Thursday, November 26, 2009

MAKI'S EOTWQ's


I have always suffered itchy-back syndrome and have developed a rather disconcerting habit of taking every opportunity (door-frames, lampposts, you name it) to have a good scratch. It may come as no surprise then that one of my favourite cartoon characters is Baloo from Disney’s adaptation of Kipling’s “Jungle Book”. My first question is simply:

1. Do you have a favourite animal cartoon character that you feel a certain affinity with?

One of my first memories is of falling headlong off the kitchen table at the age of three or four (what I was doing up there in the first place is anyone’s guess!) I was rushed into Darlington for emergency dentistry. After the dentist, my mum took me to a toyshop for a treat for being such a “brave boy” and let me choose just one toy. I spent ages trying to decide between a plastic sword and a garish plastic helmet with a visor. I finally plumped for the helmet. It was the first choice I remember having to make. I have since realised that it was significant because my choice of the helmet only underlines what I have since come to realise. That I am not such a “brave boy” after all! I tend to shie away from the difficult. I am more interested in self-preservation than being anyone´s knight on a white charger! My question is:

2. What is the first choice you remember having to make? And, do you, like me, feel it set a pattern for later life?

As a teenager one of my favourite novels was Dickens´Great Expectations. When I finally had a chance to see David Lean’s 1946 screen version, I loved it and was particularly happy with Alec Guinness as Herbert Pocket. My question is;

3. Do you have a favourite novel that has so far not been adapted for the screen, that you would like to see as a film? And, if so, who would you like to see in one (or more) of the key roles?

(I have an idea for this one – I have the novel but not the actor. I’ll answer at the end of the thread, if that’s OK).

One day when I was at school, the dinner ladies served a new pudding that I had never heard of before – cheesecake. I decided I didn’t like the look of it and decided that I didn’t like cheesecake. It became a pretty regular item on the menu but I steadfastly refused to try it. For years! When I finally tried cheesecake, I found that I loved it and of course felt a right charlie. My question is:

4. Have you ever made up your mind not to like a food or drink without even having tasted it? And have any of you finally relented and found out just how wrong you were?


And finally, word-play and punning is something of a speciality in these parts, isn’t it? As a language teacher I’ve always enjoyed it. I remember one of my youngest cousins, aged six or seven at the time, telling me the following joke:

“A Japanese Airliner carrying car spares lost its cargo in mid-flight the other day, the people had to run for cover because it was raining Datsun Cogs!”

5. Do any of you have examples of the young ‘uns in your lives surprising you with this sort of word play?

I make no apologies for this last question and the barrage of “cute” replies, I hope it provokes!

Here’s hoping everyone has a great weekend!

Maki

54 comments:

sourpus said...

1) There is definitely something of the Pinocchio in my episodic life - the search to become a real boy. Something like that. Difficult to explain.

2) As a boy, I was a crap decision maker - I had an older brother who was always very controlling, which may help to explain it. I dont remember one early decision which had bearing on later life, except perhaps the decision I made at some point to question everything as a form of self-protection. The result of that decision was being told my whole young life 'You think too much' and being over-intellectual.

Jeez, this is deep stuff.

3) I think I would enjoy it if someone were to make a very good job of dramatising James Young's 'Songs they never play on the Radio'. I have no idea though who should play Dr Demetrius, or indeed Nico. Anyone else know the book, care to suggest people?

4) Tripe. No seriously. And I still havent tried it to this day.

5) I am the only young un in my life, so not much to contribute here. I love word play as much as ever though.

Abahachi said...

1. Well, no, not really; possibly Bagheera (long-suffering, over-developed sense of responsibility). Presumably we're saving the 'which Muppet are you?' question for another time, 'cos I'm certainly Sam the Eagle.

2. Can I plead the 'filthy head cold has destroyed most of my higher brain functions' clause on this? Cannot remember making any significant choices at all ever. Which might itself be seen as a recurring pattern.

3. Most of my favourite novels are more or less unfilmable: really wouldn't want to see any attempt at W.G.Sebald's works or at Daniel Kehlmann's Die Vermessung der Welt, and hate to think what they'd do to William Gibson's Neuromancer on the basis of what they did to Johnny Mnemonic. Would be very interested to see someone do Monika Maron's Stille Zeile Sechs, and Bruno Ganz or the late Ulrich Muhe would have the acting chops and air of ambiguity to play Beerenbaum.

4. No, I've always eaten more or less everything.

5. Yuck, children.

Abahachi said...

