Saturday 9 x 2

(Link in meme-roll) 

Why Did I Choose You? (1965) 

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here. 

1) In this song, Barbra Streisand reassures her lover that, if she had it all to do again, she would still choose him. Tell us about a decision you've made that you never, ever regretted. 

Despite weeks of homesickness freshman year, I never actually regretted going to college so far from home. It was the only decision I could make to save myself from stagnation.

2) The music was composed by Michael Leonard, who studied classical music at Julliard and the Handel Conservatory of Music in Munich. Do you often listen to classical music? 

Not much. It tends to make me sleep, or else I fall too deeply into listening to parts and replaying and crawling inside it. 

3) The lyrics were written by Herbert Martin. He taught music in the NYC public school system and during the summer worked in summer stock. That's how he met and began collaborating with Michael Leonard. Tell us how you met someone important in your life. 

See question #1. Some of the best relationships, long-lasting ones, of my life started at college, including meeting my now-husband. Almost all of them were distinctly driven by chance and being aware in the moment of the goodness of people.

4) Ms. Streisand was a very good student, graduating fourth in her class at Erasmus Hall High School when she was only 16. One of Barbra's classmates was Neil Diamond. Do you have a favorite Neil Diamond song?

"America" is meaningful to me. Aside: I saw on Facebook this week that he is now 80! Unreal. 

5) While she didn't go on to college, she continued her education by attending two different acting schools simultaneously. Did you enjoy being a student? 

I was an excellent student: attentive, a sponge for info and meaning, good at tests, quiet, well-behaved. None of these things have been particularly useful as a functioning adult except maybe the attentiveness and understanding meaning (rather than surface information).

6) Barbra and her first husband, Elliott Gould, shared a New York apartment over a 5th Avenue restaurant called Oscar's Salt of the Sea. Elliott originated the role of Trapper John in the movie M*A*S*H. On TV, the role of Trapper was played by Wayne Rogers. Can you think of another role that's been played by more than one actor? 

Aunt Viv. Darren Stevens.

7) Oscar's Salt of the Sea has ties to Sesame Street. Jim Henson loved their food and was amused by how inhospitable the owner, Oscar, could be. That's how Oscar the Grouch got his name. Which is your favorite Muppet?

I am developing a deep understanding of Oscar, but I feel mostly like Grover, which is an old family (first) name too. 

8) Back to Barbra ... She is a successful recording artist (nominated for 45 Grammy awards, winning 8) and an Oscar-winning actress, but she's suffered career disappointments, too. In 2010, she read the book Hidden Figures and tried to buy the rights so she could direct the film version. She lost out to fellow Brooklynite, director Theodore Melfi. In 2016, his movie of Hidden Figures was released. Did you see the movie or read the book? 

I saw the movie: stunning! The book was reputed to be deadly dull so I skipped it.

9) Random question: Your best friend takes up painting and proudly presents her first framed work to you. You think it's atrocious. Would you hang it in your home anyway? 

I would, for awhile, and maybe not in an obvious place where I'll see it that often.

 

Saturday 9

(Link in meme-roll)
No One's Here to Sleep (2013)
Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) This song is the theme of How to Get Away with Murder, the legal drama that premiered in 2014 and airs on Thursday nights. Are you a fan?

Nope. I don't watch network TV. I don't watch TV much at all these days.

2) The song's refrain says, "I'll never catch up with you." Behind the wheel, do you carefully observe the speed limit? Or do you have a lead foot, making it hard for anyone to catch up with you?

Somewhere in between. I set my cruise control at 3-5 mph over the limit because anything less than that is too slow around here.

3) How to Get Away with Murder is about Annalise Keating, a law professor at a top Philadelphia university. She has a reputation for being tough, demanding and able to turn her students into successful defense attorneys. Tell us about a teacher who helped prepare you for life after graduation.

I'm still in contact (via Facebook) with one of my Communication profs who taught me a great deal about how see patterns in and reasons for communicative behavior in conversations. Blew my mind. I use what I learned in one of his classes literally EVERY day. Thanks, Pete!

4) The students she feels show the most promise -- and are recruited to help her solve murders -- are known as The Keating Four. Did you ever sense that you were your teacher's favorite?

I was a classic Teacher's Pet for most of my academic career. Somehow I had already figured out a lot of those comm. "rules" before college.... :)

5) Viola Davis was just nominated for an Emmy for playing Professor Keating. Ms. Davis was born on a farm in SC. Have you spent more of your life in a rural, suburban or urban setting?

I grew up solidly suburban, then lived for a few years in a fairly urban environment, and now I'm in what I call the exurbs: on a train line directly into The Big City, but surrounded by farms and woods.

6) Next to Annalise Keating, Viola Davis is best known for her Oscar-nominated role as Aibileen in the movie, The Help. Have you seen it?

Nope. I also don't see movies very often.

7) In 2014, the year How to Get Away with Murder premiered, we lost two famous comedians: Robin Williams and Joan Rivers. Who was the last person to make you laugh out loud? (This means actually, literally laughing out loud, not just keystroking LOL.)

It was probably something on Midsomer Murders (Netflix) or maybe Beast when I saw him earlier. I definitely giggled with Trud at breakfast this morning while we caught up on our crazy lives.

8) The 2014 Olympics were held in Sochi. Have you ever been to Russia? If not, is it a dream destination of yours?

I have. I went with a class in college in January 1985, when it was still the USSR. I would love to go back, but I don't think it's happening at this rate. Both politically and financially it's just not in the cards.

9) Random question: The sign on the railing says, "Wet Paint." Do you touch the railing to see if it's really wet?

Nope. I believe signs.

Sunday Stealing

(Link in meme-roll)
Write from Karen

1. What’s the coolest item you’ve found at a garage sale, flea market, etc.?

It's been awhile since I've hit garage sales (and I never do flea markets, simply because there aren't that many around here). I can't think of anything super-special, though Sparky's main wardrobe supply was hand-me-downs from garages and thrift shops. I found some wonderful glass luncheon dishes at a resale shop over a decade ago, and we have a number of pieces of furniture from resale and "antique" shops. They aren't antiques; just old and cheap.

2. Describe how your day went yesterday.

I was up early to return a key that I mistakenly brought home from work. Then I hit Dollar General for odds and ends, came home and put those away while the load of laundry finished drying. Folded those things and packed up for a visit with Beast...and hit a wall. Took a nap, went over to Beast's for an hour or so (with donuts for the staff and coffee for him), came home, cooked up a steak I'd defrosted earlier in the week--and I'll be eating steak all week now, so there's that--did dishes, listened to some crime podcasts, noodled around online while I ate, looked over the bills and entered receipts, watched Live PD, went to bed.

3. Do you have issues with people entering your personal space? What do you do when your personal space is violated?

I have a fairly small circle of space around me, but once you cross it...yeah, I'll be backing up and doing the defensive/arms-crossed posture. I'm more likely to get myself in a roil because of emotional invasion, though: Friday at work one of our long-time patrons (whose got some issues, but is generally quite interesting to chat with) asked if I was going to be at the Big Do that evening in support of the library. It was a weird vibe, so thank God I could tell him no. I do not need drama in my life!

