Answers to your burning questions

Jess asked, What is your favorite thing about yourself? And also, what is your favorite name for a pet?

There are just SO MANY wonderful things about yours truly, I just can’t decide  I would say that I am an extremely fast learner, but that doesn’t really have anything to do with a personal choice that I’ve made about myself, so I’ll skip that. I guess something that I’m most proud of is the fact that I went from basically being a quiet, timid pushover to being a woman of conviction who will take up for herself when she is right. I basically did a 180 after my first two relationships, in which I dated guys who treated me like poo. I just thought that was how relationships were supposed to be. I watched it happen to my Mom my whole life. I don’t know when the light switch flipped on, but it did, and I’m grateful. It’s a wonderful feeling when someone—a person who assumes that since you’re a young woman you won’t take up for yourself—says something rude, only to be put RIGHT in his place immediately afterward. A man—whom I’d worked with for about 2.3 seconds when he did this—made a snarky comment to me once, so I said, “ExCUSE me? I know you just did not speak to me like that. I am neither an idiot nor your slave.” The look on his face was priceless.

As far as my favorite pet name, right now I’m going with Noodle. I am keeping one of Layla’s pups, the one that most resembles (and emulates!) Layla, and that is what I’m naming her. After a few cocktails with a friend last week (we were most likely at my house watching American Idol), it just came to me. NOODLE! Isn’t it a cute little name? All of my animals have people names (Raquel, Oliver, Otis, Berta, Layla), and I decided it was time for a “pet” name.

Oh, and that is not Noodle in the previous post. That is the dog my aunt is getting, and they are naming her Scarlet. An appropriate name, because her father’s name is Red

—–

Miriam asked, What is your favorite place in the world to visit? What do you do when you’re there?

I had a hard time with this question. I always love going to the beach, but I don’t have a specific one that I frequent. I guess I would have to say I love to visit Atlanta. I always get really excited when I get tickets for a concert in Atlanta, or tickets to a Braves game. Whenever I go there, I just feel consumed by CULTURE and PEOPLE and PLACES OH MY. It’s far South enough where you still get that “deep South” feel, but it’s also diverse enough that it’s not “hick-ish.” Plus, Atlanta has awesome shopping and restaurants (naturally). When I’m there I just try and soak up everything while I can before I come back home to the shit hole that is my hometown. The thing that sucks about Atlanta, though? Traffic. Holy hell the traffic. I would kill myself if I had to be in that every day.

 —–

Libby asked, What 2 things would you bring with you on a deserted island?

The first thing I would bring is some sort of music playing device, assuming I could either have electricity and/or unlimited batteries. The second thing I would bring would be alcohol. Lots of it. Although, a man would be nice, too. Especially if that man were Keith Urban. Although he doesn’t drink . . . more for me I guess! Oh wait, if I brought Keith Urban and alcohol, I wouldn’t NEED a music playing device because he would sing to me. So, Keith Urban and alcohol.

—–

Laurel asked, What was your favorite outfit in eighth grade?

Ah, 1997. I was in my angsty teenage “I don’t give a fuck but I am oh so depressed” phase. I wore a T-shirt and jeans pretty much every day. After much Googleage, I was unable to find photographic evidence of my staple T-shirt in 8th grade, but I’ll try my best. Before Mossimo became a Target brand, it was the type of clothing line that you could find in abundance at Gadzooks, my OMG ABSOLUTE FAVORITE STORE EVER at that time. I shopped in the men’s section and bought T-shirts way too big for my 100 pound self. I bought a new Mossimo shirt pretty much every time I went to Gadzooks, and they all featured some sort of anime-like illustration. I’m pretty sure I wore one in my 8th grade class photo. Oh, and the staple American Eagle flare jeans. Ugh.

—–

Pessimistic Redhead asked, Is your blog title from The Family Stone? If not, how did you choose it?

No, it is not. Although I did like that movie. It actually came from Weeds. Celia Hodes, the extremely bitchy character in the show, said it, although I can’t for the life of me remember what the context was. I thought it was a perfect name for my blog since well, I am a freak. And I let my freak flag fly pretty regularly. And I like alliteration.

