The Disappearing Questions

This from Bud about this week's survey....and Bud, I really like what you said about those of us who still blog:

We found this gem on Sunday very quickly. It's from a since retired blog that ended in that 2008 or so massive deserted blogs and bloggers. Other social media kicked the shit out of us. Why write a 600 word column and get four comments when you can go Facebook and publish a pic of freakin' dog and get 50 likes and 25 comments. You knowwhat I think? (OK, I do acknowledge that most of you are thinking, "Not really Bud - we're here to do the damn questions", I think the blogosphere is better off without them. We who stayed are the artists, writers, humorists who don't care how many comments we get. We write because we are writers. Oh, wow. I do run on, no? The dead blog was called !enaj em s'taht. She got these questions from a blogger who not only stopped blogging, he deleted his blog.

Cheers to all of us thieves!


Sunday Stealing: The Disappearing Questions 


1. Last movie you saw in a theater?  

Suicide Squad.  It's not the type of movie we normally see, but we wanted to see a movie that day and nothing else appealed even a little.  We were pleasantly surprised by the fact that it was fairly good and very entertaining...even in 3-D.

2. What book are you reading?

Divine Evil by Nora Roberts.  I've read four Mary Kay Andrews books in a row. I enjoy them, but need a break.

3. Favorite board game?

LIFE was always my favorite growing up and I still like it.  I also like Sequence which is a strategy game played with cards on a board.

4. Favorite magazine?

Country Sampler

5. Favorite smells?

Babies, the beach, bread baking in the oven, the air after it rains, and fresh-picked Concord grapes.

6. Favorite sounds?

Thunderstorms, children's laughter, cat purrs, birds at dawn, and the beach (all of it...wind, waves, seagulls).

7. Worst feeling in the world?

Being cut out of the life of someone you care about very much.

8. What is the first thing you think of when you wake up?

Get the dogs outside!

9. Favorite fast food place?

Lately it's been Arby's, but Taco Bell has a couple of things I like, too.  On the whole I don't really like too much fast food.

10. Future child’s name?

Oh, honey...that boat sailed a long time ago.

11. Finish this statement. “If I had lot of money I’d….?

Give a lot of it to the charities of my choice, pay off all our debt, and buy/build our dream house.  Oh, and I'd probably have to buy a Mustang, too.  The rest would go in the bank or be invested for our retirement and the kids and grandkids in the future.

12. Do you sleep with a stuffed animal?

Only if the Poodle eats before bed.

13. Storms – cool or scary?

It depends.  Mostly cool, but there's always that one storm that crosses the line.

14. Favorite drink?

Diet Coke, water, and wine.

15. Finish this statement, “If I had the time I would….”?

Probably still do the same things I do now....read and spend too much time on Facebook.  I'd just do more of it.

16. Do you eat the stems on broccoli?

Up to a point.  I don't like the really long ones.

17. If you could dye your hair any color, what would be your choice?

I really like some of the bright hues of blue and purple out there, but I'm waiting for my hair to go completely gray/white....and according to my husband, for him to die because he is not in favor of it.  So, I guess we'll go with what I got done today...a simulation of my original dark brown but with blonde and red highlights.

18. Name all the different cities/towns you’ve lived in?

Cambridge Springs, PA...Latrobe, PA...Indiana, PA...Orlando, FL

19. Favorite sports to watch?

Football, figure skating, and gymnastics.

20. One nice thing about the person who sent this to you?

Nobody sent this to me.  I subjected myself to it.

21. What’s under your bed?

My Fluidity Bar (exercise thingy) and I'm not sure what else except probably dust bunnies and maybe some of the missing socks (I think the Poodle drags them under there now and then).

22. Would you like to be born as yourself again?

That means that I'd have to go through life again.  No, not interested in that. Don't get me wrong, I'm happy and I enjoy my life, but when it's over I'm ready to be with God.

23. Morning person, or night owl?

I have to get up at the butt-crack of dawn for work but I'm a night owl by nature.  I usually flip it around during the summers when I am off for 3 months.

24. Over easy, or sunny side up?

Around these parts we like 'em "dippy."

25. Favorite place to relax?

Right here at home.  Usually I'm in the recliner or at the kitchen island or in my library/craft room.

26. Favorite pie?

Strawberry-rhubarb.

27. Favorite ice cream flavor?

Chocolate

28. Of all the people who play, how many of the posts do you usually read?


Usually all of them.  I might miss a few if they don't post until late, but I try to check later in the day, too.

Love Yourself

Saturday 9: Love Yourself (2015)
 
Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

* A disclaimer from Stacy:  I currently have bronchitis and last night in desperation I took some cough syrup with codeine leftover from my husband's own case of bronchitis. I slept, but codeine and I don't really get along and it doesn't seem to be fully out of my system this morning so if there are any funky answers or incoherent rambling, that's why.

1) In this song, Justin sings that he doesn't like to admit he's wrong. When did you most recently cop to a mistake?

I don't know what it was, but it was probably today.  I freely admit that I make mistakes daily...well, at least minor ones, that is.  I try not to make big ones on a daily basis.  Not that it always works out.

2) He also complains that his girl doesn't like his friends. Who is someone that you've met recently and liked? 

A woman my daughter used to work with.  She is my age and when she and my daughter worked together, my daughter was having a very rough time with some of her co-workers, but this woman showed her kindness.  I was always thankful for that, but now that I've met her I found her to be very nice....someone I could be friends with if we ever saw each other, which we don't.

3) Justin first performed this song live on The Ellen Degeneres Show. Who is your favorite talk show host?

I don't watch any talk show with regularity, but when I do, I like to watch Dr. Phil and Dr. Oz.

4) Young Mr. Bieber recently had his credit card rejected ... at a Subway Sandwich Shop. Think about your last trip to a fast food restaurant. Did you pay with cash or plastic or your phone?

Plastic.  It was rainy and miserable so I just zipped through the drive-thru at Arby's on the way home.

Even though we're featuring a lack-of-love song, this is the last Saturday  9 before Valentine's Day and so this morning we shall focus on the upcoming holiday.

5) In Victorian England, it was considered bad luck to sign a Valentine. Have you ever received an anonymous card from a secret admirer?

Not in recent memory, if ever.

6) Retailers report that approximately 3% of pet owners buy Valentines for their furry friends. Have you ever purchased a gift for a pet on a special occasion?

They get a few presents at Christmas.  For other holidays, maybe just a special treat.  

7) It was once believed that if a maiden ate a heavy meal before bed on February 13, her dreams that night would reveal the identity of the man she would eventually marry. Do you find that eating too close to bedtime disrupts your sleep?

It depends on what I eat.  If I give in to something overly processed I'll be in for a wild night of weird, weird, WEIRD dreams.

8) The postmaster in Verona, Italy, reports that Shakespeare's Juliet Capulet still receives love letters. Without looking it up, can you give us a quote from Romeo and Juliet?

Thus, with a kiss I die.

9) Necco's Sweethearts -- those little candy hearts that say things like "Be Mine" -- are Valentine Day's top-selling confection. Sam never could stand eating these candies. Do you like them?

They are fun to read, but no, I don't eat them.  They are awful tasting.

That's it for today's Saturday 9.  Please visit Sam over at the official Saturday 9 blog to find the "rules" of play and the prompts as well as links to others who are playing along. 

A Super Hodgepodge

1. What's the last thing you did that someone else thought was super? 

Super?  There have been things I've done that people have liked and appreciated, but I'd have to say the last thing someone thought was super was the baby shower I threw my daughter back in October. 

Not to toot my own horn, but everything turned out so well you'd have thought it was done by a pro.  Everyone gushed on and on and my daughter could not thank me enough.

2. The last thing you ate that tasted superb? 

I made these ham and cheese sliders the other night from a recipe I saw on Facebook.  They were just ham and cheese layered on Hawaiian rolls, but you brushed the tops of the buns with a mix of melted butter, Worchestershire sauce, poppy seeds, minced onion, salt, pepper, and brown mustard.  You baked them in the oven covered for 25 minutes @ 350, then uncovered for 3-5 minutes.  They were a big hit.

3. Supersensitive, superstitious, superwoman, superambitious, supercilious, supervisor, superficial...pick a super word from the list and tell us how it relates to your life in some way recently or currently. 

Um....superambitious, I think.  On top of work, home chores, remodeling the bathroom, and babysitting our youngest grandson,  I am now into full-blown wedding planning.  I'm also thinking of starting a new blog which will eventually replace this one (more on that in the random).

4. Do you love easily? If you're comfortable doing so, explain why you think that is.

I believe God commands us to love one another, including our enemies, but I have to admit that I am, at times, slow to trust because of past hurts.  I can forgive, but am reluctant to put my heart out there to be stomped on again. Even with family....because sometimes the deepest pain comes from them. 

5. Valentine's Day lands on a Tuesday this year. Will you mark the day in some way? If you're celebrating with a dinner out somewhere will it be on Tuesday or will you celebrate over the weekend? 

I kind doubt we will do anything this year.  Hubby is having nearly all of his teeth removed tomorrow and getting a full upper plate and partial lower plate. He will be eating nothing but liquid/soft foods for a couple of weeks.

6. What's something you are loving right now? 

Books by Mary Kay Andrews.  I've had several sitting around for a few years now (picked up at the library's used book sale), but had never read them.  I finally started on one a couple of weeks ago and I'm now more than halfway through the 4th one!

7 Write a three word (or less) phrase you'd like to see on a Valentine candy heart.  

You go relax. (As in, relax...I'll take care of it.)

8.  Insert your own random thought here. 

It's no secret that I've been struggling with my blog the last few years.  At one time I kind of wrote a mommy blog, another time it was a youth leader's blog, then simply a Christian blog.  At one point, to my shame, it was once even a very dark blog where I vented all my frustrations with concerning our fractured relationship with our son and his new wife.  The earlier ones had their followers, but the dark one was my most popular one ever.  Kind of sad, isn't it?

Anyway, I've just been floundering around not really finding my niche or my groove, but after having been at this since 2001, I just can't let it go.  I've been less than thrilled with posting nothing but memes, however.  They're fun and I enjoy them, but I think they sometimes get to be a crutch and real writing falls by the wayside.

I've written longer (and I think good) posts on many Christian subjects in the past and that's what I kept wanting to do...big meaty articles.  Unfortunately, the inspiration was rarely there....a sign (that I chose to ignore) saying that was just not my calling.  I was getting more and more discouraged and closer and closer to finally shutting down the blog for good.

Then yesterday, BAM!  Inspiration struck like a bolt of lightening.  Instead of waiting for some unspecified Christian article to form in my head...I thought "Write about what you know."  It's as simple as that.  Once it is up and running, the new blog will be about me, specifically me living my life abundantly.  I'm going to focus on sharing about and photographing the things I enjoy....family, food, books, gardening, flea markets, auctions, garage sales, and wound through out will be my faith in God.  It's going to be quite different from anything else I've done and I'm very excited.  I hope you all will come visit when it's ready.

Fits Me to a T

Is it just me or does Raqonteur's self
portrait look like a bad police artist's
sketch?

We found this gem because of the questions the Cool Guy 7 wrote for us last week. He stated that he wrote the questions because of his blogger buddy Raqonteur had already written his 20 questions. If any of this is true or not, matters very little. By this time next week, we could be at war with Mexico, Australia or Iran. Buckle in everybody. It’s going to be a crazy ride. Feel free to make up your own question and dump the math one. Or do it. It’s all the same to us. We are posting late today. For us. We are still publishing “Sunday’s Favorite Questions” on a Saturday, so no one will notice. We think. Please like is on Facebook(details below) and Google Plus in our side bar. Let's get to it!

Cheers to all of us thieves!

Sunday Stealing: The Racquet Questions 



01  What is the worst nickname that anyone has ever called you?

I don't remember anyone ever calling me a bad nickname.

02  Have you got a favorite flower?

I like sunflowers and zinnias.

03  Do you add a sauce, ketchup or other artificial flavorings to your food?

It depends.  I rarely use ketchup these days and I never ruin a good steak with sauce, but many other things go well with some sort of sauce.  Crab rangoons need duck sauce, deep-fried green beans and zucchini cry out for ranch....you get the idea.

04  Describe yourself using only words that begin with the letter 'T'.

Thinker, tough, thankful, tactful, tattooed, tired, toasty...

05  What is/was your lover's pet name for you?

Ace

06  What is your least favorite color?

1980s' vintage mauve and sea foam green.

07  Who did you vote for in the last election, and did they win?

Do we really have to keep going there?  Week after week?  We don't have to share political ideologies or agree on everything, but the election is over, can we just make like Elsa and "let it go" and move forward?

08  What is/was your grandfathers’ names?

Joseph and Allen

09  What is the best present you ever received?

I'm going to go with the electric typewriter I got the Christmas before I started college as a journalism major.

10  What is 17 1/2% of 97 + 42 x (6 / 2) – 137 ? [Editor's note: Holy shit!]

I have no idea and WHY WOULD I CARE????

11  What would be the best possible way you could die?

In my sleep.  I want to go to bed and wake up dead.

12  Given the choice of absolutely anything, what would be your dream job?

I am torn between antique dealer and book dealer.

13  What position do you sleep in at night?

On my side, curled up in a ball.

14  What is the most embarrassing thing that has ever happened to you?

If it's all that embarrassing, why on earth would I tell you?

