Happiness Challenge - Day 8

 

Today I am happy because I have a good dentist.

I've had a tooth bothering me for a while. When I finally called about it, my dentist was on vacation, so I saw someone else.

That person did not fix the problem, so three weeks later I went back to see my own dentist.

She's great.

I have a filling in the tooth that was bothering me. She said it had worn down - I grind my teeth even though I wear a night guard - and she refilled her back up and I was good to go.

Today I realized how much the tooth had been bothering me because the bother was gone. Sometime you don't know how much pain and/or discomfort you're putting up with until it goes away.

Happiness Challenge - Day 7

 

Today I am happy because we have rain in the forecast. We still need rain.

When the systems change over from el nino to la nina and vice versa, we get into these weather patterns where we sit and watch the rain go down the mountains, missing us entirely.

This year has been particularly bad and for a while we were so short of hay for the cattle for the winter we were afraid we might have to sell half the herd.

It looks like now we will be ok, and this rain will help with a third cutting.

Farming is not easy. But I'm happy too that I live in a rural area where I can see trees, the sky, the deer, the squirrels. I never know what kind of critter might walk right by my office window. That's happiness, right there, just watching Ma Nature do her thing.

Happiness Challenge - Day 6

 

Today I am looking back to see that this is my blog anniversary weekend. I started my blog on August 5, 2006.

I've been writing this thing for 17 years. That's like birthing a kid. Sort of.

My blog is printed out by blog2print every six months or so. It takes up almost an entire shelf on my bookcase now. I do this so I will have it, because this has been free all of this time, and one day, it will not be, or it will cease to exist because blogging isn't a thing anymore.

Those blog books hopefully will end up with family. Or they may end up in the recycling when I am gone, who knows. But I print them up and have them bound for myself. So I can look at them occasionally and say, "See, I did that." 

I may not be writing bestselling books, but I have written an awful lot of words.

My blog makes me happy, and even after all of these years, it can still challenge me because I try not to go for many days without writing something or posting a photo. I have to tend to it, nurture it, guard it.

After all, I've been writing here for almost 1/3 of my life!

Sunday Stealing

Sunday Stealing

1.  What do you have hanging on your walls?

A. A calendar, several clocks, my diplomas, and a copy of a Van Gogh picture.

2.  Have you used an outrageous excuse to get out of jury duty?

A. No. I wanted to be juror, but I have only been picked three times and then didn't make the cut. I was released because I wrote for the newspaper.

3. Where so you like to go shopping (not for groceries)?

A. I like to shop in office supply stores. The older kind, though, not the newer ones. They don't have as many notebooks and things in them now.

4. What was the last movie you saw in a movie theater?

A. Barbie.

5. If you wrote a note and put it in a bottle to throw out to sea, what would the note say?

A. “Do not meddle in the affairs of Dragons, for you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup!”

6. What decision have you made in your life that you regret?

A. I have written before about a job I left in 1984 that I wish I had not. 

7. What is in your junk drawer?

A. Junk, of course. That includes an assortment of tools, the little twisty ties off of bread, tape, a deck of playing cards, toothpicks, scratch pads, nuts and bolts, and other assorted doodads.

8. Have you ever gone to a high school reunion?

A. Yes. I went to my 30th high school reunion. I have no plans to attend another.

9. Would you rather receive the GOOD news or the BAD news first?

A. The bad news.

10. What are your top 3 pet peeves?

A. I don't know that I have a top three. But here are three: people who smell bad (and for me that could be someone who wears perfume), people who can't park properly, especially in the disabled parking spaces, and people who lie.

11. Are there famous people from where you live?

A. Yes. Matt Ramsey is in the band Old Dominion, which has won lots of music awards. Mary Johnston was a famous writer in the early 1900s. 

12. What kitchen gadgets do you use most?

A. The can opener, the toaster, and the potato peeler.

13. Who was your elementary school best friend?

A. That seemed to change from year to year, but a few of them were Chris, Ann, and Donna.

14. Choose an animal and tell us 4 things about that animal.

A. A deer is curious, yet timid. They give birth to twins more frequently than one might think. They don't like cats or coyotes. They will eat roses, even the thorns.

15. What is your favorite pizza topping?  What do you never want on a pizza?

A. I like a veggie pizza, but never want black olives.

__________

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.

