Johnny's Gargantuan Rolling Meme of Doom

Meme of Doooommmmm

1) Read the meme that was dumped* assigned to you. Answer the questions.
2) Add TWO new questions to the list. Answer those questions.
3) Dump* Forward this onto the next victim* blogger (and list their name and link to their blog).
4) This series will conclude when we get 50 questions - so yes, it’s 25 bloggers in the chain.
5) Please make sure that the next victim in the “link” doesn’t have a password protected blog.
[Optional 6] Update the links so people can follow along (this is similar to the method I used in the Why China series).
[Optional 7] When you see an update, down the chain, update your own page with the new questions and answers.
[Optional 8] Copy these micromanaging instructions into the top of your meme post.

* these should be crossed through - I don't know how to do it.

1. What secret/surprising/personal goal (that is realistically achievable within the next 15 years) would you like to fulfill?

I am not a runner, but I want to be. I’ve wanted to be on some small level for some time now. It just seems like the quickest, easiest way to stay in shape and keep the 20 lbs that I’ve been playing with most of my adult life, at bay. However, I’ve never seemed to want it badly enough to do the work it takes to become one. So, I guess my goal would be to run…I’d say a marathon, but that seems too daunting. So, I think I’ll start with a goal of a 5K – I should be able to do than in the next 15 years, Huh?

2. Can you list an event in which you made a last minute decision or guess that significantly changed the path of your life?

I’m a rather spontaneous person and can’t think of a single life-changing event spawned by a snap decision. I make a lot of them.

3. What is one unrealistic goal (but your total secret dream) that you would love to come true, but are pretty sure it won’t ever happen?

I’m totally sure this would never happen unless someone develops voice transplants, but my unrealistic dream is to be a rock star on stage at Red Rocks Amphitheater. Red Rocks is an amazing natural amphitheater in the Denver area with amazing acoustics and an incredible vibe. They’ve recently opened a museum there and it’s awe inspiring to see all the acts that have performed there. It’s my favorite venue – ever.
I have learned some rhythm from my years in band, but unfortunately am tone deaf (not that that stops me from singing). So, the likelihood of this dream happening is slim to nil. But, if it were…I’d love to be a performer in the fashion of say… Bonnie Raitt, or Patti Griffin. Love those women!


4. Who has had the most influence on your life and what did they teach you?

The obvious answer is my parents, however a more accurate answer
Was given by someone earlier in the meme... Books. It boggles my mind how much I’ve learned from reading, how authors have influenced my thinking, broadened my horizons. I’ve learned more from the vast number of books I’ve read over my life - about my internal world as well as the external world - than any one individual could ever teach.

5. You are on a deserted island. You are stranded with someone from any point in time for 2 months (they are coming to rescue you but are busy right now). Other then family/friends/naval engineers, who is it?

I’m going purely for the carnal here, people. George Clooney. And, if it turns out he can’t cook or hunt or fish or build us a shelter, then we will die of laughter as well as exposure cause he’s got a keen wit to go along with those looks.

6. Name and describe 3 things on your mind lately. Is there any particular reason why you’re thinking about a particular thing?

1. Are there really jobs that people love to get up and go to each morning? If so,please name them.
2. Why can’t I sleep anymore? I used to be able to sleep anywhere, anytime – seriously, just ask my sister. Now, I wake between 2-3 am and am up for a few hours only to drift off in time to be startled awake by the clock jangling.
3. How will I ever accomplish raising a well-adjusted daughter? How?

7. If you could go back to one moment in time and change it, what would the moment be and what would you change it from and to?

I would definitely change the fact that I wasn’t at my dad’s side when he passed away. HUGE regret. Each time before when he had been rushed to the hospital I would come home in time to find him improving and he would greet me with a warm smile (I miss that smile). This time I decided to wait. He always got better before….

8. What is your biggest pet peeve and is there anything that you can do or not do to stop other people from doing it?

A huge pet peeve for me is people telling me “As soon as you quit looking, you’ll find someone” (meaning a husband). People, I’ve tried it.. I’ve looked, I’ve not looked… so far nada! So, unless you know someone, let’s not talk about it.
But, seriously, if you know someone…

9. Who has been the most influential teacher in your life and why did he or she have such an impact on you? Have you sent them a note?

Hmmm this is tough for some reason. The most influential teacher I would have to say was in my first round of grad school. This professor really influenced my thinking about myself, my actions, others, the world around me. The problem is that he’s a fairly arrogant man, so no I didn’t send a note. I guess teachers don’t have to have their own act totally together to teach you something.

10. What three things do you regret not learning to do?

1. I wish I had stuck with piano.
2. I regret not learning a second language. (I’ve tried. My old synapses make it a little challenging)
3. a martial art

11. What is your biggest fear?

Something happening to me like falling in the tub or falling down the stairs… and no one finding me for days.

12. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?

I’d like to take better care of myself.

