Showing posts with label MemeQuestions. Show all posts
Showing posts with label MemeQuestions. Show all posts

Sunday, April 08, 2018

Books

A book that I hate is easier to note than one I love, because I love most books.

However, The Secret by Rhonda Byrne is one of the worst books I have ever read. It was so bad I wanted to burn it. It was so bad that I did not give it to the library or loan it to anyone; I threw it in a dumpster.

This so-called self-help book touts the "law of attraction" and how your own thoughts can change the world. It goes so far as to say that airplanes crash because all of the people on board that day want the airplane to crash. Or that children who are abused by their parents bring it on themselves. Talk about victim blaming. This one tops the list of anything I have ever read, completely disallowing for random acts of violence or random acts of anything, for that matter. If you're poor, it's because you want to be. If you're in a high school and you're shot, it's because you want to be. If you have pain it's because you want pain.

That a lot of people believe this only flies in the face of logic, as this fake science has absolutely nothing to back it up. I grant you that people can think themselves happy. They can, maybe, sit around and come up with some great invention and make themselves rich. But a child doesn't die in a car crash because he or she was thinking, "Gee, how nice it would be to die in a car crash right now." I mean come on. Life is full of circumstantial crap that none of us have any control over. I can only control my own thoughts and reactions, and if the book had stopped there, fine. But this crazy author went on to say that she thought her own eyesight back to health. Really? We're all sick because we want to be?

This book was (and is) nothing but a scam perpetrated on what has become an increasingly stupid and gullible public. You can read my initial review of it here. This is how I started my review: "If I were to memorize parts of this book, then go see a competent doctor or therapist and recite those parts, I am pretty sure I would walk away with a DSM IV diagnosis. Something along the lines of "narcissism with magical thinking." And major ego problems."

A book that I like is a harder pick for me, because I like many books, many different genres, and many different authors.

That said, I think I will list If You Want to Write, by Brenda Ueland, as one of my favorites. I haven't read it in a while but it is one of the few books I reread. It is not a book about how to write, but about how to think and see the world with open eyes and without prejudice and judgment. It's about bringing out the artist in you, and about living a lifestyle that acknowledges the abilities of your brain.

I normally do not write in books, but my old copy of this book has many highlighted passages. Like this line: "the faster you run and accomplish a lot of useless things, the more you are dead."

This book was written in 1938. That it remains relevant today says as much about it as any words I might otherwise express.

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Linking up with the
April challenge from Kwizgiver. April 8 done!


Friday, April 06, 2018

Mary, Queen of Scots

I'm not sure why I have always been so fascinated by someone who lost her head a very long time ago, but I like to read about Mary, Queen of Scots.

Mary Stuart (December 8, 1542 – February 8, 1587) ruled over Scotland from December 14, 1542 to July 24, 1567.

Mary was the only surviving legitimate child of King James V, who died when his daughter was only six days old. She immediately took the throne but spent most of her childhood in France while regents ruled Scotland. In 1558, Mary married the Dauphin of France, Francis. He ascended the French throne as King Francis II in 1559, and Mary briefly became queen consort of France.

Unfortunately, her husband died shortly thereafter, in December 1560. The now-widowed Mary returned to Scotland to rule. Four years later, she married her first cousin, Henry Stuart, also known as Lord Darnley, but their union was not a happy one. In February 1567, an explosion demolished Henry Stuart's residence, and Lord Darnley was found murdered in the garden.

James Hepburn, 4th Earl of Bothwell, was generally believed to have orchestrated Darnley's death, but he was acquitted of the charge in April 1567, and the following month he married Mary. The people did not like this, and after an uprising against the couple (were there pitchforks, I wonder?), Mary was imprisoned in Loch Leven Castle. On July 24, 1567, she was forced to abdicate in favor of James VI, her one-year-old son who was fathered by Henry Stuart.

After an unsuccessful attempt to regain the throne, she fled southwards hoping to receive protection from her first cousin once removed, Queen Elizabeth I of England. However, Mary had previously claimed Elizabeth's throne as her own and was considered the legitimate sovereign of England by many English Catholics, including participants in a rebellion known as the Rising of the North.

Elizabeth perceived Mary Stuart as a threat, and had her confined in various castles and manor houses in the interior of England. After eighteen and a half years in custody, Mary was found guilty of plotting to assassinate Elizabeth in 1586. She was beheaded the following year.

I think I have always romanticized this woman because of something that happened when I was very young. According to my mother, when I was around two, I began chattering on about a castle in the moors and the beheading of a queen, going on then to describe my own death and my grave. This upset her so that I was forbidden to speak of it again, and I have no recollection of it, only this version as told to me by my mother when I was a teenager.

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Linking up with the April challenge from Kwizgiver. I'll going to give it a go. Because, you know, I don't have enough to do. April 6 done!

Wednesday, April 04, 2018

About Myself

For the April challenge, I'm supposed to list 10 interesting facts about myself.

Hmm.

