The Maiden Aunt Gets Grilled (dill spear on the side)
There has been a round of interviews making its way among a number of bloggers, and after I enjoyed reading a few, I volunteered to be interviewed by the fabulously-tressed Lizzie. She calls this the "Ask Kate P. (almost) anything Fo'Realz Edition," and she certainly did ask some probing questions. Here they are, along with my responses:
1. Who has had the most influence on you as a person? (Slash) Who is your hero? I guess these could be the same or have two very different answers. . . Whatever. I'm leaving it as is. Answer as you will.
[Laughing] Liz, I gotta hand it to you for being such a hardliner! :) Seriously, I do have two very different answers. As to the first question, I would say that, outside of my immediate family, my grandmother (mom's mom) had a major influence on me. I suspect I inherited a lot of her personality--the story goes that when I was really little, we had a standoff at the dinner table because I wouldn't eat--stubborn! But she was always thrilled to see me. She'll be gone 20 years in August, and that is just mind-blowing. Every time a new baby girl is born in my extended family, I hold my breath because I want to keep her name for my daughter! She also was a great role model in faith, as were my two late great-aunts. One was a nun for over fifty years, and one never married. They both treated me and my sibs with great affection and caring.
Part two of Question #1: I hesitate to classify anyone as a hero, because I fear setting myself up for disappointment. Nobody's perfect, and while I don't think most people intentionally would disappoint someone, it happens. It hurts. But, when I was a kid, I loved Wonder Woman, so there's my bit of hero worship!
2. What do you miss the most that you can't have now because of food allergies? Or is it not a big deal?
I'd say that overall the major holidays can be a little difficult--I miss out on special things at Christmas and Easter that family members and friends make. If I had to pick one thing, though, I would love to be able to have some tiramisu every once in a while. At least I still can have strufoli!
3. What is your favorite guilty/simple pleasure?
Oh, I have many. I live on simple pleasures--it's almost a coping mechanism, to balance out some of the outrageous things that happen in life. Here's a sample:
*soda (I exceeded my limit today after the dr.'s office fiasco)
*Beavis 'n' Butt-head (what, it's satire and good for a laugh)
*coloring my hair (I don't really need it, and only use the temporary kind)
*Town & Country magazine (seriously, that is soooo not my lifestyle).
4. What is the most important life lesson you've learned so far?
Ooooh, good question. I'd say that I don't have to be the person other people think I am--i.e., having and keeping a sure sense of myself. Still learning that whole "patience is a virtue" lesson, though. That's a class I need every day.
5. If you could travel anywhere in the world, all expenses paid, where would you go?
Barcelona has been a dream destination of mine since the day in high school Spanish when I saw Gaudi's artwork. As the years went by, I tacked Rome on to the dream trip--partly because my faith has made me curious, partly because of my cultural heritage. . . and partly because my sister brought home an amazing pair of shoes from the Fendi store during her trip last year.
6. What is your favorite part of each day?
Most times, it's that time right before I turn out the light, after I get in bed. I'm the kind of person who has "bedtime rituals"--I put hand cream on, I read from the prayer books I keep on my bedside table, maybe do a journal entry. Most of the time, the cat comes up and settles down next to me (licking the hand cream off my hands!), and we just chill out before falling asleep.
Lately, being in this underemployed state, I've been enjoying weekday mornings, because I have time to make myself a decent breakfast--eggs, oatmeal, pancakes (not all at once!). Plus I get to watch The Price Is Right.
7. Because I want to know: WHat is your favorite book of all time? And. . . wait for it. . . Why?
It seems weird to say I have never declared one book my favorite of all time, but I really don't think I ever have. It's too hard to decide! If the criteria is that I could reread it a million times, then Eight Cousins wins. The one that I would grab if I could save one book from my burning home (and already had the cat and the computer under my arms) is Myths & Mythology, with Shakespeare Stories a close second.
Honorable mention goes to books like Mary Stewart's Merlin books, The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley, for getting me into fantasy worlds. . . and, for better or for worse, "D&D" series like Dragonlance and especially The Darksword Trilogy--for inspiring me (and the latter angering me) to the point of motivating me to write for myself at last.
That was fun--thanks, Lizzie! If another blogger would like to be interviewed, let me know in the comments.
1. Who has had the most influence on you as a person? (Slash) Who is your hero? I guess these could be the same or have two very different answers. . . Whatever. I'm leaving it as is. Answer as you will.
[Laughing] Liz, I gotta hand it to you for being such a hardliner! :) Seriously, I do have two very different answers. As to the first question, I would say that, outside of my immediate family, my grandmother (mom's mom) had a major influence on me. I suspect I inherited a lot of her personality--the story goes that when I was really little, we had a standoff at the dinner table because I wouldn't eat--stubborn! But she was always thrilled to see me. She'll be gone 20 years in August, and that is just mind-blowing. Every time a new baby girl is born in my extended family, I hold my breath because I want to keep her name for my daughter! She also was a great role model in faith, as were my two late great-aunts. One was a nun for over fifty years, and one never married. They both treated me and my sibs with great affection and caring.
Part two of Question #1: I hesitate to classify anyone as a hero, because I fear setting myself up for disappointment. Nobody's perfect, and while I don't think most people intentionally would disappoint someone, it happens. It hurts. But, when I was a kid, I loved Wonder Woman, so there's my bit of hero worship!
2. What do you miss the most that you can't have now because of food allergies? Or is it not a big deal?
I'd say that overall the major holidays can be a little difficult--I miss out on special things at Christmas and Easter that family members and friends make. If I had to pick one thing, though, I would love to be able to have some tiramisu every once in a while. At least I still can have strufoli!
3. What is your favorite guilty/simple pleasure?
Oh, I have many. I live on simple pleasures--it's almost a coping mechanism, to balance out some of the outrageous things that happen in life. Here's a sample:
*soda (I exceeded my limit today after the dr.'s office fiasco)
*Beavis 'n' Butt-head (what, it's satire and good for a laugh)
*coloring my hair (I don't really need it, and only use the temporary kind)
*Town & Country magazine (seriously, that is soooo not my lifestyle).
4. What is the most important life lesson you've learned so far?
Ooooh, good question. I'd say that I don't have to be the person other people think I am--i.e., having and keeping a sure sense of myself. Still learning that whole "patience is a virtue" lesson, though. That's a class I need every day.
5. If you could travel anywhere in the world, all expenses paid, where would you go?
Barcelona has been a dream destination of mine since the day in high school Spanish when I saw Gaudi's artwork. As the years went by, I tacked Rome on to the dream trip--partly because my faith has made me curious, partly because of my cultural heritage. . . and partly because my sister brought home an amazing pair of shoes from the Fendi store during her trip last year.
6. What is your favorite part of each day?
Most times, it's that time right before I turn out the light, after I get in bed. I'm the kind of person who has "bedtime rituals"--I put hand cream on, I read from the prayer books I keep on my bedside table, maybe do a journal entry. Most of the time, the cat comes up and settles down next to me (licking the hand cream off my hands!), and we just chill out before falling asleep.
Lately, being in this underemployed state, I've been enjoying weekday mornings, because I have time to make myself a decent breakfast--eggs, oatmeal, pancakes (not all at once!). Plus I get to watch The Price Is Right.
7. Because I want to know: WHat is your favorite book of all time? And. . . wait for it. . . Why?
It seems weird to say I have never declared one book my favorite of all time, but I really don't think I ever have. It's too hard to decide! If the criteria is that I could reread it a million times, then Eight Cousins wins. The one that I would grab if I could save one book from my burning home (and already had the cat and the computer under my arms) is Myths & Mythology, with Shakespeare Stories a close second.
Honorable mention goes to books like Mary Stewart's Merlin books, The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley, for getting me into fantasy worlds. . . and, for better or for worse, "D&D" series like Dragonlance and especially The Darksword Trilogy--for inspiring me (and the latter angering me) to the point of motivating me to write for myself at last.
That was fun--thanks, Lizzie! If another blogger would like to be interviewed, let me know in the comments.
Comments
Lizzie--oatmeal, models, Drew Carey, and Plinko. It's excellent.
'Fly--It's more like a chain interview. I think you just choose 7 questions to e-mail to your interviewee, and the interviewee posts the Q & A. That's how I did it. Both Lizzie and Lindsay were asked tailored Q's by their interviewers (see their blogs). It's going around the mommy/auntie blogs, I guess. Not that anyone would be excluded!