Exceedingly Mundane

Well, I was just blog-surfing and found another site that had questions I sort of liked. Although, I’m new to this, so I don’t have very impressive stats. Maybe this time next year, if I can break the trend I’ve established since I was 11 and first started trying to keep a diary. That trend, in case you don’t know, is to write a bit, and then it falls to the wayside. I have never been consistent with writing, or keeping diaries, of any kind. I figure, being a geek, I have the best chance doing it this way, using my computer! 🙂

These came from Uptown Girl’s site – Uptown Girl

1) How long have you been blogging? Just started this month! Total newbie.

2) How many templates (looks) have you had for your blog since it’s inception? Do you design your own or have someone else do them for you?
The only templates that we have so far are free ones I downloaded from one or two websites. I have worked on my index file and updated it (the things you see on the sidebar like book I’m reading, movies, my blogger personality, imood, things like that), but so far I have not written any new CSS’s. I haven’t had anyone do them for me, because I’m too cheap to pay someone online to write me one! 🙂

3) How many posts have you made on your blog? How often do you post? This post makes 77. Most are public, a few are private ones that are not available to others. I try to blog daily, and lately I’ve been posting more than one per day. The weather has been icky, and I’m still really new and obsessed with this, so I’ve been blogging more. I imagine it will slack off sooner or later. I hope to blog at least 4-6 times per week though, that’s my goal.

4) For many of us having a blog also means we read blogs. Let’s share a few of our favorites for some blog recess linky love. I have several that I have found by blog-surfing. I like Anna’s blog (Kurt’s wife), she’s the only person I know in “real” life, and then there are several I’ve found online I like – Melyssa’s blog, Adventures in Parenthood, Holly’s World, Life with 4 Kids and a Dog, The Girl Next Door, and several others. 🙂

From one of my favorite meme sites…. Thursday Threesome Meme

::Sweet Potato Queens’ Field Guide to Men::

Onesome: Sweet Potato— Sweet potatoes always remind me of thanksgiving which brings me to food…what is your all time favorite holiday food that you wish you’d get a chance to eat at other times? Well, sweet potatoes would be one, although I’m making a distinct effort for us to eat them more often. Turkey and broccoli casserole would probably be my other choices.

Twosome: Queens’— do you follow what Prince Charles and others are up to? What do you think about the Queen not going to the wedding? Guilty as charged. I’m an Anglophile and a royal fan. I got up at 4 AM to watch the wedding of Charles and Diana when I was a teenager. I think the Queen is making a statement, that she doesn’t completely support his decision. Good for her. I wouldn’t pay for the reception either, let him pay for it, he’s all grown up!

Threesome: Field Guide to Men— when it comes to the opposite sex, do you feel you have a grasp on ’em – or do they continue to just surprise you? Surprise. Constantly. Just when I think I have something about Tim figured out, and think I know what he’s going to say or do next, he does a 180 and says or does just the opposite. Guys are always saying women are unpredictable. That may be true, but men are just as bad, if not worse. 🙂

Here we go again!

Do you wish you would spend less or more time…

1. Watching TV and why? Oh my. What a question. On one hand, I do realize I should spend less time watching TV. However, on the realistic side, I know that a) I have always been a TV hound, b) I really enjoy all of the shows I watch, and c) We pay so darn much for cable, I like watching shows and feeling like we’re getting our money’s worth. I love TV.

2. On your computer and why? Good grief. Why did I do this meme today. Again, see the first question…. I know I should spend less time, but I really enjoy it and would secretly prefer to spend even MORE time on the computer than I already do.

3. With your family and why? Yes, I do. I would like to be able to see both sides more. I want to see Tim’s family more, and mine also. I especially miss Trent, Shanna and the kids, as well as Kathryn and Jeremy. Suzanne and Kirk & Nichole too. I wish they lived closer and we could see them more.

4. Dedicated to your career and why? Ha ha ha ha, haven’t had that good a laugh in weeks! NO, I do NOT miss my career. Do not miss the hours. Do not miss the difficult people. Do not miss the stress. Do not miss the commute. I miss a few select people, but that’s it. No. I am very dedicated to my new career and love it very much – taking care of my health, myself, Tim, the house and our little life. Wouldn’t trade it for the world.

5. Concentrating on yourself and why? Hmmm. I’ve gotten better at that in the last few years when I realized my health was going to be a problem. So, I’m pretty focused there. OK here, I guess.

