My Turn/Your Turn

The original post starts here at Every, Everyminute, and it is intended to be picked up by other bloggers and posted on their blogs.
Here’s how it works:

1. Respond to the "YourTurn" question on your own blog, labeling it as "MyTurn."
2. Then, copy the "YourTurn" question at the end of your post, which encourages a continuation of the conversation.
3. Please link back to this post at Every, Every Minute so that your readers will know how to participate.
4. Leave a comment on the blog where you originally saw the MyTurn/YourTurn post, so the author can come and read your response.

My Turn:

I realized when I was very young, before being conscious of it, that I had the option to go "far away" to college. That realization, and my embracing of it, changed the course of my life away from the course most of my high school friends took. Thanks to my sisters who didn't stay in state for college (one even left the country for part of her education!), I knew early on that I could do the same. By the time I was 12, I knew I would do the same, only moreso. The last year or so of high school was a daily trudge across the metaphorical desert toward the sheen of palm trees and promise of an oasis : College Out of State, One Thousand Miles Away from Home. Prior to that, however, I was working on getting the grades I knew I needed to be accepted for scholarships ensuring this would happen. I pretty much did the work without a great deal of planning or angst; I just knew it had to be done to get where I wanted to go.

Once I got away from the shadows of my siblings in our school system, once I was away from my parents--who really weren't all that bad!--I really blossomed. Within a year, I honestly felt like I had left my old, shy, constantly-embarrassed childhood self behind. Surprisingly, I could actually DO what I had told myself for at least six years that I HAD to do: I could make intelligent decisions, I could manage my time, I could decide who to hang around with and date...all without any input whatsoever from my well-meaning but entirely too overbearing family (sucks to be the youngest). Suddenly, I was no one's little sister, no one's daughter. Wow.

If I had stayed local and gone to college in the Denver area, there would have been no trip to Russia. I would have made very different friends, and I fear I would have chosen badly with my parents nearby to bail me out of any difficulties. I would never have dated and married Beast (or anyone remotely Beast-like). I'm not sure my life would have been substantially better or worse, but I doubt I'd have the self-awareness I developed as a result of being forced to re-invent myself.

Then again, if I'd've stayed local, I'd be living in Colorado today. So there's always tradeoffs. That's one lesson I've learned over and over. It is not possible to have every experience in one lifetime. Sometimes, it's hard to see what the tradeoffs are when you make choices; it's only much later that the impact of the decisions made today appear.

YourTurn: Looking back, what is one choice you’ve made that seems to have changed the direction of your life?

The Survey Place

(Link at left)

Today Did You--

1. Talk to a boy/girl you like today? Yup. Several.

2. Realize anything new? "Must do dishes more often. The hand-wash only ones. MUST NOT let them sit for several days!"

3. Talk to an ex? Only in the ex-fantasy sense.

4. Miss someone? No.

Last person who--

5. Slept in your bed? ...? Beast was the last one up this morning.

6. Saw you cry? Beast (and a shitboat full of people at church last week).

7. You went to the movies with? Sparky.

8. Went to the mall with you? Amy.

9. You said "I love you" to and meant it? Sparky, when he went to bed, followed closely by Beast on the phone after I told him to drive safely.

10. Made you laugh? My mother-in-law.

11. Said they loved you? Beast.

12. Called you in the middle of the night? Emphatically, it was a wrong number. The last ACTUAL call we received in the middle of the night was my brother calling in 1994 to tell us that my dad had died.

13. Do you have a crush on someone? Not exactly.

Just plain questions--

14. What book are you reading now? Twospot, by Bill Pronzini; Single Tree, by Gary D. Svee; Turncoat, by by Aaron Elkins. And the book on CD in the car is Deception Point, by Dan Brown (it sux, trust me on this)

15. Best feeling in the world? Knowing your baby loves you.
[You may define "baby" anyway you like.]

16. Favorite location? On the side of a mountain, or in bed.

17. Piercing/Tattoos? I have only pierced earlobes, very old-school.

18. What are you most scared of right now? Winter.

19. Where do you want to get married? Here and now works for me.

20. Who do you really hate? I don't hate anyone, though I'm very exasperated with quite a few Very Important People.

21. Does anyone really hate you? Prolly. Do I care?

22. Do you like being around people? Generally, yes. There are some exceptions.

23. Have you ever cried? ...er...? See #6.

24. Are you lonely right now? I'm alone. But not lonely in the least.

25. Song stuck in your head right now? It was "She Bangs" by Ricky Martin, the Spanish chorus, all weekend. I've got UPop on right now, hoping to get Mika or Maroon5 to displace it. Oh, "All in the Jungle" by The Hours might do it!

26. Been on radio/TV? I did a radio show for four years, but I've only been on TV as part of my high school marching band, not individually.

27. Ever liked someone, but you think they never noticed you? Of course. Isn't that the definition of 7th grade?

28. Ever liked someone who treated you like craP? No. Despite everything, I've managed to avoid this. And, why is hte P capitalized?

29. How many beds did you lay in yesterday? OK, this month's winner for weird question! Just one.

30. What color shirt are you wearing? I've got a dark blue sleeveless button-front shirt on over a red cami.

31. Name three things that you do every day? Hah! Brush my teeth, eat, and yawn.

32. How much cash do you have on you right now? At this very second, nada. However, there is about $200 in the vicinity of my wallet in preparation for grocery shopping, supply purchasing (for a program), and Sparky's allowance. By tomorrow night, I should be hovering at about $15.

34. When was the last time you saw your dad? On or about November 24, 1994.

35. Who got you to join myspace? I think I signed up after finding out that Sparky had an account, about 3 years ago.

36. What did you have for dinner last night? Leftover vegetable lasagna.

39. What web site do you visit the most? Google, or Bloglines.

40. Do you have plants in your room? Plastic ones, the only ones I haven't killed.

41. Does anything hurt on your body right now? Nope.

42. Where was your last cab ride? It was in the Big City, but I don't remember how long ago. Within the past year, I'm sure.

43. What's your favorite starbucks drink? The caramal apple thing is outstanding, but I always get a stomach ache because it's so rich. I stick to the fizzy grapefruit juice most of the time on the semi-rare occasions I visit Starbucks.

Meology

from Kwizgiver, whose link is at left

MOUTHOLOGY
Q. What is your salad dressing of choice?
A. Real blue (or bleu) cheese.

Q. What is your favorite fast food restaurant?
A. Lately, it's Taco Bell. I love their Crunchwrap Supremes.

Q. What is your favorite sit-down restaurant?
A. The Mill, Six Balls...you know, anyplace they do the dishes and don't give me food poisoning....

Q. On average, what size tip do you leave at a restaurant?
A. I would only leave under 15% if the service was really awful. Usually I'm 18-20%.

Q. What food could you eat every day for two weeks and not get sick of?
A. Bread.

Q. What are your pizza toppings of choice?
A. Pepperoni, onions, Canadian bacon, mushrooms, GOOD sauce and lots of cheese.

Q. What do you like to put on your toast?
A: Margarine/Butter, that's all. And it has to be put on the toast while it's still warm, or I'll pass.

TECHNOLOGY
Q. What is your wallpaper on your computer?
A: At home (on the laptop) it's the Dom bottle/glass/box from our 20th anniversary. At work, it's a black lab.

Q. How many televisions are in your house/apartment?
A: Two that function. One mini (like 5 x 5" screen) that doesn't.

BIOLOGY
Q. Are you right-handed or left-handed?
A. Right. I'm also right-footed, but for heavy carrying, I'm left-armed. Go figure.

Q. Have you ever had anything removed from your body?
A. I'm cracking up. Yes: a baby, my reproductive organs, eight teeth, my appendix, and some various 'samples' for biopsies. Different times, of course. Also, my sanity seems to have been removed.

Q. When was the last time you had a cavity?
A. Probably 5 years? I had a crown done since then, and they are now replacing my old fillings piecemeal. Who knew fillings aged out??

Q. What is the last heavy item you lifted?
A. A stack of books at work today.

Q. Have you ever been knocked unconscious?
A. Nope. I land on my hands and knees when I fall (so far), and either have an incredibly hard head or have protected it well.

BULL[CRAP]OLOGY
Q. If it were possible, would you want to know the day you were going to die?
A. If I were very ill, then yes, I would. I don't want to know now, though. Thanks.

Q. If you could change your name, what would you change it to?
A. I already did, to "Cat." When I got married it changed (legally). I've considered changing it again since then, but it seems like a major hassle.

