Alright, on to
@stienman's questions.
What’s something you don’t care about but seems to be important to others?
Flowers, jewelry, things that are made to look nice with no other purpose, and in the case of flowers especially, only look nice for a very short amount of time. That's not to say I don't understand the appeal of aesthetic things. I have figurines, posters, pieces of artwork that I greatly enjoy having, but they evoke something within me that a glittery gem just doesn't.
Tell us about something mildly embarrassing that happened to you in the past that still bothers you today.
Honestly? Nothing comes to mind. I get very socially anxious in public, in a sort of internal panicked way that makes me not want to be around people, but I can't remember the last time I felt embarrassed. And I tend not not dwell on the past too much. I don't even value pictures, and if I ever take pictures it is very rare that I will ever look at it.
Beef, pork, chicken, or fish?
Beef. I don't particularly care for fish (and am allergic to shellfish), and growing up poor means I've become very sensitive to the taste of chicken fat or cheap cuts of pork, to the point that just the risk of tasting it again puts off my appetite. That doesn't mean I hate chicken and pork, just that they are things I prefer to prepare myself.
Snack preference: sweet or salty?
Why not both?
I find it unpleasant, but to be a phobia it would need to severely impact me. It doesn't. It does make my skin crawl, though.
The last book I attempted to read was Ready Player One. I say attempted because I only got maybe a third of the way through it before giving up. I don't understand all the praise, that book is hot garbage. It references nerdy things that I like, but you can achieve the same thing just by saying "Hey, remember the 80's?" on every single page, and that doesn't make a good story. Before that, a book I did read all the way through was Astrophysics for People in a Hurry by Neil deGrasse Tyson.
Do you have a bucket list of any sort, and what are some of the things you have on it or would put on it?
I don't have a bucket list, but in thinking of what I would want to put on it, the first thing that came to mind was wanting to live in different cultures for some periods at a time. I used to often think about just leaving everything and going off to Tibet to join a Buddhist monastery on some mountain, living a simple life of self sustenance and reflection, learn how different people think, feel. Or maybe christian friars, or even an Amish community. And as I write this, I'm noticing that the places I'm listing are all religious communities, and while I'm not religious myself, maybe I'm seeking some sort of spiritual tourism.
Do you have a budget? What’s the last thing you did or bought that wasn’t on the budget, or wouldn’t have been if you had one?
I have a budget, now, and I do a pretty good job of sticking to it. The last thing I purchased that I still regret is the Vive. It's neat, but goddamn was it expensive, and every time I use it I consider selling it. I wonder what kind of resale value it has.
Do you tend to buy things, or experiences?
I tend to buy things. I like things. Specifically gadgets and video games. And hearthstone cards... those should probably be added to the previous question.
Do you save or invest more than a hundred dollars a year?
I banked $1000 into my savings account last year. Which doesn't feel like a lot, but it's also only something I just started doing. Once I have a safety net that I feel comfortable with should the catastrophic happen, I want to start funneling that saved money into investments. I mentioned before that I grew up poor. I'm still fairly poor. Learning how to not be poor is hard, but I would like to not always be poor.*
*I also always feel bad referring to myself as poor, because I know there are people who can't even afford to eat, even some people on this board. I'm not missing any meals, but I am living in my parents' house.
Absolutely dogs. I respect cats, but I don't like them. I'll leave them alone, they can leave me alone, and everyone will get along great.
Top three fictional stories/worlds?
Mass Effect, Lord of the Rings, Star Wars. Not necessarily in that order, but those are the rapid fire things that first come to mind. Two of those things got real bad towards the end, but one is getting better.
Cool Hand Luke might always hold a place in my heart as my favorite movie. It speaks to my anti-establishment sensibilities, and Paul Newman might be the greatest actor to ever live.
Speaking of Paul Newman, The Color of Money is number 2. This is my dad's favorite movie, and while he and I may not have a whole lot in common outside of (decidedly faulty) genes, we can always watch this movie together.
The Shining, but I'm going to cheat and shoehorn in all of Stanley Kubrick's films. Yes, even Eyes Wide Shut. Hell, even A.I., which Kubrick died before he could direct, leaving Spielberg to do his best to try and make a Kubrick movie. I find his crafting of cinema fascinating.
Guns N' Roses, specifically their debut album Appetite for Destruction (though November Rain is pretty dope)
David Bowie- All of it. The man was a musical genius that spanned genres.
Nas - While I grew up listening to bands like the previous two, I didn't come to hip-hop until adulthood, and it is now the genre I listen to the most, bar none. And if I'm going to be forced to choose best rapper, it's going to have to be Nas. If Tupac is Jesus, then Nas is... I don't know. John the Baptist? I really shouldn't do religious analogies, I'm not very good at them, and they probably come off as a little blasphemous. Especially to Tupac fans.
Glasses, contacts, lasik, or naturally good eyesight?
Glasses. I put them on when I wake up and don't take them off until I go to sleep or shower.
Do you worry more about the past or the future?
I don't worry about either, and that worries me. It's too long of a discussion to get into here, but I often feel like I am afflicted with a severe lack of ambition, and that makes me surprisingly content with the present. But it's a contentment that I worry might be symptomatic of something else, and may be causing a sort of emotional inertia that has me stuck in a holding pattern.
I did mention this was too long for here, right?
What’s one thing you have to do that you wish you’d already finished?
Growing up. I don't feel like an adult, and I'm starting to think you never actually do, and adults were lying to you the whole time growing up. Also, writing the next blood bowl article. I used to write those regularly, and I still have fans asking me if the series is ever coming back (like, tens of them!) but the last one was written six months ago, and the one before that was a year prior.
I keep meaning to get started on the next, though.
Tabby, solid color, calico, or other?
None of the above. The best cat is no cat.
Which is worse: wet dog smell or dog breath?
Both are fine, if they are my dog. About a year ago, maybe two by now, my previous dog passed away. In the last few months of her life, she started to smell really bad. She smelled like an old dying dog, and her breath was worse. But she still wanted to cuddle, and there was no way I could deny her that just because she stunk.[DOUBLEPOST=1518318161,1518317871][/DOUBLEPOST]
Do you prefer watching fires or explosions?
What’s your go-to curry recipe?
If I keep asking questions will you eventually declare question bankruptcy and only answer new questions?
On a nice cold night, I can sit around a campfire pretty comfortably. I even enjoy smelling like smoke afterwards.
I've never met a curry I didn't like. Seriously, pick any of them, I like looking for new variations I haven't tried yet.
And no, I will not declare question bankruptcy, but I may ask for an extension to avoid foreclosure.