I’ve been tagged again - this time it’s Sandi from Holding Patterns. She wants to know seven random or weird facts about me, and thinks you will all be interested in them too!
Hmm … I’m not sure how many more weird facts you need to know. You already know that I am something of a Johnny Depp fan, and have one or two bits of movie memorabilia dotted about the place. You already know that I love creepy crawlies and keep retired racing greyhounds as pets. And you already know that I use colourful language …
So let me think.
Um.
1 - I love Paganini. Something about that edgy violin music does something really nice for me. And the violin and guitar sonatas are truly beautiful. And the trios, too. He was an interesting guy, too - possibly autistic, judging by the accounts of his life. Bear in mind when listening to those links that Paganini is notoriously difficult to play. The timing seems a little off in the first one, particularly. You need to get a good recording to really appreciate it.
2 - I’m addicted to the old Patrick McGoohan TV series ‘The Prisoner’ and ‘Danger Man’. I first became aware of McGoohan when The Prisoner came on TV back in the late sixties. It was innovative and intriguing and I, along with a lot of other people, including OH, was hooked. Later on, I looked up what else he’d done and found the old Danger Man series. It’s so dated, and yet there’s still something good there. Sadly, the movies that he did aren’t that great, most of ‘em, but the TV stuff I like.
3 - I hate the feel of silk. It seems to catch on my fingers and yet it feels oily to me, somehow. If I ever touch any accidentally in a shop, I know what it is and I can’t rid myself of the urge to wipe my hand on something. And I can’t get over the way it’s produced. You see, I hate cruelty to animals and it seems to me that people are only concerned about animal welfare when the animals are cute, exotic, or fluffy or feathered. Getting silk off cocoons by plunging the whole insect into boiling water doesn’t seem to get them excited, but I hate it.
4 - I don’t drink. Not for any moral or ethical or religious reason, but because I’ve had oral cancer and was advised not to drink spirits any more. I was told I could drink beer or wine, but … I have a problem with yeast so that’s out, too. Oh, well. I don’t really miss it anymore and it can be quite interesting being the only sober person at a party. Tee hee.
5 - I love to learn new things but tend to get bored easily. During the course of my life I can’t tell you how many hobbies I’ve had or evening classes I’ve started but not finished.  Seed picture making, model making, drawing, painting in oils, embroidery, soft toy making, knitting, crochet, jewellery making, gardening, collecting this and that, learning languages, musical instruments etc … mostly I give up, sooner or later. Photography and jewellery making - those are two that have endured. And I still quite like crochet now and then, but I get bored. Bored bored bored.
6 - I have never been to Europe. Silly really, isn’t it? I was going to go to France when I was a teenager. My friend and I had it all arranged and then my Mum vetoed it. She thought it was dangerous and played on my fears until I agreed to cancel it. Since then, her early training has stood me in good stead. I am terrified of being in a country where I can’t speak the language fluently (serious allergies are partly to blame for that) and of all the exotic diseases you can apparently pick up at the drop of a hat. She was a nurse and yeah, she did that to me.  But I’ve been to America and New Zealand. See? Silly. Maybe we’ll fix the Europe thing this winter.
7 - I have always wanted to own a horse. When I was a child, I asked my parents to buy me one for Christmas. They laughed in my face. ‘Where do you suppose you’ll keep it?’ they asked. I thought the balcony was a fine idea. I said it could ride up and down in the lift. You see, we lived on the eighth floor of a block of flats in the middle of London. I did eventually learn to ride, and I went riding quite a lot as a teenager. I also went on riding holidays and I helped exercise a pony kept as a pet by a man in our village. Now, OH and I are taking Western riding lessons and we’re having great fun! I’d love to think that one day we might own a horse of our own, but we’re now old and creaky and I doubt either of us could manage the physical labour involved in caring for one.
