inwintersolitude

[inwintersolitude]

- June 25th 2025 -

At your part of the world, is it summer now?: Yep. It is very much summer right now… we're in the midst of a heat wave. It was 95°F the past two days, and today it was around 86°F.

What’s the warmest it can get over there? How about the coldest?: Summertime temperatures are usually around 75-80°F, but it can occasionally get as warm as the mid 90s (like the first half of this week). As for the coldest - usual winter temperatures are around 15-30°F but it can get as cold as -15°F.

Is there a bad habit you’re trying to break right now?: I don't know if I'd call them bad habits, but rather ADHD symptoms. Calling them "bad habits" insinuates that they're personal failings, when they're actually symptoms of a neurological condition. I'll probably always struggle with these things no matter how hard I try to change.

Is it easy to find a job in your preferred field in your home town?: Well my preferred field was aviation, back when I actually worked in aviation. But no, my hometown doesn't have an airport, so there are no aviation jobs there. There are airports nearby, though (one of which is the first airport I worked at).

When is the last time you went to a fun fair?: I think the equivalent here would be a county fair or state fair, and I haven't been to one in probably almost 20 years.

How about an amusement park?: Uhhh… Busch Gardens Williamsburg, in 2018, I think.

Did you/will you take part in your city’s Pride parade this year?: I don't live in a city. My town doesn't have a Pride parade, just a small picnic. I've never gone.

If not, why not?: Because I didn't even know my town had anything Pride-related until I looked it up just now.

Ladies: Would you ever consider proposing? If not, why not?: No because I'm already married.

Gentlemen: How would you feel, if you were proposed to?: -

Have you ever played the original Mass Effect trilogy?: No.

If so, which Shepard and who do you like romancing the best?: -

Let’s say there’s a person in need. They need money which they can’t make. Would you be more likely to help them out, if a celebrity asked you to?: Nothing a celebrity says/does would ever influence my decisions.

When you go to a restaurant, do you have a go-to dish?: At some restaurants I do. But not all restaurants.

Or do you always try out something new?: Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't.

Would you rather live next to a kindergarten or an old folks’ home?: Old folks' home. I couldn't deal with living next to a kindergarten. Not just because of the noise of hordes of children, but also because of all the traffic created by parents dropping off and picking up their kids.

What was the last game that you played?: Splatoon 3.

What do you know about Finland?: I know they gained independence from Russia in 1917. I know it's common for homes to have saunas in them. I know the general geography of the country. And that Finns aren't big on small talk lol.

Where was the postcard from that travelled the longest way to you?: I'm not sure.

Have you ever made jewelry?: Just beaded hemp jewelry when I was a kid.

Have you ever upcycled anything? If so, what?: I'm not sure. Maybe as a craft project in school? Can't remember.

Which app do you use the most on your phone?: Relay for Reddit, FlightRadar24, or YouTube.

Did you learn to play an instrument as a kid? If so, which one?: Yep. Piano, violin (briefly), and flute/piccolo.

What is the best part of your most ordinary day?: Making a cup of tea and hanging out with my bird while I read or take surveys. Or having dinner with my husband.

If you learned that you suddenly needed an aid of some sort to do something that you normally don’t need (glasses, hearing aid, etc.), would you comply or would you put it off until there was no choice anymore?: I'd just get whatever aid that was needed, and not be a stubborn little bellyacher about it. I know it's somewhat common for people to resist getting hearing aids, glasses, mobility aids, etc., and I just do not understand that mindset at all. Why wouldn't you want to take care of yourself?? I've been wearing glasses since I was 10, I need earplugs for my hyperacusis, I need to wear a jaw splint for my TMJ disorder, and I also occasionally need to use a cane because of my post-covid heart problems / potential POTS. I started using each aid with no hesitation and no whining about it.

Do you enjoy being on your own?: I love it. Alone time is essential to my wellbeing.

Or are you happier when there’s a crowd around you?: Nope, not at all. The only group of people I enjoy spending time with is my family/relatives. And even then, I still need my alone time.

Have you ever been to a zoo? If so, which one(s)?: Yeah. Cleveland, Akron, Columbus, Indianapolis, the Brandywine Zoo in Delaware… I think that's all.

How about petting zoos?: Yes, a few.

Have you thrown your “winter coat” off yet?: Yep. I haven't had to wear my winter coat in about 2-3 months now.

Do you ever look up what foreign idioms mean?: Sometimes.

What’s the strangest saying you’ve come across?: I don't know. My typical reaction to sayings/idioms is that they're inherently strange, because they're so NOT straightforward. Why use a big long flowery saying, when you can just say exactly what you mean?

What’s a First World problem that you have?: My house is huge and it's a pain in the ass to keep clean and organized.

Do you use food products that are advertised as more healthy?: I don't care about advertising or marketing, it's all bullshit. I just eat what I want to eat. Most of it ends up being at least somewhat healthy, but my choice to eat those foods has nothing to do with how they're advertised.

Does it matter to you if the produce you use is organic?: Nah, it doesn't matter to me.

If so, why?: I don't care either way.

What has been the worst sort of physical pain that you have felt?: The muscle spasming and cramping I had after kidney/bladder surgery as a kid was so intense that I still vividly remember it to this day.

Are your pains generally more acute or chronic?: Most are chronic. The hyperacusis-related ear pain is acute, caused by noises that are louder than 70-80 decibels. But if I get exposed to a louder noise, then the pain can be more of like a burning ear pain that lasts for a day or two.

Do you collect anything?: My husband and I collect souvenir refrigerator magnets from everywhere we travel to together.

If you could be doing absolutely anything right now, what would it be?: Relaxing in a pool. Alone. No one else around.

Do you read any web comics?: No.

Which social media platform do you use the most, if any?: Instagram.

Have you ever made a parody version of a popular song?: Haha yeah, I sometimes make up silly little songs about my bird and sing them to her, to the tune of a different song. Some of the songs I've come up with parodies for are La Cucaracha, Pretty Little Baby, and probably a few others that I'm forgetting right now.

Which game did you play the most as a kid during recess?: Kickball. If I played a game at all. I usually preferred playing alone on the swings, though.

[inwintersolitude]

- June 25th 2025 -

Do you have a personal trainer? No. I've kind of been thinking of getting one, though. I just don't know if there's a profession that's like a personal trainer, but also has some medical/rehabilitation training. I can't just go straight into normal exercise like a healthy person can, I feel like I need guidance from a medical professional on how to properly/safely exercise with my heart issues.

Are you currently chewing gum? Nope.

Have you ever been on Omegle? I don't think it's a thing anymore, but no, I never used it.

Have you ever stolen a road sign? Nope.

Is there litter in your front yard? Nope.

Do you believe in mediums? (People who see dead people) I think the vast majority of them are fakes. But maybe there are a few people who can perceive things that most of us can't. Who am I to say that's impossible?

Do you like chocolate? Kind of. I prefer things that have chocolate in them, rather than just straight chocolate.

How many black things are in the room your in? Uhh… the lamp base, Luna's cage, the floor lamp base, the tablet… I think that's it.

Who is the cutest celebrity couple in your opinion? Haha I don't care.

Were there clouds out today? Yes, some cumulus clouds, and some cumulonimbus clouds to the north that are developing into thunderstorms.

Would you rather travel by yourself or with a friend? Either by myself, or with my husband.

Do you recycle? Yes.

What color are your headphones? I have a black pair of Sony headphones but I don't use them as headphones, I use them as light hearing protection around the house, just to muffle noises like when my bird gets really loud/chirpy, clanking dishes, etc.

If you could go to the other side of the world, where would you go? New Zealand.

Were you interested in the royal wedding last year? I'm not sure which royal wedding this is referencing, but nah, I've never been that interested.

What color was your Easter basket this year? I haven't had an Easter basket since I was a kid, mayyybe a pre-teen. Oh, wait, except for that one year when my husband and I were in our mid 20s and his batshit insane father insisted on making Easter baskets for us, hiding them, and telling us to find them, as if we were little kids. I told my husband that his father was utterly deranged to think that's a sensible way to treat full-grown adults. He had a talk with his parents and told them to never do that shit again lmao.

Does your last name start with a F? Nope.

Would you rather sit or stand? Either. As long as I'm not standing for a long time, and as long as I'm not having a tachycardia flare-up where I need to sit/lay down to keep my heart rate from going too high.

Do you find it awkward when you have to shake someone’s hand? Not in general, no. I do find it awkward how some people sometimes want to shake hands in a setting where you wouldn't normally shake someone's hand. My husband and I went out to dinner a few months ago and the waiter shook our hands after we were seated and it was SO WEIRD. Like this guy never learned that doing so in that context is socially abnormal behavior.

Are you going to any concerts next year? I don't know. Depends on what the Cleveland Orchestra is playing at Blossom for their outdoor summer schedule next year.

Can you play piano? I played the piano for about 5 years as a kid, but I was never any good at it, and I don't remember how to play much at all.

In class, would you raise your hand often? No, I was a shy child.

Do you mow the grass or does someone else? We hired a landscaping company to take care of all that. My husband used to mow the grass but it made his allergies flare up really bad, and I can't handle that amount of physical exertion anymore, so now we just hire it out.

When you were little, did you jump on the couch? Nope. My parents didn't allow it. And I have to say, as an adult, I agree with them. Couches are for sitting, not jumping.

Have you ever been onstage with a famous singer at a concert? Nope.

Are you a greedy person? No.

Grapes or cherries? Cherries.

Are you a big flirt? No.

Can you jump high? Nope. Not now. I was quite athletic when I was younger, though.

Have you ever been in an earthquake? Just a very minor one. I was 17, I think? My parents and brother and I were all sitting at the dinner table and suddenly there was a loud boom and the chandelier started swaying a little bit. It was only like a magnitude 3.5-ish but we were pretty close to the epicenter.

[inwintersolitude]

- June 24th 2025 -

So how are you today? I'm doing okay. Had some ups and downs today. I had my appointment with my new GI doctor and he wants me to get a different type of CT scan to find out if my liver lesions are the type that could turn into cancer. He also thinks I have Crohn's Disease. So that was the bad part. The good: I got some of my favorite snacks from World Market and also a slice of coffee cake from the bakery.

Do you like to eat eggs? Yes I love eggs.

When was the last time you had a cup of tea? I made a cup of Scottish breakfast tea one of the mornings we were away on vacation with family. Normally I drink hot tea every day but I haven't been drinking it that much lately because it's just too hot out. I've had iced tea almost every day this past week, though.

Do you have a tapestry in your bedroom? Yes but I haven't hung it up yet. It's a Van Gogh painting of a forest.

Have you ever been to London? Yep.

Do you enjoy going to the library? Yes, I've loved going to the library ever since I was a little kid.

If you went to NYC (or if you’ve been), what are your favorite things to do there? I've only been there twice and both times it wasn't for very long. I enjoyed seeing the Seaport District. Someday I'd like to go back there and go to a bunch of museums and eat at a bunch of interesting restaurants.

Who’s the most recent person on your Facebook feed? One of my former flight instructors/college buddy.

When (if ever) was the last time you saw that person? 2012.

Do you know anyone who has a pet bunny? I don't think so.

Can you play the violin? Nope. I used to play the violin but it was only for half of 4th grade, there's no way I'd remember anything about how to play it.

What’s the last movie you watched? I watched a little bit of Jurassic Park on Saturday night, with my brother, sister-in-law, and cousin while we were at the family reunion. The last movie I watched all the way through was Don't Look Up, about 3-4 months ago.

Did you enjoy this movie? Yeah.

What store or website would you most like a gift card for? Lowe's or Home Depot.

What’s something you’re looking forward to? This freakin heat wave being over. Oh and I'm also looking forward to having dinner. It's 10:45 p.m. and I still haven't had dinner lmao. I'll have it once I'm done with this survey.

Name your top 3 favorite musical instruments. Pipe organ (the really enormous ones they have in old European cathedrals), piano, violin.

What was the last book(s) you bought at a bookstore? Two books for my nephews. I bought a book about garbage trucks for my 3-year-old nephew (he's going through a total obsessed-with-garbage-trucks phase right now lol), and a sticker book of a bunch of boats/ships for my 6-year-old nephew.

Does the song you’re listening to/last heard evoke any emotion for you? I don't remember what song I last heard. It was probably some generic pop song when I was at the store this afternoon.

Do you use Pinterest? I have an account but I don't use it often.

Are you wearing earrings? No.

Do you know any sign language? Yeah, a little bit. I'd like to learn more.

Have you ever seen the musical Ragtime? No.

Do you have a favorite poem? Winter Solitude by Matsuo Basho (the inspiration for my username on here). Also, There Is Another Sky by Emily Dickinson (the inspiration for my username on Bzoink/ProBoards).

Do you like Indian food? Yeah, specifically North Indian/Punjabi food.

Describe your favorite scarf, if you have one. I don't really have a favorite.

Do you have a dog? Nope.

Have you ever read the Little House on the Prairie series? I might have, as a kid. I can't remember.

Do you have any homework? I'm not in school.

Have you ever gone on a service trip to an underprivileged country? Not to another country, but I've gone on a service trip to a very poor area of Appalachia. We built a wheelchair ramp at the home of a man who was injured in a coal mining accident and couldn't walk anymore.

Do you need to do laundry? Yeah. I did one load after we got home from the family vacation, but that's all so far. There's still more to do.

Do you enjoy going out for breakfast? Yep. I love breakfast-y restaurants.

Have you ever performed in front of more than 100 people? Tons of times. I was in my high school's concert band and marching band. My high school's marching band was semi-famous at the time because we had 320 members, we played hard rock covers, and we were extremely loud. We even performed a halftime show at an NFL game every year, so that was an audience of about 60,000 or 70,000 people.

Do you like muffins? Yep.

When was the last time you went to church? It's been quite a few years.

Have you ever heard the singer Audra McDonald? I haven't.

What’s a quote you think is really powerful? "A man who does not think for himself does not think at all." - Oscar Wilde.

Should you be doing something else right now? Not really. I mean, there are a ton of productive things I could be doing right now, but none of them are things I absolutely need to do right now.

[inwintersolitude]

- June 17th 2025 -

Where was the first time you ever saw the person you like at the moment? The first time my husband and I ever saw each other was in September 2006, when we were both volunteering at an air show, but neither of us can remember if we actually talked to each other lol. We met again in January 2009 when I joined the university's competitive flying team, which he was captain of at the time, and that's when we started to actually get to know each other.

What’s the greatest thing that happened to you today? Eh not much. Today has been kind of blah. I was woken up too early because the neighbors were getting a few trees removed, and the crew started up their loud chainsaws and woodchipper at like 8 a.m. sharp. I was up til around 2:30 so I'm running on only 5.5 hours of sleep today. I guess the best thing about today is that it stormed a little bit. I love storms, and it also means I don't have to go outside and water the grass seed, yay.

How many TRUE friends do you have? Three I guess.

Would you rather get up early or sleep in? Sleep in. I am a hardcore night owl. Always have been.

Tell me about the shirt you’re wearing? It's a black t-shirt. My husband used to wear it as an exercise shirt but I stole it from him lol.

What would you change about your life right now? I feel like I mention this kind of frequently in surveys when a question like this comes up, but… I would change my brain chemistry to not have ADHD.

Would you rather smile over a lie or cry over the truth? Cry over the truth. Lies are never good.

What’s on your bedroom floor right now? Two laundry baskets, a moving box full of bathroom stuff that I STILL haven't unpacked yet, the air purifier, a bag of clothes from TJ Maxx… I think that's it.

When was the last time you had your hair cut? I cut my hair back in March.

Would you rather be mad or sad? I guess it depends on the intensity. If it was between just "regular mad" and "regular sad," I'd choose feeling sad, because being mad is a really unpleasant feeling. But if it were between full-on rage and grief, then I'd choose rage, because grief hurts so, so bad.

Does it take a lot to make you cry? Kind of. I think I cry a little less easily than the average person. But I still occasionally have times where it seems like I cry more easily about certain things.

What’s the best feeling in the world? Solo flights. Being up in the sky, all alone, just me and the airplane. It's pure bliss. I miss it so, so much.

Are you close with your mom? Yeah.

Are your parents strict? They kind of were, but not in an unreasonable way, and it wasn't about everything.

Do you tell your parents everything? No.

Name one fear you have. My husband dying.

Does the thought of marriage scare you? I am married lol. No it doesn't scare me.

How many kids do you want? Zero.

What’s your favourite color to wear? Black, dark blue, or dark green.

Who was the last person in your bedroom? My husband.

What were you doing today? Mostly just puttering around the house. I watched some Youtube videos about the regen system on the electric car we just bought, browsed Reddit, played with my bird, did some tidying up, and started packing for our trip to the family reunion this weekend.

Would you rather be rich & sad or poor & happy? That would depend on the details. How rich? How poor? (Everyone seems to have a different definition of what rich/poor is.) And is it just regular sadness, or like the "treatment-resistant depression" kind of sadness that never goes away?

Do you get bored easily? Nope. I'm an intensely curious person with an overactive brain, I can pretty much always find something to occupy my mind.

What’s something that someone can do that really bothers you? Using their cell phone while driving. There are very few ways to make me instantly angry, but that's one of them. It's so goddamn stupid and reckless. I've been joking with my husband for years that I want to mount a loudspeaker onto each of our cars, and every time we encounter one of these idiots, we can press a button on the dashboard and the speaker yells "get off your phone!" But I'm pretty sure it's not legal to modify a car like that lmao.

Do you wish you were famous? No way.

Do you make a wish at 11:11? Nope.

When you go to the beach do you swim or lay out more? Neither. I like going to the beach in the early morning or around sunset (so that it's not too hot/bright) and walking along the shore and looking for cool shells, horseshoe crabs, starfish, etc.

Who’s the last text message you received from and what did it say? It was from my husband. He sent me a few pictures from his last flight - a few wildfires he flew over, and also a picture of the Grand Canyon.

What are you freakishly obsessed with? Our new car. It's our first electric vehicle and I'm fascinated with the engineering that has gone into it. It's definitely a car for nerds.

What’s your favourite song at the moment? I don't really have a favorite.

Do you like going to the mall to shop or just shopping online? I usually prefer shopping online because it's more efficient in regards to time. But sometimes I like going to malls, too, as long as it has stores that I'm interested in and not just a bunch of boring clothing stores.

Can music affect your mood? No, it's the other way around for me. What mood I'm in affects what kind of music I want to listen to. If I'm happy and I listen to a sad song, it doesn't make me feel sad.

What piercings do you want? None.

Have you ever been in a cave? Yep… briefly lol. My husband and I had a mini vacation on Middle Bass Island back in 2014 and we went to this vineyard that had a cave on their property and they offered tours of it. I got to the bottom of the stairway leading down into the cave, and had a claustrophobia-induced panic attack and ran back up to the surface. It sucks that it freaked me out, because the cave was super interesting from a geology standpoint - it's actually a giant underground geode that you can walk inside of.

Ever eaten a bug? I think I've had a bug fly into my mouth a few times while riding my bike, but I'd always just spit it out.

When will you hang out or see the person you like next? When he gets home from work in a few hours.

[inwintersolitude]

- June 16th 2025 -

1 - When was the last time it snowed where you live? Do you like snowy weather or is it just a pain? It last snowed sometime in April. And yeah I love snow.

2 - Are you expecting any parcels in the mail right now? Yep, a larger boarding cage for Luna. Her other boarding cage is good for when we board her at her vet's office, because they have limited space there, but now we're boarding her with a woman who runs a parrot rescue out of her house and she has plenty of space for larger cages.

3 - How long is it until your birthday? Do you have any plans for the day? It's about 6 and a half months away. I don't have any plans yet, it's too far out.

4 - What was the last thing you had to drink? Water. I have a cup of Irish breakfast tea next to me, but I haven't drank it yet, it's still too hot.

5 - Do you need to do any laundry right now? Uggghhh yes. Lots of laundry and packing.

6 - Who was the last person you got a notification from on social media? Is this person a close friend of yours? I don't remember.

7 - Do you regularly buy things on credit? If so, how much do you owe on credit cards right now? I use credit cards how you're supposed to use them, i.e. responsibly. Make the purchase on the card, then pay it off in full every month. That way we get more fraud protection than if we were to use a debit card, plus we get cash back, and we are never in debt or having to pay interest.

8 - When was the last time you got a call from an unknown number? Did you answer or call them back? Today. I was pretty sure it was my GI doctor's office calling me back about rescheduling, so I answered it (and it was actually them).

9 - When was the last time you got off work early? What was the reason and did you do anything fun with your extra free time? I haven't worked in years, so I don't remember. "Leaving work early" wasn't really a thing at my last job, though. Having to stay late was way more common. The previous two airports I worked at were way more chill compared to that one, and I remember being able to leave early semi-regularly.

