Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Survey time again!

Well, I know I have not been posting regularly and I already feel guilty enough about that, but the thing is, it's cold. I've been in self-imposed exile for the last week going out only when absolutely necssary (which mostly means school runs). Of course, I should have updated by now seeing as I've been home for, like, literally 168 hours now. But my lighting fixtures needed dusting. And there were so many magazines to clear out. And it's hard to feel inpired sometimes. So, time for another survey! I guess they're like my version of witing prompts. This one comes to us from the December issue of Chatelaine , a Canadian general interest mag for women. Jessalyn Gilsig was the original interviwee - she plays crazy Terry on Glee, but has also had stints on other beloved, cancelled-too-soon shows like Boston Public and Heroes. Let's begin!

What is the last great book you read?
Great? That's intimidating. I haven't read anything by Nabokov or Dickens lately, but the last pretty decent book I read was Lullabies for Little Criminals by Heather O-Neill, a Montrealer. I had mixed feelings about it. I loved the references to Montreal, having spent 6 weeks there on a university exchange program (where I barely learned any French but had a really, really good time). Many of the streets her 12-year-old heroine roams I, too, roamed, only I was 20 and not aware that they were skizzy, only that they had good bars and cheap food. It took me forever to get into the book, but I did think about it a lot after I was finished. She captures the voice of a jaded tween who deserves better pretty well. Mostly, it made me sad and impatient with my children's whining - like seriously, kids! Dad and I don't do heroine and you don't have to prostitute yourselves for a new pair of socks. Ungrateful, much?!

What's on your bedside table?
Alarm clock, lamp, basket with handcream, ear plugs and a sleep mask (I am a light sleeper, ok?), and about 10 books that constitute my "To Read" pile. They're all fiction or memoir. I have to read for awhile before I go to bed, but it has to be fiction or memoir. Non-fiction, science or psych books stimulate me too much.

What part of theworld is next on your list?
I really want to go to Spain. Beautiful people, architecture, food and sea. Having hauled my kids through most of Canada, Arizona, and Greece, I'd kind of like to take them on a strictly kiddie adventure to Disneyland, too. Even though I vowed I wouldn't be that mom, now I just think they'd have fun. One of my other resolutions is to try not to politicise every single thing they enjoy.

What is your guiltiest pleasure?
Um, probably self-imposed exile when the temperatures go below -25. It's the one benefit of not having a job.

What is your favourite comfort food?
Any pasta. Carbs are a necessity in this cold, barren land. And chocolate. I think I may actually try to find a recipe for chocolate pasta - can you imagine?!

Who has been the most influential figure for you?
Isn't everyone's mother the most influential person on them? I mean, good, bad, present, absent, aren't we all shaped most by our mothers' unconditional love and acceptance or lack thereof? You'd think I'd take my job of raising young children more seriously!

Who do you consider a misunderstood historical figure?
With Christmas around the corner, I'm going to say the big JC himself. I'd be really curious to hear his thoughts on how his philosophizing has shaped the Western world, and through colonization, the entire world. My second choice would be his mom Mary. I'd be curious to know how she dealt with the knowledge that her son was going to have to die this horrific death and whether she's comfortable with her image as the ideal, docile mother-figure. It would be interesting to hear her own voice and see if maybe there's an edge there after all.

Which words do you most overuse?
My two followers can likely answer this, but it's "Whatever" followed by an eye roll and sigh. It's the penultimate coversation-stoppr because it has no retort. I'm trying to expand my vocab since the middle child is now using it far too much. With me.

Who or what makes you laugh the hardest?
Husband's sarcasm, BOF's clownishness, my girlfriends, people falling down (as long as they aren't really hurt), sneezes, farts and Modern Family.

Which gadget could you never give up?
I am now firmly addicted to my blackberry. I know iphones are cooler with apps and stuff but all my BFFS are on blackberries and that's more important to me. We can PIN eachother during volunteer meetings where people get stupid, during The Vampire Diaries and whenever we have an inane thought or question we'd like to share. It's like having coffee with my peeps 24/7.

What's the most exciting part of your job? What's the most tedious?
I feel like I have 14 jobs, none of which are lucrative. The most exciting part is when there's uber gossip through one of my volunteer gigs that I can spread. That's fun! The most tedious is the lunch-making. It exhausts me.

What is the worst piece of advice you've been given?
Wear stir-up pants - from a magazine - in 1985. I realize they're back in style but they really shouldn't be. Not. Flattering. On. Anyone. Also, my own advice to myself post-partum the first two times that all I really needed to look better was a new haircut. Stupid. I just looked fat with bad hair instead of fat with good hair I could volumize to balance out the curves.

What song do you sing in the shower?
"Cold November Rain" or "Sweet Child of Mine" by GnR. I can really channel Axl's pathos in the shower.

Who or what do you live for?
Pretty much everyone else, but working on it!

I'm wondering specifically which historical character you think is misunderstood. Let me know. Please. So I can feel like someone out there is reading this...