My Twist on the "Ask Me Anything" Meme

[hrj]

As I think I've mentioned before, I tend to be hyper-cautious about memes that seem to have as their hidden purpose: 1) demonstrating how much feedback you can induce people to give you; or 2) going into TMI-overload with a sort of truth-or-darish "I promise to answer any question!" And as for the whole "working outside my comfort zone" thing, these days that's a life program, not an occasional LJ amusement. But here's an offer inspired by the current "ask me to blog outside my comfort zone" meme that's going around.

Is there any question -- whether idle or deeply profound -- that you've ever wanted to ask me but never felt you had a good opening for? I'm inviting you to ask it here ... with the following conditions.

* I will not be screening comments (either questions or answers). If there's something you want to ask that you don't want the rest of the world to know about, you'll have to do it face to face some time.

* If I think a question is too personal, I'll decline to answer it. (This isn't "hrj bares her soul", just "hrj answers questions".) I probably won't be offended (and I might even answer the same question face-to-face), I just won't post any answers that I'm not willing to have on permanent public record.

* This offer isn't confined to, or necessarily specifically aimed at, my f-list. Casual readers are explicitly included.

And I promise that if nobody has any questions, I won't conclude you-all don't love me! (Or even conclude that my life is an open book with no mysteries.)

Comments

Answer Part 2 (pesky character limits)

[hrj.livejournal.com]

Living room: You know, I've pretty much done everything I want to the living room. I'd like to swap the present ceiling light for one with a fan (helps with air circulation when using the woodstove). There is intended to be a set of curtains that go across the sewing/entertainment center wall. Wait, we're talking fantasy interior decorating here. In my Victorian historic fantasy design scheme, the living room is intended to be the "Victorians do Pompeii" room. More wall paintings. The curtains are all embroidered with Roman motifs. Rather than modern overstuffed couches, the furniture can be converted into a functional triclinium, for those days when you just want to eat lying down with your friends. And there would be a custom-built cabinet for the computer equipment that exactly fits the corner where it lives and looks decorative when all closed up.

Guest bedroom: In the Victorian fantasy design scheme, this is to be the "Victorians do Egypt" room. Wall painting as appropriate. Bed that is both a convertible Murphy bed and follows the Egyptian theme.

Yard: All areas of the yard will have an automatic, completely invisible, and water-conserving irrigation system. Finish all the planned brick walkways with conversion of the desired parts of the lawn into beds instead. (This is all mapped out on my current garden plan, but it's a bit complicated to describe.) Add garden bench. In the corner under the deck just outside the windows to the guest bedroom, install the hot tub (including privacy screens that roll down from the edges of the deck). Part of the budget goes to paying whatever bribes are necessary to get permission to build a garage-like workshop at the back of the driveway (it's too close to the property line to get regular approval -- or we could just include this as one of the fantasy aspects). Workshop structure includes sufficient strength and security measures that my tools don't disappear a week after being moved in.

I think maybe I'm not thinking far enough outside the box. But really, the truly unlimited fantasy budget goes into my reproduction Roman villa either in the Sierra foothills or overlooking the ocean near Mendocino. Everything else is a compromise.

Re: Answer Part 2 (pesky character limits)

[aastg.livejournal.com]

I really do like it that, when you're asked a question, you give a *complete* answer.

Funny, for some reason I've always thought of you as being Modern architecture & decor type, contrary to all evidence. That's probably more about my response to your generally clean, spare thought processes and less to your actual taste.

The sense I get of your overall plan makes me think of a vertical version of Brighton Pavilion....

Re: Answer Part 2 (pesky character limits)

[hrj.livejournal.com]

Modern decor leaves me utterly cold. I've always had a wildly romantic streak for my physical surroundings. Funny story: When I was a kid, I desperately longed for a canopy bed -- not just with a canopy but with full curtains. I loved the idea of making my bed a private hidden fortress where I could go with a book and shut out the world. When I was planning out my recent redecorating fit, I kept looking for the "perfect" 4-poster canopy bed to fill that dream at last. And then it hit me ... my entire damn house is my "private hidden fortress" now. What in the world would I be "shutting out" with a canopy bed?

But I'll still keep fantasizing about a 4-poster canopy tourney-bed (where at least it would have the practical purpose of providing extra heat-insulation).