Q. What color do you think looks best on you?
A. I have no idea. NOT red, not white. Blue? (Amy, I need to borrow a blue shirt to test this.) Green?

Q. Have you ever swallowed a non-food item by mistake?
A. Of course. I had a very lengthy Oral stage as a child. ;-) I used to chew on my hair, and I still bite my nails. And there are the occasional bugs... Plus, let's not forget meds. Lots and lots of those.

Q. Have you ever saved someone's life
A. Yes, but not dramatically.

Q. Has someone ever saved yours?
A. Yes. Lots of times.

DAREOLOGY
Q. Would you kiss a member of the same sex for $100?
A. What kind of kiss? Full-on sexy kiss...no!

Q. Would you allow one of your little fingers to be cut off for $200,000
A. Ab-so-fuckinglutely NOT.

Q. Would you never blog again for $50,000?
A. I'd stop for a few months for that.

Q. Would you pose naked in a magazine for $250,000?
A: Nope, and who the hell would want me to?!

LASTOLOGY
Q: Friend you talked to on the phone?
A: Uh...talked to Beast about 12:15 today. Before that...no idea.

Q: Last person who called you?
A. My mother-in-law. She called while I was doing this (I started this almost two hours ago (5:45ish).

Q: Person you hugged?
A: Probably Beast, when he left around 3.

FAVORITOLOGY
Q: Number(s)?
A: 16. And/Or, 3.

Q: Season
A: Fall--I was gushing over it today, in fact.

CURRENTOLOGY
Q: Missing someone?
A: ...er, no...actually.

Q: Mood?
A: Tired. Thinking about all there is needing doing tomorrow and getting a little freaked. Not badly freaked, just a little, so far.

Q: Listening to?
A: CSI: Miami Season 4.

Q: Watching?
A. CSI: Miami Season 4.

Q: Worrying about?
A: I'm doing a scrapbooking program tomorrow night that I've done ZEE-ROW planning for. Whee.

RANDOMOLOGY
Q: First place you went this morning?
A: Church.

Q: What can you not wait to do?
A: In the metaphorical sense, the answer is see my grandchildren. In the actual, defined, sense, the answer is get a mammogram. I'm about 6 months overdue.

Q: What's the last movie you saw?
A: To my great shame..."Underdog."

Q: Do you smile often?
A: Yes. Though it's becoming clear that I scowl a lot too, judging by the wrinkles in my face.

Q: Are you a friendly person?
A: Most of the time, and to a fault quite often.

By the Way Sunday

(Link at left)
Fashion By You

Jeans or Slacks? Jeans

Sweater or Jacket? Jacket (or shirt)

Skirt & Top or Dress? Skirt/Top (very few dresses fit me properly--long torso)

Buttons or Zippers? Buttons

Does your purse always match your outfit? Vat is this "purse" of which you speak? [so, no]

Heels or Pumps or Flats? If I could still function in them, heels. In reality, flats or low pumps. I do like shoes, almost any kind.

Crewneck or Turtleneck? Turtleneck

Do you own a little black dress? I do, but I'm not sure it fits anymore.

Accessorize or Not? Some jewelry, but otherwise no.

Describe your absolute favorite outfit. Jeans + T-shirt = Cat. I like cute tops, though, and I'll wear other slacks as well. Skirts have kinda fallen off my fashion palate of late....

Unconscious Mutterings

(Link at left)
watching football, which certainly colors my responses...

1. Crook :: Shepherd
2. Career :: ...passing record
3. Freckles :: Sunshine
4. Scramble :: Quarterback
5. Mistake :: Error
6. Telephone :: Game
7. Thank you :: Note
8. Obstruction :: Blockage
9. 24/7 :: 365
10. SciFi :: Fantasy

Patrick's Place

(Link at left)
Saturday Six

1. When do you buy candy for local trick-or-treaters?

Generally, not until the last possible minute, otherwise it gets eaten ahead of time (by me...booooo!)

2. When you buy Halloween candy (or if you were to buy it), would you be more likely to buy lower-priced candy that you didn’t particularly care for or candy you like that happened to cost a little more?

We almost always buy Tootsie Rolls. When we were young and poor, we'd buy whatever was on sale, which usually meant "stuff no kid wants." Nowadays, I just grab the bags of whatever and get on with life. I pay no attention to sales. I'm a bad home economist, eh?

3. If you were in a mood for a scary movie to watch on Halloween night, which would you select?

I'm never in the mood for a scary movie! If I had to do this, I'd probably pick a suspense movie over a horror flick.

4. Take the quiz: What should you be for Halloween?

Your Halloween Costume Should Be

A Girl Scout

What Should You Be For Halloween?

Dang. I have my Girl Scout sash somewhere around here, too. :-)

5. Should trick-or-treating be regulated so that it is held on non-school nights and during hours that might help children avoid dangerous travel hours?

When we lived in the Milwaukee area, trick-or-treat was ALWAYS on the weekend nearest Halloween, in the afternoon. It was (excuse me) really freakin' stupid! Trick-or-treat should be in the evening, on Halloween, regardless of weather and the younger kids should be walked around the neighborhood by their (sober) parents. Note that I said "walked." Not driven house to house, not cruised (parents in car, kids walking). And no beer cans/cups, ok? And, for the older kids....can you wait until the night of Halloween to snag the pumpkins off porches and smash them in the street, after all the little guys get their fun over with?

6. How do you feel about some churches scheduling "fall festivals" to replace Halloween because of the holiday’s dark origin?

Whatever floats your boat, I guess. Just remember that Halloween is a corruption of All Hallow's Eve, the night before All Souls Day/Day of the Dead (El Día de los Muertos), which is a Christian concept. The Church co-opted the pagan holidays around that time of year to make conversion to Christianity a little less traumatic. In any case, we all just need to get over this. If you really believe Halloween is all about worshipping the devil, just leave me alone. Halloween, for me, has ALWAYS been about dressing in silly clothes and begging for sugar!

Friday's Feast

(Link at left)

Appetizer
How are you today?

OK, actually. Shocking, eh? No complaints, explained a good part of the way by the fact that I don't have to work today (but I do have to work tomorrow).

Soup
Name 3 television shows you watch on a regular basis.

CSI, Survivor, Dirty Jobs.

Salad
What’s the scariest weather situation you’ve experienced?

A microburst--similar to a mini tornado--in our area a couple of years ago. We spent some quality time in the basement after Beast rousted everyone out of our beds in the middle of the night.

Main Course
If you could wake up tomorrow morning in another country, where would you want to be?

Greece, Italy, England, Canada, Mexico...I'm not overly fussy, but it would have to be someplace where I could safely walk the streets without having to wear anything like a burqa. I'd also like to have a good deal of cash, or a good credit card.

Dessert
What do you usually wear to sleep?

Pajamas, earplugs, and lots of lotion (winter is coming!).

Four for Friday

(Link at left)

Q1 - Next Tuesday: Instead of going to work next Tuesday, if you could spend the entire day doing something else--any one or two things that you absolutely love doing--what would you do?

Why next Tuesday? I'd love to be traveling, on my own terms, with no one else around except my family...or even alone. It would be outstanding to be somewhere I know fairly well but haven't explored thoroughly (London, the Garden of the Gods, Ydra), and be able to just poke around.

Q2 - Telecommunications & Privacy: Earlier this week, San Jose, California-based Pudding Media announced the availability of a new service that allows anyone to place free telephone calls from the Web or a cell phone. However, as many "free" offers turn out to be, there is a catch. Pudding Media uses voice recognition software to monitor your calls, and when certain keywords are spoken, timely news, entertainment, and other offers are displayed on your computer or cell phone screen. For example, if you were talking with a friend about an upcoming movie, you may see links to trailers, reviews and show times for nearby theaters. A sports fan talking about her favorite team may see commentary and game statistics on a computer or handset screen. How likely are you to use this service? Does the ability to make free telephone calls entice you enough to open up your conversations to a computer generated voice recognition software program, or does privacy dictate that you would never use such a service?

Not at all likely. As if I need more ads in my life?!