On further reflection - and not wishing to agitate the 'Spill flock mentality by expressing negative views on children - MsStepAbahachi's last but one ex-boyfriend, while a young 'un only by my standards, did come out with something distinctly cute on being introduced to the late lamented Bailey, our rescue greyhound: "Oh, what does he rescue?"

saneshane said...

1: Hong Kong Phooey - I think I'm doing great stuff, but actually it's always been my faithful sidekicks that sorts everything out. (thanks everyone, it is much appreciated)

2: First choice I really remember having to make was to kiss this girl or not.. years later decided only to be friends with strong females who made that choice for me. (The Ms has dragged me off and told me never to look back.. and that's fine by me!)

3: Dreams of Leaving by Rupert Thomson .. (I'd have to direct - any of the characters just end up as singers or musicians from the end of the '80s - not actors - bizarrely one of the twins from Bros ends up as Eddie - so no I'll not dwell on who is playing whom for too long)

4: My Dad grows amazing asparagus (he's a farmer).. but I refused to try it for years.. now we have to visit when it's in season.. gorgeous stuff.

5: We have a stupid tradition - anyone says "No idea" thumbs go to temples, fingers pointed upwards (as antlers) eyes tight shut..

you get a - no eyed deer - my dad laughs (for nearly 40 years since he probably taught me) I laugh (now my sons been doing it for the last 4 years)
our partners still love us some how.
( I wont go into the blood curdling screams you hear, if anybody offers us Ice cream - simple farming folk - we didn't get a TV signal for years!!! )

gordonimmel said...

1. I think, Maki, you've bagsied the best one there but as a close runner up I'd nominate, as mentioned on previous threads, 'Dogmatix', Obelix's dog. Doesn't say much but is quietly and subtley hilarious......or Scooby Doo because of his positive attitude to all things edible (see my answer to Question 4 below).

2. Can't think of having to make choices like that ( I don't think I was ever really given such choices to be honest) And nowadays I tend to make decisions quickly, after assessing all the relevant information in the belief that my decision will be correct even if it appears at first to be disasterous.

3. 'Pillars OF The Earth' by Ken Follett, about the shenanigans around the building of a mediaeval cathedral in southern England. Alan Rickman would have to play Waleran Bigod, the evil priest and John Simm would be hero Jack the architect/builder.

4. I've never not tried anything vaguely edible and as for school meals, I loved 'em. Infact about five years after I left school, when I was out in the pub one evening, a middle aged woman tapped me on the shoulder saying 'You used to got to ......... school didn't you? I remember you because I was the Head Dinner Lady and I remember that you always came back for seconds!'
Yup, that was me......

5. Can't think of anything for this one infact frauimmel and I noted the other day that little tessimmel just isn't getting it with jokes and wordplay. Some of the 'jokes' she tells us are dire. OK she's only 6 and there's plenty of time for improvement but we know some of her class mates do do better.
I'm the one with all the wise cracks in this house but they usually go down like a Led Zeppelin.
Hey, see what I did.......er, .....yeah oh right.

barbryn said...

Great questions Senor Maki.

1. Snoopy and the Peanuts gang have influenced my outlook on life and moral philosophy more than anyone else I can think of (short of my parents, maybe)

2. None immediately springs to mind from my experience, but here's one for my brother. He's 2.5 years older than me. I was born at home, at around 8am. He was offered the choice to stay and watch the baby being born, or to go and have breakfast with our neighbour. He chose breakfast.

We're close now though.

3. I'm gutted that the proposed film of Shantaram, with Johnny Depp in the lead role, seems to have been abandoned, though I'm sure it couldn't have begun to do justice to the book. The People's Act of Love by James Meek is my other favourite book of recent years, and has Oscar-winning film written all over it. I'd like to see Paul Bettany in it. And I'm greatly looking forward to Spike Jonze's Where the Wild Things Are...

Three films of favourite books that were bitter disappointments: Captain Correli's Mandolin, Possession, Morvern Callar.

4. I know what you mean about cheesecake, and had a similar thing about carrot cake until absurdly recently. I've only recently admitted to myself that I quite like baked beans. I can't really justify my aversion to ketchup.

5. I took my daughter to London a few months ago - she was a little over 2 I guess - from our small seaside town of Littlehampton. It was her first time in the big city. I was talking to her about it the next day and said, "London's big, isn't it?" She nodded, then said, "Hamp' little."

bishbosh said...

1. Hm, nothing that springs to mind. Though I wanted a dragon called Elliott like wot Pete had. And later on I wanted an alien friend like wot Elliott had. I think as a child I wanted something (secret) that was all mine. That's what comes of being a twin. Probably.

2. Didn't make any decisions as a child (left them to my twin). Still can't. Terrible pattern to get stuck in. Can I start all over again please?

