Another question list.  Obviously I'm on an addiction now.  i_will_dare_89 sucked me into this one.  Oh, and my answers are way more long-winded than anyone else's I've seen.

Hey!  Aren’t the first three those things you’re never supposed to reveal, so the pedophile stalkers don’t come after you?  Oh! I suppose I’m SO not in the right age group, and also, I own a gun or two, and live in the Old South, where “He needed killing,”  is still a valid defense.

Name:  Sherron 0.  (never would have guessed that, I bet!)
2. Birthday: 8/24/19 some year before 87.  (thus at least 21, and no longer obligated to tell)
3. Where do you live: Madison, AL
4: What are you studying/What are you working as: I’m between careers.  Just finished homeschooling the boys, now looking around for inspiration for the next 40 years/.
5. What makes you happy:  Besides watching BT?Lots of things.  I’m easy.  A good book and time to read it, a cup of coffee done right, kittens, sex, buttercups, getting to occasionally see snow and know that it’ll be gone by afternoon, buying new toys, new cars, see?  Lots of stuff
6. What are you listening to now/have listened to last: Matchbox 20, Mad Season album
7. What is particularly good/bad about my LJ:  I like it. I’m wild about the title.
8. An interesting fact about you:  Only one? Geez.  My boys were born on opposite sides of the country.  Mat, in Norfolk, VA, within sight of the Atlantic.  Thomas, Sacramento, CA, about 90 miles from the Pacific.  And yes, that means I travelled cross country six months pregnant, and back to California with a teething 10 month old.  You really haven’t tested your marriage (or your sanity) until you’ve spent close to a week in a car with just the 3 of you and miles of desert to look forward to.
9. Are you in love/have a crush at the moment:  The exquisite Henry Fitzroy, Vampire, prince, of course.  He displaced Qui Gon Ginn in my heart the moment I saw the first Blood Ties.
10. Favorite place to be: in bed with Beloved, or wrapped up in a good fiction
11. Favorite lyric: “She just can’t be chained, to a life where nothing’s gained, or nothing’s lost.” from Ruby Tuesday by the Stones
12. Best time of the year: Spring, definitely.  When the weeping willows begin to turn green, I know I’m going to live again.  Crocuses, forsythia, buttercups, tulips, irises. In that order, waking me up again, helping me forgive [insert deity or universe or whatever] for winter.
13. Weirdest food you like: chicken livers and mustard greens

RECOMMEND
1. A film: Gone with the Wind
2. A book:  Atlas Shrugged
3. A song: U2’s “Running to Stand Still”  from Joshua Tree
4: A band: The Grateful Dead.  Y’all just don’t know what you missed

FANDOM
1. Favorite Fandom: Blood Ties
OTP/OT3:  I like them all, but I’d really like to see someone try Vicki/Mike, the way Tanya had it come out.  For just sex, Henry/Mike is my fav to read, but “One true pairing”? No way.  I’m not sure there is one.
3. Icon/Fic Journal (so I can join): not that into icons -- too small.

PLUS
1. One thing you like about me:
2. Two things you like about yourself:  1. My active, creative, educated brain  2. My inconsistency
3. Put this in your lj so I can tell you what I think of you? Sure.

I don't know, it might not be.  But I'm craving and eating Hershey bars and Doritos.  You Judge

Are you sure it's not Monday?    Since Thomas just left yesterday to go to TN It seems like it ought to be Monday.  Yes, I casually said Thomas to TN, as if it's no big deal.  But inside I'm doing the jumpy up and down thing.  He's just having a breakthrough this summer.  I feel myself getting lighter and lighter every day.  I can already tell that he's going to need a lot less support and supervision this fall that I was expecting to have to do.

Now, I just need to figure out what I want to be, now that I'm grown up.  I've got another 40-50 years i need to keep myself busy during.

And the dogs, cats, finches, and aquarium are just not quite doing it for me. 

