Obsessions

I was awarded an award by leigh just before Christmas, and tagged to list 5 obsessions. Interesting that leigh's blog is entitled The Art of Subtle Procrastination, since it's taken me some time to finally get round to this. Well, very belated thanks! Just to add insult to injury, blogger won't even let me upload the image for the award for some strange reason.

Oh well, here we go with five obsessions:

1. Cycling. I feel I've been there and blogged that often enough, to not feel the need to write more about it in this post - except to say that on Saturday I'll be doing my first dollop of cycling so far this year, a six hour slog on a mountain bike somewhere up north (ish). Let's hope the weather stays as challenging and inhospitable as it has been the last few days :)

2. Music. Listening to, making, reading about, talking about, thinking about, getting tinnitus because of.

I could easily have said "The Fall" instead, mind you: though I don't know if I could count as a true Fall obsessive given that I own just 21 of their 27 studio albums, does that make me a bit of a lightweight?

But yes, music: all sorts of music. Music that is sweet and delicate, music that is harsh and atonal, challenging, primitive, raw, "unlistenable", experimental, music that sounds like it's been made by beings from another planet (especially late at night on that particular planet)...and all sorts of shades inbetween, including Hot Chocolate's Greatest Hits, and "Money" as performed by the Flying Lizards .

I could go on about music - but just go and listen to some, will you?

3. Myself. Oh yes - I don't mean in a narcissistic, vain kind of way: I certainly don't spend inordinate amounts of time looking at my reflection in the mirror, put it that way. No, I mean more along the lines of searing self-analysis of my every thought, word, action and motive, and the potential consequences or lack thereof resulting from those in isolation or in tandem. Moments in which I can forget myself can be hellish or bliss therefore. I realise, of course, that what I've written does carry its own kind of vanity, don't go thinking that I don't. See, this is a case in point.

Perhaps I exaggerate a little, but there's a certain truth in there all the same.

4. War History. I know, it's such a blokey thing, but in recent years I felt the need to read history to make sense of so many questions in my mind, and then I got on to the World Wars, and haven't really moved on much from there. It's certainly not about glorification of war, nor is it about any kind of fascination with what kind of tank fired which kind of shell and at what range was it effective and all of that tedious nonsense. It's more the combination of the human aspects (and sheer disbelief at man's inhumanity to man - of which there's plenty about at the moment) and how individuals coped in such adversity, and the wider geopolitical aspects... and also the fact that such huge and frankly unimaginably horrific events happened in such comparatively recent times.

There's also the element of such things being part of a continuum, in which reading about the war helps make so much sense (if the word sense can be meaningfully applied here) of the preceding and following events, and vice versa.

Compelling it may be, it can also be bloody harrowing. Especially this.

5. Words. I won't say writing, because I'm not a writer (except on these pages, obviously, and occasional other texts). I'm tempted to say language too, but then I'm neither a linguician (I know, I just made that word up) nor a polyglot (though I've been called worse).

But: words, in the sense that one can play around with them to create, convey, alter, emphasise and subvert meaning, and all sorts of other things besides. Going back into vanity territory (see above) I think I'm better off doing that off the cuff in conversation than I am on the printed page.

Language - I'm endlessly fascinated by the links and relationships between different languages and language families both ancient and modern. Like how the Celtic languages, and Latin, and Ancient Greek, and Sanskrit, have many points of comparison and interplay (or something). Like how, if I remember correctly, two in Urdu is duo. Like how Finnish - again if I remember correctly - is related, albeit distantly, to Turkish and to Japanese.

I once sat and listened to two friends - one Turkish, one Japanese, as it happens - in conversation, and it was fantastic to listen to them realise a couple of words which were common to each language.

Right, that's me and some of my obsessions. If you've got this far, you may or may not recall that I tend not to pass these tags/memes on, but feel free etc - the rules are on leigh's blog as linked to above.

