About Books

 

 

1.      "Has reading a book ever changed your life? Which one and why, if yes?" Yes, several; to mention one: the dictionary (in any language), because it is the mother of all books!
 

2.      "Do you prefer to read fiction or nonfiction? Explain your choice." Both, but I strongly lean to nonfiction, philosophical, or nonfiction based fiction such as science-fiction.

3.      "If you could be a character in any novel you’ve ever read, who would you be and why?" Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Star Trek TNG). I appreciate the adventurous mind of the character, his leadership, and ability to balance between logic/emotion and "wisdom;" that being said, some of my friends would tell you that I am more of a "Data" character! [lol]

4.      "Has reading a book ever made you cry? Which one and why?" Nearly... "Mornings in Jenin"... well expressed blend of cultural writing styles, and a realistic backdrop of a very misunderstood human struggle that has impacted the whole world, to-date, for good, bad, or indifferent.

5.      "How many books do you read each year?" I lost count! Reading/learning is one of my passions.

6.      "Have you ever written (or started to write) a book?" Yes, a few.

7.      "Name one book you had to read but hated, and explain why you hated it." "Hate" is a very strong word, and an emotion that only consumes its holder. I do not read books that do not peak my interest from the first chapter, so, I never get to the "hate" stage... I'll say any book that does not promote critical thinking, and promotes ignorance, hypocrisy, and bigotry among the masses would be a book that "disgusts" me.

8.      "If someone wrote a book about your life, what would they title it?" Well... "Rolling with the Punches" or "I did it my way."

9.      "If you could pick a book you’ve read to make into a movie, which one would you choose?" My life story!

10.   "What was your favorite book as a child and why?" There are actually two: "The Little Red Hen" which taught me to seize the moment even when others do not, and to be industrious, then, "Heidi", by the Swiss novelist Johanna Spyri, supposedly influenced by the story titled: "Adelaide: The Girl from the Alps"... and why did/do I favor it? because it promotes (taught me the value of) patience, love, compassion, wisdom, enjoyment of life thorough others' happiness, and that you can learn new things from any age group, among other great qualities that I now believe in.

 

 

About Money

 

 

11.   "What would you do if you had a million dollars?" 1st, let's recognize that a million dollars does not have the same value as it did during my father's time. I'd use the "surplus" to invest in the future growth of capable people and their ideas as part of my company or legitimate non-profit organizations.

12.   "Are you a spender or a saver?" The key phrase here is "being reasonable." Both; I do not deprive myself/family from things I/we need, and really want, but I do save too. I tend to spend on others more than myself.

13.   "How much money do you save on a regular basis? (As a percentage of your income?)" That is for me to know, and you to guess! But, I'll give you a hint: no less that a years worth of living relatively comfortable.

14.   "Do you have a personal written budget?" Yes.

15.   "When you go to a meal dutch, would you prefer to itemize the receipt or just split it in half?" It depends on who I am with, and where.

16.   "When you’re on a date, do you think the man should pay or not?" I like to "pamper" my date(s), but I will not take it personally if she insists to pay for any reason.

17.   "What’s the most expensive gift you’ve ever given someone?" My love.

18.   "What’s the most expensive gift you’ve ever received from someone?' My parents.

19.   "If someone offered you a million dollars for a night of sex, would you do it?" Would it matter if the person were good looking or not? No, I am positive that I would not do it -I had a similar chance which I declined; I am not for sale. Furthermore, I am a long-term commitment type one-woman seeker.

20.   "Do you invest in the stock market? What kind of investing strategy do you use if you do?" I once did, before 2001; I do not at this time, hence I can not give you a current strategy, but I will say that I do not put all my eggs in one basket.

 

About Dilemmas

 

 

21.   "Would you rather be rich or healthy?" Healthy.

22.   "Would you rather be good looking or rich?" Healthy... being healthy is the epitome of being beautiful, and the only true wealth.

23.   "Do you believe in the death penalty? Why or why not?" I prefer to forgive when at all possible, but I can not speak for others'. Perhaps there may be some very few places where the death penalty may be appropriate, but I can not think of one right now.

24.   "Have you seen Sophie’s Choice, and if so, do you think she made the right choice or the wrong choice?" Yes, I have... she usually does make the right choice... I am talking about my resident Maine Coon cat, whose named "Sophie"! [lol]

25.   "Would you like to know the day you’re going to die ahead of time? Why or why not?" It does not make a difference to me; I do not bother myself -anymore- with things I cannot control or influence.

26.   "Would you rather have super strength or super intelligence?" "Super intelligence."

