Getting to know you!

So, I'm once again participating in the fabulous Crappy Day Present Exchange hosted, coordinated and wrangled by the lovely R at Doing My Best. You should really sign up for the next one starting October 1st.

Basically you sign up to send small gifts to someone for them to open when they've had a bad day, and someone sends you presents too. It's wonderful. My friend Dan says everyone has a superpower that should be used for good. Doing My Best has the superpower of being able to organize people on the internet and she CERTAINLY uses her powers for good. So, here's some "getting to know you" type stuff for people who want to buy me things... or know things about me.

What is your dream job?
Movie editor. While I have the skill and the desire, I am critically lacking in ambition, which is necessary for any of the highly competitive jobs where movie/tv is involved

If you had 1,000,000 dollars to give away, how would you do it?
Sadly, I'm pretty sure this doesn't mean "give away to a landscaper to do something with my flower beds" so... family. I would take care of family.

Under what circumstances would you adopt a child?
Honestly, at this point, it's a matter of being able to afford to adopt a child.

Why were you given your name?
Oh, well... it's Swedish, and so is my mom's side of the family. It's a character in a Marion Zimmer Bradley novel that my folks read when I was a bun in the oven. It's the name of a botanist, and I think my folks met in botany class. But really it was the only name that they could agree on. And it can't be shortened to a nickname--that was important, which makes me wonder why "Jennifer" was one of the other options

What was the last national park you visited?
Sadly, Yosemite. No, Yellowstone. The one in Wyoming, near Glacier. That one. I liked it a lot. It was 2000 and I had a great time with my family. I'd love to go back.

What was the first thing you learned to cook?
Spaghetti. Not the noodles, the sauce.

What book can you read over and over again?
The Bible. Honestly, it's the book I read most often. But novel? Lamb by Christopher Moore or Good Omens by Neil Gaiman/Terry Prachet

What makes you feel young?
Pigtails and bows

Did you ever work at an on campus job? What was it?
I was a DJ at KRNU, the college radio station.

If you needed someone to act as a character reference for you who would you chose?
My mom. I figure she's known me longest and can see how far I've come

What was the first concert you went to see?
The first one that was all my choice? U2. I did see Gladys Knight & the Pips and Johnny Cash at the San Joaquin Co. Fair in... '92 or so

Who is someone from your past that you are sorry you lost track of?
Howell Belser. Well, techincally her name is Beverly, but she went by her middle name. She was my best friend in 6th grade and I always wonder what she did with her life.

If you could see 24 hours into the future what would you do with this ability?
Never worry about whether or not to take an umbrella

If you had it to do over again what would you study in school?
Same thing I did--radio/television broadcasting with minors in theater and creative writing. I totally did what sounded interesting, so no regrets there

What do you know how to say in a foreign language?
"I left my cheesecake on the piano." Also, "I'm knocked up."

What is your all time favorite joke?
Where does the king keep his armies? (In his sleevies)

What was your first paying job?
I worked the concession stand at the Adler Pools in Libertyville, IL

What is the strangest food you have ever eaten?
Wintermelon soup? Some preparation of octopus? Both at a Chinese New Year dinner when I was 9

What in your life is more important than money?
Chocolate frosting... no, um... faith. (and frosting)

When was the first time you saw the ocean?
No clue. I was probably very wee, since I was born on the Presido in San Francisco.