So…what is the Monday Poll?
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 10 (!) 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.
1. On a scale of 1-10, with 10 being normal and 1 being barely able to form a cohesive thought, how alert are you before you have that first cup of tea/coffee in the morning?
I’ll go with 3.
It’s not that I’m mean or crabby right when I first get up…but I’m not particularly friendly either, ha! Or talkative, for that matter.
It takes about 30 minutes and something caffeinated before my engine gets started and I’m ready to go. Before that, nuh-uh, don’t even talk to this girl. Maybe don’t even look my way, haha! Because I’m a grumpy goat.
2. Have you ever taken a vacation by yourself?
Have I ever taken a vacation by myself?
Ya know, I haven’t, but it’s definitely something on my bucket list. A friend once told me that both of her parents would take vacations by themselves, which I thought was cool.
I don’t know… I love sharing experiences and exploring new places with other people, but I also like being by myself sometimes and doing whatever I want on my terms and my own schedule.
I know that sounds a little selfish, but it’s something from my former life before El Hub, Tabs and Connor, from that part of me that loved being able to pick up and do whatever I wanted to, whenever I wanted to do it…
3. At what age did you learn how to drive?
I think I was 20, and it was in my sophomore or junior year of college. It was later than my friends, who were all driving in high school.
4. Does your makeup change with the seasons?
Yes and no. Like, I’m down to wear whatever colors in whatever season, but I like to wear less makeup overall in the spring and summer when it’s hot, and more makeup when it’s cold.
5. Where are you spending your Thanksgiving?
Right here in good ol’ Novato. We’re hosting again this year, and ya know, I wish I could say that this is going to be the year I make the whole meal from start to finish, but that’s just not happening. I ordered the turkey, sides and fixin’s from Nugget Market, and my parents and in-laws are bringing appetizers and pies.
It should be fun! I plan to spend a lot of the day lounging around, chasing the cat and the baby, and enjoying a little downtime with my family.
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
P.S. Here are the questions to copy and paste:
1. On a scale of 1-10, with 10 being normal and 1 being barely able to form a cohesive thought, how alert are you before you have that first cup of tea/coffee in the morning?
2. Have you ever taken a vacation by yourself?
3. At what age did you learn how to drive?
4. Does your makeup change with the seasons?
5. Where are you spending your Thanksgiving?
1. On a scale of 1-10, with 10 being normal and 1 being barely able to form a cohesive thought, how alert are you before you have that first cup of tea/coffee in the morning? I wake up fully alert. I know—disgusting! LOL
2. Have you ever taken a vacation by yourself? Yes. When I was single, I never let that stop me from venturing out and that was back in the 60’s – 70’s when it was not considered acceptable for women to travel unaccompanied. I went to Europe multiple times on my own and had wonderful adventures.
3. At what age did you learn how to drive? 15
4. Does your makeup change with the seasons? Yes. The weather, clothing, and quality of the light as the earth shifts on its axis changes the way makeup looks. I’m not rigid, but I do take it all into consideration on a subliminal level.
5. Where are you spending your Thanksgiving? At home. We’re actually celebrating the following week as my son and his dear lady can’t get away until then. The silver ,inning is that without the burden of the “Big Day”, our Thanksging will be more relaxed for one and all. I’m hosting and do all the cooking which I enjoy.
Hi Eileen,
Ahhh, so jealous! I wish I could wake up all fully alert and ready to go. You’re so lucky!
What are you making for your T-day celebration? I hope everything goes smoothly. One of these days I’ll finally work up the courage to make a turkey from scratch.
The turkey will be the star with dressing, mashed potatoes, gravy, and rolls. As for the sweet potatoes, we all prefer them savory with a bit of heat. I toss them with some olive oil, thyme, garlic, and a pinch of red pepper flakes and roast them. No marshmallows or brown sugar for us ?. The only thing sweet is the cranberry sauce and chunky apple sauce—both homemade. It really does make a difference. As for the veggies, I usually slow simmer green beans with pancetta, onion, and fire roasted tomatoes. Dessert is always apple crisp. I open a good red and a white wine so everyone can choose what they want. After decades of doing the big bird meal, I’ve got it down pat.
That’s awesome. I hope to get there someday! 🙂 Do you brine your turkey? Cook it in a bag? I didn’t realize until recently just how many ways there are to cook a turkey. I did of ton of research but ultimately decided that this wasn’t the year that I’d attempt it.
No, I don’t brine. I don’t like how it changes the texture of the meat. I use either Bobby Flay’s or Ina Garten’s recipe for roasted turkey. The bird always comes out moist, flavorful, and tender. The secret? An accurate oven temp and a good meat thermometer.
I’m putting both recipes in my notes for future reference. Someday I will conquer ‘ze turkey! I’m pretty sure that our oven runs cooler than most ovens because I always have to leave things in for longer. And thank you for mentioning a thermometer, because I should order an instant read one from Amazon Prime tonight.
