This week’s listicles topic, What Are You Passionate About?, was chosen by Jackie at Not Wifezilla.
It’s an excellent question but I’m not going to answer it.
Why?
Because my answer is B for Boring (i.e., my kids, my family, writing, traveling, blah-blah-blah…). Instead I’m going to answer 10 11 questions that Sue at Cookie’s Chronicles tagged me with in her 11 Questions post.
The 11 Questions
1. What would you be doing right now if you weren’t answering my 11 questions?
Playing Zhu-Zhu Pet speed-racers in the hallway with Ella and secretly criticizing myself for not being as interested in children’s games as I think I should be.
2. If a genie were to grant you 3 wishes, what would your 3 wishes be?
- That Snooki would run off to a mountain-top hideaway with Newt Gingrich and become the latest incarnation of Brangelina. The tabloid magazines would call them Snookrich.
- Snookrich would get eaten by Bigfoot.
- What I really wish is: that no child would ever be hungry, see a war, suffer from abuse, or suffer from any kind of illness.
3. What’s in your purse?
I don’t carry one.
Someone once told me that the size of a woman’s purse is the metaphorical equivalent of her emotional baggage – and I swear to God the purse I was carrying when I heard that was the size of a small Volkswagon.
My purse has always been huge. My purse was always full of so much junk I had no idea what was in it or how to find anything…so I’d get a bigger one to be more organized and I’d find even more junk to put in it. So I no longer carry one.
See how easy that was? Now I have zero baggage.
I keep my ATM card & driver’s license, and my Burt’s Bees watermelon lip balm in my pocket. I keep my keys and iPhone in my coat pocket.
4. What book are you dying to read (or, if you’re more of a movie person, what movie are you dying to see)?
I’ve tried 3 times to read Ulysses by James Joyce, and each time I’ve given up, exasperated. I’m not dying to read it – it just really bugs me that I haven’t been able to get through it. It’s the Mt. Kilimanjaro for English Lit. majors.
My book club chose it for our next read so here I am again.
This time, though, with the help of Frank Delaney’s fantastic podcast, I feel like I finally “get” it. Mr. Delaney (who NPR calls “the most eloquent man in the world”) is doing a 5 minute daily podcast of Ulysses and although he makes it accessible, and funny, at the rate I’m going it’ll take me 22 years to finish it. His podcast is so good that it makes me wonder how Joyce got through writing Ulysses without listening to Mr. Delaney. That’s how good it is.
Last week he staged an Occupy Movement in Madison Square Park in New York – Occupy Ulysses:
News Flash: This morning I got a tweet from Frank Delaney himself. To give you perspective, to me, a Frank Delaney groupie, this would be like a guitar player getting a tweet from Keith Richards. I tweeted a link to his Occupy Ulysses video on You Tube, and he tweeted to say thank you. And – ahem – he said that he read my post I’m Afraid of Irish Dance Hair, way back when I wrote it. I needed smelling salts.
5. What are the three best words to describe yourself?
I’ve got two lists – the first is my word for it, the second is what it actually is:
- Type-A (a polite way of saying ‘over-caffeinated‘)
- Deep (moody and judgemental)
- A Doer and a Multitasker (this is resume-speak for ‘off-the-charts ADHD’)
6. If you could trade places with someone for a week, who would it be and why?
I’d trade places with Stephen Hawking to get a glimpse of the meaning of the universe. But on second thought, I’d probably come away from that experience with a real understanding of my own stupidity, so I’m going to take that one back. I’d love to be an opera singer for a week, so I could see what it feels like to sing and be a real diva. Because I can’t sing. At. All.
7. What is your favourite song?
Scotland the Brave played live by a whole herd of bagpipers, in kilts. Other than that, anything by Coldplay.
8. What’s the best title for your biography or autobiography?
Mine would have the word ‘lunatic’ in the title.
9. If you won the lottery, what would you do with the money?
I’d buy a beach house in California, an apartment in Paris, and a cottage in Dublin. I’d tithe a percentage of the money to a good cause, like Operation Smile or World Vision.
Then I’d buy a publishing house and force them to publish and distribute my novel, and send me on a ’round-the-world book tour.
10. Your worst day ever?
The day before my mom died.
11. Did you resolve to do anything differently this year? How’s that going?
I’ve got a couple resolutions in the hopper that are still going – and so far they’re going well but it’s only February.
