Sunday Stealing

(Link in meme-roll)
Puzzler Meme

What time is it?

11:27 a.m.

Quick. What’s the first green thing you see?

The Airborne bottle on the table next to me has some green on it. Also the bass player on the Daytona warm-up band (Florida Georgia Line) is playing a nifty dark green instrument.

Do you like those Sudoku puzzles?

I do at least one a day, in bed at night, on my Nook. So, yeah.

Do you own a plaid shirt?

I do. It's technically my dad's and no longer has sleeves because he'd almost worn through them when I inherited it after he died.

What’s your favorite kind of pie?

Yes. mmmmm, pie. Pie is good. Not much of a fan of pumpkin, but otherwise....nom nom nom.

Have you read a book today?

Yes. And I will read more, I hope.

Do you like going to museums?

Yes. Up to a point.

Have you ever been to Washington D.C.? Or your nation's capital?

Yes. I need to go back. It's been over 25 years!

Have you ever been to the state of Washington?

Nope. Nor is it high on my list.

Do you like apple juice?

Sure. I don't go out of my way for it usually, but it's nice.

How cold is it outside?

38 right now with a little breeze, and cloudy. So about 20 degrees cooler and crummier than yesterday. :(

Have you ever taken a course in Chemistry?

Yes, I took basic chem in high school and biochem for dummies in college. And then I gave up, threw in the towel, and just married a chemist so he could do all the scientific thinking for me.

Do you like to draw?

I'm not good at representational art, but I scribble good.

What do you put on your french fries?

Salt.

Do you like everything to match?

I prefer matching to clashing, but I'm also wary of being too matchy-matchy.

Do you like mustard?

Yes.

Would you ever work at a movie theater?

Would I? Sure, although probably not long-term.

Do you have a phone charger in your car?

Yup.

Have you ever slept through an alarm?

More than once.

Do you like pineapple on pizza?

Hell no! That is just so much wrong! I'd rather do the bizarre British sweetcorn on pizza.

Do you like to hold hands?

Yes I very much do.

Do you want a tattoo?

Not particularly.

When is the last time you ordered from a catalog?

Good Lord! Eons. I do order online, but rarely have the catalog at hand.

Do you know anyone who has a collection of old records?

...besides me, you mean?

What’s the name of the gas station you last stopped at?

I think it was one of the Mobils in town. I don't remember, actually.

What was the first song you heard today?

I have no idea. The first one I remember is the Doxology, being sung in church during our Sunday School hour. There was surely music before then, at least one hymn, but I don't remember clocking any of them.

Have you ever gotten a magazine subscription as a gift?

Yes. My mom bought Guideposts for me for several years before her death.

What was the last video you watched on YouTube?

The last one I watched all the way through was a Nina Conti set. If ventriloquism is your thing, check her out.

Have you ever sacrificed something for someone you love?

I am a) a wife, b) a mother, c) a daughter, d) human. So yeah. Comes with the territory.

Have you ever had your picture in the newspaper?

Yup. Not for many many years (thank God) though!

And, just for closure, it's now 11:59.

Saturday 9

(Link in meme-roll)
The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia (1972)
Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) The lyrics tell us about a young man who stopped at a bar named Webb's before heading home. What's the last restaurant or bar you visited? What did you order?

This cracks me up because there's a chain of coffee shops in Milwaukee called George Webb, or Webbies. I never put that together before now. OK, anyway, last place I ate out was the Pub, two blocks from my workplace, last night. Sort of a late birthday dinner. I had soup and salad. Beast only had half a bowl of soup. He's not eating well/much at all.

2) In this video, Vicki Lawrence is obviously lip synching. If you had to participate in a competition, would you do better at karaoke or lip synching? And what song would you choose to perform?

I wouldn't do either, being generally not comfortable with performing. If I were forced, I'd go with lip syncing, probably something by Melissa Etheridge or Joan Osborne.

3) Back when this song was popular, so was the Rubik's Cube. Can you solve that 3-D puzzle?

