The Survey Place

(Link at left)


Have you ever...

failed a test? No, I don't think I have, unless you count the subject GREs that I took....
gotten an F on your report card? Nope. Never.
gotten a D on your report card? Nope.
had a crush on a teacher? Oh, for heaven's sake...yes!
kissed someone of the opposite sex? I'm 43 and have a kid. Uh, yeah.
kissed someone of the same sex? What kind of kissing? Yes, I have.
been hit on by someone a lot older than you? Yes. Happens at work periodically.
been felt up? Only by boyfriends and Beast.
felt someone else up? See previous answer.
been grounded? Not really. My parents didn't really believe in grounding.
been drunk? Yep.
been high? Uh....
kissed someone without knowing their name? No. Not that I recall.
given someone a lap dance? Heh.
seen a member of the opposite sex (outside your family) naked? Again, married, have a (male) child.
slept over someone of the opposite sex's house? Yessir.
had someone of the opposite sex sleep over your house? Yessir.
dated two people at the same time? Yes.
had a crush on one of your best friends? Yes.
dated one of your best friends? ...sorta...
been married? Yes.
been proposed to? Well, see the last answer.
talked really badly behind one of your best friend's backs? Er...unfortunately yes. I've learned.
been told you look like a celebrity? Yeah, and I laughed...oy
cried while watching a reality show? Yes.
cried while watching a soap opera? I haven't watched a soap opera by choice in over 20 years...can't remember if I cried. Probably not.
been in a play? Yes.
had a good part/lead in a play? No.
flashed someone? Nope.
been flashed? Yes. The things that happen in libraries....
fallen asleep in class? I think I did once, in high school.
played a full game of Monopoly? Far far too many of 'em.
had detention? No.
been suspended? Hah...NO!
been expelled? Not-bloody-likely.
attempted to commit suicide? No.
been hospitalized? Yes.
kissed in the rain? Yes.
had a crush on someone who DID NOT LIKE YOU BACK for over a year? Yes; welcome to high school.
been a relationship that lasted more than a year? Well...I've been married for 20 years....
thrown up in school? Yes. Yes, I have.
cried in school? Yes.
gone to school in your pajamas? Nope.
made one of your parents cry? Hell, yeah. HELL, yeah!
been sexually harassed? No.
sexually harassed someone else? I certainly hope not.
wanted to kill someone? Not seriously.
told someone you wanted to kill them? Not in the sense of actually wanting to kill them. More in the sense of "You're Really FUCKIN' ANNOYING ME!"
had a stalker? No.
stalked someone else? No.
avoided someone? Nearly every day.
worn a band shirt without even knowing anything about the band? Nope.
kissed someone way older than you? Well, family members....does that count?
kissed someone way younger than you? See above.
sang loudly in public? Weekly.
been called a slut to your face? No, I don't think so....
called someone else a slut to their face? No.
felt better after confessing all your secrets to this survey? ...whatever...

More Blogthings, Part 2

You Are Ready to Buy a Home

You're financially secure and responsible, and you would make a great homeowner. And you're pretty well educated about real estate and the home buying process. Don't despair if you can't find the perfect home within your price range yet. Keep saving, and you'll get there eventually.

Are You Ready to Buy a Home?

This is definitely a case of learn-while-doing. I have no clue about any of the stuff we did, but it has worked three times for us.

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You Probably Couldn't Be a Vegetarian

The truth is, you really like your meat - a lot more than you like animals. For you, being vegetarian is hardly even a choice. You'll take steak over tofu any day. A vegetarian lifestyle is not in the cards for you. You're just not going to go there!

Could You Be a Vegetarian?

Yep. Very true. I likes me some meat. [Yes, I'm totally aware of where all your minds are going now.....]

About me

I found this last week and pasted it in here...and forgot to paste in where I got it...sigh.

1. Nervous habits? Nails and cuticles, meet teeth. I've also rediscovered leg jiggling in the past couple of weeks.

2. Are you double jointed? Far from it.

3. Can you roll your tongue? Nope. Shallow gene pool for me. Both Sparky and Beast can.

4. Can you raise one eyebrow at a time? Nope, try as I might.

5. Can you blow spit bubbles? Yep. But I don't. Ick.

6. Can you cross your eyes? Yes, but it makes my eyes hurt and gives me a headache, so I don't.

7. Tattoos? Nope. Not likely.

8. Piercings? One hole in each ear. That's it.

9. Do you make your bed daily? Who's asking? If it's my mom, or Sparky, yes. Realistically, I frequently just pull the bedspread and sheet up, giving it a lick and a promise as my mom always says.

CLOTHES
10. Which shoe goes on first? Typically, the right one. Have you ever tried going out of order?? Talk about a strange feeling!

11. Speaking of shoes, have you ever thrown one at anyone? I'm not a thrower in most times, so no. The thought of throwing shoes...no, they are a little dangerous.

12. On the average, how much money do you carry? I usually start the week with about $200, because I pay cash most of the time for groceries and lunch throughout the week.

13. What jewelry do you wear 24/7? Wedding/engagement rings and another ring on my right hand (though right now it's getting reset because the sapphire was loose).

14. Favorite piece of clothing? Jeans and T shirts. I'm totally not fussy about the shirts, but the jeans have to be comfy.

FOOD
15. Do you twirl your spaghetti or cut it? Twirl, mostly. If it's extremely long, I'll cut it up a bit, but usually not. Then again, I don't eat spaghetti often, unless I made it; when I make spaghetti, I break the noodles up so that it's less of an issue.

16. Have you ever eaten Spam? Yep. I used to love it, when I was quite a lot younger.

17. Do you use extra salt on your food? I rarely use salt on or in anything, except french fries. :-)

18. How many cereals in your cabinet? I think we've got maybe three boxes, for when we have overnight guests. We rarely eat cereal.

19. What's your favorite beverage? Diet Dr. Pepper. Water. Stoli. Gewurtztraminer.

20. What's your favorite fast food restaurant? Taco Bell.

21. Do you cook? With poor grace and as little attention as possible.

GROOMING
22. How often do you brush your teeth? Twice a day, pretty religiously.

23. Hair drying method? Mostly air-dried, with a finishing blowout.

24. Have you ever colored/highlighted your hair? Regularly. I'm not a redhead, and there's a lotta gray not showing these days.

MANNERS

25. Do you swear? Of course. Haven't you read my blog before??

26. Do you ever spit? Not intentionally, no.

FAVORITE
27. Animal? Wolves

28. Food? Just about anything sweet.

29. Month? August. October.

30. Day of the week? Monday.

31. Cartoon? Mighty Mouse when I was a kid. Now I'm kinda partial to the roadrunner.

32. Shoe brand? I'm not partial: inexpensive and comfortable.

33. Subject in school? History, English.

34. Color? Blue

35. Sport? Love to watch football. Love to play mini golf. :-)

36. TV shows? CSI (and CSI Miami now), Survivor, The Amazing Race, Dirty Jobs, Mythbusters.

37. Thing to do in the spring? Walk, breath, absorb sunlight, go barefoot.

38. Thing to do in the summer? Wear shorts, not wear socks, sweat (yes, I love to sweat, within reason).

39. Thing to do in the autumn? Go for walks, plant spring bulbs, enjoy the sunshine and changing leaves.

40. Thing to do in the winter? Get fat, watch snow, snuggle under blankets, have fires in the fireplace.

IN AND AROUND
41. In the CD player? In my car right now, Inkspell on CD. I haven't listened to a CD in the house for quite awhile.

42. Person you talk most on the phone with? Beast.

43. Reading? The Boy Who Was Raised as a Dog : And Other Stories from a Child Psychiatrist's Notebook : What Traumatized Children Can Teach Us About Loss, Love and Healing by Bruce Perry and Maia Szalavitz and Mothers and Sons, by Colm Tóibín.

44. Do you regularly check yourself out in store windows/mirrors? If I notice, but I don't make a habit of it.

45. What color is your bedroom? White, builder white. Hopefully that will change soon.

46. Do you use an alarm clock? I use a Bose clock radio.

47. Window seat or aisle? Aisle

DUMB
48. What's your sleeping position? On my side, usually my left side.

49. Even in hot weather do you use a blanket? No, just a sheet.

50. Do you snore? I've been told I do when I'm really tired.

51. Do you sleepwalk? I have, but not for many, many years.

52. Do you talk in your sleep? I've been known to do that. Beast hates when I do, because it's usually not good stuff...like shouting "Fire!"

53. Do you sleep with stuffed animals? Not anymore.

54. How about with the light on? I can; it doesn't bother me at all. I usually leave the light on if I go to sleep before Beast comes to bed.

55. Do you fall asleep with the TV or radio on? Unfortunately, this is becoming more common....

56. Last interesting person you met? I meet far too many interesting people at work; 'interesting' is overrated.

More Blogthings, Part 1

Your Mouth is a Little Big

You're not a total tell all, but you don't hide who you are either. You've struck a good balance between discretion and sharing. People know you fairly well, at least on a superficial level. But you save your most revealing secrets for your best friend... or no one!

