Tags
Manoj tagged me for this meme. I see that one of the rules is that I can replace any question I don’t like with a new question. I also see, in looking at the questions, that a whole lot of them are relationship-based and I can dispatch many of them by saying that I am married to the most fabulous guy in the world, that we are best friends, that we have a high degree of trust, that we give all to our relationship and that we’ve been together for over two decades, so I think we’re doing something right. I’m going to switch out many of those sorts of questions (although I’ll put the originals in parentheses as Manoj did) and go from there.
RULE #1 : People who have been tagged must write their answers on their blogs and replace any question that they dislike with a new question formulated by themselves.
RULE #2 : Tag 6 people to do this quiz and they cannot refuse. These people must state who they were tagged by and cannot tag the person whom they were tagged by. Continue this game by sending it to other people.
(Frankly, I don’t care if the tagged ones refuse to take part in this meme. Honestly, we don’t need bossy memes telling us what to do in our lives. I’m also cool if you want to only answer half as many questions. Twenty questions is a lot. It’s taken me the better part of any hour to complete this meme, which is why I didn’t do it sooner.)
1. If you have pets, do you see them as merely animals, or are they members of your family? (Original question: If your lover betrayed you, what will your reaction be?)
Members of the family, of course. We have three cats, each with a distinct personality. We love them dearly and would be very sad without them.
2. If you can have a dream to come true, what would it be?
To be able to make a living off of my writing.
3. What is the one thing most hated by you?
Blatant hypocrisy. Not an honest change of heart about a situation, but someone who believes that you should live as they say, but then lives life in exactly the opposite way and makes excuses for that.
4. What would you do with a billion dollars?
Pay off our debt, put a bunch (A BUNCH!!!) in savings, pay for our children’s education, give some to charity.
5. What helps to pull you out of a bad mood? (Original question: Will you fall in love with your best friend?)
Kvetching and distraction. My favorite distractions are listening to music, reading, and watching movies.
6. Which is more blessed, loving someone or being loved by someone?
Both are blessed positions to be in.
7. What is your bedtime routine? (Original question: How long do you intend to wait for someone you really love?)
Hubby and I trade foot rubs or back rubs. I don a nightshirt, get a drink of water or a small snack, use the bathroom, kiss the kids (and Hubby, if he’s staying up later than I am), then turn on the fan in our bedroom and hop into bed. I write an entry in my daily journal and I might read for a bit, unless I’m really tired. Then, it’s light’s out.
8. If you are currently in a relationship, how did you meet your partner? (Original question: If the person you secretly like is already attached, what would you do?)
Hubby and I knew each other in school – elementary to high school. Hubby was best friends with my brother. We didn’t date until after high school, however. At some point, I asked my brother to see if my Hubby would ask me out on a date. We were engaged a few months later. Hubby had no idea I had put a bug in my brother’s ear until after we were married.
9. If you could watch an creative person in the act of the creative process, who would it be? (Original question: If you like to act with someone, who will it be? Your gf/bf or an actress/actor?)
I’ve asked myself a tough question because I have so many answers to that. Dave Matthews, Trent Reznor, Stephen King, the Coen Brothers, my brother while he’s creating music. I love listening to my husband creating original riffs on the guitar. He’s very good at it, even if he doesn’t think so. For me, watching someone in the creative process would give me some insight into a person’s mind, but would also illuminate how my creative process is similar to or different from that of other creative people.
10. What kinds of books do you buy? (Original question: What do you expect of your loved one?)
I tend to buy books that I can use as reference, books that I’ll want to dig into again and a gain. Writing, complementary medicine, some “woo woo” topics are my favorites. I seem to be building up a collection of fiction, but not really by design. I typically check fiction out of the library, unless there is a particular book I want to read that the library doesn’t have. Then, I’ll break down and buy it.
11. How would you see yourself in ten years time?
A little grayer. (Ba-dum-bum! Tsh!) But seriously, folks . . . I don’t tend to look that far ahead. I’d like to have another fiction book or two written. While I do have other ambitions, I think I’ll not jinx myself by saying any more here. Who knows how life will turn out?
12. What’s your fear?
Heights and enclosed spaces.
13. What kind of person do you think the person who tagged you is?
I’ve never met Manoj. He lives in India and has described some aspects of his life to me. He sounds like a fun-loving, adventurous sort, who wants to do well with his studies. He is very attached to his family and is serious when he needs to be, but won’t pass up an opportunity for relaxation. (How’d I do, Manoj?)
14. Would you rather be single and rich or married, but poor?
I’m rather enjoying being married, but poor, so I’ll stick with that. (Have you seen the U.S. economy lately? I think the vast majority of us are going to end up in the poor category.)
