Saturday 9

(Link in meme-roll)

I'll Be Loving You (Forever) – 1989

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

 

1) A Greek philosopher said, "There is nothing permanent except change." The New Kids on the Block sang, "I'll be loving you forever." Who do you think is right? Or can both be right?

Not to be super-deep but the way you love someone changes over time. Or else it dies. The way I love Sparky now, for instance, is entirely different from the semi-panicked tiger-mom style parenting I did when she was a baby-baby.

2) In this week's song, New Kids lead singer Jordan Knight sings that he can't take a broken heart. What advice would you give someone struggling through the end of a romance?

Be sad. But there's no need to wallow. Try to find some kind of silver lining ("hey, at least I don't have to put up with their annoying dog anymore!"), remind yourself that you are enough and there's plenty to do whether or not you have a 'date' for events. Just go on.

3) Jordan was invited to join the New Kids on the Block by his friend, Donnie Wahlberg. Has a friend ever gotten you a job? 

Yes, my current job was 'assigned' to me by a good friend when she retired. She's also the one that 'told' the director at the time to hire me. 😜

4) Donnie began his show business career as a singer/rapper. Now he's probably better known as an actor, appearing for 14 seasons on a popular police show. Can you name it?

Nope. I'm not a fan of his. 

5) Much of the video for this song was filmed in the gymnasium of Xavier High School in New York City. When is the last time you were in a high school gym?

Wow. I think that would be Sparky's high school graduation 13 years ago, and I'm not at all mad about that!

6) The video also shows the boys enjoying pizza. What toppings are on your dream pizza?

Canadian bacon (or regular bacon in a pinch), mushrooms, onions, maybe sausage, with red sauce.
Or chicken and spinach, with white sauce.

7) The band is back together! The New Kids on the Block will be appearing this summer at the Park MGM in Las Vegas. Do you have any concert plans this year?

Absolutely not. My concert-going days are far in the rear-view mirror, except for very small venues. 

8) In 1989, when this song was popular, Irish golfer Rory McIlroy was born. He recently won the prestigious Masters Tournament. Tell us about a competition you won. (Yes, your third grade spelling bee counts.)

I won a poster contest in junior high school that was an opinion cartoon about the American Revolution. I won a 30-cent coupon for the Tastee-Freez across from the school. I never used it.

9) Random question – On which game show would you do better: Jeopardy! or Wheel of Fortune?

 I would probably WIN more on WoF, but I hate that show so much. I'd like to say I'd do well on Jeopardy but I haven't watched in awhile, so I'm kind of out of the groove.

Sunday Stealing

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

26.) Favorite kids name?

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

27.) Do you speak any other languages?

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

28.) Do you use Twitter?

Not very often.

29.) Do you go onto YouTube?

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

30.) Do you play Angry Birds?

Nope.

31.) Do you like Angry Birds?

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

32.) Do you like Hello Kitty?

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

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

All the damn time!

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

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

35.) Can you swim well?

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

36.) Ever won a contest?

Yup.

37.) Ever won a giveaway?

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

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

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

39.) What tea do you like?

Hot, strong, black tea.

40.) What coffee do you like?

I don't like coffee. Blech.

41.) Do you shop at Walmart?

Not very often, not if I have other options.

42.) Do you shop at Target?

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

43.) What do you order at Second Cup?

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

44.)

...is missing

45.) Do you like homemade meals?

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

46.) Do you like homemade baked goods?

Helz yeah!

47.) Do you shop online?

I do.

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

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

49.) What holiday don't you like?

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

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

Soup.

Friday 5 x 2

(Link in meme-roll)
Upper Body

1. What’s got you scratching your head?

   I'm pretty confused about politics right now. It's like the GOP-Goes-to-Vegas--the weirdest show on earth right now. It's entertaining and actually a bit scary.

