Michael Stavarič Wishes for a Scale-Bleating Sheep and a Normal Snow Leopard

Austrian author Michael Stavarič engages in a playful Q&A, offering a glimpse into his imaginative world and personal philosophies. When asked what he wishes for, Stavarič humorously lists a menagerie of fantastical creatures, including a sheep capable of bleating the musical scale and a snow leopard.

Reflecting on his childhood, Stavarič recalls finding a sick blackbird and the dilemma of whether its "release" was truly the best option or merely the easiest. He credits his parents for not placing obstacles in his path, though he jokes that a few diamonds would have been welcome.

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That is for me the most beautiful word in the German language. Techtelmechtel.

Stavarič feels he has come of age because he trusts himself to explore the world's farthest corners and always find his way back. He also humorously notes his newfound confidence in dealing with know-it-alls, stating he can easily handle them now.

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I remember finding a sick blackbird. I was told it was best to take a stone to release it. As a child, I never knew if it was really the best thing or just the easiest of all possibilities.

His favorite places to browse are antique shops and vinyl record stores. He finds that a "rubber eraser and correction fluid" have made his life easier. When unable to sleep, Stavarič opts to get up and write, listen to Faithless's "Insomnia," take a walk, or think of loved ones.

He humorously imagines how he would react if his greatest enemy slipped on a banana peel, offering a polite "Oops. May I help you finish?" Stavarič also expresses a desire for, and inability to afford, a goblin shark, a star-nosed mole, a fried-egg jellyfish, a cross-eyed opossum, and several other exotic species.

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I feel adult because... I trust myself to venture into the farthest corners of the world. And I always find my way back. I used to be afraid of that, and now I'm not.