Sixteen Questions

From Mrs. G, who is always funny and thoughtful^.

1) Do you support gay marriage?

Yes. I think if straight people get married, gay people should have to, too.

Honestly: it's a human rights issue, and I can't believe that it is even a question for most people. Love isn't a zero-sum game. If gay people get married, it does not diminish love or marriage for anyone else. Happy marriages are good for everyone in our society. Also, I think that this is a defining issue for Americans. Someday, those who vocally oppose gay marriage will be scorned and will be look at in the same way that we look down on those who opposed the civil rights movement.

I should have added: Those who call themselves small-government conservatives, who want the government out of their lives, who then also demand that the government should decide which adults can and can't get married, are hypocrites.

Those people should remember not to whine and cry when that same government moves to restrict their lives in ways that scare and anger them. It is inevitable. It always happens. Why they will act surprised when it does is beyond me.

Freedom isn't just for one group. It's for all Americans. Restrict it for some, and it will be restricted for all. That is how giving power to the government works and has always worked.

And it isn't about whether or not you "approve" of gay marriage or not. It's okay it you don't. You don't have to like it. It's about whether or not you can maintain your freedoms in the face of denying freedom to others.

2) How old are you, beautiful?

Old enough to be pleased when someone tells me that I look great for being in my mid-30's.

3) What is the strangest thing you have ever put on a peanut butter sandwich?

Bananas and mayonnaise, according to my husband.

4) Are you comfortable wearing a two piece bathing suit to the beach?

Good Lord, no.

5) Are you honest with your spouse/significant other about everything?

I try to be, but I also try to curb my sharp tongue, so maybe not always. <--- probably a good thing.

6) Are you offended by the adult book "Go the F*ck to Sleep?"

No. I wish it was a series.
Go the F*ck to the Bathroom.
Time to Go the F*ck to the Dentist.
Pick Up Your F*cking Toys.
And so on.

7) Be honest, do you regularly find yourself judging people? On what basis: looks, intelligence, prosperity?

Yes. Intelligence and wisdom. Looks are transient, and there are some good reasons not to be wealthy. There is no reason at all to be misinformed or ignorant, though.

I should have added, Honesty. 

8) What's the most you've ever spent on a piece of clothing?

A few hundred dollars for a prom dress, back in the dark ages, when that was a lot of money.

My wedding dresses didn't cost anywhere near as much as that dress. It was gorgeous, though. Lavender, with yards and yards of tulle, like a long ballet tutu, with a satin bodice. More or less like this, except this is Barbie's prom dress, not mine:



9) On a scale of one to ten (one being "not much"), how would you rate the importance of your online relationships?

Depends. Some of them are very important to me. A few aren't. So, on a scale of one to ten, most of them would be 9s or 10s. A few are as low as 3 or 4.

10) Do you think sexting counts as infidelity?

Yes. Intimacy is about more than sex.

11) Is Jax from Sons of Anarchy too young (he's 31) to be mancaked?

I have no idea what that means. He's a cutie, though.

12) Do you have a blog?

Yes. This is it.

13) Approximately how many blogs do you read?

A lot. Like, maybe 100 or so. Almost all of them in RSS. Politics, science, geeky stuff, crafts, and food, mostly.

14) What are three blogs you can't wait to read each day (please don't include this one or your own)?

Volokh Conspiracy^ (politics and legal stuff), Zoo Borns^ (cute animal stuff), and Wired Science^ (science-y stuff).

15) George or Johnny?

Johnny.
Seriously.
Why even ask?

16) What current trend are you tired of hearing about day after day?

Most of them? Hmmmm... If I had to pick one, it would be the latest idiocy from the Republican Party. As a former Republican, I have trouble believing the disturbing pattern of bigotry and prejudice that spews forth with no one in leadership denouncing any of it.

I would have added, had I thought about it, that I'm still pretty conservative on most issues. Actually, I'm pretty libertarian on most issues, but that's harder to explain. People understand "conservative". Not many people understand "libertarian".

The Friday Five from The Women's Colony

1. What is one characteristic you received from your parents that you want to keep, and one you wish you could change? 

I'd want to keep my inquisitive nature (from my dad).  At the same time, I might tone down my need to question absolutely everything, all the time, every time. It gets in the way of seeing the magic moments in life sometimes. 

