>>>CHARME TRIVIA<<<
...100 Questions...
I'm a big skiver, so I can't resist those silly questionnaires/quizzes that mates keep sending me.
As if I don't already spend enough energy chatting to them!!!
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Created 17/11/04
Updated
22/05/05
1. What time do you usually get up?
I was born in London (North Islington) which makes me British, but my dad’s Peranakan (mix of Chinese and Malay) and mum a Sino-Thai cocktail. Me dad was actually born in Hong Kong though, just before WWII ended. My great-grandfather (dad's side), a rich patron of Chiang Kai-Shek (check your history books...I've often wondered if that'll make me some sort of Asian blueblood), was from the Fujian province in China …We’ve got a huge portrait (hanging in the hall of one of our family homes) of great-grandpa looking down rather imperiously on all of us, and wearing all his medals awarded by the first president of Taiwan. The medals were later destroyed (tossed into a well by my nan) during the Japanese occupation as any sign of Chinese patriotism would have earned my whole family the ultimate retribution - Beheading - which just simply wouldn't do, since it would bereft all you peeps of my beauteous self and the wonders of my company…Ok, ok...just a tad narcissistic, but the facade of arrogance has its uses...
Anyhow, I digress…
Moving on swiftly…During China's political struggle (not surprised if they have another revolution again, the rate things are going), in which the Communists emerged victorious, my great-grandfather decided to jump ship, and ended up in Indonesia where he married a Malay local (He had another wife back in China, still living today)…Years passed, my paternal granddad was born and upon adulthood, married a Cantonese woman from Singapore (still a British colony at the time), one of the daughters of a renown contractor in Her Majesty's service. Replicas have been made of some of my great-grandfather’s work, and one of the buildings he’d had a hand in constructing remains one of our ancestral homes to this date. There’s also been talk that we are somehow distantly related to one of the businessmen pioneers of Singapore, but my grasp of that region's history is somewhat hazy…
Anyhow, sometime during WWII, my family made another strategic retreat, this time to Shanghai and then to Hong Kong where my father spent his early childhood…Fast forward to when he married my mother (from Penang in Malaysia), who was half-Thai…Her Teochew dad had three wives, the youngest of which (my mother’s mother) was Siamese…Sadly, my maternal grandma died not long after my mother was born. My mother herself passed on when I was 8, and my dad re-married another woman…also from Penang, and also half-Thai…Hmmm…Is it just me or is there a pattern emerging? My step-mum is also very similar to my natural mother in temperament (fiery, like me), but she was Chinese-educated whilst my biological mother was British-educated, same as my dad…Unlike my step-mum who’s quite…erm…robust, my natural mother's very petite and remained physically child-like up to the day she died (car accident), when she was about 40…I suppose I take after her in that respect...her size and youthful outlook, I meant, not her untimely demise!
So I guess this makes me (biologically) Chinese, Malay and Thai!
I hope you’re taking notes, ‘cos there will be a test after this! :-p
Mixed race marriages are not uncommon in my family due to our nomadic inclinations…Some of my cousins are half-Irish (I have relatives living in Essex too), and some are half-Indian. Even my daughter is half-English…Very confusing, I know…Potpourri is a nice way to put it…Personally, I consider it more like Rojak, an Indian salad dish…one big murky sticky mess (tasty though!) where you can’t distinguish what’s what...Hehehe…We’ve been all over the place, which can get quite tedious…Now, all I want to do is settle down in one fixed location and NOT MOVE...Grrr…
6. What did you have for breakfast today?
As it stands, my fave
hangouts are marketplaces/car boot sales, Oriental/ethnic stores,
old/antiquated/quirky shops (think the North Laines in Brighton or
shops/studios in the Lake District), cafes that are preferably in a park or by a
river/lake or places steeped in history, library/book stores, museums and art galleries, jazz bars...I
can't wait for summer when the weather's warm and nice, and I can romp about
the countryside, climb trees in the woods, and go on long walks!
11. If you had to go on a long journey, would you do
it by car, plane or ship?
Car...I love long drives, especially in a
car
with a decent sound system...I absolutely loathe long haul flights...Wish I
had my own wings though!!!
12. Would you prefer to be the driver or passenger?
Passenger, especially when David's driving
'cos
his car handling is phenomenal...I don't drive...Too scared to try. My mum
died in an accident, and I almost died in one a few years back (My mate was
driving, but it was the fault of some tit in a BMW who didn't look where he
was going). 'Twas a tree
wot killed my mum (since she crashed into it), but another tree which saved my
life almost 10 years later (30ft drop behind that tree)...
13. What’s your fashion style?
Eclectic...Why limit yourself to one
style? I
like experimenting, and don't always follow the trends in magazines or buy an outfit because of
its label (I'm not dumb enough to pay all that money just to have someone else's name on me,
but won't say 'no' if it's a gift or if it's a nice-looking fake)...I just wear what looks good on me...I
could look like some gothic/manga
type character off the streets of Tokyo one day, and be wearing a vintage-chic
chiffon summer dress with tweed blazer the next...But today, I'm in a pair of jeans and a
roll-neck
jumper...You just can't beat comfort!!! My next fashion buy will be a pair of
wellies with pretty flowery prints all over, or should I get an old-fashioned mini
bonnet, or...or...or one of these cute
mini top hats,
or maybe a flapper dress from the jazz/art-deco age?! Hmmm...maybe a
wrap-around gown to lounge around in? Ooooh...I shall have to consult
my Magic 8 Ball! At present, I have prolly got enough clothes and accessories
to fill 5 wardrobes and a few chests of drawers (a look for every occasion...aaaah...gone
are the days when we had to change attire several times a day...an outfit for
walking, one for playing the piano, and another for dinner)....and still hoping to add to
it...wish I could one day have a massive computerised walk-in wardrobe the
size of a small ballroom. :-D''
I'm really into cosplay as well, but that's a new interest of mine, so I haven't much to show for it...I'm now in the process of saving up for a good sewing machine...I'm hoping to make my first costume to resemble that of Yuna's in Final Fantasy...the oh-so surreal pseudo-kimono Summoner's outfit...I'm not a big fan of FFX, nor do I play the games...But I absolutely love the costumes...Anyhow...I think making the costumes would be the most difficult procedure (but still part of the fun)...Getting into character would not be much of a problem for me (Oh pish posh...It's easy peasy lemon squeezy...I used to win acting awards in school, remember?), especially since I normally choose those I can relate to...
