6,000
Hello, faithful readers (all one of you)!
Today is my SIX THOUSANDTH BLOG!
It’s been 6,000 days since May 1, 2006. It’s also 4,000 days until I hit 10,000 blog posts.
That’s pretty wild.
(I know no one cares, but whatever.)
This is a long one, sorry (it’s a survey, don’t get excited)
Name 3 foods that you like that your mom doesn’t.
Tuna, radishes, …uh, I can’t think of a third one.
What flavor was the last popsicle you ate?
I don’t think I’ve ever had a popsicle.
Do you like mango?
PAPA LOVES MANGO
*danana da-na*
MAMA LOVES MANGO
*danana da-na*
(No, I don’t like mango.)
What was the last thing you got falsely accused of?
Pepper accuses me daily of not feeding her.
What was the last thing you ordered online?
Kinvaras. WHAT ELSE WOULD IT BE
Who was the last person you rode in a car with?
Nate.
Have you ever been kicked out of a store?
No, surprisingly.
Which major holiday is your birthday closest to?
My birthday is ON a holiday, dawg.
Do you use a sunlamp?
I used to, back when I had my computer on my computer desk at home. The light is still over there, but I have migrated to the dining room table thanks to COVID-induced online teaching. There’s not a good plug for the light over here.
When was the last time you cleaned your room?
I don’t have a room.
Do you feel like you accomplished anything today?
PFFFT.
Do you drink tea every day?
I used to, back in Vancouver. But not anymore.
What does caffeine do to you?
Nothing, really.
What’s a drink you have been loving lately?
I still dig water.
What was your favorite Starbucks drink last summer?
I haven never gotten a drink from Starbucks.
What is/was your favorite teen magazine?
I used to read CosmoGirl all the time, hahaha.
What were you almost named?
I would have been named Duncan had I been a boy. And I would have promptly thrown myself out the hospital window.
What would your name be if you had been born the opposite gender?
Hahahaha, see above. Everyone was sure I would be a boy.
Are you happy with your life right now?
Existence in general is horrible, so whatev.
Do you ever feel jealous of others?
Always.
When was the last time you had a fever?
Whenever I got my last COVID shot.
Do you normally get fevers when you’re sick?
I…think so? It’s been a long time since I’ve legitimately been sick.
Do you get the flu every year?
I’ve never had the flu.
Which symptom do you get more often when you’re sick: fever or vomiting?
Probably fever. Honestly, I really do get sick so infrequently that I can’t remember my typical symptoms.
What color hair would you have if you were a cartoon character?
Probably just black.
Would other people describe you as creative?
Maybe.
Do you trust all of your facebook friends?
Nope.
Have you ever had a facebook friend betray you?
Probably.
…a real-life friend betray you?
Yup.
What color are your slippers?
No slippies.
Would you rather paint or carve a pumpkin?
Carve.
What state do you want to visit next?
I’d go back to Idaho to visit my mom.
If you had to live in another country for a year, which country would it be?
United States! HAHAHA I GOT YOU THERE BITCHES
Do you have moments you wish you could erase from your memory?
There are things I’ve accidentally seen online that I would love to erase from my memory, yes.
Are you haunted by memories of stupid things you’ve said and done?
My existence is saying and doing stupid things, bruh.
Did you like high school or college better?
College. High school was ass.
Who was your favorite Olsen twin?
I don’t know enough about them to choose.
Are you part Irish?
Nope.
Do you ever listen to Celtic music?
Sometimes.
Which accent do you like best?
That weird midwestern Yooper accent is way more attractive than it has any right to be.
Tea or coffee?
Tea.
What show did you want to be on when you were younger?
Fear Factor, hahaha.
Have you ever won a spelling bee?
Probably not.
Were you one of the smartest in your class?
Depends on the year.
Do you think it’s unfair that people less intelligent than you make more money than you?
Of course not.
Do you know a lot of rich and spoiled and selfish people?
I’m sure I do.
Are you still waiting for the guy/girl of your dreams?
Married him, thanks!
Do you enjoy being single?
I’m not single.
Do you enjoy mornings?
Only if I’m running.
Have you ever been to jail?
Nope.
Have you ever feared going to jail or thought about what it would be like?
Nope.
What was your favorite book you had to read for school?
I think I technically had to read The Great Gatsby for school (we could pick Gatsby or some other book), so that one.
Do you stay up late?
Yup.
Will you let your kids have a youtube channel, do you think?
