Friday 5

(Link in meme-roll)

This was the week that was, in 1969

1. How do you feel about bowling? (May 9: Billy Hardwick wins the Bowling Proprietors’ Association of America all-star bowling tournament)

"Bowling Proprietors"?? 

OK, but yeah, I like bowling once in awhile. I'm not good, but it's fun as long as there's no pressure to actually hit the pins.

2. How do you feel about the comedy of Monty Python, and do you have a favorite bit? (May 11: Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, and Michael Palin form Monty Python)

I'm a big fan of "Life of Brian." In fact, I will now commence singing "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life" for the entire weekend. 

3. How many Cate Blanchett films have you seen, and do you have a favorite? (May 14: Cate Blanchett is born)

I've only seen three that I can remember, but I have a great deal of respect for her. I'd like to see some of her "out there" roles, because I've only seen her in Big Ticket films.

4. What would you like to get back? (May 14: “Get Back” by the Beatles is the number one song in America)

There's a lot of money gone that would come in handy as I face retirement. There's Beast himself. There's my youthful joints. There are hours (days ... weeks!) of anxiety that were pointless. I'm not sure any of these are worth undoing what's done, though. There's always a trade-off. Would I be better off with any of these outcomes? How much worse would my life be if I got all my wishes?

5.Who’s your favorite Joni, and who’s your favorite Mitchell? Alternate spellings and forms of the name are allowed! (May 17: Joni Mitchell is on the cover of Rolling Stone #33)

Sorry, Ms. Mitchell but my Joni is Joni Eareckson Tada, always and forever. [As a child, I got the two of them confused, which was ... confusing.] As for Mitchell, the name brings to mind the face of a child I must have been in school with, a little tow-headed 8- to 10-year-old, rather Dennis the Menace-like. I know I've know others with that first (or last) name, but that's what I got tonight.

Saturday 9

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Shake It Off (2014)
Unfamiliar with this week's song. Hear it here.

1) This song makes Crazy Sam want to dance. What song inspires you to get on your feet?

There are a lot. Today I was chair dancing with Beast to Chubby Checker's The Twist while he waited for lunch. He was rolling his eyes at me, but he did get into it a little at least; I kept threatening to get him on his feet and do it properly, but he wasn't at all up for that.

2) Paul McCartney met Taylor Swift at the SNL 40 Anniversary special and told her he really enjoys playing and singing this song. What's the last song you sang along with?

This one. I just watched the video; cute. I like the song for all it's fluffiness. Before that, I seem to recall singing along to Nina Simone's version of Mood Indigo in the car earlier today.

3) The lyrics tell us Swift "shakes off" nasty gossip and unfair criticism. What about you? Do you worry about what others think of you?

I don't care at all, with a few exceptions: my boss, my son, and a couple of others.

4) Her parents are big music fans, and were going to name their baby (boy or girl) "Taylor" after their favorite artist, James Taylor. Can you think of a singer that your mom and/or dad really enjoyed?

Heh, I could have been named after Eydie Gorme if my parents had been in the right mood (not at all likely, btw).

5) She grew up on an 11-acre Christmas tree farm. Do you get a fresh tree every year, or do you have an artificial tree, or do you not put up a tree at all?

I have two fake trees (unless Sparky already took one) but I haven't put one up the last two years. Hasn't been very festive.

6) Taylor Swift is 5'10". According to the CDC, the average American woman is 5'4" while men are, on average, 5'9". Are you taller or shorter than average?

I'm closer to Taylor's height than the "average" although this may soon switch as I am shrinking. I am, today, taller than my husband whose head was on my shoulder today as we transferred from chair to bed.

7) She enjoys good, old fashioned mysteries, especially those by Agatha Christie. Are you currently reading a book for pleasure?

I'm reading three, er, four nonfiction books right now. The one I just put down is The Penguin Book of Hell. The others are slightly less intense.

8) Her brother Austin is a freelance photographer who took the official pictures for her 2008 concert tour. Who took the last photo of you?

Good God, I have no idea! Most likely it was a selfie with Beast. Unless you count the video call Sparky and I had on Tuesday.

9) Random question: What's your go-to comfy outfit?

I'm currently in yoga pants and a T (no bra). It's pretty effective as far as comfort.

Sunday Stealing x2

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Tea and Q&A

1. What is your middle name and what is a middle name you'd rather have instead? Why?

My middle name is biblical. It's fine, old-fashioned (obviously) but not horrible or weird. It's a little hard to say with my first name--too many repetitive sounds. The only name I'd change it for is my mom's middle name, which was Josephine.

2. How would you spend $1MM (you have to spend every penny!)

I'd pay off the mortgage. I'd pay Beast's bill at the nursing home for the next few years. I'd buy Sparky and me new cars. And I'd hire someone to come over EVERY DAMN DAY to help me sort through the shit in my house.

3. Yellow light - speed up or slow down??

I usually slow down. This is the only thing I got dinged on in my one-and-only road test; I sped up on a "stale green light."

4. What was the last movie you saw and what did you like/dislike about it?

The last movie I saw was the latest Star Wars thing. I'd like to go see Black Panther in the theater one of these days, soon.

5. If a movie was made about you, who would portray you in that movie?

I'd love Sandra Bullock to portray me. But Julia Roberts ' laugh is closer to mine.

6. What is the strangest thing you've eaten and what did it taste like?

There are some things I ate in foreign countries that I didn't inquire all that deeply about.

7. What color is your bathroom?

Builder white. At least the master bath is. The others have been painted; the other full bath is pale yellow, I think, and the powder room is pale green.

8. If you could vacation anywhere in the world RIGHT NOW, where would it be and why?

Somewhere warm. Greece? The Caribbean? I'm not all that fussy.

9. What is your least favorite thing to cook?

Anything complicated and fussy.

10. What is the dish you make that your family rolls their eyes at?

I have an absolutely AWFUL time with chicken; it virtually never gets cooked through the first time out of the oven.

11. What are three things on your bucket list?

I don't have a bucket list. I'd like to travel across the whole US in an RV, and I'd like to live in England for an extended period of time, and I'd like to have grandchildren someday.

12. How many skeins of yarn do you think you are currently hoarding?

Good yarn? None. I probably have about 3 skeins of dirt-cheap yarn around somewhere though.

13. Today is my birthday. What virtual gift are you going to give me?

The gift of my absence.

14. What is your favorite candy?

Twizzlers, Smarties, Skittles....not so much chocolate.

15. What is your favorite time of the day and why?

I love early mornings on days I don't have a shit-ton of work to do.

16. If you could call in sick for a day, what would you do with the time?

Sleep. Fill out forms. Visit Beast. Catch up.

17. How much did your last crafting run cost you?

Less than $15. My "crafting" is embroidery, so I just got a couple of floss packs.

18. Can you play a musical instrument and if so, which one?

I can figure out the tune on a piano with sheet music. I used to be able to play flute. And I play bells at church once in awhile.

19. What is your least favorite craft that you still do? Why?

If I'm not enjoying it, why the hell would I do it?

20. If you could have any job for just one day, what would it be and what would you do?

I'd love to be Queen of the World for one day and fire about 80% of the politicians in the world.

From Smellyann

1. What is more difficult for you, looking into someone’s eyes when you are telling someone how you feel, or looking into someone’s eyes when they are telling you how they feel.

I find it hard to look in people's eyes, period. It's just disturbing, unless I know you really really well, and I'm struggling to hear your voice.

2. Think of the last time you were REALLY angry. WHY were you angry? Do you still feel the same way?

I almost drove off the road in October when my sister said ... some things. I briefly lost my vision at 70 mph I was so gobsmacked. And yes, I'm still fucking pissed off at her.

3. You are on a flight from Honolulu to Chicago non-stop. There is a fire in the back of the plane. You have enough time to make one phone call. Who do you call? What do you tell them?

I'm calling Sparky. Beast no longer has access to a phone he can answer. And I'd apologize for dumping everything onto Sparky, still in a state of flux and confusion.

