Sunday Stealing
1. Do you have a passion project? What is it?
A. I must not since I'm not sure what that is.
2. How many languages can you speak?
A. I can speak a wee bit of Spanish along with my native English (American version).
3. What was the last book you read?
A. The Book of Life, by Deborah Harkness
4. Where in the world would you most like to visit?
A. New Zealand.
5. Top 5 fictional characters?
A. Jo from Little Women, Diana Prince aka Wonder Woman, Buffy Summers (Buffy the Vampire Slayer), Kinsey Milhone (Sue Grafton's heroine in her alphabet mysteries series), Xena, from Xena: Warrior Princess. I'd put something from Lord of the Rings in there but I thought I'd go with an all female list and let's face it, Tolkien was sexist. Aside from Eowyn, there aren't many women of note in his books.
6. Something you miss from your childhood?
A. I didn't particularly like my childhood.
7. What skill do you wish you had?
A. The ability to travel through time.
8. Tell us an interesting fact.
A. There are more lifeforms living on your skin than there are people on the planet.
9. What was your favourite subject in school?
A. English.
10. Favorite planet?
A. Saturn.
11. Which historical figure fascinates you and why?
A. Mary, Queen of Scots, because she was tough and I bet she was going "nyah nyah" at Queen Elizabeth even as her head was being chopped off.
12. Favorite mythical creature?
A. The Goddess Freyja and her Valkery warriors
13. Do you believe in any conspiracy theories?
A. Which kind of conspiracy theory? The "I think #45 was colluding with Russia" or the "they are holding aliens at Area 51" kind?
14. What is your favourite word?
A. Serendipity
15. Do you have any obsessions right now?
A. I'm obsessed with not getting my taxes done, because apparently I simply don't want to work on the damned things.
16. Do you play any instruments?
A. I play guitar. In the past I have played ukelele, guitalele, dobro, dulcimer, saxophone, flute, piccolo, piano, organ, harpsichord, accordian, harmonica, tamborine, recorder, bass guitar and probably a few others I've forgotten.
17. What’s your worst habit?
A. It's a tie between eating too much and chewing my finger nails.
18. Do you have a collection of anything?
A. I have a collection of Christmas mice and a lot of books.
19. What’s your biggest ‘what if’?
A. What if the apocolypse comes tomorrow and I don't have enough toilet paper?
20. What is your favourite fairy tale?
A. Snow White and Rose Red. Didn't we just have this question?
21. Have you ever dyed your hair? Is there a colour you’d like to dye it?
A. I have never dyed my hair. I had it highlighted a few times but I became allergic to the coloring. So I don't dye my hair and there is no color I would dye my hair. I have earned the gray.
22. If you could learn one language overnight, which would you choose?
A. French.
23. What’s the most useless thing you know how to do?
A. Procrastinate. I'm a master at it and it's very unproductive.
24. What’s the most important change that should be made to your country’s education system?
A. It would be nice if they taught civics again, and parents should stand behind the teachers, not their kids, when things go awry.
__________
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.
Sunday, January 20, 2019
Saturday, January 19, 2019
Saturday 9: Love Affair
Saturday 9: '65 Love Affair (1977)
Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.
1) The first line of this song is, "I was a car hop." Car hops used to take orders and bring diners food to eat in their cars. Today, the drive through lane has pretty much replaced car hops. Think about the last time you went to a fast food restaurant. Did you order at the counter or at the drive through window?
A. Actually, I phone it in and go in and pick it up.
2) Mr. Davis sings that his girlfriend was "bad with her pom-poms." Presumably she was a cheerleader. Share one of your school's cheers.
A. We're Cavalier born and Cavalier bred and when we die we'll be Cavaliers yet! So rah rah for Cavaliers! Rah rah for Cavaliers! Rah rah for Cavaliers!
3) The lyrics tell us he believes that if he could go back in time, his girl would still be his. If you could travel back in time to your high school years, what would you enjoy doing again? What would you do differently?
A. I would enjoy learning and visiting the library, which I did and would do again. I would try to be calmer. I was not a very calm teenager on the inside, though I was generally quiet and unnoticed.
4) During his performing days, Paul Davis sported a full beard and flowing hair. We're using that to check your powers of observation and recollection. Think of the last man you spoke to. Who was he? Describe his hair, and tell us whether he was clean shaven.
A. The last man I spoke to was my husband. He's balding with gray hair on the sides, and he had a 5 o'clock shadow because it was late in the day. He looked tired.
5) Paul Davis was born in Meridian, MS, and that's where he returned to when he went into semi-retirement in 1982. Meridian's biggest employer is the Naval Air Station in Meridian. Do you know anyone who is currently in, or employed by, the military?
A. I have an uncle who was in the Air Force and then retired and went back as a civilian worker. He's some kind of high tech airplane mechanic.
6) He was a pool player and a golfer. Which sport are you better at?
A. Pool. I used to shoot a mean game of pool back in the day.
7) Sadly, he died in 2008, on the day after his 60th birthday. His best friend remembers him as "a homebody," who enjoyed staying up long into the night with his friends, playing and listening to music. Describe your perfect way to spend an evening.
A. Staying in with my husband, with his hand in mind, and a good back in my lap, while he watches TV.
8) The publishing rights to "'65 Love Affair," as well as Paul Davis' bigger hits ("Cool Night" and "I Go Crazy"), are owned by another Paul -- Paul McCartney. Sir Paul's MPL Publishing Company has made him a very rich man, and Paul says that's because he chose to invest in music, something he loves. What about you? If you were to invest in a business or industry you love, which would you choose?
A. I would invest in publishing, although I don't think that is very lucrative right now. Perhaps I'd have to do something digital.
9) Random question --You're at a party and one of your host's best friends is a real egghead who tries to draw you into a conversation about paradigmatic counter existentialism. Would you: a) just listen politely while letting your mind wander; b) admit you don't know what the hell he's talking about; c) explain why you personally feel that the counter existential paradigm just adds unnecessary complexity to the individual's search for meaning?
A. Oh, my. I would be totally into this conversation. So I guess c), but I'd have to add that absurdist existentialism has merit as well, and that in all honesty, the universe really doesn't give a damn what we all do, and the search for meaning is in and of itself an absurdly pointless exercise, and thus the entire conversation was in and of itself useless.
