I'm random, thanks for asking.

 A television meme stolen from zvezda9 

Got this from fionnabhar. I'll add this post to my sidebar links for reference.
Jan
1 What is one thing you’d like to accomplish in 2020?
2 What would be the first sentence of your autobiography?
3 For every day of 2020, you will be required to wear a t-shirt with the same one word on it. What word will you choose?
4 What one thing are you looking forward to in 2020?
5 What’s your favorite way to spend a Sunday morning?
6 Tell about an “Aha!” moment you’ve had.
7 In the U.S., each state has a “state flower.” If you’re in the U.S., what is your state flower? If you live elsewhere, does your region or country have flower that represents it? (Post a picture?)
8 Would you rather live in a deep-sea station or a space station?
9 What’s your favorite “comfort food” when you’re feeling down or unwell?
10 What was the last film you saw at a theatre/cinema?
11 Have you ever been asked for your telephone number and you didn't want to give it? What did you do?
12 Have you ever had a “crush” on a fictional character?
13 What are your favorite pizza toppings?
14 Who was your very first best friend? Are you still in contact or communication with them?
15 If you could pick a new first name, what would you choose?
16 What is your favorite board game?
17 What self-care things do you find helpful to ground yourself or “talk yourself down from the ledge” when you’re overwhelmed by your feelings or by stress?
18 What is the most extreme weather you have ever experienced?
19 Do you operate out of any particular faith system that informs your actions? Do you intentionally NOT have a faith system, and if so, what beliefs or ideas inform your actions?
20 When you go to a fancy coffee shop, what’s your go-to order?
21 What genre of books is your usual favorite when you read for pleasure?
22 Where is one place you wouldn’t ever want to be caught dead?
23 How would someone who genuinely likes and admires you describe you?
24 How would someone who doesn’t really like you describe you?
25 If you had to teach a one-hour class with absolutely no prep time, what subject could you competently pull off?
26 What is the most embarrassing thing that has happened to you while out for a meal at a restaurant?
27 What aphorism or saying is helpful for you right now?
28 What’s your favorite meme? (Post it!)
29 What is your skin care regimen?
30 What song are you listening to a lot right now? (Post a link?)
31 What superpower best suits your personality?
( The rest of the year... )

Whole list in this post.

11. A song that you never get tired of
12. A song from your preteen years
13. One of your favorite 80’s songs

( The songs! )

8. A song about drugs or alcohol

TBH, I had to google "songs about drugs" and then look for ones I know and like. I almost used the same as eowyn because I really do love Under the Bridge. I was also looking for something Led Zeppelin, but the list I found didn't have any by them. I know lots of Zep songs have drug references but none are immediately apparent to me. (okay, so I wouldn't know this had a radio DJ not said it). I did not know this song was about drugs either, but it fits the bill and I like it.

Whole list is in this post.

4. A song that reminds you of someone you would rather forget about
5. A song that needs to be played LOUD
6. A song that makes you want to dance

( Video links under the cut. )

I'm looking at archived entries from 10 years ago, and found this meme. Current answers are below, and 10 years ago answers are in a comment.

You.
Can.
Only.
Type.
One.
Word.

Not as easy as you might think.

1. Where is your cell phone? - couch
2. Describe your boyfriend/girlfriend/husband/wife? - nonexistant
3. Your hair? - blond
4. Your mother? - retired
5. Your father? - deceased
6. Your favorite item? - laptop
7. Your dream last night? - forgot
8. Your favorite drink? - coffee
9. Your dream car? - mustang
10. The room you are in? - living
11. Your ex? - none
12. Your fear? - failure
13. What do you want to be in 10 years? - happy
14. Who did you hang out with last night? - Natalie
15. What you're not? - sleeping
19. The last thing you did? - movie
20. What are you wearing? - leggings
21. Your favorite book? - Bronte
22. The last thing you ate? - burrito
23. Your life? - frustrating
24. Your mood? - okay
25. Your friends? - wonderful
26. What are you thinking about right now? - singleness
27. Your car? - Mazda
28. What are you doing at the moment? - meme
29. Your summer? - ComicCon
30. Your relationship status? - single
31. What is on your tv? - nothing
32. When is the last time you laughed? - today
33. Last time you cried? - observation
34. School? - Ugh

Copy.
Paste.
Answer.
One.
Word.