2. What’s the big news in your neck of the woods?

   The election was a bit of a problem this week. They've changed the check-in process to electronic and between that and a new County Clerk not knowing her shit, there were some issues. Two people I spoke to on Tuesday had problems voting properly, and the County Supervisor had to get an order to keep the polls open an extra 90 minutes...except not all the polling places were contacted to inform them so they closed at 7 like usual. And some didn't open on time because the building custodians weren't there early. And the technology issues were difficult to resolve because the Clerk wasn't picking up the phone ... all day.
   
   I personally had no trouble: in fact this week was the first time in the 11 years I've lived here that the people at the polls included me in the conversation while I was there. I guess I'm officially a 'local' now, even if I did still (again) ask for a Dem ballot.

3. What has everyone else raising an eyebrow, but is only getting a shrug of the shoulders out of you?

   The political debate between Hilz camp and the Bern-ers. Really, as long as it's not a Repug, this year I'm going to celebrate in November.

4. What are you keeping an eye on?

   Myself. Only myself. Or trying to. Harder than you'd think, though.

5. What’s something you’ve done an about-face on recently?

   I'm trying like hell this year to differentiate between the important things in life, what's my problem to solve and what's not, and keeping my damn opinion to myself unless asked.

Ticket to the Weekend

1. How many traffic tickets have you received, and what was the first?

   I've gotten two, both in the last 10 years. The first was for speeding in a local community notorious for speed traps, the other was for inattentiveness when I plowed into my neighbor's work truck a couple of years later. Ironically, both of these were while Sparky was either learning to drive or in his early driving years. He was with me in two accidents while he was in high school--the other one was not my fault. Otherwise, I've never had accidents or tickets. Haven't since then either, probably in 5-6 years. Knock wood.

2. What are some of the ticket stubs you’ve held onto?

   Hmmm, when I was scrapbooking, I kept all that kind of stuff. Now, not so much. I did notice the ticket stub for "A Walk in the Woods" on my dresser this morning--we saw that last fall.

3. What have you seen because someone had extra tickets?

   Several years ago, one of my coworkers had tickets for a kids' version of Wizard of Oz in the Big City to the East. I still use the string bag that I got that day for day-traveling. It was a very good show, and the tickets were for the 2nd row. Weird sitting that close in a theater that big.

4. What have you won in drawings or raffles?

   Very damned little. Beast is the raffle-winner in the family, not me. Honestly the only thing I remember winning was a turkey at Thanksgiving when I was around 12.

5. How do you and your friends usually handle a restaurant bill?

   Depends on the situation. We either split it or get separate checks, though it's really dependent on a lot of things, including how much cash either of us has.

Sunday Stealing

(Link in meme-roll)
Would You Rather Meme

1. Would you rather be stuck on an island alone or with someone who talks incessantly?

   Alone. Even if the other person didn't talk incessantly, I'd probably rather be alone.

2. Would you rather be too hot or too cold?

   Too cold. I can always put more clothes on. (and the circle is complete: I remember being gobsmacked when my sister Ellen said this to me in 1975 on a hot and humid day in Wisconsin, and I swore I'd never feel that way...oh well)

3. Would you rather have a cook or a maid?

   Cook. But a cook who cleans up the kitchen!

4. Would you rather be the youngest or the oldest sibling?

   I'm happy being the youngest, thanks. But once again, we're ignoring the middle kids.

5. Would you rather get rich through hard work or through winning the lottery?

   Hard work.

6. Would you rather have a 10-hour dinner with a headstrong politician from an opposing party, or attend a 10-hour concert for a music group you detest?

   Dinner. I can always wear earplugs and at least with this option, I'll be sitting down and eating theoretically decent food.

7. Would you rather be an Olympic gold medalist or a Nobel Peace Prize winner?

   Honestly, neither sounds attractive. Lots of very hard work for both, but I suppose I'd have fewer outright enemies as an Olympian.

8. Would you rather have a desk job or an outdoor job?

   Desk job. No contest!

9. Would you rather live at the top of a tall NYC apartment building or at the top of a mountain?

   Mountain. duh

10. Would you rather have Rambo or The Terminator on your side?

    Terminator, though probably at least in part because I've never seen a Rambo film.

11. Would you rather be proposed to in private or in front of family and friends?

    Private, please. Beast proposed to me in a restaurant, but without giant fanfare.

