Playing with Myself

Snurched from saskia139:

1. Describe your favorite pen.

I'm between pen loves at the moment. My broad Uni-ball Vision Elite has leaked on my clothes once too often.

2. Now describe your favorite mug.

This one

3. Name one to three books you are currently reading.

Chaikin's A Man on the Moon (makes me wish, once again, that I had From the Earth to the Moon on DVD), Potsticker Chronicles by Stuart Chang Berman, The Medusa Project by Cindy Dees.

4. Is there something you liked as a child -- a tv show, for example, or a food -- that really embarrasses you now? What is it?

Er... there is probably something, but I'm obviously blocking it very well.

5. Is there something you liked as a child that you still enjoy?

Writing in a journal.

6. Name a fictional character (tv, book, or movie) with whom you have strongly identified, and tell why.

Yup, I'm a Scooby-Doo Velma. Likes puzzles, bossy (more like stubborness, as I have aged), a lousy haircut and no fashion sense.

7. What do you like to do on a rainy day?

Sleep in a big warm blanket.

8. What do you like to do on a sunny day?

Clean the house and then read.

9. What do you like to do when it snows?

Cook.

10. Is there a writer (or other kind of artist) of whose work you often say, "I wish I'd created that?"

Many. The short list includes several fan fiction authors, Sydney Anglo, Ann Larimer, Pablo de Sarasate, and Kandinsky.

11. What kind of pet do you have, and what is its name?

Emily (Cocker Spaniel), Zoe (Border Collie), Natalie (Border Collie/Cattle Dog mix), Jack (Cocker Spaniel), Alex (Tabby cat)

12. Do you like Valentine's Day?

I like it very much as a concept, but we don't celebrate it.

13. Do you like Mother's Day?

No.

14. Sex: a good thing, a bad thing, or just way too complicated for you to say?

A good thing, but one which causes more tension than it should.

15. What are you looking for that you haven't found yet?

The momentum to carry through writing a novel.

From saskia139

Ten things you like that your friends might not know you like:

Jack Benny radio shows
cross stitching
tulips
biscuits and gravy
bowling
German nutcrackers
Muddy Waters
dancing
Lego minifigs
movie scores

Will not cry at work.
Will not cry at work.
Will not cry at work.

Rinse and repeat.

Come play the 10 sentences meme here and here. Tis fun.

Felicitations to the marvelous new home owners, Mary and Vali. May the abode bring joy.

I really have nothing productive to say about this meme:

And finally, dark chocolate Twix are teh crack. If Target does not stop offering them soon, I will have wasted my Weight Watchers money.

Tagged by danakate and cybertardis:

Total number of fandoms I like: Too many.

My first fandom ever: Doctor Who

My most recent fandom: House

Five fandoms that mean a lot to me: Dark Shadows, Star Wars, League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Bat Family, Doctor Who

Tag five people: shetiger, echoalpha, hikaru, jedi_penguin, violetisblue

In other news...

Have been ill. Have been tres busy at work. Have birthday cards to be mailed sometime this year. Have and continue to miss you very much. Will miss Mr G considerably this month, as he will be on the road for most of it.

Also, received a delightful Walt Disney World kitschy memento from Vali and Mary in the mail, which brightened the weekend beautifully.

Snurched from Steens:

Go to Wikipedia and look up your birth day (excluding the year). List three neat facts, two births and one death in your journal, including the year.

3 Facts
1517 - Protestant Reformation: Martin Luther posts his 95 theses on the door of the Wittenberg Castle Church.
1892 - Arthur Conan Doyle publishes The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes.
1941 - After 14 years of work, drilling is completed on Mount Rushmore.

