I'm a slayer, ask me how.

Because why not!

1. What is the color of your toothbrush.
Dark pink and white

2. Name someone who made you smile today.
OutsideXbox 'Show of the Week' when Mike tried to explain why everyone should have off February 29th. I mean, he made a good point but then it didn't matter because I already have off that day because of PAX lol.

3. What were you doing at 8 am this morning?
Sleeping. Woke up at 6am to make sure the library was open because we were supposed to get snow and as the Manager, I would need to change the phone message but no snow! So I passed back out.

4. What were you doing 45 minutes ago?
Trying to catch up on all these LJ/DW posts!!!!

5. What is your favorite candy bar?
Caramello - milk chocolate and caramel are always good things.

6. Have you ever been to a strip club?
I saw 'Thunder from Down Under' when I was in Las Vegas, that is the closest I have gotten.

7. What is the last thing you said out loud?
"What do you want cat?"

8. What is your favorite ice cream?
Moose Tracks

9. What was the last thing you had to drink?
Water

10. Do you like your wallet?
Sure? It's just a small case stuck to the back of my phone but there is a sticker of Buffy on it so yay.

11. What was the last thing you ate?
Chex Mix...I'm still eating them...I have a problem.

12. Did you buy any new clothes this weekend?
No BUT they arrived this weekend because I bought them online with my Torrid Cash. One dress is going back though, did not like the style on my physique.

13. The last sporting event you watched?
Uuuuuuh, I looked over Tim's shoulder while he was watching game clips of the Packers game a few weeks ago?

14. What is your favorite flavor of popcorn?
Butter and salt. Though I was going through a kettle corn phase a few months ago...

15. Who is the last person you sent a text message to?
Mathew, he was asking me how much he owed me for PAX badges

16. Ever go camping?
A few times, but it has been a long time.

17. Do you take vitamins daily?
Nope.

18. Do you go to church every Sunday?
LOLZ no.

19. Do you have a tan?
It's winter. I have not been outside for an extended period plus there is no direct sunlight because it is so dark and cloudy...

20. Do you prefer Chinese food over pizza?
This would depend on my mood, though I am kind of pizza-d out at the moment. We haven't really found a good Chinese place we both like.

21. Do you drink your soda with a straw?
If I'm at the movie theater. I only get soda when I'm out so it tends to be served that way.

22. What did your last text say?
"Our family Universal Studios trip is in a week!"

23. What are you doing?
Sitting at the computer, duh. And eating Chex Mix. Do try to keep up.

24. What terrifies you?
Censors

25. Look to your left, what do you see?
Chex Mix LOL. And also my gaming headphones and a pile of papers I should put away. My desk is a mess.

26. What color is your watch?
I have not owned a watch since high school.

27. What do you think of when you hear Australia?
I want to go to there. I went when I was 17 and LOVED it. Also, I guess (sadly) fires. :(

28. Favorite soda?
Dr. Pepper

29. Do you go in a fast food place or just hit the drive thru?
Drive thru

30. What is your favorite number?
I dunno...7?

31. Who's the last person you talked to on the phone?
Kathy, my previous co-worker who just retired.

32. Any plans today?
Maybe play a game with Tim if I can wrestle him away from his other game. But it is Saturday and we're both not 100% so just chilling.

33. How many states have you lived in?
4 states, also 1 other country

34. Biggest annoyance right now?
This head cold! And the dark gloomy weather.

35. Last song listened to?
Luke and Ellen singing the Sailor Moon theme song on OutsideXtra's show of the weekend - it was hilarious.

36. Can you say the alphabet backwards?
I have not tried and I don't really see any need to.

37. Do you have a maid service when you clean?
HAHAHAHA what? Nope. This is why our house is dirty.

38. Favorite pair of shoes you wear all the time?
My LL Bean slippers are what I wear most of the time. But if I have to go out and wander, my Merrel walking sneakers. I don't really like wearing shoes, I'd rather be barefoot.

