1. I live with my Mum and 3 cats. My boyfriend stays over about half the time because I can’t afford to move out as I’m a student, but he doesn’t really “live” here. Unless you’re from the airline where I gave him (as a member of my household) my frequent flier miles which were about to run out, in which case he definately lives here.
2. I’m a student, I just finished a Bachelor of Music (violin) and now I’m studying contemporary music (singing), like rock, pop, jazz etc at a music school. I have part time jobs where I teach violin/theory, and I have a covers band which we’ll be making money out of soon. Hopefully.
3. I’m proud of the effort I spend on my hair, my violin degree, having 3 cats with such different personalities (hopefully when I have kids they’ll be just as unique), being a genuine person, singing in a covers band, and my sense of style (even if I can’t afford the clothes I want, or would even be able to fit them if I could afford them).
4. I love
– Motley Crue
– Chanel perfume
– Swimming in the ocean when there’s huge surf
– Those crane machines where you pick up toys (4/5 the other day!)
– Los Angeles
I hate
– Allergies
– OCD/depression
– Being insanely shy
– Stuttering when I’m nervous because I’m just trying to get the words out of my mouth before I lose the nerve
– Working the late shift at work at my minimum wage job on the weekends because it is the only job that fits in with class, and I will NEVER do this again, except with my band

Live: With my husband of 13 years, our son and daughter (10 & 6), 1 cat, 1 dog, 1 parrot, various pond fish and assorted tadpoles.

Work: (Outside the home)Budget and cost manager for an electronics manufacturer. I spend countless hours querying Oracle databases for cost information and countless more hours manipulating that data in Excel. (At home) Keep the family schedules, pay the bills, rudimentary cleaning, f*ing laundry, feed the family, feed the pets…the list goes on…

Pride in: Our beautiful, intelligent, exasperating children, My technical skills, my degree in finance, my daily accomplishments at workplace.

Love: My family, reading, tattoos, singing with the radio loud enough to embarrass my children, riding my motorcycle.

Hate: Beets, intolerance, deliberate cruelty, f*ing laundry, not knowing the answer.

1. Husband of 11 years and 2 cats.

2. For work I volunteer, tend to my household and will soon be a student again.

3. I am proud that I am going back to school. I am excited and nervous, but very glad to be going back at this point in my life. I am 30 years-old and, for many reasons, this is a big step for me. I will be studying nursing, which is something I always wanted to do. Years ago I put my self on hold thinking I would be raising a family. Life didn’t turn out that way.

4. I love my relationship with my husband. I love monsoon season (I live in Arizona). I love going for evening walks, even when it’s 108* out at 8:00 pm! I love passing time and reading a few favorite blogs. I love getting surprises in the mail, because I get so tired of junk and bills all the time.

I hate seeing people in pain, emotionally or physically. I can’t stand hearing about cruelty towards people and animals. I despise infertility. I hate humid weather. I simply can’t stand the smell or taste of coffee, though my husband is an avid coffee drinker. (I prefer my caffeine with the controversial aspartame in the form of Diet Coke!).

1. With my parents (god, I know), my brother, and three cats, one of which is mine.

2. Tell people they aren’t stupid, be condescended to, straighten lightbulbs, be bitched at about thing that aren’t my fault, VERY occasionally clean a public restroom, and joke with my fellow drones. Oh, but mostly I take people’s money in exchange for items that they wish to own. I work retail, can you tell?

3. Hmm… this is a tough one. My ability to burp really loud (at least sometimes). Being able to raise one eyebrow. Having a pet that feels safe around me, even when it’s thundering.

4. Love:
My family (yes, including pets)
Sleeping until I’m not tired any more, than waking up and stretching slowly in the sunlight.
The internet, especially blogs
My dorky friends
Fall Out Boy and the Killers (or, at least their music. And I refuse to be shamed about it!)

Hate:
I too hate all types of melons. I’m so happy to see someone else in the comments who feels the same way! God, melons are gross.
Being tired (though that doesn’t seem to stop me).
Humiliating myself in public because I’m trying to be cool. Oh, I too hate that whole ‘seeing someone waving at you (or so you think!) and then it turns out it’s someone behind you’ thing. AND I DO IT ALL THE TIME! God, that is SOOO embarassing.
Assholes. Especially those who are assholes to someone working a shitty retail job– there’s no reason good enough to behave like that.
Animal abusers. Rot in hell, says the agnostic.

1. I live with my fiance, our needy lab/Irish setter mix Monk, a fat mean cat named Coltrane, a fatter-but-nice cat named Jelly Roll, and a betta named Ol’ Drippy. He recently replaced Meatwad the Betta. Suicide. Tragic.

2. At work I cut mats and glass, drymount things (that’s not as dirty as it sounds), assemble frames, and do all other things art framing related. I also hang the art on the walls, help customers design custom framing for their art, feed the gallery’s fish, clean, order things. I measure a lot, do a lot of math, try to sell expensive pieces. At home I clean, take care of the pets, and work on my own art. Painting mostly. I also enter shows, etc.

3. I’m proud of my man. He’s rad. I’m also proud of my art (when I’m not loathing it), my work ethic, and my strength.

4. I love my family (also includes the pets), trying to keep my plants alive, listening to windchimes, writing, and watching Aqua Teen Hunger Force. And pestering my sister. That was six, sorry. I hate CENTIPEDES, the noise the dog makes when he’s licking his junk AGAIN, any food that’s anywhere close to being burnt, bad driving, and the sound of forks scraping on plates/teeth.

1. I live with my husband, 9 year old son, 2 year old daughter (god help me), dumbass dog, one skinny elderly and one young fatass cat, and 2 hermit crabs.

2. At the office, I handle manuscripts submitted to jounrals, managing the process from keeping folks on deadlines, creating tables & figures and proofreading, I do general computer and server maintenance, and do lots and lots of research. And I bitch a lot. At home I do pretty much everything that doesn’t involve mowers. And for the few chores I don’t do, I go behind everyone and do them either RIGHT or COMPLETELY, as needed. I’m the only one who can find anything. And I bitch a lot.

3. I’m proud of the kind of mother I am – pretty laid back and not uptight (especially given the mother I have). My kids think I’m fun and they are always telling me “I love you” spontaneuosly. That makes me proud. I’m proud of how kind and gentle and caring my kids are to others. I’m proud of my success at work.

4. Love: family, reading, alone time, swearing, TV. Hate: spitting, clueless/asshole/drunk drivers, cigarette smoke, spiders, bad customer service.

1. I live with my friend anne (in the attic of her recently purchased house) and her friend scott, and his dog huckleberry, and partly anne’s boyfriend john.

2. I have two part time jobs. In one I order books that have gone lost (stolen) or gotten damaged from the 3 libraries that are on the university campus. in the second I study and get paid for it, and hand deliver interdepartmental mail to make it seem as though I’m doing something.

3. I am proud that I developed a sense of responsibility and cleanliness, and that I know how to do things like cook and knit and do research and sustain wonderful friendships & relationships, and that I seem to be learning how to do these things better as the days go by, if I pay attention.

4. I love my boyfriend, my future cat, libraries, taking showers, and organizing things. I hate the act of putting food in the fridge in a pot that takes up all the room instead of transferring the food to a plastic container, when someone eats the last of my food, when I can’t find the end of the whisper thin toilet paper in a public bathroom, the fact that people are happy to stay where they are without trying to know themselves, and eggplants.

I have been enjoying your journal for some time now, so thanks for writing, and keeping it public.

Oh…this sounds like fun. I’ll fill my answers in and then…when I have time…go and read everyone else’s. :)

1. Who do you live with?
My husband, affectionately known as Mushroom, and my two sons — A1 is four and A2 is fourteen months.
2. What are some of the things you do at work (”work” includes managing households and raising children, of course)?
According to my husband, I sit around all day, eating candy and playing on the computer. But strangely enough, that isn’t how I see my day. Candy? Stolen by A1 if I had any in the first place. Computer? Deeply resented by A2 whenever he sees me sit down, so not much of that, either. What are some of the things I do? Umm…change diapers, kiss boo-boos, keep a tight grip on what little remaining bit I have left of my sanity.
3. What are you proud of?
That despite my mistakes and slip-ups, my children are still growing into lovely young men (obviously can see more of this in A1 than A2), which gives me hope that children are rather more resilient than I give them credit for being. In my life, I’ve done things I thought I’d never do — fly overseas alone, live in a Middle Eastern village, give birth (A2) with (very little) medication…I feel so white-bread but my life has been extraordinary. I did these things, survived these things, and came through a stronger, better person with a clearer sense of who I really am.
4. What are five things you love, and five things you hate?
Love:
1. my faith, which is what it is, is very important to me.
2. children
3. husband
4. family (beyond the nuclear unit :))
5. chocolate (just ’cause)
Hate:
1. I hate hate: that sort of hate that poisons, that allows people to self-style as superior to others
2. white chocolate (it doesn’t even deserve to be called “chocolate” because, seriously, where’s the chocolate???)
3. being rushed
4. being told not to wear my feelings on my sleeve
5. my allergies (cats, dogs, hamsters, flowers…you name it, and I sneeze)

1. I live with my parents and their three godawful dogs.
2. These days, the only “work” i really get up to is finishing my thesis, but some of what I actually DO is: try not to sleep so late that I piss off my dad, avoid being seen in embarrassing situations by any of the webcams my parents have stationed around the house, go to the gym and try not to fall off the equipment while i’m admiring the hotties, pick food off my shirt, and feed the dogs directly from my dinner plate.
3. I’m proud of my encyclopedic knowledge of any and all things related to hollywood, movie, tv, and celebrity gossip. I’m proud of my ability to remember every humiliating fact and admission of my friend and former roommate Connie, and my skill at reminding her of them at JUST the right moment in a conversation. And I’m proud that my dad’s favorite dog likes me better.
4. LOVE: really really old threadbare sheets, when someone says they miss me, the addams family, to oh so delicately remove the bottom layer of chocolate from each cell of a raspberry lindt bar and scoop out the liqueur with my tongue, steak. HATE: when some one says “hi, how are you” and you say, “i’m good, thanks, how’re you,” and they go, “I’m WELL. thank you.” greasy hair, being dressed wrong at a party, sports.

1. Who do you live with?
I live with my husband Jay and our two cats. I’ve had the two cats longer than I’ve had the husband. (13 and 6 years vs. only 2)

2. What are some of the things you do at work (”work” includes managing households and raising children, of course)?
I’m a library assistant in the circulation department of a large university library. I do the basics (check books in/out, harass people about fines, help little lost freshmen do research), as well as some more complicated behind the scenes stuff. I help run the interconnected libraries program for our school. I take care of and keep track of any outside users of our library, a task involving a lot of paper and several fat notebooks and a big bottle of aspirin. I look forward to Fridays because that’s the day I get to send threatening letters to slackers who don’t return their books. I spend a lot of time on the internet, and a lot of time chatting with students. I work approximately 10 feet from my husband, who also works in the library. He has an office. I have a cubicle. :P

3. What are you proud of?
Oh, I don’t know. My life is certainly not the glamorous life of research & lab work I envisioned when I was in middle and high school, and I didn’t become an astronaut or a scientist, but I’m still perfectly happy where I am and with who I am… so that counts for more, in my opinion. I’m proud that I can accept myself. I’m proud that I’m going to be a mom someday and I’m even more proud that I’m making plans to go back to school, to learn to become a pastry chef.

4. What are five things you love, and five things you hate?
I love cooking, long car rides (sorry, haha), rainy days, my family, and most importantly, chocolate. I hate bugs, thunder & lightning storms, driving in traffic, students who want to argue about their fines or overdue books, and packing for vacations.

1. I live with my very particular, demanding, and yet so-sweet husband and our equally demanding and particular and sweet 5 month old daughter.

2. I’m a mom. I change a lot of diapers, give a lot of baths, spend a lot of time with a hungry babe attached to me. I also do a lot of dishes, clean a lot of floors, drive lots of places…blah blah blah.

3. Hmm. It’s occurred to me that I’m not proud of much about myself at the moment. Gotta work on that. But I am proud of my daughter for being the smart little cookie she is, and of my husband for building his business to a point where he’s ready to hire someone else to do some of the grunt work for him. I guess I’m also proud of the fact that I’m a darn good mom and wife.

4. I love mint chocolate chip ice cream, iced cappucinos, books books books, people people people, and traveling, even if it’s just down the street. I do not like it when my husband doesn’t do what I want him to do (can we say spoiled rotten?), doing housework, running, people who make mountains out of molehills, or making decisions.

1. Who do you live with?
-My lovely husband and soon to be newborn (3 more weeks!)

2. What are some of the things you do at work (”work” includes managing households and raising children, of course)?
-I am a freelance journalist, currently taking time off to deal with things like bedrest and baby incubating. I’m excited to get back to writing, though, someday.

3. What are you proud of?
-Mostly? That I made the incredibly difficult decision to have a baby. That I have somehow found that elusive balance of contentment, partnership and independence in my marriage. That I am happy and able to love.

4. What are five things you love, and five things you hate?
-I love Neil Finn. Traveling. Curling up on the couch with the hubby on the couch watching The Office. Reading for pleasure. Summer evenings with nothing particular to do.

-I dislike stupidity. Fear. Paranoia. Worry & resentment. And letting any of them having control in my life.

1. I live with my husband and my dog.
2. For work, I travel to the homes of kids with developmental disabilities, train their parents, and help troubleshoot any problems that they’re having.
3. I’m proud that I finally took on a job with more responsibility, after being a teacher assistant for 12 years. I’m proud that I have made a life for myself that I mostly really like.
4. I love dogs, the internet, books, Tivo, and the TV show House. I hate change, driving somewhere new, unloading the dishwasher, making decisons, and fish.

I like your questions better than mine.

1. I live with my (large and in charge) fiance Robby, my (Gigantor) baby Nolan, 10 months, and our mildly beligerent husky-shepherd cross, Jordi, who may or may not love me solely because I provide him with savoury bacon sauce each day.
2. I wipe a lot of bum, swirl dirt on the floor, obsessively read blogs, set mouse traps, and freelance in a haphazard and completely disorganized fashion.
3. I am proud of my son. That makes me want to sob. I am proud that the relationship I thought was doomed keeps hanging by a bloody thread, and I am helping to sew it up. I am proud of the fact that I am doing something about my writing. I am shocked that I’m a good Mom.
4. Love: Lush bath bombs, Augusten Burroughs, the crunch of dirt under my running shoes, Nolan’s giggle, the ring on Rob’s finger. Hate: Pettiness, country music, mommy feuds, angry drivers and asparagus.

1. I live with my husband (a knight in shining armor, really….no, really), my almost-eight-year-old daughter, and my seven month old daughter. Also, two cats, two dogs, assorted fish, several dust bunnies, a library full of books and a house full of textile craft and sewing supplies.
2. At work, I teach the elderly how to swallow and speak again after disease and illness takes those skills away. I attend many many meetings, break bad news to people, explain the inner workings of the brain, process the payroll, manage productivity and keep an eye on the bottom line. I also herd cats.
3. I’m most proud of my beautiful daughters, my wonderful husband (who is going back to college to get a degree), the fact that I am the only one in my family to have gotten a Master’s degree, and that I have many interests and talents and far too many hobbies!
4. LOVE: my family, books, glassworking, sewing, rainy fall days, fresh bedsheets, whipped cream, Celtic music, glossy magazines, Woodchuck hard cider.
HATE: self-important, holier-than-thou individuals, hypocrisy, abuse of women, children and animals, poison ivy/oak/sumac rashes, politics, and non-turn-signal-using jerks.

1. I live with my husband of *exactly* 9 months as of today. We share a house that is much too small with one large German Shepherd, 2 large cats, and one small-ish cat.

2. At work, I do physical therapy on babies and children. I work with babies as young as negative 5 days adjusted age, all the way up through high school. I tend to prefer the babies. I also spend a fair amount of my time writing up paperwork on said children and then complaining about it. Oh- and wiping spit-up off my clothes. I devote some serious time each day to that as well.

3. I’m proud of what I do at work, and I’m proud of the fact that I’m pretty good at what I do. I have been able to help children and their families in some really difficult situations, and I know it makes a difference to people when they need it most. I’m proud of my flexibility in difficult situations, and my ability to make people feel more at ease when they are uncomfortable. I’m really good at speaking in public, and that makes me happy.

4. I love-
everybody that shares my house. reading. a nice glass of Shiraz while reading. kittens and puppies. macaroni and cheese.

I hate-
being jealous. seeing roadkill. spelling mistakes on things like signs and reports- things that should be proofread by SOMEBODY, for god’s sake. most movies out there. people who abuse animals and children.

1. I live with my fiance Barrett and our two cats, Trixie and Colin.

2. I am currently unemployed after many years of managing work comp claims. So currently, I keep the house clean, blog, read other blogs, play with the cats, make wedding plans, cook, go see bands play, go to the gym, volunteer at the National Archives branch here in Seattle, and take temp work whenever I can with the U. W.

3. I am proud of the fact that I decided to leave a bad job that I didn’t like, even though I had no other employment lined up and it was scary. I am proud of being a good friend to my friends, esp. friends in need. I am proud of my burgeoning culinary skills.

4. I love Barrett/family/friends, basil, “Firefly” (a recent discovery), my music collection, and knowing that George W. Bush will no longer be President of my country by early 2009. I hate willfully ignorant people, paying COBRA, women who make me ashamed of my own sex for reasons too numerous to mention, Dennis Miller, and olives.

Heh. Yay. me, Number 66 … as of right now. If you get this far down the list I will be seriously impressed.

1. I live with my husband of almost two years, unless the Army is mandatorily separating us because of the violence or because of some fucking war in some fucking place or other.

2. At work, I write “articles” for a military “newspaper.” In other words, I spread propaganda. That is, when my co-workers and I aren’t mercilessly mocking everyone we know, up to and including each other. I also get to hear little snippets of genius in the form of quotes like, “It’s all fun and games until someone’s a crackhead.” Oh, and sometimes they let me shoot a rifle. Whee!

3. I’m proud of the fact that I have somehow managed to not get kicked out of the Army for four straight years already; I’m proud of getting through a year deployment without going clinically insane; I’m proud of my husband for putting up with my borderline clinical insanity, and I’m proud that I ultimately did NOT end up being the fuck-up in my family.

