Cheers to You, Oenophile!

Just got an email that opens with, Cheers to you, Oenophile!

How dare you, Sir.

(What the heck is an oenophile anyway?)

:)

And so, friends, this is your word of the day!


Sunday Stealing: Swiped Meme

1. Did someone die in that last movie you watched?
We watched The Age of Adeline last night. Someone did die. Good movie, but I hated the parts where the Twilight-Zone-ish guy narrated the past events as if they were news stories. The audience doesn't need the explanation. We're watching the scenes from the past. WE GET IT.

2. Are the trees pretty colors outside for you now or at all?
A couple of trees are yellow and orange, but not many. Most of our trees in the neighborhood are evergreen or just drop their leaves in fall. The Bradford Pears are beauuutiful for about a week, but I think they've dropped their leaves at this point.

3. Have you ever made a bad first impression on someone's parents?
Only Jeff's. Just one of the things that happened the weekend I met them- I spit a grape across the table during dinner. Yep.

4. When's the last time you video recorded something on TV?
The last thing that the DVR recorded was The Chew on Friday.

5. What is a career you wanted to have when you were younger, and still kind of want to have now? 
I would love to be what I studied to be- a radiation safety officer. I'd have to move away from Austin to find a job and it's been too long since I got my degree to really get into it at this point.

6. What are your views on sunflowers?
Sunflowers are gorgeous! I still remember sunflower fields in Kansas, from the year when I was in kindergarten there.

7. What is your favorite incense or candle scent?
apple

8. Caramel apples or candy apples?
Definitely caramel. I hate candy apples. Too sticky and crunchy.

9. Have you ever walked into a wall?
Nope. I have walked into a few doors though.

10. Would you ever or do you make your dog wear a bandanna?
If I had a dog, I would make it wear a bandanna.

11. Do you find dandelions when they're gone all white pretty?
Yes.

12. What makes you laugh?
Donald Trump being a contender for President.

13. The scariest moment of your life?
Driving up the side of the hill/mountain to get to the Malerwinkel Guest House in Schönau am Königsee. Good grief. Steep, very skinny "road" with a deadly dropoff on the side. And people walking down, who expect you to move towards the dropoff to let them skim past you on the inside! Skeery!

14. What’s the coolest thing you’ve bought lately?
iPhone 6S Plus

15. What’s the worst you’ve had to do because of losing a bet?
Sadly, I've never bet anything that interesting!

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You've Been Endorsed

LinkedIn endorsements are the silliest things. They could be meaningful, if people took them seriously, but people just hand them out. I think it's because they show up in LinkedIn as a suggestion and people just do it to tick that box.

If you have 37 endorsements for Content Strategy, but one of them is from your mom, it just highlights the fact that people deal out endorsements like Halloween candy.

Let's keep it real. If you're a family member or one of my pals, and I've never worked with you, I probably know little about what kind of a manager you are or how skilled you are in Good Clinical Practice, but I could endorse you for things like:

Bartending
Parallel Parking
Pictionary
Grilling
Couponing
Sense of Humor
Parenting
Karaoke...

Off to endorse some people!

Sunday Stealing: 25 Fun Meme

1. If you were trapped in a room with the person who asked this for 24 hours, what would you do? The answer cannot be romantic or sexual.
Why not romantic or sexual? Well since I just pulled this one from the blog, I'll pick... Kimberly! I hope we're trapped in a room in the Four Seasons. With her, I would play cards and look at old photos!

2. If you could learn any language instantly, what would it be?
Spanish

3. If you could only read one book for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Billy Budd *snort*

4. Favorite song lyric?
How 'bout...
You make me smile like the sun
Fall out of bed, sing like a bird
Dizzy in my head, spin like a record
Crazy on a Sunday night
You make me dance like a fool
Forget how to breathe
Shine like gold, buzz like a bee
Just the thought of you can drive me wild
Oh, you make me smile

5. Favorite album?
One of my all-time faves is Evanescence's Fallen. All great songs.

6. Which time of day would you say is best for you work-wise?
7-10 a.m.

7. Favorite city that you’ve visited?
Las Vegas

8. Favorite city that you haven’t visited?
Rome

9. If you could donate $10,000 to charity, what charity would you pick?
MD Anderson

10. What is one book you wish you could get all your friends to read?
Billy Budd

11. What is one movie you wish you could get all your friends to watch?
Love, Actually

12. What do you think people assume about you from first glance?
that I'm a geeky science chick

13. If you could play any musical instrument, what would it be?
guitar

14. What is your favorite item of clothing?
my casual jeans

15. Who was your first follower on your blog? Do they still follow you?
The first person who knew about my blog was Eva. She catches up now and then!

