Society for Aesthetic Deletions

Friday Five

Decided to join the bandwagon. I think it's pretty fun. These are pretty racy because of Valentine's Day coming up.

1. What's the most romantic thing you've ever done for someone else?

Oh jeebus, I'm not the romantic one. That's Lou. I suppose it would have to be the proposal. I was the one who proposed, to him, on Thanksgiving morning, 1996. I had it all prepared ahead of time, including getting his ring size (got that by taking his hand in bed one night, and putting a thin wire keyring bent to about the right size on his ring finger. Bent it some more until I got the right size, and he asked me what I was doing. Just playing, I said. He believed me and went back to reading or watching TV), and the ring. We were at our friends' house, and they didn't know what I was planning either.

Thankgiving morning, we woke up, but I stopped him from leaving. Reached into my bag, pulled out the box. Handed it to him. He wondered what was up, but opened the box. I asked him if he'd marry me. He got all teary, I got all teary, and he said yes. Lots of kissing later, we both got up and got dressed, and we told everyone, over breakfast, I believe. I don't think he could wait anymore.

It'll be five years on February 22.

2. [pardon the cosmo question] What are your erogenous zones?

My hands. My chest. My neck and ears.

3. How old were you the first time you had sex? Care to expound?

I just remembered recently my aborted first-attempt to have sex. The guy was terribly drunk, I was drunk, and nothing happened. But I never told him that. I think to this day he still thinks we had sex.

But the first time, I was ... 20? Maybe 21, but I don't think so. He was my first real serious boyfriend, and he lived in Miami, Guatemala, and other places way down south. He came up home to visit, had a hotel room in Providence. I drove him back to the hotel, called my mother to tell her I wouldn't be coming home (she was NOT happy, and I was too chickenshit to tell her in person before we left), and we did the deed.

Much later I found out he wasn't as old as he said he was. He was younger than me, I just didn't know HOW much younger.

But he's still a friend, and may read this blog entry someday. So I'll be quiet now.

4. What's the most unusual place you've ever had sex?

Depends on how you define "had sex." (heh) We fooled around off the path at Walden Wood on fine October day, but it wasn't actual sex. It's hard to do unusual when we're both tall and Lou's large. Though we do need to break in the van one of these days.

5. Do you have plans for Valentine's Day or is it just another Thursday?

No plans as of yet. Lou's got a game, unless he decides not to go or cancels. We aren't big Valentine's Day people, with our anniversary being a week later. We purposely did NOT get married on Valentine's Day, in fact.

So maybe a dinner. Definitely a card or two. But nothing overboard.

Ooh, ooh! Almost forgot the Friday Five!

1. What was the first thing you ever cooked?
I have no clue. Does warming up soup count? Probably not ... oh, does baking count? I baked cookies. Other than that, I'd have to go with Kraft Macaroni and Cheese.

2. What's your signature dish?
It's becoming spinach and artichoke dip. I get asked to make it for many family gatherings, and given the recipe to friends. I'd prefer it to be something else, but hey, it's quick, easy, and good. Though not good for you.

3. Ever had a cooking disaster? (tasted like crap, didn't work, etc.) Describe.
Always. I like to try new recipes, and then get really pissed when things don't come out right. My husband hates it when I get so mad at myself, but I'm trying to make something perfect, dammit, leave me alone! But I'm more of a baker than a chef, so all of the crap is dessert-related, and therefore not as much of a disaster as it COULD be.

4. If skill and money were no object, what would make for your dream meal?
Ooooh! Prime rib with popovers, twice-baked potatoes, crisp steamed green beans with garlic. Oh, and start with a nice fresh salad with bleu cheese dressing. And an appetizer of fried calamari Rhode Island style (garlic butter and hot peppers). Have a nice glass of Merlot or Shiraz with the prime rib. Then hot tea (some variant of black, not herbal) and cheesecake with a fresh fruit topping - no canned crap. Strawberries or raspberries or blueberries.

Damn, good thing it's time for lunch!

5. What are you doing this weekend?
Leaving on a jet plane to Vegas on Saturday. Getting in late enough that I have no idea what we're doing on Sunday, other than trying to sleep in.

1. Hey, baby, what's your sign? Do you think it fits you pretty well?

Sagittarius, and yes, it fits me all too well. Though this description is a bit off-the-mark, even for me.

2. What's the worst birthday gift you've ever received?

I have no clue. With my birthday near Christmas, but early enough to still get birthday and Christmas presents, I tend to make out pretty well.

3. What's the best birthday gift you've ever received?

No clue, again. My brain is just not functioning in the area of presents. But it was probably something from my husband.

4. What's the best way you've celebrated your birthday thus far?

My husband cooked me roast beef and au gratin potatoes a few years ago. Things he doesn't like, but made for me because he knows they're my favorites. That's all I can think of right now.

5. What are your plans for this weekend?

Recovering from Vegas and buying a PlayStation 2, all of which were done successfully!

1. What's your favorite vacation spot?
We don't really take vacations like that, so I don't really have one. I did have fun in Las Vegas, but would not want to go there a lot. I enjoy trips to the Cape in winter, too.

2. Where do you consider to be the biggest hell-hole on earth?
Oh $diety, I have no idea. Cleveland?

3. What would be your dream vacation?
A two-week cruise to Alaska.

4. If you could go on a road-trip with anyone, who would it be and why?
My husband. He's a great travelling companion, and we talk and roleplay and hash out game world stuff. And we can just drive in silence too.

5. What are your plans for this weekend?
My game tonight, then Lou's running some Rilla and Gevrok for Jack and me tomorrow. We're doing our anniversary dinner at the Fireside tomorrow night, because we were too tired still to go last Saturday. Sunday is the last Facets run for a time. And I have to do laundry in there sometime!

1. What makes you homesick?
You know, when I was a kid, I got homesick staying two houses away from my own. I'd wake up in the middle of the night, crying, and my parents would have to come and take me home.

So now, I don't get homesick much anymore. At some point, I just grew out of it, and once upon a time, I slept in strangers homes (okay, they were online friends, but people I'd never met before!) every month or so.

But things that make me homesick -- thinking of my kittens. The smell of the ocean. Thinking about the home I grew up in in Portsmouth.

2. Where is "home" for you? Is it where you are living now, or somewhere else (ie: Mom & Dad's house, particular state/city)?
"Home" for me is two places. The apartment I'm in now, with my husband. But "Home" for 20 years was that house in Portsmouth. I'm a Rhode Islanda at heart (though I was born in Alabama!), and will always be.

3. What makes it home for you? People? Things?
Definitely NOT things. People. Habit. Familiarity. The latter probably even more than people, but not quite.

4. Where is the furthest you've been from home, miles-wise?
That's easy. Alicante, Spain. I don't think we went much further east than that on our trip. I have no idea how many miles that is from home, though. A lot.

The farthest west was Red Rock Canyon on my recent Vegas trip.

5. What are your plans for this weekend?
Meera's right, it is the Friday Four with "What are you doing this weekend?" at the end.

I am going to see Anne tonight and we're having our Chow Yun Chat. Then tomorrow morning I have to write out the checks I've been neglecting to send before my ftf Amber game, WEF. Sunday is the bookclub in the morning if I've finished the book, followed by Mamma Mia at the PPAC, and then then the Sunday game.

Whoosh, busy weekend!

Ooh, all about da aminals!

1. What's your favorite animal?
Horses. I majored in college (now it's a University) in Equestrian Studies/Business Management. Didn't graduate, but horses have always been my love.

2. What pets have you had in your lifetime?
Started with Tom-Tom when I was young, he was the family cat. Part Siamese, part big old yellow alley cat. He was a tough cookie; chased a miniature poodle that lived across the street out of the yard. After Tom-Tom died, we had Mona. My sister Jean's cat, she was named Mona after it was made clear that he was a she (she had been named Moe, part of Eeny, Meenie, Miney, and Shadow, a litter of kittens her friend's cat had had), and she was basically a long-haired tortie, a cross between a calico and a Persian. Mona had the misfortune of being around when the family finally caved in and bought a dog, a cute mutt from the pound named Casey. They were wary about each other - I think Casey was more scared of Mona than vice versa. Mona ended up with my sister at one point when she had gotten married and moved out, and went missing for a time, showed up again months later, but then went missing again, and was hit by a car. I don't think, at her advanced age, the move to a busier street was something she could handle.

Then we got Cinnaman. Used to be Cinnamon, but when we found out he was male (can you tell we name cats before we know the sexes of them in my family?), and he was cool. But he was an outdoors cat, never much for hanging around inside.

Casey died a few years later. We were all about moved out by then, so Mom didn't get any more pets.

Lou and I are owned now by Athena and Artemis, our littermate pound kitties, and just the most wonderful thing we've ever done. We love them dearly, even at 5:00 a.m. on the weekend when they decide we should be up.

I should also mention that we had fishtanks and fish growing up, until we really stopped taking care of them and they all died. My brother also had a cockatiel at one point; I've no idea what he did with it after he moved out. And then there were the hampsters. Growing up in Maryland, we had a huge Habitrail, and lots of hampsters, one even had a litter. They all died or were given away. At one point, we had an end of the Habitrail up against the wall for some reason (I was young, I have no idea), and the hampsters ate their way through the wall, and got down inside it. I don't think we ever managed to get them out, alas.

Lastly, when I was in high school, our biology class had gerbils. I volunteered to take them over the summer, and they became our gerbils. They were named Mom and Pop by my friend Dawn and I, because they had The Kids. They also eventually died of old age.

Whew! A lot of pets.

3. Is there any specific pet that you've wanted but never had? Why?
Not really. I'd love to have a horse, but they're not pets by any stretch of the imagination. And that's a lot of work, so I'd need someone to help me take care of it.

4. Are you allergic to any animals?
Not that I'm aware of. I may be allergic slightly to cats, but not my own.

5. Do you have any 'pet' pet peeves (your pets or others')?
Dogs are not lap animals, no matter how small they are. Cats are lap animals. Not dogs.

If you don't have time for a dog, DON'T GET ONE. Save yourself and the dog the situation, please. The same goes for cats, but less so, because they most often don't require as much attention as a dog does.

1. What is your favorite time of year?
In New England, it's Fall. The colors are so riotous, so vibrant. Followed closely by a SNOWY winter. If winter doesn't have snow, I'd rather have any other time of year. Including August in the Northeast, when the humidity makes the world seem like you're swimming in hot soup as you walk down the street.

