My End or Yours?

What was supposed to be a weekly element to this blog has kind of become a "whenever we have the chance to BOTH write something together" element. Its been a while and I felt like changing it up a bit this time around. For this installment, I thought of random questions for us to answer. It ended up being the first 10 things that popped into my head. I, Jen, will be in blue, Boops answers in green. ENJOY! And feel free to answer them yourself in our comments section.

1 - Give one selfless act you would do that is doable and one that seems extraordinary

Doable: Friends of mine are adopting two brothers from Russia. I have offered (and hope they will take me up on) my babysitting services when the mom goes back to work after her "maternity leave". If she goes back part time and works mornings, I will watch her boys free of charge before I go to work myself. I am watching my kids anyway, so...

Extraordinary: I have often thought of starting a volunteer program that gets kids involved helping out less fortunate children their own ages. Be it providing food to the hungry kids, providing a playmate to an otherwise isolated child, etc. I think kids these days have it waaaaay to good in many cases and would be humbled and inspired by this type of work.

Doable: If my ill friend must undergo chemotherapy and therefore loses her hair, I will shave my head as a show of solidarity, as well as to help her demonstrate to the world just how beautiful bald can be.

Extraordinary: I have set myself a September 1, 2009 deadline. I am trying very hard to find a corporate position in a writing field. However, given the tough economic climate, as well as the plentiful job applicants, if I am unable to secure a position by this date, I am going to try and do a stint with City Year (http://www.cityyear.org/chicago.aspx). They state they their “corps members” are between the ages of 17-24. I am just a touch out of that range (ha!) but think they ought to make an exception if I am willing, no? Who better to teach underprivileged children to read and such than an old lady with a Master’s in English Literature? I guess the “extraordinary” part would be convincing these people that you CAN trust someone over 30.


2 - If you could be doing absolutely anything anywhere in the world, what would you do?

I would either be in Disney World for a two week vacay with my family OR on a more reasonable level snuggled up in my pjs and blankie taking a nap on the couch.

I’d be sipping an Italian soda across a table from my husband in Venice, Italy, working on the latest installment of my world famous and heavy trafficked, travelogue.

3 - Do you still own any items of clothing you owned in high school?

I know I have a few pieces of cheap jewelry that somehow managed to stay in one piece for 10+ years (cheep doesn't always = poor quality). I can't specifically think of a clothing item, but if I go search the closet I might come up with a shirt or two.

Like Oprah, Janet Jackson, Valerie Bertinelli and Kirstie Alley, I have been somewhat of a yo-yo dieter over the course of my adulthood. Happily, I have kept my weight reasonable for the last 5 years and actually weigh a touch less than I did when I graduated high school, though I am in much better shape. The biggest downside to shape shifting is the tremendous wardrobe challenges and expense presented. I got rid of my high school “thin clothes” back in 1998, only to wish I had some of them back now. C’est la vie. Oh wait! I do have a pair of Nikes from 1996. Vintage baby!

4 - What is one thing you feel is missing from your life right now?

I was just thinking the other day ....I don't have very many really good friends that I regularly see or talk to on the phone. I have kind of let my family life be the main thing and think I may have let a few things fall by the wayside. Boop is always meeting up with her peeps, and I really don't.

I suppose I could address the flipside of Jen’s dilemma and say that I do, despite what I may say, feel a sort of emptiness in my life at times when it comes to family. My hubby is on the road a lot, and I have no children. Jen and I are tight as it is possible to be, but live a bit too far apart for day to day visual contact. My own parents have been, shall we say, quite intermittent in my life, and while I enjoy a fair to middling relationship with my in-laws, they live thousands of miles away in India. I had a couple of tough days last week, and shed some tears, but there was really no one around to give me the hug I needed.

5 - What's your favorite luxury?

I LOOOOOVE facials. Massages are okay I guess, but there is always a creepy factor that a stranger is rubbing their hands all over your. EEEEEWWW (unless he's hot. tee hee)

This is probably weird, not to mention a little disgusting, but we have all grown so close these last few months, haven’t we gentle readers? I am a huge fan of the Brazilian bikini wax. I am a big fan of order and cleanliness in every arena of my life. I will leave it at that.

6 - What would you grab out of your house as it burns down other than people or pets?

I would try to grab as many handbags as possible. The expensive ones anyway. On the way out the front door I would grab a few photo albums that aren't stored digitally somewhere. Those are irreplaceable. I don't have a lot of room left in my arms for my shoes and clothes, so I would be crying. Alot.

My journals, which I have kept on and off since I was 14 years old. There are dozens of them. Basically, my whole silly little world is catalogued there. Even if no one but me ever reads them, it is, quite literally, my life’s work.

7 - What's the thing you love most about your husband?

I love how much he loves me. He proves it by doing things like telling me in a room full of strangers in a store that I look beautiful with the sunlight shining behind me through the storefront window. It takes quite a man to do that in public without feeling embarassed. Oh, and he's a pretty damn awesome daddy too.

I hardly know where to start. Eddie is a complex, brilliant and wickedly funny man. He is damn sexy too. Wait, where was I going with this? Um yeah, ok, the thing I love most about him is his brutal honesty. It is not for everyone, but it completely works for me.

8 - Last meal?

Lobster bisque soup from Entourage, Ceasar salad from Maggianos, Queso dip from Ruby Tuesdays, main course of rare steak from anywhere that cooks it right with a side of McDonalds french fries. Dessert would have to be Oreos and milk.

Again, here comes the weird factor: buttered lobster tail with sides of creamed spinach, asparagus and steamed baby carrots with just a hint of butter and brown sugar.

9 - Tell us something we may not know about your co-blogger?

In grammar school she wiped out in a puddle of sewer water in the school "gym"....wearing white pants!!!

Oh shit Jen, it’s on now! I have mentioned before that Ms. “Of All Trades” was not always the most outgoing gal. We both auditioned for the “New Mickey Mouse Club” back in 1990 (bonus points for anyone who can uncover the footage of me doing the Running Man on NBC 5 that night, wearing my coolest Debbie Gibson hat and Hammer Pants). Jen and I had both selected Wilson Phillips tunes for the singing portion of our audition. The producers got to Jen, who had selected “You’re in Love” (great adult contemporary jam, and of course I say this without irony), and just as she opened her mouth…she forgot the words. Tears came immediately.

(since I was responsible for posting this I take the liberty of making a comment to you, Boop.....you bitch!!! And one more thing we don't know about you is that you are spiteful)

10 - Who is the one celebrity you wished was a follower of this blog?

Guiliana Rancic of E News fame because she would see how much she NEEDED me to replace Ryan Seacrest as her co-host. You know also know my dream job.

Perez Hilton, Barack Obama and Tim Russert, in no particular order and with the obvious fact that my third choice would have to return from the grave.