a full indentured servitude can reflect on one's attitude

• Have you ever had a bonfire on the beach? yes, I've been to a few of those--though they were river or lake beaches, not ocean beaches. It was at once such event that I leapt a bonfire to threaten bodily harm upon someone (a guy much bigger than me) who'd maligned my morality. The 'c' word is a powerful weapon....
• Are you skilled when it comes to working in the kitchen? I am
• When was the last time you went to a campground? that would be the Day of the Sunburn, described here
• Do you listen to music while driving? yes, though only on longer trips during the winter. As one of my very young friends recently reminded me, I'm a godforsaken dinosaur because I still listen to CDs, and it's been cold enough lately that they get balky on short trips so I just don't bother.
• Is there a movie you currently want to see? there are a lot of movies that I currently want to see. Maybe you've noticed, if you've been reading regularly, the two posts I've done on this very topic recently (here and here). For what it's worth, I've seen a couple that are very much worth mentioning: A Royal Affair (En Kongelig Affære) and A Better Life.
• When was the last time you hung out with people younger than you? it depends on your definition of "hung out with". I do it very, very regularly. If it requires pre-planning, let's say last Tuesday evening, when I had dinner and an evening of shopping with a former coworker/employee and longtime friend.
• What is the closest blue object to you? my PJ pants are sort of Dutch blue. Would that count?
• How much did you spend on your last shopping trip? $66.08, give or take
• Do you wish you had a better cellular plan? I am very happy with what I've got. No complaints.
• Are you good at buying gifts for people? it would be more appropriate (and revealing) to ask them, don't you think?
• Would you consider yourself to be generous? uh, yeah. That I am. To a fault, even.
• Have you ever received an autograph from a celebrity? yes, and it's one of my prized possessions, even though I felt ridiculous asking for it and still feel awkward when I think back on it.
• When was the last time you laughed so hard you cried? it's been far too long
• Are you currently studying for your driver's license? no, though I'm wondering if such an event looms in my future. Given what it would mean in a more macro sense: Bring it on.
• Have you ever gone over your cell phone plan by accident? I have--and it was worth it, entirely. I would do it again in a heartbeat.
• Are you in a relationship with the last person you kissed? I am, though the definition of that 'relationship' wouldn't satisfy anyone who was analyzing it except him and me and maybe one of my housemates.
• Ever done something that at the time didn't bother you, but it did later? heck yeah. That's called "sobering up."
• Can you honestly say you've been drunk before? (irony, anyone?) Honestly, yes.
• Where did you get your last bruise from? work, alas
• Have you ever argued with a person of authority, and won? when I fight authority...I usually manage to get in my fair share of devious licks, at least
• Is there a certain color of eyeshadow you prefer, if you wear eyeshadow? tan with a brown overlay--and I prefer matte mineral shadows to anything else. And I almost never (like, maybe 5x/year) wear mascara.
• Have you ever been addicted to mints? stop me if I'm revealing something shocking, but MINTS ARE NOT ADDICTIVE.
  
  Stupid kids. Sheesh.
• Are you a person that likes to take chances? if this were true, I would need to be a person who likes to take chances, rather than a person that likes to take chances. Be that as it may...: yes. I am. Surprised? I thought so.
• Would you consider your life to be great right now? it is great in size, at least, if not power and glory
• When a friend confides in you with their problems, do you listen? well, I don't stick my fingers in my hears and hum
• Do you have a piece of technology that should be dead, but it's still going? nooo
• When it rains, does it put the damper on your mood? not in the least
• What was the latest you stayed up in the past week? 1:30
• Have you had an awkward situation with someone recently? only every day, culminating this afternoon with a little standoff. It's part of what makes me The Analytical Thinker and such a joy to be around. (See the IPersonic Free Personality Test [it's only 4 questions, with absolutely zero obligations] to find out your type.)
• Do you always seem to be losing your bobby-pins? nope, I know exactly where they are, thanks
• When was the last time you found something overwhelming? my whole flipping life is overwhelming, so I try not to think about it that way. But thanks for the reminder just the same.
• Going anywhere next year for vacation? I am! California in May!
• Ever sent drunk texts? once or twice.
• Do you remember the dream you had last night? only vaguely, but I recalled enough as I was waking up this morning to know that it wasn't a repeat of anything I'd dreamed recently, which was a relief: nothing naked, profoundly stupid, or life-threatening
• How many dresses do you own? around 15, probably? Maybe more. This would make a nice addition to the group, too...hint, hint....

