Help an artist! Answer some questions!

[Drashner1]

(1) When you're not here on OA, where do you go on the web?

YouTube, CNN, Slate, Politico, Daily Beast, New York Times, Washington Post, Amazon

(2) What are your favorite books, movies, games, and TV shows? 

Books = Culture universe by Banks (also the Algebraist by Banks), the Polity universe by Asher, plus other SF that likes to think big. But I also really like the Miles Vorkosigan books and the Laundry Files books by Stross. I also like fantasy such as the Dresden Files by Jim Butcher and the Nightside universe by Simon R. Green.

Movies = The Lord of the Rings, many (but not all) of the films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, many (but not all) of the Star Trek films,the first three Star Wars films (by order of creation not by numeric order in the films). Other films of various sorts, not all of them SF or fantasy.

Games = I don't really play games.

TV shows = Babylon 5, various elements of the Star Trek universe, Battlestar Galactica, Elementary, Dr Who, Sherlock, The Big Bang Theory, The Daily Show, The Rachel Maddow Show.

(3) What magazines and blogs do you read?

I don't read blogs. I have been subscribed to Analog SF for forever, and occasionally read Popular Science or Popular Mechanics or Time Magazine.

(4) What causes do you care about the most?

LGBTQ rights

(5) Who are your favorite artists?

I don't really have any. I may occasionally find a particular piece of artwork interesting or aesthetically pleasing (I particularly like blown glass or carved wood or mixtures of these) but generally don't find any form of art (visual, musical, performance, etc.) all that engaging to the point where I would worry about who the artist was. I don't think I've ever encountered a visual artist that moved me sufficiently to make a point of finding or acquiring their work (combined with attitudes of 'who needs another dust catcher?' and 'I could use the money for that for so many more important things'). I occasionally find some singers (individuals or groups) pleasant enough to download a number of their works - but virtually never purchase entire albums anymore.

(6) What gets you excited about an art piece?

Virtually nothing. I don't really equate the concepts of 'art' and 'excitement' as having anything to do with each other.

Hope this helps,

Todd