OmegaMom

So Joanna tagged me with the 25 Things meme.  Right now, I am fresh out of ideas for a blog post, and this was handy, so…

1. I broke my leg in the Grand Canyon and got a helicopter flight over closed airspace as a result.
2. I wanted to write best-selling historical romances as a living when I was in high school.
3. I still bite my fingernails.
4. I went to four different colleges before I got my degree.
5. When studying higher mathematics, I got to the point where I would do proofs in my dreams.  Some of those proofs actually turned out to be solutions to homework problems I was stuck on.
6. I have lived in Chicago; Prescott, Prescott Valley, and Flagstaff, AZ; Orinda, Lafayette, and San Leandro, CA; Lubbock, TX; and here in Alaska.
7. My earliest memory is of flying to visit my grandmother in Florida with my parents.  I was very small.
8. Before I had LASIK done, my eyesight was something like 20/600 in one eye, and 20/700 in the other.
9. When I was a teenager, I wanted to have five children, like my aunt and uncle.
10. I like floofy mixed drinks.
11. I have a knot on my left arm where I was caught between a wall and some girls’ room lockers that friends and I were pushing over in seventh or eighth grade.
12. I can recite The Jabberwock from memory.
13. I hate white chocolate.
14. Yesterday I learned that the part of the guitar’s neck where you are supposed to press down on the guitar strings is not the metal bump of the fret, but between the metal frets.
15. I am supremely lazy.
16. I abruptly dumped my very best friend, with no explanation, when I was around 20 or 21, for what I still think were very good reasons.
17. I have fallen in love three times.
18. I spent three weeks writing (long-hand) in a blaze of creativity while I was in my last bout at college; I was writing so much and so fast that it gave me a case of carpal tunnel syndrome that recurs now and then.  It ended up being about ninety pages on the computer.  I still have it on a hard-drive that is currently inaccessible.
19. I am a wuss and back away from confrontation on a regular basis.
20. I have phone-phobia, which was a problem when working as a magazine writer.
21. We lived near Cabrini Green when I was growing up.  I believe it has since been torn down?
22. Our house was set on fire by teenagers walking home from school in the alley behind us.
23. I save cards and letters others send to me.
24. Sometimes I like to watch golf on TV; it’s soothing.
25. I will be fifty on my next birthday.  This is bothering me.

Your turn!  You’re tagged!  Write it up somewhere and post a link in the comments!

Which science fiction character are you?

Jean-Luc Picard

An accomplished diplomat who can virtually do no wrong, you sometimes know it is best to rely on the council of others while holding the reins.

There are some words which I have known since I was a schoolboy. “With the first link, the chain is forged. The first speech censored, the first thought forbidden, the first freedom denied, chains us all irrevocably.” These words were uttered by Judge Aaron Satie — as a wisdom, and warning. The first time any man’s freedom is trodden on, we’re all damaged.

Jean-Luc is a character in the Star Trek universe.

Onto “real” things:

I want the election to be over with.

The dotter and I spent a few hours this afternoon making jack-o-lanterns, ghosts, witches, cemeteries, etc. to hang in the windows.

I have the first parent-teacher conference of the school year this Thursday.  Ms. Nices is…well, nice enough…but I’m not so sure I’m thrilled with her as a teacher.  Not dismayed, either, but not thrilled, the way I was with Mrs. Shoelace (who could Do No Wrong).

Soooo…is the economic mess “contained” yet?  Wanna place bets?

So Marley did a meme, and I remember seeing this meme somewhere else, and I’m looking for something to pop into the ol’ blogeroo while I’m gallivanting about with my mom and my dotter, so I thought I’d do this.

You type your name followed by “needs” into Google.  You choose 10, hopefully the top 10.

So.  Herewith:

Kate needs a shave.  Ooookay.  Look, I know I’ve got this menopausal thing going on, and I know that I have hair growing in odd places now (while it stops growing in other places), but isn’t it a bit rude to be telling me I need a shave?!

Kate needs a cold shower.  Um.  I’m afraid to look.  It’s a video.  It’s probably not safe for work.

Kate needs a date.  With my husband, of course!  Who else?!  And I do.  We’re considering getting season tickets to the symphony in Big City.  It just so happens that my heartthrob symphony conductor from Small University Mountain Town left his position there a year and a half ago.  Guess where he turned up?!  Big City!  Woot!  Now I can go and sigh mistily as he tosses his mane of raven hair about while conducting.

Ahem.  I remind myself that the date we’re talking about is with my husband, not with aforementioned conductor.

Let’s continue.

Kate needs a stylist.  I totally agree.  Anyone want to donate a few visits to a stylist to me?  (Note:  it’s actually Mary-Kate, but we’ll accept it anyway.)

Kate needs a macro-system.  Don’t we all?

Kate needs to get lost.  Well!  The noive!  Besides, if I were to get lost around here, we’d have Real Problems.  People who get lost around here get eaten by bears.  Or die of starvation.  Or freeze or get hypothermia.

Kate needs your help.  I always do.  It could be monetary help.  Hint, hint.

Kate needs to think before she speaks.  Yowzah.  I am totally down with this one.  This is soooo true, sometimes.

Kate needs better keyboard usability.  Yup.  And better eye-interface usability.  And better finger-joint usability.  Oh, heck, toss in a bunch of usability stuff, I’m sure I need it.

Kate needs to go on a diet.  Um.  Who’s been looking at all the pictures of me I don’t put up on the web?!  Okay, look, this one’s about Mary-Kate again, and, hey, y’know, in every picture of that girl I’ve seen, she would be the last person on earth who needs to go on a diet; if anything, she needs to stop dieting and start eating again.  As for me?  Well, let’s just say I do need to go on a diet, but I need to do it on the QT, because I’m damned if my dotter hears me uttering those words and grows up thinking that’s the way to approach life.

By the way, we’ve been in Alaska a year now…

An important question, brought to my attention by Whatever:

Created by OnePlusYou

The utterly hilarious "An Engineer’s Guide to Cats", copped from Miss C Recommends:

We were discussing nicknames over dinner the other night.  I mentioned that my mother calls me "Katya" and that my dad called me "Puddin’".  The dotter said:  "Awwwww.  That’s sweet."  Then she thought for a moment.  Then she said, "He’s dead, y’know."  Cause–>effect.  Or something like that.

I’m sick again.  Urg.  Just bone tired, feeling nauseated, chills.  I want it all to just Go Away.  And I have one birthday party to attend and another to set up this weekend.  (We’ve had another RSVP.)  (Thanks for the advice on goody bags.  I will just assume everyone’s going to make it, and next year I’ll try Sister Carrie’s approach, see if it works better or not.)

While everything was going on this week, PAGent tagged me with a meme.  Woot!  Something I can do without taxing my brain too terribly!

This meme lists every month, with an associated list of traits for people born in that month.  Of course, we all know such stuff is woo, that everyone can "see" themselves in such a description, and yadda yadda yadda.  Anyway, we’re supposed to go through the list and highlight the items that pertain to us, then copy the whole damned list and tag 12 other people.

I was born in April.  April, for those who know, is "the cruelest month".  I’m an Aries.  And, naturally enough, most of the Aries traits do seem to apply to me, but, as I said above, it’s one of those pattern-seeking things, and you’ll see yourself anywhere.

This is what they say about April:

APRIL: Active and dynamic. Decisive and hasty but tends to regret. Attractive and affectionate to oneself. Strong mentality. Loves attention. Diplomatic. Consoling, friendly and solves people’s problems. Brave and fearless. Adventurous. Loving and caring. Suave and generous. Emotional. Aggressive. Hasty. Good memory. Moving. Motivates oneself and others. Sickness usually of the head and chest. Sexy in a way that only their lover can see.

I gotta say, some of it is…a bit weird.  "Affectionate to oneself"?  What exactly does that mean?  Selfish?  Self-loving?  Narcissistic?  "Sauve"?  "Loves attention"?  I hate attention, except from people I love; I prefer to fade into the background.  I was a beige teen as a result.

