Friday 5

(Link in meme-roll)
Back in the Highlights Again

1. What was your highlight in dining for 2016?

   It kind of has to be our first night on the cruise, the Italian restaurant on the boat. Wonderful food, incredible service. Interesting people to watch, too, and our server was (rather weirdly) Indian rather than Italian which was strange only in the pronunciation of the food ultimately.

2. What was your highlight in relationships for 2016?

   Just continuing to find out how many good friends and people are out there to help and support me.

3. What was your highlight in entertainment for 2016?

   Well, we'll probably go see the Star Wars movie next week but aside from that Fantastic Beasts was really good.

4. What was your highlight in self-improvement for 2016?

   Endless meetings, lots of reading. Talking. Listening.

5. What was your highlight in completing something for 2016?

   I seem to have regained my footing at work. Let's just home I can maintain. I had a backslide this week, but I dealt with it differently. So maybe that's improvement.

Friday 5 x 2

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Upper Body

1. What’s got you scratching your head?

   I'm pretty confused about politics right now. It's like the GOP-Goes-to-Vegas--the weirdest show on earth right now. It's entertaining and actually a bit scary.

2. What’s the big news in your neck of the woods?

   The election was a bit of a problem this week. They've changed the check-in process to electronic and between that and a new County Clerk not knowing her shit, there were some issues. Two people I spoke to on Tuesday had problems voting properly, and the County Supervisor had to get an order to keep the polls open an extra 90 minutes...except not all the polling places were contacted to inform them so they closed at 7 like usual. And some didn't open on time because the building custodians weren't there early. And the technology issues were difficult to resolve because the Clerk wasn't picking up the phone ... all day.
   
   I personally had no trouble: in fact this week was the first time in the 11 years I've lived here that the people at the polls included me in the conversation while I was there. I guess I'm officially a 'local' now, even if I did still (again) ask for a Dem ballot.

3. What has everyone else raising an eyebrow, but is only getting a shrug of the shoulders out of you?

   The political debate between Hilz camp and the Bern-ers. Really, as long as it's not a Repug, this year I'm going to celebrate in November.

4. What are you keeping an eye on?

   Myself. Only myself. Or trying to. Harder than you'd think, though.

5. What’s something you’ve done an about-face on recently?

   I'm trying like hell this year to differentiate between the important things in life, what's my problem to solve and what's not, and keeping my damn opinion to myself unless asked.

Ticket to the Weekend

1. How many traffic tickets have you received, and what was the first?

   I've gotten two, both in the last 10 years. The first was for speeding in a local community notorious for speed traps, the other was for inattentiveness when I plowed into my neighbor's work truck a couple of years later. Ironically, both of these were while Sparky was either learning to drive or in his early driving years. He was with me in two accidents while he was in high school--the other one was not my fault. Otherwise, I've never had accidents or tickets. Haven't since then either, probably in 5-6 years. Knock wood.

2. What are some of the ticket stubs you’ve held onto?

   Hmmm, when I was scrapbooking, I kept all that kind of stuff. Now, not so much. I did notice the ticket stub for "A Walk in the Woods" on my dresser this morning--we saw that last fall.

3. What have you seen because someone had extra tickets?

   Several years ago, one of my coworkers had tickets for a kids' version of Wizard of Oz in the Big City to the East. I still use the string bag that I got that day for day-traveling. It was a very good show, and the tickets were for the 2nd row. Weird sitting that close in a theater that big.

4. What have you won in drawings or raffles?

   Very damned little. Beast is the raffle-winner in the family, not me. Honestly the only thing I remember winning was a turkey at Thanksgiving when I was around 12.

5. How do you and your friends usually handle a restaurant bill?

   Depends on the situation. We either split it or get separate checks, though it's really dependent on a lot of things, including how much cash either of us has.

