just things i wonder.
1. What made you decide to be with the person you’re with?
2. What made you decide to do the work you do?
3. What type of discussion brings out the most passion in you?
4. If you could change three things about your life instantly by snapping your fingers, what would you wish for before the big snap?
5. What two qualities do you possess that you would never, ever change?
6. When you come across something you want to change in your life, what’s the first step?
7. At what moment in your day are you most at peace?
January 27th, 2008 at 6:30 pm
1. i didn’t really have a choice to put up with myself. since i figured that atomic splitting wasn’t quite possible for my personalities to become individuals.
2. college is more or less a passage of life.
3. cultural comparisons
4. three things about my life? having more guy friends, being able to snowboard or motorcross pretty well, and knowing how to flirt would be nice too.
5. being happy with who i am and sticking to my beliefs.
6. first deciding how i need to go about changing it then devising some form of a plan. i’m big into planning… even though i may not actually carry through.
7. right when i wake up.
January 27th, 2008 at 6:36 pm
1. N/A!
2. I love it, it fulfills me on a day to day basis plus fulfills my need to help other people. Plus I work for myself and people I *like*. (I’m a virtual assistant.)
3. Politics and teen pregnancy.
4. a) I’d still have my little brother. b) I’d own a house on the beach. (omg. I’m having such a hard time keeping this about my life.) c) I’d wish for the job with the company that I love the most to work out.
5. Stubbornness (I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for being stubborn). I love/care easily. It gets me hurt sometimes but I’d never change it.
6. Admitting the problem to my closest friends and then stating to them how I intend to change it.
7. About now, or closer to 10/11/midnight.
January 27th, 2008 at 7:34 pm
1. A long history of being a loner.
2. Childhood interests.
3. Discussions about things that truly interest the discussers. (This is more from an observational standpoint, but still…)
4. a) I would be less-location dependent. b) I would be less dependent on particular systems to get me through the day. c) I would not have been born such a worrier.
5. a) While it usually looks like crap, my hair does have the ability to look pretty damn good some days. b) My lack of needing to conform to my current surroundings at any given time.
6. Research the options.
7. The end of the day.
January 27th, 2008 at 7:37 pm
1. What made you decide to be with the person you’re with?
I’m gonna skip this one, because I got dumped by my fiance 3 weeks ago and have a totally messed up perspective on my ability to judge a potential partner at this point in time.
2. What made you decide to do the work you do?
They offered me way more money than I was making previously. I would advise against using this as the sole criteria for taking a job.
3. What type of discussion brings out the most passion in you?
Anything to do with animals or prejudice.
4. If you could change three things about your life instantly by snapping your fingers, what would you wish for before the big snap?
I would fall head over heels in reciprocated love with a fantastic, gorgeous man who has compatible lifestyle goals and values. I would be travelling in Europe with no budgetary concerns about the trip. And I would have several thousand more dollars in RRSP’s.
5. What two qualities do you possess that you would never, ever change?
I like that I have a spine (you know, physically AND emotionally speaking), and a strong sense of right and wrong.
6. When you come across something you want to change in your life, what’s the first step?
Heh… usually cry because I freak out at change. After that’s out of the way, usually research followed by action, no matter how small the action is.
7. At what moment in your day are you most at peace?
Just as I’m falling to sleep.
January 27th, 2008 at 7:51 pm
1. I just knew. The first time I saw her. There was no “deciding.” “Deciding” implies a rational process. There was nothing rational about it. It defies logic (and even more so for her to have stayed with me for 38 years).
2. What made me decide was realizing that I’m good at analyzing, writing, and helping other people to write.
3. Talking about really good poetry. Or about sailing. On a good day they’re kind of the same — no wasted motion.
4. a. I’d have stayed in the Navy.
b. I wouldn’t have taken that job in ‘98.
c. I would’ve kept my business last year.
5. Loyalty. Seeing the best in other people.
6. Seeing the outcome as if it were already achieved.
7. During my morning walk with the dog.
January 27th, 2008 at 7:56 pm
1. What made you decide to be with the person you’re with?
When I first laid eyes on her, it was like something out of a movie. I knew instantly that we were meant to be together. We both resisted for a long, long time for a number of reasons. Eventually, we just gave in to the inevitable. Honest.
2. What made you decide to do the work you do?
After decades of doing what I thought I ought to do, I got the opportunity to do what I really love, for free. I kept doing it because I love it. Eventually, it became a job that pays better than the “day job.” Honest.
3. What type of discussion brings out the most passion in you?
Oy. Probably I’m most passionate about subjects which are both important and easy to dismiss. I detest ignorance, specious arguments and uninformed opinions.
