Stuff I love and where it came from (though I guess that can be considered merely speculation). • Cars -- My dad. At least once, the DMV sent him a letter saying if he continued to buy and sell so many cars, he would have to apply for a dealer's license. A few differences between us, though... he drives OLD cars which tend to leave him about halfway to his destination, especially if it's a road trip. I drive reliable vehicles. Ones with warranties. And you wonder why. Ha! • Cooking -- maybe from my grandmothers. I don't remember my mom cooking from scratch all that much. She probably didn't have the time, since she worked and took care of two kids. • Books/reading -- I don't really know. My maternal grandfather takes credit for this. The story is that "Mr. Pine's Purple House" sparked a love of reading. And as my mom tells it, I was reading the newspaper at 5. • TV, movies, etc -- Probably a reaction to growing up WITHOUT CABLE. Sigh. I was such a tortured child. • Interior design and architecture -- Perhaps from my dad. He's a contractor/carpenter/know-it-all. He knows a lot about building and houses. And pretty much all that stuff. An appreciation of design and architecture came to me a little later, a few years after college. OF COURSE. • Expensive things -- My mom. THANKS MOM. :) I try not to want so much, but deep inside, I WANT STUFF. NICE STUFF. Ah well. Even deeper down, I know stuff doesn't really matter. I'm happy with what I have. Usually. Sometimes. Mostly.