Frankly, the description for February matches me much better, except for the "superstitious and ludicrous" part…

Here’s the deal if you pass it on:

1. Mention the person who tagged you and create a link back to them.
2. Copy-paste the traits for all the twelve months.
3. Pick your month of birth.
4. Highlight the traits that apply to you.
5. Tag 12 people and let them know by visiting their blogs and leaving a comment for them.
6. Let the person who tagged you know when you’ve done it.

THE MONTHLY FLAVORS, WHICH ARE YOU?

JANUARY: Stubborn and hard-hearted. Ambitious and serious. Loves to teach and be taught. Always looking at people’s flaws and weaknesses. Likes to criticize. Hardworking and productive. Smart, neat and organized. Sensitive and has deep thoughts. Knows how to make others happy. Quiet unless excited or tensed. Rather reserved. Highly attentive. Resistant to illnesses but prone to colds. Romantic but has difficulties expressing love. Loves children. Loyal. Has great social abilities yet easily jealous. Very stubborn and money cautious.

FEBRUARY: Abstract thoughts. Loves reality and abstract. Intelligent and clever. Changing personality. Attractive. Sexy. Temperamental. Quiet, shyand humble. Honest and loyal. Determined to reach goals. Loves freedom.Rebellious when restricted. Loves aggressiveness. Too sensitive and easily hurt. Gets angry really easily but does not show it. Dislikes unnecessary things. Loves making friends but rarely shows it. Daring and stubborn.Ambitious. Realizes dreams and hopes. Sharp. Loves entertainment and leisure. Romantic on the inside not outside. Superstitious and ludicrous.Spendthrift. Tries to learn to show emotions.

MARCH: Attractive personality. Sexy. Affectionate. Shy and reserved.Secretive. Naturally honest, generous and sympathetic. Loves peace and serenity. Sensitive to others. Loves to serve others. Easily angered.Trustworthy. Appreciative and returns kindness. Observant and assesses others. Revengeful. Loves to dream and fantasize. Loves traveling. Loves attention. Hasty decisions in choosing partners. Loves home decors.Musically talented. Loves special things. Moody.

APRIL: Active and dynamic. Decisive and hasty but tends to regret.Attractive and affectionate to oneself. Strong mentality. Loves attention.Diplomatic. Consoling, friendly and solves people’s problems. Brave and fearless. Adventurous. Loving and caring. Suave and generous. Emotional. Aggressive. Hasty. Good memory. Moving. Motivates oneself and others. Sickness usually of the head and chest. Sexy in a way that only their lover can see.

MAY: Stubborn and hard-hearted. Strong-willed and highly motivated. Sharp thoughts. Easily angered. Attracts others and loves attention. Deep feelings. Beautiful physically and mentally. Firm Standpoint. Needs no motivation. Easily consoled. Systematic (left brain). Loves to dream. Strong clairvoyance. Understanding. Sickness usually in the ear and neck. Good imagination. Good physical. Weak breathing. Loves literature and the arts. Loves traveling. Dislike being at home. Restless. Not having many children. Hardworking. High spirited. Spendthrift.

JUNE: Thinks far with vision. Easily influenced by kindness. Polite and soft-spoken. Having ideas. Sensitive. Active mind. Hesitating, tends to delay. Choosy and always wants the best. Temperamental. Funny and humorous.Loves to joke. Good debating skills. Talkative. Daydreamer. Friendly. Knows how to make friends. Able to show character. Easily hurt. Prone to getting colds. Loves to dress up. Easily bored. Fussy. Seldom shows emotions. Takes time to recover when hurt. Brand conscious. Executive. Stubborn.

JULY: Fun to be with. Secretive. Difficult to fathom and to be understood.Quiet unless excited or tensed. Takes pride in oneself. Has reputation.Easily consoled. Honest. Concerned about people’s feelings. Tactful.Friendly. Approachable. Emotional temperamental and unpredictable. Moody and easily hurt. Witty and sparkly. Not revengeful. Forgiving but never forgets.Dislikes nonsensical and unnecessary things. Guides others physically and mentally. Sensitive and forms impressions carefully. Caring and loving.Treats others equally. Strong sense of sympathy. Wary and sharp. Judges people through observations. Hardworking. No difficulties in studying. Loves to be alone. Always broods about the past and the old friends. Likes to bequiet. Homely person. Waits for friends. Never looks for friends. Not aggressive unless provoked. Prone to having stomach and dieting problems.Loves to be loved. Easily hurt but takes long to recover.

