House of Zathras

Haven’t done one of these in awhile. Here goes.

1. Hairbrush :: black Actually, I don’t use one. My hair is too fine to use a hairbrush.
2. Sneak :: a peek Got into a lot of trouble as a youngster over my curiosity.
3. Hole :: in one Don’t play a damn bit of golf.
4. Horror :: Michael Jackson Probably get a lot of spambots on that one.
5. Standard :: Delivery Is snail-mail becoming a thing of the past?
6. Mailbox :: Vault We need one, because those idiots in Utah have messed with our mail.
7. Attachment :: Theory Had to study this in college.
8. Type :: writer Who still has one of these?
9. Nails :: short Can’t grow long nails.  I tend to bite them.
10. Storage :: expensive I hope we don’t have to do this again.

Here’s the new installment picture for the on-going meme “Remember When” (thanks to Da Goddess and Mannequin).

My first thought? ‘What happened to my Baby Bolts’? Does anybody remember that toy? It was a white, robot-looking creature. Probably around a foot or so high. His arms and legs…maybe his head, too…were ‘bolts’ that you could screw on and off. He had other pieces-parts, too, that could be stored inside his body. And some kind of wrenches to take off the facial features…I know, I know…it sounds sadistic. But oh so much fun!

I can’t find any pictures of it on the internet. And I’m pretty sure I was living in Georgia when I had this toy, which meant I was around 5 or 6…so it would be over 35 years ago that I had it. And I’m sure my dad would have bought it for me and my sister. My mom would have never bought anything so boyish. My dad always encouraged more ‘guy’ endeavors…modeling centrifugal force (or is it centripetal force) with a beach pail and water…or shining a flashlight into the dark sky and asking me where did the light go….yeah, he would have gotten that toy for us.

And Baby Bolts was a lot of fun…taking him apart and putting him together again. Alas, he is gone. Not even a picture of us playing with him.

Come to think of it, my Dad probably got custody of him in the divorce. I bet that’s where it is right now…tucked away in some corner of my Dad’s attic. Dad still reminisces about Baby Bolts. Bet that’s because he still gets to play with it once in awhile…tucked away in a corner of the attic…being reminded of the simpler times of life. *sigh*

DaGoddess and Mannequin have a wonderful idea. They’re taking turns sharing a photo, and asking other bloggers to use it to take a trip down memory lane. (For now, I’m linking to the notification posts on DG’s and Mannequin’s blogs…when I get home from work, I’ll link to their ‘real’ post.)

I love the idea! One picture used to make a childhood association for any number of participants.

First, the picture:

Now, my thoughts:

This picture brought about a sad feeling for me. A sadness for the memories of having to grow up earlier than one should. In many ways, I was innocent of the world.

But in others, I was not.

I wanted to be in the band. I yearned to play the flute. The flute could speak so many thoughts…happy, mournful, moving. Or a majorette…looking so pretty while marching and dancing in front of the band.

But the money wasn’t there. My parents sacrificed so my sister and I could go to private school. But this was back during the recession. My mother worked as a secretary, and my dad was going to school. There wasn’t the extra money for fun things…like Girl Scouts, or ballet, or band, or for a majorette’s uniform, let alone the dance lessons necessary to be a majorette. Oh, I so wanted to be in the band. To wear the pretty uniform, to march and smile at the spectators.

I had been so excited when I scored ‘excellent’ in all categories on the music screening at the school. Maybe, just maybe, they could find the money so I could play the flute. Or maybe be a drum majorette, if an instrument was out of the question.

But when I showed my parents the paper, I could tell by their faces it wouldn’t happen. Oh, they encouraged my musical interest. After they saw the paper, my grandparents arranged for piano lessons on their old upright.

But a piano can’t be a part of the marching band. But I pretended to prefer the lessons on the piano to the flute. Because I could remember the looks on my parent’s faces. The looks of having to deny their child something very important to her. I so desperately wanted to be in the band…but if my parents saw that desire, it would be so much harder on them.

So I pretended. Just like I pretended I wanted a regular bike instead of a 10-speed for Christmas. That I was thrilled with just the bike and the Star Wars record for Christmas, and no new clothes, because I knew there wasn’t the money for more.

