An entry?? By edna???!!!! well, kind of…..

We’ll call it an entry, even though it’s really a survey. Because I am (shockingly) bored at work. And I want to write something but of course have no idea what. Obviously it’s Random Survey Time. I am actually enjoying being bored at work. That hasn’t happened in ages, and I dare say it won’t last. I can tell you now that I’ll be cutting out questions – it has, like, fifty. You’re welcome. 
  
1. Do you have a bulletin board in your room? 
I have one one in my current room, aka my office. It contains very few work-related items. Okay, it contains one work-related item: instructions on taking coursework at another university and transferring it back here. Other than that it’s mostly photos. Of the nieces’ kids, Charleston, a graveyard in England, Tower Bridge, a blue door at Kew Gardens, and a row of colorful dancing Buddhas.   
 
2. Was your father ever in the military?
He was. My father joined the Navy during World War II, when he was 15. Yes, fifteen. He was very tall for his age and had already quit school, and was trying to find a job when he walked by a recruiting office downtown and had a sudden urge to go in. The recruiter said if his parents would sign a paper saying he was 17, he could join up. And they signed. So he did. He was in the service for two years, until the war ended. Mostly he was in Cherbourg France, working in the communications office, although he spent some time in Glasgow before that, and in Exeter before he got sent to Cherbourg. They marched through London and he never saw it, because it was the middle of the night and during the blackouts. They were on the Red Ball Express. (Oddly he was in a division of the Navy that was not at sea- an infantry division.) He says it seems like a dream now — no wonder, since it’s been SEVENTY years.  
 
3. How many books have you read in the past year?
A gazillion! Since I got my Kindle a couple of years ago, I have read non-stop. I’ve always been a massive reader, but for some reason in recent years I’d been reading less and less. Well, I’m sure the reason is called The Internet. I’m not sure why the Kindle made such a big difference, but it has. Maybe because I am terminally lazy, and with the Kindle I have millions of books right there at my fingertips. And it’s a plain old Kindle, not one you can easily access the Interwebs from so doesn’t have distractions. Other than a million books right there at my fingertips. 
 
4. Do you think this summer will be better than last summer?
I certainly do. Last summer was not much fun at all, what with car wrecks, broken arms, an extremely ill father, a MIL with a broken leg (and both in rehab for ages recovering), and a terminally ill beloved cat. Last summer kind of sucked. THIS summer we are going to England, yippiiiieeeee!!!! It will be a wonderful summer. And everyone is going to NOT get sick, have wrecks, or break anything. 
 
10. What’s the brand of the jeans you’re wearing?
Ummmmm…. I have no idea. They are grey jeans that I bought at Belk on sale awhile back for ridiculously cheap. Like, ten dollars. And I like them a lot, except they are made of stretchy material and are a little big so I am often having to tug them back up. Not really that professional a look, actually. But they are quite comfortable. 
 
11. What’s the last thing you ate?
Pacific All Natural Mac & Cheese from a little box I got at Earth Fare last week, and … it is NOT very good. I only part of it, which is a good thing in itself since it’s really two servings and is quite caloric – but I was already hungry since I forgot to bring any breakfast, and I’m STILL hungry, and I don’t want to eat the rest of it because it’s not good. Who wants to waste calories on something that isn’t very good? 
 
12. Do you have a lack of something in your life?
I have a lack of something edible and tasty. I do have a little teeny orange, and that will have to do. 

Okay, that will do quite nicely. It’s a delicious little orange. 
 
14. If you had to work at a clothing store, which one would you choose?
One that would allow me to sit in a back room with a nice view by myself all day, drinking coffee, playing on the internet, and reading. Avoiding all contact with customers. And give me all the free cool clothes I would like. I am not sure which clothing store that would be. 
 
15. Is anyone annoying you today? 
Not as much as they are usually annoying me. It is very quiet today. Even Aggravation Receptionist is not being as annoying as she normally is. Probably that’s in contrast with the last few weeks, in which she’s sat at her desk coughing, hacking, blowing her nose, hacking, coughing, blowing her nose and clearing her throat non-fucking-stop. For WEEKS. And I know, I KNOW, there’s something nasty going around that everyone in this state apparently has had (except ME and I do NOT WANT IT) but she was making WAY more of a production than she needed to be making. In my annoyed, germ-phobic opinion. She’s finally over the worst of it. I hope. 

And why doesn’t she, oh, STAY THE FUCK HOME?!? Because she wants sympathy and wants to garner it by moaning and languishing and sighing and hacking and coughing!!! And also she has NO sick days. Despite our very generous and liberal sick time policy. Because she has a doctor’s appointment pretty much every day of her hypochondriac life. 

Apparently someone really IS annoying me after all! Perhaps next entry I’ll go into her current "Health Crisis". Which may be real. Maybe. But she’s like the boy who cried wolf for six years solid so when the wolf was finally about to rip his head off nobody believed him and he got his head ripped off because everyone was sick of him crying wolf and ignored him. It really is a bizarre story, but it’s also a very loooong story so will have to wait till later. 
 
