Ask the Person Below you a Question?

A: Yes, although it’s not in the near future, since I don’t have the money to travel that far right now, but I would love to see Japan, and spend a day or two around Dobuita and Yokosuka. I’m trying to learn Japanese, so that when I go I can at least have some basic communication skills! :p But my ultimate dream is to go to Guilin, spend a month or two there and just experience the area and culture!
(Edit: sorry, I didn’t see @Araviel reply!)

New Answer: I don’t usually watch or read crime thrillers, but I sometimes do watch true crime shows on tv, mostly murder mysteries.

Q: Are you interested in a foreign culture? If so which one and why?
 
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Araviel said:
@paddyj first of all, I'm so sorry mate. That's aweful. I hope you are doing better now.

A: Having gone and lived in Hong Kong much thanks to Shenmue I got that covered. Would love to visit Guilin proper, have been to Yunnan Province but haven't seen the typical mountains (went further northwest towards the Himalayas). Also would love to go to Japan and then definitely visit Dobuita.
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Thanks, 'it's life' as they say but I've deff had enough of death for a while!

You lived in Hong Kong? Inspired by Shenmue? That sounds like an amazing story! I've been there a few times and love the place. Even though Shenmue II isn't as true to life as Shenmue I was to Dobuita it definitely captures the overall vibe of Hong Kong. Man Mo on the other hand was pretty much spot on. So jealous that you lived there. Guilin is on my list for sure - I was looking at prices recently and it's not unreasonable.

SliverOfSand said:
Q: Are you interested in a foreign culture? If so which one and why?
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A: Before Vice became clickbait garbage they used to make really interesting low budget documentaries; back in 2008ish they did an undercover doc on North Korea. NK is all over the news these days but I didn't know anything about the country at the time, I became obsessed and watched every documentary I could find. It was fascinating to me that there was a place on earth that had no connection or knowledge fo what goes on outside their borders. "Dear Reader" is a great read and "Pyongyang: A Journey in North Korea" is a graphic novel about Guy Delisle's time there that's also really good. Journalists aren't allowed to film what its really like there so a cartoonist is the next best thing.

Q: What is the biggest risk you've ever taken?
 
It's going to sound pretty lame but it has to be asking a girl out. When I was younger (or before I met my wife around 22 years old), I was really bad with women. I would always attract attention as in getting them to talk to me, even go out, but I could never ask the question. I remember one girl frustratingly asking me "when are we going to start dating" and I was so thrown off by it I responded "when I finish university" even though I was begging for her to ask to I could simply respond "yes".

There was one girl at college who I was near in love with. We became quite close, would hang out a lot but never anything romantic. I remember telling myself I could net let this opportunity go, I have failed to ask out so many women before and so many of those missed opportunities haunt me to this day (though I am grateful for my current wife). So, one day when I had a break I plucked up the courage to ask this girl out at her work place. She was working on the front desk and I held her hand, trembling, stuttering my words and becoming drenched in my own cold, nervous sweat.

"I...I...like you a lot. I think we should be more than friends....." - something to that affect came out of my mouth. It could of been the 100% virgin-loser they I was portraying or she could not comprehend what I was saying as I was stuttering and mumbling so much. Either way, she responded "what?" a couple times with each time my hand started to tremor more (whilst holding hers) and I got more nervous. I finally took a deep breath and asked her as clear as day - "would you be my girlfriend" and she responded......

No, followed by the "you're too good for me" nonsense. I was so embarrassed and almost ran out of there. Later on in the day I gave her a call begging her not to tell anyone that I asked her out (not something she would do as she is a genuinely nice person).

Q - What are your pet peeves? List them!

  • People who do no capitalise their nouns and first letters of a sentence. There is a girl at work who takes our notes during meetings and it drives me mad.
  • Bad drivers
  • Putting warm food on a cold plate
  • Low hygiene rating at restaurants
 
A. Off the top of my head:

- People who, in conversation, are simply waiting for their turn to speak, as opposed to engaging in a dialogue

- The sound of French kissing

- Vocal fry

- Untidiness and bad manners regarding cleanliness

- Lack of self-awareness and consideration in public

- People who don't say thank you after being extended a courtesy

- Temper tantrums

- Technophobes

- 'Wet mouth' sounds in speech

- People who refuse to admit when they are wrong

- People who use any possible excuse in order to avoid taking responsibility

- Unreasonable delivery prices (which, of course, are nothing more than a way of tricking potential buyers into thinking they are getting a good price, and then making up the difference with the extortionate delivery cost)

Q. Where are your Big Five Personality metrics?
 
Don't know if that is anything particular but I guess my 5 main traits are -

Impatient
Kind
Slightly arrogant
Intelligent
Logical

Q - Is there anything major that has been on your mind for some time? For me it is trying to help my father, mother and brother out with their current situations.

