This or That?

If you ever wondered about my preferences, which I admit are quirky, I am happy to share them with you—I am reserved and private, but I am working on being more open. Being quirky is an excellent quality to have.  To be quirky is to be “unusual in especially an interesting or appealing way” (Merriam-Webster). We are all a little bit quirky—as we should be—quirkiness makes life more interesting. I thought it would be fun to share some of my this or that preferences, so that others can see my personality preferences, and it may start a discussion. I found this list at: 500 Best This or That Questions For Great Conversations (I did not do all 500!).  

• Notorious or unnoticed? Unnoticed 
• Play it safe or risk it all? Safety first 
• Specialist or generalist? Generalist 
• Past or future? Past 
• Dine alone or watch a movie alone? Dine 
• Whisper or shout? Whisper 
• Extrovert or introvert? Introverted Extrovert 
• Pen or Pencil? Pencil 
• No more social media or no more messaging apps? No social Media 
• Cookies or cake? Pie 
• Warm climate or all seasons? Can all 4 seasons be warm? 
• Windows open or closed? Open 
• A day at the beach or a day at the mountains? Beach 
• Classic literature or modern bestsellers? Both 
• Watching sunrise or stargazing? Both, I lean towards the stars more. I love a good sunset as well. 
• Calling or texting? Calling 
• Affirmation or gifts? Affirmations 
• Plan it or wing it? I am a planner, but we can have a plan and then wing it from there.  
• Logic or emotions? Logic, but I would like to tap into my emotions more. 
• Fancy dinner or takeout and a movie? Dinner at home 
• Self-respect or love? Both. 
• Authenticity or success? Authenticity 
• Wisdom or intelligence? Both. 
• Forgiveness or vindication? Depends on the situation, 
• Freedom or stability? Why can’t you have both? 
• Individuality or belonging? Individuality 
• Acceptance or improvement? Improvement 
• Creativity or knowledge? Creative knowledge.  
• Resilience or sensitivity? You can be resilient while being sensitive.  
• Self-discovery or community service? Self-discovery that leads to community service. 
• Transparency or mystery? Mystery 
• Inspiration or comfort? Inspiration 
• Spirituality or science? Spirituality  
• Sweet or savory? Savory 
• Coffee or tea? Depends on my mood.  
• Breakfast or dinner? Dinner 
• Chocolate or vanilla? Vanilla 
• Ice cream or frozen yogurt? Gelato 
• Pizza or pasta? Pizza, though I do love pasta. 
• Burger or tacos or sandwiches? Burger, then sandwiches. 
• Cake or donuts? I don’t like cake, but a good cake donut if I am in the mood. 
• Hot coffee or iced coffee? Hot 
• Ketchup or mustard? Neither 
• Steak or seafood? I love a good steak. 
• Salad or soup? Soup 
• Smoothies or milkshakes? Neither 
• Cheese platter or charcuterie board? Both 
• Baking or grilling? Baking 
• Home-cooked meal or takeout? Home-cooked 
• French fries or baked potatoes? Tater tots, then fries. 
• Pepsi or Coke? Dr. Pepper *zero 
• White chocolate or dark chocolate? Dark 
• Broccoli or chicken nuggets? Broccoli is my favorite vegetable, but I do love popcorn chicken. 
• Hot dogs or hamburgers? Brat, Hamburger, hot dog 
• Asian cuisine or Mexican cuisine? Asian 
• Chips or popcorn? Depends on my mood. 
• Food truck or restaurant? Restaurant 
• Waffles or pancakes? Waffles 
• Facebook or Instagram? Facebook 
• Harry Potter or The Hunger Games? The Hunger Games. 
• Netflix or YouTube? Netflix 
• Smartphone or tablet? I wish neither, but phone. 
• Emojis or GIFs? Both 
• Spotify or Apple Music? Spotify 
• Uber or Lyft? Uber 
• Airbnb or traditional hotel? Airbnb 
• Online shopping or in-store shopping? Online 
• Superman or Batman? Batman 
• Podcasts or audiobooks? Audiobooks 
• The Office or Parks and Recreation? Parks & Rec—I am a little Leslie and a little Ron. 
• Craft beer or fancy cocktails? Cocktails 
• Fitness tracker or smartwatch? Neither 
• E-books or physical books? Physical 
• LeBron or Michael? MJ! 
• Local cuisine or familiar foods? Go local. 
• Cityscape or countryside? Countryside 
• Adventure sports or historical tours? Depends on where I am at. 
• Road trip or flight? Flight. 
• Solo expedition or travel group? I’ve done both. There are pluses and minuses to both. 
• Travel by train or by bus? Train 
• Hiking or surfing? I want to learn to surf. 
• Safari or scuba diving? Safari 
• Guided tours or exploring on your own? Exploring on my own on a guided tour. 
• Winter wonderland or summer paradise? Paradise. 
• Sun or moon? Both 
• Land or Water? Water 
• Frequent short trips or long extended vacations? Shorter trips more often. 
• Travel photography or journaling? I am a writer. 
• Famous landmarks or hidden gems? Hidden gems. 
• Cultural immersion or leisurely getaway? If you are going somewhere, you should learn their culture and customs.  
• Ocean stroll or country bike ride? Stroll along the beach.  
• Morning Routine or night routine? I have one for both. 
• Gym or home workout? Home 
• Early riser or night owl? Both 
• Coffee shops or homebrew? Home 
• To-do lists or spontaneous living? To-do 
• Meal prepping or cooking daily? Daily cooking 
• Local libraries or bookstores? Both 
• Daily planner or digital calendar? Daily planner 
• Paper or digital notes?  Paper 
• Weekly grocery shopping or as-needed runs? I shop for what I need when I need it. 
• Organized space or organized chaos? Organized chaos 
• Journaling or meditation? Journaling. I am not good at meditation.  
• Goal setting or going with the flow? Goal-setting that changes as I change. 
• Morning affirmations or evening reflections? Evening reflections 
• Saving for the future or investing in experiences? Can’t you do both? 
• Public speaking or writing skills? Writing. 
• Clean eating or indulging mindfully? All things in moderation.  
• Long phone calls or face-to-face conversations? Face-to-face 
• Social media connections or in-person friendships? In-person 
• Blind dates or dating apps? Neither 
• Big parties or intimate get-togethers? Small and intimate 
• Quick texts or handwritten letters? Handwritten letters 
• Game nights or movie nights? Games. 
• Heartfelt gifts or experience gifts? Either is good. 
• Jeans or chinos? Jeans  
• Sneakers or boots? Depends on the situation. 
• Bright colors or neutral tones? I love color! 
• Short hair or long hair? Long 
• High fashion or everyday comfort? It’s all about comfort.  
• Sunglasses or hats? Sunglasses 
• Watches or bracelets? Neither 
• Heels or flats? Flats 
• Piercings or tattoos? Neither 
• Wings or Drummies? Drummies
• Target or Walmart? Target girl, born and bred!
• Pop or country? 90s COUNTRY. Everything was better (music wise) in the past! 

As you can see, nothing in life is this or that. Nothing in life is black or white. There are a lot of gray areas. Even I, who have a degree in policy, and if you ask people live life by “rules” do not have clear answers to everything. We, like the ocean, need to ebb and flow (the answers are probably different than 10 years ago or 10 years from now). This or that is never really this or that—it is a wonderful way to get creativity and conversation started! So, there is a million more I could list, or you could ask.