3. Hm, maybe "The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay". Wikipedia tells me Stephen Daldry had a go once. Not sure who to cast.

4. Rather boringly/greedily, I will eat anything. Probably comes back to earlier-mentioned inability to make decisions. Easier just to shove it in and chew.

5. Not really got any youngsters in my life, but someone (now who the hell was it?) recently told me about how their younger brother, when he was feeling aggrieved at his parents and wanted to get them into 'trouble' in a public place, used to (literally) scream, "Blue murder! Blue murder!" Which made me laugh.

steenbeck said...

Good questions, Maki!! I'm going to give it a think, and when the boys surrender the computer I'll share with the class.

ToffeeBoy said...

Very thought provoking questions, maki. I'll do my best to do them justice:

1. I like barbryn's Peanuts shout - in fact, as a sub-question, which Peanuts character do you most identify with, with provide some interesting answers. I guess there's a bit of Charlie Brown in all of us (certainly - but not exclusively - the males amongst us) but I've always identified more with Linus - security blanket and all ...

I would also like to mention Jessica Rabbit and the Little Mermaid, but I suspect that that may be the answer to a different question altogether!

2. My memory of my child is so fuzzy. I find it hard enough to remember what I did yesterday, never mind an epoch-making decision made in the dim and distant past. I suppose choosing to collect Everton cigarette cards (or were they Typhoo tea cards?) seems to have some sort of impact on my life.

3. I would love to see a film of Ridley Walker - but I would dread watching it as I very much doubt that it would come up to my 'great expectations' as it were. David Lean's Great Expectations is a classic of its type. The opening scene in the graveyard is beautifully executed.

4. I'm afraid I don't have a wide enough diet to give a good answer to this one.

5. My eldest daughter (who can't have been more than two at the time) picked up a little card with a picture of a deer on it and said, "Oh dear, oh dear". Cute enough for you, maki?

ToffeeBoy said...

Oh and the title role in the film of Riddley Walker would be played by James McAvoy.

debbym said...

@ TB
I'm so, so sorry, I just can't help picking on you this week...

My memory of my child is so fuzzy.

Better hope ToffeeGirl isn't reading this!

debbym said...

P.S. Please feel free to comment on each & every mistake I make!

ToffeeBoy said...

... perhaps there's more of the Charlie Brown about me than I thought ... [sigh]

debbym said...

1) Goofy

2) Can't remember actually being allowed choices, although I have painful memories of the rollocking I received when I handed back a Christmas present I didn't like (aged 4 or 5 -ish)

3) Have a love-hate relationship with literary adaptations. Sometimes I catch myself wondering how a scene or a character could 'work' on the big screen, but mostly I hate the results - books live from LANGUAGE, not just the storyline!

4) No. Don't much fancy trying horse, though (have managed to avoid it so far).

5) I ought to have dozens of anecdotes to regale you with here, but my mind has gone blank. Of course, having a daughter who only apeaks 'her own' language, doesn't help. She HAS started to shout "Ketchup!" if ever we pass thr Golden Arches, though, does that count?

Exodus said...

1 Finding it hard to choose between one of Steve Bell's penguins or Opus the penguin from 'Bloom County'. (Hmm seems to be a theme there).

2 Tricky one. probably the first serious decision I made for myself was deciding to do humanities A levels rather than sciences, to the horror and anger of parents and several teachers.

3 Most of the books I'd like to see filmed would work better as tv (mini) series. One which would work as a movie I think would be Sam Delaney's 'Dhalgren' one of those few situations where if it was done well a short film could capture the essence of a long book. Not sure who'd star in it as 'the kid', but Keanu Reeves 25 years ago would have been a good fit, simply because his limitations would have suited.

4 Brawn, ever since seeing my sister make it at home by boiling a pigs head for 12 hours.

5 Can't think of any, not having kids, but the dog keeps telling me I look rough...

My favourite joke when I was a kid was:
Q. What runs round Paris at midday wrapped in a plastic bag?
A. The lunchpack of Notre Dame.

Ps good chance I won't be near the tinternet till Saturday morning, so can I put in a pre-emptive nom for 'Never Turn Your Back On Mother Earth' by Sparks for tonight's topic, hoping it might fit?
(of course I'll probably get back on Saturday to find its songs about pastries or mermaids.)

steenbeck said...

I don't feel like I've come up with definitive answers for any of these, but here's my preliminary round....

