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...but I'm too lazy to go back and look and I just want to get this crossed off my list of 50/50! So, the entire list of "50 questions that will free your mind".
Really long, and I don't expect a single person to read through this (unless you are, perhaps, suffering from insomnia) but it will be a giant check mark for me. The long and short of it is that I thought they were, for the most part, completely crap questions and even though I think I gave it a serious enough effort (okay, it got less serious as I slogged through them, I admit), I don't feel an ounce more enlightened or free... And now re-reading them I'm bummed out anew that Morton stopped making Hot Salt.
1. How old would you be if you didn't know how old you are?
Exactly as old as I am. Knowing my age has no bearing on what it is: a set amount of time had elapsed since my birth.
Okay, you say, semantic snarkiness aside, you know they mean something more along the lines of "how old do you feel?"
But even that can't be quantified. What does 25 feel like? 35? 75? It depends on you. My 38 probably feels like some people's 22 and other people's 51. Not surprisingly, it feels exactly like 38 to me.
All in all, I have to say this one of those questions people like to ask because it seems deep, but really is very pointless when you actually stop to think about it.
Age isn't a matter of mind. It's a very constant matter of the passage of time. And, sadly, no one can change that (yet).
So to answer the question, I feel exactly as old as I am. And, shockingly, that's not a huge mind-freeing revelation.
2. Which is worse: failing or never trying?
Depends on what it is... I think I'd rather never try to climb Mt Everest than die in the attempt, but it's silly to let the fear of failure keep you from, say, trying to learn how to knit. Sometimes the fear of failure is self-preservation in disguise, so both are probably about equal... depending on the circumstance.
3. If life is so short, why do we do so many things we don't like and like so many things we don't do?
Necessity. Who likes cleaning toilets our taking out the trash? (okay a few people, maybe) Now, how many people want to live in a world where no one ever cleans a toilet our takes out the trash? Would you rather starve, or get money at a job you don't particularly like?
As for the second part, lack of funds, liking too many things, and a complete and utter lack of ability are three big reasons.
Should you spend your life miserable? No. Is it reasonable to expect to never do anything you don't like and always get to do what you want? No.
4. When all is said and done, have you said more than you have done?
Almost certainly, unless you're a mute or a monk who has taken a vow of silence.
Yes, I know this question is more aimed at the idea of all talk and no action, I just couldn't help myself. Still, it's somewhat telling that people would ask this question in a bit of an attempt to... poo-poo those that don't do, without regard to the fact that it's not always possible to do things. Financial and physical limitations are very real and understandable reasons people can't always do.
5. What is the one thing you'd most like to change about the world?
Why do I suddenly feel like I'm in a Miss America pageant? Anyone with half a brain realizes there's not one thing, really, on its own that you could change and really improve the world. Everything is so interconnected. You can't stop world hunger without making changes to economic and political systems, and people won't stop killing each other... well, probably not for anything. And let's not forget how sometimes, the solution can be worse than the original problem (voting irregularities, for example, could be eliminated by forming a dictatorship...).
6. If happiness was the national currency, what kind of work would make you rich?
What a seriously silly and roundabout way to ask what you like to do. Oooh, let’s make one of the simplest questions in the world sound very deep and meaningful! No, no, the ‘if money were no object’ slant has been done too many times, let’s come up with something different…
Look, anything done as a job will occasionally be not fun, or frustrating, because the whole idea of it being a job is that it has to be done. If I somehow got paid in ‘happiness’, the work I would do would be… nothing. That’s not to say I wouldn’t occasionally, in my free time, do things I enjoy, but mostly I’d like the option to just lounge in bed all day. Ah, but then would I be forced, because my job is doing ‘nothing’ to not do things I want to when I do feel motivated? Hmmm, that’s a good question. So I change my answer. I would want to be a putterer. That’s right, if happiness were the currency, I’d be the wealthiest if I just spent my time puttering about, doing whatever the mood struck me to do. There’s a recipe for a happy and productive society, isn’t it?
