Whenever I'm talking to a group about careers and future planning, I ask the participants to list the people and things who have influenced them. It can be very useful to build a list and look at the themes that emerge. These are some of the people and things that have had an effect on me - the majority for the good, one or two not so positive. The only personal ones are the first and the last.

1. INFLUENCES

2. LIKES LOVES HATES

3. My childhood home - there’s something very reassuring about growing up with 6 feet of granite between you and the world …

4. I like words - a lot

5. Tea and …

6. Colour

7. Tiny minds fascinate me

8. JK Rowling - cleverer even than Hermione

9. J, P, G & R - music to gladden your heart

10. George Carlin - no bifocals required

11. Twain

12. Henry Rollins - auto-didact, brilliant speaker

13. Nelson Mandela - moral authority personified

14. For anyone who likes words - listen to the way this lady speaks her words

15. The other Cat in The Hat

16. Stunning script by William Goldman plus the best kick in the balls in cinematic history

17. Great lyrics, great speaker and a good egg to boot

18. He epitomised the benefits of education

19. Naomi Klein - in a word, clarity

20. Mr Drucker

21. The founder of modern psychology

22. Trudeau always makes me smile

23. Adams always makes me wince

24. Jane Austen - world class seditionist

25. I love the way Dr Seuss gets inside tiny heads

26. Magical times with my little monkeys

27. Stop interrupting me!

28. The best school reunion movie ever

29. You can’t buy style

30. … or class

31. I don’t require unqualified love from animals

32. Genius film-maker

33. Lunatic film-maker

34. Held up a very disconcerting mirror

35. Lovable know-it-all

36. Swirling, re-readable writing

37. Soundtrack of my teens

38. Joss Whedon’s marvellous creation

39. Dr. T

40. Haranguer-in-chief

41. Charming sociopath or righteous dude? Either way, great movie!

42. Manages to make my family look like The Waltons

43. Sideways humour

44. Sarah McLachlan - Angel and Blackbird alone give me chills

45. What an unimaginably dull world this would be without stinky cheese

46. Happy childhood Saturday mornings

47. Success without assholism

48. Philanthropist and reading evangelist

49. Mr Knopfler’s magical fingers

50. Poetic, balletic, chop-sockey

51. Wry, whimsical, observant comedy

52. Noticer- in-chief

53. Dylan Moran - jawdropping wordsmith

54. My beloved Opus - sleep well old friend

55. Provocative, intelligent, funny - what’s not to love?

56. Epically brilliant

57. Because I don’t tolerate back-chat from the tools I use

58. Language, imagery, sound

59. Kurt Vonnegut - master of the well-heeled phrase

60. So counter-intuitive - the most depressing lyrics combined with the most uplifting melodies

61. Where is Bill when we need him most?

62. Rosa

63. My reasons for breathing

64. INFLUENCES by Rowan Manahan © Fortify Services 1993 - 2008 fortifyservices.blogspot.com