WEEK 34
234. What message would you send to aliens?
Hello. Yes, we really are quite normal and could use your
help with a few things. I’m hoping we could do a bit of knowledge sharing and
perhaps we could help you work through some puzzles while you helped us with a
few of ours. I’m sure between our collective heads we could solve a lot of
problems. I’d love to hear your ideas.
235. If you could have the answer to any
question, what would the question be?
Oh, there are so many questions to which I would like
answers. What ever happened to my dad’s
wedding band? Why can’t we all just get along? Why does Kanye West exist?
236. What do you like least about yourself?
I’m pretty darn likable and a big fan of myself. But I suppose I wish I was a bit more
decisive. I’m getting better at trusting my gut instinct but I still struggle
with making some decisions.
237. What’s your basic life philosophy?
I believe in treating others as I would like to be treated.
We are all humans and deserve empathy and compassion. For the most part, we all
want the same thing: to be loved. So, just be yourself and the rest will
follow. I also believe in telling those I love that I love them. I try to tell
them often and I try to hug them as whenever I can.
238. What’s more important? Increasing your
talent or character?
More important? Increasing my character. There is always
something that can be improved upon . . . ever if it’s something little.
239. What piece of clothing can you not live
without?
I’ve got a Grateful Dead bandana that I’ll probably never
throw out. It’s worn out, soft and faded. It’s perfect headgear for the
cottage.
240. If you could have front row tickets to
any concert, what would it be and why?
It’s still my dream to lean my arms on the stage at a
Springsteen show. I’ve been close to the front but never in the front row. I
would love to have that up-close-and-personal perspective. Maybe get a guitar
pick from Bruce or Nils or one of Max’s drumsticks. It would be an amazing
experience.
WEEK 35
241. Do you believe everyone should be a
parent?
I believe everyone has the capability to be a parent, but I
don’t necessarily believe everyone should
be a parent. You should really want children. People shouldn’t have children
because it’s the right time, or the thing to do. They shouldn’t be pressured
into having them either. Having children is not a light responsibility, and
they’re a lifelong commitment, so one should be sure about that decision. I
think some people go into parenthood with romantic notions about what having
children is all about. It’s a huge responsibility. And, I don’t think poorly
about those who choose not to have children.
That’s a big decision on their part too and I’m sure they don’t make
that decision lightly.
242. Would you rather be a famous actor,
athlete, musician, inventor or humanitarian – why?
As much as I love music, I think I’d rather leave a legacy
of having accomplished something good in this world. I love to help people. I
remember listening to Craig Keilburger speak many years ago, and he told a
story about meeting one of his heroes (I can’t remember who it was but it was
someone like Nelson Mandela . . . darn ‘50s memory!). He told his hero that he
stopped reading the paper because it was too depressing. This man told him that
he read the newspaper every morning with his children. He said the newspaper
was like one big to-do list, divided nicely into different categories. It
showed you where you could help out on a local level, a national level or on a
world level. I always thought that was a great perspective and good advice. I’d
like to be remembered for having helped out my fellow humans.
243. What’s the most significant problem
facing the world?
I think it’s a tie between the distribution of wealth inequality
throughout the world and the rampant commercialism/materialism. Those I suppose
those two things are definitely connected. Some people just have way too much
money – far more than any single human being should have. And as human beings,
we collect way too much stuff. As I get older I’m placing more emphasis on
experiences and doing things with people, rather than buying things or expecting
gifts for special occasions. Spending quality time with a friend is far more
important to me than any present. I prefer the gift of time.
244. If you were to own a fabulously
impractical vehicle, what would it be?
Hmmmm. Funny question to answer after writing about
materialism in the previous question. I’m not really an impractical person and
pretty boring when it comes to vehicles. I’d love a black BMW convertible or
maybe a pontoon boat for the cottage.
245. Would you choose to be the best player
on the worst team or the worst player on the best team?
I think I’d rather be the worst player on the best team
because if we’re the best team, then my worst can’t be that bad. I must be
contributing in some way in order to be on that team. I was always a fan of the
“most improved” player trophy.
246. If you were given money to remodel your
house, what would you change first?
My first renovation would be to my upstairs bathroom. I would
remove the bathtub and replace it with a nice tiled shower – something with a
grab bar for my impending senior years. Switch out the huge vanity with a
smaller antique-type cabinet. Ditch the ugly 1970s tiles and replace with some
nice bead board, and tile using the same flooring that’s in my kitchen. I’d
also get rid of the gross boxy light fixture and replace it with something
nicer. Another plan would include expanding the bathroom into my back office
and extending it to include a main floor laundry room perhaps.
247. What makes a house a home?
People. Doesn’t matter where you live or what you put in a
house. It’s always having your loved ones around you that makes anywhere home.
WEEK 36
248. In your opinion, what are the seven
wonders of the world?
I’m not that well-travelled, but I would definitely include
the iconic tree on the point at my cottage. I would also have to include childbirth
– to me that’s a pretty darn wondrous thing. Love. A Springsteen pit (both
wondrous and glorious). I would have to throw in the pyramids just because it’s
amazing to think about how they were even built back in those days. Even though
I’ve just seen pictures of them, I’ve always thought that those giant Sequoias
in British Columbia were pretty cool. And, I gotta say that a starry night on
the Paugh Lake deck is very captivating and never boring.
