bubosquared | PSA: Colds suck.

Note: Originally posted in my on-site blog, reposted here for consistency.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix Countdown: 112 days

Current mood: Still chipper.
Now playing: J'aime La Vie -- Thank you, oh co-worker, for bringing up Eurovision. Argh.
Today's weather: Cold, foggy this morning, a bit cloudy, but nice.
Pet peeve o' the Day: *snifflesneezeblowsnose*
Amusement o' the Day: My co-workers are sarcastic. Mmmm.

Really not much to say today, other than a random note that holy shit, are the slogans for the upcoming elections crap. "You know why." "The NV-A in." I'm sorry, people get paid to come up with this tripe? I want that job.

And now, some random surveys! First of all, last week's Friday Five:

1. What is your favourite type of literature to read (magazine, newspaper, novels, nonfiction, poetry, etc.)?

SciFi, fantasy, and non-fiction, mostly. Historical fiction, too, if it's good. I haven't read contemporary fiction in close to a decade, I think, not counting the books I had to read for school.

(Tangent: I absolutely abhor how genre fiction is treated as "less" than contemporary fiction in the school system. Oh, yes, it's really going to make me enjoy class when my favourite books are dismissed as "not as well-written" as "real literature". Yeah, fuck you too, buddy. You can keep your boring, pretentious big-L-Literature, and I'll be over in the corner actually enjoying what I read instead of reading things because they're "classics". Roughly 90% of "great literature", especially in Dutch, sucks ass, and yet I've been told about a thousand times over that my taste in books is "regrettable", that with my love of reading, I should be reading "real" books. Bite me, all of you.)

(Ahem. This random diatribe against Dutch teachers everywhere brought to you by Caffeine, Inc, and twelve years of bitterness.)

2. What is your favourite novel?

Er. I have to pick one? Well, then I'll go with J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings.

3. Do you have a favourite poem? (Share it!)

4. What is one thing you've always wanted to read, or wish you had more time to read?

Stephen King's Hearts In Atlantis I bought it on a recommendation from Sae a year and a half ago, and I still haven't read it. I'm terribly ashamed, Sae.

5. What are you currently reading?

Right now, Provos: The IRA and Sinn Fein by Peter Taylor. I originally bought the book to do research for my (now completely hypothetical" U2 IRA AU, and find myself re-reading it for the third time now. It's a very good book, well-written, and interesting.

And then there's the Seven Sins and Seven Virtues survey:

Seven Sins

Anger

Who did you last get angry with?
Really angry? The bint who talked down her nose at me because apparently, the world owes her whatever she wants. Argh.
What is your weapon of choice?
In theory, knives or my fists, but I'm not a violent person. Actually, I am; I often get the urge to hiut someone, but I try very hard to keep my temper under control. Turn the opther cheek and all that. (See also below, heh.)
Would you hit a member of the opposite sex?
Hit as in to injure, no, not unless it's either in self-defense, or they've made me so angry I really cannot control myself anymore, something that hasn't happened to me in ages. I do, however, have a habit of slapping my male friends when they're being obnoxious. Ahem.
How about of the same sex?
I don't really have female friends that I see on a day to day basis, but I can't remember ever hitting any of them, even in jest.
Who was the last person who got really angry at you?
Um. I think I'll refer this one to the audience.
Do you keep grudges, or can you let them go easily?
That depends. If the person is truly sorry, or at least admits that they've made mistakes (too -- I don't expect them to take all the blame), I forgive quite easily. I won't forget, but I won't be keeping it against them, either. On the other hand, if someone does something truly hurtful to me and then keeps claiming to have been in the right, I can and will carry a grudge to hell and back again.

Sloth

What is one thing you're supposed to do daily that you haven't done in a long time?
Er. Go running. And boy, do I feel it. Ow, my knees.
What is the latest you've ever woken up?
Er. Probably around eightish PM. That's after going to sleep at noon, though.
Name a person you've been meaning to contact, but haven't.
Linz, because we should go out again one of these days.
What is the last lame excuse you made?
I ... cannot remember.
Have you ever watched an infomercial all the way through (one of the long ones...)?
Dozens of times, sadly.
When was the last time you got a good workout in?
Define "a good workout". I go running for my knees (which I last did a few months ago) and swimming for my back and shoulders (which I last did in the summer), and I do curl-ups for my back and stomach muscles (somewhere in the depths of time), but none of those really qualify as "a good workout", I don't think.(
How many times did you hit the snooze button on your alarm clock today?
Six times. Yes, that means a full hour. Shut up.

Gluttony

What is your overpriced yuppie beverage of choice?
I think the closest to this would be Gin&Tonics, which isn't quite yuppie and not that overpriced. I drink tap water, orange juice, coffee, hot chocolate milk, and when I go out, beer and G&Ts. Oh, wait, does Smirnoff Ice count?
Meat eaters: white meat or dark meat?
N/A. Haven't had meat in seven years.
What is the greatest amount of alcohol you've had in one sitting/outing/event?
Er. *cough* Half a litre of gin during the infamous Drunk Chat Session back in August. Ahem, yes. I still have the other half of the bottle in my fridge, too. Should chuck that, really.
Have you ever used a professional diet company?
No. I don't do diets.
Do you have an issue with your weight?
Not really. I've been the same weight for the last ... six years now, and yeah, I'm on the chunky side, but a lot of it's muscles rather than fat, now, and not only would I look bad if I lost too much weight, it'd also freak me out. I have reverse body issues. I am a freak, yes.
Do you prefer sweets, salty foods, or spicy foods?
Yes.
Have you ever looked at a small housepet or child and thought, "LUNCH"?
Um. No?

Lust

How many people have you seen naked (not counting movies/family)?
Heh. Um, okay, after a childhood of vacations on nudist campings, I really couldn't even begin to guess.
How many people have seen YOU naked (not counting physicians/family)?
See above.
Have you ever caught yourself staring at the chest/crotch of a member of your gender of choice during a normal conversation?
... Maybe?
Have you "done it"?
No. Rub it in, will you?
What is your favorite body part on a person of your gender of choice?
Breasts. Eyes. Hands. Waist.
Have you ever been propositioned by a prostitute?
No, sadly.
Have you ever had to get tested for an STD or pregnancy?
Obviously, no.

Greed

How many credit cards do you own?
None. Melle + credit cards = bad news.
What's your guilty pleasure store?
Any stationary store. Also, anything with cooking supplies. But really, the thrift store. I cannot pass the place without going in, and I cannot go in without buying at least a book, and usually more.
If you had $1 million, what would you do with it?
Buy a state-of-the-art computer and laptop, my own server to put femgeeks on, and the rest I'd invest.
Would you rather be rich, or famous?
Rich, definitely. I don't like fame to begin with, and hey, money's nice. (I'm such a bad socialist.)
Would you accept a boring job if it meant you would make megabucks?
Yes. As long as it's just boring and doesn't actually eat my life.
Have you ever stolen anything
No.
How many MP3s are on your hard drive?
I'd have to check, but close to 500, I believe.

Pride

What one thing have you done that you're most proud of?
femgeeks, RS-X, and RareSlash. And if people find it pathetic that something fannish is my biggest accomplishment, they can just bite me.
What one thing have you done that your parents are most proud of?
Heh. Sore spot, there. I honestly don't know if my parents are really, honestly proud that I've made it on my own after quitting school, and aren't secretly disappointed I didn't fall flat on my face so I'd be forced to go back to school. *shrug* Whatever.
What thing would you like to accomplish in your life?
See here.
Do you get annoyed by coming in second place?
Not really.
Have you ever entered a contest of skill, knowing you were of much higher skill than all the other competitors?
... No? I hardly ever enter "contests of skill" anyway. Although, no, there was the time when I entered the school quiz on my own, believeing I could do just as well as the others with four- or five-person teams. I did, too. Ha!
Have you ever cheated on something to get a higher score?
My final Latin exam, yes. Although that wasn't "get a higher score" as much as "don't fail", and there were circumstances that justified it. I don't usually cheat, no.
What did you do today that you're proud of?
Dude, it's one AM on a work day. Shut up.

Envy

What item (or person) of your friends would you most want to have for your own?
Um? I dunno?
Who would you want to go on "Trading Spaces" with?
WTF kind of question is this?
If you could be anyone else in the world, who would you be?
My brother. And yes, that was a random pick.
Have you ever been cheated on?
No.
Have you ever wished you had a physical feature different from your own?
Yes. I hate my hands. A lot.
What inborn trait do you see in others that you wish you had for yourself?
The ability to not care about certain things, to not let things get to them.
Do you wish you'd come up with this survey?
No.

Finally, what is your favorite deadly sin?

Gluttony. Mmmmmfoood.

Seven Virtues

Faith

What religion do you follow?
I'm Christian.
What religion were you raised as?
None. I was raised agnostic, searched for a religion from when I was thirteenish, and have been Christian since I was about seventeen.
Do you believe that forgiveness is a religious property, or a human property?
Er? ... Both?
Do you believe in magic?
Define "magic". I eblieve there's more to life than meets the eye, yes.
What was the last promise you broke?
Um. I don't know?
Have you ever said the words to a prayer and not meant it?
No. I was hardly ever dragged to church as a child, and the few times I was was for a wedding or funeral in the family, and I didn't know the words to the prayers and didn't want to say them because I didn't know what they meant. I was also dragged to church a few times during the month and a half I was in a youth club, and preferred the discomfort and embarassment of being the only person apart from my brother who didn't go to communion to going to communion when I wasn't baptised and didn't believe in the Catholic Church. When it comes to this, I have very high principles, yes. Even as a child.
Do you believe that anyone could be perfect?
No.

