Teresa posted this on her blog and since she mentioned me in hers, I felt the need to post as well...
1. What time did you get up this morning? 6:26 a.m.
2. Diamonds or pearls? Diamonds, though I don't really have any
3. What was the last film you saw at the cinema? Harry Potter 5: Order of the Phoenix IMAX
4. What is your favorite TV show? CSI, Grey's Anatomy, Brothers & Sisters
5. What do you usually have for breakfast? Does coffee count?
6. What kind of soap do you use? Dove, anything by philosophy
7. What is your middle name? Ann
8. What food do you dislike? onions
9. What is your favorite food? pizza
10. What kind of car do you drive? Hyundai Elantra
11. Favorite sandwich? Turkey club
12. What characteristic do you despise? perpetual tardiness
13. Favorite item of clothing? my black wrap dress
14. If you could go anywhere in the world on vacation, where would you go? St. Petersburg, Russia or London, England
15. What color is your bathroom? Currently its beige, in my new apartment it will be blue
16. Favorite brand of clothing? J.Jill
17. Where would you retire to? The Outer Banks
18. What was your most recent memorable birthday? 30 (because I turned 30 not because anything terribly exciting happened)
19. When is your birthday? June 2
20. What is your favorite scent? Lilac
21. Are you a morning person or a night person? Morning
22. What is your shoe size? 11, ugh
23. Pets? My cat, Jack
24. Any new and exciting news you'd like to share with us? I'm moving to North Carolina in 2 weeks!!!
25. What did you want to be when you were little? A Cheerleader
26. How are you today? Ecstatic - the Red Sox won the World Series
27. What is your favorite candy? Anything chocolate
28. What is your favorite flower? Tulips
29. What is a day on the calendar you are looking forward to? November 13 - my first day at Duke
30. What church do you attend? At present, none :( At home, Presentation
31. What are you listening to right now? Harry Potter Soundtracks
32. What was the last thing you ate? Sour Cream and Onion Baked Lays (last night)
33. Do you wish on stars? Yes
34. If you were a Crayola crayon, what color would you be? Sage Green
35. How is the weather right now? Cool, for Louisiana
36. Last person you spoke to on the phone? My mom
37. What is your favorite soft drink? Diet Coke, but I rarely drink soda
38. Favorite restaurant? any type of Mexican
39. Hair Color? Dark brown
40. Siblings? A younger sister and a younger brother
41. Favorite day of the year? Christmas
42. What was your favorite toy as a child? Barbie
43. Summer or winter? Winter
44. Hugs or kisses? Both from people I am close to; not so much from anyone else
45. Chocolate or Vanilla? Chocolate
46. When was the last time you cried? Last week, the day of Grandma's funeral
47. What is under your bed? Nothing - its all in boxes
48. What friend have you had the longest? Teresa and Michaela
49. What did you do last night? Watched the World Series
50. Favorite room in your house? My bedroom
51. What are you afraid of? Fire Alarms
52. Popcorn salted? buttered? Both, but only at the movie theatre
53. Favorite sport to watch? Football, tennis, baseball
54. Favorite sport or activity to participate in? I just watch...I don't think running on the treadmill counts as a sport
29 October 2007
27 October 2007
Halloween
I love this time of year. I miss the autumn of my childhood - the crisp air, the scent of logs on the fire, high school football games. Autumn in Louisiana is a little different...the air doesn't get that "bite" to it until after 6pm. The leaves don't really change colors, at least not that I've noticed. There is one constant no matter where I am and that is Halloween.
I think its my favorite holiday aside from Christmas. I once heard someone say "What's not to like - you don't need a date, you get to wear a costume, and it is okay to eat as much candy as you like". I agree :) I love passing out candy to trick-or-treaters. This is also the time of year when you can easily find scary movies on tv. My favorite is the "Halloween" series. I was introduced to them by my Uncle Chris when I was a kid. I basically watched through my fingers, but we watched it over and over again (unbeknownst to my mother and grandmother). To this day, I will still watch, even though I live alone and I scare myself silly. What is it about these movies that make us come back for more?
I think its my favorite holiday aside from Christmas. I once heard someone say "What's not to like - you don't need a date, you get to wear a costume, and it is okay to eat as much candy as you like". I agree :) I love passing out candy to trick-or-treaters. This is also the time of year when you can easily find scary movies on tv. My favorite is the "Halloween" series. I was introduced to them by my Uncle Chris when I was a kid. I basically watched through my fingers, but we watched it over and over again (unbeknownst to my mother and grandmother). To this day, I will still watch, even though I live alone and I scare myself silly. What is it about these movies that make us come back for more?
26 October 2007
Fugitive Pieces
My apartment is in complete and utter disarray. I can't stand it. Granted, its all essential to the moving process. My life in boxes...again. Hopefully this next move is the last one for a long time. This does ring somewhat hollow since this is what I said when I moved to Louisiana just 9 months ago. I just didn't realize Louisiana was going to be so far from home.
When I first moved to Louisiana I got many questions from well-meaning people about adjusting to the weather and I am sure some of the people I leave behind will think that I couldn't take the heat...literally. That's not it. Yes, the summer was interminably long and humid. I have to say, I have read a great many books in my time and more than a fair few describe this humidity as sultry; as if there was a sensuality and steaminess to it. I can tell you that the humidity I experienced was nowhere near sultry. It's just heavy and it hangs there. I won't miss it.
I also got several questions about culture-shock. There were some things that I needed to get used to, I readily admit to that. I was born and raised in predominantly Catholic Rhode Island. Religion here is a completely different thing. It's advertised everywhere, there are billboards and commercials and tv spots. It sponsors the morning weather. There are a lot of guns...rifles, etc. I saw a television commercial for something called "the back-up" which essentially is a gun rack that attaches to your bed. There is nothing wrong with any of this, it was just new and different. The food is different. Cajun, creole, its all excellent - there is catfish instead of cod, crawfish instead of crab, and lots of shrimp. None of it ever clicked though, except for the cooking.
I never felt home. Short of actually being home, the place I like the best is North Carolina. So I decided to move there. This is why my apartment is in disarray. In two weeks I head out for Durham, North Carolina, for a new job, and a new place. Two weeks to wrap up too many things, say good-bye to my wonderful staff, and put the rest of my life in boxes.
When I first moved to Louisiana I got many questions from well-meaning people about adjusting to the weather and I am sure some of the people I leave behind will think that I couldn't take the heat...literally. That's not it. Yes, the summer was interminably long and humid. I have to say, I have read a great many books in my time and more than a fair few describe this humidity as sultry; as if there was a sensuality and steaminess to it. I can tell you that the humidity I experienced was nowhere near sultry. It's just heavy and it hangs there. I won't miss it.
I also got several questions about culture-shock. There were some things that I needed to get used to, I readily admit to that. I was born and raised in predominantly Catholic Rhode Island. Religion here is a completely different thing. It's advertised everywhere, there are billboards and commercials and tv spots. It sponsors the morning weather. There are a lot of guns...rifles, etc. I saw a television commercial for something called "the back-up" which essentially is a gun rack that attaches to your bed. There is nothing wrong with any of this, it was just new and different. The food is different. Cajun, creole, its all excellent - there is catfish instead of cod, crawfish instead of crab, and lots of shrimp. None of it ever clicked though, except for the cooking.
I never felt home. Short of actually being home, the place I like the best is North Carolina. So I decided to move there. This is why my apartment is in disarray. In two weeks I head out for Durham, North Carolina, for a new job, and a new place. Two weeks to wrap up too many things, say good-bye to my wonderful staff, and put the rest of my life in boxes.