it is difficult, when faced with a situation you cannot control, to admit you can do nothing

1. What does happiness/joy feel like physically? relaxation, exhilaration, easing of discomfort
2. List five people you love starting with the one you love the absolute most:
   this question is ridiculous and unanswerable. Love is not a quantitative issue.
3. How many movies have you gone to see this month? none. I did see Suicide Squad at the theater with a good old friend, mid-August, breaking the reign of the previous record-holder. Thank God. I didn't love it, but it wasn't bad.
4. If you could have 3 wishes...but none of them could be for yourself, what would you wish for? Good health for my friends and family; an honest accounting of the situation in the workplace for some people who really need to be taken to task; and for things to run smoothly for my favorite teen.
5. In what ways do you relax and de-stress when you are really tense? read, write, take long showers, watch movies, sleep...
6. How much money would it take to get you to drive to school naked in the springtime and get out of the car? that would just never happen
7. Have you ever killed an animal? not on purpose. There have been some inadvertent highway incidents over the years, but nothing major (thank you and please) and never with intent.
8. Have you ever lost someone close to you? yes; I'll be at a funeral tomorrow
9. What do you think of cloning? it doesn't seem like a good idea, really - but damn it, man, I'm a doctor, not a geneticist!
10. Do you read or watch TV more often? read, I think?
11. With all this talk of terrorism going around, are you willing to sacrifice rights and freedoms for increased safety? I've been willing to do without some things that are considered rights or freedoms, all along, and that is a premise with which some of my friends would argue vehemently. But I certainly did not come to that conclusion as the result of increased knowledge or prevalence of world terrorism. That would be truly frightening.
12. What is the punishment you would come up with for Osama Bin Laden if you caught him alive? in the alternative universe in which that would occur...I would simply be grateful that I never practiced law and struck out on the path toward becoming a judge.
13. Have you ever named an individual part of your body? not that I recall at the moment? I think that's just a guy habit.
    
    I hope that's just a guy habit.
14. Have you ever been on the radio or on TV? not solo
15. Have you ever won a lottery, or sweepstakes? a few scratch-offs, a couple of really small Lotto sorts of tickets. Lots of sweepstakes with minor prizes. A member of my family is big into that sort of thing, so I sort of grew into it naturally.
16. Have you ever won a contest or competition? yep, lots. In the same sense as the above, I grew up answering radio contests and sending entries to the newspaper for various prizes. The ones that require some sort of skill or knowledge are the most rewarding, but the ones with the best prizes are the most fun.
17. Do you like to watch The Joy of Painting show with Bob Ross? no, that sort of instructional show never appealed to me. Instruction in art seems counterintuitive--which may explain my spectacular failure in photography as a career.
    
    In the intervening years, I've realized that there are things to be learned and that my ego is strong enough to handle it. (yes, you may laugh.) My former spouse supported the development of photography as a hobby, and gifted me with several books that have been instrumental in moving forward in certain areas. There is still more, though, to see.
18. Do you know what your grandparents and your great grand parents did for a living? no, not all of them. Good question. Maybe I can get some answers tomorrow.
19. Is there anything really interesting in your family history? there's all sorts of fascinating stuff out there. Nothing earth-shattering or famous, but a bunch of captivating people.
20. Is there anyone you trust completely? as much as can be
21. Have you ever lost someone without having the chance to say goodbye? Yes.
22. How do you feel about women in politics? seems like an idea whose time has come, doesn't it?
23. Would you rather have an indoor Jacuzzi or an outdoor pool? I'd rather have an indoor pool
24. What things are you interested in that you study or read about on your own? this is the subject of an upcoming post, so I'll keep mum on it for a bit longer. Keep your eyes peeled to this space!
25. Would you consider yourself to be intelligent? eh. I get by.
26. Would you consider yourself to be wise? I have my moments.
27. Have you ever given or received a lap dance? given the prior two questions, would it even be possible to answer this in the affirmative?
28. Have you ever spoken to a homeless person? *gasps in horror*
29. Would you ever creep into the subway tunnels to go exploring? eeeeeeew
30. If you could add 70 years to your life but only by making some random person die 70 years sooner would you? no, thank you
31. Can you finish any of the following lyrics?
    
    • Nothing to kill or die for... And no religion, too / Imagine all the people / Living life in peace... You... (John Lennon)
    • Late comings with the late comin' stretcher... That's a body bag in disguise y'all betcha (Public Enemy)
    • I could make a film and make you my star... You'd be a natural the way you are (Soft Cell)
32. Were you ever with someone while they died? no
33. Would you rather be a world political leader or a rock star? rock star, definitely. I'm only in it for the babes and fun.
34. Have you ever given someone a love letter that you wrote? I have. Maybe just this week.

[from here; this is the first third of Part Two of the 5000-question survey. More to come, clearly. The title quotation is by Lemony Snicket, from Horseradish]