Hope

Did you get everything you wanted over the last holiday season?
I didn't really want much more than good food and family time, so yes.
Regarding your future, what is the best thing you could hope for?
To live long and prosper? Heeee.
Do you let yourself get your hopes up for something even if you know that there is a large chance of failure?
Sometimes, yes.
Do you believe in magic?
Haven't we been through this?
Have you ever bought a lottery ticket?
Yes. But I've stopped ever buying them because I know myself and I'd lose a whole lot of money on these things?
Do you gamble?
See above.
Have you ever had something called off on account of bad weather, but then gone
ahead and done it anyway?
Er? No?

Charity

What causes do you support?
Anti-war movements, anti-racism organisations, Greenpeace, homeless organisations, the Red Cross.
What causes have you given money or time to?
Money, the Red Cross, and I usually buy stuff from Greenpeace and the other movements.
Have you ever worked in a soup kitchen or done another kind of outreach for the
homeless?
Sadly, no. But I'm planning to.
Would you ever consider joining the Peace Corps, Amnesty International, or another
travel-inherent worldwide charity group?
Maybe, yes. If I thought I a) had anything to offer them, b) would be strong enough, emotionally, to handle the job.
Do you give money to the homeless on the street?
No. My parents, who've worked with homeless people for years, told me not to, and I do feel bad about it, but I also do often buy them food, especially when they're women with children.
Have you ever helped out a friend with basic needs, like rent or food?
No, mostly because I've never had a friend who needed help with basic needs.
What's the greatest extent you've gone to help a friend in need?
Er. I ... don't remember?

Fortitude

What are you most afraid of?
Eternity. The basic concept of it scares the hell out of me. Also, realising I've been wrong and God really is a vengeful God.
What did you do today that was really brave?
Getting out of bed?
Who is your favorite superhero, and why?
Er. Batman. Because he's much more human than the other ones.
Would you put your life in danger to rescue someone?
Yes.
If you were to face the Wizard, would you want more courage, more brains, or more
heart?
More courage.
Have you ever gotten stage fright?
All the smegging time.
Do you consider yourself to be a leader or a follower?
Neither. I'm not a follower, but being a leader requires followers, and last I checked, I didn't have any of those.

Justice

Have you ever been summoned for jury duty?
No. Jury duty's a lot rarer over here, though, because only murder cases and crimes of similar gravity are judged by a jury.
If they reinstituted the draft (for both genders), would you go, or would find some way out of it?
I would definitely not go. My father didn't go, and neither will I. I'm a pacifist to the core.
Do you support capital punishment (the death penalty)?
No, for various reasons I'm not going to go into here.
Do you believe that Dubya is rightfully President of the USA?
To quote some (USAian) bloke on Never Mind the Buzzcocks the other day: "You have to realise, this is a guy who's been elected president not by the United States, but by Florida, which is a state full of people who still think The Dukes of Hazzard was a documentary." I rest my case.
What was your favorite media circus trial?
Weh?
Have you ever written a letter to a politician?
No. Wait, no, I lie. I wrote an open letter to Alexandra Colen once, calling her on the fact that if she has a seat in the Flemish Parliament, and gets paid for that, then she does work outside the home and has no right to be calling herself a housewife anymore. Heh. I was so naive and rightfully idignant when I was sixteen.

Temperance

What do you have the hardest time moderating yourself on?
Food, the internet, and sleep.
Do you collect anything?
Owl statues and plushies. I've collected all sorts of crap in my life, but I seem to be mostly out of that phase, partially thanks to archiving fanfic, I think.
Are you addicted to anything?
Cigarettes, yes.
Have you ever put anything on layaway or used an installment plan?
No.
What's your preferred method of paying for things?
Cash, or debit card.
Tell us one thing you wish you hadn't let yourself do.
Um. I dunno?
Do you feel that you obsess over things?
I'm a fangirl. Obsessing is what I do best, yo.

Prudence

Who is the wisest person you know?
Errrrrrr.
Have you ever participated in a vigil?
No.
Do you take advice when it's given?
Yes.
What area are you wisest in?
Wisest as in knowing a lot? Trivia, history, and any of my fandoms. Wisest as in understanding a lot? I wouldn't have a clue.
Do you drive defensively?
I don't drive at all.
Have you ever had unprotected sex outside of marriage?
Considering the fact that a) I've never been married, and b) I've never had sex, that would be a no. I'd like to take offense to this question, by the way. What, it's safe to have unprotected sex when married, but not when in a long-term relationship? WTF?
What did you learn today?
Well, I learned this after midnight yesterday evening, so it's technically today: the average length of the male urethea in flaccid condition is 22cm. Fascinating, no?

And of course, what is your favorite heavenly virtue?

Justice.

Sleepless in Scotland

Insomnia, work angst, and fangirl squee

PSA: Colds suck.