I hate the question numbering mechanism on Sunday Stealing, but I like the questions.- Local events, parades, or festivals – either in your hometown or state – I’ve said this before: there are so many things going on in Albany on any given day that people who tell me that they’re bored irritate the crap out of me. For instance, there are several First Friday events, including one at my church every month from November to May. In December, the choir is going to be singing the Bach Magnificat.
- Life update – what’s happened recently, moving house, family wedding, vacation, new pet, visiting with a friend, and so on. I went to two funerals in October, one at my church and one in the Mid-Hudson, which I attended for about 35 minutes before I had to go back to Albany.
- Do you have any family traditions this month? The only tradition I can think of is that we have to go pick up the daughter from college and then bring her back the next week.
- The holidays are about two months away. Do you begin shopping or creating now or wait until December? I go shopping when I’m inspired to get something. I have given one of my sisters and her daughter presents already. My other sister, I have no idea what I’m getting her yet. As for my wife, as I’ve noted previously, she is a terrible person to shop for. I just asked my daughter what she wants, and I am trying to get it for her to the degree I can.
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MEMORY
- What is your favorite November memory? It was probably Thanksgiving 1987, I believe. I was out of town with my then-girlfriend, and about two dozen people were there eating. It was a lovely time.
- Now that the weather is getting cooler do you prefer? Staying indoors or going outdoors? What do you do? It was 79°F in Albany, NY on October 31st. It was about 10° cooler the following day, but it’s not all that bad. I stay indoors when it’s hot or cold, but the temperature between 20 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit is tolerable unless it’s humid and warm or very windy and cool.
- Describe your favorite local restaurant. I love the fact that there are four or five restaurants within two blocks of my house, and I tend to frequent them periodically. One is a bar/restaurant/burger joint. Another was a breakfast place that had expanded its hours. One’s an Indian restaurant, and in the same building, a pizza place that serves lamb over rice and other items. On the corner is a Mediterranean restaurant. I go to other restaurants, but these are the ones that I tend to go to most because the geography lends itself.
- Thanksgiving or Friendsgiving? I had no idea what Friendsgiving was until now.
- If you could take any class, what would you select? I have recently taken a handful of classes on genealogy.
- To celebrate November, would you rather enjoy pumpkin pie or sweet potato? Meh. Sweet potato, I suppose.
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MESSING UP
- How do you handle setbacks and failures? I brood and beat myself up for a while, and then I get bored with that and move on.
- If everything in your house had to be one color, which color would you choose? Well duh. Green, of course.
- Who or what would you haunt if you were a ghost? The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mike Johnson. I was thinking about him, and the word feckless came to mind. I double-checked to make sure the definition was what I meant to say. “Weak in character.” Yep.
- Have you ever worn clothing with the labels still attached? Fairly frequently, not intentionally. More often, new pants than anything else.
- What’s something weird that you recommend everyone try at least once? Talking to your stuffed animals. I do it all the time with mine; occasionally, they talk back.
The Magnificat.. wow. Huge undertaking for sure. I talk to stuffed animals and my kids do now too.
I’m chuckling about the stuffed animals! I wish we had more restaurants within walking distance.
I used to talk to my stuffed animals when I had them. Gradually things like that gather dust and must be given away, alas. Feckless is a good word for Johnson.
I’ve never tried talking to stuffed animals, but I do talk to real ones all the time. My daughter laughs because she says I talk like I expect them to answer me.