  

  Plum Kind of Wonderful

• Do any of your friends seem like a brother or sister to you? in some ways, yes, but the big brother I've got really gets the job done in all ways that I need.
• What bothers you more, cigarette smoke or cigar smoke? cigar by a long shot
• What do you think of Leonardo DiCaprio? he's a very good actor that fits neatly into the rather indefinable 'Lickster' category for me
• Have you ever seen a movie that messed with your mind? Hell yeah. American Me is the perfect example of that. Liam Neeson's Lamb, too. And The Big Bad Swim, though that wasn't at all negative for me (I don't think?).
• Do you look good in hats? I look like a squirrel with the mumps when I wear hats
• Can you see a noticeable difference between DVD and Blu-ray? yes--it's that blue bar at the top of the package
• Is there a song you're currently listening to on repeat? for reasons that I could never adequately explain, I've had "Elf's Lament" by Barenaked Ladies featuring Michael Buble running through my head for days. Please, share in my joy.
  
  
  
• Do you have a lucky number? 9161262340410
• What do you think of musical artists who use auto-tune? they're just people, using technology
• Have you ever held hands with someone for no reason? is there usually a "reason" for holding hands? I think it's more of a "feeling" thing, which doesn't usually have a literal justification, and we allow it anyway. Jeez.
• Has anything surprised you today? only my self-control
• When was the last time you played a video game? does Lumosity count? (if not, then it's been years)
• Have you ever just watched flames from a fire and just thought about things? yep. There are pictures of me doing just that very thing.)
• Are there any musical albums coming out soon that you can't wait for? meh
• Have you talked to your significant other today? I don't have one, but if I did, I might've posted a comment on his FB wall, if such a thing were permitted
• Have you ever sat down and eaten an entire cake by yourself? nah
• Do you have perfect vision? as corrected by contact lenses
• Is there something you want to buy right now? just the rest of my Christmas presents, and maybe some warm socks and a pair of boots so that every time I clean snow & schmutz off my car, my feet don't get soaked
• Do you know anyone who can speak Gaelic? no--dang it
• When it comes to eye color, do you have a preference? what will be, will be
• What was the most unique pet you've owned? the phrase "most unique" reminds me of a very dear man, someone I met when I was about 19 who had a great impact on my development as an independent intellectual.
  
  "Most unique" is logically unnecessary, like "very pregnant" or "totally dead." One is (or is not) each of those things, and so the modifiers are by nature redundant and ridiculous. They simply do not belong.
  
  And, of course, each pet is unique, so the question itself is foolish.
• Is your hair currently dyed? yes, as always. At the moment it's a very dark reddish-brown with black underneath. It's also shorter than it's been since high school.
• Has something annoyed you recently? everything's annoyed me recently. I think I need a vacation.
• Do you like Doritos? love 'em! Nacho cheese only, please.
• When you buy clothes, do you always try them on first? if I'm shopping in a store, I try to force myself to do so, but I'm sometimes too lazy (and pay the price later with ill-fitting choices). I shop online a lot, though.
• Have you used bug spray recently? nope, and there was a month of bite-scratching regret afterward
• Do you enjoy swimming in the ocean? I have loved it, yes. "It's been so long since I've seen the ocean--I guess I should."
  
  
  
• Have you ever bitten through your lip by accident? yes, I was indeed a child
• Are you good at coming up with dares? no, my dares are all lame
• Do you know someone with the last name Brown? I know at least three people with that name
• Is there somewhere in the world you would never go? "I can't go back
  I know now that things will never be the same"
  
  (Once the song lyrics start, they really don't stop. It's a function of having lived with someone who seemed to think in the form of musicals.)
  
  
  
• Have you ever tried to sew or knit anything? I can sew well enough to keep my buttons attached despite their best efforts to the contrary, but anything beyond that (e.g. MFing crocheting) is clearly beyond me.
• Has someone ever told you something that left you speechless? it happens almost daily
• Has something ever happened to you that seemed like it was from a movie? not exactly, but great chunks of it seem to be worth writing down
• Do you find yourself to be a believer in love at first sight? that's one of the worst questions ever written.
  
