If... (Weeks 5 and 6)

I'm trying desperately to catch up but I've said that before. No telling if I ever will. But, here are Weeks 5 and 6 of the "If..." project started by Nick, followed by Jody, then attempted by me here. Nick seems entirely too together, posting regularly and all that. Jody is more my speed, falling behind then trying like hell to make up for the time lost. Anyway, here are the next eight questions...

Week 5

1. If you could inherit a comfortable home in any city in the world that you could use but not sell, where would you want it to be.

Terribly easy question. Right here in Fayetteville, Ark. Granted, it's not as cultured as it could be for a university town but it's just funky enough to make me feel at home. We've avoided much of the sprawl the rest of NW Ark has (thank you to Wal*Mart for being in Bentonville) but the growth has impacted Fayetteville in a good way I think. Plus, doing a search not long ago, I found we hit number 7 on Kiplinger's list of Best Places to Live, Work and Play.

2. If you could inherit a vacation home anywhere in the world in which you could spend one month a year, but that you could never sell, where would it be?

Sounds like an easy enough question but there are so many places to choose from. I'd definitely have to pick continental Europe near the Mediterranean. But do you pick the south of Italy, the south of France, Monaco or Spain? Because of my newfound love of wine, I would have to go with Nice, France. So near the coast, but also within close travel distance of some of the greatest vineyards and wineries in the world...not to mention the greatest food.

3. If you could suddenly possess an extraordinary talent in one of the arts, what would you like to to be?

I would be perfectly content being a badass at the acoustic guitar. I've never been terribly fond of crafts and making things (except money) but I've always wished I could play the guitar. I have a guitar, just not the time involved in learning to play it.

4. If you could be instantly fluent in one other language that you currently do not read or speak, which would it be?

Jody has it spot on by picking Mandarin Chinese, though my primary reason is only an afterthought for him. China is a huge, mostly untapped market and anyone who can handle business dealings in the native language is many leaps ahead of the competition.


Week 6

1. If you could have permanent possession of any single object in the world, what would you want it to be?

I have no clue on this one, actually...if I can be a bit sacrilegious I'd go with the Holy Grail. Partly because it would just be really cool, especially if it was actually Mary Magdalene's body (thank you Da Vinci Code), but mostly because nothing else is coming to mind.

2. If you could have the starring role in one film already been made, which movie would you pick?

Cheating only slightly, I'd pick Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. It's my favorite book series ever and they clearly didn't stop after the first movie. So the starring role in the first means guaranteed employment for at least six more. Plus it'd be really cool to be the guy who plays Harry Potter. I would, however, make the promise to my fans not to appear nude in any plays (*cough* Equus).

3. If you could return for one year to one age in your life, knowing what you know now, to relive that year as you wish, which year would you go back to?

I'd love to relive my senior year of high school. That was definitely a great time in my life - student body president, playing golf all the time and stuff you're supposed to do your last year of high school. Knowing what I know now, I wouldn't have been such an arrogant closed-minded conservative asshole. But at least I've (mostly) fixed that now!

4. If you had to identically repeat any single year of your life to date, without changing a thing, which year would you relive?

I really wish they'd randomize these questions in the book more. I suppose it's done so in a social setting you can pick and choose from related topics. As a lawyer, I can appreciate the fine distinctions between relatively similar questions but it's a bit annoying in the blog setting.

Back to actually answering the question, I can't think of a recent year that I would like to re-live moment by moment without changing a thing. I think I would have to go back further to my childhood. Maybe around 10, the same age as my niece. I catch myself every once in a while telling Abby something like "back when I was your age, we didn't have cell phones." And I get the blurry eyed stare of a techno-struck little girl who has been asking for a cell phone for every Christmas and birthday since she was 7.

Yes, those times were simple. My greatest responsibilities were taking out the trash and making sure my Dad always had a cold beer in his hand. Why do little kids have cell phones these days? They certainly shouldn't be far enough from their parents (or their friends' parents) to need a phone to stay in touch. Just another reason to feel old...