Forty-nine Things You Don't Want To Know About Me.

Dave Schuler, the proprietor of the incomparable The Glittering Eye has tagged me with what has been dubbed the 7x7 Meme. I have never been tagged before, and I am flattered (which, truth be told, I am every time Dave either shows up or tracks back).

I originally decided that I would graciously ignore the challenge to game it, but as I visit Dave every day, that wouldn't work. Then I thought to be snide and too cool for school and answer the following questions with a mixture of bored detachment and slightly callous amusement. But then I realized that I'm not that smart. So without further procrastination, I introduce to you the 7x7 Meme:

1. Seven things to do before I die
2. Seven things I cannot do
3. Seven things that attract me to (…)
4. Seven things I say most often
5. Seven books (or series) that I love
6. Seven movies I watch over and over again (or would if I had time)
7. Seven people I want to join in, too.

Seven things to do before I die:

This is a hard one to whittle down.

1. Visit the great capitals of the world with my wife and daughter.
2. Become a working writer.
3. See my child become a successful, happy adult.
4. Make amends.
5. Live abroad and master that country's language.
6. Learn to Tango.
7. Finish my degree.

Seven things I cannot do:

I will not include anything I'm still attempting.

1. Hold my tongue.
2. Not question authority.
3. Understand reality television.
4. Listen to Celine Dion.
5. Eat foie gras, at least while I'm still on warfarin.
6. Remove all doubt.
7. Levitate.

Seven things that attract me to reading/writing:

This was the hardest one for me, which is rather ironic.

1. The pure satisfaction of creating.
2. It feeds my ego.
3. The finding and sharing of ideas.
4. I can do it sitting down.
5. The feedback, positive or negative.
6. Fiction allows me to pretend my characters' neuroses are not my own.
7. I cannot not do it, so it calms an obsession.

Seven things I say often:

I do my best to avoid cliche. I am not always successful.

1. "You must be joking."
2. "Really?"
3. "I may be wrong, but..."
4. "I love you."
5. "Sweetie, have you seen my glasses?"
6. "Okay" (always in answer to my wife and daughter).
7. "Lucy!"

Seven books (or series) that I love:

In no order. Too many choices.

1. The Deptford Trilogy - Robertson Davies
2. A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole
3. Gargantua and Pantagruel - Francois Rabelais
4. The Merlin Trilogy - Mary Stewart
5. Foucault's Pendulum - Umberto Eco
6. Resistance, Rebellion and Death - Albert Camus
7. A Movable Feast - Ernest Hemingway

Seven movies I watch over and over again (or would if I had time):

I don't watch movies much anymore.

1. Casablanca - even though I know how it ends.
2. Miller's Crossing - the Coen brothers invent a new way of speaking.
3. Doctor Zhivago - when it's snowing.
4. Moonstruck - when I want to be delighted.
5. Truly, Madly, Deeply - for love.
6. Jean de Florette/Manon des sources - for beauty and tragedy.
7. The Last Waltz - the best concert film, ever.

Seven people I want to join in, too:

Apologies all around.

1. Any of my non-blogging compatriots (cheating, here).
2. Jack Grant.
3. The Commissar.
4. Vavoom.
5. Peter Byrne. He will hate this.
6. Norm Geras.
7. Celine Dion. If she's busy, then I guess Rob Mayer would be a good substitute.

There it is. It wasn't easy.

Comments

[Dave Schuler]

An interesting set of responses. Like mine in many ways; different in others. I think, perhaps, that the inability to withhold doubt is one of the marks of the centrist.

I'll be interested in seeing the responses of your taggees.

[Vavoom]

I'll be back in town in 7 days. I'll put up my 49 thingies then.

Have a great holiday, Daniel!