sardonic wit, white boy rappers, tabloid culture, the psychology of reality tv, music journalism, ethnomusicology, film, pronouncing French names with a god awful American accent, Francisco Clemente, Sophie Calle, red wine, Guinness, The Belle Epoch, dressing like it's the Second World War, dressing like it's 1982, retro furniture, procurers of rolled paper, celebrating foreign holidays for the hell of it, field trips, and rodeos.
A poor, wayfaring stranger... Don Quijote de la Mancha, and Julien Sorel.
The Decemberists, DeVotchKa, Beirut, Puerto Muerto, Neutral Milk Hotel, Papa M, The Shins, Iron and Wine, St. Thomas, Baxter Dury, Cat Stevens, Man Man, Tom Waits, Screamin' Jay Hawkins, John Lee Hooker, Johnny Cash, Leonard Cohen, Neil Young, Songs : Ohia, Magnolia Electric Company, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah!, The Faint, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Hot Hot Heat, Sons and Daughters, Bloc Party, Orange Juice, Ladytron, Tracy + The Plastics, The Magnetic Fields, Cat Power, Marlene Dietrich, Nina Simone, Sigur Ros, Mogwai, Arab Strap, Serge Gainsbourg, Julie Doiron, Nico, Frente!, The Smiths, Billy Idol, The Cure, The Streets, Buck 65, Gold Chains, 50 Cent, Control Machette. Also: Prohibition era drinking songs, barbershop quartets, American Country from the 30's and 40's, Motown and Girl Groups from the 50's and 60's, Bollywood, Reggaeton, Bossa Nova, war songs and sea shanties.
The Five Obstructions, Dear Wendy, The Anniversary Party, Storytelling, 8 Women, Water Drops on Burning Rocks, Grimm, Don't Tempt Me, Northfork, Cold Comfort Farm, Antonia's Line, After Life, The House of Yes, Freaks, The Saddest Music In The World, Until The End of the World, The Princess and the Warrior, Grey Gardens, The King of Hearts, The Ali G Movie, Spirited Away, Bedknobs and Broomsticks, Mary Poppins, The Gnome-Mobile, One of Our Dinosaurs is Missing!, David Lynch, Alfonso Cuarón, Wes Anderson (when the mood is right, i.e. after a painful breakup in autumn).
Carnivale, Extras, The Comeback, Six Feet Under, Sopranos, Big Love, Da Ali G Show, (HBO in general), Twin Peaks, Northern Exposure, The Office, Daisy Does America, Ab Fab, So Graham Norton, The Kumars at No. 42, Brilliant!, The Oblongs, and old school cartoons: He Man, X-Men, and The Pirates of Darkwater.
Snobbery: The American Version - Joseph Epstein, Esperanza's Box of Saints - Maria Escadon, The Thief's Journal - Jean Genet, Plays Well With Others - Alan Gurganus, The Notebook, The Proof, The Third Lie - Agota Kristof, Red and Black - Stendhal, The Powerbook - Jeanette Winterson, Gaarder, Kundera, Kushner, Marquez.
Lazarus