Sunday, May 31, 2009

Sunday Stealing

(Link in blogroll)
The Monkey's Meme

1. Name one person who made you smile today: The people at work.

2. What were you doing at 8am this morning? Meming, I believe.

3. What were you doing 45 minutes ago? Driving home from church.

4. What is your favorite candy bar? Butterfinger.

5. Have you ever been to a strip club? Noop. There are some experiences that I think I may be better off not having. That's one of them. Another one is passing a gallstone.

6. What was the last thing you had to drink? A sip of Diet Dr. Pepper. {SLURP} And there's another.

7. What was the last thing you ate? A carrot I snagged out of the handful I grabbed for Ruka.

8. The last sporting event you watched? NASCAR was on this afternoon, but I (literally) slept through all of it. So, uh...last week's NASCAR, I guess.

9. Do you go to church every Sunday? I'm in our church building an average of once a week, at least, yes. I do not always attend worship.

10. Do you prefer Chinese food over pizza? No. I'm ok with either, but it depends on the day.

11. What are you doing tomorrow? I made a list, because it's my day off, but I have a bunch of oddball things to do: volunteer at Sparky's school, deal with Beast's car 'thing', potentially deal with my truck 'thing', talk to City Hall about adding my health insurance when Beast's disappears, photocopy some stuff for the mission trip, talk to the pastor about Sunday's commissioning service, write a letter to all the kids with the final mission trip instructions, practice our staff's production number....

12. What do you think of when you hear Australia? Red, as in red dirt. And, naturally, kangaroos.

13. Biggest annoyance right now? Ruka is being really loud and obnoxious in his cage right now.

14. Last song listened to? "So Long, Farewell" (our goodbye for the boss is set to that song)

15. Do you have a maid service clean your house? Not any more.

16. Are you jealous of anyone? Not really. I envy some things about some people, but not enough to get worked up about it.

17. Is anyone jealous of you? You'd be better off asking them, I think.

18. What do you usually do during the day? Sleep. Breathe. Use a computer. Eat. You know, regular stuff.

19. Do you hate anyone that you know right now? Nope.

20. Are you thinking about someone right now? Well, now I am--thanks!!

Patrick's Place

(Link in blogroll)
Sunday 7

Name the seven toxic personality types you encounter most often in your daily life. (from this list)
  1. Debbie Downer
  2. Insincere Illissa
  3. Disrespectful Danny
  4. Judgmental Jim
  5. Narcissistic Nancy
  6. Manipulative Mary
  7. Dream Killing Keith
In order by most frequently encountered. Mostly, this is people from work and my extended family. And (at least) one is myself. heh

Unconscious Mutterings

(Link in blogroll)

  1. Nursery :: Plants
  2. Side effect :: Collateral damage
  3. Heart to heart :: Come to Jesus [talk]
  4. Try :: Attempt
  5. Hog :: Pig
  6. Symptom :: Sign
  7. Collide :: Run into
  8. Fury :: Anger
  9. Incorporated :: Combined
  10. Summer :: Hot

Saturday, May 30, 2009

Saturday 9

(Link in blogroll)
Uninvited

1. Do you mind people to show up uninvited?
Depends on when they show up and why. Normally, I'd be ok with it, unless we already had plans or if we were in the middle of something uninterruptible.
2. Last person you talked to on the phone?
On my cell, it was Beast, yesterday morning. But I talked to people on the phone yesterday at work, both in-house and out-.
3. Last person on your missed call list?
At home, it's my cell calling here today. My cell says the latest miss was Tuesday night from Angela.
4. Who calls you the most?
On my cell, probably Beast. At home, definitely telemarketers.
5. What is your favorite song about breaking up?
Er? I guess, sorta, "I Will Always Love You." I'm not a fan of breakup songs as a genre, to be honest.
6. If someone sent you an unexpected gift, what would you like it to be?
A new job for Beast or a check big enough to cover our mortgage.
7. Your classic rock station plays the top songs of all time. What is number one?
Completely depends on the day and my mood. "One" would be on the list somewhere.
8. Do you live for today or tomorrow?
I'm getting better at limiting myself to those two choices, and even occasionally focusing on today. Normally, it's probably tomorrow.
9. What movie villain scared you as a kid?
ALL OF THEM, starting with Mr. Bumble in Oliver!

Patrick's Place

(Link in blogroll)
Saturday 6

1. You’re planning a trip that would be an eight-hour car ride, a four-hour train ride, or a two-hour plane ride. With money and time being no object, which would you most likely choose and why?
Up until three years ago, I'd've said fly without hesitation. I might take the train, but if I add Beast to the equation, it turns into a no-brainer: we drive. Sigh.
2. Has your worst travel experience been on a plane, on a bus or in a car?
Depends on how I define "worst." Bumpiest and sick-makingest (child): car + mountains + Dad's refusal to stop the car. Bumpiest and sick-makingest (child): plane + mountains + flight attendant on Quaaludes (altho' I did throw up on a train once, I would attribute that more to nerves and lack of food than the trip itself). Worst overall travel experience: Beijing to Irkutsk on an unclean Russian train with limited food, nothing much safe to drink, and constantly decreasing heat. In January.

I don't ride on buses. I literally can only ride a bus for 20 minutes or so before becoming very nauseous and motion sick.
3. Of the following modes of transportation, which one are you most likely to be able to sleep in as a passenger? When did you last doze in that vehicle?
I don't see a list here, but I can sleep anywhere as long as there is motion. The difficulty on airplanes is the limited space to droop over at all. I dozed off in the car the other day while my son was driving. Horrors!
4. Of that same list, which one would you least likely to be able to sleep in as a passenger? What’s the biggest stumbling block to your being able to sleep that way?
Oops. I believe I already answered this.
5. Take the quiz: What Type of Transportation Are You?
I'm a rocket. Go figure.
6. In you response to the quiz, which single line best describes you?
"You're so weird that you're practically out of this world."

Alternate Saturday 6

(Link in blogroll)
Lazy Summer Days

1. What is your ideal past time on a Lazy Summers Day?
Finding a shady, warm spot outside. If it's breezy or humid or allergen-ridden, I'll just stay inside, though.
2. Do you enjoy BBQs?
I like cookouts, though certainly not because of the food.
3. Sun bathing or lazing in a pool?
I don't hang out at pools--I can't swim. I don't have time, or interest, in sun bathing anymore. So, neither.
4. Chilled glass of wine or chilled pop/juice?
Pop or water. Wine just warms me right back up.
5. If it’s too hot do you try to tan like a lobster or go inside?
Inside. Or at least, into the shade.
6. Do you worry about the risk of cancer when binge sunbathing?
I'd be insane not to worry about the stupid thing I did with baby oil and bikinis in my childhood, but all I can do is stay out of the sun today.

Friday, May 29, 2009

Skin-ey

You Are Medium-Skinned
You can be sensitive at times, but that's totally normal.

Your sensitivity means you can be empathetic and compassionate, even if you're a bit thin-skinned.

You take what people think into account but you try not to let it get to you.

It's hard not to take things personally, but you do your best.
Yup. I'm medium.

Maintaining

You Are Medium Maintenance
Like everyone else, you have some things you are particular about.

You're not too annoying about it, and you're able to go with the flow most of the time.

You've learned to stand your ground on what matters but also make compromises from time to time.

You have good taste. Too bad not everyone shares it.
Yes, it really is a shame, isn't it? {snort}

RevGal Friday Five

(Link in blogroll)
The BIG To Do

1) What home fix-it project is on your Big To-Do?
There is a LOT of weeding that needs doing. The weeds are bigger than the plants in some areas....
2) What event (fun or work) is on your Big To-Do?
My boss's retirement party is next week: Sunday is our rehearsal for the staff's 'production number.'
3) What trip is on your Big To-Do?
The mission trip in two weeks.
4) What do you wish was on someone ELSE's (partner, family member, celebrity, etc...) Big To-Do?
My son needs to get his butt in gear about homework. Across the board. He's pissing me off!
5) Getting inspired? What may end this summer having moved from the Big To-Do to the Big Ta-da?
We've discussed some yard projects, but I think the biggest Ta-Da will be Beast finding a new job.

