Language. Writing. Reading. Movies. Music--listening to, singing with, sometimes dancing. Philosophical debates, exchanging ideas. Some science and history. Travel. Having a good laugh (it clears the lungs wonderfully, like singing) & natter with close friends & family. Watching my brother's children grow and develop as human beings, hearing what they say, making them laugh when I can. Wondering what the hell my dreams mean. Avoiding housework when possible. Avoiding yard work altogether. The art of Van Gogh (all the way to the Smithsonian over Thanksgiving weekend in 1998 to see the exhibit, and came home to a flooded bathroom, but was still worth it), Samuel Palmer, G. Smyle.
Not sure meeting the people I find intriguing and/or admirable would be a satisfactory experience, for them OR me. Not in the real world, anyway.
Top of the list & only discovered in 2005: Del Amitri. Justin Currie. Some other favorites: Crowded House, R. Crowe's band, The Who/Pete Townshend, Pink Floyd/David Gilmour, Neil Young, Johnny Cash, Dixie Chicks, The Godfathers, R.E.M., Beethoven, Boccherini, Billy Bragg, Peter Gabriel, Elton John, Springsteen, Elvis Costello. A few great voices: Justin Currie, Robert Plant, Bon Scott, Freddie Mercury, Annie Lennox, Cyndi Lauper, Natalie Maines, Michael Hutchence, Cass Elliott, Marci Levy, Shaun Murphy, Roger Daltrey, Patsy Cline...Rufus Wainwright. Teddy Thompson.
Too many great ones to list. Can enjoy any kind of movie except horror films or anything stupidly done/written. Disney movies nearly always disappoint, except for the old animated classics. Robert Altman films are generally a feast. Ditto Kenneth Branagh's Shakespeare flicks. Quentin Tarantino--that boy ain't right but his films are astonishingly engaging. Wes Anderson & Owen Wilson should write more movies together. The Coen brothers may never top "Fargo," "Raising Arizona" and "O Brother Where Art Thou," but that's OK. Not-so-guilty pleasures: "Strange Brew," "Hudson Hawk," "The Quick & the Dead," Kevin Smith's movies. Hope we see more of Jeffrey Dean Morgan soon.
Mostly annoying and shallow. Just about nothing worth watching, unless there's a good movie or some thought-provoking PBS thing or Bill Maher on. Miss "The West Wing." Craig Ferguson used to be funny. Guilty pleasure: "Friday Night Lights"
Too many greats to list, but here's one -- "A Midnight Clear" by William Wharton. Some favorite authors: Neil Gaiman, Terry Pratchett, Tolkien, Alan Watts, Murray Bail, Dickens, Tom Robbins, Robertson Davies, Patrick O'Brian, Ellis Peters, Jane Austen, Douglas Adams, Isaac Asimov, John Sayles, C. Schneider, G. Smyle (bugger though he is), Stephen Crane; Chaucer & Shakespeare. Craig Ferguson.and these guys http://www.theonion.com/content/
This term is overused. Anybody's a hero now. But anyone who can make me laugh is right up there -- am dismal at being funny. Can't find repartee when I need it.