Concerts Meme

It has been a long time since I posted, so I have a lot I want to say, and several half-started posts hanging around, but I get sort of overwhelmed and so I don't post, still. Hopefully, this will get the momentum going. This is a meme from Mano...

Copy this list; leave in the bands you've seen perform live; delete the ones you haven't, and add new ones that you have seen until you reach 25. An asterisk means the previous person had it on their list. Two asterisks means the last two people who did this before you had that band on their list.

This was tough, and I had to go way back to my first show at 14 (at which my aunt convinced the bouncer I was 18 - he must have been in a good mood - and I smelled pot for the first time). Any guesses which one that is? I'm definitely leaving out a lot of shows, some of these are from high school, and some of them were big old tours where I got to see many awesome bands at one time. Here goes:

ani difranco***
Indigo Girls**
Dave Matthews Band*
Counting Crows*
Pete Yorn*
Dixie Chicks*
Ben Harper
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
Huey Lewis and the News
Cake
The Flaming Lips
The White Stripes
Ben Folds / Five
Pat McCurdy
Little Feat
Camper Van Beethoven
Bob Dylan
Brian Wilson
Wilco
They Might Be Giants
Loudon Wainwright III
Modest Mouse
Squirrel Nut Zippers
Old 97's
Umphrey's Magee

Tagged!

I have never been tagged before. I feel honored. I generally skip memes that require a lot of independent thought. Not that I don't like thinking, but I always like what other people say better, and am more clever with guidelines to follow. Anywho...

Each person tagged gives 7 random facts about themselves. Those tagged need to write on their blogs 7 facts, as well as the rules of the game. You need to tag seven others and list their names on your blog. You have to leave those you plan on tagging a note in their comments so they know that they have been tagged and need to read your blog.

1. I am taking a class on teaching literature, and we did a poetry unit first. Though I hate poetry - in the sense that I just don't really get it - I am fascinated by the teaching of it. I find myself wanting to try out assignments and try writing various very difficult forms, just to see if I can. (My favorite form of the moment, The Villanelle: wikipedia explanation, awesome cartoon example)
2. I miss Gilmore Girls. Thank goodness Dancing with the Stars is still on.
   
3. I have to skip the ceremony of a good friend's wedding because of the comprehensive exam for my master's degree.
4. Last week, I hit a new all-time low weight since I started dieting last March (that's a year ago, not two months ago). Total weight lost: 16.5 pounds. Time to lost it: 14 months. I am not a good, consistent dieter, but I seem to have turned a corner in my relationship with food. Now when I go "off" the diet, I seem to still eat (relatively) well and maintain my weight, plus or minus about three pounds. Before, I would exercise like mad, eat very little and then give it all up altogether and eventually get back to my original weight. I think this is a very positive thing. So what if I only lose on average 1.2 pounds per month?
5. I am waiting, expecting something to happen, to give me an excuse to sabotage myself and my weight before the wedding. Everyone tells me that "all" brides lose weight before the wedding because of stress, and I know I'll be stressed, but I am not all women. My reaction to most emotions is eating. So, though I feel more confident, I'm also waiting for something to happen so that I will be just over the point where I like the way I look in pictures. Then, for the rest of my life, I can hate my wedding pictures because I was "fat." That is, of course, until I have children, gain even more weight and then feel bad that I hated myself then when I wish I could weigh that now (as I currently feel with most pictures of myself from high school).
6. I recently discovered that Dante's Divine Comedy is pretty good if you get the right translation. Stick with Ciardi. Avoid like the plague the Oxford World Classics translation which seems to think that blank verse is the best way to get across Dante's brilliance. Morons.
7. Hank is stinky. We have to give him a bath tonight, so that I can give him his flea and tick protection (you don't have to bathe a dog before you give them the stuff, but you essentially just pour it on their back, between the shoulder blades, and you can't wash them for several days after and that dog needs a bath NOW).

And now for some tagging. I'm not sure I can get to seven, because I don't really know a ton of bloggers. Plus, the ones I do know have been tagged already. But, here goes: Mavis, and um... yeah. The other two people I might have tagged have already been tagged. There are a lot of awesome blogs I read, but I don't really "know" them in the sense that I've ever communicated with them, so I'm not tagging.

Book Meme

Because I should be working some more....
Instructions: In the list of books below, bold the ones you’ve read, italicize the ones you want to read, cross out the ones you won’t touch with a ten-foot pole (I can't cross out - sometimes blogger and mac hate each other - so I've put them in tiny letters), put a cross (+) in front of the ones on your book shelf, and asterisk (*) the ones you’ve never heard of.

