In this connected world it seems people know almost everything about other people's lives; People put deeply personal information on social media sites as if it's completely normal, and I guess, it is these days. How easy is it to find out personal information about others these days, just by going on their twitbook feed or their instasnap account? That's a rhetorical question by the way; It's easy, we all know that.
So, over the weekend we caught up with another couple we are quite friendly with and it turned out that some of their other friends arrived at their house unexpectedly. We ended up in a conversation about getting to know others. It was fun really as we decided to determine ten questions that would help us know the other people a little better. It even taught me a few things about the couple we have known for over 20 years!
I decided to share the ten questions with you and my answers because none of them are too personal. This is not a challenge by the way although some idiot may take the concept and turn it into something like that. This is merely me opening up a little and giving you an insight into who I am.
What was the last book you read and when did you finish it?: SEAL Team 6 – Howard E. Wasdin & Stephen Templin which I completed 3 days ago. Howard E Wadin SEAL Team 6
What book are you reading now?: Life Without Us – Alan Weisman The World Without Us
What was the first book you read and how old were you when you read it?: The Hobbit – JRR Tolkien and I was nine years old. The Hobbit
What is your ethos or life-rule and why?: Design and create your ideal life, don't live it by default. This phrase has a broad meaning to me and helps keep me keep focused on the truly important things in life. It reminds me to take ownership of my own life-journey, decisions and attitude. I use it as a check-measure, a gauge of sorts, to make sure that what I do always leads towards the goal of creating the life I want around me rather than relying on others to provide it. It also serves to remind me that being 10/10 present in all things, no matter what I'm doing, is essential.
Who do you admire, or see as inspirational?: My wife inspires me more than anyone else. She has not had an easy life with the death of her father at a young age and a mother who had to struggle incredibly hard to put her through school and provide for them both. My wife is an astute business woman, a caring and loving wife to me, a generous and giving woman, fiercely loyal and has a temper when she needs one. She's easy-going and flexible in thought and deed. In thirty years of being together she has only ever had our best interests at heart and has supported me in my endeavours, professional and personal. She keeps our house, runs our business, helps care for my dad and her own sick relatives and yet has the time to maintain her own health, wellbeing and beauty.
If you could change anything about the world what would it be and why?: I'd turn the power off. All of it. The world is out of control in my opinion and needs a healthy dose of reality which would certainly be provided if there was no power. People would have to provide for themselves, would have to stop their excessive use of the planet's resources and would be forced to communicate more. They would also not be able to look into other people's back yards as much meaning they would be more focused on themselves and their own business rather than prying into other people's. Would this herald the apocalyptic age? Maybe. Hopefully.
If you could live anywhere at all where would it be and why?: I'd prefer to live in the country somewhere. Near a small town, maybe a cabin in the woods. I'd need trees and lakes, a creek or river also. Some rolling hills and fields of grass. Give me a reliable pickup truck to get into the town market for supplies and some great like-minded friends and I'd be set.
What job do you do, do you enjoy it and if so/if not why?: I am a Business Development Manager for a huge real estate company. I enjoy my job immensely as I have a lot of freedom to run my own day and week. I report to one of the three Directors only occasionally and am left to my own devices. My role brings my coaching skills, sales and relationship-building skills together towards an ideal result for the company and I'm not chained to my office chair. I don't have start or finish times and have the ability to set my own day. I have targets and a budget of course and so far exceed both with ease. I also get to work with some amazing people in my team, offer them some direction and the ability to excel in their work also.
What is your biggest fear?: I fear my wife dying before me. Being without her is simply unthinkable. I would be completely lost and devoid of direction. I feel I would fall in a heap and never pick myself up. It's not that I rely on her to do things for me, more that I feel I would have no reason to continue on without her. Most people will not understand this but as a childless couple I would have no obligation to stay around. My wife is my biggest inspiration and after so long together I doubt I'd be able to continue on with life very effectively. Sometimes, when one partner dies (elderly), the other does so soon after and I totally get that. It's like they have no will to live and I think I'd be like that.
Do you have any regrets. What are they and why?: I regret not going into the military. I was accepted as a young kid and had the idea of serving my country for a while and then deciding whether to go career from there or not. I wanted to come out and be a fireman. It's pretty much all I wanted to do. When I met my wife things changed and I never followed that path. I don't blame her but now I look back and wish we'd made it work. I went through the process in my twenties of becoming a fireman and unfortunately was not quite smart enough in the chemistry, math and physics areas to get all the way through. As someone who never finished high school I'm not surprised. I didn't apply myself very well at school to be honest. Another regret.