12. Would you rather have to sew all your clothes or grow your own food?

    I really hate sewing. But I really really hate weeding, and I do not want to have to start butchering my meat. So....sewing it is, I guess.

13. Would you rather hear the good news or the bad news first?

    Bad news first.

14. Would you rather be your own boss or work for someone else?

    I would love to work for myself, but I'd probably never get anything done, so it might not work out so well.

15. Would you rather have nosy neighbors or noisy neighbors?

    Nosy. I hate noise, but curtains and years of practice in shutting down nosy questions goes a lot way. Also, often nosy neighbors are also good to have around, as I've found out in dire circumstances.

16. Would you rather be on a survival reality show or dating game show?

    I'll MC either. I'm not doing any televised competing, however.

17. Would you rather be too busy or be bored?

    I'm not a fan of sitting around doing nothing at all. So, keep me too busy. [I was with Beast while he got an(other) MRI this week and stupidly brought my ereader to keep me occupied. No electronics near the room-sized magnet. So I sat there for 45 minutes with, literally, nothing to do while seated in a chair that doesn't allow napping. I was crawling out of my skin by the end.]

18. Would you rather watch the big game at home or live at the stadium?

    At home. I hate crowds.

19. Would you rather spend the day with your favorite athlete or you favorite movie star?

    Athlete. Now I have to pick which one that would be. There is more than one option.

20. Would you rather live where it is constantly winter or where it is constantly summer?

    Summer, but not humid summer.

Curious as a Cat

(Link in meme-roll)

1) Think of a topic or issue about which you've switched your opinion. Why the change?

I'm slowly learning that I don't need to participate in every argument in the world. I don't even need to have an opinion in most of them. And it's actually BAD for me to get involved in arguments that are about other people's lives. Keeping quiet is hard, but necessary. Why change? I'd like to be a better person, that's all.

2) What kind of trophy would you like to win?

I'm really not at all interested in trophies. Something else to dust. Just...no.

3) What household chore do you like the most?

I don't mind washing dishes, although I hate to do all the prep for just a couple of things, so I usually wait for things to pile up a little.

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

I really love this time of year when all the leaves put on their last show. It reminds me of the cycle of life and that the best time for beauty isn't always in the beginning of life (spring) but later. That's a very hopeful point of view for me right now.

Saturday 9

(Link in meme-roll)
Mine Would Be You
If you're not familiar with today's song, you can hear it here.

1) The lyrics mention his respect for "90 proof and Marlboro Red." What was your most recent drink? When was your last cigarette?

I've never even tried smoking. There is nothing about it that has ever appealed to me in any way. Yuck. (sorry, smokers.... My favorite sister smoked, so it's not like it's a deal-breaker for liking people)
The last drink I had was probably a couple weeks ago: I have a bottle of Stoli stashed (hidden) so that I can have a pop once in awhile when Beast isn't around. If it were out in plain sight, it would be gone before I got more than two drinks, which is about what I had two weeks ago. Welcome to my world. I'll probably have a glass of wine at P.E.O. next Tuesday, God willing.

2) They also reference "singing like crazy fools." What's the last song you sang?

Out loud, it was probably the closing hymn last Sunday. In my head, well, I have had all kinds of stuff running around this week, from Michael Franti to Mozart to Miley Cyrus.

3) Blake Shelton won a Grammy for his performance of this song. Crazy Sam won the award for "most improved bowler" when she was in third grade, and it's now in a closet somewhere. Do you have any trophies? If so, where are they?

I have no trophies. I think I still have the prize certificate for winning the Best Political Cartoon in 9th grade Social Studies, and I won a turkey for Thanksgiving when I was 10 or so. Those are my claims to fame.

4) Blake is currently on tour. The merchandise sold at concerts brings in big money for the artist. Do you have any tour memorabilia (like a poster or t-shirt)?

I have a few T-shirts, most of which are too small for me these days. And we've bought CDs at concerts, too, from the opening acts especially, but not exclusively.

