Questionnaire tag part two

It isn't fair that the previous questionnaire was only for those doing the Circles. Here is a new one that everyone can do. Rules are: you have to tag someone that hasn't been tagged, and it should be a chess blogger or someone who blogs about chess regularly. It will be interesting to see where it leads, as it isn't limited to people in the Knights Errant Cult.

Atomic Patzer is it.

1. How long have you been playing chess? Have you played it consistently since you started, or were there lulls in your play? How did these lulls affect your performance?
2. Aside from playing games, what is your primary mode of training?
3. What is the single most helpful method of improvement that you have ever used?
4. What is your favorite opening to play as white? As black against e4? As black against d4?
5. Who is your favorite chess player and why?
6. What is your favorite chess book?
7. What book would you recommend for a friend who knows only the rules of chess?
8. Do you play in in-person tournaments? What is your favorite tournament experience?
9. Please give us a link to what you consider your best two blog posts (on your own blog).
10. What proportion of total chess time should be spent studying openings for someone at your level?