Please rephrase that in the form of a question

Cruel Virgin gave me 5 interview questions (okay, I asked for them). I don't really think anyone else reads my blog - but on the off chance - anyone else can be interviewed by me, if they ask me in my comment section.

I must say that I was pleasantly suprised by the questions asked. I didn't really know what to expect, but these questions definetly made me think.

1. What to you is an ideal job, assuming that yes, you do have to work in order to survive? Elaborate at will.

The ideal job to me is a reason to get out of bed in the morning. I understand that people don't pay their bills by earning a paycheck for going to "fun" every day. It's work, it's a job. But you shouldn't dread it. You shouldn't want to avoid doing it or going there. We spend 1/3 of our day there, and good portion of our lives and we should get some satisfaction from doing it.

I wish I knew what my specific ideal job is. I mostly know what I don't like and yet it's everywhere I go.

I don't like micromanagers, I don't like being left to flounder with out training either. I like helping people, but I don't like the cranky public, I only like the appreciative ones. I don't mind young people (I work with them now) but only in small quantities, and not when they're giving me attitude or trying to be "cool" for their peers. I like learning new things, but I don't like being given things out side of my job duties or description.

In short - I'm way too picky.


2. What is the problem with all the men in the world, or am I just being stereotypically female?

It's the game. And unfortunately I think it's what's wrong with all of us male and female alike. It's the utter hypocrasy of the 'getting-you-into-bed' game. Maybe I'm being sterotypical too, but I've seen it over and over again, even with supposedly "nice" guys, "good" guys, guys who are boyfriend material, guys that are looking for a relationship. This game isn't restricted to players, I think it's just hardwired into their brains.

They do and say whatever it takes to get a woman's pants off, but once they get what they want they lose respect for the girl. Even guys who claim to not do this it's still there. Boyfriend or husband is still keeping score of how soon she got into bed with them, how dirty she talked, what she suggested, etc. and it will come up later. It might be subtle, but it's there with each and every male I have ever encountered - ever.

3. You live in what you refer to as an unpleasant area of the Midwest. What makes it so bad in your eyes? You don't need to name the state or city.

The city I live in currently has been dying for 40 years and unfortunately our politicians don't seem to be able to do anything about it. Our mayor in particular seems more interested in living the high life and spending money to do a decent job and get anything done. Why in the world the majority re-elected him I don't know.

My issue with the Midwest is that it was built on the manufacturing industry and that too is dying out in America. I feel for all of the workers and their families when yet another plant closes, here and in our surrounding states, but at the same time, hanging on to the manufacturing industry and hanging our livelihood on it is not going to help revive our state or the rest of the midwest. I disagree with the idea that if I drive a foreign car I am somehow contributing to the downward spiral of my community. The people here need to look forward. The politicians need to find new ways of revitalizing the state and this city instead of holding on to the past.

I also don't think the midwest is very interesting. We have no mountains, no rivers, no big city night life, no coast, no ocean. It's plain, and it's boring as hell.
Then there is the weather. Winter lasts 6 months - it starts in November and leaves in May. Spring lasts all of 2 seconds in between the last sleet-ice-snow storm of winter and the blistering hot 90+ degree days of summer (but I like those best), fall lasts for all of October, and while beautiful in some parts of the state only proclaims that negative tempatures with worse wind chills and mornings scraping ice and snow off my car are soon to arrive.

4. What two books should everyone read in order to become better human beings and why?

Hmm... that is a hard question because everyone reacts to books differently. Look at "The Secret" which Oprah had on her show - everyone and their mother wants to read that book, because supposedly it will change your life. Frankly, I want nothing to do with it and I refuse to even pick it up. But then I'm a book snob.

Also, I think becoming a better human being depends on action it requires the person to not only learn something from the book and then act on it.

The first book that came to mind tho was The Tao of Pooh. I think if everyone in this world could learn to be less materialistic the planet would be better off. If there is one truth that I beleive in it is the idea that suffering comes from want. I don't know if it's actually possible to eliminate want, and I know that I do a very bad job of even trying, but I think it's a great lesson to learn.

The only other one that comes to mind is Animal Farm. I think that hypocrisy is another important lesson in life (gosh I must be in a cynical mood today). In that people will always say one thing and do another. But I don't see how that is going to make anyone a better person - unless it's to strive to eliminate it from our behaviour.



5. Why do you blog?

Blogging started as an extention of my journaling. I've been journaling for about 10 years now. I have all of my old ones - I decorated each one differnetly depending on my age and mood at the time. I started writing in a journal when I realized I didn't want to turn 80 and wonder how I had spent my life.

It is for me also a way to talk about those things I do, feel, and think that I may not be so proud to admit to those around me. I don't trust people to not be judgemental - I get so much of it already and they see only the superficial me. I shudder to think what would happen if they saw the real.

I first started blogging after the X broke up with me. I was pretty fed up with myself and how I had allowed my existance and identity to wrap itself around him so completely. I was disgusted with myself and I took it out on myself physically. I started an extreme diet and began exercizing alot. I knew that I was on the verge of, if not already, developing an eating disorder and I needed a place to talk about it. Even then though, if you read my archives, I kind of skirted the topic and I talked about the way I thought I was supposed to. I gave up on blogging for a bit and then I started the fling with J. Again, it was behavior that was the antithesis of "me" and I knew the people around me wouldn't approve. So rather than confide in friends that I knew would be judgemental and encourage me to stop I kept quite and talked about it here.

I also think on some level I was also looking for feedback from my posts since I couldn't talk to those around me because I didn't/don't think they are supportive.

I guess, it's a way for me to safely show another side of my personality with out fear of reprisal. Whether my fears are founded or not, I've never really wished to find out.

Per the interview rules:
1. Leave me a comment saying “Interview me.”
2. I will respond by emailing you five questions. I get to pick the questions.
3. You will update your blog with a post containing your the answers to the questions.
4. You will include this explanation and an offer to interview someone else in the same post.
5. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions.