Our theme for this week's virtual 'CST Friendship Group' s focused around 'Communication', as June 23rd marks 'World Writing Day'.
We asked when was the last time anyone wrote a letter?
What about a postcard or birthday card?
Or signing a cheque?
What do members think about sending emails and text messages?
Is it easier for quick communication?
Have they taken over from actually speaking to someone?
We moved on to ask if members had a favourite piece of writing - a book, short story or poem?
We asked members to come to the session with their favourite piece of writing to hand, so they could read some lines out should they wish (or we could read for them).
How much is a first and second class stamp these days? (First class 76p, Second class 65p)
IDIOMS
Next, we completed these phrases together, by way of a shout out ...
Talk something OVER
Touch BASE
Chinese WHISPERS
Drop someone a LINE
Hot off the PRESS
Keep someone POSTED
Stool PIGEON
Put somebody in the PICTURE
Social NetWORKING
Like talking to a BRICK WALL
Straight from the horse’s MOUTH
Take something with a pinch of SALT
Beat around the BUSH
Beside the POINT
Bite your TONGUE
Bring someone up to SPEED
Bottom LINE
Call someone’s BLUFF
Clear the AIR
Get your wires CROSSED
Out of the LOOP
Hot GOSSIP
Keep something under your HAT
Pull somebody’s LEG
Get a word in EDGEWISE
Get something off your CHEST
Speak your MIND
To put it in a nut SHELL
Put your foot in your MOUTH
Get the MESSAGE
Stay in TOUCH
MUSIC & PICTURE QUIZ
Round 1. Inventions
1. Who invented the telephone in 1876? - Alexander Graham B***
2. Who introduced the 'Box Browine' camera in 1900? - Eastmann K****
3. Who invented the long distance radio in 1901? - Guglielmo M******
4. Who invented the television in 1927? - John Logie B****
5. Who invented the ballpoint pen in the 1930s? - Laszio B***
6. Which BBC2 Controller introduced colour television on 23 July 1969? - Sir David A***********
For a bonus point, which snooker programme was the first colour TV broadcast?
7. Who invented the World Wide Web in 1989? - Tim Berners-L**
8. Who launched the social media network 'Facebook' in 2004? - Mark Z*********
9. Who launched the first iPhone in 2007? - Steve J****
Song break
10. How much is a first class stamp?
Round 2. Hanging On The Telephone
11. What number would you have called to reach the operator?
(Does anyone remember having a party line?)
12. What were the old black dialer telephones made out of?
(Did anyone have one?)
13. In a telephone box, when your money was running out, what would you hear?
14. What telephone number would you call in an emergency?
What are the four main emergency services?
15. Which UK cities have the prefix dial codes of '020'?
16. What 'book' did JR Hartley use when he was searching for his book on fly fishing?
17. Which bird helped advertise British Telecom services?
18. Which actress did the Beattie 'Ology' adverts?
19. Which TV comedy series had a giant cat climbing up the 'Post Office Tower'?
Name the three comedians in this photo?
Song break
20. SONG. 'Hanging On The Telephone', by Blondie. Link here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uWhkbDMISl8
What was the name of the lead singer with Blondie?
Round 3. TV
21. Which TV sitcom saw Tom give up his job as a breakfast cereal advertiser to become self sufficient with his wife Barbara?
Name the actors in this photo?
22. Which TV sitcom was about a man disillusioned with his job as a manager in 'Sunshine Deserts'?
Which actor played him?
He always imagined his mother-in-law as what animal?
23. Which TV sitcom had Hyacinth Bucket answer the phone with the catchphrase "The Bouquet residence, the lady of the house speaking"?
Which actress played her?
24. Which character, in the TV comedy series 'Allo Allo', had the catchphrase "I shall say this only once!"?
25. Which TV quiz show did Robert Robinson present in addition to 'Call My Bluff'?
26. Which charades based quiz game featured these three personalities?
Can you name them?
