Is anxiety an emotion? It seems like I’m much more anxious nowadays than I ever was as a young adult. I’m pretty sure this is a result of watching the people I care about suffer losses and the helplessness I feel watching them grieve. It’s easy for me to put myself in their place, or in the place of the person they’ve lost, and being in either position really sucks. Being a mom just makes it all worse because I have to worry about two more people and help them process their emotions. Talk about weighty.
What is your most commonly recurring dream? Why do you keep having that dream?
This is weird, and something I’ve considered blogging about before. I often dream that I am a student at WWC again. I’m going to classes and living in the dorm; sometimes I’m married and/or have kids, other times I’m still single but at my current age. Reason? When I left WWC in 1991 I was supposed to finish a religion class over the summer to complete my graduation requirements. I didn’t want to do it. I was tired of being a student. I put it off and put it off and made up excuses and finally just gave up. Five years later I was laid off my job and knew I’d have an easier time finding a new one if I actually had my degree, so I decided it was time to finish it up. By then requirements had changed and instead of taking one four-hour class, I had to take more than 20 hours to complete my degree. I took one quarter locally and for the second one, had to go back to WWC. It was strange to be there again at 27 years old, to be living in the dorm and walking around campus and eating in the cafeteria. I was one of those old weirdos. The only thing I have figured out is that this whole experience—this “punishment” for my ridiculously bad decision in 1991—had such a huge impact on me that to re-live it in my dreams is a manifestation of its accompanying anxiety. Or maybe I’m just a nutjob.
If the U.S. had to give up one state, which one would you pick? Why?
This is an odd question. The only state we could disown that might actually make a difference in our country is Washington, D.C. And technically, it’s not even a state, so I don’t know if that’s cheating.
What is the most unexplainable thing you’ve ever witnessed?
I once saw a woman changing her baby’s diaper on top of a food vendor cart at Disneyland.
What is the biggest advantage men have over women? How about the biggest advantage women have over men?
Duh, men can pee standing up! What I wouldn’t give not to have to touch stuff in a public restroom. But women are allowed to express emotions throughout our lives—we can kiss our sons when they’re adults, we can cry, we can scream like idiots and while people might think we’re wacko, they can’t really say we’re acting inappropriately for our gender.
What one thing have you done that pleased your parents the most?
For my mom, probably giving her grandchildren made her happiest, but I know she is also pleased that I am introspective. For my dad, as much as he loved his grandchildren, I think he was most proud that I got my college degree. He didn’t give a crap about me being introspective; in fact, I think the things he disliked most in me were things he wasn’t about to admit came directly from him. Heh heh.
If you could be the Devil for one day, what would you do?
Gather all the mean people and burn them. Slowly.
If you could have taken one class in school that you didn’t (or couldn’t), what would it be?
Knowing what I know now, I’d have started out an English major, which means there are a lot of classes I would’ve taken that I wish I could have. By the time I decided I wanted to change my major from business to English, I was a junior and would have added another two years to my college career. But knowing that I could still work in the field that I am now, which I love, I wish I’d done something in school that I really enjoyed, something that fed my soul. Instead I went the safe route and took courses that would ensure a job (nothing wrong with that, of course).
What guidelines do you think should exist for gun control?
I think the number of gun owners that truly know how to safely operate a gun is much lower than people realize. I don’t have any great ideas for gun control, but I know that a lot of people who have guns shouldn’t. If someone wanted to put me in charge of deciding who those people are, I’d love the job.
What would it take for you to reconcile with your greatest enemy?
Honestly, I can’t think of any enemies. It’s not that I love everyone or that I’m so likable myself; I usually don’t let people I dislike consume my energy enough to think I’ll feel better if I reconcile with them. Most people that I truly dislike have never been personal friends of mine; they’re politicians and celebrities, so I can’t really consider them enemies, right? Can’t really reconcile with them if I don’t know them.
Copy the questions into a comment and answer them for yourself! Kathy, I'm tagging you--answer this in your blog--and Chris, you’re tagged too.
I'm up.
ReplyDeleteIs there an emotion that you think has gotten stronger as you’ve aged? If so, why do you think that has happened?
ReplyDeleteIf it is an emotion, I am not sure, but I would say patience. Mathew and I waited 14 years to have a child, and I am so grateful for that time. Having it helped me find patience. Patience with my son, patience with my husband, and patience with myself. Mostly I have more patience with other people. I have learned that you just never know what someone else is dealing with in life. Having patience when dealing with others' actions (however infuriating) can be hard.
What is your most commonly recurring dream? Why do you keep having that dream?
The one that I have the most is where I dream that all of my teeth have fallen out. Usually it is a situation where I am in public, and, without warning, all of my teeth inexplicably fall out of my mouth. I think the reason I have this dream is because my front tooth was knocked out when I was 15. My friends and I were playing tag at the ice skating rink, and my tooth collided with my friend's forehead. Needless to say, I have had to endure several surgeries to repair and replace that tooth.
If the U.S. had to give up one state, which one would you pick? Why?
California seems like a fine choice. I am not sure why. It is on the coast so it could easily be separated from the group.
What is the most unexplainable thing you’ve ever witnessed?
The only thing that comes to mind is my c-section with Aiden. I was "detached" from it in many ways. I could not see or feel what the doctors were doing to my body. I did not see Aiden until after he was cleaned up and swaddled. It was as if the surgery was happening to me, but the childbirth was happening to someone else. It was only after a couple of hours that I got to spend that first bonding moment with Aiden. I remember it was late, and I was finally lucid enough to really "experience" this new person.
What is the biggest advantage men have over women? How about the biggest advantage women have over men?
The standing up while peeing certainly has its benefits. The biggest advantage men have over women is automatic trust. If a man and a woman walk into a store/dealership/office, the first person to be acknowledged by anyone is usually the man. The man is almost always the one that is identified as the decision maker.
For example, Mathew and I wanted to buy a new computer several years ago. The stupid salesMAN at the store kept ignoring me. In fact, the salesMAN would answer my questions as if Mathew was the one asking them. By the time Mathew pointed out that I was the one that would choose the model, the salesman had lost the sale. What made it worse was the fact that the salesman was really not very computer literate. Hilarious, too.
The first thing that comes to mind for woman's advantage over man I heard on the radio this morning. No matter what a woman looks like, if she wants to have sex with someone, she can usually find a willing partner. A man, on the other hand, must usually be pretty good looking (or have other enticing qualities **money**).
After that, I think women have an advantage over men, because women can lead without being the leader. "The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world." Think about it. If you want your husband to do something that he may not want to do, what do you do?
Enough said.
What one thing have you done that pleased your parents the most?
My decision to join the Army was probably what pleased my father the most. Marrying a Catholic probably pleased my mother the most. Graduating from college was the one thing that I did that pleased them both.
If you could be the Devil for one day, what would you do?
Take anyone who ever hurt a child and do the following:
1. Do to each person all of the things that they did to hurt a child.
2. Execute them in the most painful way possible.
If you could have taken one class in school that you didn’t (or couldn’t), what would it be?
I would have taken more business classes. My computer engineering degree is really good as far as employment goes, but I think a business degree would help a lot.
What guidelines do you think should exist for gun control?
Having been in the Army, what I know as gun control is probably a lot more strict than in the civilian world. The time it takes to buy a gun should be longer. Gun owners should have to take classes, also.
What would it take for you to reconcile with your greatest enemy?
I don't know that I have a greatest enemy (or any real enemies), so nothing.