Hello and welcome to Hankgames without Hank. My name is John Green, I'm the manager of the AFC Wimbledon Wimbly Womblys who, as you can see, are sitting on 102 points. So far clear of our League 2 opposition that, ladies and gentlemen, next year, we will definitely, even if we lose the rest of our League 2 games, be playing in league one against... wait for it... the team that used to be us, MK Scum. I'm sorry to fans of Milton Keynes, but you did steal our team.

(0:33) Today we're gonna answer some more questions asked by the students of Norfolk Academy who donated to the Project for Awesome. Thank you for donating, students of Norfolk Academy. I am excited to answer your questions.

(0:43) The first one's a very good one. Meredith, can you repeat it for me? "Do I write books I wanna read, do I write books that I wanna write, or do I write books other people would want me to write?" Umm that's a really interesting question and it gets to like the whole issue of like, what the real audience for a book is - get there, Ya Bamba! Yaaa- ohhh.

(1:04) Um, and I guess the answer for me is like a mix. That like, to me, those aren't mutually exclusive, and that I try to serve multiple masters, I guess. I wanna write, you know- I need to enjoy writing on some level in order to do it, in order to do lots of it, but I also- I also need to be making something as a gift for people in order for it to be fulfilling, and in order for it to work.

(1:35) So like I have to have an audience in mind, at least when I'm writing for an audience and then I have to be, you know I don't necessarily like... You know, yeah. I have to be writing for someone, or else it doesn't feel like it's working to me. So that's- I guess that's the best answer I have. I don't know. That's a really interesting question though and I think a really complicated one.

(1:56) What's my next question, Meredith? "Where did DFTBA originate?" So my friend Katie Elles, who by the way is getting married in just a few months! Congratulations to Katie. Uh, my friend Katie Elles and I were in Chicago and we were at a bar, I think it's called the Huettenbar, it's in Lincoln Square, it's a German pub. Lincoln Square's the German neighborhood in Chicago.

(2:15) And um, I saw that she had, as I recall, I saw that she had written on her hand "DFTBA" and I said "What's that stand for?" and she said "Oh, it's to remind me to not forget to be awesome," and then I said in a nerdfighter- in an early Vlogbrothers video, I said "Like it says on my friend Katie's arm, 'don't forget to be awesome'", and that was the beginning of DFTBA!

(2:35) Essentially, I owe it all to Katie, um, who I'm sure wishes desperately that she had copyrighted that phrase, but, y'know! (laughing) So it goes. Um, but yeah, so that's where DFTBA came from.

(2:48) Next question? "One person, living or dead, if I could have dinner with them, who would it be?" It's a good question. Hmm, hmm... Jesus, Muhammad? I don't know, it's tough. It'd be somebody, some major world religion - religious leader, just so that I could come back with both some wisdom and some answers, um, uh, about intent.

(3:21) Um, it'd be fun to have dinner with, I mean, but I don't, know, among like, living people? I don't know, I kind of- I quite like having dinner with my wife and children. Um yeah, I don't know. My grandmother, who's since died or my grandfather, maybe?

(3:41) Okay, what's the next question? "How do I come up with ideas for my characters?" Um, well, like um, sometimes I do borrow- I do definitely borrow a lot from my friends, or from myself, from my own experience at times, but y'know... Also a lot of times I want my characters to kind of be living through experiences that, you know, kind of bring form to ideas that are important in the book and so-

(4:13) (shouting) Oh, get it! Ohhh, cleared off the line for a second time! This is getting a little frustrating, Hartlepool! You're not even a real place! Uhhh, that was almost a beautiful goal. Not even- Hartlepool, as if that's a place! (frustrated and loud) Yaaaa Bamba! (sighs heavily)

(4:32) Did I say I was gonna be nice to Hartlepool? I did? I said I was gonna be nice to them and not, hmm, now I feel bad... I said that I wasn't- apparently, Meredith says that I said, right before we started filming, that I was not going to be mean to Hartlepool, and then I didn't even last through the entire first half, before my first insult to Hartlepool! Um, Hartlepool, come on.