Tags (8)

I was tagged recently(ish) by one Rob Clack, and it suits me to confront that particular tag today. Unwelcome and worrying things are afoot, so - in a manner not dissimilar to the last time I was tagged - it should provide a welcome distraction. As per usual I shall not be passing this on to anyone, but feel free etc. As with Rob himself, I doubt I'll manage seven answers to each question.

Here we go then:

7 Things I want to do before I die:

To produce the work that I feel I have the potential for, whether in terms of music, visual art or any other creative medium (I would be tempted to say writing also, but that feels like vanity more than anything else). Above all, to be able to engineer the kind of situation where such things are possible.

To take a long journey on one of those hand-propelled railcar things where you propel it by pushing the lever down in the middle.

To eat clam chowder in some roadside food joint in the midwest after such a journey. Just because I like the sound of it.

To finally learn another language beyond a few useful phrases here and there.

See more of the world, and also revisit some favourite places.

Numerous other things which are too personal for the likes of blogging.

7 things I do now:

Worry. Work. Cycle. Drink. Sneeze. Laugh. Cry. Not always in that order.

7 things I can't do:

Switch off. Have a lie-in. Drive. Be without earplugs. Afford a house. Tolerate the city centre on a Saturday afternoon especially at this time of year.

7 things that attract me to the opposite sex:

Any number of potential combinations of personality, looks, figure. Trustworthiness. A foreign accent is never a bad thing either. Also, a lack of certain things is important, such as being manipulative.

7 things I say most often:

Bollocks (and plenty of other such curses and oaths).
I don't know.
Speak up a bit, would you?

7 Celebrities I admire:

You must be bloody joking.

7 Favourite foods:

Too many to mention really, from Indian, Chinese, French, Italian, Greek and so on and so forth, down to stuff like cheese on toast.
I hope one day to be able to add clam chowder to my list of favourite food though.

Tags (7)

I received this award twice, first time round from katherine, and second time from leigh. Thank you very much to both of you! Both, I believe, first wandered over to these parts via the Black Box widget, and I'm glad to have made their acquaintance(s). I've been rather tardy in properly acknowledging them having awarded me an award, so please both accept my humble apologies (how many times can I get the words both and award into one paragraph?).

Also, leigh had some questions to answer, I'm assuming rightly or wrongly that I'm expected to do the same. Well either way, given that my mind is buzzing with all sorts of other things at the present moment, then it's one of those rare occasions where I'm happy to be charged with the task of answering a few questions, so here goes.

1. Where is your mobile? On the chair arm.
2. Where is your significant other? Pass.
3. Your hair colour? Brown and (increasingly) grey.
4. Your mother? On my mind, presently.
5. Your father? Gone but never forgotten.
6. Your favourite thing? I filled in a job application form once, which asked for hobbies - I think I put "Art, music, literature, pub." I know that's four things but there you go. I didn't get the job either. But there's perhaps a circular kind of logic in the fact that work isn't one of my favourite things.
7. Your dream last night? Quite a depressing one for some reason, which seemed to be about my mother's frailty hence the answer to (4), but which had a rather memorable and funny moment: I was outside in the street looking up at a window, where there were two cats looking out. Both had electric guitars and were playing them with serious intent, and posing a bit as well.
8. Your dream/goal? Self-realisation.
9. The room you're in? Living room.
10. Your hobby? I'm not sure. I don't know if I have hobbies.
11. Your fear? Too many to mention.
12. Where do you want to be in six years? I don't look that far ahead.
13. Where were you last night? At a rockabilly night (not something I've done before).
14. What you're not? Certain.
15. One of your wish-list items? Peace and quiet.
16. Where you grew up? Derbyshire.
17. The last thing you did? Cook.
18. What are you wearing? Trousers.
19. Your TV? Don't have one (though the TV licence people seem to find it very hard to believe)
20. Your pets? I don't have any.
21. Your computer? PC (this one anyway).
22. Your mood? Weary and preoccupied.
23. Missing someone? Probably.
24. Your car? Don't have one.
25. Something you're not wearing? A dress (or for that matter, anything not listed in Q18. Well, except a t-shirt which I'm wearing as well, but I prefer the answer I gave above).
26. Favourite shop? Anything which has some individuality, not part of the identikit high-street chain-store blandness. Now I wouldn't call it my favourite shop, but what springs to mind is a baker's shop in Chesterfield which had a beautiful and very old interior, with amazing black and white floor tiles.
27. Your summer? Did we have one? Well, yes we did, because I got plenty of cycling done.
28. Love someone? Once.
29. Your favourite color? Blue.
30. When was the last time you laughed? Earlier - at my own stupidity.
31. Last time you cried? Reading a book (already mentioned in these pages) a few weeks ago.