—–

Michael C asked, Because you are in Georgia, does Ray Charles’ ‘Georgia On My Mind’ make you get all weak in the knees like I do? How about Willie Nelson’s version? Don’t you feel glad that you have such a great song for your state when I have things like ‘It Never Rains In California,’ which is a complete and utter lie because it rained a little just yesterday?

Actually, I think I am immune to the effect that song has on most people because I DO live in Georgia. I don’t understand! Oh, and speaking of Willie Nelson, a former co-worker of mine has smoked pot with him. THAT is awesome. I’ll bet he had some good shit. But yes, Michael, of all the songs with states in the titles, I do agree that ‘Georgia on My Mind’ is the best.

—–

And finally, the lovely Stephanie, who is currently on hiatus but we still love her asked, Is there any one color that dominates your closet? For example, I look into my closet and see mostly blues and pinks in all my clothes.

Actually yes, Stephanie. There are several. In one category we have black/white/grey, because I am an incredibly boring dresser, and because I am cheap so I like my clothes to all GO with each other. The other two are green and navy, because I love nautical-looking clothes. My style is classic tinged with a little bit of preppy casual. OK, someone punch me for that last sentence.

HAPPY FRIDAY EVERYONE!

Puppeh teaser

Note the placement of the itty bitty paw. Cuteness.

More to come.

OK, now I’m going to do it

Since everyone and their mama has already done it (and drama in my life is not allowing me to form coherent thoughts as of late), I am opening up the forum to you.

ASK ME QUESTIONS.

I will answer mostly anything, so don’t be shy. Ask more than one, while you’re at it, in case I don’t get very many responses

Protected:

This post is password protected. To view it please enter your password below:

Password:

I’m so awesome I don’t even need a title

I think comments I leave on other people’s blogs are WAY better than anything I write on my own blog.

Seriously. I should start a blog that purely publishes comments I’ve left on others’ blogs. Or would that be narcissistic? I think it would. And of course I kid, I’d never do that. Well, unless someone paid me to do it. Then I’d totally do it.

ANYHOO. I’m sure some of you are probably thinking, “But Valerie, you comment on my blog, and your comments are yawn-inducing. In fact, I’d probably delete your boring ass comments but I wouldn’t want to hurt your feelings, or something.” But I like them. I think they’re funny. They make me giggle to myself. And isn’t that all that matters? What I think?

I guess it’s due to the fact that I have a nearly non-existent attention span, and that I’m only comically effective in short bursts? Lately I barely have the motivation to write a meaningful (ha!) or interesting post, as I’m sure you’ve noticed. I’m sure some of you were thinking last week, “A bullet post, Valerie? Seriously? Cop out!”

Lately I feel that the puppehs (the pictures! they’re coming! I promise!) and the Keith/Carrie concert (which was KICK. ASS. by the way) are the most interesting things I’ve got going for me right now, and they’re not even about me.

Patience, my dears. It’s a virtue. One in which I, unfortunately, do not possess. I do have things going on in my life. BIG things. I’m just not comfortable writing about them right now. Maybe one day, but not now. I don’t want my blog to become some place where I just come to dump all my melodramatic angst (although I don’t mind if you do it, of course, but remember it’s all about ME). I’d prefer my blog to be a happy place. Because there’s nothing like having a craptastic day in which the shit just HITS. THE. FAN. and nothing could possibly cheer you up, and then coming across a blog post that just makes you smile. And forget that you want to throttle that bitch in Accounting because really, WHERE DOES SHE COME OFF?

I guess my point is this: I’m trying not to take myself too seriously. Because when I do? That’s when I am NOT pleasant to be around. If I’m not happy, I sure as hell don’t know how to make you happy. And one of the most pleasurable things you can ever experience is to make someone else happy. And yes, I realize I just wrote a post with all sorts of italicized I’s and Me’s and point blank stated, “it’s all about ME,” but that was sarcasm. In case you didn’t catch that.

And when I get home, I am SO putting the new Flight of the Conchords album on my iPod. And I urge you to do the same. If that’s doesn’t put you in a good mood, you have no soul.