And housework is like being punished, so not that.  In fact, I learned this summer, (Thanks mom!) how to get out of ironing Mark's work shirts. And washing them, for that matter.  I take them to the dry cleaner, where they launder (not dry clean) them, and press them better than any human can.   $1.20 per shirt.  Worth every penny.  Hey, I'm saving all that electricity the iron uses (which must be a lot, because every time it cuts on the lights in the room dim) and all that wash water, and electricity for the dryer....  But most importantly, I'm not ironing.

I repeat, the only thing domestic about me is that I LIVE in a house.

Really, the problem is that there are too many possibilities. 

I could become an advocate for Autistic kids and their parents in IEP meetings, and other dealings with the school system.  For free, or for money. 

I could volunteer full time for the local ASA chapter.  Trust me, it's easily a full time job for 3 people. 

Or, I could make my Dad (step) really happy and run the branch office down here in AL.  They already actually set up an office, unmanned, the drawback being it's almost 2 hrs. from my home.  But I wouldn't have to go down there every day.  The real work that I'd need to take care of could mostly be taken care of from home, thanks to phone forwards, internet, etc.  That would be the most profitable for me, I think. I'm just not sure I want to work that much.  I still think my ideal job would be part time in a bookstore.  Enough hours to get the employee discount, but not so much I still couldn't have fun with my beloved.

So, that's my random brain, going round and round.

I was tagged by mercuryblue144

Rules of the Game

A) People who have been tagged must write their answers on their blogs and replace any question that they dislike with a new question formulated by themselves.

B) Tag eight people to do this quiz and those who are tagged cannot refuse. These people state who they are tagged by and cannot tag the person whom they were tagged by. Continue this game by sending it to other people.

 

 

I'm not going to tag anybody.  Just  answer the questions if you want.

So, there seem to be quite a few lists and things to keep one busy.  There are apparently lists and lists of books that supposedly no one reads, put together by different sources.  I'm knocking them all out at once.  Songs Last.

 
Then there's the Big Read's top 100 books they publish, which they think the average adult has only read six of.  I've read a good many more than six
Then there's the American Library Association's list of banned books.  I haven't read as many of those as I thought I would have.  However, the list is heavy with "best seller" writers, some of whom I just can't be bothered to read.  Like Norman Mailer.  But I'm going to have to read som of the ones I haven't yet.


Here's all the ones that the SAT people think you should read.  I guess you could consider this the "Academic Canon".  Again, some odd choices, some obvious things left out.  Like, Animal Farm, but not 1984?  And, of course, not nearly enough Shakespeare, no Atlas Shrugged, no Anna Karenina,  and Woolf's To the Lighthouse over A Room of One's Own?  Anyway, here's my read list



Okay, I'm listed out.  Even I didn't want to know this much about me!

This thoughtful little exercise was brought to me by phantomminuet .  (And my apologies to mercuryblue144, who tagged me for an equally interesting but longer game, which I promise to get to.)


RULES:
1. Leave me a comment saying, "Interview me."
2. I will respond by asking you 5 questions of a personal nature.
3. You will update your LJ with the answers to the questions.
4. You will include this and an offer to interview someone else in the post.
5. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them 5 questions.

For those of you on the edge of your chairs with anticipation (just me, huh?) it is now 59.5 hours until I see my beloved.

Number one is eating on its own.  Yay!  His parents will still feed him for a week or more, but this takes some of the nutritional load off of them.  Number two has retreated back to the nest.  He's (or she's -- who knows yet) not quite convinced the world is a wonderful place.  S/he's been out a couple of times since, but not for very long.  And s/he IS much smaller than number one.

Our Hatchlings Fledged!  Out of the nest.

Today while we were out erranding, we stepped into a music store, just to see.  They had penny whistles and a book on how to learn to play.

