Crazy Eights

Well, I was chasing lightning bugs, but everyone else was playing tag, including Jan who slipped up behind me when I wasn’t expecting it and hit me with this meme. It’s just as well. I didn’t have a good idea for a post today so I'm happily playing along:

8 THINGS I'M PASSIONATE ABOUT

1. Freedom of speech
2. My family
3. Fitness
4. Books and reading (and putting books in the hands of children who can’t afford them)
5. Writing
6. Lifelong learning
7. Raising Teen Angel to be independent, confident and sure that she doesn’t have to rely on a man for her emotional or financial well being.
8. Music. I love all kinds of music and rarely go anywhere without my iPod or a radio.

8 THINGS I WANT TO DO BEFORE I DIE (just 8?)

1. See the Eiffel Tower
2. Lie on the floor of the Sistine Chapel and look at the ceiling
3. Own a convertible
4. Write a book
5. Run a marathon and finish
6. Own an English bulldog
7. Visit the small railroad town we lived in when I was very young and see our old home and hangouts.
8. Own a small home in the Caribbean

8 THINGS I SAY OFTEN

1. "Puddin"-It’s a substitution for any and all swear words that usually come to mind first
2. “This is NOT a democracy.”-Usually reserved for Teen Angel, although I have used it on at least two argumentative employees in the past.
3. “You know I hate a whiner.”-Again, usually used on Teen Angel when she’s playing the pity card.
4. “Hateful!”-Hubby and I use this with each other when one of us has slipped into a tone of voice that is not nice or respectful.
5. “Sucks to be you.”-I jokingly use this only on friends when they have to do something that is not fun.
6. “It is what it is.”-Used frequently on the rest of my family who tends to worry excessively about everything and tries to suck me into their fretting frenzy. I refuse to worry about things I cannot change. It doesn’t always work with these people.
7. “Don't have sex. Don't have sex. Don't have sex."-I like to throw that out to Teen Angel in random conversation, kind of like those subliminal messages slipped into advertising.
8. “Bless her heart”-that old southern phrase that is intended to soften the blow of the derogatory comment that is about to follow. For example: “Bless her heart. She’s really put on the weight.” There really isn’t any blessing behind it.

8 BOOKS I'VE READ LATELY: Heavens to Betsy (who is this Betsy, anyway?) I read so much I have trouble remembering what I’ve read. I always have a book handy. Here are a few I’ve read in recent months.

1. The Doctor’s Wife by Elizabeth Brundage-Excellent page turner.
2. Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides. Very interesting but disappointing ending.
3. A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest Gains-Love the plot and the prose.
4. The Memory Keeper’s Daughter by Kim Edwards. Couldn’t put it down.
5. Magical Thinking by Augusten Burroughs-Fascinating but slightly repulsive at times.
6. Icy Sparks by Gwen Hyman-excellent read.
7. White Oleander by Janet Fitch-another great book. Heavy topic.
8. It Ain’t All About the Cookin’ by Paula Deen-Honest and colorful autobiography.

8 MOVIES I'VE WATCHED EIGHT OR MORE TIMES

1. Steel Magnolias-Maybe my all time favorite.
2. Fried Green Tomatoes-Maybe my all time favorite.
3. Terms of Endearment-When I need a good cry.
4. A Trip to Bountiful-When I need another good cry.
5. All the President’s Men-Helped to inspire my interest in journalism a very long time ago. That and Jessica Savitch.
6. The Shawshank Redemption-Love the part where he plays opera over the sound system.
7. Animal House-When I was in college I got a bid to be a little sister for the animal house fraternity on campus. I passed but was flattered in a weird way.
8. The Rocky Horror Picture Show-In my younger days I spent a fair amount of time traveling around the Midwest in my RH costume dancing and throwing toilet paper in theaters. I portrayed Magenta with voyeuristic intention.

And now for the hard part, tagging 8 other people for this. I’m not good at tagging, so I’ll throw out some names and if you want to play along, okay. If not, I’ll understand. Okay, I’m closing my eyes, turning around and picking……

1. Cruise Mom
2. Amy
3. Heather
4. Pamela
5. Oreneta
6. Faye
7. ChrisB
8. Molly