Don’t panic – you didn’t blackout for a week. Instead of your regular, bi-monthly 20 Questions interview, I’m adding a special one this week, because SJ’s answers were so terrific I just had to put them up right away! Also, I’m going out of town again today, and have no time to write. But mostly the first thing!
SJ writes over at Snobbery. It’s frequently quite sharp and literate and although it sometimes – spoiler alert – can get snobby, the truth is it’s generally quite genial and welcoming. She even has a Trashy Tuesday which is always fun. She’s also one of the most impressive commenters around – just really dedicated to leaving thoughtful comments on people’s blogs consistently, which I think is rude. Things that highlight my shortcomings are just intolerable, aren’t they?
Despite this, I’m pleased to say Hey! SJ! Let’s play 20 questions!
Makes a hell of a mix tape, though, Rob does.
1. What quality do you most admire in others? Eep, a hard question right off the bat. I’m always envious of those that have some type of artistic talent. I’ve always been more of an appreciator than a doer (much like Rob from High Fidelity). I admire the snape out of people that are able to actually produce something that someone else can look at and say “Yes! That!” I know Meg thinks her drawings aren’t that great, but she’s always able to convey exactly what I’m saying in my ranty ramblings. I admire her for that.
2. What trait do you most dislike in yourself? Holding a grudginess.
3. You’re suddenly made the absolute ruler of your country. What is the first change you make? Habitual misuse of your/you’re, there/they’re/their, two/too/to will land you in prison, where your sentence will consist of constant spelling and grammar drills. For every person incarcerated under the Extreme Butchering of the English Language Act of [insert year here], one non-violent drug offender will be released.
4. With which Peanuts character do you most identify? Violet. She’s a bit of a snob, yes? Plus, my hair is always in a ponytail or bun, just like hers.
Always in a scarf phase, though. Some things are eternal.
5. What 3 songs do you think you’ve listened to more than any others in your life? Snape, this one is hard. When I was really little, I made my dad play for me over and over two Zappa songs from Sheik Yerbouti, and I think those would probably be high on the list (“Jewish Princess” and “Baby Snakes”). On the other hand, when I was in junior high and high school, there were so many mix tapes I had that I eventually wore them out. High on the mix tape list were the Dead Milkmen’s “Punk Rock Girl” and Pixies “Debaser”. As an adult, probably Rilo Kiley’s “Silver Lining” and Magnetic Fields’ “Acoustic Guitar.” I realize that’s six, but deal with it. Meg’s answer: Stevie Nicks – “Landslide” (from her angsty tween phase), Jeff Buckley – “Hallelujah” [sj agrees with this one] and Barry Manilow – “Copacabana.”
6. If you could relive one day – either keeping it the same, or changing something – what would you choose? I’d go back and remind myself that bangs are a bad idea. Or maybe not agree to letting them give me whatever drug it was (I’ve blocked the name) during labour with our youngest. I dropped the eff bomb in the delivery room when my husband told me we had a girl. It was either “No f*cking way” or “Shut the f*ck up.” Maybe both? I really can’t remember because of the stupid drugs!
7. What is your biggest fear? Moths. It probably sounds silly to some of you, but I had a super scary experience involving moths (HUNDREDS OF MOTHS) that still turns me into a sobbing mess if one gets in the house.
8. What would you like the title of your biography to be? Is She Weird? …and then every page would just have the word ‘Yes’ on it.
"Some call me... SJ..."
9. What movie or book has had the biggest impact on you? I wish I could be all lofty and intellectual here, but for movie I have to say Monty Python and the Holy Grail. While it isn’t my ALL TIME FAVOURITE, it is pretty high up on the list, and I’ve probably seen it more times than anything else. It was definitely the first movie I memorized (imagine 5 year old sj running around pretending she’s the Black Knight).
10. What is your favorite thing about blogging? This one is really hard! (that’s totally what she said, btw) I like that I get to just write about whatever the heck I want, and there aren’t really any expectations, except those I set for myself. Oh, and Heather’s. I’m pretty sure I’d only be posting once a month if it weren’t for her.
