More than 20 Questions

I can't believe how long it takes to do this! I finally got around to answering the questions that have been bouncing around. My kids keep interrupting me. What are you doing? What are you writing? Why are you answering those?

Why indeed!!

1. What is your idea of perfect happiness?
I have two answers to this question. One moment of perfect happiness is when I am able to let go of desire and be simply happy with who I am and what I have.

There is also a moment of perfect happiness every day, in the moments before sleep, when I am cocooned with my husband under the comforter.

2. What is your greatest fear?
Loss of, or something bad happening to those that I love.

3. Which living person do you most admire?
All living people, like Daniel, like so many of you out in the DOC, who live with and fight against chronic illness every day.

4. What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?
I could use some more discipline. But deplore is a hard word. I don’t deplore my lack of discipline, I just picture it as a work in progress.

5. What is the trait you most deplore in others?
Again with the deplore! Dishonesty.

6. What do you consider the most overrated virtue?
Virtues are usually pretty good because they are, after all, virtues. I would be happy with a two-week break from industriousness, though.

7. On what occasion do you lie?
I am nice to people who call me and ask if I can do a survey. I say I’m helping my child with homework.

8. What do you dislike most about your appearance?
I’ve always wanted long, wavy hair. Life just doesn’t work that way.

9. What is your greatest regret?
I don’t regret too much. I think everything we have done that could cause us regret can be used as a “teachable moment” (gag, gag). I regret I didn’t have the resources available to visit my grandparents more often towards the end of their lives.

10. What or who is the greatest love of your life?
My husband and children.

11. Which talent would you most like to have?
I can plonk out songs on the piano. But I’d love to have that innate connection between fingers & keys that true pianists have.

12. What is your current state of mind?
Tired. Also amused because going on in the background right now is my daughter’s guitar lesson. It’s fun to listen to. I’m humming “When the Saints Go Marching In.”

13. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
I would be a little more aggressive.

14. What do you consider your greatest achievement?
Other than producing 3 lovely & interesting children, surviving day to day since Daniel’s diagnosis on May 8 has been quite an achievement.

15. If you were to die and come back as a person or thing, what do you think it would be?
A person. Not a thing.

16. What is your most treasured possession?
Oh, this is not fair! I’m trying so hard not to be attached to material possessions! However… I am quite attached to letters from my grandparents & old pictures & books.

17. What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?
Loss of hope.

18. Where would you like to live?
This changes day to day. Hawaii. Umbria. Interlachen.

19. What is your most marked characteristic?
My grad school friends used to call me “she who speaks her mind.”

20. Who are your favorite writers?
Oh gawwwd… too many to count. Are we talking poetry? Novels? Non fiction? Plays?

21. Who is your favorite hero of fiction?
Again… there are so many. The answer changes with how my life changes.

22. Who are your heroes in real life?
People who follow their heart. People who do the right thing. People who live with diabetes.

23. What is it that you most dislike?
Brussels sprouts. Okay, okay… I really hate making mistakes.

24. What is your motto?
(The guitar lesson has moved to “Red River Valley. Feel free to sing along).

Lord, let me be an instrument of your peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love. It goes on from there. That’s more of a prayer than a motto.

25. Favorite Journey?
There’s this journey called life that’s my favorite journey. But the trip we took to Hawaii for my brother & sister in law’s wedding in 2000 was phenomenal. I also went on a girl’s weekend away to Cape May one April. Amazing what a few days with good friends can do to renew your soul.

26. What do you value most in your friends?
The unconditional nature of their friendship. There’s also something to be said for doing the hard work of staying in touch. We are all busy. We move all over the world. It takes effort to stay in contact with people who are important to you. I am saddened when some former friends become former friends simply by choosing not to make an effort.

27. Which words or phrases do you most overuse?

Are you ready for tomorrow? Did you brush your teeth? Is your room clean? Finish your dinner.

28. Which historical figure do you most identify with?
I don’t know that I identify specifically with one or another. There’s lots that I’d love to invite over for dinner, though.

29. What is your greatest extravagance?
Books.

30. If you could change one thing about your family, what would it be?
I would rid it of disease.

31. What is your favorite occupation?
Writer. Artist. Mom.

32. What is the quality you most like in a woman?
Being open minded & friendly. No hidden agendas.

33. What is the quality you most like in a man?

Being open minded & friendly. No hidden agendas.

34. How would you like to die?
Of old age in my sleep at the same time as my husband.

35. If you could chose what to come back as, what would it be?

A more evolved human.