Once again, Are you more… (a day late).

01) A believer in unwritten rules or a believer in written rules?
Written. A portion of my job is writing the rules!

02) Water or fire?
Water. You can live longer without fire than without water.

03) Earth or air?
Air. Same reason.

04) Someone who eats their eggs plain or someone who spices them up somehow?
Spice them up. I like using Red Robin spice on them.

05) Eggs, bacon, hashbrowns, toast and coffee for breakfast or muffin and a coffee for breakfast?
Eggs, bacon, hashbrowns and toast. No coffee, thank you. Gimme some orange juice.

06) Honest or likeable?
I try to be honest; a byproduct of being honest is being liked.

07) Chicken or fish?
Chicken. Yeah, I like fish, but KC doesn’t like any kind of seafood.

08) Admiring of Mahatma Gandhi or admiring of Martin Luther King Jr.?
Actually, neither. You know, for being men of peace they sure had a lot of violent followers.

09) Hoping this summer is a hot one or hoping this summer is a cool one?
I hope it’s a cool one. The way the price of oil is going it will cost a lot more if it is hot and we have to run the air conditioner.

10) Juicy or sweet?
Juicy. I can’t stand sweet any more… too much diet soda.

Wednesday again; Are you more… again!

01) A conscientious lawn mower who cuts it at least once a week or a procrastinating lawn moving avoider who lets it reach nigh jungle level before you cut it?
KC actually mows the yard; I use the weed-whacker to take out the grass around the willow trees in the back yard. We try to do it at least once a week.

02) One who likes to have sex while music is playing or one who likes to have sex without any musical distraction?
Doesn’t bother me either way. As long as it isn’t the cheesy 70’s porno “bow-chicka-bow-wow” stuff.

03) The kind of person who would have a fire (bonfire or in a firebowl) despite local laws prohibiting them or the kind of person who wouldn’t because, hey, they’re illegal?
Hey, they’re illegal. Here in town if there’s smoke, the fire department comes over. If that happens you have to pay for their visit AND pay the fine. Yuck!

04) A hard-spot-to-get weed-whacker user or an “if the lawn mower can’t reach it, it’s not getting cut” type?
Definitely a weed-whacker guy. I even do parts of the lawn around our willow trees (where the roots are actually up out of the ground).

05) Preferring of wooden decks or preferring of stone / formed concrete blocks / brick decks?
Wooden decks, but they are more maintenance.

06) A fan of winter sports (hockey, skating, curling) or summer sports (baseball, golf, volleyball)?
More a fan of summer sports (of course, you “strategically” left basketball out of the winter sports list!!)

07) Happy with your neighbours or unhappy with your neighbours?
Happy. Of course, for one I’m sad right now. He just passed away and his wife has Alzheimer’s, so the house is now empty.

08) One who tries to shoo away bees / run away from them or one who leaves them alone knowing they’ll just go away once they realize you’re not a flower and not a threat?
I leave them alone for now and come back with a bug bomb; hey, it’s my place, not theirs!

09) A lover of structured fun or a lover of unstructured fun?
If it’s fun, either will work. I can wing it as good as anyone, but sometimes it’s nice to have a framework.

10) Selfish with your possessions or selfish with your personal time?
Neither. I am a good neighbor.

We have a theme this week. Are you more…

01) Lawyer or accountant?
Probably more of an accountant; after all I did teach math for 14 years.

02) Dentist or family doctor?
Have to be a doctor; I absolutely detest going to the dentist.

03) Chiropractor or massage therapist?
Chiropractor. Let’s get those bones crackin’!!

04) Engineer or architect?
Engineer. I’ll get the numbers right before I design it.

05) Sports announcer or news meteorologist?
Anyone who’s read this blog knows I’m more of a sports announcer.

06) Garbage collector or sewage system inspector?
Probably garbage collector. You should see some of the “junk” I’ve collected over the years.

07) Plumber or electrician?
Ahhhhh, both? I’ve done both and they are similar.

08) Lead hand/foreman or supervisor/manager?
Lead hand/foreman. I like to get in to a project and work on it, not just watch it from “above”.

09) Astronomer or astrologist?
Astronomer. Astronomy is more of a science than astrology; some would even make the claim that astrology is not a science at all.

