Wednesday Mind Hump

Duckmeister was heard to utter under his breath, "Hello humpers! Are you ready for another mind hump? Today is International Goof-off Day! I'm sure each and every one of you are experts at that! Let's get started."

1. What's your favorite way to goof off?
Reading fiction has my vote as my favorite goof off mode.

2. How much goofing off do you do on an average day?
As much as I can get away with, but usually an hour or so per day.
3. If you got paid to blog, how would you goof off and not do your job?
The same way I do now, except I'd be sure it was far, far away from a computer.

That's all I can think of today. Remember, if you're going to goof off, doing a Blogdrive Insanity meme is an excellent way to do so!

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!

Events on this day in history:

March 23, 1775 -- Patrick Henry asks for Liberty or Death.

Today he'd just sue the manufacturer , the hospital and his doctor(s).

Your Monday Photo Shoot: Signs of Spring

John Scalzi's Your Monday Photo Shoot: Snap a shot of something that lets you know Spring has come around.

You know it's coming on spring when the river ice starts to break up. Taken this morning from the Brewer, Maine waterfront, looking at the City of Bangor dock. Note the floats behind the fishing boat, it'll be months before they're in the water. The boat is the only vessel tied up and a bit of a mystery. We're miles upriver from anything that would interest a purse seiner and she is clearly rigged for deep water work. The name was Ocean Wanderer and I didn't get to see where she hails from.

Monday Music Mambo - Week 91

Hi all! Ready to mambo? Today's mambo is going to be extra special, because it's Smile Rejuvenation Day! I'm going to keep things simple today. All I want you to do is . . .

Make a list of five songs that are guaranteed to bring a smile to any listener's face

In other words, give us your ultimate smile-making mini-playlist!

Here goes nothing...

1. Sargent Pepper's Lonely Heart's Club Band – The Beatles

2. Sultans of Swing – Dire Straits

3. In The Summertime – Shaggy

4. Cover Of The Rolling Stone – Dr. Hook

5. Don't Worry, Be Happy by Bobby McFerrin

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.

MEME: Monday Madness - Drawing A Blank

Monday, March 20, 2006

Otto was heard to mumble beerily, "How about some 'fill-in-the-blanks' this week? Thanks for playing, everyone! =)" It was a great St. Paddy's Day. Hic!"

1. When driving in my car, my radio station is usually tuned to _WERU - Community Radio_.
2. When I turn my television on, even if I'm not really paying close attention to it, it's usually on channel _607 - Speed TV_.
3. If I owned a pet, I would own a _German Shepherd Dog_, because _they're the best_.
4. I own an all in one fax-copier-scanner- printer. I bought it because _it does what I want it to do_.
5. You can find all kinds of books in my bookshelves, but mostly this type: _Fiction_.
6. I take about _30_ pictures every month.
7. I blog about _40_ times a month.
8. I've been really busy _vegging_ lately.

Want to play along? It's easy, just go to Otto's Monday Madness site and copy the questions there each week. You can even sign up to be notified by email when new questions are ready. Enjoy!

High School Meme

High School Meme

1. Who was your best friend(s)? Bobby Reighter, Chris Gooding, Alex DiLorenzo.
2. What sports did you play? Soccer. I was a fullback, but not very good at it. I just wasn't into the competitive sports scene at all. I quit at the start of Junior year.
3. What kind of car did you drive? I didn't have access to a car at school (it was a boarding school). When home, I had a 1963 Oldsmobile F-85 at my disposal.
4. It’s Friday night, where are you at? Watching TV, reading. Saturday night was party night.
5. Were you a party animal? I was into partying my senior year, but most often I was the”designated driver.”
6. Were you in the “In Crowd”? Not even close.
7. Ever skip school? Yep, several times. Mostly to go to the beach, but I also cut classes to go into NYC and do research at the New York Public Library.
8. Ever smoke a cigarette? I was addicted to the filthy things by the time I as 13. I remained an addict until 2003. Smoked my last cigarette two hours before they wheeled me into the operating room for open heart surgery.
9. Were you a nerd? It was an unknown term when I was in school. I was a neanderthal. You got to remember, this was prehistory.
10. Did you ever get suspended/expelled? No. I was pretty careful to keep my nefarious activities hidden. I came close a few times...
11. Can you sing the Alma Mater? Nope. I don't remember it and besides, I can't sing without breaking glass.
12. Who was your favorite teacher? It was Bill Smith, my US History teacher.
13. Favorite class? English.
14. What was your school’s name? St. Paul's.
15. School mascot? It was a “Saint” with horns and a forked tail peaking out from under its choir robe.
16. Did you go to Prom? Oh yes. I went to several of them. It was required, not optional.
17. Would you go back again and do it over? Only if I could retain what I know now. Then my life might not have been quite the waste it has been.
18. What do you remember most about graduation? Being awakened and informed that we'd overslept and were really late and that Bobby Kennedy had been shot and killed early that morning.
19. Favorite memory of senior year? Nothing special stands out – then again, my memory for the period is pretty fuzzy.
20. Were you ever posted on the senior wall? I guess not – I don't know what it is.
21. Did you have a job your senior year? Not a paying job, but I was a “monitor” the entire year. Sort of a mini-gestapo officer responsible for maintaining order amongst my peers.
22. Who did you date? Several lovely young women. No, really. I don't know why I was so lucky...
23. Have you gained weight since then? I'm almost twice the size I was then.
24. What did you do after graduation? I worked at a summer camp as a counselor, then off to college.