2. What is it about your favorite season that, well, makes it your favorite season?
Oops, answered that above. Cheryl Wheeler has a wonderful song that sums up everything about why New England is hella cool in Autumn.

3. What is your least favorite time of year? Why?
Winter without snow. Summer with no cool breeze. Fall when hurricanes come and strip leaves off the trees before they change color. Dry Springs. Hmm...that wasn't one time...

4. Do you do anything to celebrate or recognize the changing of seasons?
Not a sausage. Since it snowed on the first day of Spring here in New England, we don't tend to mark those days as important. At least not on "official" days.

5. What's your favorite thing to do outside?
Swimming. In the ocean preferred, though I haven't done that in years. Walking on the beach off-season is a blast. Lou and I are going to the Cape for a quick jaunt this weekend (see, I answered the unasked question!), but with it being hella windy, it's not likely he'll get me onto the National Seashore. I don't like wind when it's cold out.

1. If you could eat dinner with and "get to know" one famous person (living or dead), who would you choose?
Oh geez, this old party game. I don't know ... off the top of my head ... Queen Elizabeth. I'd love to know more about her, if she'd be willing to talk to me.

2. Has the death of a famous person ever had an effect on you? Who was it and how did you feel?
Not that I recall. Like Anne, I sometimes watch the Oscars to recall who has died in the past year. Most of the time I'm surprised by them, even though I know on some level I was aware when they passed away. A year or so later I have forgotten, and I go "oh no..." all over again.

So no, I can't say that a famous person's death has ever really had a real effect on me.

3. If you could BE a famous person for 24 hours, who would you choose?
Okay, here's a follow-up. Would I know I was that person? I mean, really...I could be Yasser Arafat, or Osama Bin Laden, and not know that I was, and therefore not be able to change anything.

See, I'm already going against the celebrity types, be Brad Pitt or Julia Roberts for a day. Not really interested, thank you. With all that is going on in the world today, I'd want that 24 hours to make a difference.

Though I could say Kiefer Sutherland, and then get 24 hours spread out over a whole year. (heh)

4. Do people ever tell you that you look like someone famous? Who?
Not that I recall. Though lots of people have been telling my sister-in-law she looks like Geena Davis. I still think no, especially as she's way too short. :)

5. Have you ever met anyone famous?
When I worked at St. Andrew's School, I got to meet Andrew Robinson. He had actually attended the school, back when it was a school for troubled young boys. I was so thrilled...and this was just when DS9 was starting out, so Garak was a minor character.

I've also met JMS and Bruce Campbell, but that was in autograph signing stuff, so I don't think it really counts, alas.

1. What are the first things that you do in the morning to start your day?
I wait for Lou to get out of the bathroom, giving me usually about another 10-20 minutes to lay about in bed. Then I'm up, bathroom stuff, getting dressed stuff, putting the sugar in the tea, grabbing the travel mug and lunch and purse, and out the door with hubby. He eats breakfast at home while I get ready, and I eat my granola bar/cereal bar at work as I begin to read the morning's email, and occasionally weblogs.

2. What are the last things that you do at night before going to bed?
I shut off the laptop or turn off the TV, hit the bathroom if needed, change into my pajamas, fix the sheets/blankets if Lou's hogging them in bed, chase Artemis out of my side of the bed (she's taken to keeping Lou company while he reads, before I come to bed), climb in, and grab my latest book. I also set my alarm. My getting in bed to read is Lou's cue to turn off his light, put his book down and take his glasses off and go to sleep. We both have no idea why he does this, but 90% of the time, when I get in bed, he stops reading within minutes and goes to sleep. I read for a time, depending on book and tiredness, then off come the glasses, off goes the light, off comes the extra pillow behind my head (placed beside the bed), and I attempt to sleep. I am usually successful.

3. What daily routine have you recently added to your day?
No clue. I'm old-routine (like taking off my shoes when I enter the house), not really new-routine. Though with the cats, who greet us at the door, Lou and I pick one up (I usually get Beana, Lou gets Missy), pet them a bit, let them groom each other, then drop them and do a cat-switch.

Though, now that I think about it, Lou has made a concerted effort to greet me with a hug when we are actually inside our apartment, after divesting ourselves of coats and backpacks and such. That might be considered a new routine.

4. What routine do you wish you get rid of?
Shouldn't that be got rid of? Want to get rid of? Anyway...

I wish I didn't have to get up to go to work in the morning. But don't we all? Okay, almost all of us...

No, there really isn't something I'd like to get rid of. At least, not that that I can think of at this moment.

5. What's the one thing that makes you feel like something is missing if you don't do it some point within your day?
See my husband or the cats. When we go away for a weekend or something, I miss seeing the cats. It helps that I'm in a different setting, so I'm not expecting to see them. But when going to bed, I sometimes expect to hear and feel a cat jump up at some point, looking for attention.

And Lou goes off to an Addiction Studies conference for a week each year, in June. I get out of routine when he's not around. Though I like the time to myself, I do miss him. Though he has had internet connections at 2 out of the 3 colleges where the conference is held, and bringing his laptop allows us to communiate via IM.

Friday Bonus: What are your plans for the weekend?
My plans? Oh, thanks for asking!

Anne and I are doing another Chow Yun Chat tonight, but I have asked that one of our activities be watching Farscape. Saturday will be spent avoiding the Feng Shui'ers that invade the apartment, and doing the game book and reg form for The Black Road, which shouldn't take too long, really. Then writing some checks, doing laundry, and maybe going to see LotR:FotR again. Though I could do that on Sunday if Lou was interested.

I've also started playing FFX on my own, since Lou is entranced with EV: Nova, so no doubt some time will be spent with that.

And plotting my evilness for ATF next week. Oh yeah, and writing the summaries for the last three sessions. I've been a major slacker (sigh).

1. What is your favorite restaurant and why?
Hmm...tough call. I'd have to go with Little Chopsticks, on Smith Street in Providence. They have the best Chinese food I've eaten, and they're friendly and good to Lou and me. When we were dating, we'd meet for lunch every Friday there, as we both worked in Providence. It was the person who got paid that week who picked up the check. We continued that until I started working at St. George's, in Newport.

2. What fast food restaurant are you partial to?
Fast food? Hmm...I am partial to Subway. I also love McDonald's, but they're much too greasy. And though my favorite ever was Kentucky Fried Chicken (now KFC), I just can't eat it anymore. I spend an hour in the bathroom afterwards. No good. (sigh) I miss Extra Crispy (not Extra Tasty Crispy) chicken.

3. What are your standards and rules for tipping?
Having worked as waitstaff, I reward good service, over-reward excellent service, and under-reward mediocre service. In MA, our tax is 5%, so we can triple the tax easily to get the right amount, but I never do. I divide the bill by 10, then divide that in half, and add the numbers together, adding or subtracting for excellent/mediocre service. And I don't usually remember to cut out the alcohol.

4. Do you usually order an appetizer and/or dessert?
One or the other. Since WW, gone are the days wherein Lou and I could order separate appetizers and separate desserts, and eat them all. So depending on our mood and what restaurant it is, we'll get an appetizer to split and skip dessert, or skip the appetizer in hopes of having room for desserts, split or individual.

5. What do you usually order to drink at a restaurant?
If I'm in the mood for alcohol (and depends on the meal), I'll get White Zinfandel or Merlot. Otherwise, it's usually Diet Coke and water. On rare occasions, I have a mixed drink, usually something fruity that's a speciality of the restaurant.

1. What's your favorite TV show and why?
Damn, tough question. Right now, at this moment, I'd have to say Farscape. Followed very closely by Smallville, Angel, and Buffy, in that order. Buffy just hasn't quite hit its mark for me this year, while Angel has found its stride and taken off like gang-busters. Smallville is regularly enjoying.

But nothing can beat Farscape. It is an original, engaging sci-fi show, and there aren't that many of them out there these days of this quality.

2. Who is your favorite television star?
See, you had to say star. Actors can be actors and not be stars. Who is my favorite television performer? That's the question I'll choose to answer. Rob Lowe, on West Wing. He is one of the main reasons I watch that show when my husband does. He gets all the best lines, and it's just a joy to watch him deliver such well-written lines.

3. What was your favorite TV show as a child?
Child? How old? What's considered a child? I have no idea. Hmm...I guess I'll have to go with the answer I blogged about -- Dungeons & Dragons, the cartoon. I endured watching the end of Jem in order to catch this when it started. 'nuff said.

4. What show do you think should have been cancelled by now?
The Mummy cartoon on Saturday mornings. Please. Just go.

5. What new show do you hope escapes the axe this season?
One that's in danger of it, or just one in general? I hope Alias escapes the axe, even though I haven't been keeping up with it like I want to.

1. What are your hobbies?
Gaming, reading sf/f and romance, and some fanfic, doing web pages, my blog. I got into painting miniatures last year, but that has really waned. I also love playing, or watching my husband play, video games. And watching sf/f on TV (Buffy, Farscape, etc.).

2. Do you collect anything? If so, what?
Not really anymore. I used to collect "How did you meet your spouse/SO?" stories, before I got married. I never wrote them down or anything, but kept them in my head. I considered recently trying to do that again, and making a blog of it or web page or something. I used to collect action figures, but that was more of a "as I saw one I liked" basis, and I've dropped that habit. And I was collecting the Star Wars LEGO sets, but again, have dropped that. I probably will get some more of the new sets, though.

3. Is there a hobby you're interested in, but just don't have the time/money to do?
Painting miniatures. Collecting fantasy artwork. I could make the time to do the former, but I haven't, and I don't have the money to do the latter! I also want to write, but I'm not making the time for that. I may try to do something like NaNoWriMo this year, just to try.

4. Have you ever turned a hobby into a moneymaking opportunity?
Web design. Haven't actually made any money at it yet, and my interest in doing it for money is waning these days. And if I write, and sell something, maybe I'll be able to say yes, but then it won't be a hobby anymore, will it?

5. Besides web-related stuff (burbs, rings, etc.), what clubs do you belong to?
Some friends locally have a reading club, nicknamed FaRGoNE (Fantasy Readers Guild of New England), for us to talk about a book that one of us has picked every two months. This month's selection, not on the site yet alas (our webmaster is busy building his house), is Glory Road by Robert Heinlein. Lou's pick.

