Carmon, of Life at Star’s Rest, has tagged me for a meme, one she suggested in a comment on this blog would be “pretty easy.” I’m supposed to list six things I’m proud of.
On the surface that sounds easy: children, grandchildren, country, uh....uh...
That’s as far as I got before I realized this would be the most difficult meme I’ve ever attempted. It was Friday when I read that I’d been tagged, and I’ve been thinking about it ever since, trying to evaluate every possible answer for its truthfulness. What I discovered, to my dismay, is that listing things I’m not proud of would be an easier task. That would be a longer list, too.
Nevertheless, after much soul-searching, here is my list of six things I’m proud of (sort of):
1. I’m proud that I have an innate sense of fairness that allows me to see and understand both sides of an issue. This has been an asset in my career, when I’ve been able to help one person understand another’s point of view, and in my personal life, when I’ve been able to step back from my own opinion long enough to learn from someone else’s.
Sometimes the fairness thing annoys people. When someone makes a sweeping generalization and waits for me to respond affirmatively, I rarely do, because my mind immediately begins screaming, “Wait a minute, that’s not always true; what about this or that?” Sometimes I can keep those arguments to myself and sometimes I can’t.
Fairness is not at the top of the list of things I’m proud of, but I listed it first because it’s the thing that made this list so hard to complete. As soon as I’d think of something to be proud of, I’d think, well, that’s one way to look at it, but the flip side of it is...
You get the picture.
2. I mentioned my children and grandchildren above. Because they, and probably you by now, already know how proud I am of them, I’ll lump them together with the rest of my family for the purposes of this exercise. Family includes in-laws, too, not just the folks whose genes I share.
I’m immensely proud to be part of this large group of people. They’re bright, funny, loving and giving. They know when to have a good time and when to get serious, and they make me feel wonderful in their company. I love these people deeply.
As individuals, we’re not without our problems. My father joked once that there’d be enough anti-depressants at our family reunion to stock a pharmacy, and he may not have missed the mark by much. For the most part, we’re normal, stable, compassionate, good citizens, but we’ve all had at least brief moments of heartbreak or melancholy that knocked us for a loop
As a family, we are perfect in our imperfections. Although we’ve traveled some bumpy roads, we’ve helped each other smooth out the bumps, and there’s been plenty of love, joy and laughter along the way.
3. I’m proud to be an American, even if I haven’t always been proud of the actions and decisions of our government. The thing is, though, I expect the French are proud of France and the Brits are proud of Great Britain, and I believe they have a right to be.
When I think about America, what I feel more than pride is great good fortune. How lucky am I to have been born in a land of such abundance and opportunity? By an accident of birth, I hit the geographic lottery.
Once again, in the interest of fairness, I realize that there are pockets of poverty and misfortune right here in the good ol’ US of A. I guess I’m most proud of America when I see our citizens working together to take care of the least among us.
4. I’m proud to be a good listener, I’m proud that I can keep a confidence, and I’m proud that I mind my own business. Most of the time. I’ve bundled these three qualities together because they often become important at the same time, in the same situation.
I can listen empathetically for long stretches of time without feeling the need to interrupt and turn the conversation back to what I’d prefer to talk about. I’m proud of this because there have been times in my life when being able to talk to a good listener has lifted my own spirits, and it makes me feel good to do that for others. Unfortunately, I’ve learned that my personal store of empathy and compassion is finite. If I hear someone complain about the same things over and over and over again, I not only cease listening, I may even begin to hide from that person. I’m not proud of that, but it helps me maintain my sanity.
When, while listening, I’m asked to keep a confidence, I do exactly that. Almost always and almost always forever. The exception to that rule occurs rarely, only if someone drops a bombshell that explodes into my own life. In that case I reserve the right to seek out my own good listener, one who can also keep a confidence, to help me think things through.
I mind my own business, and usually I’m proud of that. If you tell me A, B and C, I’ll assume that's all you want to say and that if you want me to know X, Y and Z, you’ll tell me in your own good time. Till then, I won’t pry. Unfortunately, I’ve learned that a lot of people aren’t straightforward about asking for help when they need it, and I, in the course of minding my own business, have missed some vital hints. Sometimes everyone would have been better off if I had asked a couple of probing questions.
5. I’m proud that I’ve had some long-term jobs, one for seventeen years and the current one (in one variation or another) for nearly ten. It pleases me to know that I stayed the course through various assignments and various supervisors, remaining flexible enough to handle changes and performing consistently to meet the expectations of those who depended on me.
There was one period of time when I defined myself almost entirely on the basis of what I accomplished at work. It is with great pride that I can tell you how good it feels to have gotten over that nonsense.
6. The last item on this list is one that almost didn’t occur to me, but I’m glad I remembered in time to include it. A few months short of twenty years ago, I began researching my family’s history. I’m proud of this ongoing body of work and of the patience and persistence that have kept me following first one thread, then another, through a vast maze of documents.