Comment on this post and I will choose six interests from your profile. You will then explain what they mean/why you are interested in them. Post this along with your answers in your own journal so that others can play along.



Arizona
Hmm, trying to remember if there was more reason to listing this than the fact that I live here. No, I think the fact that I moved here is why I added it to my interests way back when. I lived in California all my life before coming here 8 years ago for a job. A friend I'd known since 8th grade was already a teacher here, and helped me get a job at her school. Just checked my archive, and yesterday marked 8 years since I arrived.

Jane Austen
Jane, oh Jane. How do I love thee, Ms. Austen? Let me count the ways: Pride and Prejudice, Darcy, all your books, your leading men, your scoundrels, your smart female characters, the way you parts of Sense and Sensibility and Mansfield Park make me wish I could reach into the pages and shake Fanny Dashwood, Mrs. Ferrars, and Aunt Norris...that's just a start to the list. Watching P&P (2005) at holbytla's insistence was my gateway into period literature and movies.

Lord of the Rings
This is another fandom I was quite late in entering. Somehow I made it until 2003 before discovering the books existed. ROTK was in theaters when one of my coworkers and my friend ewanspotter said I needed to watch the movies. I had no idea what they were talking about. Later on, I vaguely remembered seeing a poster for TTT. Coworker loaned me FOTR, extended edition I think; I watched it and wondered what the heck I had just seen. A day or 2 later I found myself at Blockbuster (and I rarely rent movies) getting TTT. I watched that on a dark and dreary day, and got more into it. By the end of the same week, I was at the theater immediately after work to see ROTK. By then, I was hooked. I saw ROTK 4 times total in theaters and read the books in 6 weeks. My coworker friend was more than happy to feed my addiction, watching the movies over and over, sharing her books and introducing me to the wonderful world of dvd bonus features. Haunting ewanspotter on here led me me to start my own LJ so I could fangirl to my heart's desire.

Phantom of the Opera
In 8th grade, we sang a medley of Phantom songs for chorus. I loved them. My chorus teacher read us what I think was an abridged version of Leroux's story. We also watched a made for TV miniseries that I would love to find again. I think it's this one. A year or so later, I got to see the show on stage in San Francisco. Our seats were terrible but I didn't care. What I remember most about that show was how sad the Phantom sounded, and how you could hear his wail travel around the theater as he mourned for Christine. I read the book that year as well, and loved the descriptions of the opera house and the world below it that the Phantom had build for himself. I didn't have much more to do with Phantom until the 2004 movie came out, which I saw twice. I'm not a huge theater-goer, and so for me to see a movie twice (and in 3 days even) at the theater is a big deal.

The movie soundtrack used to live in my car, and is quite good for singing along to, loudly. :D

Road Trips
I've never minded car rides. Well, unless I'm stuck in the backseat and get carsick. Even then, I love going places. Before I could drive, I liked going on random rides with my dad, taking back roads and seeing the sights. I love driving. I love going places, new or old. I love truck stops and convenience stores. I'll drive alone or with someone. Each December, I make the ~13-hour drive to my hometown for Christmas. In 2001, I did an epic, cross-country trip with my dad. Every once in a while, I get an itch and just have to go somewhere for the day. My camera is usually close by so I can document the journey.

Teaching
I am a teacher, so I probably should be interested in teaching. :) You get used to/better at it, but really, no 2 days are alike. Each day is a challenge. Classes can eat you alive, and that's happened to me. I start again in a few weeks, EEK. I could write a novel on this topic, but will spare y'all.

