Sunday Stealing

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The Bathroom Meme

1. Do you shampoo once or lather, rinse and repeat?

This is entirely dependent on a host of different things: how much time I have, how dirty my hair is going on, whether I'm using conditioner, etc. In general, I find that my Very Long Hair needs a double wash.

2. Do you use conditioner a) daily, b) when you need it, c) never?

When I need it. I've been using the hall bathroom upstairs for months while mine is torn up and there's not really anywhere to keep the conditioner bottle so I have to remember to grab it before I get wet, so mostly I haven't been using it. 

3. What's your shaving cream preference: foam or gel?

Bold of you to assume I need to shave.

4. Is your toothbrush manual or electric?

Manual. I tried electric, and battery-powered and they tore up my gums too much. I'll stick to old-school.

5. Dental floss, soft picks, neither or both? 

I own both. I'm really REALLY good at flossing the month before I see the dentist, and when I have food stuck in my teeth. Picks at work, floss at home.

6. Do you use mouthwash a) daily, b) when you need it, c) never?

I use mouthwash on my mouthguard only. 

7. Are there magazines in your bathroom?

There is a giant stack in the powder room, but I read books in the actual bathrooms.

8. Is there bar soap or liquid soap on your bathroom sink? 

I haven't bought bar soap in approximately 3 decades, except for the laundry sink (LAVA). I do have a gifted fancy hand-made bar in the powder room right now though, dug up from the stacks of stuff on my kitchen counter last month.

9. What kind of soap is in your shower?

This stuff: 

10. Now for the most important question: does the toilet paper drape over or under?

The only Cat in the house is me, so it's always over.

Sunday Stealing

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A Quiz for Grown-Ups

1. What bill do you hate paying the most?

Here are the ones that are currently on the chopping block: part of DirecTV (the premium channels), SiriusXM, some subscriptions on Beast's Nook, and I just need to renegotiate our cell plan.

2. What do you really want to be doing right now?

WANT: napping. NEED: gathering paperwork for taxes, financial purposes, and Medicaid application.

3. Why did you choose the shirt you have on now?

It was on the top of the pile in the closet.

4. Thoughts on gas prices?

This is something I just don't dwell on. I'm glad I'm buying less than I was for most of September-December.

5. First thought when the alarm goes off in the morning

".....nooooooooo..."

6. Last thought you have before you go to sleep?

I have no idea, I'm usually asleep by then.

7. Do you miss being a child?

I miss it pretty much daily at this point.

8. What errand/chore do you despise the most?

See #2 under NEED. Man, my relationship with money is pretty much totally fucked up.

9. Up early or sleep in?

I love sunrises, but seeing them means going to be before I leave work in parts of the year. Which isn't practical, right? So I'll sleep in when I can.

10. Favorite lunch meat?

Bologna. I'm low-rent.

11. What do you get every time at Trader Joe’s?

I've never been in a Trader Joe's. See answer just above.

12. Beach or lake?

Don't, uh, lakes have beaches? Because...well, yeah. I'd rather be in the mountains, all the same.

13. Ever crashed your vehicle?

Yup. I strongly recommend against it.

14. Strangest place you've brushed your teeth?

I seem to remember brushing in a lake or river as a kid once. Also, with fizzy bottled water in St. Petersburg, because the water there is beyond scary.

15. Somewhere you've never been but want to go?

Africa, specifically Botswana, Egypt, Kenya, Namibia.

16. At this point in your life would you want to start a new career?

Hell no! That doesn't mean I won't be, but I'm not in for anymore giant changes.

17. Do you own your own house?

Well, I pay on the mortgage every month, so not really.

18. Do you have a go-to person?

Not so much, not anymore.

19. Are you where you want to be in life?

Oh, you crack me up. ... Not.

20. Growing up, what were your favorite cartoons?

I didn't watch cartoons much, and when I did it was mostly the Warner Bros. or Hanna-Barbera shorts.

21. What has changed since you were a child?

Almost everything.

22. Looking back at high school, were they the best years of your life?

Absolutely not! Hell to the no, no way, uh-uh.

23. Are there times you still feel like a kid?

I feel ignorant fairly often, but rarely in a childlike way.

24. Did you have a pager?

I didn't. Beast did.

25. Were you the type of kid you want your kids to hang out with?

Hah. Yeah, actually, I was. So was Sparky.

Saturday 9

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Little Woman (1969)
Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) This song contains many weather references (clouds, rainbows, sunshine, rain). How's the sky where you are today?

Absolutely gorgeous! Blue sky, low humidity, slightly cooler. Perfect fall day. I spent almost 4 hours in the car, so I'm glad it was a good day.

2) Bobby Sherman sings that when he's alone, he imagines his "Little Woman" is right there beside him. Do you often daydream?

Yeah. All the time.

3) Bobby had a very bright smile. Do you ever use whiteners on your teeth?

I did for a short period a few years ago, until I decided I'd rather have enamel than white teeth.

4) He was beloved for his shiny hair. If we were to peek in your bathroom, how many haircare products would we find?

Far too many! I only have my shampoo & conditioner in the shower, but Beast's is there too. And I've got stuff stashed in the cupboard that will probably last me until I die.

5) After high school, Bobby attended Pierce, a community college in the west San Fernando Valley. For culinary students, Pierce offers courses in canning -- specifically apples and peaches. If we were to peek into your pantry, would we find canned fruits?

Yup. Not home-canned, mind you, but some Dole, etc.

6) As an actor, one of Bobby's earliest performances was on the TV show Honey West. That series revolved around a female "private eye" adept at martial arts. Do you have any self-defense moves (that don't involve a weapon)?

My glare stops most people in their tracks. My boss literally stepped-off when I leveled it at him (by accident) one time. Also, I've literally never heard of this show!

7) In 1966, Bobby did this rather energetic commercial for milk. Do you often enjoy a glass of milk?

I rarely enjoy milk--in fact there is rarely ever milk in my fridge. I gave up a few months ago and bought a container of powdered milk to use in cooking because otherwise I just throw out container after container of expired milk.

8) When his show business career waned, he became a paramedic. Have you ever called 911?

Me and the locals are on practically on a first-name basis. Last time I called was 9/15 at about 9:30 p.m.

9) Random Question: Which book do you think you could learn more from -- The Joy of Sex or The Joy of Cooking?

I own one of them (and I use it) and I'm not all that interested in learning anything from the other.

Friday 5 x 2

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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

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Meal Skipper Meme

1. Do you skip meals sometimes?

Probably not nearly as often as I ought to. I find myself eating because it's "lunchtime" or whatever and realizing that I'm not even actually hungry.

2. Last time you overate?

At least a week. There hasn't been a lot of time for big meals this week.

3. Do you like Mexican food?

I love it!

4. Do you like Chinese food?

Yes, some.

5. Do you like Italian food?

OMG, YES!

6. Do you like American food?

Uh, yeah.

7. Have you ever been on a diet?

Too many times.

8. Do you like vegetables?

Yes.

9. On a scale from 1 to 5 how much do you eat a day (1= not eating, 5= eating 3 meals)?

5. Actually more like 5+.

b>10. Do you think you eat healthily?

Not as well as I could, certainly.

11. Do you think you are ugly?

Well, I don't scare children or animals....

12. Do you like your hair?

I have good hair.

13. Do you like the way you look?

I'd like to be approx 20 again and a little more clued in to what works for me in terms of clothes and hair.

14. Would you want to change anything?

Now? Yes. Will I? I can certainly try harder.

15. Do you ever wear a lucky color?

I don't really have a lucky color. I have some "magical" clothing though, for instance my Reggie White Packers jersey.

16. Do you care how other people see you?

Well, again, I don't really want to scare anyone, but in the main I'm invisible to the majority of people these days and that's fine.

17. Do you or have you ever worn braces?

Yup. Two years of hell in junior high.

