Sunday Stealing: Our Players' Meme

Ah, Sunday Stealing, it's been awhile ... The bonus of doing a regular weekly meme is that it gives you some really interesting ideas for future blog posts.  Oh, and it's a great way to wake up on a Sunday morning while you drink the requisite coffee :-)  

1. You have been awarded the time off from work and an all-expenses paid week anywhere in the United States. The catch is that it must be somewhere you have not been before. Where do you choose to visit? 

Somewhere in the south, where I've never been in reality (other than driving through on the way to Florida as a kid) but have been extensively through literature.  Is South Carolina what Pat Conroy and Anne Rivers Siddons made it for me?  And how about Alabama, where I grew up alongside Scout Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird?  

2. Name three of your guilty pleasures.

Coffee, cheeseburgers, and reading.

3. The best kind of Girl Scout Cookie is:

Tagalongs.  Oh my gosh, I can put those things away by the box ... I am not buying ANY Girl Scout cookies this year.  It never ends well ...

4. What do you value most in other people? 

Humor.  Even if you're an asshole, I'll find some sort of redeeming value if you can make me laugh.

5. Be honest. Do you sneak some raw cookie dough when you’re baking cookies?

I don't cook, but what I have been known to do is worse.  Yeah, you know the pre-made cookie dough they sell at the grocery store?  I've been known to buy that for the sole purpose of ... well, not baking it. Haha, I don't think I've ever admitted that before ;-)

6. Have you ever looked back at your life and realized that something you thought was a bad thing was actually a blessing in disguise?!

More times than I can count :-)

7. What is the most beautiful place you’ve ever visited? 

I think it would have to be Bar Harbor in Maine.  I love my little tiny slice of New Hampshire ocean, but seeing the ocean in Maine surrounded by mountains and forests, and the water is this unbelievable shade of blue, and it is just the most beautiful place ever.  

8. Are you more of a thinker or a feeler? 

I feel first and think later.  I do both equally, but it's more of a sequential thing with me than with many people, I think.  It's something I'm working on ... not a great way to be.

9. Name three things you are thankful for right now.

My family, having a job I love, and coffee.

10. Have you ever participated in a three-legged race? 

Haha, yes.  It was a drunken college thing.  It did not end well.  (I seem to say that a lot...)

11. When you are at an event that plays the National Anthem, do you place your hand over your heart?

This is going to sound really stupid, but I didn't know you were supposed to.  The Pledge of Allegiance, yes.  "The Star Spangled Banner"?  I thought standing and removing your hat were sufficient to show respect.  Since I've started attending more events where this comes up, I've started placing my hand over my heart because half the audience does, and I don't want to look disrespectful.  However, I'm still not sure if this is right or not ...

 

Second meme: 

12. What kind of work do you do?

I am a high school English teacher.  That means I'm a psychologist, a psychic, a clown, a philosopher, a referee, a coach, a technology expert, a cheerleader, a warden, a facilitator, and about a hundred other hats.   

13. During the course of your lifetime, which job or career has been your favorite or most fulfilling?

Teaching, no question.  Of course, the other options include things like wearing the rat costume at Chuck E. Cheese's and working third shift at Cumby's, so it's kind of a no-brainer ;-)

14. Do you think it’s necessary in your life to have a day-to-day “career” that is meaningful and service-oriented or do you function better in “just a job” with a steady paycheck?

Absolutely.  If I didn't love my job, I would certainly find something that paid better.  I discovered last year that I made more money bartending than I do teaching, which is scary.  Teaching is far more than a job to me, and the stories you collect are just amazing ... even better than the ones you get while bartending.  

15. Was there ever a time in your life when you wanted to stay home with your children instead of working, even if it meant less money in the household?

Of course ... although I still think I am a much better mother because I work.  It makes the time I have with my girls a hundred times more valuable, plus dealing with kids all day makes me appreciate them more.  I have really enjoyed this summer, actually, since I've gotten to spend a lot of time home with my kids ... where Addie basically asks for money to go out with her friends and Belle's incessant chattering begins to wear thin after awhile to the point where I direct her to the television (I'm exaggerating, of course, but I've found that it's not exactly all it's cracked up to be)

16. Tell us your worst boss story.

I have to plead the fifth on this one.  Make sure to read my memoir when it comes out, though ...

17. Have your ever been the boss?

Not the BIG boss, no way.  My skill set is not exactly suited for being a boss.  I'm great at being a high school English teacher, so why would I want more than that?  Some of my colleagues are all about going back to school to get certified as administrators, and I am honestly puzzled by that.

18. What is your dream occupation?

A published author.  But "high school English teacher" is the ultimate fallback :-)

The Liebster Award (I Got To Answer Questions :-))

Well, this is exciting :-)  I was given the Liebster Award by Jim, my favorite baby boomer (and the most amusing aspiring nudist I've never met ;-)).  So the deal is that I answer Jim's questions then come up with eleven of my own for those I tag to answer, should they so desire (I hope they do, and if you're not tagged and would like to participate, leave a link in the comments).


1. Paper, plastic, or bring your own bag?
Plastic.  I meant well with the "bring your own bag" venture, but I always forgot them at home, bought more every time I went to the store, and it became a situation where I wound up with ten or fifteen reusable bags.

And plastic bags are very useful ... picking up dog poop, wrapping an ice pack to go in a lunchbox, even serves as luggage in a clutch ;-)

2. Pajamas or sleep nude?
Due to my interesting living situation, I wear pajamas.  Well, pajama bottoms.

3. Hamburger or hot dog?
I have developed a taste for hot dogs with onions on them in recent years.  I never even used to like hot dogs.  However, cheeseburgers are on my top three list of favorite foods (the others being lobster and mashed potatoes, in case you're curious).

Ergo, it would depend on the mood I'm in.

4. Tea or coffee?
Coffee, without a doubt.  I am a bona fide coffee addict.  I walk into my "regular" Dunkin' Donuts and they say, "Large hot, skim milk and four Splenda, right?"

And the Keurig has changed my life forever ;-)

5. Walmart or Target?
Forgive me, oh union family of mine, but I have to go with Wal-Mart.  They just have everything right there, you know?  And they're not pretentious about it ... I feel a lot better shopping somewhere with a nickname of "Wally World" than "Tar-jhay".

6. Disneyland or Six Flags?
I've never been to Disneyland (although I've been to Disney World on numerous occasions).  I loved Disney World, but I also loved Six Flags.  Haven't been to either in awhile, though ... probably have to remedy that one of these days.

7.  Cat or dog?
DOG!!!!!!!!!!!!  My dogs are like my children ... they have personalities and mood swings and strange eccentricities.  Plus, whenever I am crying, they come running to give comfort.  My golden retriever even "hugs".

My boyfriend has cats, and they're pretty good as far as cats go.  However, they basically just walk around the house, lay on the refrigerator, and make the basement smell.  I mean, I like them all right, but I get the sense that they couldn't give a rat's ass about anyone ... including Henry.  He's kind of the hand that feeds them.  He would disagree, I'm sure, but I just think at the end of the day, cats are in life for cats.

Dogs love.

8. Book or a movie?
Book.  Always a book :-)

9. Who do you trust the most, friends or family?
I don't trust anybody.  Friends and family can burn you equally, and I've been hurt far too many times.

10. Soda or water?
Soda.  I do not like water.  I know, that sounds contrary to being human, right?  I have cut way back on soda, though, and tend to go with coffee or juice or Crystal Light.

11. Companionship or love?

Both ... that isn't really an either/or question.  I mean, you have to love someone that you are choosing companionship with, right?

Okay, here are the blogs I'm tagging ... I read a lot of blogs on a regular basis (A LOT), so it was hard to boil it down, but I thought y'all might enjoy checking out this very varied list.
1.   Suitably Amused
2.   Calvin's Canadian Cave of Coolness
3.   What If This Is As Good As It Gets?
4.   An Alleged Author
5.   Salsa Pie
6.   Sitting in a Tree
7.   Shana's Place
8.   From Sand to Glass
9.   The Rambling Person
10. The Maple Syrup Mob
11.  Bubba's Place

And here are my questions :-)

1.  Ocean or lake?
2.  Chocolate or vanilla?
3.  Android or iPhone?
4.  Coke or Pepsi?
5.  Nickelodeon or Disney?
6.  Facebook or Twitter?
7.  Loud or quiet?
8.  Summer or winter?
9.  Car or truck?
10.Marlon Brando or Tom Hanks?
11.McDonald's or Burger King?