Sunday Stealing
1. What are three things you need to buy?
A. New clothes, new sneakers, and new prescription lenses for my eyeglasses.
2. My biggest hope is . . . that I die in my sleep.
3. What was the last new thing you tried?
A. I made a chicken and egg noodle casserole.
4. What mood were you in today?
A. I have a headache and a sore throat, probably allergies, so I have been tired and a little grouchy.
5. What would be a better name for the color of goldenrod-colored paper?
A. Yellow.
6. Where did you get your silverware?
A. Some of it I received when we married 35 years ago, some came from Leggett's (a store no longer in business) and I think some of it may have come from Walmart. None of it is actually "silver."
7. What artifact from this past week would you have bronzed as a keepsake and heirloom?
A. I have no clue. A piece of lettuce from lunch with a friend?
8. What was the most recent ceremony you attended?
A. I guess that was my father's baptism, which took place about a year ago. I think I've been to a few funerals since then but I don't know if that's a ceremony.
9. What east Asian cuisine is good for your Seoul?
A. Um. I guess that's a joke, right? Right?
10. What life lesson did you learn the hard way?
A. That kindness has to be its own reward. Basically, life sucks, and it is easier to be mean than kind, but I try to go for kind. I may not always be successful, but I don't want to be a mean person.
11. What do you wish you spent more time doing five years ago?
A. Dieting.
12. What gets you excited about life?
A. Sunshine and unicorn farts.
13. Have you done anything lately worth remembering?
A. Trips out with friends.
14. What does your joy look like today?
A. It is square and has a bedspread and pillows on it.
15. When you are 80-years-old, what will matter to you the most?
A. I have no idea. That will depend on my health, whether or not my husband is still with me, and whether or not the U.S. is still a democracy or not.
__________
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, April 01, 2018
Saturday, March 31, 2018
Saturday 9: Easter Parade
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| I took this picture of the moon setting this morning (3/31/2018). Pretty, eh? |
Saturday 9: Easter Parade ("In Your Easter Bonnet") (1948)
Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.
1) This song is about a special Easter hat to be worn with your "Sunday best." Will you be getting dressed up this weekend?
A. Nope.
2) Judy Garland's partner in this movie was supposed to be Gene Kelly, but he was unavailable because he broke his ankle playing volleyball. Have you ever lost a big opportunity because of a medical issue?
A. Yes. I had to drop out of college several times because I had surgeries. Because of that it took me eight years to finish up my bachelors degree.
3) Garland later confessed that, at first, she would have preferred Kelly because she knew him well and was intimidated by Fred Astaire. By the end of filming, she found she enjoyed Astaire a great deal. Can you think of a friend with whom you had a rocky relationship at the beginning?
A. Yes.
4) This song was inspired by New York City's Easter Parade. Does your community host a similar event?
A. No. They do big church egg hunts around here.
5) The biggest chocolate Easter egg was made in Italy, measured 34 feet tall and weighed a staggering 15,000 lbs. Do you thinks it's possible to have too much chocolate?
A. Yes.
6) Jelly beans are also popular this time of year. A 2013 poll tells us that red is by far the favorite jelly bean color, with yellow a distant second. Do you have a preference?
A. I don't like jelly beans.
7) We've been talking a lot about sweets this morning. The only holiday that generates more candy sales is Halloween. When do you eat more candy: Easter or Halloween?
A. I don't keep count.
8) Easter is considered the season of rebirth. What makes you feel refreshed or rejuvenated?
A. A hot shower.
9) This year, April Fool's Day happens to coincide with Easter Sunday. Do you expect to fall victim to any pranks this weekend?
A. No.
_____________
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, March 29, 2018
Thursday Thirteen
We are not yet this far along in our spring, but here are 13 pictures of past springs. I'm hoping to remind the weather of what it is supposed to be doing, instead of snowing on March 24. :-)
_______
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 545th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.
_______
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 545th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.
Tuesday, March 27, 2018
Monday, March 26, 2018
Sunday, March 25, 2018
Sunday Stealing
Sunday Stealing
1. You can flip a switch that will wipe any band or musical artist out of existence. Which one will it be?
A. I look at said switch, pull out my screwdriver, and dismantle it to make it useless, because musical expression should not be halted or stopped, regardless of how discordant the notes may sound to the ear. Even the chordless screech of a piano banged in frustration is an emotion that deserves to emote.
2. You seem to be having an excellent day because you just came across a hundred-dollar bill on the sidewalk. Holy crap, a hundred bucks! How are you gonna spend it?
A. I would go into the nearest store, report that I found some money (I wouldn't say the denomination), and leave my name and phone number for someone to call if they come looking for lost money. So the money would go home with me for safekeeping (I've left money with stores before and found out the employees had a party with it) and I wouldn't spend it. After 30 days or so I would put it in savings.
