Saturday 9: Vacation

1) Do you know how to water ski?

• No

2) Do you have 2014 vacation plans?

• If all things stay the as they are, my daughter and I are going to Boise for the Boise Music Festival at the end of June.

3) Do you have a passport?

• YES

4) If you took a 7-night cruise, could you completely unplug -- no phone calls, no texts, no internet?

• Yes, I believe I could. I would hope that I would be with someone who could offer distractions.

5) Do you own a travel alarm clock?

• Yes, my cell phone

6) Though the Go-Gos broke up in 1985, they frequently reunite for live performances. What's the last concert you attended?

• I go to lots of local music festivals, like the one this summer in Boise. I cannot think of the last concert I attended with a big name band.

7) Their first hit was "Our Lips Are Sealed."  Can you be trusted with a secret?

• YES

8) In 1982, when this song was popular, the comedy Tootsie was in theaters. What movie makes you laugh?

• Tommy Boy

9) Sam is chewing on a Tums as she composes these questions. What's the last over-the-counter medication that you took? 

• Advil and Zrytec (it is the height of allergy season here in the Inland Northwest)

 

3 on Thursday: May 15th

1. What is your favorite non-alcoholic drink?

• Iced Tea

2. Have you heard of the Kidnapped Nigerian Girls? Do you think that the US should do more to return these girls home?  Over 200 girls have been kidnapped from their school and held hostage by a militant group and/or being sold as child brides for $12 each. Very tragic.

• Yes, it is tragic. But the US is NOT the policeman to the world. We need to stop chasing after every outbreak of international strife. Let our government policy be securing the homeland, building OUR infrastructure, winning the hearts and minds of Americans.

3. If you could live anywhere in the world (money is no issue) where would you live?

• London

Saturday 9: Your Mama Don’t Dance

1) This song is about how the older generation often doesn't understand what the younger generation is up to. Do you keep up with trends?

• Chasing after trends is the sign of someone who doesn’t know who they are. I spent too many years not being my true self.

2) This song was in the top 10 in 1972, which is also the year HBO was introduced. Do you have any premium cable channels?

• I have way too many channels. Every time I call Charter to change my service, I end up with more channels that I don’t watch. I read an article the other day that says the average American has 189 channels, but only watches 17 of them. I have HBO so I can watch Game of Thrones, True Blood, Newsroom and Bill Maher. I have Showtime so I can watch Homeland. I need to have a steel spine and close some of these services.

3) Mother Winters taught Sam how to kill the lingering food smells in her microwave (take a bowl of water, add a few drops of vanilla extract, and heat it in the microwave). Do you have any useful household hints to pass along?

• If you have a baking sheet with baked on stains; sprinkle a layer of baking soda on the surface, cover in water and let sit overnight. Wash the sheet the next morning and it will be sparkling clean.

4) The French word for "mother" is "mère." What other French words do you know?

• I tool a year of French in college, I can count to ten and ask where the library is located.

5) Flowers and plants are popular on Mother's Day. How is your yard or garden? Is it green and/or blooming?

• I live in a 2nd floor apartment. The landscaping outside is flourishing. I do miss having a space to exercise my greenthumb.

6) Mother's Day is a big holiday for card shops. So are birthdays, weddings, and St. Patrick's Day. Hallmark sells greetings for everything from "Congratulations on Your New Job" to "Happy Retirement." Who received the most recent card you bought?

• I gave Valentines to my girls.

7) Have you put away your winter clothes yet?

• As I have lost a considerable amount of weight, they weren’t put away.. they were GIVEN away.

8) Mother Winters used to scold Sam for leaving her dirty dishes in the sink. Sam admits it: as a grown up, she's still a bit of a slob. Do lean toward "neat" or "messy?"

• I must confess that I tend toward the neat end of the spectrum, but not in and OCD sort of way of course… lol

9) To celebrate Mother's Day, Sam is giving away candy bars. Would you prefer classic milk chocolate, dark chocolate or milk chocolate with almonds?

• Given the choice, chocolate with almonds please.

TMI Thursday: Make Mine A Double

Sean at Just a Jeep Guy started it, now all the cool kids are doing it.

MAKE MINE A DOUBLE!

1. Do you have a favorite alcoholic drink?

• I enjoy a good Gin & Tonic. They are refreshing and pack a sneaky punch if you aren’t prepared. Plus, I feel there’s a bit of class to it.

2. What kind of wine do you prefer?

• Lately, in reds, I like a Syrah and in white, I like Pinot Grigio.

3. Do you have a favorite beer? 

• I live in the Great Northwest, the home of craft breweries. Bridgeport, Full Sail, Pyramid, Ice Harbor, MacTarnahan’s, and my favorite Deschutes 

4. Can you taste the difference between vodkas?

• I keep trying, but I haven’t been able to yet. Although there are these crazy Pinnacle Vodka flavors. Some of those are just WRONG. Pumpkin Pie vodka sounds good in theory, not in practice.