4. Love – my family, husband and friends, being right, getting laid, eating ravioli, and finishing things that I start. Like this list.
Hate – Other drivers, George W. Bush, Ign’ance, ruck marches, and motherfuckers who are too damn cheerful first thing in the morning on a fucking workday. Oh, and of course, the Army.

1. I live with my husband, my 14 month old little boy, and a neurotic cat.
2. I create web pages and logos, I try really hard not to leave Sesame Street on all morning to distract The Boy so I can drink coffee and read US magazine, I teach kids martial arts, and I wash dishes. I do not do laundry. I hate doing laundry.
3. I’m proud of the way my baby is turning out, I’m proud of my husband for being so kind and wonderful, and I’m proud of the fact that I can manage a house, raise a baby, work from home, and I’m proud that I have yet to kill the cat when she meows so loud that she wakes up the baby at 3am.
4. I love: ice cream, jamba juice, diet coke, twilight in the summer, and bad television.
I hate: reptiles, wind, when the baby won’t let me pick him up and does that wet-fish squirmy thing, yogurt, and when I find litter in my bed. Only on my side.

1. Who do you live with? My husband, my 14 month old son, and our 6 year old dog.
2. What are some of the things you do at work (”work” includes managing households and raising children, of course)? I answer reference questions, help library patrons, create library web pages, write grants, catalog books for library catalogs, etc. At home I keep house, clean up lots of poop (both dog and boy), cook, take my son on outings, do laundry, grocery shop, pay bills, etc.
3. What are you proud of? Of being a librarian, of standing up for the freedom of information against so many obstacles, of taking on a career that is so meaningful to me. Of my family, of my marriage, of my son, all of it everyday.
4. What are five things you love, and five things you hate? I love my family, my career, my neighborhood in Seattle & my old rickety fixer upper craftsman house, TiVo, and RSS readers. I hate when my husband makes fun of me for reading gossip sites/magazines, folding fitted sheets, body hair, gay bashing and two piece swim suits.

1. Who do you live with?
My husband and my bald son Connor, 14 months. No pets. Thankgod.

2. What are some of the things you do at work (”work” includes managing households and raising children, of course)?
Visit a ridiculous amount of stores around Auckland (New Zealand) trying to convince them to sell Motorola product. (You have one right!?). Yeah so mobile phones are my life unfortunately. At “Home Work” I spend my time trying to clean up the house (kind of gone a bit nutty after becoming a mum) which gets trashed again the exact second I put the vacume away. It’s not a good time.

3. What are you proud of?
Myself for having a 9pound plus baby. Christ. I am proud of me for pulling my head in and doing the best I can possible do for my son – for growing up A HELL OF A LOT the past year and a bit. I am proud of my hubby for continuing to put up with my crazy antics and so so proud of the little monster we like to call our “boy boy”.

I love eating out, summer time, trashy celebrity magazines, the feeling of pure happiness when my ugly roots have been touched up and shopping although this hardly happens these days!

I hate: Traffic, winter time, sick babies, fighting with the hubby and work stress.

1. I live with my husband, two sweet dogs, a yowly cat, numerous plants and a mountain of student loan debt.

2. At work I attend endless meetings, respond to never-ending email communications, drop everything for the latest crisis-du-jour, daydream about what it means to have a work/life balance, feed my fish, win friends and influence people. You know, the usual. At home I cook, vaccuum and generally try to avoid all other housework.

3. Although I have an aversion to the concept of pride, I am proud of the fact that I have been able to hold it together well enough to get to where I am.

4a. Outside of the ususal suspects (family, friends, pets, travel, books, movies, back & foot rubs, etc.), I love the Pacific Northwest and it’s natural, breathtaking beauty, mid-day napping on a sunny afternoon, the sound of an angry ocean crashing against rocky cliffs, thunder & lightning storms, and free days with nothing planned, no expectations and no responsibilities. Oh, and since I have a particular love for bending rules that are not my own, here’s number six: I love shoes.

4b. Aside from hating abusive behavior, egregious violence, decisions made by people who don’t have the practical experience or rational thought to make said decisions, people who drive SUVs but park in compact spaces, chores and redundancy, I hate:
*People who feel it is their duty to ensure others are following the rules such the dickwad in the far left lane who refuses to get over to the right because I shouldn’t be going faster than the speedlimit anyway. *People who don’t understand or care about how the choices they make adversely affect other people
*When one person dominates the conversation
*The entire experience of vomiting
*Being given unsolicited advice

With whom do I live: It’s just me, Napoléon the pug, and Mimine the Fat French Cat. But I’m thinking about making a key for my creepy neighbor who drinks Orangina while staring at me out the window which is just 10 feet away. He’s constantly there. He might as well move in and help me with the housework.

Some things I do at work: Yell at people in French and Italian. Do lots of spreadsheets for accurate fabric consumption calculations. Negotiate prices (in Eng, Fr, Ital). Fight for attention from major fashion magazines with snazzy little gifts, press kits and meticulously photoshopped pix. I constantly mail things. I argue with my bank manager at least twice a week. I’m suing 3 people right now. And once in a while I draw or sew things. I’m a clothing designer.

What am I proud of: Everyone understands my French, even with my Ricky Ricardo-thick accent. I’m proud that this company is actually going according to my evil plan and turning into quite a success. And that I know the alphabet in military speak, Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, Delta…

I love: 1. I actually have some people fooled into thinking I’m famous. So occasionally I get expensive things for free or cheap and/or VIP service. 2. When I walk outside depending on which way I turn, I’m either in front of St. Eustache (cathedral) or the Louvre. 3. The French medical system 4. Eating. Everything tastes so good here. 5. my boyfriend Bernard.

I hate: 1. People who are mean to me without provocation. 2. Doing housework 3. Having money problems 4. Pooing in public toilets 5. Business people who lie.

1. It’s just me and the dustmites here. Although I have someone staying with me for the next two weeks, and boy is it cramping my style.

2. Wipe tushies, kiss boo-boos, clean up, read books aloud, push swings, clean up, gently scold, do crafts, clean up, but first and foremost, I try to make sure “my” kids have a place where they’re (almost) as loved as they are at home.

3. My openmindedness and ability to love. My sister for taking on an obscure and difficult education because her gut tells her to.

