January 2024 and blogging

 I am continuing to move my SparkPeople blog posts off their website before they disappear forever on August 17th. I came across this a blog post from July 14th 2011; answers to 50 questions. I thought it would be fun to see if my answers have changed in 10 years, so here goes. New answers are in italics:

Thursday, July 14, 2011/Saturday July 10, 2021

1. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? 

No, my mother found my name in a baby book in the hospital. I was originally going to be called Laurie but then she got to V and decided that Valerie was prettier. I liked Laurie too--named my daughter that. 

That story hasn't changed. It's funny that a few years ago, I discovered a distant cousin on my mother's father's side whose name is Valorie. She's 12 years older than I am though.

2. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED? 

A few tears last night but a good gulping cry--a few months ago I think. I usually cry at sentimental movies like Affair to Remember or Incredible Journey (the original) 

I was feeling a bit emotional earlier this week and tears welled in my eyes but I didn't actually cry. It's still the same answer, I mainly cry at sentimental movies.

3. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? 

I have beautiful handwriting--penmanship was big in Catholic schools in Montreal in the 50s. 

My writing is still pretty good but my hand cramps more and more. I tend now to print rather than write cursive.

4. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT? 

Roast beef or roast turkey from Whole Foods. I don't like the prepackaged kind. 

Still roast beef or roast turkey but we don't have a Whole Foods here in Sierra Vista (ten years ago I was living in Santa Fe, where there is a wonderful one.) The prepackaged natural Applegate Farms turkey comes close to the "real" kind but the only roast beef I like is the London Broil I get at Fry's deli counter.

5. DO YOU HAVE KIDS? 

1 daughter, a son-in-law, four grandchildren, a husband, a dog and a granddog. 

Still the same except that the grand-dogs have changed. Molly the lab crossed the Rainbow Bridge a few years ago and the family now has Hawkeye the husky and Sif the black German Shepherd. 

6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? 

Yes--I am interesting and sweet. Difficult to really get to know though. I can put good smokescreens up. 

I would definitely be friends with me because there aren't any Eastern Canadians here who could relate to the things that mean a lot to me. And I think I am a pretty good person still.

7. DO YOU USE SARCASM ALOT? 

I am trying to cut back. 

I think I am less sarcastic even than I was 10 years ago. I have been reading a lot on Buddhism and the Buddhist teachings say that sarcasm is something to avoided.

8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? 

Yes. I had all my body parts until two years ago when my uterus and ovaries left the building. 

Same

9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? 

Are you kidding? I may not like heights but I am certainly not taking the fast way down! 

Same!!

10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL? 

Kashi Berry Crunch 

I really don't like cereal anymore although I probably should include it more for the fibre.

11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? 

I used to but have found it's more relaxing to just take them off. 

The shoes I have right now don't have ties.

12. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG? 

Yes. 

Yes!

13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM? 

I used to love any flavor that had chocolate in it. But now I am lactose intolerant :( Don't really miss it though. 

I do eat ice cream from time to time as the lactose intolerance isn't as intense as it was 10 years ago. My favorite is coffee flavored. 

14. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE? 

Their hair. 

Their eyes

15. RED OR PINK? 

Red but it has to be true blue red. 

Yes red.

16. WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF? 

My sensitivity--I am always worrying about what the other person thinks. 

That and my inconsistency.

17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST? 

My family--mom, dad, sister. 

Still, very much. I also miss being close to good friends that I could go out to lunch or coffee with.

18. WHAT IS THE PAUL MCKENNA TECHNIQUE THAT YOU NEED TO WORK ON THE MOST? 

Who is Paul McKenna? Wait let me Google it . . . Oh, Confidence. 

Hmmm, not sure who he is but I would say that self-confidence is something I should always work on. Along with being more mindful. 

19. WHAT COLOR SHOES ARE YOU WEARING? 

Pink Croc-knock-offs (cost $3) 

Black Vionic flip-flops. Don't know what they cost but it was more than $3

20. WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU ATE? 

Amazing Meal mixed with soymilk and flaxseed 

P.F. Chang's Home Menu Mongolian Style Beef and White Rice

21. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? 

The dog snuffling 

Rain from a (short) monsoon! And the dog is still lying close by, occasionally snuffling.

22. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? 

White comes to mind but I don't know why 

Sparkly purple

23. FAVORITE SMELLS? 

Warm pine woods, apple pie/crisp, coffee (don't drink it but love the smell) 

Those plus the desert after it's been raining

24. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE? 

