To the Sunday Stealing list of questions, Bev added a bonus question about the Olympics, which I deign to answer first.
Extra question: Olympic events that I like to watch or follow
I didn’t see much of it when I was home during the first week. But my wife, daughter, and I were away in Alexandria, VA, for the second week. So, I ended up watching more. One series of events involved the relay; passing the baton while maintaining the pace is surprisingly difficult. Another was diving; it’s astonishing how high the best divers get above the board, do several moves, do not hit their heads on the board, and then land in the water without making much of a splash. And the pole vault always amazes me.
1. I am looking forward to …
Being home for a while. Because of the remnants of Hurricane Debby, including tornados, localized flooding, and downed trees on the track, our train from Alexandria, scheduled to depart at 11:08 a.m., did not leave for NYC until much later. Fortunately, enough people canceled their reservations for the 10:24 train, which left at 11:44, so many of us caught that instead. It was a bit stressful, I must say. And we followed the Debby’s downers for hours.
2. Least favorite words
“The late great Hannibal Lecter.”
3. If I ruled the world
I’d ban assault weapons (AK-47) and mandate equitable salaries. Most inequities involve too much for too few, so food, health care, mass transportation, and green energy would be funded. And there would be no billionaires because they have an outsized degree of power.
The Wayback Machine!
4. Favorite websites and blogs
My favorite website may be the Internet Archive, “a non-profit library of millions of free books, movies, software, music, websites, and more.” It features the Wayback Machine: “Explore more than 866 billion web pages saved over time.” When working as a business librarian, I was asked to access a document from the Bureau of Indian Affairs website, but for some political reason, the site was down. I found the piece via the Wayback Machine.
5. Things I do for myself
My blog.
6. Weekly rituals
Tuesday: Attend Friends and Foundation of the Albany Public Library book reviews or author talks. Thursday: choir rehearsal, take out the garbage. Sunday: church. That said, I missed two FFAPL events and four church services because I was out of town, and choir doesn’t rehearse in the summer.
7. DIYs I want to try
Can’t think of one.
8. On my shopping list
I’m trying hard NOT to buy more stuff.
9. Places to see in your town
I’ve answered this before. I read that the city has completed the Albany Pedestrian Experience, which is a terrible name for a band.
10. Road trip must-haves
I bought an item for our trip to France where I can charge multiple phones simultaneously.
11. Guilty pleasures
Doing this quiz
12. Things I’d rather be doing right now
At this moment, I’d be sleeping because I woke up too early
13. Books I’d like to read this year
All of the ones I bought and sit, sad and forlorn, on my bookshelf
14. Lessons learned
There are too many to encapsulate; sometimes, I must relearn them anyway.
15. Vacations to take
Despite what Disney said, “It’s a big world after all.”