Friday Fill-Ins

(Link in blogroll)

1. It's cold and breezy by my desk at work.

2.
I can't stand tomatoes.

3. My favorite health and beauty product is
Bath and Body Works bubble baths & shower gels.

4.
There is nothing at all that clears my head like a nice long ride. [by myself, with the windows down and the radio blaring]

5. Well, first of all ... ; and B: ....

6.
Several random and mostly faceless high school students; those were the cast of characters in a recent dream and it was to be expected since I was reading "Columbine" at bedtime last night. [Could I be more stupid??]

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to battling in Castle Age et al., tomorrow my plans include grocery shopping, cleaning, sorting old clothes, hounding Sparky about homework...the usual Saturday stuff..., and Sunday, I want to be organized at the Ignite meeting!

Thursday, May 28, 2009

Call me...!

Your Evil Name Is Airlia Belinda

Muhahahaha!
Don't be offended if I don't answer right away though. I may be busy doing nefarious things.

Seems familiar

found this at Library Tavern, and it looks familiar but I can't find that I've posted it before, so...

My online persona:
Cat. A. Loger's Dewey Decimal Section:
121 Epistemology

Class:
100 Philosophy & Psychology

Contains:
Books on metaphysics, logic, ethics and philosophy.

What it says about you:
You're a careful thinker, but your life can be complicated and hard for others to understand at times. You try to explain things and strive to express yourself.

Find your Dewey Decimal Section at Spacefem.com





My real name:

016 Bibliographies of works on specific subjects

Class:
000 Computer Science, Information & General Works

Contains:
Encyclopedias, magazines, journals and books with quotations.

What it says about you:
You are very informative and up to date. You're working on living in the here and now, not the past. You go through a lot of changes. When you make a decision you can be very sure of yourself, maybe even stubborn, but your friends appreciate your honesty and resolve.

Find your Dewey Decimal Section at Spacefem.com



Not sure which is closer to reality.

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Color

You Are Highly Spiritual
You may not have found the meaning of life, but you try to approach it with as much optimism as possible.

You are
always enthusiastic and grateful for every day you have.

You are cheerful and energetic. You are a do-gooder who likes to keep busy.

You are outgoing and carefree. You embrace life to the fullest.
The irony of this answer appearing today....

Oh well.

Monday, May 25, 2009

2 fer 1

(Both from Kwizgiver)
(I'm excluding household members from my Friends List for the duration of this meme)

Name a CD you own that no one else on your friends list does. "Righteous Love" by Joan Osborne

Name a book you own that no one else on your friends list does. "A Clown's Story" by Marjorie Liikala.

Name a movie you own on DVD/VHS/whatever that no one else on your friends list does. "Paint Your Wagon" on 2 VHS tapes.

Name a place that you have visited that no one else on your friends list has. Hydra, Greece.

Name a piece of technology or any sort of tool you own that you think no one else on your friends list has. A book weight.

____________________________________


1. Your rock star name: (first pet, current car) Tippi Ranger

2. Your gangsta name: (favorite ice cream flavor, favorite type of shoe) Peppermint Huarache

3. Your Native American name: (favorite color, favorite animal) Blue wolf

4. Your soap opera name: (middle name, city where you were born) R. Denver

5. Your Star Wars name: (the first 3 letters of your last name, first 2 of your first name) [nope]

6. Superhero name: (2nd favorite color, favorite drink) White Dr. Pepper

7. NASCAR name: (the first names of your grandfathers) [nope]

8. Dancer name: (the name of your favorite perfume/cologne/scent, favorite candy) Gossip Smarties

9. TV weather anchor name: (your 5th grade teacher’s last name, a major city that starts with the same letter) (I honestly don't remember my 'head' teacher's name from 5th grade--we had team teachers, and the year is a bit of a blank, but I'll go with...) Groff Galena

10. Spy name: (your favorite season/holiday, flower) Autumn Rose

11. Cartoon name: (favorite fruit, article of clothing you’re wearing right now) Pear Jeans

12. Hippie name: (what you ate for breakfast, your favorite tree) Pizza Maple

13. Movie star name: (first pet, first street where you lived) Tippi Cherokee

Curious as a Cat

(Link in blogroll)

1) What is the most unerotic part of the human body?
Heels.
2) What single word best describes you?
"Flibbertigibbet"
3) If you had to choose between them, would you rather vacation in the mountains or near a lake?
Mountains.
4) Show and Tell. What comes to mind first when you see this picture? Or, tell a story if it reminds you of one.

Public Domain Photo
Damn it! I forgot to have one of these installed in this new computer! Shoot.

Transport

You Are A Spaceship
You're so weird that you're practically out of this world.

You are a total dreamer. You are obsessed with conquering the impossible.

You are wild and adventurous. You love thrills of all sorts.

You are a true sensation seeker. You are always looking for that next high.
Uh...negatory in the extreme. But really freakin' funny!

Sunday, May 24, 2009

Sunday Stealing

(Link in blogroll)
The A to Z Meme

A
• Are you available? Not for what you mean.
• What is your age? 45.5
• What annoys you? Intentional stupidity. Intentional meanness. Lack of empathy.

B
• Do you know anyone named Billy? Yes. One of the kids in Sparky's grade at school still goes by Billy. There are some Bills, too.
• When is your birthday? I'm a November Scorp.
• Who is your best friend? Beast, Amy, Jenny...on any given day.

C
• What's your favorite candy? Smarties (the American version), or Butterfinger.
• Crush? Orange?
• When was the last time you cried? Yesterday at work.

D
• Do you daydream? Not as such, no.
• What's your favorite kind of dog? I'm kinda partial to mutts.
• What day of the week is it? Sunday. Of course.

E
• How do you like your eggs? Over easy with toast on the side.
• Have you ever been in the emergency room? Yes, oh so many times. For myself and for others.
• Ever pet an elephant? No. Not yet.

F
• Do you use fly swatters? Not very effectively.
• Have you ever used a foghorn? Uh, no?
• Is there a fan in your room? Yes.

G
• Do you chew gum? Every day. Keeps me from eating.
• Do you like gummy candies? Yes.
• Do you like gory movies? Unequivacally no.

H
• How are you? OK, so far. My eyes are tired and sore. Wait, that's just standard nowadays.
• What's your height? 172 cm.
• What color is your hair? This weekend it is back to ash-red-brown.

I
• What's your favorite ice cream? Peppermint, though I'm kind of liking the concept of birthday cake ice cream.
• Have you ever ice skated? Yes, and that was an error in judgment.
• Ever been in an igloo? Not a real one. Well, that goes on the bucket list, then.

J
• What's your favorite Jelly Bean? NOT Jelly Belly! Almost any other brand will do.
• Have you ever heard a really hilarious joke? I hear hilarious jokes regularly. What is the deal with this question? Are there really people who answer 'No.'
• Do you wear jewelry? Mostly just earrings.

K
• Who do you want to kill? I don't think there is any reason for me to kill anyone right now.
• Have you ever flown a kite? Briefly, once. It's not my thing.
• Do you think kangaroos are cute? Yes.

L
• Are you laidback? At times.
• Lions or Tigers? Well, bears are right off the list, so...lions.
• Do you like black licorice? Ugh, no.

M
• Favorite movie as a kid? Meh. I didn't do movies the way we do them now. I liked "Lady and the Tramp."
• Ever shopped at Moosejaw? No.
• Favorite store at the mall? Hot Topic always amuses me. But really, Bath & Body Works.


N
• Do you have a nickname? Not particularly, except Cat.
• What's your favorite number? 16. Or 3.
• Do you prefer night or day? Day.

O
• What's your one wish? That we figure out a way to share medical knowledge and supplies more efficiently throughout the world.
• Are you an only child? Not really.
• Do you like the color orange? It's ok. Not among my favorite, not my least favorite.

P
• What are you most paranoid about? All my fears make perfect sense. ;-) No paranoia here.
• Piercings? One in each earlobe.
• Do you know anyone named Penelope? I used to. Not anymore.

Q
• Are you quick to judge people? I get a good first-read, but have been known to re-think that over time.
• Do you like Quaker Oats? I'm not a big oatmeal eater. As in, only in cookies.
• Know anyone that makes quilts? Yes. Several people, actually.
• Do you think you're always right? No. I always am right. [ha ha ha--I have a teenager in the house, so I'm fairly happy to be right twice a week.]
• Do you watch reality TV? Just Survivor and TAR.
• Reason to cry? I cry about many things.

