Friday's Feast - #194

Here are my answers to this week's Friday's Feast questions:

Appetizer
If you could live on another continent for 1 year, which one would you choose?

I'm going to be a bit boring-- but honest-- and choose Europe. (Not to say that Europe is boring, but you know what I mean. (g)) My second choice would be Australia.


Soup
Which browser do you use to surf the Internet?

Firefox.


Salad
On a scale of 1-10 (with 10 being highest), how much do you know about the history of your country?

I never know how to answer these "scale" questions. . . I'll say seven. I may be grading myself a bit too high, here. I know I've forgotten a lot that I once knew-- and there's plenty that I know I don't know.


Main Course
Finish this sentence: Love is. . .

Love is a choice we make every day.
Love is a touch of the divine to give us hope here on earth.
Love is what makes life worth living.


Dessert
Have you ever been in or near a tornado?

Not in, but near. More than once, I think. Of course, these tornadoes were not the huge monster ones that you see on TV. Usually, tornadoes in this part of the country aren't as big as the ones in the central US. They're still scary, though-- especially since few people here have cellars/basements to go to when there's a tornado warning. We just have to go into a small room (bathroom, usually) in the middle of the house and hope for the best.

I can remember a couple of specific times when we had a tornado warning while I was in school. We had to crouch in the hallways (in a very awkward "head-protecting" position) to wait it out. . . Not fun!

Friday's Feast - #193

Here are my responses to this week's Friday's Feast:

Appetizer
Do you consider yourself to be an optimist or a pessimist?

Neither, really. (Guess that makes me a realist? Ha!) I can sometimes be a pessimist, certainly, but I don't think I go around with a perpetual thunder-cloud hovering over my head. I hope for the best, and though I often fear the worst, I don't really expect it to happen all the time. (Most of the time, there's something worse that could have happened, even if things don't turn out perfectly.)


Soup
What is your favorite color of ink to write with?

Assuming I have a choice, I prefer black ink. Blue is ok, but it's just not as attractive to me. Red is also alright, but it's harder to read. Green, purple, and other colors are ok for jotting notes and things, but I find that purple ink tends to bleed pink through the other side (maybe I've just had bad luck). I like the old-fashioned stability and versatility of black ink. (Of course, when I was a kid, multi-colored ink was fun. I loved those pens with a choice of four colors of ink!)


Salad
How often do you get a manicure or pedicure? Do you do them yourself or go to a salon and pay for them?

I'm very low maintenance as far as things like this go. I trim my own nails as they need it. I pretty much never wear polish because when I've done it in the past, it just hasn't looked that great. Besides, it doesn't last long enough to be worth the effort, I think. If someone wanted to give me a manicure or pedicure for free while I relaxed at home, I wouldn't object ;o), but I don't have the money or time to waste on a trip to the salon. (And yes, I would consider it a waste, since I'm perfectly happy with my plain nails.)


Main Course
Have you ever won anything online? If so, what was it?

I can't think of anything I've won online. . . Nothing comes to mind.


Dessert
In which room in your house do you keep your home computer?

The newer, faster computer is in our home office. The older computer is in the "main room" of the house (family room/living room), and that's the one I use most of the time. I prefer the openness of this room, most of the time. Besides, when Donald's using the computer at home, he works in the office. I hate not having the "stuff" I need on the computer I'm using at the time, so I find it's easier if I just stick with this one for most things, as it's always available.

Friday's Feast - #192

I missed yesterday's Friday's Feast, so I'm answering now instead. :o)

Appetizer
When you drink soda/pop/coke, do you prefer to drink it from the bottle, a can, or after pouring it into a cup?

I never buy it in a bottle, these days, so my options are really can or cup/glass. I usually pour it in a glass. If I've chilled the can in the fridge, I probably won't add any ice. If the can hasn't been chilled, I usually put three or so ice cubes into the glass and pour just a little of the drink at a time. (I don't like watery coke!) Pouring it out a little at a time helps me enjoy it more, I think. I'm trying not to drink as much cola as I used to. :o(

Soup
What television show are you willing to stay up late to watch?

Lost, I guess. It's not late-late, but in it's most recent time slot, it doesn't end until ten, and that's late for me to watch something other than the local news, sitcom re-runs, or late-night comedy/variety shows.

Salad
Name one person, place, or thing you think of as brilliant.

I hardly ever think of or refer to people, places, or things as "brilliant". You see, I'm not British. ;o) No offense to the British. (g) It does rather irk me, though, when people constantly say "brilliant" and you can just tell that they're doing it because they think it makes them sound cool. Ugh!

Anyway, when I hear the word "brilliant", I think-- "brilliant scientist", "brilliant diamond". . . and that's about it!

Main Course
Would you be willing to work 4 10-hour days instead of 5 8-hour days in order to save gas?

As I'm not working outside of the home, I have a hard time answering this. (Of course, unless someone has worked on both schedules, I guess no-one truly knows which they'd prefer. The grass is always greener, etc.) I think I'd be ok with 4 10-hour days a week instead of 5 8-hour days, but it would depend on the job. In some cases, those two extra hours might be too much.

Based on discussions I've had with Donald (my husband), I think he would prefer a shorter work week with longer hours-- or even some arrangement whereby he could work from home one day a week. Unfortunately, from what I hear most companies are unwilling to go this route. Maybe that'll change soon. (Saving commute time and headache might be as much of an incentive as saving gas, for many people.)

Dessert
If you were a superhero, what would you call yourself?

It would depend on my super power. ;o) I think I'd just "do my thing" and let the world decide what to call me. No decent superhero has the time (or the ego) for sitting around, sorting through names.

Friday's Feast - #190

Here are my responses to this week's Friday's Feast:

Appetizer
When someone smiles at you, do you smile back?

Yes, usually. The only exception I can think of is if it's a "mean" smile-- one of those "Sure, I'm smiling, but even a toddler would have the expression-reading skills to know that I loathe you" smiles. Fortunately, I don't get those that often. ;o) So yes, I smile back.

