bubosquared | (no subject)

Doing some maintenance work on the work computer today. Windows update, SpyBot, Ad-Aware, and even a quick virus scan. For the record, there was one critical Windows update, half a dozen non-critical ones, and between SpyBot and Ad-Aware, about 40-50 spyware thingies. And this is with me being careful and everything, so you can imagine what the computers of my coworkers who don't have SpyBot or Ad-Aware and who don't know to update Windows look like. Gah.

Work is getting on my nerves. High-ups aren't getting back to me about cases I escalated months ago, despite half a dozen e-mails asking what's happening, and the outbound campaign they're having us do is getting really close to cold-calling, which is not in my goddamned contract, bitches!

Meme, gacked from vigorlijah: As in years past, going way back, in fact, to the dim and distant June of 2003, slowfox presents Killer III: The Return of the Collaborative Meme. The way it works is that the great and the good all submitted the single question they would most like to see in a meme, and slowfox collated the whole thing for people to copy and complete. Because he's nice like that.

You can gack the preformatted meme from here: just copy, paste into your update window and fill in the answers before posting. All the formatting code is already worked out for you (including the essential lj-cut).

Killer III: The Return of the Collaborative Meme

Me, Me, Meme

hairyears: a) What's your irrational fear or phobia?

Geese. Vicious fuckers, they are.

I'm also rather scared of heights, but I don't consider that an irrational fear, myself.

b) Is there a fear you've overcome?

Hm, I suppose I've pretty much overcome my fear of people. I'm still uncomfortable in large crowds, but I'm no longer having nervous breakdowns at the prospect of having to meet new people.

c) In a soundbite, what helped you the most?

Eh, I don't do soundbytes, and nothing really "helped" except me growing up and gaining some self-confidence at last.

d) Which fear or phobia do you have no sympathy for whatsoever in other people?

Meh, none? I mean, I have sympathy for any phobia, because ... it's a phobia, it's not rational. Now, if we're talking "normal" fears/gross-out reactions, I'd like to roll my eyes at all the people who've given me crap about being a vegetarian, but them give me weird looks and "Ewwww"s when they hear that I used to work in a butcher's shop, or that I've eaten rabbit and horse and all manner of other cute animal. Because apparently eating meat is necessary, but only meat that didn't used to be cute and fluffy, and only if they don't have to think about where said meat actually came from.

cornaidd: What are you most afraid of (not in a phobia sense, but more in the sense of what keeps you awake at night)?

Failure. And for once, I'm not going to expand on that.

queenriley: If you lived in a society where polygamy was the norm/standard, but monogamy was not shunned or frowned upon (just unusual), do you think you could/would still be a generally monogamous person, or would you lean towards society with the polygamy relationships? Why? This is, assuming, that the polygamy accepted by society was in no way suppressive of men or women, but providing equality to all genders, included transgendered and mixed genders (hermaphrodites).

Heh. The problem with this question, of course, is the "still" in "still be a generally monagamous person". I'm not really, is the thing. I mean, I can be in a monogamous relationship just fine, but natually, I lean much more towards poly to begin with, so this whole question is kind of moot.

penguin_sensei: is there something that you had the opportunity to do/see/witness/live as a young child and that you now wish you could have lived and seen through your current "adult"/"older person"'s eyes (it could have been a trip somewhere, or a particular historical event, a concert, a person you met... I don't know)?

Hm. Not really, to be honest. I have fairly sharp memories of certain historical events that I saw (on TV) as a child, that wouldn't really have the same kind of impact on my adult self, so I'd rather keep the memory rather than have a more vivid or "real" experience. And as far as the rest goes ... I really just had an uneventful childhood, to be honest.

carolanne5: What is the oldest object you own?

Ignoring the second hand furniture, some of which may be older, but I can't know for sure either way, that'll be my little plush owl, which was a present from my grandmother when I was born. (My first name, Sofie, comes from "sophia", which is Greek for wisdom, hence the owl.)

anthon1: If you could change your real name to anything, what would you change it to, and why?

Nothing. I like my name just fine. It's not too long, so I don't have to abbreviate it to use it, it's spelled exactly the way you say it, and it fits me.

frayer: What do you love most about yourself?

The fact that no matter what happens, I will always land on my feet.

quietseeker: What has been the most intensely emotional experience (in a good way) of your life so far?

Moving to Scotland, definitely. It's had its bad moments, but overall, this has definitely been one of the best things I've ever done in my life, and I don't think I've had a more emotionally instense time than this last year, ever.

morganmuffle: Would you be upset/annoyed if your RL friends and family found out about your LiveJournal?

No. My dad, at least, knows, as do my brothers, I think, and most of my RL friends quite possibly do as well. I have nothing to hide.

