Appropriated from lots of people but most recently zoepaleologa

[shiraphant]

1. The phone rings; who do you want it to be?

My friend Jasper, about whom I had a disturbing and upsetting dream a while ago. I've tried to contact him but to no avail.

2. When shopping at the grocery store, do you return your cart?

We call it 'trolley' over here. However, I always return it, because you have to pay a £1 deposit in a slot to get it. I want my £1 back. - yes, this thing. Actually, James does it as I rarely subject myself to the fluorescent-lit hell of endless noise that is the supermarket.

3. In a social setting, are you more of a talker or a listener?

It depends on who is there and whether or not they have said anything I think I can talk about with any degree of authority.

4. Do you take compliments well?

Better than I used to.

5. Do you play Sudoku?

No. I'd rather spend the night on the loo with intestinal woe.

6. If abandoned alone in the wilderness, would you survive?

Not for long if I didn't have Metformin.

7. Do you like to ride horses?

I've never really had the chance to.

8. Did you ever go to camp as a kid?

No, my parents couldn't afford it and I expect it would have been noisy, sports-filled NT hell.

9. What was your favorite game as a kid?

I didn't like games. I preferred to read or draw.

10. If a sexy person was pursuing you, but you knew he/she was married, would you go for it?

Oh HELL no. I wouldn't want it done to me, why would I do it to someone else? Not to mention that I myself am very much married and have no interest in anyone but my husband. Except maybe Al Gore.

11. Could you date someone with different religious beliefs than you?

I'm married to a big old atheist. I've never been with anyone who has the same religious beliefs as me because my belief system is very much a personal custom blend. I couldn't be with anyone who thought everyone should believe the same as they did, though.

12. Do any songs make you cry?

Some do. Some pieces of music, too, for example the bit in Return of the King where all the beacons light up and you see them across the mountains. Also Fawkes the Phoenix from the Harry Potter (Chamber of Secrets) soundtrack, partly because it's the music that was playing as I walked in to my wedding ceremony and partly because it has a nice reassuring, soothing quality to it, as if someone is saying "look, everything's going to be okay" when really, it isn't going to be okay.

13. Are you continuing your education?

Not in a formal manner but I am learning all sorts of things all the time and I plan to learn another language - after all, I am moving to Ireland.

14. Do you know how to shoot a gun?

No, but I probably ought to learn.

15. If your house was on fire, what would be the first thing you grabbed?

Cats and Castlereagh.

16. How often do you read books?

Every day.

17. Do you think more about the past, present or future?

The future. I don't need to worry about what I'm going to do about the past.

18. What is your favorite children's book?

Black Maria by Diana Wynne Jones.

19. What color are your eyes?

Grey-blue.

20. How tall are you?

5'8"

21. Where is your dream house located?

100 metres above sea level, somewhere in a small friendly village with good soil, in Ireland.

22. Do you have a secret fetish?

No. I really don't have any fetishes.

23. Have you tried sushi?

Yes, not mad keen.

24. Have you ever taken pictures in a photo booth?

Not for several years, though I shall need to soon enough to replace my passport.

25. When was the last time you were at Olive Garden?

Oh look, it's an American meme.

26. When was the last time you were at Church?

I was in a chapel in January for my Grandad's funeral, but apart from that sort of thing I don't go to churches because I'm Jewish.

27. Where was the furthest place you traveled today?

Into the garden to right a pot of bean plants that had fallen over.

28. What was your favorite job?

I've not had a job since 2000, and I didn't like it or any of the part-time ones I had in school.

29. Do you like mustard?

Yes, though my ulcer doesn't.

30. Do you prefer to sleep or eat?

Both please. Can't survive on just one or the other.

31. Do you look like your mom or dad?

Neither. Though I managed to inherit a bunch of inconvenient things from both.

32. How long does it take you in the shower.

It depends on whether I am having a get-clean shower or a get-clean-and-deforested shower. Anything from ten minutes to two hours. No, I don't have the water on the whole time, I have it off more than on.

33. Can you do splits?

Nope, though I could before the lipoedema got too bad.

34. What movie do you want to see right now?

The Hobbit!

35. If you could fast forward your life, would you?

I'd fast forward to Tuesday so I could phone the fertility clinic and ask if the pharmacist was talking out of her arse when she gave me conflicting information about whether or not I could do my helicobacter eradication course while downregging, because MY GOD I am in a lot of pain right now and if I can't do the course now I may potentially have to wait a couple of years, which while it would be nice because the reason for the long delay would be pregnancy and breastfeeding, I really don't want to have to wait any longer. I've had this bollocks for eight years now.

36. What did you do for New Year's?

We were indoors being quiet and boring.

37. Do you think The Grudge was scary?

Don't know, haven't seen it.

38. Could you relate to a character in Mean Girls?

No. BECAUSE I AM NOT FIFTEEN.

39. Do you own a camera phone?

I do, and it is full of photos of cats, loaves of bread baked by me, and broccoli seedlings.

40. Do you have an "ex box" with pics and letters from past lovers?

No indeed. I have enough tat to lug around whenever I move house without holding on to crap like that. Also, I'd be very upset if James had such a thing so it would be hypocritical of me to do that, even if I were so inclined, which I am not.

41. Was your mom a cheerleader?

My mum is a) English b) 53 c) short and fat and lipoedemic so, er, no.

42. What's the last letter of your middle name?

Predictably enough, E.

43. Do you like your middle name?

Yes. It is Suzanne and I liked it even before I became a Leonard Cohen fan.

44. How many hours of sleep do you get a night?

I try to stay in bed for 10 hours because then I feel as if I've had about 4 or 5 hours.

45. Do you like care bears?

I suppose so.

46. What do you buy at the movies?

I only go to cinemas for Harry Potter films, and even then I don't buy anything except the ticket because as Bernard Black says "I bought popcorn and a drink and now I have no money left". OUT OF A TENNER.

47. Do you know how to play poker?

No, can't be doing with cards. Boring as hell.

48. Do you wear your seatbelt?

Yes. I've seen the adverts, ta.

49. What do you wear to sleep?

Zineryt, lip balm and peppermint oil.

50. Anything big ever happen in your hometown?

Yes. I'm from London, ffs.

51. How many meals do you eat a day?

One, with five or six small snacks throughout the rest of the day to keep my blood sugar stable.

52. Is your tongue pierced?

Yes.

53. Do you like funny or serious people better?

Serious.

54. Ever been to L.A.?

No.

55. Did you eat a cookie today?

No. Not keen on cookies.

56. Do you steal or pay for your music downloads?

I don't do either, really.

57. Do you hate chocolate?

WHY WOULD I DO THAT

58. What do you and your parents fight about the most?

I am twenty-eight, not fifteen, and the only time I have done anything like fighting with either of my parents was the other week when I was a bitch to my mum about my infertility because the hormones caught me off guard. I apologised immediately.

59. Are you a gullible person?

No. I am a highly cynical person.

60. Do you need a boyfriend/girlfriend to be happy?

I need a partner to be healthy, certainly.

61. If you could have any job what would it be?

If I were healthy enough I would love more than anything to be a medical herbalist.

62. Are you easy to get along with?

As long as nobody says anything stupid. Which, admittedly, is 99% of what 99% of people have to say.

63. What is your favourite time of day?

Evening. I'm generally in slightly less pain by that point and James is home even if he is working.



In other news, DAMN I am in a lot of pain. Also, my broccoli seedlings and alfalfa sprouts are doing well in the kitchen and our Jerusalem artichokes, onions, green beans, parsley and grapes are doing well in the garden. I wish we had either better soil or money for more pots and compost so we could have planted tomatoes, cucumbers, aubergines, sunflowers and courgettes. Ho hum. We'll have a good-sized garden one day.
Today would have been my Grandad's 88th birthday. I think he's probably quite glad it's not. He was getting rather bored of life here. Happy birthday, Grandad, I hope there are chocolate-covered ginger pieces and pork chops where you are.
James still has no job and the only reasons we have any food left are a) I always make sure we stock up for emergencies when we do have money coming in b) my sister gave us £20 a couple of weeks ago c) andre_powell came round to see us and filled a trolley at Morrison's for us on Monday. He also bought us Chinese food for dinner. I would never normally have allowed it but we're way past the point at which my pride and dignity have to give way. It was so good to have fresh veg again.
What's everyone else been doing for the Bank Holiday weekend? I've been knitting a watermelon-and-black tube shrug for myself, baking, looking after the veg plants, watching LOTR, Harry Potter and Back to the Future, being amused by cats, and reading. Because my life is ROCK AND ROLL.
It rained this morning and the breeze is lovely and fresh and cool. I'm going in the garden to faff with plants now.

Comments

[miyo-chan.livejournal.com]

Your Grandad had good taste in food.

I laughed a lot at number 57, it made me miss you. When I have been working at job long enough to have money (I am overdrawn over my overdraft and am up shit creek) I shall send you a big box of fresh veg and a chicken to make soup with. Tasty Jew Soup.

with the dumpling things, the ball ones and the ones filled with chickenybits....mmm

I didn't know you had an ulcer, when did this come about? I hope you feel in less pain soon xxxx

[redshira.livejournal.com]

He did! But he couldn't eat chicken, he was allergic to it. TRAGEDY!

You are so sweet, you don't need to do that, you big doof. Mmmm chickensoup and kneidl.

I have had an ulcer for at least eight years and possibly as many as eighteen. I had no idea what it was that was causing all the excruciating agony until I got a lovely GP who didn't just look at me and go "it's because you're FAT".

[tafagirl.livejournal.com]

while downregging

Oooh, I'm so glad you've managed to get going with the treatment! Everything crossed!!

[redshira.livejournal.com]

Oh god, have I not put you on my ICSI filter? Would you like to be on it?

