Posted 48 minutes ago
I say ... and you think ... ?
Out of place :: askew
Helicopter :: Huey
Francis :: Bacon
Ryan :: White
Wedding :: bells
Appalled :: simply
Historian :: Antiquarian
Powerful :: virile
Sex symbol :: vamp
Uncomfortable :: painful
Want to play along? Get your fix here. 
Post them on your web page, as a blog entry or in the comments where you got the words. It's oh so easy and expeditious, just like Buttermilk Biscuits.
Here we go with another edition of six questions!
Last week, Carly of "Ellipsis...Suddenly Carly" was first to play last week for the third week in a row! Congratulations, Carly!
Here are this week's "Saturday Six" questions. Either answer the questions in a comment here, or put the answers in an entry on your journal...but either way, leave a link to your journal so that everyone else can visit! To be counted as "first to play," you must be the first player to either answer the questions in a comment or to provide a complete link to the specific entry in your journal in which you answer the questions. A link to your journal in general cannot count. Enjoy!
1. What new piece of technology have you resisted buying and what would it take for you to change your mind?
An iPod. And it's going to take a massive change in the so-called “licensing agreement” before I start buying my music one song at a time.
2. If someone was to go through a closet of your old clothes, what clothing style would you find most embarrassing?
Bell bottoms from the sixties. Mod ties.
3. The movie United 93 opened this week to controversies over whether or not it is too soon or not to deal with the events of September 11th. Do you have any desire to see this movie? Why or why not?
I do want to see it – so far the reviews I've seen have been positive and reviewers I admire have been pleasantly surprised by the quality and depth of this docudrama.
4. Take the quiz: How Class Works Without getting specific about any of the actual results, which category hurts you the most, and which helps you the most?
Income hurts the most and education enhanced my image the most on that quiz.
5. Of the results you got in the last question, which one was the biggest surprise and why?
No big surprises there; about what I expected.
6. READER'S CHOICE QUESTION #89 from Jamilynn: What is your favorite article of clothing? Is there a story behind it?
I answered that last week here. So, have a good week.
You Are an Excellent Cook |
 You're a top cook, but you weren't born that way. It's taken a lot of practice, a lot of experimenting, and a lot of learning. It's likely that you have what it takes to be a top chef, should you have the desire... |
John Scalzi's Weekend Assignment #109: Your New Music
Weekend Assignment: What are some of the most recent music albums you have bought? Name up to three. Note that I said "bought" -- I want to know what music you've liked so much that you've actually shelled out cash for them.
Extra Credit: Did you buy these albums on CD, or did you get them online through iTunes or another music service?
Well, these are all new to me and constitute my most recent purchases of music, John:
Tone Poems: The Sounds of the Great Vintage Guitars & Mandolins -- David Grisman and Tony Rice, Acoustic Disk ACD-10
Our Maine Songs – Schooner Faire, Outer Green Records OGR8945D
American IV: The Man Comes Around – Johnny Cash, American Recordings 440 063 339-2
All were purchased as individual CD's, one was purchased used at Bull Moose Music in Bangor, Maine. I haven't succumbed to Apple-mania and have so far managed to avoid purchasing an iPod. All were the result of hearing cuts from them on the best online adult “radio” station, bar none, Radio Paradise.
I do not purchase music via download as I have a real problem with the music licensing issues and simply put, won't support the music industry's attempts to castrate its customers. I paid for my music – it is mine to listen to or view via whatever media or medium I choose. If I want to listen to one of my CD's on my computer – that is my choice, and not subject to further review by the RIAA or Sony Music. I don't share my music via streaming, Napster or making mix CD's. But if I want to make a working copy so the original CD may be archived, that is “fair use” in my book and I will continue that use as long as I am able to draw a breath. Any attempt by the music “industry” to preempt that right and I just might make my displeasure known by “termination with extreme prejudice.”
But that's a rant for another day. Take good care of the ankle-biter and your loverly spousal unit. Breathe deep the gathering gloom and write!
wil
Sorry for the lateness of the hour. I was detained at work getting ready for May Sweeps which, regrettably, begin this Thursday. I do take comfort in knowing that as I post this, it is still Tuesday in Hawaii.
For those who have never played, the rules are simple: I offer two different questions, both related to the same topic, but you only choose one of them to actually answer.
Last week, Wil of "The Daily Snooze" made sure he wasn't napping when the Tuesday Two first appeared, because he was first to answer last week's question about mind reading. Congratulations, Wil!
Now, onto this week's choice of questions. And remember: don't answer both questions!
THIS WEEK'S TOPIC: DISEASE
QUESTION A:
What disease or illness are you most afraid of and what made you become afraid of it?
or
QUESTION B:
You are given the power to eliminate one specific disease. (For example, you can't say simply "Cancer;" you'd have to narrow it to a specific type of cancer.) Which disease would you eliminate and why?
Choose A or B, (indicate which question you're answering!) then either answer the question in a comment or answer it in your journal and include the link in a comment. (To be considered "first to play," a link must be to the specific entry in which you answered the question.)
Remember: choose one or the other...not both!
If I could eliminate just one disease, my choice amongst all of the truly horrible diseases and illnesses that afflict mankind would be Rheumatoid Arthritis.
Why?
Because it's what killed my mother at the age of 40, after fifteen years of increasingly debilitating pain and swelling rendered her confined to a wheelchair and barely able to lift her head. That's why.
“Hi humpers! I'm having trouble thinking of a theme for today, so today will be childhood story day.
“All you have to do is tell me a story from your childhood (up to 18, let's say). It can be short, long, funny, serious. Anything you want.
“I suppose this is me taking a break for this week. I think I've earned it after keeping this place running for months on end. (I'm not complaining, by the way! I love doing this).”
The rules are, there are no rules!!! All you need to do is copy and paste the above questions into your blog and add your responses. After you've finished, return here and leave us a comment so we'll know you've humped. Be sure your hump is linked back to http://bdinsanity.blogdrive.com so others can hump too.
Remember, there are no right or wrong answers. If one of the questions doesn't inspire you then simply "pass" it. Just use your imagination!
If you don't have a blog or you're an exhibitionist *woo hoo* feel free to hump right here in our comments section. There's absolutely no pressure ... although it's called the Wednesday Mind Hump you can hump on any day.
Until next time, this is your music-loving mememeister wishing you a happy hump day!
Howdy, humpers. Once upon a time, a long, LONG time ago, long before your average humper was even a twitch in her mommy's belly, back when the dinosaurs roamed the earth and the average caveman used the canine tooth of a saber-toothed tiger to hoe weeds from his garden, I was born. It was a momentous occasion, with fire in the sky and everything. Sadly, the “fire-in-the-sky” was a really big meteor which took a right turn at Uranus and landed in the middle of the inland sea in what is now known as the Southwest USA. The resultant steam bath followed by the thermocline of the northern hemisphere resulted in the destruction of all advanced forms of life upon the planet in a truly horrendous ice age.
Oops. Reboot.
Advance the clock a whole bunch of millions of years and we come to rest outside of the city of brotherly love on a warm spring day. A careful observer will note the waving grasses, the leaves on the trees, the brisk breeze thrashing the boughs of the chestnut and mulberry trees, the abundance of birds and cherry blossoms. That observer will note a small boy, dressed in overalls; attached to a small hand, a kite, it's dancing in the sky pulls the eye away from the tyke. Such an idyllic scene. Don't be fooled, though, for the tyke is me and while I appear to idly be flying a kite, I am actually contemplating how to kill the old man with the long white beard and wild white hair that awakened during the dream I'd had and had threatened the end of all existence.
I thought long and hard. As hard as I'd ever exercised the gray matter between my ears, I did plot. I planned. I executed. And then I put it all into motion.
Much time passed. While I never doubted the outcome, it was a long wait to April 8, 1966. Finally, proof of my successful struggle appeared before me on the cover of Time Magazine, the day after Easter. Behold:
Phew! That was close!
Sunday, April 23, 2006
1 day, 16 hours, 56 minutes ago
I say ... and you think ... ?
Rising:: tide
Third:: World
Disruptive:: little bastard, aren't you?
Surround:: sound
Distant:: cousin, so stop that!
Suction:: more
Fried:: clams
Nuggets:: gold
Clip:: audio
San Antonio:: Texas
Otto, chief cook and bottle washer at the Monday Madness Bagel Shoppe & Brothel was heard to mutter precariously while chopping onions:
“This week's theme is 5 THINGS... Thanks for playing, and have a blessed week*!”
Name 5 Things that:
1. Make you smile: Working Dogs, sunsets, pratfalls, my wife, and combinations of them all (my wife slipping on the ice as the sun sinks slowly in the West, for instance, while a German Shepherd Dog nips her on the butt – you get the idea).
2. You can see on your desk right now: A plastic cup full of pens and pencils, a thermometer/hygrometer, a cordless phone handset, a flashlight and a travel clock that is a minute slow.
3. Kept you busy this weekend: Grocery shopping, reading, snoozing, fighting with tech support, TV.
4. You'll be doing this coming week: Fixing lawn mowers, cooking, writing, dealing with the new health insurance company, bathing Willow the Skunkhund.
5. You've said to make someone else smile: “Hi, Toots!” “Isn't that the cutest baby!” (barf) “Come sit on my lap and sneeze – you'll make an old man very happy...” (said to one of my wife's octogenarian patients). “Do you know how to make an old man very happy ... carry his groceries!” (to the twenty-something bag girl at the grocery store yesterday). “All this will be yours one day ... if the IRS doesn't get it first.” -- to my son, who knows I am as poor as a mouse in a hardware store.
If you'd like to play along, just click on the picture up top and you'll be transported at the speed of your computer connection to that wondrous place with all the sticky, not-sweet toroidal shapes. There you, too, can get a copy of the questions for yourself. Tell 'em Weird Willy sent ya and smile while you say it – makes them wonder what you are playing with in your pocket...
*You don't suppose that Otto is a Wiccan, do you? Nah, not Otto...The Monday Music Mambo Dance Instructor, rfduck, hits us with his jive: “Hi mamboers! I'm back with another Monday Music Mambo for your enjoyment.
“I'm writing this on Sunday, and it's my birthday today! So I thought I'd make the Mambo birthday related today.
“Your assignment is to: Find a musician who was born on your birthday (or on the day before or after your birthday, if you don't like the people born on your day) and give me a list of three or four songs by that artist. You can do this for as many musicians as you want.”
This week my selection is one of my favorite vocalists from my jug band days, Maria Muldaur.
Here's what her Wikipedia entry has to say:
Maria Muldaur (Born Maria Garzia Rosa Domenica D'Amato, on September 12, 1943, in Greenwich Village, New York) is a roots-folk singer best known for her song "Midnight at the Oasis".
She performed in the early 1960s in Greenwich Village with Bob Dylan, John Sebastian, David Grisman, and Stefan Grossman. Later in the 1960s her distinctive vocals were heard in many of the tracks recorded by Jim Kweskin and the Jug Band.
She was married to singer Geoff Muldaur.
At present time (2006) Maria is very well known in the field of blues.”
From her own web site, www.mariamuldaur.com, we have the following biographical information:
“Muldaur's artistry expresses a profound love for American music in all its forms and her unique interpretations of pop, blues, jazz and folk music have earned her the respect of both critics and fans. In her early years, Muldaur was best known for her smash pop hit, "Midnight At The Oasis," from her first solo album which went Platinum, securing her a place in the hearts and minds of baby boomers the world over.
“Raised in Greenwich Village amid New York's rich cultural diversity, Muldaur traveled to North Carolina, while still in her teens, to study the fiddle with well-known traditional artist Doc Watson. In high school she formed an all-girl rock ‘n' roll band called "The Cashmeres." At twenty-one, she began her professional musical career joining John Sebastian (later of "The Lovin' Spoonful") to form the "Even Dozen Band." Later, as vocalist-violinist, she toured and performed for five years with the "Jim Kweskin Jug Band," recording five albums with the group.
“In 1973, Muldaur released her first solo album, Maria Muldaur, which rocketed up the charts with the hit "Midnight At The Oasis." More albums followed including, Waitress In A Donut Shop, Sweet Harmony, Southern Winds and Open Your Eyes, all showcasing Muldaur's unique and unmistakable blend of jazz, pop, blues and folk styles.”
Besides her platinum hit, "Midnight at the Oasis," Maria captured my heart, mind and soul in a Greenwich Village club in 1963 with her cover of "Battle Hymn of the Republic." Her tribute to New Orleans, "Louisiana Love Call" appeared years before it became the anthem for a generation of refugees. Her sexy, naughty side came out as far back as her debut album in 1963 with the Even Dozen Jug Band's rendition of "Come On In" (that's Maria with the guitar and great legs up there).
There you have her ... my choice for a Mambo partner on this gray, dreary, very wet, last Monday in April, 2006.
And a HAPPY BIRTHDAY! to the mememeister, rfduck!
Patrick says: “Sorry for the late posting on this week's set. I've been at a weekend writing conference, which I'll blog about later.
“Last week, Carly of "Ellipsis...Suddenly Carly" was again first to play last week. Carly also became the "first to play on the second time around" for the sixth edition of the Saturday Six, which can be found here. Congratulations, Carly!”
“Here are this week's "Saturday Six" questions. Either answer the questions in a comment here, or put the answers in an entry on your journal...but either way, leave a link to your journal so that everyone else can visit! To be counted as "first to play," you must be the first player to either answer the questions in a comment or to provide a complete link to the specific entry in your journal in which you answer the questions. A link to your journal in general cannot count. Enjoy!”
1. What food do you most enjoy cooking? How many people have you cooked this dish for?
I like cooking a simple spaghetti or linguine with a Sauce Bolognaise. I once fed 7000 striking students at the University of Vermont during the Kent State crisis, so I guess I can say, honestly, “thousands.”
2. If you could go behind the scenes at any television show to get a look at how things worked, which show would you choose and why?
I'd go behind the scenes of the writers' session of HOUSE in a heartbeat – they have to be some of the most evil men and women to commit word to paper since the days of Dorothy Parker and the Algonquin Round Table session.
3. Besides your bed, what's the easiest place in your home for you to take a nap? When was the last time you fell asleep there?
My computer chair. Indeed, in front of any computer. And I fell asleep there yesterday after lunch.
4. Take the quiz: What time of day are you? (Found at Shelly's Cyber Chocolate.)
| You Are Midnight |
|
You are more than a little eccentric, and you're apt to keep very unusual habits. |
5. What time of year do you usually read the most books?
These days, I read the most books while waiting for my wife to get out of work. And the longest I have to wait is in the Spring, for unknown reasons. But I'm averaging an hour to an hour and a half of wait time which is also quality reading time.
6. READER'S CHOICE QUESTION #89 from Jamilynn: What is your favorite article of clothing? Is there a story behind it?
My favorite article of clothing is the charcoal gray, heavy wool forester's coat made by Filson called a Mackinaw Double Cruiser . SWMBO¹ is a Southern Belle, a hot house flower of the first order. Yet, she braved actual snow flurries to drive the 35 miles to buy that coat for our first christmas together. And don't think for a moment that she'll ever let me forget that she white-knuckled it all the way home, with white stuff blowing all around her, with my precious gift. The really sad thing is I have gotten too fat to wear it.
¹She Who Must Be Obeyed
| Since we all had so much fun the other week with sharing favorite poems for the Weekend Assignment, I thought we'd do something similar this week -- but with a little twist: |
Dear John,
Hope you are having fun getting comfortably soused with friends and admirers this weekend. All young husbands need to do that now and again, lest they fall into the “grass is greener” trap. And Loki knows, you've got some of the greenest grass I've ever known a young father to have.
Last things first. The Farnsworth Museum was the last art museum I visited. I have mentioned it several times in the past, as it is the closest art museum to my home and so, logically, the one I visit most often. The last time we were there was for an exhibition of Alan Magee's works, including the largest collection of his cover art – he supported himself for twenty years as a cover artist of science fiction novels for Ballantine Books.
Anyway, I have mentioned that Andrew Wyeth is probably my favorite artist. In fact. His most recent works were on display down to the Farnsworth the last time I was there and I was totally captivated by some watercolors he'd done in the early 1990's. He has gotten shaky, but his eye is true and his mastery sublime.
The Farnsworth will be putting up a new exhibition entitled, “Andrew Wyeth: Selections” which will run from May 15, 2006 thru October 15, 2006 at The Wyeth Center at Farnsworth Museum. In additiion to all the big name, well known pictures of Andy's that America loves, you will be introduced to many lesser known works. Perhaps “Schooner Aground” will capture your fancy, or, maybe, the still life of “Split Ash Basket” is more to your liking.
For me, the austere, sparse precision of “Tolling Bell” makes my knees weak. If only I had a hundredth of that talent, that vision. Alas, it just wasn't meant to be.
