The Shallow End

The Deposition

John B over at Blog Meridian has been conducting interviews and I found both his questions and the responses by his interviewees fascinating, so I decided to volunteer for this endeavor. Here are his questions and my responses:

1) Robert Reich (President Clinton's Sec. of Labor) once said he became an economist because "I didn't have the personality to be an accountant." Discuss this statement's (in)applicability to you.

Okay, first, let's be honest. Reich became an economist because he's too short to become an accountant. Just sayin.'

I actually became an accountant because...well, isn't it fairly obvious that I had no choice in the matter? I mean, look at me? I was born to be an accountant. I like numbers. I really like them when they foot and cross-foot. I loves the 10-key adding machine...I'm the fastest in my class! I like that there is only one right answer (I know, I know, I've learned and am coping with the fact that this is not true; this is a myth). I like law just enough to be dangerous but not enough to practice law. I like my papers to be neatly stacked with the edges all lined up. I like cross references that lead me to where I need to go. I like being organized. I like helping people, but I'm not a people person. I prefer to work in an office, alone, and have my work fed to me under the door, coming out for fresh air, water and people contact only as needed.

So I guess what I'm saying is that we become what we are destined to become and if I had any say in the matter, I would have become an architect, like my dad or an artist, like my mom. But I learned early on that I didn't have the personality (or was it talent?) to become an architect or an artist. Like Reich, I recognized my flaws. ;-) Now, I did have enough sense and enough self-esteem to refrain from becoming an actuary, so at least I've got that going for me and maybe when I retire from this gig, I can take up painting, or architecture, or something, God willing.

2) Describe the moment when you knew, with hellhounds-on-your-trail certainty, that you were a blues fan.

This is the sort of question one usually reserves for "when did you first accept Christ as your savior?" Of course, "when did you first know you were a blues fan?" runs a close second. And I do have an answer! Surprising, I know. There was a building up period, as there are with most things...sticking your toe in the water to see if it feels right. There was that night in 1987, at a small one-room school house, when Rory Block came to town and Had a Rock in Her Sock! There was the parade of famous blues acts that came through town as invitees of the San Luis Obispo Blues Society, of which I became a member...the legendary James Cotton, Otis Rush, Rod Piazza & The Mighty Flyers, Charlie Musselwhite, etc. There was the night we danced all night with the Queen of Zydeco, Queen Ida, who was a favorite of a good friend of mine who hailed from Baton Rouge, LA. And it was the sudden, unexpected death of this very good friend, who introduced me and my former husband to the SLO Blues Society, which led to an also very unexpected inheritance of his CD collection (which he designated in his will...how many people do you know that think so highly of their music and their friends as to specifically name them in their will?), which was the moment I became a true, coonhounds-on- my-trail, blues fan. My friend worked part time as a radio DJ and hosted a local public radio blues & jazz show every once in awhile, so his collection was wonderful, and from that moment on, I have always felt a certain passion for the Blues, with a capital B. ;-)

3) Describe a piece of art in your house and what it signifies for you.

Oooh, this is a fun one. The difficult part is narrowing it down to one. I think this question has to wait until I can post a photo, or two. Pass (for now).

4) What are the 3 best pieces of advice you've ever gotten?

"It doesn't matter if you fail as long as you gave it your best effort." This, in response to my question to my parents, "what will you do if I flunk 2nd grade?" I fully expected the response to be something along the lines of being outcast from the family forever.

"Give it your all on the first half-lap and then let whatever momentum you've got left carry you to the finish line." This, from my track coach, when running the last quarter mile of a mile relay. In other words, don't hold back, give it everything you've got from the beginning. I'm still working on this. I tend to hold back until I'm close to the finish line and then give it everything I've got. But then, you'll never know if you could have done better.

"Hand it over." In other words, let God be in control. Don't be too self-sufficient. Recognize that we are here to glorify God, not ourselves. Do your best with what God gave you, but let Him be the guide. This advice was not easy for me to accept, but I can't count the number of times it has saved me from myself. And I have to remind myself daily. :-)

5) Harry Callahan or Robert Kinkaid?

Okay, this really is a tough question. As much as my intellect tells me that I really should say Harry Callahan, lest I have the Keepers of the Cultural Flame on my doorstep, I'm going to say that, from a woman's perspective, it's gotta be Robert Kinkaid. *drool*

Thanks, John, that was fun!

Labels: Fellow Bloggers, Quizzes and Memes

posted by Gwynne @ 8:53 PM