13 Things About Nicholas (author of "A Gentleman's Domain.")

                                 

Thirteen things about Damozel's husband, Nicholas (author of   "A Gentleman's Domain." and also a Thirteener!)

THIRTEENERS WHO WISH TO COMMENT:  I don't have "Mr. Linky," but I will publish a link to your blog on the front page of The Flatland Almanack (my most highly ranked blog and the place where people will be most likely to find it).

1.  VINTAGE JAZZ! His hobby is vintage jazz, ragtime, and “hot dance” music. At his website, "A Gentleman's Domain," he often writes "Jazz Jottings," discussing his favorite (and un-favorite) jazz musicians/bandleaders, composers, and tunes.  He likes only vintage jazz, from the period up to the period immediately after the start of WWII (before the "swing" era).  He doesn't like contemporary jazz.  (Nicholas:  Because it's not jazz.")   

His favorite jazz musicians and bandleaders include: Bix Beiderbecke, Al Bowlly, Jean Goldkette, Jelly-Roll Morton, Jack Payne, and Bennie Moten. His favorite composer is Cole Porter.  If you look at the sidebar, you'll see some links to his favorite jazz and other sites. 

I've listed below some of his favorite jazz tunes.  If you click the links, you can listen to them yourself.

1. Tiger Rag (Original Dixieland Jass [sic] Band)
2. Cotton Club Stomp  (Duke Ellington and His Orchestra)
3. Feelin' No Pain  (Miff Mole and his Molers). 
4. Copenhagen    (California Ramblers).
5. Bessie Couldn’t Help It (Hoagy Carmichael and His Orchestra).
6. Blackbottom Stomp (Jelly-Roll Morton and His Red Hot Peppers).
7. St. James Infirmary  (George E. Lee and His Novelty Orchestra) [*my favorite jazz song of all!]
8. Blue Baby (Fred Elizade and His Orchestra).
9. Harmony Blues (Benny Moten and His Orchestra).

These and hundreds more Vintage Jazz Songs are Available at Red Hot Jazz (link is on the left).  PS.  He does like the Beatles.

2. FAVORITE TELEVISION SHOWS. His television shows are: The Amazing Race, Extras, The Office (BBC and NBC versions), Rome,   Curb Your Enthusiasm, Peep Show),  Knowing Me, Knowing You,  Love Soup,  Only Fools and Horses, and Life on Mars. As you can see, his preferred TV genre is comedy (with Rome the only drama), and he still prefers the heavy-on-irony British comedies to American o

3. "FAVORITE" FILMS.  Nicholas is definitely a film buff and his favorite films tend to be British and, what vintage?  He likes anything about history, particularly films focusing on the British experience during---and between---the two world wars.  When I asked him to name his favorite films, he really couldn't choose.  A couple that came to mind were: Captain Clegg, The Gathering Storm, Oh! What A Lovely War, [Simon Schama] A History of Britain, Battle of Britain,  and Death on the Nile.

4.  MOST ADMIRED CHARACTERS/MALE ROLE MODELS include: Winston Churchill; Richard Branson;  Albert Ball, VC; and his own father .   

5.  SPECIAL SKILLS.   He volunteered for 10 years in the Metropolitan Police Special Constabulary in London.  He is still very interested in police practice and procedure and in the substantial differences between British and American practice.  It's the one part of his life in England he really misses (besides, of course, being able to see as much of the family as we wish).  Perhaps it's his special training as a special that has taught him to pick the locks behind which I constantly, and inexplicably, tend to become trapped.  On several occasions he has freed me from behind the locked doors of public restrooms after much ineffectual rattling of doors and grumbling from people who need to use it too, after which he pretends not to know me. 

6.  DOMESTIC TALENTS. Even though he loathes vegetables of any kind, he makes the best salads on the planet.  I don't even bother going out to eat anymore because his salads are so good.   He won't let me in the kitchen while he's "composing" them because every salad has to be different and every salad has to have at least four special ingredients in addition to the dark greens I like.  He calls them "troughs" as in "troughs of compost."  "Am I troughing you tonight?" he'll ask.  He's never so much as tasted one of the salads he makes for me. 

7.  TRAVEL.  He has travelled to the following countries (not including the U.S.A. or the U.K.):  Belgium,  Canada, The Czech Republic, France, Germany, Holland, Hong Kong (pre-return),  India, Ireland, Italy, Malaysia,  Malta, the Philippines, Singapore, Spain, Switzerland,  Taiwan, Thailand.  He has lived in the UK, the USA, and Canada.

8.  CHILDREN. He has one child, a daughter, Emma.  She visited us over Christmas.  He took her swimming with dolphins at Marineland (a beautiful place to go if you're ever in Florida!).  In addition to Emma, he is dogsbody, support system, and caterer for three cats, Flat Cat, Lydia, and Sampan (who now have their own blog, I'm afraid).   