My best to your lovely wife, Krissy, and the obstreperous highness herself, Princess Athena. Give Kody a scratch behind the ear for me when you get home, Traveler Mine.
wil
“Oh my God” she screamed,
my wife of these seven years past.
“Oh no, I can't ... I don't ...”
words clearly failing her.
“What are you all excited about?”
I queried as I turned into the dooryard
and drove past the house,
“Where's the fire?”
“The grass!” she squeaked, horrified.
It wasn't that high when I left eight hours ago!!!
And sure enough, upon closer examination,
(now that I wasn't hunting for the cell phone to call 911)
the grass was definitely taller. By a couple of inches.
“I'm going to have to mow it in the morning!”
came the plaintive wail from the wife unit.
“I'm not ready for summer to be here;
you haven't fixed the riding mower yet
from when I busted it last year.”
“I can't push-mow the lawn when it is that high, you know,
and I so wanted to have a nice lawn this year.”
We didn't last year as the mower, she broke, and the
grass, it got too high for any mower to cut it, so it went to seed.
You want to know the really sad part of all this?
She wants me to fix the mower tomorrow,
even though she
hasn't got a day off for another week.
And so it goes...
Hi humpers! Ready for another mind hump? This week's theme is Cow Chip Day. I don't like that one, so I'll choose something else. I'm getting a brand new digital camera for my birthday this weekend, so today's theme will be photography!
1. Are you the photographer in the family, or is it someone else?
I'm the photographer. Although, while my wife professes to having no talent, she gets the better shots 3 out of 5 times.
2. What kind of camera do you have? Digital or film?
We have a Fujifilm S5000 digital, and a whole bunch of older Minolta SLR 35mm and lenses.
3. Are you photogenic? Or do you run whenever someone breaks out the camera?
If caught candidly head on, I can be photographed without fogging the lens...
4. If you could take a moment in your life, the best one you've ever had, and photograph it so that you could remember it forever, which moment would it be?
There have been a lot of good ones, and (hopefully) many more to come.
Want to play along? Then, visit the Wednesday Mind Hump Home Office & Pizza Parlor every Tuesday night to get your own copy of the hump questions. The rules are, there are no rules!!! All you need to do is copy and paste the above questions into your blog and add your responses. After you've finished, return here and leave us a comment so we'll know you've humped. Be sure your hump is linked back to http://bdinsanity.blogdrive.com so others can hump too.
Remember, there are no right or wrong answers. If one of the questions doesn't inspire you then simply "pass" it. Just use your imagination!
If you don't have a blog or you're an exhibitionist *woo hoo* feel free to hump right here in our comments section. There's absolutely no pressure ... although it's called the Wednesday Mind Hump you can hump on any day.
Until next time, this is your music-loving mememeister wishing you a happy hump day!
Sometimes it would be so much easier -- or at least it seems like it would be -- if we could just read each other's minds. That way, there would be no possibility of deceit. But would it be worth it? That'll get you thinking about this week's question.
For those who have never played, the rules are simple: I offer two different questions, both related to the same topic, but you only choose one of them to actually answer.
Charley, a man I've found to be of great courage, who happens to write a blog called "Courage" was first to answer last week's question about mail. This was his second week in a row at being first to play the Tuesday Two. Congratulations, Charley!
Now, onto this week's choice of questions. And remember: don't answer both questions!
THIS WEEK'S TOPIC: MIND READING
QUESTION A:
You are given the choice of whether or not you'd like to gain the ability to read minds. There is one catch: once you possess this gift, you cannot shut it off: you will always be able to read minds of those around you. Would you accept the gift? Why or why not?
or
QUESTION B:
If you could explore the mind of one person close to you and gain their thoughts or opinions about any particular thing, what person would you choose, and why?
Choose A or B, (indicate which question you're answering!) then either answer the question in a comment or answer it in your journal and include the link in a comment. (To be considered "first to play," a link must be to the specific entry in which you answered the question.)
Remember: choose one or the other...not both!
My answer to A appears below.