Remember that every Saturday, most know, Thomas practices/jams with this group of other string players (violins, violas, a mandola, occasionally a guitar or mandolin player).  Last time, the mandola player asked if he could try playing his recorder on a couple of songs, since he'd been trying to learn it recently.  It sounded really good.  So, once again, the folks started bugging me about learning an instrument so i could play with them, since I'm there all the time anyway.  Cello, guitar, there have been several suggestions.  After they heard the recorder, and how it fits in with them, they had the brilliant idea that I should learn a pipe or whistle.  I'm musically knowledgeable, and know a lot of basic music "theory," and they know it.  And of course, they think Thomas couldn't possibly as good as he is if his mother wasn't also musical.  Yeah, right.  I did sing when I was younger, and received compliments, and requests to sing more, so I wasn't bad.  But then, at about 23, I had an accident, and was in a coma with a tube down my throat for 6 or 7 weeks.  It changed my voice, even my speaking voice, and made it hurt to try to sing notes that used to be comfortably in my rage, and I simply cannot shout without my throat completely constricting.  So, other than to babies, and in the shower, no more singing aloud. 

But anyway, today I bought a tin penny whistle, and no, they cost much more than a penny these days.  It's not overly difficult, but there are a few tricks to it to get a consistently pleasant tone.  And my fingers don't move fast enough.  Maybe practice will help.  or not.

 

marag threw down the gauntlet

 

Your result for The Commonly Confused Words Test ...

English Genius

You scored 100% Beginner, 100% Intermediate, 100% Advanced, and 100% Expert!

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Okay, everyone who's tired of hearing about migraines, raise your hands.  That's what I thought.  So instead of whining about today's drug-resistant horror, here's  a little something my sister-in-law sent me.

            1. BT (reruns)   2.  Bones  3. Criminal Intent  4. Boston Legal

One more day in AL.  In fact not a full 24hrs, now, more like about15.  I've been non-stop for the last several days, trying to think of all things I have to prepare/get done before I leave.   I don't know.   Too much.

So, today, the toilet breaks.  The bobbing thing has clogged completely with Calcium (we get our water from Artesian wells in LIMESTONE, so our calcium deposits on everything from teapots to ice makers is scary).  So we need that part.  Not a big deal, I've replaced several over the years.  But ya know, I don't have time to deal with this one.  So Mark and I are talking,   Kinda going over the schedules, that I still have a lot left to do before I go, that yes, I will make sure he has all the underwear possible clean before i go, etc.   He's going to leave work early tomorrow and go caving, and all day Saturday, but apparently be home Sunday.  So I said, "maybe you could get the part and fix the toilet Sunday."  He actually looks at me  and asks, "what are you doing tomorrow?"   No,no, it's okay, he's still alive, there were no swords handy.  After my vision clears, I look at him, and say, "multitudes of things too numerous to name."  And he's still looking at me perplexed.  Amazed I'm going to leave him for 2 weeks with a broken toilet.  Anybody want to place bets on whether he will fix it, or just go down the hall to the guest bath for two weeks?  This is a man mind you who won't open one piece of mail the whole time I'm gone.  It will every piece of it, junk and car tag decals (the old ones expire Saturday.  The new ones are coming in the mail.  I registered the cars, but he'll be driving around with an expired tag until I get back and put the decal on for him) alike, be on the dining room table in a stack, waiting for me..

I know, this was the deal.  I never have to work.  But I run the household.  Completely, except lawn stuff.  And, of course, the new puppy.  Whom I took stitches out of the other day  (we got him fixed, and I always take the stitches out myself from all the animals and minor cuts on kids.  Way less traumatic than another trip to a doctor/vet).  I told Mark he had to hold the puppy down while I pulled them.  He says, I don't think I can do that.  From me:  Silence.   Mark:He's very wiggly.  Me:  Two options, dear -- 1, hold the puppy still enough that I can get the stitches out. 2,You take your puppy to the vet and wait for him while they take the stitches out.  He opts for #1, I'm quick, no one but Mark is traumatized.