Well, normally I like the site for Monday memes and usually play along. Not so this week. I’m not very creative, nor am I well traveled. But, I’m posting it out here for you guys, so that you can play along. I know Gail and Suzie have been to tons more places than I have, so you guys probably won’t have any trouble with this one! Have fun!

This week, using the letters in your name (real or screen name), list places that you’ve been to. Be creative! Have fun! =)

Here’s my feeble attempt:

S – Springfield Missouri (or San Antonio Texas)
T – Texas (lame, couldn’t come up with anything else)
A – Atlanta
C – Chattanooga
E – drawing a blank
or
Y – drawing more of a blank

I haven’t been enough places! I guess I could count Edwards, MS, as we passed through on the way to Vicksburg, but that’s not fun or creative or interesting!

From the site I like to use for Friday meme’s… this one usually have questions I like and don’t mind answering! You can click Here to go check out the website for yourself. When I cut and pasted this questionnaire into my blog software, 16 other people had posted their answers (in the form of links to their own websites/blog spots). Have fun!

Appetizer – Name 2 things you do that you consider beneficial to your health. Eating healthier and walking.

Soup – If you made a New Year’s resolution, how’s it going so far? I don’t make New Years Resolutions. Tim and I made a committment in April 2002 to eat healthier and start walking, to take care of our health and each other. Still doing our best. Some days/weeks/months are better than others!

Salad – Name something that has happened lately that bothers you. Not sure I will publish that here, may make a private entry for that one. Sorry!

Main Course – What is your favorite quote, and who said it? I have tons of favorite quotes – they are all on the main page of hambones.org under Random Quotes. Several from poems, several from famous people, several from movies. I don’t have one overriding one. My favorite thing lately, though, has been my new mantra – “You can’t control what other people do or say, you can only control how you react to it”. 🙂

Dessert – What do you collect? Scrapbook supplies and cookbooks! I used to collect Snow Village (Christmas houses), but we quickly ran out of places to display them, so I had to stop. 🙁 I wish I had some new pieces though!

Found this meme at a lady’s blog I was perusing… my my, it’s a long one (my favorite kind!). I get these kind of emails from time to time, fill out a quiz about “you”, so others can get to know you better. Yada, yada, yada.
Whatever. I love these things!

* WHAT IS YOUR MIDDLE NAME? Ann, when I was born. Keene, now
* WHAT COLOR PANTS ARE YOU WEARING? Grey
* WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? TV is on
* DEAD OR ALIVE, NAME THREE PEOPLE YOU WOULD LOVE TO MEET.. Jesus, my grandfather, hmm, have to think on the third one
* WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU ATE? veggie corn dogs, for lunch
* IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? Green!
* HOW IS THE WEATHER RIGHT NOW? Partly cloudy, about 56º
* LAST PERSON YOU TALKED WITH ON THE PHONE? Gail
* THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT THE OPPOSITE SEX? Eyes
* SHOES YOU LOVE TO WEAR. Tennis Shoes!
* HOW ARE YOU TODAY? Okey dokey
* FAVORITE DRINK? sweet tea or Dr Pepper
* FAVORITE ALCOHOLIC DRINK? I don’t drink
* FAVORITE SPORTS? Football, used to be tennis, but football now
* HAIR COLOR? Brown (with lots of help to hide all the grey)
* EYE COLOR? Green
* DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? Nope
* TYPE OF VEHICLE YOU DRIVE. 2000 Pontiac Bonneville (waiting for my new Explorer, tho)
* TOP FIVE FAVORITE FOOD? Five, just five? Chinese, Seafood, Italian, Mexican, Japanese
* LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED? We watched Pirates of the Caribbean a few days ago
* TOP THREE PET PEEVES. People crowding me in public, bad drivers, inconsiderate or rude people
* ARE YOU TOO SHY TO ASK SOMEONE OUT? Yes
* SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS BETTER? Definitely happy endings.
* WINTER, SPRING, SUMMER, FALL? Fall and Winter
* HUGS OR KISSES? Ummm…. Both!
* RELATIONSHIPS OR ONE NIGHT STANDS? No question – total committed relationships
* CHOCOLATE OR VANILLA? Chocolate
* THREE ANIMALS YOU WANT TO OWN. Golden Retriever, Black Lab, Dachsund
* NAME FOUR PLACES YOU HAVE ALWAYS WANTED TO VISIT. England, Scotland, Wales, France
* FIRST CONCERT YOU EVER WENT TO? I don’t remember! I would have to dig through my trunk, looking for concert ticket stubs 🙂
* LIVING ARRANGEMENTS? Tim and I own our own little cozy house
* WHAT BOOKS ARE YOU READING? Just finished “The Wedding” by Nicholas Sparks, not sure what is next
* WHAT IS ON YOUR SCREEN SAVER AT HOME? Lighthouses
* FAVORITE SMELLS. Towels right out of the dryer. Yankee Candles. Chocolate. Anything Baking. Coffee. Tim, fresh out of the shower or with his cologne on
* SMELLS YOU HATE. Cigarette Smoke! Skunk smells
* WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU THINK OF WHEN YOU WAKE UP IN THE MORNING? I wish I could sleep later!
* FAVORITE THING YOU LIKED ABOUT THE SINGLE LIFE. Not much, maybe the independence
* HOW DO YOU EAT AN OREO? Depends on my mood, sometimes big bites, sometimes I take it apart and lick the cream out of the middle
* WHO IS MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND TO THIS BLOG? Gail, probably, maybe Suzie!

