Welcome to Sensible Answers

Hello and welcome to this new blog. This is a pilot to see whether the idea is worth developing into an all-singing, all-dancing website.

The idea is very simple - you ask ANY question you like, using the comments box below, and I will answer it as honestly and usefully as I can. (If you can't see a comments box, click on where it says '0 comments' or '1 comment' and a box should appear.)

• You're not posting questions in the forlorn hope that someone in the world will answer them sensibly.
• You're not searching through a list of questions that have been asked before.
• You won't get a rehash of a Wikipedia entry.
• You WILL get a personal, beautifully crafted response from me - and all for a tiny fee - but we're still in the introductory period so it's currently free! Sometimes it will be witty for no extra charge!

The answers are not intended to be dry, definitive or even necessarily well-informed. They are the sort of answers I would give to a friend over lunch, even if I was paying. They may even occasionally be funny - sometimes intentionally so.

The first hundred questions will be answered free of charge. After that, there will be a nominal charge per question (probably one pound initially), payable before the question will be answered! (Payment mechanism to be determined.)

I'm hoping to get the sort of question which you would ask a friend when you wanted an honest opinion and either didn't have a friend who knew anything about the subject or had a personal reason why you'd rather not ask it of anyone you know well. I'm also happy to perform simple research into any subject.

So - why would you want me to answer your questions? I have worked in retail, finance, science and literature. I was educated at a prestigious university. I have spent a few years looking after a child. I have travelled widely. I read widely. I play four musical instruments (one well, three enthusiastically). I have a sense of humour. I am honest and trustworthy, I will not judge you and I am not easily offended.

For those unhappy with the concept of my answering ANY question, here are four examples of questions which I would tackle, although question 4 would probably require a lengthy answer (see terms and conditions below):

1. What should I buy for my friend's birthday? He's going to be 38 and he's married with two kids.
   
   
2. My kitchen sink drains really slowly and gives off a funny smell - what should I do?
   
   
3. I have a terrible feeling of unease every time I see men with beards - is this rational?
   
   
4. Is there a purpose to our existence on this planet?

Over to you!

Terms and conditions follow:

• Obviously there will be some questions which I either cannot or will not answer. Anyone posting one of these after the free trial period ends will have their money refunded in full. Examples of questions that could be rejected are those which are potentially libellous, those that appear to incite to crime and those that are unmentionably boring.
  
  
• Some questions will require lengthy answers, which may require an additional contribution. This will be made clear on an individual basis, again with a full refund if no answer is given.
  
  
• And finally, I am not licensed to give financial, legal or medical advice. Nevertheless, I will take on such questions purely by way of giving my unofficial opinion. Any decisions you make based on my answers are your own responsibility, exactly as they would be if you asked the question of a friend over lunch.