Via Shelly's Cyber Chocolate.

Blogger Blues Bereft?

Been having problems accessing your Blog*Spot blog lately? Well, the geeks at google got in and replaced a bad router and are in the process of migrating the hundreds of thousands of blogs off the offending filer machine. It'll be a while before they are done, so problems will continue for now.

The guys at google tech that had been plagued by the bad router took out their revenge upon the hardware. You can see it here.

Paul made me do it.

Honest. He held a Canadian Bacon to my nose and a hockey stick to me head and everything, eh? At least I wasn't An Expendable Character like he was.

My results:
You are Jean-Luc Picard

Jean-Luc Picard 95% Geordi LaForge 80% Spock 59% Data 59% Will Riker 55% Worf 55% Mr. Scott 50% Uhura 50% Deanna Troi 45% Leonard McCoy (Bones) 45% Beverly Crusher 40% Chekov 35% An Expendable Character (Redshirt) 35% James T. Kirk (Captain) 30% Mr. Sulu 20%

A lover of Shakespeare and other fine literature. You have a decisive mind and a firm hand in dealing with others.

Click here to take the Star Trek Personality Test

Meme: Unconcious Muttering -- Week 163

Sunday, March 19, 2006

Week 163

1 hour, 53 minutes ago

I say ... and you think ... ?

1. Sugar rush:: harvest

2. Chemical:: suppression

3. Suspension:: bridge

4. Defending:: position

5. Conference:: Convention

6. Dance:: Macabre

7. Weather:: snow

8. Fuel:: JP5

9. Heartbreak:: Hill

10. Insult:: Don Rickles

Want to play along? Visit La Luna Niña to learn how to play and to get yourself on the notification list.

MEME: Saturday Six - Episode 101

Saturday Six - Episode 101

I hope everyone had a Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Emmapeel of "Talking to Myself was first to play the 100th edition of the Saturday Six last week.

Here are this week's questions. Either answer them in a comment here or answer them in your own blog and leave a comment here with the link to that entry. To be considered "First to Play," you must be the first person to answer the questions here or leave the complete link to the specific entry in your blog in which you answered the questions. Enjoy!

1. How did you celebrate St. Patrick's Day?
With a “Happy St. Patrick's Day” to the spouse upon arising and dinner out that evening.
2. What is your favorite green food?
Broccoli.
3. Other than Christmas or Thanksgiving, what holiday do you generally spend the most for when you celebrate it?
Fourth of July. Lobsters and corn-on-the-cob with watermelon for dessert and lots of brew adds up to a hefty tab.
4. It probably seems like winter may have already disappeared from this year based on the warm weather much of the country experienced this season, but if you had to eliminate one season entirely, which one would you choose and why?
Winter. I've had a lifetime of fighting snow and I'm sick to death of it.
5. If you then had to replace the season you eliminated with one of the three remaining ones, meaning that we'd have six months of one season, which would you choose and why?
Autumn. Most of the bugs are gone, gardens are grown and harvested, fodder has been harvested and put up and it's time for hunting, fowling and some late season fishing. And most of the time you don't have to shovel the precipitation...
6. How many of your old school yearbooks (or annuals) do you have today? If you let someone read the messages people wrote in them, would they think you were popular, not popular, or somewhere in between?
I think I have two from high school covering my junior and senior years. Writing in yearbooks was a “tit-for-tat” kind of affair. When you only have 50 in your graduating class, you can't be too choosy. So, while there's a fair number of entries, they are more courtesy than enthusiastic. I'd rate the impression as “somewhere in between” whereas the reality was “not popular.”
Next week, another "Reader's Choice Question comes your way. If you'd like to send me one, click the "View My Profile" link in the sidebar at Patrick's Weekender, then click the email link and send me your question!

Music Archive Videos: Phil Collins :Serious Hits ... Live! :'In the Air Tonight' (Live)

Music Archive Videos: Phil Collins :Serious Hits ... Live! :'In the Air
Tonight' (Live)

http://mp.aol.com/video.index.adp?mode=2&pls=music.archive.3942.All.sort&startid=1224682&start=1&guideContext=

Meme: Weekend Assignment #103 & More

You can blame this on Paul...

You Are Guinness

You know beer well, and you'll only drink the best beers in the world. Watered down beers disgust you, as do the people who drink them. When you drink, you tend to become a bit of a know it all - especially about subjects you don't know well. But your friends tolerate your drunken ways, because you introduce them to the best beers around.

What's Your Beer Personality?

But the credit for my taste in beer goes to my Irish ancestors...

And now, for something completely different...

John M. Scalzi's Weekend Assignment #103: List the songs you'd play to kick a party into gear. You can choose up to five. And if you want to explain why those five, that's good too. It can of course, be any kind of music from any era -- and it can be any kind of party, too. Hey, it's your party. You're in charge of the jukebox, my friend.

Extra Credit: Name the song to play to start winding down the party.

Do I look like a party animal?

Nope, I didn't think so.

Nevertheless, I've been known to get wired and kick the speakers in on occasion... usually it involved legal substances like Tequila in industrial quantities, but then again, I really can't remember the details (black outs, y'know).

Still and all, I haven't been a party animal for many moons now. Over 18 years since I partied hearty and more than 25 since I can recall any details. Never was a fan of disco, thank me lucky charms. So I hearken back to the 70's and 60's and 50's for my inspirations. Sorry about that, Chief.

