Sharpening my #2 pencil for the British meme...
A household meme with questions for which I don't always have instant answers! This looks like fun. Lifted from gillo and dragonyphoenix. Thanks to dragonyphoenix, I won't be the first American to attempt this British meme. :)
1. Marmite- love or hate?
Never had it. Based on the description, can't say it sounds good to me.
2. Marmalade- thick cut or thin cut?
Thin cut, thank you very much. Chunks are not spreadable. I like my spreads spreadable. :)
3. Porridge- made with milk or water?
Well, for oatmeal, I prefer it with milk, 2%. Porridge has a different connotation here, what with the large Asian population. It refers to a thick soup made of rice, often with things added for flavor. Could be savory (like shredded chicken with pickled veggies and ginger, and ooooh, thousand-year-old eggs), or sweet (with sugar, red beans, dates, lotus seeds, walnuts, etc.).
4. Do you like salt, sugar or honey on your porridge?
For oatmeal: brown sugar if available, with a dash of cinnamon. Sliced banana when I'm in the mood and there are bananas.
5. Loose tea or teabags?
Loose tea at home. This also gives me an excuse to buy novelty tea infusers. I was brought up on loose tea, and I love the ritual of making tea. Teabags when I'm out and about and loose tea simply isn't an option.
6. Where on your door is your letterbox?
Just a mail slot, perfectly situated on the door for a 4yo to peep out of.
7. What's your favourite curry?
I love all things curry! For Thai, Panang chicken with red curry. For Indian, I can probably eat chicken tikka masala every day and never tire of it. Also, I love Japanese curry rice. OK, this is making my mouth water. :P
8. What age is the place where you live?
The house is ~110 years old. The city, ~240.
9. Where do the folks running your local corner shop come from?
The nearest coffee shop is owned by a family from Jordan, I think.
10. Instant or fresh coffee?
Good God, fresh, of course! Even the sludge served at the airport is brewed from fresh coffee. The questions for coffee around here would be: 1) regular or latte, 2) pour-over or cold brew, 3) organic, fair-trade or supermarket variety, 4) made from regular grounds or cup-at-a-time pods.
11. How far are you from the sea?
4 miles to the west, 4 miles to the east, 6 or 7 miles to the north. My office building overlooks the bay.
12. Have you travelled via Eurostar?
Sadly, no.
13. If you were going to travel abroad, where's the nearest country to you?
Mexico.
14. If you're female (or possible even some males) do you carry a handbag?
Handbag when I don't need to carry my laptop. Otherwise, a backpack. When I travel, a camera bag. I need too much stuff with me, for the comfort a familiar environment creates, to go without a bag of some sort, even just to the coffee shop to get coffee. :)
15. Do you have a garden? What do you like growing?
The previous owner of the house was an avid birdwatcher and put in a landscaped backyard and front yard (to attract birds; especially hummingbirds), with a complete drip watering system. I take absolutely no credit for the year-round flowers I now get to enjoy. The pear tree and the purple-red Japanese maple are my favorite.
16. Full cream, semi skimmed or skimmed?
For coffee, I use both half&half and 2% milk. For my American friends, this question would likely be: For cereal: whole milk, 2%, or fat-free? For coffee, one of the above, half&half, or soy milk?
17. Which London terminal would you travel into if going to the capital?
Well, since it'd be a trans-Atlantic journey for me, Heathrow Airport gives me the most options.
18. Is there a local greasy spoon where you live?
There are some, within a couple of miles. Diner food is "in" because the hipsters have made it "retro" and trendy, but they've also raised the prices.
19. Do you keep Euros in the house?
A few small bills and some coins from a trip to Paris years ago.
20. Does your home town have a Latin, Gaelic or Welsh alternative name?
The city's name is Spanish, as are many older cities around here. Founded when the Spanish colonized this area.
