Quick Random lists, writers, artists

The Rules: Don't take too long to think about it. Fifteen authors (poets included) who've influenced you and that will always stick with you. List the first fifteen you can recall in no more than fifteen minutes. Tag at least fifteen friends, including me, because I'm interested in seeing what authors my friends choose. (To do this, go to your Notes tab on your profile page, paste rules in a new note, cast your fifteen picks, and tag people in the note.)

Annie Dillard

Barbara Kingsolver

Shakespeare

Mary Oliver

Patrick Lawler

Marion Zimmer Bradley

Charles Dickens

Jane Austen

Jim Kjelgaard

Hemingway

Blake

Steinbeck

Alice Walker,

Mark Twain

Harper Lee

(kind of quick and random)

ANother quick random one with various kinds of artists:

Annie Dillard

Van Gogh

Kahlo

Barbara Kingsolver

Sylvia Plath

Robert Frost

Emily Dickinson

Phillip LeVine

Escher

DaVinci

Dali

Margaret Atwood

Denise Levertov

Mozart

Beethoven

Your turn

Urban Dictionary Meme

As seen on Smellyann's blog and on In Blue Ink.

Rules: Go to urbandictionary.com and type in your answer to each question in the search box in the top right corner and then write the first definition it gives you!
(this is not kid friendly so beware of words and sentences little eyes should not see)

1. What is your name?

1.	Mary
	one who is seemingly innocent. Mary is commonly known as a good girl, for example: the virgin mary ... however Mary is a bad girl who never gets caught. person1: ...christian cheerleader? a Mary?!?! person2: yeah, at practice and chruch is a goody good... but you should've seen her at the party. 2. Your age? "washed up"

3. One of your friends?
Biker Buddy: "lets talk about choppers and wear the same shirts and hang out and be cool cause i like you man, but you are crazy. ..."

4. What should you be doing?
Laundry:

"Laundry can and is often used as a code name for sex, for discussion around people in public, or for people who are uncomfortable with the term "having sex" or "intercourse."

A woman says to her husband "Can we do the laundry?" The man says to his wife, "I already did the laundry, it was a small load, so I did it by hand."" (Geez, I thot it meant washing the clothes!)

5. Favorite color?
green

yes... it is most definitely referring to the marijuana... and also, upon occasion, any substance with similar uses. too, properly, of course, it is a golfing term, but that's really not very much fun, now is it?

'yo, where da green at?'

6. Hometown: Detroit

	1.A city that a bunch of people talk and complain about but without ever stepping inside the city limits or even coming within 50 miles of its border. 4.Best water in the world.

7. Month of your birthday? May

cool; sexy; hot

i am so may

8. Last person you talked to? BB, see #3

9.What did you eat last?
bran: any swearword you wish

10. Your nickname: *****
"Mary, you'll never get anywhere in life by just lying around without a head, you know."
"Gurgle gurgle gurgle"

11. Your significant other: BB see #3

12. Another friend, since you blew #3: Dawn

An irresistibly beautiful girl who can make her very special sexy friend hard and horny and is proud of it.

More personality quizzes

I took some more of these tests. There were not always choices that suited me and the answers were sometimes way off--like my party thing! HUH? Where's they get that? I tried to choose laid back choices like talking and eating and listening to music, but some of them were too far out. As far as travel, I wanted to travel to almost all those places!

As far as movies go, I tried to pick things I thought I MIGHT like, as most of them I haven't seen (except Persepolis).

You Universe's view of ME (My visual "DNA")

I took this test that was forwarded to me by Pam. It was fun to take, but in some instances, they didn't offer a choice that was right for me and I had to pick another. It was still fun and interesting, though, I enjoyed it and enjoyed the pictures they had for choices. You just pick the favorite of each group--the one most "you" and it gives you a new group and it doesn't take long.