1. On a scale of 1-10, with 10 being normal and 1 being barely able to form a cohesive thought, how alert are you before you have that first cup of tea/coffee in the morning?
Okay, so I can’t have tea or coffee due to a heart condition, but I’ll say about a 6 or 7.
2. Have you ever taken a vacation by yourself?
I’ve done parts of vacations by myself, love it.
3. At what age did you learn how to drive?
18 or 19, it was later than everyone. I got my license when I was 20.
4. Does your makeup change with the seasons?
Not a ton, but my blushes are definitely peachier in the spring and summer.
5. Where are you spending your Thanksgiving?
At home! My parents, my brother, and his wife are coming 🙂
Hi Chelsea,
Happy Monday! I hope you get to spend some time relaxing on the holiday. And that the fur babies get some special T-day treats!
1. On a scale of 1-10, with 10 being normal and 1 being barely able to form a cohesive thought, how alert are you before you have that first cup of tea/coffee in the morning? 3. I drink coffee while driving in to work.
2. Have you ever taken a vacation by yourself? I do a yoga retreat each year (a friend joins me for 1 day of it).
3. At what age did you learn how to drive? 17. I got my license at 18 because I learned on a standard and it took me longer.
4. Does your makeup change with the seasons? I use bronzer in the warmer months.
5. Where are you spending your Thanksgiving? At my parent’s house in Western MA. My in laws do Christmas and we do Easter. 🙂
Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family Karen!
Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family too, Leah.
P.S. What kind of yoga do you do? I used to do Ivengar yoga at the gym back in the day. It was stinky gym yoga but I looooved it.
Hi Karen,
My favorite is Vinyasa. The retreat center I go to is Kripalu in the Berkshires. It’s the largest yoga retreat center in North America. 🙂 My favorite there is the 6:30am gentle class. Even though I’m not a morning person I love that class.
That sounds heavenly. I wish I could wake up to a early morning yoga class in the mountains, ahhh! How long have you been doing it? I’ve done it off and on for a few years now. I would love to do it more in the future when Connor is older. I’ve tried many styles (I enjoy Vinyasa very much, too); the only style I don’t think I’ll do again is hot yoga. I went once and felt extremely claustrophobic.
I’m not big on hot yoga either! I started yoga back in 2002. Right now there’s no classes at my gym that work with my schedule so I’m sad. I don’t mind yoga where it’s warm instead of hot. That’s delightful in the winter. I can totally picture you getting back into it when Connor is older! 🙂
I was heavily traumatized the one time I went to hot yoga. The class was held in this room that was long but quite compact, so all the students were jam-packed together into two rows. The guy next to me was super hairy, and whenever he’d swan dive to touch his toes, droplets of sweat would fly onto me and my mat. Then to make matters worse, the teacher taught the room in near darkness the entire time, so I couldn’t really see what I was doing. It was all kinds of terrible, LOL! Moderately warm yoga, though, in a well lit room… I’m totally OK with. 🙂
I’ve never been to the Berkshires, but I’d love to go someday for vacation. I had a friend who went on a work retreat (the company was based here in SF) and she said the place they stayed looked exactly like the resort from Dirty Dancing! There was a warm lake, gorgeous trees and everything.
I hope you’re having a nice Monday so far. I just finished feeding the baby and success! She ate most of the meal on her very own. Small victories.
1. On a scale of 1-10, with 10 being normal and 1 being barely able to form a cohesive thought, how alert are you before you have that first cup of tea/coffee in the morning?
It all depends on what time it is. Before 9? I’m a 2 at best. After 9:30, a good 6! I’m not a morning person at all. I’ve had jobs that started early, like 8, and I wasn’t fully functional until at least 9.
2. Have you ever taken a vacation by yourself?
Yes I have! Before I moved to Istanbul I went to Turkey on vacation a few times, by myself.
3. At what age did you learn how to drive?
Started around 18, but I really wasn’t talented – and I still can’t parallel park…
4. Does your makeup change with the seasons?
The colors tend to change, although I feel like I can wear any shade any time, I’m just more attracted to oranges and corals when it’s sunny and hot outside and to plums or purples when it’s cool.
5. Where are you spending your Thanksgiving?
The Bay Area as usual. My husband has a huge family with tons of cousins so it’s a bit of a mess, especially now that they’re all having kids!
Happy Monday Karen! Hope you have a great week.
I remember you mentioning members of your husband’s family having kids now. Isn’t one of your nieces named Conor?
Beautiful artwork!
1. On a scale of 1-10, with 10 being normal and 1 being barely able to form a cohesive thought, how alert are you before you have that first cup of tea/coffee in the morning? Around 8, but I still need that first cup to get me going.
2. Have you ever taken a vacation by yourself? I have taken many vacations by myself. The first one was in 1984 to Israel. I had a few friends studying there and distant cousins as well.
3. At what age did you learn how to drive? 17.
4. Does your makeup change with the seasons? Not anymore. I may go for a brighter lip color in the Spring, but the bulk of my makeup is the same.
5. Where are you spending your Thanksgiving? Home in Westfield, NJ with my husband, son and mother-in-law. We’re going to miss my father-in-law.
Be well.
Hi Jane,
I hope you guys have a very happy Thanksgiving. Do you have a specialty dish? I still don’t! We’ve only hosted a few times and I always usually end up getting a pre-made meal from a local grocery store to make my life easier.
Happy Monday!
Thanks, same to you. Every year I make a butternut squash soup. It’s a recipe from the Williams Sonoma Thanksgiving cookbook. You basically roast the squash, onions and an apple until tender, through everything in a pot with broth, I use chicken broth, seasonings and herbs and simmer until blended. I puree in a blender, add some half and half and yum!
I think I have that same exact cookbook! Is is the one with the different themed Thanksgiving meals? I’ve read and re-read it so many times but have yet to make anything in it yet.
I’ve made the Williams-Sonoma roasted garlic mashed potatoes several times (I think I got the recipe off the website years ago) for various holiday meals and it’s always been a hit.
1. On a scale of 1-10, with 10 being normal and 1 being barely able to form a cohesive thought, how alert are you before you have that first cup of tea/coffee in the morning? About a 5 – I don’t want to talk to anybody either, but I’m fully capable of functioning.
2. Have you ever taken a vacation by yourself? Nope! I almost did once, but at the last minute my husband was able to join me (which was nice)
3. At what age did you learn how to drive? 17 – I think it would be so much harder as an adult so I’m glad I got it out of the way early.
4. Does your makeup change with the seasons? A little bit, yes; I’m less likely to wear bright coloured eye liners and more likely to wear a bold lip.
5. Where are you spending your Thanksgiving? Well, I’m Canadian so it’s a regular day for me. I’ll be working, but since I have a lot of US coworkers and customers I expect it to be quiet. I’m looking forward to having time to catch up on some paperwork!
Hi Allison,
If I had my way, nobody would talk to me in the morning for about three hours. LOL! My husband thinks I’m kidding but I’m totally serious. Lucky me that both he and my daughter and super chatty first thing in the morning. Whereabouts in Canada are you from?
lol – I feel the same way! As long as people don’t try to make me talk to them, I’m actually quite cheerful in the mornings.
I grew up in Ontario (about 2 hours from Toronto), but now I live just outside Vancouver (though we’re pondering a move to Vancouver Island).
Oh, I love Vancouver. I went a few years ago to celebrate my birthday and remember being enamored with the city enough to want to move there someday. Granted, I’ve never lived in a place that gets terribly cold and snows, so I probably wouldn’t be able to hang. Here where I live in California everyone wears floor-length down coats from head to toe if the temps hit the mid 40s (myself included, HAHA). You know what I love the most about that city (well, besides the beautiful scenery)? The FOOD! Oh my gosh, so many good places to eat, and so diverse. I had the best sushi of my life in Vancouver.
1. I’m pretty normal but enjoy having a morning cup of tea.
2. I’ve taken several vacations by myself. I can’t afford time off or expense of vacations any more, but being by myself and doing whatever I wanted to do was really nice.
3. 26
4. Sometimes. I tend to wear pretty natural looking eye colors but sometimes in the summer I go for very light application as well.
5. Thanksgiving at home by myself. Preparing the entire meal for myself, too!
Sounds like you’re going to have a mellow and easy holiday, Kellly. What are you making for your meal?
Turkey with stuffing. Stuffing contains sausage, onions, celery, apples, nuts, raisins and cranberries and maybe wild rice. Sweet potatoes with marshmallows! Cranberries made from scratch. That’s probably all. I also got some rye bread for making turkey sandwiches later with yellow mustard on them and lettuce. I’ll have plenty of leftovers for the week for sure.
YUM. I’ve never made stuffing with sausage before but you’re the second person I’ve talked to today who is doing that. Next year, it’s on my list! I’m taking an informal turkey survey here in the comments. Do you brine or don’t brine your turkey?
No, I’ve never done brining. It seems like too much work for me and a lot of mess. I have a vintage metal roasting pan that I put mine in and it always comes out perfect with almost no fuss. I swear that pan is magic.
I need a magic pan like that in my life. Actually I need a whole set of magic pans that cook food without my having to be around, LOL!
Thanks for your input on brining. I always thought it would be too much work (plus I don’t have a huge cooler around to keep the turkey cold), so when I finally work up the courage to tackle the bird on my own, I’ll probably skip it.