249. Is justice or forgiveness more
important?
Forgiveness for sure. Forgiveness brings peace into your
life. It’s rarely about the other person. You don’t need to even tell someone
you forgive them. It’s about forgiving them in your heart and moving on. It’s
very freeing.
250. Do you possess the qualities of your
astrological sign?
I think I’m 99 percent bull J
My astrological sign is Taurus and I do possess a lot of its qualities. I
consider myself loyal, dependable, practical and a bit stubborn. I am passionate and sensuous too. Apparently
we’re good with money which I suppose I am to a certain degree. I’m no
one-percenter, but I’m not going to starve. Where I would disagree is with the
point that we Taureans are considered materialistic; I don’t believe I possess
that quality. Nor am I lazy. I can “be” lazy but I’m not lazy. Taurus women
long for true love and security and that is definitely true for me as well.
251. Has anything bad ever happened to you
that turned out to be for the best?
Definitely. I was laid off from my job in the printing
department at Georgian back in 1994. Luckily, I am a union member so there was
a process to be followed after my lay-off. I did a short stint in a department
before being moved to the Marketing and Communications department to produce
the Part-time Studies calendar. While I was there, a part-timer quit and I was
able to remain in Marketing, where I still work today. It was a great move and
I love being part of this team.
252. Who is the most unusual member of your
family?
Oh, there are many unusual characters in my family. One of
the most interesting people though was my Great Uncle William “Billy” Murray.
He was a tight rope walker and performed at many carnivals. He suffered a fall
at one point and became extremely religious afterwards. He lived out his final
days in Toronto, spending some time at 99 Queen Street which was a mental
facility for 150 years. In her memoir Fragments
of My Life, Catherine Doherty credits him for saving her life after he
prayed over her dying body.
253. Are things pre-determined or all about
choice?
I think there is a pre-determined plan for all of us. We are
each here for our own unique purpose and to learn. Sometimes it takes us more
than one kick at the can to learn certain lessons, but hopefully, we eventually
learn. We do make our own choices and may take a more circular path to life’s
end, but we all end up where we’re supposed to end up.
254. Which is more important – intelligence
or common sense?
My boyfriend Jeff would definitely say that common sense is
more important. He claims that it is his super power. I think having common
sense may serve a person much better in life. You can be extremely intelligent
but yet have few life skills, which can get you into trouble.
WEEK 37
255. If you could trade places with the
opposite sex for a day, would you and why?
Of course! It would be fascinating to be inside the male
brain for a day to understand how it operates. And naturally it would be
equally fascinating to experience sex from the male perspective.
256. What’s the biggest lie we tell ourselves
as humans?
I think the biggest lie we tell ourselves as humans is that
we’re not good enough. We’re constantly trying to improve – be thinner, faster,
richer, smarter – in order to have people like us. Just be yourself.
257. Which of your ancestors would you most
like to meet?
I think there are some relatives I wish I had spent more
quality time with or paid greater attention to while they were alive. I don’t
think I appreciated my maternal grandmother or paternal grandfather enough.
They were both fascinating people and I should have taken more care in
absorbing everything they had to say. My grandmother was a strong woman who ran
her own business and raised three equally strong daughters. She had spirit, a
great sense of humour and a good head for business. After her first husband
passed away at a very young age, she was forced into a second marriage to a man
who was never faithful to her, drank, and eventually killed himself. I say
forced because she didn’t want to marry him, but the local parish priest
threatened to take her children out of school if she didn’t. Welcome to small
town Catholic life in the 1930s. My grandfather on my dad’s side was a real
Renaissance man. Despite only having a grade school education, he was a
politician (a local Reeve as well as a Member of Parliament), poet, athlete and
an entrepreneur. He loved nature and knew the importance of community. I would
like a do-over with both of these people so I could truly appreciate who they
were.
258. Who do you think is the most important
person alive today?
That’s a tough question. You could go good or bad because
both sides of the coin can effect important decisions and change. I think Craig
Keilburger is doing important things because he works with young people,
developing future generations of involved, compassionate and passionate
influencers who want to make a difference in their world. If we can develop
more people with that mindset, we can do wonderful things for this planet.
259. Would you stop eating junk food to
prolong your life by a few years?
Definitely. I rarely eat junk food now. I can’t eliminate
chocolate from my life but I stick to good dark chocolate. My personal
favourite is the Lindt dark chocolate with coconut.
260. If you were offered a seat on the next
space shuttle, would you take it?
Probably but if there was someone else who really wanted to
go, I’d probably give up my seat.
261. What makes your generation unique?
Having been born in 1962, I’m considered a baby boomer. I
think we’re considered lucky in that most of us have grown up in a time of
relatively good employment opportunities. We’re also a good mix of healthiness,
altruistic values and a good work ethic. I also believe we’re a bit more
imaginative, as we didn’t rely on technology for entertainment. We created our
own fantasy worlds without the aid of video games. And, we’re going to
experience a wide gamut of phones! I can remember party lines, rotary phones,
touch tone, the first large clumsy cordless ones, flip phones, iPhones,
Androids, Blackberries – in all shapes and sizes – and whatever is next to
come.
