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Wednesday, May 31
50 Questions
The Adult Meme
1. What bill do you hate paying the most?
We switched jobs a few years ago, and I don't pay any bills. I tended to get a little on the obsessive side when I paid them. I hate credit card bills the most.
2. Favorite place to eat a romantic dinner?
N!col!no's. Or in a cabin in Maine. Or Ydra, in Greece.
3. Last time you puked from drinking?
I think it was the spring of my sophomore year in college, so that would be 1984. Two times is all it took for me to figure out this was a bad thing.
4. When is the last time you got drunk and woke up in a strange place?
Unless you count 'waking up' with my face in the toilet, I've never done this.
5. Name of your first grade teacher?
Miss Campbell, and Mrs. Potter (for reading).
6. What do you really want to be doing right now?
Uhm, virtually anywhere but at work. I'd also like everything I need to do there be done, past, over with.
7. What did you want to be when you were growing up?
Briefly, a teacher. A grocery store checker. A geologist. There was a moment of thinking about being a doctor. A dancer.
8. How many schools did you attend up through grade 12?
3 buildings, same school district.
9. Why did you wear the shirt that you have on right now?
It didn't clash with the pants I put on this morning, and it was near the front of the closet. Unfortunately, that's how I pick a lot of my clothes.
10. Gas prices! First thought?
I hate Exxon and Mobil, and all the others, too.
11. If you could move anywhere and take someone with you, where would you go and who would you take?
I'd move to the mountains of Colorado with Beast and Sparky.
12. First thought when the alarm went off this morning?
I woke up at 4:30 when Beast's alarm went off, or when he got up anyway. I only dozed for the next 2 hours until mine went off at 6:20. My first thought when he got up was "I've got SO MUCH work to do!!"
13. Last thought before falling asleep last night?
"I've got so much work to do!!"
14. Favorite style of underwear?
Whatever is clean and on the top of the pile, based on whatever pants I'll be wearing.
15. Favorite style of underwear for the opposite sex?
None. As in wearing...none.
16. What errand/chore do you despise?
Grocery shopping, or even more specifically, Sam's Club shopping.
17. If you didn't have to work, would you?
I'd want to do something productive. Yes.
18. Sex or sleep?
What kind of choice is this?? Realistically, of late (see the answers above), I need sleep.
19. Your favorite cartoon character?
Mighty Mouse. Or Rocky (of Rocky & Bullwinkle).
20. Favorite non-sexual thing to do at night with a girl/boy?
Hysterical laughter. Sleeping is nice too.
21. A secret that you wouldn't mind everyone knowing?
This sort of defeats the purpose of a secret...
22. What was your first car?
My mom let me drive the '71 Corolla when she got a new car while I was in high school.
23. Your best "Your Mamma" joke?
I seem to have outgrown these a couple of decades ago.
24. Your favorite lunch meat?
Braunschweiger.
25. What do you get every time you go into a WAWA?
Presumably it's this WAWA, but since I've never heard of it...
26. Beach or shore?
Two in a row...I don't get it: what's the difference?
27. Do you think marriage is an outdated ritual that was invented by people who died at 20?
No, though I do think that people who honestly think that people used to "die at 20" should be strung up by their 'nads.
28. Who do you stalk?
In person, absolutely no one. Online, does a blogroll count?
29. Favorite guilty pleasure?
Pistachios.
30. Favorite movie you wouldn't want anyone to find out about?
The Sound of Music.
31. What's your drink?
Alcoholic: Vodka tonic (lime if avail)
Non-Alc: Diet Dr. Pepper
32. Cowboys or Indians?
I hate the Cowboys! My husband is from Cleveland.
Take a guess.
33. Cops or robbers?
Do love the show "Cops."
34. Do you cheer for the bad guys?
Define bad. But normally, no. I tend to cheer for whoever I think is the most right (or least wrong), or the smartest. That last criteria tends to eliminate a lot of "bad guys."
35. Norm or Cliff?
A bullet in my forehead.
36. The Cosby Show or the Simpsons?
Cosby
37. Worst relationship mistake that you wish you could take back?
A long list of mindless assumptions about friendships that didn't actually exist.
38. Do you like the person who sits directly across from you at work?
There are walls on two sides of my cube. The third side is open. The fourth side, someone is sitting there maybe 2 hours a day. I like her more than anyone else at work, though.
39. If you could get away with it, who would you kill?
Do you really expect me to post this list? This list is so long right now, I'd need a separate blog.
On the other hand, I wouldn't really ever "get away with it," would I? Me and my guilty conscience and God would always know.
40. What famous person would you like to have dinner with?
In line with the previous question, I think I'd choose to dine, alone, with Dubya.
41. What famous person would you like to sleep with?
Presumably, this is a euphemism? If we're sleeping, I'm not sure it matters. If there are other activities planned, I think I'd choose...uhm...Bjorn Borg. We might as well make the choice as much of a fantasy as the concept.
42. Have you ever had to use a fire extinguisher for its intended purpose?
No, actually.
43. Last book you read for real?
As opposed to reading something for not-real?
I'm working on The Brothers K.
44. Do you have a teddy bear?
I have multiple stuffed animals, but none that sleep with me (except Beast).
45. Strangest place you have ever had sex?
Strange to who?
OK, I came pretty close to sex on the living room floor in my best friend's parents' house with a friend of her younger brother while he was sleeping on the couch next to us.
46. Strangest place you have ever wanted to have sex?
If the floors in most libraries weren't always concrete under the carpet....! ;-)
But seriously, there've probably been many. I can't think of anyplace too weird right now.
47. How many times a day do you text?
Too cheap to text.
48. At this point in your life would you rather start a new career or relationship?
Is "hermit" a career? Or a "relationship"?
49. Do you go to church?
Yup.
50. Pencil or Pen?
Depends. I like mechanical pencils a lot, but I like pens too. I'm kind of a stationery-store freak, actually. The more writing utensils, the merrier.
1. What bill do you hate paying the most?
We switched jobs a few years ago, and I don't pay any bills. I tended to get a little on the obsessive side when I paid them. I hate credit card bills the most.
2. Favorite place to eat a romantic dinner?
N!col!no's. Or in a cabin in Maine. Or Ydra, in Greece.
3. Last time you puked from drinking?
I think it was the spring of my sophomore year in college, so that would be 1984. Two times is all it took for me to figure out this was a bad thing.
4. When is the last time you got drunk and woke up in a strange place?
Unless you count 'waking up' with my face in the toilet, I've never done this.
5. Name of your first grade teacher?
Miss Campbell, and Mrs. Potter (for reading).
6. What do you really want to be doing right now?
Uhm, virtually anywhere but at work. I'd also like everything I need to do there be done, past, over with.
7. What did you want to be when you were growing up?
Briefly, a teacher. A grocery store checker. A geologist. There was a moment of thinking about being a doctor. A dancer.
8. How many schools did you attend up through grade 12?
3 buildings, same school district.
9. Why did you wear the shirt that you have on right now?
It didn't clash with the pants I put on this morning, and it was near the front of the closet. Unfortunately, that's how I pick a lot of my clothes.
10. Gas prices! First thought?
I hate Exxon and Mobil, and all the others, too.
11. If you could move anywhere and take someone with you, where would you go and who would you take?
I'd move to the mountains of Colorado with Beast and Sparky.
12. First thought when the alarm went off this morning?
I woke up at 4:30 when Beast's alarm went off, or when he got up anyway. I only dozed for the next 2 hours until mine went off at 6:20. My first thought when he got up was "I've got SO MUCH work to do!!"
13. Last thought before falling asleep last night?
"I've got so much work to do!!"
14. Favorite style of underwear?
Whatever is clean and on the top of the pile, based on whatever pants I'll be wearing.
15. Favorite style of underwear for the opposite sex?
None. As in wearing...none.
16. What errand/chore do you despise?
Grocery shopping, or even more specifically, Sam's Club shopping.
17. If you didn't have to work, would you?
I'd want to do something productive. Yes.
18. Sex or sleep?
What kind of choice is this?? Realistically, of late (see the answers above), I need sleep.
19. Your favorite cartoon character?
Mighty Mouse. Or Rocky (of Rocky & Bullwinkle).
20. Favorite non-sexual thing to do at night with a girl/boy?
Hysterical laughter. Sleeping is nice too.
21. A secret that you wouldn't mind everyone knowing?
This sort of defeats the purpose of a secret...
22. What was your first car?
My mom let me drive the '71 Corolla when she got a new car while I was in high school.
23. Your best "Your Mamma" joke?
I seem to have outgrown these a couple of decades ago.
24. Your favorite lunch meat?
Braunschweiger.
25. What do you get every time you go into a WAWA?
Presumably it's this WAWA, but since I've never heard of it...
26. Beach or shore?
Two in a row...I don't get it: what's the difference?
27. Do you think marriage is an outdated ritual that was invented by people who died at 20?
No, though I do think that people who honestly think that people used to "die at 20" should be strung up by their 'nads.
28. Who do you stalk?
In person, absolutely no one. Online, does a blogroll count?
29. Favorite guilty pleasure?
Pistachios.
30. Favorite movie you wouldn't want anyone to find out about?
The Sound of Music.
31. What's your drink?
Alcoholic: Vodka tonic (lime if avail)
Non-Alc: Diet Dr. Pepper
32. Cowboys or Indians?
I hate the Cowboys! My husband is from Cleveland.
Take a guess.
33. Cops or robbers?
Do love the show "Cops."
34. Do you cheer for the bad guys?
Define bad. But normally, no. I tend to cheer for whoever I think is the most right (or least wrong), or the smartest. That last criteria tends to eliminate a lot of "bad guys."
35. Norm or Cliff?
A bullet in my forehead.
36. The Cosby Show or the Simpsons?
Cosby
37. Worst relationship mistake that you wish you could take back?
A long list of mindless assumptions about friendships that didn't actually exist.
38. Do you like the person who sits directly across from you at work?
There are walls on two sides of my cube. The third side is open. The fourth side, someone is sitting there maybe 2 hours a day. I like her more than anyone else at work, though.
39. If you could get away with it, who would you kill?
Do you really expect me to post this list? This list is so long right now, I'd need a separate blog.
On the other hand, I wouldn't really ever "get away with it," would I? Me and my guilty conscience and God would always know.
40. What famous person would you like to have dinner with?
In line with the previous question, I think I'd choose to dine, alone, with Dubya.
41. What famous person would you like to sleep with?
Presumably, this is a euphemism? If we're sleeping, I'm not sure it matters. If there are other activities planned, I think I'd choose...uhm...Bjorn Borg. We might as well make the choice as much of a fantasy as the concept.
42. Have you ever had to use a fire extinguisher for its intended purpose?
No, actually.
43. Last book you read for real?
As opposed to reading something for not-real?
I'm working on The Brothers K.
44. Do you have a teddy bear?
I have multiple stuffed animals, but none that sleep with me (except Beast).
45. Strangest place you have ever had sex?
Strange to who?
OK, I came pretty close to sex on the living room floor in my best friend's parents' house with a friend of her younger brother while he was sleeping on the couch next to us.
46. Strangest place you have ever wanted to have sex?
If the floors in most libraries weren't always concrete under the carpet....! ;-)
But seriously, there've probably been many. I can't think of anyplace too weird right now.
47. How many times a day do you text?
Too cheap to text.
48. At this point in your life would you rather start a new career or relationship?
Is "hermit" a career? Or a "relationship"?
49. Do you go to church?
Yup.
50. Pencil or Pen?
Depends. I like mechanical pencils a lot, but I like pens too. I'm kind of a stationery-store freak, actually. The more writing utensils, the merrier.
Cynical
| You Are 28% Cynical |
 Generally you give people the benefit of the doubt. But there are exceptions. You buy into many of the things that mainstream society believes, but you're not anybody's fool. |
Oh, no, I'm way more cynical than that, but not about so many of the things on the quiz!
What I prefer to say is that I give people the benefit of the doubt in that I give them enough rope to see if they use it to hang themselves. Mostly people do. Sometimes, it's entertaining to let them have more and watch them do it again and again...
...and sometimes I have to do it (I'm thinking mostly of work here, but not completely) and watch as they entangle themselves fully in their own insanity.
