4: Burning Questions (You Should Probably Get That Looked At)
I've been very happy to see a resurgence of friendly surveys and questionnaires popping up on Facebook. They were all the rage when I was a freshman in college and now that the general population has as much free time as a freshman in college, people are pounding them out.
Now I know these are most likely a tool for Phishing scams and passbots, and I'm fine with that! But I'm making my survey a lot less general in the hopes that people will not be afraid to reply in a comment below with their responses. Here are the blank questions to copy, paste, and answer. My responses, and some silly pictures to keep you entertained, are below :)
1. How are you enjoying quarantine?
2. How are your pets doing? If you don't have any pets, would you like some? 😁😁
3. What's the best movie you've seen recently? The worst?
4. What time do you usually go to bed? Wake up?
5. What's the sickest you've ever been?
6. Have you been creative during quarantine? What have you been working on?
7. What songs make you think of your parents? A current or former significant other?
8. What's your current guilty pleasure snack?
9. What's something "everyone" seems to love that you can't get into?
10. What is the next country you'd like to visit and why?
1. How are you enjoying quarantine?
It has been a rollercoaster! I can't count how many times we changed things up at work - we've been reopened for over a week and I'm only now starting to feel like we have our feet under us. It'll probably be another two months before we are totally caught up with the past seven weeks of demand. Home life has been great, I'm getting caught up on a huge backlog of music, movies, and games. And having fun with this silly site.
Rembrandt's "Parable of the Rich Fool" AKA "The Money Changer" 1627, oil on canvas
(Not my favorite painting but one of the first that really captivated me)
2. How are your pets doing?
OMG it is always something with those turds of paradise. Our Snow White Memaw Bubbu is going through a nasty bout of IBS. She's still on 'roids but because we had to switch foods temporarily her guts got all messed up again. I'm sure it is just terrible but she is in good spirits, purring and visiting us when she gets bored exploring her queendom. Our food monster orange-roll Derdledove has been an absolute terror since one of us is always home now. She's constantly demanding attention, food, outside time, play time. If she doesn't get what she wants she will stick her butthole in your face and slap you with her tail. Nice! We are fearful she is starting to exhibit signs of dementia but mostly are in denial anything could be wrong with either of them...ever!
3. What's the best movie you've seen recently? The worst?
The best was definitely Taxi Driver. I had seen it a few times over the years but it hit me hardest most recently. The cinematography and composition of the script keeps you completely captivated from start to finish. Martin Scorsese is just on another level when it comes to narrative, propulsive storytelling. He was thirty-five when he made this film and was already a master. Robert De Niro as Travis Bickle, iconic and unforgettable - this character is more relevant than ever in today's America. Taxi Driver is a gorgeous trainwreck and a love letter to annihilation.
"Thank God for the rain which has helped wash away the garbage and trash off the sidewalks.
All the animals come out at night; whores, skunk pussies, buggers, queens, fairies, dopers, junkies.
Sick, venal. Someday a real rain will come and wash this scum off the streets."
The worst was The Witch, a Shyamalan wannabe horror movie that REALLY struggled with pacing issues. The first ten minutes of the movie were really good, with some really creepy visual effects and a real sense of dread. And then the rest of the movie was sort of a sunlit paranoid mystery with not much horror to speak of outside of how filthy the people were. I absolutely loved that the (potential) villain is a totemic jet black ram. He's like the murderous James Dean of the animal kingdom and my favorite shot of the movie is when he's ramming some poor schmuck to death and a few non-evil animals stand by watching. Cheers!
Favorite Animal: Bull
Runner-Up: Demonically possessed totemic ram of SATAN! HAIL BLACK PHILLIP! j/k
4. What time do you usually go to bed? Wake up?
I'm proud to say that I am absolutely useless after 6PM and do everything I can to be in bed by seven. As long as I'm asleep by 9:30 I am totally good to go when my alarm goes off at 6AM, but I function best if I sleep from 9 to 6 solid. I completely gave up sleeping in (past 6) a long time ago, but I've been known to destroy a noon-3 weekend nap with the cats 😻 I LOVE sleeping but when I wake up I have to jump out of bed like my face is on fire or I will get depressed quick!