S
• Do you prefer sun or rain? Sun.
• Do you like snow? When I'm inside, I don't mind if it's 'pretty snow.'
• What's your favorite season? Fall.

T
• [What] time is it? 11 a.m.
• What time did you wake up? 8:15 a.m.

U
• Can you ride a unicycle? Heh. No. But my niece Ellen can.
• Do you know anyone with a unibrow? Not as such, no.
• Uncles do you have? None living. I had two by marriage and two by blood, but they were all in their 50s or older when I was born.

V
• What’s the worst vegetable? I don't like Brussels sprouts.
• Did you ever watch Veggie Tales? Yep, as an adult, and not often.
• Ever considered being vegan? Never.

W
• What's your worst habit? Emotional eating. Biting my nails.
• Do you like water rides? No.
• Ever been inside a windmill? Actually, yes. There was a restaurant in my hometown that was a semi-working windmill. Obviously, it didn't mill, but the wind power part was functional.

X
• Have you ever had an x-ray? Well, yeah. Who, in the U.S., hasn't?
• Ever used a Xerox machine? Yup. A real, honest-to-brand Xerox.

Y
• Do you like the color yellow? It's not my favorite.
• What year were you born in? The same year Kennedy was shot.
• Do you yell when you're angry? YES I DO! ahem, yeah.

Z
• Do you believe in the zodiac? No.
• What's your zodiac sign? Scorpio, as I mentioned before.
• When was the last time you went to the zoo? About two years ago.

Unconscious Mutterings

(Link in blogroll)

  1. Lisa :: Wendy and...
  2. Hope :: Faith
  3. Irene :: Goodnight...
  4. Tony :: Award
  5. Anna :: Banana
  6. Dolly :: Sheep
  7. Laura :: Little House books
  8. Debbie :: Little...
  9. Wilson :: Volleyball
  10. Paula :: ...Poundstone

Saturday, May 23, 2009

"for once I don't"

(Found here) [no, I don't know what the title means]

Don't you just hate that morning mouth taste? I brush my teeth just before bed, so it's not too bad.

Do you have a sore throat? No, hey, I don't.

What can you hear right now? Sparky in the shower, with his radio on. Some ambient outdoor noise.

Name three things you did yesterday: Ate popcorn. Saw two movies. Talked to Sparky about his grades.

What was the last thing you spent money on? Lunch at McD's.

What is something your going to do a lot of this week? Work.

Do you like the singer Bon Jovi? I've always thought he was a decent guy.

What is the next concert you're going too? U2, in September.

What is your favorite channel to watch on the television? Discovery.

Look behind you, what do you see? The back of the couch, the blind on the front window....

What were you doing at 8am this morning? I was at work.

Can you crack your toes? Yup, though not at a whim.

What was the last movie you watched? Star Trek.

Was it good? I liked it better than Beast, who was annoyed. I thought it was pretty good.

What grade are you in? If graduated, what year did you graduate?
High school: 1982. College: 1986. Grad school: 1987.

Have you thrown popcorn at someone in a movie theaters? No. Just toast. Technically, I was throwing that at the screen.

Do you like redvines? I prefer Twizzlers.

How about black liquorish? No, but I do know how to spell it at least.

How does your hair look right now? Meh. Post colorance funk.

How long till your next birthday? Just under 6 mos.

What fast food restaurant has the best fries, in your opinion?
Mcdonalds, though I still hold a torch for Tastee-Freez fries, which were simply awesome.

Do you sing along to the songs you know while in the car? Well, yeah!

Name five things you do on a regular basis: Eat, drive, type, sleep, read.

Do you read often? Not like I used to, but yes.

Who last IM'ed you? Beast, before I left work today.

Do you think Bigfoot is real? No.

Is there someone you wish would just fall off the face of this earth? Someone I wish I'd never have to see again? Yes.

Do you like the show Greys Anatomy? Never watched it. Too soapy. {hey, I hear you snorting!}

Are you ashamed of your childhood? "Ashamed"???? Not at all.

What's the furthest point you've ever traveled to? I can't answer this question, since I don't know where the start point is, or the time frame.

Who are you thinking about right now? Ruka--he's screaming with "hunger" even though Sparky just fed him.

Is there anyone you look up to? Yes.

Are you hungry right now? Not hungry, but I do have the munchies.

Has anyone played a practical joke on you? Yes.

Who was the last person to call you? Beast, who called about two hours before we finished IMing.

What did you do last night? Vegged.

Do you think you're good looking? Plock.

Are you cold right now? My feet are. The rest of me is just about perfect.

How is the weather outside? Gorgeous.

Have you ever had a broken heart? If so, how's your heart now? Yes, and it's healed up, though never as strong as it was before.

Is there anyone who you love more then anything in the world? Yes.

Do you know the difference between "your" and "you're"? Yes. Also, I can differentiate among "they're", "their" and "there." And I know how to use "among" and "between."

Do you have a facebook? If no, then why not? Yes. Somehow, I have accrued 110+ friends. Pays to have a big family... ;-)

Do you do surveys often? I've started to again.

Do you have a best friend? No. I'm a pathetic excuse for a person....OF COURSE I DO.

Do you hate it when people ask you question about the war? If they stick to one question, we're probably in good shape.

Are you interested in politics and what's going on in the world? Mildly.

Where is the next place you'd like to go vacation? Minnesota.

Have you ever gone on a road trip? Uh? Yes?

Name one of your fears: Pain.

When you go to the theaters, do you buy food there? If so, what do you get? We got popcorn and pop yesterday. I used to always get SweeTarts, but my teeth can't do that anymore.

How many hours of sleep did you get last night? 6.5ish.

Is there anything bothering you right now? I'm surprisingly mellow tonight.

Where is your sister right now? One's in Colorado, one's in heaven, and one's in Leicestershire.

Is there any songs stuck in your head right now? If so, what? Nope. Thank goodness. I had a Denis Leary earworm for several days this week.

Have you ever worked a double shift? Every day, babe.

What is one of the worst things about waking up? Knowing that I have to wake up and get moving.

Have you ever felt like/have run away from home? Felt like it, yes. Never have done it.

Last encounter you had with a police officer? I believe that was when Sparky's wallet disappeared at school a couple of months ago.

Did you answer any of these questions with "I don't know"? Only this one.

Saturday 9

(Link in blogroll)
Hot Fun in the Summertime

1. Is summer your favorite season? Why?
I love summer if there is low or nonexistent humidity. If it's humid, I'll hold out for fall.
2. Do you exercise more in the summer because you wear less clothing?
I probably exercise less because of the heat.
3. Do you enjoy tanning or are you more concerned about the dangers of basking in the sun?
I don't have any interest in tanning anymore, and one of the reasons is that I spent way too many years baking and burning. It's just not my thing, not with my whale white skin and tendency toward freckling.
4. You are on the beach when a waiter appears for your drink order. What do you ask for?
If I'm on the beach and there are waiters taking orders, I'll have a TQ Sunrise.
5. Do you camp in the summertime?
I do NOT camp. Perish the thought!
6. What was your favorite summer vacation as a kid?
It pretty much has to be the default one: when I was 14 I went with my parents to England for three weeks. That's the only lengthy vacation I remember, and really it was a visit to see family, which is what all our vacations were growing up.

Actually, my very favorite time was the first time my parents went to England, and I went to stay with another sister for 5 weeks. She was 4ish months pregnant and had a 2-year-old son, so I sorta 'babysat' but mostly read Hardy Boys mysteries, drank diet Pepsi, and wandered through the cemetary near their house. The summer was delightful and slow and I had a wonderful time.
7. Do you enjoy sleeping outdoors?
Am not a fan of bugs. And I require a good mattress. In short, no.
8. Do you throw a summer barbecue every year?
I almost never throw food. ;-) We're tentatively planning a Big Do this year, but mostly we have smaller ones throughout the warm weather for whoever is around.
9. Have you ever been to a nude beach? If yes, what did you think?
No. And frankly, I'd rather camp outside all summer than have that experience.

Friday, May 22, 2009

Pop Name

Your Pop Star Name Is Jazz Wolfe
You're Gonna Be a Star!
And, I'm OK with that.

