A Million Dollar Friday Five

A Million Dollar Friday Five


Singing Owl at RevGalBlogpals posses this question today:

Lingering effects of a cold have me watching more television than usual. There appears to be a resurgence of the old daytime staple--the quiz show. Except they are on during prime time, and a great many of them offer the chance of winning one million dollars.

I think it started with Regis Philbin and "Who Wants to be a Millionaire?" but now we have a half dozen or so.

My husband and I started musing (after watching "Deal or No Deal") about what we could do with a million dollars. I thought I'd just bring that discussion into the Friday Five this week. It's simple. What are five things you would want to do with a million dollar deposit in your bank account?


1) Get thee behind me Satan! Five years ago my life changed drastically. Part of that change was financial. In that time I have been within $15 of total poverty and I have been deathly ill. Though money is a necessity, DON'T give me a Million! I would not deal with it wisely I am afraid.

2) The above aside I guess a Million would provide a level of security and ability to pay one's debts that I currently don't have.

3) I would like to be able to be generous and give some money to good causes.

4) I am not sure money would really improve my life all that much at the base of things. I would be able to help my children a bit and that would be good.

5) I might buy a new car. My present one is nine years old with 160,000 miles on it. The car would have to be fuel efficient and simple. The Amish may have the right idea about simple living.

What I would really like is a Million Blessings for each of you!

Love,
Shel

It's a Winter Friday Five

Singing Owl at RevGalBlogPals says:I am so sorry for the lateness of the Friday Five. I've had two emergencies this a.m. and now my computer keeps crashing. I hope I can get this posted!

The picture is out a window at my place, complete with screen. ;-)

Brrrr! Baby, it’s COLD outside! At least that is the case where I am this morning. We are in a January deep freeze. Have a cup of hot tea and tackle five easy seasonal questions.


1. What is the thermometer reading at your house this morning?

It was very cold, in the 20's or teens. It is 28 now at 3:45pm. Far tooooo cold!

2. Snow—love it or hate it?

I hate it. It looks pretty for a few hours, but then it is dirty looking. It is miserable to drive in. It has to be shoveled, Yuck!

3. What is winter like where you are?

Cold and miserable right now. We have leftover snow and ice everywhere. Where is Spring?

4. Do you like winter sports? Any good stories?

I am not a winter person! I am also am not much of a Sports person. I do kind of like to watch an occasional Hockey game. I have never ice scatted or played Hockey. I don't ski. I stay inside and try to keep warm! I grew up in Claifornia and never really adjusted to New England Winters.

5. What is your favorite season, and why?

I really like Spring. It is not too hot and not too cold. There is new growth and the flowers and leaves are beautiful. My second favorite is Fall. New England Fall weather and foliage is wonderful.

Bonus: Share a favorite winter pick-me-up. A recipe, an activity, or whatever.

I kind of like the January thaw, when it happens. I also like a good wood fire in a fireplace along with a glass of wine.

Friday Five: Las Mañanitas

Friday Five: Las Mañanitas
Mother Laura at RevRalBlogPals asks the following:

Éstas son las mañanitas These are the morning verses
Que cantaba el Rey David, That King David used to sing,
A las muchachas bonitas To the beautiful young ladies,
Se las cantaba así. He would sing them like this.

(The Mexican birthday song, sometimes sung as a dawn serenade).

Youtube Mariachi version here. Piano music and eleventy-zillion more verses here.

My forty-third birthday next Wednesday will inaugurate the "Birthday Madness" season in the Grimes-Honkanen household. The next day Katie will turn five and just over two weeks later, on Feb. 3, Nicholas will be eleven. In the middle, on January 30, we celebrate the gift of Grandma Di; Nicholas and I were both due on my Mom's birthday but I was uncharacteristically early and he was little late. We will be doing a trip to Disneyland to celebrate them all in a couple weeks; in the meantime I offer this birthday-inspired Friday Five.

1. When is your birthday? Does anyone else (famous and/or in your own life) share it?

My birthday is February 7th. Thomas More and Charles Dickens were born on February 7th. I have family born in February, my son on the 15th and my granddaughter on the 22nd.

2. Do you prefer a big party or an intimate celebration for the chosen few?

I kind of like intimate over the big deal parties. If my birthday were in the Summer I would like a large outdoor picnic type party.

3. Describe your most memorable birthday(s)--good, bad, or both.

For some reason, my thirtieth birthday was hard. Most of my birthdays are low-key events. It is nice to have them remembered though by friends and family.

