What was I doing 10 years ago? Working as an implantable-pacemaker-defibrillator field rep - covering a 3-hour radius territory. I was on call ALL the time for hospitals, ERs, clinics, surgeries, pacer/defib checks - you name it - anytime, anywhere. I carried 2 pagers, 1 cell phone, and 1 hard-wired car phone. During the defib surgeries, part of my job (via my special computer) was to force a patient's heart into V-fib (so, basically, I killed people) so we could shock them out of it, via their newly implanted device - to make sure it worked appropriately, in a nutshell. So the stress level of my life at that time? Let's see...a 9.5/10.
Five snacks I enjoy. So easy, this is a gift! Red Velvet Cake. Chocolate Lava Cake. ["Velvet Lava Cafe" get it?]. Molten Brownies. Dulce de Leche Meringue. Straight up chocolaty things (little handful of bittersweet chocolate chips, a few finger-dips of Nutella, truffles).
Five things on my to do list. Oh shit (that's not part of the list). Get my hair cut by a professional (I've been whacking away at it myself for almost 2 years, just can't be bothered by an appointment, please!). Schedule routine mammogram and bloodwork that was supposed to be done in January (again, hate appointments and WHO wants to get boob squished to size of CREPE?; may as well just wait until next year at this point, solved!). Buy silpat (does it GET it any better folks?). "Brain Surgery" - this is on my list as a reminder to sew the ripped-open-head of my dog Wylie's stuffed-lover-dog (yes, he has a lover and we stay out of it; they're very happy together). "Let It Be" - this is something I always keep on my list as a reminder to try to be all que-sera-sera - and you know what? It works for crap.
Five things I would do if I was a billionaire. Make sure our families were taken care of for life. Do some crazy kind of something for our dearest friends. Give to my favorite animal charities so they could expand beyond belief and/or open my own animal sanctuary. Travel, travel, travel, travel - and during those travels - learn where my money would be best spent in leaving this world in a better place. Do what I love doing, in whatever form that takes.
Five jobs I've had. A counselor at a group home for schizophrenic adults. A roadie for a band (trivia: I once dated a dude who was a sound-guy for Nirvana). Program Marketing Manager. Global Education Manager. Physician Relations Manager. Bleh.
Five of my bad habits. I can't make appointments (duh!); if I do make them, I just call and reschedule, over and over. I get wild hairs up my ass (as in, OMG I THINK I SHOULD LEARN SPANISH IN 2 DAYS! And then, totally obsess - order the tapes, and then - nothing). I refresh my hotmail a ridiculous number of times a day, it's stupid; I'm just online TOO much. I despise shopping - and feel like I'm letting all womankind down because of it (though I do like kitchen-y stores). I talk baby-talk to my dogs - seriously, I can't help it - and there are no pills for it.
Five places I've lived. Denver, Colorado. Boulder, Colorado. Madison, Wisconsin. Minneapolis, Minnesota. Phoenix, Arizona.
Five people I'd like to get to know better. Okay, I wanted to put about 40 people on this list! This was the toughest part of the whole tag (and, btw, Diva - the only reason you were spared is because I still have another post where I was tagged by you!). Anyway - you're under no obligation to play, of course. Play if you like and tag 5 folks of your own, or save it for a writer's block day.
Gigi at Gigi Cakes (get ready to drool, her baking is gorgeous)
Lisa at Chocolate And (a lovely baker, check OUT her LAVA cake)
Jennifer at Thursday Drive (FANTASTIC writer, my dears, just go there and be swept away)
Laura at Hungry and Frozen (food blogger, entertaining writer, Nigella-worshiper)
Jennifer at Manager Mom (seriously, I'm addicted - she makes me spew my soda)
Also, be warned - I was tagged (as mentioned above) again - so those of you who weren't tagged this go-round, watch your backsides because I'm comin' for you!
Plus, since I bared my poor naked bleeding little soul before your greedy eyes, I'd love it if you'd share a little nugget from one of the above soul-baring-thingys...got anything from the vault?
I don't even mind being tagged for this one, since you asked so nicely!
ReplyDeleteSince I can't think of a darned thing to write tonight, I'll just jump on this.
Yours was really interesting, though, so I'm under pressure now!
I do the same thing re: learning Spanish or Italian or whatever. Never ever happens.
i haven't had a real haircut in years, but only because i'm ridiculously cheap...and rarely look in the mirror. :)
ReplyDeleteWey-hey I've been tagged by one of the cool kids! Will get on to that pronto :) and you're right, I so worship at the altar of Nigella. You've had some seriously interesting occupations btw!
ReplyDeleteYou're so funny! But please go skeeze your bubbie! I've left you an award at my place, go pick it up!
ReplyDeleteI didn't make your list?
ReplyDeleteOh...right. Because you have no idea who I am.
Too funny, though. As for soul-baring admissions from the list. Erm...five snacks? Chips, Skittles, Fruit (making that up so as to impress anyone that might see this), dry cereal (really), and italian ices.
Too funny, I used to try to get folks out of vfib while you were putting them in. I hate getting mammograms too- squeezing those cups into saucers, no thanks.
ReplyDeleteI love your bad habits even if you don't. I, too, can get very excited about some amazing fun project I'm going to do, spend at least $100 on all the preparations, and then--just as you said--nothing. Ouch, kind of hard on the credit card. Btw, I didn't know Wylie had a lover. And they're happy together, you say? Oh, god, I thought he was waiting for me! Heartbroken, simply heartbroken. Don't tell him, though, I don't want him to feel bad. It's better this way.
