20 (or so) questions on how Charles Ek works
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: (sunny) London, UK
Desired location: Somewhere on a beach, in a country with summer all year round; or New York, USA
Current work title: English-Romanian translator, Managing Director at Inbox Translation
Desired work title: Same as above, I wouldn’t change a thing
Languages you have studied or currently speak: Romanian (native), English, French, Spanish, Italian
The project you’re most proud of: Inbox Translation
Your current computer setup: laptop and 24-inch screen
Do you own a smartphone? Doesn’t everyone? 🙂
Favorite time of the day: Bedtime, when I can relax with a good book
Favorite gadget (apart from computer & smartphone): my Kindle
Next conference/event you’re planning to attend: No immediate plans to be honest, a little busy at the moment with some exciting plans
How many hours per day do you usually work: Probably around 12
Are you an introvert or an extrovert? Extrovert, no doubt about it
Are you an early-riser or a night-owl? Used to be an early-riser, now I am more of a night-owl, though there are days when I am neither.
What do you listen to while you work? I prefer silence when I work.
And a few non-work related questions to get more personal.
Your babies or pets, incl. names and ages: I used to have a Guinea pig, but it died a few years ago 🙁
Next city/country you want to visit: Greece (two places there actually – Corfu, where one of my dearest friends lives, and Athens – for its history and to visit some lovely people I’ve met online :).
What everyday thing are you better at than anyone else? Organising stuff. I am a little compulsive actually. If you wake me up in the middle of the night to ask me where a particular paper or document is, I can tell you immediately.
Favorite vacation place: I don’t have one. Each place is different and has its own charm.
Favorite book: There are so many books I love it would be difficult to limit myself to one – The Shining (Stephen King), 1984 (George Orwell), Blindness (José Saramago), Of Mice and Men (John Steinbeck)
Favorite song: Again, too difficult to choose one, but I will go with The World is Not Enough from Garbage (it has a special meaning to me)
What are you currently reading? Jitterbug Perfume by Tom Robbins – since Catherine said it was her favourite book, I had to give it a go. I am always open to suggestions when it comes to good books. Please don’t be shy and recommend some books in your comments.
Author bio
Alina Cincan
I am a former teacher, translator and interpreter with over 8 years’ experience, now Managing Director at Inbox Translation. I am a language geek who likes to keep up to date with what’s happening in the industry. When I am not writing on my own blog, I am writing on other people’s. You can get in touch on Twitter, Facebook, Google+ and LinkedIn.
About the author
Catherine Christaki has been a full-time English-Greek translator since 2001 and co-owner of Lingua Greca Translations since 2012. She specializes in Information Technology, Medical, and Technical texts and loves writing for the Adventures in Technical Translation blog. She regularly shares her experience and insight on social media and blogging for translators, giving interviews and presenting at conferences. Connect with her on Twitter @LinguaGreca.
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I absolutely love The Shining too – I read it when I was a kid and couldn’t put it down even though it was probably more than I could handle at that age! Oh, and the music video of that Garbage song used to scare me to death, no kidding! I still think there is something a little eerie about it…
Oh, you’ll laugh at me, but I only started reading horror a few years ago (I still haven’t watched a proper horror film though). And the Shining is my absolute fave when it comes to Stephen King, although I found the film disappointing.
As for Garbage… really? I’m surprised.
In the meantime (since I wrote the answers), London is no longer sunny and I have finished reading “Jitterbug Perfume”, which, by the way, is a fantastic book. Thank you, Catherine, for introducing me to it.
Aaaah, The Shining – the source of many a nightmare when I was a kid. But even though I scare easily when watching movies, the Shining movie never really captured the horror that the book had for me.
I think you may be the first translator in this series who is an extrovert 🙂
Yes, the film was nowhere near as scary as the book. As for nightmares, considering I read it in my late twenties, there were none. Just the feeling of a brilliantly written book.
I have noticed I am the first one saying she’s an extrovert (no men have been featured yet, so I am safe using ‘she’). Some of the lovely people here (Catherine and Marta come to mind right now) come across as extroverts, yet they are not, as they themselves said it. It’s very interesting, isn’t it?
At the ATA conference a few weeks ago, people couldn’t believe it when I said I was nervous about presenting or approaching people I don’t know in person. One colleague even said I look a bit strict in the photo I usually use in my social media profiles (have to change it). I think people’s perception of introverts like myself and Marta as extroverts is great, it means we do a good networking job online. After breaking the ice online, it’s easier to talk to someone in person 🙂
Your favourite gadget is similar to mine: mine’s an ebook reader, although not a Kindle. I like Stephen King too! 🙂
Any e-book reader that would allow me to carry lots and lots of books with me and be able to read them anywhere, everywhere would make it to my list favourite things. Mine happens to be a Kindle (it was a present), but I would have loved it by any other name 🙂 As for King, I love most of books. If you like this genre, I would also recommend Dean Koontz (the Odd series is really good). Have you read anything penned by him?
I’ve read tons of Koontz books (most of the Odd ones), highly recommended. Can be spooky at times but no nightmares so far 🙂
I read a lot of Koontz 🙂 I didn’t read the Odd series, but I have quite a collection of his various titles.
A different kind of horror – a real horror and less suspense – is Graham Masterton. I read his “The Mannitou” when I was 12 and it was my very first horror book ever 😀
Oh, I’d definitely recommend the Odd series.
I haven’t read anything by Graham Masterton, but thanks for the recommendation. I’ll definitely look into it.
Aaaah, The Shining was the first Stephen King book I read when I was a teen. What a great book! And I also love Mice and Men, every time I read it I can’t help but cry!
I am also part of the “Kindle team” – I had it as a present and was not very comfortable using at first (I was scared to break it). I’m very grateful to have it now, so handy when travelling.
It was nice “meeting” you with this Q&A, Alina 🙂
Louise
I managed to break my first Kindle unfortunately, but luckily I received my second one soon after, so I didn’t have to be without ‘my beloved’ for long :).
I hope you sent your answers too so I can get to know more about you as well.