even more impressive considering she was muggle born

(Found here)
no clue about the title, as usual

Do you think that your life is exciting enough to be made into a movie? Do you think anybody would actually enjoy it if it were a movie? It would make a good anti-insomnia movie.

If you were the opposite sex, would you be attracted to you? Right now, probably not.

Have you ever walked around your house naked? Not the whole house, and not completely naked, but I have scampered from the shower into the basement because I didn't have the pants/shirt I needed.

What's been in your mouth today? Food, drink, gum.

Do you ever talk to your pet like it's a human? Sure. Doesn't everyone?

Do you know any guys who wear eyeliner? I don't know any guys but I've seen a few kids at the high school and in the library wearing it.

Do you prefer profile pictures of you by yourself or with someone else? Usually just me, or not me at all.

What did you last say out loud? "Did we just flicker?"

Have you ever abused Smarterchild? Not that one particularly, but many others.

Do you go on webcam when strangers ask you to? Hell no!

What do you think of Basshunter and the story he tells through his music videos? I don't really watch music videos anymore.

Has anybody ever been threatened by you? There are some people who seem to walk carefully around me at work.

Have you ever made yourself throw up? Nope. If I could do that, my life would be easier. Usually I wake up, or become aware that I'm going to be sick at least an hour before anything actually happens. Often it's more like two hours. By the time something finally happens, I just want to get it over with.

When you're in a store with someone, do you ever wander off and leave them talking to themselves? Not someone I like. ;-)

Have you kissed a random person for money? Ugh, no.

Has anyone ever paid you for sex? UGH! NO!

Has someone of the same sex ever hit on you? ...possibly...?

Is there a celebrity you hate, but everyone else loves? Most of them.

Did it bother you to find out that Santa, the Easter Bunny, and the Toothfairy [sic] were not real? Like, 40 years ago when I found this out? Yeah, it was a bit of a bummer, but I've had 40 years to sort it out.

How many times have your brushed your teeth today? Once, but only half-assedly.

Do you laugh at the number 69? ...sigh... No.

When did you last go to the movies? It's been months, possibly a year or more.

Miley Cyrus: Love her or hate her? Don't care, don't watch. The SNL bits about her are pretty funny, though.

What have you eaten today? Cold pizza, donuts, candy, bread-and-butter, candy, candy, candy...well, it IS Halloween. Oh, and a cookie. Sigh. Tomorrow, real food.

Have you ever sent your boyfriend/girlfriend out to the store to buy something embarrassing for you? Possibly. I don't remember.

Have you ever watched Little Britain? No.

What does the last wall post on your Facebook page say? It's this link.

Do you and your boyfriend/girlfriend fight about stupid little things? Yes.

Have you had sex over 100 times? Uhm, 25 years of marriage....yep, I think I'm well into the 4 digits even. {eyeroll}

Do you have any fruit in your fruit bowl right now? My "fruit bowl"?? I have some apples on the kitchen counter, if that works for you....

Do you keep letters from your ex? I have all the letters I received in college. So, yeah.

Do you have a Twitter account? Yes, I do.

If yes, what does your last tweet say? " Boo!" to my son.

Do you ever call a penis a cock? Well, yeah, at times.

Have you ever licked someone's nipples? Pervert! lol Yes.

Are your parents funny? Not so much anymore.

Do you think dreadlocks are awesome or gross? In a theoretical way, yuck. But they look good on some people.

What's something scary that has happened to you recently? The past several months has been pretty scary with Beast's back issues and some of the surrounding issues there.

Have you ever had someone admit to being in love with you for a long time? Yes.

What do your feet look like right now? They're in sox. I think they probably look at a little blue at the edges; pretty cold.

Is your boyfriend/girlfriend in the popular group at school? Not anymore. He was, kinda, when we were in school.

Do you look good when you wake up? Who the hell knows? Probably not--but I can't see myself till I get up, put my glasses on, and look in the mirror

What can you hear right now? We're watching last week's CSI on CBS.com becasue our DVR is psycho.

Have you ever hooked up with somebody, knowing that they had a partner already? Uhm, not "knowing" but getting a pretty clear view of that eventually. Young, stupid, me.

Halloween #5

(Swiped from Kwizgiver)

1. Are you scared of bats? No, I think they are AWESOME; they eat mosquitoes and other things that annoy me.

2. When you were a kid, did you go out on Mischief Night? I didn't really know what that was at that point; I'm not even sure I know what it is today.

3. What is your favorite trick-or-treat candy? ALL of it! ...except those weird orange waxed-paper-wrapped peanut-butter things which are icky.

4. Have you ever seen a ghost? Not in real life. Lots of 'em on TV though.

5. The most memorable costume you ever wore? The zombie outfit I wore all day at work c. 1990.

6. Do you dress up on Halloween? Nope. Well, ok, I wear Halloween colors and sox.

7. Any cooking or baking you do for Halloween? Nope.

8. Have you ever been to The Haunted Mansion at Disneyland or Disneyworld? Yes, both. Pretty funny, actually. Sparky was terrified at it, but he was 3.

9. Any element of the season you don’t like? I'm not a huge fan of the allergies that kick in for me this time of year. Burning leaves, etc., irritates me for the same reason, but I do love the smell.

10. What is your favorite scary movie? P s y c h o

11. Do you cook the pumpkin seeds from your carved jack-o-lanterns? Nope.

12. Are you intrigued with vampires? Intrigued, a bit, but only of the 'old-fashioned' ones. I did enjoy the vampire in A Discovery of Witches. ;-)

Halloween #4

(Swiped from Kwizgiver)

1. What is your favorite written work of horror fiction? Pet Sematary, or Salem's Lot or Carrie. Although the short story "The Birds" scared the shit out of me--much scarier than the movie.

2. What is your favorite work of science fiction/fantasy? I guess...the Narnia series? Or maybe The Hunger Games. I like Harry Potter too.

3. Who is your favorite monster? Not Lady Gaga. Probably Cookie.

4. What is your favorite Horror movie? Psycho.

5. What horror movie gives you the most chills? I don't watch the movies that give me chills. Chills lead to nightmares. Pass, thanks.

6. What character from any horror film would you most like to play? None of them.

7. Freddy or Jason? Jason, cuz at least he can take OFF the mask (I haven't seen either series).

8. Ghosts or goblins? Ghosts, I suppose.

9. What did you do for Halloween as a kid? Trick or treat, after wearing my costume to school and participating in the Halloween Parade there. This was obviously before people started trying to ruin Halloween for kids.

10. What’s the best Halloween party that you’ve attended? I guess it would be one I attended when I was about 15. I don't really hang out with people who throw Halloween parties. In fact, that might be the deal-breaker on a friendship.

Halloween #3

(Swiped from Kwizgiver)

1 – What was the scariest movie you have ever seen? "Officially" scary: Psycho. Otherwise scary (to me): Schindler's List.

2- What was your favorite Hallowe’en costume as a child? Can I just say how much I love that spelling of Hallowe’en? Favorite costume was the clown. I think it was my mom's last gasp as costume creator.

3- Given enough money what would be your fantasy Hallowe’en costume? It depends on where I'd be wearing it. To an indoor party? To a bonfire? In Hawaii? In northern Ontario.

4- When was the last time you went trick or treating It was probably 8 years ago when we'd just moved to this house. It was BLOODY cold and windy, so we didn't get very far around the neighborhood.

5- What is your favorite Hallowe’en candy? Skittles, Smarties, red licorice. Or plain chocolate.