Let's kick in the jambs with Hank Williams, Jr.'s “All My Rowdy Friends Are Comin' Over Tonight” (the Monday Night Football Theme).

Let's follow that up with The Rolling Stones' “I Can't Get No Satisfaction.” Because that was the theme song of my early teens? Yeah, baby. Shagalicious!

Midway to tomorrow, time to bring the guys and gals together into an embrace, so why not Billie Holliday singing Ira Gershwin's “Embraceable You”? It just oozes warmth and sexiness and man, oh, man! Getting horny, just thinking about it...

Time to kick it back up a notch, tap that second keg and get our second wind, so let's hear Steppenwolf's “Born To Be Wild.”

Let's follow it up with a changeup pitch, some kind of line dance. I'm toying with the “Macareña” but am open to other line dance suggestions. I was never good at that stuff, but it is a party pleaser if there's room. Or, inspiration just struck, I've gotit, By Jove! Eureka! “Hava Nagillah” that classic of wedding movies and Bris' – now there's a celebratory line dance anyone can get into and it isn't stupidly demeaning, like the “Bunny Hop.”

Finally, despite the unkind words of my dear friend, Paul Little, I'd use the dulcet tones of the self-proclaimed “Man With The Golden Voice,” Leonard Cohen, and his wonderful tune, “Closing Time” to suggest the party end was near.

While in real life I'm only half Irish, according to this quiz, I'm more Irish than Sinead O'connor!

You're 80% Irish

Congratulations, you're a shining example of an Irish lass (or lad). There's hardly anyone more Irish than you!

How Irish Are You?

Wednesday Mind Hump

If I'm not mistaken, Friday is St. Patrick's Day. That means it's time for some Irish-related questions for the Mind Hump!

1. What's your favorite Lucky Charms marshmallow shape? And do you ever eat the cereal part of it too?

Stars are big in my memory. Then again, that may be from hitting my head on the foot rail when I fell off my bar stool...

2. How do you celebrate St. Patrick's Day?

I used to get drunk. Then I started getting drunk every day. Now I get sober and watch all the drunks. I'm not sure which is harder – staying sober or pretending to understand the drunks around me.

3. What's your favorite Irish or Celtic song or artist?
Danny Boy as sung by just about anyone with a decent voice. Gets me every time.
The last question comes from famous Irish comic Jerry O'Seinfeld

4. Corned beef - ya got beef, but where's the corn? What is the deal?

Come on, Jerry. Stop with the schtick. “Corning” refers to packing a beautiful, luscious, brisket in rock salt until any vestige of beef or life or flavor has been banished. One then boils the living shit out of the hunk of dehydrated beef until it swells like a floater from the Hudson River after a two week trip through the tidal basin at the end of a tow rope on a garbage scow. This you pull apart into stringy bits and serve up with a greasy gravy, a huge mound of cabbage boiled to smithereens and the essential Irish food, boiled potatoes that have been boiled the Irish Mammy's way on top of the stove in an open pot for twelve hours while she went to the store, got her hair done, had a “few” down to the pub and returned just in time to dowse the flames erupting from inside the pot.

There, that just makes you want to order a “New England Boiled Dinner” tonight, don't it? And I didn't even start to tell you about the turnips and rutabaga pie...

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!

MEME: Tuesday Two

Tuesday Two - Episode 21

Here we are with another regular edition of the Tuesday Two.

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.

Wil of "The Daily Snooze" holds the distinction of being not only the first to answer last week's question, but also the only person to do so!

Now, onto this week's choice of questions. And remember: don't answer both questions!


THIS WEEK'S TOPIC: ANIMALS

QUESTION A:
What is the most exotic animal you've ever actually come into physical contact with? If you've never touched an exotic animal, which one would you most like to touch?

or

QUESTION B:
How do you feel about zoos? Do you think that they are a valuable resource to encourage an appreciation of nature, or a harmful industry that only exploits animals?

Choose A or B, (indicate which question you're answering!) then either answer the question in a comment at Patrick's Weekender 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!

I'm going to take a stab at “A” this week. If I think about it hard, I recall running into black bears, raccoons, coyotes, moose and deer, opossum, armadillos, pine martins, otters, beavers, muskrats and woodchucks, rats, mice, voles and weasels. Then there's the reptiles; all sorts of snakes and vipers, from garter snakes to cottonmouths, diamond backs and Eastern timber rattlers, milk snakes and coral snakes, king snakes and little black racers. Salamanders and lizards. Geckos and skinks. And the dolphins. Can't forget any of them.

They're all pretty exotic, in the sense of touching them. Most were encountered in the wild. But some, such as the bear, the coyote and the cottonmouth, the deer and the moose, I encountered under controlled conditions. Of them all, the armadillo is the most exotic, but that was in the wild. The one I'd like to get up close and personal with is an elephant. And I'd love to exchange caresses with a wolf. I've cared for a half wolf hybrid, but that isn't the same.

All in all, looking back, I've been damned fortunate to have met these alien beings in their natural habitats. If it would be something you'd be interested in, I suggest you get out there and start meeting them for yourself. They're all fascinating creatures.

