by Alan Beard
I've been 'tagged,' whatever that means, by Alan Beard, author of Taking Doreen Out of the Sky. The editor of the great 'Short Review' Tania Hershman tagged Alan to answer some questions and Alan, in turn, tagged me. Here I go with more info than you ever wanted!
1) What were you doing ten years ago?
1998? I was walking everywhere and very fit because I let my son use my car to get he and his sister to school. It was a good thing. What I remember about it is that being without a car, time slowed down. I know that sounds weird, but it's true. I remember I wrote every morning. I'd had no success in placing any piece anywhere, but I hosted a writing group every Thursday (maybe it was Wednesday) around my dining room table.
2) What 5 Things are on your to-do list today?
**Work on the novel. I've listed the chapter numbers on scratch paper and as I edit each one I cross it out. Just started this process for the millioneth time a couple days ago. I'm on Chapter 6 and determined to get to the end this time.
**Walk at 8:30, this weird cross-country ski thing (on the streets of SoPas) I do now every Monday and Friday with Estelle and her band of acolytes.
**Go to lunch with my mom-in-law and some far-flung cousins in from Oklahoma.
**Cook dinner.
**Welcome my husband back from London. I have missed him!
3) What would you do with a billion dollars?
Revamp the education system in the United States. Encourage the culture to elevate the position of "teacher" to the status of JDs, MBAs, and MDs. All those kids who go to law school because they have no idea what they want to do would go to hard to get into grad schools to learn how to really teach and to develop new and effective strategies. I know. The teaching to teach and the strategies happens, but if a country cannot lure its brightest citizens to the profession, then the profession needs to be put on a par with those that do lure. What is that lure? Money, yes, but also cache, status, and satisfaction in actually contributing to society.
5) List the places you have lived.
Louisiana, Iowa, California, in my head.
6) List the jobs you have had
Parks and rec, retail sales, counter person at Rusty's Roast Beef, as well as store manager, district manager, buyer, and teacher. Did I say wife and mom and mistress of Risuli and Cinder?
7) List the people you'd like to know more about.
Not so much "know about" but rather to go to lunch with: Joyce Carol Oates, Carol Shields (alas), Harper Lee, Margaret Atwood, W. Somerset Maugham, Pablo Picasso, Abigail Adams, Jane Addams, Helen Keller, and Joshua from "So you think you can dance."
BTW, the numbering isn't mine though I probably messed it up somewhere!
5 comments:
I hope your Husband enjoyed London...Where abouts there did he go?
He was in some hotel across from Hyde Park, but he was there for the air show...not that he went to the show but rather talked to some of those who were AT the show. I insisted he go to the British Museum--my favorite place. Oh those Sumerians!
Ahh yes...only a short train ride from my house lol. I personally love the imperial war musem...the holocaust section makes you feel solemn and humble.
Interesting comments Gay - especially about the education system. I was a teahcer for a short while and found out I was useless at it. Some people are natural teachers and need to be encouraged and - as you say - properly rewarded and revered. They do a great job, when they do a great job. I'd like to know more about where you live(d), but that's me being nosey. Thanks also for putting a link to my site up. I'll have to put a links bit up on mine too and include your's.
Cheers.
So that WAS you I saw on my way to work this morning! I saw a group of women, one in a KU t-shirt (which is what caught my eye), and then a woman with your hairstyle that I thought looked an awful lot like my pal, Gay. Good for you! It looked like you were all having a good time. And yes, writing group was on Wednesdays. Was that really ten years ago? How time flies!
Post a Comment