It took a little over a year to finish, but Interview52 heard from it's 52nd participant last Friday.

It is really quite something to look back at the entire year of interviews. So many special characters.

Thanks to everyone who took part, and to those who tuned in and took interest in this silly project.

Interview52 has gone to the shop, but it will be back in the future. There are far too many interesting people on Moblog for it to stay gone for long.

Posted by nige

1. Where does this find you ?

This message finds me at home on a windy day in Newark enjoying an afternoon off work due to having my hours reduced. (See question 9). This is the town I was born, schooled and am now working in. Having never left to go to university I have never felt the need to move away as I have my family and a great bunch of friends in the area and even those friends that have moved away still return regularly.

2. Your quite new to Moblog, how are you finding it so far?

I’m very new to Moblog as a poster but have used it for around a year to view other people photos. I find the site easy to use and have loved the comments made on photos I have blogged. Its really nice to know other people enjoy viewing photos which I like and have enjoyed taking.

3. 10 Years time, where will you be, or do you not look that far ahead?

I don’t feel I can really look this far ahead as thing around move far to fast and being young and single I like to let opportunities lead me. The only long term things I can consider are owning a house and watching my niece grow up. Other than them I’m along for the ride.

4. One Place, over any, where would it be and why?

Not easy as I am lucky enough to have traveled to a fair few places around the world but I guess it would really have to Chamonix - Mont Blanc, France (I’m writing this a week early due to holidays and I’m guessing Toddy may have put the same last week as we traveled there together last summer and know he is a fan. I could be wrong though or maybe this is a question he added to lead me to this answer).

I have been back 4 times now since I first went in 2002 and theses trips have been in both summer and winter for both weeks and weekends.

Part of the reason why I love the place so much, is that being a keen snowboarder and mountain biker you have some of the best terrain in the world to play in, and it is only an hour out of Geneva which in turn is only an hour and half flight from home. Being a bit of an adrenalin junkie you also have the opportunity to rock climb (which between my own and toddy’s blog you may see we do a fair bit of),paraglide, as well as so many other activities.

The other part of the reason is that unlike virtually every other mountain resort I have been to it is town first resort second which gives it a very unique atmosphere.

As for photography, the valley in which it is set is also one of the most picturesque places I have ever been and with so much going on you would never left without something new to photograph.

5. Your enthusiastic about your outdoor hobbies, do you have any you prefer over the rest
and why?

I am indeed. Working In an office I love to get outdoors whenever possible.

I have been into mountain biking for years and can never see myself not enjoying it but recently I have not been out as much as I would like due to other things becoming my main hobbies. I have been a member of my local Duke of Edinburgh award centre since the age of 14, and having been through my awards with them I continue to help them out. This mean I spend many weekends a year in the peak national park and this in turn means I get chance to rock climb a lot more than I ever did before. This has also been helped by a few friends taking up the sport meaning i can usually find a partner.


6. The usual film/book/music question.
If you could only choose one of each, which would it be?

Film: The Italian job – Brilliant story and I love cars.

Book: Karl Bushby Giant steps – a story of a man walking around the world from the southern tip of south America all the way back to the UK and adventures he has on route.

Music :2 Many DJ's - As Heard On Radio Soulwax Vol. 2
quite specific but Perfect for a party or just to chillout to.


7. Do you look up to anyone, have any idols or anyone you aspire to be?

I don’t have and idols but I have people I admire.
I admire people who go further than they ever need to and push boundaries (Be it the own personnel or human) people like Ranulph Fiennes, Lance Armstrong and Edmund Hillary.
As for aspiring to be someone I can only be myself and as long as I make the most of the opportunities I am given or make for myself then I am happy.

8. You still have most of your friends from school, how has this helped you?
How has the dynamic of your friend group changed in the past 6 years?

This has helped me by meaning I never have to be on my own and always have someone to inspire me or share thoughts with. I truly belive that I couldn’t replace these friend or fall out with them as I have grown up with them, trust them and have shared far to many experience with them.

Over the last 6 years although we might not see everyone as much as when we were at school I feel we are in a way closer as you do not take seeing them for granted like at school when we were together everyday. Although we have all grow up as we have needed to, I never feel like I have to act my age around them or question myself before I say something. I think this shows a great understanding of each other and a true friendship.

9. You've come close losing you job recently as have a lot of people.
Has this made you change your priorities/outlook at all?

This is true and although I was worried I have been thought is before and know the process which definitely help. Having no real long term commitments also helped me a lot as I did not have the worries of others around me who families to support and mortgages to pay.

To reduce the risk of redundancy we also took a 10% hours cut. Although it hits the packet I am making the most of it as it gives me time to write this or go out and do something I enjoy that I would never normally find time to do.

Trying to turn it into a positive if I had been/ am in the future I will look into traveling and doing a few things that I would love to do but would find it hard to find the time to such and the coast to coast walk.