16. If you could create one thing, what would it be?
a cure for cancer

17. Favorite superhero?
Thor

18. If you were to write an autobiography, what would you title it?
Just Keep Swimming

19. If you were to have a band, what would you call it?
KK and the Blowfish

20. What is your favorite card/board game?
"The Card Game"

21. What was the first IM service you used? Who was the first person you talked to on it?
AIM. Kerstin was probably the first person I talked to on it.

22. If you could give a friendly hug to any one person, who would it be? Cannot be your romantic/sexual partner if you have one.
Jen. She just had her baby this week!

23. Have you ever won any sort of contests? What kind?
I've won several contests- mostly in writing.

24. Who was the last person you hugged? Cannot be your romantic/sexual partner if you have one.
Jen. I hugged her before she left work for maternity leave.

25. If you could be skilled in any one activity, what would it be? Cannot be romantic or sexual.
Again it can't be romantic or sexual? This survey is very limiting. Um... I would be skilled in grilling.

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Sunday Stealing

5-0 Aggies tied with LSU for #1 in SEC West! Whoop! We're off next week, which is good. Gotta prepare for Bama!

Remember, friends don't let friends wear crimson. ;)


Sunday Stealing: Q&A Meme

1. What would you pick as a major, if you could go back to college and do it again?
Well, my life would be very different had I had a different major, so I wouldn't wish to change any of that really, but a nursing or pre-med degree would have been more closely related to my career.

2. Who is the one celebrity with whom you would most like to have an in depth conversation? 
I'd love to get very 'in depth' with George Clooney. But kidding aside... yes, George Clooney. He's not just a pretty face.

3. If you could make a living doing ANYthing, what would that be?
Taking bubble baths.

Joe Manganiello's wardrobe assistant? :)

Okay, I would love to help people go through their clutter and donate/sell things they don't need and organize the rest. The more cluttered, the better!

4. What’s your all-time very favorite dessert? 
New York style cheesecake

5. How many pairs of jeans do you own? 
three

6. What is your favorite flower, and why?
Tulips, because they are so beautiful, and not the typical, overdone rose.

7. What book has most changed your life?
Chicken Soup for the Surviving Soul. Are they making the Chicken Soup series anymore? So great. This book really touched me with shared stories of victories and successfully overcome obstacles I had also experienced in my own life, as well as ones less familiar, which inspired me with their positivity.

8. What is your least favorite vegetable? Is there any way you can be persuaded to eat it?
Squash. No.

9. If you could take a nonstop first class flight to any destination, where would you pick to land? 
Rome

10. If your 15 minutes of fame included a stint on American Idol, what song would be your trademark solo?
"Sober" by Kelly Clarkson


11. If you could pick one former friend (who has remained elusive in this wild Facebook world) to reunite with, who would you unearth?
Tiffany! She's a high school and college buddy, now a famous pediatric oncologist, with no time for Facebook.  Would LOVE to catch up with her.

12. You have been awarded the time off from work and an all-expenses paid week anywhere in the United States. The catch is that it must be somewhere you have not been before. Where do you choose to visit?
Washington DC

13. Name three of your guilty pleasures. 
show tunes, chocolate, The Real Housewives of NYC/Jersey/OC

14. The best kind of cookie is: 
chocolate chip with pecans

15. What do you value most in other people? 
honesty

16. Have you ever looked back at your life and realized that something you thought was a bad thing was actually a blessing in disguise?
many many things, yes

17. What is the most beautiful place you’ve ever visited?
Hawaii

18. Are you more of a thinker or a feeler? 
feeler

19. Name three things you are thankful for right now. 
Lolo having some improvement in her leg pain from new meds, time away from the office day-to-day on a business trip this week, cooler weather

20. Have you ever participated in a three-legged race?
Yep, in Brownies a billion years ago.

21. When you are at an event that plays the National Anthem, do you place your hand over your heart?
Of course.

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Drinking Tips

I have a little hint for you today for making drinks involving dry drink mixes. We drink protein shakes for breakfast made from a dry mix. I always used to put the mix in the cup first, but I ended up with gunge in the bottom of the cup. no matter how well I mixed. Lauren said I needed to put the liquid in first. It works far better for avoiding clumps! If you get the swirl going fast enough, you'll avoid the powder flying everywhere. Leave space in the top of the container for this reason. Or use a shaker.

