First Letter Meme

Use the first letter of your name to answer each of the following questions. They have to be real...nothing made up! If the person before you had the same first initial, you must use different answers. You cannot use any word twice and you can't use your name for the boy/girl name question.

1. What is your name: Sherry

2. A four letter word: shoe

3. A boy's name: Stephen

4. A girl's name: Shauna

5. An occupation: shopkeeper

6. A color: silver

7. Something you wear: sweater

8. A television show: Star Trek

9. A food: spaghetti

10. Something found in the bathroom: shampoo

11. A place: Sydney Mines

12. A reason for being late: slept in

13. Something you shout: shoot! (expurgated version)

14. A movie title: Shawshank Redemption

15. Something you drink: smoothie

16. A musical group: Simple Plan

17. An animal: sheep

18. A street name: Strathcona

19. A type of car: Silverado

20. Title of a song: So What

Bonus:
21. A personality trait: shy

"Latest" Meme

I am running out of steam on many things right now--NaNoWriMo, book launch preparations, blogging...so today it's a meme again. This one requires some memory work so it could be rough...

Latest Road Trip: 2007 summer vacation to Toronto
Latest Bad Advice: Received or given? Never mind, I can't remember either
Latest Movie I Saw in a Theater: Twilight
Latest TV Show Watched: Kim Possible (?)
Latest TV Show I Enjoyed Watching: Heroes
Latest Book I Tried to Read: can't recall
Latest Thing I Left Home Without: Money to buy my niece a present to take to a birthday party
Latest Take Out Meal: KFC
Latest Celebration: My brother's birthday
Latest Item Loaned Out and Haven’t Gotten Back: Probably a book
Latest New Words Added to Vocabulary: "locus of the points"
Latest New Word of a Foreign Language Learned: attrire (French for attract)
Latest T-Shirt Acquired: Peace & Love graphic from cafepress.com
Latest Package Received: A new bellydance coin belt!
Latest Web Site Visited: http://ocremix.org
Latest Injury: an unexplained bruise
Latest Run In with the Law: n/a
Latest Place I’d Want to Live: I don't know, I pretty much like it here
Latest Physical Fight: I punched a guy once when I was in high school...
Latest Magazine Read: Wired
Latest Thing I Broke: a glass
Latest Thing I Fixed: a wooden rabbit
Latest Thing That Made Me Laugh: A new exclamation coined by my son; "mother catnip!"
Latest Thing That Made Me Go Huh?: my daughter's math homework
Latest Thought: how many more words to get to 50k?

The Birthday Month Personality Meme

Fresh out of ideas tonight, which could be because I've written almost 3000 words on my NaNo novel today already. However, this little meme looks interesting. It's interesting to wonder how much family and friends would agree with one's own estimation of personality traits.

I don't think I'll tag twelve people to do it, but if McDoogle, Helen, and Karen would like to try it out that would be fine. So, here goes. The instructions:

1. Mention the person who tagged you and create a link back to them.
2. Copy-paste the traits for all the twelve months (see below).
3. Pick your month of birth (see below).
4. Highlight the traits that apply to you. (I can't seem to highlight so I've bolded. I've also inserted some entirely unnecessary comments)
5. Tag 12 people and let them know by visiting their blogs and leaving a comment for them.
6. Let the person who tagged you know when you’ve done it.

I wasn't tagged, but snagged this meme from cotojo.

My birth month is June.

JUNE: Thinks far with vision. (not quite sure what this means, but...) Easily influenced by kindness. Polite and soft-spoken. Having ideas. Sensitive. Active mind. Hesitating, tends to delay. (if this means procrastinating, oh yeah) Choosy and always wants the best. Temperamental. Funny and humorous. Loves to joke. Good debating skills. (Hmmm...I think I'd still be a lawyer if this were true) Talkative. Daydreamer. Friendly. Knows how to make friends. Able to show character. Easily hurt. Prone to getting colds. Loves to dress up. Easily bored. (Ha! I can't remember the last time I was bored!) Fussy. Seldom shows emotions. Takes time to recover when hurt. Brand conscious. Executive. Stubborn. (possibly)

Overall, more like me than unlike, although a few characteristics are really out there. Fun to think about, though!
____________________________________

JANUARY: Stubborn and hard-hearted. Ambitious and serious. Loves to teach and be taught. Always looking at people’s flaws and weaknesses. Likes to criticize. Hardworking and productive. Smart, neat and organized. Sensitive and has deep thoughts. Knows how to make others happy. Quiet unless excited or tensed. Rather reserved. Highly attentive. Resistant to illnesses but prone to colds. Romantic but has difficulties expressing love. Loves children. Loyal. Has great social abilities yet easily jealous. Very stubborn and money cautious.

