Sweet Memes

(Link at left)
Saturday 6

1. How many Christmas Cards did you receive from people you hadn't sent cards to, after the "mailing deadline?" Did you send a card anyway?

We don't resend, mostly because this year has just been nuts. Besides, I don't really keep track of what has come in. On New Year's Day, I sit down and track addresses and who sent cards in our Christmas Card File. Usually, after two years of no receipts, we stop sending a card, but that depends on who it is.

2. At this point, do you weigh more or less than you did on January 1, 2006? Is that a good thing or a bad thing?

I have no idea what I weighed last January; I didn't own a scale at that point. I probably weigh about what I did when I bought the scale, though, which isn't a good thing.

3. When the clock strikes Midnight on New Year's, will you be at home, at a party, or somewhere else?

We'll be home, watching TV. We never go anywhere; I hate crowds, especially when everyone has been drinking.

4. Take the quiz: What's your holiday stress level?

When I took it earlier today I was "Moderate."

5. Have you ever been the designated driver at a party or outing with your friends?

Nope. I don't go to the right kind of parties, or whatever.

6. Have you ever taken the keys and driven home a friend that you felt was too drunk to drive? If not, do you think you would attempt to if that situation ever arose?

Nope, see answers to #5.

So, tell us, have you ever met anyone famous? Yes.

How much of your banking and bill paying do you do online? I don't do any. Beast does all of our bill-paying and most of our banking, and he does as much as he can online.

My daughter is spending the day in her bedroom today because she's been grounded. When was the last time you were grounded? I think I grounded myself this fall sometime; when I start being insane, sometimes it's just easier to ground me than ground the people around me.

What treat gets left out for Santa Claus tonight? I'm not sure; we don't have any cookies in the house. We have carrots for the reindeer, though.

(link at left)

1. Terrify :: Freak out
2. Month :: Year
3. Throat :: Sore...
4. Invasion :: Family
5. Nail :: ...Polish
6. 12 :: Dozen
7. Bicker ::Sisters
8. Thomas :: ...the Tank Engine
9. Sibling :: ...Rivalry
10. Delude :: Lie

You Are a Gingerbread House

A little spicy and a little sweet, anyone would like to be lost in the woods with you.

Hmmm, not sure this is true, though I've never been lost in the woods before...so who knows....

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Your Drag Queen Name Is:

Holly Wood

Really?

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Your Christmas Stocking Will Be Filled With a Puppy

Well - one cute, soft, cuddly puppy... And a very soiled Christmas stocking.

Oh, would that it could be a puppy.
On the other hand, I'd like to keep my white sateen stocking mostly white...!

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Your Holiday Stress Level is Moderate

The holidays sometimes stress you out, but mostly because they wear you down. Take it easy! You can have a fun holiday without running yourself ragged.

It's much lower than it was 36 hours ago, that's for sure!!

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Your Elf Name Is...

Holly Twinkle Wink

What's with "Holly" as my name?? :-)

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You Are a Fruitcake!

You taste like nothing else in this world. And get ready, you're about to get tossed!

I am, truly, a fruitcake today. And my taste is a little weird.
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Your Christmas Song Is

Silver Bells City sidewalks, busy sidewalks Dressed in holiday style In the air There's a feeling of Christmas You like to take in all the sites of Christmas From city lights to eleborate window displays

OK. I like whistling along with this one.
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Your Christmas is Most Like: A Charlie Brown Christmas

Each year, you really get into the spirit of Christmas. Which is much more important to you than nifty presents.

...does this make me Lucy??

I'd rather be Linus, actually.

You Are a Practical Gift Giver

Your gifts are useful, appropriate, and custom tailored to each person. In your opinion, the best gifts are gifts that someone will actually use. Your gifts may not be the most glamourous, but they are always appreciated.

Yeah, I'd like to think so, but at this point in the year, I have my doubts.

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You Were Nice This Year!

You're an uber-perfect person who is on the top of Santa's list. You probably didn't even *think* any naughty thoughts this year. Unless you're a Mormon, you've probably been a little too good. Is that extra candy cane worth being a sweetheart for 365 days straight?

But of cawse....hah. Actually, it's just a case of being really, really boring!!

RevGal Friday Five

1. Favorite cookie/candy/baked good without which, it's just not Christmas.

Hmmmm, I no longer make goodies; I rely solely on others to provide sugar. Because they do. And God knows I don't need MORE of my own! So nowadays I'd say it's either the memory of homemade fudge (mmmm) or 7-Layer Bars, which I will eventually get around to making so that I can eat them out of the pan.
Beast Santa always gives me Sour-Patch Kids, too, in my stocking; they're Holiday candy for me now.

2. Do you do a fancy dinner on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, both, or neither? (Optional: with whom will you gather around the table this year?)

I don't 'do' cooking on Christmas. If we get no invites, we never put on pajamas, and scrounge for our own food all day. However, normally we've gone to a friend's house on Christmas to stand-in for her family (long story). This year we're going to my niece and nephew's where we will stay barely long enough to shove some food in and unwrap presents. They have 4 cats; this gives me about 60 minutes before I go from merely uncomfortable for the next few days to hospitalized for the next few days.

3. Evaluate one or more of the holiday beverage trifecta: hot chocolate, wassail, egg nog.

See, I read ahead this time. Had I not done so, I would have picked egg nog for my answer to #1. However, my system is slowly reaching to point where the nog, it is too rich for me. Wassail: eh. Hot chocolate: I always burn my mouth, and it's foul when it's cooling off. Bring on the nog!!

4. Candy canes: do you like all the new-fangled flavors or are you a peppermint purist?

They should be peppermint. I can't eat hard candy anymore, so I haven't had any this year. Probably won't either.

5. Have you ever actually had figgy pudding? And is it really so good that people will refuse to leave until they are served it?

No. It sounds positively icky. Then again, the only fig-related product I've ever enjoyed (a little) are fig newtons, which hardly count as 'real food.'

Edited to add: Well, I am APPALLED with myself that I forgot to include a question about the crown prince of holiday foods--the fruitcake.

Feel free to add your thoughts on this most polarizing holiday confection.

Ick. 'nuf said.

My sister used to make a 'proper' British Christmas pudding every year, starting about two weeks before Christmas. It involved adding brandy daily...that's all I remember is her talking about that. I think this is probably where our fruitcake concept came from. But then, in true American fashion, we took out the alcohol and added more sugar and processed components.

Not that I'd particularly like the British version, but in the old days, I can see the attraction.

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Four For Friday (Link at left, under BeliBlog

Q1 - Wealth: In 1982, the year Forbes started publishing its annual list of the 400 wealthiest America[n]s, the magazine could find only a dozen or so billionaires. This year, The Forbes 400 list includes billionaires only. What is your definition of wealthy?

Wealthy means that, even if you never worked another day in your life, you would never have to sleep on the streets.

Q2 - Advertising and Religion:Bahrainian athlete Ruqaya Al Ghasara runs her track & field races wearing a hijab (a full Muslim headscarf). Nike, which sponsors Al Ghasara and is notorious for splashing its logo on everything in sight, somehow managed to get the Nike swoosh emblazoned onto the sides of Al Ghasara hijab. In your opinion, should Nike have stopped short of swooshifying a religious garment, or is Al Ghasara hijab fair game for branding?

I'm not qualified to judge this. If the muckety-muks in Bahrain said it's ok, then it's ok. My understanding is that the hijab is just a scarf, it's the wearing or not wearing of it that is the religious part. You can wear Hermes or a bandana (ok, well, the latter would be weird), as long as your wearing SOMEthing. Which reminds of a story about a paper napkin and the Catholic church a friend went to in the 50s...but that's another story.

Q3 - Asking for Advice:According to a recent survey, most employees are unwilling to turn to their boss for advice on problems at work. In fact, a supervisor was cited by only 11 percent of employees surveyed as a source for workplace advice. More employees rely on a peer, another senior person, or a friend outside the company when searching for advice on work-related issues. How about you? When you are experiencing problems at work, who do you turn to for help or advice?

I talk to my boss for serious "how to do it" stuff and my husband and my boss for interpersonal problems. I think the problem with asking a boss is that sometimes the boss just doesn't get all the details of day-to-day work and can't speak to what will work better in that respect. I'm fortunate that my boss respects and trusts me. If that weren't true, I wouldn't ask her opinion about anything. Could that be the problem for others??

Q4 - Sleep:While everyone pretty much knows that sleep is vital to our health and well being, millions of us are not getting enough of it, or are suffering from sleep-related problems. For example, surveys conducted by the National Sleep Foundation reveal that 60 percent of adults report having sleep problems a few nights a week or more. In addition, more than 40 percent of adults experience daytime sleepiness severe enough to interfere with their daily activities at least a few days each month. What time did you go to bed last night, and do you think you got enough sleep?

Good day to ask this question...and an unusual one, too. I went to sleep at about 12:30 this morning and got up at 8:45. Normally, I get about 5-6 hours a night. I think that's my tipping point; if I get more, I tend to feel tireder, and have more trouble sleeping through.

However (I've said this over and over), I sleep loads better now that I wear earplugs to sleep. I can sleep with bright lights and temperature changes--once I get warm in bed--but noise ruins sleep completely for me.

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Friday 5 (Link at left)
Friends, Pt. 2

1. Which of your friends has the nicest hair? MEM
2. Which of your friends has the nicest smile? Jenny
3. Which of your friends is the best gift-giver? Amy
4. Which of your friends is the most different from you? Chris
5. Which of your friends is the oddest? I plead the Fifth on this....

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Friday Five (Link at left)
Name 5...

1. Favorite gifts that you bought/made for someone else that you wanted for yourself!

I can't think of five specific examples, but many years I have given people books I'd like to read. If it's a family member, I usually sneak-read it after they open it.

2. Favorite holiday treats to eat or drink.

Eggnog, fudge, fondue, iced sugar cookies, Chinese food on Christmas Eve.

3. Gifts you would have like to to buy/make for someone else if money was no object.

A scrapbook for my mom of her life.
A personal trainer/nutritionist for Beast.
A new job that she loves for Amy.
Life lessons for Sparky.
Cash for Mr. Jimmy to pay FEMA back what they say he owes.

4. Gifts you would like for yourself if money was no object!

A masseuse.
A housekeeper/cook.
A new computer every year, and someone to geekify it when it gets goofy.
TIME!!
I'd really like a dog, but this isn't a money issue, it's a health issue....

5. Things you still have to do for the holidays!

Wrap a few presents.
Drop off gifties for local people.
Make Communion bread for Christmas Eve.
THIS F^CKING SHOWER tomorrow!
Buy a couple more stocking stuffers.

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Friday's Feast (Link at left)

Appetizer
What is one of your Christmas traditions?

Late service on Christmas Eve. Sparky always used to fall asleep at it, and I'd sit in the back with him on my lap.

Soup
Who is the easiest person on your list to buy presents for?

Sparky. He gave me a list.

Salad
What is your favorite Christmas scent?

Real pine, not candles or air freshener.

Main Course
If you could give a fellow blogger a Christmas gift, who would it be and what would you give them?

I'd actually give Bubba either his health or a diagnosis so he could get treatment.

Dessert
What's something on your Christmas wish list this year that you need (not just want)?

There is nothing I need. I'd really like a new camera one of these days, though...

(Link at left)

Random

Your confessions:
[] I'm afraid of silence
[] I am really ticklish define "really"
[] I'm afraid of the dark
[] I've collected comic books
[x] I sometimes shut out others
[x] I open up to others TOO easily
[x] I read the newspaper online
[] I love Disney movies
[x] I am a sucker for gorgeous eyes
[x] I am a sucker for a gorgeous smile
[] I don't kill bugs
[] I have "x"s in my screen name
[x] I bake well
[] I have worn pajamas to class
[] I love Martha Stewart
[] I am guilty of tYpInG lIkE tHiS
[x] I love to laugh
[] I can't swallow pills used to be true, but I've had to figure it out
[x] I bite my nails what nails? I'm down to nubs on 8 fingers...stress much?
[x] I play computer games when I'm bored and when I'm stressed
[x] I have gotten lost in the city in a city, but not the nearby Big City
[] I have gone out in public in my pajamas
[x] I have made out in an elevator have I? I think so...
[] I have been skydiving
[] I have been bungee jumping
[x] I have bitten someone
[] I have egged or T.P.ed a house/car
[] I have smashed a car
[x] I have been fired

Have you ever…
[x] seen a shooting star
[x] joke proposed to anyone
[x] gotten stitches
[] eaten Sushi
[x] gotten the chicken pox
[x] Ridden in a taxi
[] Been on a cruise ship
[x] Driven over 400 miles in one day that's only 7 hours! That's nothin'!
[] Been on a plane by yourself I usually need at least a pilot...if this means 'have I traveled alone, then yes
[x] had surgery
[] seen a movie more than 3 times in the theater the same movie? no
[x] been on stage
[] gotten a black eye
[] memorized all the dialogue in a movie
[x] watched an entire baseball game YAWN

Do you like…
[] old movies
[x] musicals
[x] blasting music in your car
[] foreign foods
[] gameboy Pokemon
[x] Christmas time
[x] doughnuts
[x] animals
[] coffee
[] tea
[x] summer
[] winter

Off to France tomorrow morning (I know I'm going on about it but I'm a little excited!). We're driving and catching a ferry. I'd prefer to fly but we'd missed the get your cheap flights now window of opportunity. So, tell us, how do you like to travel?

I used to LOVE to fly. I still like the speed and the excitement of it, but I hate HATE HATE airports, airlines, and rude passengers.
I also like trains...in Europe. Amtrak isn't nearly as fun, or as organized. Every time my sister and brother-in-law take the train to visit us they are HOURS late...I'm not even exaggerating. This week: five hours! And that's normal.
Boats--I get motion sick, and generally anxious (I can't swim). Buses make me motion sick, too. In fact, I'd rather be on a boat than a bus.
Cars are my best bet nowadays. Lots more control of the whole situation.
I'd like to try RVing one of these days.

Is your Christmas tree fake or real?

Fake. I love it: it doesn't make me sneeze!

(Link at left)

Onesome: Plenty-- of time, take a deep breath. Overnight/Saturday delivery could work for you... So could a trip a few hundred miles away if you're into shopping on Sunday! How are you doing? Do you have it together?

Yeah, mostly done. I have a couple of things I need to pick up at the grocery store for stocking stuffers, and some more stuff to wrap, and then I think I'm done....

Twosome: of-- all the states, I'm hearing the worst reports from Ohio! It has no snow! No snow, no Christmas! What's to be done? Is it looking like the normal Christmas weather there for you?

We have no snow either. It's been way too warm for the time of year; I've been wearing my windbreaker outside all week instead of a winter coat. I hope we get some snow Sunday. But then, no snow after that because I'll be traveling--ironically, to Ohio.

Threesome: Time-- Time? Good grief, the 24th is days away, and most men haven't even awakened a sense of urgency as yet {g}. Is anyone done, finished, wrapped and resting?

Beast has shopped. I have been told what doors not to open until he gets stuff wrapped. I don't know if he's done, however. I'm pretty sure he hasn't gone shopping with Sparky for anything, though.

A Little Help

1. Do you believe there's such a thing as a chemical imbalance? Do you think that treating these problems with drugs is a good thing? Why/why not?

I absolutely believe in chemical imbalances (presumably in the brain). I think drugs are part of the solution, but sometimes the problems are situational not chemical, and sometimes they are both. And then there are the times that people just suck.

2. What about drugs for brain-related stuff like depression? Do you think one should be able to get over it themselves, or do you think sometimes we all need a little help, and sometimes we need meds for awhile?

I'm taking Zoloft right now, for the third winter in a row (for Seasonal Affective Disorder), so I'm probably not able to answer this in an unbiased way. All I can say is that when I go back and read what I wrote the last couple of years before I caved in and started on the pills, it scares the crap outta me--and that's only the tip of the iceberg showing!!

3. Who do you turn to when you have emotional crisis? Why?

Beast (poor, poor Beast), Jenny...and God. Because they all listen and don't tell me I'm an idiot; I don't have to "act" for them.

Bonus Question: Are you ready to deal with Xmas? Will you be happy or sad when the holidays are over?

I'm somewhat ready, but I'm more anxious about Saturday's shower at this point. I will be sad when it's all over, though. I always am (although I'm also usually very pleased to have my relatively uncluttered living room back).

Both Lisa and ICL have had this on their sites. So I've stolen it from both of them:







One for each of us.

"Borrowed" from ICL (hers comes with photos; mine doesn't)

A - Available/Single? Married to Beastie for 20+ years. Only available for friendship.

B - Best Friend? Jenny. Amy. Sorry. I'm having a day of not being able to make hard decisions.

C - Cake or Pie? his is sonot an either/or question! Fruit pies and white cake. Not necessarily together.

D - Drink Of Choice? Most usual: Diet Dr. Pepper. Gewürztraminer. Vodka.

E - Essential Item You Use Everyday? My glasses; without them I can't see.

F - Favorite Color? Blue

G - Gummy Bears Or Worms? Either/or issues again. I like 'em both, but I can't really eat them anymore. Sucks to have old teeth.

H - Hometown? I grew up in a suburb south of Denver. I live somewhere else now.

I - Indulgence? Long, very hot bubble baths.

J - January Or February? January. February has to be the longest fecking month of the year! I don't know why it feels that way, but it does.

K - Kids & Their Names? My son is called Sparky here. In real life, he's named after both of his grandfathers.

L - Life Is Incomplete Without? Love

M - Marriage Date? July 5, 1986

N- Number Of Siblings? Three now, used to be four

O - Oranges Or Apples? Apples for ease of use, but I love the smell of oranges.

P - Phobias/Fears? Crowds, Looking Stupid, Failing.

Q - Favorite Quote? I have too many to list here. Lately it's been "I like bullets." Has nothing to do with guns, and everything to do with PC-ism run amok on college campuses.

R - Reason to Smile? Babies and little kids, especially this time of year.

S - Season? Fall

T - Tag People: Whoever wants to snag this, go nuts.

U - Unknown Fact About Me? I have a couple of weird birthmarks.

V - Vegetable you don’t like? Okra

W - Worst Habit? Leaping to conclusions.

X - X-rays You’ve Had? Teeth (lots and lots of those), and I think they may have x-rayed me before I had surgery. I was pretty out of it. Do colonoscopies count? Or mammagrams? I've had one of the former and two of the latter.

Y - Your Favorite Food? Pasta

Z - Zodiac Sign? Scorpio. It's my words that can sting.

Would you rather be a contestant on The Amazing Race, Survivor, American Idol, Dancing With the Stars, or Big Brother?

Oh, definitely The Amazing Race. I wouldn't really even care about the competition, but the travel would rock, so I'd like to stay in for awhile so I could get to places I normally wouldn't visit. Plus, I love Phil.

What is one item that you own that you really should throw away ... but probably never will?

My pink mouse, purchased at the Denver train station when I was 5 or so. It's the only stuffed animal or I still have from my childhood that I didn't ruin; Raggedy Anne has a giant stain on her from the perfume I doused her in, and my Swiss Doll has a cracked head. Still, not getting rid of those, either.

If you could put any one person's head on a coin, who would it be? What coin? What would you put on the back of the coin?

Well, this is an interesting question.... How about Martin Luther King, Jr. on a dollar coin? That's like the kiss of death, though, since dollar coins don't seem to work in America. Someone needs to do a study on why that is.
OK, maybe MLK and Lincoln could share the penny? You'd have heads and heads, but who flips pennies?

I love the fact that I don't get credit for knowing this stuff because I'm over 40.

And I've a bone to pick about the Civil War...Russia did have a Civil War. Technically, so did France (though it's never called that). Methinks the test-writer needs to look up the definition of "civil war."

Christmas/Holiday Potpourri

1. Do you get stressed-out over the holidays? If so, what stresses you out the most?

Oh, yeah! Most of the stress is about gift-purchasing, and mailing the damn cards. This year, the added bonus is my niece's shower this Saturday.

2. Have you ever eaten chestnuts?

Actually, I don't think I have. Hmmm, must remedy that....

3. Do you have a special recipe you make during the holidays and if so what is it?

I don't. I used to make cookies, but we don't need cookies laying around all month, so I don't do that anymore.

4. Have you ever had Carolers come to your door?

Yes, in 1994. I've caroled a couple of years, too. It's fun.

5. Do you wish for snow on Christmas/The Holidays?

Yes. It's just weird not to have cold weather on Christmas.

Christmas

Wrapping Paper or gift bags? Paper unless the gift is terribly weird-shaped, then I'll use a bag.

Real tree or artificial? I'm allergic to real trees, so we've had a fake tree for 4 or 5 years now. We may look for a pre-lit "retro" tree after the holidays, if there are any left.

When do you put up the tree? Normally, around Thanksgiving or the first week of December.

Do you like eggnog? Yum.

Favorite gift received as a child? Probably the Barbie Dream House I got when I was 7 or so.

Do you have a nativity scene? Yup.

Hardest person to buy for? Usually, Beast, but I think I did ok this year.

Easiest person to buy for? Sparky, so far.

Mail or email Christmas cards? I mail most of them. I have one here that I'll have to email because I don't have a current street address. And there are a couple of others I'll send email cards.

I oops-ed. The crossed out stuff below is Lisa's, which I didn't clean up properly. Sorry!
Worst Christmas gift you ever received? Most likely something my idiot ex-husband bought me. A crock pot and a Abs of Steel video are coming to mind. The hell?? Books I've already read, or no books at all. And 1994's pre-Christmas events were really shitty.

Favorite Christmas movie? White Christmas I don't have one. It's not my favorite time to sit around watching a movie I've seen a million times before...something I tend not to do in any case.

When do you start shopping for Christmas? Usually in Novemeber. I can’t do it much earlier as my son’s birthday is in late October. Normally, I start collecting things, or at least ideas, early in the year...spring, or summer. This year I had about 3 ideas/things up until December 1. Bad me.
OK, back the regularly scheduled programming now...

Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Not very often.

Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Cookies, and/or fudge.

Clear lights or colored on the tree? Multi-color lights.

Favorite Christmas song? "Silent Night" and anything by Nat King Cole.

Travel at Christmas or stay home? I'd prefer to stay home, but we almost always go somewhere.

Can you name all of Santa’s Reindeer? Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen. And Rudolph.

Angel on the tree top or a star? Star.

Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? We open one from Beast's side on the Eve, and the rest Xmas morning.

Most annoying thing about this time of year? The constant onslaught of Christmas music. I don't know why it annoys me so much, but then again, I don't really care for Muzak of any kind.

Favorite ornament theme or color? I have loads of ornaments from my childhood, and a couple from my mom's childhood. Those are special, but I also like all the birds I've accrued over the past few years.

Favorite Christmas dinner? Whatever I didn't have to cook!

What do you want for Christmas this year? A big check for the D'Iberville Volunteer Foundation.

...but I'm owed. Found this at Library Tavern.

You are a moderate early bird
You have many early bird traits, but perhaps you set your alarm clock "just in case," or sleep in on your days off. Nights are not off limits for you, but you don't often stay out late.

Yup. 100% accurate.

(link at left)

Fives

5 facts about me on love:

I believe in it.
I don't think I've experienced love at first sight; lust, yes, but not love.
I love each person differently, and it's very complicated.
Until I became a mother, I never knew what kinds of sacrifices I'd make for someone else.
Love makes us do incredibly stupid, inexplicable things.

5 facts about me on sex:

It's fun.
It's weird, and objectively sort of icky. But see my first point.
It isn't all that, though. There is more to life than sex. Clearly, I'm not a man. (OK, so here come the rotten tomatoes!)
Foreplay can be better than sex. Again, clearly, I'm not a man.
I still can't get over the yucky mental picture of my parents having sex.

5 facts about me on school:

I was a huge geek in school. Shocking, eh?
I miss school, but not most of the students.
I was a good student by almost every definition of that phrase.
I was co-valedictorian of my class, along with 5 other people (we were all within .01 of each other's GPA).
I graduated from college Magna Cum Laude.

5 subjects I enjoyed taking in the course of my life:

"History of the New Testament" and "Jesus of Nazareth." They made me a better Christian by making me deconstruct my faith and rebuild it from the ground up.
History.
Spanish. Though not in college; that was all memorization and reciting back facts about Spanish authors I have never encountered since (except Cervantes, who died the same year as Shakespeare--gee, I do remember something!).
Shop. I loved shop. Band saws! Chisels! Drill presses!
English, both composition and literature.
Cataloging and classification. The most fun I had in grad school (in a classroom, anyway).

5 facts about me on my driving:

I have had a total of three accidents in my life; none of them made my driving record officially. All three were fender-benders.
I have received one ticket. I was about as close as can be to getting another one--and really, I should have gotten it: I failed to stop at a four-way stop next to a daycare about 2 blocks from the county jail--but the cop knew my mom. I just got reamed out instead.
I don't pay close enough attention to other cars when I know the roads. I do pay close attention when there is lots of traffic.
The words "idiot" and "moron" and "JesusGod!!" are uttered quite often in my car.
I still haven't ever driven myself downtown to the Big City to the East of me. Too chicken.

5 facts about me on my view on politics:

I'm a registered Democrat, but only because you have to pick a party to get any kind of choices on your ballot around here.
My parents were/are staunch Republicans (although even my Mom thinks W is 100% Stupid). Dad went off like a rocket on Roosevelt; it was a guaranteed 15-minute rant every time the subject was raised.
All of my siblings are (and were) way more liberal than our parents. Mostly because Dad should have been a Democrat, if he would have let go of the FDR thing, and stopped buying the lies about Republicans being pro-small business.
Choice: good. Homosexuality: genetically-based. Evolution: most likely explanation for the world. Earth: not the center of the universe, and not flat. Extremism of any sort: bad. People: mostly stupid with moments of brilliance.
Politics isn't a line, it's a circle; as you follow it around you end up meeting your political enemies.

5 songs I currently like:

"Stuck in a Moment" U2
"Freedom" Nicole C. Mullens
"The Christmas Song" sung by Nat King Cole
"We Are One" Angelique Kidjo
"No More Drama" by Mary J. Blige

5 bands I detest:

[I'm omitting people I don't consider actual musicians, like Paris Hilton, most anyone named Jessica, and 90% of the current crop of rappers]
Rush
Insane Clown Posse
Marilyn Manson
Conway Twitty (mostly because of his name, I'll admit it)
Ike Turner

5 foods I love:

Cake with lots of frosting
Fruit pies, or Meat pies
Bread
Pasta with sauce
Cheese

5 facts about my family:

If we got everyone together--mom through her all her grandchildren, including sons- and daughter-in law--there'd be 22 people plus one almost-born. Half would be fighting with each other and/or crying, another third would be hiding and/or drinking heavily, and the rest would be having fun.
I have 4 nieces and 4 nephews between the ages of 22 and 38.
We live in 11 different cities.
Alcoholism runs in my family.
Almost all the boys have biblical names. Most of the girls don't.

5 facts about me on dealing with kids:

I tend to get carried away and giggle a lot with kids.
Babies are cool, until they stink and/or cry.
I especially love to hang out with 3rd-4th graders (8-10 year olds).
Reading aloud to kids is fun.
I yell a lot when I get frustrated with kids.

5 things about me on my job:

I love my job! I am pretty independent of how I structure my days, and my boss trusts me (and vice versa).
I'm good at detail work, if I know why it's necessary. I hate detail work when it's stupid shit.
I don't play politics very well, though Beast says I'm better than I think I am at it.
If I'm still doing a lot of reference hours in 10 years, I will be a very cranky person.
I tend to try to solve everyone's problems; I need to learn how to keep my nose out of it.

5 facts about me on money:

That screaming sound? It's the sound of me squeezing my dimes. In other words, I'm cheap...er, frugal.
Not as frugal and insane as my niece: I don't drive to 4 different grocery stores to get a week's worth of groceries for $5 less than I would spend at one.
I have somehow managed to lose the ability to balance a checkbook in the past 5 years or so.
I don't get investments. They are beyond me; I just don't understand this sort of thing. Taxes, insurance....it's like I have a giant wall that slams down between my eyes/ears and my brain whenever the subjects are addressed.
I have spent WAAAY too much (again) for Christmas presents.

5 things I act like when I’m high:

[the only high I've ever achieved was due to an IV in the hospital, so I'll be answering this about my drunken behavior]
I laugh a lot (more).
I go to the bathroom a lot.
My face turns REALLY, rather frighteningly, red.
At this point, I usually get an upset stomach and/or a headache after about 2 drinks.
If I overindulge, I get maudlin.

5 celebrities I wish would disappear off the face of earth:

Only FIVE??
Tom Cruise
The Hiltons--all of 'em (they count as one because their total IQs are less than the average person's)
The Simpsons--not the TV show, but OJ, Jessica, Ashlee, and the father of the latter two.
Mel Gibson
The entire staff of the Fox network (see my comment re the Hilton family)

5 facts about me on sleeping:

I sleep to the left of Beast, and have for most of our married life
I mostly sleep on my left side, curled up
I've had to change my sleep position over the past year to alleviate my neck/shoulder problems.
In my 20s, I spent a third or more of my nights not sleeping, or sleeping on the couch, or in the spare room.
I'm used to be kind of obsessive about how much sleep I got. Now I know I can function with damn little sleep.
I love jammies.

5 facts about me on video games:

I used to be a Tetris junkie
I have spent hours this year playing Sudoku online, but I seem to have broken that habit.
The Sims is eating my life.
I have a lot of trouble getting the GameCube controls sorted out.
I used to dream about Pac-Man. OK, they were sort of nightmares, from playing too much.

5 movies I enjoy:

Heathers
All of the Matrix movies
Caddyshack
RHPS
Groundhog Day

5 stores I buy clothes at:

Kohl's
VS
Target
Coldwater Creek
Old Navy

5 things about my plans for the future:

I don't make firm plans like this.
I'd like to go back to Italy and Greece, maybe on a cruise? I could do Turkey then too.
Sparky...college...paying for it...yeah....sigh
I don't plan to retire until I can't function at all.
It would be nice to have a little cottage in the woods somewhere.

5 worries I have:Oh, that's funny...just five? These are the first ones that pop into my head:

Sparky dying
Sparky ruining his life
Beast becoming disabled
Anyone in my family getting a terminal illness (beyond those who already have them)
Christmas and all that goes with it this year

5 things I’m angry about:

My mom's condition.
The library system merger.
Bush & Co.
Stupidhead, lazy-thinking so-called "Christians."
Stupidhead, overpaid professional athletes. Not all of them, just the asshats.

5 things I’m excited about:

Christmas (of course)
The shower this weekend
Seeing my in-laws next week
My great-nephew's arrival
Our new church building

5 things I’m dreading:

The library merger and the fall-out from it
Packing and moving our church
Sparky learning to drive
My boss's retirement
A lot of issues around my mom

5 wishes:

More understanding, patience, and tolerance between people everywhere
More time
Easily-learned hard lessons in life for Sparky
A calmer, happier family (the big Family, not the three of us)
Less pain for Beast

5 things I always do after I wake up:

Put on my glasses
Go to the bathroom
Shower, or wash my face if I took a bath the night before, and brush my teeth
Eat breakfast
Check Bloglines and my email

5 things I do before I go to sleep:

Brush my teeth and wash my face
Read or do a crossword or Sudoku
Check the time on my alarm
Put in my earplugs
Turn out the light

5 things I did today:

Wrapped all Christmas presents
Typed up Session meeting minutes
Talked to Sparky about what he remembers about school
Ordered deli trays for Saturday
Took a bath

5 things I will do tomorrow:

Go to work
Buy airmail stamps and mail those cards
Call the Clerk of the Presbytery
Call our IP re billing
See Beast (he's out of town again tonight)

5 places I have visited:

Maine
Greece
England
Italy
Russia

5 things about my personality:

I'm compulsive
I take things too seriously at times, and not seriously enough at times
I'm pretty easygoing, within certain bounds
I don't tolerate being treated badly
I've been told I'm pretty in tune with the emotional temperature around me most of the time

5 things I want to change about my body:

Y'know, I really have given this up. Beyond losing weight, I'm fine with what I've got.