1. Maybe Remy from Ratatouille, because he's very enthusiastic but not firmly grounded in reality.

2. My indecisiveness is legendary in my family. I've heard the story so many time I almost feel like I can remember it - when I was a toddler I burst into tears when faced with a choice between 2 desserts. I wonder if I'm more indecisive than I otherwise would be because I've heard that story so many times and I need to live up to expectations.

3. Well, they did make a movie of it, but I think they miscast my favorite character. It was only a bbc series though, so maybe that doesn't count. The character is Eugene Wrayburn from Our Mutual Friend, and they cast Paul MacGann (I'm sure I spelled that wrong). I like him a lot, but he wasn't right for that part. Also (I think I've mentioned this in the past) I've never seen a convincing Mr. Rochester or Jane Eyre. I'll get back to you with my casting picks as soon as I have it all worked out.

4. Nope - I'll try anything and like almost everything I try. I'm not a picky eater and I'm a big fan of food in general.

5. Not word play, exactly, but my boys have come up with some phrases that I think are very apt for describing the situation at hand...

Isaac has just started dressing himself, and when his undies get in a bunch under his pants he says they "grumpy."

Malcolm used to say "frelax" instead of relax, which seemed like a nice combination of "relax" and "chill." My brother taught the art handlers at the Guggenheim and the Brooklyn museum, and now all the cool kids are saying it.

Chris said...

1. Animal cartoon character. I really try my best to avoid anthropomorphism but, as I've said before, those Dude-like turtles in Finding Nemo rather appeal to me.
2. Decision. Now that TB's reminded me, it could have been my decision to support Everton, despite being a Manc. My mate Colin did, so it seemed like a good reason.
3. I see someone is about to try making a film of On The Road, which is about time. Johnny Depp might be able to do a variant of his Hunter S Thompson routine for Neal Cassady. I'd like to see a serious attempt at The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test, too.
4. I rejected almost every foodstuff until the age of 13, when I did a French exchange (as gordon & I have both recalled in a prior EOTWQ). After that 'eat-or-starve' regime, I've been up for at least tasting most things, apart from offal.
5. Offal? That's awful! Sorry.
No witty kids round here. (Or adults, by the sound of it - Ed.)

steenbeck said...

OH yeah, and somebody gave us a little keyboard noisemaking machine (hooboy). And the boys have a scarab beetle in a jar (a temporary guest). Well, last night they took them both in the other room to "Play all the funky dances for the beetle."

Chris said...

debbym: in (football) solidarity with TB, I must say that your statement 'Don't much fancy trying horse, though' made me splutter.
'Horse' has more than one meaning....

Unknown said...

1. I had Gaston lagaffe ready as an answer, but I see it's animals, so I'm gonna jump on the Bagheera bandwagon (of one).

2. These questions are hard. I can't think of any at the moment. Although I did make a choice to support Arsenal, and that's a choice for life although I didn't necessarily realise it at the time.

3. Again I must mention Solal, but he's such a character that I can't think of any actor who could pull it off at the moment.

4. Aubergine probably, I think the first time I had it they were battered, which always helps.

5. Again, can't think of any examples now. Funny actions definitely.

ToffeeBoy said...

@ debbym - HAH!!!!

...if ever we pass thr Golden Arches

What does 'thr' mean? Huh? Gottya!!

;0)

Carole said...

1. I love Dot, the Warner Sister from The Animaniacs. I could be her, I think, in an animated world.

2. Not necessarily the first choice I ever made but the most significant one in my childhood. When I was at primary school it was obvious that I was academically bright and when I was 10 my parents discussed whether I would go to the local comprehensive or to a grammar school some miles away. All my classmates, well most of them, were going to the local comp and I had to choose if I was going to go with them. I chose the grammar school. It was a big decision but it led to me doing well at school and then going on to university. My life would have been so different without that decision.

3. Not so much a novel, but a series of linked stories (a few of which have been adapted badly for the screen). It is H.P Lovecraft's Cthulhu Mythos and I always saw it as being something you could merge with Indiana Jones. I actually wrote a treatment for a film that had Indy in the Lovecraftian New England milieu and investigating weird goings on in the town of Innsmouth and searching for the secret book, the Necronomicon. I still think it is a concept that would work well.

I'd also love to see Iain M Banks' Culture novels filmed as huge blockbusters with state-of-the-art CGI. I think that Player Of Games would be a good one to start with and I see Kevin Spacey as Gurgeh.

4. When I was a child I was a pretty fussy eater, not uncommon really, but when I grew up I started trying all the things I had shunned. I found out that I liked most of them, with the exception of swede, which I just about tolerate if it is mashed and mixed with mashed potato.

I still hate baked marrow though.

5. Not really.

saneshane said...

