The Moi Moi

I’ve been tagged by someone I just recently started reading:  Mom or Mum Wars.  I get to answer these 7 questions then pass it on to someone else.  I swear I’ve done this before.  Let me go check.  Ah yes, here it is here.  I did this one almost 7 months ago; that’s pretty good odds considering how many Memes there are orbiting cyberspace.

1. Where were you ten years ago?
I was living in my hometown in Scotland.  I got a job at RBS (The Royal Bank of Scotland) in their mortgage centre.  It was dull and I realised how I didn’t like working in the mortgage side of finances.  Or any side of finances.  (Sorry Kat!)  Totally not what I went to College for, but it was a job and it was there.  It was a 6-month contract with an opportunity to extend.  My boss, Janice (GrrrrRrrrr) told me, “we’ve decided not to renew your contract…because you think too much.”  Wha??  OK, let’s not overlook that I completed an on-the-job training course that was condensed from a year into 6 months, and I completed it in five.  She was a fool to let me go.   I thought it ironic that my previous boss (from another company) was also named Janice.  She was a beast too.

I dated my ex-boyfriend, again.  Sad mistake.

My wee brother had just started high school (age 11).

My other brother became a father.

2. What’s on your To-Do list today?
Here’s my list from yesterday…
Straighten the house it imploded again within the hour
Phone my hair stylist     I keep saying “I’ll do it after lunch”
Phone a friend 
Phone my mum
Read a book
Wait for Bryan to get off work

3. What if you were a Billionaire?
I really don’t think I’d want to be that rich.  But I’d have a 7-bedroom house furnished with Ethan Allen and I’d buy my Mum a nice little place in the Highlands near my brother.

4. Five places you have lived?
Scotland: Paisley; Greenock  USA: Sacramento, CA; Layton, Utah; State College, PA.

5. Three bad habits?
1.  I’m really bad at remembering to take medication, I have to have it where I’ll see it.  If the kids need amoxicilin, I have to write a note on the fridge.
2.  If I have an appointment somewhere and it takes 15 mins to get there, I’ll leave dead on 15 mins.  Needless to say, we always get stuck behind a dottering granny or a bloody tractor.
3.  Occasionally not talking to people because I don’t want the attention it sometimes draws.  This sometimes causes mild phone phobia too.  Ironic cos I used to work in a call centre.

6. Snacks you like?
Since there’s no limit…those fizzy sour worms – what they called?  Peach rings, Chex Mix (minus the pretzels), swedish fish, junior mints, natural white cheddar cheetos.  UK: maltesers.

7. Who will you tag?
Anyone.  Do it because you want to, not because you have to.

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Tag, I’m It

Thank you Laura for tagging me, you’ve given an old greying woman purpose and something to blog about. I wrote this LAST Sunday. How sad am I? On second thoughts, don’t answer that…

A) Each player answers the questions about themselves.

B) At the end of the post, the player then tags 2 people and posts their names, then goes to their blog and leaves them a comment, letting them know that they have been tagged and asking them to read your blog.

10 years ago:
I was 23 and had just returned to Scotland from a 18-month stint in Pennsylvania
I laughed at my family for 3 days because they “talked funny” ( I hadn’t lost my accent though)
I got a job at RBS
I dated my ex-boyfriend, again
My brother had just started high school (age 11)
My other brother became a father

5 Things that were on my “to-do” list for today:
Go to church
Take a nap
Cook a pork tenderloin
Keep the house tidy
Talk smack

I Enjoy:
Road trips and travelling
Meeting new people
Reading (I love thesauruses and dictionaries too)
Teaching myself things and trying new recipes
Laughing with my children (or Kathy Griffin)
Shopping and getting bargains

What would I do if I suddenly became a MILLIONAIRE?:
Make a list. I mean — come on, I still haven’t spent my $112.06 on my amazon account. How much hope would I have with $MIL+. Although, I have to say, I’d rather have £1,000,000.

5 Jobs that I have had:
Nelson Laboratories, Inc.
The Royal Bank of Scotland Mortgage Centre
IBM Call Centre
Clinton Cards
WH Smith

5 Things People Don’t know about me:
Despite years of futile practice, I can’t armpit fart or whistle with my fingers
I’ve been to a plastic surgeon
I hate camping, but do it anyway (my idea of roughing it is Motel 6)
Gas stations and the unfinished underside rim of a plate both give me the heebies
I’ve never golfed

Tagged: The Grand View and Suburban Scrawl

Just two? *heaving teenager-esque sigh* Play along if you like, I’m nosy like that.