Interesting that this subject should come up today, because only yesterday I was thinking about the opposite-- why some people don't smile back when you make that friendly gesture. Maybe sometimes it's shyness-- or they're startled and don't have time to reciprocate until it's too late. Maybe it's just that they aren't used to positive interaction with people. Or maybe they're just mean. (g)

While grocery shopping yesterday, I twice came across the same grump. The first time, I waited as she exited an aisle so that I could enter it. As she left, she gave me a weird look. I guess I was supposed to try to squeeze in and not wait courteously so that we'd both have plenty of maneuvering room. Maybe she felt I was rushing her. . . by waiting? (shrug) I rolled my eyes at the canned goods (they knew exactly what I meant-- What a grump!) and went on with my business.

Later, in one of the frozen food aisles, I saw her again. She was totally engrossed in frozen , but I couldn't help noticing that her little girl (seated in the "shopping cart seat") was joyfully shaking a box of animal crackers and scattering them onto the floor (where they clattered rather noisily). I decided that she wasn't the type of woman who'd appreciate a kindly spoken alert ("Uh-oh, you're gonna loose all your cookies!"), so was placidly making my way onward when the mother finally re-emerged from the wonderful and fascinating world of frozen food, saw what her little darling was doing, and then looked directly at me. I smiled in an "Oh, kids! What can you do?!" sort of way, and for my troubles was favored with a second weird look. What? Did she think I was an undercover cop for the Grocery Police, come to reprimand her for letting her daughter muss up the store? Soon I was alone in the aisle with the abandoned cookies. At least they didn't glare at me as I walked past. ;o)

Soup
Describe the flooring in your home. Do you have carpet, hardwood, vinyl, a mix?

Carpet and vinyl. A very neutral beige carpet is in the main room and all the bedrooms. Everything else is vinyl-- two different "faux tile" designs. We'd certainly like to upgrade, but there are too many other things we want/need to do first-- and the house isn't really old enough to require new flooring, so we'll be keeping what we have for a good while.

Salad
Write a sentence with only 5 words, but all of the words have to start with the first letter of your first name.

My mother made my meals. (When I was a kid, of course.)

Main Course
Do you know anyone whose life has been touched by adoption?

I can't think of anyone I know intimately who adopted/was adopted. . . I know a couple who considered adopting, but it didn't work out (it was a complicated situation with the child's biological family, I think). As it turned out, they ended up having children, not long after.

Dessert
Name two blue things.

1. A folder on this desk (full of notes I've taken at the computer-- polymer clay stuff).
2. The frame and background of a ribbon-embroidered heart of rosettes sewn by Donald's mother. It was a wedding present. (It's on a shelf above the monitor-- the first thing I see when I look up.)

Friday's Feast - #189

Here are my answers for this week's Friday's Feast:

Appetizer
What was your favorite cartoon when you were a child?

I grew up in (what I consider to be) the golden era of the Saturday-morning cartoon. (g) (Maybe everyone born since the beginning of Saturday-morning cartoons thinks that.) And not only were there Saturday morning cartoons, but a couple of hours of cartoons in the afternoons (on one or two non-cable channels). I don't remember which cartoon was my favorite at any given time, but I'm sure it changed over the years.

Anyway, I'll just list some of the ones I remember particularly liking: The Smurfs, My Little Pony, She-ra, Chip & Dale's Rescue Rangers, Gummi Bears, Scooby-Doo, Ducktales, TaleSpin, JEM, Moonbeamers, Inspector Gadget, Rainbow Sprite, The Littles, Care Bears, The Chipmunks, and I'm sure there are more I'm not remembering at the moment. . .

Hm. I finally discovered the identity of a cartoon I've remembered watching but been unable to name. Beverly Hills Teens. I think this was briefly popular among the girls in my elementary school class. I don't think it was thoroughly approved of at home, though. (g)

Soup
Pretend you are about to get a new pet. Which animal would you pick, and what would you name it?

This one's easy, since we actually are planning to get another pet (or maybe two-- we'll see. . .), when we find what we're looking for. Now that my sweet Daisy is gone where good dogs go, I miss my daily dose of Eskie love. I know I can't expect another Eskie (American Eskimo Dog) to be just like Daisy or to "replace" her, but I'm ready to make room for another "pupsonality". We may also get a beagle. (Then we'd have three dogs. Are we crazy to contemplate this?)

As for the name, I have no idea. I'd have to discuss it with Donald, since it would be a shared pet. I'm sure he'd let me name it whatever I liked, if I was really set on a particular name, but I'm not. Nothing snow-related. This is a common choice for Eskies, since they're so white and fluffy. Nothing wrong with that, but I'd prefer something else.

Salad
On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being highest, how much do you enjoy getting all dressed up for a special occasion?

If I like the way I look and don't have to stay in uncomfortable clothes for too long, 7 or 8, maybe? It's nice to get dressed up from time to time. That said, I hardly ever do it, and by the time I get home, I'm yearning for jeans and tee. If I had to do it very often, I'd probably hate it.

Main Course
What kind of music do you listen to while you drive?

Often, it's not music at all, but talk radio. If I get to the point that I can't take it any more ;o) I gravitate toward 70s/80s/90s/early2000s pop and rock. Something I can sing along with-- something that keeps me awake. That's if I'm alone in the car. (g) Otherwise, I may not listen to anything, because I don't want to impose my musical tastes on the passenger(s).

Dessert
When was the last time you bought a clock? And in which room did you put it?

Hm. I think the last one was a digital alarm clock, which we bought a year or two ago. We put it in our bedroom so that each of us could have a clock on our respective nightstands. (We both like to be able to see what time it is when we wake in the middle of the night.) Right now, though, that clock is in the guest room. I put it there when we were expecting our visitor, and I haven't moved it back, yet.

Friday's Feast - #188

Here are my answers to this week's Feast:

Appetizer
Name something you would categorize as weird.