14. Diamonds or Pearls?
Depends on what I'm wearing...Diamonds are
very
versatile jewels, and pearls can look good with a vintage outfit. Trust me,
daaaahling, I'm the Fashion Guru...
15. What fabric detergent do you use?
Whatever David's mum buys, but
prefer Fairy Non-Biological...Makes everything go all nice and soft.
16. Bath or Shower?
Usually shower, but long baths are
nice...would
still need to have shower after though!
17. What are you meant to be doing today?
Er...Studying for an exam on Politics, but
am
skiving instead...and the result of today's efforts is this
quiz...hehehe...Neopets
also has a lot to answer for!!!
(25/02/05 Update - Got an 'A' for
the essay!!! A bit of a surprise as I did it only the night before...Woohoo!!)
18. What’s your worst habit?
Being late, and doing last minute
work because I've been distracted by shite like this!!! LOL
Oh, and forgetting to take my loopy pills!!!
19. Can you see out of a window right now?I get really irritated by women who can't seem to get anything done unless there's a man around...They can't get a tyre changed, do any DIY, do a virus scan, or plug in their scanner unless their husbands/boyfriends/male friends do it for them. This has got nothing to do with them lacking the capacity to perform such tasks because of the female mentality...It's got to do with being just plain LAZY!!!
Also, men: pay attention...It is really annoying when you people don't take the time to explain things to us (my ex was like that)...Say, when I ask one of you to help me with something, don't just troop in there without letting me know what the hell it is you're going to do and how you're going to do it, and then say "you won't understand" when I ask...Well, if you're not going to tell me, of course I'm not going to understand. I want to learn how to do things myself, and sometimes, the only (or perhaps the quickest) way I can is if someone bothers to teach me. It also bugs me when men complain that women are mercenary creatures who would marry for money...I think the same can be said about most men these days...With the kind of income we're all getting today and the high standards of living, even men would benefit from a working spouse...With both wages combined, a partnership like that can go a lot further in getting a mortgage, car, providing for any offspring etc etc...Man might not be able to live on bread alone, but fresh air and love on their own aren't going to put food on the table either!!! Only the filthy rich can say otherwise, and how many of us are that?
I think many women have got feminism all wrong. I prefer the post-modern approach...Here's an example of the Feminine Feminism I'm talking about.
A woman
shouldn't have to behave like a man to gain respect, nor should she try to
prove her gender is superior...That's not what it's about. Men and women are
biologically different (whether in the physical or mental arena), so it
stands to reason that we'll all be good at different things...Why not just
be respected for what you CAN do, rather than pretend to be something you're
not? Why go against one's own nature only to make oneself MORE unhappy? It's enough for me to be
appreciated just as I am (and not be treated
with contempt for being a mere woman), even if all I want to do is stay at home and have
babies (hypothetically speaking, of course!) or be an international porn star
(again, this is hypothetical).
And I will not be offended if men open doors for me...They're just being
nice, not patronising...I myself have opened enough doors for men!
29. When did you lose your virginity?
I didn't...It was
stolen
from me when I was 19...Compared to my peers, I was slow in acquiring sexual knowledge and
experience...didn't even know what a love-bite looked like till I was 16 or so...and I found out about the
rest of it the hardest (definitely no pun intended) way possible...Given a choice I would rather wait till
after marriage before
having sex...or at least until I meet the one I'm certain I want to spend
the rest of my life with...someone like David...Anyway, nothing much I could
of done then, and certainly nothing now...the past will just have to stay
where it is...And that's all I have to say
about this...End of story.
30. Do you swear in public?
Godammit, yes!!!
Funniest so far: Great big fanny wank!
However, I believe that
keeping swear words to a minimum will give them greater impact when they're
finally used.
31.
What’s the
worst thing you’ve ever done?
That’s classified
information...Ssshhh...
Huh? Oh, those
bits of skeleton bones on my compost heap? They're just leftover chicken
from last night's dinner, yer honour...er hem...[Cough Cough]
32. Do you like to shop for yourself?
I like to shop, full stop...I'll shop
for
myself, David, my friends, my family...ANYONE...Would you like me to do your
shopping for you???
I rather enjoy haggling and bargain-hunting too...
I hate crowds though... [Pout]
33. How much TV do you watch?
Over the last few years, not
much...I generally prefer reading, but once in awhile, if there's something
interesting on (like a documentary or a good drama/comedy) or a good film on
DVD has come out, I'll give up a
couple of hours to be a couch potato. :-)
34. Ever sat outside and watched the sunrise?
Yeap! And many sunsets too.
35. Where do you feel at your most relaxed?
At home, when it's nice and warm, after
I've
done all that I'd planned to do for the day...and perhaps reward myself monster jar of Nutella
with a spoon to excavate its delights which I can then deposit in my gob...OOoooh YES!!! [Wriggles Bottom
in
Unadulterated Pleasure]
36. Do you like your real name?
Not particularly bothered...But I
wish
people would stop mispronouncing (The 'ch' should sound like 'sh') or misspelling it...'Chairman Lee'
might seem distinguished
to some ('Lee' being my surname), but I'm sure you'll agree it sounds quite silly for a
name!!!
37. What physical feature would you change about yourself if at
all?
Since I don't like being me...EVERYTHING!!!!
:-p
38. What is your favourite season?
Summer...don't usually like Winter unless it
snows!
39. Do you still believe in Santa? If not when did
you stop leaving out your stocking?
I don't remember a time when I ever
believed in
him or hung out stockings, but my half-bro is 12 years younger than me, and
I used to be his 'Santa Claus'...He didn't find out till he was about 8 or
so...maybe he peeked when I snuck presents into his room one night...hehehe...
40. Do you have any children. If not, do you want
them?
Yes, I have a 4-year-old daughter who's
not
living with me right now for reasons which I have already explained
somewhere above...I would love another child with
David (before I reach 35...after that, I'm getting a hysterectomy!), a
little boy (Aaaw bless...a little David!!!) just for the sake of variety, but I doubt we will, given the
circumstances...People seem to believe that everyone has the right to be a
parent...The way I see it is, you have to
earn
that right.
