This one goes up to eleven!

So I've been tagged by Movie Muse Erin to play the 11 Things game.

The Rules:

• Post these rules.
• You must post 11 random things about yourself.
• Answer the questions set for you in their post.
• Create 11 new questions for the people you tag to answer.
• Go to their blog and tell them you’ve tagged them.
• No stuff in the tagging section about you are tagged if you are reading this. You legitimately have to tag 11 people.

(For the record, I will be violating several of those - I'm usually toward the end of a run and therefore won't tag others, and I'm not sure how good I'd be at coming up with questions. But I will answer the ones I've been given...)

11 Random Things About Me:

1. I usually drink my tea unsweetened. I drink coffee unsweetened but I must have cream in it (real dairy, not synthetic or powder substitutes)
2. I have hyperextended elbows and knees (erroneously called "double-jointed"). According to the wiki entry on hypermobility, I would have a Beighton score of 5/9, and I do have many of the symptoms listed for hypermobility syndrome.
3. I am, to DH's dismay, a chronic tooth grinder.
4. I still hope against hope that someday I can grow my hair down to my hips.
5. I love most fruits but don't like watermelon.
6. I can handle snakes and spiders, but loathe roaches to the core of my being.
7. I am obsessive about my hands - I don't like them dirty or sticky, and have trouble keeping them still.
8. I enjoy puzzles and puzzle games.
9. I have a low heat tolerance.
10. Other than needlework, many of my interests and thought processes would be considered more stereotypically 'male' than 'female'. Love football, hate shopping, for example.
    
11. I don't mind getting older - I'm learning more of who I am and what I can do with each new day, and I am happier than I ever imagined being.

My Answers to Erin's 11 questions:

1. What is your favorite movie?
   Honestly, I'm not sure I *have* a favorite. There are a handful of movies that I enjoy and quote from a lot (such as Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Princess Bride, or Spaceballs), but no clear favorite.
   
2. What is the first movie you remember seeing at the movie theater?
   I saw Charlotte's Web at a midweek matinee when I was in 2nd grade as a class field trip.
   
3. Is there a type of movie or an actor/director that you refuse to watch?
   Well, certainly at this point I'd never watch anything with which Roman Polanski was involved. Other than that, certain genres or actors would make it less likely that I'd see a particular movie but don't automatically preclude it.
   
4. What craft or hobby would you try if money and time were no obstacle?
   Stained-glass would be neat to try sometime.
   
5. Name your favorite kitchen tool.
   Depending on what I'm trying to accomplish, either the slow cooker or the stick blender.
   
6. What is your favorite type of trip/vacation? Active (like hiking), museums/history, beach, mountains, theme park, etc.
   Mountains and/or castles make for good vacations. Also, the opportunity for some quiet time.
   
7. If you could go anywhere in the world, where would it be?
   A better question would be where *wouldn't* I want to go. Mostly I would love to see much of Canada, more of Europe, and Australia and New Zealand.
   
8. Would you ever seriously consider living abroad? If the answer is no because you now have a family, do you think you would have considered it when you were "young and single"?
   I would most certainly consider living abroad, certainly in either the UK or continental Europe. Maybe if I found myself a billionaire I could buy a small castle in Wales. Though I could do with Germany or Italy too.
   
9. If you could choose any profession other than your current one, what would it be?
   I've never really spent much time thinking about it. Although being a paid travel writer could be fun.
   
10. What is the hardest thing you've ever done?
    Hmm. Probably working a full-time job and taking 9 credit hours to finish my degree at a school an hour away, while raising two stepkids and having my whole schedule dictated by when the daycare was open. I'm still not sure how I managed it.
    
11. When is the last time you felt really free (whatever that means to you)?
    The first thing that comes to mind is a lack of obligations, and I honestly can't remember the last time that was. There's always someplace I need to be or something that needs to be done. But that comes with being a responsible adult. Very few of us are independently wealthy and have the freedom to follow every whim, and many of those who have are not people worth admiring (take your pick of many big-name celebrities).
    
    But if I look at 'free' another way, I do feel like there's nothing (other than maybe time) holding me back from realizing my full potential, and in that way I do feel free.
    

Anyway, as I already mentioned above, I'm going to punt on the tag-and-question portion of this.

Every group needs a healer!

I Am A: Neutral Good Human Cleric (5th Level)


Ability Scores:

Strength-11

Dexterity-13

Constitution-12

Intelligence-15

Wisdom-12

Charisma-12


Alignment:
Neutral Good A neutral good character does the best that a good person can do. He is devoted to helping others. He works with kings and magistrates but does not feel beholden to them. Neutral good is the best alignment you can be because it means doing what is good without bias for or against order. However, neutral good can be a dangerous alignment because it advances mediocrity by limiting the actions of the truly capable.