So many directions you could take this! ;o)

I think it's weird that people are talking about "vat-grown meat" as a distinct culinary possibility, these days. Logically, I have to admit that-- depending on how it's done-- it could be a good idea. . . But I'm not always a logical person, and my gut reaction is queasiness and "Omigosh! Like, that totally grosses me out!" (g)

It just seems like something that belongs in a sci-fi movie-- not in my daily life. I'm also afraid that this could be one of those things where, twenty or thirty years down the road (20+ years after we've all begun eating it, that is), they'll come out and say, "Oh, and by the way, we now have reason to believe that eating this crap will probably cause cancer and birth defects and early death. Have a nice day!" But that's just my humble opinion. ;o)

Soup
What color was the last piece of food you ate?

White and beige. It was cereal (generic Honey-Nut Cheerios) and milk. . . .Or maybe it was an orange vitamin C tablet-- if you count vitamins.

Salad
On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being highest, how much do you enjoy being alone?

It depends on how much I've been alone recently. If I don't have enough alone time, it can go all the way up to 10; if I've been alone all day, I'm ready for a little company. Most of the time, it's about a 7 or 8. I certainly don't mind being alone, as long as I know I have the option to see someone soon.

Main Course
Fill in the blank: I will ______ vote for _______ on _______ .

I will probably not be enthusiastic about whomever I vote for on November 4th. Looks like this time it's going to be more a vote against someone than a vote for someone else. (This actually seems to be more the rule than the exception, in my experience.)

Dessert
Describe your sleeping habits.

I like to have a little time to "unwind" in bed before going to sleep, unless I'm already completely exhausted. Watching a little TV or reading a book does the trick. Talking can be good, too, but I don't want to talk about anything at all stressful or even just too exciting right before going to sleep. The darkness of the room isn't as much of a factor for me as it is for some people (I can sleep in broad daylight-- not as well as at night, of course, but I can sleep)-- but I prefer to have a ceiling fan running. I don't often have trouble falling asleep (unless something is worrying me or I'm too excited about something coming up the next day). Just lying back (I sleep on my back most of the time-- except during the day, when I mostly sleep on my right side), closing my eyes and relaxing usually does the trick. I'm asleep within five or ten minutes of my head hitting the pillow.

Friday's Feast - #187

I missed last week's Feast, so I'll answer two today. :o)

Appetizer
Name a color you find soothing.

I find more than one color family soothing, but the first that comes to mind right now is the color of our bedroom-- a pale apple green. It is perhaps a little bit bolder and more yellow than what many would consider "soothing", but I like it.

Soup
Using 20 or less words, describe your first driving experience.

I must've blocked it out of my mind, because I can't remember the first time. ;o) Stressed out, nervous, annoyed, etc.

Salad
What material is your favorite item of clothing made out of?

Cotton.

Main Course
Who is a great singer or musician who, if they were to come to your town for a concert, you would spend the night outside waiting for tickets to see?

I'm not really a concert-going person. I've never gone to one, and I don't really care if I ever do. I'm content to listen to the music on CD. I can't think of a single group I'd want to stand outside all night for. Sorry. (g) (I'd maybe do it just for the fun of it, if a group of good friends wanted to. But that'd be more for the experience of doing something mildly crazy than for the love of the band.)

Dessert
What is the most frequent letter of the alphabet in your whole name (first, middle, maiden, last, etc.)?

Counting first, middle, maiden, and last names-- there's a four-way tie! There are four occurrences each of "a", "h", "i", and "n"! Interesting. I certainly wouldn't have guessed "n" or "h"!

Friday's Feast: #186

This Friday's Feast:

Appetizer
Invent a new flower, give it a name and describe it.

This kind of thing is always pretty difficult for me. There are already so many wonderful flowers-- and I haven't invented one before. ;o) Short of sitting down and drawing one (not going to happen today!), the only way I can describe a new flower is in terms of the "old" ones.

How about this?
It's a wall-scaling type of vine-- but not invasive or harmful to structures (so I could actually let it grow on my house without worrying that I'm destroying our home!!). The leaves are large (six inches or so across) and heart-shaped. They're colored like rose leaves-- some of them edged in red. The blooms (which are present year-round) are shaped like an old-fashioned cabbage rose, but they're fairly small (two inch diameter) and grow in small clusters. They are a rich creamy white with hearts of rose, and they smell like vanilla and almond. The buds tend to open all at once, and if you happen to be watching when they open, it's like seeing a time-lapsed video of an ordinary flower opening. I call it Climbing Breath o' Almond. ;o)

Soup
Name someone whom you think has a wonderful voice.

For singing, you mean? Hm. . . No-one comes immediately to mind. I'm more interested in the melody of the song than in the voice that sings it. I like Sarah McLachlan's voice, for one.

Salad
On a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being highest, how clean do you keep your car?

Inside, 8 or 9. I don't vacuum it very often, but I don't like a car to be cluttered. Outside, I tend not to notice that it needs washing until it really needs it. . . So maybe a 4 or 5?

Main Course
How do you feel about poetry?

I'm fairly ambivalent about poetry. I only read poetry "for fun" very rarely. I'd usually rather be reading prose. That said, I'm fond of some of the poetry I've been forced to read (in school), and I even wrote a little, years ago. I think the problem is that there's so much bad poetry (IMHO)-- and so much that simply doesn't appeal to me. I don't want to wade through all the yuck and blah to get to the few hidden gems. It's the same reason that for years I've tended to be a re-reader than take a risk on new novels. I've just read so many books (contemporary ones, especially) that left me cold, disappointed, or downright angry. . . I guess I'm picky!

Dessert
What was the last person/place/thing you took a picture of?

Yesterday, I snapped a few shots around the yard. I think the very last photo was an overview of part of the back yard, with the corner of the house in the foreground, looking all the way back to my grandfather's barn (and the trees further beyond it).

Friday's Feast (#185)

Here's this week's Friday's Feast:

Appetizer
What does the color dark green make you think of?