5) In addition to The Voice, Shelton is on TV a lot with his Pizza Hut commercials. What chain restaurant is nearest your home? Do you eat there?

Nearest my home, according to Google, is Subway and the pizza place that just brought us dinner (local, so that doesn't count). I haven't stopped at that Subway since before Sparky graduated from high school, so at least 3.5 years. Next closest chain is the McD's in the city I don't work in; our village (hah) is smack in between two bigger towns. I have indeed eaten food from that particular McDonald's.

6) Shelton has a million-seller CD called Cheers! It's Christmas! What's the first Christmas carol to pop into your head this hot summer Saturday?

"Silent Night" of course.

7) Shelton and Miranda Lambert were married in front of 550 guests. Do you enjoy weddings?

Generally, yes. I don't like over-the-top weddings, where people have obviously tried too hard. My three oldest nieces have had lovely, comfortable, friendly, fun weddings with nobody getting plastered and acting stupid.

8) The wedding took place on a big Texas ranch. Have you spent much time on a farm or a [r]anch?

Nope. No farmers in my immediate circle, though there are several at my church now. While both my parents had green thumbs, they were not interested in working on a farm EVer. Dad especially knew that farms were really REALLY hard work.

9) In 2013 he helped organize a relief benefit concert for victims of the Oklahoma tornado[e]s. Tell us about a charity you support.

Part of our money donated to our church supports Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, and we support it in person as often as we can by visiting PDA sites to help out. Beast was part of a group doing cleanup about a month ago in a town not to far from us that was badly damaged by a tornado recently. The year after Katrina, several people from our church were in the Gulf doing cleanup there (in Mississippi, which was heavily damaged and flooded, but got considerably less attention than New Orleans). PDA works with Red Cross and other grass-roots organizations providing support and funds to people who are already doing the work, like their partnership with churches and organizations in the southwest right now dealing with all the Central American kids flooding the area.
And every year our church produces a simply humongous pile of boxes for Christmas Child. In just over a decade we have packed the equivalent of about 10 boxes per member.

RevGal Friday Five

(Link in meme-roll)
Moments of Triumph Edition
List five triumphs – they can be professional or they can be personal.

1. I cataloged about 30 books pretty much from scratch today, 98% of which were in Spanish. Two were completely from scratch--no one else has purchased them and cataloged them into OCLC--and the rest had lousy vendor records in OCLC that I had to clean up. Five of them were individual books about the members of One Direction. Yes, in Spanish. Shoot.Me.
2. I didn't completely embarrass my son when we Skyped last weekend with his new girlfriend. She seems nice. He says she thinks we seem "pretty awesome."
3. I'm back into dealing with teenagers, helping out with the middle school Sunday School class. So far I haven't actually shrieked at anyone, though it's becoming more likely every week. The best part though is that I'm NOT dealing with any passive-aggressiveness. Gawd, the last few months of (elementary) Sunday School last year were awful. Grown-ups suuuuckkkkk!!
4. I understand* RDA!!! Monday's workshop was really good, and then next day someone posted another really good manual on Autocat, so I feel like a pig in shit with all the newly-understood and -exampled materials I've got.
5. I started going to Al-Anon. There's one tonight--it will be my fourth meeting if I go. I'm tired. And this group isn't the one I prefer, but...well, seriously, after one meeting it's hardly fair to bail already. The other group lost a member last week, a guy who was at the first meeting I was at; he committed suicide less than 48 hours after that meeting. There is plenty of pain in the world.

* That is, I know how to create and/or spot a good RDA record. I still think a lot of the changes are pure BS.

Patrick's Place

(Link in meme-roll)
Saturday Six

1. What was your biggest accomplishment in school?

I suppose it could be graduating magna cum laude in undergrad. Or maybe marching in the Rose Parade. Or overcoming blind terror on the flight from Zurich to Moscow in 1985. Take your pick.

2. Have you ever won a ribbon for any event or competition, and if so, what was it for?

Yeah, I won some ribbons for something or other, but I only remember the ribbon, not what I got it for. I got honor cords in high school and college for graduation, if that counts.

