Last spring, yes, last spring, Matt Hofferth tagged me in the eleven questions meme. Like a lot of things, I have let my blog posts languish.
I liked the eleven questions and picked away at a draft from time to time. I realized last check-in for ROW80 that I needed to pull on my big girl pants and start finishing things I have left undone. Here are the questions and my answers.
1. More like mom or dad? Is this good or bad? (Be Honest!!)
Oh man! I have both my parents’ love of language and words. I fight my mom’s passive aggressive nature as well as my father’s Irish temper. I am a true blend. My mother’s intense shyness, although moderated in me, makes me uncomfortable at large parties. I have less of my father’s being able to talk to anyone about anything, yet I adore teaching and presentations.
2. You have unlimited funds and architects are designing a new home. You have total say in one room of the house. It will be exactly as you dream it. Describe your dream room.
I would build a warm, cozy, but not fussy library (big surprise there). I would have both a writing and a computing desk at the correct heights with comfortable chairs. Most desks make me look like a 6-year-old playing at my parent’s desk, and result in shoulders that are anchor-bolted to my ears.
I want a fireplace with big comfortable chairs, large windows and a spiral staircase to the second row of shelves built into the walls. I don’t want much. 😉
3. City or country? What’s the draw?
Although I used to dream of a large country spread, I prefer the city now. I want a large yard for the dogs and a bit of distance from the neighbors. I love my urban neighborhood, but have renters to one side who give all renters a bad name. I’d prefer a sound and sight buffer.
I love being able to walk half a block to the public library branch, two blocks to get the Sunday New York Times. I can walk to numerous restaurants and shops of all kinds. I especially like the ten-minute commute to the day job. Even better is that I’m going the other direction of traffic both morning and night, heading out of town in the morning and back into town in the evening.
4. What is your favorite time of year?
Now that I am back where it snows, spring will win. After a long, dirty-snowed, end of winter, the crocus and daffodil alert almost makes me look forward to my spring allergies.
In second place is fall. I missed the fall colors when I was in Florida, and plan to join the leaf-peepers travelling through the state parks nearby.
5. You have won a two week vacation for two to any place in the world. Everything is paid, travel expenses, hotel and you have an open ended line of credit that will be paid by your benefactor. Where do you go, see, do?
The short answer is Europe. My husband wants to see Paris, so that would be our base camp, but I would travel to see my friends in England and the Continent. If there were time, I’d like to see Italy, as well.
A close second would be New Zealand, but I think I’d be going solo there. Anyone want to have the other ticket? 😉
6. Your hero is coming to dinner. What’s on the menu?
That’s a hard one. I am a so-so cook, but I do make a mean pot roast, so that would be the main course. I am a good baker, so I think I’d make my secret ingredient pound cake. Of course, I provide scintillating company, which is the most important ingredient for any dinner party.
7. What works best to shake off your blues? A good book? A favorite movie? Visiting with friends? Comfort food? Shopping therapy?
Visiting with friends helps me most of the time, although I have moods that are improved by doing something physically creative, from needlework to painting.
8. What is your favorite board game?
Scrabble. I love playing with words and coming up with unusual but legal ones.
9. The best lesson you learned from your grandparents?
Never give up. My paternal grandfather faced adversity with lots of Gaelic curses.
Kindness is not weakness. My maternal grandfather was a quiet, kind, Appalachian carpenter who always had time for me.
10. What is your biggest pet peeve?
In writing: bad grammar. I spent too many years teaching college composition courses, so my red pen is never far from me.
In life: solipsism. There seem to be so many people walking around convinced they are the only person on the planet. Helloooooo!?!?!? You are not the only car on the road, the only person going through the door, or the only person on the sidewalk. Figure it out.
11. What are the best qualities in your best friend?
A sense of humor and a good heart. One needs a good sense of humor to get through rough times. If one doesn’t have a good heart, a willingness to forgive, to compromise, to try to understand sometimes irrational behavior, it is hard to have a good relationship.
There are rules with this meme, but in my humble opinion, too many rules leach the fun out of these things. If you find the questions interesting and want to answer them, please do so. If you have already done so, feel free to add your post url in the comments. If these memes give you hives, wash your hands quickly, and you should be fine.
Elizabeth Anne Mitchell 