Wednesday, August 15, 2012

You're Never Too Old for the Hodgepodge

Welcome to this week's edition of the Wednesday Hodgepodge. Everyone's welcome to play along...answer the questions on your own blog then add your link to the bottom of my post. The more the merrier!

Here are my answers-


1. I included this quote (attributed to William H. Danforth) in my blog post on Monday..."The best cure for a sluggish mind is to disturb its routine." When was the last time you 'disturbed your routine' and how'd you do it?

I think there is much truth in this quote. I have some small goals I've set to become fluent in French (Rosetta Stone), learn to play something on the piano (take a lesson), and to write regularly (I'm trying to keep a schedule, separately from my blog writing).

Once I hit my late 40's I definitely felt my brain go a little bit sluggish. I still read a lot, work crossword puzzles and believe trying new things helps keep you mentally sharp.

2. What's your favorite fried food indulgence?

I honestly eat very little fried food so I had to think about this one...maybe fried shrimp which I don't have often but I do love.

3. Did you have an allowance as a kid? What did you do with it? Do you give your own kids an allowance?

I think I had an allowance for a time but I started babysitting when I was thirteen and I don't think I got an allowance after that. We had chores but weren't paid for doing them. When I was a kid pre-teens were not doing a lot of shopping so other than putting money in our offering envelope for church we didn't spend much.

We gave our kids an allowance but it was hit or miss. In hindsight I wish we'd been more disciplined in this area but we have educated them in managing their money as they've gotten older and neither are crazy spenders. Any big ticket items they coveted while growing up went on a Christmas or birthday list and they had to wait for those. Waiting for what we want in life is a lost art I'm afraid.

4. What's something you wish you knew more about?

I'm interested in switching my blog to a website domain and I wish I knew what that sentence even means. It's all very vague in my head and I know I'd pay a professional, but I'd love to understand it a little bit better.

5. Is there anything you feel too old to do anymore? If so, what?

Pretty much anything that involves a lot of jumping.
If you're over 45 you know what I'm talking about.

I'm sure my girls are cringing right now.

6. What's a song you think has a great first line?


"They say that these are not the best of times, but they're the only times I've ever known...."

7. Who are you writing to/for when you create a blog post. In other words...as you write, who is the audience in your head?

I write for my girls.

I love that all sorts of other people read here, but in the end my blog is for my family. I try to always have that thought at the forefront of my brain when I'm blogging and it keeps me from trying to be something I'm not.

I use the space here to record my (admittedly many) random thoughts about the world today, but also as a place to record family memories and experiences. I write a lot about my take on motherhood and mid life and as crazy as it seems, one day my girls will be 50. I like to think they'll look back here (I bind my blog so I have hard copies) and smile. I picture them reading, nodding their heads, knowing that once upon a time I felt what they're feeling too.

8. Insert your own random thought here.

Have you ever heard of a gray catbird? We have one (or more) living in our side shrubs and its the craziest thing. I'd never seen or even heard of one until we moved into this house, but essentially it's a bird that sounds exactly like a cat. They're related to mockingbirds and can copy the sounds of other species, in this case a cat. The wildlife up here is never dull.



31 comments:

  1. Wow! We answered #s 5 and 7 so similarly!!!!

    I have not bound my blog posts yet but want to desperately. Come November, I will have been blogging for five years.

    Can you recommend a site that you use?

    I think I'm going to bind mine one year at a time.

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  2. I don't think i've heard of a gray catbird. Do you know if they're in California? We have so many birds around here its hard to ID them. The other day one little bird flew into a drugstore i was shopping in. It was black with orange stripes on its tail.
    When you get to Hodgepodge 100 do you start at 1 again or keep going?

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  3. Oops. Somehow I copied the wrong link over here. So sorry. i'll try to correct it ASAP. can you delete this one?

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  4. Joyce, somehow I copied the wrong link here. I will try to correct it ASAP. I am also having trouble getting my post to post NOW. It's scheduled, I thought for 12:01, but so far hasn't popped up. Erg. Technology. Feel free to delete my link if it's possible.

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  5. YUP, Jumping is out of the question for sure and love friend fish but like you I don't get it very often. Great questions.

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  6. switching your blog from a 'blogger' to a private domain can't be all that difficult, too many people do it. As for your allowance answer, yes, I agree....'waiting' for something you want IS something that is not in the vocabulary these days...both for children & adults. Too much credit card use. Hence the state of the economy, right? And yes, I have seen catbirds. In fact, somewhere in my photo archives I've a photo. LOL

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  7. Your comment to answer #4 is so true-faculty discussion just yesterday on this-students do not want to wait for what they want and they seem to always have the means (cash) to get this. Never heard mention-I will wait for Christmas or birthday to get it-
    Never heard of a gray catbird.

