Stuff about me

Do you ever see those "getting to know me" questionnaires on Facebook? I shamefully admit that I love them, because they often ask questions that I hadn't really considered before. The following is a recent questionnaire a friend posted, with some of the questions being answered in a way that would probably bore some people on Facebook, but I think deserve more than a few words or sentence. 

1. What is your full name?  Really? On the internet? Pfft.

2. Do you have a nickname?  Pede - from when I worked at Sprint, love that it's the same as my favorite Red Sox player, Dustin Pedroia - Mom, and Booger - what my fiance calls me, his nickname is Pooper. There's no disgusting backstory to them, we're just not into the whole "Honey", "Sweetie", "Baby" sort of thing, although I do call him "Honey" on occasion.

3. What is something you love? Could it be more vague? I love all sorts of things, food - a perfectly cooked, rare-as-fuck steak, fresh sushi, blueberries, apricots, Dunkin Donuts French Vanilla iced coffee... People - my sons, my fiance, my close friends... Animals - our dogs and lizard, all animals in general... Stuff - 99% of the music from the 70's and 80's, classic rock, hair metal, country music from the late 80's/early 90's, sappy love songs, basically anything that has a good vocalist and lyrics I can relate to...horror novels, psychological thrillers, anything by Stephen King, Jonathan Kellerman, Jeffrey Deaver... women's magazines and my bible, Entertainment Weekly... I'm not pretentious, I read for enjoyment, not knowledge. If I learn something while reading, that's great, but I've done the "reading to gain enlightenment" thing and I spent so much time and effort trying to get the message that I missed the story. I've now reached the age where if I'm not grabbed by a book from the beginning, I'm not going to force myself to finish it just because I think I should. Life is too short. Gotta do what you love - back full circle to the question.

4. Who is someone you would trust? With my life? My fiance. He has more than proved that he will always be there for me, no matter what. Which, I confess, sometimes makes me feel like I'm not worthy of such devotion, but as I've never had unconditional love in my life, it's so nice to have finally found it. 

5. Who is the last artist you listened to?  Are we talking what was on the radio or an artist I sought out to listen to? Because if it's the first one, Foreigner was on the radio with "Urgent". If it's the second, I guess it was Toto, right after their keyboard player died and I wanted to listen to their music, especially songs I hadn't heard in awhile. The next artist I plan to purposefully listen to are the Eagles, going to see them next month and there are a few songs on their setlist I don't know.

6. What is your favorite drink?  I have several. French Vanilla iced coffee from Dunkin Donuts, Earl Grey tea, caramel macchiatos from Starbucks, Mountain Dew Baja Blast, and cherry-lime Dr. Peppers from Taco Box in Clovis, NM.

7. How tall are you? I used to be 5'3 3/4", but I've shrunk to 5'3". Getting shorter & wider. Yey.

8. Are you the jealous type? I used to be and I'm mostly over it, but I still get twinges when a good friend spends time with someone else, or if the fiance is a few minutes late. It all goes back to my beginning, when I was adopted at 2 days old. I have a theory that people who were adopted never really feel like they're 100% accepted because the person who was supposed to accept them from birth rejected them. It doesn't matter if the adoption was in the child's best interest and they're placed into a loving home in an open adoption, with access to their biological family. That feeling of not being wanted is there and nothing can fully take it away. Luckily I've found someone who I do trust 100%, so the jealousy factor is almost nil. But it still does pop up on occasion.

9. Do you forgive easily? No I don't, and I know that's a very bad trait to have, but it's who I am. I give people several chances, but once I cut them out of my life, that's it. And if that person has done something to screw me over or has blatantly lied to me, forget it. I've heard the adage that by not forgiving someone, you're giving them free rent in your mind, but I think that if you forgive and forget someone screwing you over, you're just asking for it to happen again. I've done that in the past and every single time I've lived to regret it.

10. What movie deserves a sequel? Very few, if any movies deserve sequels. I'm not talking about movies that come from series where sequels are almost guaranteed, but movies that were successful and someone decides to capitalize on that success with another movie. Which usually sucks ass, but enough people go see it that the producers are like, well hell, let's make another. A current example is Joe Dirt. An absolutely stupid movie, but because enough rednecks and white trash morons liked it, they're making a sequel. Or Dumb & Dumber Too. The people who go see movies like this are the reason that the movie "Idiocracy" is coming true and this country will soon be overrun by brainless idiots who live only to breed more idiots.

11. What is one thing a woman should never do? Why just women? Why no companion question for men? For safety's sake, go out drinking alone. Because even though "no means no" and most men wouldn't take advantage of an inebriated woman, you can't count on the goodness of strangers, particularly in a bar. Another thing is to dumb herself down to whatever the intelligence level is of the group of people she's in. If they're intimidated by her or feel less than, that's on them to improve themselves.

