20 year meme
Jun 24, 2009 The Story of My Life
Snagged from facebook.
****20 years ago***** (1989)
1) How old were you? A babe in the woods — a mere 19
2) Who were you dating? I wasn’t really dating anyone although I was kinda running around with Chris T (co-worker at Katzinger’s) and was just about to meet Brett the very next year.
3) Where did you work? Katzinger’s Deli and I was in school for part of the time but dropped out to the tune of a nervous breakdown brought on in part by working full-time and going to school full-time and babysitting on the side and basically not having any time to stop and think for a minute.
4) Where did you live? First part of the year, I was living with my roommate Spike (not her real name) and Wendie (her real name) and then that summer I moved out to my own tiny place.
5) Where did you hang out? Crazy Mama’s and Mean Mr. Mustard’s.
6) Did you wear contacts and/or glasses? No although technically I had glasses. I just never wore them.
7) Who were your best friends? I was making friends with the retail women at Katzinger’s — Kimmb., Shari, Judit and Ann Henderson — and pulling away from my then best friends — Wendie, Spike and Teresa.
8 ) How many tattoos did you have? None.
9) How many piercings did you have? Just four — one in one ear, three in the other.
10) What kind of car did you drive? 1982 Datsun 310
11) Had you been to a real party? Why I’d even hosted a real party or two.
12) Had you had your heart broken? Oh yes. Twice.
13) Were you Single/taken/Married/Divorced? Single.
14) Any Kids? Nope.
***10 YEARS AGO*** (1999)
1) How old were you? 29
2) Who were you dating? Married to dear old Brett!!
3) Where did you work? I was home with Noah and had just started freelancing.
4) Where did you live? We were here in Ohio and let’s see, if Noah was two then we were living in Georgetown Apartments and then later that year started renting in Upper Arlington.
5) Where did you hang out? La Leche League, natch.
6) Did you wear contacts and/or glasses? Only at the computer (glasses)
7) Who were your best friends? Liz (the woman who watches my kids nowadays), Ann Henderson, Lu, Janice
8 ) How many tattoos did you have? None
9) How many piercings did you have? Two because I’m sure the other two were closed up by then
10) What car did you drive? For part of that time we didn’t have a car and then we inherited a 1983 Monte Carlo from Janice
11) Had your heart broken? Not that year — broken hearts have not been part of my picture for a long time (thank goodness)
12) Were you Single/Taken/Married/Divorced? Married — often even blissfully!
13) Any Kids? A skinny little Noah with barely any hair and sweet slanty-up blue eyes
****TODAY (2009)****
1) How old are you? 39 (and a half)
2) Who are you dating? Still married to Brett
3) Where do you work? a preservation non-profit
4) Where do you live? Worthington
5) Where do you hang out? Seems like I end up at various coffee shops for meetings an awful lot these days
6) Do you wear contacts and/or glasses? Have been needing my glasses more and more
7) Who are your best friends? Homeschool potluckers
8 ) How many tattoos do you have? NONE — it ain’t never gonna happen
9) How many piercings do you have? Two
10) What kind of car do you drive? Either a very old little Honda (can’t remember the make/model) or a minivan
11) Have you had your heart broken? Not since pre-Brett
12) Are you Single/taken/Married/Divorced? Still married to Brett, still often blissful
13) Any Kids? A sturdy stomping Noah with too-long hair and the same sweet slanty-up blue eyes and a curly twirly Madison with sparkling brown eyes who sings her way through the day
Tags: meme
Music meme to waste some time
Apr 30, 2009 Uncategorized
Name your top 10 most played bands on iTunes (Or Last.FM):
This was hard to do because iTunes doesn’t show you most played artists — just songs. So I chose the artists whose songs showed up most often in the top of the most-played list and they’re not necessarily in the right order here.
- Elbow
- De Phazz
- Nitin Sawhney
- Beastie Boys
- Sufjan Stevens
- The Decemberists
- Alison Krauss
- Everything but the Girl
- India.Arie
- Kylie Minogue
What was the first song you ever heard by 6 (The Decemberists)?
I had a bunch of songs from The Crane Wife on iTunes from the mp3 blogs but didn’t really hear any of them. I listen to iTunes on shuffle and I tune in and out as I’m working. Well, I noticed that there was a song I kept stopping to listen to whenever it came on and that was “The Island” (it’s a trilogy of songs) because at first it was bugging me but then I was stopping to listen because I loved it.