Pine trees (and conifers in general, but since I'm surrounded by pines, I think of them first) and a sweater I used to have. (g)

Soup
How many cousins do you have?

First cousins? I have two on my mother's side of the family and four on my father's side. But two of those four are very young. When I was a child, I had just two cousins on that side of the family; the other two have come along since then, so they feel less like cousins than a quasi nephew and niece. Or something like that.

If you count second or third cousins, there are quite a few more, of course. (People had bigger families back then. (g)) However, I probably couldn't even name them all, as I hardly ever see most of them.

Salad
On a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being highest, how honest are you?

I feel like I've answered this (or something like this-- maybe minus the scale) fairly recently. . .

I don't really like "rating" things like this. The answer depends on the circumstances. Most of the time I'm pretty honest-- 9 or so-- especially if it's a situation where I think it really matters that the truth be told. But if it will help me avoid hurting someone's feelings or needlessly embarrassing someone (myself included), I may omit something or be a bit creative with the truth. I don't see the need in being brutally honest, if it's not going to do any substantial good.

Main Course
Name something that is truly free.

The air that we breathe. . . laughter. . . sunshine. . . rain (and other weather). . . sunrises and sunsets. . . birdsong. . . imagination/daydreams. . . conversation. . . hugs and kisses. . . true love and loyal friendship. . .

Some might argue that most valuable human interaction (conversation, kisses) isn't completely free, because you have to invest time (and maybe resources, too) in the relationship, but I think that's being a bit nit-picky. ;o)

Dessert
Using the letters in the word SPRING, write a sentence.

Hm. . . This is harder than it sounds. In that order, or in any order? Because being able to switch them around would help. . .

Some people'd rather ignore-- No "Green"!!

Uhm. . . Not too great, huh? Maybe no-one gets it but me. (g) It's just a mini protest against the explosion of "green" this and "green" that. I'm all for protecting the environment, but in many instances, it's gotten past the point of ridiculousness. IMNSHO. ;o)

Well, there's another feast feasted!

Friday's Feast

I'm actually on time today for this Friday's Feast! (Well, nearly a hundred people have already responded, but at least it's still Friday. . .)

Appetizer

On a scale of 1-10 (with 10 as highest), how much do you like your own handwriting?

I actually purposely changed my print handwriting at some point-- middle school or so?-- because I wanted it to be different. (For instance, I wanted my "a" to look like a printed "a", with a little curl on top.) It's continued to gradually change since then-- and probably gotten sloppier-- but I still like it well enough. I'd give it a 9, I guess. If it were always neat, it'd get a 10. ;o) Not that I think it's better than everyone else's handwriting, but I'm satisfied with it. (shrug) It's legible.

My cursive, on the other hand, I'd give a 2 or a 3. I never write in cursive, except to sign my name (and I'd really rather sign in print, too). I know it would be better if I just practiced it, but I don't really care to write in cursive. I haven't done it much since the school years when I was "forced" to write in cursive. (Maybe that's why I hate it so much-- being forced to use it!)

Soup

Do you prefer baths or showers?

Showers. Baths just seem to take too long, and it's easier to wash long hair in a shower, I think.

Salad

What was the last bad movie you watched?

Hm. . . We watched 300 a while ago, and I wasn't particularly impressed. Not that it was an awful movie. I just don't think I'm a member of the target audience. Yeah, there are some nice special effects-- but other than that, it's very simple and predictable-- just one battle after another, which I find depressing. And during the epic battle scenes, where'd all the blood go? Donald noticed how it just sort of disappeared in midair. Not that I really wanted to see more blood, but how did these guys go through days of hand-to-hand combat and still keep relatively clean? Obviously the makers of the film weren't going for realism. Anyway, I won't be re-watching that one.

Before that, we watched the MST3K episode with a movie called Time Chasers, and that was pretty bad. . . (Nothing to compare to the horror that is Gameron vs. Guiron, of course.)

Main Course

Name something you are addicted to and describe how it affects your life.

Caffeine. I get a headache if I don't have my daily cola. After the first day or two without it, I'm fine, but it doesn't take much to get me hooked again! I'm also "addicted" to the Internet-- all the sites I visit on a regular basis. I don't think it affects my life that much, apart from taking up some of my time.

ETA: Ok, ok. The Internet does affect my life more than I realize, I know. (I just wanted to hurry up and move on to the next question. (g)) I find myself thinking about how different daily occurrences are going to go into my blog(s). Almost any time I have a question about something, the Internet is my first source for information. It's also a source of much of my daily entertainment. Yeah, I'm addicted.

Dessert

Which instrument is your favorite to listen to?

I don't have a ready answer for that, these days. Once, I would've said it was the violin. Now, I'm not so sure. I probably listen to the human voice more than any other "instrument". After that, I think most of the music I listen to features electronically produced sounds. . . I know my favorite single instrument is not the saxophone or the recorder-- or the tuba, trombone, or other brass instrument. . . I guess I can narrow it down to piano, guitar, and violin, but I'd really rather have access to the whole orchestra.

Friday's Feast

Missed last Friday's Feast (again), but there's no reason I can't do it now.

Appetizer

If you could be any current celebrity for one whole week, who would you want to be?

I'm not a celebrity-worshiper, so I have no ready answer. Preferably a reasonably normal celebrity-- no substance abuse or kooky political views. ;o) Maybe someone with a nice, private home in some exotic locale where I could just relax in peace and quiet.

But honestly, I don't want to be someone else. It'd be pretty creepy, being stuck in a different body, having to pretend to everyone around that you're really what's-her-name. Sounds like a lot of work, actually. Haven't you guys ever seen Freaky Friday? (The old one from the 70's-- not the new one. Oh, ok, either of them! (g))

Soup

On a scale of 1-10 (with 10 being highest), how much do you enjoy talking on the phone?

