Finally, an idea

Claire B of Claire and Me has tagged me, a wonderful gift since my brain is still jelly and writing inspiration is slow in coming.

Here are the rules:
1. The rules of the game get posted at the beginning.
2. Each player answers the questions about her or himself.
3. At the end of the post, tag 5-6 people and post their names, then go to their blogs and leave them a comment, letting them know they've been tagged and asking them to read your blog.
4. Let the person who tagged you know when you've posted your answer.

Question 1: What was I doing ten years ago?
Ten years ago I was finishing up my master's degree in North Carolina. I had just had a miscarriage that was both very sad and very lucky since the circumstances and relationship were wrong. I was infused with carpe diem--convinced that the little one had sacrificed herself so I could do some good in the world and that I had just used my ONE FREE PASS--and I determined to move to a big city, have a fulfilling and useful career, and make her proud. So I was also making plans to go off and do an internship for the Federal government in the Washington, DC, area. Visions of myself as a chick lit heroine, my own apartment, and happy hours with well-dressed articulate coworkers danced in my head, along with my doing-good mission.

Question 2: What are five things on my "to do" list today?
It's the end of a pretty spring Sunday and far too depressing time of night to have a to do list (I should be so organized), so here's five things I did today.

1-ordered an edger blade. Our across-the-street neighbors have agreed to let us use their edger and we offered to give them a new blade in exchange. Our front yard seriously needs some edging. Well, it totally doesn't, except our next-door neighbor (different neighbor) has a service do her lawn and they edge it all the time. It looks great but our lack of edginess stands out since our parking strips are connected. So we try to do it once a year or so. Except we missed last year.

2-Mowed the lawn. This insanity of a rain forest they call Seattle makes the grass grow entirely too fast in spring and fall.

3-Sent an email about the postdoc I am trying to line up. Much work-family balance stress around these plans.

4-Went to grocery store. Remembered my reusable bags for once. Bought cat food because it was on sale. Picked the manager's checkout line thinking it would be fast and cheerful. It was neither. I could go on, but seriously. I have to save something for other posts, you know?

5-Stared at my baby, whom I really, really love. (Is that the right use for "whom"?). Got very excited with him as he gleefully discovered his own belly button.

Question 3: Snacks I enjoy:
Cheese, apples, popcorn, toast. Japanese rice crackers. Leftovers. Grapes. Tea. This is a large category, this "snacks I enjoy." I think I need a moment.

Question 4: Things I would do if I were a billionaire:
Clean water! This is what I would do, clean water for all, all over the world.
Then, I would buy us a bigger house. It might even have four bedrooms (imagine!)
Then, I would never clean it again as long as I lived.
Then, I would stare at my baby.
Then, I would join forces with the Gates Foundation and try to solve our world health problems that were not taken care of (many would be) by everyone having clean water.
Then, I would support my sister to do her work for the animals. She's the real deal, people.
Then, I would have some tea and infiltrate me and my new-voh reesh cashola into the British aristocracy. Preferably royal circles. Wearing hats to Ascot and weekends at country estates dripping in history and what have you.

Prompt 5: Places I have lived:
Coffeetown, PA. Hopi Reservation, AZ. Canterbury, England. Chengdu, China. Bethlehem, PA. York, England. Chapel Hill, NC. Bethesda, MD. Chapel Hill, NC again. Alexandria, VA. Seattle, WA.

Prompt 6: Bad Habits:
Messy house. Inability to conceal grumpiness. Bad posture. Refusal to iron. Late afternoon snacking. Messy car. Messy desk. Tendency to think I know what is best for my husband. Preference for "dishing it out" rather than "taking it." Another large category, this "bad habits" one.

Prompt 6: Jobs I have had:
It didn't really work out for me as a babysitter or a roadside ice cream joint worker (I am still terrified of soft-serve ice cream machines). I was a hostess at Friendly's restaurant, where they had regular scoop ice cream that I learned to handle once I was promoted to waitress. Then I was a waitress again in college. Then I had a research job as a master's student. Then I was an intern with the National Institutes of Health and stayed on for awhile after that. Then I ran a patient education program at a cancer center. Then I was a medical editor and did some writing here and there. Then I came to Seattle to be a student.

Prompt 7: Peeps I want to know more about:
There are many. I'm still thinking on this.

Thanks, Claire!