I Ain't Afraid of No Daleks

I found a website that tells you the most recent searches for Dr Who...thought I'd turn some of them into a poem--it's absolute rubbish, I know. Please try to refrain from throwing any cream pies at me, ey?

Doctor Who
With curly hair
Ruffled her fingers through Tennant's hair
Tennant Converse trainers
Doctor Who running
Tardis
Picture
Freema Agyeman
naked

Alien description
Rude
Picture of
David Tennant
Dr Who's planet
Cardiff

Well...at least it's not pink or lavender...that wouldn't be very threatening, would it?

Well, as I wrote to some of my friends, I was sent an e-mail asking me to participate in a blog survey--but I had my doubts about that, as I was also requested to post my answers in my blog.

Well, mystery solved. It seems there's an English teacher doing a summer study course with some 16 and 17 year olds. She is trying to encourage them to start writing daily, by using their choice of either a personal journal or an online blog. As part of her introduction to blogging, this teacher asked her students to come up with some survey questions. Then, they were pair off in groups and select a certain number of bloggers to send the surveys to.

Apparently one of the students latched onto my blog.

So, it sounds kind of like an interesting project, and since the teacher was so kind as to respond quickly to my queries, I am going to post my answers here, as requested.

__________________________________________________________________________________________

1. What part of the world to you live in?

Northeaster New York state, United States

2. How long have you been blogging?

Since 2006

3. About how many visitors do you get to your site each day?

Well, it varies from week to week. I was averaging between 700 and 800, until this weekend. This week, it's been averaging just over 1000 visits per day.

4. What do you blog most about?

My daily life...what's going on in my day, how I'm feeling about something, stuff like that. Also, talk aboout my favourite television programme, make jokes and funny captions.

5. Have you ever used your blog to raise funds or awareness for a charity?

Good question, by the way. Yes. I have used my blog to help raise funds for a Hospice in Scotland, and also to twice I've spent the day blogging to raise awareness for an enviromental issue, and most recently for a human rights issue.

6. Do you ever use your blog to discuss social and/or political issues that are of concern to you?

Yes, sometimes. But not that frequently.

7. Do you ever discuss anything related to popular culture?

Just mostly Doctor Who (a British television series) and sometimes music I'm listening to. I'm not really into pop culture any more.

8. Do you ever use your blog for creative purposes?

Again, sometimes, but not that often. Sometimes I'll post poems or fan-fiction stories or short 100-word stores.

9. If you were asked to give your advice, what books, videos and/or music would you recommend to your blog readers?

That's a tough question, really.

BOOKS:
Of course, I'd recommend Dr Who. Books? Not sure. I just finished reading a book called My Father's Notebook that was interesting reading. Erm--I am fond of Louis L'amour's westerns, and his book, "The Walking Drum," is my #1 favourite read of all time. I also like Steven Saylor's mysteries set in ancient Rome, and the mysteries of forensic anthropologist Kathy Reichs, and the detective stories of Raymond Chandler. Biographies I'd recommend would be "Harriet Jacobs--A Life" which is about the life of a slave girl, and "Last of the Great Scouts"--which may be no longer in print, about Buffalo Bill Cody written by his sister. Non-fic...an interesting book called "Nickel and Dimed," about America's working poor, and one called "The Lost Ships of Pisa," and "Essays" by Ralph Waldo Emerson. My favourite classics are Cannery Row by John Steinbeck (a "new" classic), The Three Musketeers, Wuthering Heights, and Robin Hood.

DVDS/FILMS:
I don't go to films or rent DVD's so all I can recommend there is some favourite older films: Arsenic and Old Lace, The Little Shop Around the Corner, Stagecoach, Errol Flynn's "Robin Hood," Vertigo, The Birds, North by Northwest, Guarding Tess, True Grit, My Fair Lady, The Christmas Story, Creature from the Black Lagoon, Zorro, The Dirty Dozen, The Out-of-Towners (orig. Version w/Jack Lemon), all the James Bond films (except Moonraker maybe), The Guns of Navarone, Breakfast at Tiffany's, A little-known film called, "Lilies of the Field," Disney's Love Bug movies, the first Star Wars film, Gone in Sixty Seconds, The Goodbye Girl, The Outlaw Jose Wales, Nine to Five, Tootsie, Galaxy Quest, Saving Grace, School of Rock. Foreign Films: The Colour of Paradise (ending made me cry) and The Closet.

TV DVD's: Dr Who, Star Trek The Next Gen, West Wing, Are you Being Served? All Creatures Great and Small, Father Ted, Keeping Up Appearances, The Equalizer, The Wild, Wild West, Columbo, The Lucy Show (NOT to be confused with "I Love Lucy"), Law and Order, MASH, All in the Family, the Carol Burnett Show, Queer Eye for the Straight Guy (US version) and theearly years (1970's) of Saturday Night Live. And, if it's out there on DVD, very highly recommend "Remember WENN," a very high-quality short-lived programme on the A&E network, that was like watching a Broadway play each week...and actually starred top stage actors, instead of the usual American sit-com buffons.

MUSIC:
Well, I'm a John Denver fan for over 30 years...but other than that...I'm just getting back into listening to music regularly (long story)...hard to recommend stuff when I'm new to most of it, myself?

that said, right now, I like The Proclaimers, Ramsey Lewis, The New Pornographers, Heartsfield, The Kaiser Chiefs, Runrig, Kate Wolf, Three Dog Night, The Beach Boys, Queen, recently discovered Kylie Minoque and a band called The Mystery Jets...there's a few more, but I can't think of them, at the moment.