27.   "Would you rather have the power to be invisible or the power to read minds?" "The power to be invisible"... I already can "read" most minds ;-)

28.   "Would you rather spend the rest of your life without a significant other, or would you rather have a partner who is extremely difficult?" LOL! That is a loaded question, and cannot be answered briefly! First, let's define "significant other" and "partner": In my world we are talking either about a mutually committed-to long-term relationship such as "husband & wife," or a mutually committed-to relationship that has the objective, and real potential, of reaching that stage. Now, if I had the kind of insight you are presenting me with (not speculation), my first inclination is to say that I would "rather spend the rest of [my] life without a significant other," and no doubt about that! [lol]... Hold on! But! in reality, it depends on "what is making her water boil." I like dealing with root-causes and remedies... many things can be worked-out, especially through transparent and honest communications (without too many cooks in the kitchen), and others simply demand "divine-intervention!" [lol]... from my perspective, life is relatively simple, and there is no need to complicate it or make it more difficult... naturally, I do not appreciate the extremes of anything.
 

29.   "Would you rather spend life in prison or be executed?" I would not consciously put myself in such a position, and if I found myself in such a position (out of my control), it does not matter, because it is not my choice to make.
 

30.   "Should marijuana be legalized? Why or why not?" From a high-level perspective, it does not matter to me at this time -based on what we know, or is advised, of its harmful effects, because there are much, much, much bigger legal issues to tackle in our societies on the list of critical priorities. Logically, if we are to make it illegal, we should do the same to booze, that has plenty of documentation of the negative effects of indulging in consuming it, on individuals and societies... good luck with that...

 

 

About Music

 

 

31.   "What’s your favorite kind of music?" It depends on my mood, but I do have an affinity for Enya, and Charlotte Church (crush in this case! 😅), but I very much enjoy Argentinean/Uruguayan Tango!
 

32.   "Who’s your favorite singer or band?" Frank Sinatra is way up there! Grace Jones [I've Seen That Face Before (Libertango)] has a unique place in my mind too [lol]
 

33.   "What’s your favorite album?" "My Way," by Frank Sinatra.
 

34.   "What’s your favorite song?" Impossible, there is not just one! ... right off, I would say "Dragostea Din Tei" (2004) by the Moldavian pop group O-Zone, "The devil went down to Georgia" by the Charlie Daniels Band (1979), "Imagine," by the Beetles, and equal to it, "You've Got a Friend" by James Taylor, "My Way" by Frank Sinatra (lyrics were written by Paul Anka and set to music based on the French song "Comme d'habitude" composed in 1967 by Claude François and Jacques Revaux.), "Scarborough Fair" by Simon and Garfunkel, and "I've got you under my skin," again, by Frankie Sinatra!
 

35.   "Do you like to sing karaoke?" Yes.
 

36.   "Are you a good dancer?" Depending on what kind of dancing, where, and with whom ;-)
 

37.   "Do you like musicals? (movies or theater)" Yes; good ones.
 

38.   "Has a song ever made you cry?" Yes, only one, "A love without end, amen" (also known as "A fathers love") by George Strait.
 

39.   "If your life was a song, what would the title be?" "No fear," or, "I did it my way."
 

40.   "If you could be a particular singer or musician, who would you be?" That is a hard one... on top of my head, talent and voice wise (vocalist), I would say: as a man, perhaps Engelbert Humperdinck (Arnold George Dorsey), or if a woman, Dalida (Iolanda Cristina Gigliotti).

 

 

 

About Movies

 

 

41.   "What’s your favorite movie of all time and why?' I'm split between Stanley Kubrick's 1960's movie "2001: Space Odyssey" and the 1980's movie "Somewhere in Time," starring Christopher Reeve and Jane Seymour... the first because I perceive it being ahead of its time in most ways conceivable, and the latter because I can relate to several aspects of the plot. The scenery is also beautiful in both, and in the latter, it has a wonderfully haunting musical score [Rachmaninoff's Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini].
 

42.   "What was the best movie you saw this last year (2015) and why?" I have not been to the cinema this year. On DVD, I would say a re-view of "The Great Escape" or the Howard Hughes epic "The Aviator."
 

43.   "Who’s your favorite director and why?" I have several, but Frank Capra, Martin Scorsese, and Mel Gibson  come readily to my mind, followed by the less renowned Moustapha Akkad from his movie "Lion of the Desert"... Why? Duh! ;-)
 

44.   "Do you like black and white movies? Why or why not?" Yes, I do; there are less distractions... there is beauty in that simplicity; also, it takes more creativity to make such a production.
 

45.   Do you read movie reviews? If so, which reviewers do you enjoy? If not, why? Yes, when I am interested in seeing a movie. Ebert & Siskel come to my mind, because their tastes seem to be somewhat similar to mine.
 