Happiness Challenge - Day 5

 

Today I am happy because this morning when I stepped on the scales, I had lost three pounds. This was a pleasant surprise because I thought I had gained weight instead.

Yay.

I am also happy because it is Saturday and that means clean bed linens tonight.

***

Each day in August you are to post about something that makes *you* happy. Pretty simple. And, it doesn't even have to be every day if you don't want it to be. It's a great way to remind ourselves that there are positive things going on in our lives, our communities, and the world.

This meme comes from The Gal Herself.

Saturday 9: Linda

Saturday 9: Linda (1946)

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

1) In this song, Buddy Clark sings that when he can't sleep he doesn't count sheep, he enumerates Linda's charms. Did you sleep well last night?

A. Yes. I have to get up every night to take medication, so I seldom get through a night without that, but I sleep better than I did when I was younger.

2) In addition to singing with big bands, Buddy sang commercial jingles live on radio programs and was the voice of Carnation Milk. Can you think of a jingle that's stayed in your head?

A. This is a jingle for a local drugstore that for whatever reason I have always remembered. I can't find it online. I think it dates back to the 1970s. Anyway, it goes like this:

Evans Drugstore, Evans Drugstore, good prescription service. Intersection at Airport and Williamson Road. Delivery in the city, and in the county too! For drugs, cosmetics, school supplies, it's Evans Drugstore!

3) For "Linda," Buddy Clark performed with bandleader Ray Noble. Ray was classically trained at London's Royal Academy of Music, but much preferred big band music to that of Mozart, Beethoven or Chopin. When did you last listen to classical music?

A. It has been a while. Sometimes when I am writing something I ask Alexa for classical music, but not often.

4) Composer Jack Lawrence named this song after a particular little girl, the daughter of his lawyer, Lee Eastman. Without looking it up, do you know what became of Lee Eastman's daughter Linda?

A. I haven't a clue. I don't know who any of those people are. Ok, I looked her up, now I know who she was.

5) According to the Social Security Administration Linda was long one of the most popular names for American baby girls. It was #2 in the 1940s and 1950s (second only to Mary). By the 1960s it slipped to #7 and by the 1970s it fell to #68. Are there many Lindas in your life?

A. Not many. There are some Lindas who are friends with me on Facebook, but I don't know of anyone named Linda that I hang out with.

6) 1946, the year this record was released, is regarded as the first year of the Baby Boom, which lasted until 1964. Are you from The Silent Generation or are you Boomer, a Gen-Xer, a Gen-Yer, or a Millennial?

A. According to this, I am a Boomer. I feel better with the "Generation Jones" term given to people born between 1954 and 1965. I have never related much to Boomers as I was born at the tail end of the years used for that. I actually relate more to Gen-Xers.

7) In the summer of '46, hats were a standard part of any woman's outfit. Hats for day, hats for evening, hats for rainy days . . . The 1946 Sears Spring-Summer catalog devoted nine pages to women's hats. Do you own many hats? If yes, for what occasions do you wear them?

A. I have a few baseball caps and one railroad hat that my brother gave me, but I don't wear hats much anymore. I used to wear them all the time, but I think that was mostly because my mother hated them.

8) Also in 1946, the Mensa Society was created. The only qualification to join was an IQ in the top 98th percentile. Do you know your IQ?

A. I do not. I just took this test and it says I am smarter than 70% of the other people who have taken the test. I scored above average on every aspect of the test. It gives me an IQ score of 108, but I have no idea how accurate that is. There's a lot more to knowing stuff than being able to determine which number goes where or whatever.

9) Random question: Tell us something you admire about your best friend.

A. My best friend is my husband. He is loyal, steady, trustworthy, honorable, smart, and friendly. He's also a hard worker. I admire him for staying true to himself most of the time - he seldom slips. My closest female friend is an artist, and I greatly admire her ability to paint and draw, among other things.

_______________

I encourage you to visit the posts of other participants in Saturday 9 and leave a comment. Because there are no rules, it is your choice. Saturday 9 players hate rules. We love memes, however.  

Happiness Challenge - Day 4

 

My happiness for today is I saw my chiropractor, who put me to rights, and I talked on the phone with my friend. Yay for friends!

I also overslept, which doesn't exactly make me happy but I must've been tired, so there's that.