Do You Have a Big Mouth?

A "little big"? That's weird. Otherwise, this is pretty accurate.

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You Are Fairly Skeptical

You're not the type of person who will fall for anything... But you do keep your mind open to all sorts of possibilities. You figure that anything could be true. After all, the world is a strange place. However, you're going to need some convincing before you can believe in aliens or reincarnation!

How Skeptical Are You?

Yes, indeedy. I'm less gullible than I used to be.

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Your Worry Factor is 38%

You worry a little, but you usually don't go overboard. You know it's good to recognize your fears, as long as you let go of them. So whenever you start to worry too much, just take a deep breath and relax.You're not the worrying kind - and there's no reason to start.

Do You Worry Too Much?

The middle part is true, but the rest isn't. That's kinda weird.

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You Communicate Like a Woman

You empathize, talk things out, and express your emotions freely. You're a good listener, and you're non-judgmental with your advice. Communication is how you connect with people. You're always up for a long talk, no matter how difficult the subject matter is.

Do You Communicate Like a Man or a Woman?

Beast is rolling his eyes. "Duh!"

Unconscious Mutterings

(Link at left)

1. San Francisco :: Golden Gate Bridge
2. Sadness :: Misery
3. Spirits :: Alcohol
4. Harriet :: Ozzie and ...
5. State :: Tizzy
6. John :: ... Adams
7. Offense :: Defense
8. Timeless :: Ageless
9. Account :: Story
10. Refuse :: Garbage

St. Paddy's Blogthings

Your Leprechaun Name Is:

Paddy Potfiller

What's Your Leprechaun Name?

How unfortunate! :-)

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Happy St. Patrick's Day!

You Lucky Bastard - Here's a Virtual Pot of Gold! To: Amy From: You

What Virtual St. Patrick's Day Gift Should You Give?

Who better!!

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Your Irish Name Is...

Siobhan O'Brien

What's your Irish Name?

I can live with that. I already have to spell my name for everyone!

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You Are Olive Green

You are the most real of all the green shades. You're always true to yourself. For you, authenticity and honesty are very important...both in others and yourself. You are grounded and secure. It takes a lot to shake you. People see you as dependable, probably the most dependable person they know.

What Color Green Are You?

Not my favorite shade, but I can live with it.

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You're 25% Irish

You're not Irish. Not even a wee bit. Not even on St. Patrick's Day!

How Irish Are You?

I'd say that is just about right, although everyone is Irish on St. Patrick's Day!

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You Are A Chestnut Tree

You are a born diplomat with a well developed sense of justice. And even though you're impressive and intimidating, you're also fun to be around. You can be irritated easily, and you sometimes act superior. Nevertheless, you are sensitive of others feelings and very loyal. Sometimes you feel misunderstood and are fiercely close to those who know you best.

What's Your Celtic Horoscope?

OK, so that totally fits....

The Survey Place

St. Patrick's Day

1. Do you wear green on St. Patrick's Day? Yes, I do. I'm kind of insane about it, in fact.
2. Have you ever found a four-leaf clover? Nope. I'm not patient enough to search properly.
3. Do you pinch people who don't wear green on St. Patrick's Day? Only people I know well. Like Sparky. I do warn him the night before, though.
4. What's the luckiest thing that's ever happened to you? I actually consider myself to be very lucky in all the important ways: family, friends, finances, etc. Yes, some of that is "made luck" but some of it is straight good fortune.
5. What's the most unlucky thing that's ever happened to you? I can't think of anything earth-shattering.
6. Have you ever made or eaten anything dyed green for St. Patrick's Day? What? Cookies, frosting on cakes...no green beer or anything like that.
7. Leprechauns - charming or scary? Charrr-ming
8. Have you ever seen the Leprechaun horror movies? I don't see horror movies of any kind.
9. When's the last time you saw a rainbow? I believe it was sometime last fall.
10. What would you do with the gold at the end of the rainbow? Spend it quick before it disappeared, as I suspect it would, being leprechaunish.

HAPPY St. PAT'S DAY!

