DragonBlog

A Falling Star, Perhaps...

Saw this over on Lissakatt's blog, so I thought I'd give it a try...

You are The Star

Hope, expectation, Bright promises.

The Star is one of the great cards of faith, dreams realised

The Star is a card that looks to the future. It does not predict any immediate or powerful change, but it does predict hope and healing. This card suggests clarity of vision, spiritual insight. And, most importantly, that unexpected help will be coming, with water to quench your thirst, with a guiding light to the future. They might say you're a dreamer, but you're not the only one.

What Tarot Card are You?
Take the Test to Find Out.

*drool*

Yadda, yadda, pics coming eventually. I've been busy. And I think Kayla's teething. She just won't let me put. her. down. *groan*

Current Mood: cranky

20 questions plus...

I don't normally do these, (although I actually had one sitting in my e-mail inbox for one of these days), but Lissakat tagged me, since I've made it to the presitge of being on her friends list. Not wanting to damage my standing, I will thus comply... *grin*

1. Your Middle Name:
Marie

2. Age:
*looks around to see who's watching, then whispers* 34, but don't tell anybody... shhhh.

3. Single or Taken:

Taken. Very much so. *stops for a moment to look dreamily off into space*

4. Favorite Movies:
Fifth Element, The Princess Bride, The Matrix, and Monsters Inc. to name a few I could watch over and over again.

5. Favorite Songs:
Behind Blue Eyes (The Who), Don Quixote (Gordon Lightfoot - don't laugh), Russians (Sting), Masters of the Universe (Juno Reactor), and Barbarian Horde (Gladiator Soundtrack), to name a few again. I love music.

6. Favorite Bands/Artists:
The Who, Gordon Lightfoot (I said don't laugh!), Sting, Juno Reactor, The Bad Examples, Rob Zombie, Hans Zimmer, James Horner, and then some... (yes, it's a bit of a mix there)

7. Dirty or Clean:
I like my house clean (though I feel like it never is) and my mind dirty? hehe...

8. Tattoos and/or Piercings:
Ears pierced (one twice) and a small tatoo of a winged dragon on the back of my right shoulder.

9. Do we know each other outside of LJ?
Yep. In fact it took a while before I even knew you had a LJ.

10. Whats your philosophy on life?
Learn. Grow. Be. That's the really, really simplified version anyway.

11. Would you have my back in a fight?
Very probably.

12. Would you keep a secret from me if you thought it was in my best interest?
That would depend on the secret, but most likely no.

13. What is your favorite memory of us?
The first time the drum circle was held at my house.

14. Would you give me a kidney?
Maybe. I'd have to think about that.

15. Tell me one odd/interesting fact about you:
After discounting all the things I shouldn't say on the internet? hmm...
I have a phobia of most flowers. There's an odd one for ya. Yes, there's a story behind it. Yes, I know it's a stupid phobia.

16. Would you take care of me when I'm sick?
If we lived closer to one another I would have been doing so during this rough pregnancy of yours already... (she's had a really rough time of it!)

17. Can we get together and make a cake?
That would rock. Do we get to eat it afterwards too? *evil grin*

18. Have you heard any rumors of me lately?
I heard you're pregnant... lol. Otherwise, not lately. *evil grin*

19. Do you/have you talk(ed) crap about me?
Once or twice, yes. But nothing truely bad.

20. Do you think I'm a good person?
Yep.

21. Would you drive across country with me?
That would totally rock. Nevermind the impracticality of actually doing it. It would be a blast!

22. Do you think I'm attractive?
Yes.

23. If you could change anything about me, would you?
I'd make you move closer so we could get together more often!

24. What do you wear to sleep?
Comfy shirt (t-shirt, tank top, etc., depending on weather), and my undies (sorry, not giving details on those).

25. Would you come over for no reason just to hang out?
Yep. More so if you didn't live an hour away.

26. Would you go on a date with me if i asked you?
See the part where I'm "taken" above.

27. If I only had one day to live, what would we do together?
I suspect if you only had one day, you'd probably choose your beloved to spend it with. However, if you chose to spend it with me (for some odd reason) I'd probably take you to do something you'd never done before - climb a mountain or something like that - for that one last "experience" to add to the ones you've had. Maybe arrange for a massive drum circle group and buffet to be waiting at the top when we got there.

28. Will you repost this so i can fill it out for you?
Here it is. Your turn!

Tagged & Computer Glitch...

I was tagged! Doesn't happen often, so I think I'll actually even do it:

1. Grab the nearest book.
2. Open the book to page 123.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the text of the next 3 sentences on your blog along with these instructions.
5. Don’t you dare dig for that "cool" or "intellectual" book in your closet! I know you were thinking about it! Just pick up whatever is closest.
6. Tag three people.

Oh crap, so the nearest book to me is 35,000+ Baby Names, by Bruce Lansky. Hrm:

Lelya (Russian) a form of Helen. Leka
Lena(Greek) a short form of Eleanor. (Hebrew) dwelling or lodging. (Latin) temptress. (Norwegian) illustrious. Music: Lena Horne, a well-known African-American Singer. Lenah, Lene, Lenea, Lenee, Lenette, Leni, Lenka, Lina, Linah

I'll tag LA Scene, Scott & Lindsay, and, of course, Brian. We'll see if any of them notice and answer. hehe.

It was also pointed out to me that my gallery wasn't working. Damnit. This time, however, I'd like to point out that it was NOT MY FAULT FOR ONCE! *does whooping dance of victory* I've got the Cleverdot people working on it and hopefully it will be resolved soon. They're usually pretty good about this stuff. Seems they had some problems recently and moved me (and whomever else is on my server) over to a brand-spankin' new server. I guess some settings didn't quite make it. At least that's my hope. I did back up the database not long ago though, so I'm hoping that even if it's all mucked up it won't be tough to fix. About time something went wrong where I DID back it up recently. heh.

Gotta go... baby's hungry again.

Current Mood: crazy

Flashback One Year (part 2)...

One of the things I've been meaning to blog about lately was the yearly futureme.org letter. For those who don't know about this, it's a letter you write to yourself, then forget about, and have delivered to your e-mail box one year later. I've done this before. Here is the letter I sent myself this time around:

(The following is an e-mail from the past, composed on Monday, March 21, 2005, and sent via FutureMe.org)

Dear FutureMe,

Another year has gone by. Do you have another child now? If so, I hope the managing of the bills for it has gone well. Who's got the job and who's juggling the home stuff? Have you secured health insurance yet? Are you still writing religiously?

What about those classes you were planning on starting at ECC in the next session? Or has something else captured your attention for now?

Are you still true to yourself and your spiritual path?

Are you learning?
Are you growing?
Are you taking time out to just be?

How is your family?

In what way has the past year made you wiser, do you think? Or has it?

