Get creative with Activities about Life's Big Questions
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dancePROOF

- 2 years ago

Interview the Other

Assignment time for all you would-be journalists, biographers, novelists, short story writers, essayists, and yes, even you poets. Character development got you down? Go beyond just daydreaming about being in another person's shoes and actually do it. Find out what really makes someone else tick with a full-frontal, no-holds-barred, on-the-record interview.

For at least 10 minutes, go question a homeless guy about his life’s journey, or put the hard questions to that professor whose likes/dislikes you just can’t stand, or simply interview your parents and ask them to tell you something you never knew about them.

Dig deep, don’t take "no comment" for an answer, and post your top 3 questions and answers here.

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sunnybunny

sunnybunny

- 2 years ago

I asked two people I'm not super close to, but have "known" for most of my life, the same ten questions. I opted to post the answers to questions 1 and 10 because of their polarity in tone:

1. What was the most joyous moment in your life, to date, and why?

Michael said: Good question...because I have a few just great moments in my life...but the best was getting married. I never thought that I would truly ever find someone who would take a chance and love me unconditionally. To find Lori was like finding a needle in the bottom of the ocean. Now 11 years later,I'm doing things I never thought would happen to me...driving,a homeowner,a husband. It hasn't been 100% lovey-dovey but show me a couple who claims that and I'll show you a divorced couple . *s*
I love being married and I always strive to live in the same moment when the priest said "you are now man and wife".

Dina said: I may sound cliched, but the day my daughter was born. It was incredible to bring a new life into the world. I was euphoric. I was so proud. I wanted to walk around with her at the hospital to show her off, and the nurses freaked out and told me I couldn't do that for safety reasons. The pride I felt for successfully birthing her actually was no match for my husband holding her first. I chose for them to give her to him first. He held her and said, "Hello Emily", I had tears in my eyes, because I carried her, he didn't so he got to be first.

Question number 10 was "Have you ever considered committing suicide, and if so what stopped you?"

Dina said: So much, too numerous to count. I have gone as far as to research ways to do it. I get so depressed, which makes you feel hopeless and pummel yourself with such low selfworth, even feeling worthless. You can even hate yourself. The thing that stopped me was remembering how depressed I was that my dad was not around when I was young. That lead to my understanding how it would really screw-up my daughter. She would feel that way but worse because my dad didn't commit suicide. She may feel like I deserted her, and I don't want her to feel so sad because of me.

Michael said:Have I ever thought about suicide? Well what stopped me was a trip to the ER and having my stomach pumped. It was afterwards during a 3 month stay in the hospital I was found to have clinical depression. While my doctor wanted to medicate me,a very skilled psych-tech encouraged me to face my demons via talking which helped me tremendously. It was not easy but it saved my life by emptying out all the negatives in my life. This happened 23 years ago and while I have had a few downs,I have never come close to thinking about suicide again.

I think the thing that I found most rewarding about this exercise, was not so much the answers, as the honesty behind them. Something I've noticed in this life, is that the more people have been forced to face their demons (or have, of their own accord), the more honest and willing they are to share their experiences with others. The more they want their story, or their understanding of what happened to help someone else. I'm grateful to have friends who would do this! Thank you, to Michael and Dina for your bravery and candor.

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FashionistaD

FashionistaD

- 2 years ago

I interviewed my mom, because she's a big part of my life.

Q: What's the greatest place you've ever been?
A: "Mexico. I helped my first husband and a crew excavate some old ruins. It was hard to do with your sister(Sarah) being as small and danger prone as she was, but it was definitely fun."

Q: What was the hardest thing you've ever had to do?
A: "I was the oldest of six and when your grandmother passed away I had to take control. Your grandpa, bless his soul, was never around much and I had to keep order over the entire house. I think the passing of your grandmother, keeping an eye out for your aunts and uncles, and -eventually- leaving home were the hardest things I've ever had to do."

Q: Tell me one 'Fan-girl' moment you'll always remember.
A: "Watching Paul McCartney(and the Beatles) perform on the Ed Sullivan Show. It was a day to remember. They played "I want to Hold your hand" and "Twist and shout" and Paul McCartney was just, so incredibly cute."

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anarchyxxcrayons

anarchyxxcrayons

- 2 years ago

@shmily That's crazy. I've found out similar secrets about my mom before. It sucks, but it fills in outlines when you know. You know?

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greenhuselephant

greenhuselephant

- 2 years ago

@shmily you have real courage, i dont know if i could ever do that... too scared to know what my mom's even been through.

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shmily

shmily

- 2 years ago

I interviewed my mother, who is a very mild and meek person and we talk all the time so I though she was an open book. These are the questions I asked her.

Q.. Tell me something you did as a teen that would surprise me.
A. I wasn't allowed to go to concerts but I sneaked out one night with a friend to go see the Beetles play at the fairgrounds.
(I didn't even know my mom liked the Beetles)

Q. My parents divorced when I was 5, I asked my mom to name something difficult about their relationship that I didn't know?
A. My dad was physically abusive to my mother and even hit her when she was pregnant. (This one upset me because my mother had never said a harsh word about my father or let on that he had this side to him)

Q. Name the best and the worst thing that has ever happened to you.
A. having kids was the best (typical mom answer)--When she was in her twenties a man broke into her house and she was robbed and sexually assaulted.
I never knew this and we both cried and that's all I want to say about that.

This was an interesting experience but I wouldn't do it again at least not with someone I know. The truth is too painful.

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