4. What is the one meal recipe you think you’ve mastered?

Macaroni and cheese NOT from a box! But I do a decent Thanksgiving spread, if I do say so myself.

5. If you could take back something you did to someone, what would it be?

I would have been nicer and less fearful of "status damage" when I was in school.

6. Would you describe yourself as spiritual, religious, or something else?

Seeing as how I literally couldn't force myself out the door to go to church this morning, dressed, packed and...nope... I think I'd better go with spiritual today. I haven't been in worship more than a couple of times since September, and every time I go I lose my shit and then people want to chat about Beast's "stuff" and I get overwhelmed and it takes me the rest of the day to regain some equilibrium. It's a combination of the music, being surrounded by people I love (who love me) and being a Natural Cryer at church even on good days. Fuck. I'm crying just writing about it.

7. Did you ever receive detention in school? What sort of kid were you in school – bookworm, smart kid, troublemaker, quiet … etc.

Had I ever been in detention, my childhood self is certain I'd have been hung from a spit at home and never made it to adulthood. In reality, it wasn't that bad, but it was easier to just roll along being a brainiac bookwormy smart-ass.

8. When’s the last time you ran a mile? How often do you exercise?

A mile??!? That would be, uhm, probably 27 years, before I got pregnant. I don't run. I ran as a kid, and loved it, but I hate sweating with glasses on.

9. What would you say to your 16-year-old self, and why?

"Get over yourself, girl! You are NOT the center of the universe, but you do get to make decisions for yourself! And, jeez, just ask W. (or J.!) out and see what happens, for cryin' out loud!"

10. What are you avoiding?

Piles of bills (which I can't pay till I call my online banking helpline). Piles of tax info (which I can't really do anything about till I talk to my CPA). Piles of boxes (a lot of which are Beast's family stuff, so I can't touch those). Piles of laundry. Piles of phone calls to make: bank, CPA, Wells Fargo, car donation place (but I need to get the year, model and mileage figured out first), insurance company, county clerk's office (for absentee ballot for Beast), SSA, ... endless, really. Which is why it's so hard to even get started.

11. Describe a “Hah! I told you so” moment you had recently.

Every damn day looking at the U.S. Government. Which is why I have backed far off news reports except in the very broadest sense.

12. What’s more important, where you live or what you do for a living? Why?

The most important thing is doing what needs doing. Bloom where you're planted and all that. I mean, if you hate your life, either move/change it, OR adjust. It doesn't pay to be miserable forever.

13. Swear words: Are you pro or con? Why?

Fuckin PRO! I grew up in a household where we couldn't even say "pee" or "Jeez" or "butt" without a smoldering look from Mom. It was ridiculous.

14. Paper or plastic? Do you prefer to pack your own groceries?

I bring my own bags if it's doable. Otherwise, I don't care. I used to say paper, but apparently the production and recycling of those is actually worse than that of plastic, so... I don't know.

15. Do you have a shoe fetish? How often do you buy new shoes? Do you ever get rid of a pair of shoes?

I get rid of shoes when they break or totally wear out. I try to stay out of shoe stores because it's so hard to not Buy Them All. I have to be super-focused.

Saturday 9

(Link in meme-roll)
On and On (1977)
Unfamiliar with this week's song. Hear it here.

1) This song describes the plight of "poor ol' Jimmy," who caught his girlfriend kissing someone else. Have you ever spied on a romantic partner?

Not really. I mean, what's the point? If a guy's gonna cheat, I don't need to watch. If he's not going to cheat there's no point in getting myself all worked up over nothing.

2) In this song, Stephen Bishop sings that he "smiles when he feels like dying." When did you recently put on a happy face, even though you really weren't all that happy?

Oh jeez. That describes my normal minute-by-minute life in public. Specifically, I guess it would be talking to Beast earlier this afternoon. It was a good conversation, but he was quite befuddled if more resigned than he normally is.

3) Stephen Bishop always wanted to be a musician, and as a child he began playing the clarinet. Did you take lessons -- dance, art, music -- as a child? If yes, did you take them because you enjoyed them, or because your parents made you take them?

I took piano as a kid, elementary-school age. I took up flute in 7th grade. Piano was Mom's idea; flute was mine, influenced by my friend who also played flute. I would have loved to take dance, but it just wasn't in the family "plan."

4) When he was 12, inspired by The Beatles on The Ed Sullivan Show, he switched to the guitar and began writing songs. Tell us about someone or something that influenced your career path.

My older sister Jean was a librarian. She and my brother and I all worked as pages at our local public library as teens, and once I realized college wasn't going to last forever, I turned to the option of grad school and thus a career was born. Since then, one of my college roommates and my oldest niece have followed me into the field. I've occasionally nudged Sparky toward it too, but I think he's just heard too many stories from me.

5) Stephen Bishop attended Will C. Crawford High School in San Diego. This school requires students complete 20 hours of community service every year. Tell us about an organization, cause or campaign you volunteered for, either as a student or an adult.

I have worked with Habitat for Humanity, several urban renewal organizations (in several cities) and PDA. There's also P.E.O. and I guess I should include YouthWorks. Does my library count? lol

6) In 1977, when this song was popular, Seattle Slew won racing's Triple Crown. Sam's mother has always been afraid of horses. Is there an animal you're uncomfortable with?

I am a bit in awe of horses simply because they're so much bigger than me and have simply enormous teeth. I'm not afraid of them, just wary. And also bulls. I have no desire to piss off anything with horns.

7) Also in 1977, moviegoers waited in line for hours to see Star Wars. What's the longest line you waited in recently?

I was at the local SSA office yesterday. I gave up; those around me had been waiting over an hour and I was on my lunch break at work. Not a real line, just a room full of soullessness.

8) The mini-series Roots first aired in 1977. Today Americans are spending more time and money than ever to research ancestry. How far back can you trace your family tree?

My mom got back to the 18th century on her side. My dad always joked that we shouldn't look too close at his side for fear of finding horse thieves or murderers.

9) Random question: It's often said that nobody's perfect. How about you? What quality keeps you from being perfect?

Laziness kind of sums it up. It's the root of all the evil in my life.

I can't tell you how hearing this song took me right back to junior high! So weird...

Saturday 9 x 2

(Link in meme-roll)
Baby Love (1964)
Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) When this song was popular, the Supremes were known for their elaborate hairstyles, make up and full-length gowns. When was the last time you got dressed up?

A VERY long time. Over a year, probably. I wasn't even really all that dressed up for the wedding I went to, as I recall, but it wasn't a super-fancy wedding with required formal wear anyway.

2) "The girls," as they were known to the engineers and executives at Motown Records, were Florence Ballard, Mary Wilson and Diana Ross. They began singing together when they were high school classmates. Are you still in touch with any friends from your high school days?

I am. I have probably a dozen from my high school that I'm friends with. Some of them were not friends per se at the time, but are wonderful to know now.

3) Mary Wilson was born in Mississippi and her family moved a great deal before settling in Detroit, where she fatefully met Florence and Diana. Were you uprooted often when you were a child? Or did you spend your school years in the same neighborhood?

