Saturday, May 16, 2009

66 Questions

If you don't have a Facebook account, then you are missing out on a strange phenomenon that takes the site by storm every few weeks: The Questionnaire.

It reminds me of being a young girl passing notes in school, asking friends if they have a crush on Mike, or what are they doing this weekend. Only nowadays the notes are much, much more sophisticated. And now they are posted in Facebook notes instead of on a piece of lined composition paper ripped out of a spiral notebook like we used to do in the good ol' days.

And, even more noteworthy... now adults are in on it, too. Allow me to take an excerpt off of my own Facebook wall where I channeled my inner 12-year old this morning and answered the latest questionnaire circling the cyber world. Keep in mind I did not change the questions or the introduction. You tell me after reading it if you feel like you're in the seventh grade all over again.

Ladies and Gentlemen... I give you: 66 questions...


66 questions you've probably never been asked. If you've been tagged, answer the questions and add it in a new note, then tag the person who tagged you as well as some new people who you'd like to see answer these questions! :)

1. First thing you wash in the shower?
Technically, the first thing I do is stand in the shower and try not to cry because I'm tired and I don't want to be up yet. THEN I wash my hair.

2. What color is your favorite hoodie?
My red K.L.E.T.C. hoodie. But I have my eye on a really sweet pale orange Harley Davidson one. *fingers crossed*

3. Would you kiss the last person you kissed again?
Over and over again for the rest of my life.

4. Do you plan outfits?
Yes, but only because I take my clothes into the spare bedroom so I don't wake up DH when I get ready in the morning. He works nights and sleeps days, so that would just be plain mean.

5. How are you feeling RIGHT now?
Bewildered. The hamster escaped again last night even after all three of us checked that the cage was secure. So, yeah... bewildered.

6. What's the closest thing to you that's red?
A red gel pen.

7. What was the last dream you remember having?
It was this morning, actually. And I was at The Pioneer Woman's house, but it really wasn't her house, and it was for some sort of job interview. But not for me, for some people I know. And there were Amish people in it. It was a tad bizarre.

8. Did you meet anybody new today
Considering I just woke up a half hour ago, that would be a 'no'. Amen.

9. What are you craving right now?
Sleep. Coffee. A donut. Beautiful weather. A great day with the family. You know, not much.

10. Do you floss?
Yep. I love those little floss picks and hoard them, lest I run out.

11. What comes to mind when I say cabbage?
Cabbage roses. Or ornamental cabbage. Obviously I have a bad case of Spring Fever.

12. Are you emotional?
To the point of being a bit unstable, yes.

13. Have you ever counted to 1,000?
All at once? Not lately.

14. Do you bite into your ice cream or just lick it?
Depends on what type of ice cream you're talking about. A cone? No. A bar? Yes. I could go on, you know...

15. Do you like your hair?
Only on 'good hair days'... and I like having hair, so that's a plus, too.

16. Do you like yourself?
For the most part. I'm a little on the self-depreciating side though.

17. Would you go out to eat with George W. Bush?
No, I prefer sharing a meal with people who can carry on a conversation in English, not G-Dubya-ese.

18. What are you listening to right now?
The TV in the next room and the coffee pot gurgling. And the voices in my head.

19. Are your parents strict?
They were, yes. Now I am the strict parent... sorta.

20. Would you go sky diving?
With my insane fear of heights, I would probably die of a massive coronary before hitting the ground. Not really planning to go out like that, so no.

21. Do you like cottage cheese?
I'm going to steal my friend Ty's answer on this one because it's my favorite way, too: 'Yip. With pepper and beefsteak tomatoes, please.'

22. Have you ever met a celebrity?
A few. They put their pants on one leg at a time like the rest of us, whether they want you to believe it or not.

23. Do you rent movies often?
Nope.

24. Is there anything sparkly in the room in which you are?
Several things: a sun catcher wind chime, a glass fish sculpture (that I named Emery... don't ask), and a small lamp with a really awesome shade.

