Oops - I forgot to ask 5 questions!

So, anyone who wants to answer these in the comments, knock yourself out!

1. Do you feel like you're getting happier/grumpier/angrier/more satisfied/more patient/more dissatisfied/whatever as you get older?

2. If you could choose one novel to give as a gift to all your friends, what would you give? What would be the runner up novel?

3. Most recent two movies you've seen at the theater?

4. You're getting treated to lunch by a friend. What sounds best today from the following three options - Indian, Japanese, or Mexican?

5. What fall TV show are you most looking forward to?


Books, people, movies, food, TV . . . simple pleasures. :)

The Sunshine Award (Stacy's Version)

Thank you to Nevillegirl and Mark for tagging me to do this post. I love prompts like these!

So, here are my responses to The Sunshine Award.
 

Five facts about myself . . .

1. I have very little tolerance for stupid people.

2. I love making things special for people (assuming they're not stupid).

3. I said this the other night, out loud, to my family: "Why does she think we want to see it?!? There are at least 10,000 things I'd rather see than Nicki Minaj's butt."

4. I love visiting bookstores and coffee shops.

5. I love watching films at indie theaters.


Next, Mark's five questions . . .

1. Tell me about your mother.

She's a lively woman who does whatever she wants in life, devil may care. 

2. There are two choices: 1. Perfect health, but a complete inability to remember anything the next day or, 2. A perfect memory, but having only the ability to observe life around you, not directly participate. Which do you choose?

Uh, 1. I'm pretty much already there. And 2 sounds sucky. 

3. Imagine your nemesis has developed a way to force you to read anything he or she chooses. What reading material will be first on the list of tortures?

This is not an easy question. I'll go with Tuesdays with Morrie.

4. Sea salt caramel. A passing fad you want to see disappear, or the greatest trend ever?

I think it's a passing fad, but I do love me some Bruster's homemade Sea Salt Caramel ice cream with toffee bits!

5. What do you think of going barefoot?



I like being barefoot at home in the summer.




I, too, tag anyone who reads this post and feels moved to share. Enjoy!

Know Your Audience

Okay, time to take inventory of our audience.

We love blogging and hearing from our readers, but sometimes we're not sure who's reading or what posts people like or don't like. We have a stat counter and can see the hits we get, but that's data and not always indicative of thoughts or opinions.

We're not really sure who's keeping up with us. We don't know if we're boring you to tears. We don't always know if you like what we post or if you wish we'd post more or less or on specific topics.

So we figure we can ask! (Got the idea from my daughter and her blogging friends).

1. If you read our blog, who are you?

2. Do you usually comment? If so, why? If not, why not?

3. What kind of posts do you like? What kind of posts do you dislike?

4. Is there something you'd like to see more of? Less of?

5. Do we post too much? Too little?

6. Keep blogging or shut it down?

Thanks! I mean, ultimately, we'll probably do whatever we want, but feedback helps inform and guide us. :) So, thanks.

The Sunshine Award (Mark's Version)

Thank you to Nevillegirl for tagging me to do this post. I always enjoy responding to prompts like this, even if it puts the pressure on.

Without further ado, here are my responses to The Sunshine Award. I just hope I'm doing it right:

Five facts about myself . . .

1. I have broken three bones in my life, but none for over 20 years.

2. Clowns creep me out. Like, a lot.

3. I wish I had more time to read because my to-be-read list grows exponentially.

4. Almost every movie I ever watch makes me cry at some point. I've learned to accept that and not resist.

5. Being a father to a daughter is scary, but not as scary as I thought it would be, at least on most days. I love being a father to both a son and a daughter.


Next, Nevillegirl's five questions . . .

1. What book will you read next?

Can I just tell you what I'm reading now? It's taken me long enough to get through it that it's kind of like reading it "next." I'm reading Men at Arms by Terry Pratchett right now. Next? Probably Landline by Rainbow Rowell.