Mother-in-law 

A friend, Marilyn, who lives in Phoenix. Mother-in-law passed three years ago. I Zoomed with another friend, Jean, who lives on Victoria Island, a week ago.

25. MOUNTAIN HIDEAWAY OR BEACH HOUSE? 

Beach house--love the sound of the ocean and the wind keeps the mosquitoes away. 

Definitely beach

26. FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH? 

Basketball with daughter and son-in-law. Don't watch sports on my own. 

I don't watch any sports at all.

27. HAIR COLOR? 

Silver gray. Love my hair color 

My hair has now gone more white although I hope my hair stylist can get the silver gray back on my next appointment. 

28. EYE COLOR? 

Blue grey 

Doesn't change although the crows feet do. My eyes are also baggier than they were, partly due to having fallen and had a nasty cut close to my left eye.

29. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? 

Used to but lately my eyes have stung (smoke, dryness in the Southwest) 

Very rarely. I wear hearing aids more. 

30. FAVORITE FOOD? 

Bread, chocolate, steak. Am learning to love fruit and veggies 

Not so fond of bread anymore but the rest, yes. 

31. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS? 

Happy endings. 

I do like thrillers but I still want happy endings. 

32. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED? 

South Pacific. Hadn't seen it for a long time and forgot how beautiful the music is. 

I don't watch many movies, I watch British police shows but I did watch Barefoot in the Park last week. It's still such a happy, crazy movie. Robert Redford was so cute!

33. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING? 

Pale green/blue t-shirt with a weird kind of "southwest alien" picture on it. It's been washed a 100 times and is starting to fray but I love it. 

Darkish blue t-shirt with a screen of flip flops and "flip out" . It's nice and cool. 

34. SUMMER OR WINTER? 

Spring/Fall 

Yep although I don't mind winter in Arizona.

35. HUGS OR KISSES? 

Both 

Yep. Don't get many of those now that grandkids are older.

36. FAVORITE DESSERT? 

Real cake made with butter and buttercream icing 

Yes! Victoria sponge!!

37. STRENGTH TRAINING OR CARDIO? 

Cardio. 

Yes.

38. COMPUTER OR TELEVISION? 

Computer (watch TV online) 

Yes.

39. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW? 

Until Tuesday 

"Thrones and Dominations" by Dorothy L. Sayers and Jill Paton Walsh. Also listening to "Start Where You Are At" by Pema Chodron. 

40. WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD? 

Mattress (got this one free when we bought ours last year) 

Nothing, plain black.

42. FAVORITE SOUND? 

Ocean, baby laughs 

And rain!

43. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES? 

Beatles 

Yes!!

44. WHAT IS THE FARTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME? 

South Africa 

Where is home? The farthest I have ever traveled from point A to point B would probably still be from Montreal to Johannesburg South Africa. If I had been able to fly direct, it would have been 12,913 kms (thanks Google) but there were no direct flights in 1977/78 so I flew to London, stayed there and then flew from London to Jo'burg which meant actually going around the west coast of Africa because South African Airlines couldn't fly across African airspace b/c of apartheid policies. Other countries were boycotting and refusing permission for flyover. I did also go from Sierra Vista AZ to Sydney Australia via Los Angeles in September of 2011. Anyway, the distance from Sierra Vista to Sydney is 12,598 kms so my Montreal/Jo'burg/Capetown trip is definitely the farthest. 

45. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT? 

Storytelling 

I am still a good storyteller but I also am a pretty good family history researcher. 

46. WHERE WERE YOU BORN? 

Montreal, Quebec, Canada 

No update on that.

47. WHERE ARE YOU LIVING NOW? 

Sometimes Santa Fe, New Mexico and sometimes Sierra Vista, Arizona. Split personality. 

Sierra Vista.

48. WHAT COLOR IS YOUR HOUSE? 

I live in a condo in Santa Fe. It looks like a pueblo. 

Our house in Sierra Vista is off white.

49. WHAT COLOR IS YOUR CAR? 

Both cars are a kind of beige 

One car, a Honda CRV, it's white.

50. DO YOU LIKE ANSWERING 50 QUESTIONS? 

It was fun! 

Interesting that my answers haven't changed that much although I've certainly had a lot of changes in my life as far as where I've been and how I think. But maybe not as many internal changes as I think.