Question of the Day #251

My friend B.C. wrote and shot a film. Part of it takes place at Mansfield, the "compound" where I used to live with a bunch of friends during my 20's and early 30's. So last night, a bunch of Mansfielders came over and we watched B.C.'s film.

It looked great. Good color, well lit, well shot. And the scenes and dialogue were reminiscent of the ridiculous debates we used to have poolside, mostly regarding the differences between men and women. The actors said things I'd heard out of B.C.'s mouth a zillion times.

It made me miss that place.

What past home or way of life do you sometimes miss?

xoxo,
Suzanne

Question of the Day #250

N has a funny cat. When I talk to her, she meows back, like we're having an actual conversation. She also likes to stare me down. Hey, I'd probably be territorial too.

I'm allergic to cats. But she doesn't really bother me. Sure, my eyes get a little itchy and I wheeze here and there but it's nothing compared to other incidents with cats. So, I'm kinda digging the fact that I'm able to hang around a pet.

Which makes me wonder about all you bloggers. How do you feel about pets? Do you have them?

xoxo,
Suzanne

Question of the Day #249

Yesterday, for a BBQ, I fried up tortilla chips, smothered them with tomatoes, spicy beans, scallions, jalapenos, cheddar cheese and sour cream and baked it all up. I just discovered leftover ingredients. So, H and I are having nachos for breakfast.

What weird foods have you enjoyed as your first meal of the day?

xoxo,
Suzanne

Question of the Day #248

Where do you go when you're on the web? For example, I frequent my blogger friends' blogs, I look for recipes on foodnetwork.com. I google incessantly. I check news at cnn.com. I look out for work on a slew of job boards. I check out what my friends are doing on Facebook.

So when you're in cyberspace, where do you hang out?

xoxo,
Suzanne

Question of the Day #247

Thanks to Le Nez, we're going for the Either / Or today!

1. Chocolate or peanut butter?

2. Summer or winter?

3. North or south?

4. East or west?

5. Wild party or quiet night in? (Another quiet night in might put me over the edge.)

6. Roses or tulips?

7. SUV or convertible?

8. Song or dance? (How can you not want both? They go together!)

9. Mountains or beach?

10. Hot or cold?

My answers are in italics. What are yours?

xoxo,
Suzanne

Question of the Day #246

What would you ask if you were me?

xoxo,
Suzanne

Question of the Day #245

Before settling down at my desk, I went downstairs, grabbed a glass with ice and a Diet Coke. Like I do every morning. I know it's bad for me and I know Diet Coke shouldn't be my morning bevvie of choice, but it is.

What's yours?

xoxo,
Suzanne

Question of the Day #244

MotherReader's beach recap made me daydream this morning. I'm betting you'd like to join me.

If you could enjoy a summer vacation anywhere in the world and not have to worry about how many days off you could take or how much it would cost, where would you go?

I would visit different friends throughout Europe. I'd love to enjoy traveling with people who know local secrets.

Then I'd relax at the beach on the central coast for a while and do absolutely nothing but absorb the ocean and write.

You?

xoxo,
Suzanne

Question of the Day #243

KGM is clearly a genius. She showed up at M & J's fabulous Cuatro de Julio fiesta with super long sparklers. She showed us how to wave them around and then take pictures with her camera's "fireworks" setting.

We made an "S" for me and our other S friend.

A G for GB.

An H for H.

And a heart because love rocks.

How did you light up your Fourth of July weekend?

xoxo,

Suzanne

Question of the Day #242

It's Sunday. It's ridiculously sunny and clear. H and I have decided to go to the beach.

Where do you go when it's deliciously summery where you live?

xoxo,
Suzanne

Question of the Day #241

Tally, one of a trio BFFs in my WIP, plans an Independence Day Blow Out after her parents leave her alone for the summer. She hooks up fireworks, kegs and a DJ to demonstrate her independence, but underneath all the good times, her independence is actually something she detests. She'd give anything to not have been left behind.

I've been thinking a lot about her today. About how independence is sadly soured for her and how interesting it is that the word, theme and day can take on so many different meanings.

So, I ask, what does Independence Day mean to you?

xoxo,
Suzanne

Question of the Day #240

The holiday weekend is here! Most people have today off, so I'm wondering how everyone will be celebrating.

Tonight, I will serve some food and drinks and then meet up with friends. And tomorrow, my friends, M & J, are hosting a Cuatro de Julio Fiesta. To which I say, "Bueno!"

What are you up to?

xoxo,
suzanne

Question of the Day #239

I just finished reading Julia Alvarez's Before We Were Free. This YA historical fiction takes places in the Dominican Republic in the 1960's when revolutionaries were plotting to murder Trujillo, their dictator.

It's written from 12 year old Anita's point of view and Alvarez does a fantastic job of deciphering clues through a 12 year old's eyes. She exacts Anita's fear, anxiety and joy.