15. What’s the first thing you do when you wake up?
Put on my glasses, check the time, and pull the curtains back to see what the weather is like.
16. Would you give all in a relationship?
Part of the beauty of a truly functional relationship is that two individual people are coming together, with the emphasis on “individual.” A relationship is not healthy if one person is required to give up everything of themselves to be in it. A healthy relationship allows both to remain individuals, while the alchemy of the two acting together creates something greater than either one could come up with on their own.
17. If you could pick a new name for yourself, what would it be? First name is fine, but if you’re feeling imaginative, you can do the whole thing. (Original question: If you fall in love with two people simultaneously, who would you pick?)
India Lenore or Elizabeth Odelia Sparrow
18. What’s your favorite magazine? (Original question: Would you forgive and forget no matter how horrible a thing that special someone has done?)
Wired.
19. When it comes to patterns, what sort of patterns do you prefer? (Original question: What are your three most important expectations in love?)
Stripes or florals. I am also fond of polka dots.
20. List people to tag: Amy, Erin, Joy, LK Winter, Soloist, Reeva, Devin. (Yes, I can count. That’s seven, not six. I’m not very good at following meme rules. Remember, tagged ones, I’m not holding your feet to the fire on this, so break whatever meme rules you want.)
Manoj Sterex said:
Hey, that’s a great meme. Thanks for honoring my tag and spending so much time on it. 🙂
Frankly, I do not believe in rules for memes either. But I tried as much not to break the ‘tradition’. 😀
The questions you have framed are awesome! I’m sure people you have tagged will enjoy doing the meme more than until now.
Q9:
Very true. When watching a person in a creative act gives you an opportunity to look into his/her brain process. When its a person you admire, you’ll tend to love them more. 🙂
Q13:
That’s a commendable testimony from a person who lives thousands of miles away from me.
So true. You should take up long-distance personality evaluation! 😛 😀
Q16:
Very nicely written. Its very important to have that streak of individuality from both in a relationship. That’s when the relationship is proper and enjoyable.
Q17:
Wow! Elizabeth Odelia Sparrow – Nice name! Why don’t you call yourself Sparrow? 🙂 Make it your internet identity, prolly your pen name? 😉
Enjoyed reading the whole thing Mary. Thanks. 🙂
Amy Hunter said:
This looks like fun–love the idea of the questions mutating from blog to blog. Maybe it’s an evolving meme? I’m game. Probably not until this weekend, though.
woowooteacup said:
Hi, Manoj – Glad you liked my new questions. Very cool that I was able to peg your personality. I think it’s easier to do long distance when you follow a person’s work for a while. Our couple of chats also helped. It was very obvious that you adore your grandma, which shows that attachment, plus you’ve taken a little time off school for fun.
I have thought of using a pen name and Elizabeth Sparrow was the one I came up with. I decided spur of the moment, while completing this meme, to find a middle name and Odelia had a good ring. (Thank goodness for the baby name book!)
Hi, Amy – I, too, liked the fact that the questions could change from person to person. Take your time in doing the meme. I can’t always get to them right away, but I do like them periodically because they ask good questions.
Manoj Sterex said:
@Mary:
🙂
So it will be your pen name! That sounds really good! 🙂 Elizabeth Sparrow. 🙂
woowooteacup said:
Sorry, Manoj, I don’t think I was clear in my response. I once considered using a pen name, but at this time would rather not. I’ll be going with my own name for now. If, in the future, I want to write something that might be risque or unexpected, I might reconsider a pen name.
I wouldn’t rule out using Elizabeth Odelia Sparrow as a character name, however. 🙂
Amy Hunter said:
Elizabeth Odelia Sparrow would make a great character name. She sounds unconventional and adventurous, without being too far out there. Perhaps she has a home in that journal you just bought?
I’ve posted my responses to the questions now. I only changed one, but I left a couple out to shorten it a bit. I’ll look forward to other people posting too, if they choose to do so!
http://ambivalentmuse.wordpress.com/2008/09/26/mutation-tag/
lkwinter said:
Hi Mary, I’ll have to mentally process this meme sometime, though I think I already answered some of them in a different one; memes are thought provoking indeed.
I don’t know what possessed me to write those similes, but it just sort of flowed out, lol. Is being sly good or bad?
oh said:
Enjoyed this – thanks for sharing, and love how you talk about your husband and his music and also chuckled over your names you’d choose! Like Sparrow for a last name! And, WIRED! I just started reading it a few months ago – and wonder what took me so long.
Cheers!
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