The (long-overdue) Interview Meme
Nov. 3rd, 2007 09:38 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
admiral_adamaINSTRUCTIONS
01. Leave me a comment saying, "Interview me."
02. I'll respond by asking you five questions, light, personal or totally random .
03. You will update your LJ with the answers to the questions.
04. You will include this explanation and an offer to interview someone else in the post.
05. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions.
And now for the questions I was asked ...
From![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
john_h_holliday:
1. I have always been independent, answering to none and with none to answer to me, but it seems to me that as an admiral there would be some beneath you in whom you would see value but with whom you would never be able to wholeheartedly converse. Is it isolating to command?
It certainly can be, particularly in a situation like mine. I command more than 2600 souls; sheer numbers dictate that I can't get to know all of them as well as I'd like. I do my best to keep their names and a few facts about each memorized ... my ex-wife used to tease me about the memory exercises I'd do.
As far as conversation goes, I have an advantage over your average Academy-trained officer: I've worked tough jobs on freighters, gotten hands dirty and fingers broken, which gives me an insight into those who work the more tedious or physical jobs, the deck crews, Marines and support staff. I do feel a special bond with my pilots and those who work with me in CIC, but I can connect with the rest of my crew as well. Though some of the kids may feel too intimidated to talk to me, I do try to be as accessible as I can. They've given me their loyalty. The least I can do is make sure they know they have mine.
2. You too have experienced Civil War and the resulting loss of much you loved. How has this changed you?
Strange. It didn't hit me until you asked your question, but I've never thought of our war with the Cylons as a civil war. I don't think most Colonials do, but what else could it be? The Cylons may not be human, but we humans created them. They came from us. A slave rebellion, leading to civil war ...
I don't think I've been changed so much as ... honed. Brought to an edge. Seeing the faces on the ships, knowing that fewer than 50,000 souls remain out of the billions that made up our civilization, has renewed and strengthened my commitment to their defense. The loss was incalculable for all of us, but I'm luckier than most. I still have my home on Galactica, my work ... and my son.
3. On the celebratory occasions when we have met and exchanged greetings, good wishes and perhaps some small measure of out lives and thoughts, we have always shared and appreciated alcohol - your remarkable spirits and my whiskey. How does such drink serve you, personally?
*soft chuckle* I need to bring you some of the Chief's latest batch. He's refined the recipe, smoothed out some of the rough edges.
These days alcohol serves me mainly in small doses, as a relaxant. I'm not in a position where I can afford to drink to excess very often. In the past drink has sometimes been a kind of emotional lubricant, making it easier to rage or weep or otherwise express feelings, but lately I've found my emotions too close to the surface already, liquor or no liquor.
4. As a military man I would assume you have used many weapons and have knowledge and experience of innovations far beyond anything I can even imagine. As a gentleman with more than an affinity for firearms, i would like to ask you about the most efficient, concealable and reliable personal weapon you have ever encountered.
From what I've learned, our personal weapons are actually quite similar to those of your time, with the addition of some technological refinements. Given that we're fighting metal-clad opponents who can detect any armament we carry, hidden or otherwise, we worry more about a firearm's armor penetration than its concealability.
The FS57 is our standard military sidearm. It's light and compact, and not only does it allow for semi-automatic fire with reduced recoil, it carries a larger barrel under the primary one that launches explosive rounds capable of piercing a centurion's armor. It can be fitted with laser sights or night sights, though we usually don't need the latter. We also use the CP7A1, a submachine gun that's also small enough to be fired either one- or two-handed. It operates as a scaled-down assault rifle that fires armor-piercing rounds at high velocity, again with minimal recoil, and can also be fitted with whatever accessories are needed.
5. You can fly, in your great ships, through the skies and very stars. Do you sometimes find this exhilarating or transporting? Perhaps you could tell me how it affects you to travel so, or perhaps you could tell me if such travel inspires any particular thought.
"Life here began out there." So reads the first line of our sacred scrolls. I'm not a believer, but I've felt the truth of that one line since my first Viper flight. I'd looked out of windows through a ship's bulkhead before, seen all the stars that a planet's atmosphere normally hides, but a Viper is a single-person fighter craft with a canopy. I was surrounded by the vacuum-dark of space, strewn with countless points of fire, only the skin of my bird and my flight suit between me and frigid, absolute emptiness.
Overwhelming ... awe-inspiring ... yes, it was all those things. But looking out at all that immensity I also felt the strangest sense of welcome, of belonging.