I would have chosen a different bedroom than any they had. I like a dark cozy bedroom. I like lots of light during the day and lots of darkness at night. I chose the bedroom I did choose for its books. I would have chosen listening to music first choice in a really comfy chair in a dark cozy spot. The one I chose was my second choice. I like listening to music while I work. Also the art thing, I like manmade art, too, very much. But I couldn't resist the chambered nautilus!

This is a meme of sorts, and if you do it, let me know. I'm not tagging anyone except Coffeypot, because I know yr super busy. But it is interesting and fun.

A 1930s wife

49 As a 1930s wife, I am Average Take the test!

For some reason, I did significantly better than I expected and I tried to be honest. Of course, if I wore hose, my seems might not be straight. Let me know how you did! LOL!

I will be away for much of the next month. I will be in Syracuse NY through the 2nd and from the 8th-20th, I will be camping in the U.P. (Michigan's Upper Peninsula), and I will be totally incommunicado during the period (no internet access, blogging etc.)

5 from Many Meme I

Coffeypot has a long Meme and I don't have time for a long meme so I am doing the first 5 only for now:

1. Do you like Blue Cheese? Absolutely! (but I'm allergic to it! WAHN!)
2. Have you ever smoked heroin? No! But I have various other things. Corn silk. Grass. 1/22nd of a cigarette once. (GAK!)
3. Do you own a gun? No, but BB and PB have several! GAK! :-(
4. What flavor do you add to your drink? Lemon with water. Chocolate with coffee or milk, which I can't do any more because I am allergic to both chocolate and coffee--and milk.
5. Do you get nervous before going to the doctor? Yes! It will be good or bad; either way I will deal with it. After I cry a lot, I am more curious that nervous. I do like to watch when I have have surgery. Sometimes it works and sometimes not.

I'm not tagging anyone but let me know if you do these, out of curiosity.

Make a Wish Meme

I got this meme over at Everything in Particular, of which I am a
member. However, since there was some controversy there, I made my own
skywatch picture for making a wish. If you want to participate, go
to Make a Wish for the guidelines.

I am going to make more than one wish (I've never been good at following rules):

1. I wish for peace, world peace and peace between all of us.
2. I wish for health for the earth and all its residents. I hope you are participating in Earth Hour tonight!
3. I wish for love for everyone.
4. I wish for patience, for myself and everyone else.
5. I wish for life for all of us. And for the unborn and yet to come, I wish a planet that is habitable.
6. I wish everyone would follow the golden rule (including me).
7. I wish for a good night's sleep for all.
   

123 Acrostic Poetry meme

H-Acrostic 123 Poetry Meme

This is for Andree, it's a variation on the page 123 meme for
poets--anyone can do it but it does take some time. I did this today,
this morning, but I recommend taking more time with it for best
results.

1)choose a book (mine is Marge Piercy's Three Women (Excellent book!)
2)go to P 123, Look for the first interesting word or phrase:
"Increasingly Silent All Day" (you can go on to the next page if
necessary)(Short words are quicker!)

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V
W X Y Z
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22
23 24 25 26

For each letter of your word or phrase, add that letters number of
pages and count down that letter's number of lines and write down the
first interesting phrase BEGINNING with the LETTER. Continuing adding
pages, and if you get to end, continue from the beginning. Or just
open any page randomly. Do NOT use a poetry book.

I=123+9= 132 p132, 9 lines down: insane desire to flee, to run off
into the misty morning and vanish
N=132+14=146, p 146, 14 lines down: nothing else, she waited until
Monday afternoon when everyone else was out of the house.
C=146+3=149, p149, 3 lines down: could no longer handle ordinary (clothes)
R=149+19=168, p168, 19 lines down: religiously, full of tales and dreams
E=168+5=173, p173, 5 lines down: Expect the brightest spot in her life
A: All he needed he could fit in a backpack
S: Sensible and cool. She liked to keep him on edge
I: I'm good for you, I only have to charm everyone, it was the
excitement she craved
N: Nothing's going on, not something she should spring on him, not fat
G: gently by the elbows as if she might fly apart. Grinning

S: Stood staring, seeing through her lashes. Scared. Bleak
I: I was innocent. I was depressed
L: Love had been a roaring inside her
E: Enjoy other people's pretend lives
C: Coward. Failure. Tried to kill herself.
E: Eyelids fluttered several times. Opened a slit. Moaned.

