Another SP9 Survey

It seems I'm a sucker for a survey. Or maybe I'm just a sucker for the possibility of winning a prize, especially when the prize is a skein of handpaint...mmmmmmmm, handpaint........

This survey is especially difficult for me since I really, really hate to name "favorite" anythings. It always seems so limiting. But, I promise I'll do my best to answer all the questions with a genuine favorite, though I can't guarantee that in any category my answer will be my one-and-only favorite -- more like one among many favorites.

Anyway, here we go....

List your favorite:

Actor - See, right off the bat I'm stumped. Maybe that just means no particular actor really floats my boat? I'm just going to skip on down to the next question and then come back to this one.

Actress - This one's a cinch: Gong Li. She's brilliant in To Live and The Story of Qi Ju -- I think she really shines in films where she plays a peasant as opposed to her better-known roles as the haughty mistress-turned-wife in Farewell My Concubine or the evil geisha in Memoirs of a Geisha. There are lots and lots of American actresses I admire, but Gong Li is the one actress whose films I will watch simply because she is in them.

Animal - Now, I must admit that one of Shelby's answers on her poll caught my eye and I can't help but be influenced by what she said. Her favorite animal is the snow leopard, and believe it or not, I was once stalked by a snow leopard in Nepal. I went to a snow leopard breeding facility and they had a few of those majestic animals in a huge enclosed pen -- the only thing separating them from me was a single layer of cyclone fencing. I mean, no moat, no yellow "CAUTION" tape, nothing; I could have stuck my fingers right through that fence and petted that soft-looking fur if I'd been insane enough to try. While I didn't go that far, I did walk from one end of the fence to the other along one side, right beside the fence. And one of the snow leopards walked right along with me -- stalked me, really, looking at me as though I were lunch on foot, not so much as blinking an eye, just staring me down. Can I tell you I was scared? Fence or no fence, I was heart-pounding, palm-sweating scared; I had to take a few steps away from the fence just to put some more space between me and that leopard. So, I'm not sure that qualifies as my favorite animal, but it's definitely the animal I respect the most on a firsthand-experience basis.

Band - In my pre-baby days, I would have reeled off a list that included every genre of music from classic heavy metal to new age and nearly everything in between. Now, however, most of the music I listen to comes via the XM Kids channel and probably wouldn't mean much to anyone without kids. For what it's worth, I'm rockin' out pretty hard on The Imagination Movers these days. (Please don't feel the need to point out how very sad this is; I'm quite aware. Just move along, now...nothing to see here except a former hair band chick weeping quietly into her long-unworn stretch jeans.)

Book - Oooh, tough, tough choice. This is where I'm going to give myself a single "pass" on my earlier vow to give honest favorites for every answer. I simply cannot pick one favorite book, or even a favorite author. Instead, I'll say the book I'm looking most forward to reading is The Kite Runner. But I'm going to have to wait till I get it on CD so I can listen while I knit (must...not...lose...out...on...knitting...time...).

Bubble Bath - Don't use the stuff. I like bath oil beads (those big gumball-looking things filled with scented bath oils -- toss one in the bath, let it dissolve and mmmmmm...enjoy).

Candy - Dark chocolate truffles. *drool* Some days, I'd trade DH for some dark chocolate truffles. I mean, um, lots. It would take lots of dark chocolate truffles for me to trade DH away. Good quality ones, too. We're talking Godiva. The big ones. Did you know they have dark chocolate champagne-filled truffles? Mmmmmm.......dark chocolate champagne-filled Godiva truffles. Excuse me while I pull out my wedding album and remind myself why I got married instead of sinking all that money into a huge stash of chocolate truffles, all for myself.....
Color - My favorite color for a fancy dress is red. Otherwise, I'm more of a fall-colors kinda gal: oranges, rusts, golds, olives, deep purples (OK, maybe that's not strictly a fall color, but I still love it in the mix with all the others).

Drink - Whole milk is a treat since I mostly drink skim. Other than that, it's pretty much plain ol' water for me.

Flower - I love the smell of night-blooming jasmine. Heavenly.

Food - Um...didn't you catch what I said earlier about dark chocolate truffles...?

Lip Balm - I like Blistex in the little pot, the kind you have to scoop out with a pinky finger. Haven't bought any in years -- I've either been cheaping out with Chap-Stik or experimenting with various herbal/natural balms -- but I really should go back to what I know and love.

Lotion - I had a cucumber lotion from one of those bath products shops that I used all the time I was pregnant and loved. Of course, I can't remember either the name of the shop or the name of the lotion, but I'm sure I'd recognize it if I saw it.

Movie - Another easy one: To Live (see the reference to Gong Li, above).

Place - Sooooo difficult! I've traveled a lot, to some pretty remote places, and picking one favorite is very, very hard. I'd have to say, though, that one of my favorite places is China's Xishuangbanna, the tropical area in southern Yunnan province. Stunning scenery, beautiful people, simply a joy to be there.

Song - I'll narrow the playing field here and choose from my current fave kids' band, The Imagination Movers. I just love their song "Farm" and the clever little 80's reference: "The roosters -- the roosters -- the roosters are tired!" Recognize which famous 80's song line that's sung to and you know you wore neon knee-length sweaters and baggy socks over your ankle-length jeans when you were a teenager.

TV Show - Even though we no longer get TV reception, my favorite show by far is Jon Stewart's Daily Show. I watch it online I love it so much.

Yarn - My favorite yarn today is Paton's SWS (Soy Wool Stripes): beautiful colorways, soft hand, and it felts! Just what I was looking for to make the One Skein felted bowls. Ask me tomorrow, though, and I'm sure I'll have a new favorite.

Vacation Spot - One of the best vacations I've ever taken was to Boulder, CO. Having grown up on the east coast and despite all the travel I've done, I can honestly say I've never seen such endless skies as there are in Colorado. I would go out there again in a heartbeat.

And since I promised I'd get back to thinking about my favorite actor...hmmmmm..... I guess I'll have to go with Jon Stewart of the Daily Show. Seriously, I don't think I'm copping out here. The man gets me laughing hysterically at least once a show; that's gotta count for something.

And that's the end of my list. Next post: Finished Objects Galore!