A Jar of Balloons Survey, Volume 2

Survey from James Ensor

1. When was the last time you wrote a hand-written letter that was not a greeting card?
Hmmm. That’s a tough one. It was years ago, probably. I hand-write things all the time, but not generally letters.

2. What is your method for dealing with coins? Spend as you go? Hoard? Roll?
I tend to hoard them in jars and boxes and then trade them in at the bank. Or, I stick them in the boys’ piggy banks. If I remember, I grab some and put it in my purse so I can get a snack from the machine at work.

3. What celebrities do people insist that you look just like? Is the resemblance such that when you hear "You know who you look just like?" and see the person’s finger begin to wag you can supply the name or names yourself? Do you supply the name or names yourself or give the person the pleasure of recognition?
I’ve been told that when I wear my contacts and put my hair up in a bun that I look like Audrey Hepburn in “My Fair Lady.” My mom and several others have said it to me.

4. What is the most money you’ve ever found on a sidewalk or a street?
I found a $10 once on a park path. There was nobody around to ask if they dropped it, so I got to keep it without guilt.

5. In which stores have you imagined having shopping sprees?
Target and Sears and Home Depot. Target because I could get a lot of things I need and want. Sears and Home Depot because they have appliances that I want.

6. What’s your theory on why the martini glass is shaped the way it is?
To allow the liquor to breath off its fumes.

7. What is the oldest object (man-made) you’ve ever held? Biggest vehicle you’ve ever driven?
The oldest man-made object I’ve held is probably an arrow-head. But, I’ve held lots of old things because I’ve taken several history and anthropology courses. The biggest vehicle I’ve ever driven is a mini-van.

8. Which of the earth’s creatures would you least like to see granted a set of wings? An alligator? A shark? A snake? The turtle?
Hmmmm. This is a tough one. I’d say pigs so that I could actually point out that pigs do INDEED fly when somebody says “when pigs fly.” But that’s just me. Really though, I think I’d want the wings. I’m one of earth’s creatures and I’m selfish so give them to me.

9. Did you go through phases (tye-dyed tee shirts and reggae music, then goth, then jock, say), or have you been mostly the same over the course of your life?
I’ve kind of always been me. I go through points where I do weird things like dying a lock of my hair bright blue (last year). But, that’s still just part of me.  I’m a big nerd who follows her own path.

10. What was your best Halloween costume?
Oooh! Tough choice! In 8th grade I won an award for a gypsie costume. I was very well put together. But, I don’t know if that was my BEST costume. Hmm. I think I’d have to go with one of my clown costumes. That year my make-up was awesome and I did balloon animals for everybody in the office.

11. When you imagine your own funeral, does the thought of certain acquaintances in the same room worry you?
Nope. Not at all.

12. Have you ever picked up a hitchhiker? Have you ever been a hitchhiker?
No and No. Though I’ve thought about offering this guy I drive past everyday on the way home a ride to his Metrolink station. Usually, this thought occurs to me when it’s raining or freezing. But, I never do because I’ve always been told to NEVER offer rides to strangers.

13. Can you recall the first time you saw snow, or was it something you were born into, a blurry awareness that snow was a feature of this world you lived in? If you didn’t grow up with snow, did you first feel it or see it out a window?
I was born into snow being a part of my world. When I was little I LOVED snow. I couldn’t wait to get out and play in it. The cold didn’t bother me. I’d build forts, snowmen, and make snow angels all day long. Somewhere around the age of 14 though, I realized that I HATED the cold and snow.

14. How many telephone numbers have you had in your lifetime? How many addresses?
I’ve had 6 telephone numbers (4 land lines and 2 cell). I’ve had 10 addresses. All10 of them within a 3 town radius. 3 of them were actually ON THE SAME STREET!

15. How old is the oldest piece of clothing that’s still in your rotation?
Oh, geeze, this is embarrassing. But, it never leaves the house, so who cares. When I’m home and cold, I still throw on a sweat shirt I got as a Freshman in highschool a whole 18 years ago. It’s comfy and worn in.

16. When did you cease calling your mother "Mommy"?
I don’t know; probably around the time when I went to first grade. But, when I think of talking to her or anything, she’s “mommy” in my head.

17. In grade school, did you raise your hand a lot? Did it snap up almost against your control, or did you look around first and then raise it slowly, like a periscope peeking out of water?
I raised my hand a lot. If I was confident, it went straight up like a shot. But, sometimes it would go up slowly.

18. What is the costliest item you’ve ever purposely smashed?
I don’t ever purposely smash anything. I’ve wanted too though. Right now at work, there are several pieces of “incoming product” that I would like to take out with a baseball bat. The pieces would retail at about $75.

19. Have you ever received a loud ovation in a public place after dropping something?
Yup. When I worked at Hardee’s I managed to drop a large pot of hot coffee in the dining room. The pot shattered (thankfully nobody was hurt) and coffee splashed all over me and the floor. I managed to miss all but the shoes of the patrons though. I’m talented like that. Most of the people in the restaurant were regulars and they all laughed and applauded me.

20. How many of Shakespeare’s 37 plays can you name?
A fair few of them, actually. But now that I have to REALLY think of it, maybe 10.

21. Do you sing karaoke, and if so, what’s your go-to song?
I’ve never been to karaoke, but I’d love too!

22. What is the fastest you’ve ever traveled in a car?
Over 100 mph. Nathan was driving us home from a video game marathon in Indiana. He went very fast and I closed my eyes.

23. What was the first thing you ever wanted to be when you grew up?
An astronaut. I was very interested in the stars and galaxy. I did very well in the astronomy unit in grade school. And then I started to fail miserably at math, and realized I would probably never be an astronaut.

24. Can you recall a place that’s prompted you to say, "This is, without doubt, the prettiest place I’ve ever been"?
Yes. There are two places that have prompted me to say that.

The first is at the top of the Tower in Host Springs, Arkansas. I love it up there in the tower. It’s so windy, but on a clear day, you can see for miles. The pine tree forest goes on for what seems like eternity. It’s so humid in the forest that there is always a mist rising from the treetops. It looks like tree spirits rising.

The other place was Johnson Shut-ins state park in Missouri before the Taumsauk reservoir failed and flooded it. I hear it’s back to the way it was though. Nathan took me there once right after we were married. There was a path to walk down that was crowded by trees. But, then suddenly the path opened up to the shut-ins in the valley and it literally took my breath away. The water flowed quickly over the rocks to stir lazily in shallow and deep pools. The water was so clear in the shallows, you could see the pebbles at the bottom about 4 feet down. And the deeps were so deep that the pools were black. It was truly an amazing sight.
 

25. Is there anything you can’t do that most people can (swim, ride a bicycle, drive, snap your fingers, whistle, wink)?
I don’t wink very well. Usually both of my eyes close when I try to do it. If I concentrate, I can close just one. But usually, I end up closing both and then opening just one in the wink position. I also can’t roll my tongue or raise one eyebrow.