1. Name, age, location?
Scott McCormack AKA Roopa, 37, Brunswick
2. What do you do?
I’m a joiner slash builder. I do renovations, kitchens, shop fits, a bit of furniture here and there; I work with wood. I’ve got my own business, Roopacorp.
3. What would you rather be doing?
My other passion is smallgoods, and anything pig-related. My partner Sarah got me a sausage maker a few years ago and it from there it evolved. We can’t buy bacon from the shop because it tastes like shit; I’ve got to make it all. We have sausage making sessions; a bunch of mates come over and we stand around drinking beer and making sausages. It’s very phallic. I’ve always wanted to move out to the country and start a pig farm. I’d still want to do furniture, but pick and choose my clients.
4. How have you changed in the last five years?
I concentrate all my work into business hours so I can have days off with the kids. When you think about it, you think, ‘How can I do it? How can I do it?’ then you just do it. I don’t want to work and work for no particular reason, just for money. I’d rather hang out and go camping on the weekend.
When you start a business, you have to go the extra mile to keep everyone happy. Now I probably take on less work, but when I go into the workshop, I do stuff, then I’m out. Some dudes procrastinate, talk, go get a coffee, where I will ... hit it.
I’ve got two kids now, so partying has slowed down somewhat. I’d say I’ve quietened down quite a bit.
5. Who do you look up to?
Everyone’s the same. You can take bits of information, knowledge and lifestyle choices from everybody; so I guess I look up to everyone, but no one. I don’t really have a figure to follow. I want to be me, not someone else.
6. How do you look after yourself?
I play football, and I play AFL 9s during the summer, so that keeps me running. That, and I work. Lots of beam lifting, that sort of thing. Sarah helps me eat better. I had fried chicken for lunch today, purely because she’s not here.
When I come home, I switch off. I can drop work issues like that (clicks fingers). I used to come home stressed; you’ve just got to get your switch sorted. Being able to let go and relax helps you physically.
7. Do you think men need to moisturise?
I am of red hair, and we do burn quite easy, so before I leave in the morning, I put on sunscreen. I should probably buy one with moisturiser in it. I have little time for grooming, but who knows? I’m going for the weathered look.
8. What do you care about?
My partner, kids, friends and family. Taking it easy, getting away, having a good time with the people I want to hang out with. I relax easy, so it makes it easy. You’ve always got to be ready to have a good time.
9. What don’t you care about?
I take everything into consideration, so there’s nothing I don’t really care about. I don’t really care for religion. I don’t care for bullshit and people making things harder than they need to be. I don’t have anything in particular that pisses me off. If I do, I’ll sort it out.
10. How important is honesty to you?
Very important. I don’t want to be bullshitted to; give it to me straight, it’s ok. You’ve got to be honest with everyone. You can occasionally withhold out of consideration people’s feelings, I don’t think that’s being too dishonest.
11. When was the last time you were wrong?
Probably this morning. I’m not perfect. I get shit wrong sometimes, I get confused. I like to say things whether or not I know it’s wrong, but if I say it with enough authority, people think I’m right. Sometimes people call me on it, and I’ll gladly admit I’m wrong, but someone had to take charge, and that man was me.
12. What’s the most brutal truth you’ve faced?
The truth isn’t brutal, it’s just the truth. Nothing’s ever stopped me from doing something. I’ve had people close to me die. I lost a testicle in a motorcycle accident, but it didn’t stop me riding motorbikes, or procreating for that matter. I may have lost a testicle, but I still have one. The specimen jar is still half full.