My parents lived in the same house from 1946ish until 1994. The only one of us who ever lived anywhere else was my oldest sister who was born in 1943 and with my mom followed my dad around the U.S. a bit during WWII.

4) The Supremes began as a quartet called the Primettes. In addition to Mary, Flo and Diana, there was Betty McGlown. In 1960, Betty left the group to get married and was replaced by Barbara Martin. In 1962, Barbara left the group to have a baby. They quit trying to replace the fourth voice, soldiered on as a trio, and made pop history. Have you ever found yourself in a position similar to Betty's or Barbara's, where you had to make a difficult decision and choose between your personal life and your career?

Of course. I was a mom in late-20th-century America.

5) Thinking of babies and "baby love," is anyone in your life expecting a baby in 2018?

Not that I'm aware of at this point. Actually, someone at church just had her second child last week. I don't think I know anyone else who is currently pregnant, however.

6) With twelve #1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, The Supremes remain America's most commercially successfully recording group, and this song (along with "Stop! In the Name of Love") is one of the most popular karaoke songs. If we handed you the mic this morning and absolutely insisted you perform, what song would you choose (any song, any genre)?

I can rock out to any mid-century Sunday School song you name.

7) Original group member Florence Ballard left the group in 1967. She died of cardiac arrest in 1976 at the age of 32. Since February is National Heart Month, it seems appropriate to ask: Is anyone in your life battling heart disease?

Yes. My sister has some heart issues, and one of my favorite people at work had a heart attack last year, out of nowhere. She's over 70, though. Thirty-two? That's really young. I'm waiting for my turn, since I'm sure I'm headed that way.

8) Florence Ballard's brother, Hank, wrote Chubby Checker's famous dance song, "The Twist." When did you last dance?

I dance around sometimes while I'm cleaning or cooking, and I car-dance semi-regularly. Really dance? A long time. OK, I "danced" with my baby-nephew at that wedding mentioned above, mostly to keep him from screaming and generally happy.

9) Random question: Close your eyes and visualize the most beautiful place you've ever been. Now describe it to us.

I've been to loads of different places that I found beautiful. My favorite is a certain little town in Colorado:

Obv not my photo

The Love Club (2013)
Unfamiliar with this week's song. Hear it here.

1) Lorde has said this song is about a time when she fell into "a bad crowd." Her high-maintenance new friends were all about their romantic dramas and it overwhelmed her. Have you ever had a friend who was just too much work?

Yes, though once I got done with education, I became a lot more discerning in my selection of friends.

2) She sings that she longs to be alone. Where do you go when you want peace and quiet?

My corner of the couch. Or bed.

3) Lorde credits her mother for encouraging her verbal skills. "Mum" let her join a theater class when she was just 5 and was always giving her books. Tell us about an encouraging, understanding adult who assisted you when you were growing up.

I had good teachers all over the place and a couple of my sisters were good cheerleaders for me.

4) Lorde is not the only celebrity from her class at Belmont School in Auckland, New Zealand. Olympian Eliza McCartney was a classmate who went on to win a bronze medal in Rio for the pole vault. Did you participate in any sports in high school?

I did not.

6) Lorde wrote music for one of the Hunger Games soundtracks. Have you seen any of the Hunger Games movies, or read any of the books?

I've seen the first two. I didn't like the last book in the series, so I just bailed on the movie.

7) Her favorite candy is Peanut M&Ms. Do you prefer Milk Chocolate, Peanut, Almond, Mint or Cripsy M&Ms?

Plain or Crispy. I'm not a fan of chocolate with nuts, and I loathe chocolate mint.

8) When Lorde was on stage at Lollapalooza, a sudden storm interrupted her set. The music festival was evacuated and her performance was cancelled. Can you think of a time when the weather had a major impact on your plans?

I'm a bit British this way, in that sometimes it doesn't matter what the weather is doing; life goes on. However, there've been some storms in my life that have caused everything to come to a halt.

9) Random question: Please complete this sentence -- Before I leave the house, I always _________________.

...check to be sure I have a way to get back inside.

Saturday 9

(Link in meme-roll)
My Funny Valentine (1991)
Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) In this song, Ms. Kitt sings that her lover is her favorite work of art. Tell us about a piece of artwork you can see from where you're sitting now. (Yes, that crayon drawing created by your 5-year-old nephew counts.)

It's actually super-dark in the corners of the room right night, so I can only barely see the papyrus my college roommate brought back from Egypt 34 years ago. I'm sure she paid approximately one dime for it, but we had it and a matching one my inlaws had matted & framed a few years ago.

2) She asks him to not change his hair. When will you next find yourself in the stylist's chair?

I haven't had a haircut since early September, so I should probably get that remedied. My stylist is going to want to cut my hair shorter though, so there'll be an argument. "Argument" is too harsh; there'll be a discussion.

3) Ms. Kitt always wanted to be a performer and attended the New York School of Performing Arts (aka the "Fame" school). Think back to your high school self. In what ways would you be surprised by how your life turned out?

I had no specific expectations for what my adult life would look like. I think it's turned out more or less the way I assumed it would.

4) Ms. Kitt took over the role of Catwoman on TV's Batman. Name another Batman villain.

Gotta go with The Penguin.

5) Ms. Kitt enjoyed tremendous success performing in Parisian nightclubs. Have you ever been to Paris?

Nope. Not really all that interested.

This is the last Saturday 9 before Valentine's Day and so this morning we shall focus on the upcoming holiday.6) The holiday is also known as The Feast of St. Valentine. Do you have a special meal planned for next Wednesday?

Oh, you're funny as hell. No. I work 5-9 that day, so no fun meals for me that day. And very likely there will be no Valentines either.

7) The phrase "wear your heart on your sleeve" began in medieval times. On Valentine's Day, men would celebrate the holiday by displaying their lady love's name on their sleeves. If you were going to adopt this custom, whose name would you wear?

Beast, of course.

8) Women buy and send more Valentines than men do. What's the last greeting card you received?

I got a couple of cards ("Hi, we love you!" non-Valentines) yesterday...so don't feel so bad for me regarding the lack of cards next week. ;-)

9) Men buy and send more roses at Valentine's Day than women do. What's your favorite flower?

Heirloom roses, from the year. This year, I might just go buy myself some flowers. I'm in need of a reminder than winter will end eventually.

Saturday 9

(Link in meme-roll)
I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm (2006)
Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) Bette Midler sings about the storm that's raging outside. How's the weather where you are today?

Bright blue, sunny skies, but brutally cold. OK, it's warmer than it was earlier this week, but it's still bloody cold!

2) She mentions her gloves. Tell us about your favorite pair of gloves or mittens.

I have glittens--the things that flip the mitten part back so you can use your fingers.

3) Does your home have a fireplace to keep you warm?

We have a fireplace. I even used it this week...and set my bangs on fire because I forgot the whole damper thing. Dumbass.

4) Bette's father, Fred, supported his family as a house painter. Have you ever held a job that kept you outdoors a great deal of the time?

No, thank God!

5) Her mother, Ruth, was a talented seamstress. How about you? Can you sew on a button? Raise a hem? Darn a hole?

I can do all of those things. I haven't darned in a really long time, but I regularly sew buttons and repair things, apply patches, etc.

