(Remember the rules… you gotta choose, even if you like or loathe both! That’s the point of Choose Ye. If it was, “Hey, Whatever”, you’d be at someone else’s blog! Huzzah!)
Resolutions or no?
Happy to be back to work or OH NO?
New sheets or new shoes?
Organized or disorganized (generally?)
Details or big picture?
Ice cream or salad?
Traveling this year, or staying close to home?
Big life plans or more of the same?
New love or old?
Wishing for a makeover or totally content?
More red meat or less?
Fitness or sofa?
Old hobbies, or digging into new ones? (Yes, initially it said “fresh” and not old. I’m dumb)
Okay, so my lovely Gradon, my friend Shelley, and my friend Mike have all challenged me to do blog memes.
I don’t generally DO blog memes, mostly because I think starting with memes is like calling up an Amway salesperson and requesting to buy a single product, or doing the initial offer with Columbia House.
Suddenly you become a giant meme target, and there’s pressure on you to do more, and then your life isn’t your OWN.
Okay, that’s not really true, but still.
People tell me I am a giant hypocrite because my Love Lists could be classified as memes. To them I say, “Giant? What are you trying to say about my ass?”
I am only doing these two because a) Gradon is Gradon; and b) Shelley just got engaged, who am I to take away from her joy? and c) Mike is really persistent and will haunt me to my death until I do it.
Okay, the first one was for Gradon and Shelley. The challenge was to show off the sixth photo on the sixth page of my Flickr account (where I store photos online.) Here it is:
Awww.
It’s been on my blog before, this shot, but AWWWWW. There he is, the man who challenged me to do this. He’s awfully dear. I like him a great deal. May I have your air miles so I can go see him for free? Thank you!
The next meme requires me to mention seven random or weird things about me.
Um.
WHAT ELSE HAS MY BLOG BEEN ABOUT?!? Is there anything LEFT?!
But here, I’ll try:
1. I have chipped my two front teeth twice on karaoke microphones, on two different occasions.
2. I never remember to eat leftovers, no matter how yummy they may be, or if I am starving for something. Out of sight, out of mind. It’s now to the point where I’ll mention them to Catherine, so at least SOMEONE can benefit. She’ll remember. Otherwise? Certain abandonment.
3. I like to crank up the fireplace and open my deck door, because the combination of a blast of warm air and the fresh cool air fighting in my living room is PERFECTION.
4. I don’t really like talking on the phone. Not because I don’t enjoy talking to people, but because the phone misses so much of the nuance and body language that I enjoy in conversation. I prefer face-to-face talking, or texting. I love texting. I make an exception to all of this for a) Gradon b) my parents c) my long distance friends or d) clients (but I prefer emails there.) Or phone calls under ten minutes in length. I know. Weirdo. All that said, apparently I am fun on the phone. Huh.
5. I hate it when people spell my name wrong in emails when it’s RIGHT THERE (my full name, not Meg. Meg is hard to screw up.) I long ago learned to be okay with “Megan” (Meggin) when it’s actually “Meaghan” (Mee-gan) in speech, but HEY, THE PROPER SPELLING IS RIGHT THERE. I know “Meg” sounds like it would come from “Megan”, too. But in an email? NO EXCUSE. So in response — sometimes, not always — I’ll find a way to subtly misspell their name in my reply (if possible) to see if they get confused. 75% spell it properly thereafter. What do you mean, I have too much time on my hands?
6. I will only drink Coke Slurpees, within the greater Slurpee family. All the rest are gag-worthy.
7. I have a semi-giant phobia of food poisoning and gastrointestinal ailments. I used to get horrible stomach pains from stress or excitement (still do at times), and I think now that’s the kind of pain I dread more than any other. Though I am sure there are worse pains, that’s my “PLEASE, NO!” pain. And I’ve had a lot of pains to choose from. And have BEEN a pain. And AM a pain. But if food does not look or smell EXACTLY like I think it should? No go. This may be connected to #2 in this list.
I’m not tagging anyone else to do a meme. That’s where I draw the line.
Because a line must be drawn somewhere! Like down the middle of roads! And on measuring cups! And on the floors of gymnasiums!
I found this utterly compelling, and really convicting in a sense, too. To choose what you really love in the face of expectations is a powerful sacrifice.
Normally I’d be doing a Love List here, since it IS Friday AND it’s the first Friday of the year.
It seems wrong to consider doing anything else!
But as I was walking home, I was rewarded for the first time I’d worn a skirt out of doors in months.
As I walked down the icy snow/crunchy snow/slick ice/frozen whatnot road about a block away from my home, my Uggs (it was not their fault, they’ve had gorgeous grip) hit a patch of what felt like banana peels sprayed with Pam, and BOOM… I hit the ground.
The crunchy, stabby, uneven ice-packed ground.
Bah.
My first fall of the season, period.
Skirt now ripped. Leg hacked to bits. Wrist worse for wear. Blood on Uggs (I’ll get it out, I weather-treated them well). And I’m pretty sure I’ll have bruises in places I’m not aware of yet.
Damn the no-road-clearing. Damn the melt-freeze-melt-freeze cycle. Damn the pretty day that convinced me I could take the risk and not look like bleeeargh in my old jeans.
I mean, oh well. Could be much worse.
But I don’t feel LOVEY, per se. I’ll try for it tomorrow.
1. Queen Helene Mint Julep Masque: Smells like toothpaste, goes on like bathtub caulk. Rinse away, and GLOW. For oilier to normal skins, especially for random breakouts.
2. Carmex: The lip balm of champions. When I get down to half a pot, I often put in a chunk of lipstick (one that’s nearly down to the nub) and melt it together in the microwave (45 seconds should do it) with the lid off. Stir with a toothpick, and you have a nice, sheer gloss that your lips will love.
3. Mountain Ocean Skin Trip: This stuff smells like the best beach you ever went to, and sinks in fast to soften skin for hours. And there’s nothing weird or chemical-y in it.
4. Palmer’s Crack Butter: Really, the name is enough to make it onto the list. Ha! But seriously, folks… it heals my heels. And anyone who knows how much time I spend barefoot knows that this is ESSENTIAL.
5. Watkins Lemon Hand Salve: My cuticles never go astray with this salve. And it smells like sunshine itself.
6. St. Ives Microdermabrasion Scrub: Gentler than you might think, and really effective for keeping skin smooth and fresh. My trick is to mix a bit with my face wash every second day to exfoliate without getting too aggressive. In summer, I’d probably use it straight up three times a week.
7. L’Oreal Vive Pro Nutri-Gloss Line: Everything is under $9, and it really does smooth your hair. Not sure about the pearl thing, but hey… it’s pink! And it works!
9. Blistex Original: My mom would poke me in the eye if this didn’t make it on here. There is no ailment she would not try to cure with Blistex. But seriously — the sore nose you get from a cold? Blistex it! Cut not healing? Blistex it! Lips beyond repair? Blistex them! Got a lame boyfriend? DUMP HIS ASS and then… uh… use Blistex.
