Sunday, October 29, 2006

Arrrgghhhhh ... I've been tagged!

Mostly because I view it as little more than a high-tech version of the chain letter, I've up until now managed to avoid taking the bait and being "tagged."

So, what's changed that? Well, the charming Emma of All About My Movies tagged me yesterday, and since she operates my current favorite blog about movies, I had to comply.

As far as I could tell, the topic was "Nine Weird Things People Might Not Know About Me," so here goes:

1. I once worked as an intern for Gordon Brown, currently Britain's chancellor of the exchequer and most likely its next prime minister. This was for about six months in 1992, when he had a lot less power than he does now. I was one of only four employees, and we actually shared one office with the staffs of Tony Blair (perhaps you've heard of him) and Jack Straw. A truly odd experience, but one I never fail to include in my resume now.

2. Though I am a 36-year-old gringo, and fairly comfortable with that fact, I have a growing obsession with Southern rap music. Not sure exactly why, but it's definitely the style of music that fits my mood now. I like Ludacris, T.I., Eightball and MJG, the Geto Boys, just about any Southern rappers you can think of, and especially David Banner.

3. Though I can cook almost anything by following a recipe, I am terrified of trying to whip up a concoction of my own making. I guess I just like the order of following a set list of instructions, and the lack of risk in it. Maybe one of these days I'll get over this culinary hurdle.

4. Though I've never hunted, and only fired a .22 rifle once at a Boy Scout camp, I have a painting over my mantlepiece of three sporting dogs on the trail of their master's fallen prey. I just like it.

5. The wierdest job I've ever had, hands down, was dealing blackjack in the back of a "gentleman's club," Toppers in Athens, Ga. I have to confess it was fun, though luckily I managed to move on and not make a career of it.

6. The book I've read more than any other is Bill Buford's "Among the Thugs," which details his time spent with English soccer hooligans, primarily the most rabid fans of Manchester United. It's not my favorite book, which would be Nick Hornby's "Fever Pitch," just the one that I pick up most often when I'm going on a trip and don't have anything to read.

7. For nine months after I graduated from high school, my parents sent me to France to live with a host family in the tiny town of La Plaine Sur Mer and go to another year of high school. I think their main motivation was that I finished high school with about a 2.5 grade point average, and therefore needed something to make my college application stand out a bit more, but I'm certainly glad they convinced me to do it. I lived with a Swiss couple who were in their 60s, Charles and Suzanne, and their son, Yvan. Charles, in particular, was just a very strange man. Among his many quirks were that, though he was an extremely smart man, he just couldn't understand how the score is tabulated at a tennis match, and he refused to let anyone turn on the radio in the car. But I had a blast living with them, and am eternally grateful.

8. Though you would never know looking at me now that I have ever done anything particularly athletic, the summer after my freshman year at Catholic University I actually did the Cycle Across Maryland. It was 300 miles of cycling in six days, and though it was fun at the time, it's certainly not anything I ever need to do again.

9. Though under intense questioning I will admit that it's not high art, I simply love that talking-pig movie "Babe." Heck, I even liked "Pig in the City" quite a bit too.

And there you have it. I've been tagged, and I've survived. Though I'm now apparently supposed to put several more people through this exercise, I can't bring myself to do it. If you choose to, and post the results, please let me know. I have to admit, it is oddly cathartic.

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thanks so much for doing this! And you certainly are surprising! :P Love the fact about cooking. At least you can cook. I can't even make toast. And the Gordon Brown one... interesting... I see you have contacts.

Reel Fanatic said...

I probably should have tried to turn my brief brush with power with Mr. Gordon into some kind of career in politics, Emma, but the whole thing just kind of gave me the creeps!

Anonymous said...

And I've left it a while, but I may as well admit it, I loved Babe too.

Anonymous said...

Wow. I posted at the same time as you. Cool.

English politics is creepy. Politicians. Shudders...

renee said...

You have had a very interesting life already! I saw Borat this weekend - I didn't love it, but there were definitely some funny parts. You're probably going to love it. I'm a huge Nick Hornby fan, by the way.

Reel Fanatic said...

Glad to hear that Borat at least sort of lived up to expectations, Renee ... I'm hoping it hits my little corner of the world Friday, but with the staged rollout, we may have to wait a few weeks

Fang Bastardson said...

I hate these "meme" things (what my wife calls them) too.

Completely off-topic, as the film fan you are, I guarantee you will love this: http://www.panopticist.com/archives/221.html

I hope I didn't messs up the link coding...

Reel Fanatic said...

Thanks for the link, Fang .. I'm sure it takes all kinds of audition tapes for young wannabe stars to get noticed, but that one is definitely unique!

Anonymous said...

So far I've been lucky in that I haven't been tagged. With any luck, I never will be. At least you have survived the experience. (-:

Reel Fanatic said...

If I wanted to spread the game, Mercurie, I would have included you in the nine ... So, since I decided against it, I'm glad you didn't want to play anyway

sonia said...

Thanks for your comment.

Nice blog you've got here. And 'Babe' WAS high-art. A genuine masterpiece.

Btw, I've been to Macon. I love your Indian earth lodges... I remember the Cannonball Mansion and the Hay House as well...

Anonymous said...

Hahaha! I love the smart guy who can't understand tennis scores, how quirky! Ohh, working for Gordon Brown sounds interesting. I understand your weakness for the movie Babe, although I've never seen it, I too have a soft spot for talking animal movies. Although I don't know if Babe talked, I'm just assuming he did.

Reel Fanatic said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Reel Fanatic said...

When I first got to Macon, Sonia, I have to admit it was just too slow a place for me ... However, in the six years or so I have lived here, it's charms have definitely grown on me .. or maybe I'm just slowing down myself!

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the movie suggestions.

Anonymous said...

That's a fun list. Your anecdotes show that you're worldly, cautious, sincere, polished and musically progressive. The painting sounds interesting, it's not like you're promoting the hunt.

Long live the meme.

Anonymous said...

Checking in as another fan of the hapless Orioles. They almost rock!