Sweet Memes

#55

1. In a social setting, are you more of a talker or a listener?

Definitely more of a talker, though it depends on the situation, too.

2. Do you take compliments well?

I'm getting better at it.

3. Are you judgmental?

To a very large degree, yes. I'm trying to get better in this area too.

4. Do you like to pursue or be pursued?

That's entirely dependent on who we're discussing here. In general, I like being pursued, but only by people I want pursuing me; no stalkers need apply, thanks very very much!

5. Do you think more about the past, present or future?

Past and future. I find it exceedingly hard time to live in the present. Something else I'm working on!

Bonus (as in optional): Who do you hate?

MAS. Actually, I don't really hate her; I think she'd be OK if she felt that we were on equal footing. But she's totally poisoned that well, beyond recovery. Let's see...who else? I'm not fond at all of our Illustrious (choke!) Leader on PA Ave, but I think I'll save the pure hatred for his Second-in-Command. That seems more like something he would be clear on: hatred.

Bonus Bonus (it too is optional): Use three words to describe yourself.

Shy, obsessive-compulsive (that's a compound, so it only counts for one), and friendly.

Oprah has given away $1000 to all of her audience members with the catch being that they give the $1000 debit cards to a stranger or a charitible cause. On a show that aired Monday, Winfrey gave more than 300 audience members $1,000 debit cards sponsored by the Bank of America to donate to a charitable cause. Winfrey called the show her "favorite giveaway ever." People can give the entire sum to one person (relatives aren't eligible) or they can split it among charitable causes. If you were in Oprah's audience on this day, who would you give the $1000 debit cards to?

I can think of some people who could use dribs and drabs: someone I work with has an overdue hospital bill of $88...like that. Not sure how I'd film it--I happened to catch the show, and part of the deal is that you have to film it for later broadcast--since whatever I did would be completely anonymous.

What Monster are you most like?

If I don't get my hair colored regularly, I look like the Bride of Frankenstein. Otherwise, I'm looking pretty much like a generic Undead at this point in the day.

If you were mixing up a witches brew, what would be in it?

Let's pretend this won't kill you: vodka, sinus headache meds, dry ice, and lime. If I was going to be gross, but slightly more authentic, I'd leave out the lime and throw in some Tang and cinnamon. Sadly, that actually sounds really good to me.....

'What will your obituary say?' at QuizGalaxy.com

Yeah, me and Chuck: like this!

Thanks Cheesehead!

Halloween


1. Do you celebrate Halloween? Explain:

Not to the extent of going to parties or wearing a costume.

2. Do you hand out candy and/or go door-to-door trick-or-treating?

Yes to the candy. Sparky always trick-or-treated. Make that "Sparky trick-or-treats." He didn't last year, but suddenly on Sunday he said he was going this year.

3. What was the scariest Halloween costume you had and why did you pick out that costume?

I don't think I've ever gone really scary. I dressed as the undead one year at work (where I used to work we had to dress up): bought a black dress at a thrift store, shredded it to look rotten, ratted my hair, put on lots of white/green/black/yellow makeup on exposed skin (arms, legs, face)....
I can't believe we had to wear costumes at work!

4. Do you prefer a “trick” or “treat”? Explain:

A treat. I got my fill of tricks growing up with an older brother.

5. Do you think Halloween is scarier now than it was when you were younger? Explain:

I think the haunted houses are scarier; they did a bit to that effect on some show I was watching yesterday. Otherwise, no; not where I live, anyway.

random

1. When you looked at yourself in the mirror today, what was your first thought?

I'm not sure I actually ever did look at myself...I must have done since I remember brushing my teeth. I guess I remember making sure my teeth were clean.

2. When's the next time you will have sex?

I have no idea. We have to be in the same zip code, don't we? Same state?

3. What's a word that rhymes with "DUCK"?

STUCK. hee

4. Favorite planet?

Earth.

5. Who is the 4th person on your missed call list?

I believe it was a political call. It's a blocked number. That's the house phone. Don't feel like digging out the cell right now.

6. What is your favorite ring on your phone?

It's on vibrate about 95% of the time.

7. Who was the last person you hugged?

Sparky, I think.

8. What were you doing 20 minutes ago?

Sitting here watching TAR (as I am now).

9. Name the brand of shoes you're currently wearing?

I don't have on shoes, just socks.

10. Bright or Dark Room?

Bright.

11. What do you think about the person who took this survey before you

??

12. If you're in a room with two beds, which one do you sleep on?

Probably the one farthest from the door, all other things being equal.

13. What were you doing at midnight last night?

Just going to sleep.

14. What did your last text message you received on your mobile say?

I am THE only woman on the planet who doesn't do text on my cell, I think.

15. How do you like your eggs?

Over easy, with toast.

16. What's a word/phrase that you say a lot?

Da-ang!

17. Who told you that he/she loved you last?

Sparky.

19. How many drugs have you done in the last three days?

Just a little Tylenol, and my usual prescriptions.

20. How many rolls of film do you need to get developed?

Huh, well, this is an OLD question. Unfortunately, the answer is 'one' plus part of a camera card.

21. Your favorite age you've been?

Probably 30. I had a baby, a job I liked, and the future was good.

22. Your worst enemy?

Myself.

23. What is your current desktop picture?

Here at home, it's a photo I took last summer of lily pads in a river. At work, it's a black lab.

24. What was the last thing you said to someone?

"Good night--sleep well--love you" to Sparky.

25. If you had to choose between a million bucks or to be able to fly[, which would you choose]?

Flight. I'd like to posit being able to land and control my flight otherwise, too.

27. The last song you listened to?

I can't remember the last one, but they played "The Time Warp" on Jack tonight on the way home from the store.

28. If the last person you spoke to was getting shot, what would you do?

Oy. Ohboy. OK, if it were possible I'd absolutely take the bullet. If it weren't possible to stop the bullet, I'd probably do my best to kill the shooter.
This is an evil question.

29. If you could punch 1 person in the face , who would it be?

Whoever aims a gun at my kid is first in line for this.... I think I'm stuck on the last question.

30. What is the closest object to your left foot?

The foot of the recliner. It's up in the air, and there's {gasp} nothing on the floor.

