Questions and Answers

As I mentioned last time, A Free Man is testing experimental interview techniques, and we're all invited to join in. Post a comment on his site, and he'll pair you up with two bloggers somewhere in the world, one who will interview you, and one who you interview.

My interviewer is Agnes from It All Started With Carbon Monoxide. I've read Agnes' blog before, so I was not surprised when she emailed me some great questions. It's been a bit of a brain dead week, so it's taken me a couple of days to get around to writing (and rhyming) my responses. I like to think when you read this you picture me being interviewed sitting on some over sized sofa with lots of Indian style cushions and throws and a large glass of wine in front of me. Very ABC.

IASWCM: Hit shuffle on your iPod/iTunes/CD payer/gramophone/music player of choice. Name the first five songs that pop up.
BHG: I like to think of myself as a fairly technology-friendly kind of person, but when it comes to music CDs are about as new-fangled as I get. Nothing beats vinyl. I do however have a 5 disc CD player, and these would be the songs of choice from the five CDs that happened to be in there when I received this email:
1. The Pale Saints, Sight of You (from the Comforts of Madness album)
2. Billy Bragg, Marching Song of the Covert Battalion (from the Internationale EP)
3. The Sundays, I Won (from the Reading, Writing and Arithmetic album)
4. Arcade Fire, Neighbourhood #1 (from the totally wonderful Funeral album)
5. Okkervil River, Black (from the Black Sheep Boy album)

IASWCM: You've mentioned cricket a few times on your blog lately. Shane Warne: sporting hero or total nutbag.
BHG: Can't he be both? Obviously very few people spin like Warne (except Muttiah Muralitharan, and yes I had to look up how to spell his name). These two are really the only players in the game recently that make spin exciting to watch, especially in limited overs. I was also really impressed with his work after the Boxing Day Tsunami. Other than that - the hair, the women, the phone sex, the outfits. Cut Snake.

IASWCM: The Sound of Music is listed a one of your favourite movies. I have three questions: a) Tell me a few of your favourite things - rhyming is allowed, if not encouraged. b) Fast forwarding through Maria and Captain Von Trapp's love scene in the gazebo - yes or no? c) The Von Trapp kids - do you find any of them annoying in any way, and if so, which ones, and why?
BHG: It is true, this is one of my favourite films, I can literally recite it from start to end. Schmaltz all on top. I also have a bit of a thing about nuns, which I don't think has made its way on to BHG previously. I collect them (I have hundreds of them, figurines, icons, posters, cards, wall hangings, I have my own habit and a full thigh tattoo of one). So needless to say the nuns in SOM are a big attraction. But in answer to your questions:
a) My favourite things:
Sleeping with kittens on pillow and feet
Lucias and Maya, great places to eat
Boarding in Oz, but landing in Greece
These are a few of my favourite things.

Singing and dancing all the night long
To Pixies, and Pavement and Stone Roses songs
Throw in mates, and get us a round
These are a few of my favourite things

Big oily gins with tonic and ice
Make horrid work days suddenlty nice
Then falling asleep and waking at noon
Yes, these are a few of my favourite things

Tee hee, I know this doesn't scan exactly right, but I hope it's not too bad a showing.

b) Fastforward? Totally. But it's not as bad as Ralf and Leisl. That's truely horrid. I like the bit when they're hiding behind the tombstones in the convent.

c) Most of them actually. But Leisl's the worst. If I were Ralf and I had to face a long lifetime with her staring out infront of me, I think I'd join some dodgy political group just to get away from her too.

IASWCM: It's been pretty bloody hot here in Australia lately. What do you do to cope with the heat?
BHG: Sleep. Sleep through as much of it as humanly possible.

IASWCM: Name your mosted hated ad on television
BHG: This was a tossup. The ped-egg one is horridly annoying. I can't believe these people care so much about their feet for god sakes. If I have body image issues it's my face or my hair or my rolls of fat. Not my feet. However, on reflection, nothing, and I mean nothing, beats those ridiculous adds with the Australian cricket team over-dubbed by KFC. Shoot me now.

IASWCM: If you could have a celebrity chef cook for you for a week who would it be? And most importantly what would they cook for you?
BGH: This is a tough one. Most celebrity chefs are really annoying (Jamie Oliver in particular), but most of them cook really nice food. I'm also craving Chinese food like crazy at the moment. But on reflection I think it would have to be Simon Bryant, because he's local, cute as hell, and I like the way he looks at the world. I once tried to make his Murtabak, and failed in quite a spectacular manner, so I think it would have to be that.

IASWCM: Do you have any regrets?
BHG: I simultaneously have none and too many to go into them in such a forum.

IASWCM: What's the best place you've ever been to?
BHG: Mercy, what a question? Can't narrow it down to one but I'll say: Athens, London, Prague, Varannasi and Shanghai.

Well there, dear readers, you have it. Again, great questions Agnes, hope you enjoy reading dem, just as much as I enjoyed writing dem.