First Random Dozen of the Year

As time allows this year, I plan on participating in the Random Dozen that Linda hosts over at 2nd Cup of Coffee.

1. On a scale of 1-10, with 10 being a cranky-baby-hissy-fitter, how much of a complainer are you? I try to be a positive thinker and my nature is a go with the flow kind of person but if I am honest with myself I realize that I am not perfect and there is always room for improvement. So I would rate myself a 5.

2. When someone else is talking, do you listen, or are you thinking about what you're going to say in response? I do try to listen but there are times (with some people who just talk and talk) were I find myself trying to remember what I was going to say or what question I was going to ask that I end up less focused on what they are telling me.

3. I just deleted 1062 messages from my email account. Do you have any plans for a clean sweep this month--of anything? I cleaned out my email folders and my camera card but that is about it for now. I do plan on working through the basement but that is a rather large project.

And now, here are some brilliant questions from a gal named Angie at Angie's Ad Lib who graciously offered to let me borrow her brain. Please go over and see Angie because it was so nice of her to help me out. Thank you so much, Angie!

4. Tell us about your perfume. Was it a gift? What does it remind you of? Do you have a signature scent? I get all my perfume from my wonderful sister. The most recent one was the bottle she brought me this past week when she came for a surprise visit. She bought a bottle of Issey Miyake for herself and they had a BOGO sale at the time so she brought me the other bottle she got. She is the most thoughtful, giving person I know. Really!

5. What is your best organizing tip for the new year? While I was at my Mom's house, I was helping her with the normal weekly cleaning that goes on with taking care of a home. We were changing sheets and I noticed that she stores her sheets in a pillow case. For example, one pillow case, a fitted sheet and a flat sheet all get folded and put into the second pillow case. This keeps everything together and is much easier when it's time to change sheets. I love the idea and plan on doing that at my house also.

6. What is your favorite comic strip? I don't really have a favorite...I don't really read the comics... occasionally when Mike reads a really funny one he shows it to me but I can't pick a favorite.

7. Do you sleep with a fluffy or flat pillow? I have been searching for a good pillow for a long time. Right now I have a memory one which seems to work well when I first go to sleep but by the morning it is basically flat. Does that make sense? Does anyone else have that problem?

8. What color is your kitchen? Why did you choose that color? My kitchen is the standard egg shell color the builder picked. I didn't have a choice but I am happy with it.

9. What’s the most interesting bumper sticker you’ve seen? I saw a good one the other day and now I just can't remember it. I will have to ask Mike if he can remember it.

10. Do you prefer an expensive writing tool or whatever is lying around? (Are you a Montblanc or a Papermate?) I haven't bought a pen in a long time. If you look around our house most of the pens are from hotels :-)

11. What chore doesn’t feel like a chore – you just enjoy it (at least most of the time)? washing dishes... I really do enjoy it... I have a dishwasher but very rarely use it.

12. If your parents often repeated themselves, what is something one of them said more than once? growing up my Dad would say "Happiness looks good on you" every time we were in a bad mood... and actually he wouldn't say it, he would sing it.