Also, I am relieved (not happy, but relieved is close) that finally the former president is learning that actions have consequences. While I am not on a jury and it's not up to me to find him innocent or guilty, I have judged his character and I do not find him to be presidential material. How anyone can find him to be worthy of holding that office is beyond me.

***

Each day in August you are to post about something that makes *you* happy. Pretty simple. And, it doesn't even have to be every day if you don't want it to be. It's a great way to remind ourselves that there are positive things going on in our lives, our communities, and the world.

This meme comes from The Gal Herself.

Happiness Challenge - Day 3

Today I am happy that I have returned to doing Tai Chi with the video I have used for about 20 years. I had stopped doing this some time ago because I grew bored with it, but I started doing it again recently and can tell a difference in my flexibility.

I'm also happy it is raining, because we really needed some moisture on our hayfields so we can get a good third cutting of feed for the cattle.

***

Each day in August you are to post about something that makes *you* happy. Pretty simple. And, it doesn't even have to be every day if you don't want it to be. It's a great way to remind ourselves that there are positive things going on in our lives, our communities, and the world.

This meme comes from The Gal Herself.

Thursday Thirteen

What happens when I take a day off: 

1. The laundry does not get done.

2. The bed does get made, and the dishwasher gets emptied. Some things one has to do.

3. I spend a little cash on "play."

4. I don't eat a real lunch.

5. My writing does not get written.

6. Dinner is created from leftovers.

7. My cellphone goes unnoticed for hours.

8. The PC is never turned on.

9. I put a few miles on the car that normally sits in the garage.

10. I don't speak to my husband for a long period of time.

11. Breaking news doesn't break for me until hours after it's happened. (I didn't need to know it right away anyhow.)

12. I take a second shower to get the "out of the house" germs off of me.

13. My heart lightens up for a few hours.

*Bing AI images.*

______________

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 819th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.

August Happiness Challenge - Day 2

I missed Day 1, but fortunately this is a no-rules sort of thing. So what am I happy about today?

At the moment, I'm happy it's 6:10 p.m. and the day is almost done. I'm ready for bed already!

I'm also happy that I finished my work and chores.

Happy too that my friends and my brother called me today. And happy I gave away zucchini! (We have more zucchini than we need at the moment.)

***

Each day in August you are to post about something that makes *you* happy. Pretty simple. And, it doesn't even have to be every day if you don't want it to be. It's a great way to remind ourselves that there are positive things going on in our lives, our communities, and the world.

This meme comes from The Gal Herself.

I Did Not Go Fishing

Yesterday, I went to see the Barbie movie with a friend.

The movie is a tremendous statement about women, their role in society, and how things could be changed - if we only wanted to change it.

This is not a movie for children. This movie was made for women like me - and men with open minds - to throw back upon us the world as it is and as it could be. The political statements in this film are awesome and many.

It is no wonder I see women noting they've seen the movie multiple times at the theater. It is one I will watch again myself when it comes around to the small screen.

I may even buy the DVD. (They do still make DVDs, right?)

There is one monologue in the movie that I wish every woman could read. In fact, I found it online so I will put it here. The monologue is spoken by Gloria, a grown-ass woman who works for Mattel.

She says:

It is literally impossible to be a woman. You are so beautiful, and so smart, and it kills me that you don’t think you’re good enough. Like, we have to always be extraordinary, but somehow we’re always doing it wrong.

You have to be thin, but not too thin. And you can never say you want to be thin. You have to say you want to be healthy, but also you have to be thin. You have to have money, but you can’t ask for money because that’s crass. You have to be a boss, but you can’t be mean.

You have to lead, but you can’t squash other people’s ideas. You’re supposed to love being a mother, but don’t talk about your kids all the damn time. You have to be a career woman, but also always be looking out for other people. You have to answer for men’s bad behavior, which is insane, but if you point that out, you’re accused of complaining.

You’re supposed to stay pretty for men, but not so pretty that you tempt them too much or that you threaten other women because you’re supposed to be a part of the sisterhood. But always stand out and always be grateful. But never forget that the system is rigged. So find a way to acknowledge that but also always be grateful.

You have to never get old, never be rude, never show off, never be selfish, never fall down, never fail, never show fear, never get out of line. It’s too hard! It’s too contradictory and nobody gives you a medal or says thank you! And it turns out in fact that not only are you doing everything wrong, but also everything is your fault.

