I've been tagged by Julia to: 1. Do the following WITHOUT complaint. 2. Choose five people to do this after you’ve completed yours. 3. Leave a tag on the person’s tagboard to say he/she has been tagged. 4. Start your post with I have been tagged! Then do this. (copy and paste!) Favourites: Favourite Colour: red Favourite Food: Mahi mahi Favourite Movie: Out of Africa Favourite Sport: kayaking Favourite Day of the Week: Saturday Favourite Season: Summer Favourite Ice Cream: Raspberry Chocolate Currents: Current Mood: sleepy Current Clothes: white shorts and a blue polo shirt Current Desktop: A fleur de lis Current Time: 5:38 pm Current Surroundings: laptop in the family room, Gatsby crashed out on the floor. Current Annoyances: allergies Current Thoughts: I'm thirsty. First: First Best Friend: Trina V. my neighbor across the street when I was 3. Last: Last Drink: San Pellegrino Last Car Ride: Lunch Last Crush: "Sprinkles" -Inside joke! Last Phone Call: My son Last CD played: A mix I made from my iTunes. Have you ever: Have you ever dated one of your best friends: no Have you ever broken the law: I'll use Julia's answer-un tout petit peu :-) Have you ever been arrested: no Have you ever been on TV: yes Have you ever kissed someone you dont know: no Things: 5 things you are good at: taking photos, reading, cooking, talking, organizing 4 things you have done today: drove to the auto repair shop, ate lunch, took a nap, met the repair ladies at the condo. 3 things you can hear right now: computer fan, B on the phone with Ian, AC kicking on (hurray!) I've tagged Cat, Irish Church Lady, Teena, Unknown Name/Unknown Number, Diana and Marti (oops, that is 6, isn't it?- oh well) And of course, anyone else that wants to play along too is welcome to do it.

It's been one of those very long weeks and I'm exhausted. My co-workers and I are at the end of our patience with our "clients." No more whining allowed, thank you. Due to that fact, I'm feeling down-right anti-social tonight. So, here I sit eating blue tortilla chips and salsa and watching CSI on Spike network. I'm just trying to decompress a little bit. Unfortunately, I can't have a glass of wine because I'm getting ready to drive to the airport. I'm also investigating getting my own domain and using Word Press for my blog. Blogger and I need to break up, and soon. To further illustrate how my day has gone, I stopped on the way home to get some gasoline. If you may recall, I have a near-phobia of pumping gas. Don't ask me why, I have no idea. I pulled up to the first pump and tried 3 different times to get the pump to start. No go. I moved on to the next pump. Wouldn't start either. At this point I decided that I didn't really want to pay $2.97 a gallon (what a bargain!)anyhow and left. I hope I have enough to get to the airport and back.

Kristine over at Random and Odd is on it this week. She's had this week's assignment up since last week and she's got a new look on her site. Go over and see it while you're at it- it's fabulous!

Okay, so it's not a real snake. I still did a double take when I first saw this at my mom and dad's house. My father found this stick floating in the river and thought it looked just like a snake, so he picked it up and painted eyes on it. Perfect for his warped sense of humor! Now I know where I get it!!

I keep this big-ass flashlight next to my bed...And I'm not afraid to use it!

Weapon #3- My mouth, or more appropriately, my words- but you can't really take a picture of words so you get this slightly frightening photo instead. And, no- I don't bite...Much. (Yes, I know I have a huge mouth)

Sorry, but that's all the weapons I can show you right now. A girl's got to have her secrets, you know... ;-)

Your hiding place

I don't hide in the bookshelf itself... I have always found books as my great escape in life. I can go anywhere, be anyone-if only for a short time- while I'm reading a book. Nothing else has the power to transport me like the written word does. I become immersed in the novel and the real world melts away around me.

If you leave your link (and a comment, of course!) I'd be happy to come and visit your SPF too. Have a great weekend everyone!

