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The term “finals” brings with it a sense of stress, urgency and worry that really doesn’t apply to me, as my final projects this semester are relatively easy — even considering my immense procrastination. But I’m sick of them and need to write something different. I feel so bland lately, just writing boring sentences made out of boring words. I feel like I need to write the boring out, and what’s better to do that with than a list of boring questions with boring answers? Anyway, I’m using more prompts from the NaBloPoMo website, as I forgot about them after Nov. 19.
Nov. 22: Tell us about what you’re wearing today. Where’d you get your shoes? How long have you had that tie? Is that your grandmother’s watch?
Today I phoned in my outfit, because Grady was so naughty this morning I couldn’t spare the brainspace to think about looks. I wore a beret I originally knitted as a gift, but then kept for myself because it just wouldn’t work for the person I meant to give it to, a purple tank top, a brown striped cardigan under a blue vintage blazer, jeans and these stupid blue cowboy booties. I’d link you to the beret pattern if I remembered it. I think it had “Gwen” in the title.
Nov. 23: What’s on your wall: prints, posters, photos, paintings? What makes you want to hang something up?
Well, my big beautiful purple wall is cluttered with stacks of books. I’ve never had enough bookshelves, and now that Grady’s favorite thing to do is create chaos out of order, more and more books are being stacked out of reach. I’ve been planning on placing pictures atop each stack of books, but thus far only have images of Frida Kahlo and Georgia O’Keefe up. I have a magnet board on the other side of the room that mostly displays images of inspiration for future projects. Embroidery patterns, fabric, lists, a bunch of peacock feathers. As well as some pictures of family and knitted swatches.
Nov. 24: What turns you on, excites you, makes life worth living?
Turn-ons: Honesty, intelligence, ability to deal with my crazy, and what I’d call “depth” if I didn’t hate that word so. Excitement: A new path, comedy, Shakespeare, discussion, pressurepressurepressure to changechangechange, gossip. And what makes life worth living? Grady, more than anything. Also a handful of beautiful friends and family, the hope that things will get better, and yarn.
Nov. 25: Who are you closer to, friends or family?
This is a difficult question. I definitely talk more to my friends, and they most likely know more about who I am now. But there’s a permanence to family that can’t be replicated, and that I see more clearly now that I have a child. Who I am now is not the entirety of who I am, and my family has a much clearer image of the entire scope. My relationships with family are more simple, reliable, and continuous; even though we really don’t talk much.
Nov. 26: What’s the worst joke you ever heard?
I’m definitely not going to repeat it.
Nov. 29: If you could have worked for anyone in history, in your field, who would you choose and why?
J. Jonah Jameson. I kid. I don’t really approach journalism as working for a writer or editor or publisher — I work for the story and for the reader. This is probably a naive approach, and might only be possible where I work now. I think the writer I’d most like to learn from is Nelly Bly.
Nov. 30: If you could call any living person for advice today, who would you call?
Hm. I’m not sure. Usually when I ask for advice I use it as a method to clarify what I really think I should do — my closest friends know this and aren’t offended when it looks like I don’t listen to or value their advice at all. The advice I need is so personal that I can’t really tell who I’d ask, as people don’t get famous for knowing how to handle their personal lives. Wait. I know. I’d ask the entire staff of Bitch magazine. That would be swell.
Dec. 1: If you could stop your body from aging at any point in your life, what age would you want to stay at and why?
I’d stop it about two months ago, for boob-related reasons. I wouldn’t want my pre-pregnancy body back because I like how my new body is like a badge, saying that I have a daughter. It aligns more clearly with who I am than my pre-pregnancy body would.
Dec. 2: What’s the most dangerous thing you’ve ever done?
Jeez. I have no idea. Does being young and invested in change and open to relationships count?
Dec. 3: If you could erase one type of animal from the face of the earth, what would it be?
Well, that’s a silly question because erasing any one animal would cause a horrific chain reaction. But if I could magically assure that it wouldn’t have any negative effects, I’d send every spider straight to hell. Every arachnid, for that matter.
Dec. 7: Are you a competitive person or not? What helps you refocus and/or work harder when you find yourself slacking off?
Sort of. I’m competitive when I know it’s a contest I can win, or when I’m feeling spiteful towards the “competition.” I’ve found that if I’m slacking off, it’s often just part of the cycle of happy and sad. If I just let the sad happen and try to learn from it, the happy will come around again soon. Obviously this doesn’t mean that I think it’s healthy to let actual problems stagnate, but that belief is just part of my nature and is worked into both phases of the cycle. I was raised to be a ruthless problem-solver.
Dec. 6: Which of your senses means the most to you?
Probably sight. I couldn’t bare to not see Grady ever again. I think I could handle losing any of the other senses.
Guh. I don’t feel any better. Sorry kids. I’m going to try and work on making this blog a better product; something more interesting and less wasteful.
