Saturday 9: A Summer Place (1960)
Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.
1) This song highlights the soundtrack from the movie A Summer Place, which is about two teenage lovers named Molly and Johnny. Did you ever have a youthful summer romance? If so, what was his/her name?
A. No summer romances for me, except for the one that led to marriage.
2) The "summer place" of the song/movie is a resort along the Maine coast. What "summer place" are you day dreaming about this winter morning?
A. I would like to be in Cuzco, Peru, visiting Machu Picchu.
3) In the movie, Johnny was played by Troy Donahue, who is remembered as nice looking but not terribly talented. Can you think of one of today's actors who you could describe as "nice looking but not terribly talented?"
A. I typed in "nice looking but not talented" in Bing and Russell Crowe came up. So I'll go with him. There were others but I didn't know who they were.
4) Molly is played by Sandra Dee, a perky blonde who was one of 1960's bankable movie stars. Two other blondes -- Doris Day and Debbie Reynolds -- joined Sandra Dee in the Top 10. The only brunette to sell a lot of movie tickets that year was Elizabeth Taylor. Do you believe men find blondes more attractive than brunettes or redheads?
A. There is a lot more to a woman than the color of her hair. *edited*
5) "A Summer Place" was by far the best-selling record of 1960. Also in 1960, two brothers in Ypsilanti, Michigan, opened a pizza place called Dominck's. That was the beginning of a chain now known as Domino's. What's the last food you had delivered to your front door?
A. The Schwan's truck delivered frozen yogurt, broccoli, and peas back in September.
6) In 1965, one of the brothers sold his share of the business to his brother for cash so he could buy a VW Beetle. Tell us about a time you had buyer's remorse.
A. We bought a 1998 Ford Taurus that had some kind of issue with the headlights; they would flicker at night, leaving you in the dark for brief seconds of time. We traded it in on another Taurus and it did the same thing. That lead us to believe it was some kind of issue with the vehicle overall. After that I purchased a Camry. We normally do not trade vehicles but every 10 years and that was a costly turnover for us, trading cars three times in five years.
7) In 1960, novelist Ernest Hemingway returned to the United States from Spain and settled in Ketchum, Idaho. Tell us about the last book you read. Was it a novel or non-fiction?
A. The last book I read was Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm, by Kate Wiggins. I have been going back and catching up on some books I should have read when I was younger but didn't, and this was one of them. It's a novel about a young girl who is sent to live with her spinster aunts. The story reminded me very much of L. M. Montgomery's Annie of Green Gables. I had never read it before because for some reason I thought Rebecca was pornography. I have no idea where I obtained that notion.
8) In December, 1960, John F. Kennedy, Jr. was baptized in the Georgetown University Chapel. His godparents were Charles and Martha Bartlett, the couple who originally introduced young John's famous parents. Do you have godparents?
A. No.
9) Random question: You're at dinner with a married couple who begins to fight. Would you intercede and try to make peace? Or would you just sit back stay out of it?
A. I would not interfere unless it became violent and physical, in which case I would call 911. Otherwise, I would suggest to my spouse that we allow our friends some privacy so they could settle their difference, and leave, either by going to sit at the bar or going home.
_____________
I encourage you to visit other participants in Saturday 9 posts and leave a comment. Because there are no rules, it is your choice. Saturday 9 players hate rules. We love memes, however.
Saturday, January 21, 2017
Friday, January 20, 2017
Do You Believe in Rock and Roll?
I was raised on a mix of music that mostly included country in my early years. My father was a big Elvis Presley fan, and Dad played in a band and sang. I heard him practicing a lot so there was always a repertoire of about 40 songs running through the air space of our house.
When I was around 10, I discovered I could change the dial on the radio and listen to whatever I wanted. Suddenly, the American Top 40 and Casey Kasem was the thing. I stopped listening to country music - I never much cared for it anyway - and turned to pop.
My coming of age music consisted of Linda Ronstadt, the Eagles, The Captain and Tennille, Elton John, the Doobie Brothers, The Carpenters, Helen Reddy, Oliva Newton John, Carole King, Barry Manilow and then . . . disco. Suddenly I was listening to the Bee Gees, ABBA, Alicia Bridges, Andy Gibb, Anita Ward, Chic, Gloria Gaynor, KC and the Sunshine Band, and Donna Summer.
Hard rock never did much for me, but I married a farm boy who thinks The Rolling Stones are the end-all of the music world (and he may be right). He was also into AC/DC and ZZ Top, which I did not listen to until we began dating.
Neither of us are big Beatles fans, though of course I know some of their songs. How could you not? I suspect that is sacrilege in some circles, but I think age and the time you hit puberty probably has something to do with it.
When I was 12 I began playing the guitar, and at first I played the things my father played, since he occasionally instructed me. Mostly, though, I taught myself, and so I began buying song books with pop songs in them.
By the time I was 14, I was playing rhythm guitar in a band of my own. I never have been much of a lead guitarist, though I like the latest fingerstyles people are playing, where they pick out the entire song lyrics. Here's a link to an up-and-coming young lady, Gabriella Quevado, and her latest video. I don't know the song but it's pretty.
After I married, my musical talent declined. I was working, going to school, caring for a husband, and I was sick a lot. Also, I discovered that having no one to play music with was a detriment to my efforts. My husband plays the radio and that's about it, and he cannot sing, either. So I was left to my own devices. I made a few efforts to join a band or otherwise engage myself musically, but because I was involved in so many other things, nothing worked out.
My guitar did not sit silently for years on end, but it did sit silently for weeks, sometimes months, on end. One does not improve a talent without practice.
At various times, new artists have spurred me to learn new songs. Melissa Etheridge and Sheryl Crow, in particular, were artists who had songs I wished to learn to play and sing.
Now I am older and have some time on my hands, and I have attempted to pick up the guitar again, to relearn the old things I knew and maybe some new songs, too. And you know what? The darned thing is heavy and I have a bad back. So playing the guitar hurts. I've had to adjust the way I hold it, add a foot stool, and not play for long periods of time.
But I still want to play music, so I bought a harmonica. I have no book or guide for that; I simply sit and pick out songs. Usually these are old tunes I learned as a child, like "Big Rock Candy Mountain" or "Shenandoah" or something. But it lets me make a little music.
A friend told me earlier this week that music is a part of me, that the song within comes bursting out whether I am singing it or not. Music personified? I wouldn't go that far, but I think music is a big part of my spirit and my spirituality. I may not sing hymns but I can make Don McLean's Vincent sound as spiritual as Amazing Grace, especially if I am having a sorrowful day.
Recently I missed a memorial service of a friend, but I heard it ended with a rousing rendition of Me and Bobby McGee. And I thought, what a wonderful song for a send off. I was sorry I missed that. I tend to lean toward the maudlin and expect the song at my funeral to be Into the West, sung by Annie Lennox, from The Lord of the Rings.
But wouldn't a little Bee Gees be more uplifting? Or even something from The Carpenters? Maybe I will have to rethink those plans.
Music is not a part of everyone's world, but it is a part of mine. I enjoy listening to new sounds, learning about new instruments, and hearing new songs. Just because I don't particularly like country music doesn't mean I don't belt out Hank Williams every now and then.
I think music goes back to humanity's earliest beginnings. It's primal in us. It's the beating of our heart, isn't it? Thu-thump. Thu-thump. The rhythm of our breathing, in and out. The tapping of fingers on a log.
The voice crying out in the wilderness.
Rock on.
When I was around 10, I discovered I could change the dial on the radio and listen to whatever I wanted. Suddenly, the American Top 40 and Casey Kasem was the thing. I stopped listening to country music - I never much cared for it anyway - and turned to pop.
My coming of age music consisted of Linda Ronstadt, the Eagles, The Captain and Tennille, Elton John, the Doobie Brothers, The Carpenters, Helen Reddy, Oliva Newton John, Carole King, Barry Manilow and then . . . disco. Suddenly I was listening to the Bee Gees, ABBA, Alicia Bridges, Andy Gibb, Anita Ward, Chic, Gloria Gaynor, KC and the Sunshine Band, and Donna Summer.
Hard rock never did much for me, but I married a farm boy who thinks The Rolling Stones are the end-all of the music world (and he may be right). He was also into AC/DC and ZZ Top, which I did not listen to until we began dating.
Neither of us are big Beatles fans, though of course I know some of their songs. How could you not? I suspect that is sacrilege in some circles, but I think age and the time you hit puberty probably has something to do with it.
When I was 12 I began playing the guitar, and at first I played the things my father played, since he occasionally instructed me. Mostly, though, I taught myself, and so I began buying song books with pop songs in them.
By the time I was 14, I was playing rhythm guitar in a band of my own. I never have been much of a lead guitarist, though I like the latest fingerstyles people are playing, where they pick out the entire song lyrics. Here's a link to an up-and-coming young lady, Gabriella Quevado, and her latest video. I don't know the song but it's pretty.
After I married, my musical talent declined. I was working, going to school, caring for a husband, and I was sick a lot. Also, I discovered that having no one to play music with was a detriment to my efforts. My husband plays the radio and that's about it, and he cannot sing, either. So I was left to my own devices. I made a few efforts to join a band or otherwise engage myself musically, but because I was involved in so many other things, nothing worked out.
My guitar did not sit silently for years on end, but it did sit silently for weeks, sometimes months, on end. One does not improve a talent without practice.
At various times, new artists have spurred me to learn new songs. Melissa Etheridge and Sheryl Crow, in particular, were artists who had songs I wished to learn to play and sing.
Now I am older and have some time on my hands, and I have attempted to pick up the guitar again, to relearn the old things I knew and maybe some new songs, too. And you know what? The darned thing is heavy and I have a bad back. So playing the guitar hurts. I've had to adjust the way I hold it, add a foot stool, and not play for long periods of time.
But I still want to play music, so I bought a harmonica. I have no book or guide for that; I simply sit and pick out songs. Usually these are old tunes I learned as a child, like "Big Rock Candy Mountain" or "Shenandoah" or something. But it lets me make a little music.
A friend told me earlier this week that music is a part of me, that the song within comes bursting out whether I am singing it or not. Music personified? I wouldn't go that far, but I think music is a big part of my spirit and my spirituality. I may not sing hymns but I can make Don McLean's Vincent sound as spiritual as Amazing Grace, especially if I am having a sorrowful day.
Recently I missed a memorial service of a friend, but I heard it ended with a rousing rendition of Me and Bobby McGee. And I thought, what a wonderful song for a send off. I was sorry I missed that. I tend to lean toward the maudlin and expect the song at my funeral to be Into the West, sung by Annie Lennox, from The Lord of the Rings.
But wouldn't a little Bee Gees be more uplifting? Or even something from The Carpenters? Maybe I will have to rethink those plans.
Music is not a part of everyone's world, but it is a part of mine. I enjoy listening to new sounds, learning about new instruments, and hearing new songs. Just because I don't particularly like country music doesn't mean I don't belt out Hank Williams every now and then.
I think music goes back to humanity's earliest beginnings. It's primal in us. It's the beating of our heart, isn't it? Thu-thump. Thu-thump. The rhythm of our breathing, in and out. The tapping of fingers on a log.
The voice crying out in the wilderness.
Rock on.
Thursday, January 19, 2017
Thursday Thirteen: Men Speak on Greatness
1. “Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great.” ― Mark Twain
2. “Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds.” ― Albert Einstein
3. “Is it so bad, then, to be misunderstood? Pythagoras was misunderstood, and Socrates, and Jesus, and Luther, and Copernicus, and Galileo, and Newton, and every pure and wise spirit that ever took flesh. To be great is to be misunderstood.” ― Ralph Waldo Emerson, Self Reliance
4. “A great man is always willing to be little.” ― Ralph Waldo Emerson
5. “You were born with potential. You were born with goodness and trust. You were born with ideals and dreams. You were born with greatness. You were born with wings. You are not meant for crawling, so don't. You have wings. Learn to use them and fly.” ― Jalaluddin Rumi
6. “Great leaders can see the greatness in others when they can’t see it themselves and lead them to their highest potential they don’t even know.” ― Roy T. Bennett, The Light in the Heart
7. “It takes a great man to be a good listener.” ― Calvin Coolidge
8. “The mark of a great man is one who knows when to set aside the important things in order to accomplish the vital ones.” ― Brandon Sanderson, The Alloy of Law
9. “Good and great are seldom in the same man.” ― Winston S. Churchill
10. “Nothing is more simple than greatness; indeed, to be simple is to be great.” ― Ralph Waldo Emerson
11. “There are times when the world is rearranging itself, and at times like that, the right words can change the world.” ― Orson Scott Card, Ender's Game (The wrong words can change it, too - me)
12. “I believe that the first test of a great man is his humility. I don't mean by humility, doubt of his power. But really great men have a curious feeling that the greatness is not of them, but through them. And they see something divine in every other man and are endlessly, foolishly, incredibly merciful.” ― John Ruskin
13. “The greatness of humanity is not in being human, but in being humane.” ― Mahatma Gandhi
Farewell to President Barack Obama. May his greatness follow him as he heads out onto the next leg of his journey.
____________
Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here if you want to read other Thursday Thirteens and/or play along. I've been playing for a while and this is my 483nd time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday.
2. “Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds.” ― Albert Einstein
3. “Is it so bad, then, to be misunderstood? Pythagoras was misunderstood, and Socrates, and Jesus, and Luther, and Copernicus, and Galileo, and Newton, and every pure and wise spirit that ever took flesh. To be great is to be misunderstood.” ― Ralph Waldo Emerson, Self Reliance
4. “A great man is always willing to be little.” ― Ralph Waldo Emerson
5. “You were born with potential. You were born with goodness and trust. You were born with ideals and dreams. You were born with greatness. You were born with wings. You are not meant for crawling, so don't. You have wings. Learn to use them and fly.” ― Jalaluddin Rumi
6. “Great leaders can see the greatness in others when they can’t see it themselves and lead them to their highest potential they don’t even know.” ― Roy T. Bennett, The Light in the Heart
7. “It takes a great man to be a good listener.” ― Calvin Coolidge
8. “The mark of a great man is one who knows when to set aside the important things in order to accomplish the vital ones.” ― Brandon Sanderson, The Alloy of Law
9. “Good and great are seldom in the same man.” ― Winston S. Churchill
10. “Nothing is more simple than greatness; indeed, to be simple is to be great.” ― Ralph Waldo Emerson
11. “There are times when the world is rearranging itself, and at times like that, the right words can change the world.” ― Orson Scott Card, Ender's Game (The wrong words can change it, too - me)
12. “I believe that the first test of a great man is his humility. I don't mean by humility, doubt of his power. But really great men have a curious feeling that the greatness is not of them, but through them. And they see something divine in every other man and are endlessly, foolishly, incredibly merciful.” ― John Ruskin
13. “The greatness of humanity is not in being human, but in being humane.” ― Mahatma Gandhi
Farewell to President Barack Obama. May his greatness follow him as he heads out onto the next leg of his journey.
