Question Time

[taimatsu]

From Rhona

1. If you had to lose one sense, what would it be, and why?

   Probably hearing, since I'm halfway there already. But I'd miss music - primarily playing it myself.

2. If you were to invite 10 friends round for dinner, what would you most like to serve them, and why?

   Things I like cooking and eating! The ten would probably include some vegetarians, so I'd do either a mozarella and tomato salad or some bruschetta for a starter. Then there would be roasted vegetable pasta with basil, and a green salad heavily featuring rocket. Finally, if I could manage it, I'd make profiteroles with masses of chocolate sauce. I'd have to practice that beforehand, though!

3. Do you believe it is possible to be truly selfless about anything?

   I think that people can do things which are extremely clse to selfless. True selflessness would involve never considering the impact of one's actions on oneself - actually forgetting that one could be affected. It's probably more realistic and in some ways more virtuous to consider the impact on oneself, and then totally disregard it, whether it's positive or negative.

4. Poetry, prose or music? Why?

   Music. Because it's the one I can make best.

5. What is the thing that most irritates you about people?

   POOR GRAMMAR. No, not really. Possibly an inability to have a rational discussion and follow a logical sequence.

From Elly

1. What is your favourite folk song?

   Oooooh, very difficult. I am exceedingly fond of 'Green Grass It Grows Bonny' as sung by Niamh Parsons; also her version of 'Black is the Colour'; 'How Will I Ever Be Simple Again' is in the top five, as is 'In The Calm Hour Of Evening' which isn't really a folksong at all. Aaaaaaand...I love the tune to 'Twa Corbies' though the whole Scotch thing makes it harder than it need be to sing. That's probably my top five, though there are lots more I really, really like.

2. What is your favourite story? (can be a fairytale, myth, or a novel or play - but where the story is what you love most about it)

   Mmmm, I've not thought about this before. The story of 'Revolutionary Girl Utena' is particularly wonderful. I've only seen the whole thing in the animated TV series - I haven't got the last book of the manga series yet. I think that's it, though.

3. What would be your ideal music festival? What bands would there be, and what other activities available? What would be for sale at the food vans? (Hee! Then we can take you to the nearest to that next year!!)

   Well, I think question 1 makes it obvious that Niamh Parsons would have to be performing. Also Cara Dillon, Steeleye Span, Richard Thompson, Eliza Carthy, Bon Jovi, Melissa Etheridge, K D Lang, the Michael Nyman Band, Sinead O'Connor, Evanescence, The Men They Couldn't Hang, Pulp, Kahimi Karie, and Aya Hisakawa. It would have to be a nice long festival so I could see them all. I would need to have a big comfy lockable tent. There would be PASTA available from the food stalls - linguine with smoked salmon and butter would do nicely. Also stuffed pitta bread with chorizo and rocket. And ham and mushroom pizza. And Peking crispy duck & pancakes. Other activities would have to include Scottish country/ceilidh dancing, impromptu folk-singing, PLAY READTHROUGHS, hands-on cocktail mixing, life drawing, and cake-baking.

4. Which character in a play, tv series or film would you most like to read or perform?

   Errrrrrrrrrm... Is it cheating to say Utena in Revolutionary Girl Utena? It is a TV series, despite being animated!

5. What is your favourite painting or sculpture?

   I am extremely fond of Gwen John's self-portrait (1902) which is very lovely indeed. Also Jilly Sutton's wooden bust of Andrew Motion (2000). They're both in my postcard collection and on my wall at the moment.

From Andy

1. What gives your life meaning?

   Loving people. In a wide variety of senses.

2. Any regrets?

   Yes, but the ones that spring to mind are things I tend not to talk about.

3. Where would you like to be in 5 years time?

   Ideally, I'd be putting the finishing touches to the project of making Robert's house an attractive dwelling, and hence considering moving to Oxford. I'd have a degree, have worked out what I want to do with my life, and begun doing it. Hopefully I would have gained confidence in singing in public, and done something more interesting with my paper and textile craftwork than give it away to friends.