Monday Music Mambo - Week 90

Monday Music Mambo - Week 90

Greetings, mamboers! Today's theme is "Lend a helping hand day," and I need your help. You can help me by answering the following questions:

1. What song, artist, or album has helped you through a rough time?
Leonard Cohen and Willie Nelson have both been helpful in my life.
2. Name at least one song with the word "Help" in the title. If you really can't think of anything, a song by a certain British foursome is acceptable.
Help Me by Joni Mitchell (Court & Spark album)
3. A really good band has members who help each other play better. Sometimes it's the entire band that clicks, and other times it's a pairing of two people who would not perform the same without each other. Name me a band, pair of people or whatever other combination you like that fits the above description.
The best example of synergy that comes to mind off the top of my head is the band CREAM and specifically the synergy between Eric Clapton and Ginger Baker. Both are gods; together they ARE the Pantheon!
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!

MEME: Sunday Seven - Episode 28

If you have cable or satellite television -- or if you've considered having it -- stay tuned for this week's question. But first, congratulations once again go to Carly, of " Ellipsis...Suddenly Carly ," who was first to play for the fourth week in a row last week! On to the challenge! THIS WEEK'S QUESTION: Your cable or satellite provider comes to you with an offer: they will drop your monthly fee in half if you voluntarily eliminate seven channels from the lineup of networks you receive. Assuming that you cannot drop any of your local stations, which nets would you opt to delete? 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.)

This one is as simple as looking at what I have blocked on our DirecTV system. The blocked channels are primarily shopping, christians, and latino soap operas. That's about a dozen right there.

But let's give it the sacrificial try, shall we?

If'n I HAD to do it, I would chose

1. Fox News

2. C-Span 1 & 2

3. CNBC

4. FIT-TV

5. LINK

6. Military

7. Disney channels

There, how'd I do? I wouldn't really miss these, except for C-SPAN where I watch Book-TV. The rest are no real loss.

What are your choices? Want to play? Just click on the box at the top of the entry and leave a link to your answers in the comments there.

Gimme an "M"...

Otto was heard to stutter as she frosted her St. Patrick's Day cake, “A good Monday to all! And now for this week's challenge...”

“Using the letters in the word 'MONDAY,' list things that you do (or would like to do) in your spare time.”

Make love to my wife...
On the kitchen table,
Near the sofa,
Directly under the mistletoe,
And, last but not least,
Yield to her wishes and do it all again.

MEME: Unconcious Mutterings - Week 162

I say ... and you think ... ?

1. Displacement::hull
2. Grease monkey::mechanic
3. Vacancy::No
4. Conquer::divide
5. Payroll::taxes
6. Personal::business
7. Housewife::horney
8. Lateral::move
9. Tissue::Kleenex
10. Multiplication::tables

Head Noise

Last week, the love of my life was laid low with a nasty virus that caused diarrhea, vomiting and terrible lethargy. I know this because I was awakened at four in the morning to the sound of her worshiping the porcelain goddess. Now, I love my wife. But she sounds like a hog straining to birth her sixteenth farrow when she's barfing.

I was sound asleep in my desk chair, where I'd drifted off while reading blogs. Suddenly, seemingly from the bowels of Hell came the most blood-curdling groan. Once I came to, I realized what was going on, but for a moment there I thought we'd been invaded and they'd cut her throat!

The concert went on for several days. Suggestions of the ER and IV's were met with stony silence (in retrospect, that's exactly what she should have done, but noooo, not my wife). Through it all, I kept my distance.

Well, for the obvious reasons. One, I didn't want what she'd caught to catch me too. And second, I am an absolute wuss when it comes to listening to someone else puke. If I can maintain my distance, i can sometimes avoid the undesired reaction. But most of the time, if I can hear you, I'm going to be elbowing you aside to take my place before the throne.

I was good until Tuesday and then it hit me. Unlike wifey-poo, I took Immodium (the hell with my blood pressure – I wanted the liquid shits to stop now) right from the start. I was sick only a day and a half (unlike the 4+ days my wife was laid low) and I managed to avoid vomiting, despite significant queasiness, by consuming that old stand-by, Pepto-Bismal. Between the two and fluids support (a liter of gator-aide per day).

So, today was the first day I ventured away from the old homestead into town. Let me tell you, false hope of spring abounds around here. Mud is everywhere. Snow is all but gone again, despite six inches of the heavy white stuff earlier this week. But the winds today were brisk, lowering the temperature to near the freezing point with the wind chill factored in. But I didn't let that stop me. I grabbed a meal at Arby's drive through and sat in the parking lot, basking in the sun and reading a book I had with me (Gerry Boyle's Home Body) for two whole hours! I felt like a new man. I even drag raced a kid in a pick-up from a standing start out on Broadway on the way home. He beat me, of course. Big block V-8 is going to sock it to an in-line four no matter how tricked out it isn't. Still and all, it's starting to feel like Spring around here and that is dangerous. I checked last years entries around this time and we were fighting sub-zero temperatures and a foot of snow. It's just too dang early for spring to come and it bodes ill to this curmudgeon, for one. We will pay for it with hot, dry weather or hurricanes or tornadoes or all of the above, of that, I am certain. Droughts. Pestilences. Locusts. Grasshoppers.

Something wicked this way comes...

MEME: Saturday Six - Episode 100

Yes, it says "Episode 100!"

In celebration of the 100th edition of the Saturday Six, I'm running six new questions chosen by the readers. Be sure to visit their blogs, and enjoy the questions!

My friend Carly of "Ellipsis...Suddenly Carly" was first to play last week for the second 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. READER'S CHOICE QUESTION #79 from Cat: If you could trade places with one person in your family for a week, who would you choose? And would you want to trade as they are now, or sometime in the past (or future)?