21. Do you have a well known local artist or author?
Too many to list. Thanks in part to the colleges/universaties nearby. Maxine Hong Kingston lives across the bay, a petite woman with a strong voice and striking long silver hair that flows down her back. Like a kickass superhero. Other authors include Michael Chabon, Scott Adams, Lemony Snicket, and Dave Eggers. There are many chef-authors, like Alice Waters and Michael Pollan. I guess we like food so much we even like to read about food (of which I'm guilty of, since I like Anthony Bourdain. Though truth be told, he comes across more as a frustrated author than a chef). Wait, maybe not Dave Eggers anymore. He made his name here, did wonderful work to advance literary education, then wrote a public breakup letter with San Francisco and the State of California two years ago and declared that he was moving to the State of Oregon. He embodies the HipsterKitty meme: he liked San Francisco before it was cool.
22. Do you have a favourite Corrie character?
I'm not familiar with this...uh, TV series?
23. Are your kitchen sink taps separate or a mixer?
Mixer.
24. Do you have a favourite brand of blended tea?
*Narrows eyes* Quality loose tea isn't usually blended. ;) For the bagged variety, Mighty Leaf gets my nod of approval, and is local. Stash is pretty good, too.
25. What's in your attic if you have one?
The contractor we hired, in the course of improving insulation to the house last year, came across two chairs and some letters in the attic, probably belonging to the previous owner of the house. I think the chairs are still up there, because he said he couldn't remove them without destroying them. The thought of it made me cringe. I hate it when perfectly functional things get destroyed. We'll leave them there for the next owner to discover. :)
26. If you go out for a cream tea, what jam do you like on your scone?
Raspberry. Which are always the first to be sold out. Strawberry, then.
27. Talking of scones- scon or scown? Jam or cream first?
Scon; jam.
28. Barth or bath?
Bath.
29. Carstle or castle?
Castle.
30. What flavour of crisps do you favour?
Depends on the mood and what else I'm eating. Seasalt, or cheddar, or sour cream & onion, or BBQ. But not salt & vinegar. (Not a fan of malt vinegar altogether; I only use rice vinegar in cooking.)
31. If you go to the chippie, what do you like with your chips?
Ketchup. (I sometimes ask for Mayonnaise to make my own poor-man's Thousand Island dressing with two-part Mayonnaise, one-part ketchup. Yeah, I'm weird.)
32. Take away, take out or carry out?
Hee, takeout, one word, because 'Murican. (As for actually eating, I prefer eating out or getting food delivered by far, and not going to the restaurant to order food to go.)
33. If you have one, what colour is your wheelie bin?
We have three: blue for recycleables, green for compostables, black for landfill.
34. What colour skips does your local skip hire use?
Uhm, what?
35. Do you celebrate Guy Fawkes?
Well, it's not a thing here, and even if it were, I probably never would. I'm traumatized by Watson almost dying in the bonfire on Sherlock...I knew he wouldn't (because the show wouldn't be able to go on otherwise), but still.
36. Dettol or TCP?
I've had to use a special hand soap branded Dettol for a tiny hand surgery years ago. I assume the other is a competitor. Don't normally use either.
37. Do you have a bidet in the bathroom?
Not in my house. For some reason, though, all the toilets at work are electronic bidets. Lemme tell you, there's nothing more disconcerting than sitting down on a warm toilet seat. On top of that, some woman (or women) in the office tends to leave them at the highest heat setting, past "toasty" to "scorching".
38. Do you prefer courgettes or aubergines?
Hee, I had to look up courgettes; I rather like zucchinis. But I love, love, love eggplants. Mm-mm-mm. :)
39. In the 'real world', do you have friends of other nationalities? Which nationalities?
Yes, this is San Francisco, after all. Let's see...Austrian, Chinese, Indian, Russian, Turkish, Canadian, Japanese, Greek, Dutch, Australian, Irish, Filipino...
40. Do you have a holy book of any sort in the house?
A few Bibles, some Buddhist texts, and does the Tao-Te Ching count? My copy of the Collected Poems of T.S. Eliot is sacred to me.
