Blogging Memes

If you don't blog but you have journals all over your house then you'll probably like memes.

Memes are great for journals too. You might even want to start a new journal just for memes.

Talk about a great keepsake about yourself that is easy to read and enjoy.

Always introduce your meme before you begin; especially if it is a short one. Let your readers know where it came from. Why you chose to do it... not, because you had nothing else; why did this particular meme strike a cord with you. That kind of thing.

It doesn't have to be a long introduction. Just something to show you're present and put some more thought into the post than the answer to the questions.

Think of grade school when you ran around the play ground trying to catch some one so it would then be their turn to run around chasing.

Tagging when it comes to memes is pretty much the same idea. Except you type out a name and the person decides whether they want to follow through with the tagging.

Some people attach some horrible warning like: "If you don't do this your house will fall on you". But that's just tacky and takes the whole enjoyment out of memes.

I usually either say nothing about tagging or I say something along the lines of, "I won't tag anyone but if you feel the urge, go for it and leave a link in the comments."

Whatever you decide is up to you. It is your blog after all, you make the rules.

I started this one on my myspace blog because I just couldn't think of anything to do over there. The post involves making a random list of 100 words. Over the next 100 blogs (you can blog about other stuff in between) you take a word from the list (in order) and blog about it.

I put a link at the bottom of each post to the original post so if someone randomly ends up on this page they can learn all about what I'm doing on the original post.

I'm still working through the list so I'll probably have fodder for the rest of the year.

Use the title of this meme in your subject line or create your own. Feel free to tag your friends or not. A link back to this lens would be appreciated.

Copy and paste into your blog and add comments after each question. This meme can be a short answer all in one posting or divided up over a few days with each section elaborated on. Use the title of this meme in your subject line or create your own. Feel free to tag your friends or not. A link back to this lens would be appreciated.

Do you recycle? Yes, every week. Flyers, cardboard, hard plastic, soft plastic, aluminum, and glass.

Do you do you laundry with hot or cold water? I do laundry with cold or lukewarm water. I also use cold water Tide.

What kind of light bulbs are in your house? We use the new energy efficient fluorescents. I was very resistant to using them but I've adjusted and don't even notice the difference anymore. Now, if only we can find a safe way of disposing of them.

Do you compost? Yes, we compost about 10 lbs of food waste a week. I have two composters in the back yard. Here's a lens I created on composting tips. I need to work harder at using things more quickly.

What kind of vehicle do you drive? We are currently leasing a Toyota Sienna but are looking into an energy efficient alternative. Hopefully they will be a little bit cheaper or there will be some type of financial incentive by the time that comes around.

Do you use plastic or reusable bags when grocery shopping? Both. We reuse any plastic bags we get until we can't use them anymore then they get recycled. We use a bunch of canvas type bags we've collected over the years for grocery shopping and I carry a hobo bag with me that pretty much holds anything. Here's a lens I created on eco-bags.

What are three ways you conserve energy?
* By not letting the water run when brushing teeth.
* Shutting off lights when leaving a room (or when DH has left the room).
* By not letting the car idle when it's not moving.

Copy and paste into your blog and add comments after each question. Use the title of this meme in your subject line or create your own. Feel free to tag your friends or not. A link back to this lens would be appreciated.

What time did you wake up this morning?
11:30 a.m.

What do you like most about yourself.
My sense of loyalty.

What do you like least about yourself.
My sense of paranoia.

Can you sing?
I can. But the question should be should I? I'm tone deaf.

Can you dance?
Yes. But again, the question is should I.

Do you smoke?
No

Do you drink?
No, doesn't go well with the meds.

Can you swim?
I can sink.

Year you were born?
1969

Favorite color?
Blue baby!

Sleep with or without clothes?
I get too cold for nude.

What time do you go to bed?
3 a.m.

Provide an introduction and then blog about 10 of your own pet peeves. Use the title of this meme in your subject line or create your own. Feel free to tag your friends or not. A link back to this lens would be appreciated.

The idea for this meme came from reading Poddy's My Pet Peeves - Things That Annoy Me lens

1. People who leave their car running, park in front of the doors and run into a business when there is a parking space 10 - 15 feet away. And they usually ain't fat people.