7. Are you doing what you believe in, or are you settling for what you are doing>
Depends on what you mean by ‘believe in’. My job isn’t an invisible pink unicorn, that’s for sure. I completely believe in streets and storm sewers, and I even believe it is important for them to be in good repair, therefore, it is important to have people to repair them. Do I feel passionately about doing my job? No, not really, but I don’t think most people do on a day-to-day basis. But I don’t want the mechanic fixing my brakes to thing he’s not doing something important and very worthwhile even though it’s the fifth brake job he’s done that day and he’s not feeling ‘inspired’. Society only runs and works because people do things that really need to be done, things that may not be glamorous and exciting and things they may not love. All this spewing of how important it is to follow your dreams and only do what enriches you is pure crap. Not everyone can do it. Here’s a better question: are you doing something important and worthwhile? Because that’s what’s going to benefit the world. I would miss the people that collect the garbage more than I would the artist following their ‘dream’. Way to make the people who work very hard at (what some see as) menial, dirty, but (really are) vitally important jobs feel bad, question-askers.
Huh, what do you know, a question on the list did actually inspire a bit of a serious answer from me.
8. If the average human life span was 40 years, how would you live your life differently?
I wouldn’t bother putting away for retirement, that’s for sure. Here’s the thing – I can’t answer that question, because society is set up for our current life expectancy. I mean, do you think you’d require a doctor to have 10 extra years of schooling? I certainly can’t imagine school for the average person would last until they are 18, given that you are still probably looking at a few years of not very high output ‘old age’ at the end of your life expectancy, that only gives them 20 (or fewer) ‘productive’ years. So much would be different it’s impossible to answer the question with anything that resembles a completely thought-through answer.
9. To what degree have you actually controlled the course your life has taken?
Depends on if you believe in pre-determination, I suppose. But as far as I know, pretty much entirely. I guess this question is supposed to make you think critically if other people are running your life, of course, if they’re doing a really good job of pulling your strings you don’t even know it, so…
10. Are you more worried about doing things right, or doing the right thing?
Why can’t it be both? How are these mutually exclusive things? It’s not the typically contradictory conundrum, so I’m confused as to why it’s really an issue. The more common question is if it is more important to do as you’re told, or to do the right thing (even though it might cost you your job or life), which calls into question how strongly you believe in what you think it ‘right’ and how much you are willing to sacrifice for it.
11. You’re having lunch with three people you expect and admire. They all start criticizing a close friend of yours, not knowing she is your friend. The criticism is distasteful and unjust. What do you do?
Okay, so supposedly I ‘respect and admire’ these people, but are they my friends? How well do I know them? Because I can’t imagine ‘respecting and admiring’ someone I don’t know well, not really. I may respect and admire things they have done (say, Mozart, Einstein), but the accomplishments are not the people (like the characters they play are not the actors). If I really did ‘respect and admire’ them as people, they would have to be fairly close friends of mine, then.
And that begs the question, why would I be friends with people who would do that? Are you saying that up until this point, they have hidden some very serious character flaws? Or is this just a one-off grumpy day (for all three of them)? And if I was so wrong about them, am I right about my other friend? Is the criticism really distasteful and unjust, or does she act differently around them, as they are suddenly acting differently? And why would close friends of mine not know who my other close friends were? Have I never talked about her? And why would that be? This situation just isn’t adding up.
12. If you could offer a newborn child only one piece of advice, what would it be?
Like they’d understand or remember what I said, so it doesn’t really matter, does it?
13. Would you break the law to save a loved one?
The knee-jerk reaction is of course yes. But then you start to ask questions. Save them from what? And how? And what law are you breaking? Would I bust someone I love out of jail because they’re serving time for a crime they committed? No, because they need to take responsibility and pay for their crime(s). Would I kill someone to stop them from killing a loved one? In a heartbeat, but… that’s not a crime. That really falls under self-defense. So this question is a little too vague to really ever be answered honestly, and is again a rather pointless waste of typing.
14. Have you ever seen insanity where you later saw creativity?
Again with the not-mutually-exclusive questions. There’s no reason you can’t see something as both. Have I ever seen something and thought it was crazy, but later saw the brilliance of it? Sure. See: owning a cookie dough scoop. Seems like a silly, pointless piece of kitchen crap, but man, are they wonderful to have. But to really have a swing in perception, the things you are perceiving have to be on the opposite ends of a spectrum. Insanity is opposite of logic and reason. Hence the expression ‘method to the madness’, for when things seem wild and crazy but there’s an underlying layer of logic. The opposite of creative is…boring or cookie-cutter or formulaic. Have I ever seen something and thought ‘my, that’s boring’ and later seen the creativity in it? No.
