browser life

Was trying to play catch up reading my friends' blogs after I got back from my little vacation. Found an amusing questionnaire on sol's journal (please check "The Journal of SolemnDragon"; it's on my Links list), but it was several days after the fact, and I can't figure out how to reply to slashdot journals anymore since they updated. So I thought I'd just cut and paste and then answer the questions here. Then I read a little further, and sol asked some of the other slashdotters to come up with their own questions. So I have added theirs as well. What follows may be TMI, or it may be quite enlightening. You decide:

Name someone with the same birthday as you.
William Shatner. Grouch Marx. So maybe I shoulda been an actor??

Where was your first kiss?
The first one that meant anything to me was in the doorway to my room in a mental hospital.

Have you ever seriously vandalized someone else's property?
Not seriously, unless toilet paper counts as vandalism. Shortly before I graduated from high school, I did have fun going all over town stealing real estate signs and then putting all of them in the front yard of the principal's house. I also really enjoyed stealing all the forks from the kitchen of the Sigma Phi Epsilon house in college and putting them in the front yard and spelling the words "FORK YOU". Oh, and I did steal the campus grape arbor as a publicity stunt to promote the radio soap opera I was co-writing. Hmmmm, maybe I AM a serious vandal.

Have you ever hit someone of the opposite sex?
Yes. In the swimming pool at college. But since I hit like a girl, it had no effect at all.

Have you ever sung in front of a large number of people?
Not well.

First thing you notice about the opposite sex?
Their smile.

What really turns you on?
Intelligence, a sense of humor, a great smile, and a great ass.

What do you order at Starbucks?
I rarely go, but the last time I did, I ordered a chai with nonfat milk.

What is your biggest mistake?
I don't know how to answer this one. Any suggestions?

Have you ever hurt yourself on purpose?
Unfortunately, yes. At that same mental hospital where I got my first meaningful kiss.

Say something totally random about yourself.
I can make my tongue undulate.

Has anyone ever said you look like a celebrity?
Not recently. In the past, I've been compared to Carol Burnett, Kristy McNichol, Dana Delaney.

Do you still watch kiddy movies or tv shows?
Does "Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants" count? I do plan on watching the Harry Potter movies sometime soon.

Did you have braces?
Yep. For five agonizing years. And then my wisdom teeth grew in and moved everything back out of alignment, dammit.

Are you comfortable with your height?
I suppose. I wouldn't mind being a little taller, though.

What is the most romantic thing someone of the preferred sex has done for you?
Written me an original poem.

When do you know it's love?
When I mention their name at least a dozen times in an hour while trying not to talk about them.

Do you speak any other languages?
Not well. When my fibrofog is at its peak, though, what comes out of my mouth could almost qualify as another language.

Have you ever been to a tanning salon?
Yes. I did the tanning thing off and on from 1989 to 1995.

What magazines do you read?
I subscribe to "Fibromyalgia Aware". I also get newsletters from the Sjogren's Syndrome Foundation and the Best Friends animal sanctuary. And for some reason, I've been getting "Life Extension" magazine even though I never signed up for it.

Have you ever ridden in a limo?
Twice for funerals, and once for my mom's 50th birthday. Of course I enjoyed the birthday ride much better than the other two.

Has anyone you were really close to passed away?
My mom, eight years ago.

Do you watch mtv?
I pulled the plug on the satellite dish, so not anymore. But when I had the dish, I did watch "The Osbournes".

What's something that really annoys you?
How the disabled are ignored in our society.

What's something you really like?
Chocolate covered macadamia nuts!!

Do you like Michael Jackson?
I like his music but not his personality.

Can you dance?
Not well, and not for very long. But I will from time to time dance wildly for a minute or so until it hurts too much to continue.

What's the latest you have ever stayed up?
Can't recall, but I'm sure I've been continuously awake for more than 36 straight hours more than once.

Have you ever been rushed by an ambulance into the emergency room?
Twice. Both times after some schmuck hit my car.

Do you actually read these when other people fill them out?
Usually.

Are you now, or have you ever been, involved in a pseudoscience?
I'm not sure what is meant by "involved". I used to work in radio with a host who regularly interviewed people who believed in the paranormal. And even though I don't spend a lot of time thinking about astrology, it has been pointed out to me that both of my husbands and FOUR of my boyfriends had birthdates the same week. So whether I care to admit it or not, I do seem to be attracted to Sagittarius men.

What are your car/truck radio buttons set to?
My car radio only has 18 presets, and we have 42 stations where I live, so I had to be kinda picky. Generally, there are two AM talk stations that Dan likes more than I do. My favorite FM station plays "modern rock" like Green Day, Jimmy Eat World, 311, etc. For a change of pace, I like to switch to the hip hop station. I also like the hard rock station. The rest of the FM stations are oldies, "classic" rock, mellow mixes that Dan likes.

When you're completely burned out, what's a good way to recharge (other than sleep)?
Tunes! Stuff that's either danceable, loud, catchy or all three.

What's your favourite place that you've travelled to?
Hawaii!

What do you want to try that you haven't yet?
Original writing for PAY.

Five things you love to eat, and five things you hate to eat?
This is tough since my dietary restrictions have eliminated most of my favorite foods, at least in their intended state. From what remains or can still be tasty with wheat replacements, I'd say chocolate, rice lasagna, reduced fat cheddar, steak, gluten free brownies. I hate to eat lima beans, black eyed peas, pears, anything hotter than a banana pepper and anything burned.

Did you learn to drive stick or automatic first?
Um, I STILL can't drive a stick. *hangs head*

Do you like board games?
Yes, even though I'm not as good at them as I used to be because of cognitive dysfunction.

Tell me your opinion about gambling.
I enjoy it, but feel no compulsion about it one way or the other.

How many dictionaries do you own?
Four.

What's your favorite medium to work in?
Purple ink.

What was your undergraduate major, and was it always that or did you switch?
I started college as undeclared. Then I decided to get a degree in mass communications. Then my sophomore year, I realized I was taking a shitload of English courses, so I added a BA in English.

Worst physical pain you've been in?
The gallbladder attack was no fun, but then recovering from the surgery without pain meds was worse. I've hurt nearly every single day for the past eight years, so it's difficult to pick out one specific day.

Who's your best friend?
Dan. Who else would it be?

Was high school good? Why (not)?
Yes, I suppose it was overall. I was teased and ostracized, but I met and befriended some immensely funny and intelligent people that more than made up for it.

What kinds of music do you like best? Get specific, if you can.
Most of the kinds I mentioned above, plus 90's alt rock, 80's new wave, 70's album rock, 60's pop and 50's rock and roll. And much much more.

Last three CDs you bought:
"Get Behind Me Satan" by the White Stripes, "Monkey Business" by the Black Eyed Peas, and "Big Bang Theory" by Styx.

And conversely, what kinds of music would you rather never hear?
I tire of divas and boy bands.

Five favorite movies:
"Lord of the Rings" (the whole trilogy), "Gone with the Wind", "My Big Fat Greek Wedding", "Airplane", "Monty Python and the Holy Grail". There are LOTS of others, but those are the first five that popped into my mind.

What's something other people like that you just can't get into?
"Dancing with the Stars", "Supernanny", "Survivor".

When you want to look good, what do you wear?
Black v-neck top, a bit form-fitting but not so tight that I can't be comfortable. Pants, same thing except no v-neck, heh heh. Just for the record, I have tried on low-rise jeans, and I do look good in them, but I find both those and thongs immensely uncomfortable. Just say no to crack.

When your heart breaks, how do you put it back together?
I think things through.

Should the following be exterminated: white briefs:
Nah, some guys actually look good in them.

blue eyeshadow:
Nah, then I'd have to stop wearing it.

pants that create the muffin-top look on women:
Just so long as I don't have to wear them.

flip flops in the office:
Maybe. The noise they make when you walk would be really annoying in an office.

Were you a Boy/Girl Scout?
Yes.

Can you swim?
Yes, but I'm only good for about one lap.

Tell me your guilty pleasures: song:
Cheesy 70's pop.

book:
Harry Potter.

movie:
Ed Wood stuff.

food:
Whipped topping in a can.

other:
I enjoy driving REALLY fast.