41. Do you prefer a hankie or tissues?
Tissues. I buy them in bulk. Almost every room in the house has a box and every purse of mine has a to-go pack.
42. Are you a fan of crumpets? What do you like on them?
Never had them, but I love English muffins. Yes, yes, they are not the same at all, but I'm the same no matter what I eat, and my preferences are likely to carry over. ;) I like English muffins with butter and sometimes with jam in addition.
43. Doorbell, knocker or both?
We have an old-fashioned bell pull, as in a real bell with a pull made of a metal wire with a wooden handle. It confounds many delivery people. I secretly love it.
44. Do you own a car? What sort?
Yes; Toyota Camry.
45. What sort of pants do you guys prefer? Y fronts or boxers?
I'm not a guy, but this is rather personal, isn't it? Would you like a picture, too, while we're at it? Lol. I mean, how many women would answer the following questions on the Internet for all to see: What sort of bra do you prefer? Pushup, padded or unlined? With or without underwire? Full cup or shelf cup or balconette or bandeau? Or maybe pasties, lol!
46. Anyone still a fan of suspenders?
I've never worn a pair. Too fussy anyway. I'm usually in a dress with tights or nothing!
47. Do you have a favourite quote from the bard?
Yes, it hasn't changed for over two decades, so I suppose it's uncontested.
To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow,
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day,
To the last syllable of recorded time;
And all our yesterdays have lighted fools
The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!
Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage
And then is heard no more. It is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury
Signifying nothing.
- Macbeth (Act 5, Scene 5)
Hmm, it references "dusty death". My membership in a vampire-inhabited fandom was foretold! ;)
48. Do you like toasted muffins?
Yes, if lightly toasted.
49. Do you think a traditional trifle should contain jelly?
Shudder, no. Though I'm no authority on what's "traditional" in this case, obviously.
50. Do you attend regular religious worship? Of what kind?
No, thank uh...never mind. I can't imagine having even less unassigned, unallocated time! I need it for ImportantThings, like filling out multi-page questionnaires on the Internet!（⌒▽⌒）
1. Marmite- love or hate?
Never had it. Based on the description, can't say it sounds good to me.
2. Marmalade- thick cut or thin cut?
Thin cut, thank you very much. Chunks are not spreadable. I like my spreads spreadable. :)
3. Porridge- made with milk or water?
Well, for oatmeal, I prefer it with milk, 2%. Porridge has a different connotation here, what with the large Asian population. It refers to a thick soup made of rice, often with things added for flavor. Could be savory (like shredded chicken with pickled veggies and ginger, and ooooh, thousand-year-old eggs), or sweet (with sugar, red beans, dates, lotus seeds, walnuts, etc.).
4. Do you like salt, sugar or honey on your porridge?
For oatmeal: brown sugar if available, with a dash of cinnamon. Sliced banana when I'm in the mood and there are bananas.
5. Loose tea or teabags?
Loose tea at home. This also gives me an excuse to buy novelty tea infusers. I was brought up on loose tea, and I love the ritual of making tea. Teabags when I'm out and about and loose tea simply isn't an option.
6. Where on your door is your letterbox?
Just a mail slot, perfectly situated on the door for a 4yo to peep out of.
7. What's your favourite curry?
I love all things curry! For Thai, Panang chicken with red curry. For Indian, I can probably eat chicken tikka masala every day and never tire of it. Also, I love Japanese curry rice. OK, this is making my mouth water. :P
8. What age is the place where you live?
The house is ~110 years old. The city, ~240.
9. Where do the folks running your local corner shop come from?
The nearest coffee shop is owned by a family from Jordan, I think.
10. Instant or fresh coffee?
Good God, fresh, of course! Even the sludge served at the airport is brewed from fresh coffee. The questions for coffee around here would be: 1) regular or latte, 2) pour-over or cold brew, 3) organic, fair-trade or supermarket variety, 4) made from regular grounds or cup-at-a-time pods.