4. Do you miss Oxford?

   YES. Lots. I miss the Angel and Greyhound meadow, and Cowley Road, and New College Lane, and the Queen's Lane Coffee House, and edamame, and the Alternative Tuck Shop, and the main gate of New College, and the Rad Cam, and King's Fabrics, and peering into the windows of the piano shop on St Clements, and walking dwn the High Street in the evening, and knowing where the shops are and all the short cuts, and everything.

5. If you had to save three possessions from a fire, what would they be? (people don't count).

   My teddy-bear, Winnie the Pooh (affectionately known as Poohsley). My iMac, if it still had all my old data on it. My books. That's cheating, I couldn't carry them all. Um, a few small pieces of jewellery, then - particularly a cat-shaped ring and a pearl necklace.

   
   

Comments

[hoiho.livejournal.com]

Queen's Lane Coffee House

Isn't the same since it grew, and went up-market.

edamame

Is just brilliant; j4 took me there, and I loved it.

[ixwin.livejournal.com]

Profiteroles are actually pretty easy to make.

At least, I remember making them when I was around 11 or so, and I was certainly no culinary prodigy.

They were a bit smaller than commercial ones but just as tasty.

[teknostatik.livejournal.com]

Thanks, and sorry the questions took so long to arrive.

[taimatsu]

Not a problem - they were excellent questions!

[teknostatik.livejournal.com]

They were?

I wrote all the questions for everyone in a five minute burst of anti-boredom therapy earlier.

[taimatsu]

Hey, they gave me a chance to enthuse wistfully about Oxford. Definitely a good thing.

Eeeeeeeeee!!! :)

[mirabehn.livejournal.com]

My questions to you came at a good time. *smile*

Erm, you said I could poke you if I hadn't heard confirmation of arrangements for tomorrow.

*pokes you*

What time shall we expect each of you?

*hugs and kisses*

Elly

[j4.livejournal.com]

[ideal festival]

Sounds like the Cambridge Folk Festival! Cara Dillon has played there lots of times, and Eliza Carthy is there nearly every year. Richard Thompson has played there, ditto Steeleye Span. Plus loads of other ace people. There is a stall selling pasta -- I had the penne with mushroom and white wine sauce, with salad and garlic bread -- and a Greek food stall which does really good wraps/pitta/thingies, and a pizza place, and a Mexican, and a baked potato stall, and a Japanese stall which does noodles, and tempura, and stuff; and a curry place, and a Jamaican stall which sells CURRIED GOAT among other things. Mmm, goat.

There are always a couple of ceilidh sessions (this year it was the Oyster Ceilidh Band, ie the Oysterband doing ceilidh!). And there's lots of random singing/playing by random people, just sitting around having impromptu folk sessions. Which is cool.

There's also a stall selling instruments -- they had wooden flutes, and I thought of you, but at £100+ I couldn't buy you one I'm afraid! -- and you can try stuff out and it's generally very groovy.

There are music workshops. I went to the singing one (run by Karine Polwart from Malinky) and the fiddle/guitar one (run by whatsisface from Capercailie, and Jim Edey from I-don't-know-what-actually-but-he-was-a-truly-unbelievable-guitarist). Last year Martin Simpson did the guitar workshop!

The "big comfy lockable tent" is better known as the spare room at our house. :) The cake-baking can be conducted in the comfort of our kitchen. We have a piano. I have the texts of lots of plays, I'm sure people could be persuaded to come back to ours and read through stuff. Or sit in a field and read through.

How's this sounding? Next year, maybe? :)

[taimatsu]

Sounds pretty good :) I shall have to inveigle the people who want to whisk me off to festivals to whisk me off to Cambridge!

[nannyo.livejournal.com]

Your music festival sounds pretty fantastic to me, I would definitely be there...as long as Jim Moray could come along too, and loads of small folky bands! I wouldn't stop singing all festival, except perhaps to eat!
N.