20 Questions

[David In Indy]

Wow! These look hard! Lots of thought involved. I put this off because I haven't been feeling well these past few days (I was afraid I had the swine flu, but I think it was probably just a cold). Anyway, time to dive in!


1. What was the happiest period of your life and why?

Probably when my parents bought the motorhome. It was a 1977 Pace Arrow and it was brand new! We took lots of fun trips in it all across the country, including a few up to Canada!

2. What was the saddest time?

When Mom died. That was over six years ago and I'm still struggling with it.

3. Who is your best friend?

Me. I know that sounds cliche. Having said that, probably Cory, my ex lover and current room mate. He's taking care of my house while I take care of my Dad.

4. What’s something about you that not many people know?

So we are expected to announce it here? Is that it? lol Okay. I have a vampire fetish. Also, I often eat mayonnaise plain. I just stick a spoon in there and grab a scoop. I don't double dip though!

5. When you were a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

A veterinarian.

6. What simple pleasure gives you the most joy?

Playing music. Or cuddling with my dog and cat.

7. If you could go back in time and change anything, what would it be?

Told people I loved them a lot more.

8. How do you relax?

Music.

9. Describe your perfect day.

Just as long as nothing terrible happens, it is a perfect day imo...

10. Who is your celebrity crush?

Currently it is Paul Wesley. God, he is CUTE! Next would be Ian Somerhalder, and Steven R. McQueen (all from the Vampire Diaries series currently on the CW)

11. What part of your body gives you the most trouble?

My back. I have really bad back problems sometimes.

12. What’s one thing you want to do before you die?

Take a long, extended and immersive trip around the world.

13. Describe the best meal you’ve ever had.

Fried chicken, mashed potatoes and warm apple pie with a scoop of ice cream.

14. What six things are essential to your health?

Healthy meals, plenty of sleep, plenty of exercise, love, laughter and friends.

15. Are you healthy?

Yes, for the most part.

16. What is it that you can’t live without?

My animals. I miss them TERRIBLY when they are not with me.

17. What is it that you don’t understand?

Life.

18. What do you fantasize about?

A date with Paul Wesley and then soon after he falls deeply in love with me!

19. What is it about you that your friends do not understand?

How I always seem to be in a good mood. I'm not ALWAYS in a good mood. I've just learned how to fake it sometimes! People tell me I'm very happy go lucky. I suppose that is a compliment! lol

20. What’s your 5-Year Plan for the future?

I really don't have one. Nothing set in stone anyhow. It always seems to change.


Those were difficult Kerry! Thanks for posting! Sorry it took me so long.
 

[Shasta542]

5. When you were a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

A veterinarian.

Me too, David. 

[David In Indy]

5. When you were a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

A veterinarian.

Me too, David. 

That dream died when Mom informed me that sometimes veterinarians sometimes had to put the animals to sleep. That idea really disturbed me as a child.

I also remember dreaming of being an airlines pilot. And also a teacher Shasta. Mom bought 6 antique school desks and a black board and they were down in our playroom in the basement. I remember playing "school" with my friends and I always had the most fun when I was the teacher! lol

I wish I still had those desks. They were beautiful. They had a little hole up in the left hand corner for the ink jars! They were VERY old!

[Shasta542]

That dream died when Mom informed me that sometimes veterinarians sometimes had to put the animals to sleep. That idea really disturbed me as a child.

OMG---we had parallel childhoods. LOL. I don't remember how I found that out--just that I changed my mind when I did find out. Around 4th or 5th grade it seems like.

[Kerry]

That dream died when Mom informed me that sometimes veterinarians sometimes had to put the animals to sleep. That idea really disturbed me as a child.

I also remember dreaming of being an airlines pilot. And also a teacher Shasta. Mom bought 6 antique school desks and a black board and they were down in our playroom in the basement. I remember playing "school" with my friends and I always had the most fun when I was the teacher! lol

I wish I still had those desks. They were beautiful. They had a little hole up in the left hand corner for the ink jars! They were VERY old!

I remember those type desks, David. There were desks like that at my (what we call in Australia) primary school (ages 8-11 approx.). One year, I remember I was the Ink Monitor. I think it was when I was in 5th class, when I was 10. It was a great honour to be Ink Monitor. The ink came in powdered form. I remember it was in brown paper packets. As Ink Monitor, I used to mix the dark blue ink powder with water and then fill all the ink wells in the classroom. Gee, you've brought back lots of memories there, David. Things I thought I'd forgotten. And now that I'm thinking about it again, it's all so surprisingly vivid. I can even remember the smell of the ink. I liked that smell. 