Remember... It's all good.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
delivery brought to you by FutureMe.org
like hearing from your past?
we like donations: http://www.futureme.org/donations/
(your support helps keep FutureMe free)
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Yes, I do have another child. My beautiful daughter, Kayla, has chosen us to be her family. As for the bills, well... KidCare has helped enormously by covering the pregnancy and child medical costs and reducing the costs for Brian's medical care too, although fortunately he only got sick once over the winter. Brian is the one working, and has moved to another field - RV sales. I'm juggling most of the "home stuff" although Brian does what he can to help me. I'm also taking classes at ECC to become a jewelry designer now. I'm trying to stay focused on the goal, and most other projects are being set aside while I do. We're still keeping up with Quick Shtick Writing as best we can with the new baby though. Writing is still something both Brian and I want to pursue in our spare time.

Health insurance was only just finally offered at Brian's job, and we had to turn it down for now. There's a clause that might allow us to pick it up once the KidCare thing ends though, so we'll see where we are at when it does. For the moment, we still can't afford to be paying the monthly premiums on it, not until sales pick up for the season. Hopefully this will start happening full-force in May and our luck will improve. Meanwhile, we are cutting corners where we can.

My spiritual path is sometimes shaky, but I'm still on it. I'm working on blending my own beliefs better with Brian's so that we can present something cohesive and unified to our children as they begin to understand about holidays and ask questions. He has more need for ritual and tradition throughout the year than I do, so we're looking for ways to embrace that in a way that will be fun for the kids. I received a wonderful book from my sister-in-law for my birthday that I think will help us choose activities in that respect.

I'm still learning, growing, and being. At least once a day I find myself in a moment where I pull away from the chaos around me and let myself feel something small in it's entirety. Some days it's the only thing keeping me sane. Right now, as I posted recently on my blog, I seem to be experiencing my sense of touch a little more acutely. Although the birth of my second child has me feeling extra emotionally too. Partly due to hormones, and partly due to the tiny little bundle of joy that I snuggle in my arms so much throughout the day.

Jareth is adjusting to his new little sister, and about to turn three years old. He's going through the "No Stage" of the terrible two's still though, so some days can be a struggle. Overall, however, he's still such a joy in my life. I cannot imagine my life without my family. They are my everything.

Am I wiser? I think every year I get a little wiser in some things and perhaps less in others. I certainly don't know everything - I never will. I may be learning new things every day, but sometimes it feels as if my brain can only hold so much information and stuff slips out the back door as the new is coming in the front. I know that's not really true, but I've been tempted to look into some of those classes that help with memory recall and speed reading. Both would be useful to me right now. But then, wisdom isn't necessarily about what I know either. Yet as I open doors and break down walls on one side of myself, I close and build on the other. I suppose, in that regard, I sound as if maybe I've found a little more balance in life. That's something anyway. A step towards the right direction if nothing else. I want to be a good example to my children, so I work to make myself better in the process. I don't want to just expect better of them if I can't at least try to achieve it myself.

I have days that suck. I mean really suck. But in the end, it IS still all good.

Okay. Now I'm off to write the next letter to myself, for next year. I wonder what I'll say? Hell, consider it a "hook" to keep y'all reading. *wink*

Current Mood: good

And now,

Yep, I know, it's been a while since I last remembered to do this. I've seemed to have plenty other things to blog about lately and originally I picked up the occasional meme to fill in when I couldn't think of what to say. But I suddenly remembered that I hadn't done it in a while, so here goes...

Would you rather:
1. lapse into epileptic seizures everytime somebody says the word "squid" OR cluck like a chicken everytime somebody says "chicken"?
Um... I would have to say that "clucking" would be far preferable to seizures any day! Egads!
2. have no bones, but complete muscular control of every part of your body OR four arms?
Four arms. No contest. I have a two-year-old. Four arms would be really damned handy!
3. your nose hair grow down past your chin no matter how much you cut it OR have earlobes twice the normal size?
Earlobes. You could at least hide that with the right haircut.
4. have people constantly mistake your sex (man v. woman) OR your sexual preference (straight v. gay)?
Seeing as how I'm happily married, I wouldn't give a damn if they kept stupidly thinking I was a lesbian. I think I would start getting annoyed if people kept mistaking me for a guy though.

In other news... my jewelry teacher is annoying me to no end. Whenever we have a question for her she looks over as if we're bothering her and says "what?" in this tone that suggests it had better be a good question if we want to stand a chance of it being answered. I've been having some problems in the final stages of my first piece. I tried to ask her what I was doing wrong, but just got a vague answer before she went back to working on her own jewelry project she's working on while teaching our class. Glad she's got her priorities straight. She's obviously just there for the paycheck and not for the warm fuzzy feeling of having actually taught more than just the basics. Oh, this is going to be an interesting class indeed. I'm already thinking about seeing just how much extra it would cost me to go to a different college that isn't in my district instead of taking the second class with her again. Grrrrrrrrrr.

G'night!

Current Mood: irritated

And now,

Betcha thought I forgot, didn't ya? Nope! Finally remembered this week!

Would you rather:
1. meet willy wonka OR ghandi?
Ghandi. Totally.
2. chug a full bottle of pepto-bismol OR drink two gallons of whole milk?
Pepto-bismol. One bottle sounds far less painful, and I am accustomed to intestinal discomfort enough that I think I could survive the 24 hours of hell that would likely ensue. That, and the fact that I don't think I'm physcially capable of actually drinking two gallons of whole milk in one sitting.
3. be on the receiving end of an atomic wedgie OR purple nurple?
Purple nurple. It sounds far less traumatic.
4. watch a movie marathon of all of pauly shore's films OR ian mckellen's films?
Easy one. Ian McKellen, no contest. You've got Shakespeare, Lord of the Rings, AND X-men in there! I'm SO there!

100 Things About Me (sort of)

I've gotten a couple of those e-mails with a bunch of questions in them to answer about oneself, so I'm smooshing them all together here into one post. Maybe one of these days I'll do the usual "100 things about me" type of post too. We'll see. Five of these were either changed or added due to repeat questions and the like in the two different e-mails...

1. First name? Amy.

2. Were you named after anyone? No.

3. Day person or Night person? Night.

4. When did you last cry? July 4th during a particularly emotional part in the movie we watched.

5. Do you like your handwriting? No.

6. What is your favorite lunch meat? Roast beef.

7. What is your birth date? April 12th.

8. What is your most embarrassing CD? Not sure. I'd have to check, but I'm sure there's at least one.

9. If you were another person, would YOU be friends with you? Absolutely.

10. Do you have a journal? Um. Yeah. You're readin' it.

11. Do you use sarcasm a lot? Sometimes.

12. What are your nicknames? Rain/Rayn, Soe (on EverQuest), Mommy, and I was called "punkin" by my mom when I was little and then later Aim (which I loathe) and there are two people in existence who can get away with "Amers" without me threatening physical harm upon their person. In the end, though, most people just call me Amy unless I'm online.

