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I have often been asked about which particular authors, quotes, movies, music, TV series I like most, including other people I have come to admire over the years. So, especially for you, I have listed them all here. Below is a recent survey that was passed to me by a friend to complete when I was supposed to be using my time working productively. All lists will be updated periodically. |
( to be updated periodically )
Name? .......... John Walker.
Eye colour? .......... Yellow with tinges of light green.
Shoe size? .......... 8.
Height? .......... 5' 8''.
Naval: Innie or Outie? .......... Innie.
What are you wearing right now? .......... black combat pants, black T-shirt, padded shirt.
What are your favorite movies? .......... That is a long list I update regularly. If you have too much time on your hands one weekend, you can browse my list by clicking on the following link:
What are your favorite TV series? .......... I prefer movies to TV, but some series have captured my interest, imagination and appealed to my sense of humor over the years. It's another long list so here's the link:
What are your favorite quotes? .......... Quotes can be inspirational and perfect for highlighting the theme of a story when used at the front of a book. It's another list I update regularly:
How much money do you have on you right now? .......... At this moment nothing! I don’t sit with anything in my pockets. My wallet is in the drawer and I have no idea how much is in it.
Best place to go for a date? .......... I love the cinema, but other people who are inconsiderate and make noise through the movie piss me off. I would opt for a good restaurant.
Your favourite kind of pants? .......... Black combat pants and black denims.
Your favourite number? .......... 13.
Your favourite boys Name(s)? .......... John, Jack, Jake, Vincent.
Your favourite girls Name(s)? .......... Miriam, Cecilia, Natasha.
Your favourite animal(s)? .......... Wolves, German Shepherd dogs.
Your favourite drink(s)? .......... Black coffee, red wine, Guinness, water.
Your favourite month? .......... I don’t have a particular favourite.
Your favourite juice? .......... Apple.
Your favourite sandwich? .......... Subway. My favorite is the "Spicy Italian": pepperoni, salami, olives, lettuce, tomato, peppers, jalapenos, red onion and BBQ Sauce. Now that’s what I call a sandwich! I am sold on Subway. I'll also have a black coffee to go with that.
Your favourite breakfast? .......... Toast and black coffee.
Your favourite cartoon character(s)? .......... Road Runner, Charlie Brown and Johnny Bravo.
Your favourite comic book(s) / graphic novel(s)? .......... Batman, 2000AD, Sin City, Road to Perdition. I’m also a big Manga fan, particularly Akira, Ghost in the Shell and Cyber City.
Your favourite authors? .......... Here are some of my favorites in alphabetical order: Douglas Adams, Chuck Barris, William Peter Blatty, Charles Bukowski, Arthur C. Clarke, Michael Crichton, Robert Daley, Philip K. Dick, William Diehl, Robert "Bob" Forward, Ron Hansen, William Harrison, Joseph Heller, K. W. Jeter, Mark Kermode, Ken Kesey, Stephen King, Dean Koontz, Stanislaw Lem, Herbert Lieberman, Stephanie Merritt, James Mitchell, Michael Palin, Joe Queenan, M.J. Rose, Gerald Seymour, Martin Cruz Smith, Whitley Strieber, Hunter S. Thompson, Joseph Wambaugh, H.G. Wells.
Your favourite music? .......... Again in alphabetical order: Lee Aaron, Adele, Aerosmith, Anastacia, The Animals, Arch Enemy, The Bangles, Cecilia Bartoli, Beryl Court, Kate Bush, David Bowie, Belinda Carlisle, Johnny Cash, Eric Clapton, Ry Cooder, The Cranberries, Def Leppard, Duffy, The Eagles, Enya, Eurythmics, Evanescence, Girlschool, Sara Evans, Heart, Fleetwood Mac, Guns 'N' Roses, Joan Jett, Bon Jovi, Mark Knopfler, Lacuna Coil, Led Zeppelin, Lotus, Luna Jade, Cristina Scabbia, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Martina McBride, Kirsty McColl, Meat Loaf, Alanis Morissette, Stevie Nicks, Nightwish, Joan Osborne, Paramore, The Police, The Pretenders, Pink Floyd, The Pogues, Queen, Seether, Sting, Tarja Turunen, Vangelis, We Are The Fallen, Within Temptation ... including a large pile of movie soundtracks and classical music.
( Have you ever ... )
Given anyone a bath? .......... Yes.
Smoked? .......... Yes. I used to smoke 20 Marlboros a day, but I don’t anymore.
Made yourself throw-up? .......... Yes. When I was ill and felt nauseous; I felt better after I had got it up.
Gone skinny dipping? .......... No.
Made out with a member of the same sex? .......... No way! No how! Not ever!
Put your tongue on a frozen pole? .......... No. I’ve never had the compulsion to do that.
Loved someone so much it made you cry? .......... Yes.
Broken a bone? .......... My nose (5 times. I used it to prevent fists from going through the back of my head), the knuckle of my right hand, the little toe on my right foot.
Played truth or dare? .......... Yes. During a party once.
Been in a police car? .......... Yes. But only because I was reporting a possible crime and giving the cops directions.
