Journal to a Muse

I saw an "Interview" meme at Flying Wombatty.
She was kind enough to take the time to interview me. Wow. Self reflection can be a challenge!
Here are her questions and my answers.

1. In your 100 things about me list, you say you are a good psychotherapist. What is the best advice you give people who need to find joy in life once again?
Most of the people I see have lost their joy because they are trying too hard to make OTHER people happy. So, I encourage them to be indulgently and intelligently selfish.

• Find time for just yourself.
• Make a list of the things you enjoyed doing when you were "little" and do one in order to recapture (and re-recognize) the feeling.
• Ask yourself (repeatedly, if necessary) what you really WANT to be doing.
• List 5 joys in a journal every day. Sometimes we think everything is awful because awful things are so insistent about demanding we pay attention. Joys are rarely that demanding.
• Exercise.
• Get enough sleep.

2. You read Patricia Cornwell novels. I don't think I have read any of hers although I used to read murder mysteries. She was a former medical examiner wasn't she? Which of her novels would you recommend to a first time reader?
I prefer the Kay Scarpetta series. The Body Farm may be the first one I read. I think it gave birth to CSI type programs, and explains a great deal of the science in forensic homocide investigations. If detailed descriptions of autopsies or crime scenes bother you, you might want to find a different author. Somehow, the blood and gore without TV visuals is fascinating to me. I like Scarpetta's toughness, and sometimes cringe when she makes naive choices regarding her personal life. The fact I can talk about Scarpetta as a real person should give you some idea of Cornwell's ability to draw realistic characters. Isle of Dogs and Southern Cross are also murder mysteries, but are much more humorous and not forensics based.

3. What do you like most about Texas?
It's where my husband is.
Oh, and people are always polite... superficially. "Bless your heart," tends to be one of the few phrases spoken that do NOT indicate you are being prayed over. Rather, it means they think you are pitiable, but they don't want to be the one to tell you so.

4. If you had a day to do whatever you wanted and money enough as well, what would it be?
I would invite my adult daughter to fly in from the Right Coast after work to meet me at The Crossings near Austin or perhaps The Drake in Chicago depending on how everyone's schedules meshed. We'd have manicures/pedicures/drinks/massages and a lovely dinner looking over the lake. In the morning after a leisurely walk and strawberries & champagne breakfast, we would be joined by several of our best friends from our respective home towns. Then, the parade of artists would begin. Several artists and writers would come talk to us about how they do what they do... (I'm thinking big names and big hearts such as Kaffe Fassett, Stephanie Pearl McPhee aka The Yarn Harlot , the author of The Secret Life of Bees, Sue Monk Kidd, SARK, and watercolorists and pastel artists. If we were in Chicago, of course Ms. O would drop by. Lunch would be around a pool or waterfall and the spirited interplay of demonstrations, conversations and inspiration would continue until no more information could be absorbed. Minds and spirits full, we would all be returned home with renewed enthusiasm (dare I say joy?) and energy.

5. In a movie about your life who (whom?) should we cast?
Well, with all the publicity she got about gaining and losing weight, Rene Zellweger comes to mind. She even has Scandinavian relatives like I do. I must confess I've been more successful gaining weight than losing it, and am in Kirstie Alley mode at the present. Since movies automatically have attractive leads, if Rene was busy, Jessica Lange, Kathleen Turner, or Candace Bergen would all be on my short list: mature, able to be tough, magnetic, a little frightening and a lot funny. I just hope the movie has a happy ending.

If YOU want me to interview you, contact me (leave a url or send e-mail) and we can keep this loosely knit meme moving.