13. Would you bungee jump? No.

14. Do you untie your shoes when you take them off? No.

15. Do you think that you are strong? Only when the shit hits the fan.

16. What is your favorite ice cream flavor? Godiva's Belgium Dark Chocolate.

17. Shoe size? Usually around an 8 1/2.

18. Red or pink? Red.

19. What is your least favorite thing about yourself? How cynically I've come to look at most of the rest of humanity.

20. What do you miss most? The motorhome.

21. Do you want everyone you send this to, to send it back? I don't generally send these kind of things out to others.

22. What color pants and shoes are you wearing? Blue jammy shorts and no shoes.

23. What are you listening to right now? My husband trying to convince my son to come downstairs and play.

24. Last thing you ate? Dinner - the pasta salad I made waaaay too much of for yesterday.

25. If you were a crayon, what color would you be? Sky Blue. That and Sea Green were always my favorite ones.

26. What is the weather like right now? Pretty nice in my air conditioning. *grin*

27. Last person you talked to on the phone? Some telemarketer who wanted to "help" me refinance my mortgage. *grumble*

28. The first thing you notice about the opposite sex? The attitude with which they carry themself.

29. Do you like the person who sent this to you? Yes. Although I don't know her extremely well yet. Hopefully I'll have the opportunity to get to know her better.

30. Favorite Drink? Iced tea, no lemon. Or tequila if we're talking liquor.

31. Favorite drug? I don't do drugs.

32. Favorite sport? Air hockey. *grin*

33. Last time you exercised? Yesterday I took a walk in the park with friends. Does that count?

34. Eye Color? Blue.

35. Do you wear contacts/glasses? Nope. I do have some reading glasses but I never have time to read anymore anyway and only need them if I'm doing a LOT of reading.

36. Favorite Food? Oooh, that's too tough to judge. I love all kinds of food.

37. Last Movie You Watched? Batman Begins.

38. Favorite Day of the Year? My birthday. I can allow myself to be a little bit selfish and not feel at all guilty about it.

39. Scary Movies Or Happy Endings? Happy Endings.

40. Summer Or Winter? Winter.

41. Greatest day of your life so far? The day I gave birth to my son.

42. Hugs OR Kisses? Long, slow, toe-curling kisses that make you tingle in certain places.

43. What Is Your Favorite Dessert? Angel food cake with buttercream frosting.

44. Who Is Most Likely To Respond? Nobody, since I won't be sending this out to anyone. (although I'll send a link to the person who sent it to me)

45. Who Is Least Likely To Respond? Um. See above.

46. Living arrangements? House.

47. Sleeping arrangements? King-sized bed, shared with Brian.

48. What's your favorite book? Not sure. There's a few I come back to though. Ones by Anne McCaffery, George R.R. Martin and Robert Jordan come to mind.

49. What is your favorite CD? Currently Shango, by Juno Reactor.

50. What Did You Watch Last night on TV? I didn't watch TV last night.

51. Favorite Smells? I used to love the smell of baking bread best of all. I can't smell that one anymore though, but I do get a lovely floral smell when I work with hemp, making jewelry out of it.

52. Favorite Room? My son's room - I worked hard on that one to make it nice for him.

53. Favorite Sounds? The waves of the ocean as they roll in and crash on the beach.

54. Rolling Stones or Beatles? Beatles.

55. What's the furthest you've been from home? I'm not sure which is farthest - Seattle, WA, Las Vegas, NV, Ft. Lauderdale, FL or Stratford, Ontario. And I'm too lazy to look them up to find out for sure.

56. Do you have a special talent? I'd like to think so, but I couldn't say for sure what it was.

57. What celebrity could you totally do without? I'm thinking Michael Jackson.

58. What's your favorite computer game? Probably EverQuest, although I also enjoy Pretty Good Solitaire and Puzzle Master 3.

59. What's your dream job? To own and run a small theatre, and be involved with the production of some of the plays, as well as book acts to perform there.

60. Best money or best job? Huh? I'd take a job I liked over more money if I had the option to choose. I already am, since my main job is being a mom right now. No money in that.

61. What would you do with an extra $100? Buy a new mattress for Jareth's "big boy bed" since we're about ready to move him into it. Assuming $100 would actually stretch that far.

62. What disease would you cure if given the chance? Aids.

63. What has been/will be the highlight of your week? Probably role-playing on Saturday.

64. If you could be anywhere else right now, where would that be? Anywhere with a lower pollen count. *rubs eyes*

65. Did we learn anything from this? No, not really.

66. What color are your kitchen plates? White and white with greenish rims.

67. What book are you reading now? The Complete Idiot's Guide to Paganism, by Carl McColman. I borrowed it for some overview on the various aspects.

68. What is on your mousepad? The IKEA logo. Don't ask. I'm not overly fond of IKEA.

69. Favorite board game? Rummy Cube. Although it doesn't exactly have a board.

70. Least favorite smell? Vomit. Fortunately I can't really smell that much either now.

71. What is the first thing you think of when you wake up in the morning? Damnit bladder, I don't WANNA get up yet!

72. Favorite color? Blue.

73. Least favorite color? Pink. Froo-froo, girly, pink.

74. How many rings until you answer the phone? usually 2.

75. Future child's name? Sarah Helen. We're not sure on what a boy would be named yet.

76. Chocolate or Vanilla? Probably chocolate, but sometimes it depends on the item and my mood.

77. Do you like to drive fast? I would love to, but I like being alive better so I don't.

78. Do you sleep with a stuffed animal? Not unless you count my body pillow.

79. Do you like thunderstorms? Absolutely.

80. What was your first car? I don't remember anymore.

81. What is your sign? Aries.

82. Do you eat the stems of broccoli? Not by choice, but yes.

83. What is your middle name? Marie.

84. If you could have any color hair, what would it be? A deep red. And the freckled complexion to go with it.

85. Is the glass half full or half empty? It's at half. Accept that and move on already.

86. Favorite movie? Tough call. Maybe The Princess Bride or The Fifth Element.

87. Do you type with your fingers on the right keys? Yes. Typing class. Thank you mother, for making me take it in high school.

88. What's under your bed? Carpet. The box spring sits on the floor, as we never bothered getting a frame for it. I like it that way.

89. Favorite sports to watch? Gymnastics and ice skating at the olympics.

90. Your single biggest intense pain? Umm? Childbirth I guess.

91. Favorite collectible? Dragon and Fairy items.

92. Favorite artist? Michael Whelan. Although there are plenty of others I love.

93. Ketchup or Mustard? BBQ sauce thanks.

94. Hamburger or hot dog? Hamburger, medium-rare, with swiss cheese, grilled onions, and a side of bbq sauce at Alfie's Inn in Glen Ellyn.

95. What is your favorite season? Fall. It used to be spring, but lately it's fall.

96. The best place you have ever been? Probably St. Augustine, Florida.

97. What screen saver is on your computer right now? I think it's called Beziers.

98. Favorite fast food? Portillo's.

99. What image is on your computer desktop right now? An image of artwork by Louis Royo.

100. Last item you purchased? Multivitamins, bought online.

Okay, that's enough of that.

G'night!

Current Mood: tired

And now,

Would you rather:
1. eat two dozen hot dogs in one sitting OR three cups of peanut butter?
I think I could manage two dozen hot dogs if I absolutely had to and there were no buns included. I do not think I could actually sit and eat three cups of straight peanut butter. Ack! My arteries clog just thinking about it!
2. have the dry heaves for two days OR diarrhea?
Diarrhea. That's easy. I deal with diarrhea often enough that it wouldn't phase me a whole heck of a lot.
3. have a week vacation in las vegas OR a week in new york city?
Vegas baby! Give me some desert and those beautiful mountains and that lovely dam and I'll be one happy camper! I'm not much of a city girl myself and never got hooked on the gambling when we've been in Vegas in the past, so I'd be way better off there.
4. break your nose OR your collar bone?
Nose. Ow either way... I think the nose would involve less trouble during the healing process though.

Tomorrow we go to the Shedd Aquarium and see the "fishies". Jareth loves fishies so much that I've been toying with the idea of setting up a saltwater tank where the family room television is (since we watch television on the tv in the living room, and never in the family room anyway - that's where the computers are!). We'll see if we get inspired after we see all those big fishies!

Oh, and today? Today was errands. Shopping. Boooorrring. Not gonna blog it. Dry stuff, Wal-Mart is. Jewel too. *yawn*

G'night!

Returning from Illness and And now,

Sunday, over the course of five or six hours, I went from "ugh, my stomach feels off and I'm really tired - must be something I ate combined with the heat in the car..." to "Oh man do I feel like crap!!!" I guess whatever had been plaguing Brian earlier in the week that he stayed home one day for had decided to pay me a visit as well. As a result, I spent all of yesterday in bed taking my temperature and drinking hefty quantities of Nyquil. I took enough time to safeguard the family room and plunked Jareth in it after breakfast, visiting him only often enough to drop him some lunch and take care of the obligatory diaper changes. As it was, he sat in one diaper a bit longer than he should of, and I found myself groggily apologizing to him as I changed him before his nap. It was the closest I could arrange to getting a "sick day" though, as I couldn't really ask Brian to be staying home for me so soon after our vacation and him having had a sick day of his own.

I feel a bit better today, having dealt with the fever end of things yesterday. I'm still feeling run down and the sore throat I got is now giving way to the "phlem stage" of things. Yay. I just snotted up something that looked like it ought to be part of my brain. I hope not. I doubt I can afford to lose any brain cells.

So, I will wrap up the vacation stuff and handle the backlog of posts I have to put up here another night, and give in to the inevitable Tuesday meme...

Would you rather:
1. spend 76 hours at a rave OR at a work/education conference?
Rave. That sounds far more interesting from a "people-watching" perspective than some dull conference. *grin*
2. star in your own sitcom that only lasts one season OR star in one hit movie?
One hit movie. Then it wouldn't cost so much to make all my friends buy the dvd.
3. drive a winnebago everywhere for a month OR drive a scooter?
Give me the WINNY!!! Woohoo! Been there. Done that. 37 feet of traveling bliss. Ours wasn't a winnebago though, it was a Fleetwood Limited (basically a limited edition of the Pace Arrow).
4. drink a shot of laundry detergent OR a glass full of white vinegar?
White vinegar. But only on the basis that it would be less toxic on a chemical level. Eeech!

That's all for now.

G'night!

And now, Or not...

Well, based on the fact that I couldn't get through to the web site just now, I guess that Tuesday is, in fact, not Chooseday this time. Maybe that's what I get for waiting until this late in the evening, or maybe it's just offline today. Either way, it's unlikely I'll be messing around with it later so I'll just have to skip it this week.

Of course, I was expecting to do it, so I haven't really thought much on what I want to blog today instead. Perhaps I should ramble on about the preconceived horrors that tomorrow will bring, as tomorrow evening we will likely go and look for a new swim suit for not-so-little ole' me. They make wonderful swimsuits - if you're a size 6 or less. Let's just say I'm not a size 6 and leave it at that, shall we? I think the diet is working some, but I don't think I have a prayer in hell of getting that slim in time for the beach. If I get that slim (or even close) sometime this summer I can always reward myself by purchasing another suit then. In the meantime, I need one that fits me now, and hopefully does some measure of making me look good while it's at it. Either way, it's unlikely I'll be rushing home after vacation to show off pictures of myself on the beach. Pretty damned unlikely indeed. I'm betting on nice pictures of scenery and some great shots of Brian instead.

But, until shopping occurs, most of my hours are still spent staring at the screen here. I have stopped for another movie tonight, and I might even be able to allow myself some time for my friend RainMoon to come over tomorrow if I can get far enough along. I haven't decided if I'm going to get back to work tonight after my guys are in bed, or if I'll quit and relax for a while. I may turn in early tonight. Not sure.

Well, 'cause you know I live by the seat of my pants here, right?

*listens to the eyes rolling*

Alright... so much for sarcasm. Nevermind. See what happens when I don't have my usual meme to fall back on? *sigh*

G'night!

And now,

Would you rather:
1. your ears be bleeding OR your eyes?
Ears. At least that way I could see to get to the damn doctor!!!
2. smell like vanilla cake frosting OR fresh-cut lime wedges?
Vanilla cake frosting. No contest. Because I know my husband likes vanilla. *big wicked grin*
3. get comments on your hair OR your smile?
Hair. When they comment on your smile, that's generally because they haven't got anything good to say...
4. have an addiction to coffee OR an addiction to bubble gum?
That depends... is it good coffee? Because coffee is a very particular thing... wait! Sounds like I'm addicted already!

And now,

Would you rather:
1. have starr jones over for dinner OR mike tyson?
Well I don't know who Star Jones is, and her web site requires an e-mail to find out so I guess her. She's probably less violent and I could bitch about that e-mail thing while I was at it.
2. put cheez-whiz on everything you eat OR marshmallows?*cough* neither!! I guess I'd go for marshmallows before cheez-whiz. Egads! I think the marshmallows might be less likely to kill me.
3. hitchhike everywhere you go OR walk?
Hitchhike. It would be an interesting societal study seeing who gave me rides. I don't think I look threatening either, so people might actually give me rides too.
4. dress in lederhosen for a week OR nothing but a grass skirt and coconut bra?
The coconut bra would probably be uncomfortable as hell, but I think I'll go for that based on the novelty of it. That actually sounds amusingly fun.

Wow... two posts in one day! See what would happen if I blew everything off on a regular basis? Wonders never cease!

Now back to the regularly scheduled computer gaming until I need to get dressed in something more restaurant-appropriate and scoop up a little boy after his nap.

And now,

Would you rather:
1. be constantly sweating on the back of your knees OR always think you have bad breath?
Knees. I could hide that with skirts and super-absorbent socks. But constantly think I have bad breath? No. I'm self-conscious enough as it is.
2. come home and somebody painted all your walls bright red OR somebody replaced all your floors with astroturf?
Red walls can be repainted. But you don't want to be the person who replaced my floors with astroturf. You'd be in for some serious hurt if you did that.
3. win a new car OR win a two week, all expenses paid, vacation to anywhere in the world?
Vacation. Easy choice. I always value experiences over "things" when it comes to choices like that.
4. have a tapeworm OR lice?
I think tapeworm. One worm sounds easier to get rid of than a whole mess of lice in the end. But, then, I don't know a lot about tapeworms so I'm making an uninformed choice on that one.