FEBRUARY: Abstract thoughts. Loves reality and abstract. Intelligent and clever. Changing personality. Attractive. Sexy. Temperamental. Quiet, shy and humble. Honest and loyal. Determined to reach goals. Loves freedom. Rebellious when restricted. Loves aggressiveness. Too sensitive and easily hurt. Gets angry really easily but does not show it. Dislikes unnecessary things. Loves making friends but rarely shows it. Daring and stubborn. Ambitious. Realizes dreams and hopes. Sharp. Loves entertainment and leisure. Romantic on the inside not outside. Superstitious and ludicrous. Spendthrift. Tries to learn to show emotions.

MARCH: Attractive personality. Sexy. Affectionate. Shy and reserved. Secretive. Naturally honest, generous and sympathetic. Loves peace and serenity. Sensitive to others. Loves to serve others. Easily angered. Trustworthy. Appreciative and returns kindness. Observant and assesses others. Revengeful. Loves to dream and fantasize. Loves traveling. Loves attention. Hasty decisions in choosing partners. Loves home decors. Musically talented. Loves special things. Moody.

APRIL: Active and dynamic. Decisive and hasty but tends to regret. Attractive and affectionate to oneself. Strong mentality. Loves attention. Diplomatic. Consoling, friendly and solves people’s problems. Brave and fearless. Adventurous. Loving and caring. Suave and generous. Emotional. Aggressive. Hasty. Good memory. Moving. Motivates oneself and others. Sickness usually of the head and chest. Sexy in a way that only their lover can see.

MAY: Stubborn and hard-hearted. Strong-willed and highly motivated. Sharp thoughts. Easily angered. Attracts others and loves attention. Deep feelings. Beautiful physically and mentally. Firm Standpoint. Needs no motivation. Easily consoled. Systematic (left brain). Loves to dream. Strong clairvoyance. Understanding. Sickness usually in the ear and neck. Good imagination. Good physical. Weak breathing. Loves literature and the arts. Loves traveling. Dislike being at home. Restless. Not having many children. Hardworking. High spirited. Spendthrift.

JUNE: Thinks far with vision. Easily influenced by kindness. Polite and soft-spoken. Having ideas. Sensitive. Active mind. Hesitating, tends to delay. Choosy and always wants the best. Temperamental. Funny and humorous. Loves to joke. Good debating skills. Talkative. Daydreamer. Friendly. Knows how to make friends. Able to show character. Easily hurt. Prone to getting colds. Loves to dress up. Easily bored. Fussy. Seldom shows emotions. Takes time to recover when hurt. Brand conscious. Executive. Stubborn.

JULY: Fun to be with. Secretive. Difficult to fathom and to be understood. Quiet unless excited or tensed. Takes pride in oneself. Has reputation. Easily consoled. Honest. Concerned about people’s feelings. Tactful. Friendly. Approachable. Emotional temperamental and unpredictable. Moody and easily hurt. Witty and sparkly. Not revengeful. Forgiving but never forgets. Dislikes nonsensical and unnecessary things. Guides others physically and mentally. Sensitive and forms impressions carefully. Caring and loving. Treats others equally. Strong sense of sympathy. Wary and sharp. Judges people through observations. Hardworking. No difficulties in studying. Loves to be alone. Always broods about the past and the old friends. Likes to be quiet. Homely person. Waits for friends. Never looks for friends. Not aggressive unless provoked. Prone to having stomach and dieting problems. Loves to be loved. Easily hurt but takes long to recover.

AUGUST: Loves to joke. Attractive. Suave and caring. Brave and fearless. Firm and has leadership qualities. Knows how to console others. Too generous and egoistic. Takes high pride in oneself. Thirsty for praises. Extraordinary spirit. Easily angered. Angry when provoked. Easily jealous. Observant. Careful and cautious. Thinks quickly. Independent thoughts. Loves to lead and to be led. Loves to dream. Talented in the arts, music and defense. Sensitive but not petty. Poor resistance against illnesses. Learns to relax. Hasty and trusty. Romantic. Loving and caring. Loves to make friends.

SEPTEMBER: Suave and compromising. Careful, cautious and organized. Likes to point out people’s mistakes. Likes to criticize. Stubborn. Quiet but able to talk well. Calm and cool. Kind and sympathetic. Concerned and detailed. Loyal but not always honest. Does work well. Very confident. Sensitive. Good memory. Clever and knowledgeable. Loves to look for information. Must control oneself when criticizing. Able to motivate oneself. Understanding. Fun to be around. Secretive. Loves leisure and traveling. Hardly shows emotions. Tends to bottle up feelings. Very choosy, especially in relationships. Systematic.

