Ordinary Extraordinary

The Omnivore's Hundred

Oooh look, a new post! Excellent!

Don't get too excited just yet... since I've spent the better part of the day lying on an orthopedic pillow icing my neck and upper back (thank you, mutinous trapezius), a meme is about all the creativity I can muster at the moment.

This one's fitting for me, though, since I've spent much of the last couple of months changing my eating habits, reading about the industrialization of the food chain and the development of our counter-intuitive Western Diet, and re-thinking my whole concept of food and what part it plays in my life.

Why yes, there will be more posts about that in the future.

But for now, I've picked up this meme from Andrew Wheeler over at  Very Good Taste:

Here’s a chance for a little interactivity for all the bloggers out there. Below is a list of 100 things that I think every good omnivore should have tried at least once in their life. The list includes fine food, strange food, everyday food and even some pretty bad food - but a good omnivore should really try it all. Don’t worry if you haven’t, mind you; neither have I, though I’ll be sure to work on it. Don’t worry if you don’t recognise everything in the hundred, either; Wikipedia has the answers.

Here’s what I want you to do:

1) Copy this list into your blog or journal, including these instructions.
2) Bold all the items you’ve eaten.
3) Cross out any items that you would never consider eating.
4) Optional extra: Post a comment here at www.verygoodtaste.co.uk linking to your results.

The VGT Omnivore’s Hundred:

100 Things To Do Before I Go, Part V

Questions to ponder:

• What would surprise me if I found out I hadn’t done it by the time I died?
• What are the little things I expect to just unroll in front of me?
• What are the big, amazing things that absolutely wouldn’t happen without some heads-down, teeth-clenched work?
• What things have I been concentrating on that don’t really matter?

Memories that I hope to make before the end of my life; one hundred Things To Do, numbers eighty-one through one hundred.

81. Mentor someone.
82. Buy a deliciously comfortable bed.
83. Endow the New York City ballet.
84. Chair a charity or service organization.
85. Dance in the streets.
86. Live among neighbors I know and like; be part of a community.
87. Give a wedding toast.
88. Write thank you notes.
89. "Unplug" for a week, or a month.
90. Print and frame a series of my favorite photographs.
91. Throw regular dinner parties full of tasty food and snappy conversation.
92. Bonfires on the beach.
93. Repay the teachers who have touched me by sharing their lessons with others.
94. Learn to play guitar.
95. Go rock climbing.
96. Trips with just the girls.
97. Try surfing at least once.
98. Meet someone whose work I admire / appreciate.
99. Spend a day in absolute silence.
100. Be able to look back and think "Yes, I really did live happily ever after."

See also: Part I, Part II, Part III, Part IV

Whereas the list of memories got easier as I went along, this definitely got harder. I hit a brief streak of inspiration yesterday with all of the travel (thanks, BBC), but I really grappled with the last twenty or so.

What's on your list?

My source of inspiration is, once again, Mighty Girl.

100 Things To Do Before I Go, Part IV

Questions to ponder:

• What would surprise me if I found out I hadn’t done it by the time I died?
• What are the little things I expect to just unroll in front of me?
• What are the big, amazing things that absolutely wouldn’t happen without some heads-down, teeth-clenched work?
• What things have I been concentrating on that don’t really matter?

Memories that I hope to make before the end of my life; one hundred Things To Do, numbers sixty-one through eighty.

61. Lazy summer afternoons spent outside: warm sun and cold lemonade.
62. Throw a party to celebrate the last day that I ever have to work in a cubicle.
63. Buenos Aires.
64. Rio.
65. Havana.
66. Cape Town.
67. The Maldives.
68. Victoria Falls.
69. Dubai.
70. The Galapagos.
71. Angkor Wat.
72. Masai Mara.
73. Iceland.
74. Norway.
75. Hot chocolate in Switzerland.
76. French Polynesia.
77. The Seychelles Islands.
78. The Great Wall of China.
79. Cruise around Alaska.
80. Do a flip on a trampoline.

See also: Part I, Part II, Part III

My source of inspiration is, once again, Mighty Girl.

100 Things To Do Before I Go, Part III

Questions to ponder:

• What would surprise me if I found out I hadn’t done it by the time I died?
• What are the little things I expect to just unroll in front of me?
• What are the big, amazing things that absolutely wouldn’t happen without some heads-down, teeth-clenched work?
• What things have I been concentrating on that don’t really matter?

Memories that I hope to make before the end of my life; one hundred Things To Do, numbers forty-one through sixty.

41. Sing again.
42. Take a specialty cooking class.
43. Learn more about both sides of my family's history.
44. Safari in Africa.
45. The Nile at sunset.
46. Bali at sunrise.
47. Learn to ride a motorcycle.
48. Have a room in my home devoted entirely to books.
49. Decorate my home with artwork created by my friends.
50. Switch completely to eco-friendly cleaning products.
51. Save up enough money in loose change to buy something completely frivolous.
52. Develop a signature style.
53. Make a habit of getting my clothes tailored - all of them.
54. Give out small gifts to celebrate 10, 20, 50 years of friendship.
55. Comfort someone out of tears and into laughter.
56. Walk hand-in-hand under falling leaves, or falling snow.
57. Crosswords in bed on Sunday morning.
58. "What do you do?" "I'm a writer..." (I stole that from Maggie, but it's true for me too)
59. Tie someone's tie for a special occasion.
60. Go shopping for wedding dresses with Firebug.

See also: Part I, Part II

My source of inspiration is, once again, Mighty Girl.

