Sunday Stealing: Lola's Holiday Meme

You can play here.

1. What is your favorite holiday show/animated show?

That would be Ziggy's Gift, a groovy cartoon from the '80s with music by Harry Nilsson. The Snowman, similarly antiquated but far more well-known over here, is also cool.

2. What holiday character do you think you're most like?

Santa, who also just sits around most of the year and only gets a day's work done.

3. What holiday character does your spouse think you're most like?

I'm spouseless, so I'll never know whether they'd have gone for Scrooge or The Grinch.

4. Favorite Christmas/holiday song?

At the moment, it's Tim Minchin's White Wine In The Sun, which I've been listening too way to much in the past month and which can be found at the top of this blog on my Christmas Tunes eight track (though I just noticed this morning that Neil Gaiman's posted a link to the video - which I'm way too lazy to do - on his blog). Before that, I'd have gone for Tori Amos's version of Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas (also on the aforementioned eight track).

5. Most hated Christmas/holiday song?

Probably Jona Lewie's Stop the Cavalry, which is just a stunningly mediocre song that manages to keep being played solely because of its Christmas connection (either that or Wings' Wonderful Christmas Time).

6. If you have an all holiday music radio station when do you start listening to it?

I don't have one. If I did have one, the answer would be never.

7. If you have an all holiday music radio station do you love it or hate it?

I still don't have one, but I'm fairly sure I'd be ambivalent.

8. Have you ever wrapped yourself as a Christmas present?

No, somehow the idea never occurred to me.

9. Who is Rudolf The Red Nosed Reindeer's father?

Depends on the version of the story. Some versions having it being Donner (hope that's not where donner meat comes from; Ewww).

10. Do you drive your neighborhood or one near you at night to look at other people's holiday decorations?

No.

11. When you see a heavily decorated house do you think, 'oh that's lovely'? Or do you think, 'oh criminy, that looks like Christmas threw up all over their lawn'?

More the first, though the houses don't tend to be that heavily decorated in these parts.

12. Are you counting the days to Christmas with excited anticipation or dread?

With anticipation, though it's after Christmas when I visit my girlfriend that I'm actually anticipating; I might overlook Christmas all together (apart from Doctor Who being on TV of course).

13. When was the last time you had your photo taken with Santa? Did you sit on his lap?

Must be about forty years ago. I think I was sat on his lap, but I don't have the photo readily to hand.

14. Do you make a Christmas list for your spouse or significant other or do you rely on them to pick your gift(s) without a clue from you?

I tend not to make Christmas lists, since I don't usually know what I want.

15. When do you put up your tree?

Not got round to doing it yet this year, but Christmas isn't really about the tree, it's about something far more important - the presents.

16. Real or fake?

Fake, preferably silver. That's the kind of tree I associate with Christmas from my childhood.

17. When do you take your tree down?

If I finally get round to putting it up, then I think it's supposed to be taken down on twelfth night, 6th January, though I'm not in the country then so I might just leave it up ready for next year.

18. Do you shop the day after Christmas sales? What do you shop for?

No, the only thing I shop for after Christmas is batteries. They're usually needed for something or other.

19. Is your work/office having a holiday party this year? Will you attend?

They had it on Friday, and, yes, I attended.

20. Do you have your New Year's Eve Plans set yet?

I know I'll be with my girlfriend, but beyond that I've nothing planned.

Monday Movie Meme: Good Vibrations

Feature Presentation...

MONDAY MOVIE MEME

This week Molly and Andy at the Bumbles Blog are asking all about movies about music, so here's my pick:

• I Wanna Hold Your Hand (1978) - Great comedy about some teenagers wanting to see the Beatles at the Ed Sullivan Show in the '60s by Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale who later went on to give us Back To The Future (these days Zemeckis now brings us motion capture animation films such as Beowulf and A Christmas Carol, and Bob Gale is a writer on the Amazing Spider-Man comic book)
• The Blues Brothers (1980) - Two brothers wearing sunglasses are on a mission from God to put on a concert to save an orphanage.
• Josie And The Pussycats (2001) - Cool live remake of the '70s TV cartoon with a great soundtrack and Parker Posey.
• 24 Hour Party People (2002) - A tale of the Manchester music scene from the '70s to the '90s.
• A Mighty Wind (2003) - Cool fictional tale of folk concert reunions with a great soundtrack and Parker Posey.

Sunday Stealing: The 6 Ws Meme

You can play here.

Who...

Is easy to love?

My girlfriend Lynette.

Do you just wanna smack?

Myself, for dropping my phone on Thursday, since now it's in for repair and I'm not sure I can live without it.

Do you trust?

Myself. The Plastic Mancunian's blog told me to (though I'm not sure if I can trust it).

Do you talk to when you're alone?

Mainly my girlfriend, through the wonder of google chat.

What...

Dangerous things do you do while driving?

The most dangerous thing I do is the driving (I've failed my driving test seven times).

Are you allergic to?

I don't know. Never taken any allergy tests. Work tends to have a bad effect on me, though I haven't exposed myself to it too much.

Is Satan's last name?

I always figure he was a one name kind of guy like Bono or God.

Is the freakiest thing in your house?...

That would be me.

When...

Is it time to turn over a new leaf?

I guess now's the best time; no point in putting it off. Failing that, tomorrow.

Will you be all that you can be?

I think quantum mechanics implies that I'm always all that I can be (or the me of all the parallel universes is/are). Failing that, never, since there are things I could be that I'd probably not want to be.

Is enough enough?

About this far into the meme, though I suspect the questions will continue.

Do you go to the dark side?

When the light side gets boring.

Where...

Are your pants?

If you mean trousers, I'm wearing them.

Is your last will and testament?

It's in some cabinet downstairs.

Is your junk food stash?

I keep it scattered about in a few local take aways.

Is Carmen Sandiego?

In the world.

Why...

Was the Lone Ranger alone?

He wasn't. He had Tonto, and Silver. You can't always trust names - Dr. Seuss probably wasn't a real doctor.

Was The Scarlet Letter scarlet?

Was it blushing because of what it said?

Are musicians sexy and plumbers not?

Because musicians know how to make sweet music, while plumbers are just messing with their tools.

Are there no seat belts on school buses?

Because children heal faster than adults and also sue less.

Would you...

Swim the English Channel for a doughnut and coffee? If not that, what?

No, I really don't want to swim it; there are quicker ways across it. Well, maybe for five doughnuts, but they'd have to be really good ones.

Forgive someone who deliberately hurt you?

I could, though it would depend on the circumstances.

Rather believe a lie if it hurt you less than the truth?

It depends on the lie.

You still be alive if you were sucked out of an airplane window?

Yes, but I'm not sure how long for.

Sunday Stealing: The Can't Sleep Meme

You can play here.

Would it be hard to kiss the last person you kissed?

At the moment, yes, because she's in a different country.

When is it hard to kiss someone?

When they're not around.

You're trapped in a room with your most recent ex for three days, what do you do?

It depends if there's any food. If not, I'd be trying to find a way out before I started looking at my ex and seeing a pork chop (which is the kind of thing that could happen; I've seen it on cartoons). If there was food, then I'd probably just ignore the other person and chat on the internet with my girlfriend (this is what I do with most people I'm stuck in a room with these days).

Does it matter to you if your significant other smokes?

I'd prefer them not to, especially if it's because they're on fire.

Have you ever regretted letting someone go?

No, though I've never let anyone go.

Where would you go if you were butt naked and locked out of your house?

Well, I'm not going to get very far barefoot, so I guess I'd go to my nearest neighbour and hope they'd have pity on me.

Do you want to please everyone?

Most people, but not everyone - that'd take up way too much time.

Have you ever been called heartless?

Not unless they were dropping the h.

