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.

Thursday Thunks on Friday Night

Always At Least A Day Late is my new motto when it comes to completing writing prompts, but I really couldn't step away from my family on Christmas Day to write, so being late this week was inevitable.

As inevitable as taxes, the passage of time, and not being able to find your keys when you're in a hurry.

That kind of inevitable.

I didn't want to miss a single moment of our lovely Christmas. So I simply didn't.

Christmas Day was a quiet, slow sort of day. We didn't start opening presents till almost noon; later we had a wonderful dinner (turkey, pumpkin and apples, delicious homemade stuffing, cranberries, with a crust-less pumpkin pie for dessert). The in-between time was spent playing with the SuperCat and enjoying each other's company. It took SuperCat hours to open her gifts; she needed to play with each thing extensively before she could consider moving on to the next thing. It was great watching her play, showing us how things worked.

The last several Christmases have been difficult. My Dad's health was going downhill around Christmas of 2003, he died a month and a half after that. Because of that, and for other reasons, Christmas has been difficult to celebrate for a long time; some years I've had to force myself to do anything at all.

This year, for the first time in a long time, mostly in response to the unbridled joy that the SuperCat has brought to us and continues to bring us every single day, I did quite a bit more, felt quite a lot better, and have been pretty happy the whole season.

Life goes on, as they say. So...

From the Thursday Thunks(^).

This week we will answer some crazy questions brought to you by Berleen, the color white and the number 78.

1. Have you ever started your Christmas tree on fire?

No. And how scary is it that that even happens? Can you imagine sitting there, watching the lights twinkle, and all of a sudden, whooosh?

2. How many rings do you wear?

Always the first two, and in various combinations the next three:
* my wedding bands, which started out as two rings, but were connected by the jeweler after our wedding. I'll count those as one.
* a tanzanite and diamond ring given to me by my husband the Christmas after we were married.
* a silver ring with feathers on it that I wear on my thumb.
* a silver poesy ring that my husband gave me.
* a silver ring with a Greek meander (aka key) pattern which looks like this:

3. I say "dog barking", you say _________ ?

He doesn't. My dog almost never barks. He just stands there and looks at you. He growls at people in this really low voice if he doesn't know them at the door, but almost never barks.

4. How many pictures are in the room that you are in.

Two on the wall; old Chinese paintings of birds. Too many to count elsewhere, on shelves, etc.

5. Do you decorate the outside of your house for Christmas?

Some years, yes. Three or four inflatables, lights around the front of the house and in the bushes, a retro plastic Santa...

plus mechanical deer illuminated with white lights, blue and white flowers in the flower boxes, and a winter-themed flag. It's a regular Winter Wonderland.

6. What's your favorite Christmas song?

Carol of the Bells, Mykola Dmytrovych Leontovych, 1916.



7. What do you fill your Christmas stockings with?

I don't. My husband fills mine, and I fill his. Dan grew up in Holland, so I fill his stocking with candy from there like salted licorice (yuck yuck yuck) and marzipan (yummy).

8. How many times a week do you charge your cell phone?

Every night and I usually top it off during the day. I have the G1 Android, and the battery life isn't great, but the phone is beyond spiffy, so it's worth it.

9. Do you own any exercise equipment? What are they?

A treadmill, an elliptical, and those plastic stair stepper thingies used in aerobics class. Plus two of those rubber balance balls, a yoga mat, and some small weights. A bicycle I almost never ride, too, but I'm not sure that counts since (as I said) I almost never ride it.

10. What's your cookie jar look like?

I have 30 or so. Which one would you like to know about?

This is what my favorite cookie jar looks like

Namaste.

currently listening to: Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass, the theme from Casino Royale:

current mood: contemplative

The Buddhist Cow Says Mu

How can you possibly go wrong with a quiz that contains an awesome question like Do you like waffles? From the Thursday Thunks meme, on Friday morning (of course).



1. Do you like waffles?
I love waffles! There are really great gluten-free waffles on the market, made by Van's(^). Sometimes we make it using GF baking mix. I haven't made them from scratch yet. When I was still eating wheat I have to admit that the best waffles I ever made were made with Jiffy Mix(^) and the worst I ever made were made totally from scratch using the recipe in The Joy Of Cooking. They were way too greasy. Yuck.

The ones from Vans are great because they're, well, great - they taste like waffles, not too sweet or funky due to the lack of flour. And because they are in the grocery store, vs going to the health food store. And because they aren't expensive. A lot of gluten-free food is pretty expensive. There are several factors involved - testing, cleaning equipment, smaller batches, costly ingredients.

It's spiffy to find things that aren't expensive, taste good and are easy to find.

We like Waffles so much that we have a cat named Waffles. Our Waffles was actually named after Fern's cat Waffles, though. Fern doesn't have an accessible blog at the moment, but when he does, I'll link to it. He's one of the most important people in my life; the brother I now have, a best friend, and a confidant. As wonderful as Fern is, and while his cat is no doubt awesome, scientifically speaking, our Waffles has been determined to be the best cat on the planet.

