Interview meme: I'm glad to answer five questions

[jesse_the_k]

Comment below and I'll ask you five questions. Drop me a link to your answers in your own journal. Offer to give the first five commenters their own sets of questions, and let the cycle continue!

Thanks for these great questions, boxofdelights

I've been thinking a lot about the idea of "best friends". Do you have a best friend? Did you, as a child? What do you think about the concept?

When I was young I internalized the ubiquitous "best friend" propaganda from kids books, but mostly managed one friend at a time. By definition "the best" but I don’t know if it was reciprocal. But now one BFF seems unlikely. Hell, even one life partner won’t match on all the grooves, so I’m happy to have friends in different spheres with various interests. I’m thankful that I have more than 5 people on my "911 call" list.

Tell me about one of your best memories of WisCon.

I can’t choose just one; here’s three on a disability theme:

• Chip Delany interviewing Joanna Russ at WisCon 30, via telephone. Russ was too disabled to travel — this event encouraged me to join the concom to work on access.
• "A Very Special Disability Panel" at WisCon 36, all-disabled panelists talked about anything except access (inspired by the Not Another Fucking Race Panel juggernaut).
• The Disability Safer Space at WisCon 43 was a community-building event I’d never thought of (reassuring me that Access was thriving long after I stepped away)

Do you play games? If so, what is a game that you like?

When I had access to my installed arithmetic and memory skills, I enjoyed playing trick-taking card games — Euchre, Sheepshead, Bid Whist, Hearts, Spades. I haven’t played Scrabble in too long. Nowadays I color digital Mandalas on my iPad.

Tell me about your first dog.

Like Bella, an American black dog mixed-breed from the shelter. Shiny, small (maybe 30 lbs), and despite naming him Normal Norman, he was neurotic as all get out. It didn’t help that my definitely ex-partner used to blow pot smoke in Norman’s face. I had to leave Norm behind in the break-up, and I was sad about that.

When you are stressed, how do you like to make yourself comfortable again?

Physical activity has been my reliable soother since I can remember. So if possible, walking or swimming. As I’ve answered this meme I’ve learned that reviewing my life via my 27-year email archive is very soothing. Past-me kindly saved the emails where I was helpful or clever.

Comments

[cosmolinguist]

I'd love some questions!

I'm sad dogs have to go with only one person in a breakup.

And yeah, I also use walking to lessen my stress.

[bibliofile]

One ex and I shared custody of the cat (which was mine, originally) -- until the cat finished shredding one corner of the couch. That was an unusual arrangement, though.

[cosmolinguist]

I was just telling my boyfriend the other day about an old co-worker at the time, who'd had a five year relationship that had ended but her ex had to stay nearby because they had joint custody of the cat. (It was such a lesbian cliché situation, despite my co-worker insisting she was still straight). So I know his does happen!

It's what I was hoping for with the dog I have now actually, and I'll always be sad that that didn't work out for me and my ex.

[j00j]

My brother and his soon to be ex have a shared dog custody situation and it's rough in terms of giving them space from each other but I'm glad they can agree on both of them getting to spend time with her.

Five Questions for You!

[jesse_the_k]

1. How did Gary the Wonder Dog come into your life?
2. Given how you enjoy touring history-made-tangible, is there a tangible monument you want to leave behind?
3. Have you been able to deploy Arabic knowledge lately?
4. Tell me about something you treasure that's older than you.
5. Tell me about your first baseball game -- have you ever played?

[redbird]

Some questions would be nice.

Here you go!

[jesse_the_k]

1. Tell me about something you treasure -- thing or person -- that's older than you.
2. Please expound on use-mention distinctions
3. Did the virtual-con bubble introduce you to a new con you’d like to attend in person?
4. Do you do enough mathematics these days?
5. What’s your favorite way to consume chocolate?

[luzula]

When I had access to my installed arithmetic and memory skills, I enjoyed playing trick-taking card games — Euchre, Sheepshead, Bid Whist, Hearts, Spades.
I recently did a little research on the trick-taking 17th-18th century card game Ombre for a fic. Have you played that? Apparently it was immensely popular, and had the successor Quadrille. I thought it looked fiendishly complicated!

I have already got questions.

Sadly, nope.

[jesse_the_k]

'Fiendish' is the card order for the Picquet Pack, used in Skat and Sheepshead. I’d love to know who decided to organize the deck with 14 permanent trump:
Q♣ Q♠ Q♥ Q♦
J♣ J♠ J♥ J♦
A♦ 10♦ K♦ 9♦ 8♦ 7♦ and 18 "Fail": all the A 10 K 9 8 7 in ♣ ♠ ♥ One reason I loved this game so much is that the powerful cards score low.

I imagine all your free-time energy focuses on making 17th century fanfics.

Re: Sadly, nope.

[luzula]

I don't even begin to understand that...

I imagine all your free-time energy focuses on making 17th century fanfics.
Well, 18th century! : ) But yes, a lot of energy does go into that… although I'm still on the board of the environmental organization, where there is currently an older man who has previously been in a more hierarchical organization and tries to introduce such practices into ours, arrrrgh.

Re: Sadly, nope.

[jesse_the_k]

Are all Western languages this confusing about adding a year to the century? I almost never get it right. I imagine a tall tower erected in 1800, where a scholarly type sits, pointing back to the century just past. (Yes, I've read that it should be 1801, but I just can't believe that.) (ooo, something to research!)

I'll admit that the older I get, the less I trust "older men." It's not particularly rational, since they grew up in the same milieu as wildly-radical me, but ...

Re: Sadly, nope.

[luzula]

Swedish actually doesn't do that confusing thing! We say the equivalent of 'the seventeen hundreds', instead of the 18th century.

This older man says 'I don't like hierarchy, but…' I'm thinking that he does indeed like hierarchy, arrgh.

[j00j]

I'll take some questions.

And gosh, I so agree on the friends thing. I have some people who are in the family of choice category at this point, but it doesn't necessarily mean I get to spend a lot of time with them (children, physical distance) or that we have the most in common. Your emergency call concept is solid; I am glad I have a goodly number of people I can ask for help.

Finally ....

[jesse_the_k]

Sorry for the delay (I got lost in comment threading.)

1. Tell me about something you treasure -- thing or person -- that's older than you.
2. Compare & contrast: Chicago and Philadelphia.
3. Share a funny kid story.
4. Have you been tempted to SMOF an East Coast SF convention?
5. Is there any tech or process which would make permanent WFH possible?

[boxofdelights]

Well done, past-you! I would love five questions from you.

Thanks, I was quite pleased, as well.

[jesse_the_k]

...and now, for you:

1. Tell me about something you treasure -- thing or person -- that's older than you.
2. During the online-only con spree, did you attend any new cons that you’d like to return to in person?
3. Any plans for more podfic?
4. What's the easiest animal to make friends with?
5. How did you learn about WisCon? What was your first experience like?

[horse_spirit]

I’d be curious to see what your questions might be for me :)

I Love to Satisfy People's Curiosity

[jesse_the_k]

1. Tell me about something you treasure -- thing or person -- that's older than you.
2. What was the first piece of music that you really, really loved?
3. What is the most frustrating assistive technology you’ve had to use?
4. What did you think of podcasting compared to radio when it started up?
5. When did you realize you didn’t want kids?

[walgesang]

Great answers! This reminds me why I save every work email because there are a couple that I will likely check out when I'm needing a little pick-me-up.

I also love the disability panel talking about anything except access!

If you have any questions for me, feel free!

Take these five any where you'd like

[jesse_the_k]

1. Tell me about something you treasure -- thing or person -- that's older than you.
2. Did your Lupin interest begin with the books? If you’ve seen the Netflix show, what did you think of it?
3. Which Star Trek did you start with? Did it hold up to rewatching?
4. Where do you find your very small rocks?
5. When did you first encounter Disability Pride?