Wednesday Hodgepodge

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1. Let's compare this May to last May. What's changed? What remains very much the same? 

Well, I don't remember anything specific about last May beyond being happy to have survived another winter and planning my first summer vacation in 6+ years. I'm currently planning a trip for September to scatter Beast's ashes and I'm very glad to have survived this most recent winter. It was a rough one, emotionally, not weather-wise. 

2. What's something you may do this month? 

I have an appointment for a follow-up EKG later on, my brother's coming for a visit around that time, and Sparky and I are meeting Larry the Lawyer next week to start getting this estate stuff figured out. While Del is here, we'll probably go try to visit my nephews about an hour northeast of here. Oh, and Mother's Day. I also need to get my new glasses made.

3. Mother's Day is approaching (in the US of A)...in what way(s) are you like your mother? 

In far too many ways, which was problematic when I was a kid. Luckily, I figured this out fairly young and came to terms with it years ago. We are both stubborn, prone to arguing, with a lot of suppressed anger. I like to think these days that I've mellowed. I know she did, but it took several strokes which I'd prefer to skip if possible.

4. Did you have a favorite book as a child? What was it and why was it a favorite. 

I read and reread the Little House books like my personal Bible. I also loved Encyclopedia Brown. My favorite early childhood book was shaped like a barn and had a half dozen mini-books inside about the animals that live in barns, all with covers shaped like stall or pen doors. It would be weird to see that again.

5. Are you more of a tortoise or a hare? Explain. 

These days I'm full-tilt tortoise physically. Emotionally, I'm still pretty much haring around though.

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

I had raccoons, or maybe baby skunks, on my porch roof this morning around 2:30 a.m. They woke me up banging around playing about 4 feet from my head. I eventually opened a window and one of them came over, spotted me, froze, and then I saw that one and one other scootle past the window and back down the tree they climbed to get up there. I wasn't mad, but I also wanted to go back to sleep. 

Sunday Stealing

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Shout Out The Answer Meme

Do you shout out the answers at the TV while watching quiz shows?

Only if I'm alone. I've discovered how annoying it is when someone does that while you're trying to watch (and figure out the answers).

Do you get over-involved with TV or movie plots at times?

Define "over-involved." lol
I've dreamed about TV shows. And yes, I do find myself pondering the show--or rather the characters--at odd times at work or while doing chores.

What's the highest hill or mountain you've ever climbed?

I grew up in the mountains of Colorado. While I never "climbed a mountain" in the sense of people doing Everest, I've been up my share of 12,000-foot+ high peaks. And rooted around the sides of several of those for fun too. From bottom to top in one go, that would be Big Squaw Mountain with my mother-in-law, Beast, and his brother in about 1988.

Do you have a piggy bank?

I do. One of these days I'll take a picture of it so I can post it. I love that bank!

What's the fastest you've ever traveled in a car?

TOO fast. I was in a car going close to 100 mph in traffic probably 20 years ago. It was exhilarating and stupid as hell.

Could you ever hand milk a cow?

Probably not. I suspect whichever cow got stuck with me would be pretty irritated pretty quickly, and I'd probably get smacked with a hoof or two. Also, I don't think my hands would hold up long enough. Yay, RSI.

Which was your favorite science? Biology, Physics or Chemistry?

Bio, once we got past cells. I hated the always-too-lengthy focus on cells, but systems, oh yeah! Loved muscles, skeletons, even nerves and digestive systems! OK, not a fan of all the stomach enzymes, but otherwise......SO COOL!

Have you ever had a surprise party? (that was an actual surprise)

I had two surprise baby showers before Sparky was born! Clearly, my brain wasn't working very well that both times I was 100% clueless. I threw a surprise graduation party for Beast when he got his MBA--at our house! He had no idea.

Have you ever warn clothing with the labels/tags still attached?

Nowadays, with the printed-on tags, I do it all the time. :-) And yes. Not too long ago, someone had to peel something off the back of my leg off of pants I was wearing for the first time. That was a little embarrassing.

Have you ever slipped on a banana skin?