Other than that, I have no clubs or formal organizations that I belong to. Huh.

No Friday Five this week. She's moving to a new host.

So, here's what I'm doing this weekend, alluded to in an earlier post.

Friday

- Trip to the bank with Lou, to up the amount we pay on our credit card consolidation loan, to pay it off four months early (we hope).

- Trip to StillPoint to let Jack know we're done at the bank, and he can spend the evening with Lou, doing Guy Stuff.

- Chow Yun Chat with Anne. Going to bring Escaflowne and Farscape DVDs, just in case.

Saturday

- Breakfast at Percy's Place with Jack and Lou.

- Spider-Man with the above folks, 10:30 a.m. show.

- Rilla & Gevrok D&D stuff, with the above folks.

- Dinner somewhere, eating in or out, unknown at this point.

Sunday

- NOTHING! mwahahahahahahaha!

- So probably going to spend some time with the hubby, playing FFX, maybe watching Farscape (he's not seen the last few episodes), oh, and probably reading Diplomatic Immunity.

Friday Five is still going through its setup paces.

So, here's the plans for the weekend:

Friday

• Ian arrives this afternoon, hangs out at the office until Lou picks us up.

• D&D 3E game tonight.

Saturday

• Breakfast at Percy's with Ian, Jack, and Lou.

• Hang around until Feng Shui crowd shows up, then hide in computer room and bedroom.

• Trip to niece's birthday party, where we're going to also give our mother her Mother's Day Present.

• Start on those pesky side quests to gain legendary weapons in FFX. Try really, really, really hard not to throw controller against the wall when I can't get the 0:0:0 time needed to get Tidus' sigil.

• Finish reading Living Dead in Dallas so I can start in on Diplomatic Immunity.

Sunday

• Play more FFX. Read more books.

• Crew over for the Sunday game.

• Play more FFX. Read more books.

Friday Five is back! Of course, when I go away for the weekend...</rant>

1. What shampoo do you use?
I'm currently using Pantene. I also use Pert Plus on occasion. We have both at home.

2. Do you use conditioner? What kind?
I'm using the Pantene conditioner that goes with the shampoo, or the Pert Plus with the conditioner in it.

3. When was the last time you got your hair cut?
April 20th. Lou and I went to my sister's salon to get both of our hairs cut. I tend to go every few months to get a trim, at least my bangs. I have cut them myself, too.

4. What styling products do you use?
None, really. I have some mousse my sister gave me, and I have some Herbal Essences hair spray, but those are very rarely used. My bangs don't want to cooperate on occasion, so I often have to mangle them to work with above products.

5. What's your worst hair-related experience?
I decided my friend's hair was really cute, and I wanted my hair to look just like hers (this was the 80s). Unfortunately for me, the short haircut looked good on her because she had straight hair. which I do not. The cut looked awful, and I swore I'd never go back to short hair.

I kept a tail behind my left ear that I braided, which was fun (and hip at the time). As it was growing out, I decided to have an angular cut...one side of my hair was shorter than the other. One day at college a floormate was talking to me, and commented that she had just noticed that my hair was supposed to be like that...she always had thought I'd held my head tilted to one side.

Then there was the attempt at layering. My hair does not layer. I looked almost like Farrah Faucett, with the feathering. I could not wait for that go grow out.

Now I keep it long, most often pulled back, with bangs because my forehead is so frelling high. I gave up on side-parting and when I do part these day's it's mostly down the middle. Hence the issue with the bangs not behaving on occasion.

1. What's the last vivid dream that you remember having?
Oh, I have no clue. I remember dreams for a few hours, then they fade.

2. Do you have any recurring dreams?
Not that I recall.

3. What's the scariest nightmare you've ever had?
No clue. Haven't had a nightmare in a long time. Takes a lot to scare me that way.

4. Have you ever written your dreams down or considered it? Why or why not?
I had a dream journal at one point. I still have it around somewhere at home. I think I got about three dreams in there, and stopped. I wanted to start remembering more of them, for longer times, so I started writing them down. My friend Dawn did, so I did too. But it just never stuck in my head.

5. Have you ever had a lucid dream? What did you do in it?
Not that I recall.

Bonus: What are you doing for the long weekend?
Tonight is ATF, they're doing a dungeon crawl. We'll see how this all shakes down. They have to defeat everything (and not necessarily by combat) to gain control of the floating city. It is NOT going to be easy.

Tomorrow is breakfast with Jack, then he's on his way to NYC. Lou and I may go bike riding (he got hooked again when he used the LifeCycles at TBR), or may just hang around. I need to go into work (he doesn't know that) to check on some things on Saturday, so I may try to convince him to go to dinner out at Fire & Ice or The Cheesecake Factory, at the Providence Place Mall.

Sunday is breakfast with Lou's parents and possibly his brother&wife. This is a combination Mother's Day/Father's birthday present. Sunday afternoon is the D&D game, which is making us miss my mom's cookout. But we will be missing the next two Sundays for the game (the first one we don't play, and Lou's going to be on his way to his conference the next week), so we don't want to miss three in a row.

Monday is nothing until the Monday night game, though we may get in some more bike riding (if the weather holds).

A movie (About a Boy, or Star Wars again for me) is not out of possibility, either.

Not a really big-agenda weekend, but this'll be fun.

Don't know why, it's just not there. So, here's the Bonus Weekend plans:

Friday

- Watch Farscape, in preparation for next week's season premiere.

Saturday

- Bike ride along the East Bay Bike Path.

- Get some work done on a few games (SSC and IMiA, and get new player up to speed in TBE).

- Play some FFX.

- Get some writing done, at least Ennis' response to Kit in the Letter Blog, and hopefully more Margaret stuff done for the ATF blog.

- Go to sister-in-law's house to install network card in their Mac, before they move to Bridgewater.

Sunday

- Possibly breakfast out at Percy's.

- Possibly go to pick up some fans at WalMart, since the heat approacheth (and the humidity), and Lou needs them for his conference anyway.

- Maybe another (or a first) Bike Path ride.

- Maybe some FFX.

- Maybe actually start reading Diplomatic Immunity. Or finish I Dare.

- The Sunday Game, in which we may fight more of the Freak Legion, may find an unexpected ally in the prisoners, and maybe have Betsy's character Storm get her cohort (finally!).

Friday Five was late this week, so I started answering one from my birthday week, last year. Will do the real FF later today.

1. If you were to go to a movie this weekend, which one would you pick?
Interesting. Anne asked if I wanted to see Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood with her, since we're Chow Yun Chatting this weekend, and I was kinda, "eh?" Could take it or leave it. Windtalkers is coming out, but I'm not in a rush to see it, nor Scooby-Doo. Bourne Identity looks neat, and I love Matt Damon. So I think that, or a repeat of Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones would be my choices.

2. What movie would you like to rent this weekend?
Not big on renting movies, so I can't say there's one that I want to rent and see.

3. What one TV show do you always try to watch?
Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Now that it's in reruns, it'll be Farscape. Even got the husband rehooked on watching. Go me!

4. If you (and your S.O.) were cool with it, what five celebrities (at the most) would it be 'ok' for you to have a fling with?
Oh, the list of three from Friends, eh? Hrm. For me it'd have to be ... Ewan McGregor (yum!). John Cusack (oh yeah!). Colin Firth (love the accent, and prefer him over Hugh Grant). Michael Rosenbaum (he can even grow in his hair if he wants. Rrrooowwwr!). Brendan Fraser (mmm...tasty...mmmm). Darn, that's the five? ::sighs dramatically::

5. How do you plan to spend your weekend?
Dinner with Anne tonight, and then chatting afterwards. Going to show her the wonders of FFX. No idea what's planned for Saturday, and Sunday Lou heads off to his conference, leaving me all alone. I am supposed to do something with my sister-in-law for dinner. Have to send her an email to double-check.

1. How often do you do laundry?
Maybe once a week. I usually let it pile up a lot before doing it. If the washer and dryer weren't in the basement, and us on the third floor, it would probably get done more often. Especially if it was on the same floor as the bedroom.

2. What's in a typical wash load?
A load of black clothes, a load of blue, a load of red, a load of green, and a load of whites. Towels are mixed with the colors appropriate, as are sheets and pillowcases.

3. Front or top loader? Powder or liquid detergent?
Top washer, front dryer. I want to get a front-loading washer, but that will have to wait maybe a year or so. Liquid detergent, occasionally a dryer sheet (when we have them) in the dryer.

4. Do you use fabric softener in the rinse cycle?
Nope. That's what dryer sheets are for. And I got unscented sheets, so there's not a lot of scent.

5. Dryer or clothesline?
Dryer. My mom had a clothesline when we were growing up, and occasionally we'd have stuff on the line. But it's always been dryer for me and probably always will.

1. Do you live in a house, an apartment or a condo?
Apartment in a house. It's a house that was converted into apartments at some point. We live on the third floor.

2. Do you rent or own?
Rent. It's hella cheap, even after the house was sold to a different person. He didn't raise the rent, allowing us to live in a manner which will keep us from ever being able to move again. Well, at least until we get some debts paid off.

3. Does anyone else live with you?
My husband and our two cats.

4. How many times have you moved in your life?
My dad worked for IBM when I was growing up. Little do you know, but IBM stood for "I've Been Moved."

My older siblings were all born in New York, in the Binghamton area. My younger sister and I were born in Alabama. We then moved to Maryland for a few years, before settling in Portsmouth, Rhode Island.

I went off to college for nearly two years, that was in Virginia. I don't know if that'd count as moving.

Upon return, I lived twice in Providence, moving home after each time. Then, Lou and I moved into our current apartment in the fall of 1995.

5. What are your plans for this weekend?
Tonight is ATF, wherein they will hopefully finish most of the dungeon crawl. Depending on how things go, they may not get to the big battle.

Tomorrow is WEF, with possibly breakfast as Persy's, and maybe Minority Report before the game.

Sunday is relaxing at home, and then the tension-filled Sunday game. Things did not go well last time we played, and there are some reckonings that will be had. Lots of roleplaying, not a lot of dice, I fear.

When was the last time you...

1. ...sent a handwritten letter?
A very, very long time. I don't recall. Probably something I sent home from college, maybe even something earlier than that. I don't handwrite very well; I hold a pencil/pen wrong, and it hurts to write like that after a short period of time. So I prefer to type.

