Here are some more answers to the questions various and sundry asked of me. I’ll think I’ll keep taking questions through the week, so feel free to ask other questions in the comments.

Vince asks:
How did you decide on your career choice?

I didn’t. In fact, I still don’t know what I want to be when I grow up. I fell into my job quite by accident. I was working in a microbiology lab in NIOSH and although I loved my co-workers, I didn’t like the work I was doing at all (PCR & cell culture = BORING!), so I took my current job as a stop over until I decided what I really wanted to do, since microbiology wasn’t it. Although things were rocky for awhile, and in the intervening years did the classwork for my MPH (Masters in Public Health) I’ve actually come to enjoy my job in recent years.

I’ve developed a unique skill set, and for my job I get to do a variety of tasks, almost all of which I thoroughly enjoy: teaching, writing, and problem solving.

So if I decided to move on from this job, I have no idea what I’d do next, because I don’t think there are many other jobs out there like mine.

Anne asks:
How did you meet Michael?

Well, it’s kind of a strange story. My boyfriend, roommate and I ran a local BBS. I was (unsurprisingly) message base sysop, although I eventually learned enough to run much of the back end as well. Because the community was small, and many of us knew each other, we threw a pizza party at our house, for our users. Michael came over as part of that group, and I remember thinking along the lines, “gee, too bad I’m not single.” We became friends, and over the next nine months for so, I realize that the relationship I was in was not good for me (to say the least) so I ended that relationship and immediately started dating Michael. My parents weren’t happy with my jumping from one relationship to another. Most of my friends didn’t know quite what to think, except that my previous relationship hadn’t been very good for me. But they accepted it, because that’s what friends are for, and Michael and I have been together ever since.

Firefly, Farscape, or Battlestar Galactica?
Firefly. However, we still haven’t watched any more than the miniseries of Battlestar Galactica.

But I don’t think the order will change. The only show in competition with Firefly is Deep Space Nine. Now that’s a tough call for me.

What book do you read for comfort?

Well, it depends, partially on what I’ve read recently, and partially what I’m in the mood for. The first two books I’m likely to reach for are The Hobbit or The Complete Sherlock Holmes. Those have been my favorites for years. I think I reach for them when I want to get lost in a story.

After those come The Phoenix Guards by Steven Brust or Small Vices by Robert B. Parker. Those come up when I’m in the mood for entertaining writing.

The other books in the mix are “The World’s Best Folktales” by Joanna Cole or the entire Thieves’ World original series. Joanna Cole is good when I can’t concentrate, and Thieves’ World is good when I’m feeling particularly bleak.

Those are all books I can read over and over again, so what I choose really depends upon what I’m escaping from and what I want to escape to.

Exactly how many feet of snow will they have to have in hell before you drink Swallows Nest Soup?

I don’t know about feet of snow, but I’d have to be starving to death I’m pretty sure.

What do you have against cephalopods?

Cephalopods are fine, and in fact fascinating. I’m disturbed only by the uses to which some people put these creatures in their imagination. I mean really, beaks? You’ve can’t be serious.

If you won the lottery (for a buttload of money), would you: a) keep working, b) chill out for the rest of your life, or c) do charitable work?

Keep working. Even a buttload of money doesn’t buy health insurance. And I don’t do well with nothing to do. But I’d probably take a lot more time off. The thing that makes vacation is that it’s time away from something.