An interview with Kiki1982:
*Why are we doing this interview thing?*
I dunno, you asked.
*So, how old are you?**
31 *sobs convulsively* Mind you, it wasn't as bad as when I turned 21. Was weirdly depressed then.
*What is the best birthday present you've ever received?*
Hm, that must have been last year: I didn't get anything and I wasn't given any attention. Bliss
*If you had a personal theme song what would it be?*
I have one: Monty Python's
Always Look on the Bright Side of Life (together with their STD song
).
*Are you male or female? *
female, of course
*Would you like to join Maximilianus' Air Force?*
It depends what I have to do.
*If you owned the site, what would you change?*
Oh, oh, yes, put the searchable text link back in the author section. That was nice to have.
*Do you think there should be more discussion about literature of other languages on this site?*
That depends on the audience. It has been quiet recently, but that's maybe only in my preferred section.
*What was the inspiration for your LitNet username?*
The nickname i gave myself when I was 3 because I couldn't pronounce my own name because of the R in it and my birth year.
*Which countries did you visit?*
France, Germany, the Netherlands, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Italy, Spain, UK, Luxembourg and Belgium (since I have been in Germany, I can now visit my home country. It's like giving the children back to the parents when they have become annoying
). Shoot, I still have so many to visit and I've only got 60 years left!
*Which languages do you speak?*
Dutch, English, French, German, Spanish a little, Polish I understand simple conversation, Czech/Slovak a little and Russian even less.
*If you could live somewhere different, where would it be and why?*
Hm, that would probably be an English speaking country apart from the USA. Nice sociable people.
*Do you have any pets?*
Yes, three cats: Baldrick (yes, from the comedy character), George (named after the Prince Regent and as gluttonous, arrogant, overbearing, skirt-loving and expensive with his broken paw as his counterpart. I think we better be careful naming our next cat), both tomcats and our sweet girly cat Prunel.
*What makes you happy?*
Being appreciated for what I do.
*What's your favourite song for singing in the shower?*
Not in the shower, but while doing the ironing: Monty Python's song collection CD. That gives me about 1 hour by which time the ironing is finished and I'm hoarse of screaming along with
Sit on my face and tell me that you love me.
*How much wood could a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?*
As much as a chasseur sans son chien de chasse is able to shoot, bien qu'il n'est pas un bon chasseur.
*Which actor should play you in a movie based on your life?*
Renée Zellweger. I'll settle for Mark Darcy too, in fact
.
*What's your signature dance move?*
All of them. I have recently been told that my dancing is quite unique (and not in a bad way). Saying that, it was the very first time that I nailed dancing to music without prescribed moves. And that at the age of 30...
*Given the option, what animal would you choose to be?*
A male lion: my wife would get me my dinner which I could eat at my leisure, having finished it, I could then go for a nap while the rest of my family could eat the scraps and I wouldn't even have to care for the children because that's her job. Bliss.
*What makes you feel great about yourself?*
Being told that my work was good.
*How did you meet your significant other?*
At Saint Patrick's Day on 17 March 2001 in the Irish Pub in my home town. There was nothing on TV that night and I thought I'd go along anyway despite the too loud music and the smoke and put on something nice anyway. You never knew I'd meet someone. Weird that it did happen. My SO was trying to chat one of my friends up for a weird friend of his and admits he didn't even notice me. Thanks, pop.
*What was the best day of your life?*
Well, it wasn't my wedding and there's been no birth (yet).
*Has it all worked out so far?*
It has started working out.
*What are you naturally good at? (Skills, abilities, gifts etc.)*
Hmm, languages (my husband says that, although he speaks ten, so I've still got a while to go), interior design and I've got my dry funny moments.
*What is the one thing you must do before you die?*
Be appreciated for who I am and what I do.
What’s the geekiest thing about you?
The fact that I wear glasses and that I think about structures and systems a lot.
*What would you regret not fully doing, being or having in your life?*
A child (and <i mean all three
).
