5 Questions

Brandy interviewed me with 5 questions and here are my responses.

1. If you could recover one thing you've lost in your lifetime what would it be and why?

It will be time lost with loved ones who had passed away. My grandparents, my paternal grandfather who I never knew as he died when I was baby.

Most especially, my Uncle. He lived with us until I was 14 before we immigrated to the US. He spent a lot of time with my brother and I. We were his favorites and he treated us like we were his own kids. He was in his 60s and never married. He gave me the passion to read. He read a lot and his interests were varied from politics, mystery, science to art. I would see him in our study, reading a big thick novel. I would sit next to him and watch him read until he noticed me. I’d ask, “What page are you on?” It was our routine. His passion in books piqued my interest in reading and of course, I wanted to emulate him.

I started reading my brother’s Hardy Boys Mystery book series. When my uncles read, I would grab my book and sit next to him and we would read together. It was nice. Gradually, I moved up from Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew to Trixie Belden/Bobbsey Twins to mystery books and more adult novels. I love to read to this day and I always think of my uncle fondly, hoping he knew that my love for reading came from him.

He passed away back in the early 90s from a brain aneurysm. When they looked in his wallet after he passed away, the only thing in there besides money was an old picture of me. To this day, that makes me cry. My brother and I loved him dearly and we miss him terribly.

2. Which of Archie's girls are you more like: Betty or Veronica?

Betty! I’m just a regular down to earth girl. I'm definitely not rich like Veronica.

3. If you had to live alone for a year in a paid for apartment in a city you knew no one in, where would you go and why?

I would choose Prague because it is a city I’ve never been to and hope to visit sometime in my life. To immerse yourself in a new environment, learn a different culture, tradition and language would be an exciting experience.

4. What quality do you most like about yourself?

Tough one -- I’m a very caring person.

5. What has been the most terrifying moment of your life? I’ll mention 2:

2+ yrs ago –
I had to report DH as a missing person. DH & I went on a ski trip with some friends a couple of years ago. On the last ski run, DH went 1 more time while we hung out at the lodge. We were going to meet back at the lodge after his last ski run and head back together to the room. The ski runs closed at 4:00p and still no sign of DH. I thought he probably is coming down the mountain soon. We waited and waited, I kept looking at the tiny figures coming down the mountain willing it to be DH. 45 minutes passed and still no sign of him. This was not like DH. He has skied alone before but he wasn’t stupid as to go off to a beaten track or to go on any daredevil runs. He is very responsible and level headed guy.

After the mountain closed and still no sign of him, I thought the only reason why he hasn’t come down is something happened or he was injured. The thought of either didn’t sit well with me and I could feel a knot in my stomach grow and panic rise within me. My friends tried not to panic me so they asked me what I wanted to do. It was already an hour or so past the mountain close time and everyone was off the mountain. I decided that it was time to report him as missing to the ski lodge.

We went to the appropriate counter. The lady asked me to describe DH and what he was wearing. I started to cry as it is really hitting me that he is missing! The lady asked if we called the hotel room. I had called his cell phone prior but he did not pick up. I did not think to call the hotel room as our agreement was to meet at the lodge. He wouldn’t go back to the room without me or telling me. The lady calls the room and lo and behold he picks up! He has been in the room all this time. I spoke to him angry and relieved at the same time and asked him what he was doing there as we’ve been worried sick about him.

Apparently we had a miscommunication. He thought since we weren’t going to ski, we would return back to the room after we finished our drinks. I said, no we were supposed to meet at the lodge after your last run and go back. I did not want to argue who was right/wrong as I was just thankful and relieved he was safe and unharmed.

10+ yrs ago –

I had to call 911 when my dad was having a hard time breathing. He was home sick from the flu. He was resting when suddenly he called my mom and said he couldn’t breathe. My dad instructed me to call 911. I thought he was having a heart attack. I was so terrified that I was in tears when I spoke to the 911 operator.

The ambulance arrived in 3 minutes and gave my dad a respirator. His breathing stabilized but they took him to the hospital to be looked at. Turned out he had pneumonia. He was hospitalized for a week.

It was a blessing in disguise as this incident forced him to quit smoking cold turkey. He hasn't smoked since.

If you are interested in participating, here are the rules:

• Leave me a comment saying, “Interview me!”
• I will respond by e-mailing you five questions.
• I get to pick them, and you have to answer them all.
• You will update your blog with the answers to the questions.
• You will include this explanation and an offer to interview someone else in the same post. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions.