Get It All Down: ponder deep wisdom, dark or clear, Each secret fishy hope or fear

If you had to do your holiday shopping for everyone in only one store, what store would you pick? Target
What's more annoying: the person in front of you driving ten miles under the speed limit on a regular day or a person who cuts you off doing 10 miles over the speed limit on a stormy day? under, definitely. This happens a couple of times a week on my way home from work, and I'm always a little surprised and disgusted given the conditions and the speed limit in that location. (Also, wonder how they might deal with traffic in other locations!)
Define the word "time" without using the word 'time' in the definition. the progress of existence, forward or backward
What old cartoons do you remember watching? Bugs Bunny (Looney Toons), mostly
Do you think that people care only about the people they know personally or do most people care about all people? I am automatically suspicious of people who claim to care about "all people" as much as or more than they care about specific people that they actually know. That degree of selflessness seems unlikely in ordinary mortals.
Why do you think people feel that way? why do people care more about people that they know, than the mass of humanity that they don't know? Read Howards End, the E.M. Forster novel, for the answer to that one: only connect!
Would you rather see the movie first and then read the book or read the book and then see the movie? book first. Movie first tends to ruin the book (for me).
Do you own any audiobooks? nope. When I have acquired them, I've always donated them to my local public library.
Why are things the way they are? ...how else would they be?
Do you believe that guns don't kill people and that people kill people? guns make it a hell of a lot easier for people to kill people
What is the best way you can think of to prevent murder? dramatically increased access to medical care and mental health resources
Is there a difference between really being yourself and just being automatic and acting on whims? I think that each of those things means something different to each person. "Really being yourself" may have a totally positive implication when I read it as 'honesty,' but a negative one to someone else--it may smack of irresponsibility and insulting disregard for others. "Just being automatic" seems thoughtless and rude to me, but someone else might read it as a welcome disregard for the elements of life that create bias. "Acting on whims" sounds careless or impetuous, but maybe I view it as intuitive or sensitive to nuance. In other words, these phrases are, in and of themselves, pretty meaningless.
Have you ever strolled through a graveyard? not "strolled" so much as "wandered for a long time searching for a grave that we knew was there but were having trouble finding." And there was also "walked through, in 100°+ weather, on our way to the goat prairie."
What is the difference between a good poem and a bad one? there's a lovely section on that in the movie Dead Poet's Society. Highly recommended.
Who really cares about anything? pretty much everyone really cares about something. When nothing is worth getting fired up about, life doesn't mean much.
Do you? care about anything? Yeah, I suppose I do.
Do you let it show, all the time? not even close
Do you live with passion? yep, it's always there, just under the surface, like an ingrown hair or a low-grade infection
Do you talk to squirrels? no, but we 'commune'
Do you kick up leaves? nope
Which do you need more: sugar, caffeine, alcohol, drugs, sex, sleep? of the items or activities on that list in which I currently take part: sleep
If you are a guy, are circumcised? If you are a girl, which do you prefer: circumcised or not? every book its reader, every reader his book
Does it bother you that in the USA you will be tracked based on what websites you visit, what online purchases you make, and your email will be read by the government? are there still ordinary citizens who believe that their email is so fascinating that there are government officials whose job it is to read it?? Naivety is alive and well in the USA. As for "someone" tracking our online purchases--it can be fairly well limited if one is reasonably careful. And the website bit...frustrating, that. Net Neutrality was good for everybody, and I certainly hope that the legislators who destroyed it have as much trouble as the rest of us making cell calls and using the Internet now.
Have you ever checked out the online personals? obviously, yes. Read back a few years for [almost] all the gory details.
What do you crave? a better body
On a scale of 1-10 how tough are you? mentally: 8. Physically: 5.
On a scale of 1-10 how tender are you? on the inside: 9. On the outside: 5.
On a scale of 1-10 how good are you? 4
On a scale of 1-10 how evil are you? on the inside: 7. On the outside: 3.
What would make a cool coffee table book? ever since I rather infamously authorized the purchase of an $80-some coffee table book about, if I remember right, rabbits, I no longer feel qualified to answer this question
What's the most interesting conversation piece in your home? maybe the skull, but there are several to choose from depending on one's interests
What are you on the outside of, looking into? happiness
Who is someone you know who deserves more respect? one of my colleagues has a reputation for being kind of a doofus, either an egghead or so scatter-brained that he cannot be taken seriously. In reality, he's the smartest person I've ever known, and most insightful. He also has the lowest self-esteem. It's uncanny, isn't it, and infuriating.
Does the end ever justify violence as a means? yes
If yes, when? when further violence is at stake. For instance.
Care about everything, or care about nothing? Which would be worse? nothing
Why do so many people on the Internet pretend to be pregnant? for attention, like everything else that happens on the Internet
What was your new years like in (answer all that you can remember):
...1980? I was a "tween." It probably involved far too many nacho cheese Doritos, a whole lot of Dr. Pepper, and a shitload of yawning.
...1990? I wasn't quite old enough to drink, so I'm sure I was a perfect angel. HAHAHAHA I'm pretty sure I went to Mingles and got hammered.
...1995? married for a couple of years, living in the Mitten, probably had a party or went to a party...that involved Trivial Pursuit, jello shots (cut with cookie cutters), heaps of snooty beer in bottles, a homemade cake, and waaaaaaaay too many Ph.D.s-in-training.
