Do you consider yourself a TV junkie? This week’s question might put that thought to the test.

About two-thirds of the way down this page, there’s a list titled “Most-watched series finales.” How many of those blockbuster television events can claim you as part of the audience?

• First to play last week: Cassie of This, That & The Other Thing. Congratulations!

(According to the rules, “First to Play” requires you to be the first to include the link to the specific entry in which you answered the questions, not just the general link to your blog.)

Here is this week’s “Sunday Seven” question. Either answer in a comment here, or put the answers in an entry on your blog…but either way, leave a link to your journal so that everyone else can visit! To be counted as “first to play,” you must be the first player to either answer the questions in a comment or to provide a complete link to the specific entry in your blog in which you answer the questions. A general link to your blog cannot count. Enjoy!

THIS WEEK’S QUESTION:
Name the top seven series finales listed that you actually watched as they first aired.

Either answer the question in a comment or answer it in your journal and include the link in a comment. (To be considered “first to play,” a link must be to the specific entry in which you answered the question.) You may include this link in the URL space when leaving your comment, or in the comment itself. As long as it’s there in one spot or the other.

MY ANSWERS:
1. M*A*S*H
2. Friends
3. Magnum, P.I.
4. The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
5. Dallas
6. Everybody Loves Raymond
7.Newhart

Given my lack of internet service that forces me into Barnes & Noble, where I’m having an over-priced cup of coffee for an excuse to sit in the cafe and use their wifi, poor customer service is definitely on the brain.

Here’s a list of companies that ranked at the bottom of the heap in one poll when it comes to treating their customers the way said customers think they deserve to be treated. You’ll use that list for inspiration for this week’s question, should you need any.

• First to play last week: Cassie of This, That & The Other Thing. Congratulations!

(According to the rules, “First to Play” requires you to be the first to include the link to the specific entry in which you answered the questions, not just the general link to your blog.)

Here is this week’s “Sunday Seven” question. Either answer in a comment here, or put the answers in an entry on your blog…but either way, leave a link to your journal so that everyone else can visit! To be counted as “first to play,” you must be the first player to either answer the questions in a comment or to provide a complete link to the specific entry in your blog in which you answer the questions. A general link to your blog cannot count. Enjoy!

THIS WEEK’S QUESTION:
Name the seven companies that have given you the worst customer service.

Either answer the question in a comment or answer it in your journal and include the link in a comment. (To be considered “first to play,” a link must be to the specific entry in which you answered the question.) You may include this link in the URL space when leaving your comment, or in the comment itself. As long as it’s there in one spot or the other.

MY ANSWERS:
1. AOL — This is probably most people’s top answer these days, but that’s just a guess.
2. Bank of America — I’m convinced that they are trying to find an excuse to claim a late payment, even when I go to their branch and pay in person.
3. Verizon — Bad bill screw-ups in Richmond, and the bait & switch that led me to AT&T Wireless
4. AT&T — They’re clearly trying to top my list.
5. Comcast — They’re infinitely better in Charleston than in Richmond
6. Wal*Mart — Why put the slowest cashier on the express line? Why??
7. Avid — It’s an editing system I’ve used at different points over the years. Doesn’t cooperate with anything and costs multiple times as much as any other system that’s easier to work with.

You’ll have to forgive me if I seem a little preoccupied with the economy these days; it’s not that I have some massive portfolio of stocks that I’m watching take a nosedive, nor am I struggling to pay an adjustable rate mortgage whose payments have suddenly jumped hundreds of dollars to an unaffordable level.

My biggest problem is credit card debt. Stupid credit card debt. The kind that only people with far too little common sense manage to build up.

And so now I’m working to get things turned around. I can report that in the past few weeks — nearing a month now, in fact — I haven’t put a single thing on a credit card that I haven’t either immediately repaid or scheduled a payment to pay for. In other words, I have managed not to increase my debt load. That’s definitely a good thing.

If only some millionaire would take pity on me and mail me a check. Believe me: I don’t need a million bucks. Not anywhere close. So anyone out there with money burning a hole in their pocket…you just let me know!

In the meantime, I found this list of the 25 top careers to pursue in a recession.

Give it a look because you’ll use it for this week’s answer. Unless, of course, you’re rich, in which case you’re allowed to skip this week’s question, provided that you send me a check. (And of the non-bouncing variety, if you don’t mind.)

