River Wild asked, I Answer

I am so enjoying question and answer month. Thank you to all who have asked questions. Not only does it help me in writing a bit more, which is pretty much a good thing for me, but it also gives me reason to revisit some of my most cherished memories. I am the type of person that highly values experiences and the memories made through those experiences. Having a good reason to reminisce and share those memories is priceless.

River Wild, such a great name, asked the following:

What do you do to treat yourself? This was not an easy question for me. In order to figure it out, I basically worked backwards. By that I mean, I started with the typical things and ruled them out. You see, I am not like a lot of women(I'll bet some of you can identify with that). I don't like shoes and only wear them if absolutely necessary, so I own less than a dozen pair. That number includes work shoes and snow boots. I only carry a purse to work, I own exactly 2, they are both small and cost less than $10.00 each. I've never had a professional manicure, pedicure or massage. I don't fuss with my hair much and haven't been to a salon in years. I like jewelry, but I tend to be attracted to unique, instead of pricey. One of my most prized pieces is a one of a kind pendant that Musicman picked out and bought for me for our 25th anniversary. It was on a visit to a lovely little gallery we frequent on our day trips. The price was almost negligible, but it's one of my most prized items, I never take it off. In fact, I have a habit of playing with it and touching it frequently, that act alone can bring back the wonderful memories of the day spent together.

Really, I'm just a simple girl, who doesn't require a whole bunch of things. I prefer having experiences and acquiring memories instead of acquiring things. That having been said, I always love a good book. I read many different genres and will readily give a book away, but am incapable of throwing one away. Any day spent reading is a good day.

I also have a passion for animated movies. I'm old enough to have experienced Fantasia, as a child, in the movie theater. I still remember that experience like it was yesterday. It is probably my all time favorite movie. Musicman is quite indulgent of my love of animation and always rents me the newest movies when they come out. I raved for days after seeing Epic. I found it so visually stunning and stimulating that I watched it twice in a 24 hour period. Easily my second favorite movie.
 If you haven't seen it, I highly recommend it.

What's your preferred form of hair removal? Ew, I hate all forms of hair removal. I do it, but I really hate it. I've tried waxing, that just plain hurts, and not in a good way. I've tried depilatories. Ooohh, the rashes I experienced after, made that a no go. I've researched sugaring, but have yet to try it. It sounds like a lot of work, especially since I have so much area to cover. I have very long legs and do the lady bits, as well as the underarms. Some day I would love to have one of the new at home laser style gadgets that are becoming so popular right now. I have looked into them, but they are still quite pricey. So, in the mean time, I resort to the razor.

If you had to choose between winning a billion dollars or never aging which would you take? I love this question. The only problem is that, instinctually, I would choose neither. To me money is a necessary evil. If I could figure out how to live my life without it, I would. I grew up in an upper middle class home. We had everything we needed and most of wanted, except safety and love. Abuse of all kinds was rife within the home. It was a place I was always on guard and spent most of my formative years planning my escape from. I did escape, I did survive and I have always realized that money can make your life a bit easier, but it can never make you happy. I deal very little with the financial matters of our life. I'm more than capable of doing it, I just don't want to. I earn a paycheck, but I never really see it. Musicman controls all the money and that's the way I like it.

One would think that would make me pick never aging, but I wouldn't want that either. I've spent almost 35 years building a career based on caring for the elderly. The blurb at the top of my blog is a fact. A wise old woman did once teach me about the importance of making memories. I was fortunate enough to be able to share hers every evening as I readied her for bed. I love old  people. I seek the wisdom, garnered through experience, that they have to share.

I will never forget something Musicman's Grandmother shared with me. She lived to her mid 80's and was healthy almost to the end, she passed peacefully, at home, with her family around her.  She told me how she was ready to die. She told me how lonely it was having lost her husband, her parents, her siblings. Yes, she had her children and grandchildren, but all her peers were gone. She had become lonely, she was ready to move on. I understand this and am not afraid of dying. My only concern is that I not lose Musicman. I say a prayer every night, I pray that I die the day before he does so I don't have to live a day without him.

So, if push came to shove, I would choose a billion dollars and give it away. I'm sure I would have no trouble finding deserving people to give it too.