10 - What do you typically eat for Christmas Dinner? Are you the one who cooks or does a family member do the cooking? It depends. If my husband and I are spending the whole day at home (which is what we prefer to do on Christmas), then we'll make something like roast turkey, cottage pie, pot roast, or stuffed acorn squash. If we're going to my in-laws (which we only do every 2-3 years, because their family gatherings are basically a horde of 20+ relatives and it's always loud and crowded and the commotion ruins the holiday for us), then I don't eat the ham or turkey or anything else his parents make because their kitchen is nasty and they have zero regard for food prep safety. I've gotten food poisoning from their cooking before, so I only eat whatever side dishes are brought by other people, and some years we leave early to come home and cook our own dinner. And as for Christmas with my parents - we have that the weekend closest to Christmas Day, and we go every year because we actually enjoy spending time with them and it's relaxing and not stressful. My parents make a Christmas brunch with baked eggs, bacon, sausage, coffee cake, and fruit. And for dinner, we usually have roast turkey or Cornish hens, and lots of sides.

11 - What time did you wake up this morning? Did you get out of bed right away? I didn't wake up til like 1 p.m. I had a migraine and needed to sleep in. But once I did wake up, I was feeling better and I got out of bed within like 10 minutes.

12 - Do you have any plans for the weekend? Are these plans typical for a weekend or are you doing something different? Yes! The family reunion is this weekend, Thursday til Sunday. We all rented out a big 8-bedroom farmhouse in the Allegheny Mountains, it's a nice halfway point for everyone from Ohio and everyone from Delaware.

13 - Would you like to work a job that involves going in and out of other people’s homes all day? (Like care work, painter, decorated etc.) The ONLY job of that sort that I would be okay with is a parrot-sitter lol.

14 - When was the last time you had an injury? Was it a minor cut/scrape or something more serious? What happened? I hurt my back while bending over and improperly lifting a heavy grocery bag, a few weeks ago. It was minor, it only hurt for a few days.

15 - Do you ever watch movies or TV shows that require you to read subtitles? I always have subtitles on, my hearing loss is juuust bad enough that I kind of need it, otherwise I mis-hear a lot of words.

16 - What accents are your favourite? I love Transatlantic accents, even though no one uses them anymore.

17 - How many people have you texted today? Are these people friends, family members or something else? Just one, my husband.

18 - Are you any good at DIY? What was the last DIY project you finished? I'm good at the problem-solving, MacGyver-ing, resourceful types of DIY projects. Like building things and fixing things. But I'm not good at the artsy kind of DIY. I wish I was, though, because it looks like a fun hobby.

19 - When was the last time you had a haircut? When was the last time you dyed your hair (if you ever have)? I gave myself a hair cut back in March. I've never dyed my hair.

20 - Do you prefer wearing tight-fitting or loose-fitting clothes? For tops, they always have to be at least somewhat loose-fitting, otherwise I get major sensory issues. For pants/shorts, I like them to be loose as well, unless they're made out of a thin/stretchy fabric that doesn't feel restricting. Like I can deal with soft knit leggings but I can't deal with skinny jeans.

21 - Are you currently warm, cold or just right? Is the heating or air conditioning on to contribute to that feeling? I'm feeling just right. I have the AC on, but it's not turning on very often because it's only slightly warm out.

22 - What was the last piece of good news you received? Was it expected? My husband got the exact schedule that he wanted for next month. And yeah it was pretty much expected, he's senior enough to get whatever he bids for.

23 - What colour socks are you wearing right now? I'm not wearing any.

24 - Do you prefer hot coffee or iced coffee? What about hot tea or iced tea? I only like coffee if it's iced. And for tea, I love it both hot and iced, but I prefer it hot.

25 - What are some of your favourite Christmas songs? What time of year do you start listening to Christmas music? Oh there are a lot! I love Christmas music. Too many favorites to list. And I guess I start listening to it around late November or early December? I don't know, just whenever.

26 - If you see cats wandering about in the street, do you stop and fuss them? No. I hardly ever see stray cats around here, though.

27 - Speaking of cats, do you own a cat? Are they a particular breed or just a moggie? Would you ever want a specific breed of cat at all? Nope.

28 - When was the last time you moved furniture around to clean behind or underneath it? Do you need someone’s help in order to do that? When we were in the moving out of our previous house, a little over a year ago. I used to be able to do that myself, I was really strong for my size when I was in my early 20s, but I definitely need help with it nowadays.

29 - Do you have any medications that you need to take daily? Is this something you’re going to have to do for the rest of your life? Yeah, my heart medication, for my arrhythmia. It's not possible to know if I'll have to take it for the rest of my life.

30 - Do you know how to start an open fire and keep it burning without using loads of wood? Is this a skill you use on a regular basis at all? Yeah, I learned that in Girl Scouts. No, it's not a skill I regularly use.

[inwintersolitude]

- June 11th 2025 -

If you have a job, how long is your shift? I don't have a job now. At my last job, my shifts were usually 8 hours long, but if I worked the open shift then sometimes I'd have to get there early if there was an early departure, and if I worked the closing shift, then I'd sometimes have to stay late if there was a late arrival. Any flights between 10:30 p.m. and 4:30 a.m. were handled by whoever was the overnight on-call person that week (which I sometimes was, and it seriously sucked having to work in the middle of the night in addition to my regular shifts).

What was the last thing you received in an envelope? I feel like it's been at least a week since we got anything other than junk mail. I think the last piece of legitimate mail was our mortgage statement.

Do you ever wear your hair in a pony tail? Yeah, I have it up in a ponytail about half the time.

When was the last time you got a new phone? I got this one about 3 months ago.

Do you wear your watch on your left or right arm? On my left arm. And quite literally on my arm, rather than my wrist lol. I have the band adjusted as long as it'll go, and it's about halfway up my forearm. I just think it's more comfortable to wear my watch there instead of on my wrist.

What was the last kind of pop you drank? I don't think I've had any soda since I had that Coke at the Memorial Day cookout at my parent's house.

Do you think you’re single because you repel the opposite sex? I’m not single.

What language did you take up in high school? Latin.

Why are you home? Because I live here. And it's 10 p.m. and I have no reason to be anywhere else right now.

Do you like sunflowers? Sure. I think it's cool that a flower can get that huge.

Whose bedroom were you in last? My own.

Are you counting down for anything? No not really.

Are you watching TV? What’s on? Nope.

Have you ever been bitten by a mosquito? Countless times. Mosquitos are just a part of life here in the summer. And unfortunately, mosquitos seem to find me super tasty.

Do you have a sweatshirt on right now? No, it's too warm for that today.

Where is your ex? I don’t have any exes.

Have any pictures on your dresser mirror? My dresser doesn't have a mirror.

Did you hang out with anyone today? What did you do? Nope, I haven't seen a single other human being today. My husband is away for work til tomorrow, and I haven't gone anywhere.

Have you had any beer this week? Nope.

What channel did you last watch on tv? I think it was one of the local news channels.

What was the last alcoholic beverage you consumed? It was the gin and tonic that I ordered when we were out to dinner with my parents and my Granny, when we were visiting her in Delaware in March.

Currently waiting on something/someone? Nope.

Last time you painted your nails? About 25 years ago.

What was the last thing you watched on television? Local news.

Is your shirt yellow? No, it's black.

How old will you be in 12 months? I’ll be 36.

What did you do last night? Read a bunch of Wikipedia articles, had enchiladas for dinner, played Splatoon, did some cleaning.

What woke you up this morning? My husband calling me from work.

Do you sleep naked? No.

What should you be doing right now? I need to clean the kitchen and do some tidying up, but I really don't feel like doing any of that right now.

Looking back, did you ever think you would be where you are now? That depends on how far back you'd go into the past to ask younger-me. 2-3 years ago, then mostly yes. 5 years ago, not really. 10 years ago, absolutely not. If I went back 20 years and told 15-year-old me that I'm now a chronically-ill housewife rather than an astronaut or fighter pilot, she probably would have freaked out and gone on an expletive-laden rant. 😅

Do you have make-up on? Nope.

Have you kissed anybody in the last 4 days? Yes.

Have you ever held hands with someone in a car? Yes.

The last person you kissed name started with a J or R? Nope.

Are you taller than 5 foot 7 inches? No, I'm 5'4".

Would you rather be called honey or baby? I would be very displeased if I were to be called either of those things.

The person you have the most feelings for calls you right now, what do you do? I'd ask him how the hell he's able to call me from the cockpit of an airliner at 35,000 feet, lmao.

Why aren’t you texting the last person you kissed? Because he's doing that ^ right now and is uncontactable.

Could you go the rest of your life without smoking a cigarette? Of course. I've never smoked one before.

Your last kiss meant nothing to you, right? No, it meant something.

Where is your phone? It's on the kitchen table.

Will you kiss the last person you kissed again? Yes, when he gets home from work.

What if you had a baby with the last person you kissed? That wouldn't happen. We don't want kids.

Where did you get the shirt you are wearing? I think I got it from TJ Maxx.

Do you think you’ll be married in 5 years time? Still married, yes.

Would you ever try being a vegetarian? Nope.

Did anyone call you babe yesterday? Nope.

Did you ever slam a door on someone? Not since I was a little kid. I was normally a super quiet and chilled-out kid, but I still remember having some awful tantrums. Slamming doors, throwing things, etc. Oh my god my poor parents. :(

Have you ever walked on the beach at night? Yeah, countless times.

I bet you’re thinking about someone right now? Yes.

Are you in love with someone right now? Yes.

What have you watched so far today? Nothing yet.

What is the weather like right now? It's cloudy and about 70°F.

Are you talking to anyone on AIM right now? Who? Woah, old survey alert. I haven't used AIM in like… 15 or 16 years.

What is your favorite card game? Solitaire.

What kind of pet do you have? Any certain breed? I have a budgie named Luna.

Do you wish someone was dead? Yes lmao and I'm sure we all know who I'm talking about. Somebody needs to Just Do It™. 🤣

What’s your favorite ice cream? Strawberry, cookies and cream, or maybe coffee (which is funny because I don't like actual coffee all that much).

Have you ever given a toll collector 75 cents in pennies? No. And it's been like 15+ years since I last paid a toll with coins. It's all done with the EZ-Pass transponders now.

Give me the link to your favourite Youtube video: I have a lot of favorites… lmao https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGNiXGX2nLU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kCpjgl2baLs https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D0WnZyxp_Wo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QO5wHc0qzSg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QbC6dLG_dQY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X6oUz1v17Uo

The last time you hurt yourself-how did it happen? I hurt my back about 2 weeks ago when lifting a heavy grocery bag with absolutely atrocious back posture. Thankfully it only hurt for a few days.

What’s the name of dance you can actually dance to? I can't dance. Like, at all.

If you could have any pet you wanted, what would it be? I wouldn't want any pet other than budgies at this point (and I already have one).

Did you ever have an invisible friend? Nope.

How many emails were you sent today? Four. The daily USPS email showing a scan of what mail is being delivered today, an email from my husband with a link to an article about electric cars, an email from the municipal water service with the account statement, and an email from UH about scheduling my GI appointment (which I already did, so I don't know why their system is still sending me an email about it).

Favorite sleeping position? On my side.

What are you drinking right now? Water.

What’s your favorite alcoholic drink? Gin and tonic, or pina coladas

How many hours of sleep do you get each night? Usually around 7-7.5 hours, but sometimes I have a really hard time falling asleep, or I wake up and can't get back to sleep, and I end up getting less.

Are you a good morning person? Nope. I usually feel like death after waking up. I'm like one of those old IBM mainframe computers from the 60s that took like an hour to boot up.

Have you ever been on a diet? No really, other than just roughly keeping track of calories.

What’s your favorite dessert? Creme brulee, tiramisu, fruit tarts, custard tarts, banana cream pie, cinnamon coffee cake… I clearly love desserts.

What was your favorite Christmas gift you got last year? My parents got my husband and I a gift certificate to go on a sunset dinner cruise. We haven't done it yet, though - it's just now getting warm enough to have that kind of outing.

What have you thought up yet for this year’s list? I haven't made any Christmas lists yet, as it's only June.

What’s the best activity you’ve done so far this summer? It's only the very beginning of summer, but so far, I've had fun going to the weekly farmer's market and the Renaissance Faire.

[inwintersolitude]

- June 10th 2025 -

What’s the most relaxing thing you did today? I slept in late, and then after waking up I spent like 45 minutes just chilling in bed and reading.

Do you shop at the grocery store closest to your house? Sometimes. There are a few grocery stores I go to regularly, but which one I go to depends on if I need anything specific that's at one store but not the others.

What does your car smell like? Both of them smell ever-so-slightly musty right now haha. They haven't been cleaned in too long. But my husband's going to clean the Jetta in the next few days, since we're probably going to be buying a new car on Saturday, and if we do, we're going to trade in the Jetta. I'm sure we'd get less on the trade-in value if we didn't clean it beforehand.

Who could make you feel better right now? I already feel fine.

Have you had an epiphany lately? I have, actually. About the whole religion/church thing when I was a kid and how it affects me now as an atheist adult. I'm usually very introspective and I normally understand myself incredibly well, but for much of my adult life that situation has brought up extremely complex and confusing emotions, and I didn't understand why I was feeling the way I did and reacting the way I was. It was like the ONE thing I didn't understand about myself. But a few weeks ago, I was thinking very deeply about it and I saw a picture from my childhood and I had an "aha" moment that helped me understand why. It still makes me feel very sad, but at least it makes sense to me now.

What color shoes are you wearing? I'm not wearing any. I never wear shoes in the house.

Which one of your friends is the most brutally honest? I'm not sure if I'd call any of them "brutally" honest. I don't have very many friends, but the ones I do have are tactful in how they say things.

Miracle Whip or Mayo? Mayo. Even better if it's Kewpie Mayo!

Who/What influences your taste in music the most? Just myself, I guess? I like what I like and no one really influences my taste in music. The only thing that ever influences it is me occasionally discovering new music to listen to.

Do you have anything to say to your ex bf/gf? I don't have any exes.

In what year will/did you turn 21? I turned 21 in the first week of 2011.

What do you think of the person who took this survey last? I think they seem like an awesome person. 😊 I always like reading their survey answers.

Which day of the week do you watch the most tv? Hard to say.

What’s your favorite vegetable? Zucchini, spinach, or Japanese sweet potatoes.

Which song describes your mood at the moment? No idea.

What’s the closest pink object to you? Some plastic beads on one of my bird's toys.

Do you really weigh the weight on your driver’s license? Yeah.

What’s your favorite non-carbonated, non-alcoholic beverage? Irish breakfast tea, matcha lattes, or spinach and berry smoothies.

What’s the most epic thing you’ve done so far this month? I wiped out all four opponents in the span of like five seconds while playing Turf Battle in Splatoon yesterday hahahahaha. /sarcasm

Which one of your best friend’s friends would you most likely date? Not applicable, because my husband is my best friend.

Have you ever slapped anybody? No.

Where will you be in six hours? Probably upstairs in the game room, watching YouTube or reading.

What do you wish you had more time to do? It's not about time. I have plenty of time. It's more about energy and mental capacity. <- I feel this so much. Couldn't have worded it better myself.

Who was the last person to ride in your passenger’s seat? My husband.

Would you ever let anybody else drive your car? Yeah, I can think of a few people.

How old will you be on your next birthday? 36.

What is your absolute favorite band? I think I'd consider Pink Floyd to be my favorite.

[inwintersolitude]

- June 10th 2025 -

When was the last time you walked more than five miles? It's been a while. I've had long covid for almost a year, and I have issues with tachycardia and breathlessness from even just mild exertion. It's gotten a lot better in the past 2-ish months, but I still can't walk that far. The last time I walked that far was probably when we were in Ireland in 2023.

Do you ever get blisters in really unusual and/or painful places? I sometimes get them on my feet, depending on what shoes I'm wearing.

Is it too hot not to have AC where you live, or could you/do you cope without it? Summers here aren't terribly hot - we only have about 50 days per year where it gets higher than the 70s. But during those 80+ degree days, you'd definitely want to have AC.

What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? It's a book about my hometown's history. I'd recommend it someone if they're from there or have some other connection to the town, and already have an interest in the topic.

What was the last flavour of ice-cream you had? I had vanilla ice cream with peach pie two days ago.

What did you order the last time you went out for dinner? A beef shawarma pita wrap.

Do you prefer listening to music or watching television when filling out surveys? Neither. Both are distracting. My writing ends up coming out much less articulate if I can hear music/talking in the background.

Do you struggle to sleep if your room is too hot or cold? Yep.

If you eat breakfast, what’s your favourite thing to eat? If not, why not? I have a ton of favorite breakfasts. Eggs benedict, French toast, quiche… Oh and how could I forget, the Full Irish Breakfast! That's probably my top favorite. Most days I just have something simple, though, like oatmeal or toast.

Would you ever want to run a marathon, or does it just seem like too much effort? I wish I had the physical stamina to do impressive things like that. But currently I can't.

Who is your favourite character on “Scrubs”? (if you watch it, that is). I've only ever watched the first few episodes, many years ago, so I don't have a favorite character.

Have you been watching the World Cup this year? I've never watched it.

How many pillows do you sleep with? 2.

What’s one thing your parents do that really gets on your nerves? This doesn't happen often, pretty much only when going on a family trip or doing some other big planned family event, but my mom kind of goes into Dictator Mode. She assigns herself the role of being the "master planner" of said trip/event, and it's clear that she thinks her plans and way of doing things are just inherently better than what anyone else wants to do, and she'll "volunteer" people to help her with those plans (even if that doesn't work for them or if they want to do something different). She's not at all mean or ill-natured about it, she does this while still being her regular cheery self, but it's still very frustrating. This has been on my mind lately because we're about to have a family reunion/vacation next week, so she's currently in her Dictator Mode. 😂

Do you think you could ever become a vegan? Nope. I like steak, eggs, and dairy too much.

Do you have a certain routine that you do whenever you do your hair? I just wash -> condition -> rinse -> air dry -> straighten, and that's it. I guess you could call it a routine even though it's very basic.

Are you one of those people who is constantly glued to their phones? Not usually, but I still do that sometimes. It depends on how much I have going on that day, and it also depends on my mental/physical health a little bit. If I'm feeling exhausted or severely unfocused and unable to make myself just get up and be productive, then I tend to use my phone more on those days.

If someone gave you £10,000 tomorrow, but you had to spend it within 24 hours, or you’d lose it all, what would you buy? I'd probably put it towards the new car we're planning on buying, that way we wouldn't have to pull as much out of the savings that we've set aside for that purchase. Or maybe I'd book a nice vacation.

Do you watch Wimbledon? If so, who’s your favourite tennis player? Nah.

Do you drink as much water as you should? I usually do. But I've noticed that ever since we moved to this house, I drink a little less water than I used to, because the filtered water comes out of the dispenser in the fridge door and it's freezing cold. And I don't like drinking cold water, I like it to be room temperature. Some days I'll fill a big pitcher and let it come to room temperature, that gets me to drink more water.

I read somewhere that you can get bacon cheeseburgers in a glazed donut, instead of in regular burger buns. Would you ever eat something like that? America is ridiculous. <- I fully agree with that sentiment lmao. That sounds gross as hell.

Have you ever gone to any ridiculous extremes to lose (or gain) weight? I wouldn't call it going to a ridiculous extreme, but I tried intermittent fasting about 5 years ago. It was hard to maintain.

When’s the last time someone told you off for something? I have no idea.

What do you eat when you get late-night cravings? Nachos, usually. Really simple nachos, just tortilla chips and shredded cheese, melt it in the toaster oven, and top it with jalapenos and/or a drizzle of hot sauce.

How often do you eat fast-food? About 2-3 times per month. Sometimes I just really want a Culver's burger lol.

Do you use hairspray on your hair once you’ve styled it? Nope. I've only ever had hairdressers put it on my hair a few times, I've never used it at home, but I don't like it because it makes my hair feel gross and tacky. I don't even really know how to style my hair into hairspray-needing hairstyles, anyways. The only updo I know how to do is a ponytail or half-ponytail. I can't even get a simple bun to look normal lol.

Do you ever buy albums anymore, or do you just think it’s too expensive/too much hassle? I don't think I've bought a whole album, ever. I've been buying music online since I was only 12-ish, around the time iTunes first came out, and I've always bought songs "a la carte".

What’s your favourite television show that’s still being made? Severance and Silo. I'm obsessed with both.

Do you ever get really hot feet at night? That's a rare occurrence for me. My feet are much more prone to being too cold.

Does anyone in your immediate family have any habits that worry you at all? Yeah, my brother doesn't get adequate sleep, and he's so nonchalant about it. He stays up late gaming or reading because that's his only free time away from work/kids, and then he gets up for work around 6, with only like 6 hours of sleep. He's only 31 and he seems to deal it okay for now, but that's going to take a real toll on his health over time as he gets older, if he keeps up this sleep deprivation habit.

[inwintersolitude]

- June 6th 2025 -

When was the last time you read a book? Yesterday.