Someone calls you at 3:00 AM, who do you expect it to be?

A wrong number.

Does it matter if your significant other drinks?

Nope.

Could you go the rest of your life without doing drugs?

Recreational ones, sure. Medical ones, yes, but then the rest of my life might be a lot shorter.

Which is better, amazing eyes or an amazing smile?

Eyes.

Do you want to get married and have children one day?

Yeah, it'd be nice.

Are you easy to get along with?

I like to think so.

Do you ever want to go to sleep and not wake up?

No, but I sometimes want to go to sleep and not be woken up.

Are you shorter than your Mom?

No.

Describe your life currently in one word:

Indescribable.

Are you on medication for anything?

Yes, for asthma.

Who would you allow to read your thoughts for one day?

My girlfriend, since she's always in my thoughts anyway.

Are there things in your life that you will never be able to get over?

Yeah, really high fences.

If you woke up naked next to the last person you kissed, what would your reaction be?

I'd be overjoyed.

Sunday Stealing: The ABC's of Meme

You can play here.

A- Advocate for: Easier first questions

B- Best Feature: My girlfriend

C- Could do without: Getting up early

D- Dreams and desires: Endless

E- Essential items: clothes, phone, keys, debit card

F- Favorite past time: The Eighties

G- Good at: Spider Solitaire

H- Have never tried: Pierogies

I- If I had a million dollars: just think of all the lottery tickets I could buy

J- Junkie for: Vimto

K- Kindred spirit: Nemi

L- Little known fact: I've failed my driving test seven times

M- Memorable moment: Most of my memorable moments tend to be ones I can't remember

N- Never again will I: put a pillow in a washing machine

O- Occasional indulgence: Kebab calzone

P- Profession: Computer programmer

Q- Quote: "I often quote myself, I find it adds spice to my conversation" - Bob Monkhouse

R- Reason to smile: I'll see my girlfriend again next Saturday

S- Sorry about: blogging so rarely these days

T- Things you are worrying about right now: Right now I'm worry-free

U- Uninterested in: religion, politics, work

V- Very scared of: Very scary things

W- Worst habits: Procrastination, laziness

X- X marks my ideal vacation spot: but tragically I've lost the map

Y- Yummiest dessert: Meringue pie

Z- Zodiac sign: Aquarius

Sunday Stealing: The Magical Mystery Tour Meme

You can play here.

1. Is there anybody you just wish would fall off the planet?

No.

2. How do you flush the toilet in public?

If you mean how do I flush a public toilet, then sometimes I pull a chain, sometimes I turn a handle; there's usually some mechanism provided.

3. Do you wear your seatbelt in the car?

Yeah, it's the law.

4. Do you have a crush on someone?

There's someone I'm hopelessly infatuated with, but that's my girlfriend.

5. Name one thing you worry about running out of.

Meme answers.

6. What famous person do you (or other people) think you resemble?

I don't think there's anyone.

7. What is your favourite pizza topping?

Ham and pineapple.

8. Do you crack your knuckles?

No.

9. What song do you hate the most?

I've no idea; I like really good songs and I also kind of like really bad ones too, so there's not a lot of hatred.

10. Did just mentioning that song make it get stuck in your head?

I ducked out of mentioning one, so now it's just an empty vacuum stuck in my head, so no change there.

11. What are your super powers?

I can look into the future. Spearmint!

12. Peppermint or spearmint?

Peppermint. Darn, my powers are on the fritz again.

13. Where are your car keys?

I don't have any.

14. Last song you listened to?

"And I Am Telling You" by Danyl Johnson at the end of tonight's episode of the X-Factor.

15. What's your most annoying habit?

I'm pretty sarcastic, so maybe that.

16. Where did you last go on vacation?

That would be Delaware.

17. What is your best physical feature?

I'd say my eyes.

18. What CD is closest to you right now?

Looking to my left, there are a few that are probably equidistant from me. Of those, the ones I can make out without having to go over and look more closely are The Little Mermaid soundtrack, Smile by Paul Simon, and The Byrds' Greatest Hits.

19. What 3 things can always be found in your refrigerator?

The ice compartment, the light that comes on when you open the door, and this eternally-empty plastic compartment at the bottom which I think is where vegetables go. Usually my fridge is fairly empty.

20. What superstition do you believe/practice?

Beyond knocking on wood occasionally, none spring to mind.

21. What colour are your bed sheets?

Some pale colour that I'm struggling to describe; sort of yellowy/browny with flowers on.

22. Would you rather be a fish or a bird?

Because birds eat fish, I'll have to plump for a bird.

23. Last thing you broke?

That was a plate in Baltimore, which I accidentally smashed while looking for a light switch.

24. What are you having to eat tonight?

I've already eaten it; pizza with my favourite topping.

25. What colour shirt are you wearing?

Dark blue.

26. If you could be doing anything else today, what would you rather be doing?

Anything else.

27. Do security cameras make you nervous?

No. I'm unobservant enough to not usually notice them anyway.

28. If you wrote a book about your life, what would the title be?

To Be Continued.

29. Last time you went to a cemetery?

A couple of years ago, when my niece dragged me into the one near where we live.

30. Last concert you went to?

That would be Rockbitch.

31. Favourite musician(s)/bands you've seen in concert?

Suzanne Vega, They Might Be Giants

32. Next concert you're planning to attend?

Guess that would be the Blue Man Group in January.

33. Do you talk to yourself?

Yeah, that way I'm guaranteed some intelligent conversation.

34. Have you ever adopted or purchased a pet?

No, though I've won a few at fairgrounds.

35. Have you ever been present when an animal is being born?

No.

Sunday Stealing: One Long Meme (Part Two)

You can play here.

27. Do you prefer to sleep or eat?

Depends whether I'm tired or hungry.

28. Do you look like your mom or dad?

Apparently I look like my dad, though a tad younger with slightly less hair.

29. How long does it take you in the shower?

No time at all, since I've not got a shower.

30. Can you do the splits?

Of course not.

31. What movie do you want to see right now?

I don't want to see any movie right now; I'm busy answering questions.

32. What did you do for New Year’s?

Not a lot; watched some TV, my mum might have put up a new calendar.

33. Do you think The Grudge was scary?

Never seen it, so can't answer the question. Guess The Grudge should have been my answer to number 31.

34. Do you own a camera phone?

Yes, but I'm not allowed to take it into work for security reasons, so never do. Honest.

35. Was your mom a cheerleader?

No.

36. What’s the last letter of your middle name?

I've not got a middle name.

37. How many hours of sleep do you get a night?

It varies; usually not enough.

38. Do you like Care Bears?

No, but I don't harbour any hatred towards them either.

39. What do you buy at the movies?

A ticket for the movie, otherwise it can be a bit of a non-event.

40. Do you know how to play poker?

Yes, but I could be bluffing.

41. Do you wear your seat belt?

Yes.

42. What do you wear to sleep?

Depends if it's at home or at work.

43. Anything big ever happen in your hometown?

A part of it once got flooded.

44. How many meals do you eat a day?

Two.

45. Is your tongue pierced?

No.

46. Do you always read MySpace bulletins?

I'm not sure what MySpace bulletins are, so probably not.

47. Do you like funny or serious people better?

I like seriously funny people best, followed by funny people, then serious people, and, last but least, people who just think they're funny.

48. Ever been to L.A.?

No.

49. Did you eat a cookie today?

No, but I've not eaten anything yet today so it's probably unfair to single out cookies.

50. Do you use cuss words in other languages?

No.

51. Do you steal or pay for your music downloads?

I pay for them, but I don't download music that often.

52. Do you hate chocolate?

No, I love it.

53. What do you and your parents fight about the most?

We never fight.

54. Are you a gullible person?

Yes.

