chicken

  • shop till you drop survey

    Gonna geek my foodie obsession all over you guys in this one. Run screaming if you are on a diet.

    1. What is your favorite way to shop? Online or in the actual store? 
    I've been known to haunt any kind of shop far and wide that sells ~any~ kind of food, but I'll definitely have it shipped in if I can't find it locally. Got the most wonderful avocados that way. Click the pic to check it out.

     
    I can tell already this survey is going to turn into a book, because I get excited about food history and the movement of food around the globe as goods and services (seriously, 4th grade, I have this textbook, I LOVE social studies, and now I own the huge A History of Food).
     
    I think about food *all* *the* *time*, like when I'm watching Merlin, you think about people way back then not having the food we have nowadays and stuff. Well, apparently some fans got really picky about it and went to great lengths to point out to the show creators that Merlin couldn't have eaten a sandwich or had tomatoes thrown at him in the stocks (from http://merlin-sceneit.livejournal.com/7781.html) to which the creators laughed and said Yeah, well, they didn't have talking dragons back then, either... (commentary in this video)

     
     
    My favorite meat counter is at Harter House, my fave fresh organic vegetables are at MaMa Jean’s Market, my fave place to buy bulk olive oil and butter and other pricey stuff is Sam’s Club, and my fave place to pick up locally produced foods is Heather Hill Farms. Since I'm working on this survey on Cinco de Mayo, here is one of my fave Weird Al fanvids. He's a good one if you like food songs.

     
     
    I love making pretty food that tastes good. One of the neatest tricks I learned was mixing a dash or two of smoked paprika into the breading mix before I bread and fry stuff, along with a dash of garlic powder, a dash of black pepper, and a sprinkling of something herbly like basil, thyme, rosemary, or oregano. Or all of them. Lightly salt the meat or veggies first, then dredge, then fry.
     
    I sometimes think managers cringe because I ask so many questions, like where is the saffron and could they get any in for me, and they're going what the heck is saffron... even though I live in a very ethnically diverse area. It used to be almost impossible to find smoked paprika in SW MO, too, and I know this because I hunted high and low through 15 stores across 3 towns. Well, thanx to the food channels making ethnic cooking more popular and the McCormick® Gourmet Collection making a new display, I can now find saffron in nearly every store I visit, including Walmart.

     

     
    Now all I have to do is dress up like Nadia G while I cook...
     

     
    My fave aisle is the baking stuff, flours and oils and all kinds of stuff for pies and cakes and cookies. Since I'm allergic to everything with nuts and citrus in it, even by association, I have had to learn to make everything from scratch, and I have to say I make the most delicious yellow cake I've ever tasted from a combination of recipes I hunted down on the internet. I've never seen another recipe quite like mine, and Scott has sworn off gourmet cupcake shops over it. One day I'll share it.  
     
    Speaking of cake, I was invited to Matthew Willson's 40th birthday party!  And so was Ellen Dubin!  I know! If we were both going I could hang out with her! But alas, 'tis not to be. Friend Matt on facebook and follow his twitter. Like Ellen's facebook fanpage and follow her twitter. (some of you coming back might notice I changed Ellen's facebook link-here's why)
     

     

    So Matthew Willson produced and starred in an independent film called Skinning the Cat, and if you want to see him in other stuff here is a demo reel- caution for language and very brief male nudity (not Matthew), so do NOT watch this if you don't like the rough stuff.
     
     
    And which account do I use, while we're at it? I'm notorious for paying with a baggy full of change just so I can clean out the coin bowl. Really going to miss those pennies when they finally revise them out of our monetary exchange system. I'm picky about my tea, too. If I forget that I've got a bag steeping and come back later, I throw it all out and start over. Went through half a box of tea bags one day because I was absorbed in something else I was doing.

     

     
    Friend of mine on twitter has been in India with a group and told me it doesn't matter how strong it gets there, you just milk and sugar it up and drink it!  You can read about her experiences there and follow Sarais_thoughts on Twitter.
     
    I kind of am. When I see a really beautiful head of cauliflower it's all I can do not to bring it home. Despite loving cauliflower, I think I throw more of that away than anything because I have way too much to eat. This song could be my cauliflower song if it rhymed with anything.
     