• First to play last week: Rick of Mmmm, That’s Good Coffee…. Congratulations!

(According to the rules, “First to Play” requires you to be the first to include the link to the specific entry in which you answered the questions, not just the general link to your blog.)

Here is this week’s “Sunday Seven” question. Either answer in a comment here, or put the answers in an entry on your blog…but either way, leave a link to your journal so that everyone else can visit! To be counted as “first to play,” you must be the first player to either answer the questions in a comment or to provide a complete link to the specific entry in your blog in which you answer the questions. A general link to your blog cannot count. Enjoy!

THIS WEEK’S QUESTION:
Name the seven career fields from the above list that you’d be least likely to pursue, even if you really needed a job.

Either answer the question in a comment or answer it in your journal and include the link in a comment. (To be considered “first to play,” a link must be to the specific entry in which you answered the question.) You may include this link in the URL space when leaving your comment, or in the comment itself. As long as it’s there in one spot or the other.

I recently joined a brand new bible study group for men at my church, and the second week’s topic inspired this week’s question. I won’t go into the subject matter in detail in this post, but it’s about learning patience. One of the discussion questions asks the reader to consider how successfully he’d be able to remain patient in a given set of scenarios.

Here is the list, which you’ll use to answer this week’s question:

1. Getting trapped behind a slow driver on the interstate.
2. Waiting in a long line at the bank.
3. Waiting at a store behind another customer who needs a price check.
4. Waiting for your best friend to show up at the surprise party you are throwing for him/her.
5. Building (or purchasing) a home.
6. Waiting for a promised raise or promotion at work.
7. Waiting for test results from a doctor.
8. Waiting for the arrival of a new baby in the family.
9. Teaching a teenager how to drive a car.
10. Waiting for a much-anticipated love interest to call for a second date.

Those are the ten situations that you have to work with.  But before the question, I ask for one more moment of your patience to recognize last week’s sole player.  (Are there no other Hitchcock fans in the blogosphere?!?)

• First to play last week: Scarlett of Scarlett’s Society of Quirky. Congratulations!

(According to the rules, “First to Play” requires you to be the first to include the link to the specific entry in which you answered the questions, not just the general link to your blog.)

Here is this week’s “Sunday Seven” question. Either answer in a comment here, or put the answers in an entry on your blog…but either way, leave a link to your journal so that everyone else can visit! To be counted as “first to play,” you must be the first player to either answer the questions in a comment or to provide a complete link to the specific entry in your blog in which you answer the questions. A general link to your blog cannot count. Enjoy!

THIS WEEK’S QUESTION:
Name the seven scenarios listed in which you’d have the most difficult time maintaining your patience.

Either answer the question in a comment or answer it in your journal and include the link in a comment. (To be considered “first to play,” a link must be to the specific entry in which you answered the question.) You may include this link in the URL space when leaving your comment, or in the comment itself. As long as it’s there in one spot or the other.

MY ANSWERS:
1. Waiting for test results from a doctor. — No, really. Major hypochondriac here. If there’s even the POSSIBILITY that something’s wrong, I will drive myself crazy until the doctor tells me it’s nothing.
2. Waiting in line at a store behind another customer who needs a price check. — Especially if it’s because there’s no barcode on the item they’re trying to buy. I mean, come on: check for a barcode BEFORE you get to the cashier because you KNOW it will hold up everyone if what you’re buying doesn’t have one!
3. Waiting in a long line at the bank. — If I go to the bank, and I try to avoid it when possible, it’s during my lunch hour, so I’m already dealing with a limited amount of time to start with.
4. Waiting for a much-anticipated love interest to call for a second date. — Okay, not much experience in this department: I generally don’t get calls about the first date. Still, if it’s someone who is important to me and I’m waiting to hear from them, it’s tough to stay focused on things until I do.
5. Getting trapped behind a slow driver on the interstate. — This would have ranked higher, but it’s the interstate, so I can always pass them. But there’s this street I drive down every day on my way to work with a line of medical office buildings, and every day I get behind people who insist on driving 15 miles an hour looking for their doctor’s office. The anger I feel is precisely why I do NOT drive around with one of those little Christian fish symbols on the back of my car. And it goes back to me being a hypochondriac: if I knew I had to go somewhere for a test, I’d go the night before, trace the route, know for CERTAIN I knew where the office was in advance so I wouldn’t be late. (As if that might somehow motivate the technicians to get me the results sooner!)
6. Waiting for a promised raise or promotion at work. — Only because I’m impatient about getting debts paid down. More money is more money.
7. Waiting for your best friend to show up at a surprise party you’re throwing for him/her. — Although now that I’ve included this one, my closest friends will probably keep me waiting intentionally if they ever get wind of me throwing them a party…just to toy with me.