You know the hour more of sleep you got [yesterday] morning. Well, if you could use it to do anything else this week, how would you use it?

I'd clean. {insert laughter} OK, no, I'm most likely to sleep.

November: what is the first thing that comes to mind?

My birthday--WOOOT!

What was the last project that you took on? (a project can be anything you want it to be ....)You've just been awarded the starring role .... what role did you get and what play/movie/tv show is it in? blockquote>Probably the female lead in "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" If you don't know anything about it, that is SO not a compliment.If you were in the Hollywood, what would you be: producer, director, costume designer, actor, etc...?

I'd be the one following the director around taking notes on the scene so it could be reset exactly the same for each take. Seems like a perfect job for me.

What do you do with your pocket change?

I spend it. No change jar for me.

I am a Snapdragon What Flower Are You?

If only I knew why.......

Oh, well, at least I like snapdragons, not least of all because of their name!

Week Number Forty-One:

If you were to make a collage to describe yourself to others, what sorts of pictures or symbols would you include?

A cross, a few books, lots of music (bands, and actual music, and lyrics), friends' names and information about them, photos of family, stuff from my wedding day, Bible verses, lots of smiles, pictures of people I admire outside of my friends and family, mountains....

What do you like to do that other people think is gross (or not fun, if you do nothing at all gross)?

I bite my nails.

I've Been Everywhere...

What's the longest road trip you've ever taken?

Hmmm, probably driving from Denver to the San Jose, CA, area in high school. I've done so many road trips, though, it's hard to pick one. I've driven from WI to Maine (via Canada one way), and from WI to Washington, D.C. too, not to mention WI to the Gulf Coast.

Do you like traveling in the car?

Yes, but I have to sit where I can see out. I get carsick easily.

What do you do to keep yourself (or your kids, if you have them) entertained while on a car trip?

I sleep. We listen to the radio or CDs, Sparky has an iPod now. We'll talk, play the alphabet game, eat....

What's the oddest thing in your glove box right now?

I have LOTS of fast-food napkins, since I tend to be a klutz about spilling things. Is that weird? Otherwise, the only other things are the registration, insurance card, manuals, some stuff that goes with the CD player.

October 30


1. Small town or big city?

I really like the city, but I wouldn't want to try to raise my son in one. I don't like small towns. Bring on the 'burbs, for now. Later, I'd like to have a house nowhere near a Wal-Mart.

2. Do you have a favorite childhood memory, and if so, would you share it?

I have good memories of jumping rope in the driveway for hours.

3. How do you calm down when something has really upset and/or angered you? Do you swallow it? Call a friend and rant? Go in the bathroom and cry? Punch a wall? Walk around muttering to yourself, complete with scary hand gestures?

I do all of the above, except wall-punching, depending on the situation.

4. What attratcs [sic] you to memes?

They relax me, and I like questionnaires.

5. How reliant are you on computers to get through your day?

As an average, I'd say VERY! :-) I actually couldn't do most of my job without a functioning computer and DSL.

6. In a crisis, are you calm or do you panic?

If I have to be the grown-up, I'm actually pretty calm. If other people are around, I tend to get a little flaky.

Fright Night

1.Where does Halloween fall on your "holiday excitement scale" (i.e., Does it top Christmas, New Year's, your birthday, the whole shebang? Or is it just another day?)

If 10 is "Better than Christmas et al." and 0 is "Yawn", I'm probably about a 6.

2.At what age do you consider someone to be too old for trick or treating?

If they are dressed up in some kind of costume and not being obnoxious (or threatening), I have no problem with up-to-high-school-aged kids. No grownups. I draw the line there.

3. What was your lamest Halloween costume?

If it's not a good one, I don't dress up at all.

4.Is handing out candy fun for you, or more of a nightmare?

I love handing out candy! It's the best part of Halloween.

5.Do you see Halloween as an excuse to show some skin and get away with it? If not, what do you think of people who dress this way?

I don't care how others dress, although around here, if they are outside at all, they'd be crazy (and blue-tinged) most likely. Frankly, I don't see this for myself at all (sorry, Chris!).

...from Lisa


Stability results were low which suggests you are very worrying, insecure, emotional, and anxious.

Orderliness results were high which suggests you are overly organized, reliable, neat, and hard working at the expense too often of flexibility, efficiency, spontaneity, and fun.

Extraversion results were moderately high which suggests you are, at times, overly talkative, outgoing, sociable and interacting at the expense of developing your own individual interests and internally based identity.

trait snapshot:

self revealing, neat, craves attention, prefers organized to unpredictable, needs things to be extremely clean, worrying, perfectionist, emotionally sensitive, respects authority, social, vain, does not like to be alone, likes large parties, controlling, social chameleon, not a thrill seeker, enjoys leadership, takes precautions, puts the needs of others ahead of their own, assertive, rule conscious, makes friends easily, always busy, heart over mind, phobic, aggressive, clingy, compassionate, dominant, outgoing, suspicious, hard working, strong

OK, then. Some is right on, some is totally whack. They got the artistic part right, though! hee

Your Monster Profile

Creepy Terror You Feast On: Pickles You Lurk Around In: Las Vegas You Especially Like to Torment: Blondes

heh heh

Episode 61

Name up to seven foods popular at fairs or carnivals that you either once loved or still do.

1. Funnel cakes/elephant ears/whatever
2. Creampuffs (at the WI State Fair--oy, they are so amazingly wonderful, even if you do have wait about half an hour for one)
3. Roasted corn
4. Snow cones
5. Corn dogs

Sorry, can't think of any others....all that food smell just wipes me out after awhile and NOTHING sounds good!

Episode 133

1. Have you ever joined one of those "social networking" communities like "Friendster" or "Myspace?" Would you ever consider it?

I joined Friendster about two years ago. I think I've visited about 4 times since then...no real payoff there for me. :-)

2. Do you think that lasting friendships can be made solely through sites like those?

Sure. Why not? Of course, there are likely to be a lot more relationships going nowhere, but that's kind of true in real life. Think cocktail parties--I have yet to make a good friend at one of those, or at a bar, or at a baseball game...

3. Has reduced prices in gasoline prompted you to drive more?

Nope. Too busy to go anywhere.

