Though I am all memed out, I came across this meme on Barb's very enjoyable blog, and all the questions really got me thinking, so following her lead, I tagged myself for it. You can, too! (Barb assures me she WOULD have tagged me, but she knew I am trying to not link this blog all over creation, and it would not fit the knitting blog. Barb lives in my metro area. Have I met her? Of course not.)
Anyway, if you find any or all of these interesting, you are welcome to post your own answers and let me know. I would really be interested!
1. What were you afraid of as a child?
As a tiny child, it was large construction tractors. My first nightmares were that they were coming down the street to get me and I could not move. This was before age 3, since I dreamed this in Sarasota. Later my big fear was roaches. Those giant black "palmetto bug" ones in Florida. I'd dream there was a sea of them under my bed. This dream had a basis in reality, since we sure did have a roach problem. The time I woke up to find one on me in bed traumatized me for years. The time I was awakened by scratching sounds, only to find roaches munching away on my Vacation Bible School rice mosaic was a rough one, too. Explains some of my issues with organized religion, too.
2. When have you been most courageous?
During childbirth, when I would not stop trying for a natural birth, no matter how many hours of back labor, demeaning interventions or pushing against a bone (see item 4) I went through, until finally I realized Beccano was not going out the correct exit. I did that all with no pain medication. With pitocin. I was very brave and strong.
3. What sound most disturbs you?
Easy: that horrid high-pitched "eeeeeee" that some small girls make constantly. Like the one who lives behind us and screeches as if she is about to expire, repeatedly, every time she plays outdoors.
4. What is the greatest amount of physical pain you’ve been in?
a. Childbirth with the second child. First there was 24 hours of back labor (I had a huge bruise from counter pressure). Then when I was pushing it felt like I was pushing a bone against a bone. Turns out I was. Beccano's giganto head was pushing against my deformed tailbone. Oh, if I had known about THAT before the VBAC decision. b. The time a not-very-well trained osteopath attempted to take a sample out of my cervix, then cauterized it. With no anesthesia. I could hardly drive the two blocks home. I was still a teen, in college. After I got home, all weepy, my dad drove over and read the doctor the riot act for hurting me so much. I think that is probably the moment at which I felt the proud of my dad, ever.
5. What’s your biggest fear for your children? (or children in general if you don’t have some of your own.)
That they will end up in a world dominated by religious extremists of some sort, and persecuted for their beliefs, or forced to conform in order to live. I fear more for their wives and daughters. None of the current extremist world domination candidates believe in anything close to equality for women. Or they have to live through famine and disease as a result of Western civilization's poor management of the only planet they have to live in.
6. What is the hardest physical challenge you’ve achieved?
The labor described in #2. Wow, I sound fixated on that experience. Really, I am not. I no longer think of it often (thankfully, a lot less now that I am out of the "new mother support" business), and I bear no grudge against the charming Beccano, whose inability to sleep through the night until he was almost three led to the second hardest physical challenge: parenting a baby and toddler through severe sleep deprivation.
7. Which do you prefer: Mountains or oceans/big water?
To be honest, living by a mountain (or hill) lake is my dream. I need the lake the most. I'm a Pisces and all.
8. What is the one thing you do for yourself that helps you keep everything together?
Hmmm, who can guess that one? OK, I'll tell you. Knitting! Surprise! I don't need to meditate as much any more because I can get into that state while knitting. And I do need that. I have to turn off that internal chatter and the bombardment of outside forces.
9. Ever had a close relative or friend with cancer?
Mom. Roberta. Etc.
10. What are the things your friends count on you for?
I will listen to them and not judge them. I will be loyal to them, perhaps to a fault. I will defend them if anyone puts them down or treats them unfairly.
11. What is the best part of being in a committed relationship?
Finding someone who truly understands you and loves you anyway. It seems like a miracle to me and I am always in awe of that.