So to answer the question I don’t think it has changed anything, just made me think of a plan to help me make the most of a bad situation if it did ever happen.


10. One favorite memory of you life so far, explain as much or as little as you want?

Cutting into the off piste on my snowboard linking a few perfect turns between trees and then rejoining the piste. If you’ve ever done it you’ll know the feeling. If not go learn and you won’t regret it.

Posted by Damage

1. Where does this find you?

Currently sat in Castle College canteen in Nottingham city centre which is where I am currently studying for my foundation degree in policing that I am doing as part of my Police training. I’m about half way through my training at the moment and am very excited about getting it finished and getting on with the job. I left Vodafone and a lot of friends I made there about 4 months ago now and it has taken quite a while to become accustomed to the change in life style.

2. Why moblog? What paths did you take to find this place?

Well I think I have to give all credit to Dave (spike) on that one. He was the one at Vodafone who introduced me to moblog and the concept of a photo blog. I was a complete photography novice before I got my blog and spent the first 2 years taking photos on my phone cameras. I then decided to upgrade and get a DSLR and treated my self to a Nikon D40x and now a D90. Moblog and the wonderful “mobloggers” have been the main drive for my uptake in photography and I owe most of my progression to you lovely lot.

3. 10 Years time, where will you be, or do you not look that far ahead?

I try to plan for the future as best I can, I’ve got a pension and savings but I’m struggling to get on the property ladder.yu
As long as I am still enjoying my job and keeping healthy I think I’ll be happy.

4. One Place, over any, where would it be and why?

Sheringham, Norfolk. We have been going on family holidays there since I was a very small baby. Its where I have a lot of my younger memories and I still go there a few times a year just to relax an unwind. Some of the best walks and views in the world in Norfolk.

5. Your obviously enthusiastic about climbing, why did you get into it and is there anywhere where you really want to climb?

It was my good friend Danny that first took me climbing 2 years ago or so. At first I was a bit worried as I was overweight and was very bad at it but instantly enjoyed it. I only really got into it in the past year or so since I have been “bouldering”. I love bouldering more than anything as it’s the mix of problem solving, strength, technique, agility and “balls” that makes you get to the top or lack of them that make you fall off.

6. The usual film/book/music question. If you could only choose one of each, which would it be

Film: Into the wild
Love the book and loved the film. Sad but an amazing story.

Book: Into thin air
One of the first “survival” book I read, instead of scaring me it just made me more determined to do as many stupid things as possible and see what I can get away with.

Music: Pigeon detectives
Loud, fun and amazing live.

7. Do you look up to anyone, have any idols or anyone you aspire to be?

That’s an easy one Sir Ranulph Fiennes. The man is mad and a machine, his determination is so amazing. Who else can run 7 marathons in 7 days and climb Everest at 65. LEGEND.

8. You may not believe in re-incarnation, but if you did, what would you want to come back as and why?

Erm………… I’d have to say a dog; I would love to be as lazy as my max and molly. Plus they are loved by everyone which would always be nice ?

9. You’ve vastly improved your heath in the last few years, was there any time you thought to give up and why did you carry on?

Sometimes before a run or gym session I still think “I really can not be arsed” but I remember when I was overweight and unfit and how much better I feel about life now. The pros completely outweigh the cons.

10. One favorite memory of you life so far, explain as much or as little as you want?

I’d have to say the week I spent in Chamonix with my mates for my 23rd birthday, with downhilling, paragliding, hydrospeeding and lots of food and drink. My perfect holiday………….

*photo credit of Danny(Damage) just edited it a bit Dan :-)

Posted by Toddy

1. Where does this find you ?

Currently sat in my office at work in Newark, which is my home town, my hearts here, my family, my friends and my better, yet taller, other half. As horrible as the place is (on first impression it’s a nice little market town) but there are man many bad things about this place, the influx of gypsies(the bad ones), the very rough crowd around town, but all in all that’s what makes this place home, ive worked many jobs, in and around Newark including a very long stint in a bar in Newark, which held many many memories, good and bad, meeting new people, friends, lovers and seeing (and unfortunately being part of) a fair few bar fights. Although I don’t live in Newark at the moment im moving back there soon, as much as I mock this town, its where my souls core resides.

2. Do you have a favourite place in the world that you have been to or would like to go to ?

Is there one place I would like to go before I die, yes and no, I want to go to many places, my time in Prague and Rome this year have been tremendous, out of the European cities ive been to, these two are definite high rollers for the list. I read a while back about a 6 month volunteer Job in Nepal. Teaching monks English and in return you live with them, live off the land, learn their ways, ive been a fan of Buddhism for many a year, although ive read a few scriptures on different religion, the only one I would want to learn more about and experience first hand is Buddhism. If I had to give one answer to this question it would be Nepal, living in the middle of nowhere at the foot hills of the Himalayas, no one for miles around, just living off the land, exploring and being solitary for a few years, even though no doubt it would turn me into a bit of a mental. Don’t get me wrong, I love people, but I also hate people to, a person is a wonderful being, people (collectively) are the downfall of society, although society is only created by people, mindful*k eh?

