Ten on Tuesday

1. How do you feel about Groundhog’s Day?
I forget about it.  Every.  Single.  Year.   And then when I am reminded I worry about that poor little groundhog who is probably just wondering why he isn't hibernating with his cousins.


2. What color are your fingernails right now? (Bonus points if you include a picture.)
Brown.  And chipped thanks to some last minute pre-Super Bowl cleaning.

3. Do you like riddles?
No.  I hate riddles, hate, hate, hate.  They make me feel dumb because I don't have any patience to solve them.

4. When you were 10, how old did you think “old” was? At your current age, how old do you think “old” is?
When I was 10 my ballet teacher was 16.  In real time it seemed like she was 30 and practically dead.  But now that I see my parents in their 50s and active, my boss is in her 70s and very active, and myself nearly 30 and nowhere near death's door, I'd have to say 80's are old.

5. Do you wish on stars?
No.  I don't wish much.  It seems like time that could be better spent shoving chocolate cake in my mouth.

6. Do you recycle?
Sigh, no.  Although I dream of a day when I can have a multitude of recycling bins; including a runoff water collector and compost heap.  Oh to be green.....

7. On a scale from 1-10, how good of a cook are you?
If you ask me, I'd say I'm a fantastic cook; I love what I make!  If you ask Corey, who literally spit out my last quinoa concoction, he might have a different opinion.

8. Do you color your hair? Professionally or at home?
When I do get highlights I go to a friend of mine.  I don't get to sit in a fancy swirly chair but I do save a ton of money!

9. One a scale from 1-10, how do you rate your manners?
At home; negative 5.  In public 10.  Unless someone in my party burps out loud first, then that seal is broken and it's fair game.

10. Who are the last 5 people you have texted?
Corey, my sister Kimberlie, mom-in-law, and the girl who sells my jewelry.

...

Good times.

Ten on Tuesday

Ten on Tuesday with Chelsea is back!  Girlfriend took a much needed hiatus but now we're up and running and all is right with the world again.

1. What’s your variety of apple?

Pink lady.  So appropriate, right?  But I will say that before I moved to friggin' apple country I thought an apple was an apple.  Except for the green ones.  Those made my face hurt.


2. Do you prefer Long-English or Field cucumbers?

No, thank you.

Yuck.

3. Tomatoes – Delicious or disgusting?

I'll eat one with a big ol' glob of mozzarella, or anything else that can mask all of the flavor.

4. What’s one fruit or vegetable that you can’t stand and why is that?

Beets.  A word of caution: if you go into a beet soup expecting red velvet cake (and why wouldn't you, it will be the most beautiful shade of red and so silky smooth) you will be disappointed.  Beets taste like dirt.

5. What’s your favourite way to prepare veggies? (Grilled, boiled, roasted, sautéed, etc.)

Steamed.  It's easy.  I dont need it to be delicious, just soft enough to go down quick.  I'm in it for the vitamins.

6. Sweet potato pie: Love it or hate it?

Never had it.  But. I. Want it.

7. What’s your favourite “style” of French fry? Wedges, shoelace, curly, crinkle-cut or other?

Steak fries are my weakness.  So much so that I eat them off of others' plates.

8. What’s your favourite fruit-pie filling?

Razzleberry.  I'm not entirely sure what this means, but Mrs. Smith does and she does it goooooood.  It's tart and sweet and goes perfectly with ice cream.  This is my dessert of choice for bad days.

9. When you were a kid did your parents make you sit at the table until all your veggies were eaten off your plate?

I was such a good child there was probably never a meal where I didn't eat all of my vegetables.

That's probably wrong.  I just don't remember!

10. Do you drink veggie & fruit juice blends (such as V8, etc.) or make them yourself?

Here's something you might not know: fructose from fruit juice has the same negative long-term affects on your liver as alcohol.  So I tend to stay away from the stuff, unless I absolutely need a shot of OJ with my scrambled eggs.

Ten on Tuesday

It's been awhile Ten on Tuesday....
1. What is your favorite online-only store?
Etsy.  A thousand times Etsy!  You can find handmade, unique, one of a kind items.  (like felted jewelry, shameless plug)  In second place: Amazon.


2. Do you enjoy wrapping gifts?
Yes, and I pride myself on my perfect corners.

However, if you've received a less-than-perfectly wrapped gift from me it's because I didn't feel like trying.  Nothing personal.

3. What is the temperature in your city today?
32.  Which is warm.  So warm I didn't bring a coat to add to the four layers I'm already wearing.  Yesterday at this time it was 20.

4. What time do you eat dinner?
Usually around 6:30 or 7:00....whenever Corey finishes making it.

Don't judge.

5. Will you be making New Years Resolutions?
Probably.  And I will probably forget about them by February.

6. How old is your oldest pair of shoes that you still wear?
I have a pair of sandals I bought my junior year of high school, so 13 years.  I can probably attribute their long life to me wearing grocery bags over my feet when it rained.

7. Do you have any restaurant phone numbers saved in your phone?
I have two: my favorite local eatery, GG Mama's and the Thai place for those intense pineapple fried rice cravings.

8. What is your favorite and least favorite letter to write in cursive?
I write in a combination of cursive and print.  I call it lazy hand.  So I only use what feels good scrolling across the page.  If I don't like how my cursive r's look, I don't use 'em.

This is by far the most random question I have ever been asked in. my. life.  Congrats Chelsea.

9. Do you know any good riddles?
Yes.  But I don't remember a single one of them.

I have the memory of an earthworm.

10. How do you feel about snow?
Love, love, love.  As long as I'm dressed for it.  Like head to toe thermal, waterproof everything, and I don't care if my hair gets frizzy.  I always say if it's going to be this darn cold, why not have a foot of snow to cover up all the brown?

Think about it...it makes sense.

...

Wonderful set of random questions by Chelsea, as usual!  Hop over to Roots and Rings to play along!

Ten on Tuesday

A nice set of randoms (my fave!) from Chelsea at Roots and Rings to start off what I thought was Wednesday.

1. Do you wear glasses, contacts, or are you one of those perfect eyed people?
Back in sixth grade I thought it was so cool how my friend Wendy would push her glasses up by the nose piece and I wanted to be able to do it too.

I've worn glasses ever since.

Moral of the story: be careful what you wish for.


2. What is the next item you are going to purchase?
Supplies to make jewelry from which I will actually make money, so is this really a trick question??

3. Have you ever watched Judge Judy or any other real court show?
I have about thirty Matlocks on my DVR right now, so, um, yeah.  I watch court shows.

4. How do you feel about fake nails?
I think they're pretty.  But I have some fantastically hard nails that are in a shape I can live with so I probably will never indulge.  Unless I come across some Lee press-ons in leopard print I can wear for a day.

5. What is your favorite sport to watch?
Tricky, tricky: I'll watch just about anything live.  But on TV it has to be a special occasion; my Boilermakers in the NCAA championship, Giants, Saints or Colts at a sports bar, Super Bowl, or Yankees in the playoffs.

6. If you could create your own Ben & Jerry’s ice cream flavor, what would it be and what would it be named?
Chocolate Explosion: chocolate ice cream, with ribbons of fudge, brownie chunks and pop rocks....so it feels like your mouth is actually exploding.

7. Do you have any scars?
I have a scar next to my right eye brow (my right) from going to town on a chicken pox bump, and then I have a scar on my left knee (my left) from when my dad and I raced home from kindergarten and I fell and slid across the cement.

Oh, and then there's the mark where I had my belly button ring.

Don't judge.

8. Does your pet’s name fit them? Is there a more appropriate name?
I like non-traditional names, so I would say Oliver, being a non-traditional spazoid goofball, is plenty appropriate.

9. What is your favorite television show theme song?
Golden Girls.

"Thank you for bein' a friennnnnd.  Traveled down the road and back again; your heart is true, you're a pal and a confidant..."

Inspirational.

10. What was your favorite activity on the playground?
I've always been a fan of tag, but for awhile in 4th grade I spent my time on the bars.  I swung around on those things like a pro doing all kinds of tricks for the other kids.  But then I realized I could fall on my face and that was it.

Ten on Tuesday

Happy Election Day!! 

Read.  Then go VOTE.

1. What’s your favorite television show for each day of the week?
Monday: DVRed Sister Wives
Tuesday: New Girl
Wednesday: Modern Family
Thursday: Parks and Rec
Friday: whatever crime show marathon happens to be on

I watch too much TV.  But if you try to take away my shows I'll go crazy monkey on your face.


2. How many times do you wear your jeans before you watch them?
Quite a few, but that's only because I only wear them for a couple hours before getting back into jammies.

I will be putting Pajama Jeans on my Christmas list this year.  My two favorite things in one.

3. What is your favorite pasta shape?
Spiral.  It keeps me young.

And when I was a kid I would swallow them whole thinking they were made to spiral down your throat.

4. Do you read newspapers?
Everyday at work.  For the same reason I read actual books and not those e-reader contraptions all the young people keep walkin' around with.
5. Do you sleep in socks?
I start sleeping in socks.  But because my body is a human electric blanket I kick them off.

I don't always find both socks right away.

6. Favorite genre of movies?
Ummmm, probably a tie between comedy and romantic comedy.

I like to keep things silly.

7. How do you feel about wrestling?
Nope.  Don't like it one bit.  I'm too afraid someone's gonna break their neck.

I have this fear of breaking my neck.  It's in my top 10.  Weird.

8. Should men pluck their eyebrows?
Some men should.  The ones who have unibrows.  I don't think it's necessary to pluck to shape the brow.

9. Do you have dimples?
I have a couple.  My mother-in-law pokes at them.

But I have confessed I would like to poke a chin dimple so I can't really fault her.

10. Do you like to camp?
I love, love, love to camp.  Love it.  Love.  I would do it right now if someone could assure me I would not be cold every single second of it.  You know, with it getting down to 20 degrees at night...

...

Happy Tuesday!  Visit Chelsea for some more randomness!

Ten on Tuesday

Something funny is going on in this week's Ten on Tuesday....someone has babies on the brain!

1. What is the worst compliment you have ever received?
I'm sure there have been plenty of cringe-worthy compliments, but all I can think of are times my attributes were made fun of: like when my Grandpa Danny would call me bugle lips.  Or when my classmates would laugh at my soccer sweatshirt that said "All Star Stacie" on it.

Don't cry for me.  It didn't hurt my feelings for a second.

Boy do I miss those carefree, self-confident days!

2. Did you/would you tell everyone the name of your baby before they were born, keep it a secret, or not choose until after they were born?
No kids here.  And I can't say for sure what we will or won't do, but I know I probably won't want to reveal a name until it's hatched.

Now the gender on the other hand, I'm not sure I'll want to keep that a secret...even from myself!

3. What is your favorite candle smell?
Christmas Tree.  We already have one going in our apartment.

4. What is the best birthday/Christmas gift you received when you were pregnant or the best birthday/Christmas gift you gave a pregnant person that was really appreciated?
Well.....I haven't known too many preggos, but for the few I have gotten gifts for I'm sure the bottles, crib sheets, and socks came in handy at some point.

5. Who was your favorite teacher?
Most of the teachers I had in Indiana (6th-12th) were wonderful.  Mr. Culp did magic tricks, Mrs. Greene is the nicest person I've ever known, Mr. Larimer let us call him Ebola Stan and play tricks on other science classes, Mr. Kirkton told lame math jokes and listened to Hank Williams during class, Mr. Jones, Peterson, Spradling, and Golden as my band teachers I spent more time with than my own parents.

The list, literally, goes on and on and on and....

6. What is the best game/activity you have ever played at a baby shower?
I'm a fan of the game where you eat chocolate out of diapers and try to guess what kind it is.  It combines my love of bathroom humor and chocolate into one tacky activity.

7. What was your major in college and did you end up using it in your career?
I was a communications major in college and yes I do use my skills in my current job because I am required to communicate.

Lame.

8. What is a beauty product you swear by?
I am in love with Crabtree & Evelyn's pomegranate body lotion.  It makes my skin silky smooth, but the best part is the clean, slightly fruity smell (I am not a fruity smell kind of person) that stays with me for-ev-er.

Call me crazy, but I like to smell good.

9. What is the kindest thing a stranger has ever done for you?
For me?  Hold open a door?  I don't remember, but I have seen over a thousand strangers work toward giving Special Olympics athletes the time of their lives.  That's pretty special.

10. If you could recommend one new baby necessity, what would it be?
A momma and daddy that love each other.  Other than that, I've got nuthin'.

You know, because all Corey and I have is a dog...

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Play along, link up over at Chelsea's!

Ten on Tuesday Rewind

Corey and Stacie are still away, fishin' and boatin' and moseyin' around the deep south with granddaddy.  Enjoy a ToT from last June while they're fixin' to fly back to yankee territory.
...


1. What does your car say about you? If you don’t have a car, what kind of car would be your daily driver?
I drive a very plain, no frills Hyundai Tucson. (I lie, one frill: butt warmers.) So does that mean I am plain and no frills?

Hecks no! I may appear dull and lifeless, but I assure you underneath these black slacks and green cardigan there is a girl just bursting to try out a new crocheted doily pattern with some craaaaazy color yarn!

2. To this point, what has been your purpose on this planet?
To make me happy. Shocker, I know. But I have only just recently, within the past few years, realized **gasp** it's not all about me!

3. If you could trade places with any person for any amount of time, who would it be?
Anyone rich and famous. For a week. To get it out of my system so I can happily come back to real life and plans of living on a farm with Corey and our retired racehorses, chickens, and alpacas.

4. What is your favorite kind of cake? If you don’t like cake, what is it about it that you don’t like?
Chocolate cake with chocolate frosting. But it has to be the stuff from the grocery store, in the box. No cake compares. If you don't like cake, you're weird. That's a fact. So I will eat your piece for you.

5. Would you have wanted to live in your parents’, grandparents’ or great-grandparents’ generation or only your own?
I want to live in the generation where women wore dresses and those cute black and white shoes, men held doors open and didn't curse like sailors, and kids would get a swat on the butt for talking back.

6. Do you have any home remedies for illnesses, cleaning or otherwise?
If you're feeling grody, put down the double bacon cheeseburger and pick up a carrot. Your body is trying to tell you something.

7. What is your ideal weather situation?
Sunny and 72 degrees. Slight breeze. You can do anything in sunny 72. Except ski. But I can live without skiing.

8. What is your best attribute (physical or personal)?
Well, my nickname growing up was "bugle lips" and I heard a "tree trunk" remark from a nasty little boy who became my boyfriend for 3 days in sixth grade, so I believe my best attribute might be something on the inside, like my ability to drive without paying attention.

9. Do you text or surf while driving?
No. (yes) I never text while driving. (yes i do) Because it is dangerous. (i do it anyway) And against the law. (still do it) Plus, my mom yells at me whenever I even touch my phone in the car. (i wait until she gets out)

10. How long have you known your best friend?
There is a three-way tie for best friend. In no particular order:

• Jill - 14 years. Since marching band (band reference for the week: check). She brought me out of the cozy box my parents kept me in and introduced me to boys as boyfriends and not cootie machines.
• Katie - since birth. Hers, not mine, 23 years. Sisters are automatic best friends. They know you better than you know yourself and are the only people you can trust to give it to you straight with the best intentions. I can definitely count on Katie to tell me how she really feels.
• Kimberlie - also since birth, 22 years. She goes along with most of my dumb ideas. Lord help her.

Ten on Tuesday

A fun set of questions this week from Chelsea...just the way I like 'em.  Random as the day is long.

1. How do you take your coffee?
Now that I drink one coffee a month, I prefer it over ice with lots of milk and vanilla flavoring.  But I try not to overdo it, caffeine makes me think I can talk faster than my mouth can move.  It's embarrassing.


