Oops! Now I Will Play Along

I found a new blog to read, Present Simple, written by Badaunt who lives in Japan (by way of her native New Zealand), where she teaches English. Anyway, because I commented on her "interview post," she is now interviewing me and after I answer her questions, I'm suppose to play along and then interview you, too, at least the first five of you who ask.

And now, without further ado:
THE INTERVIEW QUESTIONS:

1. Who was your favourite teacher at high school, and why?
Mr. Ibea taught advance math courses. He was elegant and handsome and spoke with the trace of a mysterious accent. I adored math--numbers are so obedient and consistent--and he had a wry presentation. He made cryptic comments on my papers when I'd offer a geometric proof with a leap in logic right in the middle. Anyway, I loved math and I loved Mr. Ibea.

2. What do you remember as your finest moment, and why?
My finest moment? This question tripped me up. "Finest moment"--what does that mean? The day I married my husband? Or the day we adopted our twins? I could be cliche' and say that my finest moments were the births of my younger children. (They were born at home--the first after a 43 hour labor--and the second after a 6 hour labor. To participate in the ordinary miracle of pregnancy and childbirth was a privilege to me after years of infertility.)

But, I'm going to have to go with one of my finer college moments. I performed a song about dead butterflies at the school talent show. (Yes, I even wrote it myself.) I wore an orange polyester dress and white vinyl boots I purchased at the local thrift store. I carried a tacky white handbag and in the handbag, I hid a mannequin's hand . . . at the appropriate moment of my dingbat/airhead act, I pulled out the hand, making a lame joke about the hand-bag. If I weren't in such a hurry, I'd scan the picture from my yearbook and show you.

All joking aside, I don't have a defining "shining moment" in my life. Does that mean I am dull? All my moments are pretty ordinary, I think.

3. If you could move anywhere, money no object, where would you go?
I'd love to live on the Oregon coast. I fell in love with the ocean when I went on a long-distance bike ride with my stepmother, brother and sister when I was 14. We rode from Seattle to San Francisco. I don't even want a big fancy place, just a cozy cottage with a view and the sea breeze.

4. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
I'd change my hair. It's curly and I'd like it to be straight, please. And naturally sunny blond.

5. How would your children describe you?
They'd probably say I'm a mean ogre who yells too much. They'd say I hate messes, that I have too many rules, and that I never let them have any fun or take them anywhere. My boys probably couldn't describe my physical appearance if a police detective asked them for a description, but my daughter (bless her heart) would say I'm pretty. (I recommend having a two year old girl around who offers compliments without prompting.)

Hopefully, when my kids grow up, they'll think of me as a fun mom, a good mom, a mom who took them to the video store more often than they deserved and didn't care if they ate in the living room.

Thanks, Badaunt, for the questions.

Now, if you, dear readers, wish for interview questions, comment below and be sure to make you email address available.