OCTOBER: Loves to chat. Loves those who loves them. Loves to take things at the center. Inner and physical beauty. Lies but doesn’t pretend. Gets angry often. Treats friends importantly. Always making friends. Easily hurt but recovers easily. Daydreamer. Opinionated. Does not care of what others think. Emotional. Decisive. Strong clairvoyance. Loves to travel, the arts and literature. Touchy and easily jealous. Concerned. Loves outdoors. Just and fair. Spendthrift. Easily influenced. Easily loses confidence. Loves children.

NOVEMBER: Has a lot of ideas. Difficult to fathom. Thinks forward. Unique and brilliant. Extraordinary ideas. Sharp thinking. Fine and strong clairvoyance. Can become good doctors. Dynamic in personality. Secretive. Inquisitive. Knows how to dig secrets. Always thinking. Less talkative but amiable. Brave and generous. Patient. Stubborn and hard-hearted. If there is a will, there is a way. Determined. Never give up. Hardly becomes angry unless provoked. Loves to be alone. Thinks differently from others. Sharp-minded. Motivates oneself. Does not appreciate praises. High-spirited. Well-built and tough. Deep love and emotions. Romantic. Uncertain in relationships. Homely. Hardworking. High abilities. Trustworthy. Honest and keeps secrets. Not able to control emotions. Unpredictable.

DECEMBER: Loyal and generous. Sexy. Patriotic. Active in games and interactions. Impatient and hasty. Ambitious. Influential in organizations. Fun to be with. Loves to socialize. Loves praises. Loves attention. Loves to be loved. Honest and trustworthy. Not pretending. Short tempered. Changing personality. Not egotistic. Take high pride in oneself. Hates restrictions. Loves to joke. Good sense of humor. Logical.

What and How I Write

A meme for today, and perhaps particularly apropos during National Novel Writing Month:

1. Do you write fiction or non-fiction? Or both?

I write both, since I write non-fiction primarily for The Scriptorium and fiction for...um...everything else. Fiction is my favorite, although there's a certain satisfaction in a good non-fiction piece as well.

2. Do you keep a journal or a writing notebook?

I'd like to keep a journal. I really, really would. I have, in fact, started keeping a journal many, many times. I just can't ever seem to stick with it for more than a few days. I have no idea why.

3. If you write fiction, do you know your characters’ goals, motivations, and conflicts before you start writing or is that something you discover only after you start writing? Do you find books on plotting useful or harmful?

It depends on the story. Some of my favorite things have come about by just making it up as I go, very little figured out beforehand. Others, I fail to plot at my peril, and end up mired in quicksand and directionless. I love to read books on plotting, and then decide whether or not the various suggestions might work for me.

4. Are you a procrastinator or does the itch to write keep at you until you sit down and work?

Champion procrastinator.

5. Do you write in short bursts of creative energy, or can you sit down and write for hours at a time?

I did a lot of writing when my children were very young, so I think I trained myself to write when the opportunity presented itself, instead of waiting to be inspired or for that perfect block of writing time. So either way works for me.

6. Are you a morning or afternoon writer?

Morning and nighttime are actually my most productive times. Afternoons, I feel lazy and my brain doesn't cooperate so well.


7. Do you write with music/the noise of children/in a cafe or other public setting, or do you need complete silence to concentrate?

I'm flexible. I can write through distractions, I can write with music (as long as it has no lyrics to distract me), and I can write in complete silence.

8. Computer or longhand? (or typewriter?)

Usually, longhand notes and computer for the actual writing.

9. Do you know the ending before you type Chapter One? Or do you let the story evolve as you write?

It all depends on the story.

10. Does what’s selling in the market influence how and what you write?

Not really--I don't write quickly enough to cash in on what's hot at any given moment, so I think it's better to write what I want/need to write and hope it will find a home when the time is right.

11. Editing/Revision - love it or hate it?

Sometimes it's hard work, and sometimes it's nice to sit down to some good right-brain application. I do love the results of an editing job well-done, and it's part of the package, so I try not to complain about it too much.

Random 10 Monday Meme

This sounded like fun:

List 10 songs that sum up your weekend...or were on your weekend playlist...and one picture that relates back. (oh, and if you feel like it, tell us why you picked the songs you did)

Ten songs that actually summed up my weekend would be rather dark so I think I'll just list ten that I listened to and enjoyed over the weekend.

