I found this meme on Miss Attitude’s blog, and she found it on Reassigned Time.

1. What did you do in 2008 that you’d never done before?
Discovered a tumor on Baby S. The fear that set in immediately was almost overpowering, my vision went black, my head was spinning, and I kept seeing bright flashes of light. I had to clench my jaw, take a deep breath, and sing to Baby S to bring myself out of it before I passed out while holding her.

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions and will you make more for next year?
I do not typically make resolutions, because I try to be the best person I can be EVERY day.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
My best friend, and my social-brother’s fiancée.

4. Did anyone close to you die?
A friend of the family was murdered.

5. What countries did you visit?
None this year. Hopefully in 2009.

6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?
Financial stability.

7. What dates from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
May 20th, the day Baby S was born.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
The discovery of wonder and joy.

9. What was your biggest failure?
I do not have failures. Only lessons.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
In February, I came down with the flu for a full week, then bronchitis for two weeks, then some crud for a fourth week. It was awful. I could not afford to go to the hospital, so I lay in bed feeling like I was dying. I do not recommend being this sick to ANYONE, EVER.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
A whole van full of groceries and supplies and necessities for a local women’s shelter, and a car full of canned goods for my Church pantry.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
My best friend and her husband … they have handled the three near-deaths of Baby S with aplomb each time it has happened, and even the many other emergencies have been handled with strength and grace, and not freak-outs and misery. I love them.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
My stepfather and mother, for once again displaying the increase in bigotry, prejudice, and hatred in their hearts as they age.

14. Where did most of your money go?
Rent.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Finding ways to help others, as inspired by my own heart first, Soren second, and many others thereafter.

16. What song will always remind you of 2008?
Don’t Blink by Kenny Chesney … because for the third time in the last 10 years, I was reminded of my mortality and the mortality of those around me, and with Baby S’s struggle, I reaffirmed my personal goal to live and love in each day to the best of my ability.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:a) happier or sadder? b) thinner or fatter? c) richer or poorer?
a) happier because I am home with the family I choose as my own and sadder because I miss my family
b) thinner by only a few pounds, but that few pounds is a start to a long journey I am sure
c) richer in love but poorer financially

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Traveling to see family.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Sleeping in the hospital - although I will do more of it as needed, because I would rather be there than not be there. Does that even make sense? I hope so.

20. How will you be spending Christmas?
I spent the morning at home with my friends/roommates & their kids; I spent the afternoon w/my best friend & her family.

21. Did you fall in love in 2008?
No.

22. How many one-night stands?
None!

23. What was your favorite TV program?
I do not seem to have a favorite anymore, as I pay less attention to them and more to my social sites *L*.

24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
Hate is such a negative word … I really try not to say it or practice the feeling.

25. What was the best book you read?
“The Raccoon” by C.A.W. (my 6-yr old social-nephew wrote it ).

26. What was your greatest musical discovery?
My 3-yr old niece, K.

27. What did you want and get?
I hoped “P” would contact me again … and he finally did. It has been with random, short, minute texts … but at least we are talking. The butterflies and light-headedness set in every time I receive a text, and that scares me. I should not be this affected by someone who I told to go away in a fit of anger and he actually listened. I have so many questions for him, about his life in the last year, but am afraid to ask for fear of scaring him away again.

However, I would rather be talking than not. He is too important to me, whether we are dating or not.

28. What did you want and not get?
A bill of perfect health for Baby S.

29. What was your favorite film of this year?
I rarely have favorite films, because I do not watch them often.

30. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
Went to Chili’s with both my friend A and my BFF (who are sisters, and feuding) and all our children and had ribs. Received thoughtful gifts from both of them that made me realize they do appreciate me.

31. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Seeing my family.

32. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?
Browns … with oranges, certain shades of blue, and greens.

33. What kept you sane?
The love and companionship of my friends and family.

34. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Will Smith? Matthew McConaughey? I think those are the ones I mentioned more than once .. but honestly … everyday people catch my fancy more than public figures.

35. What political issue stirred you the most?
The election.

36. Who did you miss?
Him. Her. Him. My grandparents, my family in general.

37. Who was the best new person you met?
I cannot choose one. There were several Twitter people that I met and instantly stalked adored.When I moved over to Plurk, there were many more I met and began hunting down getting to know. I speak to most of them daily by IM/text/Plurk/Twitter, so they should know who they are.

38. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008.
Choosing happiness is not enough. My new motto has changed from “Choose Happiness” to “Find the Joy.” I hope to find the joy in many of the things I do from now on.

39. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
How about a few of them … because the story in the song is what brings the meaning:

I turned on the evening news
Saw an old man being interviewed
Turning a hundred and two today

Asked him what’s the secret to life?
He looked up from his old pipe
Laughed and said, “All I can say is

Chorus:
Don’t blink, ’cause just like that you’re six years old
And you take a nap
And you wake up and you’re twenty-five
And your high school sweetheart becomes your wife

Don’t blink, you just might miss
Your babies growing like mine did
Turning into moms and dads
Next thing you know your better half

Of fifty years is there in bed
And you’re praying God takes you instead
Trust me friend a hundred years
Goes faster than you think, so don’t blink

I was glued to my TV, went it looked
Like he looked at me and said
“Best start putting first things first”

‘Cause when your hourglass runs out of sand
You can’t flip it over and start again
take every breath God gives you for what it’s worth

(Repeat Chorus here)

So I’ve been tryin to slow it down
I’ve been trying to take it in
In this ‘here today, gone tomorrow’ world we’re living in

(Repeat Chorus here)

No, don’t blink
Don’t blink
Life goes faster than you think

December was a crazy month for me. More on that later. The relevant parts of the story are:

1) My ex-husband and his family promised my Tween a trip to Cali, and promised me to cover her Santa gift (the Nintendo Wii) this year since it has been a tough year for me. They then backed out of both of these plans, and said they weren’t sending anything. Later (much later), it turned out they sent her a camera (the camera they had previously promised her for her birthday in 2007, Christmas 2007, and for her birthday in 2008) as a Christmas gift for 2008. The camera is awesome, so please do not think I am complaining they sent it. I am just disappointed it took them more than a year of broken promises to do so.
2) I was laid off from my job, and had to return all of the gifts I had already purchased for Tween, family, and friends. Anything non-refundable was set aside to send out later in Jan or Feb, when I know I have the money to spare for postage.

Tween has been asking for a Wii since they came out, but as a Mom I thought she needed to wait a while before getting one. I would not typically get game systems for her, but my Dad & Stepmom Connie purchased her a Gameboy Advance SP in 2005 when they purchased the same thing for my new step-sister (Connie’s younger child, who is 2 yrs older than Tween). In 2006, I got her a few games for it, and in 2007 (because she had taken such great care of the SP, but mostly because I found it on sale at 75% off), Santa brought her a Nintendo DS Lite. The SP and all of the games she had outgrown were donated, as per our custom, and she now takes great care of the DS. She began talking about getting a Wii more and more frequently when one of my friends started inviting us to come over and play his Wii. Unfortunately, I do not agree with the way he leads his life, so I will not take Tween to his house. I have also been looking for something else for she and I to do together, and since we are only home together in the late evenings, I wanted something indoors, that could be picked up at any time. The Wii fits all of these requirements.

Due to both of the afore-mentioned circumstances, a group of six people banned together to provide Christmas for my Tween. They sent an amazing set of gift cards, so I decided she would get her Santa gift after all: a Wii. The gift cards were sent with that intention, but with the option of using it any way I felt necessary. Besides the large gift cards to be used on the Wii, there were also smaller gift cards for stores that Tweens like to shop in: a bookstore, a jewelry store, and a clothing store. These three I saved for a later date & time.

Several other friends (who I also consider Christmas Angels) provided much-loved gifts to Tween: a gift card to JCPenny, which was one of the things she had requested; the latter three Twilight books, because she loved the first one so much; a small set of candles; and a photo frame.

I am grateful to everyone who helped make my baby’s Christmas special. It is one of the few times I allow her to feel so utterly spoiled, and I was VERY bummed out about having to return all the things I had purchased for her over the last six months.

I can not ever repay my Christmas Angels for their generosity. Financially, I hope to be able to do so someday in the near future. The value of their gifts go far beyond their monetary value, though, and I only hope I can be half as good a friend to them as they have been to me.

As promised, I am sharing the pictures from when Tween realized she is getting a Wii. Santa’s Elves sent her a letter via Santa & Mrs. Claus telling her that since she was such a fabulous child, she was receiving a special gift this year. It also mentioned the actual system would arrive in Jan (they have to build it, yanno!).

Thank you again to all of you who have shown your love and support through various methods. You are appreciated, and I treasure each of you.

xoxo

Devyl

I am entered in a Holiday Blog Contest that several of my friends from Plurk are hosting!

Starting today (for the next 3 days), you can leave a comment on their daily blog posts, and your name will be entered into a drawing for their Holiday Give-Away!

Yes, they are giving two - count ‘em, ONE … TWO!!! - readers a gift to help cushion the cost of the Holiday Season for you and your family!

You one entry/blog per day by commenting today (Sunday) through Wednesday.

They will select a winner from all the entries on “Black Friday,” by randomly selecting a name.

If YOUR NAME is chose, you will need to provide some pertinent information about yourself and your family so they can tailor their gifts accordingly.

Here are the links, so go forth and enter!

Not A Mean Girl

Alana’s Passion

The PQ Nation

Middle Aged Suburban Diva

Popping Bubbles

Sucomments

Random Ramblings of a Stay at home Mom

I Read Banned Books

Daily Douz

Puntiglio

Three Ring “Surf”ace

Andrea Daigle

Southern Connections

You’re still here? GO, GO, GO!!!

So, a few of you have been pestering begging asking me nonstop repeatedly nicely to get back to you with the results of the Personality by Dessert? blog I posted five days ago (see, not even a whole week, peeps!!).

Without further ado, here are the results!

1. ANGEL FOOD CAKE (Kikolani was the lone ranger here!!)

Sweet, loving, cuddly. You love all warm and fuzzy items. A little nutty at times. Sometimes you need an ice cream cone at the end of the day. Others perceive you as being childlike and immature at times.

2. BROWNIES (super moist and chocolatey - no cake brownies around here!!!) (Miss Attitude, Shooting Asterisk, Beav, r_wolfcastle, badseedjenn, ShuTian, and fgirl)

You are adventurous, love new ideas, and are a champion of underdogs and a slayer of dragons. When tempers flare up you whip out your saber. You are always the oddball with a unique sense of humor and direction. You tend to be very loyal.

3. LEMON MERINGUE (Nethead, NotAMeanGirl, footpad)

Smooth, sexy, & articulate with your hands, you are an excellent caregiver and a good teacher. But don’t try to walk and chew gum at the same time. A bit of a diva at times, you set your own style because you do your own thing. You shine when it comes to helping others and have many friends.

4. WHITE CAKE WITH CHOCOLATE ICING (Nobody on my list chose this one.)

Fun-loving, sassy,humorous, lacking motivation. Everyone enjoys being around you, but you are a practical joker. Others should be cautious in making you mad. However, you are a friend for life.

5. STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE (perpstu, Jordayn)

Romantic, warm, loving. You care about other people, can be counted on in a pinch and expect the same in return. Intuitively keen. You can be very emotional at times but a true person in every way. You like to do things for yourself and help others learn about themselves.

6. CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH CHOCOLATE ICING (topsurf, me)

Sexy; always ready to give and receive. Very creative, adventurous, ambitious,and passionate. You can appear to have a cold exterior but are warm on the inside. Not afraid to take chances. Will not settle for anything average in life. Love to laugh.

7. ICE CREAM (WesAlvaro, Bryan J, g)

You like sports, whether it be baseball, football, basketball, or soccer. If you could, you would like to participate, but you enjoy watching sports. You don’t like to give up the remote control. You tend to be self-centered and high maintenance.

8. CARROT CAKE (with cream cheese icing for Tara) (Tara R, MissRiss)

You are a very fun loving person, who likes to laugh. You are fun to be with. People like to hang out with you. You are a very warm hearted person and a little quirky at times. You have many loyal friends. You were meant to lead and teach others. A wonderful role model.

Now, because I own this blog page and I can, I have added 3 more categories:

9. CRÈME BRULÉE (Kat, perpstu)

You are complicated, with many layers, the most prominent of which is the sweet and delicious outer shell that protects the moist center waiting to be discovered inside. The masses flock to you, and you enjoy the company and attention, but your heart remains with your tight circle of loved ones. You spread sunshine in the world around you, and find the little things especially enchanting.

10. LEMON CAKE WITH LEMON ICING (r_wolfcastle)

You appear to be a curmudgeon who likes making life difficult, though people cannot help but be drawn to your ornery snarkiness. Those you love look easily past the outer shell of grumpy you have erected because they know you’re a great big teddy bear with a sweet (though off-color) center.

11. CHEESECAKE (footpad, ShuTian)

Slightly removed from society, you tend to observe more than you other dessert-loving friends. Your inner need to take care of others sometimes leads you to st aside your own needs and wants to the point of giving up a part of yourself. Once you get a handle on how to hold onto your own soul and help the people you care about, you lead an extremely happy and comfortable life.

Please note:

1-8 have been pretty much the same for years, making their way to all corners of the internet via email/blogs/webpages. 9-11, however, are the results of my own boring avid imagination, tyvm!

xoxo

The Rules are simple:

Step #1 - Link to the person who tagged you:

My sweet friend Justene tagged me this time … she is always incredibly full of love and support for the people around her, and can see the beauty in almost any situation. I have enjoyed getting to know her, and think you should too! Go check her out.

Step #2 - Write Five Fun/Interesting Facts about yourself:

5 INTERESTING AND FUN FACTS ABOUT Angeles:

1.  I do not like fancy desserts. If you add nuts, coconut, or froth … I will not eat it. Plain super-moist brownies and cakes, plump and juicy pies, and soft cookies for me, please!!

2.  I love sappy movies, sappy love songs. If they make me cry, BONUS!! 

3.  I can go through a full spectrum of emotions faster than most people can switch from happy to not. I think I have proven this to my houseguest this week. Poor guy. He doesn’t seem to be skeered off yet …. but I would not be surprised to get to the airport in December and find my plane tickets had been CANCELED! *L*

4.  I like being taken care of … but I hate being taken care of. How’s that for contradictory? I guess I only like it at certain times, but not even *I* know when those times are! Oh, this contradictory nature? Happens with EVERYTHING. One day, if I am in a good mood, my opinion on something could be this. The next day, when I am in a so-so mood, my opinion on the very same matter could be that. Yet another day, when I am in a pissy mood, my opinion could be waythefcukoverthere.

5.  Despite all of the above, I am very easy to make happy. Just do what I ask, when I ask, without asking too many questions or making me repeat myself. Oh, and do things without having to make me ask you to do them. Except when I do not want you to, then do not do it unless I ask. Otherwise, Mystress Bytch Devyl comes out and all hell breaks loose. Yes, it really *is* that simple!!

Now, aren’t you glad you wasted the last 45 seconds reading this? I know you are. C’mon … comment and tell me how much you enjoyed it!!

*Giggles quietly*

Step #3 - Tag Six Other People and link to their blogs. Then let them know you’ve tagged them by Twittering/Plurking them or leaving a comment on their blog:

I dug deep to find these friends … in other words, I went to profiles that I have not viewed in a long time, and discovered a few blogs I did not know where there. The people are interesting, and I would bet their blogs are too!

The first link is to their blog, and the second to the place where I know them from. Check them out!