Race:
Humans are the most adaptable of the common races. Short generations and a penchant for migration and conquest have made them physically diverse as well. Humans are often unorthodox in their dress, sporting unusual hairstyles, fanciful clothes, tattoos, and the like.


Class:
Clerics act as intermediaries between the earthly and the divine (or infernal) worlds. A good cleric helps those in need, while an evil cleric seeks to spread his patron's vision of evil across the world. All clerics can heal wounds and bring people back from the brink of death, and powerful clerics can even raise the dead. Likewise, all clerics have authority over undead creatures, and they can turn away or even destroy these creatures. Clerics are trained in the use of simple weapons, and can use all forms of armor and shields without penalty, since armor does not interfere with the casting of divine spells. In addition to his normal complement of spells, every cleric chooses to focus on two of his deity's domains. These domains grants the cleric special powers, and give him access to spells that he might otherwise never learn. A cleric's Wisdom score should be high, since this determines the maximum spell level that he can cast.


Find out What Kind of Dungeons and Dragons Character Would You Be?, courtesy of Easydamus (e-mail)

Lyrics potpourri

Since everyone seems to have such fun with these, here's another 10 random first lines off my iPod. Name the song and artist in the comments, and see your name in bold lights on my blog!

1. Yeah, I'm sittin' on this bar stool talkin' like a d**n fool -Styx, "Too Much Time On My Hands" (Jenn L)
   
2. I took off for a weekend last month just to try and recall the whole year - Jimmy Buffett, "Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes" (Jeri)
   
3. We got somethin' we both know it we don't talk too much about it - Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, "Refugee" (Kay)
   
4. It's 9:00 on a Saturday, the regular crowd shuffles in -Billy Joel, "Piano Man" (Jenn L, Rachel)
   
5. Ships may come and ships may go as long as the sea does roll - Great Big Sea, "Jolly Roving Tar" (Polimex)
   
6. Where would you rather be? Anywhere, anywhere but here
   
7. [song title] don't want to lock me up inside
   
8. Backstroke lover always hidin' 'neath the covers - Aerosmith, "Walk This Way" (Jenn L)
   
9. They see me mowin' my front lawn - Weird Al, "White & Nerdy" (Rachel)
   
10. Your cruel device, your blood like ice - Alice Cooper, "Poison" (Kate, Jenn L)
    

And more meme stuff...

Tag, I'm it!

I've been tagged on both Facebook and in blogs, so there's no escape! (run awaaaaay!)
Once you've been tagged, you are supposed to write a note with 25 random things, facts, habits, or goals about you. At the end, choose 25 people to be tagged. You have to tag the person who tagged you.

-----------------------------------

1. My favorite color is blue, with green, purple, black and grey being second-tier favorites. My least favorite color is orange, unless you're talking autumn. Then reds, yellows, and oranges are necessary.
   
2. My favorite season is autumn, and I very much miss the changing seasons. My least favorite season is summer.
   
3. I like most fruits, but I especially love raspberries. Berries in general are at the top of my fruit preferences. I don't care for watermelon, though.
   
4. I don't watch movies very often, and have been rather disinterested in most of the stuff coming out of Hollywood of late. I'm not into chick flicks, modern horror, most modern comedy, or movies that spend all their budget on special effects or a big-name star instead of actually having a plot. I do like Peter Jackson's _Lord of the Rings_ movies, pretty much anything by Pixar, and many older comedies/dramas. I also like a lot of the BBC productions.
   
5. I grew up Episcopalian, but spent my late teens and early 20s in kind of a 'seeker' mode before I became Catholic about 6 years ago.
   
6. I am a natural redhead (the grey hairs I sprout now should be verification enough that I don't dye). Now, I'm proud of being a redhead. Growing up, I wasn't.
   
7. My female ancestors on my distaff line were redheads for several generations back, with the exception of my dark-haired mother.
   
8. I'd love for my hair to be down about to my hips. Unfortunately, that's not likely to happen, at least while I live in Florida. It breaks quicker than it grows :(
   
9. I have somewhat of a knack for remembering numbers. My family seems to think it uncanny, especially when I can rattle off particular account numbers and other data off the top of my head.
   
10. I enjoy most types of music. My strongest preferences are for rock, classical, and Celtic/folk, but will listen to almost anything but gangsta rap or modern country ('classic' country had some decent stuff).
    
