Poet of the Fortnight #16: Brenda (Mar 6 - Mar 20, 2018)

Brenda has been randomly selected as our 16th Poet of the Fortnight (PotF)! Brenda is a 54-year-old woman living in Michigan, USA, who joined PnQ on Valentine's Day in 2016 -- seems only fitting when looking at her profile, which is filled with love: "Happily married to my last and forever man. 4 beautiful kids between us, 4 amazing grandkids with one on the way. Been rocked to my knees but I'm still able to stand and survive all life has thrown at me." Brenda is an incredibly active member of this site, having already written 130 poems and left 2,920 comments (wow!).

Please welcome Brenda to her own special thread, and be sure to read her latest poem posted just below -- a tender poem written for Andrea's daughter:

----
Irony and forgiveness (for Robyn)

They drip poison
into my veins,
to stop the poison
that's invaded my body...
Now that's irony!
-
My mom
stunned into silence,
shattered by the knowledge,
her baby bird
struggles to fly.
Knowing those warm coastal breezes
aren't reaching
my winter home...
-
I fight with the guilt.
I did so many wrong,
hurt the ones
that love me the most-
killing their dreams
of what could have been.
Kind of like
this cancer,
hell bent on killing me...
Now that's irony!
-
How do you let go?
Rid yourself of the guilt
of a life
that's strewn with casualties.
How do you make peace?
With yourself?
Tipping the scales
back to the give,
not the take...
Just like me,
it's a work in progress...
-
Mama, I love you-
Don't ever forget that.
I'm so sorry
for the pain I've caused.
For all the long nights
you paced about,
worrying where I was.
For the tears you've shed
over the decisions I've made...
I can't change the past.
Those days are long gone-
Each new day now arrives
with fresh amends
that I approach with an open heart
and a clear mind.
I know what I have to do.
This journey's not over-
This disease is kicking my ass
but like that sturdy Maple
who birthed me,
my roots go deep...
Those warm coastal breezes
are not far away...
----

Brenda, please fill out this public survey when you find time. You can pass any question/prompt in this thread, just write "Pass." I will ask 10 questions total throughout the next 2 weeks, and members of the community are encouraged to participate by asking questions of their own. Here's the survey:

Real name:
Meaning behind your PnQ name:
Birth place:
Languages spoken:
When you discovered PnQ and why you joined:
Favorite poet(s):
Book you are currently reading:
Song you last listened to:
Inspirations for writing:
5 truths about yourself:

1) Is there an era you'd like to visit of so why?
2) What's your favourite meal?
3) if there's one thing in your life you'd change would you and risk it changing everything good?

First off, thank you so much Jane for such a lovely introduction. Super stoked to be chosen.
Ok, let's see...
1. My name: Brenda Sue Eichhorn
2. No meaning behind my P&Q name lol, it's me, just me...
3.
Birth place: Offut Air Force Base in Omaha Nebraska. Although my dad was Army, he was going through training on that base at the time.
4. Languages spoken: I wish I was cooler and spoke multiple languages but alas it's just English. My brother knows how to say "2 beers please and where's the bathroom" in like 3 languages so I'm covered if we are ever in another country lol.
5. I discovered P&Q surfing the internet looking for a poetry site. The first poem I read was one of Maple Trees and I was hooked. My first poem I posted was for my husband on Valentine's day. Everyone was so warm and inviting and encouraging. I felt like I had found a safe place to post my poems. Something I had not done before this. For me this was a huge leap off a cliff and I haven't regretted it. I have made so many wonderful friends and have read so much amazing poetry from all over the world.
6. Favorite poets. From this site I have many and I won't name names. In 7th grade lit class I was introduced to Robert Frost's work and he just struck a cord with me.
7. Books I am currently reading. "You are making me hate you" by Corey Taylor of Stone Sour , "Bizarre dreams" by Stephen King and one by Celia Rivenbark, drawing a blank on the title. She's a southern lady who is quite funny.
8. Song I last listened to: Hmm, I have quite eclectic taste in music. "Medicate" by Theory. The whole CD is awesome. That song really hits on the opiod problem that's out there.
9. Inspirations for writing: sometimes it's stuff I see in the news, others is what might be going on in another's life or my own, past and present.
10. Five truths about me: 1. I'm left handed. 2. I design and sell silk floral wreaths. 3. I am painfully shy and more of a loner. 4. I never felt deserving or pretty enough until I met my husband. 5. I'm fiercely loyal..

