88 posts tagged “qotd”

Today is Name Your Poison Day. So make a decision and tell us: what's your poison?

Scorpion venom.

Top that, mofos.

Tail-ed and Dangerous, Crush to Kill

4 comments

Are you worried about a swine flu pandemic?

Nope, but I'm staying aware of the situation. I even agreed with my friend who is headed to Puerto Vallarta to stick with his vacation plans because there have been no reported cases - and isn't having the beach all to yourself a good thing?

Thanks, Vox, for helping foster the hysteria. 'Cuz ya know, widespread panic and fear is just what the world needs more of these days. 

What is your biggest ecological or environmental concern? What are you doing to make a difference?
Sponsored by One Million Acts of Green brought to you by Cisco.

My most pressing environmental concern currently is the pressure on my chest. Hooray for High Pollution Advisory Days(tm)!

Not.

So it's going to be an Asthma Inhaler Day for the Amester. We all know how well that usually goes. *spinny eyes*

Instead of turning to meds, I'd rather have clean air to breathe. I'm doing things myself to make a difference, but it will take a lot of people to change their behaviors to make an impactful difference.

Which brings me to an article in the New York Times about scientists undertaking behavioral research for the sake of environmental changes. Their premise is - if climate change is caused by human behavior, then a shift in human behavior will be the best way to solve it. Sounds fair, but how do you get all of us to change our thinking patterns and priorities? That's what they are looking into.

You'll have to read it yourself for more information. I need to go find my inhaler. *wheeze*

What would your best friend say makes you great? What about your parents or siblings?
Sponsored by Nature Made.

I'm not sure what anyone is saying good about me, but my nieces are worried about me correcting their grammar the WHOLE TIME they are here. I told them before, "Do you want to sound smart or do you want to sound stupid?"

"We don't want to sound stupid, Aunt Amy." Fine, then.

The youngest already mentioned to MomH that they'll need to buy junk food to bring with them because I told her at Christmas that I don't have any in my house. (I do have a few boxes of GS cookies now, though).

Heck, I don't even have food in my house. I wonder if they'll notice I have 10+ bottles of wine and an assortment beer in my fridge. Hmmm. I was going to buy groceries but MomH said we'll do that together when they get here.

MomH also told them there would be no fast food. They can get McDonald's at home.

It's going to be like living in a gulag, I'm sure. Poor things.

From childhood 'til now... What's the best Christmas present you've ever received?

Hands down, my saxophone. The one I still play to this day.

When I started band in the 6th grade, I played on a $100 used saxophone that a cousin had played many years before that. Why spend a lot of money on an instrument if a kid decides he/she doesn't want to keep going, right?

Fast forward to my sophomore year in HS, four years later and I'm still playing. I'm scoring decent marks at the District and State Solo & Ensemble competitions as well. All my friends are in band and it's a big part of my life.

One day, while I was practicing in my room, MomH comes in and takes a look at my horn and its shabby case.

Not being one who knows ANYTHING about music, she remarked, "Yeah, that's kind of old and beat up, isn't it?"

I was a little confused, because I never said anything about my horn and it seemed a little odd coming right out of the blue like that.

Christmas comes and there under the tree at my grandparents' house: A brand new Yamaha alto sax. I couldn't believe it. It was my present for that Christmas, my birthday, and a few holidays after that.

Both horns went with me to college, the old horn attending every home football and hockey game (and some away) at Michigan State, the 'new' horn going to the basketball games and playing other gigs around campus. Again, all my friends are in band and it's the biggest part of my college experience.

A few years ago, a non-profit in town was doing a musical instrument drive for low-income schools. With a little bit of sentimental sadness, I donated my trusty old horn in the hopes that another child will find as much joy and as many great opportunities just as I had.

Maybe that old sax is someone else's best Christmas present ever.

What's the strangest thing you've ever found in the street?

I may have mentioned this before, as it has been a puzzlement to me for some time. Every so often I see one lone shoe by the side of the road. I find this slightly disturbing, even more so when I see one lone shoe on the side of a busy urban freeway.