To Tell the Truth
Pick Your Poison
1. curl your tongue in a 'u' or wiggle your ears?
I can do neither. I know that the first, at least, is a genetic predisposition; neither of my parents could do the tongue-curl either. The ear-wiggling, my dad could do, but I can't.
Both Beast and Sparky can curl their tongues, but there are no wiggly ears in the house (except Buddy's ears).
72. Spiders or Snakes?
Prefer spiders.
73. Read music or play by ear?
Read music.
74. Sing or listen?
Sing. I sang at the Memorial Day parade, in fact.
75. Break a bone or cut yourself really bad?
Cut, though frankly, I'd rather do neither thanks all the same.
76. Summer or spring?
Summer.
77. Laughed and milk came out your nose or laughed and peed a bit?
Eeeuw...choice one.
This may just be the difference between being 10 and being 85.
78. Believe in ghosts or believe in ESP?
ESP, though I require a lot more proof of both before I would say I believe in either.
79. Muscular or lean?
I'd rather be lean AND muscular.
80. Sleep topless or bottomless?
I'm more likely to do the latter, I guess....?
1. curl your tongue in a 'u' or wiggle your ears?
I can do neither. I know that the first, at least, is a genetic predisposition; neither of my parents could do the tongue-curl either. The ear-wiggling, my dad could do, but I can't.
Both Beast and Sparky can curl their tongues, but there are no wiggly ears in the house (except Buddy's ears).
72. Spiders or Snakes?
Prefer spiders.
73. Read music or play by ear?
Read music.
74. Sing or listen?
Sing. I sang at the Memorial Day parade, in fact.
75. Break a bone or cut yourself really bad?
Cut, though frankly, I'd rather do neither thanks all the same.
76. Summer or spring?
Summer.
77. Laughed and milk came out your nose or laughed and peed a bit?
Eeeuw...choice one.
This may just be the difference between being 10 and being 85.
78. Believe in ghosts or believe in ESP?
ESP, though I require a lot more proof of both before I would say I believe in either.
79. Muscular or lean?
I'd rather be lean AND muscular.
80. Sleep topless or bottomless?
I'm more likely to do the latter, I guess....?
Tuesday, May 30
Tuesday Twosome
Think of two words that describe...
1. The smells of summer:
freshly-mown grass
sunscreen
2. The sights of summer:
convertibles
motorcycles
3. The sounds of summer:
kids playing outside
fireworks (unfortunately, in our immediate vicinity)
4. The touch of summer:
sunburn
mosquito bites
5. The tastes of summer:
fresh veggies and fruit
iced tea
1. The smells of summer:
freshly-mown grass
sunscreen
2. The sights of summer:
convertibles
motorcycles
3. The sounds of summer:
kids playing outside
fireworks (unfortunately, in our immediate vicinity)
4. The touch of summer:
sunburn
mosquito bites
5. The tastes of summer:
fresh veggies and fruit
iced tea
Ten on Tuesday
10 Plans for the Summer
1. Survive Mississippi
2. Soak up some heat
3. Work on organizing boxes of my parents' stuff
4. Clear my desk
5. Clean the spare room and get rid of the extra clothes and toys that Sparky has outgrown
6. Pick wallpaper for the rooms we've decided need it
7. Go on vacation
8. Try NOT to obsess about the work that needs to be done before the database merge
9. Decide whether to be youth leader or not next year
10. Lose the rest of the weight I'm facing down
1. Survive Mississippi
2. Soak up some heat
3. Work on organizing boxes of my parents' stuff
4. Clear my desk
5. Clean the spare room and get rid of the extra clothes and toys that Sparky has outgrown
6. Pick wallpaper for the rooms we've decided need it
7. Go on vacation
8. Try NOT to obsess about the work that needs to be done before the database merge
9. Decide whether to be youth leader or not next year
10. Lose the rest of the weight I'm facing down
Curious as a Cat
Week Number Twenty
If you were to die suddenly tomorrow, who (outside of your family) would you want to raise your children?
What would you like to perform when you run away to join the circus?
If you were to die suddenly tomorrow, who (outside of your family) would you want to raise your children?
When Sparky was little and we made our wills, we asked my brother and his wife to do this. At that time, they lived in Montana, and we figured it wouldn't matter if he moved across the country.
As he worked through grade school, we didn't make any changes to that stipulation, but at this point, I think we might want to. It would be a shame for him to have to move out of the school district along with everything else he'd be going through. Or maybe it would be better. I'm actually not sure what we'd do. Perhaps we could ask my niece and nephew--who live an hour or so away--but anyway they're still family....
Outside the family, I can't really think of anyone I'd saddle with an extra teenager, someone I'd trust to raise Sparky into a grown man.
What would you like to perform when you run away to join the circus?
I've always wanted to learn how to do the trapeze. The high-wire is out (not coordinated, or focussed, enough), no animal acts, I suspect the clown makeup would wreak havoc on my skin, I'm not at all "bendy" or strong....
Maybe I'll just be ringmaster!
Monday, May 29
Sunday Seven
Episode 39
THIS WEEK'S QUESTION:
Consider your "Dream House." Now name seven features, either of the house or the lot itself, that would be required for it to really be your "Dream House."
Pretty much got all of this in the house we built and are currently living in.
THIS WEEK'S QUESTION:
Consider your "Dream House." Now name seven features, either of the house or the lot itself, that would be required for it to really be your "Dream House."
1. NOT huge: 3 bedrooms and an office in addition to the normal necessities, but nothing gigantic.
2. Lots of closets and storage areas
3. Organized kitchen layout (the Magic Triangle) and sensible storage solutions, including a large pantry
4. Front porch
5. Either a large lot, or very nice neighbors who don't party till 3 a.m. very often
6. Interesting architectural details. I like some FL Wright (not all by any means) and Arts & Crafts. I do NOT like Victoriana at all. I do NOT like cookie cutter houses either; my dream house would not be interchangeable with any other nearby houses in any way at all.
7. Fireplace
Pretty much got all of this in the house we built and are currently living in.
Monday's a Bitch
Sunny Delight
1. Do you concentrate more on fitness around summertime in hopes of looking more attractive in less clothing?
Nope. I think about it more, but I don't do anything differently. The fact is, however, there are a lot more healthy foods more readily available in the summer.
2. Tanning: Necessary and beautiful, or unattractive and potentially cancerous?
I have skin with two basic color choices: stark white or bright red. I'd like to tan instead, but at this point of my life I do understand that overexposure to sun--however you do it, tanning or burning--is a Very Bad Thing.
3. You're lying on a beautiful, sandy beach. What drink do you picture in your hand?
The only time I've done this, the drink in my hand was a tequila sunrise.
4. Do you have a cabin you go to every year, or a regular campsite perhaps? Do you love the outdoors, or does summer for you involve a close personal relationship with an air conditioner?
I'd love to have a cabin, but yes, it would have to be several steps above primitive: indoor plumbing is a must, as is heat and some of kind of cooling system. When we go to Maine, the cooling system is called "night."
5. Were your childhood summers full of memorable family vacations? Was this a good thing or a bad thing? Describe your most interesting one.
By the time I came along, my dad had figured out vacations. My sisters and brother never really had any because Dad never took time off work. However, vacations were usually spent visiting family, not sightseeing per se.
My most memorable vacation was the summer of '75 when my parents went to England for 5 weeks. I chose to stay with my sister near M!lwaukee instead of going with them (wtf??), so I lived with them for most of July and part of August. My sister was pregnant and had a 2-year-old. It was a fun summer; they pretty much let me do whatever I wanted. There weren't any kids my age in the neighborhood, so I spent a lot of time reading (they had all the Hardy Boys books, and a lot of the Nancy Drew series) and playing in the woods behind their house, and walking through the ginormous cemetery down the block. I decided to make a list of everyone buried in the cemetery, but only had about two notebook pages done when I left. I drank a lot of Diet Pepsi (like my sister), learned to do crossword puzzles, helped out with my nephew, and had a blast, probably thousands of times more fun than I would have had in England with my parents!
1. Do you concentrate more on fitness around summertime in hopes of looking more attractive in less clothing?
Nope. I think about it more, but I don't do anything differently. The fact is, however, there are a lot more healthy foods more readily available in the summer.
2. Tanning: Necessary and beautiful, or unattractive and potentially cancerous?
I have skin with two basic color choices: stark white or bright red. I'd like to tan instead, but at this point of my life I do understand that overexposure to sun--however you do it, tanning or burning--is a Very Bad Thing.
3. You're lying on a beautiful, sandy beach. What drink do you picture in your hand?
The only time I've done this, the drink in my hand was a tequila sunrise.
4. Do you have a cabin you go to every year, or a regular campsite perhaps? Do you love the outdoors, or does summer for you involve a close personal relationship with an air conditioner?
I'd love to have a cabin, but yes, it would have to be several steps above primitive: indoor plumbing is a must, as is heat and some of kind of cooling system. When we go to Maine, the cooling system is called "night."
5. Were your childhood summers full of memorable family vacations? Was this a good thing or a bad thing? Describe your most interesting one.
By the time I came along, my dad had figured out vacations. My sisters and brother never really had any because Dad never took time off work. However, vacations were usually spent visiting family, not sightseeing per se.
My most memorable vacation was the summer of '75 when my parents went to England for 5 weeks. I chose to stay with my sister near M!lwaukee instead of going with them (wtf??), so I lived with them for most of July and part of August. My sister was pregnant and had a 2-year-old. It was a fun summer; they pretty much let me do whatever I wanted. There weren't any kids my age in the neighborhood, so I spent a lot of time reading (they had all the Hardy Boys books, and a lot of the Nancy Drew series) and playing in the woods behind their house, and walking through the ginormous cemetery down the block. I decided to make a list of everyone buried in the cemetery, but only had about two notebook pages done when I left. I drank a lot of Diet Pepsi (like my sister), learned to do crossword puzzles, helped out with my nephew, and had a blast, probably thousands of times more fun than I would have had in England with my parents!
Manic Monday
The Ever Edition
1. Have you ever listened in on a private conversation?
Sometimes it's hard NOT to: airports, airplanes, crowded restaurants, crowds in general, and grocery stores are prime examples. I try to tune out if possible. Sometimes, you just want to turn around and either tell people to shut up or tell them they're idiots....
2. Have you ever purposely taken a walk in the rain?
I used to love running around in the rain, before I got glasses. I don't do it so much anymore, but it still sounds fun.
3. Have you ever avoided doing something because of a superstition?
I wish I could definitively say no, but I suspect there have been some minor things I've delayed or done differently because of "bad luck" probably from a subconcious reminder.
4. Have you ever been on the radio?
When I was in college, I was on the radio at least once a week doing my own timeslot.
1. Have you ever listened in on a private conversation?
Sometimes it's hard NOT to: airports, airplanes, crowded restaurants, crowds in general, and grocery stores are prime examples. I try to tune out if possible. Sometimes, you just want to turn around and either tell people to shut up or tell them they're idiots....
2. Have you ever purposely taken a walk in the rain?
I used to love running around in the rain, before I got glasses. I don't do it so much anymore, but it still sounds fun.
3. Have you ever avoided doing something because of a superstition?
I wish I could definitively say no, but I suspect there have been some minor things I've delayed or done differently because of "bad luck" probably from a subconcious reminder.
4. Have you ever been on the radio?
When I was in college, I was on the radio at least once a week doing my own timeslot.
By the way
via Lisa
Which do you prefer?
watermelon, canteloupe, or peaches?
peaches, fresh off the trees near my mom's place (I'm not a melon-eater generally)
snowcones, popsicles, or an ice cream cone?
they all sound awful right now, but if my teeth weren't messed up I'd say snowcones
ice tea, lemonade, or a soda?
Soda, though I like the others ok
grilled hot dogs, hamburgers, or chicken?
dogs
Which do you prefer?
watermelon, canteloupe, or peaches?
peaches, fresh off the trees near my mom's place (I'm not a melon-eater generally)
snowcones, popsicles, or an ice cream cone?
they all sound awful right now, but if my teeth weren't messed up I'd say snowcones
ice tea, lemonade, or a soda?
Soda, though I like the others ok
grilled hot dogs, hamburgers, or chicken?
dogs
Race Day
(although we missed the Big Race because of other commitments)
Found these on a link from Lisa's blog:
OK. That's interesting....
