The “Reader Appreciation Award” Meme
Ally from The Spectacled Bean has tagged me for a meme. I’m supposed to answer the questions, then tag those of my readers who comment, and they can answer the questions on their blogs, and send it forward, and so on. I don’t have a problem answering the questions, though I’ll confess the book ones were a little difficult. I do have a problem tagging, because I don’t know if my most loyal commenters are likely to want to do a meme or not. Let’s start with the questions, and see where we get from there, shall we?
:: The Questions ::
Where do you do most of your writing/blogging?
My laptop computer, which Richard bought for my mom when she was moving to California. I inherited it when she died. It sits on our dining room table most of the time, though sometimes I have it on my lap in front of the computer, and sometimes Maya has it in her room writing papers for school. I put a big cushion on my lap, though, because I’ve decided that having a laptop right on my lap will probably give me ovarian cancer or something. I know, I’m paranoid.
What books were your childhood favorites?
The Little House books, The Narnia Chronicles, the Black Stallion books, and assorted books that were not parts of a series. Some favorites were: Sam, Bangs, and Moonshine, The Endless Steppe, Anne Frank, Diary of a Young Girl, The Forgotten Door, A Ring of Endless Light, and A Wrinkle In Time (I know, “Ring” and “Wrinkle” were both parts of series, but these were my favorites in the series’. Maybe. Maybe, actually, I loved them all.
Who is your favorite fictional character?
Oh, I know I should say Meg Murray, and truthfully, I do adore her. I could say one Taylor Greer, from Barbara Kingsolver’s The Bean Trees. She is a character who has stuck in my head for years. But if we’re being honest, I’ll admit that it’s Scarlet O’Hara, much as I fear I will lose your respect. She’s such a product of her age, racist and foolish and cruel in turn. But I love how she always does the most selfish thing when what’s at stake doesn’t really matter (coming out of mourning scandalously soon, dancing with Rhett at the fund raising bazaar, things that she has been raised to think are sins earning dire reproach), and yet, she always does the most generous thing when it matters a lot (staying to deliver Melly’s baby when she could have run, feeding the defeated soldiers as they make their way home across the south, though there is barely enough food for her family…her family, who she supports without complaining (much), when she could easily play the role of the Southern Belle and quietly starve.) She doesn’t see that she’s good, doesn’t really care that she’s bad. And she’s so immensely loyal. I love her.
What is your favorite time of day and why?
I’m not sure how to answer this one. Morning, because I have a lot of energy and I can go for a walk or whatever. Evening, because I like how the day winds down. I like cooking dinner, listening to music, having a glass of wine.
Have you ever Googled yourself and been surprised at what you’ve found?
No, there aren’t any surprises that I’ve found. Before I did the blog thing, I worked for awhile on my family genealogy, which meant going on some message boards and so on. So it’s mostly the genealogy and the blog, with some Facebook and LinkedIn thrown in for fun.
Who would play me in a movie of my life?
Laura Dern would be my first choice. She takes chances, she’s talented, and there is a resemblance.
One material possession I could not live without?
Could not live without? My contact lenses, I guess. Or my toothbrush. Boring, I know, but imagine going around with nasty breath all day, or being unable to see? No thanks.
Have you ever been naked in public?
Um…skinny dipping once when I was 19. Don’t tell Maya.
What is your dream car?
When I was younger, it would have been a Jaguar. Forest green with cream leather interior. Now, I covet a Mini Cooper. Not sure what color. Not that I’d say no to the green Jag, mind you. I am also very happy with both of our cars.
What/who/where was your first proper kiss?
My first boyfriend, Mike. I didn’t know him well at all, but my best friend was going with his best friend, so we were sort of set up together. It was in the parking lot after seeing a movie. I have no idea what the movie might have been.
Tagging: OK, here goes. I am going to go ahead and tag Nance and VGrrrl, though I don’t think memes are really their bag, baby. No worries if you ladies don’t want to play. 🙂 I’ll tag Cherry and Issa, because even though they don’t stop by and comment often, I know they’re doing NaBloPoMo. Wait, Issa bailed. Oh well, Issa, if you’d like to do this one, consider yourself tagged. I’ll also tag Simon and Ben, because they stop by from time to time with a comment, and Jen for the same reason. If I didn’t tag you, and you wish I had, go for it. Let me know, though, because I don’t always get pingbacks…Wordpress SAYS it does, but it doesn’t.
14 Comments
Nance
Where’s my Award? Sigh. Don’t I at least get a Leg Lamp? LOL. I love you terribly, so I’ll probably break my long-standing rule and do this meme at some point. Didn’t I break it for you once before? Boy oh boy, do I love you. Bank this love. You never know when you’ll need it. Now I need to go work on an actual award to give myself.
