point(e)less questions, and equally unimportant answers

What is on your desktop wallpaper?

At the moment, my tired old MacBook displays a wall of my favorite flowers: cherry blossoms. I have fond memories of my father picking me some of these off of a tree on the walk from our apartment to my kindergarten. Plus, the flowers bloom for a fleeting moment in time, in the scheme of things. They are the meteors of flora...bright and beautiful, but blink and you could miss them.

What is your favorite zoo animal?

I have always had a soft spot for the manatee. The awkward, gentle sea cows worked their way into my heart when I did a report on them for a third grade project. Their endangered status is heartbreaking, since the major causes are man-made. (And a fun fact: though slower-moving, less motivated, and not nearly as widely adored as dolphins, manatees are in fact just as intelligent as their more popular water companions.)

What was your favorite toy as a child?

I wasn't much for toys or games, much preferring the comfortable universe of fiction novels, but I did have one stuffed animal that I still have to this day--a beloved elephant by the (oh-so-creative) name of Mr. E. Given to me as a baptism present, the furry friend who started out as a white-bodied, pink-eared musical companion can be found, 22 years later, to be a true elephantine grey, minus one ear and his tail, with musical abilities reduced to a sad sort of chord emitting from his stomach. Nonetheless, Mr. E was there for this ballerina child through thick and too-thin. He holds a privileged spot on my bedside table to this day.

What food do you eat too much of?

I am probably too fond of sandwiches. I eagerly await the day when I tire of the various bread/meat/cheese combinations so widely offered for gluttonous consumption, but the efficient packaging of several food groups mashed between two slices of carbohydrate delight, coupled with the variety of combinations available, makes the sandwich an irresistible lunch choice for yours truly.

What kind of hairstyle do you have?

If asked, I suspect most of the population would fail to classify the fluffy mass growing from my head as a "hairstyle." The largeness that spouts from my scalp is a veritable fiesta of curls, each with its own distinct personality and apparent intended direction. Some days, I am virtually certain that it is a minor miracle my hair can be tamed into any sort of socially acceptable fashion at all.

What was your favorite activity in gym class?

I wasn't much for gym class. My inability to run like any sort of normal homo sapien meant that I was inevitably picked very near last for any team activities. I do recall victoriously catching a kickball with one hand, a moment spoiled by the fact that my sudden "hot move" bent my pinky backwards in such a manner as to cause a severe jam. I did, however, very much enjoy being a part of the after-school baton twirling team. Our routine to "The Locomotion" was a true crowd-pleaser. Sadly, my career as a twirler ended when I was foiled by the toss-turn-around, a move that is executed just as it is named.

What is on the shirt you're wearing right now?

I've currently donned a very creative garment: a plain, light grey tank top. It goes perfectly with the fashionable pajama pants I've donned for the evening's activities, which consist of a whole lot of nothing.

What is the picture nearest to you of?

I don't have many pictures at hand, but across the room, propped up on the wall of a desk table, is the coffee table book my parents got me for Christmas, Audrey 100. A perfect tome to feed my mild obsession with the late, great Ms. Hepburn, the book contains 100 or so photographs of Audrey, both on and off the job. It's a fantastic way to pass an hour or so of boredom.

Whats your least favorite food?

I will confess that despite my willingness to try anything twice, and my unrefined taste buds that will accept most basic food, I can be something of a picky eater. I dislike anchovies, pickles, chopped tomatoes, and grapes. Due to an irrational fear of biting into hidden razors, I also refuse to eat unsliced apples.

What do you do on a Sunday night?

Sunday night is often spent consuming the meal commonly known as dinner, followed by a pointe shoe sewing session and an episode of some preferred series. (Often, this is Bones, probably my favorite show on television. I fear my boyfriend finds my love of this skeleton-heavy series mildly frightening, but I must confess, I mostly love the show for the fresh banter between its two attractive leads. Though I also find the forensic science fascinating.)

If you could only use one condiment on your food for the rest of your life, what would it be?

This is an unfairly worded question. Would I be forced to put this condiment on all of my food for the rest of my life? Because then I would have to severely restrict my diet to chosen condiment-friendly items. I don't think I want to consider this possibility; creme brulee should not be spoiled by anything, except the spoon used to crack its delicious top shell.