5 famous people who I think are brilliant:

Mandela
Gandhi
MLK, Jr.
Einstein
...sorry, that's it. I don't use the word brilliant easily.

5 bands I have seen live:

Styx
Boston
U2
Beach Boys
Paul Young

5 people I cannot live without:

Beast
Sparky
Amy
Jenny
The Bendie

5 animals I think are cool:

Wolves
Meerkats
Penguins
Chimpanzees
Giraffes

5 things I am proud of:

Sparky (ok, not a thing, but oh well)
Beast (sorry)
My work--on the good days
My grad degree
My undergrad degree

5 things I am scared of:

Failure
Loneliness/Aloneness
Depression
Pain
My own stupidity

5 facts about me on people and socializing:

I'm still shy, but I'm a better actress than I ever thought I could be.
I talk too much.
I like parties, if I know most of the people.
My parents never had parties, so I've had to learn all this as an adult.
I like staying home, too, and doing quiet things.

5 of my hobbies:

Blogging
Reading
Puzzles (crosswords, sudoku and the occasional jigsaw)
Scrapbooking
Meming

5 things to do in your city/town:

Skate park
0per@ H0use
There is a small movie theatre
Lots of restaurants
Sledding

5 beliefs I have about ghosts:

I don't really believe in them, having never seen proof. On the other hand, given the opportunity to have their existence proven, that wouldn't affect me particularly.

(Link at left)

It's a gymnastics meet today, what will you be participating in: floor routine, bars, rings, vault, balance beam? What do you think the judges will give you for a score?

The only things I could handle when we did gymnastics in PE was the vault--which I LOVED!--and the balance beam. I'd get a horrible score, though, especially nowadays. My body is emphatically NOT designed for gymnastics. The last time I tried a somersault--I was in high school--I ended up on the floor holding my neck for 15 minutes until the pain stopped. Had anyone else been home at the time, I would probably have had to go to the hospital.

My husband's car experienced a flat tire this morning in rush hour traffic, on the Interstate of course. When he got the spare tire the battery pooped out. ARGH!!! He now has one full year of AAA service .... When was the last time your car broke down?

I can't even think of a time. The only call I've made to AAA was when I locked my keys in the truck about 4 years ago. Sparky and I sat inside K-Mart for over an hour, and finally Beast drove up from his office (30 minutes away), arriving at the same time as the tow truck...which came from a mile up the road. Couldn't blame them: they had just gotten the call 20 minutes earlier and the truck was out doing something else.
I have a key-holder on the truck now for times when I do this, and I've probably used it 6 or 8 times since then. I'm really pathetic about this issue.
But anyway, no breakdowns. Knock wood.

(Link at left) -- Food Groups

1. What is your favorite food?

Icing. And bread products.

2. What was the best meal you have ever eaten?

I've had some fabulous steak, and some really good seafood. The food we had on Ydra was the best, though, but probably because of the atmosphere and process of choosing.

3. What is your first food memory?

Wow, what a question. All the food memories I'm bringing to mind are bad stuff. It's no wonder I have issues...
I really can't remember any startling early memories around food. It was there when I needed it, Mom was NOT a gourmet cook, and I never went hungry. But I still don't really care for homemade hamburgers.
Funnily, though, my first thought was of drinking Dr. Pepper out of glass bottles in my kitchen when my niece was 3 or 4. She hated it--it tasted like prune juice--but I was deliriously happy. It was a HUGE treat!!

4. Upon going to the grocery store, which aisle do you go to first?

Like the rest of the sheep at the store, I hit produce first.

5. If you had one last meal, what would it be and why?

It would be a multicourse meal, with lots of long breaks between courses so that it would never end.

(Link at left)

Are you honest about your weight on your license or other official forms? More than I used to be, about 10 years ago. Why lie? The problem is that I can go up to 10 lbs. either way very quickly, so picking an official weight is a bit dicey.

If not, by how many pounds is it off from your actual weight? See above. No more than 10 lbs. or so.

At what point in your life did you weigh the most? Er, that would be NOW! ;-) I weigh more now than I did pregnant, a sobering realization when I reread my pregnancy journal a few years ago.

On the other hand, at 5'8" and 125 lbs. all the way through my 20s, I hardly think I was healthy.

(Link at left)

1. I get about two telemarketer phone calls on a daily basis. Unless it's election season. We were getting up to a dozen a day in November! #@(*%& politicians....


2. I never call anyone after 9 at night.

3. I never call anyone before 8 in the morning. The exception is if I know they have kids in school and I really need to catch them before the day starts.

4. I do screen my phone calls via caller ID. I am in love with caller ID. My sister gets furious when I don't answer her calls, but if she'd unblock her number, I would. Otherwise...eh...the joy it gives me to stick my tongue out at the telemarketers....

5. I really should call my Mom more often.

(Link at left)

Imagine you're in a terrible depression. What one of your current possessions would best help you endure it?

I hate to be obvious, but it would have to be Eugene Peterson's "The Message" or one of my other Bibles. A phone would be nice, too.

What kind of uniform would you like to wear?

I'm not really big into wearing uniforms. My body doesn't conform to any "average" sizes (long legs, long arms, etc.) and average clothes look worse than bad on me. How do I know this about uniforms? Six years of wearing them for band; even the hats didn't fit right. I do like guys in a uniform, however. :-)

Two-fer


1. whats your name? Ugh...I'm beginning to hate this question.

2. do you ever lie about your age? No. What's the point?

3. do you prefer "sensitive boys" or "tough guys"? I'm probably more attracted to tough guys, but my favorite are tough/sensitive men.

4. do you prefer blonde or brunette guys? Dark hair is better.

5. have you ever been in a serious relationship? Nope. All my relationships are silly and shallow. Uh-oh. Maybe I shouldn't take this survey tonight....
Yes, I've had several serious relationships.

7. how many things in your past do you regret? Lots. Innumerable.

8. did you answer number six truthfully? Yep, but then I had to delete it because of my being honest....
[haha, no Q6 in the survey]

9. do you have a best friend? Of course.

10. What do you want to be when you grow up? Not tired. And smarter. And, well, less emotional.

11. have you ever kissed two people in one night? Hmmm, have I?
I might have.
If we broaden this question and include non-sexual kisses, then the answer is Yes, loads of people, loads of times!

14. where do you shop to buy most of your clothes? Kohl's, Old Navy, VS....

15. who was the last person you hugged? Sparky. It's a bit like hugging plywood.

16. have you ever had your heart broken? Not really, or every day. Depends on your point of view.

18. have you ever wanted someone but you knew you couldn't have them? Welcome to Junior High and High School!!

19. have you ever felt like killing somebody? Not seriously. I have definitely felt like beating the crap out of someone, and I've certainly felt that I wouldn't care if a specific someone died...and then the guilt set in....

20. if you could change anything about your past, what would you change? My sister's death.

21. do you like your life? Yes.

22. do you shop at hollister? Nope.

24. has one of your friends ever stolen a boyfriend from you? Kind of. Well, he wasn't really my boyfriend, but he was flirting with me until she barged in.

25. has one of your friends ever stabbed you in the back? "That's what friends are for..." [I feel like I'm reliving my teenage years in these questions.]

26. did you forgive them? I used to, when I was younger. It doesn't happen as often now, primarily because I seem to have improved on my friend-picking skills. Not sure I would be as forgiving now as I was then.

