An Interview With Myself

The original post of “33 Questions For An Interview With Yourself,” by Dragos Florin Roua, is at http://www.dragosroua.com/33-questions-for-an-interview-with-yourself/

I liked Dragos’ question list enough to borrow it for a blog posting, so here goes:

1. What Do You Do For A Living?

I teach computer science at a two-year college. I also make and sell lampworked glass beads and jewelry. The one satisfies my left brain, the other my right brain, though both overlap into the other half.

2. Who Do You Love?

I love my husband, first and foremost. I never thought I’d find someone like him — he’s my rock, my strength, my shelter, my sounding board; he’s got my back, always, yet he doesn’t hesitate to tell me when I’m off track or unreasonable.

I love my son — how could I not? I love my cats, and they love me back unconditionally and unjudgementally. I love the rest of my family, even though I don’t always like them.

Beyond that it depends on how one defines “love.” I sometimes say that I love mankind, but I can’t necessarily stand people — it sounds like a joke but there’s a lot of truth there.

3. Do You Have Enough Money?

I have enough for what I need — food, shelter, transportation, clothing. I don’t have enough to be extravagantly frivolous but that’s a very good thing, since I’ve found I’m happier living more simply.

4. Are You Healthy?

Basically I’m pretty healthy, I think, though I’ve apparently inherited the family prematurely-failing thyroid and I have to stay on medication for depression. I try to eat reasonably healthy, but I could certainly get more exercise!

5. Do You Think You Are a Good Person?

I try to be a Good Person, and I like to think that I mostly succeed. I have my mean and petty thoughts, and I lose my temper, and I wish ill on certain people, mostly those who abuse other people and animals. Basically I try to treat others as I want to be treated, the old Golden Rule.

6. How Old Are You?

These days I’m usually about 26 years old in a 53 year old body. Sometimes I revert to 13 y. o., though.

7. Who’s Your Best Friend?

My husband. He just KNOWS me and accepts me. I’ve had close female friends throughout my life, but they tend to come and go — we’ll be close for some time, and then it’s past.

8. What’s Your Childhood Dream?

I don’t remember. I’m sure I had some, but they’ve long ago faded away into mist.

9. How Often Do You Laugh?

Whenever something strikes me as absurd, which is usually at least daily.

10. What Makes You Smile?

(List at least 10 items.)

1. LOLcats
2. Watching glass melt
3. That first cup of coffee in the morning
4. Snuggling up against my husband as we go to sleep
5. Chatting with customers at shows
6. The kittens in the kitten room at Good Mews
7. A nicely decorated Christmas tree
8. My cats
9. Opening the kiln the morning after
10. Chocolate
11. Puppies
12. Hearing someone tell me how much they’ve enjoyed an item that I made & they bought (or received as a gift).

11. Who’s Your Most Dangerous Enemy?

Myself, or rather the part of me that still remains insecure and afraid, and doesn’t always think before acting.

12. Where Do You Live?

I live in a condo in suburban Atlanta, which feels like home only because I’ve made it feel like home. When I bought it I wanted a place that I would own rather than it owning me, a place where I could set down roots rather than having it feel temporary. I have to have a place that is MINE or I don’t feel grounded.

I don’t really feel like suburbia, or a big city, is my place though. I’d far rather be in a smaller city, and I’ve always felt much more at home in the mountains than in flatter land.

13. Do You Think You’re Strong?

I’ve had to be, so I’ve learned to be. For me strength means coping as intelligently and gracefully as possible with whatever life throws at you, and although my coping hasn’t always been intelligent or graceful, I’ve managed.

14. What Was The Most Important Thing You’ve Done So Far?

I don’t know that I’ve done anything important, really. I’ve just tried to make my little corner of the world a little better for my being there.

15. What Was The Most Stupid Thing You’ve Done So Far?

Of course I’ve done stupid things in my life. Some of them I recognized as stupid right off, others took years. Probably the most stupid thing is one I’ve done several times — said something without thinking first that caused me to lose a friend.

16. Do You Love Yourself?

I try to. Sometimes it’s really hard.

17. What Do You Fear The Most?

Heights. Even thinking about them makes my stomach clench a bit. By heights I don’t mean high ground, I mean being high OFF the ground (or at the edge of a cliff where I can’t see anything right below me).

18. What Is Your Favorite Word?

Wow, I can’t think of a favorite word!

19. When Was The Last Time You Cried?

Probably the last time I watched “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.” That darn show puts tears in my eyes every time. If you mean a serious weep, I actually don’t remember. Probably sometime recently when I was PMSing and thinking about my dad. Watching him slowly deteriorate is one of the toughest things I’ve ever seen.

20. What Is The Best Thing That Could Happen To You Right Now?

I have no idea!!!

21. What Is The Worst Thing That Could Happen To You Right Now?

Suddenly losing my husband.

22. Picture Yourself In 5 Years From Now

Not very different from now, I hope!

23. Do You Regret Anything?

I regret that I lost my mother when I was ten, so never really knew her adult-to-adult. I know it was something totally out of my control, but I really only know her second-hand and that just isn’t good enough.

24. What’s The First Thing You Do In The Morning?

Stumble into the bathroom to pee, then stumble into the kitchen for coffee. Very basic, that.

25. What Are You Thinking Just Before Going To Bed?

Usually not anything in particular, just about getting comfortable and relaxed and about how life is pretty damn good these days.

26. What Was The Highest Point You’ve Ever Been To?

I don’t remember being on top of Pike’s Peak when I was eight, other than I know I passed out from altitude sickness due to the sudden change. I’ve been pretty high up in the Rockies since (the visitor center on Trail Ridge Road in Rocky Mountain National Park, very pretty even though the weather sucked) and felt rather at home.

Then again, there was the time my ex convinced me to go with him to the top of the CN Tower in Toronto. All I remember of that was sheer terror.

27. If There’s One Thing In Your Life You Want To Change Right Now, What Is It?

Oh gosh, maybe to still have my dad strong and healthy (at least for his age) instead of slowly deteriorating?

28. What Are You Proud Of?

I raised a pretty good kid up to be a fine young adult.

29. Sum Up Your Life In One Sentence

Eeep! I don’t know! I tried???

30. Name The Thing That Annoys You The Most

Incessant non-white-noise, whether it’s someone talking without saying anything, someone else’s music, machinery, or whatever.

31. What Is Your No 1 Question To God?

Why do you permit so much crap in your name?

32. Do You Have Secrets?

Who doesn’t? We have secrets from each other; we even have secrets from ourself.

33. What Makes You Laugh?

Bad puns and being silly.

Ok, I lied. There are 34 questions:
34. Are You Happy?

I am now. At a lot of times in my life I wouldn’t have answered yes, but now I can and mean it.

******

Now, here’s the deal. If you blog, feel free to copy and paste this article on your blog (with a link back to the original, of course) and answer each question at a time. Feel free to skip the ones you don’t like or don’t want to answer. But do keep the link back so I can discover you. I told you, you’re important.