Accent: Standard Midwestern with a hint of Southern twang.

Breakfast or no breakfast: That depends on whether Dan eats all of my Special K with Red Berries.

Chore I don’t care for: Insert chore here: __________.

Dog or Cat: Yes.

Essential Electronics: Yes.

Favorite Cologne: Chanel No. 19.

Gold or Silver: Platinum.

Handbag I carry most often: I don’t carry a handbag. I’ve tried it, I don’t like it.

Insomnia: Guaranteed!

Job Title: Feeder.

Kids: Five cats, one dog, an African grey parrot and a leopard gecko.

Living Arrangements: Let’s not go there.

Most Admirable Trait: Um… I’m nice to people I like. I’m loyal. I once rescued a woman, her three kids and their dog from drowning. Hell, I don’t know, I’m a cranky, snarky misanthrope who hasn’t done much. I have a short attention span and no patience to complete things. Wait a minute, I got it! I’m honest. Some who have met me might interpret that as tactless, but still. It works for me. Besides, that guy really did need to buy a stick of deodorant.

Naughtiest Childhood Behavior: Um… I got in trouble in second grade for drawing naked women. The other stuff? No one has found out so far, and I’d like to keep it that way.

Overnight hospital stays: Twice when I was eighteen. First one kidney took a dive, then the other.

Phobias: Water, car crashes, centi- or millipedes.

Quote: Please refer to the handy quote thingy at the top of the first sidebar.

Reason to smile: When Solomon (the bird) makes burping noises.

Siblings: One brutha, one sistah.

Time I wake up: Around noon. If I go to sleep at all, that is.

Unusual Talent or Skill: It’s hard to describe, but I can turn my tongue over sideways.

Vegetable I Refuse to Eat: Not applicable.

Worst Habit: I pick and chew at my cuticles.

X-rays: I’ve had a few. Never for a broken bone, though.

Yummy Stuff: Avocados, raspberries, a rare tenderloin steak, Claussen pickles, pork rinds, home made mac and cheese with gravy, sashimi… I think it’s time for lunch.

Zoo Animal I Like Most: Elephants.

I saw this on Nick’s Bytes and thought I’d give it a try.

Here’s how it works . . .
• Answer each of the questions below.
• Surf over to Flickr (set up an account if you don’t have one–it’s quick and easy AND I DON’T THINK YOU ACTUALLY HAVE TO DO THIS - SET UP AN ACCOUNT) and type your answers (one at a time) into the search bar.
• From the choice of pictures shown only on the front page, click on the one that moves you.
• Once the page with your picture opens, copy the URL.
• Surf over to the Mosaic Maker, set up your mosaic, and paste your URLs.
• Click “Create!”

The Questions:
1. What is your first name?
2. What is your favorite food?
3. What high school did you attend?
4. What is your favorite color?
5. Who is your celebrity crush?
6. What is your favorite drink?
7. Where would you go on your dream vacation?
8. What is your favorite dessert?
9. What do you want to be when you grow up?
10. What do you love most in life?
11. Choose one word to describe you?
12. Your Flickr name? (Substitute a nickname if you don’t have an account.)

Photo credits:
1. Cloud Bed, Courtney Skott, 2. Surf and turf, 3. Storm aftermath, Urbana IL, 4. llibreria - bookstore - Amsterdam, 5. LastEver, 6. Drink Dr. Pepper!, 7. (0430) Pyramid of Menkaure or Mykerinus (Giza) Egypt, 8. szechwan peppercorn creme brulee, 9. Cricket? Grasshopper? I’m no entymologist!, 10. Got milk?, 11. Lonely Fish , 12. Epicuro, la morte

Update: I actually prepared this post on Wednesday night, and for some reason I forgot to hit ‘Publish’.

Instead of uploading a butt-load of photos that always seem to take forever to load anyway, I thought I would just make videos from now on. It’s actually a little less tedious than uploading every individual photo, and it should save you some loading time. Hopefully.

Tomorrow (actually, I guess it’s today, now) we’re heading down to Missoula so Dan can do a little comics shopping and we can do a little geocaching. Oh, and bird toys, Solomon’s stock is running low and there’s just no selection here in Kalispell. Maybe I’ll even bring back a pinkie or two for the Leopard Gecko.

Nothing like a crappy meme to brighten up my day.