What color are your sheets?

This answer is almost as exciting as the one about my current shirt of choice. The bedsheets are white, with a grey duvet, and black, white, and grey pillowcases.

What pair of shoes do you wear most often?

If this answer had to be completely honest, I would have to supply a balletic response and say Freed of London, maker "crown," size 7 XX. But since that is an irrefutably bunhead sort of answer, I will reply with two daily footwear options I alternate between most: my beloved classic Converse All Stars, or my ultimate comfort pair of oversized Adidas running shoes. The latter is not an attractive choice, aesthetically speaking, but my feet love this pair the most.

What is your favorite game?

I have never been very good at board games. But I recently learned to play backgammon, which I can see myself enjoying very much once I have had more practice. I also like Mancala, and a party game I've dubbed the "Name Game," which is basically a multi-round version of Charades, with teams and famous people's names in a bowl.

What is your favorite Thanksgiving food?

Turkey is lovely. turducken is extraordinary, and cranberry sauce is delightful. But I have been, am, and always will be a stuffing kind of girl. Perhaps one of the unhealthiest components of the traditional feast, I have to exercise great willpower to resist forgoing the other offered courses in favor of an entire plate of stuffing.

What, if any, irrational fears do you have?

Most of my fears are irrational. I fear various diseases and rare ailments; air travel; razorblades concealed in apples; slit wrists (images or mentions of, in addition to the actual occurrence); and various daily personal imaginations of badness that cross through the insane wiring which makes up my brain.

Have you ever put straws up your nose to pretend to be a walrus?

Yes. I have also wedged a French fry on either side of the inside of my upper lip to convey the same likeness. My mother rarely appreciated such imitations.

What is your favorite pizza topping?

I firmly believe that quality cheese is a major ingredient in my enjoyment factor of the classic comfort food. Save for anchovies and pineapple (I will never understand people who would put fruit on a pizza), I don't much care what goes on top of the base, provided the cheese is as deliciously gooey as it should be.

What time do you plan on waking up tomorrow?

If I could plan such a thing, I would love to say between the hours of 10 and 11am. Unfortunately for my sleep cycle, however, my ballerina dancing job dictates the hour upon which I rise; this means I shall be greeting the day between 8 and 8:15am, depending on my ability to resist the incredibly tempting snooze button.

What is your favorite day of the year?

The first day of summer holiday is in stiff competition with Christmas. Both are joyous times of the year with time off from work, and both involve delicious seasonal dishes. My favorite day of 2010 was December 13, but I do not anticipate that this will necessarily be an annual occurrence--a magical meteor shower and generally perfect preceding day do not often occur with yearly accuracy. I also happen to enjoy Groundhog's Day, but that is more for the unique opportunity to say "Punxsutawney Phil" multiple times throughout the day.

What was your most terrifying dream?

Funnily enough, I had a mildly horrific nightmare last night. It was one of those terrible dreams that are so vivid while they are interrupting a much-needed REM sleep cycle, but upon waking, one finds that only a few strong images can be recalled. In this case, upon waking, I felt slightly suffocated and a bit clammy, with one lasting image seared into my already-neurotic brain: that of my lower legs decorated with evenly spaced staples and other small metal pieces used for attaching things. I also found I could remember that at some point in the dream, several faceless figures had the happy duty of attempting to remove these objects from my shins and kneecaps. It was not a pleasant way to begin one's free Monday.

Have you ever sprayed a drink out of your nose from laughing?

I ruined a family dessert in this very manner. Having had a lovely meal at my grandparents' house one Sunday night, I remember I was seated next to two of my uncles. They were discussing a very amusing story involving a large woman and her husband--size unknown, or unremembered--and my seven- or eight-year-old self found something in the tale hilarious right in the midst of taking a huge gulp of my glass of milk. The urge to laugh was too great, and the milk spewed out of my nose and mouth all over the cupcakes that should have been served for dessert. Needless to say, I was appropriately embarrassed. And went without dessert. I have had more successful family dinners.