Interview number 1

A few nights ago I had the pleasure of a loooong chat with Dan. Be warned - this is pretty long. If you get tired, come back later! Next interview is with Vaughan.

aminal says:
I have a new nickname for you
aminal says:
been waiting ages to try out this one
zebra says:
So what is the dealio with this interview-o?
What is my new nickname then?
zebra says:
okay.
zebra says:
I am excited.
aminal says:
you should be
zebra says:
...
aminal says:
ok, interview thing
zebra says:
(holds breath)
aminal says:
i'm going to post this on me blog
aminal says:
hopefully unedited
zebra says:
Cool cool. Does that mean I have to be funny or interesting? Cause I'm good at that.
aminal says:
but if i ask you summing you rather want to leave off, just lemme know and i'll cut it oooot
zebra says:
No, anything. No secrets from you, Nat.
aminal says:
i know you're good at being interesting - funny, not so much
aminal says:
ok, here goes
aminal says:
ya ready
zebra says:
So what is your nickname for me and what is your special question?
zebra says:
Always ready. BORN ready.
aminal says:
okay, LIEUTENANT DAN!
zebra says:
Groan!
aminal says:
ah, not the first then
zebra says:
How about....Daniel-san!
zebra says:
Wax on, wax off.
aminal says:
excellent, japanse-y, me likey
zebra says:
You know what that song "Turning Japanese" is about? Have you ever heard that song? I have a fun fact about it.
aminal says:
i love that song!
zebra says:
Do you know what it's about?!?
aminal says:
no...
zebra says:
PRISON MASTURBATION!!!
zebra says:
Seriously!
aminal says:
WHAT?!?!
zebra says:
I'm not even kidding.
aminal says:
thanks for RUINING THE SONG DAN!!!!
aminal says:
why?
aminal says:
why is it about PRISON WANKING?
zebra says:
If you read the lyrics he says: "No wine no drugs no sex no women no you....everyone around me is a psycho stranger everyone.
zebra says:
"I got your picture, I got your picture, I have it here with me inside of my cell."
zebra says:
and when you wank (as you know) your face screws up....hence....TURNING JAPANESE.
aminal says:
no way
aminal says:
i'm stunned
zebra says:
If you read along with the song it all becomes clear.
aminal says:
mmmm. gross!
zebra says:
And yet: Quite Interesting!
aminal says:
whenever I think of guys 'sorting themselves out' i think of that scene in silence of the lambs where that guy throws his jizz at clarice
zebra says:
Laugh.
aminal says:
minging. she must have been PISSED OFF
aminal says:
'i just did my hair!'
zebra says:
That happens to me every night.
aminal says:
lol
aminal says:
fuck, just that outstretched hand! LOL!!!
aminal says:
grim
aminal says:
ok, i have serious questions here!
aminal says:
ahem
zebra says:
Yes. However...well...I have a lot of Catholic guilt about masturbation, and it was only recently when they discovered it was good for your prostate that I finally came to terms with it.

Sorry...you were saying...what is your question?
aminal says:
okay, hang on
aminal says:
you're catholic?
aminal says:
didn't peg you
zebra says:
I was baptized, yes. Not really practicing.
zebra says:
I did go to midnight mass on Christmas, though.
aminal says:
i've done that, with fam friends
aminal says:
was nice
aminal says:
i didn't know any of the words though
zebra says:
Yeah, I figure it's a tradition. As I said to my brother: "I've done it for the last 27 years, I'll be damned if I stop going now!"
aminal says:
nice, punny!
zebra says:
Er, I didn't mean damned literally, though.
zebra says:
Ho ho!
aminal says:
i heart puns
aminal says:
puns get a bad rap
zebra says:
I told my dad ten puns, hoping one of them would make him laugh, but no pun in ten did.
aminal says:
!loves it!
zebra says:
Nat: You're cool.
aminal says:
you're cool too!
aminal says:
which is why I'm interviewing you
zebra says:
Anyone who hearts puns is cool in my book
aminal says:
so okay, QUESTION 1
zebra says:
Yes.
aminal says:
(officially)
zebra says:
(FINALLY!)
