The interview game

In former times it was always me questioning people, but last year I got my first chance: I was interviewed by a German broadcasting company. Yet the questions weren't about me, but about a book I wrote (exactly: The book's a biography and my "subject" became 70 years old the very day. So I was interviewed about him). Nevertheless it was kind of fun. So I wanted do another interview - and pigwidgeon37 gave me a go in the interview game. This make me now the next candidate for doing interviews - so here the rules for the game:1 - Leave a comment, saying you want to be interviewed.2 - I will respond; I'll ask you five questions.3 - You'll update your journal with my five questions, and your five answers.4 - You'll include this explanation.5 - You'll ask other people five questions when they want to be interviewed.And here, pigwidgeon37s questions plus my answers:1. What do you like most about London?That it is the place where my lord and master lives?No, just kidding - I'm sure I'd love London even without loving an "adopted Londoner" too. And the reason is a mixture I can hardly describe (I even would have a problem in German with doing so). The one thing I love about London is history. It's a place on which I feel in a very special way connected to European history, to my roots. In certain London districts I got always a feeling as if every house, every stone, every wall breaths history. And there's so much to look at in London. I think I'll never become tired of all the beauty this city holds - like Parliament, St. Pauls, the after brand churches (I really love them), Westminster. But London - and this is the next thing I find so very special and wonderful about - isn't a museum. London is one of the most alive places I've ever knew. It changes daily, it's always new and exciting and it seems to burst with creativity. Although I'm far away of being interested in clothes - I love walking through London and looking to people. You get every kind of people here: Very, very elegant women with a style you hardly find in another place (okay, okay - perhaps with the exception of Paris), old-fashioned, but nevertheless great dressed men, young people wearing the most extravagants and interesting outfits. And the next thing I really love about London is "culture" - theatres, concertos, the opera, even the musicals. You can't get such a lot of different events in one evening at another place, methinks. 2. When visiting a new city, what interests you most?History - historical places are always first. I love to visit old churches, castles and buildings and mostly by coming to a new city, I've already an "agenda" from what I've read before. I'm absolutely not interested in shopping or something like that - from my experience it doesn't make a big difference if one shops in London, Paris, Stuttgart or Los Angeles - except perhaps for a few regional specialities (though I must say I always buy tea in Stuttgart - not only because it's cheaper as in London, but because the Germans are obviously more demanding in tea, so the offering of real good German shops is mostly higher in the quality). Except from running around in old churches and castles I love to watch the life in a city. Seating a street caf?, looking to people, hearing their accent - I think it gives me a "feeling" for a city. And I like talking to people like the Fiaker drivers (in Salzburg and Vienna I have had long and nice conversations with them), the waiters (I rarely visit cities during their "tourist season". I mostly come before or after, so the people there have more time to talk), the guy in a shop. This often brings me to getting tips about restaurants or other places tourists hardly get - and I love this. Besides I'm mostly traveling with P. - and he's a kind of "pied piper". Let him loose for a few hours in a foreign place - and he comes back, having five new friends who are very keen to show him things like the work space of a boat maker in Venice, the place where wonderful fabrics are done, the restaurant, hidden in a tiny street, where the grandmother of one of the guys he met is cooking wonderfully and such things. 3. Who is your favourite German/Austrian/Swiss author?You're going to like this, Susanna. ;-) I have two favourites and both are Austrians: Stefan Zweig and Friedrich Torberg. Besides I'm a typical German and so I'm of course in love with Goethe - especially the "Faust". And I like Schiller's plays - especially "Don Carlos".4. Do you have a favourite conductor?</ib>In former times I'd have say Sergiu Celibidache. But since he's death, I'm with Brits: Sir Neville Marriner and Sir Simon Rattle.5. If you could travel back in time, which era would you choose?</ib>Oh heavens - that's a very difficult question. Actually I like the time I live in very much, so I never felt a wish to be in another time (especially not in being a woman there - I think for us women this time is one of the best). Yet if I could go to another time for a few days, I'd like to visit Rome in the time of the Emperor Augustus or perhaps Italy during the Renaissance.OK, friends and everybody else--leave a comment if you want to be asked five questions :)

Online again

Sometimes small things are able to make one happy - such as a functioning data line. Ours didn't work in the morning, so I called the phone company. There I got a lady who was obviously very busy with chewing a gum and sounded as if she'd want to be cast in a soap opera (as the bitchy visitor from America). She mumbled something like: "Yeah, I know - we're having big trouble with your line ...", didn't think of something like apologizing (we're paying for this f******ing line and this not too less, so I think something like "We're sorry, but we can't serve you at the moment" could be appropriate) and didn't have a clue if and when the "big trouble" would be solved. But she promised me she would call if she'd heard something new about. She didn't - it was son who discovered we're online again. Son and I were quite happy about, only son's father was mumbling something like: "What did I do to deserve living with a house full of online junkies?" I really don't know - I always wonder too how he deserves having a brillant son and a clever girlfriend. ;-)

The stolen book meme

As it's widely known: I can't resist a meme.So here we jolly go: The book meme ...Title in bold = the books I've read(but having read them doesn't always mean I've liked them too)1. The Lord of the Rings, JRR Tolkien2. Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen3. His Dark Materials, Philip Pullman4. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Douglas Adams5. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, JK Rowling6. To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee7. Winnie the Pooh, AA Milne8. Nineteen Eighty-Four, George Orwell9. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, CS Lewis10. Jane Eyre, Charlotte Bronte11. Catch-22, Joseph Heller12. Wuthering Heights, Emily Bronte13. Birdsong, Sebastian Faulks14. Rebecca, Daphne du Maurier15. The Catcher in the Rye, JD Salinger16. The Wind in the Willows, Kenneth Grahame17. Great Expectations, Charles Dickens18. Little Women, Louisa May Alcott19. Captain Corelli's Mandolin, Louis de Bernieres20. War and Peace, Leo Tolstoy 21. Gone with the Wind, Margaret Mitchell 22. Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone, JK Rowling23. Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets, JK Rowling24. Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban, JK Rowling25. The Hobbit, JRR Tolkien26. Tess Of The D'Urbervilles, Thomas Hardy27. Middlemarch, George Eliot28. A Prayer For Owen Meany, John Irving29. The Grapes Of Wrath, John Steinbeck30. Alice's Adventures In Wonderland, Lewis Carroll31. The Story Of Tracy Beaker, Jacqueline Wilson32. One Hundred Years Of Solitude, Gabriel Garcia Marquez33. The Pillars Of The Earth, Ken Follett34. David Copperfield, Charles Dickens 35. Charlie And The Chocolate Factory, Roald Dahl36. Treasure Island, Robert Louis Stevenson37. A Town Like Alice, Nevil Shute38. Persuasion, Jane Austen39. Dune, Frank Herbert40. Emma, Jane Austen 41. Anne Of Green Gables, LM Montgomery42. Watership Down, Richard Adams43. The Great Gatsby, F Scott Fitzgerald44. The Count Of Monte Cristo, Alexandre Dumas45. Brideshead Revisited, Evelyn Waugh46. Animal Farm, George Orwell47. A Christmas Carol, Charles Dickens 48. Far From The Madding Crowd, Thomas Hardy49. Goodnight Mister Tom, Michelle Magorian50. The Shell Seekers, Rosamunde Pilcher 51. The Secret Garden, Frances Hodgson Burnett52. Of Mice And Men, John Steinbeck 53. The Stand, Stephen King54. Anna Karenina, Leo Tolstoy55. A Suitable Boy, Vikram Seth56. The BFG, Roald Dahl57. Swallows And Amazons, Arthur Ransome58. Black Beauty, Anna Sewell59. Artemis Fowl, Eoin Colfer60. Crime And Punishment, Fyodor Dostoyevsky61. Noughts And Crosses, Malorie Blackman62. Memoirs Of A Geisha, Arthur Golden63. A Tale Of Two Cities, Charles Dickens64. The Thorn Birds, Colleen McCollough65. Mort, Terry Pratchett66. The Magic Faraway Tree, Enid Blyton67. The Magus, John Fowles68. Good Omens, Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman69. Guards! Guards!, Terry Pratchett70. Lord Of The Flies, William Golding71. Perfume, Patrick Suskind72. The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists, Robert Tressell73. Night Watch, Terry Pratchett74. Matilda, Roald Dahl75. Bridget Jones's Diary, Helen Fielding76. The Secret History, Donna Tartt77. The Woman In White, Wilkie Collins78. Ulysses, James Joyce 79. Bleak House, Charles Dickens80. Double Act, Jacqueline Wilson81. The Twits, Roald Dahl82. I Capture The Castle, Dodie Smith83. Holes, Louis Sachar84. Gormenghast, Mervyn Peake85. The God Of Small Things, Arundhati Roy86. Vicky Angel, Jacqueline Wilson87. Brave New World, Aldous Huxley88. Cold Comfort Farm, Stella Gibbons89. Magician, Raymond E Feist90. On The Road, Jack Kerouac91. The Godfather, Mario Puzo92. The Clan Of The Cave Bear, Jean M Auel93. The Colour Of Magic, Terry Pratchett94. The Alchemist, Paulo Coelho95. Katherine, Anya Seton96. Kane And Abel, Jeffrey Archer97. Love In The Time Of Cholera, Gabriel Garcia Marquez98. Girls In Love, Jacqueline Wilson99. The Princess Diaries, Meg Cabot100. Midnight's Children, Salman Rushdie101. Three Men In A Boat, Jerome K. Jerome102. Small Gods, Terry Pratchett103. The