the interesting idea... the start of this project... the conversations to come



I'm a member of Post Crossing, the internet site for postcard exchange. I sent a card to another Post Crosser, Ilona from Germany. She asked that people tell her which magical power they would like to have. Her question really made me think!

In turn, I thought it would be an interesting project to ask people to pose Thought-Provoking Questions. I would do my best to answer with my opinion, and I would encourage others to add theirs.

And, so was born this blog! I hope that it will be the home for many interesting conversations in the year ahead!



Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Truthiness


Linda, from Belgium, poses a question that's tougher than it seems:

What's your biggest LIE, ever?

Wow.

I promised I'd answer each question the best I could, but this one's a stumper. Biggest lie, in that it still bothers me? Or, biggest lie, as in most outrageous story? I imagine that, as a child, I probably told some pretty improbable tales.

Going with option a, I'd have to say telling someone I no longer loved him when, in fact, I still did. It took well over 20 years for me to say the truth and to say that even after all that time, love was still what I felt.

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Monday, September 27, 2010

The old bucket list question


DragonflyXO in Tucson asks:

What are the three things you want to do before you die?
Ah, well... I'm trying to do them daily: live a life well-loved and filled with friends who matter. No jumping out of a perfectly good airplane or anything like that...

Might like to see Australia, I suppose, or Alaska...
A young friend of mine, some years ago, listed his three things and now I don't even remember what they were. I whispered in his ear, "Don't forget the "making whoopie" thing. I think you'll like it." The astonishment on his face still makes me chuckle to this day.


Friday, September 24, 2010

Work? Love it? Hate it?


Emsu, from Mannheim in Germany asked:


"What's your job? What do you like most about it? Are you happy with it? Or do you wish to do something else?"


I think almost everyone has, at some time, wished to do something else for a living, even those who many not have to work for a living. Of the multiple parts of this question, I find the part about "what do you most like" the most interesting. A big part of the way I make a living is teaching, and I love to teach.

Saturday, September 18, 2010

The beginning!


As explained above, this idea was inspired by a great question posed by Ilona from Germany. In response to her question (what magical power would I like to have), I responded with "bilocation" or the ability to be in more than one place at a time.


Ilona, when she registered my card, wrote this:


"Will you see both places at once? Hear the noises from both places at the same time? Or can you switch between the two as you wish? I'll probably spend the rest of the day philosophing about those questions. "


And her remarks are EXACTLY what I had in mind when I decided to spend a year soliciting thought provoking questions! A conversation, sparked by a chance comment... a random remark... a stray thought.


And, I've already received my first TPQ (Thought-Provoking Question). It's from Jamie, in Maine, in the northeastern corner of the United States. Jamie asks,


"If you could breathe water like sea mammals and still breathe air, where would you choose to live, on land or in the sea?"


I think I'd opt for the sea. The ability to bob about, bouyantly, is quite alluring to me... provided I could still bob over to my local Starbucks for breakfast each morning!