[David In Indy]

I remember those type desks, David. There were desks like that at my (what we call in Australia) primary school (ages 8-11 approx.). One year, I remember I was the Ink Monitor. I think it was when I was in 5th class, when I was 10. It was a great honour to be Ink Monitor. The ink came in powdered form. I remember it was in brown paper packets. As Ink Monitor, I used to mix the dark blue ink powder with water and then fill all the ink wells in the classroom. Gee, you've brought back lots of memories there, David. Things I thought I'd forgotten. And now that I'm thinking about it again, it's all so surprisingly vivid. I can even remember the smell of the ink. I liked that smell. 

What a fun memory Kerry! Thanks for telling us about it.

I wish I still had those desks. I think we just left them at the house when we moved from Radnor Road to the new house in Avalon Hills (the house Dad lives in now). Those desks were beautiful. I have no idea where Mom found them. You could see carvings in the desks where the students carved their names into the wood. I'm sure those carvings were very old.

The desks we had at my school didn't have the ink wells. They were just plain desks. The top part of the desk lifted up so you could store your books and papers inside. I remember the desks Mom bought didn't have the lift up lids. They had slots in the front of them instead.

Mom was very good at finding unusual things like those desks. She found a beautiful table, at some thrift store I think. She brought it home and fixed it up and painted it. We still have it. It sits downstairs in the foyer. I don't like the color she used though. It is olive green. Yuck. Someday I'd like to repaint it. Other than the color though, it looks very nice. She did a good job with it. I'll take a picture of it some day soon and post it here - I need to find my camera though. I've misplaced the darned thing! lol

[delalluvia]

What a fun memory Kerry! Thanks for telling us about it.

I wish I still had those desks. I think we just left them at the house when we moved from Radnor Road to the new house in Avalon Hills (the house Dad lives in now). Those desks were beautiful. I have no idea where Mom found them. You could see carvings in the desks where the students carved their names into the wood. I'm sure those carvings were very old.

The desks we had at my school didn't have the ink wells. They were just plain desks. The top part of the desk lifted up so you could store your books and papers inside. I remember the desks Mom bought didn't have the lift up lids. They had slots in the front of them instead.

Mom was very good at finding unusual things like those desks. She found a beautiful table, at some thrift store I think. She brought it home and fixed it up and painted it. We still have it. It sits downstairs in the foyer. I don't like the color she used though. It is olive green. Yuck. Someday I'd like to repaint it. Other than the color though, it looks very nice. She did a good job with it. I'll take a picture of it some day soon and post it here - I need to find my camera though. I've misplaced the darned thing! lol

Funny how time changes things.  One man's treasure is another man's junk.  We didn't have ink wells in our desks when we went to school, but we still had many wooden ones.  Yes, kids carved names, wrote on and marked the wooden surface, etc.  And it was considered embarassing and indicative of our school being too poor to erase the graffitti and/or replace the desk-tops.  How everyone longed to get one of the new desks that were plastic with clean desktops that could't be damaged.

[southendmd]

I love those old desks, too!  I have a tiny one, possibly for kindergarten.  Instead of a hold for the inkwell, it has a little ledge for pencils/crayons.  Beautiful scroll ironwork on the sides, solid maple top and fold-down seat in front. 

I use it to hold my rather modern television--it's the perfect size, and the little seat in front holds the dvd player.

[Kerry]

I love those old desks, too!  I have a tiny one, possibly for kindergarten.  Instead of a hold for the inkwell, it has a little ledge for pencils/crayons.  Beautiful scroll ironwork on the sides, solid maple top and fold-down seat in front. 

I use it to hold my rather modern television--it's the perfect size, and the little seat in front holds the dvd player.

OMG!  That is exactly what my old school desk looked like!  Right down to the ironwork on the sides. The top lifted up and that's where books were kept. The hole on the right is where the inkwell was and there was a ridge or two running across the top, alongside the inkwell, for pens and pencils. The only difference between the desk shown and my old school desk is that the hinges to lift the lid were located just below the inkwell and pen rack, so they didn't lift when the lid was lifted. Otherwise, the ink would have gone straight down the neck of the kid in front when the lid was lifted!     

We had exercise books to write in, not slates. I'm old, but not that  old! Haha!      

[Ellemeno]

I remember those type desks, David. There were desks like that at my (what we call in Australia) primary school (ages 8-11 approx.). One year, I remember I was the Ink Monitor. I think it was when I was in 5th class, when I was 10. It was a great honour to be Ink Monitor. The ink came in powdered form. I remember it was in brown paper packets. As Ink Monitor, I used to mix the dark blue ink powder with water and then fill all the ink wells in the classroom. Gee, you've brought back lots of memories there, David. Things I thought I'd forgotten. And now that I'm thinking about it again, it's all so surprisingly vivid. I can even remember the smell of the ink. I liked that smell. 

Kerry, I love that teacher who chose you as ink monitor.  That sure is a great honour - the care and focus you must have shown as a ten year old, to be trusted with mixing ink!  Thank you for telling us that story.