Fun, right? No guarantees!
1. Would you rather be twice as smart or twice as happy?
Neither. I'm pretty smart. I'm also just as happy as I make up my mind to be, so we'll call my life the blessing of "enough".
2. What's your worst habit?
My worst habit? I'm so self-critical.
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| Take off glasses. Brush hair. Put on a shirt with sleeves. Maybe get a tan.... maybe some make up. |
When I see pictures of myself, I just see what can be improved or how old I am getting. I have to remember that life is for living, not for being so damn vain.
3. Are you dating?
As a matter of fact, yes. My husband and I have a date night each week- cliche, I know, but it works. It breaks up the week and lets us connect with each other. We don't do much; a movie, appetizers out, stuff like that. And we reserve that time for each other.
4. Do you take shampoo and conditioner bottles from hotels?
No. I used to but it dries out my hair and my hair is already dry (see Q2).
5. What is the one thing you'll never do again?
I'll most thankfully never have another first date. I'll do lots of things again, or at least I am willing. I'll paraglide, get more tattoos, eat weird foods. But I'd never give up on G.
6. Do you collect anything?
Books. pictures of my adventures, memories, electronics, and apparently, clothing. And shoes. I'm a shoe hog.
7. Worst injury you ever had?
It's not something I talk about much. I've broken bones and I've wrecked my feet, I've got some arthritis in my hip and knee. But what hurt, hurt, was when my ex-husband and I were taking martial arts classes and he overdid it on a joint lock. It was a belt test, and he did it wrong the first time. On the second and last try, he ripped the tendons in my right wrist. It made a huge popping sound. That's not what hurt. What hurt is that he blamed me for it. Because I hadn't pretended he did the lock correctly the first time. I still have to be careful with my right wrist. The other students at dojo never got over that though. They didn't trust him anymore.
I hadn't planned on telling that story. I don't really talk about my martial arts days, but I was a third degree black belt in Kempo Karate. I taught and took lessons for the greater part of a decade. I loved it and I was really good at it.
8. What is your favourite pet/ animal?
I love most pets. And I've had a few. Dogs, cats, sheep, and a guinea pig. I'd like to get a few pygmy goats for pets, but that's going to have to wait awhile. I do get along well with most animals immediately. Heck, I was once accepted into vet school.
Right now, my favorite pet is Eleanor. She's something. And the only cat my husband isn't allergic to. They've grown fond of each other these last three years.
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| Best pals |
I have more pictures of my cat than of my family.
In the way of adorable animal pictures, my nephew Joe has the CUTEST pit bull. She is happy all the time. Her name is Leia.
9. What's your dream vacation?
I'd like to do parts of Western Europe. Or all of it. Maybe a series of vacations. Lots of people want tropics or sun and sand. I don't. I want culture and people and cold weather. Maybe mild weather, but cold is good. I want to spend Christmas in Germany or Austria just once. I want to spend enough time in these places to learn language and get jokes.
10. Honestly, are things going the way you planned?
Depends on the when you're talking about the planning. Very little of my life has gone as planned. I have an idea of the direction I'm going. That's about it for now. There is an old man under a mountain and every time I plan my life, he chuckles.
11. Do you have any tattoos?
Yes, I do. I love them and they have meaning. I contemplated each of them for a long time before I got them. And I've been contemplating a third for some time now.
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| One of two tatts |
12. What's your secret to lure in the opposite sex?
I don't have one. Although, to lure G, I found that blueberry pancakes work pretty well. And homemade blueberry jam. And a little blueberry behind each ear does the trick too. And being myself.
Back when I was "luring" men, I wasn't very good at it anyway.
13. Any phobias?
I worked in a prison for almost a year. As a result, I usually find myself in any room with my back to a wall, just in case. I don't like crowds anymore either. My experiences changed me in some difficult ways. And I have always disliked man-made heights. Weird though, because I don't mind large cliffs in the least. I used to have hyper vigilance, but it's subsided and I feel safe more often than not.
14. Do you bite your nails?
No. They are usually too long and I need to trim them.
15. Do you ever count your steps when you walk?
I usually record my steps with a fitbit. Mine recently died and I haven't replaced it. I hate guessing. I like to keep around 12,000-15,000 steps a day.
16. Heels or flats?
Sneakers, boots, and flip flops, thanks.
17.Have you ever stolen a street sign before?
No. Is that a thing?
18. Do you always smile for pictures?
I don't like my smile much.
