Well, I'm No Hotshot, But . . .

Grabbing a meme from Jaquandor:

1. It is Dan's theory that one only has time to devote to 10 outside-of-work pursuits. What makes your list? This can be an idealized version of your life (e.g. pursuits in which you are interested but just haven't found the time or ambition to start).

Who is Dan? That's what I get for not following the link Jaquandor provided I guess. Anyway, these would be:

1. The wife.
2. That one twin.
3. That other twin.
4. Writing (a little idealized; since the coming of the twins I've been very fallow).
5. Writing music (very idealized--I dabbled in this a little years ago but pretty much gave it up completely)
6. Learning to play guitar (somewhat idealized--again, since the doubling of the household the guitar has lain forlorn.)
7. Learning to play piano. (Idealized. I got years ago as far as I could get without a) practicing rigorously and b) taking actual lessons.)
8. Reading.
9. Movies/TV
10. Music.

A list like this really makes me realize how much I give up on the interests that would take actual effort (writing, playing instruments), as opposed to the passive ones (watching movies, listening to music). Laziness can be quite insidious, no?

2. What are the last five albums you bought? Are you just kind of buying albums on a whim these days or following any kind of overarching plan-such as exploring a genre or working your way through a backlog of albums you've wanted to buy for some time?

I'm including gifts, since I don't buy all that many CDs, given my overall tightness with a buck:

No Direction Home: The Soundtrack (The Bootleg Series Volume Seven) - Bob Dylan
Excellent, with some great early stuff (the highlight: a lost version of a young Bob doing a spare and lean take on "This Land Is Your Land"). I am getting to the point, though, where I have too many multiple versions of some songs.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Danny Elfman
Haven't listened enough to judge, but at first blush sounds like generic Elfman. The songs are great though.

The Light in the Piazza - Adam Guettel
Gorgeous score.

Shostakovich: Symphony #14
A bit taken aback by all the singing, but it is growing on me.

Avenue Q
Hil-freakin-arious.

I keep a wish list ongoing and make ample use of the inter-library loan system to check things out. Since I'm pretty hesitant to splurge on new CDs I tend to have a few items at the top of the list that I know I'll want.

3. Everyone has an issue (at least one)-political or philosophical-that is kind of their personal baby. One on which they feel they have an enlightened view in a greater world that just either doesn't get it or doesn't care. Tell us about it-and attempt to be brief.

Well, I wouldn't agree that I have a particularly enlightened view on anything. But, briefly, the notion that people would out-of-hand dismiss homosexuality as aberrant purely on the word of a brief mention in one book completely and wholly baffling.

4. Prairie, mountains, woods, desert, lake, the sea. Which calls to you the most? Where would you most choose to reside? RANK THEM!

Lake
Sea
Mountain
Woods
Prairie
Desert

With the caveat that it is a lake I can swim in. Swimming on my back in the pure, clean waters of Echo Lake in New Hampshire, and staring up at the green beauty of Mount Cannon rising from it, is one of the purest pleasures I can remember ever basking in.

5. Guilty pleasure TV. Is there a show that would be condemned by your peers, but yet you find yourself watching it on a regular basis? Let's hear it.

The Apprentice. And the thing of it is, I agree with the peers. It's bad. But I am still giving Joey a fighting chance, and still think Will & Grace gets off some of the best (and naughtiest) one-liners on TV, and still think ER combines great characters and drama very effectively, and am actually too lazy to change the channel.

Until Whenever