Friday’s Feast Remembered and Honored

There used to be a blog called Friday’s Feast. Each Friday, it asked five questions and asked its readers to answer them. The questions were presented as a menu, and five questions was just about right—enough to be interesting, not enough to tire the reader.

Many chose to answer in the comments section of the blog, but I always posted my responses in my own blog. Friday’s Feast was so successful that it left Blogger and went out on its own. After awhile, it stopped appearing. Finally, the new URL stopped working. Friday’s Feast was no more.

Well, I always enjoyed answering the questions and reading the answers my friends posted in their blogs. So I’m going to try on the mantle of Inquisitor, breaking out the dreaded Comfy Chair and Soft Cushion.

I’m calling this new initiative, “Food for Thought.” Each post will contain five questions presented as a menu, as did Friday’s Feast. Just below the questions, I will answer as honestly as I can. I don’t think it’s fair to ask questions you wouldn’t yourself. The first comment will contain the code for the questions so that you can post them in your blog.

If you want to answer in the comments, feel free. If you want to answer in your own blog, please post a link to it in the comments.

Food for Thought

Without further ado, here is the first menu:

Appetizer: Who is the person physically nearest you right now? What is that person doing?

Suna is sitting on the other side of the bed and knitting as I type. She is waiting for a phone call. (I am typing this blog ahead of time.)

Soup: Hit Shuffle on your mp3 player. What do you like most about the song came up? (If you don’t have an mp3 player, use the song currently on your favorite radio station.)

The song that came up is “Body Is a Car” by Four Bitchin’ Babes. They are one of the most innovative groups of the last decade. Four singer-songwriters who sing well together, their music is both musically interesting and lyrically funny. Although at times, as in this song, they show a deeper nature. “My body is a car driving my soul around.” The song then pushes the metaphor to in several directions. That said, it is not my favorite Bitchin’ song.

Salad: What is your favorite restaurant?

I guess it wouldn’t surprise any of my faithful reader if I said, ”Mesa Rosa.” But I think eating there is helping me put back on some of the weight I fought so hard to get rid of.

Entré: What are you most looking forward to in the Obama administration? What do you most fear? (Even Republicans has something to hope for, and even Democrats have something that they fear.)

I am most looking forward to have a leader with moral integrity instead of situational ethics. I am so tired of the “torture is wrong when they do it to us but OK when we do it to them” mentality.

What I am most fearful of is that some bigot with a telescopic sight will bring this presidency to an early end. I’m not sure the country could survive that.

Dessert: What made you laugh hardest in the last 24 hours?

My head has been too stopped up to do much laughing over the last few days. I do remember laughing really hard at something on the Daily Show last night. Unfortunately, I the Nyquil keeps me from remembering what it was.

What Country Are You?

The National Symbol of Argintina. I couldn’t use the bikini bottom from the profile. I didn’t fit.

Photo source: Yahoo! Answers

Since Friday’s Feast appears to be down for the count, I decided to take one of those so-called psychological profiles that I got from Jo’s blog. I say “so-called” because it’s hard to see how they can distill key points of your personality from seven questions, but this one seems to have me nailed down fairly well. Here’s what it had to say about me:

You are a set of contradictions, and it often seems like you live in two worlds.

You are introspective yet outgoing. You are modern yet traditional.

You are warm and honest. Your life is petty much an open book. You are a hard worker, and you don't mind putting in long hours. And then you’ll go party til dawn! [Not so much anymore. It hurts too much.]

Argintina, huh? No wonder I despise G.W. You know…the one who stole two elections and then talks bad about others who do the same.

Music Meme

I thought Year of the Cat was the best album of my senior year, but what do I know? Its singles didn’t chart until the following year.

Photo source: Keith’s Best Music List

Since Friday’s Feast is still off line, I’m using this meme from Jo’s Blog. The rules are:

1. Retrieve a list of the 100 most popular songs for the year you graduated (from high shcool?) from Music Outfitters.
2. Blog your reaction to the songs.
• Bold the songs you like.
• Strike through the ones you hate.
• Underline your favorite(s).
• Do nothing to the ones you don’t remember (or don’t care about).