Nope. I wonder where that comes from? Did people used to do that? Or was that a stand-in for all the piles of manure that used to litter streets prior to cars?

Are you scared of the dark?

Nope. I actually love darkness. I fully respect the power of darkness to mess with our senses, though. Ever been underground in a cave with no flashlight? Yeah. Awesome-scary.

Do you have a lawyer?

Hmmm. I know a fair number of attorneys, but I haven't paid any of them recently. We really need to go get our wills updated, though. Soon.

If you had a paid year off, what would you want to do?

Travel! I would love to do a world cruise.

How long did you[r] last phone call last?

...I can't even remember the last time I used a phone outside of work calls. My last work call, yesterday, was probably only a minute of actual phone time, with a period on hold in the middle. Personal call.....jeez, I think it's been over a week, when I call someone in Al-Anon about missing a meeting where I had meant to drop off boxes.

Have you ever helped someone across the road?

Yup. Everyone in my family is older than me, and many of them are or have been frail.

Have you ever been wolf whistled in public?

Ugh, thank God I'm old now!! I was first wolf-whistled while sitting on my front lawn when I was about 11. Who the FUCK does that?

More from The Gerb

(Swiped from Amy)

Do you like TV talent shows?

Only in small servings when showing actual talent. In other words, I watch the good bits on YouTube that other people have culled out of the hours of crap.

How many hats do you own?

I own about a dozen, probably. Beast has me by a factor of 40-50. We have so-bloody-many hats....

Are you any good at pool?

Not really. I haven't played in eons, even though we have a good table in our basement. From my standpoint, it is useful primarily for folding laundry and hiding under during violent weather.

What's your favourite accent?

Italian. And West African.

In O's and X's, which do you normally pick?

I like X better than O. Deep-seated, childhood fear of circles.

Do you prefer blue or black inked pens?

I prefer the look of black ink. But really, either is fine, and I would rather use a pencil for most things.

Do you have popcorn with a movie?

We usually buy a bucket when we go see a movie at a theater, yes.

Do you have a piggy bank?

Yes. She's about 2 feet tall and hand-painted by Ellen. That is where all my foreign currency lives. I probably have collectible coins in there at this point: marks, rubles, pounds, etc.

What's the fastest you've ever travelled in a car?

I have a terrifying and shameful memory of going close to 100 in traffic in a car with friends on our way to ...something. We did a 30-minute drive in about 10 minutes. And endangered a good number of other people in the process.

Have you ever been hit on by someone of the same gender?

I have, perhaps, but am generally so very clueless about this sort of thing that it didn't become obvious until much later.

Have you ever flown first class?

Yes. Twice, both longish flights. I would do it overseas in a heartbeat. The mere thought of being in economy for a trip to, for instance, Australia, makes my skin crawl.

Who would you say are more attractive, English or Europeans?

Again, I have to remind Americans that the English don't see themselves as 'actual' Europeans, regardless of the fact that their island is part of the general continental area we all have decided to call Europe. To answer the question, the British people in general--as a race--are not all that attractive. I prefer ... other Europeans when it comes to looks.

How long has your longest ever phone call been?

Several hours, probably close to 4. This was well over 15 years ago. I haven't been on the phone for more than an hour in forever--unless we count telecons/webinars. I just don't like talking on the phone. Not my thing--maybe it's genetic? My sister hated the phone too.

Saturday 9

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Freeway of Love (1985)
Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here. (or trust me when I say "don't do it!*)

1) In this song, Aretha's ideal car is a pink Caddy. What's your dream vehicle?

Well, it's NOT a pink car....shudder.... I'd be happy with a Jeep, or a Range Rover, in chocolate brown.

2) Have you ever owned a convertible?

Nope. Not gonna happen. Too many horror stories about leaks from friends who've had nothing but trouble.

3) Aretha longs to "drop the pedal and go." Are you a careful, conservative driver? Or do you enjoy going fast?

I love going fast, but I do try to keep it under control. I'm a big believer in using cruise control to keep myself ticket-free.

4) Aretha's grandmother Rachel helped raise her. Tell us about one of your grandparents.

