This is my favorite mug. It says Instant Writer: Just Add Coffee. When I saw it, I laughed out loud. Oh Lord, if only it were that easy!

But it’s not. I love to write, but after nine straight days, I didn’t think I had much left in me to share with you.

Nevertheless, I was determined. I sat down at my laptop on the kitchen counter at 7:45 pm and looked over at the sink full of dishes. Instead of walking over and grabbing a sponge, I banged this out on my keyboard.

I’d like to have a word with the person that designated dishes and laundry as “women’s work.” Is it just because women care more about a clean house? Is it because the menfolk barely notice a pile of clothes to be folded or a sink full of dishes to be washed? And what about the children? Once they are tall enough to reach the sink, shouldn’t it be a law passed by Congress that they do their own #&!(@ dishes? 

AND THEN, I looked up at the TV and watched Ken Jennings risk all his points on a question about South Carolina’s political history. It was a bold move — a true daily double in the tournament to end all tournaments. I was on the edge of my seat.

Here’s what I typed:

You know, it’s so hard to write a blog post while watching Jeopardy’s Greatest of All Time Tournament. I’m rooting for Ken Jennings. Is anyone else watching this?

And THEN, I completely lost my motivation for writing/ranting about dishes and laundry. I was desperate for inspiration, and I did the only thing I could do. I cringed and then went on Facebook.

Sure enough, one of my friends posted a list of quick facts about her and her husband. You know–the location of our first date, who said I love you first, etc. I started to fill in all of the slots, and then planned on calling it a night.

And THEN, inspiration finally hit me. This list of who is the better driver (him) and who is more of a morning person (me), reminded me of the podcast I listened to while driving into work: Gretchen Rubin and her 20 for 2020 list. It took me the better part of an hour to put together my own list.

I hit publish at exactly 10:02 pm and breathed a sigh of relief. Honestly, I’m proud of the post and the fact that I didn’t give up. I sat there until something came to me–and I didn’t even have to take a drink my coffee mug.

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“Describe to me how you put on a seatbelt.”

I got this question at an otherwise uneventful job interview a few years ago. To this day, I have no idea what the person who asked me this was looking for. This certainly wasn’t on the list of common job questions to expect in an interview. Needless to say, I was not prepared.

I froze for a minute and decided that as a writer, I should just be as descriptive as possible. So, I gave what can only be described as an elaborate re-enactment of adjusting my seat and mirrors, sliding the belt across my chest and fastening it securely. And then, I told him how I sat in the driveway and patiently waited until my kids put their own seatbelts on and how after much protest from the back seat, I ended with something my father would say like “we aren’t going anywhere until you do as I say.”

I didn’t get the job. But, I don’t think it was because of that answer. He seemed thoroughly entertained by my story.

This question still haunts me. What else could I have possibly said about putting on a seatbelt? And what kind of twisted, psychological test was this that my interviewer was putting me through?

How would you have answered the question? And what is the strangest interview question you’ve ever heard? I’d love to hear them!

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