Sunday Stealing

(Link in meme-roll)
Fall/Autumn Meme

First of all, is autumn your favorite season? Why or why not? It is, yes. I like the colors and the smells and the variation in temperature.
Is it 'autumn' or 'fall' to you? I usually call it fall.
What kind of weather does your area get during this season? Cooler, less humid, high clouds, windy.
Were you born in an autumn month? Technically, yes, but I always think of it more as "moving on toward winter."
Do you pay attention to any 'fall fashions'? Nope.
Which leaf color is your favorite? Dark red:

Is it still fun to rake the leaves and jump in piles of them? I am not a fan of raking, and my prayers were answered in our lot: no fence, small trees, and high winds to blow them all into other people's yards. ;-)
When can you really tell that it's autumn? When I need a blanket in bed when the A/C isn't on.
Do you enjoy carving pumpkins? It's not my favorite thing, but I'll do it.
Do you eat the pumpkin seeds? If so, do you put any kind of flavoring on it? I don't hate them, but I don't toast my own.
Are you planning to go to a pumpkin patch this year? Probably not. Will likely buy a couple of pumpkins that we'll carve--as usual--on Oct. 30, or even the morning of Oct. 31, because we procrastinate.
Which was your favorite Halloween costume to wear? I only remember two of them: one was a bunnysuit leftover from one of my siblings, and the other was a clown costume my mom made. They're sort of tied for first. By default.
Are you planning to go trick-or-treating? Why or why not? Uh, no. I'm a Font of Candy not a kid.
Are there any county fairs or festivals held nearby during this time? There's an Autumn Fest for Art (not its actual name) nearby, and of course all the hayrides and corn mazes you could want. This year, my work-town is doing a haunted house downtown...we'll see how that goes. And of course random craft shows. But the biggest thing in the general area is Gourdfest in a town where a friend works. She tends to bug out because it's insane that weekend.
What is your favorite dessert for this time of year? About the same as my favorite dessert any other time of year.
Is your Thanksgiving Day in October or November, if you even celebrate it? We do it up in November.
If you do celebrate it, where do you usually have Thanksgiving dinner? Here. This year might be different because of the addition of a baby to the mix. We'll see.
Do you remember any crafts you used to do that were autumn-themed? Oh, yeah, there were always things at school: turkeys made from traced-hands, pilgrim hats, Indian bonnets (sigh...so not-PC), etc. etc. ad nauseum.
Are any of your favorite bands doing a fall tour this year? No clue.
Which new TV show are you looking forward to this season? I've really been enjoying The Bridge over the summer, and I'm looking forward to CSI, and both NCISes. There's a faint bell ringing about some new show that looked interesting, but I can't remember what it was right now. Oh, and I'm sure we'll be watching Fast 'n Loud and some of the other "guy shows" whenever Beast is around.
How does autumn typically make you feel? Excited. It's still wrapped up in school starting and new clothes and school supplies, which is crazy since Sparky isn't exactly needing any of that, and buying college textbooks is just fucking painful!
What color do you always associate with autumn? Orange and red.
Is there a song that always reminds you of this season? "Bringing in the Sheaves", "Come, Ye Thankful People, Come", "All Things Bright and Beautiful", and "We Gather Together." Also various goofy Halloween songs that I get to overhear the children's librarian doing during storytimes.
Do you have any seasonal traditions? Well, we wrap up the yard in another month or so. And buy candy in late October. And celebrate our birthdays. And, most important of all, WATCH FOOTBALL!!!
Do you spend a lot of time outside during this time of the year? Perhaps slightly more than in the heat of summer.
How can you tell that fall is over? Snow that sticks and accrues. Frigid temperatures. Perpetual cloudy skies.
What is a typical autumn outfit that you wear? Jeans, long-sleeved Ts, sneakers. At work, I tend not to use sneakers. ;-)
Describe a perfect autumn day: Fire in a firepit or fireplace, chatting with friends around a picnic table, a light breeze, and the smell of pine.
Do you hate it when stores start promoting Christmas early? Yes. But here's the thing: if people really hated it as much as we like to bitch about it, we would stop buying shit in July. So, I just don't complain, seeing as how most of my shopping this year is already done.
What is your favorite thing about this season? All of it. Sorry: I can't limit myself to one thing.

