Elizabeth Chats With...Bodicia

[A while back, I wrote a guest post about my ideal writing day and how it differs from reality. Today, I've invited the host of that blog to come and chat with me. So a big Elizabeth's Page welcome to Bodicia from A Woman's Wisdom]

Hello Bodicia; thanks for dropping by. Let's start with a 'disaster' question: If you had to escape from a fire, what three things would you take with you?

I would take my children, my other half and our pets. Material possessions are not important to me. I have objects which remind me of people who have been (and still are) important to me but the memories of them are clearly locked in my head and can be written down at any point without the need for prompts or objects. Although I may reach in to the fridge and grab some chocolate on the way out…does that make me shallow?!

Shallow; not at all. I've always thought of chocolate as one of the essential food groups, so I would say it's a perfectly natural reaction. Now, tell me, where is your favourite place on earth — and why?

Scotland is my favourite place on Earth and it is somewhere I would happily live if my personal circumstances were different.  We have visited many times and as we go up the motorway and pass the ‘Welcome To Scotland’ sign there is always a collective cheer! We all feel as if we have come home.  The air is cleaner, the people are lovely and the sheer beauty of nature is at its most magnificent. It is just so wonderfully encompassing for us all as a family. I used to go ‘hill bashing’ (mountain climbing) and it is where my love of geology came from.  I wanted to find out WHY those mountains were there and what happened to bring them in to existence. And so I did.

You conjure up some wonderful pictures there. I recently spent a week in the Highlands and found the scenery just breath-taking. The next question is related (sort of); how do you relax?

Ah, as matriarch to a very large family I find it difficult to relax; I am always ‘on call’. However, meditation is a very important part of my daily life. I wish I had discovered it years ago. I do it to enrich my spirituality, connect with myself and to clear my head.  It never fails to put a fresh perspective on life and allows me to just ‘be’.

You know that feeling we all get at one time or another; "if I had my way..." Well, if you could change one law, what would it be?

I would change the law of human nature which says Greed Is Eternal. Well, that law is actually one from the Laws of Acquisition adhered to by a species from Star Trek called the Ferengi but it also seems to apply to a large number of human beings! I would re-distribute wealth or much better still get rid of money and poverty altogether and instead ask that we work together for the betterment of mankind, which is also a Star Trek axiom. Yes, I admit to being a bit of a Star Trek fan…Live Long and Prosper.

Switching from Star Trek to Orwell: what would be in your ‘Room 101’?

Politicians – Well, most of them anyway.  The personality profile of a leader often comes with negative sides such as arrogance, self-ambition and the need to make their mark in office without taking into account (or caring about) the impact on the common people. Apparently.

Sigmund Freud – He had some good ideas which have gone on to help immensely in our understanding of the human mind but a lot of his theories and ideas don’t sit well with me.  I think he could have done with more sessions on the couch himself.

Wasps – What is the point of a wasp? Most of nature has its place in the ecological cycle but I have never really worked out the point of a wasp. Unless there is a picnic.  Then their function becomes all too clear *smiles*.

If you could take part in one television programme, which one would it be?

I have to admit I don’t watch a lot of television.  I am not to be found sitting in front of the shining box channel hopping anyway! I can’t stand soap operas and the like as I find real life far more intriguing. I do enjoy factual programmes about science and nature so I would love to meet David Attenborough and shadow him whilst he makes one of his wonderful programmes. I’d probably take him tea and cake and I would sit, listen to and absorb everything he had to say about the natural world. He has a fabulous work ethic and seems very down to earth. He is a man, just like Patrick Moore, who could never be replaced.

What would you have printed on the front of your T-shirt?

“Done that! What’s next?”  I have been lucky enough so far to lead what some would call a diverse life.  I am always seeking out new knowledge and experiences. When I find something which peeks my interest I learn everything I can about it until I become as well versed as possible in whatever it is. I love to research, absorb new and old ideas, come up with creative solutions and embrace the whole.

Would you describe yourself as left-brain (analytical), right-brain (intuitive) or a mix of both?

I think I am a mixture of both but with a leaning toward the intuitive. I am a quick thinker but also rely heavily on my instincts and gut reactions, especially if there are emotions involved. I’m a bit of a people watcher and prefer to be beavering away in the background rather than in the spotlight. I have zero interest in having five minutes of fame.  

I've asked the questions so far; now it's your turn. Ask yourself a question and share the answer with us.

My questions would be: What would other people say is a difficult part of your personality to handle on a day to day basis?

I have a warped sense of humour and find that humour in most areas of my life. Sometimes it is difficult to understand as it can be quite oblique and only makes me laugh, not the room full of people I am in, although it is great fun to find people on the same wavelength where a glance at each other can say so much. Humour has got me in to trouble on so many occasions; my grandfather used to say I would ‘laugh to see a puddin’ crawl’ and I can’t deny it. However it has also given me strength in more difficult times and has always been my ally. I love to laugh and make others laugh too.  Humour is an important part of who I am and what makes me, me.

Great answer to a great question. Thanks so much for talking to us, Bodicia.

Bodicia uses A Woman's Wisdom to post book reviews, author interviews and guest blogs.  She also shares some of her humour in the Humour on AWW category; true life with a touch of hyperbole…but not much. Go and visit her; there will be chocolate if she hasn't eaten it all…no promises.