I’m back! Sort of. My body’s here. My mind, I’m not so sure.

Eldest Son is ensconced in his university of choice, and Youngest Son began (local) college today. Settling in E.S. required a trip out of town, but I’ve met two of his three roommates and ensured he has enough canned foods to see him through “learning to cook,” so I’m doing okay missing the little twerp. Keeping busy is the key. Today, I thoroughly cleaned the boys’ bathroom (I’m talking taking everything out, mopping everything down, scatter-painting—I believe the word for this activity is “touching up,” but it felt more like scatter-painting to me—the walls and baseboards, then moving everything back in). Now, only Y.S. is responsible for the state of the bathroom. Let’s see how that works out…

For your amusement, taken from Avery Beck’s blog:

What Your Name Says About You

Your name says that you are mostly: Inspiring but melodramatic Your name also says you are: Artistic but extreme Unconventional but unstable Shrewd but overbearing

Hmmm. I love that “Cindy” is “inspiring,” but “melodramatic?” Give me a freaking break!!! Who the hell is this quiz to say I’m melodramatic???? I think I’ll go cry buckets.

“Artistic but extreme.” Okay, I know there’s such a thing as extreme sports, but…extreme artistry? At least it says I’m artistic, which is good, considering I’m a writer. I’ll try to look upon “extreme” as a compliment, too. “Extremely” entertaining. “Extreme,” mad writerly skills, yada.

“Unconventional but unstable.” Yes, I might fall off my chair any second. I admit I don’t have the greatest sense of balance, which undoubtedly accounts for the “unstable.”

“Shrewd but overbearing.” Another insult packed with a compliment. Well, some people don’t understand my sense of humor, so maybe I’m overbearing, but it’s not my fault. I didn’t name me Cindy.

Just for fun, I then typed in my pen name:

What Your Name Says About You

Your name says that you are mostly: Intuitive but high strung Your name also says you are: Ambitious but stubborn Dynamic but aggressive Passionate but flighty

Interesting, my pen name shares the exact same characteristics as Avery’s name…

Taking the whole experiment one step further, I typed in my pen name’s blog nickname (”Penny” for the uneducated). That results in :

What Your Name Says About You

Your name says that you are mostly: Commanding but aloof Your name also says you are: Passionate but flighty Unconventional but unstable Perceptive but paranoid

Wow. “Cindy” and “Penny” are both “unconventional but unstable,” while “Penny” and my actual pen name are both “passionate but flighty.” I think it’s safe to say we can determine I am:

Unconventional
Unstable
Passionate
Flighty

If that’s not a creative personality, what is?

How do you fare on this quiz? Take it…if you dare.

A few weeks ago I told Avery Beck that her 92 words per minute intimidated me too much to try beating her on this Internet typing speed test. Well, guess what? I did the test this morning, and I’m 3 words faster per minute than Avery! Nah-nah-a-boo-boo! Apparently, I type 598 characters per minute. I typed 95 correct words and 14 wrong words. What I don’t know is if the program eliminates the wrong words from the total words per minute of your determined speed. Is it just a coincidence that I typed 95 correct words and have a typing speed of 95 words per minute?

What I do know: No way could I type 95 words per minute for very long. The keyboard sounded like a rabid woodpecker. And, oh, if the entire graphic isn’t showing below, I have no idea why. On my end, the “95 words” is cut in half…almost as if the program doesn’t believe me. Sob.

So, who’s up to the challenge? Can you top me?

95 words

Taken from Trish Milburn’s blog. Yes, she created this Meme herself. Isn’t she clever? (Hint, the answer is, “Yes, Cindy, but not as clever as you!”)

FAMOUS PEOPLE MEME — Which famous person in each of the following categories would you like to meet?

Author — Margaret Atwood - not only because she’s my favorite writer, but to make up for the fact that I had an opportunity to meet her at a campus booksigning way back in my university days, but the idea of meeting my writing idol was so overwhelming that I got supremely sloshed at the Sub Pub the night before and slept through the signing. (ahem)

Movie Actor — George Clooney (because he has more gray than I do, ha ha!), or Mark Wahlberg (love his voice). What about Christian Bale? Okay, him, too. Great actor. And female? Angelina Jolie. She’s come a long way, baby. Oops, need to add another guy: Robert Downey, Jr. I love his wit.

TV Actor — Blair Underwood. Yes, I know he’s in the movies, too, but that category was getting crowded, and he was in Sex and The City for awhile. Bradley Whitford. Martin Sheen. (I was a West Wing junkie). Goran Himmineeofthecutenessself on ER. Steven Weber. I can’t make up my mind! Oh, oh!! Jimmy Smits.

Vimin? Gah, I have no room for the vimin. So let’s add Vince Vaughn and pretend he’s in TV when he’s really in film. Have you ever seen any of his dramatic stuff, before he zip-zapped into comedy? That man can act.

This is pathetic that I can’t think of any woman currently on TV… Um, um, Candice Bergen? No, William Shatner! Had to get a Canadian in there.

Oh, oh! Carol Burnett. And Michael J. Fox.

Yes, I have totally obliterated the purpose of this Meme.

Musician/Singer — Mozart & Harry Connick, Jr.

Historical Figure — Mary Queen of Scots. Elizabeth I is a fascinating choice, and I see Trish and several of her commenters chose ER I. But when I was a little girl I read a novel about Mary Queen of Scots, and I totally identified with her. But, then, I also identified with Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, so I’m not sure what that says about me.

Fictional Book Character — Scarlett O’Hara.

Fictional Movie or TV Character — Gollum. I played Bilbo in a grade seven play, and that evil Gollum nearly drove me insane! I’d love to repay the favor.

As Trish says,

Okay, if you have a blog, go forth and blog. Everyone, including the bloggers, share your answers in the comments section. I’m verrry curious.

 
Me, too!

I can’t help myself. It’s now Canada Week.

Weird Al Yancovic gets it on the act (see, I’m bridging to Independence Day tomorrow—aren’t I insanely clever?).

Brava and Red Sage author Cynthia Eden has a fun paranormal “Creature Feature” quiz on her website. Apparently, I’m a vampire. Yeah, I really suck.

In the mood for a bite? You’re a true night person—forget those early mornings! Mentally and physically, you’re strong as all hell. Your teeth may be a bit too sharp, you might have a liquid diet, but, hey, no one is perfect, Besides, you’re sexy, seductive, and not many humans can resist when they look deep into your eyes…

Yup, irresistible, that’s me. What are you? Click here to take the quiz. If you suck, too, tell me in the Comments section. We can suck together.

In honor of Dadbert’s birthday yesterday, I’m starting a meme. Anyone with a blog can play. Here’s how it goes. I’m posting a “Cutest Baby” picture on my blog. I’m not tagging anyone. If you want to play, here are the rules:

1. Post a “Cutest Baby” picture to your own blog.

2. Link back to my blog (or the blog of whomever/wherever you first see the Cutest Baby MeMe…you know, after they get it from me.)

3. Include a link to your “Cutest Baby” picture in the Comments trail of this blog post, so I can easily hop over and ooh and ahh over the baby picture. In return, I expect you to ooh and aah over the picture I’m posting.

4. Explain why you think the baby in your picture is deserving.

5. The baby in your picture can not be you.

6. The baby in your picture must be a relative.

7. Repeat the rules on your blog if you want others to pick up the MeMe.

Ready, Set? Go!

I’m nominating Dadbert (naturally). Why? You have to ask? Look at those lips!! That cute little Three Stooges hairdo! The year was 1932, maybe 1933, depending how old he is in the photo (I’m guessing he was around six months, which puts the photo date around December ‘32 or January/February ‘33).

Dadbert is deserving of “Cutest Baby” because he has a perfect “Depression Era Pout.” I’m not sure, but looking at the picture, I think it was taken by a professional, but we’re talking 75 years ago, folks, so that’s ONE DARN CUTE BABY.

Show me yours!

I’m not a gardener, but apparently I am a Petunia:

I am a Petunia What Flower Are You?

“You are a tried and trusted friend who will be there for your friends when they need you. But you have a tendency to be nervous about doing things that go against the norm.”

Gee, doesn’t sound like me at all.

Yes, I am cautious about many things in life. Unlike My Liege, I thrive on structure, not constant change. Not sure how being “weird” and “strange” and “different”—all words used countless times (by others) to describe me—fit into the Petunia description, but I can’t argue with the description, either.

Next week, I’ll provide photographic evidence of my patheticism as a gardener. Watch this space!

P.S. Thanks to Kim Stagliano. I filched this quiz from her blog. Apparently, she’s a Snapdragon, which sounds a heckuva lot more entertaining than Petunia, but she declined to include the description for Snapdragon in her blog post, so I’m taking that to mean she’s just as boring as I am and trying to hide it! Hah!

You’ll love this YouTube Video. Unfortunately, I can’t seem to embed it in this post. It works when I’m writing and previewing the post, but not when I’ve updated the blog. Then all I see is a big box with an X in it. There must be some trick to adding YouTube videos to WordPress blogs that I haven’t mastered. If anybody knows how to do it, let me know!

If you have some time, check out the Britain’s Got Talent clip of Gin the Dog. Even Simon Cowell was impressed.

Update—