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Wednesday, October 27, 2004
answers to questions
yay, questions! (see the previous entry to know what the heck is going on).
First, from Trinity Sixty-Three:
What frustrates you most in life?
Wow. I actually thought about this for quite a while, and I couldn't think of any one overarching frustration as an answer... except maybe some political ones, and those are frustrating in a different way from the day-in-day-out tension-headache frustrations. They're bigger in scale, but less of an actual factor in my daily life. Here's a list of frustrations, though. :-)
- Finding clean laundry in the dirty clothes
- Spending hours cleaning the kids' rooms, or coercing them into doing it, and then the next day the messiness starts creeping back in, and a week later you'd never know we'd done it.
- My own idiocy and laziness about household stuff. If I would just keep up, my life would be so much nicer. But I seem incapable of remembering that when it's a choice between doing a little bit of laundry and a few dishes and running around with the broom, or sitting at the computer. Until it's a TON of laundry and a HEAP of dishes and a lot of tidying-up that needs done.
- Working hard cooking a meal and not hearing "thank you" for it once. Bonus frustration points if the kids complain about it (which is rare, but happens occasionally).
- The days when my daughter seems to fall down more than she stands up. And then I feel guilty because hello, it's not like she does it on purpose.
- When the car won't start.
- When unpleasant things take way, way longer than I thought they would.
- My *&^%$#! insurance and its *&^%$#! high copayments for every little step along the way -- $20 to see the doctor, $30 for labs, $30 for x-rays, etc etc. I miss the HMO we had before. boo hoo. Although I imagine the doctors don't...
- Repeating myself. It's stupid, but it's one of the things that shortens my fuse really fast.
- The way kids "forget" or "didn't hear you" when you've given them a job to do.
- When DVDs get left lying around instead of put away.
- A messy house in general. Just having the house messy (which it is a lot, and it's my own fault) brings me probably halfway up to what I call my "yell threshold", before anyone does anything.
And then from Beth:
Okay, What are your kids going to be for Halloween, what are you going to be for Halloween, and about the home schooling thing: do you have more patience than the average mom? What's your secret?
Well, the first two are easy; we don't celebrate Halloween, for religious reasons. I keep wanting to have a New Year's party with costumes and candy, because I LOVE COSTUMES AND CANDY. But it never happens. Someday. (My kids love to dress up and they have huge tubs of costumes and accessories and lengths of fabric and helmets and belts and who knows what. Making costumes for themselves is pretty much a daily occurrence).
Patience: I don't think I'm any more patient than the average mom, really. There are days when I am frustrated, and at times I even yell at my kids, although that's something I'm working on and I'm way better about it than I used to be. It's just always been my plan to homeschool, since before I had kids. Just like people who get up early and go in to work and face nasty bosses and high stress levels and deadlines and all that -- when it's something that is a necessary part of your life, you just do it; I'm blessed that the thing that is the main focus of my life is also something I almost always enjoy. I do enjoy being around my kids, more than many moms, I think, maybe partly because I have a positive attitude about being around them; I see them as little people whom it is an immense pleasure to get to know, and it's a privilege to be around them as they grow up. And also, it's probably a lot easier because my kids aren't away from the family every day, learning habits and attitudes that cause friction at home. Not that their attitudes or habits never cause friction! (choking with laughter). But I think it's less of a problem than it would be if they were around 300 of their peers for thirty-five hours a week. We fit better together than a lot of families, because we're not becoming strangers as quickly. :)
And then some questions from Jennifer:
Do you find that your faith has led you to discriminate against others?
We all discriminate every day of our lives. "Discriminating" just means choosing, using our values and beliefs to make decisions about what we'll accept, do, etc. We won't all like everyone; we won't all want to be intimate friends with each other. So in that sense, and in the sense of 1 Corinthians 15:33, yes, my faith is one of the factors on which I base my decisions about who I will allow to be an influence in my life. What you mean in asking this question is that you think that Christians look down on others and think we're some kind of super-special people and that everyone else is not "good enough" to be one of us -- which is not the case. Christians know that nobody is "good enough", ourselves included, and that's why Jesus came in the first place. Sinning is equal-opportunity. So is salvation.
Have you ever wondered if perhaps the way you treat people isn't exactly what Jesus wants of you, even though the common practice of your religion calls for it?
Again, you're trying to make a point here, not ask me a question, but I'll pretend that's not the case and answer it anyway. Every Christian wonders about whether our actions in every arena are what Jesus would have us do. We try to follow Him. We're also flawed human beings, and yes, we'll screw up from time to time, and we don't have all the answers so sometimes we're floundering around trying to figure out what to do. Sometimes, just like everyone else, we make the wrong decision, or make the right decision but go about things the wrong way, and hurt people. Sometimes there's no visible way to make the right decision without hurting people. We are all called to be compassionate and kind to one another. That doesn't always happen.
Did you ever find a dress for that scarf I made for you?
No, I have put off major clothing purchases (in other words, anything that isn't either absolutely necessary, or free) until I finish losing weight. Which I sometimes think means I'm just in denial, because I'll be a size twelve until the end of time.
Tuesday, October 26, 2004
you ask, I answer
I am feeling like doing the three questions meme again. You just ask me questions in the comments or via email -- however many you want, really -- and assuming they're the kind of questions I can answer in here, I will. And I'll return the favor in your journal or what have you, if you'd like.
Saturday, October 16, 2004
a book quiz
It's been a long time (in journal years anyway) since I did a survey/meme kind of thing. I was starting to have withdrawals. So here's one I lifted from KiwiRia.
Hardback or Paperback?
I like both. If I'm buying new I get a paperback.
Highlight or Underline?
I'll occasionally do either, but not very often. High school was a different story -- all my novels from those years are highlit wherever I read a line that really spoke to me (use of hushed awed teenaged know-it-all hyper-pseudo-sensitive-intellectual tone advised here). In my Bible I'll highlight if I have one handy, which generally means that I underline.
Lewis or Tolkien?
I like both but I think I only love Lewis.
E.B. White or A.A. Milne?
Both!
T.S. Eliot or e.e. cummings?
Honestly I'm not terribly familiar with either. I liked cummings in high school.
Stephen King or Dean Koontz?
I used to read King in junior high. Never read anything by Koontz.
Barnes & Noble or Borders?
Whichever is handiest. B&N has the Starbucks caramel brownie advantage, while Borders has a better educator's discount and very slightly better prices.
Waldenbooks or B. Dalton?
I've never been to Waldenbooks. There was a B. Dalton in the mall we frequent until a B&N went in down the street (they are owned by the same company). You know my very favorite small bookstore? The one that used to be in my little town until I was in high school. It's been gone ten years and I still mourn its loss.
Fantasy or Science Fiction?
I really don't like either, much. I'll read the lightest of fantasy -- Lewis and Tolkien -- but the more stereotypical fantasy stuff even in Tolkien leaves me a little cold.
Horror or Suspense?
Suspense.
Bookmark or Dog-ear?
Generally a bookmark. I'm not above dog-earing though. My books are for reading and enjoying, not reselling, and paper's not sacred.
Hemingway or Faulkner?
Neither, ugh.
Fitzgerald or Steinbeck?
Again with the neither. Although I used to really like Steinbeck, in my highlighting days.
Homer or Plato?
If I'm ever in the mood for either of these I'll let you know. :D
Geoffrey Chaucer or Edmund Spenser?
Chaucer
Pen or Pencil?
A sharpened pencil or a fine-point pen; either's fine. I do write
in my Bible a lot and I'll use either.
Looseleaf or Notepad?
Looseleaf. My notepads always end up a hodgepodge of various
stuff anyway. Which makes them more interesting when I find them
years later, but not terribly useful as an organizational tool.
Alphabetize: By Author or By Title?
Right now my books are alphabetized by author and then arranged in
chronological order by publication, except for series which are in
series order where that differs from publication order. Sometimes
I'll reorder them all strictly by publication order, with no author
alphabetization, but that's more complicated.
Dustjacket: Leave it On or Take it Off?
Off for reading, on for storage. For the few of my books that
have dust jackets.
Novella or Epic?
Either. I like some of both.
John Grisham or Scott Turow?
Neither.
J.K. Rowling or Lemony Snicket?
Neither. (L.M. Montgomery! Cynthia Voigt! Beverly Cleary!)
John Irving or John Updike?
I've tried both and liked neither.
Fiction or Non-fiction?
