DAILY ZEN

What is the most annoying thing about you? Have you tried to overcome it?
I'm probably the wrong person to ask about this, but I tend to be very laid back. I have been told several times by several people that it drives them crazy because it seems that I don't care or I have no feelings. I do care and I feel very deeply, I just don't see what getting all excited and bent out of shape will do. I think better if I'm calm. I can get things done if I'm calm. I can handle my business if I'm calm. I'm the person you want to have around if something were to happen because I act calmly and I'm very rational, whereas everyone around me is like "Oh my God, what do we do?" On the flip side, don't have enough to put gas in my car next week? My sister will worry herself into a panic wondering what she's going to, how she's going to get to work, etc. I'm like, "Oh well," and will just get on the phone and call a friend or the bus station to find when the next one's coming.

3 for Thursday

Growing Up

1. What were 3 Summer Night games you used to play growing up?
Kickball, tag football and hide-and-seek

2. What were your 3 favorite board games to play?
Monopoly, Trivia Pursuit and Chutes and Ladders when I was real young

3. What were 3 mischievous/fun things you used to do?
I used to sneak to the corner store during recess. I lived in a neighborhood where I could get in trouble by any adult who caught us doing wrong, so we didn't do a lot to get in trouble. Whoever said spanking doesn't make a kid think twice about doing wrong should have grown up with me.

4. What were your 3 most favorite toys? Do you still have any of them?
I wasn't a toy person. I was out running and playing games like kickball. I do still have a little wooden chair from childhood that my son likes to sit in now. And I had a Barney and Bam-Bam bank up until someone broke into my apartment and stole it. That hurt more than anything else that was taken.

The questions were geared towards men, but the results were still appropriate.




take the nerd test.


and go to mewing.net. a nerd utopia.

3 FOR THURSDAY

1. What are your 3 favorite current TV shows?
Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Bernie Mac and Law & Order:Criminal Intent

2. What are your 3 favorite shows from your childhood?
Silver Spoons, Different Strokes, and The Cosby Show (I was a bit older, but....)

3. What are your 3 favorite TV/movie/fictional characters?
Willow from BtVS, Monk, and Marvin the Martian

4. What are your 3 favorite movies of all time? Movies you can sit and watch over and over.
The Color Purple, Imitation of Life and Die Hard

5. What are your 3 favorite books?
Way more than 3, but the first that come to mind are The Prophet by Khalil Gibran, The Autobiography of Malcolm X and I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou

I WANNA BE RICH

Daily-Zen.blogspot.com

If you were granted one wish to come true, for now, what would you wish for? Why?
I would want to hit the lottery. I don't believe that money makes a person happy, but what's that quote--I want the chance to find out.
There are a lot of things I want to do, but can't because I have to work. If I won a few million dollars, or at least enough to support me and my kids for a couple of years, I could start a home-based business and still be able to do things like take vacations, buy a pair shoes and not worry about what bill I'm going to take the money from. I'm not looking to live in an oversized mansion, just be able to say that me and the kids "live comfortably". Is that too much to ask?

I'm on the hunt for new zines to read. If anyone can recommend a good one, I'd appreciate it.

Monday Madness on Tuesday. That's cool....

1. If somebody gave you a ticket and all expenses paid, would you travel to France for your vacation? Why or why not?
Of course. I'm not one of those France bashing folks. I've always wanted to visit that country and I still do.

2. If you had a chance to be on 'Survivor' and had to use your vacation time for part of the experience, would you? Feel free to explain.
I would. Just for the experience. I don't know how keen I would be to be on television, but if presented with the opportunity I would jump on it.

3. Are you going on a vacation this summer (or any time this year) and if so, where to? Why did you pick this place?
I will probably not be going on vacation. I would love to, but I'm broke.

OH MY CO-DEPENDENT SOUL

Daily Zen

Due to some recent 'issues' at my house, I picked up the book "Life Strategies" by Dr. Phil. I like his 'tell-it-like-it-is' approach, and think that it will be a good kick in the butt for me. Do you "do" self-help books, or do you think that they're all just a bunch of money-making, psycho-babble hooey?
I do read self-help books on occasion. It's a good reality check sometimes. A lot of the info in them are just common sense and when you're too close or too involved unfortunately common sense oftern goes out the window. My fave is definitely Iyanla Vanzant (any of her books) and The Language of Letting Go by Melody Beattie.