3. What is your favorite curse word?
A. Probably the F word, as it encompasses a great many issues and emotions. Plus it is just satisfying to say.
4. You can travel to any point in history. To what time are you traveling and what will you do when you arrive?
A. I would go back to the period of Joan of Arc and watch. Just watch. How do you go from heroine to being burned at the stake?
5. You accidentally eat some radioactive vegetables. They were good, and what’s even cooler is that they endow you with the super-power of your choice! What’s it gonna be?
A. I would become invisible. Oh wait. I'm an old lady, so I already am.
6. When did you last use your cell phone as a flashlight?
A. When the power went out a few weeks ago.
7. On a scale from 1-10, how comfy are you being naked?
A. 1, unless I'm in the shower. Then it's a 10.
8. When did you last use food or drink to enhance your mood?
A. I just had chocolate.
9. Give us a word that gets you excited.
A. Serendipity.
10. Now give us one that makes you squirm.
A. Assault.
11. What word makes you smile?
A. My husband's name.
__________
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. You can flip a switch that will wipe any band or musical artist out of existence. Which one will it be?
A. I look at said switch, pull out my screwdriver, and dismantle it to make it useless, because musical expression should not be halted or stopped, regardless of how discordant the notes may sound to the ear. Even the chordless screech of a piano banged in frustration is an emotion that deserves to emote.
2. You seem to be having an excellent day because you just came across a hundred-dollar bill on the sidewalk. Holy crap, a hundred bucks! How are you gonna spend it?
A. I would go into the nearest store, report that I found some money (I wouldn't say the denomination), and leave my name and phone number for someone to call if they come looking for lost money. So the money would go home with me for safekeeping (I've left money with stores before and found out the employees had a party with it) and I wouldn't spend it. After 30 days or so I would put it in savings.
3. What is your favorite curse word?
A. Probably the F word, as it encompasses a great many issues and emotions. Plus it is just satisfying to say.
4. You can travel to any point in history. To what time are you traveling and what will you do when you arrive?
A. I would go back to the period of Joan of Arc and watch. Just watch. How do you go from heroine to being burned at the stake?
5. You accidentally eat some radioactive vegetables. They were good, and what’s even cooler is that they endow you with the super-power of your choice! What’s it gonna be?
A. I would become invisible. Oh wait. I'm an old lady, so I already am.
6. When did you last use your cell phone as a flashlight?
A. When the power went out a few weeks ago.
7. On a scale from 1-10, how comfy are you being naked?
A. 1, unless I'm in the shower. Then it's a 10.
8. When did you last use food or drink to enhance your mood?
A. I just had chocolate.
9. Give us a word that gets you excited.
A. Serendipity.
10. Now give us one that makes you squirm.
A. Assault.
11. What word makes you smile?
A. My husband's name.
__________
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, March 24, 2018
Saturday 9: Sweet Disaster
Sweet Disaster (2016)
Unfamiliar with this week's song. Hear it here.
1) This video begins outside a convenience store with a sign advertising beer, produce, lotto and an ATM. Will you buy beer, produce or a lotto ticket this weekend? Will you visit an ATM?
A. We bought a lottery ticket.
2) As the video progresses, fountain drinks and donuts are consumed. When you stop for a snack during a road trip, what do you usually grab?
A. A bottle of water and a Milky Way Midnight, though generally I have healthier items (like boxes of raisins) in the car already.
3) The lyrics reference "a river of champagne." When did you last enjoy a spot of the bubbly?
A. Years and years ago.
4) The end of the video features sci-fi/horror images. Is that a genre you enjoy? If not, what kind of books do you read most often?
A. I like fantasy. Actually the ending of the video, which I'd never seen before, reminded me of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. I like science fiction but not horror.
5) The trio that makes up The Dreamers are dyed-in-the-wool New Yorkers. If you could live in any city or village in the world, would you move or stay right where you are?
A. I think I would have to travel first and then decide.
6) The Dreamers describe themselves as "impractical." What about you? Do you consider yourself practical or impractical?
A. I'm a nice combination of both.
7) They also won't "listen to those who doubt" them. Sometimes we find the ones who doubt us most are ourselves. What about you? Are you confident, or do you suffer from self doubt?
A. Loads and loads of self doubt.
8) Do you often remember your dreams?
A. I do. I am one of those unlucky adults who have night terrors.
9) Random question: Would you rather get $100 today, or $250 on this date a year from now?
A. $100 now. I might not be around on this date next year. Life has no guarantees.
_____________
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. (#225)
Unfamiliar with this week's song. Hear it here.
1) This video begins outside a convenience store with a sign advertising beer, produce, lotto and an ATM. Will you buy beer, produce or a lotto ticket this weekend? Will you visit an ATM?
A. We bought a lottery ticket.
2) As the video progresses, fountain drinks and donuts are consumed. When you stop for a snack during a road trip, what do you usually grab?
