I had this idea while taking a shower. Why don't I interview people for my blog?
Funny since the other day I said I wouldn't want to interview people.
I guess now I've already changed my mind.
I was going to see if anyone would volunteer; then I'd email them my questions. But then I decided I'll just post the questions here. If anyone wants to participate, you can email me the answers. Or you can answer in comments. Or if you have your own blog, you could answer the questions there.
I'd love to feature your answers in a blog post. If this is okay with those willing to answer...great. If not, please tell me, and I'll skip the post thing.
I'm interested in interviewing two types of people.
A) Australian folks
B) People who are not Australians but (like me) are obsessed with Australia.
I'll start with the Australians.
1. What makes you proud to be Australian in a deep and profound way?
2. What makes you proud to be Australian in a corny/cheesy way?
3. What is your favorite Cold Chisel Song?
4. Are you slightly annoyed, deeply annoyed, or not annoyed by American Cultural Imperialism? Whatever answer you choose—what American thing infiltrating Australia annoys you the most? What annoys you the least?
5. Do you like, love, dislike, or hate Vegemite? How often do you eat it? Do you ever use it in recipes?
6. Who is your favorite Australian author?
7. Who is your favorite Australian science hero?
(Note: I am asking for one favorite of things, but I won't yell at you if you list more than one favorite)
8. What is your opinion of Ned Kelly?
9. What is your favorite topping for Pavlova?
10. What Australian TV shows do you watch? Or which ones did you watch in the past?
11. Australian TV has some pretty tragic (fictional) deaths. Is there anyone in particular that devastated you?
12. Which of these things about Prime Ministers would you know without consulting Google (or other websites...or books....or the person sitting in the room with you)
a) the first Prime Minister of Australia
b) the second Prime Minister of Australia
c) The Prime Minister that disappeared at sea
d) The Prime Minister that was in office for only 8 days
e) The Prime Minister that was dismissed from office by the Governor-General
13. What is your Australian music "guilty pleasure"? (I think that's a silly term, but I'm using it anyway).
14. What is your favorite Australian movie?
15. Have you ever traveled around Australia in a caravan? Care to share any stories about that?
16. What is your favorite Australian candy/lolly?
17. What is your favorite flavor of Tim Tam?
18. What is your favorite Arnott's biscuit that is not a Tim Tam?
19. Who is your favorite Australian sports star?
20. Which do you prefer...Peter Garrett the singer or Peter Garrett the politician?
21. Do you have an adorable Australian accent?
22. Do you have a Hills Hoist in your backyard? Do you use it often?
23. Would you rather spend a day with Gina Rinehart, Clive Palmer, Bob Katter, or Katie Richie?
24. Would you rather go a year without eating Vegemite or have a week where you can eat nothing but meat pies (or veggie pies if you're vegetarian)?
25. Where is your favorite place in Australia?
26. What place do you love more—Sydney or Melbourne?
Brisbane or Adelaide?
Perth or Cairns?
Coober Pedy or Broken Hill?
27. What Australian stereotype do you think is the most ridiculous? Are there any you feel that are kind of true? (Like maybe you DO ride a kangaroo to work but no one takes you seriously when you try to tell them this).
28. What dangerous Australian animal (not including humans) scares you the most?
29. Would you rather eat fish and chips or fairy bread?
30. Would you rather eat fish without the chips or chips without the fish?
31. If you went to the the Sydney Royal Easter Show (or similar event) would the show bags be the highlight for you, or would you care more about something? Regardless of your answer, if you were to get a show bag, which would you want?
And...if you could invent your own Show bag, what would the theme be? And what would you put in it?
32. What question did I forget to ask you? Please ask it and then answer it.
Now for the other not-australian-but-obsessed-with-Australia people.
1. Who's more obsessed with Australia, me or you? If you answered..."me", let's think about this for a moment? Did YOU have an injured butterfly pet that you named after a Liberal Australian Prime Minister?
I'm just saying....
If you still want to stick by your answer, what makes you think you're more obsessed than me?
If you said "you" are more obsessed, are you planning to work on reaching my level of obsession? Why or why not?
2. Have you ever been to Australia? Where? When?
3. Do you live in Australia? If yes, are you gloating?
4. If you have not been to Australia, do you plan to ever go? If you went, where would you like to visit?
5. If you have been to Australia, what is your favorite tourist destination?
6. What is your favorite Australian movie?
7. Has there been a moment where you were surprised to learn a certain celebrity was Australian?
8. What led you to your Australia obsession?
9. Besides Australia, what else have you been obsessed with?
10. Does it bother you that I ended the last question with a preposition?
11. Do you own any Australian t-shirts? Do you were them to bed? Do you wear them when you're out and about in the world?
12. Are you a huge fan of Bridie Carter?
13. Are you a huge fan of Home and Away or Neighbours?
14. Has the death of a character on an Australian TV show ever caused you emotional stress?
15. Who is your favorite Australian actor?
16. Who is your favorite Australian actress?
17. Without looking at Google (or any other website...or book, etc). what Australian Prime Ministers can you name off the top of your head?
18. As for your love of Australia, have you removed your rose-colored glasses yet? If yes, what about Australia is not-so-easy to love?
19. Do you ever dream about Australia? Any recurring dream themes?
20. Who are your favorite famous Australians?
21. Have you tried Vegemite? Do you like it?
22. Without any assistance, could you name all the states and territories of Australia and their capitals?
23. If you do not live in Australia and you were going to move there, where would you want to live?
24. What (if anything) scares you about Australia?
25. Would you rather be in a room with one saltwater crocodile or twenty Sydney Funnel Web Spiders?
26. Which of these are your favorite—Lamingtons, Pavlova, Tim Tams, or Jaffas?
27. Who do you adore more...Guy Pearce or Hugo Weaving?
28. Cate Blanchett or Naomi Watts?
29. Hugh Jackman or Nicole Kidman?
30. Would you rather cuddle a koala for ten minutes or have a pet Tasmanian Devil for its whole life?
31. Would you rather see a platypus in the wild or be friends with Bindi Irwin?
32. Would you rather have a very romantic evening with Bridie Carter or wake up and find yourself a resident of Summer Bay in 1989?
33. Do you prefer Tony Abbott, Julia Gillard, or Kevin Rudd?
34. Have you ever encountered an Australian who is obsessed with where you live?
35. Has your love for Australian ever made you cry? If yes...want to share the reasons?
36. What question did I forget to ask you? If I had asked it, what would your answer be?
All right. I'm done. I hope someone will want to answer these questions.
If not...well, I had fun writing them.