Taken a journey by plane? .......... It's scheduled in for the very near future.
Came close to dying? .......... A few times. It's a profound experience.
Been in a sauna? .......... When I used to workout at a gym years ago, before I got my own set of weights.
Been in a hot tub? .......... Not yet.
Fallen asleep in school? .......... Been close to it a few times.
Ran away from home when you were a kid? .......... No.
Had your heart broken? .......... Yes.
Cried when someone died? .......... Yes.
Cried in school? .......... No.
Fell off your chair? .......... Yes. I rocked back on it too far and ended up on my back. It always causes so much hilarity.
Sat by the phone all night waiting for someone to call? .......... No.
Saved e-mails? .......... Yes.
Made out with/kissed just a friend? .......... Yes.
Used someone? .......... No. I’ve had it done to me and it sucks!
( What is ... )
Your good luck charm? .......... I don't have one.
Best song you ever heard? .......... I have too many favourites to pick just one.
What is beside you? .......... A pile of papers, 3 reference books, all for my work and an empty coffee cup.
What kind of shampoo do you use? .......... The cheap stuff; I shave my head every day so it doesn’t really matter what brand I use to clean the stubble on my head before I put the razor to it.
Who makes you laugh? .......... Douglas Adams, Woody Allen, Ronni Ancona, Alan Arkin, Tom Baker, John Bishop, John Candy, Billy Connolly, Jack Dee, Omid Djalili, Adrian Edmondson, Harry Enfield, Kenny Everett, W.C. Fields, Dawn French, Eddie Izzard, Stephen Lang, Robert Llewellyn, Walter Matthau, Rik Mayall, Spike Milligan, Eddie Murphy, Bill Murray, Dara O'Briain, Richard Pryor, Monty Python, Adam Sandler, Jennifer Saunders, Peter Sellers, Will Smith, Catherine Tate, Ricky Tomlinson, Paul Whitehouse, Gene Wilder.
( Ever Had ... )
Chicken pox, mumps or measles? .......... All 3.
Sore Throat? .......... Yes. I get one whenever the temperature drops.
Stitches? .......... Yes.
Do you wear contact lenses or glasses? .......... Glasses for reading.
What are you listening to right now? .......... Nothing.
Gotten any awards? .......... Do college certificates and qualifications count?
What car do you wish to have? .......... I haven’t thought about it lately.
Good driver? .......... Yes. I’m a cautious driver.
Good singer? .......... No way.
Have a lava lamp? .......... No. Never wanted one either.
How many remote controls are in your house? .......... 4: TV, VCR, DVD player and stereo.
Can you describe your accent? .......... I have a north-east Brit accent. If you watch the movie Dog Soldiers (2002), listen to the actor Darren Morfitt who plays 'Spoon' Witherspoon. I sound a lot like him.
What do you dream about? .......... Being in a position where I can be content with the knowledge that I did my best and I’ve done enough.
When did you last take a shower? .......... 2 hours ago.
( Do you like ... )
Scary or Funny Movies? .......... Both. Although some supposedly scary movies are so badly made they’re actually funny.
Chocolate or vanilla? .......... Chocolate.
Rootbeer or Dr. Pepper? .......... Neither.
Skiing or snowboarding? .......... I haven’t tried either.
Summer or winter? .......... Winter. I love snow.
Silver or Gold? .......... I have no preference.
Sprite or 7up? .......... Neither.
Coffee or tea? .......... Black coffee - no sugar.
Phone or in person? .......... In person.
Indoors or Outdoors? .......... Indoors.
( Have you ... )
Ever been in a fight with your pet? .......... What a stupid question! Hell no!
Been to California? .......... Not yet, but it's planned.
Been to Mexico? .......... Not yet, but it's planned.
Been to Canada? .......... Not yet, but it's planned.
Been to Europe? .......... Yes.
What book are you reading now? .......... At present none; I’ve been too busy working, but I have a pile set aside I plan to read.
Favourite sports to watch? .......... Boxing and baseball.
Who do you really hate? .......... I try not to hate anyone for their failings, but malicious, self-centred liars and users really piss me off.
Have you ever liked someone? .......... Ummm ... yes. Hasn’t everyone?
Have you ever cried? .......... Yes.
Song that's stuck in your head right now? .......... Lithium, by Evanescence.
Have you ever gotten beat up? .......... Yes, but I gave as good as I got.
Have you ever been on radio/TV? .......... Both.
Ever liked someone but thought they never noticed you? .......... Yes.
Your Favourite Meal? .......... Italian, Chinese, sea food or a roast dinner: roast potatoes (there's no such rule as "too many on the plate" in my kitchen), Yorkshire puddings, carrots, cabbage, spinach - pile the plate high and drown it in gravy!
Hugs or Kisses? .......... Both.
Cats or Dogs? .......... Dogs first but I do like cats also; the Russian Blue is my favorite.
How many pillows do you sleep with? .......... 2.
What was your first job? .......... I delivered newspapers when I was a kid.
When did you go to your first funeral? .......... When I was 8-years-old.
Where did you live the first time you moved out of your parents’ house? .......... My own flat.