Q3 - Architecture: Back in the late-1960s, construction began on a six-building structure at the Coronado Naval Amphibious Base near San Diego, California. Designed by a respected architect, the original blueprint consisted of two central buildings and a single L-shaped 3-story barracks. Eventually, the plan called for the L-shaped building to be repeated three times at 90-degree angles from the central buildings. That's right, the United States Navy constructed a series of buildings that when viewed from above, appears to look like a giant swastika--the official emblem of the Nazi party and the Third Reich. (Don't believe me on this one? Fair enough. Google the words "Coronado" and "swastika" and see for yourself. Trust me, I could not make this stuff up even if I tried.) Now, some 40 years later, after fielding requests from the Anti-Defamation League and at least one member of Congress, the Navy plans to spend nearly $600,000 for landscaping and architectural modifications to obscure the fact that the complex looks like a swastika when viewed from above. How do you feel about this? Is the $600,000 expenditure an appropriate use of taxpayer dollars or is this not an issue that deserves our time and money?

Well, a little landscaping probably couldn't hurt in general principle anyway. But let's not forget that the swastika-like symbols have been used by various non-German groups through history for all sorts of purposes. This is just kind of a waste of air, though I can see how it could be upsetting to victims of the Third Reich. I would add that if the buildings are black surrounded by white concreted inside a field of red stones or sand, they really should be updated, landscaped, or otherwise renovated. I would also say that perhaps the Navy should stop repeating itself and throw away these blueprints in lieu of a new floorplan.

Q4 - Magna Carta: Later this year, Sotheby’s auction house in New York will present for sale The Magna Carta, the royal document revered as the birth certificate of freedom. This iconic manuscript, dated 1297, is the original charter that enshrined the rights of man into English law, and inspired the passion for liberty that flowered in America in the 18th century and continues around the world today. Quite simply, The Magna Carta is widely considered to be the most famous single document in existence. According to Sotheby's, it is estimated to sell for between $20 and $30 million. How do you feel about items such as The Magna Carta being sold? Do you think historical documents of such significance should be banned from ever being bought and sold? If your knee jerk reaction is that there is nothing wrong with the practice, would you change your mind if oh, I don't know, it was the original version of the Declaration of Independence that was up for sale?

Which copy of the charter is for sale? There are several, because it had to be hand-copied and carried to each liege lord after King John signed off. I believe that the "original" one, the first one that the king actually signed, would be hard to develop a provenance on after 900 years. In any case, when we were in England the last time, we saw three Magna Cartas, in three different cities. This is not like the original, scratched-out and rewritten Declaration of Independence, where there really is only one. In fact, I think each copy of the charter is actually slightly different, because of copying errors, or maybe because of who the recipient was.

Having said all that....I think buying and selling art or historical items is reprehensible if museums don't get first crack.

3x Thursday

(Link at left)
Did You Do It?

1. As a kid, were you ever wrongly accused (and punished, if it went that far) for something you didn't do? If so, what was it? What happened?

I find it really interesting that, while I'm sure this happened, not only can I not remember instances of it, but I can only remember instances when I purposefully got people my brother in trouble on my account! I was a mean little sister. And I rarely got in trouble as I got older, just because a) at home, it was just me so I learned that if shit happened it would be my fault so don't let shit happen, and b) I never wanted to be noticed for anything bad at school either.

2. What about as an adult? Do you think it's worse to be accused as a child or an adult? Why/why not?

I think it's worse to be accused than to admit up front that you screwed up. I also think it's worse to be accused in front of other people. Furthermore, if it wasn't my fault--yeah, I tend to get a little angry. Ahem. An angry Cat. is not a good thing. However, there is a difference between "accusing" and "asking" and I do try to make that distinction before I go Rambo on someone.

3. Why do you think people like and/or make things up about people?

Low self-esteem and a desire for drama. It really annoys people like this if they go to the trouble of making shit up and you don't react. It's actually very funny to watch their bubble burst all over their face. In any case, there's definitely an aura of 12-year-old about making things up about people. Can we reach adulthood, please?

Thursday Threesome

(Link at left)
From the Ad Council:
::The Dentist or Flying?::

Onesome: The Dentist?-- ...a bigger 'scary factor' than than flying? What do you think?

Neither scare me in the sense of a phobia. I don't particularly enjoy either, though for totally different reasons. Dentists generally mean pain for me (tho' my last visit was wonderful, and I got a high five for flossing), while flying nowadays is just a hassle in terms of airports/ticketing/waiting.... Having said that, about ten years ago was the first time I was ever nervous about flying for no real reason, and that hasn't gone away (hasn't gotten worse, either).

Twosome: or-- maybe you have coping skills to handle dental visits? Would you care to share any of them?

Dentists, and gynies, are necessary annoyances. The option of not going is ridiculous since that only prolongs any potential treatments that need to be done once you return. And if you follow directions to the letter when things are going well, it means there is less of a chance of trouble down the road. Having had to have Major Stuff Done (in both doctors' venues--ahem), I've found that the "regular" visits are a piece of cake in comparison.

Mmmmm, cake.....

Threesome: Flying-- has received a really bad rap this year. Deserved? ...or is all sweetness and light now?

It has? More than the previous years? Really. Well, as I said above, flying itself doesn't bother me that much (more than it did when I was a kid, but not phobicaally). It's the surrounding hoopla that drives me crazy. And dealing with people in mass quantities is not my idea of fun. Right now, the whole situation just gives me more reason to wish I had a pilot's license (and money for a small plane of my own).

Music!

You Should Play the Drums

You are often hyper, restless, and full of a little too much zeal. However, people may be surprised to know that you can focus your energy well. You are driven and engaged enough to be a great drummer... and you have the stamina to practice for hours. In fact, when you can channel your energy productively, it only increases! You are independent and spirited... but also consistent. You can definitely keep the beat. You work well in a group and contribute heartily - without needing to take the lead. Your dominant personality characteristic: your aggression Your secondary personality characteristic: your precision

What Musical Instrument Should You Play?

Uh, yeah....NO! Not much here that I agree with......

Your Karaoke Theme Song is "Margaritaville"

You are a true party animal, but your style is mild and chill. Kicking back with a few friends and a few drinks is all you need to be happy. You certainly don't feel pressured to be a part of any party scene. In fact, you avoid trendier spots. You've been known to kick loose anywhere and everywhere. All you need is a cooler. You might also sing: "Gin and Juice," "Love Shack," and "Red Red Wine" Stay away from people who sing: "Wind Beneath My Wings"

What's Your Karaoke Theme Song?

WTF?! On the other hand, I like some of hte other choices, and I wouldn't even want to be around listening to anyone slaughtering Bette Midler's worst hit ever!

T / F

From Kwizgiver

I am a cuddler T (-ish)

I am a morning person T

I am a perfectionist T

I am an only child F (-ish)

I am Catholic F

I am currently in my pajamas F

I am currently single F

I am currently suffering from a broken heart F (-ish)

I am okay at styling other people’s hair T

I am left handed F

I am addicted to my myspace F!

I am very shy around the opposite gender AT FIRST T

I bite my nails T

I can be paranoid at times T (rarely, but sometimes)

I currently regret something that I have said T ("currently"? how 'bout "always"??)

When I get mad I curse frequently T

I like someone T

I enjoy country music T (some)

I enjoy jazz music F (not most, though some is good)

I enjoy smoothies ? (never had one, doubt I could manage it)

I enjoy talking on the phone T (sometimes)

I have a pet T (-ish)

I have a secret that I am ashamed to reveal T

I have a tendency to fall for the "wrong" person F

I have all my grandparents F

I have at least one sibling T

I have been told that I am smart T

I get got higher then C’s in school T

My GPA is was higher then than 2.5 T (always)

I have broken a bone T

I have Caller I.D. on my phone T

I have bathed/showered with someone T

I have changed a diaper T

I have changed a lot over the past year T

I have done something illegal T

I have friends who have never seen my natural hair T

I have had surgery T

I have killed another person F

I have had my hair cut within the last week F

I have had the cops called on me F

I have kissed someone I knew I shouldn’t [have] T (which makes for a surreal class reunion...)

Pols

Found at Liz's

	Dennis Kucinich Score: 48	Agree Iraq Immigration Taxes Stem-Cell Research Health Care Abortion Social Security Line-Item Veto Marriage Death Penalty	Disagree Energy
-- Take the Quiz! --

Uh? OK then. Why do I always like the ones who could never, in a million years, win??