Swiped

from Lisa

Have you ever had an argument with a teacher? I can only think of one teacher that I really worked on this way. Usually it was just a matter of getting through the class enjoyably. My sophomore high school English teacher was a moron, the whole class thought so, and she quit at the end of the year...because we were so horrible?
Can you count in Roman numerals? Yes. Slowly, but I could do it. All those crosswords have paid off!
Are you bilingual? I could make myself understood in Spanish if I had a little practice. I'm lazy, though, and rarely practice.
Do you know how your car’s engine works? I put gas in the tank and turn the key and the engine starts. What elses is there to know?
Can you program the time on a VCR? Probably not. Oh, well, I have a gazillion other places to find the time.
How many email addresses do you have? I have access to 6 or 7.
Do you own a slinky? Nope. I always liked mine, though, even after it got tangled and all stretched out.
Do you talk to yourself? Never. Yes, you do. OK, sometimes. ALL the time. OK, a lot of the time.
Do you have a tough time remembering people’s names? I have a hard time keeping names and faces coordinated. If I've seen the name written down, I'm better.
Did you go stag to your Senior Prom? I didn’t go at all. Not interested, and also not dating anyone at that point. Beast went to several, so I guess they can count for me.
Is any leftover food currently residing in your refrigerator? I had leftovers from Olive Garden for lunch, but I think that was the last of the former meals.
Are you high maintenance? Totally not! I'm easy like Sunday morning!
How do you want to be proposed to? The way it happened worked fine. I'm hoping that's the last time, too.
Do you work out regularly? No.
Do you care about your appearance? Up to a point. I don't obsess about it once I'm done in the morning.
Describe the person of your dreams: Honest, upright and true. Wait, that's Dudley Do-Right.... Honest, amusing, smart and kind.
Do you like to be tan? I'd love to tan. I usually freckle if anything at all.
If you had your choice of anyone in the world to spend a night with, who would it be? If we're talking about sex, I'm pleading the 5th. If it's a full night of conversation and entertainment....there are too many choices.
How many keys are on your key ring? I know there are more than the five I can think of now, but I don't know what-all they're for. Probably 7. I'll be unloading two of them in less than a month when we move to the new church building.
How much money is in your wallet/purse right at this moment? About $45. I took out the extra 'grocery' cash this week, for a change.
What is your favorite spice or seasoning? Tikka
What does your name mean? It means my sisters named me; it's not a 'normal' spelling of a very common girl's name which is shared by a saint who was martyred by being thrown into a vat of molten lead. Lovely.
Do you give your pets holiday presents? I forgot to do anything for Buddy last year and Sparky was quite annoyed with me (hey, it's HIS pet!).
When doing up your jeans, do you button then zip? Or zip then button? Button then zip. I think.
How far would you go on the first date? Oh, at least down to the corner bar. But that's it!
Do you sleep on your side? Stomach? Back? Usually my side, mostly my left side. Occasionally my stomach. Very rarely on my back unless I'm sick.
Have you attended a high school reunion yet? How was it? I went to our 20th--I helped coordinate it in fact. It was fun seeing where people ended up. This would be our 25th if we were going to do it, but we're holding off for 30. I'm having my own personal mini-reunion with three or so friends at the end of the month.
Are you ticklish? Where? I am ticklish, but about average. I can will myself not to respond, which is handy living with Beast.
Would you rather change your past or know your future? I don't want to know too much about the future, so that leaves changing the past. I guess the one change I'd make is to make my sister Ellen go to the doctor sooner than she did, and leaning on the doctors myself.
Do you believe in saving yourself for marriage? I think Americans are way too hung up on the issue of sex. I also think that sex is something everyone needs to think about, not use as a toy. So, go figure what that means. I dunno. It's very situational.
Would you pick up a hitchhiker? Not unless I knew them personally.
Would you consider yourself a worrier? Huh. Yeah.
Do you notice when your crush/significant other changes something about themselves? Usually. Depends on what it is. But, yeah, I do.
Do your first impressions of people usually stick? Yes, though I don't always rely on them as much as I should..
What movie(s) can you watch over and over? Heathers, anything Monty Python, RHPS
Do you like to cook? I don't mind the actual cooking. I really hate the planning, shopping and and organizing.
Do plants die in your care? Eventually, they all do. I suck at plants.
What’s one thing you feel you must do in your life before it ends? I can't narrow this down to just one thing.... I'd like to go to Australia and Africa and S. America (thus getting to 6 of the 6 continents), I'd like to see Sparky graduate from college and get married, I'd like to have grandchildren, I'd like to learn Greek, I'd like to parachute, I'd like to take a balloon ride, I'd like to see the Great Smoky Mountains....

Music skipping

I found this at Bookheart My Heart last week and saved it for today. I'll be using my Launchcast rather than my MP3 player, since that only has about 12 songs on it at this point. But, I'll only use songs I've actually rated, that I would consider downloading to my MP3.

Put your music player on shuffle.
- Press forward for each question.
- Use the song title as the answer to the question even if they don’t make sense.

How am I feeling today? Back on the Chain Gang -- The Pretenders [Er...it's a Sunday. Not so much; we're actually just hangin' out today.]