I will never have kids.
Have you ever owned a designer purse?
Nope.
Do you like the taste of Tums?
Never had them.
Claudia’s Fake Radio Station from 1999
As I’ve mentioned on here multiple times, I was OBSESSED with my mom’s camcorder when I was a kid/pre-teen and was always making stupid videos, fake TV shows, and the like.
But before the camcorder came the tape recorder, and JESUS CHRIST it was the same sort of obsession. I remember having a tape player/recorder when I was really young (back when we lived in Troy, so like six or seven years old?) and it had this little microphone thingy attached by a spiral cord. I remember doing all sorts of interviews and other weird stuff with it.
Fast forward to the late ‘90s (1999 to be exact) and I had a fancier tape recorder but the same old desire to do weird-ass fake radio stuff with it. I recorded an entire tape of me doing commercials, interviews, news segments, and a decent amount of music I recorded from an old Monopoly game I had on CD.
Wanna hear it?
(Side 1 content starts around 0:17)
(Monopoly music on Side 2 stops around 4:27)
The “ZFAT 101” comes from the “Z-Fun 106.1” radio station in Moscow.
At least I’m not singing along with the Monopoly music. There’s a tape of me from fifth grade on which I distinctly remember singing about Rogaine to one of those songs on side 2.
Yes, there’s a commercial like every two minutes. It’s infinitely more entertaining than me going all improv on my electronic keyboard two-thirds of the way through side 1, though.
It’s shocking I didn’t go into journalism or mass media or film or something like that given all this nonsense I did as a kid.
(It’s actually not that shocking; I became much more introverted as I got older and also realized I was ugly and untalented and so had absolutely no chance of success in any of those fields.)
Allo? Salut?
Bro, this is so fun.
But I also really love flags, so…
What in the HELL is this song?
Why is this so incredibly familiar?
I’ve never seen Practical Magic, so it’s not familiar to me from the movie itself, but I heard a snippet of this in a TikToK video the other day and I can’t place where I’ve heard it before, because I’m sure I’ve heard it before.
It’s SO familiar and it’s right at the tip of my brain as to where it’s from.
Edit: Maybe it’s so familiar because it sounds like the intro music to Steel Magnolias?
Kinda? Kinda?
It’s obviously not the exact same, but there are a lot of similarities, aren’t there?
Anyway.
PENultimate
I absolutely love people who have niche hobbies or interests and decide to share those things with the world.
I also love how everyone in the comments are either fellow pen enthusiasts or are people who just stumbled upon this video but were enthralled by it and watched the review.
Also, the dude has a Padres City Connect hat in the background…dig it.
Want some good running (or just general exercise) clothes?
Try baleaf!
I don’t think I’ve ever mentioned them on here, but they make really high-quality clothes that are quite inexpensive. I have a pair of these fleece-lined leggings for running in the cold and they fit PERFECTLY. Not too loose, not too tight, and they have a back pocket that fits my iPod nicely.
I also have a fleece-lined long sleeve thingy I run in when it’s REALLY cold, but I don’t see that on their site anymore.
Anyway.
ASH BOOM
1. If you were trapped in a room with the person who asked this for 24 hours, what would you do? The answer cannot be romantic or sexual.
No one “asked” me this survey. I found it on my own. So if I were just trapped in a room by myself, I’d probably just sing and/or draw and/or dink around.
2. If you could learn any language instantly, what would it be?
Well, I’m trying to learn French right now, so…French.
3. If you could only read one book for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Bro, you know I’d choose The Caine Mutiny. I’ve read that many, many times and I still just absolutely love it.
4. Favorite song lyric?
In terms of personal meaning, it’s this part of Fun.’s “Some Nights”:
Well, that is it guys, that is all
Five minutes in and I’m bored again
Ten years of this, I’m not sure if anybody understands
This one is not for the folks at home
Sorry to leave, mom, I had to go
Who the fuck wants to die alone all dried up in the desert sun?
I came across this song during that very turbulent transition year of 2011, when I’d moved down to Tucson after getting my MA because WHAT THE HELL ELSE WAS I GOING TO DO
5. Favorite album?
There aren’t a lot of complete albums that I like in their entirety. I’m still pretty picky with my music, haha. But in terms of nostalgia, I’d probably pick either Ashlee Simpson’s Autobiography or Green Day’s American Idiot. I listened to both of these repeatedly near the end of high school/start of college.
6. Which time of day would you say is best for you work-wise?
Mid- to late-afternoon.