___________
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) The first line of this song is, "I was a car hop." Car hops used to take orders and bring diners food to eat in their cars. Today, the drive through lane has pretty much replaced car hops. Think about the last time you went to a fast food restaurant. Did you order at the counter or at the drive through window?
A. Actually, I phone it in and go in and pick it up.
2) Mr. Davis sings that his girlfriend was "bad with her pom-poms." Presumably she was a cheerleader. Share one of your school's cheers.
A. We're Cavalier born and Cavalier bred and when we die we'll be Cavaliers yet! So rah rah for Cavaliers! Rah rah for Cavaliers! Rah rah for Cavaliers!
3) The lyrics tell us he believes that if he could go back in time, his girl would still be his. If you could travel back in time to your high school years, what would you enjoy doing again? What would you do differently?
A. I would enjoy learning and visiting the library, which I did and would do again. I would try to be calmer. I was not a very calm teenager on the inside, though I was generally quiet and unnoticed.
4) During his performing days, Paul Davis sported a full beard and flowing hair. We're using that to check your powers of observation and recollection. Think of the last man you spoke to. Who was he? Describe his hair, and tell us whether he was clean shaven.
A. The last man I spoke to was my husband. He's balding with gray hair on the sides, and he had a 5 o'clock shadow because it was late in the day. He looked tired.
5) Paul Davis was born in Meridian, MS, and that's where he returned to when he went into semi-retirement in 1982. Meridian's biggest employer is the Naval Air Station in Meridian. Do you know anyone who is currently in, or employed by, the military?
A. I have an uncle who was in the Air Force and then retired and went back as a civilian worker. He's some kind of high tech airplane mechanic.
6) He was a pool player and a golfer. Which sport are you better at?
A. Pool. I used to shoot a mean game of pool back in the day.
7) Sadly, he died in 2008, on the day after his 60th birthday. His best friend remembers him as "a homebody," who enjoyed staying up long into the night with his friends, playing and listening to music. Describe your perfect way to spend an evening.
A. Staying in with my husband, with his hand in mind, and a good back in my lap, while he watches TV.
8) The publishing rights to "'65 Love Affair," as well as Paul Davis' bigger hits ("Cool Night" and "I Go Crazy"), are owned by another Paul -- Paul McCartney. Sir Paul's MPL Publishing Company has made him a very rich man, and Paul says that's because he chose to invest in music, something he loves. What about you? If you were to invest in a business or industry you love, which would you choose?
A. I would invest in publishing, although I don't think that is very lucrative right now. Perhaps I'd have to do something digital.
9) Random question --You're at a party and one of your host's best friends is a real egghead who tries to draw you into a conversation about paradigmatic counter existentialism. Would you: a) just listen politely while letting your mind wander; b) admit you don't know what the hell he's talking about; c) explain why you personally feel that the counter existential paradigm just adds unnecessary complexity to the individual's search for meaning?
A. Oh, my. I would be totally into this conversation. So I guess c), but I'd have to add that absurdist existentialism has merit as well, and that in all honesty, the universe really doesn't give a damn what we all do, and the search for meaning is in and of itself an absurdly pointless exercise, and thus the entire conversation was in and of itself useless.
___________
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 17, 2019
Thursday 13
1. Today I am thinking about the word "trust."
2. Trust is defined as a relationship between two people, generally.
3. But it can also be a relationship with an animal, or a thing - like corporations or governments.
4. I am trusting you, my dear reader, to not use my words or photos in some nefarious manner when I place them upon a blog page. Not that I write things that are bad, or take naughty pictures, but you never know what people will do with things once they are on the Internet. So I must trust that you - someone I likely do not know - will honor the implicit contract of reader and writer and not steal my words or take them for your own (copyright violation).
5. Trust plays a big role in society. Could society function without trust? Let's think about it.
6. If we didn't have an implied trust that people will obey laws, would we ever leave our houses? Would we drive on the road? Would we trust the clerk at the grocery store not to steal from us?
7. Bad things happen that break these societal trusts. People steal credit card numbers. This is a breakdown of societal trust. When you're afraid to use a credit card online, you've lost your trust in the system.
8. Some corporations are trusted more than others. I trust Coca-Cola, for example, to sell me a product that tastes like it is supposed to. I trust Del Monte to sell me good-tasting canned vegetables. I trust Microsoft not to screw me over with its operating systems (might have to rethink that one, we'll see). What corporations do you trust, and why?
9. I trust my friends to have my back. Sometimes that means they call and check on me. Sometimes it means I call and check on them. Sometimes it means we help each other out with visits, chicken soup, or whatever is required at a specific time.
10. Family comes with an implied trust. Society on the whole insists that family members should be trusted and families themselves are a microcosm of society in many instances. Families break down, though - through divorce, drug use, alcoholism, bigamy, adultery, abuse, and multiple other reasons. Other families, though, are consistently true and there for each other.
11. We also trust the government - or did. Once we trusted them to ensure that our drugs were safe. We trusted to them to ensure the quality of our food. We trusted them to keep our National Parks safe and to keep our heritage available through museums. We trust the government to wisely use our taxes. We trust the government to keep us safe from enemies. (I don't trust the government anymore.)
12. We trust people all the time and don't even think about it. We trust the airline pilot to fly the plane. We trust the bus drivers, teachers, principals, etc. with our children. That's why it makes news when that trust is violated, when a bus driver wrecks or hurts a child, or whatever. That trust has been broken.
13. Broken trusts serve as warning signs. The more trust is broken, the worse the relationship, whether that's a one-on-one with a spouse, friend, or family member, or a relationship with a corporation or government. Waning trust signals a breakdown of society.
Do you think society is broken?
----------------------------
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 587th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.
2. Trust is defined as a relationship between two people, generally.
3. But it can also be a relationship with an animal, or a thing - like corporations or governments.
4. I am trusting you, my dear reader, to not use my words or photos in some nefarious manner when I place them upon a blog page. Not that I write things that are bad, or take naughty pictures, but you never know what people will do with things once they are on the Internet. So I must trust that you - someone I likely do not know - will honor the implicit contract of reader and writer and not steal my words or take them for your own (copyright violation).