This week I saw something about mixing dry hot chocolate mixes this way as well. The manufacturer said to put the powder on top of the liquid and stir it in. (Although I do NOT drink hot chocolate. I would not, could not on a train. Not in the dark. Not in the rain... Blech.)

I researched the topic online and have seen professional mixer articles that say put the powder on top of the liquid. Then, I happened upon the tried and true, the ultimate powder into liquid  tip:

Put the powder into the cup. Mix just a little liquid to make a homogenous paste. Then pour the remaining liquid into the paste. Ahh HA. This probably works best, although it takes too long for breakfast, so I'll stick with the powder on top method.


Saturday 9: Straight Up (1988) 
Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here. 

1) In this song, Paula sings about being in a dream. Did you dream last night?
Yep, I dreamed that our cat, Maya, had become a miniature pig. She was presented to me as a "new pet pig," but I recognized her face. Creepy.

2) When Paula enrolled at California State University, she planned on studying broadcasting and becoming a reporter. Think about your career aspirations when you were 19. Did you follow through and stay on track or, like Paula, did you veer off and find success elsewhere?
When I was 19, I was on track to be a radiation safety engineer at a hospital or a nuclear power plant. I veered off during grad school and got into clinical research.

3) For a while she was a "Laker Girl" and performed at L.A. Laker games. Do you have a favorite NBA team?
No, but I was a Rockets fan growing up in Houston.

4) Paula was once married to Brad Beckerman of Stillhouse Spirits, a company that specializes in whiskey. What's your favorite alcoholic beverage?
Mexican Martini

5) Paula has been dancing since age 8 and, as you can see from the video, Paula moves very well in heels. Tell us about your most comfy shoes.
They are orange wedges. Not juicy "orange wedges" from Florida, but pretty high heeled wedges that happen to be orange. SO CUTE. And the most comfy shoes I own.

6) Paula admits it was her passion for jewelry and that inspired her to design her own line for QVC and Avon. What is your favorite thing to go shopping for? 
earrings

7) She advises young girls to "keep the faith and don't lose your gut instinct." How about you? Are you more logical or instinctive?
instinctive

8) In May, Paula traveled to Austria for The Life Ball, a fundraiser to help those afflicted with HIV/AIDS. When is the last time you left the country?
this past March- to Germany

9) Paula Abdul is a spokeswoman for Avon's "Go Check Yourself" campaign for breast health awareness. October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Do you know anyone who has been touched by this disease?
Me! 23 years cancer-free!

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Random Recap

Taking a break from unpacking/reorganizing. WHEW.

Recapping the last few weeks I've been off the grid:

• GIG 'EM AGGIES! WHOOP! 4-0
• The two John Jay football players should be punished to the full extent of school, district, UIL and state/federal laws and rules. "We're not thugs." Give me a f'in break.
• Trump is too wackadoodle to win the Rep nomination, so people shouldn't worry about that. Voters will never actually push his button in the voting booth when it comes time to get serious and cast their votes. The bigger concern- Fiorina is actually second in some polls. Egads. She is awful.  Bush was very funny when he said during the last debate that he smoked pot and his mom was going to be upset upon hearing about it. Then tweeting this...
  
  
  
  Cute!
• My desktop computer is caput after being turned off to move it. It probably hadn't been turned off in a couple of years. We'll see if a new power supply helps or if it's truly toast.
• And this... hee!

 

Continuing the randomness...

Sunday Stealing: Really Random Meme

Do you believe that Walt Disney is really frozen? 
I don't think I heard he was. Wow. Maybe.

Do you believe its easy to forgive and forget? 
Depends on whether or not the person is remorseful.

