I’m so grateful that Brettne pointed me to the Vogue video of Anna Wintour answering the 73 question challenge. She’s hilarious, and, as Brettne said to me, I totally covet her office. I was also fascinated by how the specific questions come together to provide a compelling portrait of a person. I’ve often written about this, about how small details can tell us a lot. In this case each question reveals a singular facet of a person and the 73 come together into a revealing kaleisdoscope. I thought it would be fun to answer them. I’d love it if you wanted to too! (I’m going to change New York to Boston for my purposes).
1. How long have you been in the area?
I was born here, but we moved around a lot, and I came back for good when I graduated from college in 1996.
2. What’s your favorite season in Boston?
Spring
3. What’s your favorite activity in Boston?
Running along the Charles at sunrise
4. Would you ever leave Boston?
I don’t think so
5. What are three words to describe living in Boston?
Seasonal, bookish, manageable
6. What’s your favorite movie?
Hard to say – not a huge movie person. But first reactions are: Stealing Home, all the Harry Potter movies, Old School.
7. Favorite movie in past five years?
Truthfully I have barely been to the movies in the past 5 years. Maybe Where the Wild Things Are. Though that may have been more than 5 years ago!
8. Favorite Hitchcock film?
I haven’t ever seen one!
9. Favorite TV show that’s currently on?
House of Cards
10. What’s a book you plan on reading?
Frankenstein
11. A book you read in school that positively shaped you?
To the Lighthouse
12. A book you read in school that you never think of?
Vanity Fair
13. On a scale of one to ten how excited are you about life right now?
Nine
14. iPhone or Android?
iPhone
15. Twitter or Instagram?
Close call, but Twitter
16. Vine or Snapchat?
Neither
17. Who should EVERYONE be following right now?
On Instagram, my friend @averdiroach, whose shots of where she lives take my breath away with their beauty. On Twitter, Book Quotes (@ao_BookQuotes) and Mary Oliver Poetry (@MaOlPoetry) for beautiful snippets of prose and poetry.
18. What’s the coolest thing in this room?
The view out of the window
19. What’s your favorite Boston restaurant?
Probably the bar at the Harvest
20. What’s your favorite food?
French fries, chocolate chip cookies, a perfectly ripe peach, brie with fig jam
21. Least favorite food?
Any shellfish
22. What do you love on your pizza?
White pizza with arugula
23. Favorite drink?
Coffee in the morning
24. Favorite dessert?
Gooey chocolate chip cookies
25. Dark chocolate or milk chocolate?
Dark
26. Weirdest thing you’ve ever eaten?
Brain, maybe – as a baby I was looked after by a French woman who fed us very authentic foods
27. What’s the hardest part about being a mom?
Not doing anything well enough
28. What’s your favorite band?
Literally, this stumps me. Pathetic. Cool about music, I’m not.
29. Favorite solo artist?
James Taylor
30. Favorite lyrics?
Waiting for my Real Life to Begin by Colin Hay
31. If your life were a song, what would the title be?
Be Here Now
32. If you could sing a duet with anyone, who would it be?
James Taylor
33. If you could master one instrument, what would it be?
Guitar
34. If you had a tattoo, where would it be?
On the inside of my wrist
35. To be or not to be?
To be
36. What’s Oprah like in person?
I wish I knew
37. What number of question was this?
37
38. Dogs or cats?
Dogs
39. Kittens or puppies?
Puppies
40. Dolphins or koalas?
Koalas
41. Bird-watching or whale-watching?
Bird-watching
42. What’s your spirit animal?
A bird
43. Best gift you’ve ever received?
My engagement ring, from my husband
44. Last gift you gave a friend?
A book
45. A person you want to have coffee with?
Mary Oliver
46. A historical figure you’d love to have coffee with?
Joan of Arc
47. How do you like your coffee?
With milk and sugar
48. Can I play a note on this piano?
Sure
49. What’s your favorite curse word?
Shit
50. What’s your favorite board game?
Sorry
51. What’s your favorite country to visit?
Africa
52. What’s the last country you visited?
Ecuador
53. What country do you wish to visit?
Chile – Patagonia
54. What do you see in this image right here?
?
55. Can you write down your favorite word that starts and ends with the same vowel?
alluvia
56. What’s your favorite color?
Orange
57. Least favorite color?
Don’t have one
58. What color dress did you wear to your prom?
Black
59. Diamonds or pearls?
Diamonds
60. Cheap shampoo or expensive?
Cheap
61. Blow-dry or air-dry?
Blow-dry
62. Heels or flats?
Sneakers
63. Can you give an impersonation of someone?
Not well
64. Can you do the same impersonation with a British accent?
No
65. My friend outside this window would love to ask you a question?
Sure
66. [Holding two different colored dresses] Which should I give my girlfriend?
The one on the right
67. Pilates or yoga?
Yoga
68. Jogging or swimming?
Jogging
69. Best way to decompress?
Read in bed
70. If you had one superpower, what would it be?
Time travel
71. Can you describe an experience you felt most nervous?
Speaking in front of a group (giving a toast or reading at my grandfather’s funeral)
72. What’s the weirdest word in the English language?
I don’t know why, but “ooze” and “unctuous” come to mind – clearly I have onomotaepia on the brain.
73. Last question: Is this the strangest interview you’ve ever had?
No
Lindsey, I also did this a couple of weeks ago, before Anna’s interview hit the net. Sarah Jessica Parker did this interview too, and I had to do it! So much fun. And I LOVE House of Cards.
I think this sounds fun. Love that you did it. Takes me back to our time in Watertown. Hope it’s a sparkler of a day in Boston today!
So much fun! I have been completing a bunch of quizzes on my blog lately- this one is going to have to join the group!
I love that Colin Hay song. What a great quiz!
I did this quiz a few weeks ago after intersecting with it on The Scene. I responded to questions that Sarah J. Parker answered. So much fun! I enjoyed reading your answers.
This is wonderful. I just might try my hand at this one too…although I should probably disclose up front that just as I am a cook who never follows recipes for meals without making them my own with a dash of this and a pinch of that, I could see this list morphing into something new altogether. Or not. Either way I truly enjoyed reading your answers.
You are so right, small details do tell us a lot. I am always so glad when I visit your blog, thanks for this today. 🙂
I loved this! (“The one on the right”!)
Fun! I’ve never done something like this on my blog–maybe it’s time! Love orange too — just did our living room redo with that as the primary color. Something about that color just picks me up. And your three words about living in Boston are just perfect.
Love this! First time I’ve seen it…very cool!
This is fun! But, I can’t believe you like James Taylor. Please erase and put in John Legend.
Gift? Book. Decompress? Read in bed. Though I already knew it, you are my hero. Love this little things questionnaire. 🙂
Love this so much! I’ve been thinking about doing this sort of question list for a while now. Think this might be the one 🙂
This was fun. Thanks for the diversion! I must add House of Cards to my winter line-up.
BRIE WITH FIG JAM! So much to love about you. Thanks for this – I love getting the opportunity to know you a little bit more.
This is so fun! I watched Sarah Jessica Parker do this in her home, loved it.
This was fun to read! I love learning little details about people. I also saw Sarah Jessica Parker do this. I’ll have to search for the Anna Wintour one.
xo