3. Are you a thinker/worrier or are you more carefree.

I think, I worry, I worry about thinking and I think about worrying, I try to be as carefree as possible, as laid back as I can be but trying to do that is thinking about doing it, and then I worry about thinking about doing it and in turn worry about thinking about being carefree. I have no idea is that’s an answer or not. But there we are!

4. Is there a cause or project you care about and do you want to fill us in on the details?

I would rather not go into this in too much detail, some of you may remember a few years back I had a scare with the brain and the dreaded T word, I got past that, I try not to think about it, I like to think I try to help people but in truth I know I don’t as much as I could, which is a shame and one thing that, with time, will change.

5. How long have you been taking photographs and do you take shots randomly or are you more focused in your subject matter? Do you prefer to use your camera or your
Cam phone ? (Sorry long question there)

That was a long question, the first photo I took that I actually liked the look of was with a small 2Mp VGA camera phone for moblog, move forward a few years I invested in my first digital camera, a Kodak Z740i a 5mp beauty (at the time) and I personally thought it was the cats tw*t. then after winning a moblog competition with that camera I got hold of a Kodak V803, small compact and simple. I’ve had that ever since, and then came a few months back (approx 3) and I finally took the plunge and invested in an SLR (canon EOS 450d to be exact) and I wouldn’t look back, im still learning, still playing, still shooting but hopefully there will be vast improvements.
It all depends on what im taking photos of which determines how I shoot, I don’t consider myself a photographer, I just take photos and anyone can get good shots regardless of the kit you have, someone once said “you wouldn’t compliment a chef on a good meal because of the pans he used”, and this has always stuck in my mind, you can get great results from the most basic of cameras.
I thank moblog for getting me into taking photo’s, and I thank all of the people on moblog for tips/compliments/help
Your all great.

6. 'Better to have loved and lost, than never to have loved at all'. Is this:
a) utter crap and sentimental wish wash ?
b) so utterly heartbreakingly true ?
c) who gives a s... ?
d) is this one of those tests from facebook ?
e) insert your own answer here!.........................................................................

Well, Im currently 25, ever since I was 17 ive been in and out of many relationships and not spent more than 3 months single, ive been in love, ive been out of love, ive been over my head in love and ive been blinded by love. Im currently In love now and I don’t think I would be the person I am now without these loves and losses. Its not a crap sentiment, its not heartbreakingly true, people do give a sh*t, its just matter of fact, for me. If there’s one thing I would want more than anything in the world it would be love, to love and be loved. Call me an old romantic but I believe true love will find you in the end. And coming from a 25yr old it’s strange!

7. Favourite, books, music and films. answer as many as you like, cos I did.

This could take me weeks to answer, and now its making me want to go through ALL of my music/books/movies to find one I want to choose, ill try and summarise a few:
MUSIC:
I grew up with a lot of soul, a lot of motown and a lot of folk music, these have all influenced my taste now, being introduced to a lot of music from different people too, One of my all time favourite bands is Pearl Jam, I remember the day I saw the first pearl jam poster, I was 7, at my cousins house in Tal-y-bont, mid Wales, and on his bedroom door was in big letters PEARL JAM. Being 7 and not really knowing much or anyone other than a couple of friends and family I started to listen, the rest is history. They got me through some hard times (see before) and have been company to some great times, Out of all the songs I would say tip top is yellow Ledbetter, it makes no sense, but its just outstanding. Also some artist that I feel deserve mention are David Ford, Rocky Votolato, Devendra Banhart, Beck, Biffy Clyro, bo Diddley, Bright Eyes, Cat power, Distillers, Jeff buckley.. sh*t.. I could go on and on, I’m not going to delve into them though!

BOOKS:
Damn, that’s tough, If there is only one book I would want to read over and over again its Lord of The Flies, by William Golding! That is all thankyouplease

FILMS:
I watch a good dozen films a week, so this is SO hard to filter down, if there was one film though I would recommend to anyone it would be “Into the Wild” imdb it! The whole film, the shots, the soundtrack (done mainly by Eddie vedder of pearl jam). Oh I love that film so much

8. Can you say why you prefer to be behind the camera rather than in front ?

Ha-ha this is a good question; I want to give some awesome answer like im part of a witness protection plan from the mafia and will be killed if I have a photo taken of me, but no!
I usually say that I think a camera steals your soul, so ive got a nice collection of peoples souls and mine is almost untouched. The truth… as im sure there’s a lot of people wondering………..ready for it…… I used to be a very fat kid, spotty and generally just an ugly kid, I still see myself in that way which is why I don’t like my photo being taken, and anyway I just like to take photos, I feel uncomfortable now, change subject.. ooooo look.. over there.. in the corner… a crying peanut *runs*

9. Is there someone whom you admire or aspire to and why ?

There’s a lot of people I admire, people ive never met (especially on here), people I know well and people I wish I’d known more but I don’t try to aspire to be like anyone, I recognise talent in people and wish I had the talent of some people but that comes with time and experience, I want to be individual.. like everyone else!