2. ...baked something from scratch or made something by hand?
Hrm. I bake every now and then, but I think the last thing I made was cookies in February. Three batches of cake mix cookies. I keep meaning to do sugar cookies, but I never get around to it.

3. ...camped in a tent?
Probably when I was in high school. We had a tent we'd sometimes put up in the yard, and sleep out there. Maybe not high school, maybe middle school, now that I think about it.

4. ...volunteered your time to church, school, or community?
I don't. Don't belong to a church, don't go to school (though I work at one), and I'm not involved in my community. So I'd have to go all the way back to college, when I did extra work at the barn, like mucking out stalls and such.

5. ...helped a stranger?
Someone asked Lou and me for directions on the street two weeks ago, when we were walking. We hopefully gave him the right direction to go; English was not his native language, and we weren't sure what he wanted was where he thought it was. But we tried.

1. Where are you right now?
At work, sitting in front of my computer.

2. What have you lost recently?
Well, I went looking for my John Gorka CD this morning (wanted to rip a song from it) and couldn't find it. I don't know if it was lost recently, though.

Other than that, I've lost 1/2 pound. Which means I'm 1/2 of a pound from my Weight Watchers goal of 169. I am going to try to get down to 164, which would be 30 lbs. lost since I started WW over three years ago.

3. What was the first CD you ever purchased? Does that embarrass you now?
First CD? Oh god, I never really had a CD player until Lou bought me one right when we started going out. So I have no clue, but I don't think it would be something I'd be embarrassed to admit I bought. I had a LOT of tapes before then -- still have them, in fact -- and while it's very 80s music, it's still a favorite.

4. What is your favorite kind of writing pen?
I have a definite weakness for old-style fountain pens. I don't use them, but they are my favorite.

I try to write as little as possible...I hold a pen wrong (I think I've mentioned this before), and it hurts to write for extended periods of time. But of the pens I have now, I love the gold and silver gel ink pens that I use to write in my black-paper notebook from two The Black Road's ago. It has caused comment at GenCon, and I'll probably be bringing it again this year, along with the pens.

5. What is your favorite ice cream flavor?
I love Cherry Garcia from Ben & Jerry's. Probably my favorite, though I don't eat much ice cream these days.

A bit late, but done...

1. Where were you born?
Hrm. This used to be an off-the-cuff answer, but with passwords on sites and things these days with identify theft, I don't know that I want to throw it out where it'll be indexed on the web forever. So, let's just say in Alabama. I know, a strange place for such a Northern girl as me, but there you have it.

2. If you still live there, where would you rather move to? If you don't live there, do you want to move back? Why or why not?
I do not live there. My younger sister and I were born there, then the family moved to Maryland, and then to Portsmouth, RI.

I consider Portsmouth my "home town," though I'm currently living in the state next door. I know very little about Alabama, and I don't want to live in the south. Too hot, no (or very little) snow. Or seasons' change. I need my colored fall leaves!

I do wish I could live in Portsmouth again, but unless I win the lottery or a lot of money, it's not likely...it's an expensive suburb. But I really enjoyed it as the town I grown up in.

3. Where in the world do you feel the safest?
Safest? I have no clue...it's never been that important to me, even after 9/11. Maybe right after, it was a thought. But my apartment is safe enough for me.

4. Do you feel you are well-traveled?
Not as much as I used to be. I traveled a lot in my 20s, to meet friends I'd met online. I hit Toronto many times, NYC, the Albany area of NY, and parts of New Jersey (including the wilds). I also applied to colleges in Virginia (where I ended up attending), Western NJ, and Missouri, where my Mom's from. The farthest west I'd been in the US up until this February was Kansas City for my brother's wedding, though. The trip to Las Vegas blew that away. I've also been to GenCon in Milwaukee (soon to be in Indianapolis) and Origins in Columbus. Back and forth to Florida a few times to visit the ex-boyfriend, as well.

However, I have also been on two trips over the Atlantic. The first was to Spain for two weeks, with a day jaunt to Morocco. The second was a tour of England, Ireland and Wales. It was supposed to have an extension in Scotland, but that got messed up and we ended up staying an extra few days to go to Galway and the Connemara region of Ireland, which was an adequate substitute. I haven't done big trips in a long time, though. I do miss it.

I'm hoping to hit California next year, possibly the San Diego Comic Con. Lou's aunt and until live in San Diego, and we may be able to stay with them.

5. Where is the most interesting place you've been?
Morocco, by far. It was such a different culture. The kids I was pesudo-chaperoning at the time didn't like it, couldn't stand it. They wanted their sodas in sparkling clean glasses (when they didn't want to drink out of the bottle provided), and were amazed when they didn't get them that way. The food was excellent - I had my first cous cous - and the atmosphere was fun. The kids also got their first look at "professional" beggars, and how the bigger kids would shove away the younger, smaller ones to get the few coins they suckered the students into giving out.

Would love to go back. I want to walk through the Casbah again, but at a slower pace. With my money firmly attached to me.

1. How long have you had a weblog?
Well, this one's been going since September 2001, though I really didn't start using it regularly until January 2002.

I did try blogs before that, though. According to my saved html file that was produced by the original blog, my first post went up on March 28, 2000. I didn't do much with that blog, but I did a lot more with my Aberrant blog. It was a weekly game, and this was my character's journal. The character also happened to be me, which was one reason I wanted to keep the journal. It didn't last very long...it was a lot of work to summarize the game sessions, and it died off in July. I had a lot of fun with that, though.

2. What was your first post about?
The first one on the original blog was about how I'd lost 10 lbs. on Weight Watchers in eight weeks. Only took many more years to lose the rest. I also talked obout...oh hell, let's just do it this way:

I've lost 10 lbs. in 8 weeks on Weight Watchers. I so thought I was going to gain last week, but I lost one pound to make that 10. I really am going to gain or stay the same this week, though. I was rather off the point-scale with food most days.

However, on the good news side, I've learned how to do a number of things! More futzing in Photoshop, though not what I'd promised I'd do. I just can't design that way. I did find a nice way to make some buttons and such, tho.

I've also set up the new backup server at work, and it actually is working! Now we just have to slog through two weeks of "new" backups, until we have enough on the tapes that we're not essentially doing brand new backups.

I need to get back to work on Janet's webpage. Since Rob's doing his own for the SFF Bookclub, or whatever it ends up being called, I should have more time. Lou's also wanting to get back to working on his own. I just need to try and find the best WYSIWYG program for him, of course for the Mac as well.

Back to work. More later, perhaps...

3. How many changes (name, location, etc.) of your weblog have there been, if more than one?
The original one was just called BlogFun, my Aberrant one was called Aberrant - Fight the Future, which was the name of our game. They were originally hosted at my old netspace...er...on netspace. This blog was named for the domain, and won't change its location, but it may change hosts someday.

4. What CMS (content management system) do you use? Do you like it or do you want to try something else?
Movabletype. Will never go back. Used to use Blogger, but outgrew it. It was fun when there weren't TONS of people on it, when it was new. Now it's just slow. I tried Greymatter, but it just didn't work for me.

5. Do you read people who have both a journal and a weblog? Or do you prefer to read people who have all of their writing in one central place?
I read the blogs that are linked on my sidebar, with occasional forays into other links from their blogs.

I also use Livejournal to keep up to date with people I know over there. I must admit, I like the community feel and the "current mood" and the "current music" tidbits, and the ability to post a comment to someone with threading and your own icons and being all logged in. But it's much more of a community style than weblog style, and that's okay for somethings, but not all.

1. What is your lineage? Where are your ancestors from?
Well, on my mother's side, I have Austrian and Irish. We have Albers and Mayer along with Mulcahey and Killoran.

On my father's side, where the Frizzell comes from, we have English, with Faulkner. We always thought Frizzell was French, but I learned later it was a corruption of the French "fraises" or strawberries, and was more commonly related to Fraser/Frasier, which are Scottish. So I'm not sure on my dad's side what we all are. But I do know that we have Irish back in there somewhere too.

2. Of those countries, which would you most like to visit?
I want to go back to Ireland and England, but I've always had a desire to go to Scotland, which wasn't solved by a trip to I took to Great Britain that didn't have an extension to Scotland like I thought, but instead an extension in Ireland. Not that I minded visiting the Connemara region and Galway for those three days, but I did originally intend to go to Scotland.

I wouldn't mind visiting Austria, but it's not a burning desire.

3. Which would you least like to visit? Why?
Austria, I guess. The language would be part of it - I don't speak German, and unless I go with someone who can speak it, I'd feel terribly out of place.

4. Do you do anything during the year to celebrate or recognize your heritage?
Nope. I wear green on St. Patrick's Day if I remember, but we're not big into our heritage that way.

5. Who were the first ancestors to move to your present country (parents, grandparents, etc)?
Hrm. I think that my mother's mother came over as a young child, fleeing Austria with her family. I don't know when my mother's father came over. I have very little data on my father's side of the family, but I know it wasn't that long ago. We are SO not Mayflower children. We're very recent immigrants.

1. Do you have a car? If so, what kind of car is it?
I have a 1999 Dodge Grand Caravan. Lou has a 1994 Dodge Shadow, but we're going to be getting rid of that next year and getting him some form of hybrid.

2. Do you drive very often?
Actually, no. I don't need my car for work, and Lou does, so he drops me off at work and takes the car for the day. And when we go anywhere at other times, he likes to drive. I've given up fighting him for it (for the most part). We do tend to take the van everywhere, especially in the summer, as it's our only car with air conditioning. And I can't drive the Shadow anymore -- the seat's broken and is way too far back from the petals for me to be comfortable. I can do it - I have long legs, but it's not how I like to drive.

3. What's your dream car?
I don't really have one anymore. I always wanted a baby blue Volkswagon Beetle, convertable, when I was growing up. The old style, not the new one. I wouldn't mind having a PT Cruiser, or a nice BWM convertible, but cars aren't my thing.

4. Have you ever received a ticket?
Umm...yes. I have an old radar detector in my car, but it's never used anymore. I bought it to help save me from speeding tickets, which it has done. But it really only works if you pay attention to the sounds it makes when it detects the radar. (embarrassed look)

5. Have you ever been in an accident?
Yes. Many times. Not all my fault, but many were. The last one, however, was totally not my fault and the guy got a citation! Whoo-hoo!

