Inside The Blogger's Studio: Part Four

What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?

If talent is not an issue, I would most like to write for Conan or Letterman. I wouldn't mind interviewing the guests, too, but the monologue and the rest of it doesn't appeal to me as much.

What profession would you not like to do?

Any job in a nursing home, especially if it has an Alzheimer's unit.

If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?

Nothing. I just want Him to shrug His shoulders.

Inside The Blogger's Studio: Part Three

What sound or noise do you love?

When a crowd cheers in anticipation, e.g. the top of the ninth inning of a home game.

What sound or noise do you hate?

Generally speaking, anything that I'm not able to turn off or turn down, especially if it repeats at irregular intervals. Snoring is a specific example.

Inside The Blogger's Studio: Part Two

What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally?

I like meeting and interacting with people, especially people who put effort into entertaining me, from friends to comedians to musicians.

Also, lots and lots of attention.

What turns you off?

Interpersonal conflict.

What is your favorite curse word?

When I'm watching a favorite sports team screw up, I like to say "FUCKINGSONOFABITCHBASTARD!"

I like "assbag", but I couldn't say why.

I use "fuck" the most.

Inside The Blogger's Studio: Part One

What is your favorite word?

Intercalary (adj.)

1.

1. Inserted in the calendar to make the calendar year correspond to the solar year. Used of a day or month.
2. Having such a day or month inserted. Used of a year.

2. Inserted between other elements or parts; interpolated.

I fell in love with it during Organismic Biology -- grasses have intercalary meristems.

What is your least favorite word?

I think a lot of people interpret this question incorrectly -- men in particular. Men tend to respond with words they hate to hear women say. "Random." "Shady." "Whatever."

There are definitely words that I can't stand to hear certain people say; there's a coworker that uses the word "sammich" instead of "sandwich", and boy do I hate that. But "sammich" isn't really a word, so I don't think that counts, either.

And I hate the way that some words are used. If I'm reading the sports page, for example, and a story notes that "the Cleveland defense was raped for over 600 yards", I cringe.

But I think what the question is REALLY getting at isn't a word's meaning or how it's used or who's saying it. Just the word itself.

In that case, I choose "pleat", a word with no appeal whatsoever.