From Les, Em, Dana, Dea and Frog

Here's how this works. Frog had a list of 100 statements that she got from Les, who got it from Em, who got it from Dana, who got it from Dea. The list Frog got had some things bolded--those were statements from Ems list that were also true for Les. Anything that was true from Les' list, Frog bolded. Anything that wasn't, she replaced with a statement of her own. Below is my list, based on the one from Frog.

01. I need more time to spend with my grandmother.
02. I sleep too much.
03. I want to make sugar cookies today.
04. I would like to take a hot brick to bed like they did in olden times.
05. I hate being late.
06. I love it when my head has just been buzzed.
07. I like anything that makes me think... Even if it's something I don't agree with.
08. I ate cereak for breakfast this morning.
09. I love toast.
10. I love cordouroy.
11. I love soft sweaters
12. I love email.
13. I love the springtime
14. I love countdowns and awards shows.
15. I wear glasses
16. We're going to visit my aunt in a nursing home on Christmas Eve.
17. I don't know how to knit
18. I have a lot to learn.
19. I wish I could speak Spanish better
20. I think it's funny that the Wright memorial flight didn't fly.
21. I want to live near the ocean.
22. I think Conservative Republicans are destroying society.
23. I love Tim Burton.
24. I love going out to dinner with friends.
25. I write thank you notes for everything.
26. I just got out of bed.
27. I sing along to music constantly
28. I wish I could carry a tune.
29. I am sitting at my mother's desk.
30. I nearly always sleep through the night.
31. I need to start brushing my teeth before bed.
32. My grandmother is 93 years old
33. I've never gotten a speeding ticket, though I should have.
34. Most of my family annoys me endlessly.
35. I love to shop
36. I hate the snow
37. I worry about what other people are thinking
38. Mydog is the greatest creature ever.
39. I find myself incredibly funny sometimes
40. I'm named after my great grandmother.
41. I don't know what Carnivale is.
42. I have never seen Carnivale
43. I have at least one scar.
44. I love my car
45. My eye color is hard to discern
46. I always know what time it is
47. I like signing up for classes, but don't like attending them.
48. I hate board games
49. I have kissed a girl--several, in fact
50. I've seen snow before.
51. I can't keep up with multi-handed solitaire
52. I stare too much at this computer screen.
53. I love Pepsi
54. I get impatient with stupid people.
55. I don't understand why people have Caller ID
56. I'd love to drive without idiots on the road.
57. This is way too long.
58. I hate people who don't think for themselves.
59. I like when my friends write me letters and emails, it makes me feel special.
60. I am bad at yoga
61. I love rollercoasters.
62. I love football
63. I can't sing. At all.
64. I offend people with my honesty.
65. I hate Christmas music, especially at the airport.
66. I can't or don't cook
67. I haven't been to the dentist in quite some time
68. I like to talk on the phone
69. I need a Kitchenaid mixer
70. I wish I could find a faith to be part of
71. I love the thought of someone loving me
72. I have four parents, three married, one unmarried.
73. I'm a Pretenders fan.
74. Other people's families make me very nervous
75. I have little patience much of the time
76. I never have enough time
77. I've never had a chocolate chai.
78. I love Gala Apples
79. I think homosexuals should be allowed to get married and that abortion is a right
80. I slept really well last night.
81. I love organic fruit.
82. I appreciate raw cookie dough more than I should
83. I haven't seen enough of the world.
84. I like apple pie.
85. I like open minded people.
86. I daydream a lot.
87. I love snacks.
88. Most of my friends are scientists
89. MMy last few jobs have had nothing to do with what I got my degree in
90. I've never had a surgery as a direct result of my drinking.
91. I make up my own words to songs all the time.
92. I know the words to many hair-band songs
93. I've learned a lot from people who have hurt me.
94. Very religious people freak me out.
95. My only real ex-girlfriend might be dead.
96. Procrastination makes me really nervous
97. I'm a list maker
98. I love being warm
99. I'm a news junkie.
100. I love giving advice

(Idea from She-Dork)

I always
*brush my teeth in the morning
*overthink things
*play with my hair
*worry about being late
*check my email and blogs and message boards every day
*remember to take my BC pill
*have dirty glasses

I never
*want to get up in the morning
*feel like talking on the phone
*remember to put my contacts in
*know how to say what I mean to say the first time I try
*talk to my dad
*feel like I'm finished with anything

I sometimes
*get migraines
*get sucked into Mark's stupid TV shows
*bite my nails
*yell when I don't mean to
*get carried away

(From Limpet.)

1. John Cameron Mitchell in Hedwig
2. John Turturro as Barton Fink
3. Alison Janney as C.J. in The West Wing
4. Lucy Liu's character in Kill Bill, Vol. 1
5. Any of the characters Tony Bordain bases on himself (that gets me around the "is Tony Bordain a fictional character?" problem)
6. Johnny Depp as Edward Scissorhands (very, very carefully!)
7. Angelina Jolie as Laura Croft.
8. Angelina Jolie as Gigi.
9. Angelina Jolie as Lisa in Girl, Interrupted.
10. Mercutio.

This is super cool. I stole it from Sister Ananke.