10. Have you made any friends or enemies from blogging?

Another good question! Yes, I've made some good friends through my blog..some best friends, even. Enemies? Oh, probably, sure. Not everyone is going to agree with everything you have to say--and quite frankly if someone did, that would worry me. It's fairly rare, but unfortunately, sometimes you attract some nutters. Mostly though, blogging has been a very positive experience for me.

In a bid to cash in on the popularity of the programme Doctor Who, while the series is on temporary break until late 2009, the BBC has commissioned a major Hollywood film, based on a series of popular films back in the 1990's, starring Rick Moranis.

This series sees Rick playing the Doctor's latest companion, in the feature film called, "Honey I shrunk the Doctor!" The series is to star young star Ima Bratt, playing a pint-sized version of actor David Tennant. The film is slated to open in cinemas world-wide in mid-August of 2008.

A well-meaning person sent me a link to some free trip giveaway in Wales. Sounds lovely, really it does--just my sort of thing, some of the tours I read about--even got one where you can ride on a beach, which I've never done, but always wanted to do. Anyway...I have all I can do, most months, just getting a cab or bus to the shop a mile or two down the road--tho' there was that lovely day out in Saratoga Springs, (15 miles away) last month.

As an aside, also got another e-mail inquiring about holiday activities in my part of the world--whew! That would take up a lot of e-mail space, replying to that! I'm very pleased to have wound up in the Adirondacks, instead of my native Albany, NY...still, while I've lived in the resort towns, and taken a lot of local drives in the area...and yes, I've been a museum tour guide, so I'm knowlegeable about some local history...still...I'm not a blinking travel agent, and I am not sure why I'm suddenly getting these inquiries. This person wasn't even polite about it, but very presumptive...assuming, I suppose that I'd be happy to spend a few hours ringing up local hotels for prices....riiiight. For a friend or even a really nice person...probably would. But...I hate when people I don't know, or barely know, try to take advantage of me just because I'm maybe polite or trying to be helpful, don't you?

Anyway, much as I'd love a chance for a free trip to Wales--or ANYWHERE, for that matter, I am forced to take a pass.

Here's the link, if you want to have a go:

http://www.shaggysheep.com/Quiz.htm

"So you see, ladies and gents of the press, I are out here, tellin' it like it is--an' that is, the only way we can ever achieve world peace, is by nuking the hell outta' everyone. Now, if ya'll will excuse me, I'll let Conde answer your questions while I run to the nearest fall-out shelter."

"No! I'm not leaving the show! I'm going to be the 10th Doctor forever---I've been signed on for life...damn that Russell and his "Oh, it's not a contract, you're just signing an autograph for my niece..."

Well, my stomach is still making my life hell. I'm teetering as to whether to go to work today. Just spent a half-hour in the loo, so really am iffy about working--want to go to work, just not sure it's a good idea.

I could do a full shift tomorrow, and a couple of hours on Saturday, and make it up, or...go in today and just tough it out. Had to leave work after an hour and a half yesterday, because the bug took over. The doctor was right--this IS a weird bug! I mean, I'll feel perfectly fine (albeit extremely exhausted)...and then, out of the blue, it will strike. Very strange.

Speaking of strange (nice segway, ey?), I got a puzzling comment on my recipe blog. Under the pizza recipes, http://justplaincooking.wordpress.com/2007/12/10/we-deliver-pizza-recipes/

Someone (nicely) wrote that he/she "missed the point." Erm--they're just (mostly) affordable, easy pizza recipes...they're not supposed to have a point, they just...are.

Just updated my "family" recipe blog. ( http://justplaincooking.wordpress.com/ )

If anyone out there would like to share a recipe that is cheap and/or easy to prepare (no posh ingredients, but stuff you can find in any small to medium size grocers), please feel free to send me a message via this blog. If I get enough responses (enough being even just one), I will start a special page, featuring your "home cooking" recipes.

My blog features American recipes, but recipes from other parts of the globe are always welcome.

Recipes range from hot dogs and hamburgers, to soups and salads, and casseroles/skillet suppers to main meat dishes.

Well, got the new (used) computer desk in place (hoo-ray). Few minor glitches--I cannot put the tower in the space for it, below, because, apparently, the idiot tech who installed my ethrenet cable, put it into both the box and the computer so tight, that I simply cannot remove either end of it. Tried and tried...won't unplug from either end. So, tower has to take up space on the desktop--it also made moving my computer from the dresser to the desk, much harder than it had to be.

But, at least I can SEE the monitor screen now, at last...

However, typing's a bit of a bother, because I don't have any chairs the right height--well, there's one, but it's hard wood, and not at all comfy--a "hemorrhoids" chair, I guess you could say.

So, pulled a lawn chair from off of my balcony...too short though, and I have to reach up to type...will try a kitchen chair and the other balcony chair....feel a bit like Goldilocks, though..."this chair is too short...this chair is to hard...."

Love being able to see the screen properly again, though...what a blessing! Being without a desk since Nov. 07, has really been a trial, at times...try sitting sideways and typing with a key board in your lap, whose wire barely reaches...and using an upturned cardboard box as your desktop for your mouse...all while trying to see a screen perched 2 feet away on top of a small dresser...oh yes, a trial indeed. I really do feel blessed to have this.

"Actually, Billie just made that nickname up to tease me, it's not nearly as big as tha---oh. That red light on the camera means that you're recording this, doesn't it?"