Showing posts with label MeMe. Show all posts
Showing posts with label MeMe. Show all posts

Friday Fill-In # 7

My goodness...it's been over a year since I've participated in Friday Fill-Ins....and probably nearly a year since I've participated in any meme at all! But here goes...

And...here we go!

fridayfillin.gif

1. We need a little Christmas...but not until after Thanksgiving!
2. I just heard my baby coo and it made me smile.
3. If you want something, the only way to get it is through hard work.
4. I am only awake right now because perversely, I'm sick and can't sleep.
5. Massachusetts has a proposed 5% sales tax on elective cosmetic surgery; I think that the government often seems more willing to find more opportunities to tax, instead of more opportunities to save money.
6. A well-planned schedule makes for a happy holiday.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to resting, tomorrow my plans include finishing work on our dining room remodel and Sunday, I want to clean house before our Thanksgiving guests arrive from out of town!

College MeMe

Hi, folks!

We're back from our 10-day trip to PA and I'm down with the sickness...bronchitis and an upper respiratory tract infection, that is. Until I get back into the swing of blogging (which first requires more than 5 minutes in a row of coherent thinking), here's a MeMe to tide you over. (stolen from Carrie Lofty)

1. Do you remember your college address?
Unequivocally, no. I have no idea what any of my college addresses were.

2. Ever lived off campus?
No. I lived in two different dorms and 3 different on-campus apartments.

3. Are you happy with the major you picked?
Yes - political science. Granted, my major has ZERO to do with what I do for a living, but I loved loved loved studying it, and the greatest skill it taught (along with my minor - history) was project and research management.

4. Did you have one or more serious relationships?
I started college with a serious relationship...and ended with a serious relationship. Different guys. Neither are my husband.

5. Did you ever take a P.E. class?
Of course. And I firmly believe that no matter what major people pursue, at least 1 physical education class should be required. The skills I learned in my lifeguarding class (freshman year) and my weight training class (sophomore year) are invaluable. And with the weight problems that are pervasive in this country, every chance that is made available for students to pursue more healthy habits is necessary.

6. Ever have a run in with an RA?
Yes. Freshman year. Slight amount of shouting in my room when the Yankees beat the Braves in the 1999 World Series. Hate the Braves. Go Yankees! And then I became an RA...but I was a cool RA! :-)

7. What sporting events did you like to attend?
Rugby!

8. Any wild parties?
Wild is a sliding scale.

9. What were your schools colors?
Maroon and gold.

10. Did you ever graduate and if so in how many years?
Of course I did! Three years. (No, that's not a typo. I took 21 credits each semester, plus tested out of a bunch because, well, I was bored.)

11. Name one ritual with your friends?
Denny's and road trips.

12. Any cool concerts held at your school?
Yeah. Although I can't remember specifics now.

13. If you could go back would you do it again
No. I was bored out of my mind most of the time.

14. Is your job now at all related to what you went to school for?
Ha, no.

15. Can you recite the entire Greek Alphabet?
Yes.

16. Ever skip class to hang out with your friends?
Once or twice, but usually had too much going on in class to miss.

17. Did you have a pet?
My roommate had a Bloomsburg Fair gold fish who WOULD.NOT.DIE.

18. Favorite party place?
?

19. Did you marry someone from college?
Yes. Just not from MY college. (You didn't specify. Ha.)

20. Use your leftover money for laundry or to go out?
Leftover money? Are you kidding? I had two jobs the whole time I was in school and had tuition and bills to pay.

21. Worst drink you ever consumed?
Three Wise Men. Will NEVER forget that. UGH UGH UGH.

22. Year you graduated?
2002.

23. Still keep in touch with college friends?
Yes.

25. Any regrets?
Should have finished my second minor - missed by 1 stinking class, but had no way to work 1 more class in without spending another semester there.

26. Play a sport?
I take it that Beer Pong doesn't count?

27. Did you have a nickname?
Oh, a few.

28. Cafeteria have a nickname?
Not that I'm aware of.

29. Favorite late night snack?
BACON!

30. Favorite breakfast?
Those cheap breakfast sandwiches.

31. Favorite professor?
Percy.

32. How far was your college from your hometown?
An hour.

Stolen MeMe

Stole this from Carrie - couldn't resist!

1. What is your occupation?
HR lady by day, freelance writer chick by night

2. What color are your socks right now?
No socks - wearing sandals

3. What are you listening to right now?
Dead air

4. What was the last thing that you ate?
Sandwich and pretzels

5. Can you drive a stick shift?
Yep

6. If you were a crayon, what color would you be?
Depends on my mood

7. Last person you spoke to on the phone?
Uh...Chris, probably

8. Do you like the person who sent this to you?
Carrie's cool - you need to go check out her site and her writing

9. Favorite drink?
Coke

10. What is your favorite sport to watch?
NASCAR!!!

11. Have you ever dyed your hair?
Yes, I used to compulsively dye it. Haven't for years now.

12. Pets?
1 husband, Christopher; 1 ghost, Mr. Beard; 2 dogs, Naya and Missy; 2 cats, Frankie and Audrey.

13. Favorite food?
PASTA

14. Last movie you watched?
Talledega Nights

15. Favorite Day of the year?
Fourth of July

16. What do you do to vent anger?
Read a book. Getting involved in a fantasy world helps me to forget.

17. What was your favorite toy as a child?
Er. I don't know. I read a lot.

18. What is your favorite, fall or spring?
Spring

19. Hugs or kisses?
Hugs

20. What kind of pie?
Apple

21. Living arrangements?
House, which we've owned for 1.5 years; with the pets mentioned above.

22. When was the last time you cried?
A few nights ago, thinking about Dad.

23. What is on the floor of your closet?
Shoes are in one corner; some luggage tucked near the back.

24. Favorite smell?
Vanilla

25. What inspires you?
People

26. What are you afraid of?
SNAKES

27. Plain, cheese or spicy hamburgers?
Plain, with raw red onions and A-1 on top

28. Favorite car?
Jeep Wrangler

29. Favorite cat breed?
NOT Siamese...damn whiny cat.

30. Number of keys on your key ring?
Probably a dozen or so, between my house, my work, and two other houses I routinely go to and so need keys for, plus our two cars.

31. How many years at your current job?
Two for current full-time company, one in my current role; freelancing for three.

32. Favorite day of the week?
Saturday

33. How many states/provinces have you lived in?
Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Texas

34. How many countries have you been to?
Six: Canada, Mexico, Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Liechtenstein

35. How much do you love "Knowing Me, Knowing You" by ABBA?
Uh, not an ABBA fan. Sorry.

ABCs MeMe

I totally stole this from Carrie, who totally perpetuated the chain of stealing from other sources.

A - Age: 27
B - Band listening to right now: I'm listening to the "sounds of silence" here at work.
C - Career future: HR Manager
D - Dad's name: James
E - Easiest person to talk to: Chris
F - Favorite type of shoe: None - barefoot!
G - Grapes or Grapefruit: Mmm...I love both!
H - Hometown: Mountainhome/Scranton, PA
I - Instrumental talent: Violin, piano, clarinet, et al.
J - Juice of choice: Orange
K - Koala Bear or Panda Bear: Koala - aww!
L - Longest car ride ever: Hmm...I'd guess from TX to PA - 1540 miles.
M - Middle name: Anne
N - Number of jobs you've had: Not counting freelance writing or hired music performance or working for my Dad, nine: Cloud Nine, AAA Road Service, Bloomsburg University, the Bon-Ton, the Holiday Inn restaurant, Radiologix, CBRichard Ellis, OrthoRx, American Airlines. But I've had multiple jobs at some of those places...
O - OCD traits: Aren't they all?
P - Phobia[s]: SPIDERS and SNAKES
Q - Quote: "The sole earthly judge of right and wrong is success."
R - Reason to smile: Life.
S - Song you sang last: Mmm...don't know.
T - Time you wake up: 7:00 AM
U - Unknown fact about me: Blah?
V - Vegetable you hate: Spinach
W - Worst habit: Procrastinating
X - X-rays you've had: Just about my entire body at one time or another.
Y - Yummiest food your belly likes: Chips and dip.
Z - Zodiac Sign: Libra.

Your turn! Steal away and post and comment back here so I can come visit!

Tagged - Hubby MeMe

ACK! I suck!

Grace over at Sandier Pastures tagged me for a MeMe back on April 11th - and I'm just now doing it! MEA CULPA, Grace, and thanks for tagging me!

Here we go...

How long did you date? We dated for 6 months before we got engaged, and then were engaged for 9 months before we got married.

How old is he? He'll be 33 in December.

Who eats more? These days, we're about equal.

Who said “I love you” first? He did. Which he never lets me forget!

Who is taller? He is - by a lot!

Who sings better? I'd say me, but his voice isn't half bad.

Who is smarter? We're both smartie pants!

Whose temper is worse? Neither of us have much of a temper unless you get us REALLY worked up.

Who does the laundry? Both of us.

Who does the dishes? We take turns letting the dishwasher do the dishes. :-)

Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? Me!

Who pays the bills? I do.

Who cooks dinner? Usually Chris, actually...he's a much better cook than I am.

Who drives when you are together? We switch off.

Who is more stubborn? Me, for sure.

Who kissed who first? Uh, I'd say that was mutual. It was very nice. :-)

Who is the first to admit when they are wrong? Wrong? Ha!

Whose parents do you see the most? Well, his mom lived with us for the winter, but we actually don't see any of our parents very often, since they all live quite a distance away.

Who proposed? Him, at the top of a mountain, with roses. Yeah, he's great. Back off.

Who is more sensitive? Mmm...depends on the situation. We can both be pretty jaded at times.

Who has more friends? Probably me.

Who has more siblings? That's be a no-brainer for him - he has two half-siblings, while I have no siblings at all.

Who wears the pants in the family? Hahaha...go away.

Ya'll are off the hook...it took me so long to respond to this tag that I'm going to skip passing it along. But if you're so inclined, feel free to tag yourself, and let me know!

Stolen Fun MeMe

Ok, I was just out checking on Lisa's blog to see if she'd posted on whether she might take off this week for Manic Monday with the holiday and all and found this really cute MeMe that I'm going to post for your viewing pleasure. Steal away!

What color is your bra? White

Do you straighten your hair everyday? No. I curl it most work days.

Do you worry about the size of your boobs? Ugh.

What’s your favorite girly magazine? Um...no idea.

Would you kill for chocolate? Is it GERTRUDE HAWK? If so, yes. Hell, yes. Repeatedly.

Jeans or Skirts? Depends on mood/setting.

Do you wear clothes/shoes/jewelry that’s uncomfortable? If I have to.

Did you ever spend all day/night getting pretty for a guy?
Does Prom count?

Did you ever cry during a romantic movie? Yes. Let's blame hormones.

Would you leave the house without makeup on? I do on nearly a daily basis. I'm not so much the makeup type.

Do you consider making out “unladylike”?
Yes. Most definitely. Not just unladylike, but also unseemly. But that's just in public. In my own house, with no one around, I'll do what I damn well please.

On a scale of 1-10, how fun is shopping? 0. Hate it.

Are you spoiled? My husband is good to me. :-)

Do you think lip gloss is the best? The best at what? For what? With what?

Do you freak out if you miss your favorite show? That's why God invented DVRs.

Do you yell a lot? If I'm yelling, chances are it's at (a) the idiot in front of my on the freeway, (b) the Democrat ticking me off on TV, or (c) my mother on the phone. Otherwise, no.

How long does it take you to get ready in the morning? Depends on what I'm getting ready for. Typical work day? 40 minutes, tops, including shower and breakfast. Big-time kinda day...up to 90 minutes.

Do you wear sweatpants/pajama pants to school/work? Yeah, right. I work for the largest airline in the world, in the corporate office with VPs in my wing. That would go over like a LEAD BALLOON!

Accessories make the outfit; true or false? Eh.

Is pink truly the best color in the entire universe? Gross.

Lip gloss a must? I do believe that the last time I actually work lip gloss was middle school and it was Bonnie Bell. So no, definitely not a must.

Status? Is this like when people used to type "A/S/L" in chat rooms back in the mid 90s?

Have you ever dressed unlike yourself to impress a guy? Sure.

Do you often wish there was something you could change about yourself? Yes.

Gold or silver? Silver or white gold. (I'm going to leave Lisa's answer, because it's perfect.)

The guy that you like/love/whatever, what does his name begin with?
A letter. Duh.

Do you dress up too much for holidays?
For church, yes and always. For dinner afterwards, I've learned not to, although it still makes me a bit uncomfortable to sit down to a holiday dinner in jeans.

