Writing, sports, gaming, going out, comics, movies, music, the usual ;-) I'm an Arkham afflilate too, so check them out if you like good comic-related clothing :) I'm also an affliate of indie comic publisher and all-round good eggs Futurius - check them out for sweet comic book goodness that's different from the norm... you know you love it!
If you like loooovely jewellery and other nice hand crafted trinkets, please check out HandCrafted Jewellery.co.uk which is run by my late g/f's cousin, a small start-up business growing more with each year, and deservedly so.
Some of my articles:
X-Men: The Last Stand movie review
Sensible Soccer 2006 preview
World Poker Tour review
Xbox 360 feature
Fell Issue 5 review
Desolation Jones Issue 5 review
Perfect Dark -- A retrospective: read it here
Conspiracy- Weapons of Mass Destruction review: read it here
Big Mutha Truckers 2 review: read it here
Grim Fandango -- A retrospective: read it here
TELL ME ABOUT YOURSELF - The Survey
Name: C.M.B -- the C should be easy, the B as well if you've read my shit, the M not so much
Birthday: 8th March 1979
Birthplace: Birmingham -- we invented the inferiority complex,baby
Current Location: As I write this, Scotland, but I'll be back in B'ham soon
Eye Color: Dark brown
Hair Color: Technically really dark brown, but to the naked eye, black
Height: Just under 5'7'', although people always argue I'm shorter/taller. Sigh. Whatever floats your Titanic
Right Handed or Left Handed: Right
Your Heritage: St Kittian and Begian (that's St Kitts and Barbados)
The Shoes You Wore Today: My 'nipple trainers' and my black 'going out' shoes
Your Weakness: There will be no weakness in this dojo! NO SENSEI! I tell you, I get punished.
Your Fears: See above answer. I have a few, but like my weaknesses, I'll be damned (literally) if I tell you. Paranoid? Pah, a paranoid is just a person in possession of all the facts... (copyright, Warren Ellis via Spider Jerusalem)
Your Perfect Pizza: Pepperonni, sweetcorn, peppers
Goal You Would Like To Achieve This Year: Get one of my scripts or my novel published. Novel is still a while off being finished, so it's down to one of my scripts...
Your Most Overused Phrase On an instant messenger: lol or lmao
Thoughts First Waking Up: Depends on my dream. Often something depressing.
Your Best Physical Feature: My stomach (I tone really easilly -- wait till I'm 30 and that will change)
Your Bedtime: Around 2am
Your Most Missed Memory: Too many to count, most with Fran.
Pepsi or Coke: Pepsi at a push. I dont like cola drinks too much these days.
MacDonalds or Burger King: BK, but I try to cut down on either given how they're made...
Single or Group Dates: Only been on single. Apart from the times I've been secretly 'set up'.
Lipton Ice Tea or Nestea: Lipton
Chocolate or Vanilla: Sexual chcolate, baby
Cappuccino or Coffee: Cappuccino, but my high metabolism makes caffeine a dangerous substance
Do you Smoke: Nope, but tried. Also smoked cigars during my youth. Might as well shave those years off while I still had them.
Do you Swear: Most the time. Fuckbugger. See?
Do you Sing: No. This voice was not made for singing.
Do you Shower Daily: Yes. Unless badly ill or hungover, then it's just a 'wash' ;)
Have you Been in Love: Too many times. From the few it was recipriocated, only two times were it lasting.
Do you want to go to College: Been there, done that. Several times. I can legally put BA, PGDip and MA after my name. Yeah, I rule.
Do you want to get Married: Tricky question, my answer is too big for this mere box.
Do you belive in yourself: Most of the time. Writers tend to stop every once and a while to check who's paying attention.
Do you get Motion Sickness: All the fucking time.
Do you think you are Attractive: On the (very) odd day, I guess. Most of the time I feel short and unnoticable.
Are you a Health Freak: Not really, although Ive a fairly dedicated regime these days.
Do you get along with your Parents: Yeah, we've been through too much shit not to get on.
Do you like Thunderstorms: Only if I'm not using something electrical at the time. Given I'm tied to my laptop, that's not often.
Do you play an Instrument: Used to play drums, now I just play my man flute. Oh ho, fear my wit.
In the past month have you Drank Alcohol: I had a few pints before writing this...
In the past month have you Smoked: None.
In the past month have you been on Drugs: Never.
In the past month have you gone on a Date: Nope.
In the past month have you gone to a Mall: Ermm, a fair few times I guess. Just to get out the house.
In the past month have you eaten a box of Oreos: Sadly no, but I love them.
In the past month have you eaten Sushi: Never.
In the past month have you been on Stage: Stage... hmm... no. Used to act, then I realised that I was castrated monkey bollocks.
In the past month have you been Dumped: Nope.
In the past month have you gone Skinny Dipping: Does sleeping naked count? No? Then no.
In the past month have you Stolen Anything: Literally, nothing. Metaphorically, a few things.
Ever been Drunk: A few notable occasions. Okay, more than a few. Sadly, I can remember everything even when blind and leglessly drunk. My 21st, par example. *shudders* Messy? You dont know the half.