Nope. I never even really tried. Not in my wheelhouse at all.

4) Vicki Lawrence is a hyphenate, meaning she's a comedienne-actress-singer. Using hyphens, describe yourself.

Sister-mom-librarian-wife-SundaySchoolTeacher-friend-blogger.

5) Back in the early 1970s, songwriter Bobby Russell first offered this song to Cher, who refused it. Give us the name of a song Cher did record.

"Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves" thought I'm afraid the first thing that popped into my head was "Believe."

6) Vicki Lawrence won her first big break playing Carol Burnett's kid sister because of her resemblance to the star. Have you ever been told you look like a celebrity?

Uh, no. I do look like everyone's next door neighbor or something though. People are always asking if I'm [names] or if I used to work at [places].

7) She also starred on Mama's Family in the role of matriarch of an argumentative Southern clan. As we head into the holiday season, do your plans involve a lot of family time?

We've got at least 7, maybe 9, people coming for Thanksgiving, including Sparky and two little people. It'll be fun. We don't usually do much extended family stuff at Christmas, but I'm assuming Sparky will be home at least.

8) After The Carol Burnett Show and Mama's Family, Vicki became a staple on daytime TV. She hosted Win, Lose or Draw and was a contestant on The Match Game and $25,000 Pyramid. Do you watch much daytime TV?

Not anymore. I work during the week.

9) Random question provided by a Sat 9er: Bugs/insects. Do you like 'em or fear 'em? Tell us something/anything you know about them.

Not a fan of insects. I live in an area where they're really just annoyances; not too many dangerous ones (except, of course, ticks and skeeters spreading Lyme disease and so forth). I'd still like them all to be eaten by bats and spiders.

Sunday Stealing

(Link in meme-roll)
Big Bad Meme

Is there anyone else in the room with you atm? What are they doing?

Beast is across the room sorting the week's mail, paying bills, doing some other financial stuff...and watching the Packers play (badly, against Carolina).

Do you show your teeth when you smile, or do you prefer smiling with your lips closed?

I don't really think about my teeth when I'm smiling--I'm pretty sure they show.

Would you rather be told the truth, even if it isn’t what you want to hear?

Yes, ultimately I would.

What is something that you plan to buy, as soon as you’ve saved up the money for it?

We really need a new vacuum. I "donated" our old one to Sparky when he moved out in August. The cleaning ladies do the carpets when they're here, and most of the floors aren't carpeted anyway, but we really need something for cleaning in between their visits.

Do you play Sudoku?

I do. Almost every day.

Have you ever had a migraine?

Yes. They are the pits.

What was the last book you read for pleasure?

I've finally finished Touch by Claire North. Great concept, good story, but the ending was a bit of a letdown....

What was the last item of clothing you purchased for yourself?

I bought a couple of new pairs of shoes for fall/winter last weekend. Before that, it was a T and a zip-hoodie on vacation.

Your first serious relationship, do you still talk to him/her?

Nope. I'm friends with his brother on Facebook though.

Who is the last person you texted?

Beast.

How close is your family?

Geographically, we're very spread out (all over the U.S.--like 5 separate states) and two countries in Europe. But, surprisingly, we're pretty close as family.

Is there anything too serious to be joked about?

It's impossible to laugh at other people's honest grief. There's humor in grief, to be sure, but not directed outwards at someone who is grieving.

Do you like to understand and have good knowledge of things?

Yes.

What is worse? Back pain or shoulder pain?

Well this is eerily timely....Beast has been suffering from both in the past three weeks. We're far more concerned about the pain that is originating in his spine and causing the fingers on his left hand to go numb almost constantly. I think nerve pain is the worst because nothing really 'fixes' it except morphine (which they don't give outside the hospital or directly under a nurse's care, these days). His arm just aches all the time.

Have you ever almost fallen off of something high off the ground?

Nope. I tend to hold on tight when I'm elevated. Probably has something to do with growing up in the mountains.