This has been a labor of love. It may appear to others to be nothing but thousands of names and dates sprinkled with an occasional relevant fact or legend, but I saw in each name an individual human being whose own life gave meaning to my own. Genealogy awakened in me an interest in history and geography, two subjects I found boring in school. Typing each new name into my database, I’ve imagined what life was like for that person in that particular place and time. In thinking about them, I’ve become fond of all of them.
Most of my family members are too busy living in the moment to spend time wondering about people they’ve never known, and that's as it should be. But I'm ready. If the genealogy bug ever bites one of them the way it sneaked up and bit me, I’ll proudly help scratch the itch.
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I've probably overthought this challenge way too much, but that's my six.
I'll tag Alison, for whom I could list six things to be proud of in about a minute; Betty, who has a knack for wrapping up life's experiences in articulate tidy bundles; and Yajeev, who's always on the lookout for blog ideas and whose list will probably be as funny as it is inspirational.
.
Showing posts with label meme. Show all posts
Showing posts with label meme. Show all posts
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Sunday, May 18, 2008
Six random things about me TODAY
Three days ago, Alison tagged me with a meme. I'm supposed to list six random things about me today, so that's what I'll do. Unfortunately for you, dear readers, my answers would have been more interesting on the intervening three days, but on those days I didn't find time to post.
Here goes:
1. For breakfast today I had buttered toast with homemade blackberry jelly, a gift from a former client. It was delicious! I've never made jelly in my life, and I've always admired those who do it.
2. I stayed in my bathrobe until after noon, which kept me from walking out to the road to pick up the Sunday newspaper. By the time I got dressed, I found the paper right outside my door. Cool! (I suspect it was put there by my son-in-law, who came over to cut the lawn. Thanks, Troy, on both counts.)
3. The best part of my morning was the time spent snuggling on the sofa with Butch. He slept with his head on my lap for nearly two hours, during which I channel-surfed and watched some really boring TV rather than take a chance on disturbing him. Snuggle time with him is too precious.
4. I filled up my gas tank today, paying more than I've ever paid in my life to do it ($3.79/gallon). That, I'm sure, is an experience I share with many of you, and I find it appalling.
5. While I was out, I picked up a 12-pak of Diet Coke, went to Sonic to pick up lunch, then went to Hot Wok to get egg foo yung for supper. There'll be enough leftover egg foo yung to eat for lunch tomorrow. I chose to go to these particular places because I could go there without having to do my hair and makeup first, something I'd have felt compelled to do before the supermarket shopping trip I really needed to make. Now I'm good to go until tomorrow night. Draw your own conclusions about the logic I used to justify these errands.
6. I'll cry tonight, just like I do every Sunday night when I watch "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition." I'm a sucker for a sentimental story with a happy ending.
I won't tag anyone, but if you feel inspired to post six things about your day (especially if yours was more interesting than mine), by all means leave a comment to let us know when you've posted.
Yawn. (Kadi just read this.)
Here goes:
1. For breakfast today I had buttered toast with homemade blackberry jelly, a gift from a former client. It was delicious! I've never made jelly in my life, and I've always admired those who do it.
2. I stayed in my bathrobe until after noon, which kept me from walking out to the road to pick up the Sunday newspaper. By the time I got dressed, I found the paper right outside my door. Cool! (I suspect it was put there by my son-in-law, who came over to cut the lawn. Thanks, Troy, on both counts.)
3. The best part of my morning was the time spent snuggling on the sofa with Butch. He slept with his head on my lap for nearly two hours, during which I channel-surfed and watched some really boring TV rather than take a chance on disturbing him. Snuggle time with him is too precious.
4. I filled up my gas tank today, paying more than I've ever paid in my life to do it ($3.79/gallon). That, I'm sure, is an experience I share with many of you, and I find it appalling.
5. While I was out, I picked up a 12-pak of Diet Coke, went to Sonic to pick up lunch, then went to Hot Wok to get egg foo yung for supper. There'll be enough leftover egg foo yung to eat for lunch tomorrow. I chose to go to these particular places because I could go there without having to do my hair and makeup first, something I'd have felt compelled to do before the supermarket shopping trip I really needed to make. Now I'm good to go until tomorrow night. Draw your own conclusions about the logic I used to justify these errands.
6. I'll cry tonight, just like I do every Sunday night when I watch "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition." I'm a sucker for a sentimental story with a happy ending.
I won't tag anyone, but if you feel inspired to post six things about your day (especially if yours was more interesting than mine), by all means leave a comment to let us know when you've posted.
Yawn. (Kadi just read this.)
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Kadi, you're it!
Butch tagged Creekhiker’s Mabel with the “Eight Things” meme, and Mabel, in turn, tagged Kadi. I’m glad she did, even if it means more typing for me, because Kadi keeps score of things like that.
I have to say that in all my life I’ve never personally known a nicer dog than Kadi -- “nice” in the sense of always behaving in a way designed to get in the good graces of the people around her. What’s charming about it is that the “niceness” doesn’t seem to come naturally: The girl has a couple of, shall we say, flaws. And insecurities. Still, she deserves extra points for working around the clock to be the best dog she can possibly be.
