Interview Questions

Writing Forward lists journal prompts today, so I'll use them for random writing.

What if you suddenly came into possession of five million dollars cash?
This question doesn't bring up where the money comes from. If it's anywhere even slightly illegal, I would DO THE RIGHT THING no matter what that would be, because even freedom from money worries is not worth the guilt that would destroy me from the inside out. I'm good with guilt. Bad with guilt? It has been trained into me since I was born and it would destroy me.

If it comes from a legal place like winning the lottery? Pay off my house and all my current debts. Buy an alienware laptop. Don't ask me why I drool over them since I'm so not a gamer, but I do. So drooly. Possibly house-hunt to see if we could find a place that fulfills all hubby's and my house-dreams with fewer compromises than we've made for this one. Pay off family bills, buy close houses for those I'd like to live closer and far away houses for those I'd like to live further away. Then, if there's anything left bank, it for later. (We already have pre-paid college funds for both children, if you wonder why that didn't make the list).

What if you could choose a superpower? What would you choose and why? How would you use it? Many of you know I've been ill lately? And that I've caught every cold that's even hinted at coming my way? Well, I'd be selfish here. I'd choose the one like Wolverine has. Not the claws, but the complete inability to get sick. Instant healing when my clumsiness and stubbornness work together to make me drop a sofa on my foot.

Oh, if only this was possible.

I'd pay all five million for that alone -- well if I could get enough for the children too. I'm not that selfish. (Hubby's almost never sick anyway, so he'd probably prefer the claws -- well, actually I know what he'd want. We've discussed before. He'd want to fly. I'm not sure why since he has to psych himself up before we get on an airplane, but I guess it would be different doing the flying himself.)

What if there was world peace? What would the world look like?
A barren wasteland devoid of life.

Is it still considered world peace when animals eat each other? The answer to that lets us know exactly how barren the world would need to be.

Hey, does that answer mean I'm cynical or realistic?

I love Hubby more than anyone (adult) in the world and we still fight at least once a month. The children spent all afternoon yesterday fighting each other over toys. As long as there are people, there won't be peace.

What if you could go back to school and study anything you wanted?
I've been lucky here in that I have. I got my MSLIS (Masters in Library and Information Sciences) not long after Child #2 was born (applying right after we gave up getting pregnant and right before I realized I was -- when back to work time seemed so close.)

I might study more programming. Or engineering.

Hubby hopes to go back for Chemistry when the children are older and I either get a job or get published enough to give us the opportunity to allow some lifestyle changes. Most chemistry classes have hour-three-days-a-week classes with four-hour labs attached and since he's the main provider, already his time with kids is limited to the two hours after work and before bedtime. They need to see him more than that -- or at least that much -- so right now we're in a holding pattern until Little Boy goes to school -- though I'm trying to use the time for writing to possibly further the getting published part of the plan.

What if you had an opportunity to travel to outer space?
Oh, the hardest one yet. I get carsick if the trip is longer than twenty minutes and I'm not driving. I get boatsick if I even step onto a boat. (I vomited all the way to the Bahamas and back and for a whole week later when the land wouldn't stop rolling when we took that short cruise took to have a little husband/wife alone time before Child #2 was born. Oh, the horror.)

Television suggests there is a lot of vomiting going on in space training, so I'm really not sure. Probably the only way I'd be willing to try that form of travel is if we have space stations in use and one of my babies lived out there and needed me. Hubby and I always joked that Baby #1 would be Commander of Mars Station before she got old enough to decide she would either be a baby doctor or work at McDonalds. We're not giving up yet, but it's certainly looking less likely.

What if you could change careers? You get to choose any profession and will be highly successful. What would you choose?
Writing. I'm trying to choose writing, but having trouble with the actually-doing-it part. Do I get a month-long pass for pulmonary embolism, pain, hospital stays, and medicine-caused migraine-approaching headaches?

What if you could talk to animals?
I would probably have to stop eating them.

What if you had a chance to travel anywhere in the world, but you had to visit one location for a whole year? Where would you go and why?
Nowhere without the family. Assuming we could all go.... Nearly anywhere. Not where there's an active war for safety's sake, and since U.S. travel has been easy enough for us already, I'd prefer somewhere we'd need a passport to see, but.... I'd probably start with Great Britain, since it's a weekend trip to so many other countries from there. And the history.... Drooling again.

But really, anywhere.

What if you woke up one day as a world (or local) leader? City mayor? State governor? President? Queen? What would you do for your community?
A day? Could I really do anything useful in a day? Alright assuming the answer can be as fantastical as the idea of accomplishing a government anything in a day, I'd dump all the pork projects. Any government money spent on ridiculous anything would be dumped and put into schools and education. (Really, people, this is the most important thing! Do you think kids would commit crimes if they thought they had any chance for a good future? OK, some would, but not nearly so many.) Senate and Congress members who use their position for their own benefit and don't help their people would be summarily fired. Or executed. Depending on how vicious I'm feeling that day.

What if you wrote a wildly successful best-selling novel? What would it be about?
I don't know. I write genre. Apparently I'm good at dystopian since I've written all of two stories in this genre and both have been accepted for publication on first submission. Really, it could be about anything. Something fun, I'd hope.


If anyone else decides to answer the interview questions, let me know. I'd love to read your thoughts.