As per usual I shan't pass this one on, because I'm rubbish with such things!

Tags (6): slight return

I've many thoughts I wish to try and put in some sort of order after a necessarily disjointed week, but they may turn up one way or another in a subsequent post (then again, knowing me, they may well not).

However, I'll go as far as to mention the following: thankfully the dip in my health earlier in the week was no more than that - and the problems with my hearing and tinnitus appear to have been a symptom of something else rather than an issue in themselves. However it's useful to take such things as timely reminders (especially a reminder to look after oneself!).

The other thing is that I came up with another six-word memoir:

The best is yet to come.

I have to make sure that that's the case. It's as simple - and downright crucial - as that.

Tags (6)

Yes I've been tagged again, and I'll look upon this one kindly because it's from dj kirkby, because it's short, and because I haven't done a tag for a few months. Thanks dj! Still I won't completely play along - I'd rather not tag anyone else in turn, but consider yourself tagged if you fancy doing this one.

Anyway, I have to write my own six-word memoir.

I'd originally considered "Too much thinking, not enough doing," but I don't think that really functions as a memoir and also sounds too negative.

So instead, here it is: "From there to here. Still here."

I thank you.

Incidentally, I also have a six-word phrase which I thought could serve as an epitaph:

"Can't somebody else sort it out?"

Tags (5)

Ok, here's the End Of Year questions as requested by wayfarer. I've kept the answers brief since there are a lot of questions, and as usual I'm not tagging anyone else though feel free to take it on if you wish to. I know I'm repeating myself but I'm becoming much more selective with tags and more likely to politely decline: this one was interesting to me though, as much as anything because it throws up a couple of things which I'm not entirely comfortable with.

1. Will you be looking for a new job? Yes. Something different to what I'm doing now. My lack of success in achieving this so far has been rather dispiriting and draining. I'm keeping this answer brief because I've moaned about it often enough.

2. Will you be looking for a new relationship? Not actively, no. My experience of relationships in recent years has been negative and difficult and, while I've moved on in many ways from those particular relationships, then the prospect of commencing another one leaves me feeling defensive rather than filling me with any kind of enthusiasm. I would say I need to deal with those feelings before any relationship becomes a viable and desirable prospect.

3. New house? If you mean owning one, you're joking! I'm open to the possibility of moving though, depending on other factors.

4. What will you do differently in 2008? I don't see why I should do anything differently purely on account of it now being 2008, but I think I need to change my tactics as regards (1), for instance given the lack of movement so far.

5. New Years Resolution? No, I don't really do them, it seems a bit artificial to me. Any resolutions I make at this time of year aren't necessarily linked to that (though I concede that often there's more time to reflect and examine priorities at this time of year for various reasons). I know I'm sounding like a humourless git here though, and if there is anything that I could offer to answer the question, then it's the following: I'm keeping my mobile phone on silent. I switched it on to silent just before Christmas and it's much better that way!

