Friday Five - Hold It

1. When feel the urge to use the bathroom, do you hold it or go right away?
I tend to hold it, especially if I'm not at home. I hate, hate, hate public restrooms.

2. When was the last time you held hands with someone?
I can't remember. I have grasped people's hands affectionately (friends, mom, etc.) recently, but no romantic hand-holding for me in a long time.

3. Do you hold in your emotions or let them out?
I can't hold them in.

4. If you play blackjack or poker, are you more likely to hold or fold on any given hand?
I don't play blackjack or poker.

5. In general, can you hold your tongue? When you have a secret? When someone says something you don't agree with?
I can keep secrets, usually. When it comes to holding my tongue in general, it all depends on the situation. Sometimes, for example, I can hold my tongue but won't.

Friday Five - That Springtime Feeling

1. Other than the official start of spring on the calender, what really signifies the start of spring for you?
Maple sugaring season.


2. How severe is your spring cleaning bug this year?
Not as severe as I'd like it to be. I need to get my arse in gear and clean my damn room.


3. What one thing says "spring" to you more than any other?
See Question #1.


4. What are your springtime traditions?
Taking a day trip to the Mohawk Trail to visit Gould's Sugarhouse and Shelburne Falls is definitely something I try to do annually but haven't been able to do in the past couple of years.


5. When do you break out your spring and summer wardrobe? Do you follow the "no white before Easter" rule?
Since I never wear white, like EVER, that doesn't apply. However, I don't believe in rules when it comes to fashion, anyway.

Friday Five - When the sun beats down

1. Favorite shoes?
My silver & black Doc Martens with the thick soles that I got on sale for like 20 bucks at Marshall's many moons ago. L calls them my "Frankenstein shoes" -- I'll post a picture of them here eventually.

2. What time does the sun set near you?
Right now? About quarter to six.

3. Do you like spending time in the sun?
Not in directly sunlight, no. I do enjoy a bit of the old vitamin D, but I can only take so much of it. My skin & eyes are quite sensitive to it.

4. Do you burn or tan?
Burn, baby, burn. Disco inferno.

5. Monopoly: yay! or no way!
Monopoly can suck my balls. Especially all the goddamned themed versions of it. Dear Parker Brothers: please stop making them.

Friday Five: Learning

1. How and when did you learn to swim?
I learned to swim when my parents put a swimming pool in our back yard -- I was about 8 and I taught myself.

2. How and when did you learn to drive?
I took driving lessons when I was about 17 -- took me awhile to get used to driving; I was terrified of it at first. Too much sensory overload.

3. How and when did you learn to tie your shoelaces?
I don't remember how old I was; probably four-ish. My mom taught me how. I had trouble learning how to tie a standard knot, so she taught me the two-loop knot instead. I still tie my shoes the same way.

4. How and when did you learn to cook?
For as long as I can remember, my mom had always let me help out in the kitchen, so there was never a specific time that I learned to cook, per se. I just kind of grew up knowing the basics.

5. How and when did you learn to type?
I took a half-year of typing in my senior year of high school. I learned the basics there, but I type a hell of a lot faster now (hunting and pecking) than I did when I typed "correctly" during that course.


(Happy Leap Day, muthafuckas!!)

Friday Five - Top of Mind

What is the first thing that comes to mind when you read each of these words and why?

I will answer these with pictures.

1. ice



2. primary



3. dirty



4. green



5. fly

Friday Five - Sensory overload

1. Do you ever wonder if the way you see things visually isn't how other people see them?
Yes, it has crossed my mind quite a few times. One thing I know for sure, I tend to notice a lot of visual details that most people miss.

2. What kind of sounds are the most annoying?
Cellphones (people's ringtones drive me batshit crazy), screaming children, and in general, anything that invades or interrupts my train of thought. I notice every little sound and I have a really difficult time blocking out anything.

3. When walking through a store, do you shop with your hands by touching/feeling the texture of things?
Definitely. My senses are all quite acute, so texture/tactile information is important, too.

4. If you could only smell three scents for the rest of your life, what would they be?
That's a really difficult question to answer -- that's like asking me to pick which 3, and only 3, songs to listen to for the rest of my days. There's no way I could pick just 3. I love a myriad number of scents -- sandalwood; Nag Champa incense; the sea; orange peel; amber resin; patchouli; clean towels; carved pumpkins; autumn leaves; snowy evenings; lavender; strawberries; evergreen trees; vanilla; fresh-brewed coffee; beeswax; ginger; peppermint; scented candles; clove cigarettes; books;... and so on. Too many to list.

5. What sorts of things do you savor when eating them?
Almost everything, if it's something I like. I have a very keen sense of taste and I appreciate good food; I enjoy every bite.

Friday Five - Hush Your Mouth

1. Do you like the thrill of a chase?
Depends on what (or who) I am pursuing. Anticipation can be fun.

2. What winds you up?
Art (creating and experiencing); laughing; fun, intense, and/or intellectual talks with close friends; exploring; observing; knowledge-absorption.

3. Are you a loud talker?
Not usually; I tend to be more introverted. If I'm feeling high-energy (among friends or whatever), then I can be more outspoken if everyone's chatty and laughing, and if I'm in the mood to tap into it.