When you feel like running away from it all who do you call? 
Cathy

Is there anyone who knows your entire life story?
Cathy

Have you had to have stitches at all in the last year? 
Nope

Which is coming next: Christmas or your birthday?
Christmas!

Have you ever been a clown for Halloween? 
Nope

What time did you go to bed last night?
Around 11:30

When did you get up this morning?
5:30

When was the last time it rained? 
Friday

Are your finger nails painted at the moment? 
No.

Do you ever go hunting/fishing?
No. My dad used to take me fishing sometimes when I was a kid.

Did you have an imaginary friend as a child? 
Nope.

Which parent do you look most like? 
My dad.

Do you have any friends who are famous?
Nah. One of my friends in high school was Audrey Rose star Susan Swift's sister. (Susan also went to our school, but I didn't know her.)

Do you use eBay to buy or sell? 
No

Is music a daily part of your life? 
Definitely

Is your self esteem high or low? 
It's pretty good at the moment.

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RATTLESNAKES

Hold on. The guy who is mowing my lawn right now is SMOKING while he mows. Ahahahaaa. Priceless. I don't think I've seen anyone smoke for the past 3 months. I don't think I even know anyone who smokes anymore. Oh, he's having issues with the mower now and trying to deal with it while holding the cigarette in his mouth. Honestly- what the...?! Put. The. Cigarette. Down. 

Anyhoo... our office building's maintenance department sent out an email saying that a 5-foot rattlesnake was discovered by the elevators on the first floor of our parking garage, and that another smaller rattlesnake (aren't they ALL smaller? yikes) was underneath the car parked behind the elevators against the wall. Um, that would be MY car. 

So Maintenance wrastled up some snake wranglers who reported that rattlesnakes are not nesting animals, so there isn't some central location that can be extracted to get rid of them. They're loners who roam free in the grassy area behind the building. We'll just have to be careful.

Over the next few days, two more large rattlers were seen on the sidewalk along the back of the building by the garage. (I've moved my car to the inside row, further away from the elevators.) We used to eat lunch outside along the sidewalk, at these picnic tables with a very nice shade cover and an unusual ever-present breeze, but NO MORE. 

Maybe when winter settles in.

*shudder*

Saturday 9: That's All (1983)
Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) In the lyrics, Phil Collins sings of a time he was wrong when he thought he was right. Tell us about a recent time when you got it wrong.

A study nurse reported that she was told to enter a something a certain way in the clinical database. I told the team that wasn't true, that she could enter it the other way as well. Then I happened to be looking at something else in the casebook guidelines which I wrote, and the instruction is actually THERE to do it as the nurse had described. OOPS.

2) The song is addressed to a lover that Phil clearly feels is contrary. When he says, "day," she says, "night." Is there anyone in your life who seems to disagree with you all or most of the time?

Jeff. It's not just me though! He's a debater with everyone.

3) This was Genesis' first Top 10 hit in the US. Can you name another Phil Collins or Genesis song? 

In the Air Tonight

4) Phil Collins is a model train enthusiast. Is there anything special that you collect?

I have a pretty good collection of Mary Engelbreit stuff, but I stopped collecting it years ago.

Yeah!

5) Collins was awarded an honorary doctorate from the Berklee College of Music in Boston. At the ceremony, he delivered the commencement address. When did you last give a presentation or deliver a speech? 

I presented at an investigator meeting in Berlin in March. Next up- Dallas!

6) One of Phil Collins' early solo albums was called, Hello, I Must Be Going. He took the title from a song in the 1930 Marx Bros. movie, Animal Crackers. What's the last black and white movie or TV show that you watched?

I have watched very few black and white shows or movies in my life. Oh, there was Clooney's Good Night and Good Luck!

7) In 1983, when this song was popular, the Lotus 1-2-3 program made it easier for PC users to build spreadsheets. Are you answering these questions on a PC or a Mac? Laptop or desktop? Tablet or phone?

Macbook Air laptop

8) 1983 is also the year when McDonald's introduced McNuggets. What's your favorite chicken recipe (assuming it's not McNuggets)?

Chicken Parmesan

9) In 1983, President Reagan signed the bill making Dr. Martin Luther King's birthday a holiday. What's your favorite holiday?

