Meme ... Me!

Thanks, Kathleen, for the poke. Here goes...

1. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE ? Yes. The Alpine maiden in the book (seriously). My middle name (before I married Craig) was “Susan” after my godmother and favorite aunt. If I’d been allowed to choose, I’d have gladly given up Heidi and kept Susan … but nobody thought that was going to fly after 35 years of “Heidi.” Schade.

2. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED? Kate Wicker (with whom I may get even by TAGGING on this thing) made me cry with a post the other day.

3. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? Only my capital “H,” which I make with lots of swirls!

4. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT? Umm… does tuna count?

5. DO YOU HAVE KIDS? Two, a boy (nearly 8) and a girl (6)

6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? We took a vote, and decided … only on the days she got her full dose of Diet Coke. (I once had a secretary threaten to quit if I ever gave the stuff up for Lent again.)

7. DO YOU USE SARCASM A LOT? Not as much as I used to, thanks to my gentle giant of a husband. (It’s hard to be sarcastic with someone who tries so hard to do the right thing.)

8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? Nope.

9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? No, but there are days when I want to send my KIDS bungee jumping. “What’s that? You refuse to clean your room? OK, why don’t you take a few seconds to THINK ABOUT I-I-I-I-I-I-I—I-T.”

10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL? Kashi pilaf on a good day. Cap'n Crunch otherwise.

11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? Now that I have inserts (for my back) I don’t have much choice. I can barely get them on and off even with the laces loose.

12. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG? Better than before, thanks to my great physical therapist.

13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM? New York Super Fudge Chunk.

14. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE? If they are story tellers, or “story fodder.” Physically? How calm they are. I like being around calm people.

15. RED OR PINK? Pink- little girl pink. Part of the fun of having a little girl.

16. WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVORITE THING YOU LIKE ABOUT YOURSELF? My flabby arms.

17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST? My dog, Missy, who died in Dec 2007.

18. WHAT COLOR PANTS AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING? Blue jeans, bare feet (but don’t tell my therapist, who wants me to wear SHOES ALL THE TIME… can you believe it?

19. WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU ATE? Birthday cake (chocolate, Sarah’s).

20. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? My kids vexing each other and bouncing off the walls. I think they’re hungry … better go get dinner together.

21. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? Gold (the sparkly kind)

22. FAVORITE SMELLS? Lilac, cinnamon, my husband’s aftershave, and the strawberry-kiwi shampoo my kids like.

23. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE? The neighbor lady, to tell her that her son’s play date with Christopher was officially OVER.

24. FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH? Figure skating. It is, too.

25. HAIR COLOR? Now it’s brown. Was reddish(er) before.26. EYE COLOR? Blue

27. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? No

28. FAVORITE FOOD? Diet Coke/crème brulee/black currant tea/chocolate (not necessarily together). Certain days of the month, rib eye steaks.

29. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS? Happy, happy … life is already full of scary.

30. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED? Meet Joe Black.

31. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING? Orange

32. SUMMER OR WINTER? Fall.

33. HUGS OR KISSES? Hugs.

34. FAVORITE DESSERT? Creme Brulee, really fudgy nut brownies.

35. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW? Just finished “Songs of the Humpback Whale,” “Come Be My Light,” and “Silent Prisoner.” Nothing has leaped off the “read me” pile yet.

36. WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD? Water (I think)

37. WHAT DID YOU WATCH ON T.V. LAST NIGHT? Didn’t. Worked on Canticle.

38. FAVORITE SOUNDS? Panflute (to relax). My husband’s C-pap machine (I can’t get to sleep without it now.) Kids singing. Kids NOT bickering.

39. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES? Beatles.

40. WHAT IS THE FARTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME? Senegal, West Africa (unless Hungary is farther, I can't recall).

41. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT? I used to do ventriloquism and play the organ.

42. WHERE WERE YOU BORN? Grand Forks, North Dakota (Air Force Base)

Thanks for reading! (I know I threatened to tag Kate, and she is perfectly free to follow up if she so chooses -- which she did, here -- but I know what her life is like right now. So if you’re reading this, just say a little prayer for her, that she gets a good night’s sleep tonight.) Otherwise, I think most of the people I know well enough to poke have already done this ... but if you see this and decide to participate, please send me a link so I can see your answers!

Elena Maria Vidal posted hers here. Thanks, friend!