the fewer desires, the more peace

August 14: objet trouvé

The average 'decor' in my home is less of the high art type, and more along the lines of objet trouvé.

August 15: succor

Books, friends, and music: my succor.

August 16: sparge

Those spray-can pancakes sound like a really good idea, but the batter tends to have a sort of sparge effect when shooting through the nozzle, making an ungodly mess—and the flavor isn't all that fantastic.

August 17: hinterland

I don't exactly want to live in the hinterland, but suggestions that I move to the city won't pull any weight; that life is just not for me.

August 18: rantipole

Every time I think my rantipole days are behind me, I do something like The Pants Maneuver (with Farmer E) and realize that I still have my moments.

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1. Are you going to make a mega wish at 11:11 on 11/11/11?
   this is an excellent way of discovering that this meme has been around for a while, eh?
   No, I didn't—had I even wanted to, I never would've remembered to do such a thing. Anyway, wishes are like dust.
2. Speaking of numbers, do you have a lucky one?
   thirteen, despite evidence to the contrary
3. What do you think of musical artists who use autotune?
   it's not my favorite for everyday, but once in a while—e.g. "Double Rainbow"—it makes all the difference in the world
4. Have you ever held hands with someone for no reason?
   holding hands isn't exactly the most productive activity in the world. It is generally done for reasons that aren't really reasons.
5. Are you good at coming up with dares?
   only for myself
6. Is there somewhere in the world you would never go?
   Back.
7. Have you ever tried to sew or knit anything?
   once or twice (or maybe a dozen times) over the course of my life, I've tried to learn to crochet. Thought it would be "relaxing." It turns out that I suck at it, and the results are a mind-boggling combination of ugly and funny. It's just not good.
8. Do you find yourself to be a believer in love at first sight?
   I believe in it, but it's a terrible idea to make decisions based upon it
9. Or perhaps, do you believe that there's that "someone" out there for you?
   the someone out there for me was there, and now is not
10. Does money really matter to you?
    of course. Anyone who says that it doesn't either has more than they need or is a liar.
11. Is there something you want to do, that you swear you will, no matter what?
    of course
12. Do you know anyone who is a germaphobe?
    a friend's boyfriend is pretty seriously OCD about cleanliness. An ex is ironically freakish about the same thing—the irony comes in because he is one of the sloppiest people I've ever known.
13. Have you ever just laid out and watched the stars?
    yep. I miss that. Sometimes being an adult, and living in a "city", sucks.
14. Name a song that soothes your anger or sadness:
    "Unthought Known", by Pearl Jam, is the first that comes to mind at the moment. Sensitive, considered lyrics and a driving, throbbing, soaring melody that charms and brings me out of wherever my soul is hiding.
    
