12.20.2005

tagged

by Cat, as always.
    Remove the blog in the top spot from the following list and bump everyone up one place. Then add your blog to the bottom slot, like so:
    1. sara
    2. kirk
    3. shelly
    4. cat
    5. amy
Then you get to select five people to pass the love on to so they can do this meme, like so:
    1. Alex Ludd, 'cause we haven't heard much from the leading candidate in a while. I guess that's why he's still the leading candidate.
    2. Molly, 'cause no matter how much of her stuff I read, I always want more.
    3. Popeye, 'cause I never tire of shamelessly using his name on these meme-tags even though I know he's unlikely to do 'em.
    4. Peter, 'cause he'll probably do it, good-naturedly. :)
    5. Skindee, 'cause she's alternately funny, scandalous, and thoughtful.
    [6. And Heidi, who I'd love to read on a more frequent basis. Prehaps a blog of her own???]
What were you doing 10 years ago?
    Ten years ago I was 25 years old. I had been married for four years and was living in A2. I worked at the test prep place or had only recently left, and was midway through taking classes for my MA at the grad school. I was absolutely in love with my education--the courses that I was taking, the professors with whom I took classes, my fellow students, even the student union was wonderful. It was the first time that I thought that I'd created something just for me.
What were you doing 1 year ago?
    A year ago today? I'd been divorced for...10 days, after 12 1/2 years of marriage. Though the divorce was not unexpected, and the relationship had been diminishing gradually for some time, it was still shocking to find myself "single" after having been half of a couple for so long. I was seeing someone, though, and finding my way through both my own feelings of independence and...exploration, I guess, and his sense of morality, which warred with our simple desire to be together. I was soon to leave for my annual Christmas trip to the home state, I would imagine. On that trip I had several long, alternately painful and ecstatic telephone conversations with the person that I thought was my best friend. He kept me going when there was no way I could have done it on my own. That was all to change in January, though, and we're all the better for it (I suppose). But in December, it was up in the air and exhilarating and very scary.
Five snacks you enjoy:
    1. baked potato chips (i.e. Lays)
    2. cereal
    3. pretzels + walnuts
    4. toast (buttered, with or without cinnamon sugar)
    5. sour cream & onion Pringles
Five songs to which you know all the lyrics:
    This is an immensely stupid, unanswerable question, because it's the rare song that I like that I don't memorize. Therefore, I shall choose something obscure...
        1. "Today is Not the Day" (Dean Martin)
        2. "How Great Thou Art" [hymn]
        3. "New Orleans" (Toby Keith)
        4. "Juan Paco Pedro de la Mar" [various, traditional]
        5. "Temptation" (Semisonic)
Five things you would do if you were a millionaire:
    1. Pay my bills, and those of my immediate family and really good friends. That would probably take care of it. (I have friends with big debts.) Were there anything left...
    2. Endow chairs and scholarships in the names of my favorite teachers at each school I've attended.
    3. Leave huge tips in restaurants while traveling. Like a $100 tip in a diner on a backroad, just because I know how much it sucks to get by on tips.
    4. Buy an ungodly number of shoes, for me and for the one I love.
    5. Stop accommodating people who treat others poorly.
Five bad habits:
    1. Letting my mind wander when someone is boring the crap out of me with a long conversation. There are two specific people that I can think of with whom I do this, and I really, really need to stop doing it--either make a change in their behavior or mine, but it cannot continue as it is.
    2. Having separate driving styles depending on where I am. I felt myself taking on my 'home state persona' on Saturday, in which I use my turn indicator throughout my lane change and display various other "more polite" characteristics. I really should be able to do that sort of thing all the time.
    3. "just one kiss"
    4. Caffeine.
    5. Being snarky about people at work. Live & let live, eh?
Five things you like doing:
        1. Writing
        2. Walking/driving with Nick
        3. Hunting for something obscure, e.g. a reference question or song lyrics online
        4. Making jewelry
        5. Reading in peace
Five things you would never wear again:
"Never" is a mighty long time. However...
    1. cropped sweaters (um, sweaters? Cropped? What's the point?)
    2. a comfortable (read: ugly but functional) dress, to a formal event, because it's the only thing that'll fit
    3. too-small shoes just 'cause they're cute
    4. frumpy underthings
    5. a wedding dress chosen with regard to anyone's taste but my own. For that matter, a wedding dress containing any of the following: lace, bows, sequins, tulle, or pouf. Finally, a wedding dress that is...white.
Five favorite toys:
Good God. Erm. How to answer this one? Hmmm. Let's see.
        1. That cup on a stick with a ball on a string thing. Know what I mean? Annoying as hell, but really addictive.
        2. Mattel Electronic Football. I got it for Christmas when I was about 12 and I just friggin' love it. I think I saw it in the basement earlier today--I should go get it!
        3. A tiny car shaped like a ladybug that I've had since I was an infant. It doesn't 'do' anything, but I love it.
        4. paper & anything to write with
        5. this crazy, swanky plastic apartment complex that my neighbors had. When the 3 units were connected, it was about 2 feet tall. It had all sorts of '70s furniture and weird lighting fixtures and stuff. The strangest thing was that there were no people for it. It's quite possible that the figurines had all been buried in the garden or eaten by neighborhood dogs by the time we got to play with it (it was a hand-me-down times 3 at least!) but that seems strange even now. I really liked that thing a lot. Totally wanted to live there when I grew up.
I guess I sort of do. Eeep.

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