This has been floating around for a while ...

1) Grab the book nearest to you, turn to page 18, and find line 4.

"He had a bad chi, or personal god, and evil fortune followed him to the grave, or rather to his death, for he had no grave".

From Things Fall Apart, by Chinua Achebe.

2) Stretch your left arm out as far as you can and see what you touch.

Nothing. Except the edge of the desk. And now Bobby has just put a cup of tea down next to me.

3) What is the last thing you watched on TV?

A few nights ago we watched a documentary called Lefties. Really interesting; they interviewed a bunch of people who'd been left-wing squatters in the 70's and 80's, and looked at how their political beliefs and lifestyles have changed in the intervening twenty years. It was interesting on its own terms, but the reason I liked it so much was that I found the notion that life is long, that there's time enough for opinions and lifestyles to change and develop.

4) Without looking, guess what time it is.

4.40

5) Now look at the clock. What is the actual time?

4.55

6) With the exception of the computer, what can you hear?

The girls talking next to me. Kids playing football in next door's garden. Bobby pottering around the kitchen.


7) When did you last step outside? What were you doing?

About fifteen minutes ago; saying goodbye to one of Emily's friends who'd spent the day with us.

8) Before you started this survey, what did you look at?

A couple of blogs.

9) What are you wearing?

Dark blue jeans, black poloneck sweater, black boots.

10) Did you dream last night?

Yes, but I can't remember what about.

11) When did you last laugh?

Just now, in response to a funny face that Emily made.

12) What is on the walls of the room you are in?

A couple of Dali prints.

13) Seen anything weird lately?

My life has been boringly predictable recently. Nothing weird springs to mind.

14) What do you think of this quiz?

Pleasantly random.

15) What is the last movie you saw?

We watched The Hours last night - I thought it was brilliant. Really, really excellent; I can't stop thinking about it. I looked for Mrs Dalloway in the library today but it wasn't on the shelves; I'm desperate to read it.

16) If you became a multi-millionaire overnight, what would you buy?

A house. We are rather despondent at the moment; we have discovered that our current budget won't even buy us a dog kennel in this neighbourhood.

17) Tell me something about you that I don't know.

I don't like ice-cream.

18) If you could change one thing about the world, regardless of guilt or politics, what would you do?

Everyone should have access to clean water and enough food.

19) Do you like to dance?

Sure. I'm useless at it, though.

20) George Bush?

Idiot son of an asshole.

21) Imagine your first child is a girl, what do you call her?

If Stephen had been a girl, we'd planned to name him Emma Jane. Who knows if we actually would have though - we'd actually planned to name him "Timothy", but he just didn't seem like a Timothy when we met him.

22) Imagine your first child is a boy, what do you call him?

See above.

23) Would you ever consider living abroad?

I am.

24) What do you want God to say to you when you reach the pearly gates?

Surprise!