gillo | Entries tagged with meme

I nearly went to High School. I passed the 11+ and had a place waiting for me at Stafford Girls' High. If I'd gone there I might well have met Carol Anne Duffy, who is my age, so would have been the year below me. We bought the uniform and a length of scratchy turquoise fabric from which we were required to make a gym tunic and (very baggy) knickers.

Then Dad was offered a promotion, which meant moving to the little town of Uttoxeter, just far enough away for commuting to be unfeasible, so I went to Alleyne's Grammar School, Uttoxeter, instead. His next promotion, sixteen months later, took us across the county to Alleyne's Grammar School, Stone. (Both schools were founded by the will of the same priest in 1558. No-one knows why there. There's one more, in Hertfordshire.) Then, two years later, another promotion took us back across the county to Burton-on-Trent, where I finished my schooling.

( That alone may show why the meme is not wholly relevant. )

I'm falling a little behind again, but, frankly, I prefer a few at one time for a little more substance.

1. If you could only live off of one food and one beverage for the rest of your days, what would they be?

Well, after I stop screaming about the English in that question, I am left with other questions. Favourite food and drink? Asparagus and red wine. But to eat forever? No way. Nutritionally disastrous, for starters - the rest of my days would not last long. Things I consume most frequently? Water or coffee would get boring. As for food, you need variety for health and interest. Silly question, really.

2. What is your favourite quote?

Too many to choose just one. My favourite quotation might be from Shakespeare, Tolkien, Austen, Tennyson, Whedon and team, the Bible, Dickens and so on ad infinitum. A ~~couple~~few:

It's a big rock. I can't wait to tell my friends. They don't have a rock this big.

All that is gold does not glister
Not all those who wander are lost.

Goodnight, sweet prince
And flights of angels sing thee to thy rest.

It is a truth universally acknowledged that a young man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.

3. Screenshot your desktop.

I have three - my Nexus has a picture of Rhiannon. My laptop has the Northern Lights. The desktop cycles a number of screencaps:

screenshot.

You may be able to guess the theme. ;-)

Three things you want to say to people and Pet Peeves

Three? Only three? Which people?

To people in general - be kinder to each other, be kinder to yourselves, and do not believe everything you see on the internet.

To Brits - fight for the NHS, fight for the BBC, fight for the poor and disadvantaged.

To Americans - please, please, PLEASE see through Trump before it's too late. Try to step back and see yourselves as the rest of the world sees you. Believe in global warming. Really, believe in it.

Pet Peeves

Politicians who believe they know all about something (education, health, disability) when everything they say or do reveals the opposite

Politicians in general, but particularly Osborne and BoJo.

People who believe that everything can be tested or monetised and that anything which can't has no value.

Stupid traffic routes. Especially Coventry Ring-Road and the Bridgefoot are of Stratford.

Some of those verge on anger. Roadworks every bloody place counts as a peeve. Decide for yourself.

Do I read? ::pause for guffaws::

Yes, I read. Everything including the cereal packet. Reading is almost as necessary as breathing to me. Thus the second part of the question, What are your favourite books? is insane. I might be able to specify my top hundred or top fifty. Getting it down to twenty would be a struggle. Below that, impossible.

( Under the cut for several lists )

In a nutshell, yes, I read.

What band or musician is most important to you?

I have come to the realisation over the last decade that music actually isn't particularly important to me. There is music I quite enjoy listening to - classics like Beethoven, Handel, Mozart and so on, folk and folk-rock like Fairport and rock mostly from the 60s and 70s - but none of it is really important to me in the sense that I would be devastated to be without it. Words are absolutely essential to me, OTOH, and there is some music I really dislike because of the words - if, for instance, a poem is rewritten or distorted, as in Brittain's War Requiem or I just dislike the words, as in Vaughn Williams' Sea Symphony. (I have a real problem with that particular poet. Or, rather, not with him but hos poems.)

Jazz mostly gets on my nerves and Wagner either leaves me cold or irritates me. I recognise this as a failing in myself. I am very, very much a Radio 4 junky,(BBC talk radio) never Radio 1(current pop) or Radio 2 (easy listening and classic pop). I listen to Radio 3 (Classics) or Classic FM from time to time. My iPod has far more space devoted to podcasts than music, and if we are driving abroad that's what I listen to rather than music as we bomb down the autoroute, autobahn or autostrada.

I haven't been outside Europe very much, but even within Europe there are places I really want to see:

Sicily (Montalbano connection!)
Andalucia
Greece
Denmark (and Holland, especially Amsterdam)
Prague

Outside Europe I have at least another five:

Japan
India
China
California
Bali

You may guess from the above cheating pair of lists that it's all about the history art and culture for me. I know there's a lot of magnificent natural scenery, and I do appreciate it, honestly, but [laces with millennia of culture, history, buildings will always do it for me. The odd one out is California, because I'd really like to know if it's as weird as all the stories make out!

teragramm has suggested we should encourage folks who miss the good old days of LJ flists taking a long time to read to friend each other. I've done a few of these memes in the last year or so, and added some very cool people to my flist as a result. Go to her LJ to join in the original comment thread, or simply friend folks who comment here, assuming anyone does.

Here are

teragramm's rules:

If you answer this post with "I'm in", there are 5 rules.

RULE 1. If you answer this post you must friend everyone else who answers this post. (I will post a complete list in a week or two, just so you don't miss anyone.)

RULE 2. Being/having been, a part of the Buffy/Angel fandom is suggested but not a deal breaker. (I have some awesome friends who have never been part of fandom.)

RULE 3. After you have "met" your new friends (and given them a fair chance.) If you feel you have nothing in common with them, you are free to unfriend them, with no hard feelings.

RULE 4. You must pimp this post in your LJ (with a link to the post.)

RULE 5. Sometime after you have made new friends, you must post an "all about me" post, as an introduction.

So fingers crossed we can make some new friends and expand our lj family.

You Are a Creative
Like everyone else, you have a to-do list... but you don't always prioritize getting around to it. You are productive as your spirit moves you to be. Sometimes this means crossing off a lot of items on your list, but other times it means doing something else entirely. You do best when inspiration strikes, and it's hard to predict when that will be. You thrive with flexibility. Interruptions tend to distract you, but sometimes they are a welcome distraction. You do best when you focus on short term goals.

You Are a Creative

Like everyone else, you have a to-do list... but you don't always prioritize getting around to it.
You are productive as your spirit moves you to be. Sometimes this means crossing off a lot of items on your list, but other times it means doing something else entirely.

You do best when inspiration strikes, and it's hard to predict when that will be. You thrive with flexibility.
Interruptions tend to distract you, but sometimes they are a welcome distraction. You do best when you focus on short term goals.

What's Your Productivity Style?

Following the mob, albeit a day or so late. Thus, picked up from pretty much everyone.

( That household meme )

Thus the whirligig of time brings in his GillO.

Which work of Shakespeare was the original quote from?

The original word was "revenges", of course. One of my favourite comedies.

So, I command attention but I am "happy to step back and let other people shine. You don't seek attention or acclaim." I am passionate but look at things clearly and without emotion.

GillO:

Your Name is Red
Your name tells people that you are powerful and intense. Your name makes people take you seriously. You stand out in a crowd and command attention. You can't blend in - and you would never try to or want to. People see you as a bit of a wild card. You're well known for being passionate, and you can be a bit dangerous at times. You inspire strong feelings in others. People either totally love you or totally despise you. There usually isn't much in between.

Your Name is Red

Your name tells people that you are powerful and intense. Your name makes people take you seriously.
You stand out in a crowd and command attention. You can't blend in - and you would never try to or want to.

People see you as a bit of a wild card. You're well known for being passionate, and you can be a bit dangerous at times.
You inspire strong feelings in others. People either totally love you or totally despise you. There usually isn't much in between.