Waffles:

• is incredibly empathetic and always comes and lays with us if we're not feeling well or could use some cheering up.
  
• sleeps with us, and is never too warm.
  
• lets the other kitties eat first.
  
• roars when he purrs.
  
• is huge, really long and muscular.
  
• defends other kitties against the scourge that is the dog.
• loves his mommy.
• has his own following on MySpace.
  

Waffles on the bed


More Waffles. Doesn't he have the sweetest face?

2. Name 3 things that is within your reach right now, excluding anything to do with your computer/laptop.

A water bottle, a lamp shaped like the Eiffel Tower, and my camera.

3. Do you hang laundry out on a line outside?

Rarely. I often hang it in the laundry room to dry. In Colorado, the air is so dry that even inside, clothes dry in a just few hours.

4. Loss of vision, ability to speak or hearing - which do you choose? (you have to choose one....)

I've already lost some hearing in my right ear due to a childhood injury, and I'd be ok with losing the rest. Well, not ok, but it would bother me less than the other two. I watch closed captioned TV and can read lips, so it wouldn't be much of a shock to lose my hearing, whereas I can't fathom losing my vision or the ability to speak.

5. On a scale from 1 - 10, how are your computer skills?

Well, compared to my husband, pretty poor. His skills go to eleven, as Nigel Tufnel(^) would say. But compared to your average user, probably about an 8 with PCs; a 6 with Macs; and maybe a 4 with Linux.

Tux, the Linux Mascot

This is the place where I tell you I intend to become more adept at Linux, like I always do. The truth is, it isn't Linux's fault - it's mine. Linux is not hard to learn at the user level, I'm just really busy with the SuperCat. I am at a point where I could use Linix 24/7 at the user level, but I would like to know a lot more and not have to rely on Dan for technical support.

On the plus side, I did dump Windows off my desktop machine, and my laptop now dual boots, so I am making measurable progress. Yay, progress.

6. Do you volunteer or donate to anything around the holidays?

I used to volunteer a lot, but haven't for a while, and am ok with that for the time being. My time is best utilized at home and probably will be for the foreseeable future. I will return to volunteering, eventually though, as I do miss it. We do donate to the ARC(^), which does a lot of good work.

7. If a person receives a DUI while in government office, should he lose his/her position?

I don't have enough information to make a decision.
Was the person elected, appointed or hired?
Does their job involve passing legislation involving drunk driving? Are they otherwise in a decision-making position?
Without more information, I can't answer.

Which totally brings us to MU!!!!! My friend Ben shared the concept of Mu a couple of weeks ago, and I was delighted to read about it.

Mu, where have you been all my life?

Mu (in Japan and Korea) or Wu (in Chinese) means "none", "without", and "no meaning". Mu is the answer to give when there is no correct answer possible or when there isn't enough information to give any answer at all. When "yes" and "no" are both wrong, "Mu" may be the answer.

Mu has a place in Buddhist philosophy as a kōan. A kōan is an often paradoxical question, story, riddle or statement that makes you think about things intuitively that may not be thinkable any other way.

These are kōans:

• what is the sound of one hand clapping?
• when you can do nothing, what can you do?
• what is the color of wind?
• If you have ice cream, I will give you some.
  If you don't have ice cream, I will take it away.
  That, of course, is the famous ice cream kōan by Jack Kerouac
  

Kōans may not have a obvious or single correct answer, which is where Mu comes in.

This is Mu:

marvel at the awesomeness of Mu

8. Do you take vitamins?

I administer vitamins in the form of Flintstones Chewables (now with Betty), and I take one occasionally, but generally no.

9. Do you wear fingernail polish?

My hands are too often in and around craft materials and water to have polished nails. I keep my nails clean but not polished since they'd chips too frequently to look neat for very long. My toenails are polished, though. Bright pink at the moment.

10. If every flower in the world only grew into one color, which color would you want?

The color of blue hydrangeas in the shade on a late summer afternoon. How's that for specific? I love hydrangeas and everything they represent - the bounty and beauty of summer flowers, and the languid warmth of late afternoons as the shadows grow. Hydrangeas made up the bulk of my bridal bouquet and I can't wait to grow them again.

Beautiful blue hydrangeas
Stock Photo from the morgueFile, image information found here(^)

I have a busy day of sewing ahead of me, and will try to post some pictures f my work later this evening.

Until then,

Namaste.
Current mood: (busy)

What Have I Done?

Nothing bad, I hope.
Nah.
It's a list of experiences I may (or may not) have had.
Things I've done are in bold; things I'd like to do are in italics.
From Lea Is Gluten Free(^), an awesome GF blog.