Usually fiction. I'll read non-fiction when it's pertinent to something I'm interested in, and I like a biography now and then.
Historical Biography or Historical Romance?
I like a few really good historical romances -- Donati and Gabaldon mainly. I also like a few historical biographies but I have to be in the right mood for them.
A Few Pages per Sitting or Finish at Least a Chapter?
Oh, the joy of having a choice! Usually I just steal a few minutes to read whatever I can manage. On my late-night reading binges I sometimes try to finish chapters before I finally stop, and sometimes don't.
Short Story or Creative Non-fiction Essay?
Each has its place.
"It was a dark and stormy night..." or "Once upon a time..." ?
Generally neither.
Buy or Borrow?
Both. I usually borrow a book from the library first, and if I like it really well, I'll buy it used, and if I LOVE it or have a gift certificate to spend, I'll buy it new. Occasionally if a book is a classic or one by an author I like, I'll buy it without ever having read it, but almost always used or at a serious discount.
Book Reviews or Word of Mouth?
Both, mostly word of mouth.
Friday, August 20, 2004
a bit of an improvement
Screwy things about today:- Being awakened by a daughter who needed a bath (yeah, that's why) to find we'd run out of propane for the second time in three months, and hence had no hot water.
- That whole humble-groveling-please thing, dealing with the propane company to whom we owed a big stack of money because for some reason our propane usage has skyrocketed lately.
- Silver tissue lamé. OH MY GOSH never buy this fabric. OK? OK. I am making a very dear person a Peggy-Sue-Got-Married-style dress out of it, for her wedding (hey, it's her wedding, lay off! And at least it's not Tinkerbell...). It's lovely and sparkly and shiny. It also has been stupid enough to declare a running feud with my sewing machine in spite of the fact that it will always, always lose.
Happy things about today:
- The propane guy finding a leak on the tank, followed quickly by my realization that the stack of money we owe that company will be shrinking. (yay!)
- Slicing tomatoes, still warm from the garden, onto a BLT.
- Thinking I was going to have to buy a zipper foot, but finding one while I was looking for something else.
- Getting paid almost twice what I billed my FIL, for the data-entry job I was doing for him. (I don't know why he's being nice. It's kind of scary. What can he be plotting? Darth Sidious is never nice)
So my day has improved. I have made it most of the way through it, and resisted the urge to smash my china. I did do some aggressive box-kicking early on, however. It helped quite a bit.
Look, I NEEDED a survey today, OK? I'll only have ONE.
I am totally in the mood for a long ol' survey right now. Sorry everyone. I stole this from A Reflection of Me (no, not of ME, of HER).What kind of underwear are you wearing and what color?
enormous-but-satiny peach-colored ones. T bought them for me by mistake. He thought they were smaller. But they are darn comfortable.
What is the song you want played at your funeral?
"I'll Meet You in the Morning" -- it's an old gospel hymn.
What would your last meal be before getting executed?
I would probably make them take me to the Red Fox. Shackles and all. (Hey, whom did I off? I wanna know. Was it worth it?)
Beatles or Stones?
BEATLES. I hate the Stones. But early Beatles -- very catchy.
If you had to pick one person on earth who should die, who would it be?
Sheesh, this is vicious. I'll go with someone obvious and say Osama bin Laden -- slowly.
The person whose problems you would never want to hear again?
I really don't have a problem with hearing people's problems. Although if my kids wouldn't whine about them, it would make my life a lot nicer.
**EDIT** Wait, I thought of someone. My paternal grandmother. AUGH. She is the kind of person who loooooves to get attention by whining about her life. [eyeroll]
What is the thing most important to you (as far as physical) about the preferred sex?
AROM (sweetie, I have to say, having been pregnant three times, I see that and think "Artificial Rupture of Membranes". tee hee), from whom I lifted this survey, had a good answer with cleanliness. But equally important is that he be bigger than me. Taller AND broader.
If you could have any super power what would it be?
I've said the snapping-fingers-Mary-Poppins thing a lot. This time I think I'll go with being able to hear people's thoughts, if I wanted to.
Favorite hangover cure?
I have never had the, er, pleasure of a hangover.
How many drinks does it take to get you drunk?
When I was a teenager, one would do it.
Hair color you most like someone you're dating to have?
I am not DATING anyone. T has medium-light brown hair.
If you had to be: blind or deaf?
I hate this question and I can never say. I guess deaf.
Do you have any psychiatric problems?
None that have been diagnosed. However...
Siblings that should go to rehab?
Nope. My sibling is straight as an arrow. :)
Least favorite month?
August. [sarcastic grin]
First movie you can remember seeing as a kid?
The Jerk. It was on HBO and it went completely over my head. I was six or so.
Favorite person in the whole world?
I cannot pick one, have to put 3. Sorry. Husband, two kids.
When's the last time you went on a date?
TOO LONG AGO. Let's get it going with the romance, sweetie. Of course it would help if we got it going with the financial discipline first so we actually could, you know, afford something besides a box of crackers, to be eaten sitting on the sidewalk. Which is, sadly, mostly my lack, I think.
Do you like violent movies or dirty movies?
Neither really. I mean I don't pick them because they are either violent or dirty. In fact I tend to steer clear of them if they are.
Fall or spring?
Late fall, early spring
Person you most wish you hadn't made out with?
Oh good Lord. I am ashamed how many people (from my distant past -- sheesh, more than a third of my life ago) are in this category. Johnny Gray would probably be at the top of the list.
If you are straight, what person of the same sex would you do it with?
Um. None. I'm... straight, remember?
Where do you want to live when you are old and brittle?
If I could afford it, someplace temperate like Morro Bay would be nice.
Who is the person you can count on most?
My husband.
If you could date any celebrity past or present, time and age are not factors?
You know, I'll sound like a total prude here, but as a married woman, I don't spend a whole lot of time thinking about this kind of stuff. I really don't. I'm besottedly happy with what I have.
What books have you pretended you've read?
hmm. I don't think there are any. If I haven't read one I'm honest about it.
What's a word you would use to describe your life?
Generally very happy. Oh wait. One word. Happy.
Favorite drinking game?
I have never played one. However, if I were going to indulge (I'm not), I heard about one where you watch a movie based on a book and every time the movie diverges from the book, you take a drink.
What did you dream last night?
I don't remember.
Favorite bands?
I'm trying to think of one I never get tired of hearing. Alison Krauss, although she's not a band... Vivaldi.. he's not a band either... Mozart? Alanis Morissette? ACK! NO BANLT!
Were you named after anyone?
After a Dolly Parton/Cole Porter song, "Sweet Rachel Ann." Just because they liked the name, not because of the lyrics of the song. And my middle name's not Ann.
Do you wish on stars?
Sometimes.
Which finger is your favorite?
My ring fingers. Their nails are always the nicest.
When did you last cry?
I'm trying to remember. I was fighting with my husband. It was... Sunday afternoon.
Do you like your handwriting?
Frequently.
What's your favorite lunch meat?
Roast beef.
Any bad habits?
Tons. I interrupt, I talk too much, I chew the inside of my cheek. And that's just the beginning of the list.
What is your most embarrassing CD on the shelf?
I am not in high school; I don't have to be embarrassed about my music collection. (good thing.)
If you were another person, would you be friends with you?
I think, if I were another person who's like myself, then yes. But if I were a more quiet, ordinary person, then no, I would be annoyed by myself.
Have you ever told a secret you swore not to tell?
Not since elementary school. I don't think.
Do looks matter?
To me, only to the degree that they are controlled by the person. If you're clean and neat and aren't trying to shock me with your hair or your piercings or whatever, then yeah, I'll have more respect for you. In our culture, yes, they matter a lot, in every way. Would anyone even know Laci Peterson's name if it weren't for that 50-megawatt smile of hers? I don't think so. And that's just the tip of the iceberg.
How do you release anger?
I kick boxes and fantasize about breaking my china. I let my fingers pretend they are throttling someone.
Where is your second home?
The library. :)
Do you trust others easily?
I don't think so. I can be very suspicious of strangers and their motives.
What was your favorite toy as a child?
I went through a lot of different favorites. A lot of my play wasn't even with toys -- my brother and I would set up "desks" in our room, and play office or school. Or we'd run around outside and get filthy and sweaty and exhausted. Those are the things I remember liking best. Toys were just accessories.
What class in school do you think is totally useless?
Well, define useful. I mean, music and art aren't classes that most anyone will ever make money from, but they're highly enriching. Most people will never use higher math or science but they're still worth learning.
Do you use sarcasm a lot?
Irony more than sarcasm. But yes.
Have you ever been in a mosh pit?
No.
What do you look for in a guy/girl?
That wedding ring I put on his finger all those years ago. Just south of the sexiest arms in creation. YUM.
What are your nicknames?
T calls me Ducky. But ONLY T and nobody else. My brother has always called me "Rach". I had a few in high school -- Rabble-Rouser, Rab, Ratchet, Rosy.
Would you bungee jump?
No. The possible disastrous consequences, no matter how slim a chance of their occurrence, outweigh the possible thrill.
Do you think that you are strong willed?
Believe it or not I ponder this a lot. I don't think I am, really. I mean, I'm not wishy-washy but I'm not particularly stubborn or hard-headed either.
What's your favorite ice cream flavor?
It varies. Dulce de Leche is pretty awesome. Cookies and cream. Starbucks' something or other mocha fudge. Darn, now I'm hungry.
Shoe Size?
9W
What are your favorite colors?
I like to wear warm red. I like to paint rooms in muted blues and greens. I like to look at purple and dark green.
What is your least favorite thing?
geesh. There's a general question. Um, the fallen nature of humanity?
How many wisdom teeth do you have?
4
How many people have a crush on you right now?
I can give you a definitive ZERO on this one.
Do you want everyone you send this to send it back to you?
I'm not sending it. I'm posting it. But sure, go ahead.
What color pants are you wearing?
blue jeans
What are you listening to right now?
Helicopters flying overhead because some crackpot is trying to burn my town down. (I am serious.)
Last thing you ate?
A BLT
If you were a crayon, what color would you be?
Brown.
What is the weather like right now?
Hot. Also scalding. It is an inferno. You go outside and stand in the sun too long and you'll burst into flames. Like that. grr. With a really great hot wind blowing too.
Last person you talked to on the phone?
My mom, I think
The first thing you notice about the opposite sex?
The first thing I notice about anyone in general is... I dunno. I notice so many things at once, from the generic (like how tall they are) to how clean they are.
Do you like the person who sent you this?
Nobody sent it to me. I stole it from AROM. And we just met. But so far, yes. :)
How are you today?
Cripes, of all days to ask. Started out totally crappily, but it's getting better.
Favorite drink?
DIET CHERRY COKE. yay.
Favorite alcoholic drink?
I wouldn't know. I've only ever had two beers, thirteen years ago. Oh, and some Kahlua when I was a kid. That was pretty good. And some red wine from Israel, when I'd been married about a year. Not a whole lot to choose a favorite from.
Favorite Sport?
To watch: football and ice dancing. To participate in: walking? does that count? I am not sporty.
Hair color?
brown, brown, brown.
Eye color?
Golden brown, with darker brown freckles. (I like my eyes).
Do you wear contacts?
No. But I'd like to. I wear glasses.
Siblings?
One older brother
Favorite foods?
I don't know. I'm not hungry, so it's hard to say. Maybe a nice Red Fox steak. Or my dad's barbecue.
Last movie you watched?
"Pride and Prejudice", while folding laundry.
What is your favorite day of the year?
Christmas
Are you too shy to ask someone out?
This is a non-issue. But I wasn't, before.
Scary movies or happy endings?
Happy endings. I am so uncultured.
Hugs or kisses?
why the heck do they ask this question? Is there honestly someone who says, "man, I love kisses, but hugs -- UGH!" or vice versa? Both.
What are your current Living Arrangements?
Renting a home I like more and more every year. We can't afford to buy it but I can't stand the thought of moving out.
What's on your mouse pad?
My mouse. :D
Favorite board game?
I like Balderdash, and Trivial Pursuit, and Scrabble.
What did you watch on TV last night?
I haven't watched TV with any regularity in years. Nothing.
Favorite Smell?
An early-spring morning, after a rain, when the sun comes out
What is the first thing you think of when you wake up?
Am I in time to take C to the bathroom so she doesn't wet the bed?
Favorite sounds?
Really good music. My kids' laughter (corny, but true, as every mother knows). Birds, all kinds, even crows. Wind in pine trees.
my goodness. finally done! --------
Sunday, August 01, 2004
inventory survey
HOW MANY...in your home:
phone extensions? 5
bathrooms? 1 in main house, 1 in schoolroom/apartment
books? hundreds.
computers? 1 in house, 1 in schoolroom
televisions? 1
video game consoles? 0
video games? a few computer games, maybe half a dozen
DVDs? maybe 50
VHS cassettes? maybe 200
LPs? none
CDs? around 100
cassettes? lots, but they're in storage
8-tracks? 0
cats? 2
dogs? 0
fish? 7
reptiles? 0
other pets? 0
houseplants? 0
musical instruments? 1 piano, 1 flute
things you've owned since high school or before? hmm. some clothes (!). My daughter has my old cabbage patch kid. A few movies. A dozen books or so, and some CDs. My piano and my flute. My Scrabble game. Maybe two dozen things?
in/on your body:
surgeries? three c-sections and a tonsillectomy, so 4
memorable scars? aforementioned c-section, plus maybe 5 other noticeable ones from accidents etc.
things you love? hmm. sometimes I really like my eyes and eyebrows. So I suppose that's 4 things.
things you hate? too many to count, starting with my feet and moving upward.
tattoos? 0
piercings? 2 (1 in each ear)
rings? 1 (wedding/engagement)
in your past:
birthdays? 29
boyfriends/girlfriends? serious ones, I had 2 in high school. Add in the more casual short term things and the number goes up to maybe a dozen.
divorces? 0
homes? about twelve, mostly before I was 5
schools? 1 school district, 3 schools (elementary, junior high, high school)
cities of residence? 1
college units? 0
foreign countries visited? 0
in your family:
brothers? 1
sisters? 0
children? 2 living
first cousins? oh geesh. I think it's 40 at last count (one aunt still producing).
grandparents living? 2 grandmothers
miles between you and your parents? 16 by road
times you talk to your mom in a week? 5?
years married? 10
years your parents have been married (or divorced)? almost 33 years married
in general:
really close friends? a small handful, three I'd say
hours per week worked? 0 outside the home, on call 24 hours a day though ;-)
evenings per week at home? right now, 6. During the school year it goes down to 4.
times a week you cook? at least ten (lunches and dinners). I don't count preparing cold cereal or making pb&j sandwiches. ;-)
--------
Friday, June 11, 2004
Book list on STEROIDS, warning, this thing is HUGE
Oh dear Lord, why can't I resist these things? WHY??
