You might be wondering, “So what in tarnation is this Monday Poll thing anyway!?”
Well, it isn’t exactly a poll. It’s more of a constantly evolving (devolving?), somewhat random list of questions I’ve been putting out to readers every Monday morning for the past seven years. (It’s like a kickstart for your brain.) I’ve always enjoyed reading your answers in the comments, and I hope you enjoy reading mine.
- Tacos or burritos?
Tacos all the way, man! — particularly crispy tacos with all the fixin’s, om nom nom! - What’s a project you’d like to start this week?
I really need to start cleaning out my closet and pulling out my cold weather clothes.Yes, it really does get cold here! Yes, even in California. 🙂 Well…cold for us. It’ll drop down into the low 30s sometimes.
So I have to put away my summer clothes that I’m hoping — fingers crossed — to be able to wear again next summer after Baby Girl arrives, and dig out a bunch of sweaters and scarves from last winter. Oh, and I would to figure out what happens to all of my cold weather socks.
It’s that darned sock monster, I guess…
- If you had your own Ferris Bueller-style day off, what would it be like?
I’d sleep in, of course, then have breakfast in bed with banana pancakes (which I wouldn’t have to cook!). Then, a trip to The Nob Hill Spa in San Francisco, and after several hours of getting blissed out of my mind with back-to-back massages (all I want in life right now is for someone to rub my lower back…), Jon Snow from Game of Thrones would show up and read Sense and Sensibility to me in the spa’s Zen Room while I drifted to sleep for a nice, long nap…After my nap, I’d have chocolate cake, then get a text from El Hub saying that we won the lottery, yay! 🙂 And then I’d go to Chanel and buy shoes for myself and purses for my mom and mom-in-law. LOL!
Then I’d accidentally get swept up in a parade and end up on a float where I’d toss candy out to the crowd.
- What do you listen to while you’re getting ready?
Most of the time, iTunes Radio, especially the classical, R&B and pop stations. But sometimes I’ll just open the windows for some fresh air and listen to the birds outside. - What’s the scariest thing that’s ever happened to you while you were home alone?
Well, I wasn’t exactly alone, because my younger brother was also there, but one time back in high school when my parents had gone out for the evening, my brother and I were watching TV in the living room, and out of the corner of my eye I saw something move in the backyard through the window.It looked like a person crouching down and looking inside!
Adrenaline shot through my body! I grabbed my brother and was halfway to the phone before I realized, whoops! — it wasn’t a prowler… It was a plastic bag stuck in a tree outside. 🙂
I always feel silly when I remember that one, but I’m still amazed by how quickly the fight/flight response kicked in and how the adrenalin surged through me. Crazy stuff!
Your turn. 🙂 Just copy and paste the following questions into a comment with your answers. I look forward to reading ’em!
1. Tacos or burritos?
2. What’s a project you’d like to start this week?
3. If you had your own Ferris Bueller-style day off, what would it be like?
4. What do you listen to while you’re getting ready?
5. What’s the scariest thing that’s ever happened to you while you were home alone?
Hi, my sweet friend. *waves hi from sniffleland* I’m happy to report that your tabby was indeed an excellent kitty nurse last weekend. He fussed over me and made sure I drank plenty of fluids to help me get over this cold. He also did a great job monitoring my naps.
I’m not 100% yet, but I’m getting there… I’m just happy to be upright and somewhat functional today! It’s the little things, ya know?
I hope you had a wonderful weekend and that your Monday has been all pumpkin lattes and rainbow ponies so far.
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
Your answer to the Ferris Bueller-style day off – too funny!! Hope your get to 100% asap 🙂
1. Tacos or burritos?
Always tacos. Just finished my grocery list for after work and tacos are what I’m making for dinner tonight. Yum!
2. What’s a project you’d like to start this week?
I need to get some photos printed and finally get my picture frames up. I’ve had the frames for about 2 years so maybe I could actually get this done before the end of this year…
3. If you had your own Ferris Bueller-style day off, what would it be like?
I can’t even process how amazing that would be
4. What do you listen to while you’re getting ready?
My faves are Green Day and Eminem but I’m a playlist queen and have different ones for literally any mood I’m in.
5. What’s the scariest thing that’s ever happened to you while you were home alone?
When I was about 10 I was staying at my dad’s house which was next to a provincial park. I guess some guy had got kicked out of the park for being super drunk and loud and he stumbled up our driveway and began pounding on the door and yelling. As to why I was home alone at night at that age I don’t know but I remember sitting in my bed, frozen with fear and probably squeezing my cat way too tight. Not long after, my dad came back and got rid of him. Even though that was really scary, I still prefer to live in the country even though it’s just me and my giant killer 6 pound dog!
1. Tacos or burritos?
I tend to prefer tacos but either is fine with me.
2. What’s a project you’d like to start this week?
There is a list. I’ve been so sick that I haven’t gotten to anything. Luckily none of it is too important!
3. If you had your own Ferris Bueller-style day off, what would it be like?
Yours sounds great to me. If I had a #treatyoself day where money was no object, I’d wake up late, have brunch, hit the spa, shop til I dropped and then top it off with a decadent late dinner with plenty of wine!
Or I’d hop on my chartered private jet to somewhere tropical and have a massage on a yacht and snack/drink while we sailed around!
4. What do you listen to while you’re getting ready?
I rarely listen to music while getting ready. My husband is always playing loud video games or listening to his own terrible music.
5. What’s the scariest thing that’s ever happened to you while you were home alone?
Not sure people want to know but it involved a home invasion and a lot of horrible things over 12 hours. Even if you know who it is, you shouldn’t open the door sometimes. This is the reason I’ve had panic attacks for years. If you can imagine how horrible it could go, that’s how it went. Luckily, he was stupid at one point and I got away. It involved running through my town nude and bloodied, but it got me to safety and got the police on the case.
Oh gosh, Erin, that’s terrifying! I’m glad you were able to survive though. Holy crap…
Yes, it was terrifying from start to finish and many years later! Luckily, 16 years after the fact, I seem to have mastered my fear of the situation. No more panic attacks.
I’m so sorry that happened to you. You’re one strong lady to have made it through that. Respect.
Thanks! I still have nightmares about it but I have panic attack free for a year now!
That’s great! 🙂
Good for you on the no panic attacks for a year! That’s incredible. The longest I’ve ever gone without in the 16yrs that I’ve been having them is 2 &1/2 months. I wake up with them a lot, it sucks. But yeah, that’s awesome. You should write a book one day maybe..
Oh my god, what a horrible experience!
Yeah, it was certainly life altering in many aspects. I won’t go into all of it. I’m finally the master of the fear now.
1. Tacos or burritos? Tacos for sure. I need the crunch. But, I wouldn’t say no to a burrito if it had plenty of cilantro rice and salsa and cheese…
2. What’s a project you’d like to start this week? I’d like to get my editorial calendar planned for the rest of the year. If not the rest of the year, at least the next two months somewhat sketched out.
3. If you had your own Ferris Bueller-style day off, what would it be like? Sleep, mani/pedi’s, margaritas for lunch, lots of comedy movies to watch, buying a winning lottery ticket, shopping at Sephora and perhaps a Lincoln dealership. I think that’s it.
4. What do you listen to while you’re getting ready? Reggae, usually Bob Marley.
5. What’s the scariest thing that’s ever happened to you while you were home alone? It’s a long story but it ended fine and pales in comparison to our survivor Erin who commented about her significant trauma.
1. Tacos or burritos? Burritos, fo sho.
2. What’s a project you’d like to start this week? The Fix-Your-Hair-Gurl project. It’s been long due…
3. If you had your own Ferris Bueller-style day off, what would it be like? I’m not sure… but I have feeling it would involve puppies and eating lots of chocolate.
4. What do you listen to while you’re getting ready? Nothing, because my man is usually still asleep as I’m getting ready.
5. What’s the scariest thing that’s ever happened to you while you were home alone? Hmmm… nothing comes to mind. Guess I don’t scare easily, lol.
1. Tacos or burritos?
It’s a hard choice, but I’d say tacos. Fish tacos to be specific!
2. What’s a project you’d like to start this week?
Finding a job, lol!
3. If you had your own Ferris Bueller-style day off, what would it be like?
A French breakfast with croissants and pains au chocolat, a long walk on the beach, a light lunch in a place with an ocean view, a massage in a luxury spa, some time in a hot tub and by the pool with a cocktail, then dinner on a quiet patio with a lot of string lights.
4. What do you listen to while you’re getting ready?
I mostly listen to Google Play radios, anything rock or indie pop. Some radios have really fun names (there’s one called Looking At Pictures of Your Ex), and it makes me giggle!
5. What’s the scariest thing that’s ever happened to you while you were home alone?
Nothing really scary ever happened to me, but I scared myself a few times for nothing.
Once it was after dark and someone knocked on the door saying they wanted me to sign a petition or something, and I freaked out. I thought it was odd that campaign activists would be canvassing my very poorly lit neighborhood at night, so I thought he might be lying and trying to get me to open the door for sinister purposes. My hubby was out of town on a business trip and I slept on the couch with a kitchen knife next to me… I didn’t really sleep actually, lol!
The guy left a leaflet on my porch, so the next day I contacted the organization to verify that he was indeed working for them, and they confirmed it was true. I told them to never come knock on my door after dark again, lol!
Good luck with the job hunt this week, Lulle! What type of work are you searching for? Is it something in your current field, or are you switching to something new?
1. Tacos or burritos?
Burritos!
2. What’s a project you’d like to start this week?
Seating chart for my wedding that’s next Saturday!!!! Not looking forward to it, I hear it’s a real puzzle from hell!
3. If you had your own Ferris Bueller-style day off, what would it be like?
Drive to a nearby city, see museums, be spontaneous!
4. What do you listen to while you’re getting ready?
My fiance made me a Spotify playlist of songs he thinks I’d like, which I’ve been obsessed with. He knows me well!
5. What’s the scariest thing that’s ever happened to you while you were home alone?
Years and years ago, I was staying at my then-boyfriend’s apartment while he was hanging out with his friends. I was lounging around in my underwear and a tank top when a random drunk man opened the apartment door (I hadn’t realized it was unlocked!) and stood there staring at me. I jumped up, slammed and locked the door. Luckily he didn’t do anything or try to enter, and that was the end of it. Maybe he was so drunk he didn’t even really realize what was going on? Rather terrifying though!
Jenna! Remind me when your wedding date is again?
Saturday, October 10th! I’m so nervous!
Yikes! Glad he was too drunk to react to anything!
1. Tacos or burritos? tacos
2. What’s a project you’d like to start this week? Cleaning up my makeup stash
3. If you had your own Ferris Bueller-style day off, what would it be like? I’d sleep-in, have french toast for breakfast, go shopping at one of my fav malls, eat Italian for lunch, see a good movie with my hubby, eat a delicious dinner and then end the night with a macaron or some froyo.
4. What do you listen to while you’re getting ready? TV
5. What’s the scariest thing that’s ever happened to you while you were home alone? I hate being home alone because I always hear noises or see dark, shadowy figures out of the corner of my eye.
1. Tacos or burritos? Tacos! Mexican tacos
2. What’s a project you’d like to start this week? Start making my own “look-book” for eye looks.
3. If you had your own Ferris Bueller-style day off, what would it be like? Did you watch this over the weekend? Lol I know you said you were Netflixing. Ummm, I’d def have a sweet ride to drive like his friend’s father’s car. I’d have won a ton of money & I’d hit up MAC, buy it out. Hit up Sephora, buy everything I actually want & gifts for ppl. Hit up Ulta & go on a NYX spree & buy gifts for ppl. Oh & I’d def purchase some prepaid cc’s for online makeup sites like MUG for when I finally got home 🙂 & I’d spread the cash around to various family members.