6- Tell us about a scary nightmare you once had. As a kid, I used to wake up freaked out because I was dreaming about perfect geometrical shapes. Yeah, go figure; I dunno either.

7 – What is your supernatural fear? I would NOT want to be haunted. Living stalkers are scary enough, thanks.

8-What is your ‘creepy-crawlie’ fear? Not a real big fan of scorpions.

9- Tell us a time you saw a ghost or heard something go bump in the night. I heard my dad say my name in our kitchen about 2 years after he died. That was weird, and not pleasant as he sounded quite annoyed.

10- Would you stay overnight in a real Haunted House? Sure.

11-Are you a traditionalist or a creative carver of you[r] Jack-o-Lantern? Traditional, due to my lack of artistic skills.

12- How much do you decorate the house at Hallowe’en? We currently have two spiders on the front porch for Trick-or-Treat. That's it, and they are ONLY out for the hours we're here. One moves.

13- What do you want on your Tombstone? Sausage and onions. ;-)

Sunday Stealing

(Link in meme-roll)
The W.T.F. Meme

1. One of my favorite TV shows recently changed the actors who played two characters. Have you ever been bothered by a TV show or movie series changing actors who play a character you love?

I'm still upset about Bewitched. WTF, people, really?

2. A coworker recently shared a link to a blog listing the "five things you should know before dating a journalist." As a journalist, I can honestly say the writer was spot-on. What are some things people should know before spending time with you?

Most librarians have a wide swath of knowledge, much of which is only about yay deep. But we can FIND an answer if we don't already KNOW it. Which means we can be a giant pain sometimes. Also, don't even try to play Trivial Pursuit with us!

3. What is something you often do without realizing that you're doing it?

Bite my nails.

4. Who has the capacity to make you angrier than anyone else in your life, and what in particular does he or she do to make you so angry?

Beast and Sparky are the only people who are able to regularly make me see red. It's mostly that I don't feel like I have to keep a tight lid on things with them, and that's not fair, but there ya go. Plus I'm around them more than most anyone else, especially Beast.

5. If a fairy waved a magic wand and gave you the house of your dreams, where would it be and what features would it have?

I love my current house (though it needs a DEEP cleaning right now). I would rather it were in the mountains of Colorado somewhere though, maybe near the San Juans.

6. What’s a belief that you hold with which many people disagree?

"Hell" and "heaven" are not as much places as they are states. I think some people would say that means I'm not a Christian. Fuck 'em.

7. I used to talk in my sleep. In fact, I could carry on a conversation with someone when I was fully asleep, and my mom used this fact when I was a teenager to find out if I did anything wrong and was hiding it from my parents. If you were talking your sleep tonight, what do you think you would say?

"I'm so fucking tired. Leave me alone so I can SLEEP for a change!"

8. The fourth installment of the "Twilight" movie series ("Breaking Dawn Part I") will be released in theaters soon. Movie theaters started selling advance tickets for midnight showings months ago. Have you ever attended a midnight premiere showing of a movie?

Wow-deja vu: I answered this on Friday!! I don't 'do' premieres. EVER.

9. On Tuesday, tigers, lions and bears were let loose in Zanesville, Ohio, by their owner before he committed suicide, leading to a hunt in which 49 of the animals, including 18 endangered Bengal tigers, were killed. How would you react if you saw "Caution exotic animals. Stay in your vehicle" being displayed on a road sign?

If it were any time but April 1, I'd do as instructed, though I'm pretty sure if I didn't know the area well, I'd be thoroughly confused.

10. If a company opened a theme park aimed at adults, what would you name one of the rides?

The Job Market/Economy Roller Coaster.

11. Imagine you just moved onto Sesame Street. Which puppet would you want as your new roommate?

Cookie. Or possibly Grover. No one with a high-pitched voice, for sure.

12. Have you ever had a weird crush on a famous person that didn't make sense to you?

Hmmm, yeah. Welcome to adolescence.

13. If you get ten minutes to interview any celebrity of your choice, who would you like it to be?

Bono. I'd only have to ask one question. He can go on endlessly about just about anything, I think. ;-)

14. You've just won the complete DVD collection of all the movies starring one actor or actress. Which actor/actress would you pick?

Robert Duvall.

15. Actor George Clooney recently told People Magazine that he doesn't use Twitter "because I will drink in the evening and I don't want anything that I could possibly write at midnight to actually end my career." What is something you've said through social media and then regretted it?

Any time I have given any indication of my actual job, my true location, my real name or the names of those around me on blogs. I think I'm sufficiently over-paranoid to be aware of the fact that my family and friends (and boss, and library board, and the general public, etc.) can see anything I post on Facebook, so I don't get too carried away there since it's tied to real life.

16. VH1 has re-introduced its hit show "Pop-Up Video," which gives behind-the-scenes facts for popular music videos. What musician would you be most interested in learning behind-the-scenes facts about?

Wait. They still make videos?? I had no idea. Uh, I think I already know far too much about most celebrities.

17. If you stumbled across someone's personal written journal that was accidentally left in a public place, would you read any of the content?

Sure. I read Sparky's travel journal for his trip when he was 11, though I never told him or let on. There was a reason for it, which was not addressed, so it was a bust. And if I didn't know the person, I'd be even less worried about reading their journal. OTOH, I haven't been able to crack MIL's journals from her teenage years.

18. What is the title of a self-help book that you'd never want to see on a store bookshelf?

How to Cure Herpes Through Exhibitionism.

19. Many media outlets have been asking this question a lot this week... Which Halloween costume do you think will be overdone this year?

Zombies, or vampires. I'm so sick of hearing about either/both.

20. Should a marriage license have a renewal date or expiration date, like a driver’s license?

Renewal's not a bad idea, but who the hell would we want doing the management??

Unconscious Mutterings

(Link in meme-roll)

1. Class :: ...act
2. Shopping :: ...center
3. Bitchy :: Mean
4. Consulting :: ...firm
5. Texts :: IMs
6. Sigh :: Roll Eyes
7. Office :: ...Depot
8. Develop :: Create
9. Boardwalk :: New Jersey
10. Prime :: ...Suspect

Patrick's Place

(Link in meme-roll)
Saturday Six

1. You have the chance to learn either the date, the location or the method of your death: would you accept an envelope that would contain ONE of the answers to one of those questions if you couldn’t choose which question would be answered?

No. No thanks.

2. If you could choose to learn the answer to one of those, which would you choose?

I wouldn't.

3. Which illness do you fear most?

Alzheimer's, which seems unlikely. More likely: Parkinson's.

4. Which method of death other than illness do you fear most?

Torture.

5. If you could control how you would die, what method would you choose?

Quick heart attack, or gunshot to the head.

6. If you could specify the age at which you die, with reasonable good health assumed, how long would you like to live?

Oh, 90 would be long enough, I think.

Saturday 9

(Link in meme-roll)
Mr. Roboto

1. Do you enjoy holidays like Halloween or is your approach more robotic?

I like it--the kids are cute!

2. Have you ever been to a haunted house?

Attended one a few times. Haunted one at least three times. I like the latter better than the former.

3. What are you doing for Halloween this year?

Nothing much that I'm aware of: carving a couple of punkins and giving out candy to the kidlets.

4. What was your lamest Halloween costume ever?

I don't remember most of my costumes, so I would pick any one of those.

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

Fun. FUN! I love it.

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

Of course, after the kids are done. I haven't really bought any at all this year yet, so at least I don't have to restock ahead of time like I do some years.

