30+ [meme]

[digitaldiscipline]

Do you prefer solicitors and service staff to address you by first name or by title+last (e.g. "Ms. Smith", "Dr. Adams", etc.)?

- This works on a sliding scale for me. Initially, solicitors especially, should go with Mr., even though "Mr. B______" lives a thousand miles north of me. If I'm friendly with them, and catch their name, I will use their first name, and they can use mine if it's not forced (the guy I spoke with at lunchtime had outstanding phoneside manner). Service staff, like waiters or something? I think I prefer the extra-neutral "Sir" or "Ma'am" in those settings. If we're talking service personnel at my office, though, I expect to be called by my first name all the time, since we're an informal shop.

How many careers have you had?

- None. I've had a series of jobs in similar fields, but I don't really consider what I do to be a career path. Others may make arguments (with varying degrees of compellingness) that "stuff I've done in IT" is a career.

How many jobs? How many employers?

- This may be one of the few times I admit I envy mighty_man, because his answer would be "2." If you count stuff back to lawn-mowing and paper-route days, I'm somewhere in the vicinity of 20.

What was the best employer you worked for?

- Assuming you don't count self-employment (because the pay sucked)? The one I'm with now is pretty good. The outfit in DC was also pretty nice.

What was your favorite job?

- A temp gig in the mailroom of a produce distribution warehouse.

How many companies, businesses or incorporated organizations have you founded?

- Digital Discipline, though there has never been any official paperwork filed (and, over the life of the business (7+ years!), overall operations are still in the red about a hundred bucks. *laugh*

Did you grow up to be what you wanted to be when you were 5? When you were 10? When you were 15? When you were 20?

- *Bwahahahahahaha!* Um, no. 5 - Paleontologist. 10 - Paleontologist. 15 - Auto designer. 20 - Oracle. Maybe, in my free time, I'm closest to the wishes of 20.

Have you published any books or academic papers? How many?

- No, but I'm not giving up on the fiction front.

Do you hold any patents? How many?

- No. Have several ideas, but lack the money to go through the process.

Are you licensed or certified to practice a profession(s)? If so, what?

- I am a licensed Minister.

Ever served in the military? What branch and how long?

- No.

What's the largest number of employees you have ever managed at a time?

- I supervised a dozen or so folks, but wasn't in a management role per se.

How many countries have you lived in?

- Just the one -- U.S.

How many times have you been married?

- You must be new.

How many kids do you have? How many grandkids?

- You must really be new.

Whom do you observe Thanksgiving with?

- The Detroit Lions and Dallas Cowboys. The last couple of years, this has expanded to include K's favorite aunt & uncle and a visit with a HS friend of mine (probably not this year, due to schedule limitations).

How many parents have you had?

- Just the two, thanks.

How many of your parents are still alive? How close are/were you to them?

- As of last night, all of them.

What's one way you were surprised to find out you turned out like one of your parents?

- My dad and I talk to cats the same way. And I'm edging towards sharing his hairstyle.

What's one way you expected to turn out like your parent(s) and were surprised not to?

- I honestly never gave it any thought. I've been my own person the whole way, and have never been one to expect anything specific of myself (other than when I was a little kid and picturing myself as a teenager - looking like Rob Lowe in The Outsiders (before seeing the movie) - we all see how accurate that turned out to be).

Do you own or rent your home? If the former, how many years on your mortgage, if any?

- Own. Mortage. With the refi, depending on whether I modify the payoff timeframe, 13.5 years or less.

Do you have roommates (i.e. non-family adults living with you)? If not, how long has it been since you had roommates?

- aishlynn. :-)

Have you ever sat on a jury?

- No, called for Duty 2x.

Have you ever run for office? Held office?

- Not yet....

Are you a member of a political party? Do you volunteer with it? Do you donate money to it?

- wildturkeyparty! My voter registration reads "Independent" to cut down junk mail.

What's the nicest restaurant you've been to in the past year?

- Probably one of the places we went in Aruba, though the name eludes me.

What's the nicest item of furniture you've bought? (Gifts don't count!)

- My living room set. Mmmm, microfiber.

What kitchen appliance are you most happy you bought? (Gifts don't count!)

- Honestly, the George Foreman Grill is the shit. My microwave has lasted forever. Haven't bought any major appliances yet.

Do you have a preferred airline? How many frequent flyer miles do you have?

- Anything but fucking Delta. I've just earned a free R/T ticket on SWA, but that's the only program I'm at all cognizant of belonging to.

Where do you like to go to vacation?

- Anywhere that isn't the office. I can happily spend a week in a hammock with a book in my backyard, thanks.

Women: Do you wear skirts or trousers on the job?

- n/a

Men: Do you currently have facial hair?

- Beard status: Scruffy (3 days' stubble)

Do you have grey hair yet? If so, do you try to hide it?

- There may be two or three grey hairs, but I don't notice them. The chin, however, is a very sparkly area, verging towards "salt & pepper" territory.