46.   What’s the scariest movie you’ve ever seen? Do you like horror movies? Why or why not? No movie has scared me yet because I quickly analyze the technical aspects of them and figure the "tricks" out... I am too conscious of the fact that they are manufactured. I do not particularly appreciate "horror" movies, but I have been to a few with gals -primarily when I was in college... I better appreciate "suspense" movies...in my biased opinion, "horror" movies are a waste of my time, with one exception: unless going to watch one with my gal =)
 

47.   Who’s your favorite actor and why? American, male, not actress... Again, I have several "favorites," but James "Jimmy" Stewart, Marlon Brando, Steve McQueen, Humphrey Bogart, and the giant Mr. Morgan Freeman ... oh, Will Smith and Tom Cruise... seem to always come to my mind right away... choose any of them! You ask why, and I say just look at their acomplishments.
 

48.   Do you cry at movies? If so, which movies make you cry? I have become somewhat emotional at the movies watching some films, but have not cried. The three tear-jerkers I can remember are: [1] one of my favorites, Vincent Ward's movie "What Dreams May Come," Arthure Hiller's 1970 "Love Story", and [3] is Mel Gibson's 1995 epic "Braveheart."
 

49.   What’s the funniest movie you’ve ever seen? Hmmm, again, I have three that I can think of equally: "RV" starring Robin Williams, Mike Judge's "Office Space," and Nancy Meyers' "What Women Want" with Mel Gibson! ... I am not sure which right now.
 

50.   Would you rather see a movie at the theater or at home on DVD? Why? It depends on who I am with, and what my/our mood is like.

 

 

 

About TV

 

 

51.   What’s your favorite TV show of all time and why? Star Trek TNG/DS9/Voyager, because it has several aspects and qualities I/we can aim to achieve in real life.
 

52.   How many hours a week do you spend watching TV? If you are talking about broadcast TV, for the past several years, practically Zero.
 

53.   What’s your favorite TV station and why? PBS, and the science and history channels, because I can learn new and practical things from their shows.
 

54.   What was your favorite TV show when you were growing up? Depending on the genre, there is not one! I had many favorites! ... starting with "Little House on the Prairie" and "The Walton's", classic Western series especially "The Rifle Man", to the animated "Pink Panther", then the animatronics "Thunderbirds Are Go!", Japanese animation "UFOロボ·グレンダイザ/Grindizer", "Buck Rogers", "Emergency!", "Eight is Enough", "The Partridge Family", "CHiPs", "Air Wolf", Kung Fu (David Carradine), Magnum P.I., and "Knight Rider"... gosh, the list is long!
 

55.   Who’s your favorite actor on television and why? Sir Patrick Stewart... "self-made" man, and well rounded actor, with interesting views.
 

56.   Would you rather watch a sitcom, a reality show, a police drama, a legal drama, or a medical drama? Or something else? Why? Sherlock Holmes, Perry Mason, MASH 4077, I love Lucy! ... It must be something that is thought provoking, triggers curiosity, imagination, makes me laugh, or which I can learn something constructive from... I can not think of any sitcoms or "reality shows" that I have watched and kept up with at all.
 

57.   Has a television show ever moved you to tears? If yes, which one and when? TV show that moved me to tears? hmmm... the MASH 4077 finale, almost.
 

58.   Do you watch the news on TV? How often? Are you joking? Today? Mainstream? Here? No! because of the lack of neutrality and truth that is inherit in most of today's news sources in the US (to say the least). I have no respect for people who are so stupid to underestimate my ability to make reasonable choices without being spoon-fed their propaganda... oops, didn't mean to preach! =p
 

59.   Have you ever been on TV? Yes.
 

60.   If you were a character on a TV show, which one would you be? Sherlock Holmes, or, William Riker on Star Trek TNG! [lol].

 

 

 

About Games

 

 

61.   What was your favorite game to play as a child? That is a hard one, again... Almost any outdoors games with friends and family; on the other hand, I loved building things, be it as simple as digging a deep hole/tunnels in the sand on the shore of the beach, competing running or swimming, cooking or building a bookshelf with my parents, creating models with Tinker Toys and Lego's, or functional robots made from the parts of broken remote-controlled cars and empty boxes and cans!
 

62.   Do you play video games now? Not often at all, although, I can quickly get back into the original "Tetris", Arcade games such as "Space Invaders", and my Flight Simulators! [lol]
 

63.   What’s your favorite gambling game? I do not gamble, but I used to be pretty good at "Texas Hold 'em" and "Black Jack" on the computer.
 

64.   Do you prefer card games or board games? Does not really matter, because it depends on who I am playing with! but if I had to lean to the direction of a choice, I would think board games.
 

65.   Do you ever play drinking games? No. Drinking ain't a game!
 

66.   Are you good at Chess? Not as well as some of my friends =)
 

67.   Have you ever played Dungeons & Dragons? Did you like it? No, I have not.
 

68.   Do you ever play solitaire when you’re bored? I did in the past, but not because I was bored, I just liked to; I don't have time to get bored anymore! [lol]
 

69.   Are you good at Trivial Pursuit? Yes.
 

70.   Have you ever been on a game show? Which one? Not on TV, but in school, and I won first prize ;-)