Community Q&A 7/19/04

Name: Carolyn Lee Barks

Lives in: Cape Girardeau resident for 40 years.

Job: Administrative secretary for the Division of Planning Services, Cape Girardeau City Hall.

What do you like most about the area? I like the size and landscape of Cape as well as the proximity to St. Louis and Memphis and all the possibilities of weekend road trips and the things to do in Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky and Tennessee.

Favorite food: When it comes to food, the only thing I don't like is watermelon.

Favorite TV show: I really don't watch TV. However, on occasion, I like a good movie.

Best advice: Be happy with yourself and do your utmost to make every day count. Live, love and laugh!

Person you most admire: My mother, who has been deceased for 36 years but, by living and dying, she taught me to be the person I am. I was so lucky to have her in my life for 21 years. When I lost her and my sister in a tragic car accident I learned not to take relationships for granted and to appreciate and accept people for who they are -- including their faults.

What would you do if you won the lottery? If I won the lottery, I would invest in the future and do what I could within reason to help family and friends. I would also like to go to a well-known golf academy and hopefully improve my game!

Pet peeve: I have a lot of pet peeves, two of which are people that choose not to smile and act like saying "good morning" is a bad thing; and drivers that act like they are the only person on the road.