Do you like wearing dresses?
Yes, at times.

Do you write a lot of mushy love poems?
The last time I even attempted a poem was junior year of high school.

What makeup could you not live without? The only makeup I wear regularly is mascara.

Manic Monday #13

Thanks to the lovely Lisa...we have this week's Manic Monday!

If you could have any music group or musician play at a party, who would you hire?
BILLY JOEL!

Name three things to be happy about today.
1. It's St. Patrick's Day!
2. Easter is soon!
3. My niece and nephew arrive even sooner!

How do you release frustration?
Vent. Read. Drive.

Your turn!

Award and TAG!

Sorry I didn't do Manic Monday this morning...I had an 11.5 hour work day with a 16 hour work day coming up for tomorrow (flying to SJC and back to facilitate their Joint Leadership Team meeting) and then another 10+ hour work day on Wednesday. At least those long hours make the time that Chris is out of town go by faster! To bad I don't work a strict 40, however...or I'd be done at noon on Thursday! Ah, well. At least my boss loves me! :-)

Sick again. Ok, not that I ever got better the first time, but this is new. Now I have this deep, raspy, awful cough. I really hope I'm not getting bronchitis or pneumonia. My chest feels awful, though...ugh, ugh, and ugh. Was tempted to call off work, but I have no sick time left after being sick for so much of January...and I absolutely cannot miss tomorrow's trip. So...I'm off to bed in about 10 minutes.

But first...

The lovely Siani has honored me again! I'm really going to have to come up with my own blogging award to give out, because Siani keeps giving me awards, and she's the one that I want to award!! You, my friend, are a treasure!


I'd like to pass this one along to Kristen at Beautiful Disaster. (Stay tuned, Kristen...you're tagged below, too

And the lovely Twinkle Mom of Sunflower Faith has tagged me with a Pretty Mama's MeMe. Now...as I have no two-legged children (yet!) but as a furmom to four and godmother to two, I'm going to modify just a bit so I can still play along!

Tell us five things that start with "Before I was a mom...".

If you’re tagged, you need to tag five pretty moms, as well as the one who tagged you.

The idea is that if you get tagged again, you will know you are re
ally pretty!

Add your name to the bottom of the tagged persons list, and without bumping anyone off let the list grow. Tag five more moms to let them know they are pretty!

  1. Before I was a furmom, I didn't realize that cats could have a personality as strong as humans.
  2. Before I was a furmom, I never planned out meals that took into account the preferences of my two dogs! (Oh yeah, and my husband! Haha!)
  3. Before I was a Godmom, I never spent hours on end going between two toy aisles in Target to figure out which toy was not only the most fun but also the safest.
  4. Before I was a Godmom, I never drove a car that had a carseat in it...and that really makes all the difference.
  5. Before I was a Godmom, I never truly experienced the wonder of seeing a fire station or a wild animal park - but taking my Gracie as well as our niece and nephew, Julia and Aubrey, was one of the most fun experiences in my life..

Tagged before:
1. Lovelymummy
2. Pek Imm
3. Momisodes
4. Ling that’s me
5. Janicepa
6. AnnieQ
7. Allthingspurple
8. Montessorimum
9. clumsy mommy
10. Sandra
11. KittyCat
12. VivianZ
13. Sweetpea
14. Sasha
15. Giddy Tiger
16. Wen
17. Jo-N
18. Janice Ng
19. Blur Ting
20. Soul
21. JYankee
22. Burg
23. Becki
24. Teri
25. Jenny
26. Dana
27. Carla
28. Christine
29. TwinkleMom
30. Tiffany


I am tagging:

  1. Kristen
  2. Deb
  3. MamaBear
  4. DallasMeow
  5. Melanie


Take care, ya'll! I'm off to bed!

Friday Freewrite Vol. 1

Well this is neat...I was paying a visit to Janet at Fond of Snape and found that she'd done a neat MeMe - so of course I followed the source link and found myself at "A Life Less Ordinary"...a blog that I'm going to need to start reading! The MeMe hosted there is called Friday Freewrite, and I'm excited to participate!

So here we go...here's what is given as the directions:

Freewriting is writing, without editing, whatever comes to mind for a predetermined amount of time without regard to spelling, grammar, structure, etc.