7. Favorite city that you’ve visited?
I remember really liking Stockholm, but I was also relatively young (early high school?) and don’t remember it as clearly as I’d like. So I’ll also say Vancouver. Hated grad school, hated the weather, but LOVED the city.
8. Favorite city that you haven’t visited?
I’d love to visit Paris. Or can McMurdo Station count as a city?
9. If you could donate $10,000 to charity, what charity would you pick?
Any charity that deals with cats. Maybe the MEOW Foundation.
10. What is one book you wish you could get all your friends to read?THE CAINE MUTINY
I think everyone should read Lolita, if for no other reason than to be exposed to some of the most beautiful, intricate prose that exists. Nabokov is ridiculous.
11. What is one movie you wish you could get all your friends to watch?
Sunshine. Y’all need to watch Sunshine.
12. What do you think people assume about you from first glance?
That I’m weird. I’m a weirdo. I don’t fit in…and I don’t want to fit in.
(Sorry, I had to, hahahaha)
But yeah, based on how I dress, people probably think I’m weird.
Which I am.
But so are you.
SO ARE ALL OF YOU
13. If you could play any musical instrument, what would it be?
I can play basically every common wind instrument, but string instruments confound me. So…cello.
14. What is your favorite item of clothing?
I love my green palazzo pants.
15. Who was your first follower on your blog? Do they still follow you?
Either Aneel or E’raina, probably. I don’t think either one of them knows I still have this blog, haha.
16. If you could create one thing, what would it be?
A piece of writing that would change peoples’ lives.
17. Favorite superhero?
I’ve always liked Mr. Fantastic. But I’m also partial to the MCU’s Dr. Strange.
18. If you were to write an autobiography, what would you title it?
That’s basically what this blog is.
19. If you were to have a band, what would you call it?
Remember those dumb fake album covers I was making way back in like 2007? I think one of the fake bands was called “Technical Atmosphere.” Let’s go with that.
20. What is your favorite card/board game?
Scrabble!
21. What was the first IM service you used? Who was the first person you talked to on it?
MSN Messenger. I don’t remember the very first person I talked to, though.
22. If you could give a friendly hug to any one person, who would it be? Cannot be your romantic/sexual partner if you have one.
LEIBNIZ, DUH
23. Have you ever won any sort of contests? What kind?
I won a writing award in 6th grade, a few scholarships (do those count as contests?) and probably a few other things I can’t remember.
24. Who was the last person you hugged? Cannot be your romantic/sexual partner if you have one.
My mom.
25. If you could be skilled in any one activity, what would it be? Cannot be romantic or sexual.
Anything artsy. I’d love to be a really skilled writer, but I think I suck.
GUESS WHAT THIS IS?
It’s a survey. Don’t get excited.
First Job:
Apprentice at Art Camp. “Apprentice” just meant that I did stuff like drove to Michael’s to buy canvases or oil pastels and cleaned up/set up the studio. And instead of getting paid, I got to do all the art for free!
First Real Job:
Wendy’s.
First Favorite Politician:
MILLARD FILLMORE!
First Car:
I’ve never had my own car, but the first car I drove (and the car I drove the most) was my mom’s Subaru. That poor car saw a lot of adventures.
First Record/CD:
I have no idea what the FIRST CD I bought was, but I remember CDs were expensive (like $15.99 at Hastings) and I always had to weigh the price versus the fact that any given CD would probably have at most three songs that I liked on it.
First Sport Played:
T-ball, haha.
First Concert:
OK Go.
First Foreign Country Visited:
Canada, technically. But since I live there now, it’s not really foreign, is it? So…England.
First Favorite TV Show:
I REALLY liked Talespin as a kid.
First Girlfriend/Boyfriend:
Like…MUTUAL, or…
First Encounter with a Famous Person:
I don’t think I’ve ever had an encounter with a famous person.
First Brush With Death:
Do my two childhood concussions count? Haha.
First House/Condo Owned:
I guess I technically jointly own this condo with Nate.
First Film Seen:
Pfft, I have no idea.
First Favorite Recording Artist:
Probably Sugar Ray. I always liked their music once I finally got into music (it took me longer than you’d think it would).
First Favorite Radio Station:
106.1 in Moscow!
First Book I Remember Reading:
Dr. Seuss’ A Fly Went By. I could read that forward, backward, and I think I had it memorized, haha.
