100 questions

found these questions on i rock so what and thought they might be interesting to share while im away.  

photo taken by christine hall

1. Are you young at heart, or an old soul? can i be both? if so, yes :) 
2. What makes someone a best friend? loyalty and listening without judgement
3. What Christmas (or Hanukkah) present do you remember the most? the raleigh bicycle that i was so excited about until i realized it was too big for me.  it took a couple of months for me to learn to adjust and actually enjoy the gift.
4. Tell me about a movie/song/tv show/play/book that has changed your life. this is a hard one.  i guess the books the diary of ann frank or number the stars.  i read both when i was really young and was shocked to realize how people treated other people for such stupid reasons.  i think it was my first look into what evil looks like.  since then, i have continued to read/ investigate other historical fictions and memoirs from wwII. 
5. Name one physical feature that you like about yourself, and one you dislike. i like my feet ... they arent weird looking and they get me places.  i am not a fan of my chest ... dont get me wrong, the girls have gotten me a few free drinks back in the day, but mostly they just get in the way.  having big boobs is highly overrated!!!
6. Would you like to reconnect with any friends you’ve lost contact with? maybe a few
7. What’s more important in a relationship: physical attraction or emotional connection? emotional connection
8. Name a movie that you knew would be terrible just from reading the title. snakes on a plain
9. What holiday do you most look forward to? thanksgiving
10. How is the relationship between you and your parents? great!
11. You’ve got the TV on, but you’re not really watching. What channel is the TV on? we dont have tv really.  i watch anything i want to watch on hulu ... so i dont really waste time watching anything i dont pay attention to.
12. Name a song that never fails to make you happy.  a) how he loves by david crowder, b) st. robinson and his cadillac dream by counting crows, c)or float on by modest mouse
13. You know at least one person named Michael. Tell me about him. i know several but ill go with cousin.  we are the same age, he grew up in florida until they moved to nc and we became close.  he and i moved to raleigh together with another cousin almost 10 yrs ago.  he is tall, goofy, responsible, a great dad and husband, honest, loyal and funny. 
14. Have you ever read the “missed connections” on Craigslist? Have you ever posted one, or wanted to? i have read them, no, i have never posted one.
15. If you could pick anywhere to live the rest of your life, where would it be?  near my parents so i get free daycare ... ok, really, i would choose to live anywhere for a short time but i would want to be close to my family if it was for the rest of my life.
16. Can money buy happiness? um, yes, i think.  maybe not true joy, but happiness, yes!
17. Do you drink? Smoke? Do drugs? Why, or why not? when im not making a person, i do enjoy drinking yummy beers, wine and fancy drinks.  i dont smoke anymore and my drug of choice is coffee (which is considered a drug in some religions). 
18. Is there anyone close to you that you know you can’t trust? You don’t have to give names. im thinking not anymore.  maybe peeps i know but i have learned in the past few years that if i dont trust someone then they will only get a certain level of openness from me.
19. Where was your favorite place to go when you were a little kid? my grandparents house to hang with my cousins OR white lake, day trips to the beach, the pool ... mostly summertime activities.
20. Have you ever spent a night in the hospital? yes, when i was first born :)  i dont think i have since then.
21. Do you enjoy being with only one or two friends, or with a large group of people?  depends on what we are doing.  i would say one or two close friends
22. Do you like the type of music your parents listen to? Do your parents like the type of music you listen to? my father only listens to oldies and my mother only listens to Christmas music.  i enjoy both (during the appropriate time of the year).  i think the only stuff my dad likes that i do is some of the Christian music i listen to.
23. Have you ever been bullied? Have you ever bullied anyone else? yes and yes
24. If you could only eat one thing for the rest of your life, what would it be? mac & chz
25. If your partner wanted to wait until marriage before having sex, would you stay in that relationship?  yup
26. Do you believe in a god? very much so
27. Of all the social networks in the world, why use twitter?  um, i dont really use it all that much ... you can follow me at @mebenfield
28. What’s your favorite hashtag to track? see # 27
29. Would you call yourself/your family “middle class?” i guess so.  i think the definition of middle class has changed over the past few years though.  lower middle class would be more accurate.
