Happy Birthday, Pensive!
An interview with Pensive:
1 - How did you come about this site and what makes you keep coming back?
I don't remember very well unfortunately but I guess it had something to do with my brother. The friendly atmosphere here makes me keep on coming back (actually did I ever leave?
)
2 - Have you visited other countries than your own and what did you like about it or not like? If you could live somewhere different from where you live now, where would it be and why?
No I haven’t, and I would enjoy the different culture, the different ways in which people precieve things and I might find some of the social aspects uncomfortable. I would live in Europe because I would like to experience what freedom of expression feels like.
3 - What are your favorite hobbies ?
Reading, talking to people from all over the world, sharing experiences, questioning, listening to music, watching films and skimming Wikipedia.
4 - Do you have any pets?
No, thanks.
5 - What makes you happy?
A good discussion, my mother’s hug, a nice film/song and a book that makes you think.
6. What is mankind's biggest achievement, and its greatest downfall?
Biggest achievement is the implementation of freedom of speech in some form and its greatest downfall is its envy and tendency towards the persuit of more and more power even if by unfair means.
7. If you had a long day of hard work ahead of you what music would you be playing on your mp3, while working?
Some old school Pakistani music perhaps.
8. If you could take one book, music album and one video with you to a desert island, what would they be?
Book – Harry Potter collection, Music album – Any album by Mehdi Hassan, Video - Brick
9. Do you feel comfortable in your walk with God?
Comfortable in my walk with dogs? No way! Actually, wait, I just noticed I the word 'God' the wrong way. That's what you get when you have been practising reading backwards for a long time. Interesting question, by the way.
10. Which actor should play you in a movie based on your life?
No one.
11.Given the option, what animal would you choose to be?
An eagle maybe.
12. What were your favorite things to do in the past? What about now?
Studying for school in the past. At the moment, socializing along with spending time on my other hobbies.
13. What activities make you lose track of time?
Reading a good book, watching a good film, talking to interesting people and thinking (or imagining).
14. What makes you feel great about yourself?
When I have managed to influence somebody’s thinking.
15. Who inspires you most? (Anyone you know or not. Family, friends, authors, artists, leaders, etc.) Which qualities inspire you, in each person?
I like tolerant and sincere people who don't wish to hurt others. Being caring is a bonus quality. I am somehow aggravated by indifference in people.
16. What are you naturally good at? (Skills, abilities, gifts etc.)
A really difficult question. I guess I am good at just about everything that I commit myself to but I know you wouldn't believe me so let me quote my brother here: 'naturally good at typing, posing philosophical questions and changing the topic'
17. What do people typically ask you for help in?
To help decide something? To hear the truth? Other than that, assignments related to creative writing and English language as well as my native tongue though I don't really consider myself very good at English.
18. If you had to teach something, what would you teach?
Ask me what I wouldn't teach.
19. What would you regret not fully doing, being or having in your life?
So far I wish I was able to bicycle on roads.
20. What song is in your head at the moment?
I'll Follow the Sun by The Beatles.
21. The last book you bought/borrowed from the library?
Witch Hill by Marcus Sedgwick.
22. Which book are you reading at the moment?
Witch Hill.
23. The last book you finished reading?
Just finished God of Small Things a couple of days back.
24. Favorite food?/ Comfort food?
Any eatable but meat. Basically I like sugary stuff (like chocolates, traditional
halwas), spicy food and dry-fruits.
25. What time of day do you most often find yourself on the LitNet?
Evenings.
26. What are you wearing at the moment?
Churidar pyjama and a frock-like shirt that goes with it.
27. Favorite poem?
Stopping By Woods On A Snowy Evening by Robert Frost.
28. First novel you remember reading on your own?
Some work by Enid Blyton in English?
29. Favorite TV shows?
Gilmore girls, Lost, Faulty Towers,
Dhuwwan and Marvi. You probably wouldn't have heard of the last two as they are Pakistani drama serials.
31. Favorite post on the Forum?
One of Taliesin's.
32. Favorite thread?
Getting to Know You.
33. Last food did you have?
Halwa-puri. A traditional form of breakfast that one gets to eat only occasionally.
34. Last words you said out loud?
"Mein omelette is liye nahin khaon gi kiyonke yeh mujhay itna azeez hai kay mujsay is ki apnay hi daanton kay haathon qurbaani manzoor nahin" (a lose translation: I wouldn't eat omelette because I hold it so dear that I wouldn't be able to bear its sweet bits being crushed by my very own teeth) in answer to my mother's question that why I haven't taken the omelette. (After having spent so many years with me she should have known that I don't like omelette!
)
35. Last person you hugged/kissed?
My mother.
36. What do you do (for a living) to be able to keep your LitNet addiction going? And are you happy with your chosen profession?
Well, I don't really do anything. Lazy people having parents have a right to enjoy life as well.
37. What question would you like to ask yourself?
When being interviewed isn't really my cup of tea (am a way too used to being an interviewer), why did I accept to fill this answer-sheet on the first place?
38. What would you like to be if you could change your profession?
I am sort of fine with my current position as a student.
39. Least favorite book/song/movie?
Don't like most of the new Indian songs.
40. The most generous thing you have done?
I can't afford to be generous.
41. What is your most outstanding feature?
Each feature is better than the other. Choosing one would be like trying to pick up one diamond from a room where there is nothing but diamonds and all the diamonds are of same type and size.
42. If you could change one thing about the way you look, what would that be?
I like the way I look.
43. Which book do you wish you had written?
None.
44. What is your favorite book cover?
The cover of
The Magus perhaps.
45. Most and least favorite characters from books?
Most favourite characters: Maggie Tullivers, Ann Shirley, Raskolnikoff, Professor Higgins.
Least favourite characters: Lucy Manette, Sonia, Razmukhin.
46. What would your biography be titled?
Dil Ki Sada (A Voice From Heart, cliched as it may sound
)
47. What should you be doing at the moment instead of answering these questions?
Studying.
48. Wonderful Superman or depressing Batman?
A mixture of both I guess.
49. The most embarrassing moment in your life?
They are littered all over the forum!
50. Which literary character (s) have you been told to resemble the most?
I just asked my brother and he mentioned Arya and Sansa. But I have no idea who they are and where they are from and why he thinks I resemble them. And Virgil once pointed out some sort of resemblance with Maisie in Henry James's, What Maisie Knew. A school friend of mine once called me Hermione because of my tendency towards giving lectures as well and another one thought that I was too complex a character to resemble any that could be expressed well by a human-being.
51. List some of the things that annoy you immensely.
Insincerity and indifference mainly. The idea of me being the victim of any of the things that annoy me the most of all.
52. Anything that you want to forget but you never can?
Some fights.
53. One final word of wisdom for LitNet users?
"Stand upshot upon it, for the ground is holy, being even as it came from Creator. Keep it, guard it, care for it, for it keeps men, guards men and cares for men. Destroy it and man is destroyed." - Cry, The Beloved Country.
54. What would you like to ask to the person to be interviewed after you?
You can ask her/him whatever you feel like.
For once I will let go of an opportunity to ask some person a question. It might actually be the answer to the most generous thing I have ever done
And I remember now that resemblance to Masie in What Masie Knew. Have you ever read the novel?
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