2. Do you prefer soft or crispy chocolate chip cookies?
Soft to the thousandth degree.  Actually, if you just set them on top of the oven that's about as cooked as I need them to be.
3. Do you wear a belt every day?
I only have two cool belts, so I can wear them maybe once a month before people start to say, "she's wearing the pink pineapple belt, again?!"

Other than that, no.  Unless I have a pair of pants that's threatening to sag.

4. What is your favorite color combination?
Oooo...right now on my bed I have a red toile quilt on light green sheets.  It works.  I like turquoise and orange together, purple and green, and always black and gold (Boiler Up!)
5. Do you like sour candy?
Only when I can eat with a friend and we can laugh at our sour faces.  Otherwise, what's the point??

6. How often do you do laundry?
Sundays, and whenever Corey threatens to do a load.

Call me crazy, but I prefer our whites stay white.

7. Did you ever wear braces?
No, but I needed them.  Both of my darling sisters, on the other hand, wore braces and now have perfectly straight teeth.

Good for them, I say through my clenched crooked teeth.

8. Are you good at Roman Numerals?
I can count to 18 because of this song:

9. What is your favorite form of social media?
Twitter.  I sometimes wish all communication could be limited to 140 characters...
10. How do you feel about chin dimples?
I have so many questions: what does a hole in your face feel like?  does food get trapped in there?  do you have to clean it out with a q-tip?  can I touch it?

...

Have a very merry Tuesday, friends!

Ten on Tuesday: A through Z

We have fun here on Tuesdays.  And today we change things up a bit.  Yay...I like change.  So much.  It's my favorite thing ever.

A. Age: 29.  As in the real 29, not the I'm-actually-turning-35-but-I'll-continue-to-say-I'm-29-until-I-die 29.


B. Bed Size: Queen.

C. Chore that you hate: dishes.  And folding laundry.

D. Dogs: Oliver, Golden Retriever.

E. Essential start to your day: Breakfast.  Most important meal of the day.  Also a shower.

F. Favorite Color: All of 'em.

G. Gold or Silver: Silver.  My skin tone does not make gold look good.

H. Height: 5'7 3/4", although I'm convinced with the right amount of stretching I'd be back to 5'8".

I. Instruments you play: Trombone.  Not what you expected?

J. Job Title: Legislative Assistant, but with absolutely no legislative work involved.

K. Kids: None.  One dog and one active husband is all I can take right now.

L. Live: Saratoga Springs, New York.  My favorite place this side of the mighty Mississip.

M. Mother’s Name: Debbie.

N. Nicknames: Beetle.

O. Overnight hospital stays: One, right after I was born.  None since.

P. Pet peeve: Where do I begin...people who talk to loud, Massachusetts drivers, squeaky doors...

Q. Quote from a movie: "Did we just become best friends?!"  "Yup!"

R. Right or left handed: Right.

S. Siblings: Two younger sisters.  I love them to friggin' pieces.

T. Time you wake up: 6:30am.

U. Underwear: Yes.

V. Vegetable you hate: Beets.

W. What makes you run late: Good Morning America and that darn Robin Roberts.

X. X-Rays you’ve had: Teeth, at the dentist.

Y. Yummy food that you make: I think I make a mean chocolate chip cookie, and my brownies were tied for first in a bake off.  But I don't like to brag...

Z. Zoo Animal: Bears and monkeys, my favorites.

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Happy Tuesday!  On deck for tomorrow: wrap-up of the best Cape Cod vacation ev-er.

Ten on Tuesday

1. What is your favorite brand of shoes?
JCrew: every now and then I like to splurge, and when I do I know I'm getting something that's going to last.  Srsly, they'll stink to Hoboken before they fall apart.

2. How old were you when you learned to tie your shoes?
I was young enough to not remember.

3. How do you feel about freckles?
I love them.  When I see be-freckled faces I am instantly jealous.  All I get are these random dark brown dots and a couple of moles.  Bo-ring.

4. I can count to ten in ___ languages.
Two.  English (obviously) and Spanish.  I used to know Italian and Japanese.

5. What is your favorite store-bought ice cream flavor?
The kind that goes with hot fudge.

6. Were you in ballet or gymnastics as a little girl?
Ballet.  Gymnastics never crossed my mind as an option.  Good thing, because based on the few classes I took as an adult I know I probably would have ended up with major cranial damage.

7. Who is your favorite Sesame Street character?
(I got this question wrong last time) Grover, not gonzo.  Although they are the same color.

8. What’s your bedtime?
I try to crawl into bed around 9:30, start a DVRed Matlock and then fall asleep by 10.  But then I get woken up by Corey, who stays up to watch the news in the living room, to tell me a funny story he heard during the day or to just pet the dog.

9. Do you have any jewelry that you wear every single day?
Just my married lady rings.  I try to pop in some earrings most days.  Other than that it's a necklace here, bracelet there, and, when I remember, my watch.

10. Who is the bug killer in your household?
I am the bug releaser in our household and Corey is the centipede killer.

Centipedes...uuuuggggghhhh.

...

Happy Tuesday!!  And good luck getting that picture out of your head.

Ten on Tuesday + One

1. Do you listen to the radio in your car? If so, what type of station do you like?
When I am reeeeally busy I spend my 35 minute drive to work trying to mentally keep track of what I have to do that day.  Otherwise I listen to our local Christian radio station with commercial breaks spent touring every other station under the sun...that is, the ones in my area.