30. Name a TV series you didn’t enjoy until after it ended.  monk
31. Have you ever bought a product from an infomercial? yes?  i really cant remember. 
32. If you could give up your car and never have to drive again, would you? is it because the city i live in has awesome, safe, public transportation?  is it because someone has agreed to drive me where ever i want?  either way, i think i would want the freedom of being able to drive myself, so no.
33. If you go back to one point in time to give advice to yourself, when would you go and what would you say? early high school - "i dont care if everyone says you are going to community college, you can go anywhere you want.  try harder in school, care a little more because you can apply to a school that cares about that stuff.  make some goals for you and no one else, get a loan if you have to ... then get out of there and make it happen.  do not settle just because you are led to believe that you dont have options.  you do!"
34. What’s your “quirkiest” habit? my life is a musical
35. What is “normal?” Are you normal? if the norm is being abnormal ... then im as normal as they come
36. Someone close to you is dying. You have the choice to let this person live for 10 more years, but if you do, you cause the death of 10 strangers. You don’t have to see them die. Do you take the offer? isnt this a movie plot?  im not sure.  it depends on how old they are, how much pain they are in, etc.  if it was my nephew, yes, if it was someone older, that has lived a long life, knows Jesus and is at peace, for the most part, then no.
37. What is one thing you could never forgive? disloyalty is a big one for me and messing with people that i love ... although, i would like to say that given time and prayer, i could forgive anything. 
38. Would you rather be in a relationship after the honeymoon period ends, or be single? in the relationship ... almost 5 years later :)
39. Is it possible for guys and girls to be just friends? under the right circumstances, yes. 
40. Where do you and your friends go to hang out? meet up at coffee shops a lot.
41. Write the first sentence of your obituary.  m. elizabeth benfield died at the age of 112, during a game night with her family and friends.  
42. What is the best TV theme song ever? cheers or charles in charge. 
43. When you were young, what would you dream you would be when you grew up? an art teacher
44. When you’re alone in your own home, do you walk around naked? yup
45. What gets you out of bed in the morning?  these days, my bladder but sometimes its the dog's bladders
46. Do you want to have more friends than you have right now? yes.  i love meeting new people!!!
47. What part of the past year sticks out in your mind? a not so awesome holiday and then the awesomeness of finding out we are pregnant
48. You win a scratch-off lottery game that gives you $2000 a week (after taxes) for the rest of your life. Do you keep your job? my current one, no ... a job, yes!  i would most likely volunteer or just work part time to keep myself busy.  this, of course, is after my kids started school.  i would stay home until then.
49. Could you be in a long-distance relationship? If you’re in one, what makes yours work? i am much too needy for this.  if i was already in love and committed, i would make it work but its not something i would choose.
50. What’s the best route to your heart? being open with me ... oh, and food
51. Have you ever met someone through the internet, then met them in real life? yes
52. What is your favorite sport? dunno.  i really dont have one.  
53. What has been troubling you lately? planning for a baby
54. Did you enjoy your high school prom? If you haven’t gotten there yet, do you look forward to it? If you didn’t go, why not? yes.  i went to both of mine with good friends and had a blast.
55. What do you use more often: your intuition or logical reasoning? logical intuition
56. Do you know what makes you happy? yes and no.  i am a girl (and pregnant) so i go thru the "i dont know what i want" phases but there are a few things that always make me happy.
57. Tell me about the last book you read. the hunger games
58. What is the nicest compliment you’ve ever been given? that im a good freind
59. Who was your first crush? artreyu from the neverending story or john cusak's character in the journey of natty gann
60. Do you believe that there is life on other planets? undecided but leaning towards yes
61. Predict what your life will look like a year from now.  life with a 6 month old will look very different, im sure.
62. Often, people will ask how your last relationship ended. I want to know how it began. it ended and began several times as a messed up friendship.  the last time, it began with us getting to know each other all over again.  starting out in a large group and then, 3 months later, engaged and planning our future together. 
