Two more fun ones!

1. Five names you go by

G (Neil's family)
Gen (My family and select college friends)
Genny (Folks who met me pre-college call me this)
Genevieve (Everyone since, but not including, college days)
Geneve? Geneva? Guinevere? ((I'll answer to them, because it's inevitable my name gets butchered at least once a month.)

2. Three things you are wearing right now:

A soft v-neck navy blue sweatshirt
My favorite pair of artfully faded and frayed blue jeans
Purple and silver Asics tennis shoes

3. Two things you want very badly at the moment:

-To be done with this insane work schedule
-To have absolutely nothing to do. No manuscripts to read, no gifts yet to purchase, no bills yet to pay

4. Three people whom I would like to see fill this out:

I dislike these questions. So I'll substitute one:

[4a]. What do you see outside the nearest window?

A cute little courtyard with two trees, brown leaves barely hanging on. Birds in large groups taking flight overhead. A guy in a stocking cap climbing a split-rail fence. Weird.

5. Two things you did last night (Friday, 12/5):

Watched the "Yankee Swap" episode of The Office. Talked to Emily for like three hours--heaven!

6. Two things you ate today:

Ched'R Bites with Ranch (Sonic). Two Chocolate mint chip cookies I made last night.

7. Two people you last talked to on the phone:

Lily and Emily.

9. Two longest car rides:

To L.A. and back, last spring. Technically the longest I've ever been on, but I did zero driving so it wasn't bad. Driving to Ohio takes 14 hours, even though it should take 11. It kinda sucks.

10. Two of your favorite beverages:

Sunkist Sparkling Lemonade

Catawba sparkling grape juice



AND ANOTHER:
Put asterisks around the things that you have done.

*1. Started my own blog*
-I have three!
2. Slept under the stars
-I'm much too controlled-environment for this one. But I have camped.
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than I can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland/world
*8. Climbed a mountain*
-Porcupine, behind Grandma's house.
9. Held a praying mantis
*10. Sung a solo*
-Never again, my friends. Musical Productions ended senior year. Oh, wait--I sung a solo for "Bye Bye Birdie" a few years ago.
11. Bungee jumped
-HYEALL no.
*12. Visited Paris*
-Horrid trip. Regret almost all of it.
13. Watched lightning at sea
*14. Taught myself an art from scratch*
-Does scrapbooking count as an art, if you're not that good at it?
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
-Dammit, Empire State Building
18. Grown my own vegetables
-No, but I picked Dad's carrots before they were fully grown and he got mad. They were soooooo good, though!
*19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France*
-See above Paris trip. She wasn't such a big deal.
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
-I dunno, maybe. With the Diggs kids, probably.
22. Hitchhiked
*23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill*
-Anyone who doesn't say they've done this is a damned liar.
24. Built a snow fort
-I saw these snow-shapers in a catalog recently where you could scoop snow into them to make snow fort bricks. They looked AWESOME.
*25. Held a lamb*
-There's a photo of me in a green visor in the StL Children's Zoo, half-picking one up
26. Gone skinny dipping
-Always wanted to. Will if I ever get a pool!
27. Skied a marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
*29. Seen a total eclipse*
-I think so. Is that with that cardboard thing we make?
*30. Watched a sunrise or sunset*
-Maybe not every second of it. But definitely every time I get a chance.
31. Hit a home run
-I was a very average softball player. But it was a good time.
32. Been on a cruise
-No appeal, really. I wouldn't say no to a free trip, but I'd rather go to a big city.
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of my ancestors
-Eek, if New Madrid, MO doesn't count, I'd have no idea where to go.
*35. Seen an Amish community*
-Went with the Diggs to buy Christmas goodies one year. We'd just knock on doors and buy stuff. it was neat!
36. Taught myself a new language
-I signed up for an independent study Latin course, but never did it. I'd like to learn Spanish from Rosetta Stone, eventually.
*37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied*
-I wasn't 100% happy with life, but in Chicago right after college, I had no debt except student loans and was making decent money.
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
*39. Gone rock climbing*
-Wasn't very successful, but I tried it.
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
-In the car doesn't count, right?
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
-Someday, Egypt. Someday.
*45. Walked on a beach by moonlight*
-This was a terrible memory. Terrible.
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had my portrait painted
-does a caricature artist count? Girl Scout trip to Colorado in 1988, give it up!
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
*50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris*
-It was a foggy, foggy night with zero visibility. Stepping outside onto that roof was one of the scariest moments in my life.
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
-Have I really not done this? Man, I should.
53. Played in the mud
-I probably have, but I wouldn't have liked it. Oh, I took pottery lessons! Does that count?
*54. Gone to a drive-in theater*
-it's weird being cold watching a movie. Also weird shooing away bugs during "My Best Friend's Wedding."
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
-Does eBay count?
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
*61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies*
-For like...six years. I never did as well as Jennifer. When I started talking my parents into bringing the order form into their works, I cleaned up a little better.
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
-does "Picked from a garden as we walked home one day, then handed to me" count?
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
-Wish I could, but....*shiver*
65. Gone sky diving
-Can I get another HYEALL NO?
66. Visited a Nazi concentration camp
*67. Bounced a check*
-Once at Wal-Mart, once my rent check. Wal-Mart's so used to it, they don't even penalize you. They just try again in a few days.
68. Flown in a helicopter
*69. Saved a favorite childhood toy*
-You kidding me?
*70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial*
-There's a photo of me in a polo shirt and jeans standing defiantly in front of it.
71. Eaten caviar
-Yeah...no.
72. Pieced a quilt
-T-shirt quilt, someday.
*73. Stood in Times Square*
-Forever. Forever I could do that.
74. Toured the Everglades
*75. Been fired from a job*
-Twice! twice. I'm such a rebel.
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
-I can't remember...no, I think we saw something else. The queen arriving home or something. It was stupid and crowded.
*77. Broken a bone*
-I always took great pride in my dramatic hitchhikers' thumbs. Now, I got only one good one.
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
*82. Bought a brand new car*
-Just had it inspected today...clean bill o' health!
83. Walked in Jerusalem
*84. Had my picture in the newspaper*
-I was a *really* cute kid. Also I just got married.
85. Read the entire Bible
-Probably should. Lots o' lit references and Jeopardy questions I miss because I never have.
86. Visited the White House
-We went to the pool thing in front of it
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
-Are ya kiddin'? I can't even eat chicken I've cooked from raw.
*88. Had chickenpox*
-Scar on my upper chest
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
-I have jury duty starting this Monday...so the "jury's still out on this one." HA!
*91. Met someone famous*
-I collect touches but am usually too nervous to actually meet them. But I talked to Edward Albee for a little bit once.
*92. Joined a book club*
-then I dropped out.
*93. Lost a loved one*
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
-No, but I bought the first Milli Vanilli tape, so I could have been.
*98. Owned a cell phone*
-Jiminy Christmas, pump up the interesting on this one, k?
99. Been stung by a bee
-Just a wasp. Still sucks.
100. Ridden an elephant

