February - you are still here.

Well, many, many people are once again indoors today due to snow, and cold, yucky weather.  Here in the south we have schools closed and everyone is at a standstill due to icy conditions out there.  I live along the coast so I don't see snow very often (thankfully) but ice happens - and the world here stops.

So, it's a good time to be inside and to put down my Hodgepodge answers to this week's questions.

Shall we?   Join along!

1.  Did you watch the Oscars? How many of the Best Picture nominees have you seen?  (American Sniper, Birdman, Boyhood, Selma, The Grand Budapest Hotel, The Imitation Game, The Theory of Everything, and Whiplash.) 
Do you think the actors should use their acceptance speeches as an opportunity to promote their political and/or social agenda?  Does that sort of speech make you more or less inclined to change the channel?

Yes, I watched a good bit of the Oscars.  I started early by watching the Red Carpet coverage too.   But I did not see anything past 10:30pm and had to wait until the morning to hear who won the big awards of the night.  I also watched Lady Gaga's performance the next morning on my computer.

I have see Selma and The Grand Budapest Hotel.  In recent years I have become much more selective in my movie choices, and which movie I "vote" for with my dollars. I loved both of two I saw.

I do not mind hearing actors talk about their political/social agenda during a speech.  I guess I can relate that given an opportunity to speak out, it's too hard to pass up sometimes.  I think of my blog in the same way - as an avenue to express myself.  It's a way for reaching out, for educating, and for encouraging others to care.    Actually, I kind a like hearing actors (who can too often be only into themselves) speak out about a cause near and dear to their heart.   We must remember: this is America and the Freedom of Speech is a pillar of our country.

2.  Speaking of movies...  are you comfortable going to a move alone?  How about dinner in a restaurant (not fast food, but an actual restaurant)? 

I am absolutely comfortable going to a movie alone.  At times I downright enjoy it!   As for dining alone in a restaurant, I am not comfortable doing that.  I think I would prefer to do "carry out" and eat at home. 

3.  What's the last home improvement project you had to pay someone to complete?  In hindsight was it a project you could have done yourself?

The last project we had done was to have a new furnace "handler" put in - and to have some other updating to the system.  so, NO I could not have even thought about doing it myself.  We have a friend from church who is in the AC/heating business and he came and did the work for us. We trust him.  Anything that has to do with electricity, and heating/cooling, should be left to a professional!!

4. Have you ever had Indian food?  Like it or no?  If you're a fan, what's your favorite dish?  Have you prepared this yourself at home?  Is there an indian restaurant in your hometown? 

I remember once when I was in my 20's and working that I went to an Indian restaurant in Baltimore with co-workers.  It was the first and the last time.  I do not like, and my stomach does not handle, really hot spicy food.  I'm not a fan of curry and I'd probably have to down lots of milk with it to keep my stomach from hurting.

I do not think there is an Indian restaurant in Pawleys Island (the area I live in) but I am sure there must be one somewhere along the Grand Strand (the Myrtle Beach coastline towns) just north of here.

5. A song that reminds you of your parents? 

Oh, wow...  I can think of several hymns. My dad was a Lutheran pastor, and my mother sang in the church choir.  When I think of hearing both of their voices in my head, it's of them singing "A Mighty Fortress" or "This is My Father's World" or a few of the older, standard hymns I grew up hearing.  

6.   The 26th of February is National Tell a Fairy Tale Day.  What's your favorite, or one of your favorite fairy tales?   Do you have any childhood memories associated with a particular fairy tale?

I'd love to hear my sister's response to this one.  I can't think of even one fairy tale that my parents read to us... or any fairy tale books that I owned as as child.   Sue, do you remember?  

I do love "Cinderella" and I remember when I was a middle-schooler watching the Hallmark presentation of it starring Lesley Ann Warren. I can still hear her singing "In My own Little Corner, in my own Little World... I can be Whatever I want to be."    She was beautiful - and the whole TV movie was magical to me. 

My younger daughter loved "Cinderella" also.  I got her the children's book, and the Disney version of the movie - and we watched it over and over.  I loved that one too. 

7.  What's a problem you solved yesterday? 

Well, I continued to work on the wedding invitations for my older daughter's April wedding. The invitations will hopefully go out at the end of this week or the first part of next week.  I addressed a few more envelopes, and I sent off an email to the groom's mother to clarify a couple of addresses.

That was not really problem-solving work - but the closest activity I can think of that can qualify.  The rest of the day was spent with usual household work: laundry, some cleaning, nothing too exciting.

8.  My random thought.

I think it's similar to many of us today. I am SO tired of winter at this point on the calendar.  I am not a fan of cold, and of dreary days with little sunshine.  I suffer from SAD - the seasonal disorder that makes me sad when I don't get outdoors in to fresh air, and into some sunshine.   So - come on March - and come on Spring!!! 

Stay warm - and stay safe friends.