2 Friday Fivers
5/12
1. What was the first album you ever bought?
I cannot remember. I just googled top albums of 1985-1988, when I was old enough to have some spending money. Maybe Madonna, maybe Cyndi Lauper, but then again my sister's friend might have let us borrow those. It might have been George Michael's Faith, which I bought for my sister. I distinctly remember the small music shop where I bought it, and it was one I was familiar with enough to know to go there. So there must be an album I bought before that.
2. What format was it? (cassette, CD, other?)
Definitely cassette.
3. How old were you? If it was 1987, I was 9.
4. Where did you hear it? Radio, most likely.
5. Did your parents approve?
My dad took me to the music store, knowing I was buying the birthday present for my sister. He didn't care what I was buying, though if he looked at the track list, that would have been shut down real fast. I knew the title track, but had no idea about "I Want Your Sex (Parts I & II). The tape was in the car once when my mom was driving up to see my grandmother, and she listened to it...later made some comment about it but didn't take it away.
5/5
1. What is your work/school commute like?
3 out of 4 weeks of the month, I work from home. So, my commute is bed to bathroom to kitchen and back to my bedroom, where my desk is. I live 14 miles from the office. Early morning commute is about 20 minutes of mostly freeway. More like 35 going home in the afternoon.
2. What did you want to be when you grew up? Has it changed?
Earliest ambitions: ballerina or gymnast (despite never taking a class in either). Later, whale trainer, veterinarian, marine biologist.
3. What is your weirdest work/school/project related story?
Hmmm. I had 2 college classes where we were given assignments with nearly no instructions. One was an anthropology class where we had to come up with a question, conduct the research, and write a research paper. There were 4 TAs in the class to help us, and the project took the entire 10 weeks, but the professor gave us no assistance and very little guidance. I broke down in tears with my TA when turning in a draft because I had zero idea what I was doing. The other class I think was human development, and we had a group project of again, pick a topic, research it, and create a presentation for it, including printed material. Trying to get ideas on what topics would be okay was like pulling teeth, as was what he expected us to present. We chose the topic of stuttering, and created a pamphlet, but I don't remember anything else. Again, our group was like, what are we supposed to do, since he won't tell us? I guess we did okay in the end.
4. What is something you're closely familiar with that media always gets wrong?
Nothing off the top of my head aside from when the chocolate company name Ghirardelli is mispronounced. It's a hard G.
5. Describe the stuff on your desk/workspace.
Two monitors, docking station, laptop, toy cars to help reenact the details of accidents provided to me, Ringling Brothers circus cup I've had since 4th grade for pens and pencils, a catch-all basket of other supplies, some post-it notes, clock radio, desk lamp, The Far Side page a day calendar, and a desk plate that says "May the Force be with you." Oh and 2 coasters for my coffee mug and can of seltzer.
1. What was the first album you ever bought?
I cannot remember. I just googled top albums of 1985-1988, when I was old enough to have some spending money. Maybe Madonna, maybe Cyndi Lauper, but then again my sister's friend might have let us borrow those. It might have been George Michael's Faith, which I bought for my sister. I distinctly remember the small music shop where I bought it, and it was one I was familiar with enough to know to go there. So there must be an album I bought before that.
2. What format was it? (cassette, CD, other?)
Definitely cassette.
3. How old were you? If it was 1987, I was 9.
4. Where did you hear it? Radio, most likely.
5. Did your parents approve?
My dad took me to the music store, knowing I was buying the birthday present for my sister. He didn't care what I was buying, though if he looked at the track list, that would have been shut down real fast. I knew the title track, but had no idea about "I Want Your Sex (Parts I & II). The tape was in the car once when my mom was driving up to see my grandmother, and she listened to it...later made some comment about it but didn't take it away.
5/5
1. What is your work/school commute like?
3 out of 4 weeks of the month, I work from home. So, my commute is bed to bathroom to kitchen and back to my bedroom, where my desk is. I live 14 miles from the office. Early morning commute is about 20 minutes of mostly freeway. More like 35 going home in the afternoon.
2. What did you want to be when you grew up? Has it changed?
Earliest ambitions: ballerina or gymnast (despite never taking a class in either). Later, whale trainer, veterinarian, marine biologist.
3. What is your weirdest work/school/project related story?
Hmmm. I had 2 college classes where we were given assignments with nearly no instructions. One was an anthropology class where we had to come up with a question, conduct the research, and write a research paper. There were 4 TAs in the class to help us, and the project took the entire 10 weeks, but the professor gave us no assistance and very little guidance. I broke down in tears with my TA when turning in a draft because I had zero idea what I was doing. The other class I think was human development, and we had a group project of again, pick a topic, research it, and create a presentation for it, including printed material. Trying to get ideas on what topics would be okay was like pulling teeth, as was what he expected us to present. We chose the topic of stuttering, and created a pamphlet, but I don't remember anything else. Again, our group was like, what are we supposed to do, since he won't tell us? I guess we did okay in the end.
4. What is something you're closely familiar with that media always gets wrong?
Nothing off the top of my head aside from when the chocolate company name Ghirardelli is mispronounced. It's a hard G.
5. Describe the stuff on your desk/workspace.
Two monitors, docking station, laptop, toy cars to help reenact the details of accidents provided to me, Ringling Brothers circus cup I've had since 4th grade for pens and pencils, a catch-all basket of other supplies, some post-it notes, clock radio, desk lamp, The Far Side page a day calendar, and a desk plate that says "May the Force be with you." Oh and 2 coasters for my coffee mug and can of seltzer.