10) Advice column writer or editorial column writer?
Advice column writer. I spend a lot of time on the Yahoo message boards giving my advice (but also my opinions) as well as the WordPress support forums.

Missed last week’s, so here’s this week’s Are you more…

01) Pure chocolate (either milk or dark) or chocolate mixed with stuff (peanuts, almonds, rice puffs, etc.)?
Are you kidding me? ANY chocolate is good!

02) Someone with a neat, beautiful signature or someone with a horrible chicken-scratch signature?
If I don’t read my handwriting in short order and type it up, I won’t be able to read it in a few hours. My signature is the very definition of chicken-scratch.

03) Tolerant of phone solicitors because they might be offering something you want or intolerant of phone solicitors because they’re annoying you at home?
We have a TeleZapper, does that answer the question?!

04) Joysticks make for the better gaming overall or gamepads make for the better gaming overall?
Gamepads make for the better gaming. Real-life movement isn’t limited to a joystick movement. Of course, real-life is also more complex than a gamepad as well.

05) A lover of fast automobiles or a lover of reliable, sturdy automobiles?
Neither. I’m a fan of automobiles with LOTS of head and leg room. After all, I’m 6′7″.

06) The regular holidays should be kept as-is even if they have a religious background or all holidays should be completely secular?
The regular holidays should be kept as they WERE. All holidays have either a religious or nationalistic background; more are religious. I mean REALLY… why did Columbus Day become a float? Why did we need another holiday in January (Martin Luther King Day)?! Why do people want to mess with Easter and call it Spring holiday?

07) Expecting that there will be ETs walking freely on Earth within your lifetime or expecting that it will happen after you’re dead if at all?
For all we know, they may be among us now; kind of like the movie They Live.

08) Needing of quiet when you work or enjoying noise (radio, tv, conversation) when you work?
I like background music. I don’t need it but I feel I’m more productive with it.

09) A karaoke singer or a karaoke critic?
More of a critic. Of course, if it came down to me singing or the world coming to an end you better kiss your ass goodbye.

10) One who thinks that you should honestly critique children’s work (so they can improve) or one who thinks you should always praise children’s work?
Wrap your criticisms in praise. There’s always some good in children’s work. Pick it out and tell them about it then tell them what they need to work on, and finally wrap it up with another good thing. It’s honest criticism in a form they’ll listen to.

Doncha just loves ya some Wednesday? Doncha just loves ya some Are you more…

01) A believer that the “race card” is an important equalizer in public affairs or a believer that the “race card” is an overused club that lacks merit?
I believe it is overused and lacks merit. If you resort to the “race card” you’ve lost whatever debate you are trying to win; race doesn’t matter… ability does.

02) Overbearing or whiney?
I sit in the middle on this one.

03) Spiteful or jealous?
Neither. I am not spiteful because you just can’t burn bridges; you never know when you will have to cross them again. I am also not jealous; jealousy doesn’t show someone how much you love them - it shows them how insecure you are.

04) Fan of indie music of fan of the big names in music?
I like new sounds; that means indie music. Lateley it’s been Just Bus and BB Chung King and the Budd.

05) Likely to use the word “harken” or likely to use the word “thusly”?
I’m more likely to use the word thusly, as I use it thusly now…..

06) Prone to act cordial and compliant with police or prone to act like a smartass with police?
Why act like a smartass to a guy who can lock you up? Better to act cordial and compliant so they don’t mess with you.

07) A firefighter or an ambulance emergency medical technician?
Firefighter. My father is a fireman…. he… puts out… fires….. At work I’m putting out “fires” all the time.

08) Jeans or non-demin casual pants (like Dockers or something)?
I prefer jeans but I can’t wear them to work so it’s khakis to work!

09) Body-healthy or brain-healthy?
Both healthy. I went to the gym and played basketball for an hour and a half after work tonight. I also took my ginkgo biloba today.

10) Someone who would send food back again and again until the kitchen got it right or someone who would just eat it anyway unless it was totally disgusting?
I’ll eat it anyway. I saw Waiting. If you watch that movie you would NEVER EVER EVER send food back to the kitchen!

Wednesday already? Here’s Are you more…

01) Fast-paced big-city life or slower-paced small-town life?
I don’t mind a fast-paced life for a change once in a while, but I’m a fan of the slower-paced small town life. I’m living it.