This is how I imagine Kadi would respond to the “Eight Things” meme:
EIGHT THINGS YOU DON’T KNOW ABOUT ME
By Kadi
1. Everybody says what a good girl I am, and, not to be immodest, it’s true. That’s because I really like to please people. If it weren’t for the shedding thing, I’d be perfect.
2. I can’t decide if the prettiest thing about me is my freckled nose or my amber eyes. I get compliments on both of them all the time, so I don't think it's just my imagination that people like to look at me.
3. Despite my good looks, I’m older than my human “mom,” at least in terms of dog years. But it isn’t because of my age that I'm in charge of the house. On the contrary, I gained that position by virtue of my life-long, natural ability to spot anything that’s out of order and call my people's attention to it. Like yesterday, for instance. The power was out when my mom left for work, and while she was gone, the lights came back on. When she came home for lunch, I didn’t greet her the way I usually do. Instead, I hunkered down in my bed with my head scrunched down and my ears laid back, you know, just to show her I realized things weren’t as she’d left them and I was sorry. It was beyond my control, but I still wanted to be sure she knew it wasn't my fault that the lights came on.
4. I’m smarter than my brother, Butch, whom I helped raise from a pup. He knows it, too, even though he acts like he couldn’t care less. Sometimes, when Butch and I are both lying on the floor, I see him get up and move toward the sofa. He’s a little slow (because he’s blind), so I get up fast, take a shortcut, and jump up on the seat next to our mom. It‘s so funny when he finally gets there and smells me in the place where he intended to be. I sit there and look down at him and smile. Usually he just moves over to the far end of the sofa and climbs up there, but sometimes my mom makes me move instead. (She doesn’t have much of a sense of humor.)
5. I pretty much do everything I’m told to do, except sometimes, when my mom holds the door open and asks if I want to go outside, I plop down into a sitting position so she’ll know I don’t really want to go. If she insists, I do it to please her, but then I might give her a dirty look so she’ll know I’m only doing it for her. I've totally mastered the art of cross-species communication, using nothing more than body language and the expression on my face.
6. I consider Kim, Lucy and Winston as part of my immediate family, and I’m happiest when they’re all here with Mom and Butch and me. I indulge the pups by playing with them (which Butch certainly never wants to do). Plus, I get to boss them around. I’d never hurt them, of course, but I do have to head-butt them once in a while to keep them out of trouble.
7. Oh, let me tell you about this: One time when Lucy and Winston were annoying me, I made a really mean face at them, wrinkling my nose and baring my teeth. It scared them the way I wanted it to, but then, ohmigosh, I realized my mom and Kim were watching me. I hurried and smiled at Mom and Kim, like the joke was between us and I was just teasing the pups with the mean face. Whew! I don't think they caught on, but that was a close call.
8. In the past six months, I’ve finally found my voice. I used to ask nicely for treats, you know, tap-dancing around and letting out cute little “rrrowr-rrrowr” sounds, but now I go stand facing my mom and bark demandingly. Every single time I do it, she tells me, "Kadi, stop that barking!" As much as I’d like to accommodate her, the truth is, she’s quicker about getting up and getting the treats when I bark, so what's my incentive to stop it? Besides, I’m getting old. I have neither the time nor the energy to stand around and wait for some old woman to decide she’s in the mood to do something nice and give me a treat.
I really am a good dog -- almost perfect (did I mention that?) –- but this being in charge of absolutely everything is a lot of hard work. I only hope everyone understands and appreciates what I go through. Sigh.
I have to say that in all my life I’ve never personally known a nicer dog than Kadi -- “nice” in the sense of always behaving in a way designed to get in the good graces of the people around her. What’s charming about it is that the “niceness” doesn’t seem to come naturally: The girl has a couple of, shall we say, flaws. And insecurities. Still, she deserves extra points for working around the clock to be the best dog she can possibly be.
This is how I imagine Kadi would respond to the “Eight Things” meme:
EIGHT THINGS YOU DON’T KNOW ABOUT ME
By Kadi
1. Everybody says what a good girl I am, and, not to be immodest, it’s true. That’s because I really like to please people. If it weren’t for the shedding thing, I’d be perfect.
2. I can’t decide if the prettiest thing about me is my freckled nose or my amber eyes. I get compliments on both of them all the time, so I don't think it's just my imagination that people like to look at me.
3. Despite my good looks, I’m older than my human “mom,” at least in terms of dog years. But it isn’t because of my age that I'm in charge of the house. On the contrary, I gained that position by virtue of my life-long, natural ability to spot anything that’s out of order and call my people's attention to it. Like yesterday, for instance. The power was out when my mom left for work, and while she was gone, the lights came back on. When she came home for lunch, I didn’t greet her the way I usually do. Instead, I hunkered down in my bed with my head scrunched down and my ears laid back, you know, just to show her I realized things weren’t as she’d left them and I was sorry. It was beyond my control, but I still wanted to be sure she knew it wasn't my fault that the lights came on.