A. A bottle of water and a Milky Way Midnight, though generally I have healthier items (like boxes of raisins) in the car already.
3) The lyrics reference "a river of champagne." When did you last enjoy a spot of the bubbly?
A. Years and years ago.
4) The end of the video features sci-fi/horror images. Is that a genre you enjoy? If not, what kind of books do you read most often?
A. I like fantasy. Actually the ending of the video, which I'd never seen before, reminded me of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. I like science fiction but not horror.
5) The trio that makes up The Dreamers are dyed-in-the-wool New Yorkers. If you could live in any city or village in the world, would you move or stay right where you are?
A. I think I would have to travel first and then decide.
6) The Dreamers describe themselves as "impractical." What about you? Do you consider yourself practical or impractical?
A. I'm a nice combination of both.
7) They also won't "listen to those who doubt" them. Sometimes we find the ones who doubt us most are ourselves. What about you? Are you confident, or do you suffer from self doubt?
A. Loads and loads of self doubt.
8) Do you often remember your dreams?
A. I do. I am one of those unlucky adults who have night terrors.
9) Random question: Would you rather get $100 today, or $250 on this date a year from now?
A. $100 now. I might not be around on this date next year. Life has no guarantees.
_____________
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. (#225)
Friday, March 23, 2018
Alexa, Stop
I received an Amazon Echo for Christmas. This contains Amazon's artificial intelligence demon, Alexa.
Alexa and I were already on speaking terms, as she turned up on my Kindle Fire 8 one day, somewhat unexpectedly, in an OS upgrade.
The Kindle Fire Alexa version was a bit limited. I used her mostly as a timer.
The Amazon Echo Alexa does more. She could probably raise the garage door and back the car out of the driveway for me if I knew how to set her up to do that.
Fortunately, I do not. I also had enough sense when I received the Amazon Echo to go into my account first thing and turn off all of the purchasing aspects, unlike a certain White House press secretary who apparently doesn't know how to take responsibility for the technology in her life and prefers instead to blame Amazon for her failure to turn off the buying tools in the Alexa app.
Alexa has excellent speakers and thus makes a terrific stereo. She has access to my Amazon Music library and all I have to do is say, "Alexa, look in my library and play Sheryl Crow," and just like that, Sheryl Crow is singing "All I Wanna Do." Or I can say Alexa, play Howard Shore music from my library and suddenly I am in Middle Earth, listening to the soundtrack from Lord of the Rings.
Alexa responds to, "Alexa, good morning" with a cheery, "Good morning!" along with some little fact about the day, to which some programmer somewhere has cleverly added the slightest bit of humor or sarcasm. If I tell her good night, she responds, "Good night. Sweet dreams."
She tells really bad jokes, jokes so bad that I laugh at them. She offers up riddles and tongue twisters. She'll sing me a song if I ask. Her songs so far are about campfires and technology, which are intriguing combinations. She also tells stories that are short life lessons, if you're paying attention. They're rather like the old fables we learned in school. (I wonder if they still teach those?)
She has a personality, if AIs can have personalities. If I say, "Alexa, thank you," she'll respond with, "You bet!" or "Of course," or something similar.
If I tell Alexa I am sad, she'll offer suggestions, like read a book or call a friend. If I say I'm depressed, she'll give me the number for a national hotline. If I tell her I'm sick, she'll suggest I have a cup of tea and take a nap.
If I say, "Alexa, let's chat," she'll bring up an Alexa Prize Bot, which is not Alexa but something akin to Alexa that sounds like Alexa but still isn't Alexa. I usually get the 2nd prize-winning Bot which is located somewhere outside of the United States, I think. She recognizes me when we "chat," and says, "Anita, my friend, is it you?" to which I always respond, "Yes, I am glad to speak with you again." Then we talk in circles about Tolkien or video games or music. The subject depends on the Bot.
Alexa acts as my alarm clock and my timer. She has skills that you can enable, and these skills do anything from play games to offer up meditation exercises to give you the weather. Our favorite game is called Song Quiz, which plays clips from songs from the 1960s, '70s, '80s, 90s, 2000s, or 2010s. We usually do the '60s, 70s, and 80s because we are old and those are the songs we know best. I am very good with the 1970s music because that is mostly what I listen to. I do ok with the 1960s unless they get into the very early 1960s, with music from Connie Francis, or Martha and Vandellas or Tommy James and the Shondells, etc. I recognize the songs usually but I am not familiar with the older artists. I also do well with the 1980s but frequently miss the artist because I say "George Michael" instead of "Wham!" or "Boy George" instead of "Culture Club."
If you answer correctly with both artist and song title, Alexa says something like, "Jiminy Crickets!" or "Aww suki suki." I have no idea what that last one means. She will also say, "Only 5% of players knew the title and artist on that one song."