I got that pan in a thrift store years and years ago. It was expensive for me at the time, but I got it because it was just like the pan my grandma used to have. The first time I used it and things came out perfect, I wondered if somehow it WAS my grandma’s pan that somehow found its way to me by serendipity (she died years and years ago). Every time I use it now and things come out perfect every time, I’m convinced that it’s not a pan LIKE hers, that it really and truly was hers.
It just might be her pan! Wouldn’t that be something? Does the pan have any identifying labels? I want to see if I can track down this magic roaster.
Happy Tuesday to ya. 🙂
No, it’s just an old grey and sort of yellowish-white graniteware “Necco” roaster. It has the word “Necco” in raised script lettering across the lid, and a couple chips in the graniteware. It’s just an old, old-fashioned roasting pan – just like the one my grandma had.
Thanks, Kellly. I just found a few options on Etsy. Excited about the prospect of conquering my turkey fear! 😀
P.S. My grandma never really cooked. I can’t remember her really making anything special for us when we were kids. She did order us pizza from time to time, though!
Hi Katen ,
Love ❤️ those TG eyes from your other post !
1. Not awake until second cup that has caffeine! Just started on C again since I abstained after hospitalization.
2. Never took a self vacation but I might this year . You know being retired and my husband and I innthe ssme room all day ??
3. I was 19 when I learned to drive only because my husband who was my fiance forced me to learn !
4. Oh yes ! My makeup ? changes w every season . Colors change , lighter or heavier foundation, WP mascara in summer !
4. Everyone is coming here for TG . I do most items but my son is bringing Pumpkin ? Squash soup ? and ny daughter is bringing shrimp ? and green beans .
Have a great Thanksgiving!
Thanks, Michele! LOL… You’re gonna love retired life. My parents are having a ball!
1. On a scale of 1-10, with 10 being normal and 1 being barely able to form a cohesive thought, how alert are you before you have that first cup of tea/coffee in the morning?
Probably an 8 or 9. I just need some time (30 mins or so) to get to full alert, but I don’t need coffee for that, weirdly. Hubs is the coffee maker in the relationship so I just know there will be coffee in my hand later on ?❤️
2. Have you ever taken a vacation by yourself?
Also not. I don’t know why, there’s nothing that really stops me from it. Technically I could. Maybe it’s the guilt of “I should be working”, or maybe I just love going on holiday with the hubs.
3. At what age did you learn how to drive?
15.
4. Does your makeup change with the seasons?
Yes. For me it’s mostly because the light is a lot lower (gets so dark so early + cloudy all the time). So I like wearing stronger lipsticks and metallics. Plus my skintone is a lot paler (going between nc42-44)
5. Where are you spending your Thanksgiving?
We don’t really celebrate thanksgiving… This year I just accidentally make plans with my girls for a night out. I’ve to say I grow to love the pecan pie!
Hi Astrid,
Pecan pie is my fave! Have fun at your girls night out.
1. On a scale of 1-10, with 10 being normal and 1 being barely able to form a cohesive thought, how alert are you before you have that first cup of tea/coffee in the morning? – I’ll got with a 5. I’m not miserable or grouchy but I am definitely not talkative. I get up and after I make my cuppa coffee and let the pooches out, I’m all business with getting myself ready for work. No time for chit chat, etc.
2. Have you ever taken a vacation by yourself? – No but I have taken days off of work when the hubs is working and Max is in school so I’ve got the house to myself from about 7:30 am to 3:00 pm.
3. At what age did you learn how to drive? – I didn’t get my license till I was 30!!
4. Does your makeup change with the seasons? – Maybe my eye looks. The colors are usually more warm/fallish colors during the fall and winter months.
5. Where are you spending your Thanksgiving? – I’ll be hosting. Just went last night and bought everything. Going to make 2 stuffings this year. One regular and one with apples and sausage 🙂 Picked up our turkey. It’s 19.5 pounds!
Hi Barb,
How exciting that you’re going to host. What else are you making besides the stuffing and the turkey? I ordered a pre-made meal from a grocery; I may attempt a corn pudding on my own if I’m feeling ambitious.
We’ll have turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, corn, peas, cranberry sauce, and biscuits. My sister-in-law and mother-in-law usually bring dessert. Have an awesome Thanksgiving!!
You too! BTW, I’ve always been too intimated to try making biscuits on my own. I dunno, for some reason anything with dough seems hard!
1. On a scale of 1-10, with 10 being normal and 1 being barely able to form a cohesive thought, how alert are you before you have that first cup of tea/coffee in the morning? Depends on how well I slept the night before. Usually it’s somewhere between a 0 and 3. Insomnia rules my life. Ugh.
2. Have you ever taken a vacation by yourself? Yes. Before I got married I was living in NYC and had a business trip to LA. I stayed out there a little while longer and explored. And I’ve gone back to NYC for fun without Dear Husband or Dear Daughter.
3. At what age did you learn how to drive? I was 15 when I started learning to drive and got my license at 16.
4. Does your makeup change with the seasons? I wear less in the summer. Once my sunscreen goes on in the summer I have a hard time putting too much else on.
5. Where are you spending your Thanksgiving? Here in the bay area.
Insomnia sucks! I’m sorry you’re going through that. I’ve had terrible bouts in the past and it’s so hard to be functional the next day. It really helps me to stay away from my phone and computer at least two hours before sleep. Also I drink Sleepy Time Extra, which helps a lot.
1. On a scale of 1-10, with 10 being normal and 1 being barely able to form a cohesive thought, how alert are you before you have that first cup of tea/coffee in the morning?
Oh, it so depends on the day. Usually, I’d put myself at a 7…I can function enough to get myself out the door, but I need coffee once I’m at work.
2. Have you ever taken a vacation by yourself?
Not quite – I traveled to and from Italy solo in college because my BFF lived in Florence, but obviously, my time actually there was spent with her. I’d never been on a plane before that point – it was wildly stressful. Almost missed my layover because it snowed in Chicago on the first day of spring (…pretty standard…) and my flight was delayed. My luggage didn’t make it to Italy until 3 days into my trip.
3. At what age did you learn how to drive?
16 – I didn’t get my license until I was 17; my father thought I didn’t have a reason to need a car despite being in extra-curriculars and having an after-school job. He was also not usually the one transporting me, so of course he thought that.
4. Does your makeup change with the seasons?
Not really – the only thing I can think of is I usually save my bright coral lippies for spring/summer.
5. Where are you spending your Thanksgiving?
The SO and I are heading to his family’s place in the suburbs for dinner. We’re in charge of desserts; SO is making two pies and I’m making some sort of jello-whipped-cream-pretzel thing (per in-law request; I’ve never made jello before and I can’t have dairy, so I hope it turns out okay!). I’m working my first job since college where I haven’t had to work either Thanksgiving OR the day after and I plan to not do a thing on Friday.
Hi Christine,
Flying internationally is super stressful. Kudos for doing it on your very first trip! I flew by myself to Milan a few years ago and got totally lost in a German airport and nearly missed my connecting flight… It was an adventure.
Good luck with your jello dessert. I wonder if you add the pretzels at the last minute so they stay crunchy? Hmm…
The international airports can be so confusing (language barriers certainly don’t help)! I remember Milan’s being in a really pretty and scenic area, though.
The pretzels get crunched up into a crust and baked a bit, so hopefully they stay crunchy….either way, I won’t be eating it! And if it turns out not great, maybe they won’t ask me to make it again? LOL
It’s pretzel, topped with a cream cheese/cool whip mixture, and then over that the jello with strawberries. I tried to see if I could do cranberry/orange so it’s fall-ish, but they were pretty adamant about strawberries.
No they don’t! Thank goodness for kind people who have the patience for lost Americans, LOL. I wouldn’t have made it out of Germany otherwise! Have you done much international traveling since that trip?
OK, so I’m intrigued by the mix of textures in that dish, but a little freaked out by the idea of combining jello with pretzels. I hope it turns out yummy… Wouldn’t it be kinda funny if it became your signature T-day dish?
I’m about to go to the grocery to pick up the pre-made meal, and um, good luck to me getting the turkey in the fridge.
Almost no international since (that trip I saw the airports in Brussels, Bologna, Milan, and London) – only Mexico this past spring since then. I’ve done a fair share of domestic flying, though. Enough to know I prefer O’Hare over Midway here in Chicago!
This is the recipe for the “salad” (kinda a cheesecake-y thing?) http://www.geniuskitchen.com/recipe/pretzel-jello-salad-230754 – I’m not entirely sold on it (and apparently you have to be careful about adding the jello or you get jello-y pretzels…also freaked out by that!). Luckily, this is the only thing I need to worry about…that and getting myself to SO’s fam and eating the turkey! LOL
Happy Thanksgiving!
I’ve never traveled to Chicago… If I ever do I’ll try to fly into O’Hare. Thanks for the tip.
So I checked out the salad and not gonna lie, the pictures are kinda freaking me out. I guess it’s like a modified version of a cheesecake? Whoever thought to combine pretzels with jello is either gonna be a genius or a crazy person, LOL! I hope it’s yummy though. If I saw it on a table I’d give it a go just for fun.
Happy Thanksgiving to you, too.
1. On a scale of 1-10, with 10 being normal and 1 being barely able to form a cohesive thought, how alert are you before you have that first cup of tea/coffee in the morning?
Pretty good, probably a 7. I don’t drink much coffee and I’ve always been wide awake first thing.
2. Have you ever taken a vacation by yourself?
Not a full vacation, but I have done road trips by myself to meet up or visit with people. That’s fun, I love driving!
3. At what age did you learn how to drive?
15. My parents needed me driving ASAP so I could help drive around my younger brothers to their various commitments, as well as myself!
4. Does your makeup change with the seasons?
Not typically, it’s more likely to change with the time of day or occasion.
5. Where are you spending your Thanksgiving?
With my in-laws here in town. I’m looking forward to a nice relaxed day off, since we both have to work Friday. Hooray for a short week!
Hi Trude,
I hope you and your family have a wonderful Thanksgiving. Will you be cooking this year?
I hope you guys do too! <3
I'll bring a pie on Thursday, but the real cooking will happen at our Friendsgiving Throwdown on Sunday. 🙂 I'm thinking Pioneer Woman's whiskey glazed carrots, some kind of sweet potato dish and then my husband is making prime rib!
NIIIICE. I take it you’re past the food aversion stage?
How’s the babe, by the way?
Yeah pretty much, although there’s still some weird things that suddenly sound horrible, y’know? Baby is good, she better become a gymnast the way she moves! 😉
I *totally* get it. It took me almost two years to start liking fish again. Parmesan also grossed me out for some reason. That took a while to get over as well.
Enjoy the tummy tumbles while you can, especially the twists! 🙂
1. On a scale of 1-10, with 10 being normal and 1 being barely able to form a cohesive thought, how alert are you before you have that first cup of tea/coffee in the morning?
In the past, I would say #deadbeforecoffee. But I’m getting treatment for my now diagnosed sleep apnea and I make it a point to sleep 7+ hours a night, so I’m at a 5. I’m less chatty than I would be with coffee, but I’m not a complete zombie.
2. Have you ever taken a vacation by yourself?
Yes! I am in my 30’s and I am single, so when I go anywhere, it’s usually by myself. I enjoy it as I can really do whatever I please, like taking a tour of a cemetery, or sitting at a park for hours to people watch.
3. At what age did you learn how to drive?
15.5!
4. Does your makeup change with the seasons?
Not really, as there are no seasons here. I am experimenting with different makeup application techniques, looks and textures to reflect my changing skin. My go-to is still a solid cat eye and bold lip for any special occasion.
5. Where are you spending your Thanksgiving?
At a shabu shabu/sukiyaki restaurant called Momo Paradise. It’s a popular franchise stemming from Asia; the second US location opened about a month ago in LA and my entire family is obsessed. We typically spend Thanksgiving eating some sort of hot pot at home anyways—this saves us the trouble and we’re still together.
Hi Gloria,
Seven plus hours of sleep per night… That’s a truly beautiful thing. How did you get diagnosed? Did you have to spend a few nights at a sleep clinic?
It’s changed so much! I went to an ENT who ordered an at-home sleep test for me. Going into a sleep clinic would have been much more expensive, and health insurance doesn’t cover all of it (although it’s dumb because being treated for sleep apnea helps prevent a lot of more serious and chronic illnesses). Once he got the test back, he got me on a CPAP machine that pushes pressurized air through my nose. It took about 4/5 months to get used to it and sometimes forced breathing gives me an anxiety attack, but it makes all the difference. My quality of life has improved dramatically!
That’s wonderful. Amazing how getting sleep changes EVERYTHING, right? And isn’t it funny how when you’re a kid all you want to do is stay up late? Now I’m like I WANNA GO TO BED AT 8:30.
1. On a scale of 1-10, with 10 being normal and 1 being barely able to form a cohesive thought, how alert are you before you have that first cup of tea/coffee in the morning?
I don’t drink either in the mornings, but everyone knows to give me a wide berth for about a half hour after I get up. I just cannot people first thing in the morning.
2. Have you ever taken a vacation by yourself?
No, we’re definitely a family vacation bunch.
3. At what age did you learn how to drive?
15; I got my learner’s permit on my birthday.
4. Does your makeup change with the seasons?
I wear different makeup in Florida summers than I do the rest of the year, mostly because it will just melt off anyway. Skincare is a lot different, too.
5. Where are you spending your Thanksgiving?
At home. Dad is having reconstructive shoulder surgery the day before. We have to stand guard because the pain meds make him loopy and he tends to forget that his arm has to remain completely immobile. (We did the other shoulder last year. It was… an experience.)
“I just cannot people first thing in the morning.” LOL, Suzanne! This is the funniest thing I’ve read all day, and it’s SO true.
Here’s to hoping your dad’s surgery goes smoothly! *crosses fingers*
1. I have two young boys so it’s a while before I get my first cup of tea. I have no choice but to be awake before then. The good news is I ramp up pretty quickly even without it. I’d say I’m a 6-7.
2. Not other than a weekend I took to drive to a friend’s wedding. But I did get to stay in the hotel room by myself for the first time ever. It was pretty glorious and also lonely.
3. 15.
