Rising to the Challenge
OK, there must be something in the air, because I’ve been tagged again. I’m such a sucker for a good meme that I haven’t turned down a tag request yet, and here I am, keeping my streak alive.
The lovely Vanessa (from the blog that shares a name with this post) has passed along some rather unique questions from Create a Connection, an interesting site I’m just getting to know.
Here’s the Q & A:
I’m eating a leftover hamburger (w/ mayo, on wheat bread) and sautéd zucchini as I type this. What did YOU eat last?
A cappuccino and a cornetto, which normally I don’t have in the morning, but it was calling to me, and who am I to reject a Nutella-filled cornetto?
Update: I originally did this meme in the morning but then couldn’t get onto the Internet because of severe thunderstorms. Since then, I’ve eaten some minestrone. Full disclosure here on Q & A.
I am totally head-over-heels for a very tall man named James, who has a very sexy new haircut (picked out by me, of course! lol) What about YOUR love life? Anyone special?
Yes, someone affectionately known as P on this blog, but as a different, disgustingly cute nickname in real life that shall never be disclosed in a public forum. Read more about how we met here. P is about 5’10”, extremely thin even though he eats twice as much as I do, is an excellent cook, and treats Luna like a daughter (which, of course, she is).
I live in a little house, with lots of trees, on a dead-end street. What is it like where you live?
Right now I live in a redone, medieval house in a village in southern Italy overlooking the Ionian Sea. Although I won’t go into more details just yet, this may be changing—but only by a few paces down the corso, so don’t get too excited. And forget I mentioned full disclosure.
I love my hair, and my cute wittle nose. What are YOUR favourite features about yourself?
I really like my brain the best (it usually works pretty well), but physically, I suppose my hair because it’s really quite manageable so long as I keep it reasonably clean, and my eyes—even though they’re just brown, I rather like the shape and shade.
Today, I pondered about the need for mentoring in young women’s lives. What deep thoughts have YOU been pondering upon?
I’ve been thinking a lot about the Italian school system even though I don’t have any children (yet). We were discussing it in one of my English classes, and it has me thinking about what works, what doesn’t, and what I would probably have to provide for any future children with regard to education. Scary stuff.
I love cheese (cubed colby & monterey jack) and green growing things! List 2 random things you love about life.
Sliding across a tile floor in socks and climbing into fresh, warm sheets. And so many more. I actually started making a list of such things several years ago, so I think I’ll start posting some periodically.
I found CAC (Create a Connection) through Melba, who I found through A Mindful Life, which I stumbled on by doing a random search for Buddhist blogs, for no apparent reason! How did YOU find out about CAC?
I just found CAC through Vanessa who tagged me with this meme; it looks fabulous! I’m not quite sure how I found Vanessa (Sunday Scribblings perhaps?), but I’m sure glad I did.
I absolutely *heart* thunderstorms! What do YOU love most about spring?
Increased daylight, which really hadn’t been a big deal to me until this year. I just love that when I’m done teaching in the evening, it’s not pitch black and cold anymore. It also means my balcony stays warmer in the sunshine a little longer in the mornings, which is great for the plants.
* * * * * * * * * *
Dearest Vanessa then continued the meme party by listing 5 things about herself. Well, you all know how much I love to talk about me, so I played along with this as well, adding my own slant since I’ve already done so darn many things about me. I needed guidance, and I found some.
Five things about me connected to the 5 senses:
1. Taste. I love chocolate, but I really don’t like overly chocolate things, e.g., chocolate cake with chocolate icing. Blech.
2. Sight(ish). I have really good visualization skills, so that I can see in my mind the way I want a room to look and know that it will be something I like. P doesn’t have this so much, so when it comes time to move furniture, I have to convince him that what I see in my mind will be pretty, I swear. And then I whine for good measure.
3. Touch. I love walking with P, my arm linked through his or vice versa. I’m not sure we’d do this so much if he weren’t Italian, or if we weren’t in Italy, so I’m glad he’s him and we’re here.
4. Hearing. I absolutely hate a loud television; this is why surround sound is wasted on me. It actually sometimes makes me sick in my stomach.
5. Smell. I love, love, love the smell of onions and peppers being fried. Love. I don’t even have to eat them later as I get (mostly) full on the smell. But I eat them anyway just so they don’t feel sad.
I’m not going to tag anyone specifically, but do play along if you fancy doing so with either or both of the memes. And don’t forget to leave me a link so I can find you!
Buon weekend a tutti!
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[tags]memes[/tags]
18 Beans of Wisdom to “Rising to the Challenge”
Michelle Kaminsky is an American attorney-turned-freelance writer who lived in her family's ancestral village in Calabria, Italy for 15 years. This blog is now archived.
Calabria Guidebook
Recipes
What a great meme! I love those challenges and your list looks great! I added you the other day to “the places I like to visit”. I’ll be back again soon :)) Have a lovely weekend!
Ciao Sognatrice,
I’m glad I stopped by this morning. Come sempre, you leave me with this happy, calm feeling after I read your post. You sound so happy with your life in Calabria. Are you learning il dialetto as well as the pure italiano? I have the Sicilian dialect in my head that gets in the way of the italian. Not to mention un poco di spagnolo.
And what a great cook you are too!
Saro’ in Sicilia, nel mio nativo paese vicino Palermo e visitero’ Naxos Giardini, Taormina a Maggio. Sarebbe un sogno di conoscerti.
Vado anche a Roma dove allogio negli apartamenti di Shelley.
Buon weekend anche a te!
Jane, you should definitely play along! And thanks again for the link 🙂
Ahem, everyone? Go read Jane’s blog; today she has posted some fabulous homemade “confession cards” that are like the site “Post Secrets.” They are most impressive.
Carole, thanks so much for your kind words. Yes, I’m learning dialect (not much choice since I hear it much more than Italian in real, in-person life); I love learning both!
Mandami un e-mail (bleedingespresso (dot) sognatrice (at) gmail (dot) com) e vedremo se è possibile di incontrarci a maggio 🙂
now that’s what I call rising to a challenge! I loved this! I’m going back over your older posts and lists too and, let me tell you, it’s a joy to ‘read you’, s.
being here makes me smile a lot (not to mention drool over your recipes) so I’m sure to be back often.
thanks for taking me up on the tag… and, yes, it was through sunday scribblings that you found me 🙂
Vxxx
Wow, what a list! Thanks for commenting on my blog today, I am delighted that it found its way to you in Italy!
I love the name of your blog! You up and moved to Italy…how exciting! how cool!
I really like your wednesday recipe posts.
My husband loves rabbit, but I have never made it for him…he just orders it in resturants. Maybe (maybe) I will try to make it sometime.
XO,
Melba
I gotta do some lists. You are the queen of lists and they are so interesting to read.
Hope you have a wonderful weekend!
Vanessa, phew! I’m glad you’re satisfied with the meme 🙂
Ulla, I’ve only recently discovered your site; it’s such a wonderful, inspiring place to visit. Thanks for stopping by here as well.
Melba, thank you much. You should try cooking the rabbit; your husband will be very impressed 🙂
Jenn, wow, I’m the queen of something other than my own mind! Woohoo! I love these kinds of lists/memes because it gets you writing even when you think you have nothing to say. And a little self-reflection is usually a good thing, right?
Come on readers! Play along!
I’ve been meaning to check out your blog for weeks and I keep forgetting. So here I finally am and I love it. You’re so fun to read. I’ll be back again and I think I’m going to do that meme. Sounds like fun : ) Oh and I hope you don’t mind if I add you to my blogroll.
You always find the best memes.
You lost me at “Nutella”. My mind wandered off into memories of fondue lusciousness.
I’m amazed my keyboard hasn’t short circuited from all the drool. =P
Erin, welcome! I’ll keep an eye on your site for any memes that turn up 😉
Shan, actually this one found me 😉 You know, feel free to meme it up at your leisure!
Kimberly, Nutella sure is tasty, isn’t it? In small doses, of course.
Ciao Sondrice
I hear great things about you’re blog and you’re community. I have an Italian addiction and I know you’re community will keep feeding it!
Ciao from Australia
Jay
Sognatrice – I was just about to stop blogging and start working! (Or, possibly start reading one of those books your brought by)…
Now I have to meme. I sure do love a good meme!
Ciao!
What a challenge! So you think about schools too and even without kids. I have found that above all else, culture (small “c”) is learned at school. Mine though started out in the interntional system before switching over.
bacione…
blog entry on school differences:
http://culturalmoments.blogspot.com/2007/01/problem-solving.html
by the way, my son will be in Soverato with a school trip for a theater workshop sponsored by the EU.
Cherrye, I knew you’d have to do it 🙂
Elizabeth, wow, Soverato? Small country we have here 😉
There I did the meme. It was a good one!
OK everyone, as advertised, go check out Cherrye’s and Erin’s memes!