Wednesday, August 8, 2012

Follow your heart to the Hodgepodge

The blogosphere tends to get a little quiet in the dog days of summer, doesn't it? If you're in a slump, or you're just hot, tired and not quite ready for summer's end why not play along today? Once you've answered the questions on your own blog add your link to the bottom of my post and then go visit the neighboring countries.

That Olympic theme refuses to die. Sorry.

Here are my answers to this week's questions-


1. In an effort to combat obesity, the mayor of NYC has plans to ban the sale of large sugary drinks (anything over 16 oz.), initially in restaurants, movie theatres, and street carts. Corner stores would also be affected if they are defined as food service establishments. You can read more here. Your thoughts?

I understand his motivation, but I don't think it's up to the government to tell us what and how much we can eat and drink. Slippery slippery slope. I mean in reality people can just buy two 16 oz drinks but I suppose this ban would discourage that.

Here's the thing-people make bad choices in this regard (and hundreds of others) every single day. Will we next regulate how many bakery items you can purchase? How many pieces of fried chicken you're permitted?

I think the government has a responsibility to educate the general public in matters of health but beyond that, it's still a free country. When it comes to what we eat and drink I believe the government's role is to ensure food safety and to regulate/monitor/enforce the laws concerning the sale and distribution of drugs and alcohol.

Should people drink a 32 oz. Dr. Pepper every day? No.
Should they be able to decide that for themselves? Absolutely.

2. Art festival, music festival, food festival...which would you most like to attend?

Tough call...I'm going with music.
And maybe there could also be some great food available?

3. What are you irrational about?

Hmmm...did you read my post on Monday?

4. Do you feel confident you'll have a comfortable retirement?

This is a hot topic in our house these days as we inch ever closer. Given the current economic climate I'm not sure anyone can feel completely confident about their future financial well-being.

We've got children, hobbies, and a love of travel so actually filling the time won't be a problem. When it comes to our health we're doing our best to keep up with our 50-something selves. Let me just say that between the eyes, the teeth, the joints, the back, the heart, the colon, and the waistline it's a whole lotta work.

5. What's been your favorite Olympic moment so far?
(Not ever, just in the 2012 Summer games.)

I just love the US swimmers...not sure I can pick a single favorite moment but that 4 x 100 women's relay team is adorable. Missy Franklin, Dana Vollmer, Allison Schmitt, and Rebecca Soni...you're all invited to dinner at my house!

6. What would you label as the messiest room in your house?

My house isn't messy. I live with a neat freak and a messy house would send him right over the edge. If I had to declare one spot the 'messiest' I guess I'd say my office. It's not messy but since there's always something that needs filing-shredding-dealing with, it's the closest thing to messy that I've got.

7. Do you follow your heart or your head?

A few years ago my next door neighbor had a party. He put tags with a celebrity's name on each guests back as they arrived and you had to walk around and ask questions to figure out who you were. Most people were given names of living musicians, actors, etc. but I was having trouble guessing mine. My neighbor said he chose it specially for me because when he sees me this is who comes to mind.

It was Cinderella.

I'm going with my heart.
I've got hubs to be the voice of logic.

8. Insert your own random thought here.

Hubs and I went to the State Fair last weekend. Piglets that leap squealing from a platform to compete in a swim race make me smile.

What are they racing for you ask?


An Oreo of course.



28 comments:

  1. We certainly were in agreement when answering #3! Gotta say that you handled #1 very delicately. So true, so true! I also agree with you about the women's swim team. They were the cutest bunch, ever so humble, and very inspiring!

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  2. I DID read your post on Monday and I had a similar weekend. Our daughter drove to Columbus, Ohio ,on Thursday with 2 of her friendsto visit a fourth friend.Then drove 2 hrs each way on Friday to Cincinnati to visit relatives. Spent most of Saturday at a rose garden they loved, in the heat. The apartment's AC broke. She was supposed to come home Monday. On Sunday morning I see her FB status, "hope I can stay awake thru church. Up till 4 a.m."
    but I got a text Sunday after church 'coming home today." One of the girls had a project due. The host girl wanted time w/ her boyfriend. So my daughter "sacrifices" and agrees to make the trek home STARTING at 4:30 . Yes, I was texting the passenger friend, "Is Sarah okay? Are yiou keeping her awake? Keeping an eye on the gas? how's the weather? we've got storms." Finally at 1:30 she gets home after checking in 4x along the way. Her last text didn't get to me till 3:30 a.mm. when I was in a deep sleep at last. But yeah, knowing my girl was tired, driving 8 hours in on and off bad weather at night, sure made me lose sleep. She got more than I did that night!

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  3. Oh what cute little pigs ;) We saw some baby piggies at the fair when i went a week ago. I wanted to take them home!
    I agree about the sugary drinks being taken away in certain parts of NYC. It is a good idea to reduce diabetes and/or obesity. But people do what they want, there's probably gonna be complaints about it.

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  4. HA! I've seen pigs race on land for an oreo but never in the water! There are days I wish my hubby was a neat freak - then maybe I could get him to put his clothes into the dirty clothes hamper instead of on the floor ;) Happy Wednesday!

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  5. I wish my husband had just a little bit of neat freak in him, but he's more like living with Oscar Madison. lol I've seen the swimming piggies before. They're too cute. The animal rights activists didn't have a problem? They protested them when they were at our fair.

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  6. I agree with you that the government's job SHOULD be ensuring and regulating food safety, etc. It's just a shame that they fail in this regard- falling easily to big corporations such as Monsanto. I did read your Monday post and I'm right there with you. No matter what it is, they will call and then..what? What exactly can I do? Just what you said- listen and then calmly make my suggestions. But in my mind, it's a total freak out! LOL

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  7. Well, I'd probably jump in and race for an Oreo myself. lol

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  8. I've seeen racing pigs.. but never SWIMMING pigs!!!

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  9. I totally agree with #1. Went over to read your post from Monday. Besides my irrational item that I shared this is next on my list. It never ends with our children although I must say my son has been easier than my daughter. Yes Missy has been a doll to watch. Cinderella, that is so sweet. I was Joan Rivers once at a party! Racing for an oreo, that is too cute. Thanks again for a great week of questions.

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  10. I agree with you on #1 - The government can't force people to take care of themselves, and thinking back to that story about the school lunches, we can't trust the government to know what they're doing with nutrition anyway!

    Ole mercenary me didn't even consider anything beyond money with the "comfortable retirement" question! LOL

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  11. Who knew pigs were so Oreo motivated!
    I agree with your #1. I wish they would put more effort into making sure the food is safe.

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  12. Our house if neet for the most part so the fact that my hubby has one room to "be himself" doesn't really bother me - plus I keep the door closed most of the time. Love the way you handled #1.

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  13. I didn't know that pigs could swim ... or that they were such fans of Oreos! ha!

    I never thought about the other aspects of comfortable retirement ... but it was certainly something that played into our decision to retire when offered the opportunity to do so 4 years ago ... we wanted to be able to travel and enjoy retirement while we were still young and physically able. ;-)

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  14. Loved your answers. Thanks for continuing to host and come up with great questions.
    Mama Bear

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  15. I'm so with you on #1, and I think most people agree.

    Pigs swimming for Oreos? Now that's funny :)

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  16. Love all your answers...Monday's post though I 'm late responding .....I totally am with you and understand your worries....yikes It never ends does it!! Piglets are too cute...we are heading to the fair this weekend! Happy Wednesday!

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  17. This was fun to read! And the pigs could race even faster if they were going for Keebler's French Vanilla Cremes, but they seem to be scarce these days.

    I think in this economic climate, if anyone is paying attention, we'll all be pretty worried about a comfortable retirement. Time to can tomatoes and green beans.

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  18. Oh, I so love little piglets! We used to have them on our farm! Hubby also loved them, as well as our sow Nellie!

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  19. okay joyce, you have made me a little jealous today--a neat freak for a husband--i think i would love this ;)

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  20. I don't call being worried irrational. Hmm. Maybe I should change my answer to that one. Ha.

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  21. Thank you for hosting Hodgepodge - I'd swim with the piggies for an oreo cookie!

    thriftshopcommando.blogspot.com

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  22. We share the same thoughts for the first question. Your husband's a neat freak? I'm not entirely sure if that's a good or bad thing, lol.Haha... love the piglets swimming for an oreo - so cute!

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  23. I remember a swimming pig from years ago at the underwater theater in San Marcos!

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  24. Yesterday we were out shopping and so thirsty from the heat. My daughter and I went to a vending machine and I bought a Dr. Pepper. She looked at it and said "It's 20 ounces, I thought they were getting rid of anything over 16". So cute coming from a nine year old. I don't drink soda often but every once in a while crave an ice cold one. Now I am in the mood for Oreos too-LOL!

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  25. Pigs racing for Oreos!?

    Awesome.

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  26. Good questions- I'll have to check back next week! And really, what is with this over-regulation? I'm with you- just because we SHOULDN'T do something, doesn't mean we necessarily need a law about it. Sheez!

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  27. haha....I would race for an Oreo too....particularly right now. I would have loved to have seen that in person.

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