7. Did you carve any pumpkins this year?

We will be doing that tomorrow, or maybe this afternoon. Perhaps I should say BEAST will be doing that. I don't mind the scraping and emptying, but the carving...a little too artistic for me. hah

8. What was your favorite costume as a child?

I loved the clown costume my mom made when I was 7 or 8. After that, I don't remember many (see above) until I was big enough to wear the rabbit costume my siblings had worn, which was kept in the basement. I think I've only dressed up about twice since then.

9. What is your biggest pet peeve about trick-or-treaters?

I don't even mind the older ones. I mean, it's free candy; no one is going to turn that down, are they?? So, yeah...I guess I don't have any peeves. Well, ok, the (usually older) ones who don't even bother to fake a costume: I usually call 'em on it. Last year I asked one kid if he was dressed as a skater or a slacker. ;-) I did say it with a smile; I mean, even his friends had scrounged masks at least....

Six-Word Saturday

(Link in meme-roll)

Holy cats! My house is dusty!

Have you ever noticed that dust colonizes? You can have one little dustball under something and the next day there are about 50, or the one has gotten 10 times bigger. I looked under the dining room table this morning--it's right in front of me when I'm on the sofa--and fuh-LIPPED. So it's been dusting (fans) and Swiffering (floors) morning around here. Also, laundry, talking to Sparky on Skype, getting the tikka ready and the chicken marinating in it, and generally trying to find the living room since Amy's on her way over. Today is also Take Back Your Drugs day, which is nice timing for us to unload the shoeboox stuffed with FIL's unused meds, as well as our expired stuff. At some point today or tomorrow we'll be carving the pumpkins for trick-or-treat on Monday. And I need to hit the grocery store as I'm out of a few things, and we have no candy! I do NOT want to get tricked because we have no treats.

Fun weekend, eh?

Cinn's Friday 5

(Link in meme-roll)
a bike I'll never ride

[01] When was the last time you felt a deja vu type moment?

The other day I woke up from such a vivid dream that it took me awhile to figure out what was real and what was part of the dream. Not really deja vu, but I haven't had one of those in quite awhile so this will have to do.

[02] Have you ever posted pictures online of food you've prepared?

Nope. Or, I should say, I doubt it. Cooking is not something I care about taking pictures of, much less posting them!

[03] In what manner do you sleep? (Side, stomach, back?)

Usually side. I should sleep on my back more--it would probably help my shoulders not hurt so much.

[04] Who was the last person who made you feel proud?

Sparky regularly does that. Actually, Beast has had his share of moments in the past month too, not that I had anything to do with his good behavior.

[05] What were you last dressed as for Halloween?

A mom passing out candy at her front door.

W.T.F.

(Link in meme-roll)
Frankenstien [sic] and Lady Gaga protest the Super Bowl half-time show

1) If a movie was filming in your hometown and needed people to be extras, would you try out for a part?

Depends on what kinds of parts they had. I've been an extra in a (very) non-speaking role in a major league film. Pun intended.

2) Today (Oct. 28) is Frankenstein Day celebrating author Mary Wollenstonecraft Shelley's birthday and all things Frankenstein. Who do you think is the scariest Halloween character?

Of the standard fare, probably vampires. The OLD kind of them, not these new-fangled ones. I'm thinking Salem's Lot vampires. The concept is beyond creepy.

3) "Occupy Together" protests, which began as "Occupy Wall Street" protests in New York City back in September, have spread to over 600 towns in the United States and have even started across the globe. Have you ever participated in a protest of any sort?

Nope. Not a fan of big crowds, so I'm unlikely to put myself in a position of being in one in that way.

4) Did you ever egg someone's house or vehicle or toilet-paper a home as a prank on Halloween (or any other day of the year, if not on Halloween)?

Nope. I was a good girl.

5) How old is too old to go trick-or-treating?

If your voice has changed, you're too old.

6) The fourth installment of the "Twilight" movie series ("Breaking Dawn Part I") will be released in theaters soon. Movie theaters started selling advance tickets for midnight showings months ago. Have you ever attended a midnight premiere showing of a movie?

Uhm, no. The only movie I've seen at midnight is RHPS. That ain't changing anytime soon.

7) How soon before Christmas is too soon to put up holiday decorations on your home or business?

They shouldn't be up (or on) before Thanksgiving, that's for sure!

8) Saturday is National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on which agencies across the U.S. will provide a venue for people who want to dispose of unwanted, expired, and/or unused prescription drugs. What do you normally do with left-over medications?

Yeah, we take 'em in. We have a large collection from FIL to get rid of this time.

9) Madonna has been announced as the half-time entertainment for the upcoming Super Bowl game, reportedly beating out Lady Gaga. Would you prefer to see Madonna or Lady Gaga (or would you rather not see either of them)?

Well, I'm pretty sure either of them will be ignored thoroughly by most of the men watching. The halftime show is becoming increasingly irrelevant; I'm surprised Madonna is willing to participate. Maybe they should just bring back Up With People.

Friday 5

(Link in meme-roll)
Repellent

1. What’s something you enjoy eating that many others would be grossed-out by?

I've heard that a lot of people don't like braunschweiger. I do.

2. Which of your personal traits is most likely to make others want to avoid you?

My sense of humor can be kind of inappropriate.

3. If you could wear a bracelet that had the power to keep certain kinds of people away from you, what kind of people would you repel?

Negative people.

4. We are all capable of overcoming our biases, of course, but what’s a physical trait (in others) that pretty much turns you off?

Know-it-all-ness.

5. When you feel a case of the blues coming on, what do you do to fend off the bad feelings?

Listen to music.

Friday Fill-Ins

(Link in meme-roll)


1. Beware of hubris.

2. I'm not prepared to deal with snow. [yet]

3. And since we are talking about it, I'm not looking forward to winter at all, either.

4. Do you believe in spirits?

5. Where I put that envelope I have no idea. I hope I mailed it.

6. Homemade stew is one of my favorite meals when it's cold out.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to getting a full night's sleep (I hope), tomorrow my plans include grocery shopping, seeing Amy, talking to Sparky, and carving pumpkins, and Sunday, I want to catch up on things around the house!

Halloween #2

(Swiped from Kwizgiver)

1. What is the worst treat to get when trick-or-treating? Homemade stuff. It all goes directly into the garbage.

2. What character from any horror film would you most like to play? Uhm...I'd prefer not to, please.

3. Would you rather be a zombie, alien, or psycho? (why) I'm already psycho, don't really understand the whole zombie craze, so that leaves alien, which isn't that hard as I just have to cross the US border.

4. How many Halloween, Friday the 13th, or Nightmare on Elm Street movies combined do you have on dvd? None. Not a fan.

5. What is the scariest movie you have ever seen? Ben Hur. Maybe Schindler's List. Does this explain #4? You betcha!

6. Lamest costume you have worn on Halloween? I haven't worn a costume in 20 years. Before that...I can't think of anything.

7. Favorite Halloween treat? Smarties. Or Twizzlers.

8. Friendly-faced jack o’lantern or scary one? Ours are usually a bit wonky.

9. Have you ever had nightmares about a scary movie character chasing you? Nope, because I've never watched anything that scared me; I'm a leave-the-room-till-the-scary-music-stops kinda person.

10. Best thing about Halloween? Oh, the sugar, no doubt!

11. Strangest Halloween custom you’ve heard of? Well, the old outhouse-tipping thing is pretty strange....

12. Person in your family who most likes Halloween (not counting yourself)? Probably Beast. Sparky is at that blasé stage.