41. Do you believe in marriage?
Er hem...That's Marriage with a capital
'M'!
42. What is the best book you have read?
I've read so many books, I really can't
decide...I've got a huge list in my head, it'll take forever to get through
it all!!! But at a push, I'd say the Oxford dictionary...It's very useful,
and has all the words in it!!!
:-p
However, if you'd like to buy me a present, I suggest you visit my Amazon Wish List where you can see the sort of stuff I go for...If the page doesn't open up, just do a Wish List search for Charmain Lee.
I love books by Anne Rice, Roald Dahl, J. K. Rowling, David Eddings, J. R. R. Tolkein, Raymond E. Feist, Jean M. Auel, Philippa Gregory, Stephen Fry, James Herbert...Anything related to Gone with the Wind, other classics (eg. Little Women, Jane Eyre, poetry by Plath/Blake/Elliott/Marvell, To Kill A Mocking Bird, Of Mice and Men, The Crucible, most literature by Shakespeare, Victor Hugo, Alexander Dumas, Charles Dickens Etc), and works of Asian authors like Anchee Min, Salman Rushdie, Catherine Lim etc. I also have to sheepishly confess I'm a fan of the Harry Potter series. In fact, I'd devour just about anything I can get my hands on...I wasn't quite making a joke when I mentioned the dictionary...I don't just pick it up only when I need it...I do read it every now and then because I enjoy doing it...Oh, and have you read Illusions: The Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah? It's not very big, but it's clever...
Currently under my pillow are The Monkey King by Timothy Mo, Elizabeth and Mary: Cousins, Rivals, Queens by Jane Dunn, and Get Me Out of Here by Rachel Reiland...Aaah...my little bedside library...what would I do without it? I'm a really fast reader, so by the time you read this page, I would most likely have already moved on to other stuff, and forgot to update this bit
If magazines were to be
included in this list of entertaining reading material, I'd recommend
Trace,
Zembla,
WestEast,
Luezer's Archive,
*Surface,
Wallpaper*,
The Face,
Tank,
Easy Living
(it's not all sensationalism like other
frivolous women's mags...has loads of practical stuff),
Living
etc, and
I.D. The first five are pretty difficult to get hold of though...
43. Favorite movie, why?
Same with the books...can't really
decide...I
have fave genres though...Absolutely love period films from any culture (as
long as there are loads of costumes, I'm interested...nevermind if the
acting's shite), gothic films,
musicals, arty/foreign/non-English films, old films (especially if they star Audrey
Hepburn), anything original and thought-provoking...Not too keen on mainstream Hollywood, but will watch
something
like
Lara Croft - Tomb Raider 'cos Angelina Jolie's PHWOOAR!!!...I might occasionally watch
trashy films if I feel like something that won't require much brain
power...sometimes...you just gotta!!!
44. What would be your ideal date?
I'm happy if it's with David...I ask for
nothing
else...
45. Do you like people touching your feet?
NO...Gerroff!!! Hehehe...I'm very
ticklish!
46. Describe your ideal home.
A treehouse
Haggerstone Island
style (Check out their Gallery...Gorgeous!) with a
husky, 2 siamese cats, a horse, my David and my Zhouyi (daughter)...A home
filled with love, happiness and tranquility.
Failing that, a converted
Warehouse/Lighthouse/Barn with loft, lots of rustic wood and metal (Rugs,
yes. Shag-pile, yes. Carpets, NO!),
open-plan/hidden storage
(it's a war against
clutter!), minimalist without being clinical,
filled with fantasy, art, murals,
hanging seats (or would cushions and suede bean bags be better?), relics of my Asian heritage (Balinese
perhaps?) and vintage
stuff lit with loads of hurricane/paraffin lamps or Chinky/Jap paper ones, huge professional kitchen
that's also cosy
(with one wall painted in blackboard paint for our grocery/shopping list or
memos), Jap style sunken bath-tub/jacuzzi
and Mediterranean outdoor garden shower, hi-tech entertainment system
(movies projected digitally on a white wall) in sound-proof room with the whole place wired up for music,
glass
tubular fireplace in the middle of hall...A
place I'll have fun designing (My dad's a semi-retired architect who's won
quite a few awards, so this is prolly
hereditary!), all based in the countryside or by a beach...Do you think
that's asking for too much???
47. Do you practise any kind of religion?
I'm Taoist-Pagan...You can find a link
that'll
take you to my online temple on the main page of my site...
48. Pepsi or Coke?
Neither...I don't drink fizzy
drinks...They hurt
my tongue and taste like cough mixture...ACK!!!
49. What colour is the duvet on your bed right now?
Orange, and could do with a wash! Guess
laundry
day's come round again...
50. Do you have any pets, if so what are they?
There are 6 cats in this household, including a
lost stray we've almost tamed (suspect it used to be abused), and another
which belongs to a neighbour but visits so often it's an honorary member at
our daily 'cat conventions'...These cats are not strictly mine (although I
am partial to Tippy and she sleeps on our bed), but I used to have a kitty
called Taboo who was part-Abyssinian. If I were to have anymore companions
from the animal kingdom lodging with me, they'd be a Husky, a Horse (a fast
one!!!) and MORE cute cats!!!
I like most animals, especially ALL feline creatures, Huskies/Wolves, birds of prey, Dolphins, Horses...but I draw the line at reptiles, amphibians, scorpions, sharks, and nasty bugs, worms...ALL creepy crawlies...Cockroaches (particularly those that fly!), and spiders freak me out completely...Butterflies and ladybirds are ok, however...
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51. Do you support any charities on a regular
basis?
No, I don't single any out...I just give
whoever, whatever, whenever I can...Wish I had more money to give though!!!
52. What's the least amount of money you can walk
around with and feel secure?
Are you kidding??? £0.00!!!!
Money is never safe with me...I'm an impulse spender who doesn't even look at prices sometimes...Bad, sooo baaad...I lull myself into a false sense of security by telling myself that if things are cheap, I can buy more of them, not realising that they all add up until it's too late...Oops...It's better to purchase something semi-expensive of good quality than to buy loads of cheapo products that fall apart on you...[Sigh]...I think I spend far too much time on eBay!