2 Birthdays
1860 - Juliette Low, American founder of the Girl Scouts
1920 - Dick Francis, Welsh novelist

1 Farewell
1517 - Fra Bartolommeo, Italian artist (b. 1472)

Friday iPod Random Ten:

1. Josette's Theme by Robert Colbert
2. I'll Feel A Whole Lot Better by Tom Petty
3. Synchronicity I by The Police
4. I Kissed A Girl by Jill Sobule
5. Treehouse of Horror V (Medley) from The Simpsons
6. Straight Gold Player by Lenny Kravitz
7. The Grass is Blue by Dolly Parton & Alison Krauss
8. Small Town by John Mellencamp
9. Queen of Hearts by Juice Newton
10. Black & White by Sarah McLachlan

Wow, kind of... easy listening-ish.

I need a nap.

In answer to the Snarkland question of the week, I got the scar from being attacked by a rabid piece of pepperoni pizza. Yes, I fought the pizza pie and the pizza pie won. It was summertime, see, and I was young (maybe 12, but I don't think much older) and wearing the kind of short shorts I don't wear anymore. Hell, I couldn't get into them any more. Well maybe my ass could, but the potbelly couldn't. So I'm at a pizzeria with some "friends" (read: the lady my mother dumped me on, because she had summer custody, and the lady's kids) and out comes the pizza, piping hot and steaming. The pepperoni was curled nicely, specks of oil doing the mamba on its edges. I retrieve a piece from the deep crust pan and, instead of landing on my plate as intended, the slice ends up on my bare leg. Or rather down. Pepperoni side down. By the time anyone realized what had happened, I was blistering. I remember the drive to the hospital as one long, piercing howl. From my lungs, not a siren.

You can't really see my pepperoni scars anymore. I have worse in other places. But it's still my favorite scar story because it is so typically moi.

Mr G and I celebrated our 12th wedding anniversary yesterday. My high school reunion, if there was such a thing and if I was going which I wouldn't, would have been 15 years this summer. It's funny -- never in a million years is this where I would have imagined ending up, but there is nobody I would rather be with while I do it.

For Tuesday, it's

10 Things I Hate Doing

1. Going to family reunions (I love you, but...)
   
2. Trying to fall asleep without the tv on (yes, I realize there is probably some deep psychological significance to this)
   
3. Returning books to the library unread
   
4. Trying to sleep with a growling Spaniel on my head (two sleep-related issues is two too many)
   
5. Listening to anybody defend bigotry or Shrub
   
6. Trying to decide whether any given action/feeling is "me" or the manic depression
   
7. Putting away laundry
   
8. "Socializing" a cat who doesn't want to be socialized
   
9. Wearing socks
   
10. Answering the phone
    

Reading: a phenomenally boring Insurance Law textbook
Listening: "Another Day" by Papas Fritas
Being: Unproductive

Booking Through Thursday

1. Do you enjoy books that have cooking or eating scenes in them?


2. Have you made or eaten anything that was inspired by a recipe or scene in a non-cooking book?

I must admit, however, that I have quit reading the Diane Mott Davidson series of mysteries because I find that the interjection of the recipes jars the flow of the narrative. Compare it against a Rex Stout mystery, for example, where there is a great deal of discussion about food but it runs naturally through the narrative. I don't dislike DMD's mysteries -- I just got tired of the "trick" of the format.

I wonder if cooking in mysteries has replaced the trope of drinking booze in a darkened room?

I am highly suggestible when it comes to food. Just say the word "pickle" and my mouth starts watering. I'm not sure if I have tried to duplicate a dish in a novel, but I've definitely been inspired to snack.

The dogs are also highly suggestible. Just say the word "book" and their mouths start watering.

Watching: Kidnapped and Studio 60 pilots from Netflix
Listening: "The Reflex" by Duran Duran
Thinking: The best way to save money is to not go anywhere

Friday iPod Random 10:

1. "Mother Father" by The Dave Matthews Band
2. "Le Passeur" by Wasis Diop
3. "I Wanna Be Your Man" by Sam Phillips
4. "Folsom Prison Blues" by Johnny Cash
5. "Promontory" by Trevor Jones (Last of the Mohicans)
6. "American Girl" by Tom Petty
7. "Some Days You Gotta Dance (Live)" by The Dixie Chicks
8. "Jealous Minds" by Robert Cray
9. "A Gypsy Incantation" by Anne Dudley (The 10th Kingdom)
10. "Love is Like a Butterfly" by Dolly Parton

I had a friend who used "Lalala" as her subject line whenever the email contained a discussion she didn't want to have, usually about how I had hurt her feelings in some way. I'm sure she didn't notice the coincidence.

Friday iPod Random 10:

1. Que Si Que No (Funiculi Funicula) by The Gipsy Kings
2. Over My Head (Cable Car) by The Fray
3. Jessie's Girl by Rick Springfield
4. The Wind Cries Mary by Jimi Hendrix
5. Just Another Movie by Timbuk 3
6. Colin Opens His Eyes (The Secret Garden) by Zbigniew Preisner
7. Rocket Man by Elton John
8. Live-In Skin by The Foo Fighters
9. Love Over Gold (Live) by Dire Straits
10. Shape of My Heart by Sting

Lots of (parenthetical) songs this week. Number 10 is just the salt in the wound. ::sigh::

Ten on Tuesday: 10 Things You Think People Don't Like About You

1. I use sarcasm as a primary form of communication.
You mean everybody doesn't adore me?

2. I alternate between needy and dismissive with alacrity.
NB every relationship of significance in my life

3. I make you feel dumb by explaining something pedantic.
If only you knew that I feel dumber afterwards than you

4. I hold grudges.
It's true

5. My hair looks stupid.
If I don't like it, why should anyone else

6. I don't tell the truth.
Even when I'm telling the truth

7. I wear my scars as badges.
Buy a fucking crutch and move on

8. I don't keep the garden weeded.
At least I'm no worse for the property values than the stripper who used to live here

9. I don't smile.
That's just the way my face is shaped. Honestly.

10. I don't do my share.
That's true too

Friday iPod Random 10:

1. I Wan'na Be Like You by Louie Prima & Phil Harris (The Jungle Book soundtrack)
2. Cold by Static-X
3. Darker Side by Jonny Lang
4. Nobody's GIrl by Michelle Wright
5. I Like It by The Blackout Allstars
6. Have a Little Faith in Me by John Hiatt
7. Spanish Dance, Op. 26 No. 8 by Sarasate performed by Itzhak Perlman (violin) and Samuel Sanders (piano)
8. Anything But Ordinary by Avril Lavigne
9. Museum Fight by Michael Kamen (X-Men score)
10. Life's a Long Song by Jethro Tull

Ten on Tuesday presents: 10 Favorite Buildings

1. The British Museum
2. Animal Kingdom Lodge at WDW
3. York Minster
4. Ste. Chapelle
5. The Virginia
6. Home of Gourmet when it was Home of Gourmet. It still feels like home, though.
7. Neuschwanstein Castle
8. The Great Pyramid. Okay, so I've never seen it in person. But someday I will.
9. Barnes & Noble. Any of them. I used to prefer the layout of Borders, but no longer.
10. The Haunted Mansion. I probably should have made that number 1. Tee hee.

I find it rather depressing that I can't think of a single house I have lived in that makes the list. Then again we're talking favorites rather than most comfortable, but I can't help but feel there must be a little of the latter to have the former. I don't know what makes a house feel best to me. I guess I'm still defining "home".

In other news, I've had strep throat twice in three weeks. I assume it's actually the same case of strep that presented first on the right tonsil and then later on the left, but who knows. I feel so special. And pukey. Except that would hurt a lot. Let's stick with special.

I've been out of work the last few weeks with strep, so here is the long-awaited (ha) return of the

Friday Random iPod 10
1. The Steve Miller Band - Stuck in the Middle with You
2. Queen - Crazy Little Thing Called Love
3. Will Smith - Yes Yes Y'All
4. Buffy the Vampire Slayer Cast - I've Got a Theory
5. Toby Keith - Gimme 8 Seconds
6. HIM - Beyond Redemption
7. Jeff Buckley - New Year's Prayer
8. Marilyn Manson - Burning Flag
9. Wham! - Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go
10. Kronos Quartet/Philip Glass - The Crypt (from Dracula)

What's with all the carrots? What do they need such good eyesight for anyway? Bunnies! Bunnies! It must be bunnies!

My married name:

HowManyOfMe.com

There is: 1 person with my name in the U.S.A. How many have your name?

vs.

my maiden name:

HowManyOfMe.com

There are: 3,223 people with my name in the U.S.A. How many have your name?

Not a big shock, that.

Ten on Tuesday posits:

10 Things You Do Well
1) Nap
2) Unexpected generosity
3) Breakfast
4) Lose my keys/watch/remote control
5) Drabbles
6) Excel spreadsheets
7) Research
8) Obsession (currrently: Numb3rs, obtaining a Nintendo Wii)
9) Rearrange furniture
10) Accumulate books

For the next five seconds, I will be accepting nominations for the Congregation for the Select Few Assassin Zoo Keepers.

That is all.

A meme from Jenn:

♥JANUARY♥

1. Who kissed you on new years?
At midnight? No one. Wow, we're boring.

2. Did you have a new year's resolution this year?
Something about finding a new job. Little did I know...

3. Does it snow where you live?
Presumably. But I'm hoping it will be better than that damned Lake Effect Snow we got in the Land of the Irish.

4. Do you like hot chocolate?
Depends on the brand/method of making, but in general yes. I love it with Cool Whip on top.

5. Have you ever been to Times Square to watch the ball drop?
I've never been to NYC, though now that Alora is there perhaps we will actually do the tourist thing. Then again, she'll probably be moving soon. Never mind.

♥FEBRUARY♥

1. Who was your Valentine?
Mr "I Guess After 12 Years of Marriage I Better Start 'Believing' In Valentine's Day" G

2. When you were little did you buy Valentine's for the whole class?
Sure. I still love those boxes of valentines, though some are rather disturbing. Desperate Housewives valentines for the K-5 set?

3. Do you care if the groundhog sees its shadow or not?
If the groundhog wants to see his shadow, I will support him in his efforts.

♥MARCH♥

1. Are you Irish?
Perhaps a little, but probably more Welsh.

2. Do you wear green on St. Patty's Day?
Not intentionally.

3. What did you do for St. Patty's Day in 2007?
Worked?

4. Are you happy when winter is pretty much over?
Oh meme writer, you didn't try very hard on this one did you?

♥APRIL♥

1. Do you like the rain?
Not particularly.

2. Did you play an April fool's joke on anyone this year?
No. I don't care for them.

3. Do you get tons of candy on Easter?
I buy tons of candy at Easter. I adore those small Cadbury milk chocolate eggs with the hard shells. And chocolate-covered marshmallow rabbits. And just about any chocolate rabbit. Bunnies, bunnies, it must be bunnies!

4. Do you celebrate 4/20?
No in re the siege of Boston, Pot Day, Columbine, and the birth of Adolph Hitler, though the feast of St. Agnes of Montepulciano sounds like fun.

5. Do you love the month of April?
That's what I tell April, but I'm really having an affair with September.

♥MAY♥

1. What is your favorite flower?
Tulips, the more oddball the colors the better. Carnations, ditto. Daisies, because they are so wonderfully in your face and happy about it. Glads and orchids, because variety is fun. Basically, I like most flowers.

2. Do you like the spring?
It has its moments.

3. Finish the phrase "April showers":
Pumpkin pie

4. Do you celebrate May 16th: National Piercing Day?
With fireworks and tinfoil.

5. Is there anything special about May to you?
Unfortunately, yes.

♥JUNE♥

1. What year did/will you graduate from high school?
1992

2. Are you doing anything fun during this month?
I moved from the Land of the Irish to the Land of Nod. Hilarity abounds!

