Erin’s Quiz (with Cat)

Saw this quiz on benjerin’s blog, thought it looked like fun, you know the rest …
 

1)  How do you like your grilled cheese?
Cover outside of two slices of bread with real butter, load up with good cheese (cheddar, Muenster, jack, Port Salut), add an ounce or two of thin-sliced turkey, then grill until golden brown. Top with dill pickle.

Or any grilled cheese made by someone else.

2)  Where did you go on your last vacation?
Our last long weekend was spent in DC with Leah and Ben’s Chili Bowl.  Our last big vacation was to Scandinavia.

3)  Who are your godparents?
I used to know, but I think I’m old enough that the question is moot.

4)  Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
Sitting in a comfy chair and surfing/reading/watching TV.

5)  Where are you at noon everyday?
Sitting in a comfy chair and surfing/reading/watching TV/working.

6)  How many speeding tickets have you gotten?
Two, both were fair cops.

7)  What is your favorite movie?
Can’t choose one:  Zulu, Zulu Dawn, Alien, Aliens, Day of the Jackal, A Christmas Story

8)  What do you think of the I-phone?
Love it.  When Boeing stops paying for my BlackBerry, I’ll get one (unless something better comes along AND we can afford it).

9)  What do you think of winter?
Love it.

10)  Do you use a plan book?
Used to.  I never found a device that could equal my old Palm Pilot.  Before that, my Franklin Planner went everywhere with me.

11)  At what age do you plan on having kids?
I’d have to step into a time machine to answer this.

12)  When was the last time you swam?
Actually swam as opposed to get wet?  Um, the Eighties?

13)  What do you order at Subway?
A 12 inch Turkey on White with Bacon, Mayonnaise, Deli Brown Mustard, Olive Oil, Vinegar, Provolone Cheese, Lettuce, Black Olives, Onions, Pickles, Tomato, and the secret herbs & salt they sprinkle on at the end.

14)  Do you keep your closets organized?
Closets are where I hide my piles of stuff.

15)  How do you make headaches go away?
Excedrin.

16)  Have you owned a beta fish before? What was his name?
Yes, don’t remember if he had one.

17)  If you moved out of state where would you go?
Mexico, New Mexico, or Sweden.

18)  Did you attend pre-school?
No, I barely attended school at all.

19)  What do your shower curtains look like?
We don’t have any.

20)  Did you have an imaginary friend as a child?
No.

21)  How do you make eggs?
Omelets.  Or fried, over medium with potatoes and sausage.  Or lightly mixed and fried for an egg and cheese sandwich.

22)  Where do you wash your clothes?
At home.

23)  Which parent do you look most like?
I’ve been told I look like my dad.

24)  Who are the neighbors who live to the right of you?
If I’m facing north, it’s Al Faber.

25)  What are your thoughts on Tom Cruise?
Word association?  Scientology.

26)  What is the next vehicle you wish to buy?
Some days a Hummer, some days a Mini Cooper.  (You did say wish, right?)

27)  Do you pay bills online or by mail?
Nan pays the bills any way she wants to.

28)  What would be the best gift someone could get you right now?
Fresh sweet corn and vine ripened tomatoes.

29)  What is something stressful you will deal with next week?
Dealing with converting one of my applications to WSSO (Web Single Sign On).

30)  What is something in your home that you collect?
Books, DVDs, military hats.

31)  What did you do last night?
We met Joe (Nan’s brother) for steak at Tuckers and then closed down Left Bank book store.

32)  Who did you last see?
Besides Nan?  Joe.

33)  How do you take your coffee?
Some sort of cow juice and Splenda.

34)  What is the oldest thing in your fridge?
Black bean sauce.  Or pickle relish.

35)  On your keyboard, what key is wearing out from pressing it so much?
No keys are wearing out.  Some are less dusty than others.

36)  Where do you put your keys when you come home?
My keys reside in my fanny pack.  My fanny pack hangs from my dumbbell rack.  My dumbbell rack sits in the library.

37)  Where do you go for Thanksgiving?
Anywhere there’s family.

38)  How old will you be in 2010?
58.

39)  What actor/actress would play you in a movie?
Brian Blessed (he’d need to tone it down a bit, though).

40)  How much cash is in your wallet?
This morning $1.  Right now $200.

41)  What color is your house?
Brick red (literally).

42)  If you were starving to death would you eat a pet?
Probably, especially if it was somebody else’s pet.

43)  Ever been to Alabama?
Too many times to count.

44)  What kind of accent do you have?
None.  I was born in Iowa, where the world’s only pure form of English is spoken.

45)  What kind of alcoholic drinks are in your fridge right now?
Beer and wine.

– Poppa

I’m late, I’m late, I’m late

I said I would update on Sundays and here it is Tuesday already. Yikes!

Big fun at the strawberry farm on Saturday. We decided not to actually pick-our-own. Instead, I was content to merely select the baskets of strawberries from the market part of the farm. We had a nice lunch there too. I had tomato soup with a grilled cheese and tomato sandwich. So I started thinking about, you guessed it, tomatoes. So we went to the garden sales part of the farm and bought tomato plants and all the things they need to keep them happy – potting soil and a big pot. Much later that night, I decided that we needed even more potting soil, several additional big pots, and a watering can. Because I’m math-challenged, I didn’t realize I actually bought 3 times as many tomato plants as I intended. Now we’ve got a abundance of tomato plants. We’re farmers now.