1) Opening credits: "Hungry Like a Wolf" (Courtney Love's cover of the Duran Duran song)
2) Dreaming about someone scene: "Lovin' Her Was Easier (Than Anything I'll Ever Do Again)" by Kris Kristofferson
3) Waking up scene: "Just Like a Woman" by Bob Dylan
4) Happy friends scene: "You Oughta Know" by Alanis Morrisette
5) Driving scene: "Me and Bobby McGee" by Janis Joplin
6) Action/fight scene: "Welcome to the Jungle" by Guns N' Roses
7) Chase scene: "Closer" by Nine Inch Nails
8) Happy love scene: "Rockabye" by Shawn Mullins
9) Mellow scene: "Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlife" by A3
10) Choreographed Dance Scene: "Lucky Star" by Madonna
11) Sex scene: "Protection" by Massive Attack
12) Angry/bitter scene: "Sour Times" by Portishead
13) Breakup scene: "School Night" by Ani DiFranco
14) Evil/Revenge scene: "Asking For It" by Hole
15) Contemplation scene: "Anna Begins" by The Counting Crows
16) Sad/breakdown scene: "It's Not Going to Stop" by Aimee Mann
17) Death scene: "Missing" by EVerything But The Girl
18) Funeral scene: "Bridge Over Troubled Waters" by Simon and Garfunkel
19) Nostalgia scene: "Hour Follows Hour" by Ani DiFranco
20) Closing credits: "Sinking" by A3

10 bands you have been listening to a lot lately:

Mary Prankster
Dar Williams
The Eurythmics
Ani DiFranco
Bon Jovi with Willie Nelson (it's just one song, but I have been listening to it a fair bit)
Babes with Axes
Debbie Dietrich
Peter Wilde
Adam Brodsky
Phil Ochs

9 things you look forward to:

Finishing the semester
Warmer weather
Going on my great midwest adventure
Buying a house
Graduating
Li-li's arrival
Howell and Melinda visiting
Getting off work

8 things you like to wear:

flipflops
my watch
tank tops with built-ins
Old Navy flare jeans
anything without sleeves
knee-length skirts
polish on my toenails
my favorite black tshirt

7 things that annoy you:

not being able to sleep in
the music that comes through my bedroom wall
slow computers
sales calls
biting my tongue
feeling like I have to watch what I eat
other drivers

6 things you say most days:

I love you
Fuck
In a minute
Mark...
Chancinator
Get off my goddamn feet!

5 things you do everyday:

Brush my teeth
Take four pills
Log my food into Fitday
Pet Chancey
Eat

4 people you want to spend more time with:

Sandy
my grandmother
Howell
Melinda

3 movies you could watch over and over again:

Fight Club
The Princess Bride
Dazed and Confused

2 of your favorite songs at the moment:

"As Cool As I Am" by Dar Williams
"Gentle Angry People" by Holly Near

1 person you could spend the rest of your life with:

Mark. I know, I know...

(From Frog.)

1) Name: Grace

2) Age you stopped believing in the tooth fairy: I never really believed in any of that stuff, but I was smart enough to pretend I did so I could keep raking in the cash.

3) Favorite TV show(s) from your youth: The Wonder Years, Life Goes On, Doogie Howser, M.D., Head of the Class

4) Best three features: loyalty, determination, empathy

5) Top reason you get out of bed in the morning: Wet dog nose

6) Secret fantasy: Always being in charge of everything.

7) Biggest fear: People I love dying

8) Favorite artist: Ani DiFranco (music), Frida Kahlo (visual art), Ethan and Joel Coen, Tim Burton (film), Tomie de Paola (illustration)...

9) Happiest childhood memory: I don't really have distinct childhood memories. Most everything pre-puberty was pretty OK.

10) Scariest movie you have ever seen: Requiem for a Dream

11) First person you fell in love with: Hrm...real love or kid love? Either way, probably M.

12) Your best Halloween costume ever: Hard to choose. "The Secret Garden"? A Care Bear?

13) Did you have an imaginary friend: Yep. A boy named Ruth.

14) Do you believe in life after death? I don't so much believe in it as hope for it really hard.

15) Where do you hope to be in ten years? Stable and secure in my job, finances, relationship. Maybe with a kid or thinking about a kid. Having travelled. Closer to my friends.

16) Saddest moment of your life? It would be even harder to pick this out than to pick out the happiest moment. Everything between puberty and college was pretty tragic.

17) Have you ever dated anyone off an email list? No

18) How many people do you owe an apology to right now? A few. They aren't going to get one.

19) How are you most afraid of dying: Alzheimer's

20) Biggest regret: The way I acted at Sandy's wedding

21) Is bad sex better than no sex: Depends how tired you are.

22) What flavor would you be? Strawberry

23) What would be your idea of heaven: Being able to make a difference in the world around me. Fufillment. Being able to eat whatever I want and not worry about health or weight consequences.

24) Biggest pet peeve: Dress codes. People bossing me around in general.

25) Are you happy: Most of the time.

26) Three words to describe yourself: Neurotic, interested, caring.

A fascinating meme, started by The Most Honorable Frog.)

My room in hell would be painted the same Pepto-Bismol pink as my ill-fated childhood bedroom. The paint would be peeling, the walls would be dirty and yellowing. There would be tons of clutter everywhere and I'd never be able to find anything. The bed would be single, hard and extra-short, and only have one very thin pillow. The sheets would be very low thread-count percale, and they would be stained. The bed would never be made. All of the blankets would be scratchy wool.

The floor of my room in hell would be covered in wool carpet, so my feet would constantly itch or I'd have to wear shoes. I'd have no closet space and no shelves or drawers to put things in. There would be uncovered windows to look in on me in the night, with extra-bright street lights just outside and loud, abusive neighbors.

The dust would be inches thick over everything in my room in hell. There would be no vacuum for the rug, dust clothes, or any way to get rid of the clutter. There would be a musty smell, as if somewhere something is molding.