5. What's the sickest you've ever been?
Anyone that knows me would assume that this would be the hardest question on here for me to answer LOL. I could probably do a top ten HAHA. I think I have to go with January 2017. I was working for Shopko corporate in Green Bay and I had this nagging bump on the top of my head that had suddenly gotten slightly bigger. I had good insurance so I went to the doctor immediately. They couldn't do a biopsy because it was so inflamed so they told me to put heat on it and it would either settle down or burst. Yum! I took the day off from work and spent seven hours in and out of the lotus position with a burning hot wet rag on my head. I saw god, satan, and four episodes of Dr. Phil. Just as I was ready to give up, basically the entire top of my head exploded in a sickly squinch of blood and pus. The actual break in the skin was the size of a pinpoint but I guess there was some pressure built up. I cleaned myself up and ran to the doctor where they did the biopsy (negative) and patched me up. They sent me home on antibiotics and I was SO happy that stupid bump was gone. At the end of an incredibly long day, I took my antibiotic and fell asleep.
At one in the morning I woke myself up dry heaving. I felt a dizziness and sinus pressure I've never felt before or since and had to crawl to the bathroom as my entire body shivered and jerked in pain. I was almost delirious with panic when my wife found me a few minutes later, vomiting blood and sort of sing-moaning a happy song of death to myself. She drove me to the ER while I puked out of the window of her Pontiac Vibe. It was a frigid, starless night and I wept for release. I spent the night in the ER. They pumped me full of medicine and told me it was a bad reaction to the antibiotic. Then they recommended I not take the rest of the prescription. YOU THINK?
6. Have you been creative during quarantine? What have you been working on?
I started working on this page a few weeks ago and that's been a big project. The new Hearthstone expansion came out right when this started and I've been playing a ton of that. Sara and I have been playing Jackbox games with some friends, watching movies with others, and staying in close touch with our families. Sara also completely reshaped our home, moving a ton of furniture and completing a bunch of projects like hanging my guitars. It's been great watching her work!
My high-end Taylor, mid-range PRS, and budget Ibanez thinline
7. What song makes you think of your parents? A current and/or former significant other?
Parents: The Beatles - In My Life, Tom Cochrane - Life is a Highway
Mom: Simon and Garfunkel - Bridge Over Troubled Water, Van Halen - Jump
Dad: The Animals: Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood, The Rolling Stones: Can't Be Seen
Off their Steel Wheels album. The Gremmer family listened to this album until it fell apart in '89-'90
Former Sig Others: Howie Day - No Longer What You Require, At the Drive-In - Initiation
Only a song this weird and violently beautiful could ever recall what happened (or didn't happen)
Sara: .38 Special - Caught Up In You, Miley Cyrus - When I Look at You
I think I counted that Sara and I have seven songs I consider "our" song. I don't know if she knows about any of them 😂😂😂 I just love her, OK?!
8. What's your current guilty pleasure snack?
I was exhausted and in a bad mood the other day so I got fast food for the first time in a long time: an asiago ranch chicken sandwich from Wendy's. And, fuck, it was actually really good! I didn't need fries or a soda or anything else and it was totally satisfying. I figured it was a fluke (because Wendy's sucks, right?) so I went back yesterday for another one and FUCK it was so good! I can't go again! I won't!!
9. What's something everyone else seems to love that you can't get into?
I'm so out of the loop I have to go way back to The Walking Dead. I know it sucks now and no one likes it, but it was such a runaway smash the first few seasons and I always thought it was boring, horribly paced, and pretty much aimless. And then it got worse! As far as recent stuff goes I haven't been able to get into Rick and Morty, Animal Crossing, H3H3 or similar "reaction" channels...
10. What is the next country you'd like to visit and why?
Nicaragua. Almost every foreign country is on my list (including Canada, Thailand, and Laos, the three I've already been to) but I've been really interested in Nicaragua dating back about ten years. Sara and I were first starting to date and she was always daydreaming about living abroad. We watched an awesome episode of House Hunters: International where the people were really cool and just "stoked" to experience a new culture. They settled on a $220 a month "treehouse" that was just amazing, like a ten minute walk from a fresh produce market and the town square. Ever since then I've been looking forward to renting something similar and eating plenty of fresh fruit HAHA 😉
Malecon, Managua, Nicaragua
As always thank you so much for reading some or all of this!
