though we know we had never been there before, we knew we had been there before

2. What extracurriculars did you take in school? 

    softball in junior high, and volleyball. Band all through school, thought that was so ever-present that it wasn't really extra-curricular.

 

3. Which movie would you say resembles your life the most? 

    The Apartment (1960)

 

4. Do you ever get déjà vu? 

    strangely, I feel like I've only recently answered this question, so I'm going to take it into left field. The movie Deja Vu (2006) is my favorite Denzel Washington film. I liked it very much. (Reviewed here.)

 

5. What kind of toys did you like as a kid? 

    building things, like Tinker Toys or Lincoln Logs, and stuffed animals

 

6. Do you vote? 

    absolutely. No complaining or gloating unless you've cast your lot!

 

7. Are you careful about the type of media you pay attention to? 

    I'm not sure where this question is headed. Is it, am I careful to watch only joy-filled movies, listen to uplifting music, and read only happy-ending books? Almost across the board: Hell, no. I'm far less interested in palatable, easy to swallow, nonconfrontational media than I am in an intense, sharp, demanding challenge.

 

8. Have you ever successfully given up a bad habit? 

    sure. I get pretty good sleep more often than not, and I take more care when driving, and I try hard not to blame other people for what I get wrong.

 

9. Would you call yourself a mindful person? 

    I'm getting there. Putting some effort, lately, into slowing down and being aware of the especially good - and the particularly bad - things that I experience. Turning off the lights and petting the cat, doing nothing but feeling the soft and the fur and the purr beneath. Taking a break to have a special treat rather than eating it "in the background" and not fully appreciating it. Doing what I can to get better sleep rather than only shooting for more sleep. 

    However, I think mindfulness is a lot like education; if you think you've reached the point that you're "educated", you've missed the meaning of the exercise.

 

10. Did you get a job in your field after you’ve graduated? 

    eventually—it took a couple of decades

 

11. Did you have an imaginary friend as a kid? 

    not that I recall, though it's supposed to be totally normal and even a good sign for emotional development. Oops, I missed one.

 

 [from here; the title quotation is by Margaret Atwood, from Procedures for Underground]