The Alpha-Meme

Last Updated on July 16, 2016

Recently, Paul of Aurora Walking Vacation did two versions of the Alphabet meme, a list of questions in which each one relates to a letter of the alphabet. I took this one and this one, then mixed and matched to come up with what I thought was a “best of” version. Here goes:

A Apple or PC?
Apple. My first “real” personal computer was an Apple IIc. From there, it was a Mac and I’ve been happy to be a Mac user ever since. If the PC folks could really put forth an honest effort at giving a Mac a try, I don’t think there’d be near the rivalry there seems to be.

B Banking… online or in person, and if in person, drive thru or inside the bank?
Online almost exclusively. If I have to go in person, I prefer the drive-thru. I don’t like waiting inside a bank…it’s a funny sort of anxiety that makes me wonder whether every person who walks in might be about to rob the place. I don’t know how people who work in banks can stand it…I’d be a basket case.

C Coffee and Chocolate! The two most important ‘C’s Favorites please.
Caramel Macchiato and Snickers, though not at the same time.

D Dogs. Do you have one? If yes, what kind and it’s name and why you named it that. If no, then if you had one what kind would you choose?
I have two: a Cocker Spaniel named Zack, in honor of my middle school guidance counselor’s Cocker who was also named Zack; and a Golden Retriever-mix shelter dog that I named Zoey. I was going for the alliteration.

E Eighties. What is your favorite movie from the 80s?
There are so many good ones from the eighties that I don’t think I could pick one. I’d include “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off,” “9 to 5,” “Steel Magnolias,” and “WarGames” in the list. There are plenty of others, too.

F Fun. What’s the most fun work you’ve ever done, and why?
Working in television is a lot of fun. It’s stressful, but it’s fun. Probably the most fun I’ve had was when I hosted a game show for my college on-campus cable station. It was a show I created with the help of two classmates, so I was also one of the bosses, too.

G Grandparents, do you have any left and if you are one, to how many?
I have no grandparents left. I was closest to my maternal grandmother who died in 1982, and who, this year, would have been 100.

H Handy or call for help?
Call for help. If it’s something simple, I can probably do it. If it gets complicated, I don’t have the patience to deal with it.

I IOU’s any out there to a person, a friend or family?
Not officially; I owe my mom for a loan she made me a while back, so we started a checking account where I deposit money from each check. The main amount I owed her was for my current computer — my last one crashed at a most inopportune moment for my budget — and that part has since been paid off.

J Jello. Love it? Hate it? Favorite flavor? With whipped cream or cool whip or neither?
I’m funny about Jello: I like it, but I like mine plain. I don’t like the little chunks of fruit in there. It makes it harder for the gelatin to jiggle…and isn’t that the point of Jello?!?

K Key. Do you have keys to cars and doors and things that you no longer own?
I’m sure I do. I have two keys on my current keyring that I can’t identify. I leave them there because I know that the day I remove them, I’ll have sudden need for them. Isn’t that always the way?

L Language. Do you speak any others? Fluently or a little?
I took Spanish in high school for two years. There are a few words that I recognize. Even so, I resent having to press one — or any other key — for English.

M Mickey Mouse or Donald Duck?
Mickey. I never much cared for Donald: he was too difficult to understand. I’d choose Daffy and Bugs over this pair, however.

N Neighbors. Do you know their names? Occupations? Phone numbers? Or not?
At the old apartment complex, I knew two of my three neighbors by name. At the new one, I don’t know any of my immediate neighbors by name. I’ve met and spoken with the woman who lives in the apartment behind me, and I’m embarrassed to say that while I remember her Golden Retriever’s name, I can’t recall her name. (Isn’t the the true sign of a dog lover?)

O One hundred. Ever driven faster than one hundred miles per hour?
The fastest car I’ve been in was moving about 91. That was once, and only once.

P Postal. If you could send a package to your postal worker to show your appreciation, what would you send them?
Umm…as cold as it has been lately, maybe some warm gloves?

Q Quiche. Have you ever had it? Do you like it and what is your favorite?
Yes. It didn’t taste at all the way I expected it to. I had such high hopes…

R Radio. What three songs from your own collection would you play right now if you were in charge of a radio station’s playlist?
“Someone Else for One Day” by Gabriel Mann
“The Riddle” by Five for Fighting
“Hearts on Fire” by John Cafferty

S Safari. Have you ever been to Africa on one? A theme park version?
Never. I would be fascinated by the wild animals, but if one charged us, I would be sick to see it killed.

T Tunes. What was the last music you bought?
“Walking on Broken Glass” by Annie Lennox, and
“On The Dark Side” by John Cafferty and the Beaver Brown Band

U Umbrella. Do you have one and what is its design?
I have several, because I can never seem to find one nearby when it starts raining. The two I use most often are both TV-related. One has the logo of my former station and the other has the logo of a marketing consulting group I have had dealings with in the past.

V Vintage. Do you have a favorite wine to share? Or drink?
I had lunch at a restaurant years ago that served the greatest Merlot I had ever tasted…a very rich bouquet. I forgot the brand by the time I had left, and before I could get back to check the menu and find out what it was, the restaurant shut down.

W Willies. What gives you the willies? You know, that shudder you can’t stop?
The doctor’s office. Panic attacks. Mysterious aches and pains.

X X-ray. What parts of your body have been x-rayed?
My left hand and my neck.

Y Yolk. How do you like your eggs?
Scrambled and by themselves. I’m not wild about omelettes. The more exotic the first food that hits my stomach is, the less likely my stomach is to tolerate it all that well.

Z Zodiac. What’s your sign and does it fit your personality, in your opinion?
Sagittarius; Yes, it fits me quite well.