Wednesday 18 June 2008

How do you start something like this?

So here I am, joining the growing world of bloggers, and wondering just what the hell I'm meant to say by way of introduction. After all, this is meant to be a place where we share our thoughts, fears and aspirations, and why should I be any different?

So let me offer ten things about myself, and then you can decide if you want to stick around, OK?

I'm not a writer No, really, I'm not. I'm actually a medical statistician, but at school I was encouraged to do other non-mathematical subjects, such as English and History, hence the polymath nature of my interests. My doctorate thesis was rejected on the first submission not so much because of the content, but because of the appalling level of the grammar - that's how bad I am. And yet....

I am a comic book geek There, I've said it. I have been since I was three years old, and probably always will be. I cannot draw to save my life, even though my oldest son is studying Art and wants to be an architect, but I love the works of Lee and Kirby, Morrison and Yewell, even Dudley Watkins. To paraphrase Groucho Marx, I never met an artist I didn't like.

I am a Christian I need to say that off the bat - I am, and have been for the last 26 years, an evangelical non-denominational Christian with a big C. It informs my life, guides what I do, but doesn't stop em swearing and cursing.

I'm married with children I married Doreen eighteen years ago this September, and we have two sons, Alastair who is 15 and Stuart who is 9. I'll talk about Doreen a lot over the next few days, I suspect.

I've met James Fox That's the actor, father of Emilia. A story for another day.

I'm Scottish Not by birth, but by naturalisation. I grew up in a town called Linlithgow, halfway between Edinburgh and Stirling, and lived there until I was eighteen. Since then, I've lived for eight years in Newcastle upon Tyne, eight in Nottingham, and ten now in London.

I have incredibly catholic musical tastes I love the music of the sixties, ska and two-tone, Dylan and Springstein, Tom Lehrer and Weird Al Yankovic, Nigel Kennedy and John Williams, Andrew Lloyd Webber and Sondheim. Live with it.

They don't call me The Culture Vulture for nothing. I've soaked up television and theatre, literature and other arts like a sponge all my life, and that knowledge comes to the fore at the most unusual moments. We'll see how as the days progress.

I'm doing this for a reason. I need somewhere to vent, somewhere to share my views, somewhere to let off steam. I apologise in advance if that happens.

I have one last thing to say I hope you'll come back and see what I have to say on things.

4 comments:

Radiodad said...

Welcome to the blogosphere, Mike! I'm looking forward to reading more.

Ana said...

Hey, CV, I look forward to reading your posts.

J.Ball said...

Although I haven't updated my own blog in quite sometime. I am glad to see you here! I've always enjoyed your views at the cave and am sure this will be an even broader avenue for you. Express away, mate.

Jinxo56 said...

Welcome, Mike. I have always enjoyed your posts and look forward to reading here.