aminal says:
You're going skiing soon
aminal says:
looking forward?
zebra says:
This is true. I am very excited.
zebra says:
Last week skiing was probably the best week of my life.
zebra says:
Like, last year, I mean.
aminal says:
honestly?
zebra says:
Really and truly. I love love LOVE skiing and snow and being outside and going fast and the whole package was just excellent.
aminal says:
nice! and it's your birthday on the 5th, right?
zebra says:
The 6th. Waitangi day.
aminal says:
ah
aminal says:
can i ask?
zebra says:
However my party will be on the 18th and you are invited.
zebra says:
What Waitangi day is?
aminal says:
(yay!)
aminal says:
no
aminal says:
how old you will be
zebra says:
Oh! Right. I will be 29.
aminal says:
good age!
zebra says:
Only one year left before my palm starts to flash and they take me away.
zebra says:
How would you know you young sprocket?!?
aminal says:
it's ROCKIT, thanks
zebra says:
Oh yeah!
zebra says:
You really should ask what Waitangi day is.
aminal says:
and i know because i can imagine it being a CRACKER - you're not 30 yet, last year of your 20s (free reign to just do all the stuff you didn't do - although in your case that's not a lot)
aminal says:
okay, Waitangi?
zebra says:
WELL! Waitangi day is the day New Zealand was formed as a nation. It's kind of like uhm, independance day for the yanks. So my birthday is always on a holiday in NZ and it's ALWAYS sunny.
aminal says:
i like that! always sunny is so bonus
zebra says:
They signed something called the treaty of Wiatangi and it still causes contention to this day because it was very shabbily worded.
zebra says:
There are still a few things left for me to do.
zebra says:
And I still have a few weeks before uhm, I turn 29.
aminal says:
is there anything, off the top of your head, that you want to do?
zebra says:
Well I always wanted to ride in a hot air balloon, and uhm, see the metre.
aminal says:
ok, metre?
zebra says:
It's a bar of metal they keep in Paris that's exactly one metre long. In fact it's the only thing in the universe that is exactly one metre long because, well, it's "the" metre. The original.
zebra says:
Isn't that exciting?
aminal says:
very! it's like THE yardstick. except it's the metre
aminal says:
I'd see that
zebra says:
Yeah, totally. Apparently the queue is not too long. Can't imagine why not.
aminal says:
you should put your arms around it
aminal says:
give it a hug!
zebra says:
"I hugged the metre". I could say
aminal says:
indeed - okay, getting trapped in sub-questions here
zebra says:
Right! Q2. You expected me to say "threesome", didn't you?
aminal says:
okay, another light one: Question 2: What did you think of the finale of season 1 of Lost?
zebra says:
FUCKING TEASES!
aminal says:
hobbitses!
zebra says:
That show is one big tease and I can't BELIEVE I keep falling for it
aminal says:
how 'bout walt
zebra says:
I'll tell you why it gets me down, Nat: Milo Rambaldi.
zebra says:
Do you follow me?
aminal says:
i hear you mate
aminal says:
did that ever resolve?
zebra says:
No! This is what I'm saying. It's the same guy behind Lost. He has no idea where the show is going, just like he had no idea where the Rambaldi thing was going.
zebra says:
However I must say I love Lost and I thought the way they finished the finale (with everyone getting on the plane) was very cool and kind of sweet, as well.
aminal says:
I got over Alias because of rambaldi. It just went NOWHERE.
zebra says:
Actually right now Battlestar Galactica is back on Sky One, and that kicks ten types of crap out of everything else on. I love it.
zebra says:
Yeah Alias kinda went downhill- I hope they have an 'arc' for Lost and they conclude it nicely rather than let it simmer.
zebra says:
What is your theory behind Lost- the finale definitely pushed the 'they're in purgatory' angle pretty hard, but my sister is still convinced they're in like Truman Show-style TV show.
aminal says:
I think my view is coloured by what I've seen of season 2 - do you really want to know?
zebra says:
Er, sure: What's going on?
zebra says:
It actually reminds me a lot of that show The Prisioner, which also had a dude trapped in a really strange place which was never fully explained. Which is a good thing, I should say. I like the way each episode is a little mini-story. It's a clever show.
