Loose Ends

While I was on my blogging writer's strike, I was tagged twice. I wouldn't want to lose those two readers since little to no writing produces few readers, so I will respond.

I was tagged first by Tara at Periwinkles and Pines back in November for the Eight Things Meme. I actually did this meme last June, but I bet I can think of a few more things.

1. I had my first child when I was 34.

2. My husband delivered my second child on the way to the hospital.

3. I rarely wear any jewelry, including my wedding ring.

4. I don't like to be late - ever. I don't like it when others are late.

5. Though I can sew, knit, and cook well, no one would ever confuse me for the June Cleaver sort.

6. If I've read the book, I will never watch the movie, even if I thought the book was written like a screen play.

7. I dance around the house whenever music is playing, even though doing so has sent me to the ER twice. My children like when I play Ballet Maid, but my husband laughs and says he won't take me to the hospital again. I don't believe him so I just keep dancing.

8. I'm still addicted to Tab.

I was tagged my, my NaBloPoMo friend, m~ ,with this rank increasing meme. Maybe this will increase my sagging readership.

Tag 5 other bloggers and just keep adding on to the list. (Do not replace, just keep on adding! Yes we hope it will be a long list!)It’s real easy! Tag others and see your Technorati Authority increase exponentially! The benefits of Viral Linking:
- One of the fastest ways to see your technorati authority explode!
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The Strategist Notebook
Link Addiction
Ardour of the Heart
When Life Becomes a Book
The Malaysian Life
Yogatta.com
What goes under the sun
Roshidan’s Cyber Station
Sasha says
Arts of Physics
And the legend lives
My View, My Life
A Simple Life
What Women REALLY Think
Not Much More Than This life in the lost world,
the suburban farmer
Twice Bloomed Wisteria
You're next!
Now, add/tag 5 of your friends

Don't you want to give it a try?

8 Things

I was tagged by Angela for the 8 Things Meme. She tagged me last week which leads me to NUMBER ONE.

1. I am a procrastinator of the worst sort. I will put off any task until the very last minute then make myself sick worrying whether it will get done on time. I rarely fail, but I don't want my children to learn this terrible way of doing things, so I am trying to be better. But, it is difficult.

2. I was carried out into the Pacific Ocean in a rip-tide. I didn't panic. In fact, in a picture that was taken of my brother and me a little after we arrived ashore nearly a mile down the beach I look downright happy. So does my brother. We obviously thought the whole experience was a great adventure.

3. I've had lots of different jobs in my life including, but not limited to, real estate agent, teacher, veterinary surgical assistant, caterer, and purchasing agent for a hardware store.

4. I have hiked on the Appalachian Trail (GA, TN, NC), The Pacific Crest Trail(WA), The Ice Age Trail(WI), and The Continental Divide Trail (MT) but have never finished any of them. I took Pink Panther on the AT when he was 4 months old, 16 months, and again when he was 6. I took Princess when she was 2. I think they should be able to carry themselves now, so I am planning to hike some more soon.

5. Despite my obsession with natural foods, I will still drink a TAB anytime there is one available. I know Tab is a disgusting can of chemicals, but I have been hopelessly addicted since the first time I drank one to prove I could down the vile tasting beverage when I was 10.

6. I was called a double name until I left for Chicago, at which point I tried to lose it.

7. I had a turkey sandwich almost everyday for lunch for five years.

8. I twirled a rifle in a marching band when I was in high school. I only knocked myself out twice. I can still do a decent job with a broom or bean pole - at least enough to impress my children.

Play along if you like!! I think most of you have been tagged or cannot stand doing memes. Did you participate Z?

Scattergories

Frankie at Kitchen Table Learners tagged me for this meme a few days ago. I know it has taken a while to make it here, but here it is. Angela, I'll get to yours today, as well.

The idea with this meme is to play Scattergories with the first letter of your name and these categories. Who wants to play? It is more difficult than it first appears.

1. Famous Singer/Band: Aretha Franklin

2. 4 letter word: Acme

3. Street: Abundance Street

4. Color: Azure

5. Gifts/Presents: Apples

6. Vehicle: Audi

7. Things in a Souvenir Shop: Art

8. Boy Name: Albert

9. Girl Name: Angela

10. Movie Title: As Good As It Gets

11. Drink: Amaretto

12. Occupation: Accountant

13. Celebrity: Alice Cooper

14. Magazine: Allure

15. U.S. City: Atlanta

16. Pro Sports Teams: Anaheim Angels

18. Reason for Being Late for Work: Alarm didn't ring.

19. Something You Throw Away: Ashes

20. Things You Shout: Abracadabra

21. Cartoon Character: Atom Ant

Tipping Point Meme

I'm not tagging anyone, so you can relax and enjoy the post. I saw this environmentally friendly meme at Poppins Classical Academy sometime in November and I thought it would be a great evaluation of sorts (I couldn't find a way to link directly to the meme but if you want to see hers, go to the Archive that includes November 19, 2006).