* bold those books you've read
* parenthesize started-but-never-finished
* italicize if you've seen the movie ;)
* underline the ones you actually like
* as you get near the end, marvel at the number of books in existence that you've never ever heard of
* add three books you recommend
* post the whole conglomerated mess in your journal
1. The
Lord of the Rings, JRR Tolkien
2. Pride
and Prejudice, Jane Austen
3. His Dark Materials, Philip Pullman
4. The Hitchhiker�s Guide to the Galaxy, Douglas Adams
5. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, JK Rowling
6. To
Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee
7. Winnie
the Pooh, AA Milne
8. 1984,
George Orwell
9. The
Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, CS Lewis
10. Jane
Eyre, Charlotte Bronte
11. Catch-22, Joseph Heller
12. Wuthering
Heights, Emily Bronte (re-read it recently and liked it better
than before -- still not my favorite though)
13. Birdsong, Sebastian Faulks
14. Rebecca, Daphne du Maurier
15. The Catcher in the Rye, JD
Salinger (this one, I dunno, I just don't get the whole
20th-century American despair movement, I guess)
16. (The Wind in the Willows, Kenneth Grahame)
17. Great
Expectations, Charles Dickens
18. Little
Women, Louisa May Alcott
19. Captain Corelli�s Mandolin, Louis de Bernieres
20. (War and Peace, Leo Tolstoy)
21. Gone with the
Wind, Margaret Mitchell
22. Harry Potter And The Sorcerer�s/Philosopher�s Stone, JK Rowling
23. Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets, JK Rowling
24. Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban, JK Rowling
25. The
Hobbit, JRR Tolkien
26. Tess Of The D�Urbervilles, Thomas Hardy
27. Middlemarch, George Eliot
28. (A Prayer For Owen Meany, John Irving)
29. The
Grapes Of Wrath, John Steinbeck (it said underline if you like
it, not if you love it)
30. Alice�s
Adventures In Wonderland, Lewis Carroll
31. The Story Of Tracy Beaker, Jacqueline Wilson
32. One Hundred Years Of Solitude, Gabriel Garcia Marquez
33. The Pillars Of The Earth, Ken Follett
34. David
Copperfield, Charles Dickens
35. Charlie
And The Chocolate Factory, Roald Dahl
36. Treasure
Island, Robert Louis Stevenson
37. A Town Like Alice, Nevil Shute
38. Persuasion,
Jane Austen
39. (Dune, Frank Herbert)
40. Emma,
Jane Austen
41. Anne
Of Green Gables, LM Montgomery
42. Watership
Down, Richard Adams
43. (The Great Gatsby, F Scott Fitzgerald)
44. The Count Of Monte Cristo, Alexandre Dumas
45. Brideshead Revisited, Evelyn Waugh
46. Animal
Farm, George Orwell
47. A
Christmas Carol, Charles Dickens
48. Far From The Madding Crowd, Thomas Hardy
49. Goodnight Mister Tom, Michelle Magorian
50. The Shell Seekers, Rosamunde Pilcher
51. The
Secret Garden, Frances Hodgson Burnett
52. Of
Mice And Men, John Steinbeck
53. The
Stand, Stephen King
54. (Anna Karenina, Leo Tolstoy)
55. A Suitable Boy, Vikram Seth
56. The BFG, Roald Dahl
57. Swallows And Amazons, Arthur Ransome
58. Black
Beauty, Anna Sewell
59. Artemis Fowl, Eoin Colfer
60. Crime And Punishment, Fyodor Dostoyevsky
61. Noughts And Crosses, Malorie Blackman
62. Memoirs Of A Geisha, Arthur Golden
63. A Tale Of Two Cities, Charles Dickens
64. The Thorn Birds, Colleen McCollough
65. Mort, Terry Pratchett
66. The Magic Faraway Tree, Enid Blyton
67. The Magus, John Fowles
68. Good Omens, Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman
69. Guards! Guards!, Terry Pratchett
70. Lord
Of The Flies, William Golding
71. Perfume, Patrick Susskind
72. The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists, Robert Tressell
73. Night Watch, Terry Pratchett
74. Matilda,
Roald Dahl
75. Bridget
Jones�s Diary, Helen Fielding
76. The Secret History, Donna Tartt
77. The Woman In White, Wilkie Collins
78. Ulysses, James Joyce
79. Bleak House, Charles Dickens
80. Double Act, Jacqueline Wilson
81. The Twits, Roald Dahl
82. I
Capture The Castle, Dodie Smith
83. Holes, Louis Sachar
84. Gormenghast, Mervyn Peake
85. The God Of Small Things, Arundhati Roy
86. Vicky Angel, Jacqueline Wilson
87. (Brave New World, Aldous Huxley) someday I will finish this.
It's short, just disturbing.
88. Cold Comfort Farm, Stella Gibbons
89. Magician, Raymond E Feist
90. (On The Road, Jack Kerouac)
91. The
Godfather, Mario Puzo
92. (The Clan Of The Cave Bear, Jean M Auel)
93. The Colour Of Magic, Terry Pratchett
94. The Alchemist, Paulo Coelho
95. Katherine, Anya Seton
96. Kane And Abel, Jeffrey Archer
97. Love In The Time Of Cholera, Gabriel Garcia Marquez
98. Girls In Love, Jacqueline Wilson
99. The
Princess Diaries, Meg Cabot (these are a fun escape)
100. Midnight�s Children, Salman Rushdie
101. Three Men In A Boat, Jerome K. Jerome
102. Small Gods, Terry Pratchett
103. The Beach, Alex Garland
104. Dracula, Bram Stoker
105. Point Blanc, Anthony Horowitz
106. (The Pickwick Papers, Charles
Dickens) - I actually am working on this right now, slooowly :)
107. Stormbreaker, Anthony Horowitz
108. The Wasp Factory, Iain Banks
109. The Day Of The Jackal, Frederick Forsyth
110. The Illustrated Mum, Jacqueline Wilson
111. Jude The Obscure, Thomas Hardy
112. The Secret Diary Of Adrian Mole Aged 13 1/2, Sue Townsend
113. The Cruel Sea, Nicholas Monsarrat
114. Les Miserables, Victor Hugo
115. The Mayor Of Casterbridge, Thomas Hardy
116. The Dare Game, Jacqueline Wilson
117. Bad Girls, Jacqueline Wilson
118. The Picture Of Dorian Gray, Oscar Wilde
119. Shogun, James Clavell
120. The Day Of The Triffids, John Wyndham
121. Lola Rose, Jacqueline Wilson
122. (Vanity Fair, William Makepeace
Thackeray) had to turn it in at the library before I finished
it -- it's on my to-buy-used list
123. The Forsythe Saga, John Galsworthy
124. House Of Leaves, Mark Z. Danielewski
125. The Poisonwood Bible, Barbara Kingsolver
126. Reaper Man, Terry Pratchett
127. Angus,
Thongs And Full-Frontal Snogging, Louise Rennison (funny, funny
series)
128. The
Hound Of The Baskervilles, Arthur Conan Doyle
129. Possession,
A. S. Byatt (hated the movie though)
130. The Master And Margarita, Mikhail Bulgakov
131. The
Handmaid�s Tale, Margaret Atwood
132. Danny The Champion Of The World, Roald Dahl
133. East Of Eden, John Steinbeck
134. George�s Marvellous Medicine, Roald Dahl
135. Wyrd Sisters, Terry Pratchett
136. The Color Purple, Alice Walker
saw this years ago as a child; it hardly counts...
137. Hogfather, Terry Pratchett
138. The Thirty-Nine Steps, John Buchan
139. Girls In Tears, Jacqueline Wilson
140. Sleepovers, Jacqueline Wilson
141. All Quiet On The Western Front,
Erich Maria Remarque
142. Behind The Scenes At The Museum, Kate Atkinson
143. High
Fidelity, Nick Hornby
144. It, Stephen
King
145. James
And The Giant Peach, Roald Dahl
146. The Green Mile, Stephen King
147. Papillon, Henri Charriere
148. Men At Arms, Terry Pratchett
149. Master And Commander, Patrick O�Brian
150. Skeleton Key, Anthony Horowitz
151. Soul Music, Terry Pratchett
152. Thief Of Time, Terry Pratchett
153. The Fifth Elephant, Terry Pratchett
154. Atonement, Ian McEwan
155. Secrets, Jacqueline Wilson
156. The Silver Sword, Ian Serraillier
157. (One Flew Over The Cuckoo�s Nest, Ken Kesey)
158. Heart Of Darkness, Joseph Conrad
159. Kim, Rudyard Kipling
160. Cross
Stitch/Outlander, Diana Gabaldon (one of my favourite books!)
161. Moby Dick, Herman Melville
162. River God, Wilbur Smith
163. Sunset Song, Lewis Grassic Gibbon
164. The Shipping News, Annie Proulx
165. The World According To Garp,
John Irving
166. Lorna Doone, R. D. Blackmore
167. Girls Out Late, Jacqueline Wilson
168. The Far Pavilions, M. M. Kaye
169. The Witches, Roald Dahl
170. Charlotte�s
Web, E. B. White
171. Frankenstein, Mary Shelley
172. They Used To Play On Grass, Terry Venables and Gordon Williams
173. (The Old Man And The Sea, Ernest Hemingway)
174. The Name Of The Rose, Umberto Eco
175. (Sophie�s World, Jostein Gaarder)
176. Dustbin Baby, Jacqueline Wilson
177. Fantastic Mr. Fox, Roald Dahl
178. Lolita, Vladimir Nabokov
179. Jonathan Livingstone Seagull, Richard Bach
180. The
Little Prince, Antoine De Saint-Exupery
181. The Suitcase Kid, Jacqueline Wilson
182. Oliver
Twist, Charles Dickens
183. The Power Of One, Bryce Courtenay
184. Silas
Marner, George Eliot (I love this book!)
