A Random Dozen Answers to a Dozen Random Questions!

1. Do you prefer to read the book or see the movie?

It depends on which came first. I think it's tacky when a book is written after a movie that was popular. 

Recently I read To Kill a Mockingbird and then really wanted to watch the movie. The movie did not disappoint and I think reading the book first helped me understand the movie better.

I love to see how the movie visualizes what I visualized as I was reading the book. When The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe movie came out I loved seeing everything I had imagined. (My son even said, "That's exactly how I pictured Lucy.") (Oh, and can I say? I am so excited to see The Voyage of the Dawn Treader!) (In theaters December 10!)

2. What is your favorite holiday and why?

We've had some pretty great Thanksgivings lately. We have loved inviting all sorts of people to join us for Thanksgiving dinner. It's been so fun to have our table full of family and friends. And the food? I just love the simple menu. It's all pretty much a given with the turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, cranberry sauce, etc. (Oh the carbohydrates!)

3. Which do you like better - the mountains or the beach?

MOUNTAINS! Who wouldn't love this? (I actually "borrowed" this picture from my son-in-law. This was the view from the cabin they rented for their honeymoon. Estes Park. Oh. My.)

4. If money were no consideration, what vehicle would you drive?

A Toyota Highlander with a sunroof. Oasis Green. Wait. That is what I drive! How amazing is that?! (If I were to add anything to that it would have GPS and a place to hook up my iPod.)

5. What is your favorite cold-weather beverage?

Iced Tea. I drink it all year round.

6. How do you communicate most often with your friends: phone, email, text, face-to-face, or Facebook?

Email or Facebook. I don't have any friends here where I live that I can communicate face-to-face with.

7. How do you receive your mail? Mailbox on the porch, at the end of the driveway, down the street, or post office box?

The mailbox is at the end of the driveway.

8. Of the four basic personality types - sanguine, phlegmatic, melancholic, and choleric - which is your strongest? Which is your least evident? (Here's the definition of those four types.)

Oh, I don't know. Maybe a bit of Melancholic with a bit of Choleric tossed in. Definitely no Phlegmatic in there. (A side note here: I think the whole personality-type stuff can put people in too much of a box. While I do agree that people have different personalities, constantly trying to label someone so they fit in a box does more of a disfavor than is helpful.) (There. I feel better now having gotten that off my chest. Whew.)

9. What do you miss the most about being 20?

My body. I thought I was overweight then. Sheesh.

10. How long from the time you get up, does it take you to get ready to walk out the door in the morning? 

Usually somewhere around 1 1/2 to 2 hours. I think I'm high maintenance. Sorry Hubby!

11. Who handles the car maintenance and pays the bills in your family?

The hubby pays the bills. He likes it. Go figure.

He takes care of the maintenance of his car and I take care of mine. (Soooo not my favorite thing to do.) You can read about my latest escapade here. (And by "take care of mine", I mean I drive it to the mechanic and tell them to do whatever they do.)

12. For those in the US, how many states have you visited? For those outside the US, how many provinces/other countries have you visited?

I've been to somewhere around 38 states. And for kicks, I'll answer how many countries I've visited. (Just because I used to live in Singapore and at one time I could have been classified as "outside the US".) I've visited around 14 countries (if you count the thousand or so times I landed in Tokyo. I did spend the night there once due to a canceled flight, so I guess it counts.) (I have also been to 4 provinces in Canada.) Jeepers, that's a lot of traveling.