Thank you for being so kind about my little fiction proffering on Friday.

Unfortunately, despite your sweet words, I am having Major Writing Anxiety. Which is not a good thing if “brilliant novelist” is something I want to pursue as a career. Good thing I have an actual writing career to fall back on!

Anyway, every word I’ve written in the past week seems ridiculous or self-indulgent (according to my Inner Simon Cowell) or boring or treacly (hi again, Inner Simon!) or just plain unremarkable.

So I was relieved and delighted when sweetheart blogger New Teacher, New Wife tagged me in the Eight Questions game.

1. How would you describe your fashion style? Does “pajamas with a side of food stains” count as a style? If so, sign me up for the next season of Project Runway.

In reality, I think my style is “conservative.” I like clean lines and classic looks. But I don’t mind a bit of cleavelege (which is my new favorite body part, thank you RHONJ) or something that shows off my rear end. I wear a lot of black. I’m not opposed to a decorative scarf or a chunky necklace. And I love high heels – on boots, on peep-toes, on pumps. But you’ll never find me wearing too much stuff – I steer clear of bold patterns and lots of glitter/sequins/lace/metallics. Not that I don’t love those things on other people – I just feel wildly uncomfortable and costumey when I wear them.

2. If you had to choose, what is the one food you could eat for the rest of your life? This question is ridiculously hard because I love food. But I suppose if I HAD to pick, I’d go with hard-shell, ground-beef tacos. Heavy on the onions, lettuce, and hot sauce, light on the cheese and sour cream. And can I get a side of guacamole and tortilla chips please?

3. If a movie was being made about your life, who would you want to play you? Well, I’ve been told all my life that I bear a resemblance to Meryl Streep. After many years of soul searching, I’ve come to see this as a compliment. I mean, hello Meryl!

(Please ignore the weird photos, which I borrowed from Google image search. I don’t know what’s up with all the white space.)

Not that I actually look THAT much like her. But if she bears a resemblance to me… And is also AWESOME… Well, why wouldn’t I pick her to play the movie version of me?

If I were to pick someone who’s closer to my age (although still older), I’d choose Tina Fey or Kate Winslet. Tina’s got the dark hair and glasses and a scar on her face like me… plus, she has a rocking body and a great sense of humor, both of which I’d love to possess. And Kate is an amazing actress who has a real woman’s body, which I love.

4. What was your favorite childhood memory? I feel very fortunate that I had wonderful childhood. My parents really did what they could to make sure I had everything I could ever need. Not a day goes by that I am not grateful for what they’ve provided me with.

That said, it’s hard for me to choose a favorite memory! My mom – who LOVES to travel – took me to London and Paris with her when I was eight, and I have fond memories of eating Indian food for the first time in a restaurant overlooking the Tower Bridge… and eating crisp salad on one of the wide boulevards near the Seine… and getting my portrait drawn in the artsy market behind the Basilique du Sacre-Coeur.

I remember “helping” my father repair his vintage Alfa Romeo in our garage on summer days… Riding with him in the old farm truck to the dump… Soaring down the ski slopes as he watched, ready to praise me and give me pointers…

I remember curling up on top of the heating vent in my brother’s room as he slept in his crib… Sitting on the stairs with him on Christmas morning, waiting for our parents to get the coffee started and the camera ready before we discovered what Santa brought us… Reading All About Sam to my brother in the back of our ancient Suburban as we drove to Washington, Utah, Colorado, Canada, or wherever adventure awaited us.

I remember walking across the damp sand at low tide with my grandparents, searching for clams… Hiking up wooded mountains, the air heady with the scent of earth and pine, with my family all around me… Enjoying my mom’s goat-cheese-and-garlic mashed potatoes and my father’s signature spice roast for Christmas dinner…

And so many, many more.

5. If you could move anywhere in the world (and not worry about other obligations), where would it be? It’s a tie: Paris or Berlin.

6. What is your favorite time of year? Winter! The bite of the air… The comforting cocoon of a heated apartment or car… Frost on morning windows… And piles and piles of fluffy white snow.

7. Cats or dogs? Cats – hands down. I don’t like being knocked over, barked at, or licked.

8. If you could change places with any person of the opposite sex, who would it be? My husband! I’d love to know what it’s like to be him for a day!

As part of meme protocol, I now have to come up with eight questions of my own… So here goes!

1. Which TV character (past or present) do you most identify with?
2. If you could swap out three of your body parts, what would they be – and who would you swap them with?
3. What is one thing about you – physical, mental, or otherwise – that sets you apart from everyone else on the planet?
4. Who are five people on your “laminated list”?
5. If you could invite anyone to a dinner party – living or dead – who would they be?
6. What’s your signature dish?
7. What would you say is the top TV series of all time? (Caveat: It has to no longer be on the air.)
8. What is your worst habit?

If my Inner Simon Cowell is still raging, perhaps I’ll answer my own questions in a later post. YES IT HAS COME TO THAT.

In the meantime, if you are reading this, I tag YOU and ask that you respond to any and all of these eight questions in the comments section. (Yes, besides being boring, I am lazy.)

Or you can ask me a question and I vow to answer it!