Music is My First Love (but Reading Runs it a Close Second)

dr_midnite: What song would you like played at your funeral?

Bob Dylan's If You See Her, Say Hello

sevarina: What one song would you use to sum up the last five years of your life?

I ... wouldn't? No, seriously, there's no way I could sum up the last five years in one song. Even the last year would be difficult.

uninvitedcat: What phrase/quote means the most to you?

The title and subtitle of my LJ: you loved them wooden ships go by / you wished me no farewell

ladyvorkosigan: What fictional universe would you most like to write yourself into, and what would your role in that universe be?

To my shame, I have to confess I'd like to be, basically, myself in the HP universe, and all I want is a chance to bitchslap some people. (Draco Malfoy, I'm looking at you. You too, Potter!)

madhuri567: If one of your close LJ friends (preferably someone who lives in a different country, or at least state) were to come over to your place for the first time, how would you spend the day and where would you take them?

I have no clue. Depends on who it was and what they'd want to do, I suppose. Probably go walk down Princes Street, see the Castle, hang out in Princes Street Gardens.

ladydewinter: Oscar Wilde said, "All women become like their mothers. That's their tragedy. No man does. That's his." Do you think that's true in your case? How much like your parents are you?

Physically, yeah, very much so, a nice mixture of both sides of the family. In terms of character ... I dunno. I think I have my mum's temper and my dad's sense of humour, though how much the latter is nature and how much is nature I don't know. The same goes for my desire to better the world and my love of books and the likes: they're things I have in common with my parents, but I can't say they're really things I inherited from them.

Because Life Isn't Too Short

booster17: What fictional OTP (One True Pairing) would you fight to the death to convert other people to?

One? I have to pick one? You must be joking. m. Okay, if these "other people" in question include whoever pulls the strings at Marvel, Bobby Drake/Jean-Paul Beaubier.

confuscious: Flys: what's the point?

I ... don't know? What? Who? Flys? o_O

spin1978: If you could rewrite any single scene in any book or movie, which one would it be? Also, please (very briefly!) describe your version.

I wouldn't, honestly. Much as I might bitch about canon sometimes, it's still canon, and nothing guarantees I'd do a better job, so I'll just stick to fanfic.

stina530: What planet (if it were inhabitable) would you most like to vacation to?

Mars. Don't ask why, you don't want to know.

eurydice9: What one event (sporting, concert, rally etc) would you want to attend if money were no object?

A hypothetical World Cup final between England and Brazil, with England winning. :D

s00: If you were given the opportunity to meet your older self, what 3 questions would you ask yourself?

Are you happy? How do I avoid not ending up happy? Is my family still alive and all right?

slowfox: What would you rather have named after you: a ship, a city, a planet, a star or (nod to Firefly) a hamster?

A hamster, definitely.

This and That and Other Stuff Too

ryf: Do you believe in horoscopes?

No, though I enjoy reading them occasionally just to have a laugh.

aome: a) What magazines do you subscribe to or otherwise read on a regular basis?

I read Q Magazine almoast every month. Other than that, none.

b) What about five years ago?

Q, and Humo, which I still read as much as I can, but I have to wait for my parents to bring a stash over every few months, so there's no regularily there.

c) What about during your childhood/teen years (if you are young enough that b) represents your childhood/teen years, skip c)?

Well, b) doesn't represent my childhood/teen years, but the answer's still the same.

loupnoir: Cell phones: annoying accessories or required for daily life? And what is cell phone ettiquette these days when someone calls and you're in a restaurant?

Annoying accessories, but sadly necessary these days. And if you're in a restaurant, out of respect for the people you're with and for the other patrons, you really ought to switch the damn thing off. Removing yourself to where you can't be heard is the very minimum, though.

sarendipitous: What qualities do you most appreciate in other people?

Loyalty, honesty, and a quirky sense of humour.

hildigunnur: We all have to die some day. How would you like to go?

Quickly and painlessly, and surrounded by people I love.

luminousmarble: What one bad habit would you never like to encounter EVER AGAIN?

A bad habit of mine, you mean? Smoking. *crosses fingers*

piperki: What's the most unfortunate place you've ever vomited?

Er, n/a. I rarely vomit, and I always feel it coming early enough to make it to a toilet, or at least a sink or something.

cynthia_black: What traits would you like your kids to pick up/inherit from you? (Your actual kids if you have some, potential kids if you haven't). And name one trait you definitely hope they don't inherit!

I'd want my hypothetical kids to inherit from me the same traits I get from my parents, minus the temper. I really, really don't want them to inherit my temper and/or stubornness.

linaelyn: What is the one single factor that you feel is the best basis for keeping, alive and strong, a long-term romantic relationship?

Communication.