Do you have a library card?
Yes, but I haven't used it in at least 10 years.

What's the best present you've received in the past five years?
An Amish made rocking chair.

Do you have a favorite: Painter:
My mom.

Sculptor:
Michelangelo?

Photographer:
John Fielder (local guy).

(fiction):
Stephen King.

(science fiction/fantasy):
Harlan Ellison.

Poet:
Emily Dickinson.

(nonfiction):
Can't decide.

You're in a strange city for the weekend. What will you do while you're there?
Sample the local cuisine if it fits within my dietary restrictions, tour as much as I have the energy for, find out what makes this place unique.

Are you thrifty?
I suppose I could be, if someone held a gun to my head.

You bought tickets for a cultural event. What are you going to see?
You name it, I'd probably like it. I saw a ballet of "The Nutcracker" last year, I like plays, LOVE concerts and enjoy the hell out of the comedy club.

What's something you're hanging onto that you don't need anymore?
Um, my house is FILLED with stuff like that. Take your pick.

What was your favourite stuffed animal from childhood, and do you still own it?
A stuffed brown dog named Lady after the movie "Lady and the Tramp". Unfortunately, one night I accidentally threw up all over it and my parents tossed it in the trash.

What colour shoes are you wearing right now?
I'm wearing purple chenille socks, but no shoes.

Favorite kind of bread.
I no longer eat bread in the traditional sense. Gluten free brownies are as close as I get.

Favorite 80s cartoon.
"The Simpsons"??

What's your parents' favorite comic strip? What's yours?
My mom liked "Calvin and Hobbes", "Bloom County", "For Better or For Worse", and "Mother Goose and Grimm". My mom once started her own comic strip called "Frieda and Leona", based upon my sister and me, but she didn't get anywhere with it. Don't know that my dad had a fave. I like all of the above plus "Peanuts". I used to draw pictures of Snoopy.

Who's your favorite supervillain?
Catwoman? Didn't she get to have a whip?

How often do you chew gum?
Mainly just when I fly or go to the mountains, to keep my ears from popping. Occasionally, I'll chew some if I forgot to brush my teeth.

Where do you keep your umbrella?
If anyone has the answer to this, please let me know. I was looking for it a couple of weeks ago.

Who was your idol while growing up?
Carol Burnett. I wanted to be a comedienne.

What is your favorite Sports Team?
The Colorado Rockies.

Which Sports team do you hate the most?
Hate is an awfully strong word.

What was the last software you purchased?
Um, I bought an upgrade to my operating system a few weeks ago. Close enough?

What do you like best about yourself?
My sense of humor.

What do you like least about yourself?
Lack of patience, inability to help others.

What countries have you visited?
Canada, Mexico.

What's your religious affiliation, if any?
United Church of Christ. About as liberal as a person can get and still be a Christian.

Name five historical figures that you admire.
Jesus Christ, Martin Luther King, Jr., Mahatma Gandhi, Hellen Keller, Albert Einstein.

Do you have any toy stuffed animals?
Yes, several. I sleep with a stuffed zebra, using it as a cushion.

What's the worst movie you've ever seen?
I've seen several that I knew in advance were bad, so that doesn't count. One of the biggest disappointments that I thought was gonna be good was "Stargate".

If you've done one thing you doubt anyone else here has done, what would it be?
I dunno, dyed my hair purple?

What's your earliest memory?
Standing near the water on Virginia Beach. The waves scared me. I was a year and a half old.

How many remote controls do you currently have in your house? How many of them do you actively use?
Eight in the house. One belongs to a non-working dish converter thingy, so obviously I don't use it. Let's see, I regularly use two of the TV remotes, the downstairs DVD remote, and two VCR remotes.

Where do you keep your frequently used remotes?
The downstairs ones are SUPPOSED to be on the entertainment center, but the one to the TV in particular gets lost a lot.

What devices are controlled by your remotes?
The ones I didn't mention above are a remote to an upstairs TV (we have FOUR of the friggin' things) and the downstairs stereo.

Do you have multiple remotes for the same device?
No, or I'd go nuts trying to figure it out.