5. Trust plays a big role in society. Could society function without trust? Let's think about it.
6. If we didn't have an implied trust that people will obey laws, would we ever leave our houses? Would we drive on the road? Would we trust the clerk at the grocery store not to steal from us?
7. Bad things happen that break these societal trusts. People steal credit card numbers. This is a breakdown of societal trust. When you're afraid to use a credit card online, you've lost your trust in the system.
8. Some corporations are trusted more than others. I trust Coca-Cola, for example, to sell me a product that tastes like it is supposed to. I trust Del Monte to sell me good-tasting canned vegetables. I trust Microsoft not to screw me over with its operating systems (might have to rethink that one, we'll see). What corporations do you trust, and why?
9. I trust my friends to have my back. Sometimes that means they call and check on me. Sometimes it means I call and check on them. Sometimes it means we help each other out with visits, chicken soup, or whatever is required at a specific time.
10. Family comes with an implied trust. Society on the whole insists that family members should be trusted and families themselves are a microcosm of society in many instances. Families break down, though - through divorce, drug use, alcoholism, bigamy, adultery, abuse, and multiple other reasons. Other families, though, are consistently true and there for each other.
11. We also trust the government - or did. Once we trusted them to ensure that our drugs were safe. We trusted to them to ensure the quality of our food. We trusted them to keep our National Parks safe and to keep our heritage available through museums. We trust the government to wisely use our taxes. We trust the government to keep us safe from enemies. (I don't trust the government anymore.)
12. We trust people all the time and don't even think about it. We trust the airline pilot to fly the plane. We trust the bus drivers, teachers, principals, etc. with our children. That's why it makes news when that trust is violated, when a bus driver wrecks or hurts a child, or whatever. That trust has been broken.
13. Broken trusts serve as warning signs. The more trust is broken, the worse the relationship, whether that's a one-on-one with a spouse, friend, or family member, or a relationship with a corporation or government. Waning trust signals a breakdown of society.
Do you think society is broken?
----------------------------
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 587th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.
Tuesday, January 15, 2019
Monday, January 14, 2019
Getting to the Point
The circular route around a topic is frequently the easiest for me. Sometimes I can write around and around and around and maybe at some point I reach the crucial words.
But not always. Sometimes I never find the crucial point.
This is especially true when I am writing about topics that require me to have an absolute unequivocal opinion. Or perhaps I should say things that I should have an opinion on but for whatever reason I pussyfoot around it.
This is particularly true about politics. I spent years not having an opinion about politics because I covered politics, and I wanted to be fair. So I bit my lip and never wrote something like, "Today the supervisors passed the most idiotic legislation I've ever seen."
I felt like writing that many times, I have to say. Over the 30 years I covered government, I saw a lot of stupid pass before my eyes.
Then there is national politics. Because I'm a reporter, still, I try to keep my thoughts to myself on that, but sometimes I just want to scream it out. I want to scream it out straight and get straight to the point.
But I don't. I learned a long time ago not to have an opinion. I learned that even before I was a writer, because when I had opinions, I found trouble.
Or trouble found me. My own opinions could often be used against me.
So best to keep my mouth shut.
But here I am with a blog that's been in existence for 12 years, and anyone who reads it ought to know by now where I stand on certain things. So for once, I'm going to get to the point.
I think #45 is a terrible person. He's a bully, he's loud, he's egotistical, he's arrogant, he's mean, he's a liar, he's a bigot, and he does not deserve to sit in the oval office.
People should not be used as pawns and keeping the government closed is immoral and sinful.
Walls are meant for houses and cover, not for separating nations.
Those are my points for today.
But not always. Sometimes I never find the crucial point.
This is especially true when I am writing about topics that require me to have an absolute unequivocal opinion. Or perhaps I should say things that I should have an opinion on but for whatever reason I pussyfoot around it.
This is particularly true about politics. I spent years not having an opinion about politics because I covered politics, and I wanted to be fair. So I bit my lip and never wrote something like, "Today the supervisors passed the most idiotic legislation I've ever seen."
I felt like writing that many times, I have to say. Over the 30 years I covered government, I saw a lot of stupid pass before my eyes.
Then there is national politics. Because I'm a reporter, still, I try to keep my thoughts to myself on that, but sometimes I just want to scream it out. I want to scream it out straight and get straight to the point.
But I don't. I learned a long time ago not to have an opinion. I learned that even before I was a writer, because when I had opinions, I found trouble.
Or trouble found me. My own opinions could often be used against me.
So best to keep my mouth shut.
But here I am with a blog that's been in existence for 12 years, and anyone who reads it ought to know by now where I stand on certain things. So for once, I'm going to get to the point.
I think #45 is a terrible person. He's a bully, he's loud, he's egotistical, he's arrogant, he's mean, he's a liar, he's a bigot, and he does not deserve to sit in the oval office.
People should not be used as pawns and keeping the government closed is immoral and sinful.
Walls are meant for houses and cover, not for separating nations.
Those are my points for today.
Sunday, January 13, 2019
Sunday Stealing
Sunday Stealing
1. Name the strangest place you've ever been.
A. When I was 12 we traveled across the country in a van. Somewhere out west we went into a very deep cave, one that had an elevator. It was very deep, so deep that animals that had found their way into it had petrified and looked like they did when they died. It was also so deep that no germs could live there. When I came out, my allergies/cold was all better.
2. What are unusual food combinations you enjoy?
A. I am pretty mundane when it comes to food. My husband likes peanut butter and mayonnaise, and potato chips and ketchup. I'm not that adventurous.
3. What is your best cure for hiccups?
A. Hold your breath and count to 10. If that doesn't work, put a pencil sideways in your mouth and drink 10 gulps of water.
4. Name something you have never done but would like to try.
A. I would like to fly an airplane. I'd also like to go on a cruise.
5. What is a routine you do every day without fail?
A. I get up and make tea.
6. Name something new you've recently learned.
A. I learned that declaring a "national emergency" gives the president of the United States enhanced powers and the ability to do a variety of things, including taking farmland. There are 136 statutory powers that come into play when the president declares a national emergency. A lot of these powers pertain to the military but others involve health care, imposition of fees on agricultural commodities, and the FCC can waive licenses for broadcasters. You can see a list of them all here. Boring reading, but also a little eyebrow-raising.
