20 (or so) questions on how Anna (@keycheck

This series of posts was inspired by Lifehacker’s How I Work series, which I’ve been reading for quite some time and thoroughly enjoy. It’s about time we discover how our colleagues work and get to know them a little better.

If you want to participate in this fun series, send us an email at info@linguagreca.com so we can send you the Word template where you can fill in your answers and your bio (incl. your site/blog/social media links) and then send it back to us as an attachment along with your photo (optional but preferred). If you don’t like any of the questions, just delete them and add your own. You can read the previous interviews here.

Location: Leeds, UK
Desired location: Somewhere rural in France or Spain
Current work title: Independent translation & localisation professional (KeyCheck Translation)
Desired work title: The same, I like my job
Languages you have studied or currently speak: Polish, English, a degree of French, German and Spanish
The project you’re most proud of: Many great projects but subtitling 13 episodes of a Polish TV series “Paradox” was definitely a highlight
Your current computer setup: PC with Windows 7, laptop with Windows XP (must replace!) with a 1TB external hard drive for backups; I use a trackball instead of an ordinary mouse and an ergonomic keyboard
Do you own a smartphone? Yes, an old HTC Desire
Favorite time of the day: Mid- to late afternoon
Favorite gadget (apart from computer & smartphone): Canon D1100 and the two lenses I have for it – I love it!
Next conference/event you’re planning to attend: Probably one of the YTI events
How many hours per day do you usually work: Anything between 0 and 14 depending on other commitments. My schedule is all over the place.
Are you an introvert or an extrovert? I’m not sure! Probably an introvert but I don’t struggle if I have to speak publicly.
Are you an early-riser or a night-owl? Night owl, though I would like to publicly thank my other half for chasing me into bed at 10pm every night. I just don’t do early mornings, that’s all.
What do you listen to while you work? If my other half is in, BBC2. If he’s out, my vast mp3 collection on shuffle and, sometimes, Radio PiN (a Polish radio station).

And a few non-work related questions to get more personal.

Your babies or pets, incl. names and ages: Abigail Jagoda (19 mo). I used to keep pet rats but haven’t got the time any more 🙁
Next city/country you want to visit: France or Spain
Favorite vacation place: I think Bieszczady, a mountain range in southern Poland, though I haven’t been for donkey’s years.
Favorite book: So hard to pick! I love “A Hundred Years of Solitude” by Gabriel García Márquez, “Master and Margarita” by Mikhail Bulgakov, “The Blind Assassin” by Margaret Atwood, “Hopscotch” by Julio Cortázar and “The Unbearable Lightness of Being” by Milan Kundera.
Favorite song: Impossible to pick one or even just five.
What are you currently reading? Labels on boxes, as we moved houses and offices recently!

Author bio

Anna Lycett, AITI works in English and in Polish since 2007 and as KeyCheck Translation since 2010. Her specialisms include commercial (marketing, PR, business, management, communications), scientific (history, art and philosophy) and translation for subtitling. She’s a wife of one and a mother of one, and is passionate about crochet, photography and sport. You can follow her on Twitter, LinkedIn or Facebook.