Category Archives: Mixed Bag

My Favorite Things

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I think the idea for this post came from a commenter MONTHS ago when I asked for ideas. It was a good idea, I just didn’t feel inspired for it at the time. Now, it’s late Wednesday night and I don’t have a post ready for tomorrow like I almost always do. And since I don’t want to hit you up yet again with another controversial post, I’ll go with puppies and rainbows, instead.

So, if I was Oprah and able to give each of you one of each of my favorite things, I’d give you:

A party pack of LipSmackers

I wouldn’t like to say that I need anything beyond God, His Bible, and the basics like food and water, but this may be the closest a want gets to a need in my life. Petty, I know, but if I don’t have a LipSmacker on me, it distracts me until I can get my hands on one.

A Pair of My Mom-made Flannel Pajama Bottoms

Mom, you better get sewing! Sorry for the awful picture, but I took it just now. Seriously though, they’re my favorites, which is obvious as I spend half my life in them.

A 5-Color Pack of Uniball Vision Pens

I don’t have reason to write much any more, but when I do, it’s with one of these pens (or occasionally with a black one). They’re 100% faithful…in the dozens that I’ve used and used up, the only time they ever stop working even one bit is when they’re out of ink. And you can’t fault them that one…I use and use and use them!

A Big Box of Kix

It could be any of half a dozen cereals, but this week I’ve been craving Kix, so that’s what it’d be if I had to choose today. I eat a bowl of cereal with milk every evening as my late night snack. A little bit sweet and calms my acid reflex when it is most likely to act up.

A Barnes and Noble Nook Preloaded with Radical by David Platt

Love my Nook! And if I could only give you one book on it, it’s be Radical. Seriously, if you haven’t read it, you should. And I do realize the irony of mentioning that in this post.

A Gilmore Girls complete set

My all-time favorite show. I’ve seen each episode at least twice…or is it three times?

And last but not least…

A Case of Diet Dr Pepper

Yes, of course it’d make the list!

So, would you go home happy?

Disclosure: I received no product or compensation of any kind for this post. Everything on this list was added because I truly enjoy it.

FQF: Playing Games

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1.  How often have you returned book to the library unread?

Fairly frequently, probably 1 in 3 or 4 books that I return. It’s not my intent, but if I lose interest or I haven’t gotten to the book before it’s requested by someone else or it’s reached the end of its renewals (umm, after 6 months!), I’ll take it back.

2.  What are your favorite games to play?

I like card games like Nerts and Euchre and party games like ImaginIff and Apples to Apples.

3.  How do you feel about arranged marriages?

I would do it if it was based on his character, not what he could bring to the family. Though I am glad to have the chance to pick my own husband.

4.  Which do you prefer: the original Star Wars trilogy, or the new one?

I actually like Episodes I-III (the newer ones) better.  I love all the foreshadowing.  Perhaps if I had gone to the original ones in the theater (the first time they came out…I saw them when they did the updated ones in the 90s) they would be more special to me.

5.  When did you learn to swim?

I think I was a bit older, but you’d have to ask my mom. I remember taking swim lessons after we moved to our new house when I was in 2nd grade, so it was probably when I was 8 or so when I officially learned.  It’s still one of my favorite things to do.

Make sure you come by Monday…I have something that I can’t wait to share with you all!

FQF: Driving Tests and Lasagna

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1.  How many times did you fail your driver’s test?

Never have.  Though I hadn’t thought to study the drunk driving stuff (there was a whole chapter in the book) for my NC test a few years back, so I had to use my good test taking skills to pull it out.  I don’t know why someone who doesn’t drink needs to know the legal ramifications of a DUI, but North Carolina thinks I do.

2.  What is the most money you’ve ever spent in the bookstore at one time?

I couldn’t tell you what I’ve spent in a brick and mortar bookstore, but I have spent maybe $70 one time at Amazon.  I was waiting until I had enough to add up to $25 to get free shipping, and then I had way more than $25 worth to get.

