When I haven't been working I've tried to travel a lot.
Michael Palin decided to give up on his considerable comedy talents to make those dreadfully tedious travel shows. Have you ever tried to watch one?
I knew that I could vote and that that wasn't a privilege it was my right. Every time I tried I was shot killed or jailed beaten or economically deprived.
For a long time I tried to manage an honesty and openness about my personal life because I'm human and I'm normal - well semi-normal.
I think people should be allowed to do anything they want. We haven't tried that for a while. Maybe this time it'll work.
I had two passions growing up - one was music one was technology. I tried to play in a band for a while but I was never talented enough to make it. And I started companies. One day came along and I decided to combine the two - and there was Spotify.
The only protection as a historian is to institute a process of research and writing that minimizes the possibility of error. And that I have tried to do aided by modern technology which enables me having long since moved beyond longhand to use a computer for both organizing and taking notes.
I've tried to make 'Strictly Ballroom' impossible to date. It does feel a bit '80s but I consciously made sure there was no technology in the movie that could date it.
When I was writing 'The Abstinence Teacher ' I really tried to immerse myself in contemporary American evangelical culture.
I didn't want to be the archetypal sponging brother-in-law so I didn't go into acting when I got to the States. I thought 'No I'll go to school and then I'll be an English teacher that'll be fun.' But I was horrible as a teacher. As hard as I tried I just couldn't inspire those kids to take an interest in Milton and Shakespeare and Donne.