I prefer to have David hold the purse strings...He's far more sensible...
Mind you, most of the
money I spend goes to charities and presents for other people (been told off more than once for giving all
my money away only to find myself in the poorhouse!)...so it's not just me me me...When I was a kid, I used to
spend my pocket money on less fortunate friends (or so they claimed...My name should appear under the
definition of 'mug' in the dictionary) until my parents found out...and boy, did they go spare!!!
I've never been comfortable having loads of money...perhaps that's why I
keep giving it away and have no sense of what to do with it!
53. Are you special?
LMAO!!! Oh this is just getting better and
better...
No. Unless you mean 'am I
disabled', then yes...my brain doesn't work. Can I have a new one? Look, I
even kept the receipt...no, wait...oops, that appears to be the prescription for my loopy
pills...
54. What was the last film you saw at the cinema?
And what do you want to see next?
Bridget Jones Diary - Edge of Reason...It
was ok...can't decide between Phantom of the Opera and Merchant
of Venice next.
55. How far did you go in education? Would you go
back?
Third and final year at the uni of
central lancs
reading journalism where I'm not really learning anything I don't already
know...and yes, I'd go back...should of done Fashion or
Graphic Design instead...
56. What job did you want as a child?
Performing Artist...on
stage, not film...Preferably with a cast like
Les Mis etc etc...or
perhaps an Opera Singer...I still wish I could be either of those, but have
never had the guts to go for it...Plus, can you imagine the panic attacks
I'd have in front of a large audience???? Stage fright would be a bit of an
understatement...I also have thought (briefly) of being a fighter pilot, but my crap eyesight soon ruled
out that possibility!
(I wear contacts, or when I can't be arsed, nerdy glasses that badly need fixing).
I suppose me parents as well,
but parents are always important...
60. What is/are your favourite hobbies and pastimes?
This, and being on my comp, talking to my
mates!!!
There's more, depending on my mood, but too
many to list unless you don't mind me taking up the rest of this
millennium???
61. How do you spend a typical Saturday night?
Lately, at home reading, using the comp,
dancing in the dark singing at the top of my voice (clothing optional,
depending on where I'm living at the time), or at
a mate's (Andy) watching DVDs...am dead skint!
:-(
Otherwise, anything goes!!!
62. What makes you laugh?
Funny things...LOL...
...Certain writers and shows by Eddie Izzard or humour like in Black Adder, Red
Dwarf,
Frasier, Father Ted, Friends, Little Britain, League of Gentlemen, Monty Python etc are sure
bets, and sometimes Top Gear...David and Zhouyi also have the power
to put a shmile on my noggin. :-)
63. What do you hate?
You mean, like, apart from stating the obvious?
Oho...Where do I start???
Being apart from David (Being with him puts big cheesy grin on mah face!), big bad war (Something that's worth 'fighting' to prevent...Yes yes, I know I know, it is necessary chaos in the evolution of mankind, keeping culture/politics/economy from going stagnant blah-dee-blah, but it doesn't mean I have to like it!!!!), zoos (they're depressing), people who say you mustn't hate (Get real, ok...it's all part of being human, and perfectly healthy as long as you don't let it rule your life)...Also...Gale force winds that literally blow me off track, waiting (for anything or anyone...don't we all? I do accept it as a fact of life though), grovelling of any sort, people who don't bother reading the blurp in my profiles or on here (Come on, the info is all there...If I can make the effort to type it all out, you can jolly well read it instead of asking me all sorts of inane questions! I HATE having to repeat myself!), organisations with unethical work policies, people who tell me that ALL Asian women look young and beautiful (and that we all look alike...It's about as clever as me saying that all white men look like Prince Charles), fascists, bigots and inflexible narrow-minded hypocrites who accuse the free-spirited of being sluts or sinners and assume a holier-than-thou attitude, anything with a word limit (Repression!!!!), blind obedience (I question EVERYTHING!), hardcore drug junkies, this whole business of 'reasonable force' when your home is being broken into or when you're being attacked (What fucking bullshit!!! They're just making it more and more difficult for innocent people to defend themselves! As if you have the luxury of time to ponder about how NOT to despatch your attacker when your life/home is at stake, and pure instinct takes over...ridiculous that we should be protecting criminals...Can no one see that there's something fundamentally WRONG in that?...Someone should have given Tony Martin a medal), dog-owners who believe that weeds growing between paving stones require added fertilisation, women who have children so they can be tied to the home (contrary to what some mothers think, it's not healthy to spend every waking minute with your kids...they do not need you to be there to hold their hands 24/7, but it doesn't mean that they should be allowed to run amok without adult supervision when they're at a young and tender age...I often worry when I see little children outdoors playing on their own), reading/watching the news (or anything triggering....if it weren't because I have to keep up with current affairs due to my job, I wouldn't even bother...I am ultra-sensitive, and feel the pain, anger and sorrow of others most acutely...it often sets off depressive episodes, in which I become a screaming, sobbing mess who's lost all rationality), irresponsible individuals who abuse the internet and right to 'free speech' (there's a reason we have libel laws in this country) or those who complain that people go 'off-topic' in forums (geez...stop being so obtuse...threads evolve, and are better because of it) or perpetrate slanging matches there (If I wanted to witness live melodrama, I'd watch Jerry Springer...there's no place on message boards for such behaviour, particularly those that members have to pay to join), crap TV programmes (like Big Brother, Pop Idol, I'm a Celebrity etc), people who don't know the meaning of tact, those who moan on about wasting 'time' (It is all relative...'Time' as most know it is a man-made concept used to compartmentalise) as if that were at all possible (you can waste your life, but not 'time'...'time' is infinite), lovey-dovey tree-huggers who take the moral high ground as if they were all-perfect beings utterly devoid of flaws (Nothing against Idealists, but it's when they take things too far that it becomes fanaticism...not unlike what brought about 9/11, though some might say the Americans themselves had a part to play in causing it), healthy food at McDonalds (Bollocks to that!!! The whole point of a fast food joint is that you go there just so you can get junk food...that's what it's for...not for lazy parents who can't be bothered to cook...I know my daughter has a regular healthy diet at home, so I don't worry when she indulges in the occasional Happy Meal), forgetting my hairband when slurping noodles (you'd understand if you had long hair too!), when someone is just spoiling for a fight (and that includes myself), doctors who presume they know what they're talking about but actually don't (I hesitate to trust GPs completely as they aren't specialists in any area), crowds (get outta my way!), women who lie about being raped (thanks for diminishing our credibility and making it more difficult for the rest of us to seek justice!), and those who think they are always right (They can't possibly be right, because only I am! So nerr! :-p )...Plus, bl**ps...Why??? It's not as if we don't know what they mean...I'm assuming this is to keep snotty kids from picking up bad habits (some of whom know more swear words than I do...simply appalling)...Surely the onus is on parents to monitor their kids on the net? I also strongly disapprove of people who cheat on their partners (I've never cheated on anyone, nor will I ever...I'm just not the type).