4. Take the quiz: What kind of sports car are you? (Thanks, Charley!)

I'm a Honda S2000!

You live on the edge, and you live for the adrenaline rush. You don't need luxuries, snob appeal, or superfluous gadgets. You put your top down, get your motor revving, and take all the curves that life throws at you at full speed. So what if you spin out occasionally?
Take the Which Sports Car Are You? quiz.


Not a bad description of my life...although I do like gadgets.

I'm amused to see that the most common answer is a Corvette, followed by a Porsche 911. Huh.

5. Which phone do you use the most: your home phone, your work phone, or your cell phone? Of the remaining two, which do you use the least?

I use the house phone the most, and my cell the least, although my work phone is primarily used for inside-the-building calls. If I remove those, my cell usage would be higher.

6. In the old days, telephone numbers used to be word and letter combinations. The telephone company would take the first two digits of a phone number, create a word that began with two letters corresponding to the numbers in the digits, and then follow the word with the rest of the number. So, for a number that began with 25, they might use the "A" from the 2 button and the "L" from the 5 button and create a phone number like "Alpine 2-6341. If we went back to this system, come up with a word that would work for the first two digits of your phone number. (It can be work, home or cell...just don't post your whole number!

What a fun question! I always liked this system (tho' it was before my time), and can still quote our phone number Sunset-1-####. So much more romantic than just a list of numbers.

Anyway. Here at home we'd have to be "OK" (there are no other vowels, so creating a word becomes problematic; if I remember correctly, in the old days that would mean you'd have a word like "JeLlo" (for 55) or something similar...and then they just stopped using the words because it was too time-consuming and complicated).
For work, I'd like to use "DEnver" and my cell could be "EGgplant."

You scored as A classic novel. Almost everyone showers praise upon you for your depth and enduring relevance. According to your acolytes, everything you say is timeless, erudite and meaingful. Of course, none of them actually listen to you. Nobody listens to you at all, but it's fashionable to claim you as a friend. Fond of obscure words, antiquated notions and libraries, you never have a problem finding someone to hang out with. The fact that they end up using you to balance their kitchen tables is an unfortunate side effect, but you're used to being used for others' benefit. Oh, the burden of being Great. A classic novel 64% A college textbook 54% Poetry 54% A coloring book 43% An electronics user's manual 36% The back of a froot loops box 32% A paperback romance novel 32% Your Literary Personality created with QuizFarm.com

One more result that brings on gales of laughter.
RE the sentence in color: I generally wouldn't really feel this way, but lately in work-related areas outside of my workplace, yeah... I do feel like I'm talking in a vacuum. Also, when speaking to my child, my lovely teenaged son.

~Trick-or-Treat~

1. Do you buy trick-or-treat candy and end up eating it yourself?

Four different tangents here:
1) I do eat Halloween candy.
2) We buy the giant Sam's Club bags, so I'd have to eat an awful lot to do any damage.
3) I try to wait to buy it till the weekend before Halloween.
4) I try to buy candy I don't like very much; the problem with that is that doing so eliminates all the candy the kids like too!

2. Have you ever had to go out and buy another bag of candy to replace the bag you ate?

Nope. I guess that means I'm successfully hiding it from myself and my family members!

3. Did you carve any pumpkins this year?

The boys carved all three last night. Very basic this year, just faces.

4. What's your favorite...caramel apples or popcorn balls?

I'm not thrilled with either, but I prefer the apples.

5. Did you watch the 40th anniversary showing of "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown"?

Nope. I'm not a big Charlie Brown (on TV) fan.

6. What was your favorite costume as a child?

The clown costume I remember my mom making.

1. Costume :: Halloween
2. Beg ::Plead
3. Hottie :: (I plead the 5th on my original response...and the second, related, one.....so coming in a distant third:) Toddie
4. Celebrity :: ...deathmatch
5. Saturday :: ...Night's Alright for Fighting
6. Buckle :: Belt
7. Doorbell :: Avon
8. Rude :: QL/MAS(this is work-related)
9. Absence :: ...makes the heart grow fonder
10. Hyper :: -drive

Your Vampire Name Is...

Minerva of the Night

Heh.

So, tell us, do you use Blogger? And if so, have you considered a move to Blogger Beta?

Well, obviously, I use Blogger, and I haven't moved to beta. My understanding is that sometime relatively soon we'll all be moved over with no choice in the matter. So I'm saving copies of my templates in order to keep track of all the changes I've made over the past 3 years.

If you were writing your autobiography, what would the first sentence say?

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times."

What? That's taken? Bummer. So I'll just start with "Bummer."

Movies

1. What's your favorite movie genre?

Comedies or historical dramas (but not with the costumey stuff--I'm not a fan of Merchant-Ivory shows, for instance).

2. Name five movies you'd recommend to friends?

"Heathers", "Chicago", "Monty Python's Life of Brian," the "Matrix" trilogy (I'm counting that as one), and "Young Frankenstein."

3. Do you ever watch a movie simply because of the actor in it? If so, who?

Not anymore; I'd like a good plot...having said that, if it's on TV, I'll sometimes stop for a second and see what movie it is. ;-)

4. If a movie you're planning on seeing is based on a book, do you read the book? Are you generally disappointed with one or the other?

If I haven't already read the book, I probably will afterwards, unless it's a killer (like anything Hemingway!). I've mostly been disappointed with the movie, but not always.

5. If you've ever watched a movie based on a true story, have you ever then looked to see how closely the movie followed the actual events?

Only to the extent of reading reviews, unless I happen to know about that period already.

6. Do you ever watch indie movies or do you stick with only the mainstream?

Where I live, we don't get indies at the theater. I sees so few movies that this is probably a non-issue anyway, but most of them are mainstream.

7. Do you collect the movies on DVD that you've really enjoyed to watch again?

Nope.

You Are Not Scary

Everyone loves you. Isn't that sweet?

That's an improvment over last year!

about you

1. Name: Cat.
2. Your nick names: Cat., among others, e.g. "Crazy Bitch in the Corner"
3. Birthday: mid-November a longlong time ago
4. Place of Birth: Denver, CO
5. Zodiac Sign: Scorpio
6. Male or Female: F
7. Grade: F
8. School: Madd0x, Fl00d, Englew00d High, Carr0ll, ^WM
9. Occupation: Cataloger, soon to be Mushroom
10. Residence: A house, in a village in the middle of the country
11. Screen Name: Hel-LO! Cat.