55. Do you need a girlfriend to be happy?

No, I only need a girlfriend if I want to be deliriously happy.

56. If you could have any job (assuming you have the skills) what would it be?

I guess I'd like Father Christmas's job, or the Easter Bunny's, or the Great Halloween Pumpkin's (anything with 364 days off a year will do).

57. Are you easy to get along with?

I like to think so.

58. What is your favorite time of day?

When I'm chatting to my girlfriend.

Sunday Stealing: One Long Meme (Part One)

You can play here.

1. The phone rings. Who will it to be?

I've no idea.

2. When shopping at the grocery store, do you return your cart?

Yes, if I've got one (I'm more of a basket person), though I suspect most people do in the UK since you have to put a coin into them to release them which you won't get back if you don't return them.

3. In a social setting, are you more of a talker or a listener?

A listener.

4. Do you take compliments well?

A lot better than I take criticisms.

5. Do you play Sudoku?

I was lured into it briefly by the numbers, which made it look vaguely mathematical, but then I discovered it was just some kind of numerical feng shui. Still I stuck with it for a bit until I got stuck one day and I ended up throwing together a computer program to solve it for me. Once I realised that my program could do it way quicker than I could, it all seemed terribly menial, so I went back to more interesting ways of wasting my time.

6. If abandoned alone in the wilderness, would you survive?

It would depend how close the wilderness was to non-wilderness. If it was a decent distance away, i.e. more than a few feet, then I guess my answer would be no.

7. Did you ever go to camp as a kid?

Once, with school. It was okay, I quite enjoyed it, though I missed television.

8. What was your favorite game as a kid?

Probably soccer, which I used to play all the time, though it's way too much like hard work now, and it's always bored me to watch it.

9. If a sexy person was pursuing you, but you knew she was married, would you?

Most probably not, though I've never been in that situation so couldn't say for certain.

10. Could you date someone with different religious beliefs than you?

Yes.

11. Do you like to pursue or be pursued?

Pursued. It's a lot less work and there's less chance of rejection.

12. Use three words to describe yourself?

Nice, lazy, sarcastic

13. Do any songs make you cry?

Some songs have made me cry, yes, but not every time I've heard them.

14. Are you continuing your education?

Not formally, no.

15. Do you know how to shoot a gun?

Beyond knowing that there's some trigger-pulling involved, no.

16. Have you ever taken pictures in a photo booth?

Yes, many times; in black and white, colour, and one that made weird drawings of you.

17. How often do you read books?

No set frequency. Depends when I've got the free time and how readable a book is.

18. Do you think more about the past, present or future?

Probably the present or the immediate future.

19. What is your favorite children’s book?

The Cat In The Hat Comes Back

20.What color are your eyes?

Blue.

21. How tall are you?

Five foot ten, maybe five foot eleven; I can never remember.

22. Where is your dream house located?

I've no idea; maybe in the clouds, under the sea might be cool too.

23. If your house was on fire, what would be the first thing you grabbed?

A fire extinguisher.

24. When was the last time you were at Olive Garden?

I have no idea where or who Olive Garden is.

25. Where was the furthest place you traveled today?

I've only just got up, so I've not traveled far at all.

26. Do you like mustard?

No, but I don't dislike it either.

Sunday Stealing: The Random Dozen Meme

You can play here.

1. When you go to Wowmart, what one thing do you get every single time, besides a funky-wheeled squeaking cart full of frustration?

I've only been there a single time, so the answer's a mix of Slim Jims, Hershey bars, everlasting gobstoppers and no doubt some other things I've forgotten. If I went there regularly, then I guess the answer would be a receipt.

2. What is something that people are currently “into” that you just don’t get or appreciate?

Twittery facebooky type things.

3. What is something that really hoists your sail that other people might feel “ho-hum” about?

Computer adventure games, most recently the current Monkey Island games.

4. Favorite song to sing in the shower or car?

I've not got one (a shower, a car or a favourite song to sing in them).

5. A really great salad must have this ingredient:

Something that's not a vegetable; that way I don't end up leaving it all.

6. What advice in a nutshell would you give to new bloggers?

Have fun. Be yourself.

7. What was the alternate name that your parents almost named you? Do you wish they had chosen it instead of the one they gave you?

I've no idea, but I'm happy with the one I've got.

8. What in your life are you waiting for?

Buses mostly.

9. You get a package in the mail. What is it, and who is it from?

It'll probably be from my girlfriend Lynette and contain extreme neatness of some variety or other.

10. Today–what song represents you?

Right Here Waiting by Richard Marx.

11. What is one thing that blogging has taught you about yourself?

That I'm way too lazy to update regularly.

12. How are you going to (or how did you) choose the clothes you’re wearing today?

I grabbed the same clothes I was wearing yesterday.

What do they say about you in general or specifically how you’re feeling today?

It says that I'm being particularly lazy and slovenly because it's Sunday.

Saturday 9: Thunking on a Saturday

Here's my answers to this week's questions from the Saturday 9 Meme:

1. You are walking down a rainy road. There is a five hundred dollar bill on the road. You look around and except for someone a half block away, you are alone. You naturally pick up the bill and put it away. That person approaching stops and says, "I saw you pick up that money. It's mine." You ask how much it was. She yells, "Are you calling me a liar?" What do you do?

I'm guessing from the currency that I'm in America so I'm not going to argue with the woman just in case she's carrying a gun. I'd probably take out a ten dollar bill and give her that. If the 500 dollars wasn't her money, she'll not know I'm giving her the wrong amount so she'll continually happily on her way, leaving me $490 richer, otherwise she'll point out that I should have given her $500, I'll apologise and explain that I'm a foreigner and the bills all look the same to me, and then I'll give her her money, take my $10 back, and be on my way.

2. If I were to inspect your guest bathroom, how would I find it?

I haven't got a guest bathroom, so you'd have to go somewhere within the realms of your imagination to find it.

However, I've got a normal bathroom and if you inspected that you'd probably find yourself wishing I had a guest bathroom.

3. You are given a state of the art bow and arrow. Who or what is your first target (after a lesson or two)?

The woman from question one. I want my ten/five hundred dollars back.

4. The doorbell rings. The person at the door is wearing a raincoat and you know them. They flash you and are completely naked. Other than your S/O, who would you think it would be and would guess you'd find that funny? Why do you guess that person and would you laugh or be pissed off?

Hey, whoever it is, I'm just glad that they installed a doorbell for me.

5. What do you call a male Ladybug?

In the UK, we call them ladybirds, regardless of whether they're male or female, because, let's face it, it's pretty hard to tell the difference.

6. Your friends throw you a party. They've got a big national music star to come and perform. It is someone you detest. Do you make believe you like the songs or do you fess up and get the star out of the party?

If they've gone to all that trouble then I'll make believe I like the songs. After all, if it's someone I detest, then odds are it's the kind of music my friends will like.

7. What's your favorite breed of wild, mean attack dogs?

I quite like hellhounds, since they're the ones I'm least likely to come across.

8. If I called your high school guidance counselor, what would they say about you?

I never had a high school guidance counselor so hopefully they'd tell you you had a wrong number, or weave magical tales about me just to humour you.

9. Car A is moving at 63 miles an hour. 4 people are in the Car A. Car B is moving at 22 miles an hour. There is a driver and passenger who just came from a hotel while cheating on their spouses in Car B. They will crash into each other in exactly 3.5 minutes. What are your fun plans for this Labor day Weekend while these six people meet a brutal and gruesome death??

I'm too busy using the next 3.5 minutes to avert this tragedy (which will no doubt lead to fun Final Destination style hijinks for any survivors) to work out what I'm doing this weekend. First of all, I guess I've got to figure out exactly what kind of crazy road it is where cars would be travelling at both 63 mph and 22 mph.

