All about meme...

My young friend Kristen has posted 30 random and obscure facts about herself on her blog and so I though I might copy her and do the same just to liven things up a bit.

1. Despite all outward appearances I am really a pretty insecure person, I hide it well most days

2. I tell people I didn't want any children but secretly we tried and it just didn't happen and now I am thankful it didn't as my husband requires more attention than any child and I think a child would resent that.

3. I read all 4 of the Twilight books and I didn't hate them.

4. I have read all 7 of the Harry Potter books and LOVED them.

5. I am probably going to see Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part 1 today because I can't wait much longer.

6. I love The Biggest Loser - and I aspire to get off the couch and get working at it one day, but I also secretly think about gastric bypass and how that might be the easier route.

7. I am a Christian, I don't attend church as often as I should but I do work with the youth group religiously. I get much more from our youth group meetings and the kids than a regular service.

8. I dream of building a barn and having a goat farm.

9. I am an officially licensed Dairy Goat judge and have been for 18 years.

10. I have an MBA and sometimes think about going back to school again for more degrees

11. Despite #10 I am not a highly ambitious person anymore, I would love to be a housewife and a student rather than have a career.

12. I am a dog person - love the unconditional love you get from a canine companion.

13. I am also a cat person - adore the independent spirit of a cat and how the deign to love you despite your imperfect humanness.

14. I am a waitress - part time - and have been off and on for years. Of all the jobs I've had I think I love waitressing the most, people are typically happy and having fun and I get to have fun with them.

15. There are mistakes I've made that I would totally go back and change if I could, even if it means I'm a different person today because of it. Maybe ESPECIALLY if it would change who I am today.

16. I am a republican, conservative, and not ashamed of it. I don't talk politics because I consider it a waste of time, but I am not ashamed of what I believe in.

17. I am pro-life and proud of it. I am working on a trip for our youth group to take them to the 2011 March for Life on January 24th. I think it's an experience they will never forget and will change them for the better.

18. I love to sing, I once dreamed of being a professional singer when I was very young and a big fish in a very tiny puddle. I still love to sing but I know I'm not all that.

19. I wish I could play an instrument and I own a keyboard and a guitar and cannot play either.

20. I am stubborn, very, very stubborn when pushed.

21. I can be very competitive when challenged. A competitor in my job (a competing paper) recently challenged me and I told her straight out "game on"! I want to crush her.

22. I love Facebook - and spend too much time on there

23. I twitter too but am mostly over twitter, just do it now and again and have cut back on who I read.

24. I have been married 10 years, things are far from blissful these days. :(

25. I recently found out that I qualify for free healthcare through the VA because of my husbands disability. As long as I stay married to him it's for the rest of my life.

26. I say I can't stand reality TV but I watch Survivor again.

27. I was a LOSTie and I am very sad without LOST every week. I was not thrilled with how it wrapped up and ended.

28. I am tired most of the time, would sleep 15 hours a day if I could. Maybe it's depression?

29. I dream of getting on a plane for a tropical destination with a suitcase full of good books and my bathing suit and sunscreen. I would lay under an umbrella by a pool sipping frozen fruity concoctions and reading for a week. I would not tell anyone where I was going.

30. RE #29 I'm not sure I would come back.

20 Questions

I'm stealing this from K13 at Someday I'll Get There - you should check out her blog!


1. Where did you go on your first airplane ride?
Just around the area - it was in my Grampy's single engine plane and I wasn't yet 2 years old! :)

2. What is your earliest memory?
I climbed over the fence to get out of my yard and then ran across the road to visit my aunt. It was a house we moved away from when I was 4 so sometime before then.

3. What was your second grade teacher's name?
Mr Case

4. What was the last thing you watched on tv?
Army Wives

5. My uncle once:
gave me some career advice I wish I'd followed

6. How long was your longest relationship?
Pete and I are coming up on 13 years right now

7. What do you want to be?
Secure, happy, at peace, employed

8. What was the last thing you received in the mail?
A $10 gift card to Red Lobster

9. If you could change one thing about the world, what would it be?
I couldn't possibly just pick one and can't think hard enough to narrow it down this morning

10. Would you prefer 10 inches of snow or 100 degree weather?
I'd take the snow!

11. What is your homepage set to?
my iGoogle page.

12. Last 5 websites you visited:
Facebook, Google Reader, VBC's Blog, The Mantel, Twitter

13. Were you a planned baby?
yes

14. What do you believe is the meaning of life?
I wish I knew

15. What bill do you hate paying the most?
My mortgage - only because it is so big - LOVE that I own my home

16. How many schools did you attend through grade twelve?
three

17. The Cosby Show or The Simpsons?
I liked both

18. Three signs Summer is here:
humidity, heat, ice cream!

19. The last time you had your feelings hurt:
oh well that happens every day in this house

20. Who was your first best friend?
Margaret, we became BFF's in 2nd grade. She died from leukemia when we were 14, it was a defining moment in my life.

