Rory, the king of questions, also known as the Autistic Composter, has come up with a new series of questions that he calls “The Morning Dawdler.” He poses four questions three times a week, questions he says are “inspired by life, humor, conversations and observations, town life, blog posts, writers, gardening, news stories, television, entertainment, and human curiosity, and so on.”

Yes, I know it’s not morning and it’s not even January 25th anymore. But that aside, here are Rory’s four morning dawdler questions from yesterday and my answers for today.

On a scale of 1 – 10, how happy are you?

Well, considering that almost two weeks ago I fell off a ladder, fractured my hip, had partial hip replacement surgery, and have been in the hospital since then, my happiness meter was barely registering at 1. But then this is my last day and night in the hospital rehab unit and that I’m going home tomorrow, and am really stoked about that. So on average, I’d say my happiness meter is around 6.

Why do people ask how we are but do not want to know the truth?

I think they’re just trying to be courteous by feigning interest. By the way, I don’t think most people are like that when it comes to close friends or family. More so, though, with acquaintances or work associates.

How much meat do you consume in a week, and if you are not a meat eater, have you ever considered meat alternatives, and if so, what are they?

I’d say that probably a third of the food I consume is meat. The rest is comprised of poultry, seafood, various veggies, grains, and Ben & Jerry’s Stephen Colbert’s Americone Dream ice cream.

Are you a slow or fast eater, and which behavior do you think is best and why?

I think I eat at an average pace, but probably more toward the slower end of the spectrum than the faster end. I don’t think being a fast eater is good for you. Better to eat slower and savor your food than scarf it down quickly.