12. When was the last time someone hurt you? In April, when I found out that a fellow classmate couldn't be trusted. I had had my suspicions, but because he was always friendly and supportive, I made excuses for his affiliations with the class sociopath and pathological liar. Then I found out that my inner suspicions were true and it made me feel sick. If you associate with people of questionable character, there's usually a reason for it, and that reason is usually you're just like them.

13. What is your favorite kind of cereal? For this earth-shattering reveal, I will have to go with Blueberry Morning, BooBerry, and Apples and Cinnamon oatmeal. Except I rarely eat them for breakfast. I rarely eat breakfast, period.

14. What is one thing you always wanted as a kid, but never got? A little brother or sister. Being an only child (and my father's youngest child in his second marriage) meant I usually got what I wanted and never had to share, traits that don't carry over successfully in the adult world. Plus I don't understand the relationship between siblings, that loyalty that surpasses common sense when the rest of the world has written them off. So, a little brother or sister, or a horse. I honestly probably would've been happy with either.

15. If you were in a witness protection program, what would be your alias? Wow, a question I have never even thought of. What would you choose to be your name if given the option? Since I never had a daughter and my name for her would've been Amanda Beth, I'd probably go with that. Given my love of 70's/80's music, you can probably figure out where those names came from. If not, I'm not going to enlighten you, look it up and listen to them, then listen to the rest of the stuff by those artists, discover what music should be.

16. What is the nicest thing someone else has done for you? What does it say about me that I have to really think about this? I guess I'd have to say accept me unconditionally, although many people have helped me out over the years when I've really needed it. Oh and go to my 80's bands' concerts (thanks honey, love you!)

17. Are you homophobic? An emphatic, "Fuck no!" I have never ever understood the mentality of hating people because they are attracted to the same sex. It's NOT a choice, they are born that way, and trying to get them to change is comparable to having heterosexuals become gay/lesbian. I've said many times that I have a list of attractive women on my "If I Should Turn Lesbian" list, but I can honestly say that I have never once been sexually attracted to a woman. I can appreciate their beauty but nope, can't go there. So to assume that gay/lesbian people can change who they're attracted to is just wrong. If you're not hurting anyone, it's not illegal and it's all consensual, who cares who someone else loves. Besides, my bestie is gay and after hearing everything he's gone through in his life, I am committed to advocating for gay rights.

18. Where do you not mind waiting? I usually hate waiting anywhere, but unless I'm in a hurry and going to be late, I don't freak out about it. I have my phone which has the Kindle and Nook apps, so I always have something to read. I do hate waiting in traffic, especially when it's behind a bunch of fucktardian asshats who have to slow down to a crawl to rubberneck at a cop who's pulled someone over. This is why the fiance refuses to buy me a rocket launcher.

19. Does anyone really know you? The fiance knows me the best, as does my friend D and my bestie S. But there are some things that no one knows and probably never will because I'll never feel comfortable sharing it.

20. If you could project yourself into the past, were would you go? If I had the knowledge from today, I'd go back to 1989 and not get involved with my ex-fiance. My entire life and every choice I made from then on can be attributed to falling in love with him.

21. What is your most impressive fun skill? I'm pretty good at trivia and I can write with my toes. It's how I got my first date with my now ex-husband. Otherwise I'm pretty boring.

22. What is the best sports stadium/arena you have been to? Please. Fenway Park, no question. I literally cried the first time I went to a game there, so much history. Whenever we get the chance to go to Wrigley Field, that will be on the list too. I hate the new, plastic-feeling stadiums.

23. What would you refuse to do for one million dollars? Let a tarantula walk on me. Not even for a billion dollars. I'd be first onboard the Nope Train to Fuckthatville. Nope nope nope.

24. If you were home on a rainy Sunday afternoon, what movie would you want to see on television? Armageddon, Twister, Con Air, and the Green Mile. And Pretty Woman. Maybe the Goonies. Or the Indiana Jones trilogy (sorry, I don't consider that travesty with Shia Labeouf to be part of that series) or the Star Wars trilogy (again, the last, "first" three aren't worthy of consideration).

25. What historical figure would you most like to have a discussion with? Harry Truman, he seems like he had a very snarky sense of humor, a pretty good indication of an intelligent person. Or Freud. Just to see what he makes of me & how fucked up I am.

26. If you could close one fast food chain, due to disgusting food, what would you pick? McDonald’s. They’ve gone downhill in a very bad way since I worked there in high school. But the majority of fast food is pretty disgusting. The less of it eaten, the better.

