Answer Me This -- it's baaaack

Yay! One of my favorite link-ups is back - Kendra's reinstalling Answer Me This for the summer. Shall we just jump right in?

1. Any big plans for the summer?

Well, yes and no. We already took our big trip to Philadelphia, which I think will be our only real vacation this year. I'm headed to Denver this weekend to visit Caitlin (yay!) while my mom attends a work conference, so that's gonna be super fun.

Reading Terminal Market for lunch one day in Philly

Otherwise, this summer I'm concentrating on trying to lose weight, reading as many books as I can, buying and consuming a ton of watermelon, and enjoying a little less heavy work load. Luckily for me, the university Press that I build ebooks for has a somewhat relaxed publishing schedule in the summer, so I get a little more freedom and flexibility.

Also, I'm itching to start another home improvement project, or a big sewing project of some sort. I miss having something to do in the evenings that's not only collapsing on the couch in exhaustion and binge-watching TV shows like there's no tomorrow.

2. What was the strangest thing you believed as a child?

Gosh, I tell David the weird things I believed as a kid all the time - and now that I'm pressed for an answer to this question, I can't remember a single one of them! Come on, brain.

This is not really the same answer, but I used to bounce my head up and down when we were in the car, while looking at the tail end of the windshield wiper, making it go down every time there was a break in the street - a sidewalk, a driveway, an intersection, etc. I think I thought it would be good luck for any event we were going to if I got every single one on a drive.

I also went through a phase where I imaginarily-typed out every single thing everyone said in the car (when I was learning to type really quickly...I still have a pretty high WPM count, even though I've slowed down in my old age). It was as time-consuming and weird as it sounds when I type it out.

3. What is your favorite amusement park ride?

Umm, can I be really lame and say NO ride whatsoever? I hate carnival/amusement park rides. I don't get motion sick in the car or airplane or anything, but rides are just not for me. I don't know what it is about them, but the merry-go-round is about as far as I can go.

I'd much rather spend the money for rides on...funnel cakes, or deep-fried Oreos, or something like that. You know, Ron Swanson-style. Food over everything else.

4. What's on your summer reading list?

Oooo great question! I just finished my first one on the list - Attachments by Rainbow Rowell. She's a Nebraska writer and I'd already read Eleanor & Park, so I've been waiting for this one for awhile. I highly recommend all her books.

So not to bore you with the extensive list, I'll give you the quick rundown otherwise...

The Stranger by Harlan Coben

Creepy, suspenseful, mind-wrenching? Sounds right up my alley.

Primates of Park Avenue by Wednesday Martin

I love sociological non-fiction (Malcolm Gladwell, remember?) and this one sounds so so so so good.

The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion

And finally, this one because everyone and their mom has been talking about it and I'm a bandwagon-er.








Follow me on Goodreads if you want to see how I do! Also, I'm still reading Anne of Green Gables, don't you worry.

5. Have you ever fallen asleep in public?

Umm, I can't remember how many times I've fallen asleep in public...that's a resounding YES. In class during college, on airplanes, on a bus a few times, sitting outside a classroom waiting for class to start in college, during Mass,...

me sleeping on one of our many family vacations

I'm a really excellent sleeper.

6. What is your favorite smell?

Freshly-mown green grass. Hands down the best smell in all of eternity. I look like a crazy person whenever we drive by someone mowing, because I'll roll down the window, stick my head out of it, and sniff deeply as long as I can before we've past it too far. I'm basically part dog.

It doesn't hurt that it's also one of Hermione Granger's favorite smells. (I don't agree with the rest of her smells, though.)

A close second and third would be old books (I used to work in the Archives of UNL's library, and it smelled like heaven) and new shoes (going into Famous Footwear or someplace similar is wonderful).

Thanks for reinstating this, Kendra! So much fun.
HG