You might be wondering, “So what the heck is this Monday Poll thing anyway?”
Well, it isn’t much of a poll. It’s more just a constantly evolving (devolving?), somewhat random list of questions I’ve been putting out to readers every Monday morning for the past seven years. I’ve always enjoyed reading your answers in the comments, and I hope you enjoy reading mine.
- What’s your idea of a perfect birthday party for you?
A very casual brunch, because brunch is my favorite meal of the day, where I order both a sweet and savory option, because I hate having to decide between the two, and everybody has mimosas.Just a handful of people, and I don’t have to pick up the bill.
Oh, yeah! — and I’m wearing a tiara. 🙂
- Tell me about your first car…
It was a beat up flesh-colored Ford pickup with a camper shell and a long bed, so I couldn’t see what was going on behind me, and the speedometer was broken. Every time my parents would drive with me, they’d yell about how I was going too fast, but how was I supposed to know how fast I was going!? The freaking speedometer was broken! - What’s one thing you always have with you wherever you go?
Cat hair. I’m covered in it. It’s on my shoes, on my clothes, on my purses, in my hair, on my lips sometimes. I can’t escape it. - Which of the following can you hear from your home: church bells, trains, busses, children playing, birds singing and/or wind chimes?
All of the above.I’m not 100% sure about the train. I think I hear one sometimes, but I don’t know where it is. It’s like the ghost train…
- Have you ever been lost — like seriously lost — in a city, a parking lot or someplace outdoors?
Yes, in the South San Francisco Daly City area. It’s like the Bermuda Triangle for me.
Your turn. 🙂 Just copy and paste the following questions into a comment with your answers. I look forward to reading ’em!
1. What’s your idea of a perfect birthday party for you?
2. Tell me about your first car…
3. What’s one thing you always have with you wherever you go?
4. Which of the following can you hear from your home: church bells, trains, busses, children playing, birds singing and/or wind chimes?
5. Have you ever been lost — like seriously lost — in a city, a parking lot or someplace outdoors?
I was feeling really tense this morning when I woke up. Monday mornings are usually…yeah, difficult for me, as they are for a lot of people.
I tried some of my usual Monday morning brain-focussing tricks like mind mapping and list writing, but they weren’t working. Then I went for a 15-minute walk.
Lo and behold, I felt about a million times better! It’s a cliche, but those walks really work. Sometimes the best way to get out of your head is to get out of your head.
Anywho, have a great day today. Talk to you soon. 🙂
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
1. What’s your idea of a perfect birthday party for you? I don’t really know. Casual with the people I love best. The Brunch option sounds AWESOME. I too LOVE brunch
2. Tell me about your first car… My indian red VW Golf. I loved that car, rust and all. Some a**holes broke in to it last year and wreched it -But they couldn’t drive away with her!
3. What’s one thing you always have with you wherever you go? Phone!
4. Which of the following can you hear from your home: church bells, trains, busses, children playing, birds singing and/or wind chimes? All but the last pretty much 🙂
5. Have you ever been lost — like seriously lost — in a city, a parking lot or someplace outdoors? Several times – At Södermalm in Stockholm. I ALWAYS get lost there…
The perfect birthday party for me would probably be a progressive dinner. I’ll always wanted to do one, and haven’t had the chance.
1. What’s your idea of a perfect birthday party for you?
I’m not one for parties, but my dream would be to bring all my friends and family to the Magic Kingdom or Epcot and have lunch and cake/ice cream in the park, and watch the fireworks at night.
2. Tell me about your first car…
Haven’t owned a car yet, but if I could, I’d like one that folds up small so I don’t have to find parking.
3. What’s one thing you always have with you wherever you go?
My idea book, for writing down any creative or interesting thoughts that come to mind.
4. Which of the following can you hear from your home: church bells, trains, busses, children playing, birds singing and/or wind chimes?
I live right by a train, so every hour or so my apartment rattles for a few seconds. It’s really not as bad as you’d think.
5. Have you ever been lost — like seriously lost — in a city, a parking lot or someplace outdoors?
Not really.
1. What’s your idea of a perfect birthday party for you?
Having dinner and drinks at a yummy restaurant with my friends and family.
2. Tell me about your first car…
It was a white Honda Civic hatchback with two doors. I called it The Marshmallow. My parents bought it used from a friend of a friend when was a senior in high school. I had it all the way through college and even when I started working. I had it at a repair shop and the place burned to the ground with my car inside. No kidding. Then it became The Toasted Mashmallow – literally!
3. What’s one thing you always have with you wherever you go?
My cell phone. And like you mentioned – cat hair all the time. 🙂
4. Which of the following can you hear from your home: church bells, trains, busses, children playing, birds singing and/or wind chimes?
Mostly children playing and birds. Since it’s a newish neighborhood also lots of construction noice.
5. Have you ever been lost — like seriously lost — in a city, a parking lot or someplace outdoors?
I got lost downtown once on my way to my friend’s wedding rehearsal. I missed my exit and got all turned around. This was before smart phones so it took me forver to find my way back. I felt horrible b/c I was late.
I start to feel tense and grumpy on Sunday nights thinking about Monday! It feels like the weekend is never long enough. I start to feel better once I’m at my desk and have an idea of what to expect during the day. Have a good one!
1. What’s your idea of a perfect birthday party for you?
Hmm… a hang at my parents’ house with my friends, and then a family dinner at a local restaurant. yum!
2. Tell me about your first car…
Technically, I had a Ford Bronco that my aunt and uncle gave me when I was in High School. But… the seats were all messed up, so my parents wouldn’t let me drive it, and I wasn’t exactly the most proactive teenager. That thing stayed in my parents’ driveway for YEARS (and pretty much totally stopped working) before a car-minded friend finally took it off our hands.
3. What’s one thing you always have with you wherever you go?
my phone, my keys… my ID and my metro card. 🙂
4. Which of the following can you hear from your home: church bells, trains, busses, children playing, birds singing and/or wind chimes?
We can hear birds singing… and sometimes children playing, I guess. We live in a pretty quite spot! Our apartment is kind of on the back/inside corner of our complex, so we don’t really get any street noise. I like it.
5. Have you ever been lost — like seriously lost — in a city, a parking lot or someplace outdoors?
Oh, probably… nothing comes to mind, though. I head off in the wrong direction all the time when I get out of the subway, but since I have the internets with me all the time these days and can correct myself easily, I don’t really consider myself “lost.” just “misguided.” 🙂
1. What’s your idea of a perfect birthday party for you? This is a good question seeing as my b-day is in 12 days, lol. Hmmm…..
2. Tell me about your first car…I had a silver, 4-door 2001 Oldsmobile Alero. It was actually way cooler than it sounds. It looked almost sporty and got 37mpg average and the trunk was HUGE! I could probably fit 3 adults in there.
3. What’s one thing you always have with you wherever you go? My cell and my ring.
4. Which of the following can you hear from your home: church bells, trains, buses, children playing, birds singing and/or wind chimes? Trains, birds, and wind (not wind chimes, just wind and lots of it!).
5. Have you ever been lost — like seriously lost — in a city, a parking lot or someplace outdoors? Yeah I got lost terribly in Beaverton, OR once. It was really dark and most of the streets were lacking signs and my phone was dead so it was a recipe for a very stressful situation.
1. What’s your idea of a perfect birthday party for you? My bday is the day after Christmas, so I really just love to relax and have a quiet dinner with family.
2. Tell me about your first car…oh man, a Plymouth Sundance with those track seat belts up front. It only had a radio, not even a cassette player!
3. What’s one thing you always have with you wherever you go? My ereader, I am an avid reader, and I love that I can have so many books just tucked in my purse.
4. Which of the following can you hear from your home: church bells, trains, busses, children playing, birds singing and/or wind chimes? Just the wind blowing through our trees – we live in a pretty quiet neighborhood.
5. Have you ever been lost — like seriously lost — in a city, a parking lot or someplace outdoors? Yes, I got lost in downtown LA. It took me forever to find my friends. This was way before GPS in cars!
1. What’s your idea of a perfect birthday party for you? I had a really good 30th birthday party. We went to a martini bar and people came by throughout the night, later we went to a karaoke place and eventually there was a big bar brawl, my date was thrown into a Christmas tree. We escaped unharmed, but it was pretty memorable.
2. Tell me about your first car… it was a white 1981 Toyota tercel with blue and white seats and no power steering. I loved it, especially driving on winding roads. It died after about a year after I got it.
3. What’s one thing you always have with you wherever you go? My glasses, I can’t see a thing without them!
4. Which of the following can you hear from your home: church bells, trains, busses, children playing, birds singing and/or wind chimes? No church bells, and rarely wind chimes. I love hearing the distant train at night, there are lots of amazing bird noises and squirrel sounds, too. I love it.
5. Have you ever been lost — like seriously lost — in a city, a parking lot or someplace outdoors? I have a good sense of direction, so I usually manage to find my way.
Oooh I seriously love it when bloggers ask readers questions lol. So. I’m gonna do this too.
1. What’s your idea of a perfect birthday party for you? My birthday is NEXT week! I’m very excited. Birthdays and Christmas are my favourite times of the year, and not because of the presents. Lol. For my bday this year I really want to go to the beach, and eat ice cream with my new husband. That’s it! Very simple. I don’t need “stuff”.
2.My first car – well since I’m a late bloomer with everything in life, I’m still driving it. It’s my 2007 white mazda 3 hatchback, and I love it to pieces. We brought it down to California when we moved (from Canada) in february. Probably going to drive it into the ground since we’re frugal lol.
3. What’s one thing you always have with you wherever you go? I’mg oing to be boring and say my blackberry. I really really need to take it with me now, since I have to rely on Google Maps to navigate me everywhere. This country is brand new to me! 🙂
4. Which of the following can you hear from your home: church bells, trains, busses, children playing, birds singing and/or wind chimes? Traffic, men working on our building, and cars honking – all the time.
5. Have you ever been lost — like seriously lost — in a city, a parking lot or someplace outdoors? I got lost in Mississauga at 6am one morning, after dropping my then boyf, now hubs off at Toronto’s airport. I didn’t know how to work my cell phone then. But I was scared and shaking driving around. Nothing was open. I went into a corner store where the guy was foreign and didn’t speak english that well. I was effed for a good 1+ hour.
1. What’s your idea of a perfect birthday party for you?
Small dinner with close family and friends. Maybe at a sushi bar.
2. Tell me about your first car…
Have not own one as of yet
3. What’s one thing you always have with you wherever you go?
Mobile
4. Which of the following can you hear from your home: church bells, trains, buses, children playing, birds singing and/or wind chimes?
I hear just about everything mentioned above.
5. Have you ever been lost — like seriously lost — in a city, a parking lot or someplace outdoors?
I sure have. Some where on Dean Street in Brooklyn. I laughed at
afterwards on to realize I was going in the wrong direction.
1. What’s your idea of a perfect birthday party for you? Nothing too OTT. I’d prefer a romantic evening with my man, with lots of great food and champagne 🙂
2. Tell me about your first car… It was an Opel Corsa that I took over from my mom. I called it my ‘koekebakske’ which means little cookie jar 🙂
3. What’s one thing you always have with you wherever you go? My phone.
4. Which of the following can you hear from your home: church bells, trains, busses, children playing, birds singing and/or wind chimes? Traffic. Birds. Kids playing. Loud neighbors…
5. Have you ever been lost — like seriously lost — in a city, a parking lot or someplace outdoors? Yes! Earlier this month I got lost in Japan! I thought I knew my way back to the hotel but I was wrong. I asked like ten or maybe fifteen people for help but no one understood or spoke English. I finally found someone who could help at a Starbucks.
1. What’s your idea of a perfect birthday party for you?
Ideally, I would love to have a close knit group of friends out on the town in a different city that I have never been to before, like Chicago or LA or wherever!
2. Tell me about your first car…
Sigh… I loved my first car… It was a 1990 something red Eclipse that had the little hump in the hood. I LOVED THAT CAR, but the radiator blew before I could even properly drive it 🙁
3. What’s one thing you always have with you wherever you go?
– My wedding ring. I rarely take it off EVER!
4. Which of the following can you hear from your home: church bells, trains, busses, children playing, birds singing and/or wind chimes?
High school football games, fireworks around fourth of july, police cars zooming by, and of course wondefully annoying chirpy birds at 6 AM lol!
5. Have you ever been lost — like seriously lost — in a city, a parking lot or someplace outdoors?
We got a little turned around in NYC during our honeymoon, but we figured it out pretty quick (I hate not knowing where I am going or where I am, it’s such a helpless feeling).
http://www.myfairdaily.com
1. What’s your idea of a perfect birthday party for you? I’m not crazy about big parties, so I’d actually just love to spend the day with my man, at a spa maybe, having lunch at my fav restaurant.
2. Tell me about your first car… Well, I still have it! Actually it is only one year old but I didn’t have the need of a car earlier. It is a purple Renault Twingo, small, comfy, easy to park. My baby!
3. What’s one thing you always have with you wherever you go? My glasses otherwise I’m just blind.
4. Which of the following can you hear from your home: church bells, trains, busses, children playing, birds singing and/or wind chimes? Busses and cars, sometimes wind.