Sunday Stealing

(Link in meme-roll)
Sunday Brunch Meme

1} Which do you prefer in the am: Coffee or tea?

Really? Diet Dr. Pepper or water. Or, since this is Sunday Brunch, a mimosa would be good.

2} Work has been cancelled on the spur of the moment: Clean house and do errands, or just fun things?

Probably not housecleaning, maybe some errands and definitely some fun stuff. I can do some work from home too.

3} Middle of the hot summer, vacation at: Mountains or beach?

Mountains. No competition.

4} You have to travel at a leisure speed: Train, plane or car?

Leisure does not mean flying, unless you mean all the delays that are ever-more-common. So, car. Trains are fine, but you have to really have a shortlist of places you want to visit.

5} To relax: A movie or a book?

Either is fine, depending. I'm more of a reader though. Shocked?

6} What kind of pets? Dog, cat, bird or fish?

I'm allergic to the first two. Fish are boring--plus, we have them at work. We've had birds: incredibly messy. I'll stick with our (guinea) piggies.

7} Dream home: Hard wood floors or carpeting?

No carpet, at least in rooms I spend a lot of time in; see above re allergies. We have wood floors in the dining room, living room and our bedroom. The other two bedrooms and upstairs hall are carpeted. The office has carpet. The rest are linoleum or tile. Oh, and carpet squares in the basement and on the stairs. However, I'm looking at options for the upstairs steps at least.

8} A fun activity: Cards, bingo or blogging?

I realized recently that it's been years since I've played Sheepshead, so cards would be a first choice. If there's no one around, I'll blog. Or Facebook. Or read.

9} First date: Dinner, movie, or a hike?

Depends on the guy. I'm in for any of the above.

10} The first kiss: Peck on the cheek, or a long romantic one?

First time kissing someone had better be peckish!

Blogthings Explosion

You Are Out of this World Dreamy

Of all the types, you are the most likely to enjoy staring up at the stars. You like to daydream, even at night. You find the universe beautiful, and you feel lucky whenever you have a starry night when you can see so much of it. The planet you are most connected to is Jupiter. Your expansive and optimistic mind is a good fit with this planet. Like Jupiter, you are multifaceted and a big believer in abundance. You don't put limits on your imagination. When you look into space, you feel calmed and humbled by your small place in the universe. It's a beautiful thing. You don't necessarily even think of the universe or what's out there... you just like to meditate on the stars in the sky.

Blogthings: Quizzes and Tests and Memes, Oh My!

Well, this is a lot of bullshit. I'm far from dreamy anymore, and the stars have never been my thing in general.
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You Are a Cherry Croissant

You are an outgoing, friendly, and even sweet person. People are drawn to your personality. You tend to be happy and easygoing. You are an optimist, and you don't find it difficult to find the sunnier side of life. You tend to be up on the latest trends, mostly because you enjoy trying new things and experimenting. You aren't snobby about your trendiness, but you love to introduce your friends to your latest discoveries and hot spots. You are creative and discerning. You have great taste, and this carries over to anything that you create. You have a strong and unique perspective. You are usually one of the first to spot something that's great or worth your time.

What Flavor Croissant Are You?

Well, ok, this is better. I don't think I have great taste as far as what society thinks, but then again, I don't really care. And I am pretty optimistic and fairly easygoing. Up to a point.
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You Are Somewhat Playful

You believe that there's a time for work and a time for play. And you rarely mix the too. You aren't a stick in the mud. You like to have fun, but you don't like to goof off when it's time to be serious. You are rarely the instigator of fun, but you're happy to go along with most amusing plans. You are a good sport. You think it's important to be able to let go and blow off steam. If not, stress will get to you eventually. You are open to a lot of new experiences, and you tend to be one of the easygoing ones in your group of friends. You are joyful and upbeat. You have the energy required to be a playful person when the time is right.

Are You Playful?