10. Do you have a favourite memory, childhood or otherwise that you would like to share ?

One memory that sticks with me is when I was 4, in a little red car with 2 doors scooting around the park on the estate, I remember seeing a really nice colourful little fly on the plastic red dashboard next to my little tooting horn and speedometer sticker stuck on 35kmph, me being me and 4 went to touch this fly, I probably thought it wanted to be friends and we would have little human/fly adventure…….., then the bas*tard stung me, and kept on stinging me over and over again, I was too young to know wasps were bad, and I remember being stuck in the car with about 4 stings over me, crying to the heavens and wanting to go home and to my nan who would make me a nice Jam sandwich. I couldn’t leave the damn car and I cried so hard I pee’d myself. Now that’s one of my first memories and the reason im petrified of wasps. Ive got a lot of good memories too, along with the bad, But I wouldn’t want to forget any of them, they all make me who I am today, even if it is the memory of me in pain covered in piss in a little red car on a council estate!

Bastard wasps!

And by the way, your all awesome

Dave

Posted by Dave (nee Spike)

On August 21st The Fight For The Future Begins.


1. If you do it all again, knowing what you know now, would you change anything ?

Hell……….. Yes! I’d keep repeating the good bits.

And the smart answer to this is I wouldn’t know what I know now if I hadn’t had the experiences I‘ve had. But there is one thing I would change if it meant it wouldn’t change anything else except itself ? Does that make sense ?

We all reach various points in our lives where it doesn’t matter what choices or decisions we make, we still end up at a turning point/ change of direction, forced or chosen. Faced with a big life changing decision and no idea which road to travel.
I’m getting much better, but I used to find decision making incredibly difficult. I could see too many perspectives, too many consequences , but most of all I hated the idea that making one decision meant I might miss out on something else!



2. What great adventure are you still waiting to have ?

I have resisted the temptation to smugly say “isn’t life one big adventure” ?……………

I’d still really like to be a Spaceman, yeah, yeah, but I’m apparently too old ?; too unfit; and too ill. Like that would stop me.

Thinking of going storm chasing at some point when the youngest ones are bigger, walking into the volcano at the edge of the rift valley, swimming the English channel, oh yeah (you’ll like this one Twiglet ) I’m also planning on being the very first Female Dr Who!!!!!!

Walks away stroking chin……………………………….................................................
I so wanted to be amusing and put world domination

3. Do you have a faith or religion ?

I was born a Catholic. Guilt, guilt and more guilt.

4. One book, one song, one movie and tell us why.

Hard, hard question: Book/s: D.H.Lawrence ‘Sons and Lovers’, I read this as a very young woman and it moved me in a way I recognised but had never realised but didn’t really understand till much later in life ; Iris Murdoch’s ‘The Sandcastle’ so many reasons I’m not sure I would want to go into here. Too many books.

Music: impossible to pin down to just one song. I, tend to see my life, past, present and future with a musical soundtrack already playing. Certain songs hold this remarkable ability to take me right back ‘there’ it makes me sigh heavily and once again feel all those emotions…...…………………….........

There are songs I just can’t listen too even now

But some faves: ‘Scar tissue’ Chilli Peppers; Pink Floyd, ‘ Wish you were here’ ; David Bowie, ‘Kooks’; Marc Bolan and T Rex ‘Children of the revolution’;

Movies: I’ll give you a list ? The Matrix (rather obviously), The Crow, Dracula, Point Break, Being there, M. Heulot’s holiday, Altered States, The Hunger, Any of the Pink Panther films, Cat People, The Thing, The Blues Brothers, it’s a mad, mad, mad, mad, mad, mad world, Ferris Beullers day off, Labyrinth, Gothic,

5. What person past or present would you most like to meet and what would you ask them?

Leonardo Da Vinci
“could he solve a couple of mysteries for me”?

6. What would be your dream meal and who would you share it with ?

Not sure about this one. I have a love hate relationship with food. Unfortunately I acquired anorexia when I was 17, (a very long and as yet unfinished story way too complicated for here - see question 1.)

Clearly I’m not skinny now!!!! (having lots of children is my excuse here)

For starters, wild mushrooms, stuffed, or in a risotto, Monkfish for the main, with tons of slightly boiled veg and homemade Tiramsu! Yep boring.

Who would I share it with ? Well 540 of course……………! but if he was unavailable, Marc Bolan or Brandon Lee, which of course would be a bit tricky as they are both no longer of this world and may be a little lacking in substance. Might be a bit smelly as well.


7. What is your favourite season and why ?

Is it boring to say you like them all ? Oddly spring is my least favourite (probably says a lot about me) I like the passion of summer and winter and the laid back ‘chill’ of the autumn. By chill I mean mellow.