I've talked about my dad's parents before--they were homesteading when he was born--so I can talk about my grandma on Mom's side. I don't remember much about her except that she always had cold hands. We visited her at the nursing home on Sundays and I would sit on the embroidered footstool and hold her hand while she talked to Mom & Dad. Mom was born when Grandma (not what we actually called her) was over 40, so Mom's brothers were adults when she was a kid, much like me. So basically, by the time I was born, my grandmother was in her mid-80s. Mom didn't talk about her parents much, but I know she went to WCTU meetings as a young child with her mom. Before getting married, Grandma was a schoolteacher in Montana prior to the turn of the last century. She married late for that era to a guy about 15 years older than she was. Even as a kid I wondered if she was that desperate.

5) Aretha played a waitress in the 1980 movie, The Blues Brothers. Have you ever worked in food service?

Yes, briefly. It was long enough, though, to recognize what a hard, unpleasant job waitressing is. And I wasn't even allowed to keep tips!

6) Aretha was a chain smoker for decades and had a terrible time giving up cigarettes. What habit do you wish you could break?

Sugar. I'm solidly addicted. And just generally eating crappy food.

7) A sculpture of Aretha is at Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum in New York City. What's the last museum you visited?

Hmmm. Wow. I can't remember! It might have been 4 years ago in Florence!

8) Since Aretha has many honorary degrees, it would be appropriate to refer to her as Dr. Franklin. Who is the last person you addressed by his or her title (Officer, Father, Pastor, Dr., etc.)?

I tend not to do this very often. Perhaps it was the doctor who did my surgery? I call our pastor by his first name. I did call my boss as "Boss" I'm sure, but I don't think that counts.

9) The daughter of a minister, Aretha enjoys singing "church music" and her 1972 CD Amazing Grace is one of the best sellers in gospel music history. Do you have any gospel music on your phone, iPod or MP3 player?

I don't use any of those for music, but I do like gospel music, and I have a whole channel on Spotify dedicated to "Christian" music that I like. TobyMac is my favorite.

_______
* This is one of those songs that is inextricably tied for me to the video, which was IMHO awful and the song was annoyingly overplayed on the radio. Thirty years later and I still had a visceral reaction to seeing this song title....ick

Patrick's Place

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Saturday Six

1. Q is for QINTAR: Have you ever owned a piece of foreign currency, and if so, what country did it come from?

The first time I remember having foreign currency of my own was at the Denver airport when my sister had just returned from Sierra Leone in about 1970. For some reason, she had been routed through Prague--remember, this was when it was still "behind the Iron Curtain"--and had changed money there. She had some left over, so she gave me one of the larger coins.

...which I left on the sink in the bathroom at the airport. Dumb me!

Since then, I've traveled to a couple of dozen countries and brought money back from all of them. I was in Europe pre- and post-Euro usage, so I have both kinds of currency. I also have some odd stuff that others have given me for whatever reason over the years.

The weirdest currency I've ever dealt with was the "foreign visitor" scrip we were given in China in 1985--it was about the same weight and feel as kids pretend money. Think tin coins. It wasn't really accepted in traditional Chinese stores because it was hard to exchange for real money if your shop wasn't on the government-sponsored tourist list.

2. Q is for QUADRAGENARIAN: Are you or did you look forward to being 40? Why or why not?

Forty sounds wonderful to me right now, having just flipped over to 50 last fall. Actually, looking back, my early 40s weren't bad. The last few years sucked, though.

3. Q is for QUENCH: What drink do you most often turn to when you’re thirsty?

Diet Dr. Pepper. Or water.

4. Q is for QUICK: What is something you think you can generally do faster than most people?

Truthfully? Most things. I like getting to the end of a chore, or project. I type fast, I clean fast, I read fast, I even talk fast these days.

5. Q is for QUILL: Which bird do you think has the most beautiful feather colors?

I think feathers are pretty amazing to examine in place. Mallards are pretty, and cardinals are lovely in a completely different way. I like pigeons and crows, too. Parrots, of course, finches too. It would be easier to list birds I don't find attractive; sea gulls top that list.

