e jerry powell pointed out to me that these diversions have covered a great deal of the Pivot Questionnaire made famous by James “Mec Daddy” Lipton on Inside the Actors Studio. He made an excellent point. To wit -

1. What is your favourite word? ☑
2. What is your least favourite word? ☑
3. What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally? I’m afraid to ask this one.
4. What turns you off? Can we just put a pin in this and #3?
5. What is your favourite curse word? ☑
6. What sound or noise do you love? Close enough. ☑
7. What sound or noise do you hate? We love hate! Let’s do this one!
8. What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?
9. What profession would you not like to do? Let’s save these last two for another time.
10. If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? ☑-ish. This one might be fun to revisit sometime later.

So…

What sound or noise do you hate?

I knew a woman whose voice was so grating that I would do an impression of her to explain the idiom “like fingernails on a blackboard” to my ESL students. Her family once babysat a friend’s pet bird and every time this woman spoke the bird went NUTS!

Clanging pots: I am deeply clumsy, so I often drop things like pots and pans. I don’t try to catch them; I cover my ears and initiate proactive cringing.

The squeak of styrofoam, in particular the sheets of it that come inside furniture you assemble yourself. I don’t like touching it either. I’m shifting uncomfortably just thinking about it.

Let’s add: What texture or sensation do you hate?

Creme brulee. It’s phlegm in dessert form.

Foam backing such as one finds on a plastic table cloth. I cannot touch it without shuddering.

Hell, let’s make it non-specific: What makes your skin crawl? What sensory thing annoys the crap out of you?

Chime in. Speak up. Delurk. Share your hate. Heebie your jeebies.

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