The shower scene from Psycho. The cymbal crash from The Man Who Knew Too Much. The glowing glass of milk from Suspicion. The crop duster chase from North By Northwest. There were so many incredible moments Alfred Hitchcock gave us in films that fans like me will never forget. But you don’t necessarily have to be a big fan to come up with a few of them, right?

Here is a list of the 50 greatest Hitchcock cinematic moments. And here’s your chance to pick the seven from his films that gave you the biggest reaction.

• First to play last week: Psychfun of Me Thinks Too Much. Congratulations!

(According to the rules, “First to Play” requires you to be the first to include the link to the specific entry in which you answered the questions, not just the general link to your blog.)

Here is this week’s “Sunday Seven” question. Either answer in a comment here, or put the answers in an entry on your blog…but either way, leave a link to your journal so that everyone else can visit! To be counted as “first to play,” you must be the first player to either answer the questions in a comment or to provide a complete link to the specific entry in your blog in which you answer the questions. A general link to your blog cannot count. Enjoy!

THIS WEEK’S QUESTION:
Name the seven greatest Alfred Hitchcock cinematic moments.

Either answer the question in a comment or answer it in your journal and include the link in a comment. (To be considered “first to play,” a link must be to the specific entry in which you answered the question.) You may include this link in the URL space when leaving your comment, or in the comment itself. As long as it’s there in one spot or the other.

So sorry to have kept you waiting with this week’s edition of the Sunday Seven! Actually, I came up with this topic two weeks ago, so I must have concluded somewhere in my brain that I had already written and scheduled this post to appear today.

I just realized that somehow, I managed not to do that!

This week, we’re talking about familiar sounds. Sounds that were actually meant to be familiar because of advertising and branding, and which have been trademarked. The magazine mental_floss, easily one of the greatest magazines ever invented, recently came up with a list of the 17 most recognized trademarked sounds. That’s 10 more than we need here, so it’s up to you to choose your picks for the best of the batch, or to come up with some of your own famous trademarked sounds if you feel that they missed something.

• First to play last week: Aislinge of Tr’aislinge’s Tea Kettle. Congratulations!

(According to the rules, “First to Play” requires you to be the first to include the link to the specific entry in which you answered the questions, not just the general link to your blog.)

Here is this week’s “Sunday Seven” question. Either answer in a comment here, or put the answers in an entry on your blog…but either way, leave a link to your journal so that everyone else can visit! To be counted as “first to play,” you must be the first player to either answer the questions in a comment or to provide a complete link to the specific entry in your blog in which you answer the questions. A general link to your blog cannot count. Enjoy!

THIS WEEK’S QUESTION:
Name the seven trademarked sounds you think are most recognizable.

Either answer the question in a comment or answer it in your journal and include the link in a comment. (To be considered “first to play,” a link must be to the specific entry in which you answered the question.) You may include this link in the URL space when leaving your comment, or in the comment itself. As long as it’s there in one spot or the other.

This week’s question was inspired by one of those “fun facts” columns in a local news weekly. There’s no list for you to look at; instead, this week’s question requires that you have a look around your own home!

• First to play last week: Otowi of Otowi. Congratulations!

(According to the rules, “First to Play” requires you to be the first to include the link to the specific entry in which you answered the questions, not just the general link to your blog.)

Here is this week’s “Sunday Seven” question. Either answer in a comment here, or put the answers in an entry on your blog…but either way, leave a link to your journal so that everyone else can visit! To be counted as “first to play,” you must be the first player to either answer the questions in a comment or to provide a complete link to the specific entry in your blog in which you answer the questions. A general link to your blog cannot count. Enjoy!

THIS WEEK’S QUESTION:
Name seven things in your home that you have at least seven of.

Either answer the question in a comment or answer it in your journal and include the link in a comment. (To be considered “first to play,” a link must be to the specific entry in which you answered the question.) You may include this link in the URL space when leaving your comment, or in the comment itself. As long as it’s there in one spot or the other.