I'd like to walk a mile in my wife's shoes, so she'd be my choice for the switch. As to how well I'd do, I have my doubts...

2. READER'S CHOICE QUESTION #80 from De: What were you doing 1 year ago this month, and are you more or less satisfied with your life today?

Freezing to near-extinction and shoveling snow. I was contemplating an upcoming surgery and a trip to be taken late in the spring. Probably less satisfied now than then, I have more ill health to cope with.

3. READER'S CHOICE QUESTION #81 from Lisa: Do you prefer watching television over surfing the Internet?

I like both. But, if I had to give up one or the other, the Internet would be gone in a flash. Although, I can do without television, too, as long as I have books to read.

4. READER'S CHOICE QUESTION #82 from Antonette: Outside of the U.S., where would you live and why?

The older I get, the more entrenched I become. I really have no desire to leave the U.S.A. If I had to make a choice, I suspect I'd move to New Zealand, assuming they'd have me. Because, it offers a great climate, the kinds of recreational activities I enjoy particularly and I can speak the language. Now, if I had to make that same choice thirty years ago, I suspect the choice would have been a little farther to the north, ie. Australia. But I can do without the heat, bugs and snakes in Oz. And the crowds.

5. READER'S CHOICE QUESTION #83 from Elton: When you leave your home, do you ever feel paranoid that you've left something behind?

No. Only because it's simple fact, not paranoia. I'd forget my head if it weren't attached. I routinely turn around and come back to get something I ave forgotten.

6. READER'S CHOICE QUESTION #84 from Laura: What song or songs would you want played at your own funeral and why?

None. I have no intention of having a funeral, therefore, no songs need be played.

And Baby Makes Nil...

SkepChick brought it to my attention, now I pass it on to yours. Seems the Catholics are at it again. Hating humanity, that is. Seems the Inquisition and collaboration with Hitler and Mussolini, for example, wasn't enough for them, after all.

She describes how the Archdiscease of Massachusetts has chosen to pick up its ball and go home after being denied by the Commonwealth the "right" to discriminate against gay couples in the considerations of the Catholic Charities of Boston when making adoption placements.
Hatred and religion, hand in hand still. There are real reasons why I have no tolerance for religious institutions; this is a prime example.

Read her entry here, and visit the Boston Globe article that set her off.

Time To Buy A Serious Shredder

If you are at all like me, your mail is full of credit card offers each week. I usually cut them up and throw them out.

BIG MISTAKE.

Read all about how a man took a torn up credit card application, filled in a different address and cell phone number, mailed it in and soon had himself a $5000 bank card.

DAMN!

Via Boing!Boing!

QUIZ: What Kind of Soda Are You?

Blame Shelly. Really.

You Are Diet Coke

You are energy in its purest form. No need to complicate things with sweetness. And while people may hate your aftertaste, you are seen as a necessary evil. Your best soda match: 7 Up Stay away from: Coke

What Kind of Soda Are You?

Meme: Weekend Assignment #102

Weekend Assignment #102: Life Out There?

This is big news: They've found evidence of liquid water on a moon of Saturn. And where's liquid water, there is the possibility (possibility! Possibility only) of life as we know it: If Enceladus does harbor life, it probably consists of microbes or other primitive organisms capable of living in extreme conditions, scientists say. David Morrison, a senior scientist at NASA's Astrobiology Institute, cautioned against rushing to judgment about whether the tiny moon could support life. "It's certainly interesting, but I don't see how much more you can say beyond that," Morrison said. Which leads us to this week's Weekend Assignment: Weekend Assignment #102: Do you honestly think there is life out there in the universe? And if so, what kind of life do you think it is? Extra Credit: Name your favorite (fictional) alien creature.

Dear John,

Life as we know it on Saturn? Not bloody likely. Not anywhere else in this solar system, either.

That's not to say that some semblance of life might not be found someday on another spherical satellite of Sol besides “Earth” itself. But, “not in my lifetime” is a pretty safe bet.

But then you just had to get into that deep, dangerous well of speculation, didn't you? Life in the universe? Well, I don't believe in coinkydinks (coincidences, for the non-inebriated out there). So the prospect of life occurring on only one of a seemingly infinite number of planets is asking a bit more incredulity than I can muster. I suspect there are all sorts of planets supporting life, both as we know it, and so far beyond what Philip K. Dick could conjure on a good day, as to be unrecognizable.

Positing it is possible that humans, so-called “mankind” will manage to reach a soi generis maturation allowing these bipedal simians to look outward beyond the simple acquisition of “more, more, more,” I suspect what will be found in that distant, hoped-for future, will be an awfully large amount of nothing and a thimbleful of microbes and single-cell phenomena, with a soupcon of planets supporting plant life as we understand the meaning of plants. It may be centuries after the initial discoveries before the first mammalian or reptilian beings with a high-order civilization is discovered. May be thousands of years before an actual humanoid race is run into.

Or, the Federation may come swinging forth into our twenty-fourth century to extend an invite to join (before we blow up some incredibly important relay point at aphelion above the North Pole). The Talons may even now be fleeing their home system in search of a new planet to reestablish their civilization upon, now that their own, older version of Sol has gone cold and dim,

Or, then again, the universe is just waiting for the embargo to be lifted by Rotcod Ohw before overrunning us with the intergalactic equivalent of “spam.”

There you have it. Speculation without elimination. Forethought of malapropism.