What is your favorite album of 2 (De Phazz)?
Death by Chocolate.
What is your favorite lyric that 5 (Sufjan Stevens) has sung?
I don’t know that I have a favorite but this song stops me cold in part because of the last lines:
And in my best behavior
I am really just like him
Look beneath the floorboards
For the secrets I have hid
This song (and the video I linked to above) is so disturbing and disconcertingly lovely.
How many times have you seen 4 (Beastie Boys) live?
Never, alas.
What is your favorite song by 7 (Alison Krauss)?
Well, a few years ago I kept hitting repeat on “Baby, Now That I’ve Found You” over and over again .
What is a good memory you have involving the music of 10 (Kylie Minogue)?
I listen to her while I work out — it’s why she’s on my most-played list — and I like to work out so I guess that’s a good memory, right?
Is there a song of 3 (Nitin Sawhney) that makes you sad?
Yes. This one. Not for the lyrics so much
What is your favorite lyric that 2 (De Phazz) has sung?
They are not so much about the lyrics, De Phazz.
How did you get into 3 (Nitin Sawhney)?
I can’t remember how I found him but it was this song (linked many times) that really got me hooked. I love this whole album — Beyond Skin. I think he’s absolutely brilliant.
What was the first song you heard by 1 (Elbow)?
Not sure but the first one I really heard was Mirrorball, which is my ringtone.
What is your favorite song by 4 (Beastie Boys)?
Ch-Check it Out.
How many times have you seen 9 (India.Arie) live?
Never.
What is a good memory you have involving 2 (De Phazz)?
Again, they’re good work-out music but also, just fun music. I mean, really — how fun is this?
Is there a song of 8 (Everything but the Girl) that makes you sad?
“Ugly Little Dreams”
There’s some ugly little dreams
For pretty girls to buy
It’s enough to make you mad
But it’s safer just to break down and cry
What is your favorite album of 5 (Sufjan Stevens)?
I’m still getting to know him but right now Illinois is the one rotating most often.
What is your favorite lyric that 3 (Nitin Sawhney) has sung?
And I dream of places far from here
And I call your name to the wind
And I wish the night would take me to another world
Where no one knows a face or has a name
What is your favorite song of 1 (Elbow)?
Mirrorball (natch) and One Day Like This, which is on some movie soundtrack so is probably going to hit radios if it hasn’t already and really is a wonderful, uplifting song (listen to it next time you’re feeling gloomy)
What is your favorite song of 10 (Kylie Minogue)?
Oh gosh, see the thing is she’s a great work-out songstress but I don’t really listen to her. But I guess (thinking) I like working out to Slow best (I have a different mix though) and I’ll admit that I get a total kick out of In Denial
How many times have you seen 8 (Everything but the Girl) live?
Never, which is just so so wrong.
What is your favorite album of 1 (Elbow)?
The Seldom Scene
What is a great memory you have considering 9 (India.Arie)?
Leaving the Obama rally and hearing “There’s Hope” piped through the stadium speakers. (Great bass!)
What was the first song you heard by 8 (Everything but the Girl)?
“Shoot Me Down” and it was love at first listen
What is your favorite cover by 2 (De Phazz)?
I’m not sure that they’ve done any covers.
Tags: meme, mp3, Music, working out
I do not sleep well in hotels
Mar 26, 2009 The Story of My Life
And so I do not blog well in hotels so for this grouchy, rainy morning: a meme.
You have received this note because someone thinks you are a literary geek. Copy the questions into your own note, answer the questions, and tag any friends who would appreciate the quiz, including the person who sent you this.
Don’t bother trying to italicize your book titles. We know you want to…
1) What author do you own the most books by?
Beverly Cleary, hands down. She was pretty dang prolific.
2) What book do you own the most copies of?
We have a lot of copies of To Kill a Mockingbird because it’s Brett’s favorite book and so we have a couple of collectible copies. I’ve bought a lot of copies of This Way to the Gas, Ladies & Gentlemen and given most of ‘em away.
3) Did it bother you that both those questions ended with prepositions?
You know, it does a little but only because I’m tired and my brain is extra itchy.