4. You are at the doctor’s office and she has just informed you that you have approximately one month to live. Do you tell anyone/everyone you are going to die? What do you do with your remaining days? Would you be afraid?

I would tell Sparky. I would probably tell my boss. And perhaps a couple of other people. And I'd bust my ass to get All The Things done so Sparky can figure it out without me.

5. You can have one of the following two things. Which do you choose? Why? Love and Trust.

Trust, because it's hard when you've gotten screwed to trust again.

6. You are walking down the street on your way to work. There is a dog drowning in the canal on the side of the street. Your boss has told you that if you are late just one more time you are fired. Do you take the time to save the dog’s life? Why? Why not?

I'm saving the dog's life. Fuck my boss if he can't figure out priorities like this. HOWEVER: I would never get to the point of being on that thin of a line at work, either. Responsibility is important.

7. Would you rather be hurt by the one you trust the most or the one you love the most?

Well, I've been destroyed by both. I think I'd rather have broken trust overall, but it's a pretty tight race and I'd rather not do either.

8. Your best friend confesses that he/she has feelings for you more than just friendship. He/she is falling in love with you. What do you (or did you) say?

"Forget it. I'm a mess right now and in no position to deal with more bullshit. Back off!" and then I'd disentangle myself from them because they aren't a good friend if they're fucking me up right now with this.

9. Think of the last person you know who died. You have the chance to give them 1 hour more of life back, but you have to give up one year of yours. Do you do it? Why? Or Why not?

Nope. Because I deserve my time and the person I'm thinking off is probably better off now.

10. Are you the kind of friend that you would want to have as a friend?

Maybe. I hope so. I try, but often fail, to be the friend I'd want to have.

11. Does love = sex?

Not usually.

12. Your boss tells your co-worker that they have to let them go because of work shortage, and they are the newest employee. You have been there much longer. Your co-worker has a family to support and no other means of income. Do you go to your boss and offer to leave the company? Why or Why not.

Nope. I too have a family to support and no other means of income.

13. When was the last time you told someone HONESTLY how you felt regardless of how difficult it was for you to say? What did you have to tell the person?

I don't pussy-foot around anymore. I tell people the truth, at least as much of it as I think they can deal with. I had to have the discussion with Beast today about why I'm not bringing him home. This comes up at least weekly. He was really angry and frustrated with me when I left tonight. My brother-in-law last week asked me quietly if he should hide any empty booze containers he found so Sparky wouldn't see them; no, there'll be none of that in this house! Never, ever again!

14. What would be (or what was) harder for you to tell a member of the opposite/same sex – you love them or that you do not love them back.

It's hard to tell someone that my feelings don't seem to be the same level of intensity as theirs, whichever direction. I find it shatteringly hard to say, "I don't really like you 'that way', sorry." But it's also painful to bust out with an "I Love You" and get slammed, but I guess I'd still rather do that. Most people are nice and don't make it into a worse situation than it absolutely has to be.

Saturday 9

(Link in meme-roll)
The Man in Black (1971)
Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) Black is this week's signature color because Friday, November 24, was "Black Friday," when retailers cut their prices and consumers flock to the stores. Did you score any "Black Friday" bargains?

Nope. I worked all day, came home and was in bed by 7.

2) Among the biggest the Black Friday advertisers are Target, Kohl's, Macy's and Best Buy. If you could have a $100 gift card to any one of those stores, which would you choose? What would you buy?

Target, I guess.

3) Feasting and football are also popular Thanksgiving weekend pastimes. Do your Thursday-Sunday plans include pigging out or watching a game?

I did both on Thursday. I watched a little football on Sunday too.

4) Thanksgiving weekend is a major time for travel. How far did you venture from home for the holiday?

I went to my niece's house, about an hour from here.

5) This week's song, "Man in Black," is about a singer who refuses to wear bright colors. What color are you wearing as you answer these questions?

Red, white, and blue Puerto Rico shirt, beige yoga pants, black sox.

6) Johnny Cash first performed this song at Nashville's Vanderbilt University. When were you last on a college campus? What brought you there?

Sparky still works on his college campus (technically, that's my college campus too), so when I visited him at work last month, I guess that was it.

7) The average American man wears a 10.5 size shoe, the average woman wears a 7.5. Johnny Cash wore a size 13. Are your shoes bigger or smaller than the national average?

Bigger. But then I am, overall, bigger than the national average.

8) He preferred his coffee very strong. To make sure what he was drank was to his liking, he carried a jar of instant coffee with him and would ladle it into his cup in restaurants. What about you? What's your standard coffee order?

"Water, please." I don't drink coffee. Long, traumatic childhood story involving my stubbornness.

9) While in the air force, Cash wrote short stories under the pseudonym "Johnny Dollar." Make up a pen name for yourself.

So, I'm assuming you know my legal name has nothing to do with "Cat." right?

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

Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree (1971)
Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.
In memory of David Cassidy, who died on 11/21/17.

1) This song mentions celebrating the holidays in "the new old-fashioned way." What's a holiday tradition that began with you (or your generation)?

Hmm. Chinese on Christmas Eve (before or after church depending on the timing) and then opening one gift under the tree and going to bed, followed by waking up the next morning and opening the rest while the Christmas Candle burns.

2) The lyrics include dancing, caroling and pumpkin pie. Will you enjoy any of those three between now and year-end?

I loathe pumpkin pie. I will probably whirl around the living room at some point; it's a thing that happens. And I will carol but not until Christmas Eve.

3) David Cassidy and The Partridge Family were intensely popular for a short period of time. For example, this song was from the best-selling Christmas album of the 1971 holiday season. Have you added any holiday music to your collection this year?

I haven't bought new Christmas music for myself in over a decade.

4) In 1971, the official David Cassidy fan club had a membership that exceeded both Elvis' and The Beatles'. Have you ever joined a fan club?

I think I did, briefly. Maybe?

5) David recalled that his first hero growing up was the Yankees' Mickey Mantle. When you were a little kid, what grown-up did you look up to?

Mostly adults I actually knew, hello.

6) David was a notoriously bad driver. In 1990, he was sentenced to traffic school for speeding. He was late for the class because he was stopped for speeding en route. Do you have a "lead foot?"

Nope. I have cruise control and I use it.

7) David's parents divorced when he was only four years old. He and his mom lived with her parents until he was 10. Have you ever lived in an extended, multi-generational household?

Nope. God help Sparky if he has to do this when I get old....

8) In 1971, when David and the Partridge Family were at their height, the US Mint introduced the Eisenhower Silver Dollar. Think of the last thing you bought. Did you pay with cash or plastic or your phone?

I paid cash for breakfast at McDonald's this morning.

9) Random holiday question: Let's talk regifting. Tell us about a time you regifted, or you received a present you suspect was regifted.

Look, if it's something I like, I don't care where it came from. If I hate it, I either pitch it or keep it to regift. So yes, I have a closet of things upstairs of things I can gift in an emergency.

Friday 5

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Payday

1. From whom did you receive your first real paycheck?

   My hometown library was my first actual check, as opposed to the cash I got for babysitting.

2. Among board games involving the exchange of money, which have you enjoyed most?

   I actually can't play Payday--I get really angry and turn into Terrible Loser. So, I'll go with Life.

3. PayDay is the name of a candy bar consisting of salted peanuts rolled in caramel surrounding a firm, nougat-like center. How does it sound to you if you haven’t tried it, and how do you like it if you have? Is there a similar candy bar you like better?

   It's surprisingly good. It always looked shady to me--nuts and sugar??--but once I gave in and tried it once, I was pleased. Don't know why it confused me so much: my dad spent a lot of time making (and eating) peanut-brittle, which tastes nothing like Paydays, by the way.

4. When did you last do something nice for yourself just because it was pay day?

   Years. I have money in the bank, so I don't have to wait till I get paid to buy most things. Yes, I do know how fortunate I am.

5. What person with the surname Day are you most familiar with?

   Dorothy Day, I guess.