The Queen's Meme 8 - The Bloggingham Love Shack

To avoid getting thrown into a dungeon, here's my answers to this week's Queen's Meme

1. What is the craziest thing you've ever done in the name of love?

Not sure. Last week I was writing a letter to my loved one's pets, but that's hardly crazy.

2. How much mystery should there be in a relationship? Is it a good thing or not?

Mystery's okay, as long as there's no deception involved. I guess it's a good thing, but hopefully not that good since the relationship will have to survive without it sooner or later as the mysteries all get solved.

3. Is there someone in the blogosphere you'd like to get to know more intimately? Have you been too shy to ask? Let me help you. Write a 3 sentence anonymous blove letter to them in this meme.
Leave a link if you dare. (I promise not to tell!)
"Dear Blogger, I've been meaning to tell you for the longest time that I ___________etc etc"

Or if you wish, do some matchmaking instead. "Dear Blogger #1 and Blogger #2, I think you would be perfect for each other. This is why..."

Where was this meme six months ago when I needed it? Sadly I've now made my feelings clear to someone in the blogosphere so the first part of this question's kind of redundant. As for the second matchmaking part, I've never heard of Bloggers #1 and #2, but with names that similar they're bound to get along.

4. Describe a "perfect evening" with the one you love.

Any evening with her is perfect, apart from it having to end.

5. If you are in a relationship, describe the one thing that makes it work well for you. If you are not in a relationship, do you want to be? If so, what type of romance are you looking for? What would it look like in your life?

I'm not sure that there's one thing that makes it works well for me, but a whole smorgasbord of things, some of which are kind of indefinable. It's a relationship, for crying out loud, not a soundbite.

6. If you had to choose between having good s*x (I told you not to let your mother read this) OR intelligent conversation on a regular basis, which would you choose and why?

Intelligent conversation would be wasted on me, so this is a bit of a no-brainer.

7. I've got the Bloggingham Blues. What type of man is right for Queen Mimi Pencil Skirt? Do any of you see love in her foreseeable future? What do you suggest I do to spice up my love life? What am I doing wrong????!

I suggest you ask someone else rather than me. I can only see things you're doing right (you're intelligent, funny, creative, you wear a pencil skirt) - it's just a matter of waiting for the right guy to turn up.

Sunday Stealing: The Ellie Bellie Meme

You can play here.

what are your most common nicknames?

Marky Mark's the one I get called most.

what is today's weather?

Drizzly.

where did go on vacation this year?

Delaware.

what did you do there?

Had loads of fun with A Blog In The Rough, being driven around, seeing the ocean, playing mini golf, hitting a crab with a mallet, breaking crockery, being a spy, getting lost, falling in love, all sorts of cool stuff. The full details will hopefully be recounted sometime soon in this blog when I finally get round to it.

where did you stay?

At an Econo Lodge.

what job do you do?

I'm a computer programmer.

describe where you live.

It's a small studio flat that's rarely subject to being tidy.

what do you usually do on weekends?

Go to Fleetwood to see family and catch up on sleep.

what food hits your 'bliss spot'?

A kebab calzone.

what drink really does it for you?

Vimto.

describe the first friend that comes to your head.

That would be my real life blogging friend Plastic Mancunian who, following my drunken clues, recently managed to discover my blog, but whose identity is otherwise swathed in mystery, apart from his being plastic and living in Manchester.

what was the last restaurant you went to?

That would probably be Toast in Blackpool. Fortunately they sell other food beside toast.

where would you like to live if you had unlimited moneys and nothing stopping your dreams?

Either Delaware or Fantasy Island

what is the likeliness of you achieving this dream home?

Delaware's slightly more likely than Fantasy Island.

what do you like to do in your spare time?

As little as possible, maybe fit in some procrastination if I have the time.

what's your favorite genre for TV programs?

Probably comedies.

what's your favorite genre for music?

No favourite genre.

what's your favorite song that's sad?

Home by Kim Richey

what's your favorite soppy film?

Not sure what constitutes a soppy film. If Terms of Endearment counts, then it would be that.

how about your favorite chick flick?

Not altogether sure what constitutes a chick flick either. I'll go for Titanic if it counts.

what are you looking forward to at the moment?

October, when I get to see my girlfriend again.

what are you dreading at the moment?

November when I have to say goodbye to my girlfriend again.

how would you describe your personality?

Easygoing.

if you had a personality eraser, what part of yours might you erase?

I've got so little personality, I'm not sure I could afford to lose any.

you are given $5000 to spend in 1 day, what do you do with it? remember, no limitations!

Extremely dull, but I'd invest it wisely (spending it all on kebab calzones and Vimto).

what is your biggest fear?

That these meme questions never finish. Phew, seems that my fear was groundless.

Sunday Stealing: Jodi's Meme: My Life According to They Might Be Giants

You can play here.

-Are you a male or female?

I am a grocery bag

-Describe yourself

Reprehensible

-How do you feel right now?

All alone

-If you could go anywhere, where would you go?

Cowtown

-Your favorite form of transportation

Electric car

-Describe Your Morning Routine

Bed Bed Bed

-Your best friend is

Doctor Worm

-What's the weather like?

When it rains it snows

-Pet Peeve?

Someone keeps moving my chair

-If your life was a TV show, what would it be called

Whistling In The Dark

-Your relationship

She's an angel

-Your Fear

My evil twin

-What is the best advice you have to give?

Clap your hands

-If you could change your name, you would change it to?

Mr. Klaw

-What do you say when you are frustrated?

Drink!

-Thought for the day

Become a robot

-How you would like to die

I hope that I get old before I die

-Your soul's present condition

Sleeping in the flowers

-Your motto

Till my head falls off

The Love Meme

The Love meme. We found this over at Through Thick N Thin or maybe over at Driven To Distraction. Here are my answers, though you're probably better off checking my girlfriend's answers at A Blog In The Rough since she's always right.

♥ What are your middle names?
My family were too poor to afford middle names. Hers are Louise and Laura.

♥ How long have you been together?
I think we've been officially together since July 18th, though since then we've not been together at all.

♥ How long did you know each other before you started dating?
We knew each other since last November online, and we first met in real life on July 11th, so eight months or thereabouts.

♥ Who asked who out?
Fortunately I think we managed to avoid the asking out part (which I suck at) all together.

♥ How old are each of you?
I'm as old as dirt and she's thirty-four.

♥ Whose siblings do/ did you see the most?
Mine. She doesn't have siblings, whereas so far she's seen a whole photo of my sister.

♥ Do you have any children together?
No. Not yet anyway.

♥ What about pets?
She has, along with her mom, three dogs, three cats, and a bird. I've not got any.

♥ Which situation is the hardest on you as a couple?
That would be living on different continents.

♥ Did you go to the same school?
No, although one of her schools had my name in it.

♥ Are you from the same home town?
No, not even the same home country.

♥ Who is the smartest?
She's way more qualified than me and can spot VW beetles; I'm better at remembering where I put things and understand the metric system; so I guess it about evens out.

♥ Who is the most sensitive?
I suspect she is.

♥ Where do you eat out most as a couple?
That would be Delaware, although we've not eaten out as a couple much.

♥ Where is the furthest you two have traveled together as a couple?
I'm guessing Washington, either that or our infinite journey out of a parking garage in Baltimore, but my geography's lousy so you're best checking her blog to see if I'm right.

♥ Who has the worst temper?
I'll say her, though I've yet to see any signs of such.

♥ Who does the cooking?
I think she's winning because she once heated me up the remains of a chinese meal, but it's still early days.

♥ Who is more social?
I'm sure that's her.

♥Who is the neat Freak?
Neither of us.

♥ Who is the more stubborn?
I suspect that would be her.