__Your Appearance___
12. Hair Color: Brown with red and light blonde highlights (over the gray and brown)
13. Eye color: Hazel
14. Skin complexion: Fair and ruddy
16. Height: 5'8"
17. Braces? I had them 30 years ago. Thank God that's over!
18. Glasses? Ayup
19. Piercings: One in each earlobe. This question sure gets asked a lot!
20. Tattoos: None.
21. Lefty or righty: Righty.

___Your 'Firsts'___
22. First best friend: The first I remember is Laura
23. First award: I have no memory of one....
24. First sport you joined: Volleyball, in 7th grade
25. First pet: We had a parakeet when I was really little...I think his name was Peppy
26. First real vacation: Good heavens! Who knows? Probably to Wyoming....or Redstone.
27. First concert: Beach Boys at Bears Stadium.
28. First love: Chris, to whom I proposed when we were both 5; his big brother Tony was not at all interesting to me, but Chris and I were going to set up housekeeping in the bushes in his front yard.

___ Favorites___
29. Movie: Heathers
30. Colors: Blue and...er, silver...I guess
31. Day of the week: Monday
32. Bands: U2, Phranc, Melissa Etheridge, Joan Osborne, Nicole C. Mullen, John Mellencamp...etc., etc.
33. Song: Sweetest Thing (U2), Spider Web (Joan Osborne), Redeemer (Nicole C. Mullen)
34. Actress: Winona Ryder, and Meryl Streep
35. Actor: I'm having a Christian Bale kind of thing right now...
36. Candy: Smarties (or Pixy Stix)
37. Ice cream flavor: Vanilla
38. Sport to watch: Football
39. TV show: CSI
40. Store: C0bblest0nes
41. School Subject: History, or English
42. Animal: Generically, dogs
43. Book: "The Book of Ruth"
44. Magazine: Entertainment Weekly
45. Drink: Diet Dr. Pepper
46. One thing you favor about yourself: One thing I like about myself is my immunity to idiots.
47. One thing you favor about a family member: I got the above answer straight from my dad.
48. One thing you favor about a celebrity: I like celebrities who have a clue about the world around them, who research, keep an open mind, and then (and only then) take a stand.

___Currently___
49. Eating: Nothing
50. Drinking: Diet DP
51. Tired? A bit
52. Online? Well, yeah, actually or I couldn't be doing this
53. Listening to: Last night's CSI, and Buddy chowing down on lettuce.
54. Thinking about: ...all the things I didn't do today...
55. Wishing: ...for 30 more hours in a day
56. Watching: Last night's CSI
57. Wearing: Workout T, jeans (which are becoming really loose on me), gray socks and the felt coat I bought on Ydra

_Your Future___
58. Want kids? Have one. That's enough
59. Want to be married? I yam; one husband's enough, too.
60. Careers in mind: I like being a cataloger. I'm anticipating a career switch to the equivalent of burger flipper.
61. Where you want to live: Colorado
62. College you want to go to? Hmmmm....not sayin'. Besides, I already have two degrees; perhaps I should stop now.
63. Roommate or no roommate: I have a husband; he'd frown on another person in our room.
64. Places you want to visit: Italy, New Zealand, Australia, Mexico, New York City, Denmark, St. Petersburg, Egypt...
65. Do something you're not that into and make a lot of money or do something you're passionate about and make little money? I've chosen the latter by default.

__Which is Better With The Opposite Sex ___
67. Cute or sexy: Cute
68. Lips or Eyes: Lips
69. Hugs or Kisses: No way I could pick...gotta have both
70. Short or Tall: At least my height
71. Easygoing or serious: Depends on the moment...able to be both, appropriately, but slightly on the easygoing end of the spectrum
72. Romantic or Spontaneous: Of these two, I'd pick romantic, I guess, but I didn't know this was a continuum.
73. Fatty or Skinny: Healthy in the middle.
74. Sensitive or Loud: I'm not really into "loud" so I guess I'd pick senstive, but again, I wasn't aware this was a continuum.
75. Hook-up or Relationship: Relationship
76. Sweet or Caring: Caring.
77. Trouble maker or hesitant one: NOT a troublemaker! NOT hesistant either. How about careful and considered?

___Have you ever______
78. Kissed a Stranger: Not really.
79. Had Alcohol: ...uh...yeah...
80. Smoked: Nope.
81. Ran Away: from what? No, I don't run.
82. Hooked up: Yes, sorta.
83. Got an X-ray: I've been going to the dentist for 30 years, so, yeah.
84. Broken someones heart: Possibly
85. Broke up with someone: Yes
86. Turned someone down: Oh, yeah!
87. Cried when someone died: For fuck's sake...of course!!
88. Cried at school: Yes.

___Do You Believe In___
89. God: Yes
90. Miracles: Yes
91. Love at first sight: I don't trust it
92. Ghosts: Not really
93. Aliens: As in UFOs? No
94. Soul mates: Not exactly
95. Heaven: Yes
96. Hell: Not in the traditional sense, no.
97. Karma: Sort of
98. Kissing on the first date: Sure. Listen, I'm so out of the dating pool that this is not really an issue, but why the hell not? It's not a requirement or expectation, however.
99. Horoscopes: No
100. Good luck: Not really.

Scary Spice


1. What's your favorite candy:

Smarties.

2. What's the best scary movie?

I'm not competent to judge in this area.

3. Do you like to be alone at home?

YES! Please!!

4. Pumpkin pie: eat it or throw it?

Make it, serve it, throw away leftovers four days later, untasted (by me). I have issues with food that color. And texture.

5. The most distasteful Halloween costume you can think of:

I can think of many, but Charles Manson is one I prefer not to see.

...shanks, Lisa...

I'm in hysterics. Totally hysterical.

Your Unique Costume is a Chicken with its Head Cut Off

An excuse to run around like you're crazy :-)

That's not unique!! That's just a regular day for me!!

Because, after all, I'm emotional. Just ask around; it's a well-known fact in the area.