 

2. If you could have any chef (free of charge) cater a dinner party for you and your friends, who would you choose? What is one thing that would have to be on the menu 

Anthony Bourdain^. I'd like him to make Vietnamese crêpes called banh xeo (happy pancakes). They are gluten-free and look wonderful. I saw him eat them on one of his travel shows, and they were crispy and fresh and I really wanted them right then.They don't seem to be particularly difficult to make, but to require an insanely hot iron skillet to get the crêpes perfectly crispy.

Vietnam

I like Vietnamese food a lot. Everything I've ever had or made has been wonderful. Lots of veggies, lots of herbs, lots of flavor, usually not too spicy if that is a concern. It isn't for me, but it is for some folks. 

3. How do you know when you are in love? 

I have no idea. Seriously. Maybe when you're happier with the person than without them? 

 

I can tell you how you'll know if you aren't in love any more , though: when you simply don't care much one way or the other, you are no longer in love. And yes, I am a little ray of sunshine, aren't I? 

 Vintage Images from the Graphics Fairy ^

4. Favorite crappy, sugar laden cereal? 

I used to love Kellogg's Corn Pops, but they are not gluten free, so I haven't had them in years and don't buy them for the kiddos, This is a true shame, because they're missing out on the joy of having the roofs of their mouths scraped raw by those sweet little corn nuggets. My understanding is that they used to be free of gluten^, but that that changed a few years ago. So I don't buy them. At all. Period.

I'd like to take this moment to explain allergy math to food manufacturers. They look at Celiacs, or people with food allergies, and see them as a percentage or two of the population. What they don't see is that if one person can't eat it, it doesn't get purchased in most homes. So that 1-2% is multiplied by the several other people living there, and suddenly it's a lot more than 1% they're missing out on. If I don't buy your product for 4 people, we're 4% out of 100 consumers.And when I buy more of one entire brand name because the company has made an effort to make things that I can eat, you lose even more of my business.

So come on, Kellogg's. Y'all get on the trolley. Sheesh. 

Many awesome companies are moving toward making their cereals and other products gluten free whenever possible. General Mills has done a fabulous job making Rice Chex & Corn Chex GF. They've introduced lots of other GF products, too^. They introduced several products including a GF Bisquick this summer. Everyone I know who buys GF foods now makes a point to buy as many General Mills products as possible. I can't tell you how nice it is to buy food from the regular grocery store from a recognizable company at a good price. Their response to the GF community has created a lot of brand loyalty. Yay, General Mills.

I buy Rice Chex or Corn Chex almost exclusively now and sometimes fancy it up with a recipe from the Chex website^. I'm not sure I'd go back if I could; the awesomeness that is Chex Muddy Buddies is beyond description. GF, full of chocolate and peanut butter. Oh, my goodness.

Here's the recipe. 

Muddy Buddies ^

Ingredients:
9 cups Chex cereal
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup margarine
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cup powdered sugar

Directions:
1. Into large bowl, measure cereal; set aside.
2. In 1-quart microwavable bowl, microwave chocolate chips, peanut butter and butter uncovered on High 1 minute; stir. Microwave about 30 seconds longer or until mixture can be stirred smooth. Stir in vanilla. Pour mixture over cereal, stirring until evenly coated. Pour into 2-gallon resealable food-storage plastic bag.
3. Add powdered sugar. Seal bag; shake until well coated. Spread on waxed paper to cool. Store in airtight container in refrigerator.

Use dairy-free chocolate and margarine if dairy is an issue. Obviously, use GF Chex if gluten is an issue. Always read the labels on ingredients. Always. 

Again: Yay, General Mills. Seriously, you guys rock. 


5. If you were guaranteed honest responses to any two questions, whom would you question, and what would you ask them? 

I'd like to ask the same question of two very different people. 

Also, this assumes that I can ask anyone from any time period, right? I'm gonna be seriously disappointed if I have to limit my questions to current denizens of Earth.

Ok, so I'd ask Charles Darwin, "What do you think of your idea now?", because I'd like to know what he thinks of the massive, far-reaching effect his theory has had on the rest of Humanity. I wonder if the continued controversy would surprise him or not?