* For the last question, I wanted to ask which member of the Partridge Family is your favorite, but I have a feeling that’s a question only I want to expound upon (Laurie, of course!), so I’ll just leave it here in case anyone is led to respond.

Well, this is just as easy for me: Keith of course! Though I always really liked Mom, too. If you liked Shirley Jones in that show, or in Oklahoma! DO NOT read her recent autobiography!

Saturday 9 x 2

(Link in meme-roll)
Don't Talk to Strangers (1982)
Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) When did you recently have a conversation with a complete stranger? What did you two discuss?

I've been having most of my IRL conversations this week with strangers. We mostly discuss Beast, him being the Center of Everyone's Current Attention at the moment.

2) In the video for this song, a woman is having a "hot" conversation on a corded, rotary dial phone in her bedroom. Do you have a landline? If so, do you have an extension in your bedroom?

I do have a landline still, with long-distance coverage. And there is an extension in the bedroom, which has a curly cord on it! No rotary dials in the house, more's the pity.

3) This week's artist, Rick Springfield, says he wrote this song when he was worried that his girlfriend (now his wife) would cheat on him when he was touring. Would you describe yourself as suspicious or trusting?

I'm far far far far more trusting than I should be. And yet wholly unsurprised by shitty behavior when it happens.

4) He became a daytime heartthrob as Dr. Noah Drake on General Hospital. Do you think it would be cool to have a really attractive doctor? Or would it make you uncomfortable?

I have had a gorgeous doctor. I currently have a doctor who is just absolutely adorable (he used to be gorgeous and then he hit middle age). It makes going to the doctor fun, seriously. However, these were/are both generalists. It would be AWFUL having an attractive gynie. That's where I draw the line! lol

5) He's discussed how sad he was when, as a boy, he had to leave his dog Elvis behind when the family left Australia. While you were growing up, did your family often move?

My parents lived in the house my dad built in 1946/7 until 1994, a year after Sparky was born. Same house for all the kids in my family, same house for 47 years of their 53-year-marriage.

6) In 1982, when this song was popular, Italy won the World Cup. Do you ever watch soccer?

I do, but very occasionally. I love to listen to the commentary in either foreign languages or in "British" because it's quite a lot different from American sportscasts during which THEY NEVER STOP TALKING! I love occasional silence and focus in watching sports.

7) "Smiley," the first emoticon, was introduced in 1982. Do you use emoticons in your communication? Or do you avoid them?

I use them more than I should. I'm such a girl!

8) The Vietnam Memorial was dedicated in Washington, DC, in 1982. Do you know any veterans of that conflict? If so, tell us about him or her.

One of my best friends' second husband was a pilot of a helo on the day Saigon evacuated. He's the least-obvious veteran I've ever known. He's also the only person I know well who was in Vietnam. A lot of my brother's classmates were drafted; he avoided it by going to college (and having bad eyesight). I have never asked how many people from his class died there. It might be worth asking.

9) Random Question: Your friends are throwing a birthday "roast" in your honor. Which one quality of yours are you sure will be singled out for laughs?

My OCD, detail-orientation will surely be raised.

Da Doo Ron Ron (1977)
Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) This song begins by stating that he met her on a Monday and his heart stood still. How did your past week start? It may be a lot to expect you to report that you met someone who made your heart stand still, but did anything noteworthy occur?

A lot of things have my heart super-active this week in various respects, but not because I met someone. "Noteworthy"? Yeah, a week ago last night, Beast was airlifted to a trauma hospital with severe head injuries from a fall sometime in the afternoon down the steps in our house. He is still not participating in what the rest of us agree is reality. I've spent at least 5 hours every day since then sitting in his hospital room.

2) While making hit records, Shaun Cassidy also starred as Joe Hardy on the Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries. The Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew books have been popular with generations of American kids. Were you a fan?

Oh My God!! I read most of the books, and I watched that show obsessively for the first couple of years. I was In Love with Parker Stevenson, and I have the album this very song is on! Yes, the LP album, played over and over and over on my parents' stereo in the living room. If I had been aware of the sound eyeballs rolling in parental heads made, I'd have never heard a note of the record. But they let me listen.

3) Shaun went to Beverly Hills High School. Over the decades, BHHS has had many good football teams. Do you remember what sports your school excelled at?

Absolutely none that I'm aware of. We suuuuuucked at football, and I ignored all the other sports except wrestling, which I think we were ok in (you'd think I'd know--I was a regular volunteer at meets!). THE BAND however, was the best band in the metro area for years and years.

4) Shaun followed his older half-brother, David Cassidy, into TV/records/teen stardom. Do you have siblings? If yes, what career paths did they follow?

[Aside: David Cassidy was my very first heartthrob. I was, uh, 7? when I fell in love with him.] Marie managed and set up daycares and otherwise worked in childcare her whole career. Oh, she taught for a few years too. Ellen taught middle school and then temped and got her master's degree in business before she died. Jean taught--in Africa--and then got her master's degree in library science and worked in the equivalent of a high school library till she got too ill to work. Mind you, all three of my sisters HAD TO QUIT WORK when they had kids, although maybe it was less of a thing for Jean because she got at least a year of leave after a baby's birth before she had to go back. Socialized medicine dontcha know. The other two, though: women didn't work back then while pregnant or when they have a husband and kids. My brother, Del, was an airport firefighter for most of his career till he became management and then retired a few years ago. He currently works at Lowe's where he just follows directions and makes no decisions whatsoever at work. It sounds lovely.

5) His middle name is Paul, after his maternal grandfather. Tell us something about one of your grandparents.

They all had RIDICULOUS names! When we were looking for baby names for Sparky, it was horrific what our options were for family names. I mean we had to reuse Beast's first name--it's a family tradition--but had free rein on the middle name. Dear God the options! Clarence, Albert, Grover, and the French version of Adolf. Jeebus God!! All we needed was Ernie and Oscar and we'd've had a TV show!

6) Shaun's mother, actress Shirley Jones, reports that he was more than 3 weeks late and born by Cesarean. Have you heard family legends about your arrival into the world?

I was a week late. Mom drank a whole bottle of cod liver oil (or was it castor oil?) so I'd just finally appear! And then when labor did start, apparently everyone in town who was pregnant also went into labor. Mom talked about nearly giving birth to me in the hall because there was a line for the delivery room (remember this was the dark ages of putting Mom to sleep and not letting Dad in the room). I had two friends in high school whose moms were in the hospital giving birth at the same time as my mom was having me. Oh, and she had to beg to stay an extra night because she didn't want to go home to face two teens, a ten-year-old and a baby. I'm surprised she didn't hop a train and ride the rails. It would have been easier in some respects!!

7) "Da Doo Ron Ron" was originally recorded by The Crystals. Can you think of another song that has been a hit by more than one artist?

A lot of the Motown hits from the 60s have been redone (often by white people) since then. The originals are almost always better, although I've a soft spot for Phil Collins' version of "You Can't Hurry Love."

8) In 1977, when this version of "Da Doo Ron Ron" was popular, Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak incorporated Apple. Are you Mac or Android?

I am SO Android it's painful! I don't even own an iPod; never have!

9) Random Question: You're exhausted. You collapse into bed and are about to drift into slumber when you hear the drip-drip-drip of the bathroom faucet. Would you kick off the covers and go turn it off? Or would you stay in bed, letting it drip until morning?

Hmm, specifically dripping? I would totally go shut it off. I grew up conserving water. Lots of other things, though--squeaky fans, vents clicking, loud music across the street--I'd stick the earplugs in and go right to sleep.

Sunday Stealing

(Link in meme-roll)
Let's Pretend

1. What is your middle name?

Well, according to the Social Security database, it's in the top 40 names of the last century, but it hasn't been in the top 200 list since the 1950s when it was only in the top 70 or so names. I don't think I've met anyone my age or younger with that name, but you all certainly would recognize it as a "real name" if you heard it.

2. What is your favorite color?

Blue. And I'm not really fussy about what blue: teal, baby, navy, denim... Blue.