Whose shoe is that? How did it get there? How does someone lose one shoe - especially when driving down the road?

Strange sights indeed.

Today is the ceremonial kick-off for the online holiday shopping season. Planning on buying anything today? What good deals have you found?

Over my lunch hour, I bought DadH his annual gift of super warm socks and gloves from REI.com. Today's the last day of the Winter Sale and there were lots of high-tech warm socks on sale. Yay! 

I called him to check his shoe size and he said he's wearing last year's socks right now, on his way out to the barn. MomH told me that everytime he puts on those socks, he happily says, "These are the socks Amy bought me." Then he goes on about how warm they are, how well they fit and how they are nice and padded in all the right places.

Before anyone reminds me that online shopping doesn't contribute to local sales tax revenues which in turn fund programs and services in my community, I'll add that when these arrive at my Tempe store for pickup (free shipping!), I'll make a few more purchases of things I need to get anyway.

This will be my only online purchase of the season. I'll be buying the rest of my gifts from the Heard Museum gift shop, Changing Hands bookstore and other local establishments.  

What are your favorite Thanksgiving traditions? Anything you're not so fond of?

Favorite:

Baking pies for the annual Arizona Geographical Orphan Thanksgiving Dinner and DrunkFest and spending the day with my wonderful and crazy friends. Some are wonderful and crazy, some are just crazy.

Not Favorite:

Being home in Michigan and driving to Grand Rapids to spend Thanksgiving with the religious conservative relatives. Not nearly as fun and crazy *cough* as my Arizona Thanksgiving, but we always end up with good stories. Mostly the H's try to behave and not say anything that will set off Cousin Stacy.

Favorite Thanksgiving story: One of my Wisconsin cousins married a gal who was then an atheist (now she goes to the same liberal denomination as I do). Cousin Stacy (who twice went to Israel to try and convert Jews into Baptists), drew Atheist Cousin-in-Law's name for the cousin gift exchange.

CS: "I don't know ACiL. I don't even know what to get her."

My SIL (who doesn't follow the 'don't say anything to upset CS' rule): "Just don't get her anything Jesus!"

At that moment, both sides of the family got up and stampeded downstairs to watch the Lions game. Except for Brother Steve, who kept throwing on a little more wood to the fire to keep those two going at each other for his own entertainment purposes. 

While walking in a winter wonderland can be fun in theory, it makes shopping a big of a drag. Do you plan on doing your holiday shopping online or in-stores this season? Why?
Sponsored by Best Buy.

My winter wonderland looks exactly the same as my summer swelterland. The only difference is the temperature, which is pleasant during the holidays. But it does make for a drag and it's hard to get into the holiday spirit, especially for a snow girl like me. The lights on the saguaro cacti and mesquite trees are pretty at night and all, but it doesn't cut it.

As for gifts, I'll take a look through my gift box and see if I'm missing anyone. If I am, then I'll probably do my usual REI Outlet.com and buy the family some nice winter gear. I have to get DadH his fancy mountain trekking socks. He's never been so happy with a gift since I bought him a stovetop popcorn popping pan many years ago. And MomH doesn't have to listen to him complain about how cold his feet are every time he comes back inside. It's a gift for everyone!

What gifts, big or small, are you hoping to find under your tree this year?
Sponsored by Best Buy.

I asked for lights for my bicycle so I can get started on a morning ride before the sun comes up. MomH was a bit perplexed but I assured her they should be easy to find in a sporting goods store or any place that sells bikes.

Now I'm looking forward to seeing what I'll actually get. Things often get lost in translation between here and there.

Other than that, I can't possibly think of anything I want my family to buy for me. To me it's all about being home with everyone.

And cookies. Lots and lots of cookies. And nuts and cheese and popcorn...yum...

Bottom line on gifts: if I can make it out of there without large/heavy/sharp/breakable objects, it's all good. There have been years where I've had to ship gifts back to Arizona by UPS because I couldn't or wouldn't pack them in my luggage.