The rules:
1. People who have been tagged must write the answers on their blog and replace any question they dislike with a new, original question.

2. Tag eight people. Don't refuse to do that. Don't tag who tagged you.
ewanspotter holbytla roseleaf jessibobessi devotedteach27 mashena coffeesnob caitcupcake


1. Make a list of 5 things that you can see without getting up:
box of Triscuits, 2 calendars, tax documents, bin of shoes, neglected flute

2. How do you style your hair?
Wet it, use mousse and a bobby pin to flatten it, let dry, then fluff it up. When I'm not so lazy, I use the blow dryer and flat iron to make it look nice.

3. What are you wearing now?
Striped cardigan sweater over a tank top, and jeans.

4. What's your occupation?
teacher

5. What do you hear right now?
iTunes on shuffle. Currently a song from Pride and Prejudice 2005 soundtrack.

6. Who was the last person you hugged?
My friend's 18 month old son.

7. What is/was for dinner?
Strawberries, corn, and Triscuits. A few spoonfuls of ice cream for dessert.

8. What did you do today?
Slept in. Went to the Borders closing sale, Target, and the grocery store. Made snickerdoodles, went to see M's new baby, then did my taxes.

9. Dog person or cat person?
cat - they don't need to be taken on walks. I like dogs, too. However, I wonder if I'll ever own either again since I hate dealing with shed fur.

10. If you had to change your name, what would you change it to?
I have no idea. When I was a kid I think I wanted a name like Kaia or something with lots of /a/ sounds. I'm sitting here trying to think of something I'd change to if I were suddenly going into witness protection, but nothing is coming to mind.

11. What was the last thing that you bought?
groceries, unless paying to e-file my taxes counts as buying something.

12. If you could afford to go anywhere in the world, where would you go?
The UK. All over England, to the castles in Ireland and Scotland, the countrysides, and Wales, since I know next to nothing about it. caitcupcake, you'd have to give me a grand tour.

13. Where do you see yourself in five years?
Holy cow, I have no idea at this moment.

14. Where's your birthmark?
My lower back, where a tramp stamp would go. :P I didn't know it was a birthmark until a few years ago, since it just looks like a patch of darkish veins or something. My mom said I'd always had it.

15. What are you doing this weekend?
Laying low, trying to relax before I have to attack lesson plans and grading again. Made cookies and enjoyed the rain today.

16. If you could play any musical instrument, which one would you play?
I'd love to be able to play the flute again. Piano would be cool, too.

17. How tired are you?
Pretty perky at nearly 11pm. Sleeping in probably helped.

18. What is/was your favorite thing about today?
The rain, and getting to hold a week-old baby!

Comment to this post and I will give you 5 subjects/things I associate you with. Then post this in your LJ/Blog and elaborate on the subjects given.


My items came from roseleaf

Teaching
I are a teacher. A teacher who's normally a grammar nazi but lapses into LOLspeak or other non-grammatical structures here and there. Teaching wasn't something I always wanted to do; I was actually terrified at the thought of standing in front of a class until near the end of college. I love kids though, and eventually found teaching was something I wanted to do. I'm in my 4th year now. The profession is only about 20% in front of the class like you'd expect, and the other 80% is enough to drive a person insane if you let it. I'm currently procrastinating the pile of work I brought home with me. I love 4th grade. Kids still give you hugs and don't have much attitude. It's funny, I don't know what to say about this. It's a tough job but I have no idea what else I would do (especially since I can't have Samantha Brown's job). I think I've gotten a ton of parenting training the last few years, which might be considered a bonus.

