Making up reality

(found here)

Started 12/18 5:45 p.m.

3101. Would it bother you if your priest, rabbi or other religious leader (teacher if you are not religious) started wearing a plain black mask all the time? If yes, why? 

So, this was definitely written prior to the events of 2020... I didn't even know what our new pastor looked like without his mask for months after he arrived.

3102. Where do you look for the answers? 

The Google machine, of course. I'm usually the one people come to FOR answers at work--or I was before I (finally) got myself bounced from Reference work--but I used Google/Bing/DDG just like you do.

3103. If you are driving and someone honks at you does it ruin your whole day? 

Nope. That's how people let others know they aren't paying attention (true) or they want you to go first at a four-way stop.

3104. If you are driving and you get angry at another driver do you yell at them through their and your closed window? open the window and yell at them? throw things at them? stop the car and start a fight with them? do something else? 

I mutter at them and occasionally curse their offspring, but nothing overt that they can see beyond a WTF scowl.

3105. I'm in the right lane on the parkway. There is an exit only lane on my right. A car pulls out from behind the pack into the exit only lane. When that car gets to the exit he is right in front of me only one lane to the right of me. Instead of exiting the parkway he tries to creep back in in front of me. I get pissed and honk the horn. He (I keep saying he but I couldn't tell) throws up his hands as he slides in front of me. I think this is funny and toot again. He throws up his hands again. I do this about three more times and each time I toot he throws his hands in the air. Then my exit comes up and I have to get off. From the time he got in front of me until I got off the parkway we drove approx. 20 feet. What you think about this situation? 

I think it's pretty fucking clear you aren't in Texas, because chances are good you'd've at least had a rifle pointed at you. 

3106. Do you live in reality or in your 'own little world'? Which one is better? 

Depends on the day, or at least the time of day. My own world isn't so awesome, but the real world is obviously isn't great either.

3107. Who's your favorite soprano? 

Freddie Mercury? 😉  OK, I can only think of Sara McLachlan right now.

3108. Why is there porn geared towards straight men, gay men, lesbians but none really geared towards straight woman? 

First of all, there is plenty; you just haven't found it. Secondly, I've read that men are engineered to respond more to visual input than women, so that may be part of it. But honestly, whatever you want to find, if you want to find it bad enough, it will be online. Caveat emptor!

3109. Is there more to being human than chemicals and impulses? If yes, what? 

Who knows? You should probably ask a neurochemist this question. I think humans are adept (generally) at reading each others signals and then obsessing endlessly about those signals in some way or another.

3110. What if all the boys in jail could get out now together? 

That would be fucking horrifying.

3111. If your shoes could talk what would they say? 

I'm sure they are having plenty of conversations among themselves without me. I tend to provide them with lots of buddies to hang with.

3112. How many windows are in your house? 

21, plus two more in the garage.

3113. Did you walk around your house and count them all? If not what did you do?

Nope, I just pointed in their general direction and counted 'em up. To be honest, I may be off by one; can't remember for sure about the basement windows.

3114. Do you think people store memories as pictures or words?

I know everyone does it differently. I store memories as emotions and words, but I know quite a few people who either don't "see" pictures, or who can't comprehend how to remember without pictures.

3115. If you got sent to jail who would your one phone call be to?

Hmm, that's a good question. Sparky can't afford jail call fees. I may have to call my attorney directly.

3116. Pick a movie you have seen: Give a 2 sentence review about it using the word 'go':

Going to high school is the pits. Maybe blowing up the whole school would be a good solution?

3117. Pick a song you like: Give a 2 sentence review of it using the word 'come':

I'll do the song on Spotify right now: It's bloody depressing, no matter how you come 'round to it. Also clangy-bangy with strong guitars. ("Roads Untravelled" Linkin Park)

3118. Pick a person you like: Give a two sentence description of them using the word 'lunchbox':

There aren't many people I'd allow to pack my lunchbox every day. But there are a few who I'd happily allow to take turns.