3. Have a favorite baseball team?
I'll watch just about anybody play. My only favorite teams are in hockey.

♥JULY♥

1. What will you do on the Fourth of July?
Feed the dogs Prozac to lessen the chances of heart failure while the fireworks go off. And maybe finish painting a bookcase.

2. Are you going on any vacations during this month?
I can't take vacation or sick time until after my first 90 days at work. I've worked two days thus far. So that would be a no.

3. Do you blast the A/C all day?
At home, we keep things cool for the kids. At work, there is no temperature control so it is hot, hot, hot!

♥AUGUST♥

1. Are you doing anything special at the end of your summer?
Ritual slaying of a carrot, and possibly a weekend trip to St. Louis.

2. What was your favorite summer memory of '06?
I can't remember what happened last week, much less last summer. If it was important, I might have a postcard or journal marking the event.

3. Did you have a sunburn?
Unlikely. I burn and then turn pale again.

4. Did you go to the pool a lot?
I wish I had gone to Dawn's house and spent some time with her and the boys in their pool. Oh well.

♥SEPTEMBER♥

1. Will you be attending college/school?
Yes. A girl can never have too many Master's degrees.

2. Who was your favorite teacher?
Mike O'Donnell, late of the Azores, sometimes of Michigan, and now basking somewhere in Italy. Humanities teacher extraordinaire and a much-needed role model on how to be a functional human being.

3. Do you like fall better than summer?
Oui.

♥OCTOBER♥

1. What was your last Halloween costume?
Tigger, courtesy of Ms J.

2. What is your favorite candy?
Candy pumpkins for Halloween, Milky Ways in the trick or treat bag, Cadbury's Dairy Milk hidden in the cupboard so no one else will eat it, and Ritter Sport Butter Biscuit for special occasions (because no matter how hard I try, I eat the whole damn thing in one sitting).

3. Who's birthday is during this month?
That's whose. And it's mine.

4.Whats was your favorite thing about this month?
Presents! Presents for me! From, you know, the two people in the universe who still love me and bother to send presents. Christ, I'm pathetic.

♥NOVEMBER♥

1. Whose house do you go to for Thanksgiving?
Dad's or Ryan's depending on the year, generally. This year, however, I am hosting Thanksgiving for the first time since grad school, when the invitation list got so small that the remaining guest dumped us for a more happening crowd. I sense a recurring theme here.

2. Did you know GoofyAuctions.com was started this month in 2005?
Assuming that you are telling the truth, I know it now!

3. What are you thankful for?
Mr G who puts up with a lot of crap for very little benefit, my family who loves me even if they don't understand me, kittens, chocolate, teddy bears, and whirlpool tubs.

4. Do you love stuffing?
Yes, but don't tell April or September.

♥DECEMBER♥

1. Do you celebrate Christmas?
Yes, but my expectations are always too high.

2. What is December 1st, 2007?
Stanford vs. California?

3. have you ever been kissed under the mistletoe?
Alas, no. We don't keep mistletoe around, as can be toxic to the critters.

4. Get anything special last year?
Undoubtedly.

5. What do you want this year?
Self esteem. And a laptop.

6. Do you like cold weather?
It's better than the alternative. Usually.

This week's Ten for Tuesday: 10 of your favorite things, with photos

1) Chocolate animals

2) Quirky independent bookstores

3) Coffee mugs that think outside the ceramic box

It's Ten on Tuesday!

This week: 10 Favorite Movies From Your Childhood

With a cut-off around 16 years of age:

1. The Abyss
2. Annie
3. Bedknobs & Broomsticks
4. Beetlejuice
5. Footloose
6. The Goonies
7. House of Dark Shadows
8. Raiders of the Lost Ark
9. The Sound of Music
10. Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back

It's Ten on Tuesday, and this was a hard one since I have the long-term memory of a gnat.

10 Nicest Things That People Have Done For You:

1. Dawn crocheted me a lion so I would have someone to hug.

2. Mr G didn't leave. Frequently.

3. Nathan sends small gifts, just because.

4. Jenn forgave me for being a pretty crappy sister. To be fair, I've never been good with kids.

5. John won a stuffed animal whose species I can't even recall (because it was a made-up one) from a radio station by writing a very silly letter about how he deserved to win it more than anyone else so he could give it to me.

