I am not quite sure why I wrestled with this topic so much. I couldn't decide whether to interview my mum, one of my gorgeous clever sisters, my inspiring mentor, my clever friends, someone from my past etc etc. But when I broke it right down, it was obvious who I should interview... Mr Cool. The most significant person in my life...
For a bit of background here are the stats...
Age: 32 days older than B
Weight: a little bit less than B
Height: just tall enough to give a good hug
Favourite bands: U2, Snow Patrol, Switchfoot, Delirious?
Favourite pastimes: Running {marathon distance}, testing clean skin red wine, football {sigh}, oh, and of course - coffee - espresso in fact
Job: Ummm....a teacher who also does high level admin like stuff that is ever so important
Known for: his intense fitness regime, his great sense of style, inappropriate jokes, his {verging on neurotic} neatness and his very cute children
B: How would you describe yourself?
Mr Cool: Balanced but neurotic, fun but obsessive, witty but predictable, excitable but stable, driven but can say ‘whatever’, organised but... just organised.
B: What are 3 things that are important to you?
Mr Cool:
i) Family
ii) Faith
iii) Friends
Gee, that sounds cliched, but really these three things sum up life.
B: Who knows you the best?
Mr Cool: By far and away, B.
B: Who knows you the second best?
Mr Cool: Me! But not nearly as well as B does.
B: What is something you are proud of, other than your cool wife and lovely children that it is!?
Mr Cool: Running a sub 3 hour marathon. But more than that, that I kept trying for seven years before I achieved the dream.
B: What is something that has made you happy?
Mr Cool: Travelling the world with B.
B: What is something that has made you sad?
Mr Cool: Hearing of past students who haven’t gone on with their faith.
B: Describe your fashion style?
Mr Cool: ‘Virile Yet Responsible’. I want my clothes to say, “I am young and funky, but I am climbing the corporate ladder” ;0). Anything that is cut well and fits properly. There is no excuse for poorly fitting clothes. I like brand names, but more for quality than being a label whore.
B: What are 3 must haves in your wardrobe?
Mr Cool:
Weekend
i) An awesome pair of jeans
{current favourites are Ben Sherman}.
ii) ‘The’ T-shirt; great shape, simple logo, black {current favourite is Ben Sherman}.
iii) Casual Jacket that goes with said jeans and t-shirt but is dressy enough to go with buttons and collars
{current favourite is Country Road: kahki military style}.
Work
i) Suit - cut is everything. Single breasted, two button, flat fronted pants.
ii) French Cut business shirt - again, cut is everything. Cuff-links are essential.
iii) Tie - never compromise on quality here {but never pay full price}. Most of mine are striped. I like bold colours.
B: What would you never ever wear no matter what?
Mr Cool: A cummerbund. The biggest fashion faux pas of our century. I also violently oppose the wearing of ugg boots {in public}, floral shirts, long socks, white jeans and mankinis.
B: How did you and B meet?
Mr Cool: Mr Agnew’s maths class year 9. I thought she was a snob, she thought I was an idiot. Turns out we were both right. Faking an epileptic fit in class didn’t help my cause.
B: Did you ask her out, or did she ask you?
Mr Cool: I did. She was very shy....
B: When did you know that you LUUURVED her?
Mr Cool: Actually, very early on. I have recollections of talking marriage before we had finished high school. I knew she was a keeper.
B: What is cool?
{It took Mr Cool ages to think of this - SEE it is hard to work it out!}
Mr Cool: Cool is being/doing what you think is cool, despite what others think. I admire people who choose to run with something with scant regard for what others might think. One of my favourite sayings is, “We wouldn’t care what people thought of us if we knew how little they actually did.”
B: Why is B so cool?
Mr Cool: {How do I summarise this in a cheeky way?} She is cool because she doesn’t try to be. The very fact that she is determined to find herself rather than try to become someone else is the ultimate in cool. Also, she packs my lunch, sometimes. And she is cute. {B may have added this last bit}.
B: Are you cool?
Mr Cool: No, not yet. Actually, I think being known in the blogosphere as ‘Mr Cool’ is hilarious. But given how uncool I was as a teenager, I have made tremendous progress on the journey to coolness!
B: Thanks for the interview Mr Cool! It was a fun way to spend an evening. You are cool - and you & I make truly cute babies. Check out BabyCool - he is getting so big!
