Frivolity

I never knew that! With Kettle Business Editor, Kirstie Keate

8 years ago
by Naomi

At Kettle Mag the editors remain hidden away in Kettle Towers occupying themselves with ideas, proofing, tweeting, and keeping their ears tuned to the latest news. But what do we know about these busy creatures? Here at frivolity over the coming weeks we intend to find out…This week we get down to business with Business editor Kirstie Keate.

My parents don’t know this about me but…

I do like brussels sprouts now, just like they said I eventually would if I kept eating them, but they definitely aren’t my favourite. I used to smuggle them away from the dinner table when I was younger and flush them down the toilet so my parents thought I’d eaten them.

When you hear the word ‘kettle’, what comes to mind?

Tea! And digestive biscuits.

How long after you wake up do you check your phone?

Immediately. It’s my alarm. Although ‘check’ would also encompass groaning at it and resisting the urge to throw it across the room.

Stranded on a desert island you wouldn’t be without…

A solar powered, satellite phone to call for help so I can get off quickly. A desert island sounds really dull.

What is the most revolting food you’ve ever eaten?

Aubergine, closely followed by honey. I live near Brighton and, in one of the MANY vegetarian cafes there, I once saw aubergine toast with honey. My stomach still churns at the thought of it.

If you were to open your own business- what would it be?

Depends on the budget. In an ideal world, where I win the lottery, I’d buy a prosecco vineyard in Italy, set up a few holiday cottages, plant a few olive, lemon and orange groves and live off the profits (and the olives, and the prosecco). Only flaw is my friends all want to visit, and probably drink away the profits!
 

Do you watch The Apprentice? Who do you think is going to win? 

 I stopped watching it when I started spending most of the time cringing at it rather than watching it.

If you couldn’t edit the Business section for Kettle, which section would you choose?

World or politics. I love the current affairs section of Kettle. I’m a bit of a history geek. I love the thought that what we write for that section will one day be what historians look back on to interpret the past.

Which friend that you met at uni is likely to be at your 60th birthday party?

Lyndsay. We met at our first lecture and have been firm friends ever since.

Wine or beer?

In case the prosecco based business plan hasn’t given it away, wine, more specifically, prosecco.
 

Cat or dog?

Cat. I’ve got three of them. I do also have a dog, but she doesn’t bark, she doesn’t fetch, she doesn’t greet me at the door when I get in (though the cats often do), but she will catch and eat mice, so she’s pretty much a cat in dogs clothing anyway.

Football or rugby?

I’m half English, half New Zealander, with a bit of Scottish and Irish thrown in for good measure. Supporting anything other than rugby would be pointless.
 

iphone or Android?

iPhone, for years!
 

Apart from writing, what other creative talents do you have?

Erm, I once painted a mug on holiday, does that count? I bake a lot and do a pretty decent Victoria sponge. A friend of mine once asked me to bring one along to a party she was hosting where David Dimbleby was a guest, he said it was one of the best he’d tasted.

Kirstie Keate, Creative cup and cake
Tea and cake anyone? Handmade by Kirstie – including the design on the mug

If you were a punctuation mark, what would you be?

Punctuation marks are for stopping and pausing. I do neither.

What is your most unappealing habit?

My driving. Some people say it’s a bit aggressive. I say it’s forcefully efficient.

What would you like to be remembered for?

Proving the adage that well behaved women rarely make history to be true, and I’m not very well behaved.
 

Have you ever volunteered for anything?

I have worked as a befriender for Mind, helping people recently out of psychiatric care reintegrate into society, for SANDS (the stillbirth and neonatal death charity) helping bereaved parents come to terms with their loss and also reading with children at a local school. Perhaps I am a little bit well behaved.

Who so far, family or otherwise has influenced you in your life?

I had, and recovered from, PTSD a few years ago. Having and recovering from it changed me, for the better, immeasurably.
 

Which emoji do you use most frequently?

Any of the smiley face ones.

What was the last song you listened to on your ipod/phone?

Hozier, Take me to Church.

What was the last thing you googled?

Eysenck’s trait theory, I’m writing an essay.

What is your most over used word or expression?

“Why”. It has been ever since I could first speak. My response to everything was, “why?”. I always wanted to understand why things were done, why they had to be done that way, how they worked, why people did the things they did and thought the way they did. People used to think I was answering back and being rude, but I was just genuinely fascinated in why things happened. My older cousins still mock me for it, I still ask “why” constantly.

What keeps you awake at night?

3 cats and a dog who think that 3am is a good time for a party, normally on the stairs. They chase each other up and down them endlessly until I wake up and yell at them. Sometimes they bring a mouse in for extra fun…

Kirstie Keate, pets
Pre-party plotting to keep Kirstie awake.

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