100 Things To Do Before I Go, Part II

Questions to ponder:

• What would surprise me if I found out I hadn’t done it by the time I died?
• What are the little things I expect to just unroll in front of me?
• What are the big, amazing things that absolutely wouldn’t happen without some heads-down, teeth-clenched work?
• What things have I been concentrating on that don’t really matter?

Memories that I hope to make before the end of my life; one hundred Things To Do, numbers twenty-one through forty.

21. Create a cherished new tradition.
22. Have a dog - at least one!
23. Take a year off of work and spend it abroad.
24. Provide the financial support necessary for someone to achieve a goal.
25. Attend a formal masquerade ball.
26. Buy a cottage on Sebago Lake, or Lake Pleasant.
27. Build a deck or patio.
28. Make ice cream in the summer with children.
29. Go wine tasting.
30. Take ballroom or Latin dance classes with a man I adore.
31. Hike more of the Appalachian trail.
32. Go camping every summer.
33. Learn to snowboard, finally.
34. Raise a family.
35. Follow my father's example: document life through photographs and stories.
36. Complete a marathon.
37. Buy another bicycle.
38. Know the best place to see the fireworks on the Fourth of July.
39. Make a habit of doing something new, fun, and adventurous at least once a month.
40. Have my mother autograph a copy of the first book she has published.

See also: Part I

My source of inspiration is, once again, Mighty Girl.

100 Things To Do Before I Go, Part I

Last week I focused on things I've already done. This week, the things I've yet to do - this is sort of a combination (in theory) of the 101 in 1001 and the Mondo Beyondo lists. Questions to ponder:

• What would surprise me if I found out I hadn’t done it by the time I died?
• What are the little things I expect to just unroll in front of me?
• What are the big, amazing things that absolutely wouldn’t happen without some heads-down, teeth-clenched work?
• What things have I been concentrating on that don’t really matter?

Memories that I hope to make before the end of my life; one hundred Things To Do, numbers one through twenty.

1. Fight in a Muay Thai match.
2. Watch a movie that I've written in a theater full of strangers.
3. Get a book published.
4. Buy a house; make it a home.
5. Get married surrounded by a small knot of friends and family.
6. Teach a class or workshop for high school & college students.
7. Go pumpkin-picking.
8. Dive the Great Barrier Reef.
9. New Year's Eve in Sydney, Tokyo, London, Paris, and New York.
10. Skydive.
11. Parasail.
12. Explore Macchu Pichu.
13. Plant & maintain a year round vegetable and herb garden.
14. Visit all fifty states
15. Visit all seven continents.
16. Have a portrait done of myself.
17. Learn conversational Mandarin and Japanese.
18. Send my parents on a wonderful trip.
19. Win an Oscar or Emmy.
20. Continue my family's annual traditions when my parents are unable to do so.

My source of inspiration is, once again, Mighty Girl. There's a reason she wrote a book full of inspiration!

100 Things Worth Doing, Part V

Memories that I hope flash before my eyes at the end of my life; one hundred moments, numbers eighty-one through one hundred.

81. The stranger in the pristine white suit who pulled over to help me change a tire.
82. Beignets & chicory coffee at the Cafe du Monde.
83. The smell of citrus blossoms and night blooming jasmine carried through my kitchen on a breeze.
84. Kissing Apollo in the rain, in the time before it all went awry.
85. Strolling through the Farmer's Market laden with delicious fruits & vegetables and an armload of fresh flowers.
86. Being so excited to see that Santa hadn't forgotten me, even though I was in Mexico and not at my house.
87. The first month that I paid all of my expenses all by myself.
88. Oscar purring and licking my nose.
89. The electricity of a new lover's first touch.
90. Red-lining at the gym: punching and kicking the bag until exhausted and drenched in sweat.
91. Singing camp songs.
92. Riding a horse beside my father.
93. Winning the cup and taking a galloping victory lap around the ring.
94. The smell of my father's aftershave (4711) and my mother's perfume (L'air du Temps).
95. Late night conversations about life, the universe, and everything.
96. My mother in a sun hat at the Hoover Dam.
97. The smell of a canoe in the hot sun; chipping at the water to send a spray of cold, glittering droplets across the bow.
98. Watching my father play with the puppy in the backyard - at once, he was 12 years old again.
99. Rehearsal dinner: spaghetti, MGD, and Junior Mints.
100. The feeling of wonderful anticipation before a new job, a first date, the next adventure.

Also see: Part I, Part II, Part III, Part IV

Though I struggled with the first twenty, now I feel as though I could list 100 more. What flashes stand out from your memories?

As always, many thanks to Mighty Girl for the inspiration.

100 Things Worth Doing, Part IV

Memories that I hope flash before my eyes at the end of my life; one hundred moments, numbers sixty-one through eighty.

61. Spending a day sprawled on a blanket in the park, reading.
62. Deja-vu in the tepidarium at Bath.
63. Laughing until my sides hurt and tears are rolling down my cheeks.
64. Firing a gun for the first time.
65. Blueberries picked on a mountain top.
66. Skinny-dipping.
67. Walking into a theater in the afternoon and not leaving again until the next morning.
68. Sitting in front of the fire in the den to dry my hair.
69. The mysterious boy who gave me a lemon in lieu of his phone number.
70. Driving, singing along at the top of our lungs.
71. Spoons on our noses at dinner at the ranch.
72. Countless late-night meals, all of us jammed into vinyl booths laughing and sharing food.
73. Jellyfish on the dock at Xtina's parent's house "down the shore."
74. Packing all my stuffed animals into suitcases for their "vacation" when we needed the spare bed.
75. Teaching swim classes at the local YWCA.
76. Purposely letting ourselves "get lost" in Rome so that we could get away from the stupid, loud tour group.
77. Having to hide from a group of enthusiastic Greek sailors on leave in Athens.
78. Picnicking by a waterfall after a long, tiring hike.
79. The dizzy feeling you get when you can see miles of blue or starry sky uninterrupted.
80. A movie-quality kiss at Union Station.