So, there you have it. Of course on the weekend we got to talk about each answer and elaborate on them which was a great deal of fun but you get the idea. The questions don't need to be of a deeply personal nature to reveal something about a person and to inspire some great conversation and, as it did over the weekend. it works even with people you may have known for years! One doesn't need social media to be social.
[- Design and create your ideal life, don’t live it by default -]
First off, I'd like to appreciate the initiative. Takes gut to just willingly share these info with folks that might never get to meet you in person.
Now to my favourite parts:
I used to think I was the only one who thought like this. A cousin of mine (he's crazy) once told me that the only way to save our planet is to kill all humans. Some truth there.
I'll add loads and loads of books to the list and never ending internet and I'm good to go.
My dream retirement home!
Thanks for sharing this sire. I truly enjoyed reading.
Hi @godwine, it seems we have much in common. The book I am reading, Life Without Us, investigates how the world (planet) would react if humans disappeared all of a sudden between one second and the next. It's fascinating how the world would recover and how long (or short) a period of time it would take to erase the fact we were ever here. If you are interested in that sort of thing I can thoroughly recommend you reading it.
Anyway, thanks for your comments.
I sure will. Thanks for the recommendation.
We never really know anyone. I asked a friend, three days ago, why she liked me and she told me that we just connected that's all and shockingly, she doesn't know much about me. We have been friends for six years. I was surprised but when I thought about it, I realized that I don't really know much about her.
I think it's a good idea to ask these sort of questions once in a while.
This is just beautiful. The connection between you two must go beyond physical. Thirty years and you still love someone that much, men that is something to emulate. I pray I can have that kind of relationship with a woman someday; something lasting, something one can depend upon in good and bad times. I am glad for you.
I am presently reading The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins and steemit is not helping me along 😂. My last book was Roar by Cora Carmack and I finished it two weeks ago.
I'm sure you will @warpedpoetic. You're a smart and intelligent guy, or at least it seems so from your replies, so I'm sure you'll do fine. Hmm, two quite different books you mention. I think diversity is important. I read for many reasons, enjoyment and knowledge among them and I like to read many different styles and genres.
All the best.
Thank you @galenkp. Yes diversity is very important. I read all kinds of genres too for the same reasons you stated. I just don't read as much as I would love to.
I hear you. I actually schedule time into my day to read just like I would with a work appointment or meeting. It works well.
Yeah, I think that is what I will be doing going forward. Sleeping too, I need to sleep more. 😂
Sleep is awesome! One of my favourite pastimes. :)
That is something I lack a lot of. I just spent the night writing, commenting and reading. it is 6:10am now and I have just had three hours of sleep. I really need to work on that aspect of my life.
Thanks for sharing, man. I already knew some of the stuff, but I didn't know that you had wanted to be a fireman... or that you got into the military.
I know how you feel about worrying about losing your spouse. I wouldn't even know what to do if my wife was gone. Seriously, I'd probably just wander around the house looking for her. Ok, time to stop thinking about that because it's starting to freak me out!
Umm.........turning off the power sounds fun. We'd all have to get back to the old times when we did things manually... or at least low-tech. How would we steem with each other though? :D
Thanks for sharing. Hope you had a great weekend and that your Monday is starting out well!
My turning off the power thing is something I’m quite passionate about. Of course it may never happen but I live in hope. I’m one of those people who like to be prepared and so it wouldn’t phase me too much. I think we could al use a bit of back to basics living.
I think it’s inportant to ask the right questions when meeting others and I like to learn about other people so what we did on the weekend was a lot of fun.
2 years without power changed my whole outlook on life. However, I can't advocate turning the world power of. Life or death for some folks.
The Hobbit is one of the first memorable books I read. Still one of my favorites.
Life always comes with death, it’s a fact of life. It’s what we do when we are alive that truly matters.
« I'd turn the power off. » Great idea! I would do the same! 😃
Respect for your wife, you really look like an amazing couple!
Thanks Daniela, I don’t know what I did to snag my wife all those years ago, but she tolerates me and I’m glad. Thanks for your comment D, as always.
Hello.I am from Myanmar(Burma).I not receive votes so help me.Nice to meet you @galenkp
You probably don’t receive votes because you ask for them. That’s not how it’s done. You’re supposed to write some good content and engage with people and then you might start to receive votes. It doesn’t matter if you’re from Myanmar, Miami or Mars; Not getting votes is a byproduct of your failure to post decent content.
I’d be happy to review your content and then vote (or not) depending on what I thought of it but unfortunately I cannot give you votes without first seeing some content.