1. Silly Love Songs—Paul McCartney and Wings¹
2. Don’t Go Breaking My Heart—Elton John and Kiki Dee¹
3. Disco Lady—Johnnie Taylor
4. December 1963 (Oh, What a Night)—Four Seasons¹
5. Play That Funky Music—Wild Cherry¹
   This is one of those that show how tastes evolve. I hated this song at the time. Then then the radio station I worked for provided the music for a birthday party. They had a really bad PA, so I pulled the one my band used out of my van. It’s amazing how much better this song sounds with 800 watts of bi-amped sound.
6. Kiss and Say Goodbye—Manhattans¹
   I am familiar with three versions of this song: a long album version, a shorter 45 version with an interminable talk-over intro, and a 45 version without the voice over. I always preferred the album version with the voice-over cut.
7. Love Machine (Part 1)—The Miracles
   Absolutely useless.
8. 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover—Paul Simon¹
9. Love Is Alive—Gary Wright¹
10. A Fifth of Beethoven—Walter Murphy and the Big apple Band¹
11. Sara Smile—Daryl Hall and John Oates¹
12. Afternoon Delight—Starland Vocal Band
13. I Write the Songs—Barry Manilow
    I always thought it was ironic that BM was billed as a songwriter extrodinaire, but he didn’t write most of his early hits. I think he did write this one. It may have been the first one he wrote that he charted with.
14. Fly, Robin, Fly—Silver Convention¹
    And I don’t know why
15. Love Hangover—Diana Ross¹
    I still have a copy of this one, even though I always thought it was drivel.
16. Get Closer—Seals and Crofts¹
17. More, More, More—Andrea True Connection¹
    Again, the longer version is much better, and the song only sounds good when played on really good equipment.
18. Bohemian Rhapsody—Queen¹
19. Misty Blue—Dorothy Moore
    This is a nice, forgettable blues song.
20. Boogie Fever—Sylvers
21. I’d Really Love to See You Tonight—England Dan and John Ford Coley¹
    You may know England Dan by the name he currently records under: Dan Seals.
22. You Sexy Thing—Hot Chocolate
    This is an absolute piece of tripe sung by a tone-deaf catfight, but it’s fun.
23. Love Hurts—Nazareth¹
    There are so many covers of this song, and I don’t know why.
24. Get Up and Boogie—Silver Convention
    The Silver Convention may have won an award as the most over-produced band of all time, at least until Smoke Rings in the Dark was released.
25. Take It to the Limit—Eagles¹
26. (Shake Shake Shake) Shake Your Booty—K.C. and the Sunshine Band
    You can actually sing the words to every KC song to which ever one of his songs is playing. I’m ashamed to admit I’ve done it.
27. Sweet Love—Commodores
    I honestly don’t remember this one.
28. Right Back Where We Started From—Maxine Nightingale
29. Theme from S.W.A.T.—Rhythm Heritage
    Can you believe that instrumentals still charted in those days.
30. Love Rollercoaster—Ohio Players
    Another song that supports my claim that 90% of anything being played at any given time is crap.
31. You Should Be Dancing—Bee Gees
    Pass the barf bag please.
32. You’ll Never Find Antoher Love Like Mine—Lou Rawls¹
33. Golden Years—David Bowie¹
34. Moonlight Feels Right—Starbuck¹
    The vibes solo on this one is awesome.
35. Only Sixteen—Dr. Hook
    This one is actually fairly innocuous. It was just overplayed to the point where I still can’t stand to listen to it.
36. Let Your Love Flow—Bellamy Brothers
37. Dreamweaver—Gary Wright
38. Turn the Beat Around—Vicki Sue Robinson
    Another one a just don’t remember.
39. Lonely Night (Angel Face)—The Captain and Tennille¹
40. All By Myself—Eric Carmen
41. Love to Love You Baby—Donna Summer
    Can you say, “Whatever!”?
42. Deep Purple—Donny and Marie Osmond
    I always thought Marie was the only one in that family with any taste—and only when she could get away from the rest of that unseasoned porridge.
43. Theme from Mahogany—Diana Ross
    This was voted my class song. Can you believe it? Most of us still don’t know.
44. Sweet Thing—Rufus
    Not that bad, but not that good either.
45. That’s the Way I Like It—K.C. and the Sunshine Band