6) 2017 was a big year for Bette. At the age of 72, she opened on Broadway in the revival of Hello, Dolly! and won a Tony. As we kick off 2018, what would you like to accomplish this year?

Financial clued-in-ness. I'm not stupid, but I feel completely at sea.

7) Bette and her husband Martin have been married for nearly 34 years. Their wedding was officiated by an Elvis impersonator. Are you looking forward to any weddings in 2018?

I don't think so. Well, I mean Prince Harry's getting married, but... {lol}

8) Bette and Martin are very proud of their daughter, Sophie, now 30, who graduated from Yale in 2008. Do you expect to attend any graduation ceremonies in 2018?

I don't think so. The only people I know that are likely to graduate in anything are in master's degree programs or certification programs which don't always lend themselves to giant parties somehow.

9) Random question: Yesterday, who did you spend the most time with?

I was at work 9 hours yesterday, no break for lunch, mostly at my desk in the workroom. After work I came home. The vast majority of my time I spent in my head (as usual) listening to various podcasts. I spoke at length to a couple of people, but mostly kept myself to myself and got on with my job.

Saturday 9

(Link in meme-roll)
It's Just Another New Year's Eve (1977)
Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.
Welcome to the last Saturday 9 of 2017! Thanks for a great year, everyone.

1) In this song, Barry Manilow declares New Year's Eve is "just another night." How do you feel about 12/31? Is it a special occasion or just another night?

Just another night of massive amounts of fireworks being set off in the middle of the night. I'm excited about the Tournament of Roses Parade on New Year's Day, but this year especially tomorrow is just nothing. Someone gave me a bottle of sparkling grape juice. Maybe I'll pop that open. woo . hoo

2) Barry sings that in the past year, "we've made mistakes." What in 2017 do you wish you could do over?

Oh jeeeeeez. This is why I don't do regrets; this YEAR is why I gave up regrets and do-overs decades ago. If I knew last year this time what was coming, I'm pretty sure things wouldn't have panned out at all the way they did. ... It might have been worse, I guess. {somehow}

3) He also sings of happy nights with friends. Tell us about a really good time you had in the past year.

Uhm. There were flashes of fun, some seriously hysterical laughs, and good times with kids. I didn't have a vacation, and my home-life essentially sucked. I'm learning a lot about myself--some of it's even good stuff--but over all, I don't remember "a really good time" this year. Maybe my discovery of podcasts?

4) The song references growing wiser, as well as older. What's something you learned or discovered in 2017?

I have always thought I was a tough chick, despite outside appearances. Now I know I am, and I'm not here to waste my time on anyone else's bullshit. I'm not going to stop anyone's bullshit, but I'm also not going to spend any time on it if I can stop myself. Also, some of the worst bullshit is that of people closest to me, or so I thought.

5) What do you wish you had spent more time doing during 2017?

Reading. Taking care of myself. Throwing things away.

6) What was the smartest thing you did all this past year?

Called for help. Often.

7) As this year comes to a close, what are you most grateful for?

Friends. Holy crap, I am so fortunate to have an amazing group of friends. Also, my niece has stepped up hard this year, and my brother has been a surprisingly helpful presence for me too.

8) When this week's featured artist, Barry Manilow, was a jingle writer, he wrote the famous "You deserve a break today at McDonald's" song. When's the last time you visited the Golden Arches?

Uhm. Tuesday, I think? For breakfast?

9) Random question: In high school, were you more popular with the boys or the girls?

I wasn't popular at all. I had a tight circle of (mostly) girls that I hung with. I was terrified of guys.

Friday 5

(Link in meme-roll)
Thanks a LOT

1. What would you sarcastically like to thank your local government for?

   "Thank you for not giving me access to the lake I pay taxes to take care of."

2. What would you sarcastically like to thank your body for?

   "Thanks for falling apart right on schedule."

3. What would you sarcastically like to thank your neighbors for?

   "Thanks for the fireworks at random times ALL THE DAMNED YEAR!"

4. What would you sarcastically like to thank the internet for?

   "Thanks for keeping me informed of all the truthiness."

5. What would you sarcastically like to thank November for?

   "Thanks for the truly miserable weather."

+ + + + + + + + + + + + + +

Lady Bird
Five questions inspired by the new Greta Gerwig film Lady Bird, which I recommend.

1. What was moving out of your parents’ home like?

   After I graduated from college, I went home for about three weeks, packed up my life (??) and when I left in June it was to get married. It was weird, looking back from here.

2. What makes popular kids in high school popular, and how were you like or unlike them?

   I don't have a clue where the "popular" comes from. It seems to be some combination of looks, smarts (not necessarily academics), and protection of some kind. I was not in the cool crowd.

3. When you were in high school, where in the neighborhood did schoolmates hang out?

   In my neighborhood, there were no other kids. Seriously, two blocks in either direction there were a grand total of 10 people under 20. However, we had a local mall that was at that time the biggest in the world (yay us) and most kids hung out there.

4. What was learning to drive like?

   My dad was pretty good about it. Mom was psycho. My driver's ed teacher was creepy and useless. I didn't get my license till about 6 months after I turned 16.

5. What were your most difficult and least difficult subjects in high school?

   I intentionally didn't take hard science classes, because those would have been hard. Otherwise, gym was probably my worst class. I was good in literally every other class, really enjoyed myself.

Sunday Stealing

(Link in meme-roll)
Back to School

1. What kind of school did you attend (Big? Small? Public? Private? Specialty? One-room schoolhouse?)

I went to public school K-12 in the same school district as everyone except my mom went to school in suburban Denver. I went to a private college because they gave me a shit-ton of money so it worked out cheaper than a public university.

2. What did you wear to school (uniform? dress code? Whatever you wanted?)

We didn't have a uniform--this WAS, after all the 70s! In fact, I don't really remember much of a dress code beyond "no swear words on clothes" and "no thongs [flip-flops]." My mom never let me wear jeans to school, though. So uncool!

3. How did you get to school?

I walked: 7 blocks to K-6, 6 blocks to junior high, 8 blocks to high school. Three different directions. My junior high was my dad's high school, and has been torn down in the last 5 years and replaced by hideously ugly condo units.

4. Who was your favorite teacher? Why?

Nearly 19 years of education (counting grad school) and I'm supposed to pick ONE favorite teacher?!?! In more or less chronological order: Miss Morton, Mrs. Potter, Mr. Carlson, Ms. Groff (who got married and became Mrs. "Beast's Middle Name"), Mrs. Stobaugh, Ms. W (I seriously have lost her name--there were a lot of W-people), Mrs. Eaton (who got married and I don't remember her other name), Mr. Cady, Mrs. Goldstein, Mrs. Schellnut, Mr. Shupe, Mr. Gilchrist, Miss Bills, Miss Arraj, Mr Renaldo, Mr. Huff, Mr. Graebner, Miss Fitz, Ms. Philippe, "Grubie" (that's a long U), Dr. G, Dr. Hemmer, Doc Pete, "Yaack Duukkes!", Dr. Sherrick, Bud H., Dr. Sweetland, Dr. Samore. Then we have all the people who weren't being paid to teach, from whom I learned the most: the other students and staff and parents...