And now,

Would you rather:
1. have a giant sunflower grow out of the top of your head OR cotton balls under your arms?
Although the sunflower could be more circus-worthy, I think I'd rather deal with the cotton balls. At least they'd soak up sweat.
2. always yell at the top of your lungs OR never be able to speak above a whisper?
I think I'd rather never be able to speak above a whisper than yell all the time. I don't think I'd want to deal with being super annoying by yelling all the time. It would be easier to just tell people they'll have to come close and listen.
3. not be able to say the letter 'B' OR make all your 'S' sounds like 'SH'?
I'd rather not be able to say the letter 'B' instead of telling people to 'shit down over there'. Yah. *nods* Then again, I am the one who came up with Quick Shtick Writing, sooooo...
4. eat EVERYTHING covered with chocolate sauce OR have a side of graham crackers with every meal?
Even I can admit that not everything will taste good with chocolate sauce on it. A couple of graham crackers would be a lot better than losing the variety of flavors that come from all the wonderful foods to be found out there. And chocolate-covered burritos or spaghetti sounds simply awful!

And now,

Would you rather:
1. be responsible for an oil tanker crash off the coast of alaska OR cause a rebellion in a developing nation?
Rebellion. It would probably be less harsh on the environment in the overall scope of things.
2. get locked out of your house while naked OR throw up all over yourself in the middle of an important meeting?
Throw up. Maybe at least the co-workers would be sympathetic (since I'd obviously say I was sick or something). I'm not comfortable enough with my own appearance to have all the neighbors see me in the buff, and I'd likely get arrested or something in my neighborhood!
3. wake up to find your feet have grown two sizes OR hair all over your back that grows back every night?
I think I could deal with having bigger feet easier than the hair.
4. eat nothing but cheese for a week OR only chinese food for two months?
Chinese. Easy choice.

Score one for the Kid!

No, this is not an absurdly early entry for Wednesday, it's really an extra entry for Tuesday instead.

This evening, we were hanging out in the living room, watching a movie, when I heard a scuffling. The kitten was messing with stuff by the coat closet door, which is generally not unusual as I have a cat scratching thingy hung on the doorknob there. But the door doesn't stay shut on it's own, so I've also got a pair of my shoes acting as makeshift doorstops. Usually it works. I have serious drilling to do to fix the door, so this has been a nice temporary solution until I have the time and inclination to figure out exactly how to fix it.

But, the kitten managed to move the shoes out of the way, and get the door open on the closet. Once the door was open, she wanted to go in and explore it. We didn't notice the part where the shoes moved, nor the part where she entered the closet.

What we noticed, was the scuffling. From inside the closet. The closed closet. With the shoes neatly placed in front of the door.

Where our son had kindly put them back, after closing the open closet door. Thus... locking the kitten inside!

Oh my, I haven't laughed so hard in ages...

The poor kitten, confused by her predicament, trapped in the dark closet, was poking her paws out from underneath, trying to get ahold of something that might render some assistance. My other cat seemed highly amused, by the way, and spent a short while teasing those little gray paws with her bigger black ones.

When asked where the kitty was, Jareth went over and pointed to the closet! He knew the kitten was in there!

Needless to say, we sat there and laughed a while, letting the kitten stew in her little predicament for a short bit before we let her out. Maybe she won't want to get in there again. We'll see. Countdown until neuter/declaw - two days, basically. The vet comes on Thursday morning. If all goes well, we get her back sometime on Friday. I've already gotten the softer paper litter for the box when she gets back - thanks to Brian for remembering we were going to need it.

The real question has become - what will Nora be like while Cinder is gone? Will she be pleased or worried? Hmm.

Also, so I don't forget...

Would you rather:
1. be stuck in an elevator with luciano pavarotti OR donald rumsfeld?
Pavarotti. I wonder how the acoustics would be?
2. have to kill a bird with your bare hands OR have to run over a dog with your car?
I would never purposely do either! For the purpose of argument, however, I'll say dog. I just don't think I could snap that little bird's neck with my own hands. But I might be able to close my eyes and pretend I was hitting a rubbermaid trash can or something. Maybe. *sniffle*
3. have the power to fly, but have to use the bathroom every 30 minutes OR have super strength but be blind?
Too much industrial use for super strength these days - I'll take flying. Flying would totally ROCK! I mean hello - DRAGON - duh! Depending on where I am and whether it's #1 or #2, I could always piddle mid-flight right? right? *listens to the crickets chirping*
4. look like alfred hitchcock OR edgar allen poe?
What did Edgar Allen Poe look like? Since I haven't a clue, I guess I'll take Hitchcock. At least then I know what to expect.

Hey, I was still awake, so it's still Tuesday for me.

Okay, now I really do have to get my butt off to bed.

G'night!

And now,

Ever have one of those surreal days where you feel like you're outside yourself? Today was one of those. Some instances just felt like deja-vu, others just felt disconnected. Not all of it though. I was present and accounted for sometimes. Mostly whenever I was directly interacting with the people around me. Otherwise I was floating nearby myself. I know where I was, it's just hard to put in words properly.

So, instead, I'll do the usual Tuesday thing, Tuesday is Chooseday:

Would you rather:
1. have your purse/wallet stolen OR your car stolen?
In all honesty - my purse. I generally don't keep a lot of cash on me and only one credit card with a small limit. It would be easy to report everything stolen in a short period of time. I'd be more ticked off at losing the pictures in my wallet than anything else in there. My car would be tougher - then we'd have to replace the carseat too, and I doubt the insurance would cover that. Not to mention having to wait for the insurance to cough up the money and then go find another car that I like. That would suck.
2. have a ticket to the grammy awards show OR the academy awards?
From a prospective observer standpoint, I'd rather have the grammy awards ticket - I think the entertainment for the show would be better overall. However, from the "mingling" standpoint, I'd like the academy awards. In the end I'd probably take the academy awards show, just so I could see how full of themselves those actors really are.
3. be three feet taller OR three feet shorter?
Neither - I'm pretty average height, so either would make a huge difference! I guess I'd take shorter before taller, but I'd prefer that my weight and bone structure be reduced accordingly please, otherwise I'd look really strange! I wouldn't want to be three feet taller or I'd bonk my head on everything all the time!
4. for the rest of your life, talk like yoda OR breathe like darth vader?
Yoda. At least then I have the option to not talk and nobody would know. You can't not breathe! Besides, I could probably market the yoda voice somehow...

G'night!