PLEASE copy the questions above and add your answers below with a comment and a name. Love you guys! 💖💚💙💜💖
PLEASE copy the questions above and add your answers below with a comment and a name. Love you guys! 💖💚💙💜💖
1. How are you enjoying quarantine?
ReplyDeleteYes and no - yes, because I like being at home anyways, but no, because I also like to meet friends and go for lunch or such.
2. How are your pets doing? If you don't have any pets, would you like some? 😁😁
They absolutely love I am home a lot. Snuggles day and nite.
3. What's the best movie you've seen recently? The worst?
I am not movie crazy, so recently I have not watched many. My all time favorite probably is Fried Green Tomatoes/Green Fried Tomatoes. I really like the HBO series 6 Feet Under. The worst - so many I cannot stand, haha.
4. What time do you usually go to bed? Wake up?
By 9 and up between 6 and 10, depending on a work day or not. Sleep is holy to me, yes!
5. What's the sickest you've ever been?
Cannot remember, I have thank goodness never been super sick, only a some bad flu or stomach bug.
6. Have you been creative during quarantine? What have you been working on?
Not creative no but working on work projects.
7. What songs make you think of your parents? A current or former significant other?
Anything classic makes me remember my mom. Especially her fav Johannes Brahms. My significant otherS are my cats - Zeppelin of course is named after Led Zeppelin, and any of their brilliant songs makes me smile thinking of my boy.
8. What's your current guilty pleasure snack?
Too many - anything garlicy or oniony, since nobody (hopefully) can smell me thru my mask, lol.
9. What's something "everyone" seems to love that you can't get into?
Peanut butter or root beer - at least peanut butter I can do in a spicy Thai sauce.
10. What is the next country you'd like to visit and why?
Too many, Iceland, Bali, and my fav state again, Alaska.
1. How are you enjoying quarantine?
ReplyDeleteIt is an ill wind that blows no-one some good. I am jogging 4 - 5 times a week and feel great. I am also spending a lot of time writing and working on my art. I would enjoy quarantine more if I wasn't living with two teenagers and a 10 year old. LoL! They miss their friends and activities - so there is a lot of moodiness going on.
2. How are your pets doing? If you don't have any pets, would you like some? 😁😁
We have one cat - Millie. She is doing great and is becoming more cuddly. We all vie for her attention. She is a bully and needs to be an only cat. Too bad because we would all love another cat.
3. What's the best movie you've seen recently? The worst?
I finally watched What About Bob and loved it. I also finally watched Groundhog's Day and hated it.
4. What time do you usually go to bed? Wake up?
11:00 - and wake up around 7. I used to go to bed at 9:00 and wake up at 4:30. I like my new schedule
5. What's the sickest you've ever been?
Several years ago I had sinus infection that lasted from October through April. It culminated in sinus surgery - - - which was only somewhat successful.
6. Have you been creative during quarantine? What have you been working on?
Yes! I have been writing a blog. I am rereading The Long Winter by Laura Ingalls Wilder and relating her experiences with my own in quarantine. Having time to write is my favorite thing about quarantine. I also am creating a greeting card line - - - which has been a dream of mine for years.
7. What songs make you think of your parents? current or former significant other?
"Oh What a Beautiful Morning" from the musical Oklahoma makes me think of my dad. "Eyes of the World" by the Grateful Dead makes me think of my boyfriend. Anything by Tears for Fears or INXS makes me think of my high school boyfriend.
8. What's your current guilty pleasure snack?
Chocolate shredded wheat - it is ridiculous that I consider this "cardboard" cereal a guilty pleasure.
9. What's something "everyone" seems to love that you can't get into?
Eggs or brunch. I hate eggs in all forms. Oh. And Day drinking.
10. What is the next country you'd like to visit and why?
Costa Rica - I love bird watching and Costa Rica would be an amazing place to see new birds.