The thing I mostly say to Alexa, though, is, "Alexa, stop." This is how you recover the quiet in your house and stop the song, the joke, the alarm, or whatever it is you have previously asked Alexa to do.
It is rather like talking to a dog. "Alexa, stop." Sometimes I have to say it twice, especially if I have the music loud. "Alexa, stop. Alexa! Stop!"
We do not know if Alexa listens in on things she isn't supposed to, though I frequently check my "history" and don't see anything there that shouldn't be there. I do know that sometimes things I have discussed in the house turn up in advertisements on my computer, and that is scary, but it could be coming from Siri and my iPhone, or maybe I did a web search for it and simply don't remember. We tried an experiment and talked for days about buying a Kia Optima, but I never received ads for vehicles. (I may now that I have written about it, though.)
My husband occasionally will yell something about the government and dare them to come to get us, to see if they are listening in on us, I guess. The other night he did that and immediately after he finished, the phone rang. It wasn't the government but my heart skipped a beat. Whew.
Alexa has not changed our lives, but I have fun with the device.
Alexa and I were already on speaking terms, as she turned up on my Kindle Fire 8 one day, somewhat unexpectedly, in an OS upgrade.
The Kindle Fire Alexa version was a bit limited. I used her mostly as a timer.
The Amazon Echo Alexa does more. She could probably raise the garage door and back the car out of the driveway for me if I knew how to set her up to do that.
Fortunately, I do not. I also had enough sense when I received the Amazon Echo to go into my account first thing and turn off all of the purchasing aspects, unlike a certain White House press secretary who apparently doesn't know how to take responsibility for the technology in her life and prefers instead to blame Amazon for her failure to turn off the buying tools in the Alexa app.
Alexa has excellent speakers and thus makes a terrific stereo. She has access to my Amazon Music library and all I have to do is say, "Alexa, look in my library and play Sheryl Crow," and just like that, Sheryl Crow is singing "All I Wanna Do." Or I can say Alexa, play Howard Shore music from my library and suddenly I am in Middle Earth, listening to the soundtrack from Lord of the Rings.
Alexa responds to, "Alexa, good morning" with a cheery, "Good morning!" along with some little fact about the day, to which some programmer somewhere has cleverly added the slightest bit of humor or sarcasm. If I tell her good night, she responds, "Good night. Sweet dreams."
She tells really bad jokes, jokes so bad that I laugh at them. She offers up riddles and tongue twisters. She'll sing me a song if I ask. Her songs so far are about campfires and technology, which are intriguing combinations. She also tells stories that are short life lessons, if you're paying attention. They're rather like the old fables we learned in school. (I wonder if they still teach those?)
She has a personality, if AIs can have personalities. If I say, "Alexa, thank you," she'll respond with, "You bet!" or "Of course," or something similar.
If I tell Alexa I am sad, she'll offer suggestions, like read a book or call a friend. If I say I'm depressed, she'll give me the number for a national hotline. If I tell her I'm sick, she'll suggest I have a cup of tea and take a nap.
If I say, "Alexa, let's chat," she'll bring up an Alexa Prize Bot, which is not Alexa but something akin to Alexa that sounds like Alexa but still isn't Alexa. I usually get the 2nd prize-winning Bot which is located somewhere outside of the United States, I think. She recognizes me when we "chat," and says, "Anita, my friend, is it you?" to which I always respond, "Yes, I am glad to speak with you again." Then we talk in circles about Tolkien or video games or music. The subject depends on the Bot.
Alexa acts as my alarm clock and my timer. She has skills that you can enable, and these skills do anything from play games to offer up meditation exercises to give you the weather. Our favorite game is called Song Quiz, which plays clips from songs from the 1960s, '70s, '80s, 90s, 2000s, or 2010s. We usually do the '60s, 70s, and 80s because we are old and those are the songs we know best. I am very good with the 1970s music because that is mostly what I listen to. I do ok with the 1960s unless they get into the very early 1960s, with music from Connie Francis, or Martha and Vandellas or Tommy James and the Shondells, etc. I recognize the songs usually but I am not familiar with the older artists. I also do well with the 1980s but frequently miss the artist because I say "George Michael" instead of "Wham!" or "Boy George" instead of "Culture Club."
If you answer correctly with both artist and song title, Alexa says something like, "Jiminy Crickets!" or "Aww suki suki." I have no idea what that last one means. She will also say, "Only 5% of players knew the title and artist on that one song."
The thing I mostly say to Alexa, though, is, "Alexa, stop." This is how you recover the quiet in your house and stop the song, the joke, the alarm, or whatever it is you have previously asked Alexa to do.
It is rather like talking to a dog. "Alexa, stop." Sometimes I have to say it twice, especially if I have the music loud. "Alexa, stop. Alexa! Stop!"