1. I've won a number of Virginia Press Association Awards for newspaper writing.

2. I've been up in a hot air balloon.

3. Some of my poetry has been published.

4. I received my masters degree when I was 49 years old.

5. My marriage has lasted 34 years, going on 35.

6. I like clocks.

7. My reading habits are so varied that I don't have a favorite author.

8. I've been playing video games since "Pong" was the thing back in the 1970s.

9. When I was in the fourth grade, I ran the 400-yard dash in under 2 minutes, my greatest athletic accomplishment to this day.

10. I have seen ghosts.
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This is the April challenge from Kwizgiver. I'll going to give it a go. Because, you know, I don't have enough to do. April 4 done!

Monday, April 06, 2015

Random Q&A on a Monday

1. What movie has the most surprising ending ever?

A. The Return of the King doesn't have a surprise ending, but it actually has three endings, which was a big of surprise.
 
2. What are you currently angry at?

A. Myself for not being able to read my body signals better.
 
3. What do you have issues with?

A. I have issues with the way the political sphere in the U.S. has turned. I find much of what is going on to be very scary. I do not understand how people can be so intolerant of others. I have a hard enough time controlling my own life, so I don't know how these people think they have time to control someone else's. Leave people alone and we would all be better off. Stay out of everyone's bedroom and let women control their own bodies.

4. There is a nuclear war and your fallout shelter has room and supplies enough for two. No one knows about the fallout shelter but you. Who do you choose to take in (Remember, the person you choose is the only person you will know in 5-15 years when you can come above ground again)?

A. The obvious answer is my husband, but I would hope I would be noble enough to give up both of our places and place a young man and a young woman in there. They may be the last hope of the survival of the human race, and I cannot have children.
 
5. Do you have any fillings?

A. Yes.  

6. Are you afraid of a global nuclear war?

A. I am. I think anyone who watches politics should be afraid that some leader will decide to use nuclear weapons in some form, leading to retaliation. 

7. If there was a global nuclear war would you expect to be a survivor?

A. No. I can barely survive now as it is.
 
8. Have you ever swam in the ocean?

A. Many times.
 
9. Have you ever built a sandcastle?

A. Many times.
 
10. What would be the best season of the year to get married?

A. Whenever you're in love and you want to do it.
 
11. What are 2 things that the perfect doctor would do?

A. Listen, and spend as much time with you as you need.
 
12. If someone you loved was seriously miserable for a long period of time what would you do to help cheer him or her up?

A. I would listen to the person, spend time with him/her, offer hugs, and try to be there. I would accompany him/her to the doctor if necessary, go with him/her on a trip if that would help, and check on him/her frequently to be sure the person was okay.
 
13. What was the best year of your life so far?

A. I really don't know. Probably sometime between 1996 and 1999.
 
14. Does the weather affect your mood?

A. Yes. It also gives me migraines.
 
15. If you were on death row (if you don't feel evil enough to really ever get there, imagine that you have been wrongly accused and wrongly convicted) what would you want your last meal to be?

A. Shrimp and a hot fudge sundae. I love shrimp but have developed an allergy to it. If I'm going to die anyway, I may as well eat something I haven't had in a while. I also don't eat milk products; hence the sundae.
  
16. Do you eat red meat?

A. Occasionally. Maybe three times a month.
 
17. Is truth sometimes stranger than fiction?

A. I have found that to be the case. As a news reporter, I occasionally ran across stories that certainly were stranger than fiction.
 
18. Have you ever looked in anyone's wallet that wasn't yours?

A. Only my husband's, and that was when he asked me to fetch something out of it.

19. What is one thing that will happen to you less than 24 hours from now?

A. I will have lunch with a friend.

20. What age would you want to stay forever?

A. I am well past that age, but I think 35 was a good age. I was relatively healthy but old enough to have wisdom.

Sunday, December 01, 2013

To Find Inner Peace

From Sunday Stealing, who stole it from Suck it, Nerds!  

1. What would you totally eat right now?

A. Chocolate fudge.

2. Do you always wear a certain piece of jewelry?

A. Yes. I wear my anniversary band.  

3. What kind of jeans do you like?

A. The kind that fit.  

4. What's something on your want list?

A. There isn't much I want. I wouldn't mind having a tablet or a Kindle (I have a Nook.). At some point I am going to replace my car but I am in no hurry.

5. Is animal print tacky?

A. Yes.

6. Give me a good quote that you like.
  
A.
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
                -- Robert Frost
 

7. Do you bite your nails?

A. Yes. I have for as long as I have been growing nails, I suppose.
  
8. What kind of smells do you like?

A. The scent of chocolate chip cookies baking reminds me of love.  

9. Do you wear perfume or cologne?

A. No. I am sensitive to fragrances of all kinds. I am not sensitive to the smell of baking cookies, thank goodness.  

10. What do you think is overrated?

A.  Smartphones. 

11. Next movie you want to see?

A. The Hobbit Part II  

12. Would you change your eye color if you could?

A. No.
  
13. And what are your goals for the remainder of this year?

A. To stick with my diet and not gain any weight over the holidays, to continue taking my medication and doing physical therapy for my various health concerns, and to find inner peace. 

14. When is the last time you were at the hospital?

A. Oh dear. This has been my year for hospitals. The very last time was October 31, when I had some testing. But that was like the 4th visit.
  
