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If you could only listen to one CD for the rest of your life, what would you choose and why? Submitted By |
If I could only listen to one CD for the rest of my life I would cut that life short or stop being a music lover. Why? I possess an attention span. What a stupid f*****g question.
Definitely spend it with my loved one - last meal; whatever she wanted me to cook for her (providing there was a few decent bottles of wine involved).
If you only had one day left to live, and you had the chance to tell one person from your past "I love you," who would it be? How about "I'm sorry"? Submitted By |
She would already know, but I would still say it. As for 'sorry' that would be for her too.
I can only speak as an amateur writer, but I think that considering a reader's or an audience's reaction essential if you want your work to be seen by others, otherwise one falls into self-indulgence. I would say that considering the reaction of others enhances the creative process as it makes you more aware of what you are producing and gives reason for harsh criticism of self.
Something I received and really hope these are not genuine;
A DC airport ticket agent offers some examples of 'why' our country is
> in trouble!
>
> 1.I had a New Hampshire Congresswoman (Carol Shea-Porter) ask for an
> aisle seat so that her hair wouldn't get messed up by being near the
> window. (On an airplane!)
>
> 2.I got a call from a Kansas Congressman's (Moore) staffer (Howard
> Bauleke), who wanted to go to Capetown. I started to explain the
> length of the flight and the passport information, and then he
> interrupted me with, ''I'm not trying to make you look stupid, but
> Capetown is in Massachusetts .''
>
> Without trying to make him look stupid, I calmly explained, ''Cape Cod
> is in Massachusetts , Capetown is in Africa''
>
> his response -- click.
>
> 3. A senior Vermont Congressman (Bernie Sanders) called, furious about
> a Florida package we did. I asked what was wrong with the vacation in
> Orlando . He said he was expecting an ocean-view room. I tried to
> explain that's not possible, since Orlando is in the middle of the
> state.
>
> He replied, 'don't lie to me, I looked on the map and Florida is a
> very thin state!'' (OMG)
>
> 4. I got a call from a lawmaker's wife (Landra Reid) who asked, ''Is
> it possible to see England from Canada ?''
>
> I said, ''No.''
>
> She said, ''But they look so close on the map.'' (OMG, again!)
>
> 5.An aide for a cabinet member (Janet Napolitano) once called and
> asked if he could rent a car in Dallas. I pulled up the reservation
> and noticed he had only a 1-hour layover in Dallas . When I asked him
> why he wanted to rent a car, he said, ''I heard Dallas was a big
> airport, and we will need a car to drive between gates to save time.''
> (Aghhhh)
>
> 6.An Illinois Congresswoman (Jan Schakowsky) called last week. She
> needed to know how it was possible that her flight from Detroit left
> at 8:30 a.m., and got to Chicago at 8:33 a.m.
>
> I explained that Michigan was an hour ahead of Illinois , but she
> couldn't understand the concept of time zones. Finally, I told her the
> plane went fast, and she bought that.
>
> 7. A New York lawmaker, (Jerrold Nadler) called and asked, ''Do
> airlines put your physical description on your bag so they know whose
> luggage belongs to whom?'' I said, 'No, why do you ask?'
>
> he replied, ''Well, when I checked in with the airline, they put a tag
> on my luggage that said (FAT), and I'm overweight. I think that's very
> rude!''
>
> After putting him on hold for a minute, while I looked into it. (I was
> dying laughing). I came back and explained the city code for Fresno ,
> Ca. is (FAT - Fresno Air Terminal), and the airline was just putting a
> destination tag on his luggage..
>
> 8. A Senator John Kerry aide (Lindsay Ross) called to inquire about a
> trip package to Hawaii . After going over all the cost info, she
> asked, ''Would it be cheaper to fly to California and then take the
> train to Hawaii ?''
>
> 9. I just got off the phone with a freshman Congressman, Bobby Bright
> from Ala who asked, ''How do I know which plane to get on?''
>
> I asked him what exactly he meant, to which he replied, ''I was told
> my flight number is 823, but none of these planes have numbers on
> them.''
>
> 10. Senator Dianne Feinstein called and said, ''I need to fly to
> Pepsi-Cola , Florida . Do I have to get on one of those little
> computer planes?''
>
> I asked if she meant fly to Pensacola , FL on a commuter plane.
>
> She said, ''Yeah, whatever, smarty!''
