It's an interesting collection of questions this week, and I don't know how I'm feeling. I've just lopped off six inches of my hair, so I'm feeling a bit naked already. Answering questions may be a little beyond me.
Questions, as always, have been provided by Bev at Sunday Stealing.
1. If you could witness any event from history, what would it be?
This might sound a bit random, but I would love to be in London on the night that World War II was proclaimed as over (8 May 1945) The atmosphere would have been incredible.
2. What do you think about conspiracy theories?
I generally don't think about conspiracy theories, especially after COVID turned the most rational people into idiots. If you can't back things up, don't go on about them. Some of them are quite funny. Most are just sad.
3. Do you like cartoons? Do you have /had a favorite one?
I like cartoons, but rarely watch them. I loved them as a kid. Some favourites include:
- Wacky Races
- Scooby Doo
- Rugrats
- The original X-Men series from the '90s.
4. What did you most dislike in school times?
Other than being a complete outcast? Probably physics. I didn't mind working hard at school and I excelled at science, but I hated my physics teacher and I hated physics. The only subject I failed.
5. What sounds are in your opinion relaxing? The sound of the sea? Traffic? Vacuum cleaner? Combine harvester on the field? Some kind of music? Birds singing? ...
I love the sound of the sea, in particular waves. That's always relaxing.
6. What was the last thing you read?
On paper, the last thing I read was KF Kuang's Yellowface. I liked it but didn't love it. On audiobook, I listened to James Clear's Atomic Habits - which was enlightening.
7. What is one thing that has stumped you so hard you won't ever forget it?
Okay, why is it that the British press is so absolutely awful to the Royal Family. I'm not a Monarchist, I don't think here of there about them, but the British press is absolutely awful to them. It's horrible. I'd never want to be a Royal, but the press make it worse.
8. What are you interested in that most people aren’t?
Lots of things. I have an eclectic lot of likes and some are seen as strange, and that is okay. These things include:
- What is happening on Married at First Sight.
- English History
- The Pixies (the band)
- South Australian history
- The novels of Louis de Bernieres
9. What’s something you really resent paying for?
Up until a few years ago there was general sales tax (GST) applied to women's sanitary products (Pads, tampons, moon cups et al.) When the GST came into being in the early noughties these essentials were seen by the then government as luxury items! I resented paying that tax more than anything. Luxury items my arse. The tax, after years of fighting, has now been rescinded, and this is yet another reason why men should not be making legislation over anything to do with women's bodies. (See what John Howard did with Senator Keith Harradine in the 90s, firming his vote for the part sale of our national telephone company by outlawing the abortion pill, RU486 - this was overturned ten years later). Just don't get me started.
10. If you could choose a different time period and place to be born, when and where would it be?
Actually, I think I'm good being born in the late 60s. Despite being of Generation X, knowing that we practically brought ourselves up, have had to buy our music four times over, there is a resilience to us born in the time. We are damaged, but we know we can survive anything.
11. What's one question you would ask Superman?
What is it like to be able to fly. I'd love to fly.
12. What's your favorite smell? What's your least favorite smell?
Favourite smell: Dogs paws in the morning. Don't knock it until you try it. It's musky. I think of my dog who used to sleep with me who came up for a cuddle first thing in the morning.
Least favourite smell: One of these:
- Boiled cauliflower
- Stale urine
- Clothes that have been left in the machine too long before hanging them out to dry and really should have been washed again.
- Corned beef cooking.
- Lynx body spray in abundance (a little bit is okay)
13. How do you feel about cars becoming fully autonomous and having no steering wheel, breaks, or accelerators?
No. Humans are stupid. Too much could go wrong.
14. What are your favorite books and authors?
Favourite books:
- Captain Corelli's Mandolin by Louis de Bernieres
- The Narrow Road to the Deep North by Richard Flanagan
- Burial Rites by Hannah Kent
- The Signature of All Things by Elizabeth Gilbert
- Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnygut
- Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides
- All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
- Too Many Men by Lily Brett
- The Little Prince by Antoine de St Exupery
- The Other Hand by Chris Cleeve
- The Natural Way of Things by Charlotte Wood
- Wifedom by Anna Funder
- Louis de Bernieres
- Ian McEwan
- Elizabeth Gilbert
- Carrie Tiffany
- Margaret Atwood
- William Shakespeare
- TS Eliot
- Anna Funder
15. Have you had a reading or palm reading done?
Simple answer, yes. I read tarot to a professional level, and while training, I had many, many readings. I've had my palms looked at a few times over the years. I'm also very skeptic of psychics. Comes with the territory - like how physiotherapists are very skeptic of osteopaths and chiropractors and vice versa.
I picked the end of the war, though probably VJ Day. You're absolutely right about the tax on "feminine hygiene products." The only author on your list I read was Attwood's A Handmaid's Tale, which was/is scary stuff.
ReplyDeleteDog paws smell like Fritos. Back when Ree Drummond was just another blogger, she mentioned it in her blog, and she was right! I would never have realized that on my own.
ReplyDeleteHi Pand,
ReplyDeletePhysics was very tough. I ended doing it until A-Level because I was told I had to. I didn't have to at all in the end.
Atomic Habits is a very good read.
I agree about the British press (see my answer) but the monarchy get off relatively lightly in my opinion compared to a lot of other people.
:o)
Cheers
PM