I have set my timer for six minutes...let's see what comes spilling out of my mind.

I had my six month review with my boss yesterday...hard to believe it's already been six months! My payroll changeover was in mid-August (I forget the exact date) but I had a three week transition with closing out my old job and didn't really start until September, after Labor Day...and so here we are, with a lot more time gone by than I'd realized.

He started by asking me what was working well for me and what wasn't. I shared that I have a frustration over being involved as a project manager or team member or team lead for so many initiatives right now that I feel like I'm doing a lot of work but not accomplishing much. He promised, in the future, to ask me first before volunteering me up. He also explained that the reason he'd volunteered me for so many projects is to give me exposure to as many higher level managers as possible, so I'm in a good position to move up and move on after I've been in my job for 12-24 months. (At AA, we're encouraged to move around pretty often.) I expressed that my pleasure in my job was getting to work with a diverse set of people, and feeling like I am well accepted and respected.

His feedback for me was that he noticed that I was a bit timid for the first few months about fully participating in meetings, but that he figured that was because there was an enormous learning curve and since I'm the lowest level manager in most of our groups, he though I was probably feeling a bit intimidated. DING, DING, DING. Hit that in one. He followed that up by saying, however, that he'd gotten great feedback on my work from all of the project sponsors I've been working with and that he has noticed that I've been far more participative in the past few months and that he's even been impressed that I've slipped into a role of facilitator in some higher level meetings, to ensure we're staying on track and accomplishing our objectives. He told me that I should continue to get involved in as much as possible and he thought I'd be on my way to new roles before I knew it.

Since I just recently earned my PHR, he also asked me to look at my score report and let him know what areas I wanted to gain more exposure in so he could hook me up with the right people. Is this man not a dream to work for? It's a fabulous change from some of my prior bosses, and I'm so thankful to be in this job...and working for him!

Ok...six minutes. There you've got it! :-) By the way, if you're looking for a great online stopwatch, look no further!

First, Last, Now

For my 101st post on this blog (and thank you to the people who have given me almost 1100 unique hits), I thought I'd do a status quo MeMe - "First, Last, Now."

First
  • First job: Working in my Dad's grocery store as a bagger - age 5. I got paid .50 cents after a couple hours of work. Mom used Dad's store as a babysitter.
  • First screen name: Tiff7945 - still is.
  • First funeral: Uncle Babe, age 6.
  • First pet: Peppi, a Yorkshire Terrier.
  • First piercing: Ears, age 12ish.
  • First tattoo: A rose, lower left back.
  • First credit card: Capital One, 1998.
  • First kiss: Hmm...not sure.
  • First enemy: Seriously? Enemy? Haha. That's so petty.

Last
  • Last car ride: Home from the train station.
  • Last kiss: Chris, as he was leaving for work tonight.
  • Last movie watched: Super Troopers, sometime last week while we were working on the response to Chris' complaint.
  • Last beverage drank: Pepsi.
  • Last food consumed: Hot dogs and green beans.
  • Last phone call: My mother. Joy. The reason I'm still awake.
  • Last time showered: This morning before work.
  • Last CD played: The mix CD I made in fall '04.
  • Last website visited: Um...besides other bloggers? Don't know.

Now
  • Single or taken: Married = very taken.
  • Gender: Would this have changed at some point? Still female. Thanks.
  • Birthday: October 8th.
  • Sign: Libra.
  • Siblings: None.
  • Hair color: Brown.
  • Eye color: Brown.
  • Shoe size: 8.
  • Height: 5'5 and I'm sticking to it.
  • Wearing: Work clothes - dress khakis and a button down top.
  • Drinking: Not.
  • Thinking about: My mother. Argh.
  • Listening to: Law and Order: Criminal Intent.
No one is getting tagged, but feel free to steal/do/let me know!

Six Unimportant Things

Twinkle Mom over at Sunflower Faith tagged me for this fun MeMe - I'm just sorry it took me so long to do!