9.  FAVORITE WRITERS. His favorite authors are:  P.G. Wodehouse, Bernard Cornwell, George MacDonald Fraser, John Grisham, and Steven King  (earlier novels and short stories).  Bonus:  Several great Wodehouse novels are available for free online at the link above!

10.  CONNECTION TO HISTORICALLY IMPORTANT BRITISH INSTITUTION!  He did his undergraduate work at Westminster, one of Britain's ancient public schools (which is known to have existed in 1339 and which was re-founded by Elizabeth I in 1560).  The school is adjacent to the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben.    Famous old Westminsters include:  Andrew Lloyd Weber (composer);  Helena Bonham-Carter (actor);  Matt Frei (journalist); Stephen Poliakoff (playwright); Colin Redgrave (actor);  Sir Peter Ustinov (actor);  Sir Angus Wilson (writer);  Sir John Gielgud (actor);  A.A. Milne (Christopher Robin and Pooh);  Jeremy Bentham (philosopher and scientist) ;  Edward Gibbon (historian);  Charles Wesley (leader of the Methodist movement);  Judge Jeffreys (of the bloody Assizes!);  Christopher Wren (architect); John Dryden (poet); John Locke (philosopher); and Ben Jonson (playwright; rival to Shakespeare).   

It was really interesting for me to go through the list of famous Old Westminsters.  I picked some of the ones I thought  would be most familiar to Americans, but many others are listed here.  They include many former prime ministers and prominent politicians, as well as leaders from both sides of the War of Independence.  As a South Carolinian, I was surprised to see the names Arthur Middleton and Charles Pinckney on the list:  names familiar to any South Carolinian who knows even a little South Carolina history.   Nick is determined that someday his name will appear on Westminster's list of illustrious former pupils (as "Author")...

11. PUBLISHED NOVEL AND WORK IN PROGRESS.   He has completed one novel, The Story of  Elijah, available at Amazon. It is the story of Elijah Hakesley, a young man growing up in London in the Thirties and Forties, who ends up involving himself in some very sketchy company. He is now working on a novel about British troops in World War I on the Somme which will soon be finished. The novel first addresses the circumstances under which each man decides to enlist and then follows their progress until the story ends (1916).

12.  TEA ADDICT.  He prefers tea from Tesco (English supermarket)  if he can get it; otherwise, his preferred brand is the Publix supermarket store brand.  Thanks to him, I have become hideously  dependent on tea myself. 

13.  "IT'S NOT THE EARTH THE MEEK INHERIT; IT'S THE DIRT."   This line is from Mordred's song ("The Seven Deadly Virtues") in Lerner and Lowe's Camelot, but it definitely sums up his attitude.  He never uses the phrase "in my humble opinion" because he is never humble.

I took this photo of Nick shortly after we married a few years ago.  It's still a favorite:

THIRTEENERS WHO WISH TO COMMENT:  I DON'T HAVE "MR. LINKY", BUT IF YOU COMMENT ON THIS NOTE,   I will then publish a link to your blog on the front page of The Flatland Almanack (my most highly ranked blog and the place where people will be most likely to find it).

Comments

[Naeva - Mom of 2]

It's great to know some details of our favorite author...

[Thomma Lyn]

I thoroughly enjoyed reading your list about Nicholas, and oh dear, my cats have their own blogs, too. Yes, blogs. Plural. Two of them.

I am also a fan of Winston Churchill!

Happy TT, and thanks for visiting my blog. :)

[she]

It's wonderful to learn more about people who's blogs we read - and especially timely as I'll be heading over to your hubby's blog to view his latest book list very soon ;)

[Dane Bramage]

Its great to know someone so well. Great list .Thanks for stopping by my Thursday 13 #41 - The De-motivational Posters edition!

[Rene Lyons]

I don't even know myself this well. lol

[Sue]

British comedies rawk!!! I'm a huge Python fan myself .. :) Thank you for stopping by, and happy TT ... :) I can't figure out Mr Linky either btw, so I added the blogroll to my sidebar. Cheers!

[Lauren Dane]

Wow, I'm pretty sure my husband wouldn't know all those details. Love the jazz list, many of my own faves are there.

[Tink]

Thanks for introducing me to your husband! He and I have quite a few things in common: the jazz, tea addict, favo tv and films. I might check his novel out! :-)
Thank you for visiting my TT.

[Mark Caldwell]

I saw an ad on the bus a few years ago advertising for new special constables. Unfortunately whoever wrote it hadn't thought through the use of their opening headline phrase "Are you special?" (a phrase I'd never use used as an insult to suggest someone is stupid).

[Lisa (qtpies7)]

What a great blog about your spouse! I should try that, boost his ego a bit!

[Nancy Bond]

A very comprehensive and interesting list! It was very nice to "meet" him. Thanks for your visit this week!

[Angela Klocke]

I noticed you came into my blog and the stats say Williston, FL. (My Jane blog for Thurs. 13) -- Do you live there or in Gainesville? I'm from Williston - grew up there and know the area well. Used to write for The Williston Pioneer :)