1. Ten years ago I was: Lemme see. I was twenty years old and a server at the local Perkins Family Restaurant and Bakery. Yeah, still can’t forget that. I had just alienated my best friend, Worley (if he ever reads this: I’m sorry and I miss you), and I was an all around slacker. Most things have drastically improved. Some things just are and can’t be changed.

2. Five things on my to-do list today: Import music from CDs (I’ve gotten 22 done so far), watch Lost, start a new book, prepare tomorrows shopping list and tidy up a bit.

3. Things I’d do if I were a billionaire: Travel, travel, travel.

4. Three bad habits: I pick at my cuticles, erm… I still smoke (I know, I know, bad Courtney) and… Does a bad temper count?

5. Five places I’ve lived: Actually, there are only five places I’ve lived: Arthur, IL; Tuscola, IL; Urbana, IL; Champaign, IL and Kalispell, MT.

6. Five jobs I’ve had in life: Well, there was the aforementioned restaurant server. I worked in a movie theater, mostly doing projection. I spent a few years working sales at an independent pet store — I’ve forgotten more about fish than most people are ever likely to learn. I delivered auto parts and I was a customer service rep in Customer Care for Nextel phones.

I didn’t get tagged for this, but I’m doing it anyway; five, non-blog sites I visit daily:

1. At first I didn’t get it, but I’ve become obsessed (or is it possessed?) with LOL Cats. Sure, some of them just aren’t funny, and it’s absolute murder to read the comments, but the funny ones? Ohmigosh are they funny!

see more crazy cat pics

2. Postcrossing helps feed my urge to see the world, without having to go any farther than my mailbox. I’m up 109 110 postcards from around the world. It’s also a relatively cheap hobby.

3. I know, I know, who needs to register for yet another social networking site? But Livemocha is a little different. It’s entirely geared towards language instruction. You can take courses that are similar to Rosetta Stone, and converse with native speakers of the language you’re learning. I’m still hoping that they add Irish language instruction to their list of available languages, though.

4. I like to cook, right? Actually, it’s more accurate to say that I like good food. Sometimes I just throw stuff together, and sometimes I try what others have just thrown together. That’s why I spend way too much time on All Recipes. I also found the BEST Colcannon recipe on All Recipes. Wanna try it?

Colcannon
INGREDIENTS
  * 2 1/2 pounds potatoes, peeled and cubed
  * 4 slices bacon (I like to add a bit more)
  * 1/2 small head cabbage, chopped
  * 1 large onion, chopped
  * 1/2 cup milk
  * salt and pepper to taste
  * 1/4 cup butter, melted

DIRECTIONS
*Place potatoes in a saucepan with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, until tender.
*Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain, reserving drippings, crumble and set aside. In the reserved drippings, sauté the cabbage and onion until soft and translucent. Putting a lid on the pan helps the vegetables cook faster.
*Drain the cooked potatoes, mash with milk and season with salt and pepper. Fold in the bacon, cabbage, and onions, then transfer the mixture to a large serving bowl. Make a well in the center, and pour in the melted butter. Serve immediately.

5. Even though I haven’t updated my reading list in a long while, I do still read, and I’m cheap, so I peruse the listed books on Paperback Swap. I really wish I hadn’t wasted a credit on Flowers for Algernon, but hey, I can re-list it, and send it to someone else!

So there it is. Five places where I enjoy wasting time. No, I’m not going to tag anyone, but I’d love to know what five, non-blog sites you visit frequently.

Five minutes to yourself:
I always have five minutes to myself, so it’s difficult to answer this one. Maybe just to kick back and zone out. That’s something I don’t often do, but it’s always nice.

Five bucks to spend right now: how would you spend it?
A magazine, baby!

Five items in your house you could part with, right now, that you hadn’t thought of already?
Raul, Maddy, Meg, Max and Jazz. NO! You don’t really think I could part with one of my cats, do you?

Five items you absolutely, positively could never part with in your house?
Raul, Maddy, Meg, Max and Jazz. There, that’s better.

Five words you love?
Floccinaucinihilipilification. Aesthetic. Botanical. Caterwaul. Cthulhu.
All for various reasons.

I’ve seen this meme floating around and thought I’d give it a try:

1. I actually hate intentional misspellings like the one in the title. The insertion of a number for a letter, using a K instead of a C, or the like, and what I like to call “IMbonics”. I hate it so much that I will correct posters, advertisements, signs, etc.