15. Have you ever cheated at a card game?
    yes--notoriously
16. Tell me what colors you're wearing right now?
    blue. Black. Gray. White.
    Go ahead: tell me you're shocked.
17. Have you ever been so unfortunate to suffer from a hangover?
    indeed, I am among the poor unfortunates
18. Do any of your friends have particularly annoying habits?
    all of my friends
19. Is there someone you know who can never mind their own business?
    yes, and thank God for that. If each of us truly minded our own business, we would never be watching out for each other—and we all need some of that from time to time, don't we?
20. If you need a job, will you take whatever you can get?
    no. Life is too short to "take whatever you can get", in any sense.
21. When you were little, what movie did you watch over and over?
    I didn't have that sort of childhood. I would watch whatever Peanuts special was on, whenever they appeared on TV, but I was more of a reader than anything else, always.
22. Do you rely on caffeine to keep you awake sometimes?
    not anymore. That was an earlier incarnation of me.
23. When it comes to tests or exams, are you a crammer?
    not at all. If I don't know it already, cramming just shoves out something that I needed to know. To panic solves nothing.
24. Time goes by faster as you get older, don't you find?
    no, but our sense of fragility increases with age, for sure
25. Have you ever had a panic attack?
    yes.
    This brings up a related topic: the popular cultural inability to understand that there is no difference between panic attacks and anxiety attacks. They are literally two phrases describing exactly the same thing. I think that sometimes people use the phrase "anxiety attack" to describe isolated incidents, where "panic attacks" seem to refer to ongoing and seemingly more problematic occurrences, but in truth they are the same thing.
    Read more about panic attacks and panic disorder on MedicineNet, or WebMD...
26. Do you own anything made of silk?
    um, yes
27. Is there anyone you know who looks like their dog?
    I don't think so?
28. Are you deathly allergic to anything?
    my narcotics allergy isn't fun, but it clearly hasn't proven "deathly" yet. In fact, now that I think about it, that's a pretty stupid question.
29. Have you ever had a mouse in your house?
    not in my house, no
30. Has anyone you trusted ever back-stabbed you?
    HA! Ya think?
31. Do you know what you want for your dream house?
    a couple of bedrooms, a well-designed but not overly huge kitchen, some South and East-facing windows, a basement or clean cellar, excellent insulation, and a garage.
32. Have you ever seen the movie The Notebook?
    no, but that reminds me of a very funny episode of The Big Bang Theory that I saw the other day.
    Bernadette: So we just sit here and stare at a screen and wait for something to happen?
    Wolowitz: I did it with you when we watched The Notebook.
33. Trying to put yourself in someone's shoes can be difficult at times, true?
    well, it's most difficult when they're already in them, if that's what you're asking
34. If you download torrents, what torrent program do you use?
    I don't. Why is this sort of thing so popular? I don't get people.
35. If you go to school, will this year be different?
    snort! Every year is different, punkins.
36. Do you own a trenchcoat?
    no, but I've owned at least three in my lifetime.
37. The last person you kissed, have they ever done something special for you?
    the last person I kissed is a coward. The fact that he brought back some lovely hand-chosen rocks—carefully wrapped in a paper towel and folded into his backpack pocket—from a 600-mile roadtrip, doesn't really mitigate the effect of everything else he did, or didn't do.
38. Does a blank sheet of paper sometimes prove to be inspiring?
    it usually proves too tempting to leave un-doodled upon. If that's 'inspiration', then, yes.
39. For you, does comfort or fashion come first in dressing?
    for me, vinegar usually comes first in dressing. Followed shortly thereafter by oil.
40. Have you had two friends that absolutely hated each other?
    story of my life. The most recent incarnation of this will play out over the next month or so, when the feelings of the many will outweigh the snotty bitchiness of the few.
41. Do you ever find yourself trying to be the referee amongst your friends?
    nah. If my friends are going to go after each other, they're welcome to.
42. Is there someone who always gives you inspiring advice?
    what is up with the 'inspiring' nonsense in this meme? The average person doesn't need nearly as much 'inspiration' as she needs dependability or presence.
    Fluffy gives great advice, though. I do need to establish that fact.
43. Everyone has a role model. Who's yours?
    nope. Ain't no saint without a past; ain't no sinner without a future. I'll pave my own way, thanks.
44. Do you ever "play drums" on tables or other hard surfaces?
    no, but I do drum on my own belly without realizing it. Drives my mom bonkers, because my dad does the same thing. Ah, family.
45. Do you know anyone who has a scar through their eyebrow?
    I have one, from a rogue chicken pock
46. Do you feel compelled to brush your hair hourly?
    nope, since OCD hasn't ever been my diagnosis
47. Who was the last person to flip you off?
    probably someone at work. This was a Hell of a week, and one person in particular was an absolute wretch to everyone who made the mistake of coming near.
48. Give me a list of the objects currently close to you?
    