If you could put a tire swing anywhere you wanted, where would that be?
Would putting a tire swing in the bedroom be considered kinky? Just asking.

How many animals have you lived with in your lifetime?
21, including birds and fish.

What is the furthest you've traveled in one day (24 hours)?
Honolulu to Denver, which I think is 1800 miles.

What currently running TV show (if any) will you not miss an episode of?
"Lost". I'm hooked.

What was your favorite animated show as a kid?
"Underdog"!

When was the last time you watched an educational program geared towards kids (i.e. Seasame Street, Wiggles, etc)? When was the last time you watched a program of that nature for your own benefit?
I've seen bits and pieces of "Blue's Clues" and actually think it's very cute. I remember watching "The Electric Company" for my own benefit, but obviously, that was a very long time ago.

What color is the exterior of your home?
A shade of blue/grey called dolphin. Seriously. We bought a new home, and the builder had a (short) list of colors from which to choose.

Looking around you, what color do you see the most of right now?
Slate blue. That's the carpet.

Do you prefer to live with the lights on or off?
When I'm at the computer, the overhead light must be on or I'll get a migraine. Same thing when I'm watching TV.

Toe-may-toe or toe-mah-toe?
Tommy-toe.

Have you ever seen a shooting star?
Yes, several times.

Have you ever seen a UFO?
Yes, with my mom when we were on a rural highway in Kansas.

Do you remember seeing Haley's Comet?
I honestly don't remember one way or the other.

What is your favorite movie of foreign origin (relative to you)?
Can't decide between "Il Postino" or "Eat Drink Man Woman".

Ever hurt someone and didn't know it until it was too late?
Yes. Found out after my mom died how upset she had been with me.

Ever hurt your career unintentionally?
Yes. I've been too damned nice. People walk all over you when you're too nice in the workplace.

Do you consider yourself lucky?
Generally, yes.

How long would you like to live?
Until I'm 112. That should be long enough.

Would you like to travel to space?
You bet!! Can you imagine the view??

Do you believe in ghosts?
Yes, but I'm not sure they believe in me. There is some sort of energy force that inhabits my house. And it seems to have a sense of humor, so I'm guessing it's my mom.

Three defining events from your past that have helped you become who you are.
My mom's death, meeting my husband, hearing Van Halen for the first time.

The three most significant aspects of your current life.
Chronic illness, wonderful marriage, adjusting to loss of income.

Your three most important goals for the future.
Spreading awareness of chronic illness and support for the disabled, becoming healthy enough to regain a career, becoming spiritually evolved.

If your life had a soundtrack, what would be the theme song?
"Hands" by Jewel. I like the line, "Poverty stole your golden shoes, but it didn't steal your laughter".

Name one song that you know that nobody else has ever heard of.
Well, I'm sure a FEW people have heard of this one, but it IS somewhat obscure: "Teenage Enema Nurses in Bondage" by Killer Pussy. And one line in the song sums it all up nicely: "This job STINKS"!

If you had one superpower what would it be and how would you use it?
I'd like to be invisible, but I'm not exactly sure what I would do with the power of invisibility.

If you had one purely selfish wish what would it be?
To win a significant amount of money, enough to pay off all my debts and replace the income I lost by not being able to work.

What one thing would you like other people to notice about you?
That I'm funny!

If you were locked in an apartment for one month with a duplicate of yourself what would piss you off the most about them? Would one of you have to die?
It would be a real problem having a mirror of my bad temper. We'd probably both survive, but the apartment would be toast.

What one trait do you wish other people shared with you?
An interest in learning. It's amazing how many people don't care that they're ignorant.

If you had one purely unselfish wish what would it be?
That no one in the world was starving.

What was your favorite subject in high school?
Drama and/or English (same teacher taught them).

What was your least favorite subject?
Trigonometry. I don't remember a thing about it.

If you had the chance to go (back) to school for free, what would you study?
Web design. Refresher writing courses. Acting. All kinds of things.

Do you want to live forever?
Nope. I think 112 years would be plenty.

What is your quest? Why?
To finish this questionnaire. Because it's there.

cable? dsl? isdn? t1? t3? dial up?
Ack. Dial up.