Also see: Part I, Part II, Part III

Many thanks to Mighty Girl for the inspiration.

100 Things Worth Doing, Part III

Memories that I hope flash before my eyes at the end of my life; one hundred moments, numbers forty-one through sixty.

41. Christmas Tree decorating parties.
42. Person of Adventure trips.
43. Mid-afternoon naps in the summertime, ceiling fan gently rippling fresh, crisp sheets.
44. Collecting fireflies in jars with Emily & Paige.
45. The first day of college.
46. Driving around back alleys at midnight with Fusspot, trying to find a dumpster for the scenic trash.
47. Building the Musee set, high on paint fumes and strung out on Mountain Dew.
48. Talking about WNA on the NBC morning news.
49. Trying to call a show that had gone so far awry that I just closed my book and gave up on the cues.
50. Demz's tattoo, locked inside a Hollywood tattoo parlor at 2am.
51. Pansies from my father every Easter.
52. Loud music, a heaving dancefloor, and a gorgeous stranger.
53. Spring break in Santa Barbara.
54. Venice beach at sunrise.
55. Capri.
56. The distinctive smell of a rugby tournament: freshly mown grass, sports cream, and clean sweat.
57. Being tucked into the papazan chair when I had chicken pox.
58. Getting pulled over in Utah, both of us trying not to laugh at the adolescent looking patrolman.
59. Bypassing the line at the Standard.
60. Sprawled on the bed at the Beverly Hilton, sharing a bottle of wine.

Also see: Part I, Part II

Many thanks to Mighty Girl for the inspiration.

100 Things Worth Doing, Part II

Memories that I hope flash before my eyes at the end of my life; one hundred moments, numbers twenty-one through forty.

21. My first breakfast at the King's Road Cafe.
22. Sitting in the sun on the hill where I met The Fireman.
23. Riding a camel.
24. Paddling hell-for-leather into the wind across a vast, cold lake.
25. Lounging in a bathtub that had a view of the entire Hong Kong harbor.
26. Halloween in New York with Pip.
27. New Orleans.
28. Playing solitaire inside on a rainy day in Bermuda.
29. The first time I put on a pair of boxing gloves.
30. Making the Bûche de Noël by myself for the first time.
31. Thanksgiving. The smell of food cooking, the sound of friends laughing, the taste of dry white wine.
32. Jumping on the hotel bed.
33. Rauri's going away party.
34. Bare.
35. Swing dancing at the Derby & the Coconut Club.
36. "I'll make you a cherry pie..."
37. Rolling down the hill behind the tennis courts, trying to stop before the dirt road.
38. Finally being old enough / cool enough to go to The Ridge after dark.
39. Losing a muffler in Massachusetts
40. Seeing myself in a tabloid.

Also see: Part I

Many thanks to Mighty Girl for the inspiration.

100 Things Worth Doing, Part I

Memories that I hope flash before my eyes at the end of my life; one hundred moments, numbers one through twenty.

1. "Uncle" Bruce teaching me to tie my shoelaces.
2. Balloons floating on the surface of the pool at the house in Mexico on New Year's Day.
3. Slurpees with Claire after my high school graduation.
4. Spending a week in London on foot and mostly alone.
5. Yards of margaritas by the Luxor pool for my birthday.
6. Bargaining for rugs in Morrocco.
7. Slipping through the woods without flashlights to prank the boys at Testing Camp.
8. My first kiss.
9. Firebug & I driving back from Kawanhee along pitch-black roads in rural Maine.
10. Fireworks on the beach with Alex.
11. The monkeys on Gibraltar.
12. Being in the shop with my father, taking old clocks apart while he worked or puttered.
13. Nutcracker weekends.
14. The six of us standing together for the first time at my cousin's wedding in Las Vegas.
15. Meeting my cousins for the first time, 7 years apart.
16. Napping on the beach in Hawaii
17. The Northern Lights.
18. Playing a neighborhood-wide game of hide & seek that lasted most of a Saturday.
19. Playing Sorry with my parents on Sunday evenings during football season.
20. Facing Chief in the ring for the first time and feeling a rush of adrenaline as he put in his mouthguard.

Many thanks to Mighty Girl for the inpiration.

20 Questions

I found this meme over at Blogography a while ago and have been meaning to do it ever since. What better time than now?