5. What was your favorite subject? Why?

I was good at, and enjoyed, most classes. Wasn't overly excited by hard sciences (physics, meteorology, astronomy), but I loved English and History. I ended up majoring in one and minoring in the other (with a second major and minor "to pay the bills."

6. What was your least favorite subject? Why?

Oops. Hard sciences. I gave up on math just before we started on "imaginary numbers" because having to prove obvious shit pissed me off. I would have murdered anyone trying to teach me Calculus... I never had to take math or science in college. [insert long story]

7. Did you belong to any clubs?

I was in foreign language clubs, band (not a club, but a GIANT time-suck), and did some background work for the high school wrestling team at meets and tourneys. In college I was on the campus radio station which ate a LOT of my time up, more and more as the years passed.

8. Were you a picky reader?

Hell no! I mean, I read everything, and even enjoyed most of the assigned stuff in English, with some notable exceptions: Cry, the Beloved Country, Madame Bovary, The Grapes of Wrath...I simply refused to finish those. Yuck. And of course, there were weekly trips to the library until I was old enough to work there (when there was even MORE reading!). When I was in college, I finally discovered--in my junior year--that most people don't actually read all the books that were assigned in class. What?!

9. What did you do in your free time?

Read. Watched TV. Listened to music. Practiced my flute. Thought about boys. Wished I were older.

10. Did you get good grades?

I was co-valedictorian of my high school class. I graduated magna cum laude in college. Yeah, my grades were required to be good.

11. Did you like/participate in sports?

I was on the basketball and volleyball teams one year each (not the same year) in junior high. I hated it. I should have done tennis; I'm much more a single-person-sport player than a team. I love watching sports, mostly.

12. Did you have a boyfriend/girlfriend in high school?

I dated one guy off and on my soph-sr years. He was FAR more serious about long-term stuff than I was. I would have preferred to date his brother. It always felt weird knowing that.

13. When did you get your driver’s license?

I was well past 16 before I felt like I could pass the street test.

14. What kind of kid were you? (Popular? Class clown? Shy? A nerd? Teacher’s pet?)

I was some horrible combination of Teacher's Pet, Nerd, Crybaby, and Dork.

15. Who were your heroes?

I don't remember ever thinking in these terms as a kid. I mean, I looked up to my parents and socio-cultural hotshots (MLK, Jr. and JFK and so forth) but my parents were staunch Republicans so there was some disconnect between learning how great FDR was at school and coming home and hearing how badly he ruined the country. Probably really good for me to have that discussion at that age, though.

16. Were you ever bullied?

Welcome to elementary and junior high school!! It did get better as I got older. Grade school was awful, probably because I was a scaredy-cat about almost everything.

17. Did you learn how to touch type?

Yup. Got an A in Typing I, even.

18. Who was your best friend? (Are you still friends today?)

In grade school, I honestly just remember hanging out with the non-popular girls. Not the kids with no friends, but the middle tier. In junior high and high school, it was all about Laura and Teri. I am Facebook friends with one of them; the other unfriended me earlier this year. [Weirdly, however, I'm Facebook friends with both her brother AND her mom...so strange...I have no actual idea WTF I said to piss her off so bad.] They didn't overlap at all, which is super-weird, because they also didn't get along great in school. In college, I shared a dorm room with my best college friend, and I'm still friends with her and several other very very close college friends--including my husband. ;-)

19. What is one thing you regret about high school?

I wasn't very nice to one of the girls in my English classes. She was The Weird Kid (think Ally Sheedy in Breakfast Club and obviously (now, but even then) had a totally fucked-up home life and was super intense. I don't think I actively SAID mean things to her, but I didn't by any means befriend her. And she absolutely could have used a friend. Still feel terrible about that.

20. What were you most proud about?

Marching band in high school was the center of my universe. My grades, in general, made me proud. Doing crazy things as I got older became a point of pride, fortunately "crazy" in a relatively safe way.

Saturday 9

(Link in meme-roll)
9 to 5 (1980)
Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) This song begins with the clacking of a typewriter. Did you ever learn to touch type -- beginning with your fingers on "the home row" -- or do you hunt and peck?

Oh, I'm totally schooled in typing. I learned on an IBM Selectric, but I was typing at home on my dad's work typewriter before I properly knew how. I still touch type, rarely look at the keyboard except for numbers...I have finally gotten better at them after 35 years, but I still have to check.

2) Much of the video for this song revolves around the office coffee room. Are you enjoying a beverage as you answer these 9 questions?

I just finished a can of Diet Coke. Yes, life is hard here: I'm drinking Coke instead of Dr. Pepper.

3) This week's artist, Dolly Parton, loves telling the story of how she once lost a Dolly Parton lookalike contest. What contest or sweepstakes have you entered lately?

Not a one. I don't really like this sort of thing, and I guess there's a time element to it as well.

4) Dolly is one smart blonde. Early in her career she set up a company so she could retain the publishing rights for all her songs. Two alone -- "9 to 5" and "I Will Always Love You" -- made her a multi-millionaire because they have been recorded so many times. Do you have a good head for business?

Well, I'm not an idiot, but I'm no Dolly. She is amazing.

5) Dolly is a crusader for childhood literacy and her organization, Dolly's Imagination Library, has donated more than 10 million books all over the country. What's the last book you read?

I finished The Child Thursday. I'm working on The Painted Queen now, rather slowly since this is the last of the my all-time favorite mystery series. I'm sad.

6) This weekend may offer a golden opportunity for napping and sleeping in. Do you snore?

Apparently, I do. Or, at least, I snort. I have a CPAP.

7) Labor Day was introduced to celebrate the achievements of the American worker. How many different employers have you had?

Well, post-babysitting days, I think at least 10 places have paid me for work. Since one of those was a temp job, there were probably a dozen work locations just for that one job. And of course, this doesn't count all the places I've volunteered over the years. Kind of shocking, really.

8) Will you be attending a Labor Day picnic or barbecue?

Nope. Beast'll probably cook brats one day this weekend, but we're not going anywhere. Our 'going somewhere' time is pretty limited by his various disabilities.

9) Labor Day traditionally marks the beginning of the new school year. When she was a kid, Samantha was crazy for her brand new box of 96 Crayola Crayons. It even had a sharpener in the back! What do you remember about preparing to go back to school? If you're a parent with school-age kids, are they ready?

New clothes! New clothes! New clothes! Man, I missed that when adulthood hit: no pre-selected shopping reasons, no pre-set vacation time, no new supplies every year. Adulthood bites. Sparky buys his own stuff now, for the most part, now that he's (gulp) 24 and no longer in school anyway.

Friday 5

(Link in meme-roll)
Five of Whatever

1. How tidy are your kitchen cabinets?

   The insides are pretty tidy. We don't tend to throw stuff in them willy-nilly. Everything has it's approved place and things tend to stay put. My spices are alphabetized if that gives you any ideas...

2. What’s an art project you did in school that you remember fondly?

   We did wood-burning one year, burning designs into wood with a hot iron.
   We were, like 8 or 9. No eye or hand protection. I don't even remember anyone having issues with either the plan or the tools. It would never happen today.

