Stolen Meme from Nonna

1: Do you sleep with your closet doors open or closed? Our house does not have closets but if it did I would sleep with them closed.

2: Do you take the shampoos and conditioner bottles from hotel? Nope.

3: Do you sleep with your sheets tucked in or out? Tucked out.

4: Have you ever stolen a street sign before? No.

5: Do you like to use post-it notes? I have no use for them but if I did, I would use them all the time.

6: Do you cut out coupons but then never use them? Yes and I am trying to start using them more often.

7: Would you rather be attacked by a big bear or a swarm of a bees? Probably bees because I would have a greater chance of survival.

8: Do you have freckles? I have a freckle here and there but not an over abundance of them.

9: Do you always smile for pictures? No. I don’t really like my smile.

10: What is your biggest pet peeve? Rude people, cheaters and lairs.

11: Do you ever count your steps when you walk? When I’m using my pedometer.

12: Have you ever peed in the woods? Yes.

13: What about pooped in the woods? Yes.

14: Do you ever dance even if theres no music playing? Yes cause its playing in my head.

15: Do you chew your pens and pencils? No.

16: How many people have you slept with this week? One

17: What size is your bed? Queen

18: What is your Song of the week? Scissor Sisters “Whole New Way”

19: Is it okay for guys to wear pink? Yes.

20: Do you still watch cartoons? Yes.

21: Whats your least favorite movie? Titanic and Cabin Fever (I absolutely loathe Eli Roth).

22: Where would you bury hidden treasure if you had some? Like I would tell you!

23: What do you drink with dinner? Diet Coke.

24: What do you dip a chicken nugget in? Sweet and Sour or Ranch dressing.

25: What is your favorite food? Cheeseburger and chocolate covered pretzels.

26: What movies could you watch over and over and still love? The Evil Dead Trilogy, Re-Animator, Battle Royale, The Labyrinth and The Prince Bride.

27: Last person you kissed/kissed you? Raven. I gave her a kiss before heading to school this morning.

28: Were you ever a boy/girl scout? I was a brownie which is for girls too young for girl scouts.

29: Would you ever strip or pose nude in a magazine? If I was thinner and the pay was good, hell yes.

30: When was the last time you wrote a letter to someone on paper? The other day I wrote a letter to the lady we bought the house from. When I send her the mortgage every month, I included a letter.

31: Can you change the oil on a car? Technically I know how to but I have never actually done it.

32: Ever gotten a speeding ticket? No and *knocks on wood* I won’t be getting one anytime soon.

33: Ever ran out of gas? Yes I have and it is not something I want to do again.

34: Favorite kind of sandwich? It varies. I like everything from roast beef to chicken salad to cucumber sandwiches.

35: Best thing to eat for breakfast? Bacon and pancakes.

36: What is your usual bedtime? It varies from 11pm to 3am. Just depends what I am doing.

37: Are you lazy? Not really but some days I just feel like begin lazy.

38: When you were a kid, what did you dress up as for Halloween? I have dressed up for most of the Halloweens in my life and my Mom use to make my costumes. Everything from a pregnant gypsy (when I was like 4 years old) to Minnie Mouse and a bunch of grapes.

39: What is your Chinese astrological sign? Monkey.

40: How many languages can you speak? One (English) and a few phrases in two others (Spanish and Japanese).

41: Do you have any magazine subscriptions? No

42: Which are better legos or lincoln logs? Legos!

43: Are you stubborn? Yes.

44: Who is better…Leno or Letterman? Leno but I don’t really watch either one.

45: Ever watch soap operas? No.

46: Are you afraid of heights? Extremely afraid of them.

47: Do you sing in the car? Yes.

48: Do you sing in the shower? Yes

49: Do you dance in the car? Yes.

50: Ever used a gun? Yes. I have 2 guns myself (handgun and riffle) and Raven has a riffle so right now we have a total of 3 guns in the house.

51: Last time you got a portrait taken by a photographer? 2007 at my sister-in-law’s wedding.

52: Do you think musicals are cheesy? No. One of my favorite movies (which I can recite verbatim) is The Rocky Horror Picture Show.