Charles Darwin

I'd ask Thomas Jefferson the same question,  "What do you think of your idea now?" Because Jefferson was the principle author of the Declaration of Independence and so much change has come to pass in the world as a result of what he did and what he wrote. Would he be sorely disappointed? Surprised? Happy?

  Thomas Jefferson

How would you answer these questions?

This week's quiz is from The Women's Colony^. So many talented women. I encourage you to zip over there and read to your heart's content.

Namaste.

I mean, in theory, it's a great idea...

I think that the reason the Motrin ad to-do has crawled under my skin as it has is because it is disheartening to see that some people simply do not get it. I have children in college and high school in addition to the SuperCat, so this isn't my first spin around the block. So, while things are better today that they were 20 years ago, and much better than when I was a child myself, we aren't quite there yet.

My children range in age from 20 on down to toddler, and I would like to think that my daughters won't ever face a culture that devalues their decisions and decision-making. But that probably isn't so.

It's still see as acceptable to make fun of women and their choices. I'd like to see that change, and for me, avoiding products from companies whose culture allowed this sort of ad makes sense.

An update, of sorts: The people at McNeil Consumer Healthcare, makers of Motrin, have placed an apology in the spot where the ad once ran on their website. The apology contains the line: We are parents ourselves and we take the feedback of moms very seriously.

Now, aside from the weak apology, which trots out the thread-bare phrase "taking _____ very seriously" which is somewhat of a joke over at Consumerist(^), that sentence begs a question:

Whose bright idea was it to make fun of mothers and marginalize their decisions? If you'd like me to be a customer so much that you target an ad at my demographic, whose bright idea was it to make fun of that same demographic? And that goes double since, as you say, you are parents.

Finally, a parody of the original Motrin ad. It is everything the original wasn't (funny, smart, and sharp). It's from Motherhood Uncensored(^) and The Imperfect Parent(^).



Namaste.

Ooooh! Ten On Tuesday Meme Thingy

This week's meme is: Ten Bands/Artists That Remind You Of High School.

In almost no particular order:

1). Blondie. Specifically Rapture(^). The first rap song many of us ever heard, unless you'd heard of the Sugarhill Gang's Rapper's Delight(^). Which I had. So... yeah. Blondie was very popular when I was in high school. Bonus: Jean-Michel Basquiat(^) makes an appearance in the video for Rapture.
2). The Doors. Jim Morrison had been dead almost 10 years when I started high school, but The Doors were still the party music of choice for a large segment of my high school friends.
3). The Rolling Stones. I saw then at the Fox Theatre in Atlanta, Georgia on 26/10/1981. Here's the set list(^). They were at their prime and it was an awesome experience. Here is Satisfaction(^), which was the kast song they played that night
4). Queen. Saw them in concert, The Game Tour(^). It remains the best concert I have ever attended. Here is Play the Game(^).
6). Lynyrd Skynyrd. If you weren't partying to the Doors, you were probably partying to Lynyrd Skynyrd. Free Bird(^) was as close to an anthem as we probably got.
7). Earth Wind & Fire. Reminds me of the guy I rode to school with. He always had this playing on the tape deck. I still love September(^).
8). Steve Forbert. Especially Romeo's Tune(^). It reminds me of a friend, and now it reminds me of my husband. Romeo's Tune is probably my favorite single song.
9). Dave Brubeck. Take Five(^) had been out for at least 20 years when I was in high school, but it still reminds me of a certain person and a special moment in time.
10). Steely Dan. Hey Nineteen(^) is particularly evocative of that time period for me. They remain my favorite musicians.

Stuff I left out: The Ramones, the Beatles, Talking Heads, Frank Sinatra, ELO, Tom Petty, The Kinks (especially Lola(^)), Supertramp, Lou Reed & the Velvet Underground, Iggy Pop, David Bowie, Jimmy Buffett, Dusty Springfield, the Sex Pistols, Elvis Costello, Parliament-Funkadelic, George Clinton, Barry White, the New York Dolls, The Who, Patti Smith, Joe Walsh, Suzi Quatro, Al Stewart, Cat Stevens, Punk music, and all of southern rock.

Another quizy quiz

Last thing you drew?
a kitty

Want someone you can't have?
no.

