50 Questions

Some members of my extended family have been playing one of those “getting to know you” e-mail games, where you answer a bunch of questions, some serious and some silly. Since it’s so easy to copy and paste, I thought I’d post my answers here.

1. WHAT’S YOUR FIRST NAME?

Barton

2. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE?

Yes, I was named after Bart Starr, the famous Green Bay Packers quarterback. This might seem odd as I’m not exactly quarterback material, but my parents had no way of knowing that at the time. I was born just a few days from the first-ever Super Bowl, which is funny because I now live in the city which has hosted the most Super Bowls ever, at the Super Dome.

3. WHEN DID YOU LAST CRY?

Wow. Didn’t take long to get to a major bummer. The truth is that in New Orleans these days, there’s something to cry about in the newspaper every day — or just look out the window. Then again, that’s true for lots of places in the world. Since Katrina I have cried about something almost every day. Usually it’s just a gentle misting of the eyes. The last time I really bawled my eyes out was a couple weeks ago when Xy had a really scary medical emergency. She’s all right now.

4. IF YOU COULD MEET ANY ACTOR / ACTRESS LIVING OR DEAD WHO WOULD IT BE?

More than actors, there are any number of directors I’d like to meet, like Richard Linklater or Godfrey Reggio or even Edward Dmytryk.

5. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCHMEAT?

Prosciutto or cappicola.

6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU?

Absolutely. I love me!

7. DO YOU HAVE A JOURNAL?

Yes, I’ve been keeping a journal off and on for almost 30 years. The current version of my journal is my weblog where I try to post every day.

8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS?

I think so. Yes, come to think of it, definitely. I also have my three and a half of my wisdom teeth.

9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP?

Never.

10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL?

All Bran Extra Fiber.

11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF?

Not if I can help it.

12. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG?

Not particularly.

14. SHOE SIZE?

12 1/2.

15. RED OR PINK?

Green.

16. WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF?

Too tall.

17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST?

Our cat Lucy disappeared two months ago.

18. DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO SEND THIS BACK TO YOU?

Whatever’s cool with you.

19. WHAT COLOR PANTS AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING?

I’m wearing green Ralph Lauren cargo shorts, which are becoming quite tattered, and New Balance running shoes which are blue and gray.

20. LAST THING YOU ATE?

Hummus and tabouleh.

21. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW?

“My Heart, My Life” by Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and Michael Brook

22. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE?

Silver.

23. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE SMELL?

Night blooming jasmine.

24. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE?

Xy.

25. THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE YOU ARE ATTRACTED TO?

Eyes.

26. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU?

Of course.

27. FAVORITE DRINK?

Sazerac.

28. FAVORITE SPORT?

Does reading count as a sport?

29. EYE COLOR

Blue.

30. HAT SIZE?

They come in sizes?

31. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS?

I own contacts but I haven’t worn them for months.

32. FAVORITE FOOD?

Pickled herring.

33. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDING?

I agree with people who thought Blair Witch was scary. It scared the crap out of me! But I also enjoyed it. I prefer movies with a good story, and I don’t care whether they’re sad or happy or scary or whatever.

35. SUMMER OR WINTER?

Summer, no question.

36. HUGS OR KISSES?

Wet sloppy kisses.

37. FAVORITE DESSERT?

Beef jerky.

38. WHO IS MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND?

Me.

39. LEAST LIKELY TO RESPOND?

Tom.

40. WHAT BOOKS ARE YOU READING?

Social Crimes: A Novel by Jane Stanton Hitchcock
Origins of Existence: How Life Emerged in the Universe by Fred Adams
Collected Poems by W.B. Yeats

41. WHAT’S ON YOUR MOUSE PAD?

I don’t have a mouse pad!

42. WHAT DID YOU WATCH LAST NIGHT ON TV?

No TV last night, we hosted a baby shower for some neighbors.

43. FAVORITE SOUNDS?

Music.

44. ROLLING STONE OR BEATLES?

Sex Pistols.

45. THE FURTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN AWAY FROM HOME?

Either Moscow or Honolulu.

46. WHAT ARE YOUR SPECIAL TALENTS?

Video editing.

47. AND WHERE WERE YOU BORN?

Tulsa, Oklahoma.

48. WOULD YOU LIKE TO LIVE SOMEWHERE ELSE AND IF SO WHERE?

I love New Orleans but have always dreamed of living in the tropics.

49. IF YOU COULD DO ANYTHING IN THE WORLD FOR A LIVING WHAT WOULD IT BE?

Producing my own television series.

50. WHAT DO YOU HOPE FOR MOST IN LIFE?

To make the world a better place for my having been here, even if only in very small ways.