Phoenix
I actually live in Mesa, but to out-of-staters it's just easier to say I live in/near Phoenix. I've been here since July 2005, and it is home. I have a job, I have a place to live, I have a church, I have friends. Yes, my family is back in CA but I've lived away from home for so long that being in another state didn't really phase me. The winter weather is great, right now it's trying to jump back toward summer heat, boo. You get used to the broiling hot summers after a year, but monsoon season is miserable. Three months of muggy heat punctuated by the occasional downpours/mini-hurricanes. Sometimes I think the Phoenix area is isolated, as outside the valley the cities and towns are pretty spread out. Still, there's much of the area I need to see. Some friends and I did a sight-seeing day last month, and we had a blast. If teaching didn't leave me so tired on weekends, I'd try to get around more. Break is coming up - road trip time!

British literature
Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! Let's see here. My obsession with Britlit, which honestly includes both books and movies, started in December 2006, after I fell in love with the movie Pride and Prejudice. I read the book in 3 days, then over the next year and a half I read and watched the rest of Jane Austen's novels, the second one being Sense and Sensibility. After that, couldn't decide what to read next, and decided on Jane Eyre which immediately became my favorite book ever. I read it 3 times in less than 2 years, plus the countless times I randomly opened it and read parts. I attempt other books upon recommendation, though my efforts with Charles Dickens have been less successful. Our Mutual Friend was just too difficult to get into, but listening to Bleak House on audiobook was a success. Movies sometimes lead to reading books, and sometimes vice versa. North and South was a fantastic movie, and even better book. I've no idea what my next movie or book will be. Recommendations?

Coffee
A timeline/progression of my coffee consumption, from childhood till now.
-I loved the smell of coffee, and loved smelling the bean bins at the store
-I'd drink a mocha with a bunch of added sugar when there was an espresso machine at McDonalds back in the early 90s. Yes, before Starbucks took over the world.
-I drank the more sugary espresso drinks at the coffee shops that kept popping up.
-Occasional stops at the Starbucks that opened near my high school. It was still a novelty back then, and I occasionally tried coffee with cream.
-I discovered iced vanilla lattes in college, which became my favorite thing. I found a balance between sweet and coffee-taste that I liked.
-Being poor but having 7:30 a.m. classes made drip coffee a necessity (lattes took longer and cost more). I still only bought coffee, since I didn't have a coffee maker at home, and lattes were an occasional luxury. I also loved to embarass my roommates by running up to the bean bins at the grocery store and just smell them.
-While in school for my credential, the early mornings made coffee a necessity. Yay for Java City on campus! A few months into school, I got a job at Starbucks, which was my downfall. Before that, Starbucks was a once a week thing; twice felt like pushing it. Free coffee while working plus 30% discount otherwise...and the rest is history. I became a coffee snob.

Am I addicted? Yes, probably. However, it's not just the caffeine, it's the taste. I could go decaf if necessary, but if I had to give it up, I'd really miss the taste. I still love half-sweet iced vanilla lattes, but drip coffee is cheaper. Even after all the coffees I had to sample as a barista, I still prefer coffee with cream to black. Darker and bolder coffees are better than mild, and I make it quite strong. It doesn't have to be Starbucks, but whatever the brand, it better not be weak.


80s TV
roseleaf, what made you choose this?
In the 80s, I watched cartoons, soap operas, daytime tv and primetime sitcoms. I'll just list what favorites I can remember: Mork and Mindy, Voltron, Guiding Light, As the World Turns, Smurfs, Scooby Doo, Knight Rider, The A-Team, Full House, Perfect Strangers, China Beach (or was that 90s?), game shows... I guess I watched a lot of tv as a kid, though I can't remember it all. Oh! In second grade, when everyone else was watching MacGuyver, I watched Highway to Heaven. I remember asking people the next day if they had seen HtH and they would say no, then talk about Mac.
Oh yeah! Sound of Music was on tv every year, and then there was the tv movie about Nadia Comaneci. I watched my tape of that movie so many times it started to wear out. I still have the tape, but I don't know if the vcr Alyssa gave me works.

Stolen from keeumm

Reply to this post, and I'll tell you one reason why I like you. Then put this in your own journal, and spread the love.