     
    We've been through major debt because of medical bills, which I think a lot of people go through sooner or later. No matter how bad stuff gets, stick to someone. Don't go through it alone. Lately one of my fave authors is facing massive medical debt because his son was in an accident. He made the coolest post on his facebook yesterday. If you'd like to keep up with updates you can also follow David Farland on Twitter.

     

      

    I used to hit my favorite restaurants there quite a bit, but now that I can't eat anything on the menu without risking a reaction, I hardly ever go any more. I drool over kitchens like this one since I'm in my own kitchen so much.

     

     
    This actually happened.

     

     
    And since I was having a slow brain day, I was a nidiot and said no thanx, I don't play video games. ~DERP omg~ Ten seconds later I was going back begging for that key because I know sooooooo many people that DO. And I would have given it to you all right here because I'm that cool. Except now I suck because I was so dumb.
     
     
    But that has nothing to do with food, you say. And I say I KNOW, so let's go comfort ourselves with some junk food!  Here, look, I made another chocolate pie! Well, actually two since the last survey, the one with the pink meringue is me playing around trying to make it look like marshmallow strawberries, and the purple meringue was me playing around with how well I could make shapes. I think eventually I'll be sculpting meringue like a pro.
     

     
     

            

     
     

                        

     
    People are always asking me that about my coffee. We used to drive a couple of states north just to pick up Caribou coffee and a few other things once a year, but they've finally got it down here now at Target and Hy-Vee, thank goodness. Caribou Daybreak is Scott's favorite. My favorite is Ozark Mountain Blend from Churchill Coffee. We mix them half and half for the most perfect coffee we've ever tasted, guess you could say it's our own house blend.

     

       

     
     
    My youngest is getting a LOT of oohs and ahhs over these baby shoes that came across the pond from Gems-Stones-Studs at Diddy by Design, and she can't wait till her little girl is born and can get pictures made in them.  
     

     
     This is a recipe going around facebook that I think would be precious to try at a baby shower, and super easy to make.
     

     photo pinkfudge.jpg

     
    * STRAWBERRY FUDGE** :)
    INGREDIENTS:
    1 16 oz can of strawberry frosting
    1 12 oz bag of white chocolate chips
    2/3 cup chopped pecans
    DIRECTIONS:
    Lightly spray an 9×9 pan ( or a 9 x 13 pan for thinner bars ) with cooking spray. 
    Put chocolate chips in microwave safe bowl and melt them,( not letting them burn) You could also use a double boiler.
    Stir in entire can of strawberry frosting.
    Stir in pecans. 
    Spread into pan and chill in refrigerator for 30 minutes.
    Cut into squares and serve.
     

    I buy whatever I want wherever I see it if I have the money to spend, but since I'm about the least material person I know, that means I have more money available for nice food. I heard about this really rare white honey that comes from only one place in the whole world and had to try it. Volcano Island Honey
     
     

     
    Not yet. What I'd *like* is to splurge on some more ceramic bakeware. I ~luv~ that stuff. It's heavy like cast iron so it cooks more evenly than metal pans, and so much easier to clean up. I also like those new Orgreenic pans, picked one up, guess we'll see how it works out. So far so good.
     

     
    I get all kinds of coupons back from companies I've written to about either what I loved about their products, or problems I had with them. I live near the heart of Tyson Chicken country and know people on several big farms that contract with them raising chickens and turkeys. I have absolutely no quarrel with them, except one year I noticed their frozen cornish hens seemed more feathery than they used to be, and I let them know I was really tired of having to pick out the pins and feathers that had been missed. I got all kinds of free chicken, the more I complained, the more coupons I got. I finally went online and did some research (plus I get World Poultry Magazine), and basically the whole line had been revamped to accommodate the problems live chickens were going through at the top of the line, which led to not only better quality in the meat down the line, but far less suffering overall. So I thought Ok, I can handle a few feathers for that. Since then a new line called Smart Chicken® has moved into most of the stores, and that's usually what I pick up, even though it costs a little more, because the meat is in such good condition, which means the chicken wasn't treated badly getting all bruised up and broken, although, yes, you still get to finish cleaning off a few pin feathers and fuzz. This is kind of a big deal when you make your own chicken stock, but since I very thoroughly inspect and wash my chicken before it goes into the pot, I've never found any of that in my stock.
     
