Happy Birthday, Taliesin!

[Pensive]

http://www.instructables.com/files/deriv/FPT/QC64/FFAIU2EV/FPTQC64FFAIU2EV.MEDIUM.jpg
(Hope you like the cake :p)

[Janine]

Another cool cake - that looks yummy... I hope you have a great Birthday!

[barbara0207]

Happy birthday, Taliesin! :bday_2::bday_2::bday_2:

Now that you've stopped your regal way of talking about yourself in the plural (the way kings used to do), it's much easier to talk to you. One is no longer tempted to add 'Your Majesty'. :D:D

[papayahed]

Happy Birthday Tal!!!!


http://www.offthemarkcartoons.com/cartoons/1998-07-21.gif

http://www.londoncake.com/images/002372%20Star%20Wars%20Birthday%20Cake.jpg

[eyemaker]

Happy Birthday!:D

[*Classic*Charm*]

Happy Birthday!

[SleepyWitch]

Happy Birthday, Taliesin!

[qimissung]

Happy Birthday!

[ClaesGefvenberg]

:bday_2:, Talesin. :thumbs_up

/Claes

[wilbur lim]

:bday_2:Greetings,may you have a ecstatic birthday and let this animation intoxicate you-:banana:

[sprinks]

Happy birthday!!

[Poetess]

You are a year older

http://fc05.deviantart.com/fs18/f/2007/140/b/a/Happy_Birthday_by_julieannejones.jpg

[bazarov]

Happy Birthday!

[manolia]

Happy b-day :)

[Virgil]

Happy Birthday Tal. I'm sorry I missed it. :bday_2:

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c74/ali_hastings/birthday_bird.gif

[Bakiryu]

Happy Birthday!!!

[Scheherazade]

It's never too late to post an interview! :D


1 - How did you come about this site and what makes you keep coming back?

I was searching for John Keats and found these fora. Since it is the only English-language forum I have managed to infiltrate, I keep coming here as the main international space where I feel familiar.

2 - Have you visited other countries than your own and what did you like about it or not like?
Latvia, Finland, Thailand and Vietnam. Finland and Latvia were quite similar to Estonia, although Finland seems to be more well off. I was in Bangkok for only one - and it was my first metropolis until then which meant that it, at first really scared me (plus there was this strange smell everywhere that I disliked) although , looking back it starts to obtain a strange appeal. And Vietnam was also very different from Estonia, although it would be tiring to note all the ways in which it was different. But it was different. And the traffic was also crazy.

3 - What are your favorite hobbies ?
RPGs which here do not mean Rocket-Propelled Grenades, although, rocket-propelled stuff is awesome) and generally tend to win), but role-playing games. I study mathematics,which I enjoy, but I don't know if it qualifies as a hobby. Sometimes I like to jam together with some friends - and of course, just socializing with friends is also enjoyable - for sufficiently enjoyable friends, naturally. Music in its various forms is also enjoyable. I guess literature should also enter the list due to the nature of these fora.

4 - Do you have any pets?
Besides my closer relatives, no

5 - What makes you happy?
Inserting electrodes into the pleasure center of my brain and keeping them activated.
Oh, and also some things that are related to my emotions and senses but that would make a long list.

6. How can you get away with being online at work?

That's easy - I don't work.

7. What is mankind's biggest achievement, and its greatest downfall?

That, on the other hand, is a tough one. The first answer that comes to mind is (after sliced bread, of course) that it has managed to produce me and keep me quite happy (see question 5.) although perhaps it isn't the right answer.
Mankind is so bloody vast that it is quite hard to mark a supremum or infimum. I guess that the worst thing with us is that we are just mere humans, banal, stupid, selfish and cruel. Human stupidity.
The best thing is the same answer - we are humans, yes, but sometimes humanity, in case of some occurrences, is almost higher than being human.
I don't know. It is a bloody hard question.

8. If you had a long day of hard work ahead of you what music would you be playing on your mp3, while working?
I don’t generally use mp3 while working, but I have found out that Bach is an excellent background for mathematics. Also I enjoy Rachmaninoff, Ravel, Chopin, Prokofiev, Tormis, Queen, Miles Davis and some Estonian bands whose names won’t tell you anything but who tend to go into postpunk or prog rock or just sweet stuff

9. If you could take one book, music album and one video with you to a desert island, what would they be?
I will not be provoked so. Well, the music – perhaps something by Metro Luminal or Vennaskond. Or something else. Book – perhaps “Someplace to be Flying” – or also “The Absolutely Complete Works of Balzac” – they won’t run out in a short time. And don’t ask me about videos.

10. Which actress should play you in a movie based on your life?

I think that it would indeed be cool when I would be played by a woman - well, in the name of art, switching genders is nothing special (I once played a drunkard director in a LARP who gave a secondary role to a chair). Some androgynous actress would actually be quite something. Can you name some?

