101 things... Do you really want to know?

After a weekend in Germany with our friends Nicole and Heiko (I’m working on that blog entry), I thought I’d take a break and put up a meme that has been on a few blogs I visit regularly.

I’m not tagging anyone, but feel free to use it.

1. How many keys are on your keychain?
Four.

2. What curse word do you use the most?
Probably the "F" word, but it always depends on the mood I’m in and where I am. I change languages.

3. Do you own an iPod?
Yes, but sometime I just find it too heavy to carry around.4. What time is your alarm clock set for? 6:30 a.m.

5. How many suitcases do you own?
OMG! I think between the two of us, we must have like 6 or 7.

6. Do you wear flip–flops even when it’s cold outside?
No. The thingy between the toes drives me nuts.

7. Where do you buy your groceries from?
Generally, from one of our two local supermarkets (Coop and Migros), or then a specialty grocery store.

8. Would you rather take the picture or be in the picture?
Both. It doesn’t really matter to me.

9. What was the last movie you watched?
Hmmm. I think it was Basic Instincts II

10. Do any of your friends have children?
I’d say it’s about 50/50.

11. If you won the lottery, what’s the first thing you would buy?
Two plane tickets back home and a house.

12. Has anyone ever called you lazy?
Except for myself, I don’t think so.

13. Do you ever take medication to help you fall asleep faster?
Nope. I don’t like pills in general. I’ve seen what addiction can do to a close friend of the family. It terrifies me.

14. What CD is currently in your CD player?
None.

15. Do you prefer regular or chocolate milk?
Chocolate milk and only one kind: Chocomel! To my knowledge, you can only get it in Holland (and Belgium, maybe), so we always stock up when we’re there. It’s the creamiest, most delicious chocolate milk I know.

16. Has anyone told you a secret this week?
Nope.

17. When was the last time someone hit on you?
Oye!!! Does O-X count?? If so, then this week ;)

18. What did you have for dinner?
Let’s see… We had Paolo and Markus over for dinner. We had bread with an olive pesto, we grilled a filet of pork, 2 lamb racks and shrimps, and then a nice desert (layers of berries and vodka-mascarpone cream)

19. Do you wear hoodies often?
Sometimes.

20. Can you whistle?
Yes, and I do it very regularly. I often catch myself whistling a tune in the tram or during work. Believe it or not, I can even whistle and smile at the same time.

21. Have you ever participated in a protest?
Not to my knowledge.

22. Who was the last person to call you?
My Mom.

23. What is your favorite ride at an amusement park?
Rollaaaaa-coastaaaaaa! And the wilder, the better. But believe it or not, a carrousel will make me throw-up.

24. Do you think people talk about you behind your back?
Of course.

25. What area code are you in right now?
4153

26. Did you watch cartoons as a child?
You bet. I was up at 6am (!!) every Saturday to watch the cartoons. Funny. Today, I’m more of a night person.

27. How big is your local mall?
Mall? You gotta be kiddin’. This is Switzerland, remember?

28. How many siblings do you have?
An older brother.

29. Are you shy around the opposite sex?
Nope. Actually, I generally feel more at ease with men.

30. What is your biggest regret?
I don’t think I have many regrets, if at all. Everything happens for a reason, right?

31. When was the last time you laughed so hard your sides hurt?
Last weekend while visiting friends in Germany.

32. What movie do you know every line to?
Don’t laugh. Disney’s “The Jungle Book”.

33. Do you own any band t–shirts?
No.

34. When was your last plane ride?
June 22, 2007 to Amsterdam.

35. How many chairs are at your dining room table?
Six.

36. Do you read for fun?
Not as much as I’d like to.

37. Can you speak any languages other than English?
German and French, and a little bit of Italian.

38. Do you do your own dishes?
Mostly pots and pans, and large plates that don’t fit in the dishwasher.

39. What color is your bedroom painted?
White.

40. Have you ever cried in public?
Not very often.

41. Do you have a desktop computer or a laptop?
Both. The laptops are what we both use most, though.

42. Which do you make: wishes or plans?
Both wishes and plans. You need one to make the other, right?

43. Are you always trying to learn new things?
Every chance I get.

44. Do you shower on a daily basis?
Not always, sometimes I take a bath instead ;)

45. Are you currently wanting any piercing or tattoos?
I’ve been thinking of a belly button piercing, but I AM getting older.

