Interview

[dr_whom]

So there's this "interview" meme I got (like, a month ago) from lowellboyslash—the idea is, she asked me five questions, and I answer them here; and then if you want me to ask you five questions, you post a comment here and I will. Then you post your answers to those and invite people to be interviewed by you, and so on.

So. lowellboyslash's questions.

1. If you could go back and do one thing differently, what would it be?

So, somehow my mind keeps dwelling on that time at Steven and Peter's birthday party senior year when I got upset for no good reason and snapped at everyone.... But if you want something less—I don't know—petty than that: I'm pretty sure by now that I would have gotten a lot more out of actually majoring in linguistics than in math.

2. What's your favorite duet nowadays, and why?

I'm really very partial to "I'd Give It All for You". Being from Songs for a New World, it has no story context—all there is to know about these two individuals is what's contained in the song. And yet, in just five minutes, the song gives you a pretty complete idea of both of their characters and the history of their relationship (better than you get from some entire musicals, arguably). Also, in the context of Songs for a New World, it's one of very few songs that actually reach a resolution to one of the chief themes of the show, which is the tension between wanting freedom and wanting safety—in a sense, it's the happy answer to "Stars and the Moon". I have more reasons for liking the song than those, but that'll do for the nonce.

3. (You'll hate this one, but I'm genuinely curious.) How's the thesis?

Not Started! A couple days ago I e-mailed my advisor about fifteen pages of brainstorming about interesting research questions in the structure of the English vowel system, and I'm hoping he'll get back to me and say, Yes! This could be turned into a thesis topic very easily! But no word yet.

4. Who are you?

"The Knot"? That's a cryptic answer that won't mean much to anyone besides I think thekinginyellow and lowellboyslash, but I can go into more detail if people ask.

5. What do you want?

Ooh, a tough one. I mean, what does anyone want? I suppose most immediately, I want a dissertation topic proposal. And a better work ethic, I guess. Also, I'd like to win a bunch of money on Jeopardy!.

Comments

[preraphaelite.livejournal.com]

Yeah, ask away (:

[dr_whom]

1. When did practicing law go from something you might-kinda do to something you were actually positively interested in doing?

2. Suppose I'm only ever going to watch six episodes of Buffy. Which ones should they be?

3. Whatever happened to that plan to go by your middle name in your professional life? Do you do that?

4. Which is better, in your opinion: Cambridge or Somerville?

5. What's your favorite play?

[wolfheart17.livejournal.com]

I'll take one of these interview things.

[dr_whom]

1. "Figment"? Why Figment?

2. Where do you see yourself in five years?

3. When you lived in Winthrop House, what were the best and worst things about it?

4. Have you ever tried to learn Yiddish?

5. How are things going, these days?

[kilravock.livejournal.com]

Five questions from you, huh? I can handle that.

[dr_whom]

1. What is it about Garfield?

2. How seriously are you considering going back to grad school?

3. What's your favorite of the songs you did in the Noteables, and why?

4. What's the most amusing trope or cliche of Norse literature?

5. How (what)'s your current job?

[lowellboyslash.livejournal.com]

See, the thing about starting these memes is that other people get on them. Me me!

[dr_whom]

1. Who's your favorite Shakespeare character?

2. What was the best surprise of your colossal road trip?

3. Do you think you got what you hoped to get out of your year in England?

4. In whatever sense you choose to interpret the question—what are the most important characteristics of good stories?

5. What do you want?

[lowellboyslash.livejournal.com]

1. Beatrice, probably. She's snarky and strong and yet she's very sweet. I could totally marry her.
2. Wall Drug. I totally did not plan for it at all, and it was amazing. That, or maybe Daytona Beach... it was so unexpectedly beautiful. Plus, it's the only beach I've ever seen that has a speed limit.
3. Yeah, I became a badass medievalist, and I made awesome friends I probably won't see for years. Sigh.
4. Charm; believeability; unbelieveability; imagination; simplicity.
5. World peace, to write a great book, and to know what I really want. Also, probably because my biological clock is ticking, to find someone I can have kittens with.

[http://users.livejournal.com/-mycroft-holmes/]

2) For some reason, it surprises me that you'd like "I'd Give it All for You".
4) I'm sort of intrigued.
5) You're actually going to be on Jeopardy, then? When's that?
... and I s'pose, while I'm at it, I might as well request some questions...

[dr_whom]

2) Hm, why?
5) No, my audition period expired without me getting a call. But I want to be on Jeopardy.

And questions for you:

1. What are you doing, exactly, these days? Every couple of months or so you seem to post from another corner of coastal North America.
2. Do you still listen to Standing Room Only regularly? And if so, what's your least favorite of the songs that Jonathan Colby seems to play just about every week?
3. What's your favorite ice cream flavor?
4. When did you become a vegetarian?
5. What kind of lighthouse would you most want to live in?

[http://users.livejournal.com/-mycroft-holmes/]

It seems a little... I don't know... sentimental. That's not a characteristic I associate with you. Or, at least, not that overtly.

(Having read the instructions, I moved the answers to my journal.)

... in other news, "The Musical of Musicals" was playing in Worcester, and I MISSED IT. My parents saw it and loved it, although it sounds like they didn't get much of the Sondhiem bit.

[dr_whom]

Aw, I'm pretty sentimental, I think.

My cousin was planning to see The Musical of Musicals in Worcester; I should ask her what she thought of it.

[tahnan.livejournal.com]

Oooh, careful answering #5, you could find yourself allied with some pretty evil people. (But at least you didn't answer, "I want it all back, the way it once was.") Not that #4 is any safer...

Incidentally, while an undergrad linguistics degree might've been nice, there's a lot to be said for being able to glare at a particularly smartass undergrad in class and say, "Yes, yes, in fact, I have a degree in mathematics. Let's move on."

[dr_whom]

Ooh, you commented so I should ask you questions.

1. So, after one semester, what's your opinion of the Penn linguistics department?
2. What's your favorite Mystery Hunt puzzle not written by you?
3. ...written by you?
4. How's the apartment hunt going?
5. Why semantics?