From Kwizgiver

 

Welcome to a sunny but chilly South Manchester.

It’s time for some silly questions from Sunday Stealing. 

1. How long have you lived in your current residence?

We have lived in our current house for 20 years in May. It is a three bedroomed terraced house, originally built in 1902 and we don’t plan to move again, although that decision isn’t cast in stone.

2. What changes have you made to it since you got there?

We’ve made a lot of changes. We bought the house from an older couple whose heads were still in the 1970’s. The lounge had wall cladding and a kind of weird stone fireplace. We ripped that all out, took off all the wallpaper, replastered the entire room and have now redecorated it a couple of times. The previous occupants seemed to prefer living in the room at the back of the house, from which I am typing this post. We opened up the whole room, replastered it and redecorated it. We have also completely replaced the kitchen and bathroom and turned an outhouse attached to the house into a weatherproof storage room. All of the bedrooms and the hall and stairs have also been replastered and redecorated a couple of times. We have new secure external doors and double glazing throughout.

But we haven’t finished yet. We plan to redecorate the bathroom, kitchen and back room (when I say “we” I mean Mrs PM) in the next couple of years.

3. What surprised you about living in your place or in your neighborhood?

I kind of came full circle and that is quite surprising. When I first moved to South Manchester in 1984, I lived fairly close to where I live right now. Eventually, I moved to a little town about eight miles away called Altrincham, where I lived for the next 15 years or so. And then fate brought me back to the same place and I have lived here ever since.

4. If someone were considering moving in next door, what would you warn them about?

The only thing I would warn them is that they are moving in next door to a weird person, i.e. me.

5. If you have to move in the next 45 days, what are you definitely not taking with you?

The kitchen.

6. What are you currently reading?

I am reading two books currently.

The first is Atomic Habits by James Clear. I read somewhere a couple of years ago that it takes about 60 days to form a habit. I can tell you that this is absolutely true and I have spent the last four or five years exploiting this mindset to great effect. For example, I write every day in a weird little journal, I practice a little Spanish, I go for a walk and have done a couple of other things. This book came across my radar last year so I thought I would read it to see if I can learn something new. The truth is that I have. I hadn’t considered using this technique to break bad habits for example. It’s a good book and I do adopt some of the ideas already. I would recommend it.

The second is a third and final part of a science fiction space opera by Peter F Hamilton called The Saints of Salvation. I love a good space opera.

7. What did you recently finish reading?

I recently finished the second part of the space opera above, called Salvation Lost. 

8. What do you think you’ll read next?

I have a couple of books that I plan to read. I think my next novel will be one that I was given for Christmas called Elsewhere by Dean Koontz. I usually buy Kindle books but this one is a proper paperback. It’s been a long time since I read anything by Dean Koontz to be honest. I’m looking forward to it.

9. When did you take the road less travelled?

Recently when I decided to reduce my working hours to four days a week, which starts in April. It is a fairly brave decision to make but I am glad I have done it.

10. Did you ever participate in a talent show?

Only accidentally. Many many years ago I was in an audience for a tacky show in a hotel in Yugoslavia (now Croatia). We didn’t plan to stay – we were just killing time until we went out for dinner. The compere decided that we should have a “Mr Universe” competition and I was unwillingly dragged into it. I am the polar opposite of a “Mr Universe” and, to be fair, so were the other six victims. We them had to do some strange rituals, like running into the audience to “rescue” a damsel in distress. I was eliminated in round three after I had taken off my shirt and “posed”.

In my head I had to consider myself looking like this.

In reality I looked more like this.

11. When did you most recently strike out?

Not sure what “strike out” actually means but if it means what I think it means then see my answer to question 9.

12. Where do you go to find yourself?

The mirror. I’m always there.

13. What do you have mixed feelings about?

Politics. I am totally disillusioned with it at the moment and lately I’ve decided to try to distance myself from the subject in its entirety. Nevertheless, I sometimes can’t help being sucked back into it, especially when I watch the news.

14. What did you most recently add to your collection of something?

I recently bought the latest album by Dream Theater called “A View From the Top of the World” to add to my still expanding CD collection. Progressive metal at its best.

15. When did something most recently stir you to tears?

I’m not a man who cries often to be honest. I have been known to shed the odd tear when watching movies though I can’t really recall when that last happened.