1. Elaborate on your default icon. It's one of the first pictures that I took of myself when I got my first camphone.
2. What’s your current relationship status? I am in the midst of a very long, tumultuous relationship with my cell phone provider.
3. Ever have a near-death experience? Not the type that comes complete with warm white lights or choirs of angels, but I've been within a hair's breadth of the reaper's blade.
4. Name an obvious quality you have. Brown hair. (Hey, you said obvious!)
5. What’s the name of the song that’s stuck in your head right now? Rage Against the Machine, Geurilla Radio
6. Name a celebrity you would marry. I don't know if there are any I'd marry, but I wouldn't mind having dinner with Christian Bale.
7. Who will cut and paste this first? No idea.
8. Has anyone ever said you look like a celebrity? People always say that I look like Sandra Bullock, but I don't see it.
9. Do you wear a watch? What kind? I have a two-tone Bulova that my mother gave me when I was in college. I once lost it for four months only to have it appear magically on my ottoman one day.
10. Do you have anything pierced? Yes, my ears.
11. Do you have any tattoos? Yes, four or six depending on how you count.
12. Do you like pain? Not especially, no.
13. Do you like to shop? Depends on what I'm shopping for.
14. What was the last thing you paid for with cash? My manicure & pedicure, yesterday.
15. What was the last thing you paid for with your credit card? I hardly ever use my credit card, but I use my ATM/Check card multiple times a day.
16. Who was the last person you spoke to on the phone? My boss.
17. What is on your desktop background? A macro shot of a rare butterfly that my friend Mike took at the Australian Butterfly Sanctuary.
18. What is the background on your cell phone? Same butterfly.
19. What was the last movie you watched? I watched a History Channel special on the origin of Angels.
20. What was the last book you read? The War of Art.

Resolved

In the year 2007 I resolve to: Dance randomly at work. Get your resolution here.

It's good to have goals, don't you think?

Two Words

And now for something completely frivolous - a meme that I found via Geodyne!

Answer each question with precisely TWO words:

What ended your last relationship?
Other woman

When was the last time you shaved?
Thursday night

What were you doing this morning at 8 a.m.?
Drinking tea

What were you doing 15 minutes ago?
Washing dishes

Are you any good at math?
When necessary

Your prom night?
Skipped it

Do you have any famous ancestors?
Rebel Highlanders

Have you had to take a loan out for school?
No, thankfully

Do you know the words to the song on your myspace profile?
Every one

Last thing received in the mail?
Refund check

How many different beverages have you had today?
Just tea

Do you ever leave messages on people's answering machines?
Of course

Who did you lose your concert virginity to?
Phil Collins

Do you draw your name in the sand when you go to the beach?
Not usually

What's the most painful dental procedure you've had?
Tooth extraction

What is out your back door?
Neglected patio

Any plans for Friday night?
Run preparation

Do you like what the ocean does to your hair?
Sexy mess

Have you ever received one of those big tins of three different popcorns?
Yes, yuck

Have you ever been to a planetarium?
Not recently

Do you re-use towels after you shower?
Four times

Some things you are excited about?
Coming months

What is your favorite flavor of Jell-o?
Bright green

Describe your keychain(s)?
Scuffed carabiner

Where do you keep your change?
Piggy bank

When was the last time you spoke in front of a large group of people?
Year ago

What kind of winter coat do you own?
Barely necessary

What was the weather like on your graduation day?
Hot, sunny

Do you sleep with the door to your room open or closed?
Always open

Never Say

10 Things You'll Never Hear Me Say (via Cinnamon Girl & Chronic Listaholic)

01. Bungee jumping? Sounds great!
02. Uh, ohmygodeeeeeew a spider! Eeeek!
03. I wish it was a little hotter out; I have a chill.
04. I would kill for tickets to Oprah's show.
05. High School was awesome!
06. Yum, soft shell crabs... my favorite.
07. Can we watch "Jackass" or "Viva La Bam?"
08. Go UCLA!
09. Get on a plane tonight? I couldn't possibly be packed in time.
10. Yes, Apollo, I will marry you.

Wednesday is Meme Day

Today's meme goodness comes courtesy of Kapgar.

Checklist Meme: Just bold the things you have accomplished in your life.
Seems a bit of an odd collection of things, but I'm game...

1. Bought everyone in the bar a drink
2. Swam with wild dolphins
3. Climbed a mountain
4. Taken a Ferrari for a test drive
5. Been inside the Great Pyramid - Not yet, but soon.

Saturday Meme

I stole this from Hilary:

What were you doing one second ago?
Logging in to TypePad to post this entry. :-P

What were you doing an hour ago?
Hobbling around the house, attempting to clean it.

What were you doing yesterday?
Working, then running some long overdue errands. I finally got my car washed!!

What were you doing a month ago?
Getting my wisdom teeth pulled and trying not to die in the sweltering heat wave.

What were you doing a year ago?
Trying to juggle my work for WNA with my loathed job, reuniting with Apollo.

What were you doing five years ago?
Working crazy hours at a job I didn't hate yet, celebrating my birthday in Las Vegas.

What were you doing ten years ago?
Driving cross-country with The Canadienne, getting ready to start my Sophomore year of college.

Who would you like to tag?
Anyone who would like to complete this. If you do it, let me know!

Happy Happy

They say it's your birthday
Well it's my birthday too, yeah

Yes, it is my birthday. My first annual 29th birthday, to be precise. Fortunately my company was nice enough to throw me an expensive party hold its Summer Extravaganza last night so I've gotten a good head start on the celebrating already *g*.

I am also the only member of my department to have made it to work today. Awesome. Happy Birthday to me.

Since today is all about ME, how about a meme that I found over at Blogography?

Things You Don't Usually Tell Anyone About, like...

...a strange combination of food you like to snack on. Pickles wrapped in cheese slices.

...something you do that other bloggers who read you might find odd if they saw you doing it. Sing.

...when you were 7, what you wanted to be when you grew up - that you never told anyone about. I wanted to be a marine biologist, but I've told plenty of people about it.

...the thing you don't tell people at work about yourself. That I have a blog. ;-)

...what you like to do when no one else is going to be home for a stretch of time. I live alone at the moment so, everything! But when I am co-habitating, I only like to clean when the other person is gone. I have no idea why.

