Saturday 9

(Link in meme-roll)
I Don't Know How to Love Him (1971)
Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) This song is from Jesus Christ, Superstar. Though now a beloved classic, the play was controversial when it first premiered. Can you think of something else that originally made people uncomfortable, but went on to be accepted?

Rock and roll in general. Then rap. Integrated schools. Gay people. ...
By the way, JSC is still semi-controversial in a lot of Christian circles because it doesn't directly address or mention the Resurrection. Me, I've got the whole dang thing memorized.

2) Jesus Christ, Superstar was originally developed as a "concept album," a collection of songs written to sequentially tell the story of The Crucifixion and Resurrection. Do you remember the first album you bought? Did you download it, listen to it on a CD player, your cassette deck, or record player?

The first album I bought was a compilation of hard rock hits from the late 60s. I knew ONE song. It was a stupid purchase. Oh well.

3) When the album's songs were performed live in concert at the Pennsylvania Civic Arena, producers decided to stage it as a play and the rest, as they say, is history. Tell us about a really good idea you've had recently.

I gave a dude some decent job-searching/interviewing advice at work today. Does that count?

4) Jesus Christ, Superstar is a truly international phenomenon. During a revival tour that began in 2011, it's been a hit with audiences in the United States, Canada, Britain, Ireland, Brazil, Hungary, India, New Zealand, Italy, France, Mexico, Chile, Bulgaria, Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Estonia, Iceland, Russia, Poland, Czech Republic, Greece, Australia, The Philippines, South Africa, Panama, Colombia, Croatia, Bolivia, The Netherlands and Portugal. Besides the United States, which of those countries have you visited?

I've been to Canada, Britain, Italy, Mexico, Russia, Poland, and Greece.

5) Peeps are big sellers every Easter. Would you rather have yellow chicks or pink bunnies?

I'd rather not have Peeps, thanks. Yuck.

6) Jelly beans are also popular this time of year. One theory says they were introduced in Boston during the 19th century. What else comes to mind when you think of Boston?

Now I'm primed to think about Boston Baked Beans.

7) We've been talking a lot about sweets this morning. The only holiday that generates more candy sales is Halloween. When do you eat more candy: Easter or Halloween?

Halloween. I haven't bought any candy at all this month.

8) Easter lilies will adorn many churches this Sunday. What's your favorite flower?

I can't stand Easter lilies--they mean death to me. Too many funerals as a child.... I like old-fashioned roses, the kind you grow in the yard.

9) Easter is considered the season of rebirth. What makes you feel refreshed or rejuvenated?

A vacation, which is coming up in just 10 days!! woot woot

Sunday Stealing

(Link in meme-roll)
The Easter Meme

What are your Easter traditions?

Don't really have a bunch besides church. We used to go to sunrise service, but there was only ever about 8 of us there, so they discontinued that a few years ago, which makes me sad. Sparky gets a basket o' candy. We try to take a photo that day--that's a carryover from my childhood of having the kids pose for pictures in front of a tree in the backyard in their Easter clothes. I'm making a ham right now, but that's about the only nod to "holiday" post-church.

Do you hard boil and decorate eggs?

I used to when Sparky was little. Haven't really done it for a few years now. No one is crazy about eating hard-boiled eggs here.

How do you decorate your home for Easter?

I do not. In fact, aside from Easter baskets, I believe I have precisely ZERO Easter decorations. Unless you count the crosses on walls that stay up year-round.

Do you make/buy special outfits for yourself and your kids on Easter?

I bought new clothes this year, but actually they're are more for next Sunday's confirmation we were invited to. Sparky used to get a new outfit, but that has passed as well since he never wears nice clothes and keeps growing out of them after one wearing.

What is your favorite Easter dish?

Cadbury cream eggs.

When did you learn the truth about the Easter Bunny?

Around the time I had to start playing Easter Bunny for my oldest nieces, so about age 8.

Do you spend Easter at home, on vacation, or with family?

Home.

First one up on Easter morning?

Today it was Beast. Used to ALWAYS be Sparky, even after the Easter Bunny wasn't a big deal for him; he never used to sleep in. Ever.

Go to mass or church?

Yes. Of course. Kind of the point of Easter.

What are your favorite Easter hymns and/or choir arrangements?

"Christ the Lord is Risen Today" and "My Redeemer Lives." We also do a singalong "Hallelujah Chorus" to close the service most years.

How many Easter egg hunts does your family usually participate in?

Zero. Children running willy-nilly, grabbing at stuff, knocking each other over, and crying because they didn't get "enough" eggs? Yeah, pass.

Do you make deviled eggs out of leftover Easter eggs?

Nope. See above re hard-boiled eggs.

Are you tired of eggs by the end of the Easter Season?