1. Do you sleep with your closet doors open or closed? I prefer that it is closed. It's a pocket door and blissfully, I cannot see it from my bed as the closet is around the corner from the main section of the room. For years I was terrified to sleep with the closet door open. I must have read too many Stephen King novels as a kid. 2. Do you ever take the shampoos and soaps from hotel rooms? No, because it is usually not the type I use. 3. Have you ever had sex in a hotel room? Yes. Hello, I'm 36 years old. 4. Have you ever stolen a street sign before? Well, my boss and co-worker tried to steal a street sign on the way back from lunch one day. It was pulled up out of the ground but had the concrete still attached to the bottom. We found out that it was too big to fit in the back of the car. 5. Do you use Post-It Notes? I adore them and use them excessively. 6. Do you cut out coupons but then never use them? No, because I don't cut coupons. Most of the food I buy doesn't have a coupon for it anyhow. 7. Would you rather be attacked by a big bear or a swarm of bees? Bees, if I had to pick one. 8. Do you always smile for pictures? I smile even when I'm not having my picture taken. 9. What is your biggest pet peeve? Lately, it's been when people start talking to me when they can plainly see I'm already talking on my phone. 11. Do you sleep with your sheets tucked in or out? Tucked in with hospital corners! 13. Have you ever peed in the woods? Perhaps when I was a kid. 14. Do you ever jump up and down to make your privates bounce? No. Why would I want to do that? 15. Do you chew your pens and pencils? Not a chance. I would never put something that germ-y in my mouth. 16. Whats your favorite animal and why? A giraffe, as they are tall and cute. 17. Do you like popcorn from those big tins? I feel like it's stale, even if it's not. So, the answer is no. 18. Could you marry the person you are with now? Not in this country. 19. What is your "Song of the week"? I don't have one, my iPod is on the fritz so I'm listening to NPR mainly. No music on there! 20. Is it okay for guys to wear pink? Sure. Anyone can wear any color they wish to wear. 21. Do you still watch cartoons? No. 23. Where would you bury hidden treasure if you had some? I wouldn't bury it at all. 24. What do you drink with dinner? Water, iced tea or milk. Yes, I am a grown woman that drinks milk with dinner. 25. What do you dip a chicken nugget in? I don't eat chicken nuggets often but if I do, I prefer ranch. 26. What is your favorite food/cuisine? Italian food. 27. What movies could you watch over and over and still love? Out of Africa, When Harry Met Sally, Fried Green Tomatoes, Breakfast At Tiffany's, Steel Magnolias to name a few. 28. Were you a boy/girl scout? I was a Brownie and a Girl Scout. 29. Would you pose nude or strip for a magazine? No. 30. When was the last time you wrote a letter to someone on paper? Do notes in cards count? 31. Favorite kind of sandwich? I don't really like sandwiches, especially cold lunchmeat sandwiches. 32. Best thing to eat for breakfast? French toast. 33. What is your usual bedtime? Lately 11-ish. 35. When you were a kid what did you dress up as for halloween? A cowboy or an Indian were two of my favorites. We always had awesome home made costumes that my mother and grandmother made. 36. Do you read the newspaper? Only on the weekend. 37. How many languages can you speak? Two- English (obviously) and some rusty French. I have a rudimentary knowledge of Spanish and know a select amount of Farsi. 38. Do you have any magazine subscriptions? Yes. Way too many. Real Simple, O, Living (guilty pleasure) 3 cooking magazines, Better Homes and Gardens, Backyard Living, Birds and Blooms, Readers Digest...I'm sure I've forgotten some. I read Newsweek and Time at work on occasion. 39. Are you in love? Yes. 40. Which are better Lego or Lincoln Logs? Lego 41. Red wine or white wine? Red 42. Are you stubborn? Sometimes to a fault. 43. Is this relationship lasting, or just a summer fling? Lasting 44. Watch a soap opera? Not for years and years. I watched Days of our Lives when I was growing up. 45. Sing in the car? Loudly and mostly poorly! 46. Dance in the shower? No way- it is slippery when wet. 47. Dance in the car? How can I if I'm driving? 48. Ever used a gun? Yes. 49. Last time you got a portrait taken by a photographer? On a cruise a few years ago. 50. Are musicals cheesy? Some are, but that doesn't stop me from loving them. 51. Is Christmas stressful? No. 52. Ever eat a pierogie? A what? 53. Favorite type of fruit pie? Cherry pie. 54. Occupations you wanted to be when you were a kid? Ophthalmologist, English teacher, Historian 55. Do you believe in ghosts? Somewhat. 56. Ever have a Deja-vu feeling? Quite Frequently. 57. Take a vitamin daily? Yes. 58. Wear slippers? I live for my Ugg slippers in the winter. 59.Wear a bath robe? Yes. I have a son and neighbors so I can't exactly traipse around with no clothes on in the morning. 60. What do you wear to bed? Nothing. 61. First concert? Richard Marx ( I am officially humilated now.) 62.Wal-Mart, Target or K-Mart? Target! 63. Nike or Adidas? Neither- Mizuno's are great. 64. Fritos or Cheetos? Neither. 65. Corn nuts or sunflowers seeds? Sunflower seeds 66. Have you ever chosen a boy/girl over a friend? No, why would I have to do so? 67. Ever take dance lessons? I took ballet when I was little. 68. Is there a profession that you picture your perfect future spouse? No. 69. Can you curl your tongue? No. 70. Ever won a spelling bee? No. 71. Have you ever cried because you were so happy? I don't cry often, but perhaps when my son was born. 72. Own any record albums? Actual vinyl? Not anymore. Whatever happend to my "Grease" soundtrack album? 73. Own a record player? Yes. Go figure. But it isn't hooked up to the stereo due to #72. 74. Regularly burn incense? No. I don't like it. 75. Ever been in love? Yes. 76. Who would you like to see in concert? James Taylor (again), Paul McCartney, Indigo Girls, Jimmy Buffett, Josh Groban, Elton John, KD Lang, and more... 77. Hot tea or iced tea? Iced in the summer hot in the winter. 78. Tea or coffee? Coffee 79. Favorite kind of cookie? I really love home made cookies. Snickerdoodles are my favorite, with my grandmother's super-secret sour cream cookies a close second. 80. Can you swim well? Yes 81. Can you hold your breath w/o manually holding your nose? Yes 82. Are you patient? Most of the time, yes. 83. DJ or band, at a wedding? I do not like weddings in the least. If I had to pick, I'd say a band, but it had best be a very good one. 84. Ever won a contest? Sure 85. Ever have plastic surgery? Nope 86. Which are better black or green 0lives? black 87. Can you knit or crochet? No, but I've always wanted to learn 88. Best room for a fireplace? The bedroom 89. What's the best way to show affection? Actions... 90. Is it true the best way to a man's heart is his stomach? Not that I know of, no. 91. Which one can't you live without cell phone or car? Car. Sorry, but Indy is too large to get around in without my car. It would be a horribly long walk/ride to my son's school every morning. We have a horrible public transportation system. However, I'd hate to give up my cell phone. I have it on me all of the time and even check my email that way. 92. Toothbrush or shower? You cannot ask someone like me to pick just one! 93. Do you have any regrets? Far too many, but I try not to let that get me down. 95. Did you do good (sic) in high school? I'd have to say that I did well- National Honor Society and the like... 96. Do you still talk to people from high school? Not really. I've emailed a bit with my best friend, but we haven't met up or anything. 97. Have you ever been betrayed by a friend? Yes