15  Who is your favorite fictional character?

Probably Stephanie Plum from Janet Evanovich's By the Numbers series.

16  What food do you hate most in the world?

Eggplant

17  When was the last time you were ill?

I had a rather nasty intestinal virus back during the first week of January that cost me 3 days off work.

18  If you were transformed into a wild creature, what would it be?

I don't know....maybe a bear?

19  What was your favorite toy as a child, and whatever happened to it?

That would be my Barbies and all that went with them.  I think they are in my mom's attic.

20  What's the most amazing thing you've ever seen? 

This world.  Seriously.  Sometimes I am just in awe of all the intricacies and how everything is connected and works together.

Enjoy this Super Bowl Sunday no matter

who you are rooting for.  Though, I have

to say, for just this one day...ALL of us 

Steeler fans are rooting for the Falcons!

Saturday 9: Some Guys Have All the Luck

Saturday 9: Some Guys Have All the Luck (1984)
 
Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) Do you consider yourself lucky?

I don't really believe in luck, but if I did, I'd say I'm the person who will be at the airport the day their ship finally comes in.

2) When did you last risk money in a game of chance (lottery, raffle ticket, slot machine, etc.)? How did you do?

I don't know yet.  I've risked a whopping $3 on a football pool at work.  I'll let you know how it went after the Super Bowl.  Before that I may have won a couple of bucks on a scratch-off ticket.

3)  There's a major football game this weekend. Will you be watching? Do you have any money riding on the outcome?  

Yes, I'll be watching, but it will be for the commercials since my beloved Steelers fell one game short.  Sigh.  As for money on it...I answered that in the last question.  I'm rooting for Atlanta just because I'm no Tom Brady fan.

4) The composer of this song, Jeff Fortgang, is an interesting guy who's had two disparate careers: first pop musician, then Yale-educated clinical psychologist. It's possible that many of the patients who see him for help with anxiety or depression have no idea that he wrote this song. What's something your coworkers (or, if you're not working, casual friends) would be surprised to know about you?

I can't think of anything about who I am now that would surprise them, but it would probably surprise them to know that before I got married I was a pretty serious party girl.

5) Similarly, fans are often surprised to learn that this week's featured artist, Rod Stewart, is a history buff who loves reading about WWII. Is there a period of time or historic event that has captured your interest? 

I've always been interested in the very early days of our country...as in from the days of the Pilgrims up to the Revolutionary War.  The Civil War period, the Plains Indian War, and the Depression era are pretty interesting, too.

6) Rod met his current wife as the result of a dare. Penny Lancaster, then in her 20s, spotted the decades-older celebrity in a bar and only approached him because her friends bet her she didn't have the guts to talk to him. Are you, like Penny, vulnerable to peer pressure? Can your friends talk you into doing things you might not otherwise do?

Maybe when I was younger, but not now.  I've learned to stand my ground.

7) Rod vividly recalls being 11 years old and going to see  Little Richard perform in a film comedy called The Girl Can't Help It. When you were a kid, did you enjoy going to the movies? What do you recall seeing? 

Of course I enjoyed going!  Going to the movies was a major event and took all afternoon or evening.  There were cartoons and newsreels before the movie and and intermission break.  Often there was a double feature.  I even remember a few Saturday afternoons when the theater would have a live stage show between movies...like either the cartoon characters or once when I went to see classic monster shows they had the monsters!  Going to the movies just isn't nearly as fun as it used to be.

8) The lyrics tell of when Rod's car overheats and he calls a friend, who doesn't come through. Tell us about a time recently when you were there and helped a buddy out.

I don't know specifically...I'm always up for helping a friend out.  I give rides, take care of pets, bring dinner when you're laid up, help you move (though I actually HATE that one).... 

9) The lyrics mention that "some guys do nothing but complain." Who do you know who is like that? Do you have a friend, relative or coworker who just always seems to find fault?

I know several.  I just try not to spend any more time with them than I have to (which is hard with family members) and I try to let it roll right off my back when I am around them and not let it get to me.  I'm not always successful, but I try.

Visit the Saturday 9 to join the fun!

Hello February Hodgepodge!

1. Can you believe it's the end of January? What was the best day of January 2017 for you, and why?  January wasn't the greatest of months around here so I guess I'll go with the best day being any day that I got to babysit my grandson.

2. What sounds make up the background noise in your life?  Yapping poodles, the blower on the pellet stove, kids carrying on, and the chug of diesel engines.

