Do you like or dislike surprises? Why or why not?

One could argue life is nothing but a series of surprises and whether you roll with the punches has everything to do with how happy you are. There’s no getting around it, though, some surprises are more pleasant than others – show me a guy who’s cool with his basement flooding and I’ll show you one with the lowest blood pressure in the country.

What’s your favorite zoo animal?

Man, this one’s impossible to answer. My first thought was cat country – watching lions, tigers, and panthers slink around is really cool. But the gorilla and chimpanzee areas are fascinating to watch, even more so if they’ve got their young in there. Then there’s the elephants – enormous and wise – and there’s something downright majestic about giraffes…

I guess you can tell I’m a big fan of the zoo.

What three things do you think of the most each day?

At the moment it’s which fur baby needs food/cuddles/potty breaks/socialization right now, can I reheat my coffee while my kid’s in online class if I catch the microwave before it beeps, and “what was I supposed to get done yesterday?”

When, if ever, is taking a human life justified?

In self-defense or while defending someone who cannot protect themselves.

Do small miracles exist?

Absolutely. These include being out of town during NPR’s pledge drive, having enough ice for the perfect frozen margarita, sleeping past 8am on a Saturday, and a perfectly grilled jalapeño popper. Ahh.

Sparks from a Combustible Mind hosts Share Your World.