1. Old School ~ Hedley
2. Dark Moon, High Tide ~ Afro Celt Sound System
3. All the Strange, Strange Creatures ~ Dr. Who: Series 3 Soundtrack
4. Feel the Rush ~ Shaggy
5. Raks Asherof (bellydance music)
6. Sleepless Nights ~ Faber Drive
7. Whirl-Y-Reel 2 ~ Afro Celt Sound System
8. The Futurekind ~ Dr. Who: Series 3 Soundtrack
9. Never Again ~ Kelly Clarkson
10. Fall for You ~ Second Hand Serenade

Lots of instrumental music there--not hard to tell it's NaNoWriMo. ;) As for a picture...I might think of an appropriate one to add later.

Reading Meme

Well, it's the 16th of November and this is the first meme I've included all month. I think that's pretty good. And this was an interesting one to answer.

Do you remember how you developed a love for reading?
Really, I don't remember a time when I didn't read or when reading was not important to me. The library was one of my favorite haunts as a child, and I remember the wonder of the big floor-to-ceiling bookshelf at my grandparents' house, its shelves piled with everything from science and astronomy texts to fiction to art books to field guides. I loved it.

What are some of the books you read as a child?
Well, this could take a while if I answered it in detail. I was never afraid to bring home more library books than I thought I could read in two weeks. I recall some favourites, at different ages, being Edward Eager, Enid Blyton, L.M. Montgomery, Walter Farley (were there ANY Black Stallion books I didn't read?) Nancy Drew, Bobbsey Twins. On that bookshelf I mentioned there were also old titles like Invisible Scarlett O'Neil, Girls of Silver Spur Ranch and The Casting Away of Mrs. Lecks and Mrs. Aleshine.


What is your favourite genre?
Definitely speculative fiction, although I have an abiding love for well-written mysteries as well. I branch out sometimes with historical fiction, thrillers, YA, chick lit, and the occasional "literary" novel, although I find them generally trite, misery-obsessed and pretentious. I also like non-fiction on topics that interest me, which could be anything at any given time.

Do you have a favourite novel?
Wow, I don't think I could pick one. Some favorites are The Sea and Summer, The Hitchhiker's Guide series, Discworld, and Beggars in Spain, but there are many, many more I love that I'm leaving out.

Where do you usually read?
Anywhere, really.

When do you usually read?
Anytime, although often at bedtime.


Do you usually have more than one book you are reading at a time?
It's not unusual for me to have more than one on the go, especially if they are different genres, or if one is non-fiction.

Do you read nonfiction in a different way or place than you read fiction?
No.

Do you buy most of the books you read, or borrow them, or check them out of the library?
I don't buy as many as I used to, and I check more out of the library now. Which is probably a good thing, since all our bookshelves are full and there really isn't much space to put more bookshelves.

Do you keep most of the books you buy? If not, what do you do with them?
I do keep most of them, in case I want to re-read or loan them. I should cull more than I do, but it's difficult.

If you have children, what are some of the favourite books you have shared with them? Were they some of the same ones you read as a child?
I've read and recommended a lot of my old favorites to my kids, as their ages match up. Some tastes in reading are not the same though, and books that appealed to me don't stand the test of time with young readers now. My daughter and I often read and enjoy the same newer books now; in fact, we're reading the same copy of the same book right now. That takes some scheduling! I am glad to say that we are a household of readers.

What are you reading now?
City of Bones by Cassandra Clare, and Kiki Strike by Kirsten Miller, and Payback by Margaret Atwood

Do you keep a TBR (to be read) list?
It's more like a stack, which starts on the floor and reaches a little higher than my nightstand. Oh yeah, and it's double-stacked in some spots.

What’s next?
Not sure--possibly Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman, but it will depend on my mood on the day I'm choosing.


What books would you like to reread?
I reread the Douglas Adams books every couple of years, just because they are so much fun and they still make me laugh out loud.


Who are your favourite authors?
In no particular order, Terry Pratchett, Nancy Kress, Connie Willis, Dave Duncan, Jack McDevitt, Elizabeth Moon, Neil Gaiman, Sophie Kinsella and I could go on and on...

Tyrannosaurus Rex Digestion

I took a "useful" quiz today to find out how long it would take a Tyrannosaurus Rex to digest me if I were accidentally consumed by one.

Good to know, good to know.

The Chocolate Oracle

So many things I'm trying to catch up on, but I'd also like to stop ignoring my blog. Today I have consulted the Chocolate Oracle for some insight...