18. Do you wear glasses and/or contacts?

I'm effectively blind without my glasses. Tried contacts in college--and that led to me developing a giant panoply of heath issues. Plus, they were fussy and mostly annoying.

19. Do you want to gain weight, lose weight, or stay about the same?

I need to lose weight. Actually, what I need to do is cut back on sugar; if I did that, I'd lose weight too.

20. What do you do if you have the flu?

Drink water, sleep as much as I can, and probably mope around the house feeling lousy.

21. How many tries to get your driver's license?

Got it on the first try.

22. Are you saving up for anything in the future?

Does retirement count?

23. Do you have a lot of spare time?

More than I've earned for sure.

24. Do you consider yourself a responsible person?

Yes. Except when I'm really notat all, which is rare. It's like a little seizure when I act irresponsibly: out of control and (fortunately) pretty rare.

25. Do you consider yourself a lazy person?

HELL yess!!

Sunday Stealing

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Mac'n Cheese Meme

Can you ever get enough of mac ‘n’ cheese?


Actually yes I can. We have it--homemade--often. I get tired of it.

Are you allergic to nuts or diary products?


Heh, no, nor dairy products even. I was told once that I might be on the verge of developing a peanut allergy but it never blossomed.

Do you think age matters in relationships?

Sure, it matters if it matters.

Has anyone ever called the cops on you?

Not...yet. That I know of.

Did you talk to someone until you fell asleep last night?

That hasn't happened in a very very long time.

What’s the connection between the last person you texted?

We're married.

Are you in a good mood?

No, actually, I'm in the middle of an anxiety attack and feeling very put-upon and crabby.

Excited for anything?

This weekend to be over? I do get to play with a two-year-old this week, so that could be fun. And his mom, my niece.

Do you have a hard time controlling your emotions?

Yes, and this is why I'm feeling anxious and crabby.

Do you like your height?

Yes. I like being tallish.

How long have you lived in your current home?

It'll be 12 years next month.

Could you go a week without brushing your teeth?

No. Yuck. I mean I could, but yuck.

Have you ever given any amount of money to the homeless?

Yup.

Own anything from Bath & Body Works?

...yeah, a few things. OK, a few dozen things. ;-)

Have you ever had your nails so long that they curved down at the ends?


I rarely have very long nails at all (hello, nail-biter here), but I have one nail that does curve down as soon as it gets past the nail bed.

Have you ever swallowed a bunch of salt water by accident?

I don't think so. I'm pretty sure it wouldn't be a good idea though.

Does it take you over an hour to go to sleep sometimes?

Quite often. And if/when I do drop off quickly, I generally wake up within an hour and then I'm awake forever. Welcome to my very interesting night-time hours.

When you get home from school/work do you change into your pjs right away?

Not usually, though I often change into more comfortable clothes.

Have you ever stayed up all night and the whole next day without any sleep?

Multiple times. Isn't this more-or-less part of being a grown-up? I mean in the last year alone, I've done that because my house flooded in the middle of the night, and because I had to take Beast to the ER at bedtime and stay with him and bring him home. And for other reasons in the past.

Has anyone ever told you that you have pretty feet?

I have no idea. Not recently. I think my feet are ok, though, which is, perhaps, more important.

What is the temperature currently in the town you live in?

Officially, it's 66. Perfect fall evening.

Do you ever actually drink milk alone?

I don't drink milk, period. About 10 years ago I decided that, at age 40+ and never liking the stuff, I was totally DONE with it.

Patrick's Place

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Saturday Six

1. X is for XANTHOCYANOPSY: Do you or anyone in your family have color-blindness? If so, what color is the most difficult to see?

No color-blindness in my family. Or I guess nothing obvious; I have some doubts about my son's color identification skills.

2. X is for XANTHODONT: How quickly do you notice someone’s teeth? Is there such a thing as "too white?"

Yes, "too white" is absolutely possible, especially if the mouth they're in is over 50 years old. Teeth should fit the face, and blindingly bleached teeth are just bizarre.

3. X is for XENAGOGUE: If [you] had to serve as a "tour guide" for your hometown, how well do you think you’d do on a scale of 1 to 10?

I could do the town where I work, easy-peasy. The town where I grew up and the town where I live...I'm not sure there's much to say. One was an occasional hangout of Al Capone's, the other was home to the world's largest shopping mall for a decade or so. That's about it for those. My work-town is fairly well-known for being the filming location of a well-loved early-90s movie and the hometown of the writer of a long-time comic strip.

4. X is for XENODOCHEIONOLOGY: What do you love most about staying in a hotel?

Not having to clean up after myself, and the whole idea of not being at home, as in "Vacation!"

5. X is for XENOPHOBIA: Have you ever felt uncomfortable around a group of foreigners if you were outnumbered by them?

It wasn't so much that they were foreigners it was more that they were scary men making rude comments about me and my teenaged friends in a place we gringas should not have been wandering. Then there was the dude at the outdoor market in Samarkand who insisted that I try whatever he was selling--some cooked ... something ... which he'd sliced and held out on a sharp knife he kept waving at me. I tasted it. I didn't die from it (no memory of what it tasted like), and he was only being friendly. In a rather terrifying way.

6. X is for XU: How many foreign coins or paper bills do you own?

I have a large piggy bank that has a LOT of foreign currency in it that I've collected over the years: rubles, yuan, euros, pounds, lire, pesos, marks...and some other stuff I'm sure I'm forgetting.

Patrick's Place

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Saturday Six

1. U is for UBERTY: What hour of the day do find yourself the most productive?

I'm best in the morning, between 8 and 10 or so. I'm ok right after lunch too, most of the time. But by 2, I'm seriously tailing off.

2. U is for ULETIC: What’s the longest stretch of time you've gone without a trip to the dentist?

There was a point when we were first married that I missed about 2 years. Maybe 3. Never again.

3. U is for ULTRAISM: What topic do you feel you have the most "extreme" views about?

Doesn't that depend upon the people around me? I mean, I'm a staunch feminist and pretty liberal but so are most of the people I hang with so I'm not that radical among them. I expect, were I to go to a small village in Afghanistan, I might be rather on the extreme end of things.

4. U is for URANISCUS: Which food most often burns the roof of your mouth?

Pizza.

5. U is for URBICULOUS: What would be the greatest appeal you would see in living in a major city?

Having something to do and things and people to watch all the time. That would also be kind of the downside, of course, too.

6. U is for UTINAM: What's something you genuinely wish for?

I wish people were kinder to one another.

Saturday 9

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Stuck on You (2012)
Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) This upbeat song is from a CD called The Bright Side. What is brightening your world this fine Saturday?

The warm, spring temperatures and sunshine. Yay, winter is dead!

2) Our featured artist Meiko sings, "You are the one I can see having fun with ...". When is the last time you laughed hard? Who were you with?

It's been a little while, maybe a couple of weeks. Pretty sure I was here at home with my boys. I don't remember the subject.

3) She also sings, "I must confess when I wear this dress I feel like dancing ...". Does your mood have an impact on what you wear?

Yes. And sometimes I wear certain things in hopes that it will help my mood improve. Today's attempt at the latter pretty much fell flat.

4) In this video, she accidentally drops one of her meatballs on the floor. Do you believe in "the five second rule," which states that if food has been on the floor less than five seconds it's still OK to eat? Or, after it hits the floor, is the next stop always the garbage?

In our house, it's a three-second rule, and it depends on the food. Anything damp goes into the trash. Solids get checked for "add ons." At least I do that. No clue what Beast's routine is.

5) Despite her exotic-sounding name, Meiko was born in Atlanta, home of the Braves. Do you plan on going to the ballpark this season?

Nope. I suppose it's possible we'll meet up with my nephews again--it was fun last summer--but there are no plans to go for the game itself.