A Friday MeMe .....

Stolen from Remember Moments a little meme action for a Friday:


What is your best friend's name?
Julia

Where is the weirdest place you have a mole?
I don't have any moles

Who was the hottest teacher you ever had?
Never had any hot teachers

Have you ever made out in a movie theatre?
Unfortunately yes

What body part do you wash first?
I always start with my hair and work down.

Do you hover over the toilet in public bathrooms?
Nope

What's the strangest talent you have?
I have a Sorority Girl talent - can tie a cherry stem in a knot with my tongue. I thought that might impress you! ;-)

Do you have an innie or an outie?
An Innie THANK GAWD - outies are *shudder* creepy!

What's your favorite flavor of Pringles?
Cheddar or Sour Cream & Onion.

Have you ever been tied up?
No

Do you want to be?
I'll try anything once.

What's the last thing you got grounded for?
Far too long ago to even have a clue.

Do you parallel park or drive around the block?
I am a champion parallel parker!

Have you ever had two dates in one night?
Maybe?

Which shoe do you put on first?
Whichever is closer - probably right.

Have you ever been to a gay bar?
Nope - but I would go!

Is there one thing all of you love interests have in common?
They were all men but that's about it.

Did you French kiss before you were 16?
Nope

Have you ever been cow tipping or snipe hunting?
Not officially! Cow tipping was discussed a time or two. Snipe hunting is a way of stranding some dumb city kid in the woods cause there's no such thing as a snipe! :)

Who is the last person you usually think about before you go fall asleep?
Depends - probably Pete most of the time.

Have you ever had a poem or song written about you?
Yes a poem once - it was terrible.

If you had to choose to not ever wash your bed sheets again or not wash your bath towel ever again, which would you rather not wash?
Hmmm - not sure I can pick here - I guess towel and then I'd start drip drying! ;-)

Have you ever found anything in your parents' bedroom that was questionable?
Nope

What was your childhood nickname?
Tricia - although in high school some guys started calling me Patio cause they knew I hated it and there were ad's on then for a brand of burrito's called patio burritos. Yeah good times.

When was the last time you played air guitar?
Never? I was always the singer! :)

Have you peeked in the opposite sexes locker room?
Peeked? No not me - I just walk right in and then panic cause I'm in the wrong one!

What's the weirdest thing you've done while driving?
Changed clothes.

Have you ever been on the computer for more than 5 hours straight?
Every day

How do you eat your cookies?
Is this a trick question? How many ways are there to eat cookies?

When working out at the gym, do you wear a belt?
No?

Name something you do when you're alone that you wouldn't do in front of others?
Tweeze those crazy hairs that just show up on your chin overnight!

How many drinks does it take before you get drunk?
A few - as in 3-4

Have you ever sniffed an animal's butt?
Nope

Do you scrunch or fold your toilet paper?
Fold

How many times a day do you pick out a wedgie?
Never

Do you have any strange phobias?
Can't sleep with closet doors open.

Have you ever stuck a foreign object up your nose?
Probably as a child - don't all kids do this? Not since I remember let's put it that way.

What is the stupidest thing you've ever done at a bar?
Sing karoke songs all night long

Have you ever been dared to do something that you totally regretted?
No one dared me to do most of the things I regret.

Have you caught a guy/girl farting on a date?
Sure?

Have you ever played naked Twister?
Not officially

Have you ever been drunk at work?
Yes in my 20's I sometimes went to work STILL drunk. :)

Do you want to bring sexy back?
Where did it go?

Honest Scrap...

So earlier this week Verybadcat tagged me for this Honest Scrap award and I promised I'd get to it soon so going to give this a try tonight.

The rules are I must share 10 things about myself and tag some bloggy friends to receive the award and play along, so here goes...

1. I have recently become an honest to god facebook addict and it's a good thing that I can't access it from my office or I'd probably be fired.
   
   
2. One of my more unusual hobbies involves traveling to fairs in the summer where I get paid to judge some animals (livestock) keeping the species a secret for now.
   
