1. What is the earliest memory that you have of your life that you know for sure is accurate?
My memory is stunningly awful. Years of asthma as a kid restricted the oxygen to my brain, and well...
Anyway, I clearly remember one day playing in the entry of our home in Livermore CA. I was the eighth castaway on Gilligan's Island. The volcano was erupting and I was leading the rest of the group to safety by climbing the "vines", which were actually 2X2 decorative slats that screened the view of the front door from the street. I was trying to get up on top of the crossbeam, and the nails in the slats gave way, and I fell straight back, cartoon-style, and landed on my back on the concrete walk, slats still in my hand. I didn't go tell my mom right away because I thought I'd get in trouble for breaking the house. I thought Gilligan's Island was dumb after that. I don't know exactly how old I was at the time, but as we only lived in that house for a short while, I was 5 or 6.
2. You have a child. I seemingly lack any maternal or paternal instincts and therefore don’t fully understand this desire in others (though I respect it). Did you always assume that you would have children? Were there different points in your life when you did *not* think that you would have children?
I always wanted kids when I was younger. It was a running joke with me - every time I saw a cute baby while I was out and about, I'd up the total by two. I quit that when I started suggesting I might have 68 or so children.
Later, I met my husband and was introduced very suddenly to his 9 yr old daughter. We met on the internet and he moved here with me and brought her for a visit very shortly afterwards. I was unprepared for that, not having remembered how annoying 9 yr olds are. Based on that experience, and subsequent visits, I decided I in no way wanted kids. Later, after she and I both grew up a little, we got along and I find her to be a pleasant and interesting kid now (she's almost 16). I didn't change my mind on having my own until I had a "scare". When that little pink line didn't show up in the window, I was heartbroken and realized maybe I needed to rethink my position on babies. I'm still considering sending my boy away from age 8 to about, oh, age 30.
Don't let the cuteness fool you.
3. From your vantage point, how would you compare and contrast Phoenix and Tucson? Do you live in Tucson because of a preference or because of another reason (such as job, school, etc)? If another reason, is there somewhere else that you would like to live? If a preference, how did you develop this inclination?
Hmmm. Phoenix is hot, big, soulless and urban. Tucson is less hot, greener, dustier, and run by idiots. (Well, I guess that last one is something the cities share.) I hated Tucson when I came here for school, but grew into it, and when I went back to Phoenix for visits and school breaks, I started to notice how little character showed up in the neighborhoods and areas I knew. I know there are cool areas of Phoenix, and soulless, stucco-and-tile cookie cutter areas of Tucson, but on the whole, Tucson feels like it has personality. I am getting tired of the heat, though, and consider moving away to someplace picturesque with actual seasons, but so far, I have yet to find anyone to pay me to live on a quaint farm in Vermont and knit. I have no intention to ever live in Phoenix again, although the majority of my family lives there.
4. Which television/film/fictional character were you mostly likely to pretend to be when you were a child? Do you think that any of the traits that attracted you to that character as a child are still with you today?
I didn't watch a lot of TV as a little kid, but I do clearly remember watching Star Trek and The Wild Wild West obsessively and having a big crush on MacGuyver. My cousins and I never really pretended to be existing characters (though as a small child, I DID have Wonder Woman Underoos), but just gave ourselves professions based on our shows. Mostly we were spies. We would climb up to the roof, hang off the eave and report on our parents playing bridge. We thought they had no idea we were there. Now I wonder, having drunk all the wine they did while playing bridge, how they managed to keep a straight face as we were thundering around on the roof. In today's society, spying on folks by climbing on their roofs is generally frowned upon, so I don't do that anymore. And they don't make Wonder Woman underoos in my size.
5. Why do you adore and/or worship GayProf?
GayProf is all that is good and clean and hot and sexy in this world. What a silly question! He also looks much better in a red and gold bustier with star spangled undies than I do. Then there's that whole thing about his excellent writing and brilliant presentation of points of view I have not always been exposed to.