First Meme You Answered on Your Blog:
This! This was my first survey (I think), posted on September 27, 2006.
Why am I dumb?
I just smelled my armpits to see if I put on deodorant.
I AM ANOSMIC
I HAVE BEEN ANOSMIC SINCE BIRTH
I hate myself even more now, but at the same time this is a really great demonstration of behavioral mimicry – maybe not in a one-on-one situation, but in a “I’ve seen people do this action before, so I’ll do it too!” sort of sense.
(I’m still an idiot, though.)
Are we ready for WEEZER???
It’s the fall (autumn) edition of their SZNZ albums.
This might be the least favorite of them so far for me, but “Can’t Dance, Don’t Ask Me” and “Run, Raven, Run” are okay.
I Serve…A Survey!
1. Do you like blue cheese?
GOD NO, it’s disgusting
2. Have you ever smoked cigarettes? If yes, how did you quit?
I have not. I need my lungs, preferably for the rest of my life.
3. Do you own a gun? How are your feelings about gun control/2nd Amendment rights?
I don’t own a gun. I’m fine with people owning hunting rifles and maybe even handguns, but I’m pretty sure the founding fathers weren’t anticipating the concept of a semiautomatic weapon when they drafted the 2nd Amendment.
4. What is your favorite flavor of water or liquor flavors?
I don’t get the whole flavored water thing. Why can’t you just drink plain old water? It’s good!
5. Do you get nervous before a doctor visit? Why?
I get nervous before EVERYTHING, but yes, especially doctor visits. I’ve had a lot of bad experiences with doctors, let’s just put it that way.
6. How do you like your hot dogs?
With lots of ketchup. And just barely cooked. Like, we’re talking slightly warmed.
7. Although it’s been asked a lot, tell us about a favorite movie that you haven’t shared before.
I’ve probably shared all my favorite movies on here at one point or another, haha. So let’s just pick one: Mystery Men. Very funny and very quotable.
8. What do you prefer to drink in the morning?
Water.
9. In a dating situation, have you ever misrepresented yourself to seem cooler or hipper? (Yes we know for most of you it was long ago…)
Probably, haha.
10. What’s your favorite piece of jewelry? Why?
My wedding ring. Apart from earrings, it’s my ONLY piece of jewelry, and is my favorite for the obvious reason that it’s from my husband. I’m too paranoid to wear it anywhere, though, so it sits in my earring box where it’s safe.
11. Favorite hobby? Tell us about it so we understand it.
Walking/running. I walk or run 16 miles a day (except for the weekly off-day) and it’s my time to think, daydream, imagine, and chill. The physical activity part is great, too.
12. Do you have A.D.D., or have you suspected it?
Nope.
13. What’s a thing you dislike or would change about yourself?
Everything. I’m a horrible human being.
14. Middle name? Like it or not?
It’s Marie. It’s boring because it’s so common, but it goes well with my first and last names.
15. Name three random thoughts you might have on this week:
1: it’s going to be a busy semester; 2: my toenail hurts; 3: nobody’s ever going to read this anyway so QUAGGA QUAGGA QUAGGA QUAGGA!!!!!
16. Name 3 drinks you regularly drink. Tell us a bit about them.
There’s not much to tell, haha. Water, chocolate milk, and…well, that’s it.
17. Current worry:
ASHA.
18. Current annoyance:
Everything.
19. Favorite place to be in the summer? Give us a wee bit more than “the beach”.
I’m fine staying home.
20. How do you usually ring in the new year? If forced (to do something new, what would it be?
I cry. For whatever reason I find the formal process of one year ending and another beginning to be very, very sad. It makes me hyper aware of how much it’s such a big deal to humans and yet we and our stupid calendar are completely meaningless in the grand scheme of things. If I had to do something new, I’d love to go to Times Square. Or at least, that used to be a want. Now with COVID I’d probably just want to stay away.
21. What have you done this summer that’s special? Pictures please.
It’s September, dawg. Summer’s over. I got to go back to Moscow for the first time since 2019, so that was nice.
22. Have you ever walked into a room with just shoes on?
I…don’t think so?
23. Have you ever gone to the “dark side”?
Probably.
24. What shirt are you wearing right now?
My 2021 Calgary Half Marathon shirt.
25. What’s important about a bed to you? Like type of sheets, size or whatever.
Bro, I do NOT care. I can sleep anywhere.
26. Can you sing?
I sing, but not well.
29. What songs do you sing in the shower?
I make up my own songs.