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  8. Catbird!? I have never heard of it either! I didnt think I ate that much fried food either until I thought about french fries (not that I eat a lot of them, but I would say that is what I eat the most of fried) and I hardly ever have them but doughnuts (specifically apple cider doughnuts!) would have to be my favorite fried food :) How do you come up with such interesting questions?

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  9. I have never seen a catbird but I will be on the look out. If you have them then I probably do too.
    My husband is the biggest fan of Billy Joel.

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  10. I tire saying we are alike in our answers! ha!! I never heard of the catbird. I may have "heard" one before and just figured it was a kitty meowing! Have a great day Joyce!

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  11. Oh Joyce, you'll laugh when you see that I linked with your title first - this is what I get for trying to do this too early in the morning (for me in the summer at least!!) And right with you on #5!! : )

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  12. Loved your answer to why you blog....It started out the same for me. Never heard of a catbird....interesting wild life by you! Have a wonderful Wednesday!

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  13. A catbird...that's a new one to me.

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  14. The jumping thing? I'm just glad to know I'm not alone :)

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  15. I've heard of the old saying of someone being in the "catbird seat", but I never knew what it meant (I guess I need to go Google that now).

    I didn't think about fried shrimp ... I do love fried seafood! Fortunately for my waistline, I love broiled and grilled seafood, too! ;-)

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  16. Catbird - never heard of them. Now I'm going to have to google it!

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  17. Our childrens big ticket items were on their Christmas or Birthday list also. I have never seen one of those birds. Sounds very interesting. Did you hear it? Was it like a cat?

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  18. French fries! Do you not like French Fries?
    I do.
    I write in my blog to record all the memories. These days are going by so fast, and I want to be able to look back and remember :)

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  19. I've heard of a catbird before- only because my grandmother used to say things like, "It might just be a catbird." I love fried shrimp--and other seafood--but we just don't eat it anymore. Sometimes, if DoodleBug gets it, I might sneak one off her plate. :) We have one of the four who is not the best at...I started to say spending, but that's wrong. She's quite good as spending. And therein lies her trouble. LOL

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  20. I agree that a lot of kids today have no concept of money, and working or waiting. My youngest would find a penny on the sidewalk and want to go shopping. But she did grow up to manage her money wisely after a few bumps along the way.

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  21. Well, I thought we had all birds here but I've never heard of that one but will have to ask Hubby if he has.

    Love your answer to #5. Ain't it the truth!

    Happy Wednesday!

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  22. Your discipline in avoiding fried foods is to be admired :)

    I agree, "waiting for something" is a lost art :(

    I began blogging for the same reasons you did, but I also treasure the blog friends I've made along the way--friends like you :)

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  23. I'm sure your kids will love reading your blog posts when they reach our age. Great idea, binding the blog.
    I wish I had a way with words like you do!

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  24. Hi Joyce!
    I've missed visiting you! Oh, I definitely blog for my family! I've already had my posts printed into 6 different books for my girls to have one day. I hope it will mean something to them and help them remember all the fun we had as a family.

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  25. I like fried food, I don't jump to often, and I try to keep learning and trying new things both with my children as I homeschool them and on my own as well. Thanks for keeping up with the questions. I enjoy doing the Hodge Podge and am glad to be back to doing it after a number of weeks of skipping it. Also, thanks for the comment on my blog.

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  26. #5 Totally get that! Haha
    I print mine too. Now I wonder who will end up with them. Ha.

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  27. As someone whom you regularly beat in WWF, I strongly contest your assertion that your brain is sluggish!

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  28. We've heard catbirds in a few places when railfanning, they are near, but odd! If we're on vacation here them they make us miss the cats.

    I know what you mean about too old to jump! God gave me more than gravity could handle and it wants a closer look. :(

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  29. Interesting questions this week and I loved your answers.I look forward to it each week. Thanks for hosting.

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  30. I want to learn French...ooh, you're so lucky, you get Rosetta Stone...I want that...
    Oh, and about the domain.. go to the tutorials section on the cutestblogontheblock.com site. It has a tutorial on that. But you'll have to tell us the custom domain name so we can still follow!

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  31. Wait, I think I've heard one of those birds...I always thought it was my neighbors' cat before, though.

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