(Yours of course will look different.)

Now comes the hard poetry part. Now that you have a start, you can
change anything you want, look up new phrases. You can keep the
acrostic form, but if you do, try to make it not be obvious. Or get
rid of it. Revise and Edit till you have a poem. Feeel free to take
a week or two at least with this meme. Try to keep at least some part
of the original words or phrases.

Increasing Silence

I want to flee, to run off insane and vanish into morning, into mist, as if
nothing else mattered, as if everyone was gone from my life, as if I
could no longer handle ordinary relationships, as if love didn't exist. I am not
religious, but spiritual maybe and full of tales, dreams and fantasies, always
expecting love to be the brightest spot in my life, and full of laughter. If only
all I needed could fit in a backpack. If I could just be
sensible and calm. But life keeps me on edge. Remember love? Why can
I no longer charm you? Once I craved excitement, adventure.
Now, nothing happens. At bedtime, only sleep. Not even sleep. Hold me
gently by the elbows—I might fly apart. Stop frowning. I'm

scared. And bleak. I stand staring, seeing your lips through wet lashes.
I'm not innocent. I'm depressed, angry, hurt. Lonely.
Love roars inside me. Of course I still love you. But I don't
enjoy pretend lives, and silence! Distances. Touch me. Am I a
coward? A failure? I want the opposite of suicide. Give me life! Kiss my
eyelids! Butterfly kisses, moans of delight. Shhh, just hold me.

And here's another:

Complaints

Crazy you mutter the blues festival city's a mess ugh such a mob you look
over the boisterous crowd from a frowning face frown more deeply your
main gripe's the noise the surging swarm of humanity your
principle goal's to keep from slipping into the unruly streets
listen blues and laughter shrieks of joy but you shrink back
anticipate jostling pickpockets thieves and hustlers
insist always on security on your own way you would
never admit you'd prefer to hide inside turn on the TV watch the whole
thing canned later say yes you saw the sweat on the bass player's lip come on
stop grumbling lean closer enjoy with me this dancing pageant of people.

(Both poems by me, Mary Stebbins Taitt. the first one is brand new.)

on regular paper, these have an acrostic form but it is lost in the blog, which is too narrow. :-(

The H in H-Acrostic is from HARVESTED--meaning you start with harvested phrases.

The robin is from Thursday--they've been here about two weeks now.

I tag Andree, Michael, Pam, Leaf Lady, jo(e), Blue Rose and anyone else who would like
to play along. I may add links later, don't have time now.

(Oh, and of course, Happy St. Patrick's day. See next post.)

I said I didn't like memes all that much but I guess I like them better than I think--this is the third in a week--AK!

7 weird, random or inconsequential things about me Meme (yet again)(LOL!)

Seven weird, random or inconsequential facts about me: (I've done this meme or one like it about 4 times now, so I may be repeating myself or getting out there.) I got tagged by Blue Rose to do it again, so here I go:

1)If you haven't figured it out yet, I LOVE FLOWERS! All kinds of flowers. And I love photography.
2)I'm obsessive compulsive about homework. I always do the very best I can in the time I have available. These are homework assignments (exercises) I did last night for water media class but I still have more to do.
3)I have a cockatiel named Rocky (originally acquired for my daughter.) He used to fly free but now is confined to a cage.
4)I have fuzzy slippers
5)I am way behind on my email and snailmail
6)I love houseplants
7)My husband, Biker Buddy, and I are always playing and being silly when we have time together. That's us in a store window on Mack.

OK, well, if you want to participate, I hereby tag Nadine, Berrybird, Imperfect Nerd, Andree, Coffeypot, No More Empty Fortune Cookies and YOU if you are reading this! However, if you've already done it and can't think of anything else or don't have time, just forget it and leave me a little love note instead, lol! You do not HAVE to post pix to go with yours, but since Blue Rose did, I did too. I am sorry I haven't added links yet, I may or may not have time to do it later.