1. The Da Vinci Code (Dan Brown)
2. +Pride and Prejudice (Jane Austen)
3. +To Kill A Mockingbird (Harper Lee)
4. +Gone With The Wind (Margaret Mitchell)
5. +The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King (Tolkien)
6. +The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring (Tolkien)
7. +The Lord of the Rings: Two Towers (Tolkien)
8. Anne of Green Gables (L.M. Montgomery)
9. *Outlander (Diana Gabaldon)
10. *A Fine Balance (Rohinton Mistry)
11. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Rowling)
12. Angels and Demons (Dan Brown)
13. +Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Rowling)
14. A Prayer for Owen Meany (John Irving)
15. Memoirs of a Geisha (Arthur Golden)
16. Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (Rowling)
17.* Fall on Your Knees(Ann-Marie MacDonald)
18. +The Stand (Stephen King)
19. +Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban(Rowling)
20. +Jane Eyre (Charlotte Bronte)
21. +The Hobbit (Tolkien)
22. +The Catcher in the Rye (J.D. Salinger)
23. Little Women (Louisa May Alcott)
24. The Lovely Bones (Alice Sebold)
25. Life of Pi (Yann Martel)
26. +The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (Douglas Adams)
27. Wuthering Heights (Emily Bronte)
28. +The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe (C. S. Lewis)
29. +East of Eden (John Steinbeck)
30. Tuesdays with Morrie(Mitch Albom)
31. *Dune (Frank Herbert)
32. The Notebook (Nicholas Sparks) I've read other Nicholas Sparks and I kind of think he's a sentimental hack.
33. +Atlas Shrugged (Ayn Rand)
34. +1984 (Orwell)
35. +The Mists of Avalon (Marion Zimmer Bradley)
36. *The Pillars of the Earth (Ken Follett)
37. *The Power of One (Bryce Courtenay)
38. *I Know This Much is True(Wally Lamb)
39. *The Red Tent (Anita Diamant)
40. *The Alchemist (Paulo Coelho)
41. *The Clan of the Cave Bear (Jean M. Auel)
42. The Kite Runner (Khaled Hosseini)
43. Confessions of a Shopaholic (Sophie Kinsella)
44. The Five People You Meet In Heaven (Mitch Albom) I didn’t want to read it. I got it for free and was on a plane with nothing else.
45. +Bible
46. +Anna Karenina (Tolstoy)
47. The Count of Monte Cristo (Alexandre Dumas)
48. Angela’s Ashes (Frank McCourt)
49. +The Grapes of Wrath (John Steinbeck)
50. She’s Come Undone (Wally Lamb)
51. The Poisonwood Bible (Barbara Kingsolver)
52. A Tale of Two Cities (Dickens)
53. Ender’s Game (Orson Scott Card)
54. Great Expectations (Dickens)
55. +The Great Gatsby (Fitzgerald)
56. *The Stone Angel (Margaret Laurence)
57. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Rowling)
58. The Thorn Birds (Colleen McCullough)
59. The Handmaid’s Tale (Margaret Atwood)
60. The Time Traveller’s Wife (Audrew Niffenegger)
61. +Crime and Punishment (Fyodor Dostoyevsky)
62. The Fountainhead (Ayn Rand)
63. War and Peace (Tolstoy)
64. Interview With The Vampire (Anne Rice)
65. *Fifth Business (Robertson Davis)
66. *One Hundred Years Of Solitude (Gabriel Garcia Marquez)
67. The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants (Ann Brashares)
68. +Catch-22 (Joseph Heller) -
69. Les Miserables (Hugo)
70. +The Little Prince (Antoine de Saint-Exupery)
71. Bridget Jones’ Diary (Fielding)
72. Love in the Time of Cholera (Marquez)
73. Shogun (James Clavell)
74. The English Patient (Michael Ondaatje)
75. The Secret Garden (Frances Hodgson Burnett)
76. *The Summer Tree (Guy Gavriel Kay)
77. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (Betty Smith)
78. +The World According To Garp (John Irving)
79. *The Diviners (Margaret Laurence)
80. Charlotte’s Web (E.B. White)
81. *Not Wanted On The Voyage (Timothy Findley)
82. +Of Mice And Men (Steinbeck)
83. Rebecca (Daphne DuMaurier)
84. *Wizard’s First Rule (Terry Goodkind)
85. Emma (Jane Austen)
86. Watership Down(Richard Adams)
87. Brave New World (Aldous Huxley)
88. *The Stone Diaries (Carol Shields)
89. *Blindness (Jose Saramago)
90. *Kane and Abel (Jeffrey Archer)
91. *In The Skin Of A Lion (Ondaatje)
92. +Lord of the Flies (Golding)
93. *The Good Earth(Pearl S. Buck)
94. The Secret Life of Bees (Sue Monk Kidd)
95. The Bourne Identity (Robert Ludlum)
96. The Outsiders (S.E. Hinton)
97. White Oleander (Janet Fitch)
98. *A Woman of Substance (Barbara Taylor Bradford)
99. The Celestine Prophecy (James Redfield)
100. Ulysses (James Joyce) No thank you

Harry Potter Meme

This is one of the reasons I read Quodlibets every single day. She is always giving me reasons to steal from her:

Harry Potter Meme

Please, Harry Potter nerds, do this meme with me.

1. Favorite Harry Potter movie- I'm not a huge fan, though I did really enjoy Dobby. So, Chamber of Secrets

2. Favorite Harry Potter book- I loved Sorcerer's/Philosopher's Stone, but the most recent - The Half-Blood Prince - was excellent.

3. Least favorite Harry Potter movie- I don't really love any of them, but I made the mistake of taking Mr to Prisoner of Azkaban. He hadn't seen the first movies and doesn't read books really at all, so he had no previous knowledge of the series. He hated the movie, claimed it made no sense and now goes on a mini tirade about how stupid the movies are whenever we see anything about any of them. That kind of made me hate that particular movie more than the others.