6. What will you not be doing in 2008? Lots of things. Erm, I'm not sure where to go with this question.

7. Any trips planned? No definites as yet, though possibly a week in Yorkshire in February, and I hope for another holiday in Europe or further afield (or more than one, if circumstances allow).

8. Wedding plans? No!

9. Major thing on your calendar? Nothing in that respect, the things I want to achieve aren't set in stone or tied to particular dates: not yet, at least.

10. What can't you wait for? I can wait, I don't want to wish my life away and I'm a far more patient person these days than I ever used to be. But the things which spring to mind are: lighter nights and warmer weather, and some tangible progress with making changes.

11. What would you like to see happen differently? I would like to be more cheerful!

12. What about yourself will you be changing? See (11).

13. What happened in 07 that you didn't think would ever happen? I woke up and realised just how much of a rut I've been stuck in, and it frightened me.

14. Will you be nicer to the people you care about? I always try to be as nice as I can to the people I care about: I'm far from perfect in that respect but the friendships and connections I have are very valuable to me and as long as the love and respect works both ways then I want to maintain that.

15. Will you dress differently this year than you did in 07? Not unless the circumstances demand it!

16. Will you start or quit drinking? Neither as such, but I'm taking a break from drinking for the duration of January and possibly further: I do enjoy having a few weeks away from the booze from time to time.

17. Will you better your relationship with your family? I hope to in some specific ways, I wouldn't wish to mention them here though.

18. Will you do charity work? No. I wouldn't say so if I was, either!

19. Will you go to bars? Ah, now we're getting back into the realms of certainty. Though see (16).

20. Will you be nice to people you don't know? That depends. I'm usually polite and courteous, though I do have a steadily-increasing streak of intolerance towards people who might be behaving in certain ways.

21. Do you expect 08 to be a good year for you? I don't expect so, I would hope so, and I will hold myself primarily responsible if it isn't. I don't see it in such absolute terms anyway, no doubt there will be a mixture of positives and negatives as there is in any year.

22. How much did you change from this time last year until now? While I'm very desperately frustrated about (1), then I feel really happy to have done more writing (chiefly here) and more creative stuff generally. I hope that this is merely a starting point for further such.

23. Do you plan on having a child? Given the answers to earlier questions, it would be a slightly odd state of affairs if I were to say yes...

24. Will you still be friends with the people you are friends with now? I would have thought so, once I've established a friendship with someone, it's been a very rare occurrence to have entirely lost touch.

25. Major lifestyle changes? That depends on a number of things I've already written. Sometimes I've taken risks: I'm not suggesting I will, but neither am I ruling it out.

26. Will you be moving? Again, that depends on a number of things I've already written.

27. What will you make sure doesn't happen in 08 that happened in 07? Another one that leaves me at a loss as to how to answer.

28. What are your New Year's Eve plans? Well, that's a whole year away...my fault for not doing this tag earlier. What I did last night was to meet up with a bunch of friends at someone's house for a pleasant evening of wine, home-cooked food, good conversation, lots of silliness, and getting home at about 3am.

29. Will you have someone to kiss at midnight? Not in the way that this question infers (to me at least)!

30. One wish for 08? To be out of the rut that I feel I'm in.

Tags (4)

Now as I may have previously mentioned I'm rather ambivalent as regards being tagged, though I've been known to indulge from time to time. It would be hard to refuse this one though, since it constitutes a twin assault from djkirkby and pixie (though presumably not acting in concert...that would be a bit weird). So I shall do it and make the most of rambling on about myself: let none of my ambivalence appear disrespectful to my two taggers, since it's flattering really.

So thank you to the aforementioned, though I shan't tag anyone else: anyone who wishes to do this one though, feel free to.

8 passions in my life
Art. Both the viewing/experiencing of, and also the making of. Finally, in contrast to when I spoke about this a few months ago, I'm starting to breathe a bit of life (only a bit, at the moment) into the seemingly long-since dormant corpse that is (or was) my own artwork.

