What’s your full name? 

Janet Filice Thompson

Were you named after anyone?

No.

What’s your average day like?

It’s pretty uneventful. I wake up around 6 a.m. Mike (my husband) and I have breakfast together (he makes coffee and gets the newspaper) before he leaves for work. I check my email and Facebook, shower, and then I run errands, play my guitar, read and sometimes cook, do laundry and other household tasks.

One of the highlights is when I see my son in law and grandchildren. Love those kids! Then I get dinner ready and Mike and I spend the evening watching TV and talking. It’s very comforting to have this routine.

How far away do you live from where you were born? 

About 30 miles.

What do you consider to be your “home”?

The Bay Area. Right now it’s San Martin, but I was born and raised in San Jose.  it makes me sad to see how congested it’s become.

What items do you always take with you when you leave the house?

My cell phone and some cash.

When you look in the mirror, what do you notice first?

How old I’ve gotten!

If you could change something about your appearance, what would it be?

Get rid of the signs of age. Looking old makes me feel old. 

What do you first notice in strangers?

Their eyes.  If they look kind, or shifty or evasive. I think eyes tell a lot about a person.

What do think people say about you?

This is a tough one. I think they say I’m smart.

What would you hope they would say?

That I’m smart and that I’m a good guitar player.

What is your proudest moment? Biggest victory?

Graduating from law school magna cum laude and passing the California Bar exam on the first try.

What is your biggest regret? Biggest failure? 

Going to work at the federal court in San Francisco. It was a disaster and I hated it. If I had it to do over again I wouldn’t have taken the job. It was the wrong job for me and I was a colossal failure at it.

If you could change anything about yourself, what would it be?

I’d  be a better friend and try to trust more people. I have a hard time with that. I trust very very few people with my “self.”

What makes life worth living?

sharing new experiences with people I love

What is the one rule you try to live by? Do you feel successful at following it?

Don’t let fear or self doubt (or other people) stop you from doing what you want to do. Go for it Don’t self limit. I’ve followed it at times, but self doubt is a powerful enemy.