aminal says:
Well, I won't tell you what happens, but I think both of those theories aren't right. I think it's reality, it's really happening; and all the Locke mysterious stuff, the numbers, all the coincidences, they're all just that: they make up a smart, scary, and strangely sentimental story. I think I want to believe that there really is mysticism in life; I loved Signs for that (despite the religious undertones)
zebra says:
I really liked Signs, but I don't know anyone else who does.
aminal says:
enjoyable to watch, reaffirming
zebra says:
WAY better than War of the Worlds.
aminal says:
yeah, WOTW was a SHOCKER
zebra says:
Although you know I saw King Kong last night, that was a bit flat.
aminal says:
really? it had some really good reviews
zebra says:
I think it takes a lot for a movie to impress me these days.
aminal says:
picky!
zebra says:
Yeah, I mean, Kong wasn't BAD, it just didn't really take me anywhere special.
aminal says:
I would say that what used to pass for art house is now moving into mainstream. Audiences want to think more.
zebra says:
That's a good thing.
aminal says:
Titanic-style movies aren't cutting it anymore. People want to be challenged. It's a VERY good thing.
zebra says:
Although honestly from watching Celebrity Big Brother I would have thought the general public was moving in the opposite direction from 'thinking more'.
aminal says:
I LOVE BIG BROTHER.
aminal says:
but then I read heat.
zebra says:
It's...insane. Words fail me.
aminal says:
I just like the gossip, I think. It's harmless gossip.
zebra says:
I find it a pretty disturbing watch, on a number of levels.
aminal says:
I've heard the arguments, I hear where you're coming from. Journ class went ape when we got Big Brother in South Africa.
aminal says:
It was all ethics, what are we doing, blah
aminal says:
I enjoy it on a surface level - maybe it's crap that I contribute to the mindless audience but I really do love it! Just all the scandal!
zebra says:
Well, y'know, I tihnk humanity will generally go where it's gotta go, and it's my right to find that direction a little repulsive at times.

I know I'm on some pretty well-trodden uh, terrain, but yeah I do find it kind of like watching a car crash- sick but also fascinating.
aminal says:
I know what you mean - I'm not discounting your view and of all people, you're probably likely to give me a POV that I've yet to hear. I'm on BB overload at the moment, actually a bit over this series now.
zebra says:
Speaking of which, how about that Asbo TV thing I posted about today? Pretty interesting trend! We could all be each other's reality shows in a wee while. I'd watch the Nat show, no problem.
aminal says:
Isn't that porn?
zebra says:
That's what I hear!
aminal says:
so tell me now, question 3
zebra says:
I'm ready for it.
aminal says:
it's a biggie, and you can veto
zebra says:
No worries. I'm nothing if not stupidly honest.
aminal says:
Your folks split up sometime last year, right?
zebra says:
Yeah- that was a really horrible time, about this time last year it was all happening. Actually, my dad came to London ah, near the end of 2004, and my mum suspected something was up, so she came as well, and for the first time I noticed this really horrible tension between them, and I spoke to some of my friends about it, and then the next day mum and my sister sat me down and explained they...
zebra says:
...weren't going to be together and then this year has just been a series of ever more shocking revelations abuot the behaivour of my dad, uhm, yeah, it's been a really rough time for my whole family, I mean, in terms of my siblings we have all banded together, but I know that particularly for me and my brothers he was this guy that we aspired to, and now kind of uh, not really hate but ...
zebra says:
... certainly don't aspire to, which has left, well, I don't want to speak for my brothers but it's certainly left me quite rudderless in terms of life direction (which I was having a bad enough time with before!)
zebra says:
How's that for an answer?
aminal says:
You are honest!
aminal says:
I hear you on that part about your dad - is it like, he's now become a fallible person? Human? Too human?
zebra says:
Well ... it's more like ah, he was just a really great person who seemed like he had it all, like, a family and a career that he'd built, and then he just kind of ah ... that obviously didn't make him happy, so now you're like: "Oh! So those things don't make one happy. I kind of thought that was what I was going for. Hmm. Better rethink that. So what does make one happy?" And don't get me wrong..