Stupid idiot. He crossed in front of me (though the light said "Yield on Green") and I plowed into the side of his minivan. That held his pregnant wife and his two kids. Idiot.

1. What is your current occupation? Is this what you chose to be doing at this point in your life? Why or why not?
I'm a Systems Administrator/Help Desk Manager (but I'm the only person in the help desk. I manage myself!) for a non-teaching department at Brown University.

I chose it in as much as I moved away from the secretarial/administrative assistant positions I'd had prior to this because I really like working with computers, and I'm apparently very good at helping people solve their problems with them. At my current workplace, my job evolved to what it is now for a variety of reasons, but you could say that I chose this. As far as whether it's where I thought I'd be as a kid - no. But it's where I saw myself wanting to be over the past few years.

2. If time/talent/money were no object, what would your dream occupation be?
Working hard at doing nothing, aka living the life of leisure, baby! Writing would be the second choice. Acting the third.

3. What did/do your parents do for a living? Has this had any influence on your career choices?
My mom stayed home and raised the kids. My dad was an engineer for IBM. What they did has had very little influence on my career choices. My mother, in fact, pushed me toward getting a computer degree. I thank the $diety every day that I didn't listen to her.

4. Have you ever had to choose between having a career and having a family?
Nope. Though my "career" isn't really so much that as a job.

5. In your opinion, what is the easiest job in the world? What is the hardest? Why?
Easiest? That's tougher than I thought it'd be. The flagger on a construction site, usually on the highway. You know, the person who directs you to move the car away from where they're working. Why? Because it doesn't require a lot of mental, or really, physical, energy. Though that would make it boring, it'd be easy.

Hardest job is simple - my husband had it. Working as a counselor at an opiate clinic. You deal with addicts who don't want to get better daily; they just want their dose and they're gone. You deal with those who are still using, though they lie to you, or try to cheat the mandatory urine test. And maybe one day, you find out they overdosed and have died, and all your work was for naught. You deal with those who want to get clean, and make it; but they are few and far, far apart.

I watched him go from loving his job to hating it, very, very quickly. Burnout factor was hella high.

He's still doing counseling for drug addicts, but not just those - the homeless and the mentally ill, too. Not just opiate addicts anymore. And many of these people want to get better.

1. What's your favorite piece of clothing that you currently own?
Did you see my t-shirt post? You want me to pick just one? That's like saying which child do I like best. Not that I have any, of course, but the point's still there.

Favorite? I can't pick one. The minute I come up with one, another leaps into my head, and pleads its case. Frell.

Okay, okay. Let's go with my Thank You for Calling Technical Support t-shirt, just to put something down. ::beats down other t-shirts clamoring for their turn:: Be quiet, you!

2. What piece of clothing do you most want to acquire?
I'm not a big clotheshorse. That said, I'd love to have a nice long leather duster. Oh, yeah.

3. What piece of clothing can you not bring yourself to get rid of? Why?
Many of my t-shirts, of course. But if I had to pick one specific shirt that has made it through the pickings, it's been my Near Dark by Tim Bradstreet tee. It's getting worn and threadbare, but still mine. I'm not giving it up.

4. What piece of clothing do you look your best in?
My stretchpants, especially with my weight loss. People comment on my weight loss more often when I'm wearing my stretchpants and a t-shirt.

5. What has been your biggest fashion accident?
Umm..the 70s? Hand-me-downs from elder siblings that didn't fit because I was too tall. I'll have to try to find a picture someday.

Of course, nowadays putting colorful hems at the bottom of jeans is all the rage. Or maybe it was, I don't keep up with trends. But all I know is that in my day, it was to enable me to wear the jeans that otherwise would have been, well, way too short.

1. What is your biggest pet peeve? Why?
I have so many. Pronunciation is a huge one for me. People who say nucular instead of nuclear. Things like that, as a former boss used to say, go up my ass sideways.

2. What irritating habits do you have?
Many. I always think I'm right, and rarely ever admit to being wrong. I so rarely am wrong, though...(hee)

I interrupt people. When I meet someone or a group of people for the first time, I interrupt them and also hog the conversation. It's something I've only recently noticed, and I'm trying to fix it.

I want things to be my way, and will fight and fuss until they are.

I also think that everyone should think like and be like me. It really irritates me when people don't act like I expect them to, because they aren't me. But the only person who knows this about me is Lou. Well, and everyone reading this now.

3. Have you tried to change the irritating habits or just let them be?
I've tried to change. Or at least be aware of it. It doesn't always work, but I do try.

4. What grosses you out more than anything else? Why?
Any sex act involving bodily waste of any sort. No, I've never seen it, nor do I want to. Ick.

5. What one thing can you never see yourself doing that other people do?
Getting a part of my body pierced that is not my ears. Just Say No.

1. What was/is your favorite subject in school? Why?
Algebra. It was so much fun, and easy. At least, at the time it was.

2. Who was your favorite teacher? Why?
Mr. Weymouth. 8th grade Algebra teacher (of course). I distinctly recall him teaching us a math problem without words at one point. One student had difficulty grasping the concept he was trying to show, so using just the chalkboard and chalk, and his hands following down step to step, he explained it to the whole class and the kid, and the kid got it.

That scene has always stuck with me.

1st Runner Up would have to be Mr. Crowley. Choral teacher throughout high school, and also Speech & Debate teacher in my Senior year. He was a lot of fun, and could teach just about anything and make it enjoyable.

3. What is your favorite memory of school?
Favorite? I don't know that I have one. I do recall fondly walking into the big auditorium in high school for chorus practice, and wearing our coats because it was unheated. Mr. Crowley would always tell us it was "Brisk!" not cold. And lots of warm-ups to get our vocal cords er...warmed up.

I also recall him bringing out "We Need a Little Christmas" in May one year, when rehearsal wasn't going well, and we all needed a break. He just started in on the opening keys, and we all blasted that song into smithereens. Great way to let off steam when things aren't going well.

Damn. I miss chorus.

4. What was your favorite recess game?
I don't recall a favorite one, recess was so long ago. Probably something like jumprope.

5. What did you hate most about school?
Oh, lots of things at the time. One has to be hearing the cries of "Stork" as I passed upperclassmen in the hall (I was tall and very thin my freshman year). Though I took that nickname and made it my own, with a few friends and their embarrassing nicknames.

But I'd have to go with the easiest. Homework. I hated homework.

1. Would you say that you're good at keeping in touch with people?
No, not really. I don't keep touch with my family at all. My friends, when I see them, or talk to them on IM. Which leads me to the next question...

2. Which communication method do you usually prefer/use: e-mail, telephone, snail mail, blog comments, or meeting in person? Why?
Email. I've fallen off the phone thing, though I was never really one of those teenagers who spent all their time on the phone. I did go through a phase in my early twenties where I talked a lot on the phone to my boyfriend who was very far away from me. We had very high phone bills.

But I'm more of an email/IM communicator now. I rarely ever use snail mail. I do meet up with people in person, and have just recently gotten in touch with an old high school friend for lunch once, and we're meeting again next week.

3. Do you have an instant messenger program? How many? Why/why not? How often do you use it?
I use Fire at work because I'm on OSX, and Trillian at home, since I'm on XP. I use all the services (AIM, Y!M, ICQ, and MSN Messenger) to talk to various people, and I have different screen names to separate some folk from others. Unfortunately, Fire can't do multiple logins like Trillian yet, but I deal.

I use Fire daily, but I've been cutting back on the Trillian use at home. I've been wanting to do some of my writing when I'm at home on the laptop, and I find that I end up chatting instead of writing when I have it open. So I use Trillian maybe twice a week.

4. Do most of your close friends live nearby or far away?
Some years back, the answer to this would have been the opposite of now. But now, all my close friends live nearby.

5. Are you an "out of sight, out of mind" person, or do you believe that "distance makes the heart grow fonder"?
Heh. Having been involved in two long-distance relationships that didn't last, I have learned my lesson. Out of Sight = Out of Mind. Believe me.

1. What are your favorite ways to relax and unwind?

Reading. Reading a really good book. And watching TV. I also like playing and watching video games, usually one of the fighting games on our PS2.

I like to walk (on the beach especially) and bike ride, but they don't pop first in my head for relaxation.

2. What do you do the moment you get home from work/school/errands?

Drop my purse on the counter, take off my shoes and my socks (if worn), and plop on the loveseat. Then turn on the TV.

3. What are your favorite aromatherapeutic smells?

I don't really have any that I use regularly, but I do love the smell of vanilla. Smells like baking. MMmm....

4. Do you feel more relaxed with a group of friends or hanging out by yourself?

By myself. I can relax with friends, but if I had to pick one or the other, I'd like to be alone with a book to relax.

5. What is something that you feel is relaxing but most people don't?

Watching Lou play Tomb Raider (any version). Though he can get tense and frustrated (and I can too), it's a way of relaxing and having fun.

1. What size shoe do you wear?

Depends, but a 9 1/2. They usually make half-sizes up to 9, so I often wear a 10.

2. How many pairs of shoes do you own?

I have a lot in the closet, but I don't wear them. There's my sneakers, my docksiders, my Tevas, my two pairs of flats, my two pairs of suede flats. I also have various other shoes never thrown out, and some from weddings I've been in.

3. What type of shoe do you prefer (boots, sneakers, pumps, etc.)?

Comfortable. That's the main thing for me. No heels...I just can't do them anymore. So sneakers, docksides, sandals in the summer.

4. Describe your favorite pair of shoes. Why are they your favorite?

My docksiders. I've loved them since I got them, and the previous pair before them. I wear them until they hurt to be worn. The current ones are from LL Bean. I can wear them with or without socks, and they're comfortable for sliding on and off. No fuss, no muss.

5. What's the most you've spent on one pair of shoes?

Oh, probably around $50. I actually prefer being barefoot, even if it makes my feet cold.

1. If you could only choose 1 cd to ever listen to again, what would it be?

One CD? Can it be a CD set? No? *sighs*

I could steal Paula's idea and make a mix CD. But no, that's also sorta cheating...

So, one CD. Hmm. Well, for quickness sake, I'll take Sparrow's Point by Richard Shindell. Otherwise I'd be agonizing over this forever.

2. If you could only choose 2 movies to watch ever again, what would they be?

This is also tough. We'll go for a bit of variety here. Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, and Dangerous Liaisons. Though Usual Suspects might beat the latter out if the hand twitched the wrong way.