1. Started your own blog?
Obviously.

2. Slept under the stars?
Many times. I was a Girl Scout!

3. Played in a band?
Badly and briefly, but yes. My school's 4th grade orchestra.

4. Visited Hawaii?
I've always wanted to visit Hawaii, especially since my Dad was once stationed there.

5. Watched a meteor shower?
Many times. At least annually for many years.

6. Given more than you can afford to charity?
Yes.

7. Been to Disney World?
Many times with my dad & the girls. Dan and I need to take the girls & the Supercat.

8. Climbed a mountain?
Not in a long time, but yes.

9. Held a praying mantis?
They have scratchy feet.

10. Sang a solo?
You wouldn't want me to, as I have an awful voice.

11. Bungee jumped?
My husband has bungee jumped (from a hot air balloon, no less), but I would never ever do it. Ever.

12. Visited Paris?
I would very much like to see Paris. My sister went a few years ago & loved it.

13. Watched a lightning storm at sea?
I wasn't at sea, but the storm was. Does that count?

14. Taught yourself an art from scratch?
I taught myself to knit. And I taught myself how to use polymer clay. And a bunch of other artsy/crafty things.

15. Adopted a child?
Thought about it a bit; but I'm not sure it's feasible.

16. Had food poisoning?
I was green

17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty?
No. Not for lack of trying, though. Every time I've been to NYC, its been closed for one reason or another. I did walk to the top of the Washington Monument a couple of times.

18. Grown your own vegetables?
Many times.

19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France?
I'll have to see her on my trip to Paris.

20. Slept on an overnight train?
Two different trains. The California Zephyr from Denver to Chicago, and the Cardinal from Chicago to West Virginia. The train is a wonderful way to travel. Dan & I are taking the other half of the California Zephyr route next year when we travel to San Francisco, so I will be able to add several more nights spent on trains then.

21. Had a pillow fight?
Many times. See Question #2 (I was a Girl Scout)

22. Hitchhiked?
Sorta, once.
Bad: it's a really bad idea and don't ever do it.
Good: a friend picked me up.

23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill?
Ya. Naughty naughty naughty.

24. Built a snow fort?
Yep. The first time was at Big Bear Lake(^) when I was a kid.

25. Held a lamb?
When I lived in West Virginia, once a year in the Spring there would be a petting zoo outside the grocery store & I always took the girls. My oldest loved sheep - her "lovie" was a lamb. Anyway, we always held the babies. They are so soft and sweet.

26. Gone skinny dipping?
(blush) yes (blush)

27. Run a Marathon?
Yes. Exactly one. I did very poorly, but I did finish it. Yay, me.

28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice?
never been to Venice, though it is probably higher on my list than Paris.

29. Seen a total eclipse?
No. Many partial, annular & lunar eclipses. One hybrid, iirc. No total eclipses, though.
Speaking of which, you know the Carly Simon song You're So Vain?

Well I hear you went up to Saratoga and your horse naturally won Then you flew your Lear Jet up to Nova Scotia To see the total eclipse of the sun

That eclipse took place July 10th, 1972 and a friend of mine was there. He wasn't the subject of the song though. How spiffy is that?

30. Watched a sunrise or sunset?
Over the Pacific and the Atlantic

31. Hit a home run?
No, but I got to 3rd base once on my own at-bat. Considering how sports-averse I am, that wasn't too shabby.

32. Been on a cruise?
No. My husband and I have talked about the Alaskan cruise thing, but I don't know if I would like to spend that much regimented time or not, and neither does he.

33. Seen Niagara Falls in person?
It's always been on my 'to-do' list.

34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors?
That would be Scotland and/or England. No, I have not yet.

35. Seen an Amish community?
Many times. I lived near some Amish folks for a long time, and we'd see them in town from time to time. There were Mennonites in the area, too. They all seemed very nice. Dan & I recently watch a documentary about the Amish Rumspringa (called Devil's Playground(^) that really raised my eyebrows in relation to what I thought I knew about the Amish.

36. Taught yourself a new language?
No. I keep meaning to learn some Mandarin before we go to China, but haven't gotten around to it. I speak a bit of Spanish, but I didn't teach myself (a series of teachers did), and an even smaller bit of Japanese.

37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied?
Yes, but probably because I'm not a money-driven person

38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person?
::sigh:: not yet.

39. Gone rock climbing?
I used to rappel in high school.

40. Seen Michelangelo's David?
not yet

41. Sung karaoke?
No, but Dan has and he sings beautifully.

42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt?
Yes, it was very cool, but I liked the volcanic paint pots better.

43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant?
Yes.

44. Visited Africa?
not yet. I really want to see Egypt. My husband has been, though.

45. Walked on a beach by moonlight?
Many times.

46. Been transported in an ambulance?
Once, when I was hit head on in a car accident when I was 6 months pregnant.

47. Had your portrait painted?
No. I don't know if I would like that or not. I'd have to think about it.

48. Gone deep sea fishing?
Sort of. On a boat where others were fishing, but didn't fish myself.

49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person?
Another "not yet"

50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris?
Nope. Gah! What's with all the France questions? If I haven't been to Paris (see question above), then I haven't seen the various things in Paris.

51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling?
Yes. In a pool, in a lake, and in the Bahamas.

52. Kissed in the rain?
My husband. He's a good kisser.

<3 style="font-weight: bold;">53. Played in the mud?
As a child.

54. Gone to a drive-in theater?
Many times. We talked about going again last summer, but never got around to it. Hopefully we'll make it next summer.

55. Been in a movie?
No. How cool would that be, though?

56. Visited the Great Wall of China?
The restaurant or the Wall?
We're going abroad for vacation in the year or so, and China is very high on the list.
I hope to see it soon.

57. Started a business?
No, I'm not a very entrepreneurial minded person.

58. Taken a martial arts class?
No, and it really doesn't interest me much, though my husband seems to be thinking about learning Krav Maga, which would be pretty cool.

59. Visited Russia?
Not yet, but I would like to see Saint Petersburg.

60. Served at a soup kitchen?
Sort of. I volunteered in a battered women's shelter for a while., and I used to give out food from the food pantry at church.

61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies?
Yes, several times. Would you like to buy some Thin Mints?

62. Gone whale watching?
Yes. We saw whales and dolphins.

63. Got flowers for no reason?
My husband is the most romantic person on the planet and often surprises me with flowers for no reason ::sigh:: I'm very lucky that way.

64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma?
Yes, and I would still be doing it except that my veins collapse and they can't get enough to make it worthwhile anymore.

65. Gone sky diving?
No, and I never will.

66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp?
No, but I'd like to, although "like" and "Nazi Concentration Camp" hardly go together.

67. Bounced a check?
No. How boring am I anyway?

68. Flown in a helicopter
No, and I'm pretty unlikely to ever wish to do so.

69. Saved a favorite childhood toy?
I have a stuffed sheep and a stuffed Dancing Bear from Captain Kangaroo, both from childhood. I don't have a lot else in that regard, so they are very important to me.

70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial?
Several times.

71. Eaten Caviar?
No, but I'd like to. I've been in the room with it, and don't know why I didn't try it. I will try pretty much anything, food-wise.

72. Pieced a quilt?
I've made several quilts. I'm going to start another after Christmas.

73. Stood in Times Square?
Many times. I ♥ NY

74. Toured the Everglades?
Yes. Lots of alligators, really pretty birds, and mosquitoes the size of small aircraft.

75. Been fired from a job?
Never.

76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London?
Not yet. See: all other questions pertaining to Europe.

77. Broken a bone?
Many. Mostly in my hands. I found out last year why that was happening, so it shouldn't happen again.

78. Been on a speeding motorcycle?
Yes.

79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person?
Yes, and it looks a lot like the pictures. By that I mean that it's so huge and so expansive, that standing at the rim, it almost seems flat and not-quite real somehow. Amazing.

80. Published a book?
Not my own all-by-myself book, but I have had my writing published in a book. Does that count?

81. Visited the Vatican?
My sister went a couple of years ago, but I haven't been yet. I'm Catholic, she isn't, so I guess I'd better get on that.
She brought me a rosary, though; she's very thoughtful.

82. Bought a brand new car?
Yes. It's a vastly overrated option. Used seems to work better for me.

83. Walked in Jerusalem?
No, but my sister has. I sort of want to go someday, sort of not.

84. Had your picture in the newspaper?

85. Read the entire Bible?
Yes.
Twice.

86. Visited the White House?
It's lovely.

87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating?
Yes, but only domesticated farm animals. My husband hunts.
I'm taking hunter safety classes this winter, so I plan to join him next autumn.

88. Had chickenpox?
Yes, in 6th grade. I started getting sick at school on Valentine's Day, and tried to stay because I didn't want to miss the party at the end of the day, but I didn't make it. I have a small scar near my collar bone.

89. Saved someone’s life?
Perhaps. I gave someone CPR once.

90. Sat on a jury?
In early 2005, I was one of 200 or so people called for jury duty. It was my first time. It got narrowed down to about 4 dozen people pretty quickly, half of which went one place, half the other. Lawyers from both sides talked to our group (and I assume the other group, too). Then we were given a questionnaire to fill out, which we turned in & waited. Eventually, we were brought back in numbered order to the courtroom. I was # 13. Some of us were questioned again, and I guess they decied to keep things the way they were because they eventually chose numbers 1-12, and the rest of us were allowed to go home.
So, I missed it by >< that much, which was sort of sad, because I would have like to have served and will be happy to do so if I'm ever called again.