DING! Got one of our cars in one!
Found these on a link from Lisa's blog:
You should race an Indy car
Just because everybody else is doing it, doesn't mean you have to. You're happy doing your own thing, and persuasive enough to get a whole crew to follow you. Nice moves.
Just because everybody else is doing it, doesn't mean you have to. You're happy doing your own thing, and persuasive enough to get a whole crew to follow you. Nice moves.
OK. That's interesting....
Your ride is a Toyota Camry or Honda Civic
You're a reliable and practical friend who can be counted on to come through when needed. You are rarely unprepared and would prefer to play it safe rather than take an unnecessary risk.
You're a reliable and practical friend who can be counted on to come through when needed. You are rarely unprepared and would prefer to play it safe rather than take an unnecessary risk.
DING! Got one of our cars in one!
Sunday, May 28
Saturday 6
Episode 111
1. What is the last museum you visited? What single item there most impressed you?
We went to the Body Worlds display last summer in Ch!cag* and it was absolutely fascinating. We spent almost two hours in the exhibit, and about another two hours across the rest of the museum.
2. What piece of computer equipment that you currently don't own would you most like to have?
Realistically, I'm good.
.
But someday, I'd like to have one of those virtual keyboards that project themselves onto a flat surface, anyway, and can read your typing. Cool
3. Coca Cola has recently released a new drink called Coca Cola Blak, which is a mix of Coke and coffee. Have you tried it? Would you try it? What flavor of soda would you most like to see someone create?
Actually, this clarifies it for me: I had no idea what it was, though I've seen it around.
Since I don't like coffee, I won't be drinking it. It sounds perfectly foul.
4. Take the quiz: Which flavor of tea are you?
Which flavor of tea are you? (with images)
You are Peppermint tea! Lots of people like peppermint tea, it's always sold out in the market. Not quite run of the mill--with your unique zingy mintiness, you are still in a group of large people. Not boring...yet not over ecstatic.
Take this quiz!
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OK, it sums me up pretty well. I even have some in the cupboard, though I've never actually had it (bought it for company last summer).
5. How do you like your tea? Iced or hot? Sweet or unsweetened? With cream or without?
Depends on the temperature. I like hot tea in winter, cold tea in summer. All black/unsweet. I don't fit in properly in the South or England!
6. You see someone run out of a store with a wad of bills. Shortly afterwards, a store employee runs out of the store after him, but stops just outside the door when it appears that the person has run down the street towards a seedy-looking motel. If you assumed you had just witnessed the getaway in an armed robbery, would you drive into the motel parking lot in an attempt to find out what room number or what vehicle the person got into, or would you pay it no more attention?
I would call the police. If it were an armed robbery, I'm not going to play hero and get shot by following the guy to the motel. I'd probably check with the clerk before I did anything, however.
1. What is the last museum you visited? What single item there most impressed you?
We went to the Body Worlds display last summer in Ch!cag* and it was absolutely fascinating. We spent almost two hours in the exhibit, and about another two hours across the rest of the museum.
2. What piece of computer equipment that you currently don't own would you most like to have?
Realistically, I'm good.
.
But someday, I'd like to have one of those virtual keyboards that project themselves onto a flat surface, anyway, and can read your typing. Cool
3. Coca Cola has recently released a new drink called Coca Cola Blak, which is a mix of Coke and coffee. Have you tried it? Would you try it? What flavor of soda would you most like to see someone create?
Actually, this clarifies it for me: I had no idea what it was, though I've seen it around.
Since I don't like coffee, I won't be drinking it. It sounds perfectly foul.
4. Take the quiz: Which flavor of tea are you?
Which flavor of tea are you? (with images)
You are Peppermint tea! Lots of people like peppermint tea, it's always sold out in the market. Not quite run of the mill--with your unique zingy mintiness, you are still in a group of large people. Not boring...yet not over ecstatic.
Take this quiz!
Quizilla |
Join
| Make A Quiz | More Quizzes | Grab Code
OK, it sums me up pretty well. I even have some in the cupboard, though I've never actually had it (bought it for company last summer).
5. How do you like your tea? Iced or hot? Sweet or unsweetened? With cream or without?
Depends on the temperature. I like hot tea in winter, cold tea in summer. All black/unsweet. I don't fit in properly in the South or England!
6. You see someone run out of a store with a wad of bills. Shortly afterwards, a store employee runs out of the store after him, but stops just outside the door when it appears that the person has run down the street towards a seedy-looking motel. If you assumed you had just witnessed the getaway in an armed robbery, would you drive into the motel parking lot in an attempt to find out what room number or what vehicle the person got into, or would you pay it no more attention?
I would call the police. If it were an armed robbery, I'm not going to play hero and get shot by following the guy to the motel. I'd probably check with the clerk before I did anything, however.
Unconscious Mutterings
Week 173
- Bounce :: Will Smith [why? no clue, really]
- Wasting time :: Blogging
- Utility :: ...knife
- London :: ...Bridge is falling down
- Pregnant :: ...pause [and my niece]
- Cranberry :: UTI
- International :: World-wide
- Disappointment :: Sad
- Sponsor :: "A word from our..."
- Second :: ...chance
What year?
| You Belong in 1971 |
If you scored... 1950 - 1959: You're fun loving, romantic, and more than a little innocent. See you at the drive in! 1960 - 1969: You are a free spirit with a huge heart. Love, peace, and happiness rule - oh, and drugs too. 1970 - 1979: Bold and brash, you take life by the horns. Whether you're partying or protesting, you give it your all! 1980 - 1989: Wild, over the top, and just a little bit cheesy. You're colorful at night - and successful during the day. 1990 - 1999: With you anything goes! You're grunge one day, ghetto fabulous the next. It's all good! |
Apparently, no one belongs in 2006....I'm not sure I "fit" any of these decade descriptions, though I'd say that the 70s is a little too modern: I sort of feel more like the 60s...of the 50s.
Druggy personality
| Your Personality Is Like Acid |
 A bit wacky, you're very difficult to predict. One moment you're in your own little happy universe... And the next, you're on a bad trip to your own personal hell! |
Nothing to add here.
Friday, May 26
City Girl (redux)
Last time I did a test like this, I was Boston. By the way, Boston was nice, but frickin' cold! The people were good, though.
I cannot possibly explain to you how totally unlikely it is that I will ever consent--except under duress--to living in Austin or Atlanta.
I'm glad Denver made the list, and the others wouldn't be totally horrible either.
| American Cities That Best Fit You:: |
| 60% Austin |
| 55% Atlanta |
| 55% Denver |
| 55% Honolulu |
| 55% Las Vegas |
I cannot possibly explain to you how totally unlikely it is that I will ever consent--except under duress--to living in Austin or Atlanta.
I'm glad Denver made the list, and the others wouldn't be totally horrible either.
?otd
Do you ever have a hard time understanding the accent of people who are speaking the same language that you are?
Yeah for a couple of reasons: they don't speak Midwestern (either U.S. Midwest or Canadian Midwest, I'm really not that fussy), a.k.a. TV-Speak; or they mumble. If it's both, I've had moments of wanting to smack 'em around.
Yeah for a couple of reasons: they don't speak Midwestern (either U.S. Midwest or Canadian Midwest, I'm really not that fussy), a.k.a. TV-Speak; or they mumble. If it's both, I've had moments of wanting to smack 'em around.
Five on Friday
In Memoriam
1. Do you know anyone who died in service of your country?
I am extremely fortunate that no one in my immediate acquaintance has ever died in the service. I'm all too aware of that fact this weekend.
2. Memorial Day began as a day to decorate the graves of fallen soldiers. Do you visit or maintain any gravesites?
I visit cemeteries, not specific graves, because they are peaceful and usually empty of living people. All the graves that I naturally would visit are in Denver, and I try to visit them when I can. There is one grave locally that I should visit more often.
3. There are some people who believe Memorial Day should be returned to it's original day, May 30, instead of the last Monday of May. What is your preference?
There are so many more immediate and major issues to deal with; this is just not my battle to fight.
4. After your death, how would you like to be memorialized?
Not up to me to decide what my legacy is at that point. I'd like to have done someone some good.
5. What are your plans for this holiday weekend?
I work tomorrow. Sunday we'll go to church (Beast has to count the offering) and then spend the afternoon at friends' in the next state to the north. Monday, after the parade--in which Sparky will be marching--I will be at the library (ALONE!! In silence!!) working on skinny kids' series books.
1. Do you know anyone who died in service of your country?
I am extremely fortunate that no one in my immediate acquaintance has ever died in the service. I'm all too aware of that fact this weekend.
2. Memorial Day began as a day to decorate the graves of fallen soldiers. Do you visit or maintain any gravesites?
I visit cemeteries, not specific graves, because they are peaceful and usually empty of living people. All the graves that I naturally would visit are in Denver, and I try to visit them when I can. There is one grave locally that I should visit more often.
3. There are some people who believe Memorial Day should be returned to it's original day, May 30, instead of the last Monday of May. What is your preference?
There are so many more immediate and major issues to deal with; this is just not my battle to fight.
4. After your death, how would you like to be memorialized?
Not up to me to decide what my legacy is at that point. I'd like to have done someone some good.
5. What are your plans for this holiday weekend?
I work tomorrow. Sunday we'll go to church (Beast has to count the offering) and then spend the afternoon at friends' in the next state to the north. Monday, after the parade--in which Sparky will be marching--I will be at the library (ALONE!! In silence!!) working on skinny kids' series books.
X-Men
Isn't that a misnomer, since many of them are women? But anyway...
I swear to you that I did NOT rig this result. I also know next to nothing about this series, having only read the article in EW this week listing several of the characters and their powers.
This description doesn't fit me much, though I would like to melt through walls (and floors) easily.
| You Are Shadowcat |
 You're like a little sister to some, but others see you as a sex kitten. You are well trained in martial arts, a bit of a computer geek, and can totally kick butt. Powers: the ability to "phase" through walls and other physical objects. |
I swear to you that I did NOT rig this result. I also know next to nothing about this series, having only read the article in EW this week listing several of the characters and their powers.
This description doesn't fit me much, though I would like to melt through walls (and floors) easily.
Friday Five
Honey, I’m Home!
1. How many places have you lived in your life?
I've had nine addresses of places where I've slept for at least three months. That averages to a move every 4-5 years, but since three of those addresses were college years, it's not really that bad, more like every 7-8 years.
2. Which was your favorite and why and what street was it on?
Putting my current house up against the house in which I grew up isn't really fair, is it?
I'll just list the good points of each:
Somewhere warm and dry, with seasons that aren't extreme, and no bugs. When you find this place, let me know.
Till that point, I'll stick with somewhere in western Colorado.
4. What would your ideal home have in it?
Books, high-speed internet, comfortable furniture, a big bathtub, a fireplace, and a Harley (in the garage).
5. Can you describe your current crib?
{snort} It's a bungalow/farmhouse-style new construct (I believe the hole was dug for the foundation just about exactly 3 years ago). Two floors, plus a basement, covered porch across the front, smaller concrete pad for a covered porch area in back, three-car garage, set on about 1/3 of an acre, 3-car garage which (so far) still has space for two cars to park inside. It's sage green on the outside. Oh, three bedrooms, three baths, and plumbed for another (whatever), office on the main floor, family room in the basement (with lovely new furniture which I still haven't photographed...shit). Lovely view of the sunset from the back porch. Big master suite and loads and loads of storage.
That enough?
1. How many places have you lived in your life?
I've had nine addresses of places where I've slept for at least three months. That averages to a move every 4-5 years, but since three of those addresses were college years, it's not really that bad, more like every 7-8 years.
2. Which was your favorite and why and what street was it on?
Putting my current house up against the house in which I grew up isn't really fair, is it?
I'll just list the good points of each:
Cherokee St.--my dad built it, I had huge bedroom windows, it was (is?) "home"3. If you could live anywhere for the rest of your life, where would it be?
Two dorm rooms in K*lg**r Hall--very steep learning curve, I grew up a lot and learned that living communally might not be my thing
"Chuck" House--I found out that, on a small scale, communal living can be fun, as long as you have MTV and free food on campus
Newton Ave.--Living small is good, living tiny is hard, living on a very busy urban street with no air-conditioning makes phone calls challenging, living on a bus line is wonderful, living across the street from a mini-mart ROCKS! Oh, and if you can hear your neighbors snoring at night, there's not a damn thing you can do about it.
