Ignorant Historian

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.

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?

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.

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.

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.

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).

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.

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.

I had every intention of writing a “real” post today, but it’s just not happening.  You’ll have to hold your breath in anticipation.  (Except don’t–I don’t want you to die!)

Instead, I’ll direct you to a site that IS regularly updated.  For some time I’ve been flirting with creating a site exclusively to quotes.  I’ve diligently collected them for years now, but even putting them on this blog hasn’t helped me to find the one that I’m looking for months or years down the line.

So, Consider This Quote does exactly that.  It’s easier to search (since it’s just quotes), and bonus: I’ve added pictures for each quote!  If you have quotes you love, you can add them, too.

Tonight I’m co-hosting a sleepover for the 5th and 6th grade girls at the church.  Should be fun!  Here’s some related questions…

1.  What memory stands out from 5th grade?

When my mom subbed for my class.  I was often quiet in class, but I was especially quiet that day.  Don’t think she’s seen me that quiet either before that or since.

2.  What memory stand out from 6th grade?

Teasing a girl in our class (that had previously been her friend) and defacing a picture of hers.  We were totally mean, and I have no idea why.  I joined in, and for that, I was definitely guilty.  These were rough years for me in that respect, which is why I love to work with girls that age now.

3.  What was your favorite slumber party activity?

Besides gossiping about boys?  Painting our nails.  Actually, we could do them both together.  We would use dry erase boards to write out lists of boys, or write “I love Tommy” and to play M*A*S*H.  Other than the possibility of painting nails, none of that will be happening tonight.

4.  What was your favorite color to paint your nails?

I can’t remember what it was called, but it was some blueish-purpleish color, I think.  I can’t quite picture it either, but I remember almost using up the entire bottle.  Also popular was painting one part of the nail one color and another a complimentary color.

5.  What is your worst slumber party memory?

I remember staying up ALL NIGHT for my 11th birthday with one of the other girls there.  Not a good idea–about 10 AM the next day I crashed and ended up sick.  That won’t be happening either, moms, if you’re reading this.