25. What countries have you visited?
Mexico. But sometimes I feel like a tourist in the U.S., so does that count?

26. Have you made a prank phone call?
Sure. Back before such things as last-call return and caller I.D. Now it's more fun to mess with people that call me. I love making them think they've called a wrong number only to have them apologize, hang up and call back. Good fun.

27. Ever been on a train?
Only once. The Winter Park ski train.

28. Brown or white eggs?
Cooked and dead. I don't care what the outside looks like.

29. Do you have a cell-phone?
Yes. And a teenager to show me how to use it.

31. Do you use chap stick?
Burt's Bees lip balm... but not chap stick.

32. Do you own a gun?
Yep. And if you break into my house you'll get a quick glance of it before you meet your maker.

33. Can you use chop sticks?
Yes. For some reason some foods don't taste right if eaten any other way.

34. Who are you going to be with tonight?
DH. And DD, if she doesn't make plans to ditch us.

35. Are you too forgiving?
Uh, no. If there is a grudge around, I'm the one holding it.

36. Ever been in love?
Duh.

37. What is your best friend doing tomorrow?
Probably working in the yard with me again. ;o)

38. Ever have cream puffs?
Yes. Some could have been used as paperweights and been more successful. Some good enough to bring tears to my eyes. (see #12...)

39. Last time you cried?
Last night. DD and I watched the Grey's Anatomy finale we had taped.

40. What was the last question you asked?
"Are you SERIOUS?!" ... when told the $#@& hamster got out... again.

41. Favorite time of the year?
Spring. It's the fever talkin'.

42. Do you have any tattoos?
ME? Are you serious? If you have to ask, then you don't know me very well...

43. Are you sarcastic?
Never. Seriously.

44. Have you ever seen The Butterfly Effect?
I think so. But it's probably one of hundreds of movies I don't really remember because I slept through most of it.

45. Ever walked into a wall?
Just yesterday. Again.

46. Favorite color?
For what? For my hair color, a reddish brown. For my lawn, green. For a sports car, red. Seriously, the question needs to be more specific.

47. Have you ever slapped someone?
Hell, yes. Actually, I believe a couple of those 'someones' are FB friends, too. (Or reading this blog post...)

48. Is your hair curly?
Not naturally, no.

49. What was the last CD you bought?
I bought a bunch of Steven Lynch CD's for a friend for Christmas.

50. Do looks matter?
Not as much as cleanliness and manners.

51. Could you ever forgive a cheater?
I have before. I wouldn't ever again.

52. Is your phone bill sky high?
Define 'sky high.'

53. Do you like your life right now?
Oh, yes. Without a doubt. LIFE IS GOOD!

54. Do you sleep with the TV on?
I fall asleep with the TV on. I got into the habit a long time ago, and now I need the distraction so my mind will stop racing long enough to get to sleep.

55. Can you handle the truth?
I can handle anything except not knowing. The unknown freaks me out.

56. Do you have good vision?
Pretty good with my glasses.

57. Do you hate or dislike more than 3 people?
Easily. If you have any doubt, see #35.

58. How often do you talk on the phone?
With DH, all the time. At work, quite a bit. Any other time, rarely.

59. The last person you held hands with?
DH. Last night after dinner. It was awesome.

60. What are you wearing?
Pajamas. DH's robe. A pair of hippo slippers. I'm a real babe in the mornings.

61. What is your favorite animal?
Dogs. Can't imagine my life without them.

62. Where was your profile picture taken?

Somewhere around Meade or Sublette, KS during our last poker run. The pic was snapped by my new friend Stephanie, whom I met that day.

63. Can you hula hoop?
Now? I'd prefer to be dressed for the day first.

64. Do you have a job?
A great job, actually. I'm one of the lucky ones.

65. What was the most recent thing you bought?
Groceries. But the most recent frivolous thing was some flowers for the flower beds.

