I hate writing these but people might want to know a little about my family and and me. Instead of actually writing a bio, which I tried before (and hated), I'm going to fill out one of those questionnaire meme things (actually a few I found, and then pulled out the least boring or more informative questions). Good enough? I hope so.

The Basics:

I'm a 49 year old grandmother, mother of 2 awesome kids, and very happily married for 29 years (I've been with him for 33 years!). We live on a very small vegetable and egg farm in the Sierra Foothills of California. We have 4 dogs, 4 cats, 3 peacocks, 28 chickens (more on the way!), 2 goats, and 2 cockatiels, along with a pond filled with fish and frogs. Mostly we're surrounded by the woods, and I love that.

Ok, that's out of the way. Now for the questions!

1. If you knew that this was your last day on earth, how would you spend it?

With my family, writing emails and making calls to more distant family and friends, then having food I haven't been able to have in a while. I'd want to go out enjoying myself, so I think I'd top it all off watching "The Empire Strikes Back" with my family and animals on my patio while devouring Doritos and guzzling soda. Gluttony seems appropriate in this context.

2. What would you do if you won the lottery?

This question always pops up in every single one of these things. Like how much did I win? Was it a scratch off ticket and it's worth a dollar? I'd buy... a pack of gum!

3. Would you be brave enough to spend an entire hour alone in a cemetery?

Sure. I did it all the time as a teenager to read beause the cemetery was the closest thing to a park near my house within fast walking distance. It wasn't a "Goth" thing, it was so I could read underneath some trees on a bench in some comfort. Whole house air conditioners were not as prevalent in the 80s, and it got hot in the Bay Area. I wanted shade and any breeze I could get to read in.

4. Do you believe that there is life beyond our planet?

Absolutely. Has anyone noticed that the universe is really REALLY big? Of course there's life on other planets somewhere! A life form that vaguely resembles a shrimp on some distant planet is answering the same question on their version of a questionnaire, I'll bet you.

5. If you were stranded on an island, what are the three books, three movies, and three albums you'd want?

I always cheat on these. To hell with the other stuff. I want a working satellite phone, my GPS coordinates, and a cooler filled with fresh water and sandwich makings for 3 days. A tent and sleeping bag wouldn't be so bad either, along with some sterno, a box of strike anywhere matches, dry wood, sunscreen, and insect repellent. All of that will reduce my stranding considerably and so the book would be whatever I'm currently reading, a movie would be superfluous, and I could wait on the music also. See? I cheat.

6. What is your definition of an incredible weekend?

That stranding above sounds pretty awesome, actually. Let's go with that!

7. What are the five things you cannot do without?

Setting aside the obvious (a breathable atmosphere, water, etc.):

People and animals to love. Stuff to read. Music to listen to. Games to play. Hot Cocoa.

8. What’s your favorite music?

To give an idea? I love Magna Carta Cartel, Slayer, Beethoven, Led Zeppelin, Agnes Obel, Testament, Prokofiev, Amon Amarth, Clutch, Talk Talk, Mozart, AC/DC, The Fixx, Faith and the Muse, Abney Park, Power Trip, Metallica, Ghost, Mastodon, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Black Sabbath, Gary Numan... it's all over the map and song dependent.

9. Favorite movies, books, TV shows?

So MANY!!! I tend to prefer sci-fi and fantasy, but I also love good stories, period. Horror, drama, thrillers, what's important is plot and good writing.

Nine questions is good enough, I think. After years of doing these things (and those ridiculous quizzes where you can find out what kind of cat or fruit you are), it's all sort of beside the point. The best way to get to know a person is to talk with them. Biographes tend to be sterile and unfulfilling unless they're very long, and that's not important for me to do. Other people's stories are always more interesting to me, because they're new and different!