     

     

     
    There are certain grocery items I ALWAYS check prices on as I shop. I'm not a browser, so I glance around at high speed, most people probably never see me do that. For instance, canned milk- depending where you go and what brand you buy, that stuff is regularly 30 cents higher or lower per 12-oz can, which would be a monumental deal if we were talking gas prices. Every time I save $1 buying store brand canned milk, I can spend that $1 on nicer meat, capiche? If I wait till Christmas season and buy chocolate chips $1 cheaper per bag and stock up enough to make a batch of cookies once a month all year, I've saved $12 dollars. If you guys aren't noticing this insane waste of your money and still complaining about gas prices, you're kinda dumb. I save so much money just noticing when is the right time to buy staples with long shelf lives that I never need coupons. I get real butter at very reasonable prices and throw piles of it into my freezer, and then don't worry about needing it when the price doubles back up. Bacon goes more than half off around bbq season, I buy piles of it and it lasts all year. Stuff like that. We eat really well in this house, and some people think that's a hoity toity way of life, but when you save $50 a month on all your staples, it's easy to spend that $50 at a quality meat counter. And really, this is my kind of gaming. I'm so good at remembering prices between all the stores, it's like hitting that pot and finding a gem in Legend of Zelda when I run into a price drop. I get a little rush.  When you find your fave designer coffee going down $1 per a 12-oz bag, it's insane not to grab about 6 or 7 of them, right? Free bag of designer coffee right there. This is what hunting and gathering is all about in the 21st century, people.

     
    I have worked in retail till I dropped, literally. I've always been a workaholic, thanx to my upbringing. I grew up labor intensive on a self sustaining Mennonite farm, which probably goes against all child labor laws, but it certainly created a framework for successfully navigating through the rest of my life. I think that's what I like about watching Chopped All Stars, you can tell they're the same way. We love food work. These are my people. The ONLY reason I left restaurant work was because I didn't want to commit 24/7 to management over being with my kids, but if I'd never had any kids, that's exactly where I'd be right now, or most likely would own my own place by now. My very fave celebrity chef (among MANY over the years) is Anne Burrell. I first watched her sous chef for Mario Batali on Iron Chef America, and I haven't missed a single one of her shows since then, especially Worst Cooks in America. I'm a rabid scifi fan, but I bet I've watched more food shows in my life than any other kind of tv show. One of my very favorite shows is Two Fat Ladies, I've seen every episode 3 times and read all the books they've written.
     
    I've been known to crack open a chocolate milk and take a pain pill after physical therapy while I shop for groceries on the way home, yes. There is one store in particular I hit where one of the sackers has known me for years, and she watched me crawl through the nightmare of immobility and motor carts for a couple of years, and now I'm walking around pushing my own cart again. Still difficult to bend into the cart and get my stuff out to put onto the little conveyor (I have doctor ordered weight restrictions on what I can lift), but it's SO nice to be able to do the shopping myself again. Because of all the spinal pain I still go through, I've discovered that eating standing up is actually quite enjoyable. We have this mindset that we must sit to eat, but when we do that, we miss our deeper instincts. Picking through fresh roasted meat while it's still fresh from the oven before I shred or dice it up is heavenly, and moving around between bites (since I'm already conveniently standing up) keeps me from overeating. It's so easy to gain weight as we age, but if you stop sitting down through most of your meals and keep doing chores in between bites, it's very enjoyable to eat without overdoing it.
     
    Scott's a real man, he doesn't eat quiche. I make a ~fabulous~ quiche. We call it egg pie. He loves egg pie. I would love to get the Spice Agent's take on quiche.  

     

     

     
    I'd rather be alone! I know that sounds harsh, but I get so distracted when I'm shopping with someone that we laugh ourselves silly and I can't follow my list for beans. That sounds nice, you say, and I say yes it is, until we get home and I'm missing vital ingredients. Does this mean I choose food over friends? I don't know, I've never psyche analyzed that part of myself, but I do know I love cooking FOR friends. I believe in the burrito. From Enjoy Your Burrito-
    “Enjoy Your Burrito” has become a catchphrase of sorts for the Nerdist Podcast, closing every episode, but what does it mean? All was revealed in this episode, which posted on October 4, 2010. The burrito thing comes up at about the 56-minute mark, when Jonah discusses living in San Pedro, trying to get his comedy career going, and getting depressed. He talks about going to his favorite burrito place, and being depressed when halfway done with the burrito because it meant he’d have to go back to his depressing job. And that’s when he decided to “believe in the burrito,” enjoying the rest of the burrito right at that moment and worrying about the other stuff later. That story became, in shorthand form, “Enjoy Your Burrito,” which Nerdist fans have adopted as a motto for life.
     
