tGC AMA with Halloweenjack

ancapailldorcha

As above, Jack has volunteered to go on the hotseat so ye can ask him things!

If anyone else fancies it, just drop a post here.

What is your favorite dinosaur?

Wibbs

Favourite film?

Sleepy

What's your poison?

Pawwed Rig

What is your favourite Autumn/winter festival and does it involve you dressing up?

HalloweenJack

What is your favorite dinosaur?

Stegosaurus 'cause my brother used to have loads of toy dinosaurs so I had my ma buy me one to play along with him and that was the one she got me.

Favourite film?

Of recent years, a Spanish film called La Isla Minima. It's like a Spanish verson of the first season of True Detective. I would recommend it if you can find it.

Downfall and Unforgiven are two others I always love to go back and watch again.

What's your poison?

Beer.

In my younger days I drank quite a bit of whiskey and I still like it a lot but I wasn't a fan of what it did to me so cut back on that front.

What is your favourite Autumn/winter festival and does it involve you dressing up?

Not sure what the options are really but my favourite party around that time of the year is New Year's, though I wouldn't dress up any more than I would for a normal night out.

Malari

Is Diamond Dogs actually your favourite Bowie song, or do you just like the persona? Or do you have an eye-patch? :pac:

HalloweenJack

Malari wrote: »

Is Diamond Dogs actually your favourite Bowie song, or do you just like the persona? Or do you have an eye-patch? :pac:

When I signed up for Boards, I was massively obsessed with Bowie and that was probably what I was listening to at the moment I made my account. I love that album, like many ohter Bowie ones. My favourite Bowie song would probably be Teenage Wildlife or Be My Wife.

And, no, no eye-patch, don't think I could pull it off, tbh.

sullivlo

How many pillows do you sleep on/with?

Mr Bloat

Do you still have any of your old childhood toys?

HalloweenJack

Mr Bloat wrote: »

Do you still have any of your old childhood toys?

Back in my family home, I'm sure my ma has a lot of them. She is a bit of a hoarder. I myself don't have any of them where I am, though I was a big Lego fan as a kid and I've got back into it recently. I'm slowly building a Lego city.

sullivlo wrote: »

How many pillows do you sleep on/with?

Two under my head and one folded over between my legs, a habit from my post-circumcision days where I was afraid of closing my legs while I slept.

Ah anyone I have known who had one of those had it so early in life they did not remember it. What made you get it snipped later in life? I do not think I know any guy who would have that done without a fight

Pawwed Rig

HalloweenJack wrote: »

Not sure what the options are really but my favourite party around that time of the year is New Year's, though I wouldn't dress up any more than I would for a normal night out.

Ah not Halloween then? That is disappointing. Is your name Jack at least?

Liam McPoyle

Ever been in a fist fight?

If yes, did you win?

Best holiday you've ever been on?

What do you do for a living?

Dream job?

Ever have a tooth removed?

Mr Bloat

What forum on Boards do you open first when you login?

Do you prefer iOS or Android?

What's the most money you've spent on something you now regret buying/paying for?

HalloweenJack

Deleted User wrote: »

Ah anyone I have known who had one of those had it so early in life they did not remember it. What made you get it snipped later in life? I do not think I know any guy who would have that done without a fight

Absolute necessity. had a fairly severe dose of phimosis and problems with my banjo string. It was a long, drawn-out proces. From when I first noticed it until I got the op done, it was about a year in all. One of the best decisions of my life, tbh. It was a massive relief to get it out of the way. It's not nice whatsoever but an up side is that I have no hang-ups about public nudity now as I had dozens of different doctors examining to the point that it practically became normal.

Pawwed Rig wrote: »

Ah not Halloween then? That is disappointing. Is your name Jack at least?

I go out on Halloween but don't really dress up unless I have a good idea.

Nope, name's not Jack either, sorry to disappoint.

HalloweenJack

Rod Munch wrote: »

Ever been in a fist fight?

Quite a few over the years, especially as a teen. Grew out of it by my early twenties, thankfully. I was always something of an instigator too.

If yes, did you win?

Reckon I had more losses. Ended up in hospital one time too, that was the beginning of the end of it.

Best holiday you've ever been on?

Hard to pick one.

Wtih friends: A canoe trip through the Czech Republic with some mates of mine from there. It was great to completely disconnect from city life for a few days, just rowing down rivers and through forests for a few days. Apart from the campsites and other groups doing the same thing, we hardly ever saw any people. The weather was great too. It was during Euro 2012 too so every day when we reached the campsite we'd go to the pub to watch the football. It was great fun.

