Four For Friday

Four For Friday - The Birthday Edition
Q1 - Today: Some people go out of their way to tell everyone they know that today (or pick your day) is their birthday, while others avoid it like a contagious bacterial disease characterized by fever and wicked bad diarrhea (for example, I once spent an entire with someone and never knew it was his birthday because he never told me). Do you tell people when it's your birthday or do you prefer to keep it to yourself? I guess I am kind of middle of the road. I don't make a huge big deal about it but if I am out somewhere I don't have any problem telling people my birthday. Mine is a week from Sunday - September 28th.
Q2 - Keeping Track: How do you keep track of birthdays (BirthdayAlarm.com, a little black book, good memory, your computer calendar, Facebook, etc.)? I have a day planner and a palm pilot with birthdays in them.
Q3 - Celebrating: How do you like to celebrate your own birthday? Do you do anything special for yourself, have a tradition you adhere to, take the day off from work and the rest of the world, etc.? Between my mom, my older kids and Dave I usually am celebrating for a couple of days. Brandon likes to take me out to dinner and Dave and my folks usually plan a family dinner. And sometimes we plan a get away weekend which sounds really good right about now!
Q4 - Change: Some of the kids I grew up with felt cheated by the fact that their birthday was in late-June, July, or August... meaning, they never got to celebrate their birthday in school like all of the kids whose birthdays fell on a school day. If you could change your birthday, would you, and if so, what date would you move it to and why? Brandon has a late June birthday and he did get cheated. It was hard to plan birthday parties because some of his friends would be on vacation. Brent gets cheated too since his birthday is January 12th. That is usually within a week of the kids going back to school so you have to have everything planned to go when the go back to school or there isn't enough time to plan it. Also, people (including Mom) are tapped out from Christmas. I usually try to buy his present during the holiday season. I personally think my birthday date is just fine!

Four on Friday

Four For Friday July 25, 2008
Q1 - Popcorn and Candy: According to the author of "Why Popcorn Costs So Much at the Movies, And Other Pricing Puzzles" (University of California-Irvine Professor Richard McKenzie), buying your movie candy at a local drugstore or Costco can save you as much as 86% from what the theater charges on a price per ounce basis. When you go to the movies, what type of candy and refreshments do you usually buy, or do smuggle yours into the theatre?
I usually smuggle in candy and purchase a drink.
Q2 - Then & Now: A recent special issue of People magazine focusing on child actors from the 60s, 70s, 80s, and 90s, profiled more than 100 former showbiz kids with an emphasis on where they are in their lives today. Are there any child actors you would like an update on? If so, which one(s)?
I was just thinking about something like this the other day. David Cassidy's wife is an Arbonne rep (like me) and I was reading about her and her business and thought about my teen idol, Shaun Cassidy, David's brother. I haven't heard anything about his in years.
Q3 - Pollution: Recent reports indicate that as much as 46,000 pieces of floating plastic can be found per square mile of ocean. If you were enjoying time at the beach by wading in the water, and you noticed garbage floating nearby, would you collect it and throw it away once you were back on shore?
No, but I probably should.
Q4 - Right Now: What is your most pressing concern right now?
My daughter's and her car - her dumb-a** boyfriend wrecked it and the insurance deductable is $1000.00.

Four on Friday

July 11, 2008

Four For Friday
Q1 - Can I See?: Almost everywhere I've lived, I've had neighbors close enough to my own home that I've often wondered what the inside of their house or apartment looked like. How well do you know your neighbors floor plans? If not at all, are you curious to see what the inside of their homes look like? I live in a townhouse so my neighbors are really close. There are only six different floor plans so I know what the layout is of each house but I am curious about how people decorate.
Q2 - Four-day Work Week: Many states now offer a four-day work week option for state employees, but according to published media reports, later this year, Utah will become the first state to switch over to a mandatory four-day work week for its state employees. Utah's Governor says he's making the change to reduce the state's carbon footprint, increase energy efficiency, improve customer service and provide workers more flexibility. How do you feel about state workers moving to a four-day work week (regardless of which state you work in)? Do you think it will help the core metrics Utah's Governor says it will (i.e., carbon footprint, energy efficiency, customer service, and worker flexibility)? It think there is a lot of positives with a four day week. I think it would help with worker moral to have three days off a week, being able to spend more time with family. As far as energy efficiency I am not sure how it would save since workers will be there longer on days they work and I don't think they will close down the government one day a week? Who knows?
Q3 - Virtual Worlds: During the months of April, May, and June of this year, investors poured an astounding $160 million into 16 different companies that build, manage, and host virtual reality worlds online. Perhaps even more surprising is this: leading research firm Gartner predicts that 80% of all active Internet users will be members of virtual worlds by the year 2011. Have you ever visited or joined a online virtual world (i.e., Second Life, The Sims Online, Disney's Toontown, Habbo Hotel, IMVU, Barbie Girls, Gaia Online, World of Warcraft, Lively by Google, etc.)? If so, how often do you participate? If not, do you think you'll adapt and become part of the 80% of us predicted to be active by 2011? I guess I will be the 20% since I have no idea what a virtual world is.
Q4 - Music: What song or album are you hooked on right now? I am not really listening to music at all right now.