Feed Me Seymour


1) What was the last thing that you ate?

BBQ sandwich and corn salsa, semi-homemade.

2) Who was the last person you shared a meal with?

My family tonight.

3) What is your favorite all time dish (recipes welcome)?

Mom's Mac 'n Cheese:

Cook two cups of macaroni. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
While pasta is cooking, melt 3 T. butter and 3 T. flour together in large saucepan. Add 1/4 c. onion and 1 tsp. bouillon. When onion is cooked, added 1 c. milk and heat till boiling, stirring constantly. Let boil for 1 minute and then remove from heat. Add 2 c. shredded or cubed sharp cheddar cheese. Replace on heat and stir till cheese is melted.
Place pasta in casserole and pour cheese sauce over the top. Mix lightly together, and then bake in oven for 40 minutes, till top is browned.

[If you want to, you can cut up 3 or 4 hot dogs and add them to the pasta and cheese sauce before baking.]

4) If you could eat one thing for an entire year, what would it be?

Bread. That doesn't narrow it down by much, considering all the different kinds of bread exist in the world.

5) If you could have dinner with any five people (dead or alive) who would they be?

David (from the Bible), Mary Magdalene, both my grandfathers, and Boudicca.

October 27, 2006

Q1 - Image: Does it bother you that the rest of the world seems to hate the United States? Do you think the U.S. has to change its politics or simply do a more effective job at public relations?

I think the rest of the world is right to think our policies suck; they do suck. They are insane, mean-spirited, and against much of what America stands for. Public relations ain't gonna do it; we need to take a look at why we're doing the things we're doing in other people's backyards.

Q2 - Education: Which do you feel is the best environment for children's education, single sex or co-ed?

I think it's dependent on the kid. For most kids, though, they need to face the reality of adulthood in our culture, where men and women mix.

Q3 - Convenience: The 2007 Lexus LS has a feature that helps its driver parallel park or back the vehicle into a parking space. At the touch of a button, the 'Advanced Parking Guidance System' automatically parallel parks the LS or backs it into a parking space with just a little brake work by the driver. If this feature were available for your car, would you use it?

No. I rarely parallel park, I don't trust compuerized decision-making, and I'd hate to tell people I'm so lame I can't learn to park properly.

Q4 - Work: If you had to choose between working in sales or customer service, which would you choose?

Oh, totally NOT sales! I suck at selling things. I do, basically, customer service now, so that wouldn't be much of a change.

Early Preparations

1. As a frame of reference, what is your religious affiliation?

I'm a Presbyterian.

2. Do you celebrate Christmas, Hannukah, Yule, Winter Solstice, Kwanzaa, or any other holidays in late December?

Christmas. We also keep track of Chanukah for a couple of reasons.

3. Do you send greeting cards related to those holidays? If so, what kinds of imagery and prose do you tend to use?

We send Christmas cards, tailored to the recipient. If I know you aren't religious, or aren't Christian, I'm not going to ram my beliefs down your throat.

4. Would you send just one style of card to everyone or would you tailor your cards to each person?

See above. We usually have 4 or 5 different cards, unless we send one that's a picture we've made into a photo card.

5. What kind of card makes puts you in the holiday spirit when you receive it? Is there any kind that can make that spirit fizzle?

I appreciate hearing news, so I like those letters (though some of them are just tooooooo much). The ones I don't get make me sad.

Ghoulish

1. Do you enjoy a good fright?

Not particularly. Being scared makes me feel sick to my stomach.

2. Scariest movie you've ever seen:

I barely made it through "Fatal Attraction." Not a horror movie...unless you're Michael Douglas's character. Looking back, I wouldn't wish it on anyone else.

3. Bobbing for apples: choose one and discuss:
a) Nothing scary about that! Good wholesome fun.
b) Are you *kidding* me?!? The germs, the germs!

It's not scary, just stupid. Not because of the germs, but because of the physics of getting your teeth into an apple underwater.

4. Real-life phobia:

Crowds.

5. Favorite "ghost story:"

I enjoy a good book about ghosts, probably because I don't really believe in them. The classic one is "The Turn of the Screw" but I also like the 'true' stories like "Amityville Horror" and its ilk.

12345

1. What is one thing you always have with you?

I wish I could say my self-possession, but this week has proven once again that this would be a lie. So, I'll say...my glasses.

2. What are two things on your night-table (or next to your bed)?

There's a lot of stuff I keep handy next to the bed (hee), so I'll just pick two: a flashlight and my Bose clock radio.

3. What are three things you learned in the last seven days?

The optimistic part of me says that I've learned that I have good friends, and a good boss. I'll leave the pessimist out of this answer.

4. What are four things parents always have to tell you?

My parents?? I haven't relied on my parents for input for a VERY long time...
In the past, or when I was a kid, I suppose it was "tell the truth," "don't talk back," (those two are not mutually exclusive, I found out many times) "eat something from everything on the dinner table," and "do your best."

5. What are five things you paid for in the last month?

This is actually pretty easy, since Beast pays all the bills! My answer: groceries, prescriptions, lunch/dinner, books, fall plantings.

Feast One Hundred & Seventeen

Appetizer
Create a new candle scent.

Fresh ink. I love the smell of new books....good job, I've got, eh?

Soup
Name one way you show affection to others.

Listen.

Salad
What is your favorite writing instrument?

Mechanical pencil.

Main Course
If you were given $25 to spend anywhere online, from which site would you buy?

Heifer Project.

Dessert
Are you dressing up for Halloween? If so, what are you going to be?

I don't dress for Halloween anymore.

Your Halloween Costume Should Be

An Alien

I think I already am....

Frightful Friday

1. Do you get a lot of trick or treaters at your house?

We have a steady stream of them between about 5 and 7. Trick-or-treat hours usually run 4-8 around here, so that's fine. There are LOTS of kids in the neighborhood, so yeah...lots of doorbells.

2. Do you have problems with more tricksters than treaters in your neighborhood?

Not really. Some years, the older kids make a pass through the neighborhood later at night to snag everyone's pumpkins and then smash them in the street. Kind of annoying, but as long as it's after Halloween (sometimes they do it before), I don't really care.