...the thing you believe - politically - that you don't admit to people who think you think like they do. My fiscal politics are far, far more conservative than most people realize. At this point, I've grown away from both the Republican and Democratic parties and consider myself more a Libertarian than anything else.

...that one thing from your childhood, outside of your parents, that you try to maintain some kind of connection with, and how. I keep my stuffed bear (True Teddy) and the first toy I ever bought for myself(a Pound Puppy named Mr. Peabody) in my bedroom closet. Seeing them each morning makes me happy.

...a song or group or singer you secretly like that everyone else groans about. Oh I have lots of groan-worthy music on my iPod... I have a weakness for bubble gum pop. It makes me happy and it's great for running and cleaning :-)

...do you close the bathroom door when you're the only one home? Yes, because if the door is open you can see into the bathroom from the living room windows.

BlogMe

I'm not going to the BlogHer conference this year, but I've still been tagged to participate in the BlogMe online mixer. I should have answered these questions on Monday but, well, I'm lame.

1. When did you start blogging and why?
I started keeping a website in 1995. It started out as a project for a web development class and then progressed to a hobby. I've kept an online journal of some sort since then (before the advent of "blogs" *gasp*), but it was always part of a larger personal website. Three years ago I gave up my previous URL, overhauled my website's design, scrapped all of the extraneous personal crap, and focused on creating a formal, public blog.

2. Who do you read every day, rain or shine?
I have all of the "Clever Blogs" listed at the left grouped into one RSS feed which I check at least once daily.

3. How would you describe your writing style?
Conversational, but not "lazy." I believe firmly in the power of punctuation, sentence structure, and grammar.

4. What don’t you write about? Anything considered a no-no in your book?
I don't write about my job except in very general terms (I'm not really interested in getting dooced) and I don't write about anything that could be potentially embarassing and/or damaging to my friends and family. I'll embarass myself no end, but not the people I love. Because of that, I also use pseudonyms for everyone mentioned in my blog unless I have specific permission to use a name.

5. How do you feel about meeting bloggers in real life?
I think it's only slightly less of a crapshoot than online dating, but so far I've been quite lucky. Several of my current "real life" friends started out as blogger buddies.

6. Have you written anything controversial? Is blogging controversial?
Anytime people are given the opportunity to express differing opinions in a public forum, there will be controversy.

My post about Scientology brings the highest number of random visitors to my site (apparently a lot of people are searching Google for "I hate Scientology" these days) and it never fails to stir up an email or two. My more recent post about gas prices is also a favorite amongst the volatile masses.

7. Are you and your blogging persona the same person?
I write as myself and my blog reflects a portion of my life, but not the entirety of it. My favorite line from the Blogger's Disclaimer is one that I wish more people would remember: Do not assume that you know everything there is to know about a writer simply because you read their weblog on a regular basis. Any judgements you make will be based on the information they have provided you about themselves, which is probably vague, incomplete or embellished.

8. Have you ever anonymously posted on a site to flame them? Never; anonymous posting is cowardly and flaming is a waste of time and energy.

I feel so... mixed!

Meme-ology

Still not quite back to the land of the living yet, but I'm close... so how about a meme that I stole from Kevin, Dave, and countless others?

Grub-ology:

• What is your salad dressing of choice?
  Totally depends on the contents of the salad, but I generally default to Balsamic Vinaigrette.
• What is your favorite fast food restaurant?
  Hmm, probably Quiznos or Baja Fresh.
• What is your favorite sit down restaurant?
  I can't possibly pick just one!
• On average, what size tip do you leave at a restaurant?
  20-30%. If the service is bad, however, I will leave an intentionally small tip and speak to the manager. I'm not a total bitch, though - I'll speak to a manager about superior service, too.
• What food could you eat every day for two weeks and not get sick of?
  Well I've been eating yogurt and applesauce for four days and I'm not sick of it yet...
• Name three foods you detest above all others.
  Octopus, organ meats of any kind.
• What is your favorite dish to order in a Chinese restaurant?
  Chicken in Black Bean Sauce, or Mongolian Beef.
• What are your pizza toppings of choice?
  Sausage, mushroom, garlic, extra cheese.
• What do you like to put on your toast?
  Butter & jam.
• What is your favorite type of gum?
  Trident Peppermint.

Last Firsts

Because Friday seems like a good day for a meme...

1. What was the last new song you discovered?
Steady, As She Goes by The Raconteurs (yes, I'm behind the curve on that one)

2. What was the last new dish you tasted?
Lobster tempura with miso glaze at Sushi Roku. Yum, yum!

3. Where was the last place you visited for the first time?
My new yoga studio, when I went for my first class a few weeks ago.

4. Who was the last new person you met?
The Dolphin's girlfriend, last night. (She's lovely)

5. What was the last new toy you played with?
Hmmm. It's been awhile since I got a new toy, but I'm getting one next week!

Soundtrack of my Life

I found this over at Chronic Listaholic:

If your life was a movie, what would the soundtrack include?