Hugs and kisses to the Mrs.; give the wee munchkin a hug, too. Do tell her the bestest aliens in the whole, wide, wonderful universe are “Fuzzies” (see H. Beam Piper Little Fuzzy (1962) and Fuzzy Sapiens (1964) recounted in one volume in 1980 as The Fuzzy Papers, ACE, 1980.)

wil

MEME: Tuesday Two - Episode 20

Tuesday Two - Episode 20

It has been a crazy couple of weeks...much going on, and many distractions to keep me away from more regular blogging. I'm blatantly cheating on this one, by backdating this entry so it'll still register on Tuesday! Sorry for the delay.

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.

Carly of " Ellipsis...Suddenly Carly" was first to play last week! Congratulations, Carly!

Each tenth edition of the Tuesday Two requires that you go back to a previous edition and answer the question you didn't answer the first time around. So if you were trying to avoid a topic, here's where you find out whether the gamble paid off or not. (Of course, if you still don't want to answer, I won't send any henchmen to your door if you still don't!)

So answer your previously-unanswered question from one of the two previous editions:

EPISODE 14: BLOGGING

or

EPISODE 15: FUNERALS

Choose A or B, the one you didn't answer the first time around, 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!

Saved by procrastination! I didn't answer the Funerals' Tuesday Two so I can pick and choose. And I choose “A”.

QUESTION A:
How do you feel about open casket viewings or visitations at funeral homes? Does it bother you to see the decedent or do you feel a more complete sense of closure from it?

Truth be told, I don't feel much one way or the other. It is merely so much meat. I suspect that the allure is for those who believe in an after-life, just to be sure Uncle Joe or Aunt Fanny is really dead. You know the type. The ones from Missouri, “the show-me state.” Where I harbor no such illusion, the display of putrefying meat is a minor curiosity. The really interesting thing at a funeral is the behavior of the survivors, at least for me. I recall demanding to see my mother in her casket, but that was the skeptic in me. She'd died in hospital 300 miles away and I hadn't seen her for the three weeks prior to her death. So, like the curious monkeys from the aforementioned Missouri, I was just making sure that some huge cosmic hoax wasn't being played upon my little brothers and I. I can excuse that, from this vantage point. I was barely 15 and the prospect of being a motherless child was a bit daunting, indeed. So actual confirmation of the nasty news was needed.

Bottom line, viewings and visitations are fine by me. It is “human” nature to poke the dead one with a stick. Still too many crocodiles in the river to actually believe the one on the bank in front of you isn't just pretending. And there's always the hope for a vicarious thrill when the poking elicits a response. Even if it is just a bit of gas...

Wednesday Mind Hump

Wednesday Mind Hump

Happy hump day! I've got a very special edition of the Mind Hump for you all today. It's International Women's Day!! I'd like to give a shout-out and a thank you to all the women who visit here, especially our original mememeister Friday!

1. Name five of your favorite women

2. Name five of your favorite famous women

3. If you're a woman: What's the best thing about being a woman?
If you're a man: What's your favorite thing about women?

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!

The Old Dog stops sniffing his tail long enough to answer:

Name five of your favorite women (Let's clear this mine-field quickly, shall we?)

1. My wife

2. My Mother (RIP)

3. My ex-wife

4. My step-daughters

5. My grandmother

   Name five of your favorite famous women

6. Julianne Moore

7. Katherine Hepburn

8. Kate Hudson

9. Nora Jones

10. Janet Joplin

    What's your favorite thing about women?

    Their fascinating brains. They are so alien ... really like an entirely different species.

MEME: Monday Music Mambo - Week 89

Monday Music Mambo - Week 89

Rfduck was heard to mutter from beneath his pile of molting feathers thusly, “Hello mamboers! It's your memeduck again with another mambo for you to dance to. Today's theme is "Don't Join The Circus Day." We're not going to join a circus, but we're gonna make one! Your assignment today is to fill each listed circus role with the name of a musician, solo or in a band.”

Ringmaster
Clown #1
Clown #2
Bearded lady
Lion tamer
High-flying trapeze artist
Energetic, exciting band to end the night with a rockin' performance

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!

The Old Dog's Choices (he's caught in a late 60's mode, it appears):

Ringmaster – John Lennon
Clown #1 – Ringo Starr
Clown #2 – Jim Morrison
Bearded lady – Grace Slick
Lion tamer – Eric Clapton
High-flying trapeze artist – Terry Riley
Energetic, exciting band to end the night with a rockin' performance – The Rolling Stones

PETA (Still) Kills Animals

Extremists of all stripes must be treated as terrorists. Read this. View these (graphic) photographs of dogs disposed of in a grocery store dumpster by two PETA employees in Virginia.

Thanks to Threecollie of Northview Diary.

Are you next?

Now this is interesting. It's a Map of future extinction and it shows "places where mammals are at risk of future extinction, even when they may be just fine now."

Via Boing, Boing.

MEME: Sunday Seven - Episode 27

I asked this question about the movies a while back, but since last night had everyone's attention on movies, I figured it was time to give books their fair shot.

But first, congratulations go to Carly, of "Ellipsis...Suddenly Carly," who was first to play for the third week in a row last week!

On to the challenge!

THIS WEEK'S QUESTION:
Name up to seven books you own that you've read more than once.

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:

1. Friday, Robert Heinlein

2. Time Enough For Love, Robert Heinlein

3. Stranger In A Strange Land, Robert Heinlein

4. Nature I Loved, Bill Geaghan

5. Bushed, Frank Whitehouse Anderson

6. Shikasta, Doris Lessing

7. Dune, Frank Herbert

There's actually many more, those are the first seven that come to mind. Want to play along? Visit Patrick's Weekender for all the info needed to get started.

