Questions, questions, questions

   I have two or three (or four) more questions that have trickled in since I posted my Ask me anything entry. They've been kicking around in my test journal, where I've been staring at them blankly for a week, pretending I have something better to do. Not that they're tough questions, or anything. I just haven't felt like writing anything.
   Still, you asked 'em, and I promised to answer 'em, so here they are.

Dear Paul,
hi! What is your favorite book? :) favorite movie?:) and favorite hobby?:)
yours, natalie
Comment from lurkynat - 20/07/06 12:35 PM
ps
what was your favorite family outing? party?
natalie

Natalie,
   I think I would have to say that my favourite book of all time (so far) is Tigana, by Guy Gavriel Kay. Kay is also my favourite author. I highly recommend him.
   My favourite movie would actually be a trio of movies - or a trilogy, to be more precise - The Lord of the Rings, filmed by Peter Jackson.
   I don't really have a hobby. Well, maybe writing here. Come to think of it, I keep an aquarium with live plants and tropical fish in it, does that count? Favourite family outing, or party? I don't really think about those things that way.

Hi, Plittle
    It's my first time to read your blog. I clicked on your blog mainly because I was attracted by its name " Aurora Walking Vacation". That's just beautiful. How did u come up with that name? Is there a story in it to tell?
Comment from shasha1023 - 15/07/06 6:48 AM

Hi Sasha,
   I live in a town called Aurora. When I started this blog two years ago, I had recently quit my job, and did not intend to immediately return to the workforce, hence the word vacation. Like many North Americans, I struggle with my weight and fitness levels, so I wanted to do a lot of walking. There you have it.

Does it appear to you that people who were raised Catholic seem to have serious issues with God/religion/church as an adult more so than people raised Baptist or Methodist, or one of the other various "Jesus" denominations?
~Meg
Comment from inquestoftruth - 25/07/06 8:56 AM

Meg,
   I don't know enough about people who were raised Baptist or Methodist to comment. I did find it interesting that you referred to those as "Jesus" denominations, when Catholicism is considered to be a part of Christianity as well, in that they believe that Jesus was God. In fact, they recite the apostle's creed at every church service in confirmation of that belief. Perhaps the word you were looking for was 'evangelical.'

I kept meaning to send in a question but I also kept putting it off. If it's not too late...
It's a multi-part question (which is cheating but I don't care).

List 3 songs that must be heard on a long road-trip.
List 3 songs that, if they don't make you get up and dance, will at least have you tapping your feet.
List 3 songs you strongly associate with a person or a place.
-fv

Vinny,
   I hate you. OK, not really, but I hate these kinds of questions. Might have well as just asked me, "if you were a tree, what kind of a tree would you be, and why." No, better you didn't. My wife and child really don't need to see me snap today.

   Road trip music: I think I have to expand this one to entire albums instead of single songs. I've never been much for making music mixes. I tend to pop in a CD and listen to the whole thing.

1) Deep Purple - Machine Head. With songs like Highway Star, Smoke on the Water, Space Truckin' and Lazy, this is one of the greatest road trip albums of all time.

2) Big Sugar - Heated. With driving guitar inspired by bands like Deep Purple, but informed by Canadian influences like Bachman Turner Overdrive, and infused with some extra dub-reggae attitude, Big Sugar is a regular fixture in my car CD player. I had a tough time deciding which of their albums to select, but the inclusion of a cover version of BTO's Let It Ride put Heated over the top.

3) Dr. Dre - 2001. Drawing on his stable of talent, including Eminem and Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre doffed his producer's hat and released an album that redefined Rap and Hip Hop music for the beginning of a new millennium. Especially good if you have a sub-woofer.

Honourable mention: Eric Clapton - Unplugged. Fabulous for a more relaxed time-passer as the miles roll by.

   Dancing music: This one's tougher, as I don't do much dancing. There's a popular expression that says, "dance like no one's watching." I'd like to ask the people who repeat that adage if they've ever been tapped on the shoulder by the party host and told, "dude, no one wants to watch that." Whatever.

1) Kenny Loggins - Footloose. From the film of the same name, the producers could not have chosen a better song to underpin their movie about the joy of dancing.

2) Billy Idol - Mony Mony. If I have to explain this one, you're either eighty, or dead (If you need to know, Chuck, send me an e-mail).

3) B-52s - Rock Lobster. Well, I don't dance to this one, but my wife does, and believe me, it's something to see.

   Three songs you strongly associate with a person or a place... Wow, that's a really tough one. Music doesn't affect me that way at all. I'll have to sit back and let the mind drift for a while...

1) Meat Loaf - Paradise by the Dashboard Light. I was in grade eight when Meat Loaf's debut album came out, and for some reason I always associate it with an image of one of the girls in my class at the time dancing to it. I think her name was Darlene, but I can't remember for sure.

2) Phil Collins - Against All Odds (Take A Look At Me Now). This song, from the movie of the same name, reminds me of an old high school girlfriend who tortured me for months. I ended up changing schools to get away from her...and met my wife at the new school. Funny how things work out. I don't know why, they just do.

3) Elton John - Your Song. This was one of "the" songs played at our wedding. There were three that we had picked out for specific purposes, none of which I can remember now (the songs or the specific purposes). I do remember that we had a hell of a time choosing a third one, and in the end, the DJ suggested whatever was the most popular choice among the affianced at the time, and we said, "sure." Later, without her knowledge, I contacted the DJ, and had him change that one to Your Song. I don't think she noticed.

   So there you have it, the final crop of questions for this rather successful meme thingy. I'm calling that a wrap. Doesn't mean y'all have to stop asking me questions. I just don't promise to answer them anymore. Unless, you know, they capture my imagination, or give me a chance to insult some more Christians (I'm joking, Dawn, put down that shovel).

tags: Memes