Here’s the meme from a site I like that posts new ones every Thursday… thought I would give this one a go. Be sure to post your own answers in a comment, if you so wish! 🙂

Mountains, Valleys and Streams

Onesome: Mountains– What is the elevation where you live? Do you like it there or would you prefer something a little different? Umm, don’t think there’s any elevation here. If there is, I don’t know what it would be! I know New Orleans is below sea level, but I think we’re safely above! 🙂

Twosome: Valleys– When you travel, do you have any particular valley or area you like to pass through on the way from here to there? …and is there any route you’ll take just for the scenery even if it’s just a tad longer or more out of the way? Well, we’ve only been to the Smokies and Ozarks. My favorite would have to be through the Smoky Mtn National Park, some beautiful hills and valleys in there.

Threesome: and Streams– Do you have a stream you like to walk along and just think and enjoy the view? How about a netaphorical one if you don’t have a real one close by? Again, we’ve only been to the Smokies and Ozarks, but I have very fond memories of the Little Pigeon River outside Gatlinburg. We’ve stopped several times, including on our last trip where we took some great photos and really enjoyed the solitude of a gorgeous fall afternoon. Ah, what wonderful memories!

The meme for Wednesday did not appeal to me, and I found this daily question posted at a blog I visited this morning. I thought it was good, so here goes!

Name three hobbies, interests or pastimes that many people seem to enjoy but that you have absolutely no interest in.

Post your answers in a comment!

My answers are:
1. Golf
2. Nascar
3. Chess

Today’s meme questions from the site I like are a little different, a little more thoughtful and introspective than the others I have answered in the last couple of weeks. You can go HERE to check it out for yourself.

Do you…

1. Feel safe in your community? Why? Yes, I do. I feel very safe in and around Madison, and most of Ridgeland. I have no qualms about jumping in the truck to run a movie back at 10 PM, or going to the store to pick up something late at night.

2. Tend to be a follower or a leader? Easy for me, I’m more of a follower. My biggest desire growing up was to blend right in the middle of the crowd and not be noticeable. 🙂

3. Like where you are in your life? Why? Yes, for the most part. I have Tim and he means everything to me. I would have preferred that we had 3 or 4 kids by now, but that wasn’t meant to be. I still don’t know why, but I’m sure there is a reason.

4. Confront problems or try to ignore them? I’m not a confrontational kind of person. I tend to try to ignore things and hope they’ll go away. Tim is really good about shaking me up and trying to make me face things. I don’t like it because it goes against my nature, but most of the time he’s right. I hate it when he’s right 🙂

5. Stand up for your beliefs or keep it all to your self? Again, I’m not confrontational at all. I stand up for what I believe in and will tell people, but I don’t get in their face and shove my opinions down other people’s throats.

Here’s the meme from the site I like to peruse for Sunday blogging ideas… Click Here to check it out for yourself and click on links to other people’s answers. I don’t ever reply that I have answered these questions. For one reason mainly. I don’t want to advertise my blog on the Internet and draw unwanted traffic to the Hambones site. We restrict the site from being queried by search engines (like Google, MSN, etc), so that we don’t get a lot of unwanted visitors to the site. We want to keep it quiet – you know, a good thing! Just for family and friends.

