Red Wine and Dr. Pepper, but Not Combined — Because That Would Be Gross

What is my favorite drink?

Red wine is my go to in the evenings and with dinner. But margaritas are a close second when out on the town, or for happy hour. However, I was a Dr. Pepper addict for a long time. As in, I had one every day around 3:00 p.m. in my twenties and thirties. After I had my son, when I was forty-one, I had to stop for awhile because he became addicted to Dr. Pepper after his aunt gave him some of hers, and I had to do interventions. He’s grown now, and we both fight the Dr. Pepper urge. I prefer the original, with actual sugar, not corn syrup poison.

My favorite color

My favorite color seems to change over time. Currently, it’s blue. However, I’m a fan of Southwestern decor, so anything with desert colors, or bright Talavera colors is my favorite. Especially now that I’ve moved to Santa Fe, New Mexico and those colors abound.

My favorite cuisine

This one is tough. I’m a foodie. So nothing processed, and no fast food. Other than that, Mexican and Italian food vie for my favorite spot. Although, give me a perfect, cut-with-a-fork chicken fried steak with cream gravy, and I’ll be in ecstasy. It’s comfort food from my youth.

If I won the lottery, what 3 things would I do?

I would take a year off and write and travel. Then I’d pay off my son’s student loans, and then my house. With those two things settled, I could use my own money to help others, and he could happily pursue his dreams fully, which is all I want for him. Well, that and a wife and grandchildren for me.

Given a choice, would I give up social media or my cell phone?

This one is nearly impossible to answer. While I remember the time before both, these two have certainly become a part of us in ways we never anticipated. While social media helps with my writing, and I’ve developed real friendships, and given new life to old ones using it, I think I would have to keep my cell phone in order to talk with my son, sisters, and friends.

One thing I’m really good at

I know you expect me to say writer, but I’m not going to do that when there are writers, much better than I, reading this. What I’m truly good at is being a psychotherapist. I’m a Gestalt therapist, and there aren’t a lot of us. It’s a counseling theory that helps people to embrace all their parts, including their shadows. And it lets me interact with clients in a way most cognitive theories do not. I can share my lived experience, and I can tell them what I’m feeling when we interact. Which encourages them to do the same.

Counseling is my third career, and I’ve been doing it for more twenty years. I think it may last.

Dogs or cats?

Come on! I love both, and so should you. Although, at the moment, I have two cats, and cats may be my permanent choice for pets. They snuggle me and let me snuggle them, and I don’t have to take them on walks.

Coffee drinker

There’s no question mark for this because it isn’t a question for me. I have dreams where I’m visiting somewhere, sometimes even my childhood home, and either there’s no coffee or no coffee maker. That’s officially a nightmare. I lose my mind and my temper in the dream. And yes, as a therapist I’ve analyzed the dream. It either means I’m completely addicted to coffee, or I need my nurture and warmth in my life. I suspect it’s both.

Language

English is my second language, but I become nearly fluent in Spanish when I am surrounded by Spanish speakers. No that I live in New Mexico, my Spanish should improve.

Can I use chopsticks?

I told you I’m a foodie, remember? Well, once in New York City in Chinatown, I ate a dim sum place where I was the only non-Chinese person. Chopsticks were all they had. You better believe I carefully watched the other diners and learned how to use chopsticks.

So there you go, Meg. While I don’t often tag people, I’ll select a few humor writers for this challenge, because I saw the potential to answer them all humorously. I chose not to. Humor is hard.
Toni Crowe

—

This post was previously published on Carol Lennox’s blog.

***

Join The Good Men Project as a Premium Member today.

All Premium Members get to view The Good Men Project with NO ADS.

A $50 annual membership gives you an all access pass. You can be a part of every call, group, class and community.
A $25 annual membership gives you access to one class, one Social Interest group and our online communities.
A $12 annual membership gives you access to our Friday calls with the publisher, our online community.