Sep 30 2009

Random Meme-ness

Category: memesSteve @ 23:12 pm

It’s been a while. Let’s do a meme.  (Since the rest of the GOMs are doing it.)

1. The phone rings. Who will it be?

Friends asking to borrow the shower. (Their hot water heater went out.)

2. When shopping at the grocery store, do you return your cart?

Absolutely. It’s grossly irresponsible not to do so.

3. In a social setting, are you more of a talker or a listener?

I listen. The spousal entity is the social one.

4. Do you take compliments well?

Not well. Who does?

5. Do you play Sudoku?

Daily. It’s an addiction. I do the Evil level at Web Sudoku and Black Belt Second Degree in the Martial Arts Sudoku series.

6. If abandoned alone in the wilderness, would you survive?

For awhile, so long as I had a few basics. I went through Air Force SERE survival school and I’m a Scout leader.

7. Did you ever go to camp as a kid?

Did I camp? Frequently. Go to camp? Nope, that was for city kids.

8. What was your favorite game as a kid?

Kick the Can.

9. If a sexy person was pursuing you, but you knew she was married, would you?

Nope.  Wouldn’t be prudent.  And I’m happily married, thank you very much.

10. Could you date someone with different religious beliefs than you?

Assuming I was not married.  I’m thinking, not.  We’re not to be unequally yoked (2 Cor 6:14).  I don’t think it’s a sin to do so, but it’s still a pretty strong admonition. My faith is a key part of my life and I would want my marriage partner to share that faith – and she does.

11. Do you like to pursue or be pursued?

Trivial Pursuit?  They’re all pursuing me.  I could take on a Sicilian if death was on the line.

12. Use three words to describe yourself?

Trying to perservere.

13. Do any songs make you cry?

My tears are only a level or two below those of Chuck Norris.  Look it up.

14. Are you continuing your education?

I want to work on an MFA in writing, and need to finish my professional SOA Architecture certifications .

15. Do you know how to shoot a gun?

Does the Pope poop in the woods?  My family invented shotgun golf.

16. Have you ever taken pictures in a photo booth?

Yes.

17. How often do you read books?

Frequently, but now I’m hooked on audio books.

18. Do you think more about the past, present or future?

Present and future.  The past is, well, past.

19. What is your favorite children’s book?

Ferdinand the Bull.  Or Green Eggs and Ham

20.What color are your eyes?

Blue.

21. How tall are you?

6′2″.

22. Where is your dream house located?

An isolated mountain valley.

23. If your house was on fire, what would be the first thing you grabbed?

Wife, kids, and the photo albums.

24. When was the last time you were at Olive Garden?

Last week.  Dave was trying to drag us back to catholicism.

25. Where was the furthest place you traveled today?

Buckley Air Force Base in Aurora, CO.  About an hour north of here.

26. Do you like mustard?

Love it, especially coarse ground brown mustard.  Unfortunately, everyone else in the family – when they use it – uses the plain yellow stuff.

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Nov 11 2008

Since We’re Meming

Category: books and writing, memesSteve @ 16:09 pm

Jamsco tagged me for this one.  Grab the nearest book, go to page 123, count the 6-8th sentences.

“I said SCRAM!”

“Klingons don’t ‘SCRAM’.”

“I see they do limp.”

From Enormously Foxtrot.

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Nov 10 2008

Comments Meme

Category: blogging, memesSteve @ 09:20 am

I borrowed this from a random site and modified it quite a bit.  Answer the following questions and provide links where appropriate.

1.  Who is your most frequent commenter on your blog?

Gotta be kingdavid at FarWright.

2.  Do you return the favor and comment at their site?

Absolutely.  It’s the law.

3.  Whose comments inspire you or force you to reconsider your opinions?

Christian at Sharp Iron.  I don’t always agree, but his take on faith issues frequently causes me to look at why I believe what I believe.

4.  On which two blogs do you comment most frequently?

FarWright and PunditKitchen.

5.  Have you ever commented on a blog just to ’stir the pot’?

Once in a great while.  When I see one-sided attacks on faith or political issues that concern me I’ll leap in.

6.  Have your ever posted a comment because someone wrote something that infuriated you?

Frequently.

7.  Have you ever banned commenters/trolls?  Ever been banned?

Yes.  Karen knows who.  When someone continually uses foul language, gets verbally abusive or criminally stupid.  I have not been banned as far as I know, but I’ve seen my comments deleted on several sites when I post opposing viewpoints.

8.  Which post on your blog has generated the most comments.  Why?  (Provide a link to the post.)

Two posts: Kent Hovind Off to Jail (154 comments) and Sarah Palin for President (10,379 hits and 93 comments).  The Hovind post generated lots of comments (frequently uncharitable) from Young Earth Creationists and the Sarah Palin post because she is a very popular/controversial figure.

