janetha saves the day

so, what do you do when the urge to blog strikes, but you have nothing even remotely interesting exceptional to say? why, you turn to a survey, of course! and luckily, janetha composed an a-z style questionnaire not too long ago. it’s funny because i had been thinking, “it sure would be fun to do a q & a session again,” then bingo, janetha posted her quiz. this techie/crafty girl even produced a template that you can access here should you, too, wish to play along on your blog!

a is for age shall we do the oil of olay “how old do you THINK i am??”

file photo from the december teeth whitening experiment; whiter teeth = a younger look, right?!

actually, since the name of my blog gives away my age, this question is not all that revealing. as of today, i am 42 years, two months and 12 days old.

b is for breakfast today the usual: oatmeal dolloped with peanut butter, apple spread with peanut butter. [it's getting too warm for hot oats and i am losing the love...].

c is for currently craving to SPRING CLEAN THE CONDO CASA. my fingers are positively ITCHING to get going on this! the overall feeling of dust and grime is driving me batty.

d is for dinner tonight a hugh jass salad including: tinned salmon; avocado; almonds; nutritional yeast; pickles; fresh veg; lite catalina. [sidenote: when i was little, i abhorred the bones in tinned salmon and would freak right out if my sandwich had stray "white crunchy bits" in it. now i LOVE the taste and texture of the salmon bones!]. and cereal before bed, bien sûr!

e is for favourite type of exercise do i have to pick only one?? no can choose between stairmaster and running. back in the day, i would have said aerobics!

f is for an irrational fear i am scared of cats, specifically the look in their eyes. they seem to look right into my interior, and i imagine they are going to bare fangs and pounce on my head. (apologies to all my cat-loving readers). remember, this is an IRRATIONAL fear!

(source)

g is for gross food onions of any type, ham, rice pudding.

h is for hometown i was born in kitchener and now live about 10 km away in waterloo.

i is for something important living life with an attitude of optimism and positivity.

j is for current favourite jam as in fruit spread or music?! lately, i really light up when i hear i like how it feels by enrique iglesias.

k is for kids my nieces are the best!!

i love our annual gingerbread house decorating day!!

l is for current location well, it depends on when you are reading this! today i work at theOTHERstore til 5:15 p.m., and am going to friday night knitting club this evening.

m is for the most recent way you spent money groceries at food basics [followed by the dance of joy and chortles of delight because of all the money i saved!].

n is for something you need to win the lottery?? haha! the tanktop with eyeballs?? a facial??…let’s go back to that spring cleaning issue…

o is for occupation i am a proud retail sales professional (assistant manager at the store and theOTHERstore).

p is for pet peeve people who walk slowly, drive slowly, talk slowly, open doors slowly…

q is for a quote: “don’t ask what the world needs. ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” ~ howard thurman [this is the quote that is on the bottom of emails i send out from my gmail account].

r is for a random fact about you i have not used an alarm clock to wake me up in the morning for at least the past 3-5 years. i just tell myself when i want to wake up, and it works!

s is for favourite healthy snack a protein bar and it must have chocolate in it.

t is for favourite treat any baked squares or cake or crisp with apples in it. the very best apple square can be found at tango palace in toronto.

u is for something that makes you unique i can squish more into a day than you would think possible. “pulling an erv day” is an inherited skill from dad!

v is for favourite vegetable broccoli is great! i would not have said that as a child!

w is for today’s workout today is a srd (scheduled rest day) and i will take a walk after work.

x is for xrays you’ve had teeth (never had a cavity) and lower extremities to rule out stress fractures (a couple of times when i was in my 20s).

y is for yesterday’s highlight a tie: 1) my friends from the store, lee and jeannie, popped in with darling, 10 DAY old baby e [a different "e" than my little e!]. and i got to hold her! chatting with lee and jeannie and snuggling the little newborn was the best. 2) i visited with bff debbie over at her house, last eve. there really is nothing as relaxing and FUN as getting together with a friend, in person. plus, we watched an home tour chez ♥george clooney♥ that debbie had pvr’d. much sighing ensued.

z is for your time zone eastern!

it’s your turn – share away! the key to answering questions like these is not to think too much – i like to shout out type the first responses that pop into my head!

fun facts – janetha also blogs entirely in lower case, is very close with her family, and ♥loves♥ cereal!

20 ripped-off questions

there is no other way to put it – i am blatantly stealing today’s blogging idea from clean eating chelsey who answered these same twenty questions in her saturday post. i just typed off the top of my head and here’s what came out my fingers…

oh – but first! very important: one month ago today was christmas day! can you say “whoosh?!”

1) What is one of your favorite ways to spend a Saturday?

i work pretty much every saturday – and that is fun and fine. but my ideal saturday would be: wake up a bit later than usual; go for a run long run; paint my fingernails; go clothes shopping with mom; meet a friend for coffee; watch a movie and knit. (ok, all of that would involve pulling an erv-day!).

