Best when viewed in 1024x768 under the light of a full moon in Borneo

dwivian@yahoo.com — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 05:33:46 GMT

quiet moose....

Dreamwidth...

dwivian@yahoo.com — Fri, 08 May 2009 18:05:44 GMT

Playing on DreamWidth, too....

Yah, I don't post much anywhere, but I do keep reading.... :)

wondering.....

dwivian@yahoo.com — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 13:46:16 GMT

Does anyone read me over here anymore?

synergy

dwivian@yahoo.com — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 01:29:42 GMT

clearly, the universe and I are not in alignment.

desires.....

dwivian@yahoo.com — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 03:41:45 GMT

I know what I want...

...but, not sure if I am wanted. Or, if the world will conspire to thwart opportunities, or if it will create them.

Hard to say.

ewwbu

dwivian@yahoo.com — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 03:44:00 GMT

What's good?

dwivian@yahoo.com — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 16:02:17 GMT

well.... LJ is down... should I start back on the BoD?

ow, brain, stop that or I'll hit you with a Q-tip...

dwivian@yahoo.com — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 04:38:23 GMT

I need to define some things that are vague and squirmy. I want to clarify my relationship to the universe, my friends, those I love... If I could make some sense of what I want and where I want to be, it would help, but part of what I want is to curl up and evade reality, so....

How do you see me? What do you want from me? Where should I go, and why?

Is there chocolate?

The Book of Dwiv

dwivian@yahoo.com — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 15:56:07 GMT

Remember, you can ask any questions you like as we go.

The next round of the Book of Dwiv: T&A or M&T?

2.2 The Mental State -- Methods and Techniques

2.2 Methods and Techniques

2.2.0 Overview -- The basis of Veritas

Truth is my friend. In the past I have been accused of lying excessively, to the point that I had to take special pains to avoid any appearance of impropriety (I used to tell stories for fun, in the style of Jerry Clower, and take on roles to act differently just to see how people react to a different accent, different manner, etc). Now, I have very distinct areas in which I pretend and play, and in which I interact with others. I hate that I had to learn this by having my universe shredded, but that's how it goes. People don't like having THEIR worldview impacted by someone that isn't rooted in reality, I guess. This can be a problem as I also have a quite wide and varied sent of experiences that need no embellishment at all. I even go so far as to seek out the unusual, because I like talking about the world and how I've seen it. I've been ennobled. I've flown in a fighter jet. I've ridden in a refueling tanker. I've driven in Ireland, and been stared down by a sheep. I've performed music for 100,000 people. I've taken weird road trips, hiked in the mountains, stood on the sea, raced a car, fired automatic weapons, eaten alligator, danced with a duchess, carried a sidearm in London, had a private chef, and had my eyes scanned with a laser. I also scratched my nose a few minutes ago, but it is not nearly as interesting.

With all this happening, it is easy to see why some people might doubt it. Even if I take pictures a lot now just to document my stories for later. There is no value to me, anymore, of mangled reality, of misremembered moments and confused histories. I need to be sure, exactly, where the world ends, so if I want to play and act and take on being Willy Wonka or Hector Barbossa for a while, that I can be clearly in the right mental space.

As a result, I value clear and reasoned truth highly, and will switch sides mid-stream in an argument if I find myself surrounded by even the smallest number of lies. This makes debate kind of difficult, as people have no idea how to handle "you are right." It became such an issue that I had to learn to move past points I'd shifted on, for the sake of communication. Unfortunately this lead to accusations of pedantic arguing over small points which, in fact, was what I was doing, but only because people can't accept a swift conversion experience in others. Apparently people can't shift their view as quickly as I do, but I figure, why spend a lot of time adjusting? If what I learned was wrong, it can be discarded, and I'll fix any collateral damage on an ad-hoc basis.

I do clarify experiential data as non-authoritative, and can spend far too long going back and forth over what is personal truth versus independent or corporate truths, but that's normal. I think. Either way, if I find that I've been deceived, I will work to change. Even if the deceiver is myself.

2.2.1 Methods

So, how does my brain work, then? Somewhat outside my understanding. I memorize strange things (there are 12 steps per landing, 10 stairs and 2 to turn around, in the emergency exits of my building, and it takes 997 steps to get to my regular parking place, normally) but not so much with the USEFUL knowledge. But, I have long ago learned that keeping references handy can get me out of most jams. Alas, it is not easy to hold a conversation AND the OED. So, what to do?

I love communication over distance, by mail, email, USENET, forums, chat facilities, etc. It gives me time to collect my thoughts, to discard the first phrases I want to dash out, and sufficient opportunity to review my facts so I am truthful wherever possible. I also can keep that OED, Britannica, Google and Wiki, and a serious library of books strewn around the house handy, just in case I need something. I can get quite strident in discussions online when I know my facts, and can challenge others on subjective or unscientific thought. I can even do this in theology, as there is even a method to understanding that which is almost purely a personal and subjective field.

The trick, though, is time. Time to make the information gel in my head. Time to ponder it, to classify it, and to notice new connections others have missed, so I can figure out why. And, most importantly, time to re-read my sources, both to quote them, and to make sure I'm not misrepresenting them.

2.2.2 Techniques

It is not possible to be an subject matter expert on EVERYTHING, no matter how much I try, or even worse, seem to be. But, that hasn't changed my approach to the world. I am a strong believer in constructivist learning practices, so I will attempt whatever it is I want to learn, whenever possible. I want to learn to weld. I want to program in Python. I want to try drifting. I want to understand all the proper uses for a santoku. I want to touch the heart of a child, the sky, the firmament, and the stars. This is why I seek out new experiences more than repeating the same old things. I could go to Six Flags once a decade and be okay. I visit my local museum when a new exhibit arrives. I watch clouds roll across the sky, noting what is different about THIS storm.

If learning requires doing the same thing over and over, I get annoyed and fidget. I can do higher order calculus, but I can't add. I can write a thesis, but it took forever to figure out gerunds. Don't get me started on interobangs. My first Ezra Pound couplet was a masterpiece. My twentieth, however, didn't even stick to the format and got an F.

If I can keep things new and interesting, I can add to my base of knowledge, and thus minimize my need for reference materials. I come at learning like a little kid. I've been told this will keep me from ever gaining the depth that would make me seem less shallow.

I'm not sure this is a problem.

The Book of Dwiv: Introduction 0.
The Book of Dwiv: Physical 1.0-1.1.3 The Tangible
The Book of Dwiv: Physical 1.1.4-1.1.X More Weirdness
The Book of Dwiv: Physical State 1.2-1.2.2 Overview, Head and Neck
The Book of Dwiv: Physical State 1.2.3-1.2.8 Working Downwards
The Book of Dwiv: Physical State 1.2.9 [Filtered]
The Book of Dwiv: Physical State 1.2.10-1.2.11 Kneeling
The Book of Dwiv: Physical State 1.2.12-1.2.13 Inside Outside in
The Book of Dwiv: Mental State 2.0-2.1.5 Measurements

The Book of Dwiv

dwivian@yahoo.com — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 17:23:31 GMT

The next round of the Book of Dwiv: He's getting Mental

2.0-2.1.5 The Mental State -- Measurements

2. This section is about my mind, and how it works. Some perceptions will be discussed, but motive and emotive concepts will fall in a different place.

2.0 Overview

Genius. It's an ugly word. It ranks right up there with Potential.

2.1 Evaluations

Tests are easy. I have taken TONS of them. I despise multiple-guess, since they can easily misread the subject and provide a score that bears limited resemblence to actual awareness. A result of this discovery is my refusal to use that testing method in my classes. It's all short answer and essay question format. I'm evil, but I know what my students have absorbed.

2.1.1 The standard IQ test.

2.1.1.1 Scores

140 in 1983, 165 in 1986, 175 in 1988, 190 in 1990, and 205 in 1991.

2.1.1.2 Belief this is an acurate measure of IQ

None.

2.1.1.3 Belief that the subject has learned the IQ testing method instead of the material

Complete.

2.1.1.4 Conclusions

Any IQ test purporting to measure above two standard deviations away from the mean is either too broad (having questions from very easy to very hard, necessitating either a long testing time [introducting exhaustion] or an insufficient number of questions [inadequate in the time provided]), or too focused (having very few very easy and very hard questions, and thus providing inadequate measurement points for the outlying participant). Yes, I developed a serious distrust of the methodology.

2.1.2 Other IQ tests

2.1.2.1 The great experiment

It was a rather interesting psych test. I got to do LOTS of IQ tests, in an effort to discover if cultural bias has a serious impact on results (ans: it does). I took the WAIS, Stanford-Binet, Meers, Cattel, Pearsons, RPM, Gresham, and others. The best thing I could have ever learned came from these exams, in that the subject material finally impressed on me that sometimes you just can't guess. I scored across a rather wide range, depending on how culturally removed I was from the exam.

2.1.2.2 Eurocentric models

Anything with an american or european trend put me above 100. Even those that were biased towards females instead of males weren't too bad. I did discover that I am fairly in touch with my traditionally-feminine side, since my scores were pretty close, unlike others in the group. I was told that might start up a different set of studies, to determine what underlying philosophies could be influencing the deviations from mean scores.

2.1.2.2 Afrocentric models

The tests based in Arabia and African awareness put me pretty strongly between 95 and 120. I did very well on the one dedicated to students with a muslim background (145) , but I base that on similarities in cultures that devolve from monthesistic traditions. Even so, I was completely bashed by the Israeli exam (85), but I can't say how much that was the culture of living in a war zone versus Sephardic backgrounds.

2.1.2.3 Culturally privileged versus aboriginal culture models

Any test where opportunities for advancement were based in modern knowledge was easy. If a requirement of understanding the meanings of day-to-day rural activities existed, my scores fell. My favorite test was an assay of survival skills of the Australian Aboriginals. I scored either 55 or 65 (I can't remember, honestly), after having no idea whatsoever which roots were good for food and which for water, and which shouldn't be attempted for digestion at all. It was an amazingly stark slap in the face to someone that has been told how smart they are.

And, I think I needed that.

2.1.3 The Standard SAT exam (pre 1601+ scores)

I took the SAT quite a few times. I think it was either 12 or 14. Why? Because every time I took it, the average student score at my high school went up (they weren't normalizing for a student taking it more than twice a year at that point). My school paid for it, as far as I know. I was just shuttled off to the auditorium to spend four or six hours in taking the fool thing. If we all finished a section, we'd elect to go on to take less time. My aggregate best score was 1590, or almost perfect. The literary portion kicked me when I was down, I think.

My best individual score was 1470, as I recall, because I really only focused on one section when I was taking it. Apparently now you can take just a single section if you want. That's weird to me, but it was what I was doing, after a fashion, back in the early 1980s.

The benefit was access to tons of scholarship money. The negative was a continued belief that I was some kind of mental giant, and people owed ME something for it. Turns out nobody pays up on those kinds of debts, especially if you work to void them by having no good sense....

2.1.4 Common Sense

And, that leads me to the complete lack of common sense I have. I don't see the world in the 'common' way, so there is no way to have rules and patterns develop that are 'common' to the culture. I have to make a point of LEARNING what most people seem to figure out inherently, probably by observation. I like to think I'm very observant, but what I really am is a good recorder of discrete facts. I don't make sense of the patterns within in the same way others do. And, so, I can't be send to have good sense about anything other than book smarts.

As a comedian once put it, I am "educated beyond my intelligence."

I've taken tests of common knowledge, and I get an average score. I take tests of 'what would you do if' and I get answers that make other people cringe, frown, or flee in horror.

2.1.5 Tact

I put tact here, instead of under common sense, because it is possible to learn rules for tactful behaviour. Alas, while it is possible, I don't do it very well. And, as a result, in the eyes of others, I fall very short. I have done exams on polite responses, and if I've learned the RULE, I do okay. If I haven't, I often put down or roleplay answers that cause me to repeat sections. In my finishing school, it took me four tries to get through the segment on small-talk with a lady.

As you can imagine, the advent of semi-anonymous posting on the Internet forums (Usenet, for the older among you), didn't do a lot for my learning tact, either.

The Book of Dwiv: Introduction 0.
The Book of Dwiv: Physical 1.0-1.1.3 The Tangible
The Book of Dwiv: Physical 1.1.4-1.1.X More Weirdness
The Book of Dwiv: Physical State 1.2-1.2.2 Overview, Head and Neck
The Book of Dwiv: Physical State 1.2.3-1.2.8 Working Downwards
The Book of Dwiv: Physical State 1.2.9 [Filtered]
The Book of Dwiv: Physical State 1.2.10-1.2.11 Kneeling
The Book of Dwiv: Physical State 1.2.12-1.2.13 Inside Outside in

The Book of Dwiv

dwivian@yahoo.com — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 18:59:20 GMT

The next round of the Book of Dwiv.....

1.2.12 The Physical State -- Inside outside in

1.2.12 From the Middle

So, about my middle is either my diaphragm, or my heart, depending on your point of view. Both are muscles, and work okay so far. I used to play trombone and did so for several years, so I can breath pretty well. I'm out of practice, though, and need to do more exercise to get my lung capacity back up. My blood pressure is on the low to average side, so I seem to be efficient in getting blood around.

Speaking of lungs -- no asthma (well, not like my wife and son have), and no tar buildup from smoking. While I did enjoy a pipe for a couple of months, I gave it up after a very short while. I can still taste the bitter draw now that I'm thinking about it. Weird. I used to be able to hold a note for 30+ seconds. I tried it again and only got 20, and it was a weak tone at best. I used to sing more, and I miss it. I'm hoping my increased exercise levels will encourage better and deeper breathing as a byproduct.

My stomach is happy with most good foods, but I am developing a bit of an issue with too much dairy. A bit of cheese or ice cream is okay, but a cheese pizza from Papa John's that is dipped in melted garlic butter can make things a little rocky for a couple of hours afterwards. Moderation is a good thing. That doesn't mean I skip the cheese course at The Melting Pot (local fondue place), but that I make sure I get plenty of veggies and bread to go with everything. Wines stay down, but cheap tequila doesn't.

The doctor says my throat and intestines are good. I've even had someone drive a camera just to check. Good to know. While I like my beer, wine, and whiskey, my liver hasn't threated me with legal action yet. My pancreas has been the model citizen, and I've not heard from my appendix at all. My upper espohagus and interior nasal cavities are the models of good health, though I did have my nose cauterized to avoid bleeding. The side effect of that bit of fun is that I can't detect some smells, while others are more powerful. I love rose and peppermint, but can't figure out milk has gone bad. It's something to work around.

My eustachian tubes are constantly conduits of fluid, making my head crackle every time I yawn. Yawning is good, though, even if I sound like a grizzly bear. Stretches at the same time will make my shoulder blades slide over an underlying tendon in a snappy-sounding way.

I've had ONE kidney stone, and it is thought it arose because of a diet problem. I can't even remember what the change was, but I don't seem to be having any more, so I'll keep on enjoying life as I've learned it. Lately I've had no UTI or bladder issues, either, so that's a positive. I've got a gap in my vas deferens, on purpose. No hernias of which I'm aware.

1.2.13 From the Outside

I'm caucasian, so I have a pale skin tone, though it tends to have yellow tinges were I'd prefer brown or pink. Beats being blue, I guess. My fingernails have a while band from side to side when I stretch my fingers out. My hair reaches down to the middle of my shoulders now and in a year may be back to the small of my back again. I wash it with water daily, and soap twice a week if it needs it. I prefer to get dirt loose with the water, so I can brush the oils out to protect it from breaking. It's a tad on the thick side, where it exists. I don't have much of a beard or chest hair, but I can grow quite a bit elsewhere.

I've got sensitive skin on the top half. The bottom is sensitive, where it can be, but the principle sensation is pain. So, tickle my feet and I feel like you're dragging glass shards across them. I get better feeling from full contact, so I like to twine my legs around things and people, and will regularly press my sole into the knee next to it making a figure four with my legs, just to feel the difference. With the heat I give off, I tend to cover up with a layer of cotton to wick away any sweat, and I don't like being under too heavy a blanket as it is too constricting.

The Book of Dwiv: Introduction 0.
The Book of Dwiv: Physical 1.0-1.1.3 The Tangible
The Book of Dwiv: Physical 1.1.4-1.1.X More Weirdness
The Book of Dwiv: Physical State 1.2-1.2.2 Overview, Head and Neck
The Book of Dwiv: Physical State 1.2.3-1.2.8 Working Downwards
The Book of Dwiv: Physical State 1.2.9 [Filtered]
The Book of Dwiv: Physical State 1.2.10-1.2.11 Kneeling

The Book of Dwiv

dwivian@yahoo.com — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 20:38:24 GMT

The next round of the Book of Dwiv: knees and toes, knees and toes....

1.2.10 The Physical State -- Kneeling and onward

1.2.10 Thighs and Knees

I have good thighs. Always have. Years of bike riding and marching band will do that for ya. I need to get back into shape, so I'm riding my bike more, up and down hills. Mostly down, as up seems to be kicking my butt right now. But, as I do it more and more, I'll get better, and my legs will improve. Hopefully it'll do something for my waistline, too.

My knees, on the other hand.... they don't like biking at ALL. I have a stationary bike I use for building strength, and I go through a set of Shangong and Qigong exercises to help with overall warmup and knee protection before getting on either bike. It makes it take longer to get going, but I prefer to warm up the right way now that I'm a master of downhill but not uphill.

The problem with my knee is a floating meniscus. It's the little pad of gristle in the knee that keeps the bones from bumping. In my knee it isn't attached like it should be. Well, one isn't. The inside ones on each knee are fine. The outside ones are the moveables. And, I can get surgery (can't be done arthroscopically, ugh) to fix it, if I want to be in a wheelchair for six months. Hell no. And, so, I deal. When I kneel they can slide over, making a really big noise. It also feels like a feather has been pulled backwards from the back of my knee to the front, in a rather queasy tickle. I can still stand, and everything still works, but my body is convinced it's about to fall down. Never have, though.

While my knees are bit bony, they aren't too ugly, and the only thing that makes me annoyed is they tend to have a dry-skin issue. I keep lotion at my desk just because of that. Hey, if I'm gonna show them off, they least they can do is be pretty!

1.2.11 Calves, Ankles, Feet

My calves are NOT that good. Marching didn't build them up all that much, and my desk job doesn't give me much opportunity to stretch them. So, I do extra exercises (tip-toes on stairs, for instance) to try to get the strength I want. And, some definition. I would look silly in heels, so this is the best method I have to get myself toned.

Caution is my watchword, though, as my ankles and I aren't on speaking terms. I think they are annoyed at all the attention my knees get. I get pops, groans, and occasional seizing. And, as with the other joints, I do rotations and range-of-motion drills to try to help out so I don't have an accident or injury that stops my other exercise efforts. I can take some joy in the fact that they aren't cankles.

Feet are ... well, either they are attractive, or they are just functional. Mine are more the latter. I do take the time to go in for pedicures regularly, as having someone else get the dead skin cleaned off is nice, and I do need some extra effort with the edges of my toenails that is far easier from the front that over an expanding stomach. I wear a size 8 mens shoe, which is comfy. I used to know my european measure, but, alas, it's not on anything I'm wearing right now. Ah, well.

The Book of Dwiv: Introduction 0.
The Book of Dwiv: Physical 1.0-1.1.3
The Book of Dwiv: Physical 1.1.4-1.1.X
The Book of Dwiv: Physical State 1.2-1.2.2
The Book of Dwiv: Physical State 1.2.3-1.2.8
The Book of Dwiv: Physical State 1.2.9 [Filtered]

Q&A....

dwivian@yahoo.com — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 20:23:31 GMT

Any requests for the BoD while I'm writing?

The Book of Dwiv

dwivian@yahoo.com — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 14:41:46 GMT

The next round of the Book of Dwiv: picking up with Shoulders....

1.2.3 The Physical State -- Working downwards

1.2.3 Shoulders

I think my shoulders are a bit broad. Seems to be a family trait. I'm also a bit slumped in the shoulders, unless I'm wearing the right cost or have some reason to hold my back up. This is, to a degree, because I'm clumsy and tend to watch the ground directly in front of me as I walk. So, head down, shoulders forward, and then I just run into crap at head-height instead of trip over things at foot level.

My shoulders are wide enough that I'm prone to carrying things up on them like kids, bags of potatoes, containers of cedar mulch, large boxes, etc. I don't seem to lose any balance, and in fact can carry quite the load of whatever that way. One of the games the kids play is to try to climb up daddy to get something he's put on his head. I have had both kids holding on and scrambling up after a webkinz animal at the same time, without too much trouble.

1.2.4 Chest

I used to like my chest a bit more, when I was still working out a bit. When I messed up my elbow I had to pull back from anything that would balance my pectoral stretches, and so I've gotten a little soft. Even so, it's not that far off from where it was, so I'm starting to get a little shape again. This is important to me, as I want my upper body to match my shoulders a bit more (to avoid such a lanky look, if I ever get my stomach back below a metric ton). This is about where my normal sensitivity ends, so I am aware of contact across my chest much more so than other places.

With a deep breath, I can stretch my chest to 48-50 inches around. It's a bit of a barrel. And, yes, that does make getting suit jackets a bit of a bother, as a 42-44 regular doesn't fit the rest of me, and a 46-48 is right out. I need better arms for this chest.

1.2.5 Arms

And, speaking of arms... Mine are 33/34 length, as measured for shirts. They are a little short for normal, so my coats are all "short". I don't have the arm strength or definition I'd like, partially because of a defect in where my ulner nerve is. If I work out like I want, I start to aggravate it until my fingers get annoyed and numb. I'm trying to take things slowly as I ramp back up from the last time I made the nerve slip from where it wants to be, in an effort to get it to stretch and move into a more proper alignment, but I may be out of luck. Surgery to fix the nerve will require six months to recover, and requires detaching and reattaching muscles in my arm. Not so interested, yet, but that may change.

I tend to carry things by doing a partial curl, hanging bags on my forearm up to six deep. Probably not so good for the elbow and nerve, either, now that I think about it.

Lots of freckles on my forearms, where my skin was exposed to years of marching band practices in amazingly hot sun. And, if I get lucky, I get a little color on the tops of my arms, but I've never gotten any real dark pigment on the undersides. Mostly, just a pasty white like much of the rest of me.

1.2.6 Wrists

My wrists are average sized, and the left one is often obscured by a silver celtic knot-work band. I never wear watches. The inside of my wrists are somewhat sensitive to contact, but less so to temperature. I was not so good at testing bottles for warmth, alas. Nothing an insta-read thermometer couldn't fix!

1.2.7 Hands

I have medium-sized hands. They are not long and slender, nor short and stubby. Functional, and very sensitive. I'm pretty picky about how I treat them, since typing is my livelihood. I can bang out about 120+ WPM at 95%+ accuracy, and I get my nails done by a professional to maintain appearance and to keep me from biting them as much (bad habit). One hand has an old scar caused by getting the skin caught in a door, and rather than open the door to get my hand out, I just pulled myself away. Yeah, smart. My ring fingers have longer tendons than the rest, so they are looser and bug me a little when I relax. I am not double jointed in any way.

1.2.8 Waist-Stomach-Back

I'm getting bigger than I would like to be. Used to be my waist was about 34 inches around. I'd be happy with 38. I'm 39 on a good day at my kilt line, and 44 inches around at the fullest part. I'm beginning to get annoyed that looking down at my shoes involves bending forward a little bit. I know there are many worse than me, but that doesn't lessen my irritation with about 30 pounds that needs to go away. I just hope this is the place it wants to leave first. Yes, I've considered getting liposuction to make it leave faster. But....

A lower-back injury years ago has left me with an odd way to deal with the world. From about the fullest of my stomach and up, I have normal/heightened sensitivity. From there down, I have about 1/3 or so sensitivity. I've had the wartenburg wheel tests, and the needle pokey thing tests, and it seems to be permanent. There are special cases when I feel more, but it is related to an overall increase in sensation like during a migraine headache. As such, tearing my skin away from the fat and hoping the nerves reconnect makes me a bit worried. I don't need to increase my region of 'meh' anymore than necessary, so it may be a bit longer before my vanity takes over and the spare tire gets sucked into a drain.

The Book of Dwiv: Introduction 0.
The Book of Dwiv: Physical 1.0-1.1.3
The Book of Dwiv: Physical 1.1.4-1.1.X
The Book of Dwiv: Physical State 1.2-1.2.2

The Book Of Dwiv

dwivian@yahoo.com — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 17:46:22 GMT

Note: The "where we've been" links will appear at the bottom from here on out, so things will seem a little out of order, but that's okay. The current stuff is up top.

1.2 The Physical State

So, how am I now? I guess that my userpic isn't sufficient to give you an idea of my appearance, and even if it were, I change a little every day. So, we go with information current as of the 26th of June, 2008, and hopefully those bits I'm dissatisfied with will change in my favor as we go forward. After a brief statistical overview, we'll start at the top and work down one group at a time. Hope that's okay, as I doubt anyone really wanted to know about my feet too quickly in this exploration, but you can ask about whatever you want as we go.

1.2.0 Overview (height, weight, dimensions)

I can't do the 36-24-36 thing that women can, because there is no nice standard "this is me" sizing thing for guys. I can give you metrics of me, though, and you can make the best of it. Try not to be too disappointed that my Y chromosome has broken the system for us all....

I am 40 years old, and 5'8". Well, not quite. I used to say this because, for a long while, the average height of an American male was 173cm, and I was happy to claim to be average. Of course I'm actually 5'7.n", where the decimal varies from day to day. I think it is fair to round my height up to 8, but I'm not really that tall. I'm also not average anymore, as we keep growing here in the states. Average height is now 178cm, which leaves me two inches shy of the going rate for altitude. Whee.

I weigh, as of today, 203 lbs. This is (according to my doctor), about 70lbs overweight for my size. I think he's using old charts, honestly. Even so, I'm easily about 30-50 lbs too heavy, and have undertaken an exercise program that should, eventually, drop some of my fat into muscle and stabilize me in the right range of about 170. That's my hope. Now, if I can just find a stationary bike seat that doesn't make my ass go numb!

Other measurements are simple -- I wear a large (or extra-large, depending on Old Navy's latest attempts to annoy me) t-shirt. My preference for dress shirts says I'm a 16.5-33/34. My kilt size is 39M(21.5 or 23), on my hip bones, but I expect I might drop to a 38 or even a 37 when my fat drips away a bit. I'm not happy about that as I have a lot of kilts to replace if it happens! That's the cost of slimming down, I guess. I wear a 8.5M shoe, but have found that 8 and 9 can be good depending on the style. My ring size is an 8. My glasses are 44/18s. My hat is a 7 5/8 long oval.

Is there anything else you want to know the size of?

1.2.1 Head

So, all about me, working from the top down. My head is comprised of a large bony mass within which I keep space for a brain I hope to own someday. I keep it warm with long dark brown hair. I just measured one strand, and it's 22". I tend to wear it pulled into a tail because I don't like it falling in my face when I lean over, and I tend to be leaning over a lot these days. I take it down to sleep, though.

My forehead is rather big, with widow's peaks that make it look like I'm rapidly losing my hair. I am probably losing some, but having everything pulled back masks where my old waves used to sit, which made my hair look fuller. No real loss so far, but I'm still young.

My eyes are a steel blue. They turn a little darker if I'm annoyed or otherwise filled with passion for life, and lighter if I'm relaxed or otherwise just chilling. Apparently alcohol makes me more passionate than relaxed, as my eyes darken a bit when I'm enjoying good beer. Most of the time they are hidden behind glasses (expensive things because of my perscription), but I occasionally wear contacts. Not often, though. I'm nearsighted, with nasty astigmatism.

My ears are mildly sensitive, in that they aren't ticklish enough to make soft stroking really annoying, nor do they send off pain signals when someone approaches. So, touching is somewhat cool. Behind-the-ear scritches are more likely to make my scalp happy than my ears, but occasionally I get a bit of both when someone wants to play in my hair. I keep my ears clean (dried out using a q-tip after showers, etc) as I had a real issue with earaches when younger.

My nose is a bit pointy, but not huge. I have no hook to it, or pugish flat spots. I'm not sure what the ethnics mark of my nose is, as it isn't American Indian, English, or Semitic.... Some pictures say it's irish (which wouldn't be surprising), but those same pictures say that Irish men are some of the ugliest beings on earth. While I'm not drop-dead gorgeous, I haven't stopped a camera with my mug, either. The end and inside of my nose is somewhat sensitive, and I think this is behind my frustrations with swimming, etc. If a moustache hair or nose hair starts poking me, I'm likely to tear it out before I have time to go get scissors or other implements, as it freaks me out to have anything going on at that part of my nose.

I have prominent cheekbones. This is a sign of germanic or cherokee blood, as it doesn't fall under most of the rest of the groups in my gene pool. The irish have a softer face, in general, except for the noble families. And, since those left by way of France and Germany when this dude named Cromwell slaughtered anyone that might be a problem for the crown of England... well, obviously there is some problem with finding strict genetic sources.

I have soft lips, because I treat them regularly with Blistex to keep them from drying out. I have strong lip muscles, though, because I was a trombone player for about 12 years, and a trumpet player before that. You build up just a bit when you are the sound source for an instrument. My lips are a pale red, and often find themselves connected to a pint glass. Alas, that glass is more likely to have water in it lately, but I attribute that to my age.

I have a real problem growing a beard. If you've seen me, you know I have facial hair in the form of a handlebar moustache and goatee. Thing is, that's all I can grow. On the rest of my face I get a bit of fuzz and patches of something that might, one day, aspire to be facial hair. So far, though.... I've considered laser treatment to make all the weird hair go away. I'm still thinking about it.

1.2.2 Neck

Why does my neck get a section to itself? Hm... it does seperate my head from the rest of me, so that should count for something! It's kinda longish, not being one of those squished types you see in the wall of defensive linesmen playing professional football in America. I have a good adams apple, too, proving that I'm a guy in case I get a desire to wear ballgowns. It's also terribly sensitive, and I tend to have it covered with a high-collar shirt and tie, jacket collar, or soft scarf. I don't like anything touching my neck, in general.

That said -- if I'm actively having a migraine, the sensitivity of my neck changes, and it isn't as annoyed by contact. The REST of me isn't happy, though, and any light or sound is a pain. Not a great tradeoff, I'm afraid.

Oddly, certain people CAN get near my neck, and I've not figured out what makes them different from others. Alas, my elfwife is NOT in that list, which annoys her a times. I'm trying to get used to her nuzzling at me, so that I don't flinch and want to punch her, but after a decade I've only gotten a little bit down that path to tolerance. Still working on it, though.

The Book of Dwiv: Introduction 0.
The Book of Dwiv: Physical 1.0-1.1.3
The Book of Dwiv: Physical 1.1.4-1.1.X

The Book Of Dwiv

dwivian@yahoo.com — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 16:13:09 GMT

The Book of Dwiv: Introduction 0.
The Book of Dwiv: Physical 1.0-1.1.3
The Book of Dwiv: Physical 1.1.4-1.1.X

UPDATE: Added section 1.1.6
The Book of Dwiv: Physical 1.1.6

1.1.6 Running Hot with Power

I forgot to add this in, and was reminded of it recently. I tend to run a little hot. That is, I have a normal temp of 99.5-100.5, depending on situations. I really have to get way high to have any reason to claim a fever. I also don't mind electricity as much as most people, and can hold live house wires while noticing the power is on. It takes a lot to physically shock me, and as such I have a fondness for playing with static devices, TENS units, etc. Apparently most people don't share my fascination with electricity, but that's their loss, I think.

I have wondered if those two things aren't related -- maybe my own neurology is resistant, making me need more power to operate, and thus I give off more heat as part of trying to power my own body? I don't know. I keep these two things together, though, so apparently I've convinced myself at some level!

Book....

dwivian@yahoo.com — Tue, 13 May 2008 16:00:23 GMT

No questions so far? I'm kinda surprised. I'm guessing it's a case of tl;dr, but I can't say.

The Book of Dwiv

dwivian@yahoo.com — Fri, 02 May 2008 20:06:16 GMT

The Book of Dwiv: Introduction 0.
The Book of Dwiv: Physical 1.0-1.1.3

Physical 1.1.4 - 1.1.X

1.1.4 Alcohol is not my friend

I have had a very weird relationship with alcohol. I think it is caused by an allergy to the stuff on my father's side, and a love it it on my mother's. As such, my body has always reacted strangely to drinking, making for quite an interesting life.

First -- I don't metabolize alcohol easily. I can drink grain alcohol and it'll take four or five hours per ounce to get through my system. At that speed I don't even get the benefit of a buzz. So, hard liquor "straight up" was boring. Beer, in sufficient quantities to be the social lubricant it can be, left me in the bathroom recycling. So, I tend to drink mixed drinks of various kinds. I'll explain that in a bit.

Second -- I will flash metabolize most anything I eat if there is a good bit of sugar present. I can get lots of energy out of a little bit of sprinkled cane crystal because the rest of the stuff goes up in a blaze of glory. I get only a little crash, too, which makes it kinda neat. I tend, as a result, to put syrup on sausage biscuits, and honey on french fries. Weird, maybe, but I see no need to spend hours getting fuel from food.

So.... give me a bit of alcohol with syrup, and I get toasty in a hurry. This is the main reason I prefer mixed drinks, or the Black Velvet (Guinness and hard cider half-and-half). The sweetness starts the chemistry going that makes me stoic or silly, depending on my mood. And, it lasts far less than for others, because of the rapid burn. I get blotchy, though, and my ears turn deep red when it starts. I also do a weird listing thing where I lean rapidly to my left or right and then sit up straight. It takes about a second, but if the world keeps going when I stop, I know the burn has started. Woo hoo!

One of my favorite drinks, as a result, is the top-shelf margarita (on the rocks, of course). Can't stomach cheap tequila because of a bad college experience. More on that, later, maybe.

1.1.5 Strange Knees and Rotated Legs

I have an interesting defect in my knees that makes life "fun". Note that I am completely aware of the proper use of scare quotes....

The lateral meniscus on both legs "floats". That is, it isn't anchored properly to the bone. Sometimes this means my knee wants to lock in position as the buffer between upper and lower leg slides over to the middle. More often it slides outwards, giving me a feeling like a feather being pulled backwards from inside my joint through the kneecap. I'm perfectly stable, but my body freaks and tries to refuse to allow me to put weight on the joint.

The repair is rather simple, but so far requires opening up both knees, drilling a hole in the tibia, inserting an anchor, and doing the attachment of the original or a replacement (synthetic) meniscus. Heal time is six months.

So, I'm waiting on arthroscopic surgery to catch up. Those baby-boomers like my parents are starting to need knee surgery, and I'm relying on advancements in medical science before I consider getting stuck in a wheelchair and therapy for half a year. If I'm lucky they'll figure out how to inject medical Gorilla Glue into the joint through a tiny cut, and I'll only be down for a few days at most. That's the plan. That's why I'm avoiding the surgery.

When I kneel (Whiskeypalian, so I do this quite a lot) there is a chance the pad will slide, causing a very noisy pop sound. At that point there is no protection in the joint, so it is hard for me to get up without help or a nearby rail. So, of course, I'm a sub-deacon and lay eucharistic minister and may be kneeling without anyone or anything handy. I've never spilled anything, though. Guess I've been lucky so far?

[ETA....]
1.1.6 Running Hot with Power

I forgot to add this in, and was reminded of it recently. I tend to run a little hot. That is, I have a normal temp of 99.5-100.5, depending on situations. I really have to get way high to have any reason to claim a fever. I also don't mind electricity as much as most people, and can hold live house wires while noticing the power is on. It takes a lot to physically shock me, and as such I have a fondness for playing with static devices, TENS units, etc. Apparently most people don't share my fascination with electricity, but that's their loss, I think.

I have wondered if those two things aren't related -- maybe my own neurology is resistant, making me need more power to operate, and thus I give off more heat as part of trying to power my own body? I don't know. I keep these two things together, though, so apparently I've convinced myself at some level!

1.1.X End

That's it for the really weird things. The rest of my distinctions are well within human norms. At least, I think they are.

The Book of Dwiv

dwivian@yahoo.com — Fri, 02 May 2008 19:07:32 GMT

The Book of Dwiv: 0. Introduction

1. Physical - 1.1.3

This group is all about me in the tangible sense. It'll probably have some philosophy, but all of that should be grounded in the physical form.

1.0 Overview

I tend to think of myself as average, and disinteresting. You'll come to understand that as I describe how I'm put together. Nothing is particularly exceptional, though people have said they like one or the other of my attributes. Nonetheless, I'm rather convinced of my quite middle-of-the-road, and not particularly interesting to look at, nature. Even so, I have some esoteric bits, and we'll start there in order to provide you a point of interest, and to keep you from bailing on me so early into this.

1.1 Weird Features

This would be the subsection of what might seem interesting. I won't list my problem with tanning, my tendency to bite my nails when stressed, or my knobby knees. This is for the TRULY odd.

1.1.0 Overview

So, what makes something weird? I treat this as a section on those aspects of me that I've not heard echoed back in others more than just occasionally.

1.1.1 Hear everything I see

Synesthesia is that wonderful trait that makes it possible for one to experience the same sensory input in different portions of the brain. The most common form is the inverse of my own, in that people see what they hear. They close their eyes and have visual cues arise out of the auditory experience. I think that'd be pretty cool.

Mine is more rare, but not the most uncommon. Everything I see has a sound (often a pattern), tonal quality, etc. Textures of light create textures of sound, and people have pitches and tunes. I tend to be more friendly to people with sounds I like, as there is no point in hanging out with someone that puts my teeth on edge with their music.

