Sunday Stealing: Conversation Starters

Time for a little Sunday Stealing (hosted by Bev Sykes)  — questions lifted from all over the blogosphere.

This week's list is borrowed from Two Drifters and it's all about "Conversation Starters."

1. What do you think is the greatest television show of all time?

Wow, greatest show of all time? Too many to choose from. I guess if I had to pick just one, I'd have to say the original Star Trek. It's been so influential and has had such amazing staying power. I never get tired of re-watching it.

2. Would you rather win a Nobel Prize or an Academy Award?

And the Oscar goes to..... Definitely an Academy Award. I'd just like to thank everyone I've ever met.

3. What one food would you banish from this earth if you could?

Well, I'm not crazy about kale, but I don't know that it deserves to be banished. Just keep it out of my salad.

4. What’s the scariest story you’ve ever heard?

The tale of the 2016 US Presidential election.

5. Who is the most famous person you have ever met?

Hmmm. I haven't met that many famous people. And most of the ones I have met are no longer with us. Once met Leonard Cohen after a concert in Austin, and took him back to his hotel. Met Townes Van Zant several times over the years. I'm not really a celebrity collector.

6. What’s something you’ve done that most people wouldn’t know or guess about you?

No comment on this one, folks.

7. You’re strapped in a rocket ship about to go to the moon. Are you thrilled? Or terrified?

Probably both. Or maybe just amazed.

8. What is the correct way for toilet paper to sit on the roll?

With the paper coming over the top and from the front, NOT underneath and from the back. There should be no debate about that.

9. Talk about a mistake you made, or something you regret.

Never learned to play a musical instrument, and really wish I had. Too old to learn now.

10. What would be the best gift I could give you?

I don't really need many material things at this point in my life. I'd like someone to come up with a way to wipe out this current pandemic, before it wipes us out. If you could do that, you'd have my eternal gratitude.

11. What makes you feel better when you’re sad or stressed?

Spending time with the hubby. Almost always works. Unless he's the one making me sad or stressed.

12. What is the most romantic movie you’ve ever seen?

Hmmm. Hard question. I'm not a huge fan of romantic movies – I generally prefer mysteries or action films. I guess I'd say "Somewhere in Time" (with Christopher Reeve and Jane Seymour), or maybe "Doctor Zhivago" (Julie Christie, Omar Sharif, and a great cast).

13. What is the worst date you’ve ever been on?

It's been so many eons since I dated, I've sort of repressed all that. I know there were dozens of really dismal dates before I met Mr. Right. (Who is, by the way, napping in the bedroom down the hall right now.)

14. What is the glue that keeps couples together?

Well, love, I hope. And trust, of course.

15. What was your first crush.

My first crush was in first grade, and the young man's name was Ronnie (I think). I don't really remember his last name right now, but I'm sure I still have some school photos of him somewhere. As far as I know, he was completely unaware of my feelings, and never spoke a word to me that I can remember. I worshiped from afar.

16. When did your parents talk to you about the birds and the bees?

I don't remember ever having that discussion with an adult. It would have been a big help.

17. What is your greatest achievement?

Well, I'm officially among the elderly now and still getting around on my own. I've been married to the same man for over 50 years. I've never been in jail or rehab. I think those are achievements of a sort.

18. Were you close to your parents growing up?

Very close to my mom. My father died when I was ten and he had been very ill for several years before that. We were as close as his illness allowed us to be.

19. What was the most life-changing event you’ve ever experienced?

Two of them – one sad, one happy. My dad's death and my marriage.

20. Have you ever had a falling out with a friend? What happened?

Not as an adult. I'm sure it happened many times when I was a kid. Making friends gets harder as you get older – or at least that's how it's been for me. I try very hard to do whatever it takes to get along with the ones I've got.

🙋

Saturday 9: Uncle Albert / Admiral Halsey

The Saturday 9  meme is hosted by Sam Winters. Nine questions posted every Saturday — sometimes random, sometimes with a theme. This week, the theme is...

"Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey"
by Paul McCartney & Wings (1971)

Listen to it HERE.

1. The lyrics tell us Paul believes it's going to rain. How's the weather where you are today?

I'm writing this on Friday, May 29th (not Saturday yet), and the weather has been lovely all day. Well, lovely by my standards anyway – mostly sunny, with the high temp somewhere in the low 90s. A little more humid than I like it, but that's OK. I know a lot of people around here are upset about such hot weather in May, but I'm loving it. I try to take a "photo of the day" every afternoon ‒ this is the one for today:

2. Paul sings that he is sorry because he hasn't "done a bloody thing all day." What do you hope to accomplish this weekend?

These days I don't set my sights very high. I'm hoping to get through the weekend with no major dental or medical problems, and no surprise bad news announcements from family or friends. 

I'd also like to get some reading done.

3. He also references butter pie, which is made primarily with potatoes (with onions and, of course, butter). That dish is not popular on this side of the Atlantic. Last time you had potatoes, how were they prepared (baked, mashed, hash browned, french fried ...)?

