Friday 18 May 2007

The Lillie Interview

I have been interviewed by Lillie, a lovely, thoughtful and thought provoking lady.

1. Someone has agreed to finance your next big project. What will it be?

Travel. I have done a lot of travel and still seen so little of the world. There is much of Asia that I have not seen. I would love to do the Beijing to London train trip. Have not seen any of the Americas, north or south. Provincial Europe, especially France and Italy, is largely untouched. As is Spain. The list goes on and on. But there is a proviso; I would want to travel ‘local’ where possible. No going from five star hotel to five star hotel in tinted window limousines. Okay, the occasional splurge to a good restaurant but generally I would want to meet the locals, travel with the locals, eat where the locals eat. This would make the trip much more interesting and probably please my financier, too.


2. Margaret agrees you can have one "great romance" with an historical or fictional person. Who do you choose, and why?

It was a delicate decision and Margaret was reluctant to agree, even though it was a theoretical situation, but I finally chose Phryne, the courtesan.

There are four reasons for the choice. Firstly, there are obvious attractions, physical and sensuous, in having a ‘great romance’ with a skilled courtesan. Secondly, the lady was obviously a great character, having both legendary beauty and intelligence. You can read a little about her here. The affair would not be dull. And thirdly, she was the inspiration for a detective character in a series of books written by one of my (first) university friends, Kerry Greenwood.. And finally, linking a little to my answer to question 1, the whole idea of seeing an ancient society as it was has a lot of attraction.

But mostly the skilled courtesan reason.

3. What activity do you wish you had done or done more of? Explain.

Pretty much everything to do with art. I consider myself as being able to do most things if I set my mind to it. (Except folk dancing). But once I have done them, I do not stick at them long enough to be really proficient. Consequently I have two very nice tables, a couple of very nice leadlight windows, a few quite acceptable paintings, a couple of cast silver things, some interesting photos, several dozen bottles of wine, a book and a haybox. Probably painting is the one I most wish I had done more of. It is still on the ‘to-do’ list. Or the ‘to-do-more-often’ list. There is an enormous pleasure in creating something beautiful and then going back to it the next morning to marvel at what you have created.


4. Of what are you most proud?

My wife. My children. Okay, you could argue that they are a ‘given’ but I am proud of them nonetheless. And of me? I am proud of…I don’t really know. There are lots of things that I like about me, a few things that I don’t like so much but the term ‘proud’ doesn’t sit comfortably with me.


5. What is the favorite thing of each of your senses?

Hearing: Rain on the roof. Especially thunderstorms, from in the gazebo.

Sight: The daily changes in the garden; life, growth and purpose.

Taste: Pesto, homemade with ‘still warm from the garden’ basil and served with homemade pasta.

Touch: Skin. More specifically, female skin.

Smell: Dead heat between coffee, hot bread and star anise.

Bonus question: On days when you feel most despairing, what gives you the most comfort?

The support of family, Mozart, the garden, going for a walk.

* * * *
Directions for the Interview Meme:
1. Leave me a comment saying "Interview Me."
2. I will respond by asking you 5 questions. (I get to pick the questions.)
3. You will update your blog with the answers to the questions.
4. You will include this explanation and an offer to interview someone else in the same post.
5. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them 5 questions.
...

15 comments:

  1. Lee, I find your posts delightful, intelligent and always leaving me wanting more.

    ReplyDelete
  2. This is a very interesting interview; especially when aswered by interesting personality like you, sir. What I'm curious to know is; what price would Phryne possibly charge you? Hmm..
    If you ever travel to Malaysia, do visit us okay!

    ReplyDelete
  3. lee, if i understood the instructions correctlly, here i am...
    Interview me.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Thank you, Lee, for your thoughtful answers. Deciding questions is so much harder than giving answers. There were so many I could have asked!

    I like the way this moves on an on. And now Lee to decide questions for Snowsparkle. Wonderful!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Well done Lee, you just beat me to it. I snuck a look at yours before giving mine a final edit. I expected Lillie to give us all exactly the same questions, but she didn't. What mental energy!
    It is interesting, where we have the same questions, to see how different people handle them. Personally I don't find answering at all easy either.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I like the places this meme is going. How interesting you are - and how much more we see of the person behind the questions.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Interesting...I thought poetry would have had a place in there somewhere!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Well, there is a very good reason why he doesn't mention poetry. He is really awful at it.

    A former chemist named Lee
    Changed careers to psychology
    It would have been worse
    If he had taken to verse,
    The guy has no rhythm or sense of how many words go to making up a good line of poetry.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Hliza: Yes, Malaysia is on the wish list. (My eldest son has a Malaysian girlfriend.)

    Snowsparkle: Give me a couple of days to collect the questions.

    Judith: Yes, they are tricky to answer. I liked your answers, btw.

    Lee: I couldn't mention everything...

    Cosmo: I didn't write that, you did. So your point is?

    ReplyDelete
  10. take your time lee... i feel no hurry as life here in blogland seems expansive and forgiving. i look forward to your questions whenever they arrive. hugs, snow

    ReplyDelete
  11. What a lovely meme! I'm to scared to dare you?
    And I wonder what about me and my life don't you know yet? Wanna ask me?

    ReplyDelete
  12. that has to be my fav mem of all time! lovely lillie! bravo lee for being as wonderful and interesting as ever!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Lee answered wonderfully but Cosmo has once again outdone him: I was asked to interview Lee, Judith and Cosmo -- Cosmo chose to answer each question in rhyme, and seems to do it exquisitely even while imbibing!
    Forgive me Lee, if I advertise another's blog from yours, but I suggest clicking on Cosmo's name (above) for an alternate view of ways to respond to an interview.

    ReplyDelete
  14. this was so much fun to read, that after much thinking, I'd love to join in! would you interview me, please? and - no rush. I understand about back pain!

    ReplyDelete

Moderation cuts in six days after posting.