MEME: Monday Madness - Hobby Hubby

Otto took a moment away from her photography to say, “Let's talk about our hobbies... and so I don't forget, thank you for playing and have a wonderful week! =)”


1. How many hobbies do you have? Several. Wood butchering, photography, sea kayaking, and my most recent, model railroading.

2. Name at least one of your hobbies. Didn't I just do that?

3. What do you like about your hobby? They occupy the mind and the body without running the risk of STD's.
4. What keeps you from spending more time on any one of your hobbies? Oh, reading, music, television, computers, cooking, chauffeuring, etc. ad nauseum.
5. Do you have any hobbies that you haven't taken up yet, but would like to? When I win the POWERBALL, there's a whole slew of hobbies I'd like to take up. And, they mostly involve avoiding too many STD's, too.
6. Have you ever decided to give up a hobby? If so, why? I gave up Schutzhund after my last GSD, Nori, died. I just couldn't bring myself to devote that much time and effort again.

Want to play? Just visit Otto here and follow the directions.

Word of the Day: STURGEON'S LAW

Sturgeon's Law, n.

Brit. Forms: 19- Sturgeon's Law, Sturgeon's law. [<>Sturgeon (1918-85, born Edward Hamilton Waldo), U.S. science fiction writer + LAW n.1]

A humorous aphorism which maintains that most of any body of published material, knowledge, etc., or (more generally) of everything is worthless: based on a statement by Sturgeon (see quot. 1958), usually later cited as '90 per cent of everything is crap'.

Typically used of a specific medium, genre, etc., originally and esp. science fiction, and now freq. also of information to be found on the Internet. The aphorism was apparently first formulated in 1951 or 1952 at a lecture at New York University (letter to the O.E.D. from Fruma Klass, the wife of science fiction writer Phil Klass ('William Tenn'), 5 Dec. 2001), and popularized at the 1953 WorldCon science fiction convention (see J. Gunn in N.Y. Rev. Sci. Fiction (1995) Sept. 20).

And a tip of the hat to Dr. Doug, my best friend, for sending this my way. Thanks, Doug.

Unconcious Mutterings

Sunday, March 05, 2006

Week 161

21 hours, 31 minutes ago

I say ... and you think ... ?

1. Upgrade::First Class
2. Happy ending::Not Likely
   
3. Stale::bread
4. Tripping::LSD
5. Working::girl
6. Explicit::hard core
   
7. Happy place::bullshit
8. Tornado::Alley
9. Medication::prescription
10. Muppet::Elmo

You can play along, too. Just go to La Luna Nina's place and copy them for yourself. Leave a link to your answers in the comments there and have fun. Besides, that nasty feminine itching will be a thing of the past if you do. So what are you waiting for?

Meme: Weekend Assignment #101

Weekend Assignment #101: Very Hidden Talents

Here's a fun and simple topic for this week's Weekend Assignment: Weekend Assignment #101: Name a talent that you don't have that you wish you did. This can also include talents you have a little bit of, but wish you had more. Extra credit: Do you have any completely useless talents?

Dear John,

I've discussed in other editions of the Weekend Assignment talents I wish I possessed. Skill with paint, drawing, music, piano, guitar, hornpipe, mandolin. You get the idea. I played saxophone in Jr. High. I can't draw my way out of a wet paper bag. So enough about those.

A hidden talent I'd like to possess would be facility with auto body work. This is another aspect of the arts that I have no talent for, but I am constantly in need of, given the mega-tonnes of calcium chloride we put on the roads here as a deicing agent. I tend to keep my vehicles for a long time, until they no longer have a prayer of passing inspection due to rust. I prolong this agony by being a fairly decent mechanic when I put my mind to it. But I am ham-fisted when it comes to finessing Bondo and paint to look even remotely like the original finish. I end up with a mess and the body shop guys tear it all out and start anew. But still, it's one of those things I wish I could do well.

That's all for this week. Am mostly hunkered down, trying to stay warm. Spring is still a long ways away in these parts. Love on your women for me and try to meet that deadline, right?

Wil

P.S. Completely useless talents? Well, I suspect blowing bubbles with bubble gum would qualify...

Meme: Saturday Six -- Episode 99

Hang on, Elizabeth! We're just one away from the big one...the 100th edition of the Saturday Six! I'll have something special next week, but I'm sure the regulars already can guess what that will be! (Or can they?)

Yeah. They can.

In other news, Carly of "Ellipsis...Suddenly Carly" was first to play last week. 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. Have you given up anything for Lent? If so, what did you give up?
I've lent plenty of things over the years to folks who have failed to return the items, so yes, I have given up many things I've lent. (Update. Never mind.)
2. How prepared is your bathroom? Not counting the one you currently have open, how many unopened units of the following do you have waiting in your cabinets?
A. Tubes of Toothpaste - 1
B. Sticks of Deoderant - 0
C. Packs of Toilet Paper – 6 rolls
D. Bars of Soap – about half a brick (12 bars) of Irish Spring

3. Has a commercial for any specific medication ever prompted you to visit your doctor to discuss either the illness or symptoms the advertised product treats? If so, did you ask the doctor to prescribe that specific medication?
Nope, I'm not particularly moved by the advertising for Rx drugs. I have asked for Viagra, but was turned down. Seems it could be fatal when combined with Nitrogycerin. Then again, I probably wouldn't NEED the Nitro if I had access to Viagra...
4. Take this quiz (if you haven't already!): What part of fall are you? (Hey, since Spring is almost here, why not!)

