100 questions

Oy.

This is long. It's all Lisa's fault! :-)

1.ONE OF YOUR SCARS, HOW DID YOU GET IT?
I have a "zipper scar" from surgery 7-1/2 years ago. It's about 6 inches long and finally--after about 5 years--flattened completely out so it's only a visual scar, not a bump. It's a nice reminder of a scary thing that turned out all right.

2. WHAT IS ON THE WALLS IN YOUR ROOM?
Since I answered this earlier today about the living room, I'll talk about my bedroom instead. Besides, there are more walls in there...

One wall has a calendar (lighthouses) and a print of a boathouse, the frame of which my father made; both the print and the frame were wedding presents. Another wall has an oil painting of a lighthouse done by Beast's grandmother; we had it framed very simply. The cross I received at some point in my childhood--the same one Amy has--is hanging over the light switch. The wall where the windows are only has the curtain hooks on it. The fourth wall has a framed photograph taken by my brother-in-law of one of the major canals in Copenhagen. And next to it is a mirror over Beast's dresser; it really needs to be resilvered, but I haven't had the ooomph to try to find someone to do it for us.

3. WHAT DOES YOUR CELL PHONE LOOK LIKE?
Silver flip LG.

4. WHAT MUSIC DO YOU LIKE TO LISTEN TO?
Good music, what else?! It's easier to exclude what I'm not crazy about: I don't like much country, especially the older twangy CW stuff, and opera is not my favorite. Rap is generally not on my top ten list either. Not all that crazy about jazz. Having said that, I like Eminem; I like Nina Simone, Miss Ella, and Nat King Cole; I like some Johnny Cash and Hank Williams; I like operatic tenors, as long as they can still sing (i.e., not the Big Guys).

5. DO YOU KNOW WHAT TIME YOU WERE BORN?
Late in the evening, I think. Nearly midnight.

6. WHAT DO YOU WANT MORE THAN ANYTHING RIGHT NOW?
I want to be able to not be so sad during winter-time.

7. WHAT DO YOU MISS?
So much. I miss my family being a whole functioning unit (if frequently dysfunctional) rather than the amputated family it is now.

8. WHAT IS YOUR MOST PRIZED POSSESSION?
My wedding ring? Actually, I think it's my acceptance of life.

9. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE SMELL?
Sawdust.

10. DO YOU GET CLAUSTROPHOBIC?
Not exactly. I feel a little trapped when I'm stuck in a small place with lots of people and unable to move very much/very far.

11. DO YOU GET SCARED OF THE DARK?
No. The dark is my friend, actually. [I sound like a cat burglar! hee]

13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE COLOGNE / PERFUME?
For me: I really liked Cindy Adams (? I think) Gossip, but they don't make it anymore. I've switched to VS.

14. WHAT KIND OF HAIR DO YOU LIKE ON SOMEONE YOU ARE ATTRACTED TO?
I've almost always gone for brunettes...there are only a few exceptions I can think of when I was 'crushing' on everyone as a teen who were blonds or redheads. Of the guys I've dated, the ones I've liked (or lusted after) most had dark hair.

On the other hand, I'm not at all averse to a little gray, nor am I particularly worried about baldness, unlike at least one of my friends who demanded that her husband start using Rogaine or he was "out."

I'm also a child of the 60s/70s in that I prefer a guy to have a little length to whatever hair he's got.

Which is why (sigh) both Beast and Sparky have buzz cuts.

15. WHERE CAN YOU SEE YOURSELF BEING PROPOSED TO AT?
What a horrible sentence.

I was proposed to at Chi-Chi's. I'd certainly pick somewhere else if I had the option. BUT! No place public like the jumbotron at a basketball game, or an airplane banner. Ish.

16. COFFEE OR ENERGY DRINKS?
Water. Definitely not coffee, and I haven't actually tried energy drinks, unless you mean Diet Dr. Pepper!

17. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PIZZA TOPPING?
Canadian bacon.

18. IF YOU COULD EAT ANYTHING RIGHT NOW, WHAT WOULD IT BE?
A mint. Some gum. Over the last two days, I've developed a raging case of dry-mouth. I just can't get enough water/pop/milk. Not sure what's going on with that. Too much salt yesterday, I expect.
[Yes, I know the symptoms of diabetes; I'm monitoring it, ok?]

