Think hard!
By Caitlin Kelly
For a change of pace, 20 questions…
What was the best year of your life and why?
At 25, I won a fellowship based in Paris that had 28 journalists from 19 countries, ages 25 to 35. People came from Bangladesh, Togo, New Zealand, Ireland, North America, Brazil, China, Japan. It was absolutely fantastic. We each did four 10-day solo reporting trips; I went to Amsterdam and London to write about squatting (taking over abandoned properties); went to small-town Sicily to write about Cruise missiles; went to Copenhagen to write about the Royal Danish Ballet and took an 8-day truck trip from Perpignan to Istanbul to write about the trucking industry. We also went on group trips to Munich and Siena and forged, en deux langues, deep friendships lasting to this day. My love for Paris and France runs very deep with gratitude for this life-changing experience.
The worst?
A toss-up between 1983 when I saw my mother in a locked psychiatric ward in London; 1994 when my first husband walked out for good; 1998 when I dated a con man and 2018 with a (not bad) breast cancer diagnosis. At least I had time to recover from each before the next one hit.
Tea or coffee?
Both!
The best place you’ve ever visited (outside your home country?)
A three-way tie between Corsica, Thailand and Ireland. I cried when I left all of these.
Best book(s) you ever read?
Whew. Too many. I loved The Imperfectionists by Tom Rachmann and My Family and Other Animals by Gerald Durrell, Cutting For Stone. Random Family (non-fiction) is astounding, as is Skyfaring.
Favorite movie(s)?
So so so many! Casablanca. All the Ocean’s movies. All the Bourne movies. Michael Clayton. Dr. Zhivago. The Devil Wears Prada. For documentaries, Capernaum is a powerful, unforgettable must-see.
A you a nervous flyer?
Regretfully, yes. I love to travel and am not good with turbulence.
Secret super-power?
I can whistle really loudly with two fingers, grind jib really fast at the start of a sailboat race, have an excellent color sense and almost always know — within 20-30 minutes, day or night — what time it is.
Activity you most dread?
Seeing a doctor. Too many visits for too many reasons.
Most look forward to?
Hmmmm. Landing/arriving somewhere distant at the start of a long vacation.
How do your weekend mornings typically start?
The New York Times and Financial Times, in print. Coffee. Probably toast and an omelette and fresh orange juice. More coffee!
Do (did) your parents approve of/support your career choice?
Absolutely. My father made films and my mother worked as a writer and magazine editor.
What do you most admire in others?
A passion for, and commitment to, social justice. Honesty tempered by kindness, tact and thoughtful timing. Deep loyalty to friends. Skills I lack — musical ability, gardening. A massive work ethic (not to be confused with workaholism.) I really enjoy people who are deeply curious and have an appreciation for beauty and elegance.
What do you most abhor?
Liars. Hypocrites. Rage-a-holics. Laziness. Self-righteousness. Whining!
What (if anything) do you most enjoy cooking?
I love making soup, roast chicken, a good salad and vinaigrette.
This is easy and so good!
Eating?
Hmmmm. So many things! Rice pudding and flan. Strawberries. Oysters with mignonette sauce. Branzino. Baguette with brie.
Do you have a pet?
No. We keep discussing getting a dog but have not yet.
Is/was your family of origin a happy one?
No. Have mentioned this here many times.
What’s your favorite thing to wear (clothing, shoes, accessories)?
I’m mad for scarves of all kinds: linen, silk (two Hermès), cotton, cashmere, wool. It’s really my signature. Rings and earrings — Jose has given me some lovely ones. Also very fond of quality footwear, like the low black suede boots I bought in Canada last year.
What are your three best qualities?
Hmmmm. Loyal friend, hard worker, mentor.
Your turn!!
Broadside 
Great answers. Also, what sort of dog are you thinking of getting?
Your turn! Not sure….probably a terrier (no more than 15 or 20 pounds.) Normally, we travel a lot.
I’ll see what I can do. Good luck finding one. You combing the shelters?
Nor right now…too busy just trying to stay healthy. Our local shelter gets very few smaller dogs (and they go very quickly) and we cannot handle a larger dog.
Yeah, I get that. I hope when things are a bit less crazy, you’re able to find one who meets your needs. And if I hear of any, I’ll let you know.
thanks
You’re welcome. 😊
Loved this. Your Worst is Something!
Oh yeah…Let’s just say I am resilient.
I may answer with a post. 🙂
Cool!
Ooh, I hope you get a dog! I love my Cavalier King Charles spaniel… sweet-natured with everyone and every animal. She’s an ideal lap warmer while working at home too. As I type this, she’s snoozing away on my lap.
I also love My Family and Other Animals. Gerald Durrell wrote two more books about Corfu — have you read those? I have them all in one: The Corfu Trilogy.
I enjoy documentaries and have been meaning to watch Capernaum. One documentary I’ll never forget is For Sama.
Thanks….we have considered a Scottie or a Wheaten…basically, something pretty small.
Haven’t read all of them — but enjoyed the BBC series.
Capernaum is quite mind-blowing; pretty sure I did a blog post about it.
They sound like good options. Wheaten terriers are adorable!
wow, the worst! you have led such an interesting life, with highs and lows, and you are still standing.
I realized I even left out two other terrible years, at 14 and 20. So…yes, still standing.
Wow