Ever been called a Tease: All the time.
Ever been Beaten up: Nope. Funnily, despite my shortness and slender size, people stay clear of me. I tend to look psychotic, moody or crazy.
Ever Shoplifted: Nah.
How do you want to Die: You and I are gonna live forever
What do you want to be when you Grow Up: Technically I'm "grown up" now. Should my mental age ever reach this mythical "grown up" status, who knows.
What country would you most like to Visit: Japan
In a Boy/Girl..
Favourite Eye Color: Not fussed, partial to unusual ones though.
Favourite Hair Color: Natch. Although highlights (esp red or strangely coloured ones) do strange things to my frontal lobes. Freaking male hormones, cant control the fucks.
Short or Long Hair: Often long.
Height: Around my height. As long as they're not 'too tall'...
Weight: Depends on the woman
Best Clothing Style: Not that fussed, as long as its not Chav ;)
Number of Drugs I have taken: Zero... I'm drug free, Mister Mister
Number of CDs I own: Too many to count
Number of Piercings: Just one, my ear
Number of Tattoos: One on my right wrist, with another being planned for later this year.
Number of things in my Past I Regret: Lots of stuff, too many to quantify. Guilt keeps me honest.
CREATE YOUR OWN! OR DONT! - or - GET PAID TO TAKE SURVEYS! (Note: No real money will be provided for your services)
1. How tall are you barefoot?
About 5'6''. I also have freakishly long toes and can 'grow' to about 5'10 before they break. L33t sk1llz!111!!
2. Have you ever smoked heroin?
Jesus, who writes these things? Second question and already into drugs. Random. No.
3. Do you own a gun?
Ah. It's American. No.
4. Rehab?
This says more about the person who wrote the questions than anyone answering them.
5. Do you get nervous before "meeting the parents"?
I guess a little. But I've done it under often strange/irregular circumstances (no, not during sex in case you were thinking that), so I've been forced/learned to be fairly confident.
6. What do you think of hot dogs?
Mystery meat for the win...
7. What's your favorite Christmas song?
Have none, really.
8. What do you prefer to drink in the morning?
Juice of somesort. That's fruit, by the way.
9. Do you do push-ups?
Strange ones, yah.
10. Have you ever done ecstasy?
And we're back to the drugs! No.
11. Are you vegan?
Nah.
12. Do you like painkillers?
I swear, the person who wrote this was a freaking junkie.
13. What is your secret weapon to lure in the opposite sex?
My freakishly long toes, of course.
14. Do you own a knife?
Strange question. God, I'm regretting this stupid thing now
15. Do you have A.D.D.?
Nope, otherwise I'd be pretty much screwed in many many ways. None of them nice. Most of them in the ear. Slowly.
16.Date Of Birth?
Shouldnt this have been the first question? Or at least the second, rather than "HOW MANY CRACK WHORES DID YOU DO LAST NIGHT!!111!!!SHIFTONE!" 8th March 1979.
17. Top 3 thoughts at this exact moment:
- God, am I this bored?
- I really should be working right now...
- Fuck it. I'll carry on.
18. Name the last 3 things you have bought?
- An Xbox 360 wired controller
- My weekly pull (comics)
- Some M&Ms, cakes and a drink
19. Name five drinks you regularly drink:
- Water
- Fruit juice
- Fresh virgin penguin blood. Chilled.
- Ermm
- Water?
20. What time did you wake up today?
10am. Early for a freelancing bum like me.
21. Current hair?
Mostly skinned with dreads at the front.
22. Current worry?
That work will dry up faster than a *censored*... and that I'll not get published this year. Along with other shit, but these are the main issues right now.
23. Current hate?
I'd be here for days, dont get me started.
24. Favorite place to be?
With friends/family in a nice atmosphere, so that's a few places at least.
25. Least favorite places to be?
Stuck on an American highway at 11pm, in a broken-down car, with snakes, ants and moths everywhere, and the only help is a pair of rednecks in a pick-up, who clearly would rather not have to deal with non-white folk. This is a true story and far worse than this paragraph explains. If the whole story was set in a film, you'd call it contrived, because it's THAT fucked up.
26. Where would you like to GO?
A magical place. Kinda like Toys R Us. But real.
27. Do you own slippers?
No, but I have flippies ;)
28. Where do you think you'll be in 10 yrs?
I've been asking myself that question a lot of late. Hopefully not in a ditch/gutter/ stuck on an American highway at 11pm, in a broken-down car, with snakes, ants and moths everywhere, and the only help is a pair of rednecks in a pick-up, who clearly would rather not have to deal with non-white folk.
29. Do you burn or tan?
A strong sun renders me invincible for exactly 10 seconds. A bit like Super Mario. I'm one of the few people in my family that doesnt burn, apparently.
30. Last thing you ate?
Chicken and pasta.
31. Would you be a pirate?
Only if it gets me some booty ;)
32. Last time you had an alcoholic drink?
Last Friday. It was curious.