Now it’s my turn to tag 11 others and give them 11 questions to answer. But first…
The Rules:
- You must post these rules.
- Each person must post 11 things about herself on their blog.
- Answer the questions the “tagger” listed for you in her post, and create 11 new questions for the people you tag to answer.
- Choose 11 people to tag and link to them in the post.
- Let each blogger know that you have tagged them.
I’m Tagging:
Leighann at Multitasking Mumma
Alison at Mama Wants This
Sweaty at Do Sweat The Small Stuff
Kindred Adventures
Jamie at Chosen Chaos
January at Dawning of January
Cynthia at CommonplaceCrazy
Sperk
SarcasmGoddess
Mary at My 3 Little Birds
Erica at Freefringes
Chicky at Chicktuition
Rory at A Mother’s Love
My 11 Questions:
- If you met your favorite movie star and could say whatever you wanted to him or her in 140 characters or less, what would it be? (And who is the movie star?)
- What’s your dream?
- Ever had a scary parenting moment?
- Something besides your children that you are proud of.
- What’s your favorite book? Why?
- What’s in your fridge?
- Do you make your bed every day? Do your kids make theirs? Why/why not?
- What’s your best kid’s riddle or joke?
- Epidural or au naturel?
- Ask your kids what they like about you and what bugs them about you and write it verbatim here.
- Do you have any advice for Snooki? (-:
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You don’t carry a purse?! Shocking! I guess you’re out of the diaper days, so that makes a difference
Love the 3 descriptions of yourself…I can be ‘deep’ sometimes too.
xo
And I used to carry a diaper bag AND a purse! (-:
Wow! I’m really going to have to think about these. Thanks for thinking of me!
Yay! Homework!!!
Who is Snooki? Must google.
Was thinking about that in the shower this morning: will anyone do Sue’s 11 questions as a Listicle today? I like it!
We read Ulysess in year 3 of high school. If I could do it with my oversexed teenage brain, you can too:)
3rd year of high school – wow – you Europeans.
Also, “Who is Snooki?” —> Stasha this is another reason why I love you.
11 Questions http://t.co/JeXUmvfH answered by @AdoTheMomalog #MondayListicles
Yay, tagged!!
Oh wait – I have to answer a question about Snooki???
Your round the world tour will include a stop in Malaysia, right?
Of course! PS: Did I ever telll you that my husband *loves* Malaysia? He’s been a couple of times and has always told me I need to go there.
Your list makes me feel like I’m Tigger and you’re Pooh. I know, weird analogy, but oh well! hahaha
Hey, thanks (both sincerely and sarcastically) for tagging me with those 11 questions! Tee hee!
I am definitely for an apartment in Paris, somewhere in Montmartre would be nice… hehehe… dream on, Sweaty!
Aw crap, you tagged Sarcasm Goddess before I could! I like what you’d do if you won the lottery.
Double-tag her! I didn’t see anything against it in the rules. (-:
So cheeky! LOVE IT!
I don’t carry a purse anymore, either, but I do carry the diaper bag if I’m out with the kids. So I guess they have the emotional baggage, right?
I’m going to try out this Ulysses podcast because I couldn’t get through the darn thing, either. I have maintained for a decade that if the point of writing was to actually communicate one’s ideas, Joyce failed spectacularly. I don’t care how good his ideas actually are. But I’ll give Delaney a chance to convince me.
Jessica – you’ve got to let me know how it goes. I used to be pissed off about the whole book too but now I feel like I’ve “cracked” it – and I can’t get enough of it! Go listen to Frank and let me know how it goes.
My favorite line in this post? “His podcasts are so good it makes me wonder how Mr. Joyce got through writing Ulysses without them!” I was an English major too, and by some stroke of luck, the year I took the course that was supposed to include Ulysses we read A Portrait Of The Artist As A Young Man instead. Well. I should say we were supped to read that because, let’s be honest. I didn’t get through that one either
I actually liked Portrait! Joyce joked that it would take academicians “hundreds of years” to sort thru and figure out all the enigmas and puzzles he placed in Ulysses. Sheesh…!
Thanks for the tag, although rumor has it I never respond to these things. Which is not entirely true. When Ado tags and I get to link it up with Stasha, I’m in. But not this week. First I gotta research this Snooki person. I’ll put my version on the grid next Monday.
Well I had an inkling you might not do tag-its given you’re so busy but I’m thrilled you’re going to do it. Can’t wait to read yours.