Baked, I think. I eat a lot of potatoes, since I had oral surgery not long ago (getting some implants) and there's not a lot I can actually CHEW right now. For the last few weeks (well, more like months), mashed or baked potatoes have been a big part of my diet. Also potato soup. If I ever get this dental adventure over and done with, I would not be terribly unhappy if I never ate another potato for the rest of my life. (I'd make an exception for potato chips.)

4. Linda McCartney is credited as co-writer and performer on this recording. Paul and Linda were partners in real life, too; married 29 years, they raised four children together. They often said they tried never to spend more than a few hours apart. Do you enjoy a lot of togetherness, or do you value your personal time? Has your experience with Covid19 and quarantine changed how you feel about this?

I'd have to say yes to both those choices. I do value time spent on my own, but I love spending time with the hubby too. Also love seeing family and friends, of course – but right now we're still "staying home" and don't really see many people except each other. So the pandemic hasn't really changed the way I feel, but it has changed the way I function.

5. Paul and Linda came from very different backgrounds. His family was lower middle class, lived in Liverpool's public housing and received government aid. She grew up in affluent Scarsdale, the daughter of a wealthy theatrical attorney. Do you think it's more important for a couple to share a common background, or to share common interests?

I don't think there's any strict rule about that. When it clicks, it clicks.

6. Paul is known for his work ethic. At age 78, he's still making music and performing live. What's your favorite Paul McCartney song?

Wow, so many to choose from, but most are also John Lennon songs. Of the songs written by Paul on his own, I guess I'd pick Maybe I'm Amazed, from his first solo album. 

7. In 1971, when this song was a hit, Bobby Fischer was the world's most famous and highest-rated chess player. Do you play chess?

No. I've tried, but never have been able to maintain interest long enough to learn.

8. England's Princess Anne turned 21 in 1971. The occasion was commemorated by a formal portrait, taken by celebrated fashion photographer Norman Parkinson. Who took the most recent photo of you?

Probably me. I've taken several selfies lately. By the way, Princess Anne is my favorite royal, after the Queen. The royal family is so entertaining, aren't they?

9. Random question: Do you find it more satisfying to work with your hands, or your head?

Well, I like doing both, but the arthritis in my hands has sort of limited me to more "cerebral" activities these days. But that's OK. Gives me more time for reading. 

Happy Saturday, everyone!

For more Saturday 9 Q&A, just click on this button:

Saturday 9: On the Radio

The Saturday 9  meme is hosted by Sam Winters. Nine questions posted every Saturday — sometimes random, sometimes with a theme. This week, the theme is...

"On the Radio"
by Donna Summer (1979)

Listen to it HERE.

1. The action begins when a letter falls out of the pocket of a brown overcoat. What color is your coat?

I have a lot of coats. Most of them are leftovers from the time I spent living in Virginia. Most of them are black. But I also have a red wool short coat, a dark green parka, a light blue rain jacket, and a sort of beige puffy jacket. I don't have any brown coats.

2. The lyrics ask if it "kinda strikes you sad when you hear our song." We don't want to be sad this Saturday, so we're asking what song makes you happy.

Well, since we're talking Disco, I'll say Dancing Queen by Abba. We heard it in the supermarket the other day and I started singing right along. It always makes me feel happy. I asked my husband and the young grocery checker if they'd like to see me do my dancing queen routine. They both said no! 

3. Right before this song hit the charts, Donna Summer hit the cover of Newsweek. Are there any magazines in your home now? If yes, who is on the cover?

There are hundreds of magazines in my home right at this minute. Most of them are years old. I tend to accumulate magazines without really noticing it. I have no idea who's on the cover of most of them. But the Vanity Fair on the coffee table in front of me here has someone named Ana de Armas on the cover. I have no idea who she is or why they chose her for a cover shot. I will Google her.

4. Donna wrote the lyrics to this song, while producer Giorgio Moroder wrote the tune. Moroder is known as "the father of disco." Is disco a genre you enjoy?

Some of it. I used to like it lot back in the '70s — loved to dance to the BeeGees. Even got the hubby to learn to do the Hustle. Of course, we were both very young back then, and a lot more limber. 

5. This song got additional airplay throughout the 1980s because the game show The Price Is Right played it every time a contestant won a stereo. Today, the most popular audio equipment sold at Best Buy is a sound bar to improve the quality of TV audio. Have you added a sound bar or sound system to your TV?

We have a Sonos sound system in the house, and we could play the TV through that. I think my husband would like to install a sound bar — he looks at them whenever we're out shopping. But I'm not sure I really want all that sound booming at me all the time. 

6. Moroder has won two Academy Awards for Best Song. The first was for "Flashdance ... What a Feeling" from Flashdance and the second was for "Take My Breath Away" from Top Gun. Do you  have a favorite movie soundtrack?

