draliman on life

It’s half-way through the year and time to Share My World once again. The questions are posed on a weekly basis by Cee – go check out her wonderful photos!

Is your refrigerator, organized or a mess inside?
I’d call it organised, though some might brand it a mess. Everything always goes in exactly the same place every week, so I know where everything is, so that makes it organised.

However, I’ve had it for nearly 6 years and have never cleaned it, so that makes it a mess 🙂

When I moved house in February, the freezer part at the top was so full of ice it filled an entire sink. There’s lots more room in it now!

This is the day before my weekly shop, so it’s quite empty!

As I’m feeling generous, here’s a bonus pic – the freezer portion, which sits on top of the fridge.

Ice cream and pizza. Who’d’a thunk it?

If you could be famous for one thing, what would it be?
I’m not really sure I want to be famous, but if I were I think it would be as a novelist, in common with many others who have answered this challenge.

Then I would be invited on all those comedy panel shows and I’d be awesome and everyone would love me and I’d be rich and I’d be the nation’s hero and women would throw themselves at me etc etc BWAHAHAHAHAHA.

But I wouldn’t let it change me ‘cos I’m really well adjusted.

What one thing have you not done that you really want to do?
Choose just one thing? That’s a tricky one. Maybe visit New Zealand. Did I ever mention Hobbits before in these challenges? I think I did.

The scenery is very beautiful!

Where do you eat breakfast?
On a weekend, I only have coffee. In fact, coincidentally, some is brewing at the moment! I drink it in the living room.

Here it is, sitting in front of my trusty George Foreman grilling machine.

On a work day I also indulge in a Kellogg’s Special K “Biscuit Moment”, which I eat at my desk.

That’s all for this week, see you next week!

Here we are at week 25 of Share Your World, hosted by Cee over at her photography blog.

What is your favourite type of dog?  (can be anything from a specific breed, a stuffed animal, drawing, cartoon or character in a movie or TV show)
I’m really a cat person. I spent my childhood afraid of dogs ever since one ran off with my underwear on the beach while I was tiny 😦

I prefer cute little dogs, like the Andrex puppy (in case you don’t have this brand where you live, it’s toilet paper).

The Lads.

Name one thing not many people know about you.
If I told you lots of people would know it, instantly making my answer a lie.

Have you ever gone scuba diving?  If you haven’t, would you want to?
I’ve never gone scuba diving, but it sounds wonderful. Floating around in the peace and quiet, watching all the little fishies swim past.

What was the most important event in your life last week? (anything goes it can be a good nights sleep, finished a reading book, winning the lottery, or getting married)
I didn’t win the lottery and I didn’t get married (not that I remember anyway). I was on holiday, so nothing important really happened that I can think of. It was more a time of little victories. I got out of the house (it’s not unknown for me to spend my two week holiday never going out except to get groceries). I did jobs around the house. Stuff like that.

It’s time to Share My World again, courtesy of Cee over at her photography blog. Check her blog out for great photos and tips!

What makes you feel the most secure?
Money. Cash. Moolah. Dosh. Readies. Dough. Nelsons.

Just enough so that I’m not constantly worried about paying the bills.

If you were a shoe, what kind would you be and why?
I’d be a trainer. It’s pretty much all I ever wear, unless I’m going somewhere special. Soft and comfortable. Here are my current trainers. I wear them until they fall to bits, then I buy a new pair.

Although, thinking about it, would I really want to spend all my time all sweaty and smelly? Maybe a clog would be a safer bet.

How many languages do you speak?
Well, English of course. I’ll add American English to that, as thanks to American TV programmes and books I know a lot of strange American words, such as “elevator”, “sidewalk”, “airplane”, “diaper”, “stroller” and “faucet”. The list goes on and on!

I know enough German to hold a conversation and more or less understand TV and simple books. I can order food and stuff in French, but unless they slow down I can’t understand what they are saying.

What was the largest city you have been to?  What is the one thing you remember most?
I guess that would have to be London. I most remember the parks – little oases of green and peace in a sea of confusion and noise (I apologise for placing an oasis in the middle of a sea there – sloppy I know but this isn’t fiction).

I think I was so traumatised by all the people and noise my mind has blocked it all out, leaving only the parks 🙂

See you again next week!

Here is the Sharing of My World, week 23! Wow, week 23 already. We’re almost half-way through the year, and I’m now on 2 weeks annual leave. I have quite a few jobs to do, but I know from past experience that the more time I have, the less I do, so we’ll have to see how it all works out. I’m pretty sure I’ll be using my PS4 a lot, if nothing else.