3. What is the best costume you have seen?

Oh, I don't know. I have no long-term storage for this kind of thing. I just like to see the kids' excitement.

4. In your opinion, at what age should a kid stop trick or treating?

Sometime in middle school, I think. I don't care; if the kid is costumed (not just 'dressed up as a teenager') and still willing to do it, more power to him (or her). If they just show up begging for candy, I get annoyed.

Booking Through Thursday

Christine wants to know...

1. Do you make notes in books as you read them?
   Sometimes. Depends on the book, and whether I own it (of course). I do write in books I know I'll refer to later like my Bible.


2. Why or why not?
   Oops, I do this all the time...jumped the gun.
   If there's something I really do want to remember, or a thought I had while reading the book, or an interpretation of what the author said that hits home for me, I'll make a note...in my own book. Not in library books. If I'm reading a library book, I sometimes make comments on it in a notebook.


3. If you do, do you make notes only in certain kinds of books or all of them?
   Just nonfiction, just complicated ones, just my own. On occasion I do copy out a good quote from a fiction book, but not often.

Aging Cheese

1. Where do you see your age?

I'm starting to see it in my hands...they are beginning to get that veiny, thin-skinned look. Just beginning, and no one else would probably notice, but I do.

2. Where do you feel your age?

Everytime I try to run and can't make it 100 feet without wheezing. Everytime I bend over and it hurts to stand back up! Every morning: I wake up with stiff, sore back muscles almost every day.

3. Where do you hear your age?

Almost every time I turn on Top 40 radio, I have to switch it within minutes. I also hear my age in my right knee when I'm climbing steps: click/crick, click/crick...all the way up.

4. Where do you smell your age?

Hmmm, I don't really seem to smell age. This is odd. I'll have to think about it.

5. What is your most vivid memory of childhood?

I can't pin it down to one memory. I think, looking back, it's probably the knowledge that my parents had my back. I may have been pissed at them, and wanted to leave, or thought they were 'mean' or whatever, but when it comes right down to it, I knew without a question that they loved me and would keep me safe. Safe. Not necessarily happy. ;-)

6. What was "old" when you were a little kid?

25 was the ultimate 'perfect' age. 29 was ancient beyond telling. And my parents--who were my age when I was born--were practically dead.

7. Does that seem so old now?

Well, since I have left 25 and 29 in the dust of my history...no. Fifty doesn't even seem old. I suppose when I'm in my 50s, I'll feel the same way about sixty.

Easy to feel mortality creeping right up on you now, huh? Huh. I'm going to take my creaky body upstairs and get dressed now....

Onesome: Sasquatch-- Big Foot? Yeti? "Harry and the Hendersons"? Maybe? No way? Sure, we have the entire family over for dinner every Thanksgiving? Whaddaya' think?

I'm not quite sure what this question is actually asking, so I'll just riff. When I was 16 and working as a shelver in my local library, there was a guy who came in every evening whom we called "Sasquatch." He was tall and bearded with longish stringy hair (I think now we might call him Professor Snape on a Bad Beard Day). He didn't walk; he loped. Or sloped. And we always knew he was in the building, not because of a 'sighting' but because if we were shelving in the row next to him, we could smell him. It was a particularly funky smell: b.o. and damp and woodsmoke. Now I know it as the smell of homelessness. He didn't smell of alcohol, but he still managed to scare the crap out of the entire staff, even the adults, because his eyes were Charles Manson eyes. He never spoke. He never looked directly at anyone (thank God). In the years since, I've wondered who he really was, where he is now, why he was homeless (this was in the years before homelessness really was noticed by pop culture). Was he really as crazy as he seemed?

Twosome: and Haunted-- It's All Hallow's Eve next week; are you haunted by little creatures in your neighborhood extorting goodies from you? ...and do you do your part to provide an entertaining experience for them? ...or do you lock the doors, kill the lights and hide from the horde?

We are very haunted by short extortionists in our neighborhood. I hate Halloween when there's no kids around; it's a waste of energy. So I really enjoy living in a neighborhood FULL of kids.

We don't do anything but a couple of pumpkins in terms of decor. My brother goes apeshit at his house: decor, sound effects, the whole nine yards. Then again, he's mental.

Threesome: Homeland-- ghosts and spectres: do you have any local stories of 'haunted' places. ...or are there roads you grandmother told you to never travel alone, especially when the moon is full? Just askin'...

Nope. No freaky family stories about hauntings, and if there is a haunted house in our vicinity here, I haven't heard about it.

Halloween

1. Do you like Halloween? Why/why not?

I like seeing all the little kids in costume, and I like the excitement. I don't mind doing the pumpkin thing, either.

2. What did you do for Halloween as a kid?

I dressed up, of course. We always had a Halloween party (sigh...no more, thanks to the fucking assholes that have to mess up life for kids out of misguided righteousness) and we all would parade around the playground to show off our costumes to the whole school. It was great! I trick-or-treated every year till about 7th grade...the last couple of years it was Trick-Or-Treat-for-UNICEF.

3. What's your favorite part of any holiday? Why?

That is such a hard question. I like traditions and rituals. I like the chance to slow down and get out of the daily routine and do something different. I like being able to look back at all of the past holidays and remember them (the good parts).

Bonus Question: What Halloween activities are you participating in this year?

Just the pumpking carving and candy dumping. Beast won't be home, so it'll just be Sparky and me this year handing out candy. I think, actually, that was true last year as well.

Cribbed from de Lisa

1. Who is the last person you held hands with?

I don't remember, but probably Beast or Sparky.

2. If you were drafted into a war, would you survive?

If I were drafted...and sent to basic training...yeah. I'm teachable, if not exactly thrilled at the concept. My self-preservation is strong, however.

3. Have you ever drank milk out of the carton?

I don't think I have. I don't remember doing it.

4.Have you ever won a spelling bee?

I don't remember. Probably.

5. How fast can you type?

I don't know. In high school, in typing class, I got up to about 60 wpm without many errors. Nowadays, with computers, I suspect I'm somewhat faster, but also more prone to errors.

6. Are you afraid of the dark?

I'm NOT afraid of the dark. The dark can't hurt you. What I am afraid of is a) not being able to see, and b) the sorts of things that tend to hang around in dark places.