I have a nasty habit of not being able to separate work from play, and I'm pretty competitive which can mean I end up being a poor sport so some of this isn't true. A lot of it is, though.
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You Are an iPad

You are tech savvy and probably even a little addicted to the internet. You spend a good amount of time online. You're the type of person who would like to have the internet with you wherever you go, and you don't want to compromise browsing experience. You are a bit of an introvert. You like the internet for its brain[i]er nature, and you may contribute in your own way. You likely fancy yourself a writer or producer of some sort. You are driven to create and leave your mark online. Like most iPad users, you probably think an iPhone is great - but you need a device with more screen space and features. And since you're a bit of a homebody, you don't mind luggin' your iPad around with you. You're probably just going from room to room.

Are You an iPhone or an iPad?

Aside from the part about this being all about Apple--a company I'm not a fan of--it's pretty accurate.
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Your Birth Color is Red

Above all else, you have a huge amount of energy. You just require less downtime and rest than most people. You have courage when others lack guts. You are willing to take a risk, especially when you might get all the glory at the end. You are passionate in all aspects of your life, especially romance. When you find the perfect partner, you don't let anything stand in your way. You have plenty of passion in love, but you lack extreme infatuation. You seek a more mature, deep love than just a crush or fling offers. You have a lot of inner strength, and that strength is sparked by your drive. You are willing to work hard and be tenacious today in order to harvest the fruits of your labor tomorrow.

What's Your Birth Color?

Always up for a risk, but I'm not crazy. I can be a hard worker, if motivated properly.
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You Are JOMO

Your personal motto can best be described as JOMO: 'Joy of Missing Out' You know what makes you happy, and it's the little things. You are content with your life as is. You follow your own path, and you rarely feel jealous of other people's lives. You may be missing out, and that's fine. In fact, you care so little about missing out that you may refuse invitations that sound fun just because you're not up to it. Most everyone should strive to have your Zen attitude. You don't suffer from the chains of desire. Just make sure you're not getting too complacent. You may have contentment, but you need a little excitement too.

Are You Yolo, Fomo, or Jomo?

Finally, one that totally fits. Definitely not much here that's way off-base.
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You Don't Get Enough Nature

Nature is fine, but it's not really a priority for you. You enjoy a nice sunny day like anyone else, though! You don't make time to get outside, and it shows. Whenever possible, you tend to prefer modern climate control. There is a lot that the indoors has to offer - like comfortable couches and fast internet. Being outside is called 'roughing it' for a reason. You're a city person, and there's nothing wrong with that. But maybe you get out and smell the grass. Or trees. You are cultured and quite intellectual. You tend to prefer mental experiences to physical ones. You can appreciate the beauty of nature, but you often rather appreciate it through art than real life.

Do You Get Enough Nature?

This is very timely, and accurate.
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Your Wisdom is Well Rounded

You are a deep thinker, and you consider every issue carefully. You have the patience to think something through. You are the most introspective of all types. You have important insights and profound understanding. You are healthy and prosperous. You credit your ability to turn inward in helping you thrive. You are both oriented toward the future and the past. You think the future has a lot to offer but that you also can learn from history. You tend to be very good with money, even though you aren't materialistic. You simply make smart choices. You rarely give into impulse or whim. If you seem to make a rash decision, it's because you've secretly been thinking about it for a while.

What Makes You Well Rounded?

OK, another good fit. I'm not always careful, but pretty often.
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You Should Travel to the Present

You're not unadventurous, you just really dig the present. You'd love to travel around the world as it is right now. Or even better, you'd like to see the current world on an alternate timeline. Alternate courses of history fascinate you. You think that there is enough to see in the present if you were able to go anywhere. You don't need to add time travel to the mix. You'd be happy to be able to jot [sic] off to any corner of the world you feel like visiting ... and that you'd be able to come home just as quickly. If you had to travel through time, you'd like to do it as quickly as possible. You don't want to be away for long. Things are going so well for you that you'd like to stay in and savor the present as much as possible.

When Should You Travel in Time?