Share Your World is hosted by Cee over at her photography blog. Head over there for great photos, photography tips and more.

Would you rather be stuck in a small plane with mild turbulence for 2 hours or be a passenger in a car racing the Daytona 500?
I’ve Googled “Daytona 500” and it appears to be 500 miles of driving round in circles. That’s not for me! The plane trip sounds lovely, even with “mild turbulence”. I could look out the window, maybe have a nap.

Would you rather be alone with nobody in the vicinity for one month or never be alone not even for a minute for one month?
I can’t imagine not being alone at all for a whole month. That sounds like some fresh circle of Hell. Being alone for a whole month sounds idyllic. Maybe the plane ride drops me off somewhere nice and it’ll be back in a month to pick me up.

Would you like to sleep in a human size nest in a tree or be snuggled in a burrowed spot underground?
Tricky. Being up a tree would afford a good view, but it seems too exposed. I’ll go for snuggled underground. It would have to be bug-free, however. I’ll need some surveillance cameras to see what’s going on above-ground, too. The only problem would be lack of natural light. Once of those houses buried in a hill-side would be nice.

In a car would you rather drive or be a passenger?
Generally I would prefer to be a driver. I’m so seldom a passenger I’m not really used to it, and I very seldom have passengers in my car.

The only time I’d rather be a passenger would be when driving in a unfamiliar city. In that circumstance I’d rather be navigator^(*) – I’m quite good at looking ahead on the map^(**).

Notes for young people

^(*) Navigator: a SatNav in human form
^(**) Map: a representation of the local area, printed on paper^(***)
(***) Paper: made from pulped trees, “paper” was used to record information before hard disks, CDs and the Cloud

Right on the verge of Share Your World Week 21, here I am with Week 20, hosted as always by Cee over at her photography blog. Since I’m running late(r) this week, I’d better get stuck in.

If you could go back and visit any time period, what time would you travel to and why?
All of time is my oyster – this is quite a decision. I could see the dinosaurs! Watch knights in shining armour riding around the countryside. Visit the stomping grounds of Dickens and Shakespeare. Visit ancient Rome or Greece.

I’ve made my decision! I shall travel back to a week last Saturday. My pizza was particularly well baked and I watched a double episode of Stargate SG-1 while I was eating.

Ah, halcyon days.

If you could have three wishes granted for you alone, what would they be?  This is a time for you to dream and have fun.
Hmm, I’m good at dreaming but not so good at having fun.

I left this one to the end. I’ve still got nothing. I’m not the sort of person to grant wishes to, sorry.

Wanting something to quench your thirst, what would you drink?
Mmm, Diet Coke. Accept no substitutes! A tasty can of chemical goodness. Nicely chilled, of course. Warm drinks don’t quench my thirst.

Or a nice cold fruit smoothie. Goodbye teeth! Welcome, sugar overload! Tasty, though.

If you watch TV what are your favourite three television shows?
Well, this is a tricky one to answer. There are way more than three! My dream list would contain such classics as Dr Who (that’s a no-brainer), Stargate, anything in the crime vein (CSI, NCIS, Criminal Minds, Dexter, Castle and so on), Bones (for sure), anything medical-related (ER, Grey’s Anatomy, Casualty, Holby City), Buffy, Angel, Lost Girl. I’m sure by now you can see the sort of stuff I like to watch!

See you all again next time.

It’s time for Share Your World, a weekly series hosted by Cee over at her photography blog. Let’s dive straight in!

Do you prefer shopping or going to a park?
Yay, shopping! Hunting around for a parking place. Traipsing around a busy town. Pushing my way past a billion people. Basking in the noise. Breathing in the fumes.

No, wait. That’s not right.

I’m changing my answer to “going to a park”.

What is the highest score you’ve ever made in bowling?  Actual or virtually played.
With or without the buffers up? 🙂

It’s been years since I went bowling. I can’t handle the (real or imagined) smug looks on other people’s faces as my ball consistently falls in the gutter. Plus it’s very expensive, like £4 per person per game.

I think the best I ever did was around 160 or something. I can bowl a “good” game, then the next game I hardly hit anything.

Name the foreign countries you’ve been to.
I’m not particularly well travelled. I’m probably the only person I know who hasn’t been to Spain or Egypt 😦

Germany – two school exchanges, worked there for a year, went there for a friend’s wedding, went to a conference.

Switzerland – weekend trip while I was living in Germany.

Republic of Ireland – worked there for four years.

France – three day business meeting. Caught the ferry back to England after living in Germany.

Belgium – drove through the edge of it on the way back from living in Germany.

The Netherlands – one day business meeting.

Wales – holiday, conferences.

