One of my favorite duties of my job is contacting local residents to be featured in Getting Personal, the section of our Sunday Living section where we ask informal questions. We've gotten some great responses.

I thought it would be fun if we could get local bloggers answering the questions too. Here's what I'm thinking – if you want to participate, copy the questions below, answer them and post the whole thing on your blog. I actually got the idea from Cynthia Voelkl, a Champaign blogger who answered the questions with her husband a while ago. (And if you're not local and want to answer them anyway, have at it.)

I'll post tomorrow with links to everyone who participates. (EDIT: Here it is.) It would be great if you could link back to it from your blog, as well. And leave me a comment, either on this entry or tomorrow's, so I can make sure to include you on the list of bloggers participating. (And if you have any questions, comment or email me.)

I'm thinking I may be able to use some of you and your fine answers in the newspaper. I'll contact you directly to get your permission, of course, but be aware that it's a possibility.

OK, here are the questions – start thinking:

Name, age, town of residence

Profession: Explain in one sentence what it is you do.

What time do you typically get up? What do you do the first hour of the morning?

What did you have for lunch today? Where? With whom?

Best high school memory.

Tell me about your favorite pair of shoes.

What does a perfect Sunday afternoon include?

Was there one book you read as a child that you still cherish? Own? Read?

Where on earth are you dying to go? Why?

Tell me about your favorite pet.

Have you discovered as you matured that you are becoming like one of your parents? Which one and how?

What would you order for your last meal?

What can you NOT live without?

Who do you have on your iPod?

What’s the happiest memory of your life?

If you could host a dinner party with any three living people in the world, whom would you invite?

What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given?

What’s your best piece of advice?

What was your first job, and how much did you make an hour?

What was a pivotal decision in your career, and how did you arrive at that decision?

Do you have a bad habit? What is it?

How do you handle a stressful situation?