Em, I will come back to you. My.lunch break is over and my boss is giving me the evil eye lol.

Hi Em, I'm back. As far as an era I think back during the Renaissance would be really cool. The royal courts, those beautiful dresses and the opulence of the era, it would be really neat to see it first hand. My ancestors had a castle in Germany on the Rhine. Apparently the king in Germany gave it to another king as a wedding gift when his daughter married and gave my ancestors the boot. It's still standing today and it's a youth hostel. My cousin and her husband have visited there and it's pretty cool.
My favorite meal, hmmm? Anything I don't have to cook lol! There's not too much I don't like, except salmon patties, gaggingly gross....my mom used to make them when we were kids and back in those days what your mom made you ate, no questions asked. It took me years to tell her how much I can't stand them. I love salmon, preferably grilled but those patties-yuck! Probably my favorite would be Thanksgiving dinner. Turkey and all the trimmings. It's one of those meals that really has no place for dieting and butter is used generously.
I don't think I would change anything in my life. Even with all the bad things that have happened it's brought me to where I am right now. To lose the good I have now and have had in the past it's not worth the gamble. Me personally think there are things that occur in your life that is just meant to be and there are other things that happen that zing us into other people or jobs or new areas to live in. Almost like a giant pinball game. There are also things that we decide and work for that also determine how our life goes. Just my thought on that.

Hi lovely Brenda :-) I'm excited to see your own thread!

The silk flower wreaths sound beautiful! How did you get into doing that? Are you quite creative in general (other than that and the poetry)?

It's always evident how much you love your hubby ... what do you think is the secret to a happy relationship? Xx
=^.^=

Ah! Miss Brenda graces the POTF hall of fame :)

Lovely to see you here Brenda. Okay

your photo image on the site, is the most wonderful smile I think I have ever seen :) I'm intrigued to know, if your picture was taken -randomly or purposely?

When you write a poem- do you start and then revisit a few times? Or do you finish it there and then?

finally- does your lovely husband enjoy your poetry? if so (I think yes for sure haha) do you get excited when you have one ready to read?

Much warmth and love Miss B
M :)xx

Fantastic answers B and my sentiments exactly.

If you were to become an animal for the day which do you think you'd like to become and why?
Which super power would you like to have if you could choose one and why?

Hello Miss Kitty! I got into the silk wreaths after I did the flowers for my daughter's wedding. It was so enjoyable and so much fun to create that I just jumped in. I make name banners for the grandbabies, those are great fun to decorate. Not much you can't do with a glue gun lol. My husband's poems get decorated with scrap booking stickers and paper.
I think the secret to longevity in a relationship is being able to talk to your spouse, about anything and know you are safe with what has been said. Plus, he's my best friend. There's really no one else I would want to spend the day with but him. We do date days, nothing crazy, just running errands and maybe a quick bite at the local Coney place. We also are also laughing about all sorts of silly things, a sense of humor is key. Plus respecting each other's different interests. He likes some stuff I don't and vise versa, it's all good though, you should have some different interests, we still come together and share those. We respect each other and don't talk the other down. I've been around other couples that there's so much animosity. Why be together? Life is too short to be miserable. That's kind of us in a nutshell. Thank you for your interesting questions. Hugs-

Oh Brenda,
I'm happy to see this post, first of all, I adore you!

I grew up in kansas, so I know the states around it pretty well. ..what is your favorite thing about living in central us?

Favorite desert?