Generally, I would not chose to be able to read anyone else's mind, as the burden of everyone's thoughts being available to me, unbidden, would soon drive me and you, stark raving mad. There is a special situation where I would, reluctantly, accept the gift of mind reading. That would be if my wife were stricken by stroke and thus, unable to speak intelligibly. Then, and only then, I suspect, I could see myself accepting the ability to read minds, with the knowledge it would be a temporary measure to aid my wife's transition. As soon as I would be able, I'd end my own life, rather than voluntarily go insane.
The questions were hijacked by the Bad Easter Bunny and held for ransom ... 3 Cadbury Eggs! Otto apologized in this fashion: “I'm a day late, I know. Sorry about that; the holiday weekend was very busy and I literally had no time to post questions. I hope you still come back next week; I promise I'll have new questions up! =)”
For now, feel free to participate in the following...
1. What was the highlight of your weekend? Going to town to pick up Sunday dinner.
2. What was the best meal you ate this past weekend? Sunday, I had Hot and Sour Soup and General Tso's Szechuan chicken and broccoli with fried rice on the side.
3. Did you spend time with anyone special? I spent the weekend with my wife. She is special.
4. Did the weekend seem to drag, or go by too quickly? Whoosh! They all flow by so fast these days.
Play along by getting your own set of questions, posting a link to your answers in the comments at the Monday Madness Headquarters and Bagel Shoppe.
The person/band living to the left of you must have had a number one hit (any chart)
The band living to the right of you must have had a lead singer change sometime in their career
The person/band living across from you must be a female or have at least one female member in the group
The person living above you must be dead.
“It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood ... won't you be my neighbor?”
Howdy, neighbor! Welcome to my musical neighborhood. Over there on the left, the far left at that, come to think of it, you'll find that folksy ménage à trois, Peter, Paul and Mary. Their only #1 single was “Leavin' on a Jet Plane” although they had several albums reach that lofty height.
Next door on the right side of me you will find Van Halen, who have seen two lead singers over the years, replacing David Lee Roth with Sammy Hagar, then Hagar with Gary Cherone.
Across the street, side by each, you'll find Joan Baez, Judy Collins and Joni Mitchell. Great dames, all.
Back across the alley, you'll run into Bob Dylan, one weird dude, if I do say so myself.
Last, but not least, my upstairs neighbor. A sick monkey, he liked to wave his willy in public and had his head deeper into a bottle earlier than I ever thought to, let's give a hand to the former lead singer for The Doors, Jim Morrison. Long may he rave...
Well, there you have it. That's my musical neighborhood, friend. Don't let the ghostie bother you, he just like to air it out now and again, if you know what I mean.
Want to play along and tell us all about your musical environs? Just stop on by the Monday Mambo World Headquarters & Head Shop and pick up a copy of the questions for yourself. Tell the Big Quacker that the Old Dog sent ya. Dig?
A hypothetical situation: a genie appears following some good deed you have done and grants you an unusual gift: at the snap of his finger, you will be able to be permanently-fluent in seven languages in addition to English. Ponder that possibility for a moment.
But first, Carly, of "Ellipsis...Suddenly Carly," was first to answer last week's question about things you enjoy doing during a thunderstorm. Congratulations, Carly.
On to the newest challenge!
THIS WEEK'S QUESTION:
Not counting English, name seven languages you'd like to be able to speak fluently.
Either answer the question in a comment or answer it in your journal and include the link in a comment. (To be considered "first to play," a link must be to the specific entry in which you answered the question.)
My answers:
Spanish
French
Chinese
Japanese
Hindi
Italian
Danish
|
I did that already. Y'all can see it here. |
"Aiming to connect all the major cities of the East Coast along a continuous, off-road path, the East Coast Greenway spans 2,950 miles from Calais, Maine to Key West, Florida. With the trail now 21 percent open for public use, individuals and communities all along the East Coast are already beginning to enjoy the Greenway's many health and economic benefits. But still, there's much to be done."Read about it here and look at the map of the Maine segment here: ECG-ME.jpg (JPEG Image, 751x561 pixels)
| Weekend Assignment #107: Which recent piece of technology would you miss the most if it suddenly disappeared tomorrow? By "recent," I mean in the last two decades or so (if you didn't have it in 1986, you can't have it now). You can also consider tech which did exist in 1986 but wasn't in common usage. For example, the Internet existed in 1986, but no one except a few geek at universities used it. Any tech is up for consideration, whether it be consumer tech, medical tech, security tech, or whatever. Extra Credit: If you were cut off from the Internet (like, say, me), how long would it take for you to go completely insane? |
Dear John.
