Finally--I've had the time to sit down and finish my 30 questions!25. If you could have dinner with anyone in history, who would it be and what would you eat?
Two people, but that's mostly because they worked as a pair: Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton. I wanted to name my daughter Cady Elizabeth, but my husband wouldn't go for it. That's okay--I nixed his Benjamin Franklin for our son. We found happy compromises for both.
In any case, I love the history of the women's suffragette movement and, in fact, it's very close to home since Susan B lived in my hometown and we're the site of the Susan B. Anthony House museum. More recently, however, I've become more aware of how the two women worked together as a team. Although Susan B is the most well-known, she wouldn't have accomplished what she did without Elizabeth as a partner. And Elizabeth was a very impressive person in her own right.
If you're interested in a fun way to learn more about them, by the way, the History Chicks podcast recently did an episode on Elizabeth Cady Stanton that was a great look into her life and talked at some length about her relationship with Susan B. Very cool stuff.
What would I eat? I'd probably cook for them because I'd want to just be able to listen to them chat with each other. But from what I've read, I also expect they'd shove me out of the kitchen and want to pitch in. So maybe we'd have to compromise and do a stew in the slow-cooker or order take-out so we could all just hang out and talk.
26. What popular notion do you think the world has most wrong?
That it's okay to be rude. That being mean is funny. That we're past racism, sexism, whatever-ism, and it's okay to say those things because "I don't really mean it, you know." That people who have a different opinion than us are completely wrong and should be shouted down and called names.
Yes, I freely admit it: I am one of those people who longs for a return to civility.
27. What is your favorite part of your body and why?
My brain. I love how much I love to learn; I love playing with ideas; I love those brief moments when I actually feel smart.
And no, this isn't a cop-out. Sure, I have the same body-image issues most women of a certain age and size have. But I also think we tend to forget that our brain is a body part and worthy of respect and love!
28. What is your love language?
I actually had to look this one up because I wasn't clear what was meant by "love language." I took the quiz on www.5lovelanguages.com and apparently my love language is evenly split between Quality Time, Acts of Service, and Physical Touch (although that last one is really only true for my intimates--my husband and kids. Everyone else, keep your distance!).
29. What do you think people misunderstand most about you?
I think I covered this in an earlier post. People think I'm much more complex than I really am. I'm really pretty WYSIWYG. I'm not permanently ticked off--my face just tends to look that way. I generally like people even though they think I'm being aloof. Yes, I like to keep my thoughts to myself, but that doesn't mean I'm shy or afraid or anything. Just private. Does that cover it?
30. List 10 things you would hope to be remembered for.
- I hope my kids always remember this momism I tried to use through their growing up years: "You can't control what others do; you can only control how you react to it." I try to live by that myself.
- I'd like to be remembered by someone as a person who encouraged them to be more than they thought they were capable of. I hope to be remembered by many someones that way, but one would be good enough.
- I'd like to be remembered for my writing.
- I might like to be remembered for my quilting--but really, only by my family and close friends. I have no dreams of winning big quilt shows or writing quilt books or becoming any sort of quilting celebrity. It's something I love doing for myself and simply hope that it helps my family remember me when I'm gone, like I still have my Mom's quilts surrounding me.
- I'd like to think people will remember having a few good laughs with me.
- I hope to be remembered as a wonderful grandma--although that would take having some grandkids, which is likely a ways off. Or granddogs. Whatever my kids choose to give me.
- I'd love to be remembered for playing some small part in raising awareness about justice issues and maybe changing a few minds along the way.
- I hope to be remembered as a deeply connected person--connected spiritually, connected to my family and friends, connected to life.
- Sure, I'd like to be remembered as a great cook. Why not? That would be fun.
- I absolutely would like to be remembered as a wonderful wife and a great mom. First, foremost, and beyond all the previous 9 items.
Hey--I think that's it! I've finished my 30 questions! What about you?