>
> 11. Mary Landrieu La. Senator called and had a question about the
> documents she needed in order to fly toChina . After a lengthy
> discussion about passports, I reminded her that she needed a visa.
> 'Oh, no I don't. I've been to China many times and never had to have
> one of those.''
>
> I double checked and sure enough, her stay required a visa. When I
> told her this she said, ''Look, I've been toChina four times and every
> time they have accepted my American Express!''
>
> 12. A New Jersey Congressman (John Adler) called to make reservations,
> ''I want to go from Chicago to Rhino,New York .''
>
> I was at a loss for words. Finally, I said, ''Are you sure that's the
> name of the town?''
>
> 'Yes, what flights do you have?'' replied the man.
>
> After some searching, I came back with, ''I'm sorry, sir, I've looked
> up every airport code in the country and can't find a rhino anywhere."
>
> ''The man retorted, ''Oh, don't be silly! Everyone knows where it is.
> Check your map!''
>
> So I scoured a map of the state of New York and finally offered, ''You
> don't mean Buffalo , do you?''
>
> The reply? ''Whatever! I knew it was a big animal.''
>
> Now you know why the Government is in the shape that it's in!
>
> Could anyone be this DUMB?
>
> YES, THEY WALK AMONG US, ARE IN POLITICS, AND THEY CONTINUE TO BREED
I did warn you!
Purple Peril threw me these five (very well chosen) words.
Poetry - Yes, a passion of mine, or perhaps I should say that good poetry is a passion of mine and mediocre verse a passtime (as you may well see further down). I read poetry for years without really knowing what made it poetry, the words I relished yet was ignorant of the craft - a little like being in awe of the architecture of a cathedral without ever seeing the stonemason in action. The past couple of years studying poetic form and reading much more widely, particularly contemporary poets, have enabled me to appreciate the craft - or at least instilled the arrogance to read a poem and say "That stinks!". A poem, and I mean a really good poem, I can enjoy again and again, and if the poet skilled enough I may find more to the piece with each read - not that poetry must be full of metaphor and hidden meaning; a funny sonnet by Sophie Hannah or Wendy Cope is just as enjoyable - a laugh is not to be sneezed at!
Metal - Some days I am sick of the site of the stuff, but I am fascinated by its uses in fabrication and engineering - steel is something that people often associate with strength but the truth is it is so easily forged and manipulated. It has also offered me several metaphors and poems - allow me to embarrass you all with this one:
To Fettle the Welds
'A man who works with his hands is a laborer. A man who works with his
hands and his brain is a craftsman. A man who works with his hands, brains,
and heart is an artist.'
Louis Nizer
The base materials, dense, drip oil from his rack.
Some solid as consonants, others hollow as vowels,
enticing manipulation over the anvil's back,
or desiring to be smoothly rolled during an intimate hour.
Our artist, though, must delay such sensuous delights
and study the drawings, purpose, structure of his work.
Once all is measured, marked, its ghost in sight,
the rack then offers sacrifices for the birth.
A metre is mitred with the precision of a Mec Brown's blade.
Hollows, solids fused for a crude blank frame.
Ornamental finials stand proud on the palisade,
and decorative scrolls within - a steel refrain.
Now all that's left for him is to fettle the welds -
steadily, mercilessly polishing all as smooth
as the ringing of belted metal, as caramel,
as the mythical honey trickled into the ear by the muse.
Wales - Everywhere in the natural world is beautiful, whether it be the South American rain forests or the Antarctic, but, to me Wales will always seem more so. I once heard somebody say that it was hard to feel romantic about your own back yard, that familiarity ceases the sense of wonder - I have to disagree. One of the very familiar walks to me is the woods around and below Bryn Twr (Tower Hill) at the back of Abergele - only the other day one of the dogs flushed out a young deer and it ran past me at an arm's length, how could one get too familiar with something like that?
Books - One of my many weaknesses. The tattooed spines of tomes line the walls of my bedroom like a thousand concubines. I openly admit to having far too many editions of Shakespeare, the Sherlock Holmes canon, and Homer, and having spent far too much money on them. Though books do furnish a room it is a sin not to read them (and as I said with a good poem, the same goes for a real good novel - it can be enjoyed time after time) and I am ashamed that I have a mounting 'to be read' pile. It is due to books that I have slept on the floor for the past few years - I was in dire need of another bookcase, but there just wasn't room for it with the bed in the way, so the bed had to go. No question.