5. Are you a top shelf or rail kinda person?

• I don’t have the budget to be ‘top shelf’, rail booze does the job just fine.

6. What was your most memorable (good, bad or embarrassing) drinking experience? 

• Drinking with friends in Portland a couple summers ago… we had a great time with the dancers at Silverado… much $$ was left in the G-Strings of a couple sexy dancers and I experienced my first lap dances… RAWR! After we hit a couple other bars we discovered The MAX quits running at midnight, so we called a taxi to take us back to the hotel. The taxi dropped us off in front of another hotel. I said, “No, we’re at the Inn at the Convention Center”. The driver pointed across the street and says, “It’s over there”.

BONUS

Have you ever drunk dialed?

• Not that I’ve been told… LOL

Saturday 9: Too Close

Saturday 9: Too Close

1. This song is about a friendship that turned romantic ... and it doesn't end happily. Have you ever crossed that line with a friend? If so, how did it work out? -- It hasn’t turned out well… it got awkward and then lost contact with one. In another it became all about the sex and we rarely did the things we used to enjoy as friends.
2. When he was a kid, this week's singer, Alex Clare, listened to his dad's Stevie Wonder records. When you were in 7th/8th grades, what music were you into?-- In 1982-83 I was very much into the music of John Mellencamp, The Cars, Human League, Huey Lewis and REO Speedwagon.
3. "Too Close" has been featured on the TV show, The Vampire Diaries. Do you enjoy shows/books/movies about the supernatural?-- I’ve enjoyed Anne Rice’s Vampire novels, but generally I like good old fashioned cops & robber murder mysteries.
4. Some of Alex Clare's tour dates were sponsored by Bud Light. Do you like beer?-- I am proud to say that mass market piss “beer” hasn’t passed my lips since 2007. Coming from the great northwest, I enjoy GOOD beer… Deschutes is my favorite.
5. Mr. Clare trained to be a chef, just in case the music thing didn't work out. Are you a good cook? -- I’m told I’m a damn fine cook.
6. Crazy Sam (the mistress of this meme) is forever running out of mayo because she slathers it on her sandwiches. What is currently on your grocery list?-- Oatmeal, Milk, Cheese, Bananas, Cat Food, Vodka, Gin and Toilet Paper.
7. Where are you most likely to find spare change -- between the sofa cushions, in your jeans as you toss them into the washer, or under the floor mat of your car?-- All the above. I even pick change up off the ground. Every penny counts. I put all non-quarter change into a Tattoo Fund Jar. The quarters go into the laundry jar.
8. How did you spend your Friday night -- working late, hanging out with friends, or just enjoying a quiet night at home?-- Home watching the TV… as per usual.
9. Do you use Pinterest?-- I have. But I only have time for so many addictive websites in my life. So I don’t currently use that service.

.

TMI Thursday: True Colors

Sean at Just a Jeep Guy started it, now all the cool kids are doing it.

LET ME SEE YOUR TRUE COLORS

• What is your favorite color? BLUE
• What color are your eyes? BROWN.
• What color is your hair? BROWN with GRAY reaching a saturation point..
• What color is your bedroom? WHITE.
• Which color do you look best in? I feel I look best in BLUES and GREENS.
• Is there a color you never wear? I try to avoid BLACK because I own cats and cat hair is glitter for lonely people.
• How did you pick the color of your car? Sadly, I’m not in a position to get the car I really want. I have what was available at the price I could pay. I have a WHITE 99 Subaru Outback.
• Are your eyes ever green with envy? I’m envious of those who are happy with life partners when I’m surrounded by shallow closet freaks.
• Do you have a signature color? BLUE!
• How much do you love Cyndi Lauper! I LOVE Ms. Lauper.

BONUS

Gray hair is sexy on the HEAD, and CHEST, but never in the EARS or NOSE.

 

TMI Questions
Fun, slightly embarrassing questions designed to reveal Too Much Information 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 (directions here), visit your website and get to know you too.

Checking in

Sean has written asking how I was doing, I must admit that it has been a while…

I have intentions to post frequently about life, and especially progress in my weight loss journey. In short, I’m doing fine. The surgery has completely healed. I am still learning there are things I cannot eat.

I have attained a milestone in my journey…. drum roll, Anton… I’ve lost 100 lbs!

I am now going to do something I’ve never done… publicly reveal my shirtless self. Make sure you aren’t eating or drinking…. (yes, I know you can see it already).

This was taken in October 2013, weighing 405 lbs.

And here is today… 305 lbs.

Excelsior!