Friday 5

(Link in meme-roll)
Risk

1. What’s something you’re particularly bashful about?

   I don't like to be credited for things I do as a matter of course. I actually have a lot of trouble with being thanked in a organized way, in public.

2. What’s something that recently caused you personal shame?

   I keep losing my shit all over the place at work lately. Both physically losing things from/at work and letting my mouth run with my gut instead of my brain. It's embarrassing.

3. Who or what keeps you humble?

   I trip and run into things a lot. Also, kids.

4. In what way did someone recently violate your privacy?

   Getting FOIA'd by some idiots who (short version) were breaking fair use rules and didn't like when I reported them to Facebook. These morons found me on LinkedIn, wrote up an Enquirer-level hatchet job on their personal blog (which they call a public watchdog site) about me, and forwarded the link to my boss and several members of city government. Embarrassing and literally infuriating.

5. What’s something you don’t trust yourself with?

   Sugar cookies. They aren't safe around me--I can't not eat them!

Sunday Stealing

(Link in meme-roll)
Random 20

1. Have you had an argument with anyone recently? If so, do you still have issues with that person?

Beast and I had a pretty intense discussion yesterday. Do we still have issues? Yes. Was yesterday's resolved. I think so.
Otherwise, I haven't had an argument with anyone. My temper is gradually becoming more biddable.

2. Are you talking to anyone while filling this in? How about texting/chatting on Facebook?

I'm alone in the house with two guinea pigs. Beast is on his way home from church after a post-church meeting. He just told me via text he's stopping for gas, via text, so he will probably be walking in the door at some point while I'm still filling this out.

3. Have you done something recently that helped someone else, in any way?

I taught Sunday School this morning, so there is a faint hope that something I said stuck for one of those squirrels. Also, I helped a few people on Friday at work, it being my job and all.

4. Who was the last person to pay you a compliment?

Vickie.

5. Is there anything that’s happened in the past month, that you wish you could go back in time and change?

Pretty much every day there's something I wish had happened differently.

6. What colour is your purse/wallet?

My wallet--I don't carry a purse--is dark green leather with the Packer "G" embossed on it. It has black polka-dot duct tape holding a seam together inside.

7. What’s the closest item to you that’s black?

The laptop inside is almost all black, except for the screen right now. The screen of my cell is black. Some shoes on the floor in front of the couch are black. The background on the footstool is black. The text of the magazine open next to me is black. I think that's all.

8. Think about what you looked like 5 years ago. How did you look different, compared to the way you look now?

I had longer, differently-colored hair, and I was probably 20 lbs. lighter. Probably less wrinkly and my skin hadn't started to have that weird 'old' texture around my throat and upper chest. Different glasses too.

9. Before Facebook became popular, did you use any other social networking site, like Bebo or Myspace?

I had--probably still have?--a MySpace account, but I couldn't figure out why, or what to do with it. I signed up for Friendster, but never used it. Mostly, I blogged and emailed.

10. Has someone of the opposite sex ever sung to you? If so, how did you respond to it?

Actually yes. I can't remember the details, to be honest, because I was totally mortified.

11. When did you last hug someone of the opposite sex?

This morning, maybe at church? If not, I did hug Beast before I left for Sunday School.

12. Have you ever seen the film “Casablanca”? Did you like it?

I really really need to watch this film! It's one of the few "you have GOT to see it!" things that seems like something I'd actually enjoy.

13. Do you have a relative whose name begins with ‘L’? Tell me about him/her.

One of my sister's real name--as opposed to her blog name--started with L. She was a fun, intense, thoughtful, 'spicy' person and I miss her sense of adventure and positive attitude and honesty more than I can explain. She died 19 years 10 months ago and one day ago, which was about 25 years longer than most people expected when she was about 21. Anyone who says that grief gets easier with time isn't telling the whole truth. I don't cry every day anymore, but I'm starting to tear up right now. Shit.

14. Are you a secretive person?

Uhm, yes. I prefer to call it "super-private" but whatever.