____________
Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here if you want to read other Thursday Thirteens and/or play along. I've been playing for a while and this is my 483nd time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday.
Wednesday, January 18, 2017
Did You Write the Book of Love?
A very long time ago I attended a Bible study class and learned about agape love. The class was a study on one of the books of the New Testament, but agape love was the thing I took from the time spent there.
Biblically speaking, agape love is selfless, sacrificial, unconditional love, the highest of the four types of love in the Christian Bible.
The word agape is Greek, and variations of the word and its idea are found throughout the New Testament (about 200 entries). Agape love is the kind of love Jesus Christ has for his Father and for his followers.
It's a love that simply is. It is love that is not contingent on value or worth. It comes without thought, it is spontaneous, and it has no regard for whether or not love will be effective or appropriate regardless of the person or instance involved.
Agape love is love of all, for no reason other than they exist. A good description of agape love is found in 1 Corinthians 13:1-13. It is known by some as The Way of Love.
1 If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.
2 And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.
3 If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.
4 Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it his not arrogant
5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful;
6 it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.
7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
8 Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away.
9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part,
10 but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away.
11 When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways.
12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.
13 So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
Christians are commanded to love others with agape love, whether they are fellow believers (John 13:34) or bitter enemies (Matthew 5:44). Two themes emerge from agape love. Number one, it is wrong and false to claim to love God and not love other believers. One cannot love God and not love others who proclaim to love Him, too - even if they are a different gender, race, or type of religion. Secondly, one cannot claim to love God and then not obey Him. That means that agape love is inextricably combined with Galatians 5:14, which says: "For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'"
The word agape is associated with Christianity, but I think everyone has an obligation to attempt agape love.
Morally speaking, agape love is the kind of love people have when they work at the homeless shelters, offer up money for charities, or otherwise help someone. One does not have to be Christian to do any of those things.
One could say that public servants such as police officers, firefighters, and even teachers practice a form of agape love. Let's face it, not everyone wants to face a bullet, run into a burning building, or stand in front of a group of raging rug rats every day. It takes special people to do those jobs.
I felt like when I was writing for the newspaper that I was practicing my own version of agape love in my efforts to educate the public on the things that go on around them. When I wrote about the poverty rate in my community, or the need for gifts for the Angel trees, or took the time to research the reasons why about half of my county is considered a "food desert," I felt I was doing it out of love for my community. It didn't matter to me who read the story, but it did matter if the story moved someone so that they, in turn, might offer up assistance that I personally could not. After all, there is only one of me, but by writing an article, I could - and did - touch thousands. Some I moved to action and while that was gratifying, I was mostly grateful that people cared enough to reach out.
I knew there were readers out there who disagreed with me, but that was okay. Maybe the next article would be more to their liking. And some people are simply not able to care about others, for whatever reason. That is okay, too.
For some people, being a journalist has absolutely nothing to do with love, but to me it did. I suspect for many writers it is a way to show empathy and love. Not because journalists, writers, and artists point out foibles of others, but because we have a way to showcase need. In the case of celebrities, the opportunity to show agape love rests in the way the person acts on stage or screen, and since in our world such a person is pretty much on stage 24/7, his or her actions of daily life come under scrutiny. A person who tries to practice agape love in daily life recognizes that things like demeaning others, making demands, and trying to control the lives of those around him or her are not the actions of love.
This is true of everyone, really. If you love the world and try to act like it when you are in public, or online, or however you interact with others, people take note. Sometimes they don't even know they are taking note, but they do. You can learn a lot about someone simply by standing behind them in the supermarket checkout line.
I am not perfect. I get angry. I argue. I fight. I don't always readily forgive. I misunderstand. I don't feel well most days now and that makes it hard to be tolerant, because pain makes you think in ways you otherwise would not. I am no saint. I am not religious, actually, though I consider myself to be rather spiritual. I have great empathy for others, and I try very hard to be kind. I do not always succeed. I am human, after all.
The Internet has become a place where people make fun of others. This is not agape love. It has become a place where people fight and squabble because they have differing opinions, where name-calling is the norm and the last person on the thread is the winner simply because the other person gave up. This is not agape love.
This is just morally sick stuff that our society seems to be oozing out of every pore. The lack of empathy and the lack of agape love has created a very sad world.
Christians often say they are being criticized and that Christianity is under attack. I wonder if that is really true. Maybe what is under attack is the way the New Testament has been twisted so that agape love no longer means love. For some reason, many Christians in the public eye seem to think that love means hate and fear, divide and conquer. And that is the side that they show to the world, the side that is the opposite of agape love.
I do not understand this, because my New Testament says to do the opposite. It says to show agape love.
Some time ago there was a big saying: WWJD? What Would Jesus Do?
I think he'd sit down and have a good long cry, spend a lot of time figuring out how his words in the New Testament have been so misconstrued, and then work to start all over again.
Biblically speaking, agape love is selfless, sacrificial, unconditional love, the highest of the four types of love in the Christian Bible.
The word agape is Greek, and variations of the word and its idea are found throughout the New Testament (about 200 entries). Agape love is the kind of love Jesus Christ has for his Father and for his followers.
It's a love that simply is. It is love that is not contingent on value or worth. It comes without thought, it is spontaneous, and it has no regard for whether or not love will be effective or appropriate regardless of the person or instance involved.
Agape love is love of all, for no reason other than they exist. A good description of agape love is found in 1 Corinthians 13:1-13. It is known by some as The Way of Love.
1 If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.
2 And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.
3 If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.
4 Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it his not arrogant
5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful;
6 it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.
7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
8 Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away.
9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part,
10 but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away.
11 When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways.
12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.
13 So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
Christians are commanded to love others with agape love, whether they are fellow believers (John 13:34) or bitter enemies (Matthew 5:44). Two themes emerge from agape love. Number one, it is wrong and false to claim to love God and not love other believers. One cannot love God and not love others who proclaim to love Him, too - even if they are a different gender, race, or type of religion. Secondly, one cannot claim to love God and then not obey Him. That means that agape love is inextricably combined with Galatians 5:14, which says: "For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'"
The word agape is associated with Christianity, but I think everyone has an obligation to attempt agape love.
Morally speaking, agape love is the kind of love people have when they work at the homeless shelters, offer up money for charities, or otherwise help someone. One does not have to be Christian to do any of those things.