11. What makes you smile? (Activities, people, events, hobbies, projects, etc.)
Random acts of goodness. Goodness in general. Small things of beauty. Generally, just some little things like crushing my enemies under my sandaled foot and hearing the lament of their women and children.

12. What were your favorite things to do the past? What about now?

I used to be more introverted when I was younger. Now I have obtained a social life (that’s also why this questionnaire is ridiculously late)

13. What activities make you lose track of time?

Inventing things. Organizing LARPs. Solving some math problems and actually making progress. Friends. Reading. Becoming a boson.

14. What makes you feel great about yourself?

I used to think that my one great vanity is my intellect. Now I think that I try not to be overtly evil – I try not to lose my temper, keep grudge on people nor harm someone.

15. Who inspires you most? (Anyone you know or not. Family, friends, authors, artists, leaders, etc.) Which qualities inspire you, in each person?

Nowadays I am feeling less and less inspired, generally. I don’t write anything. The only places where I show creativity is casual conversation (and improvised music)– in which case- when there is a person who “ticks” in the same rhythm with me I feel much more capable of originality.

16. What are you naturally good at? (Skills, abilities, gifts etc.)

Math and things related to mathematical thinking. Languages. I used to actually be creative, then I used to be able to write stories and music – I haven’t done those in too long a time. Also, I have organized a few LARPs and they were quite good. Actually, I am organizing one right now.

17. What do people typically ask you for help in?

My brother asks me to help him in maths. I have helped some people in creative thingies too – participated in brainstorms.

18. If you had to teach something, what would you teach?
How to solve mathematical problems, perhaps. It is hard to teach it, though – it is similar to teaching how to write a poem.

19. What would you regret not fully doing, being or having in your life?

I’m twenty. I think I was quite fully seventeen, eighteen and nineteen, don’t remember the time previous to those years – so I think I was quite fully what I was.
I am actually sorry that I didn’t take up acting when I was in secondary school - I really feel I should have.

20. What song is in your head at the moment?
"Carnival of Rust" by Poets of the Fall

21. The last book you bought/borrowed from the library?
Bought- “Rant” by Chuck Palanhiuk.
Borrowed – “Algebra I”

22. Which book are you reading at the moment?
Just started with Gardners “Grendel”

23. The last book you finished reading?

“Rant” by Chuck Palanhiuk.

24. Favorite food?/ Comfort food?
Dark chocolate. Salmon. Some wokked dishes.

25. Favorite outfit?

Some blazer/jacket, long-sleeved black shirt, black, blue or red jeans.


26. What are you wearing at the moment?

A checked long-sleeved shirt and jeans.

27. Favorite poem?
Currently “All people are born in Genova” by Jaan Kross
Also possibly something by Alliksaar, Jüri Üdi or fs.

28. First novel you remember reading on your own?
Some “Dr. Dolittle” book.

29. Favorite TV shows?

I quite like “Lost”. And also, of course, a number of British humour series. (why doesn't the spelling checker have the basic decency to accept "humour" as correct when the previous word is "British"?)

30. Which LitNet members would you like to meet in person if you could?

Scher, Jay, Basil, Pensive,SleepyWitch, Virgil, Pendragon, Nightshade, Papaya, RobinHood, PrinceMyshkin

31. Favorite post on the Forum?

For such a question, I guess I would have to refer to some homework topic. Or a rickroll.

32. Favorite thread?
I haven't been so active, but I quite liked the one where you were supposed to guess a book by clues, the play with forum members as characters (sadly, I couldn't revive it), the one were you were supposed to kill the person above you, and of course, Stories with Holes.

33. Last food did you have?
A sort of very sour fruit

34. Last words you said out loud?
"No, I usually eat it with sugar too, I just ate it by itself to shock you" - to my brothers' girlfriend after eating the very sour fruit.

35. Last person you hugged/kissed?
Some friend, I guess

36. What do you do (for a living) to be able to keep your LitNet addiction going?
Have parents

37. Are you happy with your chosen profession?
Considering my profession to be "student" I guess yes. And I think that I am quite happy with what the future seems to promise, too

38. What would you like to be if you could change your profession?
When I wouldn't be a student/scientist/programmer/engineer/something similar, I think that being an actor would be interesting.
Also perhaps a pirate.

39. Least favorite book/song/movie?
Book: "Love in the Time of Cholera" - too much love for such as a cynical man like me.
Song - bad pop music is something that seems to be produced in multitudinous amounts so it is hard to choose the worst one.
Movie - ditto.

40. The most generous thing you have done?
Answering this questionnaire.
Really, I do not consider myself to be very generous.

41. What is your most outstanding feature?
Physically, long hair and hooked nose.

42. If you could change one thing about the way you look, what would that be?
Perhaps I could make do without a potbelly.