RevGal Friday Five

(Link in blogroll)
Vacations

1) What did your family do for vacations when you were a child? Or did you have stay-cations at home?
We visited family out of state. Or had a picnic in the mountains. After age 10, we had a little house in the mountains...actually a little "project" in the mountains that we visited all the time. This is a bit of a sore subject--like so much else with my siblings: they "never" had a vacation because Dad was self-employed and had four kids to support and so they never took "real vacations." The best story here is when they went to Hobbs, NM, and spent the night in the building Dad was building. It was a mortuary.
2) Tell us about your favorite vacation ever:
Our last trip to Maine, in 2001, was pretty awesome. We drove through Canada to get there, stayed 10 days or so, and drove home through New York, etc. Sparky had a blast, in spite of the "killer ducks" that pushed him in the lake, and it was a lovely, relaxing time.
3) What do you do for a one-day or afternoon getaway...is there a place nearby that you escape to on a Saturday afternoon/other day off?
I stay home. There is no scenery around here. [Yes, I'm spoiled.] Or, I drive to friends' houses.
4) What's your best recommendation for a full-on vacation near you...what would you suggest to someone coming to your area? (Near - may be defined any way you wish!)
Well, we live 60 miles from a HUGE CITY in the center of the country, so ... let's just plonk down there for tours, sightseeing, walking, sailing, theatre, shopping, you name it.
5) What's your DREAM VACATION?
I want to cruise the Mediterranean for 2-3 weeks, stopping in several Italian cities, and possibly even over to Greece and Turkey.
Bonus: Any particularly awful (edited to add: or hilarious) vacation stories that you just have to tell? ("We'll laugh about this later..." maybe that time is now!)
It's really not a vacation until and unless one of these happens. My favorite, for many reasons, is when I left our camera in the taxi we took to the port of Petraeus from our hotel in Athens. We'd been in Greece about a week at that point, with loads of photos in that camera. Beast called the hotel as soon as we realized it--they had called the cab for us--and they called the cabbie who checked and found the camera...and took it to the hotel where it was waiting for us when we returned to Athens a few days later. Unbelievable!

Friday Fill-Ins

(Link in blogroll)

1. Moving makes one realize just exactly how much crap one has in one's life!

2.
Nothing much in life is free. (But sometimes the payment is worth it...)

3. My best quality is perserverence.

4.
Yes, I do like details.

5. In nearly 10 years,
Sparky has changed in almost every way--physically (of course!), politically (he 'voted' for Bush in 2000), attitudinally--but he's still got a lovely core of friendly humor.

6.
A personal trainer is what I need right now!

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to
hanging out (after a busy day of haircuts and movies--yes, plural), tomorrow my plans include working, hopefully getting some of those damn kids' series off my cart, and Sunday, I want to watch the race (that's Sunday, right?) and hang with the fam, including FIL and possibly the nephews!

Friday 5

(Link in blogroll)
Lessons

1. What kind of out-of-school lessons did you take as a kid?
I took piano lessons for a couple of years in elementary school with Mrs. Schumann. All the girls did--somehow, boys weren't expected to, which was itself an early lesson in sexism. I had to walk to her house, about 8 short-blocks, crossing a very busy four-lane road. What were my parents thinking??

Later on, in junior high and high school, I took flute lessons from Shirley Nicholls, who graduated from high school with my brother. She did lessons in her parents' house, right across the street from me. Funny how much, thinking back now, I really enjoyed those lessons.
2. What valuable lesson did you learn this past week?
I can't think of any new and earth-shattering ones, just reminders of a lot that I tend to forget: "Attitude is everything." "Be open to whatever is going to happen." "Take my allergy meds, or else suffer the consequences." "Trust, but verify." "Hold doctors' feet to the fire when I don't feel good."

OOOH! Here's a good one that I did 'learn' this week: when a patron is looking at porn on the computer, dropping a copy of the policy next to them with the appropriate section circled and walking away will, at least temporarily, clear them out of the buildng.
3. Who in your life really needs to be taught a lesson?
The usual suspects: Katherine, CT, etc. I don't want to think about it--those people irritate the snot out of me and I don't want to have to think about them today.

And Sparky, of course, has several lessons he needs to be taught; he doesn't irritate me except in a couple of very specific areas.
4. What kinds of lessons would you love to have a private teacher for right now?
Biblical Greek, Hebrew...and for Sparky, Japanese. My nephew James, sort-of offered shooting lessons, which I may take him up on. I'm considering taking piano lessons again once Sparky is out of the house, too.
5. What steps have you taken to lessen the impact of these rough economic times?
[I love puns!]
I am trying to cook at home more than we eat out. We have put off a couple of expensive things (ahem, new cars, ahem), and are generally just watching our output more closely. We are saving LOTS on gas right now because Beast has been working from home every day, or getting his gas reimbursed as a travel expense when he's on the road.

Thursday, May 21, 2009

Spirit

snort

You Are Super Spiritual
You are in touch with the world around you, and you find peace in connecting with others.

You believe that every life is special and that every life has a purpose.

You value harmony and understanding. You try not to judge, bicker, and fight.

As simple as it sounds, you truly think it's important to make the world a better place
.
But I sound a right berk....

.......

(found here)

What's the weirdest thing you own? Uh...? Define "weird." The only thing I can think of that some people might call weird is my lifesize TNG communicator pin.

Do you know who Joe Biden is? Yes. I. Do. Do you?

Do Did you watch the debates? Parts of most of them.

Do you watch TV at all? Yes. I listen to it more than I watch, though.

What color is your favorite belt? Pale blue.

Do you know what an aperture is? I can define the word. It is generally used to refer to something in photography, though I couldn't tell you precisely what.

What color is the cover of your favorite book? The latest edition I own is red and white checked.

If you could tell any politican anything, who and what would you say? Remember who you stepped on while you were climbing.

How many pregnant people do you know? I think I don't know anyone personally, though two of my coworkers have pregnant family members.

Have you ever heard of the drink Izze? Yup. It's about the only thing at Starbucks I'll drink.

Do you have a phone charm? Uh, no.

What's your favorite thing to doodle? Boxes, straight lines, geometric designs.

What would you do for a Klondike Bar? Depends on whether it said please.

Have you ever been in a fire? Thank God, no.

Do you have any framed pictures in your room? Yup.

Do you ever use a comb? Although my appearance may argue to the contrary right now, I do use a comb daily.

How often do you get your hair professionally cut? Every 5-6 weeks. I'm going tomorrow, in fact.

Have you ever developed your own film? Not...exactly.

Do you take pictures of people or do you actually like real photography? I take more pictures of landscape, but I wouldn't call it art.

Have you ever listen[ed] to a band from New Zealand? Probably.

Do you like lighting matches? It's not exactly a hobby. In fact, I'm not sure if we have any matches in the house. We use lighters.

Do you like the smell of new car? Sure.

Do you like Harry Potter? It's an interesting series, and I've enjoyed reading it, and seeing the movies.

Did you ever read the Harry Potter books? Oops, well, yeah. Listened to them, too.

Have you ever read Twilight? Yes. Just that one, though.

If you have, did you like it? If not, are you going to have you see[n] the movie? I didn't love it, and I have no interest in the movie, though the MuteMath song is good.

Have you ever been to a broadway show? Not in New York. I've see several traveling shows, and a couple of shows in the East End in London.

What's your favorite smell? "Clean."

Do you watch dvds on your computer? Not habitually. I've done it.

Do you steal traffic cones? There is a good college story about that, but no, I've never (personally) stolen a traffic cone.

When was the last time you used dial up? Over five years ago.

Did you ever know the sounds of it dialing up by heart? I could differentiate between a connection and a fail.

How early do you put up your winter holiday decorations? Mid-December.

Have you ever seen The Rocky Horror Picture Show? Yup.

Have you ever been to a live show of Rocky Horror? Kinda...? It wasn't the full cast, and certainly not "professional" but there were some people dressed up at one of the showings.

Have you ever seen your own bone? Only in X-rays.

What's the weirdest Halloween costume you ever seen? There was one last year at the Today show that scared me, though it wasn't scary per se. Can't remember exactly what the deal was, but there was a box/carton involved.

What cartoons did you watch when you were little? I loved "Mighty Mouse" and "Roadrunner."

Have you ever seen the movie Yellow Submarine? I have tried very hard to watch it. It's ... not my thing, I guess.

What word or phrase should no one ever talk about around you? I have an aversion to the words "stupid" and "fat" when used by teens. Also becoming heartily tired of the word "r'DICK-you-lus."