One could say that public servants such as police officers, firefighters, and even teachers practice a form of agape love. Let's face it, not everyone wants to face a bullet, run into a burning building, or stand in front of a group of raging rug rats every day. It takes special people to do those jobs.
I felt like when I was writing for the newspaper that I was practicing my own version of agape love in my efforts to educate the public on the things that go on around them. When I wrote about the poverty rate in my community, or the need for gifts for the Angel trees, or took the time to research the reasons why about half of my county is considered a "food desert," I felt I was doing it out of love for my community. It didn't matter to me who read the story, but it did matter if the story moved someone so that they, in turn, might offer up assistance that I personally could not. After all, there is only one of me, but by writing an article, I could - and did - touch thousands. Some I moved to action and while that was gratifying, I was mostly grateful that people cared enough to reach out.
I knew there were readers out there who disagreed with me, but that was okay. Maybe the next article would be more to their liking. And some people are simply not able to care about others, for whatever reason. That is okay, too.
For some people, being a journalist has absolutely nothing to do with love, but to me it did. I suspect for many writers it is a way to show empathy and love. Not because journalists, writers, and artists point out foibles of others, but because we have a way to showcase need. In the case of celebrities, the opportunity to show agape love rests in the way the person acts on stage or screen, and since in our world such a person is pretty much on stage 24/7, his or her actions of daily life come under scrutiny. A person who tries to practice agape love in daily life recognizes that things like demeaning others, making demands, and trying to control the lives of those around him or her are not the actions of love.
This is true of everyone, really. If you love the world and try to act like it when you are in public, or online, or however you interact with others, people take note. Sometimes they don't even know they are taking note, but they do. You can learn a lot about someone simply by standing behind them in the supermarket checkout line.
I am not perfect. I get angry. I argue. I fight. I don't always readily forgive. I misunderstand. I don't feel well most days now and that makes it hard to be tolerant, because pain makes you think in ways you otherwise would not. I am no saint. I am not religious, actually, though I consider myself to be rather spiritual. I have great empathy for others, and I try very hard to be kind. I do not always succeed. I am human, after all.
The Internet has become a place where people make fun of others. This is not agape love. It has become a place where people fight and squabble because they have differing opinions, where name-calling is the norm and the last person on the thread is the winner simply because the other person gave up. This is not agape love.
This is just morally sick stuff that our society seems to be oozing out of every pore. The lack of empathy and the lack of agape love has created a very sad world.
Christians often say they are being criticized and that Christianity is under attack. I wonder if that is really true. Maybe what is under attack is the way the New Testament has been twisted so that agape love no longer means love. For some reason, many Christians in the public eye seem to think that love means hate and fear, divide and conquer. And that is the side that they show to the world, the side that is the opposite of agape love.
I do not understand this, because my New Testament says to do the opposite. It says to show agape love.
Some time ago there was a big saying: WWJD? What Would Jesus Do?
I think he'd sit down and have a good long cry, spend a lot of time figuring out how his words in the New Testament have been so misconstrued, and then work to start all over again.
Monday, January 16, 2017
Maybe They'd Be Happy For A While
I have always been one of those people who want to please other people.
As a child, I spent more time trying to make sure my parents, grandparents, brother, and friends were happy with me. So much so that I was pretty miserable.
The people I was trying to please would be happy with me for a while, but then they wouldn't be. Frequently, I have learned as an adult, this had absolutely nothing to do with me, but as a child I internalized it and it didn't help that at various times my parental units didn't mind letting me know everything was my fault.
So I spent much thought and effort trying to keep the peace, keep things smooth, keep things calm. To this day, I dislike strife, I keep my opinions to myself if they may cause rancor (Facebook posts tend to be deleted frequently on my account if something I thought innocuous blows up in my face), and I do better if I stay to myself.
Being a semi-public figure at one time as a news reporter, this is laughable, really, because I am pretty sure that at some point I angered nearly everyone in this county for some reason or another. Maybe it was because they misread what I wrote, or disagreed with the topic, but regardless of reason, thousands of articles appeared under my byline, and that meant I was the one responsible for whatever emotion the article called forth.
You try to keep 20,000 people happy and see how well you do.
Trying to make everybody happy is exhausting. I don't do it as much as I used to. The older I've grown, the less I care what others think. They don't mind hurting me, or causing me distress, after all. My feelings don't matter to them. Why should theirs matter to me?
Being a stronger person than the people pleaser is hard work, too. I think I find most of life to be hard work. I know there are people who flit through like butterflies, and others who plod through but never give it a moment's thought, and some who skate across as if born with polar bear paws on their feet. And then there are people like me, who never go in a straight line, who climb mountains only to fall off the other side, and who cross deserts in the middle of rain storms without a glass anywhere in sight.
One of the first things a person who is a people pleaser must learn is how to say no. And it needs to be "no" without excuses. Saying "no" is perfectly fine, and no reason is needed. People in my circle want a reason, so I have come up with the solution of "It's not my policy." For some reason, if something is a policy then it is perfectly fine not to do it. I don't know why, but it works.
The other thing I have trouble with is asking for what I want. Frequently that is because I don't know what I want, except that I don't have whatever it is I want, because I am uncomfortable and feeling, well, wrong. So this one is difficult for me. I can ask for some things - I am very good at asking for hugs, for example. However, I don't do many things simply because I don't ask anyone to go with me, or I don't ask it of myself. For example, I would like to go to the local museums more often. I don't. That's me not asking what I want either of myself or of my husband or a friend. I am sure a few of my friends would be quite happy to accompany me to a museum if I asked. But I don't ask.
I also have trouble with boundaries. I think most people pleasers have problems with this. Being grabbed in your privates is an unacceptable boundary that apparently many now find acceptable, but I assure you on this particular point that if I am touched inappropriately, I will be visiting the magistrate. I can set those kinds of boundaries.
Emotional boundaries are harder. For example, being told that the reason Person A does something is because Person B made them is just wrong. Reactions are a choice, but this is a tactic frequently used by bullies. "I have to hit you because you said the wrong thing." We all know that is stinking thinking, but after a while you tend to start believing there must be something wrong with you, if you keep doing the wrong thing and deserve to be hit all the time. (For the record, no one has hit me in a very long time. And anyone who did would find themselves behind bars.)
People pleasing is a need for outside validation. It means I can't validate myself, that something inside of me is broken. Call it lack of confidence or lack of self-esteem, something is missing.
But you know what? I'm okay, really. I'm a decent human being with a lot of empathy for others. I give money to worthy causes, and when I was well I gave a lot of my time and energy to my community. I check on my friends and I try to be nice to everyone.
So what if I can't make everyone happy all the time. That's really not my problem, is it.
It's my life. My rules.
I'm all grown up now.
As a child, I spent more time trying to make sure my parents, grandparents, brother, and friends were happy with me. So much so that I was pretty miserable.
The people I was trying to please would be happy with me for a while, but then they wouldn't be. Frequently, I have learned as an adult, this had absolutely nothing to do with me, but as a child I internalized it and it didn't help that at various times my parental units didn't mind letting me know everything was my fault.
So I spent much thought and effort trying to keep the peace, keep things smooth, keep things calm. To this day, I dislike strife, I keep my opinions to myself if they may cause rancor (Facebook posts tend to be deleted frequently on my account if something I thought innocuous blows up in my face), and I do better if I stay to myself.