4. Love: Felicity (the tv show), sleeping with the window open, getting comments on my very new blog (it’s such a thrill – *HINT*cough cough*), my physiotherapist (he’s yummy and rubs my feet!), iTunes.
Hate: house work, being told off, needles, spiders, plants that just won’t stay alive no matter what I do. Oh, and my boss.

1. i live with my cat in a big old stone house that was built in the 20’s & is divided into 4 GIGANTIC apartments. my boyfriend stays over frequently.

2. i process/analyze provider data & network information for a health insurance company. it’s very boring!!!!!!!!!!

3. i’m proud of my amazing yardsaling skillz! i have a cool apartment & almost everything in it came from yardsales. i’m also proud of my ability to make extra cash by consigning clothes & accessories i find for dirt cheap at yardsales.

4. 5 things i love–trying new foods, road trips, the ocean, cats, massages
5 things i hate–cockroaches, liars, stress, disappointing movie rentals, that my porch isn’t sunny so i can’t grow any veggies or herbs.

1. Officially, I live by myself, but really my boyfriend and I go back and forth between each others’ houses every other night. Thankfully we only live six blocks apart.

2. At work, I receive and process check requests for political contributions. I write and assist with the design of the newsletter for our political action committee. I manage the PAC membership campaign. I design and manage the company’s grass roots program. I attend fundraisers for candidates for office. I entertain elected officials at sporting events.

3. I’m proud of my professional accomplishments at the ripe ol’ age of 27 (today! Happy Birthday to Me!), and the fact that I bought my first home – a condo in Midtown Atlanta – last fall.

4. I love: My family (including my boyfriend), my condo, blue hydrangeas, my Kitchenaid mixer, and Georgia Football. I hate: humidity (particularly when I’m running), any book by Nicholas Sparks, bananas, teenagers in inappropriate clothing, and PT Cruisers.

1. I live alone in an ancient apartment where it’s strangely satisfying to watch the cars rush by on I-5 while drinking my morning coffee.
2. At work I spend a great deal of time on my tiptoes. I spin, I jump, I move to music. The best part of the job is the culmination of all my hard work into a live performance.
3. I’m proud of being able to succeed and make a living in the arts. I’m proud of being close to completing a four year degree while dancing full-time. I’m proud of the relationship I have with my family.
4. I love sleeping in a tent, freshly sharpened pencils, the sound of coffee grinding, bbqs, and the Internet. I hate worrying about what I eat, urban sprawl, phoniness, not understanding how the things I use on a regular basis work, and boredom.

I live with my husband of 32 years, my youngest son, who is 19 and one of the greatest people I know, 5 cats, all with neurosis particular to them, and a lab/something mix who is black with a serious skin condition and a food obsession and will, I’m convinced, live forever.

Since I have pretty much mothered myself out of a job, I’m currently trying to figure out what I want to be when I grow up. I manage a wonderful house that was built in 1913, I volunteer with Matthew 25, an organization that feeds the hungry, and I host zillions of events, parties, bible studies, etc for college kids, most of whom I end up adopting.

I am proud to married to a man that fell 5 stories, should have died, didn’t walk for 2 years, and who at 45, decided that living on disability wasn’t for him and went back to college and ended up with a doctorate in clinical pharmacy and now supports me in my desire to find what it is that I want to do with my life. I am proud that I homeschooled both of my boys and my oldest is a Truman Scholar, living in Washington, managing 89 million in grant funds for the Rural Health Initiative, having the time of his life, and my youngest is having a blast in college, works for Chili’s and that both of them still willingly spend time with me and their Dad.

I LOVE: my family, my faith, to read, to talk (pretty much to anyone) to see college kids go from scared little freshman, to mature, functioing adults, to cook.

I HATE: Christians that put dogma above the love of people, my inability to express myself to my satisfaction, Judgment without grace and people who not only practice it, but revel in it, housework, and dirt…which means I spend a lot of time doing one, in order to live without the other.

1. I live with my husband of 11 1/2 years, our three aged cats, and two fish.
2. At my “real” job I write copy for websites, e-mails and online ad campaigns. For my band, I write lyrics and sing. I am also president of a community service organization. I don’t get a lot of housework done…
3. I am proud of my ability to do all of the abovementioned and still have time for my friends.
4. I love: my husband, the rest of my family, my cats, music, and the creative spark. I hate: bad drivers, the inconsiderate (see also, “bad drivers”), liars, the intolerant, and my own laziness.

1. I live alone, determinedly so.

2. I don’t work. I’m ‘under the doctor’ as we say here in the UK. Depression and agoraphobia. My shut-in self reads blogs, marvel at the fact that, with all this time on my hands, i still don’t clean up after myself and design jewellery that may some day get made.

3. I’m most proud of simply being alive, despite the many obstacles. I’m also proud of sticking with the therapy – after a year of sometimes daily appointments i honestly think i’m beginning to see the light. It’s an unflattering light but at least it feels truthful. I am proud of myself. I am.

4. Love: Shopping for groceries online, anything blue, people who share their lives via blogs, tourmalines and finally being able to accept that it’s ok to ask for help.

5. Hate: Being outdoors, Blair Govt/Bush Administration, that i let myself get so bad before i asked for help, people who treat retail-workers like servants and MELON! Oh God, it feels SO good to know i’m not the only nutjob in the world – cannot stand ANY kind of melon. Food shouldn’t taste like that.

Been reading for a long time, Sundry – you’re a terrific writer and photographer – hope you’re all having a great holiday.

1. I live by myself, although I hanker after all the big dogs that get taken for walks around my neighborhood.

2. I teach college-age engineers to be able to communicate with all of us who haven’t had 400 math and science classes. I also design curriculum materials and write articles about science that hopefully helps translate some of the weird thing scientists are up to.

3. I’m proud of my ability to cook for and listen to people who just need someone to understand, just for a minute.

4. Loves: My family, Utah’s Kolob Canyons, feeding people, the occasional moments of silence, Seattle’s Sunset Park.

5. Hates: Spiders, people who won’t try to listen to another person’s point of view, Patronizing people, the smell of coffee as I’m waking up.

1. I live with two roomates, both friends from my college years.

2. Well right now, I look for a real job, while keeping our house clean, editing papers for my Graduate School Portfolio, babysitting dogs, trying to be a good scholar and read something other than the weekly comic strips, and did i mention keeping the house clean. You’d think living with two other girls the house would be clean, but ho ho ho you’d be so wrong.