4. I’m smarter than my brother, Butch, whom I helped raise from a pup. He knows it, too, even though he acts like he couldn’t care less. Sometimes, when Butch and I are both lying on the floor, I see him get up and move toward the sofa. He’s a little slow (because he’s blind), so I get up fast, take a shortcut, and jump up on the seat next to our mom. It‘s so funny when he finally gets there and smells me in the place where he intended to be. I sit there and look down at him and smile. Usually he just moves over to the far end of the sofa and climbs up there, but sometimes my mom makes me move instead. (She doesn’t have much of a sense of humor.)
5. I pretty much do everything I’m told to do, except sometimes, when my mom holds the door open and asks if I want to go outside, I plop down into a sitting position so she’ll know I don’t really want to go. If she insists, I do it to please her, but then I might give her a dirty look so she’ll know I’m only doing it for her. I've totally mastered the art of cross-species communication, using nothing more than body language and the expression on my face.
6. I consider Kim, Lucy and Winston as part of my immediate family, and I’m happiest when they’re all here with Mom and Butch and me. I indulge the pups by playing with them (which Butch certainly never wants to do). Plus, I get to boss them around. I’d never hurt them, of course, but I do have to head-butt them once in a while to keep them out of trouble.
7. Oh, let me tell you about this: One time when Lucy and Winston were annoying me, I made a really mean face at them, wrinkling my nose and baring my teeth. It scared them the way I wanted it to, but then, ohmigosh, I realized my mom and Kim were watching me. I hurried and smiled at Mom and Kim, like the joke was between us and I was just teasing the pups with the mean face. Whew! I don't think they caught on, but that was a close call.
8. In the past six months, I’ve finally found my voice. I used to ask nicely for treats, you know, tap-dancing around and letting out cute little “rrrowr-rrrowr” sounds, but now I go stand facing my mom and bark demandingly. Every single time I do it, she tells me, "Kadi, stop that barking!" As much as I’d like to accommodate her, the truth is, she’s quicker about getting up and getting the treats when I bark, so what's my incentive to stop it? Besides, I’m getting old. I have neither the time nor the energy to stand around and wait for some old woman to decide she’s in the mood to do something nice and give me a treat.
I really am a good dog -- almost perfect (did I mention that?) –- but this being in charge of absolutely everything is a lot of hard work. I only hope everyone understands and appreciates what I go through. Sigh.
Sunday, August 19, 2007
A meme and a special guest blogger
Earlier this month Alison tagged me with a meme: "Eight things you don't know about me." Because I've been so busy with the office move (which is going extremely well, by the way) I haven't done it yet. And because it takes more brainpower than I can presently muster up to think of eight things about me that I haven't already told you, I have gratefully accepted the help of a very good friend: Butch, take it away!
EIGHT THINGS YOU DON'T KNOW ABOUT ME
By Butch
1. I hate getting my nails cut, so I bite them to keep them from growing too long. My favorite time to do it is in the middle of the night.
2. When I’m sleeping comfortably, I don’t like to get up. Sometimes when my people call me, I pretend I don’t hear them, even if they're calling in their loud, outside voices. Then they trick me by whispering something about “ice cream” or “treat,” and I wag my tail and give myself away.
3. Sometimes I scratch inside my ear –- very carefully –- with the nails of my hind foot...and then I hold that foot up to my nose and sniff it. Mmm-mmm!
4. My fur is short, so people are always surprised to find out how soft it is. They like to rub it, and I love it when they do that.
5. I don’t watch much television, but when I hear a puppy whine or cry on TV, I sit up and pay attention until that part of the show is over.
6. I’ve been called “strange” and "weird," but I prefer to think of it as “unconventional.” Who says there’s only one right way to do something?
7. When I go to the vet’s office, I’m the star of the lobby. People always come over to ask about my eyes, then they end up petting me and talking to me. Especially the kids. I like it in the lobby, just not in that back room.
8. I like people better than I like other dogs, and I especially enjoy the company of men. Not many men come to our house, so I’m really, really happy when I get to spend some quality time with one of 'em.
I tag Spot, Mabel, Cheyenne and Ellie (or the tag team of Ellie, Duffy and Vannie), but only if their humans agree to help them type.
EIGHT THINGS YOU DON'T KNOW ABOUT ME
By Butch
1. I hate getting my nails cut, so I bite them to keep them from growing too long. My favorite time to do it is in the middle of the night.
2. When I’m sleeping comfortably, I don’t like to get up. Sometimes when my people call me, I pretend I don’t hear them, even if they're calling in their loud, outside voices. Then they trick me by whispering something about “ice cream” or “treat,” and I wag my tail and give myself away.
3. Sometimes I scratch inside my ear –- very carefully –- with the nails of my hind foot...and then I hold that foot up to my nose and sniff it. Mmm-mmm!
4. My fur is short, so people are always surprised to find out how soft it is. They like to rub it, and I love it when they do that.