4. Least favorite Harry Potter book- Goblet of Fire or Order of the Phoenix. The books had gotten so popular at that point, that Rowling's editors, I think, just let her run wild. The first book is awesome because it is tight and doesn't pander to children. The later books in the series get insanely long and she tends to over-explain and hint at stuff so that, by the time a plot twist is revealed, the reader is completely frustrated that the characters have been so blind and stupid as to not see it before then. Editors are there for a reason, and sometimes it really is better to let someone work it over than to let the author have complete control.

5. Favorite Harry Potter Character- That's a tough one. Sometimes I like Hermione because she's kind of feisty and smart. But she's also a know-it-all, so sometimes I hate her. I generally love Ron, especially in the movies. Harry's kind of a twit sometimes, so though he's obviously likable I wouldn't say he's my favorite. I love love love Dumbledore but ... he's... well, you know.

6. Least favourite Harry Potter Character- The kid who is all in awe of Harry Potter and goes around taking his picture and stuff. That's just annoying.

7. Spell, Charm or Hex you most wish you had the ability to perform- Hermione's ability to go back in time to take multiple classes could come in handy.

8. Reason for desiring to perform said Spell, Charm or Hex- I have bad time-management skills. If you check out my last post, there are a couple of Fridays I would like to take a "do-over" on.

9. If I were in Hogwarts, my house would be- I have no idea. Hufflepuff seems to be the one that tries hard but is always second or third, and I think I'd fit in there. I'm definitely not a Griffendor (I rarely wind up the winner, though I like to think I always try to do the right thing) and I'm not evil, so I wouldn't be in Slytherin. Ravenclaws seem to have it altogether and I don't. I would want to be a Ravenclaw, but it wouldn't happen.

10. If I played Quiddich, my position would be- I would not play Quiddich.

11. My favorite Hogwarts subject would be- If it wasn't taught by Snape, I think I would really dig Potions. I was pretty good at Chemistry in High School. I think Divination would be cool, but I HATED Trealawny (sp?). With the teachers that they have, Charms might be the most fun.

12. After graduating Hogwarts, my magic profession would be- Maybe a reporter or editor for The Daily Prophet, like that other Rita.

13. Harry Potter character you would most like to snog- I don't know... Oliver Wood maybe?

14. Magical creature you would keep as a pet- Can Hank be magical?

15. Favorite method of magical transportation- Fireplace travel. That seems exciting.

16. Make up a spell, complete with name and function- Argentum Multiplico - I'm greedy. You could say it over your wallet and the money inside would never run out. Whatever, dude. Don't judge me. I would totally buy you dinner.

17. Person I would most like to use the Confundus Charm on- I like A's answer :"Erm, which one is that?" There isn't really anyone whose confusion would benefit me. Unless I could convince the people renovating my bathroom that I already paid them...

18. Person I would most like to use Avada Kedavra on- Hhhmmm.... it's painless and instant so... I dunno... People who want to die? Like Dr. Kevorkian's patients? That seems little serious for this meme. I'd use it on household pests - if we had mice or spiders or something?

19. Person I would most like to use the Cruciatus Curse on- This one is also pretty nasty. I don't think I'd use it. I'm often very annoyed and upset with people, but pain just for torture seems bad.

20. Person I would most like to use the Imperious Curse on- Hhmmm Again, it's kind of diabolical. Sometimes I wish Hank would bend to my will.

21. Person I would most like to use the Entrancing Enchantment on- I wouldn't really be interested in someone who likes me because I put a spell on them.

22. If God could do magic, would he be better than Dumbledore?- I'm going to say God would be better than Dumbledore, though I am not ruling out the possibility that God and Dumbledore might be closely related.

True or False questions- (answer honestly)

23. I have read all (so far) 6 Harry Potter books- True

24. I have pre-ordered book 7- True. Sort of. I ordered it for my mom already, I haven't yet ordered it for me.

25. I have re-read all (so far) 6 Harry Potter books- False. I only re-read the first one.

26. I own all the Harry Potter DVDs- False.

27. I own a wand- False.

28. I know magic- False.

(Questions 29 and 30 were lame, so they're heretofor redacted.)

31. I have at one point had an inappropriate crush on Hermione Granger (girls are encouraged to answer too)- False. I'm too old for that shit. (again, A's answer but -word.)

32. I am Lord Voldemort- False.

33. I have lost sleep due to reading Harry Potter books- True. When you get close to the end, sometimes you just have to finish.

34. Harry Potter's witchcraft has possessed my soul and now Jesus hates me because I read Harry Potter more than the bible- Once again, A said it best: "Listen. IF Jesus is this magical wonderful God-being, which lots of people think he is, then I don't think he's up in heaven hating on people because they enjoy being literary. No, I think Jesus loves HP as much as we do."

Music Meme!

I got this meme from my friend's dad.

1. What was the first record or cd that you owned?
The first record that I owned was probably Sesame Street Fever though my parents probably bought it. My first tape was probably Huey Lewis and the News, Picture This. My first CD was a gift with my first CD player, and it was Paula Abdul, Forever Your Girl.

2. What was the worst concert you ever saw?
Ryan Adams. Man, that guy is a waste of space. He was moody, and not on top of his game. He broke a string and, rather than play like a professional, screamed for everyone to stop, got a different guitar and started over. There was maybe one more chorus left in the song. He also spent a good portion of the show making random comments to his bass player, Brad. What a douche. As far as I’m concerned, Ryan Adams owes me $60. (The tickets were $25ish a pop and I bought Mr’s ticket since he wasn’t really a fan, plus Ticketmaster fees).