Music: similar to above, this relates to the listening thereof (?), seeing in live performance, and also producing my own. Sporadically so at the moment, but unlike drawing and painting, I've never allowed this to stagnate for long periods of time.

Reading: no, not the place. Reading books. It's been less fiction and more history over the last 12 months since I first went to Berlin (yes the place), I feel the need to know about these things. Which serves as an explanation for my book list below, which looks a bit obsessive to say the least.

Languages: especially European ones. My love of the sounds and words spoken in other languages is in inverse proportion to my ability to speak them. I'm fascinated by the relationships between words in different languages. I'm a sucker for hearing foreign accents as well.

Cycling: I'm sure I've gone on about this often enough as it is.

Good whisky: single malt, especially Laphroiag. As a real connoisseur might say, "it's the shit."

Decent beer: similar to above (though not the same, obviously, or my liver would have packed in years ago).

An unrequieted one: I'm not saying any more, but see the point about languages.

8 things to do before I die
A total copout answer here, but more of the above. I was tempted to put "breathe in and out four times each" but that's even more of a copout. I'm stonewalling: for some reason this one doesn't present anything satisfactory. The other thing is, what if I don't do them before I die? That will mean I've lied or I've failed, even if I've had a damn good time trying. Yes, I know the whole point is probably to have a damn good time trying, but still I can't think of 8 things to put here that properly answer this question.

8 things I often say
Definitely
You fucking tosser (usually under my breath since I want to stay alive for now)
Er...
I don't know/ I'm not sure
What/pardon/sorry? (see earlier posts about tinnitus)
That'll be them now (whenever the phone rings)
Bollocks
Shitting Crikey

8 Books I read recently
The Great War For Civilisation by Robert Fisk
Ulli Haarburst's Novel of Roy Orbison in Clingfilm
My Summer of Love by Helen Cross
In Search of Adam by Caroline Smailes
Stasiland by Anna Funder
Rising '44 by Norman Davies
The Berlin Wall by Frederick Taylor
The Fall of Berlin by Anthony Read and David Fisher

8 songs that mean something to me
Oh bloody hell, where do I start with this? Another one which is difficult to answer but for a very different reason, i.e. there are way too many. I'll choose eight which aren't necessarily the most meaningful, or even the most meaningful right now, but still they answer the question.

Motherfucker=Redeemer by Godspeed You Black Emperor. An incredible, epic instrumental piece from an incredible, instrumental album by an incredible, instrumental band. I haven't listened to the album that this is from for a couple of years at least, it may well be time to rectify that. Intense and very moving stuff.

Take Me To The Other Side by Spacemen 3. First time I heard this was when I saw them in concert, and I was knocked for six: nearly twenty years later I've still not been to a better gig, and the song in question was an astonishing highlight. Relentless, druggy power-chords and drones: it really had a huge impact on me, and I was stone-cold sober when I saw them.

Jesus by The Velvet Underground. I could choose any of the songs on the first side of their third album. This is beautiful, quiet and has a heartbreakingly simple melody and lyric which gets me every time.

Genetic Transmission by SPK. Because like the album it's from (Leichenschrei), it used to scare the shit out of me and was unlike anything I'd previously heard at that point (early-mid eighties).

Come On In My Kitchen by Robert Johnson. Not sure how I could do this, or its effect on me, any justice.

Yoo Doo Right by Can. Not the first track I heard by them, but the one which instantly drew me in and the one I always come back to, for all sorts of reasons both musically and personally.

Fernando by Abba. Yes it does mean something to me, because as I've written previously, this was the first piece of music I heard, aged about three, in which I felt compelled to ask what the difference between the song and the band was: something which had never previously occurred to me. If we were to talk about an ABBA song that I really like though, that would have to be S.O.S.