2) List your top three favorite TV shows.

jersey shore, real housewives of new york, seinfeld.

3) Would you rather be in pictures or take them?

be in them! i don’t mind having my picture taken!

4) Why do you blog?

i like to write; i like the creative freedom of sharing whatever i want; i like the conversations with comments/blog friends.

5) Share five websites that you visit regularly…

runner’s world forums (lurker); GOMI forum (lurker); the globe and mail (reader); runningmania (lurker); facebook (mostly lurker).

6) If you could have lunch with one person from your Twitter list who would it be?

i only follow 11 people – haha! i would pick the brother. we always have enjoyable conversation, and he is just a really cool guy.

7) List a few of your favorite snacks.

apple + peanut butter; protein bars; a bowl of many cereals.

8 ) Do you have a pet? If so, what kind?

no. i dislike animals, in general.

9) Which three material possessions would you struggle to live without?

my laptop; my blackberry; a working ipod.

10) What’s your favorite drink?

diet coke – that could not be typed out fast enough. but since it has been 17 tedious complete days since i last drank a drop, i will say carbonated water, although that is sorely lagging behind the joys of downing diet coke – but, at least it’s fizzy.

11) Do you enjoy cooking?

not at all.

12) Do you have children?

no – but i love and adore being aunti.

file photo: family christmas 2011

13) What are your favorite hobbies?

knitting; reading; talking; watching movies; doing cardio workouts.

14) Would you consider yourself to be shy or outgoing?

outgoing! although i was definitely shy until about my early 20′s. i’d say i’ve become more and more outgoing as the years have gone by. [i define "outgoing" as personable and chatty; i am NOT forward or in-your-face loud].

15) If you could change one thing about yourself, what would you change?

i can be quite impatient!

16) Who is your favorite actor/actress?

i’ve george clooney’d you to pieces, so let’s go with jason bateman and meryl streep.

(source)

(source)

17) What’s the coolest thing you’ve done this week?

well, literally cool is walk outside! it’s winter! cool in terms of funky/neat…start a new knitting project – the mcc blanket. it’s cool because of the design and the yarn colours.

(source)

18) Do you live near your family or far from them?

very very near! mom and dad are in the condo building next door. g’ma is a five minute walk away. paul, sharon, cousins joel and alex are a 15 minute drive away. cousin kate and the brother/sil ana/the girls are one hour away (driving) in TO. i like this closeness!

19) List three of your talents.

perseverance; organizing; making smalltalk.

20) What is your greatest attribute?

my hope would be that when people think of my name, they think “she is a warm, friendly, caring person.”

~*~*~*~*~

your turn!! share one response, share all answers -> do whatever your time permits!

100 foods to eat before you die

my ottawa friend karen posted a link to this app on facebook. i don’t *do* apps because i don’t *get* them (you know me and my lack of techno intelligence), but i was intrigued by the title. so, a little googling found me the list…from someone who states she, too, doesn’t like apps! here is where i found the list, and here is the list!

you know me, i love quizzes and questionnaires, so i took the liberty of inserting my answers in blue and green.

100 Foods to Eat Before You Die (the non-app version)

[i've erased the original poster's responses and inserted my own].