No, since I don't make them. ;-)

Are Peeps good or gross?

Gross.

What company makes the best chocolate for Easter time?

Cadbury.

Lots of candy or not?

Yes, please.

What is your favorite Easter candy?

Jelly beans, the old-fashioned kind like Brach's makes. None of these Jelly Belly flavors, or Skittles or Starburst either. And no "tropical" or spice ones--gah!

Do you find plastic Easter grass hidden in places for months after Easter is over?

Nope. I always counted before I hid things so I'd know when they were all found.

What’s your favorite color for fake grass?

Well, green. Isn't that the color of actual grass? This was the first year I knew about edible Easter grass. Didn't quite dare to try it, but it looked interesting.

Easter Blogthings

You Are Sweet

You are a kind and compassionate person. You prioritize your family and friends. You are naturally [occasionally] selfless and sharing. In fact, you tend to like a treat better if you can share it with someone. You are optimistic and hopeful. You wake up each day [most days] excited for life and a fresh start. No matter what happens, you consider yourself blessed. As long as you have people in the world to love, you're good.

What Does Your Favorite Easter Candy Say About You?

DAMMIT! I'm sick of falling into the "sweet" category. Unfortunately, this is generally accurate, though I'm certainly not always "kind and compassionate." I have limits.

Saturday 9

(Link in meme-roll)
Here Comes Peter Cottontail (1950)


1) Which do you prefer: colored hard-boiled eggs, chocolate marshmallow eggs, or plastic eggs with coins inside?

I prefer eating the marshmallow eggs. ;-)

2) What's your favorite color of Peeps (yellow, purple, or pink)?

Oddly--since I love sugar--I find Peeps disgusting in every way (except for these).

3) All this talk of sweets is making Sam hungry. What's for lunch?

I just had a bagel with Swiss and provolone cheese. Had jelly beans for breakfast.

4) This song was introduced by country singer Gene Autry and it's still a favorite. Please share some of the lyrics. (And you're on your own; Sam didn't include a link to the song this week.)

"Here comes Peter Cottontail
Hopping down the bunny trail,
Hippety-hopping,
Easter's on its way..."That's from memory, so I've no clue how accurate it is.

5) Gene Autry was so popular that a town in Oklahoma named itself for him. Have you ever been to Oklahoma?

I have. Well, I've driven through the eastern part of it. Twice.

6) In addition to singing, Mr. Autry made 93 cowboy movies. What's the last movie you saw?

Uh...hmmmm. The Hunger Games (the first one), maybe, on TV? Several months ago?

7) He and his horse Champion also had a TV show. Can you name another famous horse?

Trigger, of course.

8) Gene Autry also recorded "Rudolph, The Red Nosed Reindeer," and it was, of course, wildly popular, too. Who is your favorite recording artist?

Melissa Etheridge, I guess. I like her music, and really respect the way she's tried to be famous without being idiotic.

9) Back to the holiday celebration at hand -- Easter is considered the season of rebirth. What leaves you feeling refreshed and rejuvenated?

WARM WEATHER after a perfectly awful winter this year. Also, naps.

Patrick's Place

(Link in meme-roll)
Saturday Six

1. What is your favorite holiday of the year?

Thanksgiving.

2. What is your least favorite holiday of the year?

I was stunned to find out about Pulaski Day. REALLY?!?
On the other hand, it was kind of interesting to learn about Casimir P. as an adult--we sure didn't cover him in MY grade school in Denver!

3. Which holiday strikes you as the most somber?

Memorial Day ought to be. But usually isn't anymore.... And of course Veteran's Day, which fortunately still is.

4. Which holiday seems the most festive, even if it isn't your favorite?

Fourth of July.

5. How likely are you to intentionally wear green on St. Patrick's Day?

I usually do. Some years, it's a bit difficult to find any green in my closet.

6. Which holiday that isn't currently on your workplace’s list of official company holidays would you most like to add?

I always seem to end up working on Good Friday; I would love to have the whole weekend off, but since I work either Friday OR Saturday every week, it never happens.

Saturday 9

(Link in meme-roll)
Hurts So Good

1. Tell us about the last time you really got hurt.

I haven't ever been badly injured that I can recall. After years of bashing myself into stationary objects, I seem to be sort of indestructible or at least have developed a pretty high pain tolerance. I have a doozy of a bruise on my outer thigh from last week's grocery shopping. The bagging stand ran into me. {koff koff}

Oooh, yeah: last summer (or the summer before?) I fell through the floor of a barn and scraped and bruised up my right leg rather dramatically. No real damage but it sure looked awful for a couple of weeks: from mid-calf to about halfway up my thigh. The first time I've ever been happy about having fat legs. LMAO

2. What's your oldest possession?

We have a lot of old shit in this house, from furniture built by my dad in the '40s to paintings done by Beast's grandmother, to photos from 100 years ago of assorted family members. Take your pick. Actually, no. Don't.