2. What is the best concert you have ever attended?
I don't know if this counts: in July I saw the Philadelphia Orchestra play during Casablanca.  It was magical.  My few other experiences were eventful but not in a good way.

(nearly passing out at Third Eye Blind, contact high and witnessing a couple making a family at Dave Matthews Band, etc.)

3. What is the most embarrassing concert you have ever attended?
See above.  During the encore at a Dave Matthews Band concert the couple behind us, uh, succumbed to the moment and had maritals right there at our feet.  Luckily, the torrential downpour blurred most of it.

4. If you could have the singing voice of anyone in the world, who would it be?
Carrie Underwood.  Girlfriend gives me chills.

5. You’re auditioning for American Idol. What song do you sing?
"If you like pina coladas...."

Just kidding.  I really have no idea.

6. If your previous weekend had its own soundtrack, what would be a few of the songs?
It would be everything from the latest Kidz Bop.  For sure.

More on the weekend adventures later.  If you follow me on twitter you've had a preview.

7. Most annoying television show theme song ever:
I don't have one.  Just a lot of favorites including What's Happening, Fresh Prince, and, of course, Matlock.

8. Are you and your significant other music-compatible?
We are, but he takes those few songs we both like and plays them until I cannot stand them.

9. A song that brings me back to middle school:
All things Boyz II Men.

10. A song that brings me back to high school:
The Abercrombie and Fitch song.  I'm embarrassed to say I know several lyrics.  Would you believe me if I said I learned the words so I could make fun of the song??

11. A guilty pleasure song (or three):
Jump Around by House of Pain, I pretty much lose it when this song comes on.

Fantasy by Mariah Carey, same.  Then I sing and do that stupid head bob with my eyes closed, like it's the most important thing going on in that moment.  Because it actually is.

...

Happy Tuesday!!

Ten on Tuesday

Mom: "Hey Stace, you know it's Tuesday..."

I know, I know.

1. What do you do for a living?
I try to solve constituent problems for a New York State Senator.

2. What’s your favorite thing about your job?
Oodles of poodles!  Where do I begin?  Benefits, coworkers, flexibility, I can wear flip flops all the live long day, being able to help people, meeting movers and shakers, free snacks, good boss and much more!

3. What’s your least favorite thing about your job?
I have to be here.

Srsly, a 9-5 schedule is not my bag.  I'm more of a 8:30-noon, 2-5, 7-9:30 worker.  Put me in a seven hour box and you squash all motivation.

4. If you weren’t a ____________, what would you be?
Curator, 7th grade art teacher, tour guide, alpaca farmer, RV trekker, reality star.

You name it, I've wanted to do it.

5. What is something that you would love to get paid for that you think no one would ever pay you for?
Dunkin Donuts taste tester.  People already know DD's are shuggin' great, so it's not like they need someone on the assembly line going, "yep, that one's a keeper."  But I'd like to do it anyway.

6. If you could have any job for exactly one day, what would it be?
Movie star.  I wanna see what all this "tortured artist" junk is all about.

7. If you had to do manual labor, what would you do?
I'd work on Martha Stewart's farm.  Don't tell me you haven't already thought this would be the coolest job: she's got all kinds of animals, gardens times twenty, and it's all fancy.  Fancy everything, everywhere.  If I have to get dirty, I might as well do it fancily.

8. What is something you were forced to learn in high school that was supposed to be super important, but you never actually use?
Math.  Prepositions.  The life cycle of fruit flies.

What do I wish I did learn?  How to use the dang number keys without having to look at them.  UGH!

9. Who was your favorite boss? Why?
At one time, when I worked at a small title company in my hometown during school breaks, my mom was my boss.  I'd come in late, leave early, smoke at my desk and tell my co-workers what I really thought of them without getting into trouble.  Just kidding.  But I did have that card in my hand, just in case.

After Deb, my current boss is my favorite.  She's super supportive of all my side projects and looks out for all of us constantly.

And she stocks the office with lots of snacks.
10. Where would you rather work: Dunder Mifflin Paper Company (The Office), Wernham Hogg Paper Company (The Office, UK), or Initech (Office Space)?
Dunder Mifflin.  Creed is playing solitaire in every shot of his computer for goodness sake!

...

Happy (rest of) Tuesday!!

Ten on Tuesday

1. Mac or Windows? (Or Linux for you super geeks!)
Windows.  It's just what I know.  But if someone were to drop a macbook in my lap for, say, a second anniversary I would not be opposed to learning a new system.


2. What drew you to that operating system?
School.  It's all we had.

3. Mice – Wireless or Wired? Mouse pad or none?
I prefer wireless, but all of the computers I use have wires.  I prefer wireless for everything.  There's just something about a tangled mess of cords that makes me not alright inside.

4. Other than the Internet – What do you use your computer most for?
Spreadsheets.  Oh how I love to have things to keep track of.

5. What’s one computer-related thing you wish you were best at? (CSS, Photoshop, Excel, etc.)
Graphic design!!!  I've wanted to take classes on this for awhile now.  Someday...

6. Describe the first time you ever used a computer.
5th grade computer lab: Oregon Trail.  Loved it.  But I never, ever made it to Oregon.  My digital people always managed to come down with dysentery...Probably because I spent every chance I got hunting and loading up my wagon with dead, rotting bison.

7. How often do you upgrade to a new operating system?
What does this even mean??

8. Are you a short-cutter (CTRL+C) or a right-clicker?
I do a little of both.  Depends on my next move.  Am I going to have to click an icon?  Then I save myself a step and move to the mouse early.