Sorry about your troubles. Back in 1986 I was using multiple PC's (all S-100 buss CP/M machines with 300 baud modems) which allowed me to write, connect to my email account at the University of Maine and, of course, conduct research via the card files at Fogler Library and on ARPA Net. So I'd really miss my computers. There's no way I want to return to the “good old days.”
However, I can identify one piece of technology I rely upon to keep me alive every day and that is my automagic CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) machine. The “automagic” part is that it adjusts the pressure automatically, based on the depth of my inhalations and the force of my exhalations. Thus preventing my tongue and uvula from blocking my airway. Good thing, that. The only other way I can sleep without killing myself is upright in a chair. So, the loss of a CPAP machine would really bug me no end, y'know?
I have actually acquired a back-up DC power supply that i can use to power the machine for a full night's sleep, just in case of an extended power outage (not so rare around here). Once depleted, I can then recharge it off the car alternator, or even the lawn mower! Of course, on DC, no heated humidification is available, but thats minor, compared to no CPAP at all.
So, I can do without TV and computers and cell phones and even my DSL line if necessary. In many ways, society might be better off if we returned to typewriters and a slower mode of life. But I'm not ready to forgo all the benefit that microchip electronics has brought us. Not by a long shot...
May Krissy and Athena be well and happy and keep your nose to the grindstone, even if it is only a virtual one.
wil
PS. Extra Credit: Day and a half, at the outside. I am, after all, addicted. But insanity has its own rewards, not to be missed.
RFDUCK, the Monday Music Mambo Mememeister took a moment from his foraging chores and quacked thusly:
Greetings, everyone! Have a good weekend? I sure hope so. Today is Prevent Cruelty To Animals day, so to honor our furry friends and be nice to them, this is what we're going to do:
List songs or artists that have animals in the title or are about animals. Cats, dogs, snakes, etc.
Here's a dozen of them:
Talk To The Animals ~~ Rex Harrison (from the Broadway show Doctor Dolittle)
Animal Crackers ~~ Melanie
A Salty Dog ~~ Procul Harem
America (Horse With No Name) ~~ America
"You see I've been through the desert on a horse with no name
It felt good to be out of the rain
In the desert you can remember your name
'Cause there ain't no one for to give you no pain".
Can Your Pussy Do The Dog? ~~ The Cramps
Year of the Cat ~~ Al Stewart
Me And You And A Dog Named Blue ~~ Lobo
Glass Onion ~~ The Beatles
“I am the Walrus, coo, coo, ca-choo”
Tie Me Kangaroo Down, Sport ~ Rolf Harris
Who Let The Dogs Out? ~~ Baha Men
The Lion Sleeps Tonight ~~ The Tokens
(I ain't nuthin but a) Hound Dog ~~ Elvis Presley
The rules are, there are no rules!!! All you need to do is copy and paste the above questions into your blog and add your responses. After you've finished, return here and leave us a comment so we'll know you've Mamboed. Be sure your Mambo is linked back to http://bdinsanity.blogdrive.com so others can dance too.
Remember, there are no right or wrong answers. If one of the questions doesn't inspire you then simply "pass" it. Just use your imagination and dance like crazy!
If you don't have a blog or you're an exhibitionist *woo hoo* feel free to Mambo right here in our comments section. There's absolutely no pressure ... although it's called the Monday Music Mambo you can Mambo on any day.
Until next time, this is your music-lovin' Mememeister saying have a good Monday and a good Mambo!
Otto announced, with a spring in her step and a lilt to her voice “The following questions were offered by one of our fellow participants who wishes to remain anonymous. After you've answered the first question, proceed to the set of questions below it, depending on if your answer was YES or NO. Thanks so much for playing!”
Do you like to shop? No, not particularly.
IF NO, answer the following:
1. Even though you don't like to shop, where do you find yourself shopping most often? Wal Mart
2. Do you try to send someone else to shop for you? if so, who and why that person? The only other around is SWMBO¹ and she hasn't the time, unless we are shopping for her needs.
3. do you think shopping online is as annoying as shopping in stores? Nope. I do it frequently for the kinds of things one can buy as cheaply or cheaper online.