But more than anything, nasty theiving obstreperous chavs (the name derives from 'chavvies', a term previously associated with roving gypsies) who attack you and your loved ones at random, set fire to your doormats, vandalise your property, steal your possessions, and are generally out to cause trouble...can't understand their need to be abusive, vulgar and crude all the time...Chav kids just laugh in the face of the law, and their parents do nothing about it...It's a tremendous joke to them...They let their children out same time as the dog (just to get them out of the way), and then proceed to either get pissed or slouch around at home watching Trisha...If anyone complains, they get ultra defensive and violent...small wonder the progeny of our nation grow up to be lost causes...I'm the sort of person who wants to like everyone, so the first thing I do is to look for the good in people...but try as I might, I can find no redeeming features in chavs...Behold the sorry state we're in...I just need to look out the window to see symptoms of a society that's gone horribly wrong...(I'm convinced that the only way we can save this country from going to the dogs is by ripping out its entire foundation and start re-building from scratch...rest assured, the benefits will far exceed the cost)...It's not looking good...and there doesn't seem to be any hope of anyone addressing this issue at large...(Britain's new slogan should be: The future's grim; The future's ash-grey)...Yes, I'm sure other countries also have their share of black sheep...but why should we condone this? Why is chav culture not only tolerated, but deemed 'acceptable' here?
Does this make me a snob? ...Hell, no...I simply know the difference between good taste and bad, and the difference between what's decent and what isn't. But even if my views were to make me a snob...Better a snob than white trash (or black, yellow, red or purple if you want to be pedantic, though majority of them tend to be white pretending to be black), I say...Let's put it this way, there's more use for chavs dead and converted to compost, than as members of society...Alive, they serve no purpose, apart from depleting the world's supply of baseball caps, large hoop earrings and tracksuits...Products, I might add, that WE pay for!!! Someone should really do something to stop them from breeding like cockroaches (Eugenics, anyone??? :-p )...worse than sheep/cattle...Whole damned country's infested with scum, worthy of the sort of ridicule we see in Little Britain (Scary thing is, they actually DO look like that poxy puffed-up pink confection of hideous monstrosity...Are they even aware how ludicrous they look? I suppose that without chavs, there'd be no one for us to laugh at...But it's not just about their fashion style...I can still spot the mini chavs from a pack of kids all wearing the same school uniform...it's the way they carry themselves)...Of course, that'll mean a nationwide cull, starting from chavs as young as twelve (that's the average age when they start to spawn), but oh nooo...we can't have that, can we? (Nevermind that poor defenceless baby seals elsewhere are being LEGALLY clubbed to death to keep their population in check...that's ok...so long as they're not human...oh no, heaven forbid THAT!) I propose we start a political party with the anti-chav movement as top priority...And don't give me all that fuzzy wuzzy rehab claptrap...If it was going to work, it would have started working by now...There's just far too little evidence to prove its effectiveness in most cases...I don't normally advocate violence (even Gandhi himself has said it is better to use violence than to be a coward...It really gets on my nerves when people bang on about Gandhi without knowing their facts...Gandhi didn't actually believe violence was immoral...The whole point of Satyagraha is that you're meant to win over your enemies, and obviously, you can't do that if they're dead...The political climate at the time was apt for that approach...However, since we've already established that the kind and loving process of rehab won't get us anywhere unless the offenders in question are still very young, this modus operandi isn't the best option), but it appears to be the only language these creatures/things/whatever understand...Instant annihilation is the best option here. (Scrap the AK-47!...Just get me on a plane with some nukes, and I shall relish ridding the planet of this plague with diabolical glee...Kill 'em!!! Kill 'em all!!!!!) Many people say such forms of retaliation do not make good deterrents...I disagree...I've seen it work in many other countries which have a low crime rate...Eg. Singapore (Well, I suppose the National ID cards do help as well)...Furthermore, since no nation has yet to make a before-after comparison, this has yet to be proven. Who's to say the UK won't see a reduction in most types of crime (stress on the word 'most'...obviously, such penalties will do little to stem crimes of passion) if, say, corporal punishment were to be re-introduced? However, I believe this system is only effective when not corrupted, like in Afghanistan where people didn't even have a fair trial (or at least something close to one).
I know I sound really draconian...and you're prolly going to adamantly insist that I not judge a book by its cover, and that not all people in tracksuits are chavs...but I believe it was Oscar Wilde who once mentioned (In The Picture of Dorian Gray) that "it is only shallow people who do not judge by appearances". Granted, there are exceptions, however...You have NO ALTERNATIVE but to get the measure of people through first impressions because there is nothing else for you to go on...The older I get, the more I realise that some generalisation, to a certain degree, can't be helped. We all do it...the police can't even do their jobs without it...The fact is, these walking, talking stereotypes DO exist! You cannot possibly give everyone the benefit of the doubt. To do so would be folly...I count myself a highly tolerant and compassionate individual, but in the real world, you have to draw the line somewhere. Sure, there are ethics involved (Then again, what's right or wrong is merely a matter of opinion), but I'm not concerned about morality here...It is far more important to do what's NECESSARY, and what will get results. Get your priorities right! Why waste the country's resources for the sake of such non-productive and destructive members of society? Why should others have to suffer because of them? End the life of one so that more may live...In a way, you're doing them a kindness...You may pity a rabid wolf, but given the choice between having it on the loose (thus threatening the safety of everyone) and putting it to sleep, I'll wager (unless you have only air between your ears) you'll choose the latter. I'll tell you one thing though, I'm more likely to shed a tear over a dead wolf, than lose any sleep over a dead chav.
