Happy Friday!

1. What's one thing you've always wanted to do, but never have?
I've always wanted to but have never visited another country, even though I was a military dependent for 23 years. Then I was married. Then I had pets and other responsibilities. Of course, at the moment, I'd be happy if I could just get in a car and travel to another state occasionally. :)

2. When someone asks your opinion about a new haircut/outfit/etc, are you always honest?
I try to be. It's something that took me years to learn. I had that form of low self-esteem where I was so was afraid people wouldn't like me [and yet oblivious that they didn't anyway] and I didn't think my taste was necessarily any better, etc. Now I pretty much tell it like it is, and according to my friend Dwana (who never knew me in the pathetic years) I'm 'direct, but not bitchy', which apparently is a skill that's difficult to develop.

3. Have you ever found out something about a friend and then wished you hadn't? What happened?
No, not really. I think it's important to know the truth about your friends, don't you? And if it's something that you can't live with, then they shouldn't be your friends anymore. I had one person who I thought as a friend who suddenly decided someone she had known and been "friends" with for years--but whom she hadn't known was Jewish--couldn't come into her house (that polluting Jewish influence, I guess). If you'd ever asked me if she were an anti-Semite, I would have said no, there was never any real indication. When my ex finally told me the truth about how he'd never loved me, it hurt, but it was good to finally get the truth out of him. I've had several friends who'd turned out to be stark raving mad. There was the woman who stalked one of our professor's children at daycare and her ex-husband and used a car I'd sold them as a pull toy in the divorce. There was the guy who spouted off about non-electric radios and intelligent viruses who huffed away when we wouldn't bob our heads and agree. And there a lots of things that aren't friendship-ending per se that can help you either empathise with the person more or helps put them into perspective. It just depends on what it is. I recently discovered someone I knew made one sad, pathetic attempt at cow-tipping in high school, and I would never have guessed that. But she was young, stupid, and going along with the crowd. I don't necessarily think it detracts from her basic character, which is very caring. It doesn't automatically put her into the serial killer animal abuser category. (Besides, the cow won. Never try to tip a car when you barely break 100 lbs. If you run very fast, you basically bounce down into muck and everyone laughs at you. I think she learnt her lesson.)

4. If you could live in any fictional world (from a book/movie/game/etc.) which would it be and why?
I would do very well in the wizarding world of Harry Potter. There you have evil to fight but it's not going to cause the pure sanity loss of say, our Cthulhu game. It really wouldn't be fun to be a superhero, like in the Marvel universe, because you'd treated like dirt for being different. There's bias and all the faults of this world in Harry Potter, but you can always beat the Malfoys of the world in Quidditch, etc.

5. What's one talent/skill you don't have but always wanted?
I've always wanted to learn to ride a horse. I've always loved horses--but from a distance. It occurs to me that living in the 'horse capital of the world'--or at least one of them; that's a contested title--this is something I could probably do. There are plenty of riding stables around. And while I'm not the size of say, Pat Day, I don't think my size would be a hardship for a horse. My main hurdles are that 1) lessons cost money, 2) Horses really bring out my allergies--much more than dogs and cats, and 3) I'm a little afraid of the height involved and the sheer unpredictability of tandem movement with another creature. But I figure eventually I'll make enough for lessons, I can always take shots, and I should probably wear a helmet if for no other reason than my natural lack of grace. :) So I'll eventually ride, even if I don't do it well.