You are a deep, thought-filled person who is constantly participating in a dialogue with others to test your creative and rational processes. You're always asking yourself and/or others these three questions: "Why is something happening?" "How does it work?' "With whom can I communicate to help me understand what's happening or who is the best person to work with to complete a specific task?" Whatever you are thinking about has to have some analytic, precise, and systematic criteria with a historical and factual basis. If it does not meet most of these, you first become skeptical and then very intuitively creative in exploring other ways to reconstruct the problem into a different paradigm which may lead to a distinct solution. You are an excellent listener, communicator, and reader who can memorize things easily by logically categorizing them or by creating unusual multi-sensory associations. Also, you have the ability to see the forest and the individual trees concurrently. Most people are capable of seeing either the forest or the trees. This gives you an innate skill to zero in on details while developing your own rational and intuitive conclusions in the context of a whole. These abilities also give you the opportunity to become a fine developer of missions, strategies, and applied tactics. You check your conclusions over in many different ways. But one of your favorite ways is to have a dialogue with another person or a group of people about the topic. People are attracted to you and are always sharing their thoughts and feelings with you. That's because you are a trustworthy person who cares about what's happening, and you are knowledgeable and creative in dealing with presenting problems. They'll join you in any endeavor. This can make you a very clear, precise, and positive leader. Traditional learning (lectures and reading) comes easily for you, particularly if it is factual, logical, historical and, sometimes, personal in its approach. The more personal instructors are in their delivery, the easier it is for you to make creative associations and conclusions. Enthusiasm within a classroom or in a video can motivate you to learn over extended periods of time. Take this free personality test by Clicking Here>> or going to www.chatterbean.com/thinkingcraft/