9. Is computer-use a constant thing in your life (such as using it both at work and home) or do you get a break (because you don’t use them at work)?
By the time I get home I'm sick of the computer.  I hardly ever use our home computer.  However, if, say, a macbook were to suddenly appear on or around September 18th I would definitely be more productive in my home business.  I think half of the reason I don't use our computer at home is because I just want to relax on the couch.

Macbook.  Problem solved.

10. Where do you think the world would be if personal computers did not exist?
The world would be using telephone books, and dictionaries, and the kinds of maps you can never figure out how to fold.  We would talk on the phone (or not talk for those of us who have always disliked phone convos) and mail letters.  Oh how I would love to go back to regular letters!!

I definitely do not want to live in that world now.  But if we were to have never invented the PC I think we would be just fine.

...

Happy Tuesday!

Ten on Tuesday

Oh my, Tuesday just snuck up and pinched me right on the skin under my arm, you know, the saggy part that's extra sensitive to pinching?

1. Do you do laundry all at the same time or a load here and there?
I try to do all of our laundry on Sunday, whether we are hurtin' or not, because if I don't Corey will sneak a load in that consists of five black socks, a white t-shirt, something of mine that's "dry clean only", and way too much soap.

Now when this all gets folded and put away is a different story...


2. What kind of detergent do you use?
Gain.  It smells marvelous.  I may or may not have swiped one of Corey's shirts before we were married just so I could smell his laundry soap.

3. Do you use fabric softener?
No.  I don't understand the point.

4. Do you use dryer sheets?
Yes.  Gain.  Again: marvelous.  But also again: I have no idea what they actually do.

5. Do you iron your own clothes or take them to a cleaner to get pressed?
We iron only when it's absolutely necessary.  Otherwise, we wear our wrinkles with pride.

6. Do you like heavy starch or light starch?
I think a heavy starch holds the strips of newspaper together better.

Oh, did you mean in our clothes?  No.  We don't starch our clothes.

7. Do you wash all your laundry at once or separate it?
Whites are always separate.  Unless Corey got ahold of the hamper.  Then it's clean vs. dirty.  Everything is fair game.
8. How do you separate it? By people or by colors?
Colors: white, light and dark.  But sometimes the lights and darks end up together.  This only happens when a certain pair of my pants are not in the mix because they bleed like a....oh no, I will not go there.

9. What clothes get hung up and what goes in drawers?
We hang our dressy stuff.  T-shirts, pjs and unmentionables go in drawers and jeans, sweatshirts and sweaters on a shelf in the closet.  We are maxed out.

10. Do you use plastic, wire, or wooden hangers? Do they all match?
I would just L-O-V-E all cedar hangers, but at this point I will settle for a matching set.  I prefer to arrange my clothes by color.  Different color hangers throw a wrench in that system.  I don't handle wrenches well.

...

"Hey Beetle, how's your day going?  Any better?....Um, is there any way you can fold the laundry tonight??"

Perfect timing, Corey.

Ten on Tuesday

Let's just jump right into it....

1. What colour are your toenails painted?
Turquoise and Caicos.  Those folks at Essie are clever with their names.  However, this is the only name I've seen that actually describes the color.

Seriously, Essie.  Nice is Nice?  What does that even mean?

2. What colour are your fingernails painted?
They're not.  I haven't gotten around to painting myself "merino cool"

Again with the names.

3. What is your favourite brand of nail polish?
Essie.  A million times Essie.  You put the stuff on, it stays there until you're bored with it.

4. As the norm, do you DIY your nails or get mani/pedis?
DIY.  I like to waste money on other things.  Like garage sale junk.

5. Have you ever had a gel mani? Do you recommend it?
No.  I've only had two or three manicures In.  My.  Life.

6. What is the last movie you watched on television? (TV, Netflix, Redbox, etc.)
Black Swan.  I wish I had read the full synopsis before jumping in.  At "girl on girl action" I would have leaned strongly toward "will never watch".  But otherwise I think I liked it.  The last part of the movie, where she's Black Swan was soooo Oscar worthy. 

Bravo Natalie Portman, but dang girl, why do you have to be so raunchy?

7. What is the last movie you watched in the cinema?
It's been so long I don't even remember.  Maybe Despicable Me?  I'm far too busy (and cheap) to watch movies in the theater.  Unless I can fold laundry/bake/paint toes while watching it's just not worth it.

8. Is there a movie that everyone talks about as if it is a classic but you haven’t seen?
All of them.  If there is a movie everyone has seen, I haven't.  Titanic is one.  All of my friends saw it, twice.  But I refused because I didn't have a boyfriend to see it with.  And for some reason I labeled that a "date" movie and a "date" movie only.

9. What is your favourite movie soundtrack?
Garden State.  I haven't seen the movie but was given the soundtrack by a friend.  I have since worn the sucker out.  Some songs don't even play anymore.

Also, The Little Mermaid.

10. Have you ever seen a movie and thought it was better than the book it was based on?
Not yet. 

Ten on Tuesday

Boy do I have some stories for you!  Unless I don't get around to posting them very soon, in that case I will know there are stories but I won't remember them...and that, my friends, is a lot less interesting.  So first our Tens, then the rest.  Mmmkay?

