Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Answer Period Part 1

Post 500!

As promised, here are my mediocre answers to your brilliant questions. Now because I tend to be quite long winded, I've decided to split this post up, in order to give your scrolling finger a break.

So grab a cuppa and here we go...

1/ From Domestic Goddess: I guess my question is which post is your favorite? Anything stick out?

Me: This is a tough one, as I do have a few that come to mind.

When I first started blogging, it was about the kids, here there and everywhere, always about the kids. This was a place for their fun stories, a spot to capture all the little milestones that I can still look back on. But the blog became more about ME. As I became more emotionally vested, and I began writing more from the heart, I was able to post more meaningful pieces.

Almost a year ago I wrote about the boy next door. I still think about this post from time to time because it's not one of my typical "look what my kid just said, hardy-har-har" moments. It gave me pause to think about what a huge responsibility it is to be a parent. I haven't seen him much in the last year, so as an update, I still don't know what happened. His parents are still the fine neighbours they've always been, so I'm assuming that things settled down.

I'm glad this question was asked again so I'll link again in the next round. There are some other nuggets that I managed to spit out when I had super blogging mojo. Hopefully more "real" posts will surface again soon.

2/ From Busy Dad: what was your favorite toy growing up?

Me: Okay, this was supposed to be easy, right? Let's see, maybe it was this...



Just kidding, I'm neither that ancient nor that mathematically inclined.

I did love board games and think I owned every Milton Bradley/Hasbro cardboard box ever created in the 1970s. Payday, Masterpiece, Sorry, Monopoly, Clue...

3/ From Mrs. Mogul: Hmm what is arrowroot made of?

Me: Lots of addictive ingredients apparently.

4/ From my old friend Knatolee (well, she's not old, but she's longlost from my teens and I just discovered that she is also a blogger) : if you could live anywhere in the world (with your loved ones, of course), would you still live where you live now?

Me: Probably not. I've been living in the same general area for most of my life. Not to say it's boring, but as I get older, I realize there's so much more of the world to see and experience, and live. It's funny, when we first got married, my husband was the one who had some wanderlust, thinking and dreaming about living in far away lands, and I was always reluctant to pick up and move. Now that we have our own little family unit, if there were opportunities elsewhere, as long as the schooling and healthcare were decent, I'd be a lot more open to it.

4b/And how do I get a following like yours?

Me: A following? Uh, I don't know about that ... I'm flattered. I am most appreciative of the readers that come back here more than once, and there are some great blog friends that I've made in the last couple of years. People that I feel like I know, and have gotten to know that much faster than if we'd met face to face (remember me, right, the quiet one?).

There is so much fantastic reading out there, I could spend days just staring at the screen (and have been guilty of that more than once in a while). Although I started this in 2005, I really kicked it up a notch with NaBloPoMo in late 2007 - early 2008 and visited a lot of blogs, bloghopping, commenting tons, participating in blog carnivals, dipping into the social networking thing. Honestly, it's a lot of work and a time suck to put it eloquently. And the time spent on my posts, editing, picking apart, perfecting... it's insane.

But I love it. No matter how many times I've turned my back on it in the last few years, taken blog holidays, I've always come back. And I am beyond thrilled when I have new readers and develop new blog friendships, which continues to happen even to this day. I used to have "petit-morts" anytime my comments numbered above 20, but nowadays it's not so much about how many comments but what they are, and how I feel after I've completed a well-written post.

5/ From Yo Momma: would you rather be in between an Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt sandwich or a Reese Witherspoon and Jake Gyllenhall (however you spell his last name) sandwich?

Me: Girl, you ARE a perv, and a riot!

I'd definitely prefer to be Reese's peanut butter cup/spooning with Jake. Angelina and Brad are just too pretty for me and they've got too many kids who just seem to swarm around them all the time... even with their individual nannies around.

And have you seen how BUILT Jake is, um, yum... (okay, I'm simmering down now ...).

6/ From Melissa: what is your earliest childhood memory?

Me: A good memory - tinkering away on the piano in the basement, then hopping on my tricycle for a little ride before going upstairs and following my Mom to the ice-cream truck outside.