There would be a small black and white TV with lousy reception playing "Days of Our Lives" over and over again, with extra-long breaks for that super irritating "Mama's got the magic" Clorox commercial. The stereo would only be able to play contemporary country and Michael Bolton.

All food in my room in hell would incorporate slimy mussels and boiled spinach. Nothing would have any salt. There would be no Pepsi. It would have the world's slowest dial-up connection.

Last Cigarette:: a drag off a clove in D.C. after the March
Last Alcoholic Drink:: Shiner Bock with dinner on Monday
Last Car Ride:: Today on the way back from lunch
Last Kiss:: This morning, Mark
Last Good Cry:: a few hours ago in a bathroom stall
Last Library Book checked out:: I couldn't even tell you...
Last Movie Seen in Theatres:: Harry Potter III
Last Book Read:: Naomi Wolf's "Promiscuities"
Last Movie Rented:: Second season of "The Shield" from Netflix
Last Cuss Word Uttered:: I have no idea. It hasn't been long.
Last Beverage Drank:: Dr. Pepper
Last Food Consumed:: Peanut M&Ms
Last Crush:: it is current, actually
Last Phone Call:: talked to mom yesterday
Last TV Show Watched:: The Shield on Tuesday
Last Time Showered:: last night
Last Shoes Worn:: black sandals
Last CD Played:: mixed CD Rachel made for me
Last Item Bought:: vending machine candy and soda
Last Download:: Mmm...Flash, maybe?
Last Annoyance:: questioning of my sexuality on The Phoenix
Last Disappointment:: see above
Last Soda Drank:: Dr. Pepper
Last Thing Written:: Synopsis of article on framing for work
Last Key Used:: car key
Last Word Spoken:: Have a good weekend!
Last Sleep:: last night
Last IM:: don't use IM
Last Sexual Fantasy:: I can't even remember...
Last Weird Encounter:: Every discussion I have with my boss
Last Ice Cream Eaten:: Vanilla on cobbler at BBQ the other night
Last Time Amused:: hrm...I am pretty constantly amused.
Last Time Wanting To Die:: It's been ten years, probably
Last Time Hugged:: This morning
Last Time Scolded:: Online, a few hours ago
Last Time Resentful:: currently
Last Chair Sat In:: my desk chair right now
Last Underwear Worn:: black cotton Old Navy
Last Bra Worn:: white cotton
Last Shirt Worn:: black tank top
Last Webpage Visited:: The Phoenix

Type "you know you're from (your state) when" into Google. Bold the ones that apply to you.

You know you're from Oregon when you...

Feel guilty throwing an aluminum can in the trash.

Use the word "sunbreaks" and know what it means.

Know more than 10 words to describe a cup of coffee.

Obey all traffic laws except "keep right unless passing."

Never go camping without waterproof matches and ponchos.

Feel overdressed wearing a suit to a nice restaurant.

Hear the word "ferry" and think of boats and long waits.

Know more people who own boats than own air conditioners.

Stand on a deserted street corner in the rain waiting for the light to change.

Know at least eight people who work for Intel or Nike, or used to work for Tektronix.

Are amazed by an accurate weather forecast.

Consider if it doesn't have snow on it or has not recently erupted, regardless of altitude, it is a "hill" not a "mountain".

Only honk your car horn if a collision is imminent; never for anything else.

Go to a really nice bar and sit at a table.

Think skiing always means being covered from head to toe, in snow or water.

In winter, go to work in the dark and go home in the dark, but only have an eight hour work day.

Can taste the difference between Starbucks, Seattle's Best and Veneto's.

Know the difference between Chinook, Coho, and Sockeye salmon.

Know how to pronounce Sequim, Puyallup, Issaquah, Oregon and Willamette.

Consider swimming an indoor sport.

Are not fazed by: "Today's forecast: showers followed by rain," and "Tomorrow's forecast: rain followed by showers."

You cannot wait for a day with "showers and sun breaks."

Have no concept of humidity without precipitation.

Know that Boring is a town in Oregon and not just a state of mind.

Can point to at least two volcanoes, even if you cannot see through the cloud cover.

You exclaim "the mountain is out" when it is a pretty day and you can actually see it.

Put on your shorts when the temperature gets above 50, but still wear your hiking boots and Gore-Tex coat.

Switch to your sandals when it gets about 60, but keep the socks on.

Have actually used your mountain bike on a mountain.

Think people who use umbrellas are either wimps or tourists.

Buy new sunglasses every year, because you can't find the old ones after such a long time.

You often switch from "heat" to "a/c" in the same day.

You use a down comforter in the summer.

You design your kid's Halloween costume to fit under a raincoat.

You know all the important seasons: Almost Winter, Winter, Still Raining (spring), Road Construction (summer), and Deer and Elk Season (Fall).

From The Princess:

Here's how it works. You select ten CDs you'd take with you to a desert island. You can take them and no others. The only stipulation is that they must come from your current CD library. Modest anthologies (two, maybe three discs) are permitted, but, say, the dozen plus discs in the complete series of the late Isaac Stern, A Life in Music, would not be.

Further rules state that self-made mixes are not allowed, but tribute albums, soundtracks, etc. are OK.

My picks:

1. Ani DiFranco - Living in Clip
2. Dar Williams - Out There Live
3. The Essential Willie Nelson
4. The Hedwig and the Angry Inch Motion Picture Soundtrack
5. The Counting Crows - August and Everything After
6. A3 - Exhile on Coldharbour Lane
7. Hole - Live Through This
8. Nirvana - Nevermind
9. Johnny Cash - American IV: The Man Comes Around
10. Portishead - Dummy

(From Frog.)