4. If you could change three things about your life instantly by snapping your fingers, what would you wish for before the big snap?
I’d like to be seen as I actually am. I’d like to be closer (geographically) to my sons. I can’t think of a third thing. Honest.
5. What two qualities do you possess that you would never, ever change?
I am inquisitive. I am generous.
6. When you come across something you want to change in your life, what’s the first step?
Research. Or LEAP.
7. At what moment in your day are you most at peace?
I’m generally at peace - but probably most when I hug my daughter at night-night time, or when I lay my head down on my pillow.
January 27th, 2008 at 8:06 pm
1. I just KNEW. As did he.
2. I, um, liked Grade 12 Accounting.
3. Photography and blogging.
4. That I did not HAVE TO SNAP.
5. Compassion and love.
6. I pray about it.
7. When my children are sleeping, there are no TV’s/computers on, and it is QUIET.
January 27th, 2008 at 8:11 pm
1. He’s smarter than I am and he makes me laugh. He challenges me. He sees through me and still chooses to be with me. (Allow me to say that it still feels odd to have an answer for this question after having been perpetually single for most of my 30 years.)
2. I’m doing temp work right now, which was not so much a decision as a necessity when my summer teaching job ended. In general though, I’m in education because I love helping kids succeed. Plus, the special kids are hilarious.
3. Politics, especially social policy.
4. I would get the job that I am waiting to hear about. I’d have all kinds of self-discipline to work toward a writing career. I wouldn’t have allergies. I know, it sounds like a petty thing to wish for, but I have been congested since I can remember and it gets old.
5. I would keep my sense of humor and ability not to worry much.
6. If I make a decision that I am going to take action to change something, then I have to tell people close to me so they can keep me accountable to actually doing it.
7. When I walk in the door to my apartment after work.
January 27th, 2008 at 9:29 pm
1. I am with my dog. Does that count? Because she is the sweetest, kindest being on earth, and she protects me.
2. They offered me a pile of money and benefits.
3. Cooking. Do NOT talk to be about lite products or I will cut you.
4. I would end my physical pain; I would be lithe and graceful; and I would never have to work for money again.
5. Humor and integrity.
6. Avoid the subject.
7. Sunset if I am at home.
January 28th, 2008 at 12:34 am
1. He treats me with respect and wakes me up with a kiss every morning.
2. I get to do things I think is fun (also - the last one was temporary)
3. Economics and politics
4. Children, renovated apartment, skinnier legs
5. The ability to listen and love
6. Thinking it’s never going to happen (sadly)
7. When the sun shines
January 28th, 2008 at 2:18 am
1. I like being around him and he makes me laugh.
2. I like it, am good at it and people came to me for help.
3. Being a US citizen living in Europe, any discussion of the USA and others’ negative opinions of it (especially from those that have never even been there) really stirs up passion in me.
4. a. I wish that I liked exercise.
b. I wish that I wasn’t so impatient.
c. I wish that it was easier to see my daughters and granddaughter.
5. faithfulness, compassion
6. Starting as I mean to go on.
7. Right before falling asleep.
January 28th, 2008 at 9:28 am
1. She is the embodiment of light, happiness and sociality shining from all sides. Refreshing and a solid counter to my inwardly-focused ways.
2. It was time to stop complaining and start making things work better (proving that it could be so).
3. Civil liberties and constitutional law, usability, usury. The difficulty is that it is tricky to have a rational argument with passion.
4. I seek more self-discipline, a quieter internal critic, and less social nervousness. Those three might be the same one wish, come to think of it.
5. I have broad interests. I use a lot of parentheses.
6. Fret/stew.
7. Sitting in the green chair holding my 2yo daughter early in the morning as she wakes up.
January 28th, 2008 at 9:34 am
1. he chose me. but, he is a cat so he would probably choose anyone that put food in his dish.
2. i’m good at it.
3. politics.
4. i try not to play shoulda, woulda, coulda. my life is my life. if i am not happy i am the one that has to change it.
5. loyalty, passion
6. figuring out a plan
7. right before i fall asleep. moo is laying beside me purring, and we are both relaxed and content
January 28th, 2008 at 10:49 am
1. What made you decide to be with the person you’re with?
He was big and sweet and I loved his orangeness.
2. What made you decide to do the work you do?
It wasn’t a decision; I just kind of melted into it.
3. What type of discussion brings out the most passion in you?
Social justice issues - poverty, homelessness, how we treat people on the lowest rungs of the ladder.
4. If you could change three things about your life instantly by snapping your fingers, what would you wish for before the big snap?
I’d wish for more time, a better-rounded base of knowledge, and immortality.