11. I am an avid reader, and like music I have rather eclectic tastes in this regard. Science fiction/fantasy and historical fiction tend to be perennial favorites. I don't enjoy books on politics, and I am very particular about my nonfiction, however.
    
12. I occasionally dabble in writing poetry, but it's been years since I've written anything.
    
13. I love to drink both hot tea and coffee, as well as other hot beverages. I will rarely sweeten either one, but I need to have milk or cream in my coffee. Real dairy, not that nasty powdered stuff.
    
14. I don't like red roses. I love the scent of roses, and I especially like white, purple, or two-toned, but not red.
    
15. I love the smell of herbs, especially rosemary, lavender, and thyme. I've recently restarted an herb garden.
    
16. I hate roaches. HATE. Fear, loathing, scream-like-a-schoolgirl-and-stomp-it-into-oblivion hate. Spiders, snakes, other bugs, I'm fine with. But roaches.... *shudder*. Florida has huge roaches...that *fly*.
    
17. I also hate the mall. I don't like to shop (except in book or craft stores), and I'm not a fan of crowds, so for me, the mall is one of the outer circles of Hell.
    
18. I never have understood the stereotypical female fascination with clothes and/or shoes. I do dress nice for church or special occasions, but most of my wardrobe is fairly basic. And fashionistas and shoe divas may hate them and say they're ugly, but I love my Crocs. Most comfortable shoes I've ever had.
    
19. I enjoy singing, but I didn't think I was very good at it. I've been taking voice lessons for about a year, which has done wonders for both my voice and my confidence.
    
20. I've been doing some sort of needlecraft since I was about 6 years old. My first piece was this weird 70's colored crewel piece that had a girl with a stove and a broom. Her hair was all orange french-knots.
    
21. I started dabbling in cross-stitch design in late 2005, because I had it as a goal on my 101List. That has since blossomed into Tor Rhuann Designs, which I'm very proud of, but I admit I am still surprised at how well my designs have been received. I still can't really think of myself as a 'designer'.
    
22. I find it difficult to sit completely idle, and will usually have needlework out while watching TV. My hands have to be busy in some way.
    
23. I am very particular about my hands, and wash them rather frequently. It really bothers me when they are sticky or dirty, and even more so when I can't wash them right away. Germ-X is my friend.
    
24. I occasionally play computer games, and am currently pretty involved in World of Warcraft. My primary character is a level 80 night elf hunter.
    
25. I'm not much given to having crushes on celebrities. Although I will admit I find both Ioan Gruffudd and Sean Bean to be pretty hot.
    

As for the "tagging others" bit...I'm always way behind on these, so if you want to play along, consider yourself tagged!

About the iPod Shuffle...

Last of this meme. Of 40 songs I posted, all but 5 were correctly guessed. Not bad!

The missing ones:
9. I turn my back to the wind to catch my breath before I start off again - Rush, "Time Stand Still"
10. Ignore reality there's nothing you can do about it - Natalie Imbruglia, "Don't You Think"
18. Well come gather all around me, there is something you should know - Great Big Sea, "Goin Up"
23. You don't remember me but I remember you / I lie awake and try so hard not to think of you - Evanescence, "Taking Over Me"
31. It ain't the way you move, it ain't the way that you move me, oh no - Night Ranger, "Don't Tell Me You Love Me"

Things here are okay. DH had his tonsils and other stuff removed yesterday, and so far is recovering fine. I've stocked up on gatorade, ice cream, and other goodies for his convalescence.

Revisiting the iPod shuffle

About a week ago, I posted lyrics meme, and my sharp-eyed (eared?) readers correctly guessed 80% of them.

That still leaves six, reprinted here:
9. I turn my back to the wind to catch my breath before I start off again
10. Ignore reality there's nothing you can do about it
18. Well come gather all around me, there is something you should know
23. You don't remember me but I remember you (Karen guessed "Tears on My Pillow" which *does* have this same first line but isn't the song. Guess I need to add the second line: "I lie awake and try so hard not to think of you")
26. Dark in the city, night is a wire, steam in the subway, earth is a fire - Duran Duran, "Hungry Like the Wolf" (Karen)
27. And she was lying in grass and she could hear the highway breathing - Talking Heads, "And She Was" (also Karen)

And just a couple more to keep it interesting..

