The interweb - forums, research, bullshit, videos, music, smut, conspiracies, shopping, gaming.Martial Arts - More a belief structure than a hobby. I've studied 19 systems over 14 years. I used to teach kickboxing to classes but I now only teach freestyle street defence to private students.Airsoft - Think paintball but we run around with replica weapons and kit firing bbs at each other instead of paint. Words do not do it justice but I have a few movies/photos that might.Video Gaming - I spend waaaay too much time with these. Especially since the advent of online gaming. I play primarily online games on my PSP and PS2 (my PC isn't up to the job)Live Roleplay - Imagine Dungeons & Dragons but you're actually standing there in person, in costume, with weapons playing the same game as the other 8000 people around you. Again, has to be seen to be believed; indeed it has to be seen to be credible as most people when hearing about 'LRP'/'LARP' write it off as childish and geeky. Understandable but give it a chance and you'll get hooked. Anyway, more on that later.
I'd like to have met Bruce Lee when he was around. I think I could have learnt a great deal from him. I'd like to meet Stephen Hawkin and have a 'chat' (maybe MSN would be better?). Again, I think I'd learn a great deal from him. Media-wise I'd like to meet Liam Howlett from the Prodigy, all the members from Hybrid and the man himself, BT. From film I'd like to meet Christian Bale as he has recently become my favourite actor although I'd like to chat to lots of other movie stars just to ask them how they managed it...
At the moment I'm loving progressive house but my drum'n'bass juices are still flowing. I'm a lifelong lover of breakbeat and I've enjoyed watching it grow up over the years. I have very selective tastes in hip-hop and always look for what I dub (patronisingly) 'intelligent' music. I also enjoy most metal but I'm finding it's getting crowded with lots of samey bands churning out their own versions of post-skate punk / american metal sounds.
So many to choose from but here are my top 3 of the moment:Equilibrium - the source of my online persona 'Cleric'. This film depicts a society where emotion is outlawed and controlled by a drug. The force charged with monitoring the compliance of this society is the Tetragrammaton, their highest ranks being 'Clerics'. Clerics excell in intuition but are most noted for their mastery of a martial art (rather poorly) called 'Gun Kata'. This systema takes the concepts of modern martial arts and applies them to firearms usage - kung-fu with guns. Cool as fuck...Aliens - Depicted a convincing future and was laced with some of the best props and set dressing ever seen. The movie is one of only very few from that era that has stood the test of time.Transformers The Movie - Legend. Nuff said.
Don't watch much of it at all with all my other activities but I've recently enjoyed watching Big Brother, Lost and Invasion.
I'm not particularly well read but here are my favourite books of the moment: The Eisenhorn Trilogy, D. Abnett The Celestine Prophecy, J. Redfield The Coming Global Superstorm, A. Bell & W. Streiber Neuromancer, W. Gibson Prometheus Rising, R. A. Wilson
My Dad, Phil Martin - For being a pillar of strength and an inspiration to me in every way for my entire life. I hope my kids come to be as proud of me as I am of him.My girlfriend, Jo - For putting up with me for so long and never failing to encourage me. I can honestly say I'd be nothing without her in my life.Bruce Lee - For having the bollocks to stick two fingers up at those who told him he couldn't do what he knew he could. For creating a philosophy of fighting that has shaped hand to hand combat ideas ever since. For bringing martial arts to mainstream western audiences.