N. 25th St.--Old houses are the best, although insulation is a wonderful late-20th century invention, sleeper sofas are hard to get upstairs, especially if the stairs turn a lot, 30-year-old carpet is nasty, so are dirty oil-burning furnaces, but only the landlord should call repairmen
S*v*ille--Buying a house isn't THAT hard, living in a House of Death isn't a big deal, buying a house means buying a hobby or two (decorating and yardwork), the things you own tend to expand to fill the space you have, they don't make linoleum like that anymore (unfortunately), dogs and babies are fun
W*ln*t Dr.--Being a stay-at-home mom is hard (and not for me at all), a house is more than just a roof over your head, split-levels suck, I'd rather live near people from Mexico than white trash, people in this state/town are rude, minivans suck
R*d [farm structure]--Building a house is fun, there are some people in life you just can't count on (I'm not sure I've really figured this out, actually), a house at the top of a hill is safe from flooding but the trade-off is lots of wind, read the association agreement, a great house doesn't mean personal issues go away, there are some nice people in this state after all!
Somewhere warm and dry, with seasons that aren't extreme, and no bugs. When you find this place, let me know.
Till that point, I'll stick with somewhere in western Colorado.
4. What would your ideal home have in it?
Books, high-speed internet, comfortable furniture, a big bathtub, a fireplace, and a Harley (in the garage).
5. Can you describe your current crib?
{snort} It's a bungalow/farmhouse-style new construct (I believe the hole was dug for the foundation just about exactly 3 years ago). Two floors, plus a basement, covered porch across the front, smaller concrete pad for a covered porch area in back, three-car garage, set on about 1/3 of an acre, 3-car garage which (so far) still has space for two cars to park inside. It's sage green on the outside. Oh, three bedrooms, three baths, and plumbed for another (whatever), office on the main floor, family room in the basement (with lovely new furniture which I still haven't photographed...shit). Lovely view of the sunset from the back porch. Big master suite and loads and loads of storage.
That enough?
Friday Fiver
Buy me a drink
1. Where did you grow up?
The Denver area.
2. Have you ever been to Indiana?
Yes.
Why?
3. Describe yourself at age 18:
Naive, sheltered and very sure that I was ready to face the world. Couldn't wait to move 1000 miles away for college. Book-smart, street-retarded.
4. How do you deal with pain?
Kind of depends. If it's immediate pain like stubbing my toe, or cutting open a finger with a knife, I can distance myself enough to figure out what to do about it. I don't have a good coping mechanism for long-term pain, however.
5. When is the last time you screwed up?
I don't think I have today. Yet. I don't think I messed anything up at work last night...the biggest thing that stands out from yesterday involves letting my mouth run away with me (again) at a meeting.
1. Where did you grow up?
The Denver area.
2. Have you ever been to Indiana?
Yes.
Why?
3. Describe yourself at age 18:
Naive, sheltered and very sure that I was ready to face the world. Couldn't wait to move 1000 miles away for college. Book-smart, street-retarded.
4. How do you deal with pain?
Kind of depends. If it's immediate pain like stubbing my toe, or cutting open a finger with a knife, I can distance myself enough to figure out what to do about it. I don't have a good coping mechanism for long-term pain, however.
5. When is the last time you screwed up?
I don't think I have today. Yet. I don't think I messed anything up at work last night...the biggest thing that stands out from yesterday involves letting my mouth run away with me (again) at a meeting.
Four for Friday
May 26
Q1 - Automobiles: A gallon of gasoline weighs just over 6 pounds. When burned, the carbon in it combines with oxygen from the air to produce nearly 20 pounds of carbon dioxide (CO2). With that in mind, and with the price of gasoline continually on the rise, how likely is it that the next car you buy will be a hybrid?
I'd like to buy a hybrid. There are some other factors that are important to me (us) besides the pollution factor: safety, repair costs, how long the car itself will survive (some brands just last longer without constant maintenance).
Q2- Television: How many channels are on your television, and approximately how many of them do you watch on a somewhat regular basis?
We probably have close to 500 channels. We probably watch fewer than 5% of them regularly. The high number is related to the addition of XM Radio channels, which we rarely listen to.
Q3- How Are They Doing: Do you think pharmaceutical and drug companies generally do a good or bad job of serving their consumers?
They are in it for the money, not for sick people. I think generally they do all right by them, but I just don't see how you can justify making exorbitant amounts of money off illness. Much of the blame, however, has to be placed squarely at the feet of the totally screwed-up insurance "system" we have in the U.S.
Q4- Right Now: What is the closest object to your left hand?
My left hand is on the keyboard of the laptop, which is sitting on my legs...beyond the computer and my body, I guess the nearest thing is either the couch or the notes I've been working on for the Giant Inventory Project That Needs to Be Done (Having Never Been Done Since Time Immemorial).
Q1 - Automobiles: A gallon of gasoline weighs just over 6 pounds. When burned, the carbon in it combines with oxygen from the air to produce nearly 20 pounds of carbon dioxide (CO2). With that in mind, and with the price of gasoline continually on the rise, how likely is it that the next car you buy will be a hybrid?
I'd like to buy a hybrid. There are some other factors that are important to me (us) besides the pollution factor: safety, repair costs, how long the car itself will survive (some brands just last longer without constant maintenance).
Q2- Television: How many channels are on your television, and approximately how many of them do you watch on a somewhat regular basis?
We probably have close to 500 channels. We probably watch fewer than 5% of them regularly. The high number is related to the addition of XM Radio channels, which we rarely listen to.
Q3- How Are They Doing: Do you think pharmaceutical and drug companies generally do a good or bad job of serving their consumers?
They are in it for the money, not for sick people. I think generally they do all right by them, but I just don't see how you can justify making exorbitant amounts of money off illness. Much of the blame, however, has to be placed squarely at the feet of the totally screwed-up insurance "system" we have in the U.S.
Q4- Right Now: What is the closest object to your left hand?
My left hand is on the keyboard of the laptop, which is sitting on my legs...beyond the computer and my body, I guess the nearest thing is either the couch or the notes I've been working on for the Giant Inventory Project That Needs to Be Done (Having Never Been Done Since Time Immemorial).
Thursday, May 25
Friday's Feast
Feast Ninety-Five
Appetizer
How old were you when you got your first credit card?
I was probably 22. Oddly, I don't remember. I know I didn't have one in college (unless you count a Sears charge card on my mom's account, which I don't think I ever used, not having a Sears store anywhere near my college). It was cash and checks all the way baby...just like now (for the most part).
Soup
When was the last time you felt out of place?
All week, but especially yesterday, sobbing in my kitchen.
Salad
Did you have a curfew when you were a teenager? If so, what time did you have to be home?
I probably did, but I don't remember it being much of an issue. I was a little on the...intense...side about getting enough sleep.
Funny how now I almost never get more than 7 hours.
Main Course
Name a person from history with whom you feel you have something in common.
My grandmother. I think we look a lot alike (which is a bit scary as I age!), and we share the same temperament. I'm fortunate enough not to have lived the horrors she lived, however.
Dessert
When you read a newspaper, which section do you go for first?
In Beasts's "real" newspaper: the comics (For Better or For Worse, and Zits), and the advice columns.
In the local daily rag: I save them until I have 3 or 4, and then start at the front page and flip through quickly. I read four yesterday in less than a half hour, front to back, excluding the ads. I probably spend the most time on the front page stories and the letters to the editor.
Appetizer
How old were you when you got your first credit card?
I was probably 22. Oddly, I don't remember. I know I didn't have one in college (unless you count a Sears charge card on my mom's account, which I don't think I ever used, not having a Sears store anywhere near my college). It was cash and checks all the way baby...just like now (for the most part).
Soup
When was the last time you felt out of place?
All week, but especially yesterday, sobbing in my kitchen.
Salad
Did you have a curfew when you were a teenager? If so, what time did you have to be home?
I probably did, but I don't remember it being much of an issue. I was a little on the...intense...side about getting enough sleep.
Funny how now I almost never get more than 7 hours.
Main Course
Name a person from history with whom you feel you have something in common.
My grandmother. I think we look a lot alike (which is a bit scary as I age!), and we share the same temperament. I'm fortunate enough not to have lived the horrors she lived, however.
Dessert
When you read a newspaper, which section do you go for first?
In Beasts's "real" newspaper: the comics (For Better or For Worse, and Zits), and the advice columns.
In the local daily rag: I save them until I have 3 or 4, and then start at the front page and flip through quickly. I read four yesterday in less than a half hour, front to back, excluding the ads. I probably spend the most time on the front page stories and the letters to the editor.
Sesame Street Personality
| You Are Bert |
 You are usually feeling: Logical - you rarely let your emotions rule you You are famous for: Being smart, a total neat freak, and maybe just a little evil How you life your life: With passion, even if your odd passions (like bottle caps and pigeons) are baffling to others |
I didn't want to be Bert...but I'm kind of liking that "maybe just a little evil" part. The bit about my emotions is patently, 100% false. And the first statement explains a lot about my experiences at the reference desk at work!
3x Thursday
Natural Disasters
1. Do natural disasters (earthquakes, hurricanes, blizzards, tsunamis) worry you? Why/why not?
I don't spend quality time on them, unless the possibility is imminent. If the wind picks up, or the sky looks unnaturally green, or if the weather map shows stuff on its way here, then yeah, I'll make sensible preparations.
2. Where you live, which natural disaster are you most prone to? Does it make you want to move somewhere else? Why/Why not?
Can you say Tornado Alley? Since that and the very occasional blizzard are about all we see, I can honestly say that I'd rather be here than dealing with floods, earthquakes, hurricanes, or black fly infestations.
3. Have you ever been affected by an Act of Nature? If so, do tell!
Not in this sense, thank goodness. Coupla small earthquakes, no biggie.
Bonus Question: Which natural disaster do you find the most fascinating (cause hey, they are!)? Why?
Fascinating in the sense of self-preservation: tornadoes, hands-down, because I need to know how they work so I can do sensible things when one is in the area. There's also that movie that brings some interest in tornadoes up whenever I see it.
Fascinating in other senses: blizzards (thank The Long Winter for that) and earthquakes, having experienced small ones. Very weird. Also have some sort of weird "thing" for volcanic eruptions, probably based on the whole history surrounding Pompeii.
1. Do natural disasters (earthquakes, hurricanes, blizzards, tsunamis) worry you? Why/why not?
I don't spend quality time on them, unless the possibility is imminent. If the wind picks up, or the sky looks unnaturally green, or if the weather map shows stuff on its way here, then yeah, I'll make sensible preparations.
2. Where you live, which natural disaster are you most prone to? Does it make you want to move somewhere else? Why/Why not?
Can you say Tornado Alley? Since that and the very occasional blizzard are about all we see, I can honestly say that I'd rather be here than dealing with floods, earthquakes, hurricanes, or black fly infestations.
3. Have you ever been affected by an Act of Nature? If so, do tell!
Not in this sense, thank goodness. Coupla small earthquakes, no biggie.
Bonus Question: Which natural disaster do you find the most fascinating (cause hey, they are!)? Why?
Fascinating in the sense of self-preservation: tornadoes, hands-down, because I need to know how they work so I can do sensible things when one is in the area. There's also that movie that brings some interest in tornadoes up whenever I see it.
Fascinating in other senses: blizzards (thank The Long Winter for that) and earthquakes, having experienced small ones. Very weird. Also have some sort of weird "thing" for volcanic eruptions, probably based on the whole history surrounding Pompeii.
Thursday Threesome
Onesome- Last: What's the last thing you do each day before heading to bed? Do you sit down with a cup of herbal tea? Read a bit? What's your evening routine? Do you settle in early or are you a night owl, winding down long after the rest of the household is in bed?
The last thing I do usually involves face-washing, teeth-brushing, or hair-brushing. Before that, anything goes: TV, bath, Blogger... last night it was phone calls.
The last thing I do before sleep, in bed, is crosswords: they put me right out.
Twosome- Day: How do you start off your day? Do you stumble to the kitchen and turn on the coffee maker in a sleepy haze? Or do you wake up refreshed and rarin' to go? Maybe somewhere in the middle?
