Monday, July 30, 2012

The It Girl

 

tag

                                                                             Image Credit:  the|G| photostream

As I mentioned last week, there’s a game of tag going on in the UBC group.  It’s been a ton of fun, learning extra bits of information about the different bloggers—things that we might not ordinarily see in their daily writings.  And, in the tagging back portion of the game, we have the chance to get introduced to blogs we might not have visited yet.  (There is a lot of activity going on over at UBC; I don’t think anyone could possibly keep up with all of it.)

Since I sent my last entry out into the ether, I have been tagged back from others, not once, or twice, but SIX different times!  Wow.  I am really feeling the love!  It makes me feel really good to know that folks have visited here and been interested enough in what I have to say to include me in their game.  I have never been so popular.

But, as other topics rolled through the week, I have not found the time to respond to the questions that were posed, and now I’ve accumulated 50 of them!  I’d like to think at least a few people who wander through here are interested in just about anything that I might utter on any given day, but I’m not deluding myself that any of them really want to listen to me rattle off the answers to 50 random questions about myself.  So, I won’t subject anyone to that.  Instead, I will make the arbitrary decision to simply answer twenty, including some questions from each of my taggers, and try to keep at least most of the answers short and to the point.

I also will not subject the UBC group as a whole to 66 tag-backs, especially with only one day left in the challenge.  Instead, I will simply say that if anyone needs a topic to post about (now, or anytime following the challenge), these questions are always sort of fun, so I’ll create a list that is free for the taking any time you need a bit of chatter to get you through the day.  And, to borrow an idea from Ronda, if you don’t want to make an entire post out of this sort of thing, pick one question and answer in the comments.  I’m always interested in learning about the readers who come by.

And the last order of business before getting down to the Q&A:  even though I’ve made it pretty clear that I won’t be following the rules as written, I’ll include them for anyone who might want to play along more precisely:

  1. Post the rules
  2. Answer the question your tagger sent you
  3. Tag 11 new people to answer questions; create your own set of questions or use the same ones you were given—the choice is yours
  4. Tell these people that they have been tagged

Oh, I lied.  One other piece of business not covered by the actual rules, and that’s a sincere note of thanks for the people who tagged me to begin with.  Much gratitude to the people who invited me to play:  Stephanie, Monick, Sara, Minette, Nikki, and Sue.  Click their names and visit their blogs; you won’t be disappointed.

1.  What was your very first blog post about? 

About starting a blog.

2.   Do you belong to any other FB writing groups? Which ones?

Nope, but I’d be interested in hearing about any good ones folks might recommend.

3.  What’s the single best piece of advice you ever received?

Always tell the truth.

4.  Who is your favourite author and why?

Stephen King, because he tells a good story about things I would never think about on my own.

5.  Why do you write?

Because I can’t not write.

6.  What topics do you write about?

Whatever floats my boat when I sit down at the keyboard.

7.  If you could go anywhere in the world today, where would you go and who would you take with you?

Australia has been at the top of my to-visit list for a long time.  If money was no object, I’d take my husband and son, and my sister and her family.  Realistically, when I finally do make it down under, it’s likely going to be just hubby and me.

8.  What’s your favorite kind of food and why?

For the most part, meat and potatoes:  steak and bake, burger and fries, chicken and mashed . . . you get the idea.  But I’m also very partial to basic Mexican food (tacos, burritos, etc), as long as it’s not spicy.

9.  What’s your favorite type of exercise?

A nice walk, though I’m also very fond of the Michael Jackson Experience on the Wii.

10.  What is your favourite quotation?

I like a lot of them, but I’ve got two perennial favorites listed on my Facebook page, so I’ll share those:  “The secret of success is constancy of purpose” (Benjamin Disraeli) and “Do or do not; there is no try” (Yoda).

11.  What 3 websites do you most frequently visit?

Yahoo, Google, Facebook

12.  Who do you look up to the most? (dead or alive)

My mom, no contest.  She was absolutely the best person I ever knew in my life.

13.  If you won the lottery (millions of dollars), what would you do with the money?

Pay off my house (even though I know that’s not the best tax move), pay off all my sister’s bills, set up a trust for my son and my nephew, give a chunk to cancer research, then stick the rest in the bank and travel.

14.  What would you say your biggest accomplishment has been?

I’m pretty proud of the work my friends and I did to get Brian Keith a star awarded on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.  (You can see the details here.)

15.  What is the most important principle in life for you?

Be kind to others and true to yourself. 

16.  What one thing would you change about your house if you could?

I’d gut my kitchen and start over.

17.  As a kid, what did you want to be when you grow up?

Astronaut, lawyer, writer.  My brain is wired for neither science nor zero gravity, so astronaut is clearly out.  In a couple of years, I’ll have a degree in paralegal, but that’s as close to an attorney as I’m likely to be at my age.  And I’d still like to be a professional writer.

18.  What is your favorite type of movie?

A good action/drama (Air Force One, Die Hard, Lethal Weapon, Raiders of the Lost Ark), or a nice chick flick (anything with Hugh Grant)  Or, just about anything at all with Tom Hanks, Robin Williams, or Harrison Ford.

19.  Who in your life do you want to spend more time with?

My BFF, Kim.  We’re not incredibly far apart, but even a couple of hours is a long way when you’re dealing with daily life.

20.  If you could make a living pursuing just one type of writing, what would it be?

I’d write novels.  But I don’t know what kind, which is why I haven’t tried it yet. 

 

My questions, to anyone who wants to play: (I’m using some of these and some new)

  1. If you could make a living pursuing just one type of writing, what would it be?
  2. What is your favorite quotation?
  3. What’s the single best piece of advice you ever received?
  4. What is the most important principle in life for you?
  5. If you won the lottery (millions of dollars), what would you do with the money?
  6. What would you say your biggest accomplishment has been?
  7. What are your top 5 favorite movies?
  8. Other than writing, what kind of creating do you enjoy?
  9. What’s your favorite kind of milkshake?
  10. Do you have siblings? If so, how many?
  11. Favorite sitcom of all time?

Okay, that’s it.  Thanks so much for dropping by.  If you tag yourself into the game on your blog, be sure to let me know so I can come read all about you, too.  Otherwise, please do leave an answer to any question(s) you choose in the comments.