Gill + surname:

Your Name is Gray
Your name tells people that you are calm and level headed. Your name makes you seem honest and fair. You are able to look at things clearly and without emotion. You tend to remain neutral in most disputes. People see you as reliable and trustworthy. You treat everyone equally, and you don't tend to have any prejudices. You are naturally calculating and even a bit cunning. You don't like to show your cards too early in the game.

Your Name is Gray

Your name tells people that you are calm and level headed. Your name makes you seem honest and fair.
You are able to look at things clearly and without emotion. You tend to remain neutral in most disputes.

People see you as reliable and trustworthy. You treat everyone equally, and you don't tend to have any prejudices.
You are naturally calculating and even a bit cunning. You don't like to show your cards too early in the game.

Gillian + surname

Your Name is White
Your name tells people that you have good intentions and a pure heart. You try to always speak the truth. You are happy to step back and let other people shine. You don't seek attention or acclaim. People see you as someone who is generous and ethical. You can be counted on to do the right thing. You are bright and clear headed. You can offer a fresh perspective, especially when other people are in a rut.

Your Name is White

Your name tells people that you have good intentions and a pure heart. You try to always speak the truth.
You are happy to step back and let other people shine. You don't seek attention or acclaim.

People see you as someone who is generous and ethical. You can be counted on to do the right thing.
You are bright and clear headed. You can offer a fresh perspective, especially when other people are in a rut.

Taken from

kikimay

Comment on this post with CONVERSE. I will choose seven (five if you prefer) userpics from your profile and you will explain what they mean and why you are using them. Post this along with your answers in your own journal so others can play along

( My icons explained below the cut. )

Your results:
You are Mr. Scott

Mr. Scott		85%
Uhura		80%
Will Riker		80%
Chekov		75%
Deanna Troi		75%
Beverly Crusher		65%
Mr. Sulu		60%
Jean-Luc Picard		60%
Data		58%
James T. Kirk (Captain)		55%
Worf		55%
Geordi LaForge		50%
Leonard McCoy (Bones)		45%
Spock		25%
An Expendable Character (Redshirt)		15%

You are a fun-loving foreigner with an
amazing ability to get any job done on time.
Often described as a "Miracle Worker".

BERJAYA

Click here to take the "Which Star Trek character are you?" quiz...

Political Values

Radicalism 96.75
Socialism 68.75
Tenderness 59.375

These scores indicate that you are a progressive; this is the political profile one might associate with an animal rights activist. It appears that you are skeptical towards religion, and have a pragmatic attitude towards humanity in general.

Your attitudes towards economics appear socialist, and combined with your social attitudes this creates the picture of someone who would generally be described as left-wing.

To round out the picture you appear to be, political preference aside, an egalitarian with several strong opinions.

This concludes our analysis; we hope you found your results accurate, useful, and interesting.

Unlike many other political tests found on the Internet which base themselves on untested (and usually ideologically motivated) ideas, this inventory is adapted from Hans Eysenck's own political inventory which was developed after extensive empirical investigations in the 20th Century.

http://slackhalla.org/~demise/test/socialattitude.php

Yes, I may be avoiding my essay. Why do you ask?

6,000 words down...

When you see this on your flist, quote some Shakespeare on your LJ.

So many to choose from. Have a sonnet:

My mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun;
Coral is far more red than her lips' red;
If snow be white, why then her breasts are dun;
If hairs be wires, black wires grow on her head.
I have seen roses damasked, red and white,
But no such roses see I in her cheeks;
And in some perfumes is there more delight
Than in the breath that from my mistress reeks.
I love to hear her speak, yet well I know
That music hath a far more pleasing sound;
I grant I never saw a goddess go;
My mistress when she walks treads on the ground.
And yet, by heaven, I think my love as rare
As any she belied with false compare.

And, for good measure:

Up and down
Up and down
I will lead them up and down.
I am feared in field and town,
Goblin, lead them up and down!