3. What’s the best thing you ate on your most recent trip?

   My most recent trip was a weekend getaway about 60 miles from here, alone. I don't remember any fabulous food. I mostly slept and read and did puzzles in the hotel room.

4. What’s the dumbest non-political thing you’ve seen lately?

   I love that you have to make this stipulation! I see stupid, or at least super-strange, stuff pretty much every day at work. I'm trying to think of the latest thing that made me actually take notice....maybe the continued appearance of people checking significant others' phones for reasons to get pissed off. Why do people do this? Why are you looking for anything? I mean, if you already don't trust the girl, why are you still dating? Focus should stay on what YOU are going to do with information you already have.

5. What’s something in your home that’s lasted longer than you expected?

   I have a table I "appropriated" from the house I stayed in between junior and senior year of college. It's got lovely lines and minimal damage (although the addition of a lower shelf kind of throws things off). It's been refinished but otherwise continues to be a nice piece in our upstairs hallway holding a lamp and a phone.

Sunday Stealing

(Link in meme-roll)
Something different

1. What is a normal thing that took you an embarrassingly long time to learn?

How to pump gas? I was terrified till I was in my thirties of looking stupid at the pump because I didn't know what I was doing. ...because, yeah, the guys inside have time to watch people pumping gas?? smh

2. In what ways are you old-fashioned?

I believe in people doing things for themselves to the extent that they are able and in community to improve culture. I believe in love. I believe in giving people the benefit of the doubt, but not being stupid. I believe in telling the truth, even if sometimes that hurts.

3. What is the best sandwich you've ever eaten? Where did you get it? What made it so delicious?

I suspect the best sandwich I ever had was something made at home and carried up a hiking path to the point where I was super-hungry and ready to eat. I have no memory of this mythic sandwich, but that tends to be when I enjoy food the most: after lots of sweat, outside, great view, good friends nearby.

4. What are you currently not bragging about that you should totally brag about?

We started a MASSIVE reorganization at work on August 1. It has gone in unexpected directions already, and I see that continuing to happen. I haven't lost my shit once yet. This is seriously amazing. Also, the finished product will be awesome, eventually. Give me a decade and it will be completely done!

5. What food have you never tasted and are most interested in trying?

I'd like to try more varieties of Indian and middle-eastern foods.

6. What history facts were you surprised to learn because it was never covered in school?

I never learned about the Sand Creek Massacre despite growing up less than 200 miles from where it happened.

7. What is something that you waited entirely too long to start or stop doing? What made you say "Why did I wait so long?"

It has taken me most of my life to really stop internalizing the opinions of people I don't know or care about. Why do they get to spend so much time in my head in place of people who love me??

8. What socially expected thing do you hate doing the most? What thing about polite society really grinds your gears?

I really hate hypocrisy.

9. What is something about your city that I should know if I'm going to visit? What is the hidden "must see" that you always tell friends and visitors to not miss

Well, there was a very popular movie filmed here in the early 90s that has become a bit of a "thing" to celebrate every year. There's a tour of sites from the movie and other slightly random things. I can do the tour in my sleep at this point.

10. What do you miss most about childhood?

The endless days, and waking up every morning to do it again only different.

11. What "fact" did you learn in school that is not true or no longer true?

...that the President always deserves respect.

12. What's your favorite piece of useless trivia?

I know SO MUCH useless trivia!! From the location of several dozen topics in Dewey Decimal to jersey numbers of football players from the 70s to how to make a white sauce in the kitchen to airport codes for a lot of cities. Really, it's ridiculous that no one will play Trivial Pursuit with me........!!

13. What's your best go to homemade "lazy" meal

Easiest hot food is spaghetti and a salad. The one I like the most is mac n cheese and sausage. However, I'm having a bagel sandwich with two kinds of cheese for lunch and I do that a LOT!

14. What's the title of this current chapter in your life?

"Surgeons and Pain Control for Beast"

15. What is a habit or practice that you learned from your childhood that you didn't realize was "weird" until you were an adult?

Apparently, shouting through the house isn't done by every family. Like, yelling up the stairs for someone--Beast's family apparently didn't do that. Who knew?

Friday 5

(Link in meme-roll)
Homecoming
A few questions inspired by Spider-Man: Homecoming. As always, I tried to write the questions so that you needn’t have seen the movie to answer the questions however you wish.

1. What’s the crime like in your neighborhood?

We are pretty much limited to (illegal-in-this-state) fireworks and kids taking money out of unlocked cars. Some speeding, some loud partying. Our county has a map of sex offenders, and we are surrounded, but not directly in this neighborhood. Three hundred yards away, the houses are tiny and cheap and far from schools.

2. If you could have attended one of those high schools with a specific academic focus, such as performing arts, studio arts, sustainability, science and technology, international languages and diplomacy, or some option you thought of yourself, which would you have chosen when you were thirteen?

I wouldn't have. My parents, rather, wouldn't have. We're big believers in well-rounded education in my family.

3. What was memorable about a party you remember from high school?

I can count on one hand the number of parties I went to in high school. They were all memorable for different reasons, but none of them were mad raves or crazy drink-fests.

4. Which of your older relatives is (or was) the handsomest or prettiest?

My crazy brother-in-law (Jan) was startlingly good-looking till he hit about 50, and since then has dropped right off that chart 100%. My second nephew Don used to look a lot like Brando did in his youth. The rest of us just look like people you see everywhere. I was accosted at the baseball game last weekend by someone asking how things were going with me, etc., who then realized I wasn't "Lauren" or whoever from St. John's Lutheran Church in [town in a state where I don't currently live]. It's quite weird when this happens.

5. What was homecoming like at your high school? How did you feel about it?

I didn't go. I wasn't dating anyone at that time, I felt (feel) strongly that holding onto--or getting into--a relationship just for Homecoming is not the person I want(ed) to be.

Saturday 9

(Link in meme-roll)
I'm a Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942)
From the archives

1) This week's song was performed by James Cagney in the famous movie of the same name. Do you plan on going to the movies this holiday weekend?

Nope. There's nothing on I want to see. We've hit the midsummer drought of Anything With a Brain.

2) Though known for his larger-than-life screen presence, Cagney was only 5'5". How tall are you?

At my tallest, I was 5'8". I've shrunk some in the intervening decades, at least in height.

3) During the Revolutionary War, General Washington celebrated the 4th of July by giving his troops a double ration of rum. Will you imbibe any spirits this holiday weekend?

This is unlikely. Beast already partook last week, leading up to yet another fall (second this week) and yet another ambo ride to ER where they pronounced him uninjured and drunk. But only kinda drunk, not blotto and blacked out. So yay for that. {that's sarcasm font}

4) American history was one of Crazy Sam's best subjects in school. Science was her worst. In which class did you earn your worst grades?

Gym.

5) The Fourth of July means we're in the middle of summer. Are you careful about applying sunscreen?

In the rare event that I know I'm going to be outside for awhile, I try to remember, but I'm so rarely outside that it's not much of an issue.

6) Mosquito bites can be a major summer annoyance. Are you scratching any itches right now?