5. Have you ever been lost — like seriously lost — in a city, a parking lot or someplace outdoors? Not really, not to the point where I would just sit down and wait for help. I can usually find my way with some patience. I remember once being on a road trip with a friend and our gps was as lost as we were, but we kept going south and eventually we found the town we were looking for.
1. What’s your idea of a perfect birthday party for you?
A fabulous dinner either at a steakhouse or fondue restaurant, with all of my favorite people all dressed out. Followed by a night out in the city in some classy bars.
2. Tell me about your first car…
It was a silver Saturn and made of plastic. I swear I weighed more than that car. Piece of junk.
3. What’s one thing you always have with you wherever you go?
Nothing unusual– driver’s license and debit card are probably the two things I ALWAYS have on me.
4. Which of the following can you hear from your home: church bells, trains, busses, children playing, birds singing and/or wind chimes?
Train (tracks are about a mile away from our house and the station itself is about 2). Children playing across the street after school (makes me so happy). And birds singing at 5 a.m. (makes me not so happy).
5. Have you ever been lost — like seriously lost — in a city, a parking lot or someplace outdoors?
I’ve been sort of lost in NYC before, but I’ve always been able to figure it out within 5 minutes, way before any sense of panic can set in.
My brother and I did get lost for about 2 hours driving around Boston, however. #theworst
1. What’s your idea of a perfect birthday party for you?
Family, Friends, Wine, Food, and lots of gifts!
2. Tell me about your first car…
The first car I bought or the first car I bought for myself?
The first car I bought for myself was a dark green Passat turbo imported from Europe. Best car I ever owned.
3. What’s one thing you always have with you wherever you go?
Sunglasses
4. Which of the following can you hear from your home: church bells, trains, busses, children playing, birds singing and/or wind chimes?
When I lived in Europe a few weeks ago it was all of the above. Here in my new US location everything but church bells. That was one of the things I loved most about living there. We had several beautiful Medieval churches and Romantic era churches with wonderful bells!
5. Have you ever been lost — like seriously lost — in a city, a parking lot or someplace outdoors?
I got seriously lost for about an hour in Florence due to some bad directions from my GPS. The GPS also got me lost in the Moselle Valley which is how I found the area I call ‘Christ Country’ because at the beginning of every village (about 30) there was a massive crucifix (like 5 to 8 feet) depending on the village at the town name sign!
1. What’s your idea of a perfect birthday party for you? Dinner with immediate family and lunch with the closest of friends
2. Tell me about your first car… Don’t have one yet :/
3. What’s one thing you always have with you wherever you go? Standard items- phone, wallet.
4. Which of the following can you hear from your home: church bells, trains, busses, children playing, birds singing and/or wind chimes? Thankfully, only singing/chirping birds.
5. Have you ever been lost — like seriously lost — in a city, a parking lot or someplace outdoors? Nope. I got lost often, but I was usually like 1 or 2 streets away from my actual destinations. :p
1. What’s your idea of a perfect birthday party for you? Nothing too specific, I just love having an excuse to get everyone together! Last year for my Dirty 30 we did late-night bowling, it was so much fun.
2. Tell me about your first car… A hand me down from my dad, it was an ’85 Chevy Caprice Classic. As in, what cops used to drive. It was huge and a tank but really taught me how to drive! Sometimes I really miss the V8. 🙂
3. What’s one thing you always have with you wherever you go? Some kind of tinted lip balm or gloss. Can’t do without it!
4. Which of the following can you hear from your home: church bells, trains, busses, children playing, birds singing and/or wind chimes? Church bells when the wind is right, kids playing, and we get all kinds of noisy birds since we’re right near a lake – ducks and geese included!
5. Have you ever been lost — like seriously lost — in a city, a parking lot or someplace outdoors? I once got seriously turned around in London (before smartphones were actually helpful), luckily I’m a decent map reader and people are friendly.
1. What’s your idea of a perfect birthday party for you?
I don’t do birthdays! Never did, even as a kid. Never missed them. We had “special days” occasionally, but not on a set schedule. I love to celebrate anniversaries, though, and all kinds of holidays with intimate dinners and inventive foods…
2. Tell me about your first car…
A 1978 VW rabbit. Brown, black interior, finicky stick shift. With a little black “rabbit” logo sticker on one side. Fun times!
3. What’s one thing you always have with you wherever you go?
The hope that things will turn out well, even if they don’t look like they should on the surface. (And if you’re looking for a physical object…wedding ring.)
4. Which of the following can you hear from your home: church bells, trains, busses, children playing, birds singing and/or wind chimes?