3. Have you ever been awarded a trophy for anything, and if so, what was it for?

Nope, no trophies.

4. What award do you feel you'd be the last person to ever win?

There was never going to be a Miss America-type award in my life.

5. Do you think it's truly more important just to be nominated for an award, or more important to win one?

Depends on what kind of award. If you are nominated by people who know exactly what you've done, that you've worked hard to get things done, then yes a nomination just as good as a win. People's Choice-type stuff? Pah, it's a popularity contest.

6. A question from a decades-long grade school debate: Do you believe that everyone who participates in a competition should win something just for participating?

Not necessarily. If you are encouraging participation and/or coming together as a group, then sure. If you're encouraging winning, then no. One year, Sparky's Little League coach game away the game ball to one team-member after every game. He was very fair and honest, and yet I'm pretty sure every kid got at least one game ball...even the ones picking dandelions in left field (i.e. Sparky). He was very good at building team spirit and finding good things about each kid regardless of their overall talent, so the time that Sparky got the ball (for "improvement" of some kind), the team honestly cheered for him even though he was not on the level of most of the other kids. So inside of a structure of winning (games) being important, he created a place where people got rewarded on a different scale. THAT is what makes a good teacher/coach (he's a gym teacher in "real life").

Sunday Stealing

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

26.) If you had to order from a kid's menu, what would you get?

Oh, I dunno. Chicken fingers or mac 'n cheese or a hot dog. It's not too long till I'll be able to order from the Old Folks menu, which is probably not too different. ;-)

27.) Do you speak any other languages?

I speak cataloger, pig latin, ubby-dubby (badly), and Cat (which usually involves Anglo-Saxon words). I understand Spanish but don't speak it very well.

28.) Do you use Twitter?

Not very often.

29.) Do you go onto YouTube?

Only when someone posts something that looks interesting on Facebook.

30.) Do you play Angry Birds?

Nope. Beast does though.

31.) Do you like theme parties?

Nope. {{shudder}}

32.) Do you like current cartoons?

I haven't read what we used to refer to as "the funny pages" for a very long time. I read Beast's leftover Argyle Sweater calendar pages and that's about it. I don't really like most cartoons anymore. And cartoon movies? I was glad to give them up when Sparky stopped watching them.

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

Of course. I am woman, see me weep.

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

Melissa Etheridge. Joan Osborne. Gogol Bordello, but only from the very expensive seats.

35.) Can you swim well?

Who would swim in a well?? [I can't swim in wells or anywhere else, myself]

36.) Ever won a contest?

Yup. Twice, as a child. I don't enter contests much anymore. Silent auctions are about my limit these days.

37.) Ever won a giveaway?

Oops, yes. One of those 'contests' was actually a giveaway. Sorry.

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

I range from 6-8 hours/night. It seems to work.

39.) What tea do you like?

Earl Grey, hot. (and black)

40.) What mixed drink do you like?

Vodka tonic or greyhound.

41.) Do you shop at Walmart?

As little as possible.

42.) Do you shop at Target?

Occasionally.

43.) What do you order at your local coffee shop?

If you mean a Starbucks-type place, I don't very often because I don't drink coffee. When I do meet someone there, I grab a grapefruit soda or caramel-apple-cider.

44.) Do you drink bottled or tap water?

Yes. Mostly tap. I can't abide the water in the library (i.e., at work) or anywhere in town, but my well water is very good.

45.) Do you like homemade meals?

Of course I do. 'Long as I don't have to make rhem!

46.) Do you like homemade baked goods?

Shit yes!

47.) Do you shop online?

Sometimes. I should do more, but I'm not a huge fan of shopping.

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

Those I would like to shop, or those I do shop? If I would like to, I just would DO IT. So: Amazon, VS, and the Nook store.

49.) What holiday don't you like?

I'm not a big fan of Sweetest Day, since it's always seems like the stupidest name for a holiday, even a manufactured one. I'm not fond of "sweetness" if it doesn't actually involve sugar intake.

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

I probably eat less when I'm sick. Toast, clear broth, and 7Up are my staples.