3. What cd or album in your collection are you embarrassed to say is there?
Wilson Phillips. I don’t know. I just have it.

4. What was the last song that gave you goose bumps?
Maybe not the most recent, but the most recent I’ve been thinking about, because Pete Yorn mentioned during his show at the Riv this past Saturday: Hallelujah by Jeff Buckley

5. If you could sit in with one musician or band, who would that be?
Just one? That’s awfully tough. I have rudimentary guitar skills, well, I can play a couple of songs – I don’t know that that qualifies as “skills” but… There are a lot of guitarists I would love to sit and watch. Tom Petty is awesome. Man, can that guy write! Oooo! Mark Knopfler! But he might be so good, that it would be almost not beneficial. Because he’s a genius, and I don’t know that you can learn from genius, just admire it. I would really love to hang with Bonnie Raitt, she doesn’t get the credit she deserves as a guitarist. Wilco would be cool. Springsteen. I love any folkies. Ani DiFranco, obviously, but again, genius.

6. What's the best place you've ever seen a concert?
The auditorium theater in Chicago is also a great venue. I saw Brian Wilson do “Smile” there and it was mesmerizing.

7. The worst?
I’m just going to leave what the originator of this meme wrote, because he’s dead on. “What used to be the Tweeter Center...now the Some bank name music theater. The place must have been planned and designed by Pablo Picasso. Nothing is in the right place, acoustics suck, traffic is hell. I will only go back there if Jimi Hendrix and John Lennon are on the bill.” Though I’d like to add that even if it were Jimi Hendrix and John Lennon, opening for Jesus Christ, I don’t know if I’d go. That place is awful.

8. Did your Dad have a love for music? How about your Mom?
My dad was a folkie, always playing his guitars and singing. I always thought he was really good, but my grandmother (his mom) described his voice as “passionate,” which makes me think that my daughterly awe of him colored my impression. My mom likes music, she listens to pop, but she’s not, like, a music lover. You know? Like, she digs some stuff, but she doesn’t get crazy over it. I know my stepdad used to play the guitar, and he’s really into Roy Orbison and ABBA, but again, not really a lover. He only listens to the first minute of an ABBA song and then switches to the next one. Short attention span. There was one Bette Midler song that came out sometime when I was in high school that he liked so much he bought the CD and then he would play the song on repeat for about an hour and a half. THAT was annoying, and I like Bette. I can only imagine what my brothers thought.

9. DRM stands for __________________ .
Digitally Recorded Music?

10. What singer's pipes blow you away?
Tori Amos’ range is amazing. Jeff Buckley, again, can break your heart in one note. John Lennon was probably the first voice I heard that I couldn’t believe how freaking awesome he sounded. Most of Rubber Soul is that way for me. I know there are others I’m just not thinking of.

***

Like I said, I saw Pete Yorn on Saturday, and I'm in love. I got the set list from the light guy (woo!). I plan to review it here soon.

I also got a new computer at work, and it is awesome. However, it hasn't inspired me to work, just play. Because a new computer is like a new toy, and I love it.

Way Back Wednesday

Actually, I stole this from a "Tuesday" meme, but I didn't like the Wednesday site I was sent to so... whatever.

I felt like doing a meme this morning, possibly because I particularly spas-tastic this morning and don't want to focus on work. Also note that it is almost noon and I'm talking about "this morning."

Anyway. Here it is:

What songs remind you of your first "real" boyfriend/girlfriend? My first boyfriend loved the song "La Bamba" because he saw that movie about Richie Valens starring Lou Diamond Phillips. I distinctly remember him telling me this when we were on a "date" - we went to Pizza Hut with his family.

Did you ever have a song that was considered "your song" when you were part of a couple or now? I don't think so. Even now, I have a favorite song, which I must dance to whenever I hear it, but it's more my thing and Mr humors me. Sometimes a random song will come on the radio and he'll call it our song - but it is always something that is very much not a "couple-y" song like "The Immigrant Song" by Led Zepplin. Not that I don't love that song - if I were a major league ball player, the intro would totally be my at-bat music.

If you could dedicate one song to someone you love, what song would it be? I don't know. My very favorite Elvis song is what we'll be dancing to at our wedding, and it makes me think of him now. Mostly because once, on valentine's day, he surprised me by having a Vermont Teddy Bear (this one, actually) sent to my office. The card was unsigned, but had some lines from the song in it. So, I guess I'd dedicate that song to him. That was a good Valentine's Day.

In your opinion, who writes the best love songs. This is subjective. Hhhmmmm... I don't know. Maybe Journey?

Holiday Meme!