It depends (a lot) on who I'm talking to. When I was a kid, I enjoyed talking to my best friends on the phone. Back then, I probably would've given it a 9 or a 10. When a telephone call was the closest I could be to Donald, I'd definitely have given it a 10. These days, though, I'd generally rather talk in person. I rarely talk to anyone over the phone for more than a few minutes at a time, these days.

If it's someone I like-- and someone who speaks clearly and loudly enough that I can hear them ;o)-- I can still enjoy it. I'd give it an 8, maybe a 9 if the gossip's good. (g) (Just kidding!) If it's a "stranger", I give it a 1. The only thing worse than talking to a stranger on the phone is talking to him/her in person. ;o)

Salad

Name a charitable organization to which you have donated (or would like to).

I'm going to send a bunch of polymer clay beads to the Beads of Courage program. They distribute them to seriously ill children (and sometimes their families) to help them mark important milestones along the journey of treatment.

Main Course

What is a food you like so much you could eat it every single day for a month?

If health were no consideration ;o) I think I could live happily on Pizza Hut's pepperoni pizza for at least a month. Hot, cold-- doesn't matter-- I love the stuff. Yum yum yum! (Too bad it clogs your arteries. . .)

Dessert

Have you or anyone in your family had the flu this year?

My paternal grandmother had it recently, but as far as I know, she's the only one.

So, yet another Feast down.

Meme -- Friday's Feast

It's too late to play along with the group who answered last week's Friday's Feast questions, but there's no reason why I can't answer them for my own enjoyment. After all, that's the only reason I ever do these things. I leave a link to my blog just because the authors of memes usually ask you to, but personally, I'd just as soon not. I'm not all that interested in building up a huge audience for this blog. If that's not obvious by now, with all my boring posts with nothing but YouTube clips and updates on my epileptic dog and whatnot, I don't know when it ever will be! ;o)

(Speaking of the epileptic dog, it seems I spoke too soon about poor Daisy. She's had a few more seizures since then. Still not as bad as it could be, though.)

Last week's questions:

Appetizer
Who was the last person you hugged?

Donald, this morning. The only people I regularly hug are Donald and some family members, and Donald's the only one I see on a daily basis.

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

I'm no beauty expert, so I don't have many tricks or tips. Probably nothing that would be new to anyone. . . Here's one of my great tips ;o): If you're prone to oily hair, but would still like to use conditioner to avoid tangles, keep the product well away from your roots. It's the ends that need the conditioner the most, anyway.

Salad
What does the color yellow make you think of?

The first thing that came to mind was a fired egg (because of the yolk, obviously), but other than that, it makes me think of sunshine, I guess. I also think of sickness, but I think that's more because I've read that yellow can symbolize illness than because it just naturally brings that to mind. If you know what I mean. (g)

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

I'd be a landscape photographer with a sideline of botanicals. This is partly because that's what I naturally gravitate toward, but also because it could then be my job to travel and see some of the most beautiful places in the world. On the other hand, maybe I'd devote myself to photographing local landscapes and plants. Fewer hotels that way. ;o)

Dessert
What was the longest book you ever read?

I'm not sure. Besides, isn't that difficult to compare, from book to book? The font and layout can make a pretty big difference in how many pages a book has. The Count of Monte Cristo was fairly long-- even though the copy I have turned out to be an abridged version.

Friday's Feast meme

Here's the feast for this Friday:

Appetizer

Have you ever played a practical joke on anyone? If so, what did you do and who was your victim?

The one that comes to mind is from several years ago. I'm not sure how long ago, exactly. . . I was probably in middle school-- maybe high school. My youngest sister, Kimberly, was still young enough that she had this PlaySkool-type kitchen and lots of pretend food made of plastic. We were all having a campfire and roasting hot dogs, one evening. For some reason, Mom and us girls went back in the house-- maybe for condiments or drinks? Anyway, we happened to see a plastic hot dog (frankfurter) in the play kitchen and one of us hatched an evil plan. ;o)

I don't remember the particulars, but somehow we managed to give Dad a (real) hot dog bun with the (carefully cleaned) plastic wiener inside. (g) It was dark, so he couldn't see anything wrong with it, but of course the first (attempted) bite gave it all away. ;o)

The moral of the story: Don't eat in the dark unless you really trust the chef. ;o)

Soup

What do your salt and pepper shakers look like?

Nothing fancy. They're little clear-glass jars with handles and plastic screw-on lids. The glass is decorated with a raised circular pattern with a "horn of plenty" in the middle and the words "Golden Harvest" above it. Basically, they look like miniature caning jars. I got them because they were relatively cheap and the lids were plastic. (I'd been having trouble with metal lids of shakers getting rusty.) Plus I like the idea of home caning, even if I'm not likely ever to do it. That whole "fresh country charm" thing really appeals to me-- especially in the kitchen.

While in Sweden over the summer, Donald and I bought a pretty, old* vintage set of shakers in a thrift store. They are marked with the Swedish names of the contents, and there are three in the set-- salt, peppar (pepper), and ingefära (ginger). I'm not sure if there used to be more in the set and these are all that are left or if it used to be common to keep ginger on the table with salt and pepper. (g)

Salad

Where is the next place you plan to visit (on vacation or business)?

We have no plans set in stone, but there was a little talk about a road trip up toward Prince Edward Island (Canada). I'm not so sure I really want to do that, though, and we'll have to give it a lot more consideration, one way or the other. Travel's ok, but I don't want to over-do it. ;o) Apart from feeling that there are other things we should spend that money on (a garage, for instance), I just really don't relish the thought of all those nights in hotels. I'd so, so much rather sleep in my own bed at night. If I had my way, I just wouldn't sleep during vacations. It's a waste of good time, anyway! (g)

Main Course

What kind of lotion or cream do you use to keep your hands from getting too dry?