Anyway, I don't mind the deal, most of the time.  I lead a good life.  He never questions anything I do house or car or money wise.  But sometimes, I just want to stake him.

Graduation 2008 countdown

 17 Hours.

All four of my parents are in town, staying at hotels across the street from one another. Number one son is here in town tonight, and actually in my house for the moment, but I'm sure will be going over to his girlfriend's mother's house.  I bought a new blouse for the event. I still don't know what I'm going to say.  It'll be short is all I know.

Just so everyone knows, I have now officially lost it.  It is now 37.5 hours until the baby graduates.  He's cool as a cucumber.  I, and the other mothers who are creating this graduation ceremony are are are frantic or more!  I haven't' really recovered from last week's big ASA teacher appreciation dinner.  And my mother has offered Thomas a better job than she was going to give him (more $$), but she wants him to start Monday.  I could use a week off before I have to go to Paris, TN and get Thomas settled into a new job, and oh, btw, while I'm there, she's hired a new part-time bookkeeper, and is training the front office girl to do some of billing, and needs me to run the front office while they're training her.  (I don't get paid, btw.  But I own stock, and it's better tax-wise if I put in enough hours every year to have "materially participated,"  so I go.)

A day of end-of-the-year presentations by teens in the Diploma program.  (I'm on the committee, and have been for at least 6 years, and I think 7.) This was an excellent group of kids, over all.  Prepared, and knowledgeable.  We have two days of these, 9 kids in all.  They give their presentation (3-5 mins. on a topic of their choice), then we give feedback on that, and on the packet of written things they gave us two weeks ago.
Altho he doesn't have to (having already fulfilled all the required things), Thomas is taking advantage of the committee being "in session" to give his presentation of his Senior project.  He needs every opportunity to practice those communication skills.  And presenting a scientific, calculus-based project about gravity to lay people will be quite the challenge.  I'm especially excited because this year for the first time, we have a business owner, who regularly speaks in public and puts together proposals and such, on the committee.  His insights have been fresh and educational for some of us committee members as well as the kids.  And he knows how to give good criticism.  He makes it clear what you need to improve on, but leaves you feeling like yes! I can improve on it.

I don't know if I will continue on the committee since both of mine will be gone.  I do enjoy it, and love helping the kids to improve.  But, on the other hand, maybe they need someone fresher.   Maybe I need something new.  Very mixed feelings.

I just need to decide what I want to be, now that my kids are all grown up, and I have to figure out how to fill the NEXT 45 years.

You have no idea how aggravating it can be to realize that you just went to a lot of trouble to post links in THE WRONG JOURNAL!!

 Here it is again.

Thanks to </a></b></a>mercuryblue for reminding me of an old favorite short story, and providing a link.  Here it is, along with two others.  All three are about rethinking what you think you know.

How it Happened by Issac Asimov

The Immortal Bard by Issac Asimov

The Nine Billion Names of God By Arthur C. Clarke

I have no idea if these are posted legally or not.  If they can be found, each of these short stories is worth having to buy a whole book for.

In 15 mins, local time, it'll be over.  Always a mixed emotion day for me.  I always think of a definition I heard years ago.  Mother's Day: the one day of the year we treat mothers the way we treat fathers every day.




Mark and Thomas did shop for and cook supper (grilled burgers, corn on the cob, French fries) all by themselves (with only a couple of questions for the mother) and Thomas did all the cleaning afterward.  Of course, does it count if they "give me" a meal I wasn't going to cook anyway?  I never cook on Sunday.

Then,


 so, pretty much me, all the usual

My son, Thomas.

We just got back from ceremony for the winners of the Huntsville Literary Association's Young Writers Contest. T got 3rd place, Senior Poetry. $40 and a certificate. It's a big deal locally. Lots of entries. The Huntsville Times usually prints the top three in every category. My son the violin-playing, astrophysicist poet.