Whose respect will you lose for loving Scarlett O’Hara? Not mine! I love her as well. I reread GWTW every June. You delineated her perfectly. And thank goodness Margaret Mitchell was prevailed upon to change her original character name from…PANSY! No way our Scarlett could ever be a Pansy.
J
Nance, WHEW, and yes, the love comes right back. Regarding the award, I KNOW, we were robbed. I want a little trophy to put on my desk, or perhaps a nice bottle of wine.
I think the one whose respect I’d lose with Scarlett is my daughter. She hasn’t read the book, has only seen parts of the movie, and doesn’t really agree with Scarlett’s motivations and actions. She thinks S is an idiot. Thankfully, she doesn’t read my blog too often, so she may never know. 😉 (And, she’s studying the Civil War in AP US History right now, and asked to see the film last night. We don’t own it, as I adore the book, but not so much the film…)
Issa
LOL. I love this one and I will do it. Probably next week though. 🙂
You know what? I’ve never read or seen Gone with the Wind and both are on my life list. Ha.
I don’t comment often…anywhere either. But I always read. That gets some points right?
J
Issa, please, do me a favor…read the book before you see the movie. You may be horrified by some of the racism, and indeed it is horrid, but you’ll understand Scarlett SO much better with the book than the movie. Then you can watch the movie if you’re so inclined.
Issa
I can do that. I actually downloaded the book in hopes that maybe I’ll get to it this weekend. Which won’t happen, but a girl can dream.
Racism bothers me so very much. Especially because I come from a big mixed race family. Yet…in books written a long time ago, I do understand it. It was part of life back then and they wrote/lived it. (I am a big Zora Neale Hurston fan and her books were filled with it.) Basically I’m saying I will read it first, but it probably won’t stop me from seeing the movie. I feel like it’s one of those things I really want to experience if that makes sense.
J
Issa, the racism in GWTW is a little different than in Hurston’s book. You’ll see what I mean. I do hope you can get a start on the book this weekend, and that you adore it as much as I do.
I can’t imagine reading it on an ereader…without the big weight of it all, you know? It’s such a long book. Interesting idea.
MAS
Lose respect for loving Scarlett O’Hara? Not from this individual, who read “Gone with the Wind” 17 times before seeing the film, who then read it again an additional five times, and who can (and does) quote the opening paragraph and other lines from memory at any opportunity.
J
MAS, I know of your love for Scarlett, and I share it. Perhaps there is a blog post in my trepidation to admit my love for her…This is NaBloPoMo, after all, and one must mine ideas where one can.
Ally Bean
Thank you for doing this meme. Like you, I’m hesitant to tag anyone with a meme. I like doing memes once in a while, but realize that many of my readers do. not. do. memes.
I think that Taylor Greer is an excellent alternative choice for Q3. I liked that book, too. And now want to go back and re-read it.
Funny how when I read the question about material possessions, eyeglasses, which I need every day, did not come to mind. My brain went straight to electronic devices.
J
Ally, I kind of think you answered more in the spirit of the question…it’s just that my mind is sometimes quite practical. Perhaps most people wouldn’t think of contact lenses as a ‘material possession’, and a coffee maker clearly is. 🙂
V-Grrrl @ Compost Studios
I’m going to do this right here in the comments section:
1. I do all my writing and blogging at a desktop computer. I hate laptops–the keyboards, the small screen–and I like to be anchored in one place. My desk has a view out two windows and funky framed art hung above it. It’s my happy (messy) place.
2. My favorite books from childhood? Probably everything written by Beverly Cleary, esp. the Ramona books.
3. I don’t have a favorite fictional character–but wait! There’s RAMONA!
4. I don’t have a favorite time of day either.
5. When I Google myself, I’m surprised how *many* places I turn up. I’ve been the author of articles, the subject of articles, quoted in articles, plus all my blog-related and professional stuff.
6. I’d want Kate Winslet to play me in a movie of my life.
7. The possession I couldn’t live without? My computer!
8. Nope, I keep the nekkid at home.
9. My dream car? An old-school red Ford pickup truck with a little rust and a few dings around the edges and a big bench seat. Something to match my Stetson boots. : )
10. My first kiss on my first date turned into my first love. I dated him for two years. Thirty five years later, we still touch base from time to time.
J
V-Grrrl, oh, I adored the Beverly Cleary books as well! Yes, Ramona was adorable.
I was so sure your possession was going to be your boots. 🙂
Thanks for playing along!
simon
OK, here’s mine: http://simonlitton.wordpress.com/2012/11/22/tagged/
J
Thanks for playing Simon!