28. do you have friends that are girls or boys? All my friends are girls, or boys. The majority are girls, but I have some very close guy friends, too.

29. how long have you had myspace [Blogger]? I'm coming up on three years next month.

30. have you ever skipped school? I must have done, in college or grad school! I know I didn't before then. Regardless, I didn't do it often, probably less than 3 times.

31. has anyone ever cheated on you? I think one of the guys I was seeing in college was going out with his high school girlfriend when he went home on weekends.

32. have you ever slapped a boy in the face? Yes.

33. if so why? Cuz he was being a punk.

34. what is one of your biggest fears of your life? Fear of being alone.

38. have any of your friends ever passed away? Yes. Amy G#rst#r. died when I was about 17. The older I get, the more that's going to happen, but so far it hasn't been too awful.

39. have you ever cried yourself to sleep? Not that I recall. Crying tends to wake me up.

40. have you ever not been able to get someone out of your head? Would that be obsession? Yeah.

41. do you believe in the saying "once a player, always a player"? I think that's a hard habit to break, so I agree in principle with the proviso that it is possible for people to change, if they want to.

42. are you a player? Oh, yeah, right.

43. what kind of cell phone do you have? LG flip-phone. Too lazy to go figure out what model number.

44. what is your screen name? Here I'm Cat. I have a dozen or so, depending on the site.

46. so far, do you like this survey? So far, I feel I have regressed about 25 years. I'm not sure that's a good thing.

47. have you ever had a good feeling about something and it turned out you were right? Yes. The reverse is true too.

48. do you ever wish you were famous? Nope.

49. do you ever wish you were a man? This sort of assumes that the people answering the questions aren't already men...but no. Not since I was around 8 or so, and it had something to do with not wanting to deal with having my hair washed. Or some other equally ridiculous reason.

-------------------------------------

1. WOULD YOU GET BACK WITH YOUR EX IF YOU COULD? Hmmm, I'm just thinking how odd it would be to see any of my exes. I haven't seen anyone that I used to date since we stopped dating for the most part. It's weird enough meeting up occasionally with a guy that I made out with in college--once. He was a fabulous kisser.
Oh, and then there's L@K#lv!n, at the reunion a couple of months ago. That was totally surreal, compounded by Beast telling me after I'd talked to L for 20 minutes or so that he spent most of the conversation checking me out. How could I not notice this??

2. WHAT KIND OF SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING? Grey cotton cable-knit sweater, purchased at Kohl's.

3. HAVE YOU MADE OUT WITH ANYONE ON YOUR FRIEND'S LIST? I don't have a Friends List. I have made out with only one person in my Blogroll.

4. DO YOU HAVE "A THING" FOR ANYONE ON YOUR TOP 8? Whatever.

5. HOW MANY PEOPLE ON YOUR LIST DO YOU KNOW IN REAL LIFE? If you look at the sidebar on this site, I know one person listed. If you look at the sidebar on my regular blog, I know the authors of 6 or 7 of those blogs.

6. HOW MANY KIDS DO YOU WANT TO HAVE? One is looking good.

7. DO YOU HAVE A GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH BOTH YOUR PARENTS? I'm good with Dad. Not so good with Mom.

8. DO YOU MAKE OVER 40K A YEAR? Not quite. If I worked full-time, I would gross that much, easily. I might even net it...er, no, sorry, I wouldn't, not even close.

9. WHAT NAME WOULD YOU WANT TO HAVE BESIDES THE ONE YOU HAVE? Jo.

10. WOULD YOU EVER MAKE OUT WITH SOMEONE OF THE SAME SEX? I think Beast would be annoyed if I made out with anyone besides him.

11. WHAT IS YOUR MOTHER'S NAME? Same as the little girl in the flying tornado in Kansas.

12. WHAT DID YOU DO FOR YOUR LAST BDAY? I took the day off from work, and then I think we pretty much just sat around and watched football on TV and ordered 'za.

13. WHAT'S YOUR MAIN RINGTONE ON YOUR PHONE? It's on vibrate about 97% of the time. I have no idea what ringtone it's set on.

14. WHAT TIME DID YOU WAKE UP? Most days between 6 and 6:30

15. WHAT WERE YOU DOING AT MIDNIGHT TWO NIGHTS AGO? I was in the car with Beast, headed home from a party.

16. HOW MANY EX'S ARE ON YOUR FRIENDS LIST? None.

17. DO YOU LIKE HAVING YOUR HAIR PULLED? Oh, yeah, it totally rocks my world. Give it a try. I will warn you that my insurance ends at the tip of your nose, however.

18. NAME SOMETHING YOU CAN'T WAIT TO DO... Go to bed. Longer term: get this fecking shower over with!

19. LAST TIME YOU SAW YOUR DAD? October 1994, at the airport. A month later I was back at the same airport on my way to his funeral.

20. DO YOU GET ALONG WITH YOUR SIBLINGS? Mostly, some better than others.

21. WHAT IS ONE THING YOU WISH YOU COULD CHANGE ABOUT YOURSELF? My strong emotional reactions.

22. IF YOU HAD $250,000...HOW WOULD YOU SPEND IT? Well, that would pay off the house I think....

23. HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN AT YOUR CURRENT JOB? I've worked at this library since January 1996, but I've only been the cataloger for 4 years.

24. HAVE YOU EVER TALKED TO TOM? Tom who? I can't tell you how many men named Tom I know. In fact, I have talked to about 4 Toms this weekend alone, at a quick count.

25. LAST PERSON YOU CALLED? I haven't called anyone at all today. I think the last time I called someone was yesterday morning.

26. LAST THING YOU ATE? A little snack cake I bought at Ikea.

27. WHATS YOUR FAVORITE MONTH? August. Maybe September.

28. YOUR LEAST FAVORITE MONTH? November. January. February.

29. WHAT'S THE LAST PIECE OF CLOTHING YOU BORROWED FROM ANYONE? Undoubtedly something of Beast's, but I don't remember specifically what.

30. WHO IS GETTING ON YOUR NERVES RIGHT NOW? Mmmm, too tired for that.

31. MOST VISITED WEBPAGE: Google.

32. LAST PERSON YOU TEXT MESSAGED? No clue.

33. LAST PERSON THAT MADE YOU CRY? I take full responsibility for tears. I was crying during 60 Minutes tonight about the Holocaust records just released, and I cried a little this morning during the Christmas pageant.

34. WOULD YOU TAKE A BULLET FOR YOUR BEST FRIEND? I'd certainly want to know why someone would be shooting at her, and yeah, I might feel strongly enough to leap in front of her.

35. FAVORITE TYPE OF DRINK? Cold.

36. FAVORITE FOOD? Pretty much anything carb-related will sell to me.

37. FAVORITE DESSERT? White wedding cake with white frosting.

38. HAVE YOU BEEN TO EUROPE? A-yuh.

39. IF SOMEONE YOU KNEW HAD DIED, WHAT WOULD YOU DO? They have, and I went to their funerals.

40. DO YOU OWN A CAMERA PHONE? I don't think so.

41. ARE YOU IN LOVE? Yes.

About You (Random)

--->Name: Cat.
--->Nicknames: That is a nickname.
--->Any other names you might have? Loads, including my legal name, that won't be posted online.
--->Would you change your name? I did when I got married. I'd do it again, but not for that reason.
--->If so, what would you change it to? I've wanted to drop my married name for years, but that carries a lot of context beyond just the name itself, so I'm biding my time.
--->Where do you live? In the midwest of the U.S.
--->Where have you lived? In no particular order, Illinois, Colorado, Wisconsin, and the state of Chaos.
--->Where would you like to live? Someplace with more sunshine in the winter (though I can't honestly complain about that this year as much).
--->Where are you glad you don't live? Alaska, Seattle, the Middle East, China, India...
--->Hobbies? Blogging, Reading, Crosswords, Sudoku, Watching Football
--->Hidden Talents? Too hidden for me to find...although I've been told I 'read' people well.
--->Do you think you're attractive? So-so. Depends on the day.
--->Do others find you attractive? You should probably ask them, not me.
--->What do you think is your best feature? Hair?
--->What do others think is your best feature? Dunno, ask them.
--->What do you think is your worst feature? Eyes.
--->What do others think is your worst feature? No idea.
--->Do others like your personality? I'd assume--yes, I know I shouldn't--that my friends do. I think that for the most part I'm ok here.
--->Do you think your funny? Hysterically so.
--->Do others think your funny? They laugh at me, yes.
--->Do you like your family? Some of them. I love 'em all, but they don't all make it easy to do.
--->Do they like you? Based on my answer to the last question, I'd say that I share a lot of their traits, so they probably feel the same way about me.