39. Are you jealous of anyone?
Not at the moment?

40. Is anyone jealous of you?
LOL I have no idea!

41. Do you love anyone?
Yes

42. Do any of your friends have children?
Yes

43. What do you usually do during the day?
Weekdays I'm at work, managing a little library. Weekends, mostly this.

44. Do you hate anyone that you know right now?
Hating someone takes too much energy.

45. Do you use the word 'hello' daily?
Yes

46. What color is your car?
Blue - the subaru is a light blue and the insight is a very dark blue

47. Do you have any pets?
Two cats that are currently pacing around me, wishing I was downstairs with them rather than upstairs on this computer.

48. Are you thinking about someone right now?
Well, now that you asked I am!

49. Have you ever been to Six Flags?
Yes, I think we went for a band trip in high school a few times.

50. How did you get your worst scar?
Chicken pox. I did not listen and I picked at the scabs. So I have a dent in my forehead.

💍 Marriages: One, coming up on 4 years in October.
💍 Engagements: None. (though I dated someone for almost 10 years)
💔 Divorces: None. (though, I dated someone for almost 10 years and then we broke up so...)
👶 Kids: Stepdaughter, Sylvia and two fur-babies from my first non-marriage, Apollo and Starbuck.
👦 Brothers: One, younger, just had his birthday yesterday!
👧 Sisters: Nope.
🐕 Current pets: Apollo and Starbuck, two silly kitties.
👩🏼‍⚕️ Surgeries: Nothing major. They once poked my boob for a biopsy but that's it.
✒ Tattoos: Nope, I am a wuss and pain scares me. Didn't get my ears pierced until I was 18.
🌴 Been to an Island: Yes, Bermuda.
✈️ Flown on a Plane: Oh heck yeah, Navy brat so I moved around a lot plus I like to travel.
🚑 Rode in an Ambulance: No, had to follow one once though.
🎤 Sang Karaoke: Rock band at home. Once on a cruise after many many drinks.
⛸ Ice Skating: Ages ago, before my brain decided to freak me out with images of getting my fingers sliced off.
🚢 Been on a Cruise: Yes, once. Not really my thing. Might go on another one IF it was nerd themed, like JoCo Cruise.
🏍 Rode on a Motorcycle: No thank you. You know doctors call them "Donor-mobiles" right?
🏍 Owned a Motorcycle: Nope.
🐴 Rode on a Horse: Yes! Many times.
🏥 Stayed in a Hospital: Never overnight and never for myself.
🍓 Favorite Fruit: Just one?? Cherries, strawberries, bananas, grapes - I like fruit.
🌓 Favorite Day: Hm, never really thought about that? Any day when things go well and I get to spend some quality time with my friends.
🌈 Favorite Colour: Green or blue or red...maybe orange. What's my mood?
📱 Last phone call: The dentist to reschedule my appointment LOL. I don't talk on the phone much.
☕️ Coffee or Tea: What time is it? Coffee in the AM, tea at night.
🥧 Favorite Pie: Pie. Pie is my favorite. If you bring me pie, I am happy.
🍕 Favorite pizza: SUPREME! Put all the things on it. Except pineapple and chicken. You can keep that.
🐶 Cat or Dog: Both. Both is good. I always had both growing up.
☃️ Favorite season: Autumn.
⭐️ Met a star: Oh yes, met lots of musicians back when they were little and a few at Conventions.
🚁 Rode in a helicopter: No. And I have no desire to.
📺 Been on tv: Maybe? I'm sure some marching band thing was on TV at some point.
🦴 Broken a bone: I don't think so, though I feel like the really bad sprain I had in my ankle was actually a fracture that wasn't treated right just be how it healed.
👻 Seen a ghost: No, but it saw me!
🤮 Been sick in a taxi: No, though I haven't been in many taxis!
⚰️ Seen someone die: No.

trepkos asked "If you could only listen to five bands for the rest of your life, who would they be?"

I don't think this question was as hard to figure out as I thought it was going to be! While I enjoy listening to Spotify and finding new music, I definitely have a lot of go-to artists for days when I just need a certain something. My personal tastes lean towards bands that I can sing along with. I'm all about singer/songwriter and lean pretty heavy on the indie/folk/alternative styles.

So, here are my top 5:

5. "Weird Al" Yankovic



I've been listening to "Weird Al" since I was a kid and he always makes me laugh. If I'm going to be limited to 5 musical experiences, then having "Weird Al" in the mix guarantees I get laughs and also a wide range of musical genres. Because I wouldn't want to live the rest of my life without the occasional accordion solo during a polka based on overplayed top 40 hits.