02) A location chooser based on your job(s) or a location chooser based on proximity to friends and family?
Based on my job. Of course, KC and I have been here for over 20 years so many of our friends are here.

03) Fan of the allen key (hexagon-head) or hater of the allen key?
Indifferent. If I have a choice, I prefer square drive.

04) Someone who loves futons or someone who prefers more traditional couches and beds?
In the family room of our house, I spend most of my time sitting or lying on a futon. I’d prefer a reclining sectional sofa, but the futon works.

05) Grateful that winter is gone or anxious for summer to hurry up and get here?
BOTH! As with most guys, I like summber to get here. Any guy can tell you why!!

06) Grilled cheese sandwich with ham and tomato or just a grilled cheese sandwich?
Gimme the works! Don’t stop with the ham and tomato; add an egg and some lettuce too!

07) Simon Cowell or Paula Abdul?
Oh, God help me, an American Idol question. I don’t watch that show. As I’ve stated before on this blog, I think American Idol is a half-step up from The Gong Show. (Of course, Paula Abdul was yummy in the ’80s!)

08) A tiger or a bear?
Bear. They aren’t nearly as colorful as a tiger.

09) Believing that politicians make the world a better place or believing that the common man makes the world a better place?
Definitely the common man. Heck, the politicians have to convince the common man in order to get anything done anyway.

10) Driven by your loins or driven by your stomach?
When I was younger, I was definitely driven by my loins. Nowadays it’s leaning more to the stomach, though.

It’s been too long since I’ve last done Are you more…

01) A harsher critic of others or a harsher critic of yourself?
I am a harsher critic of myself than others.

02) One who thinks stealing is the bigger sin or one who thinks lying is the bigger sin?
I think stealing is a bigger sin. Being in IT support I lie all the time. You know: “Yes sir, the server will be back up in about 5 minutes….”

03) Fond of crayons for colouring or fond of paint for colouring?
Crayons. I’m not sophisticated enough for paint.

04) Someone who thinks they have all the tools they could need or someone who thinks you barely have the minimum number of tools to get by?
Barely the minimum. Can you actually HAVE too many tools? I don’t think so. I want as many tools as Norm Abram. That guy has more money spent on clamps than I have spent on all my tools!

05) McDonald’s or Burger King?
Man, this question is like asking if I prefer to eat catshit or dogshit! I want what’s behind the curtain, Monty!

06) Obsessive compulsive or whatever happens, happens?
I can get into OCD spells, but generally I’m a “whatevahhh” kind of person.

07) One who enjoys the company of small children (playing with blocks) or one who enjoys the company of senior citizens (playing bridge)?
I love playing with small children. They seem to view me as the Jolly Green Giant or something.

08) Someone who will vacuum-seal food before putting it in the freezer or someone who will just put it in the freezer?
Just toss it in the freezer; it isn’t going to be there THAT long anyway. There’s nothing in our freezer that’s been there more than a couple of months anyway.

09) More proud of your belches or more proud of your flatulence?
BOTH! And why not? They are magnificent! Hey! I’m a guy!

10) Possessed of a soothing voice or possessed or an order-barking voice?
Somewhere in the middle. I had to learn an order-barking voice back when I was a basketball coach, but generally I have a soothing voice - it’s definitely an asset in phone tech support.

My goodness; it looks like all I do anymore is Are you more…

01) Unassuming or naive?
I’m probably more naive than unassuming. Yeah, that’s right.

02) Likely to vote based on candidate’s overall stance on issues or likely to vote based on political party?
I’ll vote on the overall stance; however, many of the overall stances are planks in the platform of each party.

03) A fan of country pop music or a fan of rock pop music?
If these two are my only choices, then rock pop. Country music is an oxymoron. If I had my choice of ANY music, it would be blues rock.

04) A good casserole sort or a main dish and two sides sort?
Hey, man, when it comes to food it doesn’t matter. I like a good casserole and I like a main dish and two sides.

05) Pleased with your country’s team’s performance at the 2006 Turin Winter Olympics or disappointed with their performance?
Pleased. While I am a sports fan, I didn’t really get into the Olympics this year. Not really sure why…

06) Gobsmacked or lolligagged?
Gobsmacked by an everlasting gobstopper!!!