13. Are you superstitious? If so, name at least one superstition of yours. I firmly believe that mentioning our annoying-est patrons calls them into the building.

Monday Mayhem

(Link in meme-roll)
Give us some style tips.....

1. What should you never wear to a job interview?

Kinda depends on the job, innit? I mean, for a library job, showing up in jeans and a ratty T-shirt would be ridiculous. For a job at a gas station showing up in a suit would be equally stupid.

2. Who should never wear a mini-skirt?

98% of the population of the planet. Since that probably includes most of the people reading this, that means you!

3. What fashion trend for women should be outlawed?

Anything that's 100% polyester.

4. What fashion trend for men should be outlawed?

See #3.

5. The worst fashion trend for kids/teens would be what?

For girls: pretty much everything sold in the juniors department (I'm old, eh?). For boys: wearing the top of your pants 3 inches (or more) below the top of your butt crack. I do NOT need to see your underwear! And that applies to girls too.

6. Is it ever okay to dress a pet in clothes?

Hairless dogs probably need some covering if they're going to be outside, but dressing animals for fun is just sad.

7. What was the worst fashion disaster of the 80's?

Gotta be the hair. What the HELL were we thinking?!

8. In 10 years from now, what will people say was the worst fashion trend on the 'teens' (as in 2010-2019)?

I really hope it's the proliferation of hideous, pointless body art.

Halloween #1

(Swiped from Kwizgiver)

Which urban legend ghost scared the bejeesuz out of you when you were a kid? Well, there was the spooky road-car dying-scary guy with hook story. And the "bloody bones" repeater. I dunno--I guess the guy with the hook, but honestly, we retold that story so many times that I don't have a memory of being actually scared about it ever.

Which horror movie has the best premise? I've only seen Hitchcock horror movies. Psycho is pretty freaky. There was a black-and-white movie that I caught part of when I was really young that involved an old woman being stabbed in the throat with her knitting needles... I wasn't too excited about my mom's knitting for a long time after I saw that; I have no idea what movie that was, though.

What is the most disappointing “treat” to receive in your bag on Halloween night? I'd say it's a tossup between anything homemade or fresh (which had to be tossed), and badly-printed tracts detailing why I shouldn't be out collecting loot in the first place. I rarely got the latter, but I think I got at least one apple a year.
OH! And one year I got a toothbrush. Really? {head-desk}

What’s the best non-candy item to receive? Toys, I guess, though I don't remember ever getting any myself. Sparky got the occasional "dollar-store" thing.

Did a monster live in your closet when you were a child? When I was very young, yes. Once I moved into the bigger bedroom (after my brother moved downstairs) when I was 5 or 6, I think I was past that stage. Or maybe the monsters only lived in the other closet. :-)

Which supernatural creature sent chills up your spine when you were ten and still does? I didn't need supernatural creatures to scare me; reality was scary enough! That hasn't changed much.

Which supernatural creature makes you yawn? Most of them.

What’s your favorite Halloween decoration? I was always partial to skeletons.

If you could be anywhere on Halloween night, where would you be? Right here in my living room with big bowls of candy.

What’s the scariest book you’ve read so far this year? I haven't read anything that has scared me this year, but the latest Stephen King had some really spooky-fun bits.

Haunted houses or haunted hayrides? Being as how I'm usually one of the 'haunters' I prefer the haunted house: much less running around in the dark!

Which Stephen King novel/movie would you least like to find yourself trapped in? Hmm, speak of the devil.... heh I wouldn't want to be in any of them, but the protagonist in the short story "A Very Tight Place" would be the worst.

Which is creepiest: evil dolls, evil pets, evil children? Evil children: too close to reality.

Sunday Stealing

(Link in meme-roll)
The Questions Galore Meme, Part 3

41. What is a quote that you love? "Time wounds all heels."

42. Do you think of pure hate as something humanity created? How does one 'create' an emotional response? No. We are built that way.

43. When was the last time you wanted to scream? Well, I did some straight talking to the ER doc last night. So did Beast. The cops dealing with the drunk in the next cubicle came over and hushed us.

44. Do you ever at times see the world in black and white? If you mean metaphorically, then of course! How else would I ever make decisions? And winters around here frequently do look like black-and-white photos.

45. Have you ever thought that cell phones are too obtrusive? Only every-fucking-time someone ignores me to deal with their phone!

46. In your life, where do you thank the rainbow will end? In a cornfield.

47. What is something that you never want to do again? Give birth. Watch loved ones suffer. Fly Aeroflot. Eat Brussels sprouts. Pass a kidney stone.

48.When was the first time you realized the world was small? When I was a kid, as far as I could tell, the world WAS small! It was only after I left for college that I realized how big it really is.

49. How you spend your time contemplating life’s mysteries? Well, there is one of life's mysteries right there: the grammatical parsing of that sentence. I really don't spend time trying to solve the Big Questions; I'm more likely to be my own version of a FBO (faith-based organization).

50. Ever discuss your political beliefs with people? Only with people who aren't trying to convert me, or insult my intelligence. So, yeah, not too often.

51. Do you care about the environment? Of course. Who would answer this question "no" but a complete jerk?

52. What’s your motto for life? Get in, get out, try not to cause too much damage.

53. Is progress destroying the beauty of the world? Yes. GET OFF MY LAWN! [no, but lots of old people like to pretend it is]

54. Do you believe there is life somewhere else in the universe? Define your terms. "Universe." "Life." "Is." My answer, with my definitions, is yes.

55. Would you like to rule a country? Fuuuuuuuuck no! I can't even balance my own checkbook or decide what to have for dinner tonight!

56. Do you believe everything has a purpose? Not inherently. I think we imbue things with purposes; the things themselves just are.

57. Is war ever for the best? There are less damaging ways to solve problems. I don't think I can honestly say that war itself is the best answer, ever.

58. Could you kill anyone in defense of self or loved ones? You betcha! Came within sight of that last night, actually.

59. How do you react to people (such as Governor Rick Perry) who don't believe global warming is really our fault? He's s dick without a brain. Whaddaya expect?? I just don't talk to 'em about the subject.

60. Does love conquer all? I believe that if I ever stop believing that, I will be forced to slit my wrists and bleed out slowly.

61. Is euthanasia morally acceptable? Heh, nice timing on this, a very raw subject for someone who has more-or-less participated in the voluntary euthanasia of three people in the past 3 or so years.

62. Is world peace impossible? Yup. see #2.

63. Is pride a good or a bad thing? Yes. Moderation in all things is a good thing, including moderate pride. At least in the pride=self-esteem sense.

64.What do you think is the purpose of your life? I meme, therefore I yam.

65. Do you believe in karma? No. Yes. Kinda. Sorta. I've answered this question approximately 100 times on this blog. Feel free to search.

Unconscious Muttering

(Link in meme-roll)

1. Inhibitions :: Fears
2. Sprint :: Dash
3. You :: Me
4. Shop :: Buy
5. Priority :: Importance
6. Testify :: ...in court
7. Guys :: Dolls
8. Phone call :: Voicemail
9. Removed :: Took off
10. Produce :: Create

Saturday 9

(Link in meme-roll)
The Last DJ

1. Who was [your] favorite DJ and what radio station did you listen to as a kid?

I listened mostly to KHOW and KIMN, with forays into heavier rock on KBPI as I got older. The only DJ I remember by name was Steve Kelley (though, yeah, I had to go here to find his last name) because of his stunts. Unless Dr. Demento counts?