A quiz for grownups Snagged from Cat who "borrowed" from Shelly 1. Assisted living or nursing home? As Cat had said, there’s a big difference between the two. That being said, I would certainly prefer an assisted living facility over a nursing home. I think I will want to have my freedom and autonomy for as long as possible. 2. What is your least favorite clinic to go to? It’s a toss-up between the ob/gyn (for obvious reasons) and the phlebotomist (due to my needle phobial. I have not the least bit of apprehension about going to the dentist. Could someone please tell me why going to the dentist is considered to be worse than going to the ob/gyn? Talk about vulnerable! At least at the dentist, you get to leave your clothes on. 3. If you won the lottery, which loan would you pay off first? Easy, the mortgage. 4. What do you want to be when your kids grow up? I agree with Cat here, a grandma- but not for quite some time. I’d also like to be retired! 5. Do you still remember who your first grade teacher was? I remember all of my teachers. My first grade teacher was Mrs. Tibbits. She was a brand-new teacher and was loads of fun. The funny thing is, my nephew had her for the first grade also and she remembered me. 6. How many years has it been since you graduated? For simplicity sake, I’ll assume we mean high school- therefore it’s been 18 years. 7. How many hours of sleep (including naps) do you need each day? What is a nap? Anyhow, I need about 8 hours but I mainly get 6 or 7. 8. Sex: weekly, monthly, or annually? Is this a question of preference or occurrence? ;-) Weekly. 9. Ex-lax or Metamucil? Ewww, neither. I’ve never tried either one and I would prefer to keep it that way. 10. Happiness is a warm gun. Wait, that was Beatles song…Well, it’s the best I can do right now.

Booking Through Thursday

1. Have you read Lord of the Rings? No.
2. If so, how many times have you read it? Just once? Or so many you can't count? See #1.
3. If not, why not? Not your cup of tea? Not my preferred genre, to say the least.
4. And, while we're on the subject, did you see the Oscar-winning movie(s)? What did you think? I had no interest in that either.

Bocce ball!

The official meme: Ask me 5 questions. My commentary and caveats: If they are too personal, I might not answer them. If I am too self-delusional or misinformed, I might not answer them correctly. But try anyway... If you feel like it.

