Laughter, sunshine, cafe society, happy, smiley people, bohemian types, cooking, eating, chilling, gathering social intelligence,...but I dislike most sport, ESPECIALLY FOOTBALL. I think that there's plenty of sport out there that doesn't get into the headlines, and it's about time it did. Women and people with disabilities who are involved in sport appear to be ignored by the media and thus the general public. About time things changed, don't you think?
Someone with the wit and humor of Oscar Wild, closely resembling Johnny Depp with the same interests as me, and maybe an honest politician too...IMPOSSIBLE! On the other hand, Russell Brand is the new JD and he makes me laugh too.
Favourite tunes - 'White Rabbit' Jefferson Airplane, 'Ruby Tuesday', Stones, Music: TECHNO, acid techno, shranz, hard house, acid house, jumpstyle - in fact anything that increases the gurn on my face. Favourite techno DJ's Ade Fenton, Jamie Bismire, Chris Finke and Ortin Cam. I also like Lemon Jelly, Bellowhead, Patty Smith, James Brown, Parliament Funkadelic, Gogol Bordello, Femi Kuti, Fela Kuti, early Beatles, Dylan, Stones, Bowie, The Pogues, T Rex, Primal Scream , Dhol Foundation, Afro Celts, Ska Cubano, Happy Mondays - I could go on and I am discovering that I enjoy a wider choice of musical genres all the time. I also love live music events and adore stomping around at free parties/raves whenever I get the opportunity.
The Colour Purple of course! Chocolat was a disappointment after reading the book; Withnail and I is brilliant.
Not my first choice of entertainment, but I enjoy anything on British social history, some gardening programmes, Question Time, Mastermind, Antiques Roadshow, and the brilliant Shameless. Paul Abbott is amazing bearing in mind the chaotic family lifestyle he had as a child and the effect it has had upon his psyche. Similar background to Shameless really, and he is still struggling to cope.
One of my favourite books is A Child in the Forest by Winifred Foley. It is set in the Forest of Dean and is an autobiography of the author's life. I particularly enjoyed it because it lifts the lid off illness and poverty in the forest in the 20's and 30's and even more so because my gran was born in Lydney, Gloucestershire.Those authors I particularly like are: Joanne Harris, Meera Syal, Mary Webb, Jamie Haddon, Tom Sharpe, Roddy Doyle, Hanif Kureishi, David Lodge and Zadie Smith. I've also attempted to read Kundera and Marquez but unsuccessfully. Not many classic literary works mentioned, but I have read and enjoyed some Shakespeare, Dickens, Hardy and Lawrence.
Marx, Sylvia Pankhurst, the two Rosas (Parkes and Luxemburg), Harry Belefonte, Paul Robeson, the miners who endured the 'century of struggle 1889-1989, Annie Bessant, all first and second wave feminists - the struggle continues, Tony Benn, Anne Oakley (her book 'Housewife' changed my life by introducing me to feminism, thus convincing me to get divorced), my parents for always being supportive and unquestioning, my brother because of his wonderful parenting skills, intelligence, sense of humour and friendship, my son Mike, who despite many setbacks has gained a place at uni, and my daughter Bec who is one of the most sensible, well-balanced people I know and my best friend. Shroom's pretty cool too ;~)