Yes, I like to travel. Time travel would be fun too, as long as it's 100% safe that I'd come back here.
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You Are a Banana

Like a banana, you are tender-hearted and sensitive. And the more someone gets to know you, the softer and sweeter you are. You are loving, gentle, and compassionate. You touch others with your warmth, empathy, and understanding. You are mild-mannered and find it easy to get along with almost anyone. You help harsher personalities mellow out. You are vulnerable and sensitive, but you avoid letting others hurt you with your somewhat hardened exterior. You are tough when you need to be. You value harmony and togetherness. You like to be in a relationship and usually adore your partner. You don't make waves. If someone annoys or insults you, you rather walk away than cause a scene.

What Island Fruit Are You?

Yeah. The only people this isn't real true about is my family (of birth).
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Your Past is Your Soul's Secret

Most people don't know much about you. You don't share a lot about how you were raised or where you come from. You believe that the past is the past, and there's no use reopening old wounds or reliving old glories. You keep your past a secret because you don't think it's relevant. You don't necessarily have anything to hide. You think it's a bit self-absorbed to tell everyone your life story. If you're asked, you give people a very abridged version of events. If your past was less of a secret, you might be surprised how quickly you bond with people. You may have more in common with those around you than you realize. You don't have to bear [sic] your soul or spill your guts to give people more context about where you come from and who you are. They probably want to know more about you!

What's Your Soul's Secret?

Well this couldn't be wrong-er. In case you hadn't noticed I talk endlessly about myself. Sure, there are some dead zones, but not all that many. Not after 9 years of blogging!! :-)

Sunday Stealing

(Link in meme-roll)
more of an update for me, as I've answered all these questions previously ...
POST #6300!!!

1. Where was your profile picture taken?

The one at the top of this blog is a stock photo that came with the template. I love it. The one I use for my Blogger profile is the same one I've used since I started blogging almost 9 years ago: it shows Mt. Abrams (another stock pic), a view that means everything good in the world to me. My Facebook profile pic is currently a bizarre boombox I saw in a shop while on vacation last year; my cover photo there is a roadside photo taken 5 years ago in Duluth while on a mission trip with the high school kids from our church. I think that's all my profile pics. [sorry, if you aren't a Facebook friend, you'll have to trust me...*]

2. Name someone who made you laugh today.

The Sunday School kids were totally wild today. I'm giving the edge to Martha (age 3) and Peyton (age 8, I think) for being 100% honest and 100% on-task-without-knowing-it.

3. Do you believe exes can be friends?

Sure. Maybe not besties, but there is always room for civility. 'Course, it depends on everyone putting away their egos and defensiveness, so it's rare.

4. How do you feel about Dr Pepper?

I drink about 25 oz. minimum per day of the diet variety. I love Dr. P with every fiber in my tastebuds.

5. Who was the last person you took a picture of?

The most recent picture in my phone that has people in it is Beast and me in Cali a couple of weeks ago. Unless you count the uncooked turkey on Thursday, of course.

6. Are you upset about anything?

Nope. If I should be, I'd prefer if you didn't tell me till tomorrow, at this point, ok?

7. Do you think relationships are ever really worth it?

Nope. Not with an attitude like that. Go on with you, go live on a pillar in the desert.

8. Are you a bad influence?

I have been accused of that on occasion. It seems to come as a surprise to people, somehow.

9. Night out or night in?

In. I don't like the decibel level that is usually involved in nights out.

10. Has anyone ever called you perfect before?

Heh. Perfectly wrong or a perfect bitch, maybe....

11. What song is stuck in your head?

None. Thank God; I'm watching football intently now in order to NOT think of any earworms!!!

12. Someone knocks on your window at 2:00 a.m., who do you want it to be?

My bedroom window, where I am most likely to be, would require the use of a ladder visible from the street, and the windows are locked, always, so...that would freak me out so completely that I'd probably hurt myself racing to the back of the house! Downstairs, whoever it is is out of luck; I'm unlikely to hear you. So, basically, leave me alone at 2 a.m. unless you call first.

13. Do you smile a lot?

Yes. I've got the wrinkles to prove it.

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* I took pity on you (lol):

Weird boombox

Duluth Roadsigns

Cinn's Friday 5

(Link in meme-roll)
saved by the bell...