And now,

Would you rather:
1. get a splinter in your finger OR stub your toe?
Stub my toe. That goes away, but sometimes you don't get all of a splinter out right off and it's nasty to have a teensy bit of one stuck in there for a while!
2. eat at denny's OR the international house of pancakes?
IHop. Easy. I waitressed at Denny's for far too long, and they've only gone downhill since then.
3. be a world renowned martial artist with multiple black belts OR a famous international negotiator?
Oooh. Martial artist. I'd definitely want the sword stuff too please (Kendo I believe). I'd be a kick-ass mommy then!
4. have to wear a flashing neon sign that reads "shut up fool!" for a week OR dress like flavor flav for a week?
I'd dress like that flavor flav guy I guess. I just wouldn't actually go anywhere!

And now,

Sick today. Might not post later. Sore throat, ears feeling ucky, headache. I feel like I have a fever, but the thermometer says otherwise.

This is the one part that really sucks to being a stay-at-home mommy. Unlike other jobs, you don't get to call in sick. You're on call 24-7, no matter how icky you might feel. Not only is there nobody to take care of you, but you are still expected to take care of someone else. And manage to not get them sick too in the process.

*moan, grumble, complain*

However, I forgot last week so I won't forget this week:

Would you rather:
1. uncontrolably burp loudly while meeting the queen of england OR fart silently, but deadly, while meeting the pope?
That's easy. I'm not remotely catholic, so I'd choose the fart. I'd be appalled at burping in front of the Queen, however!
2. punch a stranger in the face OR kick your mother in the shin?
(I'm going to presume that this question is going on the assumption that my mother was alive - which she's not, but I'll answer as if she was) Punch a stranger in the face. The punishment for doing so would be far less harsh, I assure you.
3. have a reputation for sleeping around OR a reputation for being a hermit?
Hermit. I'm married, so I wouldn't sleep around. Hermit isn't too far-fetched some days though.
4. live where the temperature never goes below 80°F (26°C) OR where it never goes above 60°F (15°C)?
I'd pick the spot where it doesn't go above 60°F. I've always felt it's easier to get warm than cool off. You can take off all your clothes and still be sweating some days, but if you put enough layers on you'll eventually get warm in most cold temperatures.

And now,

Would you rather:
1. wear your hair like liberace OR telly savalas?
Well, I don't want my hair to look like Liberace's, and Brian says Telly Savalas is bald, so I'll take Telly. I think I could do bald, especially since it would grow back at some point. Nyah.
2. be world famous for your black velvet paintings OR for your grilled cheese sandwiches?
Sorry, but black velvet paintings...? The first word that comes to mind is, well, tacky. Mama's grilled cheese is just going to have to do. Mmmm. With tomato soup please.
3. smell like a water buffalo OR old cheese?
Um. Ew. I guess I'll take water buffalo, since old cheese is going to smell just rancid and I can probably cover water buffalo up with enough perfume. Uck.
4. eat monkey brain OR kitten?
Ewwww! Neither! Oh, yeah - gotta choose. Damn. I have a kitten, and though she can be a bit of a royal pain, I still wouldn't eat her! Since monkey brain is a delicacy to some, I'll go for that one. But under protest and while shuddering.

And now,

Would you rather:
1. be the world's best dodgeball player OR the world's best chess player?
Chess player. Although I'd sure like to be quick on my feet like that, and have decent aim when I throw, I think that people attribute more intelligence to chess players overall. It would also be cool to be able to think that far ahead, strategically. I can do it on some games, but I've never been any good a chess specifically.
2. be allergic to egg products OR wheat products?
Wheat. I like white bread anyway. I think it would be easier for me to get along without wheat products than it would for egg. No egg nog? ack!
3. be able to go back in time to when JFK was assassinated OR abraham lincoln?
JFK. I've done civil war reenacting, and hoop skirts are a pain! Neat for a day or two, but not something I'd want to wear on a regular basis.
4. be able to do complex math equations instantly OR sing professionally?
Although I'd love to do both, I'll take singing. Honestly, there's more money in it. heh. I also absolutely love to sing (although I'm generally smart enough to not do it publicly) a whole lot more than I find satisfaction in balancing the checkbook.

And now,

Would you rather:
1. have all your body hair fall out and take a year to grow back OR have a really bad rash between your thighs for a month?
I guess I could do the bald thing if I had to, but a rash between my legs seems just too icky... eech.
2. have people shout to you because they think you're hard of hearing OR have people make funny faces at you because they think you're blind?
Funny faces. Except they'd learn I'm not blind pretty quick if they made me laugh.
3. be tortured with bamboo shoots under your finger nails OR with thumb screws?
I think I'd have to go with thumb screws overall. But ACK! either way.
4. have your car stolen OR your wallet?
I guess the car, since the insurance would hopefully cover it. Either way would be a pain though.

And now,

Would you rather:
1. work at a company that regularly tests hair care products on animals OR regularly buries toxic waste illegally?
Toxic waste. That way I could just turn them in. I wouldn't have to know that there might be little fuzzy critters dying right there in the building with me...*shudder* Either way, I suspect I wouldn't be working there long - no matter what they paid me.
2. for an entire month, eat everything through a straw OR deep fried?
Through a straw. I don't want to burst an artery from all that fatty food, for one. Fun with puree sounds much better.
3. invent the next popular kids toy OR sex toy?
Kids toy. At least then I could tell all my relatives about it. Not to mention I have a kid here so it would be cool to say "mommy made that!" to him. I couldn't do that with a sex toy... nope.
4. find out your neighbor is a spy for an enemy nation OR a black ops assassin for your government?
oooh... black ops. Very cool. I could dig that. I wouldn't tell, and they'd have the coolest "work stories" on the block!

And now,

would you rather:
1. never have access to the internet again OR never use a phone again?
Phone. Easy. I hate the phone.
2. never drive (or be driven) again OR never fly again?
I've never actually been in an airplane yet, so I guess I wouldn't miss that one. I'd hate to never drive again!
3. never taste sweet again OR never taste sour again?
I can do without sour, but don't you dare take sweet away!
4. never say the word "the" OR never say the word "you"?
I'll go with "you". I could handle not saying that one, although does French count because I could cheat and use their words for it instead! I at least remember those words from French class well enough. The word "the" is just too vital to most sentences though.

And now,

Yes, I totally forgot this last week. I did remember, but by that point it was Saturday or something and I figured it was way too late by then... Blame the holidays, I'm just too darn busy! But back on schedule this week!

Would you rather:
1. walk a mile over broken glass in nothing but bedroom slippers OR spend an entire day in nothing but a bath robe?
Um... bathrobe. That was so not a hard choice - my bathrobe is comfy!
2. catch your neighbor digging through your trash OR digging in your backyard?
I think I'd rather they be digging in my back yard. Besides - then I can sue them for destruction of property! Mwahaha!
3. eat 12 pounds of chocolate in one sitting OR 12 pounds of potatoes (cooked any way you want)?
Easy! Chocolate! I wouldn't want to eat that much grease off all those french fries anyway! Eech!
4. be constipated for an entire week OR throw up twice a day for an entire week?
I've done the constipated for a week thing - I can handle that again if I needed to (and probably will when I get to the last few months of pregnancy, actually). It's actually a whole lot worse on the body to repeatedly throw up! I wouldn't want all those stomach acids tearing my throat apart! Yecch!