I've read other "adult" novels by Alvarez, including Yo!, In the Time of Butterflies and How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents. They are all amazing depictions of strong women of Dominican descent whose culture impacted them long after leaving the island.

My grandmother was Dominican, so Alvarez's work has always interested me. But if I had to label myself with a "type" when it comes to reading, I'm all about mainstream YA. Give me a Sarah Dessen novel and the shade of a palm tree and I won't move until the end.

What's your book "type"?

xoxo,
Suzanne

Question of the Day #238

Last night, waaaaaay late, I consumed almost an entire bag of salt and vinegar potato chips. I write "almost" because they were purchased by a friend over the weekend and, at the time, I think she ate about 10 of them.

I hoovered up the rest.

I couldn't help it. Those chips were like crack. I savored every chip and crumb. And then I licked my fingers.

What snack is your crack?

xoxo,
Suzanne

Question of the Day #237

The sun is shining. June Gloom is officially gone. It's 80 degrees and up from here on out. It's Summer. And people are packing up and heading out on all sorts of vacations.

What about you? Where will you enjoy a summer vacation?

xoxo,
Suzanne

Question of the Day #236

Saturday morning, at 5:45, N climbed out of bed and began to make dinner.

That's right, dinner.

N is a BBQ enthusiast. He's judged competitions and just purchased a smoker. And Saturday was brisket day. He began by arranging coals, hickory and pecan chunks in the smoker.


He applied his favorite rub to the brisket and put it on the smoker.

There were all sorts of gauges used to chart the smoker's temperature and the meat's temperature, not to mention the outdoor temperature. For the following 14 hours, he dilligently assessed and adjusted.

Meanwhile, I eventually woke up, went to work, came home, enjoyed some cocktails on the deck with friends and co-eaters, while N worked at perfecting dinner.

And perfect, he did. It was delicious.

But it wasn't just about the food, it was about figuring out how to make it well - unraveling the secrets to the right temperature, timing, smoking, rubbing and basting. So that he not only achieved a great end result, but created a solid process along the way.

What hobby or activity have you perfected a process for?

xoxo,
Suzanne

Question of the Day #235

Yesterday, a couple friends of mine told GB that he looks like Tim Robbins. I've known GB for over 10 years now and I've never thought that. But looking a little more closely, I sort of saw what they were talking about.

Apparently, other people have told him that too.

So what famous person do people say you look like?

xoxo,
Suzanne

Question of the Day #234

H and I used to work together. We shared an office. We drank way too much Diet Coke, ate a lot of sausage mcmuffins and hung a postcard on the wall that read, "You scream, I scream, we all scream for pork loin." And every day, we checked our horoscopes.

Jonathan Cainer was our man. As fellow taurians, we trusted him to guide us through our daily lives.

I haven't checked out his site in years. But as I tried to drum up a question this morning, "What's your sign?" popped into my head. Which made me think astrology and I'm sure you can see how I got here.

Anyway, here's my forecast for the week ahead:

Challenge an old assumption. Question conventional wisdom. Be a little outspoken. If you get back a really good reason to accept what's being put forward, at least you will have removed the element of doubt. And if not? Then you'll know your suspicions are well founded. People only tend to go on the defensive when they inwardly recognise how vulnerable they are to attack. If you're talking, this week, to someone who is comfortable in their confidence, they'll calmly communicate that. If you stir up a sharp reaction, you won't actually make things worse. The right thing has to happen. Your courage can help make it happen. It's going to be an amazing month.

An amazing month, huh? I'm down with that. I'd like a little amazement.

How do you feel about horoscopes?

xoxo,
Suzanne

Question of the Day #233

This question comes from L.D.:

What is something about yourself that most people around you do not know?

I'm pretty much a what you see is what you get kind of girl. And most people would probably say that I'm "sunshiney." In fact, a college friend once told me that she ran into someone we went to school with and when my name came up, the girl said, "I can't stand Suzanne. She's so fake. No one is that happy all the time."

Funny reason to be disliked, huh? Anyway, I digress. Back to the point.

But if you really know me, you know that I've got a bad temper. I've been working on it for a long time. But unfortunately, it still explodes every once in a while.

Sooo...back to L.D.'s excellent question. What is something about yourself that most people around you do not know?

xoxo,
Suzanne

Question of the Day #232

Yesterday, as I was out walking, I spotted a young guy, parked on a bike, staring up at the house in front of him. As I approached, he said, "Excuse me?"

"Yes?" I replied.

"Do you know if this is Kathy Griffin's house?"

"Yep. It is," I said.

His face bloomed in a huge smile. He giggled, stared back at the house and said, "Oh cool!"

Then he slid off his biking gloves, removed his helmet and settled back into his bicycle seat for what looked like a long wait.