Will I get far in life? Consolation Prizes (Michael Brauer Radio Mix) -- Phoenix [Ouch]

How do my friends see me? TwoWay Monologue -- Sondra Lerche [Would that be good...or not?]

Where will I get married? One - U2 [One time? Good lyrics for marriage, though....]

What is my best friend’s theme song? Nine Million Bicycles -- Katie Melua [I doubt that any of my friends, much less my best friends, have heard this song.]

What is the story of my life? OK -- The Young Dubliners [Hmmm...]

What is/was high school like? Everyday People (Radio Edit 1) -- Nicole C. Mullen

How can I get ahead in life? Blues Never Fade Away -- Elton John [Well, ain't that the truth!]

What is the best thing about me? Too Much Love Will Kill You -- Queen [oy]

What is today going to be like? Tusk -- Fleetwood Mac [??]

What is in store for this weekend? All Comes Down -- Phat [Really??]

What song describes my parents? Chasing Cars -- Snow Patrol [Wow, how weird]

To describe my grandparents? I Don't Want to Miss a Thing -- Aerosmith [Most of them lived a long time; I guess that could fit.]

How is my life going? We Won't Stand for This -- Elan Atias [This is somewhat true, lately.]

What song will they play at my funeral? Muevete (Album Version) -- Don Dinero [I hope not! hee hee hee]

How does the world see me? The Enchantment -- Sheila Chandra [Freaky]

Will I have a happy life? Don't Change -- INXS [ooookaaaay]

What do my friends really think of me? I Wish I Was A Punk Rocker (With Flowers In My Hair) (Radio Mix) -- Sandi Thom [REALLY??? Cool]

Do people secretly lust after me? Are You Gonna Be My Girl -- Jet [Is that a yes?]

How can I make myself happy? Stupid Texas Song -- Austin Lounge Lizards [wha'?]

What should I do with my life? Wonderful -- Everclear [That's a bit depressing, if you know the lyrics]

Will I ever have children? The Impression That I Get -- The Mighty Mighty Bosstones [hmmmm]

What is some good advice for me? Convoy -- C.W. McCall [I knew I shoulda been a truck driver!!]

How will I be remembered? Requiem -- M. Ward [That fits]

What is my signature dancing song? Eyes Without a Face -- Billy Idol [...pretty hard to dance to...]

What is my current theme song? Big Yellow Taxi -- Counting Crows [It has been stuck in my head lately.]

What does everyone else think my current theme song is? New Kid in Town -- Eagles

What type of men/women do you like? All Along the Watchtower -- Jimi Hendrix [oh]

Patrick's Weekender

(Link at left)
Sunday 7

Name seven questions you would ask if you were writing an upcoming edition of the Saturday Six. Don't answer the questions: just leave the questions themselves.

1. Where did you go on vacation last summer?
2. Where are you going this summer?
3. Which is better?
4. If you had $10,000 to spend on a vacation, where would you go/what would you do?
5. If you had only $500 to spend on a vacation, where would you go/what would you do?
6. From this list, are there any places you would never travel.
7. What hidden gem have you discovered in your travels, a place no one goes, and you can't understand why because it's really excellent?

By the Way Sunday

(Link at left)
~Birthstones~

By the way...
What is your birthstone?

Topaz.

Do you like the color; does your birthstone mean anything to you?

Not particularly--yellow is far from my favorite color. And if it's set in gold, you can hardly see it. All topaz means to me is that I was born in November.

Do you have any jewelry or special items that contain your birthstone?

I have topaz earrings I got for a birthday. 16th? 18th? I can't remember. I lean towards 16.

If you know anything else about your birthstone's physical attributes or where its found, fill us in.

I know nothing, and care just about that much. I've always resented having such an unattractive birthstone. Consequentially, I don't think about it a great deal.

Unconscious Mutterings

(Link at left)

1. Contribution :: Donation
2. Ryan :: [two people from my church, one male, one female]
3. Minimal :: Least
4. Cleansed :: Washed
5. Centered :: Lined-up
6. Arrow :: William Tell
7. Beyond :: Mrs. White's list of prepositions to memorize: about above across after against...
8. Execute :: Kill
9. Intuition :: Awareness
10. Apology :: Take responsibility

Nuclear Blogthings

Your Personality is Somewhat Rare (ISFP)

Your personality type is caring, peaceful, artistic, and calm. Only about 7% of all people have your personality, including 8% of all women and 6% of all men. You are Introverted, Sensing, Feeling, and Perceiving.

How Rare Is Your Personality?

