Poet of the Fortnight #3: Aries Rising (June 9 - June 23)

I love your love of water. I'm terrified of jumping into water, or going to water parks, knowing a slide is going to dump me in a pool. Haha

Which brings my next question:
What is something or somethings you're afraid of?

Water parks are amazing fun and it's always hilarious watching a woman emerge without her bikini top trying to hide her modesty.

Not so sure if it's a full on fear but I but heights make me uneasy and get my heart racing, yet I will still climb and abseil and I love rollercoasters, but to stand on the edge of a Cliffe unsecured then that's scarey.

My true fear is slugs, bloody horrible things. Seriously why do they exist? Yuk yuk yuk.

You guys are asking such great questions! I am loving learning about you, Craig. I have to ask: Why did you leave the army? Would you be able to rejoin if you wanted? I won't count that as one of my ten.

Question #2: What are you currently worried about?

Question #3: When was the last time you felt you had a new lease on life?

Question #4: Which of your vices or bad habits would be the hardest to give up?

I left as there were a lot of changes happening and not for the better, friends who are still serving keep telling me things have gotten ridiculous.

I'm not actually worried about anything, there's a phrase I use " don't sweat the little stuff " it basically means don't worry over little things.

Your 3rd is a difficult one as I lead a pretty busy life, I think changing my employer a couple of years ago, prior to this job I was starting work at 2 in the morning one week and 2 in the afternoon the next doing 12 to 15 hour days and working most weekends. All I did was work and sleep. Now I don't work weekends and don't start at stoopid o'clock in the morning. It means I have more time for family and friends and importantly I get a little me time.

It would be so easy to say smoking but I could stop that quite easily. I'm gonna say energy drinks lol, I go through 4 x 500ml cans a day on average. That can't be healthy lol

I drank 6 today, that's 3 litres of sugar and weird stuff

Every time I start asking questions, the rest of the site stops. What's the deal, guys!?

How have things gotten ridiculous in the army? Thanks for answering my questions, Craig.

Question #5: What are 3 things you've never experienced that you think other people might find surprising? Me, for instance: I've never ridden on a ferris wheel.

Question #6: What always cheers you up when you think about it?

Re army, it's gotten too politically correct. To quote a friend " you have to constantly watch your back , the slightest little thing and you're kicked out". In addition with them making so many redundant a few years ago it created a power vacuum and people were promoted when perhaps they otherwise would not have been.

Ok question 5.

I've never bungie jumped (yet)

I've never cliff dived

And weirdly I've never white water rafted

Question 6

It's not so much a direct thought, it's a photo of two special little people who are just amazing, the picture then takes me back to memories of giggles and hugs.

Jane.. people had asked some questions I wanted to lol and couldn't think of more.

1) What's one time or place you'd like to go back to and why?

2) What was the job you'd always dreamed of having when you were a wee nipper?

3) When did you realise you could write? When was your first poem written ?

Oofft, that's a hard one because to go back and alter one thing changes the now. However I would go back to the summer of 96, not to change it simply to relive it. I was having a ball and seeing someone pretty amazing, yeah I would definitely have that summer again.

That's easy, I wanted to be in the forces. It took a little longer to achieve than I would have liked as I had asthma as a kid, but I got there.

I don't think there was a moment of epiphany where I thought I could write. I'd written stories and stuff for exams and the like at school but never poetry. Think my English teacher would be shocked to find out that I do now.

The latter part of this question was asked by Ben, but it was in winter of 1996 and Bosnia 96 is on here but buried way back now, lol

Craig

Can I share a little something that gives a little insight to the randomness of my existence,.

My boss phones me yesterday and tells me that today after my 1st job I've to drop my trailer in our yard and run with just the unit to kendal in Cumbria where I've to collect another trailer.

On arrival I find I have to move an accommodation unit for the Chinese state circus. When I pull into the compound all the acrobats are milling around as they're not long awake.

This one wee guy starts taking photos of my truck and later asks via an interpreter if he can ride in my truck instead of on the bus with the rest. I'm like yeah no problem.

I obviously don't speak Chinese and he doesn't speak any English, The only common word we share is ok. Yet 4 hours later I knew all about his home and work and he about mine.