(4:54) By the way, did you see that great tackle from girls just wanna have Fundingsrud? That guy has had a great game and in general is proving himself to be a very worthy center-back for the Wimbly Womblys. Um, I have great hopes for him for the future, plus he's a big, strong, strapping, bald man.

(5:10) What was the- I'm sorry, what's going on? What is the question? Ideas for my characters. Yeah, so I guess it's a mix of like, um, y'know, sorta personal experiences and things that I've seen in other people and then, thinking about like, what I want the book to be about, what I want the experiences in the book to be about, so, uh, yeah. Like-

(5:27) Oh, get it, get it, get it! It has to be! And somehow, it isn't?! It's frustrating. It's frustrating. Man! I don't know who's- I don't actually know who's starting up-front. It looks like it's green eggs and Sheringham, and he just hasn't had- he just hasn't had the stuff today, Meredith! You've gotta- there's no other way you can say it.

(5:45) I mean, just been a disappointing first-half performance from the AFC Wimbledon Wimbly Womblys, who find that they can't even compete with lowly Hartlepool. Hartle-pool, where um, (laughing) the youth unemployment rate is a mere 82%! Hartlepool! Ohhh, boy. Hartlepool. (laughing) How can we not be winning?! I guess it's 'cause we're starting these boots were made for Strutton and green eggs and Sheringham.

(6:08) It's time to make some substitutions! Less Moore, more like Moore tired! Can we bring in... maybe... P Sweeney? And then let's get- let's get- you know what this game needs? It needs some John Greens! Alright. There we go! You know- I don't know if you know this, Meredith, but professional football managers often make three substitutions at half-time as well. It's not just- it's not just me. It's a very common strategy. Just use all of them! That way, if you get an injury, you only play with ten players, which makes it more exciting!

(6:40) What's my next question? (pause) "How does it feel to have one of your books made into a movie?" I mean, I think it depends on the movie and the experience, because I know a lot of my friends have had books made into movies, and it was sort of terrible. Um, because they felt like, you know, the people who made it didn't honor their books, and um... It's just brutally painful. My experience has been amazing and wonderful-

(7:04) (shouts) -like that goal from John Greeeeeeen! Ooooooh! Ya beauty! He goes over to the White House, who's responsible for that beautiful cross - but look, John Green, with the finish! Ohhh.

(7:20) (sings) He's big, he's tough, he has a ginger puff, other John Green, other John Green! (talks) Just a great- I mean, he just- he gets open and finally, the stalwart Hartlepool defense holds, and we have made the first breach of their dam, of what I hope shall be many. Context is everything.

(7:44) What- what's my next question, Meredith, or did I answer the last one? I don't even know. I'm so excited about that goal. I did? Okay, good. What's next? (pause)

(7:52) Um, "did the actors cast align with how I pictured them?" Well, you know, like, when I dis- when I think about like what- what matters to me about Hazel and Gus, I don't think about eye color or hair- or Isaac - I don't think about hair color or eye color or anything like that. Or even like, you know, ethnicity. I think about um, who they are as- as people. Or at least in my mind, as people. You know, I think about um, Gus's sort of, performative over-the-top um, mister charm-boat personality, and then sort of later in the novel, his emerging weaknesses, frustrations - his desire to be um, to be remembered, to live a big, big life.

(8:33) We can't give up a goal to Hartlepool! Um, I wanna apologize to supporters of Hartlepool, and the citizens of that place, should it exist. Um, I don't, I'm just- sometimes I get angry. I'm a competitive person! Speaking of competitive, there's bald John Green in the box! Bald. John. Greeeeeeen! He always does the robot!

(8:54) (sings) Bald John Green, John Green, he gives it all for the team, upon his moustache we're keen, Bald John Green, John Green! (talks) He loves to finish with the head. I've just noticed that. It's his favorite way to finish. Such a finisher! Such an inspiration!