For the record, here are my scores on the rest of the crew, God help us:

Mike Gravel--Score: 38

Bill Richardson--Score: 38

Chris Dodd--Score: 34

Hillary Clinton--Score: 31

John Edwards--Score: 31

Barack Obama--Score: 31

Joe Biden--Score: 25

Rudy Giuliani--Score: 21

Ron Paul--Score: 20

Mitt Romney--Score: 12

Jim Gilmore--Score: 5

John McCain--Score: 4

Sam Brownback--Score: 3

Mike Huckabee--Score: 3

I've never heard of some of these people. I'm also rather surprised at my distance from McCain, and the fact that Giuliani made it to double digits.

Blogdrive Insanity

(Link at left)
Tool Day
(And I'd just like to say that there have been a number of tools in my life lately.....)

. . . tell me your favorite or most used . . .

1. Kitchen tool

My favorite is still my stove.I love the glass top; it's clean ALL THE TIME! How did I deal with regular burners for 40 years??

2. Computer/internet tool

Hmmm ..... probably Bloglines or other aggregators.

3. Relaxation tool

Pencil and crossword. Or a book.

4. Organizational tool

Nuf said?

5. "Tool" tool (things you'd buy at a hardware store).

We lost power again last night. Thank goodness we're pros: there is (at least) one of these in each room of the house now:

Daily Three

Three Bad Fashion Trends

1. Which fashion trend do you believe was is the most horrendous? Why?

Underwear showing, for men (boxers) and women (thongs). Enough already.

2. Which fashion trend do you wish would come back into style? Why?

Ginormous T-shirts for girls. ;-)

3. Do you typically wear trendy clothing? Why or why not?

Not really. Sometimes, but I'm too cheap to follow the annual trends closely.

Random questions

From Kwizgiver.....

RANDOM SURVEY:

1. To whom did you last give the finger? I know it wasn't a "whom." It was a "what." I was having some problem or other with packaging or wrapping or something and threw up my hands and then flipped off whatever it was. And then looked to see if Sparky was around to see me being stupid. ;-)

2. If you had 1,000 dollars, what would you buy? A couple of new pairs of trousers for work, and the rest would go for coats for the homeless. Winter is coming!

3. What was the last beverage you spilled on yourself? Probably DP. Or water. I tend towards spillage too often for me to keep track, to be honest.

4. Are you different now than you were 6 months ago? Let me go look at 6 months ago in my blog...
...well, that took longer than expected...I was on Spring Break in Colorado with Sparky. Bummer. I'm different in the sense that I need a vacation like that again, but also because instead of looking ahead toward warmer days, I'm facing winter. U G H!!

5. Have you kissed a girl in the last three days? Best I can remember was hugs all around at youth group yesterday, from the girls. No kisses.

6. What was the last photograph you took? Off the front porch this morning. A project. Big secret. Shhhhh!!

7. Where were you last night around 9:30? Watching the Bears lose. Yay!!

8. What do you think of guys that wear eyeliner? I think...well, actually, I don't really care as long as it's worn well. The smeary, quarter-inch wide crayon look doesn't really work for me on boys or girls.

9. How many hours did you last sleep? 6. Almost to the minute.

10. Who was the last person to whom you spoke on the phone for over an hour and a half? Wow. Well, I'd have to look at the phone bill. It might be Jenny. It might be family, maybe Elizabeth. I know Beast would have a snap answer to this: his folks. He talks to them every week for at least an hour. He's such a good role model for Sparky! ;-)

11. 50 Cent shows up at your door, what do you do? Er...that would be pretty damn weird, and honestly, if he showed up alone, I probably wouldn't recognize him. If he showed up with his posse (are they still called that?), I'm sure SOMEone in the neighborhood would have called the police before they all arrived at my door; the traffic pattern would be all fubar'd, and yes, there are not a lot of black people in the immediate vicinity (just a lot of sexual perverts--maybe R. Kelly is should move to this area....sigh).

12. How was the last egg you ate prepared? Oh, I REALLY wanted an egg yesterday morning at breakfast! Beast was going to give me his, but I'm trying to watch the cholesterol (and the calories), so I just had a bagel. {pout} I'm sure the last egg was on a Egg'a'Muffin (yeah).

13. Where did you last wear sunglasses? This morning, in the car. It was a lovely late summer/early fall day today. Tomorrow: rain.

14. Ever worn your underwear backwards? Uh, no. Not...just, no.

15. Who was the last person to smoke a cigarette in your presence? Without a doubt, it was my mother-in-law, though I was just recently SOMEwhere surrounded by a large number of smokers, and rather surprised about it. Where WAS that.....?

16. Does it bother you when people put && before every sentence and ;; after? Huh? Never, ever have seen this. I'm becoming very annoyed at the sheer number of ellipses I use, however. I seem to have gotten them at a fire sale and can't stop using them!!

17. What animal did you last pet or hold? Buddy, but not for weeks. Sigh. I hateHATEHATE allergies!!

18. What was the last law you broke? The last one I know about has to be either speeding or lax turn-signalling. I'm sure we all break multiple laws every day, without knowing. So far, though, I've stuck with the law of gravity every single day! So there.

19. What are you wearing? Army green shorts and a blue T-shirt with large mosquitoes on it that proclaims "Winter Sucks!"

20. What did you last drink? Water.

21. What was the last newspaper you read or skimmed? Online: the local daily rag.
In print: last week's local daily, on Thursday.

22. What was the last word written on your hand? Either a shopping list or an appointment. I do this all the time.

23. What was the last hair product you used? I don't use "product" in my hair (see commentary at #17), so it would either be the hairband I put in it half an hour ago or my hands pushing my bangs out of the way.

24. What was the last text message you received? Oh, hell, I dunno. Something ridiculous from Beast, I'm sure!

25. What was the last medication (Rx or OTC) you took? The antibiotic that is supposed to be making my eyes better. And now it feels stuck about 4 inches above my stomach. I hate tetracycline.

26. Who was the last person to make you really laugh? Sparky. Maybe Amy. Can't remember when I read my email in relation to talking to the Sparkster.

27. To what song did you last sing along? Styx, "Wanted Man"

28. What was the last musical instrument played in your presence? Possibly the piano at church yesterday, but I'm not sure I was in the room for any of the hymns. Yesterday was train-wreck-like. Otherwise, probably Sparky on his clarinet.

29. What was the last superstitious thing you did? Knocked wood. It's about the only superstitious thing I think I do.

30. How is your love life going? Well, let's see: I'm 21-plus years married, my husband travels a lot (he's gone again this week), and I've felt like a potato bug for a month.

And with that, I think we should say goodnight, Gracie.

Curious as a Cat

(Link at left)

1) When was the best time, or what was the best experience, you've had with a sibling?

I had a really good conversation with my brother on the phone yesterday. He was less obstreporous than usual, more reflective, and it reminded me why I do love him so. He's da bomb, although his son is unhappy with him right now for 'being mean.' (My nephew is 23...yeah, in need of major Reality Therapy.) I've had too many good sibling experiences to recount. I'm just very, very grateful today for having had the opportunity for them. Then again, if they were all here in my house, I'd probably want to kill them all. Families are weird, aren't they?

2) When do you feel the loneliest?

When I'm very down on myself, hating that I'm stuck in a bad rut and unable to pull myself together enough to climb out. In short, when I feel unloved and unlovable.

3) If a one-year period of your diary were to be published with your name attached, what year would you prefer?

I have not been the most consistent diary-keeper over time, so this is rather tricky. I guess it would have to be one of the early ones, since the entries are brief to the point of absurdity, and most of the time I wasn't being snotty about people. Except Mom. sigh.... OK, so I'm choosing 1974.

4) What has been the biggest accomplishment of your life (so far)?

I have absolutely no idea, and please refer to #2 as part of my response to this question.

5) Show and Tell. What comes to mind first when you see this picture? Or, tell a story if it reminds you of one.

Well, since this is a photo of the big bookshelf in our kitchen, what it reminds me of is that we have accrued a lot of books in two years, so it's a good thing Beast just finished working on the bookshelf of my parents' that he has been restoring and brought it in last week! The two bottom shelves in this photo are are COPMLETELY full of books, with more stacked on top. [BAD LIBRARIAN!] The bottom is all Bibles now, and Bible study-type things, and the one above is full of books that are different from those in the photo. The ones next to the stuffed Beast are now in the dining room on Sparky's former bookshelf.

The picture also reminds me of how much I l o v e that bookshelf. It is 6 shelves high, and two wide: a full wall. The original floorplan was for it to be the pantry, but I wanted a real pantry (which is the size of the powder room), and this was a better use of the space, anyway. Much prettier.