53: Is Christmas stressful? Not really, though it can be a little hectic for me sometimes.

54: Ever eat a pierogi? Yes.

55: Favorite type of fruit pie? If you’re talking about those prepackaged single servings you buy at gas stations and checkout lines than none. But If you’re talking about actually homemade pies than I would have to say either Blackberry or raspberry.

56: Occupations you wanted to be when you were a kid? I don’t even remember.

57: Do you believe in ghosts? Yes, a million percent.

58: Ever have a Deja-vu feeling? Yes.

59: Take a vitamin daily? Yes, my iron pills every day. I also try to take a B12 and calcium pill and sometimes a ginseng for more energy.

60: Wear slippers? Yes.

61: Wear a bath robe? No.

62: What do you wear to bed? Nightshirt, bra and underwear. Sometimes socks if its cold.

63: First concert? Megadeath and Motley Crue in the summer of 1999.

64: Wal-Mart, Target or Kmart? Walmart and then Target.

65: Nike or Adidas? Neither. Converse

66: Cheetos Or Fritos? Cheetos

67: Peanuts or Sunflower seeds? I like them both.

68: Ever hear of the group Tres Bien? No.

69: Ever take dance lessons? I took tap dancing lessons when I was little.

70: Is there a profession you picture your future spouse doing? I all ready have a spouse and he is a carpenter.

71: Can you curl your tongue? No.

72: Ever won a spelling bee? No.

73: Have you ever cried because you were so happy? No.

74: Own any record albums? Yes.

75: Own a record player? No.

76: Regularly burn incense? No. But I do burn candles regularly.

77: Ever been in love? Yes.

78: Who would you like to see in concert? Zach Galifianakis (comedian)

79: What was the last concert you saw? DecembeRadio (my brother-in-law’s band).

80: Hot tea or cold tea? Hot tea.

81: Tea or coffee? Coffee.

82: Sugar or snickerdoodles? Chocolate chip cookies.

83: Can you swim well? Yes.

84: Can you hold your breath without holding your nose? Yes.

85: Are you patient? Sometimes.

86: DJ or band, at a wedding? DJ.

87: Ever won a contest? Yes.

88: Ever have plastic surgery? No.

89: Which are better black or green olives? Green.

90: Can you knit or crochet? I can crochet.

91: Best room for a fireplace? Livingroom or bedroom.

92: Do you want to get married? I’m all ready married.

93: If married, how long have you been married? Since December 2001 so it will be 10 years this December.

94: Who was your HS crush? My husband.

95: Do you cry and throw a fit until you get your own way? No.

96: Do you have kids? Yes. I have a 14 year old daughter.

97: Do you want kids? I am happy with having just my daughter and as many cats as I can handle.

98: Whats your favorite color? Purple.

99: Do you miss anyone right now? My Nan.

Dialect and Pronunciation

Please, do not pay any attention to the mess behind me. We are moving things around in the bedroom and I stopped to take a break to do the meme. Also, I am sometimes overly animated when I talk. Yeah. I’m a big dork.

Dialect and Pronunciation from Manda on Vimeo.

Words said:
Aunt, Route, Wash, Oil, Theater, Iron, Salmon, Caramel, Fire, Water, Sure, Data, Ruin, Crayon, Toilet, New Orleans, Pecan, Both, Again, Probably, Spitting image, Alabama, Lawyer, Coupon, Mayonnaise, Syrup, Pajamas, Caught

Questions answered:
* What is it called when you throw toilet paper on a house?
* What is the bug that when you touch it, it curls into a ball?
* What is the bubbly carbonated drink called?
* What do you call gym shoes?
* What do you say to address a group of people?
* What do you call the kind of spider that has an oval-shaped body and extremely long legs?
* What do you call your grandparents?
* What do you call the wheeled contraption in which you carry groceries at the supermarket?
* What do you call it when rain falls while the sun is shining?
* What is the thing you change the TV channel with?

#reverb10 December 14

Prompt Appreciate
What’s the one thing you have come to appreciate most in the past year? How do you express gratitude for it?

