That they get it.

I personally wouldn’t be, if I could possibly help it, involved in a serious pursuit in which there weren’t a few people who could laugh a bit about it. Because I can remember many occasions — maybe we’ve been stuck in a tent or we’re up on the side of a mountain, this heavy snow, avalanches all around us, and we can’t get up and we can’t get down, but we just sat in the tent and reminisced about occasions and days gone by and laughed about old jokes and all the rest of it. Then you really have a very good time, even though you’re sort of poised there between disaster both up and down. People who can make you laugh under those circumstances are very valuable indeed in an expedition.

Humor and honesty. And, like me, they always think the unnecessary last drink is a great idea.

That they’re kind, trustworthy, smart, and can hear and communicate and aren’t afraid to do so.

It’s hard to pick one time. I feel like I’m quite a happy person. My ninth birthday was epic, though.

I would talk slower. When I hear myself interviewed sometimes it sounds like I’m running an auction.

Eating breakfast foods at a time of the day other than breakfast. Pancakes for dinner—I’m happy.

My ability to invariably say exactly the wrong thing in any given situation.