Awww Michael, always sweet as ever. Thank you for such a lovely compliment. Actually that picture was taken for a club event on thee site. We all took pictures of ourselves and submitted them, kind of putting faces to the names and the poems. My daughter helped me do a selfie since I am not the selfie kinda girl lol. She did a great job coaching me. Then I sent this picture to the lovely Em and she posted it for me. It's funny, when I am working or concentrating I tend to have a RBF (resting b**** face ) lol...people think I'm in a bad mood but I'm not, just deep in thought. At work I really try to laugh often and keep it light. I figure I'm there for 9 to 11 hours a day, might as well make it fun.
Each poem is different for me. Some I might start with one sentence that is bouncing around in my head. Once I put it on paper it sometimes just flows and flies and it's done. Other times, I might have something, write it down and it just sits there, giving me the stink eye and saying nanernaner boo-boo....so I will set it aside and come back to it when it's feeling more favorable to me. Yes, my hubby does like my poetry especially the ones I write for him. He encourages me and writing about him is easy. He really was the person who made me feel comfortable and loved enough to start writing again. When I was married to my ex I stopped writing. He was one of those people that could suck the life right out of you. As you well know, you need to feel something and not being flatlined every day in order to write. Once I got away from him and started breathing again I was able to get my head right. Then I met my husband and my heart just bloomed.
Thank you so much Michael for your questions, as always it's wonderful to answer these for you-

Oooh interesting Em...I think I would like to be a Hawk or and Eagle. To be able to fly high in the sky seeing everything would be awesome. I'm not so sure about eating raw meat and such lol. I mean I love fish, but raw, yuck!
Hmm, super power? The ability to create world peace would be awesome. I don't think they have a specific super power for this but I would love to create it.

Hi Andrea! I adore you too lol! You know you were the first poet I read on this site. Your writing has always blown me away.
I think the thing I like about living in the central US is just the people. A lot of blue collar working folks, farmers, traditional values. The countryside is calming, between the farmland and the Great Lakes there is such a diverse topography. On my dad's side of the family they came from Germany and settled in Nebraska and the Dakotas. They built sod homes and started churches, and farms. My dad grew up on a farm. It was those Midwest values that I grew up with. The cornerstone of who I am.
Favorite desert? That's a tough one. I am an equal opportunity desert eater lol. There's not much I don't like unfortunately...:) I think ice cream is heavenly. Just about any kind. I love chocolate and mint together, something my husband thinks I'm crazy to like. I think it's a girl thing, that combination. When I was pregnant I craved Strohs Vanilla ice cream. No other one but that. I'm so weird lol!

I'm a chocolate and mint gal as well !!

The farms are the best, I'm a farm girl too..

I'm honored to be your first poem to read, that makes me smile, hugs you

Brenda,

Do you enjoy writing form poetry? If so which one is your favorite to write?

Yay to your chocolate mint combo! It is amazing. I was thinking about it more and I'm not a doughnut fan but I can definitely smash an apple fritter! Those are heavenly ! Lol...
There's something about a farm isn't there? Working with the soil and your hands. Hard work ,,the land and animals, it's very comforting and satisfying.
I am far more comfortable with free verse, I don't feel confined as,much and my words can just ebb and flow. It's weird, I find writing a Palindrome is extremely satisfying. It's quite a mind bender and very challenging and my goal is to get really good at it. I feel the ones I've done are ok but not great if that makes sense. Btw, the one I wrote called Earth Mother was,written with you in mind. I always,see you as this mystical tree sprite. :) HUGS!

Oooh great answers...
Is there one piece of advice you would give your 10 years old self if you could? Or one piece of advice you wish your 10 year old self could have given you?

Brenda I have not much to ask but I want to thank you for being so supportive with not just me but all the new members. You have given a lot to pnq members. I have never seen you saying negative things about anyone. you are so down to earth kind of person. You are full of positive energy and you always want good for others. You are an amazing person.

Ah Thank you Miss Brenda for your wonderful answers :)

It simply adds the romance to your way and thinking in life

Good for you lady :)

One final question:

Do you believe in your own 'Star-sign'? or no interest haha. And enjoy the rest of your time on POTF:)
Much love
Michael :)xx

Thanks Em! I think if I could have I would have given my 10 yr old self any advice it would have been to believe in myself and stand up for myself. If I had believed in myself and had been stronger than I don't think I would have been molested by that pedophile a-hole. I probably would have kicked him the niblets and ran. After my dad died I was lost, all of us were. People like that take advantage when it presents itself. I think my ten yr old self now could have given my now age the advise of never losing the wonder of being a child. Keep on learning, keep on exploring, live your life to the fullest. You only have one of these, don't waste it.

