The Space Cadet Interview
Jun. 5th, 2003 10:35 am1. What is one of your happiest memories?
The too-short span of days that Jennifer and I spent in Provincetown, MA in the spring of last year. Those couple of days taught us so much about each other, ourselves, and our relationship. Even though things went chaotic not long after that, I don't think we'd be functioning as a couple now if we hadn't spent that time. And it was beautiful, and peaceful, and the ocean was so wonderful, and it was one of the first times I'd ever taken a real, grownup vacation, and it was my first B&B, and did I mention the ocean? And the Portuguese food. Mmmm.
2. 2. Did you like high school? why/ why not?
I was a pretty miserable kid when I began high school. In 9th and 10th grades, I had some friends but had no self-esteem, and so I spent most of the time feeling sorry for myself because everyone was dating and I wasn't interested. In 11th grade, I brought some of my friends together and we formed a sort of tight pack that I felt really comfortable in, and I began to feel better about myself at the same time. By 12th grade, I was somewhat of a confident person with a tight group of very cool friends, and since I started holding myself higher, other people took notice of me, too. I ended up being one of those people that gets along with everyone, and had a really great year because of it. And by the time I graduated, I had enough self-confidence and self-esteem to actually appreciate being valedictorian, because I had learned that the only time things really work out is when you do them to make /yourself/ proud. So yes, I liked high school. At the very least, I hated being home, and school was a respite of security and confidence.
3. Do you have an interest that very few people know about? Care to share?
I write really bad poetry, but a good number of people know that, even though it's not something I talk about. But I'd have to say that my deep dark secret passion is logic puzzles. I like everything from those puzzles that require you to set up a grid and eliminate possibilities, to those charts where you figure out who sits next to whom, to mathematical problems. I scored an 800 on the GRE analytical section. I am a Logic Nerd.
4. If you could take a vacation anywhere in the world, where would it be?
I have to choose one place? GAH! I would like to go to Portugal, to see where my ancestors are from - but I only want to go if my grandfather is coming with me.
5. Who would you say was your role model/ hero when you were growing up?
When I was very young (say, 4-8 years old), my role model was Jesus. Really. In my childhood mind, I saw Jesus as a man who was persecuted and who persevered. I felt that people spent time and energy trying to destroy him and his love, but they were unable to do so. In my tortured, melodramatic 6-year-old mind, I thought that was happening to me, too, and I used this to keep going.
From about 8-13 or so, I /really/ wanted to be Ponyboy Curtis from The Outsiders. I mean, I can't think of another person that I wanted to be. I wanted to be him so badly that I would lie in bed at night, close my eyes, and imagine how my life would be, being a young greaser with my big brothers Sodapop and Darry.
The too-short span of days that Jennifer and I spent in Provincetown, MA in the spring of last year. Those couple of days taught us so much about each other, ourselves, and our relationship. Even though things went chaotic not long after that, I don't think we'd be functioning as a couple now if we hadn't spent that time. And it was beautiful, and peaceful, and the ocean was so wonderful, and it was one of the first times I'd ever taken a real, grownup vacation, and it was my first B&B, and did I mention the ocean? And the Portuguese food. Mmmm.
2. 2. Did you like high school? why/ why not?
I was a pretty miserable kid when I began high school. In 9th and 10th grades, I had some friends but had no self-esteem, and so I spent most of the time feeling sorry for myself because everyone was dating and I wasn't interested. In 11th grade, I brought some of my friends together and we formed a sort of tight pack that I felt really comfortable in, and I began to feel better about myself at the same time. By 12th grade, I was somewhat of a confident person with a tight group of very cool friends, and since I started holding myself higher, other people took notice of me, too. I ended up being one of those people that gets along with everyone, and had a really great year because of it. And by the time I graduated, I had enough self-confidence and self-esteem to actually appreciate being valedictorian, because I had learned that the only time things really work out is when you do them to make /yourself/ proud. So yes, I liked high school. At the very least, I hated being home, and school was a respite of security and confidence.
3. Do you have an interest that very few people know about? Care to share?
I write really bad poetry, but a good number of people know that, even though it's not something I talk about. But I'd have to say that my deep dark secret passion is logic puzzles. I like everything from those puzzles that require you to set up a grid and eliminate possibilities, to those charts where you figure out who sits next to whom, to mathematical problems. I scored an 800 on the GRE analytical section. I am a Logic Nerd.
4. If you could take a vacation anywhere in the world, where would it be?
I have to choose one place? GAH! I would like to go to Portugal, to see where my ancestors are from - but I only want to go if my grandfather is coming with me.
5. Who would you say was your role model/ hero when you were growing up?
When I was very young (say, 4-8 years old), my role model was Jesus. Really. In my childhood mind, I saw Jesus as a man who was persecuted and who persevered. I felt that people spent time and energy trying to destroy him and his love, but they were unable to do so. In my tortured, melodramatic 6-year-old mind, I thought that was happening to me, too, and I used this to keep going.
From about 8-13 or so, I /really/ wanted to be Ponyboy Curtis from The Outsiders. I mean, I can't think of another person that I wanted to be. I wanted to be him so badly that I would lie in bed at night, close my eyes, and imagine how my life would be, being a young greaser with my big brothers Sodapop and Darry.
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Date: 2003-06-05 08:34 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-06-05 09:24 am (UTC)no subject
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Date: 2003-06-05 10:08 am (UTC)Tru funny story: Once a coworker and I were at a pizza place with a couple of other people, and the table next to us ordered this HUGE pizza. I leaned over to my coworker and said, "I wish they'd give me a piece of that pizza, they've got 37 pieces over there!" She didn't bat an eyelash and said, "37 is a prime number."
I'd died and gone to Nerd Girl Heaven.
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Date: 2003-06-05 10:32 am (UTC)Heheh. Dork.
*swoon*
Date: 2003-06-05 11:01 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-06-05 01:41 pm (UTC)So, I'm guessing that Jen's a logic puzzle nerd, too?
My best true story...when I was living in New York, I was a part of a group who got together for Sunday D&D games. One week our party encountered a creature who held a piece to an artifact that we needed to put together. The creature would give us the piece if we could solve three riddles (out of five). One was this really convoluted logic puzzle, so I worked out the solution (and got it right!), as others in the party are crying out "let's just kill him and TAKE the piece!" Curse having a good alignment ;). Oh, and we ended up using most of the time that I needed to solve the puzzle as our dinner break, anyhow. :)
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Date: 2003-06-05 01:50 pm (UTC)Fun!
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Date: 2003-06-05 01:54 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-06-05 01:56 pm (UTC)Well, Jen's pretty nerdy, but I don't know how she feels about logic puzzles. :)
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Date: 2003-06-05 02:08 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-06-05 02:11 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-06-05 02:18 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-06-05 04:50 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-06-05 07:02 pm (UTC)Who knew there were all these closet logic freaks?