Eat Your Carrots

Fifty Things

1. Have you ever licked the back of a CD to try to get it to work?
   Why lick the back? Isn't that the bit that's printed on, with the CD title & track list? I'd lick the front, if anything.
2. What's the largest age difference between yourself and someone you’ve dated?
   2 years.
3. Ever been in a car wreck?
   Yes. I was stopped by a policeman who was directing traffic. Somehow the car behind didn't see any of this and ran into me at 40mph. Luckily the back of the car took all the impact and being a Volvo it was plenty strong. His car was worse than mine, by some good way.
4. Were you popular in high school?
   I wasn't unpopular!
5. Have you ever been on a blind date?
   No.
6. Are looks important?
   Hate to say it, but yes. I'm so shallow.
7. Do you have any friends that you've known for 10 years or more?
   Yeah, loads. Most of them.
8. By what age would you like to be married?
   I married at 23.
9. Does the number of people a person's slept with affect your view of them?
   Yes.
10. Have you ever made a mistake?
    Who hasn't?
11. Are you a good tipper?
    See question 10. I once left more in tip than I'd spent on the meal, but not because I meant to!
12. What's the most you have spent for a haircut?
    £30ish, but that was a long time ago. It's £7 now, every couple of months.
13. Have you ever had a crush on a teacher?
    Oh, loads! Mrs Horn, Mrs Knapton, Miss Langworth, Miss Greenhowe and more.
14. Have you ever peed in public?
    Every week. Where else can you pee when out in the middle of the moors/dales?
15. What song do you want played at your funeral?
    That's Life by Frank Sinatra.
16. Would you tell your parents if you were gay?
    Yes.
17. What would your last meal be before getting executed?
    An "Eat until you can eat no more" unlimited courses mezze from Seven St. Georges in Geriskipou, Cyprus.
18. If you had to pick one person on earth to die, who?
    Only one? Got a pen and paper, I'll make you a list.
19. Are you going to send a Valentines this year?
    I didn't.
20. Beer, wine or hard liquor?
    Beer every time, unless all that's available is mass-market rubbishy lager like Fosters, Carling, Heineken and the like.
21. Do you have any phobias?
    Used to have a phobia about flying, or rather a phobia about crashing. Glad I got over that one!
22. What are your plans for the future?
    To live a long, happy and healthy life. I just hope the current economic climate doesn't F%^k up the plans!
23. Do you walk around the house naked?
    Occasionally, usually if the cat cries to be let in in the dead of night.
24. If you were an animal what would you be?
    A Gannet.
25. Hair colour you like on someone you're dating?
    Red. Red hair & freckles do it for me. Annie Wersching (agent Walker from 24) and Amanda Mealing (Connie from Holby City) make my pulse race!
    
26. Would you rather be blind or deaf?
    Who would rather be blind??
    
27. Do you have any special talents?
    Not really.
28. What do you do as soon as you walk in the house?
    Look for the cat.
29. Do you like horror or comedy?
    Both, but more often than not watch comedy as wife's not a horror fan.
30. Are you missing anyone?
    No, not really. I always feel pangs soon after someone leaves us (for whatever reason) but it soon goes.
31. If you weren't straight, what person of the same sex would you do?
    I've always had a crush on Justin Timberlake. Kenwyne Jones is pretty hot too!
32. Where do you want to live when you are old?
    Gozo.
33. Who is the person you can count on the most?
    My wife.
34. What did you dream last night?
    I don't recall dreaming last night.
35. What is your favourite sport to watch?
    Football (soccer)
36. What is your favourite alcoholic drink?
    Any one of a number of fine Porters that are available in good real-ale pubs these days. Current favourite is the one by The Highland Brewing Company.
37. Non alcoholic drink?
    Kinnie, a drink unique to Malta.
38. Have you ever been in love?
    Only once.
39. Do you sing in the shower?
    No, but I whistle.
40. Have you ever been arrested?
    No, but I have been stopped and cautioned.
41. What is your favourite Holiday?
    The last one. Or maybe the next one.
42. Would you ever get plastic surgery?
    If I thoiught it necessary. At the moment I don't.
43. Have you ever caught a fish?
    No.
44. Do you love your ex?
    No.
45. What did you last cry over?
    Dunno, some stupid rom-com maybe.
46. Who do you love and talk to the most?
    Wife, followed by cat.
47. Who last slept in your bed?
    Cat.
48. What are you doing right now?
    This, isn't that obvious? And waiting for my lunch to arrive.
49. Lust or Love?
    Lust can be fun. Love for long-term.
50. Anything else you want to add?
    No, we're done.

Personal Needs

Type your first name into Google followed by the word needs (so "steven needs") and write down the top 10 things that google says you need.