What Your Taste in Chocolate Says About You

You are sophisticated, modern, and high class. Your taste is refined, but you are not picky. You are often the first to try something new. You are down to earth and lovable. A true friend, you're very tolerant and understanding. In fact, your friends' biggest problem is that they don't like each other! You love new adventures and activities. You enjoy living a full life, even if it is chaotic. You feel lost when things are quiet. You rather not think... you prefer to just do!

The Chocolate Oracle

What Punctuation Mark Are You?

(...and isn't this a very writerly sort of quiz for me to be doing?)

You Are a Comma

You are open minded and extremely optimistic. You enjoy almost all facets of life. You can find the good in almost anything. You keep yourself busy with tons of friends, activities, and interests. You find it hard to turn down an opportunity, even if you are pressed for time. Your friends find you fascinating, charming, and easy to talk to. (But with so many competing interests, you friends do feel like you hardly have time for them.) You excel in: Inspiring people You get along best with: The Question Mark

What Punctuation Mark Are You?

...as is often the case with quizzes, this one seems to be on or near the mark. I must know myself awfully well...or think I do...

Ten Signs A Book Was Written By Me

This writerly meme is making its way around and although I haven't been specifically tagged I have been generally tagged in the "if you read this consider yourself tagged" sense. ;-) So here goes:

1. It is either science fiction, fantasy, or some weird genre mix like SF/F/Mystery.

2. The protagonist is almost certainly female.

3. The protagonist almost certainly has a quirky sense of humor. If not her, then someone in her immediate circle, or several someones.

4. The first draft was 99.9% likely to have been written during National Novel Writing Month.

5. It has a happy ending for at least some of the characters, if not most (excluding villains).

6. It's very unlikely (though not impossible) that any of the main characters will die.

7. It will contain either aliens or sentient/talking animals. Possibly both.

8. It is not heavy on description.

9. It is not longer than 100,000 words, and more likely to come in around 80k.

10. No-one ever sits around talking for more than a few pages at a time.

The Nearest Book to Hand Meme

Well, so far 2008 has been a non-starter for blogging, but perhaps I'll start to feel more motivated soon. Helen has sort-of tagged me to do this meme ("If anyone wants to do this, consider yourself tagged!") so here I am. The rules of this meme are:

1. Pick up the nearest book (of at least 123 pages).

2. Open the book to page 123.

3. Find the 5th Sentence.

4. Post the next 3 sentences.

5. Tag 5 people.

The nearest book on my desk is The Drawing Bible by Craig Nelson. The thing about this book is that there are precious few sentences on many pages, so these are actually from p. 124, after performing the appropriate counting of sentences on p. 123. Not that it really matters. ;-) This section is called, "Using Visual Landmarks."

Proportion is all about measuring and comparing. When measuring, look for key reference points or visual landmarks on your subject. These may include sharp angle changes such as corners, or distinct tonal changes between shapes such as pieces of clothing.

I bought this book with the intention of starting at the beginning and working my way through every lesson, but I haven't made it terribly far yet. Still on my to-do list, though! It is a very good book.

Tagged! Seven Random/Weird Facts

I've been tagged by amusing to do this meme, but I'm trying to think of seven such things I haven't already revealed about myself in this blog. (The rules, if in turn you find yourself tagged by me, appear below.) Well, here goes:

1. I sometimes get ganglions in my wrist. They are little more than a nuisance but can be tender, and if a person happens to smack one against something (say, for instance, the rim of the washing machine) and cause it to burst, the pain is momentarily blinding but then the ganglion has disappeared entirely.

2. I have read thirty of Terry Pratchett's Discworld novels and am currently reading my thirty-first.

3. I have weak joints in my little fingers and sometimes they almost, but not quite, get dislocated. My maternal grandfather was missing this joint on at least one hand so I think it might be hereditary.

4. I have a younger sister who was born on my fifth birthday. If I remember correctly, we both weighed exactly the same at birth.

5. I have a very poor long-term memory but a good short-term one.

6. I'm currently taking bellydancing lessons.

7. I can wiggle my ears.

In turn, I am using the magical NaBloPoMo Randomizer to tag:

Angela
semba08
CynaraJane
Jennifer
Melissa

At this point in the tagging process I had a run of at least seven people who have already done this meme this month. Thus I have added these two not via a random process but just out of sheer orneriness:

Helen
Krista

Interestingly, quite a number of blogs I visited through the Randomizer belong to folks also doing NaNoWriMo.

The aforementioned rules of this meme:
1- Link to the person who tagged you and post the rules on your blog.

