Hope you had a great day :)
An interview with Desolution:
*Why are we doing this interview thing?*
Because I’m a narcissist.
*So, how old are you?*
Turning 23.
*What is the best birthday present you've ever received?*
This year, my girlfriend got me Patti Smith tickets...That's pretty sweet.
*If you had a personal theme song what would it be?*
"Desolation Row" by Bob Dylan.
*Are you male or female? *
Male.
*If you could build an entire planet from scratch, what would it look, sound and smell like?*
I'd like to collaborate with Salvador Dali on the visual aspect, which would come with a whole different set of physical laws (or lack thereof) from our planet. Things kind of flowing and melting into each other, and changing at will. I’d also like a new color, though I have no idea what it would look like. I can’t say much for the sounds and smells, since I can’t really comprehend sounds that don’t already exist, and don’t actually have a sense of smell. Notes H – J would be cool, though.
*Would you like to join Maximilianus' Air Force?*
I never agree to join anything I don’t understand.
*If you owned the site, what would you change?*
The color scheme. I’d also probably let people rip each other throats out in political discussions.
*What was the inspiration for your LitNet username?*
See answer for “Theme Song” question.
*Which countries did you visit?*
I've never left America...It's actually kind of depressing.
*Which languages do you speak?*
Je parle un peu de francais.
*What is the last thing that you have done that you have been really proud of?*
I helped an old lady cross the street.
*If you could live somewhere different, where would it be and why?*
The standards…New York, Paris, maybe Dublin.
*Do you have any pets?*
My building doesn’t allow them unless you have a note from a therapist saying it would improve your life…My mom offered to write me one, since she has the credentials to offer a diagnosis, but then we’d still only be able to afford a cat…I hate cats. I really want a dog, though. I can see myself growing up to be one of those curmudgeonly old men with no friends other than their dog.
*What makes you happy?*
Rain, walking around bookstores, observation, my morning cigarette, scotch.
*What's your favourite song for singing in the shower?*
Rise Above by Black Flag
*Which actor should play you in a movie based on your life?*
Ben Whishaw (Cloud Atlas, I’m Not There, Skyfall) looks scarily like me.
*What's your signature dance move?*
Standing awkwardly with a drink in hand trying not to make eye-contact with anyone.
*How do you like your coffee? *
With cream, or sugar…Never both. Sometimes black.
*Given the option, what animal would you choose to be?*
A blue whale. It's a totally zen creature. It cares nothing for our land-plights.
When you were younger, what did you want to be?
A mix between Kurt Cobain and Batman...Some things never change.
*What makes you feel great about yourself?*
Helping others.
*How did you meet your significant other?*
She was living in the dorm buildings with a few friends of mine. One day I just kind of wandered into her room while she was trying to take a nap, and when we started talking. That was 2 years ago.
*What was the best day of your life?*
That was a good day.
*What are you naturally good at? (Skills, abilities, gifts etc.)*
Listening, empathizing.
*What is the one thing you must do before you die?*
Write something that’s really good.
What’s the geekiest thing about you?
I’m socially awkward, and I really, really love Batman.
*If you had to teach something, what would you teach?*
Unconventionality 102.7.
*What would you regret not fully doing, being or having in your life?*
Something that would help improve the life of another human being in some way or another.
*If you were to be stuck at a particular time in your life, which one would you choose and why?*
Well, I’m only at the beginning of this trip, so I can’t really say yet. I hope the happiest days, the ones I’d want to be stuck in, are still to come.
*What one thing would you NEED to have on a deserted island if you didn't have to worry over food and water? *
Several notebooks. And about 52 cartons of cigarettes.
*If you were a king/queen for a day, what would you do?*
Abolish kings and queens, and then redistribute their wealth. Also, I would make it a law that every third Wednesday is weird-shirt day. And I’d probably make June 16th a national holiday.
*What’s your favorite ice cream flavor?*
Mint…Or cherry.
*What song is in your head at the moment?*
Literally blasting through my earphones – “Democracy” by Leonard Cohen
*Which book are you reading at the moment?*
Gravity’s Rainbow by Thomas Pynchon…Trying it for the 4547th time. Maybe it’ll stick this go. Also, A Midsummer Night’s Dream for class.
*What is your favourite quote?*
There are just so many. There’s this one line in Rainbow that really stuck out to me… “They were in love. **** the war.” I liked that a lot.
*What’s your favorite word?*
It’s arbitrary. I don’t know why, but I really love that word.
Which comedians or cabaret artists do you like?
What an interesting pairing…I like Lenny Bruce and Luis C.K…Don’t know any cabaret artists, though.
*Favorite avatar on the Forum?*
OrphanPip’s Bowie avatar…I love that movie.
*Favorite threads?*
I like browsing the “What are [yo]u reading?” thread.
What's your favorite sandwich?
