230 posts tagged “qotd”
Who did you meet this year who had a big impact on your life? Did you reconnect with any old friends? Who was there for you through it all?
It's not a single person, but joining the Fort Collins Ladies Club probably had the biggest impact on my life in 2009, as far as new people go. It's a great group of women of all ages, backgrounds, and interests, and I'm amazed at how quickly we feel at ease with each other. And despite the large membership, there isn't a sense of cliquishness about it. There is always something fun on the calendar, and members just go to whatever strikes their fancy and fits with their schedules and budgets, so we're constantly making new friends.
I did reconnect with some old friends as well. Say what you want about Facebook, but I think it's great. Every now and then I wonder what has happened to somebody I haven't seen or talked to in forever, and most of the time I can find them there. And now that I have a Facebook-friendly phone, I see myself actually staying connected to more of my friends.
Pax, of course, has been there for me all through the year, which was a real rollercoaster ride. And 2010 is promising to be just as hectic and nervewracking. My BFF Shelly has also been there for me whenever the Fates seemed to be conspiring against me. Yay for text-messaging!
What was the worst thing that happened to you in 2009? The best?
The worst thing that happened to me in 2009 was that I had such a tough time finding a new job here in Fort Collins. I have enjoyed the freedom of unemployment/self-employment, though, despite the resultant financial stress. I must confess to some apprehension regarding my new job, which starts in two weeks, but I think it will be a nice change to have a job that is just a job, not a career or a life. And I can continue to work on my business to satisfy my need for a creative outlet.
The best thing for me in 2009 was the move to Colorado. I do miss certain things and people from my time in New Mexico. Lots of them, actually. Too many to list here. But my life in Colorado is already a big improvement in many ways, and I see it only getting better in 2010.
What's the first exhibit you visit at the zoo?
I head for the big cats.
What's the longest you've ever waited in line?
I think that would have to be the line to get into the Obama rally in Española in September 2008.
And I forgot to wear sunscreen. That sunburn literally scarred me for life.
What was your favorite class in high school? (And no, lunch doesn't count.)
French. Super-easy but also interesting, and the class size was always so small that we were able to have a lot of fun with it.
Do you plan to be buried, cremated, cryogenically frozen or something else?
Submitted by aynge.
I want to be turned into diamonds. So cremated, at least. I most decidedly do not want to be embalmed and buried. That has to be one of the most freakishly horrid traditions our society has ever come up with.
Who have you lost touch with that you'd love to talk to again?
Lots of people, actually. But if I had to pick one...Vanessa Breig. We were at Drury together and even shared an apartment for a little while. Last I saw her, she was planning her wedding and had asked me to be a bridesmaid. And then she just completely dropped out of my life, no warning, no explanation, no nothing. I heard through the grapevine that things weren't going well for her, and the marriage didn't work out. I actually worked with her ex-husband at OTC, and I asked (very carefully) if he could put me in touch with her, but he had no idea where she was or what she was doing. So Nessa, if you read this, drop me a line. I hope you are having a good life.
Do you believe in ghosts?
Not actively, but I try to keep an open mind. I've never experienced any kind of ghostly phenomenon myself, and I've heard plenty of ghost stories that are obviously bullshit, but I have also heard accounts of ghostly encounters from people I consider honest, respectable, and intelligent. Maybe they are simply not thinking it through completely before deciding they've met up with ghosts. Or perhaps today's science does not yet know everything about how our world works. What would people hundreds of years ago have made of today's technology? Even something as simple as a radio would appear magical to them. And some of what we have now would have been the stuff of science fiction only decades ago.
So, I don't claim to know what a "ghost" actually is, and I don't have sufficient scientific training to even speculate intelligently. But perhaps someday, some quantum physicist will unravel the mystery and bring it into the realm of science. Until then, I am content to consider them excellent fictional devices.
Who is your oldest friend?
Of people I am still in contact with, I guess it would be my friends from CSC retreat. I probably started attending that shortly after birth. I'd be hard pressed, though, to say which one I met first. Liz, maybe, or David.
What vacations would you most like to take in the next five years?
Presented by Intel, Sponsors of Tomorrow.
Just off the top of my head:
1. Venice, Italy.
2. A Mediterranean cruise.
3. A Pontius family reunion in Germany.
4. A Pontius family reunion in Winnipeg.
5. Las Vegas, Nevada. (We have this planned for August.)
6. A BookCrossing UnConvention. (Planned for October.)
7. A BookCrossing Convention.
8. A WorldCon.
9. Another Bubonicon. (Planned for August.)
10. Anouther Bouchercon.
11. Another Malice Domestic.
12. Sweden.
13. Australia and New Zealand.
14. An SAI convention.
15. Another Mensa Annual Gathering.
