Tuesday, December 11, 2007

Ten Things I Love (or Not) About Me










I've been smacked up by T$ of Buffalo Void on the subject of the following "Ten Things." Here ya go...

1. When you were born, how much did you weigh?
To be honest, I have no idea. I have to get that kind of info from my mom... along with the exact time of my birth so that I can consult an astrologer to find myself an auspicious husband match. In any case, I've been hoping lately to creep back down just a little closer to my birth weight, since the opposite trend is distressing me. I know... I should be blaming Panang Curry.

2. What's your sugar poison?
I really have me quite a sweet tooth, but I tend to go for the carby-sweets rather than the fatty-sweets. I'll take a big fat slice of pound cake any day over a bowl of ice cream or a hunk of chocolate. If I had to select my last earthly dessert, it might just be a pastel de tres leches or a buttery-crusted lemon tart. I also have a weak spot for pineapple upside-down cake (and I bake a mean one).

3. If you had to choose between meat and cheese for the rest of your life, which would you choose? Then be specific.
This is almost more difficult than the "deaf or blind" dilemma. How terrible to never eat another tasty morsel of manchego or gruyere, but I'd have to go with meat. However, I sincerely believe in the concept of vegetarianism on moral grounds -- sentient beings and all that. As a carnivore, though, I could easily live without beef. On taste alone, my favorite would probably have to be the pork products -- specifically some succulent, moist carnitas, a crackle-skinned roast fresh ham, or some paper-thin slices of prosciutto or jamón serrano. I'd give up both meat and cheese in favor of seafood, though.

4. What, in your opinion, is the worst song ever?
Where do you even start with this question? There are way too many musical train wrecks out there, though I guess I would immediately eliminate from contention entire genres that are barely on my radar because they make my ears bleed (actually, hardcore metal may be the only one that fits that bill entirely). I do, however, have a high tolerance for cheese (see #3), treacle (see #2), and nostalgia. I just had to consult some online lists for inspiration, but the answer was immediately apparent because I dashed for the radio remote just the other day in order to switch off a tune that I'd be happy to never, ever hear again in my life: Don't Worry, Be Happy by Bobby McFerrin. Hideous.

5. Who was your favorite teacher growing up and why?
Mr. Rodney Brito, 8th grade science. He was an Bombay-born Catholic (with some kind of Portuguese-Goan connection) who I felt expanded my world with all kinds of interesting anecdotes about the wider world and life in India. He also had a wicked sense of humor and was just downright entertaining. I wrote him a thank you letter at the end of the year in which I quoted Virgil: "Tu ne cede malis, sed contra audentior ito." Oy, what a dork I was. I also really loved my 9th, 10th, and 11th grade English teachers -- Mrs. Engel, Mrs. Reed, and Mrs. Niemiec -- because, well, because literature really is mind-expanding!

6. What personal activity, when performed in public, bothers you the most?
Um, I would say masturbation, but then that would be hypocritical a blatant lie. If these count, let's just say domestic disputes or chatter in a movie theater or arts performance really rank up there.

7. Ok, there's a $50 bill lying on the ground. You pick it up. Dumbfounded by your incredible luck, what do you selfishly purchase?
I'd be really tempted to give at least half to charity because deep down I probably believe that I'd reap some kind of cosmic benefit from it or that it would add some merit points to my cultivation of paramis, or some such nonsense. However, given my most recent obsessions, I'd probably put it toward dinner at a really nice restaurant or a bottle of a coveted perfume/cologne.

8. Do you have a recurring nightmare? If so, explain.
See here. That's as close as it gets.

9. Name one place on Earth you've never been, but vow to visit at least once.
Let me make it clear that my greatest regret in life will be not being able to travel to all the places that I'd like to. I could probably toss a coin for any of the following places:
a) Taj Mahal or Rajasthan, India
b) Angkor Wat, Cambodia
c) Pagan, Myanmar/Burma
If I were including places I've been before, I might pick Venice, Italy.

10. You notice that question #9 wasn't really a question. You feel smart for catching such a small detail. What else can you do really well that reminds you how smart you are?
Reeeeeeally well? I'm ashamed to say -- and I like to think I'm learning to stop doing this -- that it's been said that I can expertly cock an eyebrow, knit my brow, or give an askance look at people whose alleged "ignorance" I just will not humor. Yeah, it's not the best social skill in the world, and it doesn't exactly help win friends and influence people, not to mention not exactly greasing the wheels of career success sometimes. But um, yeah, I guess I do those things now and then to remind myself of how "smart" I am. More like smart aleck. (Oh yeah, and don't you forget it, bizatches.)

