Hello. My name is Dinah Sanders. I've been blogging for over twenty years. I'm a web geek and writer. I like it that way.
Windows, Mac, Linux – What's your preference and why?
Submitted by ramblingsbymark.
Mac. It's prettier, more reliable, more fun, and I am way way way more productive using it.
Also, I am no longer required to be in a relationship with someone who can fix my Windows box when it goes bad every six months. (Microsoft makes dairy products, I tell ya…)
Do you listen to podcasts? Are there any you'd recommend?
Inspired by Alex.
Merlin Mann and They Might Be Giants.
What are your top 25 most played songs?
Submitted by Cooxie.
1. "Cashmere" – Nerf Herder
2. (tie) "Big Time Sensuality" – Bjork
"Man, It's So Loud In Here" – They Might Be Giants
4. (tie) "Overture/All That Jazz" – soundtrack to Chicago
"Om Namaha Shiva" – Sheila Chandra
6. "Hem Of Your Garment" – Cake
7. (tie) "Polythene Pam" – The Beatles
"A Cautionary Tale" – The Decemberists
9. "Bodysuit" – The Billy Nayer Show (from The American Astronaut soundtrack)
10. (tie) "Carry That Weight" – The Beatles
"July, July!" – The Decemberists
12. (tie) "Here Comes The Sun" – The Beatles
"Across The Universe" – The Beatles
"Time Has Told Me" – Nick Drake
15. (tie) "The End" – The Beatles
"The Baby In The Jar" - The Billy Nayer Show (from The American Astronaut soundtrack)
"ABoneCroneDrone1" – Sheila Chandra
"ABoneCroneDrone3" – Sheila Chandra
"Mr Xcitement With Doughty" – They Might Be Giants
20. (tie) "Golden Slumbers" – The Beatles
"The Legionnaire's Lament" – The Decemberists
"Wildest Pig In Captivity" – John Renbourn
23. (tie) "Because" – The Beatles
"Mean Mr. Mustard" – The Beatles
"Her Majesty" – The Beatles
"Hey Bulldog" – The Beatles
"I Wanna Be Adored" – The Stone Roses
The influence of the album or album side play is substantial.
Let's make a list. What are 20 things in your life that you're grateful for?
Inspired by wyndslash.vox.com.
(okay, Voxers, it's really too tricky to tell where the quoted text ends and my post should begin. Time to solve this.)
1. The way you can find cool things about people everywhere around
the world. Take, for example, some of the folks in this great series of
pictures by Michael Wolf from Hong Kong:
http://photomichaelwolf.com/100×100/
2. How fun a mild alcohol high can be. Mmm, a Knob Creek Old Fashioned, 2oz of boozy delight!
3. My sweetie Joe is the best and most wonderful fellow I could imagine. And I mean fellow in all kinds of senses, not just a good boyfriend, but also a pleasing traveling companion, also a foodie and a geek and an urban explorer. A like-minded soul.
4. My friend Fil knows how to relax me and make me laugh, and not just with the great collection of cartoons on DVD.
5. My friend Robin takes the most amazing portraits. One of these days I'll get myself in front of her wonder camera.
6. Avocados taste fucking incredible.
7. Dark chocolate is even better.
8. The view from my windows makes me smile, especially the little twinkling lights over the valley under the Sutro Tower at night.
9. I have never and will never regret having bought a leather chair & ottoman that cost as much then as a good laptop computer. Luxury, you're a great piece of furniture.
10. Indoor plumbing. Oh yes, traveling, especially in Africa, reminds one of the value of this.
11. Also, while I'm at it, a (currently) endless supply of safe & good water piped directly into my house. I'm not taking this for granted.
12. Good writing implements. Is it just me or have pens gotten better & better over the last 30some years? Thanks, Pilot.
13. Dry feet when it's chilly. You only miss this when you step in a puddle, but really, mmm, dry warm feet.
14. Electricity! It's night and I don't have to go to bed yet because of it being too dark! Go, electricity!
15. The Web. Hello, friends!
16. My Grandma Susie who I love all the time. 90 years old and still going strong. I got an email from her the other day, how cool is that?!
17. My mum Jinx who I was so lucky to be born to. What a cool person to know and, y'know, if ya gotta have relations who want to stay closely connected, what a blessing liking them is.
18. Digital cameras. Click click click click click. "Oh that one came out good, I'll save that." and no film processing costs – hooray!
19. My longtime pals B.J. & Beverly who are there for me whenever I need them and who keep me happy – and reminded that sometimes I just gotta go eat that delicious greasy fish & chips at the Edinburgh Castle pub!
20. Hot showers. Wow do they feel good.
If you know me, you know I could go on and on and on and on and on… I love this world, with all its faults. I wouldn't trade it for anything or, as I believe is the only option, nothing.
If you could open any sort of restaurant, what would it be like?
It would be like a cross between a dim sum place and a sushi boat place only instead of just a couple pieces of nigiri on a price-indicating little plate, there might be something from any number of cuisines. Little slice of roast beef with fresh grated horseradish, mac & cheese, spanish olives, gyoza, gnocci, fresh hot bacon, a little artichoke with aioli, a crab claw with hollandaise, tsukemono pickles, ramekin of soup, wedge of cheese.
The plates would indicate price and the wait staff (drag queens, punks, and perky goths) would bring around the hot food and serve really excellently mixed cocktails.
After 10pm about half the food would be desserts.
It would be called "Cameo".
(and if you open it, I get to eat there many many times for cost!)
What's one thing that you hope to do or accomplish before the end of this year?
Visit Asia!
Thailand is looking highly probable.
On the borrowed Atari: Super Breakout. At the arcade: Centipede.
Now (at home): Civilization III. Current distraction: Geneforge.
Now (at the arcade): old pinball machines.
A Pattern Language by Christopher Alexander, et al. must be, in retrospect, a critical piece in my iterative approach to life in which one should continually adjust whatever is currently under one's control to be more ideal. That is to say, the big good life is built up of many small patterns.
Born to "(I can't get no) Satisfaction – Rolling Stones".
Turned 21 to "Invisibile Touch – Genesis".
Oh sure, the song was called Invisible Touch, but by the amount of airplay it got, I think a little bile does belong in there.
Okay, so I'm just sitting in a cold airport waiting for a shuttle, but I really like this picture of me.
I guess this qualifies for looking like a famous jawa, right?
MetaGrrrl 