Adagio at OpenDiary had this in her diary a few days ago, and I’d meant to steal it then, but forgot. Then tonight WarriorPoet(2), another OD-er, had it in his diary. Thus reminded, I stole it from him.

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If you could have anything delivered to your doorstep each morning, what would it be?

Poached eggs, wheat toast with butter, fresh fruit juice, home-fries, and coffee with cream, no sugar. And the NY Times crossword puzzle. (I’m terrible about eating breakfast, hence the menu.)

What is the one vacation destination that many people think is just fabulous but which you personally have no desire to visit (or revisit?)

Mt. Rushmore. I mean, it’s a mountain with faces in it, and it’s so commercial. Everything is totally kitschy.

If you were five years younger but knew everything at that age that you?ve actually learned over the last five years, what is the one thing you would definitely do differently?

I’d have held onto the condo another year, refinanced into a really low ARM, had the kitchen and bath redone, sold it for more, and moved out of California.

If you could wake up to one smell every morning (besides coffee) what would it be?
Rosemary and mint. Or baking bread.

Suppose that right now you could be at your favorite vacation spot, reading your favorite book, listening to your favorite CD, and eating your favorite food. What would be your choices for those four categories, and who, if anyone, would be with you?

I’m sitting in an Adirondack chair, on the porch of a rented beach house. I’m not sure where the house is, but it’s someplace cold and foggy, and the water is very blue, not green from kelp beds. I’m wearing a cotton sweater, and soft cotton pants, and my shoes are on the floor beside me. It’s a chilly day, so I’ve got a blanket spread over my lap, and I’m half-watching the water, as I read. The book is either The Eight or Jane Eyre, or possibly it’s a new V.I. Warshawski mystery by Sara Paretsky. There’s a side table near me, holding a plate, a mug, and a small cd player. I keep changing cd’s, playing mostly folk music – old stuff, like Peter Paul & Mary’s stuff – and cello music – and Vienna Teng’s stuff, because I like her lyrics a lot. The mug holds hot tea, with just a touch of sugar and milk. The plate has tuna salad with hard boiled egg mixed in, still warm, and spread on dill bread, lightly toasted, and the sandwich has been cut into squares, kid-style, to make it easier to read while eating. Upstairs, I can hear the sound effects from Fuzzy’s latest video game. Every once in a while, he’ll come down to check on me, and refill my tea, or I’ll wander upstairs to pester him.

Which animated figure is your all time favorite?
Never been a fan of animation. Do line and dot count?

If you had to write a brief message on a dollar bill that many people would eventually see as the currency circulates, what message would you write?
I’d steal it from The West Wing: “Decisions are made by those who show up.”

If you could own a home on the shore of any body of water in the world, which waterfront would you choose?
The Atlantic Ocean. I grew up on the Jersey Shore, and part of my heart is still there.

Suppose you had the opportunity to choose 3 people with whom to eat dinner: a famous sports figure, a movie star and a popular singer. Who would you choose?

Scott Hamilton, Emma Thompson, and Peter Yarrow.

What serves as the greatest motivation for you in your daily life?
Love. And hope.

What activity that you have to do every once in a while do you dread the most?

Dental work.

If you were a multimillionaire, what do you believe you would be doing at this very moment?

As it’s nearly midnight, I’d probably still be tucked into bed with my laptop, writing an entry like this one, and thinking about the manicure and pedicure scheduled for the next morning.

If you could have a cookie jar full of anything you wanted, except money or cookies, what would it be filled with?

Safety pins. You can never find one when you need one.

When people hear what you do for a living, what is the most typical question or comment they give you regarding your job?

So, how are interest rates today?

If you could have any round object in the world, what spherical item would you want?

The item I want is round, but not spherical: A tire swing. Or a papa-san chair. I miss the first, and have always wanted the second.

If you were left alone for one hour with nothing more than a pen and a notepad, what would you be inclined to draw or write during those 60 minutes?

Write, but probably doodle in the margins while thinking.

If you could witness anything at all in super-slow motion, what would you want to see?

Tap dancing.

If someone were looking for you in a bookstore, in what section would they be most likely to find you?

The new release shelf of either General Fiction, Mystery, or Science Fiction. Or the coffee bar.

What do you forget to do more often than anything else?

Mail letters, once they’re written.

If you could teach everyone in the world one skill, what would it be?

Effective use of voice mail.

You’ve been offered the chance to paint a billboard along a highway with any message you choose, as long as it’s only 10 words long. What is your message?

Other than the same thing I wrote on the dollar? I’m not sure. Probably something about the use of seatbelts.