PS: Don’t bother looking up who Snooki is. You and Stasha are such innocents!
Occupy Ulysses. See, that makes me think I need to tackle it. I read something considered to be in the same sort of ballpark and it kicked my ass. Well, sort of. We’ll call it a draw.
I read Gravity’s Rainbow by Thomas Pynchon, but it took me a year (reading a few pages at lunch or in the bathroom. . . then taking frequent breaks between reads because I wasn’t enjoying it) but i read it. I just am not altogether certain what it is that I read. So . . . as stated, we’ll call it a draw.
YOU READ GRAVITY’S RAINBOW IN 1 YEAR?
Seriously – I don’t think I could tackle it in 2.
Hold your head high, young man. That’s something to be proud of. You’re probably ready for Ulysses – it’ll be a piece o’ cake.
Two birds – one stone – I like it! Not sure about the purse analogy. Mine has always been quite small and yet I have plenty ‘o baggage. The thing about a purse is, no matter the size we always fill it. Kind of an interesting metaphor for life, really. Very cool about Frank Delaney. Love that you picked a Scottish bagpipe song as your fav, and P.S. – I’m going to see Coldplay in April!!! If ever there was a ‘squee’-worthy statement, that’s it! Great answers, Ado. Nice questions for your tagees too!
OK that’s a little spooky that you a.) like bagpipes, b.) AND are going to see Coldplay, and c.) have a lot o’ baggage. (-:
Loved answering these Q’s, what fun.
Thanks for the tag! I love stuff like this. I just wish I could tag you back…doesn’t work that way does it? Bummer. I would love to read your answers for the questions I have up my sleeve. BTW – it states in the rules that we must 11 things about ourselves. This confuses me…(doesn’t take much) because I don’t see that you listed 11 things about YOURSELF?
I loved the 3 best things about yourself. And the fact the purse analogy is awesome. I don’t (usually) carry a purse either.
Thanks for the tag! I love stuff like this. I just wish I could tag you back…doesn’t work that way does it? Bummer. I would love to read your answers for the questions I have up my sleeve. BTW – it states in the rules that we must 11 things about ourselves. This confuses me…(doesn’t take much) because I don’t see that you listed 11 things about YOURSELF?
I loved the 3 best things about yourself. And the purse analogy is awesome. I don’t (usually) carry a purse either.
January I’d do it again if you’re low on bloggers. I love answering questions or doing lists because they always seem to help me get over a not wanting to write hump, you know? PS: I love that you triple-commented, you comment-bomber!
OOOPS. I double commented (now triple)
@cynthiameents @sarcasmgoddess @freefringes @chicktuition @rorybore @multitaskmumma @yhwriteme Tag you’re it! http://t.co/JlqJ6svx
Perhaps you could be an opera singer accompanied by a whole herd of bagpipers. I might even pay to see that.
BWAHAHAHA!
I am so out of it these days….also must Google this Snooki person. And while I am there, will also search bagpipes – well, because Why wouldn’t you? I could hear any song played on the bagpipes. And if that doesn’t redeem from the Snooki thing, and the fact that my purse is so big it can also function as the diaper bag: I’ve read Ulysses in university.
thanks for the tag!
It’s great no one seems to know who Snooki is.
I’m envious you read U. in University, which means you don’t have it hanging over you like I do!
Looking forward to reading your answers.
Squee! I’m so excited and honored to be included. I will now commence anxiety attack over my answers to your awesome questions. Oh the pressure! Is it hot in here? I feel hot.
Yay! I can’t wait to read yours. (-:
I want to be a good mother to my children..Love myself..Great sharing of post really appreciated..
I love that you mention both Snooki and Ulysses in your list. You are the most well-rounded person ever
Ha! That’s a nice way of looking at it. It’s either well-rounded, or off-balance! (-:
Snooki? Who?
Anyway, VERY cool about Frank Delaney!
I’m so glad so many of you don’t know who Snooki is…but what does this say about me?!
This was fun to read.
I like your idea about Snookrich. SNL’s opening skit this last week was of Newt being the moon president. If we can send him to the moon, he’s got my vote.
And very cool about Frank Delaney! Woo hoo!
Thanks. (-:
I’m just so impressed that not only do you know who Snooki is, you know who Frank is too! (-:
I haven’t carried a purse for over 2 years and it’s so freeing and it saves me money since of course my purses were always expensive.
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