I can't get Prince 'sign o times' out my head now Debby

"now he's doing horse.. it's June..." spluttering along with Chris..
..but you could teach daughterM to shout "HORSE!" if ever you pass the Golden Arches, though, that'd be cool.

treefrogdemon said...

1 Bugs Bunny, for his anti-authority attitude

2 When I was 4 we moved to a small village, and at some point after that my mother arranged with the farmer who owned the land behind our house that I was to have the run of his fields...she wrapped some sacking over the barbed wire that had been put along the hedge so that I could go through whenever I wanted. I don't remember making the choice of 'nature study' as it was then called, but I must have done...I've always been a solitary type and it doesn't bother me if other people don't like the same things as me. And I'm still interested in wildlife - in fact, there was a pond in that field that included every sort of creature normally found in a Bedfordshire pond, and that's why I like frogs so much.

3 The Lymond novels by Dorothy Dunnett have never been filmed, nor is it likely that they will be: for one thing, the part of Lymond himself could never be cast. (My mum thought the young Peter O'Toole would have been good but IMO he is/was too tall.) Denis Lawson should definitely play Buccleuch though, and Peter Capaldi could be George Douglas.

4 Porridge. But I have not relented.

5 My middle child is called Naomi, and when she was a baby I once overheard her big sister Ab (aged 2) singing to herself:
"NAY-mee, BAY-bee, NAY-mee, BAY-bee...NAY-o-mee..." (pause) "BAY-o-bee..."

If the topic is Mother Earth could someone post Sunfighter by Paul Kantner and Grace Slick for me please? I'm going to Glasgow very very early tomorrow.

May1366 said...

1. So, so many. The Moog from will O' The Wisp. Ludwig. Various Hair Bears. The incomprehensible genius one out of Dick Dastardly's gang who'd always talk about how they could "Bloo-wip-skgskgskg the pigeon and grrp-blup-waa" (to which Dick would retort, "What did he say?" and the other one would say, "H-h-h-he said..."). Elastigirl (more believable character in any film ever). Woodstock.

2. Tottenham, between the ages of 4 and 5. Pattern of misery, mate, Sunday's lollapalooza at home to Wigan notwithstanding.

3. Miss Silver's Past by Josef Skvorescky. Could be a great period piece about Stalinist Czechoslovakia in the vein of The Lives Of Others. Probably best with unknown (to us) Czech actors in the Jiri Menzel style but if it went west a bit, it'd have Mathieu Amalric and Audrey Tattou written all over it.

4. Think I took against lychees without really giving them a chance and was blown away to discover a year or so ago that I loved them. This in turn has led me to Rubicon lychee juice, and thence to vodka and lychee juice screwdrivers which you all have to try.

5. The malapropisms, mispronounciations, bizarre logic and genuine witticisms of my sons have dominated the Noughties, but I'll narrow it down to this completely inappropriate exchange, better suited to an Irish sacristy, between my ex and me and our eight-year-old a while back. He had an eight-year-old's delight in "willies" at the time. Unfortunately, this coincided with some incidents near the boys' schools in which a suspect character had been seen loitering. The police had been in to warn the kids about strangers and parents were advised to discuss the matter at home. We sat him down to make sure he was aware that some adults weren't to be trusted and that he knew what to say if someone dodgy approached him and, for example, wanted to show him his willie. Bruno's ear pricked (so to speak) up. "What would you say?" asked his mum. Straight away, he replied, "I'd say, 'Mmmn, here's my card!'"

AliMunday said...

Well done Maki.

1. I particularly like Top Cat - not in the least like me - but I have an old Top Cat tee shirt which I'm very attached to. (Someone will need to tell the youngsters who Top Cat is).

2. I can't remember my childhood terribly well either. I do remember deciding to give up Greek when I was about 16. I just decided not to turn up for a lesson - I thought I'd be ex-communicated or something, but the teacher just gave me a mild telling-off. I think she realized she was wasting her time. In retrospect it probably blighted my whole career. (It did?? Ed).

3. "The Haunting", by C.A.Dawson Scott (written in 1921) - it's a cracking ghost story. Jeremy Brett or Tom Bell would have been good in the lead, but sadly they are no longer available.

4. I was never fond of garlic but now I love it. Stand well back.

5. When young Munday was learning how to use the grown-up loo (this isn't going to be gross) he was told to squeeze his tummy muscles. He found this quite easy and proudly announced to everyone who expressed an interest that he had learned to squeeze his mummy tuscles!

Where's DsD this week? Hope he's OK.

Abahachi said...

I stuck with Greek, and look where it got me...

@Carole: I love the Culture novels, but I just don't want to imagine what a mess they'd make of the games, or the communications between the ships.