6) Meiko recently posted a photo of herself in DisneyLand posing with Goofy. Who took the most recent photo of you? What were you doing?

I did: I took a picture of my turquoise toes after I did them last night:

7) Are you stubborn?

Hell to the yeah.

8) Let's visit your bathroom: What color is your toothbrush?

Rather forward, aren't you? Actually, I don't know the answer to this question. I know it from the bristles, which are less destroyed than Beast's.

9) Which would we find: bar soap or liquid soap?

In the powder room, you have a choice. Otherwise, it's all liquid.

Saturday 9

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You're So Vain

1) Samantha Winters is very vain about her light blonde locks. What's your best feature?

Depends on who you ask, but since you asked me...my brain.

2) Carly Simon is the daughter of a wealthy family (Simon & Shuster Publishing). Do you think your life would be very different if you knew there was a large sum of inherited money in your future?

Sure. How could it not be? As this song has it, "'cos when you're laid in bed at night watching roaches climb the wall / If you call your Dad he could stop it all. / You'll never live like common people..." Not to say life would be better or happier or whatever, but it would be different for sure.

3) October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and Carly is a proud breast cancer survivor. Has breast cancer -- or cancer of any type -- touched you, your family or your circle of friends?

Yes. Of course. At age 49-11/12, how likely is it that I've never known anyone with cancer?? One of my sisters and my mother-in-law died of cancer. I have a couple of friends who have beaten cancer (or are in remission, however you want to look at it). One of our neighbors died a few years ago of cancer. It's really pretty much everywhere, no?

4) Carly has been known to perform with her sister, Lucy, and their oldest sister Joanna is a mezzo-soprano. Is your family musical?

Yes. We all sang growing up (my parents were in choir at church and Mom played piano) and we all played instruments. One niece has a performance music major (she does a lot of community theater and music), and the rest of us just mess about a lot. I never realized this was a 'thing' till I met Beast who can't carry a tune in a wheelbarrow--because he was never properly taught.

5) Carly suffers from stage fright, a liability in her profession. When was the last time fear got the better of you?

I had a fairly major anxiety attack yesterday afternoon at work, possibly the first time I've had one like it: butterflies, nausea, shakes...the whole thing. About? No clue. Habit, I think. It's a been along couple of years in my personal life, let's just leave it at that.

6) Do you wear hats?

Not very often. I usually forget to grab one, and I hate hat-hair anyway.

7) Autumn is known as "sweater weather." Is there a chill in the air where you are today?

It's muggy and warm out--not hot, but really humid. And probably rainy again, as it was early in the morning and all day yesterday. It's like late June.

8) Do you drink bottled water?

Occasionally, when I travel mostly. At home, I drink out of the fridge door or (gasp!) straight from the tap--i.e., the well.

9) What color is your toothbrush?

White and some-other-color. Or maybe it's just purple? I don't know actually. It's the one without the mashed-down bristles. ;-)

Wednesday Hodgepodge

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1. Summertime is a season of reunions, weddings, and other family celebrations and gatherings...are any of the above on your calendar in the next two months?

Nope. Three of my friends or family members are having babies in the next couple of months though. My sister will be here when her daughter's baby is born in late July. My overseas brother-in-law is coming for a visit in late September, at which time my sister will be back here and the new baby will be baptized. That's the big excitement this summer. Whee.

2. June is National Iced Tea Month...are you an iced tea drinker? If so, how do you like yours (sweet, flavored, etc)?

I will drink it sometimes, but I don't like it that much. I drink it straight-no-sugar, over ice if necessary, and tasting of, uhm, tea.

3. When were you last nervous? Looking back, was the 'event' actually nerve-worthy?

I'm not sure when I was nervous last. I get twitchy occasionally when Beast exhibits behaviors like those he spent nearly two years working out, but he's been ok lately. The reason for my twitching is that I don't know what I'm going to get in trouble for doing/saying/being when he's crashing. Otherwise, I can't think of anything nervous-making. After the past couple of years, it would take something major for me to be very bothered by anything short of speaking in front of several hundred people.

4. The bristle toothbrush was invented in China on June 26, 1498...not sure how that date was pinned down so precisely but...on a scale of 1-10, with 10 being sick to your stomach and 1 being not at all, how nervous do you feel when you're headed to the dentist? Do you see your dentist twice a year?

I try to get in twice a year, and since my dentist looks like a young, not-quite-so-tan George Hamilton, I don't mind much. He's also super nice and bends over backwards in emergency situations. All this is not to say I love going to the dentist, but I've had enough worse experiences that the occasional filling/crown/root canal isn't anything to get wired up for.

5. What's making news in your town this week?

The weather sucks. In my immediate neighborhood, we are ramping up to the Fireworks Day. Lots of pre-holiday popping going on. And then the usual random weirdness that any small town experiences every week. In the bigger area, there's some sports ya-ya going on, but nothing I have any interest in at all.

6. Curtains, drapes, blinds...your window treatment of choice? Are there any bare windows in your house? Is that by choice or because you haven't gotten around to covering them?

I don't like big heavy curtains; they are just plain dust-catchers. We have blinds on most of the windows on the main floor. and washable curtains on the rest of the windows in the house. No bare windows anymore at all, but the front blinds aren't exactly opaque.

7. Summertime is officially here (in the Northern hemisphere anyway)...what one song is a must-have on your summer playlist?

I don't think I have a "summer playlist." I like loud songs if I'm driving long-distances, preferably happy music, and not so much heavy rock, unless it's Melissa Etheridge.

8. Insert your own random thought here.

I'm not sure I'm going to be able to sleep again tonight. I'm really irritated about something I can't do anything about till tomorrow, but I'm afraid I'm going to stew about it in my dreams at least. Last night was a rough night too, though I did eventually get about 8 hours of sleep...over the course of close to 12 hours from the time I went to bed and the time I got up. First those fireworks went off at about 11 and I was up for an hour then. I got back to sleep for an hour before a thunderstorm woke me up (WITH MY EARPLUGS IN! grrr) so I was awake for an hour after all that stopped. Maybe tonight is a night that means Benadryl at bedtime. Bible Study starts at 6:30, so I should probably get going up to bed soon.

Saturday 9

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Cold Turkey

1) Are you still feasting on cold turkey, or any other leftovers, from your Thanksgiving meal?

Yes. Yes. Yes. Actually, the mashed potatoes are gone: I made about 12 lbs. for 7 people...yes, they're gone. Beast can't stay away from them. lol I think I'll have some reheated stuffing with turkey again for dinner tonight.

2) AAA says Thanksgiving is a big travel weekend. Did you venture far from home for your holiday dinner?

I made the meal, so... no. We don't actually go anywhere very often for holidays.

3) Is this weekend the official start of the Christmas season for you?

Nope. I did most of my shopping about 10 days ago. We didn't even put the tree up on Friday, even though I meant to get that done. Oh well.

4) Which couple would you rather hang out with -- Fred and Wilma Flintstone or George and Jane Jetson?

Please, neither. Fred was a fucktard, and the whole Jetson family (except, maybe, the dog and the maid) annoyed the shit out of me as a child.

5) Have you/would you ever get your teeth whitened?

I've used the Crest (et al.) products a couple of times. No more; I like my enamel enough that I'll keep it intact, thanks. Sparky's greeting to me when he arrived home last Wednesday was, "Wow Mom, your teeth are REALLY yellow!!" Nice.

6) Do you still have your high school class ring?

Nope. Beast lost it while we were dating, about 27 years ago. I should've had it remade, but we were too broke at that point and for a decade afterwards, and now I doubt they'd make it correctly.

7) Here's $50. You must spend it all in one place. What are you going to do with it?

Tra-la: I'm off to pick up the books I ordered on Small Business Saturday from my local indy bookstore. Or I can put a down-payment on new glasses with it, after I see the eye doc tomorrow.