We do not know if Alexa listens in on things she isn't supposed to, though I frequently check my "history" and don't see anything there that shouldn't be there. I do know that sometimes things I have discussed in the house turn up in advertisements on my computer, and that is scary, but it could be coming from Siri and my iPhone, or maybe I did a web search for it and simply don't remember. We tried an experiment and talked for days about buying a Kia Optima, but I never received ads for vehicles. (I may now that I have written about it, though.)
My husband occasionally will yell something about the government and dare them to come to get us, to see if they are listening in on us, I guess. The other night he did that and immediately after he finished, the phone rang. It wasn't the government but my heart skipped a beat. Whew.
Alexa has not changed our lives, but I have fun with the device.
Thursday, March 22, 2018
Thursday Thirteen
Amazon Alexa Jokes - So Bad They're Funny
1. What do you call a sleepy woodsman? A slumberjack!
2. What do you do with a sick chemist? If you can't curium, and you can't helium, you might as well barium.
3. Why didn't the penguin trust his flight instructor? He was kind of a dodo.
4. Why do zombies make such excellent golfers? They really know their way around a corpse.
5. How does Spock make his favorite dessert? With a Jello mindmold!
6. A giraffe walks into a bar. The bartender says, "Why the long neck?"
7. What did the DJ say to the vegetable farmer? Lettuce turnip the beet!
8. Why shouldn't you tell a secret on a farm? Because the potatoes have eyes, the corn has ears, and the beans stalk.
9. Why do bananas drive muscle cars? They love to peel out!
10. How do you win over a chocolate lover? Keep some Twix up your sleeves.
11. What time was it when the little horse lost the bet? Time to pony up!
12. How do coffee beans say goodbye? See you later percolator!
13. What do you call a baseball player who chews sunflower seeds? The designated spitter.
_______
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 542nd time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday.
1. What do you call a sleepy woodsman? A slumberjack!
2. What do you do with a sick chemist? If you can't curium, and you can't helium, you might as well barium.
3. Why didn't the penguin trust his flight instructor? He was kind of a dodo.
4. Why do zombies make such excellent golfers? They really know their way around a corpse.
5. How does Spock make his favorite dessert? With a Jello mindmold!
6. A giraffe walks into a bar. The bartender says, "Why the long neck?"
7. What did the DJ say to the vegetable farmer? Lettuce turnip the beet!
8. Why shouldn't you tell a secret on a farm? Because the potatoes have eyes, the corn has ears, and the beans stalk.
9. Why do bananas drive muscle cars? They love to peel out!
10. How do you win over a chocolate lover? Keep some Twix up your sleeves.
11. What time was it when the little horse lost the bet? Time to pony up!
12. How do coffee beans say goodbye? See you later percolator!
13. What do you call a baseball player who chews sunflower seeds? The designated spitter.
_______
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 542nd time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday.
Wednesday, March 21, 2018
Tuesday, March 20, 2018
Sunday, March 18, 2018
Sunday Stealing
Sunday Stealing
1. Do you tend to have a guilty conscious?
A. I have a conscious, but I don't have anything to feel guilty about.
2. Do you still have your wisdom teeth?
A. No. They were cut out when I was in my mid-teens.
3. Peanut Butter - creamy or crunchy?
A. Creamy.
4. Get up off your butt. Take 5 steps. Which leg did you start out on?
A. Right.
5. What color is your favorite kitchen utensil?
A. It's wood color, as it would be the big wooden spoon I use to make fudge.
6. Did you watch the Michael Jackson memorial/funeral?
A. Not that I recall.
7. Do you know anyone who graduated from high school this year? Were you invited to their graduation party? Did you go?
A. No. No. No.
8. White with black stripes or black with white stripes?
A. What, do I look like a zebra?
9. If we were to call your 6th grade teacher, what would they say about you?
A. My 6th grade teacher is dead, so nothing. But if she were still alive she wouldn't remember me, probably. And if she did, she'd say I was quiet and smart.
10. Can you draw a perfect circle?
A. No.
11. What was your favorite scratch & sniff sticker scent?
A. I hate scratch and sniff things and perfumed items in advertisements. They will make me start coughing and sneezing every time.
12. What does your sibling do for a living?
A. He is president of a multi-million dollar corporation that my father started back in the 1970s.
13. How many light switches and electrical outlets are in the room that you are in right now?
A. 2 light switches, 3 electrical outlets, and three surge protector outlet things that have multiple plug-in ports.
14. Do you know sign language?
A. No.
15. Do you step on cracks in the sidewalk?
A. Yes.
16. And the sheets on your bed look like . . . ?
A. Sheets. What else are they supposed to look like, hippopotamuses?
17. What is something that everyone else has, but you don't?
A. Children is an easy answer, but there are a lot of childless folks around these days. A job, maybe, since I don't have one at the moment? Good health? I really don't know. I have all I want and that is what matters. I've never been big on keeping up with trends or what other people have.