7. What is your keenest sense?
A. I can smell and hear things that other people cannot. For example, I can smell snakes. Black snakes smell like cucumber. Rattlesnakes smell like overturned earth. I have walked by trees and then stopped and told people to back away because I smelled a snake, and sure enough, there was a snake. My in-laws once had a TV with a terrible high-pitched squeal that no one else could hear but me. The thing eventually went bad and I was so glad because I couldn't stand to go over there because of that racket.
8. Do you prefer cooking or cleaning up?
A. I prefer eating out.
9. Where were you the last time you saw the sun rise?
A. Thursday morning I saw the sun rise as I stood in my kitchen.
10. Recall a recent time you were embarrassed.
A. I was embarrassed when I was talking to a person on the phone about an issue with our flooring and I started to cry because I felt overwhelmed by the discussion.
11. What is an everyday sound that delights you.
A. The sound of my husband's voice.
12. Tell about the last conversation you had with a stranger.
A. The checkout clerk at Kroger gave me a description of the "new construction" the store is doing, which actually more of a basic painting and sprucing up, with some much-needed restoration of 20-year-old restrooms. The store does need attention, but I think it needs a bit more attention than it's getting.
__________
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. Name the strangest place you've ever been.
A. When I was 12 we traveled across the country in a van. Somewhere out west we went into a very deep cave, one that had an elevator. It was very deep, so deep that animals that had found their way into it had petrified and looked like they did when they died. It was also so deep that no germs could live there. When I came out, my allergies/cold was all better.
2. What are unusual food combinations you enjoy?
A. I am pretty mundane when it comes to food. My husband likes peanut butter and mayonnaise, and potato chips and ketchup. I'm not that adventurous.
3. What is your best cure for hiccups?
A. Hold your breath and count to 10. If that doesn't work, put a pencil sideways in your mouth and drink 10 gulps of water.
4. Name something you have never done but would like to try.
A. I would like to fly an airplane. I'd also like to go on a cruise.
5. What is a routine you do every day without fail?
A. I get up and make tea.
6. Name something new you've recently learned.
A. I learned that declaring a "national emergency" gives the president of the United States enhanced powers and the ability to do a variety of things, including taking farmland. There are 136 statutory powers that come into play when the president declares a national emergency. A lot of these powers pertain to the military but others involve health care, imposition of fees on agricultural commodities, and the FCC can waive licenses for broadcasters. You can see a list of them all here. Boring reading, but also a little eyebrow-raising.
7. What is your keenest sense?
A. I can smell and hear things that other people cannot. For example, I can smell snakes. Black snakes smell like cucumber. Rattlesnakes smell like overturned earth. I have walked by trees and then stopped and told people to back away because I smelled a snake, and sure enough, there was a snake. My in-laws once had a TV with a terrible high-pitched squeal that no one else could hear but me. The thing eventually went bad and I was so glad because I couldn't stand to go over there because of that racket.
8. Do you prefer cooking or cleaning up?
A. I prefer eating out.
9. Where were you the last time you saw the sun rise?
A. Thursday morning I saw the sun rise as I stood in my kitchen.
10. Recall a recent time you were embarrassed.
A. I was embarrassed when I was talking to a person on the phone about an issue with our flooring and I started to cry because I felt overwhelmed by the discussion.
11. What is an everyday sound that delights you.
A. The sound of my husband's voice.
12. Tell about the last conversation you had with a stranger.
A. The checkout clerk at Kroger gave me a description of the "new construction" the store is doing, which actually more of a basic painting and sprucing up, with some much-needed restoration of 20-year-old restrooms. The store does need attention, but I think it needs a bit more attention than it's getting.
__________
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 12, 2019
Saturday 9: Remember
Saturday 9: I Forgot to Remember to Forget (1955)
Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.
In honor of Elvis' birthday (January 8.)
1) Elvis sings that he thinks about this girl all the time. What person or topic is on your mind this Saturday?
A. My husband. He has to work at the fire station today and we are expecting snow at any moment. He will probably have a long night. People really should stay home when the weather is bad. The snow is also on my mind because I need to dress and run to the store before the flakes fall.
2) He wants to forget the day he met his girl, but simply can't. Think about someone very important in your life. Did you know right away that they were going to be influential?
A. I am thinking of two people. One is the former editor of the newspaper for whom I did most of my freelancing. He was very influential and I think I knew that right away he would be even though I met him over 30 years. The other is a friend that I knew would be my friend the moment our eyes locked. Old souls.
Since this week's song is about memories, let's check on how well you recall events in your own life.
3) What was the first concert you ever attended?
A. I think my parents took me to a Loretta Lynn concert when I was small. The first concert I attended alone (not with parents but friends) was The Commodores.
4) Where did you get your first piercing? (Not only where on your body, but who did the deed and where did they do it?)
A. I had my ears done when I was in my early 20s. My parents wouldn't let me have piercings and I waited until after I was married. My hair dresser, Rhonda, did it, in her beauty salon.
5) What's the name of the bank where you had your first checking account?
A. First Federal Savings & Loan. It went under in 1990 or thereabouts.
6) Tell us about your first bicycle.
A. My first bicycle was a blue Schwinn, and it came to me when I was five years old at Christmas. It was under the tree as a Santa gift and had a Batgirl doll sitting on the seat. It came with training wheels that my father removed after I learned to ride. I rode it until I was about 10, and then my father backed over it with his truck. I did not leave it behind his truck, my brother did, but I was spanked for not taking care of my things even though I had no idea my brother was out riding my bike.
7) Who received the first text you ever sent?
A. Hmm. My friend Brenda, I think.
8) What had you been drinking when you suffered your first hangover?
A. Mad Dog 20-20.
9) Whose was the first wedding you ever attended?
A. I don't remember this for certain, but I am going to guess one of my mother's brother's weddings, or perhaps her sister. I am not a big wedding person and frequently don't go when I am invited. I will send a gift but I don't go the weddings, usually.
___________
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.
In honor of Elvis' birthday (January 8.)