3. I read on the Power of Positivity website a list of ten things to drop from your life right now. They are-

anger outbursts, people who put you down, regret, negative self talk, being a people pleaser, the notion you need to be perfect, the past (but keep the lessons learned!), gossip and judgment, comparing yourself to others, and the word hate (focus on what you love instead)

Which thing on the list do you most need to drop? Are you trying or will you try?

Negative self talk.  I am my own worst critic.  I am trying to change.

4. What is sacred to you?

My relationship with God, my family, and this country.  Don't mess with any of them.

5. January is National Oatmeal month. Are you a fan, and if so how do you like it?

Not. at. all.  I manage to choke a bowl of it down once in a while, but that's it. When I do eat the stuff I prefer maple and brown sugar.

6. What feelings does twilight stir up in you?

Contentment...coming home at the end of the day...coziness...family.

7. Something you're looking forward to next month?

Do you mean in February?  I'm looking forward to getting to see our other grandchildren on the 18th and maybe having them stay over....at 4 our grandson hasn't stayed away from Mom and Dad yet so we don't know if he'll be up for it or not.  I'm also looking forward to having the 20th off from work.  

8. Insert your own random thought here.

Holding on to unforgiveness is like drinking poison and expecting it to kill the other guy.

That's all for this week's Hodgepodge.  A big thanks to Joyce for hosting and coming up with the fun questions week after week.  Stop by her blog to check out the links to other player's entries or to play along.

Have a safe and blessed week

and keep warm!

Sunday Stealing, The Cool Guy Questions

We found this gem our usual way by googling. Our hero CoolGuySevenSevenSev decided to do a random questions thing from his friend's blog, as he said, "So, after doing the crap out of [Raqonteur's 20 random questions]...I decided to try my hand in the 20 random questions field and created this." We'd hazard a guess that "by this" he did not know that our mighty band of thieves would tackle his questions today. These are unedited. I mention that because I usually try to take the author edgier questions off or modify them. Not that you can't handle them, but our experience has told them that no one comes here to reveal things about their own sexuality. Oh, and there's those questions that we've been asked a million times. Our pledge to you is that we will never again ask you to turn to your left and tell us what you see. Or what you had for dinner. If you catch our drift. And my, we are drifting. But I slept 14 hours last night. I have no idea why, but since it's a Wednesday as I write this getting up at 1PM is not acceptable. So we go back to alarms tonight. 

Cheers to all of us thieves!



Sunday Stealing: The Cool Guy Questions 


1.) When was the first time you ever swore or said something profane?

I think I was about 5 years old.  I heard some young guys yelling something on the street when my grandmother and I were in town.  I didn't say anything then, but later at home asked her what it meant.  She slapped me so hard she knocked out my loose tooth!  I remember all that, but not what word it was.

2.) Have you ever had unrequited feelings for someone?/Have you ever been friendzoned?

I think everyone has had a crush on someone at one time or another and not had the feelings returned.  I had a huge crush on a guy all the way through jr. high and high school.  I thought he hung the moon.  These days I am able to look at him and where he is and be thankful he never returned my feelings.

I don't know if I've been friendzoned.  What is that?

3.) What's a false assumption a lot of people have about you?

A lot of people assume I'm stuck up because I don't do a lot of talking in group situations.  I'm not, I'm just a bit shy and definitely introverted unless I know people quite well and feel comfortable with them.

4.) Have you ever questioned your sexuality?

No.

5.) If you could bring one person back from the dead, who would it be and why?

I'd bring back my Nana, but only if I could bring her back at a younger age, before her mind left her.  She was my best friend and greatest champion and she taught me so much.  I miss her every day.

6.) What did you do on December 12th last year?

That would be this past December 12th, right?  I sat around the hospital ALL day waiting for my grandson to be born...and then he waited until the next day.

7.) When was the last time you truthfully told someone you hated them?

I honestly can't remember.  I try to find something good in everyone and I try to forgive everyone for my own peace of mind.  Hate/unforgiveness will eat you alive and turn you into a bitter person.

8.) What is your opinion on this song? What about this song?

Well, the powers that be over at You Tube tell me the first song has been removed due to something about third-party sharing and the second one....eh.  It doesn't really do anything for me one way or another.

9.) In less than four sentences, describe the entire plot of the last book you read.

Girl catches fiancee with maid of honor the night before the wedding and throws a major hissy fit, calling off the wedding. Girl decorates Southern plantation house for new guy in town.  Girl ends up involved with new guy.

10.) Describe the appearance of the most untrustworthy person you can think of (they can be a person you've met or a made up person). Are they male or female or neither? What about their appearance makes them untrustworthy?

