My 5 Questions
dd May 14th, 2007
Recently, Looking2Live challenged me to answer 5 questions and even threw in a Bonus. This one is making the rounds in Blogoville, but it’s a good Meme for sure and one that requires a bit of thought (compared to my usual post which I sort of throw against the wall and see how it splatters). So, here goes:
Q1: Should we have been better disciplinarians with our children? Would it really have made any difference?
A: Yes, I think we probably should have been a tiny bit stricter, but I don’t think it was a major failing. We also could have been more consistent in actually carrying out our threatened “punishments”. But, honestly, we have 2 really good kids and so I don’t think it would have made a real difference.
Q2: If you could change one thing that happened in your life to date, what would it be?
A: This is easy and I bet you would not have ever guessed it. I would not have planted those G-damn asparagus beds in the Spring of 1978. I was told to dig trenches at least a foot deep. Since I didn’t know what the h__ I was doing and our soil is rock solid clay, I really screwed myself. That’s how I injured my plantar fascia which made me stop playing softball and tennis and led to me injuring my back the next winter. I’ve been battling those injuries ever since, although for the past several years, I returned to tennis and took up biking. But, I lost a lot of years of fun, exercise and camaraderie due to my crazy notion of growing my own asparagus.
Q3: If you had become the doctor your mother had envisioned, what type of doctor would you be? Do you think you would be more or less happy than you are today?
A: First, it was not just my mother. My dad was a big Doctor pusher too. I think I would have been a dermatologist for several reasons:
- The only surgery they do is pretty minor and usually done in their offices
- They often get instant gratification. The patient’s problem is often fixed or at least treated during the initial visit.
- They would be among the least likely doc to get late night or weekend emergency calls.
Would I be happier today? That’s a very good and very hard question and almost impossible to really answer. It’s possible that during my working career, I might have been happier. And, certainly, I would have earned a lot more money. But, I’m not sure my retirement years would be happier. I like what I’m doing now and I’m not sure I would have developed the varied interests I currently cultivate.
Q4: If someone gave you $1 million, what would you do with it?
A: This question and the next one are my favorites. Here’s what I’d do with the million:
- Travel, travel, travel
- Set up a small trust fund for both kids
- Donate 10% to Temple Micah and to Save Darfur
Q5: What are the 5 places you want to visit on upcoming trips in order of preference?
A: This is a hard one since there are many more places than 5 in my fantasies. But, here’s my best shot:
- South America - Chile/Argentina
- Greece/Turkey
- Russia
- Costa Rica
- Vieques, P.R.
Bonus Q: If you could be fluent in another language, which one would it be and why?
A: Another hard one in that there are 2 languages that immediately spring to mind - Hebrew and Spanish. But, if I have to pick one, it would have to be Hebrew. Reasons:
- So, I could more easily translate the prayers we do in Hebrew and that we sing in Choir. And, so I could read the Bible easily in its original language
- So, that on our next trip to Israel, I can actually converse in the native/mother tongue.
I’ve been semi-retired for about 3 years. I say “semi” because I now do quite a bit of web design work, some in a volunteer capacity, some for pay. 
