During a recent conversation with someone I know, I was described as a whinger. Although not exactly an interest, it is a fairly accurate statement, and when I think about it, I do it often enough for it to qualify. (It's also one of the 'qualities' I dislike most about myself).I've never really mentioned that swimming is also an interest of mine. I don't know why I have never mentioned it on here before, I suppose I never really thought of it as an interest because my main reason for doing it is that I find it helps alleviate the symptoms of depression.Another of my interests is reading. In 2001 I set myself the goal of reading a stack of books equivalent to my height. When you consider my average height, that would indicate to you that I read fairly sporadically and slowly. I like to take time in considering what I will read, and as you can imagine this also makes this particular goal all the more slow to achieve. Please see below for a list of recommended authors and titles...
Anybody who is genuine, honest and friendly.E-mail me if you want to: [email protected]
I'm into all sorts of stuff. I like a well crafted tune/song, and I endeavour to allow my taste to be dictated by what my ears appreciate rather than trends, genres, fashions or prejudice. It's quite hard to maintain such a perspective and at times I find myself saying "I don't like it" for the wrong reasons. Such a perspective can also be at odds with those people who do not allow themselves to take a similar approach......the last album I bought was Exile on Main Street by The Rolling Stones. My favourite song of recent times is called 'Heaven Knows' by a band called Rise Against. It has beautiful words, melody and energy.
I'm not much of a movie enthusiast, but the following list of films I have enjoyed might prove indicative to those of you who care about such stuff:Jean de florette (Claude Berri, 1986) Manon des sources (Claude Berri, 1986) Dog day afternoon (Sidney Lumet, 1975) The quiet earth (Geoff Murphy, 1985) Bad taste (Peter Jackson, 1987) Brain Dead (Peter Jackson, 1992) - re. this and Bad Taste, many apologies and thanks to those who pointed out that I had incorrectly attributed them to 'Steve Jackson' who in fact wrote many fictional titles in the 'Choose your own adventure' series, another memory of my youth... To continue: Cannibal Holocaust (Ruggero Deodato, 1980) Pan's Labyrinth (Guillermo Del Torro, 2006) A Scanner Darkly (Richard Linklater, 2006) Belleville Rendez-Vous (Sylvain Chomet, 2003) The departed (Martin Scorsese, 2007)I have a childhood recolection of a film called 'Frog Dreaming' (Brian Trenchard-Smith, 1986) that was cool.These are just the few I can think of off the top of my head. As I think of more, I'll add them, so watch this space.
TV is mostly crap. I love radio though...
I've forgotten most of the fiction titles I have read. I will compile a comprehensive list later, but here's a start:By George Orwell: Nineteen Eighty Four, Keep the Aspidistra Flying, Animal Farm, Down and Out in Paris and London, Homage to Catalonia, Burmese DaysBy John Steinbeck: The Pearl, The Red Pony, The Wayward Bus, Tortilla Flat, The log from the Sea of Cortez, Of mice and men, Sweet ThursdayBy Graham Greene: The confidential Agent, Travels with My AuntAlbert Camus: The Outsider,Others: The God of Small things by Arundhati Roy (Spelling?) Zen and The Art of Motorcycle Maintainance by Robert Persig The Life of Pi by Yann Martel Nausea by Jean Paul Satre - AMAZINGNon-fiction: The selfish gene by Richard Dawkins The evolution of cooperation by Robert Axelrod Giving; Western ideas of philanthropy - J.B. Schneewind (Ed.)There are loads missing...! I'm Currently reading 'To a God unknown' by John Steinbeck
Most of them are pretty close to home: Rick Stokes, my mothers partner. My mother; on her way to a second degree, My brother Philip; for fathering no less than four children at 29 years old. Those heroic folks plucked from beyond the domestic inlcude: Marcel Mauss (social anthopologist), Richard Dawkins (evolutionary biologist) and Marcel Duchamp (chess player). These are just a few of the people I admire for whatever reason.