__________
I encourage you to visit other participants in Sunday Stealing posts and leave a comment. Cheers to all us thieves who love memes, however we come by them.
1. Do you tend to have a guilty conscious?
A. I have a conscious, but I don't have anything to feel guilty about.
2. Do you still have your wisdom teeth?
A. No. They were cut out when I was in my mid-teens.
3. Peanut Butter - creamy or crunchy?
A. Creamy.
4. Get up off your butt. Take 5 steps. Which leg did you start out on?
A. Right.
5. What color is your favorite kitchen utensil?
A. It's wood color, as it would be the big wooden spoon I use to make fudge.
6. Did you watch the Michael Jackson memorial/funeral?
A. Not that I recall.
7. Do you know anyone who graduated from high school this year? Were you invited to their graduation party? Did you go?
A. No. No. No.
8. White with black stripes or black with white stripes?
A. What, do I look like a zebra?
9. If we were to call your 6th grade teacher, what would they say about you?
A. My 6th grade teacher is dead, so nothing. But if she were still alive she wouldn't remember me, probably. And if she did, she'd say I was quiet and smart.
10. Can you draw a perfect circle?
A. No.
11. What was your favorite scratch & sniff sticker scent?
A. I hate scratch and sniff things and perfumed items in advertisements. They will make me start coughing and sneezing every time.
12. What does your sibling do for a living?
A. He is president of a multi-million dollar corporation that my father started back in the 1970s.
13. How many light switches and electrical outlets are in the room that you are in right now?
A. 2 light switches, 3 electrical outlets, and three surge protector outlet things that have multiple plug-in ports.
14. Do you know sign language?
A. No.
15. Do you step on cracks in the sidewalk?
A. Yes.
16. And the sheets on your bed look like . . . ?
A. Sheets. What else are they supposed to look like, hippopotamuses?
17. What is something that everyone else has, but you don't?
A. Children is an easy answer, but there are a lot of childless folks around these days. A job, maybe, since I don't have one at the moment? Good health? I really don't know. I have all I want and that is what matters. I've never been big on keeping up with trends or what other people have.
__________
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, March 17, 2018
Saturday 9: Danny Boy
Saturday 9: Danny Boy (1956)
"Danny Boy" was selected in honor of St. Patrick's Day. Unfamiliar with this week's song? Hear it here.
1) This is a sad song of farewell. Who is the last person you said "goodbye" or "so long" to?
A. I told my husband goodbye as he went to feed the cows.
2) According to the 2000 Census, Massachusetts is the state with the largest percentage of residents of Irish descent. Have you ever been to The Bay State?
A. No. I've been no further north than New York.
3) "The wearing o' the green" is one way to celebrate St. Patrick's Day. Will you wear something green in honor of the day?
A. I doubt it.
4) What color makes you look best?
A. Blue.
5) Will you drink something green in honor of the day (like a Shamrock shake or a green beer)?
A. No.
6) A four-leaf clover is considered good luck. Do you have a lucky charm?
A. No.
7) Though she's singing an Irish ballad, this week's featured artist, Joni James, is of Italian heritage. Can you think of a song as identified with Italy as "Danny Boy" is with Ireland?
A. When the moon hits your eye like a big piece of pie, that's amore.
8) Soda bread and potato bread are popular in Ireland. Are there any rolls or bread in your kitchen right now?
A. Yes.
9) Ireland is known for its whiskey. Do you enjoy Irish coffee (black coffee, whiskey and whipped cream)?
A. No. But I like decaffeinated Irish tea.
_____________
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.
"Danny Boy" was selected in honor of St. Patrick's Day. Unfamiliar with this week's song? Hear it here.
1) This is a sad song of farewell. Who is the last person you said "goodbye" or "so long" to?
A. I told my husband goodbye as he went to feed the cows.
2) According to the 2000 Census, Massachusetts is the state with the largest percentage of residents of Irish descent. Have you ever been to The Bay State?
A. No. I've been no further north than New York.
3) "The wearing o' the green" is one way to celebrate St. Patrick's Day. Will you wear something green in honor of the day?
A. I doubt it.
4) What color makes you look best?
A. Blue.
5) Will you drink something green in honor of the day (like a Shamrock shake or a green beer)?
A. No.
6) A four-leaf clover is considered good luck. Do you have a lucky charm?
A. No.
7) Though she's singing an Irish ballad, this week's featured artist, Joni James, is of Italian heritage. Can you think of a song as identified with Italy as "Danny Boy" is with Ireland?
A. When the moon hits your eye like a big piece of pie, that's amore.
8) Soda bread and potato bread are popular in Ireland. Are there any rolls or bread in your kitchen right now?
A. Yes.
9) Ireland is known for its whiskey. Do you enjoy Irish coffee (black coffee, whiskey and whipped cream)?