The opening title: Ac-cent-tchu-ate the Positive, Johnny Mercer
The waking-up scene: Wake Up Boo, The Boo Radleys
The average day/menial tasks montage: 1985, Bowling For Soup
The secret crush: Complicated, Carolyn Dawn Johnson
The first date/blind date: Breathless, The Coors
The party: Fight For Your Right, Beastie Boys
The dance sequence: Move Ya Body, Nina Sky
The falling in love/"spark" scene: Someone Like You, Dina Carrol
The lovemaking scene: Love Song, P!nk
The fight scene: Running Away, Hoobastank
The break-up: I'll Be OK, Amanda Marshall
Long night alone: I Need Some Sleep, eels
The reconciliation: Painted On My Heart, The Cult
The mental breakdown: Superman, Five For Fighting
The stalking: Walking After You, Foo Fighters
The explosion/shoot-out: Out Comes the Evil, Lords of Acid
The get-away/driving scene: Stop the Rock, Apollo 440
The learning-a-lesson montage: Learn to Fly (Acoustic), Foo Fighters
Deep thoughts: Unwell, Matchbox Twenty
The flashback: Bittersweet Symphony, The Verve
Regrets: All These Things That I've Done, The Killers
The death scene: Angel, Sarah McLachlan
As the closing credits roll: Brown Eyed Girl, Everclear

Passive Aggressive Catharsis

As spotted on Kathleen's Blog:

List up to ten (10) things you want to say to ten (10) different people. Do not state who these people are. Do not confirm or deny any ‘comment speculation’.

1. You're the only one who can't see what she's doing to you.
2. I wish I had the words to express how blessed I feel to have you in my life.
3. Sometimes, you're just too much for me. It's exhausting.
4. Though I smile and say all the right things, deep down I don't believe you're happy.
5. Why can't you just get over it already?
6. Every day, I strive to live up to your standards.
7. The memory of our first kiss will be with me forever.
8. I was too afraid to accept your invitation at the time; I'm sorry I've missed my chance.
9. I am not an idiot. Stop treating me like one.
10. I lied.

That is cathartic.

As spotted on Kathleen's Blog:

List up to ten (10) things you want to say to ten (10) different people. Do not state who these people are. Do not confirm or deny any ‘comment speculation’.

1. You're the only one who can't see what she's doing to you.
2. I wish I had the words to express how blessed I feel to have you in my life.
3. Sometimes, you're just too much for me. It's exhausting.
4. Though I smile and say all the right things, deep down I don't believe you're happy.
5. Why can't you just get over it already?
6. Every day, I strive to live up to your standards.
7. The memory of our first kiss will be with me forever.
8. I was too afraid to accept your invitation at the time; I'm sorry I've missed my chance.
9. I am not an idiot. Stop treating me like one.
10. I lied.

That is cathartic.

100 Things

The 100 Things meme has been circling again, so I thought I'd take a stab at it. The first twenty are from the 20 Things meme that chowyunsmut made me do in October, but the next eighty (!) are all new.

1) My great grandmother, grandmother, mother and I are all exactly 30 years apart in age.

2) I adore thunderstorms and love to stand outside and watch them unfold.

3) I love to crochet and last year made ALL of my holiday gifts. For some reason, people are usually very surprised to learn this about me.

4) Just to balance out the crocheting... I can also fell a tree in under 20 minutes using only an axe (so can Firebug, incidentally. We're good people to know when you're lost in the woods.)

5) I rode competetively from age 6 until age 14 when an (unrelated) knee injury kept me off a horse for a year. I never went back.

6) My favorite holiday is Thanksgiving.

7) I'm really vain about my hair. I think it's a Leo thing.

8) I believe in ghosts. With good reason.

9) When I was little, I had a gender-confused rabbit named Bonnie-Bob. (We thought he was a she. He turned out to be a he. I thought it was mean to name a boy "Bonnie" and so tacked on the "Bob" to make him feel better)

10) I used to walk Bonnie-Bob around the yard on a little red leash. He loved that.

11) When I was growing up, my Father would give me a flat of pansies every year for Easter which we would then plant in my garden. I fully intend to continue this tradition with my own children.

12) I'm looking forward to raising a family.

13) Tattooing is a very spiritual act for me and all of mine are deeply meaningful to me. I really don't understand people who get tattoos of random things just because it's "cool."

14) I always keep my toes well pedicured. It makes me feel more feminine.

15) I think that my ass, wide though it may be, looks damn good in jeans.

16) Someday, I want to learn how to bellydance.

17) I'm neither a morning nor a night person... I can be either, depending on the situation.

18) Music, all music, moves me in a very primal, visceral way. I'm wary of people who can't be moved by it.

19) When I was in middle school, I wanted to be a Marine Biologist when I grew up.

20) I give really great massages. I learned part of my massage technique from a friend who is an Undertaker - he explained to me how they work the embalming fluids through bodies and how that relates to soothing the muscles of people who are still alive.

The A to Z of Me

It's a Sunday and I'm too lazy to write a real post, so how about the latest meme?

Accent: Fairly North American neutral, unless I'm yelling at a football game or very drunk... then you can totally hear the Jersey in this girl.

Booze: Bombay Sapphire & Tonic or a Belvedere martini, dirty, extra olives.

Chore I Hate: Laundry.

Dogs/Cats: Love 'em both.

Essential Electronics: iPod, Palm Pilot, Cell Phone, Laptop.

Favorite Perfume/Cologne: Dolce & Gabanna's Feminine.

Gold/Silver: Platinum.

Hometown: Historic Suburbia, NJ

Insomnia: Not usually, though my sleep patterns were all screwed up last week for some reason.

Job Title: Yep, I have one of those. Two, actually.

Kids: Someday.

Living Arrangements: Bungalow in Altadena.

Most Admired Trait: My sense of humor, or so I've been told.

Number of Sexual Partners: Just enough.

Overnight Hospital Stays: One.

Phobia: None that I can think of.

