Monday, February 02, 2009

Ask and answer

So last week, our pal 3Carnations answered a few questions she received and in turn offered to interview anyone else who was interested as well. Rarely one to pass up a free and presumably easy blog topic, I said, "Hit me, lady." All right. I didn't really say "Hit me," nor am I usually one to call anybody "lady." Regardless, 3Cs sent me some questions... which I promptly ignored for damn near a solid week. Whatever; there's a reason we use the phrase "fashionably late." I am totally delaying on purpose here, folks. It's all about the mystery and intrigue.

Moving along, though. Questions! Answers! I trust you can figure which is which in the list below.

  1. How long have you been knitting? Will you make me a hat? (Just joking about the hat, but seriously - Did you learn this as a child from your Grandma, or pick it up as an adult...?)

    Hmm. When did I take that up? Five? Six? Seven years ago? Something like that, I'm sure. Back in the dawn of the new crafting revolution, when knitting was still "the new yoga," my friend Lisa decided she wanted to learn, so she asked me to take a community ed knitting class with her. We learned in the after-hours classroom of a high school in St. Paul, from a pair of old ladies who were somebody's grandmas, though not either of my grandmas, obviously. The funny thing is, it was Lisa who wanted to take the knitting class, but it's me who's stuck with it since then. Correct me if I'm wrong, Lisa, but I'm not sure she actually ever finished a single project.

    As for the hat, you do realize, 3Cs, that giving you a hand-knit hat would require me to learn both your real full name AND your address? We all know that is not going to happen. Maybe I'll just make a hat and email you a picture of it and say it's yours. Sound good?

  2. Imagine some type of cheese martial law has been enforced. You may have only three different types of cheese from now on, and one must be permanently banned from your life. What are your choices?

    This is a terribly mean question, though I can't decide if it is mean primarily because of the implied stereotype about my Wisconsin roots or because the mere thought of a world in which only three cheeses are allowed is simply too terrible to bear. Alas, it is thankfully a mere hypothetical, and as such, I'll answer it as best I can.

    First off, we must keep mozzarella, because without mozzarella, there would be no pizza, not to mention no caprese salad, which is a summertime staple, if you ask me. Also, we must have cream cheese, because without cream cheese, there is little point to a bagel. Plus, do we want to live in a world with no cheesecake? I think not. That leaves only one slot for the more traditional slice-and-eat or melt-in-food varieties, and for those, I'm gonna have to go with Swiss. Wait. Saying "Swiss" entitles me to Gruyere as well, right? And Jarlsberg? Those fall under that same umbrella; do they not? Whew.

    Now for the tough part. Which of our lovely cheese friends would I ban? Strangely, I think I'd have to go with cheddar. Yes, yes, cheddar is traditionally responsible for the cheesy goodness in mac and cheese, but I'm pretty sure there's a loophole that would allow me a "cheese food" (i.e., not-quite-cheese chemical substitutes) to enjoy in mac and cheese (as well as cheesy potatoes) instead, and as I'm apt to grab a slice of cold, plain cheddar only if there's no other option nearby, I really don't think I'd miss the real thing all that much.


  3. What was the first concert you attended?

    I had rather strict parents, and as such, I have no memories of piling in a car with a group of high school friends to drive to Milwaukee or Green Bay for any shows. I did try to see the Violent Femmes at Summerfest once, but my terribly supportive older sister nixed that plan for me by telling my mother that my friends were all druggies and I would get trampled at that show. (Thanks, sis! It's a wonder we weren't closer back then, isn't it?)

    Hence, the first show I attended that I actively really wanted to see was REM, summer after my junior year of college. It was an excellent first "real" concert, mind you, but the fact that it happened so late in my life only serves to support the "late bloomer" thing I've mentioned more than once.

    That said, I do recall seeing various shows pretty much not on purpose. My dad was a member of the local Jaycees, and they brought a "big-name" musical act to the high school gym in our town at least once or twice during my youth. My parents still have a signed poster in their basement from the Billy "Crash" Craddock show, and from a Sha Na Na one as well. And I do remember seeing a band called the Jack D'Johns with my parents at the State Fair and various other family-friendly events numerous times as a kid. I am guessing none of you have ever heard of them, but look! They are still around! And they have a Web page! Who knew.

  4. If you participated in a white elephant exchange tomorrow, what random, unusual item in your home would you give up?

    Hmm. I have a particle board dresser I bought in college that I've been meaning to Craig's List, but I think that exceeds the usual acceptable size for white elephant gifts. I could give up Paco, the brightly colored paper-mâché rabbit I bought at Goodwill a few years ago, who now lives in my newly renovated basement... But if I did that, I wouldn't have a fun conversation piece or a photo prop for parties. Obviously I'd have to think on this.

  5. Imagine that the year of Stef (the sequel: 2009: Victory is Mine) culminates in finding the man of your dreams. A wedding is being planned. Do you envision a big "Oh my gosh am I really spending this much on something that lasts only a few hours" wedding, or would you be more likely to keep it simple?

    Honestly, I have never been one of those girls who had her wedding planned since her pre-teen years. The rare times I think about the specifics of such an event, I tend to completely forget about rather obvious details... you know, like the fact that my family would be there and not just my friends, and that I'd actually have to live my personal nightmare and repeatedly call numerous strangers at various places of business to secure quotes and garner buckets of details. Perish the thought.