AUGUST: Loves to joke. Attractive. Suave and caring. Brave and fearless.Firm and has leadership qualities. Knows how to console others. Too generous and egoistic. Takes high pride in oneself. Thirsty for praises.Extraordinary spirit. Easily angered. Angry when provoked. Easily jealous.Observant. Careful and cautious. Thinks quickly. Independent thoughts. Loves to lead and to be led. Loves to dream. Talented in the arts, music and defense. Sensitive but not petty. Poor resistance against illnesses. Learns to relax. Hasty and trusty. Romantic. Loving and caring. Loves to make friends.

SEPTEMBER: Suave and compromising. Careful, cautious and organized. Likes to point out people’s mistakes. Likes to criticize. Stubborn. Quiet but able to talk well. Calm and cool. Kind and sympathetic. Concerned and detailed.Loyal but not always honest. Does work well. Very confident. Sensitive. Good memory. Clever and knowledgeable. Loves to look for information. Must control oneself when criticizing. Able to motivate oneself. Understanding.Fun to be around. Secretive. Loves leisure and traveling. Hardly shows emotions. Tends to bottle up feelings. Very choosy, especially in relationships. Systematic.

OCTOBER: Loves to chat. Loves those who loves them. Loves to take things atthe center. Inner and physical beauty. Lies but doesn’t pretend. Gets angry often. Treats friends importantly. Always making friends. Easily hurt but recovers easily. Daydreamer. Opinionated. Does not care of what others think. Emotional. Decisive. Strong clairvoyance. Loves to travel, the arts and literature. Touchy and easily jealous. Concerned. Loves outdoors. Just and fair. Spendthrift. Easily influenced. Easily loses confidence. Loves children.

NOVEMBER: Has a lot of ideas. Difficult to fathom. Thinks forward. Unique and brilliant. Extraordinary ideas. Sharp thinking. Fine and strong clairvoyance. Can become good doctors. Dynamic in personality. Secretive.Inquisitive. Knows how to dig secrets. Always thinking. Less talkative but amiable. Brave and generous. Patient. Stubborn and hard-hearted. If there isa will, there is a way. Determined. Never give up. Hardly becomes angry unless provoked. Loves to be alone. Thinks differently from others.Sharp-minded. Motivates oneself. Does not appreciate praises. High-spirited.Well-built and tough. Deep love and emotions. Romantic. Uncertain in relationships. Homely. Hardworking. High abilities. Trustworthy. Honest and keeps secrets. Not able to control emotions. Unpredictable.

DECEMBER: Loyal and generous. Sexy. Patriotic. Active in games and interactions. Impatient and hasty. Ambitious. Influential in organizations.Fun to be with. Loves to socialize. Loves praises. Loves attention. Loves to be loved. Honest and trustworthy. Not pretending. Short tempered. Changing personality. Not egotistic. Take high pride in oneself. Hates restrictions. Loves to joke. Good sense of humor. Logical.

To the left is the fugly light fixture.  Bleah.  I happen to like Mrs. Figby’s tulip fixture and think you can do some fun deco decor with it, but this thing is…is…well, it takes me back to a certain Chicago decor that includes, say, plastic coverings on sofas.

On to more important things:  Two memes from SheOfLittleBrain. 

#1. Rules–You must list one fact that is somehow relevant to your life for each letter of your middle name. If you don’t have a middle name, use the middle name you would have liked to have. When you are tagged, you need to write your own blog post containing your own middle name game facts. At the end of your blog post you need to choose one person for each letter of your middle name to tag. Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged and to read your blog.

A–A is for, of course, adoption.  Without adoption, we wouldn’t have OmegaDotter in our lives, and, as a result, we wouldn’t be stuck with the fugly light fixture.  ;)  I could also, of course, do Alaska.