15. What’s something you know you do differently than most people?
How different is different? Heck, I probably breathe uniquely, we probably all do. I’m fairly certainly I have a unique genetic makeup, so… everything? And what is ‘most people’? Being left-handed would put you in a minority, but is it enough of one to overcome the ‘most’? If you’re asking what quirks I have (then just ask that simple question!) then I have to say there are a lot of silly things, but they’re just that, silly things. Unimportant. So unimportant I can’t really think of any of them at the moment.
16. How come the things that make you happy don’t make other people happy?
For a whole set of questions mostly based on you being an individual and a speshul snowflake, this one is definitely an about-face. But at least easy to answer. Because people have different taste. They root for different teams. They enjoy different things. Why would you want everyone to like and enjoy the same things?
17. What one thing have you not done that you really want to do? What’s holding you back?
Being a globe-trotting millionaire. I’ve tried, but it’s really not happening. Let’s be honest, unless they’re trying to get you to see that your fears are holding you back (and we have discussed that sometimes, that’s a healthy thing) or that you’re not making time for what is important (everyone has the same amount of time in a day, the difference is how you allocate it – it’s not that you don’t have enough time, it’s that that activity apparently isn’t important enough for you to make time for it), the big one on this is going to be lack of money.
18. Are you holding on to something that you need to let go of?
The idea that I’m going to get through all 50 of these questions without my brain squeezing out an ear in self-defense?
19. If you had to move to a state or country besides the one you currently live in, where would you move and why?
Plenty of places in the US I’d rather be (Pacific Northwest, Northeast region) and a few you couldn’t pay me to go (Gulf coast, NYC, California) but I’ve moved so much I don’t really care. I’d pick placed with more temperate weather and a decent cost of living first. Outside the US I’d probably pick and English-speaking country, because I suck at learning other languages, so in order of preference: Canada, New Zealand, England, Australia.
20. Do you press the elevator button more than once? Do you really think it makes the elevator faster?
No. And no.
21. Would you rather be a worried genius or a joyful simpleton?
Would I know I was a simpleton? That would suck the joy out of it pretty fast, I’d think. And I can’t see how you wouldn’t know, if things were difficult to do/understand. And why can’t I be a joyful genius? Why the absolutes? Life is not absolute, asking questions framed that way is just one of those things people do to try to make you think deep things that lead nowhere. I’d rather ponder how I’m going to adjust my latest crochet pattern to get it to drape right than spend time pondering silly things.
Eh, I guess that means worried genius, then.
22. Why are you, you?
BECAUSE.
23. Have you been the kind of friend you’d want as a friend?
No, I’d annoy the crap out of me. I thought we tended to pick people who complimented our strengths and weaknesses as friends, rather than people who were just like us, anyway. Why would I want me as a friend when I already have me? What would I add to the table? Nothing. Hanging out with a friend like me would be just like spending time alone, and I can already do that.
24. Which is worse, when a good friend moves away, or losing touch with a good friend who lives right near you?
If you lose touch with someone who loves right near you, it’s pretty obvious you aren’t that good a friend in the first place, so I have to go with the former.
25. What are you most grateful for?
Gravity. Without it, nothing else is possible.
26. Would you rather lose all of your old memories, or never be able to make new ones?
That depends – is someone going to fill me in on my past? Will there be some indicators of who I am? And does “all” memories include things like potty training and feeding myself? Or do I retain my abilities and just forget specifics? That makes quite a difference in how I’d answer the question! If it’s more like selective amnesia, the former. Otherwise, the latter.
27. Is it possible to know the truth without challenging it first?
Yes, no matter how much I want to challenge the scale or the calculator, they’re always right.
28. Has your greatest fear ever come true?
No, but it will.
29. Do you remember the time 5 years ago when you were extremely upset? Does it really matter now?
Yes. And yes. Not all problems are trivial or transient, it’s crass to assume that.
30. What is your happiest childhood memory? What makes it so special?
I don’t know, there are a lot of them. So none of them are all that special, I guess, since there are so many and special implies uniqueness. Damn my happy childhood, ruining my ability to answer this question!
31. At what time in your recent past have you felt most passionate and alive?
Hey now, this is a PG-rated blog…
32. If not now, then when?
Depends on what. I’m not currently peeing, because I think the ‘when’ should be ‘when I get to a bathroom’. I’m not currently pants-less, because I think the ‘when’ should be ‘when I’m at home’. So, ‘when it’s time’ is my answer. There really is a time and place for everything.