13. What is the answer to life, the universe, everything?

Love

14. If you knew, beforehand, that the wait for your child from China would take this long and drastic a time frame, would you still go through with it or would you choose another country.

I chose China fairly spontaneously. I often go by my gut and it “felt” right. There is a large agency here in town, I met the people there and they are amazing folks. There is a cultural center where my daughter can learn about her birth country and it’s customs, traditions, be engaged with other families who have adopted from China as well. I chose China because of the resources available to me. So, even though the wait stinks, I would chose China again.

15. What is one food that most people like that you do not like at all?

Ketchup (do condiments count)

16. Name one place in the world you would love to spend at least one month visiting? Is there anywhere on earth that is so repulsive to you that there is no amount of money that could convince you to visit it?

There are still so many places that I want to see. I don’t know where I would want to spend an entire month. Of the places I’ve been, I think the south of France – there really is something about the light there. But, wherever it may be I would need my loved ones around me.

17. What book have you just finished reading and why did you pick it up? Would you recommend it to others?

The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell
It was the monthly book club selection (OK, I read it this past summer – I’ve been out of the mood to read). It was a fabulous book- in the SciFi section, which I usually steer clear of, but I found this book very engaging. Set in the future, it involved the Jesuits taking a trip to a recently discovered solar system. Don’t let my feeble description dissuade you, read it.

18. Share a relatively quick and easy recipe for Fall. One pot/dish recipes given extra credit.

Open a can of “Cattle Drive” chicken chili. Heat through. Add a dollop of sour cream, or sprinkle on some cheese. Eat with a piece of bread.

19. Would you rather be financially well off, but unhappy, or a happy person who is always in need of money?

No contest. Rich and unhappy! …just kidding, the other of course.

20. What is the most comforting sound in the world to you and why?
The sound of water, whether it comes from the waves of the ocean, a rushing river, or the water filling my bathtub, water soothes my jangled nerves.

21. What is your all time favorite book? If you aren’t a reader, what is your favorite movie? And why?

I absolutely cannot pick one favorite book.

Ok… I love to read, normally, I’ve just been in a mood lately and haven’t been. I’ve ignored my book group, ignored the stack at my bedside table, instead.. I’ve been knitting.

22. Share one of your most cherished childhood memories.

My favorite childhood memories are of moments, not big events. They all have the common theme of being surrounded by family, safety, warmth, home. We played games a lot as a kid, board games, cards.. Every Saturday evening we would go to my cousin’s house or they would come to ours (as I remember it anyway). They were usually similar evenings with the parents in one room playing pinochle, the kids in another watching Carol Burnette and then getting into some sort of mischief. It’s the simple, common memories I cherish.

23. What are you paranoid about?

I think I’m giving this fear a little too much power right now, but failing as a mother. I’m afraid I’m really going to mess her up (I mean I’m sure I’ll mess her up some, but I’m afraid I’ll mess her up Huge).

24. What trait of yours do you MOST hope your children will carry on?

Kindness.

25. What’s your guilty pleasure?

Tonight… eating some of the Halloween candy the night before Halloween.

26. What would you buy if you had a thousand dollars to spend n yourself? The only catch is that it has to be a totally selfish purchase, just for you. No paying bills or buying a year’s supply of wet wipes.

A stereo system. I have a cheapo boom boxish sort of thing. Of which I recently broke the CD changer – there’s a Dianna Krall CD stuck in there and now it won’t close or play. Maybe I’ll make this a reward for achieving the goal mentioned in #1.

27. Help me update my iPod...name your favorite artists, and then your favorite song that they perform.

Bad Company – Bad company, Aerosmith - Sweet Emotion, Styx – Can’t Find my Way Home, Eagles – Peaceful Easy Feeling, Black Magic Woman – Santana
I’m feeling a bit nostalgic lately

28. What is your favorite charity?

I give to my church, American Heart Association, Susan Komen Breast Cancer Research, a medical mission group to Cambodia, and Half the Sky.

29. In The Shadow of the Wind, there is a beautiful passage that says “few things leave a deeper mark on a reader than the first book that finds its way into his heart.” Do you think this is true, and if so what is your “first” book and why.

The first large novel I read was Watership Down by Richard Adams. I think I was 10 or 11 and I read it on a road trip to visit family in North Carolina. This was my first foray out of typical children’s literature and honestly can’t remember the story, but I do remember that it gave me the first glimpse of layers of meaning and depth of story. I was so excited to read that the 2 day car trip flew and was almost disappointed to arrive at G’ma Fannie’s.

30. What is your favorite wilderness hike and why? (You knew I was going to ask this-if you aren’t a hiker, you can modify it to drive by landscapes or whatever speaks to you.)

I’m not a backcountry hiker – I’ve done it, and enjoyed it, but not likely to plan it. I do like day hikes and one of my favorites is Herman Gulch Trail. It’s beautiful in the spring, easy to get to. Yes, it’s well traveled, but my main reason for it being my favorite is it received 4 wags (the highest rating) in “Canine Colorado”. And Leo and Lannie love it. They can run off-leash, there’s a running stream along the entire trail for their drinking pleasure, the wildflowers are gorgeous, and the mountain lake (Herman Lake) at the top is beautiful.