3. If you could only choose 3 books to read ever again, what would they be?

Only THREE? Evil, evil person.

Hmm...A CIVIL CAMPAIGN by Lois McMaster Bujold is number one, definitely.

THE COMPLETE WORKS OF WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE, UNABRIDGED, by William Shakespeare. (that's ONE book, see!)

And not a cheat, but a help. THE WORST-CASE SCENARIO SURVIVAL HANDBOOK, by Joshua Piven and David Borgenicht. Just in case.

4. If you could only choose 4 things to eat or drink ever again, what would they be?

Rare roast beef, tea, macaroni & cheese, fresh baked bread, and steamed green beans with garlic.

5. If you could only choose 5 people to ever be/talk/associate/whatever with ever again, who would they be?

Lou, Anne, Grant, Jack, and my mother. All for different reasons, of course.

1. How many TVs do you have in your home?

Hmm...*counts*. One in the bedroom and one in the living room. Then there's the one in the dining room that just sits there, but used to host the PS before we got the living room TV from Lou's parents one Christmas. Then I think I have one on the floor of my closet. So four.

2. On average, how much TV do you watch in a week?

Actual programs, or with the TV just being on and we're doing other stuff?

Often, like last night, I have it on but I mute it, so I can read something on the computer without the TV distracting me. But I don't want to turn it off.

We regularly watch: Angel (and tape Alias), Buffy, Smallville, Ed (though Lou's probably giving up on it...they've yanked his chain too much with Carol and Ed and he likely won't go back), Birds of Prey (and taping West Wing). I watch/tape Survivor and then switch over to Do Over after a half-hour (I watch Survivor at work with my co-workers on Friday at lunch), Firefly (when it's not pre-empted, and taped when I run my game) and then we watch what we've taped when we can. That's about nine hours a week of regular shows. Then add in the Buffy reruns on FX (now back to two a night), then various movies and Saturday morning cartoons, VH1 Country and GAC Country, and we probably watch about 30-35 hours of TV a week.

3. Do you feel that television is bad for young children?

No. Specific programs, quite likely. Like the evening news. Hell, just about any news program. You won't find a more depressing half-hour/hour of TV than world or local news.

But cartoons or such? No. I grew up on Looney Tunes and Mighty Mouse and Superfriends and Captain Caveman and the Teen Angels and Scooby-Doo and the Flintstones. It's all a matter of perspective.

4. What TV shows do you absolutely HAVE to watch, and if you miss them, you're heartbroken?

The six above, though I'm *this* close to dumping Birds of Prey. And I will cry mightily when Farscape ends next year. *sniffles*

5. If you had the power to create your own television network, what would your line-up look like?

No clue. Probably lots of SF shows and a few fantasy shows (like Covington Cross or Roar) and some game shows. I do like catching Beat the Geeks when I remember to find it.

1. What is your favorite scary movie?

I don't have *a* favorite. Lou doesn't like scary movies, so we don't see them often.

I love Scream, because it's irreverent and fun yet scary. I love Jaws, because it's one of the classics of the genre. The Birds is also greatly scary...all that cawing just gets to me. The original movie made from Red Dragon, Manhunter, is great. And Silence of the Lambs is good, but I prefer book-Lecter over Hopkins-Lecter. He's more scary in the book, because he's so subtle.

2. What is your favorite Halloween treat?

Any candy! Though I love candy corn. But my favorite has to be the old snack-sized Snickers bars, before they made them so tiny that it's not worth eating just one.

3. Do you dress up for Halloween? If so, describe your best Halloween costume.

Nope. I love Halloween, Lou doesn't, so it makes for an "eh?" time in our apartment. I'd be more into it if we had our own house, then I'd go all out.

I don't dress up anymore, not since I went out trick-or-treating. And that was a long time ago.

4. Do you enjoy going to haunted houses or other spooky events?

Yep! Lou's mom does a Haunted House at the library she runs, and I get to scream the scary scream that comes from nowhere and everywhere and all around you. That's fun.

But we don't go to the Field of Screams or the Factory of Terror. I used to have a pumpkin carving party, but it's so crowded in our apartment that I stopped last year.

5. Will you dress up for Halloween this year?

Nope. No one comes by our place, so we don't do anything. In fact, Lou won't even be home this year, he'll be at Stillpoint, gaming.

1. Were you raised in a particular religious faith?

Raised Catholic, with a Catholic mother and a non-religious father.

2. Do you still practice that faith? Why or why not?

No. I decided before I was confirmed that it wasn't for me. But I went through with the confirmation because of my mother.

Catholicism isn't for me. Organized religion isn't for me. I'm have the same opinion that Lou has espoused - religion should be a controlled substance.

3. What do you think happens after death?

I'd love to say that you're reunited with your loved ones and that everything is happy in heaven. But I don't think it's like that. I also don't think that bad people burn in hell.

I do think that your spirit, soul, or whatever-you-want-to-call-it can remain in this world - ie, I believe, in some way, in ghosts - but that most of the time we just cease to be.

4. What is your favorite religious ritual (participating in or just observing)?

I love singing Christmas carols. That's about as religious as I get.

5. Do you believe people are basically good?

I believe people can basically be good, but not that everyone is. They all had the potential at some point, but through events in their early lives or later in their lives, or simple choices that they've made, they are not inherently or basically good.

If they were, we wouldn't have things like serial killers or serial snipers.

1. Did you vote in your last elections?

Sure did! Always vote, even by absentee ballot when I was away at school.

2. Do you know who your elected representatives are?

Ummm...some, yes. I don't know a lot of the local folk in Fall River. I think that's because while I live here, I rent and I have no kids. So I'm not as up on local politics as I should be. But I know the "big ones."

Sad thing is, I actually know more about RI politics than I do about MA politics.

3. Have you ever contacted an elected representative? If so, what was it about?

I think I emailed one of them once about some bill. It was quite a few years ago. It was one of those standard "form mail" things.

4. Have you ever participated in a demonstration?

Nope.

5. Have you ever volunteered in an election? What was the result?

Nope.

1. What holiday or holidays do you celebrate this time of year?

Christmas. My birthday at the beginning of the month, too.

2. What was the best gift you have ever received?

Umm...I'd have to say the TV and DVD player my in-laws gave Lou and me for Christmas three years ago. We totally didn't ask for it, and it was a great surprise.

3. What was the worst gift you've ever given?

The tinsel Christmas Tree in a Yankee Swap a few years ago at my old job. The point was to bring the tackiest thing in your house that you had and put it in the box. Lou had gotten this thing from one of his clients, and it was just awful. So I put that in, and it ended up with a Jewish family.

4. Where will you be celebrating the holidays? Are you hosting? Going away?

Not hosting, though we will have friends over for Christmas Eve, I think. We go to Lou's parents Christmas morning after we open our presents, for breakfast and present-opening, then we head to my mom's for presents and food in the late afternoon.

We also have had friends over for New Year's Eve, since it's another friend's birthday and he and his wife always do something together.

5. If you could spend the holidays with someone who isn't around, who would it be with? Why?

I'd like to spend the holidays with my dad. He died when I was 15, and I never really got to know him.

1. What was your biggest accomplishment this year?

Writing nearly 6k words for NaNoWriMo. I hope to do 8 times that next year, and finish my novel!

Oh, and making my WW goal! Whoo!

2. What was your biggest disappointment?

Only writing nearly 6k words for NaNoWriMo. I should have been more committed.

Oh, and losing sight of my WW goal at the end of this year. I need to get back on track.

3. Will you be making any New Year's resolutions?

To get back on track with WW. But I don't tend to make New Year's resolutions because they don't mean much to me.

4. Where will you be at midnight? Do you wish you could be somewhere else?

At home, in the apartment, with the husband and probably a few friends. This is where I wish to be, too. That is, if I wasn't a millionaire and lounging on a beach somewhere tropical!

5. Aside from (possibly) staying up late, do you have any other New Year's traditions?

Well, for the past three or so years, we've had two friends over and we play video games and hang out. Another friend's birthday is the 31st, so he and his wife always have plans of their own.

Before Lou and I moved in together, we used to get a hotel room and go out to eat and watch a movie before heading back to the hotel. That was a nice tradition until I was no longer necessary.

1. Do you wear any jewelry? What kind?

I wear my wedding ring, but that's about it for regular jewelry. I wear pins (I have a great collection) on sweaters when it's cold and I remember to put them on. I have a lot of earrings but I never think about putting them in except on rare occasions. I also have some other necklaces and rings, but those only get dragged out when I'm dressed up. Which is very rare.

That reminds me...I wanted to get rid of my high school class ring. I never wear it, and it is white gold. I wonder if it'll even be worth $50?

2. How often do you wear it?

Umm...oops, see above.

3. Do you have any piercings? If so, where?

I have my ears pierced, once. That's it. I was just recently thinking about getting them pierced again, to try to encourage me to wear more earrings. I will not pierce any other part of me.

4. Do you have any tattoos? If so, where?

No, though I've considered it.

5. What are your plans for the weekend?

Game tonight, with Jack staying over. I've asked for breakfast in tomorrow morning instead of eating out. Lou will probably finish Ratchet & Clank tomorrow or Sunday. We're supposed to get a nasty storm (though more rain here than snow), so I don't know if we'll go out to any movies.

It's basically a weekend to relax from all the stuff we've been doing over the holidays. Sunday is the Sunday game, wherein we're facing three (I think) white dragons on the elemental plane of ice. Thankfully Skyler still has her 9th level Shapechange spell available to her today...

1. Where are you right now?

On the loveseat in the living room of my apartment.

2. What time is it??

9:02 p.m. ET.

3. What are you wearing??

A green polo shirt, my denim long-sleeved overshirt from Red Rock Canyon in Nevada, my new blue jeans from L.L. Bean, and my fleece slipper shoes, also from L.L. Bean.

And underwear and my wedding ring, plus a scrunchie.

4. Any people or animals around you? Describe them.?

My husband and I have just finished watching Farscape, and he is now playing Jak and Daxter. He's sitting on his chair (that matches the loveseat) and staring at the TV. He's wearing his workpants (since he can't wear jeans to work anymore) and a t-shirt, having removed his thermal shirt. He's a big man with long red hair that is the envy of women everywhere.

The cats, Athena & Artemis, are about somewhere.