3. What’s your lucky number?

I don't think I have one. I don't "play the numbers" as a rule so it's not much of an issue. I have some "favorite" numbers, but not because they're "lucky."
However, there are some weird coincidences in our family in terms of birthdays: lots of people born on the 27th or 25th of various months and we have a pretty good record of having kids born in years ending in 3 since 1933, except we missed 2003 because my nieces missed the program.

4. Do you have any pets?

Just our little guinea pig, Pinto.

5. Where are you from?

This pretty little planet between Mars and Venus. It's lovely. You should visit. Maybe not during hurricane season, though.

6. How tall are you?

At my tallest, I was around 1.73 meters. I've shrunk some since then though.

7. What shoe size are you?

I'm running at about 10 these days. Somehow, it feels like they just keep growing, but I think it's just that my arches keep falling more and more.

8. How many pairs of shoes do you own?

Ha ha ha ha. I'm not quite Imelda-level, but my mom kind of was...it's a goal. We all need goals, right?

9. What was your last dream about?

I have had a bunch of super-weird dreams this week. Lots of traveling, packing, and cleaning. Yeah. Go nuts with all that interpretation.

10. What talents do you have?

Ugh. Right now, it seems my talent involves headaches and irritated GI tracts. Not feeling the joy today.

11. Are you psychic in any way?

I don't even know if I buy psychic powers, to be honest. Sometimes things happen that are creepily coincidental, but I don't think it's psychic.

12. Favorite song?

"Amazing Grace" either the traditional version (sung fairly straight) or Chris Tomlin's version. Though a good gospel version will rock me too.

13. Favorite movie?

Shoah.

14. Are you religious?

Yes.

15. Have you ever been to the hospital?

Of course. I was a candystriper for cryin' out loud. I spent time in hospitals from about age 2 as a visitor (very sick sister). I take Beast to the hospital again this Thursday for another nerve treatment. I spend a lot of time in hospitals. I've only been a patient IN the hospital twice though, thank God!

16. Have you ever been in trouble with the law?

I've gotten one ticket in my life. And I got pulled over last spring because my car came up as suspended, according to the cop; he was really sweet, and it was because Beast's license is suspended, not the car.

17. Have you ever met any celebrities?

Not really. It's not my thing to search them out.

17. What color socks are you wearing?

I have naked feet. It's still summer in my house!

18. Have you ever been famous?

Noooo....I've been in the paper a couple of times when I was interviewed at work. I don't really think that counts, though; both times were local papers.

20. Would you like to be a big celebrity?

ABSOLUTELY NOT!!!

21. What type of music do you like?

I like almost every kind of music, especially if I understand it. Like, I don't really get Asian music but that's probably because I have no conception of how it works, what it's supposed to sound like.

22. How many pillows do you sleep with?

Just one. I have an extra for reading in bed, but it puts my neck at a weird angle for sleeping.

23. What position do you usually sleep in?

Always on my side. Would love to sleep on my stomach sometimes, but not with a CPAP on my face. The only time I ever sleep on my back is if I have an upset stomach. I know, don't ask.

24. How big is your house?

It's about 2100 sq. feet plus basement. FAR too large for two people, but it's full of cra ...er, furniture and uh, stuff, that one or the other of us refuses to get rid of: "we might need it someday."

25. What do you typically have for breakfast?

Usually a bagel with some kind of (sliced) cheese on it.

Saturday 9

(Link in meme-roll)
Don't Stop (1977)
... because Country Dew recommended Fleetwood Mac
Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) Since we're not supposed to stop thinking about tomorrow, let's talk about it: What are your plans for Sunday?

We're probably going to church. After that, I don't know. I probably should do some serious house-cleaning, but let's be realistic: I'm not going to do it.

2) Fleetwood Mac was formed 50 years ago in London. Fifty years is considered a "golden anniversary." Do you wear more silver or gold?

Silver.

3) This song is from Rumours, which has sold 40 million copies. Is it in your collection?

Nope. When it was popular, I was (I think) too young to understand its appeal. I like most of the songs just fine now, though. They bring back great memories.

4) It was written by keyboardist and vocalist Christine McVie. She was born Christine Perfect, a name that earned her a fair share of teasing when she was a school girl. Do you recall being teased in school? What about?

I got teased for wearing glasses and being a nerd and "too nice." And, a little, for my name, but there isn't anything really awful people can do with it--it wasn't till I was an adult that someone told me it is quite similar to a foreign word meaning "death" or "murder." That was a fun day at work. ;-)

5) Before Fleetwood Mac, she was in a band called Chicken Shack. If you were to order out for a chicken dinner, which restaurant would you turn to?

I'd probably hit the grocery store. We hadn't ever picked up from one of the locals here, but last month I did and it was surprisingly good. However, the people working there lived right down to their usual standard of snarkiness, and I got felt-up (OK, hugged, but he's not someone I had EVER met before!) by a creepy guy who insisted on discussing who got the "last breast." Beast will be picking up anything there in the future.

6) Before she could pay all her bills with her music, she supported herself as a window dresser for a London department store. Do you enjoy walking along, just window shopping? Or do you consider "looking with no intention to buy" a waste of time?

I do not like to window shop. I like to get in, get out, and get home.

7) When she found herself making big money, one of the first things Christine bought was a pair of matching Mercedes for herself and then-husband, John McVie. If you were handed a check for $1 million, what's the first thing you would do with the money?

Pay off the house.

8) The other girl in Fleetwood Mac, Stevie Nicks, founded the Soldier's Angel Foundation. She believes in the healing power of music, and so she's proud to provide wounded soldiers with iPods already loaded with music. When you listen to music from your phone, MP3 player or iPod, do you use ear buds or headphones?

I, uh, rarely use anything but CD players and Spotify (on computer) to listen. It makes me nervous not being able to hear what's going on around me when I'm walking or working out. At work, I'm plugged into my computer with earbuds.

9) Random question: Let's pretend your high school reunion is coming up. Which classmate are you more curious about: the one who was your first date, or the one who was too cool to give you the time of day?

I've no interest in seeing my first date, but he's in a different class year from me. And judging by my attendance at the only reunion I've attended, the cool kids are still idiots and drama queens. So, I'd just hang out with whoever was fun and interesting and not an asshole. Pretty much like high school itself. [I am actually Facebook friends with someone I once had a massive crush on--he is a classic case of "thank God I came to my senses!"]

Friday 5 x 2

(Link in meme-roll)
Straight No Chaser

1. What keeps you on the straight and narrow?

   My conscience generally reminds me that I don't want to go to jail. Or be a jerk.

2. Who in your life is a real straight shooter?

   Most everyone in my family, and a couple of coworkers.

3. How straight are your teeth and hair?

   My hair is randomly curly/wavy, but not kinky-curly. My teeth are 40 years out from braces: still pretty straight, all things considered.

4. What’s a good song with the word straight in its lyrics or title?

   "Straight From the Heart" jumped immediately to mind. I'm not a huge Bryan Adams fan, but that song was pretty unavoidable when it first came out.

5. What’s something that needs straightening?

   A lot of people's attitudes seem to be ruffled of late. Including mine.

Tiny Gestures

1. What might you put in a small, pretty glass bottle as a romantic gift to someone?

   Well, I wouldn't put it in the bottle, but I might give someone perfume/cologne.

2. Someone you care very much for is leaving for a long time but will be back. What small object (not a photo) might you give him or her to remember you by?

   If pressed, I might just give them a small stone, nothing special, just to keep in their pocket to remember me by.

3. If you were to leave a small mark in your current residence, as lasting evidence that you lived there, what would you leave, and where would you leave it?

   Before the builders put up the sheetrock I ran around and Sharpie'd a cross on most of the door jambs of the house I'm currently in. When things are dire, it can help knowing that God's around.

4. What would you like to toss into the fires of Mount Doom?

   The Trump family.

5. Those adopt-a-star things are gimmicky rip-offs, but if they weren’t, and someone gave you one as a gift, what would you name it?

   I wouldn't name it. I let the astrophysicists of my acquaintance get on with things.

