Blogging Challenge: iPod on Shuffle

** Go HERE for links to previous posts **

I have 6,756 songs in my iTunes library… everything from A-Ha to ZZ Top… let’s toss the dice!

1. Paradise City – Guns n’ Roses
2. Crazy Love, Vol. II – Paul Simon
3. Another Way to Die – Jack White & Alicia Keys
4. Be True to Your School – The Beach Boys
5. I Write the Songs – Barry Manilow
6. I Love the Nightlife –Alicia Bridges
7. Open My Eyes – Jeff Anderson
8. Baby, It’s Cold Outside – Lady Antebellum
9. Crash and Burn – Savage Garden
10. The First Noel – Tony Bennett and Placido Domingo

Some 80’s metal, holiday classics, disco, oldies, country and Christian. I am truly a puzzle.

Saturday 9: Blue Christmas

Welcome to Saturday: 9. What we've committed to our readers is that we will post 9 questions every Saturday. Sometimes the post will have a theme, and at other times the questions will be totally unrelated. Those weeks we do "random questions," so-to-speak. We encourage you to visit other participants posts and leave a comment. Because we don't have any rules, it is your choice. We hate rules. We love memes, however, and here is today's meme!

 

1. Do you ever suffer the blues during the holidays? I suffer anxiety because I don’t give two fucks about the pressure of commercialization that causes people with a limited budget to feel like losers because they can’t afford to spend $500 per person for those they are “supposed” to buy gifts. So basically, I wish it were January 3rd and jump over the whole fucking thing.
2. More than 18 million visitors have toured Elvis' home, Graceland. Have you ever been there? No
3. Elvis dyed his naturally light brown locks black. Do you dye your hair?I’ve thought about it. I don’t feel like someone who would have gray hair.
4. He also insisted his young girlfriend, Priscilla, dye her hair jet black. If your lover asked you to change your hair, would you? Yes
5. Elvis served his country at an Army base in Friedberg, Germany. Have you ever been to Germany? No
6. Elvis famously had an affair with Ann-Margret during the filming of Viva Las Vegas. Have you ever indulged in a dalliance with a coworker?  Ewww… No!
7. Thinking of his movies ... Elvis was, by and large, unhappy with his film career and once said, "The only thing worse than watching a bad movie is being in one." Are you happy with the way your career is going/has gone? Yes. I’m working in a field I’m passionate about. I hope to one day to actually do work I’m proud of.
8. Elvis lost "the battle of the bulge" toward end of his life. Are you happy with your weight? No, I haven’t met anyone who is.
9. As a teenager, Elvis worked as an usher at a movie theater. What was your first job? I was a dishwasher at a buffet restaurant. It was the grossest experience ever! I still have flashbacks from having to clear the walk-in of rotting chicken after a power outage.

TMI Thursday: Social Media

Social Media is everywhere and linked to everything - blogs, FaceBook, Twitter, iTunes, Apps for: hooking up, shopping, banking, photo albums, music, and so much more. How plugged are you and how do you feel about it???1.

1. Mac or PC? PC… I have a DELL Studio laptop. I got it when I was in Grad School 3 years ago… OMG! Has it been three years?
2. How plugged in are you and why? I’m VERY plugged in. I have Facebook, a Blog, a smart phone, Instagram, Foursquare and a couple online dating profiles.
3. What would do if you were completely unplugged for a month? I cannot imagine! I have tried self imposed periods… the most I can sustain is two days and I have to be otherwise occupied.
4. Low Self esteem issues aside, if a pic of you turned up on a site like TapThatGuy, Hot or Not or People of Walmart, how would you react? I would SO not be on TTG or Hot or Not… but since shopping at Walmart is a necessary evil where I live, I consciously make sure I’m not wearing something to qualify me for a slot on that blog.
5. FaceBook is.... a guilty pleasure. One that way too many people take WAY too seriously.
6. Should you be able to post political and social views/opinions without loosing your job? Yes, but I realize that is unrealistic. Most businesses/agencies don’t deal in rational thought, they have to deal with irrational community members and possible community backlash.
7. List at least 5 of the social Apps you are on: You are looking at one, I posted links to three more in #2… so that’s FOUR. So… it’s not complete yet, but you can take a look at my POF profile. Let me know if you know of someone who may be my type.

BONUS

What question did you think of that could have been asked?TMI Questions… How often do you masturbate to a Tumblr blog? Way… way too often!

Fun, slightly embarrassing questions designed to reveal Too Much Information for my blog, between you and your significant other and among you and your friends and/or family.

POST YOUR TMI ANSWERS

Post and answer the questions on your blog or tumblr page and then post the link in the comments so that others can read your answers, visit your website and get to know you too. I post my answers on Thursday.

Sunday Stealing: Not So Manly

1. Boxers? Briefs? Boxer briefs? Thongs? Bikinis? Commando? – Boxers

2. What’s your fussiest personal care routine? – Trimming my beard and hair. I like having the beard, but I don’t want to look like I could fit in at a Doomsday Prepper convention.