3. Do you have any phobias?

No. All my fears are perfectly reasonable.

4. What values did your parents instill in you?

I grew up in a very 1950s household. Unfortunately, I was born in 1963, so I was a little out of sync with my peer group. My parents were dyed-in-the-wool Republicans who managed to raise five kids who all vote much further left than they could understand. I still think Dad was a Democrat underneath all his manic protestations about the Evils of Roosevelt.

5. What are your plans for Easter?

I'll be at church from 8:00 till noon or so. Then I'm making dinner for 6 people.

6. I like sun more than snow.

LOL

7. Tell us about 3 fads from your teenage years.

Rubik's Cubes, Gunne Sax dresses, disco. Which, dammit, I liked. So sue me.

8. Tell us what is the most important attribute in a lover.

Sort of a tie between attentiveness and a good sense of the absurd.

9. What new piece of technology have you resisted buying and what would it take for you to change your mind?

I'm still not sold on downloadable music. Seems like a giant fucking hassle. I have toyed with the idea of hiring a teenager to burn all my CDs onto my MP3 player.

Cinn's Friday 5

(Link in meme-roll)
I even love it when you're faking it [I do not make these titles up, folks!]

[01] On a scale of five, with one being lowest, how important is good customer service?

It's a 3, at least, maybe even a 4. And by "good customer service" I do NOT mean "following me through the store harassing me."

[02] When is the last time you hunted easter eggs?

I haven't hunted for years. I last hid eggs a couple of years ago. Sparky's kinda ovah the egg hunting.

[03] What kind of toothpaste do you use?

Most of the time, it's regular Crest. Occasionally I need to whip out the Sensodyne because I've been eating too much candy and my teeth hurt.

[04] What is your first morning ritual?

All winter it has been smacking the Snooze button a couple of times. And then, eventually, taking out my earplugs and putting on my glasses.

[05] To whom do you say goodnight?

Anyone who is around.

Easter

(Found at Kwizgiver's)

What are your Easter traditions? Church. Candy. Ham. I like sunrise service but our church didn't do one this year, and I was at both the 'regular' services. We'll be eating ham all week.

Do you hard boil and decorate eggs? I stopped doing that years ago. I'm the only one who would eat them, aside from (maybe) one that Sparky would eat one Easter morning. I don't like hard-boiled eggs that much, and I can't countenance wasting food after faffing about so much with it.

How do you decorate your home for Easter? The only 'season' I do is Christmas. I can't handle all the pastel and bunnies this time of year.

Do you make/buy special outfits for yourself and your kids on Easter? I got new clothes this week for Easter (plus spring/summer) for the first time in years. Sparky didn't want anything. Who am I to force him to buy clothes he won't want to wear!?

What is your favorite Easter dish? S U G A R

When did you learn the truth about the Easter Bunny? Probably about 8? This was never as big a deal as Santa.

Do you spend Easter at home, on vacation, or with family? Family. Always family.

First one up on Easter morning? Me.

Go to mass or church? Yup. That's the point, yo.

What are your favorite Easter hymns and/or choir arrangements? We heard all three versions of "Christ the Lord is Risen Today" at church today, plus the Hallelujah Chorus. Those were good. There was also another hymn that I really love that we sang today, but I can't remember the title right now.

How many Easter egg hunts does your family usually participate in? Sparky's kinda old for that sort of thing.

Do you make deviled eggs out of leftover Easter eggs? Nope.

Are you tired of eggs by the end of the Easter Season? Not the way I was when I had to eat two dozen decorated eggs!

Are Peeps good or gross? Swiped wholesale from Kwizgiver: "I've always thought they were nasty."

What company makes the best chocolate for Easter time? Meh. I bought the guys Dove bunnies (dark for Beast, milk for Sparky). They didn't complain. I like Cadbury, too.

Lots of candy or not? Bring on the diabetes!

What is your favorite? Cadbury eggs. And jelly beans.

Do you find plastic Easter grass hidden in places for months after Easter is over? Not months. Maybe a couple of weeks, if I haven't vacuumed for awhile.

What’s your favorite color for fake grass? Green. I believe as a child we had yellow for a couple of years, but that was just weird. Yellow grass?? WTF.

Saturday 9

(Link in blogroll)
Enjoying Your Holiday

1. There are several religious holidays going on this weekend. Any plans?

I'm at church for both services tomorrow, though I probably could bug out early from the second one. I think I'm only "on duty" for the beginning of each service. Then we're having FIL over for dinner and to watch golf. Woo. Hoo. (on the latter--I'm all for the food!)