63. Where is your favorite place to go out and eat? this one is hard because we really like going out to eat.  the pit, 42nd street oyster bar, bonefish, boylan bridge brewery (got really bad service there this past sunday)
64. What is something you want to change about your current situation? sin the lottery to take away any financial strain that comes with having a baby
65. Early bird or night owl?  night owl
66. Are there any childhood possessions you still hold on to? i guess the one i have and use often is what i call my "grandaddy blanket"  before my grandfather died, he sat on this pile of blankets to wrap up with or cushion his seat.  aka, he farted on this blanket during the last week of his life.  when we left my grandparents house after the funeral, i packed it up with me and took it home.  today, it is on the floor beside my bed because i threw it there, when i got too hot last night.  
67. Give me an unpopular opinion you have. i think its ok to leash your kid and spank your dog. 
68. What was the last song that was stuck in your head? "thats not my name" pops in my head often ... but not the radio version, the scene from horrible bosses where charlie day is coked up and singing it in the car.  
69. Where do you live? Be as general or specific as you want. raleigh, nc
70. Do you believe in giving kids medals and trophies for participation? undecided
71. What was the longest car ride you’ve ever taken? from nc to niagara falls, to toronto, to ny city and then back to nc. 
72. Have you ever taken part in a protest? nope.  its sad because its not like there isnt anything i wouldnt protest.  it usually has to do with i wouldnt give up a vacation day to protest whatever it is.  
73. Would you ever use an online dating service? never say never.  i guess if i was thrown into the dating scene i would try it out but i never plan on being in the dating scene again ... its brutal out there! 
74. What is your ethnic heritage? american :)
75. Describe a person that inspires you. someone that offers grace to those that dont deserve it, someone that humbles himself even though he is a king, someone that gives until he has nothing left to give, someone that loves unconditionally.
76. If you earn minimum wage doing what you love, would you? like so many questions, it depends.  i can find things i love about things i never thought i would do.
77. Do you believe in luck? nope
78. Describe the last time you were very angry at someone. on memorial day i did a lot of fit pitching ... although it was about things i would be pissed at even if i was not with child, the hormones make me very good at having fits!!!
79. Do you want to live until you’re 100? if i am of sound mind and body, yes please. 
80. Do people change? If so, how do you keep a relationship together when both of you start to change? yes.  its hard work but its worth it.  constant communication helps when people are changing.  this way, views can be shared, expectations can be adjusted and life can be lived to the fullest. 
81. Have you ever risked a friendship by telling someone you liked them? im sure back in school i did.  husband did a lot back in the day.  he was risky on several occasions all of which i turned him down so we wouldnt ruin our friendship ... which ended up kinda ruining our friendship .. ha!  i guess it worked out in the end. 
82. Would you rather be alone doing something you enjoy, or doing something you don’t like with your best friends?  doing something i dont like with my favorite people
83. Do you practice what you preach?  not really.  i try and fail often.
84. If you take precautions to stay safe, do you ultimately act more recklessly? safe
85. What do you value more in a significant other: Attractiveness or intelligence? i think ignorance is unattractive.
86. Are you hard-headed? yup.  but at the same time, i listen and hear other people and their views.  i might not seem to hear in that moment, but i do think on it later.  like most peeps, there are a handful of things that i do not budge on. 
87. Have you ever laughed uncontrollably when it was socially inappropriate? all.the.time.
88. When have you felt most alive? driving the jeep with my foot on the dash and mailey hanging out the back window
89. Would you prefer to live? A city? The suburbs? The countryside? The mountains? the city
90. Do you often skip breakfast? yes but not in the past few months.  i try to at least have a little something
91. How do you know what true love is? accepting someone for who they are right in this moment. 
92. Would you want to know the exact date and time you were going to die? no thank you
93. Where is “home” for you?  my parents house in a tiny little town about an hour away from her.
94. What song best describes your life right now?  cant think of one.
95. Do you want to be perfect?  not possible
96. What have you never tried, but would really like to someday? What’s holding you back?  traveling across the world to europe, asi, africa, south america ... um, money and time {i guess if time is money, then just money}.
97. How do you express your creativity? blogging, taking photos
98. Describe your neighborhood. nice enough with a bit of sketchiness.
99. Name something you only liked because it was popular. tv shows like desperate house wives and american idol.  i only started and continued to watch them because i wanted to join in on conversations.
100. Give me the story of your life in six words. loud, clumsy, love, growth, Jesus, family