5. I don’t watch much television, but when I hear a puppy whine or cry on TV, I sit up and pay attention until that part of the show is over.
6. I’ve been called “strange” and "weird," but I prefer to think of it as “unconventional.” Who says there’s only one right way to do something?
7. When I go to the vet’s office, I’m the star of the lobby. People always come over to ask about my eyes, then they end up petting me and talking to me. Especially the kids. I like it in the lobby, just not in that back room.
8. I like people better than I like other dogs, and I especially enjoy the company of men. Not many men come to our house, so I’m really, really happy when I get to spend some quality time with one of 'em.
I tag Spot, Mabel, Cheyenne and Ellie (or the tag team of Ellie, Duffy and Vannie), but only if their humans agree to help them type.
Thursday, May 10, 2007
7 Random Facts/Habits About Me
Carmon tagged me with this meme, so I'll give it a go:
1. I have to work really hard to remember to keep my mouth shut and not offer advice unless I'm asked for it. My brain seems to have been hardwired into problem-solving mode. That's a helpful quality in a work situation, where I can easily figure out what might go wrong in a specific situation and work out the kinks or prepare a backup plan. It's also been helpful in my personal life, except in the area of relationships, where I've too often forged straight ahead in spite of the potential problems I've spotted.
The downside of being a problem solver, as my children will gladly confirm, is that if you tell me your exciting plan, I can shoot it full of holes before either one of us ever sees it coming. "Have you thought about this?" I'll ask...or "what will you do if that happens?" My heart's in the right place -- to help you make your plan as solid as it can be -- but you won't appreciate that fact while your bubble is bursting.
Even with the bias toward problem solving, I'm an optimist. I always feel confident that everything will turn out just fine once those pesky problems have been removed.
2. My earliest memory is of my father, in his army uniform, holding me in his arms as we watched a truck roll by. It was a flatbed military truck with rails built around the sides, and it was loaded with standing, waving soldiers. As they passed us, one of them tossed an orange to my dad, and he handed it to me. I don't know exactly how old I was when that happened, but I do know it happened in Salina, Kansas. I was 18 months old when we left there.
3. I've worn the same hairstyle for about ten years. For at least the last five of those years, I've cut my own hair to avoid the hours of small talk in the beauty shop. The pros do a better job than I do, but not that much better, and my own mistakes don't annoy me as much as theirs do.
4. If I have a chocolate craving I can't fight any longer, I make "emergency fudge." I dump confectioner's sugar in a small bowl, plop a big blob of peanut butter on top of it, and squirt in just enough chocolate syrup to allow me to mix everything together. When the mixture reaches a thick, doughy consistency, I knead it for a minute, then roll it up and eat it like a candy bar.
5. I once paid money to spend the day behind the scenes at the zoo. Ten of us, all women, signed up for the experience. In addition to the usual zoo tours, we spent time in the baby animal nursery, the kitchen where all the animals' food is prepared, the hatchery where the chicks are raised to feed the reptiles, and inside the elephant house. I actually helped bathe an elephant, and I loved every minute of it.
6. In high school I focused on getting good grades. All my friends were other nerds, although we didn't use that word back then. When I graduated and started working, a new, non-nerdy friend convinced me to "dumb down" and use improper grammar so the boys wouldn't be intimidated and would like me better. It worked like magic! Unfortunately, it didn't take me long to realize I wasn't all that interested in the kind of boys it worked on. That may have been my first lesson in the value of quality over quantity.
7. Years and years ago, on a long flight home from San Francisco, I had a rousing conversation with the seatmate to my right, a perfect stranger who was a decent-looking guy on a business trip. We talked and laughed for a couple of hours, then I dozed off. When I woke up, just as the plane was preparing to land in New Orleans, he leaned over and kissed me, right smack on the lips. It startled me for a moment, then I kissed him back. That one kiss was all there was to it. We didn't exchange phone numbers or even last names. When we exited the plane, we went our separate ways, and that was the end of that.
And that, dear readers, is the end of this.
I won't officially tag anyone, but I'll mention a few folks just in case they're interested: maxngabbie, duly inspired, sister-three.
1. I have to work really hard to remember to keep my mouth shut and not offer advice unless I'm asked for it. My brain seems to have been hardwired into problem-solving mode. That's a helpful quality in a work situation, where I can easily figure out what might go wrong in a specific situation and work out the kinks or prepare a backup plan. It's also been helpful in my personal life, except in the area of relationships, where I've too often forged straight ahead in spite of the potential problems I've spotted.
The downside of being a problem solver, as my children will gladly confirm, is that if you tell me your exciting plan, I can shoot it full of holes before either one of us ever sees it coming. "Have you thought about this?" I'll ask...or "what will you do if that happens?" My heart's in the right place -- to help you make your plan as solid as it can be -- but you won't appreciate that fact while your bubble is bursting.
Even with the bias toward problem solving, I'm an optimist. I always feel confident that everything will turn out just fine once those pesky problems have been removed.