2. Do you look forward to holiday events or do they stress you out?

They only stress me out if I'm forced to have people in my home that I don't care for. Y'know, sometimes relatives aren't all they're cracked up to be. This year = no stress.

3. Do you have any traditional meals that you will eat?

Obligatory ham. Obligatory potatoes. The rest of the fixin's. Also, strawberries. FIL wanted tapioca pudding (yuck) for dessert, so we're down with the taps. And there's Edy's Samoa chunk ice cream for me.

4. We are changing seasons. What are you looking forward to?

The return of signs of life. The tulips are blooming in our yard! The birdies are EVERYdamnwhere, and so are the deer. The grass is visible again, if not quite greened up just yet.

5. Around here it is turning to spring. What signals spring to you?

Easter. :-D

6. What is your favorite season and why?

I love fall.

7. Do you have a favorite food when dining out?

Pasta alfredo. Tiramisu. A good steak cooked well. Not all of these, of course. One of them is sufficient.

8. What is your favorite beverage when out?

Long Island Iced Tea.

9. When is your next big night out?

No clue. We tend not to plan them, but I know we'll have at least one long weekend in May involving Sparky's costumed conference and two tickets to a Broadway-on-the-road musical.

Alternate Saturday 6

(Link in blogroll)
Easter
(or rather, "Spring Candy-Fest")

1. Do you prefer dark, light or white chocolate?

   Is one of the options here "milk chocolate"? Cuz, I don't like bitter chocolate, and white chocolate isn't really chocolate. I'm not sure what light is, unless that's carob, which {shudder} makes me gag.

2. Do you like to receive an egg with a gift (like a mug, etc.) or just the chocolate egg?

   What about actual eggs? And Peeps {more shuddering}? I just want the sugar, to be honest, though. It's been a Very Long Lent.

3. Have you ever been on an Easter egg hunt?

   I have, but I was a little too old to appreciate it. I do enjoy hiding the eggs. We did this with Sparky for over 10 years, in fact, well past his natural egg-hunting age.

4. Do you believe in the Easter Bunny?

I am the Easter Bunny.

5. Do you send friends and family Easter cards?

   I always think I should do this, but I never get around to it.

6. Do you think you’ll have any chocolate egg[s] left this time next week?

   Nope. All the sugar will go in a couple of days. {slurp}

So much for Easter being a religious holiday...looks like the candy manufacturers have stolen it from the Christians completely (who stole it, I'm all-too-aware, from the pagans a couple of millenia ago)

Saturday Special

(Link in blogroll)
~I Say....You Answer...~
Using words that are constantly mentioned during the Easter season, answer with the first word that comes to mind....

1. Peace..... you answer? Shalom.
2. Passion..... you answer? Blood.
3. Forgive..... you answer? Sins.
4. Love..... you answer? Agape.

Easter Egg

What Your Easter Egg Says About You

You are truly optimistic, open, and hopeful. And your optimism gives you the courage to live life adventurously. You love new experiences, ideas, and challenges. You see life as a fluid, growing process.

The Easter Egg Personality Test

I'd agree with the second line as well, but NOT during winter!

Eggs-actly

(sorry)

You Are a Speckled Egg

Artistic, alternative, and not exactly buying into this Easter thing.

What Kind of Easter Egg Are You?

Well, I'm definitely not buying into the secular bit (except candy!) much, that's true.

Easter

You Are an Easter Egg

You're so sweet, you don't need candy. You much prefer the taste of artificial coloring instead.

What Easter Candy Are You?

WTF??

No. I'm neither sweet nor able to turn down jelly beans or chocolate bunnies. We didn't even dye any Easter eggs this year, and that's just fine by me.

Monday Madness

Link

1. Do you make New Year's resolutions? If so, what is your most important one?

No.

2. Easter is coming. Many Christians give up something for Lent. Do you give something up for any reason (or season)? What is it this year?

I should probably start thinking about this pretty soon. Lent starts in about three weeks. I usually try to give something up. Not sure what it'll be this year.

3. Do you watch the Super Bowl? If so, do you watch it with a group? If not, what do you do while the game is on? Anything special?

Yes, we always watch. This year we'll be cheering loudly for ponies (which I find familiar, as a Broncos fan). We'll have the high school group from church here for the game. Last year we ended up playing poker with them when the game got boring.

4. Would you miss Monday Madness if it stopped permanently?

Yes. I'd miss all 'my' memes.

5. Name at least one theme for MM questions. Share at least one question for that theme.

Stupid Mom sayings.
Favorite room in your house (or the house in which you grew up).
Stores you'll never shop in (again).
Socks with toes: discuss.