Great Big World Out There

privilege

I think I did this once before, but I am too tired, sick and generally short of breath to move my fingers more than required to complete the quiz.  Lame, I know but I am averse to coughing fits.  Seen here.

The items that apply to me are BOLD

1. Father went to college

2. Father finished college

3. Mother went to college

4. Mother finished college

5. Have any relative who is an attorney, physician, or professor

6. Were the same or higher class than your high school teachers

7. Had more than 50 books in your childhood home (Books I have always had in plenty)

8. Had more than 500 books in your childhood home

9. Were read children’s books by a parent

10. Had lessons of any kind before you turned 18

11. Had more than two kinds of lessons before you turned 18 (swimming in kindergarten, organ, piano)

12. The people in the media who dress and talk like me are portrayed positively

13. Had a credit card with your name on it before you turned 18 (got one at 18 to go to Europe, though)

14. Your parents (or a trust) paid for the majority of your college costs

15. Your parents (or a trust) paid for all of your college costs

16. Went to a private high school

17. Went to summer camp (I hated summer camp)

18. Had a private tutor before you turned 18

19. Family vacations involved staying at hotels (Never stayed in a hotel but we travelled across the land)

20. Your clothing was all bought new before you turned 18  (It was not expensive, but it was new)

21. Your parents bought you a car that was not a hand-me-down from them (I hated that car and refused to drive it.  Am spoiled and bitchy)

22. There was original art in your house when you were a child

23. You and your family lived in a single family house

24. Your parent(s) owned their own house or apartment before you left home

25. You had your own room as a child

26. You had a phone in your room before you turned 18

27. Participated in a college entrance exam (eg. SAT/ACT) prep course

28. Had your own TV in your room

29. Owned a mutual fund or IRA in High School or College (College.  Remnants of trust fund)

30. Flew anywhere on a commercial airline before you turned 16

31. Went on a cruise with your family (never been on a cruise, don't want to either)

32. Went on more than one cruise with your family

33. Your parents took you to museums and art galleries as you grew up (Free family entertainment!)

34. You were unaware of how much heating bills were for your family (Had no clue until I started doing the farm books).

sunday stealing

This amuses me. I should be cleaning my office to make sure I've gotten all the tax thingies I've stuffed in random corners but instead I've killed some time playing.  It is Sunday, after all.

Sunday Stealing 40

1. My uncle once : got mad at me for using an oven.

2. Never in my life : enjoyed studying for an exam

3. When I was seventeen : I totally destroyed my car in front of the local McDonalds.

4. High School was : a blessedly long time ago

5. I will never forget : being in Boston in the fall

6. I once met : Donald Trump outside Trump Tower in New York.

7. There’s this girl I know who : would fly across the world to have lunch at McDonalds.  Just to say she did.

8. Once, at a bar : I wrote someone a cheque for a million dollars.  Then I stopped drinking.

9. By noon, I’m usually : ready for a nap.

10. Last night : I watched a slew of movies

11. If only I had : a finished thesis.

12. Next time I go to gym/church : Church will be next Sunday.  I might hop on the treadmill tomorrow.

13. Susan Boyle : really needed her eyebrows thinned.

14. What worries me most : someone else deciding what I am going to do.

15. When I turn my head left, I see : a television, a pile of scrapbooking crap and file boxes full of tax crap.

16. When I turn my head right, I see : a fliling cabinet and more scrapbooking crap.

17. You know I’m lying when : I have this little half grin that feels totally obvious to me, but is hard for others to see.  Useful for poker playing.

18. What I miss most about the eighties : I had no bills to pay.

19. If I was a character in Shakespeare, I’d be : Beatrice, from Much Ado About Nothing   

20. By this time next year : I will be done my thesis, dammit.

21. A better name for me would be : Later

22. I have a hard time understanding : math notation.  I see that stuff and my brain instantly cramps up, even though I have a better than average chance of understanding what it all means.

23. If I ever go back to school, I’ll : just never go back to school.  But if I were paid millions of billions of dollars, I'd get myself a PhD.

