Sunday, April 17, 2011

O is for... Open

While reading comments on my 'N' post, I realized maybe not saying no is a good thing. By saying yes, I'm opening myself up to all kids of new experiences and challenges. And being open to things is a way to grow and learn more about the world we live in.

So today, I want to open up the floor (do blogs have floors?) to everyone to be open about themselves. I'll ask a few questions about you, and you can answer them in the comments. I'll answer them too, so we can all get to know each other better. It's an opportunity (another good 'o' word).

So, here are the questions....

1. Where do you live? And where would you like to live?
2. Chocolate or cheese? If you had to give one up for life, which would it be? Why?
3. What's your favorite movie? Why?
4. Are you a writer? If so, what do you write?
5. Name two books that have changed your life and why?
6. Cats or dogs? Which do you prefer asa pet? Do you have one?

Okay. I think that's enough questions. Now, on to the answers.

1. Wellington, New Zealand. Either Berlin or NYC, my two favorite cities in the world. Both are vibrant, creative places with any number of different scenes happening at any time. There is so much art happening all the time, so many wonderful theatre productions, literary events, and other cultural things happening all the time, it would be hard to choose what to do.
2. This is a tough one. I think my life would end if I had to give up either. But I think I edge toward chocolate. I don't think I could live without cheese. Chocolate is an added bonus, but cheese is a staple.
3. The Sweet Hereafter. A beautifully crafted, poignant story with fully formed, real characters. It's also one of the few films that are in fact better than the book they're based on. And the book's good!
4. Yes. I write YA novels and short stories in every genre you can think of (including erotica although I publish that under a pseudonym).
5. I actually wrote a whole post on this a few months back, but here's the short version. The Outsiders because it was the book that made me want to write. Volcano Adventure because having read it, I knew about carbon monoxide and managed to save my entire family from dying in some remote Chinese village.
6.Cats. Definitely cats. And we don't have one at the moment. Although all the neighborhood cats like to use our yard . I think we're neutral territory.

So, open up about yourself. I'll be so interested to get to know you all.

5 comments:

  1. I live in the COLD state of Michigan
    I love Cheese, I do love some chocolate every once in awhile but I could live without it.
    Favorite movie woud have to be Steel Magnolias because of the friendship of 4 very strong willed women.
    As for cats or dogs, I am a bigger fan of dogs but I love cats too!
    These are some tough questions! lol
    Great post!

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  2. Awesome questions, and great topic ^_^ I loved getting to know you better.

    Me:
    1. I'm in the USA, in Salt Lake City, UT. If I could live anywhere...it would be somewhere with trees, mountains, and year-round temperate weather (60-80).

    2. Chocolate. I wouldn't like it, but I'd do it if I had to make that choice. Cheese is like my ultimate comfort food.

    3. It changes from week to week. Right now, it's the Social Network. Brilliant portrayal of genius and an absolutely boring topic. I was enthralled.

    4. I write...fiction. General fiction, urban fantasy, that kind of stuff.

    5. Good Omens and American Gods. Completely altered my perspective on how fantasy could be written, especially when it involves mythology.

    6. Cats. We have four and they are our children. Dogs are great too, but definitely a cat person.

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  3. Great post! I love interactive ones. Found you through the A to Z Challenge. :) Here we go ...

    1. Where do you live? And where would you like to live?
    I live in the LA area in a town called Redondo Beach. It's close to the ocean (probably self-explanatory!) and has nice weather most of the year, so I have to say I'm happy here. If I weren't here, I'd probably choose Switzerland with a gorgeous view of mountains or my hometown of Portland, OR.

    2. Chocolate or cheese? If you had to give one up for life, which would it be? Why?
    I'd give up chocolate, for sure. I love it, but only the dark kind, so most chocolate items are too sweet for me. Cheese on the other hand, is a staple. No way could I give that up!

    3. What's your favorite movie? Why?
    Really tough question. The superlatives always get me!! Hmm ... I love Shawshank Redemption, and I also really love Amelie. Complete opposites, but I guess I mostly love them for their actors - Morgan Freeman is amazing and Audrey Tautou is just so darn cute.

    4. Are you a writer? If so, what do you write? Yes, sort of. ;) Just coming into it. I freelance for a local weekly, and of course I write my blog. I've been writing all my life, but I started calling myself a writer about four months ago, so we'll see where it takes me!
    (or where I take it!)

    5. Name two books that have changed your life and why?
    Changed my life? Not sure. But two very memorable books would be: You Shall Know Our Velocity by Dave Eggers which is a very funky travelogue (young dying man has x amount of money to spend in one week and decides to travel around the globe with best friend) - it's very different but I love the tone and photos and quirky humor. The other one I'll go with today is Same Kind of Different As Me by Ron Hall - a "true" account of an art dealer, his wife and a homeless man who was born into a share-cropping family. It really brings home how recently slavery was abolished and how prevalent poverty is among undereducated farm-workers in the US, especially in the South.

    6. Cats or dogs? Which do you prefer as a pet? Do you have one?
    Totally prefer cats because they are just so much more independent, quieter and less smelly (esp. w/o litter boxes). (Sorry dog people!) We do not have any pets because my hubby is too allergic! :(

    Again, fun post. Thanks for the prompts!

    ~Alana
    (blogging A to Z too at http://writercize.blogspot.com)

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  4. Yay, I'm your first Brit to comment! I live in the middle of the country in Devon, UK. I would love to live in Prague, it's so gothic and beautiful.

    I'd have to grudgingly give up chocolate, because you can't put it on a pizza!

    So many favourite movies. I'll say Never Ending Story; it really got me in to fantasy.

    I write everything. Poetry, plays, short stories and novels in fantasy and horror genres, and a lot of journalism too.

    I read I Am David as a child and it truly moved me, and really got me thinking about the power of story telling. The Five People You Meet in Heaven is the answer to the meaning of life. Seriously, read it.

    Cats. Always cats. I have a little bundle of trouble, I mean love, called Neko. You can see her photos on my 'N' post.

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  5. 1. I live in New Hampshire. I really like it here but I'd love to live in a castle in Ireland or Scotland.

    2. Chocolate or cheese? Really? It couldn't have been chocolate or lima beans? I think I'd have to give up cheese because I've never had any luck giving up chocolate.

    3. My favorite movie is, hands down, Joss Whedon's Serenity. But Shakespeare in Love and The Lord of the Rings trilogy are close behind.

    4. I am a writer. I write a little of everything but my main focus is currently fantasy.

    5. Ellen Emerson White's PResident Daughter series changed everything for me back when I was 13 years old. Later, George R.R. Martin's A Song of Fire and Ice series changed how I thought of fantasy.

    6. I have two cats and two dogs so I guess I'm pretty much neutral on that subject.


    A fun post! Thanks a lot!

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