1. Steven needs you!
2. Steven needs a permanent home of his own (he currently lives in a hostel)
3. Steven needs a chart, ASAP
4. Steven needs a laptop
5. Steven needs a band (elastic or musical?)
6. Steven needs your help (he certainly needs help - see later!)
7. Steven needs someone to love (it could be you!)
8. Steven needs a toy (especially if he can't get someone to love!)
9. Steven needs help (this is so true)
10. Steven needs to quit his job (if only he could afford to)

Biggest Meme Ever?

1. Do you like having your picture taken.

I don't mind it.

2. Have you ever done a photo shoot, professional or non?

Only my wedding photos.

3. If you could go anywhere in the world where would you go and why?

Santorini. It's paradise.

4. Who would you take with you on this adventure?

Wife, of course.

5. What would you say is the most daring thing to do in a lifetime.

Leave behind the life you know and start afresh.

There are 150 of these. Read on if you want to...

1. Do you like having your picture taken.

I don't mind it.

2. Have you ever done a photo shoot, professional or non?

Only my wedding photos.

3. If you could go anywhere in the world where would you go and why?

Santorini. It's paradise.

4. Who would you take with you on this adventure?

Wife, of course.

5. What would you say is the most daring thing to do in a lifetime.

Leave behind the life you know and start afresh.

There are 150 of these. Read on if you want to...

4Play

Via the Meme & Sudoku queen, who I visit every day just to see if she's posted...

Four jobs you've had in your life:
Trainee programmer
Analyst programmer
Senior analyst programmer
Computer programmer by any other name

Four films you could watch over and over:
Stargate
Bride & Prejudice
Charley & The Chocolate Factory (with Depp)
Chocolat

Four places you've lived:
Chester-le-Street
Middlesbrough
Runcorn
Darlington

Four TV shows you love to watch:
90210
Lost
ER
24

Four places you've been on holiday:
Malta
Rhodes
Symi
Crete

Four websites you visit daily:
Boblog
Mr & Mrs McMuffin
Google
MSDN

Four of your favorite foods:
Halloumi Pitta
Mezze
Tapas
Desert

Four places you'd rather be:
(instead of being at work...)
Malta
Rhodes
Symi
Kos

Four albums you can't live without:
Placebo - Sleeping With Ghosts
The Paddingtons - First Comes First
Portishead - Dummy
Nine Black Alps - Everything Is

Alphabet Meme

Via the MemMeister, as always.

A: Area code I am in right now: 01325
B: Birthday: April 30
C: current Crush: Emma Caulfield
D: favourite Drink: 'tis the season to be merry, so it has to be the Starbucks Egg Nog Latte.
E: Eating currently: Nothing, it's late and late night snacking is bad!
F: favourite Food: Indian - any good Indian (veggie) dish is to die for.
G: who do you Go to for advice: I don't ask advice, I give it (whether asked for or not!)
H: Happy or sad: Bizarrely happy considering how badly Sunderland are doing this year. The benefits of cat ownership, you see.
I: I think: Wife would disagree with that statement.
J: Job: Software Engineer
K: any Kids: Yeah, one big kid, and that would be me.
L: I Love: You
M: favourite Movie: Stargate
N: phone Number: Don't be silly.
O: Over or Under: Over(worked) and under(paid).
P: favourite Perfume: The subtle musky aroma of Charley's feet.
Q: a Quirk: Don't think I have any. Foibles yes, quirks no.
R: last Road trip: We British don't do "road trips" in the way Americans mean it. We just make journeys by car. The last of those that wasn't just local was to Shipley/Baildon a few weeks ago.
S: a Secret: How to eat as much chocolate as you like without feeling sick or piling on weight.
T: favourite TV show: LOST. Up to Season 2, Episode 9 (nah nah ne nah nah)
U: Underwear colour: It was white many years ago, but by now it's just a murky off-white verging on grey. I suppose I should change them one day.
V: last time in Vegas: Next time maybe, but last time, no.
W: Wishful thinking: Me, Kylie, Tropical Island.
X: X-Rays taken this year: None.
Y: favourite Year: 2001
Z: Zodiac sign: Taurus

Se7en

Via the Meme Meister...