Saturday 9 18

(Link in meme-roll)
My Generation

1. What do you think is the most unique thing about your generation?

Wow, this question is a doozy! First of all, I have trouble with this because I was born right on the cusp of End-of-Baby-Boom and Whatever-Came-Next. Three siblings are/were squarely baby-boomers, and my older sister is pre-boom. If "My Generation" means people born in the 60s, then I'd say we're a fuckin' mess: our kids are still living at home, we're going to be paying into Social Security with probably no chance of seeing a payback, and we may be the first generation in awhile to live shorter lives than our parents. Yippee.

2. Do you speak out as often as you should?

Up until recently, I would say I speak up MORE often than I should, but I'm getting better, though still pretty mouthy.

3. How often are you tough and unreasonable?

I think there are those who would say that I'm not enough tough, but plenty unreasonable.

4. Do you believe that sometimes you learn more from a failure than a success?

Hell yeah! Not only, and not necessarily, my own.

5. Do you feel that you always have to win?

I really like to win. I'm not always a very good loser. But I know that I don't always win, so I'm better than when I was younger.

6. Do you think tradition matters?

Yes. But tradition mired in the past is useless if not translated and integrated into the present.

7. Do you tend to root for the underdog?

Almost always. Unless they are playing against the Packers. ;-)

8. Have you ever felt that you want to exceed your parents’ successes?

From a material standpoint, I have. From a 'life' standpoint, I'm not sure that's possible.

9. Of all the cartoon characters that you know of, which is most like you?

The teachers in the Peanuts cartoons (on TV)? Pogo? Wile E. Coyote?

I'm So Excited

10. What was the last event or situation that got you really excited?

I'm pretty excited about the fact that my boss is leaving, in less than a week now!!

11. How old were you when you started working and what was your first job?

From before I can remember, it was my job to clean my room up every Saturday morning while Mom did the rest of the house. Of course, that wasn't a paid job! I started babysitting at about age 11 or 12. My first applied-for job was working as a shelver at the local library at age 16. I was working before I had a driver's license, even.

12. Tell us about your grandparents.

All of my grandparents were born in or before the 1880s. My dad's parents were homesteaders (you know: 5 acres to prove in 5 years) in western Colorado when my dad was born. My mom's dad worked for the railroad in southwestern Colorado after immigrating from Canada; he left home in his early teens and married my grandmother, who was a schoolteacher in Montana, when she was in her early 20s and he was in his 40s. I never met him; he died in 1941, weeks after my parents were married. The other three surviving grandparents were all gone before I turned 12; I really don't remember much about any of them except that mom's mom had cold hands and beautiful long white hair, and dad's mom was deaf as a post.

13. Do you procrastinate or are you usually on top of situations?

I'm a great procrastinator, unless it's something I enjoy doing.

14. What would others say about you?

Ask them. (Let me know what they say?)

15. Do you believe in life on other planets?

I believe it's possible, even likely, but I'm not sure we'd recognize it as such necessarily, nor is it likely to look anything like us.

16. When was the last time that you were called too thin?

My parents were actually concerned about my weight as a kid, but while I was pregnant, that all ended. When I was in my 20s, one of my coworkers' husband called me "Skinny" whenever he saw me...creepy old fart.

17. Do you work out? Have you ever joined a gym and quit almost immediately?

I don't work out. I should, but I'm lazy. And I have indeed joined gyms and lasted just a few weeks or months.

18. Do you feel that you utilize all your intelligence in every situation?

Nope. That sounds very exhausting. I use a LOT of my intelligence in a LOT of situations, though. And then there's the majority of my time, when I'm on autopilot.

Saturday 9

(Link in meme-roll)
Meme 250 - Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere

1. Do you ever feel like you are nowhere?

No, I always know I'm somewhere, though quite often I couldn't define for anyone where in the world (or elsewhere) that is.

2. Do you keep your cool no matter what is going on around you?

In emergencies, I'm pretty good. As soon as things calm down a bit, though, I tend to flip out. However, in stressful non-emergencies I'm variable: sometimes calm and clear-headed, but sometimes completely insane.

