Who are you?
Short answer: The last time I looked, I was Karen. Longer answer: I am a wife, mom, grandma, sister, aunt, friend, and I am a comedienne, (I try), a writer, (I have one in the works.) and I am a Gemini, a path of life 5 and was born in the year of the snake, 1953.

What's your Philosophy?
Short answer: Live and let live. Longer answer: I believe that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. No, wait a minute, that�s Newton�s Law of Motion. I believe in the Golden Rule. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. People who live in glass houses should buy curtains. Seriously, the Golden Rule thing. That one.

First thoughts in the morning...
�I don�t wanna get up�, followed by, "Damn, I have to go pee.�

Your current mood is...?
Frustrated. Hungry. Lunchtime. Be right back.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years...
With me, it isn�t so much as �Where� but �Will�.

Your thoughts on ....

Life-
Short answer: I would like to be experiencing it for a while longer. Longer answer: I think sometimes it is longer than it should be and other times it isn�t near long enough. I realize that had I made better choices in my life, my life would have turned out a lot differently. I think that mine has given me a lot of happiness, a lot of sadness and a lot of in between. Much like everyone elses.

Love-
Short answer: Love is something you can�t avoid, so make the best of it. Longer answer: Love is such a broad term. Love of my family, love of certain music, love of a certain place. I think the word love is taken too lightly. It should be reserved for only the deepest feelings.

Love of family and friends can meet that criteria but people toss the word around too much with regard to inanimate objects.

I think we should say, for instance, �I really enjoy that movie, book, song, etc. I adored that band. I really admired that president. I truly respected that ball player. To elevate a movie, or a ballplayer (unless you know him personally) to the status of Love, somehow demeans the word a tad. I am guilty of doing it myself. But I think I will make a conscious effort to stop.

The same can be said for Hate. That too, is a word that is a very powerful word that is used way too often.

Success-
Short answer: Can be measured by the bottom line in my checkbook. Longer answer: I think success is measured by the people that call when you are sick. That may sound strange, but I see how many people call me to check in on Terry and me. I see the amount of people that sign my comments. Every day I am the recipient of the kindness of others. That tells me that I am successful.

Success isn�t measured by the money you have, the job you hold or the size of your home. It is measured by the friends you have and by the lives you�ve touched. I may die penniless after living in subsidized housing and live from month to month, but I consider myself very successful.

Happiness-
Short answer: The things that make me feel warm and fuzzy. Longer answer. To me, happiness is my family. It is listening to my grandkids giggle when I say something funny. It is listening to my middle granddaughter sing. It is watching my oldest granddaughter light up when we talk about her sweet 16 birthday party. It is my daughter calling me for advice. It is hearing my husband tell me he loves me.

Death-
Short answer: There�s no avoiding it. Longer answer: I�m not ready to write my eulogy yet. I still have things that need to be done. Maybe that�s why I keep putting them off.

Fear-
Short answer: A very unpleasant feeling. Longer answer: It�s not having control of the situation. It is lightning, other drivers on the major highways, and it is not knowing how my life is going to be at any given time.

Abortion
I don�t have a short answer to this. My longer answer is that any feelings I have are no more, no less important than anyone else�s. I can only say that I personally would not choose to have one. But that is too easy to say.

I don�t think anyone knows what they would do until they are faced with the question.

I know of a case where a friend of mine became pregnant. Her parents had been against her seeing the boy from the beginning. With good reason. It was a cousin from the bad side of the family. Had she known, she never would have become involved with him.

She chose to have an abortion. She asked me if I hated her for doing it. (We were both 19 or so.) She was in college and had the rest of her life ahead of her. I can remember like it was yesterday. I told her that though I said I wouldn�t have an abortion myself, it had no effect on me that she did as far as our friendship, except that I was there for her. I offered her my support and my shoulder.

I will say though, that using abortion as birth control is one of the most horrendous sin there is.

Why poverty exists?
Short answer: Not enough money to go around. The longer answer: We do not live in a communistic society. We live in a democracy which means that some people are born rich. Some people work hard and get rich. Some people sell drugs, weapons and secrets and get rich. Some people get a decent education, a decent job and live middle of the road. The rest, live in poverty. Poverty exists because many, not all of those with humungous wealth choose not to share it. Some, not all will only share it if they can write it off. I don�t have a problem with someone having scads of money, I just think they should share some of it. I mean, come on. Does one person really need a billion dollars? Toss some bones, why don�t you. Paying your fair share of taxes would be a nice start.

