OK FINE.

It has been lovingly pointed out that my blog is starting to consist merely of "Overheard" conversations that occur in my house, and that posting these conversations, while providing an insightful and often funny (or inappropriate) peek into the goings-on here, does not require any creativity. In fact, as it was pointed out, those entries are really only feats of stenography; they only require the ability to hear, remember, and then type.

What this dear person failed to realize though, is that if I don't post about funny things that happen in my house, then I will be posting about the things that go on IN MY BRAIN, and these are not always things that the internet (or my mother) want to read.

BUT. I am a people-pleaser if nothing else (unless by "people" you mean my sister, who I often displease) so here you go.

When I was laying awake in bed last night, desperately trying to sleep, I thought about what a friend had told me once was the secret to falling asleep: Pretend, in your mind, that you are on a talk show. Pretend that you are being interviewed on your life. Pick a question and answer it, and before you know it, it will be morning.

So dubiously at first, I started thinking. Now, if you know me, you will already have foreseen that I would spend a good half hour determining the question that would be fun enough for me to answer. Eventually I hit upon it (it's disappointingly banal too) and, eager to answer this pretend interview question (perhaps I should apply to be a writer for Jeopardy), I snuggled into my favorite sleeping position to began my imaginary show.

I picture myself walking across a stage, being introduced by a deep-voiced announcer as I shade my eyes to the glare of the blinding of the key lights, waving to the audience and taking my seat next to a faceless interviewer. As we get through the basics of why I am here, etc., he asks the big question. (I've now been lying in bed awake for an hour.)

"So Ms. Tarkenton...what do you think is the one determining factor in your life that has given you so much success?"

(Now, stop boo-ing. I must point out that I am being interviewed as myself, not as a famous artist or other person of interest. Or perhaps as any person of interest given the prelude to this drawn out story.)

Now in my mind the stage and various talk-show surroundings fade away as I think about the answer to this question. I suppose that it starts with my ability to, or just plain luck in, making amazing friends. And I really mean amazing. I don't know whether it is easy for me to find someone incredible, or if I have the ability to turn a regular relationship into a good friendship, or that I have simply been ridiculously lucky to meet individuals that are themselves terrific friends. Either way, I can trace all of the positive things in my life back to this one point. My own marriage and family is all based on Dan, who was a great friend before we started dating, and who I met through friends that I made in the ninth grade who I am still close with. In my career I have continued to succeed in part because of the relationships that I made with customers, co-workers and peers, also some of whom I have known for many, many years. Even making a list of close friends would have to include my parents and two of my cousins, who I consider to be some of my favorite people to spend time with. All of these friends have supported me through good times and incredibly crappy times; they all supply me with attention and love and at the same time provide, within themselves, qualities that teach me what kind of person I strive to be. I think that I can thank my father for the advice he gave me a long time ago: Be the things you like, don't be the things that you dislike. I try to focus on and emulate the wonderful qualities in the people that I am so very lucky to have in my life, and while I don't always succeed, it is a good project to keep me on my toes.

And Zzzzzzzzzzzzz.