8. If you had to draw a Moblog family (and friend) tree, who would you be linked to and why ?

Well in no particular order, so as not to show favouritism,

Beth, she wont realise this but at the moblog 2nd Birthday party she came up to me gave me a big hug and said hello, I suddenly felt very included ( I still had to ask 540 who she was though! )

Caine, just wish I could photograph nature the way she does, I am always in awe. And she’s an artist

Euphro, who points his camera at anything almost as much as I do in fact at shoot London we spent a lot of time shooting at each other. But also because he nearly always knows the answer to a question.. Oh and most importantly I envy the job he has.

Jane Doe, met her along while back now at the ‘were not afraid’ gig and turned out she was going to the very same university I had been to years before

Swamprose, we are kindred spirits and I wish we lived nearer; wild and free!

Tori, I loved ’slice of life’ her blog often said how I was feeling and her posts were some of the most creative;

Nige, It has to be said I have learnt a tremendous amount from both looking at Nige’s photography and actually watching him at work so to speak, including lying on the floor at the first shoot London right in the middle of the doorway to County Hall!; oh that and his bright green t-shirt, we couldn’t loose him cos we could see him or hear that wonderful laugh!

Facto, love her take on stuff and her sculpture. And so much more.

Dhamaka, Had a wonderful conversation with her at ‘We’re not afraid’ , love our coffee conversations, admire her sheer energy!

MaggieD, we share similar politics and her posts are just ACE

JokerXL, was so very kind to me some time back now when I was chuffing about one of my brood him and Paintist really helped. Plus he’s an absolute nut .

Paintist, I first met her and Mr P at their house. He asked me what I thought about ‘all this’ I confirmed I had my reservations!

Sprocket, He is sooooooooooooooo sensitive, particularly in ‘that’ Hat.

QSS, So gentle and great bubble picture blower!!!!

Filbert Fox & Baggie Boy, She collects buttons, what can I tell you !!!!!!!

Twiglet, we’ve been here before! I love our not so Saturday night , now conversations and her total understanding of my choice of music!

ViV, hit it off when we ordered a pint!

Spike, his photography hit’s a spot J and we kind of feel the same way about image (that is self image - which will have him laughing now as I’ve sold out!)

Spiderbaby the first time I spoke with her at Paintist ‘s she explained she was a scientist………… need I know more ?
And hobo, rick Shitake…………..

(actually you should probably come look at my installation). cor…. sycophantism…………eh!

Ohhhhhhhhhhh I’m really scared I’m going to miss someone off the list and they will think I don’t like, care, think of them! Actually this has been the hardest question to answer. This is the bit that has taken me so long!
Alfie, Essitam, Steve,

And of course my long suffering husband 540!
Oh shit I just know I am going to have missed someone really obvious……………..PLEASE PLEASE FORGIVE ME………….

9. What’s wrong with the world today ?

Why is there something wrong with it then ? Gosh I’ve been away for longer than I thought. He he he.

Probably nothing that hasn’t been wrong for generations. I think it does rather depend on your perspective. History continues to repeat itself, it’s a human condition. You would think that all the kudos we give ourselves for being the top of the evolutionary tree might make us a little less disingenuous to the other species that inhabit this planet and indeed to each other. That said I think there is a lot good about the world too.

Short answer : Self interest, selfishness, greed, assumed wealth, materialism, blah, blah, blah,



10. What and where is your favourite place ?

On top of a cliff by the sea in a ruined castle in a remote location, where once I used to live many, many hundreds of years ago. it’s a beautifully lonely place full of exciting memories and long lost loves!

OH ……..and where does this find me ? On my A**e typing frantically cos I started this last week when Craft asked me ( the basket- only joking) still trying to strangle yahoooooooooooooooooooooo
Have now had glass of wine, ( gonna regret that in the morning) you have to be so sick of my brackets by now ? still need to finish notes for Beth. And sew labels in kids uniforms, put another load of washing on, tidy up from dinner, phone Mum see if Dad’s okay, check that text message that just came in, Shit forgot to pay a bill! Check who just fell off the trampoline, “ where’s my white shirt ?” need it for this evening, “ Mum can I borrow some money for fags” ? , I’ll be in late can you leave a key under the mat” ?; “can I have a cuddle ?” “ mummy, I don’t like you wearing those clothes it scares me”…………… “ Four things: Can I have ice-cream, can I phone my friend to organise for next week ?” Thank you darling for sorting out the text stuff, and thanks for testing the ice-cream you tell me its delicious………………

Oh

And

Mum…….



why did you give my baby away ?