6. Jen has never once made me feel like I don't deserve her friendship, even when I don't. Plus, she said nice things about my drabbles.

7. Mike let me know that I was an okay kid even if I didn't fit my parents' mold, but still called me on it when I wasn't acting my age.

8. Mimi gave a lot of free food, advice, and kept me on despite the fact that I was a rather surly waitress.

9. Compton offered to adopt me if I ever needed it.

10. Shelly went with me to the "clinic" and stayed with me the entire day when I repeatedly refused to voluntarily commit myself, and never made me feel awkward about it afterwards.

I need a nap.

It's Ten on Tuesday! This week:

Ten Countries You'd Like to Visit

1) Germany -- Mr G needs to see Germany at Christmas time. We can even make a pilgrimage to the scenes of my childhood.

2) Egypt -- I want to see the Great Pyramids before they are closed to tourists for good.

3) United Kingdom -- I've spent so much time there it practically feels like home. If they didn't have those pesky quarantine laws, I would move there.

4) Italy -- I adored Venice, but I know it won't even compare to Florence and Rome.

5) Netherlands -- Wooden shoes and tulips. Oh, I love being a tourist.

6) Turkey (specifically, Istanbul) -- The giant dome of Hagia Sophia calls to me.

7) Russia (specifically, Moscow) -- Somehow, I don't think there will be anything for us to eat. Oh well. More Byzantine-type architecture to ogle.

8) Bermuda -- Sue me, I'd like to just go lie on a beach someday.

9) India -- Sure I want to see all the pretty things, but mostly it's about the food.

10) Epcot's International Pavilion -- My favorite foreign country. :)

Yesterday was a bit busy. So it's Ten on Tuesday... on Wednesday.

10 Things You Will Never Do Again

1. Trust my dear mother.
2. Tequila shots. Anything else, but not tequila.
3. Travel without my own blanket, if I don't have to. I'm weird that way.
4. Eat beef.
5. Look underneath the bed at a hotel. Ick.
6. Fly across the Atlantic in a military troop carrier with jury-rigged seats and my feet directly on one of the hinges of the loading ramp.
7. Live in a town without a decent bookstore (this is a COLLEGE town, for crying out loud!).
8. Work on my dissertation (take THAT, do-gooders).
9. Buy anything less than an XL in a t-shirt.
10. Go hungry again (thank you Scarlett O'Hara).

It's 10 on Tuesday, after a hiatus last week (13 year wedding anniversary yay! Suckerific week boo!). Alas, I don't care much for this week's topic so here's one from the archives:

Ten Favorite Movies to Quote:

1) Galaxy Quest:
-- "It's a rock monster. It doesn't HAVE motivation."
and
-- "Whoever wrote this episode should die!"

2) Ghostbusters: "Human sacrifice, dogs and cats living together, mass hysteria!"

3) The Big Sleep:
-- "You go too far, Marlowe."
-- "Those are harsh words to throw at a man, especially when he's walking out of your bedroom."

4) How to Steal a Million:
-- "Well, it was pitch dark and there he was. Tall, blue eyes, slim, quite good-looking... in a brutal, mean way, Papa. A terrible man!"
-- "This tall, good-looking ruffian with blue eyes, he didn't molest you in any way, did he? ... Well, did he?"
-- "Not much."

5) Support Your Local Sheriff:
-- "This [dented badge] must have saved the life of whoever was wearing it."
-- "Well, it sure would have if it hadn't been for all them other bullets flying in from everywhere."

6) Airplane!:
-- "Looks like I picked the wrong week to quit sniffing glue."

7) The Mummy:
-- "Look, I may not be an explorer, or an adventurer, or a treasure-seeker, or a gunfighter, Mr. O'Connell, but I am proud of what I am... a librarian!"