This meme shit takes a long-ass time! No wonder I never do them. Thanks, Chopper, for putting me through my paces. Since I only have three (or maybe eight?) faithful readers, it seems silly to tag anyone, but I'd be interested to see the answers of Huntington, Miss Jill, Junk Thief, and Dave and Stash.

12 comments:

Salty Miss Jill said...

uh-oh.

You give great answers. ;)

Stash said...

What am I, chopped liver?

=P

Some of those questions are designed to be pure torture to foodies like me.

Anonymous said...

Don't worry, Stashie; I'll tag you when I do mine. Or, as our dear host said, we could read the whole tagging thing as silly, go crazy and answer the damned questions without invitation. Anarchy in the blogosphere!

Dave said...

Well, since you asked...

1. I don't know my birth weight, but I seem to remember being told it was kind of on the small side. But, really, what an odd question.

2. My sugar poison is sugary soft drinks. Any kind, really, although I am partial to your more fruity-flavored sodas; orange, pineapple, grape, rasberry, etc. And root beer. Oh, and that new Vanilla Coke is the shit.

3. If I couldn't eat meat, there wouldn't be anything to put my cheese on, so I'm going to have to go with meat.

4. Worst song ever? I wish I could come up with a more creative answer, but We Built This City by Starship just about gives me seizures.

5. My favorite teacher was Mrs. Clausing in 7th grade, because she was always nice to me at a shitty time in my life (new school, parents divorcing, granny dying) when I really needed someone to be nice to me.

6. I was at a movie yesterday and two rows behind me a woman's cell phone rang not once, but twice. And she answered it. Both times. Woman, you ain't in your living room.

7. $50? Right now I'd use it to buy some groceries that didn't include Ramen Noodles. And a case of Vanilla Coke.

8. I don't often have nightmares, but I do have recurring dreams where I can fly and I rescue people from danger. Those are nice.

9. I really, really want to go to Africa. North, west, central, all of it really. I just want to spend a year or so exploring the continent. I'd also like to see Dollywood.

10. Well, I just passed nursing school, and that makes me feel pretty smart, especially since I went in with pretty much no background in science and I still managed to figure most of it out.

Anyone else?

Stash said...

We Built This City

Ok, well I have that song in my head now thanks to you. :)

I wouldn't say it's bad. Danceable for 1980's tripe.

The music video on the other hand is atrocious.

Joe said...

Stash -- I thought it about you, really I did! I actually tend to hate this "tagging" business because I imagine, "who really wants to have the obligation foisted on them of someone asking them to answer this riculous stuff?" However, I did actually find it fun -- and it fulfills its purpose of giving people something to blog about when they obviously are having some kind of backup in the creativity department.

Dave -- I find it weird that people know the answer to that birth weight question. Is this something almost everyone knows, like their blood type? I remember my step-grandmother talking about one of my 13-pound aunts, but otherwise, I know I've never heard my mom mention my birth weight in my presence. Kind of like asking someone's ring size (and I don't know that either).

Stash said...

Oooo, material for the weekend.

Anonymous said...

I remember my mom specifically discussing both my and my sister's birth weights on a couple of occasions - actually, that seemed more part of "oral family lore" than blood types. I only found mine out as an adult during THAT blood test.

Trevor Messersmith said...

word. thanks for playing!

xoT$

Ladrón de Basura (a.k.a. Junk Thief) said...

Why does that pork product comment not surprise me? Oh wow, I've actually been to two of your got-to-visit places. Don't Worry Be Happy or Built This City -- which is worse? Hard to say. I seem to know my local history pretty well but have never heard of its foundation being built on rock and roll. By the way, I've done the meme thing twice so far this year. (Nifty photo with that post, by the way, sir.)

m00nchild said...

i hate that these things are called "memes". it's a complete bastardization of the meme concept that Richard Dawkins put forth. i think of it more as

1) an blog based chain letter scheme

2) a survey says opportunity

i haven't really responded much to tagging requests yet. i want to. but they never really seam to fit my blog's format. now if anyone wanted to chat me up on IM i'd answer all those questions gladly ;)

and, joe, i think you have 23 regular readers.

Stash said...

Okay, so I finally did this meme, like 3 months after you tagged me.

Oops.

Post should be up in a couple of hours. Ciao for now. =P