4. Sting



I had a habit of stealing my Mom's music and Sting was definitely her guy first. But it is hard to deny his talent and ability to write catchy songs with smart lyrics. Always lots of good allusions in Sting songs. I could probably survive just on Ten Summoner's Tales for awhile, that whole album is perfect. Love songs, story songs and everything in between. If you have never heard it, hop over to Spotify now and make sure you listen past the "singles" tracks and get to those deeper cuts - the one about the seven brothers that save the town, the other about the nerdy guy trying to best the muscle-bound suitor, and the kinda creepy 'St. Augustine in Hell'.

3. Bastille



Another band that both my Mom and I like, though I think I found them first! Maybe? At any rate, we found them on our own and then both realized we liked them. Even saw them in concert!

It only makes sense that I would be a fan after being raised on music like Sting's. Bastille's lyrics tend to tell stories and also are full of references to other works, everything from 'Rime of the Ancient Mariner' to 'Twin Peaks'. And I feel like they do work with an ALBUM mindset, which I also appreciate from bands nowadays. We are so used to streaming singles and thus a lot of groups just make albums of singles, but I feel like both 'Bad Blood' and 'Wild World' have a flow to the songs when you listen to them from start to finish. With only TWO albums out and neither of them new, Bastille was still my top band of 2018, so clearly I like going back to them when I need to rock out.

2. Paramore



Another band that I keep going back to. Hayley Williams' voice is so unique. And I love how they keep trying to grow and change with each album. If you listen to their very early stuff and then to the newest songs, you can see that they are progressing as musicians and writers. It's a scary thing for a band to do but it gives them a lasting power that I don't think a lot of their peers will have. The latest album, After Laughter, had this fun retro vibe, with hints of the 80s and 90s music that I'm sure they listened to while growing up, but it was still Paramore through and through. And, again, the stories in the songs keep maturing too. Hayley even pointed this out at the last concert we went to, prefacing 'Misery Business' by saying that it really isn't a healthy attitude and she has grown as a person since then...but damn it is fun to sing along.

AND NOW, MY NUMBER ONE CHOICE
----- !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!DRUM ROLL!!!!!!!!!!!!! ---------

1. The Beatles



I fell in love with The Beatles back in Middle School and it is a love that lasts forever. In fact, I just had them on this morning because I needed something to start the day off right. There is a Beatles album for every mood, every time of day. They are always there for me. They were my first music based fandom. I don't think I've ever hit the same level of obsession as I did with them for any other band. I learned so much about life, love and music from these four lads from Liverpool. If you told me I could only listen to one band for the rest of my life, I'd have all of their albums in my arms before you could finish the sentence.

YOUR TURN! What are your top 5 bands/artists?

You can all blame twissie for this! She did ADIML post last week and encouraged me to give it a try. If you all fall asleep while reading, I'm sorry!

This is my first time doing something like this so, here we go!

( I could never get the hang of Thursdays )

It was a whirlwind week and Canada was a little bit rainy but we still had fun. More detailed update, right now I'm just unwinding from the car ride home. Just sped read all your entries (I had DW/LJ 91 emails!!!) so I'm going to relax with the popular meme going around right now:

→ Comment with "We're going to need more coffee"
→ I'll respond by asking you five questions so I can get to know you better.
→ Update your journal with the answers to the questions.
→ Include this explanation in the post and offer to ask other people questions.

carbonpaper asked me:

1. I know you like to draw, so what is your favorite thing to doodle?
Little goofy smiley faces. I'll have to doodle one to show you, but they tend to have big, round Muppet-y eyes and their hair is standing up or spiked ala Bart Simpson and usually their smiling with their tongue hanging out (i.e. making a crazy face which is why they are usually doodled in the margins of my meeting notes).

2. What was your favorite book to get at the library when you were a kid?
Hm...I feel like that question would be better for my Mom LOL. Honestly (and this will tie into the next question a bit) in middle school I was obsessed with The Beatles so I spent a LOT of time checking out anything and everything about them and pouring over the photographs and facts. So I am going to say Beatles books.

