Meme for Grownups

Here’s a meme aimed at grown-ups via Chosha from A Little East of Reality (who got it from Sean from Alone and Unobserved). If you’re a grownup, and you’re reading this, consider yourself tagged. If not, seek your parents' permission first. Although I rarely do memes, I'm doing this one because it's interesting, and because I like Chosha.

1. What bill do you hate paying the most?
   Whichever one I don't have enough money for, which is usually the largest, and that would of course be the mortgage.

2. Do you miss being a child?
   In some ways. I miss taking childish enjoyment in the simplest things, and the excitement of experiencing "firsts". I don't miss the constant feeling of being around people who didn't want to be around me, the frustration of not being allowed to grow up fast enough, and not having the freedom to do things like just drive somewhere if I wanted to.

3. Chore you hate the most?
   Most of them, but probably cleaning the cat litter. Sorry, kitties.

4. Where was the last place you had a romantic dinner?
   Depends if this means "romantic place for dinner" or "with someone who was a romantic partner". In either case, I'm not sure I can remember exactly. But for those who might be reading this, any place with waiter service counts as romantic to me!

5. If you could go back and change one thing what would it be?
   Again, this is difficult because the things I'd change would probably have meant I wouldn't have ended up where I am right now, and that would be sad. Maybe I'd have tried harder to stay in contact with my high school friend Anne. She might have been useful in getting through some of the tough times.

6. Name of your first grade teacher?
   Miss Punt, who ran St Anne's on Walton Park Avenue in Bexhill. They only took children between 5 and 7, and it was really just a converted private house (as was the fashion for small private schools for the very young at the time)

7. What do you really want to be doing right now?
   Opening the mail and finding an unexpected, large check. No,but seriously ... I'd like to be sitting somewhere cool and relaxing with something sweet and alcoholic within arm's reach. Oh, and with chocolate too.

8. What did you want to be when you grew up?
   I wanted to design RV interiors. Didn't quite get there, but somehow that choice got twisted and subverted into automotive design analysis, and then web development.

9. How many colleges did you attend?
   The University of Bath for my Bachelor's, and the University of Warwick for my Master's. More than enough for one lifetime!

10. Why did you choose the shirt that you have on right now?
    Because it's one of my favorites, and I lost it for over two years after moving, only unearthing it yesterday afternoon in a forgotten box.

11. What are your thoughts on gas prices?
    Ah, that's what I miss about my childhood! Gas at 33 pennies/gallon (and that was before decimalization, so that would have been 2 shillings and ninepence, or about 14 new pennies, which converts to 29 cents.) I don't really have thoughts on current gas prices. Just fond memories of times gone by.

12. First thought when the alarm went off this morning?
    Well, I never set an alarm because these days I always wake up naturally anyway. But I think it was "Oh, I should go online to see how many Facebook notifications came in overnight". Thanks, Erin and Mark, for continuing your silly comment thread on my status message!

13. Last thought before going to sleep last night?
    Probably "Oh, I wish I wasn't so tired so I could stay up longer and watch Erin and Mark comment crazily on my Facebook status some more".

14. What famous people would you like to have dinner with?
    Not sure if there are really any. Maybe Sarah Gilbert to see if she really is that much like Darlene.

15. Have you ever crashed your vehicle?
    Not at speed. I've hit things while maneuvering to park a few times, but never enough to cause serious damage - which is what the word "crash" implies to me.

16. If you didn’t have to work, would you volunteer?
    I'd like to say yes, but I'm not sure I would. I'd definitely take a long time off after stopping work to enjoy myself before undertaking any new time commitments.

17. Get up early or sleep in?
    I wake up early naturally, thanks to my previous job, but I do like to just stay in bed with my laptop until my appetite/bladder/need to get to work urges me to get up.

18. What is your favorite cartoon character?
    The Roadrunner. My mother always liked Wiley Coyote, though. I remember buying her a padded plastic sticker of Wiley for her birthday, around the age when I was first allowed out shopping on my own. I was very proud of myself for finding and buying it. In this consumerist age, such an overwhelming feeling about a single, simple purchase seems unbelievable now.

19. Favorite thing to do at night?
    Play a little WoW, chat with friends online, eat/drink something decadent for dinner. Something I like to eat that other people might not. Oh, that reminds me, I need to put those chicken livers in the oven ... I'll be right back!

20. When did you first start feeling old?
    Probably when I started to feel the first signs of arthritis in my hands and feet, when I was around 22. After that, when the grey hairs started showing up, and then when the wrinkles appeared. It's all physical stuff. I don't feel old mentally.

21. Favorite lunch meat?
    Corned beef - the canned type that the British are so fond of. I never buy it, though.

22. What do you get every time you go into Wal-Mart?
    I only go in if I happen to be by one, and there's something I need. I never make a trip specifically to go to Wal-Mart. I think I've bought underwear there the last two times I've been, though.

23. Do you think marriage is an outdated ritual?
    No, weddings are beautiful. But I think that some people romanticize the concept of their marriage lasting forever to a greater degree than their feelings for their partner warrant, and in doing so sacrifice their potential joy in life.

24. A favorite movie you wouldn’t want anyone to find out about?
    I can't think of one. Oh, maybe "What a Girl Wants" would count? That's an embarrassing admission.

25. What’s your favorite drink?
    Cointreau, hands down. Though any fruit-based spirit will do.

26. Who would you like to run into from high school?
    I'd like to see Anne again. (See #5) From the school I went to for the last two years, probably Kate and Sarah. And maybe Damian, so I can laugh at him for getting into the tabloids for his poor choice in women.

27. What radio station is your car radio tuned to right now?
    94.9 MixFM - The Soft Rock Station

28. Sopranos or Desperate Housewives?
    I've never watched either, but if I had to it would be Desperate Housewives.

29. Worst relationship mistake that you wish you could take back?
    Getting married at 19 to someone I really didn't like at all.

30. Do you like the person who sits directly across from you at work?
    Well, directly across from me is the door, but Gareth is in the other desk in the office, and yeah - he's a cool guy.

31. Have you ever had to use a fire extinguisher for its intended purposes?
    I've never used one for any purpose and hope it stays that way.

32. Last book you finished reading?
    Buster's Secret Diaries: as discovered by Roy Hattersley. It was a gift from my mother. Pretty amusing, even if you're unfamiliar with Roy (as I assume most of my readers are).

33. Do you have a teddy bear?
    I used to have a large collection. It burned up. Now I only have hedgehogs.

34. Strangest place you have ever brushed your teeth?
    I have to say boarding school!

35. Do you go to church?
    I went once last year. I might go again this year, who knows.

36. How old are you?
    At the time of writing, 47 years and 10 months.

37. Have you ever been arrested?
    No, and I intend to keep it that way.

38. Have you ever attended a public protest against a major corporation or a government?
    Yes, a few years ago, but I have forgotten what it was all about now. I know we marched from the Tucson library to one of the government buildings downtown. And they weren't very happy about us being there.

39. Do you feel that your type of employment traps you or liberates you?
    I find it liberating to be able to manage my own time, and create solutions that delight and amaze people. I can feel trapped when a task I'm given has very tightly defined constraints, most of which I think will be to the detriment of the end product.

40. Is voting a duty, a privilege, a right, or an option?
    I think it is different things to different people.

41. Have you ever sat on a jury?
    No, and I've only been in jury selection once.

42. Have you ever seen someone die?
    When I was taking driving lessons in Plymouth, we stopped at some lights and there was a gentleman at a bus stop who buckled at the knees and started throwing up. His face was deathly pale. My driving instructor said he looked like he was having a heart attack. The other people at the bus stop were attending to him, so we drove on. That's as close as I've been. Sometimes I wonder if he recovered.

43. Are you making any preparations for old age or for retirement?
    I'm paying a small percentage into a 401k. One day I hope to be able to pay more.

44. Do you have children? Or, if not, do you wish to?
    No, and no. One day I may blog a longer answer to that, but I need to talk it out with some other people first.

45. Have you ever served in your country’s armed forces?
    No, although I did entertain the idea of joining the WRAF at some point. I don't think I have the necessary physical fitness.

46. How is your relationship with your parents different from what it was when you were a child?
    When I was a child, my mother and I were very close, as we were the only two people in our small family. I used to write to her and call her weekly when I was at boarding school. These days, I call less often and use email rather than snail mail, although she's had computer problems and hasn't been able to check email much recently. I don't tell her about my life in as much detail as I used to, either.

47. Have you ever had a substantial conversation with a homeless person?
    No, but that's more because of my introverted nature than anything.

48. If life is “a journey”, then where are you going?
    I think I'm about there. I don't foresee any sweeping changes in my life. I think I've arrived on the lake after being swept downstream, and now I'll just float here and maybe sway to and fro with the wind a little.