In this round of Blogger Insider, I was paired up with Martin from Schism.ca. I had fun answering his "what if" series of questions.
1. If you could name the book from your childhood that had the greatest influence on you, what would it be?
There are a great number of books that probably impacted me while growing up. Most of them are probably in the list I included on the reading chronology page. I'll mention one of them, my favorite, The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley. I found it by accident while I was grousing the shelves of the local library for something to relieve my boredom. When I started reading it, I found that I "couldn't put it down." The heroine was a sympathetic and relatable character, she was both awkward in her own culture and the new culture that she was forced into. And the sword and sorcery stuff didn't hurt either. I told anybody who would lend an ear to try the book, yet they all ignored me and continued plowing through thriller drivel like Christopher Pike. To this day, I still don't understand why nobody else has read this book.
2. If you were to describe your first kiss, what would you say?
My imaginary first kiss would be clumsy, wet, and unsatisfying.
3. If you could accomplish only one thing in the rest of your life, what would it be?
The first thing that popped into my mind was: to get published. Except on second thought, if I never got published, I wouldn't consider it a great loss. Then I thought--I want to be famous. However, that seemed too difficult to tackle, and even if I remained in obscurity for the rest of my life, I really wouldn't care.
I suppose the only thing that I would care to accomplish would be to have no regrets in life. I want to be able to do whatever I put my mind to--to pursue any opportunity that I have even the smallest inclination to take. It would be tragic, if fifty years from now I wall myself up with self-pity, thinking of what I could have done. Fifty years from now, I want to be as aware and in awe of the world as I am presently. Currently I have no regrets, so I might as well be on my way of accomplishing this goal!
4. If you had to eliminate one emotion from your life, which would it be?
Apathy. Not feeling anything is worse than fear, depression, and anger combined. Apathy breeds non-action and stagnation--a dangerous mix in a world that thrives on change.
5. If you had to name the thing that most limits your freedom, what would it be?
Time. If I had enough time, I would have taken all the classes that I had wanted to take, done all the experiments I wanted to do in lab, written down all the ideas that had ever surfaced to consciousness. With more time, I could have planned a road trip, or learned how to throw clay on a wheel, or just simply stopped to smell the roses. There would be a lot of things I could also be doing--if only I had more time.
6. If you had to name the craziest thing you ever did in your youth, what would it be?
I'm not a very implusive person by nature. Many of the things I do (especially the pranks) are thought out beforehand. Maybe the weirdest thing I've done was sometime when I was visiting France. There was an overnight train from Nice to Paris and when I was boarding, I screamed really loudly for no apparent reason.
I have no idea why I did that, and I'm still trying to puzzle it out.
7. If you had to pick the biggest Freudian slip you have ever made, what would it be?
I was squashed in a car full of guys heading back home from a midnight game of mini-golf. The woman on the radio was crooning "horny, horny, horny" over and over. As usual, I was staring out the window thinking about something completely different when I said aloud, "This song is giving me ideas!"
To say the least, everyone in the car cracked up except this one guy who admonished me like a prudish and suppressed great-aunt.
8. If you had to repeat the worst thing you have ever said to your mother, what was it?
I honestly don't remember. Maybe my consciousness is actively suppressing the memory.
9. If you could personally see one natural phenomenon that you've never seen, what would it be?
An erupting volcano.
10. If you could fall asleep every night with your head resting upon anything, other than your pillow, what would it be?
A really fluffy blanket.
11. If you had a bust of yourself sculpted, where would you place it?
First of all, the bust will have to be made of copper and placed outside in an area that has plenty of air pollution. That way, it will turn green and perhaps not look like me anymore. Ideally it should be on a college campus where the students are known to play pranks. At least then I know the bust will be of some use. It's just plain eerie to have a copy of someone's head stare at the same thing every day. Or even sit in an attic gathering dust.
12. If you were going to die in ten minutes and could confess only one thing in order to pass with piece of mind, what could you say?
