the pool for an hour and a half, Frank and Pearl couldn't wait to go straight to Brean Play indoor soft play afterwards. If one thing's guaranteed to tire them out, it's soft play. The area includes the Ninja Zone, with a challenging obstacle course for older kids, and a state-of-the-art ball court with an interactive screen that lets kids play all manner of games. If that's not enough, there's also the Brean Theme Park, which was again just yards from our lodge. And I could see why our kids were so desperate to go. The park has a great mix of rides for kids of all ages as well as adults. Thankfully, Bianca was happy to take Frank on the scarier rollercoasters while I made sure Pearl was OK on the carousels. You'll have to pay extra for entry, but Unity guests get discounted wristbands meaning it won't end up costing a fortune. Unity is not all about the kids, though. Adults can have their fair share of fun at the 18-hole golf course. Whatever you end up doing, there's a good chance you'll finish your day in the hot tub, soaking up all the memories. Or they might want to try their hand at new must-play sport padel, with Unity being home to Somerset's only two courts. We barely had enough time to try everything within the resort, let alone to venture out. 4 The fun-packed resort has recently been redeveloped as part of a £15million 'Comes Alive in 25' campaign backed by The One Show host Alex Jones, above at Unity Beach Credit: Supplied 4 The nearby Bream Theme Park was is winner for kids Credit: Supplied But for those keen to explore the area, Weston-super-Mare, Burnham pier and Cheddar Gorge are all nearby. However, try to make it back in time for the evening entertainment, which includes discos and parties for the little ones, games shows and entertainers. Whatever you end up doing, there's a good chance you'll finish your day in the hot tub, soaking up all the memories. And you'll certainly be grateful for those comfy beds, too. GO: UNITY SOMERSET STAYING THERE: Four nights in a two-bedroom caravan is from £199 in July. Three nights in a Platinum hot-tub lodge is from £1,200. See
The Irish Sun
6 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
The Simpsons secrets revealed as show hits huge milestone including special episode spoilers, predictions & best cameos
FURIOUSLY sketching a yellow family on the back of a piece of paper, cartoonist Matt Groening had just minutes to impress a room full of waiting TV executives. The small-time comic strip maker had been given a shot at coming up with the next big animated series to fill a slot on American sketch series The 12 The Simpsons is preparing to celebrate the show's 800th episode, 35 years after it first aired Credit: Alamy 12 The early sketches of The Simpsons make the famous characters almost unrecognisable Credit: Fox 12 Show creator Matt Groening (L), screenwriter Matt Selman and producer David Silverman have been behind The Simpsons' success Little did he know that the rushed doodle of a dad slumped on the sofa, a mother with towering hair and three kids — one loud, one weird and one mute — would soon take the world by storm. Now, more than 35 years on, The Simpsons is on the brink of celebrating its 800th episode. In a rare interview, While receiving an Honorary Cristal Award at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival this week, he joked: 'It's a little-known fact that my parents' real names were . . . Itchy and Scratchy. 'No, seriously, I have a real father called Homer, a real mother called Marge, real siblings called Lisa and Maggie and a real grandfather called Abe.' Contrary to popular opinion , that does not mean that Matt based cheeky Instead, he thinks of himself more like Bart's nerdy and awkward best friend Milhouse. The idea for the cartoon may have been simple, but Matt has never run out of steam . Most read in News TV Now in its 36th series, The Simpsons is currently on episode 790, with the milestone instalment due to air soon. Actress Yeardley Smith, who has been the voice behind Lisa Simpson since the start, revealed that the cast had already gathered for a table read to test out the script for the 800th show, which is believed to be the finale of the current run. The Simpsons reveals new actor for iconic character – as original star quits after 35 years She was joined by Dan Castellaneta (Homer), Julie Kavner (Marge), Sabrina Carpenter's aunt Nancy Cartwright (Bart), Harry Shearer (Ned Flanders), Hank Azaria (Moe and Chief Wiggum) and Pamela Hayden (Milhouse). Matt teased: 'Our main motivation is to surprise ourselves. 'We figure that if we can surprise ourselves, we will probably surprise the audience as well. 'We have parodies of cinema and references to books, TV shows and personal autobiographical anecdotes. 'As it goes on, we become known for different kinds of jokes.' One constant that fans love though is the celebrity cameos. 