What’s one fruit you love in drinks?

Lemon.

What is something simple that you’re afraid of?

The bottom falling out. Y'know when this question comes up anymore, I just sit here for 15-20 seconds trying to come up with something scary...and in this case something "simple" that's scary. The stuff that tends to scary me is not simple. Bats, spiders, death, the dark, heights...nope. Maybe large crowds, but especially in the last month I've had to face some serious fears and come to terms with them and stand my ground just to get on with life. Doesn't mean I'm calm and cool all the time, but I've developed a very large capacity for "bring it."

Has this weekend been good?

Yeah, actually, it's been good. I'm going to finish this and publish it and flop over for my mid-afternoon Sunday nap. That's always good.
I'm NOT, however, looking forward to work tomorrow. Friday was a great day for getting stuff done, but a shit day for dealing with coworkers. I really don't want to see them tomorrow.

How much time do you take to get ready in the morning?

I'm usually up and getting ready to leave the house about 90 minutes before I need to leave.

Last movie you watched in theaters and with whom?

"A Walk in the Woods" last month with Beast. I loved the book. The movie was ok--lovely scenery and Nick Nolte and Robert Redford were funny.

Saturday 9

(Link in meme-roll)
Rocky Mountain High (1975)
... because Bev recommended John Denver [I llllluuuuuurrrrrrve John Denver!]
Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) In this song, Denver sings that he was "born in the summer of his 27th year," because that's when he discovered the place where he felt most at home. What do you remember about your 27th year? (If it hasn't happened yet, what do you want to happen when you're 27?)

I actually have no strong memories of 1990, my 27th year. I'm sure my work life was a mess (this was when I worked for PsychoBoss). We moved in June of that year to an upper flat that would have been lovely if it had been updated in our lifetime (the carpet was at least as old as I was!). Life outside of work was the best it had ever been, I was still skinny as a rail and working out regularly at the Y, and that might have been the year we bought our roll-top desk.

2) In 2007, the Colorado General Assembly named this one of the state's two official songs. (The other is "Where the Columbines Grow.") Do you know your state song?

I used to know--or at least be able to recognize--"Where the Columbines Grow" but it's been awhile. I'm not sure I've ever heard the state song for my current location. I do know the state song from a former state of residence--the one where my son was born--because we used its tune for my high school fight song.

3) John Denver was a dedicated environmentalist who wrote an anthem about Earth Day. Are you careful about your energy consumption? Do you recycle?

I'm sort of careful because I'm a cheapskate, and I have recycled for at least 40 years of my life, probably more.

4) 1975 is also the year that Denver released a collection of holiday songs called Rocky Mountain Christmas. On this August day, what's the first carol that comes to mind?

"Jingle Bells"--ugh!

5) Denver dabbled in photography in his spare time and friends say he was quite good. Tell us about your hobbies.

This is my hobby. And reading; I'm in the midst of book #s 65-70 right now. And general laziness.

6) In 1975, when this song was popular, mood rings were all the rage. It was said that the ring reflected the wearer's mood. Black = anxious/stressed, orange = worried, green = normal, blue = happy, pink = as good as it gets. As you respond to this week's Saturday 9, what color would your mood ring be?

Since there's no option for physically wiped out, I'll go with green, I guess. My mood ring was usually black or blue as I recall. It was all about relative skin temperature, and I had cold hands quite often.

7) Pet Rocks were 1975's other odd cultural phenomenon. Do you have any real-life, breathing pets?

We have two guinea pigs: Ruka and Pintobean. My brother had a pet rock, actually. ;-)

8) 1975 saw the premiere of Wheel of Fortune. Are you good at word puzzles?

I am! I love word puzzles. This summer is the 40th anniversary of my sister Ellen introducing me to full-on puzzle mode: acrostics, crosswords, word-searches, cryptograms.... It's all on her!

9) Random question: Did you sleep well last night?