So, there you have my seven random weird facts. Actually perhaps they’re not so weird, but it’s the best I can do, and I’d like to see who can do better! Therefore, I tag Katherine from The Last Visible Dog (who very kindly found TV Kiwi for me the other day), Jenn from Of Cabbages and Kings, Liz from Finding Life Hard?, Kate from iRamble, Geri Atric from Ageing Ungracefully, Somnambulist from Somnambulistic Ramblings, and Lindsay from Rural Villager, which is a new blog to me, but I like it a lot so far.
Here are the rules:
1. Link to your tagger and list these rules on your blog.
2. Share 7 facts about yourself on your blog - some random, some weird.
3. Tag 7 people at the end of your post by leaving their names as well as links to their blog.
4. Let them know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.
oooh, a swearing lady that doesn’t drink !!!!!… also, it’s a shame you don’t travel, but i am not ones of those who says YOU MUST travel…. thats crap… I travel because I love it …. that doesn’t mean everyone should do it !
Amazing what you learn from the blogapshere…..
Moons last blog post..My top 5 ……
Random or weird … Hmmm…. or, presumably, both. Well, I found yours interesting, so let’s assume someone, you at least, will find MY revelations interesting. Thank you for the tag. I think.
Katherines last blog post..Eye Candy Day 3
I never could get to grips with ‘The Prisoner’ What was it all about - That great big bouncing ball? I too don’t drink, and for no other reason than I just went off it. I don’t like the taste, or the feeling I get from it any more.
Very interesting :O)
Babs - beetles last blog post..A Halloween Special
Well if I ‘couldn’t’ drink, I’d be half my size! So count yourself lucky. I’m with you on the horsey thing but was fortunate enough to have a pony from being 12 years old. My Nanna sent me $400 and I bought one. Had horses ever since. I don’t ride any more cos I can’t get back on if I fall off! I’m so surprised you’ve never been to Europe it’s so close I envy your proximity. Its a 28 hour flight for us! Clare has a saying ‘never listen to what “they” say - “they” are always wrong!’ It’s her dictum for travel and look where she’s been!
I love these getting to know you memes!
OK… working on the tag thing… may take me a little while
Somnambulists last blog post..Phriday Photo XIV
p.s. A word of caution. France is still dangerous. Last time I was there for a week I put on ten pounds.
Somnambulists last blog post..Bratwurstdorf Olympiad, 2008
Moon - Well, the sad thing is that I love seeing new and different things, and I love old culture, buildings, etc and the natural wonders - like the thermal areas in NZ and Bryce. I’m just a scaredy cat. I should start saying ‘fuck it’ more often, huh?
Katherine - Personally, I can’t wait to see what you come up with!
Babs - Ah, the Prisoner! What’s it all about, indeed! Many hours have been spent discussing the philosophy of the Prisoner! I believe it’s an allegory. It’s about losing yourself to ‘the machine’ of society, and the struggle for your identity and individuality to survive. Sometimes it’s your own self which will sabotage your attempts to progress, sometimes it’s an outside influence.
Rover - the big bouncing ball - may be the embodiment of the will of society to make you conform. Sometimes it will submerge you but the individual will keep trying although the odds seem overwhelming. Or it could simply represent the punishments society will inflict on your for daring to go your own way.
It’s interesting that there is no No. 1 in the series. That’s because No. 1 is always yourself. No. 2, being the power that subjugates you, will change as you overcome certain odds only to be confronted with the next problem. Just like life, really.
And if you do succeed in being your own person and living life according to your own personal ethics, people will respect you, though they may not like you. You will have ‘escaped’.
There. See? Now go watch it again.
Baino - LOL! Yes, people forget how many calories there are in alcohol, don’t they?
I envy you your Nanna’s gift and pony ownership in the rural (or was it semi-rural?) situation you were in. I would have been in heaven.
I thought I couldn’t get back on without a mounting block until we did the Red Canyon ride, then I found that in the middle of nowhere with forty people looking at me, and no mounting block in sight, I actually could get on by myself. LOL! I guess the trick is to have a small enough horse.