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? Hot Chocolate. With marshmallows, preferably while sitting near a fire after having a snow ball fight or making snow angels or some other such wintery fun.
2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? Santa always left one present unwrapped on the fireplace with the stocking for each kid. Then, when Santa was very busy, he started delivering presents early, wrapped but unmarked. Each kid had a sticker and the presents were labeled with stickers. We didn’t find out until Christmas morning who had what sticker. Then, Santa would leave a small present by our stocking, but wrapped so that we’d know what other presents were ours.
3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? We switched off growing up. I like white lights, though. I got a prelit tree last year with white lights and I love it.
4. Do you hang mistletoe? No.
5. When do you put your decorations up? I’d like to do it the weekend after Thanksgiving, but I didn’t get around to it until last weekend (12/9). I like to get them up in the beginning of December so that it feels like Christmas.
6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)? How can you exclude dessert? Dessert is my favorite. Um… without dessert, maybe… Mashed potatoes? I love me some good mashers.
7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child? Ring Mr Ching! We used to get Chinese food on Christmas Eve and one year we ordered from a place called Ring Mr. Ching. My brothers ran around the house yelling “ring mr. ching! Ring mr. ching!” over and over again. It drove my mom nuts. Many years before that, my younger brother got a Teddy Ruxpin for Christmas. My older brother put in a Metallica tape. That was the height of comedy for us at the time.
8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? I have no idea. I remember being suspicious and asking my mom. When she told me that, if you don’t believe you don’t get anything, that pretty much cemented it for me.
9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? We used to open a present every night the week before Christmas. Now, I don’t have so many presents.
10. What kind of cookies does Santa get set out for him? This is my second Christmas in my own house, but I’ve never set out cookies for him. Maybe I’ll make some this year. Probably chocolate chip.
11. Snow! Love it or dread it? I love it pretty much all the time unless it is a big storm and I have to drive (or am already driving when it starts).
12. Can you ice skate? I used to ice skate all the time. I haven’t done it in a while though. I’m sure I suck now.
13. Do you remember your favorite gift? Not really. Mr got me a digital camera last year that I use constantly. But I know there were some pretty happy Christmases along the way.
14. What's the most important thing about the Holidays for you? Time with family and friends. Eating. Christmas music.
15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert? I make a really awesome chocolate pudding pie.
16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? I don’t know… I love watching people open stuff I got them.
17. What tops your tree? A lovely sparkly star from Pottery Barn. It was an awesome present from a coworker.
18. Which do you prefer Giving or Receiving? I love getting presents, but I really love buying stuff for people. Only when I have thought of something cool that they’d like to have though. I hate buying presents for people just because I’m expected to give them a gift.
19. What is your favorite Christmas Carol? Frosty the Snowman!
20. Candy Canes! Yuck or Yum? Yum! But really only the classic tasting ones.
    

Colors Meme

Once again, stolen from Mano. Her sister did it, too.

[ RED ]
1. Closest red thing to you? My Easy Button – a gift from a coworker’s mom.
2. Has anyone ever cheated on you in a relationship? Yes – my first boyfriend. But it wasn’t really that big of a deal. He was my boyfriend from third to fifth grade, but I moved from Illinois to Georgia at the end of third grade, so it was a long-distance thing. We broke up when he told me he bought Tracy earrings for Christmas.
3. Last thing to make you angry? Driving home. The train is way better.
4. Are you a fan of romance? Yes. Both book and real-life forms
5. Have you ever been in love? Yes.
6. Do you have a temper? Yes. My brothers used to taunt me, just to piss me off. It doesn’t take much.
[ GREEN ]
1. Closest green thing to you? A framed picture of my cousin’s triplets.
2. Do you care about the environment? Yeah.
3. Are you jealous of anyone right now? Not really. I’m sure I could think of something.
4. Are you a lucky person? Most of the time, it seems like I’m not, but I have a loving and supporting family, a solid job, a house and an awesome fiancé, so I would say I’m pretty lucky.
5. Do you always want what you can't have? Not really. I want stuff, but not getting it doesn’t always bother me.
6. Are you Irish? Yes.
[ PURPLE ]
1. Last purple thing you saw? A purple t-shirt in my drawer.
2. Like being treated to expensive things? Absolutely. Especially really good food.
3. Do you like mysterious things? I’m just going to keep Mano’s answer: This question is stupid. If they're mysterious, how can I know if I like them or not?
4. Favourite type of chocolate? Dark. Preferably in M&M form
5. Ever met anyone in royalty? No.
6. Are you creative? Depends on the topic. I would say, in general, not very.
7. Are you lonely? Sometimes, but not as much as I used to be. I think I’m more comfortable with myself now. And I no longer live alone, which helps.
[ YELLOW ]
1. Closest yellow thing to you? Post-its
2. The happiest time(s) of your life? When I closed on my new house. Well, not the closing, but when I got the keys and it was mine.
3. Favourite holiday? Christmas
4. Are you a coward? Yes.
5. Do you burn or tan? Burn, then tan
6. Do you want children? In theory, yes. Most likely I will have them. When I think about the responsibility involved, it scares me a little.
7. What makes you happy? Lots of stuff. Mr, music, family, my dog.
[ BLUE ]
1. Closest blue thing to you? My shirt
2. Are you good at calming people down? Depends on the situation, but in general, yes. I’m good at breaking down big, overwhelming stuff into manageable pieces. Except for myself. Big overwhelming stuff that I’m dealing with just overwhelms me.
3. Do you like the ocean? It’s ok. I’m sort of ambivalent.
4. What was the last thing that made you cry? Thinking about emptying my bank account for the down payment on our house. I sort of knew that I was getting something for it, but my brain just panics and can’t get past the *empty bank account* part.
5. Are you a logical thinker? Not really.
6. Can you sleep easily? I fall asleep easily. Staying asleep is tough since I talk, yell, punch, kick, toss around and generally cause trouble. Mr says I’m not good at sleeping.
7. Do you prefer the beach or the woods? Beach. Less bugs.
[ PINK ]
1. Closest pink thing to you? Highlighter
2. Do you like sweet things? Yes!
3. Like play-fighting? Yes and no. I usually start it but then stop it pretty fast. I like being in control.
4. Are you sensitive? Yeah, I think so.
5. Do you like punk music? Nope
6. What is your favourite flower? I like lots of flowers. Maybe orchids?
7. Does someone have a crush on you? Not that I know of.
[ ORANGE ]
1. Closest orange thing to you? My nephew has an orange blanket in the picture of him on my desk. It’s from when he was in the hospital when he was born.
2. Do you like to burn things? I am fascinated by fire.
3. Dress up for Halloween? Usually, but not this past Halloween.
4. Are you usually a warm-hearted person? I think so.
5. Do you prefer the single life or the security of a relationship? A relationship, but I wouldn’t stay in a relationship just to avoid being single.
6. What would your super power be? I’d like to just be sort of magical, and be able to make stuff happen. Like Samantha on BeWitched.
[ WHITE ]
1. Closest white thing to you? There are PILES of paper on my desk. The closest is one from my boss asking if it would be a lot of trouble to submit three different projects for awards instead of the traditional one.
2. Would you say you're innocent? Not really.
3. Always try to keep the peace? Depends. Most of the time, yes.
4. How do you imagine your wedding? Though I am planning my wedding, I’m still having a hard time imagining it. Mostly I just want good music, good food and lots of free-flowing beverages for those who want them.
5. Do you like to play in the snow? Yes
6. Are you afraid of going to the doctors or dentist? Not really.
7. Do you have Attention Deficit Disorder(A.D.D)? Yes
[ BLACK ]
1. Closest black thing to you? The suit I’m wearing is black.
2. Ever enjoy hurting people? What? This is a weird one. No.
3. Are you sophisticated or silly? I guess Silly. Sometimes both.
5. Do you have a lot of secrets? No, not really. There’s stuff people don’t know, but only because I don’t want to be the most open book around- it isn’t really a secret.
6. What is your favourite colour(s)? Right now, I’d say cream, but that’s because I just bought new bedding in shades of cream that I love. My favorite color changes a lot.
7. Does the colour you wear affect your mood? I don’t think so. I might choose certain colors based on my mood.