I slept about like normal: 11 - 1:30 = out like a light. 1:30 - 4 = awake and reading/doing ^word puzzles^ on my Nook. 4 - 7:30 = zonked till Beast woke me up as he left to get the U-Haul. Those are pretty standard nighttime hours for me. So irritating--I really hope when I get my sleep study stuff sorted out, things change.

More from Amy

(This Amy)

1. Have you ever been admitted to hospital?

   Yes. Aside from being born, which I wouldn't really call "admission," I've been on the rolls as a patient three times: childbirth, abdominal surgery, and parathyroid surgery. I suppose, since I go to the hospital for lab tests regularly, those could count too. Oh, hey: I spent last Saturday night sleeping in the hospital too! Sleep study. Freaky-weird.

2. Have you ever had any brushes with the law?

   I've gotten one speeding ticket and have been involved in three accidents in my life, one of which resulted in a ticket. Otherwise, my mom worked for the county court, so whenever I visited her at work, I saw cops, and once barely avoided a (legit) ticket because the cop that stopped me knew Mom. [I did not ask to be excused; I really should have gotten cited--it was a stupid, stupid mistake and could have been fatal. The cop was practically spitting in anger.] And I see cops fairly regularly at work because of situations that arise there. I also had to go with Mom at least once when she was subbing for a bail bondsperson...yay sitting in chairs outside the county lockup while she did paperwork. I was about 7.

3. Can you solve Sudoko puzzles?

   Yes, yes I can. Very relaxing, and I like the electronic version(s) best.

4. What's the most unusual conversation you've ever had?

   There are the weird conversations that develop with close friends and family that involve giggle fits. Then there are the truly bizarre and often a little terrifying conversations with crazy people at work. I had a hilarious, giggle-inducing conversation with a patron yesterday that was incomprehensible and impossible to explain except that it included goofball offspring, lemurs, the children's librarian's situation at storytime on Tuesday, helicopter parents, Morgan Freeman, and early-onset forgetfulness. The woman's daughter thought we were insane--and then she started giggling too, while made me nearly cry with laughter. Good times.

5. Do you prefer liquid soap or bars of soap?

   I don't think we have a single bar of soap in the house except the stuff Beast brings home from hotels that goes into Christmas Child boxes. Which I need to start sorting out.

6. How do you have your eggs?

   The edible version? If so, scrambled soft with LOTS of salt. Or over easy with lots of lightly toasted and buttered wheat bread. Can you tell I eat in diners a lot? I know how to order. If not edible...my eggs are all gone, probably via medical incinerator.

7. Do you often read your horoscope?

   If it's the only thing in front of me, I'll read it. And then, invariably, snort. I used to create star charts for people back in the day, but I mostly liked it for the methodical, mathematical graphing functions. The "meanings" are ridiculous. Except, I do have a bit of a scorpion sting sometimes....

8. Have you ever had a proper Tarot reading?

   It would be interesting. I've always wanted to go in to someplace like that and flat out lie and see if they caught me.

9. What's the ultimate cake topping?

   Lots and lots of butter-and-powdered sugar frosting. Like, LOTS of it.

10. Do you suck or bite lollipops?

    Suck till small, then chew up the last bit. But I hardly ever eat hard candy like that anymore. It happens when people's teeth get old....I used to chew on ice too, but that has fallen away as well.

11. Do you prefer to wash in the mornings or evenings?

    Wash what? I wash my face morning and bedtime. I shower in the mornings (or really anytime as long as I've got a few hours before sleep so my hair can dry). I bathe--when I have time for a soak--before bed. I do laundry....whenever it needs doing. I wash dishes when they need washing. I wash my car in the mornings, preferably. This is a weird question.

12. Have you ever danced in the rain?

    I used to love to play in the rain as a kid. Then I got glasses. It's just not fun to wear glasses in the rain.