Anyway, this meme is very similar to the one I did a few days ago, on Tuesday. I guess Valentines Day is a popular topic! Some of the answers may be eerily similar! 😀

On Valentine’s Day, millions of men give millions of women flowers, cards and candy as a heartfelt expression of the emotion that also motivates men to observe anniversaries and birthdays: fear.” -Dave Barry

1) Do you celebrate Valentine’s Day with your significant other?
Yes, Tim and I celebrate, and that is almost exclusively for my benefit. Gotta love a guy who will observe a holiday he cares nothing about! Tim thinks it is a marketing ploy by the flower and greeting card people!

2) What is the best Valentine’s Day gift you have ever received? the first time that Tim sent me a dozen roses 🙂

3) Describe your best Valentine date. Any date with Tim is a great date!

4) Did you pass out Valentines to your classmates as a child? Hmmm, this one I don’t have an answer for. I don’t remember. I’m sure I did. I think I have a vague memory of having those little boxes of valentines and signing my name on the back. I don’t really remember, though.

5) What is your favorite Valentine décor? (hearts, cupids, etcetera) Hearts would be my choice, by far. Don’t like cherubs or cupids much at all! 🙂

I like this site for memes, they do a new one every Friday. Cool concept, this menu idea! Click Here to go there and read the questions and all the answers others have posted, for yourself. In the mean time, here’s the questions and my answers 🙂

Appetizer – What do you want for Valentine’s Day? Well, this is a double-edged question. On the one hand, I want (not need) lots and lots of things. I seem to be a very greedy person, there are always things that I want, for me, for the house, books, cookbooks, CD’s, DVD’s, clothes, gadgets, etc. I could make a list at any given time of at least a dozen things that I would like to have, but NOTE – I don’t need and could easily live without. So, I don’t really know. I always like most anything Tim (or I!) pick out. Love the jammies he bought me last night. Love getting my Sweetheart Shake from Sonic in Feb, which I would like to point out now, that they have revised to a Blast and it’s not NEARLY as good as the shake. Hate it when they change something I love! 🙂 And Finally – to sort of answer the question – I can’t really post what I “want” here, because then Tim will feel obliged to go buy it for me. The sweetie pie, he does anything he can to try to make me happy. 🙂

Soup – If you could change the color of something you own, what would it be and which color would you make it? I would change the paint on most of our walls. Especially in the office, I would love to have it a happy, cheery color, maybe something bright on one wall. But, it’s too much trouble to paint the office. My shelves on the walls are loaded, and the computer furniture had to be assembled in this room, and will have to be dis-assembled to take them out. Plus, we have three computers in here now. No way can we move them out. My other biggie is the kitchen floor. White vinyl floors for 12 years are NO fun. I am past ready to get ceramic tile in there. With color, white shows too much dirt. Never again, if I can help it.

Salad – What’s your favorite day of the week and why? Toughie. I like my weekdays, I love the routine of my days. But, I really love the weekends because I get to spend all (or at least most) of my time with Tim. That’s so very important to me. I love to be with him, he’s my best friend.

Main Course – What excuse do you use most often? I don’t know if it’s considered an excuse, but I say “I’m sorry” constantly. Has to do with my low self-esteem.

Dessert – Name something or someone you feel sorry for. I feel sorry for myself a lot! I miss my mom, I miss Sally, I struggle constantly with not being able to have kids. I feel bad for my Dad too, because he seems lonely down there without my mom and I wish he would move here closer to me and Gail.

The latest meme from a favorite site, and always on Thursdays!

Nothing is certain but death and taxes –Benjamin Franklin

Onesome: Nothing is certain- Have you ever thought you had “Sure Thing?” Did it pay off or not?
My one sure thing is Tim 🙂

Twosome: But death- Do you belive in life after death?
I believe in heaven and I believe in life everlasting because Jesus died for me. I don’t believe in coming back in another life and getting another chance to live here on earth again

Threesome: and taxes- Have you got all your tax documents squared away and ready to work on? Or are you one of the people at the post office on April 15th?
We have all the documents now, and I bought TaxCut a couple of days ago. I still have to get it installed and get it all done and e-filed. Yuck. I hate it. Dread it every year. 😡 I will, however, get it done in the next few weeks. We normally e-file anywhere from early March to mid-March. Ours is usually taken care of long before the 4/15 deadline. I don’t like to wait till the last minute.

