Tidbits

First, from one of my favorite blogs, how true:

Second, if you like to buy things online, there’s this site I found called Retail Me Not. People can submit online coupons/discount codes. They happen to have  a selection from Joann’s and Hancock Fabrics among other craft suppliers.

Finally, 8 questions. I got this … somewhere.

1. What is your staple meal? (ie. what meal do you cook most often, when you can’t be bothered to think of anything adventurous)
Scrambled eggs, Morningstar fake sausage and toast or pancakes. Or if Jeff has his way we end up with pizza. But I can eat breakfast anytime.

2. What do you want to be when you grow up?
Ummm. I’ve always thought about being a librarian … I rather wish I wouldn’t grow up so much that I have to reach a place where I have to define myself as one thing in particular and settle down. I’d rather be many things all at once at whatever time of life works.

3. What book are you reading at the moment (if any)?
The Changeling (2nd Book of the Fey) by Kristine Kathryn Rusch.  It’s book 2 of a series of I don’t know how many.

4. How do you relax?
I read. I sit.  have decaf coffee at a pleasing location. I eat at lovely places. Sometimes I cook or sew. Sometimes I sleep late.

5. What colour are the interior walls of your home?
White. Normally this is not so. I had walls the color of a latte in my last home. Here? No, this is not a long-term solution, it’s not worth it.

6. What is your guiltiest pleasure?
Shopping? Er … I drink beer? Seriously, I have few vices. I suppose my guiltiest pleasure is staying up all night and reading an entire book. I did this last week and read a new book I have on the Gospel of Judas. I am terribly boring, aren’t I?

7. What time is bed time and getting up time?
Midnight or later, 7:30-ish. How I long for the days when my earliest call time was a 11 am class.

8. How long do you spend reading blogs (per day or per week)?
Um. Lots. Too much? I fit it in.

I Almost Forgot to Add a Title

Status, Dog Sweater: complete, except for the fact that I have to actually undo part of the neck and sleeves so it will fit. So … not really. I could lie. She fits in it okay. But it’s not right yet. I blame Audrey. She used to be a pound and a half heavier, which is a lot for a roughly 10-pound dog, and it kinda screwed up my original measurements.  What do you do with an extra 2 inches of width on a dog sweater?  Hard to figure.  In lieu of that, this:

The “Freedom of Information Act” Questionnaire:  (seems a topical name) Periodically I like to mess up the flow of my blog by inserting sudden question-and-answer sessions. I found a good one on the Stitch Bitch blog, interesting because actual bloggers made up the questions. The first 5 are from Doaleigh, who I don’t know, and the second 5 are from Sitch Bitch, who I do know in that internet-ey way. There are rules, below, but no one should feel burdened by participation or close rule-following, because I clearly didn’t follow the rules too precisely.  Like Ms. SB, I will answer the questions I ask.

1. If you want to participate, leave me a comment saying, “Interview me.” (And your e-mail address if I don’t already have it, please.)
2. I will respond by e-mailing you five questions. I get to pick the questions.
3. You will update your blog with the answers to the questions.
4. You will include this explanation and an offer to interview someone else in the same post.
5. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions.

DOALEIGH QUESTIONS

1. Would you rather be beautiful but always smell terrible or be ugly but smell lovely? Hm, a choice between ugliness and ugliness. Neither. (I really am not a rule follower.)

2. The old adage says to regret nothing, and that’s probably true. But if you could change something you’ve done, what would it be and why? I consider regret to generally be a self-flagellating exercise in futility best ignored (ranks second to guilt, which I just have no time for), but nevertheless, I’m pretty sure I regret not eating lunch today.

3. What are some of your nicknames? Tell us the stories behind them. I was small and nerdy, so I got appropriate nicknames from that – Little People and Four Eyes. Junior high nicknames relating to being a silly junior high girl. My brother has about 3,000 for me, typically highly inappropriate and nonsensical. I am often called Mouse at new jobs by coworkers who don’t know me  (later they call me stubborn). My uncle calls me Trout, and won’t tell me why, and I’m not convinced he knows anymore either.

4. What is one of your own favorite physical features and why? Also, you should show us a picture (if appropriate). Another pic? No. I like my eyes, which seem to change color sometimes.

5. When was the last time you cried and why? Audrey. See last post.

Bonus question: Who is John Galt? I don’t know who that is. Since AVS mentioned it, I never read Ayn Rand. That wasn’t my brand of quack philosophy.

STITCH BITCH QUESTIONS

1. The local news media shows up on your doorstep. It turns out your neighbor is a serial killer. You cannot say, “He was so quiet. This is such a shock. This kind of thing doesn’t happen here.” What do you say? (You can choose the neighbor.) I would fail to be surprised. I just had a neighbor arrested last year for something disturbing. Serial killers, I suppose, have to live somewhere, and it’s no good stereotyping where I think they ought to live.