12. What is the hardest part of being in a committed relationship?
Trust. So far every committed relationship I have been in has ended in a betrayal. The people I thought loved me most informed me that, no, that was a mistake--they never did--it was just the convenient thing to do, to be with me. And the way the story is so similar each time had me spooked (explaining why I got the roommate--not a committed relationship, no expectations beyond friendship). Both Lee and I believe we have changed out patterns this time. It's been almost a year since we agreed to try--and it is still good!
13. Summer or Winter? Why?
Winter. I am not made for heat or bright light. I even prefer Illinois winter to summers. I like fall best. This is a great time of year for me.
14. Have you ever been in a school-yard fight?
Why, yes, I have. In 8th grade, when I was still "the new kid" and did not fit in at all with any of the cliques. The girls who were nicest to me were the black girls (because I knew all their music), but apparently a couple didn't like her friends talking so much to pale ole Suna, and in PE class (bane of my existence--I had already gotten a concussion from a golf club there), the biggest one informed me she was going to beat me up. I said I didn't really want to do that. But, she came at me. While my father was a champion Golden Gloves amateur boxer, I had never really hit anyone in my life other than my little brother (hee hee). So, to get away from her I went to pull her hair, rather than hit her. Well, turns out her gigantic Afro was a wig. Off it came, revealing some not-very-well-styled nappiness, which made all the other black girls laugh their butts off. Then the rest of us did, too. End of fight. While most of those girls went to another high school, a couple remained friends until I graduated.
15. Why blog?
(I loved Barb's answer to this, by the way.) I have a couple of reasons. One, I am a writer and I like to write. I get really tired of technical documentation, and since I lost my job that let me email all day, I missed writing. So I started blogging. Another reason is I like to keep track of things. When did this happen? What was I thinking about at this time on another year? I kept a diary for years, just noting what I was doing on most days. I'm not overly concerned about the entertainment value of this blog, though I do try to put more useful stuff on the knitting blog.
I do like sharing stuff about my life with my friends, and reading their stuff, too--anecdotes, kid stories, important milestones. I like blogging as an exchange--a way to keep in touch with friends so you don't have to phone or email them each and say the same thing--probably blogging for me serves the purpose that personal letters did for my parents' and grandparents' generations. And a way to keep track of them. Of course, that would mean the friends would have to post to their blogs, too. Ahem. You know who you are. I truly love reading the words of people I care about, and responding to them. And I love my responses. Thank you to the commenters!
16. Did you learn about sex, and/or sex safety from your parents?
Not from the male parent. I think he preferred to think we fell out of the sky. He managed to pretend to not notice he had a gay child and stepchild until each were well in their 40s. But, my mother was quite cool. She did give me a book, but also talked about things--like mistakes she made when young and the consequences (one being my sister, ha ha, just kidding). Some stuff about sex safety perhaps I'd have preferred to not know--like how contraceptive failure resulted in ME. But, hey, it sure drove that "backup plan" concept home!
17. How do you plan to talk to your kids about sex and/or sex safety?
My children are 14 and 16, so that has already happened, and continues. We talk about things whenever concepts come up in life, or something happens on TV. They each got some good books to read, and did ask a few questions. And one of them took the Our Whole Lives sexuality curriculum the UU church provides. The other will eventually I guess. it sure is a GOOD curriculum. And there's an adult version, too, which I think is a great idea for most people who are not me (came at an unfortunate juncture in my life). I've had a number of really interesting conversations with my kids and their friends, too (mostly while they are confined to a moving vehicle). They seem really uninterested in contracting a disease or becoming a parent, and quite aware of how to avoid those things, without being all "saving myself for marriage" oriented. Whew.
18. What are you most thankful for this year?
LEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
OK, your turn. If you are a prompt li'l blog reader, you will see that I post-dated this. I had so many blog-able things come up today! So I am going to file this one under tomorrow, when I know I will be very busy singing and resting from singing.
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