...1999? a party in the basement of my former spouse's friend from high school. It was an unseasonably warm winter night in the Flat, and I spent most of the party outside, wandering the garden, thinking about a promise that I had made 11 years before.
...2005? my first NYE as a single person. It was both better and worse than I had hoped and planned.
You know the Def Leppard song, 'Love Bites'? yup, probably entirely by heart
Do they actually mean love bites as in it sucks, or love-bites as in hickies? is anyone really that stupid? It's not an ode to neck bruises, for fuck's sake.
All you want for Christmas is: for it to be the opposite of last year, in 80% of the ways that can be interpreted.
If you rearrange the letters in "Santa" what words can you make? Satan!
Say anything: "I've shown you everything / Give me a sign"
Can you feel your life ending one minute at a time? sometimes, at least that fast
Is there something you don't want to talk about? of course
What is the most offensive thing you can think of to type here: every now and then, I know I'm the smartest person in the room
Who do you think it would offend? I can think of three or four people who would cringe
Who would you stop the world and melt with? that song reminds me of someone I briefly dated in high school (and somewhat later)
Is there anyone you wish you had never known? I wish I'd never met Nick. Not that he's such a bad person--but we were a really awful mix.
Do you prefer to drive or be driven? drive. There is only a handful of people with whom I am comfortable riding in a car.
To massage or be massaged? either one, depending on the circumstances
To pamper or be pampered? *shrug*
What do you think of the SIMS? I don't get the appeal
Professional or home pedicure and why? home. It's not difficult, and far easier to maintain cleanliness. Also, professional pedicures cost a fortune by comparison.
Is there a difference between over weight and over fat? I've never heard the phrase "over fat" before
Do you buy books and then never read them? not for a long time. Some of my books are more like keepsakes than parts of my library, but they're no less loved for all that. And others have been reread so many times that they've had to be replaced. I'm pretty passionate about owning books.
What did you get for Christmas? this and that
What was your best ever Valentine's Day? the one when I was involved with Johnnie Walker was pretty damned amazing. That man knew how to give a gift and write a card.
What movie would you like to see again, that you haven't watched since you were a kid? it's been ages since I've seen The Jungle Book
Do feet disgust you? nope
What pain reliever do you use? funny question, that. I use a few.
Are you an artist, a designer or a doodler? depends on the medium
Do you belong to a gym? nah, but I'd consider it if circumstances were different
Have you ever been to court? Over what? Did you win? heck yeah, many times. Domestic relations, financial issues, jerks being jerks. A lot of that doesn't have a "winner," per se. You know. But when there was winning to do, I did it.
Would you ever take a case on court TV (Judge Judy and such)? good God, never. How stupid!
You are given a million dollars, only you must spend it (or as much as possible) in one month--any leftover money will go away. What do you buy? quality investments for myself and a very small number of friends and family. And some shoes, and jewelry.
What are your PJ's like? camisoles or long-sleeved t-shirts (by season), PJ pants (cotton or flannel by season)
Is there a fabric you love above all other fabrics? nah
Can you think of any words (besides mom, dad and bob) that spell the same thing backwards and forwards? yay!
Who would enter an ugly foot contest? there's a woman with whom I used to work, someone who was very fond of wearing sandals, who never quite got the gist of getting a pedicure ('cause she's clearly not capable of doing it herself). I'll spare the details.
Would you rather see a movie with someone who screams during the movie, cries through the movie, or talks through the movie? What's the least annoying? cries - at least that's pretty much self-contained
Do you have any grey hair? that's between me and my stylist?
Are all the Jennifers you know psychotic? none of my Jennifers are crazy
Do you want to join a country club? I've thought about it. I can't imagine it every really happening, but I've pondered it.
'I felt a funeral in my brain.' [Emily Dickinson]. What do you feel in your brain? another. fucking. headache.
What is the best Atari game you can remember? Pac-Man? I don't know. I was a deprived child, my parents didn't love me, and my only access to Atari was through friends. I played whatever they had.
Hulk Hogan, Alf or Mr. T? Mr. T, of course!
Did you dance today? a little bit, in my heart
Are birds happy in cages? doubtful
Are pets happy indoors? yep
Have you, or has anyone you know, ever been stuffed in a locker? I was, once
Red or white wine? white if I have to, but I don't like it
Hula hoops or jump ropes? jump ropes
Do you like Tiffany lights? yes. In fact, I'm planning to get one for my office, once I decide that I'm really keeping this job "for good"
Do you like fights? I don't like them, but they're sort of 'part of life'
What do you want to pin the tail on? I'm not a party person
Wasn't last night fun? it wasn't bad. I finished my third book of the weekend, took a great shower, and listened to the rain.
Have you ever met a group of more interesting people? some of them are pretty damned wonderful
Would you eat spaghetti with waffles to keep from offending someone? no
Do you play with Mr Potato-head? not on a regular basis. If he was sitting in front of me and I had nowhere else to be, it would be hard to avoid him, though.
Would you rather live in an attic or a basement? basement, definitely. Having lived in both - since the sleeping quarters in le grande condo came close enough to being an attic! - I can say that a basement suits me far better.
Can you understand sign language? some of it, I get the gist
Do you wear ridiculous hats? Does Elton John? I own some, but only wear one. I think Elton has some? I'd have to ask Georgie for sure.
What music is wild and crazy? I wouldn't use that phrase to describe music
How does one live their life like a candle in the wind? a candle in the wind is, as applied to humans, living life in the moment, not expecting to have tomorrows. Carpe diem.
Ziggy and the Spiders or Benny and the Jets? Benny

[From the 5000-question meme; this is the thirty-ninth part (questions 3701-3800). The title quotation is by Rupert Brooke, from "Heaven".]

6.11.2018

ponder deep wisdom, dark or clear, Each secret fishy hope or fear

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