Chirky

Earlier this week, I was interviewed by Whoorl. Yes, that Whoorl, the one who thinks my artistry is so spectacular that she made up an award to give to me. I'm glad that someone finally sees the value of my Microsoft Paint drawings, because my own husband is embarrassed of them. Seriously. He thought they didn't deserve to take up space in my Flickr account. Considering my shiny new award, though, I think I totally got the last word on THAT.

If you haven't been interviewed yet, or even if you have and you really are that much of a narcissist, read the instructions at the bottom and I'll interview you.

1. Wood floors or carpet? Why?
BAH! Do you dare even ask me this question? Wood floors, wood floors, a million times over, wood floors.

The thing about carpet is that you never know what's hiding in it. When I was a kid, we moved to Texas from Washington (state, not DC, I am always asked to clarify this). My parents bought a house in the country that had been empty for only four months. And do you know what happened during that time? An extensive family of scorpions moved in. On top of that, the carpet was cream/chocolate/burnt orange shag, which meant it was a camouflage haven for the infestation. And do you know how I kept myself entertained that summer? Sitting on the stairs, looking down on the living room, watching for movement so that I could quick! Call Dad! I found one! I FOUND A SCORPION!

Plus, wood floors are prettier. And don't go out of style. I mean, mauve carpet? No. Just, no. Stop it.

2. Do you like cookies/desserts with or without nuts?
It's complicated, you see. I tend to like cookies unadulterated, and I also like most desserts without nuts, unless the nuts are finely chopped, and even then I'd prefer them sprinkled on top of the dessert rather than included in the mix. Something about a walnut half on my pie, or a thick macadamia hovering in my cheesecake that just rubs me the wrong way.

However, when it comes to chocolates, I am exactly the opposite. I like crisped rice and gooey caramel and coconut and pecans and almonds, but please, not all at once. I typically don't like pure chocolate, unless we're talking Lindt Lindor Milk or Noir (milk chocolate or dark chocolate), and then holy mother of Moses, I won't stop sucking the goodness out of them until they're all gone, they're THAT delicious.

3. What is the first thing you do when you wake up in the morning?
I can tell you a million things I do before I go to bed (please note the lip balm that must be in place and cell phone that must be plugged in), but when I wake up in the morning? That is more difficult. You'd think that after twenty-eight years of developing a routine of sorts, I'd know what I do in the morning. Truth be told, I don't think that I actually have a regular routine. Or, maybe I do and just don't want to admit it to you.

Fine, fine. I will.

Roger and I have gotten in this horrid habit lately of staying up 'til midnight or so, which means that we sleep in until the last possible moment, and even after we wake up we lay in bed calculating how much time we can shave off our morning preparations before finally throwing off the covers and racing to our respective showers so that we can still get to work on time looking semi-presentable. This generally involves Roger acting completely rational and me running around like a chicken with its head cut off.

4. What is the most adventurous thing you've ever done? UPDATED!
Huh. Wow. I feel a lot of pressure right now to describe something uber-adventurous. In fact, I'll admit to you that I even broke open the dictionary and read the definition of "adventurous" (def: inclined to undertake new and daring enterprises; full of risk; requiring courage; hazardous) so that I can be sure to pick the right experience for you. Anal, much?

I guess I could tell you about study abroad in China, but that wasn't too risky or hazardous. Then there was that time last year in the Philippines that the pilots flew with the cockpit door open the entire flight, and I was in the first row and got to see all the buttons and switches and lights, but that wasn't too adventurous since I didn't actually lean over to press all the buttons and flip all the switches and turn on and off all the lights. There were those backpacking trips in Colorado, which were each six days, but the only risk I took there was not bathing for as many days, and is that really a risk when everyone else is doing the exact same thing?

So, I'm feeling very un-adventurous right now. MUST. FIND. ADVENTURE. NOW. (Please feel free to submit your suggestions. Such adventure should be dangerous and risky and exciting, but not so dangerous and risky and exciting as to make me not want to do it.)

Update: Last night, Roger reminded me that I've been skydiving! It's true! I have! I jumped three times, each time with my chute hooked to the plane so that it opened on its own. The first time I jumped, my friend made a video. It involved lots of shouting and fear once I stepped out onto the bar on the plane because OH. CRAP. the wind coming from behind the propeller - it was like 200 mph!

I thought my shoe would blow off, and how in the world would I manage to land without a shoe? Somehow, the lack of a shoe was more concerning to me than the fact that I was about to jump out of a plane. On purpose. Anyway, I don't have that video anymore because in college I was totally lame and recorded over it. That was in the days prior to DVR or Tivo, and I just had to watch that PBS feature on Ethiopia. [Hello, my name is Jes, I'm a bit of a nerd.]

Suggestions for adventure are still encouraged.

5. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
You know, I wouldn't consider myself completely swollen with pride, but I don’t think I'd change that much about myself.

I've often wished that I was more athletic, had smaller thighs or a less round face (do you know how hard it is for me to find sunglasses that I like?).

But I think there's more than the exterior - I have to be able to wake up in the morning, albeit late, and live with my own sense of integrity. At this point in my life, I can do that – and that is what's important to me. I like who I am.

So – wanna play?

1. Leave me a comment saying, “Interview me.” [Or you could say something about my charming wit, beautiful hair, etc.] <--Y'all. Am lame. I literally copied and pasted this section from Whoorl's site, and didn't even notice this sentence until someone left a comment about my great hair and I was all, "What? How do they know? It's totally true, though." Am leaving it up in case any one else wants to participate in the flattery. Shameful, I know.
2. I will respond by emailing you five questions. I get to pick the questions.
3. You will update your blog with the answers to the questions.
4. You will include this explanation and an offer to interview someone else in the same post.
5. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions.