1. What is your occupation?
Website Coordinator for local healthcare system.
2. What color are your socks right now?
Brown
3. What are you listening to right now?
Mostly silence. The hum of my computer, the A/C, and the fluorescents of my office.
4. What was the last thing that you ate?
A little snack bag of Cheetos.
5. Can you drive a stick shift?
Nope.
6. Last person you spoke to on the phone?
My wife, Laura, about a work project we were finishing up. She works for the same health system and she's occasionally one of my "clients".
7. Do you like the person who tagged you?
I wasn't really tagged, although Will said he thought I'd probably do it. I've never met Will in person but he seems like a nice guy. I've been reading his site for years.
8. How old are you today?
41. But tomorrow, who knows? I could suddenly by 5!
9. What is your favorite sport to watch?
Probably football. Any other time I would say baseball but I just haven't been into it as much these past few years.
10. What is your favorite drink?
Iced tea (sweet)
11. Have you ever dyed your hair?
Ha! Um, no.
12. Last time you hugged your child?
This morning before they left for camp.
13. Favorite food?
Pizza - pepperoni or meat lovers especially. Also fettuccine alfredo, tacos, popcorn and chips.
14. What was the last movie you watched?
Indiana Jones and the Temple of the Crystal Skull
15. Favorite day of the year?
I suppose Christmas, mostly because of the kids. But the hype leading up to Christmas throughout December and a lot of November dilutes the arrival of the actual day somewhat. I've grown more partial to Halloween the last few years for some reason.
16. How do you vent anger?
Most of the time I get sullen and quiet, giving people the silent treatment. Unfortunately other times I let my (worse) nature get the better of me and I can get a bit rude. Usually this happens in instances where I feel I've been wronged or mistreated, and need to assert myself again. Unfortunately this happens at work far too often.
17. What was your favorite toy as a child?
Star Wars Death Star action figure playset.
18. What is your favorite season?
I've fluxuated through my life from spring to summer to fall - now I'm back to spring again :) Never, ever, ever winter though. Useless toad of a season that is...
19. Ocean or pool?
Actually pool. I like to look at the ocean, I don't particularly care to get in it. Probably dates back to a particularly nasty jellyfish incident when I was a kid...
20. Cherries or Blueberries?
Cherries!!
21. Do you want your family & friends to participate?
Sure, if they want. I don't have many offline friends or family that have blogs though. Big Orange Michael is by far the blogger I know the best in the offline world.
22. Who is the most likely to respond?
Not sure. Probably Logtar.
24. Living arrangements?
Live with the wife and kids!
25. When was the last time you cried?
I've answered this question in a couple other memes - sometimes the finality and future of my kids' lives will hit me out of nowhere and I'll just tear up. *sniff*
26. What is on the floor of your closet?
Shoes, dirty towels waiting to be washed.
27. Who is the family or friend you have known the longest that you are tagging?
No tags, but again it would be Michael.
28. What did you do last night?
Ate dinner with the family at Texas Roadhouse (both mine and Laura's steaks were undercooked and we had to send them back), went to church choir practice then to Target.
29. Hawaii or Florida?
I love going to Florida, especially Orlando so I would never pass up an opportunity to go back down there. But I've never been to Hawaii, and after learning so much about it from Becky's stay here, I'd love to see it. Count me in on a "both" on that question.
30. What inspires you?
My kids constantly inspire me to remember you don't have to lose innocence to exist in the world.
31. What are you most afraid of?
Failing those I care about. Irrelevancy and uselessness. I fear not succeeding, and being important in the things I do.
32. Plain, cheese or spicy hamburgers?
Cheese, please. With bacon if possible.
33. Favorite dog breed?
We have a beagle/basset hound mix (a "bagel"). I really like Cocker Spaniels, though...
34. Favorite day of the week?
Weekends are more or less like any other day except I just don't have to go to work so Saturdays and Sundays are not that big of a deal. For a long time I looked forward to Thursday because a lot of good TV shows were on that night, so I still feel Thursday's a good day. Hey, that's today!
35. How many states have you lived in?
Only Tennessee. I did stay for 3 months in Daytona Beach, FL when I worked for a summer at a repertory theatre, but I don't consider it "living" there.
36. Do you like these questionnaires?
I do, but only when the questions are fairly unique. I've answered some of these before here and there. I like real off-the wall questions that actually end up revealing something interesting about my or someone else's personality.
37. What kind of car did your very first date drive?
I haven't the slightest idea.
38. What is the last book you read?
I just finished "An Innocent Man" by John Grisham and "The Ruins" by Scott Smith. Would recomend the former, not the latter. I also recently finished "1633" by David Weber and am currently reading, "Dragonlance: Dragons of the Highlord Skies (The Lost Chronicles, Volume Two)" by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman. There's nothing I like better than losing myself in the Dragonlance universe ;)
39. What are your hobbies?
Computer games, music.
40. Can you still make the Hula Hoop stay around your waist?
Never really could.
Showing posts with label Memes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Memes. Show all posts
Thursday, June 05, 2008
Wednesday, April 02, 2008
Movie Quotes Meme UPDATE
I'll be posting the answers to the rest of the Movie Quotes Meme this afternoon around 3. Better hurry and get those last second answers in, or a Sandman might get you!
Ok, that a was a clue if you weren't paying attention.
Here's some more:
The main guy from Enchanted is quoted (from another movie).
Two of the quotes are from non-human characters.
One is from a screen musical.
One was based on a hit TV show of the time, and had the same actors.
One's a horror movie from the 80's.
One's a remake that has subsequently been remade again. So it's like the middle remake.
UPDATE - THE ANSWERS:
1. Play the sunset.
(Glen Holland/Richard Dreyfuss, "Mr. Holland's Opus")
2. It wouldn't be terrible at all. It would be a miracle, not to mention the money I'd save on epsom salts and ace bandages.
(Audrey, "Little Shop of Horrors")
3. I need to talk to you. Every time I call you're either taking a bath, washing your hair or you're out of the country. That was a good one, by the way.
(Ronald Miller/Patrick Dempsey, "Can't Buy Me Love")
4. Now hear this, now hear this. This is your Captain speaking. My fine pinioned pirates, we're approaching the tricky buoy! Sharpen your cutlasses! There may be skullduggery ahead!
(The Penguin/Burgess Meredith, "Batman the Movie (1966)")
5. My little brother got his arm stuck in the microwave. So my mom had to take him to the hospital. My grandma dropped acid this morning, and she freaked out. She hijacked a busload of penguins. So it's sort of a family crisis. Bye!
(Lane Myer/John Cusack, "Better Off Dead")
6. Well, it's a puzzle because, technically, you're not alive. Except you're conscious, so we don't know what it means.
(Paramedic, "Return of the Living Dead")
7. Fish, and plankton. And sea greens, and protein from the sea.
(Box, "Logan's Run")
8. Remember you told me to tell you when you were acting rudely and insensitively? Remember that? You're doing it right now.
(Jim Sting, "WarGames")
9. Hey, hey, I'm sorry, okay? Twenty-six years buried in the deepest, darkest jungle and I still became my father.
(Alan Parrish/Robin Williams, "Jumanji")
10. Not beautiful you understand, but you have a certain prettiness, different from my other heads. I believe I'll lock you in the tower for a few years until your head is ready. And then I'll take it.
(Mombi, "Return to Oz")
11. Jack, let me straighten you out on a couple of points. One, that wall is an ancient ruin. Two, this island is uninhabited. [Loud drumming begins] ...And three, there's an uninhabited German beer hall down there with a mechanical band.
(Fred Wilson/Grodin and Jack Prescott/Jeff Bridges, "King Kong (1976)")
12. So that's how my twelfth husband died. So, now I'm a widow. Well, I've always been a black widow, so now I'm a black widow widow.
(Rosie/Bonnie Hunt, "A Bug's Life")
13. So, let me get one thing straight here... We have a pro football team now, but they're in Nashville?
(Chuck Noland/Tom Hanks, "Cast Away")
14. Patriotism swells in the heart of the American bear.
(Fozzie Bear/Frank Oz, "The Muppet Movie")
15. They were about to confront the villain in its lair, FVB, the evil force that would poison young minds, pollute the environment, and subvert the democratic process.
(Mr. Kite/George Burns, "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band")
Ok, that a was a clue if you weren't paying attention.
Here's some more:
The main guy from Enchanted is quoted (from another movie).
Two of the quotes are from non-human characters.
One is from a screen musical.
One was based on a hit TV show of the time, and had the same actors.
One's a horror movie from the 80's.
One's a remake that has subsequently been remade again. So it's like the middle remake.
UPDATE - THE ANSWERS:
1. Play the sunset.
(Glen Holland/Richard Dreyfuss, "Mr. Holland's Opus")
2. It wouldn't be terrible at all. It would be a miracle, not to mention the money I'd save on epsom salts and ace bandages.
(Audrey, "Little Shop of Horrors")
3. I need to talk to you. Every time I call you're either taking a bath, washing your hair or you're out of the country. That was a good one, by the way.
(Ronald Miller/Patrick Dempsey, "Can't Buy Me Love")
4. Now hear this, now hear this. This is your Captain speaking. My fine pinioned pirates, we're approaching the tricky buoy! Sharpen your cutlasses! There may be skullduggery ahead!
(The Penguin/Burgess Meredith, "Batman the Movie (1966)")
5. My little brother got his arm stuck in the microwave. So my mom had to take him to the hospital. My grandma dropped acid this morning, and she freaked out. She hijacked a busload of penguins. So it's sort of a family crisis. Bye!
(Lane Myer/John Cusack, "Better Off Dead")
6. Well, it's a puzzle because, technically, you're not alive. Except you're conscious, so we don't know what it means.
(Paramedic, "Return of the Living Dead")
7. Fish, and plankton. And sea greens, and protein from the sea.
(Box, "Logan's Run")
8. Remember you told me to tell you when you were acting rudely and insensitively? Remember that? You're doing it right now.
(Jim Sting, "WarGames")
9. Hey, hey, I'm sorry, okay? Twenty-six years buried in the deepest, darkest jungle and I still became my father.
(Alan Parrish/Robin Williams, "Jumanji")
10. Not beautiful you understand, but you have a certain prettiness, different from my other heads. I believe I'll lock you in the tower for a few years until your head is ready. And then I'll take it.
(Mombi, "Return to Oz")
11. Jack, let me straighten you out on a couple of points. One, that wall is an ancient ruin. Two, this island is uninhabited. [Loud drumming begins] ...And three, there's an uninhabited German beer hall down there with a mechanical band.
(Fred Wilson/Grodin and Jack Prescott/Jeff Bridges, "King Kong (1976)")
12. So that's how my twelfth husband died. So, now I'm a widow. Well, I've always been a black widow, so now I'm a black widow widow.
(Rosie/Bonnie Hunt, "A Bug's Life")
13. So, let me get one thing straight here... We have a pro football team now, but they're in Nashville?
(Chuck Noland/Tom Hanks, "Cast Away")
14. Patriotism swells in the heart of the American bear.
(Fozzie Bear/Frank Oz, "The Muppet Movie")
15. They were about to confront the villain in its lair, FVB, the evil force that would poison young minds, pollute the environment, and subvert the democratic process.
(Mr. Kite/George Burns, "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band")
Tuesday, April 01, 2008
Movie Quotes Meme
Becky's been doing this for a while and Logtar has challenged me, so here it goes:
1. Play the sunset.
(Glen Holland/Richard Dreyfuss, "Mr. Holland's Opus" - Becky)
2. It wouldn't be terrible at all. It would be a miracle, not to mention the money I'd save on epsom salts and ace bandages.
(Audrey, "Little Shop of Horrors" - Rich)
3. I need to talk to you. Every time I call you're either taking a bath, washing your hair or you're out of the country. That was a good one, by the way.
4. Now hear this, now hear this. This is your Captain speaking. My fine pinioned pirates, we're approaching the tricky buoy! Sharpen your cutlasses! There may be skullduggery ahead!
5. My little brother got his arm stuck in the microwave. So my mom had to take him to the hospital. My grandma dropped acid this morning, and she freaked out. She hijacked a busload of penguins. So it's sort of a family crisis. Bye!
(Lane Myer/John Cusack, "Better Off Dead" - Rich)
6. Well, it's a puzzle because, technically, you're not alive. Except you're conscious, so we don't know what it means.
(Paramedic, "Return of the Living Dead" - Rich)
7. Fish, and plankton. And sea greens, and protein from the sea.
8. Remember you told me to tell you when you were acting rudely and insensitively? Remember that? You're doing it right now.
(Jim Sting, "WarGames" - Cathy)
9. Hey, hey, I'm sorry, okay? Twenty-six years buried in the deepest, darkest jungle and I still became my father.
(Alan Parrish/Robin Williams, "Jumanji" - Cathy)
10. Not beautiful you understand, but you have a certain prettiness, different from my other heads. I believe I'll lock you in the tower for a few years until your head is ready. And then I'll take it.
(Mombi, "Return to Oz" - Misty)
11. Jack, let me straighten you out on a couple of points. One, that wall is an ancient ruin. Two, this island is uninhabited. [Loud drumming begins] ...And three, there's an uninhabited German beer hall down there with a mechanical band.
12. So that's how my twelfth husband died. So, now I'm a widow. Well, I've always been a black widow, so now I'm a black widow widow.
13. So, let me get one thing straight here... We have a pro football team now, but they're in Nashville?
(Chuck Noland/Tom Hanks, "Cast Away" - Susan)
14. Patriotism swells in the heart of the American bear.
15. They were about to confront the villain in its lair, FVB, the evil force that would poison young minds, pollute the environment, and subvert the democratic process.
(Mr. Kite/George Burns, "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" - Cathy)
Good luck!
* Pick 15 of your favorite movies.The Quotes
* Go to IMDB and find a quote from each movie.
* Post them on your blog for everyone to guess. Fill in the film title once it’s been guessed.
The Rules
* Leave guesses in the comments.
* No Googling or using IMDB search functions. Don’t cheat, suckas!
* Know-it-alls, limit your guesses to three movies.
1. Play the sunset.
(Glen Holland/Richard Dreyfuss, "Mr. Holland's Opus" - Becky)
2. It wouldn't be terrible at all. It would be a miracle, not to mention the money I'd save on epsom salts and ace bandages.
(Audrey, "Little Shop of Horrors" - Rich)
3. I need to talk to you. Every time I call you're either taking a bath, washing your hair or you're out of the country. That was a good one, by the way.
4. Now hear this, now hear this. This is your Captain speaking. My fine pinioned pirates, we're approaching the tricky buoy! Sharpen your cutlasses! There may be skullduggery ahead!
5. My little brother got his arm stuck in the microwave. So my mom had to take him to the hospital. My grandma dropped acid this morning, and she freaked out. She hijacked a busload of penguins. So it's sort of a family crisis. Bye!
(Lane Myer/John Cusack, "Better Off Dead" - Rich)
6. Well, it's a puzzle because, technically, you're not alive. Except you're conscious, so we don't know what it means.
(Paramedic, "Return of the Living Dead" - Rich)
7. Fish, and plankton. And sea greens, and protein from the sea.
8. Remember you told me to tell you when you were acting rudely and insensitively? Remember that? You're doing it right now.
(Jim Sting, "WarGames" - Cathy)
9. Hey, hey, I'm sorry, okay? Twenty-six years buried in the deepest, darkest jungle and I still became my father.
(Alan Parrish/Robin Williams, "Jumanji" - Cathy)
10. Not beautiful you understand, but you have a certain prettiness, different from my other heads. I believe I'll lock you in the tower for a few years until your head is ready. And then I'll take it.
(Mombi, "Return to Oz" - Misty)
11. Jack, let me straighten you out on a couple of points. One, that wall is an ancient ruin. Two, this island is uninhabited. [Loud drumming begins] ...And three, there's an uninhabited German beer hall down there with a mechanical band.
12. So that's how my twelfth husband died. So, now I'm a widow. Well, I've always been a black widow, so now I'm a black widow widow.
13. So, let me get one thing straight here... We have a pro football team now, but they're in Nashville?
(Chuck Noland/Tom Hanks, "Cast Away" - Susan)
14. Patriotism swells in the heart of the American bear.
15. They were about to confront the villain in its lair, FVB, the evil force that would poison young minds, pollute the environment, and subvert the democratic process.
(Mr. Kite/George Burns, "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" - Cathy)
Good luck!
Monday, March 10, 2008
OneWords
Sarcomical posts these from time to time - they're a quick, fun diversion.
Here are the ground rules:
1. After reading my answers, copy and paste the list into your comment.
2. Change my one-word responses with yours (yes, only ONE WORD, even if it hurts the most painful of hurts).
3. Submit your comment.
4. And hey, you can always post your finished list on your blog, too.
You're Feeling: Unsure
To Your Left: Carbonation
On Your Mind: Frustration
Last Meal Included: Pimentos
You Sometimes Find it Hard To: Fortify
The Weather: Cool
Something You Have a Collection of: Starships
A Smell that Cheers You Up: Popcorn
A Smell that Can Ruin Your Mood:Gif Jif
How Long Since You Last Shaved: Hour
The Current State of Your Hair: Long
The Largest Item On Your Desk/Workspace Right Now (besides computer): Triceratops
Your Skill with Chopsticks: Laughable
Which Section You Head to First In the Bookstore: Sci-Fi
...and After That?: Fantasy
Something You're Craving: Clarity
Your General Thoughts On the Presidential Race: Pointless
How Many Times You've Been Hospitalized this Year: Zero
A Favorite Place to Go for Quiet Time: Computer
You've Always Secretly Thought You'd Be a Good: Director
Something that Freaks You Out a Little: Spiderwebs
Something You've Eaten Too Much of Lately: Chips
You Have Never: Skiied
You Never Want To: Skydive
Here are the ground rules:
1. After reading my answers, copy and paste the list into your comment.
2. Change my one-word responses with yours (yes, only ONE WORD, even if it hurts the most painful of hurts).
3. Submit your comment.
4. And hey, you can always post your finished list on your blog, too.
You're Feeling: Unsure
To Your Left: Carbonation
On Your Mind: Frustration
Last Meal Included: Pimentos
You Sometimes Find it Hard To: Fortify
The Weather: Cool
Something You Have a Collection of: Starships
A Smell that Cheers You Up: Popcorn
A Smell that Can Ruin Your Mood:
How Long Since You Last Shaved: Hour
The Current State of Your Hair: Long
The Largest Item On Your Desk/Workspace Right Now (besides computer): Triceratops
Your Skill with Chopsticks: Laughable
Which Section You Head to First In the Bookstore: Sci-Fi
...and After That?: Fantasy
Something You're Craving: Clarity
Your General Thoughts On the Presidential Race: Pointless
How Many Times You've Been Hospitalized this Year: Zero
A Favorite Place to Go for Quiet Time: Computer
You've Always Secretly Thought You'd Be a Good: Director
Something that Freaks You Out a Little: Spiderwebs
Something You've Eaten Too Much of Lately: Chips
You Have Never: Skiied
You Never Want To: Skydive
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
New Year's Traditions
Tish of The Kat House tagged me for this meme about New Year’s good luck traditions.
Rule:
Copy the person and persons’ names that sent it to you and add your own at the bottom of the list. It really helps to build community.
Let’s start it here!
*My mom used to collect some coins and when the new year comes she put the coins in a bowl and shake it to create sounds. She said its good luck for money throughout the year. And also wearing dotted dresses on new year don’t know why. CC/chalyza/keep
*My old folks always told us to avoid spending money on new years day. They said, once you spend on the first day of the year, you like to spend the rest of the year. Behind d Scenes of ME/ Retchel’s Pure Life/ A little bit of me
*I grew up believing that if you have some money on your pocket (whatever you’re wearing) come New Year’s eve it will ensure steady flow of income throughout the year. The other belief is that the main door of the house should be wide open come New Year’s eve so that good luck will be ushered in. Juliana of MY WORLD and JULIANA’S LAIR.
*I don’t know if what I am about to write is a new year’s tradition or not. In my place, most people will ‘jump’ into the sea or take a shower as soon as the clock strikes to 12 in New Year’s Eve to get rid of all the bad lucks in the previous year. ;D ~ CHOC MINT GIRL~
*Like most other East Tennesseans, I always have a side of blackeyed peas with my dinner on New Year’s Day. - Tish of The Kat House
*For the past several years we've invited four other families from our church to our house New Year's Eve for a great get-together. Food, games, kids, a great time for everyone. Unfortunately this year my band had a gig so I had to leave the party early, but it's become such a big tradition I wasn't missed too badly :) And most importantly, no black-eyed peads were served! Thank goodness. Where that tradition ever came from I have no idea but I can't stand black-eyed-peas. I don't know if our tradition invokes particular amounts of good luck, but it certainly starts the New Year off right! - Barry of Inn of the Last Home
I tag Logtar, Michael and Sarcomical.
Rule:
Copy the person and persons’ names that sent it to you and add your own at the bottom of the list. It really helps to build community.
Let’s start it here!
*My mom used to collect some coins and when the new year comes she put the coins in a bowl and shake it to create sounds. She said its good luck for money throughout the year. And also wearing dotted dresses on new year don’t know why. CC/chalyza/keep
*My old folks always told us to avoid spending money on new years day. They said, once you spend on the first day of the year, you like to spend the rest of the year. Behind d Scenes of ME/ Retchel’s Pure Life/ A little bit of me
*I grew up believing that if you have some money on your pocket (whatever you’re wearing) come New Year’s eve it will ensure steady flow of income throughout the year. The other belief is that the main door of the house should be wide open come New Year’s eve so that good luck will be ushered in. Juliana of MY WORLD and JULIANA’S LAIR.
*I don’t know if what I am about to write is a new year’s tradition or not. In my place, most people will ‘jump’ into the sea or take a shower as soon as the clock strikes to 12 in New Year’s Eve to get rid of all the bad lucks in the previous year. ;D ~ CHOC MINT GIRL~
*Like most other East Tennesseans, I always have a side of blackeyed peas with my dinner on New Year’s Day. - Tish of The Kat House
*For the past several years we've invited four other families from our church to our house New Year's Eve for a great get-together. Food, games, kids, a great time for everyone. Unfortunately this year my band had a gig so I had to leave the party early, but it's become such a big tradition I wasn't missed too badly :) And most importantly, no black-eyed peads were served! Thank goodness. Where that tradition ever came from I have no idea but I can't stand black-eyed-peas. I don't know if our tradition invokes particular amounts of good luck, but it certainly starts the New Year off right! - Barry of Inn of the Last Home
I tag Logtar, Michael and Sarcomical.
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
The Christmas Meme
I got tagged for the Christmas Meme by Frank Murphy....
1. Link to the person that tagged you, and post the rules on your blog.
2. Share Christmas facts about yourself.
3. Tag seven random people at the end of your post, and include links to their blogs.
4. Let each person know that they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.
Welcome to the Christmas edition of "Getting to Know Your Friends."
1. Wrapping or gift bags?
A little of both. However, if it's a choice between the two, it's a gift bag all the way. I hate wrapping, and am not very good at it...
2. Real or artificial tree?
We used to have a real tree but it just got to be too big of a pain to get in the house (and expensive) so we got one several years ago that's (ta daa!!) pre-lit! But of course, since the lights built in don't blink we still string a couple of strands of blinking lights. Just to accent things :)
3. When do you put up the tree?
Well, this year we actually put up the tree a couple weeks ago, but it say with only its built-in lights until this past weekend when we finally found time to decorate it...
4. When do you take the tree down?
It's been known to still be standing until several days into the New Year... again, it just depends on when we have a spare moment to take it down.
5. Do you like egg nog?
Gag. Can't stand it. Way, way, too sweet and cloying. It's like liquid Brenda Lee.
6. Favorite gift received as a child?
Has to be this baby. As a matter of fact, it's still up in my mom and dad's attic - last time I checked, I'd reassembled it for my son to play with...
7. Do you have a nativity scene?
Yes, we have a really nice ceramic set that sits on a shelf over the TV (no symbolism intended). What's nice is there's a lamp just above the set that shines down on it... We also have a stuffed one the kids made long ago that still sits down on the hearth. Well, if we unpacked it the cats would drag away all the pieces but at least the stable is there...
8. Worst Christmas gift you ever received?
I really can't think of a bad Christmas gift I ever got. Certainly nothing my *parents or *wife ever got me!
(* readers of my blog)
9. Mail or email Christmas cards?
We mail our cards. I don't know if I've ever sent a serious Christmas eCard. Maybe something as joke, but not intended to be real. There's something special about paper, in the mail Christmas cards. Our sessions putting our own together every year, finding just the right picture and just the right message, is always a highlight of our Christmas.
10. Favorite Christmas Movie?
"A Christmas Story" is obviously the best Christmas movie ever (why do people like "Christmas Vacation" so much??? you got me...). But a close second is the ever-popular Rankin-Bass, "Santa Claus is Coming to Town"
11. When do you start shopping for Christmas?
If I do much actual shopping, it's online so that's done...whenever. If I ever actually go physically shopping somewhere, it's never until a few days before. Laura does a lot of her shopping on Black Friday and in the week or so after that. We're usually done with all our major shopping pretty early.
12. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas?
One thing is Laura's aunt's cheesy potato au gratin they serve every year....mmmmmmmmmmm. :) Plus all the good ham you can always get around Christmas. But my favorite food is always my mom's sausage balls - we had them all the time when I was a kid, and lately she's made an extra batch just for me ;) Thanks mom!
13. Clear lights or colored on the tree?
Well. I love colored lights and Laura loves clear lights.
Guess what's on our tree :(
14. Favorite Christmas song(s)?
"O Holy Night" and "Do You Hear What I Hear" are my favorite carols, "Sleigh Ride" is my favorite secular standard song, and probably "Snow Miser/Heat Miser" is my favorite "novelty" song. Does that count? Oh, and I do have a warm place for Amy Grant's, "Tender Tennessee Christmas".
Of course, I also just have a warm place for Amy Grant, but that's another story.... (don't tell my wife)
15. Travel at Christmas or stay home?
Late Christmas morning every year, after the kids have opened their presents, we drive to Jackson, TN to spend a few days with Laura's extended family. It's a great tradition, especially since there are so many kids these days. When everyone's there, there are about 10 kids with BrainyBoy being the oldest.
16. Can you name all of Santa’s reindeer?
Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donder, Blitzen. And Rudolph. And Bruce...and Marvin...a-a-a-a-a-aaand Clyde! (hee haw!!!)
17. Angel on the tree top or a star?
A star - I think an angel just looks odd on a tree. Call me a traditionalist.
18. Open the presents Christmas Eve or Christmas Morning?
My parents let us open one present Christmas Eve, and I've extended that tradition to my own family. But everything else is on Christmas morning. Otherwise, what exactly do you do Christmas morning?
19. Most annoying thing about this time of year?
Unfortunately there are a number of things in recent years that have become quite annoying: The everpresent start of the Christmas "hype" sometime around mid-October (if we're lucky). But some things are annoying, not in and of themselves but in people's reactions to them. Some folks get all bent out of shape over not being "allowed" to say Merry Christmas, or recognize Christmas in a religious manner - I haven't seen anyone yet that did more than gently request a more ecumenical recognition of the holidays. It's not like Winter Nazis are marching the streets, forcing everyone to say "Happy Holidays". Relax, say what you like, and don't worry about offending the offended...
20. Do you decorate your tree in any specific theme or color?
Laura loves to collect Santa ornaments, so almost every ornament on the tree has some sort of Santa on it.
21. What do you leave for Santa?
Homemade cookies or fudge, and a glass of milk.
22. Least favorite holiday song?
I really get tired of "Deck the Halls" for some reason. It's just something about the way it's structured musically got old to me many years ago....
23. Favorite ornament?
One of the ornaments that the kids really like (and I do too) is Santa flying a red biplane. It's pretty cool.
24. Family tradition?
For a long time we left "reindeer food" out on the front porch. I also always make sure to open the glass doors on the fireplace a crack so Santa can get in easier. Hey, always trying to do my part...
25. Ever been to Midnight Mass or late-night Christmas Even services?
Our church always has a 5pm and an 11pm Christmas Eve service. We always go to the 5pm, since the kids need to get in bed. I'm not sure if I've ever been the 11pm before the kids were born...
I'm not sure who to tag, but glancing around at various blogs I visit that haven't played yet, I'll tag the usual suspects: Michael, Tish, LissaKay, Will, Julie, Becky, and Logtar.
1. Link to the person that tagged you, and post the rules on your blog.
2. Share Christmas facts about yourself.
3. Tag seven random people at the end of your post, and include links to their blogs.
4. Let each person know that they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.
Welcome to the Christmas edition of "Getting to Know Your Friends."
1. Wrapping or gift bags?
A little of both. However, if it's a choice between the two, it's a gift bag all the way. I hate wrapping, and am not very good at it...
2. Real or artificial tree?
We used to have a real tree but it just got to be too big of a pain to get in the house (and expensive) so we got one several years ago that's (ta daa!!) pre-lit! But of course, since the lights built in don't blink we still string a couple of strands of blinking lights. Just to accent things :)
3. When do you put up the tree?
Well, this year we actually put up the tree a couple weeks ago, but it say with only its built-in lights until this past weekend when we finally found time to decorate it...
4. When do you take the tree down?
It's been known to still be standing until several days into the New Year... again, it just depends on when we have a spare moment to take it down.
5. Do you like egg nog?
Gag. Can't stand it. Way, way, too sweet and cloying. It's like liquid Brenda Lee.
6. Favorite gift received as a child?
Has to be this baby. As a matter of fact, it's still up in my mom and dad's attic - last time I checked, I'd reassembled it for my son to play with...
7. Do you have a nativity scene?
Yes, we have a really nice ceramic set that sits on a shelf over the TV (no symbolism intended). What's nice is there's a lamp just above the set that shines down on it... We also have a stuffed one the kids made long ago that still sits down on the hearth. Well, if we unpacked it the cats would drag away all the pieces but at least the stable is there...
8. Worst Christmas gift you ever received?
I really can't think of a bad Christmas gift I ever got. Certainly nothing my *parents or *wife ever got me!
(* readers of my blog)
9. Mail or email Christmas cards?
We mail our cards. I don't know if I've ever sent a serious Christmas eCard. Maybe something as joke, but not intended to be real. There's something special about paper, in the mail Christmas cards. Our sessions putting our own together every year, finding just the right picture and just the right message, is always a highlight of our Christmas.
10. Favorite Christmas Movie?
"A Christmas Story" is obviously the best Christmas movie ever (why do people like "Christmas Vacation" so much??? you got me...). But a close second is the ever-popular Rankin-Bass, "Santa Claus is Coming to Town"
11. When do you start shopping for Christmas?
If I do much actual shopping, it's online so that's done...whenever. If I ever actually go physically shopping somewhere, it's never until a few days before. Laura does a lot of her shopping on Black Friday and in the week or so after that. We're usually done with all our major shopping pretty early.
12. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas?
One thing is Laura's aunt's cheesy potato au gratin they serve every year....mmmmmmmmmmm. :) Plus all the good ham you can always get around Christmas. But my favorite food is always my mom's sausage balls - we had them all the time when I was a kid, and lately she's made an extra batch just for me ;) Thanks mom!
13. Clear lights or colored on the tree?
Well. I love colored lights and Laura loves clear lights.
Guess what's on our tree :(
14. Favorite Christmas song(s)?
"O Holy Night" and "Do You Hear What I Hear" are my favorite carols, "Sleigh Ride" is my favorite secular standard song, and probably "Snow Miser/Heat Miser" is my favorite "novelty" song. Does that count? Oh, and I do have a warm place for Amy Grant's, "Tender Tennessee Christmas".
Of course, I also just have a warm place for Amy Grant, but that's another story.... (don't tell my wife)
15. Travel at Christmas or stay home?
Late Christmas morning every year, after the kids have opened their presents, we drive to Jackson, TN to spend a few days with Laura's extended family. It's a great tradition, especially since there are so many kids these days. When everyone's there, there are about 10 kids with BrainyBoy being the oldest.
16. Can you name all of Santa’s reindeer?
Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donder, Blitzen. And Rudolph. And Bruce...and Marvin...a-a-a-a-a-aaand Clyde! (hee haw!!!)
17. Angel on the tree top or a star?
A star - I think an angel just looks odd on a tree. Call me a traditionalist.
18. Open the presents Christmas Eve or Christmas Morning?
My parents let us open one present Christmas Eve, and I've extended that tradition to my own family. But everything else is on Christmas morning. Otherwise, what exactly do you do Christmas morning?
19. Most annoying thing about this time of year?
Unfortunately there are a number of things in recent years that have become quite annoying: The everpresent start of the Christmas "hype" sometime around mid-October (if we're lucky). But some things are annoying, not in and of themselves but in people's reactions to them. Some folks get all bent out of shape over not being "allowed" to say Merry Christmas, or recognize Christmas in a religious manner - I haven't seen anyone yet that did more than gently request a more ecumenical recognition of the holidays. It's not like Winter Nazis are marching the streets, forcing everyone to say "Happy Holidays". Relax, say what you like, and don't worry about offending the offended...
20. Do you decorate your tree in any specific theme or color?
Laura loves to collect Santa ornaments, so almost every ornament on the tree has some sort of Santa on it.
21. What do you leave for Santa?
Homemade cookies or fudge, and a glass of milk.
22. Least favorite holiday song?
I really get tired of "Deck the Halls" for some reason. It's just something about the way it's structured musically got old to me many years ago....
23. Favorite ornament?
One of the ornaments that the kids really like (and I do too) is Santa flying a red biplane. It's pretty cool.
24. Family tradition?
For a long time we left "reindeer food" out on the front porch. I also always make sure to open the glass doors on the fireplace a crack so Santa can get in easier. Hey, always trying to do my part...
25. Ever been to Midnight Mass or late-night Christmas Even services?
Our church always has a 5pm and an 11pm Christmas Eve service. We always go to the 5pm, since the kids need to get in bed. I'm not sure if I've ever been the 11pm before the kids were born...
I'm not sure who to tag, but glancing around at various blogs I visit that haven't played yet, I'll tag the usual suspects: Michael, Tish, LissaKay, Will, Julie, Becky, and Logtar.
Tuesday, December 04, 2007
The Evolution of My Blog
This is a really tough post. Tish tagged me to come up with a brief story of how my blog came to be, and how it evolved to this point. The trick is we have to use five posts from throughout the site to illustrate the changes here and with me along the way...
Sometime around 2001 or 2002, I participated in a Yahoo! Group called "K2K" which may or may not be still around. It was a discussion forum for Knoxville/Knox County issue. and a number of regular folks and politicians alike took part in rolling conversations of the local issues of the day. This was just before blogs started coming on, and as time went on several of the participants starting building their own sites to chronicle their own lives and experiences. Randy Neal, aka "SouthKnoxBubba", was a heavy participant in K2K and also created probably the first blog I ever saw. After a few months of commenting on his and others' sites, in January 2003 I decided to create my own and relate my experiences online. I wasn't really sure what I wanted to write about, so one of my first posts outlined my search for an online identity: Who am I? Who am I? I'm Jean Valjean!.
To be honest, and compared to Tish's evolution, not much has changed in my home life really in the almost 5 years I've been blogging. My kids have grown from 6 and 3 to 11 and 8, undergone a couple of name changes. I decided early on to keep them anonymous so they were BrainyBoy and GiggleGirl (who eventually became Tink). I still have the same job, same house, my wife also has the same job, we go to the same church and we all still have the same problems any normal family does. I did get mentioned in the News Sentinel for one of my posts (A Round Dog Day) so I started getting some exposure fairly soon. I was also one of the first to join the Rocky Top Brigade, which was the group of Tennessee bloggers who helped each other by commenting and linking to each other.
I had a lot of fun posting about my 20th High School Reunion in 2004 (Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3) that was a source of a lot of introspection for me. At that point I realized it was kind of ok to be in your late 30's...
In early 2005 I posted what would be the most popular post I've written, the one that still gets lots of Google hits today: "Faerie's Aire and Death Waltz" - The Unplayable Symphony - this sheet music is a mess, and hilarious for anyone who's ever played (or tried to play) in an orchestra. Folks continue to return and return to the site to download the music sheets.
In June of that year I posted my experiences on trips to both Virginia/Washington DC and Orlando (both links are beginnings of several posts - just read the whole month to be safe). I love to travel, and I love to write about the interesting things that happen when I go to new places with family and friends.
That fall I also get back into what would begin to be a good productive theatrical streak for me, Diary of a Musical Director (Part 1) where I write over the next month and a half about my experiences as the Musical Director for "Annie" at the Oak Ridge Playhouse. I was able to break a long dry spell with that production and proceed to do about 5 more shows over the next couple years, culminating with "The King and I" last fall. I'm taking a break right now but will be Musical Director for "Grease" next spring in Oak Ridge.
To be honest, other than my big Blogging From Orlando (keep scrolling) series I did last month, my blogging hasn't been terribly meaningful or prolific in the past year or so. I attribute that to nothing really more than my own continuing flat attitude toward the outside world and my own contribution to life and the blogging community. I'm hoping things will pick back up soon, but thank all of you for reading this far.
And thanks, Tish, for pointing this way. I hope you enjoy a walk through the Inn of the Last Home.
Oh, I think I'll tag some of my long-time blogger friends: Michael, Rich, SayUncle, Logtar and The Beast.
Sometime around 2001 or 2002, I participated in a Yahoo! Group called "K2K" which may or may not be still around. It was a discussion forum for Knoxville/Knox County issue. and a number of regular folks and politicians alike took part in rolling conversations of the local issues of the day. This was just before blogs started coming on, and as time went on several of the participants starting building their own sites to chronicle their own lives and experiences. Randy Neal, aka "SouthKnoxBubba", was a heavy participant in K2K and also created probably the first blog I ever saw. After a few months of commenting on his and others' sites, in January 2003 I decided to create my own and relate my experiences online. I wasn't really sure what I wanted to write about, so one of my first posts outlined my search for an online identity: Who am I? Who am I? I'm Jean Valjean!.
To be honest, and compared to Tish's evolution, not much has changed in my home life really in the almost 5 years I've been blogging. My kids have grown from 6 and 3 to 11 and 8, undergone a couple of name changes. I decided early on to keep them anonymous so they were BrainyBoy and GiggleGirl (who eventually became Tink). I still have the same job, same house, my wife also has the same job, we go to the same church and we all still have the same problems any normal family does. I did get mentioned in the News Sentinel for one of my posts (A Round Dog Day) so I started getting some exposure fairly soon. I was also one of the first to join the Rocky Top Brigade, which was the group of Tennessee bloggers who helped each other by commenting and linking to each other.
I had a lot of fun posting about my 20th High School Reunion in 2004 (Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3) that was a source of a lot of introspection for me. At that point I realized it was kind of ok to be in your late 30's...
In early 2005 I posted what would be the most popular post I've written, the one that still gets lots of Google hits today: "Faerie's Aire and Death Waltz" - The Unplayable Symphony - this sheet music is a mess, and hilarious for anyone who's ever played (or tried to play) in an orchestra. Folks continue to return and return to the site to download the music sheets.
In June of that year I posted my experiences on trips to both Virginia/Washington DC and Orlando (both links are beginnings of several posts - just read the whole month to be safe). I love to travel, and I love to write about the interesting things that happen when I go to new places with family and friends.
That fall I also get back into what would begin to be a good productive theatrical streak for me, Diary of a Musical Director (Part 1) where I write over the next month and a half about my experiences as the Musical Director for "Annie" at the Oak Ridge Playhouse. I was able to break a long dry spell with that production and proceed to do about 5 more shows over the next couple years, culminating with "The King and I" last fall. I'm taking a break right now but will be Musical Director for "Grease" next spring in Oak Ridge.
To be honest, other than my big Blogging From Orlando (keep scrolling) series I did last month, my blogging hasn't been terribly meaningful or prolific in the past year or so. I attribute that to nothing really more than my own continuing flat attitude toward the outside world and my own contribution to life and the blogging community. I'm hoping things will pick back up soon, but thank all of you for reading this far.
And thanks, Tish, for pointing this way. I hope you enjoy a walk through the Inn of the Last Home.
Oh, I think I'll tag some of my long-time blogger friends: Michael, Rich, SayUncle, Logtar and The Beast.
Friday, November 02, 2007
The Johari Window
Kind of interesting, and a companion to this post:
Barry's Interactive Johari Window
Go to the site, pick five or six words from the list that you think best describes me, and submit. The results are compiled to determine how you are perceived, how you perceive yourself, and the differences therein.
Please go give it a try!
Barry's Interactive Johari Window
The Johari Window was invented by Joseph Luft and Harrington Ingham in the 1950s as a model for mapping personality awareness. By describing yourself from a fixed list of adjectives, then asking your friends and colleagues to describe you from the same list, a grid of overlap and difference can be built up.
Go to the site, pick five or six words from the list that you think best describes me, and submit. The results are compiled to determine how you are perceived, how you perceive yourself, and the differences therein.
Please go give it a try!
Thursday, November 01, 2007
Getting to Know the Real Barry
Tish has asked me to post this on my site - it's a good one!
Bloggers tend to be very honest, spilling their deepest thoughts into the blogosphere without a moment’s hesitation. It is that openness that allows us to feel that we really know the people behind the blogs. But what if we could get to know them even better? You’ve read the bloggers’ words. Now read what the people closest to them have to say.
Please take a moment to tell my readers about the real me - the Barry that many of them know only from my own words. Do you have a memory to share? A story to tell? Thoughts to pass on? If so, please leave a comment.
I challenge all of my readers to tackle this assignment. I would love to get to know you better. If you do choose to participate, please let me know, as I would love to leave my thoughts about you on your post!
Now, how about telling my readers all about me?
Bloggers tend to be very honest, spilling their deepest thoughts into the blogosphere without a moment’s hesitation. It is that openness that allows us to feel that we really know the people behind the blogs. But what if we could get to know them even better? You’ve read the bloggers’ words. Now read what the people closest to them have to say.
Please take a moment to tell my readers about the real me - the Barry that many of them know only from my own words. Do you have a memory to share? A story to tell? Thoughts to pass on? If so, please leave a comment.
I challenge all of my readers to tackle this assignment. I would love to get to know you better. If you do choose to participate, please let me know, as I would love to leave my thoughts about you on your post!
Now, how about telling my readers all about me?
Friday, October 26, 2007
Five Strengths
Tish has tagged me for this meme:
“So, here’s the challenge: make a list of five strengths that you possess as a writer/artist. It’s not really bragging, it’s an honest assessment (forced upon you by this darn meme). Please resist the urge to enumerate your weaknesses, or even mention them in contrast to each strong point you list.
1) I am a very good theoretical musician. What that means is while I'm a slightly above average pianist and singer, I have a very good grasp of the makeup of music. How music fits together, how it wraps around itself and forms patterns, creates new combinations.... I can sense how music can complement emotion, and even create emotional states in listeners. I sometimes feel music can be like a living entity - the voice of God.
2) I'm a very good vocal sightreader. A sightreader is someone who can immediately read the notes on a page and sing what's written, while making few mistakes. Using my skills in #1, I can sense the patterns that a song is following, and anticipate where the notes are going next. This means sometimes I can actually skip ahead and prepare for an upcoming section, while my voice is still a few notes behind my eyes.
3) I'm a very good keyboardist. This is different than just a pianist in a couple of ways. A pianist will typically play what's written on the page, using the actual piano score. A keyboardist, which I love being, will supplement the piano in a musical by providing different instrumental backup when either an orchestra is called for in the score, but not available, or other more unique sounds are needed. In any given play, I might use my keyboard to emulate a saxophone, a trumpet, or a violin. Usually I'm not playing full ensembles, but mainly melody lines or counterpoints. When I performed keyboards for "The King and I" last fall, I probably used it to play strings, cello, flute, pan flute, low brass, bass, bells, french horn, and many other tones in one piece alone, the "Small House of Uncle Thomas" ballet. Doing this is one of, if not my favorite part of being a musician.
4) I feel like I'm a good singer. I have a wide range, and typically sing tenor - although with a microphone, I have sung bass before. I did a show a few years ago called, "All Night Strut" where I was one of two guys in the musical revue, and I had the lower register of the two. So I sang bass. I also have the ability to sing in a number of different styles: ballad, belting, full voice, whatever.
5) The last one is not really a talent, but I suppose it might be: I can do voices and read aloud with expression and many different voices, and styles of voices. I've always been convinced I would make a very good voice-over artist, in cartoons or even things like books on tape. I love reading stories to my kids, making up distinct voices and mannerisms for all the characters. My biggest hit lately is "Ramona" from the Beverly Cleary series of childrens books - who sounds remarkably like Lily Tomlin's "little girl in the big rocker" character...
I play a talking game with my little girl we call, "The Goofy Game" - I imitate Goofy's voice, and he has a "conversation" (in character) with Tink. Often Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, other Disney characters and even a stylized version of Walt Disney himself will join in the verbal adventures. These are memories that are priceless...:)
“So, here’s the challenge: make a list of five strengths that you possess as a writer/artist. It’s not really bragging, it’s an honest assessment (forced upon you by this darn meme). Please resist the urge to enumerate your weaknesses, or even mention them in contrast to each strong point you list.
1) I am a very good theoretical musician. What that means is while I'm a slightly above average pianist and singer, I have a very good grasp of the makeup of music. How music fits together, how it wraps around itself and forms patterns, creates new combinations.... I can sense how music can complement emotion, and even create emotional states in listeners. I sometimes feel music can be like a living entity - the voice of God.
2) I'm a very good vocal sightreader. A sightreader is someone who can immediately read the notes on a page and sing what's written, while making few mistakes. Using my skills in #1, I can sense the patterns that a song is following, and anticipate where the notes are going next. This means sometimes I can actually skip ahead and prepare for an upcoming section, while my voice is still a few notes behind my eyes.
3) I'm a very good keyboardist. This is different than just a pianist in a couple of ways. A pianist will typically play what's written on the page, using the actual piano score. A keyboardist, which I love being, will supplement the piano in a musical by providing different instrumental backup when either an orchestra is called for in the score, but not available, or other more unique sounds are needed. In any given play, I might use my keyboard to emulate a saxophone, a trumpet, or a violin. Usually I'm not playing full ensembles, but mainly melody lines or counterpoints. When I performed keyboards for "The King and I" last fall, I probably used it to play strings, cello, flute, pan flute, low brass, bass, bells, french horn, and many other tones in one piece alone, the "Small House of Uncle Thomas" ballet. Doing this is one of, if not my favorite part of being a musician.
4) I feel like I'm a good singer. I have a wide range, and typically sing tenor - although with a microphone, I have sung bass before. I did a show a few years ago called, "All Night Strut" where I was one of two guys in the musical revue, and I had the lower register of the two. So I sang bass. I also have the ability to sing in a number of different styles: ballad, belting, full voice, whatever.
5) The last one is not really a talent, but I suppose it might be: I can do voices and read aloud with expression and many different voices, and styles of voices. I've always been convinced I would make a very good voice-over artist, in cartoons or even things like books on tape. I love reading stories to my kids, making up distinct voices and mannerisms for all the characters. My biggest hit lately is "Ramona" from the Beverly Cleary series of childrens books - who sounds remarkably like Lily Tomlin's "little girl in the big rocker" character...
I play a talking game with my little girl we call, "The Goofy Game" - I imitate Goofy's voice, and he has a "conversation" (in character) with Tink. Often Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, other Disney characters and even a stylized version of Walt Disney himself will join in the verbal adventures. These are memories that are priceless...:)
Monday, October 15, 2007
Music? What's Music?
Tish has tagged me on this one...
What music are you currently grooving to?
For a while the last few weeks I was getting myself psyched for the trip to Orlando by listening to my Disney stuff. I know, go ahead laugh, you magically-deficient fools. I have the album, "Millenium Celebration" which is the music they play at EPCOT for Illuminations fireworks, plus the big 25-minute "Tapesty of Dreams" parade Music - which is awe-inspiring. I have a CD compilation of all "Haunted Mansion" music and sound effects - some of which are from other country's like France's version of the Mansion. Also some outtakes and original recording sessions, plus the great Barenaked Ladies cover of "Grim Grinning Ghosts" (that's for Tish). I have another CD of various music played throughout the other parks, and finally a CD of the incidental music played all around Islands of Adventure park. It's a great way to get in the mood.
What, if push comes to shove, is your all-time favorite album?
Probably "Abbey Road" by the Beatles.
What was the first record you ever bought? And where did you buy it?
I can't remember - it may have been MECO's disco-rock version of "Star Wars" that came out in the summer of 1977 and was all over the radio at that time.
Good grief, stop laughing already - you're going to hurt yourself.
Which musician have you ever wanted to be?
I always wanted to be Billy Joel - one man, one piano, all talent.
What do you sing in the shower?
I'm usually not awake enough to put coherent lyrics together while I'm in the shower - besides, that's the best time to listen very closely to the voices in my head telling me what I'm supposed to be doing that day... When I do sing it's usually was playing on the radio when I woke up.
What is your favorite Saturday night record?
What's a Saturday night record? Something you listen to while club-hopping on a Saturday night? Ok, now it's my time to laugh hysterically...
And your Sunday morning record?
Christian Contemporary, pretty much.
What music are you currently grooving to?
For a while the last few weeks I was getting myself psyched for the trip to Orlando by listening to my Disney stuff. I know, go ahead laugh, you magically-deficient fools. I have the album, "Millenium Celebration" which is the music they play at EPCOT for Illuminations fireworks, plus the big 25-minute "Tapesty of Dreams" parade Music - which is awe-inspiring. I have a CD compilation of all "Haunted Mansion" music and sound effects - some of which are from other country's like France's version of the Mansion. Also some outtakes and original recording sessions, plus the great Barenaked Ladies cover of "Grim Grinning Ghosts" (that's for Tish). I have another CD of various music played throughout the other parks, and finally a CD of the incidental music played all around Islands of Adventure park. It's a great way to get in the mood.
What, if push comes to shove, is your all-time favorite album?
Probably "Abbey Road" by the Beatles.
What was the first record you ever bought? And where did you buy it?
I can't remember - it may have been MECO's disco-rock version of "Star Wars" that came out in the summer of 1977 and was all over the radio at that time.
Good grief, stop laughing already - you're going to hurt yourself.
Which musician have you ever wanted to be?
I always wanted to be Billy Joel - one man, one piano, all talent.
What do you sing in the shower?
I'm usually not awake enough to put coherent lyrics together while I'm in the shower - besides, that's the best time to listen very closely to the voices in my head telling me what I'm supposed to be doing that day... When I do sing it's usually was playing on the radio when I woke up.
What is your favorite Saturday night record?
What's a Saturday night record? Something you listen to while club-hopping on a Saturday night? Ok, now it's my time to laugh hysterically...
And your Sunday morning record?
Christian Contemporary, pretty much.
Friday, August 17, 2007
Things in Fours
This one comes from Rich (I've done a "fours" meme before so some of the answers may be similar). Here goes:
4 jobs I've had:
Program Director at UT Wesley Foundation
Tech Support for Shareware company (worked with Tish! and Michael had the job after me!)
Asst. Manager at movie theatre in Sevierville
Bookstore clerk
4 films I could watch over and over:
Back to the Future (I or II, not III)
Jurassic Park (I or III, not II)
Star Wars (any)
Mr. Holland's Opus
4 Places I have lived:
Knoxville, TN
Daytona Beach, FL
that's
it
4 Favorite TV shows:
Picket Fences
Mad About You
Friends
AlienNation
4 Favorite Foods:
Pizza
Popcorn
Cheeseburger from Littons or Margaritaville
(Hey Buffet fans: new 90-minute CD/DVD coming in November, "Live In Anguilla"!)
Fettucini Alfredo
4 Websites I visit everyday:
Various
and
sundry
blogs too numerous to mention. You know who you are.
4 Places I would love to be:
Walt Disney World. Hey, going in September! Woot!
Snorkeling
Cruising in the Caribbean, enjoying said snorkeling
Watching BrainyBoy play a baseball game
4 Favorite Colors:
Kelly green
Orange & white, in just that right shade :)
Deep blue
Scarlet
4 Names I love but would/could not use for my children:
Raistlin
Luke
Scotty
Throckmorton T. Ruddygore
4 jobs I've had:
4 films I could watch over and over:
4 Places I have lived:
4 Favorite TV shows:
4 Favorite Foods:
(Hey Buffet fans: new 90-minute CD/DVD coming in November, "Live In Anguilla"!)
4 Websites I visit everyday:
4 Places I would love to be:
4 Favorite Colors:
4 Names I love but would/could not use for my children:
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Guess I'd Better Post, Then...
Tish from The Kat House has presented me with a Daily Blogger Award.
I must say I'm honored, although this is about the 3rd or 4th award she's given me so I'm about to erect a shrine for her to use when I'm not around ;) Still, I'm a little disappointed the award didn't come with a big lamp shaped like a leg. Ah well, maybe next time.
I still owe her about three or four memes, they'll come eventually.
You know, everybody and their second cousin has an award these days, I think I should come up with one of my own. Any suggestions? Something like the "Blogger Who's Not Afraid to Stick It to the Man" Award. I don't know. Maybe the "Own Many, Many, Many More Pets Than They Need" Award, and I can give it to myself and Hataraman.
Anyhoo...thanks Tish!
Friday, July 13, 2007
Becky Interviews Me
Becky from Searching for Oz recently put out a challenge for interviewees, and I accepted. Here are her questions for me:
1. Do you believe in the theory that there is only one right person out there for each of us?
I don't believe too much in the "pebbles in the stream" theory, that if a person's life is going on in one direction and if you toss a "pebble" into that stream (even a very large one), their life would keep going on in the same way, seeing little effect from the pebble. Meaning if a man and woman are supposed to be together, they will be. There are any number of possible choices both I or my wife could have made in our youth and college lives that would have meant we'd never meet - it's a very happy set of coincidences: 1) I changed majors at UT, necessitating a 5th year. That's the year we met. 2) She stayed instate for her undergraduate degree (Lambuth University in Jackson, TN) and didn't go somewhere else like Syracuse - who knows who she might've met away from home. 3) She happened to choose UT as a grad school. Not a huge leap as she's from Jackson, TN but still. 4) She decided to join Chamber Singers (of which I was already a member) and also start going to the Wesley Foundation Methodist Student Center (of which I was also a member). 5) Through a strange series of circumstances, I started going to Wesley myself a couple of years earlier. 6) I decided not to go to grad school and stayed in town.
Any one of those details or decisions, had they been different, might've meant we would never have met or necessitated breaking up early. So I don't believe "destiny" takes a special hand.
Now maybe it was God's Plan for us to be together. I believe we each have free will to pick and choose who we want to be with and fall in love with, but who would I be to argue with the possibility God didn't throw some roadblocks or open some doors that might've steered us in the right direction? :)
2. Assuming money were no object, where's the one place in the U.S. that you haven't visited that you would most like to?
I'd say probably Hawaii - interesting answer, since it's former Hawaii resident Becky asking the question. Since all my beach visits have been on the East Coast/Gulf Coast/Caribbean, it'd be interesting to experience an entirely different area of sand and surf. Not that it'd be particular different, it'd just be different for its own sake.
3. What do you and Laura usually do to celebrate your anniversary?
For our 10th anniversary, we took a 10-day Carnival cruise. For our 15th, this October, we're flying down to Orlando and park-hop for a week. Some years, we take family vacations around the anniversary date. Other than that, not a whole lot. It'd be nice to take a weekend every year and just get away but it's not very feasible.
4. Do you have a nickname that you haven't told us about?
Heh. Heh heh. Heh heh heh heh.....
No.
UPDATE: Ok. Just one.
Mad Dog.
That's all I'm gonna say.
5. Do you tend to follow the rules are are you an "ends justifies the means" kind of person?
I am very much a rule-follower in the more ordinary aspects of life. Not so much a rule-follower but a status-quo-keeper.
Case in point: We rented bikes to ride around on while on vacation on Edisto Island in South Carolina. Laura and the kids had already picked theirs up when I arrived late last Monday afternoon, so we drove down to the rental shop to pick up mine, which had already been reserved. I went in to show the guy the receipt and pick up the bike, and he said that they couldn't release any more bikes that day after 4:30 (it was 5pm) and they were all locked up. Knowing we didn't have any particular plans to use the bikes that evening, I shrugged and said okay, we'd pick it up tomorrow morning. When I went back and told Laura we couldn't get it this evening she went back inside and talked the guy into letting us have it. To me, if they set the rules to say they close the bikes up at 4:30, who am I to buck their rules? I can live within other peoples' boundaries. She's not like that, though, and is willing to stand up for what she perceives is not right and fixes them. Sometimes it causes friction but most of the time our two points of view complement each other.
1. Do you believe in the theory that there is only one right person out there for each of us?
I don't believe too much in the "pebbles in the stream" theory, that if a person's life is going on in one direction and if you toss a "pebble" into that stream (even a very large one), their life would keep going on in the same way, seeing little effect from the pebble. Meaning if a man and woman are supposed to be together, they will be. There are any number of possible choices both I or my wife could have made in our youth and college lives that would have meant we'd never meet - it's a very happy set of coincidences: 1) I changed majors at UT, necessitating a 5th year. That's the year we met. 2) She stayed instate for her undergraduate degree (Lambuth University in Jackson, TN) and didn't go somewhere else like Syracuse - who knows who she might've met away from home. 3) She happened to choose UT as a grad school. Not a huge leap as she's from Jackson, TN but still. 4) She decided to join Chamber Singers (of which I was already a member) and also start going to the Wesley Foundation Methodist Student Center (of which I was also a member). 5) Through a strange series of circumstances, I started going to Wesley myself a couple of years earlier. 6) I decided not to go to grad school and stayed in town.
Any one of those details or decisions, had they been different, might've meant we would never have met or necessitated breaking up early. So I don't believe "destiny" takes a special hand.
Now maybe it was God's Plan for us to be together. I believe we each have free will to pick and choose who we want to be with and fall in love with, but who would I be to argue with the possibility God didn't throw some roadblocks or open some doors that might've steered us in the right direction? :)
2. Assuming money were no object, where's the one place in the U.S. that you haven't visited that you would most like to?
I'd say probably Hawaii - interesting answer, since it's former Hawaii resident Becky asking the question. Since all my beach visits have been on the East Coast/Gulf Coast/Caribbean, it'd be interesting to experience an entirely different area of sand and surf. Not that it'd be particular different, it'd just be different for its own sake.
3. What do you and Laura usually do to celebrate your anniversary?
For our 10th anniversary, we took a 10-day Carnival cruise. For our 15th, this October, we're flying down to Orlando and park-hop for a week. Some years, we take family vacations around the anniversary date. Other than that, not a whole lot. It'd be nice to take a weekend every year and just get away but it's not very feasible.
4. Do you have a nickname that you haven't told us about?
Heh. Heh heh. Heh heh heh heh.....
No.
UPDATE: Ok. Just one.
Mad Dog.
That's all I'm gonna say.
5. Do you tend to follow the rules are are you an "ends justifies the means" kind of person?
I am very much a rule-follower in the more ordinary aspects of life. Not so much a rule-follower but a status-quo-keeper.
Case in point: We rented bikes to ride around on while on vacation on Edisto Island in South Carolina. Laura and the kids had already picked theirs up when I arrived late last Monday afternoon, so we drove down to the rental shop to pick up mine, which had already been reserved. I went in to show the guy the receipt and pick up the bike, and he said that they couldn't release any more bikes that day after 4:30 (it was 5pm) and they were all locked up. Knowing we didn't have any particular plans to use the bikes that evening, I shrugged and said okay, we'd pick it up tomorrow morning. When I went back and told Laura we couldn't get it this evening she went back inside and talked the guy into letting us have it. To me, if they set the rules to say they close the bikes up at 4:30, who am I to buck their rules? I can live within other peoples' boundaries. She's not like that, though, and is willing to stand up for what she perceives is not right and fixes them. Sometimes it causes friction but most of the time our two points of view complement each other.
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Random Facts
I was recently tagged by Lane and a while back tagged by Logtar so I guess I have to do it. Here goes...
The Rules:
* Players start with 7 random facts/habits about themselves.
* People who are tagged need to write their own blog posts with their 7 things as well as these rules.
* You need to tag 7 others and list their names on your blog.
* Remember to leave a comment for them letting them know they have been tagged and to read your blog.
My random facts:
1) I can't stand beer. Gack. How anyone can drink that stuff is beyond me. Same with peanut butter, for that matter.
2) I've kayaked off the coast of Barbados, swam with sea turtles, faced down a rampaging zebra and went nose-to-snout with an alligator. Well, more on that last one to come today or tomorrow...
3) I am an unabashed Disney theme park-aholic, and love theme parks in general. My wife and I are taking our 15th anniversary trip by ourselves to Orlando in October...that should tell you something. Driving home from our vacation I was planning out our route through the Magic Kingdom and EPCOT, trying to figure out which attractions were must-sees, and which we could skip this time around.
4) I hate this meme. I can't think up 7 interesting things about myself. Never mind random facts/habits. If it isn't interesting, there's no point in posting it.
5) I have a Bachelor's Degree in Theatre from UT-Knoxville. I've done a lot of Musical Direction around town off and on for 15 years or so. I've also acted and directed in a few shows. I want to direct more. Much more.
6) My senior year in High School I sang Weird Al's "Eat It" during Senior Day festivities with our pops choir band.
7) I expect everyone to be good. I don't assume someone's going to be bad, rude, obnoxioux or otherwise socially unacceptable. And I'm usually right - very, very seldom to I encounter people I just don't like. I attribute this to the fact that I'm looking for the good in people, not expecting the bad. And I'm rarely disappointed. You should try it sometime.
THANK GOODNESS that's over.
The Rules:
* Players start with 7 random facts/habits about themselves.
* People who are tagged need to write their own blog posts with their 7 things as well as these rules.
* You need to tag 7 others and list their names on your blog.
* Remember to leave a comment for them letting them know they have been tagged and to read your blog.
My random facts:
1) I can't stand beer. Gack. How anyone can drink that stuff is beyond me. Same with peanut butter, for that matter.
2) I've kayaked off the coast of Barbados, swam with sea turtles, faced down a rampaging zebra and went nose-to-snout with an alligator. Well, more on that last one to come today or tomorrow...
3) I am an unabashed Disney theme park-aholic, and love theme parks in general. My wife and I are taking our 15th anniversary trip by ourselves to Orlando in October...that should tell you something. Driving home from our vacation I was planning out our route through the Magic Kingdom and EPCOT, trying to figure out which attractions were must-sees, and which we could skip this time around.
4) I hate this meme. I can't think up 7 interesting things about myself. Never mind random facts/habits. If it isn't interesting, there's no point in posting it.
5) I have a Bachelor's Degree in Theatre from UT-Knoxville. I've done a lot of Musical Direction around town off and on for 15 years or so. I've also acted and directed in a few shows. I want to direct more. Much more.
6) My senior year in High School I sang Weird Al's "Eat It" during Senior Day festivities with our pops choir band.
7) I expect everyone to be good. I don't assume someone's going to be bad, rude, obnoxioux or otherwise socially unacceptable. And I'm usually right - very, very seldom to I encounter people I just don't like. I attribute this to the fact that I'm looking for the good in people, not expecting the bad. And I'm rarely disappointed. You should try it sometime.
THANK GOODNESS that's over.
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
The Meme is Here! The Meme is Here!
Got tagged by Tish but I still respect her.
WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? Nope, my parents wanted a name that was impossible to shorten, so they picked Barry. Which means "spear" I think.
WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED? Sometimes when I'm driving down the road and think about something my kids have done, or are doing, or haven't gotten to do, or might do in the future, I tear up. I'm just that way.
DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? That depends if I'm writing cursive or printing. My cursive skills stopped at about eighth grade level but I have a nice printing style. My trouble is I'm too impatient to keep it neat all the time. Plus I tend to be a little dyslexic at times and rearrange letters in a word, so there are sometimes mistakes I've marked through.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT? Black Forest Ham
DO YOU HAVE KIDS? Yes, and they are my raison d'etre
IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON, WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? I think so - I try to be accommodating to everyone I meet. My other person self would have to have some distinct common interests, like theatre, music, sci-fi, etc because my tastes are fairly narrow.
DO YOU USE SARCASM A LOT? To myself or when I'm one-on-one with someone but I try and avoid it when I'm around groups of people. Unlike SOME lowlife hoplophiles I can mention....
Oops.
DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? Nope. Tonsil-Free since '73! I just made that up.
WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? Nope, nor would I jump out of an airplane, but I would totally hang glide. I'd jump off the Grand Canyon to hang glide. I guess it's just the horizontality rather than the verticality that sounds safer.
I just made those words up, too.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL? Lucky Charms, although I used to love Crunch Berries when I was a kid. And Kaboom. Mmmmmmmmmmmmmm....
DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? Rarely
DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG? Sometimes I surprise myself. I guess it's more a fact of leverage being 6'2" and >200 pounds, rather than pure arm strength.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM? Black Cherry - especially from the old Kay's Ice Cream in Fountain City. I don't think I've ever found anything quite like it...
WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE? Where their eyes are looking - if someone's looking me in the eyes, I generally know they're sincere. If they're eyes are wandering around, I have doubts.
RED OR PINK? Red
WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF? My inability to take a chance and do things that need to be done. There are times I'm terrified of upsetting a status quo, even an undesirable status quo, that I don't take a chance on improving a situation for fear of making it worse.
WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST? I miss Michael, who moved to Nashville several years ago. I also miss my colege roommate Gary in Denver who I recently reconnected with after many years. I miss my high school friend Beth who lives in Louisville, KY and raises horses because I'd like to show off my family to her. I miss my church choir director who chose to leave us last fall. I miss my grandmothers and my uncles. I miss my grandfathers, neither of which I ever met.
WHAT COLOR PANTS AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING? Light khaki pants and loafers. Typical work clothes.
WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU ATE? A bag of popcorn from Target.
WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? The clattering of the people in my office typing on their computers.
IF YOU WHERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? Kelly Green
FAVORITE SMELLS? Good Smells: Fresh popped popcorn, baking bread, sizzling bacon, barbecue grilling outdoors. Odd Smells: Hot asphalt, because it makes me think of going to Six Flags over Georgia when I was a kid.
WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE? I guess my wife, who called my office to chat a few hours ago.
FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH? I love watching a football game on TV, but I don't get to watch enough baseball. America's Game.
HAIR COLOR[S]? Light brown. And not enough of it, unfortunately.
EYE COLOR? Hazel-ish grey
DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? Yes
FAVORITE FOOD? Italian food (especially fettuccine alfredo and spaghetti) my dad's grilled hamburgers, my mom's and my MIL's chili, and pizza from Godfathers or Stefano's
SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS? I don't care for scary movies at all. Just don't see the point in them (sorry, Beast). I'd rather have a movie with either a happy ending or an ambiguous ending.
LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED? Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End
WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING? Olive green polo shirt. The collar is folded funky, though, and no amount of ironing has helped it.
SUMMER OR WINTER? Summer, by about 1000%
HUGS OR KISSES? Kisses. But, you know, both please. And hand-holding, and direct closeness at night.
FAVORITE DESSERT? Cheesecake
MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND? Michael
LEAST LIKELY TO RESPOND? Nikki, because she typically doesn't do memes
WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW? Re-reading an old Star Wars book, "Vector Prime" (see sidebar) I'm saving up new stuff like Stephen King for vacation in 2 weeks.
WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD? At work it's a custom one we made to promote our company's websites (internal and external) from about 7 years ago. At home the new PC has a generic DELL mouse pad I just unpacked last night.
WHAT DID YOU WATCH ON TV LAST NIGHT? A little bit of "Enterprise" I DVR'ed. Most of my free time last night was spent working on the new PC. Tonight I'll be watching a little Picket Fences.
FAVORITE SOUND[S]? Huey Lewis & the News, Phil Collins, kids laughing, a triumphant John Williams symphonic score, the ocean surf, jungle noises, amusement parks, cheering crowd at a UT Football game, tight harmonies.
ROLLING STONES OR THE BEATLES? The Beatles. What, are you kidding?!?!?
WHAT IS THE FARTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME? Las Vegas, NV
DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT? I have a talent at "reading" people's emotions. A special empathy, sort of. I've mentioned it here before in past stories.
WHERE WERE YOU BORN? Baptist Hospital - Knoxville, TN
WHOSE ANSWERS ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING BACK? I guess I'll tag all the people I've linked to in the post, plus Becky and Lane. But please, anyone else post their own answers in the comments or their own post.
WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? Nope, my parents wanted a name that was impossible to shorten, so they picked Barry. Which means "spear" I think.
WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED? Sometimes when I'm driving down the road and think about something my kids have done, or are doing, or haven't gotten to do, or might do in the future, I tear up. I'm just that way.
DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? That depends if I'm writing cursive or printing. My cursive skills stopped at about eighth grade level but I have a nice printing style. My trouble is I'm too impatient to keep it neat all the time. Plus I tend to be a little dyslexic at times and rearrange letters in a word, so there are sometimes mistakes I've marked through.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT? Black Forest Ham
DO YOU HAVE KIDS? Yes, and they are my raison d'etre
IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON, WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? I think so - I try to be accommodating to everyone I meet. My other person self would have to have some distinct common interests, like theatre, music, sci-fi, etc because my tastes are fairly narrow.
DO YOU USE SARCASM A LOT? To myself or when I'm one-on-one with someone but I try and avoid it when I'm around groups of people. Unlike SOME lowlife hoplophiles I can mention....
Oops.
DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? Nope. Tonsil-Free since '73! I just made that up.
WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? Nope, nor would I jump out of an airplane, but I would totally hang glide. I'd jump off the Grand Canyon to hang glide. I guess it's just the horizontality rather than the verticality that sounds safer.
I just made those words up, too.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL? Lucky Charms, although I used to love Crunch Berries when I was a kid. And Kaboom. Mmmmmmmmmmmmmm....
DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? Rarely
DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG? Sometimes I surprise myself. I guess it's more a fact of leverage being 6'2" and >200 pounds, rather than pure arm strength.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM? Black Cherry - especially from the old Kay's Ice Cream in Fountain City. I don't think I've ever found anything quite like it...
WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE? Where their eyes are looking - if someone's looking me in the eyes, I generally know they're sincere. If they're eyes are wandering around, I have doubts.
RED OR PINK? Red
WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF? My inability to take a chance and do things that need to be done. There are times I'm terrified of upsetting a status quo, even an undesirable status quo, that I don't take a chance on improving a situation for fear of making it worse.
WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST? I miss Michael, who moved to Nashville several years ago. I also miss my colege roommate Gary in Denver who I recently reconnected with after many years. I miss my high school friend Beth who lives in Louisville, KY and raises horses because I'd like to show off my family to her. I miss my church choir director who chose to leave us last fall. I miss my grandmothers and my uncles. I miss my grandfathers, neither of which I ever met.
WHAT COLOR PANTS AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING? Light khaki pants and loafers. Typical work clothes.
WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU ATE? A bag of popcorn from Target.
WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? The clattering of the people in my office typing on their computers.
IF YOU WHERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? Kelly Green
FAVORITE SMELLS? Good Smells: Fresh popped popcorn, baking bread, sizzling bacon, barbecue grilling outdoors. Odd Smells: Hot asphalt, because it makes me think of going to Six Flags over Georgia when I was a kid.
WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE? I guess my wife, who called my office to chat a few hours ago.
FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH? I love watching a football game on TV, but I don't get to watch enough baseball. America's Game.
HAIR COLOR[S]? Light brown. And not enough of it, unfortunately.
EYE COLOR? Hazel-ish grey
DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? Yes
FAVORITE FOOD? Italian food (especially fettuccine alfredo and spaghetti) my dad's grilled hamburgers, my mom's and my MIL's chili, and pizza from Godfathers or Stefano's
SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS? I don't care for scary movies at all. Just don't see the point in them (sorry, Beast). I'd rather have a movie with either a happy ending or an ambiguous ending.
LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED? Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End
WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING? Olive green polo shirt. The collar is folded funky, though, and no amount of ironing has helped it.
SUMMER OR WINTER? Summer, by about 1000%
HUGS OR KISSES? Kisses. But, you know, both please. And hand-holding, and direct closeness at night.
FAVORITE DESSERT? Cheesecake
MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND? Michael
LEAST LIKELY TO RESPOND? Nikki, because she typically doesn't do memes
WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW? Re-reading an old Star Wars book, "Vector Prime" (see sidebar) I'm saving up new stuff like Stephen King for vacation in 2 weeks.
WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD? At work it's a custom one we made to promote our company's websites (internal and external) from about 7 years ago. At home the new PC has a generic DELL mouse pad I just unpacked last night.
WHAT DID YOU WATCH ON TV LAST NIGHT? A little bit of "Enterprise" I DVR'ed. Most of my free time last night was spent working on the new PC. Tonight I'll be watching a little Picket Fences.
FAVORITE SOUND[S]? Huey Lewis & the News, Phil Collins, kids laughing, a triumphant John Williams symphonic score, the ocean surf, jungle noises, amusement parks, cheering crowd at a UT Football game, tight harmonies.
ROLLING STONES OR THE BEATLES? The Beatles. What, are you kidding?!?!?
WHAT IS THE FARTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME? Las Vegas, NV
DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT? I have a talent at "reading" people's emotions. A special empathy, sort of. I've mentioned it here before in past stories.
WHERE WERE YOU BORN? Baptist Hospital - Knoxville, TN
WHOSE ANSWERS ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING BACK? I guess I'll tag all the people I've linked to in the post, plus Becky and Lane. But please, anyone else post their own answers in the comments or their own post.
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Food, Glorious Food
I was wondering when I was going to get tagged for this meme - thanks LissaKay!...
1. Add a direct link to your post below the name of the person who tagged you. Include the city/state and country you’re in.
Nicole (Sydney, Australia)
velverse (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)
LB (San Giovanni in Marignano, Italy)
Selba (Jakarta, Indonesia)
Olivia (London, England)
ML (Utah, USA)
Lotus (Toronto, Canada)
tanabata (Saitama, Japan)
Andi (Dallas [ish], Texas, United States)
Todd (Louisville, Kentucky, United States)
miss kendra (los angeles, california, u.s.a)
Jiggs Casey (Berkeley, CA, USA! USA! USA!)
Tits McGee (New England, USA)
Joe (NE Tennessee, USA)
10K Monkeys (Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA)
Big Stupid Tommy (Athens, Tennessee, USA)
Newscoma (Weakley County, Tennessee, USA)
Russ McBee (Knoxville, Tennessee, USA)
Atomictumor Mrs Eaves (Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA)
Oh Really? LissaKay (Oak Ridge, TN, USA)
Inn of the Last Home (Knoxville, TN USA)
2. List out your top 5 favorite places to eat at your location.
1 - I once got made fun of mercilessly by a large group of online culinary snobs for this pick, but I love eating at The Olive Garden. Not so much for the pasta itself, but for the hot, buttery, melt-in-your-mouth breadsticks and the delicious salad with Italian dressing. Both are all you can eat, and the pasta comes in huge portions, too. Take that, K2K!! There's an Olive Garden in Turkey Creek I actually went to last night, but the one we went to the most is on Kingston Pike near West Town Mall. (Honorable mention for Italian goes to Altrudas which has better pasta, especially the Fettucini Alfredo, and Gondoliers, which is close by, quick and filling.
2 - My favorite Mexican place is Monterrey's in Farragut. Good, hot, spicy-but-not-too-spicy, fairly authentic as best I can tell and economical. My wife loves Cozymel's but I prefer my Mexican somewhat less corporate. I used to eat at Cancun's a lot (Broadway, Chapman Hwy, Peter's Rd) but after finding bugs all over a buffet plate at the old Kingston Pike location, we haven't been back much.
3 - I spoke briefly of my favorite pizza spots in my small personal history here, but the only one of those that still exists is Stefano's on the Strip. And that's mainly for the delicious crust. The toppings are fine, but the crust is to die for.
Do you get the idea I only go for specialty types of food? You couldn't be more wrong!! Actually, no, that's pretty accurate.
4 - Litton's in Fountain City has the best hamburgers in town and have been #1 for many years. What's funny is their jumbo hot dog on toasted bun is almost as good, and I'm often torn when I go there which one to get. But the burger usually wins out. Another really good burger can be had at Steak Out on Kingston Pike, and quality burgers served in an especially quality, friendly, clean atmosphere can be had at Back Yard Burgers.
5 - I'm especially fond of subs and a good ham'n'cheese, and my favorite is at Mcallister's (on the Strip, in Turkey Creek and in Alcoa). The Hickory Melt is my favorite, followed closely by the new Club Wrap. And it has some of the best SWEET TEA in town, which is a big priority (Back Yard Burgers in Bearden wins that crown). I also enjoy the Cuban and the Cheeseburger Wrap at Beef O'Brady's.
I tag Michael, Julie, The Beast, Sarcomical and Will.
Oh, and Kat Coble, cuz she and Slarti, they's my two new favoritest bloggers, but Slarti's already done the meme...
1. Add a direct link to your post below the name of the person who tagged you. Include the city/state and country you’re in.
Nicole (Sydney, Australia)
velverse (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)
LB (San Giovanni in Marignano, Italy)
Selba (Jakarta, Indonesia)
Olivia (London, England)
ML (Utah, USA)
Lotus (Toronto, Canada)
tanabata (Saitama, Japan)
Andi (Dallas [ish], Texas, United States)
Todd (Louisville, Kentucky, United States)
miss kendra (los angeles, california, u.s.a)
Jiggs Casey (Berkeley, CA, USA! USA! USA!)
Tits McGee (New England, USA)
Joe (NE Tennessee, USA)
10K Monkeys (Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA)
Big Stupid Tommy (Athens, Tennessee, USA)
Newscoma (Weakley County, Tennessee, USA)
Russ McBee (Knoxville, Tennessee, USA)
Atomictumor Mrs Eaves (Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA)
Oh Really? LissaKay (Oak Ridge, TN, USA)
Inn of the Last Home (Knoxville, TN USA)
2. List out your top 5 favorite places to eat at your location.
1 - I once got made fun of mercilessly by a large group of online culinary snobs for this pick, but I love eating at The Olive Garden. Not so much for the pasta itself, but for the hot, buttery, melt-in-your-mouth breadsticks and the delicious salad with Italian dressing. Both are all you can eat, and the pasta comes in huge portions, too. Take that, K2K!! There's an Olive Garden in Turkey Creek I actually went to last night, but the one we went to the most is on Kingston Pike near West Town Mall. (Honorable mention for Italian goes to Altrudas which has better pasta, especially the Fettucini Alfredo, and Gondoliers, which is close by, quick and filling.
2 - My favorite Mexican place is Monterrey's in Farragut. Good, hot, spicy-but-not-too-spicy, fairly authentic as best I can tell and economical. My wife loves Cozymel's but I prefer my Mexican somewhat less corporate. I used to eat at Cancun's a lot (Broadway, Chapman Hwy, Peter's Rd) but after finding bugs all over a buffet plate at the old Kingston Pike location, we haven't been back much.
3 - I spoke briefly of my favorite pizza spots in my small personal history here, but the only one of those that still exists is Stefano's on the Strip. And that's mainly for the delicious crust. The toppings are fine, but the crust is to die for.
Do you get the idea I only go for specialty types of food? You couldn't be more wrong!! Actually, no, that's pretty accurate.
4 - Litton's in Fountain City has the best hamburgers in town and have been #1 for many years. What's funny is their jumbo hot dog on toasted bun is almost as good, and I'm often torn when I go there which one to get. But the burger usually wins out. Another really good burger can be had at Steak Out on Kingston Pike, and quality burgers served in an especially quality, friendly, clean atmosphere can be had at Back Yard Burgers.
5 - I'm especially fond of subs and a good ham'n'cheese, and my favorite is at Mcallister's (on the Strip, in Turkey Creek and in Alcoa). The Hickory Melt is my favorite, followed closely by the new Club Wrap. And it has some of the best SWEET TEA in town, which is a big priority (Back Yard Burgers in Bearden wins that crown). I also enjoy the Cuban and the Cheeseburger Wrap at Beef O'Brady's.
I tag Michael, Julie, The Beast, Sarcomical and Will.
Oh, and Kat Coble, cuz she and Slarti, they's my two new favoritest bloggers, but Slarti's already done the meme...
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Interviewed By a Kat
I've been interviewed by Tish. She asked me five questions and I'm answering her here.
If you'd like me to ask you five questions, leave me a reply in the comments. You will then post the questions and your answers on your site.
1. What were you like in high school?
I spent a lot of time in the arts (band, chorus, drama) and hung out with all the people I knew in those areas. I was also in the honors English program, so I knew that set of people. Our class at Knoxville Central High School was fairly small that year, actually the smallest class that had come through in many years, so I knew a lot of people that most arts students wouldn't typically know. I never dated anyone in high school, but it wasn't from lack of trying - which was a source of great frustration for me. Schoolwork was fairly easy, and I never really had any desire to stay out late and party. Going to Mr Gatti's on Clinton Hwy (RIP) after football games was quite enough for me. My high school experience was overall very positive and I didn't develop any of the angst and disillusionment so many teens seemed to feel back then and on into today.
2. If you could have three wishes, what would they be?
a) I wish people would take time to see the other side of their arguments and who they're arguing with.
b) I wish there were 36 hours in a day.
c) I wish I could fly.
3. How and when did you know that Laura was the woman you wanted to marry?
When she suggested we go look at rings at the jewelry store and I heard myself agreeing. For a number of months she'd been hinting about it, and I'd always resisted (in a joking way) until one day I just agreed.
4. If you could have any job, other than the one you currently have, what would it be and why?
I'd work with John Lassater as a Disney Imagineer to develop new Disney attractions, or to develop theme park worlds and other immersive experiences like MagiQuest or Wannnado City
5. If you could go back in time to any period in history, where would you go?
Here are a few: I'd like to go back to the mid-Cretaceous or mid-Jurassic to observe real dinosaurs in the wild. I'd like to see an actual performance of Oedipus Rex in a Greek theatre, as well as see a medieval melodrama circus, see Macbeth at the Globe Theatre, attend a performance of Wagner's Ring Cycle or watch the opening night of "Oklahoma!". I'd like to see and hear Beethoven conduct his 9th Symphony. I'd like to attend the taping of an episode of "I Love Lucy" or "The Dick Van Dyke Show". I'd like to see the faces of Generals Lee and Grant as they signed the surrender documents at Appomattox Courthouse. I'd like to be at one of the legendary UT/Bama games when the other General and the Bear prowled the sidelines. And I'd like to visit the 1982 World's Fair one more time.
Hang on a second, let me check outside....
.
.
.
Rats, still no Delorean in the parking lot. Maybe someday...
If you'd like me to ask you five questions, leave me a reply in the comments. You will then post the questions and your answers on your site.
1. What were you like in high school?
I spent a lot of time in the arts (band, chorus, drama) and hung out with all the people I knew in those areas. I was also in the honors English program, so I knew that set of people. Our class at Knoxville Central High School was fairly small that year, actually the smallest class that had come through in many years, so I knew a lot of people that most arts students wouldn't typically know. I never dated anyone in high school, but it wasn't from lack of trying - which was a source of great frustration for me. Schoolwork was fairly easy, and I never really had any desire to stay out late and party. Going to Mr Gatti's on Clinton Hwy (RIP) after football games was quite enough for me. My high school experience was overall very positive and I didn't develop any of the angst and disillusionment so many teens seemed to feel back then and on into today.
2. If you could have three wishes, what would they be?
a) I wish people would take time to see the other side of their arguments and who they're arguing with.
b) I wish there were 36 hours in a day.
c) I wish I could fly.
3. How and when did you know that Laura was the woman you wanted to marry?
When she suggested we go look at rings at the jewelry store and I heard myself agreeing. For a number of months she'd been hinting about it, and I'd always resisted (in a joking way) until one day I just agreed.
4. If you could have any job, other than the one you currently have, what would it be and why?
I'd work with John Lassater as a Disney Imagineer to develop new Disney attractions, or to develop theme park worlds and other immersive experiences like MagiQuest or Wannnado City
5. If you could go back in time to any period in history, where would you go?
Here are a few: I'd like to go back to the mid-Cretaceous or mid-Jurassic to observe real dinosaurs in the wild. I'd like to see an actual performance of Oedipus Rex in a Greek theatre, as well as see a medieval melodrama circus, see Macbeth at the Globe Theatre, attend a performance of Wagner's Ring Cycle or watch the opening night of "Oklahoma!". I'd like to see and hear Beethoven conduct his 9th Symphony. I'd like to attend the taping of an episode of "I Love Lucy" or "The Dick Van Dyke Show". I'd like to see the faces of Generals Lee and Grant as they signed the surrender documents at Appomattox Courthouse. I'd like to be at one of the legendary UT/Bama games when the other General and the Bear prowled the sidelines. And I'd like to visit the 1982 World's Fair one more time.
Hang on a second, let me check outside....
.
.
.
Rats, still no Delorean in the parking lot. Maybe someday...
Thursday, April 19, 2007
Why Do I Blog?
I have been tagged by Tish for the "Why Do You Blog?" meme that is currently circulating around the blogosphere. I am supposed to name five reasons that I blog.
1. I don't make the time to do any other kind of creative writing, and this is a good way to express myself that doesn't take a lot of time.
2. I enjoy being part of an online local community.
3. I like floating thoughts, theories, etc about TV shows that I watch. Ok, that one's kind of lame :)
4. It's important to me to have someplace I can float ideas about current events, things I'm thinking about, and get opinions and ideas from people I trust.
5. The voices in my head tell me to.
I'm not going to tag five more people, anyone can do this one.
1. I don't make the time to do any other kind of creative writing, and this is a good way to express myself that doesn't take a lot of time.
2. I enjoy being part of an online local community.
3. I like floating thoughts, theories, etc about TV shows that I watch. Ok, that one's kind of lame :)
4. It's important to me to have someplace I can float ideas about current events, things I'm thinking about, and get opinions and ideas from people I trust.
5. The voices in my head tell me to.
I'm not going to tag five more people, anyone can do this one.
Thinking Blog Award
I can't imagine many bloggers who don't think more than me. It's not difficult to make the first cut. My thoughts are random, incoherent and more likely to stray into random TV show musings than deep philosophy or logical reasonings. Anyway, here's the rules:1. If you get tagged, write a post with links to 5 blogs that make you think,
2. Link to this post so that people can easily find the exact origin of the meme,
3. Optional: Proudly display the “Thinking Blogger Award” with a link to the post that you wrote.
And Inn of the Last Home's 2007 Thinking Blog Awards go to:
1. The Beast's Lair for helping me think about spiritual matters, and how important it is to reach youth with the love of God.
2. Tennessee Kings because she's my kids' school librarian, a great mom, a new friend and a fun new blog to read. Julie cares a lot about kids and how they grow up by reading.
3. Bedazzled because she shows me often how important family is.
4. Logtar helps me think about how to live in relation to others that might not be quite like myself.
5. And finally, of course, Uncle Mikey makes me think about good times, laughs, discussions, trips, enjoying kids, watching TV, and just enjoying the company - even far away - of a good friend.
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