Sunday Stealing

Another week, another quiz ripped from Sunday Stealing. They call this one the "Presuppose you live in New England" Quiz.

1. Have you turned the heat on in your house yet this fall?

Yes, but only a handful of times. Those days are coming, though.

In a yearly ritual, we had to have the apartment complex maintenance guys come out and re-light our pilot light when it got cold enough for us to want the heat on. You'd think I could do this myself, but they've got the heaters installed in such a way that I can't really get at the pilot light housing without difficulty, so we just figure, hey, that's what they're paid for. And wouldn't you know it: the two weeks after that were warm ones again. Only now are we starting to think, "Hmmmm, should we fire up the heat or not?"

2. Do you allow your pets on the furniture?

Yes, because (a) a lot of our furniture just ain't nice enough to worry that much about, and (b) they're cats and they'll be on the furniture as soon as we go out anyway.

3. What were your final words for September?

"Come again soon!" I like September a lot.

4. What are your first words for October?

"Ohhhh, greetings, old lover. Come and stay a while...let us lay together in the dark for a time." Yeah, I really like October.

5. Do you think you’ve ever seen a ghost?

No. As much as I'd love to live in a world that has ghosts and such in it, we don't live in that world.

6. What is the one color that represents this time of year?

Orange, maybe. Or red, because a lot of my favorite long-sleeved shirts are red.

7. Which of your senses do you think is most sensitive this time of year?

Smell, I think. But maybe that's because the air is so much clearer and crisper, and the smells are carried on its wings so much easier than during the humid, aroma-free breezes of summer.

8. What is your favorite thing to do at the county fair?

Eat.

9. What do you like when you have a cold?

Colds suck, they really do. Generally, I'm all about hot tea when I'm sick. (But during the chiller months, I drink tea anyway.)

10. Are you willing to spend over $100 for a piece of winter clothing, like boots or a coat?

Not at present.

12. What do you have too much of in your kitchen?

I just this morning discovered that we have a lot of soy sauce. Not sure why that is.

13. What gripes do you have about this time of year?

My favorite NFL team is awful. And living in Buffalo, it always irks me that fall is absolutely stunning here, but it doesn't get the respect it deserves; instead, lots of Buffalonians spend our gorgeous autumns bitching about the snow that is in the offing a month or two from now. We know it's coming, and yet, we bitch about it. Drives me crazy. We should be pushing fall as a tourist thing -- come for leaf-peeping that's just as awesome as Vermont's, plus the benefits of a big city!

14. Other than yourself, are you responsible for getting anyone ready in the morning?

The Daughter is pretty much self-sufficient in terms of getting herself ready for school now, but I still make sure she's up and moving right along.

15. When was the last time you cleaned your gutters?

Never. We'll own a house someday, though, and this crappy job will be mine. Ugh.

16. So, it’s after Labor Day. Will you still be wearing white?

I don't wear a whole lot of white, but I won't let the time of year stop me. This, like just about every other fashion "rule", is stupid. [Danger! Rant forthcoming!] In fact, "fashion" as a whole is stupid. I hate "fashion". "I'd like to wear that, but it's not in right now!" What a dumb thought process that is. [Rant has been terminated.]

17. What shows are you most looking forward to this Fall?

I'm guessing this quiz is old already, because we're well into the swing of the teevee season. All the usual suspects, I suppose, although we're gathering quite the backlog of Grey's Anatomy episodes now. We'll have a marathon sometime.

What I'm really looking forward to is Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows at the movie theater. Can't wait. Part One opens sometime this winter.

18. What three things have you just not gotten around to from the summer, but probably should do before snow flies?

Nothing really, except for changing the oil on The Wife's car. First I need to get hold of a couple of those ramp-things to elevate the front of the car, though; this will make things easier.