A not so good memory - bawling my eyes out at 3, getting wrenched from my Grandma's arms and put on the schoolbus to Chinese school for the day, with my flat polyester pillow and lunch box in tow.

6b/ if you could change one thing in your past, what would it be?

Me: It would be to go to university away from home. Ironically, of the schools that accepted me, I chose the one that I could commute to from home, the only school that gave me zero scholarship. My parents didn't want me too far away, and my boyfriend at the time stayed local. It's stupid, what puppy love can do.

I think it would have been a great life experience to actually live on my own, a rite of passage which I really regret not having had. I hope that when my kids get to that stage they won't be afraid to venture further...I may not like it, but I think it's an important part of growing up. Although I think I still turned out okay.

*****

So that's it for Part 1.

I'm still open to more questions (this is great blog fodder, do you think I can keep this up for the year???). Feel free to just let 'em rip.

16 comments:

Kat said...

Good answers!
I didn't get my question in on time, but since there will be a part 2 here it is:

What was the best compliment you ever received?

Tara R. said...

Love your answers. I can't wait for Part II.

imbeingheldhostage said...

THIS is a fun post.. fun way to get to know you more.

When did you change your profile pic? I like it.

Knatolee said...

Well dang, your answer about changing the past is exactly what I would have said (except I did get a scholarship to U of T :))!!! I really wish I had gone somewhere well away from home and puppy love for university.

I enjoyed your answers! Hey, even if you never move again, you've got everything you need at home with your family. But it is fun to live in different places!Mmmm, Timbuktu anyone?

Cid said...

Loved learning more about you. I did go away to university and I've lived in two countries other than my own so now I feel that where I am now is just right. I only hope that my kids go to school and try living somewhere else - soon!

Lynn C Mama to 3 said...

That was really cool!!! Thanks for the insight into you!

designHER Momma said...

I love you're answer to your blog readership. well said. it does take tons of time. it's not overnight is it?

motherbumper said...

Very interesting insight, looking forward to the next batch of questions. So I'm not sure if this has been asked yet but what is your biggest pet peeve?

Cherry said...

What a great post! I love your idea of asking people to ask you questions. Such a good way to commemorate your 500's post.

My mom told me that if I ever went to a 4 year college that no matter how old I was or how close or far away from home that college was, that she wanted me in the dorm. She felt she was changed by her dorm experience and to this day is still very close with her dorm floor sisters.
Alas, I ended up commuting from home for the few years I went to college full-time.

Can't wait for Part Deux

Melissa said...

Wow! 500! That is so amazing. Can't wait to see the second part.

Kamis Khlopchyk said...

Love it! Keep em coming Karen!

Laski said...

Awe man . . . I missed asking!

But, a part II . . . maybe, just maybe you can squeeze another in:

BEST piece of advice you WISHED YOU WOULD HAVE FOLLOWED.

Oh,

And the all popular (can I ask 2?--try 'n stop me!) . .. who would you want to play you in the movie version of your life? Why?

My favorite toy (not that you asked), the Lite Brite. Loved that thing.

Momisodes said...

I love reading these reader Q & A's. I do remember you being one of my initial bloggy friends When I first began blogging. I think I met you via NaBloPoMo :)

I have the same answer regarding college. I did the same with for my college years. I always wonder what my life would be like had I attended NYU.

Unknown said...

LOVE this post! :) LOVE your answers!

You had me for a second with the abacus! LOL!

I just realized today that I had written my 888th post and didn't even know it. Oh, well. Maybe on the 900th I'll have to acknowledge it.

Keep on bloggin' like you do, sista! LOVE your blog!

OHmommy said...

gosh... you are SO good. i asked questions last week and still have not answered them...

i love your answers.

What attributes to do you love most about each child?

LadyHAHA said...

i'm totally behind but yay! you answered my question! i personally couldn't choose. .I would want a double decker sandwich.

see. perv.

i lurve your question answer posts! get a little peek at what you're about pleases the voyeur in me.

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