The Burning Questions Meme

My lovely, very pregnant blog friend Jenica sent me this list of interview questions as part of a personalized meme. If you want to play along and have me send you a list of questions to answer on your blog, let me know in the comments. Enjoy!

1. Do you floss? Increasingly, yes. I confess it's been a difficult habit for me to pick up. I'd say I'm at 70% flossing regularity right now, but definitely shooting for every day.

2. How has living in Mozambique changed you as a person? I realize what a tendency to be impatient I have. I use all of the salvageable parts of fruits and vegetables now, instead of tossing an entire tomato because it's partly rotten. I am seriously committed to being a jewelry artist. I realize the value my trash and cast-off items have to other people. I am a more confident professional. I am no longer shocked by extreme poverty. I have become very cynical and very hopeful at the same time, though not always in equal doses...I could go on for ages.

3. Name 2 moments or experiences in your life that *defined you*. This one is difficult. I guess the decision to move to Mozambique is one. I was on the phone with my friend B., who was already living here. He asked if I was interested in working with him and Rico. I thought for a second, then said yes. I said I'd leave my job and move in 4 months. The decision to leave everything and embark on a new adventure halfway across the world, full of risk and with nothing guaranteed (not even a salary!) was, I suppose, pretty typical of my personality. Certainly the decision to come to Mozambique defined a big part of me - my personal life, my professional ambitions... The other moment would be, for similar reasons, my decision at 15 to do a student exchange in Brazil. I am still feeling the impact of that experience to this day.

4. Go to www.thecolorcode.com, take the test and list what color you are. Do you feel that you can identify with this color? I am Red, motivated by power. I agree, especially after seeing the other 3 color choices which are not me at all. Maybe I am becoming more White as the years go by, but the core description of the Red type is definitely closest to me.

5. Name 3 pet peeves of yours, however neurotic they may seem. I hate when someone leaves the windshield wipers on when it's already stopped raining, even if for 30 seconds. I hate when my running shoes are tied unequally, so that one foot is tighter than the other. I hate when my closet is out of it's perfect color-coordinated order. Yes, I believe all of these qualify as neurotic.

6. And finally, name your favorite breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert. Breakfast is waffles with fruit, butter and real maple syrup. Lunch is green chile chicken enchiladas with rice, beans and sopapillas. Dinner is classic American Thanksgiving - roast turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, cranberries and green beans. Dessert is tough. I love marzipan, peanut butter cookies, cheesecake, brownies and lemon tarts. I am unable to choose just one.

Thanks, Jenica! This was fun, and a good distraction from all the work I need to do today. :)