3119. What do these 3 words have in common: hippo, camp, us?

Aside from combining to form the word "hippocampus" I can't think of anything.

3120. If you could save time in a bottle, the first thing that you'd like to do is...

I wouldn't. Time is what it is, and we can't ever get it back when it's gone.

3121. Who is the most powerful person in the world that you can think of?

These days, the one causing by far the most problems is Putin. But he also has a lot of company in the pantheon of Absolute Nightmares.

3122. If you were designing a mini-golf hole what would it be like? 

Lol, I'm involved in setting up a temporary course about once a year as it is. I'll pass.

3123. Why do you think certain people become targets for teasing in school or exclusion at work?

My theory is that everyone takes a turn in the hotseat. Some of us manage to pull ourselves off it quickly, some of us move in and make it home for a good while.
Of course, that's best case; if your workplace/school sucks, there is always That One Person who can't do anything right. Ick. People are pretty awful.

3124. Why, in essays, is the word 'I' not allowed to be used when it is our own PERSONAL thoughts being expressed?

My personal opinion is that there should be no exclusion of "I" if you're discussing yourself, but one also needs to be careful not to overuse it either.

3125. What song would you like your doorbell to play?

I would prefer my doorbell never make any sounds whatsoever.

3126. Would you rather watch MTV or play GO FISH? 

These days, from what I've been told, this isn't even a competition: go get the cards!

3127. What is an itch? 

Touch receptors in the skin warning you that something may be on (or in) it and you should Do Something About It.

3128. Why did the Holocaust happen?

{gestures at the world} Because people didn't care enough to elect people who could coherently run the government so horrible folks took over and let their ids run absolute riot.

3129. Would you be capable of torturing another person?

Wouldn't it be lovely to be able to believe that I couldn't do that? But I'm too old to believe any such thing. My best hope is that it will involve too much work and I'd rather not do anything excessive anymore.

3130. How did Hitler's army do this and still believe they were good people?

The ones who knew about it really believed that the "others" were actually Others, not even human or worthy of different treatment. Those who didn't really know about it felt the same way, that Others had nothing to expect beyond maltreatment, but that no one could possibly be that evil, either, to do that sort of thing. Certainly not people like US!

3131. Do you like poetry to rhyme?

I like poetry to say things that are impossible to say in other ways.

3132. Does 'Jewish' describe a race or a religion? 

Oof, loaded question these days. In previous days, I'd say "both" but this fall has made me think quite a lot deeper.

3133. How tall are you?

Still about 170 cm

3134. If Hitler was capable of such cruelty to others, and he is human, does that mean that all humans are capable of this cruelty?

Yup.

3135. How long have you ever gone without sleep?

I stayed up all night a couple of times in college to do a marathon radio show. And I've had precious little sleep multiple nights since then. I don't usually feel it till about 36 hours later.

3136. Is a mouse a miracle? 

We are all pretty miraculous, both in being and in seeing it others.

3137. there are alcoholics, chocoholics, shopaholics, practically anything can be an 'oholic. What's your 'oholic? 

Sleep.

3138. Does heaven have a phone number? If it did would you call? Who would you ask to speak to? What would you say? 

FFS, give me a damn break. Every religious person knows there is communication with heaven and uses it fairly regularly.

3139. Fortune time!! 

1,2, 3, or 4? 

 if 1: 5, or 6? 

 if 2: 7 or 8? 

 if 3: 9 or 10? 

 if 4 11 or 12? 

Now pick a letter between A and G:

 if A: 13 or 14?

 if B: 15 or 16? 

 if C or D: 17 or 18? 

 if E or F: 19 or 20?

 if F: 21 or 22?

 if G: 22 or 23? 