15. Who introduced you to your current significant other? If you’re single, who introduced you to your last ex?

A. I am not sure who exactly introduced us, but some mutual friends conspired to have us meet one another at the high school football game. We all gathered as a group at the end zone (which you can no longer do) and one by one the group fell away, leaving my future husband and I standing there alone wondering where everyone went.

Saturday, November 30, 2013

Better To Be Pleasantly Surprised

Saturday 9: Back to Black

1) Black is this week's signature color because Friday, November 29, was "Black Friday," when retailers cut their prices and consumers flock to the stores. Did you score any "Black Friday" bargains?

A. Ha. I didn't even leave my house to get the mail. You wouldn't catch me in those mobs of people for any reason. There is nothing I need or want that badly.

2) Legend has it that Black Friday began as a neighborhood phenomenon among storeowners in Philadelphia back in the early 1960s. What else comes to mind when you think of Philly?

A. Cream cheese and the Liberty Bell.

3) Feasting and football are also popular Thanksgiving weekend pastimes. Do your Thursday-Sunday plans include pigging out or watching a game?

A. We pigged out on Thursday for the traditional Thanksgiving feast at my mother-in-law's house. No football games, but my husband has been hunting. Does that count?

4) At Thanksgiving dinners, Crazy Sam's homemade gravy is always a hit. (Probably because she's so generous with the cognac, which gives the gravy a nutty taste.) Do you have a signature dish?

A. I am known far and wide for my fudge.

5) Among the biggest the Black Friday advertisers are Target, Kohl's, Macy's and Best Buy. If you could have a $100 gift card to any one of those stores, which would you choose?
 
A. I'd rather have cash, but if it must be a gift card, then make it Barnes & Noble, which isn't listed. If I have to pick from your list, then Best Buy.  

6) You're in a public restroom that offers both paper towels and a hot air hand dryer. Which one do you choose?

A. I use the hot air hand dryer and then pull a towel to use to open the door with.


7) While Back to Black is the best-selling Amy Winehouse CD, her first was called Frank, named for her hero, Frank Sinatra. Tell us about someone you inspires you.

A. My husband inspires me because he never gives up. He moves along and accomplishes more in a single day than many in a week. On the celebrity front, both Melissa Etheridge and Sheryl Crow inspire me because they made careers out of what they love and bravely fought cancer.  Anyone who has made a career out of their passion and their love is an inspiration for me.

8) Do you consider yourself a pessimist or an optimist?

A. A pessimist. Better to be pleasantly surprised than constantly let down.

9) Who was the last person you spoke to on the phone (a verbal conversation -- not an exchange of texts)?
 
A. My husband. We don't do texts. If what you have to say matters, you should be able to open your mouth and say it.
 

Sunday, November 24, 2013

Chocolate, Chocolate, and Chocolate

From Sunday Stealing


1. What do you have for breakfast on Thanksgiving?

A. Probably an egg or oatmeal, which is what I generally have for breakfast.

2. Do you go to a Thanksgiving parade or watch one on TV?

A. I usually have the Macy's parade on while I am cooking.

3. Do you serve appetizers, lunch, or snacks during the day?

A. No. Our traditional Thanksgiving is not at my house; I just cook things and take them to my in-laws. 

4. What are the traditional favorites?

A. Turkey, ham, broccoli casserole, coconut pie, cranberry sauce. 

5. What new recipes will you try this year?

A. Probably none.

6. What part of the meal do you never compromise?

A. The turkey. 

Last year's turkey.
7. Who gets to carve the turkey?

A. Generally I cut it up and put it into a container to take to the in-laws. It is hard to haul around a big ol' cooked bird.

8. Family style around the table or buffet style and everyone sits wherever there’s room?

A. Around the table.

9. How many will be at your table this year?

A. Seven.

10. Once you're at the table, do you say grace or a toast or does everyone go around and say what they're thankful for?

A. Sometimes there is grace, but most of the time everyone just digs in.

Last year's Thanksgiving meal.
11. Cranberry sauce… yay or nay?

A. It's okay. My husband really likes it.

12. What time do you eat Thanksgiving Dinner?

A. Around 6 p.m.

13. Three best pies for Thanksgiving dessert?

A. Chocolate, chocolate, and chocolate.  

14. Do you have dessert right after the main meal or later on?

A. Generally it is offered right after the main meal, but I usually decline it. 

15. Favorite leftover?

A. Turkey. I make turkey salad out of it; it's pretty good.

Saturday, November 23, 2013

Not Something I Dream About

Saturday 9: Sugar Shack

This song was popular 50 years ago today. Hear it here.

1) In this song, our hero orders espresso. What's your standard coffee order?

A. I don't drink coffee. I think I've had maybe five cups of coffee in my entire life. One of the first cups of coffee I remember drinking was purchased for me by a hobo I was interviewing for the newspaper, who would not talk to me unless I sat down with him over coffee. The last cup I drank, also while performing an interview for the newspaper, sent me to the hospital and I had my gallbladder removed. Really.

