Do you consider yourself a pessimist or an optimist?

I used to hang out in the pessimist camp. I figured if it was gonna go wrong it would, especially when it came to me. Interestingly, the stuff that used to make me assume the worst hasn’t stopped – I still bang into furniture and drop things and forget important dates – but my perspective shifted. Now it’s either my lesson to learn or just another thing that’s happened, not the end of the world. I’d say that lands me among the optimists now.

Can War ever be just?

Tough one. I’d say intervening in the case of genocide is just.

Think about the people you love most in your life, what do you do for them?

Because I have two underage kids the easy answer is everything. (Okay, not everything since we’re out of the butt wiping days, praise be.) Shopping, cooking, cleaning (not as much cleaning as there probably should be), scheduling, and driving along with the zillion other things I’m forgetting at the moment.

But here’s the rest of the answer: I listen. I love unconditionally. I try to be a sounding board when things get tough. I’m a vault for secrets and an open book for conversations. I’m in their corner first, last, and always.

Are you health conscious?

Yes, when it comes to watching what I eat. I could be doing a heck of a lot better when it comes to exercising, though. Best intentions, man.

Gratitude, Thankfulness, Wonder, Awe and Joy! This is the space where you share, if you’d like to, something that falls into those categories.

We took several of the kids’ friends with us to the lake over the weekend and had a marvelous time. The weather was beautiful – hot, but a breeze made it feel good. The kids had a blast and we had no – ZERO – arguments the whole time. That right there covers wonder, awe, and joy.

Sparks from a Combustible Mind hosts Share Your World.