(I always imagine Puck rapping to that.)

Questions from

hamsterwoman - and my answers, natch. ( are under the cut )

Nasty Mr Gove has abandoned his stupid E Bac Certificate, a return to the late 40s if ever I saw one. I do enjoy seeing the Nasty Party ministers being humiliated, especially when they do it to themselves.

Reasons to be thankful - all beginning with the same letter. The lovely

curiouswombat ( gave me W. )

If anyone wants a letter, feel free to ask. Oh yes, that's me in the icon, for folks new round these parts.

Five questions stolen shamelessly from

carmarthen :

1) Favourite book genre?

Fantasy, though I adore big Victorian blockbusters too. I love Diana Wynne Jones, Peter Dickinson (and his son, John. And his wife, Robyn McKinley)and I have certain "automatic buy" writers like Lindsey Davis and Jim Butcher. Oh, and Tolkien, of course - ought to go without saying.

2) Favourite moment in a book and why?

Good lord, too many to mention. Darcy finally asking Elizabeth to marry him, when she says yes? Or that gorgeous, messed-up proposal at the end of Emma? Jo's death in Bleak House - so painful and Dickens is so angry. Gollum falling into the fire. Maewen seeing Mitt at the end of The Crown of Dalemark. Why? Powerful, earned emotional climaxes, I suppose.

3) Favourite version of Les Mis?

It has to be the original London production I saw back in '85, still with most of the original cast (only six weeks after it transferred from the Barbican.) Alun Armstrong will always be Thénardier to me.

Second, the schools version I directed in 2006. (Links to two of about five posts on the topic - same tag. It kinda ate my brain.)

4) Do you have a braincrush on a fictional character? If so, who?

Apart from Spike, you mean? Francis Crawford of Lymond and Sévigny, because he is beautiful and damaged and witty

and very, very good in bed

.

5) Do you prefer long epic books or short ones? and why.

I really love Victorian mega-books by Dickens, Thackeray, Eliot and pals, and Jane Austen, who didn't write at quite such length (boo, hiss!) but filled three volumes nicely.

I like books that fit their length without padding (JKR, I'm looking at you) or rushing. I hate it when quite a nice fantasy idea is dragged out into the obligatory three doorstops, published a year apart. It was annoying when Philip Pullman did it, and it's much more annoying when people without half his talent (Trudi Canavan, for ex) do it too. Short and perfectly formed can be good, but I really like something with lots of substance to get my teeth into. I have to say I've loved some of the stuff I've discovered this academic year, like Winifred Holtby. (V Woolf, not quite so much.) Currently I'm reading and enjoying a lot of plays.

I've seen this on several of my flist's LJs, and I've just added myself there - it's better than just complaining LJ's gone quiet, after all!

LJ Is Alive!
A Multifandom LiveJournal Friending Meme
Tumblr is great, but my fandom heart is in LJ.

It's getting huge, and I'm delighted to see some of my flist meeting others of my flist. I'm here, for later reference.

Yes, the essay-writing has slowed for the night.

Interesting, though, to find an LJ friend thanked in one of the articles I read for it today. Some of you will guess who.

Then there's this:

In 2013,

gillo resolves to...

Backup my literature regularly.
Give some vampires to charity.
Find a new charles dickens.
Cut down to ten fantasy novels a day.
Put fifty spikes a month into my savings account.
Cut down on my reading.

That last one? Never going to happen. *g*

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Gill's Place

Ramblings online

That High School meme - different worlds

Days ten, eleven, twelve

Days Eight and Nine

Day Seven

Day Six

Day Five - places I want to visit

Circling the wagons

In some ways quite accurate.

Baa

Via curiouswombat

Baaa

That icons meme

I'm foreign. Who'd have guessed? (Baa)

No real surprise there, then.

Shakespeare meme from pellegrina

Q&A meme - or more about me

WWWWWhy I'm grateful (see what I did there?)

Five questions

Friending meme

Spamming memes

Profile

November 2022

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