33. What songs do you sing in the shower?
'Please Dont Drop the Soap, Prison boy' or a personal favourite, 'If I Find Your Pubes in my Bar One More Time I'm Going to Shit in Your Fridge'.
34. What did you fear was going to get you at night as a child?
All sorts. I had an inflatable ET that was about 4ft and scary as fuck. It gave me regular nightmares. Medusa from Clash of the Titans also messed me up something bad for a decade.
35. What's in your pockets right now?
Bugger all. Detritus?
36. Last thing that made you laugh?
A few humorous b'day cards.
37. Best bed sheets you had as a child?
Lol, Transformers and Thundercats. If I still had them, I probably could sell them for a fair amount on eBay.
38. Worst injury you've ever had?
My spectacular nad explosion that had me vomiting, hooked up to a drip, doped up on morphine and unable to walk properly for 3 months. Only the best for the captains table!
40. How many TVs do you have in your house?
Five.
41. Who is your loudest friend?
Heh, no comment.
42. Who is your most silent friend?
See above ;)
43. Does someone have a crush on you?
Yeah it's complicated though.
44. Do you wish on stars?
I crush stars like the puny upstarts they are.
45. What is your favorite book?
Too many to count. Watchmen, Microserfs and Never Deal with a Dragon rank highly, though.
46. What is your favorite candy?
Those Haribo jelly baby things are like fucking crack. (Not literally. I can hear the author of this survey creaming him/herself right now at the thought of actually fucking crack. Probably on a matress of dope-needles shooting into their toes, with painkillers flowing from the ceiling. While they masturbate with their guns and indulge in self harm with knives.)
47. What song do/did you want played at your wedding?
Cant Touch This by MC Hammer ;P (I'm joking. I think.)
48. What song do you want played at your funeral?
Cant Touch This by MC Hammer ;)
49. What were you doing 12AM last night?
Touching myself? I jest, I was yacking on the phone.
50. Do you love someone?
Yes, and she'll know that forever :)
I'd like to meet:
Just looking to chat with new people, anyone friendly, witty and open minded. Feel free to send a message, I'm honest enough to reply to anyone -- even the pyschotic crackpots with fractured alter egos :)
Sadly, it seems not everyone can extend the same courtesy and I've come across a lot of ignorant people on here, so I rarely ever invite newbs or send messages unless I know them beforehand. I'm just fed up with wasting my time on people who cant be bothered to acknowledge my existence. Friends on my friends list are obviously excluded, they've earned the right to ignore me ;)
But if you're sending me an invite, please please PLEASE send a message first (as noted above), otherwise I can only assume you're just trying to increase your friend list. Even if it's just saying a quick hi, then I'll accept. Hell, even stupid spam-sex-bots trying to get me to sign up to their evil swingers sites send me messages along with their invites (actually, I get messages from them than I do new people, which is just plain sad), so I'm hoping a 'real person' would put in more effort than a freaking sex bot...
Music:
Anything, but I'm mostly into hip hop -- or the more generic 21st century PC term "urban" lol. Little Brother and the J/League, Gangstarr, Big L, Prodigy, Ghostface, Madlib and the Lootpack, MF Doom, Jill Scott, D'Angelo, Coldplay, Jurassic 5, Diverse, Radiohead, Common, Garbage, De La Soul, Kweli, Mos Def (and that means Black Star, for real), The Roots, Bilal, Pharcyde, Nas (when he's not being a jerk), Scarface, Kanye West, The Procussions, Black Sheep...
Movies:
Se7en, Shawshank Redemption, The Usual Suspects, The Sixth Sense, Fight Club, Old Boy (f**kin A -- everyone should see this film, best Korean-Greek tragedy made this decade), Unbreakable, Good Will Hunting, Donnie Darko, Full Metal Jacket, 12 Monkeys, Chasing Amy, The Incredibles, X-Men flicks, Spidey flicks, Back to the Future Trilogy, most Tarantino films (Pulp Fiction and Kill Bill rank highly), Adaptation (if you want to be a writer, watch this film; it's smart as hell), a lot of David Mamet films (Glengarry Glen Ross has some of the best dialogue you're ever going to hear), Heat... damn, I could go on for days.
Television:
ER, Adult Swim stuff, Futurerama, Family Guy, Sopranos, Simpsons... dont get to watch much TV these days, so it's anything that I can get on DVD. So I tend to add stuff like Batman Animated, Cowboy Beebop, Ranma 1/2, Angel, and other obscure/cancelled shows. I'm old and big enough to deflect any narrowminded barbs like "oh, you watch cartoons" that come my way ;)
Books:
Watchmen, Sandman, Generation X, Microserfs, Transmetropolitan, Y The Last Man, Fables... truth be told, anything by Alan Moore, Gaiman, Vaughn. Coupland, Whedon, Bendis, Priest and a fair few others. I'm reading a bit for story research too, and generally for work.
Heroes:
Primarily my late gf, Fran; without her I probably still wouldnt be on this earth. Love you and miss you every day. My whole family, my late g/f's family for all the trials they've had to go through. Love and respect every single one of them (whut up, DJ ;)
