Sunday Stealing: Have Yous and What Ifs

Rarara, Sunday stealing :-)

1.       Have you anything to confess today?

Actually, yes.  I had foot surgery on Wednesday.  The doctor suggested I take two full weeks off from work, and I was like, “Naaaaaaaah.”  This was especially true because I scheduled the surgery so much of that time was incorporated into Thanksgiving break. 

In other words, I’m going back to work tomorrow and Tuesday, then I am off Wednesday until Sunday.

I have to confess, I wish I’d listened to the doctor.  I am still extremely uncomfortable if I’m not sitting down elevating with a bag of frozen peas on my foot.  Realistically speaking, I am not going to be able to sit, elevate, and ice at work.  This could cause backward progress (which I’d be pretty upset about since I’ve actually been good about sitting and elevating and icing, which is so not my style).

I’m sure I’ll be glad once I get to work (after my clearance appointment tomorrow morning), but I  must confess that I regret my stubborn nature and arrogant tendencies that led me to be confident in returning to work despite the doctor’s recommendation.

It’s going to be a tough couple of days …

2.       Have you ever broken a law? If so, what was it?

I’ve no doubt broken the law before.  It wasn’t anything egregious enough that I was a) caught or b) feel guilty enough to confess it now.  Standard college student stuff.  Maybe taking a road sign or two.  Nothing that sounds remotely significant to who I am today.

3.       Have you ever committed an act of betrayal against a friend or family member? Explain.

Yes, who hasn’t? 

This meme is making me feel really guilty and remorseful of who I used to be.  I’m not that person anymore.  Betrayal—or at least intentional, knowing betrayal, even in the name of “I’m right and s/he is wrong” is a thing of the past for me.

4.       Has someone else done something that, to this day, makes you cringe when you think about them committing the act?

Yes.  I would say that lying to the medical staff at a hospital that just took your blood by swearing on your child’s life that you haven’t had anything to drink and then having your blood alcohol level come up at .39 is pretty pathetic.  The fact that this happened more than once (more than twice, in fact) does indeed make me cringe.  It makes me cry.  It makes me vomit. 

It makes me feel so sorry for you … the truth will set you free, but you will never truly understand that.

5. Have you ever found yourself sexually aroused by someone that you absolutely should not have been?

I think anyone that answers “no” to this question is lying.  Sexual arousal is a visceral thing that you really have no control over.  That being said, I’m not going to start listing midgets and magicians and stuff …

6. Have you ever cheated at school? How so?

I had a friend that went on to major in Latin in college.  I’m sure I utilized her (and her homework) more than was healthy according to the academic honesty charter. 

Otherwise, though, no … I find cheating abhorrent.  The fact that kids today are able to do it frequently and pretty much without consequence has really gotten me rethinking my career, in fact. 

I have serious procrastination issues, so I had to get to the point where I was willing and able to work all night to get work I’d put off done, but I figured it out eventually.  Failing Algebra I and having to go to summer school was also something of a wake-up call.

7. What if you came across a backpack stuffed with one hundred thousand dollars. Would you keep it?

I’m one of those schmucks that would bring it to the police station.  Yes, I’m serious.  No, I wouldn’t take any.  I would hope that the owner was located and would want to give me a reward, but my luck as such that this would probably not happen.

It would make a hell of a story, though ;-)

8. What if you were the most powerful person in the world. How would you use that power?

I would rid the world of assholes.  It would take care of the population problem and make the world a better place.

9. What if you found a magic lamp?

I would be unable to resist the urge to rub it.  I mean, there has to be something to the myth, right?

10. What if you could change one thing about the world. What would that one thing be?

I would make it impossible for assholes to be successful.  Have you ever noticed that, by and large, people in positions of power are complete bullies?  It’s criminal …  My mother always says, “The pendulum swings” and that, in this day and age, nobody with a heart and strong morals would be willing to take on the responsibility of power when everything is so powered by political correctness.  Changing the rules for people based on who they are, however, is wrong.  Period.  This is especially true when you would totally nail someone else to the wall for the same thing.  Hypocrisy, lies, incompetence … the world is permeated with them, and it needs to change.    