For the past few years, my dad has been suffering with cancer and had a whole bunch of debt because of a seriously bad financial decision he made. A couple years ago, he was a bitter and miserable man wallowing in despair about how he went from a man who wouldn't notice £2,000 missing from his wallet to someone whose house was be threatened to be taken away. Another sibling bailed him out by buying his house for near nothing but he was depressed about the ordeal. I did manage to break it down for him and explain how the deal got him out of a bad situation and he can now enjoy his life. When he realised that, he put the drink down and smiled. No longer was his moaning, miserable and the only thing in his way was the cancer. It made me happy to see him happy again. I just bought one of those DNA test kits. One thing I would want to do is immortalise him online so my son, or even my grandchildren long after me can do a test and find out who this man is.

My mum is in a not too dissimilar situation. To keep a long story short, she made a number of silly decisions in regards to her property and is now stuck in a place that is falling apart and she's struggling to sell. She should not be working at her age and should be spending most her time travelling or just chilling at home. I have tried and spent thousands trying to sort her situation out but it's complicated and her tendency to lie / bend the truth about her situation hasn't helped at all. When it comes to my mum, nothing much I can do unless I win the lottery or something. That's all I really want, is just a little break. Not much, but just enough to give myself headroom and help my family out.

Lastly, my little brother who is less than two years younger than me. I remember being younger and having no friends and being seriously worried about being a complete and utter "failure". I remember summer rolling round and me literally being stuck in my room and having no where to go because and I had no one to go with. My little brother is the opposite to an extent in he's always been popular, had friends etc. His problem is that he's been quite unambitious when it comes to a career etc. He has now seen my become a homeowner, married and have a child all before 28 and was feeling a little pressured about it. We discussed how not many people our age are actually in the same position and there are some who regret being in such a position. We talk a lot about buying going forward in life and such but I wish I just had some money which will give him a head start.

So yeah, to conclude, one thing that is constantly on my mind is getting my family members into a position where they can be happier.
 
I'm sorry to hear about your situation, mate. I really hope that everything manages to work out positively for you and your family in the future.

My mum actually passed away last friday morning, after five years of living with cancer. So I suppose in answer to your initial question, one thing that has been playing on my mind recently, and something I have been thinking about quite a bit is where I decide to go from here with my life and what I decide to do with it. Little bit of a cliche, I know. But moments like these do tend to put things into perspective. It's quite strange having to suddenly navigate life without either parent to speak of, but it does make you reflect on what you want to do with the rest of your life. I suppose moments like these always will. It also makes you realise that despite how you may feel from day to day, 30 is actually quite young. But you should know that the love for your family is admirable, and it's good that you are trying to think of their best interests. I sincerely hope that your dad manages to get rid of that horrible disease, I really, sincerely do.

Q: Just to lighten the mood a little bit. What's your favourite song?
 
My sincerest condolences, Jet; its never a good feeling to lose a loved one, ESPECIALLY a parent :(

A: Favourite Song is "Who Are You?" by the Who. Specifically, the version from the Kids Are Alright.

Thanks to that song, I discovered 60s and 70s rock in ways and forms that I never experienced before and it started me on the path that moulded my musical tastes today.

For a more, "modern" favourite song, it would be "Creamer (Radio is Dead)," by Limp Bizkit.

Both are not the best songs by their respective bands (especially in the latter's case), but I love those tunes to death.

Q: Keeping in the same line of questioning, who is your favourite band?

My 5 favourite (which will probably never change at this point):

  1. Max Webster (Canadian rock/slightly prog-rock band from the 70s and 80s)
  2. Snot (With Lynn Strait in the mid-late 90s, not the revamp in the late 2000s)
  3. Rize (Japanese Nu-Metal Band that's been active since 1999)
  4. Limp Bizkit (Surely you all know these guys lol)
  5. The Who (and them!)
EDIT*: ugh, keeps autocorrecting and flipping the numbers; Max Webster is 5 and the Who is 1...
 