1. Chris - Darker_Artic from Twitter. He left Twitter once upon a time, but then decided he couldn’t live without us … which is good, because a few of us tried hard to track him down and bring him home
2. Jack Lhasa - jacklhasa from Twitter, Plurk and just about everywhere else He and a friend went on a mission to try and travel around the US while working and raising money along the way. They actually made it across country, but then were slammed back down by the economy and other issues. They are going to try again, as far as I know, and I am looking forward to that happening.
3. Sarai - chunkyrican from Twitter. She is a real sweetheart, and I love talking to her. We do not catch up enough, but whenever we do it is always fun and heartwarming!
4. Paul Steadman - Steaders from Twitter. I chose him for two reasons: 1) I need to remember to hit his blog once in a while and 2) he was nice enough to reply to me today. *grins* Aren’t you glad now, darlin? I’m sure you’ll LOVE doing this *giggles*
5. Devil Blue Dress - of the same name on Twitter. There are times that she and I talk and our conversation is sexy and outrageous. Other times it is serious, or lighthearted. I always enjoy her though. Check her out!
6. Jnez - thirtydaes on Twitter. He is a prime example of how social networks allow you to meet people you would not meet in-world. Not only do we live in different states, but even if we lived in the same state, we would be in completely different circles. And yet, I always look forward to the little snippets of conversation we have. His blog opens his whole life to the world. In the words of one of my best friends, “It ain’t always purty, but it sho is real.”

Okay, so there it is … some of my favorite Tweeps! I do not think they typically participate in MeMes like this … but hopefully they will play along with me this time.

xoxo

There are plenty of things on my mind at any given time.  Sometimes it helps to verbalize them (okay, those of you that know me realize that I nearly ALWAYS verbalize them). Sometimes, though, it really helps me focus on the important things in life when I start to list the thoughts that are floating through. Lucky you, getting to be my audience today!