Are you more... 01) Banjo for the fun, danceable sound or violin for the soulful, spirit-lifting sound? I love the violin. The banjo tends to get on my nerves. 02) Bus/subway for cheapness and ecological responsibility or cab for door to door convenience? I'm a naughty little American. The city I live in has a deplorable public transportation system for its size. However, if I'm in a city that has workable public transportation, I'll take both the train and a cab, depending on the situation. 03) Paper grocery bags for the capacity and biodegradableness or plastic grocery bags for the convenience and reusability? I love paper bags. Oddly enough, I like how they smell. 04) Liking fruit that you peel (bananas, oranges, etc.) or fruit that you don't peel (apples, pears, etc.)? Fruit that you don't peel, by and large. 05) Expensive 3-ply Kleenex or discount 2-ply Kleenex? You can't cheap-out on tissues! I want them soft. 06) Super soft toilet paper to be cushy on your widdle bum or rough, no-nonsense toilet paper to be sure to get yourself clean? Only cushy. What a question! 07) Watching fake wrestling (WWE, for example) for the kitchy drama or watching real fighting (boxing, UFC, etc.) for the realness? I don't like either one. 08) Coy about telling people what you want when asked ("Oh I don't need anything.") or upfront about telling people what you want when asked ("I would LOVE a new watch.")? If I'm asked, I'll tell what I want. 09) Believing NASA is amazing for inventing the Space Pen (works in no gravity) or believing NASA is stupid for not doing like the Russians who just use pencils? Space pen=waste of research dollars. 10) A Spanky fan or an Alfalfa fan? Spanky, I suppose.

Some are simple, some are not. I have my various reasons for enjoying these words.

1. Oxymoron
2. Nonetheless
3. Paradox
4. Sprinkles
5. Enticing
6. Vapid
7. Facetious
8. Enigma
9. Sassy
10. Honey

It's hard for me to limit it to just ten words- I'm a "logophile"- or lover of words.

1. What are two ways you find relief from the summer heat? Explain: AC and swimming, but I've done precious little of the latter this year. 2. Is it generally warmer or cooler where you live this summer? Explain: As of late, I'd say warmer. 3. On a hot summer day, would you rather go to the pool or to the mall (air-conditioned)? Explain: Pool! I love water. 4. If you could be on vacation this week, would part of your decision-making be based on the weather? Explain: I'm rather concerned about going anywhere that there could be a potential hurricane. Therefore, that eliminates much of the southern U.S. 5. Name two cities you believe have the best weather and two cities with the worst weather year-round: Honolulu and San Diego are great- I lived near both so I know first hand. Fargo and Seattle- obviously I don't care for rain and snow.

1. Have you ever called in sick to have sex? Yes, quite a long time ago. 2. Do you feel "entitled" to sex when you are in a relationship? Honey, I don't feel "entitled" to much of anything in life, period! 3. Have you ever dated/married purely for money? Not a chance. 4. Have you ever, of your own free will, had sex with someone you didn't really want to? Why? Yeah, it's called marriage. LOL 5. Name three words that: a) get you excited: vacation, kiss, sprinkles (inside joke) b) make you squirm: tickle, clown, snake c) make you laugh: Eureka!, kumquat, bullocks Bonus (as in optional): Have you ever had sex with a relative (cousin, inlaw...)? Eww...gross...so, no.

Tell me about your home. 5 things you like and 5 things you would like to change. Likes:

1. Huge bathtub
2. Big back yard full of mature trees
3. All hardwood floors
4. Fireplace in my bedroom
5. Large deck in the back

Dislikes:

1. The kitchen could have a better layout
2. Finished basement in a hideous 1960's style
3. No mudroom off the garage
4. Backyard is not completely fenced in
5. Outdated landscaping (but I'm working on that slowly but surely.)

We also visited the White River Gardens that adjoins the zoo. I took over 100 photos today, so it will take some time to get them all uploaded to my flickr account. I have added a few, you can see them on the sidebar that links to my flickr account. I've never been to the gardens before, they're really quite lovely. Ian especially enjoyed the Butterflies display in the Hilbert Conservatory. I'll try to get some of those photos up tomorrow, but unfortunately, I have to work. We had a terrific day together today. I'm worn out but he's still going strong. Not surprising as he can sleep until noon!

The elephants were having a drink- it had gotten fairly hot (near 90) in the afternoon.

