Way Behind on Saturday Six Memes

3 January 2009
Episode 247

1. Have you ever been asked to speak in front of an audience? If so, what was the occasion and how do you feel you did?

I don't believe I have been asked to speak in front of an audience. I wouldn't be able to do it anyway. I hate public and large-group speaking. I have enough trouble doing Orientation.

2. If you were asked to appear on David Letterman’s show, do you have a “Stupid Human Trick” you could perform?

Uh, no, I don't. And I would not so debase myself to do one, as well. There is no pride in being a stupid human, there are plenty of those around.

3. If you were asked to be in a circus, would you be more comfortable as a clown, a trapeze artist, a tightrope walker, a juggler, an animal trainer, or the ringmaster?

Hmmmm. I doubt I would work in a circus, for starters I haven't any skills in that area. No way could I do that.

4. Take the quiz: What Circus Act Should You Perform?


What's the most extreme sport you would consider trying?
Snowboarding
Skydiving
Rock climbing
Miniature golf
Bungee jumping


If you were to work in Hollywood, which job would be best suited for you?
Director
Rock star
Actor
Stuntman/stuntwoman
Comedian


You're spending an afternoon with your friends. What activity sounds like the most fun?
Going to the movies
Going for a hike
Going to an amusement park
Playing a board game
Going to a coffee shop


Do you like to take risks?
Absolutely, you live for risks
Somewhat
Only if you feel confident about the risk
Only small ones
Not at all


How do you feel about circuses?
You don't like the animal exploitation involved
You like any and all circuses
You like anything involving a clown... seriously!
They smell bad!
You like circuses like Cirque de Soleil

You Should Fly on a Trapeze
Some people may call you a daredevil. Others would call you an adrenaline junkie. But for you, it's not about the risk - it's all about the reward. You crave freedom. And flying on a trapeze is the closest you'll get to that freedom. The rush of doing something humans weren't born to do is amazing. And you're willing to put your life in danger to experience it.

5. How old were you the first time you visited a circus? How did you like it?


It was okay. I don't care much for clowns.

6. How often would you describe your real job as a “circus?” Do you think it seems to be getting more or less like a circus?

My real job has its weirdness and insanity, but it is most definitely not a circus. Not even close.

27 December 2008
Episode 246


1. How many members of your family not living with you did you see on Christmas Day?

Um, my two aunts, one uncle and two couisns and one cousin-in-law. This is all my mother's side of the family.

2. When spending time with family, how long after you arrive do you begin to feel “antsy” about being there too long?

I usually don't. But we are all older and this year we'd all dispersed by 2230. Luis gets bored long before I do.

3. Is your family more likely to have pleasant discussions or heated arguments during a big meal? Do you join in or quietly listen in?

Oh, yes, we are all big conversationalists and we all get involved in this or that conversation. We have a good time.

4. Take the quiz: How Do You Really Feel About Your Family?

Imagine you have moved into a new house, and you have selected a room that your family will congregate in. What color do you paint it?
Pink
Orange
Red
Yellow
Green
Blue
Purple

Imagine you are lost in a forest, and you are waiting on a rock for your family to find you. Finally, someone from your family arrives. What direction does this person come from?
North
East
South
West

Let's say you're getting the matriarch of your family a ring for her birthday. What color gemstone do you choose?
Yellow
Red
Blue
White
Purple
Black
Green
Orange

Imagine your family has moved into a new house. The door has an old fashioned knocker on it. What metal is it made of?
Gold
Copper
Iron
Silver

You Feel Humbled By Your Family
You get along with everyone in your family, and you tend to play the peacemaker. You can see issues from all sides. You feel like your family is prone to too many arguments and instability. You never feel like things can be completely peaceful. You've improved your family relationships through introspection. You always look at your own behavior first, and you've made changes to how you act. You get teased a lot by your family. You usually don't mind being the butt of jokes, but sometimes you feel picked on.

Note: That is completely inaccurate. While we have our own special brand of dysfunctionalness, we are not at all like the above.

5. Consider the family member whose views are most opposite of your own: If your friends or co-workers met the person, what single topic would probably be the source of the most embarrassment for you if your friends heard that person talking?

Yes, I never want my friends to hear Luis' father. Never, ever, ever. And his siblings are even more bizarre!

6. Did you get everything you wanted for Christmas? What one thing that you didn’t get would you like to have received?

I wanted a giant sheep that was in Bath & Body Works. Not to worry, it is on its way from a seller on ebay!

