The person who seeks all their applause from outside has their happiness in another's keeping.

Is it art? Mayfair Plaza car park, Sandy Bay. September 2012.

Here is a crop of ten questions for today's Q and A chosen from a neat little randomiser that I designed myself...

Are you doing what you believe in, or are you settling for what you are doing?

At this point, I’m settling. That said, I generally believe in the things that I have to do on a day-to-day basis. I have no problem speaking my mind if work is not being done properly or I find it ethically or intellectually improper.

How come the things that make you happy don’t make everyone happy?

My gut answer is to blame everyone else (i.e. “because everyone else is wrong!”). I don’t know, probably an inversion of this question might be easier to answer. A lot of people seem to enjoy things that don’t give me much pleasure (i.e. “dining out” or the never-ending parade of new “gizmos and gadgets”). I don’t know. I just like a nice beach, a bit of peace and quiet and something interesting to read.

How old would you be if you didn’t know how old you are?

I suspect that I would be either 19 or 72. One of the two.

If a turtle doesn't have a shell, are they homeless or naked?

Both. Moreover, they’ve be absolutely stuffed.

If you could offer a newborn child only one piece of advice, what would it be?

“Try to be good.”

Is is possible to know the truth without challenging it first?

Putting aside the more difficult question about the nature of ‘truth’, I don’t believe that an unchallenged assumption is worth a lot. I think that beliefs that are carried around with people that are un-reflected upon for years on end are not as valuable as many seem to feel.

To what degree have you actually controlled the course your life has taken?

I have to take responsibility for decisions that I have made (and not made) over the years. Sure, we’re all dealt a certain number of cards (genetic, social, cultural, economic, geographical etc), but we still have to play a smart hand. I don’t think that I have played the sharpest hand, but I could have played worse.

When you choke a Smurf, what colour does it turn?

I reckon that it would go green. Eventually. Then brown.

Why are you, you?

Because I am me, silly!

You’re having lunch with three people you respect and admire. They all start criticising a close friend of yours, not knowing she is your friend. The criticism is distasteful and unjustified. What do you do?

I’ll probably sound out the reasons for their criticism before I declare my interest. If I think that it is unjustified or unfair, I’ll say so. If I respect and admire the person I should have examples to hand.