From Charles:

Just list all the jobs you’ve had in your life, in order. Don’t bust your brain: no durations or details are necessary, and feel free to omit anything that you feel might tend to incriminate you. I’m just curious. And when you’re done, tag another five bloggers you’re curious about.

So, here's mine:

Cooker, baker and sandwich maker
Catering waitress
French horn teacher
Late night cleaner of smokey real estate office
Secretary for title company
French horn player
Waitress
Caterer
Deli worker/Jewish deli
Shoe salesperson
Shoe store manager/ trainer/ advertising person
Research assistant for law professor
Secretary for alumni office
Secretary for property management company
Lawyer
Mother

If you're one of the few who still read this blog, please consider yourself tagged.

Have you...?

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland [I assume Disney World counts.]
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Read an entire book in one day

20 Things I'll Never Do

1. I will never stop loving my children.

2. I will never climb Mt. Everest.

3. I will never pass this way again.

4. Oh, I’m never gonna get it. Never never gonna get it.

5. I will never be medication-free.

6. I will never like wearing swimsuits.

7. I will never um….um….this is hard

8. I will never be perfect.

9. I will never lose the desire to learn.

10. I will never wear thong underwear.

11. I will never …okay. Let’s just stop this right now. I just think all things are possible. You know? Maybe you will find me in the Macy’s parade wearing a thong bathing suit and loving it. Of course, I probably would be highly medicated and you would be gouging out your eyes…but you just never know. It could happen. So, I guess my last answer is: I will never make it to 20 things I will never do. Perhaps you are more creative than I?

Marcy's Snowy Day Questionairre

1. What is your occupation?
Well, I’m supposed to be an attorney, but I keep
myself occupied with mopping floors, folding laundry,
cooking dinners, washing dishes,stamping cards,
blogging, paying bills, pulling weeds, lunching with
friends, driving children, helping with homework,
cleaning toilets,watching television, reading books
and, of course, Bible study.

2. What color are your socks right now? 
White.  Well, originally white…but kinda dingy. 
I really should be more careful with laundry.  Also,
I probably should not have worn them outside in the
snow to collect firewood.

3. What are you listening to right now? 
The big orange cat who always sits on my arms when
I am typing.  He is purring and breathing loudly.  
Cats like me.

4. What was the last thing that you ate? 
Turkey and cheese sandwich on nutty bread with
tortilla chips and salsa and a vanilla cream
soda in a bottle.

5. Can you drive a stick shift?
Oh, yes.  Learned to drive in my first car:
a red/orange 1977 Volkswagen Superbeetle.

6. If you were a crayon, what color would you be?  
periwinkle

7. Last person you spoke to on the phone?  
I just finished telling the lady at the bank that
our bank has the lousiest website on the World-Wide Web. 
Wasn’t that so nice of me to point that out?

8. Do you like the person who sent this to you?   
Oh yes.  What’s not to like about Marcy?

9. How old are you today?  
44

10. Favorite drink?  
Coca Cola with ice chips.

11. What is your favorite sport to watch? 
Whatever my boys are playing.

12. Have you ever dyed your hair?   
Me?  Why do you ask?

13. Pets?   
Ahem.  Yes.

14. Favorite food?  
Cheesecake.

15. Last movie you watched? 
A Christmas Story.  I rented it because we don’t
have cable and we couldn’t see it on television.  
Did you know they scrubbed the tv version?   The
real thing is rather gritty.  I was stunned.   
I heard my boys talking in the bathroom while they
brushed their teeth. Spencer said, “I don’t know WHY
Mommy made us watch that movie.  I mean, there were
lots of bad words in it that she would never let us
say!”  Colin:  “I know!  I’m going to forget every bit
of it.  Like, especially that word that means chocolate.”  
Spencer, “Yeah.”

(Fudge).

16. Favorite Day of the year?
Any day that my kids get along and my husband is in
a good mood.

17. What do you do to vent anger?  
I clean.  And that is so unfair. 
Nobody should benefit from my anger.

18. What was your favorite toy as a child?
Hmmmm.  Marcy reminded me of the Crissy doll,
which I really did like. I think I probably like a
dollhouse best, though.  

19. What is your favorite season?  
Fall

20. Hugs or kisses?  
Hugs.  Even better?  Play with my hair.

21. Cherry or Blueberry?  
Cherry.

22. Do you want your friends to email you back?  
Usually.  Of course, they still have to be my friends
even if they neglect me.

23.  What is your favorite Bible verse?
Malachi 3:16   Then those who feared the LORD talked with each other, and the LORD
listened and heard. A scroll of remembrance was written in his presence
concerning those who feared the LORD and honored his name.