    Same song, different words.
46. A Little Bit More—Dr. Hook¹
47. Shannon—Henry Gross
    Don’t know that I’ve ever heard it.
48. If You Leave Me Now—Chicago
    Chicago’s most castrated sound ever. They made so much money from this one that it took Peter C. leaving the band to wimp on his own before they could return to real music.
49. Lowdown—Boz Scaggs¹
50. Show Me the Way—Peter Frampton
    Frampton needed the crowd noise to cover up how empty most of his songs were.
51. Dream On—Aerosmith¹
52. I Love Music (Pt. 1)—O’Jays
53. Say You Love Me—Fleetwood Mac
    Sorry. Did I doze off?
54. Times of Your Life—Paul Anka
    I think this one was supposed to be uplifting. I couldn’t tell.
55. Devil Woman—Cliff Richard¹
    Just fun.
56. Fooled around and Fell in Love—Elvin Bishop
    This was one of my favorites at the time, but neither the tune nor Bishop has weathered well.
57. Convoy—C.W. McCall¹
    I hated this one at the time. Later I hated it for different reasons. Now I think it’s kinda cute.
58. Welcome Back—John Sebastian
    Another TV show theme.
59. Sing a Song—Earth—Wind and Fire¹
    EWF had the tightest horn section in the business.
60. Heaven Must Be Missing an Angel—Tavares
    Trite through and through.
61. I’ll Be Good to You—Brothers Johnson
62. Shop Around—The Captain and Tennille¹
    This took a 60s classic and made it rock.
63. Saturday Night—Bay City Rollers¹
    I still remember my girl friend’s little sister singing along with this one: “S A T E R D A Y—Night!” Then there was the interview where the singer bragged that their guitar player had just learned a C chord and it would be featured on the new album. That may have been tongue-in-cheek. Maybe.
64. Island Girl—Elton John¹
    Elton proved again that white boys don’t get reggae.
65. Let’s Do It Again—Staple Singers¹
    One of the best soul songs ever. And one of the best soul singers.
66. Let ’Em In—Paul McCartney and Wings¹
    I never did understand why Sir Paul was too lazy to open the door himself.
67. Baby Face—Wing and a Prayer Fife and Drum Corps
68. This Masquerade—George Benson¹
    My favorite cover of this Leon Russell classic.
69. Evil Woman—Electric Light Orchestra¹
70. Wham Bam—Silver
71. I’m Easy—Keith Carradine
    Most actors shouldn’t sing.
72. Wake Up Everybody (Pt. 1)—Harold Melvin and the Bluenotes
73. Summer—War
74. Let Her in—John Travolta
    See 72.
75. Fox on the Run—Sweet
    A waste of vinyl.
76. Rhiannon—Fleetwood Mac¹
77. Got To Get You into My Life—Beatles¹
78. Fanny (Be Tender with My Love)—Bee Gees
    More in line with what the BGs could do well.
79. Getaway—Earth—Wind and Fire¹
80. She’s Gone—Daryl Hall and John Oates¹
    OK. This one sounded more like TSOP, but I still really like it.
81. Rock and Roll Music—Beach Boys¹
82. Still the One—Orleans¹
83. You’re My Best Friend—Queen
84. With Your Love—Jefferson Starship
    This one got a lot of airplay with the line, “I got my first taste of love when I went down on you.”
85. Slow Ride—Foghat¹
    The short version. The album version gets monotonous.
86. Who’d She Coo—Ohio Players
87. Walk Away from Love—David Ruffin
88. Baby—I Love Your Way—Peter Frampton
    Saccarine: sweet, but empty.
89. Young Hearts Run Free—Candi Staton
90. Breaking Up’s Hard To Do—Neil Sedaka¹
    Sedaka became the first artist ever to hit number 1 twice with the same song. The 70s version is musically more in tune with the lyrics than was the 50s version.
91. Money Honey—Bay City Rollers
92. Tear the Roof off the Sucker—Parliament
93. Junk Food Junkie—Larry Groce¹
    This one is a funny look at hypocrisy.
94. Tryin’ to Get the Feeling Again—Barry Manilow
    As if he ever had it to begin with.
95. Rock and Roll all Nite—Kiss
    It took about ten years for me to learn to like this song.
96. Disco Duck—Rick Dees
    Dees was a DJ, and this song was written to parody the crap he hated to play on the radio. Looks like it worked too well.
97. The Boys Are Back in Town—Thin Lizzy¹
98. Take the Money and Run—Steve Miller Band¹
99. Squeeze Box—The Who¹
100. Country Boy (You Got Your Feet in LA)—Glen Campbell¹

---

¹ Still in my collection

Friday’s Gluttony

Friday’s Feast is still silent, but Suna more-or-less (more less than more but nonetheless) tagged me with a meme. I usually don’t like to answer lists this long, but…

1. Were you named after anyone?
Yes, I’m a junior. [See, Suna! I’m trying to do better with these silly binary questions.]
2. When was the last time you cried?
I remember crying, but I don’t remember when. I seem not to hold onto negative data like that. It’s just too easy to flush the buffers.
3. Do you like your handwriting?
It depends on whether or not I’m trying to read it. I often get compliments on how pretty my handwriting is—usually followed by questions about which writing system I use.


Liverwurst on toast with onion, cheese, and mayo—yum!

Photo source: Guy Albertelli

4. What is your favorite lunch meat?
Liverwurst followed closely by Salsalito Turkey.
5. Do you have kids?
Yes, but I have sired none. My bit for population control. All problems facing humanity today can be seen to stem from overpopulation.
6. If you were another person would you be friends with you?
Probably. “I think I’m an alright guy,” as the Todd Snider song goes.
7. Do you use sarcasm a lot?
Not a lot. I have trouble recognizing it, so I try to avoid it. But it does creep into my communication style.
8. Do you still have your tonsils?
No.


Some creatures are made for bungee jumping. Humans aren’t

Photo source: funadium

9. Would you bungee jump?
That would be a “Hell, no!” I wouldn’t even get close enough to the edge to be pushed.
10. What is your favorite cereal?
Honey Nut Cheerios
11. Do you untie your shoes when you take them off?
Sometimes—especially if they won’t come off otherwise.
12. Do you think you are strong?
There are many measures of strength. Everyone is strong just as everyone is weak.
13. What is your favorite ice cream?
The flavor in front of me.
14. What is the first thing you notice about people?
Different things with different people. Just say their comportment.
15. Red or pink?
On what?


I notice different things first on different people, but some always seem to be wearing a mask.

Photo source: Estella

16. What is the least favorite thing about yourself?
I haven’t conducted a poll to find out. My least favorite thing about myself is that I often miss the point of oblique communication. Why can’t people just say what they mean? For example: “I guess I’ll put that” away does not mean “Lee, please put that away.”
17. Who do you miss the most?
I’ll go with Suna on this one: I miss my mom, even though I still talk to her every day. She doesn’t answer back as often as she used to.
18. Do you want everyone to send this back to you?
“I think I speak for everybody here when I say, ‘Huh?’”
19. What color shoes are you wearing?
My feet are nekkid.
20. What was the last thing you ate?
Some mixed vegetables.
21. What are you listening to right now?
Skylight.
22. If you were a crayon, what color would you be?
Again, the premise of this question is false, so any answer would be equally false. I’m not a crayon. How could I know what color I would be if I were?
23. Favorite smells?
See! More oblique communication! Does this ask if I have favorite smells? Yes, but I might not. Many people are olfactorily challenged. Or does it ask what those smells are? Fresh coffee and freshly turned fertile earth.
24. Who was the last person you talked to on the phone?
A time-vampiric, panhandling leech known as a telemarketer.
25. Do you like the person who sent this to you?
Duh!


Sometimes I even fall asleep watching football on TV. I guess I’m just not that much of a sports fan. [Is that one guy trying to pull the receiver’s pants down?]

Photo source: jmtimages

26. Favorite sports to watch?
Another one! If I interpret the stem correctly, football. Then whatever else is on if I’m not doing anything else.
27. Hair Color?
No, this is my natural color.
28. Eye color?
I guess I may have misinterpreted the previous question. Depends on what I’m wearing. It changes.
29. Do you wear contacts?
No.

At this point, the original interrogator got too lazy to write cogent stems, and I grew bored enough with the game to truncate the list. I assume that if I got too bored with my own fascinating opinions to continue, anyone reading this would have fallen asleep by now. [Does that count as sarcasm?] See you next time on the Interminable List of Questions blog. [That surely does.]

Job and Other Updates

Beccano says this is another cute picture of Scrunchy. I say, “How can you tell. It looks like all the others.”

Photo by Beccano

I had two interesting calls today. First, I should hear from a recruiter early next week about a six month contract developing short instructional segments in Captivate. Second, the fruit company called back and scheduled yet another interview for the first week in August.

In other financial news, I’ve hit a snag selling a piece of property my dad deeded to me. The title company wants a copy of a trust document, and dad can’t find it. I haven’t a clue where it is. And Dad’s lawyer is not returning his calls. The lawyer seems to be upset over having had to redo some paperwork three times because he kept screwing it up.

And there is still no Friday’s Feast posted. Whatever shall I write about myself?

I hope nothing bad has happened in the chef’s life.

Friday’s Feast

My feast this morning began with looking out the window into the back yard. The sun was shining through the trees. It hit the BBQ pit just so, creating the illusion of a little dancing flame on the side of the black pit. It was wonderful. I wish I could have stopped the analytical part of my brain from parsing the effect and just enjoyed it.

Appetizer: When was the last time you had your hair cut/trimmed?

I think it was April 2006. It needs it again.

Soup: Name one thing you miss about being a child.

Security. No matter how old you are when it happens, I think the onset of adulthood is when you realize that security is a myth.

Salad: Pick one: butter, margarine, olive oil.

Why choose? They can all be appropriate in some circumstances. I like to cook veggies in butter and most meals in olive oil. Margarine may not be the healthiest choice, but it can be tasty in small doses.

Main Course: If you could learn another language, which one would you pick, and why?

I can learn other languages; I just am too lazy to do it well. So the premise is false. It the question were, “If you could be magically endowed with another language, which one would you choose,” I would choose Chinese. With Suna knowing Japanese and both of us already having a mattering of Spanish, Chinese would enable us to travel and communicate anywhere in the world I think we are likely to want to go.

Dessert: Finish this sentence: In 5 years I expect to be…

55.

Friday’s Feast

Appetizer: What is the weather like today where you live?

Partly cloudy and hot. Highs near 100° (37.7° C), with a 20% chance of thunderstorms that will not materialize. But we’re expecting a “cold front” that will drop highs into the lower 90s over the weekend.

Soup: On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being highest, how career-minded are you?

Around 4. Been there, done that! Got the scars to show it, not to mention a nice collection of corporate logo T-shirts.

Salad: What type of window coverings do you have in your home? Blinds, curtains, shutters, etc.?

Blinds and curtains. A few shades and one nekkid window.

Main Course: Name something that instantly cheers you up.

Laughter, happy kids, and puppies.

Dessert: How many times do you hit the snooze button on a typical morning?

I don’t have a snooze button.

Friday’s Feast

Appetizer: If you could live on another continent for 1 year, which one would you choose?

For a year? I would probably enjoy anywhere except India or Africa for a year. Oh, not Antarctica either. I would be much pickier about a permanent move.

Soup: Which browser do you use to surf the Internet?

Firefox 2.0.0.14. But now that 3.0 is out, I will probably be upgrading to it soon. I tried 3.0/RC1, but it was still too unstable. There have been several interim releases since then.

Salad: On a scale of 1-10 (with 10 being highest), how much do you know about the history of your country?

I’d guess about a six. That means I consistently scored in the 99^th percentile on standardized tests.

Main Course: Finish this sentence: Love is…

I would simply change the elipsis to a period. But if that’s too much of a cheat, I’ll paraphrase the song by 10cc: “Love is a rollercoaster that we all ride.”

Dessert: Have you ever been in or near a tornado?

Twice:

• In Houston, Trackgrease and I steped out on the back poarch to enjoy a thunderstorm. At one point, he said, “Dad, that sounds like a tornado!” I thought it was too quiet, so he and I stayed outside watching the storm. The next morning, we went to breakfast only to find a large swath of destruction cutting through the neighborhood and starting only a couple of blocks from the house.
• A few weeks ago, we came home from choir rehearsal in a thunderstorm. I got out of the truck and heard that familiar sound from the previous paragraph.

Politics and the Feast

Two more weeks until I join the ranks of the unemployed again. I am a bit worried because the local economy seems to be following the national economy into the toilet. Thanks, Republicans. You took a balanced budget and turned it into something worse than the “tax and spend Democrats” could have done under Tip O’Neil. I have a new term: Don’t tax but spend anyway Republicans.

Hey! This wasn’t supposed to be a political rant. Let’s eat something. I think I’d like a fried Republican.

Friday’s Feast

Appetizer: Do you consider yourself to be an optimist or a pessimist?

Like Suna, I prefer to think of myself as a realist. At the same time, I choose to be upbeat about most things that happen in my life. Every life has good and bad events that work together to shape who we become. Take away anything and we are someone else. Not that I like the icky parts. But I know they are inevitable. So why not cherish the growth that results from them?

Soup: What is your favorite color of ink to write with?

Black.

Salad: How often do you get a manicure or pedicure? Do you do them yourself or go to a salon and pay for them?

Uh…Never. I’m a guy.

Main Course: Have you ever won anything online? If so, what was it?

Nope.

Dessert: In which room in your house do you keep your home computer?

My work computer is in the office. My home computer is in the entertainment center in the media room. There is an old laptop in the guestroom—mainly because the keyboard died and it can’t be used as a portable anymore.

Friday’s Feast Returns

After a two-week “vacation,” the feast is back online.

Appetizer: When you drink soda/pop/coke, do you prefer to drink it from the bottle, a can, or after pouring it into a cup?

Yes.

Soup: What television show are you willing to stay up late to watch?

