Random Questions

I'm taking up Doc's Girl on her offer to link to anyone who answers these questions.

1. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE?

Yes, my first name: all the oldest males on my maternal grandfather's side of the family for at least five generations had it. Some had it as a first name, others as a middle name. My mother's older brother had it as a first name, but he died at three days old. Then her younger brother got it as a middle name; he died in Texas in a jeep accident during World War II. I didn't realize this until well after I had named my own son, so I broke the tradition. Still, the second syllable of his first name is pronounced the same as my first name.

2. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED?

At my daughter's wedding in May.

3. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING?

It's not real honest-to-goodness handwriting; it's a kind of printing. Yes, I do like it. During grammar school, handwriting was the only subject I got bad grades in.

4. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT?

Thinly sliced steak, no question.

5. DO YOU HAVE KIDS?

Five. Not including step-children (four) of children-in-law (two so far).

6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU?

Most of the time, but certainly not always. Sometimes I get really tired of myself.

7. DO YOU USE SARCASM A LOT?

Yes, all the time.

8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS?

Yes, I still have everything but 8 teeth—rather unbelievably, I have a really small mouth, LOL—and a little bit of skin from the 4^th toe on my left foot that was replaced with skin from my thigh.

9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP?

Yes, especially if no one else dared to.

10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL?

Granola—currently Bear Naked brand.

11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF?

Depends on the shoes: my sneakers, no; my dress shoes; yes; my sandals (which is what I wear whenever possible except when it's raining or snowing), obviously not.

12. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG?

Not particularly, though other people say I am.

13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM?

Black raspberry chip (preferably with dark chocolate chips).

14. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE?

Their sense of comfort with themselves.

15. RED OR PINK?

Orange.

16. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF?

That I'm sober today.

On a materialistic note, I like that I'm exactly the height that everyone manufactures things for. I used to be exactly the size that everyone makes things for, and I could count on fitting into almost anything bought off the rack, but I've since put on some weight.

17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST?

My maternal grandmother.

18. WHAT COLOR PANTS AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING?

Black jeans, brown tie-up shoes.

19. WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU ATE?

Three cupfuls of low-sodium V-8 with healthy doses of Tabasco sauce.

20. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW?

Nothing. I wish I were listening to my favorite local jazz station, but it would probably be bothering those sitting within earshot of me.

21. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE?

Raw sienna (BTW, here is a great place to do research).

22. FAVORITE SMELLS?

Coffee—I drink a lot of it but the smell has always been better than the taste—the air after a sudden spring rain, leaves starting to decay in fall, the ocean, marijuana (even though I never did more than experiment with it a couple of times) and sex.

23. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE?

A guy I was trying to talk into doing a presentation at an A.A. service event this coming Sunday. The person scheduled to do it went into the hospital with chest pains, had her heart catheterized, was told to stay at home and rest for a while, and still was planning to come do the presentation herself. I told her she couldn't. He demurred and I've since left messages for the other four people who are qualified to give it. I don't have high hopes of anyone agreeing to fill in.

Before that it was someone from Caremark, telling me that I needed my doctor's office to fax them some information before they could fill my prescriptions. This despite the call last week saying my meds had been shipped. Grrrrrr!

24. FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH?

Curling, football (preferably Australian rules or Canadian, but not college—go figure) and ice hockey (NHL).

25. HAIR COLOR?

Brown, with more and more of it turning white, especially in my beard.

26. EYE COLOR?

Brown.

27. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS?

Yes, except at night.

28. FAVORITE FOOD?

Seafood, especially shellfish, especially lobster; dark chocolate; anything with caramel.

29. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS?

Most happy endings are too pat. Most scary movies are dumb. Despite the risk of appearing a traitor to my sex, I don't care at all for action movies either. I'm definitely into chick flicks, especially those that are confusing, odd or unusual in some way (Mulholland Drive, for example).

30. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED?

We Were Soldiers, which is a little embarrassing to admit.

31. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING?

Light blue—the color of faded jeans.

32. SUMMER OR WINTER?

Spring and autumn.

33. HUGS OR KISSES?

I couldn't imagine living without both, yet here I am, stuck with just hugs for a couple of years now. Sometimes I wish I didn't have such scruples.

34. FAVORITE DESSERT?

Dark chocolate, caramel.

35. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW?

Wittgenstein's Nephew, by Thomas Bernhard.

36. WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD?

The help-desk logo of one of my clients, with their phone number and e-mail address.

37. WHAT DID YOU WATCH ON T.V. LAST NIGHT?

Charlie Rose (he was interviewing Alan Greenspan).

38. FAVORITE SOUNDS?

A well-played clarinet doing a jazz classic, like Stardust.

39. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES?

Beatles, most definitely. The only thing that's changed since 1963 is that now I like John better than Paul.

40. WHAT IS THE FURTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME?

Adelaide, South Australia (not including in my imagination).

41. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT?

Yes, for carrying the message of recovery to other alcoholics. It's the primary purpose in my life.

42. WHERE WERE YOU BORN?

In a hospital about 6½ km down the road from where I now live, even though I grew up about 100 km away, in the next state.