24.  What is the best show on television that starts tonight
at 7:00 cst on ABC?
Lost

25. What happened to:
showing respect to adults?

26. When was the last time you cried?   
Sunday during Praise and Worship at church.

27. How's the weather?
Blustery and snowy. Two days ago we were driving to school when
the first cold front came n We could see the dust storm (red dirt)
to the west.  Then, right about the time we were passing Lake Hefner,
it hit the lake and little water tornados came up out of the lake!
The front (and the dirt) hit us hard!  Then yesterday, when I went to
the school to pick up the boys, Colin was waiting outside, holding on
to the lightpost, his legs blowing in the wind. I kid you not. 
It was hilarious!  So, today the snow finally arrived.

28. What's for dinner?
Teriyaki pork tenderloin, mashed potatoes, green beans and homemade bread. 
Oh, and hot tea.

29. Are you still wearing your pajamas?
Well, um, yes.  But I did take a shower!  And I've kept busy. 
Really, I have. Anyway, why else would Thursdays be my favorite?

Don't judge me.

30. Favorite smells?
Lilacs.

31. Who inspires you?
Marcia, Andrea, Denise, Sandy, Penny, Jodie.

32. What are you afraid of?
Roaches.

33. Plain, cheese or spicy hamburgers?
Yes, please.

34. Favorite car?  
1977 red/orange VW Superbeetle.

35. Favorite cat breed?   
Maine Coon, hands down.

36. Number of keys on your key ring?
Four.  Hmmmm.  I only know how to use two of them.  
Who put those other two on there?

37. How many years at your current job?
THIRTEEN!

38. Favorite day of the week? 
Thursday

39. How many states have you lived in?  
Six.  Ohio, Indiana, Wisconsin, Iowa, Oklahoma, Texas

40. Do you think you're funny?
Well, I crack myself up often. I’m not sure if other people think I’m funny…but some of them at least pretend I am. My friends are nice like that.

All About Me (Again)

1. Do you wear a name tag at work?
No, but if I did it would look something like this gem from Mary Engelbreit, who signs her work "ME" - which is perfect for a MEME, don't you think?:


2. What kind of car do you drive?
Honda Odyssey, messy interior, dusty exterior (if you would be so liberal as to call street dirt "dust," that is).

3. What do you order when you go to Taco Bell?
Mexican Pizza! When I was in college I interviewed with Taco Bell at the Pepsico headquarters. They took me to a Taco Bell store and let me make my own Mexican Pizza. It was great fun, but not fun enough for me to work there.

4. Have you ever had a garage sale?
At least three too many.

5. What color is your iPod?
White. And you know what? It is too small. I can never find that thing. I need a big iPod. Or maybe a boom box. Yes, I boom box is more my speed. I bet I could find that.

6. What kind of dog do you have?
plush

7. What's for dinner tonight?
Homemade cheeseburgers.

8. What is the last alcoholic beverage you had?
Hmmmm. I might have had half a glass of red wine sometime last year, but mostly I don't drink alcoholic beverages.

9. Stupidest thing you ever did with your cell phone?
Well, I wore it inside my bra, which isn't stupid in itself. But when you lean over a bit too far to flush and it falls into the toilet...that is stupid.

10. Last time you were sick?
Last week.

11. How long is your hair?
Below my shoulders.

12. Are you happy right now?
Happy? Enough. Content? Yes.

13. What did you say last?
"I think I'm going to have to take him to the doctor."

14. Who came over last?
My mom comes over every week!

16. Have your brothers or sisters ever told you that you were adopted?
No.

17. What is your favorite key chain on your keys?
The three little metal snowflakes given to me by my Japanese friend, Kayo.

18. What was the last movie you watched at home?
Persuasion. Tonight I'm watching Mansfield Park.

19. What is in your pocket?
A Mary Kay lipstick (Whipped Berries)

20. Who introduced you to your crush?
We met in high school. I don't think we were ever formally introduced, now that you mention it! Egads!

21. Where do you hurt?
Nowhere.

22. Has someone ever made you a Build-A-Bear?
How random is this question? No. And please, nobody better build me a bear. I don't want one. Please.

23. What DVD is in your DVD player?
Ratatouille. My boys have watched it at least 100 times. By the way, they were invited to a Ratatouille birthday sleepover last weekend and had a blast. They got aprons and chef's hats and made their own pizzas. They played pin the nose on the rat. They nibbled on cheese. They had a blast!

24. What's something fun you did today?
My girls took me to lunch for my birthday and we laughed so hard we had to hold on to our chairs just to stay in them. I think some of us had to do laundry when we got home.

25. Who was the principal of your high school?
Now see, once you know this, you'll just know EVERYTHING about me. These memes are just TOO DARNED REVEALING.

Dennis Iselin.

Now, every time someone Googles Dennis Iselin, they'll come here and they'll feel some amount of shame if they graduated from the same school as me. I'm sorry, EHS alumni. I really am. I'll try to do better.

26. Has your house ever been TPd?
No and it better never be either.

27. What do you think of when you hear the word 'meow'?
My husband James.

(Let your imagination go wild with that one!)

28. What are you listening to right now?
The fire in the wood stove. MMmmmmmmm.

29. Drinkin?
Nuthin'!! Hey, James, BRING ME A DRINK!!!

30. What is your favorite aisle at Wal-Mart?
Man, I don't like Wal-Mart. It is simply too much. Too loud. Too busy. Too many choices. It is getting better, though. Wider aisles and not so many loudspeaker calls for that blasted CM.

What was the question?

Oh. I guess the scrapbooking aisle.

31. When is your birthday?
November 11. (My girlfriends are as far behind as I am).

32. What's the area code for your cell phone?
Why do you ask?

33. Where did you buy the shirt you're wearing now?
Target. I am always on the cutting edge of fashion.

34. Is there anything hanging from your rear view mirror?
Yes. I have a tiny little crystal snowflake pendant that just peeks out from under the mirror.

35. How many states in the US have you been to?
Twenty Eight. I'm shooting for 47.

37. What are you going to do after this?
Read two cases and watch Mansfield Park.

38. Who was the last person you went shopping with?
Can't remember. I don't usually shop with others. I don't linger and I don't like to shop with lingerererers. . . so I'm not a very good shopping buddy.

40. What about your favorite dessert?
New York cheesecake with a few little fresh berries on the side.

41. What is something you need to go shopping for?
A new broom. Are you trying to go shopping with me or something? What is with all the shopping questions? I can get a broom all by myself. Really. I can.

Is it your birthday or something?

42. Do you have the same name as one of your relatives?
My last name is the same as my husband and children.

43. What kind of car do your siblings drive?
How is this relevant to ME? This is a MEme!! ME. ME. ME.

44. Do you like pickles?
Rarely.

45. What about olives?
What?

47. What is your favorite kind of juice?
Orange juice.

48. Do you have any tan lines?
Sadly enough, I still have tan lines from the time I got burned in Beaumont, Texas in 1997.
And let me tell you, Beaumont is not worth the burn.

49. What hospital were you born in?
Lancaster something-or-other.

50. Do you remember the name of your kindergarten teacher?
I think it was Mrs. Sparks. To tell you the truth, I'm not sure. I don't even remember if I went to kindergarten. I don't think it was invented yet. I'm really old, you know.

(Does anyone know what happened to question 15?)

It is time for BooMama's Christmas Tour of Homes! Thanks for stopping by!


You'll find I love to decorate with snowflakes. They are in every room of my house all year 'round...and I bring out extras for the holidays!

This is the tree taken with a flash...

...and without. Either way, the tree leans a bit.
Also, this was taken last week. Now the tree is surrounded with gifts! Yay!

Here are some decorations from the tree:

This red bird was from James' mother's tree.

This is the Oklahoma Capitol dome, part of a series of Oklahoma Capitol ornaments I collect.

Handmade gingerbread man by Spencer, 2005.

A vintage beaded bell from a garage sale.

I love this Santa scene in a dome. It reminds me of crafts my mom made in the 70s.

I made these. I simply ADORE redwork.

This Santa always hung on my grandmother's tree.

Let's wash up for dinner!

I collect one Lenox Holiday serving dish each year at the after Christmas sales. Last year I got a bonus! Snowflake plates from Yankee Candle that match perfectly!

James bought me this lovely snowflake to hang in the dining room window.

The mantle with a painting of Santa given to me by a neighbor after I admired hers. Isn't that nice? Do you think I should paint the top part of the mantle chocolate brown?

Colin made this plate for Santa's cookies in 2005.

The best advent "calendar" ever. The Jesse Tree provides daily Bible lessons that work from creation to Jesus birth, showing how each event is tied to Jesus. Fantastic.

Just a little kitchen Christmas tree thingamajig.

If you would like to see more homes decorated for Christmas,
please visit BooMama and follow the links.

Merry Christmas!

Ten Random Memories

inspired by Dan

1. My first job was in a small pie shop, Katy's Pantry, which was owned by Katy and Betty. They had three employees, me, Buzz and Marilyn. The kitchen was small, much like a modern home kitchen from today, with three ovens, two stoves, one large sink and two refrigerator/freezers. There was a big wooden block in the middle where we did most of our food preparation. We had a little boom box in the kitchen and whenever "Take The Long Way Home" came on, Betty would turn up the volume and we would all dance around the kitchen using wooden spoons for microphones.

2. During my first Christmas break from college, my friend Kim invited me to work with her as a gift wrapper at a gourmet store in Oklahoma City. We made gift baskets and bows and wrapped gifts all day. On Christmas Eve at closing time a family came in and we were asked to stay until they were finished. I learned that it was their family tradition to do all their shopping on Christmas Eve at this particular store. They spent thousands of dollars and the sales clerks just kept bringing us things to wrap. They were there almost three hours, and they gave each of us a $100 tip.

3. I once worked at a Jewish deli in Dallas. It was the largest deli/caterer in Dallas at the time, which was quite a surprise to me since it was also the filthiest place I had ever seen. One day a woman and man came in to buy some lox and cream cheese. They were both attractive, but I don't remember much about her face. She was wearing pants and a suit jacket....no shirt. No buttons.