33. If you haven’t achieved it yet, what do you have to lose?
Um, plenty? Money, friends, my life… there’s a lot to lose. Again, yes, not being overly afraid of new things is a good thing. But fear has it’s time and place, to keep you from maiming yourself and whatnot. “No fear” really isn’t a good policy.
34. Have you ever been with someone, said nothing, and walked away feeling like you just had the best conversation ever?
No, because the definition of conversation is “informal interchange of thoughts, information, etc., by spoken words; oral communication between persons; talk”. Therefore, if nothing was said, there was no conversation. Now, if you want to ask if I’ve felt connected or feel like there was good communication (non-verbal), yes. You don’t have to talk to connect with someone. You do have to talk to converse with someone.
35. Why do religions that support love cause so many wars?
I’m not going to touch that one, since it can only cause offence, as I am not a religious person.
36. Is it possible to know, without a doubt, what is good and what is evil?
Yes, if you can pick up on the subtle clues of 360-degree head rotation and green projectile vomit.
37. If you just won a million dollars, would you quit your job?
Is that before or after taxes? After taxes, yes, I could live on the interest. Before taxes, not for awhile – I’d have to invest it and see if I could build it up a little first. But I’d probably retire a lot sooner.
38. Would you rather have less work to do, or more work you actually enjoy doing?39. Do you feel like you’ve lived this day a hundred times before?
No, each day brings its own fresh hell, thank you for bringing that up. I do, however, feel like I’ve answered this same silly question a hundred times before, and yet its only question #39…
40. When was the last time you marched into the dark with only the soft glow of an idea you strongly believed in?
Ha! Oh, wait, you’re serious. Ummm… well, this a awkward…
41. If you knew everyone you know was going to die tomorrow, who would you visit today?
Everyone (I like), of course! Maybe we could have an apocalypse-style party and all gather together? I have a great playlist, though we’d need to tailor it a little based on what the mass die-off was caused by.
42. Would you be willing to reduce your life expectancy by 10 years to become extremely attractive or famous?
Of course not, what do you think I am, shallow? You’d have to throw in rich, as well…
43. What is the difference between being alive and truly living?
The effort you put into it.
44. When is it time to stop calculating risk and rewards, and just go ahead and do what you know is right?
When your calculations come to that conclusion!
45. If we learn from our mistakes, why are we so afraid to make mistakes?
Gee, I don’t know, maybe because a lot of mistakes have very serious consequences? If you’re a doctor or an explosives technician, a mistake could cost someone their life. Seems like a pretty good reason to be a little leery of making a mistake. Even on a slightly less fatal level, a lot of mistakes can ruin relationships, cause property damage, and cost people jobs.
Now, for less important things, like a crochet pattern, no, you shouldn’t be afraid to screw it up. Why not just give it a try? The absolute worst you’re out is some yarn and time. Not the end of the world, and you really can learn a lot from that. But that sort of ‘just try it’ attitude should be reserved for when the worst possible outcome can’t be very bad at all. Otherwise, use some common sense and yes, please be afraid of a mistake that could have catastrophic consequences.
46. What would you do differently if you knew no one would judge you?
Wear PJs all the time. And probably dye my hair an outrageous color.
47. When was the last time you noticed the sound of your own breathing?
Just now, when I had to take a deep breath to calm myself and get through the last few questions of this thing.
48. What do you love? Have any of your recent actions openly expressed this love?
Yes. Except perhaps I have been a little lax lately with my love of pi, it’s getting a bit put out by my lack of attention.
49. In 5 year’s time, will you remember what you did yesterday? What about the day before that? Or the day before that?
Not every day can be a memorable one! I get what you’re trying to say here, but it’s just not possible. You will have days that seem less important – if you didn’t, you couldn’t have days that were really special.
However, in each of the last three days I have worked on craft projects, and even though I might not remember the actual work, the product is an enduring ‘memory’ of my time. So there.
50. Decisions are being made right now. The question is: are you making them for yourself, or are you letting other make them for you?
Didn’t we already answer a question exactly like this, something along the lines of how much are you controlling the course of your life? No, I’m not making all the decisions that will affect me. There’s the federal government, state government, local government, HR department, my bosses, various regulatory agencies, and at some point Morton decided to stop making Hot Salt which is a real bummer. That’s certainly a decision I wouldn’t have made! But no one asked me.
