Thread by @swardley

X : You do a lot of public speaking.
Me : Yes
X : But when speaking to you, it's clear that you are painfully shy.
Me : Well, yes.
X : So, why the public speaking?
Me : I like to repeatedly face things that terrify me face on. It's how I manage some of my quirks.

X : Quirks?
Me : Yes e.g. my inability to cope with certain basic things like fashion. Hence I bulk buy identical clothes to manage that choice.
X : Why not work in fashion shop then?
Me : A step too far. If that was the option I'd have hidden in a cave long ago.

X : A bit of a hermit then?
Me : I live in a marsh.
X : What's that like?
Me : A posh swamp.
X : A bit like Yoda?
Me : Less green, better cooking and without the mystical superpowers. Other than that ... slightly awkward swamp dweller sounds about right.

X : You must be proud how mapping has spread?
Me : I'm delighted people find it useful and have used it to help others. I'm not keen on pride in case I start believing it's right.
X : Isn't it?
Me : No. It's wrong and imperfect. However, that doesn't stop it from being useful.

X : I always imagined that you lived in a castle or a country house.
Me : Gosh, a bit out of my price bracket. I like living in the marsh ... until it floods.
X : Then what?
Me : I've always imagined myself as a Rockford Files style caravan chap. I need very little.

X : A mobile home?
Me : I have friends that live in mobile homes. In fact, one of the smartest people that I know lives in a mobile home and works as a refuse engineer (i.e. a dustman). Personally, I've always enjoyed window cleaning or fixing broken stuff.

... I'm not a fan of the wealth and possessions game. It always seems a bit off to focus on this especially given the inequality in the world. I prefer to put more back in than I take out whenever I can.

X : And locking up wealthy people in caves.
Me : Caves are good for you. Anyway, hopefully someone will come up with something better.