2. My earliest memory is of my father, in his army uniform, holding me in his arms as we watched a truck roll by. It was a flatbed military truck with rails built around the sides, and it was loaded with standing, waving soldiers. As they passed us, one of them tossed an orange to my dad, and he handed it to me. I don't know exactly how old I was when that happened, but I do know it happened in Salina, Kansas. I was 18 months old when we left there.
3. I've worn the same hairstyle for about ten years. For at least the last five of those years, I've cut my own hair to avoid the hours of small talk in the beauty shop. The pros do a better job than I do, but not that much better, and my own mistakes don't annoy me as much as theirs do.
4. If I have a chocolate craving I can't fight any longer, I make "emergency fudge." I dump confectioner's sugar in a small bowl, plop a big blob of peanut butter on top of it, and squirt in just enough chocolate syrup to allow me to mix everything together. When the mixture reaches a thick, doughy consistency, I knead it for a minute, then roll it up and eat it like a candy bar.
5. I once paid money to spend the day behind the scenes at the zoo. Ten of us, all women, signed up for the experience. In addition to the usual zoo tours, we spent time in the baby animal nursery, the kitchen where all the animals' food is prepared, the hatchery where the chicks are raised to feed the reptiles, and inside the elephant house. I actually helped bathe an elephant, and I loved every minute of it.
6. In high school I focused on getting good grades. All my friends were other nerds, although we didn't use that word back then. When I graduated and started working, a new, non-nerdy friend convinced me to "dumb down" and use improper grammar so the boys wouldn't be intimidated and would like me better. It worked like magic! Unfortunately, it didn't take me long to realize I wasn't all that interested in the kind of boys it worked on. That may have been my first lesson in the value of quality over quantity.
7. Years and years ago, on a long flight home from San Francisco, I had a rousing conversation with the seatmate to my right, a perfect stranger who was a decent-looking guy on a business trip. We talked and laughed for a couple of hours, then I dozed off. When I woke up, just as the plane was preparing to land in New Orleans, he leaned over and kissed me, right smack on the lips. It startled me for a moment, then I kissed him back. That one kiss was all there was to it. We didn't exchange phone numbers or even last names. When we exited the plane, we went our separate ways, and that was the end of that.
And that, dear readers, is the end of this.
I won't officially tag anyone, but I'll mention a few folks just in case they're interested: maxngabbie, duly inspired, sister-three.
Sunday, April 15, 2007
Taking the easy way out
Do you feel guilty when you've neglected your blog for several days? I do. I feel as if I'm reneging on a promise I made to myself, although there never was actually any such promise.
Sometimes I get in a mood where I don't feel like talking, and that mood apparently carries over to writing, too. To be more specific, sometimes it feels as if communicating by any method whatsoever takes more energy than I have available, and the best thing I can do at those times is plop myself down in a quiet spot, plug myself in to one mindless activity or another, and let my batteries recharge.
So, because I'm feeling guilty, and because I haven't recharged enough to write (or even enough to power a pocket flashlight), I'm taking the easy way out with a meme.
I don't remember what this one's called or where I found it. The only rule is that all answers have to be exactly three words long. I won't tag anyone (which would require too much thinking), but help yourself if you like it--or if you have guilt issues of your own to assuage.
01. Where is your cell phone? On the charger.
02. Boyfriend/girlfriend? Long gone, thanks!
03. Hair? Cut it myself.
04. Your mother? Did her best.
05. Your father? Mostly wasn’t around.
06. Your favorite item(s)? Old family photos.
07. Your dream last night? Sorry, can’t remember.
08. Your favorite drink? Icy Diet Coke.
09. Your dream guy/girl? Handsome professor type.
10. The room you are in? Needs more light.
11. Your fear? Losing my independence.
12. What do you want to be in 10 years? Busy with hobbies.
13. Who did you hang out with last night? Two silly dogs.
14. What are you not? Energetic, neat, mean.
15. Are you in love? With my doggies.
16. One of your wish list items? More reading time.
17. What time is it? Fast approaching bedtime.
18. The last thing you did? Folded clean laundry.
19. What are you wearing? Comfy soft knits.
20. Your favorite book? Tademy’s Cane River.
21. The last thing you ate? One perfect banana.
22. Your life? Very few regrets.
23. Your mood? Is usually better.
24. Your friends? Few in number.
25. What are you thinking about right now? Chores still undone.
26. Your car? Unexciting imported sedan.
27. What are you doing at this moment? Limiting word usage.
28. Your summer? Heat, humidity expected.
29. Your relationship status? Content without one.
30. What is on your TV screen? Diamond jewelry commercial.
31. When is the last time you laughed? Today on telephone.
32. Last time you cried? Monday, March 19th.
33. School? Always wanted more.
Sometimes I get in a mood where I don't feel like talking, and that mood apparently carries over to writing, too. To be more specific, sometimes it feels as if communicating by any method whatsoever takes more energy than I have available, and the best thing I can do at those times is plop myself down in a quiet spot, plug myself in to one mindless activity or another, and let my batteries recharge.