24. You know I like you if : I offer to help you with something

25. If I ever won an award, the first person I’d thank would be : my mom.

26. When I compare 80’s rock to 90’s rock : I think of hair.

27. Take my advice, never : become a graduate student.

28. My ideal breakfast is : waffles

29. A song I love, but do not own is : not one I can think of right now.

30. If you visit my hometown, I suggest : riding the rollercoaster that killed a couple of people back in the 80s.

31. My favorite Beatle is : I will say John

32. Why won’t people : just be nice to each other.

33. If you spend the night at my house : the cat will keep your feet warm.

34. I’d stop my wedding for : extreme weather?

35. The world could do without : another damn reality show about models.  Seriously, I saw something called the next smartest best model or something ridiculous like that. 

36. I’d rather lick the belly of a cockroach than : keep on being a grad student.

37. My favorite blonde is : me!

38: Paper clips are more useful than : reality shows about modeling.

39. If I do anything well, it’s : lazing about

40. And by the way :  I have highly infectious pinkeye.  In both eyes.  Lovely.

Fearless

Your Word is "Fearless"

You see life as your one chance to experience everything, and you just go for it! You believe the biggest risk is being afraid and missing out on something amazing. Sometimes your fearlessness means you're daring. You enjoy risky activities. And sometimes your fearlessness means you're courageous. You're brave enough to do the right thing, even when it's scary.

What's Your Word?

 

I've seen this in many different places, and most people bemoan that their word didn't quite fit them.  I'm pretty happy with mine - it fits. 

because I am tired and sick

Things I've done in bold, things I want to do in italics.  seen so many places...

1. Started my own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than I can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland/world
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sung a solo
11. Bungee jumped - with my bad luck at daredevil stunts, this is a no-go
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched lightning at sea
14. Taught myself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown my own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitchhiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of my ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught myself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had my portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching (off the Australian coast)
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten caviar - (in Copenhagen)
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had my picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Ridden an elephant

a meme for mother's day

1. (side note, I did this sunday but saved as a draft instead of posting.  whoops)

4 things I did 10 years ago:

1. I started another degree, because the arts degree just wasn't enough. 
2. I think I went skiing in April of 1998 and I haven't gone since.  I wonder what crazy runs I might have tackled if I'd known it was going to be the last time.
3. I spent a lot of time driving combines, tractors and feeding cows.
4. I think I got a new-to-me car that year - my grandparents old car that they didn't use anymore.  It was a 1991 Tempo and had less than 60,000km on it - a year later it was over 120,000km.  I drove around a lot, gas was cheaper then. 

4 things I did 5 years ago:

1. I spent a week on a houseboat and it was one of the best vacations I'd ever been a part of.  It's all about the people you choose - I didn't organize the trip so I am just pleased I passed muster and was invited.
2. I think I went to Las Vegas for the umpteenth time.  I love Las Vegas.  I should go there this weekend!
3. I was the maid of honor for my sister
4. I paid off a pile of debts, go me!

4 things I did yesterday:

1. played with kids.  kids are fun.
2. went to a mother's day tea at grandma's house.
3. bought presents for mother's day - I always buy bedding plants.  I have an addiction to bedding plants this time of year.
4. I drove Anna to meet her mother at the hospital.

4 shows I love to watch:

1. Jon and Kate plus 8
2. Little People, Big World
3. West Wing - I know it is cancelled, but I don't watch a lot of current tv.
4. hockey and football on tv

4 things I love to do:

1. garden and plan my garden
2. cut and paste (scrapbooking and card making)
3. reading
4. travelling

***

In other news, Anna and I went shopping.  She's afraid of 'town toilets' and didn't tell me she had to poop.  It was a mess.  We bought new pants, pullups, shirt, and wipes.  She was so cute - I'd say she'd pooped her pants and she'd say, 'no, auntie, I pooped my dress!'  Can't argue with that. 

The 'town toilets' are noisy, so I don't blame her for being scared.  It's still kind of funny.  I also offered to buy her some new books at the bookstore and she haughtily told me, 'I have old books.  I don't need anymore.'

Alrighty then.  I'd just discovered her accident so I can't blame her, but oi.  The cleanup was a mess.

We were out buying more flowers and a pot for her to plant for her mother.  She picked the flowers AND the pot.  I must have been nuts to go to south common, but at least it is over.