Sunday Archives - Ramblin' with Roger

35 Questions Meme, Part Two

36. If you suddenly became single or are single, do you think you could last in a relationship for 12 months or more?

I’d like to think so. Probably.

37. Do you forgive or forget?

Forgive, usually; forget, seldom.

38. Do you trust people?

Probably less than I used to. That said, probably more than more people. I had the laptop in the hotel, and one of my sisters suggested that I lock it up somewhere; it would not have occurred to me.

39. What are you not looking forward to?

Painting the attic. It’s HOT up there by fairly early in the day.

40. Do you get mad easily?

I don’t think so. But when I do, it can be furious, so don’t push it.

41. Tell us about the last time you were told you that you have pretty eyes.

I don’t recall. There was this woman about 25 years ago.

42. Do you have strange dreams?

Oh, goodness YES. Sidebar: I gave up caffeinated soda on March 16 because I wasn’t sleeping. More correctly, I was going to sleep, but I wasn’t STAYING asleep. Then I prettyy much NEEDED the caffeine so that I didn’t fall asleep at my desk.

So now, I still wake up in the middle of the night, but I roll over and go back to sleep. And all these latter-part-of-the-night dreams innvolve distorted versions of my childhood, and all sorts of mayhem that are so vivid, yet so ALMOST plausible that I have to recollect it and realize that it COULDN’T have happened.

43. Ever licked someone’s cheek or forehead?

Undoubtedly, as some sort of torture.

44. Tell us about the last time you fell asleep in someone’s arms.

As opposed to just cuddling, I suppose. It was probably the Wife, and I was probably ill.

45. When did you last play a game?

Uno, Saturday with the Daughter.

46. What do you have on you at all times?

My wedding ring.

47. Do you go out in public without getting all dressed up?

I’d do it more often, if i could get away with it.

48. Do you like fruity or minty gum?

Mint – spearmint.

49. Favourite musician or group?

Beatles.

50. Do you like anyone?

Define “like”. I like quite a few people. Even love a few.

51. Favourite computer game?

Backgammon, except that when I play with someone, they often bail too early. Hearts with no real opponents I can at least finish.

52. First album you ever went and bought with your own money?

Beatles VI.

53. Think back five months ago, were you single?

No, and not 5 months before that either.

54. Do you believe in celebrating anniversaries?

Goodness, yes. Of all kinds.

55. Do you think someone is thinking about you right now?

How could they not?

56. Last thing you bought?

Lunch on Friday.

57. Are you a jealous person?

I tend not to be, though there have been moments in the past.

58. Does it take a lot to make you cry?

Not really. A beautiful piece of music can make me cry.

59. Do you have a friend of the opposite sex you can talk to?

Yes. Actually, for the longest time, about 90% of my best friends were female; now, it about 60%.

60. Have you ever had your heart-broken?

I mean, if you haven’t, you are really lucky, I think.

61. Have you ever done something while drunk that you still cannot believe you did?

Back when I would drink in college, I was very flirtatious, but no, I don’t believe

62. Is there anyone you secretly wish you could be spending your time with right now?

No secret. Myself. Don’t get enough Roger time.

63. Do you text?

Generally not.

64. Do you wish someone would call or text you right now?

Sure, why not? And if they call me and I DON’T want to speak with him or her, well, that’s what Caller ID is all about.

65. Is your life anything like it was a year ago?

Pretty much.

66. Go back one year on your blog. Leave us a link to your favorite post.

M is for Money.

67. You can only drink ONE liquid for the rest of your life, what is it?

Ginger ale.

68. Tell us about someone that you have lost contact with someone you wish you didn’t.

There are so many people I manage to regain contact of, some of whom I had lost contact with. But there was this woman named Diane in college; actually mostly after college when I was still hanging out in New Paltz. We used to just talk, play board games and generally hang out. Totally platonic. Lost track of her. She isn’t in the alumni directory that came out in 2006, can’t find her in Google, and I wonder how she is, WHERE she is.

69. What is the last thing you said out loud?

Good night, sleep tight.

70. Will this year be better than last?

Difficult to say. Last year was pretty good.

ROG

35 Questions Meme

Before that, though, deaths to note. The crash that killed the Polish leader and more than seven dozen other leaders was tremendously sad for that country; I found it deeply affecting. The guy who was dean of my library school when I attended died of cancer. Dixie Carter also succumbed to cancer; yes, I DID watch Designing Women, initially because it was between Newhart and Cagney & Lacey, but eventually on its own merits. Finally, I think the only thing that will create real mine safety is if someone from the WV mining company gets indicted and convicted of 29 counts of manslaughter, and that mine owners continue to be be held criminally liable; obviously, even heavy fines are treated as just the cost of doing business.
***
Sunday Stealing, again.

1. How far away is the last person you kissed?

About a foot away.

2. Has someone ever told you they would be with you forever?

More than once; didn’t always work out. To be fair, that was a mutual pledge.

3. Last person you were in a car with?

The Wife and Daughter.

4. Any plans for tomorrow?

Play racquetball, go to work, come home; same as today.

5. How long does it take for you to take a shower?

10 minutes. Less when I’m in a hurry.

6. Best friend or close friends?

Close friends.

7. Is tomorrow going to be a good day?

Sure, why not?

8. Did you kiss anyone Friday?

I’m sure I did.

