Looking Smart in Meetings and High School flashbacks

1. Do you wear your heart on your sleeve, or keep your emotions tucked in tight?
I was incredibly guarded growing up, and it stuck around for way too long. It wasn't until my last year in college when I made some great friends that I started to open up to others, and not fear rejection. This blog- while I love writing it- isn't publicized on Facebook for that reason. If anyone I really know finds it (via Google+, Instagram or Twitter), I would expect them to know that I write on here and that would be fine. I sometimes refer to it, but I am still a recovering wallflower. I've changed a lot in the last 10 years, but it's still something I struggle with.

2. How did you meet your closest friend?
I had just moved to a new high school and was sitting alone at lunch, feeling pretty isolated. She adopted me into her lunch table one day, and then into her family a few weeks later. Years later, we still think of each other as our sister. Her mom is my 'other mother' (and she still comes to visit her adopted mother, my mom). I definitely appreciate all that she (and her family) have done for me in my teenage years, and love when we get to meet up and hang out. And, she has a beautiful daughter who loves to see "Aunt Farin and Uncle Tom" when we come to visit :)

3.  Pink lemonade, grilled salmon, cotton candy, pink grapefruit, a strawberry milkshake, or raspberry sorbet...of the pink foods listed, which one is your favorite? Least favorite? Which one have you most recently consumed?
My choice would be salmon, any form of salmon. I attribute this to vacations, specifically cruises, where they always offer bagel with lox (aka, my perfect breakfast). It's nothing fancy, but anytime I eat it I feel like I'm on vacation. But I do love grilled salmon too. Least favorite is grapefruit. Something about the taste makes my stomach turn. And why is it a 'grape' fruit?

4. When were you last 'tickled pink' over something? Explain.
I don't know what would qualify as tickled pink. So... I just painted my nails, and am reminded how happy I am that I never have to pay to get them done professionally. Proof that sometimes (years of) practice does make perfect.

5. Are you a fan of television talk shows? Daytime, nighttime, or both? What's your favorite?
Um... I watch the Today Show every weekday, but I don't think that counts. We used to watch Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, but not so much recently.

6. When was the last time you wanted to ask a question, but felt too foolish to do so?

Any quarterly or corporate staff meeting, really. And there isn't any reason for it since I generally have a good understanding of what is happening. But I always worry I'll say something idiotic. There's something very intimidating about being a guest (to the people who you only know by name when they are CC'd on the really important emails), 40 floors up at their office on Wall Street.

7. My favorite __________________right now is _________________.
My favorite place right right now is my bed. With my warm pj's, eye mask and ear plugs.

People are still trying to get out of their iced parking spot. All the noise from the car revving, spinning out, the owner slamming doors, and chipping away at the ice on the pavement with an ice scrapper. I want to yell out the window "you live in NYC.... just use transit already!" Needless to say, it's not the easiest to fall asleep to. So, earplugs.

8.  Insert your own random thought here.
Have you seen this: 10 Tricks to Appear Smart During Meetings

There are tons of articles out there with the exact same wording (seriously- word for word.... how do they do that?) but the content is true. I always carry a notepad, and take scribble notes on page one, flip it over the top and plan my week behind it. Grocery list, blog posts, emails to send..... and when there's a five minute break, flip back to the chicken scratch notes, and put a pen on top. No one will know the difference. Know when to talk, know when your department will be discussed and you can easily zone out until then. 80% of our meetings are issues with our website, and I have no reason to say anything anyway.

So tell me...
How do you 'look attententive' at meetings?
Do you know why they named grapefruit after grapes?
How is the weather in your area? Ice and snow, or something else?

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