13. Have you ever sworn at an authority figure?

    In anger? As in "F off you motherf'ing f'tard!"? No. I was in a rather, uhm, tense discussion with my boss yesterday during which I used the word "bullshit" multiple times, but I wasn't exactly saying it TO him. The phrase I recall repeating was "I don't like hearing that kind of bullshit when...." But I don't remember EVER absolutely going off, straight up, on ANY authority figure since that one day in 1983 when Mom & I got into it over her lunch break from work. I tend to manage to keep hold of the shreds of sanity enough to know it's a bad idea to terminally infuriate the people who can fuck you over with a simply finger-snap.

Saturday 9

(Link in meme-roll)
1, 2, 3, 4

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

1) In this song, the singer tells his girl he appreciates how she makes him feel. Who is the most supportive person in your life?

So very many people have come out of the woodwork this past month who are supportive. Thank God!!

2) Our singer only has to count to 4, which is a cinch. Do you understand the more sophisticated math sciences, like geometry and algebra?

I loved solving quadratic equations back in the day, but geometry was just fuckin' annoying.

3) This video features a couple who shared their first kiss behind the high school. Tell us about your first kiss.

No thanks.

4) Filmed in Chicago, this video features the Art Institute of Chicago, home to works by Monet, Gauguin and Van Gogh. How do you express your creativity? (Draw, paint, write, sing or play music ... )

Write, and read, and listen to music, and often hum/sing along.

5) Chicago is home to two of the world's tallest buildings -- the Willis aka Sears Tower and The John Hancock Center (which appears briefly in this video). Both have observation decks that offer panoramic views of the city. Are you afraid of heights?

No I am not, and I have been on both of these observation decks, too!

6) The Plain White T's got their start in Lombard, a suburb of Chicago and home to Yorktown Center -- a huge, two story shopping mall. Do you enjoy going to the mall, or would you rather shop online, or in small, independent stores?

I don't like shopping period, but hate it the very least online.

7) Naturally Yorktown Center has a food court. Would you prefer a pretzel from Auntie Anne's, a cinnamon roll from Cinnabon or a cookie from Mrs. Field's?

Cinnabon FTW!!!

8) While we're at the mall … Imagine you're at the customer service counter of a big department store. As you wait for help, you see an older lady pocket a Timex watch. Would you turn her in or look the other way?

Turn her in, probably, especially if I could do it unobtrusively.

9) Which puzzle would you have more success with: crossword or sudoku?

I do both. Sudokus are easier on my Nook, but I'm still a traditional paper crossword fan.

Sunday Stealing

(Link in meme-roll)
My Random Randomness Meme, part 3

1) What room are you in?

Living room.

2) Can you solve a rubix cube?

No, though I can spell it properly.

3) Are you psychic in any way?

There are some occasional incidents that are randomly freaky but probably just coincidence.

4) What star sign are you?

Scorpio. Comin' up, yo!

5) What's your favorite color?

Blue.

6) What's your lucky number?

I don't really believe in "lucky" numbers, but I like 3 and 16.

7) Do you have any chores that should be done now?

Always. There's a load of laundry each in the washer and dryer.

8) Did you have a cherished childhood teddy bear or other toy?

Yes. I have a small pink mouse that was purchased at the Denver train station when I was very little.

9) What was the last thing you bought from a vending machine?

I bought animal crackers for "dinner" last Monday before a meeting.

10) What shoe size are you?

9-10 women's.

11) How many pairs of shoes do you own?

That's along the lines of asking my age, only in my case, I'm more likely to tell you my age than the size of my shoe collection. It might be that I don't know exactly, or that I can't count that high.

12) If you were prime minister/ruler of the world what laws would you make?

"Be kind", "Do unto others, etc.", "Stop with your ego trip already."

13) If you were a super hero what powers would you have?

Invisibility.

14) ...and what would your hero name be?

Invisibrarian?

15) ...and what outfit would you wear?

How would that matter? I'd be invisible!

16) What was your last dream about?

I don't remember. First time in several days--I've had some weird waking-up dreams this week. Today, I was just so freakin' tired that I wasn't even dreaming. Yay for sleeping 4-7 a.m.!!

