Wednesday Hodgepodge

1. Have you ever been 'asked' to report for jury duty? Were you chosen to serve? If not, were you happy or disappointed?

Yes, I have had to report for jury duty several times. Only once did I get called to the jury box and was questioned. They didn't like my answers, so they let me go home. I was relieved.
 

2. On a scale of 1-10 (with 10 being very), how mechanically inclined are you? Give an example to back up your answer.

I'm about a 3, I suppose. I become very familiar with my office equipment, particularly. Up until a couple weeks ago we had this very large digital duplicator for about 10 years. I knew by the sounds it made if it was malfunctioning. I knew what to do if the masters wouldn't spit out of the machine. On more than one occasion I had a pair of tweezers in there trying to get the bands positioned back on the rollers. Of course, my hands were always covered with ink when I was finished.

That's about the extent of my mechanical abilities, though.
 

3. Beets-cabbage-cauliflower-butternut squash....of the four, which is your favorite fall vegetable?

I can happily say that I eat all of those vegetables, but as for a favorite... I suppose I'd choose butternut squash, simply because I eat all the others year-round. I eat butternut squash a couple times in the fall. It's very good with butter and brown sugar.
 

4. What do you recommend to overcome self-pity?

Reading the Bible helps, and meditating on what Christ did for us on the cross and His great love and mercy lavished on us.

5. Do you enjoy classical music?

I will listen to it, but I have to work to enjoy it. 
 

6. October is National Book Month...what's on your reading list this month?

Okay... how did I miss that this is National Book Month? I'm hopelessly in love with books. I am currently reading His Steadfast Love by Golden Keyes Parsons and The Essentials of Prayer by E.M. Bounds. I'm expecting several other books in the mail for me to review in a few weeks, like The Doctor's Lady by Jody Hedlund, House of Secrets by Tracie Peterson, and Wonderland Creek by Lynn Austin. I can't wait!
 

7. What is your idea of 'cute'?

 My little Dixie girl, my Sheltie

 8. Insert your own random thought here. 
 My favorite season is summer, but I do enjoy the fall colors. We've been enjoying temperatures in the 70's and 80's through the last week, so I've got to enjoy a little mix of summer and fall. I like it!

If you're interested in seeing how other bloggers answered these questions, pay From This Side of the Pond a visit.

Wednesday Hodgepodge (Mar. 23)

I'm linking up with From This Side of the Pond today.

1. Sunday was the first day of spring. So they say. Ahem. What is your favorite outdoor springtime activity?

I like to walk at the park for exercise. It's about the only form of exercise that I can stay motivated with. Once spring arrives I can tolerate the temperatures.

2. Who would you want to come into your kitchen to cook dinner for you?

It wouldn't be anybody famous. But my sweet friend, Judy, is a terrific cook. If she cooked dinner in my kitchen, it would probably be the one time we had a really good meal because I'm more of a sloppy joes, frozen pizza, and frozen meal kit kind of cook. Judy's homemade pizzeria style pizza is to die for.

3. When was the last time you flew a kite?

I can't remember, it was so long ago. I'm sure I had to have been 10 years old or younger. Would you even believe it if I told you that flying kites scared me? I think I was either afraid they would get tangled up in a tree or hit electrical lines.

4. What topic puts you to sleep faster than anything?

Anything having to do with math

5. What flowers do you associate with specific people, places, or events?

photo © 2009 anam_uk | more info (via: Wylio)

 

 

 

 

My parents gave me Sterling Roses for my high school graduation because my school colors were purple and white. I had never seen purple roses before, and they were beautiful.

6. What significant historical events took place during your elementary school years?

President Reagan was shot when I was in the 6th grade. I remember getting home from school and watching the footage over and over and over again on the news.

7. Do you swear? Do you pseudo-swear? (you know- crap, shoot, friggin' ?)

I do not swear, but I have been known to say crap when I'm really annoyed and all worked up over some issue. Not that I'm proud of it. I don't want to be a poor testimony for the Lord.

8. Insert your own random thought here-

I saw this last week, and it's really cute, especially if you're a dog lover.

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Perfectionism

I'm sorry that the perfectionist in me will not let me be settled without writing something for Tuesday. As I participate in the NaBloPoMo challenge during March, I've really been trying to keep up with posting every single day because my little blog really needs a boost. Here it is past 9 PM, though, and I've written not a thing. I tried to just let it go, but I keep thinking about how this is day 15, and I can't miss now. I'm at the halfway mark.