3.  Is the glass half-full or half-empty?

Definitely half-full.  I actually couldn’t figure out whether or not I was an optimist for a while, but I definitely am.  I’m not a dreamer, though, and that’s what confused me.  I’m an optimistic realist.

4.  What was the last film you saw at the theatre?

Inception, I think (yes, I loved it).  I saw it in Texas, when I was there last summer.  I still haven’t seen The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (which is sad to me, but I haven’t had time to figure out when/who to see it with) which I’d like to.  Except for a few movies I really want to see (which is rare, maybe once a year), I only go to see movies when I’m with my family or my college roommate.  I guess I just associate movies with vacations.

5.  What foods do you dislike?

Cooked vegetables if you can eat them raw (with the major exception of tomatoes, which I’d rather eat cooked if I have to).  I’ve slowly reconciled myself to handling cooked broccoli and spinach, but I’ll still avoid them unless they’re in something.  I also don’t like lasagna (don’t ask my mom about that one), and am actually not a big fan of Italian food, beyond the salad and bread.  There are plenty of things I haven’t tried that I’m not excited about trying, but given the right circumstances, I would.

When Something Isn’t Funny

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We’ve all heard them: inappropriate jokes.  We’ve may have even told them.

And I’m not talking about PG-13 jokes.  I’m talking about jokes that have undertones of racism, or jokes that make light of serious situations like murder.  I probably hear a joke like this every few days, if not more frequently.

I don’t think it’s okay to make fun of someone else’s culture.  Perhaps you’re truly just trying to be funny and have no idea how what you say may hurt someone.  But that’s no excuse.  There is no right or best culture, so to make fun of a custom, accent, or tradition is at best, ignorant.

Do you agree?  Is there a kind of humor that you don’t think is appropriate?

FQF: I Don’t Polar Bear Swim

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1.  If you could spend a year dedicated full-time to becoming an expert on any topic at all, what would you choose?

I’d love to spend a life dedicated to becoming an expert in everything. =) If I *had* to choose one subject I’d choose…

Literature? That’s the first thing that came to mind.  It’s silly to think that I didn’t take even ONE English class in college.

This is too hard!  I like to learn about everything!   Many parts of history, culture, and politics interest me, so I would probably pick one of those.  Basically, I’m not answering this question because I think it’d be so hard to focus in one just one thing.

2.  Where’s the nearest swimmable body of water?

Well, I don’t think there are any that I’d actually consider swimmable in at least 500 miles, considering it’s January!  Though, I suppose the (heated!) indoor public pools count, and there are 3 here in Raleigh.

3.  Do you like to keep your books organized?

Of course! I have all of my fiction books organized alphabetically by author’s last name.  Non-fiction books are organized loosely by category (with a large “everything else” category), with a whole shelf of TBR non-fiction books.

4.  If there is such a thing as Judgment Day, what do you think it will be like?

Yes, I think Judgment Day is coming. I believe what the Bible says is true…but don’t ask me to give a play-by-play of that day.  The Bible is clear that we will all face the Judge, but the details aren’t all so clear.  I think God has told us what He wants us to know, and speculating on the end times can be a distraction from what God has called us to do hear and now (once again, that is clear).

5.  What are you listening to right now?

I’m listening to The Millennials: Connecting to America’s Largest Generation by Thom S. Rainer and Jess Rainer.  I’m doing a review on the audiobook for AudioFile magazine.  Normally, I can’t listen to an audiobook while writing a blog post, but doing a silly blog post goes well with listening to a nonfiction book.

FQF: Now I Want a Sandwich

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1.  What is one thing you always have with you?

