Real Neat Blogger Awards
I got tagged by fellow blogger, Magimos, as part of the Real Neat Blogger Awards. Now I’m not entirely sure what that is. It’s one of those things where you get asked a bunch of questions, then get to set some yourself and then tag other people to answer them. I certainly don’t mind answering questions. I’ve already written in previous posts how I’m a sucker for internet surveys. But I’m not keen on tagging people. It’s a little invasive for my liking and I’m a stickler for etiquette. By all means ask people if they’d like to participate but never inflict things on people without consent. To me it’s the same as random people cold calling and trying to sell you stuff. Or religious types, knocking on your front door and asking if you’d like to join a Cthulhu cult. So I’ll just write my responses to Magimos questions and then write a few questions of my own, which I’ll leave for other to reflect upon and answer if they see fit.
Which one of your posts was the most fun to write? Why? I tend to enjoy writing all of my posts, although that said, sometimes when I’m researching an in-depth film review, I do get a strong sense of satisfaction. I like detail and supporting anecdotes. When writing longform posts about gaming, I enjoy a well-constructed argument that has supporting points and evidence. And as I write initially for myself, I have a tendency to laugh at my own jokes. Hence, I often include all sorts of superfluous pop culture references mainly because they make me smile. As for a favourite post that was most fun to write, I don’t believe I have one yet. May be that is to come.
Do you like milk and sugar in your tea or coffee? I spent nearly a decade working short term contracts and being self-employed. One of the things I quickly learned when regularly attending new work environments, was not to expect any facilities such as a fridge or access to a kitchen. So I trained myself to drink black coffee and to use sweeteners. I would often bring bottled water, instant coffee, a cup and “Sweetex”. An adequate cup of coffee could then be made with a microwave. If the latter was lacking on a lengthy contract, I’d buy one and added it to my expenses. However, now that I have stopped working, I enjoy drinking quality coffee with brown sugar. Oddly, despite being British I tend not to drink tea.
Do you prefer Dogs or Cats? In principle I like both cats and dogs. Pets bring immense joy to people and can be invaluable companions. As a child our family had cats. Mrs P was the opposite and favoured dogs. However, due to a range of factors we have not had pets since then. We have lived in premises where pets were not allowed and have held jobs where accommodating a pet hasn’t been practical. We have reconsidered the situation again recently but the big reason not to have a pet this time is personal health. However, my son has just acquired a kitten, so I can enjoy that by proxy.
What Harry Potter house are you in? (I’m a hufflepuff btw!) Bauhaus? Shit House? The Last House on the Left? Joking aside. I’d probably be in Slytherin just to be different. Bad guys always have more fun.
What’s the weirdest thing you’ve ever eaten? Baby Octopus. Pickled.
The God of Art has elected you to help him with a difficult question. You have to either delete one of your favourite shows/movies/games for ever or create another sequel/part/etc. of your least favourite show/movie/game! What do you do and what do you choose? I know this question was made in good faith, intended to be a fun thought experiment. However, I fundamentally dislike the concept that underpins it. IE The elimination of historical information. There are many aspects or our culture, be they events, concepts or social trends that can be retrospectively deemed problematic by contemporary standards. You cannot simply paint them out of existence and it is extremely dangerous to even countenance such things. The past has to be viewed within context. Also with regard to this question, I’m not too keen on deities of any kind. Except may be Cthulhu (as I’ve mentioned him twice now). So bearing all this in mind, it makes it very hard for me to address the question. Although the Steve Martin remakes of The Pink Panther are utter shite.
What’s your favourite (movie/show/game) antagonist? This is an interesting question because when you think about it, antagonists tend to be far more complex and engaging characters, or at least they are in well written video games, movies and TV shows. So I could go for some cerebral response like Colonel Kurtz (Marlon Brando) in Apocalypse Now. Or how about the actor Michael Ironside? He’s played numerous charismatic bad guys throughout his career. But upon mature reflection, I prefer someone more matter of fact like Jason Vorhees from the Friday the 13th franchise. He’s uncomplicated and very consistent. Oh and let’s give the late great Alan Rickman a mention, as The Sheriff of Nottingham in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves. He gives a wonderfully theatrical performance and has some killer dialogue.
My questions: Here are my questions that I have set. Some are serious, and others are light-hearted. If anyone sees fit to answer them, do let me know as I’d be interested in reading them.
1. How do you explain your passion for games to those who don't "get it"?
2. Do you have faith in your country’s political institutions?
3. Do you regret anything that you've written or said on a podcast?
4. Do you find common place social conventions, such as going for a drink after work, or inviting colleagues’ round to dinner, a pleasure or a chore? (Feel free to replace examples with something more appropriate to you if required).
5. If you played games as a child, did your parents place any restrictions upon your pastime?
6. You are standing behind someone who is unaware of your presence. Armed only with a seven-inch filleting knife, what is the most efficient way to kill them?
7. Do you consider video game ratings to be important?
8. Do you ever find that your own personal values, principles and ethics put at odds with the wider gaming community?
9. Share a valuable lesson about life that you've learnt the hard way.
10. Is there a blogger or podcaster who has quit the scene or retired that you would like to see make a return?
