pop quiz

All the sun and gardening has made me a little slow so I didn't realize that one of my new favorite bloggers, What Possessed Me, invited me to do this quiz last week! Sorry it took me so long, here goes.

1. What are your current obsessions?

Gardening, vegetable and otherwise. (see all my seedlings? I can't believe how well they all did. I think my sun room is magic. I took them outside yesterday for a few hours and can't wait to plant them!)

I also have a long standing obsession with destroying my garage and putting in a garden shed, a green driveway and a patio. (the patio part of the obsession is new.)

In my work, I am obsessed with making things that function. Something about tough times in the world makes me want to make things that are useful. So, I'm making cups, something I haven't done in years and years. I plan to make a thousand, although, how that's useful, I don't know.  Maybe it is, if only to get it out of my system.

2. Which items from your wardrobe do you wear most often?

These days I dress like a homeless person, and not in some sort of lovely hobo chic way. All the gardening is putting a serious crimp in my style. But the perk (or downside depending on my mood) of living in a college town is that there are a significant number of people running around town in what looks to be their pajamas from the night before so no one really notices if you look like crap.

A work shirt that I've had since college gets a whole lot of wear.

3. What's for dinner?

tonight? Zuppa di Pesce. Steven bought some frozen cod at Trader Joe's, and something about Zuppa di Pesce says summer.

4. Last thing you bought?

Zip ties for the garden fence. (looks good, no?) But I really need to buy a mother's day gift for my mom and an anniversary present for Steven that's made from copper or wool.

Is it true that much of computer circuits are made from copper? Is an iphone a really unromantic gift?

5. What are you listening to?

At the moment, really loud birds singing outside my window. They woke me up at sunrise. I hate them.

(image here.)

6. If you could have any profession other than your own what would it be?

civil rights lawyer. or maybe a law professor, but I'd have to be a lawyer first I suppose. I know it sounds weird, but I think I'd love it. Sometimes, when the art world frustrates me (which is often) I think of bagging it and going back to school.

7. Favorite holiday spots?

I'd love to go back to Nepal to see how much it's changed since I lived there. I've been dying to go to the Dalmatian Coast of Croatia and Massif des Calanques in the south of France for years.

(image of the Dalmatian Coast here.)

I want to go to Argentina, the Galapagos, Costa Rica, Egypt, Cuba and Lebanon, and back to Rome and Venice. (blue footed booby image here.)

Really, I'll go anywhere. I'd just love to go on a vacation for longer than a weekend that doesn't involve visiting family or work. Not that I don't love visiting family, or work, it's just been a long time since we've done that.

8. Reading right now?

Just restarted Moby Dick. I will get through it this time, I swear to god I will.

9. Four words to describe yourself?

stubborn, creative, tall, snarky. ( I hate describing myself.)

10. Guilty pleasure?

Eating half of a homemade baguette as soon as it's ready. I have to stop doing that!

11. Who or what makes you laugh until you are weak?

does it make me some sort of weird dog person if I say Gus and Ollie?

probably.

oh well. they're hilarious.

12. First memory?

Telling my mom that I wanted long hair, and that I was would only wear dresses. I was a the kind of girl who liked to roll around and play in the mud in a fancy dress. I still am.

13. Planning to travel to next?

Home to Chicago for a long weekend at the beginning of June,

to New York to play with Jackson (above) when his new baby brother arrives in July, and to Austin to see Keith and Evangelina when the weather turns cold and crappy again here (November?)

Maybe we'll go somewhere on the previous list for New Years.

14. Best thing you ate or drank lately?

Morel mushrooms from my own front yard.

15. When did you last get tipsy?

last night. Two glasses of wine after hours and hours in the sun gardening will get you wasted.

16. Favorite ever film?

I hate to choose, but I'll say The Princess Bride. I hadn't seen it in years but it was on tv the other day while I was working out. I rode that stationary bike to Jupiter just so I could watch the whole thing.

17. Care to share some wisdom?

Don't take life to seriously, you'll never get out alive. Bugs Bunny said that.

(image here)

18. If you could change one thing in your life what would it be?

Gus and Ollie would come when called more often (it's about 50/50 these days). I'd also love it if Steven would stop leaving piles of crap everywhere.

19. What makes you grumpy?

People who decide something is too hard and give up before they try.

The piles of crap Steven leaves everywhere.

Half finished projects.

All the things I want to do to the house and in the garden that I wish were already done.

20. any phobias?

yes. fish.

The rules: Answer all the questions, change one, add one. And if you read this far you should be next!