h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

What makes me cry? Absolutely heaps of things. I cry with pride whenever one of my children does something great - appears on stage, passes an exam, or just takes the time to thank me for something. I cry with sadness when I feel ignored or unappreciated - usually in the shower where the sound and water will disguise any sobbing. I cry at most films, even Disney. Especially Disney! But also war movies. Not so much at books, although the part in Harry Potter where Umbrage makes him write lines had me sniffling. And I cry in frustration when I can't do something - when I dropped my motorbike a month ago, when Max refuses to walk to heel even after some serious training sessions.

Men and women both cry - I'm not going to get drawn into generalisations about which gender is more in touch with their emotions.

It's not OK to cry during an interview.

Not so much, but more than I used to. As I age, maybe a couple of times a year now, something just sets me off. It seems to be a catharsis for all the tensions and strains that go bottled up through time. Oddly though, it's never due to extremes of joy, sadness or injuries.

I think crying can be similarly cathartic for me, though there are times when I cry due to pent up emotions that aren't actually about anything - the joys of clinical depression there. I very rarely cry in public.

As for films, I seem to be immune, but theatre can set me off. Most recently the end of West Side Story, which was particularly naughty as I was in it! I wasn't alone, though. Music sometimes, as well, if both the tune and the lyrics speak to me at the same time.

Oooh yes, I'd forgotten how powerful music can be! When I was singing in a choir performing Alexander Nevsky I had to mouth the last few bars as the lump in my throat would have prevented any decent note emerging.

Barber's Adagio for Strings - I could cry on demand just by imagining the sounds of that in my head.

Who was the actress who was asked to cry, and said "Do you want the tears to go all the way down my cheek, or stop half way?"

The movie "The Green Mile" does it for me....I can't watch the end of that movie without blubbing like a toddler with a skinned knee. I love that film,but for obvious reasons have to watch it alone,with the phone turned off!

For some reason, the only movie that has ever made me cry is Edward Scissorhands. I don't have any idea why, or why it's the only one. Just odd, I guess.

I think Rev Nick has a point about blokes bottling up there emotions and then something will let the dam burst . I can remember blubbing when watching the vicar of dibley when Hugo asked Alice to marry him . Strange...


Today the phone box says 'nothing' [ August ] ......

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