3. I am proud of myself, and my constant editing and re-editing of papers and *gasp* even writing new papers for graduate school applications.

4. Love: Abilene, Kissing, puppies who sleep under my desk, when my roommates actually do the dishes, and getting my hair done.

5. Hates: Dinner being left out all night, puppies who bark all night, bills, student loans, sleeping too long.

1. I live with my boyfriend, my son (who will be leaving for college in the Fall), two Dachshund pups and four domestic cats with various personality disorders.

2. I work in a small office and spend most of my day reading blogs, swilling diet pepsi and answering the occasional phone call. Sometimes I pay the bills or do the payroll or bill a customer. If I am not too busy on the Internet. I also go to school.

3. I am proud that I am less crazy and neurotic than I have been in the past. This is an ongoing project.

4. Love: my family, dinner on the back patio on a warm Summer evening, weekends with very few plans, the sun on my face and plain iced tea with a squeeze of lemon. Hate: noise, crowds, being late, clothes that need to be ironed, having to wear socks and shoes because it is too cold for flip-flops or sandals.

1. I live with my husband, my 16 year old son and almost-12-year-old daughter (they are my kids but my husband’s stepkids…their dad & I split up in 1996)…and our zoo: a Cockapoo dog named Toby, two guinea pigs named Seymour & Cruiser, a white half-deaf male cat named Sugar, a black longhaired cat named Sabrina, and 3 feral cats that we rescued from underneath our deck last month: the mom, Maxie, and her two kittens (about 2 months old) named Alice & Gracie. We’re socializing the ferals right now and it’s been wild! (No pun intended.)

2. I work from home with my husband, making candles. We have an online business (Contemporary Candles) that keeps us very, very busy! I do all website and graphics stuff, all business paperwork, invoicing, label design, etc. My husband does all the packing and shipping, computer maintenance, any technical stuff. He’s the one who slings the 50 pound boxes of wax, and he’s also the one who comes up with really cool candle ideas (he’s the one who came up with our marble pillars, and he’s the one who makes them because I have NO IDEA how he does it). We LOVE being together all the time, and the business works well for us — I get to feed my creative, crafty side with a little nerdiness thrown in via the website work…Dave gets to feed his technical side coming up with candle formulas, upgrading the computers, etc. We have a great time!

3. I’m proud of our business doing so well; my kids, who are both very creative and unique kids (definitely not ‘follow the crowd’ types); the fact that all of our pets came from rescue situations; and strangely enough, whenever tells me that they can’t tell I have a severe hearing loss. It makes me proud of my lip reading and speaking skills (although my kids can immediately tell when my hearing aids are out — my speech totally changes).

4. I love: my family and pets; music; watching TV with my family; my hair (naturally curly and so easy to style); reading a really well-written book. I hate: spiders; what my body looks like (I will never be happy with how I look, unfortunately); being in debt; parmesan cheese; teaching my son how to drive…omg…it scares me!

1. I live with four boys, all with the most gorgeous blue eyes.
I live with my sweet husband of eight years, my delightfully cute eight month old son, and two fantastic indoor cats (brothers) who we regularly buy wheat grass for. What can I say, I love cleaning up cat puke. Not. It just seems like the right thing to do. I mean, if they were outside they’d be eating the grass, right? It’s our guilt that buys it for them.
2. I quit my job to stay at home with little mister. I can’t say as I miss going to the office everyday. At home I keep the laundry mountain at bay by doing as little as possible at one time, although, once it’s clean I have no where to put it because the closets are all full of clothes that don’t fit. Course “I’ll get back into them one day” rings in my ears everytime I look in there with disgust. I also keep the kitchen somewhat clean, keep the cats fed and potty box changed, check the mail, pay the bills, do the banking, plan our travels, do the shopping (find the best deals I can!), bring my honey coffee and lunch at work, visit with friends/playgroups, keep little mister entertained, fed, lovied, bathed and read to. I’m sure there is more but can’t come up with it right now cause I’ve only had one cup of coffee today.
3. I am proud of the mama, wife and daughter that I am. I am proud that even though I am really, really fat (I grew up the fattest kid in school) I did not let the cruel words of strangers and peers ruin me. I am proud that it did not turn me into a miserable bitch. I am also proud of my savvy shopping ways. You can get some good stuff at garage sales! A good deal is like crack to me.
4. LOVE: I love my family, friends and cats, I love a good deal, I love fresh bread and butter, I love to travel to new places, and I heart burts bees lip balm.
HATE: When people do the neck/back popping or cracking (This is more than just a “hate”. I can’t even watch chiropractic commercials without feeling nauseated-hell, just writing this is making me feel all UGHoqierlkadjroeh!) I hate those commercials for the foot funk infection where the bug thingy digs down into the toenails. GROSSSSSSSSS. I hate cleaning, dishes de-cluttering, I hate having a small house, and I hate mean spirited people.

1. Who do you live with?
I live with my boyfriend of 4 1/2 years (ahem). We call him the Walrus because he walks funny. Also sharing our abode are the Walrus’ psychotic but inherently lovable Australian Shepherd and my cat who constantly looks at me with a mixture of pity and disdain.

2. What are some of the things you do at work (”work” includes managing households and raising children, of course)? I’m a television producer. You would think this would be terribly exciting, but my day mostly consists of cutting and pasting numbers and talking to Jerry Falwell. Sigh. I do a lot of reading, research, coordinating reporter liveshots and producing interstitial pieces for the network (read: TIME KILLERS). Currently my number one priority is setting aside time each day to do exhaustive searches for cute animal video. I love what I do but I’m currently in a lull.

3. What are you proud of?
You’ve caught me in a period of self-pity and general depression, so I can’t say that I feel like I’m proud of much lately. I guess I’m proud that I wasn’t Led Astray in my early twenties as I would have probably wound up dead in a ditch somewhere or doing hammer curls with someone’s femur in the rec yard of my local penitentiary.