1) Elvis sings that he thinks about this girl all the time. What person or topic is on your mind this Saturday?
A. My husband. He has to work at the fire station today and we are expecting snow at any moment. He will probably have a long night. People really should stay home when the weather is bad. The snow is also on my mind because I need to dress and run to the store before the flakes fall.
2) He wants to forget the day he met his girl, but simply can't. Think about someone very important in your life. Did you know right away that they were going to be influential?
A. I am thinking of two people. One is the former editor of the newspaper for whom I did most of my freelancing. He was very influential and I think I knew that right away he would be even though I met him over 30 years. The other is a friend that I knew would be my friend the moment our eyes locked. Old souls.
Since this week's song is about memories, let's check on how well you recall events in your own life.
3) What was the first concert you ever attended?
A. I think my parents took me to a Loretta Lynn concert when I was small. The first concert I attended alone (not with parents but friends) was The Commodores.
4) Where did you get your first piercing? (Not only where on your body, but who did the deed and where did they do it?)
A. I had my ears done when I was in my early 20s. My parents wouldn't let me have piercings and I waited until after I was married. My hair dresser, Rhonda, did it, in her beauty salon.
5) What's the name of the bank where you had your first checking account?
A. First Federal Savings & Loan. It went under in 1990 or thereabouts.
6) Tell us about your first bicycle.
A. My first bicycle was a blue Schwinn, and it came to me when I was five years old at Christmas. It was under the tree as a Santa gift and had a Batgirl doll sitting on the seat. It came with training wheels that my father removed after I learned to ride. I rode it until I was about 10, and then my father backed over it with his truck. I did not leave it behind his truck, my brother did, but I was spanked for not taking care of my things even though I had no idea my brother was out riding my bike.
7) Who received the first text you ever sent?
A. Hmm. My friend Brenda, I think.
8) What had you been drinking when you suffered your first hangover?
A. Mad Dog 20-20.
9) Whose was the first wedding you ever attended?
A. I don't remember this for certain, but I am going to guess one of my mother's brother's weddings, or perhaps her sister. I am not a big wedding person and frequently don't go when I am invited. I will send a gift but I don't go the weddings, usually.
___________
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 10, 2019
Thursday Thirteen
The holidays are over, and this time of year lots of folks are sad. So here are some facts about depression.
1. Depression is a whole body illness that affects a person's physical health as well as how he or she feels, thinks, and behaves towards others. In addition, a person who suffers from this disorder may have problems eating, sleeping, working, and getting along with his/her friends.
2. Specifically, clinical depression is a persistent, depressed mood that is often characterized by feelings of sadness or emptiness. People who have depression, or more formally, Major Depressive Disorder, experience at least five of the following symptoms, nearly every day, for a period of at least two weeks: Sad, low, empty, depressed mood; Loss of interest of pleasure in nearly all activities; Feelings of worthlessness, or guilt; Difficulty thinking, concentrating, or making decisions;
Decreased energy, fatigue,and feeling "slowed down"; Changes in appetite and/orweight; Oversleeping,early-morning awakening, or insomnia; Thoughts of death,suicide, plans or attempts
3. These episodes are also accompanied by clinically significant distress, or impairment (interference) in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning. If impairment is severe, the person might lose the ability to function socially or occupationally.
4. Of the estimated 17.5 million Americans who are affected by some form of depression, 9.2million have major or clinical depression.
5. Two-thirds of people suffering from depression do not seek necessary treatment
6. 80% of all people with clinical depression who have received treatment significantly improve their lives.
7. The economic cost of depression is estimated at $30.4 billion a year but the cost in human suffering cannot be estimated.
8. Women experience depression about twice as often as men.
9. By the year 2020,the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that depression will be the number two cause of "lost years of healthy life" worldwide.
10. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suicide was the ninth leading cause of death in the United States in 1996. Today, suicide is the second leading cause of death in the world for those aged 15-24 years. Depression is the leading cause of disability worldwide.
11. Major Depression is 1.5-3.0 times more common among first-degree biological relatives of those with the disorder than among the general population.
12. In established market economies such as the United States, depression is the leading form of mental illness.
13. People with depression are five times more likely to have a breathing-related sleep disorder than non-depressed people.
If you or someone you love is having problems, talk to your doctor for guidance. They may offer you medication, send you to talk therapy, or suggest some other method of assistance. You can also seek out resources online such as:
Anxiety and Depression Association of America
Psychology Today
GoodTherapy.org
----------------------------
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 586th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.
1. Depression is a whole body illness that affects a person's physical health as well as how he or she feels, thinks, and behaves towards others. In addition, a person who suffers from this disorder may have problems eating, sleeping, working, and getting along with his/her friends.
2. Specifically, clinical depression is a persistent, depressed mood that is often characterized by feelings of sadness or emptiness. People who have depression, or more formally, Major Depressive Disorder, experience at least five of the following symptoms, nearly every day, for a period of at least two weeks: Sad, low, empty, depressed mood; Loss of interest of pleasure in nearly all activities; Feelings of worthlessness, or guilt; Difficulty thinking, concentrating, or making decisions;
Decreased energy, fatigue,and feeling "slowed down"; Changes in appetite and/orweight; Oversleeping,early-morning awakening, or insomnia; Thoughts of death,suicide, plans or attempts
3. These episodes are also accompanied by clinically significant distress, or impairment (interference) in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning. If impairment is severe, the person might lose the ability to function socially or occupationally.
4. Of the estimated 17.5 million Americans who are affected by some form of depression, 9.2million have major or clinical depression.
5. Two-thirds of people suffering from depression do not seek necessary treatment
6. 80% of all people with clinical depression who have received treatment significantly improve their lives.
7. The economic cost of depression is estimated at $30.4 billion a year but the cost in human suffering cannot be estimated.
8. Women experience depression about twice as often as men.
9. By the year 2020,the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that depression will be the number two cause of "lost years of healthy life" worldwide.
10. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suicide was the ninth leading cause of death in the United States in 1996. Today, suicide is the second leading cause of death in the world for those aged 15-24 years. Depression is the leading cause of disability worldwide.
11. Major Depression is 1.5-3.0 times more common among first-degree biological relatives of those with the disorder than among the general population.