    If I were to get married, though, I think it would be something in between the "keep it simple" and the "oh my gosh" plan. My goal would be "keep it simple," but I'd also want to throw a big, fun party. Hence, I doubt I'd spend a fortune on a fancy white dress (and I doubt even more that any church would be getting any cash from me to host the ceremony), but I do know I'd want to make sure my friends were happily liquored up and the surroundings were at amply lovely. Oh, and I'd want to have Nabbalicious there to take photos, because seriously, have you seen her work? So I'd spend a bit flying her in and paying her for her trouble. And then I'd take whatever other cash we might have squandered on such an event and use it for a fantastic honeymoon, of course.

All right. I'm pretty sure the follow-up part of this interview game requires me to interview some of you as well. I can't promise any particularly excellent questions, nor can I guarantee (based on the time line it took me to answer these) that you will receive them as promptly as you should. But if you want to play along, speak up in the comments, and I'll see what I can do for you. Just say "Interview me!"

16 comments:

steve said...

Hey, I'd love an interview.

Also, REM was my very first concert, seen in your home state. We wantes to see them in an open air venue, so we drove all the way to Alpine Valley. Great concert.

And I'm with you on the wedding thing - keep it simple, but as much fun as possible. And Nabbalicious to photograph it all.

Unknown said...

Thanks Stef, I really appreciated that link-in!

3carnations said...

We spent more on our honeymoon than we did on our wedding. Our honeymoon was a 4 night cruise. While that is pricier than most of our vacations are, in comparison to what most people spend on a wedding, it's pretty inexpensive.

The cheese was most certainly not a dig on your Wisconsin roots - I can't imagine not having access to all types of cheese and wondered what your take on it was.

Thanks for answering the questions!

shelleycoughlin said...

I am in awe at the amount of thought that went into your cheese considerations. I would have panicked and blurted out the first three that came to mind, but I think your answers are the best.

Jess said...

I like that cheese thing. For me, Swiss would be the easy and obvious choice for what would go. I hate that stuff.

Stefanie said...

Steve--You know, I've never actually been to a show at Alpine Valley! I have no idea how I totally missed that in all my years in WI. And I'll get you your interview questions shortly. Or, shortly-ish, anyway. :-)

Ang--Do I detect a note of sarcasm? I can remove the link if you want, but I still think that picture is cute.

3Cs--You do know I was kidding about it being a mean question, right? It was a good one, really! :-)

NPW--Well, cheese is a very important topic. Also, I had a week to think on it. ;-)

Stefanie said...

Jess--Really? Not a fan of Swiss? But it is so good!! Oh well. It takes all kinds. More for me, I guess!

Anonymous said...

No cheddar? I am aghast.

lizgwiz said...

You don't love cheddar? And I thought I knew you. ;) Really sharp cheddar is probably my very favorite cheese.

Billy Joel was my first concert, back in the day.

I think you've "interviewed" me before, but if you have anything left to ask me, fire away, I suppose!

Courtney said...

You'd only keep white cheese! You are a CHEESE RACIST!!

Oh, but I'd love to be interviewed!

Sauntering Soul said...

I went to college in the town where REM started. Did I ever get to see them in concert? Of course not. But I used to see the individual band members all around town. I sat and drank a beer with Michael Stipe and some of his (quite strange) friends in a bar one evening. I also saw him walk into a telephone pole on a sidewalk in downtown Athens one night but not the same night I drank beer with him. I used to see Peter Buck all over the place. He actually lived around the corner from one apartment complex I lived in.

But the B-52's were also from Athens and I did manage to see them in concert in a field behind the swimming pool right behind my dorm.

My very first concert was Rush. Because I'm very old.

3C's already interviewed me and I answered her questions, but since I seem to have nothing to write about, feel free to interview me again.

Alice said...

omg, i am having serious anxiety trying to think up answers to that cheese thing. HOW CAN YOU LIVE IN A WORLD WITH ONLY THREE CHEESES? HOWWWW??? OH THE HUMANITY!

i'd give up colby jack. i don't get that cheese.

but omg... i NEED every single other kind of cheese. seriously.

Stefanie said...

Flurrious--Cheddar is overrated. There. I said it.

Liz--See above. Sorry.

Courtney--OK, but... isn't ALL cheese white? I am pretty sure I recall learning somewhere along the line that to get orange cheddar, they add coloring. (I'm from Wisconsin. I know these things, yo.)

SS--You drank a beer with Michael Stipe? That sounds like a post you need to write.

Alice--You know, Colby Jack is actually TWO cheeses (Colby and Monterey Jack). Easy now; you only have to give up ONE!!

Maddie said...

The cheese martial law question is CRUEL!!! But I love how you answered it. So if anyone ever tries to take away my cheese eating rights, I'm stealing your answers!

Anonymous said...

Gaaaaaw, you are sweet. I'd LOVE to shoot your wedding! I'm with you, though - keep it simple and have fun.

As for the cheese question, I'd ban Swiss from my life (it's okay and all, but I don't think I'd miss it). However, I'd have to keep blue cheese, cream cheese and mozzarella. Shit, cheddar...I'll miss you.

Anonymous said...

These are all excellent questions and fantastic answers.

However, I could do without cream cheese - and cheesecake. Gasp! I hope you will still be friends with me.

Ooh, ooh! I would love to be interviewed.