Well, I actually got more than 25, and some asked more than one question, but I can handle that! A couple of you went for the jugular this time, and I actually had to do some thinking! And, as usual, I rarely answer with a short answer... Without further ado, here's my answers!
#1 - Px - I have 2 questions...#1 Can you get me a job? and #2 Being from the UK, is there any place over here that you'd like to visit/see? No, I can't get you a job. If I could, I'd do it for myself first! I would love to come to Ireland--there's some ancestry there that I'd like to explore. Scotland would be a nice place to check out too, especially for the golf. No real desire to go to England, though I'm sure I'd have a good time.
#2 - s - What's the longest you ever went w/o sex? I'll assume you mean with another person... Can't really give an answer here, as it's a work in progress. I can say that it's easily spanned more than one presidency.
#3 - Queen of Ass - What brings you peace? Truthfully, when everything goes the way it should go. The way I envisioned it. When everyone just does what they're supposed to do, at the time they're supposed to do it. When it goes that way, I'm at my most peaceful. If you're asking what I do when all around me is crumbling, then it's listening to classical music. If you're asking if I've found peace, then I'd say yes. I've made mistakes in the past, and I've been severely screwed over in the past. I've learned to let them go--there's no way you can change what's been done. You can learn from them, but I tend not to dwell on the past. What's happened (or not happened) has happened. No sense in spending time trying to erase it. That brings me a general sense of peace.
#4 – geekgirl - Have you ever played a valve trombone? If so, how does it compare to a slide trombone? Yes, I have. Valve trombones tend to have a smaller bore (skinnier) than the horns I usually play, so I generally don't like the tone quality I'm hearing. They're sort of a hybrid instrument that really haven't gained accecptance in many circles. But they're fun to play!
#5 - Chelle - What qualities do do you look for in a woman? Or in a friend in general? Openess, honesty, humor, low-maintenance. I'm at the point in my life where I'm not interested in playing games anymore. If you have a problem with me, let me know. I no longer have an interest in trying to interpret "signals". Secondary qualities--someone who isn't having a life-long pity party; someone who can laugh at their own mistakes and follies; someone who will stand up for their beliefs and passions. Oh, if they're smokin' hawt, that's a plus!
#6 - Snow White - When ARE you going to visit Texas? I want to come to Texas so bad you can't believe it. My first bloggerfriends (pre-HNT) live in Texas. And now there's so many more there! When the time comes, I'll be sure to let everyone know! Party's at Andi's, btw!
#7 - Naughty Nikki - Have you ever been to Newfoundland? Nope. I've never had the pleasure. I love what I've seen in pictures, though. What part do you live in?
#8 - Tara Tainton - I want to know... the reason(s) why you REALLY chose to begin blogging as well as why you're still driven to blog and share select thoughts of yours so publicly now. I started because
Moose said she was starting one. I'd seen a few, and figured it was time for me to start. I started thinking I was going to use it as a journal, but that didn't happen. As far as why I continue--I like the contact I get with others. While I'm not a comment whore, I do like visitors. And I've never been one to pass up an opportunity to pontificate, so I'm happy to post a few times a week. And others might not agree, but I'm not just HNT 24/7!
#9 – Art - You mention you would like to not live paycheck to paycheck and you also mention that at some point you'd like to have someone special to come home to soooooooo....now you have found a magical symphony which if played you can have either one 'money' Or 'love' which will it be and why? Hate to be materialistic, but at this point, I'd take the money. Unless the love comes with alot of money attached!
#10 - Exposed - I would like to know how you feel about various ethical debates. so take your pick of a few...and please answer at least a few..abortion
gay rights
affirmative action
euthanasia
cloning and or genetic manipulation
gun rights
death penalty
any others that may come to mind
Geez--I thought we were friends... OK, here we go.
Abortion--I think that it's sad that it ever comes down to this sort of thing, but ultimately, I think I'd consider myself pro-choice. I don't believe any one of us can tell another what's best for them. Disagreement is fine, but forcing an opposing view because it's "right" is the pure hutzpah.
Gay rights--It's sad that minorities (gays, women, ethnic groups) need special "rights". Theoretically, "all men are created equal", so special rules shouldn't be needed. So in that sense, I'm against gay rights. Not because they shouldn't have them, but theoretically, because they already do have them. To better answer it--do I have a problem with gays? No.