19. WHO IS THE LAST PERSON YOU MADE MAD?
I'm sure it was Beast, though he hasn't copped to it. I think M@rl@ was annoyed with me yesterday, too, but that's different from "mad" I guess. Hmmm, yeah. Beast. Or Sparky.

20. DO YOU SPEAK A FOREIGN LANGUAGE?
I am able to fake Spanish fairly well. Actually, I can read and understand Spanish all right, but I can't think well enough to create my own sentences. I can read what I can "traveler" French, German, Greek and Russian, too.

21. WHAT WAS THE FIRST GIFT SOMEONE EVER GAVE YOU (OF THE OPPOSITE SEX):
I have no recollection, at least if I exclude family members.

I really can't remember anything Beast gave me while we were dating...maybe a teddy bear? I know he gave me the necklace I have on today on our first anniversary. And of course he gave me my engagement ring, though it's not the same ring as I'm currently wearing (it was...'not me').

22. DO YOU LIKE ANYBODY?
Ack.
No. I hate everyone. I got my notification in the mail today that my cave on a distant mountain is ready for immediate occupancy this week...

OK, yeah, I like LOTS of people.

23. ARE YOU DOUBLE JOINTED?
Nope. Very boring that way.

24. FAVORITE CLOTHING BRAND?
I like Old Navy jeans/cargos, because they make them long enough without charging extra for "long." Eddie Bauer is good. I like Lee jeans.
But, really, I'm not that fussy.
Except, ok: VS for bras.

25. WHAT`S YOUR DREAM CAR?
A softside jeep. Or a Harley touring cycle.

27. WHAT IS ONE OF YOUR DREAMS?
As in "what I want to do"? I'd like to skydive someday.

I'd really like to go up in a balloon, too. Someday...

29. WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO TELL SOMEONE HOW MUCH THEY MEAN TO YOU?
By figuring out the best way to show them that you care. A nicely worded card, a hand-made gift of some kind. My favorite story of this ilk is an old one about a quiet man who came to his friends' house the day of his friend's funeral and polished all the shoes for the 6 kids and the mom. Cleaning someone's house, making dinner, taking someone to the doctor...

30. SAY A NUMBER FROM ONE TO A HUNDRED:
OK.

Oh, I'm supposed to write it, too? 16

31. BLONDES OR BRUNETTES?
Y'know, redheads always get short shrift... Is this the same as #14?

If we're talking about people in general, I have to say that I don't care in the least.

32. WHAT IS THE ONE NUMBER YOU CALL MOST OFTEN?
Beast's cell.

33. WHAT ANNOYS YOU MOST?
Wow, this is a pretty wide scope. Inconsiderate people? Irresponsibility? I'm having a flash of the "Mean People Suck" merchandise so popular awhile back.

34. HAVE YOU BEEN OUT OF THE US?
Yup. Numerous times.

Next....

35. YOUR WEAKNESSES?
There aren't enough words....the big food one is sugar. The bigBIG one is guilt.

36. WHERE DO YOU WANT TO LIVE?
Colorado, in the mountains, in a smallish house with a fabulous view. Or someplace else with wonderful climate and no bugs.

37. FIRST JOB?
For actual pay? My mom paid me 2 cents to take out trash when I was 8ish. Two cents per bag, or per trip to the alley. It didn't last long.

My first job outside the family was babysitting. My first job with a paycheck was page at the public library, following my sister's and brother's footsteps.

38. EVER DONE A PRANK CALL?
We used to do these all the time. Not mean ones--usually--just annoying ones. I don't remember if we did the usual "Prince Albert in a can" ones, or if we just hung up when people answered. There were a ton of goofy phone things we figured out how to do, like calling your own number and hanging up really fast. Then the phone would ring, Mom or Dad would rush to the kitchen to answer, and we'd giggle downstairs next to the extension.

39. WHAT WERE YOU DOING BEFORE YOU FILLED OUT THIS SURVEY?
Watching the 'reveal' of the newly found tomb in Egypt. Eating pizza. Being lazy.

Big news flash there...!