Beer - Beer, wine, spirits, ahh! I feel this could be far too long a tale to tell, and there are far too many anecdotes that would sidetrack me - I really must tell you about the time I woke up in a skip one morning. I'm afraid this is a long love affair that needs to be told in stages on another day.
As for anything else in the world I have not a clue...
- Lots of pillows or just one? Two or three - depending on the stuffiness of the pillow of course.
- What kind of books do you read? Poetry, classics, histrorical fiction, crime, history, biographies - Conan Doyle's Holmes stories, PG Wodehouse, and George MacDonald Fraser's Flashman novels are favourites.
- What are your most awesome skills? The ability to avoid the word awesome in conversation and thought.
- What's your occupation? Steel fabricator/employer hinderer
- What's really creepy? My neighbours
- What's your current fandom/obsession/addiction? My obsessions and addictions are never 'current'
- What flavor ice cream would you choose right now? Rum and raisin.
- What websites do you always visit when you go online? www.GreatWriting.co,uk
- What was the last thing you bought? A pint of Guinness
- What was the cutest thing you've seen today? The same as every day - my dogs
- Do you get cravings? If so, what do you crave? Oooh, you're not ready to hear that...
- What do you do to change your mood? Listen to music, read, talk, drink
- What is your zodiac sign? A tired frown
- Do you want to learn another language? I would like to be fluent in Welsh
- Five things you can't live without? Music, books, friends, The George...and Dragon
- What's something you'd like to say to someone right now? You great sexy thing, can't wait to see you...
- What are you looking forward to? See the above
- Say something to the person who tagged you: Thanks for the rare opportunity of posting
paperwork all afternoon.
Tonight - gin and verse.
from Beckyzoole
1. What kind of week have you had?
2. If your boss asked you to work overtime today what would you say to him/her?
3. What are your plans for tonight and/or the weekend?
4. If you were given a gift card for $5,000 what would you spend it on this weekend? (Be specific!)
1. I have had the week off, so it has been fairly pleasant - walking the dogs, reading, and lazy hours in the pub. But saying that
we are also fighting the local council over their development planning proposals.
2. Yes! Lovely money.
3. Tonight - quiet; salad, a few drinks, and some reading/writing. Today taking one of the dogs to the vets, then get them both walked,
then head for the poetry section of Waterstoes in Llandudno, then pub lunch at the George and Dragon, Abergele. Tomorrow - ptotest
march in face of the council's proposals of an un-needed and undesired relief road through open green areas.
4. Hmm. Difficult to be specific not knowing where the gift card is from. But if it was cash then it would pay off my credit card, get some
lovely books, treat some friends to a good night out!
There are also plans for a settlement for gypsies and travellers, and to my embarrassment this seems to be the cause of more feeling than the loss of greenery. Ignorant prejudice is an ugly thing, and , I feel, is clouding the judgement of many.
My letter (probably eventually ineffectual) to local MPs, council, and Parliment:
As born and bred residents of Abergele we write to you in strong protest regarding the LDP's proposals of;
90 Mixed-use housing development on green field open space land off Llanfair Road
220 Mixed-use housing development on green field open space land (including part of the football fields) by Threeways roundabout.
A by-pass cutting through green field open space from the top of Llanfair Road to Threeways roundabout.
The proposed by-pass is supposedly to solve the traffic congestion of the town - a congestion that can only be aggravated by inviting another 310 families into the immediate area (some of which may be two-vehicle families). Congestion that when the traffic-lights are faulty disappears, this being down to the common sense and common courtesy of road users (this has been witnessed on many occassion).
Walking the public footpaths from Tower Way to Tower Hill is a pleasure for many, and to look over the town from Tower Hill is capable of producing serenity to the most stressed out executives. What pleasure, what serenity will there be, in an area of already diminishing greenery, with all the traffic of a by-pass?
Then there is the eye-sore of the by-pass itself. Are we to lose places of such beauty, and is the council to spend such vast amounts of money, all for the impatience of a few motorists? The council could wisely spend their money on improving what we already have, to see young families enjoying the recent work done on Gele Park has been a joy - there are many footpaths, the accessibility of which could be improved, the council should be concentrating on the tax payer enjoying their local enviroment, instead of destroying it.