2- Share 7 random and or weird things about yourself.

3- Tag 7 random people at the end of your post and include links to their blogs.

4- Let each person know that they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

123 Meme & NaNoWriMo

I picked up the 123 Meme from Helen's blog and thought I'd combine it with my current NaNo novel. The instructions for the meme are as follows:

Turn to page 123 in your work-in-progress. (If you haven’t gotten to page 123 yet, then turn to page 23. If you haven’t gotten there yet, then get busy and write page 23.) Count down four sentences and then instead of just the fifth sentence, give us the whole paragraph.

As it's early November days yet, I'm doing the page 23 thing. I'll give you two paragraphs, since the one I hit by doing the instructions is only one line long:

She crossed her arms and tilted her head at me. "I know you were just talking to Uncle Lanar. And I know it can't be good--about the Chron."

There was no point in trying to hide it, I supposed. The crew was going to figure things out for themselves anyway, they'd all been on the bridge and seen what had happened. Still, I hated to be the one to tell my daughter that another Chron war could be imminent. "He thinks we may be in for some trouble," I said carefully.

Although the novel got off to a slow start, things have started happening. I don't know what they mean yet, but it's beginning to get interesting. It's another crazy Tuesday when I won't get to write a thing until after about 9:30 tonight. I hope I'll be able to stay awake long enough to make my word count for the day.

"Chew On This" Meme

I'll admit it--I went deliberately looking for a meme to do today. It got kind of funny actually, as I was surfing lists of memes and half of them are out of date or gone altogether...what does this say about the state of memedom on the Internet? But I digress...

I found this interesting meme over at Monday's a Bitch, because well, it is Monday and they're actually up-to-date over there. And I thought a couple of the questions were fun. So...

1. Did you need braces when you were younger?

I may have needed braces, because my bottom teeth are sort of crowded, although not in a really horrible sort of way. However, I don't remember it ever being discussed, and I'm not sure that financially it would have been an option anyway. I don't regret the lack of them, at any rate.

2. If you had to choose between being bitten by a vampire or a werewolf, which would it be?

Now, this is a tough one. I have a deep-seated fear of vampires, likely dating back to some ill-advised vampire-movie-watching when I was in high school, and Stephen King's Salem's Lot. However, the idea of immortality has immense appeal for me. I'd miss the sunlight, of course. As a werewolf, on the other hand, one could conceivably continue to lead a close-to-normal life much of the time, with only occasional lapses into horrible beast-ness. Hmmm...I think the immortality would swing me to the vampire side. Although I'd like to be unconscious when either bite occurs.

3. When was the last time you bit off more than you could chew?

It could quite possibly be this year's NaNoWriMo coupled with NaBloPoMo. I'll have to hold off on that verdict until the end of the month.

4. Have you ever chipped a tooth?

No, I don't believe I have. I had a dentist pull the wrong tooth one time, though. I think it was a perfectly good tooth. Later, another dentist filled and saved the one the first dentist intended to pull.

5. If your smile had a name, what would it be?

This is hard to answer, since I don't know the names of any other smiles for reference.

Sherry likes to...

I snagged this hilarious meme from my sister Krista--in fact we just spent a long time on the phone doing these for all our family members and laughing about the results.

The instructions: Go to Google and type in quotation marks your name and then "likes to" (ex. "Tom likes to"). Post the first ten things that come up. Does it sound anything like you?

1. In her spare time, Sherry likes to read, forage for mushrooms, canoe, hike and quilt. (um, I do like reading and hiking...)

2. Sherry likes to play the banjo and collects tacky antiques, such a lamp of 2 frogs kissing! (er...no)

3. But Sherry likes to go at her own speed. (true enough)

4. Sherry likes to be random. (maybe sometimes...if I understand what this even means)

5. Sherry likes to be "on the edge," as she describes it. (don't know if I'm really very "edgy")

6. In her spare time, Sherry likes to paint and she also sings in the Arkansas Chamber Singers. (I'm a long way from Arkansas!)

7. Certainly, Sherry devotes himself earnestly to the study of Conrad, but Conrad remains a giant whose feet are the only thing that Sherry likes to look at. (okay, that's just frightening)

8. Sherry likes to be asked to do things by the teacher. (actually I always was a bit of a teacher's pet...)

9. Sherry and Terry like to ride their bicycles at the playground. (my husband's name is Terry!)

10. Sherry likes to teach each client how to protect their own energy field. (errr...)

Thinking Blogger Award

My dear friend Karen has thoughtfully put me on her list for the Thinking Blogger Award, and as you can see I'm proud to display the logo in my sidebar. It's particularly nice because although I've had this blog for quite a while, it's only in the past year that I've really kept it up and used it to post a lot of things that are on my mind. I've been especially inspired in that wise by Karen and by Helen on her blog A Was Alarmed. (They both would have been on my list but have already been named by others...)

