30 Interesting Questions Tag

I’m currently on holiday with my partner, which is lovely. We’re having a great time seeing sights and being present and together. It’s wonderful.

The downside is I don’t have a lot of time to come up with blog ideas. And internet safety precautions mean I don’t really want to blog about our holibobs until we’re back.

So in this panicked hour between coming back from a day out exploring and going out for dinner, I’ve been sat on the hotel bed frantically looking for a topic that is suitable for my current writing circumstances - even though the point of this challenge is that it doesn’t matter what I write (damn you, perfectionism!)

Anyway, this is what I’ve settled on. I found this blog post answering the “30 Interesting Questions Tag”. Are the questions interesting? God, I hope so! Am I answering them anyway? Well, we’re leaving for our reservation now, so looks like I am…

A Few Hours Later…

1. What are your nicknames? What do you prefer to be called?

I’ve had a lot of nicknames throughout my life. The most common have been Mickey, Mickie, Mics, Micakes and Micacalooloo. Mickey and it’s variants have been the longest running, and was my chosen moniker during secondary school. I don’t mind Mickey or Mics now - I’m kind of not fussed about nicknames.

2. How often do you doodle? What do your doodles look like?

I tend to doodle when I’m bored, but not a lot. My doodles tend to look quite spirally. I like spirals. Or I draw eyes, mouths and celestial bodies.

3. What do you do if you can’t sleep at night? Do you count sheep? Toss and turn? Try to get up and do something productive?

I tend to just lie there scrolling on my phone, which is really bad. Because I’m usually warm and comfy, I don’t want to get up. I also don’t want to disturb my partner by getting up either.

4. Do people consider you to be talkative or quiet?

It depends on the situation, I feel. I think people who know me well would say I’m quite chatty, but others who aren’t as close to me would say I’m reserved.

5. What makes you cry?

Ummm…emotional stories? It’s hard to explain. So for example, I cried in Come From Away when (spoiler) Hannah finds out her son didn’t make it (iykyk). I cried in the act 2 section in Hamilton from ‘Burn’ to ‘It’s Quiet Uptown’ (again, iykyk). I cried in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button when (spoilers) Benjamin and Elowen watch the moon landing (and yes, iykyk).

Basically, give me a sad moment in the second half of a musical and I’ll cry.

6. What is your biggest pet peeve?

J says it’s stupidity, so I’m going with that.

7. How many times a day do you look at yourself in the mirror?

Umm, I don’t know. ‘Look’ as in ‘see my reflection’, probably four times a day. ‘Look’ as in actually look, maybe once or twice?

8. What is the strangest thing you believed as a child?

There was this day I was lying on the bed and I opened my mouth and all these birds outside started tweeting and I dead-ass though it was me making all the bird sounds.

9. What is the guilty pleasure you enjoy too much to give up?

See, I don’t think pleasure should be guilty. I think as adults we shame ourselves out of enjoying things and that’s really sad. Especially with how hard life can be. Have that weird hobby! Love the shit out of that TV show! Dance the that band you loved when you were 13!

10. Who performs the most random acts of kindness out of everyone you know?

I actually don’t personally know of anyone who does random acts of kindness. That’s really bad, isn’t it…

11. How often do you read the newspaper? Which sections?

Yeah, I don’t read the newspaper. I mostly read articles on my news app. It tends to be a lot of Psychology Today and other ‘self-help’ content.

12. Which animal scares you the most?

I think animals are more scared of us than we are of them. The animal that scares me the most is whatever the deadliest animal I’m confronted with at the time is. Like, I’m not going to be scared of a tiger when I’m not at the zoo, y’know?

13. Are you more likely to avoid conflict or engage with it?

100% avoid. It’s a problem.

14. What is the most recent compliment you’ve received?

J just said, “I think you’re beautiful.”

15. What question are you tired of hearing?

I think it would be “do you have anything coming up?” If you don’t you feel deflated, if you do but can’t say yet you feel frustrated, and if you do and can say it quickly feel like old news.

16. What is the strangest thing you have eaten?

Define ‘strange’. Like, I’ve had oxtail but I wouldn’t call that strange. It’s all down to your culture what’s strange and what isn’t. Unless you’ve been on I’m A Celeb.

17. Do you have a whole lot of acquaintances or just a few very close friends?

Close friends. I’ve never been one of those people with a million friends.

18. Do you have a catchphrase?

Not really.

19. What’s your all-time favourite town or city? Why?

Ooooo…. I don’t know. I’d say Edinburgh but I think that’s more the memories I made there (although it’s also a beautiful city).

20. If you had to change your first name, what would you change it to?

I don’t think I would change my first name. I like my name. I think it suits me. If I had to change it I’d probably change it to something nature based, like a plant name.

21. When was the last time you lied?

Lied by omission, probably four days ago?

22. What’s something that amazes you?

How humans invented different foods. Like bread. We had to not only figure out that wheat was a tasty and nutritious grass, but then decide to grind it up, mix it with water and salt, and cook it. Why would we go through all that trouble?! That’s so long!

23. Would you rather be the first person to explore a planet or be the inventor of a drug that cures a deadly disease?

Inventor of the drug. Look, I love space, but the drug would help people on earth right now. Exploring a new planet in these times where everything is, more or less, f*ck would feel egoic and pointless. Sure, there’s some ego in being the person to discover the cure, but at lease you’re also helping people who would die otherwise.

24. What is your favourite amateur activity?

Crochet? And yoga. I feel really good after yoga. I should do it more.

25. What was your first thought when you got up this morning?

“I’m sleepy/slightly hungover” (I’m on holiday - don’t judge).

26. What is your favourite song (at least at the moment)?

‘It’s Too Darn Hot’ from Kiss Me Kate. Only because it makes the hot weather bearable.

27. List someone you know and describe them in five words.

My partner: funny, caring, insightful, measured, loving

28. You can select one person from history and have them truthfully answer one question. Who would you select and what would the question be?

Oooooo! This is a good question. Hmmm… Part of me wants to say Albert Einstein and the question would be, “what were you’re last words translated into English"?” (his last words were in German to a nurse who didn’t speak German). But I’d probably want it to be someone with an answer that would benefit humanity and I can’t think of who that would be right now.

29. Which celebrity or artist do you resemble the most?

I have no idea!

30. What do you want me to know?

That I’ve answered these questions full of pasta and half a bottle of wine down. I’m so sorry.