I’m just so tired of watching myself and every single other woman tie herself into knots so that people will like us. And if all of that is also true for a doll just representing women, then I don’t even know.

As you can see, this is not a movie for children. This is a movie that can move you to tears and make you laugh at the same time. It's definitely a movie that intelligent and empathetic women will love and enjoy.

Women who love being boy toys may not like it so much, but that's their problem. I never have made a good boy toy.

Anyway, if you are one of my faithful readers, then I suspect you will find a lot to like about Barbie. Otherwise, you wouldn't be here.

And yay for me for taking some time to go do something fun for a change.

And Today I'm Outta Here

 

My Name in Elvish

I wore my Lord of the Rings t-shirt into the grocery store the other day. The checkout fellow kept giving me strange looks, and I asked if there was a problem.

"Just admiring your shirt," he said.

I glanced down to see what I had on. "Oh, Lord of the Rings. You a fan?"

"Oh yeah. My brother used to read it to me before bed every night," he said. I asked him if he'd liked the movies, and he gave me a nod. "Have you read the books?"

"Sure, several times," I told him as he slid the groceries across the little beepy thing. "I have a copy on my cellphone to read while I'm at the doctor's office."

"Have you read the Appendices?"

"Of course," I said. "And some of the extra books too."

"I learned how to write in Elvish using the Appendices," he said. Then he asked me my first name. I told him.

On the back of my receipt, he wrote this:

"Cool," I said. "Thanks. I'd never thought to learn Elvish."

I came home and looked up an online translator. It gave me this:

A little prettier but basically the same.

Nerds. You gotta love 'em.

Sunday Stealing

Sunday Stealing

1. Does love come from the brain, the heart or elsewhere?

A. It comes from endorphins and pheromones that trigger the brain.

2. Have you ever given a shot?

A. Only to cows.

3. Can you lick your elbow? (Come on, didja try?)

A. No, I can't, nor did I try.

4. If I was going to be talking to you for 10 minutes, what would be something really interesting you know a little bit about but would like to know more?

A. Well, since I don't know what *you* know, that would be rather difficult to ascertain as to what you could tell me. So first I would have to ask what you might be interested in and could share information about. Now, if you were dressed as a mail person, say, then I would talk to you about your job as I'd like to know more about delivering mail. 

5. What do you think of the Sopranos?

A. I don't think of them ever. I never watched the show.

6. Have you ever had a crush on your teacher?  How about your boss?

A. Yes, I have had crushes on teachers. I don't recall ever having a crush on a boss.

7. Have you ever seen a movie in 3D?

A. Maybe when I was quite young. I could not watch one now; they trigger migraines.

8. How difficult do you think it is for immigrants to come into your country?

A. Very difficult.

9. Do you have what it takes to go live in another country, maybe for years, where you don't speak the language as your first language?

A. No. I only know muy poco espanol and I'm not much on change. Obviously if I had to go live elsewhere, I would do my best.

10. Have you ever died in your dreams?

A. Yes, I have. It usually wakes me up.

11. What book should our political leaders read and why?

A. Apparently, none of them have read any of George Orwell's books, like 1984 or Animal Farm. Nor have they read Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury. Perhaps they should go all the way back to the beginning of the country's origins and pick up a copy of Thomas Paine's Common Sense.

12. What is your favorite glass object?

A. The touch-on lamp beside my bed.

13. Do you like to window shop?

A. Not particularly. I don't even like scrolling around online trying to find things.

14. Are you more likely to buy one really nice expensive outfit or a couple of cheap outfits?

A. It would depend on what it was for. Lounging around the house? Cheap outfits. Going out of the home to work? More expensive, preferably something I could wear with multiple other things, like a really nice reversible pants suit or something.

15. If you could, would you wear everything once, throw it out and buy something new?

A. No, that's wasteful. I wear stuff out before I replace it.

__________

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 9: I've Got Your Number

Saturday 9: I've Got Your Number (1965)

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

Chosen in memory of Tony Bennett, who passed away on July 21, 2023.
 
1) In this song, Tony sings that he recognizes his lover's insecurities because she's a lot like him. Are you unsure in social situations? Or do you meet new people easily?