3. Do you have a favorite tool? Power or manual? – My favorite tool is fully automatic baby… my smart phone.

4. Can you change your own oil? Do you? – I can, but I don’t. I’m a job creator.

5. What’s the “manliest/womanliest” thing you do on a regular basis? – You shouldn’t assign gender stereotypes and judge individuals on your determination on how much they meet that standard. There are children, and sometimes adults who endure a living hell at school and at work from people who feel it necessary to taunt and terrorize them because they fail to meet this standard. I know this from personal experience. “Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who matter don’t mind and those who mind, don’t matter”.

6. What’s something “manly” that you never learned how to do? – I didn’t go hunting until I was in my 20’s, I don’t see the point when there is perfectly tasty meat available to me down at Safeway.

7. Do you ever cry? If so, what’s your trigger? – I become verklempt over military homecoming’s, emotional movies/TV shows… Holiday ad’s for Folger’s,

8. Do you have a chivalrous streak? How does it manifest itself? – My Mama taught me to hold open doors, say Sir or Ma’am and plus, being considerate of others is just a healthy way to live… until they treat you like crap, then it’s GO TIME!

9. Do you have a chauvinistic streak? How does it manifest itself? – “I'm smart, you're dumb; I'm big, you're little; I'm right, you're wrong, and there's nothing you can do about it.” A quote from the movie “Matilda” (also one that makes me tear up"). I do have a tendency to believe I’m right.

10. What’s your favorite movie? – For that answer… go HERE.

11. What’s the dumbest, testosterone-inspired thing you’ve ever seen? – The GW Bush Administration.

12. What quality do you think makes a good man good? -- Do you have that quality? – See answer 8… I think there is a fine line between being an honorable individual and being a dick. I try to be honorable, but I can be a dick if the circumstances are right.

13. Toilet seat up or down? – My cats like to jump up on the counter in the bathroom to watch me do my routine. One time, the toilet was open and they got wet… nothing is sadder/funnier than a moist kitty. I put the seat down for their safety and because it just makes the bathroom look tidy.

14. If your significant other is away, do you cook for yourself or eat out of cans and boxes (or rely on local drive-throughs and delivery)? – I am fully capable of cooking.

15. What societal expectation of being a man / women do you most resent? – The one that says that men shouldn’t show emotions, they should be into hunting and guns, or men cannot be crafty. On Halloween a co-worker and I pulled a prank on our supervisor. The next morning there was discussion on who had perpetrated this ‘crime’, someone suggested that it could have been me. The boss replies, “No, not John. He’s not crafty enough”.

16. What’s the best part - societal-wise - about being a man / women? – Men get to do all the war mongering, subjugating of marginalized populations, raping and pillaging of societal groups, and the bug killing. Women get to be bitches and blame it on a natural cycle.

17. Will you stop to ask for directions? – No, my GPS does just fine.

18. What’s one thing about your significant other that you just cannot understand, no matter how hard you try? – I cannot understand why I don’t have one… I’m a catch!

19. What do you need to have in the shower? – Hot water, soap, shampoo…. what else is needed?

20. Do you burp/fart/scratch? Do you do anything stereotypically male? – If you don’t burp/fart… you’ll explode and that will be a challenging clean-up even for Oxy Clean.

Thank you for playing this week on Sunday Stealing! Please leave a comment or link when you have posted. Stop back and visit other player’s posts. That is really what this is all about, making new friends! Have a great week. See you next Sunday!

Saturday 9: Beer Barrel Polka

1) Have you ever danced the polka? – Umm… No
2) Frankie Yankovic was a stellar accordion player. What instrument have you mastered, or would like to learn? – I took guitar lessons for years. I wanted to be Eddy Van Halen and my teacher wanted me to be Roy Clark; there was a fundamental breakdown in communication. I’ve only mastered the playing of one instrument… it has taken daily practice and dedication to various fingering techniques.
3) When Frankie died in 1998, his obituary proclaimed him as "America's Polka King." Lucille Ball was "The Queen of Comedy" and Michael Jackson was "The King of Pop." What royal title do you deserve? – I am Lord Octavius of Mayfair, and shall be referred to as such.
4) Do you like light beer? – Light beer is for people who just like to pee a lot.
5) In 1901, daredevil Annie Taylor successfully went over Niagara Falls in a barrel. She was badly bruised but otherwise fine. How much money would it take for you do to do something that dangerous? – One day Satan himself appears to me and says that he will give me fame, health and wealth in exchange for my eternal soul. I scoffed at him and he snarled at me with flames bursting all around me. He screeches, “I am the Lord of the Underworld, why aren’t you cowering in my presence? I reply, “I was married to your sister for 15 years, nothing scares me anymore”.
6) When was the last time you visited a pet store? – Monday
7) What's your favorite salad dressing? – Depends upon my mood… Ranch, Catalina, Balsamic Vinaigrette Bleu Cheese and Russian.
8) Sam Winters is crazy about her smart phone. She uses it to take pictures, record videos, listen to tunes, answer emails and surf the net and, oh yeah, she even uses it to make calls. How indispensable is your mobile phone in your day-to-day life? – After being off the Smart Phone bandwagon for about 18 months, I recently got back on. It is amazing how often I feel it necessary to check it and I’m using idle time to search for interesting apps.
9) "Kocham cię" is "I love you" in Polish. Can you say "I love you" in a language other than English (and Polish)? --

Blogging Challenge: 16, 17 and 18

** Go HERE for links to previous posts **

16 – NICKNAMES

The earliest nickname I can recall is “Johnny”. I believe this developed amongst my family members as a means to better differentiate between myself and my cousin John, who was about 6 months older than I and most likely was just an easy leap from the practice of using our middle initials as a means of getting our attention. He was/is John A. and I’m John E.