27. What is something you really hate? Intolerance, racism, homophobia, hypocrisy, dishonesty, and manipulative people. And cilantro. I don't hate any food except cilantro. Yuck. And possibly oysters. Like giant boogers.

28. Who makes you laugh? My friend M has been able to make me laugh til I snort liquid out my nose for 30 years now. My bestie S also makes me laugh til I hurt. The fiance makes me laugh whenever he comes out with stuff that I would never expect him to say. For comedians, George Carlin was the king for making me laugh. I still miss that man.

29. If you could be on the cover of any magazine, what would you choose? Entertainment Weekly, with Stephen King, Chris Hemsworth, and George Clooney. Obviously I'd be starring in a movie adapted from a SK novel, with Chris and George as my co-stars.

30. What makes you really sleepy? Eating a carb-heavy meal. If I make a casserole with pasta for dinner, you can damn well guarantee I'll be falling asleep after dinner, watching TV with the fiance. I'm like an old man. Other than that, nothing makes me tired, which sucks.

31. What one thing annoys you most at a restaurant? The usual answer should be bad/slow service, but you have to be over-the-top bad to get us not going back there. What really bugs us are loud, screaming kids. When my boys were little, if they started getting loud in a restaurant, we'd take them outside til they calmed down. Today's parents don't even bother to shut their screaming brats up, they don't want to infringe upon their right to express themselves. And then they wonder why their little entitled brats aren't able to do anything for themselves when they're older. It's called consideration for other people, try it some time.

32. What do people do too much of today? Expect to get things the easy way instead of working for them. 99% of my cohort thinks they're just going to get an internship of their choice because they're worthy of it and no one has ever told them no in the past. Welcome to the real world, life doesn't work that way, and daddy can't buy your way into an internship of any quality.

33. Who did you have a crush on growing up? Les McKeown from the Bay City Rollers, then Scott Baio and Shaun Cassidy, then Andrew McCarthy, then John Taylor from Duran Duran, then Jimi Jamison from Survivor. With only two exceptions, all musicians. And Andrew McCarthy did play the bongos in St. Elmo's Fire, so there's that...

34. Are you a left or right leaning person? Definitely more left, but there are a couple of right issues that I believe in. Just a couple though. Any woman who leans too far right is only screwing herself and the rest of her gender over. Thanks for that!

35. How do you like to relax? Reading brain candy magazines (US magazine) or playing mindless games on FB. Decompressing, cheap, and mindless fun. Plus I like to kid myself that playing the games improves my eye-hand coordination and brain functioning, but really, they're free games on FB, how good can they be?

36. In what part of the world would you hate to be by yourself? Anywhere in the Middle East. Even though most of the people are decent human beings, the extremists who hate Americans kind of ruin it for everyone else.

37. To what would you like to devote more time? Actually working on my dissertation. If I can find a topic that I can actually write about for 80+ pages. Not having money or a vehicle kind of restricts my ability to travel to do research, so finding a topic that I can write a theoretical paper on is very difficult.

38. What would be the best thing about not having a sense of smell? Nothing would be good about that, the few bad smells are minute in comparison to the good ones. I mean, the smell of diesel exhaust, or someone's stinky BO are unfortunate, but weighed against smelling my slow-roasted chicken, or freshly cut grass, or a newly bathed baby - nope, I like being to smell, both the good and the bad.

39. What activity do you enjoy that excites you? Going to concerts and seeing bands on my bucket list, going to see the Eagles next month, then Def Leppard, Styx, Motley Crue, and .38 Special in August definitely excites me. Even though I've seen Def Leppard before, seeing them again will be awesome. And getting to see the Eagles, the #1 on my bucket list for decades, will probably be one of the highlights of my life. I've always loved bands with great harmonies, which all began with the Eagles. And ya gotta see the Crue at least once, and since they're retiring after this tour, it's now or never. Vince can't sing for shit anymore, but it's all about the theatrics and Tommy's drum solo.

40. What is the scariest scene you remember from a kid's movie? When Bambi's mother was shot. Holy fucking god, why would that be part of a kid's movie? That's traumatic to the nth degree. Another movie that had a traumatizing scene was Benji. Benji was shot and I was so sure he was dead, I made my mother take me out of the theater. I found out later that he survived the gunshot, but still. When you're 4, you take things literally.