So much of my childhood was about pretending. Maybe that’s why I don’t recall much of it. I’m truly amazed by what people remember about being a kid, because most of mine is a blur. Maybe I just don’t want to remember.

And to this day, I take no joy in watching marching bands. I admire their skill…but it still makes me sad.

Wow! Are these things uncanny in their accuracy!

You Are Wise

You are a protector and teacher. You help people deal with their struggles. Right now, you are seeking a new challenge and a complete life change. You are drawn to people who are philosophical and thoughtful. You feel like there are many major things in your life that need to be changed. You are quick to react. You are courageous and bold.

You are a protector and teacher. You help people deal with their struggles. Yep, I’m a mom and a teacher.

Right now, you are seeking a new challenge and a complete life change. I guess my surgery would count here, right?

You are drawn to people who are philosophical and thoughtful. Do BR’s un-PC remarks count here?

You feel like there are many major things in your life that need to be changed.. Back to that Aunt Flo-changing surgery again.

You are quick to react. Is that a nice way of saying I have a temper?

And I can’t post about the jungle without posting my favorite video of the song:

72% Geek

H/T to Nina

Hmmm….heh.

You Are a Cougar

You have more strength than most people, and with it, the ability to inflict a lot of harm. Your power gives you confidence, and you find leading others to be easy. You believe that you need to the best, and you are very driven to excel. Most people immediately admire you, but some people feel very envious of your abilities.

1. Studio ::  session
2. Meetup ::  for sex?
3. Ostrich ::  scary
4. Jokes ::  love ‘em
5. Estranged ::  one step closer to divorce
6. Random ::  sample
7. Slap ::  and tickle
8. Hotel room ::  rendezvous
9. Inscribe :: ring
10. Polar ::  bear

The Whys and Wherefores of My Answers:

1. Obvious
2. I’ve never seen ‘meetup’ written like that…it sounded like ‘hookup’ to me.
3. We’ve been chased by an emu before (did you know those things can run at least 30 mph to chase your car???)…ostriches are probably the same.
4. I love hearing and telling jokes.
5. Been there…done that
6. I hate statistics
7. I love that expression…it’s British in origin, isn’t it?
8. Once while driving way out in empty West Texas, I came upon a town in the middle of nowhere.  I thought to myself, “This town is here only for illicit rendezvous”.  I turned the corner of the town square and saw a building called “The Rendezvous Hotel”.
9. Our wedding rings are inscribed…on the outside to match the engraving on my antique engagement ring, and on the inside with the date of our wedding and ‘Pax Domini’.
10.  Obvious, isn’t it.

1. Sunburn ::  Cancer
2. Aquarium ::  Stinky
3. Otter ::  Playful
4. Awesome ::  Brownies
5. LOL ::  Cats
6. Accordion ::  Zydeco
7. Hot Pocket ::  Kids love ‘em
8. Grandstand ::  Boss
9. Shaved ::  Pussy
10. Upgrade ::  Get BR to do it

The Whys and Wherefores of My Answers:

1.  I made the mistake of too many days at the beach as a teen…having green eyes and fair skin made me particularly vulnerable.  When I was freshly divorced and without a job, a doctor at my parish gave free screenings.  He removed several suspect moles, with one of them indicating ‘cellular changes’ that could indicate the beginnings of cancer.  The doctor had to go and cut a little more out (Yes, it hurt like the dickens) to be sure all the ‘bad’ stuff was removed.  So yay for that doctor…he did it all for FREE!!

2.  It’s why I don’t have an aquarium these days.  No time to keep up with one.  Although I’d love to have a really big one some day.

3.    I’ve never seen one up close and live…but they seem cute.

4.  They’re ambrosia from the gods…forget the fruity stuff people make and call ambrosia.

5.  I read them everyday.

6.  Check this out.  One of my husband’s favorite Zydeco performers.

7.  Maybe I’ll buy some for them today.  We haven’t had any in awhile.

8.  No further comment.

9.  Double no further comment.

10.  Thank goodness for BR!

1. Mourning ::  Black
2. Approval ::  Needy
3. Lotion ::  Aloe Vera
4. Perspire :: Nasty
5. Language ::  Grades
6. Defection ::  Russian
7. Play :: Acting
8. Graphic ::  Novel
9. Spicy :: Mexican
10. In love :: Yes

Boring responses this week.

1. Be mine ::  Forever
2. Ecstatic ::  Stupid
3. Orderly ::  White
4. Sebastian ::  Jack the Ripper
5. Sore ::  Pissed off
6. Don’t need ::  Obama
7. Rockstar ::  Nickelback
8. Tinfoil ::  Hat
9. Addiction ::  Jane’s
10. Where? ::  I don’t know

1.  It’s after Valentine’s Day…what do you expect?

2.  Obama supporters…what else could it be?

3.  Orderlies wear white.

4.  From an episode of Babylon 5:  Comes the Inquisitor.  Sebastian is the name of Jack the Ripper, brought from the past because of his, shall we say, unique talents.

5.  Using sore to mean ‘angry’, of course.  I’m sore a lot these days, and it’s nothing Ben-Gay can help ease.

6.  Self-explanatory

7.  This song.

8.

9.  This group.

10.  I’m lost…as usual!

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Play along if you wish…if nothing else, it’s a post you don’t have to come up with on your own!

1. Cups ::  DD
2. Brilliant ::  diamond
3. Disobey ::  Rod
4. Abstain ::  No STDs
5. Daily :: news
6. You make me ::  Feel like dancing
7. Hurl ::  Goob earlier this week
8. Intensify ::  work
9. Fuck! ::  and fuck some more
10. Race ::  means  more than character

1.  I guess I was thinking about this post.

2.  It’s getting close to Valentine’s Day.  Hint, hint.

3.  Spare the rod, spoil the child.

4.  Only sure-fire way to be sure.

5.  Obvious

6.  Can you tell I’ve been listening to the oldies station?

7.   Yep, Goob went out and got drunk.  Tried to tell us he looked away from his soda for a moment, and that’s the last thing he remembered.  Had us up all night worrying.  Don’t lie to me or your father.  We aren’t idiots.  Wait till you’re at bootcamp.  We won’t seem so bad then.

8.  This time of year the crap at work just gets crazy.  And Spring Break is so far, far away.

9.  No commment.  Unless there’s something from #2.

10.  Otherwise known as our current president.

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You, too, can sign up for weekly UMs.

Rules: Go to urbandictionary.com and type in your answers to the following questions. Post the first definition it gives you.

1.  Your Name:  Mrs. Who

-Mrs. Who isn’t defined yet.  Well, that would be hard to do.  Heh.

2.  Your Age:  43

– A number used by the Lucky clothing company (among others) which stands for “Fuck You” or “Fuck Off”, since “fuck” has 4 letters and “you”/”off” have 3 letters.  It sure as hell makes me feel better about being 43!

3.  One of your friends:  Pam (Holy crap there’s a lot of definitions for this name.)

-Valium, or any one of several similar drugs.  And you wonder why she’s my friend!

4.  What you should be doing:  Cleaning

- The act of shoving everything in a closet and calling it decent. I guess I’m done, then.

5.  Favorite color:  lavender

-A pejorative term for an effeminate heterosexual male. Lavender does NOT describe homosexual men; it is solely used to describe straight men who exhibit female qualities.  Umm, I think I need to change my favorite color.

6.  Birthplace:  Pensacola

-Small city on the tip of the panhandle in Northwest Florida. Founded by Spanish settlers in the 1600s, the city had been used primarily as a port and coastal defense asset. Since then, it has developed and attracted numerous military bases. Pensacola and the surrounding area is home to the Navy’s flight demonstration squadron, the Blue Angels, primary flight training for Naval Aviators and Flight Officers, as well as advanced training for Navy helicopter pilots and jet flight officers.
Pensacola is known for its sugar-sand beaches, numerous golf courses (including the Moors, host of the annual Blue Angel Classic), and exciting downtown night life. Popular locations incluce Pensacola Beach, Perdido Key, Seville Quarter, McGuire’s, O’Reillys, Flounders, Bamboo Willies, Brews Brothers, and many others.
Pensacola has numerous ethnic restaraunts, as well as Southern flavors, a bustling regional airport, two malls, rapid urban and suburban growth, a dedicated interstate, a greyhound track, motor speedway, 30,000+ person civic center, fairgrounds, and no less than 6 Wal-Marts in the general vicinity.

Interesting facts: Escambia County, Pensacola’s home, has the highest number of churches per capita than any other county in Florida.  That’s cuz it’s almost Alabama.

7.  Your nickname:  I don’t think I have one…’bitch’ doesn’t really count here, does it?

8.  Your birthmonth:  September

-a month with a nice temperature and everything but it’s when school starts   Yeah, and the teachers ain’t too happy about it, either.

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N.B.  Okay, so I didn’t use the ‘first’ definition like the rules said.  See #2 above if you have a problem with that!!!

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Meme courtesy of Chromed Curses (love the logo at her site!  And I know BR would too, being the Harley guy that he is.)

Tink, of Tink’s Tribulations, has graciously bestowed this award:

Thank you, dear Tink.  I hope we get to see more of you soon.  In a bloggy way, of course.

And now, the rules:

Here are the rules:
1. Put the logo on your blog
2. Add a link to the person who awarded you
3. Nominate 5 other blogs for this award
4. Add links to those blogs
5. Leave a message for your nominees on their blogs
6. Give a reason why you consider their blogs cool

And now my nominees and my reasons:

1 & 2: Hapkido and Ronny:  Despite recovering from brain surgery, Hap took the time to send me a thank you gift (post is still coming about that) and has offered me encouragement in some of the tough times I’ve been going through.  Thank you, Hap.  And that Ronny…he too has been giving me encouragement AND we’ve been secretly plotting to help Hap. Ronny, we’ll get Hap dancing yet!

3.  LeeAnn at Look! A Baby Wolf!:  That woman cracks me up.  I sometimes think we’re leading parallel lives.  Although she probably won’t find that amusing.  But then again…

4.  The great Pam:  A prolific and thought-provoking writer.  Plus she doesn’t get too mad if one of my comments gets too long.  That’s a generous woman, folks.  And I know I can count on her to comment at my place, even if no one else does.  Thanks, Pam.

5.  Dawn at OI:   This woman leads a life of TLC in her nursing career.  She had a long struggle to reach it, and now gives TLC to her patients each day.

Thank you to all you TLC folks out there!

Cal Tech Girl was nice enough to give me a meme, but I go and steal another one from her.  Because I’m too lazy to think of something on my own.

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Week 305:

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I was officially tagged by CTG:

The rules:
1. Post the rules on your blog.
2. Tell 7 random things about yourself.
3. Tag 7 people at the end of your post.
4. Pass on the tag.

1.  I need some new bras.  Seriously.  Why do we women let our underwear go?

2.  We’re having a ‘Secret Santa’ week at school.  When I drew the name, it was for a teacher I couldn’t stand.  So I put the name back and drew a different one.  Hey, if it had been Lent, it would have been a good penance.  But it’s Christmas, and I want to keep whatever little Christmas spirit I have.  But this teacher is nothing but a tattle-tale whiney-butt.

3.  I’m having a Star Trek Christmas tree this year.  It’s a black tree (the darkness of space) with white lights (stars).  All my Star Trek ornaments will go on it.

4.  I am, at the moment, wearing a shirt backwards.  I actually have on two shirts, but my daughter complained about the other one being too low-cut.  Hey, it took me 43 years to get this cleavage.  But anyway, my daughter was complaining.  I quickly threw on another (tight) shirt.  Looking down, I realized it was backwards.  So much for having enough cleavage if it doesn’t matter if my shirt is frontwards or backwards.

5.  I want to look like this again:

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Saw this at SWG’s place and totally stole it:

Simply indicate the things you’ve done (or claim to have done) in boldface…

Saw this meme at Pam’s and Abbadon’s:

Open up your computer, click on the 6th file of pictures, and then on the 6th picture, and post what you get.

Here goes:

Bitterroot took this photo several years ago of his sons.  Mama Bear took one of the photos from this series and made a painting from it.  Maybe I can get Bitterroot’s permission to post a copy of the painting later.  There’s a bittersweet story behind the title she gave the painting.  I hope he’ll let me.

Got tagged by Joan. (ed. note: I started this weeks, if not months ago. Sorry, Ms. Joanie. I got to number three and then life kicked in.) I have some other memes to do, too, so maybe I’ll do a meme a day until I get caught up. (Weeks, if not months later, this arrogant assumption on my part has me snickering up my figurative sleeve.)

1. I often think in text. I picture conversations as printed words, with punctuation and everything.

2. I live a Walter Mitty-ish fantasy world. I’m always thinking, “What would I do if an armed gunman ran into the building?” “What if that bundle of rags on the side of the road is an abandoned infant?”

3. I love historical romance novels. And science fiction.

4. I’d rather bite the corners off my nails than go mess with the nail file.

5. I crave cigarettes even though I’ve hardly smoked in my life. I did while doing the bar scene in college…but I don’t think I’ve even bought a pack in my life. Didn’t grow up around smokers, either. But sometimes I just crave a cigarette.

6. I hate willful ignorance.

7. I could never figure out the story about the The Elves and the Shoemaker. I mean, if the elves could make something complicated like shoes, why couldn’t they make clothes for themselves?

8. I hate wearing shoes. I wear sandals almost all year ’round.

9. I’ve been a registered Democrat, then became a registered Republican after WJC was re-elected. After this election, I’ll probably register as an Independent, because I’m unhappy with all of it.

10. I like making my students laugh.

I’m signed up to get a weekly word association list from LinaNuna at Unconscious Mutterings.  My original plan was to do the word association, then write a short story to go with it.  Only managed to do it the first time. *sigh*  So much for exercising my brain cells.

This week,  some of the associations I came up with reminded me of song lyrics (links on those).

1. Heist ::  Money, money, money, money
2. Hack ::  Worthless
3. Dane ::  Drugs
4. Stings ::  fireants
5. Monkey :: pants
6. Junkie ::  stupid
7. Pumped ::  that weird song
8. Brass ::  balls/ Sarah Palin…
9. Fight! ::  For your right to paaarty!
10. Vouch ::  no one will do it for me

I’ve seen this meme everywhere, but actually swiped it from The Real Dave.  It’s ‘Finish the Sentence’.  I think most people have done this one…but feel free to try it if you haven’t.

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Diamond Dave The Real Dave tagged me with ‘The Five Memes’:

The Fives Meme

The rules:

1. Post the rules of the game at the beginning.
2. Each player answers the questions about themselves.
3. At the end of the post, the player then tags five people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know they’ve been tagged and asking them to read the player’s blog. I’ll let people tag themselves. Heh. More fun for them that way.
4. Let the person who tagged you know when you’ve posted your answer.

What were you doing five years ago?

Let’s see…summer 2003. Probably involved in court stuff either with my husband’s ex or my own. We had several years where we either were getting ready for court, in court, waiting for court rulings, and getting ready for court again. I want Judge Judy…you’re in, you’re out, it’s done.

What are five things on your to-do list for today?

1) Laundry (actually, it’s on my to-do list EVERYday)

2) Sort through all the paperwork that piled up during the school year

3) Return a fan to Wally-World

4) Renew my pistol permit

5) Buy gas *sob*

What are five snacks you enjoy?

1) Oreo cookies

2) Chocolate Chip Cookies

3) Chips and Dip

4) Veggies and Dip

5) Cheese

What are five things you would do if you were a billionaire?

1) Buy homes and cars for my family

2) Send the kids to Notre Dame

3) Fund several parochial schools

4) Buy and restore old artwork

5) Not telling so y’all can’t be called in to testify

What are five of your bad habits?

1) Biting my nails

2) Procrastination

3) Cussin’ at other drivers

4) Eating at the computer (not right now, though)

5) Ignoring the beam in my eye

What are five places where you have lived?

1) Alabama

2) Texas

3) Florida

4) California

5) Illinois

What are five jobs you’ve had?

1) Cashier in a doughnut shop

2) Bill collector

3) National Guard

4) Cashier in a drug store

5) Teacher

Five people I tag: No one today…I’ve seen this in many places, and I’m not good at remembering who has and who hasn’t. Feel free to tag yourself. (I love saying that!)