    And since Jonah Ray, Matt Mira, and Chris Hardwick have impacted ~my~ life for the better through that, they can help you, too. (Brief language warning, mostly after 7:45.)

     

     
     

    Have you noticed that people using 'green' bags don't always shield the insides of the bags from direct contact with their raw fruits and veg? The reason plastics are such a big hit is because they are an effective barrier against germ spread. I'm all for going green, guys, but if you seem to be having upset stomachs a bit more than you'd like, read this handy guideline about the use and care of green bagging it.

    Food safety awareness is key to healthy living. I am acutely aware that my own organically raised chickens may be salmonella carriers because of stuff like this video. Please be aware that 'organic' isn't synonymous with 'germ-free'. Because of this, I keep my hands away from my face as much as possible, wash my hands thoroughly when I come back into the house, and thoroughly cook the eggs my chickens lay. Living a healthy lifestyle with reusable bags and organic foods can still lead to fevers and puking your guts out, so be smart.
     

    This is someone else's chicken.

    This is my chickens eating watermelon, yum!

     

    I can never not use a cart. I need it to hold my purse and jacket while I look at stuff.  I'm mise en place everywhere I go.
     
    I actually like eating the bones, but I make sure they're crunchy crumbly first.
     
     
    I have never tried making chocolate crepes. And I've kinda been wondering how chocolate pancakes taste, but that seems a bit much. Can you tell I'm in a chocolate mood? Scott likes grape jelly on his pancakes, which I think is weird. Speaking of grape jelly... Scott is one of those guys who walks past flinging blurbs out that he *thinks* is part of a conversation he's already having with me in his head. He's an avid fantasy baseball player juggling multiple teams, so it got a little weird last month when he walked by and asked out of the blue if the Orioles had any grape jelly. I couldn't imagine what in the world was going on in one of his ball teams THIS time, so I was all whaaa?, but then I thought Ok, musta heard him wrong, he meant Oreos because he loves those spring Oreos with the yellow filling, but jelly??? So I had to ask. I usually try to avoid asking, because sometimes it gets ridiculously more complicated than it needs to be, and sure enough, he thought *I* was the crazy one asking about Oreos and grape jelly. I'm sure you birders have already figured out he was thinking about putting an Oriole feeder up. I got this picture a few days ago in between one slurping jelly. It's the only way I could get it on camera at all.
     

     
    This is where it comes in real handy being allergic to nuts and peanuts. Nearly all candy near a register has an allergy warning on it. Since I steer clear for that, I never have to worry about calories from impulse candy.
     
    Shopping for chocolate!  I snack on Hershey's milk chocolate chips because there is no nut or peanut allergy warning on them.

     
    Follow your destiny!
     

     
     

  • Just a Few Questions for the Bored and Curious - Survey

     
    Do you watch Shark Week?
    I can tell this survey already needs a ~song~.
     
     
    Who is your e-mail provider? (Yahoo, MSN, etc.)
    You know how you can get on those servers where they host email in @'yourname'.com? I've thought about doing that, but instead of my name I'd make up something bizarre. I also looked into doing the designing your own postage stamp thing, but that gets pretty expensive.
     
    Who is the funniest person you can think of?
    Scott's a riot, he's like being married to a cartoon, just utterly unique throughout every mood change. I'll tell you something he'd probably not like me sharing. Before he met me, he was looking for a college girl and figured the best way to meet one was to hang out at a laundromat called Duds and Suds. The second he told me that, I busted up laughing and said Yeah, that's where you go to meet duds. He explained to me that 'duds' were your clothing, like a cowboy wears his duds, and then *I* had to explain to ~him~ via illustrated story that 'duds' were dudes without the e's, and he still just ~did not get it~. Bless his heart, his brain is so cute I had to take him home with me. He actually thinks he looks cool in 3D glasses. He was probably the cutest little boy in the world.
     
    Would you rather date someone too serious or not serious enough?
    Man are you asking the wrong person. Romance gets nuked when I'm around.
     
    Do you volunteer for charities? If so, which one(s)?
    Almost continually, it seems. Hey, Scott is doing the Turkey Trot again this year while I stay home and watch the Macy's parade. Last year he brought me home a shirt and a foam headpiece with a turkey on it.
     