I have really come to appreciate my family more this year. That’s not to say I did not appreciate them the years before. It just seems this year has made me appreciate them more. My daughter, husband, mom, dad and Nan (my grandma) mean the world to me! I would do anything for them and know that they (minus my husband, but that’s another story) would do anything for me.

#reverb10 December 12 and 13

December 12

Prompt One Body Integration
This year, when did you feel the most integrated with your body? Did you have a moment where there wasn’t mind and body, but simply a cohesive YOU, alive and present?

WTH? I cannot answer this question because I have nether felt integrated or unintegrated with my body. It’s my body and its always been my body. I don’t remember time when I didn’t feel connected to my body.

December 13

Prompt Actions
When it comes to aspirations, it’s not about ideas. It’s about making ideas happen. What’s your next step?

After the first of the year I am going to do some paid advertising for my photography business. I need to up my client list and I have tried just about everything from free photo shoots with free 8×10 to pimping myself out as a photography to anyone who would listen. However, I have never tried paid advertising and in 2011 I’m going to give it a shot.

#reverb10 December 10 and 11

December 10

Prompt One Wisdom
What was the wisest decision you made this year, and how did it play out?

The wisest decision I made in 2010 was leaving my job as a medical receptionist at a local doctor’s office to work at home as a full time content writer (instead of the part time that I have been doing since 2007). I made the decision in January 2010. Doing this has drastically reduced my stress level and I am making more money than when I was working outside the home. Do not get me wrong, I still miss the coworkers who became my friends. However, now I can drop everything if needed to attend a school function for my daughter, to take my mother somewhere, sit with my sick grandmother or just to go shopping and the only person I have to answer to is myself. If I do not meet my quota for the day then that means my bills do not get paid. It is all my responsibility and I am absolutely fine with that. When I was working outside of the home I hated the fact that if my daughter was sick or there was a family emergency I could not just drop everything to do what needed to be done. There was no one to cover for me so I HAD to be there or put my coworkers in a really shitty situation of having no receptionist to check patients in, schedule appointments, answer phones, fax and the like.  Now, I do not have to worry about that. I can schedule things around MY time. Of course, there is a downside to working at home. 90% of the people who learn I work from home do not think I have a “real” job. They say condescending remarks to me while giving me condescending looks. But screw them! I am less stressed, I have more time to spend with my family and I am making more money! I just hope *knock on wood* that I can continue working from home for many more years to come!

December 11

Prompt Things
What are 11 things your life doesn’t need in 2011? How will you go about eliminating them? How will getting rid of these 11 things change your life?

1.       Unhappiness – Since October 2006, my life has been filled with unhappiness and emotional pain. I have gone through so much and feel like I have cried and pleaded enough to last 10 lifetimes. Things have started to turn positive the past few months and I hope they continue to get better.

2.       Judgment – I want people to stop judging my career choices. When I come to you for money then you can tell me to get a “real” job.

3.       Stress – Since I left my old job my stress level has reduce dramatically. However, I do still have some and would like to eliminate as much stress as possible.

4.       Lies – I hate to be lied to.

5.       Our Living Arrangements – I absolutely hate our living arrangements and hope they can be fixed in 2011. This is the cause of most of my stress.

6.       Missing Family – I do not get to see my Dad (or his side of the family) nearly as much as I would like.

7.       Lazy People – I have a few lazy people in my life that need to learn to do stuff for themselves and stop expecting me to do everything for them. They are grown adults for God’s sake!

8.       Loneliness – Some days I feel so alone, wishing I had a close friend to hang out with.

9.       Condescending Remarks – Especially about my job or my photography. I have had people say “we would have had you take our pictures but we wanted a REAL photographer”. I have never spouted out that I am a professional or “real” photographer but friends and family members know I have a photography business and I have taken pictures (and gotten paid) for people. So for someone just to come out and say that when I did not remark to them about anything is just down right condescending.

10.   Rudeness – Is it me or are people just getting ruder every day?

11.   Bossiness – There is a certain family member who likes to tell me (as well as everyone else) what to do. They spout orders at me like a drill sergeant even though I have told them that I am 30, married with a teenage daughter and will do what I want when I want and how I want.