This is just a modern rock song

Evenings have been busy this week, so there's not much knitting-related to write about right now. I need to do some serious knitting this weekend. I need to get something finished! I have no FOs--zero!--this month.

I can't squeeze a whole entry out of revealing that Marge is witnessed knitting in The Simpsons Movie--honest to goodness--so I must dip into the Ask the Secret Knitter mini-stockpile of questions about yours truly. Feel free to add to it. (I only have two left.)

Donna asks a series of questions:

1. Donald or Daffy Duck?

It's been ages since I've seen anything with either of them, so this is not the most informed choice. I'd have to go with Daffy. He's more of a wit whereas Donald is merely a hothead.

2. What's one toy or possession you had as a kid that you wish you still had?

That's a tough one. As you may recall, there was much purging of childhood things at the end of last year when my parents moved. I have my favorite teddy bear, one that my maternal grandmother made. Or at least I'm pretty sure I have it in one of the boxes in the closet. I seem to remember that she made a couple others for me--I recall one bigger and one smaller than my favorite--but I don't know where those are or if they're still salvageable from my parents' home. Of my grandparents I only knew my grandmothers. My mom's mother died when I was in second grade, so it would be nice to have more things to remember her by, especially items she made.

3. Do you have a great tale of unrequited love that will make us all weep buckets?

Just one? All kidding aside, I'll say that this is a sensitive subject. I don't know that I have anything remarkable to relate, just an ongoing tale of woe regarding matters of the heart. I think this is the point when "How Soon Is Now?" should start blaring in the background.

4. What do you think of as your true vocation -- television production or writing? Or something else entirely?

First and foremost, I think I'm a writer. It may not be what's on my job description--a stunner, considering my official title has eight words--but writing is what I'm meant to do and what I wanted to do from early on.

In third grade I wrote a story called Purple Men, the plot of which has long since been lost. It was well-received, or humored, by adults. I followed it up with Red Men, which made the teacher angry because someone was killed in it. (In both cases I think said Men were aliens.) I mentioned before that I liked writing book reports, and my eighth grade parody piece Indiana Egg and the Mixing Bowl of Doom was printed in the junior high creative writing publication. (I still have that, I think.) I loved the etymology class I took in high school.

I wanted to be a sportswriter, but when I got to college, the broadcast media attracted me. Despite my nearly 150 hours of the movie review TV show and hundreds of ballgames between radio and TV to the contrary, I was and still probably am on the shy side, so the whole interviewing thing may have scared me off print somewhat.

I never intended to do TV production as a career. I sort of fell into it. I like it, but I feel more at ease with my writing. As long as I can remember, teachers told me that my work was easy to read. I've developed a voice, perhaps a clunky, rambling one at times, but it's what seems right for me. Am I any good at it? Who knows? Most of the time I'm adequate, and occasionally something better will sneak out. I'm also a terrible self-critic, so ignore my hesitation to say that I think I'm good.

5. If you had to be admitted to one TV hospital, which one would it be and why?

I may be pop culture savvy, but if memory serves, the only TV hospital show I've watched with any regularity is E.R. No Quincy M.E. or Trapper John, M.D. or even St. Elsewhere. I've never seen a full episode of Grey's Anatomy. So while the Chicago emergency room might not be the most desirable place to be--half the time the ward resembles a combat zone--it wins the prize by default. And Maura Tierney is a babe, even for a depressive, recovering alcoholic TV doctor, so why not?