5. What two qualities do you possess that you would never, ever change?
My resilience and sense of humour have carried me through a lot of shit.
6. When you come across something you want to change in your life, what’s the first step?
Denial.
7. At what moment in your day are you most at peace?
I have two: coming home, and falling asleep.
January 28th, 2008 at 3:04 pm
1. I just knew he was the one for me. Handsome, funny, and the only boy in our school with higher test scores than me :) (really). Luckily for me, 25 years later, he’s still handsome, funny, and smart.
2. I’m an accidental technologist. Just fell into some work situations where something technical needed some simplification, some explanation… and there weren’t many jobs in 1986 that required mad urban historian skillz. The whole podcastingNews.com thing started as an experiment to see if there was anything to be said and shared about downloadable media… I lucked out on that score, too.
3. I get very animated if you ask me about putting media tools into the hands of “ordinary” people. Same thing happens if you ask me about my music or my (absolutely brilliant and attractive) children.
4. Oh, that’s a dangerous road to start down, wishing for things to be instantly different. But I could sure use some help with more hours in the day, better skills at using that time wisely, and a little more bravery. That would fix a lot.
5. Stubbornness. Compassion.
6. Freak out for awhile.
7. I love that moment when everyone’s home for the evening, and we’re all co-existing, doing our own thing. I love basking in the life ad the home we’ve created for ourselves.
January 28th, 2008 at 3:43 pm
1. What made you decide to be with the person you’re with?
I’m not really sure I’m with someone right now. Could be called a situationship.
2. What made you decide to do the work you do?
I am very passionate about it. I love everything environmentally-related.
3. What type of discussion brings out the most passion in you?
The politics of environmental issues.
4. If you could change three things about your life instantly by snapping your fingers, what would you wish for before the big snap?
* Perfect partner
* Perfect body
* Perfect smile
The rest of me is perfect as is.
5. What two qualities do you possess that you would never, ever change?
My analytical power and my capacity to love.
6. When you come across something you want to change in your life, what’s the first step?
Think about it - why do I want to change it, and where is this change headed?
7. At what moment in your day are you most at peace?
Depends on the day, but usually at 3.30pm.
January 28th, 2008 at 5:45 pm
1. I have no idea, but I knew it from our first date. I think the fact that he is so, so, SO kind, really hooked me. The fact that he makes me laugh didn’t hurt either. I guess it’s just one of those things that when it is the right person, you just know.
2. It just felt like the right thing to do for me.
3. Politics!
4. Live closer to my family, be independently wealthy so that The Girl could have both parents home full time, and would it be wrong if I said “to never see my MIL again?” Oh … I am just kidding … how about world peace or something like that.
5. Loyalty and the inability to keep the sarcastic comment from coming out.
6. Procrastination
7. When The Girl takes her nap, and I get to take MINE!
January 28th, 2008 at 7:09 pm
1. Because, right now, it is easier for me to be around just myself than somebody else.
2. I was bored of my last job, I wanted to live in California, and who doesn’t want to work at a winery (now I am bored of the winery)
3. Philosophy and the academic worlds failure at it.
4. I wish that I stuck with Graduate School and “played the game” to get the degree, had more courage, wasn’t so easily distracted.
5. my tenacity and wit
6. Find a quiet place to have a cigarette, even if I am not smoking at the time.
7. Post evening shower, with a book or my laptop, reading.
January 28th, 2008 at 9:39 pm
Ouch. Meg, I think your blog didn’t accept my entry :(
January 28th, 2008 at 10:37 pm
You were in my spam filter. I found ya. :)
January 29th, 2008 at 4:00 am
1. No one will treat me better than I treat myself so I figured that we’re probably in it for the long haul.
2. A passion for public policy
3. Public Policy.
4. Working from home, to have ‘him’ (there is a him) not be so capricious, all expense paid jaunt to Europe for six months.
5. My sense of humor, my intense loyalty.
6. To obsess and study it and then go for it. It usually ends up consuming me.
7. The second I climb into bed.
January 29th, 2008 at 8:55 am
1) My heart. Stupid organ. It wants what it wants and I just stopped fighting it. And I’m so happy I did.
2) It was a passage in Michael Moore’s “Dude, Where’s My Country?”. It spoke of an Iraqi nurse who snuck in extra juice and cookies to a young American soldier and sang her to sleep.
3) Religion - at least, those who choose to push their views on to others. ARGH.
4) Before? Umm.. that it would work?
5) My sense of humour and my exuberant personality. I am who I am :)
6) Sitting with a cup of coffee and figuring out just how I can alter it into something positive… and that usually turns into a POT of coffee.
7) When I am singing in the shower.