draliman on life

Here is my post for Melanie’s Share Your World.

How did you spend the money from your very first job?
I had a summer job for three months before going to university. I don’t recall spending the money on anything specific, it was just to get me some extra cash. However, the summer after my first year I had another summer job and I spent that on stereo equipment – speakers, tuner, record deck etc.

Would You Rather Look Like A Potato, Or Feel Like A Potato?
What? What? Potato? What?

Obviously I don’t want to look like a potato. Is that feel like a potato to the touch or experience the feelings of a potato? Either way, no thanks. I know it’s a one or the other question but these are no-win choices!

What was the best pair of shoes you have owned?
I have absolutely no idea. They’ve been almost all trainers throughout my life, they come, they wear out, and they go. The current ones are Nike.

Besides war and diplomacy, what would be the best way for countries to settle disputes?
That doesn’t leave all that much, choice-wise. I suppose we have the “personal champion” whereby both countries offer a champion for single combat, winner takes all. At least then one only one person dies – until the losing country decides not to accept the decision and starts a war anyway.

Here is my post for Melanie’s Share Your World.

What do you think it means to be healthy?
Not long-term ill. And sound of mind – and right-thinking.

Is being obsessive about someone or something a good thing?
I would say no. The dictionary uses phrases such as “intrude”, “constantly” and “to a troubling extent”. The dictionary agrees with me.

After a disagreement with your S.O., do you initiate the makeup conversation or wait for your S.O. to do it?
Not having an SO I’m left having to argue with myself. I always win.

Have you ever done something incredibly embarrassing in front of a huge crowd? Feel free to share details or not. Some things are best left in the closet…
There was this one time at school I tripped in the playground and ended up hanging forwards over a low wall with my trousers totally ripped right up the seam.

I have, of course, done many far more embarrassing things. None of which I’m telling you about 😉

Here is my post for Melanie’s Share Your World.

What’s your favourite way to spend a day off? If you’re retired, what’s something you now include in your schedule that you dreamed about while employed?
It depends on the weather, but preferably I’ll go somewhere nice in the morning, have lunch at home, have a nap and then PS5/gardening/sitting outside in the afternoon.

Now that Covid isn’t so strictly monitored and folks can go out and about again, are you into after-work happy hours?
That sounds like a thing from 1990s American films. I work from home, anyway!

What physical traits do you share with your relatives? (Example: I have my mother’s nose)
I’m quite like my dad. I especially have to watch that I don’t walk hunched over!

How long does it take you to decide if you like someone or not?
I tend to stay quite neutral to people for a while. First impressions are not always accurate. I was told when I got to university that we’d spend Freshers’ Week making loads of friends and the rest of the year trying to get rid off them. So no snap decisions!

Here is my post for Melanie’s Share Your World.

What are three scents you like?
Pine forest, down at the beach with the sea and the seaweed, and cooking bacon. Mmm, bacon.

What is something true (factual) that most other people don’t believe?
If something’s been proven to be a fact, I would imagine that “most” people believe it. It’s usually a case that most people don’t know something but would believe it once they do.

Would you rather have a massage or get a facial?
Neither, really. I’m not even sure what a “facial” involves.

Have you ever thrown someone a really extravagant party?
Nope. I’m not a party-throwing sort of person. Or a “going to parties” sort of person either.

Here is my post for Melanie’s Share Your World.

What is one topic you really like to talk about? Or something you really want to tell people?
I don’t really ever like to talk about anything. I’ll wait for the other person to say something and then feign interest 🙂

What do you normally never tell strangers about yourself? (be general, I don’t need to know details or invade privacy)
I don’t talk to strangers. Especially if they’re hanging out the side of a white panel van offering me a lollipop. Stranger Danger 😮

Have you ever broken anything? (can be health related, emotion related, or situation related – you define “broken anything” for your own satisfaction)
Coincidentally the back half of one of my molars broke off last night, just in time for this post! Every cloud and all that…

Is having a big ego a negative trait or positive trait?
Well, it worked out pretty well for Putin, Trump, Hitler… temporarily, at least. It didn’t go so well for everyone else.

Here is my post for Melanie’s Share Your World.

When you were a kid, did you eat the crusts on your sandwich or not?
Yes, as far as I remember. There wasn’t the money spare to be throwing away half of every sandwich.

