A Year in the Office of Minister of Culture

Elizabeth Pountney has been the Minister of Culture for the Federal Commonwealth of Sirocco for just shy of one year. In this article, she talks about her life as Minister and how she now has an excuse for engorging herself on anime.

Sirocco Times: What’s been your favourite part about being Minister of Culture?
Elizabeth Pountney: I found it doesn’t really stray too far from who I really am. (laughs) I didn’t really have to change who I was or what I did! It’s brilliant!

Times: What has your job involved since you took office on November 5 last year?
Pountney: Anime. Pretty much, yeah, just anime all day and all night. It’s a tiring job but someone’s got to do it. I throw in a manga now and then but it’s mostly anime.

Times: Besides anime and manga, has your position as Minister of Culture been responsible for anything else?
Pountney: I haven’t really been given any other jobs than to watch anime, so I guess not.

Times: Why did you accept the position of Minister of Culture?
Pountney: All that [Daniel] told me to do was that I could sit back and watch anime, exactly what I do! And I guess there’s the fact that I’m trying to be supportive of his weird little micronation.
Daniel Anderson: You did it out of the kindness of your own heart.
Pountney: It’s me being too nice. Again. To you! (laughs)

Times: Do you do anything except watch anime and read manga?
Pountney: When a deadline gets too close I crash study/force myself to bump out a half-arsed assessment. Usually I’d at least achieve, which surprises me. Actually, no it doesn’t! (laughs) I’m awesome! And sexy.
Anderson: Next question please…

Times: Do you think Sirocco has done well over the last year?
Pountney: Well, I’m not entirely sure, [Daniel’s] just been doing [his] own thing, as a Premier does. He never updates me, I just keep doing what I’m meant to be doing. And I do it well. Even more so now that I’ve gotten broadband!
Anderson: None of which was harmed in the downloading of her beloved anime…

Times: Daniel has called you random on several occasions, what do you say to this?
Pountney: Blerg.
Anderson: You’ve gotta say more than that!
Pountney: Not paying attention, listening to gangsta music! (laughs)
Anderson: Does anyone blame me?

Times: So to sum up, what do you think you’ll be doing/will have done this time next year?
Pountney: I guess I hope to get Liz’s Corner up and running and get updating it from time to time. [Daniel] pitched the idea to me and I look at it as an opportunity to let his micronational buddies know how screwed up his ministers are.
Anderson: I agree with that last bit.
Pountney: Shut up. (she proceeds to sing Single Ladies)