2) Originally the phrase "sugar shack" meant a small cabin where sap from maple trees was boiled into syrup. So for breakfast today, would you rather pour syrup on pancakes, french toast or waffles?

A. Pancakes. I am not a fan of French toast. Waffles are okay.

3) The name of the group that recorded this song is The Fireballs. "Fireballs" is also the brand name of a red hot jawbreaker. Do you like cinnamon?

A. Yes, sometimes. It's supposed to be good for your blood sugar, you know.

4) In 1963, when this song was a hit, newscaster Walter Cronkite was one of the most trusted and influential men in the country. Do you have a favorite TV newsperson?

A.  I have always liked Dan Rather and Diane Sawyer. I thought CBS treated Dan Rather very shabbily when they let him go. Diane Sawyer has always been a good reporter, diligent with the facts and unbiased in her questioning. Ann Compton must also rank up there as a favorite, because she graduated from my alma mater and went on to be a White House correspondent.

5) The Rambler was named 1963 Car of the Year by Motor Trend, and their most popular model was a 9-passenger station wagon. What's the car of your dreams?

A. A car is not something I dream about. But I would like to have a new Toyota Camry when the time comes. My husband, on the other hand, does dream about such things and I think he would like a red Ferrari.

6) The Zip Code was first introduced in 1963. How many different Zip Codes have you had throughout your life? 

A. Three.

7) What was the first thing you thought about when you woke up this morning?

A. I don't know. Probably something along the lines of "I need to pee" or "I need my pain medication."

8) Are you a good pool player?

A. I am not the best but I am not the worst, either.

9) Do you actually make a wish when you blow out your birthday candles?

A. No.


Sunday, November 17, 2013

A Southern USA Accent

From Sunday Stealing

The ASK Meme, part one


1. What’s your favorite candle scent?

A. Unscented. I suppose that isn't a scent, but I am sensitive to most smells, and scented candles cause asthma attacks.

2. What female celebrity do you wish was your sister?

A. Meryl Streep.

3. What male celebrity do you wish was your brother?

A. I have one brother, I don't need another one. But I would like to be friends with Tom Hanks.

4. How old do you think you’ll be when you get married?

A. I was 20, still a baby. If I only knew then what I know now!

5. Do you know a hoarder?

A. Probably, but I am not aware of it.

6. Can you do a split?

A. Sure, I can split. Watch me leave!

7. How old were you when you learned how to ride a bike?

A. I was five. Here's my first bike story: I received a beautiful blue girl's bike for Christmas the year I was five, complete with training wheels. Santa placed a Batgirl doll on the seat and she was driving! I was thrilled. And then a few days later my father took me outside and taught me to ride.

8. How many oceans have you swam in?

A. Just the Atlantic. Also Kelsy's Ocean (You will only get that if you watch the ol' black and white Andy Griffith shows).

9. How many countries have you been to?

A. Four. USA, England (in a plane stopover, but it still counts), Spain, and France.

10. Is anyone in your family in the military?

A. Not at the present. My father, grandfather, and several uncles served.

11. Have you named any of your body parts?

A. Eww. No.

12. If you had a child today, what would you name him/her?

A. If we had been successful in our efforts to have a child, I would have named a girl Susan and a boy James, after his dad.

13. What’s the worst grade you got on a test?

A. Like I remember that? I was, generally speaking, a straight-A student, with Bs in gym. As an undergrad in college my GPAs were above 3.5 and I finished my masters with a 3.96.  Take from that what you like.

14. What was your favorite TV show when you were a child?

A. Bewitched, the Brady Bunch, and Charlie's Angels. If only I could crinkle my nose and go Marsha, Marsha, Marsha while chasing after bad guys!

15. What did you dress up as on Halloween when you were eight?

A. I have absolutely no idea. What, are these questions for people who are 15? That was 42 years ago!

16. Have you read any of the Harry Potter, Hunger Games or Twilight series?

A. I have read all of the Harry Potter books. I haven't read any of the others, although I do have the first Hunger Games book in my to-read pile.

17. Would you rather have an American accent or a British accent?

A. I would rather have no accent. I have a southern USA accent, and would like to overcome it someday. I am not sure what an "American" accent sounds like.

18. Did your mother go to college?

A. She attended the local community college but did not finish.

19. Are your grandparents still married?

A. They were when they died, yes.

20. Have you ever taken karate lessons?

A. I went one time and decided I was too old and too fat for such a thing.

21. Do you know who Kermit the frog is?

A. Yes. He sang The Rainbow Connection. He's a muppet.

22. What was the first amusement park you’ve been to?

A. The first amusement park I went to, I presume, was Lakeside, a now defunct amusement park in Salem, VA that had a rollercoaster, a sky tram, and other rides. Lakeside closed in the late 1980s; it never recovered well from the infamous Flood of 1985, which about wiped most of my area from the map. Check out this link for photos of Lakeside, and this link for photos of the Flood of 1985.