Sunday Stealing

(Link in meme-roll)
The Unknown Author Questions

1. if someone wanted to really understand you, what would they read, watch, and listen to?

You'd have to read a lot of history, mysteries (everything but cozies) and "good" lit. You'd have to watch lots of (true and fictional) crime shows, and medical docs. I listen to almost everything. That one's pretty easy.

2. have you ever found a blogger who thinks just like you? if so, who?

Kwizgiver and I seem to be on the same wavelength fairly often. Except on football teams and coffee. ;-)

3. list your fandoms and one character from each that you identify with.

I don't really do fandoms. I like ST and my favorite characters of those series I've seriously watched are Bones, Picard, Kira, and Janeway.

4. do you like your name? is there another name you think would fit you better?

My name is good. At this point, having to switch to listening for another one would be difficult.

5. do you think of yourself as a human being or a human doing? do you identify yourself by the things you do?

Hah. I'm a human. I don't worry about doing and being unless it's a Frank Sinatra tune (do-be-do-be-do).

6. are you religious/spiritual?

I'm churchy. I think we're all spiritual beings, but not everyone connects with that part of them often.

7. do you care about your ethnicity?

Do I care?? I'm aware of it. I don't spend a lot of time dwelling on changing it.

8. what musical artists have you most felt connected to over your lifetime?

U2, Melissa Etheridge, Howard Jones, Annie Lennox, Alison Moyet....

9. are you an artist?

I can do a mean stick figure, and lots of abstract stuff. I don't think I'm overly artistic in the traditional sense, however.

10. do you have a creed?

Lately, it's "don't be a dick."

11. describe your ideal day.

I started to write some stuff, but really I've found that good days are what you make of them, and being open to surprises is key.

12. dog person or cat person?

I'm definitely a dog person. But since I'm allergic to both cats and dogs, it's not in the cards.

13. inside or outdoors?

I've become mostly an indoor person. Allergies.

14. are you a musician?

Amateur only.

15. five most influential books over your lifetime.

In no particular order: The Bible. Traveling Mercies (Anne Lamott). A Marginal Jew, v. 1 (John Meier). The Laura books. Nicholas & Alexandra (Robert Massie). There are dozens of others.

16. if you’d grown up in a different environment, do you think you’d have turned out the same?

No I do not think so. Everything that has happened in my life has made me who I am. Change one thing and the whole Jenga collapses.

17. would you say your tumblr is a fair representation of the “real you”?

I don't do Tumblr--though, come to think of it, I guess I have one that I seriously have never used--but this blog gives you a decent idea of what goes on in my head.

18. what’s your patronus?

I think J.K. Rowling's site told me it was a rodent of some kind. Squirrel maybe? Or ferret? Seems fitting.

19. which Harry Potter house would you be in? or are you a muggle?

Being an American, I'd be a no-maj not a muggle, but I'm more or less solidly Hufflepuff.

20. would you rather be in Middle Earth, Narnia, Hogwarts, or somewhere else?

It would be fun to visit Hogwarts, but overall, I like here best.

21. do you love easily?

I don't even know for sure what this means. I probably do, but it doesn't seem "easy" to me. Or hard. It just seems like me.

22. list the top five things you spend the most time doing, in order.

Sleeping. Worrying/Feeling guilty. Working. Doing online stuff (Facebook, this, email, etc.). Reading.

23. how often would you want to see your family every year?

I see some family member or other 4-6 times a year, usually in packs, like coyotes. LOL There have been years of my life when no one lived nearby when I only saw family once or twice a year. It's not that I don't like them, but short visits go a long way for me. And there isn't anyone less than an hour away, and some are an 8-hour plane trip and 4-hour drive away.

24. have you ever felt like you had a “mind-meld” with someone?

Beast and I occasionally feel that way. We've known each other for 35 years, so we have but to look at each other sometimes to know what the other person is thinking.

25. could you live as a hermit?

Not permanently. There are days, even a few weeks, when it sounds positively heavenly, but I need people to talk to at some point.

26. how would you describe your gender/sexuality?

I'm cis-gendered female.

27. do you feel like your outside appearance is a fair representation of the “real you”?

Nope. I'm absolutely not this old, nor is the real me this fat.

28. on a scale from 1 to 10, how hard is it for someone to get under your skin?

Depends on who and what they're trying on. I'm probably an 8 in public/with the public, and maybe a 5 with people I know and care about.

29. three songs that you connect with right now.

These are the three that popped into my mind first: "You Are the Sunshine of My Life" (Stevie Wonder)--no clue why, today, when it's cold, windy and cloudy outside. "Short People" (Randy Newman)--because one of the drivers in the race is named Newman. "Amazing Grace"--because it's always floating near the top.

30. pick one of your favorite quotes.

“You think your pain and your heartbreak are unprecedented in the history of the world, but then you read. It was books that taught me that the things that tormented me most were the very things that connected me with all the people who were alive, who had ever been alive.” ―James Baldwin

Sunday Stealing

(Link in meme-roll)
The Disappearing Questions

1. Last movie you saw in a theater?

We saw "La La Land" last weekend. We were underwhelmed, to say the least. No clue why it's getting accolades--except that it's a movie about how wonderful Hollywood is. But it's not that good.

2. What book are you reading?

Blotto Twinks And The Riddle Of The Sphinx, by Simon Brett; Where the Shadows Lie, by Michael Ridpath; The Oxford Book of English Detective Stories, (ed. by Patricia Craig); Secondhand Time: The Last of the Soviets, by Svetlana Alexievich.

3. Favorite board game?

Trivial Pursuit. Or Life.

4. Favorite magazine?

Ms.

5. Favorite smells?

Pine. "Clean." Vanilla.

6. Favorite sounds?

Giggling. Hymns. Wind.

7. Worst feeling in the world?

Pain. Pain in those I love is actually THE worst.

8. What is the first thing you think of when you wake up?

It's a toss-up between "Can I snooze?", "What am I wearing today?" and "What stupid shit did SCROTUS to overnight?"

9. Favorite fast food place?

KFC, Arby's. and Taco Bell. Our TB has been closed since before Halloween. Just reopened at the end of last week. I can't WAIT to drive-thru this week!!).

10. Future child’s name?

There are no children in my future, except grandchildren. And I don't get to name those.

11. Finish this statement. “If I had lot of money I’d….?

"...spend more and still complain about being poor."

12. Do you sleep with a stuffed animal?

I do. Elsie my library cat.

13. Storms – cool or scary?

It's a matter of scale, is it not? I don't mind some thunder-bangers, but I'm not a fan of tornado weather.

14. Favorite drink?

Diet Dr. Pepper. Mixed-drink? Stoli & tonic with a lime twist.

15. Finish this statement, “If I had the time I would….”?

"....travel much more often!"

16. Do you eat the stems on broccoli?

Yes. Well, more on cooked broccoli than raw, I guess.

17. If you could dye your hair any color, what would be your choice?

I'd like a nice electric blue, to be honest.

18. Name all the different cities/towns you’ve lived in?

Suburban Denver, suburban Milwaukee, and ex-urban Where-I-Live-Now.

19. Favorite sports to watch?

Football. Gymnastics.

20. One nice thing about the person who sent this to you?

I like Bud. He's funny, classy (usually, lol), smart, and interesting. And likes music.

21. What’s under your bed?

Dust, used Kleenex, electrical cords ... mostly dust.

22. Would you like to be born as yourself again?

Sure. Maybe I'd screw up less. Or differently. But I probably wouldn't have my memories to remind me of what worked.

23. Morning person, or night owl?

I prefer mornings overall.

24. Over easy, or sunny side up?

Over easy.

25. Favorite place to relax?

Up in the mountains in a meadow. Me and the sky and grass and sun.

26. Favorite pie?

Cherry? Banana-cream? Really, I just like pie.

27. Favorite ice cream flavor?

Birthday cake. Peppermint. Bubble gum. Or just plain vanilla with butterscotch topping.

