Just What Is A 'Meme' Anyway, And How Is It Pronounced?

(Originally 8/19/07)

Holly Black said, "John Green commanded everyone to fill out this survey and who am I to deny him?" and then she said, "I want everyone who reads this to also fill it out and post it on their blogs, so the procrastination can flow between us all." Then Alex Wilson did so, and I am doing the same. This isn't the only Meme I've ever received, but I am compelled to follow in the size 10.5s of my hero. I will not, however, be wearing a skirt as well. For the record, I do not know who John Green is.

1. FIRST NAME? Alan.

2. ARE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? Yes. My mother said she liked Alan Ladd, from the movie "Shane" No I've never seen the movie. Doesn't look like my cup of tea.

3. WHEN DID YOU LAST CRY? August 17th, 2006.

4. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? Newp. That's why I write on a keyboard, or I print. Only my signature is nice. Everything looks like I'm five years old, from back when I originally abandonded the skill.

5. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT? Salmon sushi.

6. KIDS? What about them?

7. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? Heck yeah. I'm a pretty fabulous person once you get to know me. I'd just better not piss myself off, or I'll dump me like a sack of stale grits.

8. DO YOU HAVE A JOURNAL? Um, you're soaking in it...

9. DO YOU USE SARCASM A LOT? Why, yes. Yes I do.

10. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? Yes.

11. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? Oh hell no.

12. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL? Kellogg's Scrambled Eggs, Soft, w/ Bacon.

13. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? If sneakers, then yeh. The one pair I have needs me to peel back a strip of velcro first, and then while I'm down there, and there are these perfectly good set of laces, I figure why not?

14. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG? ... Physically, yeh, I got some heft to me. The rest...I might be getting there...

15. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM? Haagen Daas, and thank you so much for bringing it up, you insensitive...

16. SHOE SIZE? 9.5

17. RED OR PINK? Red.

18. WHAT IS YOUR LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF? Shut up.

19. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST? My innocence.

20. DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO SEND THIS BACK TO YOU? Sure! Whoever copies this and fills it out somewhere, post a link in the comments of this post!

21. WHAT COLOR OF PANTS AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING RIGHT NOW? Black baggy shorts, white socks.

22. WHO IS YOUR FAVORITE WRITER/BOOK/MOVIE? God/Bible/Ten Comm... HAHA!! I'll have to go with nostalgia... Stephen R. Donalson & Lord Foul's Bane for the books, X2 for the movie.

23, WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? The wind bristling through the neighborhood trees.

24. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? "Clear."

25. WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE SMELLS? Strawberry Blow Pops, halfway consumed. The icy, buttery waft coming out from an open movie theater door on a summer day. The steam off a Caramel Macchiato. The smell of my cat's head, right between the ears, when I bury my nose in her short fur.

26. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU SPOKE ON THE PHONE WITH? A co-worker. It was work-related.

27. THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE YOU ARE ATTRACTED TO? Men: their muscles--wide shoulders, flat stomach, hint of traps, very heroic. Women: their demeanor, kind words, peaceful center, beautiful expressive eyes which tell that story.

28. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU? Oh yes, very much.

29. FAVORITE DRINK? Pomegranate Frappacino with 2-3 packets of Equal.

30. FAVORITE SPORT? Web-surfing.

31. HAIR COLOR? Black with white sprinkles at the temples and more in the sideburns and in the goatee.

32. EYE COLOR? Muddy.

33. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? Newp.

34. FAVORITE FOOD? Barbequed Baby Back Ribs form Chili's.

35. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDING? Happy happy. Make me cry.

36. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED? 1/2 half of "Serenity" I just can't bring myself to 1) Watch **** and **** die, and 2) I just don't want my viewing Firefly days to end.

37. COLOR OF SHIRT YOU ARE WEARING? Orange.

38. WINTER OR SUMMER? Winter, most definitely.

39. HUGS OR KISSES? Don't touch!! Well, okay. Hugs.

40. FAVORITE DESSERT? Jim Dandy from Friendly's, with all Butter Pecan ice cream, Strawberry, Marshmallow, and Pineapple toppings, no cherry. Oh my God....

41. WHO IS MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND? Dunno, really. I don't think I have what you'd call a fanbase.

42. LEAST LIKELY TO RESPOND? See above.

43. WHAT BOOKS ARE YOU READING? Asimov's, Fantasy & Scince Fiction, Analog, "The Privilege of the Sword"

44. WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD? The mouse.

45. FAVORITE SOUNDS? My cat's meows and purrs. She has several. The "Good Morning", the "Get My Food", the "Come Play With Me", and one that I take to mean "I Have Nothing Specific To Complain About, But I'm Complaining Anyway!"

46. WHAT DID YOU WATCH ON TV LAST NIGHT? Nothing.

47. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES? Beatles. Oh yes.

48. THE FURTHEST YOU'VE BEEN FROM HOME? West Texas, when I consider my home is New York City--wait, no, make that Germany.

49. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT? Actually! I can ride a unicycle. I can juggle. Not both at the same time, unless I practice then I probably can. And I can read people like I was a telepath.

50. WHEN AND WHERE WERE YOU BORN? Columbia Presbyterian, Upper West Side of Manhattan, 1964. It was a magical time for New York City. Across the street and four months later, Malcolm X would be assassinated.

Aww, is that the end?