1. Venison – no
2. Nettle tea – no
3. Huevos rancheros- no, but i saw a recipe on a blog!
4. Steak tartare – no
5. Crocodile - for sure, no
6. Black pudding – i assume this is not chocolate?? no
7. Cheese fondue – yes! we had a fondue set when i was small! so 70s!
8. Carp – no
9. Borscht – yes! family heritage
10. Baba ghanoush – yes!
11. Calamari – no
12. Pho – no, but i know i want to try it.
13. PB&J sandwich – yes! [don't you find it funny, too, that this is on the list?!]
14. Aloo gobi – i do not know what this is
15. Hot dog from a street cart – yes! this summer was the latest one!
16. Epoisses – qu’est-ce que c’est, exactement??
17. Black truffle – no
18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes – no. i dislike wine.
19. Steamed pork buns – no, but i bet sil ana’s mom could make me some!
20. Pistachio ice cream – no. i always take choco something for ice cream.
21. Heirloom tomatoes – i think not??
22. Fresh wild berries – yes!
23. Foie gras – no
24. Rice and beans – yes! have made myself, even!
25. Brawn, or head cheese – no, ew.
26. Raw Scotch Bonnet pepper – no
27. Dulce de leche – no, but have heard raves
28. Oysters – yes! the brother and sil ana’s engagement party!
29. Baklava – questionable, so i have to say no.
30. Bagna cauda – i do not know what this is
31. Wasabi peas – no, but i want to
32. Clam chowder in a sourdough bowl – no, not the bowl part
33. Salted lassi – i do not know what this is
34. Sauerkraut – yes! when i was likely about five. ick.
35. Root beer float – yes!!! many, many as a kid!!
36. Cognac with a fat cigar – no!!!
37. Clotted cream tea – no
38. Vodka jelly/Jell-O shot – no
39. Gumbo – no
40. Oxtail – no
41. Curried goat – no
42. Whole insects – no!
43. Phaal – i do not know what this is
44. Goat’s milk – does goat’s milk ice cream count?? no
45. Single malt whisky – no
46. Fugu – i do not know what this is
47. Chicken tikka masala – no, but would be willing to try!
48. Eel – no
49. Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut – yes! not as good as tim horton’s!
50. Sea urchin – no
51. Prickly pear – no
52. Umeboshi – say what?
53. Abalone – no
54. Paneer – no
55. McDonald’s Big Mac Meal – no!
56. Spaetzle – no
57. Dirty gin martini – no
58. Beer above 8% ABV – no
59. Poutine – yes! and in québec!
60. Carob chips – yes!
61. S’mores – yes yes!!
62. Sweetbreads – no
63. Kaolin – not sure what this is
64. Currywurst – no
65. Durian – no
66. Frogs’ legs – yes! grade 8 quebec trip! (tastes like chicken!)
67. Beignets, churros, elephant ears or funnel cake – yes! cne in toronto!
68. Haggis – no
69. Fried plantain – not fried
70. Chitterlings, or andouillette – no
71. Gazpacho – yes! marbles restaurant, waterloo!
72. Caviar and blini – no
73. Louche absinthe – no
74. Gjetost – i can’t even pronounce that!
75. Roadkill – heavens to betsy, no!
76. Baijiu – i do not know what this is
77. Hostess Fruit Pie – no – does a twinkie count, instead??!
78. Snail – no
79. Lapsang souchong - i do not know what this is
80. Bellini - no
81. Tom yum – no
82. Eggs Benedict – not my own order
83. Pocky – no but i DO know what this is!
84. Tasting menu at a three-Michelin-star restaurant – no
85. Kobe beef – no
86. Hare – no
87. Goulash – no
88. Flowers – no
89. Horse – thank goodness, no!
90. Criollo – i do not know what this is
91. Spam – i think no – maybe at grandma’s in goderich?? i say no.
92. Soft shell crab – yes! marco island, i do think.
93. Rose harissa – i do not know what this is
94. Catfish – no
95. Mole poblano – no
96. Bagel and lox – yes! chicoutimi, first evening i arrived!
97. Lobster Thermidor – no
98. Polenta – no
99. Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee – no
100. Snake – no

wow, what a diverse list, eh? who came up with this thing?!

~*~*~*~*~

apparently, according to karen’s link, most people have tried less than twenty!

hmmm, sounds like “getting a score of 100″ would be a good (if expensive) project to take on as a year-long challenge, eh?!

i hope you kept a tally of your answers, too!

what’s YOUR total? me =19! ah…so close to that 20 mark! where can i get that #99 coffee?!!

if you care to enlighten me on any item about which i am clueless, please feel free! i like to decrease my states of ignorance!

 

holiday this or that

on the seventeeth day of december...

i don’t have one specific source for today’s quiz – the “this or that” idea pops up on blogs fairly frequently. this game is simple – pick the option that applies to you. my votes are noted, below. since it’s december 17th, we have seventeen choices! onwards!

1. decorated cookies: gingerbread or sugar cookies? sugar! not a super-huge fan of the ginger flavour.

2. tree decorations: colour-themes or random/assorted ornaments? i love trees that are multi-colour and feature decorations that are near and dear to the heart. martha stewart/brian gluckstein/professional designer trees may be jaw-droppingly gorgeous, but i prefer personal touches and warmth.

(source)

3. gift-wrapping presents: gift paper or gift bags? paper! bags may be easier and more environmentally friendly ’cause you can reuse them, but i love wrapping presents and love matching paper to the gift recipient. however: i dislike bargain paper that rips easily and feels cheap to the touch.

4. outdoor fun: toboganning or skating party? i would choose skating – although i have no skates, currently! i have very fun childhoood memories of crazy carpet + toboggan outings, either just our family or with vfbf joanne‘s family!

5. icicle lights: pretty or tacky? i like all lights, so i’ll give them the ok.

(source)

6. special night out: the nutcracker ballet or a christmas carol theatre performance? nutcracker! i’ve seen this classic performed twice, i think – once at the centre in the square, and once in toronto. i would go again in a heartbeat!

7. cards: paper or electronic? paper! i love both the sending and the receiving.

8. crooners: michael bublé or bing crosby? michael bublé has a new album out this year, and it’s good! but i’ll go with bing for this question – he gets the nod because of this rendition of little drummer boy, with david bowie (thanks, vfbf joanne for the link!).