The U.N-
Alas, No comment.

Wars- (by wars I mean wars in general)-
Short answer: war is hell. Longer answer: As long as there are two opposing views and weapons, there will be war. I understand it. I don�t condone it. I understand that sometimes it is necessary. I think if your people push their way into my house, I will push back and their will be war. I believe if half of a country disagrees with the other half, there will be war. I believe in our country. I believe in democracy.

I do not believe we should make everyone else believe the same as we do. If all the other countries started becoming cannibals and told us that we had to, would that make it right? Or as my wise old mom used to say, �If someone else jumped off a bridge, would that mean that you had to jump off a bridge?

I think we need to refocus on the wars on our own streets, in our own cities, as in the war on crime, the war on poverty and the war on inflation.

Suicide-
Short answer: A permanent solution to a possibly temporary problem. Longer answer: Although I generally think that what one does with one�s own body (as in seat belts, helmets, abortion and assisted suicide) is nobody�s business, a flat out suicide is horrible. If you really want to end it, at least make sure you do it where you won�t be found by anybody that knows you. The best place would be a morgue. They are used to dead people.

Absolutely make sure no family member finds you. I have a person that is really close to me that went through that experience. I am sure it still haunts her. Next, please be so kind as to leave a letter explaining that you were careful not to show any signs and gave out no signals. Nobody should feel that they should or could have stopped you. Write in your own hand that they couldn�t have known.

What is your favorite...

Author-
Stephen King, Dean Koontz, and Robin Cook. I know. That�s 3. Deal with it.

Book-
Angela�s Ashes by Frank McCourt. The Sequel, Tis was ok, but not as good.

Music Lyric-

For better or worse, till death do us part, I�ll love you with every beat of my heart, I swear from I Swear by All-4-One

Quote about life�
A heart is not judged by how much you love, but by how much you are loved by others.

Curse Word-
Well, I use a bunch of them and I really don�t like any of them, but if I did have a favorite it would probably be son-of-a-bitch. That is the one I say most. I�m not proud of it. As for the f�k word, I only use that either a) when I am really, really mad, as in WTF??? Or B) when I am really, really shocked, as in WTF??? Or C) when I am really, really surprised as in WTF??? Okay, I guess I use it a bit more than I thought.

Movie-
Depends on the month. For a while it was Harry Potter, then for a while it was Titanic, then for a while it was, well you catch my drift. Most recently it has been Juno and then We watched Love Actually and we really enjoyed that. I am sure it is soon to be Hancock, then Hulk. I am so fickle. But always it is Gone with the Wind and The Wizard of Oz. And I don�t apologize.

Movie quote-
I have three. " Yippee-ki-yay, motherfucker!." �Wanna suck face?� and �Were you bumping uglies with my sister?�

Final Random Thoughts.....

I never have final thoughts. Yet. Random thoughts? Ice cream. Purple. Lucy. Tombstone. Robin Williams. Random enough?

What would be the best job in the world?
I was going to get a job circumcising elephants. It doesn�t pay much, but the tips are enormous. If I were able to work and could do whatever I wanted? Movie theater. Own one.

And the worst job would be?
Hillary Clinton�s Beautician. Man is that man/woman in for an earful for the next 4 years.

What is your biggest accomplishment to date?
Raising two children.

What do you wish to accomplish in the next 5 years?
Getting healthier if it is possible.

If you die tomorrow...

Man, this is getting depressing. If I die tomorrow, I won�t worry about what I�ll be wearing the next day.

Who will speak at your funeral?
Me. I want to record something to be played at the very end so that I get the final word.

What would you like your eulogy to say?
"Hey! We made a mistake! She isn't dead afterall!!"

How would you hope to leave this world?
Of old age.

Would you tell anyone you were going to die?
I think when I stop breathing it will be a pretty good clue.

If you wrote a final letter to be read at your funeral what would it say...
There was a Priest, a Minister and a Rabbi�� ummm, nevermind.

Upon arriving at the pearly gates...what would God say to you?
"I would hope He would say, �Welcome.�. what he would probably say is, "Karen, you have some 'splainin to do!�

And finally..Your famous last words?
"Anybody got a match?"

What is a quick way to start a conversation?
Open your mouth and emit words.

And a quick way to end one??
Shut your mouth.

Last words?
Man, I�m glad this is over!.