Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Wednesday Hodgepodge: Zoos, Veneers, and Souvenirs

Another fun batch questions from Joyce.



1. What reveals more about a woman-her refrigerator or her purse?

Purse. Unlike a fridge, a purse is solely a woman's domain. It's not usually stuffed with her family's or roommate's junk (although moms do house their share of spare diapers, Legos, crayons, and Batman Band-aids). I think you can tell by a woman's purse if she is generally organized or not, dramatic or quiet, "earthy" or "sparkly," and whether she would be a good one to recommend to your chiropractor. (The dead giveaway is the 45-degree angle of sagging shoulder carrying said purse.) A purse is the veneer of a woman's personality: you can tell a lot about her by looking at it.


2. When was the last time you went to the zoo? Where? What's your favorite zoo animal?



Oh, boy. My last zoo trip was probably in the mid-1990s when my kids and I braved the heat of the Baltimore Zoo on a homeschool field trip. I remember the juice from a popsicle running down Sarah's hand and a bunch of sweat bees about to attack her. I grabbed the popsicle, wiped her off with a baby wipe, and proceeded to get stung three times myself. One never thinks of sweat bees as zoo animals until such an incident. They're not my favorite.

I would have to say zebras are my favorite because we share a fun letter in our names. I've always wanted to start my own line of intimate apparel and call it "Z Bras." Everything would be made of black and white zebra stripes. Can you imagine the literally dizzying array of lingerie? But seriously, about real zebras, I marvel that--although they all look alike--no two zebras have the same stripe pattern. When they run, their stripes become a blur and so their predators can't pick one off in the stampede. What a remarkable element that God thought of to protect them.

3. What social issue fires you up?

Illegal immigration. Actually just about anything that has to do with the lack of border patrol and the subsequent burden Mexicans are putting on America when they cross over illegally. From a safety standpoint, local sheriffs in Arizona are having to do the job that the President should assign to 6,000 armed soldiers. My sister who lives there is afraid to go into the field (she's in land management) because the Mexican drug cartels outman and outgun the local police. From an economic standpoint, illegals are putting a huge tax burden on us by not paying into the system but wiring back money to their families across the border. Law-abiding, tax-paying Americans are practically sponsoring illegals to live here. Why did you get me started on this one????

4. Are you a coupon clipper? If so, are you extreme?

No, I'm not aboard the clipper ship. I was once upon a time, but my hubby observed that it was taking more time than it was saving money . (Being a finance guy, he is always seeing the cost value of time.) He told me just to stick to the sale items, mainly on the perimeter of the store; we also go regularly to a local food distributor of restaurant-quality food that has below-grocery store prices; monthly we hit a scratch-and-dent store in PA for drinks, lunch items and toiletries, once in a while Aldi. (It's kind of out of the way but it's hard to beat for basic stuff and produce.)
The" extremers" also tend to hoard food in an organized way; the media praises them while judging other types of hoarders. It's a double standard. Getting a natural high from a good deal is fine, but some people will neglect their health in the long-term while saving a buck in the short term. And extreme couponing is another type of OCD. I have other neuroses; thank God this isn't one of them!

5. What is one of your favorite souvenirs brought back from your travels?

Oh, wow. I have a whole entertainment center devoted to souvenirs from around the world. Most of them have been brought back for me, since I've only been to Canada, Russia, and Mexico myself. My daughter and I went to Vladimir, Russia with Global Aid Network when she graduated from high school . In one of the orphanages, the children had made ceramic figurines (upper shelf, right side) for the visiting Americans and they let us choose our favorites. So Sarah and I each chose one, but one boy said, "Take anuzzer. Pleece!" So I took another and thanked him profusely. There's something about handling art that children have made; I just love it. I don't know if our trip there had a lasting effect or if it was just harder for the orphans to be loved on for a couple hours and then 'abandoned" again. I still don't know. Maybe we won't know till we get to heaven.

6. Lemon meringue or key lime?

Key lime. Love it.

7. What is the most beautiful word you know in any language?




It's a toss-up between "love" and "bathroom." I mean, love is the most beautiful word to say and hear, but bathroom takes the prize when ya really gotta go, when "love" is all about relief of simultaneous bladder and social pressures. Point me to the bathroom when I'm doing a jig and I will love you like there's no tomorrow.

8. Insert your own random thought here.

I have become the mom who will bribe her adult children with food in order to get them to come home for a visit. Our second son just moved out on Sunday (post coming, of course) and already I'm dangling the words, "beef burgundy Thursday" in his Facebook inbox.

7 comments:

Joyce said...

I've been to the Baltimore Zoo often but not in many years. The last time we were there I went with a friend and our four kids who were in elementary school. Driving home the traffic was an absolute nightmare. The beltway was literally bumper to bumper. We saw a young girl have three separate fender benders in less than a two mile period. Three!!! I can't imagine being the parent on the receiving end of those phone calls : )

As to #8-I say use whatever works!

TheHouse said...

I liked what you said about hoarding--it's certainly true. Although, I did watch one woman who used coupons to get the cash back (because Walmart does things like that) and then donated the items she didn't need. She was able to donate and STILL get her groceries free.

Anonymous said...

I think the fun in couponing, besides saving money, is getting things for the lowest price possible. It becomes like a game...between retailers and shoppers. Personally, I find great joy in paying $20 for $250 worth of groceries. I wish I could be home full-time to have enough time to do it properly!

Donna @ The House on the Corner said...

Ok - so there is a fine line between taking advantage of a good deal and hoarding... I don't consider myself a hoarder - but I do have multiple packages of toilet paper, paper towels, and toothpaste - all purchased for a significantly reduced price. BUT - I will say, I have never nor will I ever turn a room in my house into a pantry or force my guests to sleep on top of piles of groceries :-D

I'm surprised at how many people are listing the immigration issue as an issue they're fired up about. Here in Texas, it's an everyday topic - I guess I forget that we're not the only ones affected.

Laurie said...

Yes! "Another fun batch of questions"... and answers!
"Z-bras"! You KNOW there is probably an apparel opportunity there!

Susan said...

Oh yes, food bribery is a good thing. Works every time. Of course, that would require that the offspring actually leave home at some point. :)

Unknown said...

Thanks so much for stopping by my blog and for your sweet comment - yes, my figurine brings me both joy and sadness as I am missing my man SO much right now! LOVED reading your blog - your zebra comments made wonder at God's awesomeness and also think of really cool lingerie... not often that those two get combined, I must confess! :-) Loved your comments about your sweet youngest as well... my eldest is a teen and my youngest is 7, and I must admit, I cherish the little boy-ness so much more now that I realize how short it lasts.. sigh,..