[01] Do you want to be famous?

Absolutely NOT!

[02] Have you been on a roller coaster?

Uhm, yeah...? A few times...? Not recently; I don't really enjoy amusement parks as such.

[03] Do you have any relatives in jail?

Not that I'm aware of. There are times when I wonder if my nephew Jesse mightn't end up there after/in the course of a protest of some kind.

[04] If you could choose, how would you want to die?

Quietly, in my sleep. Or, as George Carlin said, I wanna BLOW UP!

[05] What crazy fads were popular when you were a teenager?

Let's see by the time I was a teen Pet Rocks, Mood Rings and Bell-Bottomed Hip-Huggers had been and gone. I don't actually remember what stupid things were all the rage from '76 to '84, except maybe feathered bangs and combs in the back pocket of one's jeans. Had to be the RIGHT comb, though....

Thursday 13

(Link in meme-roll)
13 Time-Wasters Employed This Week

1. The Sims Social (on Facebook)
2. Memes (ahem)
3. Reading
4. Crosswords
5. Bubble Shooter (thanks, Amy)
6. Catching up on RSS feeds
7. Watching silly movies
8. Watch taped TV shows
9. Chatting with friends (not that this is really wasted time, but neither is reading)
10. Downloading free books to my Nook
11. Cheering for the Packer
12. Sitting in assorted drive-thru lanes
13. Watching lame-ass commercials on TV (WHY don't I just mute them?)

Curious as a Cat

(Link in meme-roll)

1) Have you ever been outside in a blizzard?

Yes, as a matter of fact I have. It's not fun, and I certainly wouldn't go far from shelter. On the other hand, it is awfully pretty, and quiet, when watching snow fall.

2) Front porch or back deck?

I'd like both. What I miss, in this house, is having a place to sit IN the sun--we have front and back porches but they are both covered. This is good for other reasons, but I have to drag a chair into the yard to get sunshine, which looks dorky. Generally, however, I like sitting on the front porch. It reminds me of growing up; my parents did that on hot nights in the summer (no A/C in the house) and we'd comment on cars driving by and neighbors, and occasionally delve into serious stuff because we were all relaxed.

3) If Disney opened a theme park aimed primarily at adults, what would you name one of the rides? Explain.

If Disney did it, it would have to be something cute and commercial, so none of my titles would make the cut: Empty Wallet of Doom, Drink Till You Puke, Don't Think It Only Makes You Stop Spending Money, etc. I think they're pretty self-explanatory.

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

Public Domain Photo

I've always wanted to try this, but I'm pretty sure my use-by date is either passing or past. This looks like a fairly easy abseil, so maybe I could still handle it. Alone, though: Beast would be fuh-REAKing out there at the top...or (more likely) waiting at the bottom.

W.T.F.

(Link in meme-roll)
Frankenstien [sic] and Lady Gaga protest the Super Bowl half-time show

1) If a movie was filming in your hometown and needed people to be extras, would you try out for a part?

Depends on what kinds of parts they had. I've been an extra in a (very) non-speaking role in a major league film. Pun intended.

2) Today (Oct. 28) is Frankenstein Day celebrating author Mary Wollenstonecraft Shelley's birthday and all things Frankenstein. Who do you think is the scariest Halloween character?

Of the standard fare, probably vampires. The OLD kind of them, not these new-fangled ones. I'm thinking Salem's Lot vampires. The concept is beyond creepy.

3) "Occupy Together" protests, which began as "Occupy Wall Street" protests in New York City back in September, have spread to over 600 towns in the United States and have even started across the globe. Have you ever participated in a protest of any sort?

Nope. Not a fan of big crowds, so I'm unlikely to put myself in a position of being in one in that way.

4) Did you ever egg someone's house or vehicle or toilet-paper a home as a prank on Halloween (or any other day of the year, if not on Halloween)?

Nope. I was a good girl.

5) How old is too old to go trick-or-treating?

If your voice has changed, you're too old.