33. What was the last illegal activity you took part in?
I started to protest that I would NEVER take part in an illegal activity!! Not anymore!!! Not after the Firewood Incident!!! But I guess I would have to count speeding. Which I do in fact take part in, although I try to be careful about it.  
 
38. Is the last person you kissed more than 2 years older than you?
That would be Baker B who is in fact more than two years older than me. He’s two years and three days older.  
 
39. Do you talk about your feelings or hide them?
 I hide them. Because, helllllloooooo!!!! I’m from The South!!! We don’t TALK about our feelings. We smile and say, "Why bless your heart!" and then we go get drunk. I certainly do write about my feelings, but god forbid I talk about them. 

OH, look, I am out of time and get to go home now!! Yay!
 

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April 16, 2013

Oh, hell yeah. If I’m going to ingest some calories, it’s gonna be a Snickers bar 😀

I love this! How ARE You? I miss you here, and always do a little Irish jig and clapping thing when you write.

I read Cecila Rivenbark’s book where she explained that “bless your heart” was a veiled insult. No wonder my Wicked Step mother in law is always saying that to me!

April 16, 2013

Really enjoyed this entry! Laughed a lot. I love and shsre your attitude to jeans. Agree AR should stay home. I have a similar lurgi and it has really hung on. Your comment on feelings also matches our local culture. Interesting about the Kindle. I have just been given a little tablet and am hoping to set it up to get books and music. Interested that you read more since you have it, as I wasn’t sure if I want to read a screen.

“Bless your heart” is a veiled insult? Sheesh. Re-runs in her head past conversations featuring that phrase. Still baffled. Maybe I do have a touch of autism after all. (Geez, I KNOW I have.) Hope you have a fabulous time.

*llaighs*

April 17, 2013

As always, wonderful answers. Is it your fault I’m hungry or is it that I did not have breakfast?

April 17, 2013

Who ever thought those 3 days Baker B is older than you would make a difference in a survey all these years down the line. 🙂 I just got some cool jeans that ate not actually jeans in this size I haven’t been able to wear for at least 4 years and I am very happy about this. The second book in the Vera Stanhope series is proving quite difficult to come by. Interlibrary loan wantsto charge me more for it than I would pay on Amazon to buy a used copy. Bored at work is so nice now and then.

LOL’d at #39! You nailed that one! And, of course, we’re introverts too…so we internalize feelings rather that externalize them. Like those annoying people we say “Bless your heart” to. 🙂

April 18, 2013

Thank you for reading my new blog! It’s fun being back on OD. It will take me a while to catch up on yours. We’re borrowing a Netman usb internet connection, which looks like a fat thumb drive with a blinking green light and which is prepaid. It’s a bit slow. Or maybe it’s me being a bit slow learning to use Mac.

I love my Kindle. I am like you. I use to read a TON. Since the Internet, my attention span is short. I’m British. Talking about feelings in public is called torture.

April 19, 2013

To answer your school question – it’s a bit confusing at present. There are lots of schools run by various groups. So I take that to mean that the government run schools do not meet the needs of such a diverse population. Many of the kids who look to be elementary school age wear uniforms, and there are many different ones.

April 19, 2013

A cat was terminally ill? Another thing that was not supposed to happen while I was away from OD. Will read back to see if you discuss it further here.

RYN: Argh, there are all sorts of forces pushing me toward making up my mind re dates. Thank you, I think. And yes, it ounds awful, to be frank.

April 20, 2013

ryn: Thanks. Your explanation is the clearest yet. We have free wi-fi at public libraries and a lot of cafes. It is a non-3G one, which may be why it was a giveaway.

April 20, 2013

ryns: Thanks for the link to the Cousin’s big adventure. It is fun to follow along. I had already gone ahead and ordered a used copy of Telling Tales when you left me the note about shipping your copy. The offer is much appreciated. My sister sent me this link. http://www.anncleeves.com/vera/ Apparently her books are going to come out here soon. And the final Sookie bookis just weeks away! I have of course pre-ordered it.

April 21, 2013

Howdy! I’m borrowing a laptop so can’t get photos posted here but wanted to let you know everything is fine. Thanks for your notes. It’s very encouraging seeing a friend here. 🙂

April 22, 2013

Hey, it looks like I was revising the entry while you were leaving a note. Thanks. I’m going to bed. You’re a night owl. 🙂

April 25, 2013

#14!!!! HILARIOUS! And…can I be your assistant? 🙂 RYN: I told Papa Blue I’ll handle the paperwork but when it comes time for court, he’s going, not me.

April 30, 2013

Well, THIS is certainly an out of the ordinary survey! You SO crack me up, I’d award you the smirk of the month prize for that last item, alone, never mind the rest of it! Hee! (Do y’all drawl, honeychile? 😉