Stolen from Reno:
1. Are your parents married or divorced?
Married. 40 years, I think.
2. Are you a vegetarian?
No, although I was in college and part of law school. Then I developed severe GERD and was put on a super-restrictive diet. Adding something else to the list of things I couldn’t eat just didn’t make sense any more, although I still don’t eat a lot of meat.
3. Do you believe in Heaven?
Depends on when you ask. Today I’ll go with being optimistic.
4. Have you ever come close to dying?
Yes. The closest, I think, was when I was about 18 months old. I got a throat infection that stopped me from breathing, and I had to have an emergency tracheotomy.
5. What jewelry do you wear 24/7?
None. My fingers are still too fat for my wedding & engagement rings
6. Favorite time of day?
The early morning, before anyone else is awake.
7. Do you eat the stems of broccoli?
Yes, but if they’re all woody, I only eat the middles.
8. Do you wear makeup?
Lipstick most days, other, not usually.
9. Ever have plastic surgery?
No.
10. If you did have plastic surgery, what you you do?
I really can’t imagine it. I used to hate my nose when I was in high school, but it looks so cute on Noah’s face that I’m totally over that.
11. What do you wear to bed?
PJs.
12. Have you ever done anything illegal?
I assume speeding counts?
13. Can you roll your tongue?
No.
14. Do you tweeze your eyebrows?
Not regularly. Once in a while, the impulse seizes me.
15. What kind of sneakers?
Cute ones with no laces.
16. Do you believe in abortions?
What an odd phrasing. Am I pro-choice? Yes. Do I with that all women had access to health care, contraception, and sex education, thereby nearly eliminating the need for abortion? Yes.
17. What is your hair color?
Light brown with growing-out blond highlights.
18. Future child’s name?
I’m sworn not to tell future children’s names until they are actual children.
19. Do you snore?
Yes.
20. If you could go anywhere in the world where would it be?
I would love to visit every continent before I die.
But more immediately, I miss Milwaukee and my family & friends there.
21. Do you sleep with stuffed animals?
Heh. No.
22. If you won the lottery, what would you do first?
Pay off all my student loans, credit card debt, and mortgage.
Then, depending on how big the lottery winnings were, take 6-12 months off to figure out what I wanted to do with the rest of my life, and where, and get that plan rolling.
If the lottery winnings weren’t of the “you never have to work again” variety, meet with a good financial planner, make sure Noah was set for college and Jill and I were set for retirement. (A good financial planner who would make sure that we didn’t get screwed on the gift tax in this plan.)
23. Gold or silver?
Platinum.
24. Hamburger or hot dog?
Depends on my mood. Can I have onion rings with that?
25. If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Really, really, really good bread.
26. City, beach or country?
Beach.
27. What was the last thing you touched?
Besides my keyboard? The TV.
28. Where did you eat last?
My kitchen.
29. When’s the last time you cried?
A couple of weekends ago.
30. Do you read blogs?
Yes. More than I should.
31. Would you ever go out dressed like the opposite sex?
I don’t have what it takes to do drag. I’d give it a try, but I doubt I would be plausible.
32. Ever been involved with the police?
My current job involves them frequently.
33. What’s your favorite shampoo conditioner and soap?
I don’t have a current favorite.
34. Do you talk in your sleep?
Yes.
35. Ocean or pool?
Ocean.
36. Sauna or whirlpool
Whirlpool with the jets off.
37. Starbucks or Krispy Kreme
Publix donuts.
38. Window seat or aisle?
Aisle.
39. Ever met anyone famous?
Yes. Mostly politicians, some authors. I have a very cute picture of myself meeting President Carter when I was about 10. As will shock no one who knows me in real life, it is obvious in the picture that I am talking.
The nicest famous person I have ever met was Katherine Paterson. She is incredibly sweet and I hope the Bridge to Terabithia movie makes her oodles of money.
40. Do you feel that you’ve had a truly successful life?
So far.
41. Do you twirl your spaghetti or cut it?
I break it before cooking and then twirl to eat.
42. Ricki Lake or Oprah Winfrey?
Oprah.
43. Basketball or Football?
Are we having a party? That sounds like fun!
44. How long do your showers last?
It depends. Maybe 2/3 are lightening fast. I prefer them lingering and warm, but with a baby, that just doesn’t happen as often.
45. Automatic or do you drive a stick?
My current car is automatic, but I prefer stick.
46. Cake or ice cream?
Yes, please.
47. Are you self-conscious?
Sometimes.
48. Have you ever drank so much you threw up?
Yes, but not often and not in years.
49. Have you ever given money to a beggar?
Yes.
50. Have you been in love?
Yes.
51. Where do you wish you were?
Right here.
52. Are you wearing socks?
Yes.
53. Have you ever ridden in an ambulance?
Yes, after the accident in which my car was totaled.
54. Can you tango?
If I’m dancing with a really strong lead.
55. Last gift you received?
Thin, crispy, chocolate-almond cookies, from Kathryn, mother of Cole, with whom Noah had a play date yesterday.
