Tagged... and a bit slow on the uptake

Sir B of Bachelor at Wellington tagged me lo these several days ago. Thank you Sir B - I was honoured to be on your list. At last my answers are ready to these five cheeky questions:


1. What was I doing 10 years ago?

This question turned into an interesting process. I always keep my appointment books, so I pulled out 1998 and had a peruse. So, June 1998: I was a year into my current arts marketing situation (a couple of positions lower than where I am) and the learning curve was extreme... I was just about to start a three-week vacation in New York and then in Port Elgin on Lake Huron… I was heavily involved in planning a car rally with my dear friend Dave (we’ve held three so far, but not for a while now)… and I was taking piano lessons and part of a book group (I belonged 12 years), neither of which I am doing any more. I was also shopping for vacation clothes... which I'm still doing (see #3)! Life was good. It still is.

(Weirdly I discovered that it is exactly 10 years ago that I had my first issue with vertigo. Long story short: I will never have a chiropractic treatment again.)


2. My five favorite snacks

Only five? Oh the humanity!!

i) Sliced mango in a bowl. Once the slicing is complete, I roll up my sleeves, take the pit, lean over the sink, and go at it like a cave woman to get every last sweet and succulent morsel.
ii) A royal gala apple, quartered and cored, smeared with all-natural peanut butter
iii) Frozen raspberries, yoghurt, raw almonds, pepitas and ground flax seed
iv) Fresh strawberries and a bowl of freshly whipped cream
v) Good dark chocolate


3. Five things on my to do list today

i) Give Tibby a manicure and pedicure
ii) Spoil my dad
iii) Scan some photographs for a Father's Day blog post
iv) Head into work for a few hours (yeah, it’s Sunday, but I’m between vacations and the work – she piles up)
v) Make a list of vacation clothes shopping


4. Things I would do if I were a billionaire

i) Be scared out of my wits. I don't want that much money… with it comes massive complication.
ii) I would resign from my current job. I love it, but I’ve been 25 years in the work force, and this would give me the opportunity to turn my energies elsewhere.
iii) I would ensure that my family (including me) were well set up for any eventuality in the future. I don't like the idea of being tied down by my possessions and material responsibilites, but I would certainly indulge in travel to more forgiving climates and having a housekeeper. I've cleaned enough for one lifetime!
iv) I would take all the rest of the money and create a foundation to support my most passionately-felt issues, with literacy, education and school arts' programs being at the forefront.
v) Okay, okay, I admit it: I would hold one honking big party, invite all my friends (bloggy and otherwise) and we'd spend all night drinking, dancing and rolling around on thousand-dollar bills. Everyone gets to keep what sticks! Hee hee.


5. Five jobs that I've had

i) Chambermaid (good novel fodder)
ii) Theatrical dresser
iii) Fashion show copy-writer
iv) Graphic designer
v) Webmistress


6. Five bad habits of mine

i) Pulling things out of drawers and cupboards and not putting them back
ii) Over-multi-tasking
iii) Excessive use of exclamation marks!!
iv) Saying “yes” too often
v) Procrastination


7. Five places I've lived

i) Tripoli, Libya
ii) Kuwait City, Kuwait
iii) Rome, Italy
iv) London, England
v) Toronto, Canada


8. Five random things people wouldn't know about me

I copied four of these from a previous meme as they work well for this too.

i) When I wake up in the morning, I lay very still at first, but energetically wiggle my toes. It feels great. But it can be a surprise to someone who doesn't know about my little routine and thinks I'm still asleep but having a toe "situation". Hee hee.
ii) Peacocks have eaten out of my hand.
iii) My left elbow is very rough unless I constantly slather it with lotion.
iv) When I'm doing house-cleaning I often interview myself about my best-selling novel (currently in process).
v) If I was an X-Men character, my name would be Sway, and my nemesis would be Dr. Convince-o.


9. Five cds that I'd have to have on a desert island

This is impossible! Oh well, here goes:

i) John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman
ii) J. J. Cale: Gold
iii) Moby: 18
iv) Lone Star (movie soundtrack)
v) Don Giovanni (Raimondi, van Dam, conductor: Maazel, Paris Opera Orchestra)