Last weekend, if you missed it, there were two editions of the Sunday Seven. Both were part of the Arch-a-thon, a special weekend event I held for a good friend of mine here in Charleston who is very soon to be a good friend way out in California. If you missed the details on that, click here for the details.

This week, we’re back to one set of questions. And this week, the topic is movie gadgets that we wish we could actually own and use. Here’s one list of 10 great gadgets that it’d be cool to possess. Use that one as a starting point if you need it, and then go from there.

• First to play last week’s first set: Something Purple of Em’s Detour, All Things Beautiful. Congratulations!
• First to play last week’s second set: Donna of Threads and Knots. Congratulations!
  (According to the rules, “First to Play” requires you to be the first to include the link to the specific entry in which you answered the questions, not just the general link to your blog.)

Here is this week’s “Sunday Seven” question. Either answer in a comment here, or put the answers in an entry on your blog…but either way, leave a link to your journal so that everyone else can visit! To be counted as “first to play,” you must be the first player to either answer the questions in a comment or to provide a complete link to the specific entry in your blog in which you answer the questions. A general link to your blog cannot count. Enjoy!

THIS WEEK’S QUESTION:
Name seven cool movie gadgets you’d like to own.

Either answer the question in a comment or answer it in your journal and include the link in a comment. (To be considered “first to play,” a link must be to the specific entry in which you answered the question.) You may include this link in the URL space when leaving your comment, or in the comment itself. As long as it’s there in one spot or the other.

My Answers:
1. The Magic Remote Control (from Click) - How awesome would it be to freeze everything when you need to or fast forward to see what happens next
2. Cloaking Device (from Predator) - Yeah, there are plenty of times when I wish I could be invisible. (Or more invisible than I already am!)
3. Phaser (from Star Trek movies) - Okay, I’ll admit that I’d keep mine on Stun…but that would still be cool!
4. Neuralizer (from Men in Black) - One corny joke too many? I’ll make you forget I ever said it!
5. Holodeck (from Star Trek movies) - So I could program any location, complete with people of my own choosing to spend time with whenever I wanted? I may never walk out of there!
6. Memory Recorder/Player (from Brainstorm) - I’ve always thought this was one of the coolest devices ever invented, but it almost requires an invasion of privacy to really experience something new.
7. Transporter (from Star Trek movies) - So I hit a few buttons and in a matter of seconds I could “beam over” to any location from any location? I’m so there!

Here is a second, “bonus” edition of the Sunday Seven as part of the Arch-a-thon.

A few weeks ago, I asked you to list your favorite Coca Cola brand products. This week, it’s all about equal time for Pepsi.

• First to play earlier today: (To be announced)

(According to the rules, “First to Play” requires you to be the first to include the link to the specific entry in which you answered the questions, not just the general link to your blog.)

THIS WEEK’S QUESTION:
Name your seven favorite Pepsi beverages.

Either answer the question in a comment or answer it in your journal and include the link in a comment. (To be considered “first to play,” a link must be to the specific entry in which you answered the question.) You may include this link in the URL space when leaving your comment, or in the comment itself. As long as it’s there in one spot or the other.

My Answers:
1. Diet Pepsi
2. Dr. Pepper
3. Aquafina
4. Lipton Iced Tea
5. Sierra Mist
6. Dole Orange Juice
7. Gatorade

So my friends, Archie and Rebekah, are moving to California, just southeast of the San Francisco area. That’s an area I have always wanted to visit, and at least now I’ll have another excuse to do so.

San Francisco has always been a fascinating place to me. And I’m not the only one who feels that way. Even Alfred Hitchcock called the city America’s answer to Paris. So now that I’ve talked up the place a bit, I wonder if you’ve had time to come up with seven attractions you’d like to visit in the San Francisco area some day.

• First to play last week: Shannon of Shannon’s Moments of Introspection. Congratulations!

THIS WEEK’S QUESTION:
Name seven attractions you’d like to visit in the San Francisco area.

Either answer the question in a comment or answer it in your journal and include the link in a comment. (To be considered “first to play,” a link must be to the specific entry in which you answered the question.) You may include this link in the URL space when leaving your comment, or in the comment itself. As long as it’s there in one spot or the other.

