thisiswhatyoushalldo

1. What is incorrectly perceived as a sign of intelligence?

Being Right handed. It ain’t true, people. There was a time when teachers, parents, and clergy used to force us lefties to move to the right and it messed folks up.

2. What ruins a cup of coffee?

Sugar and cream. Gross. You want to taste the coffee. Coffee is life!

3. What is your go-to drink to chill and enjoy at the end of a week?

Nicely crafted gin and tonic.

4. What is the best smell in the world?

Freshly roasted coffee; I am lucky enough to enjoy that small at my house a couple of times a week

5. What food do you swear people only pretend to like?

Kale. As a friend of mine summarized Kale use to be a condiment; smething used to decorate the salad bar. I am not a fan.

1. Did you catch COVID?

Remarkably, no I have not yet caught the bug. It is a wonder – going into the office nearly every day for 16 months in a call center full of young folks who I doubt were as inoculated with the vaccine as they should be.

2. If not, how, what did you do?

I generally stayed home and my life was work (with a masked and socially distanced) and didn’t eat out or go to shows or other stuff I would have done prior to the outbreak. I also have O-Positive blood which may be a contributing factor. And they say cannabis use has been an indicator to prevent users from catching it. I also take a Chinese herbal approach with doses of oregano oil capsules and Astragalus a couple of times a day (China studies show this is an effective preventative. ) Well, that all all the shots. So many shots.

Or, I was just lucky.

3. What is the future of COVID?

It is here forever. I think over the next five years we will continue to see sporadic seasonal outbreaks but by 2027 or so it will be like the flu – something to be aware of but not the grim reaper that it once was.

4. What is next for the superbugs?

We will continue to see odd and novel viruses pop up and it may be decades before something like COVID hits or it could hit again next week. I had a weird dream that all of North Korea died as the result of a superbug and we were all working to prevent it – and then, well, I woke up to go to the bathroom. I am pretty sure North Korea is still there.

5. It is supposed to be over, but do you still wear a mask, social distance, and stay at home?

I mask in big places like grocery stores and gatherings in unfamiliar places as well as places where still required like doctor’s offices. and I still stay home a lot more than I used to pre-COVID but I have always been a homebody.

1. Who’s a celebrity no one can hate?

The pat answer is Tom Hanks, but I am going with beloved national treasure Dick Van Dyke.

2. Music is my . . .

end-of-day decompression tonic

3. I remember radio when . . .

you would call into the request line. I guess that probably still exists and folks are now tweeting in their requests, but it isn’t the same ad dialing in and waiting on hold from that one phone in the kitchen with the long spiraled cord.

4. I bought … from the Columbia Music Record Club?

The Cars

5. What great life advice have you gotten from a song?

Don’t Talk To Strangers – Rick Springfield. Very apt advice for those riding any kind of public transportation.

1. Who is your favorite Muppet/Jim Henson character and why?


Kermit. How can it not be Kermit? It ain’t easy being green.


2. Ernie or Burt?


I always like Burt – better comedic timing.


3. Piggy or the Swedish Chef?


Chef- one makes the food. One eats the food. Go with the creative one.


4. Battlestar Gallactica or Pigs in Space?



Ha, funny. I think the special effects in Pigs in Space are better. Try this: Over on the Peacock app they have the original Battlestar Gallactica – man, that show does not hold up.


5. If Kermit was a famous fiction character, how would he be?


I always thought he would be a Raymond Chandler kind of character, like Sam Spade or Phillip Marlowe.

1. What single ingredient will spoil an entire meal for you if it’s included?

Beef liver.  Actually, any organ meat.  I haven’t eaten mammals or birds for nearly a decade, but could probably be tempted for a beef burger or chicken  – but for the liver? Nope

2. What is a lot more dangerous than most people think?

Christian Dominionism.  via Wikipedia: a group of Christian political ideologies that seek to institute a nation that is governed by Christians and based on their understandings of biblical law. 

3. What movie did you see at way too young of an age?

Sabata with Yul Brenner.  A really violent spaghetti western.  My dad and I used to go to movie night a few times a month as a kid and he would haul me to inappropriate films, usually westerns.

4. What’s the best excuse for “Sorry I was late”?

“Sorry, I was late – the butt plug got lodged in too deep. Boy, did that take a bit. “

5. What is your go-to song to test a headphone or earbud’s quality?

Jorma Kaukonen’s “Blue Railroad track” If you can hear Bela Fleck’s fingers come of the neck of the banjo and feel the thump of the upright string bass you have some fine ear thingies.