Actually, no I'm not ISFP, but close (ISFJ with ESFJ tendencies).

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You Are a Chocolate Cake

Fun, comforting, and friendly. You are a true classic, and while you're not super cutting edge, you're high quality. People love your company - and have even been known to get addicted to you.

What Kind of Cake Are You?

OK, then. I really wanted to be wedding cake. I LURVE wedding cake....

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Your Uncommon Name Is:

Keva Kanesha Lighty

What Very Uncommon Name Should You Have?

How on earth did they find out my name?! :-)

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The Part of You That No One Sees

You are balanced, peaceful, and sincere. You're the type of person who goes along to get along. And you're definitely afraid of rocking the boat. Underneath it all, you fear your world falling apart. You'll put up with a situation that you don't like in fear of changing it. Disruptive and forceful people intimidate you - and sometimes exploit you.

What's the Part of You That No One Sees?

As you can probably see from the lack of italics...not so much. In fact, you could turn almost everything here on its head and it would be much more accurate. I actually tend to be more disruptive than not anymore. This describes me at about age 8.

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Your Scandinavian Name is:

Elin Hanne

What's Your Scandinavian Name?

Oooh, I actually like that!

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You Are a Little Messy

You aren't the cleanest person in the world, but you're definitely not a slob. You clean up when you have the time, but you're realistic about what you can get done. Generally, you're pretty organized and tidy - though you may have a few hidden messes. You eventually get around to making things spotless, but you do it on your own schedule!

Are You Messy?

This is fairly accurate, in spite of my desk here at home, and the panic that ensued last night when I couldn't find the MP3 player I got for Christmas....

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You Mostly Have Your Emotions in Check

Sometimes your emotions get out of control, but you usually are a pretty stable person. You can find a lot to be happy about, as long as things are going your way. But if a few bad things happen to you, you tend to go in a bit of a downward spiral. Luckily, you usually come out of it okay and no worse for the wear.

Can You Keep Your Emotions in Check?

Had I done this in a normal January, sans Z0l0ft, the answer would have been much different. It helps that today is a lovely, sunny day, too.

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Your Androgynous Name Is:

Taylor Joyce

What's Your Androgynous Name?

I think I'll stick to the Scandinavian one, thanks. Too many Taylors running around already.

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Your Average American Name Is...

Donna Ann Harris

What's Your Average American Name?

No. But I think I went to school with her.

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You Are 55% Burned Out

You're fairly burned out, and it shows. You probably have been feeling a little rundown and irritable lately. If you can, drop a few of your minor responsibilities and focus on what's really important. [ha ha ha, not likely--Cat.] You have too much on your plate, and it's catching up with you.

Are You Burned Out?

I actually don't think I'm that bad right now. Catch me in late April/early May and that will be different!

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You Fight Fair

For you, a fight is not about proving you're right. Instead, it's about discussing and resolving difficult issues. You don't look for fights, but you don't avoid them either. You realize that clearing the air is good, when you go about it the right way.

Do You Fight Fair?

That's all well and good, as long as the other person fights fair as well. I can -fight dirty--that's how I was raised--but it's not much fun.

Patrick's Weekender

(Link at left)

Saturday Six
1. How often do you clip coupons from the newspaper or mail inserts?
...and use them? Almost never. I used to be quite obsessive about clipping coupons. Then I realized that most coupons are for processed foods and stuff I don't really need anyway, so I stopped. I never remember to have the stupid coupon in hand when I need it nowadays!

2. You buy something that contains a mail-in rebate: how likely are you to take the time to fill out and mail the application (with appropriate receipts) to actually get the rebate mailed to you?
Assuming it's more than a couple of dollars...always.

3. How many credit cards do you have right now that have a zero balance?
At this very second? Not sure. We do, however, pay off all of our cards every month and zero them out at that point.

4. Take the quiz: Are you good with money?
I did this last Sunday. It says I am "great" with money.

5. What is the most expensive thing you purchased in the last week?
One single thing? I can't remember. I bought about $80 worth of groceries on Friday (on a day when I should have been at home instead). I bought fast-food lunches... and bottles of pop.

6. On a scale of one to ten, with ten meaning that it was something you needed badly and urgently, how much did you really need this particular item?
If I hadn't needed to stop for food, believe me, I would have gone straight home! It was a totally messed up day to be on the road. The other stuff, "need" is not the right word: I could--and should--have brought food from home. However, the water at my workplace this week has been awful--nasty brown in color--so I did need to have SOMEthing else to drink!

Friday Memes

(Links at left, unless noted)

Friday 5
Otters

1.How do you feel about teeter-totters?
I feel fine about them. Geez, but it's been awhile since I used one, though! They never really thrilled me that much, honestly.