Do you hate it when surveys ask you if you liked their surveys? Meh. Kinda annoying, but nothing I can't manage.

Do you own colored pants? Er, well, yeah...?

Do you listen to songs on repeat for more than an hour? Even in my worst childhood crushes, I never went a full hour.

Have you ever made a sand sculpture? Do regular sand castles count? Cuz, if so, then yeah.

Do you have any LIVING plants in your room? Not in my room, but the one Amy gave me is still hanging in there.

Have you ever seen a baby panda bear? Only pictures.

Do you have a local zoo? There are 3 zoos within 90 minutes of us.

Pencil or pen? Depends, but generally I enjoy sharp pencils.

Favorite colored fruit? As opposed to all those black-and-white fruits?

Do you know someone who is in a band? Yup. hee

Did you ever like Hello Kitty when you were little? The inventor of Hello Kitty was undoubtedly not yet born when I was little.

What's the oldest thing you own? Several things that belonged to various grandparents.

Do you like the sayings they put on Taco Bell hot sauce packets? I never take them, so I didn't even know there were sayings on them. Bummer--will have to start looking.

Doesn't it bug you when peoples pockets are upturned? Yes it does.

Do you ever just sit and stare into space on your OWN time? I prefer to do it on someone else's time.

When was the last time you completed a jigsaw puzzle? Couple of New Years' ago.

Have you ever caught a wild frog? Not intentionally.

Have you ever used a sewing machine? Yes. Not lately.

Have you ever tye dyed anything? I have, indeed, tie-dyed assorted things.

Are there any boxes in your garage? Of course. I live with a pack-rat.

What's your favorite brand of cereal? Frost Flakes or Fruit Loops.

Do you ever talk back to your computer when it's acting up? Quite often, in fact.

When was the last time you drew with sidewalk chalk? It's been awhile.

What's the farthest distance you've ever driven? I can't answer this. I'm not sure what it means.

Ever made a scrapbook? The ten or so downstairs would say yes.

Can you read music? Yes.

Do you like slurpees? I haven't had one in awhile, but they hurt my teeth.

Do you ever take surveys when you're not bored? Yep.

Color

You Are Blue
You are a philosophical and often inspired person. You are the master of ideas.

You are open to many points of view. You believe that it's important to communicate and not judge.

You have a worldly perspective, and you're always looking to broaden it.

You are a true people person, but you also value your solitude and personal space.
Except for that first bit, this is spot-on. PLUS, I love the color--woo-hoo!

Showy

You Are Not A Show Off
You're happy with who you are, and you don't [usually] need other people's affirmations to prove it.

You don't really like excess attention, and you prefer to blend in with the crowd.

You are modest and humble. You don't make a big fuss out of your accomplishments.

You prefer to fly under the radar. The people who matter most will like you no matter what.
The multiple blogs might lead some people to disagree with this evaluation! But I think it's pretty accurate. ;-)

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Weather

You Are Rain
You are dark and dramatic. You tend to be a bit over the top.

You have strong emotions and they can change quickly. You are tempestuous.

You are wild and unpredictable. You tend to overwhelm and surprise people.

While you are aggressive, you are also a homebody. You don't really care for physical activities.
Well, that first line is pretty wrong. The rest isn't all that accurate either.

Bathroom

You Are Shampoo
You are refreshing and cheerful. You don't hold on to a lot of baggage in life.

You are a true optimist. For you, every day is a fresh start.

You are confident and bold. You are proud of who you are, simple as that.

You are passionate about life and its possibilities. You don't hold back.
This is fairly accurate, during my good stretches, though I would say that "most days" rather than "every day."

Wednesday Weirdness

(Link in blogroll)

1. If your boss says, "I would like to talk to you about your internet usage" what would your first reaction be?
"But OCLC doesn't cost to connect to!!" We have this conversation over and over.
2. If you SO asks you "Does this make me look fat?" how do you answer?
This is a standing joke. So of course my reaction would be the scripted, "No, your ass makes you look fat."
3. What is one thing that you pay for, but resent having to do so?
Well, I haven't started yet, but Weight Watchers. I hate myself for not having the self-control to do the weight-loss myself.
4. A day is being created in honor of you. How should we celebrate it?
Sleep, read, play on the computer, and eat (see #3).
5. What CD or Album in your music collection do you secretly enjoy, but would be embarrassed if others heard you grooving to it?
It would probably be the BSB Millennium disc. Haven't listened to it for awhile, but I do enjoy it.
6. How long do you think you would last if you were a contestant on Survivor?
If I could last the till the first tribal council--the VERY first one--I think I'd do ok. But I absolutely hate camping, so I would be extraordinarily unhappy that first few days.

Monday, May 18, 2009

Manic Monday

(Link in blogroll)

If you could completely redecorate any room in your house at no expense to you, what room would you choose?
I'm just saying bathrooms. All of them need all kinds attention, including new countertops, paint, decor.... I never, ever, liked the countertops we chose.
Which hour of the day do you feel goes the slowest?
3:00-4:00 p.m. OMG--just creeps by.
If your birthday could be in a different month of the year, when would you have it?
Anytime between June and early October. I am not fond of having a birthday in November, nor would I want one in the middle of winter.

Curious as a Cat

(Link in blogroll)

1) Which person have you taken the most advantage of?
Realistically, my mom. That's the nature of life, though. More recently, my husband.
2) When was the last time you went to a carnival and played midway games?
Probably 3 years or so, the last time we went to the State Fair in the Cheesy State.
3) If you could rid your family of one thing, what would it be?
Backbiting. Mostly my family of origin; I live with men, so it's not so prevalent in my current household.
4) Show and Tell. What comes to mind first when you see this picture? Or, tell a story if it reminds you of one.

Public Domain Photo
This is pretty. I always liked looking at the slides in biology class -- as long as we had decent 'scopes! I hate crappy microscopes. The patterns are interesting. Honestly, though, this looks a little bit like a flip of the plastic tile we had in the bathroom when I was a kid. Ours was white lines on pink tiles. But I have seen this version.

It occurs to me that the pink tile may be the basis of my non-interest in the color as an adult.

Sunday, May 17, 2009

Sunday Stealing

(Link in blogroll)
The 29'er Meme

1. What bill do you hate paying the most? Uh, well...I don't pay most bills around here. But the one thing we do pay often is fundraiser stuff. I'd rather just fork over $50+ and be finished than dork around with all the prep and fooling and round with stuff.

2. Where was the last place you had a romantic dinner? The Capital Grill, sorta, about 10 days ago.

3. How many colleges did you attend? One each for undergrad and grad degrees.

4. Why did you choose the shirt that you have on right now? Because it's white, lacks buttons on the chest that would bang against handbells, and was nearest to hand this morning.

5. First thought when the alarm went off this morning? "Mrrrmmmffff"

6. Last thought before going to sleep last night? "My legs are achy."

7. What do you miss [?about] being a child? Lack of responsibility.

8. What errand/chore do you despise? Shopping. Also, anything to do with cleaning floors.

9. Have you found real love yet? Yup.

10. What do you get every time you go into Wal-Mart? Annoyed.

11. Do you think marriage is an outdated ritual? Not for me.

12. What famous person would you like to have dinner with? Catherine the Great, about midway through her reign.

13. Ever had to use a fire extinguisher for its intended purpose? Not yet.

14. Somewhere in California you've never been and would like to go? Anyplace north of SF.

15. At this point in your life would you rather start a new career or a new relationship? Relationship, as in friendship

16. Do you have a "go to" person? Yup.

17. Are you where you want to be in life? Yup.

18. Over the years, what about you do you think has changed the most? I'm in much worse physical shape.

19. Looking back at high school, were they the best years of your life? Maybe physically, but certainly not emotionally.

20. Are there times you still feel like a kid? Very occasionally.

21. Where was the hang out spot when you were a teenager? Gatti's.

22. Who do you think impacted your life the most? At this point, Beast.

23. Was there a teacher or authority figure that stood out for you? Dr. Rebecca Sherrick. Or Dr. Lamar Cope.

24. Do you tell stories that start with "when I was your age"? Yup.

25. What is the scariest thing that has happened to you as an adult? Several points in parenting. Not all of which involve medical emergencies. Some involve my lack of skills and control.