6. Q is for QWERTY: At what age did you first learn to type effectively?

I took typing in high school. Before that, I had no need to type, because I grew up pre-computers.

Patrick's Place

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Saturday Six

1. S is for SEW: What is the extent of your sewing talent?

I can sew. I don't really have the patience for it, but I have made wearable clothes and (a lot of) curtains over the years. Right now, I really ought to be sewing the two twin sheets I bought today together to make a king for our bed. This is the downside of having a Sleep Number bed like the one we have. About the only downside, honestly.

2. S is for SHOPPING: Which store do you dread visiting the most?

I no longer enjoy clothes shopping much. Never have enjoyed appliance shopping much, especially for things like water softeners or furnaces. Frankly, I just don't like to shop. And yet...I spent $400 inside stores today, and another $150 online, and I need to go get clothes tomorrow so my new boss doesn't think I'm a total slob on his first day.
My favorite store? Anything to do with shoes.

3. S is for SONG: What’s the last song that got stuck in your head?

Now, this is just mean! It's going to get stuck in my head again! It's kinda been a toss-up this week between the theme from the (old) Hawaii Five-O and "All I Want for Christmas..."

4. S is for SPEED: As a general rule, how close (in miles per hour) do you stay to a posted speed limit?

I try to stay right on it or no more than about 3 or 4 mph above it. There are lots of municipalities around here whose main income is traffic tickets.

5. S is for STRIP: Would you be more or less likely to attend a party if you knew strippers would be present?

Less. Ugh. I've been present exactly once in the same room as a stripper. It was creepy.

6. S is for SUGAR: When you want to sweeten something, are you more likely to use real sugar, the pink packet, the blue packet or the green packet?

I use sugar. But not in drinks like tea. So this is really a meaningless question for me.

Patrick's Place

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Saturday Six

1. H is for HABIT: Which habit would you most like to break?

After nearly 40 years, I think it would be asking a lot, but I would like to stop biting my nails.

2. H is for HAIR: How long have you maintained your current hairstyle?

Since April-ish.

3. H is for HAND: Are you right-handed or left-handed?

Right.

4. H is for HEAT: During winter, to what temperature do you normally set your thermostat?

68 when we're home in the daytime, 64 at night. If we aren't home in the daytime, it's down around 60 till about half an hour before we get home.

5. H is for HIGHWAY: When the speed limit is 55, how fast do you generally drive?

58. On cruise.

6. H is for HYPOCHONDRIA: Which illness do you most fear?

I don't really fear a specific illness. I fear going blind though. However, watching my sister struggle with Parkinson's/MSA didn't encourage me that it would be a fun time.

Patrick's Place

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Saturday Six

1. F is for FACE: Which part of your face would you most like to change if you had the money to do so?

I probably do have the money to change my face, if that was anywhere on my list of things to do. However, at my age I'm pretty used to the face I have, and I don't want to have to start over.

2. F is for FAST: What's the fastest speed you've ever traveled in a car?

Uhm, I recall a night racing down an expressway because we'd left our friends' house late for whatever we were heading to (a movie? play? who knows). I seem to remember something about 85 or 90 mph, possibly more...in traffic. It was NOT fun.

We may have been going faster when we were on the Autobahn in Frankfurt, but I was so freakin' tired I wasn't looking at the speedometer in the cab.

3. F is for FEAR: What single thing are you most afraid of?

I'm not afraid of things. I'm afraid of crowds of people--mob mentality scares the shit out of me--and pain and exposure.

4. F is for FORK: In a Chinese or Japanese restaurant, do you prefer chopsticks or a real fork?

I can use the chopsticks but feel like a showoff. So I usually stick to forks. ha ha ha

5. F is for FOWL: What is your favorite piece of chicken?

To eat, I presume? Thigh.

6. F is for FRUIT: If you could only have one kind of fruit for the rest of your life, which fruit would you choose?

Apples. I could pick a different kind every year and probably die before I got through them all.

Saturday 9

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Da Ya Think I'm Sexy

1. When do you feel that you are at your sexiest?

When I'm clean and wearing nice clothes and having fun.

2. What's your favorite magazine? Why?

Probably a toss-up between EW and Bookmarks.