Click images to view larger. Click here to view the red face monotone water color image ("Remembering") larger still.

My body Image

Not all these quizzes are all that reliable, LOL! I just took a body image quiz and this is what I got:

Your Body Image is 36% Unhealthy, 64% Healthy

You're body image is quite healthy, though you're sometimes a little bit too hard on yourself. Chances are you've got a rockin' body - so enjoy it!

How's Your Body Image?

I would not say that I have a "rocking body!" Maybe I am OK with it because I am older and my expectations aren't as high as they used to be. I'd like to be leaner!

4 meme

I got this from Bea

Four jobs I have had in my life:

Animal caretaker

Model

Dancer

mail sorter (Also, tupperware salesperson/party giver)*

Four Places I have Lived:

Detroit

San Diego

Manhattan

San Francisco

Four Places I have been on vacation:

Slovenia

Italy

Austria

Black Canyon of the Gunnison

Four Places I would like to be right now besides right here:

Slovenia

Italy

Austria

Black Canyon of the Gunnison

Four of my favorite foods:

omelettes

oatmeal

stir-fries

brown rice

four things I really like to do:

paint on the computer

write poems

write stories

hug my sweetie (etc)

four people who might or might not respond in kind:

Berrybird, Nadine, Coffeypot, Pam

AK.

*jobs besides my regular work of museum educator and naturalist. (I could go on about that).

What's in a name: Mary

I got this over at Coffeypot's Blog. Do you think it sounds like me, now, or the old me? Then?

What Mary Means

You are confident, self assured, and capable. You are not easily intimidated. You master any and all skills easily. You don't have to work hard for what you want. You make your life out to be exactly how you want it. And you'll knock down anyone who gets in your way! You are usually the best at everything ... you strive for perfection. You are confident, authoritative, and aggressive. You have the classic "Type A" personality. You are wild, crazy, and a huge rebel. You're always up to something. You have a ton of energy, and most people can't handle you. You're very intense. You definitely are a handful, and you're likely to get in trouble. But your kind of trouble is a lot of fun. You are a free spirit, and you resent anyone who tries to fence you in. You are unpredictable, adventurous, and always a little surprising. You may miss out by not settling down, but you're too busy having fun to care.

What's Your Name's Hidden Meaning?

What's the meaning of YOUR name?

B is for Boy

B is for Boy--the second in my new Meme of things I like and love from the alphabet. I love this boy, my sweet Grandson. He's a real darling boy and I am not even prejudiced or anything! He's a sweetie. Click image to view larger.

S is for Sun

Remember that meme I started working on with the letters of the alphabet? If you don't, I don't blame you; it was a while back. I was working backwards and got stuck on X and then I was traveling to Hamilton and NY and never got back to it. I decided to do it out of order--on a whim. By my delight. AND if I complete it, I am going to make a little book out of it for my grandchildren. So some of the pictures will have them in it. Here's the first of the new series. I
want them to be "works of art" so to speak, since I want to make a little book out of them.

OH, for the meme, I was supposed to say things I liked and I do like sunshine and sunflowers. Especially in the cooler weather (the sunshine, that is.) It's warming and cheery and pleasing. I love the cheery sunshine and the cheery sunflowers and I love the way the sunflowers follow the sun. And I love the spiral design made by the seeds in the center of the seedhead. As always, click image to view larger.

I also decided not to necessarily confine the book to one page per letter. Here is S is for Squirrel.

Y is for YELLOW and for YOU

I love yellow--it's such a cheery color. Of course, I don't want to be a yellow-bellied sap sucker (otherwise known as a wimp) (But I am, sometimes, anyway!). I like yellow warblers in the yellow birches. When I was doing my horse research in Idaho, I had a hawk next above me and a yellow warbler nest in the same tree! YAY!

