Non-meme, meme

Everyone who reads my blog regularly knows that I am not a meme gal. I liken them to chain letters (see Fears of Memes )

However, because I am approaching my one-year anniversary of my blog, I decided to do a non-meme. No one is tagged, no one must participate, and no one tagged me in the first place. So here goes: 

1. If you could change your name, what would it be? This is such a hard question, because there are so many names I would love to be. When I was 8, I named all of my dolls “Guadalupe”. I loved the way it rolled off my tongue. I then went through a “Jacqueline” phase. I was “Jessica” for awhile as well. My writing name now is really my changed name so to speak. It is my first two initials and my maiden name—a secret revealed.

2. What is the worst name someone has called you? My kindergarten teacher called me “motor-mouth” and that devastated me. I have been called other more fragrant words since then; however, that one still stings. Why is that?

3. If you could meet someone famous, who would it be? This is too difficult a question. Of people who are currently alive: Jerry Seinfeld, Will Smith, Julia Roberts, and tons of other people that I can’t think of right now. Of people who are deceased (because this is my non-meme and I can do what I want) Gandhi,  Lucille Ball, Grace Kelley, Princess Diana, and tons of other people that I can’t think of right now.  

4. How do you like to travel home? In a covered wagon 

5. What kind of phone to you have? rotary 

I’m almost a good sport

I’ve been tagged for a meme by Luisa. If you have been reading my blog for any length of time you know that I am not a big meme fan. I liken them to chain letters. Since Luisa let me know of the tag by commenting on my blog –I decided a would play a tiny bit. I am like that kid on the playground that you hated because she always wanted to play everything her way. Another reason I am not a meme fan is because I don’t think people would really be that interested in my life to such detail. Anyway, I will try not to bore you sick, and I will not tag anyone else. Video killed the radio star and rj killed the meme.  

What were you doing ten years ago?

I just graduated from High School and I was going to college as a pre-med major. I lied. Okay, I was gaining lots of weight. I was pregnant with my first-born, and I was about to be promoted or just promoted to Account Executive at the advertising agency I was working at in North Carolina.

What were you doing one year ago?

I had just made a huge move from Rivas-Vaciamadrid, Spain and was staying with my sister in South Carolina.  I think my husband had just left for a trip down further south to help re-build after Katrina.

Five Snacks You Enjoy:

1. Snapea Crisps
2. Olives
3. Ice Cream
4. Chocolate soy milk
5. Cereal – Trader Joe’s Sweet & Salty Granola

Five songs you know all the lyrics to:

Okay, I mostly know the lyrics to about 5000 songs. Let’s see off the top of my head, or truthfully on the CD’s in the cabinet next to me, these are some songs I pretty much know.

1. Chicago – Inspiration
2. Alex Ubago – No Te Rindas
3. U2 – I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For
4. Enya — Amarantine
5. Steve Tyrell – On the Sunny Side of the Street

Five Favorite Toys:

1. The notebook computer
2. The printer
3. The internet
4. Okay I don’t obviously play enough
5. Barbies? Legos?

Things you would do if you were a millionaire:

• I would pay off all debt
• I would probably buy a small house
• I would give, give, give 
• Travel to Spain and other spanish speaking countries
• I would invest for the future
• Try to buy a pair of shoes without looking at the price tag

Hmm, am I an ongoing millionaire as in the money will keep coming in every year ? Or do I get a one-time gift of a million dollars and is this after taxes or before?

 Five Bad Habits:

1. Worry
2. Impatience
3. Pride
4. Eating too much sugar
5. Selfishness

Five things you like to do:

1. Read
2. Sit by the ocean
3. Watch good movies
4. Laugh
5. Share a meal with good friends

 Five things you will never wear again

1. My wedding dress
2. Ditto jeans
3. Stirrup pants
4. The dress I called my party dress when I was 5
5. Cullottes

Five insects in South America that start with the letter “Z” — okay that one was mine… 

Five people to tag:

If you want to play–be my guest but I’m not going to tag ya

Fears of Memes and Amway

My mom made it clear that I should never respond to chain letters. I’m not sure what her reasons were — something about superstitions.  With the coming of e-mail it seemed chain letters were replaced with forwarded e-mails. I know they aren’t exactly the same thing — I can never get the $1 into my email– but they are just as annoying.  I am not a big fan of forwarded emails –except the funny ones. I absolutely despise the cautionary-political-inflammatory-ones, because 96.7834% of those aren’t even true. I also don’t like the “pray for so-and-so whose cousin’s sister’s brother-in-law’s neighbor’s grandmother’s cat is sick” forwards.  I like personal emails with concerns from people I know, or the e-mails that say “You have a new comment on your blog.”. 

I also tend to stay away from cookie and recipe exchanges. I don’t know I guess I’m a non-conformist or maybe it’s because of Herman. Who is Herman? I’m glad you asked. Well, sometime in the 80’s when Donna Summer was in her hot pants and I was roller-skating, Herman came to our house. Herman, was a sour-dough starter. Huh? Well, he was some mixture of yeast, water, flour, milk and possibly an eye of a newt. Herman would come to your house and you would stir him and feed him so many days with flour, other days I think you would punch him or something. I think after 10 days or so, you would then follow some secret recipe and use a cup of Herman. The rest would be left in the refrigerator. 

At first it was great. My mom was using Herman to make gooey orange-cinnamon rolls and warm loafs of bread. I had to admit I liked Herman’s contribution to the family. But then it seemed life with Herman became stressful for my mom. She seemed more concerned about stirring Herman than making my peanut butter and jam sandwich.

Eventually, Herman had to go. I don’t know where he went. I like to think he went to a new family or maybe to sourdough-starter heaven. I have to think he is making someone happy somewhere.

Now I told you all of that to tell you something else. You see I’m also wary of this internet-blog thingy called “memes”. (I tend to put everything that has to do with you-tell-someone-then-they’ll-tell someone into one category. I even put network marketing into this too. Okay, I’ll even through in the parties –Tupperware, Mary Kay, Pampered Chef–they are still you-tell -someone — only in a different way. ) So, back to the memes–I have a hard time with them.

I am using this post as therapy. I don’t know if my hesitancy to participate in the meme world is because I am associating the memes with Herman, chain letters, and Amway or because I don’t like to follow. Maybe it’s because of a long line of very stubborn people in my family or because I am the youngest of eight children and was always trying to dance to my own disco music.