Manic Monday

(Link at left)
You’ve won $100,000 – but have to give it all away. To which charity or institution would you donate it?

A chunk to PCUSA, a chunk to 46664, a chunk to NOW, and a chunk to the World Bank.

What do you think is the most soothing sound?

Car traffic echoing off cliffs, the lapping of water against the shore, a calm breeze over hills, baby snores.... I was talking to young friend of mine over the weekend and we both said how much the sound of distant trains through open windows at night makes us feel safe.

In reality, I think this answer is very specific to where you felt safe and calm as a child. For instance, in the summers as a child I went to sleep listening to stock car races about a mile away. I wouldn't really call that a soothing sound...and yet, it is. For me.

Does time heal all wounds?

Depends on your definition of healing. I think time does cover the immediate pain of the wound, but I also think that some things, if left untreated, will fester like worms and never properly be healed. And some wounds cause blood poisoning.

I do, emphatically, believe that time wounds all heels, though.

Monday's a Bitch

(Link at left)
Random Joy

1.Which category of Trivial Pursuit would you say you're most knowledgeable in?

The only ones I'm NOT quite as good at are Sports and Science. But, frankly, I kick ass at TP so badly that I can't ever scare up a game anymore.

2.Did you go to your High School Prom? What was it like?

Nope. Couldn't be bothered.

3.If you were one of the five senses which would you be?

Hearing. The explanation for my answer makes about as much sense as the question. It's just the first answer I thought of.

4.Have you ever gone downhill skiing?

Nope. I'm way too cheap to pay to slide downhill on skinny wooden boards when I can do that on my ass, for free.

5.What's your favourite kind of nut?

I'm particularly fond of those to whom I'm related.

Ten Things

from Patrick's place

1. What were you doing ten years ago?

In September 1997...I had been working evenings part-time at the library for a little over a year and a half. Sparky was 4. I wasn't delivering newspapers anymore. What the hell WAS I doing? I think I was being a SAHM, reading, eating everything in sight, getting more and more depressed, and volunteering at church. I think I was Sunday School superintendent. I had recovered from major surgery seven months earlier. I still missed my sister every single day. Sparky was adorable.

2. What were you doing one year ago?

I believe that last year this time I was alternating between murder fantasies involving colleagues outside my workplace and trying to resign myself to using the worst possible library database EVER! OK, maybe not the worst product ever, but certainly the worst implementation ever. And dealing with allergies.

3. What are five snacks you enjoy?

Cookie dough
Frosting
Rice cakes
Nuts (cashews, pistachios, pecans...not so much peanuts)
Candy, non-chocolate preferred

Guess which of the above I'm actually having for breakfast....

4. What are five songs you know the lyrics to?

Amazing Grace
Beautiful Boy--John Lennon
Rocky Mountain High--John Denver
I Will Always Love You--Dolly Parton
Must Be Crazy for Me--Melissa Etheridge

5. Name five things you would do if you were a millionaire.

Bank a good chunk of it for Sparky's college fund and our retirement
Install a hot tub in the house, and replace the kitchen counters
Buy a jeep for myself and whatever kind of car Beast would want
Give a chunk to church as a trust for capital developments
Buy a small house somewhere scenic, warm, and easily reachable

6. Name five bad habits. Of my own...?

Feeling sorry for myself
Not following through
Overscheduling myself
Not controlling my temper
Major lack of discipline across the board (food, temper, work, etc.)

7. What are five things you like to do?

Read
Do puzzles (crosswords, Sudoku, jigsaw...)
Blog/Write
Listen to music
Stand in the sun (I'm coming back as a cat, just so you all know)

8. What are your five favorite toys?

The laptop (which encompasses both the net and offline games)
Books
The DVD player
My brain
The camera

9. What are five things you’d never wear?

Anything with a Laura Ashley label
Any shoes with over 3" spikes
Filthy clothing (the kind that really does stand in a corner with no support)
More than one kind of perfume at a time, and more than just a little of any one scent
Two (or more) different plaid patterns

10. Name five things you hate to do.

Admit I'm wrong
Changing my habits
Dieting
Exercising alone
Anything involving cleaning floors (vacuuming, mopping, sweeping...)

Taking a break

I'll be back. I hope it will be soon. It may not be for a week or so. Consider this a Medical Leave of Absence.

Have fun meming while I'm gone!

Monday Madness

(Link at left)

1. What was your biggest challenge this past week?

Not. Killing. Any. Family. Members.

2. What was your biggest accomplishment this past week?

See #1.

3. What was the most exciting thing that happened in your life this past week?

My eyes didn't hurt for several days! W00t.

4. What one thing made you the happiest this past week?

Knowing that Crazy Cat Lady will be at work this week.

Curious as a Cat

(Link at left)

1) What do you think is the single most important family value? Why?

Unconditional love for one another. And anger management.

2) What three words would your best friend use to describe you? Are they accurate?

Smart, annoying, and kind. But he's biased.

3) You have to choose one rich person to be forced give all their money away to a cause or charity. Whom would you choose, and to which cause or charity will the money go?

The Davis family needs to unload ALL their holdings and split them between child abuse prevention and drug abuse rehabilitation. That will settle several lawsuits (there being no money left to grab), and get them off the American stage. Permanently, one hopes. I've never liked this man--he used to own the Broncos--and I loathe his grandsons.

4) What one thing you have made, done, or created comes closest to your idea of perfection?

I've done some very good scrapbook pages. I've written some really awesome paragraphs/essays/rants/catalog records. But the most perfect thing I've done--with help--appeared in 1993, a little bundle with red hair surrounded by love and humor.

5) Show and Tell. What comes to mind first when you see this picture? Or, tell a story if it reminds you of one.

I'm afraid in my current frame of mind, this looks like Allergy Hell while also managing to make me feel cold. The water looks cold, the plants look "sneezy." I'm anxious to read what everyone else writes for this, because I'm fresh out of metaphors and stories.

Manic Monday

(Link at left)

If you could enter a racehorse in the Kentucky Derby, what would you name your horse?

I couldn't afford a horse of this caliber!! :-) So I'd probably have to name him Lottery Winnings.

What famous person, whom many people find attractive, is most unappealing to you?*

SOOOO many! I'll go with Patrick Dempsey, but keep in mind I've never seen the show he's so freakin' McDreamy on. {Grammar is not my friend today!}

Which foreign country are you least interested in visiting?

Of those I haven't seen, Egypt. I'd like to go back to Greece, and I will be back in the UK again, I'm sure.

*OK, I am la stupid today: I TOTALLY didn't read this right! So, my answer is really wrong: Egypt is someplace I DO want to visit!!

My actual answer to the actual question is anyplace in southeast Asia primarily on account of the climate and my lack of any knowledge or interest in the history there. My fault, I'm bad and should edumacate myself, but in the interest of honesty, since I balled this up so badly, I feel I should lay out the gospel here.

Monday's a Bitch

(Link at left)
The First Rule of Fight Club Is...

1. If you could fight any person you know, who would you choose?

Physically fight? No one. I'd lose. The only people I could physically take out are small children, and I wouldn't do that.

If I were magically granted the skill (or took the time to train) and had the mental ability to do this, I'd take out some of the more annoying library patrons. Fat Frank is first, as long as I could wear a full protective hazardous waste suit while dealing with him.

2. If you could fight any celebrity, who would you choose?

People who are famous for being famous. I'd like to rearrange their features a bit and make them less photogenic in an unfixable way. And I'd start with the men (i.e. Brandon Davis). Just so you know.

3. If you could fight any historical figure, who would you choose?

I have to assume that I'd win these fights, right? I'd take out little Adolph while he was in art school. But that's just the easy choice. Lots of other good candidates....

4. If you had a club, what would its first rule be?

"You have to NOT be a moron at least 75% of the time!"

5. Brad Pitt or Edward Norton?

Both, albeit for entirely different purposes. Or, perhaps it should be "entirely different methodology." And not at the same time. Just to be clear. Ahem.

Wow, this was hard. I don't like fighting at all....

Situation Sunday

(Link at left)

Situation #1
You have been working months, even doing numerous weeks of overtime. You have planned a vacation that has been in the works for 7 months. Your family or friends are so looking forward to the trip. Plane tickets have been bought, hotels have been paid, suitcases are packed. The day before you [leave, your] boss has decided you cannot take the time off, pressing work matters need to be done, {Again, and again}. The trip is very important to you. Your job is a job that you have been at for 5 years. What do you do?