28. Of all the people who play, how many of the posts do you usually read?

Depends how buried in other things I am. I'm unlikely to get very far today.

Sunday Stealing

(Link in meme-roll)
The Racquet Questions

01 What is the worst nickname that anyone has ever called you?

I haven't really ever had a good nickname. My parents deliberately chose names for all of us that are hard (or impossible) to shorten, and the only thing my mom ever called me besides my name was "Grace" when I tripped or something.

02 Have you got a favorite flower?

I like heirloom roses, fresh from the garden.

03 Do you add a sauce, ketchup or other artificial flavorings to your food?

Sometimes. Depends on what I'm eating. I use steak sauce sometimes. We don't go through a lot of ketchup, though.

04 Describe yourself using only words that begin with the letter 'T'.

Tall, tired, temperamental.

05 What is/was your lover's pet name for you?

Yeah, well, we'll be moving on...

06 What is your least favorite color?

Mustard yellow-brown.

07 Who did you vote for in the last election, and did they win?

I voted for HRC. Because I have, yknow, a flippin' brain in my head and no trust in my heart at all.

08 What is/was your grandfathers’ names?

One shared a name with a blue monster on Sesame Street, and the other was the Latinized version of Hitler's first name. Guess what: we didn't give Sparky EITHER of their names!

09 What is the best present you ever received?

Sparky of course.

10 What is 17 1/2% of 97 + 42 x (6 / 2) – 137 ? [Editor's note: Holy shit!]

5.975. You asked, right?

11 What would be the best possible way you could die?

In my sleep when I'm old but still compos mentis.

12 Given the choice of absolutely anything, what would be your dream job?

I love my current job. Really, I do. If I could travel more that would be the best.

13 What position do you sleep in at night?

Usually on my side, and I rarely move. Seriously, I usually roll over once only all night.

14 What is the most embarrassing thing that has ever happened to you?

Sooo ... many ... things. If embarrassment killed, I'd be so death so many times.

15 Who is your favorite fictional character?

Thursday Next.

16 What food do you hate most in the world?

Brussels sprouts.

17 When was the last time you were ill?

Knock wood, it's been awhile.

18 If you were transformed into a wild creature, what would it be?

I'd like to be a wolf. I'd probably end up as a cockroach. Or a dung beetle.

19 What was your favorite toy as a child, and whatever happened to it?

I don't remember one specific toy that lasted the whole childhood. My eldest niece got my Barbie doll and that pissed me off; I wasn't consulted. I still have my Raggedy Anne doll. Several stuffed animals have disappeared somewhere. And my jacks. And my jumpropes.

20 What's the most amazing thing you've ever seen?

I have been very fortunate to see a lot of pretty amazing things. Perhaps the best memory I have is looking at the stars while lying on my car outside our mountain cabin with my best friend. Pretty epic.

Blogthings

Your Democrat Name Is: Emily Ava

What's Your Democrat Name?

Your Republican Name Is: Angelina Connie

What's Your Republican Name?

Let us not seek the Republican answer or the Democratic answer, but the right answer.

I'd like to know my Independent name, because I'm not enthralled with this.

Sunday Stealing

(Link in meme-roll)
Wish List Meme, part two

26.) Favorite kids name?

Right outta the gate I go pedantic: the name of my favorite kid? or my favorite name for a person (all of whom start as children)? Where's the apostrophe supposed to be???
So, my favorite name is Josephine.
My favorite kid is (naturally) Sparky, although he's 23 so I'm stretching a bit. If I exclude "former kids" and only go with current ones....seriously this is hard. There are a lot of contenders in my life. I think I have to go with my coworker's son Ian, or maybe play family-favorites and go with my great-nephew J. I've always connected to Ian's thought processes and general persona; J. is just a tough little kid, and while I'm terribly glad I'm not his mom, he totally has my heart because he's a miracle baby with serious spunk.

27.) Do you speak any other languages?

I can make myself understood in Spanish, given a forgiving Spanish-speaker with whom to deal. I can speak some pidgin Italian and Greek, and I used to have some pidgin Russian too. I can read some French and German.

28.) Do you use Twitter?

Not very often.

29.) Do you go onto YouTube?

I watch videos that others tell me about. I don't watch "shows."

30.) Do you play Angry Birds?

Nope.

31.) Do you like Angry Birds?

Well, I don't hate them or anything, but I never really understood the attraction of the whole thing.

32.) Do you like Hello Kitty?

Not particularly, but again, it's not as if I hate them.

33.) Have you ever cried because you were so happy?

All the damn time!

34.) Who would you like to see in concert?

Do I have to be in the crowd, or can I be in a box? If there's a box available, I'd see almost anyone. Bleacher seats? Nope; I'll stay home.

35.) Can you swim well?

I have come to hate this fucking question. No, goddammit, I can't swim at all!! Stop bloody ASKING!

36.) Ever won a contest?

Yup.

37.) Ever won a giveaway?

Yup. I have a couple of books on the way from GoodReads right now, in fact.

38.) Do you get a full 8 hours of sleep every night?

Only if I stayed in bed for 12 hours would that happen lately. My recent pattern is sleep for an hour, wake up and read for awhile, sleep for another hour or two, wake up and read for awhile, sleep the rest of the night (or repeat the earlier pattern once more at 4). It's ridiculous.

39.) What tea do you like?

Hot, strong, black tea.

40.) What coffee do you like?

I don't like coffee. Blech.

41.) Do you shop at Walmart?

Not very often, not if I have other options.

42.) Do you shop at Target?

I love Target, but there isn't one near us anymore.

43.) What do you order at Second Cup?

Looks like it's a Italian soda for me. However, I don't think we have any nearby; the website is a bit borked right now so I can't tell for sure.

44.)

...is missing

45.) Do you like homemade meals?

Yup. Well, I mean, I like food, and homemade is fine.

46.) Do you like homemade baked goods?

Helz yeah!

47.) Do you shop online?

I do.

48.) Name 3 stores online stores you would like to shop at:

Barnes & Noble, Amazon, and my local indie bookstore.

49.) What holiday don't you like?

I'm not a huge fan of July 4th just because everyone around here goes completely bonkers and buys scads of fireworkswhich are illegal in this state!! For good reason: people are dumb.

50.) What do you eat more of when you're sick?

Soup.

Sunday Stealing

(Link in meme-roll)
Wish List Meme, part one

1.) What are 3 things on your wish list and why?

Well, in the Big Wish Scheme, I pretty much have to go with Trump not being elected, world peace, and a winter that isn't horrible. In the Amazon wishlist scheme of things the top three things on my list currently are a pot scraper, a book of color photo spreads of libraries, and a Gogol Bordello CD.

2.) Do you miss your childhood?

Sometimes. Then again, I was completely powerless, not to mention clueless, so I don't really miss it, not truly. Nice to be ignorant sometimes though....

3.) What do you do on your spare time on the weekends?

This, mostly. I don't have a lot of free time on weekends these days.

4.) What do you appreciate most in your life?

My family and friends. I know: how trite. But I do appreciate them putting up with me, and without them everything else would be haRdddd.

5.) Would you rather be rich or healthy?

Healthy.

6.) If you could go back in time would you and why?

Not permanently. I'd like to go back and visit, and be invisible while doing so.

7.) Favorite game as a child?

Either jumprope or jacks.

8.) What is your dream career?

I'm in it!! OK, maybe archivist or something where there are no members of the public allowed. Generally, though, I do love my job.

9.) What do you do in your free time?

Didn't we cover this? I read. I do this. I Facebook.

10.) Favorite clothing stores?

Wherever they have nice stuff that fits me and doesn't cost a mint. I'm really not that fussy.

11.) What TV shows can't you live without?

There really aren't any that I can't live without. I enjoy all the NCISes and Whose Line Is It? and a few others, but I could easily live without TV.

12.) 3 things you need in your life are:

Air, water, God.

13.) What can't you sleep without?

If I knew this...man, I have been sleeping for absolute SHIT lately. I think I just need to take something at this point--I'm tired ALL the time!