2. What has been the weirdest thing you have worn in public?

Uhm? "Weird" is not really a look I'm going for in public (or, really, anywhere else). I guess it would be the Halloween costume I wore all day at work c. 1990: torn up (flea market) dress, leggings, fake blood, dirt, makeup, and leaves in my hair. I was a zombie.

3. What was the best part of last weekend?

The fact that the funerals were over. And Sparky was home for 4 days.

4. What was the most effective punishment for you as a kid?

Threatening to spank me usually worked. At school, being called out in front of people was the one thing I feared; I craved lack of attention from my peers.

5. Would you lie to your significant other to not hurt their feelings?

Depends on the topic. I probably have done so over minor things like whether they look "fine" or not, but not over anything like "Do you think I have a drug problem?" If asked (IF) I would be honest.

6. We're taking you order for breakfast. What would you like?

Bagel with cream cheese and a couple of slices of bacon.

7. Do you celebrate Halloween? If yes, do tell. If no, why not?

We pass out candy during Trick or Treat hours. Maybe this year we'll actually have jack-o-lanterns again (last year we had a massive fail). And p'raps we'll have The Aimster over for the weekend?

8. Do you hand out candy to the neighborhood kids?

Uhm, yeah. No tracts, no "health food"--just handfuls of candy. Yup yup yup.

9. What's the favorite age you've been, so far?

I am partial to 8. I don't remember being a neurotic mess at that age. Yet.

Six-Word Saturday

(Link in meme-roll)

Annual neighborhood chili cookoff is tonight!

I think this is either Year 5 or Year 6, but whatever. The neighbors all hang out together, eat each other's chili, vote on the "best," play with the kids, and generally just enjoy a night of fun that's very low-key. Nice. The weather is good again this year, which is helpful, but we've done it in rain (twice) and I remember one bitterly cold night too--lots of firepots that night.

Our chili contribution has been crock-potting for 18 hours. This year we added chunks of leftover roast from last night's dinner. We never win, but I almost always like our pot the best, so I don't really care; it's all in fun anyway.

'Course, this is also the marker for the Last Hurrah of Summer, so that's depressing. And Beast spoke to another neighbor yesterday who let him know that she and her husband are splitting, so that's a huge bummer; wonder if they'll both be there tonight? At least Halloween is coming, so we'll get to see all the neighbors again once more before winter really sets in....

Patrick's Place

(Link in meme-roll)
Saturday Six
[a rare repeat--but one I apparently never did the first time around]

1. Which is your favorite color?

Blue. I loves me some blue.

2. Which specific shade of that color is your favorite?

I'm really not fussy, and it sort of depends on the day. I like denim blue a lot, but also robin's egg and sky blue. I don't really care for midnight blue, however: too dark.

3. Which color is your least favorite?

I'm not a huge fan of olive green. Or mustard yellow. Brings back too many childhood memories of the early 70s when everything was "harvest gold" and "avocado." {shudder}

4. What do you most associate with your least favorite color?

Oops, guess I already answered this. So I'll tell you that my sister Ellen had green dishes in her kitchen when I was a kid. I spent 5 weeks one summer (1975--prime avo+gold time) with her when my parents went overseas--oh, my that sounds pretentious, but they were visiting my sister Jean who lived in a youth hostel, so it wasn't exactly the Ritz. Anyway, the green dishes ... hated them. I eventually told Ellen that I didn't really care for olive green, though in another context, and she told me that was ok, but it's ok if my opinion changed too. Good to know.

5. Take the test: What Color Crayon Are You?

You Are a Purple Crayon

Your world is colored in dreamy, divine, and classy colors. You hold yourself to a sky high standard, and you are always graceful. People envy, idolize, and copy you without realizing it. You are an icon for those who know you. And while it is hard to be a perfectionist, rest assured it's paying off! Your color wheel opposite is yellow. While yellow people may be wise, they lack the manners and class needed to impress you.

What Color Crayon Are You?

1. "Classy" is not in my personality vocabulary. Not a bit.
2. "Graceful"--my nickname from Mom was "Grace" because I ran into things and fell down so much as a kid. Things have not improved.
3. If I'm an icon to those who know me, it's only those who a) don't know me well, and/or b) don't want to be anything like me.
I think I may actually be a yellow. Sounds closer to reality. What happens if you mix purple and yellow? Oh, yeah, nasty brown, or nasty green.
However, I do like Harold and the Purple Crayon!

6. Consider your favorite food (other than meat): what is its primary color?

White. Starch and carbs are my best buddies!

W.T.F.

(Link in meme-roll)
If the world is ending, is typing in all CAPS OK?

1) If you're reading this, the world has not ended as Harold Camping has predicted. After a previous failed prediction of the rapture earlier this year, Camping said the world would end on Oct. 21, 2011. If you did know when the world was ending, what is something you'd like to accomplish before its final day?

Wow, I'm stunned that the world didn't end! Really. How could this guy be wrong TWICE? Imagine! Last day=eat everything crappy, drink a lot, and tell everyone important to me that they're awesome. Oh, and I'd probably pray.

2) A judge ordered actress Lindsay Lohan to do community service at a morgue, mostly doing janitorial work including cleaning and stocking restrooms, mopping floors and washing sheets that the facility uses. What do you think would be the worst part of working in a morgue?

Seeing grieving family members. I hope that dingbat isn't inflicted on people there on the worst day of their lives.

3) In honor of today (Oct. 21) being Reptile Awareness Day... Do snakes and/or other reptiles scare you?

I'm aware of them, I don't need to be next to them unless I'm sure they're safe, but I'm not actively afraid of them.

4) Next Friday, "In Time" will open in theaters across the U.S. featuring a society in which time has become the currency. In its trailer, a cup of coffee costs you 4 minutes of your life. Do you think your eating/drinking habits would change if you learned how many minutes an item was shaving off your life?

I dunno. Probably not.

5) Maxim magazine just introduced me to the website Work Poop, on which you can calculate how much of your paycheck goes down the office toilet. (Click here to test it out.) Had you ever wondered how much money you make while using the restroom at work?

Uhm, can't say as I have. Nor am I going to worry about it henceforth.

6) What's something that always makes you roll your eyes?

One of my coworkers--actually, there are two, but I'll focus on one--just about caused my eyes to pop out of my head at today's 3-hour staff meeting. Gah.

7) Tomorrow (Oct. 22) is Cap Locks Day. Does it bother you when people type in all CAPS?

Every email FIL sent was all caps. I'm kind of over being pissed off about it, but I don't like it much. Makes it hard to see what's what.

8) Tomorrow is also National Nut Day. Do you prefer crunchy or creamy peanut butter?

Creamy. But I'll be having some almonds tomorrow to 'celebrate' the day! W00t!!

Friday 5

(Link in meme-roll)
Everyday Tasks

1. What everyday task is more difficult for you than it should be?

Getting started on anything tedious is hard. Just the getting started can take me far longer than the project itself does.

2. What everyday task do you usually put off for as long as possible?

Planning meals. I hate this. Also anything to do with cleaning floors. Hate that, too.

3. What everyday task do you perform especially well?

Fixing my hair. Hey, I take my victories where I can find them!

4. What everyday task has most recently been added to your every day?

Taking out the trash every week, cleaning the guinea pig cage ... all the stuff Sparky used to do.

5. What everyday task makes the least sense to you?

Hey, look: if it doesn't make sense, I don't do it.

Friday Fill-In

(Link in meme-roll)

1. Old me would blurt out what I want to say; new me would wait for a good moment before blurting out what I want to say.