9. tinsel: gobs or single strands? [haha, tangent - as kids, when we had family tree decorating day, it was tradition to try to decorate dad with tinsel without him knowing. talk about gobs of fun.]. i’ll say it’s ok to clump on the tinsel. some people (ahem, dad) are adamant about single strands, only. and some people dislike tinsel all together! (can’t imagine!).

10. greenerie: holly or ivy? ivy!

(source)

11. gift cards as gifts: yes or no? ooo, this is the big extended-family debate! some family members (ahem, dear brother o’ mine) are very vocal about the banning of gift cards in the family gift exchange. i abide by this rule…however, i have no objection whatsoever to receiving a gift card. and i think it’s totally ok to give a gift card. easy shopping, and much appreciated (by most people!).

12. family visiting: one family per day or get them all over with in one day fit multiple gatherings into one day? thankfully, i’ve never had to do the two-turkey-dinners-in-one-day type-thing. one family per day gets my vote. otherwise, you’re looking at emotional and sugar overloads, i do believe!

13. festive expressions: season’s greetings or happy holidays? season’s greetings always strikes me as slightly cold and corporate. i like happy holidays if you need a generic, friendly term. i like merry christmas, even more!

(source)

14. turkey meat: white or dark? traditionally dark has been my go-to. although the way mom cooks our turkey (blast high heat for a shorter time) does make the white meat juicy and very tasty.

15. drinks: egg nog or hot chocolate? ummm, not a fan of either really, but if i had to pick, i’d go with hot chocolate. again, fond memories of going tobogganing then heading home for hot choco with mini-marshmallows in our santa mugs.

16. gift opening: rip ‘n’ throw or pick off the tape neatly and save the paper? i’m more of a ripper than a pick-picker. the KING of the rip ‘n’ throw, done with vigour and flamboyance, is my uncle paul! he’s unmatchable!

17. scented candles: cinnamon or evergreen? yum – cinnamon! and any variation thereof, like apple pie, cookies, caramel, etc.

[i've purposely omitted topics we've discussed recently, like turkey vs stuffing, real trees vs fake, white vs green christmas, children's tv specials, christmas songs, boxing day shopping, etc. wow, you'd almost think it's been all christmas all the time around here, of late!].

your turn! answer all or one -> i’d love to hear your responses!

true true false false

on the eleventh day of december...

aloha, friends! (i am thinking of my friend ken, from the store, who is running the honolulu marathon, today. is he a lucky duck, or what?!).

as promised, here are the answers for yesterday‘s christmas quiz. to keep things simple, i used a true true false false formula for the 20 questions….

1. christmas eve was the one night of the year when the brother and i could eat as many cookies as we wanted. true! when we had cookies for dessert on the other nights of the year, we each got two cookies. HOWEVER, on christmas eve, mom and dad would allow us to have as many cookies as we wanted. this was a BIG DEAL for the brother and me. i think we liked the concept of this “no rules for cookies” night as much as we loved the cookies themselves! and neither of us ever ate ourselves sick. but, we would enjoy a good many!

2. in high school, on the last day of school before christmas break, the entire school + teachers went rollerskating. true! on the last day of school, the entire student body boarded school buses and went up to good ol’ super skate seven, in waterloo. it was a total blast!

3. the brother and i opened advent calendars with chocolates behind the little doors, every year. false! no chocolates, as you read about here!

4. as kids, our family had to have a fake christmas tree because dad is allergic to pine needles. false! 1) dad has no allergies to anything and 2) we always had a real tree! some years, we cut it down ourselves (family outing with our good friends the m’s – vfbf joanne‘s fam) and other years we chose one from belgian nursery.

5. in the ’80s and ’90s, family tradition called for a rousing, three-generation game of stock ticker on christmas day afternoon (between sticky buns breakfast and turkey dinner). true! oh, the laughs (mostly at poor grandpa c’s expense) and good-natured ribbing as we all participated in an animated match of this stockmarket-themed board game (a gem from the ’60s).

6. we open presents in the same way, every year: we take turns, one person at a time, from youngest to oldest for the first go-’round, then oldest to youngest for the second round. true! i am very bossy, i confess, with enforcing our gift-opening system. plus, i get to be santa and pass out the gifts! don’t even try to mess with my rules traditions!

7. i was scared of mall santas when i was little, and refused to go up and visit jolly saint nick. false! while i was petrified of clowns, i never had a santa-fear.

8. i really dislike wearing the colour green, and will only wear it during the christmas season. false! i am not fond of wearing red (too funny as i must wear my red staff shirt for work) and only choose to wear red at either christmas or on valentine’s day.

