1. Lake Superior University has once again published a list of words/phrases they think should be banished from the Queen’s English…here’s the list for 2013- fiscal cliff, kick the can down the road, double down, job creators/creation, passion/passionate, yolo (an acronym for you only live once), spoiler alert, bucket list, trending, superfood, boneless wings, and guru. Which of these words/phrases would you most like to see banished from everyday speech and why? Go here to read more about how the words were chosen.

2.  When was the last time you rode a train?  Where did you go?

The last time I was on a train was the day I went to the FIG World Cup in Glasgow. I got the train through from Edinburgh Haymarket station to Glasgow Queen Street. And then afterwards I got the train back again.

3. Bagels-yay or nay?  Favorite ‘flavour’?  Favorite topping?

Oh my goodness. Bagels. Thank you Jewish people for giving us bagels! Thank you New York City for making them more widely available! There is a great wee café near my work called Elephants and Bagels, which is connected with another more famous Edinburgh café a couple of streets away which tourists like to visit as it’s known as ‘the birthplace of Harry Potter’. They have so many different flavours. My favourite is the Sundried tomato and olive bagel. It is great with sundried tomatoes, basil leaves and melted mozzarella cheese. Ooh, and some pine nuts. On Monday I had one plain and toasted to dip into my homemade Tomato & Basil soup.

But nothing can beat a multigrain bagel with scottish smoked salmon and Philadelphia cream cheese.

4.  ’Tis the season of awards shows…if you could star in a movie already made which one would you choose?

I’d have loved to have been in the movie Juno. Just to say a few of those lines written by Diablo Cody! I’d also have loved to have been Max in Notting Hill when he gets to drive manically through central London to try and get Will to the hotel so he can declare his love for Anna Scott. I’d love to have pulled that emergency stop and mutter those immortal words ‘James Bond never has to put up with this sort of s***’ as his friends argued about the best route to take! Tee hee.

5. The move towards single gender classrooms has been making the news in recent months….what say you?  Do you think kids perform better if seperated by gender and are taught differently or is that discrimination?  If you’re a parent, is this something you’d support in regard to your own children?

It would be to the boys detriment probably as studies have shown that boys do better with girls in the room. But it would be a huge advantage for the girls, as studies also show that girls study better in a single sex environment.  There are several grammar schools still in England historically from when separating boys and girls was typical, plus when I grew up in Edinburgh there were more public schools than state-run schools and several were all-girls or all-boys schools. Several of my friends went to all-girl schools, and say they are thankful for it because it was a benefit to their education and learning. I think as long as there are some opportunities to learn and interact together, separation doesn’t have to be a negative thing. It’s actually one thing I hope for Girlguiding – that it doesn’t become like Scouts and start letting boys in. I think the girls benefit being part of an all-women’s organisation, and especially as teenagers, try more things they wouldn’t if boys their age were present.

I’m not a parent, but in theory I think it might different for each child. I’d like to say that ‘they’ll go to a normal state-run co-educational school’, but really I’d do whatever I believed they would most benefit from to fulfil their potential.

6. What’s your favourite thing about staying in a hotel?

That the travel part is done and now I’m here and can enjoy the place I’ve come to visit! I’ve not stayed in hotels very often, but I love it when they have a swimming pool you can  use. No walking outside in the cold with soaking wet hair. Yippee! I seem to recall my sister and I loving going up in the lifts to our room when we were little. Then again, we also loved going to London Gatwick airport and riding on the monorail that took you between the North & South terminals!

7. Do you have a ‘word’ for 2013?  What’s the story behind your choice?

I actually spoke about this last HodgePodge.  Technically it’s a phrase, because my mantra for 2013 is ‘courage over fear’. And the words of these two wise authors explain why.

8.  Insert your own random thought here.

Today, I’m travelling down to England, and coming back to Scotland tomorrow. So I may be delayed in doing the HodgePodge rounds. Would really appreciate your prayers for safe travel as the M6 (motorway that goes from Scottish border down the west of England to Birmingham) is notoriously bad for silly drivers. Plus, there has been snow this week. And I’m driving my Mum’s car. I do not want it to be involved in any kind of accident!