What was the last flavor of tea you drank? I made myself a very strong matcha latte about an hour ago. I used the matcha latte mix from Trader Joes, and I added in 2 grams of the new decaf matcha I just opened. I had read a comment on one of the ADHD subreddits where someone said that decaf matcha helps them focus so well that it's almost like taking ADHD meds, and I decided to try it for myself. Well… I'm not really getting that effect right now haha. It's just making me feel overstimulated, which is weird because there's no caffeine. But I have a history of paradoxical reactions to things.

If you’re a youtuber, what was the last tag video you filmed? I'm not a Youtuber. I have an account, but only for watching/subscribing.

Are you subscribed to a lot of channels on youtube? Yep. At least several dozen.

What’s a trend from high school that you miss? I actually kind of miss Xanga and Myspace. Social media just hasn't been the same since those days. Now it's all about ✨content✨ rather than connections.

What color are your snow boots? Black.

Has it snowed yet this year where you live? Yeah, the last it snowed was in April.

What month is it right now? June.

Do you like the season your birthday is in, or would you change it? I like the first two months of winter, because Thanksgiving and Christmas are my favorite holidays, and I also love snow. But by late January or early February, I start to get sick of the bitter cold and the lack of sunlight (winters here are VERY cloudy/gloomy).

Do you make lists of baby names that you like? No. I don't want kids so it's not pertinent to me.

What color were the last pair of leggings you wore? Black.

Do you eat breakfast every day? Yes, I can never skip breakfast. Even if I'm waking up late and I'm not eating til like noon or later, the first thing I eat HAS to be a breakfast food.

What is something you hate about your hair? I can't stand how poofy it is. It's wavy but it's like the "every strand of hair has a mind of its own" kind of wavy rather than the smooth kind of wavy. It makes it poof out a lot and it's so annoying, so I usually straighten it.

What was the last thing you had to eat? Tomato bruschetta crackers with some brie. I wanted to get those little mini mozzarella balls to go with the crackers, but they didn't have any at the store yesterday, so I got brie instead but it doesn't pair as well.

Do you wish you had a better phone? Nope, it's an S25 Ultra so arguably there is no better phone in terms of hardware. Maybe a OnePlus. Those are really nice, too.

What was the first thing that you wanted to be when you grew up? I can't remember the very first thing I wanted to be. Might have been a veterinarian or a scuba diver. I also went through a phase where I wanted to be a chemical engineer like my dad was at the time lol.

What is annoying you right now? My in-law's family dynamics. There's a lot of enmeshment and codependency going on amongst both of my husband's parents and all of his other Boomer-generation relatives. They all try to make others responsible for their feelings rather than practicing healthy emotional regulation. I stay as far away as possible from their nonsense.

Do you have a headache? Nope.

What color is the rim of your whiteboard? It doesn't have a rim.

Do you think your parents’ childhood photos look vintage? They definitely do, since my parents were born in 1958 and 1960.

Unicorn emoji or heart eyes emoji? Heart eyes emoji.

Do you find texting fun? No, I hate texting. I don't like how it has led to so many people having the expectation that you should be constantly contactable and replying to them immediately. My husband is the only person I enjoy texting.

How old were you when you got your license? I was 17.

Do you miss someone? Yes, my Granddad. My family is about to have a big reunion/vacation in a few weeks, and it's going to feel so sad to not have him there with us.

If you could change one thing about your life, what would it be? I'd change my brain chemistry so I wouldn't have ADHD. I have a fairly severe case of it and it can be disabling in some ways.

Do you block a lot of people on facebook? No, because I never go on there.

Have you ever let someone walk on you and then later regretted it? That has happened once. Usually I don't let people walk all over me, but I let that happen at my last job because I wanted to stay working there and it was one of the few jobs in the area with the exact role that I was in.

Do you have any past mistakes you’ve made that haunt you every day? Yeah, not leaving that job. Shortly after I decided to stay working there, one of my coworkers caused a very loud accident that gave me an acoustic shock injury, and my ears have been ringing every single second of every single day of the 9+ years since then.

Are you bothered by something someone said to you years ago? Nothing comes to mind right now, but I'm sure I could think of something if I spent more time pondering this question.

Who is the last friend that you lost? Dave, I guess, but it's for the best. He was kind of a dick sometimes.

Do you have anyone who loves and supports you? Yes.

If not, do you want that? I already have that.

[inwintersolitude]

- May 29th 2025 -

How did it feel outside today? Pretty nice. It was sunny and it got up to about 70F today.

Are there any animals in the room with you? Yep, my bird.

How did you spend yesterday afternoon? Completely exhausted and non-functional. I've been feeling SO tired lately and I don't know why. I tried to make it through the day but I needed an afternoon nap and I ended up sleeping for over 3 hours.

Are any of your siblings taller than you? I only have one sibling and he's about 8-10 inches taller than me.

Name a song that reminds you of a past relationship: N/A, no past relationships.

When did you last have a nightmare? I had a dream a few nights ago that overall wasn't a nightmare, it just had one scary part where I was in a freefalling elevator. I have a lot of dreams about being in falling elevators, or getting trapped in elevators.

What’s the goriest thing you’ve ever seen? It was around 2003, I think. I was wandering around the internet and I came across a site that had links to a bunch of shock images, and most of them weren't that bad, but there was one picture of a 9/11 victim that was unspeakably horrific. I won't describe it any further than that.

Have you or do you attend pep rallies regularly? I did, when I was in high school. I don't remember how often they had them, but I don't think it was a super frequent thing.

Have you ever seen a building on fire in real life? Yes. Back in 2020 when my husband and I were living in Virginia, our neighbor's house caught fire because they forgot to turn off the grill on their back deck.

Have you kissed anyone and their first name started with an F, D, or L? Nope.

Have you ever been in therapy for anything? Yep. My mental health kind of fell apart in early 2016... I was dealing with a stressful/toxic work environment, multiple workplace injuries, an accident that permanently damaged my hearing, and getting very sick and having an ER visit that left me traumatized. I found a therapist and had sessions with her for about a year. Then in 2019, my hearing issues got worse and it was giving me horrible anxiety, so I went back to that same therapist for about 8 months. But looking back, she didn't help me as much as I had hoped, at least not with coping with the stress of having chronic/incurable medical problems. She did help me discover that I'm autistic, though.

Do you think clowns are creepy? I don't necessarily find them creepy, but I do think they're a little weird and annoying.

If you had to write an essay about a popular song… what would that song be? I have nooo clue. I've never liked writing essays, especially about topics that I'm not intensely interested in.

When did you last have some fruit? I had some blueberries yesterday.

What’s something you have to look forward to? The family vacation/reunion next month.

Is there any part of your sexual/romantic history that you have not told your current significant other about or that you will not tell future partners about? I don't have a sexual/romantic history prior to him. He's my first everything.

Have you ever developed feelings for someone whose sexual orientation was incompatible with yours? No.

How many relationships have you been in that actually got sexual? One.

Who performs the most random acts of kindness out of everyone you know? Probably my husband. He's a very caring and generous person and he loves to help people out. Little things here and there, like always making sure my laptop and drone are charged for me, giving me random back rubs, writing cute little short stories for our nephews, and every time we go to to Costco or Trader Joe's he asks my brother/SIL and parents if we can pick anything up for them.

Are any of your pets “overweight”? Nope. It's very rare for a budgie to get overweight.

Who’s the most romantic person you ever went out with? My husband is the default answer since I've never been with anyone else. He's romantic but he's not overly romantic, like to the point of being sappy and excessively emotional lol.

Last person to tell you that you smell good? My husband.

Last person you told that they smell good? My husband.

What shows do you watch? I'm not currently watching any, but in the past few months, I've watched Andor, Severance, Silo, and Parks and Rec.

Is there anything you are craving right now? I could totally go for some grilled cheese and tomato soup. It's actually what I'm going to make for dinner and I can't wait lol.

Think back to the last person you kissed, how many times have you laughed with them? Countless times.

What are five Halloween costumes that you’d like to wear in the future? Eh, I don't know. I haven't been that interested in dressing up for Halloween since I was a kid.

Who did you have your first kiss with? Do you remember what color his/her eyes were? My husband. He has blue eyes.

Whose Facebook timeline did you post on most recently? No way I'd remember... I haven't posted anything on Facebook in over a decade.

Have you ever had a restaurant dish that was made with bugs? If not, would you even want to try one? Like dishes made with those edible crickets that are covered in seasoning? Nope. And I definitely would NOT try that.

Which edible flowers have you tasted? I don't think I've ever actually eaten any edible flowers. The few times I've ordered food that came garnished with them, I picked them off.

Who was the last non-relative woman you spoke to in person? The woman who owns the new Korean restaurant that opened up last month.

What was the last video you added to your favorites on YouTube? A documentary about black holes.

Who was the last person that apologized to you? My husband.

What comes to mind when you think of pregnancy? Feeling uneasy. I'm childfree and slightly tokophobic and the thought of being pregnant makes me kind of nauseous. It would be absolute hell on earth for me.

Do you prefer bar or liquid soap? Liquid, usually.

Do any of your family members have an upcoming birthday? Yep, my dad's birthday is in a few weeks.

What is your favorite flavor of Jolly Ranchers? None. I don't like them.

Is your favorite animal endangered? No.

Are you better at writing fiction or non-fiction? Non-fiction. I am absolutely horrible at trying to come up with anything resembling a story.

Have you ever dated someone one grade/year above or below you? No, not only one year. My husband is 2.5 years older than me.

What is the middle name of the last person you texted? It was my brother, and his middle name is an old family surname, which I won't share.

Have you ever come close to drowning? Nope.

So… remember Girl Scout cookies? Any favorites you had/have? I've always loved Samoas and Thin Mints.

Why did you ignore the last person you ignored? I don't know if I'd consider it full-on ignoring, but I took a day to respond to a text from my mom. I just wasn't feeling sociable at all.

Which cartoon character would you want to keep as a pet? Uh, none?

Do you like chocolate milk? It depends. I'm picky when it comes to milk quality. I love chocolate milk (or just milk in general) if it's the really good stuff from grass-fed cows.

What is something you hate, but wish you loved? Cleaning and organizing.

What’s the cutest thing your S/O does, but denies it’s cute in any way? Not really something he does, but I think his butt looks cute when he wears pajama pants. Whenever I tell him that, he's like "meh it's just a butt" lol.

Who have you hugged in the past month? My husband and my parents.

Last bad news you heard? My mom's cousin was just diagnosed with MS.

Have you ever dined alone at a restaurant? Yeah.

Have you seen a baby being born in real life? Nope.

Do any of your exes know each other? No exes.