*If you were to be stuck at a particular time in your life, which one would you choose and why?*
A teenager: not having to worry about who is going to make dinner and what it's going to be, not about what you're going to do tomorrow, no worries about money, about how old you are, and looooooooooong holidays during which you can do anything you bl**dy well like. Older people told me at the time that I would regret it when I had grown up. I used to laugh at that, but now I tell my neighbours' children the same
. I'm really boring.
*What one thing would you NEED to have on a deserted island if you didn't have to worry over food and water? *
Another grown up to talk at.
*If you were a king/queen for a day, what would you do?*
Say some very awkward things and take the Duke of Edinburgh along for some help.
*What’s your favorite ice cream flavor?*
Chocolate or truffle.
*What song is in your head at the moment?*
The first few bars of the theme tune to
Not Going Out
*Which book are you reading at the moment?*
Vanity Fair; still
*What is your favourite quote?*
The one(s) I've got on my signature.
*What’s your favorite word?*
'Frognal' tube station in London. I don't know, it makes me snigger every time.
Which comedians or cabaret artists do you like?
Many: Michael MacIntyre, Russel Howard, the Canadian dry guy and the small one in the loud shirts. As long as they've got weird observations or surprising things to say.
*Favorite avatar on the Forum?*
It used to he Niamh, but I haven't seen her around for a while.
*Favorite threads?*
My absolute favourite one is the random sentence one (3rd sentence on the 24th page or something). That's quite funny and surprising at times.
What's your favorite sandwich?
Croque monsirue (toasted ham and cheese sandwich).
*What is your answer to the ultimate question of life, the universe, and everything?*?
It's there.
*How could English teachers make reading literature more meaningful to students (young or old)*?
By certainly not forcing potentially incomprehensible/unintereting things on students. Making boys read Austen is not a good idea (you see, that's why you need only girls' or boys' class groups). And then, reading something that they are familiar with in social structure or something. Not something that's too focussed on social issues that don't exist anymore. Or otherwise history teachers and lit teachers should work together in this (explaining the concept of the Victorian poor relief system and workhouses and the noble ideas behind it - also the workhouses that were better - when lit is doing Dickens). But I don't think they've got enough time. Otherwise, mainly concentrate on human issues. But I think I would go on too long if I would really explain all of that...
*What are you wearing at the moment?*
Slippers, socks, colourful stripy trousers, turquoise top, pink cardy and underwear, but I'm not going to reveal that.
*Favorite poem?*
I'm not big on poetry, but maybe one that I was acquainted with in my first year of real lit education from 18th century Dutch poet Vondel whose baby son Constantijn had died and wrote a wonderful cheery poem about him in heaven. Is really sweet.
*First novel you remember reading on your own?*
The very first real thing I read on my own must have been a comic book of
Jommeke (renowned Belgian comic) about a boy who goes on many adventures. I still remember reading it more or less aloud. I hadn't mastered reading silently yet. So I must have been about six and I would have just started learning to read.
*What era do you find most of the books you read are from?*
19th century. I think I must be reincarnated from having been a really rich lady back then or so. I'm sure I must still have vague memories of those wonderful times.
*Favorite TV shows?*
Blackadder,
'Allo, 'Allo,
Yes, Minister,
Miranda.
2012 was good.
*Which Forum members would you like to meet in person?*
I find we should do a kind of congress once. Would be interesting. But I think it's nice like this, because we would none of us get disappointed. So either no-one at all or everyone.
*Are you a winter or summer person?*
Both, because I like the cosy winter period and the nice outside summer period. As long as neither of them lasts too long like this year.
*Last words you said out loud?*
Thinking about the question above this one. 'Ik weet nie, allebei, zeker.' ('I don't know, both, I guess.')
*Last person you hugged/kissed?*
Hubby (lucky bugger).
*What do you do to be able to keep your LitNet addiction going? And are you happy with your chosen profession?*
Keep coming back every day (unless I'm on holiday, although if we go to an internet café, LitNet is certainly on the list). Certainly happy with my profession. It provides enough change not to become boring and I learn a lot.