Well, if I were in a union, I'd call the rep. If I were working in a non-emergency position, I would call the HR department; I'd also take a look at my contract with the company to see if this is something that I agreed to when hired. However, if I did emergency work (police, hospital, etc.), I would have to understand that these things happen. Hopefully, I could get some of the money back. In the reality of my job situation though, I'd be looking for another job, whether or not I took the vacation.

Situation #2
You and yours are traveling abroad. You have planned a car trip when you get there, to see more of the country. You are in Norway. You start out in Bergen, and are traveling to the capital of Norway, Oslo. On the second day you are in the mountains, and a major snow storm breaks out. You do not realize how much snow is about to fall; you slide off the road and end up in a ditch. No one is hurt, but you are stranded with 4 1/2 feet of snow all around. It could be a very long time, weeks to be exact, before you even hear any plows. What do you do to survive and wait out the time? {No cell phone service}

I would, uh....OK, here's the deal: this just wouldn't happen to me. I grew up in the mountains. I know snow, I know how to drive in mountains and snow (at the same time), and I also know when to bag it and change my plans because of bad weather. I'd've stayed in Bergen and spent time getting to know more about it.

Situation #3
You and your spouse have 4 little girls. You try again for a boy and after a very dangerous [pregnancy] and hard delivery you succeed. You have almost lost your life in the delivery. And now you find yourself again pregnant: Baby #6 is coming. You are 32 years old, Do you go through another rough pregnancy? What do you do?

Nope. This is ridiculous. I would absolutely abort. I've heard it's still legal in this country, even.

Randomness

(Link at left)
random questions

1. what's your favorite color? Blue

2. how many languages do you speak? Fluently: one. Fairly well: one. Smatterings: several.

3. who is your best friend? Beast. Most days, at least.

4. are you married? Yes.

5. what's your favorite song? Amazing Grace.

6. what is your greatest fear? Being found out.

7. who is your hero? Nelson Mandela, and my dad.

Unconscious Mutterings

(Link at left)

1. Rita :: Rudner
2. Comedy :: Funny
3. Polar :: Arctic
4. Idiots :: Dummies
5. Perception :: Point-of-View
6. Infected :: Sick
7. Fake :: Phony
8. Relating :: Telling
9. Distraction :: Time-Killer
10. Gamble :: Bet

Patrick's Place

(Link at left)
Saturday Sunday Six

1. As a general rule, how much of a tip do you leave on a normal night of satisfactory service at a restaurant?

Probably somewhere between 18 and 20%.

2. What happens when the service and/or the food is completely unacceptable: how much of an impact does that have on your tip?

It has a big impact. I have been known to basically leave a 5-10% tip, or less.

3. What was the last food you picked up from a restaurant and ate at home?

I believe it was pizza. It's been several months; however there aren't a lot of other feasibly options.

4. Take the quiz: What’s your pizza personality?

Apparently, I'm European. {shrug} Who knew??

5. What was the last dish you tried to cook yourself based on a dish you sampled at a restaurant?

That would be NEVER! The reason I eat out is to enjoy someone else's hard work. The reason I cook is because I have no choice.

6. How close to the original recipe did yours get?

N/A

Me as M

You can do this here.

I'm cracking up that I have shoes and gloves...but no clothes....

Saturday Special

(Link at left)
~Creative Adventure IV~

1. While sailing on vacation the sea gets rough and your boat hits against the rocks of an island, you (dear God, I'd better not be alone, since I know less than nothing about sailing/boating!!) pray.
2. In front of you is a small cliff with a lighthouse, you take several photos and try to spy a path up the cliff. Oooh, I love lighthouses!
3. You are able to climb the cliff and enter the lighthouse, when you see that the door is standing open and it seems to be abandoned, but only relatively recently.
4. Happy to be able to, you climb the stairs to the top of the tower and take lots more pictures. Also, depending on the condition of that boat, I search the area for anyone who can take me back to my hotel, because I'm practical like that.

Janet tagged me

Well, actually she tagged the universe....

01. If you could have super powers what would they be and what would you do with them? (Please feel free to be selfish; you do not have to save the world!)

After the past several weeks, I'd be thrilled to have some Super Eyes that didn't ever get sick. I don't need x-ray vision, but distance vision would be excellent. Think Steve Austin. If you don't know who he is, nevermind.

02. Were you to find yourself stranded on an island with a CD player...it could happen...what would your top 10 Blogger's Island discs be?

I'd have a lot of greatest hits multi-disc sets. I tend to get tired of the same music rather quickly. But on the list would be a lot of songs I could sing without accompaniment: hymns, folk songs, Beatles, maybe even some kids songs. I'd also like to have some quiet, wordless stuff, maybe jazz, maybe George Winston. And a HUGE supply of batteries!

03. If you were a smell what would it be?

Cinnamon.

04. What bird would you most like to be?

A heron. A penguin. A robin. Oh, I HATE these questions! OH! The Roadrunner! I wanna be The Roadrunner!!

05. If you were a bird who's head would you poo on?

Not that kind of bird. None of my choices are flyers, or at least not primarily flyers.

06. Are there any foods that your body craves?

Bread. And sugar. (the latter might be more of a mental craving, however.... hah)

07. What's your favourite time of year?

Fall. September through late October. LOVE. IT.

08. What's your favourite time of day?

I like early mornings before other people are up. I like watching the sun rise. And I like the feeling of the day being spread out before me, untouched, like a freshly ironed linen tablecloth.

09. If a rest is as good as a change which would you choose?

I have been sooooo tired lately, I think I have to go with a rest. An old-fashioned rest cure.

10. If you could have a dinner party and invite any 5 people from the past or present who would they be? (Living or deceased.)

Laura Ingalls Wilder, my grandmothers, Jane Addams, and Eleanor Roosevelt.

Friday Saturday Fill-In

(Link at left)
Two-fer!!!

1. I met him/her in my dorm room freshman year of college when he came to "study with" (i.e. antagonize and flirt with) my roommate.
2. We dated off and on for two years (wow, is that all?!) before we got engaged.
3. I knew he/she was the one because he was the only guy I'd met to that point that I felt comfortable 'bringing home to the parents' but who wasn't trying hard to impress me every fucking minute.
4. The thing I like best about him/her is his sense of humor and capacity to laugh at himself.
5. When he/she proposed it wasn't a complete surprise, but how he'd found a ring that fit me was surprising.
6. The song we had/want at our wedding "The Wedding Song (There is Love)," by Paul Stookey, sung by my 16-year-old niece and accompanied by her 13-year-old sister on piano. Ironically, our first dance was to "Babe" by Styx. Go check those lyrics.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to the high school football game (during which, by the way, our team unexpectedly stomped on the conference champs), tomorrow my plans include a fun and fabulous guilt-filled trip to the dietician with Sparky followed by 8 hours of not getting any cataloging done at work, and Sunday, I want to have to go to church, followed by a leadership workshop at church, and then a 3-hour picnic at our house for the youth group members and their parents!

~OR~

1. Chips or chocolate? How about chocolate chips?? I used to buy them to snack on.
2. Pickles on your hamburger? Yes, please: dill, not sweet.
3. Baked potato: with everything or sounds WONderful.
4. The perfect meal depends on my mood, but will need to include a lot of carbs.
5. Martinis, wine, beer or vodka. I'll drink white wine, and girlie martinis, but loathe gin and don't care for beer at all, except as a bratwurst marinade.
6. Your favorite pirate is (technically not food, but still yummy) the fictional sort like Jack or Will.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to _____, tomorrow my plans include _____ and Sunday, I want to _____! I think I've covered this one already! :-)

Five on FridaySaturday

(Link at left)
You've Got Talent

1. What do you consider to be your strongest talent?

Feeling sorry for myself? Being cranky? Making (usually incorrect) assumptions? Giving everyone the benefit of the doubt way too many times? (I'm getting better at this) ...

I'm going to go with trying to calm stormy emotional waters.

2. Do you have any other talents that you're particularly fond of?

I'm good at planning projects (I don't always carry through on doing them, but I plan good!). I can keep track of four conversations at once. I like a good joke, as long as it's not mean (i.e., Sarah Silverman does not make me laugh). I can carry a tune without too big of a bucket, most days. I'm not stupid, though at times that's debatable.

3. Describe one talent you wish you possessed?

The ability to shrug of worry.