(9:17) So yeah, I don't think about characters that way, exactly. I- um, and I never really have. Oh, God! Oh, Meredith, Meredith, Meredith! Look who's one-on-one against the keeper! (sings) Ya Ya Ya Ya Ya Bamba! (talks) Is it my birthday?!

(9:30) (sings) Ya Ya Ya Ya Ya Bamba, just scored a goal, just scored a goal, just scored a goal! Ya Ya Bamba! (talks) I mean, it is Christmas? Seriously! Because it looked like we were gonna have a nil-nil draw to Hartlepool, and I was going to emerge from this game very frustrated, but instead, the three greatest strikers in AFC Wimbledon Wimbly Wombly history have all scored today! I mean it's a- oh, it's just a cornucopia of goals! Did I use that word correctly? Um, she doesn't know. Neither do I. Hopefully, neither do any of the viewers.

(10:04) Um, unnecessary slide-tackle! Look at John Green! Never gives up! He's a beautiful ginger!

(10:10) Uh, do I have- what's the next question? (pause) Oh, wait. Wait, wait. Let me answer that first question first. Yes! Yes- I mean, when they were cast, like- um, did they look like I pictured them? Uhhh... I don't think I pictured the characters in that way, like I said, but like, when they were cast, because I had seen their auditions, I knew that they were right. Like, I- I was extremely happy with the casting and like- oh, it has to be! Ohhhh. What are you thinking, Other John Green?! Oh, Walmart - fou- uh, founder, Sam Walton's coming off, for Hartlepool.

(10:45) Um, yeah I, uh- I just- and I think when people see the movie, they're gonna- they're gonna know that it was right- like, I think they're gonna agree with me. Not everybody, but I think almost everybody's gonna be like, wow, they are amazing! Because all of the- all three of them, Hazel, Isaac and Gus, they're just- they're just phenomenal. They gave such amazing performances.

(11:05) What's next, Meredith? (pause) Oh, "when I'm getting started on YouTube, how do you attract subscribers?" I- I mean, the truth is that I don't know, because I haven't, you know, like, I haven't gotten started on YouTube since- get it! Ohhh. Ohhhh-hhhhhh! It's so beautiful!

(11:27) (sings) Bald John Green, John Green, he gives it all for the team- (talks) d'you see that handball?! (sings) Upon his moustache we're keen- (talks) Hartlepool tried to hand the ball, but- but Bald John Green couldn't be stopped! (sings) Bald John Green, John Green!

(11:46) (talks) Oh, it's so perfect. It's so perfect. John Green to John Green. Nothing like a little John Green on John Green action! To lead to our fourth goal in a single half of football! There's still eight minutes to play. Are we gonna get another? ARE we gonna get another?!

(11:59) I feel bad now about all the things I said about Hartlepool, because it's just- they're just hard-working young footballers, desperately trying to play a far superior side, in the Wimbly Womblys. I mean, just- there's just no doubt about it. We are- we're physically better. Come on, boys! Come on, boys! Come on, boys. Uhhh. Oh yeah! Let's try a different kind of goal! (shouting) Let's try a different kind of- ohhh! Different kind of goals never work.

(12:25) Is there any- are there any more questions, Meredith? Alright, ask me more. My opinion of the recent Oscar nominations?! I mean- you know, I kinda talked about this in my Golden Globes episode, but I thought 12 Years a Slave was overwhelmingly the best movie of the year. Um, I don't think there was any particularly good competition for it even.

(12:42) And I think- oh yes! We've emerged victorious! Goals from John Green, John Green, (sings) Ya Ya Ya Ya Ya Bamba (talks) and John Green! What a fantastic game versus Hartlepool.

(12:53) It started out- you know, the first half, maybe those of you who- maybe people stopped watching at the end of the first half. They thought this was gonna be another boring nil-nil draw. Little did they know! That the beautiful mustachioed man, his beautiful ginger puffed husband and our great left-winger Ya Ya Ya Ya Ya Ya Ya Bamba would all score.

(13:12) Congratulations to the AFC Wimbledon Wimbly Womblys. My condolences to the hardworking men and women of Hartlepool. Best wishes!