The main argument going round in defence of chavs (apart from Thatcherism) is that they are poor and do not know anything else. Bollocks to that! Plenty of people from all over the world come from poor, working class, down-trodden families, but not all of them REPEATEDLY turn to crime. I have nothing against people who haven't a pot to piss in...Everyone has to start somewhere, and I know most don't have it easy...I don't even have any issues concerning state welfare (We are hardly a starving third-world country), so long as it goes to those who truly need it and do not abuse it...Money, or rather, lack of it, doth not make one a chav (Neither is possession of a Burberry baseball cap...Like I said, there will always be exceptions to every rule...It doesn't make you a fully-fledged chav...just means you have appalling dress sense...Boy! Shares in Burberry must have plummeted since). Poverty is NOT an excuse, and neither is ignorance...It's not as if they haven't got eyes and ears to see what's around them. Chavs have the same opportunities as everyone in a country where education (up to a higher level) is free, and jobs are abundant. No excuses!!! Only THEY have the power to change themselves, and I do not see why everyone else has to pay for THEIR mistakes!!! They have a choice...They can either do something to improve themselves and stop being a danger to those around them, or they can be removed from society. I think that's fair.
Come on, it's not so difficult to see where I'm coming from...I'm sure if you connect all the dots, you'll see the big picture.
Ok, rant over...[Deep Breath]
No, actually, it's not. [Clambers up soap box again]
Racism - Far too many people look for it in places that do not exist. Take my comment regarding 'white trash' for instance. No doubt that'll cause quite a commotion in certain communities. Funny how if I were to call someone a stupid Jap bitch, I'll be branded a racist, but my remarks would create far less controversy were I to call her a stupid FAT bitch instead (even though both comments are equally unpleasant). I'm sorry, but if someone who is stupid, bitchy, AND Japanese has provoked me, I WILL call her a stupid JAP bitch, because that's what she is, and it would describe her adequately...just as I will call her a fat bitch if she were fat and horrible. I WILL call a spade, a spade...There is such a thing as being TOO PC, you know...You only end up pandering to those who are far too over-sensitive and insecure for their own good...I'm not saying that racial prejudices do not manifest now and again...they do...But some individuals will persist in barking up the wrong tree, which actually makes true racism far more difficult to eradicate because we now have everybody pussy-footing around on their tippy-toes pointing their fingers at all the wrong people.
And another thing...racial terms...people are just far too sensitive...Not long ago, a documentary was produced about the subtle racism towards Chinese people in the UK, and it was called, rather appropriately, 'The Missing Chink'...But of course, there was a huge outcry because the word 'chink' was used (the fact that it was meant to be ironic seemed not to be of any consequence). These people are their own worst enemies. The only reason words like that have such power to offend is because people ALLOW them to. The moment one ceases to be affected by them, such terms will gradually fall into disuse as racist weapons...Languages do evolve...At the end of the day, it is only a word, and I'm sure the world has far more weighty issues to grapple with than such trivial matters.
By the way, for all those racist bigots out there, calibrate your mind to assimilate this into your piddling store of knowledge...It might make you a better person...IF you're clever enough learn something from it...
And what do you mean
there's a red dot glowing on my forehead???
64. What is your greatest strength as a person?
LOL...That does it...No more drugs for
you...
65. What is your most treasured possession?
The contents of my HD...everything
else can be
replaced...And maybe some items in my wardrobe as they are one-offs, and
hard to find.
66. Have you ever met anyone famous?
Yeah...Emily Watson (Breaking the Waves,
Angela's Ashes,
Gosford Park etc) at a party in Camden, the night before she had to fly
off to work on
The Boxer; Mark Ravenhill (Playwright of
Shopping and Fucking)...His brother's one of my exes; Stephen Hawkins
as he was coming out of a hotel at Leicester Sq; some of the kids from S
Club Junior (I don't know much about them, so I can't tell you who they
were precisely), and Bret 'The Hitman' Hart.
67. What is your best memory?
I have two...The birth of my daughter, second
('cos of the pain of labour...'twas worth it though!) only to THAT moment I spent in David's arms, which
went exactly like this:
26 February 2002 (Very late at night)
"I love you from here...to there..."
"And where, exactly, is 'there'?"
"The end of the universe."
"But isn't the universe infinite?"
"Exactly..."
Now, THAT'S what I call Eternal...
I'm waiting for him to ask me (again) to marry
him so I can add another happy memory to this prized collection.
68. Did you enjoy school?
Not precisely, but I liked the fact
that it
got me away from home, and I could see my friends (what little I had)
everyday. I like learning new things though...just didn't like the
teaching methods used then. I refused to do my homework, answered back, and often played truant...even
deliberately failed my rests and exams...Some of my teachers never gave up on me though, and I still I still
have immense respect for them up to this day. If I do write that best-selling novel, I will dedicate it to all
of them.
69. As a child, what were your favourite activities?
Day-dreaming, playing make-believe
(Hai! I'm a
kung-fu fighter!!!), singing and reading.
Us kids were very resourceful in those days...A scrap of wood could become a baseball bat, a cupboard under the stairs could be a cave, and a broken bamboo pole transformed into a magic staff to ward off evil demons etc etc...Didn't mean that my parents never bought me toys though! I used to play with Transformers, Hot Wheels, M.A.S.K., all kinds of toy swords, various Fisherprice/Disney stuff, Japanese dollhouses (They were so cute and the tiny furniture could turn into other things), Lego (Who could resist that???), Uno, Scrabble, numerous stuffed toys (Carebears, Strawberry Shortcake, Winnie-the-Pooh, Garfield etc), pretty lanterns during the Autumn/Mooncake Festival, Beano/Tintin/Archie/Asterix comics (Ok...I suppose books don't count...Enid Blyton, anyone?), paperdolls and stickerbooks etc...Even had a Hello Kitty sewing machine that actually worked (Gone AWOL now :-( What a shame!)...Tried to persuade my parents to get me a chemistry set, but they didn't think it was such a good idea...Hmmm, I wonder why...Everything's so different now...Look at all the stuff kids can get today!!