I kept on walking and wondered, what celebrity would you sit on your bike and wait for all day?

xoxo,
Suzanne

Question of the Day #231

Pssst. I have something to admit. It's kind of embarassing, but true. I'm going a little StiRcRaZy.

I'm done with my revision - for now. And the follow up novel is sort of moody. My main character is being very stingy with her story. I don't have pub work until tomorrow. And after answering all applicable ads for writing work, there are only so many walks a girl can take. I don't have the cash to go out and I've read every book on my shelves. So it's come down to some seriously shameful activities.

That's right, on Sunday, I watched six episodes of Charlie's Angels Season Two, back to back. Pathetic, I know. But that show was my childhood favorite. And any time I come across a re-run, I can't help but watch it.

What old TV show are you a sucker for every time?

xoxo,
Suzanne

Question of the Day #230

Well, now that we've discussed our sins, perhaps we shoud highlight the good things we do. So, here are some questions focusing on our, ahem, saintliness:

1. Q: What was your last random act of kindness? A: I gave a homeless man $5. Which these days, is a big deal.

2. Q: What have you shared lately? A: Food. I've been sharing lots of food with people.

3. Q: Who was the last person you complimented and why? A: B.S., for always coming up with good ideas on how to improve my life.

4. Q: Who do you pray for /send positive energy to? A: Lately the focus has been on Hurricane and Sofia, U.M., N's grammie, H's friend, A. But the list is so long.

5. Q: How do you plan to make someone's day better today? A: By smiling. It's amazing what a smile can do.

How about you?

xoxo,
Suzanne

Question of the Day #229

I’m borrowing shamelessly today. Yesterday, I came across some questions at Tricia Obrien’s blog, Talespinning, and once you read them, you’ll agree that they are perfect for the Question of the Day. Thanks Tricia!

Seven questions regarding the Seven Deadly Sins:

1) Pride - Q: What is your biggest contribution to the world? A: Stories. And, of course, my sparkling personality. (What?!?! The question is about pride.)

2) Envy - Q: What do your coworkers have that you wish was yours? A: More shifts.

3) Gluttony - Q: What did you eat last night? A: Tons of potato chips and a vat of onion dip. With beer.

4) Lust - Q: What really lights your fire? A: Kissing.

5) Anger - Q: What is the last thing that really pissed you off? A: An obnoxious guy at the pub who took my girlfriend’s seat and then wouldn't get out of it. I got a little Jersey on him.

6) Greed - Q: Name something you hoard and keep from others. A: I hoard food. But then I share it with everyone. Does that count?

7) Sloth - Q: What's the laziest thing you ever did? A: Stole these questions from Tricia Obrien so I didn’t have to come up with my own.

How would you answer these seven questions?

xoxo,
Suzanne

Question of the Day #228

My friend S has pursued acting for a long time. She attends acting classes and workshops. She's always rehearsing some scene or another. But last night, she was in a play.

And she shined.

When she flipped out and threw a steak at her husband, I thought, "Damn. I wouldn't mess with her!" I cringed when she was hurt by a put down. I teared up when she cried out of frustration and held a gun to his head.

She was really good. And I was surprised. Not surprised like I thought she couldn't do it. Just surprised like, "Wow, I didn't know you could do that..."

Like years ago, when I went to see my boyfriend at the time play guitar. I wasn't expecting much, after all, everybody in LA wants to be a rock star or an actor or something. And that certainly doesn't mean they're any good at it. But his fingers worked that guitar so fast I couldn't follow them. He looked amazing up there on that stage, confident and cool, like he was born to play.

I stood there, shocked and thought, "Wow. I didn't know he could do that."

And that's one of the coolest feelings in the world. When someone takes you by surprise. Shows you a special piece of them that you didn't even know was there. And from then on, your perception of them is just a little different, forever.

When have you been surprised like that?

xoxo,
Suzanne

Question of the Day #227

Last night, I worked at the pub for a little while. It wasn't crazy busy, so when S took over around 6:30, I sat with H for a little bit. Then C came in and had some dinner with us. Then an anniversary party for some regulars started.

At that point, I started to think about going home so I could cook the 8 lbs of mac and cheese for a party I'm catering today. But then Tom and Brendan (the guys who threw Thursday's beach party) came in and I got sucked into their malarchy.

And right as I was about to make my getaway, Wendy blasted onto the scene, without her cast. I couldn't leave without hearing her retell her superhero story. But then it was clearly time to go. So I bolted for the back door and found that my car was blocked in.

Maybe it was a sign. For about 15 minutes, I walked the pub yelling, "Does anybody have a black jeep wangler parked in the back? You need to move your car." And finally, somewhere around midnight, some guy let me out.

Now I'm up and ready to make some serious mac and cheese. I probably should have gone home earlier and gotten more sleep, but every time I tried to leave something else sucked me in.

What place or activity always sucks you in?

xoxo,
Suzanne