So, because I'm feeling guilty, and because I haven't recharged enough to write (or even enough to power a pocket flashlight), I'm taking the easy way out with a meme.
I don't remember what this one's called or where I found it. The only rule is that all answers have to be exactly three words long. I won't tag anyone (which would require too much thinking), but help yourself if you like it--or if you have guilt issues of your own to assuage.
01. Where is your cell phone? On the charger.
02. Boyfriend/girlfriend? Long gone, thanks!
03. Hair? Cut it myself.
04. Your mother? Did her best.
05. Your father? Mostly wasn’t around.
06. Your favorite item(s)? Old family photos.
07. Your dream last night? Sorry, can’t remember.
08. Your favorite drink? Icy Diet Coke.
09. Your dream guy/girl? Handsome professor type.
10. The room you are in? Needs more light.
11. Your fear? Losing my independence.
12. What do you want to be in 10 years? Busy with hobbies.
13. Who did you hang out with last night? Two silly dogs.
14. What are you not? Energetic, neat, mean.
15. Are you in love? With my doggies.
16. One of your wish list items? More reading time.
17. What time is it? Fast approaching bedtime.
18. The last thing you did? Folded clean laundry.
19. What are you wearing? Comfy soft knits.
20. Your favorite book? Tademy’s Cane River.
21. The last thing you ate? One perfect banana.
22. Your life? Very few regrets.
23. Your mood? Is usually better.
24. Your friends? Few in number.
25. What are you thinking about right now? Chores still undone.
26. Your car? Unexciting imported sedan.
27. What are you doing at this moment? Limiting word usage.
28. Your summer? Heat, humidity expected.
29. Your relationship status? Content without one.
30. What is on your TV screen? Diamond jewelry commercial.
31. When is the last time you laughed? Today on telephone.
32. Last time you cried? Monday, March 19th.
33. School? Always wanted more.
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
Book Tag (it was this or several paragraphs of whining.)
Every suitable blog topic I can think of tonight deserves more energy than I have to commit to it. For some reason (days and days days of rain? things breaking around my house? a flaming canker sore in my mouth?), I'm stuck with a mild case of the blues.
It isn't helping that I'm reading a wonderfully/terribly sad book, Jacqueline Mitchard's Cage of Stars, or that one of my earliest blogger friends, Patsy, is in the hospital. And if that isn't enough reason to bring out the box of tissues, George Bush is giving his State of the Union address tonight.
At any rate, this seems like an excellent time to latch on to a meme, so I've borrowed the 123Meme from Sunflower Optimism. Here are the rules, freshly cut and pasted from Sunflower's blog:
1. Grab the closest book to you.
2. Open to page 123, look down to the 5th sentence.
3. Post the text of the next 3 sentences on your blog.
4. Include the title and the author's name.
5. Tag 3 people.
Okie dokie, here we go:
"In this example, the Levels command was applied to just the field in the foreground.
"Checking the Preview check box displays your edits in the document window.
"Did you know?"
That stunning bit of prose was from Digital Photography: Top 100 Simplified Tips & Tricks, by Gregory Georges. It's a really good book for its purpose, but perhaps not suitable for this meme. It was, however, the closest book to me.
As a person who sees things in a hundred shades of grey, never in black or white, I feel free to bend the rules of this meme and get the second-closest book to me. Here I go...reaching with my left hand...reaching blindly over the wastebasket and the paper shredder and the top of one of the bookcases that surround my desk...grabbing something sight unseen...and, ladies and gentlemen, we have a winner:
Page 123, fifth, sixth and seventh sentences (Take Two):
"It was beyond cornball. 'Tell 'em to check out the tortoise-and-the-hare story. Remind 'em about the long view.'"
Those three sentences were from Joseph Finder's Company Man,
a really good read if you like suspense.
This was actually kind of fun, and I'm feeling a bit perkier now than I was when I started. I won't tag anybody, but if you want a quickie post for your own blog, help yourself to this one.
P.S. Get well, Patsy.
It isn't helping that I'm reading a wonderfully/terribly sad book, Jacqueline Mitchard's Cage of Stars, or that one of my earliest blogger friends, Patsy, is in the hospital. And if that isn't enough reason to bring out the box of tissues, George Bush is giving his State of the Union address tonight.
At any rate, this seems like an excellent time to latch on to a meme, so I've borrowed the 123Meme from Sunflower Optimism. Here are the rules, freshly cut and pasted from Sunflower's blog:
1. Grab the closest book to you.
2. Open to page 123, look down to the 5th sentence.
3. Post the text of the next 3 sentences on your blog.
4. Include the title and the author's name.
5. Tag 3 people.
Okie dokie, here we go:
"In this example, the Levels command was applied to just the field in the foreground.
"Checking the Preview check box displays your edits in the document window.
"Did you know?"
That stunning bit of prose was from Digital Photography: Top 100 Simplified Tips & Tricks, by Gregory Georges. It's a really good book for its purpose, but perhaps not suitable for this meme. It was, however, the closest book to me.