Eydie! A greeting card line?! That is awesome! That would be great for farmers markets and stuff like that. I am subscribed to your blog now, have always been a reader but will now not miss a post :) There are like 20 kinds of shredded wheat now...I bet chocolate would be good for turning the milk chocolate? Brunch and day drinking is fun once a year with a big group of people. Maybe every five years haha. Costa Rica sounds great, I'm in if you go! And, most importantly, What About Bob? is maybe the #1 comedy movie in the Dan Gremmer family, absolutely hilarious :D Thank you for responding, lots of love!
Delete1. How are you enjoying quarantine?
ReplyDeleteI have been loving it. For the only reason being that I get to work from home which I have learned is amazing. I don’t think I’ll ever work from the office again if they give us the option. I do feel bad for everyone who has been negatively affected, and consider myself lucky.
2. How are your pets doing? If you don't have any pets, would you like some? The dogs are good. I think they love that someone is home all day. What dog doesn’t love that?
3. What's the best movie you've seen recently? The worst?
The best movie I’ve seen recently would probably be the classic heist movie, Heat. The worst would be the Netflix original, Spencer Confidential. I can’t believe Netflix funnels money into these expensive action set pieces....but someone apparently watches them.
4. What time do you usually go to bed? Wake up?
The time I go to bed varies, but anywhere from 11pm-2am. I wake up everyday at 7-7:30.
5. What's the sickest you've ever been?
I had an infected tooth once. That is not fun, and probably the worst pain I’ve ever been in, and worst fever I’ve ever had.
6. Have you been creative during quarantine? What have you been working on?
I have not been creative. I’ve been spending most of my time consuming other people’s creations.
7. What songs make you think of your parents? A current or former significant other?
Headlights by Eminem. Just kidding, of course. Off the cuff, I don’t really have one I can think of.
8. What's your current guilty pleasure snack?
Candy cigarettes, Zots, Pop Rocks, wax bottles, quench gum. I bought a lot of bulk candy online when this started, and hopefully I won’t have diabetes when it all ends. On the healthy side, honeycrisp apples, but that’s not really a “guilty” pleasure, is it?
9. What's something "everyone" seems to love that you can't get into?
Animal Crossing, or anything in the Marvel Universe.
10. What is the next country you'd like to visit and why?
For nice weather, Bora Bora in French Polynesia. The pictures online look amazing. If weather wasn’t a factor....The Netherlands. Seems fun, and like my kind of place. The views seem incredible.
1. How are you enjoying quarantine?
ReplyDeleteMost days its not too bad, ive been doing a lot of baking and trying new recipes. Some days I lay a blanket out in the yard and just soak up the sun with the cats.
2. How are your pets doing? If you don't have any pets, would you like some? They are thrilled! Gizmo and I sleep in pretty much every day and the rest of the time I just leave the patio door open and they nap the day away in spots out in the yard. My neighbors cat Chai has also joined in on our fun and comes over every day to visit.
3. What's the best movie you've seen recently? The worst?
My favorite all time movie is Beauty and the Beast. I mostly hate anything Marvel movie related, there cant possibly be anymore spider man or xmen sequels or prequels!
4. What time do you usually go to bed? Wake up? Before quarantine I was a solid in bed by 9, read a bit and out, then up around 6 for work. Now im often up reading till 11 not able to fall asleep and staying in bed until 8-9 in the morning.
5. What's the sickest you've ever been?
Well I’ve had neuro virus 3 times, its awful and I don't wish it on anyone. Other than that probably when I had all 4 of my impacted wisdom teeth removed and couldnt eat or drink anything, but the doctor told my boyfriend to keep me on a pain med schedule so he did. He came home to find me passed on on the bathroom floor with a cat trying to wake me up
6. Have you been creative during quarantine? What have you been working on?
Doug and I have been painting gourds for bird houses
7. What songs make you think of your parents? A current or former significant other?
Anything Garth Brooks reminds me of my dad and anything metallica/Nirvana for my mom.
8. What's your current guilty pleasure snack?
Doritos and the damn frappacinos from starbucks
9. What's something "everyone" seems to love that you can't get into?
Reality tv
10. What is the next country you'd like to visit and why?
Ireland- we were supposed to go for our honeymoon, but still havent made it.