Really long, and I don't expect a single person to read through this (unless you are, perhaps, suffering from insomnia) but it will be a giant check mark for me. The long and short of it is that I thought they were, for the most part, completely crap questions and even though I think I gave it a serious enough effort (okay, it got less serious as I slogged through them, I admit), I don't feel an ounce more enlightened or free... And now re-reading them I'm bummed out anew that Morton stopped making Hot Salt.
1. How old would you be if you didn't know how old you are?
Exactly as old as I am. Knowing my age has no bearing on what it is: a set amount of time had elapsed since my birth.
Okay, you say, semantic snarkiness aside, you know they mean something more along the lines of "how old do you feel?"
But even that can't be quantified. What does 25 feel like? 35? 75? It depends on you. My 38 probably feels like some people's 22 and other people's 51. Not surprisingly, it feels exactly like 38 to me.
All in all, I have to say this one of those questions people like to ask because it seems deep, but really is very pointless when you actually stop to think about it.
Age isn't a matter of mind. It's a very constant matter of the passage of time. And, sadly, no one can change that (yet).
So to answer the question, I feel exactly as old as I am. And, shockingly, that's not a huge mind-freeing revelation.
2. Which is worse: failing or never trying?
Depends on what it is... I think I'd rather never try to climb Mt Everest than die in the attempt, but it's silly to let the fear of failure keep you from, say, trying to learn how to knit. Sometimes the fear of failure is self-preservation in disguise, so both are probably about equal... depending on the circumstance.
3. If life is so short, why do we do so many things we don't like and like so many things we don't do?
Necessity. Who likes cleaning toilets our taking out the trash? (okay a few people, maybe) Now, how many people want to live in a world where no one ever cleans a toilet our takes out the trash? Would you rather starve, or get money at a job you don't particularly like?
As for the second part, lack of funds, liking too many things, and a complete and utter lack of ability are three big reasons.
Should you spend your life miserable? No. Is it reasonable to expect to never do anything you don't like and always get to do what you want? No.
4. When all is said and done, have you said more than you have done?
Almost certainly, unless you're a mute or a monk who has taken a vow of silence.
Yes, I know this question is more aimed at the idea of all talk and no action, I just couldn't help myself. Still, it's somewhat telling that people would ask this question in a bit of an attempt to... poo-poo those that don't do, without regard to the fact that it's not always possible to do things. Financial and physical limitations are very real and understandable reasons people can't always do.
5. What is the one thing you'd most like to change about the world?
Why do I suddenly feel like I'm in a Miss America pageant? Anyone with half a brain realizes there's not one thing, really, on its own that you could change and really improve the world. Everything is so interconnected. You can't stop world hunger without making changes to economic and political systems, and people won't stop killing each other... well, probably not for anything. And let's not forget how sometimes, the solution can be worse than the original problem (voting irregularities, for example, could be eliminated by forming a dictatorship...).
6. If happiness was the national currency, what kind of work would make you rich?
What a seriously silly and roundabout way to ask what you like to do. Oooh, let’s make one of the simplest questions in the world sound very deep and meaningful! No, no, the ‘if money were no object’ slant has been done too many times, let’s come up with something different…
Look, anything done as a job will occasionally be not fun, or frustrating, because the whole idea of it being a job is that it has to be done. If I somehow got paid in ‘happiness’, the work I would do would be… nothing. That’s not to say I wouldn’t occasionally, in my free time, do things I enjoy, but mostly I’d like the option to just lounge in bed all day. Ah, but then would I be forced, because my job is doing ‘nothing’ to not do things I want to when I do feel motivated? Hmmm, that’s a good question. So I change my answer. I would want to be a putterer. That’s right, if happiness were the currency, I’d be the wealthiest if I just spent my time puttering about, doing whatever the mood struck me to do. There’s a recipe for a happy and productive society, isn’t it?
7. Are you doing what you believe in, or are you settling for what you are doing>
Depends on what you mean by ‘believe in’. My job isn’t an invisible pink unicorn, that’s for sure. I completely believe in streets and storm sewers, and I even believe it is important for them to be in good repair, therefore, it is important to have people to repair them. Do I feel passionately about doing my job? No, not really, but I don’t think most people do on a day-to-day basis. But I don’t want the mechanic fixing my brakes to thing he’s not doing something important and very worthwhile even though it’s the fifth brake job he’s done that day and he’s not feeling ‘inspired’. Society only runs and works because people do things that really need to be done, things that may not be glamorous and exciting and things they may not love. All this spewing of how important it is to follow your dreams and only do what enriches you is pure crap. Not everyone can do it. Here’s a better question: are you doing something important and worthwhile? Because that’s what’s going to benefit the world. I would miss the people that collect the garbage more than I would the artist following their ‘dream’. Way to make the people who work very hard at (what some see as) menial, dirty, but (really are) vitally important jobs feel bad, question-askers.
Huh, what do you know, a question on the list did actually inspire a bit of a serious answer from me.
8. If the average human life span was 40 years, how would you live your life differently?
I wouldn’t bother putting away for retirement, that’s for sure. Here’s the thing – I can’t answer that question, because society is set up for our current life expectancy. I mean, do you think you’d require a doctor to have 10 extra years of schooling? I certainly can’t imagine school for the average person would last until they are 18, given that you are still probably looking at a few years of not very high output ‘old age’ at the end of your life expectancy, that only gives them 20 (or fewer) ‘productive’ years. So much would be different it’s impossible to answer the question with anything that resembles a completely thought-through answer.
9. To what degree have you actually controlled the course your life has taken?
Depends on if you believe in pre-determination, I suppose. But as far as I know, pretty much entirely. I guess this question is supposed to make you think critically if other people are running your life, of course, if they’re doing a really good job of pulling your strings you don’t even know it, so…
10. Are you more worried about doing things right, or doing the right thing?
Why can’t it be both? How are these mutually exclusive things? It’s not the typically contradictory conundrum, so I’m confused as to why it’s really an issue. The more common question is if it is more important to do as you’re told, or to do the right thing (even though it might cost you your job or life), which calls into question how strongly you believe in what you think it ‘right’ and how much you are willing to sacrifice for it.
11. You’re having lunch with three people you expect and admire. They all start criticizing a close friend of yours, not knowing she is your friend. The criticism is distasteful and unjust. What do you do?
Okay, so supposedly I ‘respect and admire’ these people, but are they my friends? How well do I know them? Because I can’t imagine ‘respecting and admiring’ someone I don’t know well, not really. I may respect and admire things they have done (say, Mozart, Einstein), but the accomplishments are not the people (like the characters they play are not the actors). If I really did ‘respect and admire’ them as people, they would have to be fairly close friends of mine, then.
And that begs the question, why would I be friends with people who would do that? Are you saying that up until this point, they have hidden some very serious character flaws? Or is this just a one-off grumpy day (for all three of them)? And if I was so wrong about them, am I right about my other friend? Is the criticism really distasteful and unjust, or does she act differently around them, as they are suddenly acting differently? And why would close friends of mine not know who my other close friends were? Have I never talked about her? And why would that be? This situation just isn’t adding up.
12. If you could offer a newborn child only one piece of advice, what would it be?
Like they’d understand or remember what I said, so it doesn’t really matter, does it?
13. Would you break the law to save a loved one?
The knee-jerk reaction is of course yes. But then you start to ask questions. Save them from what? And how? And what law are you breaking? Would I bust someone I love out of jail because they’re serving time for a crime they committed? No, because they need to take responsibility and pay for their crime(s). Would I kill someone to stop them from killing a loved one? In a heartbeat, but… that’s not a crime. That really falls under self-defense. So this question is a little too vague to really ever be answered honestly, and is again a rather pointless waste of typing.
14. Have you ever seen insanity where you later saw creativity?
Again with the not-mutually-exclusive questions. There’s no reason you can’t see something as both. Have I ever seen something and thought it was crazy, but later saw the brilliance of it? Sure. See: owning a cookie dough scoop. Seems like a silly, pointless piece of kitchen crap, but man, are they wonderful to have. But to really have a swing in perception, the things you are perceiving have to be on the opposite ends of a spectrum. Insanity is opposite of logic and reason. Hence the expression ‘method to the madness’, for when things seem wild and crazy but there’s an underlying layer of logic. The opposite of creative is…boring or cookie-cutter or formulaic. Have I ever seen something and thought ‘my, that’s boring’ and later seen the creativity in it? No.