7 things I plan to do before I die:
1. visit as many Greek islands as I can
2. retire to a sunny island (and the sooner the better)
3. grow old
4. see Sunderland win something other than relegation!
5. have a good & happy life
6. ensure Charley has a good & happy life
7. Win more than £8.50 on EuroMillions

7 things I can do:
1. plumbing
2. electrical work
3. order beer in 6 languages
4. eat raw chillis & very hot (spicy) food
5. operate electrical gadgets without needing the manual
6. get up as soon as the alarm clock goes off
7. ten pin bowling

7 things I cannot do:
1. run
2. jump
3. master computer games
4. sudoko
5. think of good  answers for this meme
6. resist chocolate
7. stop spending money

7 things that attract me to the opposite sex:
1. A flowing mane (the colour doesn't matter)
2. curvy figure
3. long legs
4. short skirts
5. large bank account
6. house on a sunny island
7. ability to like me

7 things that I say most often:
1. Charley!
2. clever boy
3. lovely little lad
4. daddy's special boy
5. have a f*cking shot!
6. oh, you dozy....!
7. ah well, there's always next season
    (5, 6 & 7 are from football outings)

7 celebrity crushes:
1. Kylie
2. Drew
3. Penny
4. Rachel
5. Kirsty
6. Tiffany
7. Ali

5 Ways To De-Stress

Via Boblog...
This is my top 5 ways to de-stress. Some I already do, some I can only dream of.

1. Win the Euromillions Lottery jackpot
2. Go to Malta
3. Go to Greece
4. Stroke the cat
5. Stroke the wife

Difficult Music Meme

As always, obtained via Kirsty. These are all just in the order they came to me, and not order of preference.

Top 5 lyrics that move your heart

1. Wires by Athlete.
   Down corridors through automatic doors,
   gotta get to you, gotta see this through.
   Written about a premature baby, I hated this song to start with until gradually the lyrics filtered through and now I can't listen to it without welling up inside.
   First day of your life
   curled up on your own...
   Oh my god I'm blubbing again!
2. Sing For The Moment by Eminem
   Or for anyone who's ever been through shit in their lives
   Till they sit and they cry at night wishin' they'd die
   Till they throw on a rap record and they sit, and they vibe
   We're nothin' to you but we're the fuckin' shit in they eyes
   I guess a lot of people don't get Eminem and a lot can't see past the profanities but almost all of his lyrics are extremely clever, a lot are very funny and some are deeply moving. This song never fails to move me, a song about how music can affect people and how it can give them something to cling to even in the depths of despair.
3. English Summer Rain by Placebo
   English summer rain, nothing ever changes,
   English summer rain, seems to last for ages.
   A truer word was never spoken, the more time I can spend abroad in sunny places the better!
4. I May Be Ugly by The Beautiful South
   And he sings
   I may be ugly
   But I've got the bottle-opener
   He may be fat but he's got the cork-screw
   I love this song, a song about a bloke who fell from the top of the ugly tree and hit every branch on the way down. But at least he can console himself with drink. Beautifully sung, witty but incisive lyrics, I've a feeling Paul Heaton may have written it with himself in mind.
5. Role Model by Eminem
   I've got genital warts and it hurts when I pee.
   Don't you wanna grow up to be just like me?
   Eminem on the stupidity of following what others do or appear to do.
6. Hammering In My Head by Garbage
   In our electric storms and our shifting sands
   Our candy jars and our sticky hands...
   A breathlessly sexy song and one of Garbage's best, most especially when performed live.
   (Oops, did I do 6 here!)

Top 5 instrumentals

I'm not struck on instrumentals, and especially not "rock" ones. Those that I have any liking for at all tend to be dance(ish) tracks.

1. Bulletproof Cupid by Placebo
2. Lily Was Here by Dave Stewart & Candy Dulfer.
3. Crocket's Theme - Jan Hammer
4. American Dream by Jakatta
5. Ecuador by Sash

Top 5 live musical experiences

1. Garbage at Doncaster Dome.
   Quite simply the best concert I've ever been to. If I could live that night again, I would.
2. Kylie at Newcastle Arena
   Superlatives cannot do her justice.
3. Robbie Williams at Newcastle Arena
   Robbie is not just a musical performer, he's a real showman. Entertainment in every sense of the word.
4. U2 at Leeds Roundhay Park.
   Not a U2 fan, I went because I'd enjoyed other huge concerts at Roundhay and U2 were then probably the biggest band in the world, so I thought I owed it to myself to go. the 82,000 crowd was the biggest single attendance for a concert in the UK, up to that point. Took 5 hours to get out of the car park afterwards.
5. The Stranglers at Sunderland Locarno
   The Stranglers were always a good gig, I saw them 3 times, twice at Newcastle City Hall and this time at Sunderland. This was my favourite because the Locarno was basically a nightclub so the audience occupied the dancefloor, which gave you a lot more freedom. The City Hall was a seated venue, and at a "punk" concert seats just get in the way...

Top 5 artists you think more people should listen to
Who am I to say what people should listen to? But if I were to choose...

