Hewlett-Packard has been occupying more than its fair share of business headlines lately due to a boardroom-leaking and “pre-texting” scandal that threatens to damage a slew of careers with the swipe of a keystroke shortcut. In a related stroke of marketing luck for former HP CEO Carly Fiorina, her new book Tough Choices hit bookstores yesterday—or last week if you’re an industrious New York Times reporter—and she is no stranger to shareholder controversy either.

These days Carly splits her time between Silicon Valley and Washington, D.C. which might help fuel rumors of a possible run for California governor. (Sacramento is the new New York, haven’t you heard?) She will be offering insights to her past work and future plans at the 92nd Street Y this Sunday, October 15. So how does one balance their time between the tech and political capitals of the world? We asked. 

1. When most people think of a bi-coastal life, New York/L.A. comes to mind. How would you describe the life of D.C./Silicon Valley splitters?
Most people think of D.C. and Silicon Valley as totally separate worlds. Certainly geeks and wonks speak different languages. And, in the summer, the evenings in D.C. are hot and damp, while the air in Silicon Valley is cool and dry. But it is the things the two places have in common that I love: the view of the water-although one’s a river and one’s a bay; the towering monuments-although some are marble and some are redwood; the beauty of the rising and setting sun-although in one place my view is framed by bridges (Memorial and Key) and memorials and in the other by mountains. Two beautiful places where the people who live there think they’re the center of the universe!

2. What’s your best (or worst) D.C./Silicon Valley commuting story?
In D.C., the worst times for me are driving late at night. The streets are empty and the red lights last an eternity. And you hit one every block! The worst commuting days in the Valley were at the boom time in late 1999, early 2000. I lived three miles from my office-on the same road even-and it could take 30 minutes to get there. Now, 10 minutes is a tough commute.

3. Describe that low, low moment when you thought you just might have to leave D.C./Silicon Valley for good.
Silicon Valley: The day of the special shareholder vote at the end of the proxy battle to approve the Compaq acquisition. I got booed a lot that day. People were really angry that I had brought about this change. I haven’t had that day yet in D.C.

4. How would you describe your love for D.C./Silicon Valley?
I love geeks and wonks. They’re both really smart, focused, committed, interesting. Just wish they understood each other a little bit better.

5. The End of the World is finally happening. What are you going to do with your last 24 hours in D.C./Silicon Valley?
I’d hug all of my family long and hard and often in both places. I’d visit my mother’s grave. I’d call every friend or family member I couldn’t see with my own eyes, just to hear their voices. I’d listen to the birds and feel the breeze on my face. I’d walk among the trees and then I’d watch the sun rise or set one last time.

[Carly Fiorina: Tough Choices: 10/15/06]

Previous 92YQs: Gary Panter, Peter Hyman, Michelle Goldberg, Arianna Huffington, Francis Morrone, Sydney Pollack, Francesca Harper