Awww Shane, thank you so much! You are such a sweetheart. I'm far from perfect but I do try to live a good life. There's many poets on this site that give so much more than myself. I really do try to be optimistic, life is too short to be miserable. I lived enough years of unhappiness and now I'm married to this wonderful man, my babies are grown with babies of their own, I'm in a good place. Plus this wonderful site we are all on, that allows us to put out these amazing writes and meet people from all over the world. Life is good indeed!

Thank you so much Michael. Yes, I do believe in my "star sign". I like to read my horoscopes for fun, but I am very much a Pisces, so is my husband. Our birthdays are a week apart. We two are very much our signs. My ex was a Scorpio and those two are suppose to be very compatible, but alas he was very much a Scorpio and this poor fish couldn't swim away fast enough. I have this book called "Love Signs" by Linda Goodman (I think that's her name). Fascinating book on all the different signs and their compatibility , or not. It delves into all different relationships from parents and children to lovers, to coworkers and such. A lot of eye opening avenues on how the different signs react to each other. Pretty spot on. I know your baby girl is a Pisces also, I always feel at peace when I read her poems. :)

I hear you Re the glue gun Brenda! Lol

Wonderful answers about your relationship too. How wonderful and nothing less than you absolutely deserve x

What was your favourite subject at school, and does it relate at all to the job you do now? :-) x
=^.^=

Hey beautiful!

Few questions from me...

How do you see me?

What makes you feel unstoppable?

What emotion do you experience the most?

If you could do anything for the rest of your life, what would that be?

What annoys you the most about people?

What is a dream you’ve never said out loud?

What do you lie the most about?

If you had to change your name then which one would be the new?

What is more important to you — status, power, or money?

Is there anything you see inside of yourself you’re not sure of?

What is that one childhood fear you have not told anyone yet?

What is the nickname that your friends have given you? What does it mean?

Thank you Miss Kitty! My favorite subject was Literature. I always had a book with me and this class I learned of new,authors, poets, etc.. I loved Geography too. So much of this world out there just waiting to be explored. We grew up with National Geographic as a staple in our house. The quest to learn and explore was great. I still to this day love Nat Geo on T.v. The cinematography is breathtaking. As far as what it does for my job, absolutely nothing! Lol . I work in a,car dealership as a biller for new and used cars. When I first started here I was in the body shop. I didn't work on the cars but wrote estimates and dealt with insurance companies and customers. I am I-Car certified which I am quite proud of. Took
a lot of classes with a bunch of dusty body repair guys to get that certification.

What was your dad's MOS? I enlisted infantry, but after this next deployment I'm reclassing to engineer (electrical). 5 years of getting sit at is enough lol.

Hi, Brenda!! :)

I remember talking about Highly Suspect, sooo, what's your favorite song by them?