15. What’s something you know you do differently than most people?
How different is different? Heck, I probably breathe uniquely, we probably all do. I’m fairly certainly I have a unique genetic makeup, so… everything? And what is ‘most people’? Being left-handed would put you in a minority, but is it enough of one to overcome the ‘most’? If you’re asking what quirks I have (then just ask that simple question!) then I have to say there are a lot of silly things, but they’re just that, silly things. Unimportant. So unimportant I can’t really think of any of them at the moment.
16. How come the things that make you happy don’t make other people happy?
For a whole set of questions mostly based on you being an individual and a speshul snowflake, this one is definitely an about-face. But at least easy to answer. Because people have different taste. They root for different teams. They enjoy different things. Why would you want everyone to like and enjoy the same things?
17. What one thing have you not done that you really want to do? What’s holding you back?
Being a globe-trotting millionaire. I’ve tried, but it’s really not happening. Let’s be honest, unless they’re trying to get you to see that your fears are holding you back (and we have discussed that sometimes, that’s a healthy thing) or that you’re not making time for what is important (everyone has the same amount of time in a day, the difference is how you allocate it – it’s not that you don’t have enough time, it’s that that activity apparently isn’t important enough for you to make time for it), the big one on this is going to be lack of money.
18. Are you holding on to something that you need to let go of?
The idea that I’m going to get through all 50 of these questions without my brain squeezing out an ear in self-defense?
19. If you had to move to a state or country besides the one you currently live in, where would you move and why?
Plenty of places in the US I’d rather be (Pacific Northwest, Northeast region) and a few you couldn’t pay me to go (Gulf coast, NYC, California) but I’ve moved so much I don’t really care. I’d pick placed with more temperate weather and a decent cost of living first. Outside the US I’d probably pick and English-speaking country, because I suck at learning other languages, so in order of preference: Canada, New Zealand, England, Australia.
20. Do you press the elevator button more than once? Do you really think it makes the elevator faster?
No. And no.
21. Would you rather be a worried genius or a joyful simpleton?
Would I know I was a simpleton? That would suck the joy out of it pretty fast, I’d think. And I can’t see how you wouldn’t know, if things were difficult to do/understand. And why can’t I be a joyful genius? Why the absolutes? Life is not absolute, asking questions framed that way is just one of those things people do to try to make you think deep things that lead nowhere. I’d rather ponder how I’m going to adjust my latest crochet pattern to get it to drape right than spend time pondering silly things.
Eh, I guess that means worried genius, then.
22. Why are you, you?
BECAUSE.
23. Have you been the kind of friend you’d want as a friend?
No, I’d annoy the crap out of me. I thought we tended to pick people who complimented our strengths and weaknesses as friends, rather than people who were just like us, anyway. Why would I want me as a friend when I already have me? What would I add to the table? Nothing. Hanging out with a friend like me would be just like spending time alone, and I can already do that.
24. Which is worse, when a good friend moves away, or losing touch with a good friend who lives right near you?
If you lose touch with someone who loves right near you, it’s pretty obvious you aren’t that good a friend in the first place, so I have to go with the former.
25. What are you most grateful for?
Gravity. Without it, nothing else is possible.
26. Would you rather lose all of your old memories, or never be able to make new ones?
That depends – is someone going to fill me in on my past? Will there be some indicators of who I am? And does “all” memories include things like potty training and feeding myself? Or do I retain my abilities and just forget specifics? That makes quite a difference in how I’d answer the question! If it’s more like selective amnesia, the former. Otherwise, the latter.
27. Is it possible to know the truth without challenging it first?
Yes, no matter how much I want to challenge the scale or the calculator, they’re always right.
28. Has your greatest fear ever come true?
No, but it will.
29. Do you remember the time 5 years ago when you were extremely upset? Does it really matter now?
Yes. And yes. Not all problems are trivial or transient, it’s crass to assume that.
30. What is your happiest childhood memory? What makes it so special?
I don’t know, there are a lot of them. So none of them are all that special, I guess, since there are so many and special implies uniqueness. Damn my happy childhood, ruining my ability to answer this question!
31. At what time in your recent past have you felt most passionate and alive?
Hey now, this is a PG-rated blog…
32. If not now, then when?
Depends on what. I’m not currently peeing, because I think the ‘when’ should be ‘when I get to a bathroom’. I’m not currently pants-less, because I think the ‘when’ should be ‘when I’m at home’. So, ‘when it’s time’ is my answer. There really is a time and place for everything.