zebra says:
...as you know I'm a pretty happy guy most of the time, but I guess you have this vision of your parents 'knowing what's what', and it's a little disorienting to have that foundation rocked so hard. And y'know, while I say this, I appreciate that most people have to deal with this shit when they're like kids of teenagers, so I appreciate I'm in a pretty good position to be reflective about it.
aminal says:
Yeah, but no one deserves to have their foundations rocked this way. Was it coming for a while or did it happen pretty quickly?
aminal says:
And hey, I'm sorry if I'm not being understanding but I keep writing things that sound really hollow - I can't hope to really understand how you're feeling.
zebra says:
Er, it's funny really, because most of my friends, like, from the outside, it seemed clear TO THEM that there were these problems in my parents' marriage, going back a long way, but I guess I looked right through them - not seeing them for the last four years probably being a factor in that!
aminal says:
yeah, of course!
zebra says:
So I was like: "You're not gonna believe it! My parents have split up!" and they were like: "Yeah, uhm, duh."
aminal says:
aw
zebra says:
mmm
aminal says:
Have you been home since they split up?
zebra says:
Yes in retrospect it did seem clear, I just figured they had their way of working, and, I mean, it was a total shock to my mum. Like, utter and total. Just destroyed her, for a good long while.

Yeah I went home uhm, each of the kids went home for a bit to kind of look after her. I mean she kind of had a breakdown and we all just did little rotations to take care of her, I went back in May.
zebra says:
I considered moving back for good but she told me not to so, yeah. I miss my niece and nephew a lot.
aminal says:
God, your poor mum.
zebra says:
Yeah, it was some rough times.
aminal says:
She wants you to live your own life though.
zebra says:
Right! Although my oldest brother is pretty funny, he is very keen for me to come back to NZ, and when I was back he sat me down with a whiskey and said: "Y'know, we could have whiskies every Sunday if you came back!"
aminal says:
I bet she is so grateful for your support though honey - how bittersweet that out of a marriage that has hurt her, she's gained you and your siblings.
aminal says:
These kind of massive life changes are so awful if they're enforced upon you - she must be so angry!
zebra says:
Right. Yeah no my mum is strong and I tihnk out of all the people in the world to handle this, she is the best equipped. Like, she was always very independant all through my life so I think, now that she's through the initial shock, she'll be okay. But you know you have this idea of growing old for someone and yeah, obviously a huge shock to discover that won't happen.
aminal says:
I bet this has also rocked your view of romantic relationships BIG time.
zebra says:
Sadly, yes. I mean, er, I'd just taken a pretty enormous blow to my view of romantic relationships ANYWAY, and tihs came pretty much right on the heels of that, so yes my view is, sadly, pretty cynical at present. Which is a pain because I'm a largely uncynical person.
aminal says:
Dan, you're such a catch though.
zebra says:
Aww, thanks Nat! My mum says that, too! I'm bound to get a girl!
aminal says:
I remember I listened to the destruct hour a while back and there was this voicemail message
aminal says:
about this stupid girl who fobbed you off because she wasn't interested in... what was it?
aminal says:
god that was funny
aminal says:
you made this really insightful point and she was uh...
zebra says:
Er, right, right, I told her what I thought was a funny/interesting story from 'The Big Bang', and she just kind of looked at me blankly, and I knew it wouldn't work out. Not that I can't date idiots! I'm not fussy!
zebra says:
I guess my worry is that, if I don't know my OWN DAD, then how well can you know anyone at all? I think we layer illusions on top of the spaces where people are, and they are only tangentally related to how people 'actually' are.
aminal says:
yeah but that's your dad, sweet - even sexually abused kids paint a veneer on their parents. Everyone wants to believe their parents are good people. Because hey - you're a product of them!
aminal says:
People forgive so much, overlook so much, to believe their families and lives are normal
zebra says:
Well yes, and presumably you want to have a good impression of your sexual partner, so you create a story on top of them that may not be true. I mean, who HASN'T had a moment when they've realized their partner wasn't who they thought they were?
aminal says:
No one can ever be who their partners think they are though! If you set an ideal you'll always be let down!
aminal says:
I guess it's a matter of how far you're willing to settle.