Ten bands/artists you couldn't live without:
[1] Ani DiFranco
[2] Dar Williams
[3] A3
[4] Dan Bern
[5] Mary Prankster
[6] Adam Brodsky
[7] Heather Eatman
[8] Kris Kristofferson
[9] Nirvana
[10] Portishead

Nine albums that are important to you:
[1] Ani DiFranco, Out of Range
[2] Kris Kristofferson, Best of Kristofferson
[3] Nirvana, Nevermind
[4] Hedwig and the Angry Inch soundtrack
[5] Ani DiFranco, Dilate
[6] A3, Exhile on Coldharbour Lane
[7] Portishead, Dummy
[8] Massive Attack, Protection
[9] Holly Near, that live album my mom has

Eight movies you'd watch over and over:
[1] The Princess Bride
[2] The animated Disney Robin Hood
[3] Hedwig and the Angry Inch
[4] Gia
[5] Satisfaction
[6] Fight Club
[7] Steel Magnolias
[8] Beaches

Seven things that annoy you:
[1] boredom
[2] counting calories
[3] my hair frizz
[4] driving
[5] my non self-cleaning house
[6] feeling obligated
[7] being talked at when I yearn for quiet

Six songs you love:
[1] Origin of Love, from the Hedwig soundtrack
[2] Bridge Over Trouble Water, Simon & Garfunkel
[3] As Cool As I Am, Dar Williams
[4] School Night, Ani DiFranco
[5] Someday When We're Both Alone, Greg Brown
[6] Me and Bobby McGee, Kris Kristofferson

Five TV shows you never miss:
[1] The West Wing
[2] While You Were Out
[3] Trading Spaces
[4] What Not to Wear
[5] the plastic surgery shows on Discovery Health

Four of your favorite books:
[1] The Clown of God, Tomie di Paola
[2] Our Bodies, Ourselves
[3] Scars of Sweet Paradise, Ruth Rosen
[4] The Color Purple, Alice Walker

Three albums you recently bought:
[1] Lucy Kaplansky, The Red Thread
[2] Uncle Tupelo, No Depression
[3] Ani's new bootlegs

Two famous people you'd like to fuck:
[1] Angelina Jolie
[2] Samantha Morton

One band that is the soundtrack of your life:
[1] If I have to pick just one, it's Ani

From Frog.

What is your favorite word?
Evervescent

What is your least favorite word?
Squirm, squish, pretty much anything with a squ sound

What turns you on?
Full mouths, the smell of that brown herbal conditioner, thunderstorms, Macy Gray's voice

What turns you off?
Feeling like I'm being scrutinized, having a full stomach

What sound or noise do you love?
Someone else's breathing while they sleep, real laughter, prayer or incantations

What sound or noise do you hate?
Vacuum cleaners

What is your favorite curse word?
Ass

What profession other than yours would you like to attempt?
Midwife, personal shopper

What profession would you not like to participate in?
Beautician

If heaven exists, what would you like God to say to you when you arrive at the pearly gates?
Hey there darlin', come see some folks who have missed you...

From Frog.
Things I've done in bold:

1. Bought everyone in the pub a drink
2. Swam with wild dolphins
3. Climbed a mountain
4. Taken a Ferrari for a test drive
5. Been inside the Great Pyramid
6. Held a tarantula
7. Taken a candlelit bath with someone
8. Said "I love you" and meant it
9. Hugged a tree
10. Done a striptease
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Stayed up all night long, and watched the sun rise
15. Seen the Northern Lights
16. Gone to a huge sports game
17. Walked the stairs to the top of the Leaning Tower of Pisa
18. Grown and eaten my own vegetables
19. Touched an iceberg
20. Slept under the stars
21. Changed a baby's diaper

22. Taken a trip in a hot air balloon
23. Watched a meteor shower
24. Gotten drunk on champagne
25. Given more than you can afford to charity
26. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope
27. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment
28. Had a food fight
29. Bet on a winning horse
30. Taken a sick day when you're not ill

31. Asked out a stranger
32. Had a snowball fight
33. Photocopied your bottom on the office photocopier
34. Screamed as loudly as you possibly can
35. Held a lamb
36. Enacted a favorite fantasy
37. Taken a midnight skinny dip
38. Taken an ice cold bath
39. Had a meaningful conversation with a beggar
40. Seen a total eclipse

41. Rode on a roller coaster
42. Hit a home run
43. Fit three weeks miraculously into three days
44. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking
45. Adopted an accent for an entire day
46. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
47. Actually felt happy about your life, even for just a moment
48. Had two hard drives for your computer
49. Visited all 50 states
50. Loved your job for all accounts
51. Taken care of someone who was shit faced
52. Had enough money to be truly satisfied

53. Had amazing friends
54. Danced with a stranger in a foreign country
55. Watched wild whales
56. Stolen a sign
57. Backpacked in Europe
58. Taken a road-trip
59. Rock climbing
60. Lied to foreign government's official in that country to avoid notice
61. Midnight walk on the beach
62. Sky diving
63. Visited Ireland
64. Been heartbroken longer then you were actually in love

65. In a restaurant, sat at a stranger's table and had a meal with them
66. Visited Japan
67. Benchpressed your own weight
68. Milked a cow
69. Alphabetized your records
70. Pretended to be a superhero
71. Sung karaoke
72. Lounged around in bed all day
73. Posed nude in front of strangers
74. Scuba diving
75. Got it on to �Let's Get It On" by Marvin Gaye
76. Kissed in the rain

