What is a childhood memory that still haunts you?
I was about 5 or 6 and I was woken out of a sound sleep late at night when our dog was barking like mad and I could hear my brother and mom in hurried whispers in the room next to mine. They were trying to hush the dog and talking about someone who was creeping around outside our house, and something about his face. I can't recall if it was simply a 'weird' face or if they said he had a scary mask or face paint on.
So, in typical kid fashion, I freak out. I start crying, loudly, and they tell me to stay where I am, to which I respond with a prompt crawling under the blankets and crying louder. Then I hear them talking about this guy hearing me, and how he's suddenly at my window.
I'm assuming he just wanders off after a little bit because I don't recall anything actually happening.
Despite having never seen the face, my mind came up with a variety of images that continue to haunt me, the main one being the general person - a nondescript face - staring into my window. Another face is just one with a series of twisted lines painted around his features, with a mean expression behind them.
This memory has brought on recurring nightmares of various people looking into my windows and then seeing me. That's usually when I wake up, with my heart racing.
*updates*
This is me, updating. So. Uh. Hi! :D
What is one of your favorite poems?
Submitted by marvel is my pen name.
"Trees are the kindest things I know;
They do no harm, they simply grow.
And spread a shade for sleepy cows,
And gather birds among their boughs.
They give us fruit in leaves above,
And wood to make our houses of.
And leaves to burn on Halloween,
And in the Spring new buds of green.
They are the first when day's begun
To catch the beams of morning sun.
They are the last to hold the light,
When evening changes into night.
And when the moon floats in the sky,
They hum a drowsy lullaby
Of sleeping children long ago...
Trees are the kindest things I know."
-- By: Harry Behn
Yeah. I'm a deep thinker. ;)
Then, of course, there's the fun, tangle of words in this folklore poem. As I know it:
"One bright day in the middle of the night,
Two dead boys got in a fight.
Back to back they faced each other,
Drew their swords and shot one another.
One deaf policeman heard this noise,
Then he killed those two dead boys.
If you don't believe this lie that's true,
Ask the blind man; he saw it too."
Seems there are two whole stanzas that I'd never heard, too. hehe
How have people mispronounced your name? How is it supposed to sound?
Submitted by Lorie.
I can't even count how many times I've told someone my name is Nikki and they've looked at me at said "Mickey?"
Yeah, sure.
Mickey Mouse.
Mickey the Idiot.
*shrugs* I'll answer to whatever.
What was the one toy you wanted as a kid that your parents never bought you?
Submitted by Princess of Darkness.
A Teddy Ruxpin.
There was always 'maybe Santa will bring it for Christmas' and 'well, your birthday is coming up...' I even remember going to play bingo a few times, with the encouragement of winning so that I'd have the money to buy one. Obviously, that never happened either.
Now Teddy's gone digital. And that's just sad.
Part of the appeal was that Teddy played regular cassette tapes. I mean, you could have Teddy singing punk! That was always far more exciting than the stories he had to tell.
Though I did watch the cartoon every morning. And I still have all the toys that came from the Wendy's kid's meals. There was Teddy, Newton Gimmic, Grubby, Fob, and Wooly What's-It. Wooly What's-It and the Fob were my favorites. I think some of the their fuzziness (as there were covered in a kind of felt) has warn down a bit, too, from always playing with them.
HA! I miss the 80's.
Show us your bookshelf.
Submitted by Sarajea.
This is my small bookshelf in the living room, of just my things. I have books scattered all over the place, though. Like the rest of my Harry Potter books are currently on the large, cluttered bookshelf in here. I have my Series of Unfortunate Events on a little rack on the headboard of the bed, plus a few other books in the shelving of the headboard. I have a few of my larger books, like the Complete Shakespeare, mixed within the stuff on the built-in bookshelf (which is comprised mostly of movies). And I have a ton of books at my mom's house, boxed up and hopefully undamaged.
This also shows a tiny section of my DVDs - the rest being packed onto the larger bookshelf or at my mom's house. You can see the comic box next to the bookcase that also acts as a table for other books, comics, and my hoard of graph paper for doing logic puzzles. Also, Faye just loves to sit on that box and just watch the room. I think that's part of the reason for us not finding a new home for it.
Okay, we hate to ask, but... over the roll or under the roll?
Function before beauty.