What is the first thing you do in the morning? .......... Yawn, rub my eyes and scratch.
What was the first concert you ever went to? .......... Meat Loaf in 1983. A great band called Rage supported.
First tattoo or piercing? .......... I have never had either.
First celebrity crush? .......... Stefanie Powers when she starred in the TV series Hart to Hart.
Age of first kiss? .......... 12.
First crush? .......... A girl called Natalie from Primary School.
First word? .......... I don't remember.
First broken bone and when? .......... Nose. When I was 13. I was an amateur boxer during my teen years.
First CD? .......... I can't remember which CD I first bought, which is strange because it's more recent but I do remember the first Vinyl album I bought as a kid: Bat Out Of Hell, by Meat Loaf.
First favourite movie? .......... I have seen so many over the years I can't remember.
Age you were the first time you ever got drunk? .......... 14.
First class you ever failed? .......... Math. I have dyscalculia. It's a good job I have fingers and toes otherwise I would never make it to 20.
Your favourite subject(s) at school? .......... English and literature.
First favourite food? .......... Fish and chips.
First detention? .......... When I was 12. I got into an argument with my chemistry teacher.
Are you a devil or an angel? .......... I can be both.
Shy? .......... No.
Sarcastic? .......... Not normally, but people who are sarcastic towards me bring it out. If they can't take it they shouldn’t dish it out.
Daydreamer? .......... Yes. It's an occupational requirement.
Do you care about the way you look? .......... No, I never have.
Do you have neat or messy handwriting? .......... It's scrawl. The individual who invented the typewriter saved my life.
Do you have many close friends? .......... Not many. Those I do consider friends are very close to my heart.
Do you collect anything? .......... Books, movies on DVD and music CDs.
Do you hate yourself? .......... No, I am content with who I am. I don’t want to be anyone else and inherit their problems.
Do you wear hats? .......... A woollen one outside in the cold, baseball cap in the summer, Trilby when I'm doing party-piece impersonations of Chuck Barris from The Gong Show. Hat I like best is my black Fedora.
Did you do well in school? .......... Only in English and literature; those were the only subjects I cared about.
Do you believe in miracles? .......... Yes.
Do you regularly read a newspaper? .......... There have been so many lies printed in those rags I think the only thing they’re good for is lighting fires with and keeping take-away food warm on the way home.
Do you remember your first love? .......... It was a crush, not love, and yes I do.
Do you still love her? .......... I remember her fondly, but it wasn’t really love.
Do you have any gay or lesbian friends? .......... Yes.
What is your favourite type of restaurant? .......... Italian and Chinese.
Do you believe there is life on other planets? .......... There’s life on this one, even if it's debatable on whether most of it is truly intelligent, so life on others is possible.
Do you believe in UFOs? .......... Yes. I saw one when I was a kid.
Do you believe in God and/or Angels? .......... I believe in both. You can't believe in one without the other.
What was the last thing you ate? .......... A chicken, ham and mushroom omelette about an hour ago.
What was the last movie you saw? .......... Brotherhood of the Wolf, on DVD.
What was the last book you read? .......... Mephisto, by Klaus Mann.
What other thing should you be doing instead of this survey? .......... My book. I need to get back to work.
Have you ever kicked a guy in the balls? .......... Yes and I’ve been kicked in mine too.
Have you ever wanted to be a bank robber? .......... Only if they didn’t put you in jail for it.
Have you ever been considered a hooker? .......... LMAO! No! Never!
Do you spend much time on the computer? .......... I have to - it's my job.
Do you know how to drive a car or motorcycle? .......... Both.
Do you do drugs? .......... Does aspirin for an occasional headache count?
Do you own a web cam? .......... No.
Do you have any tattoos or piercings? .......... Neither. Didn't I just answer that question?
Do you like roller coasters? .......... Yes.
Do you twirl your hair? .......... I have a full head of hair, if I let it grow, but I prefer to keep my head shaved completely bald.
Do you dye your hair? .......... See my answer above.
Who do you most admire? .......... Jesus, for everything. Remember: 1 cross + 3 nails = 4 given!
I admire dedication and tenacity; people who never give up on what is important to them, including those in the police, emergency and military services. They are the true heroes in this world.
A few others whom I have come to admire over the years are: Hunter Campbell "Patch" Adams, M.D., Javier Bardem, James J. Braddock, Wyatt Earp, Anne Frank, James Garner, Erin Gruwell, John Hurt, Michael Ironside, Stanley Kubrick, John Leguizamo, Lee Marvin, Paul Newman, Patrick Moore, Jack Nicholson, Christopher Reeve, Ving Rhames, Telly Savalas, Oskar Schindler, Peter Sellers, Rod Steiger, Ricky Tomlinson, Dr. Jeffrey Wigand, Bruce Willis, James Woods and Edward Woodward.
I give special mention to Batman. No matter he's a fictional character. He's a vigilante who really kicks evil in the ass! In fact, he's kicked more ass than you and I have sat on!
What is your favourite colour? .......... Black. I get up every morning and wonder which shade of it I am going to wear.