Random Dozen

Because i am having to rub the sleepies from my eyes, and i am having a hard time focusing on any one thing i thought i would go with a blogging friend's "Random Dozen" for today:

1. When was the last time you craved a food--what was it, and did you cave? ~~~ The last time i craved anything was my Beloved's homemade Pumpkin Pie.  While she uses the Libby's pie filling she has a way of making this incredible pie crust!  While i had to be patient and wait for her to make it over the holidays, you better believe i caved just as soon as the opportunity presented itself. ;-)

2. M & M's or Skittles? ~~~ Please, there is no comparison. M&M's!  There is just something about chocolate and nuts, especially dark chocolate!  When M&M's puts out their bags of dark chocolate M&M's we get several bags and pace ourselves. ;-)

3. Have you ever read the Bible completely through? ~~~ I can honestly say yes, but only once.  It was while i was on deployment for the Guard and did not have as many outside "distractions".  To my shame i have not done it before or since.  Although i am seriously considering getting a copy of a reading plan and just start plugging away at it, ignoring any dates for such and such reading.  If i miss a day, just picking up where i left off.  Only, i don't like jumping back and forth between books, etc.  For example the plans that have you read some from the Old Testament, some from the New Testament, and a Psalm or Proverb.  I don't mind reading a book from the New, then a book from the old, then say a chapter from Psalms or Proverbs... but i want to complete a book/chapter before i move on to the next from a different section.  For some reason that bugs me.  And i want to start on the New Testament this time... even if that means having to read a book from the New Testament a couple of times as i finish the Old.

4. How long does it take you to really wake up in the morning?  ~~~ Oh i AM a morning person!  8)I will wake up with the alarm without using the snooze, although i have been known to use it - but when i do it actually makes me feel more tired.  I can usually go from being asleep to fully cognizant in 5 minutes or less, and i can usually be fully prepared for my civilian job in less than 15 minutes - to include shower - if i have to.  I am pretty sure it has something to do with my time in the military.  In basic we used to joke that we could hear the tendon in the Drill Sergeant's finger as he turned on the lights and could have two of three digits on our locker combination done before the lights were fully on. *chuckle*

5. Have you ever been on a cruise? If not, would you like to? ~~~ I have been on one for my honeymoon.  We had a great time and would love to do another one.

6. Who is your favorite actress? ~~~ I like Sandra Bullock.  She is a very driven and talented woman, and i am not just saying that because of "The Blindside" - which i loved by the way.  I have enjoyed pretty much every movie she has ever been in.

7. ______ is something that I will just never understand. ~~~ Wow, that is a loaded question!  And one with not just one answer.  Of course the first answer that came to my mind was "women". 8)  But in reality that was too easy.  I am not saying that women can be understood (by men), but that there really is a lot more that i will just never understand. For example, how does God's sovereignty and man's ability to choose work out?  I have an idea in my head, but as C.J. Mahaney would say, "you are in the deep end of the theological pool" when you think about such things.  But this is life.  We get to turn such things over and over in our minds like Rubik's Cubes.  Not only are there things that i will never think/believe i understand, but when i stand before the Throne of God, i am quite sure there are going to be a lot of things that i thought i did understand... only to be corrected on.

8. How much of a technology junkie are you? ~~~ Ooh... not nearly as much as i would like to be sometimes.  I am really intrigued by the new tablet readers like Kindles.  The iPhone is completely incredible.  I love what they are doing with cybernetics of late... incredible.  Hybrid cars fascinate me to no end.  Hi-Def TV's and Bluray players - WOW.  But at the same time, i do not kill myself to keep up with all of the latest and greatest gadgets.  I can't afford to. Nor do i have the time to keep up by reading about all of the latest devices.  I have a hard enough time keeping up with all of the trends going on within my own job (which has been in a non-stop "transition" since i joined this contract almost seven years ago), plus keeping up with what is going on in my children's lives.  As an example, my Beloved gave me my first iPod for my birthday several months back.  Until last night i was pretty clueless on how to delete files from it.  I had to sit down with my 14 year old last night, who showed me - and he has only had his since Christmas.

9. Do you enjoy selecting greeting cards for people, or is it more of a cultural "have to" for you? ~~~ I have never really been a sentimental type of person.  And to be honest, never really good with the "have to" part of etiquette.However, my Beloved has really helped me get better in this regard - even when my own bad attitude gets in my way.  She "stamps" and makes some of the best cards i have ever seen.  I love it when she makes up our Christmas cards every year.

10. When was the last time you got a new style/haircut?  ~~~ September 1986.  That was when i shipped off for basic training and was given my new hair style.  "Just a touch off the sides and top please!"  NOT!  I love my "style" currently though.  If i can grab it in between my fingers it is too long.  Before basic training i could pull my hair down over my face and tuck it under my chin - if you can imagine.

11. What do you enjoy shopping for most?  ~~~ Not much.  If i have to spend more than ten minutes looking it up on-line i get irked.  I will do comparison shopping, just i do it on-line.  And i am very grateful that God has given me a wife that enjoys shopping every bit as much as i do. 8)

12. What's the last thing you think of before you leave the house? ~~~ Keys, wallet, phone.


(Some notes since i am having trouble figuring out how to annotate source images... the clock image is from a collector's item from Fallout 3).