"There is no double skive. There is no double go home."

Meme From Leah: Have you ever ...

1. gone on a blind date?
Ha, ha. No. Though I have met people I've only otherwise known through the web which I'd say has only gone well about 50% of the time. The people know they are because I'm still speaking to them.

2. skipped school?
No. Not a day, not a lesson for the whole of school. Even when I was away for a week at infant's school it was pre-arranged. As an undergraduate I only missed one lecture and one seminar in three years both due to ill health and as post-graduate missed the second half of a film screen which I turned on for the tutor because I had a clash, but went back afterwards to shut the dvd player and screen down. Oh and watched the film myself the day before with my own copy.

3. watched someone die?
Not someone I know. I'm on one of two tower blocks and I've seen the aftermath of someone falling of the building once or twice. I've also witness the aftermath of a stabbing on the car park nearby.

4. been on the opposite side of your country?
I've been to London. I've been to all of the nations capitals and Dublin.

5. swam in the ocean?
No. The sea though.

6. had your booze taken away by the cops?
No. Though I have been boozy and woozy.

7. lettered in high school sport?
Weeks on end at school, mostly due to bullying. It just wasn't worth the hastle. When it came to Games in the sixth form, I took the Bridge option. Yes, Bridge was offered as a choice against football, swimming, squash etc. But as the PE teacher said as he read out the choices at the start of each afternoon lesson: "There is no double skive. There is no double go home."

8. played cops and robbers?
No, unless you count my razor sharp detective skills

9. sung karaoke?
Ahem. God, was that really four years ago?

10. paid for a meal with coins only?
Depends what counts as meal. But oh yes. I tend to spend cash quite a lot actually, I like to see it leaving my hand.

11. made prank phone calls?
Well, I used to play the 0800 game when in pubs when I was pissed. You dial 0800 then six random numbers to see where you get through to, and if it's an answering service leave a long, drawn out stream of nonsense talking about basically whatever's on your alcohol addled mind at that moment. Oh and there was the time I rang Talking Pages and used Obi-Wan Kenobi's dialogue from the Cantina scene in Star Wars verbatum: "I'd like a fast ship." "Boat hire, sir yes."

12. laughed until some sort of beverage came out of your nose?
Yes! Though I can't remember when or why.

13. written a letter to Santa Claus?
Every year when I was younger and the Post Office had an arrangement to send back a letter from Father Christmas in lapland to any letters which included addresses.

14. watched the sunrise with someone you care about?
Oh gosh, you're making me cry.

15. been kissed under the mistletoe?
Oh gosh, you're making me cry.

16. ever been arrested?
No, but I think I've come close. When I was researching public sculpture in the late nineties, I went to Birchwood Science Park to see this piece by Liliane Lijn. Once I'd taken all of the photos I needed, I realised that I was terribly lost. I went into the reception of the nearest building which turned out to be British Nuclear Fuel. Questions ensued about what I was doing there and though everyone was very friendly I was ultimately escorted from the area and driven back to the railway station (which I might add is the only time I've ever ridden in a police car).

17. gone ice skating?
I wasn't very good.

18. been skinny dipping outdoors?
No. That I can remember.

19. been on TV?
Yes(ish)!

20. stayed up all night; been sprayed by a skunk; eaten an entire gallon of ice cream at once; made something art-like out of the inner parts of a computer's hard drive; gone hang-gliding; intentionally eaten a bug; or done something else strange or unusual?
Yes. No. No. Yes. No. No. Lots of things.