Christmas

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Football. Yeah.

This. From Good Bull Hunting.

Ha! Oh man. So great.

AND THIS:

Ahaha.

Speaking of the game just now- Um, can we run anything but Carson up the middle when we're in a pickle? No?

Questionable play calls aside, Kyle rocked (especially after being temporarily replaced by the freshman). Kyler, too. Lots of amazing new and returning talent on the field and a STRONG showing by the D. (Who knew?!) My favorite quote: "There's just too much Miles Garrett tonight." Chavis was a great addition to the coaching staff. Whoop!

Christian Kirk. WOW. Welcome to A&M!

SO PROUD OF OUR AGS. Whoop!!

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New Car!

I got a new car yesterday! A blue Acura TLX with grey interior...

Click me for a bigger version.

SO pretty!

In other news, turns out I'm friends with someone who knows the lovely Cindy Williams from "Laverne & Shirley."

Not really, but the silhouette looks like her, yes?? Ha!


Saturday 9: Hello, Dolly (1964)
Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) This song is about a woman returning to the town where she was happiest. How many towns have you lived in? 

Eight-- Worms, Germany; Pasadena, TX; Lenexa, KS; Deer Park, TX; Houston, TX; League City, TX; College Station, TX; Austin, TX

2) Crazy Sam played Ernestina in her high school production of Hello, Dolly! and still remembers one of her lines: "Hey, you with the big ears! What are you doing after the show?" Tell us something that you memorized for school that is still rattling around in your brain.

I remember all the words to the German Song "Tanz Mit Mir" I sang with my fellow Bluebird Girls in our senior musical, Carnival. (Can-can girls, yo!)

3) This week's featured artist, Louis Armstrong, got his start entertaining diners on riverboat dinner cruises. Have you ever taken a dinner cruise? 

A few. We recently went on a company dinner cruise on Lake Austin.

4) Armstrong took his nickname, "Satchmo," from "Satchel Mouth" -- a slang term for someone with a wide mouth, which Louis believed was his most distinguishing feature. What do you think people notice first about you?

My smile. I hear a lot of "You're always smiling!"

5) In 1936, Louis became the first African American to get featured billing in a Hollywood movie. Have you seen any of this summer's big movies?

Trainwreck, Pitch Perfect 2, Entourage, Jurassic World, Magic Mike XXL

6) When "Hello, Dolly" composer Jerry was growing up, he was close to an aunt named Belle who encouraged his love of music. Tell us about one of your aunts or uncles.

My aunt Teresa is the youngest of five kids, where Mom was the oldest, so Teresa and I are only 11 years apart. I've always thought of her like an older sister. She's a feisty, independent person and very funny and enjoys having a great time. We had a serious falling out a few years back, but thankfully, we've been talking via email every so often for about a year now. We hung out at my Grandpa's one afternoon last year, which I enjoyed a lot. Hoping to see her again this fall.

7) Though famous for composing the scores of Hello, Dolly!, Mame and La Cage Aux Folles, Jerry Herman can't read music. Can you?

Yep.

8) Now retired, Mr. Herman lives in Miami. This is Miami's "wet season," which lasts into October. When did it last rain where you are?

Friday! Shocking.

9) Random question: Have you suffered a sunburn this summer?

Not yet.

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Hill Country Drive to Drippin'

One of my friends' friends is having a baby girl they're naming Luna. So pretty! Pregnant ladies everywhere lately!

Jeff and I headed to Dripping Springs to Deep Eddy Vodka distillery and also to Hawk's Shadow Winery and Vineyard last weekend. Deep Eddy was superfun (my fave is the cranberry vodka). They have a nice view at the tables outside and a really large indoor lounge. We'll definitely go back.

Hawk's Shadow is beautiful! Stunning view from their huge patio...

Bring your own food and have some wine there. It will be perfect in the fall, when it's a bit cooler, but until then, there is a surprisingly refreshing breeze on the patio (and an indoor tasting area). The drive through the hills to get to the winery is pretty, too. 

Finally made it to Rolling in Thyme and Dough (I love clever business names) in Drippin' as well. It's always been closed when we've tried to go. The bakery is awesome! We'll have to go back for lunch or dinner in the cafe.

