kmkat and her kneedles

Meme. As in, me me me me me.

Dale-Harriet* tagged me, and what's not to like about blathering on about oneself?

What's the last book you read that you thought was really super, inspiring, you'd recommend it to most anyone?

How about if I tell you of my favorite book of all time? That would be Winterdance : The Fine Magic of Running the Iditarod by Gary Paulsen. It is non-fiction, written by the author of dozens of young adult novels like Hatchet and a handful of adult novels. (No, not ADULT novels, just novels that you would find in the fiction section at the library.) Paulsen lived in northern MN and decided to get some sled dogs and run the Iditarod, the 1,500-mile Anchorage to Nome dog sled race. The book recounts his adventures and misadventures -- the latter outnumber the former by a considerable margin -- along the way. The book is both spiritual and hilarious; the first time I read it I kept chasing down members of my family: "Sit down and listen. You have to hear this!"

My favorite anecdote from the book is this one. At one point during his first running of the Iditarod, Paulsen and his team were following the track across a wide flat valley when they came upon an empty sled with team just sitting in the track. Thinking that the driver might be in trouble, Paulsen stopped and looked for the driver, eventually spotting him (or it might have been a her, I don't remember) lying on a very slight rise about a quarter mile away. He hiked over to see if s/he was okay, and the other driver motioned him to lie down and be quiet, too.

On the other side of the rise was a small frozen lake, blown clear of snow by the ever-present wind. There were two buffalo at the shore. They would take turns running onto the lake, then stopping, stiff-legged, and sliding across the ice, all the while bellowing at the top of their lungs. They were playing! iirc, it was at that point in his life that Paulsen became a vegetarian.

Tattoos: yes or no? Do you have any? Tell us! Do you think they're gross? TELL US!

No tats on me, thankyouverymuch. I'm not a big fan, although I find the artistic and colorful ones intriguing as body art.

Where have you lived?

On a farm in southern MN until age 14, rural northern MN for the 3 years of high school, Minneapolis -- mostly south Mpls -- for the next 32 years, on a lake in n.w. WI for the past 9. Yah, I'm a Midwesterner, fer sure.

But I have traveled a bit. I have hit 48 of the 50 states -- somehow  missed Delaware and Louisiana (so far) -- and 8 countries on 4 of the 7 continents: Canada, US, Mexico, Japan, the Philippines, South Africa, Spain, England/Scotland.

Do you listen to the radio? What are your favorite programs, & on what station?

Radio only in the car and only when I don't have my iPod. Then it is Minnesota Public Radio, either The Current or classical, occasionally the news channel. The only programs that I try to catch are A Prairie Home Companion and Car Talk, although I also like This American Life and Whaddya Know? and especially Science Friday. Very occasionally KQ (KQRS, 92.5, classic rock), The Cities 97 (KTCZ, 97.1), or Cool 108 (KQQL 107.9, oldies). Oh, and in my cube during tax season I generally have on JackFM, a station which for some inexplicable reason feels that we all need to hear Smoking in the Boys' Room at least once a week. Not that there is anything wrong with that.

Is there a movie that makes you cry no matter how many times you see it?

Nope, sorry, don't generally cry at movies.

What snacks do you enjoy?

Ah, that is the question I have been waiting for. Let's talk food.

Bleu cheese, whole wheat saltines, and merlot, occasionally supplemented by pecans and/or grapes; that is my favorite bedtime snack ever. White tortilla chips with grated cojack cheese melted over them, topped with lots of Chi-Chi's mild salsa and accompanied by a beer, preferably Dos Equis or Leinie's Creamy Dark. Jarlsberg and pecans and hard cider. Funny how all my favorite snacks involve alcohol of some kind. I guess I only snack in the evening...

* You must follow that link and read her post for today, June 5. Eloquent and wonderful.

The inevitable Christmas meme.

Many knitbloggers have done this meme. As delightful as it is to yammer on endlessly about oneself, others may find it unbearably boring. I mean, really, how much do I care when so-and-so takes down her tree?

Warning: possible humbuggery ahead. Read at your own risk.

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Wrapping paper or gift bags? Wrapping paper. Holiday job during high school was wrapping gifts at small-town department store. Inordinately proud of acquired gift-wrapping skill. Unless gift excessively oddly shaped; then give thanks for gift bags.

Open Christmas Eve or Morning? One Christmas eve, rest Christmas morning; or all whenever spouse isn't working. Double/triple time for Christmas Eve/Day; extortionate tuition payments in prior years.

Real tree or artificial? Artificial. Pre-lit. Untouched by further ornamentation. Lazy.

Clear lights or coloured? Either. Lights best thing about Christmas in Great Frozen Darkness of the North.

Angel or star on the top of the tree? Star. Nothing. Pre-lit tree lights extend to top, relieving responsibility to chose.

 When do you put up the tree? Many years not at all. 2007: December 16, i.e., when offspring coerced into assisting.

When do you take down the tree? Around New Year's, unless later. One infamous year lighting continued until March, take down occurred... June? Don't remember. Tree eventually taken outside and scoured with compressed air to remove dust.

Which looks best, theme trees or homey trees? Homey. Unless theme tasteful and creative. Whatever. Just have the damned tree. With lots of lights.

Do you like eggnog? Yes. Side-by-side taste test of varieties available in local stores revealed El Cheapo Holly Nog to be preferred variety. Others too thick and greasy. No ECHN in fridge yet this year. Trying to eat wisely. Probably doomed to eventual failure, although deserving of praise for effort.

