Frequently Asked Questions
In one of my Mac magazines, the editors were asked to fill out a questionnaire for an anniversary. I’ll take the questions, but not the answers.
What is the greatest misfortune for you? Getting up early every day. Where would you like to live? Tokyo. What is perfect earthly happiness for you? Lying in bed with my girlfriend, relaxed and without a thought for reality.
What mistakes are you most likely to forgive? Funny ones. Your favorite fictional heroes? Kim, Kelhim, and Gorg from Wolfgang and Heike Hohlbein’s Magic Moon, who get to roam a beautiful and diverse fantasy world. Your favorite historical figure? Lilith, the first woman of mankind, and no one knows her.
Your favorite heroines in real life? Girls who have charisma. Your favorite heroines in poetry? Teeta. Your favorite painters? Satoshi Urushihara and Yoshiyuki Sadamoto. Your favorite composer? Nobuo Uematsu.
Grab the book closest to you, turn to page 18, and read sentence number 4. What does it say? The paved path leading from the gate circumvented the tree and continued on long and straight across a broad quadrangle, two three-storey concrete dorm buildings facing each other on either side of the path.
From Haruki Murakami’s Norwegian Wood.
What qualities do you value most in a man? Self-control. What quality do you most appreciate in a woman? The ability to smile her way out of problems. Your favorite virtue? Thoughtfulness. Your favorite pastime? Sitting at my Mac.
Who or what would you have liked to be? Japanese. Your main character trait? Curiosity. What do you value most in your friends? Reliability and honesty. Your biggest flaw? I think too much. Your dream of happiness? A small house in the suburbs of Tokyo with my family.
What would be the greatest misfortune for you? Losing those I love. What would you like to be? Sillier. Your favorite color? Deep dark ocean blue. Your favorite flower? Sunflower. Your favorite bird? Hummingbird. Your favorite author? Wolfgang Hohlbein. Your favorite poet? I don’t have one.
Your heroes in real life? Everyone who fights for justice and equality. Your heroines in history? Jeanne d’Arc. Your favorite names? Nami, Rebecca. What do you detest most? When people suffer injustice. Which historical figures do you detest most? Hitler, although for a while I was very interested in him and his ability to seduce an entire nation.
Which military achievements do you admire most? Humanitarian ones, and those that make sense to me. Which reform do you admire most? The introduction of the euro, the step towards a united Europe.
What gift would you like to have? To be able to stop time. How would you like to die? With a smile. What would your last words be? It was beautiful.
Your current state of mind? Mentally and physically tired. Your motto? Don’t dream your life, live your dream.