I joined an on-line tag game because I want to give you, the readers, another way of knowing me that isn’t overshadowed by my illnesses. As I have mentioned in my Main and About pages, what has helped me to manage my pain better is to embrace those parts of me that are not my TN and MS. A blogger friend and someone who has helped me adapt to the blogosphere, Marcy Kennedy, did something different in her Friday blog post. She was tagged in a game of online-blogger tag and another game. I’m going to stick with tag, so…Let’s Begin!!!  

 

Game of 11 Questions

 

Here are the rules:

1. You must post the rules
2. Answer the eleven questions, then create eleven new questions to ask the people you have tagged.
3. Tag 11 people and link to them (use as many people from MNINB)

As I mentioned, I was tagged by Marcy Kennedy. She was tagged by two people and didn’t want to answer 22 questions and so chose some questions from each set of 11 questions. I, too, am going to adjust the rules a bit – to make the game my own. Instead of creating 11 new questions for my 11 people, I am going to create 10 questions, and keep one of the questions that Marcy created. ARE YOU READY TO BEGIN? Let’s Play!!

1. If you could have one magical power, what would it be?

My magical power would be to fly. If I could fly and move quickly from one place to another, I could visit many cities and countries that I have never been to. I have wanted to travel more and this power would allow me to do fulfill a dream.

2. You have to give up one of your five senses. Which one would you choose and why?

I would have to say that I would give up my taste. For many reasons I have been pre-occupied by the taste of food since my illnesses seemed to have dominated my life. For me, I want food to be for sustenance and use my energy and time for eating to go towards my other four senses.

3. What is your super-secret Hunger Games survival skill?

I read the Hunger Games 6 months ago and I have not seen the movie. Therefore, I am not as familiar and up-to-date as other people are with this movie. So, I’m going to pick another question from the questions that Marcy had to answer. The question is:

If you decided not to be a writer, what would your other dream job be?

If I couldn’t be a writer, and I didn’t have multiple sclerosis or trigeminal neuralgia, I would want to be the director of a community mental health agency. I received an M.S. in counseling and started my doctorate in counseling psychology. During that time, I was the assistant director of a research center for programs for adolescents and families. I loved the job of being assistant director by managing the center and helping other people by making it easier for them to do their job. I would love to work in a center that did both research and counseling so that we knew what we were doing with our clients was actually working.

4. If it wasn’t illegal and/or cruel, what exotic, wild animal would you want as a pet?

A black panther! I am fascinated by cats – small and large. Even ferocious ones have their playful sides. I enjoy watching films of large cats because you can really see their different personalities. As an adult, I always have adopted one or two cats and been amazed by their hunting abilities, playfulness and affection.

5. You’re given a chance to co-write a book with any author (living or dead). Who do you choose and why?

I would choose Anne Rice because she is extremely knowledgeable about history and creative in her story-telling. Additionally, her characters are dynamic, fascinating and captivating. She knows how to envelope the reader into the worlds she creates. And yes, I like vampires and many of the main characters in her book. Her Christ the Lord series is an interesting perspective of her renewed interest in Catholicism and her faith.

                                           

6. An asteroid is barreling toward the earth. There’s nothing you or anyone else can do to stop it, and it’s large enough that it will pulverize the planet so that no one survives. It strikes tomorrow. How do you spend your final day?

I would go to the nearest largest town/city and hug and provide comfort for as many people as I can. Some people may be living it up, but I assume that many will be scared. Instead of these people being scared alone, I would hope that they would find some measure of comfort in the community of one another and embrace their last day on earth.

7. We all have one way that we’re terrified of dying. My husband is afraid of drowning, and I’m afraid of being burned alive. What’s yours?

I am afraid of being buried alive – it’s the intense claustrophobia that would cause me to lose my sanity! In general I am not claustrophobic unless the ability to escape is extremely limited through a singular exit or it is easy to be trapped. Being buried alive automatically limits my ability to escape and by definition, I am trapped!

8. You can only have one dessert (including candy and all salty snacks) for the rest of your life. What’s the one you have to have?  

 Oh – so many to choose from! There are some that I would love to eat for several weeks; but then I would get sick of them.

