Tuesday means the Hodgepodge questions...

It's Hodgepodge time! Our leader Joyce recently went with her husband to their financial advisor and therefore she asks the first question to all of us…

1.  Do you manage your own money or do you have a financial planner who helps in some way? Do those kinds of conversations stress you out?  A lot of a little? 

For years now we have used the services of financial planners, but my hubby also stays on top of investing, retirement funds, and the like. He "enjoys" watching the financial news channels, reading the stock pages in the paper, and the like.  I'm glad he does - because it doesn't interest me at all.  But, I admit I have security knowing he takes care of it.   I should probably be a bit more "into" knowing where our money is.   Thankfully, he keeps an updated list of our accounts, etc. in our security box at the bank in case he becomes incapacitated and I need to know.  

2.  The second week of October is Pet Peeve Week.  Off the top of your head, share TWO of your current pet peeves. 

1.  Drivers who drive in the left lane when not passing!!  I live in an area with one main north-south road (Rte. 17) and it's two lanes each direction.   It seems there is always a slow driver - off in another world, not considering other drivers - just taking his/her time in the left lane.   It slows down everyone!  Impatient people end up passing on the right… and yes, I have done that too.  And, I can't help but look over at them when I pass - and they are totally oblivious to what they are doing to the traffic!   Seriously, do they teach "Stay right except to pass" in Driver's Ed anymore??     Grrrrrr

2.  The news media calling everything "Breaking News" is another pet peeve.  We have had to become de-sensitized to the term because we hear it every day.  Yes, when news happens…it is "Breaking News" but I prefer the term to mean something so serious that regular programming is interrupted on TV, or we as a country are all effected.  

3.  What is one thing you'd like to learn right now, this very week if you could? 

I'm not sure if this question is asking whether we wish we knew how to do something immediately…so as to be good at it right away OR, if we had the opportunity to take time to learn a new skill, then what would it be??     I know with every new skill or program there is a time factor involved.  If I could magically blink my eyes and know something new…  perhaps it would be how to play guitar.  We have one in the house.  I just need to pick it up and work on it.    

4.  How concerned are you about the recent health related news concerning Ebola?  How about Entrovirus D68?   

On a scale from 1 to 10, my worry is a 2 for me personally.  I do not work in an environment or go places where I could be contaminated.   But, globally, I am very concerned about Ebola.  It seems that we hear on the news the numbers dying and forget that each is a unique human being, and many are children.  Areas devastated by Ebola do not have sanitary hospitals, and know how to stop the virus.   Here in the US we have Ebola contained, and are tightening our airports and hospitals, making sure those with symptoms are secure, away from those who could be effected.   Entrovirus D68?   This seems to be of more concern for our school age children.  Right?  I don't know enough about how it is spread.  I need to google and learn more. (Back to #3 question above!!)

5.  Garfield, Nemo, or Tigger - your favorite orange cartoon character? 

It's got to be Garfield!  Why?  One of my daughters had a little stuffed Garfield when she was a toddler and our doggie at the time loved it - and it became his special item!  Our toy poodle Lucky carried that Garfield around everywhere and slept with him.   It was so sweet!

6.  Joyce is going to see 'Gone Girl' with her neighborhood Book Club this week.  So often books made into film are disappointing. What's a book turned into film you thought was well done, in that casting was 'like you pictured' when you read the book, and the film plot remained mostly true to the book plot? 

First, let me say our neighborhood Book Club also read 'Gone Girl" last year and we talked about going as a group to see the movie.  I have seen commercials and the movie trailer for it and I am struck by how 'dark' the movie seems… the lighting, the feel of suspense, etc.    When I read the book I did not get that from it.   I will be interested to hear Joyce's review of the movie.

As for a film that I enjoyed after reading the book and I felt it stayed true to it?   I will say "The Great Gatsby".  I have read the book several times through the years, and I have seen both movies of it.  The first with Robert Redford seems more "true" to the book, but I also loved the newer version with Leo DiCaprio.  Both are worth watching!!

7.  What is one story your family always tells about you? 

A childhood story?   Probably when I got sick from eating too many onion rings on a camping trip. We were in our family trailer and I slept above my parents bed in a hammock, and my brother was in the hammock next to me.  I was squished back in a top corner of the trailer - and I could not get out in time. When I started throwing up my brother quickly opened the cabinet next to him that held the kitchen bowls and passed one - then two- over to me for my use.  I filled them up.  Ugh.  I did not eat onion rings for YEARS after that.

8. My random thought. 

In my constant effort to stay positive during the change of seasons, and shorter daylight hours, I must state that we have had some absolutely beautiful weather days here all week!  Sunny, much less humidity - and crisp air in the morning and evening.  Really lovely!  I will not think about the season and weather that follows.   Denial, denial, denial.      

I hope you are enjoying early October too!