I'm trying to work my way through a stash of lotions (some gifts, some things I bought for myself). Right now, I'm using a product that isn't being made any more (as far as I know)-- Extra Thick Body Cream by Sarah Michaels, Milk & Honey scent. I like the fact that the scent isn't overpowering, and it does feel very luxurious, lightly scooping the lotion-- er, excuse me, extra thick body cream-- from a tub, vs. squirting it out of a bottle (with an accompanying "rude noise", if the bottle's almost empty). (g)

I think the best lotion I've used, so far, has been the Equate (i.e. Walmart store brand) version of Vaseline Intensive Care Lotion. (I'm of the school of thought that most of the store brand versions are pretty much exactly the same thing as the name brand, and I can't justify spending more for the privilege of a different label.) The container doesn't look like it came from an expensive spa, nor is there a selection of delicate scents with catchy names, but it definitely moisturized my skin-- and kept them moisturized longer than anything else I've tried. I intend to buy more. Most of the lotions I have smell great and are fun to use as a light perfume, but they're not nearly as good for those times when my hands get dry.

Dessert

Make up a dessert, tell us its ingredients, and give it a name.

I'm not very adventurous in the kitchen. (g) I mean, I can season by instinct and taste (maybe not to everyone's taste, but I like it and Donald hasn't starved yet), and I don't always follow a recipe to the letter. But I don't think I've ever made up a dish entirely out of my own imagination.

I don't know. . .
Take a pound cake (made according to any recipe you like-- or buy one ready-made from the bakery). Put a good-sized slice on a plate. Pile on some homemade whipped cream (if you like-- personally, I don't care much for the stuff) and top with thinly-sliced strawberries. I call it Pound Cake with Strawberries. ;o) Yeah, I'm a culinary genius with a gift for naming stuff creatively! (g)

* Help! I think I'm addicted to "strike-throughs"! It seems like I'm using them more and more often, and I don't know how to stop! ;o)

Friday's Feast

Here's this week's feast:

Appetizer
How many times per day do you usually laugh?

I have no idea. I enjoy laughing, but how much I do it in a day depends a lot on what I'm doing. If I'm watching, listening to, or reading something amusing, of course I'm more likely to laugh. I probably laugh more when I'm not alone-- if only because there's more opportunity for something unexpected to happen when there's another person involved. My dogs also make me laugh, cute little clowns that they are.

Soup
What do your sunglasses look like?

I don't own a pair of sunglasses. I wear "regular" eyeglasses all of my waking hours, so traditional sunglasses are out-- and I've simply never bothered to find the clip-on type. I don't often feel the need for them, but every now and then it occurs to me that they might be useful. If Donald and I are happy with the (cheaper) new glasses we're going to order (one of these days), we may make another order for prescription sunglasses-- either that, or I could have my old pair coated.

Salad
You win a free trip to anywhere on your continent, but you have to travel by train. Where do you go?

If time isn't a concern, I think it'd be fascinating to travel by train to Alaska. . . assuming that's even possible. (I really know nothing about where there are and are not passenger train routes. I've never even been on a "real" train before-- just the little ones they have at amusement parks.)

Main Course
Name one thing you consider a great quality about living in your town/city.

I don't live in the city limits, so technically I don't live "in town". (Generally speaking, I'm very happy about that.) One great quality about living in this area is that it's still a place where you can feel (mostly) safe. As we continue to grow, that's changing, but I still feel much safer in our little town than I do in some of the neighboring, larger cities.

Dessert
If the sky could be another color, what color do you think would look best?

It's hard to even imagine! Probably not green, because then there's no contrast with the land (if you life in a mostly-green landscape, like I do). Probably not red, because that'd be too much contrast-- plus it'd be kind of apocalyptic and creepy. ;o) I'd go with purple. Of the remaining colors of the rainbow, purple-- or indigo, if that's "allowed"-- is the closest to blue and probably the best for the sky, IMHO.

Friday's Feast

Oops. I'm having to edit this, because I forgot to list three things on my desk!

A meme, courtesy of Friday's Feast:

Appetizer
What is your favorite beverage?

Dr. Pepper. I'm usually not too choosy about whether it's "the real thing" or a store brand approximation, but I've found that I don't like the Winn Dixie version (Dr. Chek, I think it's called) very much.

I keep telling myself that I'm trying to cut back on soft drinks. I know I don't need all that extra sugar (and other stuff). I also know from experience that once I make myself stop drinking them, I don't usually miss them that much after the first day or two. So far, however, I haven't forced myself to give them up. If they're in the house, I'm probably going to drink them, but I can't very well stop buying all soft drinks, because Donald drinks them, too. Well, he doesn't drink Dr. Pepper, and since that's my main cola addiction, I can go a long way by excluding them from the pantry.

Soup
Name 3 things that are on your computer desk at home or work.

This desk in the "main room" is more "mine" than the one in the office, even though the computer monitor is smaller and the computer's nothing fancy. I use this one 95% of the time. (That is, 95% of the time that I'm using a computer. Not 95% of my time, total. ;o) Just to make sure that's clear. . .)

So, three things on this desk. . . (I did something similar to this just a few days ago, coincidentally!) . . .

1. A glass full of pens and scissors. I've had a glass of writing instruments on my desk (at home) since I was a little girl. In the old days, it was usually a coffee mug. This one's a clear glass (with a slightly greenish tinge-- I love that kind of glass!) embossed with the image of a cow and the words "ABSOLUTLY PURE MILK". This is one of the things Donald brought from Sweden-- thus the "absolutly" instead of "absolutely". (g) I don't think it's a reference to Absolut Vodka-- just a typo.

2. A mail order catalog of Christmas decorations. I think Donald's mother, Britt-Marie, likes seeing these kinds of catalogs from the US, so I'm going to save it for her.

3. A couple of polymer clay pendants that I need to photograph. They're "experimental models" made from translucent polymer clay and some card-making flocking I bought on sale a week or two ago. Salad
On a scale of 1-10 (with 10 being highest), how honest do you think you are?

Honestly (ha ha), I think it depends on the situation. In general, I'm pretty honest. A 9, maybe? However, I'm not someone who feels honor-bound to tell everyone everything-- especially if no good will come of it. There's such a thing as discretion. Sometimes it's necessary to tell a little white lie to protect someone from needless embarrassment or pain, and I don't see anything wrong with that, as long as it doesn't materially damage someone else.

