Five Questions

The five questions interview meme is rattling around blogland again. In a moment of madness, I stuck up my hand over at Flutter's place. Here goes!

1) A hippie, an archaeologist and a chef are at dinner, what do they talk about?

Sustainable agriculture –the present implications for the environment and for the culture of eating, and the lessons from the past as to old farming techniques. Barbara Kingsolver’s book Animal, Vegetable, Mineral might be a good discussion provoker, or party favor.

2) Taking note of your Bush countdown clock, who do you hope is elected next term and what is the most important thing you hope they accomplish?

I’m vacillating between Edwards and Clinton. There’s a piece of me that would very much like to see a woman in the White House, and I think that she’s an impressive candidate. That said, Edwards has less baggage, great heart and sound policy ideas. In any case, I hope that universal health care is a priority, that we get the hell out of Iraq, and that a serious attempt be made to address global warming through energy efficiency and a carbon tax.

3) Think of yourself as a wee little one, what was your biggest dream? Are you living it, or has it changed?

I remember saying that I wanted to be a philanthropist – as a five year old. I’m not sure how I even knew the word! And I am not living it, not by a long shot - one needs rather more money than I've got. But, I’m on the other side of the fence. I’ve worked in non-profit arts organizations for the past 20 years, and have had direct and indirect responsibility for raising contributed income, and therefore I interact with philanthropists regularly. Once upon a time, when I was casting about for career direction, I spoke to a man – an erstwhile family friend – who was the head of a largish foundation. I told him that I was interested in working in that area; he convinced me that it was completely dull and pedantic work. But, in the back of my head, it still sounds like a good thing. Foundation jobs are awfully hard to come by, though, and my bank balance doesn't support more than modest charitable contributions.

4) Birkenstocks, Manolo Blahniks or running shoes? Why?

Um, none of the above? That said, my shoe tendencies lie more towards the Dansko/Merrell/Mephisto spectrum – so I guess Birkenstocks would be the closest match. I’ve never owned Birkenstocks though.

5) What is your writing process and what do you feel like you gain by blogging?

I don’t have much of a process…I get a random idea and just go with it. It might be a bon mot from the kid. Or I see something in the paper or on the street. Or I get an idea from a bit I read on another blog. Since June, I’ve been cataloguing my CSA vegetable share, but I feel like I can’t just put up the list and call it a day, that I need to add something whether it’s a recipe, an anecdote, or a paean to the CSA movement. I like playing with words – the phrase “greens, greens, salad and herbs” tickled some part of me. As to what I gain? I have an outlet for all the weird ephemera rattling around in my head. I’ve gained an amorphous set of friends. And it’s just fun.

Thanks, Christine! Next?