4. I wear more glitter in the winter, and I break out my dark lipsticks more in the winter too.
5. Arkansas! My family lives in Texas and we live in Tennessee. Arkansas was the halfway point. My sister found a beautiful Airbnb, I can’t wait for our kids to get together.
Hi Jaclyn,
Oh how fun! I hope traveling goes smoothly for you and the kids. Will you guys be driving or flying?
1. On a scale of 1-10, with 10 being normal and 1 being barely able to form a cohesive thought, how alert are you before you have that first cup of tea/coffee in the morning? About a 3. With kids, you have to be somewhat alert all the time.
2. Have you ever taken a vacation by yourself? No, and I don’t want to. I don’t really like traveling alone.
3. At what age did you learn how to drive? I was 21. The public transportation was really good in my hometown, my college tuition included a free bus pass, and I couldn’t afford a car and insurance before that.
4. Does your makeup change with the seasons? Colors don’t change much, but I wear less in the summer. I also change to powder foundation during the hot weather.
5. Where are you spending your Thanksgiving? At home. My sons don’t deal well with long road trips and unfamiliar foods.
Hi Rachael,
I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving with your family. Will you be making the meal this year?
I hope you guys have a great T-day, too!!! Hubby and I share the cooking. I do the turkey and dressing and desserts. He does the potatoes, veggies, homemade rolls, and French onion soup.
Thank you! Ours will be low key and hopefully fun. Sooo I’m taking an informal turkey survey here in the comments. Do you brine yours?
No, I don’t brine it. I roast it over a bed of mirepoix, with broth and white wine in the bottom of the pan.
I’m slowly starting to believe that brining is an unnecessary step! When I finally get around to making a turkey I will skip the brine, methinks.
Whoops! Sorry, Karen, that link is for the website I’m writing for now, but not my article. I wanted to share it with you: http://www.deardarkling.com/stand-beautiful-apocalyptic-beauty/
That’s awesome, Rachel! I bookmarked it for tonight’s reading. Yay, can’t wait!
OK, so I couldn’t wait… I just read it and am so proud of you! I wanted to leave a comment but can’t seem to find a field. But if I could, I’d say that the line looks intriguing and that I’d be down to try a blue lip. 🙂 CONGRATS, RACHEL!
Aw, thank you so much, sweetie! Comments can be made on their FB page if you get a chance. If not, don’t sweat it. https://www.facebook.com/deardarkling/
OK. Thank you for letting me know! 🙂 Now I can say hi!
I’ve never brined. My mother didn’t, and she taught me. I’ve always been curious about deep-frying one, but it looks like too much trouble. lol
I think having plenty of liquid in the bottom of the roasting pan and basting frequently keep the turkey really moist.
Deep frying a turkey fascinates me and terrifies me. I mean… That’s a lot of hot oil. It could really mess someone up if there was an accident.
Thank you for weighing in on brining. I’m gonna skip it when I do the turkey (one of these years).
Have a happy Tuesday!
1. On a scale of 1-10, with 10 being normal and 1 being barely able to form a cohesive thought, how alert are you before you have that first cup of tea/coffee in the morning?
6 or so
2. Have you ever taken a vacation by yourself?
No but I’d like to at some point!
3. At what age did you learn how to drive?
12 but I didn’t get my license until 23, I almost hit a deer driving as kid. It was always my dads idea for me to drive him, I looked 18 or so and he was always wasted. After the almost accident, I just couldn’t do it.
4. Does your makeup change with the seasons?
A little, more berry lips!
5. Where are you spending your Thanksgiving?
Home! Having people over.
Hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving, Erin!
1. Probably a 7.
2. Not really a vacation, but I’ve been on three work-related trips where I was essentially alone. Turned out to be less difficult than I thought, but it was depressing sitting alone in my hotel room at night.
3. 16.
4. No, not really.
5. With my elderly parents.
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving, CL!
1. On a scale of 1-10, with 10 being normal and 1 being barely able to form a cohesive thought, how alert are you before you have that first cup of tea/coffee in the morning?
Probably a 5. I’m a baker so I wake up at around 1:45 AM (yes you read THAT right!). I don’t drink coffee either, so I just take my time in the bathroom so that I can form a cohesive thought!
2. Have you ever taken a vacation by yourself?
No, I always take holidays with my husband. I wouldn’t have it any other way ?
3. At what age did you learn how to drive? 18. I took my time learning to drive. Lol.
4. Does your makeup change with the seasons? Maybe my base and lip colour. As in during summer, I would wear more sheer lip colours and powder foundation and during winter, I would use liquid foundation with more coverage and my lipstick would be of full coverage also.
5. Where are you spending your Thanksgiving? We don’t celebrate Thanksgiving here in Australia. So it would be a normal weekend for us!
Holy wow, Meta! That is EARLY. What time do you usually go to bed then? And what is your favorite thing to bake?