12 The Simpsons has stood the test of time thanks to the show's combination of humour and creativity Credit: Alamy 12 Singer Billie Eilish was a recent guest star on the long-running show, appearing in a scene with Lisa Simpson 12 The Simpsons has had uncanny success at predicting future events on the world stage Huge names who have featured over the years include Ringo Starr , George Harrison and Paul McCartney, Gordon Ramsay, Elon Musk and former Prime Minister Tony Blair. And the writers also famously have a spooky knack for predicting the future . From Donald Trump becoming President to the creation of Apple's FaceTime, viewers heard it from Springfield first. But even with hundreds of episodes under his belt, Matt has no plans to shelve the series any time soon. In fact, he even hopes it lives on long enough to catch up with the timeline of another hit Groening production, Futurama. Matt joked: 'The Simpsons will still be on air in the year 3000! 'Unfortunately, critics will say the show has really been going downhill in the last one thousand years.' Here, we take a dive into The Simpsons' history books to look at its famous cameos and amazing predictions. The predictions 12 The Simpsons forecasted many technological advancements like video calling Credit: Not known, clear with picture desk IT'S not just the gags that have fans hooked , but the fact the hit series has long had an uncanny habit of predicting major future events. Through the show's 36 series, a number of storylines have been manifested into real life after first making their appearance in the form of cartoon animation. In 2000, Bart To The Future saw Lisa Simpson becoming US President, but a billboard in the background of one shot had a billboard ad for 'TRUMP 2024'. Another episode in 1993 predicted COVID-19, when a flu spread through Springfield residents, while the EBOLA outbreak was predicted in a 1997 scene. 12 The show featured Lady Gaga performing at the Super Bowl years before she took centre stage Credit: 20th Century Fox Elsewhere, the cartoon predicted the 2013 HORSE MEAT scandal, in its episode aired in 1994, which saw schoolkids unknowingly served horse meat for lunch. In a 1995 episode titled Lisa's Wedding, people were seen using SMART WATCH-like devices to communicate – an entire two decades before Apple launched their wearable gadget, while technology similar to FACETIME also featured. 12 Mr Burns attended an exclusive celeb gathering spookily similar to rapper P Diddy's infamous scandal-hit 'white parties' Credit: Fox And in 1998, Homer appeared to figure out the mathematical equation behind the HIGGS BOSON discovery, 14 years before particle physicists confirmed the concept. A 2012 episode, Lisa Goes Gaga, saw the young character watching singer LADY GAGA at the Super Bowl – suspended from the air in the same manner as the star's real-life 2017 show. And in 2019, Mr Burns attended an exclusive gathering for celebrities, which was spookily similar to rapper P Diddy's infamous scandal-hit 'white parties'. The celebrity cameos THE Simpsons is not short on memorable characters. But that hasn't stopped some of the world's most recognisable stars from wanting to have their moment being reimagined in yellow. The Beatles' RINGO STARR was the first of the group to make an appearance in 1991, where he appeared as himself to encourage family matriarch Marge to pursue a career in the arts. He was soon followed in series five's Homer's Barbershop Quartet by 12 The Beatles drummer Ringo Starr is one of the famous celebrities to star on The Simpsons Credit: 20th Century Fox SIMON COWELL first appeared in the series in 2004 as a brutally honest telly talent judge, while Space X tycoon ELON MUSK landed in a spaceship in an episode in 2015 and TONY BLAIR met with Homer in a 2003 episode that featured an animated version of the Queen. Needless to say, Her Majesty did not guest star. While Coldplay's CHRIS MARTIN sang in an animated concert as part of the series in 2010, telly chef GORDON RAMSAY made his appearance in 2011. 12 Controversial billionaire Elon Musk had an appearance on the show - on a spaceship And comedian RICKY GERVAIS cropped up not once but twice, starring in 2006 episode This Is Your Wife, and lending his voice to Season 22's Angry Dad: The Movie in 2011. Read more on the Irish Sun There's been no shortage of pop stars either, with Other big chart names who have featured include TOM JONES, 12 Star Trek actor Leonard Nimoy featured in The Simpsons' famous Monorail episode
Irish Independent
9 hours ago
- Irish Independent
Indo Sport podcast: Bits & Bobs Trent's surprising Spanish
Meanwhile, Trent Alexander-Arnold hablas Español, Drogheda's owners bring in the suits and Michael Cheika takes a step closer to bouldering his impressive CV. Plus - Rory McIlroy stays quiet at the US Open, and the American media aren't impressed. If you'd like to get in touch with the show, email us at indosportpodcast@ You can subscribe to our dedicated Indo Sport YouTube page here. Listen on…. Spotify Apple Podcasts