Another Meme

We spent the day buying paint ($370! On paint!) and looking at furniture. We bought a gorgeous bedroom set. My whole life, I've wanted a nice bedroom with furniture that looked nice and wasn't given to me or bought because it was the only thing I could afford. After a day of driving around, I'm tired and I still have a ton of school work to do. So, I hope Mano doesn't mind, but in lieu of another "sorry I'm lame" post, I'm going to steal another meme from her.

1) My uncle once: played a really mean trick on a kid who deserved it in college. The kid was always stealing his care packages, so he baked some brownies with exlax, and pretended to get them as a care package. The kid took them and...ew.

2) Never in my life: will I move without movers. Thankfully, I've convinced my fiance of this. I'm a grown-up, we both have jobs, and a really big tv.

3) When I was five: I was real sad.

4) High school was: kind of fun. I'm a nerd, I like school.

5) Fire is: dangerous. And good for roasting marshmallows.

6) I once saw: Mike Meyers getting into a car in NYC.

7) There’s this woman I know who: has a full goatee.

8) Once, at a bar: I saw Jon Bon Jovi.

9) By noon I’m usually: figuring out what I'll have for lunch.

10) Last night: I tried to do home work while Mr sanded our new master bedroom and I wrote a lame blog entry.

11) If I only had: enough money not to work (Mano's answer, but I feel the same way).

12) Next time I go to church: will probably be a wedding (though not mine. Everyone is getting married!).

13) The best thing about my last relationship was: very few of my friends and family met him, so I can pretend it never happened.

14) What worries me most: Money.

15) When I turn my head left: I see the Elvis teddy beat that Mr gave me for Valentines' Day a few years ago.

16) When I turn my head right: I am reminded to RSVP the company christmas, sorry, "holiday" party.

17) You know I'm lying when: I'm a pretty good liar, but I'm sure I have some tells...

18) What I miss most about the eighties: Atari.

19) If I were a character written by Shakespeare, I’d be: I don't know that I identify with any of Shakespeare's women. Probably just some maid in the background.

20) By this time next year: I will be married and (hopefully) much less stressed - though still stressed by school, the new house and wedding stuff will be over.

21) I have a hard time understanding: the appeal of ultimate fighting.

22) You know I like you if: hhmmmm... you just know.

23) If I won an award, the first person I’d thank would be: Depends on the award.

24) Darwin, Mozart, Slim Pickens & Geraldine Ferraro: What? Should this mean something to me?

25) Take my advice, never: drink more than eight cosmos in a sitting.

26) My ideal breakfast is: eggs, hash browns, pancakes, and coffee.

37) If you visit my hometown, I suggest you go to: a show at the Fox Theater.

28) Why doesn't everyone: treat everyone else as they wish to be treated?

29) If you spend the night at my house: bring warm pajamas. We need to put more insulation in the attic.

30) I’d stop my wedding: if I found out he cheated.

31) The world could do without: prejudice.

32) My favorite blonde is: Princess Daisy (we've been playing a lot of MarioKart lately).

33) If I do anything well, it’s: give good back massages.

Uh, what happened to 34-43??

44) And by the way: be nice to animals.

45) The last time I was drunk, I: played with my dog in the backyard of my new house. The old owners left us a bottle of champaigne.

