blythely

1. What is your native language?

New Zealand English

2. Do you speak any other languages? Which ones?

British English :)
A treasured bit of te reo Māori
Rapidly fading knowledge-worker Dutch
Holiday French, and Brazilian Portuguese
Airport German, Spanish, and Japanese

3. How difficult is it for you to learn or understand new languages?

It's not difficult, it's just hard work requiring constant practice. Immersion is good - I find that more fulfilling than solo learning, but I do also quite like the gamified owl approach. Ability to learn languages is complex and like everything that requires hard work, practice, and access to time and resources (c.f. art, sport, growing plants).

4. If you were going to study a new foreign language, which would you want to learn?

If not to pick up Māori again, then Mandarin. It annoys me not to have any insight into such a major world language.

5. How are you at reading subtitles in foreign films?

Too quick - I don't find subtitled film very useful for language learning. Children's programmes are much better!

Yep I know it's Wednesday. Last week's lot here.

1. At what age did you discover you had a favorite color?

I went through many years of not being able to choose, and at various points have nominated red, different greens, yellow, and orange (never blue or purple, though I love a true indigo). But then about 10 years ago I realised that actually my favourite colour is indeed black, and I leaned into it. I think as I get older that coin will flip and it'll be white (increasingly my default choice for clothing, home deco etc), mostly because I am vain and look great in white and also like to not look grubby. Those two reasons hold for black as well.

2. What type (genre) of film do you prefer to see in a theater versus one you'd watch at home?

Sound reasons rather than visuals these days. Maybe one day we'll upgrade our tv/speakers? And also when there will be sweeping landscapes. Action films in the theatre stress me out.

3. What's your oldest object or item since childhood?

Being a peripatetic migrant and a navy kid means I have moved so, so many times (25-30 times?) and I have very little from my childhood! My dad doesn't either--my folks were never very sentimental about our kiddie bits and bobs. But I have my christening blanket, some books, the doilies my mum crocheted/embroidered to go on top of my dresser, and I think the only thing that would count as a "toy" is a pair of little ceramic figures called Slug and Pig. Slug wears a jaunty hat, Pig has a monocle, and the two of them always live in a houseplant. They're like the old queens of the household.

4. In what book would you insert yourself as a side character or friend to the protagonist?

Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. I would give Arthur a stern talking-to at critical moments, and then probz ditch him to go off on my own adventures.

(This question gave me a little bit of an existential crisis about which characters in fiction I actually would like to be friends with!)

5. What's your favorite shape or type of cloud?

Ahhh, cirrocumulus! Nothing makes me feel happier than a blue morning sky with a sprinkle of those guys. I will say as a gardener I'm also happy to see a few rainclouds at the right time, too.