FP said...

Nice questions Maki

1. Easy one - Garfield. Same passion for Lasagne and indolence.
2. Mmmmmme - do I like this chocolate pudding in front of me? Yes. Chocoholics anonymous here we come...
3. Hands up who is sitting on the film rights to The Secret History?? All the actors waaaay too old now. Here goes: Henry - Matt Damon, Camilla - Gwynneth Paltrow, Charles - Jude Law, Bunny - Philipe Seymour Hoffman or Leo di Caprio, Francis - Johnny Depp, Richard - Ethan Hawke, Julian - Terrence Stamp.
I dream of this film...
4.Sushi - love it!!! The ultimate energy food. Gives me pep in my step.
5. No kids but love the verbal dexterity of my multi lingual colleagues. Lots of good jokes resulting there....

Blimpy said...

AMAZING QUESTIONS MAKI!

1. Bugs has endured.

2. I remember going to the sweet shop when I was about 4 or 5, with my 20p and a couple of friends (no adults present) - and not knowing what to pick, and having no frame of reference with which to make a decision. I ended up buying mints, when really i would have liked chocolate. This still upsets me to this day.

Like sourpus, I also had an older brother who made all my decisions. Still to this day, I am awful at making any sort of decision, and am especially incapable of making one that concerns only myself.

3. I always thought the Halo Jones comics would make a great movie (in reality I'm sure it'd be another one Alan Moore would take his name off)

4. It took me til about 28 to like blue cheese.

5. Mini McF made up the following when he was about 4 and a half:

"Where do bunnies go for dinner?"
"Pizza Hutch"

May1366 said...

Oh my God, FP - The Secret History idea is brilliant! Definitely Philip Spencer Hoffman for Bunnie and Terence Stamp's a great call. Not sure about Ethan Hawke for Richard, though - no offence to you or Ethan - but I'll hold fire until you've given him a screen test.

FP said...

Cheers May - I feel sure the film must have been planned. The book was so startlingly accomplished. It's probably some legal wrangle about rights that stopped it being made...

Chris said...

Ali's 'mummy tuscles' has brought a couple of other nice oft-repeated spoonerisms back from childhood:
speedlorker - used in PA systems;
parcark - for storing vehicles.

Carole said...

@Abahachi - Filming the Culture universe would require a massive budget and an intelligent director and design team. Ideally Banks as script consultant too.

Player Of Games is on a more intimate scale than most of the other novels, which is why I mentioned it.

I'd like to see someone like Sam Mendes directing, rather than one of the usual blockbuster types.

DarceysDad said...

AND DsD SCORES A HAT-TRICK IN THE COMING OF AGE LIST! INCLUDING A RICHMOND FONTAINE DEBUT GOAL!!

WOO-HOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

But sorry to CaroleBristol for toe-ending in your goal-bound Powderfinger rocket.

Now . . . about these questions

Carole said...

I am severely pissed off, DsD.

I really thought I had a sure-fire winner this week.

I really have lost interest in RR now.

ToffeeBoy said...

@ Carole - I do feel for you (honest!) but I've just got my first A-List for six months so do you mind if I join DsD in a quick chorus of WOO-HOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I've always liked that Rob Fitzpatrick fellow. Top man ...

DarceysDad said...

A Red and a Blue calling together: warms the cockles, doesn't it?

Now then TB, about that shared stadium . . .

;o)

DarceysDad said...

1. Favourite animal cartoon character?
Sticking strictly to the criteria, and thus eschewing models, , plasticine, animatronics, mythicals or humanoids, I'd probably have to say Disney's version of Eeyore comes top of a still sizeable list.

2. The first memory of choosing? And did it set a life pattern?
One I don't remember making, but have wondered about for decades, is why I chose Liverpool over the then all-conquering Everton for my football allegiance as a young boy on Merseyside. Funnily enough, my mam finally told me only last week. At the time her and my dad were firm and vocal socialists, and made a point of buying me a red shirt rather than blue for my first football kit! BLIMEY!! Thank Christ we'd moved to the West end of the A580 when Dad got his transfer ...

3. Adapting and casting a fave novel for the screen.
I can't believe no-one has yet commissioned film versions of Christopher Brookmyre novels (although the severely underwhelming TV version of Quite Ugly One Morning may have put producers off). I don't have the time here to go into the exceedingly detailed cast ideas I have for the multiplex blockbuster version of One Fine Day In The Middle Of The Night, but I will say I want a Hitchcockian brief-glimpse role in the film as my reward for getting it made!