4. When I turned 19 my newest college friends planned a big celebration for me. They told me that our plans were a secret, but they were taking me to dinner and for a surprise. They picked me up at the dorm and gave me a Ralph Lauren sweater from Harold's! (They could NOT afford that!) Then we took off driving. We drove for nearly two hours before we arrived at a Tonkawa football game in some little town. I know why they took me there...it was because I had a crush on a guy from Tonkawa AND one of my hosts that night was from Tonkawa, so it was a nice little setup. HOWEVER, they did not bring any money, and I did not bring any money...and there was no food! I got a little grouchy about their failure to deliver on their promise to take me to dinner when I found out they had all eaten before we left. I regret that now. I should have been all grateful and happy and stuff.

5. When I lived in Iowa I had a best friend named Stephie Bennett. We were like sisters. We even got matching haircuts. She really was my sanity there as I struggled with making new friends and dealing with the meanest third grade teacher EVER. So, one time about 12 years ago I thought I would try to find her on classmates.com by registering under my grade school. Sure enough, she contacted me! She said, "Are you that girl that lived down the street?" Well, I was just learning that email messages often fail to communicate emotions, and I apparently forgot that she really didn't know me anymore (or my sense of humor), so - well - I wrote back and played all hurt that she called me "that girl down the street." She removed herself from classmates.com the very next day and has been unreachable since then. I SCARED HER AWAY! It absolutely makes me insane that she thinks I'm a nutcase! I often flog myself for this transgression.

just kidding.

but, really, how much of an idiot move was that?

6. When my dad turned 50 his girlfriend planned a big surprise party for him. He lived in Colorado at the time, and she asked me to drive up and be at the party. I did (of course). He was really surprised and happy - more because I was there than because of the party. Everyone was jovial. Then his business partner pulled me aside (during the party!) to say, "Your dad doesn't want me to tell you this...but he has been diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease."

And that, my friends, is not the way to celebrate a friend's birthday.

(see how I suddenly seem like less of an idiot here?)

7. One of my strangest Christmas days was in 1989. I had a crush on Eric. He found out I would be alone on Christmas day because my family had gone to Indiana and I had to stay here to work. He invited me to his home for dinner with his family. I was ecstatic!! I made cranberry bread and cookies to take with me and I made sure to look my best. I drove two hours to get to his home and when I walked in the front door, there was his cousin, who was adopted, and who also had a crush on Eric. She was clearly not happy to see me there, and she scowled at me all the day long. His family was lovely and all, but - wow.

8. After a two-month camp at Interlochen, the out-of-state students were bussed to the nearest local airport to fly home. As we were all waiting at the airport, a girl I did not know started to panic. She could not find her airline tickets. She started going through her coat, her purse, her luggage. Her friends looked under the chairs, in the cushions, in the trash can. As I watched, I thought I should probably double check to be sure I had MY tickets. I opened my purse and there were HER tickets right next to MY tickets!!! Oh, the horror. I had to tell her I had them, although I had no idea why I had them or how they got in my purse. I still don't understand it!

9. When I was in 4th grade our family was friends with a family that had two boys. Their son, Bart, was a year older than me. I heard my parents talking with his parents about how Bart and I would make a good match. At that moment, Bart suddenly became the yuckiest thing on the planet. I would get sick to my stomach just thinking about him. That is also during the time in my life when the words "kiss" and "purse" made me sick to my stomach. Is that normal?

10. Last winter giant flakes of snow fell in Oklahoma. Spencer and Colin and I went outside a caught them on our coats. All of us were yelling, "Look at THIS one!" and we were running back and forth squealing with delight. My boys were loving something I've always loved - and it was a very good day.

Today I'm pretending I'm skinny and rich. In that case, this would be my shopping list for this season. If you see me in person, just pretend I'm looking something like one of these:

Molding

As I searched for dreamland last night, I started thinking about how I sometimes summarize different people in my life by the things they taught me. You know what they say, that we don't remember days, we remember moments. That's the kind of stuff I'm talking about. You can spend years on end with someone, but sometimes just a few moments define the person or the relationship. Of course, on deeper reflection there is always more to the story, but those defining moments are usually the first that come to mind.

So, I decided to write down some of the things I've learned from different people in my life...things that have altered me, or molded me, if you will.

Dad: Buy the best clothes you can afford, because if you look good, you'll feel more confident.

Mom: Know a little bit about a lot of things. It makes you a better conversationalist.

Mom's friends: Coffee is addictive.

Aunt Jean: Why wouldn't you trust?

Grandma Norinne: Whistle while you work.

Katy: Classic dress is minimalistic and modest.

James: Never check your baggage.

Miss Manners: Ankles together.

Buzz: One must embellish in order to tell a good story.

Mr. Costello: Walk into a competition as if you are the best.

Dr. Scharnberg: Practice the basics twice as much as you practice the concerto.

Paul Whitmire: You aren't here to socialize. You're here to bring people into the presence of God.

Alice: Sarcasm creates a wall.

Sam: Never put anything in writing that you wouldn't want published in Times Square.