And now,

Would you rather:
1. be best friends with screech from "saved by the bell" OR urkel from "family matters"?
I think I know who the Urkel guy is, so I'll take the other one, purely out of ignorance. *shudders*
2. discover a rare new mineral on your property OR a species of animal once thought extinct?
A rare new mineral. I think I could make some big bucks off of that, and I also wouldn't accidentally hit it with the car or something horrible and ruin everything. heh. Not that I'm prone to hitting things with my car, but that would be the point it would happen - Murphy's Law.
3. fart everytime you sneeze OR everytime you hiccup?
Sneeze. Then it's an outward push both ways. Less stress on the body that way. The other one would likely prove more painful.
4. get scammed by one of those nigerian bank account spams OR by a pyramid scheme?
I'm not familiar with the bank account thing, but I'd still say pyramid. You can usually bail early on those, so I'd probably lose less money overall.

That's all for now!

G'night!

And now,

Oof. Feet hurt.

But, the turkey is bought, the liquor is stocked, and the bedroom is painted - it just needs some fixative on the special pieces to give them a chance of surviving small inquisitive hands. Then it needs some airing out. He'll move in Thanksgiving Day morning! Woohoo! More pics tomorrow probably...

But, in the meantime...

Would you rather:
1. have every driver but you be a "student driver" OR have every driver but you be over 75 years old?
The student drivers are usually at least trying to be on their best behavior so that they can get their licenses... Some of those old people drive like maniacs though! I guess I'll take the young 'uns.
2. be dating someone who insists that every electric device in both of your homes be controlled by those "clap on, clap off" devices OR that every piece of furniture have plastic covers?
The Clapper sounds better than the plastic. Uuuch!
3. have regular encounters with aliens and not have any proof OR have your best friend be invisible?
Oooh the alien thing sounds exciting - assuming, however, that there are no nasty "surgeries" or "anal probes"! I'll take that one! If anal probes are involved though, the friend gets invisibility instead.
4. stick your hand into a sealed box of rattlesnakes OR stick your hand into a box filled with unknown contents that are making a mechanical buzzing sound?
I get this nasty image of bladed things in the latter, so I think I stand a better chance with the rattlesnakes. I'll take the snakes.

And now,

Today I wrote some. What I wrote is actually posted here on DragonBytes since I haven't posted anything there in a while. It's the prologue to a story/book/whatever I have mulling around in my head lately. By the way, that's the site where DragonBytes is located now. The site the links here go to is still up, but the updates happen on the newer version.

Okay, the update. One. No plural. Yeah.

I just haven't gotten around to fixing links or deleting the old version yet, since it's all supposed to move into WordPress... yeah, yeah... I'll get there eventually.

*grumble*

Anyway, I just thought I'd share in case anyone is interested in my creative genius...

*coughs*

Oh, hush. You'll at least probably find it more entertaining than my usual ramblings here.

Also, without further ado -

Would you rather:
1. be able to speak four languages fluently OR be an expert plumber, electrician, and contractor?
Oooh... being an expert plumber, electrician, and contractor would come in handy soooo much with the remodeling stuff around the house that I'll take that one!!
2. never know your real parents OR find out one of your parents is an escaped convict?
Never know 'em. I've gotten bad enough issues as a result of my parents as it is that I think I'd just be better off not knowing them at all.
3. get stopped by every red light when driving OR always have to pick out a wedgie?
You know, if I knew I was going to get stopped at every red light, I could work with it. That wouldn't be so bad.
4. have hair grow on your tongue OR warts on your nose?
Hairy tongue. I could shave that off. Yeech.

And now,

Feeling a smidge under the weather today. I woke up late and have had a sinus headache for most of the day, and the usual meds didn't seem to make any difference. I think Jareth is feeling it too, although since he had a vaccination yesterday it's harder to be sure. He was sure loud when he was napping though, breathing through his nose sounded like it wasn't going as easily as normal. I'm hoping this is just a passing thing and won't actually get nasty.

I did get a few things done today anyway, instead of blowing everything off like I felt like doing. I really only got to knock about three things off the list I have for things I want to get accomplished this week. Three out of eleven isn't bad, although there's a couple more I should probably add. We'll see how many are done by the end of the week.

But Tuesday is chooseday, so without further ado:

Would you rather:
1. join a band of rebel fighters in some south american country for three months OR a tibetan monastery for a year?
With the exception that I wouldn't want to be away from my family for that long, I'd rather do the tibetan monastery. I expect I would learn some really wonderful things there!
2. wake up and find your name tattooed on your bicep OR find all your body hair shaved?
Finding all my body hair shaved suggests that someone took my clothes off without my permitting it! I hope the tattoo is small, because I'll be taking that one. I just won't be going sleeveless until I can have the damned thing removed.
3. find a time machine that only goes back to ancient egypt OR only goes back to 1920?
Ancient egypt sounds really cool actually. I'd rather check that out.
4. have the ability to smell as well as a dog does OR see as good as an eagle does?
Eagle. Admittedly it would be cool to have my sense of smell returned, but I think having it enhanced might make some things just too overpowering. Being able to see things accurately from farther away could have plenty of cool advantages though.

Okay, that's all for tonight.

G'night!

And now,

After several calls to the county clerk's office, who in turn called the secretary of state's office, it turns out that the last time I had my driver's license updated with my current address must have been the only f---ing time they didn't update my voter's registration right along with it.

damn.
DAMN.
DAMN!!!

So, after hours of sending the poor souls over at the Kane County Clerk's office in Illinois (thanks for trying guys! I do understand you're swamped with crap today and really do appreciate the effort) scrambling about for some shred of evidence that might suggest I could fill out a ballot today, and make my opinion heard, in the end they have only this left to say:

"I'm sorry, but if you're not registered, you can't vote."

I've changed out of my "ready to hit the road to go vote" attire, and back into my comfy clothes again, although I haven't bothered to wash the makeup off yet. I'm feeling depressed and I'm hitting the leftover Halloween candy rather hard. I've probably already spoiled dinner.

*sigh*

I will now attempt to distract myself with the usual Tuesday fun:

Would you rather:
1. find out you had your fly unzipped all day OR sat in wet paint which left a mark on your butt?
If my fly was unzipped all day it's unlikely anyone would have actually noticed, as I tend to wear long, comfy clothes that might have kind of hidden it. Besides, a glimpse of underwear fabric is no big deal and paint can be a pain to get out of clothes.
2. assuming you could get all the nutrients you need, eat nothing but canned cat food OR nothing but spam?
There's a difference? I guess I'd take the cat food. It's more likely to have identifiable meats in it.
3. sweat green liquid OR pee blue?
Pee blue. Sweating green liquid would be nasty! Can it be that neon blue that glows in the dark though? That might actually be kind of cool!
4. walk in on a couple engaging in sexual relations in a public bathroom OR walk in on your doctor masturbating?
OMG! I'll definitely take walking in on the couple having sex! I might not be able to get that image out of my head afterwards if I were to walk in on my doctor, and I'd have to see him again and pretend like everything was just normal. That would prove highly awkward!