56. Last sport you played?
Um. Mommy & me yoga?
57. Things you spend a lot of money on?
Books and the baby.
58. Where do you live?
In a house.
59. Where were you born?
Hospital. In Milwaukee.
60. Last wedding attended?
Mikki & Claire’s! It was wonderful. WONDERFUL. I still sniff the little spice bag favor, which sits next to my computer at work.
62. Favorite position?
Progressive.
63. Most hated food(s)?
Anything too spicy-hot.
64. Most hated soda pop
Grape.
65. Can you sing?
Loudly and proudly, but not tunefully.
66. Last person you instant messaged?
Either Elizabeth or Becky at work.
67. Last place you went on holiday?
Milwaukee for Christmas.
68. Favorite regular drink?
Watery apple juice. (3/4 water, 1/4 apple juice.)
69. Current Song?
NPR?
70. Tag 3 friends.
I would pick Shana, but I think she’s only photoblogging. How about Lizzy, Isabel, and Trista?
Why is this so much fun? I love it. I wish I had time to do it and think I’ll post it with appropriate acknowledgements. Liza you are always there w/something cool. Still loving the book tag thing.
the way that is written, it sounds a little like a myspace survey. at least it didn’t ask you if you have your own room.
do you really believe that if all women had health care, contraception, and sex education, it would nearly eliminate the need for abortion? i think that is both naive and a little insulting to the millions of women who have had access to all those things and still had an abortion.
Cynthia – I agree, these are fun and strangely addictive.
Jen – I haven’t seen a lot of myspace surveys, but even though these memes can be a little bit juvenile, I like them.
I certainly didn’t intend to be insulting to anyone. Do you really think there are millions of women who *actually* had access to contraception, health care, and sex education, who still had abortions? I just don’t think that.
Liza – I have to say that it seems like you did a bit of a “life edit” in your answers. Question 12? Ahem.
And need I remind you of our long standing family pact for Question 22? That 10% goes in all directions…
In response to Jen’s comment and your reply to it, I disagree with Jen that you are insulting anyone, but I do believe there are many women who have access to contraception, health care and sex ed that DO have abortions.
Having access to contraception doesn’t necessarily mean you will use it all the time. Women that are not impoverished who are unfaithful, who are in bad situations (dumped when pregnancy disclosed, unknowingly in a relationship with a married/committed man etc) or who are just careless opt to have abortions. Women who are raped and scared and don’t go get emergency help to stop a baby from forming may also opt to have abortions.
These three things might moderately reduce the need for abortion, and would be beneficial to society anyway.
And personal surveys, as you call them “memes” have been around long before Myspace and even before the mass availability of email correspondance…And they are very fun especially when different ones circulate..
I love your blog by the way.
Good points, Rachael! And thanks. I’ve always been a fan of the personal survey, going back to the “Purity Test” I remember taking my first year of college.
Aunt Anna, there’s a big difference between answering a question on the Internet and forgetting anything.
Liza, because I love you, and because you have all sorts of payback ability, I am NOT going to post the anecdote about you, the purity test, and your first semester in college.
Thank you, Reno!
#54 (Tango)
If you want some practice let me know next time you are in DC. Maybee we can get a group to go to Blob’s… (Or Glen Echo depending on the weekend.)
well i don’t know how many abortions are performed every year, but i do believe a large portion of them are performed on women who have access to health care, contraception, and sex ed. of the people i personally know who have had abortions (and i know several) all of them have had access to all three of those things.
i didn’t mean to sound like i was criticizing you. i was really surprised that you think that.
My understanding is that as access to health care and contraception go up, the number of unwanted pregnancies goes down.
Jen, I didn’t particularly think that you were criticizing — although the word “insulting” in the comment pulled me a little bit in that direction.
I only know that I know 3 people who’ve had abortions, and 2 of them were under 14 years old at the time. (Maybe as young as 12? It was 7th or 8th grade.) We didn’t have good sex ed until the second half of 8th grade, and I have no idea what kind of contraceptive access they had, but I always sort of assumed it was poor. I wouldn’t have had any idea how to get contraceptives at the time. (I also wasn’t having sex.)
Someone else just tagged me for this one and I’ll try to do it later this week! Hooray.
the reason i think it’s a little insulting is that it implies a judgment on someone who has had these “advantages” and has an abortion – as if “it’s ok for those disadvantaged women without healthcare to have an abortion, but why the hell did YOU have one?!” as rachel said, there are many reasons why women with access to contraception and sex ed end up getting an abortion, ranging from “humans make mistakes” to “no non-permanent contraception is 100% effective.” condoms, a common form of contraception, are supposedly 98% effective even with perfect use. that means 2 out of every 100 women using condoms will get pregnant each year, and many of them will want abortions. that’s a lot of women in a country of how-many-million fertile women. i also have met a number of women who claim to have gotten pregnant while correctly using the pill and have had abortions. i’m not surprised since when i was on the pill i was often prescribed medication and not told that it would reduce the efficacy of the pill (or if i had been told, it was years earlier and it didn’t cross my mind at the time i took the medication). also, studies have shown that the failure rates of the pill has gone up in recent years as they have made the pill safer but i don’t think most women know this and are relying on information they learned years ago when the pill was more effective.
