A Penny For Your Hodgepodge Thoughts

Welcome to this week's edition of the Wednesday Hodgepodge. Answer the questions on your own blog, then hop back over here to share the linky love. Tell the truth now, it's Honest Abe's birthday ya know!

Here we go-

1. What makes love last?

A sense of humor, a forgiving heart, making a concious effort to put the other person first, seeing the best in your mate as opposed to keeping a tally of all that annoys, not expecting perfection, extending compassion, knowing there will be days, and most especially never underestimating the power of the little things. Life is made up of a million little things, and over the course of ten or fifty years, those little things add up to an awful  lot. 

The Beatles made their U.S. debut fifty years ago this week. Are you a fan? If so, what's your favorite Beatles tune?

Yes I'm a fan, and hubs would say they're his all time favorite. He saw Ringo in an airport several years ago, and as he walked over to say hello,  a great big arm attached to a bodyguard reached out and said 'uh, sorry, no can do'.  We've seen Paul McCartney in concert three different times (and once in his pajamas having breakfast in a NYC diner) and he's great. 

Now to pick a favorite tune...hmmm....that's a tough one. Hubs used to sing Golden Slumbers to Daughter2 when she was a wide awake baby girl, and it would settle her right down. While I'm pretty partial to that one, The Long and Winding Road might be my most favorite.  

3. Valentine's Day-your thoughts? Do you celebrate in any way? Do anything special for the people you love? Expect anything special from the people who love you?

It's not that I'm anti-Valentine, but I don't set high expectations for the day either. Even though my girls are grown I still send them a carefully chosen card, and some sort of goodie via the US Mail.  Hubs and I have never done more than exchange cards, and sometimes not even that. We eat out often, but almost never on Valentine's Day. On that day we enjoy preparing a nice meal together in our own kitchen, maybe trying a new recipe, and always with a playlist of our favorite tunes in the background.  

4. Steak or burger...you have to choose. Now that that's settled, how do you like it?

Steak, medium rare please. 

5. The Hodgepodge lands on the birthdate (February 12th) of Abraham Lincoln, 16th President of the United States of America. Lincoln is quoted as saying, "Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test his character give him power."  Do you agree? Why or why not?

Agree. Power so often seems to change people, and generally not for the better. Look at the mess our government is in. I do believe many of those in office started off with the best of intentions, but power is intoxicating, and the need to hold onto it makes people compromise their beliefs and principles rather than risk losing it. 

I have enormous admiration and respect for people in positions of power who are able to act with integrity, and remain true to their beliefs. It's hard to think of an example in this day and age, but perhaps that's because those people uncorrupted by power are going about their work quietly, not seeking fame and adulation?   

Billy Graham is someone who comes to mind. He's had the time, attention, and ear, of presidents and kings, yet he remains humble. He carries on about the business of pointing people to the cross. All people, not  just the ones he agrees with, or who share his particular spiritual and political views. 

6. Honest Abe's picture is on the US penny (1 cent coin) so I'm wondering...what do you do with your pennies (or your country's equivalent)? It's been suggested the US stop making the penny, and two bills have been proposed suggesting just that, but neither were approved.  What say you?

What do I do with my pennies?  I make my hubs crazy by insisting I've got that three cents needed to cover a $20.03 tab, and then I dig through my purse to prove it.  I love exact change-ha! I have a bowl in my bedroom where I sometimes throw pennies. Haven't thought too much about abolishing the penny, but if we do I guess that means no more $2.99 pricing on stuff? We'll live in a world of round numbers. 

7. Do you think pop culture deserves serious study?

Not now. Maybe someday way way way down the road we'll want to look at today's pop culture and see how it impacted a generation, but I can't see that it deserves serious study today.  I'm also not one of those parents willing to fork over tuition dollars for a college student to take a class called 'American Soap Operas' or 'Exploring Buffy the Vampire Slayer' or especially, 'How to Watch Television'.  In my opinion that's a waste of a parent's hard earned pennies!

8.  Insert your own random thought here-

Ski jumpers are a little bit crazy.

I love New York

Sunday afternoon we decided to drive into the city and by the city I mean The City...as in New York City. We live about 45 minutes from the George Washington Bridge (on a Sunday afternoon when there isn't any work traffic, accidents, road construction, snow, ice, blah blah blah). It was a gorgeous fall day, far too nice to be indoors napping on the couch watching football and reading the paper although we did do some of that later in the day.

This was our first trek into NYC since we moved back and may I just say I LOVE NY. I especially love it on a beautiful fall day, so much so that I didn't even mind paying $43 to park for 4 hours. Course the pup came along too...once she heard the word 'park' we couldn't leave her behind. Our plan was to hang out in Central Park all afternoon...

watch the boaters in The Boat Basin...

admire the art...

the green space...

maybe stalk a few squirrels

...but the city itself calls to you and pulls you in and you end up on 5th Avenue looking in the shop windows and thinking maybe you really should get a job so you can shop in this town....you wander past The Plaza taking note of the limousines parked outside...you hope to see someone famous but you don't, not today anyway.

You find yourself gazing up at St. Patrick's Cathedral...

watching skaters at Rockefeller Center...

who knew they did this in October?

You take a picture of Christies Auction House because they are flying a British flag and that makes you smile...as an aside here, did you know the Astors home in Newport Rhode Island is listed with Christies and for a mere $12,900,000 it can be yours?

You admire the rooftop gardens... love the hustle and bustle and people...

but in the end you go back to the park...because someone needs to catch herself a squirrel...or a bird...

or somethin'.

