Two memes
Got word today that Two's officially been accepted into the half-day votech culinary arts program for next year, should he choose to do it. Good to have choices.
Thanks to spiffikins, I got to do two meme-questionaires instead of something responsible. *g*
1. š Are you an Essential Worker?
Nope. Currently on hold until we go back to school and teachers might actually be absent again.
2. š How many drinks have you had since the quarantine started?
One. I almost never drink, and when I do itās usually a half-glass or less of a small wineglass of something fruity. Like the locally-made pomegranate-peach wine I had last night. :D
3. š If you have kids... Are they driving you nuts?
Thankfully they are past the age of driving me particularly nuts for being underfoot all day, especially because for the most part, they arenāt. Theyāre in their chosen nooks for school until 12:35p, then MiniPlu is working most of the afternoon and Two hangs out in his favorite recliner, drawing. I miss walking the dog by myself because that was always my time to read, but MiniPlu and I have had some nice conversations now that sheās coming with me.
4. š What new hobby have you taken up during this?
Virtual PaintNites.
5. š How many grocery runs have you done?
I continued twice a week, as usual, only shifting which days I went so I could avoid weekends. This week I switched to once-a-week.
6. š What are you spending your stimulus check on?
Wonāt get one, since my husband is still employed and itās not like I was raking in big bucks as a sub.
7. š Do you have any special occasions that you will miss during this quarantine?
I missed visiting my dad for his birthday. And we were supposed to leave tomorrow for Austria. :( I am still crossing all my fingers and toes that MiniPlu will not have to forego prom or graduation, and that Two will still get to work at camp in late July.
8. š Are you keeping your housework done?
I live with six other people, many of whom are occupied all day long with their own obligations, plus five cats and a dog. This house is NEVER tidy.
9. š What movie have you watched during this quarantine?
Disneyās Onward, Rise of Skywalker (first time since seeing it in cinema), and the romcoms Last Christmas and Something Borrowed (first time for the latter two - my SIL chose them). I also watched the Netflix documentary Crip Camp which - if you have Netflix, you should watch. Really powerful, really informative, really uplifting.
10. š What are you streaming with?
We have Hulu, Disney+ and Netflix, but my SIL and Two are the only ones who make regular use of Hulu at the moment.
11. š9 months from now is there any chance of you having a baby?
Thereās been pretty much zero chance of me having a baby the last 20 years. :-P
12. š What's your go-to quarantine meal?
I have a standard breakfast thatās pretty much the same no matter what. Lunch is whatever seems easiest - sandwich or leftovers or whatever. Dinner is planned the same as in non-quarantine times, trying to juggle everyoneās different preferences, dislikes, allergies, etc. Always a fun job.
13. š Is this whole situation making you paranoid?
I guess a little, when Iām going out. Seeing everyone in gloves and masks is unnerving. Mostly Iām confused and frustrated, with so many entitities giving conflicting information.
14. šHas your internet gone out on you during This time?
Only when Will did an update on it and it was a planned outage. Fortunately it didnāt last long.
15 šWhat month do you predict this all ends?
When it started, I had hopes things might be calmer by late spring but now ... I donāt know. I would love to say we might venture out by June but I donāt know if itās reasonable. I donāt know what the numbers will have to look like to make it possible for us to go out again.
16. šFirst thing youāre gonna do when you get off quarantine?
Go back to TKD. And teach. And work in the library.
17. šWhere do you wish you were right now?
Iām ok being at home for the most part.
18. šWhat free-from-quarantine activity are you missing the most?
TKD, hands down. And being able to go into stores in person, rather than trying to guess whether Iāll like something on the internet.
19. šHave you run out of toilet paper and hand sanitizer?
No and no. Right now weāre more in danger of running out of paper towels than toilet paper, although eventually that might be more of an issue. Just not yet.
20. š Do you have enough food to last a month?
Maybe not a month, but definitely several weeks. But weād lose a lot of the variety and flexibility thatās needed to juggle peopleās tastes and more people would have to suck it up, if itās not what theyād rather have (that person probably being my FIL, who hates carbs of almost every variety, so if we have to lean harder on, say, spaghetti, he wonāt be happy).
And now for the next, much more random survey:
1. Do you sleep with your closet doors open or closed?
It doesnāt matter to me. We try to keep the closet doors closed so Dessa (the cat) doesnāt steal my stuff, but if I forget and theyāre open ... *shrug*. MiniPlu, on the other hand, HAS to keep them closed or she canāt sleep.
