....................

From Thursday:....

.. ..

Are you ready for some questions that you barely find in other surveys?
Chance would be a fine thing.

Has the last person you texted ever been mad at you before?
Haha, yes.

Have you ever searched for your own house on Google Earth?
Yep! I have indeed. It’s almost like a weird way of checking it’s actually accurate.

Whose the ugliest person you know?
Hmmm, well I suppose it’s really good that no-one actually leaps to mind! I don’t think I know anyone that I’d call ugly as such?

When will be the next time you text someone?
Well considering my phone has just beeped – pretty soon I imagine! Wow, these questions are so deep.

Do you think you would look good with red hair?
Not really. Wouldn’t be the worst, but no.

What will you be doing tomorrow?
Well, it’s Friday, so the usual in the day, but in the evening my dad’s coming round for the first time in a couple of weeks, then evening – I don’t know.

Have you ever cried while in the shower?
I don’t recall that ever happening.

What's something you really want right now?
A hand to reach in and pull me out.

How do you feel about your hair right now?
At this exact moment in time? Ambiguous really.

Have you ever slept in the same bed as your friend?
Umm, can’t recall the last time I did that, but it must have happened when I was younger.

Is your best friend a slut?
Hmmm, no.

Who do you blame for your bad mood today?....

Who said I was in a bad mood? I woke up surprisingly chipper actually and it has continued. I think the sun helps.

What was the first thing you did this morning?
Cup of tea.

What are you looking forward to right now?
Next photo trip.

Do you miss someone?
Yeah, I do actually.

If you could go back in time and change something, would you?

One or two things, yeah.

Have you ever done anything illegal?
Of course, I would imagine everyone has.

Where will you be 5 hours from now?
I guess getting my tea.

Has anyone ever borrowed something off you and not returned it?
Yes, I really hate when people do that. I don’t like lending things out and people get whiny and claim that I’m being selfish or anal, but the amount of times people (even nice, normal people who fully INTEND to bring it back) have not returned things is just so high. Or you go round their house and if it’s a CD or DVD you find it thrown in a pile of others on a shelf, out of the case, that sort of thing.

Have you hugged the person you have feelings for today?
I thought you said the questions would be new?

Have you ever ran away?....

Haha, yeah I did once when I was about 8 I think. I don’t remember what it was about though. I got as far as Taverner’s Road traffic lights, which is about 3 blocks away, haha.

Truth or Dare always turns sexual, doesn't it?
Yeah, it’s cos people aren’t very creative with it and default to dares involving kissing or nudity and questions amounting to “who do you like” or “have you ever done this, that or the other”, cos it’s the laziest stuff to ask about, although having said that, the whole game is probably created/played for exactly that purpose, so perhaps it’s not so surprising.

What is something you realized today?
Today...hmm I don’t think I’ve had any great revelations today! Hopefully that will have changed (in a good way) by this evening.

Do you like being single?
I wouldn’t say I like it (although I have really liked it in the past when I wanted out of the relationship I was in and was just so relieved to be free, haha) but it’s ok. Not really my preferred state, but I don’t think you can go around trying too hard not to be.

Do you want any children?
If I’m ever in the right situation with the right person, yeah.

What was the last thing you really laughed about?
Someone sent me a picture they did of an angry cake, that was pretty funny.

What did you wake up to this morning?
Just woke up before the alarm for some reason.

Would you ever get your nipples pierced?
No thanks. I wouldn’t want that on myself and don’t find it in the least bit attractive on other people either, unattractive in fact.

Do you prefer group dates or single ones better?
Well I guess I wouldn’t think of going out with my girlfriend and another couple as a “group date”, more just hanging out with friends who happen to be another couple! So if it was actually a “date” as such, then I’d probably rather it just be the two of us.

Is there something you're happy about at the moment?
Yeah, there’s always SOMETHING to be happy about.

Did you sleep alone last night?
I did indeed.

What were you doing at 8 this morning?
Probably drinking tea.

How old do you look?
Probably about 26 at absolute minimum on a very good day, early 30’s at most.

What are you looking forward to next weekend?
Photo trip.

Is there one person in your life that can always make you smile?
Yeah!

What are you listening to at the moment?
Electric humming.

Do you believe you can change someone?
Yeah, I’d say I can. Or at least encourage/help them to change themselves.

Has someone ever spread a nasty rumour about you?
Probably, although not so I remember.

Did you kiss or hug anyone today?
Sadly not!

Who was the last person you went out to eat with?
Umm, I think it was Jay or Sarah!? Not done that much recently.

How are you feeling?
Ok, at this precise moment.

What's making you feel this way?
I don’t know, like I say it’s sunny and cheering.

Have you ever done something outrageously dumb?
Oh yes!! Immensely so.

Do you have an older brother/s?
None at all.

Where was the last place you went besides your house?
Corner shop.

Ever snuck out of your house?
No, I don’t think I ever had to do that. I may have left when I was told I couldn’t, but that doesn’t count as sneaking does it!

Do you know how it feels to be cheated on?
Not really, but I can imagine and I’m sure it’s awful, if you really cared about/trusted the person.

Any regrets in the past week?
I could have done better at my last job interview.

....................Is the last person you kissed a virgin?
That’s their business.

Describe how you feel right now in one word?
HappySadUpDown.

Are you going to get hurt anytime soon?
I really hope not, but I can’t predict the future un/fortunately.

Do you have plans for today?
Not now no, I’m really tired, so don’t plan much for the eve.

Did your last kiss take place on a bed?
Nopes.

....................

What’s better, amazing eyes or amazing smile?
Ideally, the two compliment each other, but I suppose I notice eyes first of everything.

Has anyone told you they don't wanna ever lose you?
Yes.

Why are you confused?
All sorts of reasons, there isn’t room on the internet, haha.

Something you do a lot?
Blink.

Does anyone call you babe or baby?
Haha, no not at the moment. You gotta be careful with “babe” I think, it can sound trashy.

Has someone ever made you a big promise & broke it?
Haha, yeah parents were quite good at that! Never expect a birthday party if you’re a Xmas baby, lol.

Have you ever been called a bitch?....

Yeah, by some little knobhead in Amsterdam, although he didn’t actually know who he was talking to cos he couldn’t see me.

Has anyone ever said all they wanted was for you to be happy?....

Yeah, parents said that, and I’m sure they meant it, even if I didn’t appreciate the method or subject at the time. It probably involved me either being told I couldn’t do something I wanted to, or had to do something I didn’t want to.

Are you currently frustrated with a boy/girl?....

Not in the sense you mean.

What’s your best subject in school?....

Umm, it was probably English.

What was the last thing that made you smile?....

A text.

Do you currently have any bite marks on your body?
No! And at present I am quite happy about that!

Will your next kiss be a mistake?
No way, unless someone grabs me and kisses me without permission, lol.

Are you a jealous person?....

I don’t think I could be described as a “jealous person”, but I can get twinges of jealousy, like pretty much anyone. I think it usually comes up worst when someone is doing something that they would get really angry about ME doing the equivalent of – I think where I have been jealous in the past, it’s been when I’ve been with someone who has acted really jealously over me in innocent situations, and then been way more “inappropriate” than me, but acted all surprised when I’ve then got a bit annoyed with them about it, and then I've got more annoyed as a result of their unwillingness to acknowledge that. But I think that emotion is more anger/annoyance mixed in with a dash of jealousy – the real reason I’ve been angry is because they can’t see the hypocrisy of what they’re doing, and that they don’t realise that they have overreacted when I’ve been doing nothing wrong (apart from say, talking to or about someone they feel inferior to, which let’s face it, is the feeling at the root of jealousy), but somehow think the standards should be different for them.

Will you talk to someone on the phone tonight?
I don't think so.

Is there anything you should be worried about?
Yep. We can start with global warming and scale down from there.

What were you doing 2 hours ago?
Feeling like a very blue, Blue Smartie

Name something random in the same room as you:....