46. Do you believe that the guy should pay on the first date?
Not necessarily. It depends who invites.

47. Can you skip rocks?
You bet I can.

48. Have you ever been to Jamaica?
No.

49. What to snack on at the movie theaters?
Popcorn, of course, and a coke.

50. Who was your favorite teacher?
My French teacher in high-school, Mr LaPalme

51. Have you ever dated someone out of your race?
If OX counts having Indonesian roots, I guess so. And if not, I would never have a problem with it.

52. What is the weather like?
Cloudy, with sunny breaks.

53. Would you ever date someone covered in tattoos?
No, thank you.

54. Do you have an online journal?
You're on it!

55. What was your favorite class in high school?
Languages (French and English) and Gym.

56. Do you enjoy traveling via airplanes?
Yes.

57. What personality trait is a must–have in your preferred gender?
Respect and compassion.

58. Have you ever been attracted to someone physically unattractive?
Sure. Love is blind, they say.

59. When was the last time you slept on the floor?
December 30th, 2006 in a cottage in Canada

60. What is your favorite alcoholic drink?
Champagne/bubbly and red wine.

61. Does your closest Starbucks have a drive–thru?
We have Starbucks, but no drive-thru… unless you want to get into trouble.

62. Do you like your living arrangement?
Yes, but I’d like a stand-alone house.

63. What is your mother’s hometown?
She was born in Thurso, Quebec, but was raised in Montebello, Que.

64. How many hours of sleep do you need to function?
I can function on very little, but I do way better with 8.

65. Do you eat breakfast daily?
Never. I need about 2-3 hours before I can “really” eat. But isn’t coffee breakfast?

66. What was the last thing to scare you?
I can’t think of anything right now.

67. Are your days full and fast–paced?
No, but our weekends usually are.

68. Did you ever get in trouble for talking in class?
Not often.

69. What is your favorite fruit?
Berries of all kinds and cherries.

70. Do you pay attention to calories on the back of packages?
Never.

71. How old will you be turning on your next birthday?
42

72. Are you picky about spelling and grammar?
Yes, although I tend to make typos.

73. Do you believe in life on other planets?
Sure, why should we be the only ones?

74. Have you ever been to Six Flags?
No, but I’d like to.

75. Who was the last person to piss you off?
Paolo in a discussion we had yesterday. But it’s okay now.

76. Do you believe that God has a gender?
I’ll skip this one if you don’t mind.

77. What was the last thing you ate?
Toast

78. Do you get along better with the same or opposite sex?
Generally, I get along better with men.

79. What did you dress up as for your first Halloween?
I think I was dressed as a rabbit.

80. How did your parents pick your name?
I know that they chose names (both for my brother and me) that would be easy to pronounce in different languages. Plus, I just learned that my middle name was picked after the Canadian alpine skier, Nancy Greene.

81. Do you like mustard?
Sure, but only to certain things.

82. What do you tell yourself when times get hard?
You can’t escape it. If you try, it will most likely backfire on you. Go through it.

83. Would you ever sky dive?
I'm not sure, but if I had to choose between bungee jumping and sky diving, I’d go for the latter.