3. What’s something you do more quickly than most people?

Alphabetize. And, lately, fall asleep.

4. When do you first remember using a computer?

I took a programming class in high school c. 1980. The actual computer was in a closet down the hall; we used dumb terminals.

5. Who is the craziest person in your family?

The literal-craziest is definitely Jan, with Katherine in a close second. The fun-craziest is probably Rosellen.

6. What one thing are you craving today?

Sleeeeep, and servants.

7. What is your favorite thing to spend money on?

Food that I don't have to cook.

8. What’s the part of your morning you least look forward to every day?

When applicable, walking into my workplace. It's not good there anymore right now. Otherwise, it's when my brain engages and starts reminding me of all I need to do today.

9. What are some rules you have for yourself that don’t really make much sense?

I have a thing about chewing equal amounts of food on each side of my mouth. It makes zero sense, really, but I've been doing it for 35+ years, so it's hard to change now.

The Queen's Meme

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The Strange Stupid Meme

1. According to a news report, Medicare in the US stops plans to stop paying for preventable health problems or complications caused by hospital mistakes, including operations on the wrong person or wrong body part. These mistakes are called "never events." What would you call them?

WTAF?! This is insane! How and why anyone have to pay for this stuff in the first place?! Yeesh. I would call them "Lawsuits Ahoy!"

2. It is the policy of some TV news broadcasters to show automobile wreckage photos as soon as they can possibly get to the scene of the accident. Sometimes the family has not been notified. They get away with it by "not releasing names." How do you feel about this?

It's one of the myriad of reasons I don't watch TV news, especially local news.

3. Did you know that some car dealership service departments charge extra for "shop supplies"? This includes the ever expensive shop rag (retail 99 cents) which can be billed for 10x that much. Have you ever been ripped off by a car mechanic?

It figures, and it explains why I can get my car repaired for a small percentage of what things cost at dealerships. I rely on recommendations from friends, and go back where I'm treated right.

4. In some states, including California, Alaska, Florida and Hawaii, a motorist can be cited for driving too slowly. What would make you drive under the speed limit for a long period of time?

Assuming I weren't following a tractor or a combine, I would drive slowly if my car was broken--flat tire, blown engine, etc.--or if I were in a funeral procession, or to piss off the person behind me. Probably some other reasons that I can't think of.

5. In Arkansas the law states: No person shall drive a motor vehicle onto the premises of a drive-in restaurant and leave the premises without parking such motor vehicle, unless there is no unoccupied parking space available on the premises. Explain this to me. Please.

My guess: some drive-in, somewhere, eons ago, had a problem with drive-through traffic and cornered a state rep who tagged this onto a bill that no one read. I see the point. There is, after all, a difference between a drive-in and a drive-through.

6. But in Indiana, a horse cannot be ridden or driven on the street in excess of 10 miles per hour. Do you drive a fast horse?

I do not drive a horse of any speed.

7. And in the great city of Youngstown, Ohio, you must keep your rats under control. Do you find this to be a problem in your life?

Only in terms of library patrons who behave in a ratlike fashion.

Cinn's Friday 5

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conundrum

[01] Should there be age limits on social networking sites such as facebook?

I think parents should make those decisions.

[02] How many servings of vegetables do you eat per day?

Not enough.

[03] When is the last time you ran? How far?

Last week, a quick jog upstairs at work. I was in a hurry!

[04] What do you think is the most important meal of the day? Why?

Lunch, just cuz I like it the most.

[05] Where do you like to drive?

Anywhere unless there are a lot of other cars on the road.

Manic Monday

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What is the most expensive meal you've ever eaten?

We ate dinner with another couple at a steak restaurant in Milwaukee a few years ago, and the bill at the end, for four people, was over $350 for four steaks and a bottle of wine. But they were mighty good steaks.

What is the fastest speed you've ever traveled in a car?

Triple digits. Also in Milwaukee, in a car driven by one of the people we were at dinner with above. But it was a different visit.

What is the highest building you've ever been to the top floor of?

I've been at the top of the #1 and #5 buildings in the City of Big Shoulders.