*What would you like to be if you could change your profession?*
A housewife. That was the best time of my life.
*Which one of the seven dwarves are you and why?*
I don't know. I never knew their names, only that there were seven of them. I suppose my hubby would say 'Dopey', because he finds me dopey sometimes. But maybe I'm Happy, you never know.
*What is your most outstanding feature?*
My voice. I hate it, it's much too deep and loud. And to make matters worse, I never shut up.
*If you could change one thing about the way you look, what would that be?*
OK, not a lot, maybe a bit taller, less acne and no cellulite. Not that I'm really bothered by any of these, but it would just make me perfect... naturally
.
*Which book do you wish you had written?*
The Harry Potter books, because I would have been able to stop working altogether and lead a life of leisure.
*What book would you recommend to others of all types and ages as a must read?*
Don't know, whatever you feel like, but make it something interesting.
*What should you be doing at the moment instead of answering these questions?*
Working. I got two requests for price and they have to be in by tomorrow 8 CET.
*Favorite movie?*
You see, my favourites change depending on my mood and what I've seen. So right now, I'm in the mood for...
Licence to Kill, but tomorrow I'll think of something totally different.
*Last movie you watched?
Must have been
Casino Royale on TV. Thoroughly disappointed with it. They just don't make Bond as he used to be. He doesn't talk anymore, broods the whole time and the plot is incomprehensible. I swear I didn't get what the problem was, even at the end and I watched a fair bit of those in my teenage years ever since I discovered Timothy Dalton as Bond. The last films are even worse than George Lazenby and he was mainly there only for his body. But those fighting scenes were good.
[
*How are you going to pick just one favourite painting?*
By doing the same thing as for my favourite film.
*Favorite painting?*
I used to have Monet's water lilies on my wall in my bedroom. I suppose I'll pick that one.
*Are you gellin'?*
You tell me. (Actually I don't know what it really means, but don't tell anyone)
*Wonderful Superman or depressing Batman?*
Superman
*Something you want to forget but you never can?*
When I was five, I had my first swimming lesson and before that I had called the school principal already a 'moron' when the good man came to tell my KG teacher the last preparations for that very first swimming lesson (the good man smiled at me since then until he left the school when I was 10) and then I screamed the whole communal dressing room together, putting my clothes back on when my mother had taken them off, even my KG teacher, kind woman, came to help. I am still embarrassed about that... Later I didn't even want to come out of the pool.
*What is the wisest thing that has been said to you?*
That the older you get, the faster time goes by. It's actually true and it started when I was 10. Suddenly the year had passed and I didn't know where it had gone.
*What is the funniest thing that happened to you lately?*
Running round the table for my hubby to catch me. Yeah, we don't get a lot of excitement in this place...
If you could relive one moment in your life whenever you wanted to, what would it be?
My wedding day. Not because it was special, but because it goes so bl**dy quickly that you can't experience it anyway and you should really. It'll be the same with the birth of children, I'm sure.
What is the best thing that happened to you since your last birthday?
But that's only a month ago? The best? Maybe gone for dinner in a really posh restaurant in France for someone else's birthday?
*If you could send one thing to the Room 101, one would that be?*
My other neighbours' children. I don't understand how their parents can put up with the screaming.
Tell us something scandalous about yourself.
I secretly like Bondage. Shhhh don't tell anyone.
OK TMI
.
*How long did it take you to answer all of these questions?*
I don't know, 1/2 hour, 1 hour (maybe a bit longer, because I closed the tab halfway through, stupid girl).
*One final word of wisdom for LitNet users?*
Don't worry about what anyone else thinks of you, just do it. If they've got a problem with it, it's only theirs. Other and better I say.
*What question would you like to ask to the person to be interview after you?
I'm so bad at making questions. It's going to be a really boring one, you know that, don't you?
Or maybe not:
*How often do you clean your windows?*
Reply With Quote
Happy Birthday, Kiki!
Happy belatedness, kiki!! 
)