Anyone who knows me in real life could probably answer this one, as I frequently pull it out or have to go get it if I’m at a social function: my Lipsmacker (well, one of them!). I can’t even begin to think how much I’ve eaten in my lifetime…

2.  What did you last use a sticky-note for?

For Christmas I got these slightly-wider-than-a-post-it ones that are perfect for editing.  When the margin is too small for me to add what I want (and I have been adding a lot), I stick a Post-it and write on it.  So far I’ve edited most of the first chapter of my NaNoWriMo book, and I’ve used several of those Post-its.

3.  What’s your favorite kind of sandwich?

I’m actually not a big sandwich person.  Actually, thinking about sandwiches reminds me of when I’d make ham, cucumber, and onion sandwich (with ranch, of course) on croissants the last summer I lived at home.  I so need to do that again…so delicious! Mental note: make sure to plant enough cucumbers this spring!

I don’t like most traditional sandwich ingredients, only the concessional roast beef or ham sandwich (light on the meat and heavy on the onion and ranch). I do like a good peanut butter and honey sandwich on wheat every now and then, but I rarely make those either.

All this talk about sandwiches makes me think I should plan on taking sandwiches to work next week instead of the usual leftovers.

4.  When did you most recently turn on your vacuum cleaner?

I plead the fifth.  Okay, truthfully, I have never vacuumed upstairs at the new place (though it’s been vacuumed a time or two by slave labor helpful children earning a few bucks), though I’ve vacuumed the living room rug a couple of times.  My mom can attest to how much I dislike vacuuming stairs, and I tend to avoid thinking/looking at floors.  Just one more of my weird things.

I have been planning on vacuuming the upstairs this weekend, though.

5.  Some people read the endings of books before they invest time, energy, and emotion into the rest of them. What are your thoughts about this practice?

I wouldn’t even think to do that (how do you know if it’s a good ending if you don’t yet know the story and characters?).  I think the only time I’ve done it is when there are a lot of characters at the beginning of the book, and I take a peak at the book as a whole to see what names are actually important to the story.

27 Things at 27

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Continuing the birthday-eve tradition of 26 things and 25 things, here are 27 things that I’ve done at the age of 27:

1.  Saw Phantom of the Opera.

2.  Saw my baby brother marry the best woman for him.

3.  Was a bridesmaid (and a maid of honor) for the first time(s).

4.  Got buried in snow in North Carolina for the first time.

5.  Watched Gone with the Wind.

6.  Added a second tax site at work.

7.  Met a US congressman…who got voted out in the most recent election.

8.  Read several books that really influenced me.

9.  Started making serious progress on making my life better for creation.

10.  Saved a (very small) emergency savings, and kept it.

11.  Left apartment life behind (though I was sad to part ways with my roommate of 3 years).

12.  Grew my first vegetable garden with moderate success.

13.  Went on my first overnight work trip.

14.  Got my car wrecked by an anonymous drunk, angry driver.

15.  Went to kids’ camp for the first time as an adult and loved it.

16.  Have finished my 5th year at my job…by far the longest I’ve worked anywhere.

17.  Helped my roommate through the first homeowner’s crisis I’ve ever dealt with: the death of a water heater.

18.  Vlogged for the first time.

19.  Got my game on, competing with friends in a diet and exercise competition.  The first time was helpful, the second time, not so much.

20.  Switched from teaching Sunday school to kindergarteners to helping with the 5th and 6th grade class.

21.  Had my first solo vacation and loved it.

22.  Voted for my first Democrats.

23.  Helped with the first ever Readathon for Hunger.

24.  Wrote a novel.

25.  Decorated my first full-sized Christmas tree not in my parents’ home.

26.  Read 164 books.

27.  Traveled to Atlanta, Wichita, Myrtle Beach, Norman, Charlotte, Roanoke, Denison (Texas, 2x), Kansas City, small town Kansas, and the middle of nowhere.