The Doors: People are strange.

Mr. Hyte: For good service, always defer to others and never interrupt. Anticipate needs.

Miss Adams: If you'll be gone, finish your work before you go.

High School Meme
from Big Mama

1. Who was your best friend?
Jeanne, mostly. We were equally nice, intelligent and uncool. And we went to the same church. A fine basis for a solid friendship. We also took a 2-year advanced mathematics class together. We tried to do our homework and then we would call each other and cry about it because it was so hard and then we would try to figure it out together and then we would go to school early the next morning to see if any of our brainiac friends would meet us in the library and help us understand. Strange as it sounds, those brainiacs were the popular kids, too! And they helped us. But it didn't make us any smarter nor any more popular.

2. Did you play any sports?
Nope.

3. What kind of car did you drive?
I started out my driving career with an orange-red Volkswagen Superbeetle. I often had to jump start the car by running along side it and jumping in when I got a good roll. As soon as I jumped in, I would turn the key while simultaneously pumping the gas and releasing the clutch. Nevertheless, I liked the car. By the time I got around to my senior year, however, I had to drive my dad's car to school. It was a big ol' land yacht baby blue Cadilac. Not so easy to park, but it always started.

4. It’s Friday night. Where were you?
Friday nights during the fall were easy - I was at the highschool football game playing in the band. The rest of the year was just embarrassing. (I know, I know...some of you think playin in the band is embarrassing.) Jeanne and I often tried to find fun, but I don't think we EVER did.

5. Were you a party animal?
Ha! (See number 4).

6. Were you considered a flirt?
Quiet the opposite.

7. Were you in the band, orchestra or choir?
Oh, yes. I was the first ever female band president at my school! And I was also in the orchestra and in the nearby university's orchestra. I was pretty much all about music. I traveled to lots of solo competitions, went to music camps, took music theory, taught horn lessons, took horn lessons and then I'd go home and listen to my classical music albums on my turntable in my bedroom.

That's me with the French Horn (click for larger view). The idea was for us to look like we were
floating on a cloud, but look at that tiny cloud! Ha! Too bad we didn't have Adobe Photoshop back then!)

8. Were you a nerd?
(see No. 7 above)
I wasn't firmly entrenched in nerdville, but let's just say I was comfortable there. I think I was somewhere in the middle between cool and nerd - just a "nice girl."

9. Were you ever suspended or expelled?
Never. I did get a zero on a test once because Ricky was cheating off me and the teacher felt certain I knew about it. (She was right).

10. Can you sing the fight song?
Not only can I sing it, I can "sing" the drum part and the mellophone part! And, as an added bonus, I can march at the same time!

11. Who was your favorite teacher?
Mr. Costello, I suppose. He was really good to me and helped me to chill out a bit.

12. What was your school mascot?
The Plainsman Indian

13. Did you go to the Prom?
Well, yes, because my friends were all concerned that I didn't have a date and made sure to arrange one for me. He was just the nicest boy at our school, and cute, too...and if I could have acted somewhat like my normal self we probably would have become great friends or even more. However, I tried to be cool or something and blew it. We also had a May Fete dance, and I had a nice date to that. Platonic date, though. I never had a romantic prom.

14. If you could go back, would you?
NO!

I mean, NO WAY!

15. What do you remember most about graduation?
I remember looking around at everyone and thinking I wouldn't see most of them ever again. I thought it was a little bit sad, but not overwhelmingly so. My grandpa came from Indiana to see me graduate and I remember thinking that was really nice because, frankly, I didn't think it was that big of a deal. I love that he came - it made it more special.

16. Where were you on Senior Skip Day?
A group of us nice kids went to Tulsa for indoor ice skating. We also had crepes for lunch. You know, the typical skip-day activities.

17. Did you have a job your senior year?
I cleaned a local realty office at night and sometimes I played my horn for money, but I didn't work much my senior year. I travelled to OKC on the weekends for French horn lessons, so my weekends were not free, which is the best time for seniors to work.

18. Where did you go most often for lunch?
We had an open campus and we went to several different places, but mostly Wendy's, Pizza Inn or Taco Bell. We only had 25 minutes for lunch and a good 15 of it was spent driving, so lunch was FAST!

19. Have you gained weight since then?
Um.

Well,

yeah.

I thought it was required.

20. What did you do after graduation?
Went to Angi's house for a party, of course.

Oh, and then I went to college at OU on a music scholarship. I studied French horn performance because, well, someone had to do it!

21. What year did you graduate?
1982 a.d.

22. Who was your Senior Prom Date?
Brent

23. Are you going/did you go to your 10 year reunion?
I did. That's where I started dating James! So...it was good.
We also went to our 20-year reunion, which I mostly hated (in large part for the same reason the prom didn't go well).