I think I can guess who most of you are going to answer this question with.  I have a different answer that probably won't win me any popularity contests, but I just can't buy a single thing that comes out of that mouth.  

It isn't really her appearance that says that, but her behavior.  I don't like to judge by looks.

11.) What is the most cringe-worthy thing you've ever seen?

I don't even know where to start.  With the news feeling the need to show us everything and my husband's love of true crime shows....

12.) What is your biggest regret?

Keeping my daughter in public school.  She really didn't get anything good from it.  Even though she would have fought me all the way, home schooling would have been a better thing for her.

13.) Do you have any cousins? When was the last time you saw them?

If we are talking first cousins, I don't have any on my mom's side of the family and only 2 on my dad's side...and of those 2, one had pretty much cut himself off from family years ago and hasn't come around at all since his mother died and his brother is toxic, encouraging a divide between my son and the rest of us.  I have nothing to do with him.  I'm not angry any more, but I choose not to expose myself to his hate and ridicule for not thinking the same way he does.

14.) Describe the worst birthday you've ever had.

The one my husband forgot.  It was a total non-event.  He hasn't forgotten since.  Smart man.

15.) When was the last time someone provoked you to the point of violence?

I don't think I've ever been provoked to violence.

16.) OH NOES!!!! Someone has gotten you to drink a truth potion and now you have to truthfully answer every question you are asked!!! What's the worst possible question someone could ask you?

How much do you weigh/what size do you wear?

17.) Describe, in detail, your first serious relationship. Describe how it ended.

He was artsy and kind of had that whole 80's New Wave look going on and I was a little in awe of that, I think, but we got along well. It was our freshman year of college so more than anything our relationship was about partying on the weekends and activities through his fraternty, but we talked about stuff, too.  It ended when he went to a fortune teller (yeah, he believed in them) and she said we weren't a good match.

That's us during happy times.

18.) Introduce your best friend. Tell the story of how you met.

She's older than me and the most upbeat, crazy person I know.  She has limitless energy and is a rock for everyone around her.  I met her through my sister-in-law originally and now aside from being my friend, she is also my Bible teacher.

19.) To the introduced friend, has our interviewee lied in any of these questions? Are you surprised by any of these answers?

She's not here so I don't know how she's supposed to answer this, but I don't think she'd be surprised.  I am pretty much an open book with her.  She knows stuff I've never told anyone else.

20.) To finish up, what is your biggest irrational fear and how did you get it?

Sharks!  I begged naaaaaaagged my mom to take me to see Jaws when it came out.  I think I was 12.  I spent most of the movie with my eyes covered (it didn't take long to figure out that when you heard that music something awful was going to happen) and for months I was afraid to let any part of my body hang over the edge of the bed for fear a shark would bite it off!  To this day I am not fond of swimming in any water I can't see what's out there and that includes swimming pools at night unless they are lit.  I love the beach and the ocean, but I do not go in the water deeper than my ankles and even that still causes anxiety.  In my defense, all the stories about shark attacks these days make my fear seem a little less irrational.

The Saturday 9 is Brokenhearted

Saturday 9: Brokenhearted (2012)

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) This song is about a girl who is eager and anxious for her new lover to call. Do you owe anyone a call? An email? A text? 

Not really.  There are a few people I should probably call just to say hi, but I don't owe anyone a call, email or text.

2) The lyrics are peppered with the informal English exclamation, "cheerio!" What pops into your head when you close your eyes and think of England?

The royal family, horses, dampness....not really much else.  I've never thought much about England.  It's not a place I have ever been drawn to.  I don't know why.

3) This week's artist, Karmin, is a husband/wife duo who met at college, and that meeting changed the course of their lives and careers. Think of someone who has had a huge impact on your life. Did you know, as soon as you met, that this was going to be a life-changing relationship?

I guess no one has had a bigger impact on my life than my husband and yes, I knew the moment I met him that he was the one.

4) Though she sings about consuming tequila, the female side of Karmin, Amy, is a big proponent of healthy eating. She recommends organic foods that are free of pesticides, hormones, food coloring and added sugar. Think about your most recent meal. Was it a good example of "healthy eating?"

Bahahahahaha!

5) Husband Nick has his own Twitter account (@NickKarmin), but he doesn't use it often. His last tweet was back in August. What's the last thing you posted to social media? (No, your blog doesn't count.) 

Something about the weather on Facebook?  I haven't used my Twitter account in at least a year...probably more.