After a plumbing check, I either take a shower or go downstairs and make a bagel, depending on whether I took a bath the night before, and on what my hair looks like. I'm usually pretty much awake. This morning, in spite of about 6 hours of often-interrupted sleep, I feel pretty good.
Threesome- of School: What's your fondest school memory? Whether it be from childhood or college, let us know!
I have a lot of good memories of school; I liked school and enjoyed most of my classes/teachers. Probably the best lesson I ever learned was the first day of school in 6th grade. I had been "promoted" in 1st grade in that I took a lot of my classes with the 2nd graders. By the time I was in 5th grade, I was taking all 6th grade classes. Come the end of the school year, I realized that all of my friends would be going on to junior high, while I would stay with my age-group and essentially repeat 6th grade--I actually never thought of it that way till just now!
Anyway, the first day of school was really scary because I had no idea if anyone would let me join a clique of friends. I clearly remember walking down the hall in terror before the bell, alone, toward my classroom, where I could hear kids talking. Walking through the door was hard, finding a group to join was harder, and pretending that it was perfectly normal for me to talk to them was next-to-impossible.
By Day Two, I was 'in' and I never turned back to being buddies with my "old" friends, even in junior high. I'm still extremely good friends with a couple of those girls.
Great lesson learned: "Fake it till you make it."
?otd
Welcome to Sesame Street! You'll need a roommate though, which one of the residents of Sesame Street will you be moving in with? And why?
It's really a choice between Cookie Monster, Big Bird, and Snuffleupagus. Probably in that order. All of the others are pretty one-dimensional, and that would get old.
Oooh, could I move in with Susan and Gordon?? Or Maria and Luis? That would be cool.
It's really a choice between Cookie Monster, Big Bird, and Snuffleupagus. Probably in that order. All of the others are pretty one-dimensional, and that would get old.
Oooh, could I move in with Susan and Gordon?? Or Maria and Luis? That would be cool.
Wednesday, May 24
Are You More...?
Are you more...
01) A believer in unwritten rules or a believer in written rules?
I tend to only really pay attention to written rules, On the other hand, there are a lot of little landmin...er, unwritten rules in life, aren't there?
02) Water or fire?
Fire, within reason.
03) Earth or air?
I'd really prefer both of these, with neither water nor fire.
04) Someone who eats their eggs plain or someone who spices them up somehow? Plain, as long as I have salt and pepper. And toast.
05) Eggs, bacon, hashbrowns, toast and coffee for breakfast or muffin and a coffee for breakfast? Bagel, cream cheese, orange juice or diet soda.
06) Honest or likeable?
Honest. To a fault, apparently.
07) Chicken or fish?
Either is fine, as long as it's prepared well.
08) Admiring of Mahatma Gandhi or admiring of Martin Luther King Jr.? I know more about King, but they really stood for the same thing, didn't they, and used similar methods.
09) Hoping this summer is a hot one or hoping this summer is a cool one? Hot; summers are supposed to be hot.
10) Juicy or sweet? Up until recently, I'd've said sweet without a thought. Lately, I'm preferring unsweet, lukewarm foods (and drinks).
01) A believer in unwritten rules or a believer in written rules?
I tend to only really pay attention to written rules, On the other hand, there are a lot of little landmin...er, unwritten rules in life, aren't there?
02) Water or fire?
Fire, within reason.
03) Earth or air?
I'd really prefer both of these, with neither water nor fire.
04) Someone who eats their eggs plain or someone who spices them up somehow? Plain, as long as I have salt and pepper. And toast.
05) Eggs, bacon, hashbrowns, toast and coffee for breakfast or muffin and a coffee for breakfast? Bagel, cream cheese, orange juice or diet soda.
06) Honest or likeable?
Honest. To a fault, apparently.
07) Chicken or fish?
Either is fine, as long as it's prepared well.
08) Admiring of Mahatma Gandhi or admiring of Martin Luther King Jr.? I know more about King, but they really stood for the same thing, didn't they, and used similar methods.
09) Hoping this summer is a hot one or hoping this summer is a cool one? Hot; summers are supposed to be hot.
10) Juicy or sweet? Up until recently, I'd've said sweet without a thought. Lately, I'm preferring unsweet, lukewarm foods (and drinks).
Blogthings
| You Are Pork |
 You like to think you're the other white meat, but many people don't want anything to do with you. You probably smoke. And it's likely that no body part of yours is off limits. |
And just what should I say to that??!
Tell the Truth...
Or pick your preference:
1. smoked or barbequed? (For you Texans this may be difficult 'cause I think you think they're the same thing)
I don't like either much, but I actually prefer smoked by a tidge, just because it's unusual.
2. DVD or movie theatre?
With the state of movies lately, DVD so I can skip the bad parts.
3. thongs or bikini?
Of those two, bikini. In real life, none of the above!
4. country or rock?
By and large, I don't like country, so rock.
5. honey or jam?
Honey
6. country or city?
I live in the country, sort of. Or are we talking vacations?
7. oral or anal (sex)?
Oral
8. Brangelina or TomKat?
Duct tape for all
9. fireworks or bumper cars?
Fireworks
10. Bush or Harper?
I know nothing at all about Harper (because I'm a moronic American), but he's just GOT to be better than Bush! The only way he could be worse is if he were SMART and evil.
My score: 8.5
1. smoked or barbequed? (For you Texans this may be difficult 'cause I think you think they're the same thing)
I don't like either much, but I actually prefer smoked by a tidge, just because it's unusual.
2. DVD or movie theatre?
With the state of movies lately, DVD so I can skip the bad parts.
3. thongs or bikini?
Of those two, bikini. In real life, none of the above!
4. country or rock?
By and large, I don't like country, so rock.
5. honey or jam?
Honey
6. country or city?
I live in the country, sort of. Or are we talking vacations?
7. oral or anal (sex)?
Oral
8. Brangelina or TomKat?
Duct tape for all
9. fireworks or bumper cars?
Fireworks
10. Bush or Harper?
I know nothing at all about Harper (because I'm a moronic American), but he's just GOT to be better than Bush! The only way he could be worse is if he were SMART and evil.
My score: 8.5
Hump Day
It's Night Baseball Day!
[FYI--I don't 'do' professional baseball; I've watched about 5 games on TV in the past 10 years--parts of each--and been to a stadium exactly once in about 14 years. Yes, I'm the only American sports fan who can't stand baseball.]
1. Do you prefer baseball games during the day or at night? Why?
Don't care. Silly me: I always thought the games was the important bit, not the fireworks afterwards. I guess I'd prefer sunny day games so that I can at least work on what passes for tan for me.
2. What's your favorite baseball team?
The Denver Bears. They don't exist anymore.
3. What's your favorite baseball park treat?
I will say that there really isn't anything like a ballpark dog with all the doin's.
4. Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron and Barry Bonds are in a home-run hitting contest. Everything's the same - bats, balls, etc. Who are you rooting to win?
To quote a famous person: meh. If Bonds is still doping in this hypothetical, he'll win.
When the extraordinary becomes commonplace, it's no longer extraordinary, or even interesting.
[FYI--I don't 'do' professional baseball; I've watched about 5 games on TV in the past 10 years--parts of each--and been to a stadium exactly once in about 14 years. Yes, I'm the only American sports fan who can't stand baseball.]
1. Do you prefer baseball games during the day or at night? Why?
Don't care. Silly me: I always thought the games was the important bit, not the fireworks afterwards. I guess I'd prefer sunny day games so that I can at least work on what passes for tan for me.
2. What's your favorite baseball team?
The Denver Bears. They don't exist anymore.
3. What's your favorite baseball park treat?
I will say that there really isn't anything like a ballpark dog with all the doin's.
4. Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron and Barry Bonds are in a home-run hitting contest. Everything's the same - bats, balls, etc. Who are you rooting to win?
To quote a famous person: meh. If Bonds is still doping in this hypothetical, he'll win.
When the extraordinary becomes commonplace, it's no longer extraordinary, or even interesting.
Tuesday, May 23
Stolen
from the usual suspect
Funny, I didn't pick either of those answers. How odd.
But I always did like Patty; she frequently was the only sensible person in the strip.
OOOOKayyyyyy, I'm sure the first word people think of when they think about me is sophisticated, followed oh-so closely by classy. The last line of this? Totally wrong, about me anyway.
| You Are the Very Gay Peppermint Patty! |
 Softball is the huge tipoff here... As well as a "best friend" who loves to call her "sir" |
Funny, I didn't pick either of those answers. How odd.
But I always did like Patty; she frequently was the only sensible person in the strip.
| Your Passion is Purple |
 Sophisticated and classy, you're a bit picky about sex. You're more likely to be turned on by a fancy hotel room than a dirty flick. Sex is fine enough, as long as it doesn't mess up your hair. For you, sex is more about power and favors than actually pleasure. |
OOOOKayyyyyy, I'm sure the first word people think of when they think about me is sophisticated, followed oh-so closely by classy. The last line of this? Totally wrong, about me anyway.
Monday's a Bitch
TV, oui
1. What’s your favourite television theme song?
Ever-ever?? Wow. Probably either Bewitched or Gilligan's Island. But right now it's definitely CSI.
2. What tv character’s "tragic" demise actually made you happy?
I don't actually watch that many shows when main characters get whacked. I can't think of a one.
3. If you had to be implanted into a tv show (meaning as a character, not an actor), which would you choose?
I want to be Samantha Stevens.
4. What show do you wish would be released on DVD?
Bewitched
5. What are your favourite conventional and unconventional tv couples?
I can't think of any conventional ones I like...maybe Ma & Pa Ingalls, when the show began, not Pa-the-Preachy in the later seasons. Paul Reiser and Helen Hunt on Mad About You were good, too.
Unconventional? What is unconventional? Alex and Elaine on Taxi? Hot Lips and Pierce on MASH? Mary Anne & Gilligan? I'm having a brain burp and can't think of anything in particular. I'm usually more interested in the friendship aspect than in the hopping into bed aspect.
1. What’s your favourite television theme song?
Ever-ever?? Wow. Probably either Bewitched or Gilligan's Island. But right now it's definitely CSI.
2. What tv character’s "tragic" demise actually made you happy?
I don't actually watch that many shows when main characters get whacked. I can't think of a one.
3. If you had to be implanted into a tv show (meaning as a character, not an actor), which would you choose?
I want to be Samantha Stevens.
4. What show do you wish would be released on DVD?
Bewitched
5. What are your favourite conventional and unconventional tv couples?
I can't think of any conventional ones I like...maybe Ma & Pa Ingalls, when the show began, not Pa-the-Preachy in the later seasons. Paul Reiser and Helen Hunt on Mad About You were good, too.
Unconventional? What is unconventional? Alex and Elaine on Taxi? Hot Lips and Pierce on MASH? Mary Anne & Gilligan? I'm having a brain burp and can't think of anything in particular. I'm usually more interested in the friendship aspect than in the hopping into bed aspect.
Letter of the Day
This is the latest pass-along meme: Pick 10 words that begin with an assigned letter. Jason over at ZenFoPro assigned me C (I'm assuming because of my name), so here goes:
1) The obvious, easy one is Cats, to which I'm allergic. I wasn't allergic to them as a child, but around the time I got contacts I suddenly developed the itchy-eyes-runny-nose-closed-lungs (in that order) reaction to my sister's cat, who developed a love relationship with me he'd never had before. Cats know frickin' everything! I actually like cats more now than I ever used to, but obviously owning one is completely out of the question.
2) "Caddyshack." Not sure why that popped into my head this morning, but I do love that movie. At least the goofy dancing gopher puppet and everything related to Bill Murray. The plot is stupid and I never understood Rodney Dangerfield's humor.
3) "Can't." I remember my dad, in one of his rare lecturing modes, telling the age-8 me that there is no such word as "can't" only "won't." I'm sure it was in response to some comment I made in fearful-child mode: "I can't [climb that tree, swim, whatever]. It's amazing what sticks in a kid's brain.
4) Curling iron. Mine is not turned on yet, my hair is still wet and I have to leave in 20 minutes. Welcome to my life.
