Well, this is it. Entry #101! And it's going to be completely "Readers' Choice." I made posts here, on Facebook, and on Twitter asking "What would YOU like my next Blog entry to be about?" and a few people actually bothered to respond.
The deal was, if someone wrote me a suggestion, I had to write about it. So, here we go! Reader suggestions in the order I received them:
"THE UNIQUE AND ENIGMATIC MYSTERY THAT IS MR. MOORE!"
He was, of course, referring to this man:
Indeed. Who is Bryan Moore? It's a mystery! I will say this about him: He was the first person to ever refer to me as a "badass.""Have you ever thought about listing some near-future goals/seasonal plans?"
Personally, I think "seasonal plans" are something reserved for the rich. So I have none. As for near-future goals... I'm just trying to get by. Survive. Not a very exciting answer, but it's an honest one.
"Wow, everyone's looking In Japan's direction. Now we can do all those unpopular things, we've planned and no-one will notice." A topic I would like to read about, but one that probably needs loads of research. An amount that would prevent from writing about it. So I actually wouldn't expect you to write about it, either. Especially without being paid for it. :)
This suggestion came to me from a reader in Austria. I'm not really sure what kind of mischief the Austrians would like to get up to while everyone's focus is elsewhere; but I hear revolutions are very en vogue right now.
"Some of the high points in your life, achievements, good memories, fun times such as winning the name that tune contest, beating the mechanical bull, black belt test etc."
This suggestion obviously came from someone who actually knows me. Yeah... I did those things.
I went to a Spazmatics concert with some pals and ended up as a contestant on a "game show" at Universal Studios/City Walk in which I had to listen to about 3 seconds of an 80s song and identify it by title and artist. For the entire time, it was pretty much no contest, but they they pulled out a surprise guest or whatever from the audience and she was really good. It was a close race toward the end there, but I ended up being the grand champion. I won tickets to an 1980s reunion concert (ABC, Naked Eyes, Belinda Carlisle, and The Human League played) as well as a bunch of other stuff (like The Veronicas t-shirt that I was wearing in the Potatoes entry I made). "She Drives Me Crazy" by Fine Young Cannibals is the final song that I identified to win.
And, yes, I beat a mechanical bull one time...
(Yes, one of these)I won a t-shirt that says "I Love Cowboys."
And, yes, I have a second-degree black belt.
I'm not sure what else this reader wanted me to mention as an "etc." so I'm just going to move on...
"If you don't want your blog entry to be self focused you can dedicate it to people who did/meant a lot to you who are no longer here."
This is a bit too hard to write. A lot of people I knew and loved have died in a very short amount of time. I've actually been missing them a lot lately, so I'm afraid I'm going to have to "cop out" and skip this one. I'm afraid if I write it I might not be able to a.) get through it or, b.) write the rest of the entry.
"How to escape abusive/destructive relationships."
When I was in my Senior year of high school, I had a boyfriend that would physically abuse me every time I saw him. He would slap me, punch me, tear off my fingernails... The "relationship" only lasted just under 4 months and ended when he attempted to rape and murder me. I knocked him out (my martial arts lessons finally kicked in and overruled my low self-esteem) and got a restraining order. He still tried to call me "anonymously" (usually on the full moon...since he thought he was a werewolf--yes, I know that's really lame) and would sometimes stake out my parents' house. It took a while before he was really gone.
Right after I graduated, I ended up with a boyfriend who was very emotionally abusive. That "relationship" lasted a couple years. It was awful. I'd go so far as to say it was much worse than being physically abused.
If you're in an abusive relationship, it can be very, very, hard to get back out. And, if you're in an abusive relationship in the first place, then you probably have Depression and/or low self-esteem (I know I did anyway). I can't speak or give advice for everyone, but I would say that having a good "support system" (friends, family, whatever) is important... But even more important is knowing that you aren't the worthless piece of crap you think you are and that you actually don't deserve to be treated so badly. It took me a while to figure that out. Better late than never. I'm in a wonderful, healthy, relationship with my very best friend now. All's well that end's well.Also, if you're in an abusive relationship (or if you're just Depressed or lonely or confused), try calling 1-800-273-TALK
"Use a random topic generator!"
When I went to a Random Blog Topic Generator, I got the subject "Western Music." I'm not really sure what to say about that topic other than I once had a song called "Western Movies" by The Olympics stuck in my head non-stop for just over a month when I was in sixth grade. It drove everyone nuts. It drove ME nuts!! Most of the time it was in my head! Sure, it would burst out of my mouth sometimes too ("Toooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo save my soul, I can't get a date...")--which is why it bugged my friends and family--but imagine what it was like for me! I had to listen to it in my head ALL THE TIME!!! I'm not really sure why that happened. Also during my sixth grade year, I had the song "Return to Sender" by Elvis stuck in my head for about two weeks. I don't know what the heck was up with my brain in 1997 that that happened, but I'm glad that I haven't had a song stuck in my head for that long since then.
"Write about some of your favorite toys growing up."
My favourite toy was my stuffed dog, Muttsey:
His official name is actually "Muttsy" but I added an "e" to it.This stuffed dog made by Gund was Hobbes to my Calvin. I carried him everywhere. Only my Muttsey (who's currently at my parents' house) didn't look like the one pictured above. Well, he looked like that the day I got him... But only a day or so afterward, I threw up on him, and he was put in the wash. He came out with curly hair and was never the same since.
My other favourite toys were:
Mighty Max. Best thing ever. No, I never saw the show. I didn't really watch much TV as a kid. I didn't really care what the toys were connected with, I just cared that they were awesome toys.I was also an avid collector of Littlest Pet Shop toys. Not the crappy ones they have these days. The original ones. Here. I'll show you the difference:
NEW Littlest Pet Shop dog:
OLD Littlest Pet Shop dog:
See??There's a pretty good "vintage" LPS guide on this website. I had ALL of those toys. I was a member of the Official Club, I got all the mail-away toys... I pretty much spent any money I earned on LPS toys.
I also had all of the Batman the Animated Series toys. Except for Ra's al Ghul. He's the only one I'm missing in my collection. At the time, he was everywhere and I figured that I could put off getting him until I got the harder-to-find characters. By the time I had everyone else, Ra's was no longer available. I see him in comic book stores from time to time, but I'd rather spend my money on food for myself/Ramiro/our cats than completing my collection.
I do, however, have this:
If you know what that is, then you're probably very jealous of me right now. I got it at House of Secrets when it was brand new.I also played with Barbies, G.I. Joes, the dollhouse my grandparents made for me, and a bunch of other stuff.
I liked toys.
"I don't know of anything specific to ask you to write about except your accomplishments thus far and your plans for the future."
I'm not really sure what I should talk about so far as "accomplishments" go other than "I've made it this far..."
As for "future plans," as I stated in response to a similar suggestion: I don't really have any. As of late I've been going day-to-day (or week-to-week if I'm super lucky). Making plans for the future any further than that seems like something for someone with a Saving's Account.
"I like random trivia. Like butter isn't naturally yellow. You could write some random facts."
My original blog, back when I was in high school, was almost nothing but random trivia. Every entry ended with a "Useless Fact." Here are some of those old facts from my super-duper old Blog:
- Joseph C. Gayety of New York City invented disposable toilet paper in 1857
- Kissing signals our brains to produce oxytocin, a hormone that gives us that good-all-over feeling we experience when kissing. It is also known that biology causes one kiss to prompt another. When we kiss, the insides of our mouths and edges of our lips produce a chemical that shouts for more
- Richard Gere composed and played his very own piano piece in the movie Pretty Woman. Bonus--he also did his own tap dancing in Chicago.
- Jason of the FRIDAY THE 13TH series of slasher flicks didn't get his hockey mask until the third movie.
- In the lyrics for Prince's "Alphabet Street," the chick singing back up says "a b c d e f h i love you." Forget the letter "g," Dearie?
- The first New York Toy Fair was in 1903.
- Jefferson's picture is on the $2 bill.
- Guinea pigs can see some colours but rats and hamsters are colourblind.
- The word "Ouija" is a combination of the French word for "yes" (oui) and the German word for "yes" (ja).
"Write about health."
I write about my own health all the time. Long-time readers of this Blog have heard me talk about my food allergies, Hypoglycemia, Costochondritis, and numerous other problems. I've also talked about Bi-Polar Disorder to some degree as well as Depression and the importance of brushing your teeth.
"Write about your history with computers."
I remember a time when computers had green screens. I've even seen a couple of amber-screened computers. I used to know how to use DOS. I used to be pretty good with computers when I was younger. I'm "okay" now, but just okay.
Fun fact: I once broke my parents' computer because I wanted to play The Secret of Monkey Island so badly. Their brand new computer wouldn't play my old Monkey Island disc. I "fixed" that by switching the computer into DOS mode. I was able to play my game, but it completely ruined the computer. The repair man later told us that the last thing that showed up on the computer before it died completely was "Your game has been saved."
"What's the best advice you've ever been given?"
When I was in 8th grade, a homeless man told me something that has stuck with me ever since: "Skidrow's not a place, it's a feeling."
Basically, you could be living in a mansion in Bel-Air (with your auntie and uncle...), but if you're Depressed then that place could be "skidrow" to you.
Your state of mind is everything.
Thanks for reading, Everyone! And special thanks to everyone who took the time to make suggestions for my 101st entry!
See you next Monday!
--Lauren*
http://littlezotz.webs.com
Photo credit goes to whoever took the photos.