Hi Naaz! Some very interesting questions you have-
1. How do I see you? I see you as a bright young man, empathetic from the pieces you write. You give a lot of thought in the comments you write. For someone so young you have a depth in your thoughts, very mature!
2. What makes me unstoppable? Hmm, I am very stubborn lol! If I have something in my mind I need to do or want to do, I will do it, nothing is getting in my way.
3. What emotion do I experience the most? Happiness now. It wasn't always that either. As I've aged and reached personal satisfaction in my life those days of feeling unsure and not good enough have faded to the background.
4. If I could do anything for the rest of my life, what would it be? I would love to work in a museum, all that history, it's fascinating. I would also like to be a CSI agent. Solving crimes, figuring out how it happened, etc...so cool. Library, the books, the history, the knowledge....ok, ok, ok...so I can't decide what I would want to do lol...so many choices...
5. What annoys you the most about people? Ignorance and intolerance for other people, cultures, etc..also lack of common sense. You don't have to be a rocket scientist to navigate day to day living, but you sure need a little common sense. Sorry, that was like 3 things....:)
6. What is a dream you've never said out loud? Wow, I'm drawing a blank on this one. I always dreamed about traveling the world. I think that would be so cool. To have unlimited income to be able to just get up and go, now that's fun.
7. What do I lie the most about? I hate to admit it, but my weight, as it's not to anyone else but me...I need to lose weight, I know I do but the lies I tell myself...oh boy...
8. If I had to change my name then which would be the new? I've always liked Sloan or Emerson, Grace is cool too. I guess if I'm going to change it might as well be completely different right?
9. What is more important to you-status, power, or money? Actually, none of them. Sure they all have their perks but at what cost? Being a decent human being I think is far more important that anything else. At the end of the day I still need to look myself in the mirror and like what's staring back at me.
10. Is there anything you see inside of yourself you're not sure of? Yes, confidence. We are all our own worse enemies when we self doubt our abilities. I have gotten better at accepting myself but it's always a work in progress.
11. What is one childhood fear you have not told anyone yet? I don't think there is anything that I feared as a child I never told anyone. Spiders give me the willies. My husband is the official bug killer in our house. Not too thrilled about basements. I've watched too many scary movies, lol..
12. What is the nickname that your friends have given you? What does it mean? Nothing too original, just Bren, short for Brenda. Or B, again, well, you get the picture lol.
Naaz, thank you so much for your questions-it's been an interesting write-

Hi Tony! My dad originally was an infantry during the Korean war. When he reenlisted he went into the Army, he went onto officer training and then on to flight school. Back in those days, as you know, it was Warrant Officers that flew the helicopters in Viet Nam. That's what my dad did. He was a gun ship pilot with the 187th Assault Helicopter Company '66-'67. He flew over 900 missions in the year he was there. When he came back we were stationed in Fairbanks, Alaska. They were going to send him back to Viet Nam so he retired and we moved to Anchorage. He started flying for a private company based out of the north slope. This was when the pipeline was just starting. This is where he crashed flying in the fog and we moved back to Michigan. My brother started out in the National Guard as a helicopter mechanic. He went from that to a crew chief. From there he went to officers training and flight school. He was stationed in Alaska also. He was in command of a guard unit in Anchorage. He went on the Huntsville Alabama and was involved in all sorts of technical stuff with the helicopters and readiness for handling the theatre in the middle east. He's been deployed more than once over there and now that's he's retired from the Army he works with the DOD in the helicopter division. He retired full Colonel, super proud of him.
Good for you on reclassing after this next deployment! An electrical engineer is an awesome profession to pursue, I agree, 5 years of getting shot at is way long enough! I also want to thank you for serving. It takes a certain kind of person to make the commitment like you have, it's not for everyone and it's definitely not easy, so thank you. I for one really am thankful for your sacrifices.

Their whole CD is awesome. Of course their song "My Name is Human" hooked me from the start. Lydia is an amazing song too. I really like "Send Me an Angel" a lot too. I think there isn't any songs that I don't like lol. How about you? What is your favorite?

Loved all the replies, no 9 was the best.

Few more on your way...

What’s the one thing you would like to change about yourself today and why?

What is the craziest thing that you’ve done with someone?

What is the best advice you’ve ever been given?

If you could marry anyone in the world, who would it be and why?

Did you ever judge someone for the dark secrets they told you?

If you could choose one superpower, what would it be and why?

What is your favorite childhood memory?

What are your beliefs on God?

How long does it take you to really trust someone?

Brilliant answers to all Brenda ... you're a sweetheart, but so wise too!