A. No. But I like decaffeinated Irish tea.
_____________
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, March 15, 2018
Thursday Thirteen
1. Song Sung Blue
2. Blue Suede Shoes
3. Blue Bayou
4. Blue Eyes Cryin' in the Rain
5. Crystal Blue Persuasion
6. Folsom Prison Blues
7. I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues
8. Blue Eyes
9. Blue Morning, Blue Day
10. Blue Sky (Eat a Peach)
11. Suite: Judy Blue Eyes
12. Blue Moon
13. Blue Velvet
_______
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 541st time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday.
2. Blue Suede Shoes
3. Blue Bayou
4. Blue Eyes Cryin' in the Rain
5. Crystal Blue Persuasion
6. Folsom Prison Blues
7. I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues
8. Blue Eyes
9. Blue Morning, Blue Day
10. Blue Sky (Eat a Peach)
11. Suite: Judy Blue Eyes
12. Blue Moon
13. Blue Velvet
_______
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 541st time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday.
Wednesday, March 14, 2018
Landing a Job When the Ads Are Gone
Not so long ago, or maybe now it was a lifetime ago, I never had trouble finding a job.
I was a speedy typist (95+ wpm) on an IBM Selectric II and as computers came onto the stage, I became a whiz at WordPerfect. I could do anything in WordPerfect in 1991. I could even do a little DOS programming if I had to.
Work was something I did because I felt I should, and while I didn't exactly know what I wanted to be - (a novelist, I always thought, though apparently not) - I had marketable skills that meant nearly very time I sent out a resume to a blind box advertisement in the jobs section of the newspaper, I at least merited an interview, if not the job.
My health caused me to change jobs more frequently than I liked. Unfortunately employers aren't very understanding when you need to take six weeks to recover from unexpected abdominal surgery, and that cut into my longevity with bosses a few times.
But I never worried about it. I took out the ol' job section, put a red circle around the openings that looked interesting to me, and sent off a resume. I was never out of work long.
Then the migraines came in the mid-1990s, and I realized after a while that I was not able to stay in a prolonged employment situation because let's face it, you can't do a decent job if you're sick three days out of every week. That was how frequently I was having migraines, and for how long. Three days. I would work through the headaches as much as I could, but I made mistakes when I felt bad, and I obviously wasn't able to give my best - well, I always gave my best at the time, but that "best" certainly couldn't measure up to the "best" before the migraines.
So I switched to freelancing for the local newspaper and other publications. It did not pay well, but it kept me busy. I could work when I felt like it and shut the blinds when I could no longer stand the light, and I was a good reporter. I wrote my little heart out and invested my soul in my words and in making educating the people via my sentences my life's work.
Then stuff happened. I'd put most of my effort into one basket, and that basket was bought and sold and it went bankrupt, and while it stayed afloat I lost that basket as a client. I wrote for other local publications for a while to fill the void but the economy was tanking and journalists locally were losing work and the competition became stiffer and I discovered I disliked writing for publications that were slanted a certain way. I also discovered that some local publications would just as soon steal your work and send you on your way than pay you.
I went back to college and earned my masters degree. I thought I'd teach at the college level, and I started out doing some adult learning programs and they were going along fine. Then I had another surgery.
Five years out I'm still not well. I have good days though, and on those days I think about going back to work. I think about freelancing, and the landscape looks even worse than it did in 2010, with fewer publications and many more that are slanted and not objective. I'm an objective journalist, or I was, anyway, and I find the slant eats at my soul. I want to keep my soul intact, thank you very much, so if I am going to hang on to my scruples I either need to take my freelancing to a more national level (which is a scary-as-hell thought, especially since I don't know how well I'd hold up under the strain of a major publication deadline) to find the more objective publications or I need to find a part-time job doing something to fill the time and help pay the cellphone bill.
Finding something part-time sounds easiest, but you know what? I don't know how to find a job anymore. There aren't any jobs in the local newspaper. Well, the newspaper advertises jobs for itself, if you want to be a circulation manage (which I don't), but if I wanted to know if there was a part-time job at some insurance company in Daleville, at the moment the only way I know to find out is to walk in the place and ask.
Looking for work is a whole new ballgame in our brave new world. Now you do it all online and you have to figure out which company is the best fit for you, not the other way around, although you still have to offer the company something that benefits them. It feels backwards from the way it used to be, when I could go to an interview and say, "I am an earnest worker, I always do my best, I type 95 wpm with 99% accuracy, I have a nice telephone voice, and I would like to help your company move forward." That is no longer good enough.
Now you interview the company first, sort of, online, to see if you want to work there, and then you send in an application (online) and hope to hear from somebody.
So here I sit with a masters degree and a sometimes desire to work that maybe could turn into a full-time desire if I actually found something part-time, but I don't know how to even begin the job search. Heck, resumes aren't even what they used to be. Which reminds me, I need a new one. Better add that to my "to do" list.