My next nickname memory came from the failed attempt by my best friend at the time to call me “Jack”. I think this was attempted around the time we were learning about President Kennedy and how John and Jack are interchangeable. Honestly, I wish this one had stuck, because I like the name Jack. 

The one that did stick was applied by peers in Middle School; I’m sure there were countless pejorative nicknames, but those are stored in the dark recesses of my repressed memories of that time. My official nickname is “JT”. A brilliant combination of the initials of my first and last name. Many of my lifelong friends still refer to me as such and occasionally some stumble upon it like they’ve arrived at some brilliant discovery. I took much joy in the discovery that my youngest daughter has also been assigned this nickname by her softball teammates. The joy came from the sound of hearing “JT” chanted from the stands as she came to bat, or when she accomplished some great diamond deed.

17 – FAVORITE PIC OF MYSELF OF ALL TIME

I don’t like having my picture taken, so there are very few from which to select. The one to the right was taken in July 2008 after I had lost 100 lbs. Even I have to admit, I look good. Unfortunately, this is when my marriage was falling apart and I was spending 2-3 hours a day at the gym to avoid going home. That fall I began grad school and that level of dedication to the gym was unsustainable and the weight began creeping back. I would really like to look like that again, I know what to do to accomplish it, I just have to Git’er done!

18 – SOMETHING YOU’VE LEARNED

TMI Thursday - Powerball

Some months ago, Sean over at Just a Jeep Guy began TMI Thursdays. Several of the blogs I read regularly participate and I thought I would jump in the pool. With the latest furor over POWERBALL, the multi-state lottery jackpot that was last listed at upwards of $585 million. I buy lottery tickets from time to time when the feeling strikes, regardless of how big the jackpot. But when it gets crazy big, I buy a couple tickets for myself as well as participate in the obligatory office pool. Hope springs eternal that the lightning bolt will strike me. I hear that someone in Missouri and Arizona has a chance to allow their dreams... or nightmares to come true.

LOTTO FEVER - What would you do... or NOT do? **I've actually given this a lot of thought**

1. For your family - I would set up accounts with the Oregon College Savings Plan for each of my kids. That way they have to meet academic criteria in order to access the funding. I would also set up trust funds for each of them that they wouldn't be able to access until they've achieved some level of maturity. But for right now... we would go on vacations. And they wouldn't want for anything.
2. For your Friends - I've watched those "Post-Lottery" shows enough to know that there will be countless "friends" who come out of the woodwork. For those friends who have stuck with me through the last 5 years, those who helped me out of tough spots., those who were there when I needed a shoulder to cry on or someone to listen to me whine... I know who you are. You will share in my fortune.
2a. For my Ex - I would hire a real lawyer and try to reverse the ass-reaming I got in the divorce when I bought into the bullshit that it was all so amicable. I would also have a legal document drafted where I would offer her a a sizable chunk of the jackpot for her cooperation. After all, while she is a hateful, vengeful, angry religious nut... she is the mother of my children.
3. For yourself - The usual... a new car, a condo on the coast and one in the Pearl District in Portland and the ability to travel... I would be able to afford the Lap-Band surgery so I can lose weight become more active, more self-confident and look good for the 25 year old muscle bear I intend to woo. I would be able to afford to gain licensure as a LCSW (Licenced Clinical Social Worker). Since I would no longer have to work I would be able to work on my passions.
4. For Charity - I would set up a foundation that would offer grant funding to organizations that promote GLBT rights, assist people living with HIV and education to prevent the spread of HIV. I would also give a LARGE chunk of money to Basic Rights Oregon as they work to get Marriage Equality on the ballot.
5. For Revenge - Living well is the best revenge.. See Item 2a.

6. For PURE EVIL - In the State of Oregon children in divorce proceedings who are 13 and older are allowed to choose where they live, as a part of reversing the ass-reaming. I would allow my children the right to choose. They weren't allowed that last time. In fact it was written into the mediated agreement that they didn't have that right. As I mentioned... she is an angry, vengeful, hateful religious nut; and after four years it hasn't moderated.  Also, if I can't snare me a sexy muscle bear on my own, I'll buy one. There are plenty of sites when I can find me a rent boy.

POST YOUR TMI ANSWERS
Post and answer the questions on your blog or tumblr page and then post the link in the comments so that others can read your answers, visit your website and get to know you too. I post my answers on Thursday.