Haven't listened to any movie soundtracks for quite a while. I used to like the soundtrack from Barry Lyndon, the Stanley Kubrick film. Also loved the soundtracks from A Hard Day's Night and Help!, the Beatles' movies.

7. He grew up in Ortsei, Italy. Located in Northern Italy, the Ortsei economy is fueled by tourists who ski in winter, hike in summer and shop for woodcarvings all year around. Do out-of-towners find their way to your hometown more often in summer or winter?

My hometown is San Antonio TX, and they get tourists at all times of the year.

8. Kourtney Kardashian was born in 1979, the year this record was a hit. Keeping Up with the Kardashians has been on since 2007. Have you ever seen it?

No. I'm not even really sure who the Kardashians are, or why anyone would want to keep up with them.

9. Random question — When getting dressed in the morning, what's the second item of clothing you put on?

Second item? Well, when I get out of bed, I usually throw on the sweats that I wear for my morning stretching workout. So I guess the second thing I put on is usually a sports bra. Unless I'm going bra-less that day. OK, I guess that might be too much info. And not a pretty picture, believe me. 

Happy Saturday, everyone!

For more Saturday 9 Q&A, just click on this button:

Saturday 9: Waiting All Day for Sunday Night

The Saturday 9  meme is hosted by Sam Winters. Nine questions posted every Saturday — sometimes random, sometimes with a theme. This week, the theme is...

"Waiting All Day for Sunday Night"
by Faith Hill (2012)

Listen to it HERE.

1. This week's Saturday 9 has a football theme because there's a big game Sunday. Will you be watching?

Probably. We generally do watch the Super Bowl, even though our favorite teams are almost never in it.

2. The Super Bowl is a big day for food consumption in the US, second only to Thanksgiving. What's on your menu this weekend?

I have no idea. We're not having a Super Bowl gathering – it'll just be the Hubs and myself, so we'll probably be having our usual Sunday night dinner. Which could be just about anything.

3. The NFL has decreed that the Super Bowl will never be played in a city that has a median February temperature of less than 50º. Would your hometown qualify for the Big Game?

Well, my hometown is San Antonio TX, and I really don't have any idea what the median February temperature is. Generally, the winters are pretty mild down there, although February can be really icy – at least for short periods. But San Antonio has the rodeo and stock show in February, and I remember attending years ago, walking around the exhibits in western garb and not being terribly bothered by the cold. So yeah – they could probably play a Super Bowl game there in February. 

4. This version of the NFL theme song mentions the Steelers and the Broncos. During the regular season, which team do you root for? How did they do in 2019?

How 'bout them Cowboys!!!  I've always been a Dallas Cowboys fan, but I like the New Orleans Saints too. (Used to live in Shreveport.) The Cowboys haven't done very well for about a decade now, and didn't even make it to the playoffs this year. The Saints did a little better, but lost their "wild card" game, so no Super Bowl this year. 

5. This version of the Sunday Night Football song is by Faith Hill. She also has ties to the MLB, since her husband is Tim McGraw, son of the Mets' pitcher Tug McGraw. Which sport do you prefer – baseball or football?

I love the Sunday Night Football opening and theme song – sometimes it's the best thing about the game! But I did not know that about Tim McGraw being Tug McGraw's son. How did I miss that? Anyway.... I hardly ever watch baseball – the games just take too long now. I used to like it a lot when I was a kid. My grandmother watched baseball games on TV (or at least, she used to have them on all the time – not sure how much she really watched), and I got hooked. But now I'm much more of a football fan. I do usually watch some of the World Series games, though. Actually, the hubby likes basketball (Go, Spurs!), so we watch more of that than either of the other sports.

6. Faith has performed live at more than one The Super Bowl in the past, performing both "America, the Beautiful" and "The Star Spangled Banner. What's your favorite patriotic song?

Hmmm. Interesting question. Patriotic, as in pro-USA? Probably "This Land Is Your Land" by Woody Guthrie. Would that qualify? Actually, I think my favorite patriotic song is "La Marseillaise," the national anthem of France. Its music is very stirring, although the lyrics are pretty horrific. 

7. She has a perfume line with Coty that was a big seller at CVS during Christmas 2018. What's the last item you bought at a drugstore?

I was at CVS just this week. Had to replenish our supply of decongestant – the hubby has a cold. Caught it from me. (So sorry, babe.)

8. Faith Hill is the producer of a talk show on CMT called Pickler and Ben. Is the TV on as you answer these questions? If so, what are you watching?

No TV at the moment. Right now, it's 11am, and we don't usually have the TV on during the morning. 

9. Random question: You've got a chip in your hand and three dips to choose from – guacamole, salsa, and onion. Where does your chip get dipped?

First, let me say Yum!  Those all sound really good. I've spent the last few months going through round after round of oral surgery, prepping for implants – and haven't really been able to eat a chip of any kind, with or without dip on it. But if conditions were ideal (and all the implants implanted), I'd definitely go right for the guacamole. Ole!

Happy Saturday, everyone!

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