getting to know us

the other day, an old friend dating back to middle school, sent me a questionnaire entitled "getting to know you 2008." at first I was skeptical (not to say I am not still skeptical. if you know me, you'll know that I am nothing if not skeptical). I usually don't read forwards or forward them on. in fact, let me take a moment to say please don't send me some sentimental crap forward about how our lady friends are so special. I will likely think less of you for it. (see, now you're really getting to know me...)

in any case, it was interesting to read my friend's answers to the 50 some-odd questions. & I thought about how long it had been since we'd been day-to-day friends. you know, someone who'll go shopping with you or drop in for coffee. then I realized since miss M came along, I don't really have any day-to-day friends. (sorry, BC, you count differently). most of my old friends live far away & the ones who are here, I usually only see them at readings or larger social events. not much time to talk about what's really happening & as you all probably know--I am not a phone person. I don't know when that happened, but I am just not. in any case, that's not really what I wanted to talk about here. what I wanted to talk about here was how I thought that there were questions the questionnaire missed asking. things that would bring about a much more telling answer than asking what color hair one had or how many keys one has on their keychain. so I added some questions when I sent mine to a few people:

• do you keep a journal or a blog? (thinking about this now, they should have be differentiated as it's very different to write in a journal than to write a blog--or so I hear).
• what is your biggest time-waster? (& maybe I should have said something like "what do you do that seems like a waste of time?")
• what is your biggest quirk?

I have to say, of the responses I've gotten--the last question has resulted in some very interesting & surprising answers. I think some believe a "quirk" to be a negative--something that is wrong with them, whereas I think of it that sets you apart from others--what makes you weird or nicely put: "unique." so some answers were kind of along the lines of "I am this, when I should be this." but even in that, it's a little more vulnerable than we usually are with each other. admittedly, I didn't overshare on mine (not to say that anyone did "overshare"--I didn't get any TMIs--yet). but it is interesting, the way we answer questions, the way we monitor what we project outward & how that can be somewhat nerve-wracking. whether one is "worrying" about it or simply conscious of it. noticing difference can be alienating, though noticing sameness can be well, inwardly alienating. does that make sense? if I see that I am the same as many others in certain respects, it makes me wonder how truly individual I am.

but I am getting off point.

this did make me wonder what things we wish people would ask us. maybe not everyone, maybe just people close to us. you know the experience you can have when someone asks you about something you've never really thought about & how strange it is NOT to have an answer ready, but have to think about it or work it out right there.

I am meandering now, so I will shut up now. in any case, this is mine:

1. What time did you get up this morning? 7:35AM
2. Diamonds or pearls? Neither, emerald, sapphire or opal.
3. Last movie you saw? The Savages
4. What is your favorite TV Show? Lost
5.What do you usually have for breakfast? English muffin w/scrambled eggs
6. What is your middle name? Renee
7. What food do you dislike? Lima beans
8. What is your favorite CD at the moment? No CDs but listening to lots of 60s Jamaican reggae & dub the last few days
9. What kind of car do you drive? Toyota Corolla
10. Favorite sandwich? Tuna melt on rye
11. What characteristic do you despise? Arrogance & insensitivity to others
12. Favorite item of clothing? My gray-blue & maroon sweater from the 70s I’ve had for 12 years.
13. If you could go anywhere in the world on vacation, where would you go? Paris
14. Favorite brand of clothing? Ones made in the 70s.
15. Where would you retire to? If I had my way, the French countryside or Italy .
16. Favorite birthday? 30th
17. Favorite sport to watch? Baseball
18. Furthest place you are sending this? Germany
19. Person you expect to send it back first? Not sure
22. Are you a morning person or a night person? Night!
23. What is your shoe size? 10
24. Pets? nope
26. What did you want to be when you were little? Ballerina
27. How old are you today? 33
28. What is your favorite candy? Dark chocolate truffles
29. What is your favorite flower? Lotus
30. What day are you looking forward to? Saturday…
33. What are you listening to right now? Desmond Dekker
34. What was the last thing you ate? cherries
35. Do you wish on stars? yup
36. If you were a crayon, what color would you be? Midnight blue
37. How is the weather right now? a bit prickly
38. Last person you spoke to on the phone? Mina’s teacher
39. Favorite soft drink? Cream soda
40. Favorite restaurant? I don’t really have one right now.
41. Hair color? Reddish brown
42. What was your favorite toy as a child? Fisher Price people
43. Summer or winter? Summer
44. Hugs or kisses? Both
45. Chocolate or Vanilla? Chocolate!!!
46. Coffee or tea? coffee
47.Do you want your friends to email you back? um, yeah...
48. What is under your bed? A box of old cosmetics, jewelry, lotions I don’t use…
49.What did you do last night? We had Brent’s sister over for dinner, wrote thank you cars, watched Daily Show & Colbert Report.
51. What are you afraid of? Sharks
52. Salty or sweet? Salty then sweet
53. How many keys on your key ring? Which key ring? I have 2—probably 12 in all.
54. How many years at your current job? 1 year 8 months
55. Favorite day of the week? Saturday
56. How many towns have you lived in? 7 (that I can remember)
57. Do you keep a journal or blog? Yes, both.
58. What is your biggest quirk? I can’t help but answer most (or any) questions asked of me, even ones obvious with obvious answers.
59. What is your biggest time-waster? Facebook
60. Do you make friends easily? Good friends, no. Acquaintances, yes.
61. How many people will you send this to? 8
62. How many will respond? Not sure