TV Land

Okay, this is sad. Very sad. I started out playing around with a little meme wherein one marks off the show's one has watched more than three times. I kept thinking of shows that were not on the list, so I decided to do a little googlin' and see what shows I could find. I then added all the shows I've watched (more than three times) and deleted all the shows I haven't watched. My final list is staggering. It represents thousands of hours of idle time - most of them before children (but not all). It represents what I've put into my head over these past 43 years. It is, most certainly, a wake-up call. I shamefully submit to you an accounting of my wasted time (with some amount of admitting that I did enjoy some of it!):

3rd Rock from the Sun
7th Heaven
A.L.F
Alice
Absolutely Fabulous
Adam-12
Addams Family, The
All in the Family
American Bandstand
Andy Griffith Show, The
Antiques Roadshow
As Time Goes By
Between the Lions
Beverly Hills 90210
Bewitched
Bionic Woman, The
Bob Newhart
Bosom Buddies
Brady Bunch
Captain Kangaroo
Cagney & Lacey
Carol Burnett Show, The
Charles in Charge
Charlie's Angels
Cheers
China Beach
Cosby Show, The
Courtship of Eddie’s Father, The
David Letterman
Designing Women
Dharma & Greg
Dick Van Dyke Show, The
Different World
Diff'rent Strokes
Dr. Phil
Drew Carey Show, The
Eight is Enough
Electric Company, The
Ellen
Ellen Degeneres Show, The
Emergency!
ER
Everybody Loves Raymond
Extreme Makeover: Home Edition
Facts of Life
Family
Family Affair
Family Ties
Fantasy Island
Father Knows Best
Felicity
Flintstones, The
Flip Wilson
Flipper
Frasier
Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, The
Friends
Full House
Gentle Ben
Get Smart
Gilligan's Island
Golden Girls, The
Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.
Green Acres
Growing Pains
Happy Days
Hee Haw
Home Improvement
I Dream of Jeannie
I Love Lucy
Iron Chef (Japan)
Jeopardy
Jetsons, The
Just Shoot Me
Keeping Up Appearances
LA Law
Land of the Lost
Lassie
Laugh-In
Laverne and Shirley
Lawrence Welk Show
Leave It To Beaver
Life Goes On
Little House on the Prairie
Lost
Lost in Space
Lois & Clark
Love, American Style
Love Boat, The
M*A*S*H
Mad About You
Many Loves of Doby Gillis, The
Married...With Children
Martha Stewart
Mary Tyler Moore Show, The
Maud
Mister Ed
Monkees, The
Mod Squad, The
Moonlighting
Mork & Mindy
Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood
Munsters, The
Muppet Show, The
Murphy Brown
My Three Sons
Newhart
News Radio
Night Court
Northern Exposure
Odd Couple
Oprah
Partridge Family, The
Project Runway
Quantum Leap
Roseanne
Saturday Night Live
Sanford & Son
Saved by the Bell
Scrubs
Seinfeld
Sesame Street
Sigmund & The Sea Monster
Six Feet Under
Six Million Dollar Man, The
Soap
Sonny & Cher
Star Trek: The Next Generation
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Survivor
Taxi
Teletubbies
That Girl
Third Rock
Thirtysomething
This Old House
Three's Company
Tonight Show, The (Jay Leno)
Tonight Show, The (Johnny Carson)
Top Chef
Touched By An Angel
Trading Spaces
Twin Peaks
Twilight Zone, The
Vicar of Dibley, The
Welcome Back, Kotter
Whose Line is it Anyway?
Wings
Will & Grace
Who’s the Boss
Wonder Years, The
Wonderful World of Disney, The
Zoboomafoo

ugh.

The Three-Word Answer Meme:

01. Where is your cell phone? I don't know.
02. Boyfriend/girlfriend? Not since 1995.
03. Hair? Too often ponytailed.
04. Your mother? Visits every week.
05. Your father? Died of Parkinsons.
06. Your favorite item(s)? Photographs and memories.
07. Your dream last night? Making new friends.
08. Your favorite drink? Coca-Cola with ice.
09. Your dream girl? Authentic, humorous, spiritual.
10. The room you are in? My messy office.
11. Your fear? Living on streets.
12. What do you want to be in 10 years? Godly and healthy.
13. Who did you hang out with last night? Thomas Stafford, astronaut.
14. What are you not? Orderly, athletic, perfect.
15. Are you in love? Yes times three.
16. One of your wish list items? A clean home.
17. What time is it? 10:27 in Oklahoma.
18. The last thing you did? Made children breakfast.
19. What are you wearing? Very comfortable PJs.
20. Your favorite book? The Holy Bible.
21. The last thing you ate? Chocolate pyramid/berries.
22. Your life? Crazy busy lovely.
23. Your mood? Please don't ask.
24. Your friends? True, amazing and beautiful.
25. What are you thinking about right now? T-ball and Seaworld.
26. Your car? My mobile office.
27. What are you doing at this moment? Um, typing answers...
28. Your summer? Relaxing, hot, poolside.
29. Your relationship status? Married 11 years.
30. What is on your TV screen? Dust, dust, dust.
31. When is the last time you laughed? Last night's dinner.
32. Last time you cried? Two Sunday's ago.
33. School? Oh, my, yes.