2. A sign of maturity is taking responsibility. [for things that are your problem]

3. So...in a way I'm saying "Grow up".

4. I know, right?

5. The big difference between boys and girls has nothing to do with plumbing.

6. Getting stuff accomplished makes me happy.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to going to bed since I doubt there will be a good moment for blurting, tomorrow my plans include going to the grocery store, talking to Sparky, and hitting the annual chili cookoff in the evening, and Sunday, I want to survive Noisy Offering at church!

W.T.F.

(Link in meme-roll)
Exotic animals in black wedding dresses create a stink

1) With today (Oct. 20) being "Shampoo Day," I'm curious... Do you actually "rinse and repeat" or just rinse without repeating?

The only time I "repeat" is when my hair is WAAAAYYYYY filthy. That would make it about twice a year and it would also involve gardening, camping, lengthy power outages (thus no water pressure), etc.

2) The 2011 World Series kicked off Wednesday with the St. Louis Cardinals beating the Texas Rangers. If you went a baseball game today, what would you buy from the concession stands?

A sweatshirt. It's way too cold to be at a baseball game today!!

3) October is National Squirrel Awareness Month. Do you find squirrels to be cute animals, annoying pests, or something in between?

I love squirrels. They are adorable. No, I'm serious. If they wanna eat the birdseed, that's their problem.

4) On Tuesday, tigers, lions and bears were let loose in Zanesville, Ohio, by their owner before he committed suicide, leading to a hunt in which 49 of the animals, including 18 endangered Bengal tigers, were killed. How would you react if you saw "Caution exotic animals. Stay in your vehicle" being displayed on a road sign?

I would be very confused and hope I didn't have a breakdown. That would be my luck.

5) Researchers from University College London has published the results of a study on Facebook's effect on the brain. They say the size of some parts of the brain correlate to how many friends people have on Facebook. How do you feel about the effect of today's social media on your brain?

My brain is rotting and falling out of my sinuses right now, and I totally blame Facebook. I'm sure it's not allergies. Or a cold.

6) The authors of that study also said that the people studied with the biggest Facebook friends list tended to have the most "real world" friends. How does the amount of your "real world" friends compare to the friends you have solely over the Internet?

I'm not sure how to quantify this. I will say this: there is only one person on my friends list on Fb that I don't know--I should delete her since I don't even play that game anymore--and I don't think I have any friends who are actually animals IRL. So I think I'm doing ok.

7) For her Fall 2012 clothing line, Vera Wang has created a bunch of black wedding dresses. What would you think if you went to a wedding and the bride surprised everyone by wearing a fully black dress?

I don't care what people wear at weddings. Really. I guess I'd be a little shocked at first, but in the end the dress is not the marriage.

8) My fiance and I had to remove two dead mice from behind my couch this week. Talk about a disgusting stench. What has been the worst odor you remember smelling recently?

Two ballasts (i.e. light fixtures) went out at work today. The one in the children's room wasn't so bad, but damn the one in the workroom gave me a killer headache; it smelled like burnt skunk. I am NOT a fan of skunk, but burnt skunk is far worse.

Thursday 13

(Link in meme-roll)
Thoughts I've Had This Week

1. My boss is annoying. That sentence is the biggest understatement of the month, and possible of the year.
2. We have a genetic problem in my bloodline that involves getting lost every time one of us approaches the City to the West of Us. Latest victim: Sparky. Beast seems immune.
3. I love working the Reference Desk!
4. ...except when Crazy Patron Hour arrives. Actually, that can be sort of fun, too--"Hindus and Jesus! Hindus and JESUS!! He was in India, you know?!"--depending on which brand of crazy is on offer.
5. "Great Books" means Stuff Written By Dead White Men At Least 125 Years Ago. Still, the library probably should have one free-standing copy of each Shakespeare play, and "Origin of Species" as well.
6. How much do I value my free time? Is now the time? Do I mind if the offer is never raised again? Ugh.
7. Sparky finds his parents deadly boring. We are. OK, moving on.
8. Beast's back seems to be getting better. So are some other things. Finally. Yay.
9. The problem with revolution is that one never really has control of things after the first gunshot.
10. Ghost Whisperer has been renamed, by Beast, Ghost Eyelasher, which makes me laugh a lot. And I can't stop watching this ridiculous show, so laughing is good.
11. Some people are addicted to drugs; I'm addicted to Bejeweled.
12. My family isn't nearly as dysfunctional as other people's families are.
13. Smoke detectors that need batteries sound VERY MUCH like CO detectors that need batteries, especially at midnight, in one's bedroom.

Autumn meme

(Swiped from Kwizgiver)

Have you ever been apple picking? Yes, but not recently. We went a lot when Sparky was a little kid. I can't be outside in the fall for too long (stupid allergies), so I don't go anymore.

Is there a dish you make/eat only during this time of the year? Next weekend is our annual neighborhood Chili Cookoff, so I'll be making chili for that. It's actually a competition, so maybe this year I'll do some kind of competing instead of doing the kind of chili I actually like.

Will you attend a ‘tail gate’ party this season? Not my thing at all.

When do you turn on the heat? When overnight lows dip into the 40s, we turn the heat on low overnight. Once the high never gets above about 60, we reprogram the thermostat for winter. It's done. ...sigh

How many sweaters do you own? Wow, probably about 10 heavy sweaters, and about 3 turtlenecks (that fit). I have about 5 sweatshirts too, and several long-sleeved T-shirts, but honestly I can't wear anything too heavy at work because in the winter it's usually about 80 degrees in my cubicle.

Are you fond of Nouveau Beaujolais wine? I'm not overly fond of red wine, but at least now I know why this is in a meme about autumn.

Do you get excited about Halloween? I enjoy handing out candy to the little folks. And I like the candy.

How about Thanksgiving? It's my favorite holiday.

Is there an activity you do only in the autumn? You mean besides sneezing and coughing and generally feeling lousy for weeks on end? I enjoy watching the leaf color changing, but I don't go out driving to look around. I also like the smell of burning leaves, but only if I'm not close by (allergies) (again).

Have you ever burned leaves? It's been illegal pretty much everywhere I've lived where we've had measurable leaf output. In this area, burning is legal two days a week, but we don't ever have leaves hanging around our yard--too much wind and no fence. ;-)

Do you own any ‘scarecrow’ decorations? Nope. I'm really not one for kitschy seasonal decor, except Christmas, of course.

Do you plant bulbs? I try to remember to. In fact, I bought some several weeks ago--I wonder where I put them... I should do that soonish.

Your fondest autumn memory? We moved into this house almost exactly 8 years ago. It was a beautiful season, and a full moon. I remember because we had no curtains, so the moon absolutely lit up our bedroom when we tried to go to sleep. Also, our realtor brought us a fresh apple pie as a housewarming gift, which was delish.

Sunday Stealing

(Link in meme-roll)
The Questions Galore Meme, Part 2
[oops, looks like I missed Part 1 last week...oh well....]

21. What was the last song you listened to that wasn’t sung in English?

I had to go look at Friday's work playlist, but it seems to have been "Imithi Gobakahle (Children Come Home)" by Ladysmith Black Mambazo.

22. One of our SS players generally leaves a critical comment on our memes. Which is fine. All's fair. Do you let meme authors know when you hate their memes?

Not usually in the comments. I occasionally get VERY snarky about questions, but then again, I'm sitting here answering them all. If I really don't like a meme, I just don't do it. No harm, no foul, no need to be Nelly Negative.

23. What TV show would you like to be on?

NCIS. Just a bit part, in the background. I'd even do scene setting if it meant I could hang around Mark Harmon.