"From us you came, to us you will return." Our planets, our bodies, contain elements that must have originally formed in a supernova, an exploding star. Maybe that was the connection I sensed. We are part of them, and they of us. Seems a strange thing to find comforting ... but I do.
Fromsmecker:
1. Before this whole "war" business dragged you from the verge of retirement, how did you intend to spend your days once booted from the service?
*soft snort* Since I'd spent much of the time leading up to my retirement fighting my retirement, I didn't make too many firm plans for afterward. Oh, I did some necessary things, like lining up an apartment in Qualai, my home town, arranging for stuff to be brought out of storage, but I was too busy trying to avoid being grounded for a few more years to think much beyond that. A few days after I finally allowed it to sink in that yes, this was going to happen, the Cylons and their nukes arrived. Yeah. Be careful what you wish for.
If the Cylons had never returned ... I don't know. I might have taught sailing. In my copious spare time, I probably would have greatly enlarged my book collection, started building another model ship, and tried to figure out some way to reconnect with my son. I also most likely would have spent entirely too much time poring over old mementos, looking up old shipmates and brooding on past glories.
Maybe I would have bought another motorcycle.
2. What do you do to *small smirk* decompress?Not that
*louder snort* That mainly depends on what made me need to decompress. If I'm just trying to offload the stresses of what now passes for a "normal" day, I'm fine just stretching out on my couch with a good book and some good music. Working on my model ship also provides an absorbing distraction, or it did before I smashed it.
A really bad day I usually have to work off in the gym, with boxing gloves on.
3. What's your definition of 'honor'?
*ticks points off on his fingers* Loyalty. Integrity. Service. Give family, friends and comrades your loyalty. Act and speak with integrity. Serve the greater good to the best of your ability.
That's my definition. I don't claim it to be one-size-fits-all.
4. Do you honestly believe you and your people are going to survive your war, find what you're looking for?
When we started this journey, I didn't believe that what we're looking for even exists. Now I know it does. Now I've seen the limits to which our people will go, the sacrifices they'll make to push us that much further every day. We've already survived longer and made it further than we "should" have, by any logical assessment of the odds.
Will we make it? I don't know; I'm not a prophet. I do know that we'll pour every ounce of strength and will we have into the effort. If the slightest possibility exists, we'll make it reality.
5. How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood? *grins*
*brow furrows* A wood-what? Hang on-- *googles, then arches an eyebrow* --from the looks of it, not much. *arches both eyebrows* Sorry, too literal?
And if anyone thinks of any other questions they'd like to ask me, fire away.
01. Leave me a comment saying, "Interview me."
02. I'll respond by asking you five questions, light, personal or totally random .
03. You will update your LJ with the answers to the questions.
04. You will include this explanation and an offer to interview someone else in the post.
05. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions.
And now for the questions I was asked ...
From
john_h_holliday:1. I have always been independent, answering to none and with none to answer to me, but it seems to me that as an admiral there would be some beneath you in whom you would see value but with whom you would never be able to wholeheartedly converse. Is it isolating to command?
It certainly can be, particularly in a situation like mine. I command more than 2600 souls; sheer numbers dictate that I can't get to know all of them as well as I'd like. I do my best to keep their names and a few facts about each memorized ... my ex-wife used to tease me about the memory exercises I'd do.
As far as conversation goes, I have an advantage over your average Academy-trained officer: I've worked tough jobs on freighters, gotten hands dirty and fingers broken, which gives me an insight into those who work the more tedious or physical jobs, the deck crews, Marines and support staff. I do feel a special bond with my pilots and those who work with me in CIC, but I can connect with the rest of my crew as well. Though some of the kids may feel too intimidated to talk to me, I do try to be as accessible as I can. They've given me their loyalty. The least I can do is make sure they know they have mine.
2. You too have experienced Civil War and the resulting loss of much you loved. How has this changed you?
Strange. It didn't hit me until you asked your question, but I've never thought of our war with the Cylons as a civil war. I don't think most Colonials do, but what else could it be? The Cylons may not be human, but we humans created them. They came from us. A slave rebellion, leading to civil war ...
I don't think I've been changed so much as ... honed. Brought to an edge. Seeing the faces on the ships, knowing that fewer than 50,000 souls remain out of the billions that made up our civilization, has renewed and strengthened my commitment to their defense. The loss was incalculable for all of us, but I'm luckier than most. I still have my home on Galactica, my work ... and my son.
3. On the celebratory occasions when we have met and exchanged greetings, good wishes and perhaps some small measure of out lives and thoughts, we have always shared and appreciated alcohol - your remarkable spirits and my whiskey. How does such drink serve you, personally?