77. Played in the mud
78. Played in the rain
79. Gone to a drive-in theater
80. Done something you should regret, but don't regret it
81. Visited the Great Wall of China
82. Discovered that someone who's not supposed to have known about your blog has discovered your blog
83. Dropped Windows in favor of something better
84. Started a business
85. Fallen in love and not had your heart broken
86. Toured ancient sites
87. Taken a martial arts class
88. Swordfought for the honor of a woman
89. Played D&D for more than 6 hours straight
90. Gotten married
91. Been in a movie
92. Crashed a party

93. Loved someone you shouldn't have
94. Kissed someone so passionately it made them dizzy
95. Gotten divorced
96. Had sex at the office
97. Gone without food for 5 days
98. Made cookies from scratch
99. Won first prize in a costume contest
100. Rode a gondola in Venice
101. Gotten a tattoo
102. Found that the texture of some materials can turn you on

103. Rafted the Snake River
104. Been on television news programs as an "expert"
105. Got flowers for no reason
106. Masturbated in a public place
107. Got so drunk you don't remember anything
108. Been addicted to some form of illegal drug
109. Performed on stage
110. Been to Las Vegas
111. Recorded music
112. Eaten shark
113. Had a one-night stand

114. Gone to Thailand
115. Seen Siouxsie live
116. Bought a house
117. Been in a combat zone
118. Buried one/both of your parents
119. Shaved or waxed your pubic hair off
120. Been on a cruise ship
121. Spoken more than one language fluently
122. Gotten into a fight while attempting to defend someone
123. Bounced a check
124. Performed in Rocky Horror
125. Read - and understood - your credit report
126. Raised children
127. Recently bought and played with a favorite childhood toy

128. Followed your favorite band/singer on tour
129. Created and named your own constellation of stars
130. Taken an exotic bicycle tour in a foreign country
131. Found out something significant that your ancestors did
132. Called or written your Congress person
133. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over
134. ...more than once? - More than thrice?
135. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge
136. Sang loudly in the car, and didn't stop when you knew someone was looking
137. Had an abortion or your female partner did
138. Had plastic surgery
139. Survived an accident that you shouldn't have survived
140. Wrote articles for a large publication
141. Lost over 100 pounds
142. Held someone while they were having a flashback
143. Piloted an airplane
144. Petted a stingray
145. Broken someone's heart

146. Helped an animal give birth
147. Been fired or laid off from a job
148. Won money on a T.V. game show
149. Broken a bone
150. Killed a human being
151. Gone on an African photo safari
152. Rode on a motorcycle
153. Driven any land vehicle at a speed of greater than 100 mph
154. Had a body part of yours below the neck pierced
155. Fired a rifle, shotgun, or pistol
156. Eaten mushrooms that were gathered in the wild

157. Rode a horse
158. Had major surgery
159. Had sex on a moving train
160. Had a snake as a pet
161. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon
162. Slept through an entire flight: takeoff, flight, and landing
163. Slept for more than 30 hours over the course of 48 hours
164. Visited more foreign countries than U.S. states
165. Visited all 7 continents
166. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days
167. Eaten kangaroo meat
168. Fallen in love at an ancient Mayan burial ground
169. Been a sperm or egg donor
170. Eaten sushi
171. Had your picture in the newspaper
172. Had 2 (or more) healthy romantic relationships for over a year in your lifetime
173. Changed someone's mind about something you care deeply about
174. Gotten someone fired for their actions

175. Gone back to school
176. Parasailed
177. Changed your name
178. Petted a cockroach
179. Eaten fried green tomatoes
180. Read The Iliad
181. Selected one "important" author who you missed in school, and read
182. Dined in a restaurant and stolen silverware, plates, cups because your apartment needed them
183. ...and gotten 86'ed from the restaurant because you did it so many times, they figured out it was you
184. Taught yourself an art from scratch
185. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
186. Apologized to someone years after inflicting the hurt
187. Skipped all your school reunions

188. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language
189. Been elected to public office
190. Written your own computer language
191. Thought to yourself that you're living your dream
192. Had to put someone you love into hospice care
193. Built your own PC from parts
194. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn't know you
195. Had a booth at a street fair
196. Dyed your hair
197. Been a DJ
198. Found out someone was going to dump you via Blogger
199. Written your own role playing game
200. Been arrested

From Nyarly:

1. Tell me something obvious about you.
I have a blog. I like to answer silly memes.

2. Tell me something about you that many don't know.
The first crush I remember having was on Strawberry Shortcake. The second was on the animated Disney fox version of Robin Hood.

3. What is your biggest fear?
That something horrible will happen to my mom, Mark, or my dog.

4. Do you normally go the safe route or take the short cut?
Usually the safe route. Short cuts make me nervous.

5. Name one thing you want that you can't buy with money.
Good homes for the puppies.

6. What is your most treasured possession?
Hrm...I have a lot of posessions, but I don't know that any of them are really treasured. I don't tend to put too much emotional value into things, I guess. Maybe when I get an iPod...:)

7. What is the one thing you hate most about yourself that you do often?
I hate my lack of energy.

8. What is your favorite lie to tell?
I'm not huge into lying, but I often pretend I am sure about things when I'm not. When I was a kid, though, my favorite lie to tell was to go into clothing stores and shop as if I was very rich and going on a cruise (I was like 12 or something when I did this). My friend Moriah and I would loudly discuss our travel plans while browsing the racks. Considering I was shopping on the clearance racks at Fred Meyer, I don't think I had anyone fooled. I also lied about my age and my name fairly often, and typically with success that scares me now.