A. I'm not a social butterfly by any stretch of the imagination.
 
2) While singing was his livelihood, painting was Tony Bennett's passion. What hobby do you participate in with the greatest enthusiasm?

A. Probably video games, although music would be a close second.

3) Tony was a proud son of New Jersey. Many singers hail from The Garden State, including Bruce Springsteen, Jon Bon Jovi and Frank Sinatra. What heroes, heroines or celebrities hail from your home state?

A. 8 US presidents, Sandra Bullock, Wayne Newton, Rob Lowe, Ella Fitzgerald, Dave Matthews Band, Katie Couric, Pharrell Williams, Arthur Ashe, Wanda Sykes, Patsy Cline, June Carter Cash, David Baldacci, etc.

4) Though Tony dreamed of becoming a commercial artist, he had to drop out of school in his teens to help support his family. Looking back on your teen years, what did you want to do for a living? Is that what you ended up doing?

A. While at various times I wanted to be an archeologist or a geologist (mostly in my preteen years), I also always wanted to be a writer. That is what I ended up doing. As a teenager, though, I made my spending money by playing guitar.

5) During WWII, Tony served in Germany. The first time his voice was broadcast was during an aircheck for Armed Forced Radio. For the occasion he sang "St. James Infirmary." That was Tony's first. Let's contrast it with your last. What's the most recent song you sang?

A. Sheryl Crow's Weather Channel.

6) After the War, Bob Hope saw him perform under his real name, Anthony Benedetto. Hope told him that, no matter how great his talent, his name would hold him back because it was too long for a marquee. And so, Tony Bennett was born. Tell us about a marquee in your town. Is it announcing a movie, play, or concert performance?

A. There's one announcing a walk to raise money for something along the highway. It's not exactly a marquee, it's more like a LED sign. We don't exactly have marquees out here, at least, not where I see them.
 
7) In 2006, he recorded his Duets album, partnering with a variety of singers he admired. Tony said he enjoyed working with Paul McCartney at London's Abbey Road Studios, where the Beatles created their classic recordings. If you vacationed in London, what would you be sure to visit?

A. Westminster Abbey, Big Ben and my email friend Inga, although she doesn't live in London.
 
8) "I've Got Your Number" was performed by Dick Van Dyke and Mary Tyler Moore on The Dick Van Dyke Show. According to Dick, they were so believable as a married couple that he received glares from a hotel clerk while checking in with his real-life wife, Margie. What TV or movie couple do you feel had "chemistry?"

A. Shrek and Fiona from Shrek.

9) Special summertime random question: Would you have more fun at a pro baseball game or an art museum exhibit?

A. Art museum. I really like air conditioning.

_______________

I encourage you to visit the posts of other participants in Saturday 9 and leave a comment. Because there are no rules, it is your choice. Saturday 9 players hate rules. We love memes, however.  

 

Thursday Thirteen

Here is a list of 13 things to be happy about. Can you add to it?

1. The feeling of accomplishment after finishing a difficult task or achieving a goal.

2. The smell of fresh flowers, coffee, or baked goods.

3. The sound of laughter, music, or nature.

4. The taste of your favorite food, drink, or dessert.

5. The sight of a beautiful sunset, a rainbow, or a smile.

6. The touch of a warm hug, a soft blanket, or a gentle breeze.

7. The company of your friends, family, or pets.

8. The joy of learning something new, discovering something interesting, or creating something original.

9. The thrill of adventure, exploration, or challenge.

10. The peace of relaxation, meditation, or sleep.

11. The gratitude of being alive, healthy, and loved.

12. The hope of a better future, a new opportunity, or a positive change.

13. The love of yourself, others, and the world.

Bing AI created the images.

______________

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 818th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.

The Legend

While we were visiting the Virginia Fire Museum Saturday, my husband saw two trucks that he was quite familiar with.

One was not being displayed, but he recognized the rear end of it immediately. It is a type of fire truck called a Quint. A Quint served as a pumper and as a ladder truck.

My husband hated it. I can remember hearing him fuss about that truck as if it were yesterday instead of 1995. He said it was absolutely useless on a fire scene.

My man reviewing the Quint he used to ride on at Station 13.

The other truck, though, was Ladder 1. This was a "real" ladder truck, one that bent in the middle and had a driver in the rear.

This was a truck he loved.

