Question of the Day #480

I can't believe the Olympics are almost over. I feel like we just watched opening ceremonies a couple days ago. But gold medals, dramatic competition, intense athlete stories and a whole lot of excitement just flew by.

What other things are just flying by your life?

xoxo,
Suzanne

Question of the Day #479

So you know that hypothetical question - your house is burning down, what do you grab?

Due to that awful earthquake in Chile, there are tsunami advisories in California for later this afternoon. I have to go to work now, so I'm standing in my room asking myself, what do I take with me? Clearly, I can't pack all my personal belongings in my car, so I'm taking my computer with me. Because my writing is the most important thing to me. And when it comes down to it, that's all I really need.

So, say there's a tsunami advisory where you live, what do you take with you?

xoxo,
Suzanne

Question of the day #478

So my friend, Matt, posted the picture above on Facebook with the caption "My new nameplate." Hilarious. Because whatever he's thinking is usually pretty obvious.

Of course, the picture made me wonder what my nameplate would say.

Sure I could go with Dr. Writer or Dr. Cook because those are things I do well, but I'm thinking about something more sarcastic, like Dr. Subtle. Because I'm about as a subtle as a neon sign. Or Dr. Hungry because I'm always hungry.

What would your nameplate say?

xoxo,
Suzanne

Question of the Day #477

My main character needs to leave the house. Sounds silly, right? She lives in a party house. People come to her. Her conflict is internal, with her, at home. So why should she leave?

Because it's boooooring.

One of the members of my fabulous critique group pointed it out. And it's true. She has to leave the house sometime.

The question is, where will she go?

If you were 17, in a small town and your parents were away for the summer, where would you go?

xoxo,
Suzanne

Question of the Day #476

Today, I face my taxes.

What dreaded task will you tackle today?

xoxo,
Suzanne

Question of the Day #475

What questions do you have for me?

xoxo,
Suzanne

Question of the Day #474

If you could be any age again for one week, what age would you be?

I would be 30. I'd rethink a couple major decisions. Maybe punch a couple people too.

How about you?

xoxo,
Suzanne

Question of the Day #473

It's a dark, cloudy day in LA and B and I are just waiting for the clouds to explode rain. In anticipation, we decided to make soup with what we had in the house. We browned some stew meat, added carrots, celery, onions, garlic, tomatoes, beef stock and some seasonings. Now we'll let it cook low and slow, add some lentils and wait until the beef falls apart.

Soup is good food.

What's your favorite soup?

xoxo,
Suzanne

Question of the Day #472

Imagine this:

You are in a beautiful spot. If you're an ocean person, you're by the ocean. If you're into the mountains, you're in a lovely mountain cabin. You are in a natural setting of your choice. You have comfortable shelter, food -- everything you need to live well. But you don't have a cell phone, Internet or television.

You are to stay there for one month. By yourself.

Love it or hate it?

xoxo,
Suzanne
PS - You don't have to worry about making money or the consequences of your time away from real life.

Question of the Day #471

Dear Cold,

I do not appreciate the way you've invaded my brain and made it fuzzy. Because of you, I couldn't remember A5's chicken parm sandwich, chicken penne, jalapeno poppers and chips and guacamole last night, resulting in unhappy customers and a teeny weeny tip.

You've made my nose run, caused coughing eruptions, burning eyes and cloggy ears. And I won't even start about the damage you've done to B. I really wish you would go away.

So please do.

Love,
Suzie

If you could write a "later!" letter to somebody or something, what would it read like?

xoxo,
Suzanne

Question of the Day #470

Random either / or questions for you:

1. Apple or orange?
2. Walk or bike?
3. Shower or bath?
4. Summer or winter?
5. Day or night?
6. Call or email?
7. Girl or boy?

I'll put my answers in the comments. What about you?

xoxo,
Suzanne

Question of the Day #469

E Money came up with a great question: What band or artists' music do you enjoy even though you personally despise them?

He gave the great example of Kanye West. I mean seriously, who doesn't break out some moves at the first notes of "Gold Digger"? And who doesn't want to punch him?