5) C[...], my godson. He looks like an angel, but has the psyche of a sociopath. Kids are so cute, aren't they? Especially when they are lying through their teeth at every opportunity for no apparent reason.
6) Cataloging. That's my job, and a I really do love it, when I'm allowed to do it without interruptions. The unfortunate thing about my job is that there are an awful lot of weirdos and nutcases who end up doing it. It's a chicken and egg thing: did they start out weird and gravitate toward cataloging, or did cataloging make them goofy?
7) Crackpots. My favorite patrons. I don't love the gang-bangers, or the whiny people, but I (oddly) really enjoy the really strange people who use libraries. They can be annoying and sometimes downright scary, but I always think they make life so interesting it's generally a fair trade.
8) Candles. Love 'em. Probably in the extreme. It makes Beast nervous how much I love them. We probably have 70 candles in the house right now of different shapes, sizes, scents, types....
9) CSI. How could I have left this for so late in the list? Maybe I'm doing the Letterman countdown or something. Anyway. I love this show, the original, not the others (which may be good too, but I never watch them). It's such a good ensemble and I like (most of) the gooshy parts.
10) Colorado. My home state. I miss it. Would I live there again? In a heartbeat.
1) The obvious, easy one is Cats, to which I'm allergic. I wasn't allergic to them as a child, but around the time I got contacts I suddenly developed the itchy-eyes-runny-nose-closed-lungs (in that order) reaction to my sister's cat, who developed a love relationship with me he'd never had before. Cats know frickin' everything! I actually like cats more now than I ever used to, but obviously owning one is completely out of the question.
2) "Caddyshack." Not sure why that popped into my head this morning, but I do love that movie. At least the goofy dancing gopher puppet and everything related to Bill Murray. The plot is stupid and I never understood Rodney Dangerfield's humor.
3) "Can't." I remember my dad, in one of his rare lecturing modes, telling the age-8 me that there is no such word as "can't" only "won't." I'm sure it was in response to some comment I made in fearful-child mode: "I can't [climb that tree, swim, whatever]. It's amazing what sticks in a kid's brain.
4) Curling iron. Mine is not turned on yet, my hair is still wet and I have to leave in 20 minutes. Welcome to my life.
5) C[...], my godson. He looks like an angel, but has the psyche of a sociopath. Kids are so cute, aren't they? Especially when they are lying through their teeth at every opportunity for no apparent reason.
6) Cataloging. That's my job, and a I really do love it, when I'm allowed to do it without interruptions. The unfortunate thing about my job is that there are an awful lot of weirdos and nutcases who end up doing it. It's a chicken and egg thing: did they start out weird and gravitate toward cataloging, or did cataloging make them goofy?
7) Crackpots. My favorite patrons. I don't love the gang-bangers, or the whiny people, but I (oddly) really enjoy the really strange people who use libraries. They can be annoying and sometimes downright scary, but I always think they make life so interesting it's generally a fair trade.
8) Candles. Love 'em. Probably in the extreme. It makes Beast nervous how much I love them. We probably have 70 candles in the house right now of different shapes, sizes, scents, types....
9) CSI. How could I have left this for so late in the list? Maybe I'm doing the Letterman countdown or something. Anyway. I love this show, the original, not the others (which may be good too, but I never watch them). It's such a good ensemble and I like (most of) the gooshy parts.
10) Colorado. My home state. I miss it. Would I live there again? In a heartbeat.
Monday, May 22
Monday Madness
How many simple things have you learned to appreciate more, for one reason or another? Please list them and feel free to elaborate on each.
I tend to appreciate simplicity as a rule generally, so this is a bit challenging for me. Maybe I'll just do my favorite simple things.
1) "Say what you mean and mean what you say" (thank you Dr. Seuss, and Horton).
2) Uncomplicated food is the best, both health- and taste-wise.
3) The best way to do something is usually the simplest, which is quite different from the easiest way. Easy is lazy; simple is the not "busy" way. Do it, get it done, move on.
4) Changing into clean clothes, or putting out clean towels and linens, are simple ways to feel like a new person (or like the house/room is new).
5) When you're sick, there is nothing like a shower or a bath to make life seem a little better. After you've been sick for a long time, washing your hair feels like freakin' nirvana!
6) A big sneeze that's been teasing your nose for awhile feels great
7) If the sound of young children--under age 5--giggling hysterically doesn't make you smile, then you are officially dead; report to your nearest cemetary now.
8) Sitting in a pool of sunshine prismed through clean windows on a cool day--heaven. Sitting in sunshine though not-clean windows is pretty close to heaven.
9) Silence at the end of a crazy day when you've accomplished a million things is wonderful, especially if you're just a little bit achy from doing so much.
10) A big hug from a loved one can change the day.
I tend to appreciate simplicity as a rule generally, so this is a bit challenging for me. Maybe I'll just do my favorite simple things.
1) "Say what you mean and mean what you say" (thank you Dr. Seuss, and Horton).
2) Uncomplicated food is the best, both health- and taste-wise.
3) The best way to do something is usually the simplest, which is quite different from the easiest way. Easy is lazy; simple is the not "busy" way. Do it, get it done, move on.
4) Changing into clean clothes, or putting out clean towels and linens, are simple ways to feel like a new person (or like the house/room is new).
5) When you're sick, there is nothing like a shower or a bath to make life seem a little better. After you've been sick for a long time, washing your hair feels like freakin' nirvana!
6) A big sneeze that's been teasing your nose for awhile feels great
7) If the sound of young children--under age 5--giggling hysterically doesn't make you smile, then you are officially dead; report to your nearest cemetary now.
8) Sitting in a pool of sunshine prismed through clean windows on a cool day--heaven. Sitting in sunshine though not-clean windows is pretty close to heaven.
9) Silence at the end of a crazy day when you've accomplished a million things is wonderful, especially if you're just a little bit achy from doing so much.
10) A big hug from a loved one can change the day.
Manic Monday
What You Want...
1. If, like the milk or the newspaper, you could have anything delivered to your front doorstep each and every day, what would it be?
Oh, I'd settle for an extra hour or two of time.
2. If you could have your voice sound like any other person, living or alive, who would that be and why?
It's hard to come up with women's voices I like. Early Kate Hepburn or Olivia de Haviland, perhaps.
Or, no: Ann Richards. Linda Ellerbee.
Anyway, someone with a non-squeaky, little-girly voice (which I already don't have).
3. Which month of the year do you think best describes your personality?
Either October or April: Wildly fluctuating temperature, lots of precipitationa and wind.
1. If, like the milk or the newspaper, you could have anything delivered to your front doorstep each and every day, what would it be?
Oh, I'd settle for an extra hour or two of time.
2. If you could have your voice sound like any other person, living or alive, who would that be and why?
It's hard to come up with women's voices I like. Early Kate Hepburn or Olivia de Haviland, perhaps.
Or, no: Ann Richards. Linda Ellerbee.
Anyway, someone with a non-squeaky, little-girly voice (which I already don't have).
3. Which month of the year do you think best describes your personality?
Either October or April: Wildly fluctuating temperature, lots of precipitationa and wind.
Curious as a Cat
Week Number Nineteen:
If you could only repent for one thing when you die, what one thing would you choose?
Failing to live up to my potential.
If you could talk to anyone in the world by phone, who would you choose?
With some warning, I'd dearly love a chance to talk with the Pope. Can I stipulate that he has to answer hontesly with no verbal jousting?
If you could only repent for one thing when you die, what one thing would you choose?
Failing to live up to my potential.
If you could talk to anyone in the world by phone, who would you choose?
With some warning, I'd dearly love a chance to talk with the Pope. Can I stipulate that he has to answer hontesly with no verbal jousting?
(¯`'•.¸(¯`'•.¸A Lizzie Quizzie!¸.•'´¯)¸.•
May 22
1) Do you panic when people come over and feel the need for your home to be "perfect?"
I used to; I'm over it now. Generally, the house is clean; it's just not tidy. If you don't like it, don't come back.
[Of course, this was made much easier to handle when my mom stopped traveling. If she were to suddenly announce her imminent arrival, I'd be in a swivet. What's a swivet? For me, it generally involves high decibels, and exploding heads.]
2) On a scale from 1-10, how organized are you?
You'd think, being a librarian, I'd be up there around 10, wouldn't you?
In reality, I hover near 6 or 7, on good days, when the stars are aligned perfectly.
3) Have you ever played laser tag? Paintball?
Ha ha ha.
Next.
4) How many bottles of wine are in your house right now? Liquor? Cases of beer?
I think we're down to having a full wine rack; there was a period just after Christmas when we had overflow (no joke intended). By the way, our "wine rack" only holds about 12 bottles. Oh, and we have a gifted bottle of Dom sitting around waiting for our anniversary, or something.
We have approx 6 bottles of spirits: vodka, rum, Capt. Morgan's, gin and...uh, something else (I'm too lazy to go look). And a couple of bottles of liqueurs, which are quite dusty.
No beer. I hate it and Beast can't drink it anymore because of (short version) middle age. We only buy it for company.
5) Have you ever tried "Eastern" methods of medicine or other "alternative" methods?
Does chiropractic count? I tried that and it absolutely didn't work.
Yoga-type stretching does work, but I rarely take the time...or make the time.
Family history tends to make me wary of "cures" that haven't been tested appropriately.
6) What is your desktop picture? Screensaver?
My desktop at home is still the tree blossoms. At work it's a Lab that came loaded in the PC.
The screensaver at home is "My Photos" on the hard drive, just of pictures taken this spring. At work, it's downloaded pictures from unemployeddemocrats.com and cafepress.com (and possibly another site---can't remember).
7) Who put on the best concert you've ever been to?
The best concert? Wow.
It's a little hard to compare Yo-Yo Ma with the Beach Boys and my junior high school band.
So, speaking very relatively, I'll say PDQ Bach.
8) How many songs do you have in iTunes (or other mp3 organizer)? About how many cds do you own?
No MP3s. I'm still living in the 90s.
I own about 100-150 CDs, give or take.
9) What is your favorite piece of computer software?
Software? Anything that gets me on the internet is fine with me!
10) Why did the chicken cross the road?
Because that was where all the good eatin' was.
1) Do you panic when people come over and feel the need for your home to be "perfect?"
I used to; I'm over it now. Generally, the house is clean; it's just not tidy. If you don't like it, don't come back.
[Of course, this was made much easier to handle when my mom stopped traveling. If she were to suddenly announce her imminent arrival, I'd be in a swivet. What's a swivet? For me, it generally involves high decibels, and exploding heads.]
2) On a scale from 1-10, how organized are you?
You'd think, being a librarian, I'd be up there around 10, wouldn't you?
In reality, I hover near 6 or 7, on good days, when the stars are aligned perfectly.
3) Have you ever played laser tag? Paintball?
Ha ha ha.
Next.
4) How many bottles of wine are in your house right now? Liquor? Cases of beer?
I think we're down to having a full wine rack; there was a period just after Christmas when we had overflow (no joke intended). By the way, our "wine rack" only holds about 12 bottles. Oh, and we have a gifted bottle of Dom sitting around waiting for our anniversary, or something.
We have approx 6 bottles of spirits: vodka, rum, Capt. Morgan's, gin and...uh, something else (I'm too lazy to go look). And a couple of bottles of liqueurs, which are quite dusty.
No beer. I hate it and Beast can't drink it anymore because of (short version) middle age. We only buy it for company.
5) Have you ever tried "Eastern" methods of medicine or other "alternative" methods?
Does chiropractic count? I tried that and it absolutely didn't work.
Yoga-type stretching does work, but I rarely take the time...or make the time.
Family history tends to make me wary of "cures" that haven't been tested appropriately.
6) What is your desktop picture? Screensaver?
My desktop at home is still the tree blossoms. At work it's a Lab that came loaded in the PC.
The screensaver at home is "My Photos" on the hard drive, just of pictures taken this spring. At work, it's downloaded pictures from unemployeddemocrats.com and cafepress.com (and possibly another site---can't remember).
7) Who put on the best concert you've ever been to?
The best concert? Wow.
It's a little hard to compare Yo-Yo Ma with the Beach Boys and my junior high school band.
So, speaking very relatively, I'll say PDQ Bach.
8) How many songs do you have in iTunes (or other mp3 organizer)? About how many cds do you own?
No MP3s. I'm still living in the 90s.