aminal says:
Some people will put up with a lot more than others.
aminal says:
I mean, I've had that moment before. Where you're like, did he just say that?
aminal says:
I never thought he would think that way...
zebra says:
Yeah, and I guess I've put up with a lot of crap in the name of love and I see a lot of people I know who do the same and it makes me pretty sad.
aminal says:
People who are pushovers though (willing to put up with really inexcusable stuff, cheating and the like) I almost have no time for.
aminal says:
It's like, you are MISERABLE
aminal says:
You'd be happier alone
zebra says:
Right! This is it exactly. And ... this has happened to a couple who lived with each other for 35 years. What chance do I have of getting to know/trust someone when, y'know, people who've been at it longer than I've been alive can't get the hang of it?
aminal says:
But ok, my folks, married at 22! What do you know about your entire future at 22?
zebra says:
This is what I'm sayin. I have friends my age, hell, younger, having kids and getting married and, I don't know, it feels kind of alien to me.
aminal says:
I agree.
aminal says:
Two close friends of mine have (seperately) got engaged.
aminal says:
My age. Both really smart people, really forward thinking.
aminal says:
I am left speechless by it.
aminal says:
Sure, you congratulate them.
aminal says:
But it's so not something I could do right now.
zebra says:
[Yet at the same time I have this romantic vision of somehow it all working out, finding someone who knows the real me and I know the real them, I just don't know ah, if I can trust in that anymore, that idea that you can depend on someone in that manner, which makes me feel a bit scared/alone.]
aminal says:
But Dan, you are such an amazing person! You're so interesting, so full of life. You see these YOBS who go around, every day, questioning nothing, I mean really, barely past ape stage.
aminal says:
And then contrast that with you, insightful, funny, appreciative of funny shit.
aminal says:
I am so confident that you will meet someone amazing.
aminal says:
You can't say that out of your exes, none have been amazing people.
aminal says:
Like, I look at my exes, and I see some truly awesome people, that I'm so lucky to have got to know on such a personal level.
zebra says:
So yes I guess I am in a pretty cynical mood about love right now, which you probably picked up on whilst reading the nanowrimo thing, but, y'know, I'm pretty upbeat generally, I enjoy dating and meeting new people and, yeah, I'm sure I'm not a hopeless case.
aminal says:
Yeah well, I heard you pulled on New Years, so I'm not too worried.
zebra says:
I do wonder er, like, these yobs you refer to, like, I see them to, and they often, ah, they often seem to do quite well with the old ladies, and er, this is a little embarrassing, but if I ever do want to ah...just as an experiement I went out and acted like a total wanker, like, a PARODY of a wanker, a parody of these guys I can't stand, and, like, it was a ROARING success with the ladies.
zebra says:
Isn't that sad? Like, if you ever pick up one of these books on how to Score (The Game, etc), that's pretty much the golden rule: Be a big jerk.
aminal says:
What was one of your tactics?
zebra says:
And I hate to say it, but yeah, I mean, this sounds misogynistic, doesn't it? And I don't mean it like that, I mean, I'm just reporting back my experience, here, I'm not trying to interpret it.
aminal says:
A lot of guys say that though
aminal says:
Seriously, what did you do to act like a dick?
zebra says:
I just kind of, uh, I like, thought of some guy I know who is a jerk and then acted out an over-the-top version of him, almost like a safety barrier, like: "I'm not this guy so it doesn't matter if he fails." Treat it like a role in a play, y'know? And it was this roaring success, which kind of depressed me a little, because...I'm not like that at all!
zebra says:
And I wouldn't want a person who would respond to that kind of behaviour, if you follow me.
zebra says:
Now. Question FOUR! Are you going to help out with the cover of The Trusted Professions?
aminal says:
excuse me
aminal says:
i ask the questions here MATE
aminal says:
I will help any way I can!
zebra says:
Great! Suggestions for cover?
aminal says:
i thought you were getting a pic of a gal for the cover?
aminal says:
(which honestly, seemed a little obvious to me?)
aminal says:
although if i hadn't read the story...
zebra says:
Yeah, I had the PERFECT PERSON, Helen, like, everything you'd imagine Max to be, she was, but as it turned out she was camera shy so it didn't work out.