8) Practical Magic:
-- "Louis L'Amour, by the way, was not a foreigner! He was from North Dakota, you asshole!"

9) The Hunt for Red October:
-- "Listen I'm a politician, which means I'm a cheat and a liar, and when I'm not kissing babies I'm stealing their lollipops."

10) The Shawshank Redemption:
-- "The Count of Monte Crisco... by Alexandree Dumbass. Dumbass!"
-- "Dumbass? 'Dumas.' You know what that's about? You'll like it, it's about a prison break."
-- "We ought to file that under 'Educational' too, oughten we?"

Happy Tuesday, all.

The regular Ten on Tuesday is still blathering about work, so here's another golden oldie: ten good books that you've read (recently or not)

1. A Dirty Job by Christopher Moore -- A tale of a man who becomes Death... but not quite in the way he thinks. Technically I'm not finished with this one, but with only 20 pages to go Moore would really have to screw up to pop my happiness balloon. I haven't laughed quite so much in ages. So barring mass destruction of puppies and kitties on the horizon, this is a treat.

2. The Cult of Personality: How Personality Tests Are Leading Us to Miseducate Our Children, Mismanage Our Companies, and Misunderstand Ourselves by Annie Murphy Paul -- Not nearly alarmist as it sounds, it's really a quite interesting history of the various types of personality tests used professionally and personally today. I love personality tests, so this was fascinating.

3. Some Buried Caesar by Rex Stout -- Probably my favorite of the Nero Wolfe mysteries, not only because it introduces the woman I always wanted to be when I grew up, Lily Rowan. I reread it, and the rest of the series, quite a bit.

4. Braniac by Ken Jennings -- Upon reflection, I can't tell you a damned thing about this book other than that it is by the guy who won so much money on Jeopardy and there are lots of neat tidbits of trivia in it. And yet I remember I was surprised at how well Jennings can write, and I loved it.

5. 1602 by Neil Gaiman -- What if Marvel superheroes lived in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries? I probably would have enjoyed this even more if it had been about DC characters, as I'm rather shaky on the Marvelverse, but nonetheless this was fascinating. Not nearly as dark as I was expecting from Gaiman, but still really good. I hope he continues the series.

6. Mistress of the Art of Death by Ariana Franklin -- I tend not to read historical mysteries, particularly medieval ones, because I am constantly distracted by what I know of the period. However, this story sucked me right in and I'm glad I gave it a shot. I believe it is Franklin's first book, so I will have to keep an eye out for her next. Addendum: It turns out, as Amazon notes, Franklin is "the pseudonym of a veteran historical fiction writer."

7. Livin' La Vida Dorka by John Kovalic -- We have a couple of the Dork Tower comic strip collections at home, but don't collect them the way we would if they weren't so role-playing gamer heavy. Nonetheless, the ISU library has a fine collection of graphic novels and I picked up this one last week to pass the time while I was working the circulation desk. I forgot how much I love Dork Tower.

8. Pop Culture Crossword Puzzles by Trip Payne -- Not really a book, I guess. But I still enjoyed the heck out of it. If you saw the fascinating (to dorks like me) movie about crossword puzzle tournaments "Wordplay" then you will probably remember author Trip Payne.

9. Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers by Mary Roach -- Much better than her second book, "Stiff" is enough to make you reconsider donating your body to science (unless you want to be a practice dummy for budding plastic surgeons). Fascinating stuff.

10. The perfect "haunted house" book -- I'm still looking for it, though The Haunting of Hill House comes close.

10 Cities You Could Live In (for a month, for a year...if you couldn't live in your own)

1. London, UK - Dirty, terrible to drive in, and I adore it.

2. Paris, France - Even dirtier, terribly rude people, and I adore it.

3. San Francisco, CA - Not that I could ever afford it, but what a great city.

4. Frankfurt, Germany - Not as gloomy as Berlin, and close enough to some of the best sightseeing in Europe.

5. Boulder, CO - Okay, I've never been there. But I've almost moved there. Twice.

6. Someplace close to Orlando, FL - I'm obsessed.

7. Edinburgh, Scotland - These definitely aren't ranked in order, because Edinburgh is an absolute favorite. I don't even mind the constant rain.