4. How do you display or make use of your talents?

Huh? I use them as necessary. I think it's too early on a Saturday to follow this. At this stage of my life, I don't feel as if I do a lot of displaying of my talents. I'm mostly just trying to get through the days.

5. What do you think drives so many people to watch and/or participate in talent shows and competitions?

Narcissism? A deep need for applause? Emotional immaturity? And even occasionally the real NEED to show people that they're GOOD, but that's pretty rare, in my experience.

Four for Friday

(Link at left)

Q1 - What was I thinking? What is your most regretted impulse purchase of all time?

Well, the biggest in cost was our previous house, which I hated pretty much from the day we moved in. And the minivan was also a huge error, in virtually every way.

Q2 - Staying ahead of the curve: DNA mapping has advanced to the point where it now offers strong clues as to the medical conditions you may develop later in life. Given your current age, would you want to know what the DNA map has in store for you? If you have young children, would you want to know what a DNA test reveals about their future health?

You know, I've always said that I wouldn't want to know, but actually...I think, knowing what I've got in my gene pool, I would like to know about myself. I think Sparky can make his own determination on this.
Also, just to be clear, this sort of thing will tell you about purely genetic diseases like Huntingdon's chorea, but it really WON'T tell you about accidental health issues, like getting hit by a car, or environmental illnesses.

Q3 - Pricing: As a consumer, which item that you purchase and use on a regular basis--aside from gasoline--do you find to be the most ridiculously overpriced?

Fast food. I would say coffee, specifically, but I don't drink it.

Q4 - Hourly wages: On this day in 1966, the U.S. federal government raised the minimum wage to $1.40 an hour. Today, the federal minimum wage is $5.85 an hour, with the state of Washington registering the highest minimum wage rate for any of the 50 states ($7.93 an hour). Do you think the current federal minimum wage is too low, just right, or too high? If you think it is too low or high, how much do you think it should it be?

Way, way, way, waywaywayway too low. I don't know what it should be, but you certainly can't live anywhere for $12,168 a year, or even $13,322. That's just crazy!

Friday 5

(Link at left)
Taken

1. What was the last thing taken from you without your permission?

My even temper. {Insert laughter here} Otherwise, uh...I may not have noticed anyone sneaking off with anything, right?

2. Who was the photographer the last time a picture of you was taken?

Probably Beast, on vacation.

3. When were you last taken by surprise?

Every day surprises me in some way. Beast sorta snuck up on me today when he came home from work; he was afraid I was asleep.

4. When were you last taken for a ride (interpret literally or figuratively!)?

Just got back from the football game; Beast was driving. As for a figurative ride, that was most of 2006 in a professional capacity.

5. Where were you the last time you wished to be "taken away from all this?"

In the living room this morning talking to my son.

Friday Fiver

(Link at left)
But in your dreams whatever they be

1. Do you like looking at stars?

In a general way, yes. I really don't care the slightest bit about constellations, though I can find Orion and (eventually) the Big Dipper.

2. Who do you say "I love you" to?

People I love. OK, stop. I really only say it to people I've gotten to know as an adult. We don't "do" love in my family--though I've become better at saying it to my eldest nieces in the past year or so.

3. Did you say "good night!" to anyone last night?

Of course. Every night. With a kiss. THAT, my friends, is a family tradition (we don't do love, but we do put a lot of stock in goodnight kisses).

4. When is the last time you felt blue?

Tonight. Our high school colors are blue and white. I have blue scribbles on my hands.
In the emotional sense...uh, don't remember. Flashes of blue only, mostly, of late.

5. Tell us one of your dreams:

Here ya go. Have fun.

Friday Five

(Link at left)

1. What was the most sick that you've ever been?

I'm going with "sick as in contagious illness" not "sick as in my body broke." A couple of winters ago, I got some kind of flu/cold thing that laid me low for over a week. I really just wanted to lie down all the time. Otherwise, I think the last illness that was that bad was chicken pox. Or another bout of flu. I've been pretty wacked as a result of injury/hospitalization, but I'm leaving that out (although one of those times really was the sickest I've ever been--one of those 'now I'm fine, five minutes later I'm on bedrest recovering from surgery for a week, and unable to work for three more weeks' things). And I don't think pregnancy counts, either....

2. What disease are you afraid of getting?

Parkinson's and Alzheimer's top the list. One I have a decent genetic chance of getting, the other runs in Beast's family (almost as bad as getting it myself).

3. Are you a big baby when it comes to taking medicine/shots for your illnesses?

After 8 years of weekly and months allergy shots? Uh, not so much. Pills haven't been a problem for me since I was 10.

4. Is going to the doctor really THAT bad?

For me, no. However, it's not so much the doctor as it is all the concommitant hoopla: run the gauntlet of receptionists explaining the problem, make sure the insurance paperwork is in order, find a time for an appt. that interferes with life the least, waiting to see the doctor, and finding out that resolving the situation requires four more visits to labs and other doctors and probably at least one stop at the pharmacy....sigh. Just easier to stay in bed and hope for improvement.

5. Would you have the flu twice a month if you were paid $1,000 for having it?

You'd have to pay me substantially more than $1000/month for me to throw up! No, I think I'll pass. I'm not that desperate. I don't enjoy being sick at all.

T.G.I.F

(Link at left)
Reading Room
1. On average, how many books do you read in a year?

I seem to hover somewhere between 80 and 100. Blogging has caused a steep drop in numbers this year!

2. What are your favoite books?

My favorite genre is mysteries, but I'm not very heterodox in my reading: I'll read almost anything interesting. Right now, I'm reading a book about garbage. Among others.

3. Any favorite author?

I've got a list of about 50 favorite authors. The list also has each of their books listed under their names, including pseudonyms, and the dates of publication, and the dates I read each one. It's about 30 pages long, typed.

4. What are your favorite magazines?

Entertainment Weekly, Ms, and Bookmarks.

5. When you pick up a mag, what sections do you automatically zoom into?

I start at the beginning. Apparently, I'm the only person in the universe who does that.

Cheddar X

(Link at left)

1. Where is your favorite place to relax?

Right here on the couch, with the laptop.

2. Where is your favorite place to cut loose and have some fun?

...uh...? The backyard, I guess.

3. Where is your favorite place that reminds you of a special time?

There are WAY too many of these to pick only one!

4. Where is your favorite place to sit and watch the world go by?

My front porch, or the park in the middle of town.

5. Where is your favorite vista point?

I live in the midwest, in a very flat state. We don't really have vistas. Having said that, there is a nice view going out of our subdivision.

6. Where is your favorite place to waste time online?

Blogger/Bloglines, of course!

7. Where is your favorite place to waste time offline?

Inside books.

Life Questions

From Kwizgiver.....(link at left)

Life Questions

TAKE THIS SURVEY!