185. American Psycho, Bret Easton Ellis
186. The Diary Of A Nobody, George and Weedon Grossmith
187. Trainspotting, Irvine Welsh
188. Goosebumps, R. L. Stine
189. Heidi,
Johanna Spyri
190. Sons And Lovers, D. H. Lawrence
191. The Unbearable Lightness of Being, Milan Kundera
192. Man And Boy, Tony Parsons
193. The Truth, Terry Pratchett
194. The
War Of The Worlds, H. G. Wells
195. The Horse Whisperer, Nicholas Evans
196. A Fine Balance, Rohinton Mistry
197. Witches Abroad, Terry Pratchett
198. The Once And Future King, T. H. White
199. The
Very Hungry Caterpillar, Eric Carle
200. Flowers In The Attic, Virginia Andrews
201. The Silmarillion, J.R.R. Tolkien
202. The Eye of the World, Robert Jordan
203. The Great Hunt, Robert Jordan
204. The Dragon Reborn, Robert Jordan
205. Fires of Heaven, Robert Jordan
206. Lord of Chaos, Robert Jordan
207. Winter�s Heart, Robert Jordan
208. A Crown of Swords, Robert Jordan
209. Crossroads of Twilight, Robert Jordan
210. A Path of Daggers, Robert Jordan
211. As Nature Made Him, John Colapinto
212. Microserfs, Douglas Coupland
213. The Married Man, Edmund White
214. Winter�s Tale, Mark Helprin
215. The History of Sexuality, Michel Foucault
216. Cry to Heaven, Anne Rice
217. Same-Sex Unions in Premodern Europe, John Boswell
218. Equus, Peter Shaffer
219. The Man Who Ate Everything, Jeffrey Steingarten
220. Letters To A Young Poet, Rainer Maria Rilke
221. Ella Minnow Pea, Mark Dunn
222. The Vampire Lestat, Anne Rice
223. Anthem, Ayn Rand
224. The
Bridge To Terabithia, Katherine Paterson
225. Tartuffe, Moliere
226. The Metamorphosis, Franz Kafka
227. The Crucible, Arthur Miller
228. The Trial, Franz Kafka
229. Oedipus Rex, Sophocles
230. Oedipus at Colonus, Sophocles
231. Death Be Not Proud, John Gunther
232. A Doll�s House, Henrik Ibsen
233. Hedda Gabler, Henrik Ibsen
234. Ethan Frome, Edith Wharton
235. A Raisin In The Sun, Lorraine Hansberry
236. ALIVE!, Piers Paul Read
237. Grapefruit, Yoko Ono
238. Trickster Makes This World, Lewis Hyde
240. The Mists of Avalon, Marion Zimmer Bradley
241. Chronicles of Thomas Convenant, Unbeliever, Stephen Donaldson
242. Lord of Light, Roger Zelazny
242. The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay, Michael Chabon
243. Summerland, Michael Chabon
244. (A Confederacy of Dunces, John Kennedy Toole) (I hated
this. SO pointless and just vulgar and stupid. I lost all
faith in the Pulitzer as a gauge for good reading material when I tried
this.)
245. Candide, Voltaire
246. The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar and Six More, Roald Dahl
247. Ringworld, Larry Niven
248. The King Must Die, Mary Renault
249. Stranger in a Strange Land, Robert Heinlein
250. A
Wrinkle in Time, Madeleine L�Engle
251. The Eyre Affair, Jasper Fforde
252. The House Of The Seven Gables, Nathaniel Hawthorne
253. The
Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne
254. The
Joy Luck Club, Amy Tan
255. The
Great Gilly Hopkins, Katherine Paterson
256. Chocolate Fever, Robert Kimmel Smith
257. Xanth: The Quest for Magic, Piers Anthony
258. The
Lost Princess of Oz, L. Frank Baum
259. Wonder Boys, Michael Chabon
260. Lost In A Good Book, Jasper Fforde
261. Well Of Lost Plots, Jasper Fforde
261. Life Of Pi, Yann Martel
263. The Bean Trees, Barbara Kingsolver
264. A Yellow Rraft In Blue Water, Michael Dorris
265. Little
House on the Prairie, Laura Ingalls Wilder
267. Where
The Red Fern Grows, Wilson Rawls
268. Griffin & Sabine, Nick Bantock
269. Witch
of Blackbird Pond, Joyce Friedland
270. Mrs.
Frisby And The Rats Of NIMH, Robert C. O�Brien (LOVE this book)
271. Tuck
Everlasting, Natalie Babbitt
272. The Cay, Theodore Taylor
273. From
The Mixed-Up Files Of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, E.L. Konigsburg
274. The
Phantom Tollbooth, Norton Juster
275. The Westing Game, Ellen Raskin
276. The Kitchen God�s Wife, Amy Tan
277. The Bone Setter�s Daughter, Amy Tan
278. Relic, Duglas Preston & Lincolon Child
279. Wicked, Gregory Maguire
280. American Gods, Neil Gaiman
281. Misty
of Chincoteague, Marguerite Henry
282. The Girl Next Door, Jack Ketchum
283. Haunted, Judith St. George
284. Singularity, William Sleator
285. A Short History of Nearly Everything, Bill Bryson
286. Different Seasons, Stephen King
287. Fight Club, Chuck Palahniuk
288. About
a Boy, Nick Hornby
289. The Bookman�s Wake, John Dunning
290. The Church of Dead Girls, Stephen Dobyns
291. Illusions, Richard Bach
292. Magic�s Pawn, Mercedes Lackey
293. Magic�s Promise, Mercedes Lackey
294. Magic�s Price, Mercedes Lackey
295. The Dancing Wu Li Masters, Gary Zukav
296. Spirits of Flux and Anchor, Jack L. Chalker
297. Interview with the Vampire, Anne Rice
298. The Encyclopedia of Unusual Sex Practices, Brenda Love
299. Infinite Jest, David Foster Wallace
300. The Bluest Eye, Toni Morrison
301. The Cider House Rules, John Irving
302. Ender�s Game, Orson Scott Card
303. Girlfriend in a Coma, Douglas Coupland
304. The Lion�s Game, Nelson Demille
305. The Sun, The Moon, and the Stars, Stephen Brust
306. Cyteen, C. J. Cherryh
307. Foucault�s Pendulum, Umberto Eco
308. Cryptonomicon, Neal Stephenson
309. Invisible Monsters, Chuck Palahniuk
310. Camber of Culdi, Kathryn Kurtz
311. The Fountainhead, Ayn Rand
312. War and Rememberance, Herman Wouk
313. The Art of War, Sun Tzu
314. The
Giver, Lois Lowry
315. The Telling, Ursula Le Guin
316. Xenogenesis (or Lilith�s Brood), Octavia Butler
317. A Civil Campaign, Lois McMaster Bujold
318. The Curse of Chalion, Lois McMaster Bujold
319. The Aeneid, Publius Vergilius Maro (Vergil)
320. Hanta Yo, Ruth Beebe Hill
321. The
Princess Bride, William Goldman
322. Beowulf, Anonymous
323. The
Sparrow, Maria Doria Russell
324. Deerskin, Robin McKinley
325. Dragonsong, Anne McCaffrey
326. Passage, Connie Willis
327. Otherland, Tad Williams
328. Tigana, Guy Gavriel Kay
329. Number
the Stars, Lois Lowry
330. Beloved, Toni Morrison
331. Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ�s Childhood Pal,
Christopher Moore
332. The mysterious disappearance of Leon, I mean Noel, Ellen Raskin
333. Summer Sisters, Judy Blume
334. The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Victor Hugo
335. The Island on Bird Street, Uri Orlev
336. Midnight in the Dollhouse, Marjorie Filley Stover
337. The Miracle Worker, William Gibson
338. The Genesis Code, John Case
339. The
Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Robert Louis Stevensen
340. Paradise Lost, John Milton
341. Phantom, Susan Kay
342. The Mummy or Ramses the Damned, Anne Rice
343. Anno Dracula, Kim Newman
344: The Dresden Files: Grave Peril, Jim Butcher
345: Tokyo Suckerpunch, Issac Adamson
346: The Winter of Magic�s Return, Pamela Service
347: The Oddkins, Dean R. Koontz
348. My Name is Asher Lev, Chaim Potok
349. The Last Goodbye, Raymond Chandler
350. At Swim, Two Boys, Jaime O�Neill
351. Othello, by William Shakespeare
352. The Collected Poems of Dylan Thomas
353. The Collected Poems of William Butler Yeats
354. Sati, Christopher Pike
355. The Inferno, Dante
356. The Apology, Plato
357. The Small Rain, Madeline L�Engle
358. The Man Who Tasted Shapes, Richard E Cytowick
359. 5 Novels, Daniel Pinkwater
360. The Sevenwaters Trilogy, Juliet Marillier
361. Girl with a Pearl Earring, Tracy Chevalier
362. To the Lighthouse, Virginia Woolf
363. Our Town, Thorton Wilder
364. Green Grass Running Water, Thomas King
365. The Interpreter, Suzanne Glass
366. The Moor�s Last Sigh, Salman Rushdie
367. The Mother Tongue, Bill Bryson
368. A Passage to India, E.M. Forster
369. The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Stephen Chbosky
370. The
Phantom of the Opera, Gaston Leroux
371. Pages for You, Sylvia Brownrigg
372. The Changeover, Margaret Mahy
373. Howl�s Moving Castle, Diana Wynne Jones