♥ Who hogs the bed?
I suspect it would be her dogs.

♥ Who wakes up earlier?
Me, but I've got timezones on my side.

♥ Where was your first date?
Well, she whisked me away to Ocean City for the day, so I guess that would be it.

♥ Who has the bigger family?
It's way too late at night for me to try and figure that out. I don't think there's a lot in it either way.

♥ Do you get flowers often?
No, and I've never gotten her flowers. I had plans to send her some flowers after my vacation with her, to thank her for the happiest week of my life, but then she dropped the bombshell in Washington that she'd been a florist for a year and I should never get her flowers.

♥ How do you spend the holidays?
Apart, mostly; boo hoo. Though I'm planning to be there to see in the New Year with her.

♥ Who is more jealous?
That would be me, because she doesn't get jealous (and because I do).

♥ How long did it take to get serious?
Well, she asked me over to see her in a nice platonic way about six months after we'd first talked online, and then we both sort of pointed out that we really liked each other and things snowballed.

♥ Who eats more?
That would be me.

♥ Who does/ did the laundry?
She's washed a towel of mine, so she's currently winning there.

♥ Who’s better with the computer?
Hard to say. I'm a computer programmer by trade so I think I'm better, though she probably knows she's better.

♥ Who drives when you are together?
She does. I can't drive myself so it avoids a lot of crashes if she's at the wheel.

Sunday Stealing: Janana's Now Vs. Then Meme

You can play here.

Then: August 1999

1. Age: 35

2. Romantic Status: Single

3. Occupation: Computer Programmer

4. Fun night out: Rarely

5. My BFFs: My sister, various people from work.

6. I spent way too much time: watching television.

7. I spent not enough time: living my life.

8. I wanted to be when I grew up: Still young.

9. Biggest concern: The millenium bug.

10. What my biggest concern should have been: I've no idea.

11. Where did I live: A flat in Manchester.

12. Dumbest thing I did that year: Can't remember.

13. If I could go back now and talk to myself I would say: something beginning with "The winning lottery numbers are..."

14. Picture of me then: (well, my passport photo from the end of 1997, which was the nearest I could find)






















Now: August 2009

1. Age: 45

2. Romantic Status: In a long distance relationship

3. Occupation: Computer Programmer

4. Fun night out: Staying in

5. My BFFs: Lynette, Brian, and the people who were BFFs ten years ago

6. I spend way too much time: blogging

7. I spend not enough time: blogging

8. I want to be when I grow up: me

9. Biggest concern: Making my current relationship work in the longterm

10. What my biggest concern should be: I think I'm concerned about the right thing; nothing else really matters on the same scale

11. Where do I live: The same flat in Manchester

12. Dumbest thing I have done this year: Too early to say, with nearly five months left to go.

13. What I think I would say to myself in 10 years: "Wow, you look old/young" (depending whether it was the current me or the future me speaking).

Summary:

1. What do I miss most from 1999: Being younger

2. What do I miss least from 1999: Loneliness

3. What have I accomplished in 10 years that I am most proud of: Probably writing a novel (assuming I ever actually get past the final edit)

4. What have I NOT accomplished in 10 years that I wish I had: World domination

Saturday 9: On Broadway

Here's my answers to this week's questions from the Saturday 9 Meme:

1. Have you ever seen a Broadway play? If yes what and when?

No. Never been to New York, let alone Broadway.

2. Tell us about one strange event in your life this week.

At work, I bought a packet of peanuts from a vending machine, put them in my pocket, and when I got back to my seat they'd magically disappeared. If anyone's seen them, please get in touch.

3. Have you ever lied to "get the guy/gal"?

No.

4. Tell us about your best friend.

No disrespect to any of my friends, but it's really hard choosing a best one; there's such strong competition.

5. What was the best vacation that you ever had?

That would be a magical trip to Delaware last month, where the only drawback was that it ended way too soon. I keep meaning to blog about it, so hopefully I'll find the time in the next week or so.

6. What was the last big purchase you made?

That would be plane tickets for a further visit to Delaware.

7. What is your favorite non-alcoholic drink and when did you start drinking it?

Vimto, which I've been drinking for as long as I can remember.

8. When was the last time someone did not believe you?

I haven't got a clue; maybe now reading this answer.

9. You have signed on to direct a romantic comedy. Who are your stars?

They're complete unknowns. If they'd been big names, a decent director would have signed on before me.

Sunday Stealing: The Alpha Meme

You can play here.

My roommate and I once: went out for a jog after midnight, but I soon pulled a muscle in my leg so we had to stop and I was limping the next day. Kind of dull but sadly this is the most interesting thing I can think of a roommate and I once doing.

Never in my life have I: been as in love as I am now.

High school was: the last time I did any real work.

When I’m nervous: I talk a lot.

My hair: seems to be ingrowing.

When I was 5: I discovered Dr. Seuss.

When I turn my head left: my eyes move right so I can still see what I'm typing.

I should be: in Delaware.

By this time next year: I'll probably be answering this same meme question again.

My favorite aunt is: the one I see least.

I have a hard time understanding: my old university notes.

You know I like you if: I tell you I like you.

My ideal breakfast is: wasted on me because I usually skip breakfast.

If you visit my home town: bring an umbrella with you.

If you spend the night at my house: then give me lots of notice and I'll attempt to tidy up first.

The animal I would like to see flying besides birds: is bees. Birds and bees should fly side by side, then all that talk about the birds and the bees would make more sense.

I shouldn’t have been: lost for an answer for this meme question.

Last night I: finally managed to get my nephew's Spore game working after a month of groovy fun with EA Games' customer support people.

A better name for me would be: hard to find.

I’ve been told I look like: my father.

If I could have any car, it would be: one that would drive itself. Like KITT, or Herbie, or Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. Why's it taking the car manufacturers so long to come up with something like this?

The Queen's Meme 3 ~ The Cooking Meme (What Is The Meaning of Thyme and Other Deep Questions)

To avoid getting thrown into a dungeon, here's my answers to this week's Queen's Meme

1. If you could put thyme in a bottle, what is the first thing that you'd like to do?

I realise that this question is an hilarious pun on a Jim Croce song (my favourite version of the song being by The Muppets incidentally) but it sort of falls down in the respect that as far as I can ascertain it's totally possible to put thyme in a bottle. Anyway, the first thing I'd like to do is come up with a witty answer to this question, but that's clearly nowhere near as possible.

2. Do eggs really crack or do they merely have a nervous breakdown?

I don't think eggs have yet developed such mental capabilities to able to nervously break down - that's way down the road at the chicken stage, though clearly you can philosophically argue about which comes first.

3. Why are you whipping the butter? What did it ever do to you?

I've never whipped butter. What kind of weird sick thing is that to do? I'd never do anything to butter that would lend itself to smutty innuendo, I just spread it then eat it.

4. Do your spoons spoon in the drawer? Have you ever noticed? And more importantly, if wooden spoons spoon do they get splinters?

Sure they spoon, but that's way more romantic than what the forks are getting up to. Sadly I only possess one wooden spoon, all on its lonesome, so I cannot answer your second question.

5. You hear: "Dumpling, my Dumpling, come hither." The candles are lit, the fondue is dipping, the Godiva is pouring, the scallions are steaming and the music is playing.....but wait, the windows are open.
Why did you close them?

So that the candles wouldn't blow out, plus I wouldn't want the fondue to go cold. More importantly, why did you open them?

6. Do you need a recipe to cook or are you a bohemian chef? Show us your reckless and wild side in the kitchen. Don't have one? Here's a recipe I made just for you: You will need a spatula, a whisk, a gallon of Chardonnay, a banana and a rump roast. What is the name of your dish?