   
3. I grew up in pretty sheltered, I went to a Christian school from 2nd grade thru graduation and even went to a Christian college for my undergrad which you wouldn't know to read the foul language I sometimes use in this blog.
   
   
4. Although I tend to present as confident and self assured in public I am desperately insecure at times and worried that no one really likes me.
   
   
5. I'm terrified that the MS is taking away my husband, little by little his personality has changed and someday I fear I may find myself married to a total stranger.
   
   
6. I love my dog far more than I probably should. No I don't "love" my dog - but I do adore him with all my being and will be more than devastated if something happened to him.
   
   
7. I am a snoop. I can't help it. I have found out things I wish I didn't know and yet I'd rather know that be totally blind to the truth.
   
   
8. I read "Chick Lit" and I LOVE it! :) I loved the Shopaholic series but don't think I will like the movie much.
   
   
9. I like silly humor movies - tonight we saw Paul Blart Mall Cop and found it hilarious. Despite this I am not a fan of Will Ferrell or Jim Carey but I love Adam Sandler.
   
   
10. I love singing karoke - I will do this with very little encouragement. I have twice sang karoke in front of co-workers when more than a little drunk. I have sang in bars many times. I'm not that good but I don't care it's fun.

So I'm supposed to tag a few people, so I'm tagging Jen and Shieldmaiden98 and anyone else that would like to play along.

A Christmas MeMe!

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags?
Depends on the gift - plain boxes get paper. Things that might be hard to wrap get a nice bag.

2. Real tree or Artificial?
Fake - I love real but they are too messy and expensive and the animals won't leave them alone

3. When do you put up the tree?
Usually on the weekend after Thanksgiving

4. When do you take the tree down?
New Years Day (but we won't be home this year so it will be later)

5. Do you like eggnog?
Nope - raw eggs are not my idea of a tasty drink and I HATE thick drinks that aren't milk shakes

6. Favorite gift received as a child?
I don't remember much - still have a teddy bear my mom made me one year so probably Teddy.

7. Hardest person to buy for?
My mother-in-law she doesn't need anything and buys whatever she wants for herself

8. Easiest person to buy for?
My nephews - they are kids and easy to please

9. Do you have a nativity scene?
Yes - my parents bought me all the figures and my dad made the stable. I put it up every year.

10. Mail or email Christmas cards?
Who emails Christmas cards?? I mail mine - and this year I mailed them very late - on Dec 22nd - not likely to arrive before the big day.

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received?
An ex boyfriend bought me a crystal pig for Christmas one year. I'm not a collectible kind of girl and I don't particularly care for pigs.

12. Favorite Christmas Movie?
It's a Wonderful Life

13. When do you start shopping?
Whenever I feel like it. Haven't felt like it yet this year so has been torture but almost done finally.

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present?
Sure doesn't everyone?

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas?
Pumpkin Pie - Thanksgiving to Christmas is my fave cause I can find Pumpkin Pie and pie flavored things everywhere - i.e. pumpkin pie ice cream is the best.

16. Lights on the tree?
It is a pre-lit tree - colored lights

17. Favorite Christmas song?
Silent Night

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home?
Depends on which year it is. Every other we make the trek to his family's for the holidays. Used to be every Christmas we went to his family or mine but then we moved closed to mine so we can have Christmas at home now. This year home for Christmas and traveling for New Years.

19. Angel on the tree top or a star?
I have an angel - my dad bought it for me.

20. Open presents on Christmas Eve or morning?
Christmas Eve - that is my husband's family tradition and I like getting stuff a day earlier so we do it too.

21. Favorite ornament?
Not really - I like them all.

22. Favorite for Christmas dinner?
Traditional Turkey and stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, green bean casserole, mom's jello, homemade rolls, etc. (this year we are having ham and scalloped potatoes so not my fave but still all good)

23. What do you want for Christmas this year?
A job for my husband. Not happening.

Not tagging anyone but feel free to steal for blog fodder. :)

Five Things...

The Thursday Thirteen is on hiatus this week, mainly because I am still too brain dead/fried from vacation to think of anything much less 13 things. So in it's place I offer up this MeMe that I grabbed off Maxie's blog Break Me Off a Piece of that Fancy Feast.

I'm not going to tag anyone in particular - so if your hearts desire is to do a meme? Go for it!