I own about 100-150 CDs, give or take.
9) What is your favorite piece of computer software?
Software? Anything that gets me on the internet is fine with me!
10) Why did the chicken cross the road?
Because that was where all the good eatin' was.
Sunday, May 21
Unconscious Mutterings
Week 172
- Yours :: ...mine and ours
- Charcoal :: Drawing
- Platitude :: Overused
- Graduation :: High school...
- Hungry :: "...Like a Wolf" (I'm so the product of the 80s)
- Somewhere :: "There's a place for us..."
- Nurse :: Ratched
- Freak :: Geek
- Unbelievable :: EMF
- Walk :: Run
Saturday, May 20
Blue
| You Are Indigo |
 Of all the shades of blue, you are the most funky, unique, and independent. Expressing yourself and taking a leap of faith has always been easy for you. |
Yeah, those are the first adjectives that come to mind when I think of me: funky, unique and independent. Oh, well, the second half is true(-ish).
Saturday 6
Episode 110
1. Do you believe in near-death experiences? Have you ever had one yourself?
I've never had one. I'm not entirely sure if I believe them or not. No one I know has ever had one, or at least no one has told me about having one.
2. If you could have on DVD any old television show that you adored as a child, which show would you pick?
Romper Room. Or, there was a morning show on Channel 2 in Denver which showed Mighty Mouse cartoons and had a host who drew pictures. I loved that show.
3. At what age do you plan on retiring? Do you suspect that you'll keep working past that?
I probably won't ever be able to retire. I hope I work up until I die, actually. I've come to really resent the current crop of retirees because I think they are greedy and whiny, as a general rule; not every one of them, but many many of those who make the news.
Anyway, yes, I 'suspect' I'll (have to) keep working, if I want to eat and pay the utility bills.
4. Take the quiz: What kind of food are you?
When I took this awhile ago I was Italian:
And, whaddaya know: I still am.
5. When is the last time you ate the type of food mentioned in your last answer?
I made spaghetti on Wednesday (or Tuesday?) this week.
6. What was the last photograph you took? Have you posted it online?
It was probably something to do with Easter. No. I don't post too many family pictures online...to date, there is only one photo of each family member posted.
1. Do you believe in near-death experiences? Have you ever had one yourself?
I've never had one. I'm not entirely sure if I believe them or not. No one I know has ever had one, or at least no one has told me about having one.
2. If you could have on DVD any old television show that you adored as a child, which show would you pick?
Romper Room. Or, there was a morning show on Channel 2 in Denver which showed Mighty Mouse cartoons and had a host who drew pictures. I loved that show.
3. At what age do you plan on retiring? Do you suspect that you'll keep working past that?
I probably won't ever be able to retire. I hope I work up until I die, actually. I've come to really resent the current crop of retirees because I think they are greedy and whiny, as a general rule; not every one of them, but many many of those who make the news.
Anyway, yes, I 'suspect' I'll (have to) keep working, if I want to eat and pay the utility bills.
4. Take the quiz: What kind of food are you?
When I took this awhile ago I was Italian:
| You Are Italian Food |
 Comforting yet overwhelming. People love you, but sometimes you're just too much. |
And, whaddaya know: I still am.
5. When is the last time you ate the type of food mentioned in your last answer?
I made spaghetti on Wednesday (or Tuesday?) this week.
6. What was the last photograph you took? Have you posted it online?
It was probably something to do with Easter. No. I don't post too many family pictures online...to date, there is only one photo of each family member posted.
Friday, May 19
I just realized...
...that I never answered part of the Friday Five this morning:
Appetizer
What is the last thing you had to have repaired?
My health, which is still not 100%.
I really can't think of anything except having the rug in the living room/dining room restretched last week.
Appetizer
What is the last thing you had to have repaired?
My health, which is still not 100%.
I really can't think of anything except having the rug in the living room/dining room restretched last week.
Friday Five
Happy 5th anniversary!
1. What type of mood are you generally in on a rainy day?
While I'm not weather-dependent, if this is the 28th full day of rain in a row, I'm probably suicidal. And no, I'm not exaggerating. If it's the first rainy day in a month, I'm probably thrilled that the ground is going to be less dusty.
2. What are your favorite things to do when the weather is gloomy?
If it's just a day or two, I really like staying in bed and reading. I also don't mind running around splashing in puddles, when I'm feeling particularly psycho.
3. Have you ever been kissed in the rain?
Why, yes, I believe I have.
4. After the rain stops, do you continue what you were doing, or do you run outside to do something else?
This is where I'm definitely not weather-dependent: I tend to look up, say, "Oh, good, the sun came out" and keep on doing whatever I was doing.
5. What is your favorite drink/food to have when it's raining outside?
I've never thought about this. Ever. My mind is a blank.
1. What type of mood are you generally in on a rainy day?
While I'm not weather-dependent, if this is the 28th full day of rain in a row, I'm probably suicidal. And no, I'm not exaggerating. If it's the first rainy day in a month, I'm probably thrilled that the ground is going to be less dusty.
2. What are your favorite things to do when the weather is gloomy?
If it's just a day or two, I really like staying in bed and reading. I also don't mind running around splashing in puddles, when I'm feeling particularly psycho.
3. Have you ever been kissed in the rain?
Why, yes, I believe I have.
4. After the rain stops, do you continue what you were doing, or do you run outside to do something else?
This is where I'm definitely not weather-dependent: I tend to look up, say, "Oh, good, the sun came out" and keep on doing whatever I was doing.
5. What is your favorite drink/food to have when it's raining outside?
I've never thought about this. Ever. My mind is a blank.
Ideal pet
Not a single question about allergies on this test...
...which is why I got this answer.
However, I can't honestly say I disagree with the assessment.
| Your Ideal Pet is a Cat |
 You're both aloof, introverted, and moody. And your friends secretly wish that you were declawed! |
...which is why I got this answer.
However, I can't honestly say I disagree with the assessment.
Friday Fun
Just fill in the blank!!
1. The one thing I want to be sure I do this summer is absorb as much sun and warmth as possible; oh, and celebrate our wedding anniversary.
2. My favorite thing to eat for breakfast is a fresh bagel, toasted, with cream cheese on top.
3. My favorite outfit is WINTER: jeans & sweatshirt; SUMMER: shorts & T-shirt.
4. The accomplishment I am most proud of is staying married for almost 20 years.
5. The weirdest thing about me is my sense of the absurd gets me into trouble a lot; no one else gets it.
6. I want to become better at dealing with problems as they arise, rather than putting them off.
7. My least favorite household chore is anything floor-related: vacuuming, mopping....
8. My favorite music/song/artist is I like music of a lot of different types, though I generally prefer happy-sounding stuff over dirgey-stuff. My favorite band is U2, and my favorite song is The Sweetest Thing.
9. The color I like least is white.
10. I am going to clean the bathrooms, and say goodbye to a surprising friend (totally unrelated to each other) this weekend.
1. The one thing I want to be sure I do this summer is absorb as much sun and warmth as possible; oh, and celebrate our wedding anniversary.
2. My favorite thing to eat for breakfast is a fresh bagel, toasted, with cream cheese on top.
3. My favorite outfit is WINTER: jeans & sweatshirt; SUMMER: shorts & T-shirt.
4. The accomplishment I am most proud of is staying married for almost 20 years.
5. The weirdest thing about me is my sense of the absurd gets me into trouble a lot; no one else gets it.
6. I want to become better at dealing with problems as they arise, rather than putting them off.
7. My least favorite household chore is anything floor-related: vacuuming, mopping....
8. My favorite music/song/artist is I like music of a lot of different types, though I generally prefer happy-sounding stuff over dirgey-stuff. My favorite band is U2, and my favorite song is The Sweetest Thing.
9. The color I like least is white.
10. I am going to clean the bathrooms, and say goodbye to a surprising friend (totally unrelated to each other) this weekend.
Four for Friday
May 19
Q1 - Travel: When was the last time you boarded an airplane, and where did it take you?
Went to Boston in March (and back home, of course).
Q2 - Security: Do you think National Guard troops should be deployed to bolster security along the U.S. / Mexican border?
Do not, I repeat, do not get me started on this subject, not here.
My answer is "no" and all the Posse Comitatus people should go home too.
Q3 - Dreams: Do you remember your dreams? If so, describe the most recent dream you can remember
I retain fragments of dreams for part of the day four or five times over the course of the week. If I don't talk about them (or blog about them), I forget them. The most recent coherent story I remember is the one I mentioned here.
Q4 - You Say: Finish this sentence: "When I woke up this morning..."
...I thought I'd overslept and missed my alarm. Then I realized I was awake earlier than the alarm, and the sun was up, and I didn't have to be at work for almost three hours.
Q1 - Travel: When was the last time you boarded an airplane, and where did it take you?
Went to Boston in March (and back home, of course).
Q2 - Security: Do you think National Guard troops should be deployed to bolster security along the U.S. / Mexican border?
Do not, I repeat, do not get me started on this subject, not here.
My answer is "no" and all the Posse Comitatus people should go home too.
Q3 - Dreams: Do you remember your dreams? If so, describe the most recent dream you can remember
I retain fragments of dreams for part of the day four or five times over the course of the week. If I don't talk about them (or blog about them), I forget them. The most recent coherent story I remember is the one I mentioned here.
Q4 - You Say: Finish this sentence: "When I woke up this morning..."
...I thought I'd overslept and missed my alarm. Then I realized I was awake earlier than the alarm, and the sun was up, and I didn't have to be at work for almost three hours.
Friday's Feast
Feast Ninety-Four
Appetizer
What is the last thing you had to have repaired?
Soup
If someone gave you $2,000 with the stipulation that you had to spend half of it on yourself and give the rest to charity, where would you spend the $1,000 and which charity would receive your remaining $1,000?
The charity is easy: PDA.
Actually, I might just put my half toward a trip overseas. Maybe a down payment to go to Kenya.
Salad
What is one of your favorite songs from the 1980s?
"Missing You" by John Waite [I just heard it recently for the first time in ages and it brought back memories]
Main Course
You enter a pet store. Which section do you go to first?
Generally, I go get what I came for first, and then head to the puppy section.
Dessert
On a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being highest, how athletic are you?
I used to be a 9 (when I chose to be). I'm probably closer to 6 now, but I'm still very competitive.
Appetizer
What is the last thing you had to have repaired?
Soup
If someone gave you $2,000 with the stipulation that you had to spend half of it on yourself and give the rest to charity, where would you spend the $1,000 and which charity would receive your remaining $1,000?
The charity is easy: PDA.
Actually, I might just put my half toward a trip overseas. Maybe a down payment to go to Kenya.
Salad
What is one of your favorite songs from the 1980s?
"Missing You" by John Waite [I just heard it recently for the first time in ages and it brought back memories]
Main Course
You enter a pet store. Which section do you go to first?
Generally, I go get what I came for first, and then head to the puppy section.
Dessert
On a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being highest, how athletic are you?
I used to be a 9 (when I chose to be). I'm probably closer to 6 now, but I'm still very competitive.
Friday Fiver
iKnow
What songs would you play to match these situations?
1. At a sporting event:
"Why Can't We Get Along" (112)--but only for the title
2. At a party/social event:
Anything by Prince if it's a loud party
Anything by Charlie Parker if it's a quiet party
3. Utterly depressed:
Just about any country album, or Springsteen's Nebraska album
4. Driving in a car:
"I Need a Lover" (John Mellencamp) or anything by Bob Seger
5. Feeling lustful:
"Tonight's the Night" (Rod Stewart) though I'm afraid I'd just start giggling, so maybe I should stick with Barry White.
What songs would you play to match these situations?
1. At a sporting event:
"Why Can't We Get Along" (112)--but only for the title
2. At a party/social event:
Anything by Prince if it's a loud party
Anything by Charlie Parker if it's a quiet party
3. Utterly depressed:
Just about any country album, or Springsteen's Nebraska album
4. Driving in a car:
"I Need a Lover" (John Mellencamp) or anything by Bob Seger
5. Feeling lustful:
"Tonight's the Night" (Rod Stewart) though I'm afraid I'd just start giggling, so maybe I should stick with Barry White.
Five on Friday
Bookworm
1. What was the last book you read?
The last one I finished was The Lions of the North, by Edward Marston.