7. What is your eye color?

Hazel. Mostly brown, lately.

8. When is the last time you chose a bath over a shower?

I took a bath night before last; I usually have baths two or three nights every week.

9. Do you knock on wood?

When I'm with other people.

10. Are you drinking anything right now?

My first diet DP of the day!

11. Can you hoola hoop?

I used to be a star at this; I've even been filmed (on film, to boot). But that was about 3 1/2 decades ago....now I just totally suck!

12. Are you good at keeping secrets?

Generally, I'm ok. Some subjects I've very good at, while other times I'm less likely to shutthefuckup.

13. What do you want for Christmas?

A new work bag, assuming I don't get it for my birthday. And a new camera.

14. Do you talk in your sleep?

Once in a long while. The key here is there has to be someone around listening, because otherwise who would know? I doubt I talk loud enough to bother Beast very often. And anyway, I really only seem to do it when under extreme stress.

15. Who wrote the book of love?

I agree with Lisa: God.

16. Have you ever flown a kite?

Nope. Not my thing.
But I can sing you a son about it! :-)

17. Do you consider yourself successful?

In some areas. In other areas, I'll never be a success. Ask me if I care.

18. How many people are on your contact list of your cell?

Too lazy to go get it... There are probably 30 numbers, which means about 20 people.

19. Have you ever asked for a pony?

No, but I'm really wishing I had a horse around to ride...

20. Plans for tomorrow?

Well, that's a can of worms: I don't have to work, but I do have a lot of stuff to do, including an allergy shot, typing up minutes from Session and distributing them, shopping for Beast's birthday gift, calling my niece re her shower, grocery shopping, some other icky stuff...nothing remotely fun.

21. Missing someone now?

That's the norm for me.

22. How are you feeling today?

Very, very tired. My eyes are very itchy and I'm having a TERRIBLE time waking up today. It's been a bad week that way.

24. Are you black?

As Lisa said: Odd question. Racially I'm pretty much pure WASP.

26. What are you looking forward to?

Short-term: Halloween and seeing all the cute costumes. Longer-term: getting this stupid database merger finished. Long-term: vacations.

27. Have you ever crawled through a window?

Yeah. Hee hee hee.

28. Can you handle the truth?

The truth about what? Probably, given time, I can handle anything.

29. Do you like green eggs and ham?

Doesn't sound very tasty, but I'd eat it as a joke.

30. What three things do you always bring with you to places?

My glasses, my watch, and a Chapstick. Otherwise, it all depends on why I'm there. Usually I have a wallet with me, sometimes I have a bag full of crap, sometimes--if I'm with Beast--I have absolutely nothing but what I'm wearing.

31. Any cool scars?

"Cool"? I have a doozy of a surgical scar, and some minor scars on legs and hands where my coordination deserted me.

32. Do you like or have a crush on anyone?

I believe I have cured myself of the one that was developing over the spring and summer.

33. How many kids do you plan on having?

I'm done: one. That's sufficient.

34. What do you do when no one is watching?

I have no idea.

35. Have you ever been in love?

Yes.

36. Do you talk to yourself?

Yes. Mostly I yell at myself: "[Cat]! What are you doing? Don't be a moron!" However, sometimes I just tell myself what I need to remember to do. The talking increases in proportion to the immediate stress of the situation.

37. Is there something you want that you do not have?

Of course. They are usually not physical items so much as unquantifiable things: peace of mind, a nap, etc.

38. Who are you thinking about right now?

Sparky. He needs to be getting on the school bus in ten minutes and I'm just (silently) aware making sure he knows that.

39. Who did you last hug?

Cathy at Bible Study last night.

40. Where is your phone?

Easy one first: my cell is charging in the kitchen. In the house, we have one in corded one in the office and one in our bedroom. There are three cordless ones: downstairs on the entertainment center, on the kitchen wall, upstairs in the hall. At least, those are where the bases are. At any given time, the handsets could be virtually anywhere!

41. What is the last movie you watched?

One that I sat and watched? Young Frankenstein the other night on TV. Beast had some crap on last night that I was ignoring.

42. What song do you currently hear?

No singing at all. I can hear our wind chimes; but it's a quiet sort of tune today so clearly the wind is barely blowing.

43. What do you want?

To know my own mind.

44. Would you ever date anyone on your friends list?

I think Beast would frown on that. Not that I actually have a 'friends list'...come to think of it.

45. What TV Show are you watching?

Not watching TV.

Random Favourites (from Monday's a Bitch)

What's your favourite:
1. Pair of socks?

The heavy, blue knit ones with the sparkly snowflakes on them.

2. Pair of underwear?

Up top, any of the VS items. Below, it's dependent on the pants or (on very rare occasions) the skirt I'm wearing.

3. Boardgame?

Trivial Pursuit

4. Writing utensil?

A good mechanical pencil is heaven

5. Flavour of Popsicle?

Gosh, I haven't had one of those in forever...probably blueberry.

*

You Are

A Distressed Pumpkin Face You would make a good pumpkin pickle.

Oh, and ain't that the truth.

*

Halloween Horoscope for Scorpio

Halloween is your favorite holiday for scaring and shocking others. You like to bring out your alternate persona on Halloween - and have the night of your life. Costume suggestions: A freaky monster or prince / princess of darkness. Signature Halloween candy: Candy cigarettes

Or well...NOT.
...though I do like candy cigarettes...are those still around??

*

Knock on Wood (from Miss Elainie)

1. Do you have any superstitions?

Not really.

2. Do you believe that being superstitious is a sin?

No, but I do think it's stupid to get in a twist over the subject.

3. Do you have a ritual or custom you do because you think, "Better safe than sorry?"

Rechecking door locks obsessively.

4. Do you have a fear of the unknown?

I like the unknown! The known so frequently SUCKS.

5. Do you think that some religions are a form of superstition?

Yes.

*

Book Day from Blogdrive Insanity

1. What are some of your favorite books, and why?

I have so many...all of the Laura books, Sue Grafton books...so many, many. So
I'm going to the fallback position and refer to my reading blog where you can see my lists of favorite authors and so forth.

2. How many books do you read during a typical month?

I read about 100 books a year, though this year I'll be lucky to break 80. So anywhere from 6-9 books a month.

3. Where do you buy most of your books?

BUY?? Are you for real? I use the library!!

4. Recommend a good book to me (and your readers).

One of the early Stephanie Plum books by Janet Evanovich, or on the other end of the spectrum, Evensong by Kent Haruf.

Your Personality Is Like Cocaine

You're dynamic, brilliant, and alluring to those who don't know you. Hyper and full of energy, you're usually the last one to leave a party. Sometimes your sharp mind gets the better of you... you're a bit paranoid!

I was acid last time. And quite honestly, that's a little more true than this result, which just makes me think I'm completely mental since it's so far from reality, especially the bits about staying at parties; I'm almost always among the first to leave! However, especially lately, the paranoia "strikes deep."

How do you know that God does or does not exist?

I don't 'know' anything about God, really. Having said that, there is an awful lot of stuff I've seen that has no rational explanation beyond the existence of some kind of rightness, goodness, light, power....and a singular sense of plotting and timing.

If you were a mail carrier, what kind of weather would bother you the most?

I'm torn between bitter cold late-January days and those really sticky-humid days in August. Having delivered newspapers in both, the ones I really remember are the cold days, when my legs (and butt) didn't warm up for about 4 hours after coming inside.
However, I really think that as long as I bundled up and kept moving, I'd do better on cold days than I would on days when there was no escape from having carry multiple bottles of water, and a towel, along with the stacks of mail.

What is your favorite board game?

The one I like where the board is completely boring and almost incidental is "Trivial Pursuit." I really like board games where you move around, so I like "Life" and "Chutes and Ladders."

What will you be for Halloween this year?

I will be....passing out candy.

If you could stand at the pinnacle of any natural object or man-made structure, what would it be?

I'm having a vision of Jesus being tempted in the wilderness, standing at the top of the highest peak....

But anyway...once you get up that high the view is both incidental and somewhat pointless. While heights do not bother me in the least, I'm not sure standing at the top of something does all that much for me. I wouldn't mind being able to manage climbing all the fourteeners in Colorado....that would be very cool, and I enjoy the pleasure of the climb. Or rather, I used to; I couldn't manage it today without some serious training and preparation!

You Are Changing Leaves

Pretty, but soon dead.

I think I've done this before.

And I think I got the same answer.

Perhaps I should internalize it and become depressed.

Oops, too late.

My Monday AND Tuesday were so manic I haven't had time to catch up!

What's in a Name?

Do you like your given name? I do, now.

Do you know how your parents chose your name? My parents did not choose my name: my sisters did.

Do you have any nicknames? Cat. And some others which I won't go into here since they would remove any aura of mystique I have. {that would be irony}

How do you feel about some of the more unusual names that have become popular lately? Do you think an odd name carries a stigma as the child grows up? Depends how odd. Since my first name is frequently misspelled, I can tell you: it's awfully annoying. Having to spell "C-H-N-I-E-I-Q-A-A-H" (Shen-eek-wa) every DAMN time is gonna get old, people. Don't do it to your kid; stick with "Lisa", "Amy", "Diana"...you know, the easy names that everyone can spell.
Notice how most boys still end up with mostly spellable names? Why? Because they have to think about careers. It's latent sexism, I tell you!!
[and no, my name is nothing at all like Sheneequah]

Your Gluttony Quotient: 35%

You have a pretty good relationship with food - you enjoy it, but you don't go overboard. You've struck the perfect balance between gluttony and self control.

Yeah, me and food--we're best buddies.

HAH!

Time Management

1. Two things you procrastinate the most about:

Cleaning and making phone calls.

2. Two things that take priority in your time management:

Blogging and family time.

3. Do you usually arrive on time or late?

I used to be rather compulsive about being early. However, in the last couple of years, I've gotten really bad about my schedule, and I've shown up late to several different things.

4. Do you get annoyed when other people arrive late or you really don’t care?

How late? Fifteen minutes is one thing, three hours is entirely different. Also factored in is travel time. If they had to drive seven hours with kids, they clearly get more leeway than someone coming ten minutes across town for a monthly meeting.

5. What two things would you change/delete about your daily schedule in order for you to have more "down" time?

Meetings. Work. Cancel 'em both and--voilà!--mucho "down time."

Fuckin figures....

Week Number Forty:

What is the most important thing missing from your life right now?

Sanity, levelheadedness, peace.
Then again, I'm not sure I would recognize these things if they sat on my belly and licked my face.

If you were casting a movie, what role would you cast yourself in?

The woman walking down a dark street in a bad neighborhood at 2 a.m.--just as the bars are all closing.

musical meme-age

1. Favorite Beatles song: There are so many I like. I'll stick with "Twist and Shout" and "Revolution."
2. Favorite Rolling Stones song: "Honky Tonk Women" (I have the 45, stolen from my brother)
3. Favorite Doors song: "Riders on the Storm"
4. Favorite Bob Dylan song: "Like a Rolling Stone" (but my favorite one he wrote is "Blowin' in the Wind")
5. Favorite Led Zeppelin song: "Stairway to Heaven" "Black Dog" edited 10/25
6. TV Theme Song: Either "Gilligan's Island" or "Hill Street Blues" (depends on whether I actually want to sing words or just hum)
7. Favorite Prince Song: Far too many to name all of them... "Darling Nikki" and "Raspberry Beret" are up there....
8. Favorite Madonna Song: "Like a Prayer"
9. Favorite Michael Jackson song: "Man in the Mirror"
10. Favorite Queen Song: "Too Much Love Will Kill You" and "The Show Must Go On"
11. Favorite Motorhead Song: No clue
12. Favorite Ozzy Song: No clue
13. Favorite Public Enemy Song: No clue
14. Favorite Song from a cartoon: "Circle of Life" from The Lion King
15. Favorite Bruce Springsteen song: "Born to Run"
16. Favorite Depeche Mode song: "Personal Jesus"
17. Favorite Cure song: "Love Cats"
18. Favorite song that most of your friends haven't heard: "Witness" by Nicole C. Mullen
19. Favorite Smiths song: No clue
20. Favorite Beastie Boys song: "Fight for Your Right (to Party)"
21. Favorite Clash song: "Wro