9. Name something you've done once that you can't wait to do again.
Massage. Mmmm....

10. Are you the jealous type?
I am, but I am trying to get past it.

11. What is the one person, place or thing you can't say no to?
Apparently, it's puppies in need.

12. What is the nicest thing someone has ever done for you?
There are too many to count...the most appreciated, I think, is everyone who has ever taken care of me when I've been sick.

13. If you could do something crazy right now, what would it be?
Quit my job and stay home napping, watching TV, playing with the puppies, and doing collage.

14. When was the last time you cried?
I don't remember.

15. When was the last time you felt so good that nothing else mattered?
This happens pretty often, but I don't remember any recent times specifically.

16. Do you feel comfortable in public with no shirt on?
I am pretty comfortable topless, actually. It's other people's discomfort with my being topless that is the issue.

17. Name something embarrassing you did while drunk.
How do you think I know I'm comfortable topless? I tend to lose articles of clothing while drunk. I also like to make out with random women.

18. Name one person, past or present, with whom you'd like to spend the day.
Janis Joplin

19. Name one place you've never been and would like to go, and tell me why.
I'd like to go to Scotland and The Netherlands to see the places my ancestors came from.

20. What's the story behind your online persona/name?
A million years ago, when I first set up a GoPlay account, I was obsessed with "Hamlet" as a foil for a tricky unrequited love situation I was in. I've been Avengingophelia ever since.

25 years ago: I was just a few months old. I lived with my mom. I don't remember it.

20 years ago: I was 5. I really liked to read. I was excited about starting school (first grade--I didn't go to kindergarten). My mom and my stepdad had been married for a couple of years. I was about to get a baby brother in March and had mixed feelings about it.

15 Years ago: I was 10. I was in 5th grade. My mom's friend Barb was my teacher. It was hard to call her Miss X in class, rather than Barb. I was skinny, smart, and obnoxious. I don't think I had very many friends. I had started "sexually experimenting" with girls, or with M., anyway.

10 Years ago: I was 15. I was in 10th grade. My heart had been broken the year before by a guy that I retrospectively find very creepy. This resulted in an episode of binge drinking that I am very lucky didn't kill me. I was playing better volleyball than I'd ever played before or since, and actually kind of enjoying it. I hated my parents. In the spring, I'd find a new love that was even worse than the old one and lose my heterosexual virginity in one of the world's most embarrassing and anti-climactic events. I was taking diet pills and whatever other pills I could get my hands on for recreation, and discovering the wonders of marijuana.

5 years ago: I was 20. It was the first semester of my third year of college, and I was working my ass off, harder than I've worked before or since, and getting straight A's in some damn difficult courses. I was drinking occaisonally and heavily, living with S. in a horrible apartment with a meth-addicted and abusive next door neighbor, the infamous Arg Fuck. I wrote my epic "'Twas the Night Before Thanksgiving" poem, which I really wish I still had a copy of. Later in the spring I'd find out about S.'s, cheating, stay with him for another six months anyway, fall in love with Mark, and generally lose an semblance of self respect. But my grades would stay good.

3 years ago: I was 22. It was my first year out of college. Mark had just moved to back to Portland. I was behaving in a horrible way to my housemates, N. and J., and they were damn sick of me. Mark lived with us for like 4 months without paying rent. We lived in the house with the bizarre old landlord living downstairs in his hovel and coming in to our house when we weren't home. The entire living situation was taking a turn for the worst. I was working at the art museum, where I met great people, made no money, and learned to despise the world of art.

1 year ago: I was 24. Mark and I had our first Thanksgiving at home, just the two of us. We (OK, mostly Mark, but I made a pie) cooked for two days and then ate for hours. We made Chance a plate of all of the food and let him eat it with us. I looked around and realized that this is my family now, and was happy. I was in my first semester at LBJ, hated it, and knew almost immediately that I made the wrong decision about grad school. I was working at TCFC, still liking the work at that time, and hoping to become friends with S.

This year: I am 25. My darling Scand and her hubby are coming to join us for Thanksgiving. I am taking a year off school and have a well-paid and non-stressful job. I'm realizing that maybe that's all I need, maybe careers are for other people. I'm toying with the ideas of buying a house, getting married, having babies, then rejecting them one by one. I'm generally happy with my lot.

Yesterday: I have a cold. I'm working, cleaning up my post-flood house, and getting ready for Thanksgiving. Mark and I go to Happy Hour at Chili's with some of my coworkers. Chili's has really bad drinks.

Today: I'm working half a day, then going home and crashing out, trying to feel less like my head is full of wool. After the nap, I have to start getting the house back in order. It's an embarrassment.

Tomorrow: Tomorrow is Thanksgiving. Mark and I will be cooking and watching football, since we aren't having our actual celebration until Scand and B. get here on Friday. Hopefully it will be more relaxing than stressful.

Meme from Frog.

(Via Frog)

1. What did you do in 2004 that you'd never done before?
Got a well-paying job.

2. Did you keep your new year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I honestly can't remember.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Not that I can think of, but someone close to me did adopt.

4. Did anyone close to you die?
Not that I can think of.

5. What countries did you visit?
None.

6. What would you like to have in 2005 that you lacked in 2004?
An idea what I want to do with my life.

7. What dates from 2004 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
Hrm...can't think of any particular dates. It honestly hasn't been that momentous a year.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Rescuing the puppies.