What’s an opinion you find impossible to take seriously? Misogynistic bullshit. Anyone who believes that garbage is viewed by me as being an uncivilized idiot.

Have you ever changed in front of the last person you kissed? Countless times.

Do you have any goats? No lol.

Do you hang out with your sibling’s friends? No.

Have you experienced any severe side effects of medications? Yes, prednisone gave me horrible insomnia and night sweats.

On Facebook, do you have people listed as your siblings who aren’t really your siblings? No.

Have you lost any close family members to cancer? Yes, my aunt. And also my paternal grandfather, but I can't say I was close with him because he died 5 years before I was born.

Do you know anyone who doesn’t have a middle name? Not that I know of.

How often do you check your emails? Usually every day.

Would you want your kids to have your hair color? I don't want kids.

Have you ever had a big YouTuber reply to a comment you left on their video? Nope. I very, very rarely leave comments, though.

Have you ever given a lap dance? I've given my husband a goofy half-assed lap dance before, more as a joke than anything sexual.

[inwintersolitude]

- May 28th 2025 -

Do you have a pool? No.

How many times have you been on a plane? Around 1,000 times, roughly. Back when I was a pilot, I flew 4-5 days a week.

Favorite icecream flavor? Either strawberry or cookies-and-cream.

The key to happiness is? I don't think it's only one thing, and it probably varies from person to person. For me, the keys to my happiness are self-acceptance, having good/loving relationships with my husband and my family, and practicing gratitude and mindfulness.

Favorite movie actress/actor? I don't really have any favorites.

Last time you ordered fast food? I ate at Swenson's a few weeks ago. Normally I get a burger, but they had a limited-time hot chicken sandwich made with some locally-made small-batch hot sauce brand, so I tried that. It was pretty good.

First CD you ever purchased? I actually don't think I've ever bought a CD. Well not a music CD, at least. Just software CDs (back when that was still how you bought software haha). I was a very early adopter of iTunes, I started using it in 2002-ish when I was around 12.

Favorite book you read? The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark, by Carl Sagan. That man was brilliant and did so much for science education. I wish that book was required reading in high schools.

Do you own anything from Tiffany&Co.? Nope, not my style.

Do you have a TikTok? No.

Closest red object you see: A gift card to one of the cafes in town.

Last time you went to the zoo, year: I went to one two weekends ago. They were having a Renaissance Faire there.

I made an extra grilled cheese, want it? I would LOVE a grilled cheese right now.

Do you enjoy driving? Sure, I don't mind it.

First initial of your middle name; M.

How many TVs do you have in your home? Three.

Do you play The Sims 4? No.

Have you ever made your own bath bombs? Nope.

Your favorite store as a teen? Souvenir shops lol. I also liked tech-y stores like Brookstone and Micro Center (and I still do).

Favorite memory of 2020? Having a year-long stay-cation because of covid. My husband was on paid leave from work from March 2020 til June 2021, so we spent most of 2020 just chilling at home together. We binge-watched a bunch of good shows and movies, we'd go on walks around the neighborhood, go on short hikes, play with our birds, play video games together, cook together. Yeah sure it was a little boring and repetitive because neither of us had anywhere to be, but it was also so relaxing.

Happy 21st Birthday, what was (or will be) your first legal drink purchase? My first legal drink purchase was actually a few days before my 21st. My husband and I were on a cruise and we stopped in Belize where the drinking age is 18 and I remember getting a cocktail called a Miami Vice. But then for my 21st birthday, we had dinner at the French restaurant on the cruise ship and I had a glass of wine.

Do you wear socks to bed? No, I hate the feeling of wearing socks without shoes. Too tight/restrictive. My feet tend to get cold while sleeping, so instead of wearing socks, I buy men's extra long sleep pants and just tuck my feet up into the pant legs.

Who do you know who enjoys sushi? I enjoy sushi more than anyone else I know lol. But I know my sister-in-law likes it, too.

You get 2 pizza toppings, what are they? Zucchini and mushrooms.

Ever dipped your pizza in ranch? Rarely, and only with certain kinds of pizza. I would never dream of dipping a nice margherita or wood-fired pizza in ranch. But if it's a shit-quality Cleveland-style pizza, then yeah, it needs something to improve it.

Ever dye your hair blonde? Nope. I had naturally blonde hair when I was a kid, though.

Do you know anyone famous? Not really anymore, but I knew Emma Stone when we were kids. Our moms have been best friends since they were in 7th grade together.

Favorite YouTuber? MaxVelocity Weather, Simone Giertz, Sabine Hossenfelder, Molly Burke, Bright Sun Travels, Chani Japan, Curt Jaimungal Theories of Everything, Finlandia Diaries, Peter Santenello, Technology Connections. And yes, I looked through my subscriptions list for this question lol.

You can only listen to one genre of music for the rest of your life, you choose: Classical.

Name a Pokémon: Geodude.

[inwintersolitude]

- May 27th 2025 -

1 - Do you have a car? How long have you had it and how much did it cost? Yep. We bought the Jetta GLI in 2018 but I can't remember how much we paid for it. And we bought the Tiguan in 2020 for about $30,000.

2 - Who was the last person to send you a message on Facebook? I don't remember. I haven't used Facebook in ages.

3 - What did you have for breakfast this morning? Frosted Mini Wheats.

4 - Do you have any scented candles lit at the moment? Nope.

5 - When was the last time you left your house? When will be the next time you go out? Yesterday, to go to the Memorial Day parade in my hometown with my husband, parents, brother, SIL, and nephews. Then we all went back to my parent's house for a cookout and just hanging out. The next time I leave will probably be tomorrow, to get groceries.

6 - Does anyone in real life follow your survey blog? If so, does it make you think twice about some of your answers? If not, are you ever paranoid that someone will find your blog and read your answers? Nope, only some online friends know about it. I'm not that paranoid that someone I know in real life will find it, because survey blogs are such a niche part of Tumblr. The chances of someone I know randomly stumbling upon it are so slim.

7 - When was the last time someone stopped talking to you? Have you made up with that person since? I have no idea.

8 - Who as the last person you argued or bickered with? It was likely my husband, but I don't even know what we could have been bickering about. Neither of us are argumentative.

9 - Do you have anything planned for the rest of the day? If you’re about to go to bed, what are your plans for tomorrow? Just making dinner, playing some Splatoon, and talking to my husband once he's done with his last flight of the day. Tomorrow's plans… I don't even know yet. Other than potentially going grocery shopping, I don't have any plans.

10 - Did you have any e-mails in your inbox the last time you checked? I have like a billion emails sitting in my inbox, I'm not the type of person who's organized/anal enough to maintain a totally clear inbox lol. A few of them are unread but they're just order confirmations and my weekly Fitbit progress report, nothing important.

11 - What time did you wake up this morning? Did you have to set an alarm or did you wake up naturally? Around 10:30. My husband woke me up.

12 - When was the last time it snowed where you live? Sometime in April.

13 - Does it bother you if you’re wearing odd socks? Yeah. Because if they're mismatched, that means they're different styles and therefore fit differently, and that would aggravate my sensory issues.

14 - Is there anything small that bothers you way more than it should? Haha, speaking of clothing-related sensory issues… yes, there are a lot of little clothing-fit-related things that drive me nuts (honestly this is the only autism symptom that truly and consistently bothers me). I also find it super aggravating when people are unnecessarily loud. Loud talkers, driving loud vehicles, playing loud music in public, etc. It's so rude and inconsiderate.

15 - Would you rather read a book, watch a film or play a video game? Right now, either reading or gaming.

16 - Why did you last attend a doctors’ appointment? I had a follow-up appointment with my dermatologist to check on the patch of seborrheic dermatitis on my hairline.

17 - Who was the last person you spoke to on the phone? My husband.

18 - How many different colours have you dyed your hair over the years? is your hair your natural colour at the moment? I've never dyed it.

19 - Do you prefer sweet or savoury snacks? Savory, usually.

20 - When was the last time you got up to use the bathroom? About 2 hours ago.

21 - Do you spend more money on shoes or clothes? I don't know. I don't keep track. I don't even like clothes/shoes shopping.

22 - Are you glad that Biden won the 2020 elections? I was.

23 - What kind of things do you do to try and save the planet? Well, I don't have kids, and even though my reasons for not wanting them don't include environmental reasons, it still is objectively the single most impactful action a person can take to reduce their carbon footprint. I also do more minor things, like using reusable shopping bags, recycling, using LED bulbs instead of incandescents, voting for politicians who support environtment-protecting policies, etc. I also plan on having my next car be electric.

24 - Are you, or have you ever been, vegetarian or vegan? Nope.

25 - What was the last thing you threw in the bin/garbage? A tissue.

26 - How many times a week do you exercise? Do you think that’s enough or should you really be doing more? It varies a lot, depending on how my heart/POTS symptoms are doing and what I can handle. Sometimes I get zero exercise, sometimes I have a few days per week where I go on walks or use the recumbent stationary bike. I don't worry about if it's enough/not enough. The concepts of "getting enough exercise" or "need to be doing more" aren't that applicable when you have a chronic illness that affects your heart rhythm and stamina to such a great degree.

27 - When was the last time you had to cancel or re-arrange plans you’d made? What was the reason behind it? I wasn't able to go to my nephew's soccer game a few weeks ago, because I laid awake tossing and turning for most of the night before and I wasn't able to fall asleep until 8 a.m. If I had gone, I would have had only 3 hours of sleep, and I would have been a miserable and barely-functional mess.

28 - Have you ever had to wear braces? Yes. And now I need them again (or Invisalign) because my childhood orthodontist didn't believe me when I told him that my retainer made me gag so much that I could barely wear it. Because of that, my teeth have shifted enough to give me an overbite, and I think that's a factor in why I developed TMJ disorder. My upper and lower teeth don't fit together like they should.

29 - What cut of jeans do you prefer? I'm not a big fan of jeans, unless they're made out of a thin/stretchy fabric instead of the usual denim. I like a high rise cut with straight legs.

30 - If you’re planning to spend the day at home, do you get properly dressed or just wear pyjamas? I change out of my pajamas, but into comfy clothes that are just for lounging around the house. I have separate clothes for wearing outside of the house, ones that are less frumpy lol.

[inwintersolitude]

- May 27th 2025 -

This time last year, what was happening in your life? I was depressed, because we had just lost Apollo to an inoperable tumor, and it all happened very suddenly. I was also feeling overwhelmed by our recent move and getting everything unpacked, to the point where I kind of gave up on it for a while (because of feeling depressed).

Did you/will you have coffee or some other form of caffeine today? Yep, I had a cup of Irish breakfast tea.