92. Joined a book club?
No. I read alone, baby. I'm a rebel.

93. Lost a loved one?
Terribly, horribly, yes.
I lost my Dad almost five years ago.

94. Had a baby?
Yes, several babies.

95. See the Alamo in person?
Yes, it's spiffy. Stay out of the basement, though. Bad jou-jou.

96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake?
No. First, can you actually swim, or do you just sort of float due to all the salt?
And second, ewwwwwwwwww. Have you smelled the Great Salt Lake?
Icky.

97. Been involved in a law suit?
Yes, for my former HOA as an officer. We won 7/7.

98. Owned a cell phone?
My current phone is a G1 Android (the Google phone), but I've had cell phones since they were huge hulking things in bags.

99. Been stung by a bee?
Yes. But not until I was in 5th grade. A bunch of us were sledding on a hill of mud at Girl Scout camp we ran into a wild bee's nest.
Ouchies.

100. Read an entire book in one day
Many, many times. I'm a readin' fool.
Namaste. =^..^=

Current Mood: (geeky)

Thursday Thunks On Friday Afternoon

Or: Are you perpetually late?
A: Yes, oftentimes.

I haven't done a Thursday Thunks(^) thingy in a while, but this week's was sort of cool, so I'm playing along. Italics are theirs.

Suicide, House, neighbors, dogs, PB&J, STD's and accents
Welcome to the December 4th version of Thursday Thunks!
Where we make you think a little bit before you blog!

This week we will answer some crazy questions brought to you by Berleen, the color sky blue pink and the number 7 (as in the number of days until my birthday).*

1. Have you ever not thought about the possibility of suicide?

Huh? I don't think about the possibility of suicide most of the time. The last time I thought about it was yesterday in regard to Spalding Gray(^) when I heard a Talking Heads song (Love For Sale from one of my favorite movies, True Stories). Spalding Gray plays town leader Earl Culver, who never speaks to his wife. Spalding Gray died almost five years ago and it is still very sad to think about. He was incredibly talented.

2. How many dogs have you owned in your life? What kind? What were their names?
For a dedicated cat person, I've had a surprising number of dogs. Let's see...
a). Two red miniature dachshunds, Hans & Gretchen.
b). A Hovawart names Binky.
c). A red miniature dachshund named Pudgy (named for Betty Boop's dog).

Pudgy (Betty Boop's)

d). A black Cairn Terrier name Josephine (named for the giraffe in Josephine, the Short-Neck Giraffe(^) from the good people who brought us Mister Roger's Neighborhood. She looks like Toto, from the Wizard of Oz and lives with my daughter.
e). A very large black German Shepard named Dennis (he's here in the house somewhere). I can't remember why we named him Dennis, but it was funny at the time. A few days after we got Dennis, someone told me that they didn't like his name because it was the same name as her ex husband. But I'd already had his tags made, so he's Dennis. This is Dennis:

Upside down on the lawn, smiling for the camera.

3. In one word, what do most people describe you as?

Honestly, I have no idea. Whatever it is, I hope it's a nice word.

4. Do you watch HouseMD? Why not?

Used to. Not much anymore. No idea why.

5. What irritates you most about your neighbors?

Nothing at all irritates me about my immediate neighbors. They are all quiet and nice. There is one terribly bitter soul in the neighborhood who is constantly trying to upset people and cause problems, but for the most part, I feel sorry for her and bad about what must be a terribly lonely and miserable existence, but never really irritated with her.

6. Have you ever called someone in for some sort of abuse or neglect on humans, animals or property?

No. Though I did help capture a parrot this past summer and the Animal Shelter came and got it. And one time I called for a possum and another time for a sick crow. Does that count?

7. What color is the sky in your world?

I love that question when it's asked sarcastically with a mock-serious tone, but I'm assuming they really want to know, so the answer is... sort of gray and overcast.

8. Did you see those 2 planets that everyone is talking about this week?

Uh... I have no idea, so I guess not.

9. Would you like to submit your own question for future Thursday Thunks?

Maybe. How many would I have to come up with?

10. Do you have a skin condition? Are you gonna tell us what it is?

No. I used to have this terribly dry, itchy skin, but it was caused by eating wheat gluten due to Celiac Disease. When I found out I had Celiac and stopped eating wheat, it stopped being dry and itchy, and everything has been fine ever since.

11. Have you ever had an STD?

Do children count?

Honestly, no. Not even fever blisters. icky icky icky.

12. Do you do any crafts?

I knit and crochet. I work in felt (needle felting, wet felting, sewn felting); make dolls; and work in all types of clay (polymer and ceramic). I sew, too and do other things as the mood strikes me.

13. Peanut Butter & Jelly - what flavor is the jelly?

Strawberry or strawberry-rhubarb. They didn't ask, but the peanut butter would be chunky and the bread would be gluten-free.

14. Stripes or polka-dots?

Polka Dots.