6) The fourth installment of the "Twilight" movie series ("Breaking Dawn Part I") will be released in theaters soon. Movie theaters started selling advance tickets for midnight showings months ago. Have you ever attended a midnight premiere showing of a movie?

Uhm, no. The only movie I've seen at midnight is RHPS. That ain't changing anytime soon.

7) How soon before Christmas is too soon to put up holiday decorations on your home or business?

They shouldn't be up (or on) before Thanksgiving, that's for sure!

8) Saturday is National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on which agencies across the U.S. will provide a venue for people who want to dispose of unwanted, expired, and/or unused prescription drugs. What do you normally do with left-over medications?

Yeah, we take 'em in. We have a large collection from FIL to get rid of this time.

9) Madonna has been announced as the half-time entertainment for the upcoming Super Bowl game, reportedly beating out Lady Gaga. Would you prefer to see Madonna or Lady Gaga (or would you rather not see either of them)?

Well, I'm pretty sure either of them will be ignored thoroughly by most of the men watching. The halftime show is becoming increasingly irrelevant; I'm surprised Madonna is willing to participate. Maybe they should just bring back Up With People.

Curious as a Cat

(Link in blogroll)

1) Which person have you taken the most advantage of?

Realistically, my mom. That's the nature of life, though. More recently, my husband.

2) When was the last time you went to a carnival and played midway games?

Probably 3 years or so, the last time we went to the State Fair in the Cheesy State.

3) If you could rid your family of one thing, what would it be?

Backbiting. Mostly my family of origin; I live with men, so it's not so prevalent in my current household.

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

Public Domain Photo

This is pretty. I always liked looking at the slides in biology class -- as long as we had decent 'scopes! I hate crappy microscopes. The patterns are interesting. Honestly, though, this looks a little bit like a flip of the plastic tile we had in the bathroom when I was a kid. Ours was white lines on pink tiles. But I have seen this version.

It occurs to me that the pink tile may be the basis of my non-interest in the color as an adult.

Friday's Feast

(Link at left)

Appetizer
What is your favorite carnival/amusement park ride?

I love Ferris wheels, really love them. So, why did I marry someone who doesn't like heights? I also like carousels, but I can't really ride them anymore: no little kids, and the spinning-with-all-the-lights tends to make me nauseous.

Soup
How do you react in uncomfortable social situations?

What kind of "uncomfortable" are we talking about here? If it's because I don't know anyone, I find one person to whom to introduce myself and talk to. If it's because I have no fucking clue why I showed up, I just sit as unobtrusively as possible until I can leave. If it's because there's some sort of emotional drama going on between the other people, I will either leave the area, or mentally check-out as much as possible.

Salad
On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being highest, how much do you enjoy discussing deep, philosophical topics?

Heh. Thanks to my dad, it's a 9, unless the basic subject is politics. It also needs to be a real discussion, not baiting each other with inflammatory comments. I have a friend who does this regularly--has done for years--and I'm finally learning to either ignore him or tell him to STFU.

Main Course
Did you get a flu shot this year? If not, do you plan to?

I haven't. I should, but I probably won't.

Dessert
Approximately how many hours per week do you spend watching television?

I probably only watch about three hours a week, but the TV is on almost always when Beast is in the room. He with the TV, me with the laptop.

Curious as a Cat

(Link at left)

1) What is the secret to aging contentedly?

Acceptance of reality.

2) If you had to give up your computer and your TV at home, what would you do for entertainment?

Uh, gee, I guess I'd read more. ;-)

3) Name the most embarrassing moment of your life.

Oh, so very very many from which to choose.... Lately, the majority have been around the concept of talking about someone whome I thought was absent, only they weren't. Lesson: stop with the gossip!

4) What topic do you feel least comfortable discussing with a lover?

The little things that annoy the crap out of me, that sound picky and stupid but really drive me NUTS (and not in a good way)!

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

I want to go see Billy Joel. But I think the concert is sold out. I've been rather bummed about it for several days now.

On the other hand, doesn't it look like there's an accordion being played? SO glad I didn't have to go see Weird Al with Sparky!!!!