So please forgive me for blogging tonight about blogging. I'll try to do better in the next 16 days.

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No Blog Fairy?

It's funny how I sometimes open my Google Reader and look for a new post on Discovering Liz, knowing full well I haven't written a new post.  And then, for some reason, I'm a little disappointed that there's nothing there. 

I guess I keep thinking the blog fairy will compose something for me overnight while I'm sleeping.  I guess that's not gonna happen.

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Let Me Check My Calendar!

I'm not certain as to whether I should love or hate Culver's, home of the Butter Burger.  I'm on their e-mailing list.  Not sure why I signed up, except maybe I thought I'd get free ice cream, or something.  I've only been there twice in the last two years.  Last week they sent me the most awful email, and I've kept it in my inbox just to punish myself.  At least, I don't know why else I would keep it.

I know you think I'm talkin' crazy, but here's what they wanted to inform me of.  They feature a different flavor of ice cream every day in September.  They thought, just maybe, I would like to come in every day to their restaurant to taste the various flavors.

September Flavors

1 Chocolate Covered Strawberry

2 Peanut Butter Cup

3 Bananas Foster

4 Cookie Dough Craving

5 Caramel Cashew

6 Berries & Cream

7 Turtle

8 Chocolate Covered Strawberry

9 Mint Oreo

10 Heath Chocolate Almond

11 Twix Mix

12 Turtle Dove

13 Double Strawberry

14 Turtle

15 Chocolate Covered Strawberry

16 Cherry Cheesecake

17 Black Forest

18 Really Reese’s

19 Caramel Cashew

20 Berries & Cream

21 Turtle

22 Chocolate Covered Strawberry

23 Cashew Delight

24 Caramel Chocolate Pecan

25 Cookie Dough Craving

26 Oreo Overload

27 Raspberry Cordial

28 Turtle

29 Chocolate Covered Strawberry

30 Pumpkin Pecan

Do you know how much I want to drive there right now?  What is today?  September 17th?  Look, they're serving up Black Forest flavor today.  That sounds delicious! 

I think I want to LIVE at Culver's!!!

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What's Up With That?

I've seriously been thinking of starting a series on my blog in which I write about things I just don't get.  You know those things that make me say, "Huh?" and scratch my head.  Right now I've got several just floating around in my thoughts that I could talk about.

For instance, I was in the church foyer yesterday and heard a loud knocking coming from the far end of the hallway.  No one else was at the church, so I wondered what could be making the noise. 

I walked down the hallway and heard, "Caw caw caw!" and the loud knocking continued.  I reached the classroom at the end of the hall, and there on the windowsill a big, fat crow was perched.  He was knocking loudly on the window with his beak.

I'm not talking about a light tap tapping on the window.  He wanted in!  He pecked at the bottom of the window as if he could somehow pry it open, and he continued to beat on the window with his beak and bark out, "Caw caw caw!"

The crows that hang out at the church are scary. They're big and loud, and for some reason they want in. 

What's up with that?!?

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Why? (repost)

While I'm away at camp, please enjoy these selected posts a second time around.

Originally posted on December 11, 2007

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I got this in an email yesterday, and I think it's pretty funny and very true.

WHY?

Why do we press harder on a remote control when we know the batteries are going dead?

Why do banks charge a fee on "insufficient funds" when they know there is not enough money?

Why does someone believe you when you say there are four billion stars, but check when you say the paint is wet?

Why do they use sterilized needles for death by lethal injection?

Why doesn't Tarzan have a beard?

Why does Superman stop bullets with his chest, but ducks when you throw a revolver at him?

Why do Kamikaze pilots wear helmets?

Why is it that no matter what color bubble bath you use the bubbles are always white?

Is there ever a day that mattresses are not on sale?

Why do people constantly return to the refrigerator with hopes that something new to eat will have materialized?

Why do people keep running over a string a dozen times with their vacuum cleaner, then reach down, pick it up, examine it, then put it down to give the vacuum one more chance?

Why is it that no plastic bag will open from the end on your first try?

How do those dead bugs get into those enclosed light fixtures?

Why is it that whenever you attempt to catch something that's falling off the table you always manage to knock something else over?