9.  Which topic (as opposed to a specific post) generates the most comments?

Politics.  This was a critical election and lots of people held very strong opinions.

10.  Have you ever commented on a blog and purposely disguised your info so that you or your blog couldn’t be identified?

Never (as far as I can remember).  Own your opinions.  Several commenters have done it here, though.

11.  Do you post about controversial topics (politics, religion, social issues)?  Do you receive comments from opposing viewpoints?  Are they civil?

Yes and yes.  Depends on the topic.  Generally folks are civil, but I’ve found that many folks of a liberal persuasion need lessons in common courtesy.

Feel free to pass this one along.  For grins I’ll tag kingdavid, Karen, and Christian.

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Aug 06 2008

Flickr PhotoMeme

Category: memesSteve @ 14:20 pm

This one took a bit of work, but it’s pretty interesting.  Open Mosaic Maker. There you choose 3 columns and 4 rows. Go to the Flickr search page and search your answers to the questions below. Choose a photo on the first page only, open it and copy the URL into the appropriate line of the Mosaic page. When done with all 12 lines, save the result and upload it to your posting.

The questions:

  1. What is your name?
  2. What is your favorite food?
  3. Which school did you attend?
  4. What is your favorite color?
  5. Which celebrity do you consider to be your favorite?
  6. Your favorite drink?
  7. Your favorite holiday?
  8. Your favorite dessert?
  9. What do you want to be when you grow up?
  10. What do you value most in life?
  11. One word to describe you?
  12. Your blog’s name?

Note: The photos correspond with the questions in the sequence:

1…2…3
4…5…6
7…8…9
10…11…12

mosaic3789511 Flickr PhotoMeme

(HT: The Cactus Patch)

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Jul 31 2008

Lunch, Anyone?

Category: books and writing, history, memesSteve @ 13:50 pm

Interesting question from Mmmm, That’s Good Coffee…:

If you could have dinner with anyone (besides Jesus), who would you have it with, and where would you have it?

I’d have to say lunch with Admiral Lord Thomas Cochrane, the model for Jack Aubrey, Horatio Hornblower and any number of ‘Age of Fighting Sail’ sea captains.  The only place to have it would be aboard HMS Victory at Portsmouth, UK.

Yours?

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Jul 25 2008

Song Meme

Category: memesSteve @ 10:47 am

Jamsco tagged me with this one.  Good thing this is a pretty easy one, because yesterday was Travel Day From Heck.  I tweaked the format a bit.

4 Favorite Songs:

  • Jimmy Buffet – A Pirate Looks at Forty
  • As I Lay Dying – I Never Wanted
  • Blue Öyster Cult – Veteran of the Psychic Wars
  • Colorado Wranglers – Orange Blossom Special

Two Favorites from Your High School Days

  • Bob Seger – Night Moves
  • REO Speedwagon – Ridin’ the Storm Out

Two groups with too many good songs to choose just one:

  • Led Zeppelin
  • Queen

Two artists/groups who are grossly over-rated: (Just two???)

  • U2/Bono
  • John Lennon

One group with only one good song:

  • Loituma: Ievan Polkka (also known on the interwebs as Leekspin)

One ‘guilty pleasure’ song that doesn’t fit with the rest of your musical tastes:

  • Somewhere Over the Rainbow – Iz Kamakawiwo’ole

And, finally, one word to describe your musical tastes:  Eclectic

Tag, you’re it.

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Jul 07 2008

One-Word Meme

Category: memesSteve @ 10:37 am

windowslivewriteronewordmeme 9554oof 3 One Word Meme Single.  Words.  Only.  No.  Repeats.

1. Where is your cell phone?  Desk
2. Your significant other?  Working
3. Your hair?  Thinning
4. Your mother?  Visited
5. Your father?  Missed
6. Your favorite time of day?  Morning
7. Your dream last night?  Unremembered
8. Your favorite drink?  Malt
9. Your dream goal?  Christlike
10. The room you’re in?  Office
11. Your ex?  None
12. Your fear?  Legacy
13. Where do you want to be in 6 years?  Published
14. What you are not?  Motivated
15. Your Favorite meal?  Ribs
16. One of your wish list items?  London
17. The last thing you did?  Bathroom
18. Where you grew up?  Farm
19. What are you wearing?  Clothes
20. Your TV is?  Nuisance
21. Your pets?  Peeves
22. Your computer?  Drainer
23. Your life?  Blessed
24. Your mood?  Comfy
25. Missing someone?  Family
26. Your car?  Guzzler
27. Something you’re not wearing?  Spats
28. Favorite store?  Bookstore
29. Your summer?  Driving
30. Your favorite color?   Ehh
31. When is the last time you laughed?  Yesterday
32. When is the last time you cried?  Cried?
33. Your health? Reasonable
34. Your children?  Teens!
35. Your future?  Eternal
36. Your beliefs?  Christian
37. Young or old?  Established
38. Your image?  Crusty
39. Your appearance?  Neanderthal
40. Would you live your life over again knowing what you know?   Betcha

(HT: Night. Writer.)

