By the Numbers: Sam Brooks

This week at Dramatic Pause is all about All You Had Was Fun. The show runs from November 18-29 at Q Theatre, and our Boosted campaign is still up and running. Your support with either is greatly appreciated! Sam Brooks is a playwright, journalistic, and critic who also happens to write this newsletter.

1. How many podcasts do you subscribe to?

93, but so many of those have not updated recently and I do not listen to most of them.

2. How many podcast episodes do you listen to on average each week?

I generally only listen to podcasts when I'm gaming – or very occasionally on a trip to the supermarket – but there's probably like four weekly ones I listen to, and then if it's a long gaming session I'll just queue the rest up. Let's say six episodes on average.

3. How many people do you follow on TikTok/Instagram/Twitter/Letterboxd (choose/add applicable)?

2,468 on Instagram, which is slightly more than however many people follow me.

4. How many caffeinated beverages do you consume, on average, daily?

I am infamous for my combo of Red Bull and Boss iced coffee, so let's say two with potentially an afternoon cup of tea as a technical third. But if it's a non-work day, ideally zero.

5. How many books do you currently have checked out from the library?

28, but I usually hover around the maximum (35).

6. How many books do you have on hold from the library?

61, but I have 11 to pick-up. I do it in waves.

7. How many photos do you have in your camera roll?

27,276 which is kind of a perfect symmetry.

8. How many screenshots do you have in your screenshot folder?

6,078 on my phone. On my laptop... probably the same. So somewhere near 12,000.

9. How many selfies do you have saved?

380, which feels low, especially compared to screenshots.

10. How many films have you watched so far this year?

According to Letterboxd, 32. That feels low.

11. How many books have you read so far this year?

121 exactly. Which is a lot, but I review books for part of my living and also prefer to read a book in its entirety before I start a day of writing.

12. How many games have you played so far this year?

More than 10? Less than 20. I'm currently playing Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter, which should mean nothing to anybody.

13. How many songs do you have saved/liked on your music app of choice (Spotify/Apple Music/Tidal/Youtube Music et. al.)?

7,274. This would be much more but I only swapped onto Spotify during the pandemic.

14. How many playlists do you have saved?

75. I try to create a playlist for every play I write, but I also have one called "songs that are also sad as" so.

15. How many shows or live performances have you been to this year?

I actually do keep track of this but I'm gonna ballpark it as somewhere near the 50 mark.

16. How many Discord servers are you in?

8, but I only check two regularly.

17. How many streaming services do you pay for a subscription to?

3, my most valuable being Youtube Premium.

18. How many apps do you have a paid subscription for?

The same!

19. How many newsletters do you subscribe to?

Too many.

20. How many news outlets or online magazines do you pay for a subscription to?

Embarrassingly zero.

21. How many unread emails do you currently have in your inbox?

Zero. I'm an inbox-zero kind of a guy and intend to remain as such.

22. How many total emails do you have in your inbox?

67,323. I've had this email for over 20 years.

23. How many emails do you receive on the average workday?

Let's say 5.

24. How many emails would you send on the average workday?

Let's say 10.

25. How many contacts do you have saved on your phone?

452.

26. How many apps do you have on your phone?

43.

27. How many tabs do you currently have open on your main browsing device?

10, which is much lower than usual.

28. How many voice memos have you sent in the last 24 hours?

Zero, which is also much lower than usual. I'm filling this out on a Sunday.

29. How long was the last voice memo you sent?

4:58, it was a review of a show that I could not possibly put in print.

30. How many times do you go to the supermarket in a week on average?

3-4, it's within walking distance and I think it's a good mind cleaser.

31. How many items would you purchase in an average supermarket shop?

3-4, I do not have a high carrying capacity.

32. How many unread notifications do you currently have on your phone?

Zero, I am also a notification-zero kind of a guy.

33. How many instruments can you play?

Absolutely zero.

34. How many languages can you speak/understand?

One confidently, I can comprehend some other languages when spoken to me but could barely translate.

35. How many devices do you personally own that can connect to the internet? (eg. phone, laptop, console, smartwatch, tablet)

5? Two laptops, my phone, a PS5, a Nintendo Switch. I presume my TV can connect to the internet but I have relived it of this burden.

36. How many screens are in your household? (If separate from previous answer)

Four – two laptops, Nintendo Switch, phone.

37. How many financial transactions would you make on the average day? (incl. one-off purchases, recurring payments, bank transfers, etc.)

Too many.

38. How many birthdays can you remember off the top of your head?

Countless. I'm a sucker for both birthdays and dates.

39. How many passages of text can you remember or recite by heart?

Two – the opening scene to my play Riding in Cars with (Mostly Straight) Boys and Virginia Woolf's suicide note. One of these gives me more pleasure than the other.

40. How many keys (or equivalent) are on your keychain?

Six – three will get me into my house, one belongs to my old boss' old house that I accidentally ruined with superglue and had to get recut [Ed's note: Sorry!], but I kept the useless key anyway, I could not tell you what the other two are under duress.

41. How many passwords do you have saved on an app that saves passwords? (as in accounts, not individual passwords)?

Too many.

42. How many kitchen appliances do you have in your household?

Two – microwave and kettle. Does a kettle count? I hope it does.

43. How many pairs of shoes do you have?

Eight.

44. How many pairs of socks do you have?

Not enough.

45. How many condiments do you have in your fridge?

Four – chili crisp, sweet chilli, Kewpie mayo, aioli.

46. How many pets do you have?

Zero.

47. How many plants do you have?

One – my best friend Geordie gave it to me for Christmas one year and somehow it clings to life.4

8. How many steps are in your skincare routine?

In the morning, four. In the evening, two. It should be more.

49. How many skincare products do you use on a daily basis?

Five?

50. How many cushions/pillows do you sleep with?

Five. I have sent people on cross-city endeavours to make sure that I have my tri-pillow to sleep with.

51. How many times have you been in love?

How many days have I been alive?

52. How many hours on average do you sleep in a night?

Five, and I badly wish it was six.

53. How many schools have you attended?

Three.

54. How many addresses have you had in your life?

Eight.

55. How many qualifications do you have?

One and a half.

56. How many times have you broken a bone?

Zero, to my knowledge, but I have a feeling I've broken my toe at some point and it just corrected by itself.

57. How many standing weekly appointments do you have?

One, but it feels like more.

58. How many people do you message or check in with on a daily/weekly basis (choose most appropriate)?

About eight daily, about 15 weekly. I love to check in.

59. How many YouTube channels do you subscribe to?

27, and I cannot stress how little I use this particular function on Youtube.

60. How long did it take you to fill out this questionnaire?

15 minutes, which is how long I say it should take most people and it's mostly a lie.

All You Had Was Fun runs at Q Theatre from November 18 to November 29.