I need a recipe to cook, ideally an incredibly simple one consisting of one or fewer ingredients. Clearly your recipe is far too complex for me, so I'll just drink the Chardonnay, and then cook a banana (I'd cook the rump roast as afters, but it'll take some time, and then the Chardonnay will have taken effect, so I'll be woken up by the pinging of the oven's clock in many hours time and the rump will have been roasted to a cinder; trust me, I've had something similar happen to me in the past with a Balti).

7. After dinner, the dishes are so dirty that the dishwasher refuses to wash them.
What did they say to get in hot water?

Well, at home, I am the dishwasher, so they probably didn't say anything; I'm just being lazy.

8. Is your pot black?

Yes. If it wasn't then it would just heckle the kettle even more.

9. What is the sexiest spice or condiment in your cabinet? What makes it so?

Not that I have any spices or condiments (I fear you're mistaking me for a cook) but that'd be Rosemary, since love grows where my Rosemary grows (hope that people get the song reference, otherwise I'll just look like I'm spouting rubbish here).

10. How much crock is really in your crock pot?

I don't know what a crock pot is, to be honest, or crock (the only two things I know of that come in crocks are poles apart). I'm guessing there's at most a pot's worth, otherwise it would overflow.

Sunday Stealing: The "Leave It to Meme" Meme

You can play here.

1. Who was your FIRST date?

That would be a girl called Catherine who I met on a school ski trip. She broke up with me not long before the end of it. I thought I'd finally gotten over it too, but this meme has to rake up all the memories again.

2. Do you still talk to your FIRST love?

No.

3. What was your FIRST alcoholic drink?

That would be a half pint of lager when I was seventeen.

4. What was your FIRST job?

That would be my current job, a computer programmer.

5. What was your FIRST car?

Well the first car I learned to drive in was a white Austin Metro.

6. Where did you go on your FIRST ride on an airplane?

That was to France on a school ski trip that I'd been trying to forget.

7. Who was your FIRST best friend & do you still talk?

That'd probably be a kid called Graham and I've not talked to him for thirty years or so, mainly because we've not seen each other since then.

8. Whose wedding did you attend the FIRST time?

That would be my uncle's wedding where we all went on a boat ride afterwards for the reception. Overall it was a fun day, although one of my other uncles drank too much beforehand and never even made it to the church.

9. Tell us about your FIRST roommate.

Not sure I've ever had a roommate as such. I guess the nearest would be my first hall of residence at University where I shared a flat with six other guys (Ian, a very funny guy who looked like Jesus, Hywel, who was a big fan of the actual Jesus, Andrew, who played Chess with me, another Andrew, who had a birthday just before mine and I think that was the most interesting thing about him, Saeed, who was a muslim medic with two simultaneous girlfriends, Bob, who seemed a nice guy and I really should have something interesting to say about him, and a cool guy called Simon who had a lovely girlfriend Jo who once made me a birthday cake). I remember in our first week the flat of girls above us complained because we were hoovering the lawn at three in the morning; I think we sort of went downhill after that.

10. If you had one wish, what would it be (other than more wishes)?

That I was in Delaware with A Blog In The Rough.

11. What is something you would learn if you had the chance?

If I knew what I wanted to learn, then I would have probably learned it by now.

12. Did you marry the FIRST person you were in love with?

No.

13. What were the first lessons you ever took and why?

Swimming lessons when I was seven or so, because my friend Graham was going to them too.

14. What is the first thing you do when you get home?

Lock the door, otherwise I'd probably forget.

Saturday 9: Fast Car

Here's my answers to this week's questions from the Saturday 9 Meme:

1. What’s the furthest trip you’ve taken by automobile?

It was probably a trip to Scotland for work. Totally unmemorable with fairly heavy rain.

2. What’s the worst pick up line you ever received?

I've never been much of a pick up line magnet, and the only one I can actually recall (and I was so naive that I only realised it was a pick up line in retrospect) was back in the eighties when some girl at a nightclub asked me if I was off The Young Doctors (an Australian soap opera of the time).

3. What’s the best pick up line you’ve gotten?

Well since it's the only one I can recall, I guess it's the Young Doctors one again, even though it's fairly dismal.

4. What was the last gift that you received?

That would be from A Blog In The Rough. A cool pen with a maze in it containing a couple of ballbearings.

5. What was the last gift that you gave someone?

The last one I gave was probably a box of chocolates for my mother last weekend. The next will be a Jonas Brothers keycard that I forgot to give my niece last weekend.

6. Tell us about the last time you cried.

I occasionally get a bit teary chatting online, but the last time I cried would have been last Saturday in Philadelphia airport when I had to leave the love of my life behind and return to England.

7. Tell us about the last time you laughed uncontrollably.

It wasn't for long at all, but it was definitely uncontrollable, and that was when Lynette (aka A Blog In The Rough) tickled me just over a week ago.

8. Do you suffer road rage? What are your thoughts on it?

No, I don't, but that could be just because I don't drive. I think it's an unproductive bad thing, and sufferers should get counselling.

9. What’s one of your favorite movie quotes?

"I love the rain - it washes memories off the sidewalk of life" from Play It Again, Sam. It comes in handy on long rainy automobile trips to Scotland.

The Queen's Meme No. 2 ~ Mission Impossible

To avoid getting thrown into a dungeon, here's my answers to this week's Queen's Meme

1. You are a guest on the space shuttle. You just arrived on the moon and realize you forgot something back home that you can't live without. What is it and how do you convince them to go back and fetch it?

I guess it's gonna have to be Lynette since she chose me on her blog (and also because there could be no better choice) - I'd tell them we needed her since she's always right about everything, which could be pretty useful, plus she'd probably take us on all sorts of cool excursions to other planets.

2. Pretend you are a teacher in a rough public school for one day. You have been assigned to teach Manners 101. You have the "challenging bad butt kids" class (remember this is a pretend school and anyway I can't say ass on my blog 'cause it's so unQueenly and I might get fined or something).
They are jumping up and down, cursing, and throwing things at you.
What is the first thing you would write on the board?

I wouldn't have time to write on it, I'd be too busy using it as a shield. Should I find the time, maybe my last will and testament.

3. Someone in your family or a friend has started a blog. They think it is anonymous but you have figured it out. They are saying derogatory things about you. Do you tell them or do you read it for awhile?
How would you handle it?

I'd read it but not mention it, since they obviously value their anonymity. I guess I'd be okay with them saying derogatory things about me (indeed with some family members, I'm quite used to that sort of thing in real life); it's if they picked on other members of my family that I'd start to get peeved.

4. If you had one dollar left in your pocket, what would you spend it on?

Nothing. It's not legal tender in the UK. If it was, then maybe a can of Vimto.

5. President Obama and the First Lady are coming over for dinner. What do you serve?

I'd ask them what kind of food they'd like and then order from one of the local takeaways (it might not be perfect, but it sure beats what I could make).

6. You walk in on your lover. They are trying on your clothes. What do you do?

After my initial shock at their stunning lack of fashion sense, I'd be fine with it and watch them trying them on.

7. Every astronaut must have shots! Choose your vaccination: You only get one and you can't enjoy any of the attributes of the other choices. You choose either: (1) The fountain of eternal youth and sexual vigor but only for 10 years (2) perfect health for a lifetime (3) eternal mind-numbing nirvana and peace of mind (4) unlimited hedonism for one year with no negative consequences.

I'd choose the perfect health for a lifetime since a lifetime could be really really long if you were always in perfect health. Having said that, I'd probably be sneaky and try and give it away to someone more in need (how come only astronauts get this miracle drug anyway?).

Sunday Stealing: The Heretic Meme

You can play here.

1. Who was the last person of the opposite sex you lay in a bed with?

That would be A Blog In The Rough.

2. Where was the last place you went out to eat?

A pizza place in Delaware.

