Fiona was asking, Andrew’s written his up, and it’s too hot to do anyting useful, so here’s the answers. Before I started, I ought to note that Andrew, not Lyssa, actually won the quiz – he got 88 points. I was recalibrating the scores while he was doing the quiz, it seems, and the system doesn’t re-score people who’ve already taken the test if the points values change. Which is stupid…
Lyssa did get the most correct answers, at six, but lost out badly on one question. Andrew got at least second choice on every question, but only four right answers.
Anyway:
My favourite band are The Tansads. They’re the ones I put on when it’s all getting a bit much, and I need a dose of something that’s just plain fun. They’re the sound of the long hot summer of being 18, full of fire and the knowledge that I can kick the world in the teeth and walk away smiling. Happy, poppy pseudo-rebeliions. Then, in descending order – 8 points for Tom Waits, 6 for Nick Cave, 4 for the Pogues and 2 for the Cocteau Twins. Only 4 people got this right, but then only three of the people who took the test have known me since I was 18. Most of you went for Cave.
My favourite whiskey is Bushmills 12. It’s more complex and interesting than the 16, which was second followed by Glenfiddich 15, Black Bush and Jack Daniels. Same scoring system as before.
My favourite god is Odin – enough that I have his rune tattooed on my arm. A trickster and a con man, a god of magic and inspiration, a holy lunatic, and a terror. But nost important, a god whose power comes from sacrfice and leanring, rather than just because he happens to be divine. A god who has earned repsect and awe, rather than just commanded it. What’s not to like? Most of you went for the atheist option, which shows a remarkable lack of thought. If I asked you who your favourite fictional character was, you could probably come up with an answer, couldn’t you? But still, I was generous, and atheist was the second choice – I don’t believe in gods as anything that most people would understand by the term. After that, it’s Hermes and Mercury, and 0 points for Christian.
My favourite writer is Brookmyre, which only four of you got. His stuff is hugely entertaining, infintiely re-readable, and exactly what I want when I want to relax with a book. Alan Moore was second choice, but in Moore (who most of you went for) I see something to aim at, rather than something to relax and enjoy. (Which is not to say that I don’t enjoy the work hugely, but it’s a different thing.) Then, in descending order Robert Anton Wilson, Iain Banks and Terry Pratchett.
No-one got my favorite colour – not even by blind guesswork. Black isn’t actually my favourite color, I’m afraid, but I’d look pretty stupid dressed in silver all the time. Yes, black is second, though, followed by purple and red, then blue.
My favourte place, which most of you got, is a pub that no longer exists. (The Pioneer/Cauldron, in Edinburgh.) Only one person went for the second choice of The Embankment, which surprised me, because it’s a very close second. Arthur’s Seat, Soho and The Meadows complete the set, and to be honest, the scoring system on those three was really difficult to pick out…
9 of you went for the right answer to favourite holiday, which was a trip to the Anrtim Coast when I was a kid. We hired a cottage with a view down across fields to the sea, and it’s the most dramatic and relaxing view I know. I’ve been promising myself for years that I’ll take a holiday up there on my own for a week at some point – just head up there for a week, and become a reculse, sit about and enjoy the view while drinking whiskey from the distillery up the road… 10 of you went for the second choice which was the Edinburgh holiday, followed by New Orleans/San Diego, Sutton (just a really nice week off where I got a lot done, and returned to work feeling relaxed and re-energised), and Washington/New York.
No-one got my favourite coat, which I admit was a bit of an evil question – the correct answer is “other”. I’ve got a black linen thing that I really like, followed by my leather, then my trenchcoat (which most of you went for), then the suede, then the multi-pocket thing.
The Visor and keyboard was the obvious and correct answer to this one, followed by MP3 player, Camera, mobile and other (which was still worth two points – I love all my sad wee gadgets…)
And finally, I created the test because it amused me. Other reasons, in order were “to see about setting up something like it) the most popular response, then curiosity, then because I was bored, and then because everyone else was doing it. Yes, I know when the subject line of the post that I linked to it with was. I just felt it was a better title.
And that’s that done.