Do you or have you had an imaginary friend? If yes, what was its name?
I probably did have an imaginary friend, but if I did, I don't recall the name or even the gender.

Do you prefer Oxford, Webster, or dict?
Webster. That was the dictionary my school district gave to me for winning the area spelling bee.

How many times in the past week have you used a dictionary?
Probably twice.

The last time you used a dictionary, was it because of:
a) print, or conversation;
b) to understand someone, or to be clear yourself?
It was because I couldn't remember how to spell a word in my blog, most likely.

Your weight at birth?
5 pounds something.

Strangest place you've ever slept?
My front yard! I was sleepwalking at the time.

Most unjust punishment received as a child?
Spanked for something my sister did. I think she ate something we were supposed to have for dinner.

Smelliest pet?
My current dog can get kinda smelly. Sorry, Chip.

Where do you keep your keys when you're not carrying them?
In my purse, center of the open section. I have fibromyalgia and will absolutely lose my keys if I don't put them in the same exact spot every time I'm done using them.

What do you eat when you're trying to save money?
It used to be ramen noodle soup, six packages for a buck. Now I guess it would be eggs? First I have to re-learn how to save money.

Do you curse when you're mad?
Hell, yeah!

How many people have you made cry this year?
None that I know of. If I'm wrong about that, I apologize.

Can you make yourself cry?
Sort of. When I cry, there aren't many actual tears because of damage to my tear ducts from the Sjogren's.

Who do you miss right now?
The friends I had a reunion with a week ago.

Where was your first job?
At a geologist's laboratory. I prepared samples for analysis.

Do you know how many calories taking off a girl's bra with your mouth burns?
Haven't the foggiest. For that matter, I've never removed a girl's bra with my teeth. Not even my own bra with my teeth. Gee, what a boring life I'm leading.

Have you ever jumped off a swing?
Yep. Used to have contests with other people to see who could jump the furthest. I have exceptionally long legs, so I generally won.

Did you play the recorder?
Um, does a tape recorder count??

Do you have your spleen?
I sure hope so because I don't recall it being removed.

Is your favorite number 4? Why? Why not?
Four is supposed to be my lucky number, but it's not my favorite. My fave is 6 because I had a great year at that age.

Do you have a web page?
I have a couple of them. See my Links list on the top right of this page.

Think of something yellow. What was it?
A canary.

Look for something purple. What is it?
My chenille socks.

When did you learn to ride a bike?
When I was eight years old. Without training wheels and in only a day and a half. This astounded my parents who had been told by doctors I would never have good enough balance to ride a bike because I'm deaf in one ear.

Do you like green apple candy?
Yes, but I haven't eaten it in years. I wonder if Jolly Ranchers is gluten free?

If you were naming a dog, what would you name it?
If it were a male springer spaniel, I'd name it Jerry. Get it? Jerry Springer Spaniel! Heee heee.

When did you burp last?
A few hours ago. Damn that reflux anyway.

Where does Sol keep her umbrella?
Wherever she likes.

Have you been in the newspaper?
Yes. When I went to the Colorado/Wyoming state spelling bee in the eighth grade.

Have you ever seen a ghost?
Yes. He had died in a fire at my college. I saw him sitting in the balcony alone during a play.

Do you like rocks?
Yes. I'm particularly fond of quartz, mica, and pyrite.

Does basil go with oregano?
They're side by side in my pantry and seem content enough.

What do you want on your tombstone?
I'm being cremated, so I won't have a full-sized tombstone, just a small engraved marker on a wall with my ashes in a container in a vault behind it. If there's room on the marker, an engraved rose or dove would be nice.

Is pink the new blue?
Sure, if you combine the two and get purple.

Are you sure?
Sure of what?

Do you wear Sure?
Nope. I think I wear Dove.

Do you eat Slim Jims?
Nope. What's in them anyway?

Have you ever seen professional wrestling?
Not a whole match intentionally. I've watched a few minutes here and there when one of the wrestlers had an exceptionally nice ass.

What kind of shampoo do you like to use?
Good question! I'm currently in the process of trying different brands since I don't like the new formula of Pantene.

