Wednesday Wondering: Teach Your Children Well

Prompt: What's the most important thing your parents or guardians taught you as a child?
Self-reliance. Independence. My mother was a single mom, and both directly and through example, she taught me to be independent and to take care of myself. Whether it was something as simple as doing the laundry or as complicated as finding a paying job, if I asked her "how do I do this?" her first reaction would be "have you tried? did you take a look for yourself?" She'd give me help and instructions, but she would not do it for me. She taught me to figure things out for myself and not rely on someone else. This is the single most valuable ability I gained growing up. I may not be able to do everything for myself, but I can try.

She also taught me to sew, which is pretty cool :) Not as important on a day-to-day basis, but it got me into costuming, through which I've made many great friends. My mom is awesome, and I learned a lot from her!


Questions culled from the discontinued Writer's Block feature on LiveJournal.

What I'm wearing: Black ruffled blouse, thrift store | Grey striped skirt, Nordstrom | Black tights, Calvin Klein | Purple suede pumps, Aerosoles | Silver & purple crystal earrings, gift from lisa

Wednesday Wondering: 10 Words

Prompt: Describe yourself in 10 words.

Creative
Intellectual
Wistful
Organized
Old-fashioned
Cranky
Hopeful
Exacting
Goofy
Visionary

Questions culled from the discontinued Writer's Block feature on LiveJournal.

What I'm wearing: Black velveteen jacket, White House Black Market | Black long-sleeve top, Old Navy | Black & white tweed skirt, eBay | Black tights, Calvin Klein | Black leather boots, Clark's | Silver & brass necklace, local artist | Silver hoop earrings, random accessory store

Wednesday Wondering: The Line Starts Here

Prompt: What is the longest you've ever waited in line?

I'm not one who does a lot of standing-in-line-on-purpose. While I love Apple products, I've never waited out in front of the Apple Store for the latest version. And I usually despise seeing movies on opening night. The lines I usually stand in are for public transit, and if it's taking a long time, that's not as planned.

But back when The Lord of the Rings movies came out, I did go to the final one, "The Return of the King," on opening night with a bunch of fiends in costume. We lined up around noon for the evening show, must have been 6 or 7pm. So I was in line for 6 or 7 hours. It was great fun, we brought snacks and played in character and were generally big geeks. Loved it!

Questions culled from the discontinued Writer's Block feature on LiveJournal.

What I'm wearing: Dark grey denim belled-sleeve jacket, Newport News | Black & grey knit dress, Macy's | Black tights, Calvin Klein | Silver-grey wedge pumps, Anne Klein | Black & silver chunky bead necklace, random accessory store | Silver cameo earrings, vintage

Wednesday Wondering: Retro Style

Prompt: If you could bring back certain fashions or hairstyles that are no longer in style, what would they be? Why do you want to revive them?

I'd bring back more elaborate hairstyles in general -- long and styled hair for men, styled updos for women including curls, braids, and false hair. Whether beehives or poufs or towering edifices, even if just for special occasions like weddings and award shows, I'd love to see these things as more than high-fashion art pieces in the realm of Lady Gaga. 

Maybe it's because I feel so hemmed in by my lack of hair right now. I do know that I always feel more fabulous wearing a tall wig. There needs to be more casual acceptance of that in modern life!

Questions culled from the discontinued Writer's Block feature on LiveJournal.

What I'm wearing: Grey & white stripe cardigan, Forever 21 | Black ruffle-front sleeveless top, Macy's | Grey corduroy skirt, Newport News | Black leather belt, Macy's | Black tights, Calvin Klein | Black heeled lace-up boots, Aerosoles | Silver sugar-skull earrings, random accessory store

Wednesday Wondering: Elevator of Interest

Prompt: If you had to be stuck in an elevator for 24 hours with one TV character, who would it be and why?

My very favorite TV character is Hawkeye Pierce from "M*A*S*H*" and I bet he would be pretty darn entertaining to be stuck in an elevator with. Of course, he'd prefer to have a bottle of booze, and he'd spend a lot of that time hitting on me, since he was a notorious womanizer. But he was so smart and funny, a dedicated surgeon and an avowed pacifist, I'm sure we could figure out something to talk about too.

Questions culled from the discontinued Writer's Block feature on LiveJournal.

What I'm wearing: Brown paisley coat, custom-made | Grey plaid vest, vintage | Black ruffled knit top, Newport News | Black trumpet skirt, MetroStyle | Black tights, Calvin Klein | Black ribbon-tie pumps, Clarks | Silver filigree earrings, Target

Hawkeye as played by Alan Alda

Wednesday Wondering: Major Impact

Prompt: What was your college major? Do you use it for your career?

I majored in English Literature at the University of California, Berkeley, and I nearly got a Master's degree in the same subject. All during my undergrad years, people would say, "English major, so you're going to be a teacher, right?" And I said, hell no.

But I struggled to find a decent-paying job fresh out of college and quickly went back to school for an M.A., somewhat resigned to that teaching career. I loved the academics but did not relish the idea of grammar or high-school level teaching, which was where the vast number of jobs were, especially in California.

Then, a little thing called the Internet came along. A local newspaper was trying to get itself online, right when I was playing around with teaching myself to build webpages in my spare time. That was the beginning of something ... I combined a knack for learning software with writing and researching skills honed in academia into a online journalism career and never looked back.

I've been writing for the web since 1995, about everything from digital music to the environment to hard drives to Medicare. So yeah, my college major has been pretty useful in my career after all.

Questions culled from the discontinued Writer's Block feature on LiveJournal.

What I'm wearing: Red sheath dress, Target | Grey color-blocked cardigan, Macys | Grey tights, Target | Silver grey wedges, Anne Klein | Black & red glass bead necklace, made by me | Silver hoop earrings, random accessory store