2. Do you take the shampoos and conditioner bottles from hotels?
I think Iāve only done it once or twice, when the smell strongly reminded us of the happy time weād spent in that location. Disneyās Aulani resort comes to mind.
3. Do you sleep with your sheets tucked in or out of the mattress? Tucked out,
With todayās thick mattresses, our sheets donāt really stay tucked in the sides well anyway. (I like them tucked in and Will doesnāt but mostly I donāt bother anymore.)
4. Have you stolen a street sign before?
No, nor would it ever occur to me to do so.
5. Do you like to use post-it notes?
Yes, theyāre handy for leaving notes for other people to see, especially if youāre slapping it up on the microwave door or next to something on the counter and you donāt want it to blow away.
6. Do you cut out coupons but then never use them?
So, so often.
7. Would you rather be attacked by a big bear or a swarm of bees?
Iām hoping that the bees would be more likely to leave me alone if I didnāt move.
8. Do you have freckles?
Not really. I get tiny mole dots, instead - thanks, Dad. :P
9. Do you always smile for pictures?
Always, unless it was a candid and I didnāt realize it was being taken.
10. What is your biggest pet peeve?
Bigots and liars.
11. Do you ever count steps when you walk?
No.
12. Have you peed in the woods?
Probably? I would likely have tried to block that out, though, lol.
13. Do you chew your pens and pencils?
I used to give my pencils teeth marks when I was in school, but I donāt anymore.
14. What size is your bed?
Queen.
15. What is your song of the week?
Something out of Jesus Christ Superstar, which I always listen to during Holy Week.
16. Is it OK for guys to wear pink?
Sure, why not? If women/girls can wear blue (and I remember making baby!MiniPlu a shirt to that effect, after people kept mistaking her for a boy just because I didnāt dress her in head-to-toe pink), then guys can wear pink.
17. Do you still watch cartoons?
Iāve discovered some of the old Disney classic cartoons on Disney+, and I still love occasionally watching the old Road Runner and Bugs Bunny cartoons, too. Oh, and Phineas & Ferb. So - not often, but I enjoy those when I do revisit them.
18. What do you drink with dinner?
Water.
19. What do you dip a chicken nugget in?
Chicken nuggets are gross. :P
20. Were you ever a boy/Girl Scout?
I was a brownie one year and a junior girl scout the following year (so probably 3rd and 4th grades?), then dropped out.
21. When was the last time you wrote a letter to someone?
If you count email, then this morning. :). If you mean a paper letter - probably a thank-you notecard I wrote to my dadās neighbors on Monday, thanking them for doing his shopping (and repaying them, as well).
22. Can you change the oil on a car?
Yes, although I might make a bit of a mess in the process. I used to do my own, then got into the habit of having the dealership do it, and only recently tried doing it myself again. Might be doing it myself again rather soon, if things remain the same for several more months.
23. Ever gotten a speeding ticket?
*knock wood*. No. I got pulled over once for speeding but I was only 21, it was upstate NY at 2am and I still had a CA license, it was the middle of nowhere, and I was dreadfully apologetic, so I got off with a warning.
24. Ever ran out of gas?
No, and I promptly trained Will to pay more attention to that, too - had to bail him out at least once.
25. Whatās your favorite kind of sandwich?
I like lots of different things. Classic PB&J, ham/cheese, turkey/cheese, or things with bacon or avocado or veggies, toasted and not.
26. Best thing to eat for breakfast?
My daily breakfast is either cereal or the grain-free muffins I make. For special occasions I like waffles, or eggs and bacon, or an omelet, or homemade cinnamon rolls.
27. How many languages can you speak?
English, German, and a little bit of Russian and sign language, plus a few phrases in Spanish, French, Dutch and Japanese. I can count to 10 in a couple more.
28. Do you have any magazine subscriptions?
TIME magazine, which I havenāt been making time to read. *sheepish*. Iāve been focusing more on the internet and brain-candy reading.
29. Which are better: legos or Lincoln logs?
I love them both.
30. Are you stubborn?
Sometimes.
31.Have you ever watched soap operas?
When I was a kid, my mom watched Guiding Light and I would sometimes follow along.
32. Are you afraid of heights?
I donāt mind looking OUT, but Iām not crazy about looking straight DOWN, if Iām right on the edge, even if thereās a window or railing in place. Although I donāt mind looking down from planes - thatās different.