Are your eyes green?
Nope. Chocolate brown.

Who was the first professional to cut your hair?
Probably someone who worked in the barber shop across the street from the grocery store. I wasn't able to convince my mom to stop butchering my hair until I was in the seventh grade. Then I let a complete stranger butcher my hair, heh heh. Let's just say there aren't many hairstyles that are flattering to thin, plain, flyaway hair.

My barber used to say "thank ya, thank ya now". Would you if you were a barber?
Probably not. I'd probably say, "Wear a hat. It'll grow out!"

Have you ever cut anyone's hair?
Absolutely not. That would be like asking me to drive a car blindfolded.

Do you like Sunny Delight?
Not particularly. What's in it anyway? If I'm gonna drink something that's fake juice, I'd just as soon have Tang.

Who moved my cheese?
Not I, said the mouse.

What does FOIL stand for?
Um, I dunno, Finicky Overweight Illiterate Ladies?? Sorry, that was the first thing that came to mind.

Where do you keep your aluminum foil?
On the shelf of the cabinet to the right of the sink.

Do you like French onion dip?
Yes, but I don't know of any that's gluten free. Bummer.

Have you ever had green ketchup?
Not yet. But I'm sure if someone offered it to me, I'd try it.

Do you like mayo?
Certainly. But unfortunately, I can no longer eat most of the foods that go with mayo.

Do you like Orange Crush?
It's merely ok. Another form of fake juice.

What about grape soda?
Yet another fake juice. The only fake juice soda I really like is Mountain Dew. I believe that contains orange juice?

Is their a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow?
I'm too busy admiring the rainbow to notice.

Chocolate or lots of chocolate?
Diabetes dictates small portions of chocolate only. This is a particularly difficult rule to follow when it comes to chocolate covered macadamia nuts.

Have you ever eaten franks chocolates?
Nope.

Do you know who frank is?
My aunt's second husband? No?

Moonlight or sunlight?
I like both.

T.V. is ______________.
A blessing and a curse.

If I found myself in jail or an emergency room, I'd call...
Ghostbusters! Ok, maybe my husband would be more appropriate.

Favorite comfort food:
Chocolate.

Favorite thing on the whole planet:
Hmmmm. Can't narrow it down to just one thing. Sunset over Kau, Hawaii was pretty awesome, though.

The earliest name you can remember:
Not sure how to answer this. I do remember, though, that my kindergarten teacher had the same last name as me.

Any given morning, this is the first thing you're likely to think about:
Whether I can get rid of my back spasms before I get up.

What's your favorite day of the week, and why?
Saturday, I guess. It has the fewest obligations.

Your favorite kind of weather?
Late spring, about 70 degrees, sunny with just enough of a breeze to carry the scent of lilacs.

Would you characterize yourself as more visual, audio, or tactile?
I think equal parts visual and audio.

Favorite quote or motto?
"The most wasted of all days is that during which one has not laughed." --Nicolas Chamfort

If Congress (or other primary representative governing body) were appointed, would you rather have the top 50 graduates from the ten best universities this year -or- would you rather have the first 500 people from some random page of a national phone book?
Well, we already know from our current representatives that having an education doesn't necessarily make one a good politician. So I'd give the random 500 a shot.

If you had to choose between total anarchy and a total police state: which is the lesser of two evils?
Total anarchy, by a long shot. Can you tell I have authority issues?

Regarding belief in God: "When you are running down the street, your hair on fire, you don't pray to the Bank of America" - Richard Pryor. Thoughts?
Oddly enough, I tend not to pray for myself during times of crisis. I'm more likely to offer a prayer of thanks for things that go well in my life. It's not an intentional omission; maybe I'm a little TOO self-reliant??

Favorite vehicle company?
I have very little experience with car companies, but the guys at Saturn have been very nice to me.

Favorite computer company?
Again, very little experience. I have a Mac.

Favorite internet service provider?
Have only used one: Earthlink. I like them.

How many email addresses do you have (that you regularly use)?
Four.

Favorite vegetable?
Corn. I like it enough to not need butter or salt on it. It's also a good replacement for wheat.