A Survey for Educated Grown-Ups
MOVIES
Three movies everyone should see someday
Two epics: The Star Wars Saga and The Lord of the Rings Trilogy
and one little movie: Chocolat
Most memorable Oscar moment
There are lots, but one of my favorites was Denzel Washington winning best actor.
Favorite movie to cheer you up
The Philadelphia Story
Movies that make you cry
LOTS of movies make me cry. Miss Potter, The Lake House, Brokeback Mountain. I could go on, but it’ll get silly.
Favorite musical
modern: Moulin Rouge & Rent
classic: White Christmas & The Sound of Music
Favorite foreign-language film
Amelie
Scariest horror movie
I don’t watch horror movies, so the scariest thing I’ve seen is The Sixth Sense
Favorite documentary/docudrama
Does ‘Elizabeth’ count as a docudrama?
Most disturbing movie of all time
Being John Malcovich. I can’t look at marionettes anymore without getting totally creeped out.
Favorite action movie
The Long Kiss Goodnight
Favorite James Bond movie
Not sure, I’ve only ever seen chunks of lots of them.
Star Wars or Star Trek?
both. :P
Favorite Sci-Fi movie
Ugh, just one? I have to give more than one, but i’ll keep it simple. Dune, The Matrix (just the first one, please) and the underrated Titan A.E.
MUSIC
Favorite modern musical artist (still actively performing)
The Decemberists
Favorite classic musical artist (deceased)
The Beatles, Jeff Buckley
Vocalist you would actually want to hear sing the national anthem
Peter Gabriel. I’m sure he’d do something unique and it would end up not sounding like the national anthem at all.
Which song(s) make you think about someone you love?
Our House by CSNY always makes me think of the kitty boys, except I always say three cats in the yard instead of two. :D
What was the first album you bought/heard growing up?
First album I remember hearing was this old calliope album my parents had. First one I ever bought? A Beatles compliation at Bradlees.
Three most-played songs on iTunes/iPod
Not sure as I don’t track songs, but probably ‘I’m Losing You’ by John Lennon, ‘Karma Police’ by Radiohead and ‘The Bandit Queen’ by The Decemberists
Three albums last played on iTunes/iPod
Not sure about iTunes, so I’ll list the last three CDs (remember those?) I’ve listened to: Rufus Wainwright - self titled, Portishead - Dummy, The Postal Service - Give Up
BOOKS
Books on your current reading list (read or about to read)
Aye and Gamorrah - Samuel R. Delaney, The Long Tomorrow - Leigh Brackett, Vellum - Hal Duncan, The Left Hand of Darkness - Ursula K. LeGuin, and various other sci-fi books.
Favorite Shakespeare piece
comedy: Midsummer Night’s Dream
tragedy: tied between Hamlet and MacBeth (Judi Dench + Ian McKellen = Perfection)
Favorite comic book or cartoon strip
mainstream: Batman or Nightwing
indie: Castle Waiting
Which book did you love/hate in high school?
loved: All the Shakespeare
abso-fucking-lutely hated: Thomas Hardy’s ‘Return of the Native’
Favorite fictional character
When I was a kid, it was probably Paddington Bear. (my anglophilia started early)
For adulthood I’ll go with a rather new one as it’s so hard to choose: Remus Lupin
Favorite animated character
Eyeore
ART
Favorite visual artist
I’ll keep it simple here, because I could really ramble: Dave McKean
Museums you have visited
American Museum of Natural History, The Cooper-Hewitt, Museum of Art and Design, The entirety of the Smithsonian in DC, Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago, The Children’s Museum in LA and Boston, Williamsburg, Jamestown, Plymouth Plantation, Salem, The Thomas Edison Labs and Estate, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Cloisters, Kennedy Space Center, I’m probably forgetting a few.
If you were a professional artist, what kind of artist would you be?
I am one and I do visual stuff of all kinds, digital, textile and tactile stuff.
Favorite type of live performance event
Dunno, probably big rock shows, but it really depends on the event. I’ve had better times at some plays than I have at some rock shows.
Best concert / play / show that you have actually attended
Peter Gabriel on the Growing Up tour
FAVORITES
Favorite clothing brand
Clothes have brands?
Favorite item of clothing you own
My hoodies
What colors look best on you?
blues, earth tones
If you could have any animal as a pet, what would it be?
I already have the three best kitty boys in the universe. Who could ask for more?
If you had to spend a million dollars without tax implications, what would you buy?
A house with enough room for a huge, multi-room creative studio, fully loaded with the awesomest computers and equipment I could get.
Favorite beverage
apple juice or tea
Favorite American president in history
Thomas Jefferson
Famous person - alive or dead - that you would have lunch with
A short list: Stephen Jay Gould, Yoko Ono and her husband, Neil Gaiman, Cory Doctorow
FUTURE & PAST
Where do you want to retire to?
I’m already here. Or possibly London.
What worries you the most about the future?
I try not to think about the future, but if I’m honest, money worries me most.
Major turning point(s) in your life and how things might have turned out differently
Breaking up with the only guy I’ve ever dated. Damn-o would I have gone down a different path if I stayed with him. *shivers*
Describe the best or worst day of your life so far
I’ve had lots and lots of great days, I’m really quite blessed. Worst is the flood, the anniversary is only in a couple days, too. Actually, that day seemed to last three and half long months. Definitely my crucible and I came out the other end fundamentally changed forever. Describing the actual day isn’t really necessary here, the impact it had and what came out of it is much more important.
What did you want to grow up to be? Why didn’t you become that?
A paleontologist. I suck at chemistry and wasn’t focused enough as a kid to really go after it.
Your idea of a perfect day yet to come
Waking up with a view of the Thames, having a ‘full breakfast’ (minus the sausages and black pudding), wandering through Temple Church and St. John’s Gate (and museum), having a ploughman’s at a pub, walking though Hyde Park, etc, etc. You get the idea.
