1. How old would you be if you didn't know how old you are?
I would like to stay 35 for a very long time. I'm currently 37 but don't feel like I should be that daunting 40 number. I know I'm past my 20s because my body is not the same and doesn't react the same way that it did to eating and physical activity like it did when I was in my 20s. Plus 35 is more mature, right? OK so maybe since I still laugh at farts that I don't have that mature thing down but 35 is definitely more mature sounding. 35 also makes me think about all the living I still have left to do - lots of time to do the things I want to accomplish.
Because I usually post pictures in each blog...here's a very scary image of myself that has been aged for 20 years. Yikes - I look hideous. You try it - hopefully you look as bad? Personally this is what I think I'll look like in another 50 years and not 20 years but...wow...there are no words to describe how bad this is. So for the other numbers I'll just put some of my favorite pictures from Christmas.
2. Which is worse, failing or never trying?
I think that never trying is worse and that is why I will usually try anything once. If you fail you can at least try again but if you never try you have no idea about the experience or thrill you may get. Who knows you may even try something you like. This Christmas I tried a fresh cranberry dipped in white chocolate thanks to one of Mark's parents neighbors and now I know that they are disgusting. I should have seen that by the other 2 people's faces that tried it but I had to figure that out on my own. This question also made me think of things that I wouldn't want to try - skydiving is probably top of that list unless I was strapped to someone that had done it millions of times before.
3. If life is so short, why do we do so many things we don't like and like so many things we don't do?
This question really made me think more deeply (and yes that is possible folks...mature 35 year old, remember?) There are many days that I don't like work but I do that so I can have money and live like I like to live. If I had all the money in the world I probably wouldn't work but I don't see that realistically happening anytime soon. So I thought about what job that I would probably just absolutely love. I do love teaching online and creating classes online so if I could just do that and make the money that I do I would choose that job. I should probably clarify a little bit more. Some students wear me down and make my job difficult. This last cycle was particularly difficult teaching 4 face to face classes with one of them being statistics and one of them being an ipad class. It was a cycle that was hard to like. There were many students that I did like and can't wait to see again this new year but I did hope that there were some that didn't come back....
I do a lot of things that I like because I have that money from the job that I may not always like. I love to go on trips and take Colton to sporting events. We get to go to the Cotton Bowl and we get to go to a Mavericks game. I'm seriously thinking about getting KSU-KU tickets in Lawrence and so that terrible thing called a job comes in handy every once in a while.
4. When it's all said and done, will you have said more than you've done?
Some people think I talk a lot. I don't think I talk that much. Now sometimes I can talk your ear off but sometimes I can just sit and listen. I usually can't keep my mouth shut when it come so certain things but I don't think that is what this question is about either. I believe you can always do more in terms of social services to your community. The time factor is usually what gets me. There are opportunities to volunteer at schools and church. I try to do as much as possible for the church as I can in the time that I have left. Could I make more time? Yes and perhaps that should be one of those ugly New Year's Resolutions - take more time to volunteer. I would also like to be able to help at the Bread Basket more. Lately it has been just monetary giving so I will say it now that I'm going to find time to volunteer more and get it done in the New Year.
5. What is the one thing you'd most like to change about the world?
There are two things that came to mind and I can't figure out which one is the more important one in my full mind. Both are things that seem so basic but are difficult to accomplish for political, monetary or other reasons.
Can't we all just get along? I don't like war, or any type of fighting for that matter. I don't like when people are mad at me and I don't want to imagine the United States being a place of warfare like has gone on in Afghanstan or Iraq. I hate it and don't want to be a part of it.
I would like everyone in the world to have the things in the bottom two levels of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. The bottom level is food, water, and shelter. The second level of the heirarchy is safety - being personally safe, financially safe, and healthy. This past cycle (remember the cycle from Hell that I mentioned) I had a young lady in the statistics class that came and told me she wasn't performing to her ability because she had been homeless for the past 2 weeks. It just made me hurt inside. I was shocked to think that for 2 weeks I had no idea and she was still coming to class everyday and trying with all the issues going on in her own life. It made me realize how much I had and how things were so easy for me even in a cycle from the underworld. How could she even think about finding a confidence interval when she wasn't sure where she was going to sleep or eat at night? So perhaps I've figured out my one thing for the world since it encompasses both of what I've mentioned- everyone to have at least the bottom two levels of the heirarchy. I feel like if you have those two then it is possible to move onto the other levels.
I will post the answers to the other questions throughout the year. Take time to contemplate the answers yourself. It really does help you know and understand yourself better.
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