Wednesday Hodgepodge {# 3 for me}

Well, with all the goings on across the US, what with the weather and all, last week's Hodgepodge didn't happen. But Joyce is back this week, and here we go! :)


1.  What rule of life should never be broken?

The old tried and true "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." If only we would all treat each other with the grace and forgiveness and love that we like to be given. This world would be a better place if everyone truly loved each other. And I mean real love, not just the shallow kind that responds only if I get what I want or think I deserve.

2.  What's your favorite family recipe?

It's a toss up between my mom's chili soup and my grandmother's coffee cake. Kind of an odd combo I know, but both are soooo delicious! :) Mmmmm, now I'm making myself hungry!

3.  Is the media manipulative?

Absolutely yes! I think they report only what they think is important and ultimately whatever their agenda is. I would not call them objective or neutral in the least. (Granted that's a generality, so I'm sure there are some honest and true reporters out there, but they are few and far between.)

4. Hubs and I saw Skyfall last weekend...are you a fan of the Bond films? If so, who's your favorite Bond?

I have never seen a Bond film, never read a Bond book, don't know anything about him other than that he is extremely popular!

5. What is one thing you hope people never say about you?

That I'm rude or selfish or unfriendly. (I know that's three, but that's okay, right? :)

6.  What's a nearby tourist attraction you'd like to see, but haven't gotten around to visiting?

I don't know if you call a three or four hour drive away from you 'nearby', but I'm counting it. I would love to see McWay Falls at Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park on the Big Sur coastline. All the pictures I see make it seem a beautiful place to visit, and someday I hope I can see it in person! :)

7.  Where's your favorite tree?

In my parents' front yard. Off one of the tall branches, there used to be a long rope with a swing at the bottom that I spent hours and hours on as a kid. The tree is on a small hillside so you could get great takeoff speed from someone standing at the top of the hill and giving you a great big push! It overlooks what used to be the garden, so when my portion of picking was done, I would go swing and beg dad to come give me a push (he was stronger than mom and could make me go higher which is very important criteria in a pusher-of-swings). Then when I was older and in choir at school, I would go out and practice my singing while swinging. (Thank goodness we had no close neighbors! :) Ah, such great memories of that tree. It looks a little worse for wear now, but it has been a faithful and steadfast friend. :)

That's it on the left.

8.  Insert your own random thought here. 

I know it's not even Thanksgiving yet, but I've already begun listening to Christmas music. Actually the biggest incentive for me to do this is the fact that I've been working on my annual Christmas poem. Instead of a picture or card or letter at Christmas, I write a poem and send it out. Of course, I like to get them sent off right after Thanksgiving, so that means working on it beforehand. And to be perfectly frank, I wrote a few lines clear back in July, but it needs to be finished. I'm pretty much there, but still a few last minute read-throughs will be happening.  Let me tell you, it is no small thing to send out something you've created! At least for me. I read it, and re-read it, and rewrite this or that repeatedly, it's a lot of hard work! So to get myself in the mode of thinking about Christmas, I whipped out my handy-dandy playlist of favorite Christmas songs. Plus now I'm getting in the mood for the Christmas season, which is a time of year that I love. So win-win. (On a side note, don't worry, I haven't been subjecting anyone else to this, I only listen to it in my car or my bedroom.) Anyway, I thought I'd share one of my favorites this year. It's about Christmas, but it's not a traditional song so I thought you might not mind so much. If you do mind, and don't want to listen, I will not be offended. (Actually I won't even know, so even better right?)

Toodle-loo kangaroos! I hope you're having an awesome week. :)