Now it's my turn to award it to five other bloggers:

M.D. Benoit for Life's Weirder Than Fiction, an eclectic collection of thoughts on writing, reading, and just about anything else.

Edward Willett for Hassenpfeffer, lots of science and fun.

Charlotte for Charlotte's Web, a blog that always seems to cheer me up when I visit.

Kerryn for White Thoughts No-One Sees, because she has a particular talent for writing about everyday things that make me ponder my own feelings and thoughts on similar matters.

Krista for Chocolate is Kryptonite, a new-ish blog which I feel is destined for greatness.

Here are the rules of participation:

1. If, and only if, you get tagged, write a post with links to 5 blogs that make you think,
2. Link to this post so that people can easily find the exact origin of the meme,
3. Optional: Proudly display the ‘Thinking Blogger Award’ with a link to the post that you wrote.

Time for...an Image Meme!

This one is a bit of work, but it sounded like so much fun I had to try it. I snagged it from The Antick Musings of G.B.H. Hornswoggler, Gent.

The instructions: Plug your answers into Google Image Search and post the first image that comes up.

1. Your age on your next birthday.


2. Your favorite color:


3. Your middle name:


4. The last meal you ate:


5. Your bad habit:


6. Your favorite fruit or vegetable:


7. Your favorite animal:


8. The town you live in:


9. The name of your pet or last pet:


10. Your SO or best friend's nickname:


12. Your crush's name:


13. Your occupation:


14. Your birth city:


15. Your favorite song:


(Apparently there's no #11. I'm not sure if that's deliberate or not.)

Four Things

Hurrah! My sister Krista has finally started her blog, and now I have a new place to snag memes. Well, she actually tagged me with this one (she's tagging anyone who reads it, and I qualified). I shall have to put my thinking cap on for some of these...

Four Jobs I've Had:
1. Writer
2. Lawyer
3. Community Recreation Coordinator
4. Preschool Teacher

Four Movies I Can Watch Over And Over:
1. Mystery Men
2. Alex and Emma
3. Raiders of the Lost Ark
4. Galaxy Quest

Four Places I've Lived:
1. Sydney Mines, NS
2. Halifax, NS
3. North Sydney, NS
4. There is no #4!

Four TV Shows I Love:
1. Firefly
2. Battlestar Galactica
3. Wonderfalls
4. The Dresden Files

Four Places I've Vacationed:
1. Nassau, Bahamas
2. Milwaukee, WI
3. Ingonish Beach, NS
4. Prince Edward Island

Four Of My Favourite Dishes:
1. Lasagne
2. Steak...on the barbecue...mmmmm
3. Fish & Chips
4. Birthday cake

Four Sites I Visit Daily:
1. www.scribbletalk.com
2. www.cbc.ca
3. http://com4.runboard.com/bthewritersblock
4. www.helenparocha.com

Four Places I Would Rather Be Right Now:
1. On a writing retreat
2. At the library
3. Anywhere warm with a beach
4. Actually, it's quite nice right here...

Four Bloggers I'm Tagging:
(Let's see, who's commented on my blog lately...)
1. Helen
2. Karen
3. Alan
4. Let's just say, anyone else who happens to read this.

Okay, now that I've finished, I'm wondering, where is the section for: "Four Books I've Read Lately"?? I mean, it really should be there, shouldn't it? So I'm adding it.

Four Books I've Read Lately:
1. Forty Signs Of Rain by Kim Stanley Robinson
2. Storm Front by Jim Butcher
3. Size 12 Is Not Fat by Meg Cabot
4. Work Work by Bruce Holland Rogers

There, NOW it feels finished.

A Big Fat Lie

I snagged this from Helen's blog (isn't that where I find most of my memes? oh, well). Below I am going to tell five true things about myself, and one big fat lie. It will be up to you to guess (and please leave a comment with your guess) which one is the lie. Sound like fun? Here goes:

1. I have a photo of myself wearing a live snake around my neck like a tie. It was taken on my honeymoon.

2. I was the valedictorian at my high school graduation.

3. Even though I spent six years in university living away from home, I have never been drunk (maybe tipsy enough that I wouldn't drive a car, but not DRUNK).