5. What are your plans for the weekend??

Well, the trip to the Cambridgeside Apple Store has been called off, since it's not likely they'll have the 12" demo model of the new PowerBook. So we are going to get out of the house tomorrow and do something.

Sunday is our game and possibly breakfast out. I need to do laundry at some point. Maybe a movie (I still want to see TTT again). Loose plans.

1. Where do you currently work?

Providence, RI, for Brown University.

2. How many other jobs have you had and where?

My first non-temp job was at St. Andrew's School, Barrington, RI, where I was the Assistant to the Headmaster/Receptionist. This job morphed and changed into being the Assistant to the Head of Upper School, later to the Assistant to the Director of Education (or something like that), and finally adding Assistant to the Director of Special Services to that. All totalled, about 7+ years at St. A's.

I moved from there onto a brief stint of unemployment (my fault - I told them I was leaving my job to move to where the current boyfriend was going to be moving to for college, then didn't end up following him, as he went to grad school at University of Toronto.

I followed that with a position as Senior Word Processor/Typist for the Office of Higher Education in Rhode Island. That was about a year and a half, maybe two. Too many job scares in that time. I swore I'd never work in a place where I could be "bumped" from my job by another person who'd had more seniority than me, just because their position had been eliminiated (or taken by someone else who's job had been eliminated, hence the term "bumping"). I also swore I'd never work for soft money again (ha!).

Followed that up by moving onto St. George's School, Newport (actually Middletown), RI, as the Assistant to the Director of Development. Did that for af few years, until another job opened up in-house, and I became the "Phone Lady" - aka Voice & Data Support, as they'd installed a hellishly expensive phone system and data network in all the rooms and dorms of the school. That was fun for a while, until my boss left and they started making me do her job, with no more pay. They didn't pay me enough to make those decisions, I tell you.

Oh, and I also added in Webmaster in there, but it really wasn't all that much. I was new and html was fun, but it wasn't like I was a big-time serious webmaster.

I moved from that job, after about two years, into my current one. I've had one job upgrade after starting here. But I'm now the Help Desk Manager (I manage myself, currently)/Systems Adminstrator.

3. What do you like best about your job?

I love my boss. I think if she weren't here I wouldn't last more than a few months.

4. What do you like least about your job?

Dealing with people who blame me when they frell up their computer/network/what-have-you.

5. What is your dream job?

Writer.

1. What is one thing you don't like about your body?

While I like the color of my eyes, I don't like how nearsighted I am.

2. What are two things you love about your body?

I love my long, thick hair and my height (just 1/4" shy of 5'10").

3. What are three things you want to change about your home?

Well, first I'd like to GET one. I don't consider the apartment a "home." But if we're going with the current apartment, it'd be this:

First, I'd want the stove to be gas, since we're heated by gas now.

Second, I'd want a larger bathroom.

Third, I'd want outer walls that don't slope inward as they go up, so we can put things against them without them taking up a significant more floor space than they ought to.

4. What are four books you want to read this year?

I don't know...I read whatever I like. That said, I would like to read Diana Gabaldon's latest two. I still have not read Drums of Autumn nor The Fiery Cross. I want to read Neil Gaiman's American Gods. And I want to start Terry Pratchett's Discworld series. Oh, and I want to finish Eric Flint's 1632, since I just couldn't get through the end, where I knew there was going to be a lot of deaths, after September 11, 2001. That's when I stopped reading it. I do want to get back to it, and now we have it in ebook format, thanks to Lou's Christmas present of War of Honor.

Oh, and I want to finish The Fifth Sorceress in eBook format on my Palm, too. That's by Robert Newcomb, and I got it free from Fictionwise last year. Hmm..well, I mentioned five by name, and then Terry Pratchett. That should do.

5. What are five promises you have kept to yourself?

Does this mean promises I haven't told anyone, or promises that I made to myself that I didn't break?

I don't make promises like the latter, nor the former, actually, now that I think about it. So, invalid question. Sorry.

(hmm..category is still not sticking in Kung-Log. Must report bug.)

1. As a child, who was your favorite superhero/heroine? Why?

I wasn't into superheroes as a child. That said, I did watch Batman on reruns, and The Hulk and Wonder Woman on TV. That said, I think I'd pick Wonder Woman.

2. What was one thing you always wanted as a child but never got?

A horse. And totally understandable that I never got one. I didn't complain or anything. Hell, I used to *volunteer* to muck out stalls at the barn I rode at. I got up EARLY on weekends to do that.

3. What's the furthest from home you've been?

Alicante, Spain. It was supposedly the warmest place in Spain, and it was frelling cold. We only stayed one night, and then headed back to Madrid.

4. What's one thing you've always wanted to learn but haven't yet?

How to jump out of airplanes. And shoot a gun.

5. What are your plans for the weekend?

ATF tonight, and I'm trotting out the new monster I created last night. Tomorrow, Jack is staying and we're doing some Rilla & Gevrok stuff. Probably eating out some meal.

Tomorrow night, Lou's mother is celebrating her 60th birthday with dinner out and then a family game night. Her actual birthday is today.

Then the Sunday game, hopefully will go as usual. But since StillPoint is moving, we may be missing two of our four players, and hence would have to cancel.

1. What did you have for breakfast this morning? If you didn't have breakfast, why not?

Tea, with Splenda. And a Fruit'n'Nut Trail mix bar.

2. What's your favorite cereal?

Corn Pops. I remember the days when they were called SUGAR Corn Pops. I also have a soft spot for Golden Grahams.

3. How often do you eat out? Do you want that to change?

We eat out more than we should. Probably 3-5 times a week. We need to eat out less.

4. What do you plan on having for dinner tonight? Got a recipe for that?

No clue. We didn't plan ahead. Probably order something out, or eat leftovers. We don't have anything thawed. Maybe we'll have the Lean Cuisine Turkey Skillet.

5. What's your favorite restaurant? Why?

Depends on what meal. For breakfast, though some may be offended, my favorite is Denny's. A close second is Persy's, a local place that has a huge breakfast menu.

Lunch...well, I must admit, I've grown very fond of Panera Bread. I also like Chili's and Little Chopsticks, and Four Seasons (local Asian food place).

Dinner. Chili's or Chopsticks for dinner is good. I love the prime rib from Fireside, though.

[jeez, couldn't do a Valentine's Day one right on the day, eh?]

1. Explain why you started to journal/blog.

Originally, it was to write a character log for a game that I'd have an easy way to update. I was trying to write a first person summary of the game sessions. I think I lasted about 10 (checks) 13 sessions before there was just too much for me to keep up with, and I have at least one more session and a half I never typed up. I think the main reason was that I was writing longhand then typing it in. Partially, anyway.

At the same time, I had started my own personal blog, but I never got the hang of it. Kept wanting to do it, but never did. Then September 11th happened, and I wanted to record some things from that time. I didn't, but it got me kick-started.

2. Do people you interact with day to day or family members know about your journal/blog? Why or why not?

Yes. I don't openly advertise it at work, but some folk know I have it. It's secret, like my livejournal is. My husband says he reads my blog every other day or so, to see what I've been up to.

3. Do you have a theme for your journal/blog?

Not for this one, no. I have the Weight Watchers one, so that has a theme, the Whitespace one for writing, and the Pop Goes the Culture one for reviews of TV, movies, etc. This one isn't really themed.

4. What direction would you like to have your journal/blog go in over the next year?

I'd like to post more, and maybe write a bit more in this one. Not writing, but longer, more thoughtul entries.

5. Pimp five of your favorite journals/blogs.

Look at my Hit List. Those are the ones I visit daily. I won't pick five, they're all wonderful in their own way.

1. What is your most prized material possession?

My wedding ring.

2. What item, that you currently own, have you had the longest?

Ye gods...probably my Duran Duran button collection. Or some books. Probably the books. I think I've got some of my mom's Nancy Drew books.

3. Are you a packrat?

Yes. 'Nuff said.

4. Do you prefer a spic-and-span clean house? Or is some clutter necessary to avoid the appearance of a museum?

I'd prefer a clean house if I didn't have to be the one to clean it. But I get to say where everything goes (or Lou does). Not some cleaning person.

But I do like some clutter.

5. Do the rooms in your house have a theme? Or is it a mixture of knick-knacks here and there?

No, no theme in the apartment, other than the monitor armies in the computer room.

We were fortunate in finding a futon cover for the living room that (mostly) matches the loveseat and the chair, though!

1. What is your favorite type of literature to read (magazine, newspaper, novels, nonfiction, poetry, etc.)?

Novels. I divide my time between romance novels and fantasy novels, with a little science fiction thrown in.

I also read fanfiction. Some of it. Only the really good ones, unless I really want to torture myself, or feel in a mocking mood.

2. What is your favorite novel?

This changes, depending on mood. Right now, I'm going to have to say A Civil Campaign by Lois McMaster Bujold. Honorary mention to Lord of Scoundrels by Loretta Chase.

3. Do you have a favorite poem? (Share it!)

I love all of Robert Frost's poems. Lou gave a collected works volume to me for our anniversary. But I think Birches is my favorite.

4. What is one thing you've always wanted to read, or wish you had more time to read?

My TBR pile? That said, I'd like to try The Silmarillion again. I might get further this time.

5. What are you currently reading?

St. Raven by Jo Beverley. I'm going to follow that up with the last two bookclub choices I haven't gotten to yet, Tailchaser's Song by Tad Williams and Someplace to be Flying by Charles deLint. I just finished Crossroads of Twilight by Robert Jordan.

Yes, I'm a Wheel of Time fan. Get over it.

1. What was the last song you heard?

Jewel, Cleveland.

2. What were the last two movies you saw?

In the theater: How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days and Shanghai Knights.

3. What were the last three things you purchased?

A bunch of cold medicine things at CVS last night. I have a sore throat and a slight cough, so I bought Theraflu, some cough drops, and some lotion, since I was running out. There were a few more things, and they were all bought at once, so I just picked three.

4. What four things do you need to do this weekend?

1) Run my game tonight.
2) Do the bills tomorrow or Sunday morning.
3) Write!
4) Do some laundry.

5. Who are the last five people you talked to?

All at work, since I'm there...

5) Ted
4) Kate
3) Laurie
2) Jennifer
1) Adie

1. Do you like talking on the phone? Why or why not?

Not really, anymore. When I was younger I did it a lot. I had huge phone bills to Guatemala for a certain boyfriend who lived there, and we liked to chat. I also talked a lot with Lou on the phone before we were involved.