8) Could your vehicle use a trip to the car wash right about now?

Always. I never get it there in timely fashion.

9) Did you hit the snooze button this morning?

I...don't think so? I had to get up and MOVE to get to Sunday School on time, and even then I was a little late AND I forgot to bring the printed out lesson. Fail.

Thursday Thunks

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I told you I'd post it!

Turn the tv on and open the newspaper.... what's the best reported news you've ever heard?

The hostages are free!
Obama won!
Bush #1 lost!
Nixon resigns!
Actually, the first Time Magazine picture I clearly remember was the one with the little girl running into her dad's arms when our troops came home from Vietnam. That was, what 1975?

Hey! Guess what? What's the best personal news someone has told you?

"I'm pregnant!"

Goshdarnit I'm tired... When you lay down to sleep at night, what's the best position for you to fall asleep in?

Side. Either one. I try to keep my back straight too, but that doesn't always work.

What [is] the most excited you've ever been?

Wow...uh, I remember being VERY excited before our high school trip to California.

Ever touched a turkey? And yeah, I mean the gobble gobble kind. I'm glad I re-read this or this could have been a stupid question. Have you ever touched a living, breathing, not on your plate turkey?

Uhm, yeah. Petting zoos.

It's everywhere, it's driving me crazy! Spend money, people, spend money! Have you boughten [sic] anything from the "new & early" Black Friday deals this year?

Fuck no. I don't even buy stuff on Black Friday.

So the news is out, the most best news ever in the history of news - Kimber & Berleen are finally going to meet! Kimber is flying to Minnesota. What should she bring with her?

Boots, a coat, and several sweaters.

Kimber thinks all Minnesotans eat lutefisk. It's a Scandinavian food and lucky for her, we're German. Maybe it's Norwegian. Heck I don't know - you ever ate the stuff?

{shudder} No way in the world.

What's in your right pocket right now?

Chapstick.

When you go to the dentist for your cleaning, do you use the toothbrush that they give you or do you use one that you have purchased yourself?

I have a spin-brush, so no. I usually save the one from the dentist for Beast or give it to the homeless shelter.

Patrick's Place

(Link in meme-roll)
Saturday 6

1. Which would you rather be without: your teeth or your hair?

My hair. Wigs are reasonable and functional; fake teeth are not. Or at least not as much.

2. If you had to lose one, would you lose an arm or a leg?

Leg. I don't use my legs for the detail work I need my arms (ok, hands) for.

3. Would you rather have a beat-up jalopy that never breaks down or a stylish sports car that breaks down at least once a month?

Jalopy. It's what I drive now, basically.

4. Would you rather be able to write well or speak well?

Write. Lasts longer. I have issues with talking now at times, so it wouldn't be a great loss anyway.

5. God offers you the chance to meet him in person, which would require you to be the strictest of his followers: would you rather meet him and accept that responsibility, or not meet him and live on faith?

The latter. I'm big on living on faith; why change now?

6. Take the quiz: The Either Or Love Test?

I did this a couple of days ago, and my result is here.

Manic Monday

(Link in blogroll)

How often do you change your toothbrush?

Lately, it's been when the battery dies. Generally, it's when the bristles start flattening out, which ends up being every other month or so.

What is your favorite item of clothing to shop for?

Shoes. There is literally NOTHING else that comes close!

Do you use social media (Twitter, Facebook, etc.)? Which do you use most often?

C'mon, Lisa, you know the answer to that! :-) I'm on Facebook and Twitter. I also use Meebo to IM from my blogs and to consolidate Yahoo, Fb, GTalk into one platform.

Friday's Feast

(Link in blogroll)

Appetizer
Who was the last person you hugged?

Good heavens, I haven't hugged anyone for almost 24 hours! It's a regular famine around here! I think it has to have been Sparky when he left for school yesterday.

Soup
Share a beauty or grooming trick or tip with us.