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Jun 26 2008

Books That Changed My Life

Category: books and writing, memesSteve @ 16:05 pm

Which books have changed your life?  I’m not talking about good or even great books, or memorable ones, or favorite ones. I mean books that altered your behavior, changed your mind, redirected the course of your life.  These books added something permanent to me – an insight, a vision, an attitude.

Here’s my list, in roughly the order they entered my life:

  • 50 Short Science Fiction Tales Books That Changed My Life, edited by Isaac Asimov and Groff Conklin.  This one opened my eyes to the incredible possibilities of sci-fi and speculative fiction.  I’ve read this one many times over the years.
  • Worldbook Encyclopedia.  Okay it’s not a book.  I used to pick a volume and just start reading.  I discovered that there is knowledge outside my sphere of experience.
  • Flap, novelization of a Clair Huffaker screenplay.  An eminently forgettable 1960s movie starring Anthony Quinn as a drunken Indian.  Mom saw me reading it and was aghast that I would read such a thing at my tender age.  The incident (not the book) made me understand the power of books to influence – and offend – others.
  • The Hobbit/Lord of the Rings, by J.R.R Tolkein.  This was my first introduction to the concept of exceptional talent in an author.  It made me a dyed-in-the-wool bookworm.
  • Illusions, by Richard Bach.  Everything is an illusion and we create our own reality.  I ran into this New Age mumbo-jumbo in my teens and it screwed me up for years.
  • Atlas Shrugged, by Ayn Rand.  Showed me the destructive decadence of modern liberalism.  Rand is a tediously self-important writer, but her concepts blew me away.
  • Razor’s Edge, by Somerset Maugham.  Another one that screwed me up for quite awhile.  The story of a disillusioned WW1 fighter pilot who seeks enlightenment.  He finds Buddhist ‘wisdom’ on a mountaintop.  I found this book when I was searching for The Answer to Life, the Universe and Everything.  I should have read Douglas Adams instead.
  • The Bible, by God.  I didn’t know any better, so I started at Genesis and read to Revelation.  I’m glad I did.
  • Wild at Heart, by John Eldredge.  Eldredge is frequently criticized for his answers, but not for his questions, namely, why are Christian men wimps, and what are you going to do about it?
  • Stand Into Danger, by Douglas Reeman (writing as Alexander Kent).  The second or sixth or eleventy-twelfth book in the Richard Bolitho series of nautical fiction set in the Age of Sail.  It was while reading this book that I decided I could write at least as well as the author.
  • On Writing, by Stephen King.  Exceptional insight into what it takes to be a writer. 

What’s on your list?

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May 12 2008

Message to the World Meme

Category: memesSteve @ 16:56 pm

You have 150 characters to send a message to the world.  Punctuation doesn’t count.  Here’s mine:

Love God, love man.  That’s about it. Anything else?  Um… Nope, that’s all.  And brush your teeth every day. Twice.  Root for the Rockies – they need it.  Pray unceasingly.  That means ‘a lot.’  Do good to all.

Ha! Two characters to spare.  Let’s see what Karen, KingDavid, and Jamsco have to say.

(HT: dustbury)

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Apr 17 2008

Yet Another Meme…

Category: memesSteve @ 16:55 pm

Favorite item used for an unintended purpose:  Do pennies in the fuse box count?  (Kidding!)

Favorite way to buy music:  Favorite or easiest? iTunes is easiest, though Amazon now alleged has cheaper, DRM-free music. My favorite method would probably involve telepathy. We haven’t worked out the bugs there yet.

How clean is your car?  Reasonably clean, though it’s a constant effort to get #1 son to shovel out the back seat.

How clean is your apartment/house/room?  It’s a running battle with clutter.  Clutter is winning.

How clean is your office?  If you look in the door, it’s fairly tidy, but I have lots of stuff stashed under the desk.

Favorite laundry detergent:  Whatever’s on sale.

Favorite weekly free time:  Saturday morning before anyone is up.

Is there a word, phrase, or gesture that is identifiably yours?  Nope.

Most effective medicine for one (or more) of your ailments:  Extra-Strength Tylenol usually works well enough. Or Single Malt Scotch.

A favorite thing you try to sell/push/encourage your friends to try:  Common sense. (It’s not working.)

Favorite new (or new-to-you) thing:  L&L Hawaiian Barbecue

 

This is open to anyone who’d like to play along; I swiped it from Dustbury.

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