Sunday Stealing: I want you to be free from me Meme

Are your nails painted a dark or light color?  dark taupe
Have you ever order pizza online?  yes- Yaghi's
What color was the last candle you lit? red
Is there something written on your shirt right now?  nope
Is there a bookshelf in your room?  no
Do you own a treadmill?  not anymore
Have you ever signed up for a gym membership? I've been a member of an aerobics gym and a gym gym.
Is there a garbage can in your room? What color is it? yes, it's white
Have you ever read in the bathtub?  nope
Have you ever had to wear a hairnet?  no
Do you know how many pages the last book you read had?  150-ish
What day of the week does the laundry usually get done?  Wednesday
Do you use Facebook chat often?  Very rarely, but my work friends and I frequently use Facebook Messenger.
Do you have any baby pictures of yourself on your computer?  one with my mom and dad
Do you eat onion rings? Yes. Do some people not?
What flavor of tea did you last have? regular unsweetened
Do you own a bathrobe?  no
Did you/will you have coffee or some other form of caffeine today?  probably not
Do you have a mailbox or do you collect your mail from the post office? we have a mailbox
What was the last animal you saw, and was it a pet?  Maya, our cat
What was the last documentary you watched focusing on? the Nazis
Is there anything you need to remember to do before the day ends? get Mel's baby gift!
Is your car messy, or do you like to keep it clean?  it's pretty neat
Are you the type to wake up before the sun has even risen? yep
Do you get uncomfortable when people stare at you? yes
Have you ever been admitted to the hospital for a long period of time? I was in for a week several years ago, when they put me on blood thinners for a suspected blood clot in my lungs. Most boring week ever.

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Sunday Stealing

Friday night at the Round Rock Express game, a bee was flying around my face. I totally freaked out stood up from my seat and tried to wave the bee away. Then Jeff said the words no one wants to hear...

"The bee is stuck in your hair."

He tried to flick it away, but it was trapped in there. So I had to stand still and whimper while he looked for something to dig it out. He grabbed something (I have no idea what- a napkin?) and was finally able to flick it away like twenty minutes later.

Ok, it was 5 seconds. But it felt like forever.

Grrr! Bees!


Sunday Stealing: Shout Out The Answer Meme

Do you shout out the answers at the TV while watching quiz shows? 
Yes
 
Do you get over-involved with TV or movie plots at times? 
I'm not usually one to notice and point out plot inconsistencies. I do point out the really bad ones though. For instance, we watch Stalker, but I have an issue with the cops ALWAYS showing up at these completely random places, at any time of day or night, just before the stalker is going to kill the target. Every. Single. Time. (And always about five minutes before the end of the show.) They have some bizarre conversation first, where they lay out a ridiculous line of reasoning that leads them to a light bulb moment, where they figure out what remote desert location/completely unrelated person's home/dark beach the stalker is about to strangle/shoot/drown the victim. It's just very amusing.

What's the highest hill or mountain you've ever climbed? 
Climbed- probably Mount Bonnell in Austin (vertical gain=190 feet. YES!)
Reached the top by alternate means- Mt. Jenner in Bavaria (vertical gain=3943 feet), Pikes Peak in Colorado (vertical gain=7400 ft, still remember those switchbacks from when I was a kid)

Do you have a piggy bank? 
No, but as a child, I used to keep my money in a little metal treasure chest.

What's the fastest you've ever traveled in a car? 
90?

Could you ever hand milked a cow? 
I don't think so.

Which was your favorite science? Biology, Physics or Chemistry?
Biology
 
Have you ever had a surprise party? (that was an actual surprise)
Nope
 
Have you ever worn clothing with the labels/tags still attached? 
No.

Have you ever slipped on a banana skin?
Only while playing Mario Kart.

Are you scared of the dark?
Every now and then I have to turn a light on because I'm not sure I want to walk through a dark room at night.
 
Do you have a lawyer? 
No, but I have some friends who are lawyers, so if I ever need one, I'm ready!

If you had a paid year off, what would you want to do? 
Remodel my kitchen and the upstairs bathrooms, go to Puerto Rico, take an Alaskan cruise

How long did you last phone call last?
30 seconds
 
Have you ever helped someone across the road? 
No

Have you ever been wolf whistled in public?
Yes

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