In winter why do we try to keep the house as warm as it was in summer when we complained about the heat?

How come you never hear father-in-law jokes?

The statistics on sanity are that one out of every four persons is suffering from some sort of mental illness. Think of your three best friends -- if they're okay, then it's you.

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It's Really Just About the Church Picnic

Do you know which post draws the most people to Discovering Liz from search engines?  You're sure to be surprised when I tell you, with the variety of topics I've talked about in my years of blogging.  It's the post titled Church Picnic from July 2008.  And the reason it was titled Church Picnic is because I was talking about my church picnic. 

I'm afraid everyone who has come from the search engines was looking for either game ideas or food suggestions and recipes.  You poor dears! 

Not having been to Discovering Liz before, you would not know that Liz is not the party-planning-type-of-girl.  Liz has no ideas for games, nor does she have any food suggestions for your church picnics.  That is, aside from the classics: potato salad, deviled eggs, coleslaw, and hot dogs.  Can you really go wrong with those?

In the last seven days alone, 4 out of 6 searches were:

• things i need for a church picnic
• food for a church picnic
• church picnic foods
• church picnic food

So let me be clear.  Liz does not have any advice for your church picnic planning.  My post really was just about enjoying my church picnic.

I wonder how many more hits I'll get now from all my references to Church Picnic in this post?  {sigh}

  

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Chat Pack - Career Path

It's Friday. 

It's a Chat Pack question.

Need I say more?

Oh... click the "play" button.

  

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You Would Think...

You would think that a girl whose afternoon unexpectedly freed up would just find all sorts of ways to use that time in a productive way. 

Like she could...

1. answer questions for the two Bible studies she needs to work on
2. plan meals for the next week
3. make a grocery list
4. start reading one of the four library books she borrowed last Thursday
5. study her Sunday school lesson

Yeah, any one of those things on the to-do list would have been productive.  But what did she do instead?  Played around with her Flip Mino camera.  And there may or may not have been lip syncing involved.  Just sayin'. 

In my defense, I really was working on my Chat Pack vlog post for tomorrow.  I just got a little distracted.

Oh, Flip Mino.  How I do love thee...

  

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Chat Pack (It's a Vlog)

Friday?  Did I hear someone say it's Friday?  Woo...hooooo!!!!  The weekend's here!

I guess that means I'll be answering another Chat Pack question today.  I wonder what the question is? 

Better click the play button to find out.  It's only 3 minutes and 14 seconds of your life you won't get back.  And ya never know.  I might just sing a rendition of Weekend in New England, and you surely wouldn't want to miss that.

               

 

Okay... show of hands... who clicked play to see if I would sing Weekend in New England?  You can fess up in the comments below.

Have a great Friday!

  

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A Very Random Random Dozen

                                      

It's Wednesday and another session with Linda and her Random Dozen.  Does anyone see the irony in the fact that I have to display this picture of donuts on my blog every time I do this meme?  Oh, Lid, if you only knew...

 

1. Ever had any run-ins with the "library police?"

I never had a librarian come after me, but I did have one get a little stern with me once.  Many years ago my record showed that I had 2 books that had been overdue for something like a year.  What didn't make sense was that they were books from the children's department.  Something about science experiments, if I remember correctly.  Well, I don't have children, so I'd have no need for checking out children's books.  The librarian tried to pin it on me, and I continued to insist I don't check out kids' books.  She finally gave up and marked it as lost in the system.

2. Do you have a special organizational plan and place for wrapping paper, gift bags, etc., or do you just purchase whatever you need as you give gifts?

Gift wrap organization?  What's that?  I basically put tubes of wrapping paper in a corner in the spare bedroom and keep a small tote with tissue paper and odds and ends.  I never purchase the stuff ahead of time, though.  I buy it as needed.

3. Have you ever been in (first-hand witness) a natural disaster?

No, I can't say that I have.  It's amazing that I've lived in Indiana for 37 years and have never experienced a tornado.  I've been nearby when some have come through and have seen high winds and green-colored sky, but I've never actually been in the middle of one.

4. What's your favorite Barry Manilow song?

"Weekend In New England" YouTube video

Barry who????  Okay, I am sooo kidding.  I do know who Barry Manilow is, but that's only because a long time ago my mom had all his records, which were played a lot at my house in the 70's.  I was a kid. 

