The Icepick Cometh

After reading yet another indulgent Q&A interview (this time, from a week's old New York Times Magazine), I thought I needed to get in on the action. So here's how I imagine my own personal Ten Questions would go:

Your blogger lives in a cozy bungalow that's as old as John McCain, with plumbing that probably works as good as McCain's.

Morning routine: I'm up usually by 7:15 a.m. on weekdays, which is about 45 minutes later than it should be, and thus throws everything off. I need coffee immediately, and then I'll go feed/kick the cat, who most likely tried to wake me at 6:30.

Favorite item in the house: Toss-up between my laptop and the Mr. Coffee maker.

Writing memento: A binder containing photocopies of clips. Just articles I liked and had the energy to photocopy and three-hole punch. I probably have 18 boxes of newspapers in the attic, containing (hopefully) articles that I once intended to clip someday. Oh, I also have a trophy I won because I was the best shot at a press junket at a game club. It was only, like, the second time I shot a shotgun, and I won hands down. Of course, I was competing against some aging travel writers while I grew up playing Duck Hunt on Nintendo. It (the trophy, not the NES) is a bookend on a shelf in another room of old newspapers.

Most annoying thing about blogging: Running out of coffee. I also get tired of telling people the blog was not named after Val Kilmer's character in Top Gun.

Self-indulgence: GTA when the mood strikes.

Pets: The cat is evil. She terrorizes any visitor, and constantly begs for food, even if her dish is full, because she wants you to watch, sort of like Sharon Stone in Sliver (is that the correct reference?). But we love her for who she is (the cat, that is).

Obsolete item he won't part with: Today's newspaper.

How he writes: Usually it's get angry, vent, re-write, add in a dash of self-pity, edit, post, then catch every incorrect usage that spell check didn't catch.

Procrastination technique: Is there one that hasn't been invented? I've tried them all.

Favorite vacation: Actually taking one. Something with a beach would be nice, with no wind, poop or broken bottles. A trip to the Bronx Zoo would be cool too.