66. Have you ever crawled through a window?
Yep. In high school. To meet rowdy friends and do rowdy things. I stepped on a prickly-pear cactus, so fate got me good for it, too.

Sunday, May 10, 2009

Maybe I Am After All...

My Mother and I are diametric opposites. I have known this for many, many years. She is driven, hard-working and talented beyond explanation. I am convinced there is nothing she cannot do if she sets her mind to it. Nothing. And she doesn't need a staff of 300 to do it (eat your heart out Martha Stewart).

As for me, I am lazy, lazy... and while I have a creative side, I am not anywhere near as talented as she is even on my best of days. And I don't try to be (and thusly, LAZY).

My Mother's house is so clean you could eat off the floors. At my house there are times when I can't even see my floors through all the dog hair and clutter. Okay, so that might be a slight exaggeration, but in comparison, it's close.

My Mom never just sits. She is always doing something. Always. For me, I am an Olympic-caliber sitter.

Anyone could stop in at my Mom's house at any time and find it clean and company ready. She is never running around in her pajamas with her hair uncombed watching re-runs of America's Next Top Model. Me, on the other hand... well, I live in fear of unannounced company because at any given time I could be half-dressed, unshowered and catatonic in front of my TV even while there is a towering mess leering at me from the kitchen sink.

But, while on the phone with my Mom today, I was reminded just how much I am like her. She and I are without a doubt cut from the same cloth when it comes to emotions, and how we both bottle them up inside. We are easily cut to the quick by offhand things said and done by people we consider friends. And then the hurt stays with us for a very, very long time.

I called my Mom today to wish her a Happy Mother's Day, and hung up missing her so much there aren't even words to explain it. We are so different. And yet we are so much alike. And while I spend a great deal of time wishing I was more like her... well, it dawns on me that I already am.

Hey, Mom? I love you. Happy Mother's Day.

Saturday, May 2, 2009

Most... Disturbing.

In a strange twist of fate, my DH has suddenly decided he loves sushi. Not the raw fish variety, or even the cooked eel or octopus kind either... but the quest for a good California roll has become a slight obsession for him over the last few weeks.

The hard part is... well... we don't live anywhere near sushi. Sushi is unheard of in Small Town. It's like the proverbial red-headed stepchild of the food world here. I must confess... we have actually resorted to eating Schwan's frozen sushi, and that's just wrong. So, so very wrong.

After being inspired to try and make our own sushi rolls, we headed to an Asian market in the next town over. Keep in mind, I don't like to go anywhere new. Ever. Seriously. The fact that DH talked me into going to this store in the first place is next to a miracle. Seriously. But it was our only option to track down a sushi mat without ordering off the internet or waiting until our next trip to Big Suburbia... but did I mention DH's obsession? Yeah, there would be no waiting.

So, we walked into the store. My first thought was, "What the hell is that smell?!" It was somewhere between sweat socks and rotten food. Or both. No exaggeration. Had I been alone, I would have left before the door had a chance to close behind me. It was baaaad.

Have I mentioned... his obsession? There was no leaving. Not yet, anyway.

I was amazed at the strange and exotic items they carried. Maybe 'amazed' isn't the right word. Alarmed might be a better word. Yeah... let's go with alarmed.

But we persevered and were able to find a sushi mat. In fact, we bought two... you know, just in case something happened to the first one... then we'd never have to go back. Good plan.

But it wasn't until we were at the register getting ready to pay that we saw the most disturbing thing I think I've ever seen in a store: panties in Ziploc baggies up in the display case by the register.

Panties. In Ziplocs.

Had the sushi mats not been fully (and safely) sealed in their packages, we would have dropped them and ran. RAN, I tell you!

But, did I mention the obsession?

Well, obsessed or not, for some unexplained reason we lost our appetite for sushi tonight. With any luck, the visual of those Ziploced panties will fade before we reach for those sushi mats.

I hope.