07) Indiana Jones or James Bond?
While I like both, my choice has to be James Bond. I believe that every man has got up after pleasuring his woman, looked into the mirror and said “Bond, James Bond.”

08) A believer that there are strict rules about line-ups (e.g. no cutting in line) or one who will let little things like that slide?
Hey, if I have to wait in line then so does everybody else. The line forms here, bucko!

09) One who understands and can chart Boolean logic in speech or one who either can’t precisely map it out or doesn’t think it’s that important?
Chart it? Heck, my English teachers in school said I was the only one who could diagram a sentence faster than they could write it on the board.

10) Someone who will eat when you’re hungry or someone who will eat because it’s time to eat?
BOTH!!! I don’t EVER pass up a meal. I’ll even eat just to be polite!

Wednesday has come and past, so I’m late with Are you more…

01) Someone who would prefer to shop at a flea market or someone who would prefer to shop at garage sales?
Flea market. Everything is in one place. You don’t have to go from place to place like when you are garage shopping.

02) A person who will swear in front of the opposite sex or a person who will always try to refrain from swearing in front of the opposite sex?
I try to refrain from swearing at all, but sometimes you gotta drop the f-bomb!

03) A quiet giggler if you can contain it or an out loud laugher because you don’t want to contain it?
Out loud laugher. If it’s funny, share it!

04) Chips with spices on them from the factory or plain chips with a yummy dip?
Plain chips and yummy dip — ESPECIALLY Judy’s homemade salsa!!

05) A fan of older martial arts films or a fan of newer martial arts films?
Depends upon how well they are done. Some look so fake that even I can tell they are fake. If they are well done, they are timeless.

06) An agent of change or an agent of calm?
I’d like to think I’m an agent of calm.

07) Thinking that summer blockbuster movies have gone downhill in the past 10-15 years or thinking that summer blockbuster movies are as good nowadays as 10-15 years ago?
Downhill. Mainly because movies that come out just before Christmas have a better chance at the Golden Globes and Academy Awards.

08) One who gets their hair cut at regular, predictable intervals or one who gets their hair cut when they or someone else finally notices that it’s too long?
When I notice it’s too long for my own good. Of course, it’s my neck hair that’s the indicator - with the chrome dome I got my hair on top NEVER gets too long!!

09) Welcoming of the idea of global acknowledgement and acceptance of ET contact or fearful of the idea of global acknowledgement and acceptance of ET contact?
Welcoming. Hey, we can’t be alone in the universe - it would be too much of a coincidence.

10) Wishing you could see the ruins of ancient Greece or wishing you could see the Great Pyramid of Egypt?
The ruins of ancient Greece - they are closer to the beach!

Seems like the only meme I’m doing any more is Are you more…

01) One who thinks aging makes one look distinguished or one who thinks aging makes one look just plain old?
Up to a point, it makes one look distinguished. That “point” is different with everyone, but once you get past that point you just look old.

02) A tabloid multi-issue celeb story follower (Brangelina, for example) or a person who thinks there’s nothing stupider at the checkout line at the supermarket than that?
I agree with Burt Reynold’s quote: “People magazine is for those who like the National Enquirer but can’t read.” There are things stupider that tabloid stories, but it’s a short list.

03) Someone who likes English the way it is or someone who would prefer it if English were spelled foe-neh-tik-lee?
At this stage in my life, English is OK the way it is.

04) A full night’s sleep sleeper or a grab as many hours as I can sleeper?
I used to be a full night’s sleep sleeper, but as I get older it’s pretty much grab as many hours as I can.

05) Thinking you have some (even only slight) psychic abilities or thinking you have absolutely no psychic abilities?
I have no psychic abilities. None whatsoever. If I did, wouldn’t I be a millionaire?

06) A lover of chicken dishes at a chinese restaurant or a lover of noodle dishes at a chinese restaurant?
Bring on the poultry!! Honey chicken, almond chicken, garlic chicken, General Tsao’s chicken, sesame chicken, sweet and sour chicken, the list goes on and on!!!

07) Loving this year’s American Idol or sick to death of the whole American Idol thing?
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again… American Idol is The Gong Show done with a serious slant. Neither one was heavy on the talent.