If you had to lose all but one of your five senses, which would you keep and why? Which sense would be the biggest loss and why? :-) x
=^.^=

Hi Naaz, thank you and these are equally interesting.
1. The one thing I would like to change about myself today? Hmm, I think not being so stubborn. To learn to go with the flow easier. I've gotten better about it but I'm not a fan of changes. I've learned to accept my imperfections body wise by being in a healthy relationship.
2. The craziest thing I have ever done with someone? Back in high school I drove a Camaro. I really loved that car. It was only a 350 2 barrel but I drove it like it was a race car, lol. We (a girlfriend of mine) were coming back from another town after a football game and decided we were going to race a Trans Am back to town. Obviously that car was much faster than mine but it didn't stop me from pedal to the floor. So we were passing each other back and forth, cutting in and out of traffic. I ended up passing a bus, on a curve (a huge no-no) besides the fact I was doing 115mph. As I was passing him again, he slowed down and allowed me to get in front of him. When we got into town I met up with him and was giving him hell for losing. He told me he had seen a cop on the side of the road, off in the woods. I of course did not believe him, I figured he had woosed out. When we got to my friends house her mom asked us which road we took coming back from the game. Of course we weren't going to admit the actual road because her mom was tricky like that. Apparently she had been listening to her police scanner and something had came over about cars racing, etc....why we weren't stopped that night I have no idea...totally insane doing that in the first place not to mention the high rate of speed I was driving. Young and stupid, yep, I'm chalking it up to being young and so stupid!
3. The best I was ever given? "Let it go" hanging on to all those negative emotions will never allow you to move forward. So very true!
4. If I could marry anyone in the world, who and why? That's easy, my now and forever husband. I would marry him over and over and over again. He is my true soul mate and I have never been as happy with anyone else like I am with him.
5. Did you ever secretly judge someone for their dark secrets? I think it's human nature to judge a little. I'm not saying that's ok, I'm just saying it's human nature. So yeah, I'm sure I've judged....not proud of that...
6. If I could choose one super power, what and why? It's not an actual super power but it should be, the ability to create world peace. Now that's a super power that should be available!
7. My favorite childhood memory? Any time we spent with our dad. He always made things fun. He steal your ice cream, he made us a ice skating rink one winter in our back yard. We would go camping and exploring. He was stern when he needed to be but we were loved.
8. What are my beliefs on God? I believe God exists. I was raised Lutheran and at one time attended church regularly. I've gotten away from organized religion over the past few years. I don't like the way they seem to give conflicting thoughts. One hand it's love another as you do yourself but then condemn someone for their choice of a mate. I don't think it's fair to judge another on their choices or beliefs or their sexual orientation. What you believe is what you believe and anyone who is part of an organized religion that's ok too. I still talk to God pretty much every day, I just don't do it sitting in a pew.
9. How long does it take me to really trust someone? It depends, sometimes after meeting someone you just know. I've learned to listen to that inner voice that has been times screaming at me to not trust someone. Some people, say someone you meet on line. You just have to take what they say and who they are at face value. They may give you clues they aren't on the up and up but you just don't know. With my husband, I can't even explain how I would tell him stuff, things I hadn't even told my ex and never worried he'd use it against me. He was one of those people I trusted from the start.

Ahh so sorry! Accidentally deleted a post when i was trying to add a new post! X.X

Interesting answers so far, it's great getting to know you!

What's one story you find yourself telling others a lot? Could be funny/scary/interesting, etc.

Brenda, those are my top ones as well. Little One, too. I think My Name is Human and Lydia are awesome.

What awesome other MUST listen to bands or singers for you?
I know you said you have an eclectic taste in music, do you think you can list your top 10 songs from your playlist? If you have a playlist, that is. Lol

Brenda, You are such a wise person!

I loved all the replies, especially, about your childhood memories. They were, still they are and they will be beautiful forever.

Hi Miss Kitty! That's a tough choice to make. My uncle is blind and it has never stopped him from doing anything. He truly is an inspiration to anyone who has any sort of disability. But the thought of never seeing my grandbabies and their sweet little faces and the rest of my family would be heartbreaking. So I think losing my sight would be the most devastating. I know you have hearing loss and you have learned to deal with it but I don't think I could be strong enough to lose that either. To not hear the kids or music or even a bird sing...I'm sure if I did lose one of my senses I would mourn a bit, adjust and go on with life. Because that's what you need to do. There are a lot of people out there that face huge obstacles each and every day. They make it work, they overcome and carry on like nothing up. My hats off to them.