Kind regards
Brett Evans
Well, what did the man say? 'All it takes for evil to flourish is for good men to do nothing'
- Mood:
aggravated
Tagged by Beckyzoole
1. What author do you own the most books by?
PG Wodehouse - one of many favourites, but he was so prolific.
2. What book do you own the most copies of?
Complete works of Shakespeare
3. Did it bother you that both those questions ended with prepositions?
Er...No. There's pedants and there's pedants.
4. What fictional character are you secretly in love with?
None that I can think of...The Lady of Shallot?
5. What book have you read the most times in your life?
Probably 'To Kill a Mockingbird' or 'How Green Was My Valley'
6. What was your favorite book when you were ten years old?
Homer's Odyssey (children's edition of course)
7. What is the worst book you've read in the past year?
Ashamedly I have not read a bad book in the last 12 months (though some bloody awful poetry online)
8. What is the best book you've read in the past year?
Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry (I know it's hardly this decade's best seller, but I reread it and still think it a wonderful read).
9. I couldn't force anyone to read a book of my choosing, I leave that up to Jehovah's Witnesses,
Mormons, and such. I would gladly recommend books, but I think we are stuck for space here.
10. Who deserves to win the next Nobel Prize for literature?
No idea, I don't much care for titles and prizes.
11. What book would you most like to see made into a movie?
Bessie by Chris Albertson (biography of Bessie Smith). Though I would like to see George Macdonald Fraser's 'Flashman' series filmed for TV!
12. What book would you least like to see made into a movie?
I think they have just about ruined most of them -Christ did you see the Odyssey? And Troy from Homer's Iliad? Just leave the Greek stuff alone please. Saying that Plato's The Last Days of Socrates could make a remarkable drama, all dialogue, so that means Hollywood would not give it a thought - all character and philosophy.
13. Describe your weirdest dream involving a writer, book, or literary character.
I did dream of being in bed with Oscar Wilde and thinking what a dump his place was, despite the books he owned (nothing happened in bed either).
14. What is the most lowbrow book you've read as an adult?
Not sure how to define 'lowbrow' - some books are quick and easy entertainment (Alexander McCall Smith, PG Wodehouse) but just because they are not Shakespeare does not belittle their merit. I don't know - a cokkery book?
15. What is the most difficult book you've ever read?
Finnegan's Wake by James Joyce
16. What is the most obscure Shakespeare play you've seen?
None should be considered obscure, but I saw a performance of Macbeth where the audience were so obscure as to be almost absent!
17. Do you prefer the French or the Russians?
French for poetry, Russians for novels.
18. Roth or Updike?
Not qualified to say!
19. David Sedaris or Dave Eggers?
ditto.
20. Shakespeare, Milton, or Chaucer?
Shakespeare - more lyrical and profound, though Chaucer is still funnier. Milton - Iesu Grist, leave me out.
21. Austen or Eliot?
Austen
22. What is the biggest or most embarrassing gap in your reading?
Lots of poetry, lots and lots of poetry, and poetry...
23. What is your favorite novel?
This could change, but I would say 'How Green Was My Valley' or 'To Kill a Mockingbird.'
24. Play?
Hamlet? King Lear? Henry V?
25. Poem?
Too many. Keats, Dylan Thomas, Shakespeare, Yeats, Neruda, blah, blah, blah. I could not possibly say - ok, The Iliad!
26. Essay?
I like a lot of Nietzsche's Beyond Good and Evil,
and Stephen Fry's collected articles in Paperweight.
27. Short Story?
Ooh. Difficult. I'm a sucker for a good ghost story - M.R. James, but I would probably go for one of Doyle's Holmes stories, The Speckled Band maybe.
28. Work of non-fiction?
The Twelve Caesars by Suetonius
29. Graphic novel?
If that means a cartoon version, then I don't have one.
30. Who is your favorite writer?
I suppose there is no secret in it being Shakespeare, but there are many others, some I have already mentioned, some not - Arthur Conan Doyle, PG Wodehouse, Edgar Allan Poe, Dylan Thomas, Brendan Behan, George Macdonald Fraser, W.B. Yeats, John Keats, Chaucer, Euripides, Carol Ann Duffy, Raymond Chandler...
31. Who is the most overrated writer alive today?
Dan Browne
33. And ... what are you reading right now?
New Selected Poems by Dannie Abse
and
The Secret Life of Poems by Tom Paulin
- Mood:accomplished
Last Saturday - wonderful!