9 17

...you should now have two numbers. look at both numbers below and combine the sayings to get a fortune. 5: you are a very loving person 6: you will become very rich 7: you are too hard on yourself 8: cats will bring you bad luck 9: gremlins will eat all your cheese 10: you are going on a trip 11: someone you don't know will be watching you 12: you will get what you want --- 13. and your life will be filled with romance 14. but you will fall in love with a baboon 15. and salt is lucky for you 16. or you will inherit a cough medicine factory 17. and you will not come back 18. and you will lose the remote 19. or your favorite team will win 20. and you were born under a lucky star 21. but the next person who leave you a note is attracted to you 22. and you will have a stalker soon 23. or your best friend will take you to a movie 

So gremlins are going to eat my cheese and I will mot come back? Sure, that makes as much sense as anything else in the world today.

3140. Do you vote?

Early and often, just as one is supposed to do in this area. (I missed a primary a few years ago--for good reason--and still feel tremendously guilty about it which is ridiculous because it was all local stuff that my vote ended up not mattering)

3141. Are you always honest with yourself? Were you honest when you answered that question? 

Hah! Bloody rare for me to be honest with myself, tbh.

3142. What kinds of diary names or entry titles make you specifically NOT want to read that diary?

I don't have any real urge to read anyone's diary. OK, except maybe my MIL because she was a hoot as a teen.

3142. Is writing an online diary more about being honest about yourself or entertaining your readers?

It's mostly about filling time for me. I like being entertaining, but it's also a good way to access some random parts of my brain that I don't visit that often.

3143. What are you the last of?

Heh, judging by the song that just came on ("Last Dance" Donna Summer), the last person left at a disco at closing time.

3144. Who do you really appreciate and what have you done lately to show that you appreciate them?

Beast. I brought him cheese and crackers yesterday for football nosh, and coffee this morning (and let him sleep in).

3145. When people do good deeds are they really doing them because they are a good person or because they want to feel like a good person? Or both?

Both. Or habit.

3146. Somewhere far back in the survey I asked if Bill Gates or Mother Teresa was more successful. The most popular answer I have seen is 'it depends on how you define success'. Well, this survey is about YOU isn't it? So how do YOU define success? 

Do the people you love think you're a good person? Voila: success. It's really about that saying: Be the person your dog thinks you are.

3147. Are people making up reality as they go along?

Pretty much. Nice catch.

3148. You may need a calculator for this one. Think of your weight. Divide it by 2.2 multiply the answer by .8 What do you get? That is how many grams of protein you need to eat every day to stay healthy. Do you think you eat enough? 

Trust me when I say I eat plenty of protein, and everything else, to maintain that weight. I'd much prefer to have a lower goal, but {shrug}

3149. What is your feeling about republicans? 

My parents, and their parents were solid Republicans. All of my siblings and I turned out Democrat or at least Independent-Leaning-Left.  So I have some understanding of Republicans, at least historically. The current crew, though, I'm fairly certain are lizard people.

3150. What do you need to do? What do you need to stop doing? 

Figure out presents. This.

3151. If you were to start a club, what club would you start? 

I loathe clubs.

3152. Are your hands and feet always cold? Maybe you have bad circulation. 

No shit? Really? Never heard that before? Also it's fucking 22 degrees outside with a windchill of 9 and I'm too cheap to pay for more heat than 60 degrees in my house. Going to go take a hot bath shortly and crawl into my warm nest of a bed.

Stopped 6:55 p.m.

Restarted 12/29 7:32 p.m.

3153. Have you ever been prank called? If yes, what was the situation? 

I have, a few times. Most were just goofy and I hung up. One was fine, then got creepy-weird...it was back in the days when they had inmates in prisons doing QI callbacks. Thank the Lord we moved not long after that--unrelated to the phone call.

3154. Have you ever prank called someone? If yes, what was the prank? 

As a child/young teen, this was a regular event in my parent-free days when I 'snuck' a friend in the house. Nothing mean, just "Is your fridge running?" level.

3155. Have you ever gotten into a conversation with someone when they or you have dialed a wrong number? 

Nope. And it's unlikely nowadays: if you aren't in my phone book you go to vm and if it's important I'll call back.