Another Crazy Eights

Ella at Momisodes via Sandy challenged Ian and Cameron to do a Meme. I mentioned it and they want to do it dictation style. As ever, I have to do the grunt work and they get the credit.

The Ian Edition

Hello. My name’s Ian. What’s your name? How you doing? Do you have a dog? Why? What about a cat? Why? We have a bird. Do you like games? Why? Do you have brothers? Why?

1. I don’t have cool initials, they’re IEW. Too bad Mum didn’t spell my first name Eoin, then it would be AWESOME! I love to make people laugh. My job is to make Cramen laugh every day. I like puzzles and games and trains. I love LUV cheese and potatoes. Daddy says sugar makes me crazy, I love it in any form though. I’m tall for my age. For Hallowe’en I had to wear a size 4-6 costume. I also wear a size 11 shoe. I’m cuter than Cramen.

2. I LOVE to dance. My favourite music is Jack Johnson and that one Rascal Flatts song. My best book is Llama Llama Red Pajama. I like movies like Cars and Night at the Museum. Mum got the museum one for her birthday last month from one of my aunts. I watch it constantly. I plan to sicken her of it so she’ll just hand it over to me. It’s not working, she still laughs at it–even when I sneak it in twice a day. My favourite t.v. shows are The Upside Down Show and Charlie & Lola. I also enjoy The Poo Guy [Dirty Jobs] and dancing with Ellen [DeGeneres]. I’m not allowed to watch Little Bill on Noggin.

3. When Mum’s lying on the carpet stretching her back (she says I’m to blame, so I blame Cramen), I like to dog pile her when she’s not watching. She makes this awesome GAWPING noise. She gets me back by tickling me till I vomit. I’m really ticklish.

4. When Mum and Dad took us into Dillard’s the very last day of November to buy Mummy a dress for a Christmas party, I got mad at Dad while we were waiting for her to try it on (because it’s all about me, not Mum), and I called Daddy a “SHUT HEAD”. There were lots of people around and Daddy got mad at me. I have no idea why. Now Little Bill is banned because he taught me PEANUT HEAD. I like to substitute it with anything that comes to mind.

5. I have a cunning plan when it comes to eating. I enjoy cool stuff like salsa, avocado, cheese roll-ups, corned beef (hash), meatloaf and homemade macaroni cheese. I can’t stand cooked carrots or corn or peas or anything resembling a vegetable. Well, except green beans and potatoes. Mum thinks I’m picky. It’s Cramen who’s picky. Who doesn’t like bananas? Him. I also love all fruits like blueberries and oranges. Oh, and water, orange juice, cran-raspberry juice and chocolate milk.

6. Mum and Dad are excited because I’m 3½. They buy me cool board games and exciting toys now. I really like it. But I also think they’re reliving their childhood vicariously through me. They don’t know I’m using them. They love me best.

7. I’m a huge help around the house. I rarely get paid for it though, so I’m working on getting in contact with a child labour protection agency. I absolutely love to cook. I even have my own step to reach the counter. That’s what I like doing best. I help load the washing machine and the dryer. I pretend vacuum, dust with a Swiffer duster and wipe off smiley faces that Mum makes with Pledge. I’m also self-taught on folding laundry. Mum hates doing that, she says it’s a waste of time. Cleaning windows around here is a waste of time, but she still does it.

8. Mum said that last week’s theme was Dirty. She should have entered, I think. I have that one down to a science. I actually broke her of her perfectionistic tendencies when it comes to a clean home. It just depends on your level of tolerance on what you might deem as dirty–but you have to work them up to it. Here’s what I did:

Where’s my prize?

I did this too. They’d just re-painted my room a week before. Daddy accidentally had left a wet paint roller in a plastic bag in my room. I was supposed to be taking a nap. This is after the clean up and carpet cleaner got to it.

This is some of my earlier work. Thankfully she got pics of that too. Go check it out. Not my best work though.

This was the Piece de Resistance. It took her 90 minutes to clean it. She still has nightmares. She says she’s glad Cramen is quiet and non-assuming. It was my first time out of a high chair. She’s the lightweight!