I like YOU, too, if you're here reading this, because otherwise, why would I bother? THANKS! :-D

I like yummy, yummy is a pleasure to eat.

I like YAY! That means something has happened worth celebrating. I like YEBA because that means I am celebrating with my Filipino friends. Yippee and yahoo are good words too.

I like yoga and do some every morning and sometimes other times.

I like youth and wish I could stay young (fat chance). I'd like to grow younger physically but keep the accumulated wisdom (hah).

I love Yellowstone National Park. What a great place, especially off-season!

I like the Y-chromosome for giving my a foil for my double X.

I like Yahweh and Mrs. Yahweh for being so loving.

I like reading about the medicine men of the Yaqui.

This is page 2 of my 26-page meme on things I like with letters of the alphabet backwards. If you join me, let me know so I can read what you wrote. I am way behind on my email and commenting so be very patient 'til I get caught up.

Another Meme, part 1-Z is for Zoo

FeeFiFoto (what a great name!) tagged me for another meme. Being an uncompliant dob, I can't follow the rules. You can read about them here, or do it your own way. Essentially, you tell something you like starting which each letter of the Alphabet. Backwards--or not. I like doing it backwards, as FeeFi suggested, but I am going to do ONE a day, or ONE whenever I have time, starting with Z.

Z--I love going to the Zoo--it is fun to see and photograph the animals. I don't like the fact that they are in captivity, but in some cases, if they weren't, they'd be extinct.

Z-Zebra--pronounced ZEB-ra (not ZEE-bra)--I loved the Zebras in Europe, where you could theoretically safely cross the road. It was very theoretical, however, with crazy drivers and narrow narrow streets. I liked them so much I took a number of photos of the striped zebras, but none happen to be handy and but the handy dandy otter from the Detroit Zoo is.

Z-Zamboni--I recently heard on NPR that Charles Schultz had two Zambonis. Who knew? There's one near here and sometimes when we are out walking, Biker Buddy peers in the window at the ice arena and watches it. I liked to do that too--at first, but all right already. What I used to like at old home town was the "snow" they left outside in the summer. Reminds me of alpine glaciers and my horse research in Idaho.

I'm not officially tagging anybody, because memes can be a burden if you're busy, but if you have time and happen to be reading my blog and want to play along with either my version or Feefi's, let me know. Blue Rose? Nadine? Berrybird? JoAnn? Coffeypoy? Anyone?

Desktop Meme

I tagged Marie and she sent me her desktop! There's a few icons! Yay Marie! Marie's is above and mine below.

I got this from Blue Momma, and was very happy to participate and I will tell you why. I MADE this sketch of a rose on my computer in photoshop for the express purpose of having it be my desktop. WHen I get bored with it, I will make another. I really had fun with it and fun making the background too, which just looks sort of like old linoleum, but I made it intentionally to be not too distracting but not just plain either. The picture is not done--it needs a little cleaning up and every once in a while I do that. But I am very happy and pleased with it.

As far as the extra icons, well, that's a combination of busy-ness and laziness and lack of nerdly techie-skills.

OK, so this is a meme, and I am tagging: blue rose, berrybird (and sodaboy), nadine, jo(e), marie, hpy--oops, I was supposed to name 5 people. BUT YOU, if you are not officially tagged, are invited too. You can use a camera, or if you have any photo-editing software (you do, it's called PAINT and is located in the accessories, but you might have something better), do this:

[1] Go to your desktop and pressing the Print Scrn key (located on the right side of the F12 key).
[2] Open a graphics program (like Picture Manager, Paint, Irfanview* or Photoshop) and do a Paste (CTRL + V).
[3] If you wish, you can “edit” the image, before saving it.
B. Post the picture in your blog. You can also give a short explanation on the look of your desktop just below it if you want. You can explain why you preferred such look or why is it full of icons. Things like that.
C. Tag five of your friends and ask them to give you a Free View of their desktop as well.

As usual, you can click on the image to view it larger.

*Irfanview is a free download and well worth the time it takes.