ReplyDeleteWOW! V. cool, Ann. Thanks for playing along. I just CANNOT figure out how I am ever going to live up to your descriptions. If I ever wanted to be fixed up on a blind date (and I don't, but if I DID) I'd want YOU to be my wingwoman. :-)
ReplyDeleteCocktails would be awesome. Someday...
WOW! V. cool, Ann. Thanks for playing along. I just CANNOT figure out how I am ever going to live up to your descriptions. If I ever wanted to be fixed up on a blind date (and I don't, but if I DID) I'd want YOU to be my wingwoman. :-)
ReplyDeleteCocktails would be awesome. Someday...
WOW! V. cool, Ann. Thanks for playing along. I just CANNOT figure out how I am ever going to live up to your descriptions. If I ever wanted to be fixed up on a blind date (and I don't, but if I DID) I'd want YOU to be my wingwoman. :-)
ReplyDeleteCocktails would be awesome. Someday...
I just wanted to thank you personally for not tagging me. I hate being tagged. Hate, hate, hate it. I can't seem to answer those thingies without wanting to gag. I am WAY too boring to answer them. WAY. Honestly, a perfect stranger could probably fill that thing out for me and it would make more sense than my best efforts.
ReplyDeleteBTW, you and I have never lived in the same state. Nope. And that's gotta change because we'd such great buds.
Blessings!
Lacy
You've done some seriously interestng things! I gave tours of caves one summer; that's about as edgy as I get. Whoa.
ReplyDeleteI talk baby talk to my animals too. I think it's a brain disorder and therefore not your fault, it's just chemical.
ReplyDeleteFive places I've lived are 5 different houses here in Charlotte, NC. Which seems pathetic to me, but someone told me once it was "stable". Yehhhh... not so much.
ReplyDeleteClicked over from Jennifer H & Thursday Drive, and I've spent the last 45 minutes in your archives. Which sounds *almost* dirty. Not as dirty as spending 45 minutes in your annals, though.
I love your writing and... craziness. And pie. Oh! *That* sounded dirty!!
haha! u can V-Fib my heart any time because all your culinary art shocks my heart into overdrive every time anyway :)
ReplyDeleteand i know exactly what you mean. i babytalk my dogs too! they're too cute to speak normally to them.
i can't wait to see your MEME. till then! x
Hey Ann - tried to leave this comment 3 times - once it was Blogger, once it was probably me, and the third time who knows! So, at the risk of trying and failing a fourth time, here goes.
ReplyDeleteSuper flattered to see my name called out - blushing, etc. I have been so stinking busy, who knows when I will ever bake again, much less write about it, but am looking forward to doing a post at some point. In the meantime, I can only say that it's hard to believe I have 5 bad habits, but here goes:
1. I multitask - checking e-mail, talking on the phone, and looking at the weather in Italy all at the same time - seems like I'm being efficient, but in the end I can't remember what I said and I don't actually know what's going on in Italy!
2. dog baby talk - I mean who doesn't?!
3. I think I can get ready in 17 minutes in the morning. I can't.
4. I think I am super efficient in the kitchen, so sometimes I forget to check my recipes, and have actually left the SUGAR out of a cake as a result. Huh? how can that happen?
5. Related to 4., I am distracted by bright shiny things and sometimes take 13 detours to get from A to B.
Have a great weekend!!
Let's see, I think I have about 6 sets of tapes/cds to different lanuguagues I've planned on learning. How many have I learned? Zero. Wild hairs.
ReplyDeleteJust wanted to say you take gorgeous pictures!
ReplyDeleteI am now of the opinion that you and I should randomly email one another, since we both seem to suffer from the same disorder (obsessivemailrefreshionism).
ReplyDeleteOkay, so Five Jobs I've Had:
ReplyDeleteChange Girl at Camp Snoopy at Knott's Berry Farm in California. (I gave quarters for dollars at a boat ride thing. When the boats broke down, I had to put waders on and get the boat. Yay.)
Deputy Clerk at Orange County Courthouse. Civil service SUCKS, people!
Banquet Bartendar. Picture a twenty-something hot tamale with beautiful long hair serving up cocktails at weddings with nothing but horny groomsmen. Let me tell you how much money I made back then. If I had to do it today, I'd be broke.
Wedding Coordinator. To this day, I shudder at the songs Love Shack and YMCA. And please don't ever play that Chicken Dance song outside of Oktoberfest. Good LORD!
Recruiter. "Hi I found your resume on line and you are exactly what we are looking for. Can you work for less than you're worth and sit in a cubicle for ten hours a day? Please? I've already booked my trip to Cancun and I really need this deal to close..."
And all this was done WITHOUT a degree! That's right! You, too, can live the "creative" life...
9.5 out of 10? Holy moly, if I had the job you had 10 years ago I'd be stressed on a scale of 3 billion. Geez!
ReplyDeleteAri (Baking and Books)
OK... I usually really suck at memes but because I LOVE YA, I'll do it. It might take me a while though, so PLEASE don't use your heart-shocking skills on me if I take a few weeks...
ReplyDeleteI need to leave now--I'm going for a spoonful of nutella.
ReplyDelete