20 December 2008
Episode 245

1. On an average year, how many days before Christmas do you generally finish your Christmas shopping?

About one week prior is when I am all finished. My husband and our friend Tom have a tradition of shopping on the 23rd. Tom would shop on the 24th, too, but my tradition is that we visit my mother's side of the family on Christmas Eve. They are in Long Island, so there is no shopping on this night.

2. Is the economy making you spend any less on gifts this year, or are you spending about the same?

No, I spent the same if not slightly more as always. I am not really affected by this economic change yet. Give it time...

3. What part of the Christmas scene do you find the most chaotic? What part do you generally worry most about?

I don't worry about it as a whole. I hate when we have too many social engagements.

4. Take the quiz: What Movie is Your Christmas Most Like?

At Christmas, you family can best be described as:
Large and talkative
Totally crazy - with a bit of fighting and crying.
Supportive and caring
Hmmm... lame
Not around much
Nuts. Unpredictable. Outrageous every year.
Hmmm... your family doesn't really celebrate Christmas
Your friends - they're your like your family.
Nonexistant

Your favorite Christmas tradition is:
Taking time to reflect on your life and the meaning of Christmas.
Seeing Santa at the mall.
Helping out someone in need.
Sledding.
Whatever. Most Christmas stuff is over-rated.
Putting up a ton of Christmas lights.
Getting your whole family together.
Reading A Christmas Carol
You're not sure. You're still trying to figure out the meaning of it all.

On Christmas Eve, you:
Hardly even notice that it's Christmas Eve
Worry that Santa will be able to find your house
Get some last minute Christmas shopping done
Are up to your ears in family hijinks and drama
Can't sleep a wink
Preparing for your trip away from home
Spend time in the city checking out the lights
Hang out with your friends
Catch up with family you haven't seen all year

Who's your favorite Christmas character?
Rudolph
Frosty the Snowman
Jack Skellington
Mrs. Clause
The Grinch
One of Santa's elves
Santa
Ebenezer Scrooge
Chevy Chase

When did you stop believing in Santa Clause?
When you saw Santa at multiple malls in one day
You still believe in Santa
You never believed in Santa
When you were little - your older brother or sister told you
When someone mean made fun of you for believing in him
When your parents told you
You're not sure, but you still believe in the spirit of Christmas
You still believe in Santa... in a way
When he didn't get you what you wanted for Christmas

Your ideal Christmas tree...
Has tons of multi-colored blinking lights
Is bigger and brighter than any tree you've seen before
Is decorated with popcorn and cranberries
Has a ton of ornaments you remember from when you were a kid
Has a ton of candy canes
Makes good firewood
Has lots of classy crystal ornaments
Is funky and unique - maybe not even a tree at all
Is small and cute

Note: Large and talkative is not accurate - mine is a small family; but we are very talkative and none of the other listed answers apply.

Your Christmas is Most Like: A Very Brady Christmas
For you, it's all about sharing times with family. Even if you all get a bit cheesy at times.

5. What Christmas movie is your favorite? Which one is your least favorite?

How The Grinch Stole Christmas is good. There is probably something better but I can't think of it. I saw most of It's a Wonderful Life and though it was the absolutely worst movie ever. Oh, my gods.

6. What Christmas tradition from years past do you miss the most now?

Um, I guess the tradition I miss the most is when my grandparents had little white votive candles lit in small white bags lining the property along the street and the front walk. I have no idea what it meant, but I loved it all the same.

13 December 2008
Episode 244

1. Are you more picky about your own appearance, your car’s appearance, or your home’s appearance?

I would have to say out of those three choices, the house gets the most attention. I love my car, but as sexy as it is, I don't wash it. Someone who is really into his or her car will keep it immaculately clean. My appearance is fairly low on any list. I am all about comfort. I never wear fashionable clothing. I don't ever own or use cosmetics. I could care less about wearing fancy stuff. I just want to be comfortable. So the house wins.

2. When it comes to clothes, at what store do you spend the most on the clothes you wear?

Usually I buy clothing from Eddie Bauers, LL Bean or online establishments. I also find good things in the Hanes Outlet store in Wayne. I'm never going to wear designer clothes, certainly!

3. You are assigned a big project at work: how close to deadline do you generally complete it?

It depends on the project and the deadline, but right on it or about it. I'm much better about parsing big project into smaller pieces and chewing it a bit at a time.