Who did you last have a text conversation with and what was it about? My husband, but we were just sending some kissy face emojis back and forth lol. He only had an hour between flights and had to do his preflight soon so he barely had any time to text.

Are there regular trains in and out of your town/city? There's a small single-track freight line. This town doesn't have passenger rail service. It would be cool if it did, though, because I love traveling via train.

Do you bathe your pets regularly? I put a shallow dish of water in her cage about once a week. Sometimes she ignores it, but other times she goes nuts for it.

Do you have a mailbox or do you collect your mail from the post office? I have a mailbox.

What was the last animal you saw, and was it a pet? I can see my bird right now.

Have you ever had an ear infection? No.

If you could watch any TV series right now, what would it be? Lately I've been wanting to do a re-watch of The X-Files.

Would you have any clue when your best friend last got their hair cut? My husband is my best friend, and I've been doing his hair cuts for like 13 years now. I last cut it about 3 weeks ago.

Someone messages you just as you’re about to go to sleep. Do you reply? Only if it's my husband.

Do you grind your teeth, and if so, why do you do it? Yep. I started doing it in my sleep in 2016, probably because of severe work stress, but I've also read a few studies that found that acoustic trauma (which I had recently been subjected to) can irritate the cranial nerves and cause TMJ issues. I'd had TMJ disorder since I was around 18 but it was only ever occasional jaw popping. It wasn't til the acoustic shock injury and work stress that my TMJ got way worse to the point where I was grinding my teeth in my sleep and waking up with jaw pain and dislocated discs. And that teeth grinding never went away even after I quit the stressful job. It's 9 years later and I still do it, and I have to wear a custom made jaw splint.

Have you ever been hospitalized due to dehydration? Nope.

Is there anything you need to remember to do before the day ends? I need to bring a package inside before it starts raining.

When you listen to music with headphones, do you keep the volume low enough to hear surrounding noise faintly, or do you blast it? I don't use headphones anymore because of my hyperacusis. I'm extremely noise-sensitive ever since the acoustic shock injury, and if I were to accidentally bump the volume-up button on my phone while using headphones, it would cause horrible ear pain and it would make my tinnitus flare up.

What’s your favorite online radio site? I don't use any.

Do your parents have any authority over who you date? LMAO no I'm married and in my mid-30s.

How many different shades of nail polish do you have? I don't own any.

What did you have for breakfast this morning? Frosted Mini Wheats.

Are you lucky enough to have an ice maker in your refrigerator door? Yep.

Are you the type to wake up before the sun has even risen? No, not at all. I am very much a night owl.

Have you ever watched an anime series, start to finish? Nope.

Do you feel the need to rant about anything right now? If so, go for it. Nah.

Do you have a favorite towel? What color is it? No.

Have you seen any films with Judy Garland in them? Just The Wizard of Oz.

How did you feel when you woke up today? Why? I felt really tired still, but I'm not sure why, because I got over 7.5 hours of sleep. I'm just not good at waking up.

Who was the last person you messaged on Facebook? I don’t remember. I haven't messaged anyone on there since like 2011 or 2012.

When was the last time you saw them? -

Do you have a friend named Nick? What’s his favourite food? Nope.

What are you listening to? Nothing.

What year are you/did you graduate? High school, 2008. College, 2012.

Are you obsessed with anything? Not completely. I have passions, but not full-on obsessions.

Do you prefer waffles or pancakes? I like them both about the same.

Do you prefer non-diet or diet soda? I'm not a big fan of soda to begin with.

Do you like seafood? I like a few kinds.

Are you craving anything right now? No, not really.

Do you dress appropriately for your age? Sure.

If McDonald’s sold hot dogs, would you buy them? No way haha.

How long is your hair? Collarbone-length.

Do you like your neighbors? Yes, they're all very nice.

What’s your school motto? -

Has a bird ever flown into your window? Yes.

Which word did you say first, mama or dada? Dada.

How old were you when you learned to walk? I don't know. Whatever the typical age is for babies learning to walk?

What was your first pet’s name? Scamper.

How many kids were in your class in kindergarten? Probably around 20 kids.

Who was your best friend in elementary? Cristie or Lauren.

Who was the best athlete in your freshman class? I have no idea.

What teacher did all the high school boys/girls have a crush on? I don't know.

Where do you see yourself in a year? Still here.

If you were able to change one thing about yourself, what would it be? I wouldn't have ADHD. It makes life so much more difficult than it should be.

Are you content just blending in with the crowd? Sure.

[inwintersolitude]

- May 25th 2025 -

Who in your family has been married the longest? (and how long?) My Granny and Granddad were married for 67 years before he passed away in 2023.

Do you have any Eastern European ancestry? Nope. Just English, with a bit of Irish (I have one Irish great-grandparent).

Where is your car parked right now? One is in the garage and the other is in the driveway.

When did you last travel alone? Where were you going? It's been a while. I think it was 2017 when I was flying out to Los Angeles. My husband was flying a 4-day trip but he had a 36-hour layover in the middle of it, and the airline he flies for put him and his crew in the Crowne Plaza in Redondo Beach, so I met up with him there and we did a day of touristy things by the beach and then I hitched a ride on his last flight back to DC the next day.

Do you take your shoes off when you come inside? Yep.

What’s your favorite movie series? The Lord of the Rings.

How are you feeling today? Mostly good. But I'm kind of nervous that I won't be able to get any sleep tonight because I have to go to bed so early. Getting my body clock on an earlier schedule is impossible, no matter how hard I try.

Look to the right - what’s the first thing you see? My bird lol. She's playing with her favorite toy right now.

What does that thing remind you of? How much I love her and how cute she is.

What was the first color you ever dyed your hair? I've never dyed it.

What is something that’s considered a luxury, but you wouldn’t want to live without? We got a remote start system installed on our Tiguan a few years ago and it's amazing. No more getting into a freezing cold car in the winter, or getting into a scorching hot car in the summer.

Do you want to move anytime soon? Nope. We just bought this house last year. However... if the base location situation with my husband's job were to change, we'd move back to the DC area, and I would be okay with that. I enjoyed living there. There was so much to do, so much to explore. Way more interesting than the bland Midwest lol.

Did you have coffee this morning? Nope, I haven't drank coffee in months. I had a cup of tea, though.

How good/bad was the quality of education you received in high school? It was really good. The public schools in my hometown were some of the best-ranked schools in the state.

What was the most interesting year of your life, and why? Probably 2011. I got my commercial pilot license, started training for my multi-engine pilot license and to be a flight instructor, got engaged, did a lot of traveling, and my husband and I went on a Caribbean cruise that January for my 21st birthday.

What was the first social media site you ever used? I'm pretty sure it was Xanga. That was such a cool site.

Do you have any exes you really regret dating? I don't have any exes.

What brand of laundry detergent do you use? Tide.

Are you prone to mood swings? Nope. But I'm kind of worried that might happen when I come off birth control pills. I have to eventually stop taking them because they're starting to give me liver lesions. I think my next pack is going to be my last.

Have you ever lied on a resume? Or even in a job interview? I've never lied on a resume, but I've probably lied about certain personality traits while in job interviews. Like, "yeahhhhh OF COURSE I love working on a team with other people!" when that is very much not true at all lmao.

Of all your friends & family, who has the most nicely-decorated home? Probably my parents, or my Granny.

What was the last thing you bought, other than food? Thumb grips for the joysticks on my Switch controller.

Do you smoke? Or vape? Neither.

What are you dreading right now? Going to bed tonight, because I just know I'm going to lie awake for hours and not get enough sleep and probably feel like utter shit tomorrow, when I really want to have a fun day with my family.

What brought about the end of the worst relationship you’ve been in? N/A, no previous relationships.

Where was the last place you spent the night other than your own home? A hotel by my Granny's retirement community.

Do you have any step- or half-siblings? No.

Have you ever been catcalled? Nope.

How old were you when you started scheduling your own doctors appointments? 18, when I moved out to go to college.

Have you ever driven across an international border? Yeah, the US-Canadian border, and also the Ireland-UK border (although it was barely discernible - there's no checkpoint or anything like that, and the biggest change was switching cell networks and also the roads were wider in Northern Ireland).

When was the last time you spoke to a neighbor? Maybe like a month ago. I ran into my next door neighbor at the grocery store.

Is your best friend male or female? Male.

When was the last time you washed your bed sheets? About a week and a half ago.

What do people always seem to think is weird about you? I'm autistic and I have ADHD, there's probably loads of things that people think are weird about me. I've noticed before how sometimes people are surprised by the things I'm interested in, because they're not "stereotypical" things a young woman would be interested in.

Ever notice how high schools in movies/tv shows are portrayed way differently than in real life? Yeah I suppose so.

Do you ever braid your hair? I used to occasionally braid it when it was longer, but I keep it shorter nowadays.

What food sounds the most appetizing right now? I could really go for a grilled cheese sandwich and tomato soup.

[inwintersolitude]

- May 25th 2025 -

What object in your room is really important to you? There are so many. The giant bumblebee plushie that my husband got for me several Christmases ago… some of my Granddad's old cardigans and ties… the quilt that my Great Grammy made for me for my high school graduation… lots of other things too. I have a lot of sentimental items.

Are you good at hiding your feelings? I don't actively try to hide them, I'm just not a very outwardly-expressive person to begin with.

Would you kiss an ugly person for $1,000? Yo that's really mean.

What kind of sense of humor do you have? Kind of dry/witty, I guess. Sometimes goofy and weird.

Do you usually tell people when they hurt your feelings? There isn't really anyone in my life who hurts my feelings. And if they ever did, I know it's not intentional. None of my family or friends are the type to be assholes towards people.

Do your initials spell out a word? No.

Do you sing in the shower? No.

Where is the last place you went shopping? Meijer.

Do you have the same name as one of your relatives? Nope.

Are you looking for a boyfriend/girlfriend? No. I'm married.

Do you prefer a call or a text? It depends on who I'm talking to.

Drinking anything? Yes, a glass of water. And I might make myself a cup of decaf matcha soon.

Do your parents drink coffee every morning? I think they usually do.

Have you ever donated blood? Nope. My high school had a blood drive, but I didn't weigh enough lol. You had to be 110 lbs and I was only like 105 lbs when I was a teenager. And now I wouldn't donate because having POTS means my body likely has too low of a blood volume.

One song that's meaningful to you? I can't think of one right now.

How long is your hair? Collarbone-length.

Addicted to anything? Yes, that new Korean restaurant that just opened up lmao.