4. I have hiked up mountains in two Canadian provinces, and stood on a glacier in a third.

5. I have at various times been bitten by a horse, a rabbit, a dog, a cat, a guinea pig, and a mouse.

6. I once entered a dance marathon but didn't make it into the top ten finalists.

Which one is the big fat lie?


And now for the truth...

1. TRUE! Here's the picture:


2. TRUE! I probably still have the speech around somewhere. When I think about it now it was likely rather sappy and sentimental, but at the time I was very pleased with it.

3. TRUE! I've never really understood folks who need to get "loaded" to have a good time. I also like being in control (although I don't think I'm a control freak).

4. TRUE! I've hiked mountains in Nova Scotia and also Gros Morne in Newfoundland. Here's me standing on the glacier in (I think) 1981. It's the Athabasca Glacier, part of the Columbia IceFields, and the picture was taken in Jasper National Park, Alberta.

5. LIE! I've been bitten by a horse, a rabbit and a cat, but never by a dog, a guinea pig or a mouse, although they've all had opportunities. The horse attacked me while I was riding another horse, grabbed me by the side and pulled me right out of the saddle. I had to get a tetanus shot. The friend I was riding with laughed so hard he fell off his own horse.

6. TRUE! The dance marathon was a fundraiser in high school, but my erstwhile boyfriend and dance partner turned up drunk so we didn't get very far. That was also the end of the relationship and probably part of the reason behind truth #3. ;-)

SFBC Book Meme

(I believe this meme has been circulating around LiveJournal for a while.) This is the Science Fiction Book Club's list of the fifty most significant science fiction/fantasy novels published between 1953 and 2002.

Bold the ones you've read, strike-out the ones you hated, italicize those you started but never finished and put an asterisk beside the ones you loved. (Since I don't have strikeout I'll put the ones I hated in red.)

*1. The Lord of the Rings, J.R.R. Tolkien
2. The Foundation Trilogy, Isaac Asimov
3. Dune, Frank Herbert
4. Stranger in a Strange Land, Robert A. Heinlein
5. A Wizard of Earthsea, Ursula K. Le Guin
6. Neuromancer, William Gibson
7. Childhood's End, Arthur C. Clarke
8. Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, Philip K. Dick
9. The Mists of Avalon, Marion Zimmer Bradley
10. Fahrenheit 451, Ray Bradbury
11. The Book of the New Sun, Gene Wolfe
*12. A Canticle for Leibowitz, Walter M. Miller, Jr.
13. The Caves of Steel, Isaac Asimov
14. Children of the Atom, Wilmar Shiras
15. Cities in Flight, James Blish
*16. The Colour of Magic, Terry Pratchett
17. Dangerous Visions, edited by Harlan Ellison
18. Deathbird Stories, Harlan Ellison
19. The Demolished Man, Alfred Bester
20. Dhalgren, Samuel R. Delany
21. Dragonflight, Anne McCaffrey
22. Ender's Game, Orson Scott Card
23. The First Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever, Stephen R. Donaldson
24. The Forever War, Joe Haldeman
*25. Gateway, Frederik Pohl
26. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, J.K. Rowling
*27. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Douglas Adams
28. I Am Legend, Richard Matheson
29. Interview with the Vampire, Anne Rice
30. The Left Hand of Darkness, Ursula K. Le Guin
31. Little, Big, John Crowley
32. Lord of Light, Roger Zelazny
33. The Man in the High Castle, Philip K. Dick
34. Mission of Gravity, Hal Clement
35. More Than Human, Theodore Sturgeon
36. The Rediscovery of Man, Cordwainer Smith
37. On the Beach, Nevil Shute
38. Rendezvous with Rama, Arthur C. Clarke
39. Ringworld, Larry Niven
40. Rogue Moon, Algis Budrys
41. The Silmarillion, J.R.R. Tolkien
42. Slaughterhouse-5, Kurt Vonnegut
43. Snow Crash, Neal Stephenson
44. Stand on Zanzibar, John Brunner
45. The Stars My Destination, Alfred Bester
46. Starship Troopers, Robert A. Heinlein
47. Stormbringer, Michael Moorcock
48. The Sword of Shannara, Terry Brooks
49. Timescape, Gregory Benford
*50. To Your Scattered Bodies Go, Philip Jose Farmer

I was a little surprised to see how many of them I've read, although some of that is thanks to the Science Fiction English course I took in university. Apparently I don't hate a lot of science fiction, either. ;-) And there are many more authors on this list whom I've read; just not these particular books (MZB, James Blish, Harlan Ellison, Orson Scott Card, Roger Zelazny, Theodore Sturgeon, and Gregory Benford, to be exact.).