4. Food stubbornness? Subsequent regrets?
(i) Too many to mention; I was the world's worst eater as a kid. Cheese & chips or Spam butties - good. Spam & chips or cheese butties - fighting like a tomcat to avoid eating it. And as for anything "foreign". I'm ashamed to recall my attitude to Asian, Oriental, even Italian cuisine! And cheesecake is a very good example too. Regrets? Actually I'm not sure regret would be the right word, but foods I now love that I wouldn't have touched then include, prawns, spinach, garlic-buttered snails, water chestnuts, avocado, lamb chops. Did I see carrot cake mentioned above? Yep, donded.

5. "Out of the mouths of babes..."
Hmmm, this one is the reason for my delay in posting: there are loads from my daughters . . . that just won't come to mind at the moment. So I'll have to share this one, which my godson came out with years ago, and which actually deifies a resident 'Spiller.
One day when I was round at his house, mutual friend Reg & I were discussing meeting up with gordonimmel, who at that time we tended to refer to as "Gord" or "Gords". Reg's son-and-heir, who must've only been around four, sat quietly taking all of this in. After a while, as we didn't look like we were going to give him any attention to interrupt, he walked off into the kitchen to talk to his mum. A minute later she came into the lounge looking perplexed, and asked "Tom just asked me how long Daddy's been friends with God".

TonNL said...

1. the Roadrunner, running around shouting "BEEP BEEP" at a very high speed for no obvious reasons, great character!

2. Football: AJAX / Feijenoord at age six or seven, I chose AJAX, Feijenoord whon the European Cup that year, but the years to follow proved me right!

3. A series of Bernie Gunther movies? (based on the Berlin Noir trilogy by Philip Kerr)

4. Lutefisk, air dried cod, prepared with caustic soda, a Norwegian speciality, also popular in the Pacific NW of the US, I was offered this great dish once whilst working in Seattle, I politely refused....
To quote Garrison Keillor: "lutefisk is not edible by normal people. It is reminiscent of the afterbirth of a dog or the world’s largest chunk of phlegm"......

5. My six year old niece has a great one, alas, in Dutch, and alas, completely untranslatable....

AliMunday said...

@ Abahachi - I can still remember the first line of The Lord's Prayer in Greek - you never know when it might come in handy.

barbryn said...

Massive donds for FP's Secret History film and casting. First we secure the rights, then we buy the time machine...

I'm surprised at all the people who chose a football team. It never felt like a choice to me. (This seems like a good moment to mention the first game I ever saw at The Dell: 4-0 win v.Leicester, hat-trick from an 18 y.o. Matt Le Tissier. It's been pretty much downhill ever since)

debbym said...

Extra Spill points for TB for instantly spotting my d*l*b*r*t* mistake (falls down in fit of choking) !

@ Chris
I'll *neigh* forget that!

zag said...

1) Possibly Winnie the Pooh - a bear of very little brain who is easily confused and only has so much room in his brain for details but none the less does the best he can and greets everyone with a smile. And is partial to the occasional snack, although not hunney - zags don't like hunney.

1a) I guess I'd have to also declare an affinity for the real zag - as originally seen in Irish kids TV in the 80s (while I was at college, not officially stoned but not really studying too much) and who then migrated to a brief stint on MTV.

2) Choice between being bullied into submission or standing up (very loudly rather than physically) to the bully and seeing him back down in the face of public observation. Has stood to me since - state the facts clearly, put it to people and let them choose what to do.

3) Don't read a lot of novels, so no real answer to this one.

4) No real eye-openers on this one, but I have found that having kids has helped me broaden my tastes a little and get rid of some of the food-phobias I inherited as a kid. I mean, it's hard to tell my kids to eat their (something) when I steadfastly refuse to try (something else). As a result I've tried a lot of new things in recent years. I guess asparagus & that funny yoke you pull the leaves off and dip in butter would rank as good discoveries.

5) #2 son has a great way with words and is always coming up with wordplay games, but I can't think of any at the moment. He has had some classics. The only thing I can come up with for the moment was from a film so it doesn't really count . . . family on a road trip (race, really) and they need a break so they are relieved when they see a Barbie museum in the middle of nowhere and drop in for a visit. Unfortunately the museum isn't dedicated to Kens Barbie but to the german WWII vintage Barbie . . .

Exodus said...

Banks' culture novels were amongst those I was thinking of as being better as series or mini-series than feature films - the extra time would give a bit more 'breathing space'. Player of Games could work though. I'd definitely like to see well made adaptations of them.

I'd also love to see a series based on Dan Simmons Hyperion & Endymion books.

Makinavaja said...