9. Ever thrown up in public?

Well, yes, actually, twice. The first time I remember quite vividly. I was at a party in my college town of New Paltz, NY and everyone, including me, was drinking. I was consuming a large amount of this Polish vodka, and I was really quite lucid. In fact, I had become the de facto host of the party because the host had passed out. The Polish vodka ran out, so I started drinking some Johnny Walker. In five minutes I went from sober to smashed – a late-arriving guest confirmed that he thought I was clear-headed only minutes earlier – to sick, fortunately in the bathroom. Lesson learned: don’t mix drinks.

The other time, I had some flu or food poisoning. I had had a drink or two, but hardly enough to get sick. I always felt badly, though, because my friends Jean and Rich probably thought I was just drinking too much.

10. What’s on your mind RIGHT NOW?

Baseball. Or sex. Or sleep. Or money. Wait, music.

11. Who was the last person you talked to?

The Wife.

12. What is the WORST subject they teach at school?

I don’t know that there’s a “worst” subject. There are things that I am more or less interested in.

13. Have you seen anyone lately that you don’t get along with?

Not in person.

14. What is your favourite colour top to wear?

Blue. I have more blue shirts than any other.

15. Have you ever been in a car accident?

At least two that involved medical attention, one which put me in the hospital for a day and a half. Plus the bike avoiding the car thing. And a handful of lesser events.

16. What’s the closest thing to you that’s green?

When your name is green, your mother’s, sisters’, wife’s, daughter’s niece’s names are all Green, so it is difficult to say. Oh, lower-case green: An ancient book called Play the Game: The Book of Sport that I used to read as a kid.

17. Where would you like to be right now?

On vacation. I just WAS on vacation.

18. Write down some lyrics to the song you’re listening to?

Love is just like a baseball game
Three strikes you’re out

Up to bat
I thought I hit a love run
But to my surprise
I found I didn’t hit none

Threw her love so fast
She put me in a daze
Never knew that love
Could come so many ways

(Here’s a recording.)

19. How many dogs do you have?

Zero. Haven’t had one in decades.

20. Is anything bugging you right now?

Yes. Fred Phelps’ “church”, among other things.

21. Is life going right for you now?

It’s more than tolerable. But I have a physical tomorrow, so we’ll see.

22. Is there someone you care about more than yourself?

Yes.

23. What made you laugh today?

The Daughter: something she said.

24. What was the last movie you watched?

Crazy Heart.

25. Whats the last conversation you had about?

Housecleaning.

26. What were you doing at 7:00 this morning?

Will be getting ready for work.

27. Do you like your hair long or short?

What hair?

28. Do you want to see somebody right now?

If I had the power of teleporting, I’d use it a lot.

29. Do you like the rain?

In moderation.

30. Did you have a valentine this year?

Why, yes.

31. The last person you kissed needs you at 3 am, would you go?

Why not?

32. Would you honestly say you’d risk your life for someone else?

Yes.

33. Honestly, if you could go back 1 month and change something would you?

Not so much. Well, actually, if you said TWO months ago, then the answer would be yes.

34. How do you feel about boys smoking?

I hate smoking, no matter who is doing it.

35. Could you see yourself with someone forever?

I have my hopes.

ROG

Roger Answers Your Questions, Uthaclena

Uthaclena, who is one of the few people reading this blog I know personally:

Asking Anything?

Okay, it’s Sunday, and the header of your blog refers to “pondering… God.”

Do you believe in “God” as a supernatural Personality actively creating, shaping, judging, intervening, with whom one can have a “relationship?” And, as a follow-up question, do you believe in personal survival after bodily death? Some awareness that will recognize I am/was “Roger?”

OK, U., interesting questions. And I waited until Sunday to answer them.

I don’t think God made the world then went away. I believe that God is an active entity. I believe in the power of prayer. But I don’t believe that prayer is like some sort of cosmic Santa Claus where you get to pray for a pony and ZING!, a pony arrives. Intercessionary prayer I believe in. And sometimes the answer is no. Three examples immediately come to mind.

There was a woman I knew named Rus who had a rare, incurable disease. About 20 years ago, while she was dying in a Boston hospital, a bunch of her friends, including me, were in the chapel of Trinity United Methodist Church in Albany, praying for Rus. And she was cured. There is no other logical explanation for it.

People were praying for my father in 2000 and my brother-in-law John in 2002, too, but they both died. And in each case, someone who was praying probably the hardest for them got pretty damn angry with God.

God may talk to people through earthly tools, such as movies. I found this website that discusses the theological ramification of movies. Theological ramifications of “Natural Born Killers”? The site also has a thematic directory where topics from alienation to trust are referenced to specific movies.

I think that often God sends a sign. I am reminded of the joke here (Dumb Faith) that suggests that sometimes the message is given but we are just not hearing it.

As for the second question, I believe in an afterlife. Whether it’ll contain my Rogerness, I simply don’t know. People often talk about the deceased watching over them from heaven; I don’t know if it’s true or not, though I suspect it’s true for them, and that may be enough.
***
Meanwhile someone suggested that I become “friends” with Stan Lee on his Facebook page. So I did, and he accepted on Friday, as he did with Laurence Fishburne and doubtless thousands of others. Probably not worth mentioning, except that it’s Stan Lee’s 86th birthday today.

ROG