    Which animals are the cutest as babies?
    Baby termites look like they're made of glass.
     
                                               
     
    Would you ever go on a reality TV dating show?
    I'd be the one who would show up late in my lounge wear holding a cookie. Humans are so weird. Half the beings on the planet sprout wings and feel compulsed to swarm when they reach sexual maturity, while humans get off on weeks long frustration over being rejected on tv.
     
    Do you think people are born gay or it's a choice they make?
    This is the coolest piece of fan editing I have ever seen on youtube, this person is a genius.
     
     
    Who is your favourite actor (male or female)?
    I tried really hard to sift that one out awhile back, but wound up with a list and couldn't bear to cross any off, so I guess they all are. Jeff Goldblum never made that list, which kinda surprised me.
     
    Have you ever been out of the country? If so, where?
    It's so weird to think that just ten miles up in the sky is the same distance as the little town up the highway, but if I went upward that far I'd be dangerously past breathable atmosphere. I feel so vulnerable when I think like that.
     
    Star Wars or Star Trek or both or neither?
    I think it would be interesting to see Batman and Mr. Spock team up.
     
    What are your favourite television channels?
    I can't believe Steve isn't all over Sliders *finally* making it into reruns after a whole decade of nonexistence. That show has been maddeningly difficult to procure. We got our first satellite dish because of Sliders when it jumped from FOX to Sci-Fi.
     
     
     
    What do you think of men in capris?
    I was at the farmer's market one summer and was so grossed out by this big guy's feet. I totally get summer comfort, but when you look like you've got leprosy around organic food, I think flip flops should be illegal. I don't think capris even get my attention, yay or nay.
     
    Do you believe people from other countries are sexier?
    Any time I feel like something I'm doing on the internet is a complete and utter waste of time, I think about the lengthy thesis I found on what is wrong with Bradley James having facial hair (he is outrageously good looking either way, I don't see the problem with it) and continue with what I'm doing.
     
     
    How tall are you?
    Not tall enough to change a light bulb above the bathroom vanity, it seems.
     
    What is your favourite movie made before 1980?
    Wow, how to choose. The 70's were like the spawn years. Honestly, as much as I ~luv~ both Star Trek and Star Wars, I'll go with Logan's Run. I guess I was crushing on British actors like Michael York long before it was cool for Americans to do that. I just have to mention in passing here that the Logan's Run remake is a prime example of why it's stupid to announce too early to rabid fans, what with all the changes they went through, then you have to announce this actor or that director is out. Just surprise us, ok? (Same thing happened to Lexx, stuff like this is so dumb in retrospect- LEXX MOVIE CONFIRMED!!! | Sci Fi SadGeezers)
     
     
    Do you keep a journal or blog?
    It's becoming more clear by the week that dividing my blogging up into over ten separate sites was a really good idea. Unlike some people I could name *cough~WilWheaton~cough*, I put something different on every blog so people can have brain sex pushing little buttons and running around. Ok, ok, I know, I pick on him too much, I know. I *like* him. He's awesome. He's the only celeb I follow in every format. I think other celebs could learn a LOT from his fan interaction.
     
    Do you write poetry?
    If I had a better phone, I'd so have the Shatoetry app already.
     
    Do/Did you go to high school football games?
    I went to ONE during high school because my dad said they weren't necessary and he thought Christ was coming back.
     
    How many vowels are in your last name?
    I've met two people who have no vowels at all in their last names. I think it would be cool to go vowelless, like Bnx. But then people would say Binx and Bonx instead of Banx.
     
    If you had to tattoo someone's name on your body, whose would it be?
    Would I totally be protected through the world economic collapse as we march into a new world order if I had Soros tattooed on me?
     
    Describe your favourite pair of shoes.
    Kinda like a pricey neon splat, and worth every penny.
     
    Do you get bit by mosquitoes often?
    I couldn't wait for Thanksgiving and already made a punkin pie. I'm eating a piece right now.
     
    Are you allergic to any foods?
    Thankfully not punkin pie.
     
    Are you a Creationist?
    I think God is a game coding specialist. That would explain a *lot*.
     
    Do you know what the VY Canis Majoris is?
    I'm waiting for the hypernova. I am so pleasantly surprised by this question, thank you, survey creator. You made my night.
     