17) What would you do if you won the lottery?

Not tell anyone except Beast, and our accountant for as long as possible.

18) Would you like to build/design your own house?

Been there, done it. It turned out even better than I could have dreamed. I love this house! We have the floor plans--if we ever move, I'm voting we rebuild it at the other end.

19) Which form of public transport do you prefer?

I love riding on trains. Show me a subway or commuter rail and I'm all about it! I especially love The Tube in London, but I've also ridden the Metro/a in Beijing, Moscow, St. Petersburg, Rome, D.C. and Chicago (not the L, just Metrarail).

21) Can you juggle?

Only metaphorically.

Curious as a Cat

(Link in meme-roll)
Yeah...my own meme...doing five weeks at a time today:

1) Share what you enjoy most about today's technology.

I love the connectivity, being able to communicate with people instantaneously, and keep track of old friends, with very little effort. It's also nice to be able to instantaneously answer random trivia questions.

2) Describe what you'd do with an extra four hours today.

Some of those hours would be spent sleeping. Maybe I'll actually use the rest to clean the stacks of paper off my desk here at home, or other projects. Actually, at this point in the day, I'm pretty sure I'll just sleep, but tomorrow I'd still have 4 extra hours, right?

3) Bedspread or comforter?

Right now, for the first time in my married life, we have a bedspread. It's quite odd. Having it not the bedspread itself.

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

Ah, Denver!! I wish I could say I'd taken this photo, but I had to find it online. That building in the middle has always been called the Mailbox by everyone in my family and most of my friends in school. But the background...mountains!! Miss them.

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1) Describe what you're looking forward to doing this autumn.

We went to our college Homecoming game, even though Sparky was too sick to come with us. We will also be attending Family Weekend festivities. And just enjoying the autumn weather. We should probably clean up the gardens too, I suppose. OH! Halloween. I do love Halloween!

2) Given the option of watching a sitcom or watching a crime drama on TV, which would you prefer?

I never . ever . watch sitcoms anymore. Or, to be specific, I don't watch anything made after about 1990. They seem to all be well past stupid, which I can tolerate in Gilligan's Island but not people wearing modern clothes.

3) What is your life motto, or words you live by?

"Remember, everyone you meet is carrying a heavy load."

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 picture makes me smile. I hope these guys (they don't look like girls to me) are literally jumping for joy.

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1) Curtains or blinds?

Curtains tend to be dustcatchers, so I generally prefer blinds. However, they ALSO catch dust, so I'm about to go do the British thing and get some net curtains for my front windows, and some (washable) drapes.

2) If you could have any job in the world, what would it be?

I would totally be in charge of deciding NOT to implement RDA in this country. In a heartbeat.

3) Describe your personality in five words or less.

Flaky, serious, detail-oriented, middle-aged, addictive.

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

Seahorses are so awesome. I don't dwell on them, but they seem serene and (not that animals can BE this) progressive thinkers.

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1) If you could eat only one meal the rest of your life, what would it be?

Probably pizza. Or pasta with assorted sauces. And fresh salad.

2) Name one thing you wish you could go back and change about your education.

I wish I would have taken more Spanish language courses and fewer lit classes.

3 Do you or did you ever smoke?

Nope.

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

Left behind friend. You wouldn't believe how many of these we find at work. And of course this also reminds me of the Velveteen Rabbit.

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1) Who is your celebrity crush? Why?

Once I realized what a total dickbrain Tom Cruise is, I pretty much swore off crushing on famous people. On the other hand, I really do like Bono. But not in a crushy/lovey way exactly.

2) Have you ever been the victim of a crime?

Not in the immediate and personal sense. Our cabin was broken into when I was a kid, but not while we were around. I can't think of anything specific otherwise. I do wonder if I've blanked stuff out...?

3) Who is your greatest hero of all time?

Well, "all time" would pretty have to be Jesus, then.