Affirmative action--Living in an overwhelmingly white state, I've never really met up with affirmative action, to my knowledge. I don't really have an opinion.
Euthanasia--I believe that the right to die is a personal thing. If it's documented that I would rather die than live in a vegetative state, then someone shouldn't get in trouble for helping that along. But it would have to be based on medical conditions. Not because I had a bad week at work...
Cloning/genetic manipulation--I'm in favor of it, in the limited scope of curing horrid diseases. I don't want to see a human cloned (or animals, even) or fetuses grown only for stem cells.
Gun rights--See the above comments regarding gay rights... Just kidding. Guns don't kill people, people kill people. And deer, and ducks, and bears and all sorts of things. I'm opposed to gun control legislation in general, though I don't know why a normal person would need an AK-47. But again, it's a government control issue. No, I don't own a gun.
Death penalty--I'm in favor of it, but I think that the process is convoluted. Years and years of appeals diminish the effect. I'm comfortable with the sorts of crimes that have a death penalty, but think they need to be applied uniformly, and then, by law, meted out within a year.
Smoking bans--I find it unconscionable that if I were to own a bar for the past 20 years, the government can then tell me that my patrons can't smoke in there. If someone doesn't like the smoke, they don't have to patronize me. That's they way I run my business. Smokers have been punished for years with higher prices, higher taxes, forced outdoors to smoke and meant to feel like second class citizens. No, I don't smoke.
Minimum drinking age--I grew up when it was 18. Everyone was afraid that high school seniors would be having keggars in the parking lot between classes. Didn't happen. Then it was raised to 19. Disagreed with it, but understood the concept. Kept most high schoolers away from legal drinking, but college kids could. Then the federal government told the states to raise it to 21, or risk losing federal highway funds. Can you say blackmail? Has it kept alcohol out of the hands of high schoolers? I think the whole binge drinking that has plagued many college students would disappear if they were of legal age.
Hope this is what you wanted to see, Exposed!
#11 - Robyn - You have a few things you've been telling me you'd tell me... and yet to tell me yet... so my question is.... when ya gonna tell me? In due time!
#12 - Tish - If you could meet one blogger that you haven't already met, who would it be? I have thought about this question more than any of the others. There's so many that I want to meet, and probably will in the future. And I don't want to name one of them, and piss the others off. So... of the ones that I really want to meet, but don't see a convenient opportunity to do so, I'd have to choose Spinning Girl. Then again, I hope I'm wrong!
#13 - Jen - What's your least favorite thing about Helena? (I lived there until about three weeks ago and man could I give you a long list...) The lack of opportunities to hear live music. When I was in high school, there were at least a half dozen places to go on the weekend to dance, drink beer, and have a good time. More importantly, places for local bands to go play. Currently, there's not much, and high school kids can't get into them. It was a major influence to my musical career back then. Bands around here today can't play more than an hour of music without running out of material. Because they don't need to. There's no place for them to play.
#14 - Susie - What is your favorite late night snack? I don't really have a favorite. I'll eat whatever might be around. Chips or cookies, I guess...
#15 - Binsk - Do you like to watch? Yes I do. Not just in the was she was sort of leaning me towards, but I also love watching people in general. Not that I spend time in the airport watching others, but I'm fascinated by watching what people do when they don't think about the fact that people are all around. The gentle touches of others, the unabashed scratching of an itch, the pocketing of something insignificant, the people who talk to themselves (or the voice in their head).
#16 - Spinning Girl - What do you most despise? Ooh--tough word. There are two individuals in my life that I'll despise till the day I die, but I don't waste time thinking about them. Anymore. I guess, in general, I despise ignorance and ignorant people.
#17 - MG - What type of behavior would cause you to discontinue an otherwise good relationship? (friend/lover/family member) I don't think I could discontinue any relationship with a family member. Anyone else...maybe if they started up with some new sort of harmful behavior--heavy drug use, alcoholic tendencies, illegal activities. Mind you, if they do things like that at the time that I meet them and decide to be friends, that's one thing. Those that would take it up afterwards would be a different story. But it would only be after trying to talk them out of it. I can't imagine dumping somebody cold turkey.
