What is your favorite quote and why?

America is at its best when given a challenge. I have two quotes that are very much in that vein. The first is from Thomas Paine's pamphlet Crisis. Written during the height of the Revolutionary War,

"What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is dearness only that gives every thing its value."

The other is John F. Kennedy's speech on why America should go to the moon. He challenged America to do what had been almost unthinkable a decade before. This time America was challenged to live up to its potential, and it did.

"We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard, because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one which we intend to win"

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What is the longest consecutive session you've ever played a video game?

I can't remember how long the session was, but I'll never forget the game: Riven.

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What's your favorite kind of homemade cookie?  Share the recipe if you have it.

I don't have any particular favorite, but Georgia Lynn never has made any goodies for us here at Six Apart that isn't absolutely yummy!

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Did you see the Harry Potter movie this weekend?  Are you going to read the new book?

I'll just rent the DVD. And the way movies go these days it probably won't be to long, but I pre-ordered the book two months ago. At the time I didn't check to see what day of the week it was, so while Amazon.com promise they will have it delivered on the 21st, that means they'll be delivering to the office this saturday.

And coming into the office saturday isn't an option. Alex just bought a bike and we are going for a ride this saturday. I'm just going to have to wait until monday.

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What other names did your parents consider for you?

My dad's pick was Jesse. Already having his German last name and the rest of the family being German, it was my mom who wanted to give me an Irish first name for his Irish mother. I know that meant a lot to my grandmother, though I'm too young to have anything but the vaguest memories of her.

They nicknamed me "Jamie" not knowing television's "Bionic Woman" Jaime Sommers would make that a very popular girls name. There were three or four in my preschool.

And before anyone says it, no, not "like the whiskey" which is spelled Jameson's Irish Whiskey.

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What's the story behind a time when you got locked out?

Our deadbolt needed to be replaced last year, which meant new house keys. I was away the week our landlord replaced the locks which left me without a key, but my roommate Walter was going to duck out of work to come home and let me in.

He had it all planned out: I would call him when I got from the airport to the train station, a 40 minute notice. Then I would call him again when I transfered trains at Embarcadero Station, which was about 20 minutes for both of us to get to the house.

At least that was the plan, but he didn't get the messages. He was in a meeting and didn't realize he didn't have service in that particular room. It was only when he started wondering why I hadn't called he discovered that.

I was returning from a week long bike ride SF to LA, which was exhausting enough on it's own, but I'd also gotten sick on the ride (there was this nasty stomach thing that was going around, I came very close to bonking one day and spent the afternoon on an IV, anyway...) and there was nothing I wanted more than to go lie down in my bed. I sat on our porch for almost an hour, tired and misserable as I waited. He was happy to see me again, but I must have been a sad sight.

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If you could write like one fiction author, who would it be?
Submitted by Marilyn.

I'd just be happy if I could write fiction at all. Being dyslexic, those pesky words get in the way of trying to write anything. And then there's grammer! Frak grammer, it doesnt matter how many times you tell me, I'm never going to be able to use a colon or a semi colon.

There's nothing like having someone dismiss everything you've written because you misplaced a comma or you spelt something wrong.

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If you could make a magic wish for a futuristic gadget or high-tech innovation, what would your item do? 
Submitted by Red Pen.

Too follow up with what Luke said, I wouldn't want to deal with the pressure of TARDIS ownership. Making sure I don't prevent my own birth, carefully not stepping on any butterflies, etc.

I'll take a sonic screwdriver though. I just had to look up this quote from series one:

Captain Jack Harkness: A sonic what?
The Doctor: Screwdriver!
Captain Jack Harkness: Who has a sonic screwdriver?
The Doctor: I do!
Captain Jack Harkness: Who looks at a screwdriver and thinks "Oooh, this could be a little more sonic."?
The Doctor: What? you never been bored? Never had a long night? Never had a lot of cabinets to put up?

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What are some of your favorite, forgotten albums that have stood the test of time?
Submitted by PeterGibbons.

Laid

Laid by James, which came out when I was in high school. I listen to it maybe once or twice a year, but when I do I listen to the entire CD from begging to end.

Different Class

Pulp's Different Class is another I ussually listen through all the way. A few songs it it begins to feel like a night spend rolling on ecstacy. First coming on with Disco 2000 and sharing all kinds of emotional stories. Sorted out for E'z and Wizz is a sort of overview halfway through, Underwear is the really great post-roll/comedown sex. Ending strung out the next day with Bar Italia.

It's been a really long time since I've had a really fun night high on E, I'm going to put Pulp on.

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What's the best way to spend a rainy day?
Submitted by Vee.

Ideally, cuddled up with my boyfriend on the sofa, logs are burning in the fireplace and watching a movie with the volume not so high we can't hear the burning of the fire, or rain hitting the windows.

Since I don't have a fireplace and my sofa doesn't arrive until next week, curled up together in bed watching a movie on my mac, though in both cases the movie will probably be quickly forgotten about.

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