The Daily Show with John Stewart. I know that isn’t late for many people, but it is for me anymore. Also, I can usually make it through the opening segment (sometimes two) of The Colbert Report.

Salad: Name one person, place, or thing you think of as brilliant.

If I’m limited to one, I must choose Suna. Her command of languages always amazes me. I always wanted to learn languages, but I never did. Some even question my command of English.

Main Course: Would you be willing to work 4 10-hour days instead of 5 8-hour days in order to save gas?

I prefer to work four tens, regardless of the cost of gas.

Dessert: If you were a superhero, what would you call yourself?

The Incredibly Adequate Man. Watch me do mundane tasks within acceptable parameters.

Friday’s Feast

Late again, naturally. Wasn’t that a song by Gilbert O’Sullivan?

Friday’s Feast

Appetizer: What is the nearest big city to your home?

Define “big city.” Some would say Austin with a population of 656,562 according to the 2000 Census. Some would call that a medium-sized city and defer to San Antonio with a population of 1,144,646. Personally, Austin is too big for me.

Soup: On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being highest, how well do you keep secrets?

Probably about a nine. Most secrets aren’t very interesting, and I forget about them. People have always told me things they shouldn’t, and I feel an obligation not to pass on things said in confidence—or even if think they may have been told in confidence. Maybe I’m just not very talkative. That’s why I write.

Salad: Describe your hair (color, texture, length).

It is very fine and curly—light brown going gray. How long it is depends on how wet it is and whether or not I did something to straighten it. It is long enough for me to wear in a pony tail.

Main Course: What kind of driver are you? Courteous? Aggressive? Slow?

All of the above plus a few others.

Dessert: When was the last time you had a really bad week?

I don’t know. I let go of the past fairly easily, especially if it’s bad. A bumper sticker I saw pretty much sums up my philosophy of life: “Sh*t happens. Don’t waller in it.”

Friday’s Feast

Appetizer: When someone smiles at you, do you smile back?

Usually, I’m a friendly guy. I laugh a lot, and it’s easier to smile than frown—or so I’m told. But when people smile, I always think of the words of Jackson Browne:

Everyone I’ve ever known has wished me well

Anyway that’s how it seems, it’s hard to tell

Maybe people only ask you how you re doing

’Cause that’s easier than letting on how little they could care

Or maybe the The Undisputed Truth:

Remember a smile is just

A frown turned upside down

My friend let me tell you

Smiling faces, smiling faces sometimes

They don’t tell the truth, uh

Smiling faces, smiling faces

Tell lies and I got proof

Cynical much?

Soup: Describe the flooring in your home. Do you have carpet, hardwood, vinyl, a mix?

There is a mix of carpet, vinyl, and tile. We would like to change the carpet over to wood, but with the dog, tile is probably the winner there.

Salad: Write a sentence with only 5 words, but all of the words have to start with the first letter of your first name.

Which first name? My real one or the one I go by?

• Ernest’s efforts evoke earnesty everywhere.
• Love lengthens life—lust less.

Not my best work.

Main Course: Do you know anyone whose life has been touched by adoption?

Yes.

Dessert: Name [two] blue things.

• The sky (sometimes)
• The Hot Shot Flying Insect Killer can

Friday’s Feast

Right on time this week. Woo!

Appetizer: What was your favorite cartoon when you were a child?

I honestly can’t remember one. I remember several, and, of course, my “favorites” changed over time. Here are a few in roughly chronological order (as best I remember):

• Casper the Friendly Ghost
• Clutch Cargo
• Speed Racer

There was also one about Johnny something, who had an Indian friend and a dog named Bandit. When I was in first grade, I named my dog Bandit after the cartoon character. By second or third grade, I had pretty much stopped much stopped watching cartoons (except on Saturday mornings) until Scoobie Doo, Where Are You? came along. It may have been the most influential cartoon to air. Unfortunately, WB has taken Scoobie’s success straight to the bank. I can’t find a single link to it that doesn’t involve product marketing.

Soup: Pretend you are about to get a new pet. Which animal would you pick, and what would you name it?

I’d get a rock and name it “Rocky.” Get it? Huh huh. “Rocky” ’cause it’s a rock.

Sorry, I was channeling GW for a second. Bur seriously…I’d get a…gee…I guess I really don’t want another pet right now.

Salad: On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being highest, how much do you enjoy getting all dressed up for a special occasion?

1.

Main Course: What kind of music do you listen to while you drive?

News, mostly. Otherwise, I keep my MP3 player on shuffle. My music collection includes:

• ABBA
• Johann Sebastian Bach
• Johnny Cash
• Deep Purple
• Solas
• Steeleye Span
• 3 Doors Down
• Frank Zappa

Dessert: When was the last time you bought a clock? And in which room did you put it?

It was several years ago. I bought a digital alarm clock for the bedroom. The LEDs were so bright I had to tape two layers of solar film over them. I could still almost read by the amount of light it emitted. So I kept it under the bed so I could sleep.

Late Again, Naturally

OK. I haven’t had a lot to say lately. After promising myself to write more I got sick. I’m better now. So here’s Friday’s Feast on Monday (but still dated for Friday).

Friday’s Feast

Appetizer: Name something you would categorize as weird.

“Weird Al” Yankovic—he’s even got “weird” in his name. OK. Not really. He’s a great accordion player who happens to be really funny. For weird I would have to go with American Dad—one of the animated TV shows the kids really like. It’s not funny, just weird.

Soup: What color was the last piece of food you ate?

Brown—oatmeal.

Salad: On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being highest, how much do you enjoy being alone?

6—assuming that the numbers ascend with enjoyment. I have to have some solitude almost every day to keep my thoughts in order and introspect. Otherwise, I start feeling crowded and defensive. Still, I wouldn’t want to be alone all of the time. But I will say that I like small, intimate gatherings much more than large parties.

Main Course: Fill in the blank: I will _________ vote for ___________ in _______.

I will definitely vote for regime change in November.

Dessert: Describe your sleeping habits.

I don’t know. I’m usually asleep then. I do better with a full eight hours of sleep a night and get grouchy with less than seven. When I know when I have to get up, I try to back-time going to bed to ensure I have enough sleep, but I’m not very good at enforcing that—even when I’m alone.

A Boney Gig and Feast

The Dung Daisy (Gerbera fecisuu) is one of the most tepid examples of the fictional daisy family.

Trey Bone has another gig!

OK, this one doesn’t count. It’s a short set at the piano player’s birthday party. But there will be real musicians there, and maybe I can get some work out of it. Let’s hope.

Friday’s Feast

Appetizer: Invent a new flower; give it a name and describe it.

The Dung Daisy (Gerbera fecisuu) is a forlorn flower that grows only on well fertilized fields where it is likely to be trampled by herds of muck buffalo on whose bovine byproducts it thrives. The sordid brown flower sits atop a tepid stem that generally sprouts a lone languid leaf. It is pollinated by blowflies, who are attracted to is odoriferous out gassing, for which it is named.

Soup: Name someone whom you think has a wonderful voice.

1. Linda Ronstadt—I’ve been a fan since I can remember. She continues to grow her capabilities instead of resting on her laurels.
2. Suna—I love to hear her burst into random song. I wish I could do as well.

Salad: On a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being highest, how clean do you keep your car?

4. It rains, doesn’t it? And it seems like every time I clean the inside, it gets piled up again before I know it. But I have been thinking about vacuuming it out again. The bike is much easier to keep clean.

Main Course: How do you feel about poetry?

It all depends upon. Some is good, some isn’t. I love Dickinson. I despise ee cummings. I like metered, rhymed poetry that doesn’t necessarily read like it. I despise blank verse. There was already a name for arrhythmic, unrhymed literature: prose.

Dessert: What was the last person/place/thing you took a picture of?

I honestly don’t remember. Probably something on our trip to the farm this past weekend, possibly my dad.

Friday’s Feast

Appetizer: What does the color dark green make you think of?

Arbor vitae.

Soup: How many cousins do you have?

I have no idea. My father’s brother had no children. My mother had one sister, but I only met her once. I don’t know if she had any children or not. If you take the older definition of any blood relative, the number could be infinite.

Salad: On a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being highest, how honest are you?

8.5. I don’t think anyone who is truly honest would ever answer 10. We all have some dishonesty in us. Even Mother Theresa hid her crisis of faith. Ghandi was able to keep his vow of poverty because he relied on rich friends.

Main Course: Name something that is truly free.

…Still thinking. Everything I come up with results from the labor of something. Just because we don’t pay for it doesn’t mean that it’s free.

Dessert: Using the letters in the word SPRING, write a sentence.

Sarah Price ran inside, nearly gutting herself on the knife her brother was using to peel an apple.

Friends and Gratitude

Just because I think it’s pretty.

I forgot to mention that I had lunch last Friday with two friends from work: The Crawfish and The Cosmopolitan. I worked with them both at ALE, but on two separate teams. Now they work together, and I am elsewhere. We went to the Juarez Bakery, and I bought some churros for the Aestre ritual we never got around to this weekend. (I think building the new bed and planting the new plants should suffice.)

