If you’ve ever watched James Lipton on “Inside the Actors Studio,” you’ll be familiar with these questions, which Lipton adapted from French television personality Bernard Pivot.
I’ve wanted to answer them ever since I first saw the program, and thanks to the Web, who has to wait? I look forward to hearing your answers! (I think this would be great for parties/get-togethers, esp for people who already know each other well.)
Mel’s answers:
1. What is your favorite word?
The Spanish word ‘catorce’ – simply because I love the way it sounds /say it, kah TOR say/. It actually means ‘fourteen.’ I think when I first heard it in 9th grade Spanish class, it just drove home the superior auditory elegance of that language. No single English word comes close. Roll the ‘r’ and see if I’m not right.
2. What is your least favorite word?
‘Sibling’ – a wretched, dehumanizing, clinical term – like bureaucrats trying to make something file-able out of the first and most enduring friendship of my life – hey, sis!
3. What turns you on?
insight
4. What turns you off?
Cruelty, disregard for others
5. What sound or noise do you love?
Opening strands of MASH or WKRP theme music, esp late at night while alone in front of TV (they’ve been my ‘natural’ Zen sedative since I was 16).
6. What sound or noise do you hate?
Car horns AND leaf blowers – it’s a toss-up.
7. What is your favorite curse word? (please use asteriks to avoid censorship)
Bugger – to be honest, I use the f*** word the most, but it just lacks the goofy Britishness of the B word. When I curse consciously – you know, really try to put some effort into it – ‘bugger’ appears every time. I think I’m entertained by the Brits using a sexual term at all, especially subconsciously as they slam their fingers in a drawer.
8. What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?
I’ve already tried a lot of them! But if I could handle the word problems, I think I’d love astrophysics. Exploring the beauty and unknowableness of the universe has to be the biggest adventure of our age. Trying to understand unknowable things reminds me very much of what I already do - both writing and teaching (the human spirit and the human mind, respectively).
9. What profession would you not like to do?
Sewer maintenance/ porta-john disposal – I did clean toilets for a year, and so I have some small insight into the hell of this profession – and that’s as close as I hope I ever have to get.
10. If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?
“Plenty of room for everybody! After all, a good Hostess always plans for extra arrivals.”
If you want to answer the questions yourself, here’s an easy list to copy and paste:
1. What is your favorite word?
2. What is your least favorite word?
3. What turns you on?
4. What turns you off?
5. What sound or noise do you love?
6. What sound or noise do you hate?
7. What is your favorite curse word?
8. What profession other than your own would you like to try?
9. What profession would you not like to do?
10. If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?
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5 comments:
1. What is your favorite word? Genki, Japanese word meaning something like wellness, health, or happiness. Commonly used in the question "O-genki desu ka?" How are you?
2. What is your least favorite word? Mnemonic, because I cannot remember how to spell it and have to look it up every time.
3. Who turns you on? A man with a camera. Wink, wink.
4. What turns you off? Violence
5. What sound or noise do you love? "Meeep, Meeep" calls the coffee maker when it's done brewing.
6. What sound or noise do you hate? The hellish buzz of flourescent lighting. Ouch.
7. What is your favorite curse word? Shit, Oh Shit! Shitty day.
8. What profession other than your own would you like to try? Travel writer.
9. What profession would you not like to do? Air traffic controller.
10. If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?
She would say, "Yes we've saved you a pink cloud. Here's your harp."
This has nothing to do with your favorite word etc. But I thought you would love this quote:
"...the potent appeal of fantasy for me was that while so many of the mundane, ordinary things of life were controlled by adults, the really important things--the fate of the universe, the battle between good and evil--were left in the capable hands of children."
-Jonathan Hunt, "Epic Fantasy meets Sequel Prejudice" Horn Book nov/dec 2007
1. What is your favorite word?
Today the word is 'Picallo'...I don't even know what it is. I just like how it rolls out my lips and tongue
2. What is your least favorite word? Flagellation...I always mistaken it for flatualence for some reason. I want smelly but I end up beating myself over the mistake
3. Who turns you on? Right now it's my wifes arm pit
4. What turns you off? Complaints...and I don't mean helpful critism either
5. What sound or noise do you love? Pfft Brrp!...crashing waves
6. What sound or noise do you hate? screeching tires and then a bang of metal
7. What is your favorite curse word? Right now...Oh Farg frickken bullschnitt!
8. What profession other than your own would you like to try? Football player for the Chargers or garbage disposal dude
9. What profession would you not like to do? CPS worker
10. If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?
She would say, "Pull my finger...there is another universe to be made with a big bang."
oh I'm simon....I forgot to write my name on the other one
I think Mel could probably guess who I am, but for everyone else, this is Sheri
1. What is your favorite word?
Antidisestablishmentarianism. 'Nuff said!
2. What is your least favorite word? C*&T
3. What turns you on? I don't think that's fit to print!
4. What turns you off?
Teenagers. Nothing turns off the romance like a weekend with my 16 year old stepson in the house!
5. What sound or noise do you love?
My son's laugh. Amazing how fast it makes a bad day better!
6. What sound or noise do you hate?
Motorcycles roaring by our house at 70 mph. I don't care if they're "suppposed" to sound like that, get a friggin' tune up or a muffler and don't go so damn fast!!
7. What is your favorite curse word?
F*^K. It comes out of my mouth way too often!
8. What profession other than your own would you like to try?
Astronaut (if only I understood physics)
9. What profession would you not like to do?
Virtually anything that that guy on "Dirty Jobs" does. Entertaining to watch, not so fun to do.
10. If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?
"Your mom's right over there"
From Stacy in MD
I'm sure these answers would change with my mood. Right now, Jim has been in Singapore for the past week, and I'm getting ready for the first horse show of the season in 2 weeks.
1. What is your favorite word?
lagniappe -- A Creole word meaning "something extra", it usually means you're getting something for free!
2. What is your least favorite word?
Other than the previously posted curse words, "change". It's overused by politicians, and don't forget that change isn't always good! (Did I mention I was listening to an Obama speech while writing this?)
3. What turns you on?
Jim coming through airport security.
4. What turns you off?
Stupidity
5. What sound or noise do you love?
Cheering at the horse show. When the noise stops, you know you screwed up!
6. What sound or noise do you hate?
Jet skis -- nothing ruins a perfect day on a sailboat like those little pests.
7. What is your favorite curse word? Aiyah Allah mah! (Malaysian, not sure exactly what it means -- probably something like "Oh my God", but it fits just about any occasion, and you're unlikely to get in trouble saying it). Though I agree also with Mel that the Brits have a veritable plethora of eloquent curse phrases.
8. What profession other than your own would you like to try?
Travel Consultant to the the rich. Nothing like checking out the world on someone else's tab!
9. What profession would you not like to do?
Nurse -- I can't stand being around sick people or hospitals! It probably would have been good if I had known that 90% of Biomedical Engineers have to work in hospitals before I chose that as a major!!!
10. If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?
Yes, dogs and horses come to Heaven, too!
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