31. It ain't the way you move, it ain't the way that you move me, oh no
32. Well I remember every little thing as if it happened only yesterday - Meat Loaf, "Paradise by the Dashboard Light" (Karen)
33. Don't cry to me - if you loved me you would be here with me - Evanescence, "Call Me When You're Sober" (Karen)
34. I used to be such a sweet sweet thing til they got ahold of me - Alice Cooper, "No More Mr. Nice Guy" (The Duke)
35. Somebody once told me the world is gonna roll me - Smashmouth, "All Star" (Lisa)
36. Must it take a life for hateful eyes to glisten once again? - Flogging Molly, "Drunken Lullabies" (Arsena)
37. I never really knew that she could dance like this - Shakira, "Hips Don't Lie" (DD)
38. Let me take you to the movie, can i take you to the show? - Led Zeppelin, "Houses of the Holy" (Karen)
39. Oh. My. God. Becky, just look at ... - Sir Mix-a-lot, "Baby Got Back" (The Duke)
40. Well I'm ever upper class high society - AC/DC, "Big Balls" (The Duke)

(And yes, these are all on my iPod. I did have to skip a few songs this go to avoid songs already guessed...the randomize feature isn't as random as I would like sometimes.)

Doin' the iPod shuffle!

Don't get too excited, it's just a meme. But I saw it on Valerie's blog and thought it looked cool, so here you have it.
Step 1: Put your iPod or whatever on random.
Step 2: Post the 1st line from the first 30 songs that play, no matter how embarrassing the song. And it doesn't have to be perfect if you can't understand the lyrics word for word.
Step 3: Let everyone guess what song and artist the lines come from.
Step 4: Bold the songs when someone guesses correctly.
Step 5: Looking them up on Google or any other search engine is CHEATING!

1. Just like the white-winged dove sings a song, sounds like she's singing "ooh ooh ooh" - Stevie Nicks, "Edge of Seventeen" (DH)
   
2. She came down from Cincinnati, it took her three days on the train - Jimmy Buffett, "Fins" (Margaret)
   
3. He's got a roadmap of Jupiter, radar fix on the stars all along the highway - Rush, "Dreamline" (Gonna give DH credit since he could name the album)
   
4. When I was a lad in a fishin' town, me old man said to me "You can spend your life your jolly life just sailin' on the sea" - Great Big Sea, "The Mermaid" (DH)
   
5. You say yes, I say no. You say stop and I say go go go - Beatles, "Hello Goodbye" (Jacqui)
   
6. Someone told me long ago there's a calm before the storm - Creedence Clearwater Revival, "Have You Ever Seen the Rain?" (Darla)
   
7. Alright, I've got something to say. It's better to burn out than to fade away - Def Leppard, "Rock of Ages" (DH)
   
8. My sister got lucky, married a yuppie, took him for all he was worth. - Tom Petty, "Yer So Bad" (DH)
   
9. Turn my back to the wind to catch my breath before i start off again
   
10. Ignore reality there's nothing you can do about it
    
11. I walk along the avenue, I never thought I'd meet a girl like you - Flock of Seagulls, "I Ran" (Kay)
    
12. Well we all have a face that we hide away forever - Billy Joel, "The Stranger" (Margaret)
    
13. The sun is a mass of incandescent gas - They Might Be Giants, "Why Does the Sun Shine?" (DH)
    
14. Welcome to the grand illusion, come on in and see what's happ'nin - Styx, "Grand Illusion" (DH)
    
15. I get up in the evening, and I ain't got nothing to say - Bruce Springsteen, "Dancing in the Dark" (Kay)
    
16. You know I can be found sittin' all alone - Elvis, "Don't Be Cruel"
    
17. All day, staring at the ceiling making friends with shadows on my wall - Matchbox 20, "Unwell" (Chiasmata)
    
18. Well come gather all around me There is something you should know
    
19. She was a fast machine, she kept her motor clean - AC/DC, "You Shook Me All Night Long" (Claire)
    
20. Well I've been waiting, waiting here so long - Genesis, "Invisible Touch" (one of DD's favorite songs)
    
21. I catch the paperboy, but things don't really change - David Bowie, "Modern Love" (DH)
    
22. Look at this photograph, every time I do it makes me laugh - Nickelback, "Photograph" (Margaret)
    
23. You don't remember me but I remember you
    
24. The queen of light took her bow and then she turned to go - Led Zeppelin, "Battle of Evermore" (Polimex)
    
25. There's something wrong with the world today, I don't know what it is - Aerosmith, "Living on the Edge" (Sara)
    
26. Dark in the city, night is a wire, steam in the subway, earth is a fire
    
27. And she was lying in grass and she could hear the highway breathing
    
28. Well I'm gonna raise a fuss, yes I'm gonna raise a holler - "Summertime Blues" (Darla) - Rush did the particular cover I have on my iPod.
    
29. He was born a sailor's son, Nothing came easy or free - Great Big Sea, "Lucky Me" (DH)
    
30. Midnight, gettin' uptight, where are you? You said you'd meet me now it's quarter to two. - Joan Jett, "I Hate Myself for Loving You" (Polimex)
    

This is only a subset of the iPod - I have a lot of classical and choral stuff on my iPod so I've restricted it to my car playlist (which is rather eclectic as it is). I also skipped over a few where the title was in the first line (for example "You ain't nothing but a hound dog").

Anyway, have fun.

It's twoo! It's twoo!

Fourteen of the 15 movies were correctly guessed - late entries by Heather guessed both Spaceballs and Strange Brew, both with Rick Moranis, to nearly complete the roster.

The last movie quote, "We've got to protect our phoney baloney jobs, gentlemen!" is from another Mel Brooks film, Blazing Saddles.

After I posted the initial list, I thought of another movie that should have gotten representation. So just for yuks, here's the bonus question.

I know a little German. He's sitting over there. . Daine recalled that this was Top Secret.

In other news, it's been, unsurprisingly, very wet here. Fay gave us about 2 feet of rain, Hanna dumped on us earlier today, and now Ike's roaming about though latest projections have him giving us a miss (I hope so!). I am more than ready for hurricane season to be over....

Movie redux...

Tuesday, and to my surprise 5 movies are as yet unidentified:

4. No, it's not what you think. It's much, much worse! Heather correctly identified Spaceballs.

5. I gotta take a leak so bad I can taste it. Heather also got Strange Brew. Good job, eh?

10. We've gotta protect our phoney baloney jobs, gentlemen!

13. Summa cum laude. Magna cum laude. The radio's too laude. ... Cris nabbed Johnny Dangerously.

15. We all end up dead, it's just a question of how and why. Karen correctly gathered this to be Braveheart

So a few hints are, perhaps, in order.

Two movies above share an actor.

Two movies above share a director.

Four movies above share a genre.

In other news, I am so ready for hurricane season to be over. We lost three work days to Fay, and Hanna may do a drive-by. And then there are Ike and Josephine...

Gotta love living in the tropics.

A day at the movies

More like a meme about the movies, shamelessly stolen from my favorite Movie Muse.

1. Pick 15 of your favorite movies.
2. Go to IMDb and find a quote from each movie.
3. Post them here for everyone to guess.
4. NO GOOGLING/using IMDb search functions.
5. Strike it out when someone guesses correctly, and put who guessed it and the movie.


Some are, of course, easier than others.

1. This is not unlike escaping my mother's womb. God, what a memory. - Kerry was quick with recognizing Ladyhawke!
   
2. Hey... they're just using the same actor over and over. What kind of cut-rate production is this? Shalini recognized Pixar's Cars, thanks to her young son!
   
3. All science trembles at the searing logic of your fiery intellect. Arsena recalled Gen. Armistead's barb to Gen. Pickett in Gettysburg.
   
4. No, it's not what you think. It's much, much worse!
   
5. I gotta take a leak so bad I can taste it.
   
6. "We'll never survive!" - "Nonsense. You're only saying that because no one ever has." Annette correctly identified Princess Bride.
   
7. I will not say, Do not weep, for not all tears are an evil. Thus spake Gandalf, remembered Chiasmata, in Lord of the Rings: Return of the King.
   
8. 'Greater good?' I am your wife! I'm the greatest *good* you are ever gonna get! - _The Incredibles_, courtesy of Weather Goddess Glenda
   
9. You Americans, you're all the same. Always overdressing for the wrong occasions. Annette also unearthed Raiders of the Lost Ark
   
10. We've gotta protect our phoney baloney jobs, gentlemen!
    
11. Life goes by pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it. Heather certainly didn't miss Ferris Bueller's Day Off!
    
12. Every time I try to talk to someone it's "sorry this" and "forgive me that" and "I'm not worthy"... Chiasmata also easily recognized Monty Python and the Holy Grail!
    
13. Summa cum laude. Magna cum laude. The radio's too laude. ... Cris nabbed Johnny Dangerously
    
14. You know, you come from nothing, you're going back to nothing. What have you lost? Nothing! - Life of Brian, awarding both Monty Python films to Chiasmata!
    
15. We all end up dead, it's just a question of how and why. Karen correctly gathered this was Braveheart.

I've not seen as many movies as most of my contemporaries, so these are probably easy. Still, first commenter gets the credit. And if by some luck there are unanswered ones by next Friday, I will post the remaining answers then.

