Duck…Duck…Well, That Figures

Kelly tagged me for this meme, and she could not have done so at a more opportune time, because I’ve not read much lately, and so there are no posts in the pipeline. Let me tell you, though: Kelly put on her hard-hitting journalist hat when she came up with these questions. Being It has never made me work harder.

1. If you could describe your life in a color, what would it be and why?

Oh, no. I could never choose just one. Have you ever seen the crayons that come into being by melting and mixing a handful of single colors together? That’s my life. Every day and every experience blends its own shade into the mix.

2. Do you have any pets? If so, what are they, their name/s and why do they fit your personality?

I have an American Eskimo (dog), and this is what you need to know about him: If not for the fact that I raised him to be a well-mannered, respectful little man, he might have become quite the player. He is that beautiful. And charming. (He’s also lately become a snuggler, which makes me exceedingly happy, because there is nothing that compares to having him burrow close, his snout snug under my ear, his breath warm puffs of air against my throat. It might be the closest I ever come to knowing true, bone-deep contentment.) How does he fit my personality? Initially, he’s shy. The will is in him to meet new people, and so when met with a strange face he’ll rush in, but he always, without fail, stops at a distance to measure the stranger, determining, I suppose, if it’s wise to approach. When he’s comfortable with the company he keeps, he becomes this vibrant little thing, pulling expressions that range from comical to make-you-melt sweetness.

3. Where did you fit in in high school…jock, band geek, popular crowd…etc?

I didn’t fit in in high school and, honestly, I applied little effort to doing so. That’s not to say I didn’t participate in school activities; I was a member of every singing group I could join, active in theater, and wrote for the school newspaper. But when I was not singing or writing, I was just as happy to sit in a corner of the auditorium, reading. Thinking.

I wasn’t interested in the same things as the majority of my peers; with precious little common ground to stand on, I didn’t have many friends. Add to that the fact that, at that age, I encountered very few individuals who were willing to wait out my introverted nature, and…Well, keeping myself entertained has never been an issue (or a chore).

4. How do you react in an emergency…fight or flight, go get help, the calm one???

My reaction would vary depending on the emergency. That’s a lame answer, I know, but true nonetheless.

5. If they were making a movie of your life, who would you chose to play you… why?

This is an impossible question. (Kelly, why couldn’t you have asked ‘If they were to make a movie of your life, who would you want cast as your love interest’? That I could answer. Without hesitation (though perhaps with an increased heart rate). And if Chris Evans wasn’t available, well, the movie would just have to be put on hold until such time that he was. Obviously.) And… okay, I’m stalling. Um. Rachel Weisz, maybe. Physically, we have nothing in common, but  no one says “I am a librarian” like she does, and that might come in handy. However, if I was going to suggest someone that may reflect my inner self, the one that comes out when I’m with those who stuck around until I had shed my shell, I might suggest Karen Gillan. She’s fun, yeah? And, I don’t know, perhaps it’s that gorgeous red hair of hers that leads me to believe this, but she strikes me as a whimsical, constantly dreaming woman; one who can more than hold her own with any and all comers.

6. Why is your best friend your best friend, what makes them so special?

Let me explain. No, there is too much. Let me sum up – with a story.

Years ago, when Borders was a looming two-story haven just down the road, my best friend and I betrayed a habitual side of our natures, meeting there every Monday night around seven o’clock. We would find an open table in a corner – please let it be in the corner; please let it be in the corner…Thank you, table gods! – and settle in for several hours. We’d discuss our day – or week, if we hadn’t caught a moment to talk since the week before. We’d vent, swoon over the latest fictional boy to win our favor, and make imaginary plans to do this thing or to go there. Yeah, we’d do all that, but usually? We’d end up watching the previous season of Supernatural’s gag reel, huddled around my laptop. We’d get caught in a loop of gasping laughter; the kind that provokes smiles in the individuals around you, who then look at you with this dazed expression as if to say ‘Why am I smiling again?’

Then there was that time she smacked me in the face to discourage a bee from landing on my cheek. Only a true friend would do that. Right? Er…

Basically? We’re birds of a feather.

7. If money was no object, and you were going to buy yourself something completely frivolous, what would it be, and why?

Here’s the thing about that: I wouldn’t be able to make up my mind. I’d likely look at all of the beautiful things I’ve added to my favorite list on Etsy, chew my lip, toggle between several different items – for a minimum of twenty, thirty times – and then close the site having made not a single purchase. And that, even, is thinking small. So, I don’t know. Maybe I’d track down some mad scientist, ask him or her to concoct something that could ensure my loved one’s health and happiness (and by loved ones I am absolutely including my dog). Oh, but you probably meant something reasonable? Despite money being no object. And, come to think of it, wanting my loved ones well is not exactly frivolous. Cliched, maybe, but not frivolous. So…

Okay. I’d set myself up with the means to get to and attend The Avengers premiere. Wherever that may be. And if I met a certain someone…I’d tell him that, when the time comes and they make a movie of my life, there had best be a gap in his schedule.

7. Three words that describe your personality?

Um. Pass? Honestly. This is another impossible one. My personality has a thousand shades; which one – or three – is most obvious depends on who I’m with and where I am.

8. Who was your favorite teacher and how did they influence you?

Finally! An easy one! My answer: A poetry professor who made me repeat a single stanza of a poem I wrote eleven times. And that’s not an exaggeration. I’d read the stanza aloud, and he’d say ‘Again.’ I heard that word ten times. My eleventh recitation was a revelation: I finally heard the fault in my wording; how the placement of the breaks in my lines were working against my intent. When it registered, my eyes went wide. He could have pointed out the problem, but knew that, unless I really heard it, I wouldn’t be able to fix it.

But this man wasn’t just one of my professors; he was a mentor. He was determined to wring the best out of me; he made me bleed words and articulated metaphors, challenging me to create poetry that illuminated my thoughts in a way I was almost uncomfortable with. My senior year, he asked me to represent the college at a poetry summit. I’d be expected to read five of my poems in front of an auditorium full of my peers and professionals; the very thought of it made my breath stutter in my lungs. But I did it. Because he had faith in me, and who was I to make him think it might be unfounded?

9. What do you consider true strength?

Oh, for the love of–Do you have a few hours? If you do, I will pull out my soapbox, and I will preach about…Oh, I’m sorry. You’re busy. I’ll just kick this box back under the table.

10. What is your favorite game? (video, board, card…any kind)

Clue! If you ever need a Professor Plum, I’m your girl.

11.What season do you love the most, why?

Fall in New England can’t be beat. I mean, the apple cider donuts alone. Not to mention the county fairs; pumpkin picking and hay rides; the crisp, cooling air that makes me cheerfully haul out every sweater I own. Walking my dog, russet red leaves crackling under my feet, that certain scent in the air. But I also have a soft spot for the other in-between season: spring.

So there you have it. Kelly, I hope I did your questions justice. If you would like to play along, consider yourself tagged.