4. Take the quiz: Are You a Perfectionist?

Being average at something is like failure for you.
Strongly agree
Agree
Not sure
Disagree
Strongly disagree

Your parents set unrealistically high standards for you when you were growing up.
Strongly agree
Agree
Not sure
Disagree
Strongly disagree

You are a neat freak and obsessed with organization.
Strongly agree
Agree
Not sure
Disagree
Strongly disagree

In public, you never let it show if you are upset, angry, or hurt. Saving face is important to you.
Strongly agree
Agree
Not sure
Disagree
Strongly disagree

Mistakes (even small ones) make you very upset.
Strongly agree
Agree
Not sure
Disagree
Strongly disagree

It's hard for your friends to live up to your standards. They often disappoint you.
Strongly agree
Agree
Not sure
Disagree
Strongly disagree

Even when your life should be going well, you can always find things that worry or bother you.
Strongly agree
Agree
Not sure
Disagree
Strongly disagree

You secretly feel inferior to other people. You can think of many people who are more attractive, more successful, and more popular than you.
Strongly agree
Agree
Not sure
Disagree
Strongly disagree

You want to be the best at everything.
Strongly agree
Agree
Not sure
Disagree
Strongly disagree

You second guess yourself constantly. You never feel like you are doing things "right."
Strongly agree
Agree
Not sure
Disagree
Strongly disagree

You Are 33% Perfectionist
Occasionally you have perfectionist tendencies, but overall you're pretty normal. You're sometimes hard on yourself, but you usually focus on what you're doing right!

5. After you finish something you are particularly proud of, a close friend makes a comment about an alternative way you could have done the same thing, and you realize that their idea is better. How are you most likely to respond, either to that person or on the inside?

I'd thank them. There's always a better way to do things, and I always take notes should I need to do it again. That is never a bad thing!

6. Which do you generally find the easier: finding fault in your own personality, or finding fault in the personalities of those closest to you?

It is always very easy to do both. I doubt I would be one to critisize others' personalities if I wasn't hardest on my own.

Last One Today
6 December 2008
Episode 243

1. How many stores did you visit on Black Friday? If you visited any, which one got the most of your money that day?

I did not visit a single store on Black Friday and never will. And especially after the Walmart incident on Long Island. No thank you...

2. How many store sites did you visit on Cyber Monday? If you visited any, which one got the most of your money on that day?

I don't remember now. I don't recall doing any shopping then. If I did, I'm sure I shopped on Amazon. That is one of my favourite places.

3. Are you closer to being finished with Christmas shopping this year versus last year, or are you further away from being finished?

I was finished Christmas shopping on the 27th. Sad to say, but there it is. I am usually more ahead of this nightmare than that.

4. Take the quiz: What kind of shopper are you?

When you go grocery shopping:
You stock up on anything that's on sale
You shop strictly from a list
You buy the same stuff more or less - and you shop at an upscale supermarket
You end up buying twice as much as you expected

Are you into brand names?
Yes, designer items are all you buy
Only if you can get them at a discount
Only if quality is truly an issue
Sometimes you can't help but buy some nice designer stuff

The first day of holiday sales you:
Are planning to get some items you've been eyeing for a while
Scope out the best sales ahead of time and get up early
Run around like a mad person buying things
Stay home completely

How do you approach buying Christmas gifts?
You tend to make things or not give gifts at all
You buy things from brands you already love
You shop the sales and get some great deals
You don't have a system - you just buy a lot of stuff!

When do you buy new clothes?
Whenever you see something you like
Only when you need something
Any time you can find good stuff on sale
At the beginning of each new season

How do you feel about the mall?
You hate the mall and try to go there as little as possible
You like a few stores at the mall
You can't help it, you love the mall!
You enjoy the mall, especially when there is a huge sale

When you are on vacation you:
Don't spend any time shopping
Hit up the street market looking for deals
End up buying so much you practically need a new suitcase
Look for your favorite stores

You Are an Impulse Shopper
When you go shopping, you have no set strategy. You just browse until something catches your eye. You like sales, but you mostly like them because they're an excuse to shop. Of all the types, you are the most likely to be a shopaholic. You can't stop shopping! You're not the kind of person who makes a list or plans what to buy. So sometimes you end up with too much stuff.

5. Do you prefer letting your friends give you a list of things they’d like, or trying to match their personality to a gift you’d buy on your own?

Both ways work for me. Some people I know what to get; others not so much. I love to provide a list. I like to make sure I get things I want.

6. Are you spending more, less, or the same on this year’s Christmas gifts?

I didn't know until I got to that point. I spent more overall than last year.