[tafagirl.livejournal.com]

I don't think I am but I'd love to! :-)

[I probably should cut my adoption wibbles, shouldn't I? I'm so used to being the Last TTCer that I'm out of practice for warning tags and cuts and stuff ...]

[redshira.livejournal.com]

No, not at all; adoption stuff doesn't bother me because it's not pregnancy and because people who are adopting generally know what it's like to suffer through infertility.
I shall add you now and you'll have to go to my LJ and find it; it's only the last post I made.

[redshira.livejournal.com]

I just checked and you're definitely on it already :)

[tafagirl.livejournal.com]

I saw the one post but wasn't sure there wasn't more! Anyway, thanks for adding me :-))

[redshira.livejournal.com]

That's ok :) I wanted to say also that I am watching your progress with excitement and can't wait to see photos of your kids!

[tafagirl.livejournal.com]

That's a lovely thought :-)

It's so surreal to think that even we will succeed one day, you know? I'm so used to it being others who manage while I stay behind.

[redshira.livejournal.com]

I know exactly what you mean. It's been really weird adjusting to the fact that I am really being taken seriously and given treatment, after so many years of crap. Do you have any idea when you'll bring your kids home?

[tafagirl.livejournal.com]

Anyone's guess! I'm anxiously waiting for the confirmation letter from WK for our registration which will include the log-in for their Intranet where we fill in a form about our child profile. And then we wait to be contacted to sign the contract which could be "quick" at 6 weeks or take 3-4 months. Then we collect all the papers which takes 4-6 weeks, and it's all sent off to Ethiopia. After that, well, it's the wait for a referral!

Realistically, we might receive a referral in autumn or late in the year but it may take until next spring. And of course it could take far longer ... But I feel like November-February might be the time we'll receive a referral. I'm excited :-)

What's your time plan for stimming, retrieval, transfer?

[redshira.livejournal.com]

I love the bureaucratic interpretations of things like "soon" and "fast". They're not like anyone else's definitions of those words. What happens once you get a referral?

I go in on June 5th for my baseline tests; if the downregging is progressing according to plan, I start stimming that day. Provided I don't get OHSS, I should have egg retrieval on June 19th, and as we're doing blastocyst culture, transfer should be on the 24th or 25th, so I'll test on July 8th or 9th. Of course, all that is subject to change at the whim of my ridiculous endocrine system.

[tafagirl.livejournal.com]

We accept it :-) Our acceptance goes to Ethiopia, and the local court procedure is started in which we officially, irrevocably become parents to the child/ren referred to us. After the court procedure we fly to Ethiopia for about a week to meet them and bring them home :-)))

I think it's usually about 2 months from referral to travel?! It depends on how busy courts are basically.

[redshira.livejournal.com]

Oh that sounds fantastic, if my ICSI works then even with the longer end of the timeframes you mentioned, you and I should be bringing our kids home at around the same time!

[johanna-alice.livejournal.com]

It's good to see you post :)

Having friends fill shopping baskets for you sucks (in a nice way), but not as much as not having friends to fill shopping baskets. I ended up getting a friend a few bits and pieces from Tesco the other week, because they had no food and was very overwhelmed by their gratitude for what seemed a perfectly ordinary, unremarkable thing for me to have done...

Hope things look up on the pain, job and stuff pretty sooninsh.
**hugs**

[redshira.livejournal.com]

Thanks :) I don't often say much because I don't want to fill my LJ with incessant whinging.

You're completely right. I felt awful accepting the help but as James pointed out, we've both done it for other people before and as horrible as it is needing the help, we'd be much worse off if nobody could help us.

Thanks my lovely - the ulcer pain's much less problematic today, I am doing the helicobacter eradication after all - huzzah!

[ephemera.livejournal.com]

*sends you hugs*

[redshira.livejournal.com]

*squishes you*

[autobahnpatrol.livejournal.com]

I think your plan to learn Irish is admirable! My mum speaks it (growing up, it was her first language) and I regret that she didn't raise me to understand more of it than I do.

[redshira.livejournal.com]

a) I like your icon :) and b) I would love love love to know a native speaker so I could pick up pronunciation.

[autobahnpatrol.livejournal.com]

The icon is the closest Hebrew equivalent to my name I could find - it's more Damon than Damian, but it will do!

All the native speakers I know are either in NZ (my mum) or the west of Ireland. My pronunciation is quite good, though, if I do say so myself, just because I'm pedantic, so I would be willing to help! I have not been known to speak any foreign language with a NZ accent, for what it's worth. :)

[ashbet]

Here's hoping that you're able to do your anti-heliobacter stuff while you have the chance!

*smooshes*

-- A <3

Pee Ess. This is a good meme, and I'm stealing it!

[redshira.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I am doing it, but the problem is it's two antibiotics and we know what they cause...I'm doing a whole lot of fluconazole-taking and raw-garlic-eating and plain live yoghurt and acidophilus capsules galore, and avoiding sugar like it's poison.