Hey, Sarah! Thank you for replying :) It was great to hear from you...my cats are angry and jealous about how spoiled yours are. When this is all over my wife and I have to come over to see them in action...and bake something!
Delete1. Quarantine isn't that different from my usual life (putzing around at home, walking my dog). It's been a gorgeous spring so it's been like a relaxing extended spring break, periodically punctuated by temporary moments of terror in feeling like I and my parents are going to die horrible deaths. But mostly OK. There were a lot of home improvement projects I was going to work on this spring that are getting delayed (but I probs wouldn’t have started them anyways).
ReplyDelete2. Clementine Josephine ("Clemmy Jo"), my elderly chihuahua-hobgoblin mix, is happy as a clam to bask in the sunshine in her ginormous backyard and have her person home all day. She may be a little bored with me. I would definitely be catatonic with depression and loneliness if I didn't have her.
3. I enjoyed Crip Camp on Netflix. I am such a conflict-averse coward that watching docs on fearless radical activists always blows my mind. The worst is…lol, I started watching Despicable Me on Netflix and had to turn it off 10 minutes in because it felt soulless.
4. What time do you usually go to bed? Wake up? It is hard for me to go to bed before 11:30am/12am. I feel deep moral shame for sleeping in late due to being raised by Zach Miller, so I then set my alarm for 7:45am, but then I always want more sleep so I snooze it until 8:45am and then get out of bed and feel bad about myself all morning :)
5. What's the sickest you've ever been? Mmm, I don’t get sick a lot.. I had acute bronchitis the winter before last. It was one of the first times I was *sick* for almost 2 weeks.
6. Not as creative as I would like to be. I got beads and did a remote mala-making project with my friend in CA. Other than that I am still unpacking all my art supplies and getting my spare room set up to (supposedly) be my creative work space.
7. Mom - also Simon & Garfunkel, basically anything. Dad - anything off Joni Mitchell Blue album, anything Emmylou Harris, Jumping Jack Flash by Rolling Stones. My ex (and mala-making pal) - Justin Bieber “Sorry” & Beyonce “Sorry” (interesting coincidence :| )
8. Is downing a pint of Ben & Jerry’s Chocolate Fudge Brownie Ice Cream in one sitting a “snack”? Asking for a friend.
9. Never watched Game of Thrones. Never wanted to. Not sure why.
10. Either Peru (because of mountains/coast/jungle/Macchu Picchu + I **love** Peruvian food) or Cambodia (Buddhism, temples, food, also Seattle has a Cambodian community and I have a few Cambodian clients so it’s been on my mind).
OMG, Sylvie, this was SO fun to read! Hilarious! Sara and I were so lucky to meet Clemmy @ Thanksgiving, I'm glad you are getting a ton of time with her :) And yes, LOTS of time in the sun will keep her young HAHA. You know what the "problem" with Ben and Jerry's is? A lot of them are really salty, so they make you thirsty, and you know what's great when you're thirsty? ICE CREAM!! It's bad. I'm pretty shocked you never watch GoT but since it flamed out horribly you look like a genius, as usual! Sara did over a month in Cambodia and loved it...her pictures are nuts. We are up for Peru any time...don't go without us!! Thanks for the reply, love you!
Delete1. How are you enjoying quarantine?
ReplyDeleteI’m an introvert, so staying at home all the time isn’t an issue for me in general. I’ve found it hard to balance the different aspects of life while mostly stuck at home: independent me/spouse me/parent me/work me/etc. Worlds are colliding you could say. But also being honest, we have it better than many here, so I’m trying my best to keep perspective.
2. How are your pets doing? If you don't have any pets, would you like some?
Castor, Pollux, and Gotham are doing fine. No, despite what the girls say.
3. What's the best movie you've seen recently? The worst?
During quarantine, it’s been mostly kids movies I’ve watched. Disney’s Robin Hood still holds up for me, as well as Follow That Bird. Spies in Disguise is good as well as Abominable. I like Peabody and Sherman and the original Peter Pan is still great despite the terrible portrayals Nativer Americans. Return to Neverland is also good as a more recent sequel. If I had to pick a few weak ones, I’d say the new Trolls movie as well as the Little Mermaid sequel. I go on and on regarding kids movies/shows. I am not a bad parent.