4. Does anyone close to you encourage to go shopping with her (or him)? if so, do you feel tortured and go or just say no? Most often, for the sake of marital harmony, I go along. But if I can pull it off, I try to get her to shop with a girlfriend and leave me at home. But, she tends to get into trouble that way...
¹She Who Must Be Obeyed, i.e. My better half.
You can get your own copy of the questions to play along by visiting the Monday Madness web site. Don't forget to leave a link to your answers in the comments there. Enjoy!
This weekend, Virginia faced a chance of severe weather from the same storm system that brought baseball-sized hail to Memphis and a string of deadly tornadoes across Tennessee. That got me thinking about this week's question.
But first, Abigail, of "Aesthetic Vibes," was first to answer last week's question about Crayola colors due for a new name! Congratulations, Abigail!
On to the challenge!
THIS WEEK'S QUESTION:
Name up to seven things you enjoy doing during a thunderstorm.
Either answer the question in a comment or answer it in your journal and include the link in a comment. (To be considered "first to play," a link must be to the specific entry in which you answered the question.)
Sit and watch the storm come in (out of the rain, if at all possible).
At night, I like to open the bedroom curtains and blinds and watch the light show.
I like to shiver with fear when a lightening strike is nearby.
Back when I was a firefighter, I liked responding to calls during thunderstorms while everyone else was running for shelter. Muy Macho! Muy stupido!
I truly enjoy lighting the lanterns and lamps when the power goes out.
I also enjoy calling the power company to report the outage.
I like tempting fate and photographing lightning.
This week's edition of the Saturday Six wraps up the second full year of this weekly meme. Thanks to everyone to decided to play and for spreading the word. There is a special kind of question among the six this week, and similar questions will appear as older versions of the Six from the original blog are reposted here.
Enjoy!
Last week, Laura of "Adventures in Juggling" was first to play last week. Congratulations, Laura!
Here are this week's "Saturday Six" questions. Either answer the questions in a comment here, or put the answers in an entry on your journal...but either way, leave a link to your journal so that everyone else can visit! To be counted as "first to play," you must be the first player to either answer the questions in a comment or to provide a complete link to the specific entry in your journal in which you answer the questions. A link to your journal in general cannot count. Enjoy!
1. Researchers in France have announced that they have developed a "mirror" that uses digital technology plus user input about diet and exercise to determine what you will look like in 10 years. So if you found yourself before such a device, would you want to have a look?
Sure, sounds fascinating. Given it was developed by French researchers, I wonder if I'll have hairy armpits?
2. Have you done your taxes? If not, when will you finish them?
Not yet, not sure when they'll be done. If needs be, we'll file for an extension.
3. Has the amount you owe or the amount you're getting back (or what you expect the outcome to be) likely to get you to change how much your employer withholds? Why or why not?
If it turns out we owe a lot more than originally anticipated, then yes, I'll suggest the withholding be increased.
4. Take this quiz (if you haven't already!): Should you quit your job?
I'm unemployed. What do you think?
| Your Job Dissatisfaction Level is 67% |
|
Your job is a total bummer, and probably the worst job you've ever had. |
5. SECOND CHANCE TO BE FIRST TO PLAY QUESTION #1: The Saturday Six began on April 17, 2004, on the old version of "Patrick's Place" over at AOL. When everything moved here, the old comments weren't able to follow. Cdmmw of "I've Got A Fever, and the Only Prescription is More Cowbell" already has a first "link" to her questions on that entry. But for the rest of you, here's your chance to be the first one to answer those original six questions in a comment. For this question, leave your answers in a comment here.
Sorry, I already answered it here. None of this comments stuff for me... BTW, congratulations and thanks are due Patrick for keeping the likes of you and me entertained for the past two years, too.
6. READER'S CHOICE QUESTION #87 from springsnymph: Suppose you're given a box containing a substantial amount of money and it's yours to keep and use however you wish. If and when you open it to retrieve the cash, someone you don't know in another state, country or perhaps even across town will drop dead instantly. This will happen only the first time you open the box. Would you open it?
Yes.
If you have a Reader's Choice question you'd like to see asked (and answered), click the e-mail link in the Blogger profile and send it to me Patrick.
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Save the Planet
Kill
Yourself
Church
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The One Commandment:
"Thou
shalt not procreate"
The Four Pillars:
suicide
· abortion
cannibalism
· sodomy