4) What fictional character are you secretly in love with?
Oh literary crushes! I’ve crushed on Will (Dark is Rising), Almanzo (after I saw his actual picture at about 13) and of course Ponyboy. The only recent crush I’ve had was on Fenno until I reread the book and decided he was a tiny bit of a prig. Not a big huge prig (I’m still too crushy to actual insult this imaginary man) but a tiny bit.
4a) What fictional character would you most like to be?
I never wanted to BE a fictional character. Sometimes I wanted to be in a story but as myself.
4b) What fictional character do you think most resembles you?
Sniff in the Moomintroll books. Petty and shrill. I aspire to be more Snufkin (another literary crush!!!). Actually, come to think of it, I identify with various moomin characters at various times in my life. Except for the Snork Maiden because I am not obsessed with my fringe.
5) What book have you read the most times in your life?
Probably the Laura Ingalls Wilder series.
6) What was your favorite book when you were ten years old?
Probably the Laura Ingalls Wilder series.
7) What is the worst book you’ve read in the past year?
This young adult book about a teacher molesting her student. It was a female teacher and the ending totally invalidated that she was molesting him.
What is the best book you’ve read in the past year?
I just read a couple of great young adult books. One was Weedflower (about the Japanese internment camps) and the other one was Anything But Typical about a boy with autism.
9) If you could force everyone you tagged to read one book, what would it be?
Hmmm. This Way to the Gas, Ladies and Gentlemen MAYBE. I’m tired and if I thought harder it might be something different but maybe not.
10) Who deserves to win the next Nobel Prize for literature?
Oh lord, I don’t know.
11) What book would you most like to see made into a movie?
I think Bel Canto would make a great movie — directed by Ang Lee.
12) What book would you least like to see made into a movie?
Hmmm, maybe a A Wrinkle in Time because they’d probably cast Miley Cyrus or something.
13) Describe your weirdest dream involving a writer, book, or literary character.
I periodically dream I’m having conversations with literary characters but they’re not all that weird.
14) What is the most lowbrow book you’ve read as an adult?
Angles & Demons.
15) What is the most difficult book you’ve ever read?
I don’t like Herman Melville.
16) What is the most obscure Shakespeare play you’ve seen?
I think I’ve only seen one play performed.
17) Do you prefer the French or the Russians?
Here I quote my friend Sonia, “Option C: the British!” But if I HAVE to choose, it’s not a fair fight because I’ve read more of the French.
18) Roth or Updike?
Neither.
19) David Sedaris or Dave Eggers?
Oh (sigh) David Sedaris, I guess.
20) Shakespeare, Milton, or Chaucer?
Shakespeare.
21) Austen or Eliot?
Austen.
22) What is the biggest or most embarrassing gap in your reading?
I haven’t read any of the big Russian novels
23) What is your favorite novel?
This very minute? Bel Canto. No wait, Persuasion. No wait, Finn Family Moomintroll. No wait, Watership Down. Nevermind.
24) Play?
I’m a big fan of Edward Albee or was ten years ago (haven’t reread any lately) so what the hell, Zoo Story.
25) Poem?
I keep typing one and then changing my mind. I can’t decide between the cold plums in the refrigerator and the lanyard.
26) Essay?
Oh!! Shoot. There are SO MANY but I’ll stick with The Weight that Women Carry.
27) Short story?
Just one?!? My god, people. Well, since I just read it, the one by Ann Beattie about the couple whose child died and they come home from the party and sleep on the floor of the living room.
28) Work of non-fiction?
The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat
29) Who is your favorite writer?
That’s an unfair question. Hmmm, Barbara Comyns.
30) Who is the most overrated writer alive today?
Audrey Niffenegger (Time Traveler’s Wife)
31) What is your desert island book?
Oh gosh, that changes all the time. I guess Watership Down is plenty long, right? But what if it was a stressful desert island? What with the desert — no food, no water? Then I would want something comforting like Noah’s Beverly Cleary collection.
32) And … what are you reading right now?
I brought That’s How it Was by Maureen Duffy to reread on the trip but there hasn’t been time to read it. It’s a green book only it has a black cover.
Ummm, I tag everybody. That’s right — every single person on the internet.
Tags: essay, green books, meme, memes, Noah