    What are some of your favourite things to talk about?
    If anyone is getting the impression that I'm one of those continual broadcasters who talks nonstop because I yap so much on blogs, I'm the opposite out loud. I rarely talk for any length of time to people outside my family, rarely use my phone, and can go two weeks barely talking to anyone but Scott before and after work. On the other hand, I can hold my own pretty well in a debate, even if I'm wrong and I know it and I know everyone else knows it and that everyone else knows I know they know it.
     
    How fast do you type?
    Really really fast. And then I go back and correct a lot of typos.
     
    Do you own a digital camera? If so, what kind?
    Does anyone else get mega frustrated at the time hesitation before the actual click, and then the processing time you have to get through before the next shot? It is *dang* hard to catch a chicken holding its foot out and peering at the bottom of it after it has stepped on something pokey. That is about the funniest pose I've ever seen, and my goal in life is to get that shot. Bird time just won't wait for digital. I think my only hope is to be constantly filming 24/7.
     
    Would you wear leopard print?
    I have actually had dreams of chickens in paisley. My head makes the coolest stuff sometimes.
     
    Which language would you like to learn?
    Everything Gaelic. My accent would be atrocious. I still mangle French after nearly 3 years of it in college, and Dad got after me again the other day for growing up with Plattdeutsch in the house and I can't speak it. I also grew up surrounded by Spanish and Navajo in school, and I've had several friends from India since I was in the first grade, and it's still all I can do to just handle English most of the time. I very much envy people for whom other languages come easily and/or naturally.
     
    Who are you closest to in your family?
    T'Pol lets me follow her around the most. She got too much weed caught in her throat here.
     
     
     
    What are you currently wearing?
    OMG. The exact same Homestar Runner shirt I was wearing the last two times I was asked this. I've seriously got to update my wardrobe. I can't believe you guys never catch me on a Buckaroo Banzai day.
     
    Are you using a laptop or desktop?
    Could a laptop be considered a mobile device? I float back and forth from the kitchen to the livingroom, and sometimes I take it with me to see my psychologist.
     
    Do you have a Twitter?
    I got all cranky at Charlie Sheen for shutting everything down because fans were getting it for free while sites hosting his stuff (twitter, funny or die) were making money and he wasn't, but then I thought, OH, I did the same thing, didn't I? I mean, without the money issue being involved. I guess that means I'm winning!
     
    What is something you're very passionate about?
    I guess it's pretty obvious I take surveys a little too seriously...
     
    Do you believe in love?
    Think about something- if we all wait for love, no one will ever find it. Someone has to believe in love even if they never get love back in order to create love to give out. As long as people are sitting around waiting for love, they are not creating it. Love can't exist if we don't create it. I believe in love strongly enough to walk through the dark without comfort or reward, if that is the only way someone else can learn what it is or get it from someone. I have to believe my existence on this planet is worth all the pain I have had to go through.
     
    How about magic in a young girl's heart?
    I wanna know, after seeing this question across several surveys, whether you survey creators can name the song and the person singing it.
     
     
    What are some phrases you say too often?
    I'm hoping those gunshots I heard were Scott getting his deer already, so we can get back to normal. Sorry about that, um, phrases I say too often... I know I'm pretty irritating when I keep saying World Order has been coming since the 70's and there isn't a president in the world who can stop it so it doesn't matter who wins any more, so I'm trying to shut up about that. See, we can't advance to a United Federation of Planets until earth is a cohesive world that has solved its famine and poverty problems, like in Star Trek. I know that rankles a few people who don't think Americans should be restricted in any way (except gay marriage and that kind of stuff), you know, like property rights and what have you, but honestly, wouldn't you *rather* put up with a few restrictions, oh wait, ok, I know why this is a problem, I'm sitting here on 4 acres of wild woods saying all this while most of you reading this are stuck with apartments and whatnot, but I think the point is that no govt can fix poverty if they can't raze the neighborhoods cleaning them up, wait a second, China and Russia have already done that and it didn't work. Let me get back to you on this one. I'm anti-govt, by the way, but I'm not a crazy Libertarian that wants to secede. I don't think there's any viable way out of our mess, and that the aliens are going to come back and thin out the herds like they did during the Black Plague.
     
    Would you rather be inside or outside?
    It annoys Scott to no end that the chickens sit backwards on the roost. Sometimes he goes into their house after dark and turns them around so they're not facing the wall. I can only wonder how much that messes with their tiny little minds.
     
