you can have a hangover from other things than alcohol

1 Have you ever had a sexy phone call? 

    the way this is phrased is kinda creepy, as if the thing was imposed upon me and not by mutual consent

 

2 Have you ever splurged on something and then regretted it? 

    definitely! Most notorious: the Nordic Track, which seemed like such a good idea at the time. I've also spent a fortune over the course of my life on clothing I would never wear. However, the most painful extravagance was going way overboard on a gift for someone who liked the gift so much that he delayed his planned break-up of our relationship simply so that I wouldn't make him give it back.

 

3 Have you ever taken a sexy photo? 

    yes. It would have been good already, but my skill as a photographer made it even better

 

4 What is the most embarrassing thing you do when you're home alone? 

    this is a koan, right? 

        Embarrassment is feeling ill at ease with someone else. 

            If one is alone, there is no 'someone else'. 

                So it's impossible to embarrass oneself when alone.

 

5 What's one thing you've never done but always wanted to try in a relationship? 

    to make it last

 

6 What's the biggest mistake you've ever made? 

    there are ever so many to choose from! The first that comes to mind is turning down a good job that I really wanted, and for which I'd interviewed more than once, in order to accept the position at the law firm that I grew to loathe and from which I was relieved of duty less than a year later. 

 

7 What's the boldest thing you've ever done to get someone's attention?

    I'm sure there's some stuff from the college era that I don't remember.... As a grown-up, it was sending thank-you notes to a large group of people in order to make one of them particularly special. It hit the mark, had the desired effect, and is still discussed from time to time. I write a damned good note, yo.

 

8 What's the story behind your worst hangover? 

    I hadn't been dating my then-boyfriend (later, husband) for very long. We were at his apartment after school/work and decided to run out for an early dinner. My car was parked around back, off the alley. We had to walk down to the front and then around the side of the block. When we got close enough, we were hailed by an acquaintance (Edward) who was manning the door at the bar kitty-corner across the street. He said it was dead in there, and we should come over—he'd buy us a drink. Never one to turn down booze, either of us, we readily agreed.

    We sat at that bar, drinking on empty stomachs. The bar stools were bolted to the floor, but at some point I started trying to move mine closer to the bar (I'm a little short) and fell off of it, repeatedly. H was drinking heavily as well, but his tolerance was even better than mine.

    After they'd closed up, we all (bartender, wait staff, and bouncers) had a few. Then H and Edward and I stumbled our way across the street to H's, where the guys drank a tequila sunrise or two, and I passed out. 

    A couple of hours after Edward went home, I straggled to the bathroom to vomit. I kept doing that on and off for more than twelve hours. H left for school as usual; I was far too sick to go. I also couldn't go to work that night. I couldn't even think about eating anything until the second day, and when all was said and done I'd lost several pounds. It was also the last time I drank brandy, or Long Island Iced Tea. For that matter, it was the last time I hung out with Edward.

 

9 Would you be happy with below average sex if your relationship was otherwise perfect? 

    perfect is a hard row to hoe, and sex does actually matter to a relationship. It creates and allows for closeness and connection, space and attention, that nothing else can quite manage.

 

10 Would you ever consider going on a dating reality show? 

    absolutely never

 

11 Would you marry someone from a different religion? 

    ha! I might even marry someone from no religion, if it came to that

 

[from here; the title quotation is by Raymond Chandler, from The Big Sleep]