Sunday Stealing

I haven't done a Sunday Stealing quiz in a while, so here's this week's edition.

1. What do you consider your hometown to be?

If I'm talking to people around here, I'll say Orchard Park. In a more general sense, I just say "Buffalo", because I consider the whole region to be the "Buffalo" region. I'm a big fan of regionalism, actually; I think a lot of Buffalo's problems could be helped along, if not solved, by allowing the city to annex suburbs. Unfortunately, that apparently can't happen in New York the way the laws are right now.

If by "hometown" we mean the place I was born, then it's Pittsburgh, PA. But we moved from there when I was only two or three, and while I have always had strong emotional ties and a deep love for that city, it's not my home anymore.

2. What’s the hardest part of your average day?

Mid-afternoon, usually. That's when my attention and motivation levels sag a bit as I start to make the mental transition to evening.

3. The easiest? Why?

Morning and evening. Those are when I'm the most fired up.

4. What beverage do you reach for to quench your thirst?

If I'm thirsty, then it's water. I've cut quite a bit down on drinking pop and alcohol over the last few years, and I indulge in those when I'm specifically in the mood for one of those, not for when I generically need to wet the proverbial whistle.

5. What is one not-so-secret goal you have for your life? I’ll let you keep your secret ones to yourself.

To write something that makes someone else say, "Hey, I'll pay you a nice sum of money to let me publish that." (I'm somewhat flexible on what qualifies as a 'nice' sum of money.)

6. What physical pain do you fear most? For example, I’m trying to decide how bad my jaw pain needs to get before I risk a potential needle from my dentist. So, for me, throbbing is preferable to jabbing.

Probably sharp chest pains, I suppose. Never had any, but I'm not wild about the notion.

7. Where do you find solace?

Home. That's what home is for.

8. What makes you the saddest when you read/see the news?

Children dying. Of anything.

9. What do you eat for a favorite snack?

Heavens, I like to snack. I need to cut it down, really -- but there are tons of things I like to snack upon. Cheese and crackers. Apples and peanut butter. Apples and cheddar cheese. And, of course, too many kinds of crunchy-and-salty things that come in bags at the store.

10. What movie could you/would you watch more than two or three times and still enjoy just as much as the first time?

Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, Casablanca, My Fair Lady...pretty much any movie on my Top 100 list.

11. What boy/girl first made you cry?

Not really sure. It was probably this girl I had a wicked bad crush on when I was a sophomore in high school. Her name was Deanna. She was nice and friendly to me, and then...she wasn't. Ouch! I wonder what ever happened to her....

12. What brand of coffee/tea do you drink most often?

8 O'Clock coffee, mostly, although I also buy some nice flavors in The Store's brand. For tea, I'm all over the place. I love Rishi Tea's Green Mint -- absolutely adore the stuff. It's wonderful.

13. Dig in the dirt with or without garden gloves?

Depends. If I'm just repotting a single plant or two, then no gloves. If I'm doing quite a bit of work in the dirt, then I put gloves on. Since we live in an apartment, this isn't much of an issue -- more often I have to do this kind of thing at work.

14. James Taylor or Carly Simon?

What an odd dichotomy! I think I like more Carly Simon songs than I do James Taylor songs, so I give the nod to her. I guess. Hmmmmm. (Plus I just like the name "Carly".)