zebra says:
What would you suggest?
aminal says:
no! no way of convincing her? ie, rewarding her with jewellery/in kind/alton towers tickets?
zebra says:
I guess I was thinking what kind of cover appeals to me personally, like what catches my eye when I am in a store, and, dodgy as it is to say it, it's probably necks, so I had the idea of a neck on the cover. I dunno. Can't explain!
zebra says:
I've a thing about necks!
aminal says:
you should see Memoirs of a Geisha then!
zebra says:
I'm going to avoid it because I like the book and don't want my own little story busted.
zebra says:
as movies tend to do.
aminal says:
well, Question 4 is actually a two-part
aminal says:
getting intricate huh!
aminal says:
(proud)
zebra says:
Really? 4.1 and 4.2 huh?
aminal says:
yeah! yeah!
zebra says:
Very good.
aminal says:
okay, 4.1 is actually a bunch of little ones too
zebra says:
Bring it!
aminal says:
4.1 I hear we're getting a Trusted Professions audiobook? Who recorded it, ie who's the voice? When will we get it?
zebra says:
Yeah, I'm really excited about the idea. It's going to be read by two friends of mine, Bradley and Helena, who will play Dalent and McKinley respectively. They're both trained actors, and Bradley has a VERY British voice so I can finally put to rest all those naysayers who thinks Dalent sounds American.
zebra says:
Helena is an absolute doll who you really should meet because she also has that quality we were speaking of earlier- just a really nice soul.
aminal says:
yeah?
zebra says:
Well actually lots of folks mentioned the American thing, especially in the earlier chapters, but Bradley says he can hear the voice really well in his head so I'm really looking forward to producing it- we're having our first meeting on Feb 11.
aminal says:
nice one - I'm so keen to hear it!
zebra says:
I listen to a lot of audiobooks at the gym so it's a format I am quite into, and the book obviously has a structure that suits it, being a transcript of a recording itself, so I think it's quite fitting. Helena thinks I should rewrite it as an actual radio play, but I'm happy with what it is. My flatmate works for Radio One so he may have a few contacts I can pitch it to at the Beeb as a radioplay.
aminal says:
wow!
zebra says:
But I really want to finish the second draft and get the cover done so I can get it to the printer.
zebra says:
4.2?
aminal says:
yup
zebra says:
k
aminal says:
pretty lame-o
zebra says:
been fun so far
aminal says:
when do we get the next destruct hour
zebra says:
ah ha! Actually I have the next TWO lined up, songwise, I just haven't had time to sit down with Rob to record it. I think we're getting together on Wednesday- we might have Benjamin in as a special guest, so...maybe next week? Possibly Friday?
zebra says:
to be honest I'm considering shutting znaddanz.com down.
aminal says:
WHAT.
aminal says:
no
zebra says:
well as you've seen I haven't been posting a lot recently.
aminal says:
yeah, but dan, you're busy right?
aminal says:
i mean, things aren't that bad?
aminal says:
is it...
aminal says:
do have another site?
aminal says:
*sniff*
aminal says:
*wide eyed, expecting*
zebra says:
`Yeah...I guess I'm just very wary of getting trapped in the online world, defined by it? I'm sure all bloggers experience such self-doubt. It was always meant to be a year-long experiment, and that year will come to an end on Feb 6.
aminal says:
really? oh, ok.
aminal says:
I shut down mine too
zebra says:
did ya?
aminal says:
you'll come crawling back
aminal says:
oh yes
zebra says:
Er, when?
aminal says:
oh, ages ago
aminal says:
still have old files from my last blog
aminal says:
maybe I should repost them, for fun
zebra says:
You should! At least in the archives.
zebra says:
I guess a lot of the blogosphere uh, like, I feel like a lot of it is a lot of old pants, and I say: "Gee I bet people are reading my site thinking exactly the same thing." and it gets me down.
zebra says:
Not that I'd ever post this! I can't stand meta-blogging. The amount of bloggers who won't shut up about what blogging is.
aminal says:
no, i like your blog!
aminal says:
omg, i so meta-blog ALL the frikkin time
aminal says:
and your reviews are cool
zebra says:
Yeah- I guess the blog was a good way to sort of PUSH me towards doing stuff like nanowrimo and the destructhour but, as with many things, I feel an odd sort of futility around it.