Being a semi-public figure at one time as a news reporter, this is laughable, really, because I am pretty sure that at some point I angered nearly everyone in this county for some reason or another. Maybe it was because they misread what I wrote, or disagreed with the topic, but regardless of reason, thousands of articles appeared under my byline, and that meant I was the one responsible for whatever emotion the article called forth.
You try to keep 20,000 people happy and see how well you do.
Trying to make everybody happy is exhausting. I don't do it as much as I used to. The older I've grown, the less I care what others think. They don't mind hurting me, or causing me distress, after all. My feelings don't matter to them. Why should theirs matter to me?
Being a stronger person than the people pleaser is hard work, too. I think I find most of life to be hard work. I know there are people who flit through like butterflies, and others who plod through but never give it a moment's thought, and some who skate across as if born with polar bear paws on their feet. And then there are people like me, who never go in a straight line, who climb mountains only to fall off the other side, and who cross deserts in the middle of rain storms without a glass anywhere in sight.
One of the first things a person who is a people pleaser must learn is how to say no. And it needs to be "no" without excuses. Saying "no" is perfectly fine, and no reason is needed. People in my circle want a reason, so I have come up with the solution of "It's not my policy." For some reason, if something is a policy then it is perfectly fine not to do it. I don't know why, but it works.
The other thing I have trouble with is asking for what I want. Frequently that is because I don't know what I want, except that I don't have whatever it is I want, because I am uncomfortable and feeling, well, wrong. So this one is difficult for me. I can ask for some things - I am very good at asking for hugs, for example. However, I don't do many things simply because I don't ask anyone to go with me, or I don't ask it of myself. For example, I would like to go to the local museums more often. I don't. That's me not asking what I want either of myself or of my husband or a friend. I am sure a few of my friends would be quite happy to accompany me to a museum if I asked. But I don't ask.
I also have trouble with boundaries. I think most people pleasers have problems with this. Being grabbed in your privates is an unacceptable boundary that apparently many now find acceptable, but I assure you on this particular point that if I am touched inappropriately, I will be visiting the magistrate. I can set those kinds of boundaries.
Emotional boundaries are harder. For example, being told that the reason Person A does something is because Person B made them is just wrong. Reactions are a choice, but this is a tactic frequently used by bullies. "I have to hit you because you said the wrong thing." We all know that is stinking thinking, but after a while you tend to start believing there must be something wrong with you, if you keep doing the wrong thing and deserve to be hit all the time. (For the record, no one has hit me in a very long time. And anyone who did would find themselves behind bars.)
People pleasing is a need for outside validation. It means I can't validate myself, that something inside of me is broken. Call it lack of confidence or lack of self-esteem, something is missing.
But you know what? I'm okay, really. I'm a decent human being with a lot of empathy for others. I give money to worthy causes, and when I was well I gave a lot of my time and energy to my community. I check on my friends and I try to be nice to everyone.
So what if I can't make everyone happy all the time. That's really not my problem, is it.
It's my life. My rules.
I'm all grown up now.
Sunday, January 15, 2017
Sunday Stealing: Forceful Questions
Sunday Stealing: The Very Forceful Questions
1. Do you have/have you had any pets?
A. At present, I have a herd of cows. After I married, my husband and I had a dog named Ginger; she was 17 years old when she passed away, which is a very long life for a dog. I chose not to get another. As a child, we went through quite a number of dogs: Prince and Princess, two dalmations, both of whom I think were run over by the milk truck, Heidi, a poodle, Major, her son, Schooner, a collie-mix of some kind, Trixie, and probably a few more that my brother will remind me of. My father also raised various birds, including ducks, pheasants, peacocks, and quail.
2. Do you play video games? If so, do you have a favorite video game series?
A. I confess I am a video game addict. I have been playing video games for as long as there have been video games. I played Pong, for heaven's sake. Currently my favorite video game series is The Elder Scrolls, and my favorite video game is Skyrim, which is The Elder Scrolls V game. I used to love the Might and Magic series, including the Heroes of Might and Magic line, and I also liked (or still like) Commander Keen, the original Wolfenstein games, Microsoft's Age of Empire series, Myst, King's Quest, The Sims, Civilization, Dungeon Siege, puzzle and word games, solitaire games, and hidden object games. Yes, I spend far too much time playing said games.
3. Any unpopular opinions on anything?
A. Apparently it is not popular to think that people deserve to have a societal safety net, health care, retirement funds, or a living wage. It is also not popular to believe in equal rights for everyone, and that women are human beings.
4. Do you have a favorite gem? If yes, has anyone ever bought you jewelry with that gem?
A. I had to think about this question. I like pearls, which is one of the three stones associated with June (the other two being moonstone and alexandrite). My husband has bought me pearls.
5. Favorite story genres?
A. Fantasy, mystery, "literary" and young adult. I don't read porn or horror but pretty much anything else I will attempt.
6. What was once a secret that you can now share? (The original question was "What kind of fruit do you hate" which is type of question that I think "who cares?" so I just change them.)
A. I used to be a skinny person.
7. Do you like reading?
A. I love reading. I would read all the time if I didn't have all of those video games to play.
8. What time is it for you now, what are you usually doing at this time of the day?
A. It is almost 4 p.m. and I should be worrying about fixing supper or attempting to do my physical therapy, but my husband is asleep in the great room, which is where my physical therapy stuff is as well as the kitchen. So I am in here in my office at the desktop instead.
9. What character on TV or in film is most similar to you? You can go with looks or personality. Or you can make a quip and go to the next question.
A. I am a cross between Frances, from Under the Tuscan Sun (played by Diane Lane) and Evelyn Couch from Fried Green Tomatoes (played by Kathy Bates).
10. What's something weird you wanna do? It cannot be weirder than Mr. Watermelonhead.
A. I don't know what Mr. Watermelonhead is so I cannot make the comparison. I would like to live in a treehouse. Not a little treehouse, but one of those real mansions built in a tree that you see on the Treemaster show.
11. Have you ever accomplished a New Years Resolution?
A. I'm sure I have at some point.
12. Is there any music artist you look up to?
A. Melissa Etheridge. She's my age and she's had a hard time of it, with breast cancer and being gay and all. I also think Bonnie Raitt is highly underrated and that Nancy Wilson is one of the greatest female guitar players around.
13. Are you allergic to anything? If yes, what?
A. Dust, dirt, tree pollen, grass pollen, bee stings, bug bites, every fragrance known to humanity except chocolate and vanilla, shellfish and maybe other fish (I avoid them all now), citrus fruit, milk products - pretty much everything. My husband gave me some jigsaw puzzles for Christmas and the puzzle dust gave me an asthma attack. How sad is that? We took the unopened ones back.
14. When was the last time you took a swim? Who else was with you?
A. It's been years, and I would have been with my husband. I think it was at Myrtle Beach.
15. Would you rather have the ability to sleep for as long as you want, or have the ability to never have to sleep?
A. If I never had to sleep and never grew tired, then that one. Imagine what else we could accomplish if one third of our lives wasn't spent in bed!