  And: yes.
• Or perhaps, do you believe that there's someone out there for you? yes, though I'm fairly certain that he's relatively happily married to someone else, and shall remain
• Does money really matter to you? it does, but only for what it can do, and not for it's own sake
• Is there something you want to do, that you swear you will, no matter what? sure. There are several things that would fall into this category.
• Do you know anyone who is a germophobe? I know of someone who has a mild case of this disorder
• Have you ever just laid out and watched the stars? good friends and I did this probably twenty or more times a year, ten years in a row when I was a kid
• Is there a song that gets you pumped up no matter what? "Raise Your Glass" by P!nk does it.
  
  
  
• How about a song that soothes your anger or sadness? there are many, because there are probably infinite needs for them
• Have you ever cheated at a card game? yep. It's something you do when you're a child, and the youngest in particular. I wasn't very good at it and I don't think I was very sneaky.
• Tell what colors you're wearing right now. white and gray
• Have you ever wandered around drunk with your friend? yes
• Are you longing for the day that you'll be an adult? yes
• Have you ever felt like your heart actually stopped? yes
• Are you a fast runner? only while chased
• What's something you've vowed to never eat? these make me want to cry
• What emotions do you associate with the color blue? that depends a great deal on the shade
• Do you have a "poker face"? I don't know; do I?
• Are you good at holding back your laughter if needed? I'm not a big laugher, generally. I'm more of a wry grinner. If you get a laugh out of me, consider it a win.
• Do any of your friends shamelessly burp or fart in public? not so much anymore
• When was the last time you had a good cry? it happens now and then, generally when I least expect it. There will probably be occasion for one coming up here in a few days.
• Has anyone ever told you they wanted to marry you? yes. It's happened more than once.
• Is there a soundtrack to a movie that you absolutely love? yep. Cursed, for some reason, is my favorite, though I've never seen the movie.
• Do you have a place where you keep your keepsakes? most of them are in the next county
• Have you ever had a "thumb war" with someone? sure
• What's your favorite style of jeans (skinny, boot cut, flare, etc.)? most of my jeans are boot cut right now, but if I were to choose out of everything, I'd wear straight leg (not skinny)
• Have you ever owned a diary/journal with a lock and key? yes, when I was around 10? Any idiot with a toothpick could pry it open.
• Do you have trouble sleeping if you sleep anywhere else but home? no
• Have you ever been so unfortunate to suffer from a hangover? once or twice
• Do any of your friends have particularly annoying habits? all of my friends have annoying habits. So do I. As do we all.
• Is there someone you know who can never mind their own business? see above. It's a function of being human.
• If you need a job, will you take whatever you can get? pardon me while I laugh myself sick
• When you were little, what movie did you watch over and over? that wasn't the reality of my movie-watching childhood
• Do you rely on caffeine to keep you awake sometimes? not in the sense that you mean, no. I sometimes drink rather more than I'd like, in order to maintain a level of alertness that is rather unnatural. I'm not a big fan of that sort of rodent-like trance, though, and avoid it when I can.
• When it comes to tests or exams, are you a crammer? nope. My philosophy is that you cram important stuff out at the same time that you're attempting to cram newer stuff in. It's better to just study, if you can, and leave it at that.
• Time goes by faster as you get older, don't you find? as one gets older, one's awareness of the passing of time becomes more acute. That's what lends the sense of time's swiftness.
• Have you ever had a panic attack? I have. They are terrifying, overwhelming, and profound.
• Do you own anything made of silk? I do.
• Is there anyone you know who looks like their dog? I'm not sure that I should admit it if it were true
• Are you deathly allergic to anything? yes
• Have you ever had a mouse in your house? not this one
• Has anyone you trusted ever back-stabbed you? yes
• Do you recycle? assiduously
• Do you know what you want for your dream house? yes, though it's as unlikely as the dream man
• Have you ever seen the movie the Notebook? I've not
• Trying to put yourself in someone's shoes can be difficult at times, true? not if they first step out of them

[from The Cat {a much longer post that I divided into smaller ones}, who got it here; the title quotation is from "Elf's Lament" by Barenaked Ladies featuring Michael Buble]