30. Favorite girl’s name?
I’ve always liked the name Jackie.
31. Favorite boy’s name?
I HAVE MANY but I dig the name Hugo quite a bit.
32. What’s in your pocket or purse right now?
I don’t have pockets OR a purse! TAKE THAT YOU SON OF A BITCH
33. Last thing that made you laugh?
My disproportionately angry response to the above question. Yes, I make myself laugh a lot. Nobody else likes my stupid jokes, so I overcompensate.
34. Best toy as a child?
Wrenchie, the dog toy that squeaked.
35. Worst injury you have ever had?
I don’t know if appendicitis counts as an “injury,” so let’s just say the injury that required an ambulance ride and an overnight stay at the hospital in Vancouver. And we’ll leave it at that.
36. Where would you love to live?
Antarctica. I’d still love to be a statistician at the McMurdo station. Fight me.
37. What type of TV do you have? Would you’d like an upgrade?
It’s the TV my mom got me before I moved to Vancouver. Having more HDMI ports would be nice, but other than that it’s a great TV.
39. How many dogs do you have?
None.
40. Do most folks trust you?
I have no idea.
41. What book are you reading?
I am PLODDING through The Adventures of Augie March. This is for two reasons: 1) I only read when I’m on the treadmill and the weather has been nice enough for me to be able to consistently be outside, and 2) I hate it.
42. What’s your favorite classic TV show?
Does Frasier count? If so, Frasier.
43. What’s your favorite sports team?
The Mets!
44. Favorite month and why?
February. We get Reading Week and my birthday’s in there, too.
Another Simpsons Follow-Up
So last month I mentioned a few lines from The Simpsons that I think about fairly frequently, right?
Well, here are two from Futurama.
“Grunka, lunka, dunkity, darmed guards…”
“SHUT THE HELL UP!”
And:
“My only regret is…that I have…boneitis!”
Playoff
Oh god, I’m in the playoffs in fantasy baseball!
I mean, I guess we technically all are, but only the top four get a chance to end up in first place, and I’m in the top four!
Now time to get crushed, haha.
18.5
I have a long way to go to get to a marathon, but we’re making progress weekend by weekend.
Ugh, that pace is slow as hell, though.
(Sorry, these updates are pretty much going to come every Sunday now.)
Y’all remember this video?
This was like peak 2008 humor.
I know there were a lot of dubs of this scene, but this is the best one, haha.
It’s Every Damn Day with These Toenails, Man
There’s a blog title for ya.
Anyway, now a THIRD toe on my left foot has decided that toenails are out of fashion and is trying to get rid of his.
There’s a lot of blood in my sock, haha.
The funny thing is that all the toes on my right foot are ABSOLUTELY FINE. But there must be something about the way I walk/run that just brutalizes the toes on my left foot.
I’m guessing I still treat my whole right leg with more caution than the left, since my right knee was the one I hurt back in 2017.
But who knows.
Anyway, they can do what they want; I’m not stopping.
Random pics on my phone
Why?
BECAUSE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!
!
(!)
This is what U of C has to do practically every time it rains, haha.
More.
It’s Mr. P Potty!
This ravioli is fantastic. Try it if you can find it.
Hahaha.
Pretty!
Bri’ish
Hahaha, this is great:
The best comment: “It’s weird seeing a mix of animation with real-life Englishmen green-screened into the cartoon.”
High School Band Throwback
This song came up on shuffle earlier today, so we gotta blog about it:
I don’t have any other songs composed by Michael Kamen, but this one is fantastic. I remember we played this in high school and I really enjoyed playing it. I can’t remember if this was one of the songs we played for critique at Disneyland or if that was the Pirates of the Caribbean song. Or something else.
I WASN’T BLOGGING YET, SO THERE ARE NO CLEAR MEMORIES OF ANYTHING
LOVE the chords at 1:21, OOF.
Wow
You can see what various channels were broadcasting the morning of 9/11 – before, during, and after the attacks. It’s so wild how this all unfolded and how everyone reacted.
How quickly and drastically things changed that day.
My CHILDHOOD
I don’t know why, but I suddenly really wanted some Nutter Butters today.
And this is probably the first time I’ve even thought about Nutter Butters since, like, high school. My dad always used to have them in his condo and I would frequently have them as snacks. I wonder if you can even buy them up here?
Have I posted this on here before?
I don’t know. And I don’t care. Today has sucked and I have no blog content.
BYE
Eigenblogger 