26. What advice would you give to someone about to get married? Be honest. Stand up for yourself. Fight fair. Think of the other person first as often as possible.

27. What advice would you give someone starting their first job? Be honest. Stand up for yourself. Do the best work you can. Don't put 100% of your faith in anything your boss says if it goes against everything you think is true.

28. If you could go back and change one thing you did, what would it be? I'd heed the advice in #27 and put it into practice at my first full-time job.

29. If you could go back and change one thing someone else did, what would it be? ...but I can't change what others do, I can only change what I do in response! And it would certainly involve #s 27 and 28.

Patrick's Place

(Link in blogroll)
Sunday 7

Name the seven tattoo designs you’d be most likely to choose if you had to get a tattoo. [hints here: 50 Most Popular Tattoo Designs]

Like Patrick, this is not a goal for myself, ever. But if I had to...
  1. A small (as in almost microscopic) black cross, very plain (as in two thin lines), near my hairline on the nape of my neck.
  2. A blue zipper tag at the top of my abdominal scar. This would be VERY tricky!! I'd have to really trust someone, cuz messing it up would piss me off, and be really hard to fix.
  3. I could do a fish on my neck instead of the cross, but not the one like #40. Maybe a Darwin fish (ICHTHS + feet).
  4. I'd do a mountain scene--Mt. Abrams, perhaps--on my lower back. Full color.
  5. From the list, yellow and red suns similar to #23 but WAY smaller on my ankles. I like balance.
  6. From the list, a small #12 on my scalp.
  7. I'd consider a H-D shield (#43) somewhere, small of course. Maybe in the middle of my back between the bottom of my shoulder blades.
And yes, this is in order of preference.

Unconscious Mutterings

(Link in blogroll)

  1. Vex :: Pester
  2. Relapse :: Backslide
  3. Twinkle :: Sparkle
  4. Crawls :: Creeps
  5. Optimistic moment :: ...before reality returns
  6. Cage :: Trap
  7. Superwoman :: "Charley" perfume ("I can bring home the bacon/Fry it up in a pan...")
  8. Personal :: Private
  9. Vapor :: Steam
  10. Grocery store :: "Kings" [growing up, we always went to King Soopers, never any generic "grocery store"]

Saturday, May 16, 2009

A fear of high numbers....

(found here)

Childhood weirdness

Did you spend your childhood time with mostly real or imaginary friends? Imaginary. The joys of being a pseudo-only.
Did people consider you an odd child? No. For all intents and purposes, from an adult perspective I was a perfect child.
Do you have memories that go back to when you were only a few months old? Uh, nope.
Do you remember any thoughts you had when you where very young? Not verbatim. I was rather fearful, though, of everything. Oh, and I was sure for a period of time that my "parents" had kidnapped me from my real (i.e., nice, kind, loving, non-disciplinarian) family and were speaking in code around me.
Were they intricate or simple thoughts? Well, clearly, some of them were intricate! :-)
If you answered "intricate", give an example of one of those thoughts: Didn't I just do that? OK, some of the code involved the foods I didn't like. "Tomato" meant something like "yell at her." "Liver" meant "raise the ransom price."
Were you dreams very vivid as a child? Very much.
What is the strangest memory you have from early childhood? All my childhood memories seem rather weird now. I remember cutting my bangs--too short--and then taping a hairband to the end in hopes that no one would notice.
Were you a child prodigy or did you display any gifts at a young age? I was #5 in my family. My parents just wanted me to be quiet and get perfect grades. I succeeded fairly well.
What was the most "grown-up" thing you ever said as a child? I have no idea. Since I spent more time with adults than with children, I probably was pretty grown-up in many of my conversations, when I wasn't cowering in a corner.
What were your favorite TV shows in early childhood? There was a great morning cartoon show on channel 2 in Denver which showed Mighty Mouse (and others). In the breaks between clips, the host drew cartoons and talked to us kids watching. Which, of course, leads to Romper Room. However, we didn't have a good TV until I was 7, so that's all I remember.
Were you afraid of monsters? They were among the "everything" I was afraid of, but not the "monster" sense, more of the "people" sense.
Did you believe that fictional characters were real? It was more that I wished they were. I did think for awhile that musicians were actually in the studio playing the songs on the radio.
Were you more quiet and artistic or loud and physical? I was quiet and not particularly artistic, but extremely physical.

Issues and US Stuff

Do you eat meat? Yup. Nom nom nom
If you do, what is your justification for it? The same justification for anything else I eat: tastes good, easy to prepare, and abundantly available.
If you could legalize 3 things in the US, what would they be? Marijuana, good health care availability for everyone (including aborion and right-to-die issues), and marriage between two consenting adults.
Do you belive in the death penalty? I believe it exists. I believe it is only helpful for those out for revenge.
Did Mumia do it? I haven't done enough detailed research to know the answer to this.
If you had a choice, which country would you have chosen to be born into? I'm good with being a USan.
What are your opinions of Michael Moore? He's a blowhard, but has good points. I just wish he'd make them and shut up and let them speak for themselves.
Describe your feelings about marijuana legalization: I find it really hypocritical that we have legalized alcohol, which is much more of a 'gateway drug', than pot, which isn't physically addictive.
What about gay marriage? Can we just get out of each others' bedrooms and love lives, please??
Red, White and Blue is a ghastly color combination, right? I'm ok with it. Better than brown, white and (olive) green, or some other combinations.
What television news coverage do you detest the most? I don't like any of the 'serious' news. It's reactive and fake. The best they do is when there is a legit emergency and they get to the point of reporting things as they happen.
What will you do if Bush is re-elected? Cry/scream/celebrate etc...: I was going to delete this and then I realized that he could, actually, run again. If he were re-elected then, I would be really, really, really annoyed.
Which state do you think will drop off into the ocean first? "Drop off" pretty much gives it to California. "Sink under" would go to Florida, perhaps.
Who do you consider "American Heroes"? People who do the right thing at great personal loss or potential (or actual) harm.

Completely Obtuse And Silly Questions

Have you ever taken something apart just to see how it worked? Explain: No. If I take things apart, it's so that I can figure out what's wrong and fix it.
Do you ever yell at the television while you are alone? Being alone has no bearing on my yelling at the TV.
Name a few things (if any) that you bought on Ebay recently: I haven't ever bought anything from eBay. What makes me laugh is that eBay has spent money publicizing their brand, but so many people manage to get the capitalization wrong even after 10+ years.
Are the Muppets sinister? Think about it: Miss Piggy is a little annoying, but that's the worst I can stretch.
Do you watch the Science Channel (Discovery) on a regular basis? Nope. It is on sometimes when Beast is watching, but I never pay any attention.
Ever gotten into an "in person" argument with a total stranger? I work with the public, so it does happen sometimes.
Sugar or Honey? ...yes? I like honey more than sugar if I'm eating it straight, though.
What's on your desk right now? At home: a great deal of paper. At work: I'm not going to think about work until Tuesday.
How many e-mails do you recieve a day? Over all of my accounts, I'd estimate between 10 and 50 that I have to deal with. I subscribe to a couple of listservs, but I don't look at those daily (or even weekly). And the ads I mostly just delete.
Do you think that time travel is a possibility? We already do travel through time. It's only one-way. Why shouldn't time be reversible? [I'm watching Star Trek as I do this, so that may be influencing my answer.]
Have you ever had a past life regression? Not to my knowledge. Except, perhaps, in dreams.
Are you slightly addicted to online tests and surveys? "Slightly"? huh
San Francisco or New York City? I love SF, and the weather would be a little nicer than NYC. But I've no interest, really, in either.
Are you really a famous person undercover on [your blog]? Would I tell you?
Are you really an alien spectator studying the human condition via [blogs]? Yeah, no.
What are your favorite color combinations? Medium blue/white. Black/silver (or gray). Blue/red.
Close your eyes and type the first random image that pops into your head: Polar bears. One of my blog authors--who also tweets--has been talking about them this week.
Do you enjoy night or day better? Day.
Favorite animal: Homo sapiens. Endlessly interesting.
Have you ever been to a protest? Not exactly.
Aggravated a cop on purpose? FUCK no.
Worst decision you ever made? It's a recurring decision involving the food I choose to eat.
Ever gone train hopping/ridden the rails? No thanks.
Best invention of this century? Worst? Twitter. For good and ill.
If you could choose a time period in which to live, which would it be? I wouldn't go backwards. Going forward into an era in which allergies have been cured might be an option.
Ever put your hand through a window? Yes. Yes, I have. I have a tiny scar to show for it.
List a few words you hate the sound of: "grunt" "spore" "smarmy"
And a few you like the sound of: "bellicose" "facial" "smooth"

Emotions And Such

Have you attempted suicide more than once? Not even more than never.
Cutting? Not, as such, ever.
Do you get violent when you are angry? Only with inanimate objects. I tend to bang things around a little, like doors and small containers.
Which emotion are you most consumed by? Sadness.
Are you highly emotive? I'm emotional, yes.
Do you discuss problems or keep them to yourself? I talk. Incessantly, sometimes.
Do you fall in love easily? No.
What age/year was the most difficult for you? 1994-1997 pretty much sucked.
How do you channel your anger/sadness? I cry and bang things around.
Ever been addicted to alcohol or drugs? No.
Ever been homeless? No.
List a few simple things that make you happy: baby giggles, making people happy, word games, books, my closest friends and family members (not that they are 'simple' of course!), music.
When were you most recently your happiest? Last Sunday during "Mary Poppins."
Do you consider yourself empathetic? I'm attentive to the emotions of others. Does that count?