3. Do you feel that career should be more important than your love life?

No. Of course not.

4. In what way do you feel that you are unique?

In the usual way: DNA.

5. Do you feel that there is a part of you that you need to hide from most people?

I do try to keep my temper in check; most people don't really need to see that.

6. Have you ever held on to a relationship even though you truly knew it was already over?

It ain't over till it's over....

7. Would you say that you are a winner in this game of life?

I'm definitely closer to the winner end than the loser end.

8. Can you tell us about a time when you were broke and yet still happy?

When Beast and I were first married, that pretty much summed things up.

9. Do you think staying celibate between relationships important?

Important for me? Well, I can't honestly speak to that since it's been awhile "between relationships," and I wouldn't deign to speak for others on this particular issue. For one thing, how does one define and "relationship"?

Patrick's Place

(Link in meme-roll)
Saturday Six

1. When you hear that a movie is a likely nominee for an Academy Award, are you any more likely to watch that movie in the theater?

Nope. I'm over that particular guilt-trip.

2. When you hear that a movie you haven’t yet seen actually is nominated for an Academy Award, are you more likely to watch that film?

No; see above.

3. Of the nominated films this year, how many of them did you watch?

None...wait, I did watch "Bridesmaids" a couple of months ago.

4. Have a look at the former winners for Best Picture prior to this year. Which is the last one you remember watching at home?

I guess we have to go all the way back to The English Patient for that, though I saw it not long after it came out on video (or HBO).

5. From that same list, which is the last one you remember seeing in a theater?

Chicago. And that is why I love Beast: he sat through it with me, and even enjoyed it.

6. If you could experience any Best Picture winner in a theater environment, which would you choose?

Having not (yet) seen Casablanca, I wouldn't mind having seen it at its premiere in 1942. Except for the tiny detail of that being 21 years before I was born. ;-)

Sunday Stealing

(Link in meme-roll)
The Nasty 31 Meme, Part One

1. What has been your longest love relationship?

I've been married over 25 years. We were engaged about 10 months before we got married, and we dated off and on for two years before that. Gosh, that doesn't sound that long, now!

2. What was the last gift that you received?

Actual gift is probably the mix CD that Amy made for Beast for me for our 25th anniversary; she made a copy for me. But I've had a lot of non-corporeal gifts since then, including the gifts of friendship and listening ears.

3. What do you spend your extra cash on?

Food. Mostly of the 'junk' variety.

4. If you could live anywhere would you live?

Yes, I would live. Anywhere.

5. Who's your cell provider?

Sprint.

6. What's your favorite mall store?

Either VS or Bath & Body Works. I don't really mall-shop very often.

7. What's the longest job that you've had? (No[,] parenting does not count!)

So then it would be where I work now: I've been employed by the same library since January 1996. I have not been doing exactly the same job for all that time, mind you, but I started when Sparky was not-quite-three years old.
Unless being a wife counts.... :-P

8. If you won the lottery, who'd you call first?

Jim, a friend who 'knows money' and would be the best advisor I could imagine.

9. If you won, how would you spend your money after investments?

I wouldn't. I'd probably give a large chunk of it away. After investments.

10. When was the last time you went to church (or a religious house)?

We left church about 6 hours ago.

11. What's the biggest lie that you've heard?

"Read my lips: no new taxes." And others of similar intensity, on all kinds of issues, by various politicians on both sides of the aisle.

12. When you go out with your friends, where do you go?

Uh...out. It does depend on the friends, and the purpose. It could be the mall, a park, dinner....

13. When was the last time that you cried?

About 6.3 hours ago.

14. What food do you hate?

Liver. And I'm really not fond of tomatoes, Brussels sprouts, cukes, or tapioca either.

15. What do you like best about yourself?

How far I've come, and the fact that I'm still here.

Saturday 9

(Link in meme-roll)
Medicate

1. Do you take a lot of medication?

I take two prescription pills, one OTC allergy pill, and two (different) vitamins daily. Probably take an ibuprofen or Tylenol 3-4 times a week. Is that a lot.