4. What do you listen to while you’re getting ready? I just started my 3-month free trial of Apple Music (I feel like I could be wrong about that name/title…), so I’ve been trying to get as much use out of it as possible. It’s awesome to have access to all of iTunes music, plus I’m really diggin’ all of the playlists that are created for different purposes, & sometimes I’ll listen to iTunes Radio, like when I’m driving.
5. What’s the scariest thing that’s ever happened to you while you were home alone? I don’t have an easy answer to this one which scares me because I feel like if I say nothing, then I’ll be jinxing myself & something scary will happen lol! But seriously though, nothing really comes to mind other than a nightmare that I’d been shot in the chest. It was so real & so “loud” that I woke up & was actually checking my chest to see if there was a hole or whatever lol
Wait! I take that back! I was at my mom’s house, in the kitchen, making something to eat, & was standing right by the windows (it was dark outside & there weren’t any blinds/curtains on the windows), when I heard a crazy loud “WHAMM!” against the glass rt by my head! It was pitch black out there because I had turned the outside lights off. Man, I jumped about a foot & was freaking until I saw that it was just a black bear outside! He or she had hit the bird feeder (the big, solid, squirrel-proof bird feeder) super hard into the window by accident. When you’re all alone in the woods & it’s nighttime, little things like that can really scare you lol
I had a black bear hang outside the camper van I was staying in once. I was a bit scared but it was a younger bear so I was more fascinated. I watched him for hours!
I know, rt? They’re such interesting animals! I have a major soft spot for bears 🙂
* I think I have the Ferris Bueller concept wrong… It’s been over a decade since I’ve seen it ?
1. Tacos or burritos? I like both, but I’ll pick burritos. They hold more fillings and are less sloppy.
2. What’s a project you’d like to start this week? Getting my closet organized for fall and winter. I probably won’t get it it this week, though.
3. If you had your own Ferris Bueller-style day off, what would it be like? Sleep in, have lunch with the hubby, and visit the library or a bookstore. Maybe some shopping.
4. What do you listen to while you’re getting ready? Nothing. My household is noisy. Closing myself up in a quiet room is my relaxation.
5. What’s the scariest thing that’s ever happened to you while you were home alone? When I was a teenager: For the first time, hearing furniture move upstairs in bedroom, the sounds of someone falling down the stairs, and then the front door slamming repeatedly by itself (no wind). I later told my mom and brothers about it, only to see shocked faces, and learn they’d experienced the same things. It continued the whole time we lived in that house, and even non-family members heard these things. I know it sounds absolutely nuts, but we never found an logical explanation. I really think that house had a poltergeist.
Oh how scary! El Hub lived in a haunted house when they were on the Big Island. Similar stuff happened to his family too, on separate occasions. They’d here people walking up and down the stairs, doors closing, that kind of thing, without any explanation.
I’ve never lived in a house like that, although I’ve been in a house where the vibe felt very ominous. When we were looking place here in Novato there was one house that we walked into where I felt like someone was choking me we were there — I couldn’t breathe and felt like I was being watched. I didn’t say anything to El Hub until we got out of the house and back into the car, and that’s when he said he felt the same thing too. Scary!
It was actually only scary the first time. Once we realized it wasn’t hurting anyone, it was just annoying. lol
Learning about quantum physics some, I wonder if some actions or event just don’t get put into some kind of temporal loop or something, rather than it being spirits haunting the living. Though I keep an open mind to that, too, I think it’s far less likely.
1. Tacos or burritos?
None of them? I don’t like either very much.
2. What’s a project you’d like to start this week?
Cleaning out the flat. I am getting into nesting mode…
3. If you had your own Ferris Bueller-style day off, what would it be like?
Sleep in, watch through my YT subscription feed while having breakfast, go shopping without Little Bean, and the read until it is time to fall asleep again.
4. What do you listen to while you’re getting ready?
Nothing. I cant be bothered by any noise at 5 am.
