I found a series of questions on one of my internet jaunts. Thank you, Josie, for pointing me in that direction.
Let's begin.
If you had to spend one year alone with one other person, who would you want that person to be?
Ugh. Hard. But, in the end, I would choose my child. Liv. I think that Bing and I could weather a year apart, but I might go slowly mad without Liv.
What's a question that many people are afraid to ask themselves?
Am I living a life that makes me proud? Am I standing up when I should and sitting down when I should too? It's very, very hard to do the right thing at all times and I have kept my mouth shut at too many dinners with my racist brother in law. I told myself that I was doing it to keep peace, to be kind to my sister, Patrice, who has the great misfortune to be married to him. But, I should have stood up every. single. time. Let everyone at that table know that I was not going to take this shit and neither should they.
In one word, what are you hoping for?
Peace. I want to die with peace in my heart.
In one word, what's your biggest concern at the moment?
I wish I could say world peace or some such thing, but I am remarkably human. My biggest concern is always having enough money at the end of my life to not burden my family, to be able to die with dignity. I have had this terrible fear of being a bag lady for most of my life.
What's something you wish you saw more of?
Kindness. It seems that the older I get, the more I see unkindness.
What's something that many people fear that doesn't scare you at all?
Ghosts. We have a house ghost and I have never been truly afraid. Startled, yes. Afraid, no.
What item do you most often misplace?
My watch. I have found it in the fridge before. No lie.
Life is wasted without ?
Sounds cheesy, but it's true. Love. And being loved.
What makes you different?
I tend to feel things at a heightened level. I would never admit this on most days because I have never been accused of being too sensitive. But, I have a sort of gift of being able to connect.... to join myself..... to things and feel them. Hard to explain. Once when I was little, I was sitting outside in the back yard weeping because the fireflies were so beautiful. It was like I couldn't stand it or something. My mother came outside to see what the matter was. When I told her, she shook her head, rolled her eyes and said, "Maria, they are BUGS" and went into the house. Just the other day, I finished a book called Carry The One that touched me deeply. I was sitting on the sofa, thought I was alone. I hugged the book and began to cry. I couldn't stand to let the characters go. Bing came in, immediately sat next to me and asked what I was crying about. I told her that I just loved this book so much. She sort of patted me and got up, totally not getting me. Does this make sense?
What's something that you enjoy making or building from scratch?
Well, I am not a craft person. But, I am a passable baker. When Liv was little, we never made anything from a box, such as brownies or cakes. Always from scratch and there was something very satisfying about measuring ingredients and seeing them come together successfully. Plus, by the time she was 4, Liv understood the concept of measuring. She knew a quarter cup was small, a half cup bigger and a cup even more so.
If you could add an extra hour to your day, how would you spend it?
Easy. Sleep. I never get enough sleep. When that alarm goes off in the morning, I just want to groan and roll over, slap it off, go back to sleep.
What do you wish you did more of on a regular basis?
Walk the dog. I tend to see it as a chore. But my best blogs come out of long, lingering walks with Socks. I walk and think about things. Problem solve. Let nature seep into my bones a bit.
In what way are you a survivor?
I've survived some pretty scary health issues. I surprised myself by being a fighter. Not just a little, but a full fledged warrior.
What's the one piece of advice you would give to a teenager?
This too shall pass. Not having that cute guy ask you to prom? This is MINOR, cookie. Honest.
Ok...tackle more later.
And I'd be curious to see how you would answer these questions.
9 comments:
I would most definitely choose to spend one year alone with my kid! That's kind of a no brainer, for me.
I recently left my favorite pair of sunglasses at my friend's house, and I'm so sad. She's AWFUL about returning things, and now I have to find a new pair to fit my small head. Dammit.
I am a baker, too. Banana bread is the thing around here, and like Liv, Gilda also understand measuring. Also: the joys of licking the spoon!
Sleep. Oh, yes - sleeeeep. More of it, please.
I remember once in my teens sitting in a restaurant and seeing this old woman eating alone. I couldn't help the tears, they flowed down my face.
I can't say why, other than it seems so sad to me to think that maybe this woman didn't have anyone to have dinner with.
If I had been a little braver at the time I would have asked her to join us, but instead I just cried.
I too could not live a year on this earth without my child. My partner and I have always said, if we were on a sinking boat and you could save only one of us, make sure it's the kid. He is my light in what can be a very dark world.
I have the opportunity to spend hours in nature, and feel the same as you do about it, but for some reason I find other things to do. I need to change that!
You always give such interesting answers!
Would you answer 3 more questions please please please?
1) If you had to dye your hair either pink, purple, blue or green, which would you pick?
2)Beatles or Elvis?
3)Sloth or tamarin?
Thanks, even if you dont answer them! And i love your blog :)
Of course I'll answer them!
I can't imagine dyeing my hair any of those colors, but if I HAD to do it, it would be dark blue. Just because I have very pale skin and it might look best on me.
I like The Beatles more than Elvis.
And I can relate to the sloth. Honestly.
I agree with you about the general lack of everyday kindness. I always thought that once I was an adult, people would be less competitive and more mutually supportive but that was an unrealistic expectation. In fact, as the world becomes more crowded and resources diminish, there seems to be a more frantic struggle to survive at any cost. It's very sad.
I simply don't know how I could answer 1. I have 2 children and I can't imagine being away from either of them for a year. I would also desperately miss Mr. EM. You'd have to put it to them to choose which one would go with me and I have a sneaking suspicion it would be Little M.
Sleep, sleep, blessed sleep. That's for sure what I'd do with my extra hour!
I'd like to see more conservation in the world. The wastefulness I see around me every day just makes me cringe.
I wish I practiced yoga on a more regular basis. I feel SO good when I practice regularly.
Great advice to the teenager, that's what I'd say too.
Awesome job on some truly difficult/challenging questions, and across the board I'd have to agree with you! The only one I'd proably answer somewhat differently, but probably with the same outcome is What I am hoping for in one word... freedom! Freedome from schedules, from financial limitations, from worry, from expectations, etc. etc. :-) Oh, and I cannot walk the cats, but I can take them out for a walk in their new stroller! :-) Great post Maria! I hope you take on more of those questions at some point. I intend to as well!
I don't really know who I'd spend a year with, the downside of having no significant other. I guess my Mum, Dad or brother, we'd get on each other's nerves but we're one of those families content to yell at each other, so that would be OK. Standing up for what I believe in is a tough call, but one I wished I did more of without worrying about it being uncomfortable. As always, fascinating, thanks.
Hmmmm....honestly, I would think the moral dilemma that would bother you most is sending your kid to a Catholic school when 1) your spouse derives an income from the public school system where she can be openly gay and be a teacher, and 2) funding Catholic schools helps to further discrimination against gays (by not hiring gay teachers as one major example).
I would not think it would be remaining silent when your sister makes a blatantly racist statement, which, frankly, pales in comparison.
Just trying to give honest feedback.
- Rae
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