9. gifts that have made me squeal and bop around with joy, in recent years, have included: a toronto maple leafs jersey; the abba box set of 4 cd’s; a barack obama tshirt. true! and my very, very favourite would be the abba box set.

10. our traditional christmas eve meal, going back to the ’70s, includes kentucky fried chicken, a shrimp ring, potato chips and dip, and root beer. true! unorthodox, you bet. but, this has been our traditional fest (followed by as many cookies as you want!) forever.

11. mom and i have never been to the december one of a kind craft show in toronto. false! mom and i have gone twice to one of a kind, maybe 6-8 years ago, now. we were both totally impressed with the creative genius on display, and purchased christmas gifts, but to be honest, it’s just a little too big for our liking. add in the drive to toronto, and the fact that we get dazed after a couple of hours…well, it’s really not worth the trip. (although i would go again as it’s been a few years).

12. i can recite ’twas the night before christmas off by heart. nope! i know the first few stanzas, and then all hope is lost.

13. i immensely dislike poinsettias. true! i much prefer amarylis as a holiday flower.

14. i have made and decorated a gingerbread house from scratch. true! this is a funny memory: in first or second year university, my bf at the time and i decided to bake, build and decorate a gingerbread house. we started in mid-morning and finished…late at night! this guy and i got along very, very well, but we had more spats on this gingerbread house day than at any other time. it was an architectural masterpiece at completion, i tell you!

15. i have spent one christmas in aruba and one christmas in whistler, b.c. false! i have been to aruba, never been to whistler, and always been home for christmas.

16. mom and i hit the malls as early as possible on boxing day – like, 6 a.m.! – to snap up awesome deals. false! i’ve worked boxing day ever since i started my current retail job, but even prior to that, mom and i never boxing day shopped, on principle. do you really need to shop sooo early on a holiday? although i don’t agree with the concept, i actually don’t mind working the 26th (but, we don’t open ’til 11 a.m.)!

17. if i had my way, we would have snow on the ground from christmas eve through new year’s day, and then it would magically disappear. true! a white christmas week is very pretty. a white december, january, february, march…not so much.

18. my favourite christmas show is “how the grinch stole christmas.” true! BUT only the 1966 boris karloff version. must watch every year! [more on this tradition tomorrow].

19. we go to midnight mass every christmas eve. false! not catholic, and i have never been to a midnight mass!

20. i once had the chicken pox at christmas. false! i’ve never had chicken pox. but the brother did, at christmas, 1982 (he was nine). happily, he was over the worst, by christmas day.

have you ever spent christmas away from home? i can’t say i’d object to sitting around in my bikini, surrounded by palm trees, on christmas day!

true or false: the holiday edition

on the tenth day of december...

happy saturday!

it was a lot of fun, the last time we played the true or false game. so, let’s do it again! since it’s all christmas all the time these days, it’s only reasonable to do a holiday-themed test, today. good luck!

(here’s a hint because i’m feeling all generous and such: there are 10 trues and 10 falses. haha, like that helps a lot, eh?!).

1. christmas eve was the one night of the year when the brother and i could eat as many cookies as we wanted.

2. in high school, on the last day of school before christmas break, the entire school + teachers went rollerskating.

3. the brother and i opened advent calendars with chocolates behind the little doors, every year.

4. as kids, our family had to have a fake christmas tree because dad is allergic to pine needles.

5. in the ’80s and ’90s, family tradition called for a rousing, three-generation game of stock ticker on christmas day afternoon (between sticky buns breakfast and turkey dinner).

6. we open presents in the same way, every year: we take turns, one person at a time, from youngest to oldest for the first go-’round, then oldest to youngest for the second round.

7. i was scared of mall santas when i was little, and refused to go up and visit jolly saint nick.

8. i really dislike wearing the colour green, and will only wear it during the christmas season.

9. gifts that have made me squeal and bop around with joy, in recent years, have included: a toronto maple leafs jersey; the abba box set of 4 cd’s; a barack obama tshirt.

10. our traditional christmas eve meal, going back to the ’70s, includes kentucky fried chicken, a shrimp ring, potato chips and dip, and root beer.

11. mom and i have never been to the december one of a kind craft show in toronto.

12. i can recite ’twas the night before christmas off by heart.

13. i immensely dislike poinsettias.

14. i have made and decorated a gingerbread house from scratch.

15. i have spent one christmas in aruba and one christmas in whistler, b.c.

16. mom and i hit the malls as early as possible on boxing day – like, 6 a.m.! – to snap up awesome deals.

17. if i had my way, we would have snow on the ground from christmas eve through new year’s day, and then it would magically disappear.

18. my favourite christmas show is “how the grinch stole christmas.”

19. we go to midnight mass every christmas eve.

20. i once had the chicken pox at christmas.

answers tomorrow!