    Cold or hot?
    Scott likes his ice cream melty and slushy. I like mine hard as a rock so I can chew it.
     
    Do you like the current president?
    I know this is weird and probably hard for some people to believe, but I've never liked any of the presidents for reasons that don't make sense.
     
    Do you believe people are good at heart?
    I think the potential is there, but some people are just messed up and will always selfishly hurt, maim, and/or kill without remorse, both physically and emotionally. And there will always be people who justify that, even if they themselves could never stomach hurting, maiming, and killing even to do the right thing. I think humans overall are a glob of glands and hormones and don't have a real clue who they are, what they want, and what they're doing on this planet, even though their beliefs in their illusions are strong. That's why I like chickens. All the above is pure instinct and makes sense.
     
    What book(s) are you currently reading?
    I'm in between library holds. No one ever asks what book(s) I am currently writing.
    Do you have any pets? If so, what kind?vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv
    Sorry, that was my cat.
    Ok, survey creator, we'll let this one go. My chickens don't hop up on the keyboard and help me type.
     
     
    Do you have a lucky number?
    I have several, I think, but I'm not sure what some of them are. They are wily and fold themselves through dimensions all around me.
     
    Do you like swimming in the ocean or a pool?
    I could go for a swim in a cup of coffee about now.
     
    Would you run around naked for two thousand dollars?
    I knew someone who did that for free and she wound up in jail.
     
    Do you whiten your teeth?
    I've gotta find another video, this is getting super boring again. Hang on. Ok, here we go, this movie made such a huge impression on me as a little kid that I could sing the theme song for years after just one viewing. There's a scene starting around 1:26 that you'll recognize was used in the Austin Powers movie Goldmember, second video there.
     
     
     
     
     
    What web browser are you presently using?
    I toggle between two of them, because 7 windows open in one just isn't enough for me. I once had 12 windows open in one and 4 in another. This is an awesome laptop.
     
    What is/was your favourite subject in school?
    Not getting caught. I hated everything about school and developed several methods of subterfuge.
     
    Did you ever want to be a teacher?
    Sort of missed that noble calling. I was told by a staff member in the admin building that I should teach college. Despite taking to college like a duck, I couldn't imagine living through the redundancy of repeating myself every semester. In retrospect, I probably should have gone for it.
     
    Do you get cold easily?
    I don't know if people who've never gone through thyroid med adjustments can imagine the weird hot/cold swings you can go through. Three weeks ago when it was 80 degrees out I had to wear a sweater and sleep with two blankets. Now it's 60 degrees out and I'm nearly ready to go back to shorts.
     
    What was the worst sickness you ever had?
    Oh, geez, not this again. Not today.
     
    Do you talk in your sleep?
    Scott wishes I would sometimes so he would know what the heck is going on.
     
    Did you wet the bed as a kid? If so, for how long?
    Never have, despite many dreams of peeing that were so real that I could have sworn I should have. I'm often surprised I didn't.
     
    What is your dad's first name?
    We all want to know Mr. Spock's first name, too, but we're not going to get it.
     
    Find the nearest picture frame. What's the picture of?
    Scott's gramma at 85 years old. She lived to 102 and has been gone maybe ten years now. Yes, I find it disturbing.
     
    Do you know how to use HTML and/or CSS?
    I wish more site owners would figure out how to update their broken code since the world has changed again. From HTML Styles- In HTML 4, several tags and attributes were used to style documents. These tags are not supported in newer versions of HTML.
    Likewise, CSS is constantly being updated, too, and etc. If you have to link me to a pdf, at least offer me a free itunes download or something while I'm waiting. My problem with pdf is that the text isn't 'mobile' for cache the same way html is, and as much as I'm loading and toggling at high speed, I just don't have the patience for that. If I have to read through 5 pages just to get to a single line, you're wasting my time. And if I have to go through that, I'd rather be holding hard copy in my hands so I could flip through pages and feel like I'm actually getting somewhere. I feel like we're in a growing pains phase, I have wanted tech implanted in my brain since I was a kid. Hurry up!
     
     

  • Xanga Survey

    When did you join Xanga?