Okay folks, that's likely all from me today. I did get the frame I ordered recently, so the print of my favorite painting (Avatar, by Michael Whelan) that my husband bought me for our anniversary the year before last is finally hanging happily on our living room wall. That was a positive note for today, so I'm going to leave off on that, instead of continuing to beat myself up for not thinking to find out earlier if my voting registration was current. I assumed that everything had transferred when I changed the address on my license (it always has in the past), and that I'd signed whatever little form they usually have me sign...

*sigh*

So much for not beating myself up any more...

G'night.

And now,

Would you rather:
1. get a wedgie OR get a swirlie?
well, when I see that the definition for "swirlie" includes the following: 2) A tantalizing method of analingus. Requires precise dexterity of the tongue but success is often duly rewarded., I'd say that being a woman I'd have to go with THAT one!!! No contest!
2. have to kiss ryan seacrest OR simon cowell?
I didn't know who either of them were before checking out the links, but I guess I'd have to go for Ryan Seacrest as considerably better looking. Since it's only one kiss, he'll do.
3. have an ingrown toenail OR a carbuncle?
I - ugh! - guess I'll have to go with ingrown toenail. I have a distinct feeling it would be easier to cure. *shudder*
4. vote for john kerry OR george w bush?
NEITHER! Damnit. Well, since Kerry seems to be continuing to send his campaign swirling further down into the proverbial "shitter", I'm starting to wonder if perhaps Bush might actually be the lesser of the two evils after all... But honestly I don't plan to vote for either of them.

And now,

Happy birthday to tj, who makes up the questions for Tuesday is Chooseday each week!

Would you rather:
1. eat an entire costco sized chocolate cake OR a full bag of double-stuff oreos?
Ooooh - cake! Gimmeeeee! Cake!!!
2. win a $500 gift certificate to starbucks OR best buy?
Charbucks? Nuh-uh! I don't even like Starburnts coffee! But Best Buy and I get along verrrry well!
3. have the whole day off to read and listen to music OR go hiking?
Oooh, tough choice! I could take either. I guess we're assuming that someone is babysitting... If the house is actually going to be that quiet, I think I'll stay in and read and listen to music. However, if my husband is around - I'd rather head off and do some hiking with him instead.
4. take a trip to another continent for a week OR drive across your own continent for two weeks?
Well, since I've done some of the travel across my own continent thing already, I think it would be nice to see someplace else too, so I'll go with that one.

And now,

Would you rather:
1. have agoraphobia (fear of open spaces) OR claustrophobia (fear of enclosed places)?
I think claustrophobia would be easier to have. It's easier to avoid being confined, but I'd hate to think of not being able to go to some types of activities because they are held in parks or fields.
2. find out now that you will die exactly on your 70th birthday OR never know?
Although it would make the planning for it easier, I suppose, I'd really rather not know. It kinda would make it all feel pretty anti-climactic, don't ya think? "DING! Time's up! Okay, you're done!" No, I think I'd rather have it sneak up on me. Besides, that's not a lot of "retirement" time. I want to party it up for a while after we retire!
3. have your grandmother walk in on you trying on risque underwear OR your child?
Well, right now my kid is too little for that to have any lasting impact on his life, although I hope that I will raise him to be open-minded enough that it wouldn't have an impact anyway. Grandmothers (though mine are dead - so that would really be creepy), tend to be a bit more old-fashioned and I wouldn't want to offend one.
4. rid the world of cockroaches OR narcotics?
Cockroaches. No contest. *shudder*

And now,

Would you rather:
1. eat a gallon of peanut butter in 30 minutes OR 100 hard-boiled eggs in 2 hours?
eggs. They'd go down easier, and come back up easier I expect.
2. french kiss a walrus OR lick the slide at chuck e. cheese?
I think the licking of the slide would have less lasting impact, so I'll have to take that one.
3. teach a class of hyperactive 3-year-olds OR a class of goth-punk teens?
Three-year-olds. It's even possible I'd find that to be fun.
4. have high tea with the queen of england OR a round of golf with the president of the united states?
High tea. At least I like the Queen of England. Not to mention that I like tea and hate golf as well.

And now,

Would you rather:
1. be forced to listen to nothing but barry manilow tunes for 36 hours OR metallica?
Nothing against metallica, but I sadly have to admit that I could probably sing along to many of the barry manilow songs, so I'll have to pick that one. My mom was a big fan - just for clarification here...
2. french kiss richard simmons OR gene simmons (lead singer of kiss)?
EWWW !!! For how long are we talking here? Okay... I'll take the lead singer. *shudder*
3. wear a pink tutu everywhere you go for a week OR a big "cat-in-the-hat" hat?
Oh I am so cat-in-the-hat girl!!! That would probably be kinda fun, actually. *grin*
4. uncontrollably kick people in the shins when you first meet them OR pinch their hiney?
Well, I think that would effectively eliminate what little social life I have... I guess I might as well kick someone - I'd be pretty irritated by it anyway, and it would be easier to explain. Note to self: soft-soled shoes.

And now,

Would you rather:
1. go skydiving OR bungee jumping?
Skydiving. I don't like the idea of being yanked back up - our bodies aren't as well-built to handle that kind of stress, in my opinion.
2. eat pickled goat liver OR broiled chicken feet?
I have a feeling the goat liver would stand a better chance of going (and staying) down, so I'll take that one.
3. own 50 cats OR 5 elephants?
50 cats sounds way funner, assuming I had the money for that much continual cat food purchasing power. And I really don't want to clean up 5 elephants worth of poop! ECHHH!
4. hit and kill an old man with your car OR be the cause of a fire that burns down the homes of five families, but nobody dies?
I'll take the fire. I'm a pacifist at heart, no matter how many violent computer games I might play. I could never actually take another person's life unless it was the only way to defend myself or my family. (if my loved one's lives are in peril, however, all bets are off on what I'm capable of!)

And now,

Would you rather:
1. lose your keys OR your wallet?
Keys. It's far easier to call a locksmith than it is to deal with replacing all the crap in your wallet.
2. run your fingers down a chalkboard 15 times in a row OR lick ten feet of sidewalk?
Chalkboard. It doesn't annoy me as much as everyone else, so I'd probably have some small part of me enjoying it instead. Mwahaha.
3. referee a WWE wrestling cage match OR get in a fist fight with your mother-in-law?
Referee. Just because I wouldn't get in a fist fight with my mother-in-law. I like my mother-in-law. Rare, I know, but true.
4. be the inspiration for the movie "deliverance" OR the movie "gigli"?
Okay, so you've got me there. I haven't seen either movie so I can't honestly answer that one. No clue. Sorry.

And now,

Would you rather:
1. be unable to look people in the eyes OR only be able to stare too intensely at people?
Stare intensely. I'd miss eyes too much if I couldn't look into them. They can tell you so much about a person.
2. play 30 minutes of professional football OR ten minutes of prof