1. Many children have blankets, or a favorite nubby stuffed animal that they like to keep near them for security. Do you recall what you had for your “security blanket” as a child? When did you finally give it up? What brought that about?
The fabulous Mr. Bear, of course, a rather flattish tan teddy bear with big brown eyes. I used to lie flat on the bed, my arm over the edge, holdling Mr. Bear from his arm, twisting and turning him back and forth. Which is why Mr. Bear’s one arm looks like twisted and shapeless.
But he’s still around, watching over Katherine (and out of her reach).
Katherine hasn’t yet chosen a favorite stuffed animal yet. She plays with the various bears she has, and she plays with other critters, but no one has become her inseparable companion. I keep rooting for Cthulhu …
2. Now that you are a big kid, what do you have to give you that same sense of security?
My wedding ring, which I always either wear or, when my ring finger condition kicks up, carry in my wallet.
3. With a little over four months left in 2002, have you accomplished everything you wanted to for the year? Is there anything that you would like to accomplish before the year is over?
MUST … BUILD … FENCE ….
4. I don’t know about you, but it seems to me children have it pretty good these days. Game systems, computers in the home, microwaves, cable TV, the internet, cell phones and pagers, they certainly have a wider variety of technology than most of us did as children. What modern convenience, if any, do you think it would be good for children today to do without? What would they gain?
I am insanely jealous of kids these days. Yeesh. Why would anyone ever want to travel back in time. I would probably have a hell of a time trying to live in the 70s again.
That having been said, I think it’s a bloody shame that microwaves have turned “cooking” into “take it out of the box and throw it in and set it on 8 minutes on 70%. Katherine will certainly have the opportunity to learn to cook in our household.
5. Many of us have one thing in which we believe we excel. What do you do better than most?
Wordsmith. It is, in fact, why they pay me the big bucks.
6. In the United States, and possibly other countries, teenagers in High School usually wind up falling into several social circles or “cliques.” Stoners, Rich Kids, Jocks, Cheerleaders, Band, Drama, Goths, and so on (though the names are probably different today). What High School “clique” did you find yourself in? Was it by choice or did it just happen? Did you look down on other groups? (Aw it’s ok, it was/is High School, we all did dumb stuff)
I was a Drama Geek and a Choir Geek and a Speech Geek, and generally speaking a general Academics Geek. And, yes, I looked down on the Jocks and the Loadies and the Smokers (who weren’t quite the same) and, of course, the Band Geeks.
7. (it begins) I have great news! I won the contest and we now have plane tickets to anywhere in the world. The bad news is we have to pick a place now and leave in the morning. I can’t decide where to go, so you get to pick. Where should we go, and what is the first thing we should do when we get there?
Oh, jeez, thanks. Um. If it’s free airfare, let’s go to New Zealand, ’cause we can get cheap European airfare without much trouble. Either that, or China, if you want to do that. Which do you think Kitten would like better? Lucky thing we have a passport for her.
BONUS: Must I beg you?
I don’t know … do you promise to grovel, too?