Nope. See #4. (although I haven't noticed them being a problem yet around here, so maybe we just haven't hit the hatching period yet)

7) Emergency rooms report an increase in wrist injuries in summer, with people falling off bikes and skateboards and jamming their wrists catching hard-hit softballs. Have you recently been to the ER or Urgent Care?

Oops, jumped the gun in my answer to #3. Yeah, Friday night (technically, Sat. early a.m.). And last month. And sometime in March (?), and.... I practically know all the staff by name.

8) New York is home to Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest every year on the 4th. Will hot dogs be consumed in your household this weekend?

I don't think so. I don't have any in the house that I know of.

9) Atlanta hosts a 10K Peachtree Road Race every 4th of July. Are you a runner?

No. I doubt I could run to the end of our driveway without dropping to the ground. I used to love to run, but that was in a place of low humidity and I was fit.

Sunday Stealing x2

(Link in meme-roll)
The Random Questions, Part 683

1. How old do you look?

I'd say overall I look my age. As to whether I act my age, well, that's more debatable.

2. Where do you live?

In a house in the middle of the North American continent.

3. Are you waiting for something?

Not exactly. I'm just trying to get through the drama of each day without creating any more of it than necessary.

4. What’s one pet peeve of yours that is not common?

It makes me crazy when people say "jew-luh-ree" which seems to be something most people don't even notice.

5. Do you want/have kids?

I have one absolutely delightful 24-year-old son.

6. Have you ever thought about converting your religion?

I've had moments of seriously wondering if I should walk away from so-called "organized religion" for multiple reasons, but it's rarely been about the structure of the worship. It's almost always other people and my own feelings about/relationship with God.

7. Last shocking news you heard?

Apparently a house blew up early this morning in a town about 20 miles south of us. I found out because several friends in the town where I work (about 7 miles closer than we are) felt the ground shake. That's all pretty weird.

8. What was the last thing you drank?

I know this will come as a surprise, but I'm on my second diet Dr. Pepper of the day.

9. Who do you most look like in your family?

Two of my sisters and I took strongly after our dad and grandma (his mom). The other two kids went to the other side of the family for genes.

10. If you could have something right now, anything, what would it be?

Energy.

11. Where does most of your family live?

Hah! I guess the majority is in the "midwest" U.S. depending on your definition of that term: but we're in Tennessee and Colorado and Texas, and England, too.

12. Where did you grow up?

In Colorado.

13. Where do you want to go on vacation?

I'm not fussy. This year, I'm not exactly sure there's a vacation going to happen. Beast certainly cannot travel as things stand now.

14. Have you ever had a panic attack?

Yes, I've been introduced to these over the last year or so. Surprisingly, when things REALLY hit the shitter last summer, the panic attacks subsided a bit. So, that was weird.

15. What can’t you wait for?

...still nothing.

16. When’s the last time you told someone you loved him or her and meant it?

About ten minutes ago.

17. Have your parents ever smoked pot?

I have no idea if they did. Probably not though--they were pretty straight arrow. I can count on one finger the number of times I saw my mom drink booze.

18. Want someone back in your life?

Of course. At this point in my life, my parents and two siblings are gone. I'd take any of them back.

19. What do you order at the bar?

Vodka tonic with a lime twist.

20. When was the last time you cried really, really hard?

When Beast was at the ER a couple of weeks ago. Again.

21. What are your nicknames?

Believe it or not, Cat is not my given name. Nor is it anything even close to my real name.

22. What is your favorite thing to eat with peanut butter?

Honey, on tortillas.

23. Where were you on July 4th, 2008?

According to my old blog, my sister Jean was recovering from brain surgery, and my mom had fallen and whacked her head, but things in my immediate vicinity seem to have been fine.

24. If you could go fo[r]ward in time, how far forward would you go?

Not far, maybe a decade or two. Would like to see Sparky as a middle-aged dude.

25. If you could go back in time, how far back would you go?

Not far, back to when my parents were dating. It would be fun to watch them as kids.

The High School Questions*

1. Did you date someone from your school?

I did.

2. Did you marry someone from your high school?

Hell no! I mean...yeah, no.

3. Did you car pool to school?

I mostly walked. Occasionally, there was a friend with a ride on the way TO school, occasionally another friend could bring me home. I mostly remember walking home from school, dropping my stuff and then walking another half hour to work till we closed at 9.

4. What kind of car did you have?

Hah! I had my parents' cars.

5. What kind of car do you have now?

I drive a 2011 (?) dark blue Ford Edge

6. Its Friday night...where are you now?

At a 12-Step meeting, or asleep in bed.

7. It is Friday night...where were you then?

Watching TV or reading.

8. What kind of job did you have in high school?

I worked (wait for it) at the library as a shelver.

9. What kind of job do you do now?

I work in a library as a cataloger. So, slight elevation in job duties, though I do some shelving these days too.

10. Were you a party animal?

Uhm, NO!

11. Were you considered a flirt?

I'm not even sure I was considered at all, but definitely NOT a flirt.

12. Were you in band, orchestra, or choir?

I was 100% band nerd.

13. Were you a nerd?

Yup. A nerd, a grind, a brain, whatever.

14. Did you get suspended from school?

That would have caused me to be murdered at home. Or so I feared.

15. Can you sing the fight song?

Yes, I can. I later went to school in the state where the tune to my high school song was written, so I still know it pretty well.

16. Who was/were your favorite teacher?

Ms. Philippe, Mr. Graebner, Dr. G. are the ones that spring to mind directly.

17. Where did you sit during lunch?

By the windows in the cafeteria. Same place I took the SAT.

18. What was your school's full name?

I think I'll pass on this except to say it was just the city's name. Nothing exciting.

19. Where did you party the most?

At Warren's house.

20. What was your school mascot?

In the midst of the center of the continent, we were the Pirates, fer cryin' out loud.

21. Would you do it again?

High school? Parts of it were great. Most of it was horrible or at least boring.

22. Did you have fun at Prom?

I didn't go.

23. Do you still talk to the person you went to Prom with?

n/a

24. Are you planning on going to your next reunion?

Nope. If there were one this year (it's 35 years I just realized) I wouldn't be able to. Not sure what'll be happening five years from now.

25. Do you still talk to people from school?

Yup.

26. What are/were your school's colors?

Blue and white.

______
*For previous answers, see here

Saturday 9

(Link in meme-roll)
This Is the Way the Bunny Hops
Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) Why do you suppose there are so many songs about Santa Claus, yet very few about the Easter Bunny?

The Easter Bunny is vaguely terrifying. I remember thinking so as a kid, and the sight of a giant rabbit with small children since then has not calmed my childhood anxieties much. In my family's case, part of the issue is that Easter is a serious holiday, about a serious subject. No babies, just death. And resurrection.

2) This song was written by The Kiboomers, two early education teachers who are passionate about the power of music to help kids learn. Tell us about a teacher who had an impact on your life.

Mrs. Ramadan made me cry the first time I met her. That didn't make me more likely to contribute to class in 2nd grade. Hey, not all teachers are great with every kid!

3) Legend has it that the Easter Bunny was introduced to America in the 1700s by German immigrants. These children waited for a magic creature who left colored eggs. Today's kids dye Easter eggs themselves. When did you most recently color eggs?