23. What language, besides your native language, would you like to be fluent in?

A. Spanish and Latin. I took both in high school but use it or lose it: I lost it.

24. Do you spell the color as grey or gray?

A. I use both, actually. I try to be consistent about it within a single piece of writing, though.

25. Is your father bald?
My father. I guess he
is getting a little thin
on top.


A. No, but my husband is.

Saturday, November 16, 2013

I cannot figure out percentages

Saturday 9: 1, 2, 3, 4

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

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

A. My husband. He is, without a doubt, my number one fan.

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

A. A long, long time, I can still remember how that music used to ... oh wait. Um. We're talking math here. Way back in high school (which was over 30 years ago), I took Algebra, Geometry, and Trig, and aced every class. Today I cannot figure out percentages to save my soul.

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

A. My first kiss with my husband, that being the only one I care to recall, is the one I will describe. We had just met that night at a football game, on a chilly October evening in 1982. Mutual friends introduced us. He asked me out after the game, and we went dancing. While we were dancing he leaned in and kissed me, long and slow . . . I wrapped my arms around him and we stayed like that, kissing while we slow-danced, for almost the entire song (or until his friends who were in the crowd started making noises). And that was when I knew I would marry him.

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

A. I am a professional writer and photographer. I also find joy in baking cookies and making fudge, which for some reason tickles those creative little funny bones. Additionally, I sing and play guitar. I used to do those professionally, too, but that was a very long time ago.

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

A. I am afraid of elevators. I am not afraid of heights, really, but without an elevator it makes getting to the top rather tricky.

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

A. I like to shop in malls when I want to browse, in independent stores when I'm feeling like supporting my community, and an online when I can't find what I want anywhere else.


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

A. A cookie, I guess, though I have never had a Mrs. Field's cookie. My husband would rather have the cinnamon roll from Cinnabon. He thinks those are da bomb.

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

A. Hmm. I think I would watch her and if she walked out of the store without paying then I would hope I would speak up, but technically until she leaves without paying, she hasn't done anything wrong.  I always like to give people the benefit of the doubt.

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

A. Crossword. I have never done Sudoku. I'm not even sure what it is.



Sunday, November 10, 2013

That's Interesting

The What's What Meme

From Sunday Stealing


Q. What is on your bed right now?

A. My favorite set of sheets, a blanket, and a bedspread. I don't use comforters as they will not stay on the bed and I hate chasing after the covers.

Q. What’s your favorite word or phrase?

A. I say "That's interesting" a great deal, either to elicit more commentary or because I have no idea what someone is talking about. It works for both. Some of my favorite words are chagrin, snickerdoodle (which is a type of cookie), and hasenpfeffer (pronounced hossenfeffer). I don't like to eat hasenpfeffer, it's a code word in my household.

Q. What is the best ice cream flavor?

A. I don't think hot fudge Sundae is a flavor but that would be my favorite. I haven't had it since I was 12, so ... 38 years.

Q. Did you wake up smiling this morning?


A. I woke up screaming, actually. I've been having night terrors lately. I think it's caused by a new medication I'm on.

Q. Is there something in your life you used to have, and now miss?

A. Yes. I used to have one and at the moment I do not.

Q. What major company would you like to work for?

A. None of them, really. But if I must pick one, then I would like to be a bestselling author for a major publishing company.

Q. What time do you wake up on a typical morning?

A. My alarm is set for 6 a.m.

Q. What holiday makes you sad?

A. What's to be sad about, it's just another day.

Q. Where does a good night’s sleep rank on your priorities?

A. Very, very high.

Q. One song that makes you cry?

A. Vincent (Starry, Starry Night), by Don McLean. Here's a link to it on youtube.

Q. How old was your mom when she had you?

A. She was 18 years old when I was born and she was 56 years old when she passed away.

Q. When is the last time you went to the beach?

A. October of last year.

Q. What is the most random object around you?

A. Geez, my whole home office is kind of random. I have a used yogurt cup and a spoon in front of me (my Saturday night dinner). Does that work?

Q. What is your favorite sushi?

A. The cooked kind. I don't eat sushi. Actually I don't eat fish; I've developed an allergy to shellfish and have stopped eating all fish as a precaution.

Q. What food do you find disgusting?

A. Sushi!

Q. If you could have any type of dog in the world, what would it be?

A. A teacup poodle, provided there was some way to make a hypoallergenic model.

Q. What was the last meal that you made for yourself?

A. I fixed a really mean pot roast for my husband and me, along with some Basmati jasmine rice and peas.

Q. Is the hard drive on your computer full or getting close to being full?

A. No. It's only about 1/3 full.

Q. Are there any songs that you prefer the acoustic version over the regular version?

A. Not that I can think of it. I like the acoustic versions of most any song if it well done. But I like the usual sounds, too.

Saturday, November 09, 2013

His Shy Smile

Don't worry, my fellow and I of 30 years are doing all right! No Potential New Boyfriends for me!

Saturday 9: Potential New Boyfriend

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

1) In this song, Dolly Parton locks eyes with a definite maybe. What's the first thing that attracts you to a potential new boyfriend or girlfriend? If you're currently in a relationship, what first attracted you to your partner?

Me with my husband of
30 years. Isn't he
adorable?
A. The first thing that attracted me to my husband was his shy smile and brilliant blue eyes. Then we started talking and I loved his intelligence.

