Life is Good awardThe lovely Nydia recently gave me this award/meme, where I must answer some questions and then ask some questions of my own.    In the spirit of the meme, I’ll cheat a bit and answer ALL the questions (hers, and the ones she answered) just because.

Jen and Ollie’s questions were:
1.Have you ever been skydiving?
yes, and I have video to prove it. I would also love, love, LOVE to do it again sometime.

2.What’s the worst excuse you have ever made to get out of work?

Long long ago when I was in school still, I claimed my father was very ill and I needed to visit him, but he got better. (He was never ill. I still feel a bit guilty about such a bold lie. I blame being a 17 year old jerk at the time)

3.Skyclad or Clothed?

For ritual in a group, I prefer clothed, but have had some very wonderful rituals skyclad (sweatlodge, etc) and do not mind it at all if it’s appropriate or important to the others in group.

4.How many pairs of shoes do you own?
If you count slippers. Four (4). One pair of work shoes, one pair of sneakers, a set of sandals, and a pair of fuzzy slippers for cold nights.

5.What’s your favourite drink?
REgular everyday drinsk, I love smoothies of all sorts. Anything icy and fruity and yummy. As for alcohol, it’s a toss-up between a good single-malt Scotch or a microbrew lager beer.

6.Name the title of the book nearest to you.
The 2010 Staples office catalog! Oh, wait, you probably mean a real book…. that would be The Druid Magic Handbook.

7.What was your favourite toy as a child?
I’ve always been a big fan of LEGO and other building creative stuff. Even today, with my son, we like to spend hours making little creations and mock-battles between armies of figures and LEGO-things. Beyond that, A Stick. Sticks are awesome instruments of expression and creativity. Ask my Scout leaders, I had a penchant for collecting walking sticks and random sword-sticks, and wand-sticks even for as long as I can remember.

8.Would you ever ride a mechanical bull?

I would love to try, someday, but have never really had the opportunity. One of these days I’ll stumble into a bar with one, and give it a shot.

9.What was your favourite subject in senior/high school?
Physics, definitely. I always loved science, and the practical experiment-driven physics classes I took are some of the best memories I have in school. I was lucky that our teacher was the sort who would ask us about weird hypothesis and then stand back and let groups of us design and impliment an experiment to test out our thoughts. That really helped me learn HOW science worked, much more than simple rote memorization of kinematic equations ever did.

10.Have you ever gone to the store in your pajamas?
Yep, proudly, and probably will do it again next week. I have cool PJs though. :)

Wizardess Epi’s questions were:
1. What is your favorite dinosaur?
I am partial to a Stegasaurus.

2. What is your favorite gemstone?
It depends on my mood, but Loadstone, or Amethyst, or Bloodstone are probably my favorites, with Pyrite close behind.

3. Does Mercury in retrograde affect you?
Honestly, I do not know. I don’t follow the astrological signs as closely as some, and usually only hear about it in retrospect, when someone else mentions “Bah, so glad Murcury retrograde is over soon”. It might, but I do not associate added stress or such things in my life to Mercury.

4. Owl or lark?
Lark, definitely. Owls are cool, and wise, and powerful and such, but Larks are bight and creative and Merry. Much more useful energies to bring into my life lately.

5. Dogs or cats?
Dogs all the way. Cats are funny, and solitary, and I like social creatures who love you, like Dogs.

6. Hedgehogs or hamsters?
Hedgehogs because they are more unusual, but given the choice, hamsters are cheaper, and I’s much rather prefer fish or a turtle overall.

7. Daisies or roses?
Hmm, somewhat of an unfair question as I like both. I’ll stick with Daisies because they grow wild and beautiful. Roses grow wild too, but have a bad reputaiton for needing much more care and control to grow into the best blooms. Daisies are carefree and bloom in hte fields regardless of what we do. I like that.

8. Squirrels or chipmunks?
Chipmunks for cuteness factor, squirrels for being slightly less destructive to our property. :)

9. If you could BE a movie star, who would you be?
Natalie Portman, or Jack Black. Ms Portman for being awesome and dedicated to her work (Star Wars excluded) and an all-around good person outside of hollywood. I rspect that, and wish I could have that kind of energy and ethic. Jack Black, because he seems to have lots of fun whatever he does, and doesn’t really care what people think of his image as a “screwball”. (if that makes sense).

10. If you could DO a movie star, who would you do?
Hmm, in my younger years, I would have said Winona Ryder (from Beetlejuice, and yes, I was her age at the time, so thought she was HOT) but now I’d have to say either Jewel Staite, Natalie Portman, or Kate Winslit, or Michelle Yeoh, or maybe Morena Baccarin. :) (yes, this is exposing my geeky side a bit)

Now my own… hmmm…I’ll go about my favorites, curiosity killed the cat’s questions:
1. Your favorite book?
Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, by Douglas Adams.

2. Your favorite food?
Tough call, but most rice dishes with beans. Borritos with rice, or chili with rice, or simple basmati rice with chickpeas, or… Yum!!

3. Favorite song/band?
Really hard to say, but anything by Gaia consort (particularly “Ravens“), or perhaps Loreena McKennitt’s “All Souls Night” (which still gives me goosebumps when I hear it).

4. Favorite clothes to sleep in?
My PacMan pants! If it’s colder, some random raggety t-shirt also.
5. Favorite first thing to do in the morning?
Sleep more. However, what usually happens is my second-favorite thing, which would be have breakfast and look outside at the things growing and wandering around the backyard.

6. Favorite thing to do before sleeping?
Play an hour or so of a video game if at home…. HOWEVER, (the question said favorite, and I only get to do this a few rare times a year) If out festivaling, then participate in a drum-circle until the wee hours of the morning, then crash with a joyful ache in my arms.

7. Favorite herb?Mint. Specifically the common Mentha spicata or Mentha × piperita. Great flavoring in all sorts of recipes, and grows like a weed, so can be squished underfoot in our yard or picked for tea whenever the muse strikes me in the summer.

8. Favorite Moon phase?Waxing Gibbous, definitely. Shining brightly, lighting the night sky, yet not -quite- at full power. I really like that feeling of “almost” potential. :)

9. Favorite piece of jewerly?

I do not wear much except my wedding band and a small copper Möbius band ring I made myself (with help from a friendly jeweler). However, My favorite would be a simple beaded ankle bracelet. I have gone through many of them, as I like to use hemp string and wear them until they fall off, then make another at a festival, or as part of a ritual. It’s a little thing, but I feel all sorts of Tribal and Spiritual when I wear one, for some reason, even though I have little “Native” blood in me.

10. Favorite quote?
Hmm, would either be “Nothing is ever what it seems but everything is exactly what it is.” – B. Banzai … or “In a single cup of earth, sings the mystery of the all-expansive universe” – Gaia Consort…. or perhaps “Dare to be naive” – R. Buckminster Fuller

Now for my questions, which is open to anyone who reads this blog. If you made it this far down the Wall-Of-Text, consider yourself a recipient of the Award as well! :)
1) What is your favorite colour?
2) Which direction do you sleep at night? (head pointing North? West?)
3) Given $5.00 (or equivalent currency) what would you do with it?
4) How old would you be if you didn’t know how old you are?
5) What’s something you know you do differently than most people?
6) Do you remember that time 5 years ago when you were extremely upset? Does it really matter now?

Blessings!

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