Consider yourself tagged.

1. The phone rings. Who are you hoping it is? I'm just hoping it isn't for me.
   
2. When shopping at the grocery store, do you return your cart? Yes, mostly. The other day I was out shopping and as I was loading the groceries into my car I saw an acquaintance roll up to her car with a cart. She couldn't see me. She did NOT return her cart! Shocking!!! (No, it wasn't Dawn, although, yes, this person does live near me...I just don't want y'all fingering Dawn for this. But I will say....well, no I won't...) So, anyway, I returned her cart for her. I'll probably give her a hard time later. OH! yes! back to the meme...
3. In a social setting, are you more of a talker or a listener? Listener. I have a little sensory integration problem though, so it is very difficult for me to listen if other stuff is going on, so I try to avoid socializing in loud places.
   
4. If abandoned alone in the wilderness, would you survive? Just long enough to find the person who abandoned me.
5. Do you like to ride horses? Not so much. Horses intimidate me a bit.
6. Did you ever go to camp as a kid? Brownie day camp and Colorado Music Camp.
7. What was your favorite board game as a kid? That cherry tree game. It wasn't the game so much as the cherries. I loved those little cherries. I also enjoyed Monopoly.
   
8. If a sexy person was pursuing you, but you knew he/she was taken what would you do? Well, first of all, I don't find he/shes sexy, so the question doesn't even make sense to me.
9. Are you judgmental? Not so much, except there is one little area I still struggle with. I have been humbled too many times to remain judgmental, though.
   
10. Would you date someone with different religious beliefs? Nope.
    
11. Are you continuing your education? Yes, aren't we all? I should hope so.
12. Do you know how to shoot a gun? Yes, but I probably wouldn't do well in a stressful situation. An FBI undercover drug agent taught me to shoot, so I had a pretty good teacher.
    
13. If your house was on fire, what’s the first thing you’d grab? Children, purse, shoes. (Okay, that's three, I know. But if my children weren't home, I'd grab my purse first. And if my purse wasn't home and my children weren't home, I'd get the shoes).
14. How often do you read books? I read all the time (including reading for my job), but I do not read books often. Once I start I can't stop, so my whole life goes on hold!
    
15. Do you think more about the past, present or future? Future, past, present, in that order.
    
16. What is your favorite children’s book? I Don't Want to Take a Bath (a Little Tiger book).
17. How tall are you? 5'5"
18. Where is your ideal house located? In Oklahoma City in an old/historical district near a cul de sac near Lake Hefner. (So far, I have not found this place.)
    
19. Last person you talked to? Colin.
    
20. When was the last time you were at Olive Garden? Two weeks ago. We seem to end up there when my co-worker Julia chooses the lunching place, which is funny because she is so body conscious and worries about eating too much, then she goes to Olive Garden and eats about 30 breadsticks. It is pretty funny, really.
    
21. What are your keys on your key chain for? Unlocking stuff, mostly.
    
22. What did you do last night? Well, it was a Saturday night. James and Colin went to see the Hornets play. Spencer wasn't feeling well and I was starting to feel like I might be getting sick, so I went to bed at 8:30 after trying to de-spyware my computer.
23. Where is your current pain? My heart.
24. Do you like mustard? Yes, but in small quantities.
    
25. Do you like your mom or dad? Yes.
26. How long does it take you in the shower? Ten to fifteen minutes.
    
27. What movie do you want to see right now? The Painted Veil
    
28. Do you put lotion on your dog or cats? To quote Dan: "Wha?"
29. What did you do for New Year’s? I was on a ranch in Texas. We went to bed at a reasonable hour...like 11:00 or something like that.
    
30. Do you think The Grudge was scary? To quote Dan: "Wha?"
31. Do you own a camera phone? Yes.
    
32. What’s the last letter of your middle name? This is a stupid quEstioN. (Depends if you're asking about my original middle name or my current middle name. You really should be more specific.)
    
33. Who did you vote for on American Idol? I've never watched it. Is that unAmerican of me?

(via Dan via Charles)

Create your own Friend Quiz here

Way More Than Ten....But Here's Ten:

Ten Things I Love About America
(in no particular order):


1. Jazz. Especially New Orleans Style. Especially jazz trombone.

2. Wide Open Spaces.

3. Freedom to worship God.

4. Voting.

5. Capitalism.

6. Cookouts with hot dogs and hamburgers and Coca Cola. And flags.

7. I love a parade.

8. National parks.

9. The beaches.

10. The Rocky Mountains.

from Charles

Thursday Thirteen:
Thirteen Things About Snow Days
(via Melessa)

1. I think I only had one official "snow day" before moving to Oklahoma. Before that I attended school in Wisconsin and Iowa where snow was just a fact of winter life and cities were well-equipped with snow removal equipment. However, one year in Iowa the snow was so deep many people could not get out of their homes! We had to wait for neighbors to dig us out! When we emerged, we took some fun photos standing next to the street signs, which were next to our ankles! Now, that's deep!