Now, I'd prefer to IM with people. It's more convenient.

2. Who is the last person you talked to on the phone?

Umm...the wrong number that called earlier tonight. Before that, it'd have to be Jim Johnson, Lou's friend who got married last November (and we went down for his wedding). Lou wanted to stop by and say hi on the way back from this wedding, and since we were driving practically right by his house, he picked up his cell phone to call him. But as he was driving and I was not and he didn't have his headset, I took the phone and made the call. Got answering machines/voice mail at first, but then Jim called us back.

3. About how many telephones do you have at home?

Functional? Three. We also have at least one more, that being the one Lou takes on his week-long conferences in the summer.

4. Have you encountered anyone who has really bad phone manners? What happened?

Not that I recall. I'm sure I did, but as I don't like to talk on the phone, I couldn't say.

5. Would you rather pick up the phone and call someone or write them an e-mail or a letter? Why or why not?

Email. It's quicker and easier for me. Or IMing, which is fastest. If they're online, of course.

1. If you had the chance to meet someone you've never met, from the past or present, who would it be?

I'd love to meet my dad's dad. My mother never even met him, he was dead before they met.

2. If you had to live in a different century, past or future, which would it be?

Future. As much as I love reading historicals and stuff about the past, I love my modern comforts.

Unless the world reverts in the future. Then I'd go back, because I would be rich with all the neat things I'd invent or know to invest in.

3. If you had to move anywhere else on Earth, where would it be?

Had to move? But I don't want to move!

Okay, fine. I think, even though I've never been there, I'd want to move to New Zealand.

4. If you had to be a fictional character, who would it be?

Someone animated, in like a Disney or Warner Brothers animation. They never stay hurt, even when decapitated and all. They're fine in the next screen!

Other than that, I'd be Cordelia Naismith Vorkosigan. She rocks.

5. If you had to live with having someone else's face as your own for the rest of your life, whose would it be?

Eeeeee...flashbacks to Face/Off! If it was just a face, I'd pick someone ordinary-looking. Not a movie star or someone famous. I don't think I could take it.

1. What was your most memorable moment from the last week?

The insanity that went on in the LJ fandom community I follow, after a troll or who-knows-what decided that a bunch of fandom names needed to be saved by her God. Still not sure if she was a hoax or real, but she's gone now, and the only record we have are saved browser caches.

2. What one person touched your life this week?

A co-worker, whom I just found out has a brain tumor. He's sure everything's going to be fine, and so am I, now that I've spoken to him.

3. How have you helped someone this week?

I help people every day. It's part of my job. I fix their computer issues.

4. What one thing do you need to get done by this time next week?

Getting the new computers out on desks so I can work on getting the Xserve in place!

5. What one thing will you do over the next seven days to make your world a better place?

Umm...go see a play on Saturday night. It'll make Teddy's day, to know that his friends have come and seen him. And knowing that I was there supporting him will make his world, and thereby mine, a better place.

1. How many houses/apartments have you lived in throughout your life?

Let's see...born in Alabama, moved to Maryland, then Portsmouth. From there, it was next to college. After college, it was the apartment in the house on Trenton Street in Providence, then home again. House on Lavaughn Street in Providence, followed by home again. Then it was the current apartment in Fall River, so that makes (counts) 6, not counting the dorms in college.

2. Which was your favorite and why?

The house in Portsmouth. It's home. It's where I grew up. It was also called Rivendell by my online friends when they came to visit, because it was so big. Six bedrooms in all. Two on the 2nd floor, two on the first, and we built two in the basement. Yeah, I'm from a big family.

3. Do you find moving house more exciting or stressful? Why?

Depended on why I was moving. But for the most part, more exciting than stressful. Because each time I was moving into a situation I wanted to be in. Sure, stressed at the packing and moving parts, but those are smaller than the other bits.

4. What's more important, location or price?

Price more than location, but I don't want to be in ia bad location just to be cheap.

5. What features does your dream house have (pool, spa bath, big yard, etc.)?

Lou and I talk about this regularly. We have plans for a dream house. Big place, big yard, pool, spa, all of the above. Now we just need to win the lottery to afford it!

1. Who is your favorite celebrity?

I don't really have a favorite. But I'm liking Orlando Bloom and Hugh Jackman a lot these days.

2. Who is your least favorite?

None comes directly to mind.

3. Have you ever met or seen any celebrities in real life?

I met Andrew Robinson (Garak on DS9) once. He, as a young man, attended the school at which I was currently working. I've also met Bruce Campbell (at a signing at Origins, have a picture), Mira Furlan (Delenn from B5, again at a signing at Origins, she signed my B5 rule book), J. Michael Straczynski (another signing, got him to sign my ToyFare magazine and sent the picture into ToyFare and was featured as a F.O.O.T. soldier in one issue). Oh yes, and I sort of met Jerry Doyle (Garibaldi from B5) at Origins, too. Long story. Someday I'll tell it, or maybe I can get Jim Gaynor to tell it, as he heard it directly and I only heard about it later. Mr. Doyle also was at a restaurant later with a small entourage of fans, and we were eating there too. I refrained from saying anything to him about it, though. I see various celebrities at GenCon and other conventions, but usually at a distance. Oh, and I had James Marsters answer my question at GenCon a few years ago, when he was there for an appearance.

4. Would you want to be famous? Why or why not?

I fluctuate between this. I don't think I'd want to be just famous. I'd rather be rich. Fame in and of itself can cause more problems than it solves.

Of course, if I become a best-selling author and get my fame that way, I'll deal. :)

5. If you had to trade places with a celebrity for a day, who would you choose and why?

Hmm...probably, oh, I don't know ... J. Lo. So I could sleep with Ben and then kick his ass out on the street. And cancel their stupid attempts to remake certain movies! *laughs*

1. What was the last TV show you watched?

Farscape: We're So Screwed, Part II: Hot to Katratzi. I'm taping it off the Replay for a friend who missed the last episodes. Just two more left after this, then I can remove them from the Replay and have a huge amount of hard drive space again. Whee!

2. What was the last thing you complained about?

That Toshiba doesn't have specs on their website about taking their laptops apart like Apple does. My internal fan isn't operating, which is why it keeps shutting itself off, and I wanted to look at it, see if I could see what the problem might be. I can undo all the screws, but the case isn't easily coming apart, and I don't want to break it.

3. Who was the last person you complimented and what did you say?

My husband, probably. Told him he was cute or gorgeous or something like that.

4. What was the last thing you threw away?

The cut-outs I used for ATF last night.

5. What was the last website (besides this one) that you visited?

This site. I was going through my memes on which I am behind.

1. Name one song you hate to admit you like.

I'm not really afraid to admit I like any song. Even Sk8r Boi has its moments.

2. Name two songs that always make you cry.

The Horsetamer's Daughter filk , by Leslie Fish. And there's another filk I can't find anymore, about a ship in space where the crew dies to bring refugees to safety, all but one member who gets beaned on the head by another crewmember when he suggests drawing straws for the last, undamaged suit/helmet or something. The story is told from his POV, and it always makes me cry. I'm mentioning it here hoping someone will know the filk in question and tell me where I can find it!

3. Name three songs that turn you on.

Closer, by Nine Inch Nails. I can't think of any others.

4. Name four songs that always make you feel good.

The Lion Sleeps Tonight, by The Tokens
Rio, by Duran Duran.
Ukelele de Chocobo, by Nobuo Uematsu (from the FFIX soundtrack).
Star Wars closing/ending theme music, by John Williams.

5. Name five songs you couldn't ever do without.

Blasphemous Rumors, by Depeche Mode.
Ukelele de Chocobo, by Nobuo Uematsu.
Make Room for Me, by Susie Burke.
To Zanarkand, by Nobuo Uematsu (from the FFX soundtrack).
The Shopping Cart of Love: The Play, by Christine Lavin.

1. Would you consider yourself an organized person? Why or why not?

In certain areas, I'm very organized. Back when I worked on my desktop computer, everything had its place. It looked a mess, but I knew where everything was! My purse is also organized, and some of my work area at work is organized.

The rest is an utter and complete mess.

2. Do you keep some type of planner, organizer, calendar, etc. with you, and do you use it regularly?

I have my Palm IIIc, but I don't use it as often as I should.

3. Would you say that your desk is organized right now?

See above. :)

4. Do you alphabetize CDs, books, and DVDs, or does it not matter?

Yes, by artist/author last name, then by series in printed/published order, or release order for CDs. The DVDs, not so much. I do keep like CDs together - the Roughnecks series (now complete!), all the Kevin Smith DVDs that we have, the Star Wars DVDs, etc. Then I go by the kind of case. Some of them have a flip open side that gets caught on other cases if you try to push them together. So those are separate. Then there's the oddly-sized sets - Buffy, seasons 1 and 2 (no, we don't have 3 yet), Fellowship, Beauty and the Beast, etc.

I need to reorganize the books, though. They started out in order but now are SERIOUSLY out of whack. It will take a lot of time though, and I'd need to weed out the ones to not keep (like the romance novels).

5. What's the hardest thing you've ever had to organize?

My office at work, when I moved into a new one. It's still not organized!

1. What drinking water do you prefer -- tap, bottle, purifier, etc.?

Bottle. It's the convenience. We have a purifier in the fridge and one on the tap. But I also am a big fan of room temperature water, so there you go.

2. What are your favorite flavor of chips?

Cape Cod Sea Salt and Vinegar. If not that, then plain Lays or Ruffles. MMmmm....chips...

3. Of all the things you can cook, what dish do you like the most?

I'm more of a dessert person than a meal person. I really like my spinach & artichoke dip though, and so do others. At least, there's never anything left and there's not a lot of artichoke-spinachy smell coming from the trash afterwards, so I assume they like it...

4. How do you have your eggs?

Scrambled, or over medium. I used to do over hard, but I now can appreciate putting some of the yolk on toast. Never over easy or sunnyside up. I like my white firm, thank you.

I am also a fan of quiche as long as it's not "egg pie with stuff on top," which is unfortunately how Persy's is making their quiche now.

And this, of course, is only if Lou isn't making omelettes.

5. Who was the last person who cooked you a meal? How did it turn out?

Lou is the cook in our house, so it would have been him. Besides restaurants, of course. And it turned out fine, as all of his meals do.