374. Angels and Demons, Dan Brown
375. Johnny Got His Gun, Dalton Trumbo
376. Shosha, Isaac Bashevis Singer
377. Travels With Charley, John Steinbeck
378. The Diving-bell and the Butterfly by Jean-Dominique Bauby
379. The Lunatic at Large by J. Storer Clouston
380. Time for Bed by David Baddiel
381. Barrayar by Lois McMaster Bujold
382. Quite Ugly One Morning by Christopher Brookmyre
383. The Bloody Sun by Marion Zimmer Bradley
384. Sewer, Gas, and Eletric by Matt Ruff
385. Jhereg by Steven Brust
386. So You Want To Be A Wizard by Diane Duane
387. Perdido Street Station, China Mieville
388. (The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, Anne Bronte)
389. Road-side Dog, Czeslaw Milosz
380. The English Patient, Michael
Ondaatje
381. Neuromancer, William Gibson
382. The Epistemology of the Closet, Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick
383. A Canticle for Liebowitz, Walter M. Miller, Jr
384. The Mask of Apollo, Mary Renault
385. The Gunslinger, Stephen King
386. Romeo
and Juliet, William Shakespeare
387. Childhood�s End, Arthur C. Clarke
388. A Season of Mists, Neil Gaiman
389. Ivanhoe, Walter Scott
390. The God Boy, Ian Cross
391. The Beekeeper�s Apprentice, Laurie R. King
392. Finn Family Moomintroll, Tove Jansson
393. Misery,
Stephen King
394. Tipping the Velvet, Sarah Waters
395. Hood, Emma Donoghue
396. The Land of Spices, Kate O�Brien
397. The
Diary of Anne Frank
398. Regeneration, Pat Barker
399. Tender is the Night, F. Scott Fitzgerald
400. Dreaming in Cuban, Cristina Garcia
401. A Farewell to Arms, Ernest Hemingway
402. The View from Saturday, E.L. Konigsburg
403. Dealing with Dragons, Patricia Wrede
404. Eats, Shoots & Leaves, Lynne Truss (I WANT THIS BOOK.)
405. A Severed Wasp - Madeleine L�Engle
406. Here Be Dragons - Sharon Kay Penman
407. The Mabinogion (Ancient Welsh Tales) - translated by Lady
Charlotte E. Guest
408. The DaVinci Code - Dan Brown
409. Desire of the Everlasting Hills - Thomas Cahill
400. The Cloister Walk - Kathleen Norris
401. My
Antonia, Willa Cather
402. Bell Jar, Sylvia Plath
403. The Moonstone, Wilkie Collins
404. Conceived Without Sin, Bud MacFarlane Jr.
405. Pierced by a Sword, Bud MacFarlane, Jr.
406. Tully, Paullina Simons
407. On the Beach, Nevil Shute
408. Cat's Eye, Margaret Atwood
409. Earth Abides, George R. Stewart
410. Alan Mendelsohn, the Boy From Mars, Daniel K. Pinkwater
411. The Talisman, Stephen King and Peter Straub
412. Black House, Steven King and Peter Straub
413. Please Don't Eat the Daisies,
Jean Kerr
414. The Golden Spiders, Rex Stout
415. Pippi
Longstocking, Astrid Lindgren
415. The gift of Sex, C & J Penner
416. Dominion, Randy Alcorn
417 Trixie
Belden and the secret of the mansion, Julie Campbell
418. The Shaman, Noah Gordon
419. Pope Joan, Donna W. Cross
420. The
Bible
421. Emily
of New Moon, L.M. Montgomery
422. Into
the Wilderness, Sara Donati
423. Homestead,
Rosina Lippi
Thursday, June 10, 2004
pearls slipping off a string
If and only if (I was going to abbreviate that the way we did in algebra class, as "iff", but I thought that would just look like a typo, and what if we were the only ones to do it that way and then I looked really REALLY stupid. So. If and ONLY if) you have a half-hour or so to waste right now (like I didn't, but oh well), go here and browse through RetroCrush's 50 Greatest Song Parts collection. What a cool idea. I have to say, though, that there's a part of Rossini's William Tell Overture (and if you want me to adore you for life, it's easy; just don't call this "the Lone Ranger theme". I know it's hard to resist. But please. It's not as bad as "Rhapsody in Blue" being known as "the United Airlines theme," because at least the Lone Ranger is kind of an icon in and of himself, but still) which would, in my opinion, blow ALL their song parts completely out of the water. (that sounds graphic and vaguely bloody.) Unfortunately without lyrics I can't just tell you which part. You'll just have to listen to the finale and form your own opinion. :)
I am having a series of nice days, which is such a pleasant change from the series of crappy days I seemed to have been stuck in for a while, a few weeks ago. I'm reminded of an L.M. Montgomery book with a line about "days following one another like pearls slipping off a string;" that's exactly what my week has been like. Just ordinary things, nothing worth journaling about, but a blessing all the same -- the kids are loving and cooperative; I'm happy even though I am thoroughly ticked off at my good old womanly parts; even money stresses etc. haven't dampened my serene outlook. I've been reading good books (speaking of L.M. Montgomery, I'm reading the EMilies for the first time in years and enjoying them more than I ever did before), getting some crocheting done, doing a little housework and laundry, eating sanely but not terribly restrictively... you know. Good times.
Now we'll see, since I've made a note of how calm everything is, if tomorrow everything hits the fan. Gee, what a fun experiment.
And for your further journal edification, here is a survey about online journaling. Or blogging. Or diary-ing. Or whatever the heck you want to call it. ahem. Anyway.
Do you try to look hot when you go to the grocery store just in case someone recognizes you from your blog?
Um, no. Chances are totally nil that anyone in my town who doesn't already know me, would have a clue about me from my blog.
Are the photos you post Photoshopped or otherwise altered?
No, I just pick pictures where I think I look OK.
Do you like it when creeps or dorks email you?
Never happened.
Do you lie in your blog?
No. But I consciously leave stuff out.
Are you passive-aggressive in your blog?
I don�t think so.
Do you ever threaten to quit writing so people will tell you not to stop?
No. I hate that manipulative stuff.
Are you in therapy? If not, should you be? If so, is it helping?
I am not in therapy.
Do you delete mean comments? Do you fake nice ones?
I have deleted a few rude ones.
If your readers knew you in person, would they like you more or like you less?
Less. Clumsiness and social awkwardness are endearing in print. In person, not so much.
Do you have a job?
No.
If someone offered you a decent salary to blog full-time without restrictions, would you do it?
I wouldn't begin to know what to write about that much. So no.
Which blogger do you want to meet in real life?
hmm... sundry, Dusty (porktornado), mom-on-roof, rdhdprincess. Except that I would be so totally intimidated by them.
Does your family read your blog?
My sister-in-law does. My mom's read one entry but I don't think she's read anything since. My husband reads it occasionally.
How old is your blog?
Not quite a year.
Do you get more than 1000 pageviews per day? Do you care?
Not even NEAR that. Does anyone, other than the celebrity bloggers? And no, I don't care. I write for myself mostly; while the possibility of someone else reading it is what makes me keep writing (as opposed to abandoning it like I always have my paper diaries), I really don't care how many people do. It's just the possibility of it.
Do you have another secret blog in which you write about being depressed, slutty, or a liar?
Well, not about those things exactly, but I do have one that nobody who knows me knows about. Except now they know about it... but they still don't know where it is.
Have you ever given another blogger money for his/her writing?
No.
Is blogging narcissistic?
To a degree, yes.
Do you feel guilty when you don't post for a long time?
Yes. Especially if the most recent entry is stupid.
Do you have enemies?
Not that I know of.
Are you lonely?
For adult female conversation, sometimes.
Why bother?
It's an interesting way to keep track of what I do and share it with other people.