Main Course
If you could change the name of one city in the world, what would you rename it and why?

Hm. . . I've never thought about this before. I'm sure there are plenty of cities out there with weird names that could use a change, but nothing jumps out at me. I suppose I might change the name of my hometown. There's nothing wrong with its real name, but it's a bit ho-hum. It'd be nice to live in a place with a more romantic name. (g)

Dessert
What stresses you out? What calms you down?

Some sources of stress:

• bad news about the state of the world
• most "health news"-- I just don't want to see, hear, or read it.
  
• doctor's appointments
• spending lots of time interacting with "new" people
  
• Daisy's seizures (when there are lots of them)
  
• the realization of the relentlessness of time :o(
  
• trying to make the "right" decision when I'm not sure what that is
  

Some sources of calm:

• nature -- trees, wind, water, sunshine, moonlight, clouds, sunsets
• Donald
  
• my dogs -- petting them, talking to them
• prayer
• a really good (familiar) book, movie, or TV show
• getting lost for an hour in a hobby
  
• being home-- shutting out the rest of the world for a while
  
• a relaxing back-and-shoulder massage
  
• (some) music
• comfort food

Friday's Feast

Today's meme, from Friday's Feast:

Appetizer
What is your middle name? Would you change any of your names if you could? If so, what would you like to be called?

Christina.
As I have an unusual first name, I've written about this before, but here's a brief recap-- No, I wouldn't change my name. I've had it long enough, now, that I'd have trouble thinking of myself by another name. (I decided that back in Kindergarten, when the other kids were temporarily calling me by my middle name.)

Soup
If you were a fashion designer, which fabrics, colors, and styles would you probably use the most?

If I designed what I wear, it'd be mostly jeans (with an occasional non-denim pair of pants) and tailored/fitted tops. All sorts of colors-- everything from black and drab olive to aqua and magenta.

If we're talking total fantasy, I'd like to design clothes with a retro/vintage feel. Bring back the hat and glove (for more than fashion models)! ;o) Again, I wouldn't want to be restricted in my color choices-- or my fabrics-- but instead, I'd do a little of everything. Anything that caught my eye would be fair game. Pair a brown tweed skirt with a frilly silk top, for instance, and throw in a pair of thigh-high leather boots for good measure! (g) I'd like to bring back the long, flowing empire-waisted gowns (like you see in Austen flicks) for more than just formal occasions.

Now, would anyone (including myself) actually want to wear this stuff? I don't know.

Salad
What is your least favorite chore, and why?

Oh, there are so many non-favorites! How do I choose just one? ;o)

At the moment, I think my least favorite is dusting. It's just such a pain, getting in all those nooks and crannies, and it doesn't seem to last at all. Maybe this is what I get for actually enjoying dusting when I was younger.

I may try to get rid of (or temporarily box up) some knick-knacks in an attempt to somewhat decrease the number of things I have to dust. I'm not really a minimalist at heart, but I'm a lazy housekeeper. (g)

Main Course
What is something that really frightens you, and can you trace it back to an event in your life?

I used to be really scared of deep water. I was even uneasy walking on a large, sturdy pier with guard rails. I'm not quite that frightened now, but if I were in a small boat without a life jacket, I'd be pretty nervous. I can't trace it back to any specific event, but probably it came from being told (as a child) to be careful of water, since I could drown. That and not knowing how to swim have made me a bit cautious. ;o)

I'm similarly frightened of snakes, but again, I think that's a legitimate fear. I live in a place that has venomous species, so they are a potential source of danger. I'm sure I was also taught to avoid (and thus fear) snakes. I'm not so scared of snakes that I can't be in the same room with them or look at them without terror, but I like to keep a safe distance. (Even the non-venomous ones can give a nasty bite.)

Dessert
Where are you sitting right now? Name 3 things you can see at this moment.

I'm in the living room/"main room" of our house, facing into a corner (because that's where the desk is).

Three things I can see at this moment include the following:

1. A stack of papers I need to go through (various notes I've taken on everything from quilting and polymer clay to eyeglass frames and websites of interest).
   
2. A photo display with tiny pictures from my wedding.
   
3. A framed ribbon embroidery (a heart made up of roses and other flowers) given to us by Donald's mother.
   

Friday's Feast, etc.

Time to get back in the groove of posting!

First things first-- I hope everyone had a nice Christmas. Ours was very pleasant. Visited with family (except for those living overseas, of course), ate lots of good food, gave and received gifts, and had some laughs. Now that Christmas is over, I'm looking forward to a fresh start for the next year, but I have quite a bit of cleaning and organizing to do-- starting with taking down the Christmas tree. Maybe I'll start over the weekend. Or I might put it off until Monday. ;o)

Here are this week's questions from Friday's Feast:

Appetizer
Name 2 things you would like to accomplish in 2008.
I'd like to get into healthier habits-- less junk food, more (consistent) exercise-- and as an added benefit, shed a few unnecessary pounds. (Not very original, I know. (g)) I'm also planning to focus more on treating the polymer clay "thing" as a real business-- at least make more of an effort at it and see what happens. I have at least a couple more things, but since you only asked for two. . . ;o)

Soup
With which cartoon character do you share personality traits?
Hm. Nothing comes immediately to mind. Maybe I share Donald Duck's bad temper? I don't think I'm quite as volatile as he is, but I do let things get under my skin more than I ought, sometimes. Oh, and sometimes I feel like I'm the Goofy character in one of those old narrated Disney cartoons in which every possible thing that can go wrong does (not exactly a personality trait, maybe. . .). But fortunately I don't feel that way not too often. ;o)

Salad
What time of day (or night) were you born?
I think it was about 9:45 p.m. On a Wednesday night, if you're interested. (g)

Main Course
Tell us something special about your hometown.
My hometown is small and fairly rural. (Though it was more so thirty years ago than it is now. These days, it even has several fast food places. Pretty impressive, huh? (g)) Technically, I never lived in the town-- not in city limits-- but our address included this town and it's where I went to middle and high school, so I'm claiming it as my hometown. Ok? ;o)

So, something special. . . I don't know how special it is, but it's kind of interesting to me. This town in (or maybe I ought to say "this area of") southernmost Alabama was originally settled (in large part) by people from Chicago. I think two of the streets in my town are named "Illinois" and "Chicago", probably due to this fact. (Of course, I think there might be streets named after Michigan and some other places, too, so. . .)

