My (not so) Secret Life

The following are questions taken from The Independent's People collum 'My Secret Life'. usually they interview well-known people, but regardless of that, I answered them anyway in case you were ever interested to know a little more about Ab Brightman.

The house I grew up in... was a little Victorian cottage that had one bathroom and no hallway. But it was on the outskirts of my village so was very countryfied with fields, trees and pathways.


When I was a child I wanted to be... Spiderman meets The Flash. Yep, I worshipped superpowers!


The moment that changed me for ever... was my parent's divorce when I was 8. It was the first real time I realised that the world wasn't perfect.

My greatest inspiration... is the goals and objectives I set myself. I just gotta have a challenge going.

My real-life villain... is currently my mother, much as I love her. I'm too ignorant of the world to have a real villain yet.

If I could change one thing about myself... I'd grow quicker so I hit 5"10 sooner than otherwise.


At night I dream of... people that I know often, and having superpowers I admit!


What I see when I look in the mirror... is myself staring back. then I just have to pull a silly face cos I'm just that mature you see.

My style icon... is non-existent. I just see something and think 'yeah, that's what I wanna wear'. 


My favourite item of clothing... is my red converse boots - I hold the belief that they go with anything.

I wish I'd never worn... that grey pinafore to school. However, I was forced into it by my mother, along with a hideous summer dress every year.


It's not fashionable but I like... my entire wardrobe! Needless to say, I'm not a fashion whore.

You wouldn't know it but I'm very good at... Statistics is about the only thing I've kept quite-ish. I got an A* in that bloomin GSCE they made me study for a year, and I spent most of my time staring out they window anyway.

You may not know it but I'm no good at... concentrating on hard work! This is also a good time to appologise to all the people I've disracted from working due my my procrastination.
All my money goes on... overdue library book fines! I read an awful lot, and I think libraries are wonderful places, but I always forget to take the borrowed books back on time. My last fine was something ridiculous like £20.

If I have time to myself... I dance around, read a book or just think. Everyone needs time to get things in perspective I believe.


I drive/ride... a second-hand bright green mountain bike with special handles. A while back I wrote 'Ab-Mobille' on it (like the Bat-Mobile) in black permanent marker, then someone pointed out that I'd spelt it wrong.

My house/flat is... the same characterful cottage I grew up in.

My most valuable possession is... my woebegone teddy bear, Bruce. 


My favourite building... is my house. It's safe and has all my things in.


Movie heaven... is back-to-back Lord of the Rings. Followed by a good comedy.


A book that changed me... is 'Annie On My Mind' by Nancy Garden. It was very self-affirming.


My favourite work of art... is either Jesus On the Tube for hilarious concept, or one of Banksy's stencils.


The last album I bought/downloaded... was The Impatient Romantic by Hunter Valentine. They're a female rock group who're currently big in New York and their songs aren't half bad.

The person who really makes me laugh... is my mother when she goes off on one of her bitter-cynical rants. Like the time she called McDonald's food 'Rubbish McCrap'... I suppose she had a point.


The shop I can't walk past... would have to be Waterstones. I love books and their range of notebooks.


The best invention ever... has to be human's opposeable thumbs. That' how we managed to effectively beat all the other animals at the 'who can evolve the best and create the coolest things' game.

In ten years time, I hope to be... alive and have a fantastic job and house.

My greatest regret... I don't have any regrets actually. Either I'm too young or not that sort of person remains to be seen.