Sunday, March 19, 2006

Earth to Savta: A Meme from Jo Spanglemonkey (Updated*)

There I was on Cloud Nine, floating home from absolutely the most amazing, gorgeous, beautiful production of the most amazing, gorgeous, beautiful opera (Der Rosenkavelier), thinking how on earth to convey the splendor in words, humming all the parts of the final trio together, including the orchestra, as one can do only in one's mind, when Jo Spanglemonkey, fearlessly crossing the Generation Gap, tagged me onto another cloud. [Pop quiz: How many commas were in that sentence?] Ordinarily I would find a 40-question meme off-putting, but for my buddy Jo I'll do just about anything. You see she has to live in California, poor thing. And ferry her children around all day, health pemitting, which it wasn't last month. When it comes to blogging, Jo is from the More Is More school of esthetics. And she delivers both quantity and quality, a rare combination. She is right now bravely and honestly documenting a painful personal journey, and reading her blog can/will save lives!

So here goes:

1) Who is the last person you high-fived?
My nine-year-old grandniece.

2) If you were drafted into a war, would you survive.
Certainly not. Any army that needs to draft women my age is doomed.

3) Do you sleep with the TV on?
No. Is it relevant that I no longer have TV?

4) Have you ever drank [sic] milk straight out of the carton?
No.

5) Have you ever won a spelling bee
No. I don't think I've ever competed in a spelling bee, so I've never lost one either.

6) Have you ever been stung by a bee
Yes. Although it might have been a wasp. In my foot. A couple of years ago.

7) How fast can you type
Pretty fast. And I used to know how to write shorthand too. Gregg.

8) Are you afraid of the dark?
No, unless I'm in an unfamiliar place and worried about falling down.

9) Eye color
Brown.

10) Have you ever made out at a drive-in?
This is really sad: I don't remember.

11) When is the last time you chose a bath over a shower?
About a week ago.

12) Do you knock on wood?
Very often. Tfu, tfu, tfu.

13) Do you floss daily?
Absolutely not.

15) Can you hula hoop?
I haven't tried lately, but I think I could!

16) Are you good at keeping secrets?
Yes.

17) What do you want for Christmas?
Everything on my Amazon Wish List.

18) Do you know the Muffin Man?
Oh yes I know the Muffin Man. He lives in Drury Lane. I also know the Quiche Man. He lives near rehov Bloch, much more convenient.

19) Do you talk in your sleep?
I don't know.

20) Who wrote the book of love?
Ovid Hugo von Hofmannsthal, the librettist for Der Rosenkavelier. And Richard Strauss wrote the music.

21) Have you ever flown a kite?
Yes. It fell down. They all did.

22) Do you wish on your fallen lashes?
No.

23) Do you consider yourself successful?
Yes.

24) How many people are on your contact list of your cell?
118. But some of them I haven't called in years. I am a pack rat in every way.

25) Have you ever asked for a pony?
No.

26) Plans for tomorrow?
Get a special form from my HMO so I can have a free bone density test. Get a form from the motor vehicle bureau replacing the one I lost, for an eye test so I can renew my drivers' license. Both these errands have to be done in person. You see, it's not all sequins and tomatoes here in sunny Tel Aviv.

27) Can you juggle?
No.

28) Missing someone now?
Yes. You know who you are.

29) when was the last time you told someone I Love You?
Ten minutes ago.

30) And truly meant it?
Ten minutes ago.

31) how often do you drink
About once every six weeks, assuming the question is about alcohol. Just to see if it won't make me sleepy, but it always does.

32) How are you feeling today?
Excellent.

33) what do you say too much?
"I don't know" (see answer 19, for example).

34) Have you ever been suspended or expelled from school?
No. I was once kept after school (4th grade) for talking too much in class.

35) What are you looking forward to?
Next Friday's Soup Salon (in my kitchen)

36) Have you ever crawled through a window?
No. We always seemed to have casement windows.

37) Have you ever eaten dog food?
About a year ago my nephew-in-law (not really, but something like that) persuaded me to bake No More Bad Breath Dog Biscuits, for the amusement of his daughters during a visit. The recipe included, among other things, charcoal powder (available at the nearby health food store) and parsley. We all (including the dog) tried them and felt the same: not very good. But they did work. For an hour.

38) Can you handle the truth?
Yes, depending on the method of presentation.

39) Do you like green eggs and ham?
I never had green eggs, so I don't know (see answer to 33 above).

40) Any cool scars?
Only on my heart and my psyche, but those are hot scars.

*UPDATE: Forgot to tag people. Tamar, you reminded me so you're tagged! Noorster, you went away, so you're tagged! (I know, you're coming back, but that doesn't matter.) Udge, you're in a funk, so you're tagged!

6 comments:

Spanglemonkey said...

Nice job. Whew! Hard work eh?

SavtaDotty said...

Jo. Thanks. Whew indeed! It was a workout.

That girl. You're welcome. I made myself laugh too.

Tamar. Now you knew what my answer would be, didn't you? (See updated post)

goldenlucyd said...

Savta,
This was fun. Thanks also for turning me on to Jo. She is wonderful. I'm also very interested in what she's going through. My daughter-in-law's family deals with exactly the same thing. Ms Spanglemoney is very brave and candid.
lucyd

Julie said...

Heh heh, I have also eaten dog food. Dog biscuits, anyway. Yum.

Udge said...

Ah, that did cheer me up. I'll get working on it right away. Thanks for the tag.

SavtaDotty said...

montanus - I don't know the origin of tagging and memes, but it's just like "you're it" in the old-fashioned game of Tag. And It has to blog the answers to the meme's questions.

goldenlucyd - Yes, Ms Spanglemonkey gives me hope for the next generation!

julie - now I may have to try dog biscuits that I haven't baked.

tamar - bravo! You did it!

udge - a meme is just what's needed for proper perspective on life. Waiting...