Before heading home you walk by Strawberry Fields and take a picture of the John Lennon memorial...Imagine.

You mozy past the zoo wall and take a peek at the goats and yes indeed I did just use the words mozy and NYC in the same post.

You watch the horse drawn carriages go by.

You think, Gosh this place is pretty.

I think I'll blog about it and put 19 pictures in a single post.

And I do.

Cheaper by the Dozen

How do you like my random title to go with today's random meme? Here are this weeks questions...

1. Please share one middle school memory. It can be good, bad, ugly, funny. Pictures or words, I don't care, just share.

I didn't hate middle school and I absolutely loved 8th grade. Middle School was called Junior High where I lived and was grades 7 and 8 only. I honestly don't remember much about Jr. High...no single event or memory stands out...Here are some bits that come to mind...finally getting to be part of the youth group at church, riding a bus to school-we walked in elementary, roller skating on Friday nights and sometimes Saturdays too...asking a boy I liked to skate or hoping he would ask me, braces-ugh, an end of the year school dance in 8th grade (it was special because we didn't have many dances), my English teacher sporting hot pink lipstick on her teeth every single day, lockers-didn't have those in elementary school, babysitting...recognizing I was growing up...wanting to stay a kid some days, wishing I were all grown up others...

2. What's your favorite Beatles song?

Golden Slumbers...my husband used to sing this to my youngest daughter to calm her when she fussed...and it was pure sweetness.

3. If I asked you to describe your most comfortable outfit, what would it be?

Jeans. Next question.

4. Would you rather host a party or be a guest?

This would kind of depend on who/what/where the party I'd be a guest at is all about... but I do love to host a party...my husband and I make a good team. We love chatting about the evening when we do the washing up afterwards.

5. Do you think we will move completely from traditional books to digital ones, and if we do, are you OK with that?

Please say it isn't so!!! (Insert stomping feet here) Oh I really hope not! I love the feel of a book in my hands. I love looking thru lots and lots of books in libraries and book stores and friend's bookshelves. I love turning pages. I love a book next to my bed at night. I love passing a well loved book onto someone else. I love giving my childhood books to my children and look forward to passing some of their favorites on to their children. I love marking up study books and then going back to re-read later and see if I feel the same. Does absolutely everything have to be electronic???

6. Do you learn best by reading, listening or experiencing?

Reading but oftentimes I need a visual to go with the words so maybe a little experience too.

7. If you are (or when you were) single, what is the kiss of death for you concerning the opposite sex? (That is, what is one trait or behavior or habit or anything at all that immediately turns you off from considering that person a potential match for you?)

Not wanting children would have been a deal breaker for sure.

An inconsiderate person. No sense of humor. A sense of humor ranks way up near the top on my list of must-haves. I've been married for 25 years and my husband is still one of the funniest people I know.

8. Snacks. Salty or sweet?

I love a combination and my favorite movie theatre snack is popcorn and milk duds. If I have to choose I guess I'd probably say salty. I mean we're just talking snacks here which means I can still have my sweets for dessert, right?

9. Look around you in a four foot radius. What object is around you that you didn't realize was there or forgot was there? How long has it been there?

So that's where the dustbuster has been hiding! I've only been in my house about 2 months now so it hasn't been there long.

10. What is your favorite Tom Cruise movie?

A Few Good Men but TC has pretty much lost all appeal for me in recent years. I don't need to explain do I?

11. You buy a bottle of shampoo and discover that you don't like what it does to your hair at all. What do you do with that full bottle?

I put it in my guest bathroom...I like to have extras there for people who are visiting. You might say staying with me is just like staying at the Ritz. Or you might not.

12. Your favorite Fall comfort food? (Last week it was beverage.)

This is a toughie...I love the whole Thanksgiving meal, does that count? Otherwise I guess a good pot of chili or homemade soup, something warm and cozy. I heart autumn!

Join in the random dozen meme each Wednesday by visiting 2nd cup of Coffee ...

just answer the questions on your own blog and leave your link at Linda's.

They Say It's Your Birthday

Almost thirty years ago I met and fell in love with my husband. Today he is celebrating a milestone birthday. I use the word celebrate very loosely because he is working and traveling all day and I'm not really sure how much fun you can have in an airport. I will say this though...if there is any fun to be found he will be the one to find it. Because he knows how to enjoy life. To seize a moment. To pull you into a moment right along with him. To laugh. To make me laugh. To embrace opportunity. To love a challenge. To be spontaneous.

He never met a stranger. He is the person you sit next to on a plane and you find yourself telling him your life story. He draws people out. He makes people feel comfortable when they are not. There isn't a microphone on any stage that he wouldn't love to step behind. He believes I can do anything and he encourages me to try. He gets teary eyed when he talks about his daughters. He has passion and drive, integrity and determination and he admires that in others too. He has boundless energy. He is honest. That sounds kind of like a boy scout. Oh wait, he was a boy scout. An eagle scout in fact because he doesn't do anything halfway.

When I imagined the post I'd write in honor of his birthday today I was thinking it would be funny and a little bit lighthearted...like him. Instead I find myself feeling rather sentimental. But this is okay too. Because he feels deeply and loves completely.

A couple of months ago I saw this video on Steph's blog and told her I was totally going to steal it. And I have.

Happy Birthday to my husband... he reaches the half century mark today but inside he's still that boy with the mischievous grin and the twinkle in his eye. He's still the boy I married.