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I'm a Minnesota Girl, living in the south. I tell my friends I try not to talk and think like a Yankee, but sometimes I slip up!

Thursday, August 26, 2010

Where do they come up with these things?

You know you can't help yourself. You have to take the quiz and tell me YOUR answers.

10. Favorite U.S. State?
I love it, I hate it. It’s complex. Florida.







9. Earliest Actual Memory?
I have a frightening memory of being around 4 on a Saturday night (Gunsmoke was on) and in my jammies when a bullet came through the open window of our apartment and embedded itself in the living room wall. It is as though it happened yesterday. I remember the dark blue of the police uniforms that converged on our apartment. I don't think they every found out who it was, and attributed it to "street punks". May I say that I did not grow up in a hotbed of crime, but rather in a little Italian sector of a small town in northern Minnesota. Whoda thunkit?





8. First Presidential Election? (Or campaign for those not from the USA)



I was one of those 6 people who voted for George McGovern and campaigned ceaselessly for him in 1972. I do remember elections as far back as the Kennedy-Nixon debates in 1960, however.















7. Earliest Interaction with Computers
This is too funny for words. As a college freshman in 1972, I took an engineering Fortran class. I used the school's keypunch machine to create my programs on card decks. The decks were run in a shared computer facility that belonged to the college. I wrote 12 programs. At the start of the semester, it took 1-2 hours of turnaround time to get the output. By the end of the semester, when everyone was trying to get all their programs done, it took 2 days to turn around Program 12. My kids don’t believe this story, can’t imagine it.





6. Favorite Public Vices?
There is very little left. In my youth, they included beer and dancing to country music. Now, I’m stuck with just displaying my addiction to coffee in public places.
I’m particularly stuck on a good cry at a particularly poignant film in a crowded theater, and have been known to, shall we say, overreact, to a bad call by the referee at a football game.





5. Favorite Restaurant?
I'm in Tampa, and Cuban food is de rigeur here. Columbia, the best Cuban restaurant in town, would be my choice, and I once got to take internet friend Vicky and her husband there when they stopped in Tampa for a visit. We enjoyed FLAMENCO! But if I get to choose several, the list will also include the Sea Porch Café at the Don Cesar for its incomparable setting on the Gulf of Mexico, Charlie’s, the best steakhouse in Tampa or anywhere, (and so elegant) or my favorite place for Thai – Sukothai. Out of town? I’m crazy about The Blue Willow Inn near Atlanta. Day to day? You can’t beat Panera Bread, Crispers, and Sweet Tomatoes for everyday food in this town.


4. Education?
I have my Bachelor’ s Degree in business from the University of North Dakota and have dabbled in a variety of ongoing courses at the University of South Florida. I’d like to take a couple of online HR courses through Cornell this year. They are the best in the business. This would mean that I would rob a bank to get the money.




3. Political Affiliation?
I'm an independent voter. It’s difficult to not call me a liberal or a Democrat during the Bush administration, since I was so profoundly against most of what Dubya and the boys did. However, I've voted for as many Republicans as Democrats for president. I grew up in a Democratic, pro-union family, so I guess the lean is that way.



2. Religious Affiliation?
I have none. I was raised in both Lutheran and Serbian Orthodox churches, for contrast, and chose to be baptized Orthodox as a teen. I spent much of my adult life in Catholic and Epicsopal churches. I find more time in touch with my higher power when I meditate than when I participate with others in a scheduled religious service.




1. Marital/Relationship Status?
I was married once, for 26 years. Our divorce was civil and we remain friends. I have been single for nearly 5 years. I am content with my independence. I believe that I will want to be in a committed relationship sometime again in my life, and to live with my partner, but I am unafraid to continue to live on my own, should I never meet the right person. I have loved someone, I do love someone ...since my marriage, but accept that I may not marry or cohabitate with someone I love again. While that gives me some sadness, I feel so good about myself and my life, that the form of coupling that I may or may not have again really doesn’t keep me awake at night. I have three men in my life that I consider to be some of the closest friends I've ever had. Friends I can't live without. Somehow, that seems more satisfying.


4 comments:

Kelly said...

Okay..... I'll do it.