Crazy Eights

Ella at Momisodes via Sandy challenged Ian and Cameron to do a Meme. I mentioned it and they want to do it dictation style. As ever, I have to do the grunt work and they get the credit.

Cameron

1. My initials are CDW, Mum swears it has nothing to do with the software purchasing site. I beg to differ. She also thinks it’s funny to call me Cameroon. I’ll get my own back, right after I destroy all the naked pics she’s taken of me.

2. I’m romantic and love to take bubble baths with that special someone. Unfortunately, it’s usually my brother.

3. I might just be 11.5 months ladies, but don’t let that put you off, I’ve had a 12-18 months inseam for the past 2 months.

4. Unlike my brother, I’m not a picky eater. Put it in front of me and I’ll eat it.

Except cereal, I hate the bloody stuff.

5. I like to take long walks in the countryside. Who am I kidding? Mum walks, I chill.

6. My vocab is growing. Apart from “Mama and Dada”, I can say “aww dun”, “Ian”, “Baah”[th], and I’ve been caught saying “yes” a few times. Mum asked me the other day if I was thirsty and I said, “yes”. She collapsed.

7. I can toot-toot on demand. If you notice I do it and raise your eyebrows at me or say “whatwizat?” I’ll laugh and push a few more out. Yes I know, I’m quite the charmer.

8. I might still live with my parents, but I have my own crib. And, I set my own hours.

This is me having a Sunday nap in Mum’s bed. She loves me best.

Ian fell asleep, so his will be done soon. What a lightweight.

A Meme

1. Flip to page 18, paragraph 4 – in the book closest to you right now, what does it say?

“Ho-mer!” she cried.  “Pig’s out!  Lurvy!  Pig’s out!  Homer!  Lurvy!  Pig’s out.  He’s down there under that apple tree.”

Charlotte’s Web – E.B. White

2. If you stretch out your left arm as far as possible, what are you touching?

My printer and/or a speaker.

3. What’s the last program you watched on TV?

The last 10 minutes of Everyday Italian, she’s a little bit weird.

4. Without looking, guess what time it is.

4:15.  It’s 3:58.

5. Aside from the computer, what can you hear right now?

Nothing, it’s eerie.  This place is too quiet. 

6.  When was the last time you were outside and what did you do?

Does the inside of the garage count?  I took a box in from the Explorer.  It wasn’t that heavy, no getting mad at me!

7. What are you wearing?

Maternity dark wash jeans and a light blue maternity long-sleeved button-up shirt.

8. Did you dream last night?  If you did, what about?

Dreams being pregnant are very vivid.  And strange.  I can’t remember specifics though.  Something about killing black widow spiders.

9. When was the last time you laughed?

Bryan made me laugh when he sent me a copy of an e-mail he sent to our Credit Union.

“Your online system still does not list a due date for payments on Visa Card Accounts.  I also attempted to make a transfer for payment this morning (01/12/06) and it said that the transfer was unsuccessful and to try again later.  I really dislike your new computer system.  It took me through the security question etc. set-up again as well, even though it was already set up previously.  It would be prudent to have new software tested prior to switching over to it.  I hope you got your money’s worth out of it.  I would ask for a refund.”

10. What’s on the walls in the room you’re in right now?

Nothing, I haven’t hung anything up yet.

11. Have you seen anything strange lately?

I saw two mountain goats in the middle of the road on the drive to Utah.

12. What do you think about this meme?

It’s better than some I’ve seen.

13. What’s the last film you saw?

In the cinema: Open Season.  Rented on DVD: Akeelah and the Bee.  From collection: Toy Story.

14. If you became a multimillionaire, what would you do with the money?

Buy my freakin Utah house so we wouldn’t have to keep paying the mortgage on it as well as the one here.  Buy new cars, pay for my family to visit me from Scotland, build an extension with 2-3 more rooms on it.  Lots of stuff.  Probably donate a lot too.

15. Tell us something about yourself that most people don’t know.

I wanted to learn ballet as a child and never told anyone.

16. If you could change ONE THING in this world, without regarding politics or bad guilt, what would it be?

I’d have all DVDs be region-free.  I dunno, that’s a hard one.

17. Do you like dancing?

Yes, I love to dance.  Pregnancy is not too conducive to dancing for more than a few minutes though.

18. George Bush?

He seems like a nice guy.  I don’t have the right to vote as a permanent resident, so I have no political sway towards him.  I think those who complain about him would eventually be complaining about whoever else it was in office anyway.  The grass is always greener.  I’ve always said vote for the better looking candidate, you have to put up with his face for at least 4 years.  Thank goodness it wasn’t the horse-face guy John Kerry, he’s gastly.

19. What do you want your children’s names to be, girl/boy?

Specifically, I can’t make my mind up.

I’m not into names that sound made up or ones that should be last names.  I’m pretty much a traditionalist, but dislike girl names that are TOO girly, or are only good for girls ages 0-6 years old.  I don’t understand people that name their babies after far out stuff like ESPN, etc.  What’s wrong with you people?!

20. Would you ever consider living abroad?

I already do, fool.

21. What do you want God to tell you, when you come to heaven?

Apart from, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant”, “here’s all the answers to everything you ever wondered about.”

22. Who should do this meme?

Anyone who wants to.  Participation opitional.

Delve into My World

Your nickname – It used to be Siddies growing up

Birthday/sign – 6^th December/Sagittarius

What is your relationship status? – stable and married

Have you ever been married? – just the once

Children/ages – yes/1 year old

Someday I’m going to get up the nerve to – clean pots

If you could meet anyone, past, present, or future…who would it be?- Bryan’s grandma McMullin.

Favorite movie of all time – officially – Happy Gilmour. Unofficially – Schindler’s List

Favorite thing about yourself {personality and physically}- Personality -I make myself laugh. Just kidding, actually, Bryan tells me I draw people to me. Usually the wrong ones in my opinion. Like the other night for example, in Wal-Mart at 8 pm. Seems like I tend to attract 45 year-olds. Sadly, it’s been that way for years.

Physically – It’s the (dark hair and) blue eyes. Sad thing is, in Scotland, that’s normal and boring.

The opposite sex – Men seem so complex and difficult to understand. But after years of study I finally have them figured out.

Met the love of your life yet? – I have, yes. I thought I had in the past, but it was just a cheap imitation. A lot like the kind of perfume knock-offs you find in a shopping mall, looks like it, but smells nasty.

Did you know it was him/her and hold on or let go? – I held on of course, if I had let go, I would probably be back in Scotland, enjoying the dreech, grey weather, with a bottle of “cheap perfume”.

Favorite color- red/blue depends how I feel.

Favorite expression – it seemed like a good idea at the time…

Favorite food- Indian curry/chips and gravy/rocky road ice cream

Favorite car – The new Lexus with dual heating/air conditioning controls. Bryan and I would both be happy then.

I cry because – Extreme Makeover: Home Edition is quality tv.

I laugh because – I have a bad habit of laughing at other peoples’ misfortune. Like if someone’s skiting it up stairs running for a train and they biff it and go flying, I’d help them up and be in stitches at the same time. Caring, yet sadistic, that’s me.

If you had 3 wishes what would they be? – pay off our mortgage because Bryan landed his dream job, for my child(ren) to live long, happy lives, and to see my family a little more.

How do you feel about your job?- it’s very rewarding

Favorite smell- french bread baking/leather jackets/just bathed babies

Least favorite smell- clostridium, or corynebacteria and micrococci

If the world was going to end tomorrow I would – go rack up some serious credit card bills

How many pair of shoes do you have? – not as many as the average woman my age.

Favorite sports and teams – football, snooker, darts, ice skating

Favorite television show- The Office, 24, The Amazing Race and Extreme Makeover: Home Edition

Favorite song – “Tiny bubbles” by Don Ho. Well, either that or “Copa Cabana” by Barry Manilow.

I like “ma-nah, ma-nah” by Animal.

Worst habit/trait – Being sarcastic, see above. Correcting peoples’ spelling, I’ve done it for years.

Favorite singer/group- singer: My son Ian, he’s fabulous. Group: The Killers/Keane/Gwen Stefani

Where will you be in 5 years? – Not sure, if you’d told me I’d be living in the States 5.8 years ago I would have laughed.

Where will you be in 20 years?- Working in the Temple, enjoying my grandkids and the owner of a successful business

Life is – an American breakfast cereal

Where do you want to live when you retire? – Hawaii or Scotland. Where will I retire? Probably Utah.

What’s in your cd player right now? – Nothing, honestly. Bryan takes all the CDs to work.

Approximately how much money do you have in your wallet/purse right now, including change? – 11 dollars and 50 cents.