Yeah, I feel that way too some days.

The water that this seal was swimming in looked very enticing after a few hours in the sun.

Ian's favorite animal at the zoo- Penguins! They looked fake to me, but they were just posing for their photo.

 

In a previous post, I mentioned that my son was growing up and shocked me by remembering to get a new towel before his shower. I may have jumped the gun on his new-found maturity. He went out to run in the sprinkler yesterday. When he was done, he called through the back door- "Mom, I need a towel." He's goofy! 

1. I won't eat past _____ o'clock in the evening. I have no such rules. It's almost 9 o'clock and I think I'll go make myself a rootbeer float. 2. My favorite subject for photographing is _____. Just about anything outdoors. 3. I use _____ most often to edit my photographs. Adobe Photoshop Elements 3.0 4. If I'm having trouble sleeping, I usually _____. read. 5. When I'm hungry for a snack, I usually eat _____. cookies, fruit, yogurt....

1) On a scale of 1-10, how well do you know html/css? Around a 5, totally self-taught by trial and error. 2) What is your occupation (stay at homes, you rock!)? Do you like it? I work with a group of women who hurt people for money. It's okay. 3) Do you enjoy cooking? Are you good? I enjoy cooking if I have time and I'd say I'm a decent cook. 4) Are you working on any projects (not job related) right now? What? Other than my photos, not really. 5) How well do you swim? Well enough. 6) What is your favorite indulgence? Argyle Reserve Pinot Noir. 7) Are you a starter, a finisher? Do you enjoy the process? I enjoy the process, but I love finishing something. 8) Who is is your favorite sports star? I can't say that I have one. 9) What is the last thing you MADE with your own two hands? Does a photo count? Then I made about 100 things today on our trip to the zoo. These two were shot in a very dark area so I decided to make them a bit surreal in editing. 10) The ________ doesn't fall far from the tree. Branch. Trust me, I know- I spent a good deal of yesterday picking them up! Also via Lizzie and Irish Church Lady too:

Pick one word from each pair that you think describes me the best and leave it in the comments. Then I'll do you!! Then copy this and post it in your own journal (if you want to do so) to see how your friends view you.

*dominant or submissive *logical or intuitive *social or loner *kinky or vanilla *cute or sophisticated *kitten or puppy *warm flannel sheets or sleek satin *leader or follower *quiet or talkative *spontaneous or planned *teddy bear or porcelain doll *hiking or window shopping *tequila or vodka *top or bottom *bare foot or shoes *jeans or slacks *tender or rough *aware or dreamy *nerd or jock *brains or brawn *common sense or book smarts *pretty or sexy Update- I posted my own answers to either/or in the comments. So don't peek first if you're going to guess!

Stolen from Jay Senior Year of High School Meme. 1. What year was it? 1988 2. What were your three favorite bands? Duran Duran, INXS and Robert Palmer 3. What was your favorite outfit? Hard to say, I was a major foo-foo girl back then. 4. What was up with your hair? Luckily for me, I missed the great-big-hair trend. I did, however, set my hair in hot rollers each and every morning. 5. Who were your best friends? Tracy, Lara, Kim and Susan 6. What did you do after school? Did homework. (yeah, boring) 7. Did you take the bus? Not most of the time. I didn't have my own car, but as comic Suzanne Westenhoefer says, if you are blonde, people will give you rides. 8. Who did you have a crush on? I didn't- I had a boyfriend that I went on to later marry. Yikes! 9. Did you fight with your parents? Not really. 10. Who did you have a CELEBRITY crush on? Well, I pretended it was Bruce Willis, but it was more like Cybill Shepard. Jodie Foster wasn't too bad either. 11. Did you smoke cigarettes? Not a chance. 12. Did you lug all of your books around in your backpack all day because you were too nervous to find your locker? No, I only took what I needed. As far as I know, no one had a backpack back then. 13. Did you have a 'clique'? The Preppy brainy girls. 14. Did you have "The Max" like Zach, Kelly and Slater? Who are these people? 15. Admit it, were you popular? Relatively so. 16. Who did you want to be just like? No one at my school. 17. What did you want to be when you grew up? I didn't want to grow up! 18. Where did you think you'd be at the age you are now? Certainly not where I am now.