2. What book(s) are you reading now?
It's easier--for me--to just link to my reading blog.
3. Do you have a library card? Do you use it?
Imagine my gales of laughter.
Although, truly, I don't ever get my card out: I have my number memorized.
4. How do you choose a new book to read?
Recommendations from friends, book reviews, books that pass through my hands as I catalog them, and my two reading lists.
5. We all had to read books in school. Which was your favorite? Your least favorite? Do you think you would feel differently about them if you read them now?
When I was in school, I read everything...until junior year in college. In one semester I was assigned something like 8 books for a history class and about 6 books for a lit course. And then there were some other classes, too. It was in the course of struggling through Book Four on the history and politics of the Soviet Union that I realized that I was the only one reading these things. So I stopped, and started picking and choosing.
I never finished The Last of the Mohicans and, having seen the movie, feel there is no need to try it again. I have tried Cry, the Beloved Country more than once since it was assigned in high school--to no avail. I will never willingly read another Hemingway book. Hated Grapes of Wrath (and never truly finished it)--though I love Steinbeck's other books. Madame Bovary = vomit.
I love(d) Shakespeare. I could read Will every day. I also really enjoyed The Great Gatsby and The Scarlet Letter. The Brontes were good too; I've reread Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights numerous times. I even like Tess of the D'Urbervilles, though I wouldn't read it again.
Moral: never ask a librarian about books. ;-)
1. What was the last book you read?
The last one I finished was The Lions of the North, by Edward Marston.
2. What book(s) are you reading now?
It's easier--for me--to just link to my reading blog.
3. Do you have a library card? Do you use it?
Imagine my gales of laughter.
Although, truly, I don't ever get my card out: I have my number memorized.
4. How do you choose a new book to read?
Recommendations from friends, book reviews, books that pass through my hands as I catalog them, and my two reading lists.
5. We all had to read books in school. Which was your favorite? Your least favorite? Do you think you would feel differently about them if you read them now?
When I was in school, I read everything...until junior year in college. In one semester I was assigned something like 8 books for a history class and about 6 books for a lit course. And then there were some other classes, too. It was in the course of struggling through Book Four on the history and politics of the Soviet Union that I realized that I was the only one reading these things. So I stopped, and started picking and choosing.
I never finished The Last of the Mohicans and, having seen the movie, feel there is no need to try it again. I have tried Cry, the Beloved Country more than once since it was assigned in high school--to no avail. I will never willingly read another Hemingway book. Hated Grapes of Wrath (and never truly finished it)--though I love Steinbeck's other books. Madame Bovary = vomit.
I love(d) Shakespeare. I could read Will every day. I also really enjoyed The Great Gatsby and The Scarlet Letter. The Brontes were good too; I've reread Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights numerous times. I even like Tess of the D'Urbervilles, though I wouldn't read it again.
Moral: never ask a librarian about books. ;-)
Thursday, May 18
3x Thursday
Medicine
1. Are there medicines you have to take everyday? If so, is it a drag?
Yup: thyroid and allergy. Without the former, I'd probably be dead; without the latter, I'd kill myself.
I also take a multi-vitamin most mornings.
2. Are you more of a Western medicine fan, or Eastern? Why/why not?
I don't know enough about Eastern medicine to make a fair judgment. I'm not a huge fan of Western medicine, but having seen it evolve from the time of my dad's first heart surgery to his last, and from my father-in-law's back problems to my husband's, I'm glad that it's responsive to change. Wish they'd get a better handle on the chronic disesases....
3. Are you one of those people who avoids doctors at all costs and just self-medicates as need be, or do you check in with a 'professional' from time to time?
No. I'm a "nip-it-in-the-bud-before-it-becomes-a-ginormous-unsolvable-issue" kind of person. I do my annual and other regular checkups faithfully--because I have seen first-hand multiple times what can happen if you don't--and when there's a problem I see the doctor ASAP. No sense suffering if there's something simple that can be done to resolve the situation quickly.
1. Are there medicines you have to take everyday? If so, is it a drag?
Yup: thyroid and allergy. Without the former, I'd probably be dead; without the latter, I'd kill myself.
I also take a multi-vitamin most mornings.
2. Are you more of a Western medicine fan, or Eastern? Why/why not?
I don't know enough about Eastern medicine to make a fair judgment. I'm not a huge fan of Western medicine, but having seen it evolve from the time of my dad's first heart surgery to his last, and from my father-in-law's back problems to my husband's, I'm glad that it's responsive to change. Wish they'd get a better handle on the chronic disesases....
3. Are you one of those people who avoids doctors at all costs and just self-medicates as need be, or do you check in with a 'professional' from time to time?
No. I'm a "nip-it-in-the-bud-before-it-becomes-a-ginormous-unsolvable-issue" kind of person. I do my annual and other regular checkups faithfully--because I have seen first-hand multiple times what can happen if you don't--and when there's a problem I see the doctor ASAP. No sense suffering if there's something simple that can be done to resolve the situation quickly.
Thursday Threesome
Onesome: 303-- In what household product line is this number used as a size? Can you guess, or will you have to hit the link?
Hmmm, this was my area code growing up. That's all I can think of right now....
[Tricky--I guess I need to look at the clues more closely]
Twosome: 451-- Where is this number used in a title? Bonus: without Google, what is the significance of the number?
Tell you what: if you don't know this answer, you've missed out on not only classic 20th-century literature, but also late 20th-century culture as a whole.
So, right: Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury. That is the temperature, allegedly, at which paper burns.
[Never ask a librarian this question! hee]
Threesome: 501-- Where is this number used to denote a style? Ah, you should know this one
Used to wear these all the time, till they stopped selling them in this part of the country. Grrr--15 years later and I'm still pissed about it! The website even says, "We did not find any stores within 50 miles of your location." hrrrmmmfff
Levi's jeans.
[Yes, I know, the internet can get them to me now--but I'm not sure I can wear 'Boy-style' jeans anymore. Nope--I just checked.]
Wednesday, May 17
Gobbledy-gook and Mumbo-jumbo
Here, indeed, is proof that I have achieved too much education: I understand (most)of this, AND I got the jokes in the quiz.
Sigh. (Thanks FdL)
Sigh. (Thanks FdL)
| N-A-R You scored 88% Non-Reductionism, 55% Epistemological Absolutism, and 33% Moral Objectivism! |
| You are an N-A-R: a metaphysical Non-Reductionist, an epistemological Absolutist, and a moral Relativist. If you are simply dying inside to figure out what all this mumbo-jumbo means, then simply continue reading.
Metaphysics: Non-Reductionism (Idealism or Realism) In metaphysics, my test measures your tendency towards Reductionism or Non-Reductionism. As a Non-Reductionist, you recognize that reality is not necessarily simple or unified, and you thus tend to produce a robust ontology instead of carelessly shaving away hypothetical entities that reflect our philosophical experiences. My test recognizes two types of Non-Reductionists: Idealists and Realists. 1. Idealists believe that reality is fundamentally unknowable. All we can ever know is the world of sense experience, thought, and other phenomena which are only distorted reflections of an ultimate (or noumenal) reality. Kant, one of the most significant philosophers in history, theorized that human beings perceive reality in such a way that they impose their own mental frameworks and categories upon reality, fully distorting it. Reality for Kant is unconceptualized and not subject to any of the categories our minds apply to it. Idealists are non-reductionists because they recognize that the distinction between phenomenal reality and ultimate reality cannot be so easily discarded or unified into a single reality. They are separate and distinct, and there is no reason to suppose the one mirrors the other. Major philosophical idealists include Kant and Fichte. If your views are different from the above, then you may be a Realist. 2. Realists deny the validity of sloppy metaphysical reductions, because they feel that there is no reason to suspect that reality reflects principles of parsimony or simplicity. Realism is the most common-sensical of the metaphysical views. It doesn't see reality as a unity or as reducible to matter or mind, nor does it see reality as divided into a phenomenal world of experience and an unknowable noumenal world of things-in-themselves. Realist metaphysics emphasizes that reality is for the most part composed of the things we observe and think. On the question of the existence of universals, for instance, a realist will assert that while universals do not physically exist, the relations they describe in particulars are as real as the particular things themselves, giving universals a type of reality. Thus, no reduction is made. On the mind-body problem, realists tend to believe that minds and bodies both exist, and the philosophical problems involved in reducing mind to matter or matter to mind are too great to warrant such a reduction. Finally, realists deny that reality is ultimately a Unity or Absolute, though they recognize that reality can be viewed as a Unity when we consider the real relations between the parts as constituting this unity--but it doesn't mean that the world isn't also made up of particular things. Karl Popper is a famous realist. *****
Epistemology: Absolutism (Rationalism or Pragmatism) My test measures one's tendency towards Absolutism or Skepticism in regards to epistemology. As an Absolutist, you believe that objective knowledge is possible given the right approach, and you deny the claims of skeptical philosophers who insist that we can never have knowledge of ultimate reality. The two types of Absolutists recognized by my test are Rationalists and Pragmatists. 1. Rationalists believe that the use of reason ultimately provides the best route to truth. A rationalist usually defines truth as a correspondence between propositions and reality, taking the common-sense route. Also, rationalists tend to believe that knowledge of reality is made possible through certain foundational beliefs. This stance is known as foundationalism. A foundationalist believes that, because we cannot justify the truth of every statement in an infinite regress, we ultimately reach a foundation of knowledge. This foundation is composed of a priori truths, like mathematics and logic, as well as undoubtable truths like one's belief in his or her own existence. The belief that experiences and memories are veridical is also part of the foundation. Thus, for a rationalist knowledge of reality is made possible through our foundational beliefs, which we do not need to justify because we find them to be undoubtable and self-evident. In regards to science, a rationalist will tend to emphasize the foundational assumptions of scientific inquiry as prior to and more important than scientific inquiry itself. If science does lead to truth, it is only because it is based upon the assumption of certain rational principles such as "Every event is caused" and "The future will resemble the past". Philosophy has a wide representation of philosophical rationalists--Descartes, Spinoza, Liebniz, and many others. If that didn't sound like your own views, then you are most likely the other type of Absolutist: the Pragmatist. Epistemological Pragmatists are fundamentally identified by their definition of truth. Truth is, on this view, merely a measure of a proposition's success in inquiry. This view is a strictly scientific notion of truth. A proposition can be called true if it leads to successful predictions or coheres best with the observed facts about the world. Thus, for the pragmatist, knowledge of reality is possible through scientific reasoning. A pragmatist emphasizes man's fallibility, and hence takes baby-steps towards knowledge through scientific methodology. Any truth claim for a pragmatist is open to revision and subject to change--if empirical observations lead us to call even logical rules into question (like quantum physics has done for the law of the excluded middle), then we can and should abandon even these supposed a priori and "absolutely certain" logical rules if they do not accord with our testing and refuting of our various propositions. As a consequence of this, a pragmatist doesn't feel that scientific knowledge is based upon unfounded assumptions that are taken to be true without any sort of justification--rather, they believe that the successes of scientific inquiry have proved that its assumptions are well-founded. For instance, the assumption of science that the future will be like the past is adequately shown by the amazing success of scientific theories in predicting future events--how else could this be possible unless the assumption were true? Pragmatism borrows elements from realism and yet attempts to account for the critiques made by skeptics and relativists. It is essentially a type of philosophical opportunism--it borrows the best stances from a large number of philosophical systems and attempts to discard the problems of these systems by combining them with others. Famous pragmatists of this type are Peirce and Dewey. *****
Ethics: Relativism (Subjectivism or Emotivism) My test measures one's tendency towards moral Objectivism or moral Relativism in regards to ethics. As a moral Relativist, you tend to see moral choices as describing a subject's reaction to a moral object or situation, and not as a property of the moral object itself. You may also feel that moral words are meaningless because they do not address any empirical fact about the world. My test recognizes two types of moral relativists--Subjectivists and Emotivists. 1. Subjectivists see individual or collective desires as defining a situation's or object's moral worth. Thus, the subject, not the object itself, determines the value. Subjectivists recognize that social rules, customs, and morality have been wide-ranging and quite varied throughout history among various cultures. As a result, Subjectivism doesn't attempt to issue hard and fast rules for judging the moral worth of thin |