Other things I appreciated recently – I got new socks. Six pairs. And part of the sock is pink, so I feel all girly. Simple pleasures.

What’s fun about this week? It’s a short work week, because of the Memorial Day holiday. And one of those work days is already over!

More upcoming fun – a haircut next Saturday.

More upcoming fun – a trip to Left Bank bookstore to buy 2 books by 2 authors I really, really like – Nevada Barr and Chris Bohjalian. Stocking up on books in time for the soon-to-be-famous New Mexico vacation.

–Nan

This. Is. So. Cool!

Rather than stay at a boring hotel the last few days of our New Mexico trip, we’ve decided to rent an Earthship for two nights after the wedding.  I’ll be listening to Blows Against the Empire while we’re hanging out under the desert stars.

Poppa

a beautiful day in the neighborhood

It was a beautiful day in my neighborhood – sunny, but not sweltering hot.

3 appreciations this week:

We’ve had a batch of rainy weather, which of course affects the company that employs me. It’s a specialized construction company, installing traffic signals. When it rains, the guys don’t work – because electricity and water don’t mix well. So anyhow, there have been quite a few days when the guys in the field couldn’t be in the field. But Friday was a nice sunny day and the crews could work full days. The boss celebrated by buying lunch for the office staff. Nice.

Still Friday – We went to see “Second City” touring group and they were very funny. I was actually doing that knee-slapping move – you know, hitting myself on the leg because it was just so dang funny. Some of the performance was skits – things that you could tell had been written and rehearsed. But part of the performance was improv. I was so impressed – how can these people think so fast?!?

Today we went on a riverboat ride on the Mississippi. We’ve lived 10 blocks away from the Mississippi for what, 7 years now? But we’ve never taken a riverboat ride before. It was a dandy excursion. Then we came across a parade as we walked back home. Then we stopped for grocery-store sushi. It’s good to live downtown.

Anticipations:

Finish planning our vacation in New Mexico – land of enchantment.

Salsa Dancing instruction – from a DVD I bought on e-Bay.

Next weekend, going strawberry picking at a pick-your-own strawberry farm.

–Nan

“Swimming out to the open sea, like the great, wild herring!” (Last words of Leon Voskovec – Herring Merchant from Love and Death)

Two notable events so far this weekend.

1.) Nan and I went to a Second City performance Friday night.  I laughed.  I cried.  (Actually, I laughed ’til I cried.)

2.) I saw Woody Allen’s Love and Death again today.  It came out when I was in the midst of my Russian Lit phase and I thought the way it careened back and forth between highbrow and lowbrow humor was the cat’s pajamas.  But best of all, it introduced me to the music of Sergei Prokofiev.  Consequently, many of Leah’s first meals were eaten while she listened to Russia Under the Mongolian Yoke.

“Human beings are divided into mind and body.  The mind embraces all the nobler aspirations like poetry and philosophy.  But the body has all the fun.” – Woody Allen as Boris Grushenko

this week in history

Well, I only mean this week in my own personal history.

Inspired by Erin’s new-found energy of weekly blogging, I’m going to try it for myself. A recent thought of mine was focusing on things to appreciate (past week) and things to anticipate (this coming week).

Appreciations:

Last Sunday we had a big old family shindig at Joe’s house, because Shirley, Vinnie, and Carol were visiting last weekend from North Carolina. Joe has a wonderful deck on the back of his house and his property backs up to the common ground in his subdivision. The weather was perfect last Sunday! I sat on Joe’s deck, enjoying the sun, the terrific riot of fresh green spring trees, some cardinals, and some other birds I don’t recognize. I just appreciated the heck out of nature. I felt so refreshed from looking at all that nature. Since I live in a high-rise downtown, I almost never get a chance to soak up the greenery like that.

Several days passed.  I don’t remember anything special about them. It’s a shame – my life was passing and I should be paying more attention.

And then, Friday came. Last week I got a big fat raise and it was such an unreal experience that I half-way expected this week’s paycheck to contain a note from the boss – “Sorry, I decided you don’t get to keep the big fat raise.” But no, just a regular paycheck, including the big fat raise. So he likes me, he really likes me.

Still Friday – I received a surprise Mother’s Day Bonsai at work from Leah and Erin. It’s a Gardenia and it’s wonderful. I hope I can be an attentive, helpful bonsai tender/gardener. I LOVE the idea of having a tree on my desktop!

Still Friday - a cocktail party fundraiser for a local park. Some folks are trying to raise funds for a dog park. Even though my own doggie days are over, I went to the fundraiser in memory of my swell canine pals from the past – Ebenizer, Magill, Tupelo, and Lucy. And I won a good prize in a raffle, so I felt very lucky. I won a big bag of fun with gift certificates, and cool household items like a soapdish, party appetizer picks, coasters, a serving dish, fancy candles like pinecones, and a bread basket that’s a bag. Hard to describe, but fun for sure.

Anticipations:

I’m having corn on the cob tonight and it makes me smile just thinking about it.

Next Friday night, John and I are going to see “Second City”, the comedy group. The show STARTS at 10 p.m. – how grown up! I’ll need a power nap after work in order to stay lively for that. And caffeine.

–Nan