1. Most of my thoughts are with my friend who had a death in the family. Not anything in particular, even. I think about him, then I think about the stories he’s told of this family member, then I think about how everyone in the family got together recently, then I think about his immediate family, and then I’m back to thinking about him. Vicious cycle, since 1) I don’t know him well enough to truly do anything for him and 2) He’s super independent and wouldn’t likely say if he wanted or needed anything (which is highly unlikely anyway) and 3) I live several hundreds of miles and several states away. See … vicious cycle.
2. Some of my friends (especially two very important Gyrlies) have been sick this week. I worry about them taking care of themselves, because they tend to spend a lot of time taking care of others. I know at least one is probably pretty well being taken care of by her sweet hubby. The other has a hubby that tends to be …. needy. And she’s too sweet to speak up and tell him to behave.
3. This leads me to think about another very important Gyrlie who has been having health problems for a long time, and who is trying to get treated for them, but who has not had a lot of luck with finding the true source. I worry that has to put up with so much from her health, and then since she is home, her family all relies on her to run their errands, help with miscellaneous household tasks, etc etc etc. I do not think she will ever get well if her stress levels are not brought down!
4. Once again this leads me to another friend who has not been on Plurk lately … I know many of my friends have also been thinking of her. I worry about her, even though I know her absence is not due to her health issues, I still wonder if she is feeling okay, if she is having any flareups, or if anything else is going wrong. Once in a while I text her, and sometimes I get a reply … but it is not the same as having her every day, cheering us all on thorughout our difficulties, and letting us cheer her on, too.
5. Pretty high on my list for the last two days has been the fact that my social-nephew was chosen for the All-Stars in his city football (7-9 yr olds, I believe) league. I watched him struggle through last year … so to have him become an All-Star this year is PHENOMENAL. I am so very proud of him, and I hope he enjoys the All-Star games!
6. The same nephew has his playoffs for the league championship tonight. And, what is especially great, is that the championships are being played on the football field of my old H.S.  He knows his Mom, Aunt, Uncles, and I all went to that school, so he looks forward to attending one day, and is THRILLED he gets to play on that particular field! Plus, we’re going to have HelenBack pizza afterwards - talk about heaven in a pie!
7. Baby S … who is ALWAYS on my mind - went in for the second part (of three) of her first (of four) post-surgery chemotherapy treatments. Each part of each round weakens her little body more and more. So while she looks absolutely fantastic right now … in a few weeks she’ll look weak and sickly again. It breaks my heart, and I cannot wait til she is healthy and whole again!
8. Family “strife” that recently popped up … I’ll try to put a short synopsis of the story here: My brother (St, 16yrs old) died in 2000. Prior to his death, all of my family (Grandparents Mema & Pepa, Mom/Stepdad, us 3 kids; Uncle S & Aunt B, their 2 kids; Uncle A & Aunt S; Uncle R & Aunt A, 1 kid) were all pretty close. After his death, my sister and I tried to keep up communications between our cousins and ourself. It didn’t work so well - we did not receive replies from our cousins. Our Aunt B has always been a bit of a busy body, and she seemed to put a lot of distance between her immediate family & ours. Then she decided to stop visiting my grandparents too. Now, even when she goes down to South FL to visit her sister, who lives 45 minutes from my parents, she doesn’t bother to call. So, this past weekend, her daughter Steph got married. Steph decided to hold a dedication to my brother as a surprise part of her wedding. My Aunt told me about it, because I couldn’t come to the wedding, and wanted me to keep it a secret. I could not do so in good conscience, because my parents were planning to go to the wedding, and I could not let them be blindsided. I told my sister, who was angry (irrationally so, in some respects), who then told my parents. My parents then decided not to go to the wedding (which upset me - they had already sent their promises to attend). So … now the rift between the two families is even greater …. I emailed my Uncle S, Aunt B, and both my cousins this week to send my congratulations and to tell them I look forward to seeing video and photos of the wedding. My Uncle wrote back … and said that only ONE our family members showed up for the wedding with his wife & child. I am so ashamed of my family … I could not attend due to financial strain … but most of the rest of the family *could* but *did not* attend by choice. This makes me very sad … for my grandparents, my Mom (who I feel is being controlled by my over-bearing, egotistical, racist, domineering, bigot of a stepfather), my Uncles, my Sister, and myself.  I feel like this is irrepairable in some respects, and I do not know how to fix it. Okay, too long of a description, but I’ll leave it here anyway.
9. My coworker was recently arrested for something that was on his record 6 years ago. He was pulled over for a traffic ticket, and suddenly they told him there were warrants out for his arrest from 2002. Now, he has had a ticket or two since then, but none of this came to light before. He was pretty freaked out, and is extremely worried about his wife, who has health problems, and daughter. On the positive side of things, he is very responsible in caring for his family and all the bills are already paid for the month, so they have a little bit of time to recover from this. In the meantime, he’s in jail and there is not anything we can really do to help him right now. That is hard on all of us, because my employer is a small family-run company, and we do treat each other like family. He is like my pesky younger brother who makes it his mission in life to irritate me daily (and succeeds rather well, the lil brat!).
10. My grandparents. I miss them, terribly. I no longer have the financial freedom to visit, and my parents have moved farther south so they do not visit properly anymore either. I hate that my grandparents are all the way in NM, with no family nearby. My friend losing his family member has made it even scarier that I have not been to visit my grandparents in a full year now. My grandfather has had several heart attacks and sundry health problems. My grandmother has had numerous health problems since she was a young woman (brought to light by the 5 stillborn babies/miscarriages she had in her 20’s and 30’s).
11. I have a friend who has had issues with her weight, as well as various other health problems, for as long as I have known her. Granted, we met on message boards, and we have not yet met in person, but I love her dearly. She suffers (I think) from depression of a pretty great magnitude. She has wonderful plans, brilliant ideas, and is always great at STARTING to put them in motion … but she does not quite follow through. Something always comes up that sets her back. On top of her physical and mental health difficulties, she ALSO keeps setting herself up for emotional pain by constantly searching out a mate. She wants a man in her life to make her feel good, happy, strong. The problem is, these men never pan out. She gets emotionally attached rather easily and will spiral down in depression when it does not work out for the relationship. THEN she reverts back to eating, gaining weight … and starting over. I personally think she needs to find happiness within herself before she tries finding anyone to be happy with, but she doesn’t think that will work.
12. My stepfather is sick. He is having stomach problems that cause him to be out of commission for days at a time. This is not like him - he’s a stubborn coot … and when he is sick, he usually plows through it. I am worried. I may not like him, I may be angry at him for the way I grew up … but I still love him, cherish him, and respect him for the good things in him.
13. One thought for myself: I am worried about having a job next week. The economy is bad … if I lose my job, I will be homeless. I am already behind in rent, despite the loan I received from a friend a couple of months ago. I had to fix my car, and then I had to take Tween to the emergency room, and now my rent is unpaid. Another month like this, and I may not have rent to pay. I am seriously freaking out.