14.) Who do you have a celebrity crush on?

Mark Harmon? Barack Obama? Michelle Obama??

15.) What is your favorite Season and why?

Autumn. It's less humid, the trees are putting on a good show, and the holidays all involve FOOD!

16.) What is your favorite Wild Animal?

Wolf.

17.) Name 3 of your favorite childhood shows:

Bewitched, Gilligan's Island, I Dream of Jeannie.

18.) If you could live as a character in a movie who would it be?

Nope. Character in a book, now I could list dozens of those. Movies are too short.

19.) Favorite vegetables?

Corn, peas, beans (almost all kinds!), spinach... It's easier to list what I don't like at all: tomatoes, and cukes.

20.) Favorite fruit?

Apples, bananas, peaches, berries, kiwis.... Again, it's probably easier to list those I don't like: {{crickets}}

21.) If you had a dragon what would you name it?

I wouldn't. I'd just ask it what it preferred to be called.

22.) What do you put on hotdogs?

If this is available: ketchup, mustard, onions, celery salt. Otherwise, I can go with whatever's available off that list, or nothing at all.

23.) Do you play online games?

Not so much.

24.) What's your favorite way to get inspired?

Sleep. Seriously, I need to physically recharge and feel awake or there is not a lot of inspiration happening for me.

25.) Do you have a middle name?

Yes.
...
That's not it, but I do have one.

Sunday Stealing

(Link in meme-roll)
Shannon's Moments Meme, Part Two

23. Have you ever gone to the “dark side”?

Far more often than I'd care to admit. And I've been lucky enough not to get stuck there, or get caught. Mostly, I visit there via TV and books these days.

24. What shirt are you wearing right now?

I've got on a burgundy tank-top with lace on the bottom. I just changed into it. It's not that hot today, but doing the dishes--in the sink, all three of the things that can't go in the dishwasher--made me sweat to the point of having it run down my shirt for the 15 minutes following. I hate humidity!

25. What’s important about a bed to you? Like type of sheets, size or whatever.

I'm really not fussy. I like a high thread count, generally, but I also like flannel sheets (in the winter, not now!). I really need a good supportive pillow; that's my only need, and I prefer a mattress with a little give. Not soft, but not like concrete on my hips. Really though, if I'm borrowing your bed, it's not like I've got room to be choosy!

26. Can you sing?

I can. And I did today.

27. What is something about you that would surprise us?

Would it surprise you that I'm really shy? Or that I don't read as much as I think you all probably think I do?

28. Have you been a pirate, Renaissance Fair, or other costumed event? If not, would you for the right event or say cause?

I have dressed as a pirate--like every Pirate Day for three years now. My college roommate got into SCA and it made me so bloody crazy to hear about the clothes and the weaponry and the blah blah blah all the time (remember, I am a history major, so it really was bad to offend me!) that I've pretty much stayed away from the whole costuming thing. Ironically, my massage therapist, now, makes her own steampunk convention costumes and one of my best friends does costuming for stage plays. I can't get away from the discussion of hemlines and corsets!!

29. What songs do you sing in the shower?

I have never.

30. Favorite girl's name?

I can't tell you how irritating this question is. Favorite name for a girl? Or the name of my favorite girl?? They are not the same name--or question! I regret never having been able to use the name Josephine. If you haven't read Little Women you won't get the half of it! There's also an Apollonia in Beast's family tree--and that would've been an awesome baby girl name, especially paired with his last name! ha ha ha ha

31. Favorite boy's name?

I wish we'd've just used David as Sparky's middle name and damn the commentary from my MIL--whom I loved but she was ... weirdly racist. Yes. Think on the racial component of the name David for awhile now, again in light of Beast's last name--which I will tell you is immediately recognizable as German. [Beast had to explain it to me, later, after MIL said we shouldn't use "David." I had no idea....][If you don't get it, it's ok. Really. You're a better person that way.]

32. What’s in your pocket or purse right now?

I don't have a purse, and these shorts have no pockets. Because they're for girls. Girls don't need to carry stuff; we have MEN to carry stuff for us. [I hate "fashion"!]

33. Last thing that made you laugh?

Something Beast said on his way out the door to mow a few minutes ago. I can't remember what, but I chuckled. And before that, something at church, I guess. On the way home, we stopped for gas and I went on a 5-minute-rant afterwards about people leaving their car radios BLARING baseball talk radio while they sit with the doors open and tank filling. I'm not a fan of the game, and I swear if I'd heard the words "curve ball" once more, I might've stormed the barricades. Also, the guy is a prick--Sparky's high school counselor who was less than worthless in any capacity for Sparky while enrolled. So, no laughing in the car. Church, though, I laughed at church a lot. The sermon involved a modern parable about shoveling shit, er MANURE. Because, church.[And yes, I know the rant probably means I got nothing redeeming out of church whatsoever...sigh. Progress, not perfection.]

34. Best toy as a child?

My brother's toy cars, mostly die-cast not plastic.

35. Worst injury you have ever had?

I don't tend to get injured very often. I fall down regularly, but apparently my knees and wrists are made of kevlar-treated steel because it's never broken anything. Yet. Knock wood. So, worst injury is probably RSI stuff in my shoulders and neck from moving books and sitting hunched over a desk all day.

36. Where would you love to live?

Arizona. New Mexico. COLORADO (I might've mentioned that last one once or twice before....).

37. What type of TV do you have? Would you’d like an upgrade?

We have Sony flat-screens, about 6 years old, the bigger one upstairs, and the smaller one down. It's fine. Works great. No complaints. Except my brother-in-law who insists everyone looks squished or something to do with aspect ratio difference between England and here.

39. How many dogs do you have?

None. It makes me so sad to say that. What I would give to be able to be around dogs without getting sick....

40. Do most folks trust you?

For God-alone-knows what reason, yes. Especially people who barely know me!

41. What book are you reading?

I've gotten more than slightly out of control on this:

• All the Light We Cannot See, by Anthony Doerr (ebook) -- just started
• Forty Stories, by Cal Morgan (ebook) -- nearly done, I think!
• In the Footsteps of Crazy Horse, by Joseph M. Marshall III -- kids' book, reading at work on lunch breaks; should finish it easily by Tuesday
• 999 (edited by Al Sarrantonio) -- what was I thinking starting this right before vacation?!
• Customs of the World, by David Livermore (audio) -- technically, this is a 'class' from the Great Courses lineup
• Hamilton: The Revolution, by Lin-Manuel Miranda & Jeremy McCarter -- I'm reading the libretto notes while I listen to the songs. Truly, if you haven't heard anything from this show, it is one of the rare times that it lives up to much of the hype
• Daughter of Smoke & Bone, by Laini Taylor -- The first half was wonderful. Ever since the damned angel showed up I've wanted to strangle them both. Probably won't finish--it's another YA series, this one set in Prague. With angels. Who are gorgeous, apparently. fuuuu....

42. What’s your favorite classic TV show?

Gilligan's Island. That show made me laugh so hard as a kid and taught me so much about how NOT to get along with others. Yes, I know, this is a change from my usual go-tos of Bewitched and/or I Dream of Jeannie. Maybe it's because I've given up on magic, and just need to be rescued.

43. What’s your favorite sports team?

In case you've somehow missed it, I'm a huge Packer Backer.

Wait, scratch that, I'm a co-OWNER of the team!

44. Favorite month and why?

September. It's gorgeous and less humid and rarely too cold.

The Queen's Meme

(Link in meme-roll under Mimi Writes)
The Cat Meme
This is going to be weird; buckle up!

1. Do you have a cat?

I don't think one ever "has" a cat. I think it's more likely, just from observation, that a cat "has" (a) human(s). On the other hand, I am allergic to cats so I try to avoid them, which only means I am their favorite person, probably because I won't pet them.
On the third had, I am a Cat.!!