12. In established market economies such as the United States, depression is the leading form of mental illness.
13. People with depression are five times more likely to have a breathing-related sleep disorder than non-depressed people.
If you or someone you love is having problems, talk to your doctor for guidance. They may offer you medication, send you to talk therapy, or suggest some other method of assistance. You can also seek out resources online such as:
----------------------------
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 586th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.
Wednesday, January 09, 2019
In the Roanoke City Council Chambers
Tuesday we went to the Roanoke City Council meeting. My husband was receiving mention for his 35 years of service with the Roanoke City Fire-EMS, where he serves as battalion chief.
As a news reporter I have sat through hundreds of meetings in various town halls and county offices, but I'd never been to the city council meeting. It felt familiar and I inspected it from a reporter's point of view, I suppose.
I am very proud of my husband. He has served the citizens of Roanoke City for a very long time, and he has worked hard to keep people and their possessions safe. He has an important job overseeing numerous fire stations. He has plucked people from raging waters, made sure elderly folks were out of danger, pulled people from car wrecks, stayed up for over 24 hours fighting large structure fires, and otherwise wore himself out doing his job. He should be paid what a football player makes, but of course, he isn't.
He is a good man. Roanoke City has been lucky to have him. I only wish we could afford for him to retire, because he is getting too old to be saving people. Fighting fires is a young man's job.
As a news reporter I have sat through hundreds of meetings in various town halls and county offices, but I'd never been to the city council meeting. It felt familiar and I inspected it from a reporter's point of view, I suppose.
 |
| The media always interests me at these things. |
 |
| City council chambers are a more ornate than I am used to in county meeting rooms and town halls. |
 |
| The gentleman on the left is Ed Hopkins, who received 45 years of service. He is on the police force. He is with Mayor Sherman Lea and Vice Mayor Joe Cobb. |
 |
| My husband headed to the podium after his name was called. |
 |
| My husband would not turn around and face me so I could get a decent picture. |
 |
| The honorees with Mayor Lea. |
 |
| The City of Roanoke Seal |
I am very proud of my husband. He has served the citizens of Roanoke City for a very long time, and he has worked hard to keep people and their possessions safe. He has an important job overseeing numerous fire stations. He has plucked people from raging waters, made sure elderly folks were out of danger, pulled people from car wrecks, stayed up for over 24 hours fighting large structure fires, and otherwise wore himself out doing his job. He should be paid what a football player makes, but of course, he isn't.
He is a good man. Roanoke City has been lucky to have him. I only wish we could afford for him to retire, because he is getting too old to be saving people. Fighting fires is a young man's job.
Tuesday, January 08, 2019
Why Learning Matters
I was seven years old and the bus dropped me off at my babysitter's house. She lived a good walk from the trailer my parents and I (along with my brother) were living in at the time, on a dirt road. I wasn't supposed to walk on the road. I was supposed to go to the babysitter's house, though.
On this day, though, I found the front door to my babysitter's house locked. There was a note on the door - a note that did me no good.
The note was written in cursive. I had just started second grade and we hadn't learned cursive yet. I could make out a few things - by that time I could read extensively for a 7-year-old - but only print. I knew my mother's signature in cursive and that was about it.
I wandered around the back and found that door unlocked. I went in and called for my caregiver. The house echoed only my timid little voice as I first called out a name and then moved to a sobbing wail as I realized I was alone.
The phone lines were still party lines, and I had been told on multiple occasions not to touch the telephones, no matter what, not even to answer what was called "our ring." I did not dare call anyone because everything was long distance. The only number I knew was my grandmother's, anyway, and she lived 30 miles away.
My mother worked at a job near my grandmother (it was a long way off to a little child), and my father was a traveling salesman and I never knew when he would be home. It would be two hours at least before my mother came to fetch me.
Two hours is a mighty long time when you're a little girl. I made myself a jelly sandwich and tried not to make a mess - my babysitter hated messes - and sniffled myself quiet long enough to do whatever homework I had. Then I settled in to finish reading Bambi, by Felix Salten. This was the original novel, not the Disney version for kids, which tells you how progressed I was in my reading.
My mother finally turned up, followed not long after by my babysitter, who had left because she'd had an emergency with one of her own children.
Both were surprised to find me alone in the house.
I had not followed directions. I was supposed to walk up the road in the opposite direction of my home to the trailer up the hill, where an adult was waiting to take me in hand (why the adult never came for me, I do not know). I remember being yelled at, and my mother giving me a swat on the behind for not doing what I was told and for leaving crumbs on the kitchen table.
After they all finished yelling at me, I tearfully explained that I couldn't read the message. "You can read!" my mother exploded.
"Not that kind of writing," I cried.
It was then my mother saw the note and realized it was in cursive. I could not read cursive at that time, though I made it a priority after this incident. (I remember going to my second-grade teacher and begging her to teach me cursive, bursting into tears while I asked, and so without question she took me aside during the daily quiet time when the other children were napping, and taught me to read cursive writing, which wasn't taught until third grade. Bless her.)
I don't recall an apology from the babysitter or my mother, but I generally don't in most of my memories. Adults in my youth were not known for apologizing when they screwed up. Unlike Andy Taylor in the Andy Griffith Show, big people in my life were not good at recognizing the need to sit tiny little me on a knee and kiss me on the head and say, "I'm sorry." That's too bad, really, because it would have gone a long way toward making childhood more bearable. (It helps in adulthood too, if people say they are sorry, but I no longer expect apologies from anyone. I just hand out "I'm sorry" like candy, myself, knowing it is somehow my fault that I was too young to read cursive (with said incident serving as a nice metaphor of everything I cannot do or do not do right).
It wasn't long thereafter that I had a new babysitter, though I don't recall if the incidents were related or if it was because the babysitter was going to have a seventh child. Oddly, I don't know who kept me after school after that; certainly someone did for a time. After my brother started school I know where we stayed but there is a gap there for me in that I don't know where I went after school for the remainder of the second grade and none of the third grade. Maybe I just went home and stayed alone, although that doesn't sound right. I'll have to ask my brother if he remembers.
This odd memory came roaring back this morning, totally unbidden, while I was in the shower. It is neither a bad memory nor a good one; it's more a tale of how life was when I was growing up.