2. I have an almost irrational fear of hiccups. Hiccups have also been known to set me into a rage if they won’t go away soon enough.

3. I have this thing about imaginary lines. I’m not quite sure how to explain this, but it has to do with how things line up. Let’s take my desk for example. I have a box to hold scrap paper, and in my mind, the four edges that touch the desk all have [imaginary] extended lines. Other things on my desk need to either line up with those lines, or not cross them. Round things, like my pen holder are exempt from this rule, but round things radiate an infinite amount of their own lines that cannot be avoided. Some things on an angle can cross the lines, because they act as a mirror and redirect the lines elsewhere. Make sense?

4. I don’t really count things, like steps or breaths, but I will occasionally, in my head, start counting by twos. I’ll usually do this while driving, waiting in line or waiting for a doctor’s appointment. I don’t really set out to do it, I’ll just notice that I am.

5. My food cannot touch. The steak cannot touch the potato, and the potato cannot touch the vegetables which cannot touch the steak. Anything served on a bed of rice will get sent back to the kitchen, and if everything is just piled onto a plate, I will ask for several clean plates and separate everything manually. This does not apply to things that are meant to touch, such as Stews, pasta dishes or salads. Oh, and garnishes are not allowed.

6. I can’t really explain the specifics, but my laundry must be folded a very particular way. Every time. No exceptions. Also, hanging clothes must face the same direction.

7. I can do anything with my left hand that I can do with my right hand, except write. Anyone who’s seen my handwriting would suggest that I can’t do that with my right hand, either. My mother even asked me once if I was sure I was right handed. (To be honest, my handwriting has improved somewhat since I was last in school.)

There you have it, I’m weird, and I’ve accepted that. I tag anyone who wants to participate.

Thirteen Things I Absolutely Love
1. Elvis Presley. I remember telling a neighbor girl I was friends with, that people who were born the year that Elvis died were cursed. She believed it.
My favourite Elvis song, That’s Alright Mama:

2. Eeyore, and in particular, Classic Eeyore. I’m trying to learn to be more positive and less, erm, gloomy, but there will always be a part of me that relates to Eeyore.

3. When Solomon, my African Grey Parrot, says to me, “Can I have a kiss? Mwah Mwah Mwah!” As much as he can try my patience sometimes, when he says that — my heart just melts.

4. Bugs. There are a few exceptions, namely, cockroaches, but I love all the colours, sounds and behaviors of bugs.

5. Mary Jane style slipper socks. For the past few seasons they’ve been super trendy and in all of the stores. I can’t get enough of them!
6. The art of Juli Adams. We first saw her work at an an arts festival here in Kalispell, and I immediately fell in love with her paintings. We bought a print that day, but I’d love to purchase an original.

7. I love to bake. It’s odd that I don’t like to eat most of what I like to bake. I don’t have much of a sweet-tooth, and while I like bread, I don’t eat a lot of it.

8. Binders, page protectors and divider tabs. I also love Sharpies, Papermate felt-tipped pens and highlighters. Oh, and red, Swingline staplers, automatic pencil sharpeners and three-hole punches. I guess I just love Staples and Office Max.

9. This should be a given, but I lurve cats. I may love them, but I need another like I need a hole in the head. Five is more than enough for me.

10. Applebee’s Bruschetta Burger! I could eat those all day, everyday!

11. I can never have too many sets of stationary, note cards and cute envelopes. I don’t know why I haven’t gotten into card making or stamping. I should start that hobby, just so I can have the cute correspondence stuff!

12. Orchids, lilacs, roses and dahlias. Those are all of my favourite flowers.

13. I love most anything to do with the ocean. My dream home would be Monterey Bay Aquarium. Sure, I know it’s not a house, but I’ll bet I could make it one!

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!
The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

Image courtesy of Samulli

Thirteen Reasons Why I Feel Like the Frog

Last week’s Thursday Thirteen unintentionally took on an air of depression. Really, I’m perfectly cheery. I thought that this week I’d try to counteract the negativity with a list of the good things. Here they are:

1. I got an A on my second English essay. I will always take an A without complaint.

2. Two words: Nintendo Wii! In addition to The Legend of Zelda (my favourite game series), I’ve also developed a love for Wii Sports — I can kick some serious boxer butt, throw a 95mph fast ball and bowl a perfect game.