11. Least favorite thing about blogging? Obsessing over my stats page. “What?! I was snaping hilarious today! Why aren’t people reading?!”
12. Which superpower would you choose if you could: the ability to fly, or to turn invisible at will? Flying, dur. Invisibility would only be good for hiding from my kids (which does sound pretty sweet at this point), but flying would be amazing.
13. What is your idea of perfect happiness? 10+ hours of sleep in a row.
14. Which of the 7 Deadly Sins are you most guilty? Just one? The life of Hedonismbot seems pretty perfect to me.
Catch my little joke? From earlier? Douglas Adams? And I started the post with "don't panic"? Eh? Eh?
15. What public figure (past or present) are you just sure you’d be friends with, if you ever met? Past – Douglas Adams. Present – Neil Gaiman. While I wish I could say that I’d be BFFs with Philip K Dick if he were still alive, I’m pretty sure I would never understand a thing he was saying.
16. What public figure would you really like to sit down and give a good talking-to? To explain why they’re wrong, wrong, wrong. Um…All of ‘em! (said in my best Bob Bitchin voice)
17. If you could spend a year in any time and place, when and where would you choose? The supermega Dream Suite at Disneyland. Right now. Disneyland really is the happiest place on earth, especially when you get to take your littlies with you. I almost said the Cinderella Castle Suite at Disneyworld, because then we could pop off for a bit of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, but I don’t think I could spend a year in Florida. Ugh.
18. You are offered the following bargain: You will record a pop song that will become a huge hit. You will become very famous and wealthy. After a year, though, there will be backlash and you’ll become a pop culture joke. You will never record another hit, and you’ll be called a one-hit wonder, but you will have the experiences, and enough money to live modestly for many years (or extravagantly for a couple). Do you accept? Probably not. I don’t really care about being a pop culture joke (that actually sounds kind of fun), but I don’t think I could spend a year in the public eye. I’d have a nervous breakdown and not be able to enjoy my riches.
It's not my fault! I did my best!
19. If you could be any TV detective, who would you choose? Harry Dresden. Even though his show got cancelled and kind of sucked compared to the books. Magic is where it’s at.
20. What would you most like people to say about you after you’re gone? As long as they’re not throwing confetti and shouting ‘FINALLY!’ I’m cool.
The Byronic Man 
March 8, 2012 at 5:51 am
Great interview, as usual! Do you give people time to come up with clever answers? I actually always wonder about this when I read interviews.
March 8, 2012 at 9:09 am
No, he’s totally draconian about it. “WHERE ARE MY ANSWERS, WHY HAVEN’T YOU REPLIED YET?!” 😉
March 10, 2012 at 3:47 pm
I tell them that I will, then sulk and ask why they hate me so much if they take too long.
March 8, 2012 at 6:36 am
I can’t believe you said I leave thoughtful comments. Are you trying to ruin me?!
(translation: thanks for asking me to play, this was a lot of fun!)
March 10, 2012 at 3:49 pm
Good, I’m glad! (that it was fun – not that you’re concerned I’m trying to ruin you…)
March 8, 2012 at 7:12 am
Another faboo interview!! Your answer to number three, SJ, was absolutely killer. Perfect! And sign me up for an advanced copy of that biography.
March 8, 2012 at 9:02 am
😀
It really is one of my biggest pet peeves. I spent a while trying to think of something serious for an answer, but there were too many options, so I gave up.
[makes note to send ARC of bio to Jules]
March 8, 2012 at 7:14 am
Awesome questions (They are so creative), and SJ had some wonderful answers but missed #18. She would be eligible to be on Dancing with the Stars! Hahaha!
Off to check out your site SJ…
March 8, 2012 at 9:04 am
Ohhhhhh, that would make me an even bigger laughingstock! The only dancing I do is around the living room with my kids, believe me – no one wants to see me attempting to get funky.
March 10, 2012 at 3:50 pm
Thanks. You should have seen the original list of 30 questions. My wife was basically the beta-testing group. There were some that I thought were just great, but that when she – or I, for that matter – answered them, they turned into boring like magic.
March 8, 2012 at 7:37 am
I’m with you on number three. And number six…although I mostly just yelled swears at random people and for no other reason than it felt like my spine was breaking in half. I also love Douglas Adams, I’ll have to go dig out some of his books again.
Great interview!
March 8, 2012 at 9:07 am
Well, the truth of the matter is that we waited with all of them (we have four) until birth to find out the sex. After having three boys already, I’d accepted that we might as well just change our names to Hal and Lois. I don’t even remember what it was that they gave me, but I was completely out of it – I kept passing out, only to wake up with each contraction. Even though I try really hard not to swear in public, my shock at finally having a girl got the best of me.
March 11, 2012 at 5:38 am
I can’t blame you there. That must have been quite the shock of a lifetime! I’m sure my mother felt the same once I came along (I have four older brothers and one younger brother)
March 10, 2012 at 3:51 pm
Anything that makes you return to those first Hitchhiker’s books is a good thing.
March 8, 2012 at 1:01 pm
Great interview. If Phillip K Dick were alive today nobody would understand what he was talking about (See The Exegesis of Phillip K Dick) and his worldview would have gotten wierder.
March 8, 2012 at 5:04 pm
That’s one that I’ve been pondering purchasing. I’ve primarily been reading ebooks lately because I can take them anywhere, but there really isn’t anywhere in my house suitable for reading treebooks. That seems like one that an ebook would be a liability with, due to the annotations and footnotes.
March 10, 2012 at 3:54 pm
I wonder if Dick’s views and articulation of them could have gotten so weird that he’d come full circle to bland. Like he would have started writing pieces like “Those Fellas In Government Sure Are Clowns” or “The Story Of Where That One Sock Goes When You Do The Laundry.”
March 8, 2012 at 1:45 pm
Great time for a TWSS joke for 10! SJ and Meg really are the dynamic duo with the snappy writing and epic illustrations. I’m with you on #3, the more time I spend online the more I’m appalled by the lack of command of the English language. Another awesome episode of 20 Questions!
March 8, 2012 at 5:05 pm
In some ways the internet is ruining everything. In other ways, it’s the best thing ever. I’m torn, but it seems like internet (like triangle) always wins.
Also, anytime is a good time for a twss joke. 😉
March 8, 2012 at 3:16 pm
Great answers! I really enjoy your sense of humour – it’s like I would write, if i had any talent to make the words come out right.
Can’t believe you didn’t fit “nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition” in there somewhere,
March 9, 2012 at 7:03 am
When I was five, I was more into Holy Grail and Life of Brian. Flying Circus came later. 😉
March 10, 2012 at 3:57 pm
I go to this pub trivia thing with some friends, and one team calls themselves The Spanish Inquisition, so every time they read the scores and call out “Spanish Inquistion” they all bellow, “NOBODY EXPECTS THE SPANISH INQUISITION!”
Amazingly, it’s funny every single time. No kidding.
March 8, 2012 at 4:10 pm
A Harry Dresden fan. Okay, she’s officially cool.
Loving the interviews, by the way. And, wondering if you’ve broken your pen as I’m still waiting for you to send yours along. Perhaps you’re intimidated by the quality of YOUR interviewees. I don’t blame you. 😉
March 8, 2012 at 5:26 pm
I really adore Jim Butcher’s work. I know a lot of his Dresden fans didn’t care for Codex Alera, but I loved that too.
March 8, 2012 at 5:20 pm
Great replies!
March 9, 2012 at 7:00 am
SJ, you are so right about moths. When you kill them they just explode in a dust cloud because they are all DRY inside. Just dust, no blood! If that’s not evil, I don’t know what is.
March 9, 2012 at 7:04 am
Oh, just you try emptying a vacuum bag that is full of them! Then you will have truly seen the face of evil.
March 11, 2012 at 2:10 pm
Terrific answers, and thanks Bryonic for giving me yet another blog to risk my job for.
And please, let’s enact the Extreme Butchering of the English Language Act. Let’s do it today.
March 11, 2012 at 3:33 pm
It’s my hidden agenda: make everyone laugh at work during inappropriate moments, and to reduce worker productivity. Viva la Revolucion!
March 11, 2012 at 3:55 pm
That’ll work for me. Who needs to eat, anyway!