Early and Late

I’m early and late to this one. At a good friend’s insistence, I answered one of these on email last week. Having now seen it again at Terminal Degree,Timna, Pilgrim/Heretic, Jimbo, New Kid, and Dr. Crazy, I could not resist...

1. IF YOU COULD BUILD A SECOND HOUSE ANYWHERE, WHERE WOULD IT BE?
Vancouver or New Zealand (I haven't been either place yet, so it's tough to decide.)

2. WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE ARTICLE OF CLOTHING
Colorful winter scarves. (Now.) Casual sundresses and slip-on shoes in summer.

3. THE LAST CD YOU BOUGHT?
Ani DiFranco's latest one. I bought it for my husband, but I really like it too.

4. WHAT TIME DO YOU WAKE UP IN THE MORNING
Depends on when I go to bed. (Last night was 2 a.m.) I try not to sleep past 8 if I can help it. I’m capable of getting up at 6 a.m. only if I'm guaranteed a nap at 3 p.m.

5. WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE KITCHEN APPLIANCE?
Juicer. Have been juicing carrots like mad -- and, yes, am slowly turning orange

6. IF YOU COULD PLAY AN INSTRUMENT, WHAT WOULD IT BE?
Do you need to ask? Cello is my favorite instrument. I wish I could play it better.

7. FAVORITE COLOR?
Pale greens.

8. WHICH DO YOU PREFER, SPORTS CAR OR SUV?
Neither. I'm a bicycle girl! But if I had to choose, I'd choose a small SUV

9. DO YOU BELIEVE IN AFTERLIFE?
Yes. (And I second Dr. Crazy’s vote to have pets there. Many years ago, when I taught CCD, I was reprimanded for affirming a six-year-old’s prediction that he would see his recently deceased dog in heaven.)

10. FAVORITE CHILDREN'S BOOK?
Hmmm... so difficult to choose. I've recently been feeling nostalgic about The Snowy Day.

11. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE SEASON?
Summer

12. IF YOU HAVE A TATTOO, WHAT IS IT
No tattoos. I once had a fake one (from a gumball machine) and it drove me nuts after just one day.

13. IF YOU COULD HAVE ONE SUPER POWER, WHAT WOULD IT BE?
Maybe to heal people rapidly. Or to turn back time to preclude disastrous events.

14. CAN YOU JUGGLE?
Yes. I had to learn to juggle and ride a unicycle for a high school play.

15.WHO DO YOU WISH YOU COULD GO BACK AND TALK TO?
My grandmothers. (I miss them.) And my great-grandmother on my maternal side, whom I never met.

16. WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE DAY?
Of the week: Thursday. Of the year: I'm a fan of valentine's day, even though it's hideously over-commercialized. I also used to really love the Fourth of July, mostly because of the neighborhood party my parents used to host on that day.

17. WHICH DO YOU PREFER SUSHI OR HAMBURGER?
None of the above. Okay, so I've never had sushi. I'm technically a vegetarian AND I recently re-read My Year of Meats, so the burger is out.

18. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE FLOWER?
Tulip has been a longtime favorite. But I'm also a fan of Gerbera daisies. I hate red roses.

19. FROM THE PEOPLE WHO NORMALLY READ YOUR BLOG, WHO IS THE MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND?
Benedict. But I predict he will find this silly.

20. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE MEAL?
Any one that takes place after a long hike or other physically exhausting activity.

21. DO YOU LIKE YOUR JOB?
Some of the time, yes. It’s a lot better this semester.

22. WHAT IS YOUR DREAM JOB?
I’ve always wanted to be a professor. Now I realize that I should have been more specific and wished to be a tenure-track professor! New/concurrent dream job: well-read novelist or successful playwright.

23. WHAT AGE DO YOU PLAN TO RETIRE?
Ha ha ha ha ha! (Oh, wait. You’re serious?)

24. WHERE DID YOU MEET YOUR SPOUSE OR SIGNIFICANT OTHER?
Grad school. Office job. He likes to tell people that I was his boss, but, in reality, I was just in charge of a project that we both were working on.
I’d also like to second Dr. Crazy’s objection to this question. And I echo her indignation that Jenn Schefft got a “Spinster of the Week” award! (And now, jeopardizing that high-minded position: “Jenn, honey. We’ve known for a long time that you’d be perfect for my brother, Kennedy. Okay, so he’s been dating the same girl for seven years. And so they just moved in together last month. I'm still quite sure he's the guy you seek.”)

25. SOMETHING YOU WOULD LIKE TO DO THAT YOU HAVE NEVER DONE BEFORE.
Have and raise a kid. Publish the dissertation. Write a novel Those answers are a little dull, aren’t they? So I’ll also throw in a total fantasy response: I’d love to dance with a modern dance troupe. Maybe Paul Taylor’s or Twyla Tharp’s. Yeah.