On my own: Went to Rio for Carnival 'cause I knew some people there. It was amazing, just a constant party.

With family: Went to Canada with my ma after my JC. It was amazing, a totally different world, lovely people, fascinating place and beautiful scenery.

What do you do for a living?

I make most of my money as an English teacher in the south of Spain but also work as a jorunalist and a translator.

Dream job?

An author.

Ever have a tooth removed?

Two of my wisdom teeth. Hated it. Hate doctors and dentists (even though my GF is one) so it was never going to go well. I'm supposed to go back and have my other two removed but it's been three years now...

HalloweenJack

Mr Bloat wrote: »

What forum on Boards do you open first when you login?

Soccer, After Hours or Ranting and Raving if I'm in a bad mood.

Do you prefer iOS or Android?

Android. My GF is a massive Apple fan and, just me being me, I had to go for the alternative when I eventually got a smartphone. I had a Samsung which died weeks after the warranty expired and now I have a Huawei which works just fine. I don't plan on ever spending more than 200€ on a phone again.

What's the most money you've spent on something you now regret buying/paying for?

I had my first job at 17 and one of the first I bought was a Tommy Hilfiger biker jacket for about 130€ which was on sale and thought it was a steal. I've worn it about ten times in my life and quickly realised that it just isn't for me. It's red first of all and red just isn't a colour that suits me.

batistuta9

is there anything you wish you'd done earlier in life or regret not doing while you had the chance?

HalloweenJack

batistuta9 wrote: »

is there anything you wish you'd done earlier in life or regret not doing while you had the chance?

I wish I had taken my writing more seriously over the years, especially when I had more time in college and didn't have as many distractions like work.

I also wish I had started working and travelling when I finished the LC instead of waiting 'til I'd finished college. I think with that life experience I would have had a better idea of what I wanted to do at college and would have thought more about my future career.

The current education system model in general is not something I approve of: too much focus on getting into college, not enough on being ready for adult life.

skallywag

What's your favourite and least favourite thing about Spain?

HalloweenJack

The people are chatty, friendly, laid-back. I feel like it's a more genuine friendliness than the one we are famous for. I always felt that in Ireland friendliness comes with an undertone of nosiness whereas it's just genuine curiosity. Things work a lot slower here, people aren't in as much of a rush as in other places. I know this drives people mad and I myself have had problems with it in the past but over the years I've really grown to appreciate that.

My least favourite thing is the labour market. There's not so much ability to move around here. People only seem to get hired for jobs that they studied for. I've had interviews where I was told I was unsuitable for a job because all my experience was in a different sector. I was never asked how I could do the job or why I wanted it, etc. It's just assumed that if you do X job, it's because you want to and always will want to. I'm trying to change career and this is an attitude I've noticed a lot. Another thing I don't like is keeping pets indoors and locked up a lot of the time.

D'Agger

What's your favourite nature spot or place to walk?

Do you have any rituals you keep to - daily or on a particular special occasion?

HalloweenJack

D'Agger wrote: »

What's your favourite nature spot or place to walk?

Bray Head. I've always loved it since I was a child. So close to town but so wild as well. It's a lovely walk on a summer's day but also refreshing any time of year. Incredible views too. The Cliff Walk along to Greystones is also quite a treat.

Do you have any rituals you keep to - daily or on a particular special occasion?

I'm not sure.

There's a few bars or cafes I like to go back to when I'm in certain places or, similarly, certain foods that I like to eat that you can only get in particular places. That's all I can think of.

Mr Bloat

I would like to ask the same question of each of the AMA contributors. Can you:

*Read a map
*Wire a plug
* Cook at least one decent meal from scratch (pouring boiled water into a Pot Noodle doesn't count)
*Sew a button
*Hang a shelf
*Change a tyre
*Change a nappy
*Whistle with your fingers
*Jump start a car

HalloweenJack

Read a map: Yep.
Wire a plug: I know I did it at one point in my life, can't remember now.
Cook a decent meal: Yep, a few things.
Sew a button: Nope.
Hang a shelf: Yeah, I reckon so.
Change a tyre: No.
Change a nappy: Yeah, been doing it for years.
Whistle with your fingers: Nope, I love whistling but never been able to do it with my fingers.
Jump start a car: Nope.