Beach, Alex Garland104. Dracula, Bram Stoker105. Point Blanc, Anthony Horowitz106. The Pickwick Papers, Charles Dickens107. Stormbreaker, Anthony Horowitz108. The Wasp Factory, Iain Banks109. The Day Of The Jackal, Frederick Forsyth110. The Illustrated Mum, Jacqueline Wilson111. Jude The Obscure, Thomas Hardy112. The Secret Diary Of Adrian Mole Aged 13?, Sue Townsend113. The Cruel Sea, Nicholas Monsarrat114. Les Miserables, Victor Hugo 115. The Mayor Of Casterbridge, Thomas Hardy116. The Dare Game, Jacqueline Wilson117. Bad Girls, Jacqueline Wilson118. The Picture Of Dorian Gray, Oscar Wilde 119. Shogun, James Clavell120. The Day Of The Triffids, John Wyndham121. Lola Rose, Jacqueline Wilson122. Vanity Fair, William Makepeace Thackeray123. The Forsyte Saga, John Galsworthy124. House Of Leaves, Mark Z. Danielewski125. The Poisonwood Bible, Barbara Kingsolver126. Reaper Man, Terry Pratchett127. Angus, Thongs And Full-Frontal Snogging, Louise Rennison128. The Hound Of The Baskervilles, Arthur Conan Doyle129. Possession, A. S. Byatt130. The Master And Margarita, Mikhail Bulgakov131. The Handmaid's Tale, Margaret Atwood132. Danny The Champion Of The World, Roald Dahl133. East Of Eden, John Steinbeck134. George's Marvellous Medicine, Roald Dahl135. Wyrd Sisters, Terry Pratchett136. The Color Purple, Alice Walker137. Hogfather, Terry Pratchett138. The Thirty-Nine Steps, John Buchan139. Girls In Tears, Jacqueline Wilson140. Sleepovers, Jacqueline Wilson141. All Quiet On The Western Front, Erich Maria Remarque (in German, of course) 142. Behind The Scenes At The Museum, Kate Atkinson143. High Fidelity, Nick Hornby144. It, Stephen King145. James And The Giant Peach, Roald Dahl146. The Green Mile, Stephen King147. Papillon, Henri Charriere148. Men At Arms, Terry Pratchett149. Master And Commander, Patrick O'Brian150. Skeleton Key, Anthony Horowitz151. Soul Music, Terry Pratchett152. Thief Of Time, Terry Pratchett153. The Fifth Elephant, Terry Pratchett154. Atonement, Ian McEwan155. Secrets, Jacqueline Wilson156. The Silver Sword, Ian Serraillier157. One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest, Ken Kesey158. Heart Of Darkness, Joseph Conrad159. Kim, Rudyard Kipling160. Cross Stitch, Diana Gabaldon161. Moby Dick, Herman Melville (I didn't manage the entire thing, but I remember it as the most boring book I've ever read!) 162. River God, Wilbur Smith163. Sunset Song, Lewis Grassic Gibbon164. The Shipping News, Annie Proulx165. The World According To Garp, John Irving166. Lorna Doone, R. D. Blackmore167. Girls Out Late, Jacqueline Wilson168. The Far Pavilions, M. M. Kaye169. The Witches, Roald Dahl170. Charlotte's Web, E. B. White171. Frankenstein, Mary Shelley172. They Used To Play On Grass, Terry Venables and Gordon Williams173. The Old Man And The Sea, Ernest Hemingway174. The Name Of The Rose, Umberto Eco175. Sophie's World, Jostein Gaarder (stupid, stupid, superficial crap!) 176. Dustbin Baby, Jacqueline Wilson177. Fantastic Mr Fox, Roald Dahl178. Lolita, Vladimir Nabokov179. Jonathan Livingstone Seagull, Richard Bach180. The Little Prince, Antoine De Saint-Exupery181. The Suitcase Kid, Jacqueline Wilson182. Oliver Twist, Charles Dickens 183. The Power Of One, Bryce Courtenay184. Silas Marner, George Eliot185. American Psycho, Bret Easton Ellis186. The Diary Of A Nobody, George and Weedon Grossmith187. Trainspotting, Irvine Welsh188. Goosebumps, R. L. Stine189. Heidi, Johanna Spyri 190. Sons And Lovers, D. H. Lawrence 191. The Unbearable Lightness of Being, Milan Kundera (this was one of the favourite books of my ex-husband. I never could stand it) 192. Man And Boy, Tony Parsons193. The Truth, Terry Pratchett194. The War Of The Worlds, H. G. Wells 195. The Horse Whisperer, Nicholas Evans (don't believe a single word about horses which is in this book! Evans doesn't have the slightest clue about horses and their behaviour!) 196. A Fine Balance, Rohinton Mistry197. Witches Abroad, Terry Pratchett198. The Once And Future King, T. H. White199. The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Eric Carle200. Flowers In The Attic, Virginia AndrewsNow I wonder: Was it Pratchett fan who did this meme?