THE THRILL IS GONE

Daily Zen

How important is your blog layout for yourself? How often do you change it?
It's not important at all. When I first got into the internet and I was teaching myself HTML, I was always changing my web site layouts, now that I have learned it I don't care. Every once in a blue moon, I'll try some stuff, but I have a site over on geocities that I experiment with. Chances are this stuff will stay as is. It's easier to add on than to change everything since I do it all manually.

3 for Thursday (#32)

Fun and Sun

1. What are 3 things you're looking forward to this summer?
Possibly driving to Virginia Beach without the kids.
Shedding my coat and getting out of the house. I practically hibernate in the winter.
People not asking me if my feet are cold because I'm not wearing socks. I hate wearing socks.

2. What are 3 things you're not looking forward to?
I can't think of anything. I love the hot weather.

3. What are your 3 top vacation spots you'd like to visit?
New Mexico, Hawaii, and Disney World

BONUS: Will you be taking a vacation this year? If so where?
Probably not. The trip to VA will not be for fun, it will be to collect my stuff from storage, but it will be nice to see my friends.

I finished another book. Mortal Remains in Maggody by Joan Hess. I was very disappointed. I had to struggle to finish it. I just didn't hold my attention like her books normally do. The Maggody series is about Arly Hanks who moves back home to Maggody, AK after a divorce to lick her wounds. She becomes chief of police and the series are the capers she solves. Normally these books are light, oft times laugh out loud fun mysteries that I can breeze through in 1-2 days. It took me more than 2 weeks. It was boring and not up to par with her regular books.I wouldn't recommend this one.

Wednesday What-If

1. What if you could choose to be the ruler of one country on Earth?
Australia. Simply because I think it's cool that it's the only country that's also a continent. My ex-roommate lives there and I want to visit and their seasons are flipped so it is hot in January. My daughter could have an outdoor birthday party.

2. What if you could be one politically influential person who is alive today (like President Bush or even Oprah)?
I wouldn't actually want to be anyone else, but I would pick Alan Greenspan because he controls the purse strings of these United States of America. Now that's power.

3. What if you could finalize one cause (such as end world hunger or stop animal cruelty)?
Homelessness. That's just stupid that this world can't provide it's people with a home.

4. What if you could entirely make-over your own country -- what would it be like?
I'm pretty flexible. The only thing I would truly make-over is the homeless situation and mandatory child care, insurance and schooling for everyone 21 and under.

5. What if you could start a new planet -- what it would be like?
I'm kind of partial to Earth. Maybe I would get rid of all the stupid people, otherwise I'm good.

You are smart and sexy!


Which Ultimate Beautiful Woman are You?
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3 for Thursday (#31)

I thought we'd play the game a little differently this week. Our topic is:

BEING SICK

1. What do you consider the worst short term ailment in order of magnitude of pain:

a. Migrane
b. Sore Throat
c. Upset tummy (with any accompanying discomfort)
d. Other (specify)--Childbirth. I did it naturally and neither was by choice. Drugs are your friend

2. When you're sick, what treatment/medication do you take and for what?

a. Apirin/Tylenol--For my headaches if they get really bad, or last for more than 2-3 days
b. Other Over-the-Counter remedy--If I get a really bad cold, but this is rare
c. Prescription Drug(s)--Nothing beats an infection like the doc's drugs, again, very rare
d. Home concoction (what exactly is it?)--Uh, no

3. When you're sick, you:

a. Immediately call the doctor
b. Take one of the remedies in 2(a) - 2(d) above
c. Do nothing and let it run its course--This is my number 1 choice, but I will break down and call my doc if I have to. D. is out of the question.
d. Let your spouse/significant other listen/sympathize to your moaning and try to take care of you as best they can

Can you imagine if we had attacked AIDS at it's onset the way we are going after SARS? Rest in peace, Todd, my friend. I miss you still.

Senses:

1. What are 3 things you love to feel on your face?
my kid's kisses, my pillow, furry clothes

2. What are your 3 favorite smells/scents?
vanilla, my baby after a bath, a home cooked meal that someone else cooked

3. What are 3 sounds that you love to listen to?
my kid's laugh, rain on the window, the caged bird singing (in someone's house)

4. What are your 3 things you love to see?
my kid's faces (does anyone else see a pattern here?), sunsets, the ocean

5. What are your 3 favorite tastes/flavors?
vanilla (especially in Coke, but I do love vanilla in general), and I really am drawing a blank on any other. I'm a very picky eater and there's not much I like