Wednesday Hodgepodge

{It's well into the day on Wednesday before I could get this posted. Colds and holiday's make life busy. But I decided to post anyway. Hope you enjoy!}

1. Turkey-love it or leave it?  White meat or dark?  What's your favorite thing to make using leftover turkey?

Leftovers are always good in my opinion! I appreciate being able to eat more than one meal for the money I spent on it. Of course I've never actually bought a whole turkey myself, but you get what I'm saying, right? :) I'll eat both white and dark meat, I'm not really particular. And my favorite thing to make with turkey is a good turkey sandwich. Not very original, but it's way better than that sliced stuff I usually buy from the grocery. Add in some leftover cranberry something-or-other and you have a delicious sandwich!

2. Gotta burn off all those carbs the day after a holiday feast so which would you rather do-run a 10K or climb a mountain?

Oh boy. Do I have to choose? Neither one sounds pleasant. Although if I was allowed to go my own pace (definitely not a speedy person here), I'd probably pick climbing a mountain. At least there would be a beautiful view at the top! :)

3.  Do you feel like social networking has made your relationships better or worse?  Explain.

A little of both. I've "met" some pretty awesome people through social networking and I love that part! :) But the downside is that since I'm not the most social person anyway, getting online is much more tempting than having to go out somewhere and actually make conversation face to face. And going out and having a social life with people face to face is important for all of us. (That's my opinion anyway.)

4. How do you find and express gratitude for the hard things in your life?

Well, it's surely not easy to do! But I suppose the easiest way to answer this is to look back a year ago, when I had a car accident. My car was totaled and I went around 6 weeks without one until I could buy a new one. Plus I had some foot problems caused by the accident which were no fun at all. There were lots of days that were extra tough. One morning at work was especially hard, so I called a dear friend (who's more like a mom to me since I live far away from my real one) and asked to meet for lunch. She didn't have any words of wisdom, but just a listening ear and a hug or two and reminded me she was praying and that she loved me. I also had many other people offer to let me use their cars, to go grocery shopping for me, and lots of other things. I felt incredibly blessed and comforted! :) So the best answer to this question, is that I surround myself with friends and family that I know care for me as I care for them. Then when the tough times come, they help me through and remind me where to keep my focus. Likewise I hope I do the same for them in return! :)

5.  In the US, the day after Thanksgiving has been dubbed 'Black Friday'.  Is most of your holiday shopping done live and in person, or is it done more through the magic of the Internet? How do you feel about stores opening at midnight Thanksgiving night? Will you be out amongst the masses on Friday?

I have been out on Black Friday before, but pretty much refuse to shop on that day anymore. I don't ever have anything I "have" to have that badly that makes me willing to fight the crowds. But I can understand if there is an appliance or something of that nature that is normally really expensive, and that day will be really cheap so you go out to get it specifically. I don't really have any problem with everyone else going out and about that day, just so long as I don't have to! (But I do kind of wish it wasn't the very next day after we just said thank you for what we do have.) So no, I won't be shopping this Friday. And I shop both in person and online. Depends on what it is I'm looking for.

6.  Speaking of the color black-which black item in your wardrobe would you say is your favorite?

I have a long black cardigan sweater that I love. I received it for Christmas three or four years ago. Black seems to look good with just about anything, so I get to wear it often! :)

7.  What do you appreciate about your life today?

That I'm alive, that I have no illnesses other than a cold I'm fighting, that both my parents are still here and relatively healthy, that my mother is fighting on through her Parkinson's and we can talk on the phone often (and I get to go visit her at Christmas!), that I have awesome nieces and nephews, that I have a job when so many don't, that I have so many wonderful friends and family in my life, and......I can keep going and going and going but I've got to stop somewhere. I am incredibly blessed and extremely thankful to God for each of the blessings He's given me! :)

8.  Insert your own random thought here.

Toodle-loo kangaroos!