…and because it was so much fun last time, tell me a holiday-themed statement about you, and i will guess true or false! or give me a multiple choice question if you’re feeling all creative, today!

~*~*~*~*~

nicole ups the ante!!

i’m so smart, just as i anticipated, nicole placed presents under the tree at theOTHERstore:

five presents, five different wrapping papers; gee whiz, that is EXACTLY what i would do!

good thing i thought to up my festive wear by putting on the tinsel headband! (tinsel > sequins):

even the purolator guy commented on my "festive headwear!"

but wait!! i did not predict THIS from nicole!! she addressed a gift box for each member of our staff team!!!

my box!

argh…back to the drawing board, go i…

not all 50 q’s

one of the reasons i like to read gina, (the fitnessista)’s blog, is that she often will include *a-ha life quotes*, as i like to call them. you know – motivational thoughts that make me stop and ponder, even for just five seconds, and help me remember what’s important to me, and about life. [also, gina is pregnant and due on my birthday!]

(source)

here’s a thoughtful quote from just earlier this week: “develop an attitude of gratitude, and give thanks for everything that happens to you, knowing that every step forward is a step toward achieving something bigger and better than your current situation.” ~ brian tracy

quite a while ago – july, in fact! – gina put up a post about 50 questions she had come across.

click here for gina’s blog entry.

and here is the direct link to the site where she found the 50 questions: 50 questions that will free your mind.

(source)

at first, i thought i would answer all 50 of these questions – not all in one shot! i thought it might be fun to do 10 questions per day for five days. but upon further reflection, and as you’ll see if you review the questions, some are unanswerable. as the tag line on the 50 questions website states, “…sometimes asking the right questions is the answer.” so i’ve picked out 45, instead.

joke!

five seems like a nice round number.

1. how old would you be if you didn’t know how old you are? i’m going to knock 10 years off my *real age,* and that makes me 31. my rationalization: 1) i can still pluck out any random grey hairs that show up on my head ie. they are few and far between 2) physically, i feel spry and in shape, and i have lots of energy 3) sometimes, i feel naive about “life” – how to handle certain issues or unexpected events that occur.

13. would you break the law to save a loved one? without question.

19. if you had to move to a state or country besides the one you currently live in, where would you move and why? easy! florida! maybe i’m being unadventuresome with this answer but i. love. florida (i even have flipflops, purchased in florida in 1989, that say that on the straps!). for choice of cities, i would go with sarasota. tampa is too big (and confusing – never been so turned around in my life as when i was trying to navigate its thoroughfares). i love hot weather, love the beach, love shopping, and sarasota also offers culture and whole foods! i am ruling out aruba as it’s a fab place to vacation but there’s just not enough to do on the island for the long term. moab, utah is also high on my list…i think i need to re-visit both moab and sarasota and make my choice!…

30. what is your happiest childhood memory and what makes it so special? i have tons of happy memories from my childhood. but here’s the one that popped into my head when i saw this question: our family was not rolling in money when the brother and i were little – my mom stayed at home and my dad worked for a local insurance company. we were very comfortable but my parents had to watch the budget a bit. a real treat was when we would go to mcdonalds for lunch after church on sunday. we did not go every week. and we never knew if we were going to go until the drive home at noon – if dad took a certain road, we knew it was a mcdonalds day! the brother and i would clap and practically dance in the back seat of the car. i think this memory is so special because it was family time all together, i loved the fillet o’ fish/fries food, and the joyful surprise factor was just too much fun.

37. if you just won a million dollars, would you quit your job? i would not! i love my job to pieces and it makes me feel very happy and fulfilled. i would be bored out of my mind if i had tons of time on my hands. yes, i know i would have a million dollars to spend (!) but even shopping (for things i don’t really need) and traveling would grow old, eventually. i am a bit of a hoarder of money, by nature, so i would likely bank the million, think for a while on what i want to do with it, buy presents for friends and family, set up a charity for disadvantaged local children…and well, let’s be honest…buy running shoes!

if you check out the 50 questions, share an answer (or any of the q’s above)! bonus q & a: #5 – what is the one thing you would most like to change about the world? even out the great divide between the financially rich and the poor.

what’s a motivational quote or mantra that rings true to you? my ultrarunning friend used to say “this is tough, but we are tougher.” i’ve always liked that one.

i’ll see your five and raise you one

good morning!

i hope you enjoyed a marvelous weekend. i loved having the buskers in uptown waterloo. did you get out, those of you in this area? i swear half the population of k-w made it to uptown waterloo at some point over the weekend. the crowds were huge!

i discovered yet another all about me set of questions. once again, i found the idea over at gabriela‘s blog. this has got to be, what, the fourth or fifth idea that i have pilfered from une vie saine?! this questionnaire is short and sweet.