4. What time do you usually go to bed? Wake up?
I’ve been up almost every day at 7am during the quarantine. There’s been a few weekend mornings where I’ve slept in ‘til maybe 9:30am. I’ll get to bed usually between 12am - 1am. Occasionally it’s earlier if I fall asleep getting one of the girls to sleep.
5. What's the sickest you've ever been?
I’m fortunate as I’m not sick often; and when I do get sick, a night of stomach aches or vomiting is usually the worst of it. I have thrown my back out a few times though where I was immoble for a day and then walking around like an elderly person for over a week. It's a humbling experience physically and mentally.
6. Have you been creative during quarantine? What have you been working on?
I wouldn’t say I’ve been very creative - maybe an occasional time-saving or house cleaning concept (I’m weird). In my personal free time, which is typically in the 10pm - 2am window of the day when the girls are asleep,, I’ve been playing video games and building LEGO sets.
7. What songs make you think of your parents? A current or former significant other?
For my mom, it's "Celebration" by Kool & The Gang. In the 80s, she had this 5 ft. trampoline she used for exercising and the soundtrack was always "Celebration". For my dad, it's "Sink the Bismarck" by Johnny Horton (or really any Horton song from his greatest hits album). For the time as a child when we owned a boat, we would take it out on the Mississippi. My dad owned the typical battery powered cassette player/radio and Johnny was what we listened to on the river. "Sink the Bismarck" is also a song I've sung to Nora a night since she was a baby. Who doesn't love an American folk song about the British sinking a German battleship? For Lisa, she's introduced me to a lot of music I'd otherwise not heard of. A couple of songs that she introduced to me that have stuck are "Yours Forever" by Generationals and "Beware the Dog" by The Griswolds.
8.What's your current guilty pleasure snack?
The Cookie Dough Cafe Gourmet Edible Cookie Dough (Chocolate Chip) is my SECRET current guilty pleasure snack.
9. What's something "everyone" seems to love that you can't get into?
Tiger King, Baby Yoda, Breaking Bad, Lost, Crocs, Making a Murderer, Snapchat, Fortnite, and too many chocolate chips in chocolate chip cookies.
10. What is the next country you'd like to visit and why?
I have no country specifically in mind. I’d love to visit Europe.
I don't see my name attached so this is Chris Smieja.
Delete1. How are you enjoying quarantine?
ReplyDeleteI like the extra time with the babies! I need to projects to keep busy. Also it’s been a struggle not to be able to socialize. Overall, I am not my best self. 3/10
2. How are your pets doing? If you don't have any pets, would you like some?
They are mostly happy we’re home more. Checkups for both next week to make sure their in tip top shape!
3. What's the best movie you've seen recently? The worst?
Best is Train to Busan. Love zombies, love South Korea, love modern transportation.
Worst is The Core, but to be fair, I wasn’t really paying attention.
4. What time do you usually go to bed? Wake up?
Asleep between 9 and 10. Up between 4:30 and 6, depending on if Doodle wakes me up. Otherwise I can sleep in until 7!
5. What's the sickest you've ever been?
I was sick all the time when I was little, constant ear infections until I got my tonsils out. Haven’t really gotten too sick since then. Knock on wood!
6. Have you been creative during quarantine? What have you been working on?
Cleaning, reorganizing, purging random stuff mostly. I made some soap and candles though! I have a book and pens coming soon to learn some fancy handwriting.
7. What songs make you think of your parents? A current or former significant other?
I’ll always think of my mom when I hear Elvis. Also Dream from Everly Bros (? 50s song) because we sang it together at my 8th grade graduation karaoke party.
8. What's your current guilty pleasure snack?
Chocolate peanut clusters or TJs sprinkle cookies.
9. What's something "everyone" seems to love that you can't get into?
Omg so many things...sourdough bread making, Star Wars, Star Trek, Marvel or DC superheroes, having self control.
10. What is the next country you'd like to visit and why?
Iceland for a biking & camping adventure, India for food & culture, Peru for hiking, I’ll stop there. I would be happy to go almost anywhere.