N–Hey!  How about Nanning?  That’s where we met the dotter almost five years ago.

N–New…new state, new house, new environment, new adventures.

E–Exploration:  The new state, etc., requires exploration.  Exploration is something that OmegaDad is excellent at; he plunges into new experiences wholeheartedly, with an enthusiasm and excitement that sparks the same enthusiasm and excitement within me.

Meme #2. This meme consists of ten questions to be answered.

1. If you could have super powers what would they be and what would you do with them? (Please feel free to be selfish, you do not have to save the world!)

I suppose automagically unpacking everything and getting it all into the proper places doesn’t count.  Sigh.  I’m going to cheat and use SheOfLittleBrain’s answer, because I think it’s cool:  teleportation.  It would be so wonderful to be able to teleport myself to see my mom for an hour or two, or to teleport the dotter off to see her One And Only True Love, or be able to visit OmegaDad’s family for Christmas on a whim, instead of having to spend months persuading him we should go and then driving (or, these days, flying) forever to get there.

2. Were you to find your self stranded on an island with a CD player…it could happen…what would your top 10 blogger island discs be?

Sarah MacLachlan, Lorena McKinnett, Lyle Lovett, Mark Cohn, the Carmina Burana, some Chopin etudes, Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto #2, Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, the Rolling Stones, and John Lee Hooker.

3. If you were a smell what would it be?

Cinnamon.

4. What bird would you most like to be?

A red-tailed hawk.

5. If you were a bird who’s head would you poo on?

Dick Cheney.

6. Are there any foods that your body craves?

There are times when my body screams for meat; then there are times when it screams for oranges.

7. What’s your favourite time of year?

Autumn.  I love autumn.  It’s filled with a very special light, the leaves are all turning, there’s a crispness to the air, and it’s a bit melancholy and bittersweet, foreshadowing winter to come.

8. What’s your favourite time of day?

Hmmm.  Afternoon?

9. If a rest is as good as a change which would you choose?

Right now, rest.

10. If you could have a dinner party and invite any 5 people from the past or present who would they be? (Living or deceased.)

My dad, Queen Elizabeth I, Eleanor of Acquitaine, Leonardo da Vinci, and Richard Feynman.  Names subject to change depending on the day.

Now, to tag four people.  Hmm.

Kate, at High Altitude Gardening.

Mrs. Figby, to give her a break from the culture shock of New Jersey.

Ms. Vinegar Martinis.

Singing Bird.

I have been awarded the “Thinking Blogger” award again, by two different bloggers, an embarrasment of riches.

Blog Antagonist tagged me first.  She and I go back many years on various debate boards; there was a period where I was very angry with her for a variety of reasons, but time passes, people change, anger fades, and, besides, I enjoy reading her blog.  She does good work when she writes from the heart.

Rhonda, of Worth the Wait, also tagged me.  Rhonda is mother by adoption of two children from Russia, and is learning to deal with “instant motherhood”.

Once again, I’m supposed to tag five bloggers who make me think, typically to a specific post that struck my brain in a particular way…I’ve been thinking and thinking and thinking.  Half my problem is that many of the ones I’d like to tag have already been tagged, and part of the meme is to tag someone who hasn’t been tagged yet.

So:

American Family makes me laugh and think about adoption and racial issues.

Cephalogenic plays with words all the time.  Since I’m a wordmeister, I love his stuff.

Wandering Visitor is a medical resident doing her rotations.  Right now, she’s doing dermatology; I don’t know what’s next.  She posts impressions of her work, thoughts about people in general–she’s pretty good.

EnviroWoman’s quest to live a plastic-free life for a year has been fascinating.  She makes you realize just how much plastic there is in our everyday world.  And she’s just plain funny, too.

Johnny has said good-bye; he wrote his farewell-cruel-world post this week.  I am crushed.  He always had an interesting outlook on things, pondered some of life’s imponderables, and threw in tasty-sounding recipes to boot.  So this one is kind of posthumous (postblogous?), but well-deserved.  Read him up quick, because he’s going to delete his blog in about a week-and-a-half.

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