19. Do you ever dance even if there's no music playing?
No, is that also a thing?
20. Do you miss anyone right now?
Yes. Old friends in Oklahoma and my sweet old dog who lives a very happy life back in OK with some friends and their 4 kids.
21. What's your favourite colour?
Probably black. Maybe red.
22. Do you want kids?
Yes.
23. Are you patient?
No. My brain tends to go a million miles an hour and I have a hard time slowing down for others.
24. Can you swim?
Yes, I am a strong swimmer. Or at least I was. I haven't been swimming for a few years. I both love and hate swimming in the ocean. I love the salt water; hate the yucky jellyfish.
25. Tea or coffee
Both. Coffee- hot strong black- in the morning and tea in the afternoons and evening.
26. What do you wear to bed?
27. Ever used a gun?
Yes. I'm a pretty good shot with a .22 open site rifle. And I've used a thirty ought six for hunting. I've shot pistols. I'm better with a rifle. But I don't enjoy it. One of my acquaintances had her home broken into a few years back. She had two little babies in the house under the age of 5. She killed one of the people and injured a second. The third ran and was caught. It was the worst experience of her life. She wasn't charged or anything. It was just awful for her and her family. They moved out of state and sold the house. I can't bring myself to own a gun for that reason. But make no mistake; I have every other kind of weapon and know how to use it. I have them stashed about the house.
28. Do you sing in the shower?
No
29. Are you stubborn?
About some things. I'm a good compromiser.
30. Are you lazy?
No. Too much time being inactive makes me depressed. I have to do stuff.
31. Can you change the oil in a car
I have done it before, but not on Gs car. On an older Ford truck, probably.
32. When was the last time you wrote a letter to someone on paper?
A couple months ago. I have a friend who is incarcerated. I like to write him letters. I'm good that way.
33. Would you ever strip or pose nude in a magazine?
Not that anyone would want to see this, but how much money are we talking?
34.What is your favourite food?
Po-tay-toes.
Or maybe fresh crab pulled from the bay. Or tomatoes from the garden. Or stuff with cheese on it.
I like food.
35. Do you still watch cartoons?
Sorry, I don't have time for that.
36. What movie(s) can you watch over and over again and not get bored?
Constantine, I think. And perhaps a few Sandra Bullock movies.
37. What superpower would you have for one day?
I would like to read people's minds. Probably for one day only.
38. Whats been your favourite age so far?
Every day I wake up. I didn't like my youth. I didn't get to be much of a child and our house was often angry and traumatic. I liked my 30s and I like my 40s so far. I'm 41. So I guess maybe I like today.
39. How old are you?
41
40. If you could go back in time, what advice would you give your younger self?
I've made so many mistakes. I would save myself so much heartbreak and so much pain. I would say "Go find examples of unconditional love. Copy them." I would tell myself that in the future, I would learn to accept who I am and what I am and that these things are not just enough, they are good. And that I am good too. It took me far too long to figure that out. Maybe some people never do.
41. If you knew you would die in one week, what would you do?
I'm not sure. Maybe visit my family. Visit the ocean. See some friends and dance with them. Kiss my husband more. Write out the story of my life.
42. What celebrity would you trade lives with?
Oh good lord, no. Just no. You couldn't pay me to be a celebrity.
43. Do people ever take you seriously?
Yes. It's the perks of being me, of being a professor.
44. What happened the last time you cried?
It was about six months after my grandma died, so a few years ago. I hadn't cried about her death. She was close to all of my sister and me. I had a dream about her and told it to my friend V who was also my roommate at the time. She simply told me that my grandma is gone and there was nothing I could do about it. It was one of those great heaving sobs that you can't stop. V always seems to know just what to say. I have a sniffle from time to time, but I'm not really a crier.
45. Who knows you best?
My sister.
46. Do you sleep with your closet doors open or closed?
Door closed. It's a small bedroom, and it's my husband's closet. I actually have a dressing room. Yes, I'm that person!
47. What is your song of the week?
Scarborough Faire
48. Last person you kissed?
49. Best thing to eat for breakfast?
I don't eat much breakfast right now. Probably my Saturday thing with G: sliced cheese and fruit. Then some physical exercise outside.
50. Does anyone know the password to your email?
G does. You never know what might happen.
You have so much going for you. Love for spouse, career and Eleanor! On top of all that, you live in a beautiful place. I'm right there with you on the potatoes and tomatoes!
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