1. Keane
   Absolutely superb vocals and a cleanness and clarity about the music that really is cutting.
2. Errr, now I'm struggling!

Top 5 albums you must hear from start to finish
What does this mean exactly? I usually listen to albums on random play, so that the track order doesn't get ingrained in my head. Besides which, almost every album has a duff track - even the otherwise perfect Dummy by Portishead has Mysterons as the first track. Take that track away and maybe it would fit the "start to finish" criteria

Top 5 musical heroes

1. Ian Curtis of Joy Division
   Cut down in his prime, his strangely dark vocal style and songwriting (not to mention his "dancing") were the driving force behind the band. Though New Order went on to be successful, they were not the band that Joy Division had been.
2. Kylie Minogue
   A perennial favourite, the true princess of pop.
3. Jay Kay (Jamiroqaui)
   Whetever you might think of "The Twat In The Hat" he's a modern jazz/funk master. I've seen him twice now, both times at The Newcastle Arena, and his shows are fantastic. At the second gig wife passed out (too much wacky baccy wafting about I think) and I just left her to it cos I didn't want to miss the encore! Spellbinding.
4. Duke Erikson of Garbage.
   Proving that even 53 isn't too old to be in a hip & trendy rock band.
5. Robbie Williams
   A real showman (as I said elsewhere). Has his share of problems in his personal life but keeps bouncing back, keeps smiling and keeps up his "don't give a f*ck what you think" attidude.

Top 5 intros

1. Trick Me by Kellis
2. New Rose by The Damned
3. What Difference Does It Make by The Smiths
4. Matinee by Franz Ferdinand
5. Days Before You Came by Placebo

Top 5 songs that take me right back

1. School's Out by Alice Cooper
   The first song that I can remember that we all raved about, at the tender age of 9. Takes me back to Junior School.
2. Master Blaster by Stevie Wonder
   A memorable song from late Secondary School years, could have featured in my Top Intros too, if It went to a Top 10.
3. Tainted Love by Soft Cell
   Out at the time we started frequenting pubs on a regular basis, and was usually on on the Juke Box in said establishments.
4. She's Lost Control by Joy Division
   My favourite Joy Division song, takes me back to my Uni days even though that was just after Ian Curtis died - I still listened to Joy Division incessantly during that period.
5. Lady by Modjo
   Ah, take me back to the Indian Ocean jewels that are The Maldives. Lady was out at the time we went and was produced faithfully and flawlessly by the house band on the island where we stayed.

Top 5 Cover Versions

In the spirit that Kirsty started, I have added a category of my own...
For the most part these are totally different to the originals and in my opinion superior. The exception is Personal Jesus, which is better though largely similar to the original. I already had in mind that I was going to do a "My Top 10 Cover Versions" blog, I guess now I don't need to.

1. Running Up That Hill (Kate Bush) by Placebo
2. Feeling Good (Nina Simone) by Muse
3. Personal Jesus (Depeche Mode) by Marilyn Manson
4. Daddy Cool (Boney M) by Placebo
5. Don't Stop Moving (S Club 7) by The Beautiful South

Alphabetic Music Meme

From the meme queen...

I'm not sure how I was supposed to do this, what I did do was look at my iTunes listings and pick the first song from each letter that made me think "oh yeah, that one"

A Forest - The Cure
Bitch Please II - Eminem
C'Mon Everybody - Eddie Cochrane
Days Before You Came - Placebo
Ebineezer Goode - The Shamen
Face In A Crowd - Kosheen
Get Busy - Sean Paul
Half Day Closing - Portsihead
I'm Tired Of Getting Pushed Around - 3 Men, A Drum Machine And A Trumpet
Jeepster - T-Rex
Kick In The Eye - Bauhaus
Labour Of Love - Hue & Cry
Making Plans For Nigel - XTC
Neat Neat Neat - The Damned
Overkill - Motorhead
Paint It Black - The Rolling Stones
Queer - Garbage
Ready Or Not - The Fugees
Sat In Your Lap - Kate Bush
Take Me I'm Yours - Squeeze
Unbelievable - EMF
Venus - Bananarama
Wandering Star - Portishead
XXPlosive - Dr. Dre
You And The Mona Lisa - Shawn Colvin
Zydeco Sont Pas Sale - Clifton Chenier

10 stupid things you did as a kid

Via Kirsty

1. Played on the railway line
2. Played on the railway line
3. Climbed big trees
4. Climed big trees that hung over the railway line
5. Played on the railway line
6. Put rocks (well, stones, "clemmies" as we called them) on the railway line
7. Played on the railway line
8. Took shortcuts across the railway line
9. Played on the railway line
10. Played on the railway line

Remember kids, do as I say and not as I do, and don't ever play on the railway line.