Guns, Germs, and Steel - Jared Diamond. The book that probably changed my world view the most. The Elephant Man. I couldn't speak after seeing this. Most moving film I have seen. Beethoven's Ninth. Cheesy, but the last movement is the most joyful thing I know. Kew Gardens. Not the most exotic, but if I was to die tomorrow, I would probably visit there for choice today.

Book - "Awaken Your Healing Energy With the Tao" by Mantak Chia. This book introduces the internal concepts of martial arts meditations, internal organ controls, energy controls, and true self awareness. Film - "The Circle of Iron" This martial arts film shows how to think with an open mind, use fluidly changing formless forms and a styleless style vs the classic traditional and ridgid, unchanging forms and styles ... this flic stars David Carradine and is what put him later into the role of the wandering monk in "Kung Fu". Music - "Hope" by KLAATU. This old album compares the possible paths of mankind's tech advances, showing possible devastation and possible hope. Visit - Eagle Plains, Yukon Territories, Canada (mid summer). During the short Arctic summer, the plants grow so fast, you can watch them get taller !!! The sun just goes in circles and does NOT set at all !!! and every few hours, a different type of flower grows a ½ inch above the others, blooms, and the whole visible plains changes colour !!! To do - Study, learn, practice, and perfect a martial art, thereby becoming a living weapon with the wisdom to know well the secrets of violence yet to choose a life of peace. To NOT do so, is to become and remain a living target who can only fear violence and pray for peace while doing nothing about either.

Les Miserables, as far as books go. It's a wonderful story and filled with philosphy. A Clockwork Orange, for films. Twisted, dark, yet very intrsting. Beethoven's Ninth, for music. The greatest peice of music ever written. That's it. Bonn, Germany. Beethoven was born there. Enough said. Random thing? Hm... dunno. Whatever you want!

Book - The Bride Stripped Bare by Anonymous - An anonymous author and plenty of sex is always a winning combination. You'd enjoy it. Film - Dead Man's Shoes - An excellent British film (violent, but not cockney gangsters). I couldn't stop thinking about it for weeks after. Music - Hallelujah by Jeff Buckley (though you've probably heard it). For a classical piece then Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture is really impressive. Place - Loch Ness in Inverness - I went to a festival up there a few weeks ago and found the beauty breathtaking. Random- Get a ticket to watch England play rugby in the world cup in France this year - I bought two tickets on a whim off ebay and am really looking forward to it.

Book- Sand and Foam, by Kahlil Gibran. A wonderful little book of poetry by an author whose message and influence is so universal that he's been quoted by both John Lennon *And* John F. Kennedy. Film- Delicatessen(C.1991). A dark, eccentric, mildly disturbing French comedy set in a an anonymous post-apocolyptic city and centering around a butcher/landlord who's forced to start serving up his handymen to his customers and tenants. All the characters are very, *Very* strange, and even though it sounds a little unsavoury at first glance, it's a truly unique and surreally hilarious movie. Music- Jack Gets Up, by Leo Kottke. A very good song with amazing acoustic guitar, and the very interesting lyrical subject matter of a middle-aged man waking up in the morning, which sounds dull but this song somehow manages to make fascinating. Visit- Prague. A great city steeped in history and not so flooded by tourists as to have been stripped of everything unique and genuine like other major tourist cities.