Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Getting to Know You

I've been tagged by Abbie at Farmer's Daughter. Here are the five questions and my answers:

1.What were you doing ten years ago? Ugh! "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.." My husband and I were in the middle of raising our four children, who at the time were 19 (and living on campus), 17 (just finished junior year of high school), 15, and 12. The twelve year old, our only daughter was a breeze. Our 15 year old son, however, was very rebellious at that time and had gotten into some things that landed him in rehab. Very difficult for everybody, including him. The good news is he is now one of the finest people I know, with a wonderful wife and baby, and a very sincere faith in Christ. So, hard as is it is to look back on that time, there is some real joy in seeing the outcome.

2.What five things were on your to-do list today? Pull weeds. Rehearse Sunday's hymns with the organist and pianist. Call the plumber who was supposed to come yesterday and install a back-up sump-pump, but never showed. Contact several ladies who are going to sing in an ensemble, to get them organized to practice. Talk to Mike about weekend plans-are we going cannoeing, or are we going to Springfield to see the Lincoln museum? Call my sister.

3. Snacks you enjoy? Uh-oh, not too healthy here I'm afraid! I like popcorn, Moose Tracks ice cream, and Skittles. And I have the figure to prove it!

4. Places you've lived. Frances E Warren Air Force Base in Cheyenne, WY (when I was a baby); my parent's house in Champaign, IL; Delta Zeta Sorority in Urbana, IL; first apartment in Chicago Heights, IL (as a newly-wed); townhouse in Park Forest, IL; a couple of little rental places in Champaign; our first little house; and finally, for 24 years, this house in Champaign. I'm not as much of a rolling stone as this list makes me seem.

5. What five things would you do if you were a billionaire? Whew! That's a lot of money. I actually had to talk about this with Mike and Robin at supper, so it's kind of a joint list (but it would be Mike's money as well as mine, so that's okay). I would pay off our mortgage, and all the kid's college loans, make sure everyone in the family had a reliable car, and set up college funds for the grandchildren. Then I would help my oldest son's little church that he is pastoring get their building all energy efficient, so they wouldn't have such struggles paying their winter power bills. We would travel, because we haven't really been able to do that much. And I would give a lot of money to the children's home our church has in Honduras. And a lot of money to the University of Illinois School of Music. Beyond that, I don't know.....

6. People you want to know more about? I tag Eco-Burban-Mom, GreenBean, Arduous, CindyW, Donna, and Nan. You guys can answer here in a comment, or put something up on your own blog. Please play! It will be fun!

12 comments:

Donna said...

My post is up! This one is a good one. :)

ruchi said...

1. What was I doing 10 years ago? I had just finished my sophomore year of college, and I was at home for the summer. I was very busy producing a play that a friend of mine had written. He had passed away from cancer before being able to see the play produced, so producing the play was a sort of memorial for him, as well as a chance for all his friends to pay tribute to him. It was one of the best summers.

2. What five things are on my to-do list today? I have to write thank you notes for the birthday presents I received. I have to call The Economist because I gave a web subscription to a friend as a birthday/graduation present and the transaction never went through. I have to figure out how to do a bank levy on our former landlord who is delinquent (by almost two years!) in paying us back our security deposit. (We went to court and won and everything, but he still hasn't paid up.) I have to go to Apple because the new battery I bought for my iBook is not working too well. And I have to make carrot and ginger soup.

3. Snacks I enjoy. I like crackers a lot. Especially the delicious organic ones from Trader Joes. I also have a new tasty snack I make all the time: kale chips! Wash the kale, dry well, rip it up and put it on a cookie sheet. Sprinkle with olive oil, salt, pepper, and paprika. Bake in the oven on 375 for 8-10 minutes or until crispy. Enjoy!! Easy, good for you, and oh so delicious!

4. Places I've lived. The Bay Area. Los Angeles. Evanston, IL. That's about it. (Though in multiple houses and apartments in all three places.)

5. What five things would I do if I were a billionaire? Sheesh, that's a lot of money! Well, first, I'd set up personal funds for myself and my family, investing in socially responsible mutual funds so that we'd all be set for life. Oh, and I'd buy my best friend a house because she desperately wants to buy a house and have kids, but she can't afford to yet. A large chunk of the money would go to my uncle's organization. He does sustainable development in the villages of India. A smaller chunk of money would go to the organization I volunteer with here, "Reading to Kids." And then ... geez, that's a LOT of money. Oh! I know! I'd use the money to found my own theatre company!! That would be so much fun.