I've adopted a "pay it forward" approach.  I'm not sure if I'll reap the benefits personally, but I've certainly benefited from the act of giving :-)

11. What if you could take one thing back. What would that one thing be?

As hard as this is to say, I would take nothing back.  Everything that happens to you—the good, the bad, and the ugly—give you character and shape who you are.  Giving that up would change the essence of who you are…

12. What if you were stuck on an island forever but had all the water, food and shelter you needed. What would you do?

I’d think a lot.  And figure out how to make paper and a writing implement. 

13. What if the internet didn't exist?

I go through phases where I can’t get enough of the internet, and other times when I don’t even use it at all.  A couple of months ago, I would have died without the internet.  This week, I’m seriously contemplating giving my iPhone to my mother and picking up one of the old flip phones circa early 2000s.

14. What if you never started blogging?

I’d have a lot fewer friends on Facebook ;-p

Nah, seriously, I would have missed out on knowing some incredible people.  I would also not be as strong a writer as I am … the practice and the authentic audience and being able to interact with people on their own blogs is just an incredible experience.

I love you all <3 o:p="o:p">

15. What are your November 22 Thanksgiving plans?

I am still going to be recuperating from my foot surgery, so I’ll be sitting on my derriere, elevating, and icing.  I’ve been charged with peeling potatoes. 

We are having approximately twenty people over.  Eating a turkey raised by one of my students.  Having steak on the grill for those of us that don’t like turkey.  Lots of people.  Lots of pie.

We’re playing Apples to Apples.  It should be a blast J

Guest Post: 10 Historical Facts About Thanksgiving

The following guest post was submitted by Lori Hutchison, an Art History Professor and owner of Masters in History Schools.  I think history is fascinating, and I look forward to perusing Lori's work myself.  Enjoy!  I'll be back tomorrow to Frag It for Friday :-) If you're interested in doing a guest post, drop me an e-mail.  <3 KL

Thanksgiving is a wonderful way to celebrate our nation’s unique culture and heritage. But the way we celebrate Thanksgiving has a long history that has changed significantly since the Pilgrims first arrived. Here are ten historical facts about the holiday we’ve come to call Thanksgiving.

1. The first recorded “thanksgiving” feast was celebrated in 1541 by Francisco Vásquez de Coronado of Spain and his troops, along with the native peoples of the Texas panhandle region, while they were on a New World exploration.

2. French and English colonists held several thanksgiving feasts in the late 1500s and early 1600s, but the one that went down in the history books took place in 1621 in Plymouth, MA.

3. Everything we know about the 1621 Thanksgiving came from a letter written by Edward Winslow, who was the leader of the Plymouth Colony at the time. This letter was lost for over 200 years. When it was rediscovered, an embellished account of the “First Thanksgiving” was printed in a newspaper in 1841.

4. The first Thanksgiving feast was attended by 50 Pilgrims and 90 Wampanoag Native American men. The Wampanoag killed five deer for the feast and brought fish, vegetables, and grains. The Pilgrims provided wild fowl, which may have been geese, ducks, or turkey. The feast lasted three days.

5. In the 17th and 18th centuries, days of thanksgiving were celebrated by individual colonies, then later by early presidents. However, these days were marked with prayer and fasting rather than feasts.

6. President Lincoln declared the first national holiday for Thanksgiving Day in 1863, after the suggestion was made by an editor of a popular magazine. It was to be celebrated on the final Thursday in November.

7. Following Lincoln’s tradition, later presidents continued to declare Thanksgiving each year on the final Thursday in November. However, from 1939 to 1941, President Franklin D. Roosevelt declared Thanksgiving on the next-to-last Thursday in order to extend the shopping season and help merchants coming out of the Depression.

8. In December of 1941, a federal law was passed declaring Thanksgiving to be celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November. However, several states continued to celebrate on the last Thursday as late as 1956.

9. The National Turkey Federation has presented the U.S. President with two cooked turkeys and one live turkey since 1947. Ronald Reagan started the tradition of “pardoning” the live turkey in 1987, in which it lives the rest of its life peacefully on a farm.

10. Americans will eat an estimated 46 million turkeys on Thanksgiving Day, according to the National Turkey Federation.

(Source: National Geographic)