2. People who correct my email spelling mistakes. It's an email, not a website or essay. I mean if you are going to print it out and frame it then by all means let me know and I'll send you a better copy. Or worse, give me an English lesson on the difference between it's and its. I think at 38 I know the difference. It's a typo, let it go people. Do you email publishers to let them know about typos in their books?

3. Burnt popcorn being pumped through movie theatres.

4. People who chat up the cashiers at the grocery store when there is a huge lineup. Pay for your stuff and leave.

5. Shiny computer screens.

6. Shiny screens on debit machines.

7. Products that change in size but are still the same price. I'd rather they stayed the same and went up in price. Like: tampons, sanitary napkins, toilet paper, paper towel.

8. Friends who drop off the face of the planet and then say they left messages when you see them.

9. People who assume that I'm going to have kids.

10. Generalizations about fat people.

It actually felt good to get that all out. I highly recommend it.

Copy and paste into your blog and change comments after each question. This meme can be a short answer or elaborated on. Use the title of this meme in your subject line or create your own. Feel free to tag your friends or not. A link back to this lens would be appreciated.

Which do you prefer laptop or desktop? I love the mobility of a laptop, even if it's just around the house. But I would use whatever I could get my hands on.

How many computers do you have in your home? Four. Two laptops and two desktops. Two are old and pretty much archaic.

Where do you keep it? What would be typically the dining room is my office. I have a desk where it spends most of it's time.

PC or Mac? PC but I have been brainwashed by the Mac commercials.

Make? My current laptop is an HP Pavillion. It was a really good deal. Previously I had a Dell which I loved.

What is your processor (AMD, Intel, Celleron etc.)? AMD

How much Ram do you have? 2 gigs, which I'm sure is pretty much obsolete.

How much hard disk? 250 gigs.

Operating system? Vista Home Premium. I didn't have a choice. So far... so good. Knock on wood.

How old is the oldest computer in your home? I think the one in the basement is 6 years old. We had an oooold NEC that we recycled that was at least 12.

Do you watch movies/television on your computer? Yes and yes, DVD or online when I can find them. A lot of the legit places don't allow Canadian viewers.

Top three favourite games? Computer programs include: 4 Winds, Spider and Mahjong. On computer but online it's Pogo's Poppit, Ride the Tide, Pogo Bowl. I'm a low-key game player and am easily addicted to simplicity.

Webcam? Yes, but I've only used it once to Skype with the relatives.

Most used program? Probably Word.

Browser of choice? Firefox

When are you going to upgrade? Even though my new lap top was quickly outdated the moment I bought it. This is it for a while unless... wait...no unless; I'm not going to jinx it.

This is a really short but interesting meme about names. We all have them and we are all connected to them. Copy and paste into your blog and change the intro and comments after each question. Use the title of this meme in your subject line or create your own. Feel free to tag your friends or not. A link back to this lens would be appreciated.

Did you know that every name has an origin and meaning? I love names. Real names, pet names, pretend names, whatever. My husband is a teacher and he often find that kids with the same have similar behaviours (no I'm not going to tell you which kids act up the most).

Here's a meme on first names:

Your name? Maureen

Your nick name? Moe

Do you like your name? Yes.

If you could change your name what would it be? Probably something like Mia, Milla or Kira.

Mother's name (can sub father)? Jane

Grandmother's name (can sub grandfather)? Bernice

Children's names? (Delete if you don't have or make a note about future names) N/A

Do they have any nick names? N/A

Pet's name (current or past) Shelby

Your pet's nick name? Monster

Your best friend's name? Lana

Nick name for your friend? Lana bana bo bana

Favourite name for a boy? Lucius

Favourite name for a girl? Rebecca

Name of your car? The Boat

Favorite Place Name? Hope

Copy and paste into your blog and change comments to your own answers. Use the title of this meme in your subject line or create your own. Feel free to tag your friends or not. A link back to this lens would be appreciated.

I've had this in the cue to work on for some time. I'm not sure where it came from. Probably Keris. Of course I've altered it to suit my own ego.

