It's So Easy

Before I do anything else, I have to say that I am truly impressed. When I said, "ask me a question," I was hoping to get a dozen or so questions I could use to do one post - maybe enough for two posts if I was lucky. You all came up with over a hundred questions!

They were so many amazing, creative, interesting questions, I couldn't imagine how to pick a winner. So I didn't. I called up my dear friend Hallie and asked her to do it. I've judged contests for her before, so it seemed only fair to let her pick. I sent her a document with all the questions, and as I emailed it, I thought to myself, 'gosh, I hope she picks something that I know the answer to...'

No such luck. She happened to pick three questions (so we have first, second and third place winners) and all three of these questions made me have to think. A LOT. ON A WEEKEND.

So congratulations to our winners. If you send me your address (or the address of your designated recipient) I will send out your prizes (5 cards for 1st, 3 for 2nd and 2 for 3rd).

In third place, Staci from Bliss, who asked:
If you had an "Indian"* name, what would it be, and why would you want to have that particular name? (*such as Running Bear, etc.)

I've been thinking about this all weekend. I thought about and discarded some (Naps with Cats, Running Bar Tab, Chasing Pavements, Dances in Underpants) and finally settled on Laughs with Abandon. Maybe even CHIEF Laughs with Abandon. Why? Because this is exactly what I want to do - perhaps what I need to do - to survive this life with my sanity intact.

In second place, Evansmom (she doesn't have a blog, yet...), who asked:
Maria Shriver talks about having commas after her name (i.e. Maria Shriver, Kennedy relative, wife of Arnold, First Lady of California, Author, etc.) What are the commas after your name AND what commas do you want to add in the next 10 years?
Gee, way to make me take stock of my life. After I crawled out of the deep depression this question put me into, I came up with this: My current commas might be something like this: Mother, Friend, Adoptee, Writer, PR Specialist, Cat and Dog Enthusiast, Water Lover and Girl Who Once Rode The Train With Chris Noth. I'm sure I could come up with more, but they would likely be even more pathetic, and who needs that? In the next ten years, I would like to add: World Traveler, Published Author, Reunited with Birth Family, Grandmother, Boat Owner and Girl Who Once Rode the Train with Pierce Brosnan.

And, in First Place, c3 (who doesn't have a blog - at least not as far as I know), who asked:
If you could duplicate in yourself the talent of just one artist, who would it be?
What a great question, but how difficult to answer! I have so much appreciation for talent in many forms. I had a list going on the kitchen table, and it included an eclectic mix of artists I admire: Michelangelo, Beethoven, Freddy Mercury, Henri Matisse, Jackson Pollack, Vivaldi, Norah Jones and Janis Joplin, among others. And I was restricting my list to artists in the painting/sculpture and music areas only. If I had even thought about adding actors and authors to the list? Instant overload!

I thought about it for a long time, and I came up with my choice. I would like to duplicate in myself the talent of Georgia O'Keeffe. O'Keeffe's paintings are beautiful and sometimes haunting, and I'm particularly drawn to her flowers. If I could produce anything even close to that, I'd be thrilled. I can draw stick figures that you might be able to recognize as such. I can kick ass at Pictionary - if I can pick my partners, that is (it's all in how well you know each other.) The ability to draw? Nope. None at all.

The fact that I wish I had some artistic talent is not the only reason I picked O'Keeffe. She is not only my favorite painter, she's someone I have long admired. She was a strong woman who succeeded where many women failed and didn't care what anyone thought about her. She lived a long life and continued to practice her artistry even as she became blind. I'd like a little of that attitude, along with the talent!

There you have it. I will be answering most of the rest of the questions in posts this week, so stay tuned. I promise to be honest, even if it hurts.