41. Do you believe in God? I am 99.9% atheist. That .01% is reserved for what happens after we die. Atheists believe that when we die, that's it, while most religions believe in an afterlife. No one can say definitively what happens to us after we die, because no one has ever died then come back days/weeks/months/years later to enlighten us. I've been in the presence of people dying and you can absolutely tell when they've died, you can almost sense something leaving their bodies. Maybe it's their soul, or their energy, or whatever, but it's what makes us alive. But back to God. Nope, definitely not what is written in the Bible about him. He's a misogynistic, murderous bastard in the OT, and all peace and love in the NT. No one can have that much of a change of heart. Plus how insecure is this supposedly omnipotent being that he has to have us worshiping him 24/7. Dude, if I could create the entire universe, not having your little human creations sucking up to you shouldn't even be on your radar, unless you're wicked insecure. Right there is a major discrepancy. It's like us being pissed off that ants aren't worshiping us. We don't even think about ants, unless they're bothering us on a picnic or they've invaded our house, then we just want them gone. So nope, not a believer in God or anything that happened in the Bible.

42. Are you a racist? You haven’t been paying attention. I abhor racists. However...and this might brand me as being racist, I do believe that there are stereotypes for a reason, because that behavior was observed in enough people to become a stereotype. And when people live down to those stereotypes, displaying the worst type of behavior (for their or any race), is it racist to call them out on that behavior? If you want to overcome those stereotypes, stop displaying those behaviors. And again, this goes for every ethnicity. If you don't want to be called a backwoods hillbilly, don't be having sex with your sister and attempt to get an education. 

43. What is the greatest pain you have ever suffered? Losing our son Dominic 19 years ago. Nothing else has ever even come close. For physical pain, dislocating my knee many years ago. Horrible pain and the recovery time was a good 6 weeks.

44. If you could buy one object to complete your home, what would it be? A new sofa, with recliners at each end, so we could stretch out or cuddle, with room for the dogs. Gotta have room for the dogs, since they are definitely part of the family.

45. What was your favorite childhood game? Playing Charlie’s Angels with Vicki, Monica, Kirsten, and Julie. I was always Kelly, since she had long dark hair. Or going dumpster diving with my friend Jerrod, particularly the day after xmas. We sometimes found toys that had accidentally got thrown away, plus the big boxes were great for making forts and other cool stuff. 

46. Who is the most famous person you have ever met? Garth Brooks. The biggest selling country singer of all-time and one of the nicest guys you'll ever hope to meet. I've met quite a few musicians and actors, but he stands out as the most famous AND the nicest.

47. If fat, calories, cholesterol, etc were not an issue, what two foods would you feast on? I don’t limit myself now, I can’t feast on any one food without feeling icky. But for all-out calorie indulgances, Reese's Peanut Butter Chocolate Cake Cheesecake from the Cheesecake Factory would be at the top of the list. That thing is SO good and so rich that I can only eat a slice over 2-3 days.

48. What are you most worried about in the future? Republicans continuing to push this country back to the Dark Ages when women have no rights and the rich control everything. Jobs are disappearing at an alarming rate, with nothing coming along to replace them, and I fear that the time to act without getting into physical violence has long-since passed. And, newsflash, if you're not in the 1%, and you vote Republican, you're only screwing yourself (and the rest of us). The tax-cuts that the Repub candidates are promising are only to the top 1%, so unless your income is in the 7 figures, that's not you. Vote for Bernie Sanders.

49. What is your favorite movie line or scene? Pretty Woman – “You’re late.” “You’re stunning.” “You’re forgiven.” Because that scene is where he falls in love with her and it always makes me cry. Or, the edited version of Snakes on a Plane – “That’s IT! I have had it with these monkey-biting snakes on this Monday-through-Friday plane!” Best edit EVER.

50. If you were directing a movie, who would you cast as your leading man and woman? Helen Mirren and Chris Hemsworth, some sort of action movie where she’s a British super spy and he’s just… perfect. She's just awesome and he's just...perfect.

51. If you had to dispose of a dead body, how would you do it? Remove the teeth and fingers so they couldn't be identified, then cut it up into very small pieces and melt it down using lime. Or if I had access to the swamps such as those in Florida, dump it out there. And never kill anyone that you can be linked to.

52. What do you wish you could do physically? Fly. I've had dreams where I could fly and the feeling was so freeing and fabulous that when I woke up, I was honestly saddened to learn it was only a dream.

53. What profession have you always admired? Teachers. WAY more patience then I could ever have, especially dealing with small children. Not to mention they are way underpaid for what they do. Babysitters/nannies make more than most teachers, which is just wrong. And while I love my favorite actors/musicians/athletes, I think they are so grossly overpaid it's not even remotely funny. $30,000,000 for a top pitcher in MLB? They literally pitch 32 games a season, once every 5 days, for 90 minutes at most. They're making close to a million dollars for each game they pitch. Or $10,415 a minute. 2-3 minutes pitching is what most people make in a year. If you don't find anything wrong with that, you're part of the problem.