I do love my food, and I like to think I’m pretty adventurous when it comes to trying new things. And since I hadn’t done one in a while, I thought this little meme from Pretty in Ink would be fun.

If you’d like to play along, here’s what to do:

1) Copy this list into your blog or journal, including these instructions.
2) Bold all the items you’ve eaten.
3) XXX out any items that you would never consider eating.

1. Venison (in jerkey form)
2. Nettle tea
3. Huevos rancheros
4. Steak tartare (I guess Grandma was preparing us for this food survey every Christmas…thanks, E!)
5. Crocodile
6. Black pudding
7. Cheese fondue
8. Carp (no, but fresh arctic char which I’m willing to bet tastes better)
9. Borscht
10. Baba ghanoush
11. Calamari
12. Pho
13. PB&J sandwich
14. Aloo gobi
15. Hot dog from a street cart (That’s how I met B!)
16. Epoisses
17. Black truffle
18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes
19. Steamed pork buns
20. Pistachio ice cream
21. Heirloom tomatoes
22. Fresh wild berries
23. Foie gras
24. Rice and beans
25. Brawn or head cheese
26. Raw Scotch Bonnet pepper
27. Dulce de leche
28. Oysters
29. Baklava
30. Bagna cauda
31. Wasabi peas
32. Clam Chowder in Sourdough Bowl
33. Salted lassi
34. Sauerkraut
35. Root beer float
36. Cognac with a fat cigar
37. Clotted Cream (in London!)
38. Vodka Jelly/Jell-O
39. Gumbo
40. Oxtail
41. Curried goat
42. Whole insects
43. Phaal
44. Goat’s milk
45. Malt whisky from a bottle worth $120 or more
46. Fugu
47. Chicken tikka masala (in Bahrain!)
49. Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut
50. Sea urchin
51. Prickly pear
52. Umeboshi
53. Abalone (it was cooked over a candle at our dinner table at a fancy dinner in Iceland…I will never forget how awful it was to see it trying to escape!)
54. Paneer
55. McDonald’s Big Mac Meal
56. Spaetzle
57. Dirty gin martini
58. Beer above 8% ABV (almost…7.2%, Elephant Beer from Denmark)
59. Poutine
60. Carob chips
61. S’mores
62. Sweetbreads
63. kaolin - that’s a mineral, WTF?
64. Currywurst
65. Durian
66. Frogs’ legs
67. Beignets, churros, elephant ears or funnel cake (Spanish churros, the real deal)
68. Haggis (I can’t remember if I actually ate it or if I gagged before I could get it in my mouth)
69. Fried plantain (I ate it first at a Peruvian chicken joint in Washington DC and it was one of my favorite things I’ve eaten!)
70. Chitterlings
71. Gazpacho (real Spanish gazpacho can’t be beat!)
72. Caviar and blini
73. Louche absinthe
74. Gjetost or brunost
75. Roadkill
76. Baijiu
77. Hostess Fruit Pie
78. Snail (kinda gross…they were not cleaned very well and were very gritty, and all I think of when I think about when we ate them was their little antennae things sticking out!)
79. Lapsang Souchong
80. Bellini
81. Tom Yum
82. Eggs Benedict
83. Pocky
84. 3 Michelin Star Tasting Menu
85. Kobe beef
86. Hare
87. Goulash
88. Flowers
89. Horse (Kathy from Pretty in Ink couldn’t believe people really eat it. I’d like to say I didn’t, but I was tricked. But then last week I came home and my entire house smelled like smoked horse. Gag.)
90. Criollo chocolate - uhhh, I’ve had criollo chorizo, but never criollo chocolate 91. Spam
92. Soft shell crab
93. Rose harissa
94. Catfish
95. Mole poblano
96. Bagel and lox
97. Lobster Thermidor
98. Polenta
99. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee
100. Snake

I was disappointed not to see rotten shark or Çiğ köfte or raw beef and onion sandwiches or pickled sheep’s testicles. Because you haven’t really eaten anything if you haven’t eaten testicles cured in lactic acid.

Niki posted this on her blog a way long time ago and I put off doing my own because I had so few songs on my iPod at the time. But over the last couple of months, I’ve put all our old stuff on it, as well as purchasing a few new albums. I love iTunes.

I just deleted a boatload of music, all classical. I loooove classical music but I never listen to it on my iPod and when I put my music on shuffle, I don’t like having classical thrown in it. I can go from Dido to Frank Zappa but going from Green Day to Shostakovich just doesn’t work for me. And that is really funny timing - just as I finished that last sentence, a classical song came on that I missed yesterday! The only one left on my iPod and it’d figure it’d come up just now.

Onto the facts:

Songs 1010 -2.7 days - 3.97GBs

First title #34 (Dave Matthews Band, Under the Table & Dreaming)
Last title Yours (Blues Traveler, Straight on til Morning)

Shortest time Near You Always (Jewel, Pieces of You - 0:10)
Longest time Crystal Flame (Blues Traveler, Independence Day - 15:15)

First Artist Adam Sandler
Last Artist Wallflowers

Top most played song Inaudible Memories (Jack Johnson, Brushfire Fairytales)

Find “Sex”, how many songs show up? 3

Sexy Plexi, Jack Johnson, Brushfire Fairytales
Sexual Harrassment in the Workplace, Frank Zappa, Strictly Commercial
Sex and Candy, Marcy Playgrond, Marcy Playground
Find “Death”, how many songs show up? 0

Find “Love”, How Many Songs show up? 26

Be Here to Love Me, Norah Jones, Feels Like Home
Perfect Love…Gone Wrong, Sting, Brand New Day
Like Someone in Love, Björk, Debut
Good Old-Fashioned Lover Boy, Queen, Greatest Hits Vol. 2
For My Lover, Tracy Chapman, Tracy Chapman
Crazy Little Thing Called Love, Queen, Greatest Hits Vol. 2
Bye Bye Love, Simon & Garfunkel, Bridge Over Troubled Water
Somebody to Love, Queen, Greatest Hits Vol. 2
Love in Vain, Eric Clapton, Me & Mr. Jones
To Your Love, Fiona Apple, When the Pawn…
Love Ridden, Fiona Apple, When the Pawn…
Future Lovers, Madonna, Confessions on a Dancefloor
I Love New York, Madonna, Confessions on a Dancefloor
Forbidden Love, Madonna, Confessions on a Dancefloor
Lover Lay Down, Dave Matthews Band, Under the Table & Dreaming
I Can’t Make You Love Me, Bonnie Raitt
My Lover’s Gone, Dido, No Angel
Love Song, Enya
What’s Love Got to do With it, Tina Turner, All The Best
Teenage Love on the Phone, Adam Sandler, They’re All Gonna Laugh at You
Not About Love, Fiona Apple, Extraordinary Machine
Dirty Love, Frank Zappa, Strictly Commercial
Love Me Tomorrow, Chicago, The Heart of Chicago
No Tell Lover, Chicago, The Heart of Chicago
I Don’t Wanna Live Without Your Love, Chicago, The Heart of Chicago
Tell Me You Love Me, Frank Zappa, Strictly Commercial

Thanks, Niki, for the inspiration to have a little fun with my iPod!

My uncle once: saved my life on my first birthday.

Never in my life: have I killed a person and stuffed their remains in a vat of acid.

When I was five: I came home to several police cars and a very pissed set of parents.

High School was: crappy.

I once met: Kristina Emmons! (there! you got on my blog, ARE YOU HAPPY?)

There’s this girl I know who: spent 7 hours on a scrapbook page only to see me accidentally dump a glass of grape juice on just as she completed it. Commence gasping. I think I need another tissue.

Once, at a bar: I have no good ending for this one as I don’t really go to bars. Though I’m sure if I’ve done something foolish, someone somewhere on the internet will chime in to point and laugh.

Last night: I went shopping at the minimart for an hour and a half and bought 10 plastic hangars, 2 barettes, shaving powder and a scrapbooking magazine, came home and talked with B for an hour and a half, and read my new magazine for 20 minutes…and then fell asleep. Do you see why I have no answer for the last question?

When I turn my head left, I see: a bookshelf, an old typewriter, and a bunch of useless day planners. And my left shoulder.

When I turn my head right, I see: a palm tree. And my right shoulder.

A better name for me would be: Queen Aregund the Impure

I have a hard time understanding: quantum physics

You know I like you if: I don’t vomit on you.

Take my advice: Parents just don’t understand.

My ideal breakfast is: Toaster strudels, more toaster strudels, more toaster strudels, and then a chocolate creme filled powdered sugar doughnut from Dunkin Donuts. Of course, to make it truly ideal, it won’t contribute to the cellulite collection on my ass.

If you spend the night at my house: You will squirm uncomfortably wondering if my 6 year old ever wet the bed you’re sleeping in. Ha! Just kidding. He hasn’t wet the bed in a month.

I always make it a point to: forget something at home when I leave the house.

I’d rather lick the belly of a cockroach than: lick my armpit.

And by the way: if you buy a “clean cotton” Yankee candle car freshener, your car will smell like laundry detergent has been poured up your nose.

I tag:
Niki
Kristina
Erin
Mia
Slyvia, so she can finally update her blog

I was tagged in October and just saw it a couple of days ago…here’s a meme I was tagged on by Erin.

1) Shampoo and Conditioner - No preference. Whichever smells good and I’m in the mood to buy.

2) Soap - See above

3) Colors - Yes

4) Soda - Diet Coke, Sprite Zero, Root beer! and Dr. Pepper

5) Foods - I just love food.

6) Movie - Wizard of Oz…always brings back memories

7) Band - Dave Matthews Band and Blues Traveler

Disney Character - I am not a Disniac.

9) Actor - My favorite to look at? Brad Pitt. But I really like Anthony Hopkins for serious roles and Robin Williams for comedies.

10) Actress - Gwyneth Paltrow

11) Video Games - Asterix and Obelix Kick Buttix

12) Chuzzle

13) Store - Target

14) Alcohol - Baileys

15) Number - 1

16) Car -

17) Book - Harry Potter series

18) T.V. Show - House, The Biggest Loser

19) Website - Google.com and Dooce.com

20) Condiment - Sour cream

21) Fruit - Oranges, strawberries, bananas

22) Vegetable - Corn (on the cob)

23) Restaurant - Hmm, I love going out to eat. The Olive Garden is the place I always went to when I wanted an easy and cheap “let’s go out” restaurant. Perlan in Iceland was the best food and experience I had at a restaurant. And last week we went to a place in El Puerto de Santa Maria, just a tiny little pub, and had an awesome meal. I loved that place!

24) Blogger - Dooce.

25) Place - The Westfjörds of Iceland. Time stands still there.

a meme n (mëm): is an idea that is shared and passed from blog to blog, like a question posted in one blog and answered in many other blogs.

10 Years Ago: September, 18 years old - starting my first of 1½ years at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. Excited, nervous, and hopeful, which quickly turned to lonely, bored, and depressed.

5 Years Ago: September, 2001. Living in Iceland. We had just moved from our 2nd floor apartment to a 1st floor apartment right on a playground. I took this picture in September, 2001:

It was just after 9/11/01, and we were still very much on edge. Security was very tight on the base and it would take a very long time for B to get home from work. I had to stand extra duty at my job checking ID cards in my building.

1 Year Ago: September 15, 2004. I had found out yesterday that I was going to be going on the USS Abraham Lincoln for a 4 month deployment. I was nervous and excited at the same time.

Yesterday: 3:45 yesterday I was sleeping on Niki’s couch, trying to shake the migraine after having dropped off mom at the airport.

5 Snacks I Enjoy: (usually - as I posted, my appetite is all but gone!) Peanut M&Ms, mint chocolate chip ice cream, Gardettos, Apples & Peanut butter, and homemade cookies.