which is related to this phenomenon that always blows my mind, and that is that everyone thinks that THEY are the ones who aren’t going to make a mistake, despite statistical evidence that most people make mistakes. when most women research birth control they look only at the “perfect use” statistics, not the “typical use” statistics. i think that is insane. it wouldn’t be “typical” if that weren’t what most people did. so women look at condoms and think “it’s almost as effective as the pill, i won’t get pregnant” but the reality is that 15 out of 100 women using condoms will get pregnant each year. that’s a very large number of women, and no one thinks it’s going to be them. and when they do get pregnant despite using contraception, a lot of people are going to look at them like “what the fck is wrong with you? you must be stupid/irresponsible/etc.”
anyway, i just felt that a woman who ended up pregnant and having an abortion who had access to contraception, etc. would feel insulted and judged by the statement you made. let’s put it this way, you wouldn’t have said that if you’d found yourself with an unwanted pregnancy as an adult. and obviously that’s not something you are going to have to deal with in the future.
also, while i agree that increasing access to sex ed and contraception would decrease the number of abortions, increasing access JUST to healthcare (apart from those other two things) would probably actually increase the number of abortions because there are a lot of women who want abortions who can’t afford them.
Covert – I would love to go dancing when we are in DC again. And I think Noah would explode with excitement at a live band.
Jen – You make a lot of good points, but I’d definitely have to say they also sound like you’re criticizing me.
Maybe it’s the online medium, where the give and take of a normal conversation is missing.
Just to be clear: I don’t have any judgment about how someone chooses to organize their reproductive life. And, I also think that given full and affordable access to sex education, contraception, and health care, more people will successfully avoid getting pregnant unintentionally, reducing the number of abortions.
It isn’t because they are better people or smarter people or any of that, it’s because abortions are an invasive medical procedure, they have to happen on a relatively short timeline, and many people have some level of ethical discomfort that is different from their feeling about contraception.
Because of those things, I think most people would prefer not to have an abortion, even if they would have one if they deemed it necessary (medically, personally, or for whatever reason) and even if they supported the right of other people to make their own choices in the matter.
I love how Isabel answered this question. She asked if they were like fairies or Santa, ie, something people could choose to “believe in” or not. Of course they are real, and that’s not changing any time soon.
It’s a date.
I will risk treading on thin ice here by joining the fray. My first reaction on reading the abortion question was identical to Isabel’s. Sort of like believing the Sun will rise in the East Tomorrow. (Of course when I was on the Debate Team in High School, I remember taking the Negative on that Proposition during “Club Day”. The Affirmative has to prove its case, and the game was to make Joe have to do it.
)
Personally, my take on abortion is pro-Choice because I don’t feel I have the right to dictate to other people how they run their lives, and because there are valid scenarios where you are choosing between killing both the mother and child or the mother living.
However, what little is left of my Catholic upbringing causes me not to want a child of mine aborted. Which is one reason why I would not make a pass at a woman that I would not be willing to offer a Ring to the next day if any contraceptive means in use failed.
I suspect that Jen is overstating the statistics slightly in that condom failure even if at 15% (and I can’t say that my experience indicates a higher percentage of success…) a condom failure doesn’t necessarily result in pregnancy. Also it is not uncommon for multiple layers of contraception to be used.
As to Liza’s point on access to Information, Health Care, etc. I have to agree with her position that better Health Care, Contraception, and above all Education would probably reduce the need for abortions as:
1) Knowlege is empowering.
Good Sex-Education thus reduces the number of victims. (I also feel that among basic life skill that should be taught is Self-Defense along with Reading, Writing, Arithmetic, History and Basic Accounting.)
2) It increases the likelihood that safe sex would be practiced, and
3) Access to high quality Health Care reduces the chance of complications that would require an abortion out of medical necessity.
The point of contention appears to be that Liza said, “nearly eliminating” which is fairly strong. However I didn’t read it as an insult to people who are forced to have an abortion out of necessity.
Having an abortion as a form of ex-post- facto contraception is becoming less of an issue as even though Roe v Wade is still the governing Stare Decisis on the subject, liability issues seems to be pretty much putting Abortion Clinics out of business due to escalating malpractice insurance premiums. (Not to mention health insurance for the Doctors.) So it is getting difficult for women in the US to get an abortion where there is not a medical necessity.
Hmm. Really got some good laughs reading your witty replies.
What happened to question 61?
Question 61 was just too inappropriate; I couldn’t even think of a witty non-answer. I mean, work people read my blog, and so do Jill’s parents and mine. So I censored it. Yes, me. Those parental controls jobs had a pernicious effect on my personality.