It's all good, things happen...this has been a lot of fun answering questions and going back to past thoughts.
The story I like to tell was the time I flashed Jones Beach in New York. I was 18 at the time and had gone to New York City with my finance' at the time. The airline had lost my luggage so we decided to go to the beach with his brother and sister-in-law. I borrowed a swim suit from his brothers wife and her being quite a bit shorter than myself, that one piece was a bit short in the body. So it was a constant tug of war with keeping all my bits covered (if ya know what I mean,lol). His brother was diving into the waves and body surfing up to the beach. I thought, "how cool is that!". I lost my sanity and he talked me into doing this too. Keep in mind, I don't swim well, dog paddling is about the extent of my expertise. My boyfriend was telling me this was a bad idea, don't do it, etc...but nooooooo, I can do this! Yeah, no-I dove in, the waves sent me ass over applecart through the water and deposited me rather unceremoniously up on the shore. I was coughing, sputtering, hair all in my face, trying to get my wits about me and my boyfriend was frantically trying to get my attention. Unbeknownst to me, my top had fallen and they there were, my tat-ta's in full glory flashing THE entire beach. I turned redder than the sun burn I was busy getting, yanked my top up, ran to our beach towels and stayed there the rest of the day. Mortified is putting it mildly lol. I laugh about it now but oh man back then if the earth would have opened up at that moment and swallowed me I would have been ok with that.

Oh boy! I think it's about impossible to list just my top ten. I grew up on traditional country, you know Tammy Wynette, George Jones, Meryl Haggard, etc...I bought my first 8-track (yes, I really said 8-track) when I was 13. It was Kiss Destroyer. I was hooked. I no longer have the 8 track but I do have that album in CD form and still listen to it. Back in the 70's it was Led Zeppelin, Heart, Journey, Black Sabbath, Janis Joplin, Foreigner, Queen, oh man, the list goes on and on. I love the music from the 60's, the Stones, the Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, The Who, Bob Dylan...As the years have gone on I have always tried to listen to new artists, see what's coming down the pike. Def Leppard, Poison, Metallica (amazing live show), all the "big hair bands" from the 80's. I adore Sarah McLachlan! Her CD Surfacing is breathtaking! The Eagles-quintessential California, out west sound. The Mama's and the Papa's-amazing harmonies. Fleetwood Mac-Rumours, probably my favorite CD, of course Tusk runs a close 2nd for them. AC/DC-crazy concert! I saw them when I was 8 months pregnant lol! I wasn't going to miss that show. Ozzie-need I say more..my daughter at three knew Crazy Train in the opening riffs. Lita Ford, she could shred like any dude. Joan Jett, Melissa Etheridge, Pink, Kelly Clarkston, just to name a few female artists. Jacob Dylan (Bob Dylans son), he sounds almost exactly like his dad. Jake Bugg-this kid has a ridiculous voice. I think the first time I saw him on TV performing I was hooked. I like U.S.S.-they have these quirky songs that just pull you in. Highly Suspect, a major favorite. I can't leave out my Michigan peeps, Bob Seger, Kid Rock, Eminem, We Came As Romans, Pop Evil and one of the newer ones-Greta Van Fleet-the Safari song is getting a lot of airplay right now. Nine Inch Nails-when Johnny Cash did a cover of their song I was blown away. This was when he was dying of liver cancer (I think), he knew he was and he put out that song Hurt....took it to a whole other level. Let's not forget Chris Cornell, still can't believe he's gone. They just released his cover of Johnny Cash's song "You Never Knew My Mind"-kinda blows me away, he's almost telling you what he was going to do. Like Chester Bennington from Linkin Park. Another amazing singer-listen to his songs.. .he did one with Z-trip called the "Walking Dead" came out in the early 2000's. It is so cool. My husband and I got to see Tool this past summer. What an amazing show! I have all their CD's too. 10,000 Days is a masterpiece. I know as far as rock I haven't even begun to list them all. I also love classical-Vivaldi, Bach, Chopin, etc.. I also haven't forgotten my country roots. Miranda Lambert, Brooks and Dunn, Johnny Cash, Lady Antebellum, The Band Perry, that's just a few of them. So, I guess my play list would be ENORMOUS lol...I could be at this all night telling you about all these groups I love to listen to. So many I didn't list. Pink Floyd-Dark Side of the Moon-listen to that with headphones on, it's like the music is going right through you. I can't even pick my top ten CD's! I could come semi close and then realize all the ones I didn't list. I told my kids when I die not to have a funeral. Have a celebration and play all that wonderful awesome music that's been so much a part of our lives.

