The Questionnaire

"What drives you crazy? The majority of news on television."

What are you doing these days?
Writing for Lifehacker, plucking away at a book, learning about gardens, eating too much food, and occasionally standing still. In no particular order.

What turns you on creatively?
Challenges, unanswered questions, and making people say things, out loud or to themselves, that sound like, “Oh, I didn’t know X could do Y.”

If you were a mind-reader whose mind would you like to read?
My cat, Cork. Just to understand the thinking behind waking me up at 3:10 a.m. for food, and assuming that’s a long-term prospect for friendly care.

If you could travel in time, which era would you visit?
Buffalo, in its shipping/steel/industry heyday, 1950-ish or slightly before. Either to experience the history one hears so much about, or debunk parts of it.

What is your favorite sound?
Garlic, sauteing in a pan.

What is the album or song that influences you the most?
I wouldn’t say music directly influences what I do, as a writer. But thinking about accomplishment and creativity, the Beach Boys’ unfinished Smile stands out. Not the Brian Wilson solo album that he revisited and released, although that’s very good. From what I’ve read, Wilson and his collaborators had ridiculously lofty goals, were often considered crazy, and ultimately failed spectacularly at their stated goal--releasing an album. But the results are a true cult favorite to this day, expanded the Beach Boys’ artistic reach, and, by the way, sound amazing, even as fifth-generation reel-to-reel bootlegs.

Who would you like to collaborate with? And why?
Somebody I’m actually sitting across the table from. As a lark, since I haven’t done it in years.

What drives you crazy?
The majority of news on television.

What makes you laugh?
Absurdity.

If you had 3 wishes what would they be?
Expertise at homemade ice cream, more sunny days in Buffalo (just, say, 10 of them), and for Ubuntu Linux to gain a swath of programmer volunteers interested in fixing issues related to sound, multiple monitors, and wireless drivers.

What is the craziest thing you ever did?
Jump off a train trestle into a river when I was in high school. To this day, I can’t understand how or why I did that.

What makes you feel embarrassed?
Getting called out on assuming too much in writing.

What are your favorite web-sites (not including the ones that you participate in)?
I keep a few site feeds tucked away in a “Personal” folder in Google Reader. In there, you’ll find TMBLG, Slaughterhouse 90210, Garfield Minus Garfield, and Advanced NFL Stats. Everything else is related to work, somehow, or so I tell myself.

What is the silliest thing you have ever done?
Allow my sister to dye my hair while I was in college. The results were anime-style neon yellow. That I was wearing a knit cap in June says a lot about how it turned out.

How would you make the world a better place?
Try to be mindful of how inter-connected we all are, and help others realized that, too.

What is your biggest weakness?
Something related to food, I’m sure. I’m glad not to live in a fairytale land of poisoned apples.

Where will you be in 10 years?
Looking at a screen and typing, somewhere in Buffalo.

Write a question that you like to ask yourself and answer it.
“How amazing are De Niro and Pacino in Heat?” “Very.”

Who would you like to answer that Questionnaire?
My father, though he’s at peace now.

Kevin Purdy is a tech blogger and senior editor a LifeHacker.

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