    It's been 8 years. I have blogsites all over the internet, and xanga is always my fave to come back to because I can play with codes so much here. I nearly destroyed my myspace page with code and had to rewrite every bit of it from scratch each time Tom did a maintenance update. I can adapt to xanga yanking certain scripts out of headers and footers and disabling java and whatever, life is still cool here. Blogger is okay, I guess, tumblr is a nightmare cosmic joke played on the masses to force upgrades (as an evil villain wannabe, I respect that), I'll stop at that, this isn't supposed to be a list of every blog and journal site I've cannonballed into.

    What brought you here?

    I was dragged here kicking and screaming, like I am every blogsite. I can't tell you how cranky I got when AOL hometown morphed into lifestream and I lost all my website pages and my *original* scifi groups.

    Do you have other Xanga accounts?

    I have nightmares about suddenly remembering websites and blogs I've created and forgotten all about and I desperately try to get back into them because it was the coolest stuff I ever saw, then I wake up just dazzled because I believe I've seen what the internet will be like in the future. That or I dream of stuff in parallel worlds that already exists, and it's terribly frustrating to have to wake up back in this world.

    What sorts of things do you post?

    Mostly distractions. I could be showing everyone my bed head, like Wil Wheaton is doing on twitter and every blog he owns (yes, he's adorable), but my fans sometimes actually show up at my house without warning when they get too excited. Don't know if Wil has that problem (I hear he hands out homemade beer), but I'm afraid someone will steal my chickens because they're so cute.

    whaaaa?

    How often do you post?

    Continually. Even when I am disappeared. Drove a few people crazy. I could tell you who all still checks on me at least once a week, even when there was nothing to see for two years, but I won't. It drives some of you even crazier that I totally lack a gossip gene. >=)

    Do you keep yourself anonymous?

    And everyone else who comes into contact with me. I know way too much stuff. I've been pulled into turf wars more times than I can count when people find out I'm friends with other people, etc. The big Sliders war with the Canadians went way over the edge, and I'm sorry, but I like Wade AND Maggie. (I don't care what the Canadians say about themselves, they clearly yearn for brutal war in every forum I've seen.) It was the new writers I had a problem with. Did it disturb anyone else to hear the original ' Col. Rickman' (season 3, 1997) speaking as the Caterpillar in Once Upon a Time? Never mind that he's frickin' Roger Daltry, that gave me cold shivers like crap, I had to pause the dvr and yell DO YOU KNOW WHO THAT IS!!!!! IT'S COLONEL RICKMAN!!!! OMG!!!!! WHAT DO YOU MEAN COLONEL RICKMAN WHO, COLONEL RICKMAN THE MANIAC FREAK WHO USED SYRINGES TO SUCK SPINAL FLUID OUT OF HIS VICTIMS' SKULLS, HE'S THE CATERPILLAR!!!!!

    Do other people in your face-to-face life have accounts here?

    Other people have created xangas because I am here, I think we should be able to earn referral premiums.

    Have you met in person with anyone you originally met on Xanga?

    Not unless they have discovered where I live and moved here and casually greet me around town unbeknownst to moi, no. I've been so thankful that Google Maps had my house location mapped all wrong, but I saw their cute little car driving around town the other day, with that mini crane and camera ball on the roof, and groaned. They're *updating*.... I didn't have the wit to snap a pic as I was turning through an intersection, so here, click on that cool car to see where I got it from.

     

    Do you consider your friends here to be"real friends"?

    You're all a bunch of Sims to me... BWAHAHAHAHA.

    Have you ever dated anyone you met on Xanga?

    Scott refuses to xanga. He says I've already made him famous. I feel obligated at this point to punctuate that by uploading a paparazzi pic I told him I'd never share online ~*riiiiiiggghhhtttt*~ Not bad for someone about to turn 56, eh? He was temporarily regimental after coming in from 103 degree tomato plant watering and whatever else he was doing out there. It actually got up to 106 later that afternoon, ~in the shade~.

     

    What else are you just dying to say about Xanga?

    I think #Dan is a genius because he gets all you slobs so worked up. Like shooting fish in a barrel. Playing sweet and innocent in between. What a legendary xanga icon he's become! It's been like watching a pro boarder shoot the curl. I say that with love, admiration, and respect. True evil genius should be heralded.

 photo surveybuttonsm.jpg

I've started transferring my survey posts over to Surveypalooza so people coming in from search engines on mobile devices will be able to see the surveys.

surveypalooza

Apologies for the missing vids, another upgrade during the server migration swept through like a scan sweeping through the Enterprise. I'll fix those later, kinda busy...

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