Perhaps a recent article I read about how certain states are bringing cursive writing back into the curriculum brought this incident to mind. Supposedly cursive has always been taught here where I live, but my 24-year-old nephew, who went through the same school system I did, only 25 years later, cannot read it. Two years ago when my brother sent him a recipe in my mother's handwriting, he couldn't understand the words because they were written in my mother's beautiful cursive.
When I go to the county courthouse, all of the old records are handwritten. Court orders, civil verdicts, birth and death certificates - all written in longhand, all illegible to thousands of people who cannot read cursive and apparently have no desire to do so.
Many primary sources that pre-date the 1900s are handwritten. The original U.S. Constitution and the Declaration of Independence are written in the cursive of the time. Can you read them?
My cursive handwriting is awful; I turned to print a long time ago. I still remember how to write it, though.
And I certainly now know how to read it.
On this day, though, I found the front door to my babysitter's house locked. There was a note on the door - a note that did me no good.
The note was written in cursive. I had just started second grade and we hadn't learned cursive yet. I could make out a few things - by that time I could read extensively for a 7-year-old - but only print. I knew my mother's signature in cursive and that was about it.
I wandered around the back and found that door unlocked. I went in and called for my caregiver. The house echoed only my timid little voice as I first called out a name and then moved to a sobbing wail as I realized I was alone.
The phone lines were still party lines, and I had been told on multiple occasions not to touch the telephones, no matter what, not even to answer what was called "our ring." I did not dare call anyone because everything was long distance. The only number I knew was my grandmother's, anyway, and she lived 30 miles away.
My mother worked at a job near my grandmother (it was a long way off to a little child), and my father was a traveling salesman and I never knew when he would be home. It would be two hours at least before my mother came to fetch me.
Two hours is a mighty long time when you're a little girl. I made myself a jelly sandwich and tried not to make a mess - my babysitter hated messes - and sniffled myself quiet long enough to do whatever homework I had. Then I settled in to finish reading Bambi, by Felix Salten. This was the original novel, not the Disney version for kids, which tells you how progressed I was in my reading.
My mother finally turned up, followed not long after by my babysitter, who had left because she'd had an emergency with one of her own children.
Both were surprised to find me alone in the house.
I had not followed directions. I was supposed to walk up the road in the opposite direction of my home to the trailer up the hill, where an adult was waiting to take me in hand (why the adult never came for me, I do not know). I remember being yelled at, and my mother giving me a swat on the behind for not doing what I was told and for leaving crumbs on the kitchen table.
After they all finished yelling at me, I tearfully explained that I couldn't read the message. "You can read!" my mother exploded.
"Not that kind of writing," I cried.
It was then my mother saw the note and realized it was in cursive. I could not read cursive at that time, though I made it a priority after this incident. (I remember going to my second-grade teacher and begging her to teach me cursive, bursting into tears while I asked, and so without question she took me aside during the daily quiet time when the other children were napping, and taught me to read cursive writing, which wasn't taught until third grade. Bless her.)
I don't recall an apology from the babysitter or my mother, but I generally don't in most of my memories. Adults in my youth were not known for apologizing when they screwed up. Unlike Andy Taylor in the Andy Griffith Show, big people in my life were not good at recognizing the need to sit tiny little me on a knee and kiss me on the head and say, "I'm sorry." That's too bad, really, because it would have gone a long way toward making childhood more bearable. (It helps in adulthood too, if people say they are sorry, but I no longer expect apologies from anyone. I just hand out "I'm sorry" like candy, myself, knowing it is somehow my fault that I was too young to read cursive (with said incident serving as a nice metaphor of everything I cannot do or do not do right).
It wasn't long thereafter that I had a new babysitter, though I don't recall if the incidents were related or if it was because the babysitter was going to have a seventh child. Oddly, I don't know who kept me after school after that; certainly someone did for a time. After my brother started school I know where we stayed but there is a gap there for me in that I don't know where I went after school for the remainder of the second grade and none of the third grade. Maybe I just went home and stayed alone, although that doesn't sound right. I'll have to ask my brother if he remembers.
This odd memory came roaring back this morning, totally unbidden, while I was in the shower. It is neither a bad memory nor a good one; it's more a tale of how life was when I was growing up.
Perhaps a recent article I read about how certain states are bringing cursive writing back into the curriculum brought this incident to mind. Supposedly cursive has always been taught here where I live, but my 24-year-old nephew, who went through the same school system I did, only 25 years later, cannot read it. Two years ago when my brother sent him a recipe in my mother's handwriting, he couldn't understand the words because they were written in my mother's beautiful cursive.
When I go to the county courthouse, all of the old records are handwritten. Court orders, civil verdicts, birth and death certificates - all written in longhand, all illegible to thousands of people who cannot read cursive and apparently have no desire to do so.
Many primary sources that pre-date the 1900s are handwritten. The original U.S. Constitution and the Declaration of Independence are written in the cursive of the time. Can you read them?
My cursive handwriting is awful; I turned to print a long time ago. I still remember how to write it, though.
And I certainly now know how to read it.
Sunday, January 06, 2019
Sunday Stealing
Sunday Stealing
1. Are you filled with joy today?
A. No. But . . . Joy to the world! All you boys and girls. Joy to the fishies in the deep blue sea, and joy to you and me!
2. Has it been a rough week?
A. Not especially.
3. If given the opportunity, would you like to star in a musical?
A. No, although sometimes I wish the entire world were a musical. Wouldn't it be fun if we'd all break out into song occasionally?
4. Name one person you’d take a bullet for.
A. I don't like violent questions like this, but I would take one for my husband. And probably anyone else, for that matter. Or I like to think I would, anyway.
