Hello everyone. I've been rather busy with work-related travel and projects so had a bit of an extended absence. I trust our delightful co-hosts did their part to keep things moving along and exciting. For those threads where I've dropped off, I may or may not get back to discussion on those topics. Don't think that means you've gotten off with a flimsy argument.

Anyhow, this is  a thread to see who's out there, what you've been doing over the spring and summer months, and to just say hello to your fellow members.

10. Share one food item that best describes the last year of your life. (example: “frozen pizza” because I did a 180-degree turn this year, or “cinnamon roll” because it had lots of twists and turns but overall was pretty sweet)

9. What one item in the kitchen best describes you and your personality?

8. What’s your favorite concert you’ve ever attended?

7. What cartoon character best describes you?

6. If you could live anywhere in the world for a year, where would it be?

5. Complete the statement “I recommend…” (it can be a show, movie, book, restaurant, website, activity, etc.)

4. If you knew could you try anything and not fail (and money was no object), what dream would you attempt?

3. What super-power would you most like to have, and why?

2. If you had $5 million to spend in 5 days, but couldn’t spend any of it on yourself or your family, what would you do with it?

1. “2 Truths And a Lie” – Share 3 unique things about yourself and your life, 2 of them true, 1 false, and let the group guess which one isn’t true.

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turkey baster

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course ground black pepper!  Pepper is a humble staple of our society, adds zest, and when used right can improve the taste of just about anything

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I've been here forever but don't post often ... but anyway ...

10.  The last year of my life has been like a boneless, skinless chicken breast ... overall, rather bland, but occasionally prepared just the right way and actually pretty tasty at times ...

9.  Item in MY kitchen?  ... probably the microwave ... pretty "safe" most of the time, will accept pretty much anyway.  Use me incorrectly, though, and I can get pretty hot and even destroy things ...

8.  My favorite concert ... probably the John Cougar Melonhead concert where we had 12th row seats.  Or maybe one of the Stones concerts ... yah ... probably one of those.  The one at Soldier Field where they played with Journey.  The Some Girls tour.  I guess. 

7.  Does a smiley count? 

6.  Somewhere in Northern California ... Santa Cruz or Marin County or Berkeley ... or Kauai ... someplace with few neighbors, but not too far from a good-sized city. 

5.  I recommend making a large, furry, four-legged creature with a personality part of one's family. 

4.  I would travel around the world and spend time getting to know local customs and peoples - trying to figure out what people might have in common and learning all the things we don't have in common. 

3.  Flight.  So I can be where I need to be quickly. 

2.  I'd donate all of it to various organizations that help homeless people.  I'd want to spread it around as much as possible, but give each selected organization enough to actually accomplish something. 

1.  Fact #1:  I once starred in a TV commercial; Fact #2:  I learned to speak Japanese in 2 weeks; Fact #3:  I ran a marathon in October 2008. 

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What's wrong with you people? 

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For some reason it reminded me of 'corporate retreats'.

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It's fun. 

I don't usually see this as a place to have "fun" ... so when I see something "fun," I go for the gusto. 

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I can persistently hound you until you finally remember to do it. 

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It is time. 

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Uno, I'm calling bullshit on #2. 

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I went to Japan with my mom.  We were there for 2 to 2-1/2 weeks.  While ours was the traditional first/second/third generation Japanese-American family in one household and a lot of Japanese was spoken, my language is English. 

After I came back from Japan, I am told I was fluent.  A young mind is like a sponge. 

As we get older, our brains are more like sieves that sponges. 

I know you know the true bullshit "factoid," Cheryl.  Think about it. 

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I just wanted to call bullshit on Number 2...number 2...bull%#&!*%...get it...

Sorry, a moment of juvenile humor....   

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color me a dumbass.  No ... as a matter of fact, I didn't get it ... until you just said so! 

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Why did the autocensor kick on for when I bolded the last part of the word bullshit?  It ruined my totally awesome and brilliant joke!   

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I don't want to answer all those, it requires more imagination than I can muster at the moment.

My life has been moronically monotonous with moments of "oh yeah" and moments of "oh crap" about equally distributed.  So maybe it's like, chicken casserole with bits of habanero peppers mixed in.

The one I do want to answer is the one about what I would do with unimaginable amounts of money (without spending any of it on myself or my family).

I would set up a charitable foundation to provide grants and loans for creative people in all fields of the arts, and also for the creation and development of new ideas for helping us learn to live more gently on the Earth and with one another.

And, I would pay off the mortgage on Camp Gaea and appoint myself or someone of my choosing chairman of the board of Earth Rising.  But that might come a little too close to helping myself and my family...since I consider a lot of the folks I enjoy Camp Gaea with to be part of my extended family.

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10. Last Year of my life was like A can of Cold Sardines that someone left in the refrigerator too long with the jagged lid smashed into it.

9. Blender. All mixed up.

8. Best Concert. Scorpions with Alice Cooper.

7.Cartoon Character.  Bugs Bunny . He said, "Never take Life too seriously, you won't get out alive anyway."

6. I'd love to live in Italy.

5. I Recommend turning off your t.v., getting fresh air, and reading a good book.

4. If I could try and not fail... A Singing Career. I'm actually quite good.

3. Shapeshifting so that I can be the fly on the wall.

2. 5 Mil. Battered Womens Shelters, and the Homeless, for starters.

1. I have a Cat with extra toes and claws, and they work.,  even  though  I'm allergic to animals I have several.
    I know practically nothing about Movies and Movie Stars.
    I love to ski, and I go to Woodland Park every year.

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