Patrick's Place

Saturday Six

1. A is for ABORTION: Do you feel that at least in certain circumstances, abortion should be an allowed option for couples, or would you ban it entirely for any reason whatsoever?

I am, and always have been, 100% pro-choice. It's really a decision best made by the people involved, not me or some yahoo in Washington with a bug up his butt.

2. A is for ABSENTEE: Have you ever voted by absentee ballot? If so, how well did it go?

I voted absentee while in college at least a couple of times, and I think I've done that here too, although they call it pre-voting or something else--basically, the courthouse is available for voting for a week or so ahead of election day. It's much easier some days to do either of these than stressing about getting to the polling place on time on the day.

3. A is for ACHILLES: Which non-diet food is your biggest weakness?

Sugar. Anything sweet. Doesn't have to be chocolate. I used to eat pre-sweetened Kool-Aid mix out of the container when I was a kid. Hello, diabetes, my friend. [not quite yet]

4. A is for AIRCRAFT: What's the largest plane you’ve flown in and where were you going?

My college group flew home from Europe in 1985 in a double-decker 747, in the upstairs section. It was absolutely AWESOME--like having a private room in a fancy restaurant; we were the only people up there, and it wasn't even full. Ah, those good old days of empty seats on planes....

6. A is for ARCHITECTURE: What is the most impressive structure you've seen in person?

Hmm. My favorite church building is Durham Cathedral, but Vatican City is astonishing. So is Moscow's Kremlin. And the Winter Palace. And the Summer Palace, not to mention the Forbidden Palace. The Acropolis. The House on the Rock. Taliesin West. Most of the buildings on the Strip in Vegas. Shit. I can't pick. ... WAAAITTTT! Yes I can: the Registan in Samarkand. It is simply beautiful, even when I saw it under Soviet control. Unbelievable, irrepressibly gorgeous. I would love to see it again in person.... [Can you tell my dad was an architect?]

6. A is for ASTRONOMY: Other than Earth, which planet in our solar system are you most curious about?

I'm...really not curious about planets. My niece tried to explain astronomy to me while she was working on her Ph.D. and it just totally lost me. I like the science shows about space and such, but I'm just not interested enough to be curious.