I didn't actually know the title of my favorite song, but I knew what it sounded like.  So I just went looking for it on YouTube and discovered it is called Weekend in New England.  Oh, my heart, I love that song.  I think it's the melody and the words combined in such a way that just tugs at my heart.  If you need to see Barry perform this, here's the video for your own enjoyment.  You know, I only provide quality entertainment here at the blog...

5. What's the best costume you've ever worn?

I'm going to take a lot of liberty with my answer.  When I turned 7 my parents threw a surprise party for me and invited all my little schoolmate girlfriends.  Although it wasn't a costume, per se, Mom had made me a skirt and bonnet out of a red calico that matched, and she made each of the girls matching bonnets to wear at the party, too.  It was a Holly Hobby theme because I was really into her at the time.

6. Which do you use more often, the dictionary or the thesaurus?

I use the dictionary more.  Usually I'm looking to see if a word means what I think it means.  You know how you use a word for years, and then you go to use it in your blog and aren't even sure if you've been using it correctly?  (Like for question #5 I had to look up "per se")

7. What's your favorite breakfast food?

I love granola.

8. Have you ever purchased anything from an infomercial?

I remember when I got my first credit card after entering college I saw this hair flip tool that would turn your ponytail inside out.  I ordered it and used it about 5 times.  I could never get my hair to look quite right. 

9. Have you ever crawled through a window?

It's funny that Lid would ask this question because of my blog post of yesterday about my husband getting locked out of the house.  I don't think I've ever had to crawl through a window. 

10. Do you believe in love at first sight?

No, I don't.  Infatuation, yes.  Love, no.

11. How man pairs of jeans do you own?

I own 5 pairs of jeans that I wear.  I have a couple others in my drawer that I've been holding onto for skinny Liz, but I haven't seen her in a long time.  Sure wish she'd come back and wear her jeans already.

12. If someone were going to bake a cake to honor/represent you, what would it be? (Think creatively, like Duff and Crew on "Ace of Cakes.")

I think it would probably be a piano.  That's what I think I'm most known for in church ministry because it's what I've been doing the longest.  I think it would be cool if it had a bar of music floating out and into the air.  Someone recently gave me a gift for playing at their daughter's wedding.  It's a grand piano encased in a crystal cube, and the music is floating out the top of the piano.  It's beautiful.  This is a picture of it.

                                 

For more Random Dozen or to link up with your own, hop on over to Linda's 2nd Cup of Coffee.

  

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Not For Lack of Desire

It's funny that I'm sitting here staring at a blank page in my Windows Live Writer and have no idea what to say.  Blog hopping at the Ultimate Blog Party has me feeling inspired to write more often.  I thought maybe my words would come more easily now, but alas, here I sit.  The page is still blank.  Okay, it's not blank anymore because I just wrote those last four sentences.

So while I'm thinking of something to say, I guess this is as good a time as any to give you a heads up about my Friday post.  I've got another Chat Pack entry coming your way, and I answer the question by vlog.  I'll be telling a story from my childhood, so it should be fun.

Anyways, back to blog ideas.  I thought maybe I could join ohamanda for her Top Ten Tuesday today, but I couldn't come up with any kind of list that included ten things.  Ideas that were swarming around in my head were:

1.  Top Ten Things I Did Today (I didn't think you'd really care to know that I folded 3 baskets of laundry and cooked dinner.)

2.  Top Ten Places That My Cat Has Puked Since Last Week (ummm yeah... that's real blog worthy stuff right there)

3.  Top Ten Favorite New Blogs I Found During The Ultimate Blog Party (I'm not quite ready to put that list together, but I think a link-love post will be forthcoming.)

4.  Top Ten Ideas For A Top Ten Post (Yeah, see the problem is that I haven't come up with 10 ideas yet, so that's a no-go.)

Okay, so I'm scrapping the Top Ten idea. 

And since nothing else is coming to me right now, I'm just going to wrap this up and call it a post.

Better come back tomorrow.  Please?

Caffeinated Randomness: Talkin' Donuts

Let's serve up some donuts with the Caffeinated Randomness at Andrea's blog today.

If you read my post yesterday, you'll understand why my friend Mary sent me this video.

 

 

Have a great weekend... and eat a donut for me!