Today, there was an invitation in my in box from Cosmo. Her hubby won 20 tickets to the Tuesday night performance at a local comedy club, and she was sharing the wealth. Suna and I decided to go.

Grateful Monday

Today I am grateful for friends who share. It is something I should try to do more of.

Famine and Feast

My favorite musical instrument

Photo source: Wikipedia

Nothing but the feast:

Appetizer: On a scale of 1-10 (with 10 as highest), how much do you like your own handwriting?

As an art form, about an 8. People often compliment me on how good it looks—until they have to read it. So as a practical means of communication, about a 2. I can’t even read it all of the time.

Soup: Do you prefer baths or showers?

For the daily grind, I prefer showers. A bath leaves me feeling a bit scummy. But when I have time, my real preference is a long, soaking bath followed by a shower. Nothing makes me feel cleaner than that combination

Salad: What was the last bad movie you watched?

A Force of One. This is a 1970s Chuck Norris classic. Beccano and I watched it one Saturday afternoon while Suna was knitting. Or rather, Beccano watched it, and I watched parts. Since I do most of my movie watching at home, I don’t have to (and often can’t make myself) sit through a bad one.

Main Course: Name something you are addicted to and describe how it affects your life.

Music. If I go too long without music, I get really cranky. It’s like withdrawal without the pain and vomiting.

Dessert: Which instrument is your favorite to listen to?

Anything that’s played well. It’s not the instrument so much as the instrumentalist. I suspect Yo Yo Ma would sound awesome on a brand new cello—maybe not as good as his million-dollar antique, but still good enough to make you cry.

Back in the USSR

A mixed review for American Airlines’ customer service: exceptionally bad followed by extraordinarily good.

Photo source: American Airlines

Flew in from Miami Beach BOAC

Didn’t get to bed last night

Oh, the way the paper bag was on my knee

Man, I had a dreadful flight

John Lennon & Paul McCartney

Suna’s dad arrived late this evening after a long day fighting the airlines. We picked up The Prince at the airport. He had a long day of it. His wonderful flight that would have had him here at 11:30 AM was canceled because the plane never left Dallas for NC the previous day. We knew that ahead of time, and he had called American Airlines to have them make a change.

Unfortunately, he got a trainee who completely screwed up. Apparently, instead of rerouting him as she had said, she just canceled everything. To their credit, AA took care of him today. They paid for a limo to take him half-way across NC to catch another flight and a cab to take him from one Dallas airport to the other for the connection to Austin. Even that extraordinary measure left him in airports or on a plane for almost 15 hours. He may never want to visit us again.

After picking him up, we took him to Mesa Rosa, which has almost become a second dining room for us. A good meal and a few beers later, we were all in a much better frame of mind—ready to come home and go to bed.

Friday’s Feast

Appetizer: If you could be any current celebrity for one whole week, who would you want to be?

If I could, I would want to be Al Stewart, I guess. I’ve always wanted to write as well as he does. And it might be nice to have his wine cellar.

Soup: On a scale of 1-10 (with 10 being highest), how much do you enjoy talking on the phone?

-1.

Salad: Name a charitable organization to which you have donated (or would like to).

The church.

Main Course: What is a food you like so much you could eat it every single day for a month?

There isn’t one I would want to eat every day. Variety is the spice of life.

Dessert: Have you or anyone in your family had the flu this year?

I did. It wasn’t that bad, but the pneumonia that followed on its heels was a killer.

Friday’s Feast

Once again, I am posting Friday a few days late. Sigh. Nothing really to say about the actual day.

Appetizer: Have you ever played a practical joke on anyone? If so, what did you do and who was your victim?

Not that I can remember. As a kid, I remember wondering why they were called “practical jokes.” They always seemed so impractical, if not down-right mean.

Soup: What do your salt and pepper shakers look like?

We have a mixed set. I had a set that looked like restaurant shakers, but Suna had pepper grinders, and I found that I liked fresh-ground pepper better. Now the pair that usually sit on the table are a medium-sized pepper grinder and a tiny salt grinder.

Salad: Where is the next place you plan to visit (on vacation or business)?

I’m not thinking that far ahead.

Main Course: What kind of lotion or cream do you use to keep your hands from getting too dry?

What ever is handy.

Dessert: Make up a dessert, tell us its ingredients, and give it a name.

Hummingbird pie. Two scoops French Vanilla ice cream on a graham cracker bed. Top with Calluah. I have no idea how it would taste, but it sounds decadent.