the things you see (and the things you don't)

This is the second of the blogging series things that's been going around, where you say 10 things about yourself other people probably didn't know, (so I guess "I'm tall, dark and deadly" is out? :) I've been tagged, again, so thanks again.

1. I spent the first 14 years of my life living under a rock. It's coz that was a time when it was really important who's a bright one and who's not and I was, well, THE bright one. So I didn't feel like I had to do anything anyone else was doing, in fact, I thought it should be the other way round. More often than not, it wasn't. Anyway, as a result, I don't drink, smoke, rave, or like Nameless and P-Square.

2. I don't do Coast. At all! It's coz of all that heat and humidity, and I'm tall dark and deadly so for me it's like the sun is on the seat next to mine. The first time I went there (and only time, I think) was work related. And you better believe I tried to break my leg the week before so they'd let me out of it. Turns out our primal instinct for avoiding pain is like a knee-jerk reaction - so I dropped the anvil, and then quickly jumped out of the way.

3. I'm not sporty, and I don't like sports. Except when it's Serena playing tennis. It's the only time I'll sit down to watch a game. So it follows that I never really learnt how to swim (and I've just discovered enough people can't swim - look at that, me lost in a crowd :), or basketball, even though I was genuinely interested as a child, and there was a court where we used to live. When Tree Hill came in '03 it brought back so many memories.

4. Funds allowing, I would not stop buying little tech gadgets. The Nexus One, Sennheiser headphones, an iPod, a Playstation 3, a Macbook, music cd's (not really, I'm too used to torrents now), a Kindle, the Harman Kardon sound system, a flat panel TV, a blu-ray player, and the Canon Rebel 450d. I cannot get enough of electronics. And I don't believe in that one-device-does-all nonsense of a walkman phone that has a camera (sorry Sony). The all-in-one is never as good as the individual devices.

5. I'm not full-blown a control freak, but a really big part of why I stopped watching broadcast TV (yes, even satellite) was that I can't forward/rewind/skip at will. When something jumps out at me I want to see it again. When there's a gun fight and the other guy is not Sylvester Stallone or Steven Segal I want to fast-forward [or maybe just skip the whole movie all together] coz I already know how that's gonna end. When commercial breaks are coming 16 a show like they do on NTV (really, they must have like a buy one get 14 free package) I want to throw the remote at the TV. So I only do DVD.

6. A lot of the stuff I say is actually inspired by the things I watch and the songs I listen to. Like there was a point I'd memorized Chandler. Maybe that's why I start every sentence "So..." But either people don't watch the same shows I do or stuff doesn't hit them as hard as it does me, coz they don't seem to notice. But I always adapt it to whatever the current situation is, so that could be part of it. (I am also very modest; I'm only doing this ten things under great duress :)

7. I appreciate quality and effort, in programs, ads, music, cars, clothes, but not in food - food I don't really care. Especially ads, coz they actively try to get a point across. If you make an ad and put a subliminal message in it I'll probably get it, and I'll love you for it (my best remains the Peugeot 307 ad from 08 where it's sitting under a tree, a dove drops sh!t on it, then a short time later, flies down and wipes it all off with its wing. Ostensibly, it noticed that the car was a 307. Then they write down there "Clean hybrid technology. Nature will remember." And also the Beamer clips with Clive Owen from back in '05 - I saw all 8 of them) I really don't get why a newspaper would have a spelling/grammatical error on page 3, or even at all!

8. A hundred years ago I used to be a fan of R&B. I can still remember in high school skyving preps to go listen to Hot 7 at 7 on Kiss. And then one day I walked past a guy's room who had Arms Wide Open on repeat, and then I heard How You Remind Me on PM Drive (those days when Phil Matthews used to be the isht and Capital belonged to Lynda Holt). It was like I'd seen the light, and I've never looked back. Right now there's very little I can stand that's not rock, except for dancehall and ragga where there's nothing I CAN stand.

9. I tease people. A lot. But it's not to be mean. Partly it's because I can, but mostly it's that if it was me they were teasing I'd still find it funny, so I expect them to as well. I can't help it. If we can't diss each other then I can't be around you.