 

 

Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Spritz cookies. Sugar cookies. Only if made from mother's recipe. Almond flavoring in spritz, nutmeg in sugar cookies. Possibly other way around. (Spritz pictured above appear identical to those baked by mother in 1961, recreated on internet in shocking warp of space-time continuum. Note to self: give thanks for internet/google/warp of s-t c.)

Do you like fruitcake? No, except The Fruitcake Hater's Fruitcake. Decided to make it the same year mother died on December 1 and first child born (c-section with inadequate anesthesia) December 2. Whole season overwhelmingly stressful; however, TFHF, containing dried apricots and pecans and thoroughly soaked in brandy, inexplicably tasty. Huh. No idea. Recipe now tragically lost.

Gingerbread or sugar cookies? (See, "favorite thing to eat," above.)

Do you have a nativity scene? No. Never will. Shameless religious sentimentality unencumbered by historical accuracy. So-called Wise Men couldn't have arrived for weeks. Angels, if really exist, generally accepted to be invisible to human eye and unaccountably averse to hovering over feed troughs whilst engaged in trumpet playing.

Hardest person to buy for? Husband. Have not done so yet. May follow own suggestion to substitute generous donation to deserving charity in lieu of spousal gift exchange. Husband ignored such suggestion and purchased giftie for wife. Gift rumored to be electronic and found online for $20 rather than former price of $400. (Husband indefatigable bargain hunter.) Rumor continues that same present purchased for #2 son. Rumored clues indicate that rumored gift probably some sort of iPod thingie.

Easiest person to buy for? Sons. (Note: persons in #8 and 9 only humans deemed deserving of purchased gifts.)

When do you start shopping for Christmas? When damned well feel like it. Haven't started yet. May need to do so. Soon.

Favorite gift received as a child? Don't remember. Apparently never had one. Whole thing completely unaccountable as only child spoiled rotten with consumerist objects. WTF?

Weirdest Christmas gift you ever received? Don't remember. Apparent early onset Alzheimer's has thankfully erased memory.

Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Not saying. Taking Fifth. (see, "early onset Alzheimer's," above)

Mail or email Christmas Cards? Mail. No cards. Christmas letter, elaborately formatted with color photos and graphics. May indulge in selected email in current year to minimize environmental impact, also to save time. Lazy.

Favorite Christmas Movie? Love Actually. Discovered last year. Plan to make annual tradition. Already in transit to local library.

Favorite Christmas song? Carol of the Bells. (MIL considered song Carol Of The Devil. Endless disbelief by kmkat.) Silver Bells. It Came Upon A Midnight Clear. Ave Maria. Little Drummer Boy. Twelve Days of Christmas and all variations thereon.

Travel or stay home at Christmas? Stay home. Traveled to Florida to visit the inlaws every frickin' Christmas during 500-year span between 1984 until 1994. Hated it. Inlaws now gone. Wish could repeat visit with same now.

Can you name all of Santa’s reindeer? Yes. Maybe not. (see, "early onset...," above)

 What’s the corniest family tradition you do or miss doing? Don't have one. Corniness prevails year 'round.

What’s the worst thing you’ve seen related to Christmas? Giant inflatable crappe in yards. Gak.

Most annoying thing about this time of year? Too many expectations placed on female of family. Wish someone else were responsible for Christmas. Gee, can you tell?

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(Apologies for going bah-humbug all over your Christmas. Please resume your normal festive preparations.)

 

The iPod meme.

How it works:

1. Open your library (iTunes, winamp, media player, iPod)
2. Put it on shuffle
3. Press play
4. For every section, type the song that’s playing
5. Next section — press the next button
6. Don’t lie and try to pretend you’re cool

Okay, here is the sound track for my life as determined by the iTunes God of Shuffle:

Opening credits:

• Eyes on the Prize by Bruce Springsteen, We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions (Okay, that one's kind of a cool match.)

Waking up:

• Run On by Moby (Oh, well, they can't all be good matches.)

First day at school:

• Viva Las Vegas by ZZ Top (That one gave me a chuckle.)

Falling in love:

• That’s What They Always Say by Chris Rea (Things that make you go, Hmmmm...)

Breaking up:

• Wonder by Natalie Merchant (ditto)

Prom:

• Want To Be With You by the Moody Blues (Okay, that's a good one; I was pretty wildly in love with my prom date.)

Life’s okay:

• Tennessee Stud by Doc Watson (Huh?)

Mental breakdown:

• I Never Loved A Man (The Way I Loved You) by The Commitments (Um, none of my mental breakdowns involved a man -- I can break down all by my own self, thankyouverymuch)

Driving:

• Riki Tiki Tavi by Donovan (Again, huh?)

Flashback:

• Seeker by The Who (Whatever)

Getting back together:

• That’ll Be the Day by Buddy Holly (That's a good one!)

Wedding:

• Nothing Seems to Matter by Bonnie Raitt (Um, no, this one is totally in left field. I guess that's what they mean by random.)

Birth of child:

• Any Colour You Like by Pink Floyd (LOL!)

Final battle:

• Silver Thunderbird by Marc Cohen (Whatever.)

Death scene:

• Carry On, Wayward Son by Kansas (Okay.)

End credits:

• San Francisco (Be Sure To Wear Flowers in Your Hair) by Scott McKenzie (WTF?)

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Tag, you're next!

Meme stolen picked up from Carrie.