15. When did you last eat?

I had half a donut after church which seems to have carried me well for the past two hours. I should probably go get something a little more substantial, but I'm really not that hungry.

16. If you were going to buy a present for a special person, what would you generally choose?

I almost always try for useful things, or fun things. If it's useful AND fun, so much the better. I bought $350 worth of Christmas ornaments at Hallmark yesterday for gifts. Because I'm totally insane...

17. If I’m going to buy you a box of chocolates, which kind should I definitely NOT get?

I do not like fruit and chocolate together. And mint chocolate is not my thing either. Otherwise, I'm not too fussy.

18. Is there something you generally always ask for help with?

Yardwork. Being outside near growing things here brings on allergies like gangbusters. I also usually as for help with lifting large unwieldy things because I don't trust my sense of balance even without carrying anything!

19. If you had to give up your phone or your computer, which would it be?

Oooh. I can use both for almost everything, but I'd have to Skype everyone with my computer. So, I'll go with keeping my phone. But I can't really surf the net effectively on my phone. Or post to Blogger. ;-)

20. Has anyone called you gorgeous/beautiful today?

Not that I'm aware of. That's fine: I have a big-ass zit erupting on my nose, so I'm not feeling too beautiful today anyway.

Blogthings

You Are Friendly

Your social media personality is a lot like your social personality. And you have a lot of the same friends online. You just act naturally and show your true self. If someone doesn't like the true you, then they probably shouldn't be your friend anyway. Of all the types, you are the most likely to use privacy features on social networks. You don't like to let it all hang out. You love to share your life with your friends, and you can get quite personal online. Strangers, on the other hand, don't get to see much.

What's Your Social Media Personality?

Another scarily accurate result....
There are a few of you who know my real name and location, but I'm pretty sure the vast majority of people who can read this don't know either of those. And that's intentional.

Four for Friday Saturday

(link in blogroll)

Q1 - Pictures: Privacy groups in the United Kingdom want Google's 'Street View' service to go away. In support of the effort, residents of the village of Broughton in Buckinghamshire formed a human barrier to stop Google from photographing their village last week, expressing fears that an online display of the resulting images was an invasion of their privacy and would contribute to the facilitation of future crime. Would you object to Google's Street View vehicles driving through your neighborhood and taking and displaying on-demand pictures that included your home?

Oh, please. There is a link--at least in the U.S.--where you can ask that the view of your house be changed. Street View has been through my--semi-rural, by the way--neighborhood and there's literally NOTHING to see. We obviously weren't home at the time, but there's no datestamp (that I'm aware of) so I'm not bothered. It is a huge help in navigating to someplace you've never been to "streetview" the turns so you can see what the corners look like.

This makes me laugh, because CCTV is, literally, EVERYwhere in England. And these folks are worried about Google? Hah.

Q2 - Assurances: As we worry less about what car we drive to work and more about whether we have a job to drive to, car companies are throwing us a security blanket of sorts. Hyundai offers protection for new buyers who lose a job and can't make their monthly auto payment. General Motors, Ford, and Saturn recently followed with programs that provide varying degrees of protection to distressed customers. If you were in the market for a new car, would you be swayed by one of these assurance programs?

Nope. Non-issue. Moving on....

Q3 - Optimism: President Obama said this week that the U.S. economy is showing signs of progress as a series of his administration's policies begin to kick in, despite mounting unemployment and rising foreclosures. In remarks to reporters, the President said: "What you're starting to see is glimmers of hope across the economy," adding that it's too soon to make any firm pronouncements. Do you agree with the President's opinion?

Yes. Then again, I'm a sucker for optimism. But seriously, I do think there is a faint glint of sunlight at the end of the tunnel, which means we're still in the tunnel, mind you, but at least there are some signs that we will come out of it.

Q4 - Balance: Which of the following best describes how you generally handle your credit card balance at the end of each month: do you pay off the entire balance, make a partial payment, make a minimum payment, or do you not use credit cards?

Pay it off.
Every month.
For 20+ years--with just a few short-term exceptions.
My parents grew up in the Depression; it was ingrained in me never to owe 'too much' to a bank