Recently, I was interviewed by a few different fellow travelers and bloggers, but really enjoyed the off-beat questions of April of ZipSetGo. So I was sitting around having a few beers a couple nights ago and though to myself — I want to know a little bit more about some of the travelers and people in the travel world, but not have the interviews be solely about travel.
So, I decided to do some interviews as I like them. Irreverent and sometimes irrational. As I am a huge fan of prime numbers, I have decided on “The Lucky 13,” for the number of oddball questions I am going to be asking. Hope you enjoy getting to know a little bit about some great travelers with (mostly) non-travel, quick and off the cuff questions and answers.
Up first is one of the only travel bloggers I have met in person. Ayngelina Brogan (if I spell that right every time on this page, I will be amazed) of the ever-interesting Bacon is Magic. Foodie. Photographer. Observer of life and one of my favorite Canadians, which is a long list to be near the top of. Hope you enjoy.
EDIT: I forgot to include Ayngelina’s Twitter link. You can, and should, follow her here.
1 — Who is your favorite writer, past or present?
Hands down Ernest Hemingway, a great travel writer without unnecessary adjectives and other written fluff.
Ayngelina from Bacon is Magic
2 — Worst actor/actress you have ever seen on the big screen?
I don’t have the patience to sit in a movie theatre for two hours so that’s a tough one. Although she’s a decent actress Julia Robert’s voice over in Eat Pray Love was annoyingly robotic.
3 — Decade in time that you wish you were living in, aside from now?
I think we romanticize past decades but conveniently forget that if we lived in the time of the Tudors, we would have all smelled terribly, had body rashes and unwaxed eyebrows. But if I have to pick I think the 1960s would have been interesting as there was so much change.
4 — Let’s hear one of your guilty pleasures — a good, embarrassing one.
I was going to say Jersey Shore but that’s not the most embarrassing. The truth is I actually like the Ghost Whisperer.
5 — Which fictional character would you most like to meet and hang out with?
Barney from How I Met Your Mother – I swear I don’t watch much but he is legendary.
6 — Person whose tweets make you smile the most?
UnbraveGirl – if you could make money from tweets she’d be a millionaire.
7 — Give us something you would not do for $100,000 in tax-free cash.
Give up pork products.
8 — Best single piece of technical advice (other than “provide good content”) you have received about travel blogging?
Write about what you care about rather than what you think will draw traffic. It seems simple but in the beginning you emulate other bloggers you like without much success. Once you start writing about what you care about people will connect with you.
9 – What is your lucky charm or biggest superstition?
None. I had a lucky pewter charm that my mother gave me, it had the Bluenose on one side and the word “Discover” on the other. Unfortunately I was robbed in Vietnam and it was in my purse.
10 – You, unfortunately, have been condemned to die, but fortunately, you get to have any meal in the world before you go. What is your menu?
Omakase. (Note from your host: I had to look this up. Now I have a craving)
the future Mr. Bacon is Magic?
11 — If you could travel with one person for one week, then never see or hear from them again in your lifetime, who would you choose?
Ewan McGregor, he’s hot and loves to travel. But he can’t bring the wife or kids.
12 — Best hotel/hostel for under $25 a night you have ever stayed in?
I really like the Sous-Bois in Montreal. Located in Old Montreal, which is key, the hostel isn’t that special but it attracts really amazing backpackers. I’ve been there 4 times and always met wonderful people.
13 — You are able to ask one yes/no question to anyone in history and get a 100% honest reply — what is your question and to whom?
Back to answer 1, I’d ask Hemingway what was so terrible that he decided to kill himself. What a morbid way to end an interview!
Thank Chuck Norris I went first, Sally’s answers will blow me out of the water.
Omigosh. I didn’t know anyone else shared my guilty love of the “Ghost Whisperer.” I don’t know what it is about that show — but it’s like crack. Cheesey, over-the-top, makes-me-cry-everytime Jennifer Love Hewitt crack.
Oh, and, as luck may have it, I am currently accepting money for my Tweets. I tweet, you send me cash. Easy, peasy!
P.S. Michael, I’d ask you when you’re going to interview ME, but I think I know the answer to that question. And I AM working on it.
I almost added it as a “host note” in the content, but yes — would LOVE to interview you, but the link back that you would get from the interview would do you no good. Get your self-hosted site!! You are going to be one of my most interesting interview subjects [cackling as I think of questions now…..]
Fabulous questions, even more fabulous answers š
By “interesting” you mean “pathetic”, right? Because loving “Ghost Whisperer” is just the tip of the iceberg as far as my lameness is concerned.
Great answers Ayngelina! Love them.
Love these non-travel questions to a great traveler! It reminds me again of what holds true: people before places.
First of all, I love the format of this. What a terrific idea. I love that it is not exclusively travel related either yet we still get insights into the travel style of Ayngelina!
Also – FAB choices w/ Hemingway and Ewan McGregor!
Great interview! I love Ayngelina’s answer about not giving up pork products. š I LOVE bacon, but I think I may give it up for $100K!
Barney!!!!!! Wonderful interview you two. Really. š A lot of fun! And so much in common as well. š
Now my answers are popping up in my head, and I amuse myself! š
Great interview and great questions!
Oh & yes BARNEY is LEGEN wait for it……DARY!!!
If you interview me, can I give all my answers in Esperanto?
Excellent questions. I had my own answers to all of them apart from number 13. Too many people in history that I would love to ask questions to.
Marilyn Monroe – Did the Kennedy family top you off?
Hitler – Did you really start the war because a Jewish pro gave you syphilis?
Buzz Artmstrong – Did you pee your pants with excitement when you landed on the moon?
Would have to settle with Julius Caesar though. Did you have a secret affair with Cleopatra?
i read her blog regularly, she is very interesting
Love this! The solution to the boring travel interviews that go on for way too long. Maybe I’m biased since I’ve also met Ayngelina in person. Jealous of you guys down in Colombia. Glad you’re having so much fun!
You can’t have Ewan, he’s MINE!
wow — thanks for all the comments, everyone. I was excited that Ayngelina agreed to be the first interview. Look for a couple of these a week for a while — I already have about 8 in the hopper.
Yay! I had the pleasure of meeting Ms. Bacon Lady in person and I’m glad this interview got her great personality across. Excellent questions, Mr. Hodson – you going to ask the same ones to all your interviewees?
some of the same questions and some different for each. Have about 7-8 already in the hopper right now. Trying to get them all organized.
I really enjoyed reading the interview! It was fun learning more about Ayngelina and the back and forth was very entertaining. Michael, I’m not sure if you were able to do this interview in person or if it was an emailed thing, but it really sounded like you two were bantering back and forth. Looking forward to the next ones!
all just via email – I like to just send the questions out and hope they reply with the first things that come to their head. And yes, her answers were great!
Love it!!! I like the random questions.
hahahahah GHOST WHISPERER!? Really Ayngelina!
For shame!
True. I love crappy TV and even I can’t bear to watch that one. š
Great questions. Genuinely interesting.
And such openness! The Ghost Whisperer?! You, madame, have now officially bared all! =)
I might have to use Omakase when I go…although Id be scared to see the price tag afterwords. And Ayngelina, Barney is indeed le-gen-……wait for it….. dary
Ayngelina, we have the same celebrity crush!!!
I’d have the exact same answer for the the one person to travel with for a week: Ewan McGregor, in his jedi robe.