4. What is your favorite cake and ice cream? (Bonus points if you share the cake recipe). Or would you rather have a different treat altogether?

Cake is good. Put butter cream frosting on it and it almost doesn't matter what kind of cake it is. Recently, chocolate cake with chocolate frosting is a favorite.

5. Surprise parties: love 'em or hate 'em?

I'm game. I neither love nor hate them. They can be fun.


Bonus: Describe your ideal birthday--the sky's the limit.

Since the sky's the limit, how about a birthday that reverses age! I guess that's a little to far fetched.

Love,
Shel

New year resolutions Friday 5

New year resolutions Friday 5
Sally at RevGalBlogpals posted these questions:

Well it had to be didn't it, love them or hate them I bet you've been asked about New Year resolutions. So with no more fuss here is this weeks Friday Five;

1. Do you make New Year resolutions?

I really do not make traditional "New Year's Resolutions." I do pause and reflect on the previous year and try to project some new things forward. I don't make a list and whatever I project I try to make realistic. I think that this process is continual with me and I just think about it more at the New Year

2. Is this something you take seriously, or is it a bit of fun?

I really think I take these projections seriously. I don't project stupid or impossible things. They are more like goals or objectives.

3. Share one goal for 2008.

I really hope to achieve a beginning to solving my weight issues during this year. I know that the solution may take several years and is ultimately a life style change. I have though learned that determination is a key to my achieving goals.

4. Money is no barrier, share one wild/ impossible dream for 2008

Money IS a barrier! I could dream for all kind of wild and impossible things, but I would really prefer to have one or two solid goals. I know that this isn't as much fun. I do have a semi wild dream, but I think I would like to keep it private for now. If I were to get a fantastic amount of money, there are certainly things I would like to do with it. A lot of it would be given to others to help make their lives better.

5. Someone wants to publish a story of your year in 2008, what will the title of that book be?

"Encounter with Tomorrow"

I know these answers are rather serious and bland and in a way I think I would have preferred to be able to provide some funny or witty answers. There are some things I would like in the near future. I am working on the weight thing, which I hope will help with the Diabetes, cholesterol, Apnea, and pain in the joints. It might just help in the romance side of things. Romance is something that has been sorely lacking for a while. Of course it is just possible that a thinner me might not be a prettier me, who knows? Life is a risk! One thing I do want to always do is live as full a life as possible, now and in the future.

Love,
Shel

Revgalblogpal Friday Five: Don't Call It a Comeback Edition

Revgalblogpal Friday Five: Don't Call It a Comeback Edition

Will Smama says,

Alright, so I'm dropping by for a brief return stint as contributer. Please, hold down the applause (also please don't forget NOT to cut and paste this part)....

Parishioners pushing for carols before you digested your turkey?

Organist refusing to play Advent hymns because he/she already has them planned for Lessons & Carols?

Find yourself reading Luke and thinking of a variety of ways to tell Linus where to stick it? (Lights please.)

Then this quick and easy Friday Five is for you! And for those of you with a more positive attitude, have no fear. I am sure more sacred and reverent Friday Fives will follow.

Please tell us your least favorite/most annoying seasonal....
1) dessert/cookie/family food

It's not a particular food (I even love fruit cake), but the quantity of food. Who should eat as much as we do at Christmas?

2) beverage (seasonal beer, eggnog w/ way too much egg and not enough nog, etc...)

Wassail. What is wassail any way? It might be great, but I have never had any and have never been anywhere where it was served, but we sing about wassailing. "Here we come a Wassailing...."

3) tradition (church, family, other)

I really get upset that almost everyone celebrates their brains out BEFORE Christmas and not during Christmas. Christmas is almost anti-climactic with all the parties and shopping done before. It just has always seemed backwards to me.

4) decoration

Blow-up Santa's. The family across the street has one there now. It appeared Thanksgiving Day and I am sure will go down the day after Christmas. Every once in a while it spontaneously deflates. :)

5) gift (received or given)

I really can't find fault with gift giving or receiving. Giving is a really nice thing to do and being able to receive is special also.

BONUS: SONG/CD that makes you want to tell the elves where to stick it.

The chipmunks, and that includes the movie that is coming out.

I know, I know.... pretty grumpy for November but why not get it out of our systems now so we are free to enjoy the rest of the festivities.

Tags: Friday Five