Friday Five - Before Your Time

Of television programs that aired before you were born, what’s your favorite? The Hunk has a season of Hogan's Heroes, which I like a lot.

What person of historical significance was from your neighborhood or city? Ettore Boiardi - but you probably know him as Chef Boyardee! He wasn't from there originally, though.

What’s a story that’s often been told about someone in your family in the years before you came along? My mother is afraid of heights, but apparently when she was little, she liked to climb trees. She would get herself stuck up a tree and cry and cry and cry until someone got a ladder and could get her down.

Which of previous generations’ dumb mistakes (in deed or thought) baffles you the most? The idea that markets will perpetually continue to turn greater and greater profits. And then, the fact that people fell for it again! (Though that's not a previous generation, really.)

What aspect of life in the good old days would you love to see a return to? Oh, that's an EASY one: narrower hips! *grin*

Read more here!

Image thanks to http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=11860910

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Friday Five: Metaphors Be With You

Okay, TERRIBLE pun, but it's not my fault. Today's Friday Five has some really intriguing lines of thought, and I'm looking forward to answering the questions.

When you go to the beach, lake, or pool, are you more likely to lower yourself gradually into cold water or to take a determined plunge and get it over with? It depends on how hot I am, and on just HOW cold the water is. If it's somewhere that I have to wade in, I'll probably go slowly. I've also learned that jumping in doesn't help unless I start swimming right away - otherwise I just STAY cold!

How is this like (or unlike) your approach to other tasks or ordeals? I like to make sure that I'm approaching things in the most effective manner I can. I try, anyway.

When someone gives you flowers, are you more likely to let them turn completely brown and gross before throwing them out, or to discard them the moment they take on that sick-flower look? I take pictures of them from several different angles right away. I remove the flowers from the vase as soon as they start wilting. If they have strong heads and necks and will dry well (roses or carnations - great; lilies - not so much), or if they're particularly meaningful, I dry them. (Hairspray!!) If not, they go in the trash.

How is this like (or unlike) your approach to other gifts, purchases, or relationships? I'm not really good at keeping in touch with acquaintances. However, I'm absolutely devoted to those who're close to me.

Think of your favorite movie (or a movie you really like, if you can’t think of a favorite). Some people say that the reasons you love your favorite movie are related to what you value in romantic relationships. How is this true or untrue in your case? The Sting, without a doubt. I like it because it is clever, charming, funny (but not stupid), and sweet. Those are all things I love about the Hunk, too, but I think no movie can mirror what I think is most important in a romantic relationship: trust. It's wonderful to be able to have that no-matter-what trust in someone, and humbling and honoring to have that person extend the same trust to you.

This was fun - great questions this week. In fact, I think I liked them enough that I'd like to see some other responses.

So I'm going to tag people! And because it is the Friday FIVE, after all, here's my five tags:

- Melissa, the fabulous Scholastic Scribe
- The Wonderful Richie, over at Bellringers
- loonyhiker, who always provides wonderful examples of Successful Teaching
- Our dearest cupcake, struggling with Yearbook Issues at A Truth Universally Acknowledged
and
- The Science Goddess (cue reverential bow here), who shows us What It's Like on the Inside

I'm terribly nosey and curious to see your takes!

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Friday Five: Midsummer Nights’ Dreams

Welcome to this week's Friday Five, all about dreams. They're funny things. I've heard it said that we don't dream in color, but I've always had full use of my senses in dreams. And I've heard it said that you don't die in dreams, but that's also not true, because I died and I went to a white room - not all that big, though. Kind of like a waiting room. I don't remember much else about that dream, alas! Oddly, my husband says he doesn't remember his dreams.

Click through to read the questions and my responses. You can find out what other people have said here.

What are some recurring dreams you’ve had? When I was little, I dreamed that I was part of a superhero team that consisted of a bunch of cartoon characters. I know Inspector Gadget was one of them, as were the Ghostbusters ... and OMG, I think I must've repressed how AWFUL that show was!!! So, so, so bad.

What is the significance of dreams in telling you about yourself? Hm. In regards to that particular dream, either it means I have always wanted to be part of something larger than myself and do something meaningful and world-changing and good, or it means I watched way too many cartoons. In general, though, I think it's just the brain having some WHEEEE! time.

How do you feel after you’ve had one of THOSE dreams? What, a my-class-ignores-both-instruction-and-management dream? One of my greatest fears is that one day everyone will wake up and realize that I don't really KNOW what I'm doing, I've just been lucky with my guesses.

What was the last dream you remember? No idea, to be honest. So, instead, my most memorable dream: the death of my former best friend. I'd moved away and we lost touch. She was in the hospital, and I meant to go see her, but I kept putting it off. My mom called and told me that she'd died and I felt SO BAD. The next morning I could barely get through breakfast. I knew I'd have to go to the funeral, but I didn't want to face her family. She'd been in the hospital for some time, and I'd known I should at least go visit. I should've just gone right away when mom called. (pause) (think) No, mom called to tell me she'd died. How did I find out about the hospital? I searched my memory, but ... nothing. And when I thought back, I realized I didn't feel bad about her death yesterday, and I didn't actually remember mom's call. Right there over my bowl of cereal I started crying with relief as I figured out that I'd dreamed it.

When did you last dream about something that later happened as you dreamt it? To my knowledge, never happened. However, I don't often try to remember my dreams much beyond thinking over them in the first few minutes after waking up.

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Friday Five: Annoyances

What’s something people do in public that really annoys you, even though it’s probably not a big deal? I don't know about annoyed, but I get kind of wigginsed when teenagers get all smoochy and cuddly. It must be a sign of getting older. Yurgh.

How readily do you ask strangers to stop their annoying behavior? Depends on the level of the annoyance. If it's something that just bugs me, I'll try to move. If they're talking on a cell phone during a movie or something, I might ask THEM to move.

What’s something you do in public that probably annoys others? Nuzzling the Hunk, I suppose - I know it annoys him after a bit! (Does this make me a hypocrite?)

What’s your theory about why it’s so easy to get annoyed when one is behind the wheel of a vehicle? Not so much "behind the wheel" as "insulated from others." Typically, I find that I get annoyed much more easily when I'm by myself in the car (so, obviously, behind the wheel). And it's not that I get annoyed more easily, it's just that the social constraints for expressing annoyance are gone. You KNOW people in other cars can't hear you and probably can't read your lips, and you can be pretty sure that they aren't going to do anything about it anyway, plus you'll probably never see them again.

What regular, minor annoyance have you learned to tolerate? Students not turning in homework? *eyeroll* The Hunk will say "ideal" for "idea" a lot - I try to avoid correcting him. Sometimes, though, he catches me holding it back. ;)

Go to http://friday5.org/ to see the others!

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