1. What are your views on gun control?

I definitely agree with the second amendment, or more precisely the right to carry and bear arms, as I own and shoot firearms myself. I also believe that the current laws should be enforced rather than new laws being written. I believe that if you are a responsible and law-abiding citizen, you should have the right to own and carry firearms. I have a permit to carry, but it excludes military and government facilities as well as crowded public places. This is fine with me.

I know it is a redneck clich�, but I do think that if guns are outlawed, only outlaws will have guns. They can regulate and legislate all they want for law-abiding citizens, but they cannot control what Pookie on the corner does. The criminal element will still be able to get guns illegally, but law-abiding citizens could be left defenseless if we are legislated into not being able to arm ourselves.

Being a Gemini and logical in my thinking, of course I see both (or all) sides of the issue.

2. How do you think being raised in a mostly male household affects how you are today?

For one, it affects how affectionate I am. I am not a hugger. I will hug someone if they initiate it, but I will not pursue a hug of my own volition. I do not show that much affection even to my husband. I probably show more affection to my cats, but this is something I've been working to correct.

I cannot let anyone see me cry. If it happens when Jeff is home, I immediately lock myself in a bathroom. I get pissed at myself if I get teary, even if it's because something on Animal Planet reminded me of Thor. I sometimes am more prone to get teary while PMSing, and this pisses me off even more. I have an interior voice saying, "Quit being such a sissy! Quit being such a girl."

I also have the aforementioned affinity and respect for firearms. My Dad always had them in the house and I knew not to touch them unless he was there and asked me to and showed me what to do (and what not to do). (Perhaps I shouldn't mention this, but once my brother returned a rifle of Dad's, and he went to clean it assuming it was unloaded. He shot a hole through his mattress, box spring, and the floor. I was walking by his bedroom at the time and I nearly peed myself.)

I think I get along with men more than women because of my growing up with mostly men. I relate to them at work, as well as my husband's friends. Well, some of them. I think I tend to be more laid back and less girly and high-maintenance. That may not be related to my upbringing, who knows? I once overheard my husband describe me to a friend as "the least bitchy wife" he knows. I took that as a compliment.

3. If you had not had a miscarriage as a teenager, do you think your views on having children would be any different now? If so, why?

I don't know. I would not have wanted to keep it, and probably would have had an abortion. I found out later that Jeff had wanted the kid, even though we only found out I was pregnant after I'd miscarried.

I've never liked kids. Everyone says you feel differently about your own kids. I don't see that. I see myself being resentful of the kid for ruining my life, and that wouldn't be fair. I very much like my life now, and am so thankful I miscarried, as strange as that sounds.

I also do not see myself ever wanting kids. As I've discussed in here and with missleigh, I'm worried that it will become an issue in my marriage as time passes. I'm 29 and Jeff's 33. I think he feels like if he has any kids, he'd better do it before he's 35 or so. I really don't know. If by the time I'm 35 I still don't want kids, then so be it.

4. Do you ever have the feeling that your cats are plotting something during the day while you and Jeff are at work?

Are you kidding? Baby acts all cute and silly, but she's the queen mother mastermind. She's the brains and Buzz is the, uh, brawn. They keep Thea around for kamikaze missions, since she's just crazy enough to do it.

5. Since you guys have been married for over a decade(!), do you have any advice for newly married couples?

Hmmm. Where to begin? One thing is to pick your battles. I don't worry so much about Jeff making a mess in the kitchen, as I would if he disrespected me or lied. That's a dramatic example, but you get my drift.

Never yell. It is so disrespectful. Jeff and I have only raised our voices a couple of times that I can remember. You just have to take a deep breath and state your opinions or concerns calmly.

Don't expect your spouse to be interested in all of your interests. Don't expect them to go to every concert, get together, family gathering, etc. That goes both ways - you shouldn't be expected to go to all of their events. For example, Jeff has no interest in Tori Amos and I have no interest in watching baseball with him. We do our own thing, but we always know what's going on. We trust each other, even when one's out of town or out until 3am. We feel no need to keep tabs.

Another thing, you know that saying "never go to bed mad"? That doesn't work for everyone, or always work period. Sometimes going to bed and revisiting a disagreement after a good (or not) night's sleep allows cooler heads to prevail and the issue to be calmly resolved or forgotten if appropriate.

OK, so how does this work? I ask someone else 5 questions. Only one person? How about the first one to leave me a note or guestbook entry wins? Oh, yeah...

The rules:

1) Leave a comment by ten o� clock tonight if you want to be interviewed.

2) I will respond; I�ll ask you five questions.

3) You�ll update your journal with my five questions, and your five answers.

4) You�ll include this explanation.

5) You�ll ask other people five questions when they want to be interviewed.

There's something I'd like to add. I posted this on a message board missleigh and I frequent. It was a thread about whether the posters were vegetarian, vegan, or something else and why. With the 2 year anniversary of my vegetarianism approaching in November, I thought I'd document where I am in this journey:

I'll be vegetarian for 2 years at the end of November. I do not eat cheese, eggs or milk in my own cooking, but do not eliminate it in store bought/ restaurant/gifts, etc. I don't really feel guilty, because every day I'm working to learn more and eliminate more. At this point, I'm eliminating gelatin ang eggs (or egg whites) that are prevalent in a lot of things. I'm so glad swedish fish and Dots are vegan!

Veganism is a goal that I'm working towards. I'm just getting a handle on vegetarianism and trying new things. I'm working on maintaining a balanced diet and not eating so many canned, frozen, and processed foods.

Anyway, that's where I am.

Edited: I also avoid buying leather/suede products and products made by companies that test on animals (as much as I can).

Look at the kitties! (Stolen from Bitchypoo.)