2. What is something you otter get done this weekend?
At this point, I'll be happy to make it through without drinking heavily.

3. Who’s someone who seemed normal when you first met but got odder and odder as you got to know him or her?
Several of my coworkers......

4. Thinking of your mother: What’s something that always awed her?
Green landscapes. "Look at all the GREEEENNNN!"

5. What is your favorite small, furry, non-domesticated animal?
Prairie dogs. I seem to have a thing for small rodents. Hmmm. Though hedgehogs have suddenly appeared on my radar, as well.

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Friday Fill-In

1. Once, when I .... had time, I scrapbooked at least a little bit every month.
2. Lately, it seems that .... I spent far too much time online.
3. Helen Mirren ... is so damn good!
4. Here's something you never knew about me; I .... have blepharitis.
5. I am so ready for .... summer!!!
6. If you put together sun and Greek food, you'd have paradise on earth!
7. My plans for the weekend include working about 15 hours over two days, and a couple of meetings.

Thursday memes

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Thursday Threesome

::No Bicycles on the Freeway::

Onesome: No Bicycles-- on the Freeway? Ya' think? Do you have a better 'sign of the times' for the gang? I'm thinking along the lines of "Coffee is Hot", if you catch my drift... My favorite road sign from the last couple of years is "Do Not Drive Into Smoke." It was all over the place in Oklahoma. I couldn't decide what level of hysteria I should be in every time I saw it.

Twosome: on the-- flip side, how about a sign you think needs to be in place? ...maybe something like one that lights up and says, "Get out" after you pull the fire alarm in a building?
How about "Don't piss off the librarian before you ask your question."

Threesome: Freeway--, friend or foe? Utility or necessary evil? Extra points if you have to use the Pennsylvania Turnpike or happen to live in Los Angeles {g}.
What about Boston? Chicago? I hate driving in big cities; people are crazy. I'm more comfortable in traffic than I was just 5 years ago, but I don't like it much. And freeways in general, while allowing people to move along quickly, are really ugly and boring.

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Missy Williams' 3x Thursday
Preventative Measures

1. If you're married, this probably doesn't apply to you, but: Are you mindful about getting tested for STDs/HIV at least semi-regularly? Why/why not? Married people: Were you mindful about this type of thing when you were single? Why/why not?
When I was single, this was not an issue for a couple of reasons. One was that the last time I was single was in the early days of HIV/AIDS. However, I don't think it's a bad idea to get tested once in awhile semi-regularly, whether you're married or not. Trust, but verify.

2. Do you get regular (or at least semi-regular) checkups to make sure everything is working okay? Does it matter to you? Why/why not?
Yes, I do. Having had family members die because they didn't is a pretty good motivator.

3. Do you believe in preventative medicine (Pap tests for the girls, colonoscopies, physicals, etc)? Why/why not?
Yes, I do. Why buy trouble? I do my regular Pap, I've had my baselines in mammography, colonoscopy, bone density and so forth. I get regular checks on my eyes to catch glaucoma (runs in the family) and in getting those done, the doctor has found that I have an anomolous optic nerve which could present problems as well, so it's another reason to keep tabs on it.

Wednesday Memes

(Links at left, unless noted)

Loaded Questions
Hypotheticals: If you could ask the president of the country one question, what would it be?
What
The
Fuck?
[And then I'd smack him upside the head...feh]

Anything Goes: Fill in the blank: I stole the cookies from the cookie jar.

No-Brainers: What do you consider to be the most dangerous creature on Earth?
People.

Personals: What have you tried in life, and simply were not good at?
I'm tempted to say "parenthood" but it's been a relatively calm week.
I've tried selling various things over the years, and I suck at it. Thank God I don't have to do it for a living!

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Weirdly Wednesday
On Wednesdays, post a “Weirdly Wednesday” post… a weird site, the weirdest search term in your stats, something from Hollyweird. Whatever.
The weirdest thing I can think of this week is that my workplace has made national news. Not in a big way, thank God, but still rather unnerving.

Mondays

(Links at left, unless noted)

Missy Williams' Monday Madness
1. Do you ever use all caps when typing online messages?
No, and I usually skip reading people who do this. The one exception to reading in all-caps is my father-in-law's emails. He seems incapable of sending an email any other way but all-caps.

2. Does it bother you when other people use all caps in their messages?
It's just hard to read, and I don't bother. So yeah, but I don't stress about it.

3. Do you use abbreviations (i.e. lol, brb, etc.) when typing email messages or text messages?
Not very often. Can't be bothered.