Whooooooooo u ooooooooooooooooo

Puts the ear pugs in…………… listening to……………INTERVIEW 52

Posted by Strange little girl

Interview52 – Craft:



1. How did you choose your moniker?

CRAFT. It's an acronym which stands for Can't Remember A F*cking Thing. I used to work with this woman called Linda whose mother had Alzheimer's disease and she was terrified of getting it too. Whenever she had any kind of lapse in memory she would say *Whoops I'm having a CRAFT moment* a way I suppose of trying to make light of that which frightened her. Because my memory isn't all it perhaps should be, when I set up my blog I used CRAFT because much as I ended up disliking her, I liked the expression. She was a strange and not particularly likeable person. If I were her I would have been more alarmed by the multiple personalities than the possibility of getting Alzheimer's ....

2. What is your favourite word in the entire lexicon of English language? Please define and explain its significance to you.

This changes from time to time but at the moment it is heteroflexible. The Urban dictionary definition is: *A person who enjoys sex with both male & females but considers themself heterosexual in the sense that they do not relate with the same sex for an emotional relationship like a bi-sexual could. Heteroflexible is a heterosexual person that is beyond the bi-curious stage but would never engage in an emotional relationship with the same sex.*
The reason I like so much is that it makes me think of contortionists.... Ooooh yeah..



3. If you were a flower which would you be and why?

We saw some Calla lilies in a hot house earlier in the year. One was almost black , like a very dark aubergine colour. I'd be one of them.

4. If you could be in any movie, which role would you play?

I'd be the Tin Woodman in the Wizard of OZ. He is the one who asks the Wizard for a heart and the Wizard says *A heart is not judged by how much you love but by how much you are loved by others.* When he says goodbye to Dorothy the Tin Woodman says *Now I know I have a heart because it's breaking..* Awwww..Pass the Kleenex….

5. If you were to write an autobiography, what would you title it?


Shades of Gray of course and if it got made into a film I'd want to be played by David Morrissey, because he’s hot and sexy.

6. Where is the most unusual place you’ve ever made out with another person? With yourself?



I really can't disclose this. It is absolutely too shocking and too unimaginable. I would be getting hate mail for all eternity. With myself??? This is not something I do as a rule in unusual places. I like where possible to keep the right side of the law.

7. If you were going to speak the language of flowers to someone you wanted to get to know better, which posies would you include? And what specifically do they mean?


I think I'd choose sweet peas for blissful pleasure, a sun flower or two for wishes, and some white violets for taking a chance on happiness. Then some coral coloured roses for desire and a few dog roses for pleasure with pain and lastly white roses for secrecy. But the truth is, if I wanted to know someone better I’d buy them a pint and meet him in the boy’s bogs twenty minutes later.



8. If this were your last meal, what would you have? Please include dessert. Who would cook it?


I don't care who cooks it although I do quite like watching the TV chefs working, Ainsley Herriot is great. As long as it consists of a smoked salmon mousse starter, and rainbow trout as the main course, I'd be happy. I know that's a bit fishy but what the Hell, it's my dinner! I'm not sure about dessert because if I have the starter I can't always manage dessert but I do really like frozen yoghurt. Last summer I had a water melon flavoured gelato when we were on holiday. It was a very superior breed of ice cream and ZOMG, it was delicious.

9. Do you sing in the shower? If so, what song is your most frequently sung?


I certainly do sing in the shower, I sing duets with My Young Friend.. We quite often do stuff from West End musicals but this morning we did *Paradise by the dashboard light* which is an old Meatloaf song. Dear neighbours please take note (on the off chance that you have enough taste to be reading this), just once it would be really, really nice if you shouted "Bravo!" instead of "Shut the f*ck up you pair of poufs". If just once you gave us any indication that our efforts were appreciated, we would look for something else to share while we are showering...



10. Who’s your favourite queen and why?

John Barrowman. No hesitation there. He is just so kind to everyone and he seems to enjoy life. TV seems to be full of people being nasty like on those miserable talent shows and to be honest it gets a bit wearing. We've all but stopped watching TV but I'll always watch Barrowman.

This post originally had a photo of me at the top. I replaced it after a while for reasons of privacy. Craft

Posted by Craft

1. Where are you right now and how did you get there?
I live in Florence, Italy, there are many years. I went here for my studies at the school of architecture and I’m still here.

2. What is photography to you?
This is a very simple answer to translate from Italian in English!
Well, it has never been so much important for me till… the discovery of Moblog.
It was only a tool to fix peculiar situations, to retrieve from memory a trip etc. I’m interested in all visual arts but I’ve been always more attracted by the drawing. To draw has been a daily activity for many years, because of my inclination, studies, job. Pursuant to the birth of my kids this habit is interrupted: too much to do, not enough silence etc I was a little afraid about this.
By means of Moblog I’ve begun to reflect about the composition of a photographic image and the possibility to have fun and creative satisfaction with it and now my eyes turn around automatically looking for a pic.

3. How did you find moblog? What made you become a moblogger?
I was in the house of my friend Minushabens in Milan and he has shown me Moblog, I’ve decided immediately to become a moblogger and this fast decision is the reason why I haven’t a nickname.
In fact I usually took pictures with my camera phone and I’ve collected a lot of images , I was so happy to have a camera that could phone!!

