Talking Hearts

Author's Note: Less stressed about the cards. A bit easier to answer these questions. I picked the cards and started to answer without John. He answered and will get a copy of the final answers. HE can read mine then.

Talking Hearts couple’s edition cards prompts:

Where do you feel most comfortable outside of your home?

If you could pick the lineup for a concert, who would perform?

Talking Hearts cards

Most comfortable besides home

Denise: By the water, in the woods. The BWCA. In group meetings, facilitating or participating.

John: One the road riding (motorcycle, tricycle, bicycle, 4-wheeler, snowmobile, go-kart)

Concert lineup

Denise: Deceased: Janis Joplin, Aretha Franklin, Elvis, Brook Benton
Alive: Pink, Taylor Swift, Justin Bieber, Bad Bunny

John: George Jones and Conway Twitty

Talking Hearts couple’s edition cards prompts:

What did you learn from a job that everyone should know?

Did you have any interesting or weird hobbies as a child?

Talking Hearts cards

Learned from a job that everyone should know...

Denise: Working with politics is a big drag. Lower levels of government work is a lot of work; getting people involved to get opinions and wishes of the people, putting the plan together, getting buy-in from the people, for it to go to the next level of government.

There the plan is cut, then to the next level, where it is cut, and by the time it reaches the top for signatures it looks nothing like what you work so hard to get from the people. Then the people are mad at you.

Money and power are really what I witnessed. We can't afford this. People making decisions that they know nothing about, but they were in charge. The community saying this makes no sense. And you know it, but what is the recourse. Wait 4 years and try again. New workplan with every government turnover.

John: Be responsible - show up, do your part!

From childhood - interesting or weird hobbies

Denise: Writing and putting on plays for the neighborhood. My siblings were the actors and I was the director. We charged the neighbors to come to our plays. My 18-month younger brother, Chuck remembers and thought they were pretty good. We stopped in early teens.

When younger a friend and I would skate to old music, like the sound of music. We talked about skating professionally. She had an ice rink in her yard every year growing up so she was good. Not I. I was good enough to skate with my children when they were little, until they skated circles around me backwards.

They both played hockey and at 48 my son Pat still does, and they are still hockey fans.

John: Baseball and swimming Denise: Just about everyone did those when kids, how were they interesting or weird? John: The competition - everyone could swim a long way underwater. We would play underwater tag without coming up. When you came up you were out. Competition with myself in baseball about getting better. Hitting harder, running faster, switch hitting.

Talking Hearts couple’s edition cards prompts:

What's the worst date you've ever been on?

What small thing can easily brighten your day?

Talking Hearts cards

Worst date

Denise: Dating this guy who didn't care for his family and it was because they were Native American. NO other reason that he said. I am Native American and so are you I told him more than once.

Dating him was the worst dates I was on. I didn't like to argue about that but I liked the making up part as he was a good kisser, and one of my earlier teen dating experiences.

John: I was out on a date with a girl from Deer River and we were going to second base in the car when a friend jumped up in the window. That ended it. I told him later what happened and said, "You dumb a--!"

Small thing to brighten the day

Denise: When the sun is out! And laughter!

John: Spending time with a grandchild!