*soft chuckle* I need to bring you some of the Chief's latest batch. He's refined the recipe, smoothed out some of the rough edges.
These days alcohol serves me mainly in small doses, as a relaxant. I'm not in a position where I can afford to drink to excess very often. In the past drink has sometimes been a kind of emotional lubricant, making it easier to rage or weep or otherwise express feelings, but lately I've found my emotions too close to the surface already, liquor or no liquor.
4. As a military man I would assume you have used many weapons and have knowledge and experience of innovations far beyond anything I can even imagine. As a gentleman with more than an affinity for firearms, i would like to ask you about the most efficient, concealable and reliable personal weapon you have ever encountered.
From what I've learned, our personal weapons are actually quite similar to those of your time, with the addition of some technological refinements. Given that we're fighting metal-clad opponents who can detect any armament we carry, hidden or otherwise, we worry more about a firearm's armor penetration than its concealability.
The FS57 is our standard military sidearm. It's light and compact, and not only does it allow for semi-automatic fire with reduced recoil, it carries a larger barrel under the primary one that launches explosive rounds capable of piercing a centurion's armor. It can be fitted with laser sights or night sights, though we usually don't need the latter. We also use the CP7A1, a submachine gun that's also small enough to be fired either one- or two-handed. It operates as a scaled-down assault rifle that fires armor-piercing rounds at high velocity, again with minimal recoil, and can also be fitted with whatever accessories are needed.
5. You can fly, in your great ships, through the skies and very stars. Do you sometimes find this exhilarating or transporting? Perhaps you could tell me how it affects you to travel so, or perhaps you could tell me if such travel inspires any particular thought.
"Life here began out there." So reads the first line of our sacred scrolls. I'm not a believer, but I've felt the truth of that one line since my first Viper flight. I'd looked out of windows through a ship's bulkhead before, seen all the stars that a planet's atmosphere normally hides, but a Viper is a single-person fighter craft with a canopy. I was surrounded by the vacuum-dark of space, strewn with countless points of fire, only the skin of my bird and my flight suit between me and frigid, absolute emptiness.
Overwhelming ... awe-inspiring ... yes, it was all those things. But looking out at all that immensity I also felt the strangest sense of welcome, of belonging.
"From us you came, to us you will return." Our planets, our bodies, contain elements that must have originally formed in a supernova, an exploding star. Maybe that was the connection I sensed. We are part of them, and they of us. Seems a strange thing to find comforting ... but I do.
From
smecker:1. Before this whole "war" business dragged you from the verge of retirement, how did you intend to spend your days once booted from the service?
*soft snort* Since I'd spent much of the time leading up to my retirement fighting my retirement, I didn't make too many firm plans for afterward. Oh, I did some necessary things, like lining up an apartment in Qualai, my home town, arranging for stuff to be brought out of storage, but I was too busy trying to avoid being grounded for a few more years to think much beyond that. A few days after I finally allowed it to sink in that yes, this was going to happen, the Cylons and their nukes arrived. Yeah. Be careful what you wish for.
If the Cylons had never returned ... I don't know. I might have taught sailing. In my copious spare time, I probably would have greatly enlarged my book collection, started building another model ship, and tried to figure out some way to reconnect with my son. I also most likely would have spent entirely too much time poring over old mementos, looking up old shipmates and brooding on past glories.
Maybe I would have bought another motorcycle.
2. What do you do to *small smirk* decompress?
A really bad day I usually have to work off in the gym, with boxing gloves on.
3. What's your definition of 'honor'?
*ticks points off on his fingers* Loyalty. Integrity. Service. Give family, friends and comrades your loyalty. Act and speak with integrity. Serve the greater good to the best of your ability.
That's my definition. I don't claim it to be one-size-fits-all.
4. Do you honestly believe you and your people are going to survive your war, find what you're looking for?
When we started this journey, I didn't believe that what we're looking for even exists. Now I know it does. Now I've seen the limits to which our people will go, the sacrifices they'll make to push us that much further every day. We've already survived longer and made it further than we "should" have, by any logical assessment of the odds.
Will we make it? I don't know; I'm not a prophet. I do know that we'll pour every ounce of strength and will we have into the effort. If the slightest possibility exists, we'll make it reality.
5. How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood? *grins*
*brow furrows* A wood-what? Hang on-- *googles, then arches an eyebrow* --from the looks of it, not much. *arches both eyebrows* Sorry, too literal?
And if anyone thinks of any other questions they'd like to ask me, fire away.