#18 - Stealthbombshell - Have you ever done something scary like lose your mouthpiece at the last minute before a show? I've never done that. Probably the most scary would be the time that our computers at work froze. The short story is that I replaced an entire store inventory (at least 500MB file) with a preference file (4kb). My defense is that I was talked through it that way. NOT MY FAULT! I also just erased a 60GB drive belonging to my boss last week. Again, because of faulty directions left to me!
#19 - THIS GUY - When you color, cause I know you (like me) still do, do you try and stay inside the lines or are you a free spirit and make your own boundaries? Another one of these question within a question questions? When coloring, I definitely stay within the lines. In my "real life", I tend to stay close to the lines, but often straying outside. And usually not caring about that. Unless I'm fined over $1000 for it...
#20 - Melon - When you take a shower, do you clean the lint out of your belly button? My belly button is like a cavernous hole. Lint is the least of my concerns when cleaning things out!
#21 - Melon - What is the most interesting story behind a scar you have? Not so much interesting as it is stupid. A self-inflicted knife wound from 7th grade homeroom. I had brought a serrated-edged knife to school (back in the days that you could bring a knife to school) to cut through some styrofoam for a class project. As I was talking with classmates, I was unaware that I was rocking the knife back and forth across the top of my knee. Not until a girl looked down and saw blood on my shoes. I had sliced through my corduroys, and about a half inch through my leg. I had no idea. I still have a distinct one and a half inch scar there.
#22 - THIS GUY - When you get up, which foot hits the floor first in the morning? Usually roll over to my left, and my left foot hits first.
#23 - Regal - What is your deepest darkest secret and if you can't share entirely can you find a way in words to express something about it? Is it about a lost love? Is it about something you did one time? Well, I can't tell it! Let's just say it involved poor judgment on my part, could have (should have?) been arrested for it, and had a bad influence on me for quite a few years.
#24 - Phain - If you could live anywhere other than MT - where would you live? I was pleasantly surprised by Nashville. With the amount of music going on there, I'd be happy. But more logical would be anywhere in the Pacific Northwest. I think I could live in the Florida Keys, too.
#25 - Sheets - Where do you see the HNT experience leading after it's second year? I didn't see it going anywhere beyond its first 3 weeks! There is a constant turnover in participants for whatever reason. There are new people jumping in every week. It's already lasted longer than many other "fads" out there. I have noticed that there's a pendulum effect with HNT. It started very safe, and then there was a time when some considered it softcore porn, and now I see it swinging back towards the safe side. Alot of that might be because of the anonymous site. The next step might be marketing, but I've avoided that. I think that making money would put a different spin to HNT. Then again, t-shirts, cups and calendars could be fun...
#26 - Fairytales - CAN I WEAR THE OS SHIRT IN NYC? I tried to get it to you! Let us blame the USPS... I'll get you back in the loop!
#27 - AnnieAngel - Do you love me for my body or my brain??? No question that the body is lovable! Still trying to figure out your mind. You're a bit of an enigma!
#28 - Hollz - Boxers or briefs??? Sorry--briefs. White. Cheap and functional is all I need, thank you!
#29 - Susie - What has been the most important part of HNT, and how has it affected your life? I think the most important has been that individuals have found a place where they can take a chance to try things they'd never thought possible. A very real community has developed. And it's more than just showing more skin than they ever have thought possible. The positive atmosphere has enabled people to see that maybe they ARE more beautiful/talented/worthwhile than they gave themselves credit for. How has HNT affected me? I've made more real friends than I have in years. People who are genuinely interested in me, and people who are genuinely interesting to me. And I won't deny it--I like the notoriety that has been attached to the name Os. Who'da thunk it??
Red wine and red velvet. A beautiful combination. Oh, our Mystery Guest is here too! She has not contacted me about revealing herself, so unless I do, she's going to stay a mystery. I can tell you that she's a longtime HNTer, though there was that long time that she took off... She's beautiful, she's fun-loving, and she's got attitude! Loved by many, hated by none. Be sure to check back to see if she tells us who she is! Feel free to email her if you think you know!