Hmm, I found myself looking around the room for something interesting, which I’m guessing sort of defeats the point of this question? I have a slice of meteorite in my room – that’s pretty random, both in the sense of its creation, arrival on earth, and eventual place in my possession. It’s cool to have something from outer space though. (how do I know it’s really a meteorite? It has chondrules and a fusion crust!)

What are your outlooks on gay/bisexual people?....

They can live their lives however they want and shouldn’t have to expect people to make any judgements based on that. I can’t see how it could be any business of anyone else’s. All it tells you is that this person is attracted to people of the same sex, or both sexes, and that’s all you can take from it, it doesn’t define them in any way at all.

However...unfortunately a relatively high (or perhaps excessively loud/vocal) element of gay culture in particular has chosen to let their sexuality define them by acting in ways that actually have nothing to do with sexuality, but are more about being really loud and annoying and promiscuous, and since that’s all that the majority of people get to see of so-called "gay culture", many people end up thinking that’s what being gay means (Graham Norton springs to mind), and so a hell of a lot of people end up thinking that gay culture/sexuality just means being really camp, making crap jokes about sex ALL THE TIME (in a way that would be just as juvenile and annoying if it was constant heterosexual references from a heterosexual person), and squealing a lot. Quite sad really, considering gay culture, or perhaps more accurately, culture created by gays has such a rich and valuable history, that it all gets reduced to knob jokes.

Do you have the time by any chance?
For what?Ho ho.

How open are you with people, out of 10?....

People in general, I don’t know, it depends a lot on who they are and how they seem to me.

Do you think you can last in a relationship for over 6 months?
If it was a relationship that was working, yeah no problem.

Have you ever lost someone you wish you didn't?
Yeah, have lost quite a few friends.

What are your parents doing right now?
Umm I should imagine they are both at home, don’t know what they’re doing though. If I had to guess, my dad’s writing and mum’s watching TV or reading.

Do you honestly have feelings for someone at the moment?
Yeah for sure. Hardly a monumental admission?

How's the weather?
Shitty death.

What are you looking forward to within the next few months?
Quality interactions.

What's the closest item that is yellow?
My lamp.

Are you eating/ drinking anything right now?
Nots.

What were you doing at 7 last night?
Umm, eating I think.

Have you ever been out of state?....

Nope, I’m always solid! (oo-er).

Have you ever looked at the stars with someone?
Yeah of course, but I’d really like to do it again sometime soon!

Does anyone hate you?
Not at this particular moment in time, I don’t think so.....

Do you usually tell people when you're mad at them?
Umm, depends on the circumstances, but it’s usually voiced eventually. I would rather usually go in with a light approach though.....

Why do you like the person you like?
All sorts of reasons!

Did you kiss anyone on the weekend?
I’ve never heard it called THAT before!

Are you afraid of falling in love?
If it really can’t be, then yes, but in general, no, with the right person, I want to feel that way.....

Did anyone watch you the last time you kissed someone?
I don’t think so!

Do you have any television obsession?
Not at all. I do watch it, but it’s a very peripheral thing in my life.

What was the first thing you said when you woke up today?....

I don’t think I said anything cos there was no-one around to say it to. Although knowing me, I probably muttered various things under my breath, like some idiot savant.

Do you love anyone?....

Yeah, I’d hope everyone could answer yes to this.

What kind of soda you drink most often?....

Diet cola.

If you took a picture under your bed what would we see?....

Nothing if I didn’t use a flash. If I did, from what I can recall - boxes of 7” records, a bag with some cables in it. Dust. And more likely than not (although I’m guessing here) one odd sock. And probably something I’ve been looking for and don’t know is there.

Do you freak out if a bee/wasp flies near you?....

“Freak out” is a bit extreme, although I don’t like it when they’re trying to go up your nose or something stupid like that.

What time did you fall asleep last night?....

Umm 12 something I think.

If myspace starts making you pay would you still use it?....

Probably not, but they won’t so it doesn’t matter.

Do you say hi first to people or do they have to speak first?....

Hmmm, despite being very confident in some ways, I do think I usually wait for the other person!

Do you ever have that one teacher that loved to humiliate their students?
Do you mean “did you”? You’re mixing past-tense and present-tense there! Umm, yeah definitely, it seems there are a surprising amount of socially-unbalanced people that enter the teaching trade! Some people were clearly just bullies.

What colour shirt are you wearing?
I’m not.It's a hoodie

Would you rather have a small dog or a big dog?....

A medium one?

Connection between you and the last person who text messaged you?
5 bars.

Will you have a boyfriend/ girlfriend in 6 months?
I have no idea about that.

....................What was the highlight of your week.
umm, Monday night was a good laugh, but it would be different depending on where you start the week.

Whose car were you in last?
Hmmm. Shub’s mum’s I think!?

When is the next time you will kiss someone?
I have no idea.

What color shirt are you wearing?
Green, black and grey checked.

How long is your hair?
Not very long at all.

Are you good looking?
Depends who you compare me to I suppose, and even then it’s subject to differences of opinion, so...I don't really think so, but everyone says that.

Last movie you watched?
Inglourious Basterds.

Who were you with?
Me, myself and I.

Last thing you ate?
Yummer pasta that I made myself. Damn it was good.

Last thing you drank?
Red wine.

When was the last time you had your heart broken?
Hang on, we were talking about wine and food a minute ago! Never really been broken in the way you mean, but it’s had some big cracks in it. It's a touch fragile right now in fact.

Who came over last?
Chris, Jay & Maciek on Monday.

Are you happy right now?
About some things, and not others.


What did you say last?
Ummm, “cheers mate” at the shop I think. Although I was probably ranting at the Xbox after that.

Where is your phone?
On the arm of the sofa.

Are you left-handed?
I'm right handed, I’m not a mutant, lol.

Spell your name without vowels:
D.

Do you have any pets?
Not anymore, I don’t have time or motivation to look after them properly, so it would be cruel to have any.

Favourite Vacation?
Pfft – that I’ve ever had? I always have to wimp out and say that I can never answer things like that, it’s all so dependent on different factors.

What do you dislike currently?
Rules and assumptions and people who inflict their bullshit on others.

What are you listening to?
iTunes is on a playlist, but at this precise moment, “Atomic Garden” by Bad Religion is playing.

If you could have one thing right now what would it be?
A time machine and/or matter transporter. Is that too much to ask??

What is your favourite scent?....
The one no-one else can recreate cos it's just theirs.

Who makes you happiest?
Well, that’s another circumstantial question really, but I know where I’d be happiest right now. And it's not here doing this.

What were you doing at midnight last night?
Not sure, prob watching TV or playing games like a saddo.

When is your birthday?
Meh.

Who has the same phone as you?
Loads of people I imagine, it’s nothing special.

Last time you went swimming in a pool?
Wow, years ago!! I’ve been at swimming pools on holiday, but I can’t remember the last time I specifically made the effort to go to one of my own volition.

Do you read your horoscope?
Love the stars, but don’t believe they’re having some special influence on me, and even if they were, I CERTAINLY wouldn’t believe that some bullshit written by some idiot in a paper/magazine read by tens of thousands could somehow ever apply to me specifically. “you will experience change in your work, financial or personal life”. As opposed to? My pigeon-rearing life? My clay pottery?

Where was the last place you bought something?
The corner shop.

How do you feel about your hair right now?
This second? It looks awful. But it doesn’t really matter.

Do you bite your nails?
Nopes. I did when I was younger.

Do you have any expensive jewellery?
Nothing worth more than maybe £30 tops (white gold ring). Meh.

Myspace or facebook?
MySpace. Should be kinda obvious really don't you think?

How fast have you driven a car?
Ummm, 40mph tops??

Have you ever smoked?
I’m smoking now.

What was or is your favourite subject in school?
Hmmph, I guess English, but...hated the environment so much it was hard to like anything.

