Interview of a Classmate

Today, in the Writing For The Media class that created the need for this blog, we students were given the opportunity to interview our classmates for the purpose of discovering something new about each other. I was seated next to my friend Kevin, and so we ended up interviewing each other. (Kevin's interview of me, by the way, is available on his blog. No, he did not use my real name- so those blinking in confusion at "Patricia" can rest easy. Just me and my WPP ident- Whoops, was that out loud? *innocent expression*)

I did, indeed, learn something new about Kevin. I knew he had lived in Alberta for a chunk of his childhood, but I did not know that he was born in the Far North of the province, and spent quite a bit of his childhood moving between Northern Alberta and Edmonton until he moved out to Manitoba for college.

No, he doesn't cheer for the Edmonton Oilers. We can still be friends, despite the fact that I cheer for the Calgary Flames.

Anyway. Kevin is a self-professed communications and media junkie, with hobbies in photography, painting and radio broadcasting. One of his former jobs, in fact, involved interviewing hundreds of people for radio programs- including famed Christian author and speaker Frank Peretti. I am envious.

Evidently Frank Peretti is a really nice guy in interviews, though his higher, 'squeaky' voice is not what one would expect from the person who wrote "This Present Darkness" and co-authoured "House" with Ted Dekker. Those who have watched Hangman's Curse know what I'm talking about.

Going on in the interview, I- out of ideas for other questions- asked Kevin his opinion of Twilight, Justin Bieber and text speak. Those who know me know these are three of my biggest irritants with the modern world. Kevin shares my opinion on at least some of those subjects:

"Twilight was a brilliant idea to suck billions of dollars out of teenage girls. Other than that, it has no use."

My hope for humanity has been restored.

Also, we are of a similar mind that text speak should never be used outside of texting- although I'm all in favour of abolishing it altogether, while Kevin does see use in its existence. His views on Justin Bieber surprised me, though- as someone who is very anti-Bieber Fever (Not that I have a thing against the kid himself. I have a thing against how popular he is from a YouTube video and I really have a thing against the cult of teenage "Mrs. Biebers".), it was interesting to hear someone say he's not a bad singer- the bad rep that he has gained is due to the record company over-publizing.

I still don't like any of Justin Bieber's music, but I was impressed to hear that he's actually stood up for his beliefs against abortion in the face of a disagreeing interviewer. Kudos to you, Mr. Bieber.

The results of a ten-minute interview were more informative than one may have thought. From this, I have learned some interesting things about Kevin, and I believe he's learned something new about me as well.

Fascinating.