1. What is your favorite zoo to visit?
Corey and I always go to the West Palm Beach Zoo when we go to Florida.  It's not huge, but they have all of our favorite animals, and it's usually too hot to do much more than what they've got.


2. Do you visit a zoo very often?
See answer to number one.  "Always" was every spring, until just recently when we realized we'd like to try a new vacation getaway.  A vacashway as Old Navy calls it.

3. Do you have a membership to a zoo?
Nope.

4. When you visit a zoo, do you stay all day or just an hour or two?
I like to stay for-ev-er and look at every single thing.  And then I like to plant it in front of the monkeys so I don't miss any of their antics.

5. Do you buy food at the zoo or pack a picnic lunch?
Zoo food all the way.  Preferably a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.  For some reason PB&J just feels right.

It's also the meal of choice at Disneyland.

6. What is you favorite animal to see at the zoo?
The otters.  They do back flips without any formal training and I admire the athleticism.

7. What is your least favorite animal to see at the zoo?
I have none.  I love all the animals.

8. What is your favorite memory of going to the zoo as a kid?
We went to the San Diego Zoo a few times when I was young.  I think there may have been an elephant ride...?  I remember snippets of a lot of different parts of those visits and they are among some of my favorite memories in the "of all time" category.

9. Do you visit the gift shop when you go to the zoo?
You betcha.  I love the gift shops almost as much as the otters.

10. On a scale of 1 to 10 (10 being the best and 1 being the worst) how nice is your city’s zoo?
Not Applicable.  We don't have a zoo, but we do have a lot of squirrels.  And I would rate them at about a 7.

...

Happy Tuesday!  I hope the leaves of your plants aren't literally burning in this scorching heat like ours!

Ten on Tuesday on Wednesday

Reminds me of a joke I just heard from Jimmy Fallon.  See there was this robber....no, no.  Inappropriate.

After what seems like an eternity away (but may be more like a coupla weeks) I present:

1. When you are on a plane and the kid behind you is kicking your seat, what do you do?
Cry.  But I cry on planes no matter what is going on behind me, in front of me, beside me, below me, etc.

I don't like planes.


2. What food that you KNOW is bad for you and you shouldn’t have, but you love/eat it anyway?
Brownies.  But because I know I can never, ever give them up I have limited my crap intake just to make caloric room for the rare treat of a brownie...or cookie.

Or two Entenmann's donuts I snuck from my parents' house last time I was there.

3. What is your favorite book of all time?
Tie: Wuthering Heights and Love in the Time of Cholera.  My.  heart.  melts.  just thinking of those books.  And if I had an extra seven hours in my day I just might read them again.

4. If I came to visit you in your town, where would we eat?
Ravenous for breakfast; I would have the Texas Tornado crepe and you would have the fudge brownie crepe and I would probably eat half of yours.  Then Circus Cafe for lunch; you would probably get the cotton candy mound for dessert and I would look away embarrassed.  Then Sperry's for dinner where we'd fight over the fried artichoke appetizer and then sit on the back patio for "after dinner" drinks (ie. milk).

5. You have 500 dollars and 40 minutes to spend it at any store you want. Where do you go?
Here's my boring, yet wise answer: TJMaxx.  More for less.  Which may have been a slogan...

6. What blog do you read every day/the most often?
All of 'em.  If they're on my list and they posted something, my eyeballs are on it.  I'm nosy like that. 

7. What’s the longest you’ve ever been stuck at an airport?
April 2011: seven agonizing hours in Washington DC.

8. What’s your daily makeup/face/cleansing routine?
Wash, dry, restore pH, moisturize.  If I'm feeling frisky I'll throw on some eye bag creme.  Then on goes the layer upon layer of cremes and powders.

9. Where is your farthest away friend?
I have a friend in Morocco right now.

But don't worry, she'll be back.

10. Where is your favorite place to go hiking (or to enjoy nature)?
Why, the Adirondacks!  With six million acres of extreme wilderness there's a little bit of everything.  Including mooses, of which if I still have yet to see.

...

Happy trails!

Ten on Tuesday

1. What’s the recipe for your favorite drink? (Smoothie, alcoholic, coffee, whatever.)
Water.

Boring, I know.


2. What kind of razor do you use?
Gillette Quattro.  I like the heft of the thing, unlike the flimsy three blade Venus.

3. Who is your favorite Sesame Street character?
Grover.

"Near!....."

(music plays)

"Far!....."

Brilliant.

4. What makes the perfect salad? (Lettuce type, toppings, dressing, etc.)
Lots of toppings, the less room for greens the better: chicken, walnuts, pecans, beans, cheese, apples, pears, and pizza crust.

5. What was your favorite subject in school?
Art.  And in fourth and fifth grades I was forced to miss it because of glee club practice (it was required of those of us with a hint of singing ability).  I was less than pleased, and to this day I still wish I hadn't missed the project where you make a shape and repeat it over and over....see, I don't even know what the stinkin' thing is called, oh I'm so mad.

6. What’s your favorite summer tradition?
Going to camp on Lake Champlain.  Oliver swims his furry little heart out, we take walks, BBQ, fall asleep to lake noise (ie. drunk neighbors) and relax.  I'm relaxed just thinking about it.

Number two fave: mini-golf for my birthday.  19 days away.

7. Do you suffer from season allergies? How do you combat them?
Sometimes.  Last year, slight tickle.  This year, I may shove cotton balls directly into my sinus cavities.  And because I hate taking medicine (minus ibuprofen for debilitating lady pains) I just sit here, with my nose dripping into my business, and pray for rain to wash all the pollen away.