Do you have Verizon?
A what?

What type of boy or girl do you usually fall for?
Short fat ones with beards who carry little bags of string around in silk purses and view the world through two rolling milky eyes, making toothless silent cackles at the heavens on Sabbath days. Yawn.

Do you have any hidden talents?
Can’t beat the last answer – “If it's hidden how would I know”. Haha.

Favorite Song?
You know I can’t do that sort of thing.

Do you like to sing at all?
Yeah, I sing a lot, I’m really good at it sometimes and terrible at others.

Dream Job?
Being paid to travel and take photos (to places I wasn’t going to get shot in though, ideally).

Where does most of your family live?
Peterborough. All of them in fact.

Are you an only child or do you have siblings.
One sis.

What was the first thing you thought when you woke up?
Mmm.

Do you drink?
Yes, a little more than I should perhaps. Although according to government stats, so does pretty much everyone basically. Even the dead.

Know any other languages?
Not fluently.

Ever write a coded message?
All the time.

Have you ever been IN a wedding?....
“IN” a wedding? That’s an odd way to put it. The closest would be as photographer I guess, which is more active than the bridge and groom, hehe.

Do you have any children?
Cue typical crap male joke – “Not that I know of, hohoho”. No, I don’t.

Did you take a nap today?
I didn't do that.

Who has the same birthday as you?
No-one that I know of, but there must be lots of people. Approx 1/365th of the population I imagine.

Ever met anyone famous before?
Yes and I don't care. And neither should you.

Do you want to be famous one day?
Depends what for I suppose, and to what extent.

Any Pet Peeves?
It means things that annoy you always. Ummm...god I don't know where to start.

Are you multitasking right now?
Yes, I’m IM’ing, listening to music, and both reading the last answers to this and writing my own.

Do you like Britany Spears?
Is that a peninsula in Northern France?

What is your least favorite chore?
Drying up. So I just don’t do it. They dry themselves if you leave them, then you just put them away. Rocket science it is not – “t-drying encounting”.

Last place you drove your car?
I don't have a car.

Where were you born?
Peterborough, on the darkest day of the year.

Could you handle being in the military?
Definitely not, I need to question things if they don’t immediately seem right. Like all those people out there getting shot at and never saying.......
Q: “umm hang on, why am I ACTUALLY here??”....
A: “because we need to restore peace and democracy”.....
Q: “ok, fine, I believe in that! So why are we not in Burma? Mozambique? Western Sahara? Tibet? Sudan? Aren't their governments undemocratic and killing lots of people”....
A: “just do what you’re told”....
“Ok....”

What is your average cell phone bill?
Way too much considering the majority of it uses networks paid for by the public.

Who are you thinking about right now?
Someone!

When was the last time you laughed REALLY hard?
Earlier today.

How many pairs of shoes do you own?
About 7-8. Oh god, I'm gay!

Are your toes always painted?
No. Never in fact. Phew, I'm not gay after all.

How many piercings do you have?
None.

What are you doing today?
Well, it’s very early in the morning, so later today I will be listing on ebay. Not fun, but relatively profitable.

Have you ever been gambling?
Hmmm, me and a few friends occasionally play cards for very small sums of money (I'm talking 50p's or pounds), aside from that, no. I have been to Vegas and not gambled! I'm involuntarily contrary. Sometimes in good ways, sometimes bad.

When is the last time you updated your page?
About a fortnight ago, or so.

Have you ever been to disneyland or world?
Not been to Disneyland but have been to the world.

Do you have a favorite cartoon character?
Umm Daffy Duck maybe? The underdog.

Last thing you cooked?
Pasta.

How's the weather?
Dark and cold, and raining now.

Do you e-mail?
No, I live in a cave? Yeah, have to for work etc.

What's the stupidest thing you ever did with your cell phone?
Dropped it in a B52. (for all you barmen out there who don’t know how to make it, that Cointreau, Bailey’s and Kaluha, LOL). It didn’t work anymore after that. It was my work phone though. I totally lied and said it was just getting old. They gave me a new one.

Last time you were sick?
I don’t recall. A fair while ago.

What states have you lived in?
Happy. Sad. Confused. Scared. Terrified. Content. Apathetic. Needy. Ecstatic. Ambiguous. Excited. Angry. Dazed. Loved. Warmed. Cynical. Sceptical. And that’s just today.

Do you wish you could move?
Yep. But that has associated problems.

What is your dream car?
1959 Cadillac Coupe De Ville, although it’s probably more of a nightmare in reality.

Have you ever wanted someone you can’t have?
Yep. Done that!

If you could be anywhere right now where would it be?
Not that far away really, but it may as well be another dimension.

Are you happy with your life?
A lot of it, yes, I've done and seen and been part of some fucking amazing things that would make your face explode! But not all of course. I supposed compared to 99.9% of people that ever lived on earth, it’s been incredibly good and “easy”. But all things are relative. Especially your aunt...
..
What was the very last thing you did before bed last night?
Same as always ;o)

Do you ever think "what if" about anything ?
Yeah, all sorts of things, every day, doesn’t everyone?? I don’t mean in that “regrets” type way, I just mean general hypothesis.

Have you ever regretted anything?
Again, who hasn’t!? Loads of things, but until that time machine I requested is delivered, there’s not much point worrying about it is there.

Do you judge people you don't know ?....
Yeah, all the time, and I’m usually right. But in practice, I never actually treat anyone differently, within reason. (like I will pre-judge someone carrying a baseball bat with a nail through it, but, in day to day life I mean).

Who/what is on your mind right now ?
The same as always.

What is one thing you feel that you NEED in life ?
“Someone to watch over meeeee”.

How does it feel to live your life ?
Happy. Sad. Confused. Scared. Terrified. Content. Apathetic. Needy. Ecstatic. Ambiguous. Excited. Angry. Dazed. Loved. Warmed. Cynical. Sceptical. I copied and pasted from above, but you get the point...

Are you happy with the way things are going ?
A few.

Has more than one person ever told you they're in love with you ?....
In my life? Yes. Not at the same time, haha.

Has anyone ever hung up on you ?
Is that a sexual term? Oh you mean the phone. Oh yeah. And then called right back when I didn’t play ball and call them, haha. I cannot and will not be manipulated by such sorcery.

Looking forward to something this weekend?
Sunday should be good.

Today did you hug a person you have feelings for ?
I didn’t even see them.

Do you hate when people smoke around you ?
When they dance around me in a circle blowing smoke in my face, yes. Otherwise no, not really.

Do you drink tea ?
Sometimes.

Who's bed did you last sleep in ?
My own.

In the past week have you cried?
Not done that.

Do you have any bruises ?
Not got those.

What time did you wake up this morning ?
8:30am-ish.

What woke you up this morning ?
Cars going up the alley often wake me before anything else. They drive up about 40ft of alley like they’re in Starsky & Hutch or something. And then have to stop 4seconds later.

Have you ever been awake for more then 2 nights straight?
No, have def done a whole day/night and more though!

Who was the last person you took a picture with ?
Hmmm.... I have no idea! I think somebody may have snapped me and other/s at some party/gig? Actually yeah I was probably in a group shot by Mike The Hat at the OAP’s party at the chapel (there’s a totally bizarre sentence), and I think one of Sophie’s friends may have taken a pic of us.

Who would you want to be tied to for 24 hours ?
I can imagine! Do I get to choose how we’re tied up? ;o)

Have you ever seen a dead body ?
A few times.

What should we do with stupid people ?
Grind them up and feed them to the intelligent but poor. Two problems, one solution. Remember to Vote “Another State Of Mind for emperor”.  Oh wait, that’s how BSE started.

How long you think you will live?
I have absolutely no idea. And I suppose that's a good thing.

Do you drink lots of water ?
I go through phases, but not as much as I should at the moment.

What are you doing this week ?
Going to Brighton, going to a job interview, beyond that, not 100% sure.

Are you a mama's child or a daddy's child ?
Neither.

The last website you visited ?
Take a wild guess.....

Is anything alive in your room?
Me?

Today, would you rather go back a week or go forward a week ?
Back please!!

Does your best friend know you well?
Yes, of course, what kind of freak would have a best friend that didn’t know them well??

What was your favourite memory from this summer?
Hmmm, possibly first trip to Germany? It should be something else in a way.

Did the last person you kissed deserve it?
They damn well did!!

What’s your favourite thing to have for breakfast?
Hmmm, not really got one. Sorry. A breakfast someone else has made is best, cos it requires no effort from me! I like getting a good breakfast in a good hotel that you didn’t have to make yourself and don’t have to clear away.

Has someone ever told you they want to spend the rest of their life with you?
Had to think about that, and I think the answer is yes, but meh. I think they meant it, but they didn't know how ridiculous it was.

Tell me a secret:
Come closer.....closer still....closer...yoink! I stole your wallet.

Are you slowly drifting away from someone?
Wilson? Wiiiiiiiiiiiiilson!!!!!! Umm, that only works if you've seen "Castaway". The Tom Hanks version, for the love of god don't watch the Oliver Reed/Amanda Donohoe version.

Does the last person you kissed have any importance in your life?
Nah, just go round randomly kissing idiots in case they’re bored. Yes of course.

If you could go back in time and change things, would you?
Yeah, a few things. Small things that lead to big differences.

Happiest moment of 2009 so far?
Was great.

Have you ever kissed someone in a vehicle?
I have.

Have you ever been called a tease?
I recall...but probably!

Is lying ever acceptable?
Yeah, if it gets you out of something? Haha, no just kidding I mean yes if it’s genuinely for the best, which it often can be.

Do you give in easily?....
Hmm, some things probably, yes. But I can be quite stubborn if I really believe in something, and I have been since I was a mite.

Do you bail on people often?....
A bit more than I should, but never if it’s genuinely important and they actually need me.

Do you like the smell of gasoline?
A little whiff is ok, quite a pleasant smell for some reason. Considering it's the refined bones of my ancestors, maybe it's not so surprising.

Have you ever spit on someone before.
Yeah, when I was very young, haha. Not a nice thing to do.

What are your ticklish areas?
The usual ones. But I’ve actually learned to switch it off, haha. I’m like a zen monk with tickling if I want to be.

Have you ever told someone you loved them and meant it?
At the time, it was true, so yes.

Have you ever told someone you loved them and not meant it?
No, I don’t think that would be the right thing to do. I’ve had someone trying to get me to say that before on more than one occasion and have tried to explain what I believe – which is that it should be something that comes from me willingly and openly when I want to say it, and when I say it voluntarily, it’ll be because I mean it. You can’t force it out of someone, just like you can’t force someone to say they’re sorry and expect it to be genuine.

Could you go a day without eating?
I have done, so yes.

What was the reason you got grounded for last?
I guess the nearest equivalent would be waiting for the repair man to turn up, hehe.

Do you curse in front of your parents?
Yes, the other day I poisoned all the water in the town’s well and made someone’s horse immobile.

Do you look like your siblings?....
Not in the slightest. We’re like two completely-dissimilar things in a pod.

What movie never fails to make you cry?
The Sixth Sense, ridiculously enough.

Are you talkative?
Hmmm, depends who you ask.

Do you have any deep, dark secrets that you’ve never told anyone?
Yes!

Were you a good kid?
Actually, despite being kicked out of school, home, and all sorts of other things, I actually think I was?

What do you think about more: the past OR the future?....
The future at the moment, by a long margin.

If your parents searched your room right now, would they find anything you wouldn’t want them to?
Yeah, but more cos they’re nosey than there necessarily being anything bad. I don’t think there’s anything bad in my bedroom.

When was the last time you laughed really, really hard?
Today at some things people have said.

Do you ever feel like you can’t rely on anyone in the world?
No.

Would you rather: die with the guy you love OR live, BUT be alone the rest of your life?
Sorry Jay, I plump for alone. I’d avenge your death though. With guns.

When was the last time you were told you were cute?
Recently! By a blind girl ;o)

Is there a day you will never forget?
Well, several. For a variety of reasons.

How tall is the last person you hugged?
Ummm 5’9”???!

Who was the last person you gave your number to?
Umm, I have to admit that was some woman who tried to chat me up at a party. I was drunk and didn’t wanna just be rude or mean, and that was the easiest way to just stop it at that point, or so it seemed at the time. She texted and I’ve now deleted it, as I intended to from the moment I gave it. What should I have done??? Grown a pair? Am I going to hell? :oS

Do you talk about your feelings or hide them?
Hmm, I’m a bit yin and yang on that one, cos I think I’m pretty well known for keeping things to myself and not talking to people about the things I have “going on”, at the same time, I also feel like I’m really quite open with people for the most part. I’m not sure. A bit of both.

Do you ever bite your lip?
Yes, when I do something wrong or stupid, but not when anyone’s looking, only when I’m in that “YOU IDIOT!!!” (to self) mode.

Could things be better in your life at the moment?
Yes, indeed. I still can’t complain compared to most people, but there are things that could be easier/better.

Do you ever keep arguing even when you know you’re wrong?
No, I think I tend to concede when I’ve been proved wrong. It's never happened of course, but that's only because I'm always right....

....................

Does the last person you held hands with mean a lot to you?
Definitely.

Is there anybody you wish you could spend time with right now?
Ohhh yes.

Can you go a day without thinking about the person that’s on your mind now?
Nopety-nope-nope. I’ll think about them every day.

Did you sleep alone last night?
I did indeed unfortunately.

Did the last person you kiss have a tattoo?....

Not a one.

Do you mind sleeping on the floor?
Did it a couple of weekends ago actually. Not the most comfortable, but it was ok.

Do you have a reason to smile right now?
There’s always a reason to smile, and another to cry.

Did anything ‘adorable’ happen in the last week?
Yes!! Most definitely.

Where was the last place you fell asleep rather than your own bed?

The train back from Newcastle.

Have you ever stayed up at night waiting for someone to call/text you back?
Haha, definitely.

Who's the last person you hugged?
Miss.P

Do you change your phone background a lot?
I’ve never changed it actually.

What was the last thing you ate?
A honey-roasted cashew nut.

What colour are your eyes?
Dark.

What's your relationship status?
Single would be the most convenient description.

What was the last thing you bought?
A pint of milk. Rock and roll.

Are you happy with the way things are going?
What things?

Who was the last person you talked to in person?
My mother.

When was the last time you really laughed?
Today! About 20mins ago.

Waiting for something?
Yeah, one bad thing, one good thing.

When you say you don't care, do you mean it?
Umm, I would think so, usually?? Odd question. I guess I could say it flippantly without meaning it.

Is there somebody in your life that you could not survive without?
I could and will survive, if you call it survival.

Whats going on with you and the person you last kissed?
What? Do we seem weird?

Who was the last person you talked on the phone with?
A woman in HR at a homeless place in Brighton – weird cos last time I was asked this it was another person in HR!

Do you ever listen to country music?
Yeah, I like some as long as it’s not the predictable redneck crap.

Have you ever had a best friend who was of the opposite sex?
Yeah for sure.

Has anyone said they love you in the last week?
Not.

Are you feeling cuddly?
I don’t know if I’m feeling cuddly, but I certainly feel like a cuddle.

Do you miss anyone?
An unbelievable amount.

Who was the last person you watched a movie with?
Hmmm...probably Sarah. Wow that seems like ages ago.

Have you ever talked to a cop drunk?
Yup. Sometimes in a nice, lucid, clever way, sometime in a stupid way.

Do you drink coffee?
I dust.

First thing you do when you wake up?
Usually go back to sleep.

Is there someone you'd like to see?
Yes yes yes, oh yes.