If all else fails...

...blog a meme. I borrowed this one from Lindsay. Sorry I don't really have anything noteworthy, other than making level 61 in WoW this evening.

---

What is in the back of your car? Cloth grocery bags. Everything else, including jumper cables, is still in the old car. (I need to deal with that, and soon.)
What color is your toothbrush? Purple
Name one person that made you smile today? DD.
What where you doing at 8am this morning? Driving to work.
What were you doing 45 minutes ago? Playing _World of Warcraft_
What is your favorite candy bar? Lindt 85% dark chocolate
Have you ever been to a strip club? No
What is the last thing you said aloud? "I love you too, punkin"
What is the best ice cream flavor? Mint chocolate chip
What was the last thing you had to drink? Water
What are you wearing right now? Nightgown
What was the last thing you ate? Pizza
Have you bought any new clothing items this week? Yes
When was the last time you ran? Um...I don't remember?
The last sporting event you watched? Last game of the NHL playoffs - got to see Detroit win the Stanley Cup
What is your favorite flavor of popcorn? Kettle corn
Who is the last person you sent a comment/message on my space? I don't generally leave myspace comments
Ever go camping? Yes
Do you take vitamins daily? No
Do you go to church every Sunday? Ues
Do you have a tan? No - red hair + pale skin is not a combination conducive to tanning.
Do you like Chinese food over pizza? I generally like pizza toppings over my pizza! Seriously, though, I generally prefer Chinese to pizza.
Do you drink your soda with a straw? Not usually.
What did your last text message say? "Happy Mother's Day!" from my sister
Are you some-one's best friend? I'd like to think so.
What are you doing tomorrow? Work, and maybe playing WoW.
Look to your left, what do you see? DH's empty computer chair
What color is your watch? brown strap, generic white/goldtone face.
What do you think of when you think of Australia? Kangaroos and TimTams.
Do you use chap stick? Occasionally
What is your birthstone? Amethyst
What is your favorite number? 7
Do you have a dog? No
Last person you talked to on the phone? DH, before we met for lunch.
Have you met anyone famous? David Byrne of _Talking Heads_ fame.
Any plans today? Given that it's late, my remaining plans are to take out the trash and go to sleep.
How many states have you lived in? 2
Ever go to college? Yes
Do you dye your hair? No
Biggest annoyance in your life right now? Florida heat
Last song listened to? "Brilliant Disguise", Bruce Springsteen
Can you say the alphabet backwards? yes
Do you have a maid service clean your house? Been seriously considering it.
Are you jealous of anyone? Not really
Is anyone jealous of you? Nobody has told me so
Do you love anyone? Yes
Do any of your friends have children? Yes
Do you eat healthy? Mostly
What do you usually do during the day? Sit in front of a computer, either for work, email, or play
Do you hate anyone that you know right now? Not really
Do you use the word 'hello' daily? Yes
What color is your car? Silver
Have you ever been to Six Flags? No
Do you like cats? Yes. DH doesn't, though.
How did you get your worst scar? Cut my foot on broken glass as a toddler

Stating the obvious

Like this surprises anyone?

What Be Your Nerd Type? Your Result: Gamer/Computer Nerd   You enjoy the visual stimulants of a video game, chatting on AIM, or reading online comics. Most of these types of nerds are considered dirty who lack hygeine, of course they always end up being the ones who make a crapload of money. And don't worry, that's just a stereotype; I'm not calling you dirty. ^_~
Science/Math Nerd
Artistic Nerd
Literature Nerd
Musician
Social Nerd
Drama Nerd
Anime Nerd
What Be Your Nerd Type? Quizzes for MySpace

To hell and back...

Last night I finished reading Dante's _Inferno_ (from a quite nice translation by Anthony Esolen). Quite an interesting read - Dante certainly had quite a way with imagery! I want to read through the notes in the appendices before I move on to _Purgatory_. I had initially hoped to finish the entire Divine Comedy during Lent, but to breeze through the other two books in the next few days is (1) impossible given the amount of other things that I need to do, (2) an injustice for such a poetic work. I do think I'll want to reread them all after I've read them and read the appendices. Maybe not necessarily this year, though.

Having finished _Inferno_, I was reminded of the Dante's Inferno Test meme that was going around a few years ago, and decided to retake it.