2) When Dolly was still a very young girl, she met Johnny Cash, who told her to follow her instincts and pursue a music career. Obviously this worked out very well for her. What's the best advice you ever received?

A. To pursue my four-year degree at Hollins College, now Hollins University. I received my BA there in 1993 and my MA in 2012. Had anyone told me to marry my husband, that would have been number one, but no one did. I made that decision on my own.
My Hollins Bear
with my 2012 MA
announcement

3) Dolly enjoys telling interviewers how she met her husband at the Wishy-Washy Laundromat in Nashville. Do you have a load of dirty clothes, or some other household chore, waiting for you after you finish this week's Saturday 9?

A. I always have laundry waiting on me. To be two people, we go through a pile of clothes. And housework never ends, you know.

4) Dolly's Imagination Library is a charity devoted to children's literacy. What book did you enjoy as a kid? Or, if you're a parent, what book did you enjoy sharing with your own children?




A. I loved every book I read, I think, but one of my favorites was Miss Osborne the Mop by Wilson Gage. I bet you never heard of it. Apparently it is out of print.

5) Dolly's theme park, Dollywood, is a very popular vacation destination. When you have time off, would you rather travel or have friends/relatives visit you?

A. I would rather have visitors so long as they stay in a motel. It would have been the other way around before the bedbugs returned. Now I'm so terrified of bringing those back home that I tend to just ... stay home.

6) Dolly is godmother to Miley Cyrus. If you could advise Miley, what would you say?

A. Grow up. Go to college. Keep your clothes on. You ain't no Madonna.

7) Dolly has earned a reputation for being very warm and friendly to the public. Have you ever had a celebrity encounter?

VA Senator and former
governor Tim Kaine speaking
with Hollins U. President
Nancy Gray
A. I don't know if politicians count, but I've met several of the governors of Virginia (Mark Warner and Tim Kaine (now also state senators), Bob McDonnell, Doug Wilder) during the course of my work as a news reporter. I've met some prominent writers, too - Lee Smith being the most famous one who comes to mind. I also know several local television celebrities, local artists, and local writers, but that's about it.


8) As you can see by the photo, this song was originally released on vinyl. Do you still have any old-school LPs or 45s?

A. Yes. I still have all of my LPs. Even Captain and Tennille. My husband has all of his Rolling Stones albums. But we have nothing to play them on.

9) Sam simply cannot stand Dish TV's Hopper commercial, where hysterical grown men hide under the bed and up in a tree house because they're afraid of ... something. What commercial just bugs the beejeesus out of you?

A. All of them.

Sunday, November 03, 2013

Changing All the Clocks

From Sunday Stealing


1) Do you think Daylight Saving Time is still necessary?

A. Probably not. Kids don't play outside anymore, or even ride the school bus. They stay inside on their Xbox and Mom takes them to school. But maybe it meets some need that I am not aware of.
 
2) How long does it take you to adjust to the time change?

A. A day or two, though I have noticed as I get older that it seems to take a little longer.


We received this clock as a wedding
gift 30 years ago.
3) What's the hardest part of the time change?

A. Changing all the clocks.
 
4) How many clocks are in your house?

A. Three in my office, three in the bedroom, four in the great room, and then there's the stove and microwave clocks, too. So ... twelve, not counting our two wrist watches. I really like clocks. Oh, wait, I forgot the cuckoo clock, so 13 clocks in our tiny little house.
My friend gave me this clock.

 
5) Are you generally early, late, or on time?

A. I am either a little early or on time.
 
6) If an invitation to an event listed the time as 8-11pm, what time would you arrive?

A. No later than 8:05 p.m. But I would not stay until 11 p.m., either.
 

The Alice that came with
my very first watch.
Alas, I don't have the
watch anymore. It had
a blue band.
7) Do you wear a watch?

A. Yes. I am naked without it. I have worn one almost every day for more than 40 years. My favorites were a Waltham that had the moon and stars on it, and my Alice in Wonderland watch that was my very first watch. I prefer a watch in both silver and gold with a stretch band. My current watch is a Timex, and I like a dial face and not digital.
 
8) Have you ever glanced at the time and had to glance again because you didn't pay attention the first time?

A. Well, of course.
 
My cuckoo clock.
9) Are most of your clocks digital or dial?

A. About half and half.
 
10) What does your alarm clock sound like?

A. I wake up to the local adult contemporary radio station.
 
11) Do you use the snooze feature on your alarm clock?

A. On occasion. But not generally.
 
My newest clock, an antique I bought
at the estate auction of my
husband's aunt, Ginny.
12) Does clock ticking drive you nuts?

A. No. I like the sound of it and find it comforting.

Saturday, November 02, 2013

Saturday 9: Twilight Zone


Saturday 9: Twilight Zone

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

1) This is one of the first songs to see a bump in sales after its video was shown on MTV. Do you ever watch music videos?

A. I used to when they actually showed music videos. I was a big fan of VH1 in the early to mid 1990s.


2) Golden Earring is from the Netherlands. The average life expectancy there is 79 years old. Who is the oldest person you know?