It's been a cracking day and thank god for Google translate. Lol

Craig

Em, I was just teasing :P I'm stunned by the amount of interesting questions, though I guess I shouldn't be... this site is filled with intelligent, thoughtful, creative people.

Question #7: What’s your cure for hiccups?

Question #8: What are some qualities that you value and desire in friends?

I don't have a cure for hiccups, I just have to tolerate then until that gland or whatever it is calms down, god they're annoying though.

What I value in friends is the ability to make me laugh and smile. A true friend will always be there if you need them and they will always be honest, even if at times that honesty is brutal as sometimes it needs to be.

You don't try to get rid of your hiccups?! Haha.

Question #9: What’s the worst and best thing about being male?

There is no cure of hiccups fact ! they will stay or go, they are not an ailment that can be cured, they are a reaction. They are predominately caused by stress, excitement or worry.

They will calm when you do!

So what is the best and worst thing about being male?

There is no best thing really (apart from not having to enduring child birth, bugger that).

Being male is exactly the same as being female with the added exception of I kinda like girls.

Sorry couldn't resist.

Yeah I know, girls like girls too, but ladies you are formed so exquisitely, you're even symmetrical for god sake. Us blokes look like we were an afterthought.

"Oh I've got this bit left over" "sod it ! I'll stick it there ! No one will ever notice!!!

In all honesty I can't find a reason I wouldn't want to be male. Oh perhaps the daily shave. That's a total git.

Despite dancing around this one, the message remains the same.

Times have changed. There it nothing any man or woman can not achieve. Being male or female is irrelevant.

Gotta add this.

When the music starts, bloody dance

Interesting about hiccups, though I'll probably continue to hold my breath when I get them because it seems to work. Maybe I'm just calming myself down and that's the real trick.

I like that you view males and females so equally. I've gotta say though that shaving your face is probably not as bad as having to shave your legs, armpits, and possibly your arms, toes, and other places too. Plus, beards are in right now! No need to shave ;)

I will save my final question for tomorrow.

In the meantime, "when the music starts, blood dance" -- do you like to dance?

I've tried to grow a beard a few times, I usually manage a week, by this point it's driving me insane so off it comes. Incidentally blokes don't just shave their faces, other areas need to be kept neat too ;-) lol.

I do like to dance on occasion usually when I'm at a party and pickled though.

What is the single most 'out of character' thing you did?

Craig, you are singularly interesting.

How do you compare your capturing a feeling at the moment it strikes you versus achieving a perspective and writing about it some time later?

Do events from your past suddenly percolate up and you find the need to write?

Craig, you are singularly interesting.

How do you compare your capturing a feeling at the moment it strikes you versus achieving a perspective and writing about it some time later?

Do events from your past suddenly percolate up and you find the need to write?

Ooh good question.

I really had to think about this one as I'm pretty much straight down the middle.

The answer is a pretty simple one and isn't earth shattering.

The most out of character thing I did was take my daughter to a safari park and a sealion show,

I realise this doesn't sound like much but you have to understand just how much I hate animals being kept in captivity. For this reason I will never visit a zoo or circus.

.

Who is this mysterious "she" who lives in the beautiful lake side town?

.

Craig!

I don't even know where to begin with how much fun I've had reading about you and all of your interesting, deep, (and some quite hilarious) answers! So glad I finally got to finish reading everything! You are BEYOND interesting, and I think you'd be a pretty cool dude to kick back with and just chat about anything and everything! Okay. So. Thought I'd highlight some of my favorite responses and give a few comments here and there (since I'm terrible at asking questions, but I do have ONE for you).

"I only speak English although I do know a tiny bit of French, and can swear quite proficiently in a few others. Oh but fluent in drunken gibberish. Lol"--- We have that drunk gibberish bit in common lol. This answer is great!

"What gets me thinking most is frustration. I've seen many things in my time and sometimes I think "things simply should not be this way""--- This answer is EVERYTHING. Love it.

"I still teach paddle sports on a very regular basis and the kids I teach have won competitions at district and area level and made it to national finals 3 years running. Not bad when you think there are 18000 young people in our organisation. My current profile pic was taken 2 weeks ago."---Absolutely amazing!!

"If I had one superpower it would be the ability to teleport anywhere in a split second, and be able to take anything or anyone I touched with me."--- No joke, I was asked this question not that long ago and I gave the EXACT same answer, hahaha. Excellent!