84. Do you sleep on your side, tummy, or back?
Mostly on my side.

85. What character from a movie most reminds you of yourself?
I wouldn’t know. Any suggestions??

86. Have you ever bid for something on ebay?
No.

87. Do you enjoy giving hugs?
Very much.

88. Would you consider yourself to be fashionable?
Yes, but only if it fits my style and personality.

89. Do you own a digital camera?
Two.

90. If someone you had no interest in dating expressed interest in dating you, how would you feel?
Very awkward.

91. What celebrities have you been compared to?
I don’t think I ever have been compared to any celebrities.

92. Who is your favorite Star Wars character?
R2D2.

93. Does it annoy you when someone says they’ll call but never do?
Yes, but it's no big deal.

94. What books, if any, have made you cry?
Can't think of one specific one right now.

95. Do you think you’re attractive?
Sometimes, yes.

96. What are you allergic to?
I only know of nickel.

97. Are you a jealous person?
Not really.

98. What’s your opinion on sex without emotional commitment?
If both parties agree and can really carry it out that way, why not?

99. Do you ever feel guilty after eating meat?
Never. And now, I'm hungry for Canadian beef.

100. If you were born the opposite sex, what would your name have been?
According to my Mom, she was so sure that I'd be a girl, that she never even gave a boy's name a though.

101. Is it lunch time yet?
Past lunch and going towards dinner time.

Tagged - Eight Things About Me

I was tagged twice this past week. Greenhaddock was the first to tag me, so I’ll start with this meme.

Here it goes:

Rules: Each person posts the rules before their list, then they list 8 things about themselves. At the end of the post, that person tags and links to 8 other people; then visits those people’s sites and comments, letting them know that they have been tagged, and to come read the post, so they know what they have to do.

1. Men always envied my legs. Not what you think. When I was 13 years old, I could push more weight with my legs than my 16-17 year old male gymnast teammates.
2. Because of no. 1, it was almost impossible for me to find boots where my calves would fit in. I still have trouble with that.
3. I can watch almost any operation on TV, but when the eye is involved, I have to turn away. As a matter of fact, I was thinking at some point of getting my eyesight corrected with a laser operation. My Dad gave me a website where he had a cataract removed, so I went there. Just reading about it (no picts) made my stomach churn and feel faint.
4. I often trip over things or slip (yes, I’m clumsy) because I don’t always watch where I’m going and then I can stumble for meters on end (think comedy), but I’ll hardly ever fall. It must be quite a show to watch, I tell you.
5. I’ve had my share of torn ligaments and muscles through sports, bruises, scorches and stitches as a kid (a true tomboy, I was), but I never broke a bone in my body.
6. I can’t kill big spiders. It grosses me out. Instead, I catch them with a tupperware and throw them out.
7. I’ve been married twice.
8. It drives me crazy when I decide to sit down and relax, and O-X starts cleaning up the place in frenzy.

There.

I know many of you have done this one already, so I won’t tag anyone in particular. If you haven’t done it, yet, or just feel like doing it, then consider yourself tagged.

Expat's 5-4-3-2-1 Meme

Here’s a meme I stole from Canadienne dans les Alpes a couple of weeks ago and translated it from French into English.

5) Name five things you love in your new country:
· Cleanliness and safety
· The effectiveness of public transportation
· The variety of delicious breads, cheeses and fresh meat selection (I grew up in a small town, and it's very difficult to get fresh, non-frozen, lamb, there.)
· The fact that there are so many different countries and cultures to discover within such short distances.
· The diversity of languages and cultures (German, French, Italian and Romansch) within the country, low taxes (compared to Canada), quality of healthcare and the Alps

4) Name four things that you miss from your native country:
· My family and friends
· Food: Canadian beef, poutine, big breakfasts and home delivery
· The natural openness and sincere, friendly smiles of people. (The Swiss are very polite, but in general quite distant.)
· The vastness and endless beauty of the country in four REAL seasons. I miss the Indian Summer so much and the snow (believe it or not!). There are many more reasons. It's home.

3) Name three things that annoy you a bit (or much) in your new country:
· The Swiss tend to stare… a lot (Note: I have now learned to stare back without blinking. Try it. It works)
· The lack of spontaneity in people
· The Swiss don’t take your taxes off your pay (I’m also Swiss, remember? They don’t consider me as an expat). You have to save up for it.

2)Name two things that surprise you (or have surprised you in the beginning) in your new country:
· Not being allowed to mow the lawn, do the laundry, -in some villages- hang up wet clothes to dry on the line, etc. on Sundays and in most apartments, you have one day to wash during the week (some even every 2 weeks! Eeek!!). Miss it? Tough! I mean, what if you have an ill child at home and he throws up in bed and you have to wait until your wash day?? Come ON!
· The space, or lack of it. Although I knew that Switzerland is expensive and very small (by almost any standard), most people live in apartments or in rented houses and hardly anyone has a single detached house (no space and you need minimum 20% down payment, not to mention that houses are very expensive)

1) Name one thing that you would terribly miss in your new country, if you had to leave it.
· I have not made that many real Swiss friends, but the ones I have, I will miss for sure.

There you have it. I'm not for tagging, so feel free to steel/use it and have fun. You don't even have to be an expat. Maybe you've lived in two very different parts of your own country. Just let me know if you did it. Deal?

Have a great Sunday

The “Ladies, dump it!” Meme and a related subject

My dear Canadian friend Kim from Stepping Stones tagged a few of us blogging ladies including Christina, Expat Traveler, Dixie Peach, Cyndi and Jen (sorry girls, but we have to stick together, right?). Kim, of course, did it, too. (Uhhh... You carry tea in your purse??) And it looks like I'm going to be first to post, too. Do I get a prize for it, Kim? ;)

The rules are as follows:

· Take a photo of the handbag/purse that you are using today
· Dump it out and take another photo
· Make a list of everything in your bag
· And now the most embarrassing… Post it on your blog.

So, here it is: my handbag. Not very big (about 30x18x10cm, or 12x7x4 inches), but you will be surprised to see what I can fit in there.

Now for the content (for your entertainment):

- Chewing gum
- Kleenex tissues
- Sunglasses (with case - in photo, (mis)used as Kleenex and chewing gum case)
- Photo of my Dad’s second wedding
- Lighter
- Lip balm
- Car papers
- Pen
- Canadian Passport (still in there from our last trip to Canada?? Now safely put away.)
- Boarding card slips from our last trip to Canada (were in my passport)
- Cell phone
- Bulky wallet - due to too many cards (discount/shopping/debit/credit/health/business, etc.), too much small change, the last 3 days' shopping lists, and a few old grocery store receipts
- Keys (one set for the house and car and one set for the garage)
- Last, but not least… a tampon (I know, I’m always prepared)

There.

Kim was also asking if she her hubby was the only one to have a phobia about looking for something in her purse. The answer is: No. You are not alone. OrangeX used to be like that, too, until I got angry and told him to just pick whatever he needed out. Today, he just asks first and takes whatever he needs. I know however, that some women are allergic to anyone (not to mention their hubby) getting even near their precious handbag/purse and go into a humungous fit about it should the "scoundrel" attempt to do so. I don’t get it.

And why should men need something from their spouse’s purse, you ask? Because when couples go out, the spouses often carry the men’s keys, wallets and anything else that would look absurd if it were all stuffed in the front and/or back pocket of their trousers. This brings me to the next point.

I have now considerably reduced the size (and weight when going out) of my handbags because O-X has gotten himself not one, but two man bags. And today, he never leaves the house without it. He has everything in there: mobile phone, wallet, keys, cigarettes, lighter, papers, etc. AND it does not look ridiculous (unless the male wearing it looks ridiculous to start with). It will only make you look (and feel) strange if you don’t wear it with a certain confidence. It’s by far better than having strange and unnatural looking bulges all over the mid-part of your body.

So. Women, stand up for your rights. Why should you be the one to carry everything on a night out?

And men, what is this phobia with the wife’s handbag anyway? If you (or she) have that much of a problem with it, get yourself a man bag.

Now, go see what the other ladies are carrying around. I will.

PS: I'm not tagging anyone, but if you feel like it, go ahead ladies (and men with man bags are welcome to join as well)