Do you listen to music when you're down?
Hmmm, it depends what sort of down it is. If I’m feeling unhappy in a general sense, I tend not to actually be so interested in music, but if I’m feeling in a wallowing mood, then I will put on something to sort-of heighten the feeling, or at least make me more in touch with how I’m feeling already.

How many pillows do you sleep with?
Two of the little fellas. Well actually four in total, but I only sleep on two at any one time.

Anybody you're looking forward to seeing soon?
Yes, as soon as possible.

Will tomorrow be a good day?
No.

Have you ever been called beautiful?
Yes, which may not be accurate, but is nice all the same

Has anyone ever said something that brought tears to your eyes?
Hmmm, not to my face, as far as I can recall, but in other mediums, yes.

Do you laugh a lot?
Very often at the moment.

What are you listening to at the moment
QI.

Do you think age matters in relationships?
In some ways, yes. Inevitably. 16 and 60? But if you consider how few relationships actually work long-term, you’re probably just letting yourself down if you have too narrow of a bracket. Amazing people that make you feel great and special are rare indeed, and although age is a huge consideration, and does have some serious ramifications to consider, it’s certainly not the first thing you should be thinking about (within reason) if you love someone.

When was the last time you cried?
A long time ago. Let’s see how we go on from here...

Have you, in any way, been betrayed by someone you trusted?
In the very, VERY distant past, when I didn’t know as well as I do now, how to judge people. I don’t believe the same thing would happen now, my friends are good people I believe, and the idea of them betraying me seems ludicrous.

Is there anyone who doesn't like you?
At the moment, not in any significant way.

What were you doing at 7:00 AM?
Sleeping!

Is there a person of the opposite sex who means a lot to you?
Yes there is.

Is love really worth fighting for?
If it’s actually love, then of course, it’s all that really matters - the only real reason to do anything.

Who's clothes are you wearing?
Ummm, Noam Chomsky’s? Mine of course! And it’s spelt “whose” in that context.

Next time you will kiss someone?
I have no idea sadly.

Could you go out in public looking like you do now?
Not willingly. Although I doubt there are many people around right now, it would still be unwise.

Is your hair naturally straight?
Well mostly.

....................

What does the song you're listening to remind you of?
Hmm, not actually listening to anything! I must rectify that.......

Have you ever written anything on your walls?
Yeah, when I had my bedroom as a teen, I scrawled all sorts of stuff all over the walls, and invited others to do the same. It was only crappy woodchip wallpaper – it didn’t matter. I kept a few though – cut them out when I left, haha.

Do you brighten and contrast your pictures?
Hmm, well not always, but yeah they certainly get SOME kind of edit.

Have you ever attended a private school?....

My grandparents offered to pay for private boarding school, but my dad refused. What to make of that in retrospect? I don’t know. Should I be angry or “get” it, or feel denied an opportunity to join the elite, or at least a higher point on the ladder to start from. I understand his reasons, and now that I am who I am, I believe that it probably would have either been a complete disaster (me, rules, cliques, “mindless tradition” and discipline don’t mix well), or I genuinely think I would have ended up being someone that the me of now would hate, but then, if I had, would the me of then hate the me that I actually ended up being?

What do you do when you need to relax?
I fire a gun! Well, when I can anyway. But failing that, films, games, TV, the usual. Or depending on where my head's at, take one of a stock selection of quiet walks in lovely countryside that I know, where you rarely see another soul. Or certain beaches in Norfolk where you can be miles from anyone with nothing but sand, sea and sky. Great for those “talking things through in your own head” moments.

What thing(s) annoy you the most?....

All sorts of things CAN be annoying to me! There isn’t time to list what annoys me in detail, although fundamentally, I’m not really an “annoyed” sort of person. The main one is my total and utter lack of understanding about so many people’s sheer lack of ability to empathise with others. Throughout history, all the way up to today. I just don’t understand it at all, and don’t know why I, and some other people, can be so different to a mentality that seems to have plagued humans throughout our collective history.....

Who is your favorite cartoon character?
Hmmm...interesting. I don’t know. Maybe Daffy Duck. He’s the underdog I root for. Or perhaps Wile E. Coyote. You know you want him to catch that smart-arse Road Runner. I love his eternal optimism.....

What do you usually order from starbucks?
I just wish that after 20yrs of fucking-over small coffee growers, they didn’t now have posters everywhere proudly proclaiming that all their coffee is FairTrade, just because they were forced into it by seeing their profit-margins shrink as people wised-up to it. So, I’d "order" the posters taken down. Or ideally the shops themselves.....

 
What was the last thing you laughed really hard over?

Ummm, I think something I joked with Jay about on the phone, I just remember  laughing, but don’t recall what it was. Can’t have been that funny, haha. Oh actually no, I do recall, it was about his ex’s. Subsequent to that I've had some funny IM's on here!

What did you look like when you went out today?
Hmm, the first time, not good at all. Like a football thug. Later, not much better, but slightly more cultured.

What's a habit that you wish you could break?
Extreme disorganisation except when it comes to organising other people.

What is something you're really good at?
Asking too many questions.

What's a song you could listen to over and over, and never get sick of?
Oooh. I don’t know...D.O.A.’s cover of “Fuck You” by The Stiffs never gets old, lol.

What are you looking forward to?
Resolution.

What is something you really need to do?
Get a new job and move somewhere better.

What kind of cell phone do you have?
Phoney type.

What is your favorite color scheme?
Never thought about it, although I guess it tends toward the dark.

What is the last thing that you watched on TV?
Haha, well earlier today it was a dog-training show. Bizarrely interesting, but it won’t be watched again.

Do you wish anyone was still in your life?
Umm, no, but only because I don’t know how they would have turned out, and/or whether I'd still want them in my life. I do wish they were still in their own lives though, for better or worse, which is after all, the whole point of having one.

What color are your nails painted right now?
Nail colour, they tend to always be that colour.

Are you more factual or random?
Factual I guess, randomly.

What is something you do often that annoys people?
Hmmm, there’s probably a number of things that people don’t tell me about, but I don’t THINK there’s anything major. I crack my knuckles sometimes, which is far from an endearing attribute. I think the main one people complain about it just being so annoyingly logical and relaxed about everything.

What is the worst movie you have ever seen?
Pfft, so many bad ones to choose from. When I think of all the amazing ideas that must be out there, and when you read about how many classics were touted around for years before SOMEONE had the sense and vision to break from the mainstream-thinking of the time and get them made, you wonder, every time you see some piece of crap that cost millions to make (and a few million is low-budget by Hollywood standards of course) what wonderful ideas are out there not being filmed when this piece of predictable crap has just sucked up 2hrs of my life, and $20million dollars that could have been better spent on anything else.

....

What are you going to do after this?
A bit more messaging, then sleeeeep. Perchance to dream.

How many windows are open on your computer?
7! The Google end user licence that I simply can’t turn off because of some fault with Vista, Photoshop, Photomatix, Firefox, Adobe Bridge, Word, and iTunes. Which is about normal. 4GB of RAM, so it’s fine ;o) (he said, smugly)

What is your desktop background at the moment?
I had to check! It’s inmates suitcases strewn on the floor from West Park Asylum.

What is something you say a lot?
"Cool".

What's in your purse right now?
I don't have one, nor a wallet. A wallet is just a handy carry-case for a pickpocket.

How many CDs are in your house?
Hundreds, although less than the thousands there used to be.

What are you wearing right now?....

Socks, trousers, boxers, and some weird crappy top. And my glow-in-the-dark-on-command watch ;o) And a necklace.

Have you ever had hair extensions?
No.

Do you have a last.fm account?
I can't be bothered. There’s some obscure stuff on there, by my tastes in music are obscurer still (surprisingly, “obscurer” is actually a word).