10. 10 other things I can't stand: radio presenters other than Rick Dees (he's brilliant), the smell of goat meat, movies by that guy called Ben Stiller, Monday mornings, and by extension Sunday nights, that KTN robot, generally meat, cockroaches and rats, the way people misuse "...of which..." in all their sentences, trousers that aren't straight fit, insecurity, clinginess.

11. I'm christian, but I don't believe in dissociating with non-saved people. And approximately once every month I have a minor freakout about is there an afterlife, incarnation, and things like that. So I ask God for a sign but it doesn't come, or comes very well disguised so I can't associate it with my prayer. 

12. I think Omen is the scariest movie I've ever seen, and I've seen The Exorcist, the original Dracula, Stigmata, Exorcism of Emily Rose, Orphan and Antichrist. That reminds me, another thing I can't stand - slasher movies. Anything by Rob Zombie, One Missed Call, the Final Destinations, Friday The 13th, Halloween, that kind of "horror". First it's not scary, and that storyline is SO played out - guy in a mask or mummy dress kills everyone one by one except the star, who'll probably die in the sequel (ya, they always have a sequel). Please! For me to like a picture it has to appear like the maker was trying, like they thought about it.

13. I like being comfortable. I probably rate it my number one priority. So I want a house at the über-trendy Atrium now coming up in Kilimani. Although I do know that's probably a pipe dream. And I don't like hatchbacks, but I've been in a Mini Cooper (after they got bought by BMW), and it was like I'd died and gone to heaven. So yes, whatever Beamer makes I'll eat up, except the X6. There's really no way I can sell that one.

14. I can't sing so I don't do karaoke. And I can't dance coz it's never come up - or I have hand-leg coordination issues, whatever. Anyway, I secretly wish I could. I've even been enrolling at Destiny for the longest time.

15. I despise local government, with all my heart I despise them, and I hope none of them reads blogs, (coz I think this is treason) I just don't get the sense they care about people. And I don't get the sense they want to lead so much as they want to be seen as being powerful. They're not in it to make a change. If only presidents were like that one from The West Wing (best show ever! btw)

16. I'm the silent type, and I don't do well with crowds. No, it's not coz I think people are shallow (although I used to growing up), it's probably coz I like the weirdest things, and I might have controversial views, so I feel I'll be judged. Yes I do care what people think, but I'll be damned if they can tell! I hide it really well.

17. I got a Sansa (Sandisk's answer to the iPod) so I could lock out the rest of the world, and also coz I love music so much I want to take it out back and make babies with it (I'm really hoping you watch 30 Rock coz that could so easily be misinterpreted...)

18. 18 songs that were watershed moments for me: Creed - With Arms Wide Open; Tupac - Life Goes On; Eminem - Sing for the Moment; Snow Patrol - Chasing Cars; The Fray - How to Save a Life; Missy Higgins - Where I Stood; Lifehouse - Broken; Yellowcard - Shadows and Regrets; Casting Crowns - The Altar and The Door (it was playing the day my mum and I rolled with the car); T.I. - Ready for Whatever; DJay - Hustle & Flow; Wyclef Jean - 80 Bars; Lupe Fiasco - Superstar; Hillsong - To The Ends of The Earth; Linkin Park - New Divide; Madonna - This Used To Be My Playground; Dixie Chicks - Not Ready To Make Nice; Simple Plan - Welcome To My Life; Skillet - Will You Be There (this is the song that made me wish I could sing!); Athlete - Wires

19. I have a very acute sense of what's important and what's not. So when you ask a question you're likely to get a two word answer. But they'll be the two words that exactly tell you what you wanted to know. I don't volunteer information I don't think will change your life unless you specifically ask for it. Which conflicts with me being a chatterbox above, no? Ya, I'm enigmatic that way :)

20. I read books. A lot. But I don't follow pop culture. If it's not a biography for a person whose life I've found intriguing, like Hillary or Lee Iaccoca, the title has to jump out at me first. I'm much more likely to read a book called The Cure for Death By Lightning or The Life of Pi than the next Sidney Sheldon best seller. And I definitely don't do self help. EVER!

Huh, there seems to be a lot to say. I'd never actually sat down to analyze myself. Anyway, this is the one subject on which I'm THE authority so I've immensely enjoyed it. But, the list had to end sometime, now seems as good a time as any.

Tagged = bryo, alex, muhu, mashinc, tinman, mia, (and, just for fun) fakesteve

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