Birds singing! That’s the only one! Yes, we live in the middle of nooooowhere!! I loved the church bells I could hear from my last apartment. But never miss traffic noise.
5. Have you ever been lost — like seriously lost — in a city, a parking lot or someplace outdoors?
Once c. 1990 I got lost on a never-ending, circular freeway interchange in metro Detroit. I still have no idea where I was or how exactly I got out of it!
1. What’s your idea of a perfect birthday party for you?
High Tea at the Langham 🙂 Or similar. I do love me some tea and fancy little edibles on tiered trays.
2. Tell me about your first car…
A Subaru Legacy. Forest green (aren’t they all?), with a Turbo (not my choice) and some starter issues 😀
3. What’s one thing you always have with you wherever you go?
My flash drives with my thesis on them 😛
4. Which of the following can you hear from your home: church bells, trains, busses, children playing, birds singing and/or wind chimes?
Everything except wind chimes and trains, I think.
5. Have you ever been lost — like seriously lost — in a city, a parking lot or someplace outdoors?
I have been seriously lost in Berlin at 2 am (not recommended). I have also been moderately lost in the Waitakere Ranges in a storm, but not so lost that I was going to die or anything.
Your turn. Just copy and paste the following questions into a comment with your answers. I look forward to reading ‘em!
1. What’s your idea of a perfect birthday party for you? I had the perfect birthday party this year. My hubby took me to a Billy Joel concert and then to a very nice steakhouse.
2. Tell me about your first car…a Pontiac sunbird, gray
3. What’s one thing you always have with you wherever you go? My purse with all the things I need…makeup, cell phone, wallet, etc.
4. Which of the following can you hear from your home: church bells, trains, busses, children playing, birds singing and/or wind chimes? Nice and quiet….just birds and wind chimes.
5. Have you ever been lost — like seriously lost — in a city, a parking lot or someplace outdoors? No, I take a map or have my phone with me so I know where I’m going.
1. What’s your idea of a perfect birthday party for you?
A karaoke machine + my best friends @ my house haha.
2. Tell me about your first car…
My first car was a deep blue Chrysler Lebaron 1992. My best friend is the current owner of that beautiful velvet soft cushion-y interior baby!
3. What’s one thing you always have with you wherever you go?
My wallet! (I’ve come to terms to live without my cellphone since I can’t use it while I work)
4. Which of the following can you hear from your home: church bells, trains, busses, children playing, birds singing and/or wind chimes?
Children playing soccer.
5. Have you ever been lost — like seriously lost — in a city, a parking lot or someplace outdoors?
Yes!!! in my own hometown (so embarrasing!) I live in the south part of the city and I got lost at the northern part at night, it was so scary 🙁 (and I realized my city has grown so much over the years LOL)
1. What’s your idea of a perfect birthday party for you? close friends at my favorite bar, drinking margaritas and a little dancing
2. Tell me about your first car…a silver 89 Honda civic
3. What’s one thing you always have with you wherever you go? chapstick/lipstick or my phone
4. Which of the following can you hear from your home: church bells, trains, busses, children playing, birds singing and/or wind chimes? Church bells, busses, police cars, birds singing
5. Have you ever been lost — like seriously lost — in a city, a parking lot or someplace outdoors? Yes, in Atlanta! yowza.
1. What’s your idea of a perfect birthday party for you? lots of presents and birthday cake
2. Tell me about your first car… 1991 red MIata and I still own it
3. What’s one thing you always have with you wherever you go? Wherever you go, there you are
4. Which of the following can you hear from your home: church bells, trains, busses, children playing, birds singing and/or wind chimes? birds, wind chimes, kids playing
5. Have you ever been lost — like seriously lost — in a city, a parking lot or someplace outdoors? parking lot near home, finding my way back from Freud’s apartment in Vienna
1. What’s your idea of a perfect birthday party for you? No party, lots of well wishes on Facebook, a Frappuccino from Starbucks, onion rings, and dinner out with the husband and kids. Simple, tasty, easy!
2. Tell me about your first car…it was a 1972 yellow Ford Pinto! It broke down once a month! I was famous for my Pinto, it got me around, it held a bunch of junk, awesomesauce!
3. What’s one thing you always have with you wherever you go? A watch and my Livestrong bracelet. And my phone.
4. Which of the following can you hear from your home: church bells, trains, busses, children playing, birds singing and/or wind chimes? Kids, birds, dogs. And an occasional mariachi band!
5. Have you ever been lost — like seriously lost — in a city, a parking lot or someplace outdoors? Yes! And it was horrible! And frightening!