27. Which man helped us safely cross the road?
28. Which emergency service did Petunia help advertise? ("Oo look, he's waving at us!")
29. What was the name of the cat in the child safety adverts?
30. What are the names of these two characters?
Song break
31. SONG. 'Please Mr Postman', by The Carpenters. Link here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQrIKOhIclo
Why were some postboxes painted gold in 2012?
Round 4. Music
32. What are the first five letters on a typewriter keyboard?
'Typewriter Song', Liberace - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANaL80AsKVM
33. What did Liberace always have on top of his piano?
34. What year (nearest guess) was the first picture postcard sent?
35. SONG. 'Return To Sender', by Elvis Presley. Link here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PU5xxh5UX4U
What was the name of his ranch and who had a hit album of the same name in 1986?
36. What is the name of this more modern camera?
37. SONG. 'Flash Bang Wallop', Tommy Steele - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HptmXm956oI
What do people say when they smile for a photograph to be taken?
38. Before Digital Broadcasting Radio, what were the two frequencies?
39. SONG. 'Radio Gaga', Queen - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=azdwsXLmrHE
Who was the lead singer of Queen and what was his birth name?
40. What is the name of this screen which was played in-between programmes?
What game are they playing?
41. SONG. 'Video Killed The Radio Star', The Buggles - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8r-tXRLazs
What year was the last VHS video cassette recorder made in Japan?
42. True or False. When HM Queen got her first mobile and William and Harry helped set it up they left this message as her answerphone greeting - "Hey wassup! This is Liz. Sorry I'm away from the throne. For a hotline to Philip, press one. For Charles, press two. And for the corgis, press three."?
43. SONG. 'Telephone Man', by Marie Wilson. Link here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MahswYBewb0
What card do you have to put in a mobile phone to make calls?
44. What does 'BSL' stand for?
Can anyone communicate using it?
45. SONG. 'Sweet Caroline', Neil Diamond - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0iN-hemcKc8
Try communicating to members using gesture. Try ...
GOODBYE, PEACE, OKAY, SHH, HIGH FIVE & COME HERE (Add the Vulcan Salute for fun!)
46. What social media network has a small blue bird as its logo?
47. SONG. 'Stop That Pigeon', Dick Dastardly & Muttley - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sj6-LG5VpGk
What was the name of the car racing cartoon they also featured in?
Can anyone give their best 'Muttley' snigger?
Final songs
48. SONG. 'Convoy', by CW McCall. Link here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sd5ZLJWQmss
What radio did truckers use to communicate with 'handles'?
Who is pictured here, from the 1977 film 'Smokey And The Bandit'?
49. SONG. 'Whichita Lineman', by Glen Campbell. Link here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QN82RHGNLK4
Which DJ had the closing bars of this song on his show every day?
50. SONG. 'Letter From America', by The Proclaimers. Link here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yy9GmieAEaQ
How would you send a letter to America?
PRACTICAL ACTIVITIES
Play a game of CHARADES
Play in pairs with a supporter if members wish.
Here’s a few ideas to start you off …
JAWS
PSYCHO
SLEEPLESS IN SEATTLE
WHEN HARRY MET SALLY
SUPERMAN
REAR WINDOW
STAR WARS
GLADIATOR
SILENCE OF THE LAMBS
TITANIC
BREAKFAST AT TIFFANYS
INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE
GONE WITH THE WIND
CASTAWAY
BATMAN AND ROBIN
LAUREL AND HARDY
KING KONG
RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK
JURASSIC PARK
Or you could play a game of CHINESE WHISPERS (taking into account current social distancing guidelines).
Whisper one of these (or another) messages to your partner and ask them to pass it on …
"Unlucky Lavinia lost her lunch at the library last week. She was eating lamb and mint sauce."
"Nobody's favorite food is Brussels sprouts. But everyone likes pigs in blankets."
"My sexy dance moves have been described as a blend of Marilyn Monroe and Mr. Bean."
"Sally sells sushi by the seashore. She hates raw fish though, to be sure."
