[7-06] "Questions"

Recent questions I asked:

•  Do you have a favorite economist?

•  Do you mind if I play Jazz in the background?

•  Can you look like, imagine like you're waiting at a bus stop?

•  Can you look me down – into the camera – like you’re at a meeting and somebody is pitching an idea to you?

•  Can you angle your shoulders toward the window?

•  Can you look just off axis from the camera? Maybe one inch to the left of the lens?

•  Can you please frown? I mean like not a super frown but something concerned, something empathic?

•  Oh nice, what is a postdoc again?

•  How many years did it take before you got tenure? Was it stressful? What is the percent of assistant professors not given tenure at your school? Can you very summarily go over how this process works?

•  Can you treat the camera like a bystander?

•  Can you look away from the camera?

• Does the Navy have a bias for taller men? (The answer happens to be the opposite).

•  Pretend they the speaker is introducing you before a talk, you're not talking but everybody is watching you—can you try to do that?

•  If you could move anywhere, where would you ideally want to live? (Before I could finish, one guy anticipated the full sentence and said, “Milan”)

•  Do you have a favorite movie theater? (The lady said, yes, so I said, don’t tell me which one but imagine you are there).

•  Have you heard of Richard Avedon? (The answer is either “no” or “how could I possible not?”).

•  Can you tighten your eyes, squint at me, and produce a few more wrinkles? It’s fine, you’re young and the wrinkles are going to help.

•  Have you been to Berlin?

•  Do you like coffee?

• Do you have any favorite groceries stores, or restaurants, in the Bay Area?

• Tell me more about [wherever they are from].

These are the light-hearted questions.

More occur spontaneously, depending on what they’re interested in. 

Politics is parcel to interesting conversations but has to be tread upon lightly.