3. What was the last alcoholic beverage you consumed?

A bottle of Corona.

4. Which do you prefer - eyes or lips?

Eyes, though lips are pretty cool too.

5. Medicine, fine arts, or law?

Medicine.

6. Best kind of pizza?

Hawaiian.

7. What is in store for your future?

My brain tells me that this stuff is beyond prediction, whereas my heart wants lots more meetings with A Blog In The Rough.

8. Who was the last band you saw live?

Rockbitch.

9. Do you take care of your friends while they are sick?

I'd hope I would, though I've never had occasion to.

10. How many songs are on your iPod?

I'm too lazy to check; it's in the thousands.

11. Where is the last place you drove to?

That would be the local driving test centre.

12. Where did your last kiss take place?

Yesterday, at an airport.

13. What were you doing at 11:59 PM on Monday night?

I'd have been in a hotel room at Dewey Beach, talking to my favourite person on earth.

14. Are you a quitter?

Nah, I'll make it to the end of this meme, so I will, even though there appear to be two question fifteens.

15. Who was the last person you had in your house?

That would be a man from British Telecom installing a phone line.

15. What do you think about people who party a lot?

I've not given them a lot of thought to be honest. If they're having fun then I'm glad for them.

16. Does talking about sex make you uncomfortable?

Yes.

17. What was the last CD you purchased?

That would be my standard answer of the Coraline soundtrack (I really need to buy some new CDs sometime).

18. What are two bands or singers that you will always love?

ELO, They Might Be Giants

19. Which of the seven deadly sins are you guilty of?

Most of them to some extent, but mostly Sloth.

20. How is your last ex doing?

I've no idea.

The Queen's Meme ~ Do Handcuffs Hurt?

I was invited to play The Queen's Meme over at Mimi Writes...

1. You are in court. You are in deep doo-doo. What did you do?

They found out I'd been stealing blogs on Sunday.

2. Your blog just became a best-selling book. What is the title of the book?

An Eerie Tapestry, of course.

3. It is midnight. The phone rings. It is Michael Jackson calling from the Great Beyond. What would you like to ask him?

Can you put my grandma on the line?

4. You are having your future told. The fortune teller looks in the crystal ball, screams and leaves the room in fright.
What did she see?

That she was merely a character in a meme I'd later be answering.

5. You're blogging along minding your own blusiness (that's blog + oh...you know) when Google unexpectedly puts a Objectionable Content Warning on your blog. Your own mother is afraid to enter! What, pray tell, did you do to warrant it? How did this happen?Just how objectionable can you be? Do tell.

I must have posted a link to Bud's blog.

6. You suddenly become God Of The Universe. What would your first Commandment be?

Thou shalt not run with scissors.

7. And finally, what secret would you like to tell the Queen?

I'm actually a siamese twin who just so happens to be joined everywhere.

Countdown

Some of you may have noticed a countdown on the left of my blog page so, before it reaches zero and does whatever it does when it reaches zero (not sure what, so you're advised to stand well back), I thought I better provide an explanation on the off-chance that any of you were curious.

The countdown is counting down to 1:45pm on Saturday when I'll be arriving in America to visit my writing buddy A Blog In The Rough who's kindly invited me over (check out her blog for a far better post about this and a far better countdown).

Anyway, if you've already read her post, you'll have already heard the story of how we met online when we participated in National Novel Writing Month last year, and got on like a house on fire (more recently, having discovered we're mutually attracted to each other, like a very mushy house on fire). While it's the antithesis of the glib superficiality that I aim for with this blog, I'll just put my heart on my sleeve and say that over the last seven months as I've come to know her, I've come to like her more and more and more and more (and more besides) until finally all that like bubbled over and she's now the first person I think about when I get up in the morning and also when I go to bed at night (not to mention all those hours in between). I think the world of her and I'd cross the world for her.

Of course I've yet to meet her, and things may change, but for now I'm sat here looking at my countdown, watching the days, the hours, the minutes, and the seconds go down. I don't know what will happen when it reaches zero, and we finally meet, but I can't wait to find out.

Sunday Stealing: The "I've Come To Realize" Meme

You can play here.

1. I’ve come to realize that my chest-size. . . isn't of much interest to my readers.

2. I’ve come to realize that my job. . . gets a bit boring after two decades.

3. I’ve come to realize that when I’m driving. . . the rest of the world is in danger.

4. I’ve come to realize that I need. . . more than I've got.

5. I’ve come that realize that I have lost. . . the will to complete this meme.

6. I’ve come to realize that I hate it when. . . I regain the will to complete a meme.

7. I’ve come to realize that if I’m drunk. . . then I should probably stop drinking.

8. I’ve come to realize that money... can be useful.

9. I’ve come to realize that certain people. . . never change.

10. I’ve come to realize that I’ll always. . . procrastinate.

11. I’ve come to realize that my sibling(s). . . is my best friend.

12. I’ve come to realize that my mom… is most probably the nicest person I'll ever meet.

13. I’ve come to realize that my cell phone. . . would be better if it didn't ring when I was on-call.

14. I’ve come to realize that when I woke up this morning. . . that I owed somebody an email.

15. I’ve come to realize that last night before I went to sleep. . . I was about to write an email.

16. I’ve come to realize that right now I am thinking. . . about the person I'm always thinking about lately.

17. I’ve come to realize that my dad. . . is one of the few of my relatives I wouldn't actually recognise on the street.

18. I’ve come to realize that when I get on Facebook. . . there's lots of things of disinterest to read.

19. I’ve come to realize that today. . . was the day I kept mis-spelling realise.

20. I’ve come to realize that tonight. . . will be later today.

21. I’ve come to realize that tomorrow. . . will involve me having to go to work.

22. I’ve come to realize that I really want to. . . make the most of my future.

23. I’ve come to realize that the person mostly likely to repost this is. . . someone who's read it.

24. I’ve come to realize that life. . . is good.

25. I’ve come to realize that this weekend. . . will be far inferior to next weekend.

26. I’ve realized the best music to listen to when I am upset. . . is Country, because misery loves company.

27. I’ve come to realize that my friends. . . have been my friends for quite a while now.

28. I’ve come to realize that this year. . . might be my favourite one so far.

29. I’ve come to realize that me exes. . . have become whys.

30. I’ve come to realize that maybe I should. . . point out that the last answer was just a joke.

31. I’ve come to realize that I love. . . being in love.

32. I’ve come to realize that I don’t understand. . . Lebesgue Measure.

33. I’ve come to realize my past. . . is in the past.

34. I’ve come to realize that parties. . . aren't always worth going to.

35. I’ve come to realize that I’m totally terrified. . . of totally terrifying stuff.

36. I’ve come to realize that my life. . . is getting better.

Saturday 9: Yankee Doodle Dandy

Here's my answers to this week's questions from the Saturday 9 Meme:

1. What is your favorite 4th of July memory? (If you aren't in the U.S., then use your own national holiday.)

I don't think the UK has a national holiday as such. I guess the nearest equivalent to the 4th of July is Bonfire Night and my favourite memories are probably from when I was young when fireworks seemed far more exciting than they do now.

2. Do you consider yourself patriotic?

No, not in the least.

3. Do you like fireworks?

Yes, providing they're let off on the right day.

4. What are your plans for this weekend?

The same as for most of my other weekends.

5. Are you optimistic about the future?

Yes.

6. Do you think everyone should serve in the military?

No, I don't think anyone should be forced to do something if they don't want to do it.

7. Would you support a constitutional ban on flag burning?

No.

8. What end of the political spectrum are you?

I tend to avoid the political spectrum. If pressed, I'd be on the left.

9. Where do you get your news?

TV, internet, papers. Having said that, I tend not to seek out the news. I figure if it's important enough it'll find me.