FIVE words to describe myself:

~ organized

~ sweetly quirky

~ optimistic

~ stubborn

~ hardworking

FOUR favourite foods:

~ cereal

~ peanut butter

~ apple crisp

~ avacado

[you will note the glaring absence of coffee and raw vegetables/salads...yup, the flu-induced aversions are still holding...]

THREE things i’m most proud of accomplishing:

~ running a 3:00:45 marathon at the 1998 boston marathon (my pb)

~ graduating from university with a four year honours degree and bachelor of education degree [even though i am no longer use my french or teaching degrees, an education is a wonderful asset and life experience]

~ buying my very first car – a little green mazda 323 with racing stripes! – with funds 100% from my own bank account

(source)

TWO favourite workouts:

~ running

~ stairmaster

[the #1 and #2 ranking flipflops depending on my mood and the weather]

ONE thing to expect from my blog:

~ haha, a blog about nothing, to be seinfeldian about it?! the blog started so i could track last year’s 1970 kiki project, and has grown to include writings and musings about things that interest me, and more often than not, bring a smile to my face as i write. i like variety on my blog – i’d get bored writing about the same stuff every day, and you’d fall asleep reading.

now, just so i’m not a complete moocher, i’m going to contribute a sixth question to the original five:

SIX activities you would do with visitors to showcase your city:

~ walk through waterloo park

(source)

~ visit the st jacobs farmer’s market

~ go around ring road (by foot, bike or car) at the university of waterloo campus

~ shop in uptown waterloo, specifically hitting words worth books, write impressions, skirt, delirium, running room (!), eating well organically, and wherever else we had time to go after those spots

~ eat gelato at a sidewalk table and people-watch at whole lot-a gelata

~ watch a movie at the princess cinema

#1 spot – touristy or otherwise – that guests to your home should visit? the train ride from uptown waterloo to st jacobs is very popular but i’ve never taken it, so don’t want to suggest it without really knowing if it’s worthwhile or not!

~*~*~*~*~

here is your fun and life-enhancing trivia question of the day. i heard this on the radio at the store the other day.

according to forbes magazine, who is the most powerful female celebrity in the world?

waiting

while

you

think

(source)

answer: lady gaga

would you have guessed that? i would not. i am still stuck in the oprah or madonna eras!

3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3

yippee! i found another bare your soul circle session set of questions circling the blogosphere. and for this one, there’s no invite required!

today’s format is brought to you by the number THREE!

(source)

and we have nine (which, of course, is 3 x 3 -> very nice symmetry, whoever thought this up) sets of three questions.

game on!

three ways i’m still a kid:

1. i adore sugar-y breakfast cereals

2. i am a fan of the wiggles

(source)

3. i love to colour and stick stickers

esp with these two darlings!

three ways i’m already old:

1. i knit

baby blankets are the current craze

2. i do crossword puzzles

3. i believe in “early to bed, early to rise”

three things i want to do:

1. be in a parade, more specifically, ride on a float

2. see madonna live, in concert

(source)

3. dye my hair platinum blonde

three ways i’m a stereotypical boy:

1. i need not shower after i sweat

2. i have no shame about peeing anywhere, any time

3. i am a tv sports fanatic; also, it was a very sad day when we stopped subscribing to sports illustrated

three ways i’m a stereotypical girl:

1. i love chic movies (this was a good one!)

(source)

2. i have had a mental list picked out of names for my hypothetical children, ever since i was about 8 years old

3. i love celebrity gossip ( star magazine and entertainment tonight are preferred sources)

three things i want to try within the next three months:

1. zumba!

2. jigsaw puzzling

3. painting a bathroom in the condo casa

three things that i like about myself:

1. my eyes

2. my stubbornness determination

3. my easy laugh

three of my everyday essentials:

1. peanut butter on apple

2. fresh air

3. a to do list

three things that scare me:

1. dogs: except for bailey

file photo, may 2011

2. clowns: there is absolutely nothing funny about a face that looks like this:

(source)

esp when you are two years old and one sneaks up to surprise you – scarred for life, yes!

3 the fairy tale rumpelstiltskin: whenever i heard this story as a child, i’d suffer a recurring nightmare that night – that i was sleeping in a matchbox, my feet were sticking out, and the little man was after me. i have avoided that story for upwards of 35 years, now!

(source)

pick ‘n’ share three, any three! the same three, or three different threes! then listen to this song! [one of my faves!]

(source)

~*~*~*~*~

31 FLAVOURS OF AUGUST

4/31

treat: cinnamon scone from coffee culture

(i accidentally deleted my actual scone, so here's the tray of 'em)

…with lisa!

the lively chitchat, sharing time and laughs - even better than the scone!

price: $1.79 -> but lisa treated!

rating: *** (three stars)

tasting notes: this scone was FRESH! scones can be dry if stale, but this one was light and moist. i loved the cinnamon + brown sugar swirling through the scone, and also glazed on the top. it exceeded my hopes!