What I was doing ten years ago:

1. Working for a Publishing Company as a Marketing Coordinator
   
2. Newly moved in with my now hubby and getting used to living together
   
3. Jet Skiing on weekends - it was a warm year and we put on wet suits and headed out on the lakes in March
   
4. Being about 50lbs ligher than I am right now *sigh*
   
5. Buying my first new car - a 1998 Toyota Corolla!
   

Five things on my To-do list today:

1. Shipping out client files that are due today
2. Training "C" to take over my responsibilities so I can move into new role
   
3. Schedule a meeting with the database team for a project I am managing
   
4. Update my project schedules/gannt charts
   
5. Stop at mom & dad's on the way home for my dog feeding instructions (they are going to Florida tomorrow morning for 5 days and I'm feeding and caring for the pooch)
   

Snacks I enjoy:

1. Chocolate!
   
2. Rich Dark Chocolate
   
3. Combos
   
4. Anything with Peanut Butter (sometimes just a spoonful of it will do)
   
5. Salt & Vinegar Chips (only during THAT time of the month)
   

Things I would do if I was a millionaire:

1. Pay off all my debt & that of my immediate family & probably my 2 best friends too
   
2. Give gifts to my friends
   
3. Set up trusts for all my various nieces and nephews (if I was a MULTI millionaire)
   
4. Travel - EXTENSIVELY - everywhere!
   
5. Build my dream house
   

Five Bad Habits:

1. Chocolate
2. Procrastination
3. Spending too much (especially on shoes)
   
4. Laziness
   
5. Trying to "control" things too much - is that a habit or a personality flaw?
   

Five places I have lived:

1. Cobleskill, NY
   
2. Schoharie, NY
   
3. Fairfield, OH
   
4. Loveland, OH
   
5. Springdale, OH
   

Five Jobs I have Had:

1. Waitress/Bartender
   
2. Grocery Store Clerk
   
3. Marketing Coordinator
   
4. Brand Manager
   
5. Database Account Manager
   

Screaming MeMe...

The lovely and talented Jen from The Redneck Romance Writer has tagged me with a meme, so here goes:

Four films I’d watch again(hard to narrow down - I LOVE MOVIES):

1. Dirty Dancing
2. The Sweetest Thing
3. Sixteen Candles
4. Star Trek First Contact (or any Star Trek TNG movie)

Four places I’ve lived:

1. Canajoharie, NY
2. Cobleskill, NY
3. Loveland, OH
4. Springdale, OH

Four TV shows I watch:

1. The Biggest Loser
2. LOST
3. Jericho
4. Grey's Anatomy

Four things to eat:

1. Ice Cream (my downfall)
2. Oooey gooey homemade mac & cheese
3. Hot dogs on the grill - gross I know but I LOVE 'em
4. Filet Mignon Medium Rare and steamed crab legs! MMMMMM

Four places I’d rather be:

1. On the beach - any beach that is warm will do but prefer blue water and white sand beaches
2. Back in Ohio with my friends - I miss them
3. As a contestant on the Biggest Loser having lost 80lbs or so
4. In bed asleep

Four people to tag (if they want to do it):

1. Very Bad Cat from Cattails: Adventures of a Very Bad Cat
2. Linda from Brain Cheese
3. Maxie from Break me off a piece of that Fancy Feast
4. Mandy from A Thousand Words

Yikes - I've been tagged - and WTF is a meme?

So I was tagged by Very Bad Cat
My first question was WTF is a meme? So I turned to Wikipedia for answers and here is what it says:

A meme (pronounced /miːm/), as defined by memetic theory, constitutes a theoretical unit of cultural information, the building block of culture or cultural evolution which spreads through diffusion propagating from one mind to another analogously to the way in which a gene propagates from one organism to another as a unit of genetic information and of biological evolution.[1] Multiple memes may propagate as cooperative groups called memeplexes (meme complexes).

Okay now I'm even more confused and still have no idea what a meme is but I'll play along anyway.

The rules for this particular meme?

• Link to the person who tagged you.
• Post the rules on your blog.
• Share six (6) non-important things/habits/quirks about yourself.
• Tag at least 3 people at the end of your post and link to their blogs.
• Let each person know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

Okay here goes:

1. The name of my blog is Middle Age Mania - but I don't really feel middle aged (although at 37 and a half and knowing the average life span of adults in my family I probably am somewhere near that midpoint) Most days I feel like a scared child playing grown up. I often wonder if there will ever come a day that I don't feel like that. Case in point - when anyone in a position of authority over me asks to see me for a minute in their office my heart stops for a second then drops right into the pit of my stomach where the butterfly's start beating the crap out of it. Has anyone ever called me into their office to tell me what a useless lump I am and what a lousy job I'm doing? Nope - not once in all the years I've been working, and yet I feel like a naughty child summoned to the principals office for a spanking (yes when I was in elementary school they still did that and it happened to me A LOT).
   