Quote: On ne voit bien qu'avec le coeur, l'essential est invisible pour les yeux. Antoine de Saint Exupery

Religion: Spiritual, but not religious.

Siblings: Nope.

Time I usually wake up: 5:45am Mon-Wed, 7:45 Th-Fri. Bleh.

Unusual Talent: Disjointing the fingers on my left hand.

Vegetable I refuse to eat: I can't think of any I'd *refuse* to eat, but I can't eat spinach in large quantities.

Worst Habit: Overbooking myself.

X-Rays: A few.

Yummy Foods I Make: I make the best Thanksgiving turkey ever.

Zodiac Sign: Double Leo

*Also? I've just posted Thursday and Friday's entries because I am dumb and saved them as drafts when I wrote them, rather than publishing them.

Sexual Dictionary

Because I'm still too scattered to write a real post, and because this result was too fun NOT to share:

amandarin -- [noun]: A perma-orgasm 'How will you be defined in the sexual dictionary?' at QuizUniverse.com

Lucky Little Lady

Well, I just got into town about an hour ago
Took a look around, see which way the wind blow
Pretty little girls in their Hollywood bungalows
Are you a lucky little lady in The City of Light
Or just another lost angel...."
-The Doors, LA Woman

The ever fabulous Annabel Lee tagged me with this Los Angeles meme on Monday. Better late than never, right?

Four Jobs I’ve Had In My Life in LA:
Stage Manager
Second Assistant Director
Production Coordinator
Event Director

Four Movies About LA I Could Watch Over And Over:
The Italian Job
Swingers
Where the Day Takes You
L.A. Confidential

Four Three Places I’ve Lived All Over L.A. (With Food Memories From Each):
USC student housing - french dips at Philippe's before football games
Hollywood - breakfast at The Griddle Cafe
Pasadena - fondue with Dolphin at The Melting Pot.

Bonus food memory: mojitos & ravioli at Home

Four LA-Themed Shows I Love(d) To Watch:
The Fresh Prince of Bel Air
Six Feet Under
Arrested Development
Numb3rs

Four Places I Would Vacation At In LA:
(Which I'm interpreting as "lovely places to spend a day in the greater Los Angeles area")
Huntington Gardens
Glen Ivy Hot Springs
The Getty Center or Getty Villa
Venice Beach

Four LA-Based Websites I Visit Daily:
LAist
Words For My Enjoyment
boing boing
Cinnamon Girl

Four Of My Favorite Foods Found In LA:
Gyros from Golden Chicken
Sushi from Ta-ke
Almost anything from Fred 62
Mac & cheese and s'mores from Luna Park (not together, though)

Four Places In LA I Would Rather Be Right Now:
Home, finishing my dining room or planting my front gardens
Strolling through MOCA
Seeing a movie at the Arclight
Shopping at the Farmer's Market

Tagged:
Cinnamon Girl
YummyTeece
The Pontiff

P.S. I would like to note that I managed to refrain from correcting grammatical errors in the questions, even though I desperately wanted to.

Tagged!

I turn my back for one minute and what happens? I get tagged!

Four Jobs I've Had In My Life:
Lifeguard / Swim Instructor
Props Crew (feature film)
Stage Manager (theatrical)
Event Coordinator

Four Movies I Could Watch Over And Over Again:
Batman Begins
Love Actually
House of Flying Daggers
The Italian Job

Four Places I Have Lived:
Northern New Jersey
Casco, Maine
Hollywood, California
Altadena, California

Four TV Shows I Love To Watch:
The Golden Girls
The Daily Show
Extreme Makeover: Home Edition
BBC's Most Haunted

Four Places I Have Been On Vacation:
England
Hong Kong
Greece
Virgin Islands

Four Websites I Visit Daily:
www.typepad.com
www.cnn.com
www.oed.com
www.wikipedia.org

Four Of My Favorite Foods:
Sushi
Pancakes
Wor Wonton Soup
Reuben Sandwihes

Four Places I Would Rather Be Right Now:
Any of the Greek isles
London, England
Kauai, Hawaii
Napping under a tree with Apollo

Four Bloggers I Am Tagging:
Teece
Cinnamon Girl
Keith
Tamara

Mondo Beyondo

At the end of 2004, the ever-inspiring Andrea of Superhero Designs wrote about the Mondo Beyondo list. She describes it as:

This is the list of things that are outrageous, wild, and may not even happen for 5 or 10 years from now. This is the list of things that are SO JUICY and unlikely to happen that you are afraid to even write them down.

And she goes on to explain

The great thing about these lists is that you don't need to believe they will happen as you write them. Simply the act of writing is a show of faith... even if you're thinking "yeah, right" as you jot them down. You will be amazed by your ability to manifest. You will astound yourself with what you can create by putting pen to paper.

I didn't do one last year because I couldn't think of any dreams that big.

Tells you what kind of mental state I was in last December, doesn't it?

This year, I'm making that list:

Mondo Beyondo 2006
In no particular order...

• Attend the opening of a movie I've written.
• Raise a family.
• Dive the Great Barrier Reef.
• Start a production company.
• Show my photographs in a gallery.
• Buy a house.

I've decided to title 2006 The Year of Fearless Completion. The name of the game this year is follow through; the first step towards manifesting all my dreams.

2005, a retrospective

40 questions about 2005...

5 Weird Habits of Yours

This reminds me a bit of the idiosyncrasies meme that was going around few months ago...

Ground Rules: The first player of this game starts with the topic 5 Weird Habits of Yours; people who get tagged then write blog entry about their 5 quirky habits as well as state this rule clearly. In the end, you need to choose the next 5 people to be tagged and list their names.

