Like / Dislike

I can't remember where I saw this, but I liked it. I'm not going to tag anyone, if this speaks to you then tag yourself (and leave me a comment).

I like

Reading. Writing. Opera and live theatre. Books, bookshops and libraries, especially old ones. Bitter dark chocolate. Flowers. Empty stony beaches. Winter. Snow. Cold weather. Women and cats, for similar reasons. Small children. Large dogs. Clouds. Walking. The Prairies (the big empty). Small dinner parties. Old friends. Trains, buses and planes. The grey light before daybreak. Being the first one out of bed mornings. The scrubby trees, bare rock, and long bright summer evenings of the far north (Canada, Finland, Russia). Small towns. Large, busy cities - and knowing that I can leave at any time. Breakfast. Apple computers and software. German beer. French red wine. Public radio. My work. The Internet. Blue cheese. The slightly lisping accent of a Dutchman speaking English. Memories. Smells. A tiny amount of a fine perfume. Open windows. Sitting in the shade on a sunny day. Rivers and lakes. The instantaneity of digital photography. My twenty-year-old leather jacket. Fireplaces. Fog. The smell of the sea. The Trans-Canada Highway as it hugs the shore of Lake Superior. Dancing. Valleys and bridges. Yellow. Blue. White. Mirrors. Birdsong. String quartets and other chamber music. Locally-owned specialist shops.

I dislike

Almost all television. Milk chocolate. Bigotry. Incitement to hatred. Self-willed blind stupidity (the natural-born kind I find merely saddening). Religious fanatics of all kinds. Politicians of most kinds. Large gatherings. Crowded sandy beaches. Telephones. Unannounced visitors. Brussels sprouts. Cars. Summer temperatures above 28°. Microsoft. Any bar, club or restaurant that is "in." Cigarette smoke. Charlatans and fraudsters, especially those who pretend to be religious figures. Top-40 radio. Offices (and other places) where the windows can't be opened. A large amount of a cheap perfume. The Autobahn. Sports. Celebrities. Dumbed-down Hollywood remakes of fine old films. Brown. Purple. Rap music. Intrusive, too-loud music in public places. Tiny hotel beds. Large, anonymous downtown stores. Franchises and chains.