Tagged

Stella tagged me with this one. I especially like the first question as it's always fun to see what people used to be up to before you knew them. So I think I'll tag HealingArtsMom (since she just started blogging), and Seppie (whose life is changing in big ways right now) and Sarah, whose blog is always interesting and inspiring.

1. WHAT DID YOU DO 10 YEARS AGO?

Ten years ago, I was still working for Microsoft, on a new web project called Sidewalk, that was not destined to last very long. It was an internet entertainment guide that was going to roll out city by city (seattlesidewalk.com, sanfranciscosidewalk.com, that kind of thing). I had just been working in Microsoft's CD division, doing titles like 500 Nations, with Kevin Costner's production company, a Wine Guide with Oz Clarke, and the Ultimate Frank Lloyd Wright with Byron Preiss, which was really kind of fun - I got to jet off to Burbank to work with the production company on 500 Nations, or wine and dine with a world-renowned wine expert, or tour a Frank Lloyd Wright house, all really cool stuff.

Sidewalk, however, was not nearly as engaging. Also, it really was just not working out for me to be a working mom. Mackenzie had never really adjusted to not having me at home. His early years were very difficult, he had multiple overwhelming sensory issues, motor skills issues, and food allergies. The world was hard for him, and he understandably wanted me there with him. So right around this time ten years ago, my hubby said "Why don't you just quit?"

The Magic Words. So I did, at the end of August in 1998 I quit my job of 10 years and became a stay-at-home mom, and eventually a homeschooling mom. Though I didn't know it, my life had definitely taken a turn towards an adventure I had never really even considered up until that point. I have never regretted it!

Oh yeah, and ten years ago I still flew my airplane, skydived a lot, and was (of course) doing triathlons!)



























2. FIVE ITEMS ON YOUR TO-DO LIST TODAY:

Cut up and freeze the remainder of the 15 pounds of cherries we picked

Pack up for our camping trip tomorrow

Work on the slideshow for my Team in Training end-of-season wrap-up

Go for a run with my hubby in the heat to get ready for the Cascade Lakes Relay in August (which will be HOT!)

Burn all of my downloaded photos from the last three weeks (all 1,000 of them!) to CDs so I can clear them off of my camera

3. SNACKS I ENJOY:

Fresh garden carrots, coconut popsicles, tamari almonds, good dark chocolate, Kettle's sea salt and vinegar potato chips, dates with cream cheese and walnuts, and smoothies.

4. WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF YOU WERE A BILLIONAIRE?

Probably not much different than I'm doing today. Except I'd get a massage once a week. Maybe twice a week. I'd be able to give a lot of money to my favorite causes, like Heifer Project, Sierra Club Legal Defense fund (now called EarthJustice), and Obama's campaign among others. I might just get me that pretty red bicycle that I don't really need but really really want, and maybe a zoom lens for my camera. But other than that, I can't really think of anything I want that I don't currently have. Most of what's good in my life can't be bought be money anyways. I know that makes me a very very lucky person.