Scotland – holidays.

And last, but not least, as I’m Cornish I am including England!

Describe your own outlook on life in seven words or less.
It happens. Deal with it. Or not.

That’s all for this week. Have a great week everyone!

Here I am to Share My World once again, brought to us by Cee over at Cee’s Photography Blog. So without further ado, I’ll jump right in!

What object do you always have with you when travelling and why?
The quick and easy answer is “a credit card”. That way, if I’ve forgotten anything I can buy it. Not that I’m rolling in money and can just replace everything, but I can stretch to that forgotten toothbrush.

I’ll also make sure I have my Kindle, camera and so on – the usual things – but after a credit card the most important thing is my phone. My phone lets me read my Kindle library (in case I forgot my Kindle), I can work out where I am with the GPS, Google local services, check to see how much money I have left, take pictures and if all else fails, actually phone someone!

What subject would you like to study in depth, if given the time to do so?
That’s a tricky one. I’ve sometimes thought about psychology or sociology. Or maybe economics. That sounds really boring and it might have numbers in it but it might be nice to see what’s going on and how the entire world’s economies fell to bits.

I think I’d rather know a bit about everything than everything about one thing. That sounds like a good way to earn a living by winning pub quizzes.

Which would you prefer:  a wild, turbulent life filled with joy, sorrow, passion, and adventure–intoxicating successes and stunning setbacks; or a contented bordering on happy, secure, predictable life surrounded by friends and family without such wide swings of fortune and mood?
It’s the quiet life for me! I like everything planned out and stable. No sudden surprises for me, thanks!

What are your favourite spices?
Tricky one this! I need to find something that is undeniably a spice.

Parsley, rosemary, thyme?
Herbs. No wiggle room here. Denied!

Pepper?
Apparently a condiment. Possibly also a spice. I’m not taking the chance. Denied!

Curry powder then. You can’t go wrong with curry powder.
This is a blend of spices, not a spice. Denied!

Garlic? I love garlic!
It’s a species of the onion genus, and onion is not a spice. I think that dried garlic powder is a spice, so I’ll take a chance. That’s one!

Chilli powder.
Ground dried chillies. Definitely a spice. Yay!

So after all that we have garlic powder and chilli powder.

See you next week when I will be sharing my world once again!

It’s time to Share My World again! There will be a new set of questions tomorrow – this week is a bit confusing as tomorrow is the first of two May holidays in the UK and I was thinking it was Saturday again today.

But it’s not. It’s Sunday. I might wash the car and do some gardening. “Low maintenance garden” my ass. There may be no grass but there’s weeds.

The questions, which I shall attempt to answer, are provided every week by Cee.

What are some words that just make you smile?
“Dastardly”. That’s a negative word but it sounds funny. That always makes me smile.

“Asshat”. That makes me smile too. It’s not actually a word though, apparently 😦

A dastardly character involved in some asshattery

(Image source and copyright information wikipedia)

When you lose electricity in a storm, do you light the candles or turn on the flashlight? How many of each do you own?
Even in the horrific storms this last winter I didn’t lose power. I was living in a town, so all telephone and electricity cables are underground. There was some lightning once or twice, but I guess it didn’t hit any electricity substations. Some homes in Cornwall did lose power, though.

However, if this should happen I have a couple of torches (=flashlights) around the place. I need to buy some candles (for nice mood lighting as well as emergencies) but I haven’t got around to it yet.

What is the longest book you ever read?
The type of book I read doesn’t tend to be particularly long. I’ve read David Eddings’ “Belgariad” and “Mallorean” may times, but that’s two sets of five books each, though all the same characters. “Lord of the Rings” is three books but that was quite long.

The book which seemed the longest was an exam text I had to read at school – “Sansibar oder der letzte Grund” by Alfred Andersch. It wasn’t really all that long but it was full of difficult words and I found it pretty boring. I preferred the other two books – they were plays, which meant dialogue, which meant more words I actually knew. There’s a big difference between speaking another language and reading a novel.

So you win a pet monkey at a fair, but this isn’t just any old monkey. It can do one trick for you whenever you want from getting a pop out of the fridge to washing your hair. What would be the trick?
Many of the posts I’ve read for this week would have the monkey doing housework. According to the covenant on my house I’m not allowed to keep chickens or pigs (there goes my dream of a chicken coop and pig farm combo in the back garden) but it doesn’t specifically mention monkeys.

Therefore I would open a monkey sanctuary so that all these hard-working housework monkeys can get one weekend off a month from their duties.

It would be run by Marcel because he looks like a sensible sort of monkey.

(Image source Friends Wiki)

See you again next week!