Turkey, bacon, avocado, tomatoes, pickles, spicy mustard, and chipotle sauce.
*What is your answer to the ultimate question of life, the universe, and everything?*?
Two things: 1) Don’t be an *******. 2) Find what you love, and enjoy it unashamedly…You only get one go-around on this planet, so you find as well have fun with that time.
*How could English teachers make reading literature more meaningful to students (young or old)*?
Stop saying things like “There’s more sex, violence, humor, and war in a Shakespeare play than in an action movie.” It might be true, but it misses the point, and students find it insincere.
*What are you wearing at the moment?*
Black jeans, black shirt, black jacket…Same thing I wear every day.
*Favorite poem?*
“Song of Myself” by Walt Whitman.
*First novel you remember reading on your own?*
The Hobbit, in 5th grade…Subsequently used for book reports until about 10th grade.
*What era do you find most of the books you read are from?*
I can’t even pretend to be an eclectic reader…I love love love the 20th Century, especially the period between about the 20’s to the 90’s.
*Favorite TV shows?*
Community, Game of Thrones, Breaking Bad, Arrested Development, and How I Met Your Mother.
*Which Forum members would you like to meet in person?*
Juniper, Rumfield, Mutatis, Alex…There are a lot of cool people on these forums. Some of the hyper-intellectuals would probably intimidate me in person, though.
*Are you a winter or summer?*
Winter.
*Last words you said out loud?*
I haven’t talked in about 2 days. I’m guessing the last word was something along the lines of “Bye.”
*Last person you hugged/kissed?*
Are you trying to get me into trouble?
*What do you do to be able to keep your LitNet addiction going? And are you happy with your chosen profession?*
I’m a full-time student who has the insanely useful ability to finish all his homework very quickly.
*What would you like to be if you could change your profession?*
Having a profession at all sounds nice…And horrible. I think I’d like to be a hobo like Woody Guthrie.
*Which one of the seven dwarves are you and why?*
Sleepey…Because I’m always, always, tired.
*What is your most outstanding feature?*
My hair, probably. I can wash it, comb it, and stick it down with a variety of products, and it will still turn into a wild tangled mess within a few minutes.
*If you could change one thing about the way you look, what would that be?*
My beard isn’t quite as full as I’d like, though I keep it anyway in all its patchy glory.
*Which book do you wish you had written?*
I’m happy that, so far, I’ve never found a book that perfectly matches my personal sensibilities. Nothing quite simultaneously weird and poetic enough. The closest, of course, would probably be Ulysses, but that still isn’t quite the book I’d want to write. There are a lot of titles I’d really like to steal, though, like “The Man Without Qualities,” or “How It Is,” or “The Divine Comedy,” or “A Supposedly Fun Thing I’ll Never Do Again.”
*What book would you recommend to others of all types and ages as a must read?*
I’ve never liked “Musts” much.
*What should you be doing at the moment instead of answering these questions?*
Reading Shakespeare.
*Describe your ideal day, please.*
Morning coffee and cigarettes…A bit of reading…A few hours on the pen…Drinking and revelry at night.
*Favorite movie?*
That’s a tough one…Maybe Taxi Driver…or Inception…or Annie Hall.
*Last movie you watched?
Synecdoche, New York.
*How are you going to pick just one favourite painting?*
By having very little knowledge of art, and a lot of artist friends.
*Favorite painting?*
One that my best friend did, and gave to me before he moved away. I would have ithanging on my wall above my desk if I was actually allowed to hang pictures in my apartment.
*Are you gellin'?*
Like a melon. I think. I have no idea, actually.
*Wonderful Superman or depressing Batman?*
I’ve already said that I love Batman…But, I wouldn’t want to leave out Superman either. From an existential viewpoint, he’s kind of the most incredible superhero of all time. Can you imagine what it would be like to be Superman? Think of how many times throughout the day that we all get kind of irritated. It passes because there’s nothing we can do about it…But all Superman has to do is lose his cool for a second, and he could destroy everything. The self-control it must take to keep yourself through punching a big gaping hole in Lex Luthor, or any other criminal’s head alone is just astounding.
*Something you want to forget but you never can?*
I have to wake up in the morning…Every day.
*What is the wisest thing that has been said to you?*
“If we ain’t talkin’ about love, we ain’t talkin; about anything” – My dad.
If you could relive one moment in your life whenever you wanted to, what would it be?
My dreams. I love to dream. Things are so much nicer in there, even when they’re unspeakably horrible.
What is the best thing that happened to you since your last birthday?
I went back to school.
*If you could send one thing to the Room 101, one would that be?*
Hmm?
Tell us something scandalous about yourself.
Can’t remember, too many drugs.
*How long did it take you to answer all of these questions?*
A few days.
*One final word of wisdom for LitNet users?*
Keep a good head and always carry a lightbulb.
*What question would you like to ask to the person to be interview after you?
Has it all worked out so far?