3. My Pink Butterfly iDog. Sometimes it takes so very little to amuse me.

4. My favourite cat, Meg, curled up and slept with me last night. She tends to be a little haughty. Humans tend to soil her silky fur.

5. I think I’ve got linear regression figured out. I was a little worried at first, but it’s surprising what you can learn if you actually read a math textbook.

6. Torchwood brought back Susie! Sure, it was just for one episode, and she was the bad guy, but they did bring her back. From the dead, even. (I’m a huge fan of Indira Varma.)

7. At Costco I found almond scented bath wash, hand soap and lotion. I don’t think there’s any scent I love more than almond. Maybe Febreeze, but I don’t want to smell like Febreeze.

8. I found a recipe for Dutch Babies:
1 TBS Butter
1 C. All-purpose flour
1 TBS Granulated Sugar
1¼ C. Milk
2 Large Eggs, at room temperature
¼ tsp Salt
Confectioner’s Sugar, for dusting
Fresh fruit of your choice (the recipe recommends nectarines and black berries) for topping.
Optional: ¼ tsp. Vanilla Extract and/or ¼ tsp. Cinnamon

Preheat oven to 375°F. Put the butter in a 9-inch pie pan and place it in the oven to met.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the flour, granulated sugar, milk, eggs and salt. Using an electric mixer set at medium-high, beat the mixture for 1½ to 2 minutes, or until smooth. Remove the pan from the oven and carefully swirl to evenly coat the bottom with the butter. Pour the batter into the pan and bake for about 30 minutes, or until the edges have risen and are crisp and golden-brown, and the center is set but still soft.

Remove the pan from the oven and dust with confectioners’ sugar. Cut the pancake into wedges, top with fruit and serve immediately.

Makes 6-8 servings.

9. It’s Hallowe’en and there will be tons of horror flick goodness on the telly tonight.

10. My computer is completely spy ware, virus and error free. All of my hard drives are defragmented and backed up. All updates to all programs are installed and functioning, and all of the ‘junk’ files, empty folders and dead shortcuts are gone. I run all of our maintenance programs on a schedule, but it feels nice when everything is done at the same time.

11. My three day bout with heartburn is over.

12. I have a huge stack of magazines to feed my habit. This might be considered as just another item to add to my to-do list, but kicking back with a magazine is what I do when I want to avoid my to-do list.

13. My honey has three days off in a row to spend with me!

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!
The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

Image courtesy of Samulli

Thirteen Reasons Why I Feel Like the Cricket

1. I never, ever, ever get heartburn. But, the last three nights in a row — I’ve had the most killer, hellacious, buckled-over heartburn.

2. I got a B (88/100) on my first English Composition essay. My grammar was correct, and my English instructor even said it was a great essay. But, he couldn’t tell me how to increase the grade to an A. It didn’t have ’spark’. He couldn’t explain to me how to achieve an A, he just knows spark when he sees it. He has twenty years experience, afterall. I fail to see how he’s teaching me composition. But I know teaching in action when I see it.

3. No matter how much OJ I use to chase my cherry-flavoured, Vicks 44 cough syrup — the vile taste just doesn’t go away. Vicks 44 is also not helping the heartburn.

4. Y’know how sometimes you just need a change? Going back to school is certainly a change, but that’s not quite what I mean. I can always get a hair cut, or buy new clothes, but that’s not really what I mean, either. I tried changing my blog, but that didn’t do it. That’s the problem, I can’t define it.

5. I think I found a group of people that I hate more than cops — postal workers!

6. I really, really, really want to nick the neighbors cat. She’s teeny (like our youngest cat, Jazz), and is the sweetest cat.

7. I haven’t bought a new pair of shoes since August. I know, there are poor children in third-world nations who don’t even have shoes.

8. I’m going to withdraw from my photography class and take it next semester. I got behind in the required dark room work, and now I’m just lost. I hate having to admit that I don’t get something, or that I can’t just figure it out on my own, but that’s how it is. I can’t figure out how to process negatives or make prints on my own. There, I said it.

9. Omega-3 Fatty Acids are the greatest things ever, but they don’t quite take all of the edge off of anxiety.

10. It would be really nice to sit back, relax and read something I want to read.

12. The computer has been giving me fits, lately. Everyday there’s something new that slows it down. Eventually, I’m going to spend time on the computer just to run various anti- or PC Maintenance programs and never do what I need or want to do.

13. Just blah.

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!
The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants