Wednesday Hodgepodge - 2/20

 

1. When were you last 'on a mountaintop'?  You may answer in the literal or figurative sense.

It's been a while since I've been to a literal or figurative mountain top.  Probably should do something about that on both counts.



2.  Do you establish and maintain a strict budget in your household?  What is one piece of financial advice you would offer someone just starting out on their own? 

I am learning (the hard way) about budgets.  But since I've been keeping a fairly strict one, I have been pleased with my progress.  2013 is the year of me getting my finances in order and I really do feel like I will have reached at least a large portion of my goals by the end of the year.   I'm a spender who loves to lavish people with gifts and goodies, so to have to stick to a budget has been painful, at times.  My best advice to someone starting out is to budget your money from the start.  I didn't have a lot of money sense early on and have paid for it tenfold over the years.  



3.  Cherries-yay or nay?  Cherry pie, cherry cola, black forest cake, or a scoop ofBen and Jerry's Cherries Garcia...pick one. 

I like bing cherries, but I don't usually like cherry flavored things.  So, if I had to pick, I would go with black forest cake.  



4.  Should you ever discuss religion or politics with people you don't know? 

I suppose that depends on the level of discourse and the level of passion involved.  If everyone can stay civil, I've been known to discuss either with people I don't know.  (Even ended up in a Twitter debate over Christmas thanks to a response I gave to Jake Tapper.)  But, what I tend to find is that few people know how to agree to disagree anymore.  (And that goes double when you are talking politics.)  My general rule is that I don't shove my beliefs at other people or pretend they are the only right thoughts, and neither should anyone else.



5.  When you take a road trip do you prefer to be the driver or the passenger?  Where were you headed on your last road trip? 

I love a good road trip.  I don't mind to drive, but I get nervous in heavy traffic/lots of lanes situations if I don't know where to make exchanges and whatnot.  But I'm probably better doing navigation, music control, and food distribution in the passengers seat.  My last road trip was to the Gulf Coast and I am really looking forward to the prospect of another one later this year.



6. If we peeked inside your closet, what color would we say is most prevalent?

Blacks/greys.  I know they are technically neutrals and not colors, but I tend to go with basics and then add pops of color.   



7. Who's your favorite senior citizen and why are they special?

Hmmm.  I can't really pick on this one because both of my grandmothers are still alive.  My mom's mom still travels with her best friends from high school.  They meet for lunch every month, too.   She's in her 80's now, but still drives herself and is in wonderful health.  When I was in a moment of extreme need, she didn't hesitate to help me just because she could and that touched my heart in such a huge way.  My dad's mom hasn't been in good health for several years.  But her mind is still sharp as a tack.  She is nearing 90 and when I visit with her, I never fail to take away something new, be it in perspective or assisted living center gossip.  I live in the house she hared with my grandpa for many happy years.


8.  Insert your own random thought here.

The older I get the more it becomes apparent that life is all about the brief, shining moments of happy.  And they tend to turn up in the most unexpected times and places.