What? Not "special" enough for you? ;o)

Dessert
If you could receive a letter from anyone in the world, who would you want to get one from?
Anyone from any time period? And it'd be translated so I could read and understand it? I think a letter from Jesus would be pretty interesting. But maybe that's a dull answer-- kind of like choosing the Bible as the book you'd most want on a desert island. ;o) In that case, if the whole "any time period" thing still holds true. . . Maybe a letter from a favorite author, such as Charlotte Bronte. A letter from a great-great-grandmother (or someone of that sort) could be interesting. I'd also love a letter that would definitively explain some old mystery-- something explaining what happened to the Roanoke settlers, maybe.

A letter from the future (post time machine, of course (g)) could be fascinating, but I don't think I'd really want it. I'd be afraid to read it, somehow. . . I don't think I want to know what's going to happen in the next ten, twenty, or thirty years. On one hand, maybe knowing that you have twenty good years with no great tragedies would "free you up" to enjoy yourself fully for those twenty years. On the other hand, could you enjoy yourself, or would you be constantly dwelling on the inevitable, even though it was still twenty, fifteen, ten years down the road? (I'm the type of worrywart who probably couldn't keep the future troubles out of my mind.) Anyway, I don't think we're meant to know our futures. If it were even possible, that is. (g)

If it has to be from someone presently living, then I think I'd just as soon receive a letter from Donald as from anyone, right now. I can't think of a specific person still living and not already in my life that I desperately want a letter from.

. . .
Cue abrupt subject change. ;o)

I think it might be time to put some L.M. Montgomery on my bedside table. I could use a little escape into the past. . .

The last book I read (solo) was Agatha Christie's A Murder is Announced. It was the third Christie I've read-- all within just the past few months. I can't decide what I think of her. I guess I like it well enough, since I keep reading until the end. It's interesting in its way, but a little bit empty. I don't really come to care much about the characters. I guess that might be a typical side effect of the murder mystery format, though. Most of the characters are suspects-- kept somewhat mysterious and distant-- so you aren't very likely to form an attachment to a character.

Anyway, of the three I've read so far-- And Then There Were None, Elephants Can Remember, and A Murder is Announced-- I think I enjoyed the latter the most. The first was too depressing. Yeah, yeah, I know: Who reads a murder mystery for laughs? But still, it didn't have to be that dark. The second was. . . too much of the same old stuff being told and retold. And the whole "event" had happened so long ago (in the book, I mean) that it was just hard to care one way or the other.

I have a couple more that I'll read, since I already have them (all were bought very cheaply at a library book sale), but so far, I think this is the type of book I'll read once but not particularly care to read again. Though with my memory, I'm sure I could read them in a year or two and still be surprised by the ending!! ;o) I'll have lots of "now this seems familiar" and "oh yeah, I remember her" moments, of course, but honestly, I've already forgotten the particulars of the other two mysteries. I hope that's not an ultra early symptom of something awful. Reading is supposed to be good for your memory, right? (g)

Friday's Feast

Yes, another meme. This time it's from Friday's Feast.

Appetizer
Which snack do you like to get when you go to the movies?

I don't buy snacks at the movies. I don't see the sense in paying those extraordinary prices. The tickets are high enough as it is! I have been known (on occasion) to carry a little candy in my purse, but it's not a particular kind-- just whatever I happen to have on hand. And no, I don't feel guilty about it. If the theater-owners want me to buy their candy, they can lower the prices to a reasonable level. So there!

Soup
What year did you start using the internet?

I'm not sure. I know I used the computer to gather information for a project in. . . 10th grade or so, I guess? Ok, I just found the paper (Is it weird that I saved my papers from high school? ;o) Don't answer!!) and I wrote it late in 1995 or early in 1996. I must've been using the Internet or newsgroups or something like that, though at the time I had no idea what it was. Someone (Mom or Dad?) showed me how to get the info and I just gathered it, not bothering much about where it came from. (g) At that time, I thought the computer was just something for games and word processing. It wasn't until after I graduated in 1997 that I started using it more for "surfing the web" and such.

Salad
What is your first name in Pig Latin?

I've never really understood the appeal of Pig Latin, but if you insist. ;o) "Ichaelmay".

Main Course
Name something you are picky about.

Well, once upon a time, I was picky about organization. I still like things to be organized, but I'm not as good about keeping them that way. (It was so much easier when I had just my room at home and my locker at school to keep tidy! (g))

Something I'm still picky about (and will be forever and ever) is preventing germs in our food. I try to refrigerate left-over food as soon as possible after we eat. I probably overcook meat (especially chicken) in an effort to be sure it's safe. I'm very, very picky about chicken juice (from raw chicken, obviously)-- or as I call it, "Salmonella sauce". ;o) I want that stuff cleaned up immediately-- preferably with a cleanser that contains bleach-- before it has the chance to be picked up and spread through the whole kitchen. I may be a tad bit obsessive about chicken germs. (g)

Dessert
Fill in the blanks: I ____ ____ yesterday and I ____ ____ today.

If you'll excuse my saying so, that doesn't feel very "dessert-ish". Kind of bland, actually. Well, beggars can't be choosers, I guess. ;o) I suppose I'm only "allowed" two words there, since that's how many blanks there are in each spot.

I neglected e-mail yesterday and I must reply today.
I dread writing some of this e-mail stuff. It's not as bad as I make it out to be, but I can't help dragging my feet where it's concerned.