My brother
had games and playthings
that filled a room from wall to wall, floor to ceiling...partly for my
dad's benefit...and mine, despite being 12 years older than my bro. After
a childhood of decapitating Barbie and Ken dolls, I considered myself
pretty deprived and took the opportunity to renew my wonder years with
great gusto. After all, what else are younger siblings good for? (Haha, Gabs...Gotcha there!!!) And now,
I get to enjoy that experience all over again with my little one! ;-)
We've continued the tradition of plying her with more toys, DVDs, books
and educational games than we can find storage for! Kids these
days...Pampered, I tell you! I
swear, sometimes we get the children toys more for ourselves than for
them...Any excuse to have fun!...Great
stuff...My bro also had wendy houses, plastic pools, and slides...I think
some of those toys are still around, like those Matchbox cars, Warner
Bros/Marvel stuff (toys usually based on movies like Batman or
Loony Toons) that
could talk or move, and ninja-type swords armed with more gadgets than a
swiss army knife (which my daughter has inherited under the mistaken
impression that she will grow up to be Peter Pan)...some of them actually
play music or light up - lightsaber style...and all his WWF action
figures (100s of them which would no doubt fetch a pretty hefty price as
collectables) and ring set. (Sadly, the super-soakers seem to have gone
missing.) He even had kitchen sets with cookers that 'pinged', pots that
could bubble up, fridges that lit up, plastic 'food' that changed colour,
teeny tiny grocery items...Sometimes we would supplement the inedible
plastic 'edibles' with Playdoh (which weren't all that edible either!).
This was all pre-Pokemon...Today, it's the Powerpuff Girls...Okaaaay...I
think I shall abstain from commenting any further on the type of
programmes available to our young these days, and keep my reservations to myself for now...Can
you believe they now even have a 'Divorced Barbie' for sale????
Hey! Anyone remember watching Sesame Street, the Smurfs,
Thundercats, and the Muppets??? Oh oh, and what about Mighty
Mouse??? Proper kids TV, that...
70. What's one POSITIVE thing you are really good at?
Er...I can walk without falling
over...sometimes...
71. Haagan Daz or Ben &
Jerry's?
Ben and Jerry's everytime for a yummy scrummy threesome!!!
72. What's your favourite kind of music?
73. Has anyone ever called you anal? If so,
why?
I'm the type of person who freaks when everything's not perfect...If you so much as move an ornament a millimetre, I'll freak (And trust me, I measured, so I KNOW when it's not in the exact centre). Should the corner of my towel so much as graze the floor, I'll freak, and throw the damn thing in the washing machine again. If the furniture or stationery doesn't match, I'll freak...Anything less than an 'A' is failure...I even colour-code and size-code my wardrobe (with hangers all facing the right way!), write looong lists for everything, and refuse to eat eggs if the yolks' re broken.
74. Name something you'd like to learn before
you die.
I'm sure there's more, but can't think what off the top of my head.
75. Tea or Coffee?
76. What type of mobile phone have you got, and
what's the ring tone?
And was planning to get the groovy Nokia 7200 (dark brown, or a navy blue and white one I saw on eBay) and have Ozone's Dragostea Din Tei as my ringtone. (How camp is that??? :-p )
But since the 7200 has been discontinued due to obvious design flaws (that's what happens when you choose form over function), I've managed to save up for a silver Sony Ericsson Z1010, and intend to compose my own ring tone. I will post the sample here when I'm done.
77. What's the most bizarre job you've ever
thought of doing?
78. What do you think is the best invention to
date?
79. How often do you exercise?
I did use to have lessons in Wing Chun, and attended weekly sessions in dance aerobics, but childcare commitments demanded I put a stop to it...Also used to skip and weight-train (for like about 2 months!), but then got badly affected by new medz (for the BPD), and stopped for awhile...I suppose now that I'm better, I should get back into the swing of things again.
80. Who's your favourite comic superhero?
81.
If you were an animal, what would you be?
Anything sleek and feline, with speed, extraordinary vision and senses, sharp teeth and claws…Definitely
a
predator.
82. Name 10 things you look forward to in 2005.
Moving to our own home, preferably in Lytham-St Annes, a pretty little town by the sea...Can't wait to get out of this hell-hole with the 'in-laws' (It's David's bro who pisses me off most of all), and get some of my OWN space!
Graduating this summer (About high time too!! When I've done that, it'll be my first true achievement...Unless I end up with a 3rd, in which case, I shall kill myself, or die of shame).
My daughter visiting me this summer (Not confirmed though...plans still tentative)...either way, some relatives will be visiting.
Getting a new job after I graduate (Need more £££)...even a bog standard one will be welcome...for now...
Reading any new books I buy (Next Harry Potter book coming out in July, I think), or playing any new adventure games I get (Dreamfall!!!!).
Getting into my new interest - Cosplay!!!! If I get enough time on my hands, that is...Just not enough hours in the day!!!
Getting proper therapy for BPD, and sticking to my various health routines so I stay fit.
Visiting mates in London who are having their first baby!!!
Long drives with David...maybe to the Lake District.
Picking up new skills (Well, you learn something new everyday, and I've promised myself to do those Flash tutorials for some time now!!!).
83. What’s the
most impulsive thing you’ve ever done?
I have done many impulsive things in my life...If someone were to write
my life story, my past would just be a chronology of one thoughtless deed
(or crisis) after another...But the one thing that stands out in my mind
right now is the marriage proposal I'd seriously accepted from someone I'd
never even met (and for a time, didn't even know what each other looked
like)...This was over the internet...In my defence, he was someone I'd
been communicating with for the past 6 to 7 years or so, and our
correspondence was intense...
I have not changed my mind since...
I am still with David, and we've been living together for the past 3 years... :-)
84. What’s your
favourite cocktail?
I don’t
normally drink since I’m slightly allergic to alcohol, but I do indulge once in
awhile…I suppose I like Pina Colada best of all, followed by Orgasm and
Sex on the Beach…mmmm...lovely jobely...
I get plastered real quick…All it normally takes is a half bottle of Reef to turn my face into a shining beacon of red, and me a giggling heap under the table…or on top trying to do my Coyote Ugly impression! Thankfully, I never remember my drunken antics…and I always make sure I’m surrounded by trustworthy mates or with my other half.
85. Plastic Surgery:
Yay or Nay?