Sunday Stealing: The ABC Meme

You can play here.

A – An advantage you have – A good upbringing

B – Blue or brown eyes – Blue

C – Chore you hate – Don't particularly hate any; just like to put off most of them as long as possible

D – Dad’s name – Roy

E – Essential start of your day – Waking up

F – Favorite color – Blue

G – Greatest thing you’ve ever done that made you feel really good – Not particularly great, but a couple of decades ago I once wrote a few pages in a comic book (Trigon Comics' Totally Alien #5) and was ridiculously excited when the issue turned up at my local comic shop.

H – Habit you have – Telling unfunny jokes

I – Issue you hate that the world tries to make you pursue – None in particular, though maybe I'm just being unobservant and failing to realise the issues the world wants me to pursue

J – Job title – Senior Software Engineer

K – Kohls or Target – Neither, since I haven't a clue what either of them are

L – Living arrangements – Live alone in a chaotically messy flat during the week, visit my mother at the weekends

M – Music you like – All sorts; for further details you can check out my profile page, or click on one of the playlists on this page

N - Nicknames – Marky Mark, Barker

O – Overnight hospital stay – Not so far

P – Pet Peeve – People who listen to their music too loud on public transport

Q – Quote that you like most – That'd be Alan Moore's “Quitting my job and starting my life as a writer was a tremendous risk. It was a fool’s leap, a shot in the dark, but anything of any value in our lives--whether that be a career, a work of art, a relationship--will always start with such a leap. And in order to be able to make it you have to put aside the fear of failing and the desire of succeeding.”

R – Right or left handed – Right

S – Siblings – A sister, plus a half-sister and a couple of half-brothers

T – Time you wake up – It varies. On weekdays, I've woken up by 6am, on Saturdays by 8:45am and on Sunday it could be any time before lunch

U – Underwear – Yes

V – Vegetable you dislike – Brussels sprout

W – What makes you run late – Delays on public transport

X – X-rays you’ve had – The only ones I can remember having are when I've been at the dentist's

Y – Yummy food you make – Paella with prawns, though it's out of a box so there's no skill involved.

Z – Zoo animal – Black Panther

Saturday 9: I Want You Back

Here's my answers to this week's questions from the Saturday 9 Meme:

1. Where were you when you heard that Michael Jackson died?

I was in work, and I read it on a blog.

2. How do you think that he will be remembered?

For his music.

3. What was your favorite Jackson tune?

ABC.

4. Did you watch the original Charlie’s Angels?

Yes, every week.

5. Did someone you know have that poster of Farrah?

No, but I'm not sure it was available in the UK.

6. Did you consider her battle with cancer heroic?

I wasn't really that aware of it. Having said that, I'd find anybody's battle with cancer heroic.

7. Were you a fan of The Tonight Show Starring Johnnie Carson?

I've never seen it.

8. Did you like Ed McMahon on the show?

I can't comment, since I've never seen it.

9. What else will you remember McMahon for?

No disrespect intended to the man, but he's fairly unknown over here in the UK so I really won't remember him for anything.

100 Truths

It would appear that somehow, despite my tendency to be non-productive, this is my 100th post, so I thought I'd appropriate a meme that I found at Blog In The Rough:

1. Last beverage→ A can of Tango

2. Last phone call→ Probably to a customer at work

3. Last text message→ Can't remember. Nothing too exciting

4. Last song you listened to→ Probably something by The Jonas Brothers, as my niece got their new CD yesterday

5. Last time you cried→ A week or so ago

SIX HAVE YOU EVER:

1. Dated someone twice → No

2. Been cheated on? → No

3. Kissed someone & regretted it? → Yes

4. Lost someone special?→ Yes

5. Been depressed?→ Yes

6. Been drunk and threw up? → Yes

LIST FOUR FAVORITE COLORS:

1. Blue

2. Black

3. PURPLE!

4. Red

HAVE YOU:

1. Made new friends → Yes

2. Fallen out of love → Yes

3. Laughed until you cried → Yes

4. Met someone who changed you → Yes

5. Found out who your true friends were → Yes

6. Found out someone was talking about you → Yes

7. Kissed anyone on your friend's list→ Only virtually

8. How many people on your friends list do you know in real life → None so far

9. How many kids do you want to have→ One or two

10. Do you have any pets → No

11. Do you want to change your name→ No

12. What did you do for your last birthday→ Started a blog

13. What time did you wake up today → Somewhere between 8 and 9

14. What were you doing at midnight last night- Sleeping, perchance dreaming

15. Name something you CANNOT wait for → My next holiday

16. Last time you saw your father→ Twenty years ago; at first I thought he was the video repair man

17. What is one thing you wish you could change about your life → That I were able to come up with snappier answers to meme questions

18. What are you listening to right now → The sound of the fan in my computer whirring round

19. Have you ever talked to a person named Tom → No.

23. What's getting on your nerves right now? → Nothing, right now

24. Most visited web page → Probably google

1. What's your name→ Mark

2. Nicknames→ Marky Mark

3. Relationship Status: Single

4. Zodiac sign → Aquarius

5. Male or female or transgendered → Male

6. Elementary→ My Dear Watson

7. Middle School → Sorry, you're talking weird American terminology here. If you carry on like this, I'll just give another stupid answer

8. High school → Musical

10. Hair color → Mouse

11. Long or short → Short at the moment

16. Height → 5'11 (or maybe 5'10, I can never remember these things)

17. Do you have a crush on someone? → Most definitely

18: What do you like about yourself? → I like my taste in music

19. Piercings → None

20. Tattoos → None

21. Righty or lefty → Righty

FIRSTS :

22. First surgery → Stitches after a rock landed on my head

23. First piercing → Never had one

24. First best friends → A kid called Stephen, who lived next door

26. First sport you joined → Soccer

27. First pet → A cat called Ringo

28. First vacation → Butlins in Minehead

29. First concert → Showaddywaddy (dragged there by my sister)

30. First crush → Some girl called Nicola in Infants School

RIGHT NOW:

49. Eating → Not eating anything at the moment

50. Drinking → Not drinking anything either

52. I'm about to → Type this answer

53. Listening to → nothing. The fan's stopped whirring

55. Waiting for → these questions to finally cease

YOUR FUTURE :

58. Want kids? → Wouldn't mind

59. Want to get married? → Wouldn't mind

60. Careers in mind? → Writer

WHICH IS BETTER WITH THE OPPOSITE SEX?

68. Lips or eyes → Eyes

69. Hugs or kisses → Kisses

70. Shorter or taller → Shorter

71. Older or Younger → Younger

72. Romantic or spontaneous → Romantic

73. Nice stomach or nice arms → Nice stomach

74. Sensitive or loud → Sensitive

75. Hook-up or relationship → Relationship

77. Trouble maker or hesitant → Hesitant

HAVE YOU EVER :

78. Kissed a stranger → Yes

79. Drank hard liquor → Yes

80. Lost glasses/contacts – No

81. Sex on first date → No

82. Broken someone's heart → Not that I know of

83. Had your own heart broken→ Yes

85. Been arrested → No

86. Turned someone down → No

87. Cried when someone died → No, though I really felt like I should have done

88. Liked a friend that is a girl? → Yes

DO YOU BELIEVE IN:

89. Yourself → Not totally

90. Miracles → Yes; otherwise Smokey Robinson's been fooling us for years

91. Love at first sight → Yes

92. Heaven → I'm fairly skeptical

93. Santa Clause → Of course

95. Kiss on the first date? → Yeah

96. Angels → I'm fairly skeptical there too

ANSWER TRUTHFULLY:

97. Is there one person you want to be with right now? → Yes

98. Had more than one boyfriend/girlfriend at one time? → No

100. Posting this as 100 Truths? → Yes