Have you ever:
--->Had a serious illness? Not an illness, but I have had surgery.
--->Been happy about someones death? No. Relieved, maybe, but no one I actually know. I'm thinking of people like Nicolae Ceausescu....
--->Killed an animal? Do bugs count? Otherwise, not with my hands, but I have run over a couple.
--->Had sex? OK, unless Sparky was a miracle baby, that answer would have to be yes.
--->Been sexually attracted to a cartoon character? Only on bad 80s TV shows like CHiPs and Dukes of Hazzard.
--->Caused a riot? Yeah...NO.
--->Taken part in a riot? Nyet.
--->Eaten a bug? Not intentionally, but I've had a few fly down my throat.
--->Been on stage? Multiple times.
--->Joined a gang? Not in the current sense of that word
--->Been mentally disturbed? Yes. And no, I'm not really joking.
--->Smoked? No. Well, when really irate, I tend to radiate heat.
--->Drank? hee hee hee Yeah.
--->Stolen? Yes. All misdemeanors, and long ago.
--->Used someone? Not something I'm proud of, but yeah.
--->Wished to die? Yup.
--->Streaked? No.
--->Stalked someone online? Depends on your definition of "stalk." I don't think so, but that's probably true of most people who stalk....
--->Taken pills? I have 5 outstanding prescriptions at this point. Three of them are for pills. I also take a vitamin every day, along with occasional Tylenol and Sudafed when necessary. Everything is legal. I don't abuse pills; they are tools.

For a billion dollars would you:
--->Kill your parents? Kind of a moot point, but no....
--->Eat an ant farm? No.
--->Have same gender sex? Mmmm, no.
--->Kill your best friend? No.
--->Hold up a convenience store? No.
--->Shoot yourself in the leg? Well, here's the deal. One of the reasons I don't have guns around is that I'm a klutz, so I could easily do this by accident. Would I do it on purpose? No, but if I did it inadvertantly and could be paid for it, I'd feel less bad about it!
--->Eat another person? Nope.
--->Jump off a three story building? Don't they call that base-jumping? Sure.
--->Shave your head? Sure.
--->Drink human blood? Mmmm....how much? No, not really.
--->Box with a kangaroo? No.
--->Kill the president? No. As if anyone would admit it online. But, no. I would kill anyone except to defend myself or my family.
--->Slap an old person? Oy....very tempting to slap my mom at times, but no.
--->Eat your own vommit? Echhh, NO.
--->Eat a booger? ...no...?
--->Strip for Osama Bin Laden? NO.

Out of my friends, who is the:
--->Loudest? Presumably, I'm exempt from this...? Then I'd say Pam.
--->Quietest? Amy.
--->Smartest? Beast.
--->Dumbest? Oh, as if! I have a name in mind, but since it's one of the youth group members, and she's a sweetie and tough as nails...I'm not going there.
--->Cutest? Cute as in baby cute? Or Cute as in grown-up cute? Trevor for the first, Alex for the latter.
--->Ugliest? Not going there either; all my friends are cute.
--->Funniest? Depends...probably Jenny.
--->Dullest? Does Gary count as a friend?
--->Skinniest? Lisa
--->Fattest? Not going there....
--->Most Fashionable? Linda
--->Least Fashionable? Luce
--->Most Opptimistic? Sparky
--->Most Pessimistic? Beast
--->Cries Most? If it's not me, I have to say Jenny.
--->Cries Least? Amy? Chris?
--->Most Trustworthy? I trust all my friends, or I couldn't be friends with them.
--->Least Trustworthy? ...having said what I said above, I'll say Lisa, but a weird kind of dis- or mistrust
--->Most Honest? Trud.
--->Least Honest? Beth
--->Best for advice? my oldest sister
--->Worst for advice? my brother
--->Most likely to become gay? Family joke here....one of my nephews....long story.... [no, it's not a 'gay joke' just a longstanding conversation among several of us]
--->Most likey to become famous? Rob
--->Most likely to become a cereal killer? {I'm laughing too hard to answer this...}
--->Most likely to commit suicide: Jeez...hopefully none of them!!
--->Most likey to go mentally insane? Jon
--->Most likely to pose for Playboy? Jeni
--->Most likey to become a saint? Shari
--->Most likely to become president? Kelly
--->Who would you trust with your life? Beast

My Favorite
--->Letter? Capital S. Capital J is pretty cool, too. And small t.
--->Color? Blue.
--->Number? 16
--->Word? Yes.
--->Shape? Rectangle. Reminds me of Cookie Monster.
--->Relative? I can't pick just one.
--->Old Song? Amazing Grace
--->New Song? ...can't think of anything that's brand-new...
--->CD? Revival in Belfast
--->T.V. Show? CSI
--->Movie Soundtrack? Fiddler on the Roof
--->Channel? The Comedy Channel (which I think doesn't exist anymore), and BBC America.
--->Parent? Dad
--->Restaurant? N!c0lin0's
--->Drink? Diet Dr. Pepper or vodka/tonic.
--->Food? Iced sugar cookies
--->Snack? See previous answer
--->Shoe Brand? Uhh...whatever. Famous Footwear or DSW. I have easy feet to fit.
--->Underwear? Vicki's
--->Season? Fall.
--->Sport? Watching: football. Playing: bowling. Huh OK, or not. Actually, I like volleyball and badminton.
--->Dance? ??
--->Weapon? My brain.
--->Sin? Gluttony
--->Smell? Just after a rainstorm, that clean and ozone-y smell.
--->Shampoo? I can't remember what I'm using right now, but it's good.

Last person you...
--->Hugged? Beast
--->Ate with? Sparky?
--->Cursed out? Face-to-face? I don't really do this.
--->Emotionally hurt? Probably Sparky. It's unavoidable lately.
--->Punched? I haven't punched anyone ... for REAL ... ever. I used to 'play punch' Beast, but I don't do that anymore.
--->Loved? ??
--->Killed? No one, though I have some candidates for my first kill.
--->Danced with? Sparky, to his dismay.
--->Liked? ??
--->Stalked? {chuckle} Some high school friends have been getting Googled lately...does that count?
--->Hated? Smelly Guy (at work)
--->Gave the finger to? Not a gesture I use often. No clue.
--->Cried with? Someone at work, I think.
--->Fought with? Sparky, but not for a couple of day. W00t!
--->Talked with? Extensively? Jeez, I've been to two parties this weekend, and church, and I've talked to my family too. I can't really answer this.
--->Laughed with? Pam, Matilda, Pam, Todd, Mar, Beast, Brooke, Alex...
--->Made bleed? Myself
--->Cuddled with? Beast, this morning
--->Played with? My Sim friends
--->Ate with? The party guests last night
--->Hung out with? Beast and Sparky (we're all sitting around today)
--->Sung with? The congregation at church this morning

When you look out your window, what do you see?

Well, from where I'm sitting now, all I can see out of any windows is sky and the roofs of the porches (front and back).

Otherwise, it's the basic suburb view: yard, grass, trees, other houses, road...plus Christmas greens on the porch rail and on the house across the street.

In one way or another, everyone is a minority. In what way are you a minority? For instance, I am a white suburban male (all majority statuses) but I was the big V all the way until my marriage night (has to be a minority status).