__________
I encourage you to visit other participants in Sunday Stealing posts and leave a comment. Cheers to all us thieves who love memes, however we come by them.
1. Do you have/have you had any pets?
 |
| A mama cow with her newborn. |
2. Do you play video games? If so, do you have a favorite video game series?
A. I confess I am a video game addict. I have been playing video games for as long as there have been video games. I played Pong, for heaven's sake. Currently my favorite video game series is The Elder Scrolls, and my favorite video game is Skyrim, which is The Elder Scrolls V game. I used to love the Might and Magic series, including the Heroes of Might and Magic line, and I also liked (or still like) Commander Keen, the original Wolfenstein games, Microsoft's Age of Empire series, Myst, King's Quest, The Sims, Civilization, Dungeon Siege, puzzle and word games, solitaire games, and hidden object games. Yes, I spend far too much time playing said games.
 |
| The Dragonborn looking out over Skyrim |
 |
| Skyrim |
3. Any unpopular opinions on anything?
A. Apparently it is not popular to think that people deserve to have a societal safety net, health care, retirement funds, or a living wage. It is also not popular to believe in equal rights for everyone, and that women are human beings.
4. Do you have a favorite gem? If yes, has anyone ever bought you jewelry with that gem?
A. I had to think about this question. I like pearls, which is one of the three stones associated with June (the other two being moonstone and alexandrite). My husband has bought me pearls.
5. Favorite story genres?
A. Fantasy, mystery, "literary" and young adult. I don't read porn or horror but pretty much anything else I will attempt.
6. What was once a secret that you can now share? (The original question was "What kind of fruit do you hate" which is type of question that I think "who cares?" so I just change them.)
A. I used to be a skinny person.
7. Do you like reading?
A. I love reading. I would read all the time if I didn't have all of those video games to play.
8. What time is it for you now, what are you usually doing at this time of the day?
A. It is almost 4 p.m. and I should be worrying about fixing supper or attempting to do my physical therapy, but my husband is asleep in the great room, which is where my physical therapy stuff is as well as the kitchen. So I am in here in my office at the desktop instead.
9. What character on TV or in film is most similar to you? You can go with looks or personality. Or you can make a quip and go to the next question.
A. I am a cross between Frances, from Under the Tuscan Sun (played by Diane Lane) and Evelyn Couch from Fried Green Tomatoes (played by Kathy Bates).
10. What's something weird you wanna do? It cannot be weirder than Mr. Watermelonhead.
A. I don't know what Mr. Watermelonhead is so I cannot make the comparison. I would like to live in a treehouse. Not a little treehouse, but one of those real mansions built in a tree that you see on the Treemaster show.
11. Have you ever accomplished a New Years Resolution?
A. I'm sure I have at some point.
12. Is there any music artist you look up to?
A. Melissa Etheridge. She's my age and she's had a hard time of it, with breast cancer and being gay and all. I also think Bonnie Raitt is highly underrated and that Nancy Wilson is one of the greatest female guitar players around.
13. Are you allergic to anything? If yes, what?
A. Dust, dirt, tree pollen, grass pollen, bee stings, bug bites, every fragrance known to humanity except chocolate and vanilla, shellfish and maybe other fish (I avoid them all now), citrus fruit, milk products - pretty much everything. My husband gave me some jigsaw puzzles for Christmas and the puzzle dust gave me an asthma attack. How sad is that? We took the unopened ones back.
14. When was the last time you took a swim? Who else was with you?
A. It's been years, and I would have been with my husband. I think it was at Myrtle Beach.
15. Would you rather have the ability to sleep for as long as you want, or have the ability to never have to sleep?
A. If I never had to sleep and never grew tired, then that one. Imagine what else we could accomplish if one third of our lives wasn't spent in bed!
__________
I encourage you to visit other participants in Sunday Stealing posts and leave a comment. Cheers to all us thieves who love memes, however we come by them.
Saturday, January 14, 2017
Saturday 9: Wake Me Up
Saturday 9: Wake Me Up Before You Go Go (1984)
Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.
1) This song was inspired by a note WHAM! partner Andrew Ridgeley left for his parents. He accidentally wrote "go" twice. What was the last handwritten note you left for someone?
A. A phone number for my husband when someone called about hay.
2) Born Georgios Panayiotou, George Michael was the son of the Greek restauranteur in East London. When you think of Greek cuisine, what comes to mind?
A. Olives. I am not good with food questions, I don't know the difference between cultures as far as food goes. If it tastes good, I eat it, if it doesn't, I don't.
3) He was a terrible driver and admitted his license was suspended a number of times. Have you ever lost your license?
A. No. I did have to attend a driver's education seminar because I topped a hill and rear-ended a vehicle stopped on the other side. I bruised myself up pretty good.
4) WHAM! partner Andrew Ridgeley, on the other hand, is a talented driver who got to live his fantasy by racing Formula Three in Monaco. There are companies that sell racetrack driving experiences that allow you to spin around the track at dizzying speeds. Is this something you like to try?
A. My husband did that just this fall. We went to Pocono Race Track where he went around the track at about 140 mph or something. I watched.
5) In 1990, Frank Sinatra famously gave George Michael advice. Ol' Blue Eyes told the younger man to enjoy his fame, to remember all those lean nights traveling from gig to gig by bus and, now that he's successful, "loosen up and swing, man." Who last gave you advice? Did you take it?
A. My friend T. last gave me advice and yes, I took it, mostly because the advice was, "Anita, go take your medicine" and it was past time for me to do that anyway.
6) Mr. Michael's neighbors have reported since his passing that he seemed to live rather quietly, and that they usually saw him when he was out walking his three dogs. Tell us about the last time you spoke to one of your neighbors.
A. My neighbor called me about a week ago to give a report on her partner, who is 93 years old and in poor health. The neighbor herself is in her late 70s and had shown up on my doorstep before the holidays terrified her friend was going to die, and she had me write up an obituary and go through my photos to find a nice picture of her. I obliged. But so far the old gal is hanging in there. **UPDATE** At noon today I received a call from the neighbor that her friend had passed away. I am sad.
7) Fansites tell us that George Michael's favorite cereal was cornflakes. What breakfast cereals are currently in your kitchen?
A. Rice Krispies, Chex, and Cheerios.
8) In 1984, when "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" was popular, Murder, She Wrote premiered on CBS. Today it's still seen in reruns all over the world. Are you a fan?
A. I don't watch it now, but I didn't think it was a bad show on its initial run.
9) RANDOM QUESTION: What's your secret to a good night's sleep?
A. Drugs. I know that is not a lot of help. The other thing I do is count backwards from 10 and then when I hit one I open a door and go into my imaginary world, which is very calm and sedate.
_____________
I encourage you to visit other participants in Saturday 9 posts and leave a comment. Because there are no rules, it is your choice. Saturday 9 players hate rules. We love memes, however.
Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.
1) This song was inspired by a note WHAM! partner Andrew Ridgeley left for his parents. He accidentally wrote "go" twice. What was the last handwritten note you left for someone?
A. A phone number for my husband when someone called about hay.
2) Born Georgios Panayiotou, George Michael was the son of the Greek restauranteur in East London. When you think of Greek cuisine, what comes to mind?
A. Olives. I am not good with food questions, I don't know the difference between cultures as far as food goes. If it tastes good, I eat it, if it doesn't, I don't.
3) He was a terrible driver and admitted his license was suspended a number of times. Have you ever lost your license?
A. No. I did have to attend a driver's education seminar because I topped a hill and rear-ended a vehicle stopped on the other side. I bruised myself up pretty good.
4) WHAM! partner Andrew Ridgeley, on the other hand, is a talented driver who got to live his fantasy by racing Formula Three in Monaco. There are companies that sell racetrack driving experiences that allow you to spin around the track at dizzying speeds. Is this something you like to try?
A. My husband did that just this fall. We went to Pocono Race Track where he went around the track at about 140 mph or something. I watched.
5) In 1990, Frank Sinatra famously gave George Michael advice. Ol' Blue Eyes told the younger man to enjoy his fame, to remember all those lean nights traveling from gig to gig by bus and, now that he's successful, "loosen up and swing, man." Who last gave you advice? Did you take it?
A. My friend T. last gave me advice and yes, I took it, mostly because the advice was, "Anita, go take your medicine" and it was past time for me to do that anyway.
6) Mr. Michael's neighbors have reported since his passing that he seemed to live rather quietly, and that they usually saw him when he was out walking his three dogs. Tell us about the last time you spoke to one of your neighbors.
A. My neighbor called me about a week ago to give a report on her partner, who is 93 years old and in poor health. The neighbor herself is in her late 70s and had shown up on my doorstep before the holidays terrified her friend was going to die, and she had me write up an obituary and go through my photos to find a nice picture of her. I obliged. But so far the old gal is hanging in there. **UPDATE** At noon today I received a call from the neighbor that her friend had passed away. I am sad.
7) Fansites tell us that George Michael's favorite cereal was cornflakes. What breakfast cereals are currently in your kitchen?
A. Rice Krispies, Chex, and Cheerios.
8) In 1984, when "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" was popular, Murder, She Wrote premiered on CBS. Today it's still seen in reruns all over the world. Are you a fan?
A. I don't watch it now, but I didn't think it was a bad show on its initial run.
9) RANDOM QUESTION: What's your secret to a good night's sleep?
A. Drugs. I know that is not a lot of help. The other thing I do is count backwards from 10 and then when I hit one I open a door and go into my imaginary world, which is very calm and sedate.
I encourage you to visit other participants in Saturday 9 posts and leave a comment. Because there are no rules, it is your choice. Saturday 9 players hate rules. We love memes, however.
Thursday, January 12, 2017
Thursday Thirteen
2. Generally speaking, many women do not stop working for the weekend. When I worked full time, and even when freelancing, Saturday was housecleaning day, and Sunday was catch-up day. Actually I still do most of my housecleaning on Saturday. I think this has changed, though. Younger people seem to share household chores better than my generation.
3. How did I do it? Sometimes when I think back on all the things I did when I was younger - at one point I was working two jobs, attending college, and still fixing my husband his dinner - and realize that aging really does slow you down. If you're a young person, just wait. You'll feel it one day.
4. Injuries to the heart and soul are the most difficult to repair. A broken bone can mend and sometimes be stronger, but a broken heart and soul always has a hole. Not all such injuries come from the ones you love. Sometimes your community can betray you, too. This is especially true if you happen to love your community.
5. Just yesterday I was looking at the local newspaper and noting that my renewal date is coming up. I have subscribed to it for 34 years, and have read it for at least 44 years. I shouldn't even have to think about renewing, but this thought keeps coming to me: what difference does it make if I know what is going on or not? The people in charge are going to do whatever they want regardless.
6. Knowing I have become a cynic does not bring me relief. Instead it makes me sad that the years have jaded me and turned me a bit sour regarding the goodness of my fellow human beings.
8. Many people disagree with me but I try to love them anyway. It is hard.
9. Now is the time for all good men and women to come to the aid of their country.
10. Open and shut, open and shut. That means something in the back of my head and it relates to the state of the day, but I cannot state what I am trying to say. My brains are scrambled like breakfast eggs this morning.
11. People need people, even introverts like me who prefer to be alone much of the time. Sometimes, though, a hug is the remedy, not a book. Though books are always good.
12. Quietly, I sift through the sordid news of the morning, reading and wincing, my heart pounding, my blood pressure rising, until I must put it aside and stop, simply for the sake of sanity.
13. Rather than come up with some kind of list, this is a random 13, because I am listless in more ways than one.
____________
Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here if you want to read other Thursday Thirteens and/or play along. I've been playing for a while and this is my 482nd time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday.
Wednesday, January 11, 2017
Miscellaneous Questions
1. Who or what are you named after? A. Nobody, really.
2. Last time you cried? A. Close to Christmas.
3. Do you like your handwriting? A. No. It's so bad, I could be a doctor.
4. What is your favorite lunch meat? A. Honey ham.
5. Do you have kids? A. No.
6. Do you use sarcasm? A. What, do you think I am some sort of linguist?
7. Do you still have your tonsils? A. No.
8. Would you bungee jump? A. Not at this age. Maybe when I was younger.
9. What is your favorite kind of cereal? A. Rice Krispies.
10. Do you untie your shoes when you take them off? A. Most of the time.
11. Do you think you're strong? A. Not physically, but mentally.
12. What is your favorite ice cream? A. I don't eat ice cream.
13. What is the first thing you notice about someone? A. Eyes and/or hair.
14. What do you do to relax? A. Write, read, play guitar, color.
15. What is the least favorite thing you like about yourself? A. I'm overweight.
16. What color pants are you wearing? A. Blue.
17. Last thing you ate? A. An oatmeal cookie.
18. What are you listening to right now? A. The hum of the heater, clocks ticking, my fingers on the keyboard.
19. If you were a crayon, what color would you be? A. Violet.
20. Favorite smell? A. Cookies baking.
21. Who was the last person you spoke to on the phone? A. My husband.
22. Favorite sport to watch on TV? A. Women's tennis.
23. Hair color? A. Brown with soft white (aka gray).
24. Eye color? A. Hazel.
25. Favorite food to eat? A. Chocolate.
26. Scary movies or happy? A. Happy.
27. Last movie you watched? A. The Fellowship of the Ring.
28. What color shirt are you wearing? A. Yellow.
29. Favorite holiday? A. Halloween.
30. Wine or beer? A. I don't drink.
2. Last time you cried? A. Close to Christmas.
3. Do you like your handwriting? A. No. It's so bad, I could be a doctor.
4. What is your favorite lunch meat? A. Honey ham.
5. Do you have kids? A. No.
6. Do you use sarcasm? A. What, do you think I am some sort of linguist?
7. Do you still have your tonsils? A. No.
8. Would you bungee jump? A. Not at this age. Maybe when I was younger.
9. What is your favorite kind of cereal? A. Rice Krispies.
10. Do you untie your shoes when you take them off? A. Most of the time.
11. Do you think you're strong? A. Not physically, but mentally.
12. What is your favorite ice cream? A. I don't eat ice cream.
13. What is the first thing you notice about someone? A. Eyes and/or hair.
14. What do you do to relax? A. Write, read, play guitar, color.
15. What is the least favorite thing you like about yourself? A. I'm overweight.
16. What color pants are you wearing? A. Blue.
17. Last thing you ate? A. An oatmeal cookie.
18. What are you listening to right now? A. The hum of the heater, clocks ticking, my fingers on the keyboard.
19. If you were a crayon, what color would you be? A. Violet.
20. Favorite smell? A. Cookies baking.
21. Who was the last person you spoke to on the phone? A. My husband.
22. Favorite sport to watch on TV? A. Women's tennis.
23. Hair color? A. Brown with soft white (aka gray).
24. Eye color? A. Hazel.
25. Favorite food to eat? A. Chocolate.
26. Scary movies or happy? A. Happy.
27. Last movie you watched? A. The Fellowship of the Ring.
28. What color shirt are you wearing? A. Yellow.
29. Favorite holiday? A. Halloween.
30. Wine or beer? A. I don't drink.
Tuesday, January 10, 2017
Sunday, January 08, 2017
Sunday Stealing: Shipwrecked!
Sunday Stealing: The Shipwreck Questions
You are shipwrecked with friends (your group can include real life or virtual life or both) think about it and pick some friends to truly enjoy your cruise + and tell us why you assembled the group by just telling us . . .
(I chose my virtual life in Lord of the Rings Online, so . . . )
Who would throw the wildest parties, and why did you pick them? Gimli, because dwarves know how to drink with great gusto.
Who would always fall asleep on the couch, and why did you pick them? Pippin, because he is lazy and spends too much time smoking the long bottom leaf.
Who would enter to be in a talent show, and why did you pick them? Eowyn, because she has an inferiority complex, and would like to show up everyone, especially the guys.
Who would try to get out of doing their chores and why did you pick them? Merry, because, like Pippin, he has never done a day's work in life.
Who would accidentally set the kitchen on fire whilst cooking and why did you stupidly pick them? Smaug, the dragon in the Lonely Mountain, because, well, he has hot breath.
Who would try to domesticate an island pet and why did you pick them? Samwise Gamgee, because he loves the land and the animals. He was very fond of Bill the pony and was sad when he couldn't take him through the mines of Moria.
Who would make the other carry their bags on a shopping spree and why did you pick them? Merry would make Pippin carry his bags, because Merry always leads Pippin around, and Pippin follows. They've done that since they were wee lads. They may also be in line for the drinking question.
Who would throw the first person off the boat and why did you pick them? Aragorn would throw anyone who was bad off the boat, because he is the Elessar (or king) and has great knowledge.
Who would be the best caregiver when someone got sick and why did you pick them? Gandalf, because he is a wizard and a healer.
Who would try to force the another to play sports with them and why did you pick them? Boromir would teach the hobbits to play at swords, in order to show them how to defend themselves. He is a master swordsman from Gondor.
Who would have the best holiday ideas for your space on the island and why did you pick them? Arwen, the elf who wants to marry Aragorn. She would throw a lavish party in order to court her man.
Who would need to clean out someone else's stuff to make room for their own and why did you pick them? Gollem would need to clear away everything he could find, because he is searching for The One Ring.
Who worries about how they will look when they’re older and why did you pick them? Lord Elrond does not worry about how he will look, but he does worry about how his daughter, Arwen, will look, because she has chosen a mortal life and will one day die, while he and the other elves live on in the undying lands.
Flashes everyone when they walk by after taking a shower alone and why did you pick them? Legolas Greenleaf, prince of the Woodland Realm, would gladly flash everyone after a shower, and I would be glad to look.
Who wakes you to asks weird questions in the middle of the night and why did you pick them? I would be the one asking the weird questions in the middle of the night. I already do that. Drives my husband nuts because my brain never goes out of gear.
Who will constantly ask you “what are you thinking about?” and why did you pick them? Gandalf would be asking me that constantly, because he is a curious sort of fellow who likes to know everything.
Which of your friends on this island might being too touchy-feely while you interact, why did you pick them? If I were lucky, Aragorn or Legalos might get a little touchy-feely. They are both beautiful.
__________
I encourage you to visit other participants in Sunday Stealing posts and leave a comment. Cheers to all us thieves who love memes, however we come by them.
You are shipwrecked with friends (your group can include real life or virtual life or both) think about it and pick some friends to truly enjoy your cruise + and tell us why you assembled the group by just telling us . . .
(I chose my virtual life in Lord of the Rings Online, so . . . )
Who would throw the wildest parties, and why did you pick them? Gimli, because dwarves know how to drink with great gusto.
Who would always fall asleep on the couch, and why did you pick them? Pippin, because he is lazy and spends too much time smoking the long bottom leaf.
Who would enter to be in a talent show, and why did you pick them? Eowyn, because she has an inferiority complex, and would like to show up everyone, especially the guys.
Who would try to get out of doing their chores and why did you pick them? Merry, because, like Pippin, he has never done a day's work in life.
Who would accidentally set the kitchen on fire whilst cooking and why did you stupidly pick them? Smaug, the dragon in the Lonely Mountain, because, well, he has hot breath.
Who would try to domesticate an island pet and why did you pick them? Samwise Gamgee, because he loves the land and the animals. He was very fond of Bill the pony and was sad when he couldn't take him through the mines of Moria.
Who would make the other carry their bags on a shopping spree and why did you pick them? Merry would make Pippin carry his bags, because Merry always leads Pippin around, and Pippin follows. They've done that since they were wee lads. They may also be in line for the drinking question.
Who would throw the first person off the boat and why did you pick them? Aragorn would throw anyone who was bad off the boat, because he is the Elessar (or king) and has great knowledge.
Who would be the best caregiver when someone got sick and why did you pick them? Gandalf, because he is a wizard and a healer.
Who would try to force the another to play sports with them and why did you pick them? Boromir would teach the hobbits to play at swords, in order to show them how to defend themselves. He is a master swordsman from Gondor.
Who would have the best holiday ideas for your space on the island and why did you pick them? Arwen, the elf who wants to marry Aragorn. She would throw a lavish party in order to court her man.
Who would need to clean out someone else's stuff to make room for their own and why did you pick them? Gollem would need to clear away everything he could find, because he is searching for The One Ring.
Who worries about how they will look when they’re older and why did you pick them? Lord Elrond does not worry about how he will look, but he does worry about how his daughter, Arwen, will look, because she has chosen a mortal life and will one day die, while he and the other elves live on in the undying lands.
Flashes everyone when they walk by after taking a shower alone and why did you pick them? Legolas Greenleaf, prince of the Woodland Realm, would gladly flash everyone after a shower, and I would be glad to look.
Who wakes you to asks weird questions in the middle of the night and why did you pick them? I would be the one asking the weird questions in the middle of the night. I already do that. Drives my husband nuts because my brain never goes out of gear.
Who will constantly ask you “what are you thinking about?” and why did you pick them? Gandalf would be asking me that constantly, because he is a curious sort of fellow who likes to know everything.
Which of your friends on this island might being too touchy-feely while you interact, why did you pick them? If I were lucky, Aragorn or Legalos might get a little touchy-feely. They are both beautiful.
__________
I encourage you to visit other participants in Sunday Stealing posts and leave a comment. Cheers to all us thieves who love memes, however we come by them.
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