2 minutes and 40 seconds: Introduction

Posted in Interviews
Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

Recently I have been working at The Fanlistings Network, which recently reopened after it was hacked a year ago. I have also taken up another position in another category as well. I have missed working for the network and getting in touch with everyone in the community on the message board, so it’s really great to have TFL back.

Today I wanted to announce something that is really exciting (in my opinion, but you know, it’s just an opinion) and that I have been planning for about a month.

2:40 – or is that 2 minutes and 40 seconds?
2:40 – or is that 2 minutes and 40 seconds?

I am starting a new interview segment on my blog called 2 minutes and 40 seconds. Instead of following a traditional interview format to get the low-down on what someone is all about, I am scrapping that aside, with the aim of my interview style to reveal random facts or characteristics, as well as being humourous and entertaining.

If you’re getting curious, keep reading.

The name ‘2 minutes and 40 seconds’ comes from the analog clock on my family’s built-in oven. Since 1999, the clock has read 2:40 and has not been operating since. Neither has the oven. That is over a decade that I have not had a working oven, but, that is also beside the point.

A (verbal) interview of two minutes and forty seconds is rather short. Imagine how quickly you might answer if you had to get through twenty questions in that time. Some of the questions I have already asked some interviewees are very silly questions. I encourage them to answer with the first thing that comes to mind. This makes the interview more fun and random, which is, of course, the general idea.

Of course, it does help to know a bit about a person before interviewing them, or reading an interview about them. I have decided that if I know the person well enough, I will write a proper paragraph of introduction for them for the interview. If not, I will ask the interviewee to write a little bit about themselves.

Sample questions to indicate style:

  • Your dog has grown a second head. What do you do?
  • Would you rather be drowning in marshmallows, or drowning in waffles?
  • What is the last song you listened to?
  • Someone blindfolds you and puts your hand into something really cold, slimy and smelly. What is it?

I am unsure how often this segment will appear on my blog, but at this stage it will appear about once a month unless I gain more interviewees. So with that said, yes, I am looking for anyone who may be interested. I am looking for a variety of people so I may not get back to everyone straight away.

This page gives a summary of the segment, and will list people who have been interviewed, with links to their interviews. If you’re interested in participating, you can visit that page and fill in the form, or you can send an email to

with the subject of 2 minutes and 40 seconds.

I already have a few interviewees and I am super excited to start this! :D Hopefully you will enjoy it as well. Let me know what you think or if you have other suggestions.