"I'm a total water baby. I love all things to do with it."--- Me too! I was a pool/beach rat (baby) throughout my whole childhood. Grew up in the water. Love it! The ocean would be my pick, too!

"I'm gonna say energy drinks lol, I go through 4 x 500ml cans a day on average. That can't be healthy lol"---Another thing in common. HERE'S MY ONE QUESTION- What's your poison? I can down Monsters like there's no tomorrow. Definitely not healthy. But one of my guilty pleasures (and very much needed beverages).

"Being male is exactly the same as being female with the added exception of I kinda like girls. Sorry couldn't resist. Yeah I know, girls like girls too, but ladies you are formed so exquisitely, you're even symmetrical for god sake. Us blokes look like we were an afterthought."--- And this answer got the biggest smile and laugh out of me! Was almost afraid I'd woken everyone up in my house, since it's almost 4 o'clock in the morning, lol.

All in all, it's been a pleasure learning about you, Craig!! I love getting to know about the people behind the many amazing poems I've read. You are an incredible person. Don't ever change (cliche, yes, but true). Have a fantastic day/night (whichever for you when you read this) and I look forward to reading anything else you post! :)

Wow someone really couldn't sleep lol,

When it comes to energy drinks I tend to go for relentless or no fear, I find all the others just to sickly oh and one called evolve isn't too bad but it's not stocked in many places.

Thank you so much for your comments and glad you enjoyed the twisty turny random roller coaster of my mind.

Craig x

Well ! ladies and gentlemen, my two weeks are over, it's been odd doing this as I'm actually quite a private person,

Some of the questions you have all asked really got me thinking and I thank you all so much. I've had a giggle along the way too.

So I guess this is me signing out.

But before I do I'll leave you with this

Another little insight to me.

It's been a long week, 65 hours and not been home.

Get home tonight and I have my daughter over for the evening.

Do we sit and talk ? No! Do we watch TV ? No !

We play music, we sing and we dance in the kitchen. Gradually she's getting my weird eclectic taste in music. Who would have though it lol.

Midnight spite I know you'll so so get this.

Take care ya'll, can't wait to see who's in the firing line next

Respect

Craig

Not so fast, Craigy-pants! I haven't asked my final question, but since you're in such a rush to get out of there, I'll make it an easy one :P

Question #10: Of all the questions in this thread, which question was your absolute favorite?

Oh you git!

Easy my arse!

I figured you would hit me with a bomb shell for the last one, I almost thought I'd dodged it.

One has been placed right on the X and there is a big box dangling above my head with acme stamped all over its sides.

In all honesty! it's this question because it made me laugh so much. You are known as coyote to me from here on in.

Smiles inside.

However I'll read everyone again and pick one that may be more satisfactory to your evil mind ;-)

I'll add it shortly

OK got it,

It's one by em. And it was basically if I could go back into the past where would go and why?

Everything that has happened in my life, even the bad stuff has pushed me in one direction or another and it's altered the course in some way.

For example.

Had my first full on relationship as a young man continued my kids wouldn't be here today, even though it ended in totally the wrong way I would not erase it.

I've had other miscarriages of trust along the way too, but you come out the other end a little wiser and a little stronger. Sometimes, something good will come to be as a result.

Life has a massive habit of throwing curve balls at you. Sometimes you're gonna strike out and other times you're gonna smash it out the park.

Never give up and keep swinging.

Craig

Ps.

No one asked .

But my favorite colour is blue.

Favorite color of hair on a girl is red

Favorite authors, Mr Prattchet obviously then
James Herbert.

Favorite song. Hallelujah the Jeff Buckley version. And only this cover.

Favorite bands, the airborne toxic event and Queen.

Favorite county, Greece obviously.

Countries I wish to visit but most likely never will. Japan and China.

Favorite TV show. Well that my dears takes no explanation lol

Peace out

Craig

Haha! My MSN username was WilyCoyote back in the day, so you hit the nail on the head. Great answers, all of them. And look, we got bonus info! Funny, I almost made my final question, "what's your favorite color?" Now I know. Blue.

Thanks for partipating, Craig. You were a great sport and I feel like we really got to know you. :)

Thank you it's been interesting and fun

Craig