Happy Tuesday! Did you create that lip color collage? It’s very cool! 🙂
1. On a scale of 1-10, with 10 being normal and 1 being barely able to form a cohesive thought, how alert are you before you have that first cup of tea/coffee in the morning? I’m usually a 9.5. 10 after a shower. If I’m going to work, I have a morning coffee when I get there, but I don’t actually need it.
2. Have you ever taken a vacation by yourself? No, but I’ve traveled for work a lot by myself. It’s fine but I usually order room service; I’m not hot on dining alone in a restaurant.
3. At what age did you learn how to drive? 15 or 16 from some older friends who had their licenses, before I got my permit. That’s pretty common in our rural area. There are kids on farms that learn as soon as they can see over the dash. 🙂
4. Does your makeup change with the seasons? No, it takes a miracle (or special occasion) to change it even slightly.
5. Where are you spending your Thanksgiving? Home, sweet home! It’ll be a smaller get together because my parents are in Hawaii. They were inspired by our trip in April. HAHA!
Hi Kim,
I did! It was a spur of a moment thing and I ended up liking how it turned out, so I might try some more collages in the future. 🙂 #ahhrt
I love that your parents are in Hawaii for Thanksgiving. Did they go to Oahu?
I just saw the concealer collage too – I really like it! 🙂
Yes, Oahu and the Big Island. I took a lot of notes when we went, because of my poor memory, so they have a ton of info in case they need it. And their trip reminded me to try to travel as much as finances allow while we’re still relatively young. My parents are in fantastic shape – more like in their 60s than nearing 80 – but my father has a really tough time with stairs. My mom didn’t think they’d be able to climb at Diamond Head. 🙁
1. On a scale of 1-10, with 10 being normal and 1 being barely able to form a cohesive thought, how alert are you before you have that first cup of tea/coffee in the morning? It really depends on how much sleep I’ve gotten. I tend to need a few minutes though. I usually like to do a few minutes of yoga before I have to speak to anyone. I usually kiss my kid right away, if he’s up. The teenage years have brought massive sleeping in on his part, which has been nice. He was an early riser as a child.
2. Have you ever taken a vacation by yourself? I’ve had a weekend away to myself and I loved it. I like to be alone anyway. I need a weekend away every month I think.
3. At what age did you learn how to drive? 16! I went to a high school that was a few towns over so there was pressure on me to get my license so my parents didn’t have so much driving around to do. Not that I minded!
4. Does your makeup change with the seasons? A bit but not so much. I usually wear deeper lip colors in winter. Deeper nail polishes for sure.
5. Where are you spending your Thanksgiving? At home with my husband and teenage son, our 120-pound blonde lab and two cats!
Inquiring minds want to know, does Tabs prefer white meat or dark meat???
Ya know, he’d rather skip the meat entirely and go for the gravy. *shrugs* He’s kind of a food snob that way! I usually put some finely shredded turkey into his bowl with gravy, and most of the time he’ll lick all the gravy off and leave the turkey behind for later. Do your fur kids have a preference one way or the other?
My furs are so grateful for human food that they don’t really fuss. They gladly eat it all. I keep them to kitty food 99 percent of the time. Except for milk, they really love milk so they often get a shot glass of milk, which they rarely finish.
Tabs loves milk, but he rarely gets it… He prefers tuna juice (the juice from canned tuna) as his special drink. LOL
Fur kids are so funny!
BTW, I just got back from the grocery store to do some last-minute T-day things and that place was CRAY. It was like I was in Thunderdome.
I just got back too. Total chaos there!
I have to go back today, wish me luck! This time to pick up the T-Day meal. Hopefully the lines won’t be too long.
Happy Wednesday!
Hi Karen, I’m doubgvthe Monday poll on Wednesday because I didn’t have the will to do it on Monday. Zena got really sick last week and we decided, after finding out from an ultrasound that she had inoperable adrenal gland cancer, that it was her time to earn her halo. I’m still pretty beat and torn up about it, but we had known for a while she wasn’t well and we had been thinking about another dog. I just got home from Ohio where we picked up another Decker (Zena’s breed) named Reagan. She’s not a replacement for Zena and there will ALWAYS be a Kate & Zena (after all, she took up a huge part of my life for a decade), but hopefully one day I’ll change this from Kate & Zena to Kate & Reagan. I’m just not ready yet.
1. On a scale of 1-10, with 10 being normal and 1 being barely able to form a cohesive thought, how alert are you before you have that first cup of tea/coffee in the morning?
About a 3. I can think logically, but I am incredibly cranky.
2. Have you ever taken a vacation by yourself?
I haven’t! I’d like to though.
3. At what age did you learn how to drive?
17, almost 18.
4. Does your makeup change with the seasons?
Nope, not really.
5. Where are you spending your Thanksgiving?
At home most likely, forging a new bond with a slightly overweight dog named Reagan. Don’t worry, we’ll get those few extra pounds off.