105 Ways to Give a Book

Thoughtful Thursday: Interview Meme

Last week I saw that A Wrung Sponge was doing this interview meme and, always being one to keep the meme alive, I said I’d play. She had answered questions written for her by a Repressed Librarian, and she wrote these for me. Watch out. They’re deep.

1. What is the thing that most surprises you about being a grown-up?

The amazing, unlimited capacity to love my kids. It’s an experience of love that can’t be compared to anything else. Not loving your parents, your partner, and most certainly not your dog. Those are all wonderful things, but loving your children is watching them grow and change and develop, under your guidance. It’s knowing you’d kill or die for them. It’s experiencing childhood again, but with perspective. It’s giving them the last double-chocolate chip cookie. Well, sometimes.

2. What do you miss most about being a kid?

My kid body. I don’t mean my hot teenage body — though I wouldn’t mind having that waistline again — but the freedom of a body that does everything you ask it without complaint. Really, the freedom of taking your body for granted. Now, even in my (let’s say) mid-thirties, I’m so conscious of my physical self. I get out of bed, and my back hurts. I drop a fork under the table, and I groan while reaching for it. And let’s not even talk about the Slip-and-Slide...

3. What do you look forward to in being a senior?

Time, time, time. I’m so frustrated with having so many things that I want to do and not nearly enough time to do them. I do the things I have to do now, and save the rest. Like I have to be my daughter’s Girl Scout leader now, even if I don’t really have the extra time. But she’s not going need a troop leader when she’s thirty-six and I finally have the time. So I put off a bunch of things I’d love to do — travel, paint, write a book  — to focus on what’s in front of me. It’s just a shame that what’s most clearly in front of me is yesterday’s dinner plates, two weeks’ worth of laundry, and a ten-year collection of Happy Meal toys.

4. What stories do you think your kids will tell their children that they have heard from you?

Since I’ve drilled it into their little brains so much, the story of their differences. I believe that the worst thing about a person is often the best thing about them turned around. My seven-year-old is stubborn and argumentative. However, no one will ever push her around. My ten-year-old worries about everything, especially social norms. However, she has lots of friends because she adapts so easily. I tell them what great luck it is that they are sisters, because all their lives they’ll be able to help each other understand another perspective. Or they’ll kill each other. Either one.

5. If you could put a children’s author and an illustrator together to work on an e-book for fifth graders, who would you choose and why? (They get to write the story and design the artwork as a team.)

This is a very specific question. Are you working on a project? Anyway, after a lot of thought, I’d put together Louis Sachar and Kadir Nelson. What’d I’d like to see is a great story featuring African-American children, but not about civil rights or slavery or prejudice. I think it’s important to have books that talk about the culture and struggles of Black Americans, but that it’s also important that we have books that don’t make color the complete focus. And poor Kadir Nelson needs to get locked into a project before a picture book is written by Chris Rock.

If you want to do the meme, let me know in the comments. I’ll come up with five questions that you can answer on your own blog.

11 comments:

Lindsey said...

Good morning, MR! I would love to do an interview thing with questions from you. Please count me in. Ask away.

I also wanted to comment on one of your answers, though. You said that you were looking forward to getting more time when you are older. I think time is just like money or any other resource. We will always find a way to use all of it unless we make a conscious effort not to. I know the time with your kids is important, but someday your kids will be gone, and it will be just you and hubby (God willing). The kids will be doing their own things and where will that leave you? How many opportunities pass by? I think it's a balance. DO spend time with your kids; there are too many parents that don't. But also take time for you. It seems like every kid is involved with 10 different extra curricular activities. What's wrong with just 1 or 2? If everyone did just 1 activity they loved, it might be more manageable. Anyway, thanks for posting your survey. I enjoyed reading it.

MotherReader said...

I think my problem is while my kids have two activities each, I want to have ten! I want to work part-time, run a blog, be a Girl Scout leader, read lots of books, write a novel, learn piano, paint watercolors, travel the world and more. At this point I have to recognize my limitations, and concentrate on the first four (maybe five).

I'll think of some questions. Tough ones.

Robin Brande said...

Love this. Really enjoyed your answers. I miss my kid body, too. She could really run. Plus do some really killer cartwheels.

And by the way, I was a Girl Scout leader not too long ago, and I know this is cookie season, and I say to you BRAVO. Talk about your stress. No one who hasn't done Girl Scout cookie sales could ever know.

Andromeda Jazmon said...

These are great answers! I really enjoyed reading about your perspective as a kid-grownup-senior. I think zeelibrarian is right about time. I am going to start relaxing and enjoying every minute... tomorrow. LOL

I LOVE your ebook idea. That would be a fantastic project! I love Kadir Nelson and of course Sachar would write a great story. I am 100% with you on thetheme too.

Thanks for playing!

Anonymous said...

Ooo, pick me!

EM said...

Hey, I'll play. I am currently incapable of finishing either of the two books I'm reading, so my normal blog updating is becoming decidedly abnormal.

Nancy said...

Yes, I'd love to do this meme!

Anonymous said...

Now that root canal is done, the colonoscopy is finished, I can be in the real world. (um, both doen over a two week period of time). I would love to have questions from you. Hope I am not too late.

Saints and Spinners said...

Sorry I missed this! I have been sick (hack, hack). I would be happy to participate in the interview meme if it's not too late. Re: clicks and cliques on your most recent post... we have in these parts what is called "The Seattle Freeze." People are cordial on the surface, but it's really hard to get to know people in-depth. I don't think that people are deliberately exclusive, but just so busy and overwhelmed that they don't want to expend energy on something that might not work. Just a theory. I have learned not to have expectations of connections, but just to put myself out there as someone who is approachable and friendly. Six years later, it's starting to take.:)

Jackie said...

I was in hibernation last week, so I missed this, and, well, everything else. But if you are still doing it... I'll play.

Anonymous said...

I missed this somehow. Loved the idea of pairing Kadir Nelson with a non-slavery book.