6) Karmin performed "Brokenhearted" live on Dancing with the Stars. DWTS is  very big business for ABC-TV. So many people vote for their favorite couples each week that their phone and text systems often overload. Have you ever voted for a contestant on American Idol, DWTS, The Voice, etc.?

Yes.  I've voted for American Idol contestants in the past and I voted for Sadie Robertson when she was on DWTS.


7)  In 2012, the year"Brokenhearted" was popular, the average cost for a gallon of gas was $3.91. In 2016, it had dropped to $2.40. When it's time to fill up your tank, do you shop around for the lowest price/gal.? Are you brand loyal and always return to the same station, regardless of price? Or do you just buy gas from the nearest station when you're running low?

It doesn't seem to matter what brand it is around here.  The price is usually the same at all stations.  The only difference is if you have their fuel perks card to get a 3-cent discount or if you collect fuel discounts from one of the local grocery stores...we've filled up for free using those and you have to go to their gas stations to use them.


8) In 2012, the Space Shuttle Endeavor was retired and placed on permanent display at the California Science Center, a Los Angeles museum dedicated to encouraging excitement and enthusiasm about air and space travel. Let's say you had a long weekend to spend in Los Angeles. Would you go out of your way to see The Endeavor? What else would you like to do during your time in the City of Angels?

I probably wouldn't go out of my way.  I've been to the Smithsonian's air and space museum and the space museum at Wright Patterson AFB.  They were interesting but not something I'd really seek out.  If I was in LA I'd be more interested in seeing the La Brea tar pits.

9) While we're thinking about aviation ... Statistics show that it's still a predominantly male field, and less than 10% of commercial pilots are women. Would you be nervous flying with a woman pilot?


Not any more nervous than with a man.  At one time I wanted to be a pilot myself and considered joining the Air Force.

Check out the Saturday 9 to join in the fun!

A Salty Hodgepodge

Yikes!  My first post of the week and I'm running late getting it posted.  That seems to be the story of my life this year...always running back and forth between home and work.  I can honestly say it's the first time I've ever felt like I'm in the rat race.  Not loving it.  Not at all.

Ah well, what's a girl to do besides grab a little escape wherever she can and what better mid-week escape is there than the Wednesday Hodgepodge? None! Join me in a little respite from the work week and head over to see Joyce at From This Side of the Pond to check out the rules, sign up, or just visit some of the other Hodgepodgers.

1. "The cure for anything is salt water-tears, sweat, or the sea." (Isak Dinesan) Would you agree? Of the three, which has 'cured' you most recently?

Well, no...I think there are plenty of things that can't be cured by any of those things.  However, a good cry often makes a person feel better...so does some good old-fashioned exercise...and being at the beach perks most of us up.  As for lately, I can't say I've done any of those for quite a while.

2. What's something you can't eat without salt? Do you normally salt your food a lot, a little, or not at all? 

I love salt on my watermelon!  When I was a kid I loved salt.  Sometimes I'd even just pour some in my hand and lick it up.  I still like it, just maybe not quite that much.  I do lightly salt quite a few things, but I try to only use a pinch and skip it on somethings completely since I am on meds for high blood pressure.  I must be doing okay as my blood pressure is better than it's ever been.

3. Sands of time, bury your head in the sand, built on sand, or draw a line in the sand...which sandy phrase could best be applied to something in your life right now? 

I think 'sands of time.'  There was a moment at Christmas when the whole family was together that I just sat back and took it all in.  I was caught off guard and blown away by the thought that everyone there was there because of my husband and I, because we fell in love, got married, and started a family.

4. A favorite book, movie, or song with an island setting or theme?

Misty of Chincoteague by Marguerite Henry.  It stirred my imagination so much as a child that I dreamed for years of going there...and now I've been many times and it remains my happy place.

5. Yesterday-did you run your day or did it run you? How so?

I felt like I ran it because even though snow moved in and surprised the heck out of everyone and made the roads in the higher elevations (exactly where I drive the bus) rather bad during the morning, I kept calm and used the skills I've learned over the years and didn't have a lick of trouble or fear.

6. You're on an island holiday. Will I most likely find you parked in a beach chair, shopping in town, on the back of a jet ski, or snorkeling off the back of a catamaran?

I want to do it all!  I love to cram my vacations full of activity.  I like the beach, but I'm only good for about half of each day doing that.  Then I want to explore on bikes, check out the shops, try all the restaurants, and probably my favorite thing...fishing off a boat.

7. What do you think we humans most take for granted?

Life itself.  We put things off, we don't take care of things, we don't appreciate the people in our lives.  We just assume tomorrow is going to be there.

