One-Off Challenge 30: Ask A Stranger What Their Passion Is

This challenge is courtesy of...

Stephanie Santschi, who I can only assume likes people more than I do. 

The challenge

Ask a stranger what their passion is. I'm interpreting this pretty strictly, so this is going to have to be someone I've never met before. I am going to allow it to be in natural conversation, though, not just wandering up to a random and asking them straight out. 

But that would count, too. 

The Problem

I don't like talking to people I don't know. My dad would have this challenge done in twenty seconds without batting an eyelid, but I take after my mother when it comes to social situations. Generally I retreat into a corner and avoid eye contact while wishing I was back home. This makes discussing passions with strangers rather challenging. 

The solution

Fortunately, I was in America for a work conference this week. The Americans are a garrulous people and I have a very distinct British accent, which is the equivalent of a +20% modifier on all charm tests over there. So if it was ever going to happen, it would be at the National Association Of Sentencing Commissions annual conference in Columbus, Ohio. 

Because it's in the US...

Only it turns out to be quite difficult to steer a conversation about sentencing round to passions. So despite my best intents, come the end of the conference I had not managed to ask Jeremiah what his passion was. Nor Bennett. Nor Conner. Nor Conner's boss who had a normal name and thus I can't actually remember what she was called. So I found myself sitting in Washington Dulles airport, waiting to board my flight with my self-imposed deadline looming. There was nothing for it, I was just going to have to ask a random. The United lady at the boarding gate was looking bored, so I walked over, explained my slightly random reason for asking, then asked what her passion in life was. 

"We don't play games, sir," she replied, not even looking up at me. 

"It wasn't a game, but OK," I replied. 

You humourless, shrivelled bat, I added in my head, as I walked back to my seat. 

So there we go. I asked a stranger what their passion was. The challenge didn't say they had to answer, so... 

Challenge complete!

Long-term updates

I've been in the States, obviously enough, so I'm calling this...

Hang The Fuck On!

I've not left the States yet! I'm about to get on a plane, where I am sat between two strangers in a social situation where chat is almost mandatory! Screw you, United lady! I'll do this challenge yet! 

Things got off to a good start when it turned out that the two people I was sitting between were a husband and wife who were hoping to sit together. This meant they had to ask me if I would be happy to move to the window seat ("let me think about that... yes!") and they were pleased that I said yes. It turned out that they were going to a flat they owned with friends in St. Andrews. my old home town. That made for some nice, smooth conversation. Where was their flat, what did they do for a living, did they play golf? (North street, something to do with energy, he did, she didn't, in that order.) Spying an opening, I pounced.

"So, is golf your passion?"

"My passion? No.  That's my wife and son."

"It's true, we're really spoiled."

Hah!  In your face, United lady!

"So, what's your passion, Andrew?"

Crap.  I should have seen that coming.

"Err... I ahve to admit it's my wife and family, too.  And board games."

And ticking off stupid challenges, I added in my head.

Challenge complete!

Long-term updates

I've been in the States, obviously enough, so I'm calling this an official week off for some of my challenges.

French words "learned" (according to the memrise app): We were on a break! (Friends was on the in-flight entertainment system on the plane.)

Daily photos taken? Yes.

Swordfighting learnt: Giant-mecha with laser chainswords beats mecha-kaiju. (So was Pacific Rim: Uprising.)

I am currently reading: The Earthsea Quartet by Ursula Le Guin (courtesy of Lindsay Law).

Kilograms gained while in the States: Surprisingly enough, none!

Somehow four days of this didn't result in a heart attack and weight gain.

"Cheat" days on exercise: Not as many as you'd expect, as I spent a long time walking around the streets of Columbus, along with no-one else because America.

Favourite drawing: I was planing on drawing on the plane, but it was way too cramped, so I only drew once while away.  It was at a figure drawing class, though, for three solid hours. I was pretty pleased with the end result.

There's something slightly wrong about the proportions of her head, but otherwise I'm fairly pleased with this one. Especially as it was drawn from life, not a photo. (Photos help by flattening the image into 2D.)