Our toilet paper dispenser (I don't know what else to call it) is attached to the side of the sink's counter/cabinet, like most are. However, as there's also a towel rack at the top edge of the counter, the toilet paper is set pretty low at barely a foot off the ground. And, being a small cabinet, the toilet bowl sticks out more than the cabinet does. Which means we have to reach back and down, within a short gap of space, to get the toilet paper. Thus we definitely put the paper on, over the roll. Makes things far easier.
The cat doesn't mess with it either, which would be our only reason for putting it under the roll.
What was your very first job?
Submitted by Laurel.
My first legitimate job, where I got official paychecks and actually applied and did the whole interview thing, was for Warner Bros. Studio Stores. I walked the floors, I ran the registers, and I absolutely loved when they put me in the back when we got new shipments. I remember once when a late shipment finally arrived, and they called me up to see if I'd be willing to come in and sort through everything. It was my birthday and I was all dressed up, complete with frilly skirt and high heeled shoes... and I still went in. Still wearing my frilly skirt and high heeled shoes. ;)
However, I've had many jobs prior to that. I worked a cash register in a gas station when I was only 8 (as well as helping stock shelves). I typed up contracts for a big car company here when I was around 10 or 11. Typed up even more contracts and did some filing for a welding company when I was 12 or so. Again around 12 or so, I worked in a doctors/nurses' uniform shop, where I helped tag and hang clothes, did the data entry on the register, did late night inventories... I actually remember coming home from work at 6am, and having to leave for school around 7am. They paid me out of petty cash, though, so I was happy. And then I did some data entry and filing for a roofing company when I was 17.
The above jobs don't count, though. You see, they all happened through my mother. She worked at every one of them, and I would always tag along and other people would assign me with jobs once they realized I was more than capable. Plus, free labor.
Now that I think about it, Warner Bros has been the only time I've actually filled out an application and gone through the interviewing process. Every other job I've had has happened by complete chance. In most cases, I've been hired before I even met or talked with anyone.
What are your plans for the holiday weekend?
Not a whole lot. Our Saturday is just ready to begin now, at 6pm. If I can get Chris to wake up, that is. ;) Today we're just getting out of the house. No real plans, just that need to get out. Maybe go eat somewhere or look around stores. A movie was mentioned, but I don't know that there's really anything we want to see at the moment. We may stop by the Bookstore to see who's up there.
Tomorrow we have a family barbecue at his aunt's house and Chris has the evening off. (Sunday nights are his Monday mornings.) So, Sunday night and Monday morningish will probably consist of us catching up on a few recorded shows, the stack of DVDs we still haven't watched, or Veronica Mars season 2 before season 3 starts.
What's your favorite way to keep in touch? Phone, snail mail, email, text message, Vox, _____ ?
I hate the phone. I avoid a ringing phone almost as much as a knocking door. (I freak out when someone knocks at the door, by avoiding windows - this includes my shadow - and trying not to make a single sound) In fact, the phone rang a few minutes ago and I quickly grabbed it and turned the ringer off, letting the answering machine get the actual call. We don't have caller ID, so I have no other way to screen the call.
Even when someone does call for me, I hate sitting on the phone. I get too bored and feel like I should be doing something else, but there isn't much to do without ignoring the caller. Yet, I also realize this is an easier way to talk, especially when you haven't talked to the person in awhile and there's a lot to catch up on. Or, when there are important things that need to be discussed or someone is upset and just needs to rant to a friend. Real time conversation, saving the fingers - the phone isn't all bad. Just, not my favorite.
So, my favorite way to keep in touch - IM Programs. I use Yahoo Messenger. If I'm online, I have Y!Messenger on. Not only is it the best way to keep in contact with my online friends, but I have my own radio station I can play right through the messenger. Using Yahoo or AIM, I've also talked with my dad or stepmom, brother, and Chris' mom on occasion. As everyone lives out of town, this can save on long distance phone bills.
For the people that don't use IM programs or aren't online when I am, I use email for the regular catch-ups. Again, saves long distance phone bills. Emails are also good for more long winded conversations or stories. For closer friends, I'll use LJ to share my day or whatever as it's easier to type it out once and let everyone read it.
Heh I'm in the same position as you - I adore bookshelves and this sad little thing is my only... read more
on Vox Hunt: My Bookshelf