2. What’s the greatest invention created in your lifetime? I pick the Macintosh. Perhaps if I did not mine would become angry. Actually, because I have no idea what I would do with myself without my Mac. I am a big nerd.

3. What was your best job? Being a TA. Even though the academia thing didn’t much work out, I enjoyed teaching and grading and the questions from students, and I really liked the professor I worked for.

4. Over the next 18 months, we’re all likely going to have to cut back. Where will you make these cuts? What luxury will fight to save? Will you actually come to blows? I will probably not cut back anywhere. We are already very conservative and overly analytical people, so it really be ridiculous for us to do this more.

5. Are you a good speller? Yes. While there are a few words that trip me up consistently (usually because I truly feel they ought to be spelled differently), mostly I am very precise. I once regularly won spelling bees. I have trophies. With bees on them. Please proceed to find the spelling error in this post, yes, I know it’s here.

I do wonder what I will do if someone asks me to interview them.

20 qu … well, some questions

These are usually nonsensical, but sometimes I like to do them anyway. And today seems like a good day.  I do actually like to read others’ versions.

What is in the back of your car? not sure. map, trash, a plastic folder, a magazine
Name one person that made you smile today? my Caper-kitty made me smile
What were you doing at 8 am this morning? wondering why the demon-kitten was climbing the spare mattress like a tree
What were you doing 45 minutes ago? drinking coffee, eating a doughnut, contemplating my day
What is your favorite candy bar? I don’t much like candy bars, but I’ll do plain milk chocolate.
Have you ever been to a strip club? yes
What is the best ice cream flavor? Phish Food, preferably the Phish Stick variety.
What are you wearing right now? t-shirt and some comfy pants
Have you bought any new clothing items this week? nope
When was the last time you ran? last weekend I had a nice jog
The last sporting event you watched? I don’t do sporting events
What is your favorite flavor of popcorn? butter. But an errant piece recently cracked one of my teeth, so I’m not feeling very kindly toward popcorn at the moment.
Who is the last person you sent a comment/message on Myspace? I try to ignore myspace, but I was trying to find my missing hairdresser. I was desperate.
Ever go camping? Many, many times
Do you take vitamins daily? No, they always manage to make me feel sick
Do you go to church every Sunday? No
Do you have a tan? I don’t believe I tan anymore – burn, freckle: yes
Do you like Chinese food over pizza? They’re about the same unless I’m in Chinatown
Do you drink your soda with a straw? No.
What did your last text message say? I asked the Google text-messaging service for the weather
Are you some-one’s best friend? I try not to rank friends
What are you doing tomorrow? I may eat brunch
Look to your left, what do you see? ironing board, kitchen table, cat tree, cabinet, hell, I see most of my house to the left as I’m sitting at the right wall
What color is your watch? as if I could possibly keep a watch running
What do you think of when you think of Australia? koala bears, kookaburra, desert, eucalyptus
Do you use chap stick? I’m not good at remembering such things
Do you have a dog? yep. Audrey, who turns 8 years old on the 20th. Still acts like a puppy – it’s the charm and curse of the Yorkie.
Last person you talked to on the phone? my mom, announcing she’d be at my house in 10 minutes
Have you met anyone famous? the most famous people I’ve met were R.E.M. Well, Mary Lou Retton was pretty famous at one point. Lyle Lovett and I once shared a hair salon (you want to know how big my hair was in the 80s now, don’t you?)
Any plans today? not really “plans” per se
How many states have you lived in? If DC counts, I think … 8?
Ever go to college? For too many years
Do you dye your hair? Nope. Too lazy. Was contemplating henna.
Biggest annoyance in your life right now? my effing teeth
Last song listened to? I was listening to Astrud Gilberto, I think
Can you say the alphabet backwards? if I think about it and go slowly
Do you have a maid service clean your house? I wish
Are you jealous of anyone? people who have a maid service to clean their house
Is anyone jealous of you? dunno
Do you love anyone? yes
Do any of your friends have children? one or two, mostly not. mostly they have cats.
Do you eat healthy? doughnuts and weaknesses like lemon pound cake, cheese and queso aside, yes.
What do you usually do during the day? I go to work or work at home.
Do you hate anyone that you know right now? there are people toward whom I have unkind feelings
Do you use the word ‘hello’ daily? er, never thought about it.
What color is your car? silver
Do you like cats? unfortunately. i’m not sure if they like me back.
Have you ever been to Six Flags? i’ve been to at least four different ones.
How did you get your worst scar? I had spinal surgery.