4. What are five things you love, and five things you hate?

Lerve:
1.) My family (Walrus, pets and close friends included in this motley crew)
2.) ‘Vanity Fair’
3.) Diet Coke
4.) Fall & Spring in the city I currently reside in
5.) Good Hummus

Hateration:
1.) Douchebaggery of any sort
2.) Double parkers
3.) Religious zealotry
4.) ‘Entourage’ – yeah I said it!
5.) Eharmony commercials

1. I live with my husband of 5 years, one tank of fish, three fire-bellied toads, a few dozen houseplants, and a 19 (gestational) week-old fetus we call The Dictator. Oh yeah, and spiders. Lots of spiders *shudder*.

2. I’m unemployed for the summer, but assuming I find a job I will spend my day wrangling children and attempting to teach them what the government wants me to teach them, with emphasis on “phonics” and “math facts”. Right now I clean the house, surf the web, redecorate my house, and gestate The Dictator.

3. I’m proud of my husband, who is pursuing his lifelong dream of becoming a pilot. Even though it’s going much more slowly than he would like, and he has hit some annoying snags, he is toughing it out through a very rough period. Personally, I’m proud of my science education. Even though I eventually got a B.A., I took enough upper-division biology to understand scientific journals, and I love that.

4. I love: My family and friends. That I’m finally going to be a mom. The Sierra Nevadas (especially the west side, central, aroung 5000′ elevation). Dirt, mud, and bugs. Coffee. Hanging out with my husband, each of us on our own computer. Traveling (especially summertime roadtrips). Seeing the inside of other people’s houses. Having lunch with my parents. Fashion relics of the ’90’s, like tribal arm bands, flannel shirts, and non-pimp earings on guys. Bacon. Sci fi movies and novels, fantasy computer games. Open-mindedness. Ikea.

1) I live with my neurotic cat Sierra. She’s the only being on earth afraid of more things than me.
2) At work I run various support groups including a women’s group, an empowerment group and a wellness and recovery group. I am also on various committees for person centered training and a committee that is trying to improve the media’s image of people with mental illness.
3) I am proud of my artwork and writing skills. I am also proud that I am now back to work part time after being on disability for anxiety issues. Five years ago I could barely leave the house. Yay me!!
4) Loves: Art of all kinds, musical theatre, walking, nature, cats, comedy. Whoops, that’s six, sorry.
5) Hates: People who don’t listen and talk over the top of you, people who hurt children in any way, people who destroy nature in any way, those dopey ear cell phone pod thingies and spiders (!!!!!!!!)

1. I live with my husband, two sons and two dogs. Every other weekend we are joined by my two stepsons and 1 stepdaughter. Also, though we don’t live “together”, my parents live next door to us. Close enough!
2. At work work … file health insurance claims, invoice, post money, verify insurance benefits, run reports. At home work … create spreadsheets, make marketing calls, create marketing correspondence, work on company website. At home home work … cook, clean, laundry, change toddler’s clothes 5 times a day, listen to son’s neverending stories, compliment really cool preschooler artwork, scratch hubby’s back.
3. I am proud of my sons. I am proud of my marriage that everyone was certain would fail within six months. I am proud of my inner strength and courage. I am proud of my ability to be open-minded and spontaneous even though that is not how I was raised.
4. Love: travel, champagne, husband’s kisses, erotic stories, and my children
5. Hate: judgemental people, eggs, being broke, loss of freedom, my children being sick

1. I live with my husband, Kevin, and my ten-month-old son, Ian. We also have a couple of pet rocks.
2. I sell Mary Kay cosmetics when I’m not being a mom.
3. I’m proud of living a fairly interdependent life, proud of my husband and son and of being a mom. I’m also proud of my twin who unknowingly gives my strength and cheers me up when I’m having a bad-mommy day.
4. I love my family, dark chocolate, enjoying nature, riding a tandem bike and cooking. I hate lima beans, lutefisk (I don’t know if I spelled that right), all things Math, the fact that I can’t always comfort my son and getting lost in my own neighborhood (sure, I meet people who are helpful but I feel incompetent, especially when my husband has walked the same route with me numbers of times).

1. I live with my roommate and several other people who just kind of moved into our suite. It’s miserably cold all the fucking time.

2. Well, at my university, my work includes performing with the theatre department and the ballet company. The job that pays is working at another theatre (sometimes onstage, sometimes offstage), which occasionally entails lifting heavy things, and I like to bitch about it and constantly whine that OHMYGOD something might fall on my feet and IT’SALLTHEIRFAULTIFMYDANCECAREERISRUINED.

3. I’m proud of moving over a thousand miles away from home to pursue my dreams in fields that my family considers a waste of time. But I’m proud of where my talent and ambition has gotten me. [It’s already paying off, so the fam can just eat their hats. Or better yet, the entire inventory of the Hat Store.]

4. LOVES: Snow, even though it means I have to walk around in freezing crazy sub-zero temperatures. The smell of my dance studio back in the day – kind of like feet, but less gross. People who get really territorial about their school/favorite sports team/music, whatever, it’s endearing. The way my best friend drives – it’s awful, but I laugh everytime he yells “CURB CHECK!”. And, ummm….alcohol. I know how that sounds, don’t hate!

HATES: The fire alarms that randomly go off in the middle of the night in my dorm when there isn’t a fire, so fuckall. The way my feet look after years in pointe shoes. Fuckers in traffic or people standing in line behind you at the bank who honk/tap your shoulder like .3475 seconds after the light turns green or the next teller opens up, I mean, chill out, dude. The fact that I can never get anywhere on time and am perpetually ten minutes late. That little girl on the T-Mobile commercial [“I love chewing guummmm!”]

Well, hope that kept you entertained for a moment….have fun playing in the woods, don’t wipe with any poison ivy!

1. I live with my husband Kelley and our dog Charlie.

2. I am Executive Assistant at a Suicide Hotline. I truly work with the best people on the planet. I do everything from cleaning out the fridge to balancing our million dollar budget. I never have the same day twice and I love it!!

3. I’m proud of my relationships with my family, of my husband (for going back to school at 40), of my brother for quiting his very reliable job to following his dream of becoming a musician and acutally make a living at it and of myself for not settling and have the life I’ve always dreamed about.

4. I love the internet (I generally say this once a day), peanut butter cups, lunching with my girlfriends and lazing at the beach. I hate narrowminded, judgemental and loud people, brussel sprouts and Bill O’Reilly.

I love reading your blog Sundry, safe travels!!