Not unless I’d been horribly
disfigured in an accident or by an illness…I
believe it should only be used to return what nature gave to you in the first
place, or correct something which went wrong at birth.
As for breast implants...NO WAAAY! I'd rather be flat-chested than be fake...Besides, David prefers me this way. :-p
86. What's
your best party trick?
Hmmm...does cage-dancing count? No? Well then...I can hear the ice-cream van from miles away,
before
anyone else can. I can also turn the tips of my ears inside-out (and keep
them that way), remove my
bra without removing my top, spin my pen without really spinning it (you
have to see that to know what I'm talking about!), walk on my hands while
in a yoga pose, touch my nose with my tongue, and consume enough cream to
feed a small country.
87. What sports
do you enjoy?
I used to love playing
Rounders as a child, and have some interest in Volleyball, WWF before it
became WWE (yes, I
know it's not real!), Ice-Skating and
Gymnastics (Only to watch on TV for the latter three, but I’ll play
Volleyball)…I attended Wing Chun classes for a time too, and have been
attempting to weight-train recently...I want to beef up!!!!
88.
Have you resolved your last argument?
Let's not start all that again...
Step no further lest you find yourself trespassing into private territory, thus forcing me to launch my missiles.
89. What
inspires you?
Er…Weird things…I think
in abstract and random ways, so all manner of nonsense could inspire me,
and sometimes, the shit that I come with makes it seem like I suffer from
the online equivalent of Tourette's.
Oh, by the way, I can't swim...I have taken lessons, but all my instructors gave up on me...I first thought it might be 'cos I'm hydrophobic like David, but that can't be right since I can do backstrokes well enough (though not any of the others!)...which means when all the icebergs melt, us two are gonna drown together quite spectacularly...How romantic!!! :-p
Just thought I'd add that in there...
90. If you
suddenly inherited a lot of money, enough so you never have to work again,
and can live out the rest of your life in luxury, what would you do?
Start a
charity or donate to charity…Invest in a good education for my daughter,
and also buy my own island and build my dream home there…To pass my spare time, I’ll prolly do
volunteer work about once a week at least, and the rest of it will go into
travelling round the world or starting my own fashion shop/line ('Tis my
dream to make me own clothes so I can stop scouting the kiddy department
and save money on alterations. Plus, my own designs are prolly better! :-p
), the
proceeds of which will go partially to charity eg. sponsor starving
artists.
91. Revenge or
Forgiveness?
LOL…I
suppose I should really say ‘forgiveness’, but try as I might, I’m not as
noble as that…I’ve just got a vicious streak in me, and I can't promise
I'll be rational enough not to hunt someone down and butcher him/her if
he/she has hurt someone I care about…so revenge first
(preferably involving a hefty Maglite)…and
then when I’ve had all the satisfaction I want, I might graciously
accept any apology coming my way and bestow my forgiveness. Having said
all that, however, I've actually forgiven people who have done all sorts to
me in the past, even those who didn't have the good grace to appear
contrite...But, my motivation was a selfish one...It was more for my own
peace of mind than theirs...No sense in spending the rest of my life in
bitterness, is there? It just achieves nothing.
92. Are you
superstitious?
Yes...I take care not to repeat
anyone's name three times if standing before a mirror, am a big floozy who lives
in terror of the number 13, and will never refer to
'that Scottish play' by name. :-p
93. Do you believe that
ghosts exist?
Let's just say that I'm open-minded enough to believe in
Possibilities, but will live my life like there's no tomorrow...carpe
diem...
I don't trust any of the mumbo jumbo you get on TV these days...Charlatans, all of them!
94. Which of
the 7 deadly sins are you most guilty of?
Either
pride or wrath, depending on who you ask.
95. What’s your
favourite perfume?
I don’t use
perfume, but I’ve made my own essential oils moisturiser out of Sweet
Almond oil, Sandalwood oil, and Lavender oil…and it smells
divine.
96.
Soap or Body Wash?
Er...Is Body Scrub
one of the options?
97. Are
you high maintenance?
Yes...very...and
I'm not
talking money here.
Thankfully, I've already found someone who can handle me...
98. If
price were not an obstacle, what car would you buy?
Not much of a car person, but...Ford Street Ka...in
some outrageous colour...A shame the Ka has such a lousy interior...It's
all a bit Fisherprice, which only shouts out that it's a car made for
those who function constantly in Idiot Mode. I rather like the way the
inside of the Audi TT is laid out...very German, but I've heard the TT's
got some 'handling issues'...loads of speed, but dodgy performance. I'm
not one for fast cars...It's not the speed I object to (I do actually like
being on roller-coasters...not counting those that turn you upside down...I
almost fell out of one a few years back as the straps meant to hold me in
were too wide for me!),
but the thought that I might crash into something is scary (especially in
light of my mum's death)...However, I have heard that most fast cars are
actually made to be safer, which is pretty logical when you think about
it...I don't think I'll be a good driver though, and am too terrified to
take lessons (despite David's constant nagging!)...I'm too much of a klutz
to be allowed anywhere on the road...If I had enough money for 2 cars, I'd
get the sexy devilish Aston Martin DB9 for my David who's just as sexy and
devilish...He's a talented and sensible driver, so I know it'll be in good
hands!
I don't normally like cheesy things, but matching furry dice is a definite must-have, especially if you have a Mini/Beetle (I wish they were more exclusive though!)...It's so kitsch, it's sub-zero...I rather like old classic cars too...particularly convertibles.
99. Are
you more likely to throw a party or gate-crash one?
I've gate-crashed parties before, but I suppose if I had
to choose, I'd rather be throwing one...That way I can have fun organising
it, and deciding who gets to go on my guest list...And absolutely NO ONE
will be able to gate-crash any of MY parties.
100. How did you feel doing
this?
Hmmm...not much...wondering how people
will
react to what I've said perhaps?
Not that I really give a
toss...I'm not going to change who I am just because people don't like what
I say or do...But I have ever been a curious kitty, and can never pass up a good
debate...I know I've said loads and loads here, but that's stuff that anyone who
knows me can tell you about...Believe me, there's a whole lot more I'm NOT
saying...Some things are just private!
...For more serious Q&A, please view my FAQ Page...
Thanks for reading.
May the force be with you!
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