11. How far are you from the sea?
4 miles to the west, 4 miles to the east, 6 or 7 miles to the north. My office building overlooks the bay.
12. Have you travelled via Eurostar?
Sadly, no.
13. If you were going to travel abroad, where's the nearest country to you?
Mexico.
14. If you're female (or possible even some males) do you carry a handbag?
Handbag when I don't need to carry my laptop. Otherwise, a backpack. When I travel, a camera bag. I need too much stuff with me, for the comfort a familiar environment creates, to go without a bag of some sort, even just to the coffee shop to get coffee. :)
15. Do you have a garden? What do you like growing?
The previous owner of the house was an avid birdwatcher and put in a landscaped backyard and front yard (to attract birds; especially hummingbirds), with a complete drip watering system. I take absolutely no credit for the year-round flowers I now get to enjoy. The pear tree and the purple-red Japanese maple are my favorite.
16. Full cream, semi skimmed or skimmed?
For coffee, I use both half&half and 2% milk. For my American friends, this question would likely be: For cereal: whole milk, 2%, or fat-free? For coffee, one of the above, half&half, or soy milk?
17. Which London terminal would you travel into if going to the capital?
Well, since it'd be a trans-Atlantic journey for me, Heathrow Airport gives me the most options.
18. Is there a local greasy spoon where you live?
There are some, within a couple of miles. Diner food is "in" because the hipsters have made it "retro" and trendy, but they've also raised the prices.
19. Do you keep Euros in the house?
A few small bills and some coins from a trip to Paris years ago.
20. Does your home town have a Latin, Gaelic or Welsh alternative name?
The city's name is Spanish, as are many older cities around here. Founded when the Spanish colonized this area.
21. Do you have a well known local artist or author?
Too many to list. Thanks in part to the colleges/universaties nearby. Maxine Hong Kingston lives across the bay, a petite woman with a strong voice and striking long silver hair that flows down her back. Like a kickass superhero. Other authors include Michael Chabon, Scott Adams, Lemony Snicket, and Dave Eggers. There are many chef-authors, like Alice Waters and Michael Pollan. I guess we like food so much we even like to read about food (of which I'm guilty of, since I like Anthony Bourdain. Though truth be told, he comes across more as a frustrated author than a chef). Wait, maybe not Dave Eggers anymore. He made his name here, did wonderful work to advance literary education, then wrote a public breakup letter with San Francisco and the State of California two years ago and declared that he was moving to the State of Oregon. He embodies the HipsterKitty meme: he liked San Francisco before it was cool.
22. Do you have a favourite Corrie character?
I'm not familiar with this...uh, TV series?
23. Are your kitchen sink taps separate or a mixer?
Mixer.
24. Do you have a favourite brand of blended tea?
*Narrows eyes* Quality loose tea isn't usually blended. ;) For the bagged variety, Mighty Leaf gets my nod of approval, and is local. Stash is pretty good, too.
25. What's in your attic if you have one?
The contractor we hired, in the course of improving insulation to the house last year, came across two chairs and some letters in the attic, probably belonging to the previous owner of the house. I think the chairs are still up there, because he said he couldn't remove them without destroying them. The thought of it made me cringe. I hate it when perfectly functional things get destroyed. We'll leave them there for the next owner to discover. :)
26. If you go out for a cream tea, what jam do you like on your scone?
Raspberry. Which are always the first to be sold out. Strawberry, then.
27. Talking of scones- scon or scown? Jam or cream first?
Scon; jam.
28. Barth or bath?
Bath.
29. Carstle or castle?
Castle.
30. What flavour of crisps do you favour?
Depends on the mood and what else I'm eating. Seasalt, or cheddar, or sour cream & onion, or BBQ. But not salt & vinegar. (Not a fan of malt vinegar altogether; I only use rice vinegar in cooking.)
31. If you go to the chippie, what do you like with your chips?
Ketchup. (I sometimes ask for Mayonnaise to make my own poor-man's Thousand Island dressing with two-part Mayonnaise, one-part ketchup. Yeah, I'm weird.)
32. Take away, take out or carry out?
Hee, takeout, one word, because 'Murican. (As for actually eating, I prefer eating out or getting food delivered by far, and not going to the restaurant to order food to go.)
33. If you have one, what colour is your wheelie bin?
We have three: blue for recycleables, green for compostables, black for landfill.
34. What colour skips does your local skip hire use?
Uhm, what?
35. Do you celebrate Guy Fawkes?
Well, it's not a thing here, and even if it were, I probably never would. I'm traumatized by Watson almost dying in the bonfire on Sherlock...I knew he wouldn't (because the show wouldn't be able to go on otherwise), but still.
36. Dettol or TCP?
I've had to use a special hand soap branded Dettol for a tiny hand surgery years ago. I assume the other is a competitor. Don't normally use either.
37. Do you have a bidet in the bathroom?
Not in my house. For some reason, though, all the toilets at work are electronic bidets. Lemme tell you, there's nothing more disconcerting than sitting down on a warm toilet seat. On top of that, some woman (or women) in the office tends to leave them at the highest heat setting, past "toasty" to "scorching".
38. Do you prefer courgettes or aubergines?
Hee, I had to look up courgettes; I rather like zucchinis. But I love, love, love eggplants. Mm-mm-mm. :)
39. In the 'real world', do you have friends of other nationalities? Which nationalities?
Yes, this is San Francisco, after all. Let's see...Austrian, Chinese, Indian, Russian, Turkish, Canadian, Japanese, Greek, Dutch, Australian, Irish, Filipino...
40. Do you have a holy book of any sort in the house?
A few Bibles, some Buddhist texts, and does the Tao-Te Ching count? My copy of the Collected Poems of T.S. Eliot is sacred to me.
41. Do you prefer a hankie or tissues?
Tissues. I buy them in bulk. Almost every room in the house has a box and every purse of mine has a to-go pack.
42. Are you a fan of crumpets? What do you like on them?
Never had them, but I love English muffins. Yes, yes, they are not the same at all, but I'm the same no matter what I eat, and my preferences are likely to carry over. ;) I like English muffins with butter and sometimes with jam in addition.
43. Doorbell, knocker or both?
We have an old-fashioned bell pull, as in a real bell with a pull made of a metal wire with a wooden handle. It confounds many delivery people. I secretly love it.
44. Do you own a car? What sort?
Yes; Toyota Camry.
45. What sort of pants do you guys prefer? Y fronts or boxers?
I'm not a guy, but this is rather personal, isn't it? Would you like a picture, too, while we're at it? Lol. I mean, how many women would answer the following questions on the Internet for all to see: What sort of bra do you prefer? Pushup, padded or unlined? With or without underwire? Full cup or shelf cup or balconette or bandeau? Or maybe pasties, lol!
46. Anyone still a fan of suspenders?
I've never worn a pair. Too fussy anyway. I'm usually in a dress with tights or nothing!
47. Do you have a favourite quote from the bard?
Yes, it hasn't changed for over two decades, so I suppose it's uncontested.
To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow,
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day,
To the last syllable of recorded time;
And all our yesterdays have lighted fools
The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!
Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage
And then is heard no more. It is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury
Signifying nothing.
- Macbeth (Act 5, Scene 5)
Hmm, it references "dusty death". My membership in a vampire-inhabited fandom was foretold! ;)
48. Do you like toasted muffins?
Yes, if lightly toasted.
49. Do you think a traditional trifle should contain jelly?
Shudder, no. Though I'm no authority on what's "traditional" in this case, obviously.
50. Do you attend regular religious worship? Of what kind?
No, thank uh...never mind. I can't imagine having even less unassigned, unallocated time! I need it for ImportantThings, like filling out multi-page questionnaires on the Internet!（⌒▽⌒）