Things You Love

OK---after all the chatter I generated yesterday, I know it's a real downer to do a meme, but whaddya gonna do? I can't be irate every day and need to take a break from politics. I kept the TV off almost the entire day today and it was very nice not to be throwing things at commentators for a change. So here is something just very pedantic...

Courtesy of Mary (Bozoette)

Song you love: Only one? Surely you jest. The very first song (of many) that comes to mind is John Denver's "Grandma's Feather Bed," a fast, fun song that rivals Gilbert & Sullivan's patter songs for tongue twistedness. I've been singing along with this song for literally years in the car and my tongue still can't wrap around "a whole bolt of cloth for the tick." It stops me every. single. time!

Word you love: Strawphylactic. We first heard it on "Says You." It's a made-up word from Addictionary, that dictionary where you can add words that don't exist--but should. The definition of Strawphylactic is: noun, The little piece of paper that a server leaves on the end of a straw when a non-alcoholic drink is brought to you.

Academic subject you love: When I was in high school, I loved French and English and, for a time, I developed an unexpected love of history because we had a teacher who really made it come to life for us. Unfortunately she only lasted half a year and was replaced by someone who made us memorize dates. I hated history after that.

Hobby you love: Well, blogging, of course. It's my passion (though you may not know that from reading the content sometimes!). I also love PhotoShop and learning all I can about it, even though I don't have a lot of occasion to do lots of fancy stuff with it.

Type of baked good you love: Fresh white bread and donuts. You know that the only reason I donate blood is because I have a legitimate opportunity to eat a donut, right? Fortunately, I no longer bake bread because I ate too much of it, but there's nothing better than the smell of fresh hot bread.

Type of sky you love: I love a clear blue sky with big fluffy cumulous clouds, the kind you can lie in the grass and find bunnies hopping across the sky in. I also love the firey red sky of a spectacular sunset.

Beverage you love: As boring as it sounds, I really do like a glass of fresh ice cold water, preferable with mini ice cubes in it. No lemon slices for me. Just the plain water itself. On a hot day there is nothing better.

Vacation you love: We have never had a regular "vacation," something that we do all the time, like a favorite resort, or a favorite activity or a favorite place. Any time we can get out of town, stay in a hotel or motel, and eat all meals out in restaurants is a good vacation for me (and if an ocean view is involved, even better). Though if I had to name favorite vacations we have taken, I would include our first trip to England and Ireland, with all the kids, and my trip to Australia. The trip to Buxton with the Lamplighters for the Gilbert & Sullivan festival was also a highlight, especially because we took my mother along.

Restaurant you love: I love The Spinnaker in Sausalito. My mother and I go there periodically. It has a gorgeous view of San Francisco and the best fresh cracked dungeness crab. Second choice would be Greens in San Francisco. Greens is located in Fort Mason and has huge windows looking out on the Golden Gate bridge. It's run under the auspices of the San Francisco Zen Center and is a vegetarian restaurant. Though I'm not a vegetarian, I have never had a bad meal there and it's my favorite place to take out of town guests for lunch. (Obviously views are a big part of why I love a restaurant!)

Way of getting around that you love: I might have said by bike, but since I don't bike any more, it would have to be car. I love my Honda and have no desire to trade it in on anything newer or fancier. It's comfortable, I can play my iPod while driving and I just love it.

Room in your home (or ideal home) you love: My office. It may be a mess, but it's all my stuff and I can sit in here at the computer and play around (or work, as the case may be). If I can create a fantasy home, the room would be the turret room, surrounded by bookcases filled with books I've been meaning to read, with a big comfy place to sit in the window, overlooking the ocean.

Movie you love: How about movies other than A Star Is Born and Affair to Remember, which are my classic answers to this question. I love Dave, because I'd like to believe that it's possible for good, sincere men to actually be in the White House. I'm also a sucker for almost every movie Audrey Hepburn made -- Roman Holiday, Sabrina, Love in the Afternoon, etc.

Book you love: The last book that excited me was "Inside Inside" by James Lipton, his own autobiography and the story of Inside the Actors Studio. Surprisingly, the autobiography part was more fascinating than the fawning section about the actors who have appeared on Inside the Actors Studio. I don't know that I'd classify it as my all time favorite, but I just loved the book.

City you love: I left my heart in San Francisco. My City by the Bay. I get strength from returning to San Francisco.

Form of communication you love: I'm much more comfortable in print than in person, so the age of e-mail, for me, has been like dying and going to heaven.

Junk food you love: Fried onion rings. Or actually, fried anything. Garlic fries come in a close second.

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If there is anything REMOTELY (and I do mean "Remotely") positive about the prospect of a McCain/Palin administration it is that it will give Tina Fey an endless amount of material. Here's a starter.