My husband rode this piece of firefighting equipment. In fact, he was on the committee that designed it and was instrumental in its setup.

I'm not sure how my husband fit in that tiny little place in the back.

While we were looking at the truck, my husband struck up a conversation with one of the men helping with the museum. He told him his name, and the fellow said, "Oh, I know who you are. You're a legend at the city."

My husband has never given himself much credit for the work he did at the fire department. It was an enormous job, being a firefighter. He saved people during floods, he worked car wrecks, he put out fires, he saw things people shouldn't ever see. He rose from the bottom of the ranks to Battalion Chief, and I was ever so proud of him with each promotion. He took his role as mentor to the younger firefighters seriously, setting aside time to help them train and learn. He knew where his people were on the fire scene at all times; he never did simply "surround, drown, and burn 'em down," - his people actually put the fires out and saved people and property. They knew they were expected to do their jobs when Battalion 2 was on scene.

I was thrilled to hear someone call him a "legend" at the city fire department. I know he is highly thought of, and he left on good terms. When he hurt himself on the farm in 2014, I had to ask to the nursing staff to keep the firefighters out of the room so he could rest after his surgeries on his hand. Nearly every one of them who brought a patient to the ER wanted to come in and see how Chief was doing.

He's been retired now for three years (I can't believe it's been that long.).

They still call him Chief when they see him. Sometimes they call. "Can I talk to Chief?" they will say.

It always makes me smile.

He is a legend. They don't make them like him anymore.

Virginia Fire Museum

Saturday, we ventured off to the open house of the Virginia Fire Museum in Roanoke to see what we could see.

This is a start-up that has not yet found its footing. The collection of about 80 fire engines is significant, but not exactly historical. Two of the pieces from the City of Roanoke were purchased when my husband was working - he helped design the specs for one of them.

They have a few antiques but a lot of it is simply worn-out firetrucks. They will be antiques in a few years, though, and I know they mean something to the firefighters who used the equipment. So, I am glad these people have stepped up to save them.

Since this is state-wide, there are firetrucks from all over. I like that it doesn't simply focus on one area of the state. There have been many little fire stations, most volunteer, that have been filled with generous men and women who have wanted to serve their communities.

I'm not sure the location for the museum is the best (they're in an old warehouse that's been vacant for years) and the walking in the warehouse was difficult as the floor was covered with oil, and there was no clean walking space. I can't imagine how many kids (and parents) tracked oil into their house after visiting the exhibits.

But this is in its infancy, and I feel sure that in a few years, things will look spiffy and shiny. Time helps, as does money and awareness. I don't think a lot of people know this is going on, this saving of old fire apparatus. I hope they get a donation button on their website so people can easily send them $25 every now and then.

Here are some of the old trucks:

A quick word about the Oren trucks. Those were made locally, in nearby Vinton. Oren was purchased in 1976 by Grumman. The Oren name eventually disappeared, and has been, for all intents and purposes, replaced by KME, which moved most of its operations to Pennsylvania.

Sunday Stealing

Sunday Stealing

 

Would you rather . . .

1. Live on a boat or in a treehouse? Treehouse

2. No computer use for a year or no sweets for a year? No sweets for a year

3. Have $2,000 right now or be given $100 every month for the rest of your life? $100 every month

4. Be an astronaut or an athlete? Astronaut

5. Have 50 good friends or only one best friend? 1 best friend

6. Have bright blue teeth or bright blue hair? Blue hair

7. Have the power of flight or the power of invisibility? Invisibility. (I already have that; nobody sees old women!)

8. Have a fun friend who is snarky or a boring friend who is kind? Boring and kind with a little snark on occasion.

9. Be incredibly rich but without love or be poor but have a happy marriage? Happy marriage.

10. Have a freezing cold shower every day or a pleasant hot shower once a week? Cold shower every day.

11. Be an only child or have many siblings? Siblings.

12. Quit video games forever or live in a desert for a month? Live in a desert for a month.

13. Go on a one week trip to a foreign country of your choice or a month long trip in your own country? Month long trip.

14. Celebrate your birthday every day or go on your favorite holiday once a year? Birthday every day.

15. If fish could talk, what would you ask them? This isn't a "would you rather" sort of question. But if fish could talk, I would ask them what the world looks like to them and have them describe it.

__________

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.