Good heavens, it's been a decade at least! Sparky's 24 and I'm sure we stopped before high school. I'm the only one who ate them afterwards anyway.

4) The Easter Bunny is usually shown carrying a wicker basket filled with eggs, toys and candy. Is there any wicker in the room you're in right now?

There's a very broken wicker basket on the step. I need to throw it out; finally emptied it today after sticking my foot through it about a month ago.

5) While marshmallow Peeps are manufactured all year around, they are most popular at Easter. Do you prefer the chicks or the bunnies?

I loathe Peeps. Gross. Like those orange "circus peanuts" I simply do not get the attraction at all!

6) A little time in the microwave can do ugly things to a Peep. Have you ever nuked a Peep?

No, but I have enjoyed the videos for over a decade. I do not need to spend money on something like that, but I can certainly enjoy other people wasting their money, right? There was a whole Peeps in the library thing about 2008 that probably is still done every spring. Smells awful.

7) Would you prefer a hollow or a solid chocolate bunny?

Solid. Duh! But hollow is fine too, if it's good chocolate.

8) A traditional American Easter dinner usually includes glazed ham or roast lamb. Which would you rather have as your main course?

I do like lamb, but I don't know how to cook it. We usually have ham if I'm cooking, which I'm not this year. We're meeting family for lunch.

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

Shower/bath. Being around kids. A good nap.

Saturday 9

(Link in meme-roll)
The Heat of the Moment (1982)
Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) What's something you did or said "in the heat of the moment?"

All kinds of stupid stuff. I did a shot of 150-proof vodka on an empty stomach in college, back when I still weighed less than 125 lbs. I then chugged a full can of Coke (with sugar) to counteract the effects (because, college kids are SMART). About 2 hours later, I was pretty drunk, but the guy who dared me to do the shot originally decided to do one. Within half an hour he was in the dorm bathroom bringing up the last day's worth of food. I was fine, didn't even know he was sick till the next day.

2) Asia's founder and bass player, John Wetton, passed away in January. One of his bandmates remembered him as a reliable performer who made everyone around him look better. Do you enjoy being the center of attention? Or would you, like Mr. Wetton, prefer to play a supporting role?

I'm a supporting character.

3) Asia is a British band who played their first US concert at Clarkson University in Potsdam, New York. The nearest major city -- Ottawa, Canada -- is a 90-minute drive from Potsdam. When you were last in the car for an hour or more? Where were you going?

I took myself on a getaway weekend last month about two hours from here. I actually know someone in Potsdam; thus, I have zero interest in ever being in her vicinity.

4) The song refers to disco hot spots, which apparently, by 1982, no one wanted to go to anymore. Let's make that negative into a positive. Describe your perfect night out with friends. Where would you go?

I wouldn't go out. Or I'd go to one of their homes.

5) In 1982, the year this song was popular, someone laced bottles of Tylenol with cyanide. That's why we now have tamper-proof caps on many products. Have you used anything in a tamper-proof bottle yet today?

Nope. I was a freshman in college for this Tylenol thing. I remember signs up EVERYWHERE on campus about not taking Tylenol. I still have a moment when I open a new bottle. Today, though, I haven't opened anything at all.

6) In 1982, Time Magazine's Person of the Year wasn't a person at all, it was "the computer." What do you use your computer for most often?

Facebook, Twitter, this, email at home. Everything I do at work is online, so....

7) 1982 also saw the premiere of The Weather Channel. Where do you learn the day's weather forecast? (Watching the local news on TV, checking your phone, looking out the window ...)

Looking out the window and/or checking the phone/computer.

8) In 1982, Arnold Schwarzenegger's movie, Conan the Barbarian, was a hit in theaters. When you settle down to watch a movie, is it usually a fantasy, like Conan? Or do you prefer another genre (action, comedy, adventure, romance, drama, classic ...)

I prefer comedy, but not stupidity.

9) Random question: What is something you try to avoid?

Work. Pain. Allergens. Ignorance.

Saturday 9

(Link in meme-roll)
Fist City (1968)
Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) This song is about a wife warning another woman off her man. Who received the last warning, of any type, that you issued?

The last warning I remember issuing was to some kids in the adult reference area Thursday as I was leaving work. It was a good-natured, "Hey, guys, remember to keep your voices down" more than a "Voice of Doom." They were adorable and giggling and excited; hard to get really mad about that.

2) Loretta sings that when her husband picks up trash, he puts it in a garbage can. She's being metaphorical, but we will be literal: If you spot litter on the sidewalk, do you pick it up or just walk on?

It sort of depends on what kind of trash, but in general I pick it up. If it looks like I'll end up getting gunked up with no way to wash up, then it stays there.

3) She taught herself to play guitar. If you could learn something new in 2017, what would it be?

A foreign language, maybe Danish, so I could move out of this ever-more-darkening nation.

4) She broke her shoulder in a fall and surgery was required to repair it. When were you last in a hospital? Were you a patient or a visitor?

Beast had surgery 11 days ago. It was outpatient, but he was completely out and intubated for it, so yeah, then.

5) In the 1970s, Loretta Lynn was the first country singer to appear on the cover of Newsweek. Who is your favorite country singer?

I love Darius Rucker's voice--baritone is so awesome. I love a LOT of Miranda Lambert's songs. And the Dixie Chicks, of course, are awesome.

6) Rowan and Martin's Laugh In premiered in 1968, when this song was popular. What's the last TV show you watched? Did you watch it live, did you stream it, or catch it on DVR/Tivo?

We're watching NASCAR live as I type this. They're in Vegas today, where I think the temperature is probably about 60 degrees warmer than the outside temp here. At least we did have some sun today.

7) In 1968, Jacqueline Kennedy shocked the world by marrying Greek billionaire Aristotle Onassis. What's the last thing you heard that surprised you?

I wish I could say that anything out of Washington was surprising me, but I think my political surprise-meter is maxed out. Sparky's trip home overnight was a little surprising. He hadn't planned to come, till I mentioned it was mini-golf weekend at the library.

8) 1968's top-rated car was the Chevy Corvette. Could your car benefit from a trip to the car wash this morning?

Well, yes, but it was far too cold out to do that. Shoulda done it earlier in the week, but I simply didn't think of it.

9) Random question: You're staying in a hotel and find you can faintly hear the couple in the next room. Would you ignore their voices, or try to hear them better?

In general, I ignore people outside my own hotel room most of the time. The only exception to this is I might listen more closely if it sounded like the people were arguing and someone might be in danger.

Friday 5

(Link in meme-roll)
Grade Check

1. What grade do you give yourself this week for comportment?

   My usual C+. Everything was handled, but not gracefully most of the time.

2. What grade do you give yourself this week for cooperation?

   A. I'm big in cooperation!

3. What grade do you give yourself this week for self-control?

   I'm flunking that when it comes to food. Otherwise, B= and moving up slowly.

4. What grade do you give yourself this week for punctuality?

   B+. Better than my usual B.

5. What grade do you give yourself this week for congeniality?

   A-. "It's showtime" is my mantra whenever I'm around people.