I'm going with that microphone stealing obnoxious rapper. You?

xoxo,
Suzanne

Question of the Day #468

Yesterday was amazingly gorgeous in LA. In 80 degree sunshine, I met up with L and K to play on the beach. After my walk home, I read on the deck for a while then drove to B's.

Before I left, I posted "Suzanne Casamento just applied sunblock for her drive with the top down," as my Facebook status update.

This morning I found 17 responses. Most about snow and how friends were jealous and freezing in other parts of the world. That got me thinking about how the grass is always greener on the other side.

So I admit, I think my summer weather in February rocks. But what fabulous things am I missing out on in your neck of the woods?

xoxo,
Suzanne

Question of the Day #467

This question is brought to you by the letters L and D:

What made you proud today?

I'm proud of B for being cheerful and sweet even when his head is killing him and he was up coughing all night.

xoxo,
Suzanne

Question of the Day #466

B and I just go back from the farmer's market. There were cRaZy veggies there. Amazing kale and gorgeous greens. I scooped up a couple bunches of broccoli rabe, some red, purple and white baby potatoes and the sweetest oranges on the planet.

Then I picked up what I thought was a parsnip, but it turns out it was a daikon radish. The seller cut off a piece for us to chomp on.

"That's way better than a regular radish," said B, who wasn't particularly in love with the radishes I roasted with root veggies last week.

The daikon radish was sweeter and milder than a traditional radish. I liked it.

What new food have you discovered recently?

xoxo,
Suzanne

Question of the Day #465

B and I watched a good chunk of the Olympic Opening Ceremonies last night. It was amazing to watch as 82 countries came together.

Things that struck me:

1. Team Japan waving not only the Japanese flag, but the Canadian flag. A lovely tribute to the host!

2. Pakistan's one athlete. The fact that Pakistan is competing for the first time, right now, is pretty amazing. It shows that the Olympics is about so much more than sports.

3. The Georgian team. I wanted to cry for them.

4. The music. The music was really lovely.

We feel asleep when Nelly Furtado and Brian Adams hit the stage. (NOT the music I referenced above. I was referring to the actual score.) It's on the DVR, so we will watch the rest later.

What did you find interesting about last night's opening ceremonies?

xoxo,
Suzanne

Question of the Day #464

After work last night, Big Tom and I went to get some pizza. We call him Big Tom because he's big. He gives the biggest, best hugs. He says what he really thinks and he says things right when they hit him. Like, "You're so pretty." It comes out of nowhere, like he just noticed at that very moment. And it makes me feel really pretty. And he listens. And for such a youngin', he makes a lot of sense.

Like sometime around 1:00 AM when he related a story about how someone, trying to comfort him after a friend's death, said, "I know how you feel."

"That just made me want to say, 'you have no idea how I feel. And you know what? My problems are bigger than yours because they're my problems.'"

That hit me like a rock. Isn't that the truth?

My problems are bigger than yours because they're my problems.

I'm going to remember that the next time I decide to compare my life to someone else's in an attempt to tell them that they'll get through whatever they need to get through.

Sometimes, it's better to just listen. And Big Tom is really good at that.

Who do you go to when you need someone to listen?

xoxo,
Suzanne

Question of the Day #463

It's everywhere. Giant red hearts. Chocolates. Roses. Teddy bears with plushy hearts attached. In the supermarkets, at the mall, in the florists' windows.

Evidence backs up what some of my friends say about how Valentine's Day is too commericialized. But I love the idea of setting aside a day to shower loved ones with love. Call me a sucker or a hopeless romantic. But why wouldn't I want to do that?

How do you feel about Valentine's Day?

xoxo,

Suzanne

Question of the Day #462

In just a couple days the 2010 Winter Olympics will commence. When I was a kid, I remember watching figure skating with my mom and being amazed at how the athletes moved. I'm still amazed and really look forward to enjoying this year's competition.

What Olympic sport are you looking forward to?

xoxo,
Suzanne

Question of the Day #461

Little J has her own language. When someone mentions something they should have kept in the vault and the silence gets prickly, she sing songs, "AWK."

When she's in absolute agreement she says, "Totes b'goats." (Her version of "totally.")

She calls dinner "dins" and men "the mens" and if someone is drunk, they're "crunkfaced." (And you better believe I put that one in my latest draft.)

I am learning to speak Little J. Even though it's totally confusing and I feel like the dinosaur old lady trying to be cool.

At least I know enough not to wear skinny jeans at 37.

Anyhoo, do you know anyone who speaks their own language? What weird words have you had to decipher lately?

xoxo,
Suzanne

Question of the Day #460

Today is B's birthday! B-DAY! As I like to call it.

"How would you like to celebrate your birthday?" I asked a week or two ago.

"I don't know," said B.

"Would you like to go out for a birthday dinner? Or would you like to stay in?"

"Let's stay in," he replied.

"Okay. What would you like for your birthday dinner? Do you want delicious mac and cheese or those yummy lamb chops or..."

"Short ribs," he said.

"Short ribs?" I confirmed.

"Yes, short ribs." B drummed in the seriousness of the decision with several head nods.

"All right then. We'll have birthday short ribs," I said.

The man obviously knows what he wants. So I'm about to head to the supermarket so I can begin slow cooking short rib birthday perfection.

If it were your birthday, what would you want for dinner?

xoxo,
Suzanne

Question of the Day #459

Colts or Saints?

xoxo,
Suzanne

Question of the Day #458

One of the things I enjoy about Facebook is that without it, I would forget that the rest of the continent is on ice. Some of today's friend status updates are, "Snowed in," "Heading out to shovel," and "Snow day! Time for a movie marathon ."

This of course, made me curious, so I went to www.weather.com and saw that on the U.S. map, only 10 states do not have severe weather advisories.

Wow. Who says Facebook isn't useful? I am now aware of the national weather.

What do you find useful about Facebook?

xoxo,
Suzanne

Question of the Day #457

So after my fabulous agent read some pages I've been working on, she gave me some comments that flicked on a high voltage light bulb in my brain. I'd been struggling with my main character's story and feeling frustrated with her for not just coming alive and running away with it.

What I didn't realize was that the timing was all wrong. Not the timing of me writing it, but the timing of the story.

So I'm psyched to be on a totally different course.

When have you been relieved to change course?

xoxo,
Suzanne

Question of the Day #456

My friend L posted this status update on Facebook last night: "Has gone one month without eating a burrito...amazing."

I have gone one month (sadly, actually more) without hiking.

What have you gone one month without? (Not necessarily this past month - we're talking ever here.)

xoxo,
Suzanne

Question of the Day #455

When I lived at Mansfield, I kept a mental list of everyone's food dislikes and allergies. GB hated mushrooms (until I made him roasted mushrooms that he now gobbles like french fries) and wasn't a big fan of lamb. Polly was allergic to shellfish. So was Rob, who also suffered from a nut allergy.

When I planned dinners, I planned around these allergies and others.

Do you have any food allergies? If so, what are you allergic to?

xoxo,
Suzanne

Question of the Day #454

Last night I had horrible nightmares. When I got up to go to the bathroom at 12:30, I'd already been stung by a zillion bees. By 4:00 AM, while vacationing, I'd been peeped at, stalked and attacked. And at 6:20 AM, someone was in the bedroom - I swear I heard footsteps - and I woke doing that trying to scream and move but you can't because you're dreaming thing.

In the past, I've had nightmares when I'm really stressed. But right now, I'm not particularly stressed. (Knock on wood.) In fact, I see no reason whatsoever for crazy nightmares. (That full moon is gone, right?)

Do you experience nightmares? How often? What kind? What do you do to shake off the awful feeling in the morning?

xoxo,
Suzanne

Question of the Day #453

My computer is driving me cRaZy. B gave me a nano for Christmas an every time try to install the latest iTunes on my laptop, my computer goes haywire. It's been installing forever.

My laptop recently got a virus. Then a few months ago I had another one and the Geek Squad did a system reboot. Before that the keyboard died and I had to get that replaced.

It's about four years old. Maybe it's time to get a new one, but that's financially laughable. (Can you hear me cackling from there?)

What about you? How long do you keep computers before you replace them? When is it time to get a new one?

xoxo,
Suzanne