4. Do you think you can stop moblogging one day? why?
Me? I don’t know what I’ll eat tonight! One day doesn't exist.

5. What are your favourite moblog memories?
The first friends, the first private conctats by mail (they exist!), the first HL, the Advent Calendar, the Nige dailyme, 14 days in February by Sprocket, ...IsFor... and all the “series” and, of course, all the lovely things from Dhamaka (how unique she is!)

6. Who are your favourite contemporary Italian artists (musicians, film makers, writers, etc.) mobloggers that the world should know of?
Hmmmm I’m not so much in love with Italian in this moment….
-Film makers: Paolo Sorrentino, Matteo Garrone and the famous Nanni Moretti .
-I’m all for British music. I haven’t a preferred Italian band or musician, I sometimes find a song I love and I buy it (just to sing under the shower).
In this moment some of the most successful musicians are Giovanni Allevi, Jovanotti, Luciano Ligabue, Negramaro.
If you like progressive music you can try to find an intriguing Italian band of the Seventies: Banco del Mutuo Soccorso, or the king of Italian pop music Lucio Battisti; or the most famous rock band of the Eighties: Litfiba; or the poets Paolo Conte, franco Battiato and the great Fabrizio De Andrè.
-I’m an omnivorous reader with a predilection for the long and well-articulated romance.
There are many Italian authors, old and new, in my bookcase, the well-known Calvino, Pasolini, Morante,Sciascia, the Florentine Vasco Pratolini or contemporaneous Baricco, Mazzucco, Starnone, Benni, Tabucchi and the courageous, bright Roberto Saviano.
For the thriller stories I can suggest: Camilleri (so funny but, I suppose, impossibile to translate), Lucarelli, Ammaniti.
-Photographers? The masters: Mario Giacomelli, Luigi Ghirri, Ugo Mulas.
-Artists? Loris Cecchini, Marco Petrus, Bruna Esposito.
-Italian mobloggers? Minushabens, what a question!

7. What's so special about shadows?
They are the opposite of light!
No light without shadow. No light, no shadow, no photograph.
You’ll laugh, I discover the light and the shadow posting on Moblog, when the mobloggers start to tell me: “this is typically your” I’ve understood that it was not only the kind of image but also the peculiar Italian light, and shadow. Or not?

8. What is your happiest childhood memory?
I’ve been a lucky, happy girl. I’m grown in a big farm with a gang of kids to play with and a lot of territory to explore.
My happier memoirs are tied to different situations for example the holidays at the sea, the summer evenings all together playing under the stars, the perfume of some flowerings in our garden and even all the small gifts that I received from a family of travellers, gifts that brought a bit of world in my childhood (the booties from Turkey, a Chilean poncho, a scarlet silk from Bali….)

9. What is your favourite subject to talk about?
Trips, literature, architecture.

10. Name three things you would change in your life that would make you
happier?
A world finally at peace to explore without fear, with all its variety protected and welcomed as a value.
A house with a big terrace to transform into a jungle and from which to be able to see the sky from the sunup to the sunset.
To assist at the invasion of Italy from the other European countries and to see again: the legality, the freedom of media, the love for culture, the preservation of our magnificent territory and the merit that triumphs on the nepotism. All this would improve a lot my life, please organize you!

Posted by mara

1. Where are you and why?

I’m in East Anglia in the UK because I got my first job after college here eighteen years ago – I only came for five years, but one thing led to another. It’s been touch and go at times, job wise, but so far I’m still here and in the same organisation. I’m originally from Ireland and grew up and went to college there.

2. How did you find moblog? What made you become a moblogger?

I found it through a BBC News article on the new craze of moblogging in 2005. This was the very first moblog post I saw, Lyzardly having just returned from an epic drive from New York to Iowa and back to see the original scroll of Jack Kerouac’s “On The Road”, although I didn’t know that at the time. I was very nervous as I made my first moblog post. I expected somebody to challenge me or to tell me to go away, but to my surprise my very dull test picture of a rock was met with a lovely welcome from Joe. I actually waited about two weeks before posting again, to even more encouragement, and I’ve never looked back. It was the feedback and the wonderful sense of community that made me become a moblogger, although I probably didn’t realise I was one straight away. Moblogger is now one of the ways I define myself to others, along with scientist/geologist and photographer, so it is a pretty fundamental part of my life.

3. You have spent a lot of time in Antarctica. What is the best part of these trips for you, what do you miss when you’re there and what advice would you give to someone travelling out there?

The best part of the trips is the opportunity to photograph such a beautiful place. It’s very difficult to take a bad picture. Having spanned the film to digital era in my visits there I would say that digital is wonderful in the snow. I miss my family when I’m there, and ice cream. To anyone going there I would say, invest in the best camera you can afford and lots of memory cards, you won’t regret a penny of it.

