Q&A Meme!

This meme's been going around and I've been jealous that I never thought of this first. These questions are courtesy of heartinsanfransisco and man, they were fun.


1. You are, happily for all of us, a cancer surviver. Did having such a serious illness make you re-think your priorities in terms of what was really important?

Yes and no because everything that was important to me before, was still important just more so. But I felt closer to the things I loved so much and was determined to stop telling myself,"When...then..." (As in, "when I have more money,more time,more energy etc, then I'll do this or that), and start start telling myself,"You've waited long enough, just do it already." One priority that changed was taking care of my self first. Like all 'nice' girls I was brought up to always defer to others. I no longer try to worry about that and try very hard to say what I mean or say no without hurting anyone. But I had to come to terms with the fact that I can't please everyone. It's still something I struggle with but I'm getting better. I'm more proud of myself now-that too.

Although I have to say, I don't really consider myself a cancer surviver in the same way as say a breast or lung cancer patient would. This is because the kind of cancer I was diagnosed with having doesn't normally kill people. The amount of aggression my cancer took on had me(and my doctors) believing 'it' was trying to kill me though. There was never a doubt in my mind that I would kick it's ass. But I was more afraid of the surgery and rightly so because there were so many complications. I went in for what is usually a 1-2 hour surgery and ended up having a 9 hour surgery and a really difficult recovery. So I feel more like I am a survivor of that. And I remember EVERYTHING about my surgery. While I was under I was aware of the fact that I was still in that hospital and maybe it was all just one long beautiful and scary dream but where I was, who I was with, what I was told is as vivid in my mind as if it were just hours ago. It haunts me and comforts me at the same time, but is still hard for me to put into words without losing something about it or feeling like an idiot, otherwise I would have posted about it by now! One of these days.

2. If dogs ran the world, which breed would be President? A movie star? A great athlete? A renowned chef? A talk-show host? A New Age author? A supermodel? A rap star?

HAH! Well we already have a delusional Chihuahua in the White House so I'd like to see a St. Bernard as the President-SMART, strong, dependable, good in an emergency and knows how to get us out of a damn dangerous avalanche while bringing brandy in a little barrel around his, or HER neck.

Movie Star-Jack Russels, like my Peanut make the best entertainers. They're also very good looking dogs that hump anything that moves so they already have that in common.

Athletes-Peanut will be mad at me for he's a wonderful athlete but for the sake of being non discriminating I'll say Greyhounds. They are strong, beautiful animals and their ancestors were even mummified and buried with their owners in ancient Egypt. There's an old man in my neighborhood who has two ex-racer rescue Greyhounds who always refers to them as 'the athletes' and is always driving them to the dog park and bragging about how his athletes want to stay in shape so this made me think of them.

Chef- Blood Hounds since they have such a good sense of smell and I don't eat anything if it doesn't smell good.

Talk Show Host-Maybe Yorkies since they look so sweet and non threatening. They do like to bark a lot too.

A New Age author-Labs are so friendly, it would seem that they would have some New Agey philosophies to share with us. A lost Lab puppy followed me home once and it had to be because he was wise enough to know I love animals and would end up keeping him if I never found his family. Huskies too... there's just something about them.

Supermodels- Mutts because I always find people of mixed heritage so beautiful. The more, the better I think.

Rap Star-Great Danes. They have the posture and the swagger, 'nuff said.

3. If you could spend a day with the Dalai Lama and language was no obstacle, what would you do together?

Oh I would be so happy to bring his Holiness to my beach for a picnic. I would probably get on his nerves asking him all kinds of questions about Tibet and if he believed in the abominable snowman. ( I read about that in a TinTin comic book) I would even consider giving him some of my shark tooth hunting tips, I'm sure there's something spiritual about searching for something where it is so difficult to find.

4. If you were able to meet any fictional character, who would it be and why?

Oh it would take me days to finish, there are so many but my inner 9 year old would say Ramona Quimby from the Ramona books by Beverly Cleary. She opened the door to reading for me.

5. You have been granted one wish. It can be large or small, but only one. What will you choose?

That's easy- to go back college and finish without having to pay a damn arm and leg. ( I wanted to say world peace but, well, you know, this is a meme not a beauty pageant)



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