What A Way To Make A Living If you did not work (or if you don't) how much TV would you/do you watch during the course of the day? I don't think I'd watch all that much TV, it just doesn't hold much appeal to me. I like to watch the morning news and perhaps catch a bit of the Today Show if I'm home. I like to watch Ellen but I rarely do so. Other than that, I wouldn't have the TV on during the day. How long have you held your current job and how does it rate against your former jobs as far as overall happiness? I've been at my current job for nearly a decade. I know find it very boring but it's not a bad job overall. If you had to describe the thing done by someone at work that drives you the craziest, what would you say? Stupidity, laziness- oops, that's two things. I'd honestly have to say hypocrisy- wanting help with their own projects but being utterly unwilling to assist anyone else. Okay, and martyrdom is up there too- having to hear about how much harder a certain person feels she work than everyone else. If you could have someone at your current place of employment fired, would you do so? Yes, but it most likely not the person those around me might think it would be. I felt this person was a poor choice for the position from the beginning and was against hiring said person. Do you work a typical "9 to 5" Monday through Friday work schedule? I am fortunate enough to work only partial days on Monday and Friday. Often times I work from home on Monday to allow for more time with my son, especially during summer vacation.

Random Joy 1. How much do the things you’re willing to discuss with your friends vary from things you’d discuss with a romantic partner? Which tends to be the closer relationship intellectually? If we're talking discus, as discuss issues of the day and such-well, I'm always up for a good debate/discussion. If we're talking personal details of my life, I'm very closed mouthed about that. I've been told that I'm a hard person to get to know. I'd like to say that I'm private. 2. When shopping, do you believe that generally things that cost more are of better quality? Well, there's the oladagege- you get what you pay for. believeve that is true to some extent. That being said, the most expensive item is not always the best. I do my research and make an informed choice. 3. How old were you when you first moved out of your parents' house? Or if you haven't yet, at what age could you see yourself moving out for the first time? I was 18. 4. Do you think that voting is important? Why or why not? I do think that it's important. It's our way of having our voice heard. 5. Do you keep a dream journal? No, but I should. I have some odd and sometimes interesting dreams.

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall- 1. If you could change one thing about your appearance what would it be? I used to think I have inordinately large ears, but I'm over that now and that's what long hair is for anyhow! I'd like to be a bit taller though. I'm not short by any means at 5'8"- but I'm the shortest of my siblings. 2. Do you generally “dote” on your appearance? Not excessively so...I am expected to look nice for work, but I don't obsess over my appearance. 3. Have you ever altered your appearance? Other than a different haircut, no. 4. Do you follow a daily exercise program? I wouldn't exactly call it a program. I try to do a bit of this and that to keep in shape. 5. Are you a slave to fashion? Not really, I like what I like. I don't run out to buy the latest thing. I'd rather have timeless classics, especially where my work clothes are concerned.