40. IF YOU COULD GET PLASTIC SURGERY WHAT WOULD IT BE?
I wouldn't. Surgery is no joke. Beast was flipping between the mummy shows and a show on face transplants. That should be the only kind of "plastic surgery" allowed. People who spend money rearranging what God made them look like are sick.

In my opinion....

41. WHY DID YOU FILL OUT THIS SURVEY?
Baaa. Baaa....

42. WHAT DO YOU GET COMPLIMENTED ABOUT MOST?
My work ethic. Followed closely by my great acting job(s).

43. WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF ALCOHOL BECAME ILLEGAL?
Move somewhere else. Just because that's stupid; we've established that Prohibition doesn't work.

I'd be fine going without, though, if I had to. It's just the principle....

44. WHAT DO YOU WANT FOR YOUR BIRTHDAY?
I've got over three months to come up with something. I think I'm going to ask for tickets to somewhere warm and sunny during the winter.

45. HOW MANY KIDS DO YOU WANT?
One is looking mighty fine. "Love what you live."

46. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE?
Yep. Long, convoluted story, much of which I never get right. I never met her, anyway.

47. DO YOU WISH ON STARS?
No. I feel ridiculous doing it.

48. WHICH FINGER[S] IS YOUR FAVORITE?
What a very odd question. I like the nails on my ring fingers. I like the fact that both my middle fingers are bent; when flipping people off, I send them off in wonky directions. I like my thumbs, I guess. My pinkies are nice-looking. My index fingers are...functional.

Actually, I think my hands are pretty damn ugly, but they work all right. {shrug}

49. WHEN DID YOU LAST CRY?
This morning at church. Good cry, by the way.

I cry a lot.

50. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING?
When I take the time, my handwriting is nice. As I get older, I spend less time obsessing over my handwriting, and it shows: it's gotten very sloppy. My mother despairs.

51. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT?
Don't eat a lot of it, but I always enjoy a good bologna and 'flat cheese' sandwich with lots of butter. Fat, with fat, on fat, with carbs. What's not good about that?

52. ANY BAD HABITS?
Too little time to list them all. I will say that I bite my nails MUCH less than I ever used to.

53. WHAT IS YOUR MOST EMBARRASSING CD ON THE SHELF?
Bee Gees Greatest Hits Live. Oh, well. I remember seeing the concert on TV.

54. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON, WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU?
Yeah. Why not?

55. HAVE YOU EVER TOLD A SECRET YOU SWORE NOT TO TELL?
Oh, yeah. I used to be in junior high, and high school. I'm much, much, much more careful about these things now.

It's more about attentiveness to boundaries for me than anything else.

56. DO LOOKS MATTER?
Of course they do, and not always for the worst. Judging on looks is pretty basic animal behavior.

Maybe I've read too much Desmond Morris.

57. HOW DO YOU RELEASE ANGER?
There will be tears involved. And shouting. I'm not sure how I managed to develop such stereotypical "Mediterranean" behaviors with such a WASPy background. But we all shout and cry a lot in my family. "Sturm and Drang."

Anyway: shouting, anger, self-justification....

58. WHERE IS YOUR SECOND HOME?
I don't physically have a second home, unless you count work.

I'd like to have one... Maybe someday.

59. DO YOU TRUST OTHERS EASILY?
Too much, and not enough.

60. WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE TOY AS A CHILD?
My tricycle, when I was really little, closely followed by the swingset.

61. WHAT ARE THE FIRST THREE NUMBERS IN YOUR CELL PHONE?
342. I think.

62.
This is, apparently, where you either get up and sing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" or make up your own question/answer.

Just pretend I did the former, ok?

63. DO YOU USE SARCASM?
Never.

Ever.

64. HAVE YOU EVER BEEN IN A MOSH PIT?
Not while the moshing was happening. See #10. Mosh pit = Hell on Earth.

65. WHAT DO YOU LOOK FOR IN A MAN/WOMAN?
Lovingkindness.

Nice lips, a well-used laugh, and good, strong arms/chest don't hurt either.

66. WHAT ARE YOUR NICKNAMES?
Cat. Otherwise, I don't have any.

68. DO YOU UN-TIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF?
I have to. The tennis shoes I own (and I think those are all the tying shoes I own) are tied too tight to come off otherwise.