As a person who sees things in a hundred shades of grey, never in black or white, I feel free to bend the rules of this meme and get the second-closest book to me. Here I go...reaching with my left hand...reaching blindly over the wastebasket and the paper shredder and the top of one of the bookcases that surround my desk...grabbing something sight unseen...and, ladies and gentlemen, we have a winner:
Page 123, fifth, sixth and seventh sentences (Take Two):
"It was beyond cornball. 'Tell 'em to check out the tortoise-and-the-hare story. Remind 'em about the long view.'"
Those three sentences were from Joseph Finder's Company Man,
a really good read if you like suspense.
This was actually kind of fun, and I'm feeling a bit perkier now than I was when I started. I won't tag anybody, but if you want a quickie post for your own blog, help yourself to this one.
P.S. Get well, Patsy.
Wednesday, June 21, 2006
Me? A meme? For me?
As soon as I began reading blogs regularly, I learned about the meme, that "now-it's-your-turn questionnaire" that gets passed from blogger to blogger. Up until now, due to limited readership I'm sure, nobody's ever tagged me for a meme.
Last night changed that, but...uh...not exactly. My daughter forwarded an email to me that I'm supposed to answer and email back to her, but do you think I'm gonna waste a perfectly good meme experience by limiting it to her and four other email friends? Nah, of course not! I'm gonna get at least one blog entry out of it and tag some of you guys.
Subject: Friends
Finally! A different take on the "get to know your friends"email meme. How well do you know me??
For instance, did you know...
Four jobs I have had in my life:
1. Secretary to a judge.
2. Assistant to the marketing manager of a burger chain.
3. Human resources manager.
4. Legal secretary.
Four movies I would watch over and over:
1. Mississippi Burning
2. An Officer and a Gentleman
3. The Princess Bride
4. You've Got Mail
Four places I have lived:
1. Springfield, Missouri
2. Orange, Texas
3. Miami, Florida
4. Farmingdale, New York
Four TV shows I love/loved to watch:
1. Grey's Anatomy
2. Boston Legal
3. American Idol
4. Big Brother (New season starts tonight. YEAAAAA!)
Four places I have been on vacation:
1. Las Vegas, Nevada - when my first husband won a trip in a sales contest
2. Niagara Falls - twice when we lived on Long Island
3. Eureka Springs, Arkansas - twice with my sister
4. Hanford, California - to see my dad and meet his (my)second family
Four websites I look at daily:
1. Bluff Road Art Glass
2. Ancestry.com
3. I Am Prepared to Give Up at Any Time
4. Life at Star's Rest
Four of my favorite foods
1. Chicken chimichangas with guacamole and sour cream
2. Lasagna - our family's recipe
3. Country fried steak with white gravy
4. Corn on the cob - actually, corn just about any way you want to fix it.
Four Friends that have been tagged that I think will respond:
Carmon
Patsy
Janet
Susan
Edited to add: Er...uh...oh, yeah, and Mike
So here it goes...copy this onto your blog, delete my answers, replace with your own, tag four other online friends and publish your post.
Last night changed that, but...uh...not exactly. My daughter forwarded an email to me that I'm supposed to answer and email back to her, but do you think I'm gonna waste a perfectly good meme experience by limiting it to her and four other email friends? Nah, of course not! I'm gonna get at least one blog entry out of it and tag some of you guys.
Subject: Friends
Finally! A different take on the "get to know your friends"
For instance, did you know...
Four jobs I have had in my life:
1. Secretary to a judge.
2. Assistant to the marketing manager of a burger chain.
3. Human resources manager.
4. Legal secretary.
Four movies I would watch over and over:
1. Mississippi Burning
2. An Officer and a Gentleman
3. The Princess Bride
4. You've Got Mail
Four places I have lived:
1. Springfield, Missouri
2. Orange, Texas
3. Miami, Florida
4. Farmingdale, New York
Four TV shows I love/loved to watch:
1. Grey's Anatomy
2. Boston Legal
3. American Idol
4. Big Brother (New season starts tonight. YEAAAAA!)
Four places I have been on vacation:
1. Las Vegas, Nevada - when my first husband won a trip in a sales contest
2. Niagara Falls - twice when we lived on Long Island
3. Eureka Springs, Arkansas - twice with my sister
4. Hanford, California - to see my dad and meet his (my)second family
Four websites I look at daily:
1. Bluff Road Art Glass
2. Ancestry.com
3. I Am Prepared to Give Up at Any Time
4. Life at Star's Rest
Four of my favorite foods
1. Chicken chimichangas with guacamole and sour cream
2. Lasagna - our family's recipe
3. Country fried steak with white gravy
4. Corn on the cob - actually, corn just about any way you want to fix it.
Four Friends that have been tagged that I think will respond:
Carmon
Patsy
Janet
Susan
Edited to add: Er...uh...oh, yeah, and Mike
So here it goes...copy this onto your blog, delete my answers, replace with your own, tag four other online friends and publish your post.
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