43. Which book do you wish you had written?
"Someplace to Be Flying" by Charles de Lint if having written this book also means the ability to write books of similar level which means things like this would occasionally go on in my head.
"Master and Margarita" would be another choice

44. What is your favorite book cover?
I don't look at covers much, but the first thing that springs to mind is "The Book with White Covers" by fs - on whichs cover the only white thing was the title and the name of the author - all the rest was black.

45. Most and least favorite characters from books?
for favourites:
Begemot from "Master and Margarita"
The crow girls from "Someplace to be Flying" (yes, I do love that book)
Martin Silenus from the Hyperion tetralogy
Lef Mõškin seems also interesting.
Tyrion from the "Song of Ice and Fire" series- well, actually a number of characters from there.
Granny Weatherwax and Captain Samuel Vimes from Discworld series

46. What would your biography be titled?
Someone wrote on my birthday card: "From Doubting Thomas into Celtic-Estonian mystic bard Taliesin." (Toomas is my first name) I quite like it, although it perhaps should be the other way around. I am way more skeptical now than when I was younger.

47. What should you be doing at the moment instead of answering these questions?
I did already all those things I should have done instead of answering - that's why it is so late.

48. Wonderful Superman or depressing Batman?
Batman. Superman is just too perfect for me.

49. One final word of wisdom for LitNet users?
Damn, I shouldn't have made wisdom my dump stat. But thankfully, who needs ones' own head when one has the Internet. A picture is said to be worth a thousand words, so I am exceeding my limit thousandfold, but here is a nice advice concerning religion:

http://fun.drno.de/pics/english/worship.png


50. If you had a personal theme song what would it be?
I quite like "Leonardo Dreams of His Flying Machine" by Eric Whitacre

I quite like "Leonardo Dreams of His Flying Machine" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ewF5WKtd_To) by Eric Whitacre

51. What would you like to ask to the person to be interviewed after you?
The person who was interviewed after me has probably already answered.

52. The most embarrassing moment in your life?
That certainly goes into the category of "do mind answering them"

53. Which literary character (s) have you been told to resemble the most?
Scher said in a thread that I resemble Dill from "To Kill a Mockingbird".
Also a friend thought that I would make a great next madman of my town.
Now I asked two people in MSN and one said Rincewind and the other the main character of "Academy of Pan Kleks"

54. List some of the things that annoy you immensely.
Stupidity in general in all its' forms. Me being stupid being one of the most annoying.

55. Anything that you want to forget but you never can?
I tried to remember it, but I guess I forgot what it is.

[SleepyWitch]

Inserting electrodes into the pleasure center of my brain and keeping them activated.
Oh, and also some things that are related to my emotions and senses but that would make a long list.


Random acts of goodness. Goodness in general. Small things of beauty. Generally, just some little things like crushing my enemies under my sandaled foot and hearing the lament of their women and children.
omg, these made me laugh out loud!
but how can anyone not like Granny Weatherwax and Samuel Vimes?

[Janine]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY Taliesin !!! hope you have a great day!

[Virgil]

Great interview Tal. Thanks for the mention. This was soooo you:

4 - Do you have any pets?
Besides my closer relatives, no
:lol: :lol:

[subterranean]

Happy belated birthday, mate.

[kiz_paws]

I am sorry I am late, hope your birthday was great! I loved your interview :nod:

[Taliesin]

Well, I think I now would like to say my belated thank-yous.
Thanks, Pensive (of course I love that cake), Janine, barbara (well, it is easier for me too), papaya (mmmm... pyromania), eyemaker, Classic Charm, Sleepy, qimissung, Claes, wilbur lim (I am indeed intoxicated, might be the arsenic I ate previously though), sprinks, Poetess (yes, a year older - I have got the peculiar feeling that I am either certainly too young or too old to become twenty), bazarov, manolia, Virgil, Bakiryu, sub and kiz paws.

[Pensive]

11. What makes you smile? (Activities, people, events, hobbies, projects, etc.)
Random acts of goodness. Goodness in general. Small things of beauty. Generally, just some little things like crushing my enemies under my sandaled foot and hearing the lament of their women and children.


4 - Do you have any pets?
Besides my closer relatives, no


34. Last words you said out loud?
"No, I usually eat it with sugar too, I just ate it by itself to shock you" - to my brothers' girlfriend after eating the very sour fruit.

:lol:

(I agree with Virgil here it's soooo you :p)


10. Which actress should play you in a movie based on your life?

I think that it would indeed be cool when I would be played by a woman - well, in the name of art, switching genders is nothing special (I once played a drunkard director in a LARP who gave a secondary role to a chair). Some androgynous actress would actually be quite something. Can you name some?

Just after reading the question, I thought you might come up with Evangeline Lilly but then again as I always say even the wisest of people are not always right at guessing. :p

[Chava]

happy belated... (*is very sorry*)