Therefore, I would choose: HOMEMADE OATMEAL RAISIN cookies – a little crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside. Mmmmmm!

 

9. If you could bring one fiction character to life, who would you want to meet?

Wow! This is a hard one. The character would probably be a female: Dr. Diana Bishop from the story A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness. (I know…I’m sticking to modern fiction. These are the characters in my head!) The book involves history, literature, mystery, alchemy, Darwin, mysticism, time-travel, and more! Diana, in the novel, develops into a powerful witch. In the beginning, she wants to suppress who she is and be normal. However, she then realizes that she is from a lineage of witches and what an honor that is to be part of this powerful family. Diana is extremely brilliant, and her bravery grows as the story develops. I would love to discuss with her about her knowledge, her history, and how she envisions herself in the future. I also, would love to meet her amazing aunts. I love historical fiction, no matter who is the protagonist. This first book is not completely historical; but the second one, available in July, is historically based. Also, the story’s setting is Oxford, England, which is one of my favorite cities. My uncle lives there and I wish I could visit more often!

10. Favorite kind of coffee, tea, or hot chocolate?

Thank goodness! An easy question! My favorite kind is Gunpowder Green Tea.

…And the last question is:

 

11. What are the three things and three people you’d want stranded on the deserted island with you?

First thing: a Kindle, which would be filled to its limit with books I have always wanted to read and some books that are my favorite, that would have internet access through satellite. Second thing: a pair of clean undies (other than the one I would be wearing). That way I can alternate them and wash them. Third thing: a giant box of matches in a waterproof sack – for fires, light, etc.

First person: the 14th Dalai Lama. Second person: A toss-up between my good friends Cynthia & Jeannie. Third person: My uncle Clive.

The Tagged People and Their Questions:

 

1. Jennifer Chow from http://jenniferjchow.blogspot.com/

2. Rachell Cornell from http://pronagger.com/

3. Kelly Williamson from http://www.thisismentalserious.blogspot.com/

4. Robert Lee Brewer from http://robertleebrewer.blogspot.com/

5. Kristy K. James from http://kristykjames.com/Blog.html

6. Joseph Lalonde from http://www.jmlalonde.com/

7. Elizabeth Saunders from http://elizabethsaunders.blogspot.com/

8. Heather Button from http://myquirkycity.wordpress.com/

9. Paul Ellis from http://dsnite.blogspot.com/

10. Shelley L. Domingue from http://eypage.blogspot.ca/

11. Veronica Roth from http://veronicaroth.com/

Questions

1. If you could re-live a moment/event, what would it be?

2. What are the three worst books you have read (or at least read half of the book), and what did you not like about them?

3. What are your two favorite words and what do you like about these words?

4. We have been introduced to several social networks so far: Facebook, Twitter, Blogs, and LinkedIn. (If you also use/are familiar with other networks, such as Google+, Pinterest, YouTube, Tumblr, etc., you can include these as part of your answer.) Which one do you not like and why? Which is your favorite, and why?

5. If you could plan how you could die, what day/date would it be (it has to be within a 100 years of your birth date) and how would you die? Would anyone be with you?

6. What person, living or dead, would you like to spend the day with? What would you do for those 12 hours?

7. What three foods do you not like to eat?

8. What was your favorite adventure? After naming the adventure, describe it in 5 words.

9. In which historical period would you like to live? The period has to be at least 75 years from now.

10. If you could cure one disease existing in the world , what would it be?

And the one question I chose of Marcy’s is:

11. An asteroid is barreling toward the earth. There’s nothing you or anyone else can do to stop it, and it’s large enough that it will pulverize the planet so that no one survives. It strikes tomorrow. How do you spend your final day!

All tagged people listed above (and any others who volunteer) should link their blog post back to my website: www.bendsintheroad.com/blog/.  And if there are any readers who would like to participate (except for people in the MNINB April Platform Challenge), consider yourself tagged. I can’t wait to read your answers!!!!!!!

I hope everyone has fun with this post and, as readers, you enjoyed learning more about me other than my MS and TN.

I definitely enjoyed sharing this with you!

Monique