25 questions...

1. Grab the book nearest to you, turn to page 18, and find line 4.

"next to you...But I swear, nothing, nothing happened. But" --Victor Bumbalo


2. Stretch your left arm out as far as you can. What do you reach?

A cart of spanking-new books.


3. What is the last thing you watched on TV?

Ooh...The Hills aftershow, with Dan Levy, Eugene's cutie-pie son!


4. Without looking, guess what time it is:

5:58


5. Now look at the clock. What is the actual time?

6:02 (to be fair, I am *always* looking at the clock when I'm on a computer)


6. With the exception of the computer, what can you hear?

It was "RockLobster"...now, just the whirring of box fans outside the office.


7. When did you last step outside? What were you doing?

I stepped out of the James Kilpatrick Information Center in Jeff City with Tom to walk out to our cars to go home. Well, for me...not so much home as more work.


8. Before you started this survey, what did you look at?

Google Reader, where I found it on Sarah's blog. Before that...Facebook, to write on Emily's wall.


9. What are you wearing?

Khaki jeans, light orange corduroy snap-up shirt, brown heavy shoes (almost brogan-like), white socks, underwear, hair-tie, wedding ring.


10. Did you dream last night?

No, but I was scared at one point.


11. When did you last laugh?

Probably at something Tom or Brando said. Also perhaps Stephen Fry. Or maybe when Noah fake-laughed.


12. What are on the walls of the room you are in?

Cataloging instructions, Dwight K. Shrute, library posters.


13. Seen anything weird lately?

A woman brushing her teeth in the bathroom at work.


14. What do you think of this quiz?

It's all right. Better than some.


15. What is the last film you saw?

Oh, crap. Um...Enchanted? Not a big movie buff here. We've had our Netflixed Charlie Bartlett since at least August.


16. If you became a multi-millionaire overnight, what would you buy?

Ugh, never mind, this quiz sucks. I hate this question. It just reminds me how far I have to go to be financially comfortable.


17. Tell me something about you that I don't know about.

I am terribly, terribly self-conscious. About every little thing you can imagine.


18. If you could change one thing about the world, regardless of guilt or politics, what would you do?

I like Sarah's, to get rid of money. But I won't steal her idea.
I'd like everyone to be equal: in status, race, orientation...from birth, so no one would have a chance to hate or judge. Cuz frankly--that stuff is taught. I don't like South Pacific, but I agree with the sentiment.


19. Do you like to dance?

Love it. In every form. And I'm all right at it. It makes me feel really good when I'm in a rare situation where I can learn more or let go.


20. Do you like cartoons?

No, no no. No. Except holiday animated specials and *some* movies. Otherwise no. My idea of hell is the Cartoon Network.


21. Imagine your first child is a girl, what do you call her?

Lucy, Alice...something with that "c" sound.


22. Imagine your first is a boy, what do you call him?

It's already picked out. See below.


23. Would you ever consider living abroad?

Yes, if it's in Bath!


24. What do you want God to say to you when you reach the pearly gates?

Ack, when did James Lipton get here?



HMM. That was only 24. I apologize, everyone.

Wait, I'll just think of another one. Yes, that's the ticket...


25. What class have you done the worst in?

Intro to Shakespeare (D, then C when I re-took it because D's are failing at Grinnell).