Are you a fan of musicals—why or why not?
That depends on the musical, like any genre. I’ve seen a couple live – Blood Brothers and Chess They were amazing. I still listen to them sometimes, along with Starlight Express and The Rocky Horror Show.

Is it difficult to do what you do? (for a living, hobby etc.). If you’re retired, what you ‘did’ previously for a job can be substituted.
I guess it is difficult to do what I do if you don’t know how to do it. Like anything, really.

What’s the best concert you’ve ever been to? (Doesn’t have to be a rock concert either).
I haven’t been to many “known names” concerts (we had a band in the Students’ Union every Sunday so I’ve seen plenty of live music). I guess it’s a toss-up between Iron Maiden and Paul Simon’s Rhythm of the Saints tour, both in Stuttgart around 1990/91.

Here is my post for Melanie’s Share Your World.

Has anyone ever tried to scam you?
Obviously I get the usual scam emails, texts and so on. I used to get scam phone calls but they’ve dried up. I even had someone once pretending to be my uncle on Facebook, fake profile and everything. They made some rookie mistakes, though. Amateurs.

What’s the best thing about parties?
Not going.

Do you listen to people’s advice if you didn’t ask for it?
Yes, if they tell me what I want to hear.

Why is it impossible to spell funeral without fun?
Because… it has the letters “fun” in it. That’s English for you.

Here’s a Cornish hedgerow from my walk on Friday.

Here is my post for Melanie’s Share Your World.

If You Could Be Best Friends With A Celebrity, Who Would It Be?
I can’t really answer that. I’d have to meet the celebrity first and see if I want to be friends with them. I don’t want to pick a celebrity here and now, in writing, only to discover in five years they’re in court for some sort of horrible crime.

What is, or should be, the main purpose of law?
To be able to legally punish people horribly when they break it. Or keep people safe and society on an even keel. One of those.

Do You Care About Reviews?
I always scan over reviews before I buy something online. Obviously they’re not all likely to be real, but it gives an idea.

Is the ‘mind’ different to the ‘brain’? If so, in what ways?
The brain is a physical organ, the mind is an abstract concept.

Here is my post for Melanie’s Share Your World.

Do you become discouraged by the annual “Blogging Ennui” phenomenon that comes around every year? (it’s early this year IMO) (blogging ennui means (to me) a distinct slow down in writing and participation, which lasts an indefinite period of time).
I admit I hadn’t really noticed. But if it’s nice weather, it’s good that people are outside enjoying the sun!

If you were in a room filled with you and your doppelganger (someone who looks exactly like you do. Supposedly everyone has at least one out there in the world) and 2 billion dollars, what would you do? What do you think your doppelganger would do?
My doppelganger wouldn’t do anything. Not after I’d clocked him over the head and run off with the cash.

A building is burning. You have time to either save a child trapped inside or a valuable painting which you would then sell, using the money to save 20 children from starvation. What would you do and why?
I would stand there thinking “Hmm, I have time to save that kid or that painting. But there’s no way I’m running into that burning building.”

What’s your opinion of yams or sweet potatoes?
I’ve never had a yam. I like sweet potatoes though. They’re great if you add some cumin and turmeric and beans or whatever and make a sort of burger.

Funny
This story made me laugh. It’s from the BBC News website. Someone appears to have missed an apostrophe “s”. It’s a story about some chicken products being recalled from supermarkets after a salmonella outbreak at the factory.

Here is my post for Melanie’s Share Your World.

What two totally normal things become really weird if you do them back to back?
I don’t know. Arrive at the office. Burst into song.

What is something that you just recently realised that you are embarrassed by, that you didn’t realise embarrassed you?
Ha, I always realise what embarrasses me. I am “embarrassment-attuned”.

If Australia (including New Zealand – which I KNOW are different countries); the UK, Ireland, Germany, the USA, and Brazil or Italy were represented by one food, which would it be for each?
Australia – snags (sausages grilled on the “bahhbie”), UK – fish and chips, Ireland – colcannon (potatoes and greens), Germany – schnitzel and potato salad, USA – burgers, Brazil – I have no idea what they eat in Brazil, sorry, Brazilians, Italy – pizza.

What might happen if Goldilocks and the Three Bears were set in modern times?
A Goldilocks “home invasion” scenario? Arrested? Shot? Whacked over the back of the head with a tyre iron? It depends on what country she’s in, I guess.

Where was the most most embarrassing or inappropriate place you’ve passed audible gas?
Passing gas in public? Goodness gracious me, I would never do such a thing…