And now back to our regularly scheduled program.

xoxo

“The Johari Window was invented by Joseph Luft and Harrington Ingham in the 1950s as a model for mapping personality awareness. By describing yourself from a fixed list of adjectives, then asking your friends and colleagues to describe you from the same list, a grid of overlap and difference can be built up.”

~ The Interactive Johari Window, http://kevan.org/johari (2006)

So, since a lot of my Plurk friends were doing this on the board, I thought it would be fun to put mine in a blog. I have done both the “Johari” and “Nohari” links (positive, and negative). Have at me!

Positive

Negative

xoxox

1. Do you believe in seeing a rainbow after the rain?
Are there people that don’t? That’s insane! I look for them!! We’ve even tried to follow a few to the pot of gold

2. If you could have a dream come true, what would it be?
The one where the whole world began helping one another, saving one another, supporting one another, and finding ways to save what Mother Nature has given us.

3. Do you believe in eternity love?
Absolutely

4. What feeling do you love most?
The one I get when someone I love (Daughter, mother, father, sister, brother, friend…) hugs me.

5. What feeling do you hate the most?
Two are equally painful: Knowing my dream will not likely come true in my lifetime, and leaving someone I love … whether for a moment or an undetermined amount of time.

6. Do you cherish every single friendship of yours?
Friendships, yes. Acquaintances, no. And I likely will not tell the person the difference unless there is a good reason.

7. Do you believe in God?
Yes.

8. Who cares for you most?
My daughter.

9. What do you think is the most important thing in your life?
My daughter, my family, my friends.

10. What emotion do you like to show?
Love, happiness, excitement.

11. If you have something troubling you, what do you do?
Vent and get it out of my system.

12. Who do you admire most?
People who give more of themselves than they receive from others.

13. Who did you last chat with in a chat room?
NotAMeanGirl

14. What kind of person do you think the one you stole this meme from is?
An amazing woman with a beautiful mind and spirit.

15. What color did you use to dye your hair?
Red. Still do.

16. Why are you doing this meme?
Because they are fun!

17. What do you do when you’re moody?
Vent. Snuggle up with a book. Sleep.

18. At which age do you wish to or did you, get married?
I got married at age 20.

19. If today is the last day of your life, what will you do?
Write a letter to everyone who is not currently within arm’s reach, have a luncheon with everyone that is here, then snuggle up with my daughter to relax, talk, and tell her how much I love her.

20. Who is the person you trust the most?
My best friend.

21. Last time you smiled?
A few moments ago when Tween hugged me.

22. What are you listening to right now?
Tween doing the dishes, roommate fixing the broken door, the cat outside chattering to another cat, and the “beep” of my IMs from NotAMeanGirl and Anne Eliot

23. Who was the last person you saw in your dream?
Baby S.

24. Are you talking to someone while doing this?
Yes - two of my roommates, my daughter, my social-nephew, and the previously mentioned gyrlies.

25. Do you walk with your eyes open or closed?
Open! Are there people that walk with their eyes habitually closed?

26. Is there a quote you live by?
Not any one quote, no. The basis is the blurb that is on my email signature, Twitter, and Plurk:
Choose happiness.
“A truly happy person is happy without anything, and equally happy with everything”
~Chris Walker

27. Do you want someone you cannot have?
No.

28. Who always makes you laugh?
My daughter.

29. What was the worst idea you’ve had this week?
Coming home so late last night!

30. Do you speak another language other than English?
No.

I’m looking forward to all of your responses as well!! Happy Monday.
Oh, and if you are an American in the US, and have not yet done so - GET OUT AND VOTE!

xoxo