I used to compose the melody of some people, as they were haunting, or bouncy, or whatever, but I discovered that it provided little insight into the person, and was mainly just an exercise in how I perceived people.

I really like blue, and gem-tone blue is even better. Royal and electric are particularly nice. In contrast (bad pun!) I hate yellow. Apparently I am the anti-superman, as normal light really bothers me. Rich orange and red are nice, making sunrise and sunset worthwhile. I even watch for the green on the sun as it falls underneath the horizon. Green, in general, isn't that interesting, and anything pastel is muddy. Browns can be good, and black is a chord, though it varies for reasons I don't understand.

People tend to be in differing keys, with my favorite people being in F, A, and Bb. A good person wearing blue can make my brain stop.

It is for this reason that I often close my eyes when listening to things, to block out the visual interference with the experience. I also prefer to dance with my eyes closed, to avoid the light show that most clubs put on (and which, oddly, tend to use a lot of yellow light).

1.1.2 See things poorly

Alas, the rest of my visual experience is not nearly as interesting. My eyesight is horrid, nearly blind nearsighted. I was still rapidly degenerating when in college, where my visual acuity disqualified me for a career. I was training to be a key-turner (guy what starts the war, launching missiles), but my eyesight, coupled with arms limitation treaties and a decision to downsize the forces, lead to me being put aside just before I'd have sworn for duty.

My eyes are bad enough that I spend too much on glasses, and have to go through several pairs of contacts to find a set that is close enough to wear on costume duty. Regular glass lenses are 1.5 inches thick at the edge, so I have been a customer of Zeiss optics up until ultra high-index lenses got a decent refractive value. I get very small lenses, though, to avoid the owl-eye look, thus limiting my peripheral vision a little for vanity. Even with that limitation I can use the edges of the lens to do spectrographic analysis of light sources, as I have enough of a band of prismatic effect to see the light and dark bars!

I anticipate worse effects over time, as I have family with cataracts, and my mother experienced a detatched retina (causing me to go to the same hosptial for what I thought was a similar concern). I have had the back of my eye laser scanned, photographed, and blinded with the 80 diopter lens. I'm not eligible for LASIC because of how I heal. My only hope for decent eyesight is to have my lens replaced with a gel-cell -- something that just may happen if I do get cataracts.

That being said, I like my eyes. They're blue.

1.1.3 Smell things worse

I used to have really horrible nosebleeds. Like, gushing blood, chin dripping, throw out the towel kind of mess. So, when I found out they had a way to fix it, I stopped by my campus medical center and had a hot poker jammed up my nose.

Okay, so that's a bit of a lie. They put a cold bit of metal up there, and arc some electricity across it, and it cauterizes the vessels on the surface, driving new blood lines lower under the skin so they won't break as easily.

In theory.

Mine went OVER the scar twice, making for an even FASTER bleed out. Whee. So, THREE visits, and it finally took the way they wanted. Each zap made my eyes water, and I could briefly smell my flesh singe.

Alas, with each burn I lost a little of my sense of smell. And, as a side effect, taste. Oh, I still get sweet/sour/salt/bitter/soy but that's the bulk of my flavor combinations. I can detect rose, cocoa, citrus, burning, black tea, peppermint, and a few others. So, I don't enjoy my food like I used to. Now, I cook for texture, and mix things other people get kinda weird about.

Many of the foods I used to hate are now merely bland, which has improved my options for nutrition.

The Book of Dwiv

dwivian@yahoo.com — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 16:35:30 GMT

The Book of Dwiv

0. Introduction

So. Yeah.

This is the Book of Dwiv. Sort of a guide to who I am (at least, right now), and where I see myself in relation to the universe. Not that I define myself by the universe, but I do recognize that it had some small part in how I got to where I am now.

BWAHHAHAHAHA! Okay, so that's a lie. I'm human, like most of those that will be reading this, and as such I look for validation and defintion within the constraints of the contexts within which I live. I'm going to be as truthful as I can be in writing all of those contexts and constraints out, so that my answers are meaningful, but in the same breath I'm going to be just as delusional as everyone is that practices self-deception in order to survive a hostile world. If you see something like that, call me on it.

This book can be quite helpful in understanding me. It can also provoke odd questions, as I am, admittedly, in a very different space than the mainstream computer geek, which is even more seriously removed from statistical normal people. If you have such a question, feel free to ask. I'm not opposed to answering most things, but I do try to limit particularly sensitive data to those I trust, if nothing else as a matter of self-preservation.

In addition, you can't unread or unsee anything you come across, so I'll be filtering how this goes out to those that have opted in to pertinent parts of my life. Hopefully you understood what you were getting yourself into when you clicked that button or asked me that question.

Information has been divided up into major sections, subsections, and specifics. I'm trying to be organized, so I don't leave anything out. Pedantic, yes, but that's one of my more charming qualities. If you think a line of discussion is missing and you've opted into the right places to see it, I'll give consideration to expanding thoughts that way and writing the appropriate guide details.

0.1 Layout

This guide will be divided up into subsections. If I get to something early, that's the luck of the reader. If I hold off until it fits in whatever spot I have reserved for it, that's my promise to get to it eventually.

I may "revisit" sections, if you ask questions. As such, those will be updated in the original entry, and reflected in their own post so as to draw attention to the change. And, if I change, I'll try to make those notes available to those that want to see.

Our major sections, to date, are:

1. Physical
2. Mental
3. Emotional
4. Spiritual
5. Hobbies/Interests
6. Desires

If you think this is incomplete, feel free to make a suggestion. If you think things should be differently ordered.... well, I had to start with a framework, and I think I'll stick with it. So, you're stuck finding out about how loud I snore long before you get into my desires surrounding confectionary. That's life. And, it's my life, at that.

Let's begin.

Ice Cream.....

dwivian@yahoo.com — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 01:15:04 GMT

After a recommendation a while ago, I began looking for Häagen-Dazs Reserve Series ice creams. The specific one was Hawaiian Lehua Honey & Sweet Cream. And, yes, it's good.

But......

I think I really prefer Fleur de Sel Caramel, which has bursts of salt and a crunchy toffee caramel sweetness at the same time.

Wow.