Here are the Rules

  • Link to the person that tagged you.
  • Post the rules on your blog.
  • Share six non-important things/habits/quirks about yourself.
  • Tag six random people at the end of your post by linking to their blogs.
  • Let each random person know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their website
  • Let your tagger know when you entry is up


    Six non-important things/habits/quirks about myself

  • My favorite kind of music is Big Band. Yes, I'm only 27, but this is the era of music that speaks to me the most.
  • I count blocks, boards, or cracks when I walk. And I never step on cracks. I prefer to put my foot wholly in a tile that I'm walking through. But with small tiles I just try to line up my heel with a line. Isn't that odd?
  • I only cook a limited amount of foods...and if I try something beyond one of my standards, I have to have a recipe card or book in front of me to follow line by line. My husband is totally opposite...he can take 5 ingredients you'd never think to mix and make it taste great.
  • My husband is my closest friend. I have a best girl friend, but my husband plays a role in my life far beyond my partner. I really don't know what I'd do without him.
  • I don't wear makeup as a general rule. If I have a fancy event to attend or an interview or something, I'll put my face together. But everyday stuff like work? Heck no. Couldn't be bothered. I don't even check the mirror most days. How sad, I guess. I'm such not the girly girl.
  • I have full-length conversations with my pets.

  • Ok...so who to tag...

    Link Love - Tagged MeMe

    Siani has tagged me for this very simple MeMe. Basically, you just have to copy and paste and change a little bit out, and you're done. Check it out!


    ———–START COPYING HERE———–There are a couple of rules.

    Rule #1
    Copy all the links below and replace a single link under the appropriate alphabet. If your domain name, or even the title of your blog, starts with an ” A,” you’d replace the link under that alphabet and put the replaced link at the bottom. Also, don’t forget to credit the tagger, or where you got the list from, at the end of the list with a full URL of the post so that a pingback gets generated.

    1. alwaysbcmom.com
    2. bloggingcents.com
    3. caffeine-overload.com
    4. delusionsofgrandeur.com
    5. enjoyingtheride-jenn.blogspot.com
    6. forumfinder.net
    7. gotic-peach.net
    8. happykeg.com
    9. ipentimento.com
    10. juliesjournal.com
    11. kabalyero.com
    12. ladybanana.co.uk
    13. michaelpark.net
    14. notjustmama.net
    15. originalmx5.net
    16. patrickdevivo.com
    17. qweddings.com
    18. rantingsofawoman.blogspot.com
    19. sianikatts-gower.blogspot.com
    20. tiffanyaller.blogspot.com
    21. utada-online.net
    22. valmg.com
    23. wickedbabylon.com
    24. xaviermedia.com
    25. yimto.com
    26. zbudapest.com

    Replaced link: thinking-outloud.com

    Previous tagger: sianikatts-gower.blogspot.com

    Rule #2
    You now have to “tag” at least five people and encourage them to participate so that this thing spreads like a virus. Remember, though, that not everyone’s into these kinds of things, so don’t be upset if they don’t participate. Just simply replace your tag. Remember to tag blogs only and no pornographic ones as we do want to keep the integrity as a blogging community. TIP: Tag your frequent EntreCard droppers via its messaging system.
    1. Sandy
    2. April
    3. Twinkle Mom
    4. Angelika
    5. Laane
    Rule #3
    Just like any other “meme” out there, ask a question for your taggees to answer along with your own answer to your previous question. This is optional.

    Here's your question, Breakfast at Tiffany's readers: why did you begin blogging?

    ———–END COPYING HERE———–

    Two Tags and a Rant

    Howdy, folks!

    This is kind of another one of those "move along, nothing to see here" kinds of posts...but not quite.

    Still having a busy, busy, busy week, and it's only going to get worse. But I wanted to acknowledge that I've been tagged for two MeMes, and also express a slight rant.

    Thanks to Siani for tagging me in a link love MeMe. I'll get my own version up with a new link ASAP. Always nice to spread the love!

    Thanks also to "Twinkle Mom" for tagging me for "Six non-important things/habits/quirks" MeMe - sounds like fun and it'll definitely get the juices flowing in my brain.

    And now, a slight rant.

    So...my last post was about entering Nathan Bransford's Surprisingly Essential First Page Challenge. In my post, I mention that a few other bloggers have joined in the fun and were also offering critiques of the entries.

    Well...it seems a few delicate writers got their knickers in a knot and raised a holy fuss. "How dare random people critique me when I've publicly posted my content."