Found over at Jay's How do you like your eggs? Scrambled or in an omlette. How do you take your coffee/tea: I like my coffee like I like my women: dressed up in a shell of artificial sweetness to cover its true corrosive inner core. Favorite breakfast foods: French Toast Peanut butter: smooth or crunchy? Smooth What kind of dressing on your salad? Puccini's Buttermilk Herb Coke or Pepsi? Neither- I don't drink soda. You're feeling lazy. What do you make for dinner? A salad. You're feeling really lazy. What kind of pizza do you order? Mushroom and some other veggies. No meat. You feel like cooking. What do you make? Any number of things. I like to grill fish and veggies in the summer. Do any foods bring back good memories? Certainly, my family loves food! Do any foods remind you of someone? Pancakes make me think of my grandmother. She would come over every Sunday before church and eat breakfast with us. Pancakes, always pancakes. Is there a food you refuse to eat? Pickles mainly. What was your favorite food as a child? I didn't like much of anything except macaroni and cheese and cereal. Is there a food that you hated as a child but now love? Most food. I hated just about everything and was such a picky eater. I hated green peas so much that I tried to "hide" them under the table. Unfortunately, my dog hated peas too and wouldn't eat them either. Is there a food that you loved as a child but now hate? No. Favorite fruit or vegetable: Fruit: Strawberries Vegetable: Broccoli Favorite junk food: Homemade cookies Favorite between meal snack: Kashi granola bars Do you have any weird food habits: Way too many to list. I don't like most of my foods to touch another food. I prefer drier food, I can't eat anything I think might be old. You're on a diet. What food(s) do you fill up on? I don't believe in diets. I do like fish, chicken and veggies though. You're off your diet. Now what would you like? Cookies. How spicy do you order Indian/Thai, etc? Around a 3. Can I get you a drink? Wine- Santa Margharetia Pinot Grigo or Argyle Reserve Pinot Noir. Lately I've been drinking Grey Goose Cosmos. Red wine or white? Usually reds. I do like Pinot Grigo though. We only have beer: I will drink a Corona with lime on rare occasions. Favorite dessert? I really love dessert. I can't limit it to just one. The perfect nightcap? In the winter I like hot chocolate with Bailey's Irish Cream.

The boy hasn't been home much lately, not for an entire month. I've missed him like crazy. Therefore, we decided to do something fun on Saturday. Of course, first the nasty little errands (like shopping) had to be taken care of first. A little bit of suit shopping at Nordstrom's and some uniform pants shopping for him at the Gap and we were out of the mall in record time. Speaking of clothes for boys, I just realized he's at the top of the size chart (a 14) for Gap Kids. Does anyone out there know if the smallest size in Gap men's is the next size up? Anyhow, I have the hardest time finding khaki pants for him to wear to school every year. I certainly want something that will stand up to multiple washings- he wears a uniform (thankfully) so it's the same thing over and over each week. Also, I don't want anything I have to iron. I have enough of that with my own clothes. Yuck! But I digress... After that torture (to him) of shopping, we hit the Canal Walk in downtown Indy. We had a blast renting one of those surrey bicycles and traveling the length of the canal. His favorite part was repeatedly ringing the bell on the bicycle, much to my chagrin. An enjoyable time was had by all. We saw that they've added gondola rides, but we think we'd rather have a carriage ride through downtown instead. In all my years of living here in Indianapolis, I've never done that. I think it's time for that to change! Pictures I've taken on previous visits to the Canal Walk. This visit wasn't a photo-taking trip, so I am using these instead.

Dog Days of Summer~ By the way... Just how hot has it got at your house this summer? Last week it was 95 degrees plus with 100% humidity. Yuck! What keeps you cool in the summer...air conditioning, fans, a cool breeze? Central AC and ceiling fans. Today it's a cool breeze as it was only 59 degrees when I woke up this morning at 5 o'clock. Are you yearning for the fall yet or can you handle some more summer? More and more and more summer. I live for the sun and being outside. That's where I'm headed now, as a matter of fact.

Free association is described as a "psychonanalytic procedure in which a person is encouraged to give free rein to his or her thoughts and feelings, verbalizing whatever comes into the mind without monitoring its content." Over time, this technique is supposed to help bring forth repressed thoughts and feelings that the person can then work through to gain a better sense of self. That's an admirable goal, but for the purposes of this excercise, we're just hoping to have a little fun with the technique. Each week I'll post ten words to which you can respond to with the first thing that comes to mind.

1. Requirements :: Graduation
2. Pizza :: Dough
3. Dating :: Game
4. Issue :: Volume
5. Sharp :: Tongue
6. Distinguish :: Award
7. Remote :: Control
8. Felony :: Offense
9. Exercise :: Sweat
10. Choose :: Decision