Do you pay any bills?
many.

Do you believe in young love?
ya.

Feel sick?
nah. feel pretty good, actually.

Name something right in front of you?
Jonny Quest on the TV

Blue or Green?
both. sort of a blue-green melange.

Have you ever made a mistake?
not that you know of. seriously? zillions.


What would your last meal be before getting executed?
fried chicken from this one place i know *pops*.

Has someone ever called you beautiful?
yes.

Whose bed did you sleep in last night?
His.

Do you miss anyone?
oh, yes.

Have you held hands with anyone in the past 48 hours?
yes.

Do you like to cuddle?
Yes.

Last movie you watched?
Otis.

What's your hair look like today?
long, black, straight. same as every other day. Unless it's long, red, and straight.

Who was the last person of the opposite sex you talked to on the phone?
my sweetest.

Is something bothering you right now?
nope.

Have you been outside today?
brrrrrrrrrr. cold.

Do you daydream?
sometimes.

Are you shy?
actually, yes.

In the past week have you smiled?
of course.

Has someone disappointed you lately?
something somewhere is always disappointing me. jeeze.

What's the 8th text in your inbox say? Who was it from?
"chop chop"... you wouldn't get it. and i'm not about to explain it to anyone.

Have you ever been awake for 48 hours?
yes. i don't recommend it.

What are your initials?
a bunch of ds

Baseball or football?
hockey

Do you like the color grey?
in fog, yes.

Look outside, how's the weather?
dark. is "dark" weather? at any rate: cold.

Last time you ate grilled cheese?
i don't know, but sometime before February.

When you think of the rainbow, what pops in your head?
rainbows?

Would you date someone 8 years older than you?
no, my husband would frown on that.

What are you looking forward to in the next month?
cooler weather and snuggling with my sweetie.

When is the last time you talked to number 1 on your top friends?
ummm. talking right now.

What color is your hair?
black. didn't we cover this already?

Do you like pancakes?
so-so. i liked the ones shaped like Mickey Mouse that my dad used to make. i can only have gluten-free ones now, and they are ok.

Is there a member of the opposite gender on your mind?
yes. he's right over there ----->

Have you told anybody you loved them today?
yes. several somebodies.

Have you ever liked anyone from your top friends list?
married to one of them, so yes.

Do you have a facebook?
yes.

Sometimes, do you wish you were someone else?
no.

Does it bother you when you text somebody and they take forever to text back?
ummm... not that i can recall. there are really only a few people whose texts i look forward to.

Do you get to sleep in on weekends/in the summer?
no... well, once in a rare while. it's very nice.

Are you a fan of baths?
yes.

Is there somebody that texts/calls you 24/7?
not 24/7, but i like it when he texts/calls. not really from anyone else, though.

List of fives

What are five things on your to-do list for this week?
1. call the abattoir and ask about game dressing details. (done)
2. call "doggie daycare" and make an appointment for the hound while we're on vacation. (done)
3. clean/wash/cook/scrub/repe

at as needed ad infinitum (always in process)
4. craft a bit, probably clay & maybe some sewing. (partially done, always in progress)
5. find dresses for vacation (done)

What are five snacks you enjoy?
1. Chex mix. we make it with Rice Chex only, plus nuts. Awesome.
2. fruit smoothies that I make at home.
3. a frozen, chocolate-covered banana (aka monkey tails). They remind me of going to DisneyLand when I was little.
4. rocky road ice cream. i don't otherwise like ice cream, but love rocky road.
5. Anything chocolate. Golly, is there anything it can't do?

What are five things you would do if you were a billionaire?
1. build a large (but not huge) house that was as "green" as possible in as remote an area as possible.
2. travel extensively.
3. create... spend time on art and reading.
4. endow many, many scholarships for needy students.
5. can't think of anything else. spend it frivolously, probably.

What are five of your worst traits?
1. stay up too late a lot of the time
2. don't always finish projects before i start a new one (but only sometimes)
3. too shy by far
4. worry too much
5. know-it-all-ism (but only sometimes)

What are five places where you have lived?
1. North Carolina
2. California
3. Tennessee
4. South Carolina
5. West Virginia

What are five jobs you’ve had?
1. waitress
2. bartender
3. wife
4. mother
5. writer