Answering Your Questions, I Am [Part 1 of 2]

/ Ally Bean

•  From Kate at Views and Mews by Coffee Cat… Describe your dream vacation and besides Zen-Den, is there someone you would like to share it with?

My dream vacation would be going to Australia, New Zealand & Viet Nam.  In Australia, I’d like to see a few major cities, the ocean reef and some of the outback.  In New Zealand, I’d like to see the villages, the sheep and Christ Church, which years ago I remember being dubbed as the friendliest city on earth.  And as for Viet Nam, friends have been there and thought it was amazing to see and to experience and to give perspective on the 1960s.

Along with Z-D, I’d share this vacation with friends of ours, J & E.  They are easy to travel with and enjoy tangents.  Plus they make me laugh like no one’s business so no matter what happened, we’d have a good time.

•  From Beth who I’ve known since 7th grade… What is one great childhood memory of yours? 

I remember hot, humid summers with no air conditioning.  At night, my Mom and Dad and I would hang out on the cool concrete patio at the back of the house.  It was the only place with a bit of breeze and a few lawn chairs.  While they’d be drinking an adult beverage (or two) I’d be playing on my swing set in the yard or coloring with chalk on the patio.  Or, if it was past dark, I’d be catching fireflies to put into an empty glass jar– as my parents cheered me on from their chairs.

Time stood still on those nights.  Nowhere to go.  No wish to be inside the house watching TV.  No rush to get to bed because it wasn’t a school night.  Just hanging out because we wanted to be together.

•  From Margaret at Stargazer… Why do you live where you live and what do you like best/least about it?

The simple answer is we live here because this is where Z-D found a job.  The more intriguing answer is that, although neither one of us ever wanted to live here, fate intervened.  You see, 16 years ago Z-D & I both were unhappy with our jobs, so we both quit them and lived off our savings for a year.  When we started our year off, we figured that after it we’d be moving away from here.  So during our year off we travelled around the USA looking at places we’d like to live–  keeping notes, making contacts, checking out real estate, planning our future.

However, when Z-D started sending out resumes looking for employment, the most amazing thing happened.  A company here offered him the chance to start a department, from scratch, in his favorite area of expertise.  So despite not liking the conservative, non-friendly nature of this area, we stayed.  And that’s how we ended up living here.

•  From Cheri at Naples Girl Blog… If you won the lotto, what would you do with the money? Would your lifestyle change?

If I won the lotto, I imagine that my personality wouldn’t change.  I mean that in the sense of what I’d buy or how I’d go about doing things or how I’d relate to people or what I’d give to the world.

I think that the biggest change would be in my lifestyle.  That is, I’d buy a few pieces of property around the USA.  Like a condo in downtown Chicago, perhaps.  Or a small cottage near a lake or an ocean.  Maybe an apartment in Santa Fe.  Then when suburban life bored me to tears I’d head to one of my other places to live for a few weeks or months.  I’d have lots of homes, not just one– but live the same way that I do now in each of them.

[Tomorrow, Part 2]

20 thoughts on “Answering Your Questions, I Am [Part 1 of 2]”

  1. Thanks for answering my question. When I was asked that same question, my answer was that I would move to Naples, FLA. and find a part-time job there that I would enjoy.

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    • Cheri, I had that dream at one time, but it didn’t work out for me! Of course, I didn’t have the lotto to back up my dream– which might explain why I failed. 😉

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    • Kate, on the one hand it was a risky thing to do, but on the other hand it was the best thing we could have done at that time. Too bad there weren’t blogs back then– think of what I could have written about! Now, it’s all just a hazy memory.

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  4. I like the idea of having several homes in different places, and living according to whatever the mood might be. I like the story of how you came to live where you do, I’m always interested in how people got to where they are. Looking forward to part two.

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    • nance, must be something in the water! Where would you like to go on vacation? Maybe your idea is better than mine. It’s not too late to change my answer, I’m sure.

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  6. I remember those hot summer nights. We had a couple window air conditioners but I don’t remember the heat bothering us. I remember Mom and Dad sitting on the patio and playing on my swing set until dark.

    I like your idea about multiple homes if you won the lottery. I’d like to add rentals to your idea. I’m not sure I’d have to own so many homes but I’d like to live in other places, to really get to know the culture. You can’t just visit Australia, you need to live there a while. There’s some island in New Zealand that sounds like a big co-op to me and I want to live there for a while. Maybe I’d eventually find a place I wanted to stay or maybe I’d live in different places around the world like your idea.

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    • Zazzy, being outside on those nights was the only way to survive. Life pre-AC was much different.

      Funny how traveling the world didn’t even occur to me as something to do with my hypothetical lotto winnings. I’m much too much of a homebody, I guess. A multiple-homebody, should the lottery gods allow!

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  7. I remember those very hot days and just hanging out on the deck or in the basement, sipping lemonade. Fun times indeed. It is interesting to find out why you live there because you do write about the unfriendliness of the people. I would hate that. You need to buy a villa on a lovely lake or the Pacific Ocean in friendly WA; I can come visit you!! 🙂

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    • Margaret, those kind of summer nights are a thing of the past. Now everyone has AC &/or a cell phone, so the nothingness of those nights would never happen.

      I like this idea of buying a villa on a lake in WA. When I win the lotto I’ll be sure to do that.

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      • Yes, I may have a few suggestions since I would also like a mountain view. 😉 I remember that in the summer when my girls would get bored, they would usually find something to do like draw, paint or do a craft when their “evil” mom suggested chores such as unloading the dishwasher, cleaning their room, etc. They would play a game or something else creative. I don’t think kids do that much these days. Boredom can lead to creativity as far as I’m concerned!!

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        • Margaret, I would only buy a property if it passed your high standards first! So mountain view it is.

          I agree about the boredom/creativity connection. Being a lonely only child I was bored often, but I also learned to entertain myself in goofy ways. But the thing is that as an adult that experience translates into being a great problem solver. Who knew, huh?

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          • Creative people are often GREAT problem solvers. My husband was one and my older daughter is another. Younger daughter and I are more linear thinkers.

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