FQF: The Gift Giving Edition

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1.  What do you want for your birthday? (December 15, hint, hint)

On the top of my wish list is a Barnes & Noble Nook (not the new color screen one, but the traditional kind).  Which should come as no surprise if you’ve read about my book-packing woes on Twitter.  When I wrote out my birthday/Christmas list this year, I realized that I really am grown up, as I was asking for things like cloth napkins.

2.  What was your favorite gift that you’ve received?

Though it wasn’t for my birthday or Christmas, I’d have to say my car.  When I graduated from college, my parents did what they always said they wouldn’t: they bought me a car.  A great gift and I chose well, as my Camry has had no more than cosmetic issues caused by the rough streets (a rock to the windshield, a drunk driver to the side, and a nail to the tire).

3.  What was the strangest gift you’ve ever received?

A pack of plain white copy paper.  I received this as a gift from my (younger) brother when I was in elementary school.  I had wanted paper, but I wanted colored printing paper.  Still makes me laugh.

4.  What was your favorite gift to give?

I think it’d probably be the scrapbooks I made for some friends from college the Christmas after I left OU.  I love to give gifts more than receive them, so I can’t say that there were any gifts that I didn’t like giving, but some are more meaningful than others.

5.  Are you done shopping for Christmas?

Yes.  Though I still need to mail presents to a friend and her girl.  Other than that, I’m done.  I will wrap my family’s gifts once I get to Kansas (I had them shipped direct from Amazon).

FQF: Gifts, Wind, and Socks

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1.  If you had to purchase all your friends’ gifts at one store for the rest of your life, which would you choose?

Does Amazon count? Because that’s pretty much where I buy the bulk of my gifts. If I had to pick a brick and mortar store, I guess I’d choose Target…at least it’s my favorite place to buy stuff for myself.

2.  What is more difficult for you: looking into someone’s eyes when you are telling someone how you feel, or looking into someone’s eyes when they are telling you how they feel?

Looking into someone’s eyes when they’re talking to me. Because I don’t know what they’re going to say, but I (usually) know what I’m going to say to someone else.

3. Not counting in the midst of a storm, where’s the windiest place you’ve been?

Definitely where I grew up: Wichita, Kansas.  It’s pretty much always windy there, and is like the 7th windiest city in the United States.  I remember watching outdoor scenes in movies growing up and thinking how fake they were because they wouldn’t have wind.  I didn’t realize that in many places, wind is abnormal and not an everyday thing.

Now, any time it’s windy, it reminds me of home.

4.  In what way is today better than yesterday?

I’m wearing socks that match my outfit. Yesterday I accidentally wore white socks with brown pants and shoes, and it bugged me all day.

5.  Have your reading habits changed since starting a blog?

Yes, but probably not because I blog, but because I’ve graduated and all that.  Though reading book blogs has made my TBR list huge.

What’s YOUR Favorite Kind of Pie?

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1. If you had to retrieve your birth certificate right now, how long would it take before you had it in hand?

The length of time it would take me to drive home, walk up the stairs, and open the drawer. So about 15-20 minutes, depending on traffic.

2. Do you drink enough water?

Yes. I drink 100-120 ounces a day (sometimes even more). Any less, and I’m thirsty.

3. What are your thoughts on bottled water?

Don’t like individual bottled water as it’s such a waste of resources. Is it really THAT hard to refill a reusable bottle? I don’t mind the 5-gallon type of bottled water, as those containers are reused over and over again. For my part, though, I don’t mind tap at all.

4. What are two things on your night-table (or next to your bed)?

A humidifier and my mouth guard (to prevent me from wearing my teeth down while I sleep). Other than that, there’s only a lamp. I rarely read in bed, so my books stay over on the table by my reading chair.

5. What’s your favorite kind of pie?

This is a good Thanksgiving question, though a hard one to answer. It’s basically a 3-way tie between apple, pumpkin, and pecan. On Thanksgiving day, though, I always choose pumpkin first (though will eat the others later). I think someone would have to keep track of my pie-eating habits surreptitiously to see what my true preferences are.