Host Of Seraphim by Dead Can Dance. More breathtakingly beautiful stuff (and other such hyperbole). I was reminded of this earlier today: a friend of mine once came round, she was going through a difficult time and we were sat talking. I put this album on and she immediately burst into tears because she knew it and associated it with an even more difficult time. Oops.

Eight Qualities I Look For In A Friend
This might sound disingenuous but it feels quite cynical to list something along these lines. Yes there are obvious ones like sense of humour and so on but if I have to write a list then it feels like it's missing the point really. Sorry!

Tags (3)

I'm employing diversionary tactics here, since my mood has dipped with uncommon fierceness following such a sublime weekend. So now seems as good a time as any to respond to the fact that Charlotte tagged me the other week with her "5 Things" Meme, bless her.

Chances are I'll delay or avoid doing any further tags in the near future since this is the fourth I've done in a fairly short space of time - which is enough for any pair of trousers, even the hard-wearing denim variety. Still this "5 things" did look like fun so maybe it'll give me a bit of a lift. Thanks Charlotte!

What were you doing ten years ago?

Spending my weekends in a beautiful flat (more like a huge rambling old cottage) in the huge grounds of a heritage site in Derbyshire where my girlfriend was staying, since she had moved there to work. We were coming to the end of our relationship after several years but this was rather a fine swansong. Our break-up seemed inevitable under the circumstances but was about as amicable as it could possibly be. I was also taking antidepressants and having bereavement counselling: in the main though I remember this being a good time (which might sound odd having said what I've just said), albeit with a pretty intense edge to it.

I was listening obsessively to "Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space" by Spiritualized throughout the whole summer, which in a way sums up its bitter-sweetness.


Five Snacks You Enjoy:

Pine kernel

Bananas

Chocolate

Apples

Alpen cereal bars (strawberry and yoghurt flavour)


Five songs you know all the lyrics to:

Pale Blue Eyes by The Velvet Underground

Mutual Friend by Wire (very odd words, worth checking out)

Teenage Daughter by Fat Truckers (hope this isn't cheating, the only words in the song are "Teenage Daughter")

Careless Soul (traditional, arranged by Daniel Johnston)

No Expectations by The Rolling Stones


Five things you would do if you were a millionare:

Buy or rent an apartment abroad

Set up somewhere to record, paint and write

Travel

Get needlessly anxious

Carry out random acts of senseless generosity


Five Bad Habits:

Constantly drumming on tables, chairs and any other hittable surfaces

Grinding my teeth

Picking my nose (when I think no-one is looking)

Procrastinating

Being pedantic


Five Things You Like Doing:

Cycling

Worrying

Drinking

Sleeping

Creative things


Five Things You Would Never Wear Again:

Things which don't fit - otherwise, never say never (this answer is a cop-out, since this is something I would hardly think about)


Five Favourite Toys:

Laptop

Guitar

Endless cheap keyboards

Digital camera

George Foreman Lean Mean Low-Fat Grilling Machine


Once again, thanks to Charlotte for providing the means to some distraction during a rather melancholy moment. In a bid to get him off his backside and writing something, I'm tagging a certain welder.

Tags 2: Blood from a stone

Or, in other words, I've been tagged again, this time by the lovely Anna Mr. Could there possibly be a further eight remotely interesting and random facts I can trawl up from de profundis or somewhere nearby? With the emphasis firmly on random, and a modicum of sweat dripping from my brow, here we go....

1. I was in a band with someone who is now a journalist and published author. During a rehearsal one evening when his guitar prowess was particularly slack, we made a bet. The bet was that I could do an impression of his guitar-playing better than he could hit me (I'm not quite sure how we came to agree on that).

"You're on," he said.

I did an impression of his guitar playing. He hit me square on the jaw.

"Told you," I said. "Fair enough," he said, accepting defeat graciously.

2. I can bend my thumbs back 90 degrees (without having to push them). Someone told me that's a sign of having an incredibly bad temper - but they can just piss off, what the fuck do they know?