Sunday, June 06, 2004
a real weekend
Ahh, finally, a weekend that felt like a weekend. It is so nice (and rare) when our family is together for all of both days and we (especially T, because really, other than the fact that he's home and we don't have sit-down school, weekends are pretty much like any other day for the kids and me) can really feel recharged on Sunday night. We went fishing on Saturday morning (which means T and the kids fished, and I read a book; both kids caught the first fish of their lives almost as soon as they put their hooks in the water); we had LT's friend here pretty much all day Saturday; I fried the fish for dinner and they were actually edible. Today we went to a flea market, and then T's back went berserk so we turned around and came home before we got to church, and lazed around all day. GOOD TIMES, oh yeah.
I'm really not feeling terribly creative or funny at ALL tonight; I can't think of a single witty thing to say. (I can hear you asking, and that is different because....?). So here, in lieu of a genuine entry, is yet. another. survey. Because I am such a sucker for them. At least with this one I deleted the questions I've answered a gazillion times. :)
Can you roll your tongue? Yes.
Can you raise one eyebrow? Sort of.
Can you blow spit bubbles? Um, ew? I could in first grade; haven't tried since.
Can you cross your eyes? Yes. But I couldn't until after I got glasses in junior high and my left eye got stronger.
Do you make your bed daily? Most days. T and I have a joke/ritual where if he comes home and I've made the bed he has to kiss me my favorite way (which means with his hands on the sides of my head under my hair; I jokingly call it a "trash novel kiss" because as a preteen I read more than my share of Silhouette romances and the heroines were always being "held motionless with no pressure" by the heroes, for kisses in this style).
Which shoe goes on first? I never noticed until just now, but I do put on my right shoe first almost every time, now that I think of it.
Speaking of shoes, have you ever thrown one at anyone? I don't think I've thrown shoes but I've thrown other stuff. And not AT people. At walls generally.
On the average, how much money do you carry in your wallet? MAYBE some change. I am so awful about NEVER carrying cash unless I have a specific reason to.
What jewelry do you wear 24/7? My wedding ring.
Favorite outfit for everyday? My No-panty-lines underwear, Eddie Bauer TALL jeans, white satin bra, and either a white button-down blouse or a shaped t-shirt.
Do you twirl your spaghetti or cut it? Twirl.
Have you ever eaten Spam? Plenty of times but not recently. My mom fries it for breakfast pretty regularly.
How many cereals in your cabinet? About 5.
Favorite fast food, other than The Big Two? Panda Express
Do you cook? All. The. Time.
How often do you brush your teeth? Usually twice a day.
Hair drying method? Towel and then air dry.
Have you ever colored/highlighted your hair? I used to do this a lot, from the time I was about 18 until I was 25. Then I started letting it grow out so I haven't colored it in years -- it's in sad enough shape as it is.
Do you swear? No.
Do you ever spit? Well, "ever" is a big word. If I have something foreign in my mouth, like say a bug, then yes. But not recreationally.
-- WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE --
Animal? Horses. I'm like a ten-year-old girl about horses. Well, not QUITE.
Shoe Brand? The ones that are on sale at Big 5. For dress shoes, Payless, baby.
Way to eat eggs? In an omelet.
Thing to do in the spring? sit outside in my porch swing and enjoy the weather
Thing to do in the summer? swim, and hang clothes on the line
Thing to do in the fall? wear red sweaters and eat apples
Thing to do in the winter? Sit inside by the fire and read.
Children's book? hmm... I like a lot of kid lit and even a good number of picture books. Probably, though, Curious George Flies a Kite is my favorite -- I think that's the one with the baby bunny and the little bird that says, "Bad monkey!" which always makes my husband and me smile.
Thing to order at Denny's? Garlic mushroom swiss burger. YUM.
* * * * * * * * *
Person you talk most on the phone with? T at work, closely followed by my dad, who calls several times most days.
Ever taken a cab? Yes, years ago.
Do you regularly check yourself out in store windows and mirrors? All the time. It's like a disease since I lost weight. "Is it still gone? really gone? It is!")
What color is your bedroom? It has dark-stained pine walls. We did paint our room a nice colonial blue, but we changed the bedrooms around to give our kids each their own room, and because of the way the house is laid out (we really don't want a window between our room and our son's, which is an enclosed porch), we gave that room to our daughter. *sob*
Do you use an alarm clock? T does. I do sometimes.
Window seat or aisle? Window, window, window.
What's your sleeping position? I turn over and over until I finally fall asleep. Usually when I fall asleep I'm either on my side or my stomach. One of the very hardest things about being pregnant (which otherwise I pretty much loved) was, toward the end, having to be in ONE position all the time in bed (left side, best for the circulation). ugh.
Even in hot weather do you use a blanket? A sheet and a light blanket. I feel like I'm just napping otherwise.
Do you snore? I think I do sometimes.
Do you sleepwalk? No.
Do you talk in your sleep? I used to, but I haven't heard T comment on it in a while so I don't know.
Do you sleep with the light on? No.
Do you fall asleep with the TV or radio on? No. I did all the time when I was younger though -- I couldn't go to sleep in silence. When I got married I had to change my habits since we used the radio as the alarm (because T claims the SCREECH SCREECH SCREECH would give him a heart attack); I had to get used to having it wake me up instead of putting me to sleep.
OFF THE TOP OF YOUR HEAD... no peeking!
What's in your car's tape deck or CD player? I have a 12-cd changer; currently it has Bach, Vivaldi, Mussorgsky's "Pictures at an Exhibition" (great for listening to with the kids), a CD of "power classics", a collection of preludes and overtures, an "alternative" compilation, an instrumental compilation (heavy on Enya and Loreena McKennitt), a kids' music compilation, my Phantom of the Opera soundtrack, a Gershwin CD with "Rhapsody in Blue", "An American in Paris", and "Lullaby for Strings"... and I can't remember the rest.
What station is your radio tuned to? Probably Christian talk radio.
What's on your dresser? Clothes. I put them on the bed meaning to sort them and put them away (they're folded and neatly stacked) but if T goes to bed before I do, which he generally does, he just puts them on the dresser. Also, there are a few of my husband's Mopar magazines, and our alarm clock radio.
What's on your nightstand? A few books, a book of word puzzles, a lamp, and a picture of my kids. And dust.
What time is it (don't look!)? hmm... eleven?
OK, now you can look, what time is it really? 11:04!
What color are your mother's eyes? Almost exactly the same shade of brown as mine -- just a teeny bit less goldenish.
Is your dishwasher clean or dirty? ack! I do not remember! Wait, clean, cause it was running during dinner and I haven't emptied it yet.
What pictures are in your hallway, along the stairs, whatever? hmm. My senior picture (which taunts me, because every time I go past it it says to me, "ha! You thought you were ugly and fat when you were me! Loser! You didn't know how good you had it!"), my husband's Navy boot-camp graduation portrait (wherein he looks like a BABY, not only because he was only 18, but because it was the only time since he was capable of having any, except for an agonizing few weeks right after we got married when he shaved it all off as an experiment, when he did not have facial hair -- even now if he shaved it off, he'd look fourteen), a family portrait, a collage of pictures of each of the kids, a picture of C and LT together when C was a newborn, a framed set of C's handprints from when she got into my lipstick as a toddler and covered herself with it, and, on the other wall, T's destruction derby plaques.
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Tuesday, May 25, 2004
not one but TWO more memes
Copied from KiwiRia
Meme 1:
x. What is your secret guaranteed weeping movie?
OK, this really is a big secret. OK? Don't tell anyone. "Mr. Holland's Opus." The end. Every time.
x. If you could have plastic surgery, what would you have done?
Another really big secret. I'd get my breasts augmented. I AM SO SHALLOW. I'm sorry. But I hate when they disappear when I'm lying on my back. Do everyone's do that? Mine didn't, once upon a time before they served their real purpose in lactation for a total of 3 1/2 years.
x. Do you have a completely irrational fear?
No. Because centipedes are from the devil, it is perfectly rational to go into spasms of disgust and fear whenever one wriggles (augh! nightmare!) across my field of view.
x. What is the little physical habit that gives away your insecure moment?
Good question! ANOTHER secret being divulged; you can always tell I'm feeling insecure because I cross my arms and hold onto my elbows in front of myself.
ha! you were just trying that out to see if you could figure out what I was talking about, weren't you. :)
x. Are you a pyromaniac?
Actually, yes. I love a good burn pile. I love throwing things in it and watching it flare up. I love the blazing heat and the sparks and the smoke. I like to light a piece of paper and see how long before it's ashes. fun fun fun.
x. Do you have too many love interests?