8. How often do you have to charge your cell phone?
I think I can go two days with light use, but I plug 'er in every night.  I never know when I'm going to have a painfully boring day and will need YouTube Matlock to keep me company.

9. Do you have a bucket list?
I've had a pretty eventful life, so if I did have one I'd probably fill it with "learn to knit," or "try oysters."

10. Do you have any desire to go back to school?
YES.  Always.  I loved school and since I've been out I feel like I'm getting stupid.  I'd like to learn new things and refresh the old stuff.  But not the mathematical old stuff, it's been pretty useless so far.

...

Happy Tuesday!  Thanks Chelsea for more of the random I love...

Ten on Tuesday

1. What’s the perfect meal?

A never-ending supply of artichokes.  You could eat, like, a billion and not be full.  Seriously.  After scraping less than half of a half of a half-full bite from a couple dozen leaves you are left slightly less than not even close to being full.

There is probably a less confusing way to say that...

2. What are the perfect pair of shoes?
The comfort of a Dr. Scholl's with the look of a Jessica Simpson.

But who am I kidding.  I could never pull off a JS.

3. What is the perfect afternoon?
Lounging outside with my white legs in the sun reading a book.  Oliver laying quietly by my side not begging me every five minutes to walk him.  And Corey plopping brownie bites in my mouth while fanning me with a giant palm branch.

Oh, and no mosquitoes.

4. What’s the perfect house?
One with lots and lots of windows and enough land to house my retired race horses, alpacas and chickens.

I seem easy to please, but really that house should also have wide plank wood floors, a kitchen big enough for an island, a master bedroom with his and hers closets, jacuzzi tub, and a swirly slide that goes from the upstairs to the downstairs.

5. What is the perfect outfit?
I loves my black t-strap sandals with some leggins and a flowy top.

Because I can usually wear that combo to bed.

6. What’s the perfect wedding song?
At Last by Etta James has always been my favorite.  My bff beat me to the altar (by three years) so she used it as her first dance.  Corey and I danced to my other favorite, Frank Sinatra's The Way You Look Tonight.

7. What is the perfect job?
Making jewelry while raisin' babies, growin' veggies, planin' fundraisers and freelance ad/blog/website/logo design with an occasional commercial shoot on the side.

8. What’s the perfect hairstyle?
The kind that just Falls.  Into.  Place.

9. What’s the perfect music festival?
Um.  Music?  I don't do music...ever since that horrible Third Eye Blind Concert in 2000.

**shudder**

10. What’s the perfect day to yourself?
Shopping.  I would shop until my feet hurt.  Then I would go see a movie, a romantic comedy.  Afterwards I would find a coffee shop and read with an enormous java chip frapuccino or the equivalent.  Then I would go home and try on all of my goodies, put on my pjs and make pancakes for dinner.

...

Happy Tuesday!  Enjoy your first day of summer!!

Unless you're living in the southeast and southwest, in that case enjoy the AC.

Or if you're in Arizona, Texas or Nebraska, in that case seek shelter.

So, um, if you're in a good weather pocket, congratulations!

Ten on Tuesday

Today's questions are on cell phones.  It figures at a time when I'm terrified of my cell phone, with news of possibly health problems linked to radiation from phone use and getting pulled over for the second time for talking and driving, I've gotta talk about the dang thing.  Sheesh!

But thanks anyway to Krys at Eat This Soup for coming up with something for us to talk about!

1. What type of phone do you have? Do you like it?
I have the first version of the Droid and this sucker has about had it.  Not only is it terribly bruised, but it's starting to freeze, and when I need to let Corey know there is a deer grazing on the side of the highway I'd better darn be able to.

2. How old were you when you got your first cell phone?
I was 16 and it was huuuuuuge.  I think I only had something like 40 minutes on my plan each month, so I could only use it when absolutely necessary.  Like telling all my friends that I had a celly and they didn't.

3. How many cell phones have you owned since your first?
I'm on my fifth.  And proud to say I have never owned a flip phone.

4. How much is your average monthly phone bill?
Much more than I'd like.

5. When you were a kid/teenager, were you allowed to have a phone in your room?
Kinda.  I think I could have, but I didn't want one.  I've never been much of a phone talker.  I actually dislike talking on the phone very much.

6. Do you like talking on the phone or do you despise it? Or somewhere in-between?
Whoopsie!  Guess who should have read the questions before she dove right in.

7. Do you text a lot? Is texting/talking while driving illegal where you live? Are you guilty of it anyway?
I don't text as much as a certain husband who shall remain nameless.  When talking to a Verizon rep:

"It looks like you don't need a large texting package.....oh, wait.  Yes you do."

Even touching a cell phone is illegal here.  But I do it anyway.  I talk.  Not text.

And I get caught.

8. What sort of texting keyboard does your phone have? Touch screen, slide out, or something different? Do you care?
Both, but I prefer to use the slide out keyboard.  It prevents such mistakes as "Wud bebop big deal."  I still don't know what this means.

9. Look at the last call in your call log – who is it? What were they calling about? Who calls you the most?
Corey.  He calls to check in every now and then.  Make sure I'm still alive.  This happens often.

10. What is the longest phone call you can recall having?
I've had 60+ minute conversations with Corey before we were married and living together.  And that's as far back as my memory goes.

...

Peace out.