Three things I'm happy to be doing now

• Driving a fuel efficient car
• Choosing purchased food carefully to provide a healthier diet for my family, while not supporting industrialized food products like High Fructose Corn Syrup, and petroleum based preservatives.
  
• Providing pesticide free, hormone free, antibiotic free, naturally grown eggs, chicken, vegetables, fruit, and beef for my family and many others
  

Three things I want to do starting now

• Run my car exclusively on vegetable oil
• Start a local recycling movement so it is easier to recycle glass and plastic
  
• Grow more of what we eat

Three things I want to do someday

• Rely exclusively on solar electricity for our farm (My husband and I are working on this now. TVA says we are the only ones in this power sector who want to hook up an inverter. I like being first!!!!).
• Live smaller. I want to purge my family of clutter and have only the things we truly love and truly need.
  
• Get and use an Oatsmobile for local errands.
• I know this is 4, but I want a Jersey so I can have preservative free milk. I want to make cheese!!!!, though it has nothing to do with our sustainability plan.
  

Where is your Tipping Point?

Back from blogger hibernation

My life was out of control so I had to put something aside! Blogging was that thing. I am the free labor for my husband's bull sale, The Heart of Mississippi. I produced all the ads, mailers, and the 46 page catalog, wrote the computer software to run the sale, ran the office during the sale , and reconciled the sale and produced seller's checks. In addition to all this I still worked my other jobs, taught the children, and prepared meals. I'm exhausted! Life should go back to normal soon.

I know ya'll didn't want to hear all that!

I have been tagged by Griffin at Wheel Revolution, so I decided to come out of hiding. The task at hand is to confide six weird things about myself, then find six other people who will confide six weird things about themselves. I thought at first that the task was impossible. I am sooooo normal and sooo regular. I have no strange deformaties of the body and no cool, but somewhat strange skills like twitching ears and independently moving eyebrows. I, even, asked my husband and mother. They both said, immediately, that there is nothing normal about me. I guess that makes me really weird since I don't even realize I am strange. Here are a few of their suggestions:

• I have the concentration of a snapping turtle. Once I tackle an interesting or difficult task, I will not stop until it is finished - no matter what. I have to be careful with this one now that I have children because while I can go without food, bath, sleep, and . . . they cannot.
• I have read every (known to me) published word written by William Faulkner including letters, stories, and novels. I didn't do this for a grade at school. I was just curious and liked his work, except some of his whiney letters about finances.
• I can discern minute ingredients and flavors in food.
  
• I can visually rotate things in my mind so that I can see how they fit together. I have a few hang-ups about arrangements in homes so will mentally rearrange the cabinets, appliances, and furniture so they will fit my image of "correct." I will not move anything physically (how rude would that be). To take this further, I can see how mechanical things are made and I can pack the trunk so that all space is utilized and can do it on the first try.
  
• I have a high pain threshhold and a low tolerance of pain medication. I have had two root canals, reconstructive thumb surgery(had a beta block-local with a band to keep the local from entering my body) , two babies, and hundreds of stitches(I ran through a patio door) without the use of anesthesia. The doctors and dentists were very strange about it, but I persisted and they let me go without.
• I have saved by brother's life 3 times. I could hear him calling me even though he never yelled or had the chance to yell. By the way we are not twins.
  • I heard him after he was accidently locked in the freezer by one of his playmates. The mother of the playmate arrived and the playmate got distracted. I heard him calling even though I shouldn't have been able to hear him.
    
  • Then, when he was a little older he fell between a Six Flags' log ride log and the wall and I pulled him out before he was dragged down and away.
    
  • Finally, Dad let us jump out of the boat at a sandbar while he loaded the boat on a trailer. My brother's friend said he could swim and flailed himself out of the boat. Brother realized said friend couldn't swim and tried to save him. Friend pushed him under and I came from the shore to drag the friend and brother to safety just in the knick of time.

Do I win the weird prize?? Or can these unsuspecting victims do better? BTW, this was difficult because I have seen this meme done at many of the blogs I frequent and there are some who just don't want to be tagged. Becky at Farm School, Angela at Mother Crone's School, Mull-berry at One Jelly Donut (please), Frankie at Kitchen Table Learners and Doc at Doc's Sunrise Rants. If someone else wants to play, please feel free. Susan at Chicken Spaghetti, I didn't want you to have to sully your super polished children's book blog or I would have chosen you!