08) Wishing you were smarter or wishing you were much better at dealing with other people?
Better at dealing with other people. If you want to get ahead in life, you need to get along with people. Like the old saying goes: “It ain’t WHAT you know, it’s WHO you know.”

09) Attracted to people for their physical attributes or attracted to people for their personality attributes?
Initial attraction is always about physical attributes. Lasting attraction is all about personality.

10) Thinking schools should get back to the basics or thinking schools need to expand their curriculum?
The curriculum is way too expanded now. Let’s get back to the basics and DEMAND comprehension. All this crap of “you’ll damage the kid’s psyche by flunking him” is nonsense. The real world doesn’t care if you feel good about yourself - the real world DEMANDS results. It’s only in academia that you hear buzz words like “self esteem” and other such nonsense.

Here we go with Are you more.

01) Heat-based fat-loss body pads or electricity-based muscle-gain body pads?
At this time of year in Iowa, I better go with the muscle-gain body pads. As cold as it is here I don’t want to lose any fat to keep my body warm!!

02) Jar-Jar Binks or Jabba the Hutt?
HMMM. A skinny, nonsense-speaking near idiot with no money OR a hugely obese intelligent blob. Tough choice, actually, because Jar-Jar was a good guy and Jabba was a bad guy. Can I have what’s behind the curtain, Monte?

03) Warm, slushy winter or cold, snowy winter?
Cold, snowy winter. I like the snow.

04) One who thinks hardcore B&D can truly be consensual or one who think hardcore B&D can’t really be consensual?
It can be consensual. I think the only way one can truly enjoy something like that is if they consent to it in the first place.

05) Preferring of the smell of flowers or preferring of the smell of fruit?
I prefer the smell of fruit. After a while flowers get overpowering and make me nauseous.

06) And impenetrable wall or a moving target?
A moving target. There is no such thing as an impenetrable wall; eventually every wall is penetrable.

07) One who listens to your own little inner voice or one who doesn’t listen and/or doesn’t think you have one?
I listen, but my inner voice isn’t little.

08) An overt pleasure seeker or one who takes whatever pleasure comes your way in stride?
I tend to roll with the punches. I’ll take whatever pleasure comes my way and take it in stride.

09) An overt pain avoider or one who takes whatever (regular sized) pain comes your way in stride?
I try to avoid pain, but again I tend to roll with the punches. Even though I try to avoid it, I’ll take what comes my way in stride.

10) Wishing you were some other age than the one you are or comfortable and content with the age you are?
Well, I do wish I was younger. Doesn’t everybody over 40? In general, though I’m quite content with the age I am.

My Wednesdays are filled with Are you more…

01) One who will buy twice as much discount beer/wine/liquor or one who will buy half as much premium beer/wine/liquor?
I’ll buy half as much of the good stuff. I’m not a big drinker, but when I drink I want it to taste good; don’t gimme no swill.

02) A fan of self-help books or a person who thinks most of the self-help industry is based on scamming?
It’s all a scam. Everyone knows their own shortcomings except those who are mentally handicapped and would they really read a book?

03) A meeting lover or a meeting hater?
In general a meeting hater. Most meetings are like busy work in school. You don’t get a lot of anything accomplished.

04) Hockey or soccer?
Soccer in a close one. The nicest thing about soccer is that you are outdoors, the sun is shining and the grass is green!

05) Basketball or football?
While I do like football, it’s GOT to be basketball. It is the very best sport invented!

06) Baseball or golf?
Baseball (again in a close one). Baseball is fun to watch and to play.

07) Golf driving range or batting cage?
For me, I like a golf driving range. Anything to hit the crap out of a little ball just sitting there minding its own business. Plus you can really watch it go. In a batting cage, you don’t get to see any distance on the ball.

08) Potentially disapproving of a person’s lifestyle or potentially disapproving of a person’s attitude?
I disapprove of attitude much more than lifestyle. It’s so easy to be negative and see the down side to everything.

09) The funniest among your immediate family or the craftiest?
Neither… well… do you mean funny “ha-ha” or funny “weird”? Well, even then, neither.

10) Apt to disbelieve a politician until they prove themselves truthful or apt to believe a politician until they prove themselves untruthful?
I don’t think politicians are any different than any other person. I tend to give them the benefit of the doubt. The problem is that many prove themselves to be untruthful very early in their careers.