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

Oh thank God I didn't have to put this puzzle together! What a nightmare. In general, I do like jigsaws. We usually take over the dining room table at New Year's and do one. I have no idea where that came from, but it's family tradition now. Weird how these sorts of things just sort of blossom. Last year we spent about a week trying to put a a picture of potato chips--this very one, in fact!--together, and got the frame done and that's about it. Nightmare! I have since donated that puzzle to the library at the local high school for kids to 'relax' with during finals week. Yes, I am mean.

Friday Five

(Link in meme-roll)
Into 2012

1. Do you make New Year's resolutions? If so, what are yours this year?

I don't do resolutions. I know myself too well and I don't need any more places to be a failure. This year, I guess my resolution is to work 40 hours a week. Mostly because, well, yeah...they're paying me to be there!

2. What are you really looking forward to in 2012?

Aside from the full-time hours...I'm hoping to make it through a year without a family funeral.

3. Did you have any life-changing experiences in 2011? What were they?

Yeah: two family funerals, an awesome trip to Italy and England, living with some intra-family stuff that I couldn't help/fix/handle.

4. What do you plan on waking up to on the 1st?

The only thing I have planned for Sunday is seeing some family: Katherine and Alan, Marie and Jan, and maybe James. We're meeting on neutral turf, so it should go all right. I hope.

5. Do you have any particular traditions for New Year's?

We usually have a (meat, not cheese) fondue meal either on the Eve or the Day. And frequently we bust out a jigsaw to work on for the day, in between parades and football games. Not sure if we'll do the latter this year, since the parade and games are on Monday.

Late Monday memes

Manic Monday

Do you enjoy brain teasers or do you find them frustrating?

I like 'em, within reason. If they are too hard for me, I quit.

Do you have any unusual collections?

Just dust, and s&p sets.

What do people notice about you within the first hour of meeting you (other than appearance)?

Probably my smart mouth.

_____________________________________________


Curious as a Cat

1) If you could train a person or animal to do one thing for you whenever you wanted, and then return to you, what would you have it do?

Shop, cook, and clean up. In short, I want a chef.

2) What kind of cowardice do you most despise?

Refusing to admit when you're wrong.

3) Did March come in "like a lion" this year, or leave that way? Or both, or neither?

I don't remember how it came in, actually, but it's certainly leaving like worm. Or a duck.

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 a very weird still life. Very Dali-esque. The teardrop on the right is either a giant Hershey's Kiss or a chiseled-out dish. Those blue things? No clue. It's all weird. Kinda dreamy. Looks cold.

Patrick's Place

(Link in blogroll)
Saturday 6

1. What was the first board game you remember playing?

Snakes and Ladders. Not 'chutes.' Snakes.

2. When you last played a crossword puzzle, did you look up any of the answers before you finished?

I never look up the answers since I tear the puzzles out of the book and work them on a clipboard. If I just can't finish, I don't. The last puzzle, by the way, was last night in bed.

3. Did you ever own a Rubik’s Cube? If so, were you ever able to solve it on your own?

Absolutely not! (times two) I don't like these kinds of puzzles.

4. Take the quiz: What Kind of Puzzle Are You?

I was a crossword when I did it earlier this week.

5. You decide to buy yourself a jigsaw puzzle: what kind of image are you most likely to buy: a landscape, an image of an animal, a sports hero, or a shot from a popular movie?

Something with more than one color, that isn't impossible. The picture is less important than the puzzle itself.

6. Have you ever tried Sudoku? How easy did you find it (or would you think you would find it) to be?

I love Sudoku, and especially Killer Sudoku.

Puzzling

You Are a Crossword Puzzle

You are well read, and you have a good head for remembering facts. You are a wordsmith. You have a way with words, and you're very literate. You are a mysterious person who enjoys dropping little clues every now and then.

What Kind of Puzzle Are You?

Mostly what I remember, however, are pieces of trivia in a totally disorganized filing system!

I'm so glad I'm a crossword!