This will evolve.
Which is my way of saying, “yes I know there aren’t 101 things here – yet”
1. I was born in the early hours of September 17, 1956
2. I am an early morning person, never sleep after 6am
3. I am not a late night person
4. I married on my birthday, 1983
5. I don’t get birthday presents, just naggings that I forgot our wedding anniversary
6. I don’t get christmas presents after one year I told my family not to bother
7. My family all take me too literally
8. In 2007 I sold the family business for £1 (yes, thats one pound)
11. I have two daughters, one born in 1988, the other in 1992
12. They both use me purely as a free taxi service
13. My wife also uses me purely as a free taxi service
14. I don’t talk much around the house – no gaps to speak into with three females
15. Jake the Golden Retriever is the only other male in the house, and he is gay
21. I have painted since I was 11 years old, I remember the first time
22. I paint most nights while listening to music while the females watch shite on TV
23. I prefer watercolour but am best with pastels
24. I have sold paintings on a professional artists web site
25. The income from the sales just about covered the web site fees
26. When I was 16 I had three paintings hung in Leeds City Art Gallery
27. When I was 16 I was offered a job as a trainee graphic designer, I turned it down
28. When I was 17 I was offered a job as a trainee draughtsman, I turned it down
29. I took a job in electrical engineering instead
30. I still can’t explain that decision
31. Alcohol makes me ill
32. I still risk one or two lagers now and again and sometimes get away with it
33. I used to adore malt whisky, especially Glenlivet, with a little ice
34. One day I will risk another Glenlivet, with a little ice
41. My cousin is famous, his wife more so
42. My dad was known as a club singer and comedian
43. I own a guitar which I cannot play
44. I own a keyboard which I cannot play
45. I cannot understand the concept of reading music when written on paper
46. My musical taste is so eclectic that its easier to list what I don’t like
47. I hate rap music, I hate R&B music, I hate the use of the word “feat”
51. I like most food, except eggs, but scrambled egg is ok
52. And shellfish, I don’t like shellfish
53. Fish isn’t a huge favourite either
54. I don’t eat meat that is still attached to a bone
55. I adore a stir-fry with lots of vegetables and chilli sauce, and sweetcorn
56. I have a sweet tooth, I would kill you for your chocolate, don’t even try me on that
57. It takes two mugs of black unsweetened full caffeine coffee to kick start me
58. Thats not a problem is it ?
59. I could live exclusively on apple pie and custard, or perhaps with ice cream, or both
61. I am writing a novel, some of it is here, its stuck at the moment
101 Things really made me laugh — perhaps I need more of a life. Don’t care, it was amusing. I too own a guitar that I cannot play.
“I cannot understand the concept of reading music when written on paper”
It is a bit like deciphering a sudoku (sp?), the more you practice, the better you become, it is a code basically, let me know if you need any pointers should the burning ambition to play music, guitar, keyboard, brass music (we need players) become too much, let me know……………..
Pleased to read about the charity bike ride, quite inspiring……………
Great blog, really interesting, I like the paintings as well………..I can read music (play guitar, piano and euphonium) but I can’t draw stickmen…………..says it all really.
Each to his own John !
I’ve tried to play various instruments, I can’t, it just doesn’t work, I’ll settle for painting
My cousin is a professional musician (guitar) and he taught my eldest daughter to read music when she was learning to play the clarinet and saxophone at 10 years, there is a knack to it that I missed because with just three lessons she was reading sheet music as a natural – some of us have the knack, some never will.
I wish she’d stuck with those instruments because she definitely had a talent but she stopped playing them a few years later as she hated performing in public – shame !