Do you have a good memory?
Ah, for some things I amaze myself and others with my memory, like some kind of Victorian freakshow. For other things it’s all “....wha?”. I kind of wish I could swap them around though, but not always. Put me in a new city I've never been to before, and I'll always know how to get around, you'll never be lost with me, it's just automatic. Give me a task or a job, and....ummm...what was I saying?....

What is something that can't be joked around about?....

Most things are fair-game, but you need to KNOW that there’s no-one around who’s affected by them. I know some really funny people, and I like “sick” jokes, and I also think they serve some social purpose in a weird way, but occasionally someone will crack one, and I think – “you don’t know if that’s gonna really upset someone here”. You need to be sure that everybody’s on the same page, and that everyone you’re making the joke to knows that it’s not real and you don’t mean it, and above all, that they’re not affected by it in some way. A few times I’ve thought “if that was me, or someone I cared about, I’d be knocking your grinning teeth out right  now”.

Have you ever been in love?
Yes, but it isn’t a tangible thing, so it was just where I was at the time. Looking back on it, I feel like it will only have really been love if and when it really does last forever, and violins strain and angels sing the whole way through to the end of the song. Rather than just mumbling, giving up, and walking off somewhere through the chorus.

Do you take vitamins?
I’ve answered this recently.

What kind of pets do you have?
None, I can just about manage pot-plants. And they’d chew your ear right off if you asked them about how well I care for them.

In your opinion what is the best car?
I’m full-on cheese for this one. 1959 Cadillac Coupe De Ville. Red. But we’re not talking miles to the gallon, practicality, parking, spares, maintenance or anything else here right?

What song are you currently listening to?
“In Betweens”, by The Nils. The best song by the best and most influential band you’ve never heard of. It feeds itself into my head.

What is your favorite kind of ice cream?
Moose tracks. Mmmmmmm.....

Have you ever bought anything off the internet?
Thousands of things over the years. Used to be a big ebayer, have bought thousands of vinyl records and CD’s alone!....

Have you ever talked back to a teacher?
Many, many, many times! As everyone should at some point, unless they go to some dream school where every teacher is cool and switched-on. Used to enjoy defeating them, and watching them lose the arguments until they either backed off, or became childishly angry and incompetent, conceding me their even greater defeat. But I was never difficult, awkward or argumentative to good teachers, or people who were obviously bad teachers but probably good people.....

Do you get excited when you get a text message?
Yes!

What's something that freaks you out?....

Ummm, I don’t know. Violence.

Have you ever met anyone famous?
Yeah, a few but so what, they’re just people, and in some cases, they’re not even that.

What was the last interesting thing you learned?....

Haha, chuckled at previous answer to this! Ummm, actual facts? That there is some chemical that used to come from China that was used in MDMA (E’s) production that has now been banned by the EU, so the consistency of the drug is changing – in all seriousness, that’s worth bearing in mind for those of you that participate!

Have you ever had a bad feeling about someone?
Of course, who hasn’t! Some people just reek of bad vibes!

What's your favorite way to wear your hair?
Ideally on my head! Fortunately for me, it’s not abandoning me too quickly at the mo! But ask me again in future, haha.

Do you miss the way things used to be?....

I miss the way some things used to be, from the 1980’s right through to this Sunday, but not in any serious way, and only because there’s just no point!

.................. ..

Q: Your name please:....

....A: Another State Of Mind Photography!....

.. ..

Q: Do you have any website(s)?....

....A: http://anotherstateofmind.zenfolio.com/....

.. ..

Q: Do you like to talk about yourself or your pictures? If yes, about what aspects of photography? If no, why?....

....A: Like most people, I do like to talk about myself and what I do, assuming people are actually interested. However, I think it’s really hard to talk about “your art” without sounding pretentious, or at least feeling like you’re sounding very pretentious. Which I think is why people shy away from it a bit (unless they actually are pretentious, in which case they will waffle quite un-selfconsciously). Personally I would have huge amounts to say about most of my pictures - what I intended, what they mean to me, what I was thinking or what was happening at the time, etc. ....

.. ..

The caveat is that I’m a great believer that art either speaks to you in some fundamental way, or it doesn’t, and if it requires a big explanation to give it validity or credibility, then it’s not really art, it’s something else. History or sociology maybe.....

However, that’s very different to someone seeing and appreciating a piece of art, and as a result, wanting to know more about it, which is fine – but the appreciation should be there first!....

.. ..

I’m always happy to talk about any aspects of my photography with anyone who wants to hear about it. I do find that people ask me technical questions that I don’t know about, or assume I’ve taken a far more technically-minded, methodical approach to my work than I actually do. When I’m taking pictures, I don’t tend to be thinking about what I’m doing, I’m usually on autopilot, so I am making adjustments, and perhaps doing all sorts of things, but usually unthinkingly.....

.. ..

Q: How would you describe your attention span?....

....A: Hmmmm....wha?? Oh right. Well as far as photography is concerned, it’s pretty intense – because I enjoy it 95% of the time, I’m totally there in the moment. It’s only on the rare occasions when I’m doing it because I “have to” that the attention can waver, otherwise, never have any problems with my attention span during photography, which is more than can be said for the rest of my life.....

.. ..

Q: When did you decide to become a photographer?....

....A: Never “decided” to. I had some very basic training at college (most of it has not come with me in any way), but they gave me an SLR to use, and I really liked the feel and experience of it. Eventually I bought a cheap one off ebay, and took it on holiday. I really enjoyed using it, and people complimented me greatly on the results, and so the combination of enjoyment and, I suppose, encouragement led me to gradually start taking it more seriously and to get into it more and more.....

.. ..

Q: What does photography mean to you?....

....A: Well here’s a good opportunity to be pretentious that I’m going to try and avoid! I think the simplest and most important thing it now means to me, is that wherever I go I end up seeing and experiencing things that most people don’t because the urge to take pictures drives me to find them, and that has extended into my life in general – I have done lots of things over the past couple of years which I’ll remember forever, seen places other people haven’t, because the urge to take pictures led me to look beyond what was infront of me.....

.. ..

Q: Can you recall the first photo you took that made you go WOW!?....

....A: Hmmm...well there obviously isn’t one which springs to mind! I think there were probably lots of early pictures that I thought were great and I would just see as quaint attempts now. But that’s fine, and in a way, it's how it should be. I think one of the first things you have to do is get over the idea of recreating what other people have done, and the vague assumed collective memories of what you have read about art before. That’s why so many photographers take pictures of their feet when they get their first camera, and actually post them up. They can almost hear their own future narration: "Josephine Bloggs shows us the isolation and despair of modern life through simple everyday images -  this one is simply titled “feet”". No. They were just the nearest thing to you. But hey, we’ve all done it.....

.. ..

Q: Do you have any formal training regarding photography?....

....A: Only the aforementioned college course, which taught me how to develop photos the old way, and not much else, basically useless to me now.....

.. ..

Q: How technical is your photography?....

....A: Not very at all. I rarely even use a tripod.....

.. ..

Q: How do you feel about cropping?....

....A: It’s an essential part of the creative process in my opinion. That’s not to say you have to do it, if the composition of the picture is perfect (or you're happy with it) straight away, then great. But I say essential because it’s essential to at least consider if the picture needs cropping – maybe it does, maybe it doesn’t, but you do need to think about whether it does or not.....

.. ..

Q: Where is your favorite place to live and work as a photographer in the World and why?....

....A: It would be great to live and work in a variety of places.....

.. ..

Q: Define the word "beauty"!....

....A: An intangible intrinsic internal value that I see in someone or something, which no-one else can contradict beyond making their own personal interpretation, which would in turn be just as subjective as mine.....

.. ..

Q: What is your most favourite and least favourite word in photography or life? How do they make you feel?....

....A: In photography – Most=Bokeh. Least=togs (as an abbreviation of “photographers” – so stupid.