Oh even if I keep the site up the reviews are definitely coming to an end!
aminal says:
why?
zebra says:
They're banal!
aminal says:
omg, shut up
aminal says:
you put the lude in deluded mate
zebra says:
Unfortunately I'm an English teacher and I know whereof I speak. I'd give them a D and ask for a repeat.
zebra says:
See, I like CONTENTED blogs. Blogs with function. I tihnk that's what I need, to give znaddanz.com a sort of...direction. I'm hoping to hook up with Londonist and maybe making a videocast for them, that'd excite me more than y'know, "Oh today I read this book. It was shite. Repeat."
aminal says:
everyone has that kind of 'what the hell am i even saying' moment
aminal says:
but hey - you've made a cool site, with cool stuff. if anything, i would say you should get more personal.
aminal says:
but my blog is only personal, which bugs me
aminal says:
so everyone has their little hangup
zebra says:
That's how I try to write, uh, that's what znaddanz.com was meant to be, like, it seemed to me that everytime I saw my friends at the pub on Friday night I'd have this amusing story from my week to tell them, so I thought it would be fun to try and write them down
zebra says:
(plus I had Adrian bugging me to become a blogger)
aminal says:
i just hate that it's such a bad word
aminal says:
like at the gig, everyone was like, rolling their eyes
zebra says:
laugh! Yeah.
zebra says:
But you are a great poster girl for blogging, since you're so obviously NOT uncool.
aminal says:
yeah right! at least the geeky girls can effing OPERATE a blog. I'm like, hit publish.
aminal says:
I'd love to know what the male/female blog ratio is
aminal says:
massively female, surely
zebra says:
Yeah. I think....for a large section of society...I mean I know the media is raving about blogs being the new form of media, but they're still a VERY thin sliver of society. Most people don't know what they are, and when you explain what they are, they don't understand why you'd bother.
zebra says:
You're living on planet crazy. I'd say 2:1 in favour of guys. 3:1, even.
aminal says:
what? YOU'RE the loon dude - chicks loooooove talking about themselves
aminal says:
like, myspace
zebra says:
And there's all these huge stats of blogs, like, how we create 20,000 a day....but most of them are virtually contentless.

Chicks love talking about themselves ON THE PHONE!
aminal says:
yes
zebra says:
Myspace is....gross.
aminal says:
yes they do
zebra says:
don't I know it!
zebra says:
You're doing it right now, aren't you?!?
aminal says:
oh geez!
aminal says:
no, right now I'm sitting talking to you
zebra says:
aww. can't you multitask?
aminal says:
well my friend, it's been fun
zebra says:
Yeah, too much fun.
aminal says:
but it was good fun, it's nice also to have like questions on hand - most msn chats are sooo arbitrary!
zebra says:
Still, two people talking- that's all The Trusted Professions was.

Some of the best loved classics are dialogues. Like....Dialogues, by Socrates!
aminal says:
was'nt he made up?
aminal says:
or was that plato
zebra says:
Well, Plato was the MADE UP name of Aristocles, but he was a real guy. They called him that because he had broad shoulders, like a plain (ie...Plato!)
aminal says:
lol, plateau
zebra says:
But Plato and Scorates were definitely both real.
zebra says:
Exactly!
aminal says:
okay, so we started on nicknames
aminal says:
tell me one of the best ones you've had?
zebra says:
You really can't beat destructor, I mean, once it came out, it just STUCK, y'know? Because really, I just destroy so much around me, it makes me laugh so much whenever I smash something, someone always yells: "DESTRUCTOOOOOR!" and, yeah, it's perfect. It's me.
aminal says:
It is a cool name!
zebra says:
I'm blessed.
aminal says:
okay dan, I'm off now. Thanks so so much for giving me this evening, I feel like I know a lot more about you
zebra says:
Anytime. It was fun.
zebra says:
Night night, eNRGiZA!
aminal says:
ok. bye!
zebra says:
ciao bella.