2. Name one of your flaws and tell us about it.

I get somewhat over-passionate about things I care about. And then I tend to say/write things that get me in trouble.

3. Have you ever won first place? If yes, tell us about your victory!

I won a lot of competition stuff in high school either solo or as a member of a group, but I haven't really doing much competing on my own since then, primarily because I only compete with myself. I either also win or always lose, depending on the perspective. Examples of previous wins? First places in academic things, first places in band competitions, co-valedictorian, first chair over and over most of junior high and high school....

4. Who is the last person to make you smile? What was happening?

Beast suggested we watch something to make ourselves feel better about ourselves, and then turned on "Cops."

5. Describe a time when you should have tried harder.

I wish I'd've pushed a little more on teaching Sparky how to keep his room clean when he was younger. Too late now.

6. What are you best at?

I excel at memes.

7. If someone was going to make a movie or TV show about your life, who would play you and why?

With my luck, they'd hire Rene Zellwegger to play me because of the resemblance in the eye area.

8. Name 3 things that you think are strange.

Marsupials, people who believe anything they hear on Faux News, thundersnow.

9. What is one lesson you have learned in the past 12 months?

Don't count on your family living forever. [as if I hadn't already gotten with that program]

Saturday 9

(Link in meme-roll)
I'm So Proud

1. What are you proud of?

My son, my husband, the work I do, even myself sometimes.

2. What is the best thing you’ve ever won as a prize? How did you win it?

The only thing I've ever won, that I remember, is a Thanksgiving turkey when I was about 13. It was sheer luck; I don't even remember entering the contest.

3. Tell us about something you've done that in retrospect was a waste of time.

There are some people that I should have been much more forthright with from the git-go.

4. How old were you when life changed the most for you? How did it change?

It just keeps happening. It changed when my brother went to college, when I was 8. It changed when I decided to go to college 1000 miles away from my parents. It changed when I met Beast (though I barely noticed). It changed when my dad died.... In fact, the rate of change seems to be increasing, which I'm not thrilled with.

5. Tell us about a place you that you've been that you considered to be very tranquil.

Moosehead Lake, Maine, is absolutely the quietest place ever. I miss it.

6. Who is your favorite news anchor/reporter? Why?

I don't watch the news, because they never tell me anything I want to hear or care about. Except the weather. And emergencies.

7. If you were to have the opportunity to name a new town or city, what would you call it? Why?

I would love to rename the town in which I live, though my choice for a name would definitely be considered insulting by all, but at least it would be an HONEST-TO-GOD full-fledged community at least.

8. What is something about which you've always wondered but have not yet found a good answer?

Why are we so much meaner to people we are close to than strangers?

9. When you can't go to sleep, what is your personal remedy to help yourself drift into Lullabyland?

I move to a different venue and read or do crosswords for as long as it takes.

Food 4 Thought Friday

(Link in blogroll)

Breakfast
You wouldn't be caught dead, where?

At a right-wing rally of any kind.

Lunch
Was there ever a time you were frightened for your life?

I was a terrified child. So, yeah. As an adult, only a couple of times. The times I can think of involve driving incidents.

Dinner
What are you passionate about?

Kids. Cataloging. Books in general. Hypocrisy.

Midnight Snack
Have you ever won a trophy?

Nope. I never did anything that involved trophies.

Recipe of the Week(instead of your recipe for life, what is it just for this week?)

I just want to get the things I need to get done finished. No slacking tomorrow!

Curious as a Cat

1) What is the best thing you have ever won as a prize?

Outside of my family? I don't remember winning too many actual prizes in my life, which makes sense since I rarely involve myself in these sorts of activities by choice.

2) What is one thing that repeatedly makes you angriest?

The behavior of thoughtless, mean-spirited people.

3) What song always makes you laugh, no matter how often you hear it?

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

OK, so, yeah, it's definitely underwater. I seem to be having a fish-related response today. It looks sort of astronomical, too, doesn't it--like a star explosion or something. The colors are nice. Sights like this are why I'd love to learn to dive, but since I can't swim, it's not likely. Oh well.