Original Post: June 20th, 2005. Overlooking Earl's Court Rd., London

We here at AC are big fans of the BBC comedy "The Office." We love it. Even those of us who don't work in offices.
For those of us that do work in offices, we are blown away by the fact that David Brents exist everywhere, and the fact that writers across the pond know what it's like to be Tim (aren't we all Tim? Too good for our surroundings? Over competent? Deluding ourselves about leaving for a better life? Ahem, scratch that last bit will you? Thanks.)

Part of the charm of "The Office" for me is devouring bits of British slang. Mostly because we can get away with using it here and not offending passing church ladies. Okay, not mostly...but it can be fun!

The coolest bit of used slang, though, to me is "Cheers." Tim is the master of Cheer-ing people. Catch any scene where he's leaving the action, and you'll get a "Cheers." This is because Tim is using the absolute best substitute for saying "Goodbye." Tim can up the ante by adding "mate" to the send off. For a triple-dog dare construction of the phrase, Tim sometimes even resorts to:

"Cheers, mate....Cheers."

That's when I pause the DVD, stand up on the coffee table, and declare Tim as the number one, super coolest guy on the Telly! He's the dog's bollocks! (trust me, that's good!)

I realize I'm rambling a bit here. But that's mainly becuase I lose my train of thought trying to type on a century-old PC at "easyInternetCafe." For just One Pound, I scored an hour of Internet time. That can't be beat, I don't think... But there's lots of people in here, and it's just above a McDonald's, so there's even more noises...and the smell of America.

Anyway: I liked Tim giving off the Cheers whenever he got the chance. It just sounds so earnest, and yet also so tossed-off. So nonchalant, yet so meaningful. It's great. But for some reason, whenever I try to use it, it sounds very, very dorky. I discovered why today. I was trying it in the U.S. It is dorky there.

But in the UK, the coolest people do use it. And it IS earnest, and it IS meaningful. And I'm in love with saying "Cheers." Yipee! I'm Tim! Our Taxi the first night had a super-cool driver that said it to us. Then our cool hotel manager said it to us as the elevator closed. And this morning, I said it to the hostess at a restaurant we didn't eat at! And it felt GREAT!

I am proposing that we try to de-dorkify "Cheers" at home. Please start practicing now. By the time I get home, I want you to all say it with me. Please?

Well, I am exhausted. It was VERY VERY VERY VERY hot here today. When we got on our tourbus, we felt waves of heat washing over us. If we have done our Celcius conversions right, we experienced a 95 degree day in London today.
So here's the last fun fact to consider before I sign off: We packed for 60 degree days!

Cheers, mate!
Cheers!

;-)