2.Do your parents, siblings, or any other relatives read your blog? What do they think of it?

My immediate family? Yes, they do read it, and they really seem to like it. My sister-in-law Emily is a faithful reader. The rest of my extended family is sort of hit and miss, but they seem to enjoy what they read.

3. What is the funniest thing you’ve seen or heard recently?

We just saw "What If?" in the movies. That had some pretty funny dialogue. In today's day and age we're bombarded constantly with things that are supposed to be funny and I think it's getting harder to impress me. Sad, but true.

4. If you could choose, right now, to be either ten years younger or ten years older than you currently are, which option would you pick?

I would be ten years younger, but not because I'm scared of getting older. I would love to have a second chance at my 30s. As great as life has been there are quite a few things where a do-over would be nice.

5. What is your quest?

To seek the Holy Grail. (Just don't ask me the air speed velocity of an unladen swallow, because I don't knowwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww!) Oh, and I am on the quest for the perfect carnitas.


And, five questions from me:

1. Tell me about your mother.
2. There are two choices: 1. Perfect health, but a complete inability to remember anything the next day or, 2. A perfect memory, but having only the ability to observe life around you, not directly participate. Which do you choose?
3. Imagine your nemesis has developed a way to force you to read anything he or she chooses. What reading material will be first on the list of tortures?
4. Sea salt caramel. A passing fad you want to see disappear, or the greatest trend ever?
5. What do you think of going barefoot?


The nominations are always the hardest part for me, especially since Stacy is often tagged as well. I'm going to cop out and say I tag anyone who reads this post and feels moved to share. Enjoy!

Random Thoughts

So I totally love those month-in-review posts, but I feel like they're so time intensive that I find myself not posting much of anything else. I don't want blogging to feel like homework, so I'm choosing to mix it up a little. Here are some random thoughts.

The new house is awesome. 

We have less noise here, less allergies here, less dust here.

And we have more light. Even on cloudy and rainy days. Love it!

-----------------------------

It practically feels like fall.

I'm not ready for that. This summer has flown by

and it hasn't been that hot!

-----------------------------

When I hear people tell the same stories over and over again,

 it always makes me wonder . . . are they that enamored with them?

 Bored? Nothing else in their lives? Trying to preserve them?

-----------------------------

You know how people say, "I know that guy!" 

Who cares?

-----------------------------

At the start of summer, both our son and our daughter

 said they needed more shorts for the summer.

 Both of them also added, "But I don't want to go shopping."

 These are SO our kids!

-----------------------------  

Thing 1 got glasses this past month.

She looks beautiful.

----------------------------- 

 We all went to the dentist this past week.

They told us they think Thing 2 needs braces.

Totally stressful thing to learn.

We thought he wouldn't need them

and we just finished paying off Thing 1's braces

 a couple of months ago.

-----------------------------

We have friends who have moved after us

 who are more settled in than we are!

 They have sisters.

I'd love to have sisters.

----------------------------- 

That being said, I'm so grateful for good friends.

We could not have done all that we've done without the help

of our dear friends, Sherri and Ron and Jack!

I know I've already said it multiple times,

but it bears repeating.

Moving is so stressful and it's easy to feel overwhelmed and isolated,

but we didn't, much due to them and their help.

-----------------------------

I love band-aids with designs.

-----------------------------

It's Jim's birthday today - happy birthday!

-----------------------------

I have to have a bite of something chocolate every time I eat Asian food.

-----------------------------

Oxford comma, Oxford comma, and Oxford comma.

-----------------------------

So, Thing 1, who NEVER asks for anything, really, really, really 

wants to be able to watch the new seasons of Dr. Who and Sherlock and Torchwood.

The only way we can figure out to do that is to get cable,

which we so don't want to do, as it's ridiculously expensive.

Anyone else know a way to get BBC America shows (legally)?

The new seasons start next week and I can see her getting very antsy,

and I don't know what to do.

-----------------------------