24. What was the last video game you played?

Uhm. Yeah. Probably Wii Fit, about a year ago.

25. Have you ever been in a musical? If yes, do tell.

I was a rat in a musical version of the Pied Piper of Hamelin when I was 10. Hated it. And I was in the pit orchestra for the high school musical for three years: Bye Bye Birdie, The Sound of Music, and...wow, I have no memory of the one we did junior year!

26. Do you follow your own style or everyone else’s?

Style? What is this "style" of which you speak? Do you mean "stiles" like to get over fences?

27. What’s the last store you bought from?

I bought gas Friday night, along with a bag o' chips and some pop. I guess that's it.

28. In retrospect, have you ever let a person use you a lot?

Welcome to parenthood!! Otherwise, no.

29. What are you doing two days from now?

Hmm, well, I might be driving Sparky back to school. Or I might be sitting on the couch getting ready to watch the NCISes. I have no idea.

30. Did you ever believe there were monsters in your closet?

Oh, yeah! Not for 42 years, mind you, but when I was 4 or 5, they were VERY real.

31. When you graduated high school, did you let random people sign your yearbook or just close friends?

Mostly people I knew, though that could be rather random.

32. Would you consider adopting a child that had a mental illness?

Wow. Uhm, probably not at this point in my life, unless there were extenuating circumstances (like the child was related to me). And a great deal would depend on the age of the child, and what sort of diagnosis we were looking at. I say this because we have friends with a child with "issues" and I've said for years that I'd take him in a heartbeat because the family situation in that household is actually making him worse.

33. Does thinking about death scare you?

Not particularly, and I have been doing so a LOT lately. It makes me sad though.

34. If you died, do you believe that you go to Heaven or Hell and where would your spirit go?

What a strange way to phrase this. I do believe there is an afterlife. I don't think it's an either/or situation; I think there's a heaven that our souls go to. Pretty sure our physical bodies aren't coming with.

35. Who did you last write a snail mail letter to and why?

I haven't sent an actual letter in eons. I have two sympathy cards and a legal document that need to go in the mail tomorrow, though.

36. Do you care what people say or think about you?

Not nearly as much as I did 20+ years ago! For the most part, I only care about the opinions of people I like, whose judgment I trust.

37. Have you ever been threatened?

Of course. Anyone working with the public gets threatened, or at least feels threatened, occasionally. I don't spend hours agonizing about any follow-up, but I do take it seriously in the sense that I don't really make my personal life very public. As you can probably see by the fact that I don't use anyone's real names or locations in this blog.

38. Which side of your family do you get most of your qualities from?

I look like my dad's side, completely. This is not a great thing, to be honest, but dude's gene pool was SERIOUSLY tough--of 5 kids, 3 of us are carbons of my dad. Aside from that, I'd say I'm probably about half and half; I figured out quite young that a major reason my mom and I fought so much was because we were too much alike.

39. What was the last thing with alcohol that you drank?

I had a schlook of wine at FIL's servicemen's club memorial, since everyone else was.

40. Have you ever kept a relationship a secret?

The less my parents knew about my relationships in college, the better, as far as I was concerned!

Patrick's Place

(Link in meme-roll)
Sunday 7

Name seven questions you’d want to ask me if you and I were having dinner.

1. Can you bring your dog so I can meet him?
2. What's the best part about your job?
3. What's the best part about where you live?
4. What can we do about so-called Christians who really aren't? At least, they don't look like they've ever read the Gospels. At least, not the Gospels you and I seem to have read.
5. Has there ever been a time you've had creepy stalker-types hassling you IRL over your blog?
6. What have you been reading?
7. What's for dessert?? [this is, clearly, THE most important question!]

Unconscious Mutterings

(Link in meme-roll)

1. Neglected :: Ignored
2. Sirens :: Rescue vehicles
3. Coordinate :: Match
4. Mellow :: Relaxed
5. Oscar :: Award
6. Facebook :: ...addict
7. Whoop :: "...there it is!"
8. Affluent :: Wealthy
9. Battle :: Fight
10. Kisses :: Hugs

Patrick's Place

(Link in meme-roll)
Saturday 6

1. What canned vegetable do you have the most of in your pantry?

Beans: refried, red, white, black, pinto. I don't like canned green beans, though.

2. What flavor of salad dressing do you have the most of in your refrigerator?

I think I threw out the last bottle a couple of weeks ago. We just don't go through it fast enough.

3. Do you prefer butter, margarine or a butter substitute?

I hate to quibble (ok, no, I really don't) but isn't margarine a butter substitute? lol The only time I buy butter is when my sister is visiting, as she is allergic to corn, which is what margarine is mostly made of.

4. Which kind of cooking oil do you use the most?

Olive oil, whatever brand is on sale.

5. Take the test: Do You Eat Like a Liberal or a Conservative?

You Eat Like a Conservative

You may or may not be a political conservative, but studies show you sure eat like one. You gravitate toward comfort foods and classics. And you don't waste your time with fancy food trends. You prefer to eat what's tried and true. You get annoyed with people who have hangups about what's healthy. Pass the mac and cheese*, meatloaf, fried chicken, and apple pie. Your tastes are all-American as they come! [except I hate meatloaf]

Do You Eat Like a Liberal or a Conservative?

Well, except I do like Indian food a lot. There is just no place around here to eat Thai (or Indian--but you can now buy Indian food at the grocery store at least!). I hate veggie burgers, and I'm NOT a vegetarian, and I refuse to eat sushi on principle. Mostly, I just don't like food snobs of ANY kind.

6. Not counting water, how many different kinds of drinks are there in your refrigerator?

Let's see, from memory: two bottles of (different) wine, diet Dr. Pepper, diet Pepsi (two kinds, I think), diet Coke (for Amy), a couple of cans of beer, I think.... I used the last of the milk for *mac 'n cheese. Next to the fridge are two big bottles of ginger ale, one of lemonade and at least one bottle of diet 7Up. And in the pantry... (lol) We are NOT going to die of dehydration any time soon.

Saturday 9

(Link in meme-roll)
Mrs. Potter's Lullaby

1. Adam Duritz (writer and lead sing of Counting Crows) mentions previous girlfriends in songs. In Mrs. Potter's Lullaby he sings “There a little piece of Maria in every song I sing”. Is there a piece of an ex that will always be a part of you?

There's a little piece of everyone who has been important in my life inside of me. Which, when you think about it, is sorta creepy: all those pieces are missing from those people? What? Wait. Am I missing pieces too?! That explains a great deal about my memory.

2. Who was your very first significant friend?

There was a boy down the block that I really liked when I was pre-Kindergarten; I don't remember his name, but I do remember "knowing" that I was going to marry another boy from across the street, named Chris.

3. What are four (4) things you hope to do this weekend?

Meme (check), laundry (in processing), enjoy Sparky's Fall Break (in processing), catch up on some projects (not even started).

4. What do you consider to be the main purpose of your blog?

This one is memes. I have a book blog where I track what I've read. I have a travel blog where I blog the diaries I write on 'big' vacations. I have a blog where I mostly just blabber on whatever. There are a few others out there too, along with at least two dead blogs.

5. Tell us something that you've never before written about in your blog because it's too personal.

heh, not. In case you haven't noticed, I blog about almost anything. So, if I haven't blogged about it yet, I'm unlikely to go there now.

6. If you could choose your doctor, do you prefer someone of the same or opposite sex?

I prefer a well-educated doctor who listens to me and does the right thing for and with me. Gender doesn't really enter into it.

7. If you could dream about anything tonight, what would the subject matter be?

Honestly, I have had the weirdest dreams over the past 8 months; I'd prefer NOT to dream at all, or at least I'd prefer not to remember whatever dreams I do have.

8. How do you react to practical jokes when they're played on you?

If they are mean-spirited at all, I get angry. My brother teased me incessantly when I was little, so I don't react well to that sort of thing at all. Practicial jokes that are just silly...those I deal with, though I don't like them particularly.

9. What's on your agenda after this weekend for the upcoming week?

Uhm, I need to make an eye doctor appointment. And...yeah, I have no other big plans besides trying to excavate down to the tops of tables, floors, and other flat surfaces. Looks like Beast may be gone another couple of days too, though that's still in flux. Maybe I'll write some cards for him thanking people. We'll see.

Six Word Saturday

(Link in meme-roll)

The memorial services are finally done.

The last of FIL's services was yesterday at the retirement facility where he lived for the last three years. Meanwhile, our house is a disaster-area full of stacks of paper and boxes, furniture and mementos.....

So, we don't have our usual Saturday activities (visiting FIL, sorting pills, doing his laundry, etc.), but we do have tons of things to keep us busy for the rest of the winter: unpacking, sorting, filing, reading, making decisions.

Unconscious Mutterings

(Link in meme-roll)

1. Fever pitch :: Manic
2. Unwarranted :: Unnecessary
3. Breaking :: Smashing
4. Stars :: Sparkles
5. Thursday :: Friday
6. Tips :: Hints
7. Recommend :: Suggest
8. Season :: Spice
9. Increased :: More
10. Depressed :: Blue

Thursday 13

(Link in meme-roll)
Books I've Cataloged This Week

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W.T.F.

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Going on a road trip and through the self checkout lane

1) The Thought Catalog has posted "7 Reasons Why You Should Go On A Road Trip." If you could go on a road trip today, where would you go and who would go with you?

I would drive directly to the nearest mountains, find a remote but well-stocked cabin, and hunker down.
However, instead, tomorrow I'm driving an hour north to my alma mater--and Sparky's current educational establishment--for our 25th reunion in the evening and the homecoming tailgate and football game on Saturday. Whee.

2) Apple co-founder Steve Jobs died this week, leaving behind a legacy of valuable technological contributions. What type of legacy do you hope to leave after you die?

Ironically, FIL's nickname for Sparky was "The Legacy." I'd be ok if that was the only legacy I left.

3) When you’re shopping at a store that includes a self checkout system, do you use the self checkout registers or go through a traditional register being manned by a cashier?

Hell, yeah. The grocery store people around here are either beyond snotty or dumb as posts. I'm faster than everyone at Wal-Mart (which doesn't have self-check lanes), and the other 'normal' grocery stores...yeah. I'll do my own, thanks.

4) What is the title of a self-help book that you'd never want to see on a store bookshelf?

How to Annoy Your Local Librarian

5) Can there ever be too much white at a wedding?

The dress alone is too much white for me; I'm not a fan of white clothing in general. Especially shiny white, which applies to most wedding dresses.
Also, since this is timely: congratulations, Ham and Kate, and bon voyage on your life together!

6) If you could spend a year with any fictional character, who would you choose and why?

Laura Ingalls Wilder. Except I'm sure I wouldn't measure up.

7) CMT is premiering a new show this weekend titled "Top Secret Recipe," on which best-selling cookbook author Todd Wilbur will attempt to duplicate many dishes from famous restaurants. What is one food item you wish you could easily duplicate at home instead of buy at a restaurant?

Why the HELL would I want to make something at home that I can BUY??

8) Is there anyone that sends you text messages and makes you smile instantly?

Most of the people who text me make me smile instantly at least occasionally.

W.T.F.

(Link in meme-roll)
It's time to stop caring that you're so congested

1) If you were a villain in a movie, what would your catch phrase be?

"WALK! DON'T RUN, WALK!!"

2) Marc and Angel Hack Life recently posted a list of "10 Things To Stop Caring About Today." What is something you care too much about that you wish you didn't?

How other people are feeling. SometimesI wish I just could turn off the empathy.

3) On Tuesday, NBC announced that it was canceling its new show "Playboy Club," making it the first cancellation of the TV season. What show do you hope is next for cancellation?

Y'know, actually, I'm pretty much ok with just that. What a LAME idea for a show!

4) Many media outlets have been asking this question a lot this week... Which Halloween costume do you think will be overdone this year?

Chris Christie? Mitt Romney? No clue.

5) If laughter really is the best medicine, what is the worst poison?

Grudges.

6) What do you think is the most powerful word in the English language?

"Help."

7) Today (Oct. 5) is World Teacher Day. Describe the person who was your favorite teacher when you were in school.

I had a plethora of good teachers. I don't want to single any of them out, but to be honest I remember more good teachers than awful ones.

8) This week a list of the "20 Most Congested Cities in the U.S." was released with Oklahoma City and Birmingham, Alabama, listed as the most congested. Do you suffer from seasonal allergies that often leave you congested?

lol HELL YEAH! This year has been horrendous! Also, none of the cities in which I've lived is on that list. W00t!

Fall meme

(Swiped from Kwizgiver)

1. Fave fall Holiday: Thanksgiving
2. Best thing about fall walks: the smell of burning leaves
3. Favorite fall chore: carving the jack-o-lantern
4. Least favorite fall chore: putting the garden to bed (so to speak)
5. Best change in the home: the end of allergy season
6. Best tree in the fall: maples, love the maples
7. Fall ritual: getting used to the school bus schedule
8. Most frustrating thing about fall: ALLERGIES!
9. Favorite fall decorations: leaves, on the ground, outside.
10. Favorite clothing: jeans and sweatshirts.
11. Traditional fall candy: candy corn.
12. Favorite sound: crunching leaves (stolen answer)
13. When does fall begin for you? As soon as the humidity disappears.
14. What is your favorite aspect of fall? Cooler nights.
15. What is [sic] your favorite fall memories? New classes at school.
16. What do you like to drink in the fall? Hot apple cider, with cinnamon.
17. What's your favorite fall food? Fresh apples, and sweet corn.
18. What color is fall? orangey-brown.
19. What does fall smell like? smoke
20. Holiday shopping in fall: yes or no? Sure, if I get around to it. I don't know it's going to happen this year, though.
21. If you could go anywhere in the fall, where would you go? The mountains.
22. What is your favorite fall sport? Football, of course!
23. What is your least favorite thing about fall? This fall, it's the rain. It finally stopped this weekend, but what a miserable week or so.
24. Which do you prefer, the Farm or the Fair? Aroo? The farm, I guess.

The Queen's Meme

(Link in meme-roll)
The Games Meme

1. What was your favorite outside game as a child?

Hopscotch. Or jumprope. Or jacks.

2. What is your board game of choice?

I like "Life" but most people figure on me going for "Trivial Pursuit" which I also like.

3.What are your favorite apps or games on Facebook?

Oh, I'm actually a game/app whore. I pretty much play (or played) 'em all.

4. If you could design a game about your life, what would you call it?

"Oh Shit."

5. Have you ever tried billiards?

Yup. I suck at it.

6. Are you a card player? Gambler? Rook player? Go Fish? Do tell.

I love cards. I have about 10 different ways of playing solitaire. I'm pretty good at poker. Also will play cribbage and sheepshead given even the slightest provocation.

7. Do you prefer the summer or winter sports games?

The only professional games I watch are football (and NASCAR). I think that makes me a fall/winter sports fan.