It's that time!

dwivian@yahoo.com — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 15:37:18 GMT

Get your own valentinr

Book of Dwiv....

dwivian@yahoo.com — Sun, 20 Jan 2008 02:13:43 GMT

So, who is interested in the Book of Dwiv? (a formal guide to the care and keeping of a Dwiv, if you should get so lucky in your lifetime....)

wondering....

dwivian@yahoo.com — Sun, 13 Jan 2008 04:47:27 GMT

Sometimes I feel quite undesirable. And, I know, intellectually at least, I'm not the hottest thing that has ever come along -- I'm quite average, on a good day -- but it doesn't help an ego that was shaped by advertisers to expect everyone I desire to fall at my feet....

I don't think I'm going to be any more attractive, either. I'm fourty already, so I've got the extra weight of good living. My hair is turing grey or turning loose. I'm stuck with glasses.

Does that matter?

It shouldn't... but.... where is my hot sexy woman leaning on my red convertible?

If this is a mid-life crisis, at least I can take heart that I'm planning on living to be eighty!

Another questions meme.... (I filled in the numerical gaps, too)

dwivian@yahoo.com — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 17:36:42 GMT

Yes, time to do a meme again. This one seems to be going around...

1)Are your parents married or divorced? Married or living in sin. I've not checked the expiration date on their license.

2) Are you a vegetarian? Sure. I just prefer some of my veggies as a byproduct of post-consumer recycling.

3) Do you believe in Heaven? I see it every day.

4) Have you ever come close to dying? elfgirl has a driver's license, yes. Never mind that I'm the one that has driven over a cliff.

5) What jewelery do you wear? I wear a silver wristband instead of a watch. And glasses, if those count.

6) Favorite time of day? About 10:30pm.

7) Do you eat the stems of broccoli? Yup. But, never raw.

8) Do you wear makeup? Occasionally. Otherwise you can tell the difference between the beard mesh and my face.

9) Ever had plastic surgery? Not as such, no. But, I do have a bridge and crowns, which are quite close to elective vanity surgery.

10) Do you color your hair? Never. I've always been this hair color. Stay out of my shower.

11) What do you wear to bed? Depends on the day, if da elf has the fan going, how hot I am, etc.

12) Have you ever done anything illegal? I am a paragon of virtue.

13) Can you roll your tongue? I can curl it, if that is what you mean.

14) Do you tweeze your eyebrows? Not as such, no.

15) What kind of sneakers? Cheap ones.

16) Do you believe in abortions? Not my choice to make. Does that make me agbortionist?

17) What is you natural hair colour? Seems to be brownish.

18) Do you have any children? Two biological and one by luck.

19) Do you snore? Not at all. Anyone saying otherwise is a damned liar.

20) If you could go anywhere in the world where would it be? To the site of the largest unowned and unclaimed treasure that I could legally and ethically retain.

21) Do you sleep with stuffed animals? No. Da elf just won't eat.

22) If you ever won the lottery, what would you do first? This is part of a long established plan involving anonymous donations and charitable trusts.

23) Gold or silver? To wear or to keep in a safe in the basement?

24) Hamburger or hot dog? Depends on mood.

25) If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be? What a horrible suggestion.

26) City, beach, or country? Mountain vista.

27) What was the last thing you touched? The space bar.

28) Where did you eat last? The dining room table. Lamb stew.

29) When's the last time you cried? Hard to say. Should have been yesterday, but I'm somehow numb, there.

30) Do you read blogs? What....Out loud?

31) Would you ever go out dressed like the opposite sex? Nope. My skirts are all menswear.

32) Ever been involved with the police? I'm a member of the Metropolitan Atlanta Police Emerald Society. Dunno how involved that makes me.

33) What's your favourite shampoo? Green. I'm a guy.

34) Do you talk in your sleep? Never. Anyone telling you otherwise is a damned liar.

35) Ocean or pool? Is this like "Stewed brussel sprouts or ground up rat brains"? Sheesh.

36) What's your favorite song at the moment? Whatever comes up next on the iPod.

37) Last thing you took a picture of? Da elf, doing a midterm exam.

38) Window seat or aisle? Aisle, generally. Windows are usually in the smallest cabin space.

39) Have you ever met any one famous? I *AM* someone famous! In the right circles, of course. And, famous people have met me, so that should count.

40) Do you feel that you've had a truly successful life? If success is defined as not being dead yet, sure.

41) Do you twirl your spaghetti or cut it? I've never cut spaghetti. I do break it up a bit before cooking, though.

42) Ricki Lake or Oprah? Back to brussel sprout questions....

43) Basketball or Football? College Football, yes.

44) How long do your showers last? Long enough for the last bit of dirt to leave my body, and not one nanosecond longer.

45) Cake or ice cream? Cake, normally. Which isn't to say I don't want ice-cream, but you asked for a choice between two nice things.

46) Dip, or salsa? Salsa, these days, because good dips are made of a base of sour cream and mayonaise, neither of which are particularly healthy. But, they do taste good.

47) Are you self-conscious? I'm self-aware. Everything else is learned.

48) Have you ever drank so much you threw up? I am a paragon of virtue.

49) Have you ever given money to a tramp? You could say that, yes.

50) Have you been in love? Insomuch as I know what that means, yes. Sometimes I second-guess myself, because I don't do emotions well.

51) Where do you wish you were? In the media room of my manor home on my private estate in Co. Kerry.

52) Are you wearing socks? Um. Yeah.

53) Have you ever ridden in an ambulance? Yes. After that whole cliff thing.

54) Can you tango? Yes. And, I have, with nobility.

55) Last gift you received? Good words.

56) Last sport you played? Chase the screaming child.

57) Things you spend a lot of money on? Costumes. Travel. Travel so I can wear costumes....

58) Where do you live? Earth.

59) Where were you born? Earth (it happens).

60) Last wedding attended? jost's.

61) Favourite fast food restaurant? Zaxby's, but they claim they aren't fast.

62) Favorite full-service restaurant? Sushi places, lately, and Sapporo is a good one for that and the whole table-grill experience.

63) Most hated food? Won't eat butterbeans except under duress.

64) What's your least fav. chore? dealing with dirty dishes

65) Can you sing? That's a matter of opinion

66) Last person you instant messaged? I think I chatted at melonaise last.

67) Last place you went on holiday? Tybee Island

68) Favorite regular drink? Cherry Coke (but I drink Dasani more)

69) Current crush? Hard to say. Depends on what you mean by crush, I suppose.

Last Question...) Do ya want people to do this meme? Seems they have, so my desires in that regard are of no consequence.