I checked the site I use for the Tuesday Meme http://tuesdaytwosome.captive-heart.com/ off and on all day today, and was always disappointed to find that a new set of questions had not been posted. I was afraid that site had bit the dust! Luckily, they were just running late, and now the new questions are up. This week’s set is about Valentines! Yippee!!

1. Do you have plans for Valentine’s Day? If so, what are they? Nothing fancy. We used to go out when we were first married. But the last time we went out, we went to Amerigo on Old Canton and had to wait two hours. Not worth it, so not worth it. We’ll probably have either a ribeye or maybe a flank steak at home and watch tv. Boring stuff old married couples do!

2. Flowers or chocolate? Ummm……BOTH!

3. If you don’t have a significant other on Valentine’s Day, what do you end up doing and why? Not applicable, I have a very significant other (very wonderful, too, I might add)

4. What is the most romantic Valentine’s Day memory you have and what made it so memorable? Any day with Tim is memorable, holiday or not. He makes every day special 😀

5. Do you prefer traditional gift (flowers, candy, card) or do you prefer something unique and/or spontaneous?Ummm……. either one!

Here’s today’s meme… I liked these questions for the most part, although they can get a little detailed. Still, better than another site that I saw! These came from This Site

1. How many clocks (not watches) are in your home? How many of them are digital? How many do you really look at during the day? Good grief, this one will take some counting! Let’s see, in the kitchen alone, several appliances have digital ones (microwave, coffeemaker, toaster oven). Also an analog one on the wall. Den has 2 analog clocks, our room has 3 (yes, we have trouble getting up in the mornings!). I have a digital in the guest bedroom and two analog ones in the office. None in the bathrooms! I look at them a lot, depending on which room I am in at the time.

2. How many lamps (non-overhead lights) do you have in your home? What’s your average wattage? Are any of them energy saver bulbs? Den has 3 lamps, not sure on wattage. Bedroom has two, one on each nightstand. Office has 2 for my scrapping, and I put those true bulbs in there which is supposed to put out better light. I don’t think any of them in the house are energy saver. Probably should be!

3. How many house plants do you have in your home? How many need more attention than you give them? Too many house plants. I have a tendency to overwater them and have water spots on the floors to prove it. 3 in the foyer, have had these for years, need to get rid of them. We’ll redo the foyer when we get new flooring in the den/dining room and foyer. One in my office, a peace lily from Dodie’s funeral

4. How many photos/pictures/drawings/child’s art are on your walls? How many from each of the four categories? Tough question for me – you KNOW how much I love pictures! I have pictures everywhere, in frames on tables, in the bookcases, on the walls. Too many to count! No drawings or child’s art – well, yes I do. I have a picture that Brittany colored when she was little on the refrigerator!

5. About how many electric gadgets are in your kitchen? How many are used on a daily basis? How many are used occasionally? How many have been used once and stashed? How many have never been used? Oh my, another one that is hard for me! I love gadgets, especially kitchen ones, and electronic ones. I have tons of appliances out on the counters. The ones I keep out, I use regularly. Microwave, digital toaster oven, coffee pot, my new can opener I love (will blog on this one soon, being the nerd that I am), stand mixer. Several are stashed in the cabinets and get used less frequently (food processor, blender, immersion blender, hand mixer, etc). I love gadgets!

Another meme, I really like the idea of these! This one came from HERE

1) Do you take baths or showers?
2) Do you like the water super hot or just tepid?
3) Do you use bath gel, bath crystals, bubble bath, or other scented stuff?
4) What do you like to do when you take a bath?
5) What is your one item essential to a great bath?

Stacy’s Answers:

1) I take both, but prefer showers
2) I like it as hot as I can take it, especially in the winter
3) If I take baths, I sometimes use bubble bath. Either way (bath or shower), I use a scented body wash. In the summer, it’s usually a lighter, maybe flowery one like raspberry or cucumber melon. In the winter, it’s almost always warm vanilla sugar (from Bath & Body Works) or Vanilla (Avon – thanks Amanda!).
4) If I take a bath, I like to soak in very hot water. I gave up long ago trying to read a book or magazine in the bathtub. I dropped a brand new magazine in the tub one time, and that cured me of that need! 😥
5) Hmmm, no essential item to me except hot water. I won’t take cold showers or baths!