2. One day in Iowa I got to home after school with a friend on the bus! She lived out in the country (it seemed like it took an hour to get there, but it was probably 15 minutes). She had a pond on her property and I remember walking down to the pond from her house and skating out there surrounded by trees and falling snow. When we got back to the house, her mom made us grilled cheese and tomato soup. It was a really fantastic day!

3. I can remember snowy recesses in Wisconsin. We never stayed inside for recess unless it was raining. During winter we put on our boots, mittens, hats, coats and rabbit fur muffs to go out and play. To keep warm, we huddled in small groups and jumped up and down until recess was over.

4. Speaking of the muff, I sure do miss mine! It was made of white rabbit fur and had a silk lining and a silk ribbon that went around my neck to hold it in place. I usually held it in front of my face to keep warm and it was oh, so soft.

5. I mentioned this a few years ago, but several of my neighbors in Iowa had small ice rinks in their backyards during the winter. Those were great fun!

6. And, also, in Wisconsin we lived in Neenah, which is basically surrounded by water. I remember my dad taking me ice skating at the local park on the pond. My mom had made me one of those long stocking caps with colorful stripes and I loved the way it blew behind me when I skated. There is nothing quite like skating outdoors on a pond. Usually you could buy a cup of hot chocolate to keep warm at a little stand in the park, too. MMmmmmmm.

7. I'm pretty sure this meme is supposed to be about things I did on days school was cancelled for snow, but it just isn't working out that way. I'm also apparently stuck in my childhood, but you've got to understand, that was where the most snow accumulated!

8. Sledding! I had one of those wooden red-runner sleds with a rope for steering. In Iowa we had a very big hill at a nearby park where tons of people would gather to sled. Unlike Oklahoma hills, we could sled all day and not destroy the snow, and did we ever sled. I seem to remember lots of trees on that hill, which in today's world would be a huge liability issue.

9. I used to do donuts with my Volkswagen Superbeetle. Even my friends thought that was stupid. Probably was, but I learned the trick from my dad....

10. Did you know when you work at the mall, you don't get snow days? In fact, they are usually very busy days as the mall. Makes you wonder, really.]

11. When I was single and lived in an apartment, I used to get up on snowy days and go out to the parking lot to help people clean off their cars and to give them a push if they needed it. I just loved the snow. Still do, although my aging body is starting to have some trouble with being cold.

12. My dad lived in Denver for a decade or so and was the president of an Austrian company that built fancy-schmancy ski lifts. He loved to take me to the resorts to see his lifts and to go skiing. He was not very good at skiing himself, and eventually we discovered it was because he was in the early stages of Parkinson's Disease.

13. Once I went to visit my dad for fall break and I took a friend of mine with me. Colorado experienced a strangely huge October snowstorm and the highway out of state was closed! The airport was closed! My friend had an exam the Monday following the break and he called his professor to tell him he was stranded in Colorado, but the prof. did not believe him and would not give him a make-up exam!!! (This was before PCs and, obviously, before the internet).

Oh. I guess that is 13. What a strange way to end. Oh, well, I'm too cold to make any changes now.

TEN THINGS ABOUT ME (that you didn't know you wanted to know)

(I’ve been tagged! For real!! I didn’t make it up this time!)

1. Something no one else should know?

Okay, this isn’t the first time a blogger has tried to trick me into revealing too much. Annie, I love your name, but sorry…if you shouldn’t know, you shouldn’t know. (And, truth be told, you probably wouldn’t WANT to know!) ; )

2. Colors I will never wear?

Well, I used to think I would never wear turquoise, but then it became my son’s favorite color and he got me a turquoise necklace and the whole rule is out the window. Still, I consider it an accessory color only. (I hope he never buys me a turquoise dress!)

I also don’t think I should wear yellow, but I do like yellow. I can say with certainty that I will never, EVER wear a yellow polka dot bikini.

3. Things I love to eat?

Mashed potatoes
Chicken and dumplings
Salmon (never canned! NEVER!)
Honey roasted carrots
Anything my friend Jennifer Taliaferro makes.

4. Things I would never serve a guest?

Liver and Onions
Brussell Sprouts
Salmon Patties
Canned Vegetables
Summons to Court

5. Things I forget to buy at the grocery store?

Ha!! You don’t have time!! I’ll just tell you what I forgot on my last trip:
Bread, Ziploc bags and cola.

6. Things I like about Autumn?

Leaves turning colors on the trees
Pumpkin Pie
Monarch migration
Geese flying overhead
Chilly mornings
Pansies and Mums

7. Things I value about my family?

Intimacy
Humor
Continuity
Soft Hearts
Love of God

8. Things I watch on T.V.

Lost
Project Runway
Extreme Makeover: Home Edition
Survivor
As Time Goes By

9. Things I loved about school?

School supplies
New textbooks
New school clothes
Learning
Routines
Music

10. Things I love about life?

Nature
Family
Friendships
That there is more to know than I can ever know