The Dante's Inferno Test has sent you to Purgatory!
Here is how you matched up against all the levels:

Level	Score
Purgatory (Repenting Believers)	Extreme
Level 1 - Limbo (Virtuous Non-Believers)	Moderate
Level 2 (Lustful)	Low
Level 3 (Gluttonous)	High
Level 4 (Prodigal and Avaricious)	Very Low
Level 5 (Wrathful and Gloomy)	Moderate
Level 6 - The City of Dis (Heretics)	Very Low
Level 7 (Violent)	Low
Level 8- the Malebolge (Fraudulent, Malicious, Panderers)	Low
Level 9 - Cocytus (Treacherous)	Low

Take the Dante's Inferno Hell Test

I also found, on the same site, a Seven Deadly Sins quiz:

Greed:	Low
Gluttony:	Low
Wrath:	Very Low
Sloth:	Medium
Envy:	Very Low
Lust:	Very Low
Pride:	Medium

The Seven Deadly Sins Quiz on 4degreez.com

DH disagrees with the Slothful, since I'm the one who's usually up and about doing all the domestic stuff what needs doing. So the test certainly must be taken with a grain of salt!

What D&D character am I?

Update 3/3/08: As of yesterday, the link below was no longer working ("expired domain")....sorry :(
Found a What D&D Character Are you? quiz, and according to it, I'm a Neutral Good Elf Bard.

Alignment:
Neutral Good characters believe in the power of good above all else. They will work to make the world a better place, and will do whatever is necessary to bring that about, whether it goes for or against whatever is considered 'normal'.

Race:
Elves are the eldest of all races, although they are generally a bit smaller than humans. They are generally well-cultured, artistic, easy-going, and because of their long lives, unconcerned with day-to-day activities that other races frequently concern themselves with. Elves are, effectively, immortal, although they can be killed. After a thousand years or so, they simply pass on to the next plane of existance.

Primary Class:
Bards are the entertainers. They sing, dance, and play instruments to make other people happy, and, frequently, make money. They also tend to dabble in magic a bit.


Detailed Results:

Alignment:
Law and Chaos:
Law ----- XXXX (4)
Neutral - XXXXXXX (7)
Chaos --- XXXXXXX (7)

Good and Evil:
Good ---- XXXXXXX (7)
Neutral - XXXXXX (6)
Evil ---- (-1)

Race:
Human ---- XXX (3)
Half-Elf - XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX (16)
Elf ------ XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX (16)
Gnome ---- XXXXXXXXXXX (11)
Halfling - XXXXXXXXXXX (11)
Dwarf ---- (-4)
Half-Orc - X (1)

Class:
Fighter -- XXX (3)
Barbarian -XX (2)
Ranger --- XXXXXXXXXXXXXX (14)
Monk ----- XXXXXXXXXX (10)
Paladin -- XX (2)
Cleric --- XXXXXXX (7)
Mage ----- XXXXXXX (7)
Druid ---- XXXXXXXXXX (10)
Thief ---- (-1)
Bard ----- XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX (17)

So, dear readers - what D&D character are you?

More meme thievery

Another food meme making the rounds...

01. CHEESE or CHOCOLATE? Depends on both the cheese and the chocolate - Dark European chocolate will beat cheese hands-down 95% of the time. Good cheese will beat American chocolate hands-down. Come to think of it, anything better than orangish squares masquerading as 'cheese' (or 'cheese food') will beat American chocolate....

02. BLUEBERRIES or STRAWBERRIES? Blueberries, if I can't have raspberries. Although strawberries are a lot easier to dip in chocolate!

03. COFFEE or TEA? Tea, mostly. Coffee must have real cream or milk; none of that powdered dreck.

04. CORN MUFFIN or ENGLISH MUFFIN? Depends on which meal. English muffins for breakfast, corn muffins most other times.

05. PANCAKES or FRENCH TOAST? Pancakes

06. YOGURT or CREAM CHEESE? Yogurt, preferably raspberry with the fruit on the bottom.

07. RICE or PASTA? Pasta. Although I'm discovering that risottos or brown rice can be quite tasty.

08. CAKE or PIE? In general, pies. I'm particular about the types of cake I like.

09. GROUND BEEF or GROUND TURKEY? Both - I tend to only use ground meats in chili.

10. HOT DOGS or HAMBURGERS? Burger. With bacon!

11. JELLY or MARMALADE? Jelly, although I prefer preserves to jellies.

12. AMERICAN CHEESE or SWISS CHEESE? Swiss. See #1.

13. DIET SODA or NO SODA? No soda - the vast majority of available diet sodas have aspartame, which disagrees horribly with me. Although if they ever come out with a Diet Dr. Pepper with Splenda....