Joyce said...

Oh, this is great! Except that it's making me face my unhealthy snacks habit head-on! I had guessed the Evanston part was your Land of Lincoln connection. Thanks for playing!

ruchi said...

You're very perceptive! ;)

Green Bean said...

Hi Donna. I've been underwater (or under borage) and am afraid I'm just popping in now. Better late than never, I hope.

1)Ten years ago? I was working as an attorney, engaged to my husband. I spent my spare time with our 100 lb dane-lab mix and cat, gardening (flowers and tomatoes only in those days) and shopping (boy, have things changed).

2) What five things are on my list today? Prepare for my city's green task force meeting tonight. I'm going to push for volunteer opportunities and social engagements in line with my recent posts. I also have to clean the kitchen, send out borage to everyone, make popsicles out of over-ripe blackberries, and chase my kids around the house pretending to be a monster.

3) Snacks I enjoy? This will make you feel better: chocolate. Almost any shape or form. I force myself to eat other stuff but really it's all about the chocolate. Kale chips? Gesh! Whatever, Arduous!

4) Places I've lived? LA area, SF Bay Area, Orange County and a summer in London. Not a whole lot of exposure, huh?

5) What would I do if I was a billionaire? Holy cow. I have no idea. Probably move to a house with a little more land. Pay off my family's mortgages. Set aside money for my kids. After that, I don't know. I'm sure I'd like to devote a good chunk to green organizations - researching and implementing renewable energy, raise the standard of living in Brazil, something along the lines of what Crunchy is doing in Africa. Think of what you could accomplish with a billion dollars!

Joyce, thank you for including me. I'm sorry I didn't see this earlier but I love the opportunity to see what everyone else thinks about these types of issues. Skittles and Moose Tracks ice cream! (BTW, man, that stuff is GOOOOOD!) Very telling, Joyce. ;-) Yet again, we have more in common than we do in differences.

EcoBurban said...

The post is up on my blog! Thanks, Joyce. It was an honor to be tagged!

Joyce said...

Thanks for taking the time to do this, ladies! GB, you were a lawyer! I thought you were a writer! EBM, I know right where Amboy is- I've been to cross-country meets there! And Donna and Arduous have "done time" in Illinois too.

Green Bean said...

Yeah, well, it's my dirty little secret, Joyce. But thanks. I wish I had been a writer instead. :) Always time for second chances.

ruchi said...

GB, dude. TRY the kale chips. I made them for my 16 year old cousin and 11 year old cousin, and they made me make two cookie sheets worth! They LOVED them.

Green Bean said...

Arduous, DUDE, bring some of them up here next time and maybe I'll try them. Gesh!

- Sorry, Joyce!

Nan said...

I'm sorry to be so long in answering, Joyce. I thank you for thinking of me.
1. What were you doing ten years ago? We had gone to visit cousins in Arkansas and Texas during April vacation, and so loved our time there. My kids were both teenagers; 16 and driving, and 13!
2. What five things were on your to-do list today? I didn't have a list, but here's what I did:
1. I vacuumed the upstairs.
2. Made a decision to stop the canned cat food. Messy and they rarely eat it. We have cat chow out in a big bowl and water all the time.
3. Ate strawberries for the first time this season!
4. Wrote and sent birthday and graduation cards.
5. Had THE BEST supper out at a restaurant with our son, our daughter, and her boyfriend. Everyone happy, cheerful, utterly delightful.
3. Snacks you enjoy? I'm just not a snack person at all. Isn't that funny?
4. Places you've lived. Where I was born, where I moved to at four months old, Boston for college, back to that home I grew up in, and now here. Not a big mover am I. :<)
5. What five things would you do if you were a billionaire?
1. Give money to family/friends who needed it.
2. Fix up my house.
3. Give to various charities, causes, etc.
4. Save some.
5. Start some kind of philanthropic organization so the money could keep giving.

Joyce said...

Nan, I could tell by the looks of your beautiful garden that you have been busy! Thanks for playing. It's interesting to read that you, Abbie, and I, all have stayed pretty much in our home areas. Two of my children are homebodies, and two are rolling stones. It must just be a personality thing.