1. I live with my husband Grendel, our four children Beanie, Buster, Bug & Tattoo (fast becoming known as Butter), and our cat, Inigo Montoya, who hates children and therefore lives in our basement.
2. I shuffle children around to various therapies and activities, break up a lot of fights, clean up a lot of thrown food, and wipe up a lot of blood. When is September again?
3. I’m proud of the fact that I nursed the first three kids for at least a year since I was better able to deal with their food allergies that way. I’m proud of how much I’ve learned about the State and Federal guidelines for early intervention therapies. I’m proud of how much improvement I’ve made in being able to advocate for my kids with professionals who are supposed to know more than me but often don’t.
4. I love my kids, chocolate, fat baby legs, sitting outside in a warm summer rain, and taking a nap in the spring when the breeze blows in the windows and the birds chirp. I hate people who wallow in their ignorance, doctors who have no empathy, bad drivers, rich soccer moms, and the thought of anything bad happening to my kids.

1. Who do you live with? My husband, our 23 month old son (almost 2 years old! *sniff*), and our 2 French Bulldogs.
2. What are some of the things you do at work (”work” includes managing households and raising children, of course)? At the office I act as a liaison between the state agency I work for and the state legislature: answering questions, analyzing legislation, policy stuff, testifying at legislative hearings, etc. At home I try to keep the household running without taxing myself too much or nagging my husband constantly.
3. What are you proud of? I’m proud of getting myself out of a dead-end, soul-sucking career in social work to where I am today. I’m proud of buying our new car by myself–negotiating with the salesman while my husband wrangled our son in the lobby. I’m proud that I am a kick-ass cook. I’m proud that I can sing Old MacDonald Had a Farm 5000 times in a row at the request of my darling son without totally losing my shit.
4. What are five things you love, and five things you hate? I love my boy’s curly red hair and his easy smile, hot tea, cherry pie, the sound of cicadas on a hot evening, the quilt my Granny made me. I hate grammatically incorrect signs, people who park their grocery cart in the middle of an aisle while they wander off, seeded rye bread, the Iraq occupation and our current administration.

Thanks for asking. It’s really inspiring reading all the responses.
I live with my truly wonderful fiance and black hearted kitty, Martina.
At “work” I make drawings of semi-abstracted aerial views of cities which my gallery sells for real money that actually spends in stores and stuff!!
I am proud of finally being able to live off my art which has been my dream since I was ten! Also, for my twelve year relationship with my aforementioned wonderful partner, going to graduate school, taking care of my sick mom, and quitting smoking.
I love the fam, travelling, reading short stories, art, and artichokes. I hate not knowing what to say when it really matters, green bell peppers, cigarette smell in my hair, housework and goodbyes.

1. Who do you live with?
I live with three cats a puppy and my fiance (until he becomes my husband next month!)

2. What are some of the things you do at work (”work” includes managing households and raising children, of course)?
I grade bad student exams, sometimes lead class discussions, and mostly sit in my office talking with my colleagues while waiting for students who rarely come in.

3. What are you proud of?
I am proud of our new house, of my amazing fiance who has been doing a great job at work, and of myself for doing well in school all this time.

4. What are five things you love, and five things you hate?
Love: snow in New England, my fiance, BBC versions of Jane Austen movies, matte nail polish, and all of my critters.
Hate: People who use books as “decoration”, driving in traffic (but everyone hates that), the misuse of semi-colons, humidity, and Fox News.

1. I live with a guy who as of 2 weeks ago (after 3.5 years) decided that he’d rather be my ‘flatmate’ than my partner – but I won’t bore you all with that saga! We also share our freezing flat with 2 gorgeous cats and 2 tanks of tropical fish (his not mine).
2. I work for a newspaper in sales and marketing. I’ve recently had a change of role so it’s going to be a lot more marketing, specifically in charge of promotions for subscribers, I’m looking forward to the challenge.
3. I’m proud of my honours degree, my friends and family, the way I’m coping so far with the curveball that said guy (ref question 1) has thrown at me, that I’m saving money to travel and will hopefully be experiencing the joys of Ireland, Italy etc in early 2007.
4. 5 things I love – chocolate, the internet, shopping, travel, family and singing while driving
5 things I hate – bad drivers, abuse of those who can’t defend themselves, spelling mistakes & bad grammar, bugs and most food with seeds (melon and tomatoes in particular)

It’s been neat reading through all the responses and also wanted to let you know how much I love your blog. Hope you have a great holiday and that car trip isn’t too unbearable!

1. I live with my mom and dad and little brother and cat and dog and two guinea pigs and lots of goldfish and also a frog. But I usually sleep at my boyfriend’s house and keep my most important belongings in my car.

2. At work I do boring cashier things and deal with jerks who don’t understand that I have no control over anything that happens at the store in which I work, as I am just a lowly cashier. Please stop yelling at me; I did not set the price of those strawberries. Also I’m a 5th semester economics major at Penn State, so I do boring school type things at school like writing papers and reading and studying and drinking.

3. I’m proud of conquering depression and that horrible self injury habit. Also proud of making it through two years of college and hopefully graduating in 2 more years.

4. I love my boyfriend and my family and my pets, especially the pigs, also froufrou coffee drinks, and people who make me laugh.
I hate when people scream at me at work (it happens everyday!), cellphones, strawberries, scars, and midgets.

1. Although we live in separate houses, they’re connected, so I somewhat live with my mom. I definitely live with two cats, two goldfish, two cockatiels, and whatever is growing in my fridge.
2. I work front desk at a hotel, which involves spending a lot of time playing online and trying to resist the urge to buy a third package of peanut butter cups from the vending machine. My favorite part of the job is when the housekeepers turn in their sheets for the day, and I get to click the little vacuum icons in the computer and turn them into happy flowers.
3. I am proud of the person I am becoming. Not quite there yet, but I’ve come a long way. I am also proud of my cat for having the best cat behavior ever when I take her to the vet. She may be the only animal on earth that actually likes to go to the vet- she purrs the whole time and licks the vet’s hands when he is trying to examine her. I hope my kids turn out half that good!
4. 5 things I love: The internets, books, vanilla frappuccinos, travel, sleeping while it is raining
5 things I hate: driving in storms, seafood, lies, women who play dumb for attention, laws against gay marriage