I heard this from the dentist a few years ago when trying to 'splain the usefulness of brushing one's teeth to Sparky: Brush for the length of one song on the radio every time you brush your teeth. (Sucking on the toothbrush doesn't count as brushing.)

Salad
What does the color yellow make you think of?

Charlotte Perkins Gilman. I hear they are making a movie of her most famous work.

Main Course
If you were to make your living as a photographer, what subject would your pictures revolve around?

People.

Dessert
What was the longest book you ever read?

By page count, that would be either (most of) Moby Dick or (most of) Gone With the Wind. By the sheer torturousness, The Old Man & the Sea. OMG...omgomgomgzomg!

Five on Friday Saturday

(Link in blogroll)
Healthy Habits

1. Do you wear sunscreen? Do you use it everyday or just when you're at the beach?

Last summer I think I was in the sun long enough to need sunscreen about twice. Normally, I try to wear sunscreen if I'm in the sun for more than about 10 minutes, but allergies were so bad that I just never went outside much. I do NOT wear it every day!!

2. How often do you brush your teeth? What about floss and flouride?

I brush after breakfast and just before bed every day, with a few exceptions--e.g. I don't think I brushed this morning before I left church. I floss religiously for about a month before every dental checkup, and I never use fluoride rinse, because I've never been told to.

3. Do you get at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables every day?

Yeah, NOT! I get 5 servings of...diet Dr. Pepper...and maybe carbs.

4. How often do you exercise? What do you do?

Not nearly often enough. I was in a really good stretching class a few years ago but it is no longer offered. It was a nice mixture of yoga, tai chi and Pilates, but absolutely not reverent and the average age of everyone in the room was about 45. I need something like that where I'm accountable to someone or I just don't keep it up.

5. Do you use a seatbelt every time you get into a car?

Yes. I hate that annoying chirping the car does if I don't, and it's habit after so many years of "just doing it."

Monday's a Bitch

(Link at left)
Chew On This

1. Did you need braces when you were younger?

I certainly did, and I was fortunate enough to have them. At the time, however, they were a giant pain in so very many ways!

2. If you had to choose between being bitten by a vampire or a werewolf, which would it be?

I'm more partial to wolves, I guess. But since I don't believe in either of these things, the point is moot. Also, isn't this kind of like choosing which kind of cancer you'd rather have?

3. When was the last time you bit off more than you could chew?

Every damn day! OK, not really; I am getting better about this issue. But this month is completely psycho-busy because of all the things I've volunteered to do.

4. Have you ever chipped a tooth?

Of course. I have my mother's teeth this way, I think. And anyway, it seems to me that my teeth are getting more brittle as I age.

5. If your smile had a name, what would it be?

Man, I so TOTALLY didn't smoke enough ganja to even understand this question! Uh...how about "Charley"?

Five on Friday

(Link at left)
Toothy

1. How do you feel about going to the dentist?

It has gradually become both less and more bearable. Less because the aftereffects of simple cleaning are painful (if that hasn't happened yet, just wait!). More because I take better care of my teeth between visits, so I haven't had a cavity in several years. I do not like the Big #&*#ing Needle, I do not like the smell of grinding tooth enamel under drills, nor the sound of the procedures from inside my head.

2. Describe your worst dental experience.

Hearing the dentist say "oops" while I was getting my wisdom teeth pulled. He'd broken one of the roots off, so he had to go fishing...digging...to retrieve it. There is absolutely no sound like the sound of roots separating from jawbone.

3. Describe your best dental experience.

...as if... The last time I was there wasn't too bad. But they are not fun. Ever.
The last time I had to see the orthodontist was pretty fabu, too.

4. Do you floss?

I try to floss at least once a day. I keep hearing about my gums...and my sister had bad periodontal disease. I don't want dentures.

5. Would you consider wearing braces as an adult?

Look, I spent over two years in braces in junior high, plus another year with a retainer. I better not need braces as an adult!
Had I not had that opportunity, then I absolutely would get them now, even knowing all the hassle, and pain.