    Get real, dude. First, if you're looking to write solely for your own pleasure, keep your notes in your diary and don't share it around. If it gets posted to the web, it's considered public content. Period. That doesn't mean people can steal it, but it DOES mean the people can offer their own opinions.

    Second, if you only want "nice" feedback from people who love you, go share your drivel with your mother. If you want REAL feedback, you're going to have to accept that CRITICISM FROM UNBIASED PARTIES IS ESSENTIAL TO DEVELOPMENT.

    And finally, if you can't take feedback from a few well-intentioned folks trying to ensure that every contest entry got it's 15 seconds of fame, you will never do well with exposing your work to the general public - AKA, seeking publications.

    People so annoy me sometimes.

    Music MeMe: Now and Then

    Good afternoon, everyone!

    I thought this would be a fun way to spend my lunch break today! I found this MeMe over at Carrie Lofty's blog, Salome's Corner, and it's the fun one.

    How to participate:
    Visit this Web site to find out what songs were on the Billboard Top 100 during the five calendar years you were in high school. Then, choose three things:
    a)Favorite song then
    b)Favorite song now
    c)Worst song overall

    Ready? Let's go!

    1995: Going into 9th Grade
    Favorite Song Then
    • Cotton Eye Joe, by Rednex (This was the fav song to dance to as a group at school dances. UGH!)

    • Back for Good, by Take That (Catchy. Very, very catchy.)

    • Roll to Me, by Del Amitri (For a VERY short song, this one was fun.)

    • Only Wanna Be With You, by Hootie and the Blowfish (I LOVED Hootie. LOVED. Once made my mom follow a car down the Garden State Parkway in New Jersey because it had the license plate HOOTIE.)

    • Let Her Cry, by Hootie and the Blowfish (Have I mentioned LOVED.)

    • Hold my Hand, by Hootie and the Blowfish (Yeah. Still on it.)

    Favorite Song Now
    • Take a Bow, by Madonna (Something about this song just gets to me.)

    • Kiss From a Rose, by Seal (Mmm.)

    • Hootie. 'Nuff said.

    Worst Song Overall
    • Boombastic, by Shaggy (There's actually a few Shaggy songs I like...this ain't one.)

    • You Gotta Be, by Des'ree (No, I don't gotta be anything)

    • 1st of the Month, by Bone Thugs-n-Harmony (I have no respect for anything with the word "thug" in it.)

    1996: 9th and 10th Grades
    Favorite Song Then
    • One Sweet Day, by Mariah Carey/Boyz II Men (The mix that was made after TWA800 went down with the kids from Montoursville still makes me weep.)

    • Because You Loved Me, by Celine Dion (I loved singing this song, even though it is COMPLETELY not in my range.)

    • I Love You Always Forever, by Donna Lewis (Ok, catchy, couldn't stop singing/listening. Hated it after awhile)

    • Ironic, by Alanis Morissette (Oh lord. The memories. Not good ones.)

    • Follow You Down, by Gin Blossoms (The highlight of my sophomore year was introducing this song on the Hot Nine at Nine on 98.5 KRZ. HIGHLIGHT. I have it on tape. And make my husband listen to it. Regularly. I keep it with my tapes of my own broadcasts when I was a DJ in college. I'm sick.)

    Favorite Song Now
    • Breakfast at Tiffany's, by Deep Blue Something (Oh lord. The memories. All good ones.)

    • Count on Me, by Whitney Houston and CeCe Winans (Love the vocals.)

    • Anything Hootie. Yeah, still on that.

    Worst Song Overall
    • Macarena, by Los Del Rio (My mom could Macarena better than me. Does that not give you nightmares?)

    • Give Me One Reason, by Tracy Chapman (Can't stand her. At all.)

    • Tha Crossroads, by Bone Thugs-n-Harmony (See above. Damn thugs.)

    • Wonderwall, by Oasis (I can't stand Oasis. They annoy me.)

    1997: 10th and 11th Grades
    Favorite Song Then
    • Candle in the Wind (Princess Di version), by Elton John (Ok, I considered Princess Di both to be my fairy godmother and who I wanted to be when I grew up. I've never cried so hard in my life as when I found out she died. The weekend of the funeral, I literally taped EVERY television broadcast I could find, had multiple VCRs going, everything. And CRIED the entire time. Still cry when I hear this version of the song.)