33. If you haven’t achieved it yet, what do you have to lose?
Um, plenty? Money, friends, my life… there’s a lot to lose. Again, yes, not being overly afraid of new things is a good thing. But fear has it’s time and place, to keep you from maiming yourself and whatnot. “No fear” really isn’t a good policy.
34. Have you ever been with someone, said nothing, and walked away feeling like you just had the best conversation ever?
No, because the definition of conversation is “informal interchange of thoughts, information, etc., by spoken words; oral communication between persons; talk”. Therefore, if nothing was said, there was no conversation. Now, if you want to ask if I’ve felt connected or feel like there was good communication (non-verbal), yes. You don’t have to talk to connect with someone. You do have to talk to converse with someone.
35. Why do religions that support love cause so many wars?
I’m not going to touch that one, since it can only cause offence, as I am not a religious person.
36. Is it possible to know, without a doubt, what is good and what is evil?
Yes, if you can pick up on the subtle clues of 360-degree head rotation and green projectile vomit.
37. If you just won a million dollars, would you quit your job?
Is that before or after taxes? After taxes, yes, I could live on the interest. Before taxes, not for awhile – I’d have to invest it and see if I could build it up a little first. But I’d probably retire a lot sooner.
38. Would you rather have less work to do, or more work you actually enjoy doing?39. Do you feel like you’ve lived this day a hundred times before?
No, each day brings its own fresh hell, thank you for bringing that up. I do, however, feel like I’ve answered this same silly question a hundred times before, and yet its only question #39…
40. When was the last time you marched into the dark with only the soft glow of an idea you strongly believed in?
Ha! Oh, wait, you’re serious. Ummm… well, this a awkward…
41. If you knew everyone you know was going to die tomorrow, who would you visit today?
Everyone (I like), of course! Maybe we could have an apocalypse-style party and all gather together? I have a great playlist, though we’d need to tailor it a little based on what the mass die-off was caused by.
42. Would you be willing to reduce your life expectancy by 10 years to become extremely attractive or famous?
Of course not, what do you think I am, shallow? You’d have to throw in rich, as well…
43. What is the difference between being alive and truly living?
The effort you put into it.
44. When is it time to stop calculating risk and rewards, and just go ahead and do what you know is right?
When your calculations come to that conclusion!
45. If we learn from our mistakes, why are we so afraid to make mistakes?
Gee, I don’t know, maybe because a lot of mistakes have very serious consequences? If you’re a doctor or an explosives technician, a mistake could cost someone their life. Seems like a pretty good reason to be a little leery of making a mistake. Even on a slightly less fatal level, a lot of mistakes can ruin relationships, cause property damage, and cost people jobs.
Now, for less important things, like a crochet pattern, no, you shouldn’t be afraid to screw it up. Why not just give it a try? The absolute worst you’re out is some yarn and time. Not the end of the world, and you really can learn a lot from that. But that sort of ‘just try it’ attitude should be reserved for when the worst possible outcome can’t be very bad at all. Otherwise, use some common sense and yes, please be afraid of a mistake that could have catastrophic consequences.
46. What would you do differently if you knew no one would judge you?
Wear PJs all the time. And probably dye my hair an outrageous color.
47. When was the last time you noticed the sound of your own breathing?
Just now, when I had to take a deep breath to calm myself and get through the last few questions of this thing.
48. What do you love? Have any of your recent actions openly expressed this love?
Yes. Except perhaps I have been a little lax lately with my love of pi, it’s getting a bit put out by my lack of attention.
49. In 5 year’s time, will you remember what you did yesterday? What about the day before that? Or the day before that?
Not every day can be a memorable one! I get what you’re trying to say here, but it’s just not possible. You will have days that seem less important – if you didn’t, you couldn’t have days that were really special.
However, in each of the last three days I have worked on craft projects, and even though I might not remember the actual work, the product is an enduring ‘memory’ of my time. So there.
50. Decisions are being made right now. The question is: are you making them for yourself, or are you letting other make them for you?
Didn’t we already answer a question exactly like this, something along the lines of how much are you controlling the course of your life? No, I’m not making all the decisions that will affect me. There’s the federal government, state government, local government, HR department, my bosses, various regulatory agencies, and at some point Morton decided to stop making Hot Salt which is a real bummer. That’s certainly a decision I wouldn’t have made! But no one asked me.