9. What was your biggest failure?
Taking a year off from school.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
I smashed my toe, but nothing big.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
Hmm...not sure.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Mark

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Mine, but only on occaison. Everyone who voted for Bush.

14. Where did most of your money go?
To the black hole where it always goes...

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
My Midwestern adventure

16. What song will always remind you of 2004?
Pretty much anything by Mary Prankster

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder? happier
b) thinner or fatter? fatter
c) richer or poorer? richer

18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Excercising

19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Sleeping

20. How will you be spending Christmas?
Hanging out with the extended fam

21. Did you fall in love in 2004?
Didn't fall in love. Remained in love.

22. How many one-night stands?
None

23. What was your favorite TV program?
What Not To Wear or Plastic Surgery: Before and After

24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
Yes. I know more people now that I did at this time last year.

25. What was the best book you read?
The Time Traveller's Wife

26. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Mary Prankster

27. What did you want and get?
Time off from school, a decent job, a KitchenAid mixer

28. What did you want and not get?
A clue as to what I want out of this world, God

29. What was your favorite film of this year?
Hmm...Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, maybe?

30. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I was 25. We went to a hilarious stage presentation/showing of Dirty Dancing and to brunch the next day.

31.What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Finding God

32. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2004?
I. love. yoga. pants.

33. What kept you sane?
Chancey.

34. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
If "fancy" is code for "want to bang," I'd have to go with Angelina Jolie. Again. Still.

35. What political issue stirred you the most?
Capital punishment

36. Who did you miss?
My mom

37. Who was the best new person you met?
Em/Brooke/Terri/Flea/Eisbar. It was a great trip.

38. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2004
That I actually can make a difference in someone's/something's life with a little effort.

39. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year
I'll come back to that one. Have to think on it.

Courtesy of the ever-delightful Frog.

What were your three favorite bands?
Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Ani DiFranco

What was your favorite outfit?
Jeans, flannel shirt with a t-shirt underneath it, Converse.

What was up with your hair?
Long, straight, dyed, with bangs.

Who were your friends?
Depends what year. My best friend was Scand, pretty much always. Other than that, it was phasic.

What did you do after school?
Worked at Tomaselli's Cafe, mainly. Volleyball in the fall.

What did you do in your summers?
Work, again. Went to the river with my friend Bry and baked.

Did you take the bus?
Not often. My mom drove me until I was old enough to drive, then I drove myelf.

Who did you have a crush on?
Again, depends what year/month/day it was. Mostly people who were 100% unsuitable, for one reason or another.

Did you fight with your parents?
Constantly.

Who did you have a celebrity crush on?
Ani, mainly. Kurt Cobain, until he died.

Did you smoke cigarettes?
Sometimes. Not regularly, but socially.

Did you lug all of your books around in your backpack all day because you were too nervous to find your locker?
Heh. No. There were less than 100 students in my high school. Finding my locker was not exactly a challenge.

Did you go to prom?
Four fucking times, along with three homecoming dances and countless smaller things. What a complete waste of time.

Where did you think you'd be at the age you are now?
I don't think I thought I'd be as settled as I am. And I thought I'd be getting a PhD. Priorities change, I guess.

(This is from Frog.)

If I were a month, I would be: September
If I were a day of the week, I would be: Friday
If I were a time of day, I would be: late afternoon
If I were a planet, I would be: Mars
If I were a sea animal, I would be: blue whale
If I were a direction, I would be: West
If I were a piece of furniture, I would be: futon
If I were a sin, I would be: gluttony
If I were a liquid, I would be: Pepsi
If I were a body of water, I would be: Pacific Ocean
If I were a stone, I would be: amber
If I were a tree, I would be: Douglas Fir
If I were a bird, I would be: crow
If I were a flower/plant, I would be: iris
If I were a kind of weather, I would be: summer rain
If I were a musical instrument, I would be: upright bass
If I were an animal, I would be: elephant
If I were a color, I would be: true red
If I were an emotion, I would be: anxiety
If I were a vegetable, I would be: peas
If I were a sound, I would be: a ticking clock
If I were an element, I would be: silver
If I were a car, I would be: Volvo station wagon
If I were a song, I would be: �Me and Bobby McGee�
If I were a movie, I would be directed by: Penny Marshall
If I were a book, I would be written by: Raymond Carver
If I were a food, I would be: popcorn
If I were a place, I would be: Oregon
If I were a material, I would be: cotton
If I were a taste, I would be: bittersweet
If I were a scent, I would be: grapefruit
If I were a word, I would be: candid
If I were an object, I would be: some sort of organizational contraption
If I were a body part, I would be: small of the back
If I were a facial expression, I would be: puzzled
If I were a subject in school, I would be: American History
If I were a dog, I would be: Rottweiler
If I were a cat, I would be: gray tabby
If I were a number, I would be: 18

I don't know that this is really a meme, but I hope folks treat it like one and take it back to their blogs and LJs. There has been a lot of bad body image going around in the circles in which I travel, and a lot of it has been coming from me, and it sucks. So here are some things about my body that are good:

Things I Like About My Body

1. I have large, strong, capable, athletic-looking arms and legs.
2. I have great hair--thick but still soft.
3. I have really good skin.
   
4. My breasts are nicely shaped and firm and nearly exactly the same size.
5. I have a movie-star quality back.
6. My ears are really cute.
7. Because I am so tall, I can usually see really well at concerts.
8. I can easily balance or carry things on my hip.
9. I'm tall enough to carry off wearing a dress over pants without looking like I'm 5.
10. I have tattoos and piercings that I picked out and feel comfortable and natural to me.
    