Friends

Describe your best friend as if you were describing a character from a film: No.
Do you have friends that are drastically different from each other? Of course!
List a few key traits that all of your friends have in common: Sense of humor, tolerance (of me at least) and intelligence.
Do you keep in touch with friends from high school? Yes. Facebook makes it immeasurably easier.
Are they mostly local or long distance? They are all long-distance. I moved. Most of them did not.
When you go out with friends, what kinds of things do you do? Depends on when, and where.
Have you ever been betrayed by a close friend? Yes.
If yes, are you still friends with that person? Well, sorta. I haven't heard from her since the last time she blew me off.
Are your friends mostly your age, younger or older? Mostly younger.
Do you have a hard time making friends because most people bore you? It's not about boring me. It's about me being too weird for them.
Do you like to hang out with friends one-on-one or in groups? One on one.
Which of your online friends do you have the most in common with? Amy, and in some ways, Lisa.

Family

Are you close to your family? Getting less close almost daily.
What traits are you glad you inherited from them? Low blood pressure, quick-wittedness, humor, height.
Which traits are you pissed off you inherited from them? My temper, and tendency to crave carbs.
What sitcom does your family most remind you of? The Cunninghams.
Does your family live locally or far away? We're all over the place. There are four extended family members within about 90 minutes of me here, but everyone else is much farther away.
Have you ever stopped speaking to someone in your family? Not exactly, but a couple of them really tire me out.
Have either of your parents died? Yes. Dad's gone and Mom isn't doing well.
Is your family very much like you or are you opposites? We're all pretty much the same. Unfortunately.
How many siblings do you have? Gah. 3, now.
Has your family ever thrown food at each other? Negatory. At least, not in an organized way. Only accidentally.
Are the holidays a nightmare or a time of joy? Both.
Do you look like your parents? I look like my dad, and his mom, big-time.
List one interesting fact about your family: My last name means Black Death. So much for hyphenation upon marriage.

Lovers

Gay, Straight, Bi-sexual or no idea? Straight.
Married/partnered? 23 years married this summer.
Ever gone out with someone you were embarrassed to be seen with? Regularly. ;-)
Ever broken someone's heart? Possibly.
How many serious relationships have you had? {plock}
Do you believe in monogamy? Yup.
Have you ever lusted obsessively over someone you knew you couldn't have? Welcome to the teenage years.
Do you believe in the theory of soulmates? Not particularly.
Ever cheated? {plock} (not physically)
Been cheated on? I don't think so.
Thrown someone's stuff out on the lawn/stairs/etc.? No.
Had your stuff thrown out on the lawn/stairs/etc.? No.
Most important emotional qualities of a lover? Honesty, patience, understanding, fellow-feeling.
Most important physical qualities? Male. Humorous.

Food & Drink

Non-alcoholic beverage of choice: Diet Dr. Pepper.
Alcoholic beverage of choice: Stoli, or LIIT.
Foods you crave on a regular basis: Sweets.
Salsa and Chips or Pita and Hummus? Salsa, probably.
Meat or Tofu? Meat. Tofu...{{{{shudder}}}}
Soup or Salad? Depends.
Soda or Juice? Pop.
Can I get you anything else? ...you could go away...?
What's your problem? Impatience.
Favorite candy: Butterfinger.
Favorite food to make: Bread.
Food brand that you hate? Am not fond of Spam.
Do you try to buy all organic? Nope.
Favorite quick food? Bread.

Would You Rather...

Eat a steak or a whole tube of toothpaste? As the person before me pointed out, eating a tube of toothpaste would poison you. And I like steak.
Be covered in papercuts or cigarette burns? WTF?? Papercuts, I guess.
Be perceived as intelligent or street-smart (but not both)? I yam what I yam: intelligent.
Eat a bottle cap or a spider the size of a bottle cap? Is the spider dead? Cooked? Will salsa be provided? If all are 'yes', then the spider is a no-brainer.
Be ruled exclusively by your heart or your mind? Mind.
Have the power to read minds or make anyone fall in love with you? Read minds.
Chew shards of broken glass or sit on a lighted barbeque grill? Uh, well, I'd be wearing nomex on that grill.
Not be able to tell the time or not know left from right? Not tell time.
Be able to fly or be able to render yourself invisible? Fly. I'm pretty much already invisible.
Eat 15 feet of aluminum foil or swallow 3 steel guitar strings? The guitar strings, straight outta the package. Or still in the package.
Have questionable integrity or no sense of humor? Lose the humor. {sniff}
Always spit when you talk or always be spit on while spoken to? The former.
Granted the answers to any 3 questions or ability to resurrect one person? Answers, I want answers!!

Final Questions

Ever had a great song ruined for you after it was used in a commercial? Ayup.
Ever yelled at an SUV? Mostly at the driver, but yes.
A Hummer? I always mutter at Hummer drivers.
Ever faked being sick to get out of going somewhere? It's been known to have happened. Horror film that freaked you out the most? All of them. I can't stand horror movies.
Horror film that is so scary, you could not be paid to watch it again: Yup, all of 'em.
Bambi or Nemo? Since I haven't seen Nemo and hear about him CONSTANTLY at work....Bambi.
List 3 things that are worrying you right now: My mom's health, my health, work.
Are you sick of this survey yet? It's long.
It's too fucking long, right? Well, that's a relative term, but I'm getting a bit tired.
Well, I'm just trying to help you pass the time: What am I, your therapist?
How long have you [had a blog]? Since Jan. 2004.
Do you find it to be a fulfilling experience? I wouldn't keep coming back if I weren't getting something out of it.
Describe the last dream you had: Don't remember any recent ones right now.
Ever brought a lawsuit against a company? Am doing so right now as a matter of fact, a life-safety issue.
Ever sang at a Karaoke bar? Not in the mic.
What was the worst concert you ever went to? The worst opening act was U2's in their Vertigo tour. I hope they do better this year. I tend to LOVE opening acts most of the time.
The best? Billy Joel/Elton John.
Do you think you'll ever have children if you don't already? I do already.
Do you think there is life on other planets? Indubitably.
Have you ever saved a dying animal? I comforted one for months as it got sicker and sicker. "Saved"? No.
Most disgusting thing you have ever "found" in your food: Ground-up, crushed plastic. Technically, that was in a drink--from the bar, at Chili's.
Have you ever broken a leg or arm? Not yet.
Would you rather stay in the house or do things outside: Inside.
Do people make their own reality? Is there one true reality? Discuss. People collude together to create reality, but it's a different experience for everyone.
David Letterman or Jay Leno? Sleep. Or Bill Maher, or Craig Ferguson.
Last words? "Mistakes, I've made a few..."


[PSYCH!]