Take this survey

how old do you feel Tonight, about 40. Normally, closer to 20.
where were you on september 11th, 2001 Mostly at home, watching TV.
what do you believe is the meaning of life Fulfilling your potential, and appreciating what's around you.
why is the sky blue Because green would be icky.
what is your favorite thing to cook Bagels.
you have only a dollar to your name...what do you buy Nothing. I believe I'll just be savin' that in hopes that I can collect a few more.
what would your last meal be Oh, hell, I dunno...I'm too tired to think about food (that's VERY tired!).
what is the youngest age you have memories of About three, but it's a very brief memory
what is your favorite thing in the world Sleep.
have you ever punched someone on purpose Of course. I have a brother, after all!
do you know what color chartreuse is close to Yes. I went and checked, and I was right. It's not really my favorite.
did you like garbage pail kids Heh. Yeah. They were funny, when I was 12.
why do we have daylight savings time Something about conserving resources/energy...I don't get it. Think it's really rather silly.
what living person would you want to meet My daughter-in-law.
what dead person I'm assuming that I would meet them when they were alive, or in heaven, or in some setup like that? I'd like to meet my mother's dad.
where in the world would you live if you could Someplace where both Beast and I could either find jobs we loved, or hobbies to fill our time enjoyably.
who is your favorite artist Michelangelo.
who has had the most influence on you (good or bad) In terms of people, it's kind of a toss-up between Sparky & Beast.
what is your favorite dessert White cake with lots of icing.
do you know your personality type Yup. The last time I took it, I was ISFJ.
what age is your favorite so far in your life Except for my job, 25-27 was good. Actually, 37-40 was better.
can you make cookies from scratch Can I? Yes. Do I? Rarely
was the chicken first or the egg It's on my list to ask God, but I'm going with the chicken.
hershey or nestle Hershey.
night out or night in In.
single forever with a great family or no family and your soulmate .....? I think I'm committed to the great family and whateverthefuck a soulmate is.
what is your favorite scented candle I like linen scented candles.
what type of underwear do you prefer Cotton.
do you ever wear a wife beater I really don't like that term, and I'd look ridiculous in one.
if you could live in a store which one would it be I'd probably go with Wal-Mart, since they have food, clothes, beds, and everything else I could think of.
can you eat a dozen donuts in one sitting Er. Yuck?
what is your favorite curse word Fuck. Damn, I need to clean up the shit I say!
your favorite regular word Depends on who'se saying it. I like my name, actually.
have you ever read/tried to read the bible Yes. Working on it again now, as a matter of fact.
have you ever heard of yahoo serious I have, but don't remember what exactly I've heard.
who do you dislike most in the world ...too many people to list here. I should do a post on this.....
what is your ideal date A good, low-key meal, followed by a live show.
would you rather marry a deaf or blind person ....uh....I'm not marrying their senses, so it would depend. I guess I'd lean toward deafness though, since I already know how to deal with it.
what is your favorite shape I HATE circles! I don't like bendy lines. So, I'll go with a nice isosceles triangle.
can you eat just one chip Yep.
where is the farthest you've ever been from home Beijing. Twelve hours away across the globe.
what is your desktop background Dom Perignon bottle, box and glass.
what song do you identify with most 99.9% of them.
which movie do you wish was your life Groundhog Day. {snort}
has someone ever intentionally put food on you "put food on me..."? Uh, that would be affirmative.
what color is your favorite Blue.
what color do you feel represents you Blue.
do you believe in God Yes.
have you ever broken a bone Fingers, and possibly a wristbone. None of them were treated.
have you ever shut someone's fingers in a door ....not sure, actually... Don't think so.
would you rather be honest/poor or a liar/rich Honest & poor. More experienced at it.
what is the weirdest thing you have ever eaten and hated All the foods I hate are weird: liver, Brussels sprouts, tomatoes....
what is the weirdest thing you have ever eaten and liked Mongolian food. God knows what was in it, but it was outstanding!
what is your ideal ice cream creation I'm happy with vanilla ice cream, some malted milk, and caramel topping.
what character from a movie would you marry Harry, in When Harry Met Sally.
what is your favorite thing to do Sleep.
what is your favorite junk food If there is sugar involved, I'm there. You can keep the chocolate, though.
what is the longest you've gone without talking to anyone I have no idea. Coupla days, maybe.
what is your favorite board game Life.
your favorite book Too many to choose from.
do you know how to change a tire I could do it if I had to. Unless Beast was the one who put the lugnuts on!!
would you consider yourself a geek Yep.
what movie could you watch over and over again Fiddler on the Roof.
have you ever eaten paste Yes. Mom used to make it out of flour and water. Not too much of a stretch.
have you ever gone to the bathroom in front of someone Well, yeah, but not for a VERY VERY long time.
what is your ideal halloween costume Jeans and a sweatshirt.
what toy have you always wanted and never gotten A yellow Jeep Cherokee.
what item could you not go without during the day Lately, allergy meds. In reality, my glasses.
do you consider yourself a smart person Yes.
have you ever peed in a pool Probably not.
who was your first crush David Cassidy, at age 8.
who was your first love My parents.
do you close your eyes when you listen to music Sometimes.
how old were you when life was the hardest My early teenage years were not great. My early thirties were worse.
do you eat the burnt chips No, yuckO!
do you still have your baby blanket I never had one in the sense of carrying one around, but I do have one from my childhood; it is handmade, but I don't know by whom. (I'm too tired to parse that correctly)
is there anything you HAVE to do everyday Eat. Breathe. Excrete. Sleep.
do you curse in front of family Fuck yeah.
what is your favorite tv show ever I loved China Beach. And My So-Called Life was awesome.
if you had to get back with and ex who would it be ...not happening...
when was the last time you felt truly loved by someone Now.
what character trait would you change about yourself Jumping to conclusions.
3 wishes... 1) Peace, 2) Love, and 3) Understanding among people.
have you ever passed out Yes. Alcohol abuse will do that to you.
have you ever slapped yourself in the face Of course.
have you been in a car accident that was your fault Yes.
favorite line from a song ...and in the end, the love you make is equal to the love you take. (Honestly, no clue why that ran through my head, since I haven't listened to anything Beatles-ish in ages...)
favorite line from a movie I can make a hat...a brooch...a pterodactyl. (And I can make myself crying with laughter...)
what do you do when the power goes out Light a lamp/candle/flashlight. And then call the power company on the cell phone.

CLICK HERE TO TAKE THIS SURVEY!

More surveys @ MySpaceBulletins.com

The Eyes

You're right 90% of the time when it comes to deciphering emotions

Average score for Men: 66%
Average score for Women: 76%

If you scored under 30%: Do you think you're good at judging how another person is feeling? Your score suggests this doesn't come to you quite so naturally.

If you scored between 30% and 60%: Your result suggests you have a balanced female-male brain and find it neither easy nor difficult to judge people's emotions.

If you scored over 70%: Your result suggests you are a good empathiser, sensitive to other people's emotions. Women generally fall into this category.

Professor Baron-Cohen at the University of Cambridge says that people usually perform better than they expect to on this test.

Link: The Ability to Read Emotions(Eyes) Test written by retardelevator on OkCupid Free Online Dating, home of the The Dating Persona Test

Holy ratshit, Batman! That's an amazing score!

Social Networking

You're a Expert!

You're a walking, talking resource library [oh the irony!], and you're able to advise people on a great many things. You enjoy building expertise in specific areas and then generously sharing your hard-earned knowledge with others. People know they can trust your advice because you take your areas of expertise seriously. Thus, it's likely that many people come to you for your thoughts and opinions in those matters.

Because it comes as second nature to you, you may not even realize how unique it is to have a command of such a wide variety of topics. For instance, when you have a free afternoon, it's not unlikely that you'll be spending it brushing up on the latest advancements in your favorite topic or giving others informal lessons to help them get up to speed. While some might know a little bit about many things, but not much about anything in particular, you make the extra effort to really learn the ins and outs of the things you're most interested in. In a difficult situation, you're most likely to get involved and lend your knowledge or help research solutions. You have a special skill, and those in your network can benefit from it greatly.
The Social Networking Test

Brought to you by Tickle

And this is a surpise to whom??

3x Thursday

(Link at left)
The Next 6 Months

1. Do you have anything major planned for the next 6 months? If so, what is it? If not, is there something you'd like to accomplish but haven't decided to do it yet?

The next 6 months include four (or five) big holidays, all of our birthdays, and sixty kabillion things that need to be done for youth groups and other church 'events.' We are also going to be tearing up carpet in three rooms and putting down laminate floors to ameliorate (dollar word o' the day!) my allergies.
What do I want to accomplish? I'd like to survive!

2. If you could choose, how would the next 6 months play out for you?

I hope I can stay ahead of the big waves of Christmas Child, Christmas greens sales, SAD, and general Christmas panic, and also stay on task with Session stuff, and the mental list of Winter Projects I need to get to.

3. What about the last 6 months? Has it been everything you hoped for, or could you have done without a few things? Explain.

Let's see: Elizabeth is safely and surely married to a wonderful man, Sparky survived middle school and started high school and had (possibly) his last really deadly-dull, schedule-free summer, and we went on vacation to several areas of the country I had never seen. And I made it through another winter, and (almost) another allergy season.

Thursday Threesome

(Link at left)
::Right on Target::

Onesome: Right-- around the corner from where I live (or work) there's this neat little..... (Go ahead, add your own ending to that sentence!)

...state park that no one seems to use. OK, it's about a 7-minute drive from my house, but there are never people around, and if you like prairies it's lovely.

Twosome: on-- the other hand, I'll travel clear across town to..... (Same deal: fill in the blank so we'll know what will get you traveling!)

...shop. Because "clear across town" when you live in my size town doesn't mean much. I actually MUST leave town to shop for anything except beer, old produce, and snack food. Or overpriced gas at a station that doesn't take credit/debit cards.

Threesome: Target-- or Walmart? Nah, no contest. How about Target or Mervyn's? Hmmm... That would limit us to clothes, but that's okay, go for it! (No, Macy's isn't eligible...)

Never heard of Mervyn's. I love me some Target, though.