2. What is your cat's name?

This cat is named Cat. My imaginary cats are legion, and nameless, except in their ineffable inscrutability. (see here)

3. What makes you love cats?

It's a self-referential thing, don'tchaknow?As for the furry kind...I don't. I find them rather annoying at best; this is primarily because they literally make me sick. Just thinking about my niece's house--she's "down" to "only" three cats now, from a high of five a couple of years ago--is giving me a headache and making me itch. From a distance, I admire how independent cats are, and how well they are able to train their humans. And they are amusing, whether then intend to be at times or not.

4. If you are not a cat person, why not?

I believe I've gotten there already. I'm not kidding: I'm getting a psychosomatic headache just thinking about this subject....

5. What is the funniest thing your cat has ever done?

I do ridiculous shit practically on an hourly basis. But, like all cats everywhere, I totally MEANT TO DO IT!

6. Do you think you have to have a special gene to be a cat person or can a hooman be trained to love cats?

Oh, I think anyone can learn to love animals, except I suppose sociopaths. Even then ... The mere fact of being an animal lover shouldn't blind us to other negative traits--wasn't Hitler a dog guy? Woops, there's a digression of epic proportions!

7. Do you think cats have feelings and can talk to their owners?

Of course they can! I may not love them, but for crying out loud, of course they have feelings and communicate with others!! What sort of elitist human wouldn't admit this? This reminds me of the Bio prof in college who insisted that animals don't feel pain; all us non-sciencey people in the (Science for Dummies) class just stared at him like he'd just told us the chairs and desks were made of braunsweiger. That was the moment when I realized the door to my potential science career had slammed shut in front of me.

8. (BONUS QUESTION) The Rainbow Bridge is the place where cats go when they pass away. I think it's a lovely idea. If humans could have a bridge of their own in the afterlife, what would you name it?

I thought dogs went there too? Frankly, when I get to the afterlife, it better be RIGHT NEXT DOOR to the Rainbow Bridge, because if there's not dogs (and, ok, cats) in heaven, I don't wanna be there!! Seriously. This is not negotiable. I hope the Big Guy is paying attention.

Friday 5

(Link in meme-roll)
(Im?)potent Potables

1. What’s your favorite beverage that has chocolate in it?

   Uhm, cocoa, I guess. But I don't drink chocolate-flavored stuff very often.

2. What’s your favorite non-citrusy fruit drink?

   Cranberry juice.

3. What’s your favorite mention of a drink in song?

   "Margaritaville"

4. Roy Rogers, Arnold Palmer, and Shirley Temple are among people who have mixed drinks named after them. What would a drink named after you contain, and what would each of the ingredients represent?

   We could renamed Long Island Iced Tea after me; that would be fun. ;-)

5. Besides milk and cookies (’cause that’s really too easy), what are a food and drink that you must have together?

   Tea and cream scones.

Saturday 9

(Link in meme-roll)
Mama (2015)
Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) Gamal Lewis got the nickname "LunchMoney" in 10th grade because of his round cheeks and because lunch was his favorite part of the school day. What do you recall about lunchtime in the school cafeteria?

In high school, we band people were always cramming food in at record pace because we never got in from rehearsing on time, and the lunchroom was on the other side of the building. In grade school, I just remember the hot lunch line and the fact that I almost always had a lunchbox. The thermos never kept the milk cool. Yuck -- luke-warm milk.

2) His father and uncle were members of the band Inner Circle. Their song, "Bad Boys" was the theme to the reality show Cops. What reality show have you seen recently?

We are addicted to Deadliest Catch, which has just restarted. It's fun to watch because, for the most part, what's happening is real, not scripted, and the guys are just trying to stay alive and make some money. They don't sugar-coat the bad shit either: drug addiction, death, horrific injuries.... These are just regular, occasionally jerky, guys doing their jobs.

3) In this song, Mr. Lewis sings that his mama taught him how to put on pajamas. What did you wear to bed last night?

I put on my summer nightgown last night because it was too warm in the bedroom to wear flannel. But I'm not cashing in the flannels quite yet either. Spring hasn't fully sprung, I'm sure.

4) He claims he can't ever lie to his mama because she'll hear it in his voice. Are you a convincing liar?

Yes.

5) LunchMoney sings that his mama made him chicken soup when he was sick. Do you eat soup all year around, only during winter months, or just when you're battling a cold?

I don't make soup at home very often, maybe 5-6 times a year. And yeah, usually when someone is sick, but sometimes I just feel like a nice chunky chowder for no good reason.

6) The lyrics tell us that when her son was hungry, Mama reliably whipped something up. What's the last food you prepared?

I rolled up some cheese in a tortilla and nuked it for breakfast about 20 minutes ago.

7) He also sings that his mama always made sure he had a few dollars in his pocket. Let's talk about you and money. Did you more recently lend or borrow it?

I guess, technically, I borrowed: charging dinner at Panera last night counts, right?

8) Mother's Day is for grandmothers, too. Sam grew up calling her grandmother "Grandgran." Did you have a nickname for your grandmother?

My mom's mom for some reason was "Nannie," which ended up just being thoroughly confusing because of all the British nanny stuff, and the fact that there was a plethora of people named Nancy in my life as a child. I couldn't ever figure out who any of the "Nan..." people were! And on the other side there was "Grandma"--usually understood to be my paternal grandmother--but also Grandma [last name] who was my Dad's maternal grandmother; she was gone by the time I appeared on the scene, but she came up in conversation an awful lot.

9) To celebrate Mother's Day, Sam is giving away her own mother's favorite candy: Hershey Bars. Would you prefer milk chocolate, dark chocolate, or milk chocolate with almonds?

No dark chocolate for me; either of the others is fine.

Sunday Stealing

(Link in meme-roll)
Survey 212 Meme

Is your birth year an odd or even number?

It's only fitting that it's an odd year, no?

Which one of your friends is the most outgoing?

Probably Beast. No wait, T., at work, talks to E V E R Y O N E!

Have you eaten any of your favorite foods today?

Yup. Bacon. And donuts. And pancakes.

When did you last find yourself in an awkward situation?

Well, this morning when I realized 5 minutes into Sunday School that I was "the" teacher not the backup. So, punt: "What's Easter about?"

When was the last time you ignored, or went against, someone’s advice?

I can't think of a specific time lately, but I'm frequently the recipient of "suggestions" either from my older family members or from random patrons at work. I mostly ignore ALL of it these days and do my own thing.

What happened?

Since I can't remember any horrific outcomes, I'm assuming nothing at all.

How many different towns/cities have you lived in?

I have received mail in six towns, seven zip codes, and eight home addresses. Plus work, and post office boxes.

When was the last time you had Nutella?

Been awhile. I have some, but I have to be in the right mood for it.

Who is your favorite character in“The Big Bang Theory”?

I have never watched the show. On principle, though, I like Mayim Bialik a lot.

What are your parents’ middle names?

One was the first name of the narrator of a famous book by Louisa May Alcott. The other was the first name of the last--not the current--Prince Consort of England.

Name someone with a sexy sounding voice.

The guy who is reading my current book on CD is pretty awesome--I never, ever thought the Cajun accent was all that, but holy Joe...he's changing my mind. Also, Kathleen Turner.

Are your eyes the same color as your sibling’s?

I think my sister Marie and I have the same color eyes: hazel. My brother has blue eyes.

How many pets do you have? Would you like any more?

I have one guinea pig. I'd love a dog. But once this piggy is going, were done. I'm allergic to EVERYTHING furry, apparently.

Is there a song you can’t stop listening to atm?

I heard one this morning in the car called "Pacing the Cage" that I'm kind of obsessing about--never heard it before but the lyrics were interesting. Need to find it on Spotify.

Is there a song that you’re fed up of hearing?

Just about anything from the 80s that hit top 10. I listened to the radio (and watched MTV) a little too much back then....

Did you have a strange or interesting dream last night?

I didn't sleep all that well. I know I dreamed, but I don't remember anything.

Name 3 things that are in your refrigerator atm.

Leftovers, cheese, pop.

Which friend do you confide in most?

These days, Vickie.

What was your most recent reason for smiling?

Something silly that Beast just read me from his daily page calendar about beggars and cruisers.