4. Do you think moblog has changed since you started blogging, and do you have any favourite memories/moments?

The essence of Moblog has remained the same – the wonderful community spirit – so I am amazed that the number of users of the site has not grown more. I remember asking site owner mat early on what he would do if Moblog took off, like other blogging and sharing sites were at the time and I fully expected it to. It’s definitely bigger now but it has not lost that village feel, compared to the metropolis of Flickr, for example.

Favourite memories/moments are way too many to list them all. The punning posts, led by Helen, Steve and others have made me roar with laughter. I love Maggie’s posts and wonderful drawings. Other memories are, fighting the catblogging ban, which happened quite early on, was great fun, and being a part of We’re Not Afraid, which was my first experience of the power of Moblog. Meeting people in real life has been a wonderful and unexpected pleasure and I think that there is no other way that I would or could have met so many like-minded people or made such good friends. Sharing people’s joys and sadnesses is another special aspect of the site, and I feel humbled in the light of what some people face in their lives with good humour and good grace. I feel very privileged to be a moderator, not that my intervention is often needed. Life has become a lot busier since I joined Moblog, and I don’t get to comment on other people’s posts as much as I would like.

5. You’re probably one of the only mobloggers who have actually experienced a desert island disc-style scenario (albeit your desert island is made out of a huge chunk of ice). If you could only choose a couple of CDs, movies and books, which would you go for?

That’s quite a hard one, but I will give it a go. For music, I would bring Abbey Road, particularly for the B side (in old vinyl terms), Neon Bible by The Arcade Fire, and, finally, Jordan: The Comeback by Prefab Sprout. In terms of films, all a bit mainstream but ones I’ve watched many times, I would take The Fifth Element, Groundhog Day and The Matrix. When it comes to books, my first choice would be A Fire Upon the Deep, by Vernor Vinge, my copy of which is very well thumbed, then Gravity’s Rainbow by Thomas Pynchon, and finally Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison.

6. You are one of the many food-bloggers out there on moblog. What would be your best three signature dishes?

Colcannon (an Irish traditional dish involving mashed potato, curly kale, bacon and red onion, often salted with a few wrapped coins for luck), homemade pumpkin pie, and chicken fajitas.

7. What have been your best moments/memories in the last month, year and decade?

Goodness, where to start. In the last month, finding independent confirmation that a scientific idea that a friend and I have been developing is probably right and tells us something new about the deep internal composition of the Earth. In the last year, which has been quite a bad one, really, taking part in Shoot London and keeping my job. Over the past decade, getting married to the most wonderful person, who is also my best friend and soulmate, and, I kid you not, finding Moblog, which changed my life in a different way but also for the better.

8. If you had to make a time capsule that would remain sealed for 200 years, what items would you fill it with?

Wow, that’s an interesting one. I think that I would include a lot of ephemera, something that features from time to time in my Moblog. So much everyday stuff never gets preserved. The future discoverer would be bemused to find a random collection of packaging, train and bus tickets, photographs of street scenes, house interiors both tidy and untidy, fridge and cupboard contents, etc.

9. Do you have any vices/guilty pleasures?

Ice cream is probably the main one. I can’t seem to make people understand that it is one of the staple foods.

10. How did you get into photography? How has your style changed/evolved?

I’ve always had a love of capturing an image. If I didn’t have a camera I would draw. I got my first camera when I was about ten, completely randomly, from an uncle who was visiting us in our new house at the time. It was plastic and used 120 roll-film and I think that I convinced my mother to buy and let me shoot two rolls of black-and-white film before I lost the lens (which was one of my early heartbreaks). Still, there are some of the only pictures of one of my sisters as a baby and some fascinating shots of my mother’s home city without traffic or traffic lights, as a result.

My next camera, a Praktika manual SLR was a graduation present from my mother in 1985. I bought myself a Halina disc camera at the same time and, ever since, I’ve always carried an SLR and a compact with me, now joined by a camphone, of course. If you ask anyone who knows me, they will tell you that I am an obsessive photographer. I plagued all of my friends all through college, and was the scourge of parties – although the pictures were generally appreciated later on. The rate at which I take pictures has steadily gone up over the years, particularly fuelled by digital and the arrival of children, but even in the days of film, I took over 12,000 shots in 16 years before switching to digital. Nowadays I take that many in about four months.

Stylistically, I feel I still have an awful lot to learn. I’m just about technically competent with a camera but finding out more all the time. I love that thrill you feel when you get a good shot – it’s quite visceral and totally addictive. It has fuelled a lot of investment in second-hand equipment over the past year and a half. I do think much more about composition than I ever did, but it is still not instinctive for me. I’ve learned a huge amount in this regard from Moblog and I’m very grateful to everyone who shares their pictures here. I’ve even tried to express this in a post which still holds true after four years. I’d like to finish by saying again thank you, thank you all for making Moblog such a wonderful and supportive place in which to explore the delights of capturing the world in an image.

Posted by Euphro