If you type in "how to find a job" you don't get a lot of help. There's no method to searching for work anymore, especially if you're, ahem, in the elder age brackets. Maybe things are different if you're jumping right of college where there are job assistance programs and such.
Finding a part-time work is actually a lot like freelancing. You send out queries when you freelance until you find the right editor who wants your work. Same now with resumes. You send one out until you find the right person.
But it sure seemed easier when all I had to do was put a red circle around the advertisement in the newspaper, address an envelope, slip in my resume, and wait for the response.
I was a speedy typist (95+ wpm) on an IBM Selectric II and as computers came onto the stage, I became a whiz at WordPerfect. I could do anything in WordPerfect in 1991. I could even do a little DOS programming if I had to.
Work was something I did because I felt I should, and while I didn't exactly know what I wanted to be - (a novelist, I always thought, though apparently not) - I had marketable skills that meant nearly very time I sent out a resume to a blind box advertisement in the jobs section of the newspaper, I at least merited an interview, if not the job.
My health caused me to change jobs more frequently than I liked. Unfortunately employers aren't very understanding when you need to take six weeks to recover from unexpected abdominal surgery, and that cut into my longevity with bosses a few times.
But I never worried about it. I took out the ol' job section, put a red circle around the openings that looked interesting to me, and sent off a resume. I was never out of work long.
Then the migraines came in the mid-1990s, and I realized after a while that I was not able to stay in a prolonged employment situation because let's face it, you can't do a decent job if you're sick three days out of every week. That was how frequently I was having migraines, and for how long. Three days. I would work through the headaches as much as I could, but I made mistakes when I felt bad, and I obviously wasn't able to give my best - well, I always gave my best at the time, but that "best" certainly couldn't measure up to the "best" before the migraines.
So I switched to freelancing for the local newspaper and other publications. It did not pay well, but it kept me busy. I could work when I felt like it and shut the blinds when I could no longer stand the light, and I was a good reporter. I wrote my little heart out and invested my soul in my words and in making educating the people via my sentences my life's work.
Then stuff happened. I'd put most of my effort into one basket, and that basket was bought and sold and it went bankrupt, and while it stayed afloat I lost that basket as a client. I wrote for other local publications for a while to fill the void but the economy was tanking and journalists locally were losing work and the competition became stiffer and I discovered I disliked writing for publications that were slanted a certain way. I also discovered that some local publications would just as soon steal your work and send you on your way than pay you.
I went back to college and earned my masters degree. I thought I'd teach at the college level, and I started out doing some adult learning programs and they were going along fine. Then I had another surgery.
Five years out I'm still not well. I have good days though, and on those days I think about going back to work. I think about freelancing, and the landscape looks even worse than it did in 2010, with fewer publications and many more that are slanted and not objective. I'm an objective journalist, or I was, anyway, and I find the slant eats at my soul. I want to keep my soul intact, thank you very much, so if I am going to hang on to my scruples I either need to take my freelancing to a more national level (which is a scary-as-hell thought, especially since I don't know how well I'd hold up under the strain of a major publication deadline) to find the more objective publications or I need to find a part-time job doing something to fill the time and help pay the cellphone bill.
Finding something part-time sounds easiest, but you know what? I don't know how to find a job anymore. There aren't any jobs in the local newspaper. Well, the newspaper advertises jobs for itself, if you want to be a circulation manage (which I don't), but if I wanted to know if there was a part-time job at some insurance company in Daleville, at the moment the only way I know to find out is to walk in the place and ask.
Looking for work is a whole new ballgame in our brave new world. Now you do it all online and you have to figure out which company is the best fit for you, not the other way around, although you still have to offer the company something that benefits them. It feels backwards from the way it used to be, when I could go to an interview and say, "I am an earnest worker, I always do my best, I type 95 wpm with 99% accuracy, I have a nice telephone voice, and I would like to help your company move forward." That is no longer good enough.
Now you interview the company first, sort of, online, to see if you want to work there, and then you send in an application (online) and hope to hear from somebody.
So here I sit with a masters degree and a sometimes desire to work that maybe could turn into a full-time desire if I actually found something part-time, but I don't know how to even begin the job search. Heck, resumes aren't even what they used to be. Which reminds me, I need a new one. Better add that to my "to do" list.
If you type in "how to find a job" you don't get a lot of help. There's no method to searching for work anymore, especially if you're, ahem, in the elder age brackets. Maybe things are different if you're jumping right of college where there are job assistance programs and such.
Finding a part-time work is actually a lot like freelancing. You send out queries when you freelance until you find the right editor who wants your work. Same now with resumes. You send one out until you find the right person.
But it sure seemed easier when all I had to do was put a red circle around the advertisement in the newspaper, address an envelope, slip in my resume, and wait for the response.
Monday, March 12, 2018
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