4. What comes easy to you?
Empathy; understanding color; noticing small details that most people overlook.

5. What did you dream about recently?
Nothing that I can remember too vividly.

Friday Five - Soulmates

1.) Do you believe you can have more than one soulmate in life?
Yes, I do believe that everyone has several soulmates, and that there are different types of soulmates as well. Some are romantic connections, some are deep friendships, others are close family members.

2.) Are you with that soulmate now?
I am definitely with one of my soulmates now, my twin flame.

3.) If not, how long did your relationship with your soulmate last?
I've had other soulmates come in and out of my life; they have been close friends, and my relationships with them lasted for over a decade. Some were karmic soulmates, others companion soulmates.

4.) Do you still think about your soulmate, if you are not together?
I often think about the soulmates who are no longer in my life. I'm sure I always will.

5.) If you're not together, do you think your soulmate still thinks about you?
Yes, definitely.

Friday Five - Thinking Warm Thoughts

1. What is your favorite hot beverage?
Hmm, I have several -- hot lemonade (half a lemon squeezed into a mugful of hot water & sweetened with honey - perfect when you've got a cold or sore throat), tea of many varieties (peppermint, Good Earth, Earl Grey), good coffee, Starbucks green tea latte (which is like a meal in itself), hot apple cider.

2. Describe your favorite hot food?
How can I possibly narrow it down? There are so many good hot foods. A few comfort foods that immediately spring to mind are grilled cheese & tomato soup; oatmeal with maple syrup, brown sugar, & cinnamon; oeufs cocottes (basically an egg with soft cheese, salt & pepper, & a sprinkling of herbs baked in a ramekin in a water bath - there are infinite variations on the ingredients) with buttered rye toast; miso soup; baked potatoes... there are a million good hot foods.

3. What piece of clothing makes you feel warm and snuggly the moment you put it on?
My wool socks, my stripey sweater, & my polar fleece pullover that my mom made me for Christmas this year.


4. Do you warm up your car on cold days? Do you run the heat all the time or just enough to defrost the windows?
I don't have a (driveable) car at the moment, but I usually didn't warm up my car unless I had to defrost the windows -- not only is it a waste of gas, but I'm too impatient to wait.

5. What is your ideal warm-weather vacation spot?
I have no idea. There's plenty of places I'd like to check out someday, but I'm currently too poor (and a little agoraphobic).

Friday Five - Healthy Habits

1. Do you wear sunscreen? Do you use it everyday or just when you're at the beach?
I wear sunscreen only if I think I'm going to be spending a significant amount of time in the direct sunlight (which isn't often). However, I am pretty sure that the facial moisturizer I use contains sunscreen, and I use that almost daily.

2. How often do you brush your teeth? What about floss and flouride (sic)?
I brush twice, floss and rinse at least once.

3. Do you get at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables every day?
I try to. I like both fruits and veggies quite a lot so eating them is not a problem for me.

4. How often do you exercise? What do you do?
I'm a lazy sod. :P The most exercise I usually get is from running around at work. Although I sometimes do take walks or ride on my exercise bike.

5. Do you use a seatbelt every time you get into a car?
Almost always.

Friday Five - Randomosity Redux!

1. What is your favourite fruit?
Strawberries.

2. What is the last book you read?
Ahab's Wife by Sena Jeter Naslund.

3. Do you like any of your school photos?
Yeah, some of 'em.

4. Do you ever blowdry your armpits to get the deodorant to dry quicker?
No.... (?!?)

5. What was the last film you watched?
The Prestige.

Friday Five - Unresolved

1. Do you make New Year's resolutions or personal goals?
Not usually; though I do sometimes keep in mind things that I'd like to happen, I don't usually make actual resolutions.

2. Have you ever kept a New Year's resolution? Achieved a personal goal?
The only major resolution/goal I've ever achieved is quitting smoking, which I swore I'd do before I turned 30, and that goal wasn't related to New Year's.

3. What things are you always resolving to do but never actually do?
Exercise more.

4. Why do you think most people fail to uphold their New Year's resolutions?
They probably just don't want to do it bad enough.

5. Share the thing you most want to do this year and describe five steps you will take to make it happen.
I'd like to get more motivated in general; that is my biggest weakness, I think. Five things I could do to help would be to set small goals for myself, make lists of specific things I'd like to achieve, get a bit more communicative with others, continue to take St. John's Wort supplements (which helps eliminate worrying and depression), and refuse to give in to negative thoughts (such as comparing myself to others).

The Friday Five

I used to love doing these.

Copy and paste to your own journal, then reply to this post with a link to your answers.

This week:

1. When did you "lose your innocence"?
Somewhere around age 10, after a traumatizing time at summer camp... bleh.
If "lose your innocence" means "lose your virginity," then I was 16.

2. Would you say you have an accent?
Nope, but accents are all a matter of perspective.

3. Do you hope to be married (married again if divorced)?
Oh god no.

4. If you could take one technology to a desert island (the obvious satellite phone excluded), what would it be?
Teh internets.

5. What is the last activity you bought a ticket for?
This -- http://www.brightnights.org/