3. Aged 18, I had a minor operation, which required me to have general anaesthetic. The nurse who brought me back to consciousness had, coincidentally, been one of my play-school teachers when I was aged 3 or 4, and I had not seen her since then. I was seriously convinced, when I saw her face, that I had actually died. I remember it taking her a good few minutes to convince me otherwise.

4. The very first record I bought was "Baggy Trousers" by Madness. However, the first record I considered to be my own, some years earlier, was my dad's copy of "Honky Tonk Women" by the Rolling Stones. I'm sure he and my mum were amused to hear me singing along with the lyrics at such a tender age. Another memory is of hearing a song on the radio and asking my mum what it was.
" 'Fernando', by ABBA" she replied. I then had to get her to explain the distinction between the name of the song, and who was singing it, which was the first time I was aware of the difference. (Incidentally, the most recent record I bought was "Jealous of Shit and Shine" by Shit and Shine)

5. 11 years ago this weekend, my father died (on the 22nd).

6. I don't own a television and haven't done for at least 10 years. When anyone asks about this I tell them, "I can't stand spending all evening sitting in front of a screen - I much prefer to pass the time using my computer instead."

7. My favourite whisky is Laphroiag. Pure heaven in a glass - or straight out of the bottle (no I'm not that bad). Favourite beer is currently Theakston's Old Peculier. Favourite wine is La Chasse du Pape (red, of course. If anyone is passing through Carrefour at Calais...).

8. Anna Mr mentions mild vertigo in amongst her 8 facts. I discovered (though whether this is medically true has not been established) that I too have mild vertigo. The moment of discovery was when I was half way across Striding Edge, by which point it made more sense to carry on than to turn back. I was terrified, and spent the rest of that particular walk feeling euphoric that I was still alive.

Hope you don't mind me not tagging anyone else. If I was going to do so, they've already been tagged in the first place - but feel free once again to call me a spoilsport.

Tags

I've been tagged by prada pixie, which basically means I'm faced with the Herculean task of finding seven fascinating things about myself to post up here. I'm not sure what I think of tags, but I'll see how it goes. Trouble is, I've already written about one fascinating fact, ie my namesake. Never mind, I'll have to scrape around for more. For some reason I don't feel comfortable with tagging other people though - feel free to call me a spoilsport.

Here goes then:

1: I once had a competition with a friend to see who could last longest without washing their hair. My friend lasted a month. I managed 15 years. Should I be telling you this?

2: A few years ago I woke at 4 in the morning to find myself cycling round the small French village of Vias Plage. Well I was on holiday there, but was rather surprised to wake up at the wheel, as it were. I was also looking for some Belgians to check everything was ok with them. I found them, everything was indeed ok, though I wasn't even sure what language we were speaking. Nor, for that matter, was I sure why anything wouldn't be ok. As you might have surmised, I'd had a couple of drinks.

3. I'm a multi-instrumentalist and play sort of experimental-ish music in a band comprised of me and my best friend. Technically we have a recording contract with some bigwig in London but he vanished. Incidentally my drumming is incredible - by which I don't mean that its any good, if you see what I mean.

4. I've got a Master's Degree in Fine Art. Sadly its going to waste at the present time, something which I hope to change.

5. I've a tattoo of the logo of one of my favourite bands, Einstuerzende Neubauten, on my upper arm.

Update: a quick roll up of the sleeves and...here it is, by popular (ie more than one) request!

6. I'm left handed, was born in April and have a predisposition towards counting things. I was informed, reliably or otherwise, that these are common traits of people considered to be geniuses. Even if that were true (which I doubt, and am dubious about the whole concept of genius in the first place), there's always room for exceptions.

7. I have tinnitus, something which has affected me for nearly 15 years. When I was first diagnosed, I was terrified that within the space of several years it would be difficult to hear what people around me are saying, for example, on a night out . Well I've got to that stage and I have to admit, I'm quite happy about it.