Somnambulist - ROFL! Oh yes, I’m well aware of that particular danger!
I’ll watch for your tag. No worries, no hurry. But I’ll be keeping my beady eye on you.
That’s very interesting about the silk Jay. I once had a childhood friend who couldn’t stand to touch cotton wool. Personally, it’s certain sounds that send me crazy!
Anyway, thanks for the tag (I think!) Seven random weird facts about me? OK, I’ll have a go.
Geri Atrics last blog post..CRANKY GRANNY
I came over to thank you for the kind comments on my blog. Looks like I came on a good day! Fun to read about you. I was 10 when I called about a job so I could buy a horse. I talked really, really fast about all the things I was willing to do, and when I took a breath, the lady said, “How old did you say you were?” She really couldn’t hire a 10 year old, she explained, and so, alas, I never got the horse.
Tracies last blog post..Leslie and the Aliens
I’m agog…I love Paganini, hate silk (for the exact same reasons you stated) and I’m laughing my ass off at you never visiting Europe as you are literally a boat ride away! No, a TUNNEL away! What is the matter with girlfriend? Get thy ass on a boat and take it to France…then haul ass to Germany…I can teach you what German I know…brasserie…umstoppemfromfloppin and the word for vaseline is of course umveinerslider…lets see if they’res anything else…no? oh, and the Netherlands…no know any dutch, but try the German I taught you and see if anyone answers!
hugs (in Spanish)
Sandi
Sandi McBrides last blog post..A Ghost Story
Opps, me again…I meant to tell you that yes, the Ghost story is true, he was my uncle, Martus Douglas…
more hugs…this time in Greek
Sandi
Sandi McBrides last blog post..A Ghost Story
Danger Man is the first thing I can remember seeing on the telly. It was the negative film effect they used at the beginning which stuck in my mind at such a young age.
That overlocker looks viscious BTW.
VPs last blog post..GBDW - Sheds & Outbuildings
Geri - Oh good! I’m glad you’re going to join in!
Cotton wool? Well, we all have our triggers, don’t we? To me, that’s odd, but then most women would LOVE to be wearing silk, whereas all I’d want to do is rip it off me!
Tracie - I did lots of odd jobs when I was ten or so, but I never thought I could afford a horse that way! I remember being offered one for £500 by the riding stable I was going to at the time and being really upset that my Mum wouldn’t lend it to me! Pretty little bay mare called Spring. Of course, I had no idea of the cost of keeping a horse at that time. I know better now!
Sandi - I know! I must do it. OH wants to go to France or Italy, and we really must.
So you love Paganini too! I have quite a lot of the recordings, from the Centone di Sonate to the quartets and symphonies - and the odd things like The Witches and the Caprices. I think one of the first things I heard was Moto perpetuo, but wasn’t particularly interested until I heard one of those lovely violin and guitar sonatas.
So the ghost was your Uncle! I’m glad it was a true story!
VP - You must be younger than me! I think the first ‘action’ series I remember on TV was ‘77 Sunset Strip’ - which I wasn’t allowed to watch, being only about six or seven. LOL!
we have a lot in common sandy
sandys last blog post..Vacation or rehab????
Only seven???? I am honoured! I’ll give it a go!!!
I thought I was the Only Person In The World that did NOT like the feel of silk. There is something almost ’slimy’ about the texture.
meleah rebeccahs last blog post..Whiskey Tango Foxtrot?
Sandy - We do? Tell me more!
Kate - Excellent! I’ll look out for it!
Meleah - Oh no. Although it feels all wrong to be a woman who doesn’t like silk, doesn’t it? Especially when you’re in a shop and you ask if a dress or a shirt is silk - the assistant will say with pride ‘Yes, it is!’ and we’ll say ‘Well, I don’t want it then! Take the horrible thing away!’
Their face is always a picture, is it not?