   
2. I'm not really sure it's a strange habit or not but my husband adores making fun of me because I insist that the closet doors be closed before I can go to bed at night. I also insist on the sheets being neatly tucked in at the bottom and sides and not bunched up anywhere. I will remake the bed with him in it if it doesn't meet my standards.
   
   
3. I judge dairy goats - yes me - former city dweller - business woman with an MBA - me. I spend several weekends from May to October traveling all over the country to judge dairy goats. I am licensed by the American Dairy Goat Association and have been continuously licensed since 1992 - yes that is 16 years of goatiness for me - BUT WAIT THERE'S MORE - I grew up on a dairy goat farm, drinking goat milk on my Cheerios and with dinner each night. Some very healthy stuff but also EXTREMELY fattening (not like the 1% I drink these days) so I'm sure it helped add to the bulk that is my ass these days. My next goat show is May 29th in Gainesville Florida - yippee! I'm getting an all expense paid weekend in Florida and my hotel has an outdoor but heated pool - so pray for sunshine in Gainesville! I'm going to take Friday off to travel and get there as early as I can so as to spend the afternoon lounging by the pool! And not leaving until Sunday evening for the same reasons. And yes in addition to paying all my expenses to get there and house me they do pay me a daily wage (set by me) as well. It's not really a money making proposition, I couldn't give up my day job and just judge full time but a few extra bucks here and there are always welcomed.
   
   
4. I am a reality TV junkie - I know smart educated people are supposed to watch CNN and the Discovery Channel (at least the ones in my office do) and be well versed in every nuance of the upcoming election but I just can't seem to get interested when there's nothing I can do (on Feb 5th when the NY primaries are held - I'll be there and studied on my choices) about it now. But just ask me who got sent home on Biggest Loser last night - seriously ask me (pink team). Or what's going on with the American Idol tryouts - lots of really, really bad singers, very few worthy to go through IMO. Or how about which team won Amazing Race on Sunday's episode? Even catching a bit of Celebrity Apprentice even though I think that the concept is ludicrous. And Game Shows - I think I am indeed smarter than a 5th grader, and I know I could make some killer cash on Deal or No Deal BUT here is the biggest revelation of them all - I have a burning desire to be a contestant on Don't Forget the Lyrics with Wayne Brady! I just know I could do well on that show! I should try to be a contestant on Biggest Loser and whip this ass into shape - but I couldn't afford to take 4 months off work and be away from my husband and all the drama here (although it would be soooo good for me) and the idea of standing on a giant scale wearing a sports bra and bike shorts while millions saw my true weight - well it's terrifying.
   
   
5. Strange eating habits - well I am not a picky eater - it's how I got these extra pounds I seem to cherish so and be unwilling to relinquish. But yes I do eat some things that other people may find gross - like Spaghettio's cold straight from the can. I learned this trick in college I think. I also will eat peanut butter on most anything - fruit, vegetable, with lunch meat - I adore peanut butter - everything is better with peanut butter on it. And thanks to Meghan's suggestion I now put peanut butter on waffles and pancakes. I don't mix peanut butter with Spaghettio's though a girl has to draw the line somewhere.
   
   
6. Along the same lines as my mind numbing TV choices I also read trashy novels. I'm sure Redneck Romance Writer is glad to hear this. Give me a good old fashioned bodice ripper any day! My mom used to read these when I was a pre-teen and I'd smuggle books off her shelf and read them at night under my covers with a flashlight. I learned a lot this way. I still avoid serious reading 99% of the time and read Chick Lit or straight out romance novels. I think I've read most of Danielle Steele, Nora Roberts, and more. Definitely a huge fan of Jennifer Weiner and Jane Green, but I spend most of my Audible.com credits on Chick Lit - and I LOVE IT! These days most of my reading is actually read to my through earphones attached to my ipod 0r played over my car stereo - but my tastes have not changed. I'm going to stock up on some good bodice ripper fiction for my upcoming Florida trip for sure!

So there you have it - anyone who is reading - well some of my quirkiness has been revealed.

Now who to tag? That is the problem because I've only been blogging for 2 weeks and I've not made that many friends yet. But I'll give it a try - I'm going to tag Jennifer (because she has left me comments before) and SheildMaiden96 (because I like reading her blog), the third one I'm at a loss really the only people I might consider have already been tagged by someone else so I will plead my newbie status and say two is enough!

So there you have it - and I still have no clue what a meme is.