Q1: When shopping for food or related sundries, how important are brands in your decision-making process? For instance, let’s say you’re standing in the cereal isle at your local supermarket, and right there in front of you are two of essentially the same item, but one carries a brand name or label you’re familiar with, while the other is labeled with the name of the supermarket? All things being equal except price, which box of cereal do you purchase?

all things are never equal in the cereal department. I will ALWAYS buy the brand name of cereal…the same goes for pop. I will NOT buy no-name pop. i’ll wait until the coke or pepsi product that i enjoy goes on sale. There are some things that i will buy the store brand – napkins (and other paper goods), canned veggies, pretzels and cookies for the kids (they don’t know the difference).

Q2: If you wore eyeglasses, based on what you know today about the procedure, would you choose to have elective laser surgery to correct a common eye disorder such as nearsightedness, farsightedness or an astigmatism (distorted vision)? Do you know anyone who has had this sort of surgery, and if so, what have they said about the experience and/or the results?

I do wear eyeglasses and would definitely get the surgery. I know several people who have had the surgery and haven’t really heard any horror stories. The idea of not having to wear glasses or contacts or mess with re-wetting drops…ah…that would be heaven.

Q3: What do you do when you’re given the wrong amount of change when purchasing something with cash? Does your reaction differ depending on which side of the equation you land, i.e., receiving too much change verses not enough?

Um…it’s really not all that often that I receive more change than I deserve. But, I will honestly say that I wouldn’t give the extra change back. And the truth is that i don’t usually check my change…so i could totally be getting screwed over every time i get change back…but, i don’t know, I just take the change and put it in my purse.

Q4: Do you have confidence in the airport screening procedures in place in the United States?

following an event such as 9-11, I will NEVER have 100% confidence in airport screening procedures – they can never be completely fool-proof. But, i do hope that they are catching the things they should be, because they sure as hell are catching the things they shouldn’t be (see…the story about the woman who got arrested for having a bookmark in her travel bag….)

okay…now it’s your turn!