A. Probably Joe Johnson at present, who is in his 90s, but I had a great-great aunt who died about five years ago at the age of 107! She was born in 1900 and died in 2007; she saw the entire 20th century! Her name was Pearl. She was my great-grandfather's sister on my mother's maternal side of the family.


3) The song's composer says the song and especially the video were inspired by the 1980 book, The Bourne Identity. The espionage thriller was finally made into a movie with Matt Damon in 2002. Do you have a favorite secret agent/spy?

A. I was always very fond of Nancy Drew when I was growing up. These days I like Sue Grafton's books about Kinsey Millhone and I like Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series.  As for TV, I was a big fan of Charlie's Angels (the original) and Cagney and Lacey.


4) The song's title comes from The Twilight Zone TV show, which ran from 1959 to 1964. Are there any old shows that you enjoy watching in reruns?

A. I like to watch The Golden Girls, Andy Griffith, Frasier, and The Big Bang Theory, which is not old but has been around long enough to almost qualify. I also like to watch Little House on the Prairie, JAG, and The Waltons.


5) "All guys cheat on their girlfriends, so yeah, I forgive him." Sam heard a young woman say that into her phone as they waited in line at the drugstore. While Sam is always surprised by how much personal information people share in the public, that's not what we're concentrating on this morning. Do you think that it's true? Do all guys cheat on their girlfriends?

A. No, they do not all cheat, and if a man cheats the woman should dump him and run far, far away, especially if they are in the girlfriend/boyfriend stage. If they're married (or common law live-ins) then there must be some exploration to see if there is something salvageable, but if those ties that bind are missing, then see you later, you cheating-ass alligator.


6) Whenever Sam goes to the grocery store she picks up Snausages  because her dog looks at her with sad eyes when she tries to reward him anything else. What product has your brand loyalty?

A. Charmin bathroom tissue. Yes, I know, it is toilet paper. But it very, very important and the thing I most worry about running out of.

7) Do you have a piggy bank or a coin jar?

A. I do, yes. Except it is shaped like a fireman, not a piggy.


8) Sam knows that she's always supposed to wear sunscreen, even on cloudy days, but she sometimes forgets. What do you know you should do, but sometimes don't?

A. I know I am supposed to not eat chocolate but I do, which is the opposite of the question, isn't it. I know I should exercise 30 minutes every day, but I sometimes don't. Lately I've been too ill to manage it.


9) Retailers report that sales of Halloween costumes for grown-ups are strong. Since Halloween was earlier this week and there will be parties this weekend ... What's your costume for Halloween 2013?  If you aren't dressing up this year, tell us about one of your favorite outfits from a Halloween gone by.

A. I am not dressing up. I guess my favorite costume when I was a child was the year I dressed as a hobo. But my favorite Halloween memory is the one where I was trick-or-treating and a witch answered the door. "Won't you come in, my dear, I have goodies for good little children," she said. And I held out my bag and said politely, "No thank you, my mother told me not to go into the homes of strangers."



 

Sunday, October 27, 2013

Age is Just a Number

From Sunday Stealing

A birthday meme (though my birthday has already come and gone this year)

1. As you get older, are you jazzed about your birthday?

A. This year I turned 50, and that's a big one as far as birthday's go. I was not jazzed so much as miserable. I don't like to think of myself as old. However, age is just a number. But generally I am jazzed; last year was an anomaly.
  
2. Do people usually remember your birthday?

A. My husband, my brother, and one of my close friends all have birthdays that are in the same month as mine, and so we all remember our respective birthdays easily. My other close friends generally remember, too, and I remember theirs.

3. An ex-coworker used to begin 3 mos. before her birthday flat-out reminding us that it was coming up. It's amazing what no self-esteem does for you. Anyway, do you know anyone who pre-announces their birthdays?

A. I do not "flat out" remind people of my birthday although this year I think I talked about turning 50 a lot more than I ever have talked about birthdays, because I was kind of scared of the number. So except for myself when I hit that big 5-0, I guess the answer to this question is no. 
 
4. What was your best birthday? Why?

A. This last birthday was pretty good. I turned 50 and my husband threw me a surprise party. I'd never had a surprise party before.
 
5. What was your worst birthday? Why?

A. Probably my 38th birthday, because that was my first birthday after my mother passed away.
  
6. Name your best birthday gift.

A. My husband gave me a Nook a couple of years ago, which was a nice gift, but the surprise party he threw me this year, and all of the people who took the time to show up in the middle of the day on a Saturday, tops everything. I mean, the gift of LOVE is absolutely the best. There is no material present that can ever top that.
  
7. Name the best birthday gift you've gotten for someone else.



 
A. I bought my husband a red leather captain's helmet for his 50th birthday, and I threw him a little party at his station because he had to work that day. At the time he was a captain with the fire department (and 6 months later he was promoted to battalion chief, so he didn't get to wear the red hat very long as battalion chiefs wear white). If you are a fireman the special leather helmets (as opposed to the department-issued helmets) are big deal things. They are also expensive.
  
8. As I age, I value SLEEP as a priceless commodity. I didn't get any for my birthday, however. What do you want this year for your birthday?