Hi!!!! I finally caught up. I took notes along the way:

Medicate by Theory is a song I had not heard before, but I’m listening to it now. I like it. Kind of a punk rock, southern rock, country medley.
Happy to say I’ve never eaten or even seen a salmon patty. Can’t go wrong with Thanksgiving dinner!
I love your secrets to longevity in a relationship and am happy to say that my relationship hits all of the marks.
So funny your husband doesn’t like mint chocolate ice cream! I thought it was a lot of peoples’ favorite. York patties are good too, yum.
I am so terribly sorry to learn you were molested as a child. To be taken advantage of like that, especially after losing your father -- just awful. I can’t imagine.
“I think my ten yr old self now could have given my now age the advise of never losing the wonder of being a child.”
That is beautiful. I had a professor last semester and she said that as future social workers, we should try to approach the world with a sense of wonder and resilience.
It is inspiring to read how optimistic and grateful you are for what you have :)
Have to admit I don’t believe in horoscopes, but what does your book say about Gemini and Scorpio? Also, am I a Scorpio? Some books/sites list me as a Libra. Born October 23. I feel I am a calm and balanced adult, but also passionate about things I care about (who isn’t?). Feel free to skip this question since this thread is about you, not me hehe.
Love that you mentioned Nat Geo. It’s the only magazine I subscribe to and I love it. Good taste ;)
I adore your dream jobs: working in a museum or as a CSI agent. Both would be very cool.
Annoys you the most: "Ignorance and intolerance for other people, cultures" <-- me too!
“Being a decent human being I think is far more important that anything else.” I love this answer!
Now listening to My Name Is Human, another song I hadn’t heard previously. Wow, powerful. The video is awesome too.
"I think it's human nature to judge a little. I'm not saying that's ok, I'm just saying it's human nature. So yeah, I'm sure I've judged....not proud of that..." Your honesty and self awareness is something to be proud of :) It is human nature to judge. The best we can do is catch ourselves and correct our thinking when necessary.
I love learning a little bit more about your dad. He sounds like he was a wonderful guy. For some reason, I was having flashes of Jack from 'This Is Us' -- do you watch this show? It's a tear jerker.
I think your version of religion is beautiful. I respect people who can believe without letting the hypocrisies of organized religion warp their personal religious views.
Wow, I did not know Chris Cornell covered "You Never Knew my Mind" -- will listen to that in a bit. Chris Cornell, what a powerful voice. Gone too young.
I recognize and like almost all of the musicians/artists you listed. Totally understand about having too many favorites to be able to narrow it down to 10. My dad requested a list of my top 25 tracks of all time and I still haven’t got it just right. He asked for it almost a decade ago hahaha! It changes all the time, so it’s never done.

Can I just say what a down-to-earth, genuine, kind person you are?

I'll post questions shortly.

Question #1: Are there any suggestions/rules for being a great parent that you tried/try to abide by?
Question #2: Have you been outside of the country? Where and when? What is the first country you would travel to if you had infinite time and money to do so? Why?
Question #3: Do you have any pets or livestock? What kind, how many, what are their names? I love animals :D

Okay. I'm sorry, but your story about flashing everyone at the beach had me literally LOLing! Hahaha

I absolutely love that you love music so much. Honestly, I tried to think of 10 top songs for myself and I couldn't, so I don't even blame you! Lol. Although, there are some songs that I have to put on repeat a few times because I can't get enough.
I also feel like I could talk about music for hours, so I don't mind!
I've heard Tool put on some incredible shows.

Be back soon with more questions!