How Well Do We Know Dad?!

Happy Father‘s Day, all you Dads out there!

[To be honest, I'm not sure any dads other than my Dad and Dad K read the blog! Anyway, wishing a wonderful day to all dads out there!]

file photo: father's day 2010 after the waterloo classic

If you visit this corner of the world with any regularity, you know that Dad makes many appearances on the blog. He is a very good sport about being a cookie taste-tester, a market chauffeur, an ice-cream co-conspirator. Dad, I ♥ you, and wish you a Happy Father’s Day!

You also know that I love questionnaires, guessing games, competition, tests. In honour of Father’s Day, we are going to play a game. I sent Dad a list of twelve questions for him to answer. I answered them, too, and now we’re going to see how closely our answers match up. Here we go!…

1. What sport do you enjoy watching most on TV?

Me: golf

Dad: Golf, golf and more golf.

[score!]

2. Who is your favourite professional golfer, retired or active?

Me: Arnold Palmer (both for his skill and for being a class act).

Dad: Tiger in his prime was awesome (I mean in golf and not his extra curricular activities).  Also like Mark O’Meara….always a gentleman besides being a good golfer.

[miss! at least I got the "classy" part right!]

3. Scenario: Mom goes out and leaves you on your own for supper (and she does not leave you leftovers, haha!). What do you prepare for yourself?

Me: sliced summersausage; a fried egg; hash-brown potatoes fried up in the skillet, with chopped onion added in.

Dad: Cold meat sandwich….years ago it would have been a hot dog!

[miss! I guess my option is too much work!]

4. List three positive adjectives to describe yourself.

Me: giving (Dad is very generous with his time and his money); stubborn (yes this is a positive attribute, in my books – maybe because I am just as stubborn as Dad!); handy (Dad is very good at fixing up odd jobs around the home, painting, wallpapering, detailing the car, etc).

Dad: Stubborn, honest, loving (family).

[agreed!]

5. What is your favourite way to spend a Sunday afternoon?

Me: put on the TV and lie back on the couch in a slumped position; take a nap (snoring all the while); go for a coffee.

Dad: Any immediate family involvement.  Otherwise, some golf and a good coffee break with M.

[coffee score!]

6. What is your favourite type of pie?

Me: hmmmmm, this is very, very tough because PIE is Dad’s #1 favourite dessert. In the running would be cherry, apple, blueberry, elderberry…I’m going to go with BLUEBERRY! And it has to be made by Mom.

Dad: First of all, all pie is GOOD it’s just that some is better than others.  My first choice would be fresh strawberry in season and otherwise cherry.

[I forgot about strawberry! Of course!]

7. What is one pet peeve you have about other people?

Me: People who are idiots. (Yes, this is all-encompassing but anything you can think of that would fit will bug Dad. My favourite Dad quote – it’s even on my facebook page – “The world is full of idiots”).

Dad: Most drivers are idiots and shouldn’t be on the road.

[I am SERIOUSLY laughing out loud right at this moment!!]

8. The best male movie actor of all time is…

Me: Paul Newman (I’m taking a flying guess with this one…)

Dad: Kirk Douglas

[never would have gotten that one with 100 guesses...]

9. What is your favourite running race memory out of all the races we ran together, over the years?

Me: Eesh! So many to choose from…I’ll play it safe and say our very first 10k, the Waterloo Classic, back in 1989. We’ve come a long way, baby!

Dad: Loved our first marathon together…the whole experience very meaningful.  Also, the 12 mile Creek runs in St. Catharines….great course to run, fun driving together and stopping at Harvey’s afterwards.

[oh yea! 12 mile creek = definite highlight event)

10. What is the best type of cookie that Mom makes?

Me: molasses crinkles

Dad: NOT FAIR to name only one so here goes....(1)Chocolate chip/cranberry/ chocolate, (2)ginger (3) peanut butter (4)raisin spice.

[Dad, are you a pie or a cookie man, at heart?!]

11. If you could hop on a plane with Mom and go anywhere in the world for one week, all expenses paid, where would you go?

Me: I’ll say Aruba because Mom and Dad have been there before and love it.

Dad: Aruba.

[bingo!]

12. Who is a celebrity to whom you have a physical resemblance?

Me: Gord!

(source)

we've teased dad for years about being "gord's twin!"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dad: Gord Lightfoot the most although right now he looks wasted.  At one time Alex Trebek and I had similarities especially when we both had great curly hair.  Kirk Douglas had similar strong facial features especially the eyes.  (Do you even know who Kirk Douglas was?)

[see #8, above, Dad!]

(source)

Thanks, Dad! <3!

Happy Father’s Day, and I’ll see you later!

◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊

Feel free to join the party! Answer any of the above questions that you wish!