5 Songs I Know All The Words To: Tom’s Diner by Suzanne Vega; Run Around by Blues Traveler; Sleep to Dream by Fiona Apple; It’s Oh So Quiet by Bjork; Money by Pink Floyd

5 Things I Would Do With $100 Million: Buy a house in Iceland; do a LOT of traveling; buy every piece of photographic equipment I want; buy a yacht (well, *I* wouldn’t, but since the money would be ours, I’m sure B would want to buy a yacht!); put a lot into savings so we can build our dream home someday when we settle down.

5 Places I Would Run Away To: NYC (no one would find me! Ha ha!); London; Santa Cruz; the Outer Banks; some warm island

5 Things I Would Never Wear:

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

5 Favorite TV Shows:
Friends
Ally McBeal
House
Good Eats
Extreme Home Makeover

5 Biggest Joys:
Isak
Anja
B
Walking out of the house into the fresh air in the morning
Taking pictures

5 Favorite Toys:
Camera
Laptop
iPod
iPaq
Wacom Tablet

5 People I Tag To Do This (if you haven’t already):
Niki; Slyvia; Helen; Michelle; Jenny

On one of the messageboards I am on, someone posted a great list of questions to ask your kids about you. This came from a magazine, Simple Scrapbooks, and I hope to eventually put this onto a page for each of their scrapbooks.

Isak’s answers:

1. Something I always says to you? “‘No bad words!’”

2. What makes me happy? “When I snuggle with you.”

3. What makes me sad? “When I don’t listen to what you say.”

4. How do I make you laugh? “Tickle me.”

5. What was I like as a child? “Playing.”

6. How old am I? “19.” (better than Anja’s 16!)

7. How tall am I? “100 inches tall!”

8. What is my favorite thing to do? “Play with me.”

9. What do I do when you are at School? “Go to work.”

10. What would I be famous for? (What am I REALLY good at?) “Building Lincoln Log houses!”

11. What am I not very good at? “Building Lego things.”

12. What do I do for my job? “Work so you get money. Be good and listen.”

13. What is my favorite food? “Taco soup.”

14. What makes you proud of me? “To help me.”

15. If I was a cartoon character, who would I be? “Someone on Spongebob Squarepants!”

16. What do you and I do together? “Snuggle.”

17. How are you and I the same? “Because we tickle each other.”

18. How are you and I different? “Cause when I play games, you don’t.”

19. How do you know I love you? “Because you have a heart and you like me when I do good things.”

20. How long have Mom & Dad known each other? “30 weeks.” (this was actually very close to Anja’s answer! And I asked them each when the other wasn’t around, so I know his answers weren’t affected by hers.)

Anja’s answers:

1. Something I always says to you? “‘No!’”

2. What makes me happy? “Cleaning.”

3. What makes me sad? “Not cleaning up our bedroom.”

4. How do I make you laugh? “Tickle!”

5. What was I like as a child? “A little tiny cute baby.”

6. How old am I? “16.”

7. How tall am I? Anja got up from her chair, walked silently to my chair and patted the top of my head. Ha! Smart cookie.

8. What is my favorite thing to do? “Cook a snack.”

9. What do I do when you are at School? “Go to work on the computer at work.”

10. What would I be famous for? (What am I REALLY good at?) “Drawing.” (I cannot draw to save my life)

11. What am I not very good at? *thinking* “Petting the kitty when you’re on the computer.”

12. What do I do for my job? “On the computer and say ‘Hello!’. And when we come, kiss and hug us.”

13. What is my favorite food? “Dinner.”

14. What makes you proud of me? “When you clean up all the house.”

15. If I was a cartoon character, who would I be? “A girl in a costume. A little puppet.”

16. What do you and I do together? “Clean up the house.” (Silence as I’m writing, then she pipes up and says, “Isn’t that smart, Mamma?!”

17. How are you and I the same? “In the whole dress. In the same dress, I mean.”

18. How are you and I different? “Not wearing the same clothes.” (I’m confused)

19. How do you know I love you? “Hug and a kiss for bed.”

20. How long have Mom & Dad known each other? “6 months.”