10. Favorite state: Arkansas. I've visited many states, but I'm glad I live where I do.

9. Earliest memory: I'm sure some folks will doubt I really remember this, but I was bitten in the neck by my aunt's German Shepherd Dog when I was less than 2 years old. I do remember it!

8. First Presidential Election: I think it was 1976. I honestly can't remember who I voted for!

7. Earliest interaction with computers: I, too, took a course in college, but I can't remember now if it was Fortran or Cobol. Seems like I dropped the course. Then, around 1982 or 83 I got a Commodore 64 home computer.

6. Favorite public vices: Geez...overeating maybe?? Not sure how to answer this! (and yes, I broke my 12 years of not drinking while I was in Vegas.....not that I'm drinking on a regular basis now, LOL)

5. Favorite Restaurant: Probably Papa Poblanos. It's a Mexican restaurant in my hometown.

4. Education: I graduated from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville with a Bachelor of Science degree.

3. Political Affiliation: I tend to be fairly conservative in most things, but hesitate to call myself a Republican (we don't register by party in AR). I prefer to vote for the person, not the party.

2. Religious Affiliation: I'm a Christian. I was raised in the Methodist Church then moved to the Episcopal Church while in college. After the birth of our last child my husband said he would attend church with me if I'd come back to the Methodist Church, which I did.

1. Marital/Relationship status: My husband and I celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary this week.

Marion said...

1. Married
2. Christian/Buddhist/Zen/Seeker
3. Same as Kelly. Conservative.
4. I have a Ph fucking D in the School of Hard Knocks. Yeah, baby, a Doctorate!!!
5. None. I hate eating out and consider it a waste of my money that could be used for books.
6. Would have to be spending the money I don't use eating out at book stores.
7. Operated a computer the size of my bathroom while working at the Ammunition Plant in Minden, LA building bombs in my late 20's.
8. Have no idea.
9. Experiencing the horror of Hurricane Audrey in Franklin, Louisiana when I was 3 years old.
10. Louisiana, of course!

Pam said...

10. Favorite state: Texas

9. Seeing my dad for the first time when he came home from WWII. Probably was told and just think I remember. Next ACTUAL memory that I positive of would be sitting in my window seat (2nd floor) and seeing Angels.

8. Frist Prez. election: I think I voted for Wallace just to tick my ex off.

7. Early 80s, living in San Antonio had an early computer and was big into Chat rooms via BBSes back then..pre-widespread Internet or ever Prodigy and AOL. Before that I had a word processor that I wrote my poetry on.

6. Vices?? I swear like a sailor

5. Restaurant: Red Lobster or Cheesecake Factory

4. Education? Louisiana Tech, BA in French and English

3. Political affiliation? Independant with STRONG Libertarian leanings.

2. Religion: Christian

1. Married? Nope, not for eons and once was enough, thanks!

Bob said...

10. 3-way tie between Arkansas where I was born and lived until I was almost 40; Tennessee where I live now; and Colorado, which I think has to be what heaven looks like, and where I spent two glorious summers.

9. I remember wearing braces on my legs and scooting around on the ground when I as about 3 and had Legg-Perthaiese (sp).

8. I voted for Gerald Ford when he ran against Jimmy Carter in '76. I remember all the way back to Goldwater vs. Johnson in 1964.

7. I honestly don't remember.

6. Probably overeating too. I enjoy beer and wine occasionally, but keep it in moderation. I also speak before thinking too much.

5. Here in Nashville we have a great local spot called Tin Angel. There's also a small regional chain here called Amerigo that has great Italian food. I love seafood of just about any kind and there are a number of places along the Gulf Coast I enjoyed when we used to visit there more often -- Captain Dave's, Cafe 30-A and The Backporch come to mind. To be truthful, I much prefer to eat at home.

4. BA in journalism from LA Tech; J.D. from Univ. of Arkansas at Little Rock. You didn't ask this, but I'd love to go back to school and get degrees in psychology, English and music.

3. Independent. I usually vote Republican but not always. I try really hard to respect everyone's opinions.

2. Raised in the Methodist church but joined a non-denominational Christian church in my mid-20s and met my wife there. We joined an offshoot of it when we moved to Nashville. Again, I try to be respectful and don't think anyone's got a corner on the market. I love visiting other churches.

1. Happily married 26 years.