No. Just one. :)
x. Do you know anyone famous?
An author. I work for her.
x. Spontaneous or plan?
Both. Some of each. I like having things planned (especially unpleasant things -- MUCH better planned than spontaneous -- and financial matters) but I like to do things on the spur of the moment as well.
x. Do you know how to play poker?
Yes.
x. What do you carry with you at all times?
My purse (checkbook, pen, sunglasses, lip gloss, ATM card, gas card, library card) and also generally a book, just in case I get caught waiting somewhere and have time to read.
x. What do you miss most about being little?
Irresponsibility. Not just the fact that more of my time was my own, although that was nice -- more time for horseback riding and reading and whatnot -- but also, the fact that nobody else's existence was riding on my capabilities. Someone else was in charge. I wouldn't want it any other way, really, of course we have to grow up and taking on responsibilities is part of that. Also, having someone else make all my decisions would suck really hard. But sometimes I look at my kids and think they don't know how well they have it, when the biggest decision they have to make is "chicken nuggets or cheeseburger?" And of course they don't know, and won't until they grow up and face real life.
x. Are you happy with your given name?
Yes.
x. How much money would it take to get you to give up the Internet for one year?
I think probably ten thousand dollars would do it. Or twelve. A nice round figure, a thousand dollars a month. Assuming I couldn't use the library's internet access either.
x. Do you like yourself and believe in yourself?
Sometimes I do and sometimes I don't. Sometimes I want to kick myself in the teeth and say shut UP Rachel. Sometimes I think I'm pretty OK. Sometimes I think I'm hot stuff and a groovy chick and my husband is a very lucky man. But not very often.
x. Do transient, homeless, or starving people bother you?
This is a rather oddly-phrased question. It could be taken two ways. Does it bother me that people are transient, homeless, or starving? Well, yes. In some cases it bothers me that they would rather sit on a street corner with a cardboard sign than go apply for a job washing dishes at the restaurant down the street (but part of me says, hey, whatever works for them. Only part though). In other cases it bothers me that due to crop failure or famine or governmental idiocy or what have you, there are places where there just genuinely isn't enough for people to eat. The other way to take this question is, Am I bothered by the presence of a person meeting one of these descriptions in my general vicinity? Sometimes -- I have a low city-fear threshold -- but not usually.
x. Do you consider yourself to be a nice person?
Yes. Nice to a fault sometimes. I don't do confrontation well.
x. Do you spend more time with your boyfriend or your friends?
I don't have a boyfriend, I have a husband. And I do spend more time with him than with my friends.
x. What's one thing you wish you could do but can't?
ONE thing? Bring sanity and peace to the whole world. Hey, you asked.
x. What is your ideal marriage location?
I'm assuming this actually means wedding -- marriage is what exists after the wedding. I already did get married, in a church with the puffy-sleeved dress and satin-clad bridesmaids and the whole shebang. If I were getting married now instead of at the age of nineteen I'd probably do something lower-key, with less satin and fewer sequins and beads but still very formal, just more intimate. Maybe on the Queen Mary. Or in Yosemite.
x. Which musical instrument do you wish you could play?
I wish I'd kept up with the piano.
x. Favorite fabric?
Depends on my mood and the occasion. I like flannel for winter pajamas; t-shirt material for summer ones. Velvet for formalwear and white cotton and denim for casual clothes. Cotton socks, satin panties and bras.
x. Something you love and hate?
Keeping house. I'm so glad to be able to do it but I really dislike a lot of the daily-grind kind of jobs, like the everlasting laundry and dishes.
x. What kind of bedding do you use?
Cotton. Some white, some floral, some solids.
x. Do you tell your friends about your sex life?
Just the closest of friends, and even then I don't discuss everything.
x. What's one language you want to learn?
Spanish. It would be really practical in California.
x. What do you order at a bar?
I wouldn't know. Once I ordered a Shirley Temple at a bar. But that was when I was, what, sixteen? And it was the first and last time I ordered anything at one.
x. Have you ever pierced your body parts?
Ears. I've had one hole in each since I was six. At fourteen I got an extra set of holes which I used for about five years and then let close over. When I was sitting in Algebra II class my sophomore year, I made a third hole in each with a safety pin, but I never put anything in them and just let them close over right away.
x. Do you have tattoos?
No.
x. Would you ever admit to having done plastic surgery any kind if confronted?
Probably.
x. Do you drive stick?
I can, but right now we have automatics.
x. What's one trait you hate in a person?
Meanness. On purpose, causing others pain just for the sake of being mean, meanness.
x. What kind of watch(es) do you wear?
A six-dollar one from Wal-Mart. Leather band, cream-and-gold-and-black face.
x. Most frivolous purchase?
You know, I really can't think of one. Most of my frivolous spending (and I do plenty!) is on smallish stuff like diet Coke, or on restaurants. It's my husband who buys things and then keeps them for years while hardly using them.
x. Do you consider yourself materialistic?
No.
x. What do you cook the best?
I'm pretty good at a lot of things. Pancakes and eggs, chocolate chip cookies (I am the Jedi Master of chocolate chip cookies and I have never had ANY that I like better than mine), chicken parmigiana, chicken marsala, meatloaf, spaghetti (my own recipe which I developed over the course of a few years when I was in my late teens and early twenties).
x. Favorite writing instrument?:
Either the computer (ha!) or a nice sharp fine-point Bic, the clicky kind, not the lid kind, with a comfort grip.
x. Do you prefer to stand out or blend in?
Blend in. I'm all for being blendy.
x. What kind of books do you like to read?
The list of what I don't like to read is shorter -- that would consist of trash romance, science fiction, and uber-boring nonfiction -- although I love biographies and political science stuff.
x. If you won the lottery, what would you do?
Oh, man, is this not the most asked meme question EVER? Property and a house with a pool, new wing for the town library, new vehicles, blah blah blah.
x. What's one thing you're a sore loser at?
Arguing with my husband. It takes a few hours for me to get over it and make nice.
x. If you don't like a person, how do you show it?
Generally by avoiding him/her.
x. Do you cry in front of friends?
Yes yes yes.
x. What's one thing you like to do alone?
read? pee? bathe? lots of things.
x. Are you a giver or a taker?
Like most all moms, pretty much a giver by necessity if not otherwise.
x. When's the last time you cried?
hmm... I don't remember. It's been a while, probably a couple of weeks.
x. Favorite communication method?
e-mail
x. How many drinks before you're tipsy?
one. And I only know that based on experience from about thirteen years ago. I haven't tried since.
x. Do you ever have to beg?
for what? I have asked my parents for assistance on occasion since my marriage. I've begged my husband to take me out to dinner instead of having to cook.
x. Have you ever done any illegal drugs?
no.
x. Do you think you're cute?
Sometimes. Not usually.
x. Do you have problems changing clothes in front of friends?
Not really close friends.
x. What's the most painful experience you've ever had?
Physical: my third c-section. Emotional: the birth of my middle daughter.
Meme2:
Pick two of your absolute favorites for each category.
1. CD's:Evanescence, and the Mavericks "There Goes My Heart"
2. Movies: "Pride and Prejudice" and "Return to Me"
3. TV shows: Um, Jeopardy?
4. Actors: I never have really picked favorite actors -- as in, I will watch anything with X or Y in it. I tend to like movies with Mel Gibson, I guess.
5. Musicians/Singers: Vivaldi and Chanticleer
6. Books: Jane Eyre and Pride and Prejudice
7. Journals to read:Chez Miscarriage and The Anti-Idiotarian Rottweiler. I so so so want to put more than two but I am limiting myself.
8. Places to eat:The Olive Garden and a local restaurant called The Red Fox
9. Websites:Eject! Eject! Eject! and the IMDB.
10. Drinks (non-alcoholic): Diet Cherry Coke and plain iced tea (VERY cold)
11. Snack foods: Pringles and peanut-butter Twix
12. Healthy foods: Caesar salad and grilled chicken
13. Holidays:Christmas and Thanksgiving
14. Movie soundtracks:"Pride and Prejudice" and "Shrek"
15. Cancelled TV shows: "Who's the Boss" and "Whose Line Is It Anyway?"
16. Guilty Pleasures:Dreyer's ice cream and kid-lit
17. Pizza Toppings:Pepperoni and olives
18. Things to do on a Sunday afternoon:Take a nap and hang out with family
oh, great, another meme Archives | Page 7 of 10
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