In life, Most= It changes all the time, I can’t really think of one. A Belgian coal-mine called "Hasard Cheratte" seems to roll around in my mind a lot for some reason, but that's just me being weird. Or the architect of Beelitz – "Heino Schmeiden". Love it, just sounds nice in the brain. Least= “mozzies” for mosquitoes. They don’t deserve such a friendly, affectionate description. And...y’know, it’s not such a long word anyway.......

.. ..

Q: How does your personality change when you look through the camera?....

....A: I don’t think my personality changes at all, but I’m probably somewhat distanced from what else is happening.....

.. ..

Q: How do you feel about missed shots which cannot be recreated?....

....A: Ah, it’s a pain every photographer knows all too well. It’s bad, but there’s nothing you can really do, except make sure when you’re in that should I/shouldn’t I take the camera zone...take it.....

.. ..

Q: Ever concerned about failure?....

....A: Well, not in the direct sense, but it’s certainly a concern when doing something that can’t be repeated. Weddings are the big, obvious one. You can’t apologise if you screw things up and say “hey, we’ll all come back next week and try again”. The photos have been important for weddings for decades, but now probably more than ever, so it’s a huge pressure which no-one who hasn’t done it can really appreciate, especially the guests and the bride & groom, who quite rightly, are just there to enjoy themselves. And make permanent legally-binding supposedly-unrepeatable vows of course.....

.. ..

Q: Who are your influences?....

....A: No-one really. There are photographers whose work I like or admire but I never really studied what people did too carefully. When you’re this late in the game (in the sense that you’re a long way after the “pioneering” work, by virtue of having been born decades too late in a world where everything is hyper-condensed into increasingly small fragments of time), you’re probably better off not getting too embroiled in what other people have done before you, and just get the hell on with doing what you feel works for you.....

.. ..

Q: What is your favourite image, either your own or someone else's or both? Describe its creation or meaning to you?....

....A: Phew, well I’m terrible at narrowing things down in general (ask me my top 10 films and I’d be struggling, not cos I don't have that many, but just can't narrow things down), so will have to lame-out on that one I’m afraid. Nothing specific jumps to mind, and I feel that if it really was my favourite, then one thing should leap out above all others, but it doesn’t, so I guess I don't have one. Tennis player scratching her bum? Chimp on the toilet?....

.. ..

Q: What are the biggest personal or professional challenges you face on a daily basis?....

....A: I know it sounds pretentious, but there simply isn’t time/space for that in regards to the day-job! In terms of photography, it’s all just about being adaptable, and making the most of what are sometimes challenging circumstances. Again, when it’s a wedding or something you have specifically been asked to do, you need to know yourself, your equipment and you skills/limitations well enough to just get on and make it work. Easier said than done, but then that's the skills you need to have, and what seperates you from "uncle Bob who has a nice camera and could shoot our wedding for free maybe" to "the guy who we can rely on to give us some images we're actually gonna feel really happy about and record out expensive, momentous day accurately".....

.. ..

Q: What has been the single biggest obstacle against growing as a photographer in whole?....

....A: Personally, nothing, except perhaps the funds to just go wherever I want, whenever I want.

Commercially, the competitive nature of 21^st century media. It’s hard to be seen and heard above the noise, even though 90% of the noise is just static, whatever artform you're into.....

.. ..

Q: What are your favourite subjects to photograph?....

....A: See my website.....

.. ..

Q: Tell your funniest, scariest, most bizarre, most touching story from a photo shoot!....

....A: From the shoot itself – it’s gotta be climbing the stairs at Chateau Miranda, in Belgium. It’s a long-abandoned Victorian Chateau/castle in the middle of nowhere, the hilly countryside of the Ardennes, quite literally hours from the nearest town - the train station is just a shack and a cafe, and then car-advert type roads winding off into the leafy mountains in both directions. I had been dreaming of seeing that place for ages, I knew it was gonna be a practical and personal challenge – unlike anybody else who’s been there, only I was mad/stupid/obsessive enough to try it on my own, and without a car. So it was a very very strange experience to tackle this incredibly spooky, creaky, cavernous, forbidding, haunting, haunted and yet beautiful place alone. I was very worried that I would chicken-out, especially when it came to the 140ft clocktower, which involved climbing very....very...carefully...up 3 flights of almost non-existent staircase with no railings (or actual steps) and 3 floors to fall down onto flimsy floorboards if you screwed up. I had a new pair of combat boots for the trip, they shredded my feet up so badly cos I didn't have time to wear them in, but in my eagerness to get UP the stairs, I hadn't considered the trauma of coming back down again, and their solid, grippy quality quite possibly prevented my plummety death.....

But I did it, and it was worth it – it was amazing. ....

.. ..

Q: Have you ever thought about or actually stopped doing photography? What were the circumstances?....

....A: Nope. So none. Can't imagine life without it playing a reasonably important role.....

.. ..

Q: Do you ever have photographer's block and if yes how do you deal with it?....

....A: Not really “block”, but certainly situations where I need to be taking pictures, but I just don’t care about them and am totally uninspired. I do what I can, and the results are “acceptable”, but not nearly as good as they would be if I cared.....

.. ..

Q: What types of assignments are you attracted to most?....

....A: Something that involves me getting to travel or do something new and interesting for free! Happens occasionally.....

.. ..

Q: Describe what black and white photography means to you?....

....A: Well everyone and their dog knows that B&W can conjure a certain level of evocative beauty that colour sometimes just doesn’t have. However, it’s circumstantial, and it has no specific power of its own. It depends hugely on the subject. For example, a lot of my recent work on dereliction, I have specifically chosen to largely avoid B&W, because I don't want to give the viewer the comfortable timeless distance that B&W provides.....

.. ..

Q: Do you think of yourself as an artist and what do you think of the word artist?....

....A: If I make art, I’m an artist, so yes. But it doesn’t necessarily mean I’m a good one, and “artist” certainly wouldn’t be the first thing I would label myself as. It’s just a label, like everything else.....

.. ..

Q: How do you describe your photographic style?....

....A: Another State Of Mind.....

.. ..

Q: What has been the most surprising or most predictable reaction to your photographs?....

....A: The most surprising has been a few people telling me that my work seems so good compared to what they end up with that they don’t want to bother anymore because they can’t compete with it. Obviously that’s really flattering in one sense, immensely flattering in fact, but really that’s the last sort of emotion I would want to inspire – I mean, what - my work inspires a sense of defeat?? Yay!I have to admit though, that I have seen stunning work by other people that has made me feel similar – ie: I couldn’t possibly top that, so why bother? So I totally understand where the feeling comes from, but it’s illogical for two reasons – firstly, you can always do something else? Secondly, although yes, it is mildly egregious that so much has already been done, and so well, but as long as the world keeps turning, there will be new people, new places, new situations, new combinations of those three elements to shoot.....

To summarise - if you look at Ansel Adams’ photos of scenes in America, yeah, it’s easy to feel totally defeated, and rightly so – you WILL NOT better them, they’re perfect in terms of what he chose to shoot. Go to the same place and attempt the same shot, and you will not do it better. But you could always find a new angle, or a detail that he didn’t shoot, simply cos that wasn’t his style.

Not to compare myself to Ansel Adams for a moment of course, but the point I’m making is that if you asked me to shoot Colorado and then put one of his pictures in front of me, I’d feel a similar sense of defeat, knowing full well I couldn't better that shot, but why would I want to even try - I'd pull my socks up and find some way to make whatever I did my own, I'd find something else to shoot in Colorado, rather than a pale imitation of his, which would be pointless. I mean, even if you did get it exactly, what’s the point, he already did it.......

.. ..

Q: Tell a little secret about yourself that no-one knows .......

....A: But then it wouldn’t be a secret anymore.....

.. ..

Q: Who or what would you love to shoot that you haven't already?....

....A: Whoa, well there are a couple of people I’d like to shoot, and I have planned a shoot at a certain secret location for ages now, but just not got around to it for one reason or another, but stoked to try it when it happens. Prob next spring at the earliest now. As for places...well sooooo many.....