Wednesday is a nice day for a meme

Actually, I just finished the last post, but I know I'll have way to much to do at work tomorrow to start something original, so I'm going with a meme I stole from Quodlibets. She's got a great meme section, and I am strangely fascinated by them. They're like personality tests, which I also find fascinating. Anyway.

Three Things Meme

Three things you are wearing right now:
-a Riviera Maya Mexico t-shirt (my cousin got married there and all I got was this shirt and a nasty stomach issue that took about three weeks to fully recover from.)
-old work out pants that are too old and soft to actually work out in
- super-cozy slippers (I love slippers. I wear them almost year-round)

Three favorite bands/musical artists: This is tough. Only three? Then this is top three right this second
-Mark Knopfler
-Ben Folds
-Ani DiFranco

Three favorite songs: Right now, by the artists above
-5:15am from Shangri-la
-Gracie from Songs for Silverman
-Manhole from Knuckle Down

Three things you want in a relationship:
-Kindness
-Mutual Respect
-Humour

Three physical things about the preferred sex that appeal to you:
-Height
-Strong arms (for good hugs)
-Great Smile

Three of your favorite hobbies/interests:
-reading
-right now - Mariokart on Nintendo GameCube
-playing guitar (I suck and I don't get to practice much, but I love it)

Three things that scare you:
-being alone / losing my partner
-unidentifiably creepy-crawly things (anything possibly resembling a roach - and roaches)
-money

Three of your everyday essentials:
-m&m's
-water
-hank

Three drugs of choice:
-the pill
-adderall (I'm ADD, but I stopped taking medication several years ago. i'm thinking of asking my doctor to go back on it though. I worry about the long-term consequences, but man, i was so effecient and productive when I was on it).
-Pain-off - the generic equivalent of excedrin migraine and one of the few things that work on my really bad headaches.

Three favorite toys:
-my mac
-gamecube
-my mac

Three careers you have considered/are considering:
-publishing
-teaching
-stay-at-home mom (I have yet to decide if this is a goal or something I would comprimise to. One one hand: yes! no office job! On the other hand: help! I can't take care of kids all day by myself! Thankfully, this will be a decision I make in the future and not something I have to decide right this second).

Three places you want to go on vacation:
-Italy, again and again and again
-Hawaii
-Skiing (anywhere there are mountains and real snow: Colorado, Vermont, Canada, Austria, Italy etc.)

Three kids' names you like:
-Joseph
-Elizabeth
-Cole

Three things you want to do before you die:
-go back to Italy
-finish my Master's
-have a baby. I feel a little... I don't know, weird, saying this, but it is true. The idea of having kids right now scares the hell out of me. It weirds me out that I'm old enough that it wouldn't be that unusual for me to get pregnant (or already have a kid). I don't feel like I'll ever be ready, but I definitely want children... someday... just not righ tnow.

Three celeb crushes:
-Luke from Gilmore Girls
-Taye Diggs
-Elvis Presley (young)

Firsts Meme

I have discovered I love these things. Rather than email everyone and be annoying, I post them here.

{stolen from quodlibets, who claims it was (stolen from frogblog)}
1. Who was your first prom date? Billy Webster. I was a freshman, he was a junior. We dated for several months and did nothing but hold hands. It was sweet.
2. Who was your first roommate(s)? I had a single my freshman year of college, so my first roommate was of my choosing in Rome and a girl we hardly knew who I offered to room with us. She and my friend ended up dating for several years.
3. What alcoholic beverage did you drink the first time you got drunk? Beer.
4. What was your first job? I worked the register at Eckerd’s Pharmacy.
5. What was your first car? A used maroon Mitsubishi Expo. It was a piece and very ugly. I believe they only made them for two years before they stopped due to lack of interest.
6. When did you go to your first funeral? I went to my dad’s wake at 5 and have some memories of it, but I don’t think I was allowed to go to the funeral. Then, I think the next one was my grandmother in 1996.
7. How old were you when you first moved away from your hometown? Moved from Schaumburg to Marietta, Georgia when I was 8. I left Marietta at 17 for college and never went back. Except to visit.
8. Who was your first grade teacher? I don’t remember.
9. Where did you go on your first ride on an airplane? I flew to Florida to visit a friend who had moved there when I was in sixth grade – that was the first time I flew alone. I think we flew right after my dad died – my mom, brothers and I went on a cruise – but my mom gave us Dramamine so we would sleep and I don’t remember it.
10. When did you sneak out of your house for the first time, who was it with? I never really snuck out. My middle brother and I snuck out early one morning to go ice skating, but I was probably only 8 at the time, and I don’t think our parents would have cared.
11. Who was your first Best Friend and are you still friends with them? My first best friend was named Rhonda, I think, and we’re not still friends. My next best friend was Tiffany and we are also no longer friends, though our mothers are, so I occasionally get updates on her.
12. Where did you live the first time you moved out of your parents’ house? Regina Hall.
13. Who is the first person you call when you have a bad day? I go home to B or I call my mom. 14. Whose wedding were you in the first time you were a bridesmaid/groomsman? My sister’s wedding, I was the maid of honor.
15. What is the first thing you do in the morning? I tinkle, brush my teeth and either walk the dog or shower, depending on whether or not he’s going to daycare that day.
16. What was the first concert you ever went to? I saw Little Feat with my aunt when I was about 15.
17. First tattoo or piercing? I got my ears pierced in third grade, I think. I got them double-pierced with my mom after my freshman year of college – she got hers done, too. I got my cartilage pierced at some point, but it never healed properly and I took it out. I got my tongue pierced my sophomore year of college while in Germany, shortly before new years, 1999. I got my first tattoo when I was 23 in Chicago.
18. First celebrity crush? Sadly, I think it was Steve Guttenberg in the Police Academy movies.
19. Age of first kiss? It was right before high school started, so I guess I was 13?
20. First crush? Hmm. My first boyfriend was in third grade, but I don’t remember having a crush on him first, he asked and I said yes. Then… Ummmm… Maybe fourth grade, it was really serious? At that point, my crush changed from week to week. The longest running crush started my freshman year of high school and lasted probably until my freshman year of college.
21. First time you did drugs? My senior year in high school, I went out with a friend and we went to someone’s house. The guy had graduated the year before and was … well, not traditionally hot, but very smart and charming… so I tried what he was offering, which just made me feel thick-headed and dumb. I had to drive home which was bad and dumb. Then, I never really did anything else, not much anyway, until we went to Amsterdam my sophomore year of college, when it became blatantly obvious that I should not ever smoke anything ever. I threw up all over that damn city. It was awful. I’ve stuck with government - approved drugs since then, like booze.

Music Meme

I stole this meme from Quodlibets. I should be working, but I don't wanna.

1. Favorite Beatles song: Rubber Soul is my favorite album, and my favorite song varies, usually though it's "I'm Looking Through You"
2. Favorite Rolling Stones song: I know I'm supposed to pick Beatles or Stones, but I love them both. Currently, "Dead Flowers" is my favorite Stones song because I'm learning to play it on the guitar.
3. Favorite Doors song: I was into the Doors in high school, but not so much any more. Probably "Spanish Caravan"
4. Favorite Bob Dylan song: I dig Bob, but I dig him the most when other people cover him, so it depends. "Tangled up in Blue" is probably my favorite because I like it when Bob does it himself (though you can barely understand him these days) and it has been covered well.
5. Favorite Led Zeppelin song: "Immigrant Song" It would be my intro if I were a major-league baseball player.
6. Favorite TV Theme Song: Charmed used "How Soon is Now" but I like The Smiths version better. Gilmore Girls uses "Where You Lead" by Carole King, which I love.
7. Favorite Prince Song: Darling Nikki from Purple Rain. I love Prince when he's dirty. I'm so sad he found religion.
8. Favorite Madonna Song: This is tough. For her early stuff, I would say "La Isla Bonita" but I also loved Bedtime Stories and some of her recent stuff is really good. I'm not a huge Madonna fan, so it's hard to pick a favorite.
9. Favorite Michael Jackson song: Does the Jackson 5 count? "Rockin' Robin" is awesome. Post-Jackson 5 I would say "Rock With You"
10. Favorite Queen Song: "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" is what pops into my head first, but I also LOVE "I Want to Break Free."
11. Favorite 'N Sync Song: Honestly, I don't know that I can name a song other than "Bye Bye Bye" But I'm sure out on the dance floor there's something of theirs that would be fun.
12. Favorite Al Green Song: "Let's Stay Together" is the only one I know.
13. Favorite Bruce Springsteen song: "Hungry Heart" again, because I know how to play it on the guitar. It was our recital song at the end of my guitar class. I dig the boss, but I'm not a huge fan. I like his cover of Woody Guthrie's "The Car Song"
14. Favorite Cure song: "Pictures of You" In England, they call Robert Smith "Fat Bob" hee. That's mean.
15. Favorite song that most of your friends haven't heard: That's tough because a lot of my friends are really into music and know more than me. Only one is a big Tori Amos fan though and I love "Flying Dutchman"
16. Favorite Beastie Boys song: I'm going to have to keep Mano's answer for this one: "Sabotage" but only because it's the only song I can stand to leave on for more than say, 30 seconds.
17. Favorite Clash song: I love pretty much all of London Calling. Probably "Train in Vain" and "Death or Glory" are my favorites, though.
18. Favorite Beach Boys song: All of Pet Sounds is amazing but "God Only Knows" usually makes me want to cry, it is so beautiful.
19. Favorite Cyndi Lauper song: You know, I've heard that she has done some really amazing stuff since her heyday and that she's awesome, but "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" is all I really know. Sorry, Cyndi.
20. Favorite song from a movie: This is just unfair. Movie soundtracks can be so good - Almost Famous has a really great soundtrack, as does Empire Records. I would have to say that my favorite song from a movie is "Rebel Rebel" by Seu Jorge. He sings a bunch of David Bowie Songs in Portuguese, it's awesome.
21. Favorite Jeff Buckley song: I really like all of Grace, but I love his cover of "Hallelujah"
22. Favorite Johnny Cash song: "Folsom Prison Blues" So good.
23. Favorite song from an 80's one hit wonder: "Come on Eileen" is the only thing that I can think of, though I know that there has to be something I like more. I don't really like that song all that much.
24. Favorite Pink Floyd song: "Money" & "Time" are both awesome
25. Last song you heard: My car is dead, so I haven't been listening to much music lately, as I've chosen to read on the bus instead of listen to my iPod. I know there was music on at the bowling alley last night but I can't remember... I know we listened to "Money" by Pink Floyd on the way home.