33. Do you sing in the car?
Constantly. I canāt help it.
34. Ever shot a gun?
Only water guns. :-P
35. Do you think musicals are cheesy?
I adore most musicals. Theyāre just ... fun!
36. Is Christmas stressful?
Yes and no. I do the majority of buying, wrapping and card-writing, plus thereās decorating and such so thereās a lot to make time for, but theyāre all activities I enjoy.
37. Occupations you wanted to be when you were little?
Obstetric nurse, marine biologist, astronomer.
38. Ever have a Deja-vu feeling?
Yes.
39. First concert you attended?
I think it was something about the music of Andrew Lloyd Webber? I was in college.
40. Walmart, Target, or Kmart?
Walmart or Target, depending on whatās closest and what Iām after.
41. Nike or Adidas?
I donāt give a shit about brand names. Never did. My running shoes are often Asics or Brooks, just because theyāre more likely to work with my awful feet, but otherwise, I donāt care.
42. Cheetos or Fritos?
I like them both. Might depend on my mood - right now, Iād say āFritosā but that could change on another day.
43. Can you curl your tongue?
MiniPlu and I can; Will and Two cannot.
44. Have you ever cried because you were so happy?
Oh, heck yes. The plane arriving in Hawaii comes to mind. Not actual bawling, but tears of happiness and a choked up throat.
45. Own any record albums?
Not anymore - unless you count my old ones still back in CA (mostly childrenās stuff, but thereās at least one Beach Boys in there). Will has a record album collection, though.
46. Own a record player?
Yep, heās got one of those, too. (Again, my old one is in CA - no idea if it even still works.)
47. Ever been in love?
Twice. Married the second one. *g*
48. Ever won a contest?
I won a door prize of a $25 gift certificate to the fabric store I worked at at the time (it was a staff holiday party). Used it to make my senior prom dress.
49. Do you miss anyone right now?
People at schools, people at my dojong, my best friend.
50. Who are you going to tag to do this survey next?
Anyone who is equally bored/looking to avoid other responsibilities. :D
And for all who celebrate: Happy Pesach! <3 I hope you can all still find ways to celebrate and be together, at least in spirit, despite the 11th plague.
Thanks to spiffikins, I got to do two meme-questionaires instead of something responsible. *g*
1. š Are you an Essential Worker?
Nope. Currently on hold until we go back to school and teachers might actually be absent again.
2. š How many drinks have you had since the quarantine started?
One. I almost never drink, and when I do itās usually a half-glass or less of a small wineglass of something fruity. Like the locally-made pomegranate-peach wine I had last night. :D
3. š If you have kids... Are they driving you nuts?
Thankfully they are past the age of driving me particularly nuts for being underfoot all day, especially because for the most part, they arenāt. Theyāre in their chosen nooks for school until 12:35p, then MiniPlu is working most of the afternoon and Two hangs out in his favorite recliner, drawing. I miss walking the dog by myself because that was always my time to read, but MiniPlu and I have had some nice conversations now that sheās coming with me.
4. š What new hobby have you taken up during this?
Virtual PaintNites.
5. š How many grocery runs have you done?
I continued twice a week, as usual, only shifting which days I went so I could avoid weekends. This week I switched to once-a-week.
6. š What are you spending your stimulus check on?
Wonāt get one, since my husband is still employed and itās not like I was raking in big bucks as a sub.
7. š Do you have any special occasions that you will miss during this quarantine?
I missed visiting my dad for his birthday. And we were supposed to leave tomorrow for Austria. :( I am still crossing all my fingers and toes that MiniPlu will not have to forego prom or graduation, and that Two will still get to work at camp in late July.
8. š Are you keeping your housework done?
I live with six other people, many of whom are occupied all day long with their own obligations, plus five cats and a dog. This house is NEVER tidy.
9. š What movie have you watched during this quarantine?
Disneyās Onward, Rise of Skywalker (first time since seeing it in cinema), and the romcoms Last Christmas and Something Borrowed (first time for the latter two - my SIL chose them). I also watched the Netflix documentary Crip Camp which - if you have Netflix, you should watch. Really powerful, really informative, really uplifting.
10. š What are you streaming with?
We have Hulu, Disney+ and Netflix, but my SIL and Two are the only ones who make regular use of Hulu at the moment.
11. š9 months from now is there any chance of you having a baby?
Thereās been pretty much zero chance of me having a baby the last 20 years. :-P
12. š What's your go-to quarantine meal?
I have a standard breakfast thatās pretty much the same no matter what. Lunch is whatever seems easiest - sandwich or leftovers or whatever. Dinner is planned the same as in non-quarantine times, trying to juggle everyoneās different preferences, dislikes, allergies, etc. Always a fun job.
13. š Is this whole situation making you paranoid?
I guess a little, when Iām going out. Seeing everyone in gloves and masks is unnerving. Mostly Iām confused and frustrated, with so many entitities giving conflicting information.
14. šHas your internet gone out on you during This time?
Only when Will did an update on it and it was a planned outage. Fortunately it didnāt last long.
15 šWhat month do you predict this all ends?
When it started, I had hopes things might be calmer by late spring but now ... I donāt know. I would love to say we might venture out by June but I donāt know if itās reasonable. I donāt know what the numbers will have to look like to make it possible for us to go out again.
16. šFirst thing youāre gonna do when you get off quarantine?
Go back to TKD. And teach. And work in the library.
17. šWhere do you wish you were right now?
Iām ok being at home for the most part.
18. šWhat free-from-quarantine activity are you missing the most?
TKD, hands down. And being able to go into stores in person, rather than trying to guess whether Iāll like something on the internet.
19. šHave you run out of toilet paper and hand sanitizer?
No and no. Right now weāre more in danger of running out of paper towels than toilet paper, although eventually that might be more of an issue. Just not yet.
20. š Do you have enough food to last a month?
Maybe not a month, but definitely several weeks. But weād lose a lot of the variety and flexibility thatās needed to juggle peopleās tastes and more people would have to suck it up, if itās not what theyād rather have (that person probably being my FIL, who hates carbs of almost every variety, so if we have to lean harder on, say, spaghetti, he wonāt be happy).
And now for the next, much more random survey:
1. Do you sleep with your closet doors open or closed?
It doesnāt matter to me. We try to keep the closet doors closed so Dessa (the cat) doesnāt steal my stuff, but if I forget and theyāre open ... *shrug*. MiniPlu, on the other hand, HAS to keep them closed or she canāt sleep.
2. Do you take the shampoos and conditioner bottles from hotels?
I think Iāve only done it once or twice, when the smell strongly reminded us of the happy time weād spent in that location. Disneyās Aulani resort comes to mind.
3. Do you sleep with your sheets tucked in or out of the mattress? Tucked out,
With todayās thick mattresses, our sheets donāt really stay tucked in the sides well anyway. (I like them tucked in and Will doesnāt but mostly I donāt bother anymore.)
4. Have you stolen a street sign before?
No, nor would it ever occur to me to do so.
5. Do you like to use post-it notes?
Yes, theyāre handy for leaving notes for other people to see, especially if youāre slapping it up on the microwave door or next to something on the counter and you donāt want it to blow away.
6. Do you cut out coupons but then never use them?
So, so often.
7. Would you rather be attacked by a big bear or a swarm of bees?
Iām hoping that the bees would be more likely to leave me alone if I didnāt move.
8. Do you have freckles?
Not really. I get tiny mole dots, instead - thanks, Dad. :P
9. Do you always smile for pictures?
Always, unless it was a candid and I didnāt realize it was being taken.
10. What is your biggest pet peeve?
Bigots and liars.
11. Do you ever count steps when you walk?
No.
12. Have you peed in the woods?
Probably? I would likely have tried to block that out, though, lol.
13. Do you chew your pens and pencils?
I used to give my pencils teeth marks when I was in school, but I donāt anymore.
14. What size is your bed?
Queen.
15. What is your song of the week?
Something out of Jesus Christ Superstar, which I always listen to during Holy Week.
16. Is it OK for guys to wear pink?
Sure, why not? If women/girls can wear blue (and I remember making baby!MiniPlu a shirt to that effect, after people kept mistaking her for a boy just because I didnāt dress her in head-to-toe pink), then guys can wear pink.
17. Do you still watch cartoons?
Iāve discovered some of the old Disney classic cartoons on Disney+, and I still love occasionally watching the old Road Runner and Bugs Bunny cartoons, too. Oh, and Phineas & Ferb. So - not often, but I enjoy those when I do revisit them.
18. What do you drink with dinner?
Water.
