I'm very happy to be hosting the latest leg of the Steve Stack mighty world tour, to promote his book, It is Just You, Everything's Not Shit, copies of which should be in everyone's stocking this Christmas.
IIJYENS (actually it took me longer to work out those initials than if I wrote it out in full but never mind) is an alphabetically based response to the question posed in the book, Is it Just Me or is Everything Shit?, and is a collection of everything Steve Stack finds good in life. Now we like alphabet books on this blog so Steve was on to a winner immediately. Even more so, when I started my own dialogue with the entries. Chinese chips I can understand (yes, yes, yes, at last I find my soulmate) but several entries (model villages!!!!) leave me cold, but that's the fun here. I have ordered several copies with personal dedications for some family members and am looking forward to some enthusiastic disagreements.
Anyway in lieu of pinching Steve Stack to find out if he was always as cheerful as he seems, I asked him some questions (oh but hey, we have the same initials so I can't do that SS to SS thing):
Sarah: What does happiness taste like for you?
Steve: Cake
Sarah: And what does it feel like?
Steve: Bubble wrap
Sarah: Sound like?
Steve: Church bells
Sarah: Smell like?
Steve: Play-doh
Sarah: Look like?
Steve: The woman I love
Sarah: Do you think it would be boring to be happy the whole time? If so, what's your favourite sad thing?
Steve: Oh god yes. Life needs its comparisons. Happy isn't happy without sad alongside it. My favourite sad thing is probably the final scenes of Life Is Beautiful but remember, it is only sad because of all the happy scenes that came before it.
Sarah: What's the best way to cheer up winter?
Steve: A log fire and lots of hot buttery crumpets
Sarah: Can you describe the happiest day of your life?
Steve: For legal reasons I probably shouldn't go into too much detail but it involved chorizo, a European capital city and a bed with flashing lights.
Sarah: Don't you think - in your heart of hearts - that there's really something creepy about model villages?
Steve: Not at all. When I see a model village I think of Camberwick Green
(Hmmm, still not convinced, Steve. all those puppets appearing from and disappearing into that 'magic musical box' used to freak me out a little)
Sarah: What is the question - on your world tour - that you wish you'd been asked? And what would your answer be?
Steve: Would you like a cup of tea and a slice of cake? To which I would have answered 'yes please'.
And no sooner said, than done.
(although don't tell Steve but the tea is actually whisky so I can find out more about those flashing lights...)
5 comments:
I've forgotten the exact name of the village, something like Bourton-on-Trent, but it had a model village and as a child I thought it the most enchanting piece of architecture I had ever seen. I know if I went back it would be small and different, but I do have a bit of thing about model villages still. Sorry.
No need to apologise, motheratlarge. I'm sure it's me who has got it wrong. Can't help it but there's something about them that frightens me.
I am so so with you on the model village (they scare the pants off me!)and the Chinese chips.
I am a lover of watching television sideways which was my favourite entry (closely followed by Monkey).
I am wondering now if I have ever watched television sideways. I tend to lie full on with my head propped up, but I'm going to try this now.
Model villages are great. We go to the one at Bekonscot quite often. Always something to see, always lots of people having fun. Much better than real villages.
Is this the book that has a chapter about shedworking in it? I've heard that's a particularly good section.
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