1. I count things near-constantly but I'm barely aware of it. Every so often I'll catch myself counting floor tiles, or steps to the car, or similar and I'm always surprised that I'm doing it.
2. I read my daily websites (blogs, news outlets, etc) in a specific order.
3. When I'm pensive, I rub my lips and chin with the index, middle, and ring fingers of my left hand.
4. I tie scarves, sashes, bandanas, ribbons, and belts with a square knot. Always.
5. I comb my hair in the shower, after I've put in the conditioner. It's a holdover from having very long hair and not wanting to break it by combing out the knots when it's dry.

I'm going to buck the rules, though, and not tag anyone. Play, or don't. Let anarchy reign!

Photo Friday: Delicate

Glasses on glass shelves

Top 20

I stole this fun meme from Kathleen:

It's the one where you take your complete playlist, hit shuffle, then post your favorite lyric from each of the first twenty songs - whether they are embarrassing to you not - and then people guess them in the comments section. Since my musical taste is all over the place, I could be very embarrassed. I will add the artists to the main post as they're guessed.

I must admit, I did skip the instrumental songs:

01. Crash and burn we all fall down and I can still hear the sound of love, run
     dry.
     -Exit to Exit, Ryan Cabrera

02. I'll kick you out of my home if you don't cut that hair
     -Fight For Your Right, Beastie Boys

03. I find sometimes it's easy to be myself, sometimes I find it's better to be
     somebody else
     -So Much To Say, Dave Matthews Band

04. King of the world with a pool cue in his hand
     -Fleet Footed Dan, Chris Orbach

05. I go to my oracle, ask her for a miracle, she smiles a glassy smile and she
     says join me on this mountain here, set aside your fears and open up
     your ears
     -Oracle, Pacific Allstars

06. Well I guess I should be goin' / I sure found out too much to stay / Please
     don't say your sorry / I might wait another day

07. I seen her children crying / As the police tore apart their home / And no
     they didn't need a reason / It's what your votes condone

08. In this life, I strive for improvement / Be your own guide, follow your own
     movement

09. You ain't nothing to me if you got nothing to say

10. I believe that my life's gonna see the love I give return to me

11. We don't need no special occasion. so come on it's a celebration

12. So much water under the bridge, and I'm standing here at the water's edge
     looking into your eyes

13. Memo to myself: do the dumb things I gotta do
     -Inside the Puppet's Head, They Might Be Giants

14. Its like a long, cold walk in a winter beach, Love is a game you
     cannot teach, when it comes to love Im in need of advice

15. It's just you against your tattered libido, the bank and the mortician,
     forever man and it wouldn't be luck if you could get out of life alive

16. Well listen man I ain't goin' to school no more it starts much, much too early
     for me

17. Darling, I know you'll be there to relieve me, the love you give to me will
     free me
     -Sexual Healing, Ben Harper's version (in this case)

18. There's no light at the end of the tunnel tonight, just a bridge that I gotta
     burn
     -Gone, Kelly Clarkson

19. Your angels speak with jilted tongues / The serpent's tale has come undone
     you have no strength to squander

20. I'll be stuck fixated on one star when the world is crashing down

20 Things

Chowyunsmut made me do it!

1) My great grandmother, grandmother, mother and I are all exactly 30 years apart in age.

2) I adore thunderstorms and love to stand outside and watch them unfold.

3) I love to crochet and last year made ALL of my holiday gifts. For some reason, people are usually very surprised to learn this about me.

4) Just to balance out the crocheting... I can also fell a tree in under 20 minutes using only an axe (so can Firebug, incidentally. We're good people to know when you're lost in the woods.)

5) I rode competetively from age 6 until age 14 when an (unrelated) knee injury kept me off a horse for a year. I never went back.

6) My favorite holiday is Thanksgiving.

7) I'm really vain about my hair. I think it's a Leo thing.

8) I believe in ghosts. With good reason.

9) When I was little, I had a gender-confused rabbit named Bonnie-Bob. (We thought he was a she. He turned out to be a he. I thought it was mean to name a boy "Bonnie" and so tacked on the "Bob" to make him feel better)

10) I used to walk Bonnie-Bob around the yard on a little red leash. He loved that.

11) When I was growing up, my Father would give me a flat of pansies every year for Easter which we would then plant in my garden. I fully intend to continue this tradition with my own children.

12) I'm looking forward to raising a family.

13) Tattooing is a very spiritual act for me and all of mine are deeply meaningful to me. I really don't understand people who get tattoos of random things just because it's "cool."

14) I always keep my toes well pedicured. It makes me feel more feminine.

15) I think that my ass, wide though it may be, looks damn good in jeans.

16) Someday, I want to learn how to bellydance.

17) I'm neither a morning nor a night person... I can be either, depending on the situation.

18) Music, all music, moves me in a very primal, visceral way. I'm wary of people who can't be moved by it.

19) When I was in middle school, I wanted to be a Marine Biologist when I grew up.

20) I give really great massages. I learned part of my massage technique from a friend who is an Undertaker - he explained to me how they work the embalming fluids through bodies and how that relates to soothing the muscles of people who are still alive.

When September Ends

Found this meme floating around several blogs...

September has ended and it is time to wake up. In the song, Green Day says that 7 years have gone so fast. Seven years ago, it was Fall 1998. Take this quiz, post the results, and see how much things have changed since then:

Photo Friday: Five

Five-petaled hibiscus flower with five-pronged stigma