31. What were/are your nicknames? Do you like them?

I've had very few:
1. Beeb - started by either my uncle or my dad - not sure which. I like it. 2.Shorty - my dad called me this - not sure why I'm 5/7" - not exactly short???? 3.Babs - HATE it
4. Bobwire - that caused my claws to come out when I was a kid. Seriously, I'd try to mess you up if you called me that.

32. What was your first concert?.. Your most recent?

My first was Molly Hatchett at the Ice Chalet in the next town over - at 16 it was a big deal. It was a bigger deal because we didn't tell our parents where we were going. I guess we were Flirtin' with Disaster.

The most recent was Amos Lee and the Subdudes at the Botanic Gardens. Amos Lee can sing to me anytime, anywhere!



The Chain:

Johnny(1,2) -> Our Journey to China (3,4)-> 3D’s Adoption Journey (5,6)->Waiting for Pumpkin (7,8)->Two Kayaks (9,10)->Watch Our Family Grow (11,12)-> Our Journey to Little Maple and Back (13,14)-> American Family (15,16)-> Chicago Mama (17,18)-> The Further Adventures of Spacemom (19,20)-> Mrs. Figby (21,22)-> Mortimer’s Mom (23,24)-> Mimiboo (25, 26) -> Sopapilla (27, 28)->Jiangli (29, 30)->Beeb (31,32)-> FD Chief

Ahhh.. The monkey is off my back. I put the final stitches on the MS3 last night. Can I get a woo and a big 'ol hoo! Now all that's left is blocking, but that will wait until the weekend and then the photoshoot.
Befor blocking the stole, however, I will do my assigned meme "Johnny's meme of DOOOOOOOOOOOM". Coming soon...

Snipbits (phrase courtesy of walternatives)

Snipbits is a sniglet created by the amazing Goober over at Walternatives (now password protected). I think it's a blending of snippets and tidbits... I like it.

I'm neglectful, but will try to do a catch up of the week.
1. My hair...it's gone... I chopped it off. It was several inches below my shoulders, now right there. The back at collar length and slightly longer in front. A big change for me as I haven' has short hair in a long time. all I can say is 'it
will grow"

2. The 16th marked for me 17 months of LID. It's been a pretty interesting ride and for some reason I've come to some acceptance of the wait. I think it may be the sheer terror of bringing her home and all that that means that causes the wait to seem not-so-bad. This long wait has given me too much time to think of all the negative consequences of being a mom... will I mess it up, mess her up... will I think the absolute disruption of my quiet life worth it? Will I have the energy for it? ... So many questions, so many fears. But, then I think of the options... bailing on adopting and continuing my quiet life - BORING! Selling everything I have a traveling the world - Lonely! I guess I'll stay in line and work on decluttering my house before she arrives.
3. Decluttering is a huge job over here at moonbeam's place. My parents' hobby was antiquing...which is think was a front for their passion for hoarding. Regardless, I've ended up with way too many boxes and "things". It's been difficult to think of sorting through these things because I've become so emotionally attached to anything they once thought lovely or intriguing, or humorous. To let it go is difficult. However, I have to make some space or my house will become "that" house where there are only pathways from the bed to bath to refrigerator (I'd never block the refrigerator!). I'm in the contemplation stage right now, because most of the boxes are filled with "collectibles. they have some monetary value so giving them to the good will feels wrong.... This will be a big journey for me as I figure out what to do.. wish me luck, and any advice on tackling it is welcome.

4. On to more pleasant things. Yesterday my "village" celebrated the 1st birthday of the adorable Samantha. She has been home since May and is really a jewel! What a bundle of energy (watching her did nothing to calm my fears of having enough energy). We went for dim sum - it was fabulous.
































































5. I had to get home after lunch and shopping at the Asian market to winterize my swamp cooler and my sprinkler system because even though it was 83 degrees yesterday and I was complaining because the AC in my car decided to quit working, today I woke to this...


















6. I am still plugging away on the Mystery Stole 3 (MS3). This was a fun way to get me to knit lace. First you had to join the yahoo group, then each week she would send a "clue" which was about 50 or so rows of the pattern. In theory you would finish that clue each week and start the next clue when it was available. After clue 5 she revealed the theme of the stole is Swan Lake. The stole is knit asymmetrically with the portion I have left to knit being the wing of the swan. Personally I think it's a beautiful pattern. Some of the people had a difficult time with the stole being asymmetrical.
I happen to be a bit slow (the last of 7 clues was given in august). These photos are of my project so far, I just finished clue 5. (don't look too close because there are plenty of misstakes to be found) Soon I'll be done and be able to move onto other projects.



I've temporarily (I hope) misplaced the ball band so not sure about the yarn. I do know that it's a lace-weight merino. the needles Addi turbo lace needles size 4.