Great answers, Thank you all! I'll be back later with comments, etc. Right now I have to go to the hospital as Mrs Maki was rushed in yesterday with a jaundice attack.

Cheers

Maki

Abahachi said...

Oh blimey. I came down with jaundice eight or nine years ago, due to gall bladder problems; I was in hospital for a week, and weak as a kitten for about four months - which led to all sorts of exciting things, as we were busy moving between four different properties during that period. Very much hope that Mrs Maki's attack is a lot less serious, and best wishes to you both.

Of course you now face the same dilemma as Mrs Abahachi then did: what colour pyjamas to buy? Blue gives a nice Brazil vibe, while green suggested that I had been brought over to my brother's support of Norwich City...

Makinavaja said...

Thanks Aba. She's doing well and not quite as "Simpsonesque" as yesterday. (She often complains that she plays Marge to my Homer!)
Pyjama-wise it's just got to be the patriotic red and yellow combo - especially as the hospital she's in is actually run by the Spanish Army!

FP said...

Cheers Barbryn - you can see it, can't you?? SOMEBODY wasn't paying attention in LaLa Land all those years ago.....

Makinavaja said...

Again, thanks for the answers.

1. Apologies to Gordonimnel for bagsie-ing Baloo. I love Dogmatix too. But TFD's anti-authoritarian bugs bunny (subsequently donded by Blimpy) gets my vote.
2. This question was perhaps a little deeper than I intended. Steen's indecisiveness tickled me. And debbym's Christmas present story wasn't what I was looking for but really hit home. But Exodus, you brought back memories! I took humanities over science (or whatever)and suffered the same incomprehension. Never regretted it though!
3. I can't choose here. Thank you ALL for sharing your love of so many different novels. I take debbym's comment about LANGUAGE on board (how couldn't I? I am a linguist after all) and apologise if she thought I was trivialising things! There isn't a best answer here. All I can say is that I have really enjoyed reading the answers and the exchanges that have resulted. My answer: I would love to see an adaptation of DCB Pierre's Vernon God Little - I have been trying to cast Vernon but have had other things on my mind this weekend (see up thread).
4. Shane nommed asparagus and it was subsequently donded. I could have written the original post with asparagus instead of cheesecake, so for ringing bells, Shane wins! DsD's megalist was also cool.
5. Aba, you passed and then came up with the winner! Barbryn ran you a close second, mind you. And Steen, not exactly wordplay but the grumpy undies were just amazing!And TB cuter than I deserved, oh dear!

Thanks again. You've cheered up what turned out to be a difficult weekend.

saneshane said...

lovely summing up..

hope Mrs.Maki is feeling better (my ex had a flare up when THAT Coldplay song was being played every three songs on local radio - how anyone in the hospital survived when she recovered is beyond me.. as for the arson attack at the radio station....!)

on a different note.. I was with you on the cheesecake front too.. my dad makes a stunning version, but I never tried it as a kid.. now his daughter in laws demand it when meals are arranged and I love it too...
I can also make a stunning Tofu version that surprises the doubters....

(been laid up for the week having seriously damaged my back - I'm SO bored and the pills are weirding me out - so hugs from over here.)

debbym said...

Maki, I didn't mean to come over all snooty on the film adaptation thing. It just seems to me that all too often sales figures or awards dictate our being presented with 'the movie of the book', with very little thought being given to how the author's style of language enriches the basic storyline. One of my favourite examples for this is Margaret Atwood's 'The Handmaid's Tale', which was filmed by Volker Schlöndorff, and absolutely slagged off by the critics - amongst other things for not having an original enough plot! Yes, the plot leans heavily on Orewll's 1984, but both Atwood's feminist perspective and style make it into a strong book. Take that particular language away, and you are, indeed, left with (yet another) sci-fi scenario.
I don't know that I'm making myself any clearer here at all...

Hope Mrs. Maki's much better very soon! Also shane's back - my knee is screeching out in solidarity

Makinavaja said...

Debby, you didn't come across as snooty, at all. Your Handmaid's Tale example is a very good one.

Shane, hope the back problem clears up soon.

Mrs Maki is doing v. well thanks. Home midweek if she continues to make same progress.

Shoey said...

Sorry I'm late

1. Always had empathy for Wiley Coyete & his trips to ACME. Failing that Taz.

2. Don't think I made one & have been procrastinating ever since.

3. Always thought "The Wasp Factory". Would make an interesting & disturbing film. Jamie would have to be played by an unknown.

4. Nope - will try anything once.

5. The Shoeteens like to refer to Friar Tuck in the BBC Robin Hood as Brother Tuck.

Makinavaja said...

Better late than never, shoey - thanks!!