Meme Stolen from Various and Sundry

[gnomi]

The problem with LJ: We all think we are so close, but really we know nothing about each other. So I want you to ask me something you think you should know about me. Something that should be obvious, but you have no idea about. Ask away.

Then post this in your LJ and find out what people don't know about you.

Comments

[saxikath]

Where did you grow up?

[gnomi.livejournal.com]

I grew up in Burlington, Massachusetts, which is about 20 miles north of Boston.

[cicirossi.livejournal.com]

Where did you go to college?

[gnomi.livejournal.com]

I went to Boston University, majoring in Linguistics with a minor in Hebrew.

[byrne.livejournal.com]

How long have you been married, and how long have you guys lived where you are?

[gnomi.livejournal.com]

mabfan and I have been married 10.5 years (we got married 18 June 1995).

We've lived in Brookline, MA, for all that time, in 3 different places within Brookline. We've been in our current location since June 1999.

[madwriter.livejournal.com]

How did you and Michael meet?

[gnomi.livejournal.com]

We actually have multiple versions of the story of how we met. Maybe he'll contribute a slightly different version. :-)

Anyway, the way I tell it, he had a friend from high school who had gone to BU, and he knew that Michael was going to BU for graduate school. He (the friend) told Michael to find his not-girlfriend (in other words, they'd dated while they were both at BU, they broke up when he graduated, but all of us knew they'd get married some day -- which they, in fact, did). As it happens, the not-girlfriend and I were roommates that year. So by meeting her, Michael met me.

[mabfan.livejournal.com]

We also told a little bit about it over at http://www.livejournal.com/users/gnomi/54181.html?thread=93349#t93349, but I can see that it wasn't much, so I'll expand on it a little later.

[squashed.livejournal.com]

What colour are your eyes and what colour is your hair?

[gnomi.livejournal.com]

My eyes are green; my hair is brown.

A 10-year-old picture of me (from my wedding) is here (http://world.std.com/~gnomi/love.GIF), and I look basically the same now as I did then (well, my hair is much longer, but I cover it now, so it's kind of a wash).

[joecoustic.livejournal.com]

What was your major in college?

(I think I might know but I'm not sure).

[gnomi.livejournal.com]

Linguistics, with a minor in Hebrew Language and Literature.

[thamiris.livejournal.com]

Okay, word geek that I am, I must ask this: what's your favourite word?

[gnomi.livejournal.com]

Hmm...that's a tough one.

Some days, "sussuration." I like the onomatopoeicism of it.

(I'm not convinced that "onomatopoeicism" is a word, but -- behold -- I've used it.)

Other days, it's "haptic." Just 'cause it's neat to have a word that describes that touchy-feely aspect that some people have.

And other days? Costermonger. Because it's a cool, old-fashioned word.

Of course, were you to ask tomorrow, it's possible I'd come up with three different words.

[glishara.livejournal.com]

What was your favorite subject in high school?

[gnomi.livejournal.com]

Favorite subject across the boards was probably Social Studies/History.

Favorite one class of all high school? Ninth grade science. And the guy who taught me 9th grade science (and was my mother's 10th grade Homeroom teacher) is still teaching at Brookline High School.

[puppetmaker40.livejournal.com]

What's your favorite form of fandom?

[gnomi.livejournal.com]

Ooh, another tough question. If you mean book fandom vs. media fandom, I don't really have a favorite. If you're asking in-person vs. online, I'm going to have to say that each has elements that I enjoy immensely and elements that I'm less fond of.

Does that at all answer your question, or does that just make it even fuzzier?

[jenwrites.livejournal.com]

What's your favorite kind of music?

[gnomi.livejournal.com]

I like all types of music, really. But if I had to pick my favorite, I'd have to say it's rock with a folksy-bluesy tint, though I'm quite fond of what is termed "alternative." My favorite radio station, if it helps at all, is WFNX (http://www.wfnx.com/1/home.asp).

[epj.livejournal.com]

Have you always been Jewish? If so, have you always been as observant as you are now? (Cheating with two questions--I'm bad)

[gnomi.livejournal.com]

I've always been Jewish. I grew up on the traditional end of the Conservative movement, and my family as a whole drifted toward Orthodoxy in stages. So, for instance, I've always kept kosher and observed Shabbat, but not as strictly as I do now.

[fynixsoul.livejournal.com]

What draws you to linguistics?

[gnomi.livejournal.com]

I love the structure of language, the way we as humans use words to communicate.

I was 15 when I first read The Joy of Lex, a book about lexicography. I knew from that point that I had a love of words and dictionaries. And Linguistics seemed the perfect major to allow me to explore that love of words.

[donovanstitch.livejournal.com]

No questions for now. Just giving a shout-out and generally similing from reading this thread and Michael's.

[gnomi.livejournal.com]

*waves*

Glad you're enjoying the question-and-answer session.

I hope all is well with you and yours.

[vettecat.livejournal.com]

Oooo, that's a tough one. Um. OK, I've got one: What is your official title at work? :-)

[gnomi.livejournal.com]

Technical writer. I don't know if our New Corporate Overlords will be issuing new titles, but for now that's what I am, officially.

[arfur]

from one linguistics major to another...

What's your position w.r.t. Chomsky (and his proliferation of theories)?

[gnomi.livejournal.com]

My college advisor studied under one of the big anti-Chomskyists, so I was taught in an environment of cynicism towards Chomsky's theories. The whole "throw-out-everything-I've-done-for-years-and-*poof*-look-here's-X-bar" trick Chomsky did in the late 80s/early 90s was seen as peculiar within the department, and while it was taught as the current theory, we were also taught the previous views and alternate, non-Chomskyist views, as well.

(Right now, I'm preparing for an Arisia panel on Sapir-Whorf. That, too, is bringing back memories of college.)

[fizzixrat.livejournal.com]

How tall are you?

(And, for the record, I'm 6'2".)

[gnomi.livejournal.com]

I'm somewhere between 5'4" and 5'5", depending on how straight I'm standing when I'm measured.

[eal.livejournal.com]

Well damn. I missed this one and I'm having a hard time thinking of something I should know that I probably don't. So I'll try for something that should make us both laugh:

What is the most unusual thing you've done (and Israel doesn't count)?

[gnomi.livejournal.com]

Hmm...that's a really tough question.

When you say "Israel doesn't count," do you mean everything I did in Israel can't be considered, or that the year away as a whole can't be counted?