I've stolen this from an entry a few days back on Bitch, Ph.D..

You're stuck inside Fahrenheit 451, which book do you want to be?

We actually had a long midnight discussion about this once when I was in college. I can't remember what I said then, but now I think I'd go with People's History of the United States. Not fiction, I know, and quite a lot to memorize, but it's the first thing that came to mind. The Beauty Myth would be another contender.

Have you ever had a crush on a fictional character?
Hasn't everyone? The first one I remember having was on Sodapop Curtis from The Outsiders. Honestly, though, even before that, it was probably Harriet the Spy. Most recently I crushed on both of the main characters from The Time Traveller's Wife.

The last book you bought is:
Hrm...I'm not sure. The last book I remember buying was Temptress: From Original Bad Girls to Women on Top.

The last book you read:
Consumed: Why Americans Love, Hate, and Fear Food

What are you currently reading?
When Women Stop Hating Their Bodies: Freeing Yourself from Food and Weight Obsession. Sensing a pattern?

Five books you would take to a deserted island:
The Clown of God
Hayden Herrera's biography of Frida Kahlo (this is obviously the only way I would ever get through it)
Anything by Andrea Dworkin (see above)
Some complete works of the Bronte sisters collection
A really great art book

Who are you going to pass this stick to (3 persons)? And Why?
Honestly, I probably won't pass it on, but I'd like it if Frog, Melinda, and Emilin to do it. I'd also be curious to see what G. has to say.

Because my head is far too full of half-unpacked boxes to think of my own content, I give you a meme from the illustrious Frog.

Three names you go by:
1. Grace
2. Gracie
3. Ms. Mitchell (if you're nasty)

Three screen names you have:
1. avengingophelia
2. AO
3. bleeding heart

Three things you like about yourself:
1. I try really, really hard.
2. I am able to make decisions.
3. I'm neat and organized.

Three things you hate/dislike about yourself:
1. I have little to no will power.
2. I'm demanding.
3. I am self-centered.

Three parts of your heritage:
1. Dutch
2. Scottish
3. Native American

Three things that scare you:

1. People who always know what to say
2. Losing my mom
3. Unemployment

Three of your everyday essentials:
1. Moisturizer
2. Glasses
3. Pepsi

Three things you are wearing right now:
1. Flip flops
2. Watch
3. Crop pants from Target

Three of your favorite bands/artists:
1. Ani DiFranco
2. Mary Prankster
3. Kris Kristofferson

Three of your favorite songs at present:
I have been listening to almost no music. My CDs and my iPod are both packed somewhere...I can't even answer this.

Three new things you want to try in the next 12 months:
1. Too many home repair projects to mention
2. Getting serious about writing for profit
3. Adding a feline companion animal to my household

Three things you want in a relationship (love is a given):

1. Space
2. Great sex
3. Someone to talk to

Three physical things that appeal to you about those to whom you are attracted:
1. Lips
2. Cheekbones
3. Hands

Three things you just can't do:
1. Ski
2. Give up on things that are hopeless
3. Live in a messy house

Three of your favorite hobbies:
1. Various and sundry crafty projects
2. Watching movies
3. Reading

Three things you want to do very much right now:
1. Take a bath
2. Take off my glasses
3. Cut my hair

Three places you want to go on vacation:
1. The Mediterranean
2. Scotland
3. Vietnam

Three kids? names: for either a boy or girl:

1. Liam
2. Lucien
3. Clare

Three things you want to do before you die:
1. See Klimt's work in person
2. Have a successful career
3. Be a mom (I think. Today.)

I, too, have been bitten by the interview meme bug. Below are my answers to questions from the amazing Krupskya, over at The Edit Barn. If you would like questions from me, let me know in the comments! If you'd like to ask me questions, that's cool too. I love to be interviewed!!

1. What do you miss most about where you used to live? (Statewise, not housewise.)

Oh, if only you knew the can of worms this opens...what don't I miss about Oregon (well, besides the weather)? I miss real trees, real coffee, real salmon. I miss knowing where everything is. I miss liberal politics (well, compared to here, anyway). I miss being close to my mom.

2. Time and money aren't an issue. What do you go back to school to study?
I'd start with a history Ph.D. I might go to law school. I'd take some communications courses. I might go to midwifery school.

3. What skill do you wish you had?
This varies depending on what I am trying to do, but as we've been putting together furniture lately, I really wish my spacial imagination were better. I just can't see how things are supposed to fit together the way some people can, and it makes me crazy.

4. When did you know that the house you're in now was The One?
Pretty much the minute we drove up. There is a hand-bent wrought iron gate in the front that leads into a small courtyard/front porch area with a brick water fountain. I barely had to be out of the car to know that if the inside was anything like the outside, this was The One.

5. If you could change one thing about Mark, what would it be?
It should be a small thing, but I'd have to say that I'd make him move faster. He dawdles, and it makes me absolutely insane. I am always ready to leave or ready to start a project or watch a movie or whatever 15 minutes before he finally gets to it, and he never really seems to be doing anything in the meantime. It drives me up a wall. Also, when we're working on something, he takes too many breaks, rather than just keeping nose to grindstone to get it finished. That drives me nuts as well.

And now, my questions for Krup:

1. When you imagine your kids as adults, what do you imagine them to be like?
2. What will you miss most about your present house when you move?
3. Where in the world would you most like to visit?
4. What's the most angry you ever remember being?
5. What is your greatest virtue? Vice?