15. What accent drives you crazy? Is it a good crazy or a bad crazy?

Men with a British accent are sexy, but men with a Southern accent is even sexier. For example, my husband, or Rafael Eledge(^) on Antiques Roadshow. Those would all be good crazy. That Southern drawl gets me every time.

Bad crazy would be a really harsh Northern accent. There is nothing good about hearing that.

Finally (for now), here are two videos from True Stories (see question 1):

Wild, Wild Life (with a young John Goodman)

People Like Us (more John Goodman goodness. This time he's singing)

Namaste.

* Their birthday, not mine.

Unconscious Mutterings Wednesday

From Luna Nina(^)

I say ... and you think ... ?

1. Zoo ::
San Diego, Galapagos Tortoises, Flamingos, and my dad.

2. Neighborhood ::
Mr. Rogers

3. Salute ::
My grandfather, who had a long military career.

4. Immortality ::
Vampires

5. Dominion ::
The British Empire

6. Rhonda ::
Well, Rhonda you caught my eye (caught my eye)
And I can give you lotsa reasons why
You gotta help me Ronda
Help me get her out of my heart

7. Parties ::
Politics

8. Prince of Darkness ::
Satan and Knotts Berry Farm

9. Garbage ::
Oscar the Grouch

10. Standard ::
Time

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.

A food meme

This arrived in my email box, and it looked cute, so I thought I would answer the questions. At the end, a quote.

So, Allez cuisine!

1. How do you like your eggs?
Over easy, hard boiled, or scrambled with onions, garlic, and cheese. There are very few dishes than onions, garlic and cheese can't fix. When I was a kid, I liked scrambled eggs with catsup. That sort of makes me nauseous to think about now.

2. How do you take your coffee/tea?
Iced tea Splenda'ed within an inch of it's life. I almost never drink coffee, but when I do, it has to have a lot of cream and artificial sweetener.

3. Favorite breakfast food?
Crisp bacon. There is nothing better than bacon. Nothing. I like oatmeal, too. But bacon is the Food of the Gods.

4. Peanut butter?
What about it? Oh, yeah. Well, I don't eat a lot of it, because I no longer eat bread and that is how I usually ate peanut butter. But, I still buy it for the kids and the hubby. Their favorite is the peanut butter at Whole Foods that comes from the grinder mixed with honey. You would not believe how good that stuff is. While we're on the subject though: if you ever get a chance, try Macadamia nut butter. You will not be disappointed.

5. What kind of dressing on your salad?
Newman's Own Lighten Up Honey Mustard Dressing. It's delicious, and has a pretty good nutrition profile(^).

6. Coke or Pepsi?
Diet Pepsi. Srsly.

7. You’re feeling lazy. What do you make?
Spam Musubi. It's basically Hawaiian Spam sushi. It's a very popular snack dish in Hawaii, so much so that Hawaiians consume the more Spam per-capita than anyone else (well, the Hawaiians along with the Guam-ish(^).
It's cool because even people who don't like or can't eat raw sushi like it.

Here's my recipe for Spam Musubi

You'll need:
1 can of Turkey or Lite Spam
1-2 sheets of Nori
1/2 cup terriyaki sauce (or make your own)

1). Prepare sushi rice according to whatever directions you prefer, or use the ones on the rice package, your choice. Either way, skip the sugar and vinegar at the end.

2). Once the rice is cooking, decant a tin of Spam(^).
Isn't it pink? Marvel at the pinky-meatiness.

We prefer Turkey Spam, but we haven't been able to find that for a while, so now we use Spam Lite. It has 50% less fat & 33% fewer calories. We don't use Armour Treet(^), because it has gluten. If gluten isn't an issue for you, and you like it, feel free.

You could use "regular" Spam, but it'll be pretty salty when you're done.

3). So, there you are with your block of Spam, marveling at it. Seems a shame to whack it up, but that's what you are going to do. Cut it into 8 or 10 equal slices with a sharp knife. I sometimes score one side of each piece lightly with a knife to make a diamond pattern. It looks pretty when it's cooked.

4). Fry the slices at medium heat with a spray or two of Pam. When it is nicely browned and crispy, flip over to cook the other side and add a half cup or so of teriyaki sauce to the pan, making sure it covers the pieces. Allow to cook for a few more minutes, and when the sauce starts to cling to the Spam and thicken, remove from heat.

(BTW: You can make teriyaki sauce yourself if you like, but I usually use LaChoy brand, which is gluten free. I make enough dishes from scratch because of Celiac Disease to appreciate the time savings of using ready made, but if you'd like to make it, the recipe follows).

5. While the spam cooks, cut the sheets of Nori into strips about an inch wide, and the length of the sheet.

6). Ding! Rice is done! If it isn't, wait. When it is, proceed. Press your rice tightly into mounds using wet, clean hands, a Musubi mold, or a large cookie cutter (we often use one in the shape of a bear or piggy head).

7). Set a piece of cooked Spam on top of each mound, and wrap with a piece of Nori, sort of like a belt. Nori is what dried seaweed for sushi is called in Japan. It is sold pretty much everywhere at this point - even Wal*Mart sells it in their little Asian section. Nori generally comes in sheets in a package of a dozen or so. Use scissors to cut it into strips.

8). Serve and enjoy!

Notes:
One can of Spam plus rice and nori is enough to feed our family (usually 4 for dinner) when we add a small salad, veggies, or cooked fruit. One thing that's fun is to cook pineapple rings in the teriyaki sauce left over in the pan. I usually throw in a bit of brown sugar. The rings will be sweet/salty and go well with the whole Hawaiian theme.

There are more ways to mold rice than I could possibly tell you about. As mentioned above, you can use a plain cookie cutter, set on the cutting board, and press the rice into it until it is perhaps half an inch high. Remove the mold and you have a base for your Spam. If you'd rather, many Asian markets carry rice molds. They run 3 or 4 dollars and you can get them in various shapes. If you are extra lucky, and have a Hawaiian market, you might even find a dedicated Musubi mold.

Some people apparently cut the bottom of the spam can out, and use it to mold the rice. It is the same size as the Spam, so it has that going for it, but the jagged edge never seemed worth the risk.

Finally, we sometimes include adding a drop or two of food coloring to the rice, for colored rice. Nothing like pink piggy shaped rice with spam on top :)

Teriyaki sauce:
16 oz soy sauce (we always use San J Gluten Free Tamari(^). Tamari is a type of soy sauce. San J's is the most like "regular" soy sauce we actually like it better)
5 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tbsp. ginger, minced
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup dry sherry

Mix all together in a non-reactive pan, heating until the sugar is melted. Remove from heat and store in a clean glass jar.

OK, back to the quizzy/meme thing:

8. You’re feeling really lazy. What kind of pizza do you order?
I usually don't, because there aren't any to-go places that serve gluten-free pizza. Except wait a minute! What's this? I was reading a local GF list and someone mentioned tht a new chain opened that served gluten free pizza. So I usually make a Chebe bread (GF-bread mix) pizza crust, with pepperoni and olives on top.

9. You feel like cooking. What do you make?
Usually Vietnamese Summer Rolls (recipe later) or Vietnamese Bun Bowls. I almost always have cooked chicken & veggies in the house, and they are easy and quick to throw together.

10. Do any foods bring back good memories?
Yes. Fried shrimp remind me of my dad. Orange creme truffles remind me of Halloween. Slices of bananas on 'Nilla wafers with cold milk remind me of my dad coming home from work late. He and I would lay out the wafers, put the banana slices on them, pour the milk, then sit down and eat and talk.

11. Do any foods bring back bad memories?
Not really. None that I can think of. So, unless I have suppressed something awful, I can't think of anything.

12. Do any foods remind you of someone?
See above. Fried shrimp reminds me of my dad. Eclairs remind me of my grandmother. Divinity fudge reminds me of my dad. Hot anything reminds me of my husband.

13. Is there a food you refuse to eat?
Boiled Brussels Sprouts, aka Devil Cabbages. Mushy, icky, squishy, stinky gross. I won't eat them, I won't serve them, I refuse to acknowledge their right to exist.

14. What was your favorite food as a child?
Fried shrimp with cocktail sauce.

15. Is there a food that you hated as a child but now like?
No, I was pretty good about eating whatever I was served when I was a kid.

16. Is there a food that you liked as a child but now hate?
I don't hate them, but I used to love Lima beans. I don't love them anymore. No idea why.

17. Favorite fruit and vegetable?
Fresh strawberries and fried okra.

18. Favorite junk food?
Anything chocolate.
Except ice cream.
I don't really like ice cream.

19. Favorite between meal snack:
Chex Mix. I think it is my favorite non-chocolate food. After I was diagnosed with Celiac, I couldn't have it anymore, but a few months ago, the good people at General Mills made Rice Chex gluten-free(^), so I make it with Rice Chex only now and it is delicious. And yes, Rice Chex had gluten. Corn Chex still does. Rice Krispies still has it. The gluten is hidden in the barley malt, which is a natural flavoring. Bless the good people at General Mills.

20. Do you have any weird food habits?
Depends. Is bananas, mayonnaise and peanut butter sandwiches weird? How about green banana sliced on Nacho Cheese Doritos? Ok, the second one is weird even to me.

21. You’re on a diet. What food(s) do you fill up on?
Salads. Rice cakes.

22. You’re off your diet. Now what would you like?
A nice aged steak. Medium rare, but more toward the rare than the medium.
Lobster with drawn butter.
Butter chicken and rice.
White chocolate mousse. Regular chocolate anything.

23. How spicy do you order Indian/Thai?
How hot can they make it?

24. Can I get you a drink?
Sure.Gin and Tonic, please. Or a nice single malt scotch.

25. Red or White Wine?
Red. White gives me a horrid headache. My husband is the same way.

26. Favorite dessert?
Pecan pie.

27. The perfect nightcap?
Bailey's Irish Cream and a kiss from my sweetheart.

Namaste.
=^..^=

The poets have been mysteriously silent on the subject of cheese. ~ G.K. Chesterton

Quizzy Quiz

The Large Hadron Collider *pops* went online less than an hour ago, and contrary to the wacky beliefs of some, we're all still here.
Whew.
For what it's worth.

So, the destruction of Earth safely delayed for the time being, I present another in a never ending series of of those interminable quiz thingies that circulate on The Tubes.

So let's get to it, folks.

Do you sing in the car? Yes. To disco music. Really loud, too. With hand gestures at stoplights. Srsly.

Dance in the shower? good heavens, no.

Ever use a gun? As in “to shoot”, or to hold up a table leg, or what? To shoot, yes.

Last time you got a picture taken from a photographer? my wedding, i think.

Are musicals cheesy? yes. that does not make them bad, though. Cheesy is good.

Is Christmas stressful? Yes, inherently so.

Favorite type of fruit pie? pecan... no, cherry... wait. chess. Ummm... Is there “bad” pie?

What did you want to be as a kid? a paleontologist.

Do you believe in ghosts? No. Do they believe in me?

Ever have a déja-vu feeling? Once. i dreamed one night about going somewhere i was going the next day.

Take daily vitamins? Yes, sometimes. So i guess that makes that a “no”, since i don't take them daily, But when i do, i take the kind that are meant to be taken daily, so... what was the question again?

Wear slippers? Own them. But i conveniently forget to wear them most of the time because i like the feeling of bare feet.

Wear a bathrobe? Sometimes

What do you wear to bed? My favorite is a spaghetti strap gown made of gray tee-shirt material with tiny blue flowers.

First concert? i don't recall. i want to say The Police, but i'm not 100% sure. The early 80's were a heady time. i can't be expected to remember most of it.

Walmart, Target, or K-Mart? Wal*Mart usually. Target occasionally. K-Mart never; it's too creepy. The fluorescent lights flicker and give me a headache, and the way K-Mart employees look at you when you come in. I'm not saying for sure, but they may be zombies. Or something.

Nike or Adidas? Chuck Taylor Converse high tops.

Fritos or Cheetos? Neither.

Corn nuts or Sunflower Seeds? Sunflower seeds. Corn Nuts are nasty and very hard on teeth.

Have you ever chosen a boy/girl over a friend? i wouldn't allow anyone to put me in the position to have to do so. No one's ever tried, though.

Ever take dance lessons? No. Well, ballet lessons when i was little.

Can you curl your tongue? No. i have the other kind of tongue (the ability to do that or not is genetic, don't you know).

Ever won a spelling bee? No. i don't recall even ever being part of one.

Have you ever cried because you were so happy? Yes, at my wedding. When my children were born. That's about it.

Own any records or record player? Bought a record this week. Do not own a record player. Is that great planning, or what?

Regularly burn incense? No, but i like it. i have a bird, though, and she doesn't.

Who would you like to see in concert? Morrissey. And the Talking Heads. And the Pogues. And the Pixies. Pretty much everyone else is either dead or Ive already seen them, or both.

Ever been in-love? Yes.

Hot tea or iced-tea? Both are great, but i prefer iced on a daily basis.

Tea or coffee? Tea. i really don't like coffee without unhealthy amounts of sugar and cream.

Favorite kind of cookie? Chocolate Chip.

Can you swim well? Yes. i love to swim.

Can you hold your breath without manually holding your nose? Yes.

Are you patient? Hmmmmm. For some things, yes. For others, no.

Ever won a contest? Yes.

Ever have plastic surgery? No, but i'd like to. There are three kinds of women. Those who have had plastic surgery, those who would like to have plastic surgery, and those who lie about the first two. i have never met a woman who wouldn't like to “improve” something about her body. Sexist? Ya, probably. That doesn't negate the truthiness of it, though.

Which are better, black or green olives? i love them both, but probably black edges out green by just a bit.

Can you knit or crochet? Both. i'm better at crochet.

Best room for a fireplace? The living room, i think. i love a fire in the fireplace while sitting on the sofa with the lights out, looking out the window at the snow.

What is the best way to show affection? Ummmm...

Would you rather do without your cell phone or your car? Cell phone.

Do you have any regrets? Yes, but most of them involve not doing things sooner. i strive to not ever regret things that i have actually done.

Did you do well in high school? Meh, Could have done better. Could have done worse. I enjoyed myself, so that counts for a lot, IMO.

Do you still talk to people from high school? One. There are two people i'd like to find, but wouldn't know where to look.