A. The kidnapper. They realised they got the wrong person. Then a tree falls on their car as they're driving away from dropping me off and on their way to find the real target. Karma, motherfucker.

Q. Most cringeworthy thing you did in your teenage years?
 
A: Pretending to be someone I was not hanging out with thugs talking like a delinquent, when in reality I was just a nerdy kid who liked video games pretending to be "cool."

Q: Genesis, Saturn or Dreamcast?
 
A. Dreamcast: given its being a 5.5-6th gen console of sorts, it had a nice mix of 2D/3D games, and it featured some of Sega's most inventive/creative IPs.

Q. What's a band, tv show, movie etc., that you used to be obsessed with but either grew out of or now dislike in hindsight?
 
A: Fallout. Well, mostly. I like Fallout 1, New Vegas and, for different reasons, Fallout 3. I knew pretty much everything about Fallout lore, too. When Fallout 4 came out and just spit on any idea of good, consistent, sensible lore, contradicting not only the original Fallout games, and not only Bethesda's previous Fallout game, but contradicting itself... man, it shattered me. I felt both a deep, depressing hatred towards Fallout 4 as well as finding glee in ripping it apart, as is so easily done. Eventually, I ran out of steam, and my deep love for the series disappeared. I still deeply enjoy 1 and NV especially, but my desire to take in everything about them is long gone now.

Q: What in your life means the most to you?
 
A: Music. It’s the most human thing ever. Completely pointless and useless other than to stir emotion. If everything in terms of society got stripped away other than one thing, that one thing’d have to be music for me.

I love football, beer, fiction, video games, visual art, clothes, good food, etc., but none of it can come close to music. It honestly makes life worth living, even when it’s at its bleakest.

As a side-note, I always find it slightly odd when people note that they like music. Like there are those out there who don't. You know what they’re called? Well, me neither actually, I don’t think the scientific community has come up with a name for the category of every living being that specifically isn’t a human. If they did though... that.

Q: How do you have your brew? (Tea or coffee for anyone thinking I mean pint). Just recently transitioned from one sugar to half and plan to keep going til I eliminate it altogether.
 
Mittens2317 said:
A: Music. It’s the most human thing ever. Completely pointless and useless other than to stir emotion. If everything in terms of society got stripped away other than one thing, that one thing’d have to be music for me.

I love football, beer, fiction, video games, visual art, clothes, good food, etc., but none of it can come close to music. It honestly makes life worth living, even when it’s at its bleakest.

As a side-note, I always find it slightly odd when people note that they like music. Like there are those out there who don't. You know what they’re called? Well, me neither actually, I don’t think the scientific community has come up with a name for the category of every living being that specifically isn’t a human. If they did though... that.

Q: How do you have your brew? (Tea or coffee for anyone thinking I mean pint). Just recently transitioned from one sugar to half and plan to keep going til I eliminate it altogether.
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A: Time to cause a riot in the UK. I don't like either of them, especially tea so I don't have any! Coffee I'll have with a touch of milk and 3 sugars if desperate for a caffeine hit.

Q: What would be your perfect holiday?
 
A: At this point just having three weeks off. Not a long weekend here or there, or a week or two. Three. With nothing planned at all. And no unfinished work projects or other projects lying about waiting for your return or more likely to be looked at/done during.

Or three months off for traveling around China. I miss China a lot, especially Hong Kong. I should really get around to plan smt like it for the next years.

Q: You write your super successful breaking novel/short story/movie/theater piece. What's it about?
 
Reincarnation, existential imprisonment, adoption and humanity.

Do You think we should switch Shenmue Day to the 4th, beginning in September? Follow up; shall we then continue the 3rd as a tweetathon for saving Mega Man Legends 3?
 
The 3rd has been etched in Shenmue fans' routines for over seven years now. Changing it would just confuse people. (Also not very much rhymes with fourth...)

How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?
 
Q: Show, book or game that you were really hyped for but was so let down by you didn't even finish it.

(For me it's the Dune triology, made it half way through and gave the hell up, not worth it)
 
A: Breaking Bad. The episodes were agonisingly long, but people continually assured me that it gets better and better. I think I stopped watching a few episodes into the final season.

I wasn’t necessarily hyped as fuck about it, but I’ve already given my little GTA V story.

Q: Name a hidden gem you reckon people should know about. Doesn’t matter what it is, whether it’s a video game mod, a quote, or even a type of biscuit.
 
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