My Answers:
1. Archie & Rebekah (But you already knew that)
2. Carly and Alan (of Ellipsis fame)
3. Exploratorium
4. Coit Tower
5. Lombard Street
6. Muir Woods
7. Wax Museum at Fisherman’s Wharf

In the movie business, not everything goes according to plan.

Here is a list of “10 movies that were never finished” for a variety of reasons.  Some featured big name stars and some were helmed by big-name directors.  But none of them have seen the projector light of day.  You’ll need this list for this week’s question.

• First to play last week: Tere of Blessings in Life. Congratulations!

THIS WEEK’S QUESTION:
Name the seven unfinished movies from this list you’d most like to see…when and if they ever are finished.

Either answer the question in a comment or answer it in your journal and include the link in a comment. (To be considered “first to play,” a link must be to the specific entry in which you answered the question.) You may include this link in the URL space when leaving your comment, or in the comment itself. As long as it’s there in one spot or the other.

My Answers:
1. Kaleidoscope
2. Something’s Got to Give
3. Dark Blood
4. The Day the Clown Cried
5. The Works
6. Uncle Tom’s Fairy Tales
7. Dus

You decide to downsize, so you move into a smaller apartment. While you’re smiling about the huge stacks of cash you’ll save, you realize that you have room for just a few pieces of furniture (not counting kitchen appliances and bathroom fixtures). So I guess you can imagine your challenge this week.

• First to play last week: Jude of My Way. Congratulations!

THIS WEEK’S QUESTION:
Name the seven pieces of furniture (excluding kitchen and bathroom) that you couldn’t do without.

Either answer the question in a comment or answer it in your journal and include the link in a comment. (To be considered “first to play,” a link must be to the specific entry in which you answered the question.) You may include this link in the URL space when leaving your comment, or in the comment itself. As long as it’s there in one spot or the other.

My Answers:
1. Bed
2. Television Stand
3. Computer Desk
4. Computer Desk Chair
5. Big Fat Living Room Chair
6. Couch
7. Coffee Table

“Have a Coke and a smile.” That’s one of the most famous advertising phrases. But which of Coke’s products are most likely to put that smile on your face? It’s not like you don’t have plenty of beverages to choose from, which is a good thing, because that’s what you have to do this week…and it can only be Coke products. (Like it or not! And yes, Pepsi will have its turn soon.)

• First to play last week: Carly of Ellipsis. Congratulations!

THIS WEEK’S QUESTION:
Name your seven favorite Coca Cola brand beverages.

Either answer the question in a comment or answer it in your journal and include the link in a comment. (To be considered “first to play,” a link must be to the specific entry in which you answered the question.) You may include this link in the URL space when leaving your comment, or in the comment itself. As long as it’s there in one spot or the other.

My Answers:
1. Diet Coke with Splenda
2. Diet Coke
3. Coca Cola (The Original, of course)
4. Diet Coke with Lime
5. Sprite
6. Barq’s Root Beer
7. Vanilla Coke

Sorry to post this week’s so late. It just has been one of those days.

This week’s topic is cats. What are your favorite kind of cats? House cats? Lions? Kit Kats? There are a lot of options…just run with it!

• First to play last week: Shannon of Shannon’s Moments of Introspection. Congratulations!

THIS WEEK’S QUESTION:
Name your seven favorite kinds (or breeds) of cats.

Either answer the question in a comment or answer it in your journal and include the link in a comment. (To be considered “first to play,” a link must be to the specific entry in which you answered the question.) You may include this link in the URL space when leaving your comment, or in the comment itself. As long as it’s there in one spot or the other.

How many times have you watched a movie, only to be frustrated by a lousy ending? Maybe it’s time we celebrate a few titles that didn’t end badly.

Here’s a list of Top 20 Movie Endings, as compiled by UK’s Times Online.

For your answers, all you have to do is list the title of the picture, but you can explain why you like the ending so much if you like.

• First to play last week: Shannon of Shannon’s Moments of Introspection. Congratulations!

THIS WEEK’S QUESTION:
Name your seven favorite movie endings.

Either answer the question in a comment or answer it in your journal and include the link in a comment. (To be considered “first to play,” a link must be to the specific entry in which you answered the question.) You may include this link in the URL space when leaving your comment, or in the comment itself. As long as it’s there in one spot or the other.

My Answers:
1. Gone With The Wind
2. Psycho
3. Vertigo
4. The Shawshank Redemption
5. The Sixth Sense
6. Se7en
7. Carrie