5. Did you trip over anything today?
A. Not yet.
6. Last time you painted a picture?
A. I don't paint. I color. I haven't done that since October, though.
7. Is your favorite color yellow?
A. No.
8. Were you born in a hospital? Do you know the name of the person that delivered you?
A. I was born in a hospital and I was delivered by Dr. Cruzer, I think.
9. Have you ever had a friend or relative that’s incarcerated?
A. That sentence makes no sense. Grammar police! Grammar police! Arrest sentence #9!
10. Do you enjoy romantic movies, even when they’re cliche?
A. Depends on my mood.
11. Would you rather watch a movie or listen to music?
A. I listen to music more than I watch movies.
12. Ever been to Rhode Island?
A. No.
13. Can you tell the difference between a Scottish & an Irish accent?
A. I never thought about it.
14. Can you read music?
A. Yes. ♪ ♫
15. Have you been to McDonald’s in the past month?
A. I do not eat at McDonald's at all. I can't remember the last time I was in a McDonald's.
__________
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. (#265)
1. Are you filled with joy today?
A. No. But . . . Joy to the world! All you boys and girls. Joy to the fishies in the deep blue sea, and joy to you and me!
2. Has it been a rough week?
A. Not especially.
3. If given the opportunity, would you like to star in a musical?
A. No, although sometimes I wish the entire world were a musical. Wouldn't it be fun if we'd all break out into song occasionally?
4. Name one person you’d take a bullet for.
A. I don't like violent questions like this, but I would take one for my husband. And probably anyone else, for that matter. Or I like to think I would, anyway.
5. Did you trip over anything today?
A. Not yet.
6. Last time you painted a picture?
A. I don't paint. I color. I haven't done that since October, though.
7. Is your favorite color yellow?
A. No.
8. Were you born in a hospital? Do you know the name of the person that delivered you?
A. I was born in a hospital and I was delivered by Dr. Cruzer, I think.
9. Have you ever had a friend or relative that’s incarcerated?
A. That sentence makes no sense. Grammar police! Grammar police! Arrest sentence #9!
10. Do you enjoy romantic movies, even when they’re cliche?
A. Depends on my mood.
11. Would you rather watch a movie or listen to music?
A. I listen to music more than I watch movies.
12. Ever been to Rhode Island?
A. No.
13. Can you tell the difference between a Scottish & an Irish accent?
A. I never thought about it.
14. Can you read music?
A. Yes. ♪ ♫
15. Have you been to McDonald’s in the past month?
A. I do not eat at McDonald's at all. I can't remember the last time I was in a McDonald's.
__________
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. (#265)
Saturday, January 05, 2019
Saturday 9: Brand New
Saturday 9: You Make Me Feel Brand New (1974)
Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.
Welcome to the first Saturday 9 of 2019!
1) As 2019 kicks off, what are your hopes for the brand new year?
A. I hope that people are kinder, for one. I hope that I feel better, for another. It would be nice if I could get well enough that my doctor would say, "Sure, go on back to work." I hope my husband can hold up under the pressures of his three jobs.
2) Just because an item isn't brand new doesn't mean it isn't valuable. Have you scored any fabulous finds at a second hand store or website?
A. Not lately, no. I did get my husband's aunt's china at her estate sale several years ago.
3) This song is sung by The Stylistics, a group from Philadelphia. Have you ever been to Philly?
A. I don't think so.
4) This song was co-written by Thom Bell, a Philadelphia-based musician/producer who was born in Kingston, Jamaica. The average daily temp in Kingston in January is 87ยบ. Do you have plans to get away this winter and go somewhere warm?
A. I wish, but no.
5) The Stylistics took their choreography very seriously. As you can see from the video, they even carefully synchronized their hand movements. Do you use your hands much when you talk?
A. When I am irritated or excited I do.
6) The lyrics tell us that the singer is grateful for a friend who will walk with him along a path that "sometimes bends." Looking back on 2018, tell us about a time that life's path took a bend you didn't quite expect.
A. I made an effort to get to know my stepmother in August.
7) In 1974, when this song was popular, Chicago's Sears Tower opened and was for years the world's tallest building. Its elevators can carry you to the 103rd floor in approximately a minute. When were you last on an elevator?
A. When I was in the county courthouse to pay my personal property taxes. It's a tiny little elevator, too. Smaller than a closet. Totally claustrophobic.
8) Also in 1974, the 55 mph speed limit was imposed nationwide. When you drive, are you careful to stay within the speed limit? Or do you have a led foot?
A. My initials are A. J. and I'm afraid I sometimes live up to them.
9) Random question -- It's time to pose for your Saturday 9 yearbook picture. Will you show us your right profile, your left profile, or will you look directly into the camera?
A. Left side.
___________
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.
Welcome to the first Saturday 9 of 2019!
1) As 2019 kicks off, what are your hopes for the brand new year?
A. I hope that people are kinder, for one. I hope that I feel better, for another. It would be nice if I could get well enough that my doctor would say, "Sure, go on back to work." I hope my husband can hold up under the pressures of his three jobs.
2) Just because an item isn't brand new doesn't mean it isn't valuable. Have you scored any fabulous finds at a second hand store or website?
A. Not lately, no. I did get my husband's aunt's china at her estate sale several years ago.
3) This song is sung by The Stylistics, a group from Philadelphia. Have you ever been to Philly?
A. I don't think so.
4) This song was co-written by Thom Bell, a Philadelphia-based musician/producer who was born in Kingston, Jamaica. The average daily temp in Kingston in January is 87ยบ. Do you have plans to get away this winter and go somewhere warm?
A. I wish, but no.
5) The Stylistics took their choreography very seriously. As you can see from the video, they even carefully synchronized their hand movements. Do you use your hands much when you talk?
A. When I am irritated or excited I do.
6) The lyrics tell us that the singer is grateful for a friend who will walk with him along a path that "sometimes bends." Looking back on 2018, tell us about a time that life's path took a bend you didn't quite expect.
A. I made an effort to get to know my stepmother in August.
7) In 1974, when this song was popular, Chicago's Sears Tower opened and was for years the world's tallest building. Its elevators can carry you to the 103rd floor in approximately a minute. When were you last on an elevator?
A. When I was in the county courthouse to pay my personal property taxes. It's a tiny little elevator, too. Smaller than a closet. Totally claustrophobic.
8) Also in 1974, the 55 mph speed limit was imposed nationwide. When you drive, are you careful to stay within the speed limit? Or do you have a led foot?
A. My initials are A. J. and I'm afraid I sometimes live up to them.
9) Random question -- It's time to pose for your Saturday 9 yearbook picture. Will you show us your right profile, your left profile, or will you look directly into the camera?
A. Left side.
___________
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.
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