Getting to know you
Oct. 29th, 2009 09:55 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
mumsisdaughter- Leave me a comment saying "Resistance is Futile."
- I'll respond by asking you five questions so I can satisfy my curiosity
- Update your journal with the answers to the questions
- Include this explanation in the post and offer to ask other people questions
Questions from
secret_savior 1. Number one book on your to-read list?
So many! There's a huge book that I keep putting off reading because I'd like to read it in one go. I hope it's worth it when I get round to it--
Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke.
2. Why did you decide to be a teacher?
I sort of fell into by accident. I got my BSc in Botany and Zoology then didn't know what to do next so took the extra year to train as a teacher while I hoped a suitable job would come up. Then I got my teaching job and stuck with it because I found I liked it. 35 years later I'm ready for a rest--exhausting but rewarding. Look out for the lj entry next July!
3. If you could visit any country (regardless of fears of flying, money, etc) which would it be? Why?
I've always hankered after seeing New Zealand for the scenery (doubly so after seeing Peter Jackson's LOTR) but I reckon I'll never go. I'd really like to go on a Round the World cruise, I think.
4. Did you ever want more kids, or was Jenn always the perfect number?
Thereby hangs a tale :) I have never had a maternal bone in my body. Was never interested in dolls as a child, always wanted cowboy books for Christmas. Never cooed over other people's babies even my sisters'. Didn't really want one of my own, certainly didn't want a boy (sorry). Everytime hubby's mother dropped hints, it made me more determined not to do it. However, I was aware that hubby would make a really good Dad so when he hit 40, I bit the bullet and offered myself up as some sort of human sacrifice. I did it for him, you see. I got the girl first time so there was no temptation to do it again. Still no maternal instinct, probably because I had an emergency Caesarian so did not actually give birth. The knowledge that I was responsible for her nurturing was there and I felt the instinct to care for her. Then when she was about 3 months old, I realised that there was a fascinating little mind inside and my devotion turned to love. Not love for babies in general--I still don't coo over others--but a deep, abiding feeling that she is the best thing I have ever done. She does not 'belong' to me, she has always been her own person, and I feel honoured that I was given the privilege of raising her. Whether this is instinct/DNA selfish gene, metaphysics or spirituality doesn't matter, I know that I would lay my life down for her.
5. What was your wedding like?
A beautiful blue-sky day but rather chilly (October). Everyone there who we wanted to be there. Music specially chosen because we met at folk dancing classes--had to swear faithfully that the book of music would be returned safely: it's amusing looking at the unofficial photos and tracking who was carrying the book in each one. Walked in to 'Nonesuch' one of our absolute favourite dances. Only hiccup was the official photographer's camera failed and he had to send for another (back in the days before mobile phones). All the 'before wedding' photos had to be taken afterwards, the trick being to knock all the confetti off. The brilliant side-effect was that lots of people took rolls of film in case his camera did not arrive in time but it did, so we ended up with 3 albums worth of photos taken by friends and family. I had my bouquet dried and have a framed display of some of the flowers in our bedroom--rather faded after 30 years but a reminder of a good day. I cringe when I hear young brides gush about it as being the Most Important or Best Day of their lives--that suggests it will be downhill from there. I'd marry him again in an instant though the dress wouldn't fit me any more!
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no subject
Date: 2009-10-29 12:13 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-10-29 05:01 pm (UTC)1. Which state do you live in and have you always lived there?
2. Where did your lj username come from?
3. How did you meet your husband?
4. Do you have a favourite author?
5. I used to read COD regularly--loved it. Are you still involved with 'To the Moon and Back'?
no subject
Date: 2009-10-29 12:53 pm (UTC)And your answers to these questions are so interesting! I have to admit that when I saw Shawn's questions I was very much looking forward to seeing how you'd tackle them.
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Date: 2009-10-29 05:20 pm (UTC)2. Do you get cravings for food/recipes that you can't find in Wuhan?
3. Do you have a plan for how many years you want to stay in China? (Sorry if you've mentioned this already.)
4. Are you a hoarder by nature or do you travel light?
5. What do you think of Sir Andrew's ideas for a 'Phantom' sequel? Excited or dreading it?
no subject
Date: 2009-10-30 02:26 pm (UTC)1. What news on the college front?
2. What's the best book you've read this year?
3. Your favourite VC character is ... and why?
4. Do you look forward to Christmas or are you glad when it's over?
5. What do you hope to be doing in 10 years time?
no subject
Date: 2009-10-30 09:01 pm (UTC)Louis's my favourite too.
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Date: 2009-10-30 05:49 pm (UTC)(Must... Not... Make... Dalek... References... Geekery... Overwhelming...)
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Date: 2009-10-30 06:35 pm (UTC)2. What was your first taxidermy project and how old were you?
3. Anything happening on the romance front?
4. As you have mentioned Daleks, do you have a favourite Doctor?
5. Is binding uncomfortable?
no subject
Date: 2009-10-31 04:08 am (UTC)1. I've never spent Halloween at home with my mum, and so I thought it'd be nice to do a little movie night for her. I've loaded up my hard drive with a bunch of new movies, Halloween-ish cartoon series (serii?) and the entire fourth season of Doctor Who. Mum is a Whogeek as well, we get along very well :P
2. My first taxidermy project was either a set of dried rabbit paws when I was 11, or Sid the big white rat when I was... 15 I think, maybe 16. Sid is my loveable failure, he's truly a horrifyingly bad example of taxidermy but I still love him, from his pinched nose to his bald spots to his giant stitches.
3. Romance, eh? Well, after Amber and I seperated I was a bit of a wreck in general. After that, I had a few half-hearted attempts at finding someone new, but I kept running into people that were far too unintelligent and unstimulating for me. (Protip: I might not have many standards, but the ability to hold a decently intelligent conversation with me is a big one.) And then sex just seemed to be a particularly inconvenient craving; I wasn't lonely at all, I just wanted intimacy for absolutely no reason. Once I looked at it like that the whole thing lost all relevance to me. So for now, I have my fantastically brilliant best friend and an internet full of assorted porn for every taste, and that's more than enough to make me happy.
4. Ah, The Doctor. I often get slightly ridiculed for this, but despite seeing nearly all the Doctors so far, my favorite has to be David Tennant. I just can't help but be happy whenever he's bouncing around onscreen; he reminds me of an extraordinarily happy ferret in a coat and sneakers. Matter of fact, I might draw that now.
5. Honestly, it depends more on the weather and how long I'm wearing it. It can get very itchy and irritating in muggy/humid weather, and it can be torture in Summer here in Australia as you'd imagine. I'm technically not supposed to wear it for more than three hours, but because I seem to enjoy systematically destroying my body via various methods I'll often wear it all day. I never sleep in it though; that can lead to pneumonia, as can wearing it when you have flu or something.
Most annoying and irritating thing, though: My binder's essentially a singlet made of black elastic. The bottom 'hem', because I am slightly fattish, tends to roll itself up until I may as well have just forgotten it and gone with a bra. Though, I've learned that folding the bottom hem over towards the neckline holds things flatter and eliminates the rolling problem, so there's hope yet.
no subject
Date: 2009-10-31 09:30 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-11-02 04:44 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-11-02 05:54 pm (UTC)2. Where do you live in Italy?
3. What is your favourite food (apart from chocolate!)?
4. As a vampire connoisseur, what do you think of True Blood (assuming you've seen it)?
5. What are your plans for the next year?