All the Answers

As promised from the Monday meme, answers to all the questions asked of me.

For ej flavors:

1. If you had a year to do nothing but travel, where is the first place you would go?

I am not very well-traveled, so there's a lot to chose from here. I think the first thing I'd like to do is go to Egypt, see the pyramids and other objects related to ancient Egypt. There are some other lost civilizations whose ruins I'd like to explore (maybe Pompei?). Beyond that, I'd like to visit London, Paris and Rome.

2. What are the first 3 music albums which come to mind in your head right now as favorites?

Well, the one I'm listening to most often these days is May the Music Never End by Shirley Horne. She's absolutely my favorite living jazz singer. However Jimmy Scott, whose Holding Back the Years has been playing a lot on my MP3 player lately, is close behind Shirley. The other two favorites that come to mind, tough, are Drag by KD Lang, and Diva by Annie Lennox.

3. If network connectivity were taken away for the entire week, what would you do with your time?

Well, I'd probably get more reading and more housework done.

For Lauren.

1.What's something little known but good to see in DC that most people miss?

Wow. This is actually a difficult one. I've been in DC for 10 years, so I've seen quite a bit of what the city has to offer. I've definitely seen all the main tourist spots. I'd have to say the Hillwood Museum & Gardens. It's the home of Marjorie Merriweather Post, of the Post cereals family, who also owned Birdeye Foods, and also married E.F. Hutton (among others)—in other words, rich beyond imagining. She collected various and sundry art object (mostly Russian) and upon her death her home was turned in to a public museum. You have to make reservations to go on the tour. I'd highly recommend seeing the gardens and the greenhouse, which houses a collection of orchids—Ms. Post's favorite flower.

2. What was the first, or most memorable, Buddhist text you ever read?

I think the one that affected me most deeply, and which is still on my bookshelf waiting to be reread, is Street Zen: The Life and Work of Issan Dorsey, who in the course of one lifetime went from being a drag performer and drug addict to being a Buddhist teacher.

3. If you were a vegetable, what would you be and why?

Oh my. Another one I have to think about. Off the top of my head, I'd be a red bell pepper. I like the sweetness of them when roasted. If not that, then a kalamata olive. Another favorite of mine.

For James.

1- What is your favorite meal to cook?

Probably vegetarian lasagna. I make it differently every time, and I make my own sauce. I guess it's just the flexibility of it that I like. Besides, if you put it together with a simple salad and some good bread, you've got a meal. If I had to think about dessert too, I'd have to go with something chocolate, or perhaps ice cream in one of my favorite flavors.

2- If you could choose anyone to be the US President whom would you chose?

I have to admit, I really liked Howard Dean. I'd pick him, or maybe Dennis Kucinish from the candidates that were running in the primaries. Now, if I could pick anybody at all—that's a hard one. I might just do something crazy and pick someone like, say, Whoopie Goldberg. Possibly Oprah.

3- What's a good way to get an entry-level web design job? Because sysadmin work SUCKS.

To be honest, I don't know. The way I ended up doing it wasn't at all by design. I kind of backed into it, picking up skills from one job to another and teaching myself whatever I needed to know. I'd like to get some sort of formal training, maybe a certificate or something. That might help matters. Of course, if I end up getting into law school, I'll be leaving the field of web design behind.

For girlwonder.

001. what's your favorite ice cream flavor?

Most of the time, I go for Ben & Jerry's. My two favorite flavors from them are Phish Food and Triple Caramel Chunk (which is unfortunately no longer around). If I'm at a regular ice cream parlor, then I'll go for pecan praline, because it usually has caramel in it.

002. what's the best book you've ever read?

Wow. I've read so many. I think probably Beloved by Toni Morrison. However, Possessing the Secret of Joy by Alice Walker is another favorite.

003. name a moment that changed your life for the good.

Easy. The day I became a father and held my son for the first time. Being a parent has been the best and most life changing experience I've had so far, because I learned how very much I can love.

For Roxanne.

1)Do you have any power over the AFI Silver Screen website?

Nope. No more control than I have over anything else.

2)If the answer to #1 is yes, can you make it easier to use?

See the answer to question #1.

3)What's your favorite restaurant in DC?

My favorite restaurant in DC? It would have to be City Lights of China. My favorite dish is their Tofu Curl. I just love it. The decor in the restaurant leaves a lot to be desired, but the food is great. In the DC area, my favorite is definitely the Vegetable Garden, out on Rockville Pike. It's a vegan, Asian, Buddhist restaurant. I discovered it by accident when a friend and I were headed out to dinner. We drove down Rockville Pike, and we passed all the usual suspects—Applebee's, TGI Fridays, Ruby Tuesdays, etc. I saw the sign for the Vegetable Garden out of the corner of my eye, and directed my friend to turn into the parking lot. Our family eats there whenever we happen to be out that way.

Well, that was fun. So much fun that I might repeat this meme again on Monday. Maybe every Monday.

Comments

[ej]

Those were some great answers. I look forward to the continuations....

(going back to reading The Straight Story About Students with Gay Parents...that's a GREAT, awesome article...)

[lauren]

Awesome answers. I'll have to check out that book, he sounds like a modern-day Milarepa. And, I'll keep that museum and those restaurants in mind-this weekend I'll be in town for the March, and I'm a DC virgin.