comedy, largely
someone who can teach me how to play chess properly
Singers with nice names like Betty(e) or Brenda or Loleatta or Barbara or Gladys or Mavis - i.e. Bettye Swann, Betty Lavette, Betty Wright. Or Brenda Holloway. Or Loleatta Holloway. Or Barbara Lynn. Or Gladys Knight. Or Mavis Staples. Lots of soul singers of the 60s anyway (mainly Southern states stuff, out of Muscle Shoals), and loads of country music, then all the usual indie nonsense that everyone likes. i used to be a shoe-gazer in the '90s, and i'm glad that stuff seems to be coming back in.
Annie Hall, Love and Death, Manhattan. The Apartment is probably my favourite film ever, i can't help it, i just love comedies. Also Midnight Run is very funny.
Arrested Development. Snuff Box. Mighty Boosh. Peep Show. Etc.
Graham Greene, Jean Rhys, Richard Yates.
Richard P Feynman. Carl Sagan. Kurt Vonnegut.