3. What made you want to become a librarian? Just a love of books?
NOPE! In fact, it is probably better if you don't love books too much if you work at a library because you have to throw away so many of them on a daily basis. It is my love of information, which is really what the core of libraries are. Information used to come from books exclusively, but that is obviously not the case anymore. We are trying to move our "brand" away from books 24/7/365 because it is just not true. **puts soapbox under the bed**

Anyway, I became a librarian because I found myself wanting people to ask me questions. I did start out in libraries, I was a Page all through high school and college, putting books away on the shelves. I quit that job and wanted to do something "cool" so I worked for a radio station right after college. But what I realized after awhile was that I wanted people to call in and ask me about the artists, to answer their questions and it slowly dawned on my that there was a job like that! So I made my way back to the library and worked part-time for a year to see if it was really what I wanted. And I've never looked back. And in two weeks, I'm going to interview for manager position **crosses fingers**

4. What has been your favorite concert experience? Worst?
I've been to so many shows, but a few stick out in my mind - my first Pearl Jam concert, which broke all the "Don't meet random internet people" rules...but she had an LJ and an extra ticket, how could she be bad? LOL. But what made the concert memorable was I spent the entire night jumping and singing along and the person next to me said "Wow, you're cool!" and that had never happened before LOL.

Worst would probably be when I saw Paramore at the Fillmore and this group of obnoxious, wasted assholes pushed their way in front of us well into the show and then were loud and obnoxious and drunk in front of me. I just don't have time for that kind of bullshit, I am there to enjoy a band and you are wasted, you should go to a wasted area and leave me alone. This is when I can get a bit "gatekeeper" and I'm like REAL fans don't get drunk at shows and ruin it for everyone! Blargh. I had not left a concert angry before until that one.

5. Do you like living in Maryland?
While it can get expensive, I really do like it because you can't beat the location. I can get to so many places if I just drive for a bit. Philadelphia, NYC, Boston, Atlanta, all driveable distances. History is just lying around, again in a pretty close radius. Stuff happened here and there is always something going on. And we tend to be pretty progressive, at least as a state, though parts of my county not-so-much but whatever, I work in a public library so lots of progressive/liberally minded people as my coworkers which keeps me sane.

Every now and then I ponder the idea of moving but I don't know where I would go. Maybe further north, I do like New England and I have friends up that way. But most places are either too far from anything or too crazy expensive - I mean, it might be fun to live in California for a little bit but I'm pretty sure no librarian could afford that LOL.

As I drive halfway across the country and my husband flips through SiriusFM channels, I have come to the realization that I've never been a radio person.

In middle school, I was obsessed with The Beatles and listened to them non-stop. My Walkman was always on me with an album or mixtape. When I got my own car, I kept mixes on hand for driving around (thanks Napster).

I just can't stand most stuff that gets radio airplay and then the songs that I like they play so much that everyone hates them. For example, I really like Paramore and Ed Sheeran but since Tim listens to radio all the time, he hates their singles.

This also leaves a gap in my pop culture knowledge but nothing I'm upset about. I know the good stuff. ;-)

Oh my goodness, I think almost every single number has been called so I've got like 40 different questions to answer about BOOKS! LOL! I will break this down into sets of at least 5 otherwise I will be blogging it forever. :P

I guess I'll include links to GoodReads in case anyone decides to add a few to their own to-read list!



1. Currently Reading
Of Better Blood by Susan Moger (bedtime book)
Watership Down by Richard Adams (audiobook in the car)
Black Panther by Christopher Priest (lunchtime book)

2. Describe the last scene you read in as few words as possible. No character names or title.
The girls were together again, happy and laughing, even if they hadn't managed to earn very many badges that day.

3: First book that had a major influence on you
Very hard to pick, but I'm going to go with Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton. It's one of the few books I have a clear memory of reading for fun, enjoying, and making me want to go back for more.

4: Quick, you're in desperate need of a fake name. What character name do you think of first? Ford Prefect. :)

5: Favorite series and why
Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series. Or, if we're going to go with comics, Y: The Last Man. Or if we do children/teen books, I think I might go with Gregor the Overlander. It takes a lot to get me to read an entire series and these three are ones that I not only read, but would re-read if I had the time! They stuck with me!