I'm always a little confused on how a woman can be a minority (since there are more women on earth than men), but that counts, I guess, at least legally in the U.S. Other ways I'm probably a minority in the U.S. are that I live in a very small town, I have a master's degree, I'm debt-free (except for the house), I've been married to the same person for 20 years, and I've left the continent more than once.

Otherwise, in the world picture, I'd say my minority status consists of being white, Christian, free to choose my life path, a homeowner, and likely to live past 70.

(Link at left)

1. Hardball :: Fecking F0x Idiot
2. Sleepless :: Tired
3. Graduation :: Finished
4. Presents :: Gifts
5. Toe :: ...nail
6. Lotion :: Smooth
7. Snicker :: Giggle
8. Eve :: Adam
9. Investment :: Future
10. Pain :: Agony

If there's an answer you don't know, a puzzle you can't solve, a snippet of information you just can't remember ... where do you go? Do you Wiki? ABN? Google? Ask? So, tell us, what is your question answering search engine of choice?

Uhm, I hit the library and ask some colleagues to help me out.

How often do you go to the movies?

I see no more than about 3 or 4 movies a year in a theater, and maybe double that at home (on cable).

Patrick's Weekender (Link at left)

1. Christmas cards must be mailed by Monday to arrive on time. Do you think you'll make the deadline?

They all got mailed today, except for the overseas ones because I don't have any airmail stamps.

2. If you had to restrict all of your Christmas shopping to one single store, which one would you choose?

Amazon. Is that cheating?

3. If you had to restrict all of the shopping others did for your Christmas gifts to one store, which would you choose?

Amazon. That's not cheating!

4. Take the quiz: Which Jones Holiday Soda are you?

I did this last month and got Corn on the Cob. Yuck.

5. You're invited to a Christmas party and are required to bring a dessert. What would you create for the occasion?

Two choices: 7-Layer Bars, or the Cherry Dessert I made at Dinner by Design a few months ago. It's like a cobbler.

6. How many Christmas parties have you been invited to this season? How many have you attended so far?

We were at our fourth tonight. I think that's it--we made them all this year. And we have a baby shower to host next weekend, then my niece will host the family on Christmas Day.

(Link at left)
Oops I did it again...


1. First kiss? R0n M@rt!nez

2. Underwater swimming or skydiving? Skydiving. I can't swim.

3. Careful as you cross the street or never look both ways? Very careful. People in cars are clueless about pedestrians.

4. Ketchup: a vegetable? No. Unequivocally.

5. Underwear - optional? No. Unequivocally.

A Feminine Survey


Do you wear shoes that are actually too small? No. Life's too short for that.

Do you get up at least an hour early to get ready each day? If I have to leave the house, I'm up between 60 and 90 minutes for I have to leave.

Can you put on mascara with your mouth closed? Sure, but I don't wear mascara anymore. Allergies.

Does your heart break easily? Not so much anymore.

When buying underwear, what type of cashier do you look for? The one without a line. I'm too old for it to really matter anymore.

How many purses do you own? I think I have 2 or 3 regular ones, and two small ones. Mostly I just carry my wallet; haven't used a purse in over a year.

Do you get a little too emotional that time of month? I don't have a time of the month. It's all or nothing for me nowadays. I used to be mental a few days every month, though.

How many tubes of lipstick do you own? Uh, one? Maybe...

Do you expect the man to pay for dates? I don't date anymore, but my feeling is that whoever did the inviting should do the paying.

Do you prefer curling up on the couch watching tv or going out together? Depends. Staying home is nice when I'm tired.

Would you rather get flowers or a stuffed animal for Valentines Day? Flowers.

Do you enjoy cleaning the house? Nyet. Nein. Non. No.

Do you like to cook? Not really.

Can you sew? Yes.

Are you feminine or a tomboy? More the latter than the former.

Do you watch chick flicks? Yes.

NOW

Is your hair up? Yes, in a ponytail.
Is your phone right beside you? Nope. Beast keeps it by him.
Do you wish you were somewhere else? Nope. Here is good right now.
Do you have plans for tonight? Yes, another party.
Are you wearing makeup? Nope.
Are you wearing chapstick? Not much is left. Normally I have some on though.
Are you cold? My toes, nose and fingers are.
Are you tired? Always.
Are you excited? Getting there (re Xmas).
Are you watching t.v.? Not really. Golf is on. Yawn.
Are you wearing pajamas? Nope; jeans and long-sleeved T-shirt.
Who's the last person you IMed? Looks like that was Amy last Friday.
Who's the last person that called you? The last call we got was for Sparky. Before that....not sure. I'm sure it wasn't anything interesting or fun.
Anything you regret? Several things.
Ever lied? I'm 43. What are the odds?
Ever stuck gum under a desk? I don't think so.
Ever spit at someone? Not intentionally.
Ever kicked something living? Uh...probably?
Ever had your nails done? Yup.
Ever thrown up because you cried so hard? No.

TODAY

Have you cursed? Yep.
Have you yelled at someone? No. Wow! :-)
Have you gotten mad at someone? Not really.
Have you cried? No.
Have you called more than 3 people? I called three people this morning.
Have you IMed more than 3 people? See above...no.
Have you eaten anything gross? I've barely eaten anything at all, actually.

From Cheesehead
I have done this before, but not for a VERY long time....

The rules are:

1. Grab the nearest book.
2. Open the book to page 123.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the text of the next four sentences on your blog, along with these instructions.
5. Don’t you dare dig for that “cool” or “intellectual” book in your closet! I know you were thinking about it! Just pick up whatever is closest.

Billable objects are everything you purchased (including Build mode materials) except columns, doors, paintings, dead plants, sculptures, shrubs, staircases, trees, and windows. Other rather obvious examples of non-billable objects are ash and trash piles, babies, bills, fires, floods, food, the mailbox, newspapers, and the outdoor trash can. Note that your bills are 10 percent less for each kid in the family, thanks to the dependent tax credit.

REPOSSESSION
Overdue bills.

Which sounds mildly frightening, but makes sense if you know what I've been spending TOO MUCH time doing lately....

You Should Spend the Holidays In

Mexico - where Christmas Day is celebrated by breaking a pinata

OK. Sounds good to me.

from Loquacious Librarian

1. YOUR SPY NAME: (middle name and current street name)
R. Red B@arn

2. YOUR MOVIE STAR NAME: (grandfather/grandmother on your dad's side, your favorite candy)
Edith (or Ella) Smarties

3. YOUR RAP NAME (first initial of first name, first three or four letters of your last name)
So funny...but I'm not sharing. Suffice to say that I use both my maiden name and my married name, and the choices for either are pretty hysterical.

4. YOUR GAMER TAG: (a favorite color, a favorite animal)
Blue Wolf

5. YOUR SOAP OPERA NAME: (middle name, city where you were born)
R. Denver

6. YOUR STAR WARS NAME: (first 3 letters of your last name, last 3 letters of mother's maiden name, first 3 letters of your pet's name)
With some modification... Dubonetot

7. JEDI NAME: (middle name spelled backwards, your mom's maiden name spelled backwards)
This one is very cool...but I can't share it because Mom's maiden name is pretty unusual....


8. PORN STAR NAME: (first pet's name, the street you grew up on)
Peppy Cherokee

9. SUPERHERO NAME: ("The", your favorite color, the automobile your dad drives)
I don't remember what kind of car Dad had when he died.... But when I was in high school, this would have turned out to be "The Blue Malibu" which rhymes, but means nothing.

10. YOUR ACTION HERO NAME: (first name of the main character in the last film you watched, last food you ate)
Grinch Malt, or I suppose, Cindy-Loo Malt.

Which Dragon are you? Your Result: Water/Ice Dragon You are shy, but strong. You think before you act. You are peaceful, yet powerful. Sometimes very lonely. Very intellegent. You also are one of the most powerful, mainly because of your intellegence. Weakness - Darkness
Earth Dragon
Wind/ Light Dragon
Fire Dragon
Dark Dragon
Which Dragon are you? See All Our Quizzes

Oh, well. I wanted to be a windy dragon, but I guess I'll have to age into that....