"Chinese food is made with sugar and spice, and lots of rice. Noodles are also nice."
"The only thing better than a tall, dark, and handsome man, is a short blond one carrying a pizza box."
"My favorite thing to do on a rainy afternoon is watch Lord of the Rings and party like a hobbit."
"Jokers, jesters, and jugglers jingled, jumped, and jigged for King John."
"A dog named Moose ran loose through the spruce forest chasing a goose."
GUESS WHO I AM?
Or another game which has worked well (it requires some prep time), is to write four or five facts about each person (with them) and put them in a hat. (Don’t forget to remember to note which facts are about whom!)
For example, mine could be;
1. I would generally refer to myself as being vegan. But I do love a fishfinger sandwich.
2. I was both an altar boy AND a trainspotter. But not at the same time!
3. I used to work in a Chinese restaurant full of cockroaches. And then have a free meal there after work finished.
4. Prince William shook my hand and gave me a medal. But the person’s hand I would really love to shake (or kiss) is Kate Bush.
Then go around the group, pulling a card out of the hat each in turn and guessing which fact relates to which person. (If you pull out your own card, pick another.)
This game allows for interesting, funny and sometimes moving facts to be shared, helping the group to get to know each other a little better. It also helps individual members to feel recognised and appreciated.
CREATIVE WRITING ✍️
Finally, you could ask members if they would like to write a short poem, either as individuals or as a group.
Perhaps, by way of writing a ‘Haiku’? Here’s a great ‘How To …’ talk through. But maybe relax the rules and summarise as follows.
Write a three line poem (non rhyming is fine).
Line one. Theme of your ‘Haiku’ - 5 syllables or so.
Line two. Sensory or feeling focus - 7 syllables or so.
Line three. An uplifting or surprising summing up - 5 syllables or so.
Write your ‘Haiku’ in the present tense.
Use concrete images and descriptions.
Many ‘Haikus’ are based in nature.
Here’s my quick attempt …
Colour adds life to years 🌈
You can almost feel, smell and touch it 👅
Like rainbows through clouds ⛅️
Obviously, display members’ efforts and celebrate their work.
ANSWERS
1. Alexander Graham BELL
2. Eastmann KODAK
3. Guglielmo MARCONI
4. John Logi BAIRD
5. Laszio BIRO
6. Sir David ATTENBOROUGH
7. Tim Berners-LEE
8. Mark ZUCKERBERG
9. Steve JOBS
10. 85p
11. 100
12. Bakelite
13. The pips
14. 999
Police, Ambulance, Fire Service & Coastguard
15. London
16. Yellow Pages
17. Buzby
18. Maureen Lipman
19. 'The Goodies'
Tim Brooke-Taylor, Graham Garden & Bill Oddie
20. Debbie Harry
21. 'The Good Life'
Richard Briers, Felicity Kendall, Paul Eddington & Penelope Keith
22. 'The Rise And Fall Of Reginald Perrin'
Leonard Rossiter
Hippopotamus
23. 'Keeping Up Appearances'
Patricia Routledge
24. "Michelle Dubois from The Resistance"
25. 'Ask The Family'
26. 'Give Us A Clue'
Michael Parkinson, Una Stubbs & Lionel Blair
27. The Green Cross Code Man
28. HM Coastguard
29. Charlie
30. Postman Pat & Jess
31. Postboxes were painted gold in towns when Olympic Games Gold Medal Winners were from
32. QWERTY
33. Candelabra
34. 1870
35. 'Graceland' / Paul Simon
36. Polaroid Instamatic
37. Cheese
38. AM & FM
39. Freddie Mercury / Farrokh Bulsara
40. Testcard / Noughts & Crosses (Or Tic Tac Toe in America)
41. 2016
42. True
43. SIM
44. British Sign Language
45. *
46. Twitter
47. 'Wacky Races'
48. Citizen Band Radio / Burt Reynolds
49. Steve Wright
50. Air Mail / Par Avion