We went hiking today. I actually felt pretty good when I woke up. I'm in the super-fun drainage portion of this cold so my nose was running and I kept hacking up yellow gunk BUT I FEEL NORMALISH!

Anyway, we hiked for most of the afternoon in beautiful Rocks Park (clever name...there are rocks there). Saw a lovely waterfall and a really cool rock formation that was apparently featured in 'Tuck Everlasting' for anyone who has seen that.

Only bad part is that I appear to be very sunburnt on my face. *FAIL*

anyway, on to some questions! Going to do a few ahead since we are driving to Wisconsin on Monday and I won't be able to post (well, I could post via my phone but we all know how fun THAT app is!)

25. stydia asked: What book would you like to see turned into a movie/television show?
I'm still waiting on my Y: The Last Man tv series! I know it has been optioned a few times now, but nothing has come of it. Right now, FX has it "in development" but there are no details. It would need to be a series though, there is FAR too much story to cram into a movie. It would be hilarious if they could do 'Transmetropolitan' as a TV show but I'm not sure they can legally show that stuff on tv...then again, there is a Preacher show that is supposed to come out later this year and that comic was banned (and not because of the weird scene where that guys has sex with an armadillo...).

26. rachg82 asked: What would you consider to be your spirit animal?
If I had to go with an actual animal I'd probably go with a dog (and now all I can think of is the Parks & Rec episode where they pick spirit dogs for everyone). I had an Australian Sheep Dog when I was a kid (well she was part that and something else, mutts 4 life). She was the best dog, so sweet and loving and fun. I think Australian sheep dog would be my spirit animal.

27. verdande_mi Favourite fandom-memory/happening?
All of my adventures at Dragon*Con, but especially getting to meet and hang out with faeriesfolly and jellibean for the first time after being LJ friends for so many years. And meeting up as the wild party that is D*C made it even more fun.

Other than that would be the time I met Joss Whedon, but I've blogged about that adventure a few times now because it makes me happy every time I think about it. :)

28. kaitydid33087 asked: If you could meet anyone, real or fictional, living or dead, who would it be and why?
Well, as I mentioned above, I met Joss so I'm good. :) I guess the next person on my list would be Steven Spielberg. I'd love to sit at a table with him and listen to him talk about film and directing and storytelling. I feel like he has a good grasp on where he came from and where he is going as a filmmaker.

Wait, no, Oscar Isaac. I want to sit and drool next to him. He so pretty.

(yes, I went from lofty fangirl to horny fangirl in the middle of writing that response, I blame the fact that I had tumblr open in the browser behind my LJ editor)

#20 dontjudgeme asked: What fictional animal would you want as your own pet if you could? Like...specific fictional: "Garfield" would fit here but just "unicorn" would not.
I'd say Buckbeak but there were far too many safety issues with that pet and I don't need the Malfoys sueing me! :P
Right now, because this is where my mind is, I would say Dogmeat from Fallout 4. He was a good companion, never judges you, goes and kills badguys for you and also brings me stuff. Also he is IMMORTAL!

I kept thinking of other creatures but they weren't really "pets". Like Falcor from Neverending Story. Or Jake from Adventure Time. Or R2-D2...they are companions more than pets.

#21 phenomenal asked: What do you do in your free time?
Well, if judging by today is anything to go by, nothing. But I was home sick with some kind of sinus thing so you can't blame me!

Freetime usually is spent goofing around online, watching tv or movies, and playing video games.

Oh and reading, though that is usually only at my work lunch break and before bedtime.

When the weather is nice, we do tend to plan weekend hikes or at least nice walks around the park. And if I can get the time off, I like to go on trips and other adventures that tend to leave me less rested than most other people's vacations LOL.

xfirefly9x asked: What is your favourite word(s)?

perfunctory - used to describe something that is done without energy or enthusiasm because of habit or because it is expected.

(Found this word when reading 'Hitchhiker's Guide' and I've always loved the sound of it...wish I could use it more often)

shenanigans - a devious trick used especially for an underhand purpose

(We say this at work a lot, usually "NO SHENANIGANS!" when we talk about what the evening shift will hold. It's fun to say)

and also "frak"