A. Well, for my 51st birthday, which is 8 months away, I want to be healthy and stay that way. I was healthy on the day of my 50th birthday but 20 days later I had my gallbladder removed and I have been sick ever since. So I value HEALTH as a priceless commodity and am hopeful for that. Having good health well before next year - like by Thanksgiving - would be great, though. I've been sick for four months and that's plenty long.

Saturday, October 26, 2013

Composition Books and Chocolate

I thought I'd join up with yet another meme - the Saturday 9. It's run by someone who calls herself Crazy Sam, in case you notice that reference in the questions.

Saturday 9: If It Makes You Happy

Sheryl Crow is a breast cancer survivor and October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Please spread the word about early detection.

Here's a link to her youtube video: If You Makes You Happy, one of my favorite Sheryl Crow songs, though I am not necessarily crazy about the video.

1) What's something that always makes you happy?

A. Phone calls or visits from friends, small presents from my husband (which seldom happens, he's not a gift-giver except for important occasions, which he always remembers so he gets points for that), a song I love on the radio. Also blank composition books and chocolate.


2) In the lyrics, Sheryl refers to a poncho. How do you usually protect yourself from the rain? Poncho? Umbrella? Raincoat? Hat?

A. I usually have an umbrella and wear a light all-weather jacket.

3) Early in her career, Sheryl made ends meet by singing commercial jingles, including one for McDonald's. When was the last time you visited The Golden Arches?

A. I think it has been several years since I last ate at McDonalds. I don't normally eat fast food and if I do, Micky D's is not my first choice. But I remember when I was a child I thought it was great.

4) Sheryl rode a horse into the ring of a Wyoming rodeo and then sang. Have you ever been to a rodeo?

A. When I was young my parents took us to the rodeo at the local civic center. That would have been at least 40 years ago. I don't remember much about it.

5) Sheryl lives outside of Nashville, which is known as Music City. What type of music do you listen to most often?

A. What they used to call American Top 40. I'm not sure what they call it now. Adult Pop? Adult contemporary? I also like to listen to the sounds of the 1970s. And Sheryl Crow and Melissa Etheridge are two of my favorites.

6) Crazy Sam is a massive Sheryl Crow fan, and is sure that the only reason why she and Sheryl aren't best friends is that they haven't met. What famous person do you think could be your BFF?

A. When I was younger, I wanted to be friends with Kate Jackson of Charlie's Angels' fame. Now I think I would like to be friends with Meryl Streep or Susan Sarandon. 

7) Sheryl and cyclist Lance Armstrong were once engaged. Had they tied the knot, she would have become stepmother to his three children. Are you a step-parent, stepsibling or stepchild?

A. I am, officially, a stepchild. My father remarried a few years ago (my mother died in 2000).

8) Sheryl has performed carols at the National Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony in Washington DC. Have you ever visited our nation's capital?

A. I think my parents took me there in 1972. I remember the zoo, but that's about it. I would love to return as an adult. A nine-year-old could not possibly appreciate the history of the things to see in D.C.

9) Do you consider yourself easy going or do you have a fiery temperament?

A. I think I'm easy going but I suspect my spouse would say otherwise. I tend to hold things in and then, BOOM, my anger overfloweth like gutters in a monsoon.

And because I just started this, and last week the Saturday 9 was about Melissa Etheridge, who is also one of my favorite singers, I will do last week's meme, too.


Saturday 9: Come to My Window

Melissa Etheridge is a breast cancer survivor and October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Please spread the word about early detection.

Here is a youtube video to Melissa Etheridge's song Come to My Window, which just happens to be one of my favorite songs ever (and the video is terrific, too).

1) This song is about a woman passionate about love and willing to pursue it, no matter what "they say." Are you fearless when it comes to public opinion? Or do you worry about what "they" think of you?

A. I can be fearless - as a journalist, reporter, newspaper columnist and blogger I have done my share of putting it out there and not worrying too much about public opinion. But there are times when what "they say" is an overwhelming worry.
 
2) Melissa's father was a high school teacher. Tell us about a teacher who had an impact on you.

A. Almost all of my teachers impacted me, mostly for the good. I was a straight A student and generally the teacher's pet in almost all of my classes, even in college. I would have to say that Jeanne Larsen, my English professor at Hollins, had the most impact upon me, though. She believed in me not just as a writer but as a woman and a person.

3) Melissa won a Grammy for this song. If you won a major award, where would you display it?

A. I have my diplomas on the wall in my office. But I have my Virginia Press Association Awards in a drawer.

4) Which TV game show do you think you'd do better on -- The Price Is Right or Wheel of Fortune?

A. Neither. I'd do better on Jeopardy.

5) Are you neat and organized?

A. I wish.

6) When was the last time you went more than a day without washing your hair?

A. When I had my gallbladder out in late June.

7) When you eat Chinese food, do you use chopsticks or a fork?

A. A fork.

8) Are you a good cook?

A. I am a good baker, and I make killer fudge. I am not a good overall cook, but we don't starve.

9) We're having a party in your honor! Would you prefer a costume party, a bowling party or a pool party?

A. I'd prefer a book party, but if someone wants to throw me a party I will be glad for anything. It's better than a funeral.