You Are Apple Cider

Smooth and comforting. But downright nasty when cold.

What Part of Fall Are You?

5. Which is more full right now at your home: your kitchen trash bag, your vacuum cleaner bag, your wallet, your stomach, or your car's fuel tank?

6. If the blog gods imposed some new law that says you could only participate in one regularly-scheduled meme per week, other than the Saturday Six, Sunday Seven or Tuesday Two, which one would you choose? (Leave a link to the most recent edition if you wish!)
I'd probably continue to participate in John M. Scalzi's “Weekend Assignment” if I had only one choice.
If you have a Reader's Choice question you'd like to see asked (and answered), click the e-mail link in the profile and send it to me.

MEME: Junebugg's Folly

On a blog jog, I stumbled blearily onto Junebugg's "Wasted Days, Wasted Nights". She had this as her latest post, and I've copied it, self-tagged into participation. Go for it, friends and enemies mine...

If you read this, if your eyes are passing over this right now, (even if we don't speak often or don't really know each other) please post a comment with a COMPLETELY
MADE UP AND FICTIONAL memory of you and me. It can be anything you want - good or bad - BUT IT HAS TO BE FAKE. When you're finished, post this little paragraph on your blog and be surprised (or mortified) about what people DON'T ACTUALLY remember about you!

Technorati Tags: Meme, Story, Fiction, Friends

QUIZ: How Scary Are You

Witnit is on a binge lately, trying to convince the world he isn't all bad. He points to his results on this quiz as evidence in support of that premise.

Bah humbug.

I, on the other hand, don't give a rat's ass what you think of me...

You Are Creepy

Serial killers would run away from you in a flash.

How Scary Are You?

Operation: S.P.A.W.N. Successful

Congratulations, Simon and Amy.

Operation: S.P.A.W.N. (Small Person Approaches Wondrous Nascency) was wildly successful yesterday around 4:45 PM MT.

A baby boy came into the world in the usual way, like they usually do ... on Ralph Lauren towels astride a king size bed in Canada, after the Doctor sent Amy home to Simon to labor a while. Gives proof to the old saying that second babies come down the ways slicker than greased owl shit...

No word yet as to name, rank or serial number.

QUIZ: How Open Minded Are You

You Are 56% Open Minded

You are a very open minded person, but you're also well grounded. Tolerant and flexible, you appreciate most lifestyles and viewpoints. But you also know where you stand firm, and you can draw that line. You're open to considering every possibility - but in the end, you stand true to yourself.

How Open Minded Are You?

Shelly made me do it. Some of the questions gave me pause, but overall, it's a no-brainer.

MEME: Wednesday Mind Hump

Wednesday Mind Hump

Hi humpers! All recovered from Mardis Gras? I sure hope so. Today's Mind Hump has a very strange theme - National Pig Day! Let's roll around in the mud and mind hump.

1. Who's the better pig - Babe, or the pig from Charlotte's Web (can't remember his name)?
Babe is the better pig let of these two porcine slackers...
2. What's your favorite pork-related food, if you eat pork?
I loves me some bar-b-cued pulled pig meat with lots of sauce. Mmmm...pig!
3. When you want to get a pig's attention, you yell "SOOOOOOEEEE!" What should we yell to get YOUR attention?
“Woof, woof, arroof” works for me.
4. Random, non-pig question: Do you watch American Idol?
Not bloody likely.
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!

MEME: Tuesday Two - Episode 19

Tuesday Two - Episode 19

Patrick was heard to mutter from behind his piles of rejected news promo scripts, “In case you didn't notice, I missed the Tuesday Two last week. It was one of those weeks. Sorry about that.”

“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.”

“Carly of "Ellipsis...Suddenly Carly" was first to play last week, beating even Babs to the first comment! Congrats, Carly!”

“Now, onto this week's choice of questions. And remember: don't answer both questions!”


THIS WEEK'S TOPIC: DEADLINES

QUESTION A:
Do you find that you work better under deadline, or that you work better when you can set your own pace?

or

QUESTION B:
How successful are you at setting deadlines for yourself in your personal life? Do you find that you are as motivated to meet them as the ones your employer requires you to meet?

Choose A or B, (indicate which question you're answering!) then either answer the question in a comment here 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!

A.

I work far better with a deadline than not. In fact, I am a procrastinator.

I'd be the president of the Procrastinator Assembly, except we never get around to actually calling for a congress. [rim shot, ka-boom]

I once tried to set my own pace. I woke up next week in the same pace I was before. [rim shot, ka-boom]

Deadlines are for dummies. I mean, if you need to see a line before you know you're dead, you're a dummy. [rim shot, ka-boom]

Productivity is highly overrated. After all, didn't they grade us in school as underachievers? I was the top of that class, if I do say so myself. [rim shot, ka-boom]

I'm very goal-oriented. Once I set a goal, I let nothing veer me from the path until I achieve it. They say they'll let me out of hospital next week. Seems I should have driven round the excavation, not through it. [rim shot, ka-boom]

Deadlines give the bosses something to rail against. They just give us peons headaches. [rim shot, ka-boom]

The only real deadline of any value at all is the arbitrary one set by your body to inhale. Fail to meet THAT one and you've blown the rest of your life.

On that note, I'm off.

But you knew that...