    • How Do I Live, by LeeAnn Rimes (Once I got over the fact of how young she was...I still actually prefer the Trisha Yearwood version of the song.)

    • Wannabe, by the Spice Girls (I'm so ashamed. So very, very ashamed. But I have the single AND the CD.)

    • Quit Playing Games, by the Backstreet Boys (Ditto the ashamed. I only have the tape single. Started hated the 'Boys after that.)

    • MMMBop, by Hansen (Does my shame never end?)

    • Evita ANYTHING, by Madonna (Ok, slight story crush.)

    Favorite Song Now
    • Semi-Charmed Life, by Third Eye Blind (This was THE song of the summer for 1997.)

    • The Freshmen, by the Verve Pipe (The lyrics say a LOT.)

    • All For You, by Sister Hazel (Correction. This was THE song of the summer for 1997.)

    Worst Song Overall
    • No Diggity, by Blackstreet (Ugh. Shudder.)

    • It's All Coming Back..., by Celine Dion (She stole Meatloaf's writer AND style. Bitch.)

    • Anything Sheryl Crow. I can't stand her.

    1998: 11th and 12th Grades
    Favorite Song Then
    • You're Still the One, by Shania Twain (Ok, so this *might* have been "our" song when I was dating Mark, my high school sweetheart.)

    • This Kiss, by Faith Hill (Hmph. Mark again. Dang.)

    Favorite Song Now
    • I Don't Wanna Miss a Thing, by Aerosmith (Really, it's Aerosmith. Gotta love it. Plus it's Bruuuuuuuuuce Willis and Ben Affleck and like one of the best movies ever.)

    • One Week, by Barenaked Ladies (Fun.)

    Worst Song Overall
    • My Heart Will Go On, by Celine Dion (Let's get this straight. The ONLY reason I saw the Titanic is because I know the man who edited it. And he's a great guy. But the movie itself? Blech.)

    1999: 12th Grade, Graduation and BEYOND!
    Favorite Song Then
    • All Star, by Smash Mouth (GREAT beat.)

    • Save Tonight, by Eagle-Eye Cherry (This was apparently the "song" of our Prom. Whatever.)

    Favorite Song Now
    • Amazed, by Lonestar (I hadn't even HEARD of Lonestar in high school. I wasn't really into country...only a few singers, so it wasn't even on my radar. Now I love this song. And Chris sings it to me sometimes. Awww.)

    Worst Song Overall
    • ...Baby One More Time, by Britney Spears (Need I say more?)

    • Genie in a Bottle, by Christina Aguilera (Again...)


    Now it's YOUR turn. Comment on my songs. Then go make your own list. Let me know about it. I'll come visit. We'll schmooz. K?

    12345 Things

    Siani has tagged me for this MeMe, and I'm happy to play along!

    1. Name one thing you do everyday.
    1. I read each and every day - if a day went by where I hadn't read at least 5 pages in whatever book I currently had my nose in, I think I'd be lost. No matter where I am or how busy...gotta read!

    2. Name two things you wish you could learn.
    1. I would like to learn how to fly - not just take controls momentarily or help quiz someone else on theory before their ground test, but actually learn for myself.

    2. I would like to learn how to play golf - I think, quite honestly, that it would bore me to death, but I'd like to at least learn!

    3. Name three things that remind you of your childhood.
    1. Poppyseed rolls. Yum.

    2. The beach - especially in New Jersey.

    3. Spaghetti sauce. I miss Spatini!

    4. Name four things you love to eat but rarely do.
    1. Peanut Butter M&M's

    2. Braunschweiger sandwiches

    3. Godiva Chocolate dessert at the Chop House

    4. Banana and butter sandwiches

    5. Name five things/people that make you feel good.
    1. Christopher - he's my ultimate feel-good remedy.

    2. Babies - I just love seeing/playing with them.

    3. A nice, long soak in a fragrant bubble bath, especially by candlelight. (stolen, verbatim, from Siani. Just too perfectly worded to change!)

    4. The ocean crashing against the shore - water is my serenity.

    5. My heating pad...at the end of a long day, it makes my back bearable.


    TAG...you're it! I hope that you will play along!
    1. Penelope Anne

    2. Kelly

    3. Patti

    I gave you a pass, Carrie, since you're deep into editing! :-)

    Happy Friday!