Admiration, Selecting Your Child's Profession, and Living For 1,000 Years

“The Book of Questions”, by Gregory Stock, Ph.D — These are questions of a different sort — questions about you. They are about your values, your beliefs, and your life; love, money, sex, integrity, generosity, pride, and death are all here.

Here is an enjoyable way to find out more about yourself and others, and to confront ethical dilemmas in a concrete rather than an abstract form.

To respond to these questions, you will need to examine and interpret your past, project yourself into hypothetical situations, face difficult dilemmas and make painful choices.

These questions can be an avenue for individual growth, a tool for deepening relationships, a quick way to get to know a stranger, or merely a pleasant amusement.

Just because ugly is on the sweatshirt, doesn't mean you are ugly

Some people think they are ugly or do they say it smugly?

Either way, are they really ugly or is it all in their mind

I would never call someone ugly as that is not kind.

Whom do you admire most? In what way does that person inspire you? Gregory Stock, Ph.D

Admiration is fun, but I have to be careful about it. So for today, let me say it isn't a good idea to put others on pedestals. Now for today, I admire the current Vice-President. I haven't followed her much but imagine her taking on the run for president in a country so old, white, and male.

But then I didn't think Obama stood a chance either. As a woman, the right woman will make a great president if it is ever allowed in this country.

Women can multitask, and that's needed

women break up fights - fighters retreated

women are okay with tears and laughter

feelings aren't good or bad, they just are

women are attractive to old men

bartering is very familiar to women

Are you sold yet? I could go on and on but let

me just say it won't happen in my lifetime, or will it?

If at birth you could select the profession your child would eventually pursue, would you do so? Gregory Stock, Ph.D

No, I want my children happy whatever they want to do is okay with me. They didn't choose my career or their dad's. My children are all in their 50s or close to it. Well, the youngest is at Hazelden, pursuing her Masters degree. I had no part in raising her though.

Some direction may be important but selecting what they will do in life is not my thing. I may work on stopping any criminal behavior. Like insisting on taking back stolen items to wherever as a young child. Making amends whereever necessary.

Would you be willing to become extremely ugly physically if it meant you would live for 1000 years at any physical age you choose? Gregory Stock, Ph.D

Even living at a younger age, 1,000 years is a long time to deal with the loss of loved ones, over and over. Or even just the same loss as they are never really gone. My mother, my sister, and my youngest brother.

My ex-husband, his siblings, my best friends, my dad, and my Grandma are still further back. The list is continuing to grow. Imagine if you could have children and those losses over the years. No, thank you.

How much are you affected by a person's physical appearance? How would it change your life if something happened to make you much less attractive than you are now?

Do you find anything disturbing about immortality? What age seems ideal to you? Gregory Stock, Ph.D

The answer to part two of this question is above.

Part one: If I stop wearing makeup, I do look older. Knowing how to apply makeup to fix imperfections is something some can do. There is plastic surgery for some who can afford that. I am aging and that is making me less attractive. I am okay with my age this year.

Men are allowed to turn grey and are considered distinguished. Women turn grey and are old. Men get crepey skin and who notices? It's cute. Women and not so much. Wrinkles are way worse on women for some reason. Smokers and time in the sun make those worse.

Stop tanning and smoking. Someone said using straws put wrinkles around your mouth. Stop using straws. Vanity, or how the world reacts to physical appearance?