14. LEMONADE or ICED TEA? Iced tea, usually unsweetened.

15. CHERRIES or GRAPES? Cherries, usually.

16. CHOCOLATE QUIK or STRAWBERRY QUIK? They still make Quik??

17. WAFFLES or PANCAKES? Waffles!

18. WHITE BREAD or WHOLE-GRAIN/WHEAT BREAD? Whole-grain or wheat. Much tastier.

19. PEAS or CARROTS? Both. Carrots are easier to snack on though.

20. PUDDING or FRUIT-FLAVORED GELATIN? Pudding, if it's chocolate or tapioca. Banana pudding is evil (nasty, and often mistaken for vanilla on buffets)

21. COLD CEREAL or HOT CEREAL? Hot cereal. Cream of wheat is a guilty pleasure sometimes.

22. KETCHUP or MUSTARD? Deli mustard!

23. MUSTARD or MAYONNAISE? Mustard. Mayo is nasty.

24. MAYONNAISE or KETCHUP? Ketchup, if I must have one of those. Mayo is nasty.

25. BLACK OLIVES or GREEN OLIVES? Black olives.

26. ONION or GARLIC? Onion - I love garlic, but it has some unpleasant side effects.

27. PLAIN BARBECUE or BARBECUE WITH SAUCE? Both. Meat + pit = yum! Especially if we're talking ribs...

28. SCRAMBLED EGGS or FRIED EGGS? Scrambled, please!

29. EGGS or EGG REPLACEMENTS? The real thing, please.

30. MEAT or VEGETABLES? Depends on the particular meat and veg I'm having to choose between. Perhaps a very slight leaning toward vegetables, because I can eat more of them and still get fewer calories.

31. CHINESE TAKE-OUT or PIZZA? Chinese take-out. Haven't been in much of a pizza mood for years.

32. SUSHI or DELI SANDWICH? Sushi!

33. WHITE CLAM CHOWDER or RED CLAM CHOWDER? White, definitely! Not fond of the red kind.

34. KEY LIME PIE or LEMON MERANGUE PIE? Key lime

35. PIE & ICE CREAM or CAKE & ICE CREAM? If I have to combine ice cream and pastry, make it pie.

36. WHIPPED CREAM or CAKE FROSTING? Whipped cream. Most cake frostings are way too sickly-sweet.

37. HONEY or MAPLE SYRUP? Real maple syrup on pancakes. Honey for anything else.

I oughta be in pictures...

Another picture meme! I've seen this numerous places....

Answer the questions and type your answer into Google images search.
Post a photo from the FIRST results page.

Age you will be on your next birthday? Place you would like to visit? One of your favorite places Your favorite object? Your favorite food? Your favorite animal? Name of a past pet?

Where you live? 1st grade teacher’s last name? Middle Name? A bad habit of yours? Favorite flower? Favorite Holiday?

"I'm Hen-e-ry the 8th I am, I am..."

>>

Catarina was Henry's first wife and was probably the only one of his six wives to truly love him. He tired of her, and she spent the last decade of her life in lonely exile. Yet when she was dying, alone and unloved, she wrote: "Lastly, I make this vow, that mine eyes desire thee above all things. Farewell."

Which of Henry VIII's wives are you?

this quiz was made by Lori Fury
I've gotten Katherine of Aragon on two different quizzes of this type (the other is here). Not sure about the 'hopeless romantic' aspect though, though I did once press a rose in a physics book. Does that count?

(FWIW, I retook both quizzes with my least-fit answer and came up Anne Boleyn both times...)

How to name a band...

A fun little meme arrived in my inbox today and I thought I'd play along:

How to name your band....
1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:RandomThe first article title on the page is the name of your band.
I got Lendvadedes, a Hungarian village.

2. http://www.quotationspage.com/random.php3: The last four words of the very last quote is the title of your album.
This quote came up:

Forgiveness is the healing of wounds caused by another. You choose to let go of a past wrong and no longer be hurt by it. Forgiveness is a strong move to make, like turning your shoulders sideways to walk quickly on a crowded sidewalk. It's your move. (RealLivePreacher.com blog)

Nice quote about forgiveness, actually. And I'm going to use the last three words instead of four...

3. http://www.flickr.com/explore/interesting/7daysThe third picture, no matter what it is, will be your album cover.
4. Use your graphics program of choice to throw them together, then post the result.
And the result is:


So...what kind of music do you think this putative band would have?

The way the cookie crumbles....

So I totally stole this from Suz...



Nice warm gooey chocolate chip cookies....yum....

On another note, I did promise a progress pic. Here's TFT at 255 hours, as of 11pm this evening:

Again, no large pic...