8. Insert your own random thought here.

I heard this on the radio this morning and it's stuck with me.

Worry doesn't change tomorrow,

it just steals the peace from today.

Breaking the Ice

It's time once again for a little Sunday Stealing, the weekly meme where the questions are unapologetically stolen from other sources, but where credit is given (when possible).

Bud's bit of introduction to this week's questions...slightly edited.

"It is hard to say where we got these questions. They are from a martial arts site and we think are meant for questions to ask your opponents when you meet. We “think” because most of the site is in French. Also, you’d never ask any of the original questions to someone that you just met. Those questions were not what we’d ask someone when we met. But there were 50 questions that we both stole and edited to become today’s massive event. We got the title from the original site."

Cheers to all of us thieves!

Sunday Stealing: The Icebreaker Questions

1. Are you loud, outgoing or shy?

It totally depends on the situation and the people around me.  I am by nature an introvert...I tend to loathe small talk and relationships can tax me, but put me with people I know well and am comfortable with and I can be loud and even outgoing.  Shyness can rear it's head when it comes to public speaking.

2. What’s coming up where you’ll see an old friend?

Not a thing I can think of.  This year marks 35 years since I graduated, but I've heard nothing of a class reunion.  That doesn't surprise me given the failure of the last one (which was the first one I ever attended).  Out of a class of 365 there were about 30 people there and that included some spouses!  Many said they were not interested and would never be interested and asked to never be contacted again.  I admit I'm not all that interested.  If we were friends then I've kept up with you and even if I didn't, we now have Facebook so it's very easy to keep up with classmates.

3. Are you easy to get along with?

Usually.  Some might say too much so.  Sometimes I let people walk over me in order to keep the peace.

4. Have you ever given up on someone, but then gone back to them?

No.  If I have cut you out of my life it's because I've given you too many chances already and you are toxic.

5. Who was the last person that you had a deep conversation with?

That would be Marie, one of the women from my Bible study group.  We met for lunch this past week and had a great conversation about faith.

6. Are you okay with being in a big crowd?

I'd prefer not to be if it's a party or something like that.  I'm fine at something like a concert or festival.

7. Do you believe in luck and/or miracles?

As a person of faith I definitely believe in miracles.  Luck, not so much.  I think there's truth in the saying that we make our own "luck" through the choices we make along the way.

8. What good thing happened during the summer? (It’s good to think about summer when you are freezing your butt off in January.)

The best things that happened this past summer were our daughter moving out (before our relationship was destroyed) and her boyfriend and father of her son, proposing to her the day they took possession of their first apartment.

9. Do you think there is life on other planets?

It's certainly possible.  The universe is a vast place and speaking from my faith...the Bible does not rule it out, it simply tells the story of creation on this planet.

10. Who was your first crush on?

I'm not sure which came first, but it was either Roy Rogers or Dean Martin. How's that for variety?

11. What are your bad habits?

Procrastination, biting my nails, and spending too much time on Facebook.

12. What’s your favorite part of your daily routine?

When I get home at the end of the day and have an hour or so to myself to start dinner, get showered, have a glass of wine.

13. Other than your significant other, who are you most comfortable with?

Probably my daughter.  Even though we fought something awful while she was still living at home, we have been through a LOT together and we are close.

14. Has an ex ever told you that they regret breaking up?

No.  I've never really spent any time with an ex.

15. Why should your celebrity crush drop everything to be with you?

He shouldn't because we're both married.  If we weren't he should be with me because we have a lot in common and I'd adore him for him not for his celebrity.

16. What would be the hardest to give up and why? Books. TV. Music.

Books because I've been reading full length novels since I was in elementary school, music because it takes me back to certain times in my life, and lastly TV. In fact, TV wouldn't be hard at all.

17. Do you believe in second chances?

I do.  Not to the point of putting your emotional or physical well-being at risk, though.

18. What would like to do next in your life?

Find a job I really enjoy, do a little bit of traveling.

19. What’s the meanest thing that anyone has ever said to you?

It was something my husband said at a low point in our marriage.  I'd prefer not to share.  We've moved on.

20. What’s the nicest thing that anyone has ever said to you?

So many have said wonderful things to me that I cherish, but one that stands out is my dad saying I was a good cook.  My dad was old-school and a man of few words.  I only ever heard him say that my mom's mom was a good cook. Mom had to fish for compliments about the meals she cooked and even then all Dad ever said was "I ate it didn't I?"  So when he told other people I was a good cook that was high praise indeed.