BEDM 21: Pennyblossoms interrogation!!!

Morning!!! Or even afternoon. Oh wait,no, Evenin!

I'm collaborating with Zoe over at Pennyblossoms today.  We've asked each other some questions to answer for BEDM.  Zoe's idea was for me to teach her Chopsticks via Skype but I am a bit technologically challenged so not sure HOW to skype. Maybe another time...

Anyway, so onto Zoe's Self-named Kezzie Quest.   I love her questions, they are super!

Here she is looking amazing.  I thought she was Sade!

1. Seeing as I am sitting here procrastinating on what I can ask you, rather than just getting on with it, what is your own bugbear about yourself?

Ha! I  AM So procrastinating as I type this. I can think of MANY bugbears.  One of them is my complete inability to go to bed early.  I don't know what is wrong with me but I seriously need to get to bed!!! I think this is MUCH to do with procrastination too! I'm also highly frustrated with my inability to be tidy! 

2. I’m not sure how many instruments you can play, but if you were to excel at one particular other one, what would it be?

I can play many instruments (flute, viola, piano, clarinet, saxophone, recorder, Balinese Gamelan etc) but I guess I would have LOVED to  have learnt the Japanese Shō . This amazing instrument is a form of mouth-organ makes sounds through reeds inside bamboo pipes of differing lengths.  I first learnt about it during my Music Traditions of the Far East elective at University. I just fell in love with Gagaku music, the Imperial Court music of Japan.  The music is pentatonic (uses five tones which gives it that distinctive 'Oriental' sound we Europeans associate with Japan and China but the Sho plays these clusters of pitches called Aitake which are more scrunchy and pitches other than the 5 tones. The sound is supposed to represent the sound of the phoenix escaping the ashes and the way the pipes are placed is supposed to look like the wings of that Phoenix. Gagaku is considered the oldest Classical music in Japan. I've always hankered to learn it.

Other than that, I'd love to be good at West-Javanese, Sundanese drumming which I've had a go at but it's SO hard- you have to change the pitch of the drum with your foot and my English gamelan teacher said supposedly women can't physically do it. Not sure if it's true or not but I'd love to be able to!

3. Sprouts or cabbage?

No bloomin contest.Cabbage EVERY time. So many varieties that can be cooked in so many ways. Sprouts stay as sprouts no matter what Delia or anyone else may say! (That said, I DO eat sprouts)

4. What skill eludes you?

Where shall we start?  Being able to give directions from a map whilst driving; getting up early; anything remotely skilled like knitting or to stay tidy for long.


5.  What makes you go “Wow!”?

An amazing view, a skilful musician, when my school children do something unexpectedly brilliant, a miracle, the kindness of other people! I'm easily wowed!

6. Favourite Dr Who? (Are you allowed a favourite?) And why?

Awwww, no fair!!!! Ok, so if you had asked this when I was 14, I would have said Paul McGann because I had a total crush on him!  I have HIM to thank for me totally and utterly getting into Doctor Who and acquiring much memorabilia and reading, watching and even going to a Convention.   I still have a soft spot for him and think he got a rum deal in terms of not getting a series.  If I had to choose, Peter Davidson was always the one I loved the best! I loved his more gentle nature. He was the KINDEST of the Doctors.

Borrowed from Wikipedia

7. Favourite food(s)?

Well, I DO love Crisps, this is no secret. But healthy foods? I love Sweet corn and I love Pak choi. I adored a dish in INdonesia called Cap Jai/Chai which was of Oriental descent I was told.  It was a spicy red chilli sauce with green leafy vegetables, carrots, scrambled egg mixed in and bits of chicken. To be eaten with boiled rice. 

I am a complete sucker for Tempe and Tofu cooked in the way that they do in Indonesia- SO many ways. Other than that, I am not sure, really!  I love Tempeh Goreng as in the second picture down. SO tasty. Tempeh is a fermented soya bean curd.

Image borrowed from www.cakwigi.blogdetik.com

Image borrowed from http://forums.soompi.com/en/topic/211487-tempe-goreng-tempe-kecap-indonesian-food/

Seriously need to go back to Indonesia...

If money was no object, I would… Complete the sentence!

I would not be a teacher! Honestly don't know.  I would live somewhere pretty and I would visit somewhere tropical and lovely with no dodgy creepycrawlies or snakes.  

Have you ever done anything that would shock/surprise me?

Er- I am really, really ashamed of this. But when I was about 3, I was in Sainsbury's and I remember looking at the Pick n mix. I distinctly remember looking at a massive tub of sweets that had a gold and brown striped wrapper- probably some form of chocolate toffee.  That is my last recollection, staring at them and wanting one. Next thing I remembered was being in my Mum's car in the school carpark to pick up my older sister. My Mum left me and went to get her and I remember pulling out two of those sweets from my pocket! Ahrgh, I shoplifted and I have no recollection of even doing it!

Mantra to live by? (In a perfect world and all that!)

Well, really, it should be for me, the greatest commandment, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart with all your mind, with all your soul and love your neighbour as yourself. "

If I did that everyday, I think I might be a nicer person and the world would be a better place. Sadly, I am human and flawed and can be horrible!

Ha, thank you for your lovely questions, Zoe, I loved them!

Was great fun to collaborate on a BEDM post!

xx