19. What do you dip a chicken nugget in?
Chicken nuggets are gross. :P
20. Were you ever a boy/Girl Scout?
I was a brownie one year and a junior girl scout the following year (so probably 3rd and 4th grades?), then dropped out.
21. When was the last time you wrote a letter to someone?
If you count email, then this morning. :). If you mean a paper letter - probably a thank-you notecard I wrote to my dadās neighbors on Monday, thanking them for doing his shopping (and repaying them, as well).
22. Can you change the oil on a car?
Yes, although I might make a bit of a mess in the process. I used to do my own, then got into the habit of having the dealership do it, and only recently tried doing it myself again. Might be doing it myself again rather soon, if things remain the same for several more months.
23. Ever gotten a speeding ticket?
*knock wood*. No. I got pulled over once for speeding but I was only 21, it was upstate NY at 2am and I still had a CA license, it was the middle of nowhere, and I was dreadfully apologetic, so I got off with a warning.
24. Ever ran out of gas?
No, and I promptly trained Will to pay more attention to that, too - had to bail him out at least once.
25. Whatās your favorite kind of sandwich?
I like lots of different things. Classic PB&J, ham/cheese, turkey/cheese, or things with bacon or avocado or veggies, toasted and not.
26. Best thing to eat for breakfast?
My daily breakfast is either cereal or the grain-free muffins I make. For special occasions I like waffles, or eggs and bacon, or an omelet, or homemade cinnamon rolls.
27. How many languages can you speak?
English, German, and a little bit of Russian and sign language, plus a few phrases in Spanish, French, Dutch and Japanese. I can count to 10 in a couple more.
28. Do you have any magazine subscriptions?
TIME magazine, which I havenāt been making time to read. *sheepish*. Iāve been focusing more on the internet and brain-candy reading.
29. Which are better: legos or Lincoln logs?
I love them both.
30. Are you stubborn?
Sometimes.
31.Have you ever watched soap operas?
When I was a kid, my mom watched Guiding Light and I would sometimes follow along.
32. Are you afraid of heights?
I donāt mind looking OUT, but Iām not crazy about looking straight DOWN, if Iām right on the edge, even if thereās a window or railing in place. Although I donāt mind looking down from planes - thatās different.
33. Do you sing in the car?
Constantly. I canāt help it.
34. Ever shot a gun?
Only water guns. :-P
35. Do you think musicals are cheesy?
I adore most musicals. Theyāre just ... fun!
36. Is Christmas stressful?
Yes and no. I do the majority of buying, wrapping and card-writing, plus thereās decorating and such so thereās a lot to make time for, but theyāre all activities I enjoy.
37. Occupations you wanted to be when you were little?
Obstetric nurse, marine biologist, astronomer.
38. Ever have a Deja-vu feeling?
Yes.
39. First concert you attended?
I think it was something about the music of Andrew Lloyd Webber? I was in college.
40. Walmart, Target, or Kmart?
Walmart or Target, depending on whatās closest and what Iām after.
41. Nike or Adidas?
I donāt give a shit about brand names. Never did. My running shoes are often Asics or Brooks, just because theyāre more likely to work with my awful feet, but otherwise, I donāt care.
42. Cheetos or Fritos?
I like them both. Might depend on my mood - right now, Iād say āFritosā but that could change on another day.
43. Can you curl your tongue?
MiniPlu and I can; Will and Two cannot.
44. Have you ever cried because you were so happy?
Oh, heck yes. The plane arriving in Hawaii comes to mind. Not actual bawling, but tears of happiness and a choked up throat.
45. Own any record albums?
Not anymore - unless you count my old ones still back in CA (mostly childrenās stuff, but thereās at least one Beach Boys in there). Will has a record album collection, though.
46. Own a record player?
Yep, heās got one of those, too. (Again, my old one is in CA - no idea if it even still works.)
47. Ever been in love?
Twice. Married the second one. *g*
48. Ever won a contest?
I won a door prize of a $25 gift certificate to the fabric store I worked at at the time (it was a staff holiday party). Used it to make my senior prom dress.
49. Do you miss anyone right now?
People at schools, people at my dojong, my best friend.
50. Who are you going to tag to do this survey next?
Anyone who is equally bored/looking to avoid other responsibilities. :D
And for all who celebrate: Happy Pesach! <3 I hope you can all still find ways to celebrate and be together, at least in spirit, despite the 11th plague.