5. What’s the scariest thing that’s ever happened to you while you were home alone?
I was standing in my bedroom when suddenly the front door opened. It was just the wind, but I was petrified.
I’ve had that happen to me to, it’s scary as hell because for that split second you don’t know why!
1. Tacos or burritos? Tacos with corn tortillas. I’m not big on either though!
2. What’s a project you’d like to start this week? Cleaning closets and Halloween plans!
3. If you had your own Ferris Bueller-style day off, what would it be like? I had today off, but I mostly just laid around because I sprained my ankle very badly.
4. What do you listen to while you’re getting ready? YouTube videos!
5. What’s the scariest thing that’s ever happened to you while you were home alone? I grew up in the middle of the woods in northern Michigan. At 17, I spent a night alone at home and was terrified.
Oh no! How did you hurt your ankle? And how will your recovery time take?
I wasn’t even doing anything cool! I was 5 minutes into a contortion workshop in the circus gym, still doing warm ups, and I slipped while walking. Ankle had a big tennis ball sized lump on it. I’m hoping to be back circusing in a week or two! Ankle is still puffy and a variety of purple colors.
Aww, man! Isn’t it always that way though?! I hope you heal quickly. Sprained ankles are such a pain. Are you using crutches or hobbling around?
Crutches! Makes me really appreciate normally having the use of my feet! Mina applied medicinal kitty kisses.
What a good kitty nurse! Kitty kisses are the best kind. How is she fitting in with the rest of the fur fam?
Jiji is warming up, although still being a grump. She still has to live in her own room until we can trust him. She and Quincy get along okay though! We love her so much though.
Oh, you know how it is with cat drama. This too shall pass. Send me pics of her when you can!
Totally! She moves too fast for that sometimes!
I’ll take a sleeping pic. Those are purr-fectly acceptable!
Your answer to your ferris buellers day off question killed me! Thanks for the giggles. ??
1. Tacos or burritos?
TACOS. I have never said no to a taco. We had tacos last night and I would love to have tacos again tonight. And tomorrow night.
2. What’s a project you’d like to start this week?
I’d like to finally finish knitting this awesome, snuggly open vest so I can start on a slouchy cowl. I’ve been saying that for the past month, soooo…
3. If you had your own Ferris Bueller-style day off, what would it be like?
I’d completely ignore phone calls and emails and make SO play hooky with me — we’d go and eat at several of the fabulous restaurants in the neighborhood and stop at the candy store on the way home, where we’d binge watch Netflix and HGTV.
4. What do you listen to while you’re getting ready?
Usually the radio, either NPR or the talk station SO works at. Sometimes the rock station I used to work for, but most times I’m too lazy to change the station.
5. What’s the scariest thing that’s ever happened to you while you were home alone?
Oh boy. I had some (probably) drunk person try to walk into my apartment when I was 21. It was my first place where I lived alone, and a small studio at that. I’d come home and for whatever reason, I forgot to deadbolt the door. Not even five minutes later, as I was taking off my clothes (of course), I hear someone start to open the door. Thankfully, it *was* a small studio and I’m a large person, so three steps is all it took to slam the door shut before they had it open more than a couple inches. I’ve been adamant about locking doors since then.
You’re the second person to answer the poll today with a drunk person entering answer to number 5. Hasn’t happened to me yet. (Knock on wood.)
That’s cool that you used to work for a radio station. What did you do there?
I hope it never happens to you! I just saw the other drunk-man-entering experience and YIKES!
I wore many hats at the station…at one point, the station was news and I was hired as a writer/producer. The station then flipped and I was kept on as a blogger and production assistant…I got to edit sound for a good portion of my day and life was good. 🙂
Oh that’s cool! I had a (very) brief career in radio during college when I co-hosted a show. It was fun! I kind of wish I stuck with it because I enjoyed doing voice stuff, although I found it hard to tell jokes because I rely a lot on my face to get the point across.
Are you still in radio? Or have you moved out of the field?
College radio is so much fun – a lot of freedom to experiment! My BA is in radio broadcast/production… But I’m now in pet care (livin’ the cat lady dream!). I’ve done a small bit of voice over on the side, but I think pets are where it’s at!