8. Verona, Italy - Close enough to Venice (because nobody wants to live IN Venice), touristy enough that there are plenty of ex-pats.

9. Cambridge, UK - A perfectly liveable, beautiful area with plenty of things to do and see, without the hubbub you might think.

10. Someplace in the Pacific Northwest. I haven't been there yet, but every time we think about moving, it's one of the first places I look.

Load iTunes, hit Random, list the first 5:

1. Rihanna - Pon de Replay
2. Marilyn Manson - In the Shadow of the Valley of Death
3. Nancy Wilson - Satin Doll
4. Robert Plant & Justin Adams - Win My Train Fare Home
5. Robert Cray - Do That For Me

Pop, um... Goth?, Jazz, Blues, Blues. #6 was Country.

It's still Tuesday somewhere. Maybe.

10 Things You Do When You Have Nothing Else To Do

1. Play Civilization II on the computer. My #1 time waster.

2. Sleep. I'm trying to do less of it (napping, I mean. I'd like to do more sleeping during "regular" sleeping hours). But I do love a good nap.

3. Crossword puzzles. They're particularly useful for avoidance of things that must be done, so maybe they don't belong on this list. But I'm actually getting to the point where I know the names of specific puzzle writers, so I'm certifiably an addict.

4. Color. I love to color, though I haven't done it in ages.

5. Cook. It used to be less of a chore than it seems now, but I do enjoy pulling out the cookbooks when I have nothing else claiming my time.

6. Read cookbooks. Heh.

7. Read, in general. Working in a library combined with a job that is far less stressful mentally has really left me a lot more time to read, and I love it.

8. Arrange, add, and delete music on my iPod. I love making playlists. I'll be glad when our computer can burn CDs again AND when we have a printer again so I can print labels/CD inserts.

9. Watch DVDs. Actually, I don't watch so much as listen to in the background as I do just about anything. If it weren't 4 in the morning, I'd have one on right now.

10. Write personal emails with Too Much Information that invariable scare, piss off, or otherwise freak out the recipients. Oh wait, this isn't "Things You Do When You're Bipolar".

10a. Clean. It's a last resort. I generally do it best first thing in the morning on a weekend, when I'm too tired to resent it.

Happy week, all.

10 Things You've Been Putting Off

1. Putting away the last of the books from the move
2. Having a rational and persuasive discussion with Mr G about dropping the price on the South Bend house so as to entice a buyer
3. Dropping the price on the South Bend house
4. The inevitable crushing heartache of making new friends
5. Updating my mood chart (it's a bipolar thing)
6. Starting the novel that's moved into my head
7. Steam cleaning the living room carpet
8. Paring down my wish list to reasonable levels
9. Hauling the boxes to the attic
10. Being practical

Ten on Tuesday is having technical difficulties, so based on my dream last night that I won $500, what would I spend it on (putting it in savings does not a 10 item list make!):

1. A beading class at the local bead shop ($30)
2. The new Dick Francis hardcover ($17)
3. Lilo & Stitch on DVD ($20)
4. A Life is Good longsleeve ($25)
5. The New York Times Crossword Answer Book ($4.00 used)
6. Dance Dance Revolution for the Wii ($70)
7. Harvey Birdman vol 3 on DVD ($24)
8. Deskjet color printer with inkjet print cartridges ($253)
9. Rubber ducky shower curtain ($22)
10. Queen Amidala Halloween costume ($35)

Whew! Digital window shopping is exhausting!

This week's 10: Words to Describe You

Easily 1) amused, 2) disappointed, & 3) worried, fairly 4) antisocial, 5) mercurial & 6) well-intentioned, unabashedly 7) punny, 8) chocoholic, 9) window shopaholic, & 10) loveaholic (a polite way of saying needy).