    • expired credit card (thanks, Mumbler)
    • Christmas cactus (since I finally read a "how to grow" guide and discovered that it should be out of direct sunlight...oops)
    • Why Love Hurts by Eva Illouz
    • iPod wall charger, iPod sync cable, Kindle sync/charging cable, and phone charger
    • packs of photographs
    • mix CD parts
    • camera
    • checkbook & register (am I the only one who runs out of check registers WAY too soon, since I use a debit card more often than not?)
    • stack of misc. business cards (i.e. bookmarks)
    • small bowl of graham crackers
    • Lego Yoda!
49. Are you doing anything the day after tomorrow?
    work. Blargh. And probably buying some fruit.
50. Would you ever wear fake eyelashes?
    ugh, no
51. Do you make the effort to smile at people?
    only very few people, and only when I'm really, really highly motivated. I'm not a big smiler.
52. Are you good at following directions?
    yeah
53. Have you ever just screamed really loud in an attempt to feel better?
    no, and not just because Primal Scream therapy has basically been debunked
54. Are you in any way still a child at heart?
    I like kittens
55. Quality triumphs over quantity, correct?
    no. I would very much rather have lots of grubby money than one pristine dime, for instance. Or a bag of crappy snack chips and a can of caffeine on the road when I'm driving alone, rather than stopping for a "nice meal" that will take an hour longer.
    Welcome to the gray area. I live here!
56. Have you ever danced when there was no music playing?
    doesn't seem real likely, but I guess it could happen
57. Do you have someone that you can just act a fool with and not care?
    I'm pretty sure that was happening during The Pants Incident....
    I don't think I'm too self-conscious with my real friends, though; I don't hold the reins too tight.
58. Have you ever listened to the Uilleann pipes (Irish pipes)?
    I think so? Not in person, but I've got a couple of CDs that likely include them.
59. From where you're sitting, can you touch a wall?
    two, even
60. Would you ever stand at the bow of a ship & yell, "I'm the king of the world"?
    doubtful. I am, after all, female.
61. Do you know anyone who every second word they say seems to be a curse?
    [that is some godawful grammar]
    I'm probably more prone to the cursing than any of my friends. Not sure what happened to the Swear Jar at work, but it's been gone for a while. No one has said anything about my bad habit, but it's something I should watch for on my own.
62. When at a restaurant, do you put your napkin on your lap?
    yes, unless it would make those with whom I'm eating feel uncomfortable
63. Is there a saying you always seem to be using?
    I don't think so? But you should probably ask those around whom I speak, since their impressions would be more accurate than my own.
64. Is there currently any caffeine or alcohol in your system?
    doubt it. I had Coke with lunch, and no alcohol for days.
65. Do you prefer electric or manual pencil sharpeners?
    I haven't seen a standard manual pencil sharpener for years. I got a small one for use with my new colored pencils a couple of months ago. I most often use mechanical pencils, anyway.
66. Are your biceps at all noticeable?
    yes, it's a new thing I'm trying. My arms have always been pretty strong, but now they even look it. (There's still a lot that I could change before I run the risk of looking "muscular," though, so don't fear it.)
67. Have you ever seen a walrus?
    only Craig Stadler
68. Do you have a preference: white erasers or pink erasers?
    white
69. Did you ever have one of those EasyBake ovens as a kid?
    no. Even if they'd been that sort of parents (i.e. 'generous'), mine would never have given me a gift that created its own heat. They thought, and rightfully so, that I was sort of a knucklehead.
70. When it comes to dropping food, do you believe in the 10-second rule?
    depends where I am, and who's been doing the cleaning
71. When it comes to driving, do you know about the 2-second rule?
    I do, and its application is one of my major pet peeves. I leave enough space between me and the car ahead of me (and, with perseverance and any luck, behind me), but almost inevitably that space is taken as an invitation by a fool who doesn't understand the rule, or care about the approximate braking distance of a car traveling at highway speeds. So I back off—and it happens again. GAH!
72. If given the opportunity, would you ride on a camel?
    no, because I understand that they smell terrible and also bite.
    And I'm afraid of heights, so why get up that high? Ish.
73. Do you believe that cell phones actually do cause cancer?
    I believe that worrying about cancer causes cancer, as does perpetuating unverified rumor
74. Is there anyone you know who won't get one because of this belief?
    no
75. When people you know cry, does it make you feel like crying too?
    sometimes. It's called 'empathy.' If you don't understand this question, you might want to look it up—and also see a professional, because you're probably a psychopath.
76. Laughter is universally contagious, right?
    not always.

[the last, from an Oh. My. God. Long. post of The Cat's, who got it here. The title quotation is by Bishop Thomas Wilson, in Maxims of Piety and of Christianity, 1781.]