3156. Have you ever just sat alone with no distractions for a whole hour and thought about things? If yes, does the universe open up when you do this? 

Not recently, but prior to cell phones till was often how we passed airplane rides. The universe did not, as a matter of fact, open up. I just was bored.

3157. Are you a genius? 

Nope. I'm smart. But I'm also really dumb about some things.

3158. If you were going to design the PERFECT significant other ... what flaws would you give them? 

PERFECT for me would involve the occasional minor irritations like snoring or leaving his baseball caps in every room of the house, but that's all. Creating this creature will definitely require being a mind-reader.

3159. If you answered NO to 3157, why do you doubt yourself? 

Because I'm 60 and I'm too tired to lie, or care. I doubt myself regularly; I think that's pretty healthy.

3160. RARRRR!!! Scared ya, didn't I? 

I'm terrified.

3161. Do feelings and ideas come from inside the mind or outside in the culture? 

Why not both? 

3162. When you have a feeling or an idea: do you trust it? Even when people are telling you that you are wrong? Even when people are laughing at you for it? 

When I have the idea it's usually brilliant. If I have thought it over for awhile and it still seems pretty reasonable, I might mention it to others. If it really is a good idea and I've got skin in whatever game it is, I will right for it. If I don't care that much about the outcome--i.e., the Mayor of the city in which I work needs to be duct-taped to a pole in a snowstorm--I'm not likely to bestir myself about it. I have, recently and going forward, had to forcibly STOP MYSELF from getting in the middle of other people's drama.

3163. WHAT IS YOUR SOAP OPERA NAME? (YOUR MIDDLE NAME BECOMES YOUR FIRST NAME AND YOUR LAST NAME IS THE NAME OF THE STREET OF THE HOUSE YOU GREW UP IN): 

WHY IS THIS ALL IN CAPS??? I'm sure I've answered this elsewhere and even though I use neither of those works for security questions, I'm going to answer instead the name of my first pet and the street my bestie K-12 lived: Peppy Inca.

3164. What is the difference between spirituality and religion?

One makes you accountable to others as well as God, one is just you and God.

3165. What is the speediest way you know of to get over a cold or flu? 

Sleep as much as you can. Drink as much water as you can.

3166. Who is your favorite comedian?

Always and forever, George Carlin.

3167. What do you think of Winona Ryder's court case?

And we have a creation date for this meme!
I don't think about it. Ever.

3168. What was your last nightmare about?

I haven't had a proper nightmare in awhile, but I've awakened out of some really stressful dreams plenty of times. Recently I woke up so angry with a coworker I could barely face her at work, which was dumb because the dream was NOT reality-based.

3169. Who are the people in your neighborhood? 

There's a guy named Tom cattywampus from me. My next-door neighbors are the Ortegas. The folks across the street have been there for a decade and I have no idea what their names are. My good friends who do my lawn and snow-removal live behind me. The people in the other houses around me I haven't ever really met, but generally everyone's cool.

3170. During what decade was popular music the most emotional? During what decade was popular music the best?

The most emotional music happens whenever you are aged 12-24. Ditto for the "best" music.

3171. How did Frederick Douglas, escape slavery against all odds? There were thousands and thousands of slaves around him, why did only he manage to learn to read and write?

Kismet. Fate. Stubbornness. Wisdom. Pick as many as you like. I don't know the answer but I'm glad it happened.

3172. Do you download porn? (be honest!)

I honestly do not. I have better uses for my computer memory.

3173. Why is 'go suck an egg' or 'your grandma sucks eggs!' an insult?

Hmm,  let's go find out. Many possibilities are discussed here.

3174. Life is: I am: I am not: But I want to be: And I wish I could:

This looks like word salad... If I'm understanding the question then I want to be present, and a I wish I could change some things I've done.

