Do you make your bed every day? No. I am still homeschooling Olivia and I do a lot of my computer work for volunteering laying down - especially after the car accident in November 2018. I have found a way to put minimal stress on my neck (I had whiplash and then spinal surgery in October 2019) which has been such a relief. So, I am in and out of bed throughout the day...even though I am teaching and volunteering. Combine that with having pets who like to be on the bed, and it seems like a lost cause.
The bed with Eenie, Cooper, Scooby, and Aspen on it.
What's your favorite number? 9. In China, the number nine is an auspicious number. When the number nine is pronounced, it sounds like the word for “long lasting.”
When we visited China in 2001 and 2003 to adopt Sophia and Olivia respectively, I could see nine and multiples of it represented in many places. For example, on doors, there might be nine decorative elements or 81 elements.
What's your regular job? At this point in time, it is being a stay-at-home mom who educates her daughters. I also volunteer quite a bit for the Lions and have multiple roles within the club. My favorite one is coordinating service events where the Lions, their families, and community come together to do hands-on service projects.
Sophia and Olivia measuring a tree in the front yard.
This was on our nature hike in the winter.
If you could, would you go back to school? Not in the traditional sense. I consider myself to be a life-long learner so I'm always learning new things. That part I enjoy. What I don't enjoy about school are the tests and pressure to have things done by a deadline. It takes the joy out of learning.
A SAORI weaving and some leather items I made in 2019.
A job you had which would surprise people? I was a house cleaner for families when I was in high school and college. My last job as a house cleaner was for a family who was Jewish. It was interesting learning about their religion as it pertained to cleaning - especially in the kitchen.
There were two separate sinks - one for dishes that were used for dairy products and one for dishes that were used to prepare and/or serve meat. I didn't know this initially and put a dish in the wrong sink. Thereafter, they said they would handle the dishes.
In the early 2000s, I was a massage therapist for a while. I thought it would be a good way to use my office at home and earn money while my daughters were young. It didn't work out. Without an actual stand-alone building, the atmosphere wasn't as relaxing and "spa like" as you would get if you went to an actual spa. So much for that financial investment in learning a new skill.
Do you think aliens are real? No. I haven't seen consistent and provable evidence to prove there are aliens.
Can you drive a manual car? Yes, I learned to drive on a manual car - a little white Honda Civic. I haven't driven one for years (since college in the late-1980s). In my mind, I still know how to drive one. It would be interesting to see if that is still the case.
A Honda Civic similar to the one I drove.
This is a 1978 model - about the year
that my dad got a car like this one.
Ours only had an AM radio and heat.
Nothing frivolous.
What’s your guilty pleasure? Sweets - ice cream and hot chocolate are two of my favorite sweet things.
Homemade ice cream that Sophia made one summer.
Have any Tattoos? No. I have no interest in having tattoos on my body. I can't imagine that they would look nice as my skin ages and changes.
Favorite color? Purple is my favorite color. However, green is the one that I like the most in terms of decorating.
A bee on a purple chive blossom in our garden.
Things people do that drive you crazy? People who use their phones while you are having a meal together. People who chew with their mouths open. People who put their blinker on when they are driving way before they need to turn - especially if they do it as they pass multiple places to turn. People who talk on their phones in loud voices in waiting areas or in stores. People who lie right to your face.
Phobias? None are diagnosed. However, I'd say I have a general aversion and anxiety in very crowded places or around a significant number of people (e.g., large fairs, conferences). As much as I like them and will go to them, I am anxious for much of the time at them. This is called Agoraphobia or Demophobia.
Another one that has been on my mind is the fear of getting Alzheimer's Disease. I saw my dad, grandpa, and uncle all have it. I found out there is actually a phobia - Nosophobia (or Pathophobia) - that describes this. Nosophobia is the fear of contracting a specific disease.
Last, is a mild - yet persistent - fear of someone breaking into the home. It started in San Francisco where many of the homes in the neighborhood we lived in had decorative iron bars on their doors and windows to prevent break-ins. Ever since there - plus combined with the increasing violent crime in the United States in recent years - there's that underlying fear and anxiety. Found out that Scelerophobia is the fear of crime in general and more specifically the fear of bad men and burglars.
Favorite childhood sport? I enjoyed biking and gymnastics. Biking was done on my own around the neighborhood and gymnastics was done in phy ed class in school. I never took lessons in either like kids do nowadays.
Do you talk to yourself? Sometimes, especially if I'm trying to figure out something or am frustrated with myself for losing or misplacing something. I talk a lot to the dogs and cats. Obviously, they don't respond in words...so perhaps I am talking to myself more than I think I am.
Baby Aspen on her adoption day - May 12, 2014.
What movie do you adore? I'm not sure "adore" is the right word. However, one of my favorite movies of all time is Defending Your Life. Excellent movie. I could watch it repeatedly and find new things about it that I enjoy or learn from it. Meryl Streep and Albert Brooks played the main characters in it.
Do you like doing puzzles? Sometimes. I don't have a puzzle out that I'm working on because of the pets. However, our family has done puzzle competitions a couple times which has been fun.
Olivia, Sophia, Mary, and I participating in
a puzzle competition on March 31, 2019.
Favorite kind of music? When I think of the stations in the car that I listen to, it is contemporary/pop music, music from the 1980s and 1990s, and relaxing music.
Tea or coffee? Neither. I would prefer to drink hot chocolate, water (room temperature/ambient), or pop (sometimes...not often).
The first thing you remember you wanted to be when you grew up? A beautician. I liked going to Jackie Ann's (a hair salon) with my mom. By sixth grade, I had changed my mind: I wanted to become an archeologist. I didn't pursue either of those careers, but I still enjoy thinking of them and how diverse they were in terms of interests and skills.
2 comments:
That was fun to read. There must have been Jackie Ann's around the Twin Cities because that looks so familiar!
My first dream job was to be an astronaut and go to Mars.
Love the pic of all the critters on your bed with you! :)
I really enjoyed reading this post about your favorites. Thank you for sharing a glimpse into your life. :)
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