What were you last listening to in the car? I can't remember. The last few times I've been in a car, it was raining pretty hard so I wouldn't have been able to hear the radio very well even if I did have it on.

When was the last time you sang out loud? I'm not sure.

What did you have for breakfast? Cinnamon oatmeal with diced apple on top.

Is your birthday on a holiday? Technically yes. It's on Epiphany, but it's a rather minor holiday, and I'm not a Christian so it's not something that I'd even celebrate.

What instant messaging service do you use? I don't use any. Just texting.

Can you cook? Yep.

Did you have a nap today? No. I don't feel like I need one, plus I have to go to bed pretty early tonight.

What do you wear more jeans or sweats? I almost never wear either. Jeans give me sensory issues because of how stiff and non-stretchy denim is. And I don't like the fuzzy lining on sweatpants. I mostly wear leggings, linen pants, cargo pants, and pajama pants when I'm at home.

Do you swear a lot? Kind of.

Where did you get the shirt(s) you're wearing? Kohl's, like a million years ago.

Do you have any regrets? A few. Nothing I can't live with, though.

What's the first thing you notice of the opposite sex? How they treat other people.

Do you want something you can't have? A cure for hearing loss, tinnitus, and hyperacusis. I can't have it because it doesn't exist. Medical research hasn't gotten to that point yet.

What color are your favorite shoes? I don't really have a favorite pair.

Who would you like to see right now? My Granny. I can't wait to see her at the family reunion next month.

Are you a social or antisocial person? I'm very introverted and I like being alone, but I still enjoy socializing with family and friends.

Have the cops ever come by your house? When I called 911 last October because I thought I was having a heart attack, a cop showed up before the ambulance did. Apparently they're sometimes dispatched on certain medical calls if they have an AED device in their car.

Ever been in love? Yes, since 2010.

Would you rather sleep with someone, or alone? I sleep way better alone. My husband and I have had separate bedrooms for years, because if I get woken up it usually takes me 2+ hours to fall back asleep, and also because his sleep schedule is sometimes way different from mine due to his work. But I still sleep in his room sometimes.

[inwintersolitude]

- May 25th 2025 -

What was the last large city you visited? I was in downtown San Antonio two months ago, but I'm not sure if I'd call San Antonio a "large" city. The last truly large city I was in was Dublin, in 2023.

Have you ever lived in a house with a finished basement? Yep, my current house has a finished basement, and the house that my husband and I rented from 2013-2016 had a finished basement as well.

How many Canadian provinces have you been to? Two. Ontario and Quebec.

What kind of car did you take your drivers test in? My parent's minivan lol. It was a Honda Odyssey.

What is your first memory of being in a hospital? Being a young kid, probably around 4 or 5, and having to go to the hospital for testing and procedures related to my birth defect of my kidneys/bladder.

Do you have any relatives with red hair? Yes, one of my cousins.

What's a really unusual pet peeve that you have? This is super pedantic of me, but I find it annoying when people call meteors "shooting stars." Stars don't shoot across the sky, and anyone with a 2nd grade education should know that.

Does anyone in your life treat you badly? No.

Are you allowing them to treat you that way? Or do you stand up for yourself? N/A. I would not tolerate that, though, if that were happening to me.

Have you ever cut someone out of your life because of how they treated you? Yes, by quitting a job with a borderline abusive/exploitative boss.

Is there really any difference between 'turning the other cheek' and being a doormat? Not really, I guess.

What is something good that has happened to you in the past week? I had several days that were quite fun. My husband and I went to the farmer's market and out to brunch and looked around a few of the cute little shops on the town square. And another day, we went to the Renaissance Faire with my brother and his two kids. And I think the best part of all, is that I was able to do all of that walking without my post-covid heart problems flaring up. None of that gave me a tachycardia episode where I'd have to sit/lay down and rest, and it didn't give me any chest pain either. I think I'm slowly starting to get better.

How much was the rent/mortgage at the cheapest place you've ever lived? My husband and I's first place together was only $250/month. Crazy to think about nowadays. But this was way back in 2010, plus we knew the landlord from flight school - he had inherited the house after his mother died and he just wanted it rented out while him and his wife lived elsewhere.

Are you usually busier on weekdays, or weekends? Weekends. My husband typically has 3-4 days off over the weekends and we're usually out doing things, especially in the summer when the weather is nice.

List all the people of the opposite sex whom you fully trust 100%. My husband, my brother, my dad, my Uncle Scott, my uncle Dave, my Great-Uncle Mike, my friend Cory.

Have you ever been to a gay pride parade? No.

Do you still keep in touch with your very first best friend? No, I haven't seen him since 1996. I think my mom is Facebook friends with his mom, though. My mom is super sociable and is probably Facebook friends with like 90% of people she's ever met. 😂

When was the last time you slept in later than usual? Yesterday.

Have you ever lived in an apartment/flat? Yep, I had a 1-bedroom garden-style apartment for a few months when I was in college, before my husband and I moved in together.

Do you wear contact lenses? Not anymore.

^ If you do, have you ever slept with them in? I think I occasionally did, back when I still wore contacts. For a while, I had the gas-permeable kind that were okay to sleep in, but I usually didn't do that because it made my eyes kind of dry.

Have you ever owned a Toyota? Nope.

Who got married at the last wedding you went to? Mine and my husband's closest friend. Him and my husband have been friends since they were 5 years old.

What was your favorite home-cooked meal when you were a kid? I loved when my dad would make steaks on the grill, and my mom would make potatoes and asparagus to go with it. I also liked when my mom would make Chicago deep-dish pizza, she sometimes made that for me as a birthday treat.

What was the topic of the last conversation you had with your dad? We were just catching up on life. I was telling him about what my husband and I had planned for the weekend.

Have you ever drank Turkish coffee? I think I've had it once.

Are you an active member of any online communities/message boards? Just the ProBoards forums that us Bzoink users migrated to when Bzoink shut down last year.

Why do so many teenage girls fall for the "bad boys?" I have a theory that it's the girls with asshole fathers who go for the "bad boys," because they grew up thinking that asshole behavior is normal for men since that's all they've ever seen from their father. Just a theory. I could be totally wrong.

Do you know anyone who is (or has been) in a cult? Nope.

Have you ever been to a wedding where the bride was a total bridezilla? Nope.

How often did you visit your grandparents when you were growing up? About 2-3x a year, on each side. My Grandma lived in Illinois, and my Granny and Granddad lived (still live) in Delaware, so it was about a day's drive away to get to both sides.

Have you ever accidentally deleted a voicemail you meant to save? Maybe. I can't remember.

Are you the jealous type when it comes to relationships? Nope.

Have you ever been in a relationship with someone who was the jealous type? Nope.

Would you ever want to live in Switzerland, if given the opportunity? I think it would be neat to live there temporarily. My Granny and Granddad actually lived there in the 70s-80s and they really loved it there.

Have you ever had psoriasis? Nope.

What is tomorrow's weather forecasted to be like? It's going to be partly sunny with a high of 62°F.

[inwintersolitude]

- May 24th 2025 -

• Numbers Survey •

How old are you? 35.

What day of the month is your birthday? The 6th.

What's the last digit of your phone number? 9.

What's your favorite number? I don't have a favorite.

How many bedrooms does your home have? 4.

How many people do you live with? 1.

How many exes do you have? 0.

How long is the song you're listening to? (If you have music going.) I'm not listening to anything right now.

What time did you wake up, today? Around 10 a.m.

How many siblings do you have? 1.

How many gaming consoles are in your home? 4, I think. I can't remember if my husband still has his old PS2.

How many pets do you have? 1.

How many schools have you attended? 8. But 7 of those were for preschool through 12th grade. My hometown had small elementary schools, only 1-2 grade levels per school, so I moved on to a new school every 1-2 years. And the 8th was the university I went to.

How old were you when you had your first kiss? (If you've had it.) 20.

How many movies have you seen at the cinema this year? 0.

How many windows does your bedroom have? 2.

How many TVs are in your home? 3.

How many pairs of shoes do you own? Probably around 9 or 10 pairs.

How many hours of sleep did you get last night? 7.5.

How many inches long is your hair (at it's longest point)? It's about collarbone-length, so… maybe like 6 inches? 8 inches? I don't know without getting out my ruler.

How many chairs are in your living room? None currently, just a big sectional couch. I'm still shopping around for a new armchair, and I'm picky, so it's taking a while.

How many pairs of sunglasses do you own? A few.

How many cell phones have you owned/had? 12, I think.

How many apps are on your cell phone? Probably over 100 lol.

How tall are you? 5'4".

How long have you lived in your current home? 1 year and 1 month.

What percentage is your phone's battery at right now? 68%.

How much is your home's rent (or mortgage) each month? $3,092.

How many surgeries have you had? One major surgery, and about 5-6 very minor outpatient procedures for like biopsies and stuff.

How many doors does your home have? 3 exterior doors. 29 interior doors (if you also count closet doors).

How many times did you drink (alcohol) last month? 0.

How many pillows are on your bed? 2 at the moment.

How many letters are in your first name? 5.

How many times have you been in love? 1.

How many pieces of jewelry are you currently wearing? 0.

What is the age difference between you and your significant other? 2.5 years.

How much cash do you currently have? I usually don't carry cash. I might have a few bills/coins in my wallet, but I'm not sure.

How many contacts are in your phone? Maybe like 20?

How many best friends do you have? 1.

How old is your mom? 64.

How old is your dad? 66.

How many keys do you have (on your keyring/chain or whatever)? 3.

How many keychains are attached to your keys? 1.

How many video games do you own? I'm guessing about 15? 20? There are a lot that I haven't played in years so it's hard to remember how many I have.

How many monthly bills do you pay/have? Uhh let's see… mortgage, electric, gas, phone, internet, water/sewer, lawn care, car insurance, 3 streaming services… so, 11, unless I'm forgetting any.

If you get an allowance, how much do you get weekly? N/A.

If you have a job, how much do you earn (hourly)? N/A.

What is your town/city's population? (You might need to look that one up.) About 25,000.

How long have you lived in the town you currently live in? 3 years and 8 months.

How long have you lived in the state/province you currently live in? The first time I lived here was for 20 years. Then my husband and I moved to Virginia for a little over 8 years, and now we've been back in Ohio for 3 years and 8 months.

How long have you been with your significant other? (if taken) A little over 15 years.

How long were you with your most recent ex? (if you have one) I don't have any exes.

How many blind dates have you been on? 0.

How many email addresses do you have (that you use)? 2.

How many times have you traveled outside of your home country? 8.

How many times do you usually sneeze in a row? Usually just once. Sometimes twice.

What time is it right now? 10:46 p.m.