That sounds wonderful. Do you have your own business? I feel like in a parallel universe I’m a full-time cat sitter for hire, LOL!
I hope you continue to get better quickly & I’m sorry you had to miss the symphony. I bet Tabs makes a mean chicken soup!
So, my answers for the poll:
1. Tough choice, but today I’d have to go with burritos, but in a bowl. We just had a Qdoba open in town last month…I love taco truck tacos, though!
2. I sort of already started a project before I checked your blog. I want to send encouraging cards/notes via snail-mail to a core group of friends & family; the people who have been my encouragement when I needed it. I’m planning on a couple friends a week so that every few months, they recieve one from me.
3. Oh my; well, I’d get a massage & a pedicure & then go on some kind of eating tour (that’s a thing, right?) of all the restaurants I’ve been wanting to try interspersed with visiting some of the museums in Seattle, then I’d love to spend the evening binge-watching Doctor Who & drinking whiskey sours.
4. I usually “listen” to an episode of whatever show I’m currently rewatching, like The Big Bang Theory, because I’ve seen it before & it’s background noise. If I’m out running errands, if it’s sunny I listen to classic rock or pop, but otherise I listen almost exclusively to my local jazz & blues NPR station.
5. OK, so, I don’t scare easily but the scariest thing that ever happened to me was about 7 years ago. I was living by myself in a mother-in-law apartment over a garage that was situtated at the bottom of the hill & my front door was accessed by a walkway from the top of the hill. The entire structure was probably 25 feet high because the ceiling was vaulted. My landlords’ property was out in a rural area, lots of wooded areas & large lots & hills & little ravines. Early one morning, like at 3:30 AM, I was woken up by something whacking the side of the structure several times at least halfway up, so like, 10 or 12 feet up from the ground. I spent the rest of the night with my cell phone clutched in my hand. I checked the next day (in broad daylight) & there were no downed tree branches. I heard someone delibrately banging on the garage. I later heard that there have been Bigfoot sightings in that area (I live in western Washington, about 35 miles NE of Seattle). I’m skeptical in regards to Bigfoot but I also know I didn’t dream the noise & it wasn’t a branch.
1. Tacos or burritos? I like that burritos are neater to eat. Taste-wise, I can’t choose. I love Mexican food.
2. What’s a project you’d like to start this week? Hmm. Maybe a cooking project? Maybe bake somethin?
3. If you had your own Ferris Bueller-style day off, what would it be like? It would involve spa treatments, shopping, sushi & wine 🙂
4. What do you listen to while you’re getting ready? Rihanna pandora channel all day err’day
5. What’s the scariest thing that’s ever happened to you while you were home alone? I once got hurt washing dishes at home alone. I guess I have Hulk strength BC I broke a glass. Not only did I break that glass it cut my wrist. I ended up calling 911 bc the bleeding wouldn’t stop. Everything was fine but I needed a tetanus shot.
1. Tacos or burritos?
Normally I would say tacos because they’re my favorite but it’s my biggest food ad version right now. Baby doesn’t like tacos I guess!
2. What’s a project you’d like to start this week?
Cleaning the basement! I started the other day but need to finish. Nothing major, just throwing lots of empty boxes away that have been sitting down there forever.
3. If you had your own Ferris Bueller-style day off, what would it be like?
Make a big breakfast and watch Netflix all day. I know, live it up right?
4. What do you listen to while you’re getting ready?
Nothing!
5. What’s the scariest thing that’s ever happened to you while you were home alone?
I have a similar story! A year or so ago, I woke up in the middle of the night, it was windy so I was hearing things and I’m always so panicky anyway so I peeked out the window and SWORE I saw two people in hoodies at the front door. I started calling 911 and woke up husband (so I wasn’t necessarily alone) and then realized what I saw were two trees. The cops came and it was a whole thing. I didn’t tell them I figured out it was the trees haha everyone still makes fun of me and the “tree robbers”.