69. WHO IS YOUR CRUSH?
Not saying here!

Unless we're talking fantasyland, then there are a few guys on TV that I don't mind watching without the sound on.

70. WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM FLAVOR?
Peppermint.

71. WHEN IS THE LAST TIME YOU WENT ON A DATE?
Does going out alone with one's husband count as a date? If so, uhm, last week sometime. If not, it was definitely 1986, early July.

72. WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE COLORS?
Blue and...er...blue.

73. HOW MANY WISDOM TEETH DO YOU HAVE?
In my mouth, none. I used to have the removed teeth somewhere, along with the molars I had to have pulled before getting braces. Contrary to what you might think, I have a tiny mouth. :-) Or, well, too small for a normal complement of teeth.

74. WHO/WHAT DO YOU MISS MOST RIGHT NOW?
My sisters.

75. DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS?
Not if they don't want to, and not if I have to grade their answers!

76. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW?
The TV is back on: the building of the pyramids at Giza.

77. LAST THING YOU ATE?
Pizza: deep dish with Canadian bacon, sausage and mushroom. Delivered by our regular guy, who's practically a member of the family.

78. LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE?
I haven't talked on the phone at all today. I talked to Beast a couple of times yesterday by cell.

79. THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT A MAN/WOMAN?
Generally, I look at how people carry themselves, their overall stance, walk, bearing, whatever. Do they look crushed? Arrogant? Unsure? Exuberant?

80. FAVORITE THOUGHT PROVOKING SONG?
Almost anything by U2.

81. FAVORITE THING TO HATE:
Stupid drivers. Easy target.

82. FAVORITE DRINK?
Diet Dr. Pepper.

Long Island Iced Tea.

83. FAVORITE ZODIAC SIGN:
Uhm....not Scorpio. Which is bad, since it's mine.

84. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE SPORT?
I used to like playing tennis (haven't done it in over a decade). Volleyball can be fun, too.

I love watching football.

85. HAIR COLOR?
Naturally darkish-brown-going-to-gray.

Unnaturally, darkish-brown-with-reddish-highlights (going to gray).

86. EYE COLOR?
Hazel. Brown today, grey/green other days.

87. DO YOU WEAR GLASSES?
Yes. Or I run into things, which hurts...though I've heard that it's funny to watch.

88. SIBLINGS?
Yes. Now there are four of us.

89. FAVORITE MONTH?
August.

90. YOU LIKE SUSHI?
Feh.

91. LAST THING YOU WATCHED?
The above-mentioned Giza show. And the radar. We keep getting a storm signal on our weather radio, but it looks like the worst of it is going north of us (barely).

92. FAVORITE DAY OF THE YEAR?
Christmas Eve. Or Thanksgiving.

93. ARE YOU TOO SHY TO ASK SOMEONE OUT?
I think it would be foolhardy for me to ask anyone out. It's not really a matter of shyness.

If I were single...yeah, maybe. Who knows, though: I find myself saying unbelievably shocking things by accident at times.

94. SUMMER OR WINTER?
Summer!

95. KISSES OR HUGS?
Kisses from Beast and Sparky and my mom. Hugs are fine with me with everyone else I know relatively well.

96. RELATIONSHIPS OR ONE NIGHT STANDS?
I think I've only had one one-night-stand, sort of.

97. WHO IS THE MOST LIKELY TO ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS?
Only people with way too much time on their hands....

98. WHO IS THE LEAST LIKELY TO ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS?
I like Lisa's answer, so I'm stealing it wholesale: "I don't know, the Pope, President Bush- they've both given up reading my blog."

99. WHAT BOOKS ARE YOU READING?
The Four Witnesses (Griffith-Jones)
A book written by the Louisiana State Coroner (can't remember the name), and I think there are a couple of others lying around that I've forgotten. I should pick up Catch-22 for a book club in a couple of weeks so I can remember the plot. Haven't read it since about 1988.

100. IS ANYONE IN LOVE WITH YOU?
Beast claims to be. If there are others, I haven't been informed.


Incidentally, this took about an hour and a half to finish, start-to-finish. Be warned.