Films That Remind Me of Childhood

Star Wars - I went to see this at the other end of town with my babysitter, Keith. Not the greatest baby sitter but he had a good mind for films. I loved Star Wars and I immediately fell in love with Han Solo (like millions of other young girls). I don't remember how old I was but I remember Keith taking me for soda. It was a self dispenser and you walked around it and filled up your own plastic mug with whatever flavour you wanted. I followed Keith's example and took a smidgen from each flavour, there had to be over twenty. I don't remember what it tasted like, I just remember it being a good day at the movies and I wanted more.

Officer and a Gentleman - This was about the time the huge laser discs came out. Boy was that short lived. My best friend Barb's sister had a laser disc player and would tease us with clips of Richard Gere. She wouldn't let us watch the whole thing because of the language. Being sneaky, like all prepubescents, we waited until she was out and watched the whole thing numerous times until we knew the dialoque and all the dirty songs by heart. Today, if any one asks what my favourite ten movies are, it's in there. I've seen over 100 times. Seriously. And need to get another dose of it.

Childhood Films Where Removal was Necessary

Are you kidding? My mother would never remove me from anything that made me cry, scream or have nightmares. Good parenting skills there. I think my mother was born without the common sense gene. I don't know where I got it from. Osmosis from my teachers and babysitters maybe. The films that made me wail the most were: Ole Yeller, ET and Bambi (no child under 12 should be allowed to watch these films). The films that made me have nightmares: Exorcist, Amityville (the upside, I fell in love with James Brolin) and Nightmare on Elm Street (the upside, I fell in love with Johnny Depp).

Films that Defined My Teens

Pretty in Pink / Sixteen Candles- Every girl could relate to Molly Ringwald but who on earth couldn't or didn't fall in love with Andrew McCarthy and Michael Schoeffling. Director John Hughes films made a big mark on my teens.

The Karate Kid - Believe it or not, this film made me stand up for myself... and other people. It's probably the reason why I gave two bleeding noses before I made it to highschool. Don't worry, I've mended my ways. I go for the jugular now.

Films Seen Multiple Times at Theatres

I can't think of any. Money was tight growing up so I can't imagine paying to go to see the same show. Outside the theatre the movies I've seen the most are Officer and a Gentleman, Alien, Poltergeist, Robin Hood (Kevin Costner), Reservoir Dogs, 13th Warrior, Forrest Gump, Backdraft, Resident Evil, Erin Brockovich, Coal Miner's Daughter, Raiders of the Lost Ark and Hope Floats. They are movies I absolutely never get tired of seeing and can come in in the middle and still watch it and cry and laugh or get scared at the appropriately places.

First Date Film

Jeff took me to see Alien Nation on our first date back in 1988. Eek! It was an ok film. I know it had spotted aliens in it and it became a tv series afterwards but I don't remember the storyline. I was way too nervous. And considering how lost I get in my movies that is a big thing.

Nightmares from Films

I mentioned three above: Exorcist, Amityville and Nightmare on Elm Street. Others were: Ghoulies, Pet Semetary (especially the scene with the kid under the bed and the Achilles tendon - I'm ruined), Incubus, Bees, The Blob, The Brood (the bloody finger prints on the ballisters!), The Hills Have Eyes, Magic (I hate ventriloquist dummies). Quite a few of these aren't scary now. They are just stupid. But I wasn't old enough to BE watching them the first time.

Films that are Guilty Pleasures

I'm a sucker for a good Harlequin Romance movie (no I don't read the books). It's like being a deer caught in the headlights. I can't look away.

Last Film I Saw at the Theatre

We have satellite (some promotion we got with the Internet) so we don't go to the theatre that often. That and it is so bloody expensive. $11 per person. We've seen two recently because Jeff's parents gave us some gift certificates. Prince Caspian because I'm a Narnian nut and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull because I'm a Indie nut. We still have some coupons left and I really want to see M. Night Shyamalan's The Happening (I love his movies-all of 'em).

Favourite Film Else Seems to Know About

I'm going to guess, The Man from Snowy River with Tom Burlinson. I had such a crush on him. Cowboys on horses with Australian accents are sexy.

Copy and paste into your blog and substitute my comments with your own answers. Use the title of this meme in your subject line or create your own. Feel free to tag your friends or not. A link back to this lens would be appreciated.

Did you in the school band? No. I didn't have the guts to try.

Church choir? I remember singing in the pews at a Polish church I went to with a friend but no, no choir.

What is your favourite song right now? Currently, it's Hot Kiss by Juliette and the Licks. I have it on my Myspace and I made a Hot Kiss Lyrics lens about it.

Favorite Lyrics? At the moment it is Big Big World by Emilie. It's so simple but I find it addicting.

Favorite Band? I haven't had a favourite band in a long time.

Favorite Soloist? It's a tie between Madonna, Jewel and Diana Krall. My largest CD collections of these three artists.

Favorite Musical (theatre)? Mamma Mia

Favorite Musical (movie)? Wizard of Oz

Have you ever belonged to a mail order music club? Yes, Columbia House... three times. Never again.

Do you still have your old tape collection? Yes, and I have nothing to play them in. I just can't get rid of them though. I've replaced a few with MP3s from iTunes.

Do you let your friends borrow your music? Ok, this is a quirk of mine. I can't. All my CDs have to stay in their slots. I don't lone them, not even to the bestest friend in the whole world. It's not that I don't trust them... ok, it is.

If you were stranded on a desert island what CD would you take with you? Jewel's Pieces of You. Here are a few more things I'd take if I was stranded.

Copy and paste into your blog and change comments to your own answers. Use the title of this meme in your subject line or create your own. Feel free to tag your friends or not. A link back to this lens would be appreciated.

Write about five books that left a lasting impression from five different times of your life (or more if you've lived longer). Don't limit yourself to the "best books ever". Books can leave an impression for other reasons. This meme was inspired by A Diary of a Mad Mammy.

First Book Read to Me - Brother's Grimm Anthology
My mother use to read to me nightly when I was a wee tot from an old anthology of the Brothers Grimm (no wonder why I'm so warped). My favourite stories included Snow White, Jack in the Beanstalk, Rapunzel, Rumpelstiltskin, and The Girl Without Hands. It was not uncommon for me to force her to read "just one more". This is strangely one of the only times I remember my mother acting like a mother.

First Book I Coveted - The Story of Ferdinand
This was the first book I remember buying. It was from one of those grade school book club catalogues they passed out in grade 2 or 3. It was so much fun to order and have the books delivered. Ferdinand was my favourite. I re-read it numerous times and was especially sensitive to the bull. This is one of the items that disappeared from my favourite childhood stock that I often thought about replacing. I actually replaced it a few years ago. I smile every time I think of this book.

The Teen Years - The Chronicles of Amber
For some reason, shortly after grade five I stopped reading books for fun. I would only read when forced to. Then one day I came across Roger Zelazny's The Chronicles of Amber. He introduced me to an alternate plane where the princes and princess of Amber struggled for their survival. I was hooked on this series and read it all within a few weeks. I was incredibly pleased with myself and immediately went on to more difficult reads (Gorillas in the Mist, Cry Freedom). I still have my original collection which I always swear I will re-read.

The Roaring Twenties - The Celestine Prophecy
In my twenties, I was searching for answers. I had never really been a religious person despite having an Irish Catholic mother, but had always leaned more towards a "New Age" way of thinking. When my friend Alba introduced me to the Celestine Prophecy it stuck. I liked the concepts it delivered and could relate to the protagonist's emotional quandaries. It also appealed to my penchant for a good mystery.

The Thirties - One for the Money
My sister-in-law bought me a book called One for the Money by Janet Evanovich for my birthday. I never would have bought it for myself but since it was a gift I decided to give it a try one weekend. I had no idea that it would turn into an obsession. I'm currently on my twelfth book in what is termed the Stephanie Plum series, the ongoing saga about a female bounty hunter and the crazy people in her life. They are quick easy reads filled with tension, a good mystery, murder, mayhem and a whole lot of laughs. I'm usually able to finish in three days which is a record for any book I've ever read.

Copy and paste into your blog and change comments to your own answers. Use the title of this meme in your subject line or create your own. Feel free to tag your friends or not. A link back to this lens would be appreciated.

How old were you when you first travelled?
I didn't have my first big trip until I was 16.

What is your favourite form of travelling: car, bus, train, or plane?
Definitely train. In the observation car.

Where did you go on your first road trip?
I didn't have my first road trip until I was almost twenty. A boyfriend and I drove to Brandon, Manitoba so he could compete in fire fighter testing. He passed!

Where did you go on your first bus ride?
When I was 16, on the way home from Winnipeg the train we took was waylayed and we had to take the bus. It was horrible, probably the longest eight hours of my life.

Where did you go on your first train ride?
I went with my best friend to Winnipeg, Manitoba to visit her sister. It was a blast. We went the whole way in the observation car. Beautiful!

Where did you go on your first plane ride?
When I was about twenty I went to T.O. with a handicap woman I was working with. Worst mode of transportation in the world.

Motion sickness? Treatment of choice?
Motion sickness all the time. Gravol is my friend (ginger works pretty good too).

Where would you like to go that you haven't been?
So many places. So little time and money. My top three places:
* Ireland
* Scotland
* New Zealand

Where would you like to go back to?
I would like to go back to the East coast and spend some more time on the Cabot Trail.

Travelling alone or with someone?
With one other someone. More than that is too complicating and tiring.

Your ultimate travelling dream?
Going across Canada first class by train with a private car, food service etc.

Copy and paste into your blog and change comments to your own answers. Use the title of this meme in your subject line or create your own. Feel free to tag your friends or not. A link back to this lens would be appreciated.

How Long? I've known them for 13 married years, 20 total.

How many? There are two. Which is great because they help balance one another out.

His or hers? His parents.

Favorite? I get a long best with him.

Copasetic or Tense? Most times it is copasetic laced with periods of bowel disturbing tension.

Close by or far away? I'm blessed to have them living two days drive away. It has allowed for reduced tension in the household and a modicum of privacy we wouldn't have if we lived in the same city.

Love or Tolerate? I love them. They are good people and are overall loving and supportive. And I know I can be just as difficult as they can be.

Best memory? Travelling with them in a thirty foot RV with a husband, dog and cat across Canada.

Worst memory? Any time they have asked one of us something, didn't like the answer they got and went and asked the other one. Very annoying and created a whole lot of friction at one time. Now we say, "I have to wait and ask my better half".

Copy and paste into your blog and change comments to your own. Use the title of this meme in your subject line or create your own. Feel free to tag your friends or not. A link back to this lens would be appreciated.

Social networking is a way of connecting with old friends, new people, business associates and others with similar interests. Some of the most talked about in the media include Myspace and Facebook. This meme lets you talk about your social networks.

What was the first social network you joined?
A friend sent me an introduction to Hi5. I signed up and then quickly forgot about it. It wasn't until a friend sent me an invite recently that I decided to update my profile.

What networks do you belong to?

* MySpace
* Hi5
* YouPet
* 43 Things
* BuddyTV
* GoodReads
* Linked In
* Twitter
* Facebook

And if you classify these as social network: YouTube, Deviant Art, BlogHer, and EmmeStyle. Myspace is probably the one I spend the most time at and the one with the most friends (well, not a lot compared to some).

Which one is your favourite?
Myspace, it's the one I feel most comfortable using; probably because it's easy to understand and use. Plus the owner seems to be regularly involved and they genuinely try to improve features. Some of the other ones I play with but don't necessarily go trolling for friends.

Which one is your least favourite?
Facebook has been my least favorite. I was really resistant to signing up for it but finally succumbed to peer pressure. I don't know what it is, probably all the apps invitations that get sent to me. It'd be nice to have a feature to block all the ones except the ones I have already signed up for.

How many "friends" do you have?
I have about 550 total. Some overlap.

What is your favourite apps?
As you probably figured out from the last one, I'm not a huge fan of apps. The odd one I'll do. On Facebook the only one I regularly participate in is the Gardening one which supposedly helps save rain forests. I kind of like their latest remodelling though, adding pictures with the webcam and link sharing has been made easier but they've spread my stuff over four pages instead of one.

Who are your top 7 friends?
My Myspace my top seven friends are:
* Naafa
* Joy Nash
* Velvet d'Amour
* The Glamazons
* Bellies are Beautiful
* Big Girl Pride
* Fat Girl Speaks

What do you like about social networking sites?
Seeing all the interesting and different women out there. Learning about new businesses and entrepreneurs.

What do you hate about social networking sites?
All the flashy ads and spam I get in my inbox. And that 75% of the users don't know how to resize an image before they post it on their Myspace profile.