4. Do you ever receive faxes or other correspondence from a professional office that are typed in all caps? If so, what do you think of that?
I can't remember ever having done so, unless it was an important notice, like TURN OFF ALL COMPUTERS or something similar. I think it's bad form in any other case.

5. Do you rely on the computer program to catch your typing errors, or do you proofread your material before sending it out?
I try to proof as I go, but anyone who reads my blogs can attest to the fact that I don't always succeed. I almost never spellcheck. Bad me.

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Fracas' Monday Melee
1. The Misanthtropic: Name something (about humanity) you absolutely hate.
Me-ism. It's really not all about us individuals. Get over yourself. Move on. Look outward. Do something productive. Sometimes, just because it feels good isn't a good enough reason. I need to heed this advice as much as the next person, by the way.

2. The Meretricious: Expose something or someone that’s phony, fraudulent or bogus.
The faithful (of any faith) who can't abide others' disbelief. If your faith isn't strong enough to handle a few logical questions, maybe it's not so much faith as wilfull blindness and stubbornness.

3. The Malcontent: Name something you’re unhappy with.
I'm pretty sick of waking up with a sinus headache. Today's is particularly horrible.

4. The Meritorious: Give someone credit for something and name it if you can.
The counselor at the high school in town, who returned a call about Sparky's freshman schedule at 6 p.m. on Tuesday. Some educators really do care about the kids.

5. The Mirror: See something good about yourself and name it.
I am reliable. I hate working Sundays, but I can only think of one day in my professional life that I completely bagged my Sunday shift, and that was because I really felt like shit that day. It's on my mind today because I have to work today, and I so don't want to.

6. The Make-Believe: Name something you wish for.
Quiet. Peace. Calm.

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Manic Monday
What do you feel is the biggest waste of time?
Has to be the amount of time I spend on the laptop, no question!

If I knew then what I know now, I ....
... would have enjoyed my 20s a lot more than I did.

How do you feel your life has changed over the past year?
I no longer have to deal with the prospect of dealing with insane, fascist people at the library-system level. Not to the degree I thought I would be, anyway. I'm much more careful about what I say out loud in public, at work, too.

Lunatic

Seems appropriate to start the week with a quiz about crazies (which I found at Drew's):

Which Historical Lunatic Are You?
From the fecund loins of Rum and Monkey.
Born in England sometime in the second decade of the nineteenth century, you carved a notable business career, in South Africa and later San Francisco, until an entry into the rice market wiped out your fortune in 1854. After this, you became quite different. The first sign of this came on September 17, 1859, when you expressed your dissatisfaction with the political situation in America by declaring yourself Norton I, Emperor of the USA. You remained as such, unchallenged, for twenty-one years.

Within a month you had decreed the dissolution of Congress. When this was largely ignored, you summoned all interested parties to discuss the matter in a music hall, and then summoned the army to quell the rebellious leaders in Washington. This did not work. Magnanimously, you decreed (eventually) that Congress could remain for the time being. However, you disbanded both major political parties in 1869, as well as instituting a fine of $25 for using the abominable nickname "Frisco" for your home city.

Your days consisted of parading around your domain - the San Francisco streets - in a uniform of royal blue with gold epaulettes. This was set off by a beaver hat and umbrella. You dispensed philosophy and inspected the state of sidewalks and the police with equal aplomb. You were a great ally of the maligned Chinese of the city, and once dispersed a riot by standing between the Chinese and their would-be assailants and reciting the Lord's Prayer quietly, head bowed.

Once arrested, you were swiftly pardoned by the Police Chief with all apologies, after which all policemen were ordered to salute you on the street. Your renown grew. Proprietors of respectable establishments fixed brass plaques to their walls proclaiming your patronage; musical and theatrical performances invariably reserved seats for you and your two dogs. (As an aside, you were a good friend of Mark Twain, who wrote an epitaph for one of your faithful hounds, Bummer.) The Census of 1870 listed your occupation as "Emperor".

The Board of Supervisors of San Francisco, upon noticing the slightly delapidated state of your attire, replaced it at their own expense. You responded graciously by granting a patent of nobility to each member. Your death, collapsing on the street on January 8, 1880, made front page news under the headline "Le Roi est Mort". Aside from what you had on your person, your possessions amounted to a single sovereign, a collection of walking sticks, an old sabre, your correspondence with Queen Victoria and 1,098,235 shares of stock in a worthless gold mine. Your funeral cortege was of 30,000 people and over two miles long.

The burial was marked by a total eclipse of the sun.

'Tis good to be the queen...or empress as the case may be.