What’s the worst food you’ve ever tasted? Am not fond of sweet combined with sour or salt.
What do you wish your name meant? erk? I'm a little too old for this game.
What’s your favorite word? Somehow "plock" springs to mind.
What are three things you hope to do before you die? Hold my grandchildren, learn to ride a motorcycle, and write a will.
What are three things you hope to do after you die? Donate my organs and whatever else is usable to whoever can use them, burn up, and live forever.
What are you most afraid of? Being found out.
If you found yourself in Mystic Fluffy Bunny Land, and you had to become a door-to-door salesperson to survive, what would you sell? The previous person's response was perfect: "mystic carrots."
What's the strangest thing you've seen today? Today has been a distinctly not-odd day. Thank goodness, and FINALLY!
Who's your favorite person? Sparky.
What do you think would be the most horrible way to die? Tortured.
Fries or salad? Salad.
Toast or muffin? Muffin. Corn, or blueberry.
Rap or country? Why not combine 'em?
Football or hockey? Football. No contest.
Gold or silver? Silver.
Who do you miss most? Dad.
Vacation to where? Someplace warmish with mountains.
Cremated or buried? Cremated.
Worst show on tv? Impossible to pick one.
Show you don't like to admit you watch? I get a lot of flack from some people for watching Survivor. Whatever.
Last person that made you crack up laughing? Beast and Amy.
Are you hungry? More 'snacky' than hungry.
Who's the most annoying person you know? CT (at work).
What are you doing tomorrow? Bell choir, making lots of copies, talking to parents, taping the Survivor finale.
Are you glad this is survey over? ...


[PSYCH again!]

01. are you comfortable sleeping on couches? Yep. I've done it many many times.
02. are you a light sleeper? Without earplugs: yes. With 'em: not so much.
03. is your bed comfortable? Yup.
04. what makes a bed comfortable to you? Heated mattress pad, nice sheets, perfectly adjusted pillows....
05. do you like to sleep? I have always loved sleeping!
06. how many hours a day have you been sleeping lately? This week, I've been averaging 8 or 9 because of my stupid eyes.
07. do you often fall asleep to music? Never.
08. or with the tv? Only on the couch. Usually during NASCAR. ;-)
09. can you sleep on airplanes? I can doze.
10. do you usually nap on long car rides? Only when I'm not driving.
11. do you have to sleep with a pillow? Only in bed.
12. or a blanket? Yes. I literally can't sleep without something over me: a sheet, a throw, a jacket, SOMEthing.
13. do you always change into pajamas? Usually. Not always.
14. have you ever fell asleep and woke up someplace completely different? Yes, in the hospital.
15. passed out and done the same? I was never asleep, but I blacked out once and lost a chunk of the travel time.
16. what's the longest you've ever been passed out? I haven't ever passed out except that one time. I've never fainted, either.
17. ever pulled an all nighter? More than once in the Olden Days.
18. are you going to sleep after this survey? Eventually.
19. do you often sleep out? "Sleep out"? In the yard? No. At other peoples' houses? No.
20. do you usually get the short couch? We don't have a short couch (a.k.a. loveseat). I used to, though.
21. do you drool when you sleep? On rare occasions.
22. talk in your sleep? I've been told I do.
23. have you ever sleepwalked? Only a couple of times, as a child.
24. do you dream when you sleep? Yes, please.
25. what was your worst nightmare? I used to have recurring bad dreams about work. They've stopped, since I no longer work there. The line between reality and nightmares was fairly thin back then.
26. what was your best recent dream? I don't remember.
27. have you ever woke up in a sweat? Yes, thanks to hormones.
28. woke up in the middle of an amazing dream? All too often!
30. have you ever fell out of bed? Yes. Not recently. [...and let me introduce to you this word: "Fallen." Now, go, use it!]
31. how many pillows are on your bed? Four.
32. stuffed animals? There are 3 or 4 in the bedroom, but not on the bed.
33. can you sleep comfortably in your clothes? Some of them, sometimes.
34. do you shower before bed? Nope, I don't want wet hair. I do have a bath some nights just before bed.
35. on school nights, when do you go to bed? {snort} I'm usually in bed, regardless of the day of the week, by 11 and sleep by 11:30.
36. did you have sleepovers on school nights? I can count on one hand the sleepovers I had in my house. Not on school nights.
Ooh, except when Dad was in the hospital and Mom wasn't home--my best friend slept over that night, and I'm pretty sure it was a school night.
37. what are your current bedsheets? Pale blue with 'satin' stripes.
38. is there anything on the ceiling above your bed? A fan.
39. do you have a headboard? Yes, my dad made it for our wedding.
40. a nightstand? One on either side of the bed.
41. if so, what's on it? Mine has the mattress pad controller, a Bose radio, a backup alarm with HUGE numbers, earplugs, lotion, pencil, erasor, Kleenex....dust.
42. do you always take off your makeup before bed? I never wear makeup. I do wash my face before bed, though.
43. brush your teeth before bed? Every night!
44. are you in your bed right now? I'm in my 'backup bed' (couch).
45. what channel do you usually fall asleep to? There is no TV allowed in our bedroom.
46. is there a window above your bed? Three of them. Well, behind the headboard, not above.
47. what usually wakes you up in the morning? Alarm(s).
48. have you ever actually awoken to frying bacon? Hmmm, no? Certainly not recently.
49. what time did you wake up this morning? I started waking up about 6:50. Beast came and got me up when he left at 7:15.
50. do you kick people in your sleep? I rarely even move in my sleep.
51. has anyone ever frozen your bra? W.T.F.?? No.
52. dipped your finger in water? While I was sleeping? No. I'd fucking kill 'em.
53. pulled another prank on you? Not while I was sleeping. My sense of humor does not extend that far.
54. do you sleep with your hair up? Nope.
55. crashed outside? Have I? Hmmm, I don't think so.
56. or at a party? Kinda, once. I was sick.
57. or at the beach? No...well, I sorta dozed in Puerto Vallarta.
58. thrown up in your sleep? Nope.
59. what size bed do you have? Queen.
60. do you set your alarm clock whenever you're home? Usually.
61. if so, what time's it usually set for? Probably 6 or 6:15.
62. do you use an alarm clock on your cell phone? When I sleep on the couch, or am away from home, yes.
63. are you an early bird? Mostly.
64. are you tired at all right now? Getting bored-ish.


1. What was the last thing you made? A trip to the dryer to get the bathmat and put it back by the tub.
2. What do you think of it? The bathmat? Or the trip? It was, they were, uneventful.
3. What's the weather like? It's lovely and springy outside. A little cool
4. How about inside? Dusty.
5. What have you eaten today? Bread, butter, cookies, gum, and some cheese.
6. Do you know all the words to the last song you were listening to? I believe the last song I heard was in the car as we pulled in the driveway this morning: "Welcome to the Jungle." And, yes. "I wanna watch you bleeeeeeed."
7. Do you play any instruments? I used to play flute, and before that piano.
8. Been overseas? Yup.
9. What's the worst part about the beach? Sand and gunk from the last high tide.
10. What's the next thing you are going to buy? T-shirts for the youth group trip.
11. What is the best age to die? When your time is up.
12. What is an acceptable age to lose your virginity? Mine? Or everyone's? Oh, fuggit: {plock}
13. How old were you? {plock}
14. What's your favorite book and why? Alice in Wonderland--I can relate!
15. Can you remember a quote from it? Actually, right now I can't.
16. Do you multilingual? "Do I"? I can speak pidgin-Spanish and know basic phrases in a few other languages, but I wouldn't call myself "lingual" in anything but English.
17. What's your favourite meal to cook? Thanksgiving.
18. What's the most romantic thing ever? Knowing that someone else has got your back, no matter what.
19. What's the most tragic thing ever? The death of small children, or really anyone, of preventable diseases.
20. What's the most eye-opening movie you've ever seen? How come? Working Girls. Holy SHIT, I was under-educated about the world before seeing this!
21. How many times have you been in love? Today? This week? Unanswerable question.
22. What's your blood heritage? O+
23. And what's been left physically for you to inherit? Not much. My mom's broke.
24. What was your mother's maiden name? Anglicized French, former bicyclist's name.
25. What's your favourite clothing item? Sheep sleep pants.
26. What would you do if your lover was in a horrible accident and had only an hour to live? My first reaction was "cry a lot." Realistically, I probably wouldn't, I'd just talk to him.
27. How do you want to die? Does anyone ever answer this other than to say "not now" and "quickly"?
28. Do you think you'll be a parent one day? Am.
29. What would make you sublimely happy right now? Having 100% healthy eyes.
30. Which direction does your bed face? The head of my bed is on the south..uhm...east wall.
31. What sayings and myths have you concluded must be true? "You don't know where that's been!"
 
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