Chat Pack - Lost

Okay, so how many of you saw the title of this post and thought I was going to talk about the show LOST?  No such luck, people.  No such luck.  I'm not a Lostie, nor could I even try to be.  I have attempted on three separate occasions to watch the pilot episode and never could figure out what was happening.  So I gave up long ago. 

So what I'm really doing on this fine Friday is answering another question from my Chat Pack. 

Question:  If you could get one thing back that was either lost or destroyed, what would it be?

I could answer this one on a few different levels, but I'm going to keep it simple today.  In fact, when I found this question in the box a few weeks ago, this is the very first thing that came to mind... my Senior Yearbook from 1991.

Yeah, my senior yearbook has been missing for many years.  I have searched everywhere I know to look.  I looked in all my bags and boxes of stuff I brought with me when I got married in '95.  I had looked through all my parents' boxes in storage, to the best of my ability.  I have no idea what happened to it.  I have five other yearbooks from junior high through 11th grade that managed to remain together, but the senior yearbook is gone.  GONE!  My SENIOR YEARBOOK.  The most important one of all.  It was the only year my picture looked good.  And it's gone.

I imagine all my classmates sitting at home on weekends flipping through the pages of their senior yearbooks reminiscing.  They're reading all those personal notes that our friends signed like, "It's been fun getting to know you"... "You have a fun personality"... "You have a nice smile"...."Don't ever change."  And I'm missing out on all that.  I can't help but feel a bit jealous of my fellow grads.  I hope they know how lucky they are.

I sure wish I could get my yearbook back.  {sigh}

Has anything important to you been lost or destroyed, and you want it back?

Chat Pack - Special Delivery

Well.  It's another Friday.  Where did the week go?  I might need to use the Chat Pack every day because it seems this is the only way I can find something to talk about.  {I was going to say something "interesting" to talk about, but I guess that all depends on if you find this interesting.}

Today's question is... 

If, like the newspaper or milk, you could have anything of your choice delivered to your doorstep every morning, what particular item would you want it to be?

Now there's an interesting thought.  A daily delivery of anything I want?  I guess there's one thing that I would enjoy having every day, and if it could be delivered directly to my front door, that would be even better.  I know you'll be surprised when I tell you I would want a Starbucks Tall Whole White Chocolate Mocha No Whip delivery.  I know!  You were expecting me to say Peppermint Mocha, weren't you?

Anyway, I would love a home delivery, but only if it was hot and ready at the moment I was leaving for work.  It sure would save me the time from having to leave early, drive up, and walk into the grocery store on those select days when I've got a craving.

Tell me.  What would you want to arrive by home delivery every morning?

Uuuummmm...

Uh oh.  Looks like I'm back to where I was before November, having nothing to say.  What happened to the idea of writing becoming a habit?

I'm just so complex...and frustrating.

{Sigh}

Too Sleepy For Words

I know I'm very late with my post today, but it's been an extremely long day.  Even though I don't have a single thing to say, I thought about my little blog and couldn't bear to neglect it.  You know, they say once you do something for 21 consecutive days it becomes a habit.  I guess that Nablopomo/30 days of posts thing really did the trick, huh?  Now I can't stop posting.

Well... I'm sitting here next to my Sheltie whose eyelids are drooping, and my eyelids are getting pretty heavy too.  You should see us.  We make quite a cute pair.  I think it's time to log off and get to bed.

See you tomorrow.

NaBloPoMo? Check it Off!

I know you think this is just another Monday, but this is not just any ordinary Monday.  Do you know why?  Because it's November 30th, which means it is the final day of NaBloPoMo.  I have written a post every day this month, which means I broke a Discovering Liz record.  I bet y'all never thought I could do it.  Can I get a wOOt wOOt?!?  {Thank you, Ronnica.  I heard you there in the back.}

I think we should all celebrate this incredible accomplishment with a Peppermint Mocha.  Who's in?

{Laughing}

Have a great Monday, guys.

A Losing Battle

I was tidying up a bit in my kitchen and food storage area, and I came across another contraband item that my husband smuggled in from the store.  Sometimes I wonder if he hates me.  {totally kidding}  This is what I get for being married to a man employed by a grocer.

Do you see what I'm up against?  CANDY CANE CHOCOLATE SANDWICH COOKIES!!!

Maybe I could have just one...