.. ..

Q: What would you have done differently during your photography career so far and could this be an advice to others?....

....A: Not post pictures of your feet? Ok, but seriously, I’m not in a commercial position to dish out career advice, but I’d say don’t be too guarded about your work to start with, do things for free, watermark your work, but let people use it freely. When you’re a big famous in-demand photographer, then you can worry about who’s using it. As long as your name gets seen, be generous with your time for now. Practice practice practice! So many people expect to get good (or at least competent) by leaving their camera on the shelf and only taking it out when they go on holiday, or to an event, or some boring walk in the countryside (I like those, but they don’t necessarily yield interesting photographs) – you won’t get better at it like that.....

Additionally, if shooting models, agree the terms and conditions beforehand, even if quite informal or TFP/TFCD - although most people are cool, relaxed and logical, some really aren’t...believe me.....

.. ..

Q: What are your thoughts on the paparazzi and their effects on photographers and photography?....

....A: I think they’re parasites, but the people that buy the publications that fund their parasitical nature are equally bad. Stupid dumb vacuous women (I don't mean that as a specific dig at women, but it's a female-funded industry, plain and simple, guys don't read Heat, Ok, Hello, etc) who think they’re morally upstanding people but contribute to some of the most vampiric, basest tendencies in the modern industrialised world. For example, all those dumb, emotionally retarded freaks who were out laying flowers when Diana died (who could have donated the money to her charities instead if they really believed in what she claimed to stand for?) were the same people that bought the magazines that paid the paparazzi to hound her and subsequently caused her death. Braindead idiots living vicariously through people whose lives are not worth thinking about anyway.....

.. ..

Q: How do you feel about digital manipulation and to what extent do you utilize it?....

....A: Like so many things, fine in moderation. Weirdly, I started out with none, then used it more and more, and now use much less. But I think that’s simply about finding your own style/skills. The more I’ve learned about “old-school” film photographers, the more I realise how much they faked things, so it’s been done for years. The basic rule in my opinion (and HDR is the biggest culprit here) is that if you can’t tell, it’s fine, but if you can, it’s bad.....

.. ..

Q: What other thoughts would you like to share?....

....A: In regards to photography - you just need to enjoy it first, and see what follows. Push it and promote yourself if you're someone who can do that. I read about a top-level photographer, probably making way more money than I ever will, who talked about how he never even takes his camera on holiday with the family anymore, cos it's his work, his job, it's boring and tedious and why would he want a reminder of that when he's on a beach, trying to relax. I can understand that when it comes to your work diary or laptop, but...I would never want to be that way and if the balance ever shifted, I'd have to seriously rethink things.....

............1,
tell us a random thought you've had in the last 5 minutes:

I will buy a newspaper at the weekend. Far out man.



2, name someone you miss lately:

No-one springs particularly to mind over or above anyone else.



3, name a relationship you miss:

A loving one I suppose.



4, who was the last person to make you cry:

Oh I don’t know, that hasn’t happened for a looooooooong time.



5, who would you love to punch:

Zac Effron. Wouldn’t you love to sink your fist into that shit-eating grin? But
I wouldn’t, cos I’m nice and not like that.



6, who would you really like to sleep with:

Someone I really liked and would want to sleep with again ideally!?



7, last crap shag:

Hmmm, don’t think it’s ever been “crap”, but there has certainly been “amazing”
and “mediocre”, and a few levels in between. Wouldn’t really be very nice to
name names though would it, even if they never read this.



8, ever wished to be someone else? if so who:

Oh yeah, as a kid – some superhero or someone I thought was cool or tough or
whatever. But in later life I think you’d be a bit sad if you really wanted to
be anyone else for more than a day or so, surely.



9, if you where to go gay for anyone who would it be:

A post-op transsexual would be the closet to my usual preference I suppose,
haha. Bangkok here I come. They would have to be the last person alive though.



10, is there someone you like that you really shouldnt:

No I don’t think so. Why should I not like someone?? Ok, I suppose it could be
someone who’s with someone else couldn’t it, that could be a good reason you
“shouldn’t” like someone, but no, there’s no-one in that category anyway, at
least not if you mean it in a more-than-friendship way.



11, name someone you've been mean to lately:

I can’t think of anyone I’ve knowingly been mean to for a very long time!
Obviously take the piss out of people and/or make jokes at their expense, occasionally
a little more than I should perhaps, but not actually intending to hurt anyone
or make them upset, just mild ribbing. I have perhaps been a little less
tolerant or patient with people one or two times recently than I could, but
then, there do tend to be a lot more demands made on my tolerance and patience
in a normal week than most people’s I think!



12, over the last week, have you had a recurring thought? if so what is it:

I need to get my eyes sorted out. I don’t mean in alpha-numerical order, I mean
they feel a bit sore for some reason.



13, when was the last time you heard someone say "you're fit":

Today. Shame they were talking to someone else.



14, do you know the name of the last person you thought was cute:

Yup.



15, last phone number you recieved:

Was from a girl called Mandy. Apparently she’s a top-heavy 19yr old blonde
bored at home and aching for some action. £1.50 for the first minute. Weird cos
I don’t remember meeting anyone with that name. Or giving them MY number...



16, who made you last want to throw up:

Me with a dream I had the other night that there were chunks of flesh in my
coffee!? Yeah, I worry about myself sometimes too…



17, who was your last text from:

Kim!



18, how many times have you had your heart broken:

Don’t know if I’ve really ever had that in the way most people mean. That’s not
to say I haven’t had some very low and heartbreaking times in the cornfields of
love of course, just not really in the child-like simplicity that you mean it
in.



19, how many times have you been dumped:

Hmmm, never really been “dumped” as such. A few times someone has said what I
was already thinking first, but I would define “dumped” as someone who you
really still want to be with telling you they’re out, and there’s nothing you
can do about it. And that’s never happened. But I like to think there’s still
time! Does that make me an optimist or a pessimist??? Hmmmm….



20, ever been disappointed after sleeping with a crush:

Mango? No.



21, ever missed the sex more than the person:

I think if you can do that, then the person obviously didn’t mean very much, or
it was all just about the sex anyway.



22, how long does it take for you to fall in love:

Hmmm, not quickly overall, but it arrives quite suddenly when it does. Mind
you, hasn’t happened often enough that I could analyse it and see a pattern
emerging!!



23, who's been on your mind a lot lately:

The rich cast of characters that make up the Greek tragedy (in puppet show
format) of my life.



24, is it possible for people to change:

Yeah of course, that’s a dumb question.



25, do you secretly love someone right now:

Psssst. Pssst. Pssssssssst! Come closer. I’ll tell you a secret…No!

Just a bit of fun - bands or people (most of whom should be find-able in my friends lists) who have used my photos as their main profile picture to date include:

The No Tomorrows (TNT) (band)
Fletch Cadillac (band)
The Brink (band)
The Off Light (band)
Aviators (band)
The Black Marias (band)
Grebo Bastard (band)
Jay
Sarah
Enwyn
Chris Stylus Rex (DJ)
The Deadites (band)
Sammy's Fatal Mistake (band)
Me! (obviously)
Pegatron
He Who Dares (band)
The Dissociates (band)
Population Lost (band)
Dr.Robeatnik (one man band)
Two Click Wish (band)
Kill Electro Kill (DJ)
Dan Splatstick
Living Nightmare (band)
Criminals Of Stereo (band)
Nelson
Punky Rebel Media (band)
Keiran
1000 Hertz (band)
Criminal Chris
Michelle (I Wish I Could Scream)
Makecode: Breakcode (band)
Tapasia (band)
StooshkaDJ (DJ)
Bibi

That's all I think. Thanks to everyone who's still got one!
And a big "boo, hiss" to a couple of bands who just pinched the pics without even bothering to say hello, a great attitude to your art guys!
E