3175. What is the highest achievement anyone could ever achieve in this department?

spiritual: inner peace, duh.

physical: 5% BMI

emotional:  I have no idea what this would look like, but essentially it's "not me."

with their humanity: giving selflessly at all times

(none of these is likely in one person; they are unlikely for four different people, even)

3176. Can you give step by step instructions on how to think deeply?

No I cannot. I will just say that I'm sure it's easier to do when you're not distracted or if you don't have AD(H)D.

3177. Did you ever see The Wizard of Oz with the sound all the way down while listening to pink Floyd's The Wall? If yes, did you see what everyone says goes on when you do that?

I only heard about this a few years ago, so no. Interesting artefact of life, but I'm not convinced it's on purpose at all. Also, I don't own either of these (movie or CD) so it's unlikely I ever will do this. [Yes I know about streaming...]

3178. Let's say you were writing an application for potential new friends. What three questions would you ask (and what would you want the answers to be)?

1. Do you require drama to feel alive?

2. How are you with sitting quietly in a room together reading a book while everyone else in the room is also quietly reading books or noodling online?

3. How kind are you? Give examples.

I'm not answering. That would be dumb.

3179. Which two words of the following words goes together the best and why: mullet, broccoli, community, blue, phosphor, hammer, ocean, hand

I'm going for hammer and hand because of the obvious need of the one to use the other. Not to mention the number of times I've hit my hand pounding in a nail. 

3180. Are you dyslexic? 

Increasingly so. OK, not really, but today at McDonalds when asked for my mobile code I got the letters backwards.

3181 is missing so I'm just going to take the opportunity to wish everyone a happy 2024.

3182. Are you overwhelmed? By what? 

Perpetually. By personal responsibilities and the world around us.

3183. 'My natural elasticity was crushed.' What does that mean? 

I 100% hear that! I just don't have the bandwidth to deal with BS anymore.

3184. What is humanity evolving towards, do you think? 

Extinction. Sooner or later.

3185. Are you good at cracking codes? ,t y dsud yp Ftoml upit ,o;l (I'll give you a hint. Y really means T). 

Generally, I'm ok with decoding this sort of shit, but I literally canNOT tonight. It's something to do with hand placement on your keyboard.

3186. How many holes do you have in your body (ex. mouth)? 

The usual average, I guess.

3187. Now there are ads on taxi cab hubcaps. Is there ANY free space LEFT to put more ads onto taxis??? 

There are no ads of any sort on our cabs around here, just the name(s) of the company/ies.

3188. What's the worst place to have a scab? 

Anyplace bendy. Every time you move it breaks open again.

3189. Do you pick your scabs? 

Not until they are fully ready to be peeled off.

3190. Who's goin' chicken huntin'? 

Why in hell would you hunt for chickens? Usually you just step outside to the barnyard and grab one.

3191. Post 'it' note:  what does 'it' stand for? 

The joy of English is that "it" can mean anything you want, although nouns work best.

3192. What is a tragedy?

According to OED def 2: "a play dealing with tragic events and having an unhappy ending, especially one concerning the downfall of the main character."

3193. Where is Guam?

In the middle of the southern Pacific ocean.

3194. Are you bubbly? Do you drink bubbly?

I have never been called bubbly to my face. I drink GOOD bubby, not the cheap shit, which literally makes me barf.

3195. Do you have caller ID? If you do then do you only answer the phone after looking at it? 

Yes, and yes.

3196. Bewitched or Jeannie?

Slight edge to Bewitched because she wasn't a dingbat.

3197. When will you be able to just do what you want to? 

At this rate, never.

3198. How do people live with the fact that their time is short and priceless yet they get paid too little to waste too much of it? 

This is (one of) the question(s) of the universe. I do not know. There is a lot to be said for Universal Income.

3199. OOGA! Make your best cave-person sound!

In a blog? "Blog" itself has always sounded wonderfully Neanderthal.

3200. Who tells better gossip, your best friend or your answering machine?

Friend. I don't have a machine, and most of the vms I have are hangups.