Well, I realize that I haven’t been that great at blogging lately, and I’m sure you’re heartbroken, just like I am because of course I miss you so when we’re apart. Anyway, I’m considering doing that NaBloPoMo thing again this year, even though doing that NaBloPoMo thing always makes me feel like I’m slightly insane. Minus “slightly”. But I had this idea, see, and I don’t know how it will turn out, though I thought perhaps I’d give it a try. It’s kind of hard to come up with material for a post every single day for an entire month (especially when Saturdays and Sundays count as days too), and I thought it might work better if I had prompts to get me started.
So, this is where you come in. Maybe. Unless you decide to ignore me, which you might do, and that’s totally okay, but it could be interesting if you didn’t. In the past, I’ve done some posts where I answered reader-submitted questions. And when I got enough questions, those posts generally ended up being monstrously long, at least long enough that I probably could’ve split them into one question/answer per post and it would’ve worked just fine. So, here’s what I’m thinking. If I can get enough questions to answer (30, to be exact), I’ll answer a question a day through the month of November for the NaBloPoMo madness.
In short: ask me something.
While I figure this is pretty straightforward, I feel I should mention a couple of caveats –
1. Try not to ask me things I can answer with a simple yes or no, so I don’t end up with posts like “Do you like cheese?Yes.”
2. Keep it PG-13, eh? My family reads my blog. I’d like holidays and other gatherings to maintain a manageable level of awkwardness.
I’ll take questions on this post until I get enough or until November 1. Whichever comes first.
And that’s that. Let’s see what happens.
How does the automotive-driven Michigan economy effect you now; also, do you think it had a impact on public schools in Albion and thereby your entire education?
By: Holly on October 22, 2009
at 1:19 pm
What is your favorite thing to do? Why?
By: Brett on October 22, 2009
at 1:19 pm
I like this approach, but I hope you also post sans inspiration from your readers during the month.
I will come back if I think of a question worthy of a few minutes of your time, but let me add that I was pleased to not only see affect used properly in a sentence but impact used as a noun and not as a verb (for a fucking change). [Oops! I hope you didn't lose (as opposed to loose) your PG-13 rating!]
By: patrick on October 22, 2009
at 1:37 pm
Q: What do you hope goddess will say when you ring the bell at the pearly gates? or alternately:
what do you think the goddess will be wearing?
what will her voice sound like?
will there be accompanying music and is it something on your ipod at the moment?
are there pearly gates?
if so, are they available on etsy?
do you remember when art garfunkel was mayor of new york?
if so, were those the days?
have you ever heard of ‘power teaching’ or ‘whole brain teaching’ ? If so, what do you say?
if not: take a look at a link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTwjFHorQhk
and maybe you could do a running commentary.
beware – it’s ‘energetic’….
luck- judih
By: judih on October 22, 2009
at 2:33 pm
So, when are you going to settle down with a nice man and make me a great-grandmother ?
By: Your grandmother on October 22, 2009
at 2:46 pm
Oops, should probably have changed my e-mail on that last one.
Here’s my real question : if you had to choose between being blind or deaf, which would you choose ?
By: Tom on October 22, 2009
at 2:52 pm
What is the most disgusting thing you have ever eaten, and what were the circumstances leading to its consumption?
By: Brittney on October 22, 2009
at 4:06 pm
Your Grandmother totally beat me to it!! Well played, Your Grandmother.
Ok, here is the second question that came to mind: Who’s more awesome: George Michael or Justin Timberlake? Please provide evidence/support.
By: Kevin on October 22, 2009
at 9:14 pm
Okay, I only ask this question(s) because I was asking it myself on my blog today. How long can you keep stuff in the freezer for before it goes bad? Do different things have different half lifes? I threw away some frozen chicken breasts and some hot dogs and some cured ham and some rolls and some white thing I couldn’t even begin to figure out what it was but in each instance I realized I have absolutely no idea what the deal is with the whole freezer/food combo and when things are bad even though they are solid blocks of ice.
On the subject of food turning bad, what’s the deal with the canned stuff too?
By: pj on October 22, 2009
at 10:02 pm
Why do you write? For you, would stopping writing be like stopping breathing?
Why does it seem that I don’t read women authors?
Why not at least an R rating?
Please describe your worldview.
The below is some English topics:
Write 10 sentences about yourself.
Write 10 sentences about your job.
Write 10 sentences about your products.
Write 10 sentences about your education.
Write 10 sentences about your daily routine.
Write 10 sentences about your plans and goals.
Write 10 sentences about a movie or a book or what you do on the Internet.
Write 10 sentences about your personal style; viz., clothes, haircut, personal grooming.
Write 10 sentences about your transportation and transportation in Taiwan and what is best for you.
Write a letter, 10 sentences long, to Santa Claus. You can ask for whatever you want.
What do you do in your free time? What would you like to do to do? What don’t you get to do? Write 10
sentences.
Describe your house. Write 10 sentences.
Why should you get married? What’s better, a girlfriend/boyfriend or a wife/husband? What’s the perfect
woman/man for you? Write 10 sentences.
Write 10 sentences about pets or animals or fish.
Write 10 sentences about the weather in Taiwan.
Write 10 sentences about how to get rich.
Write 10 sentences about personal investing and banking or what you think you should do with your
money.
Write 10 sentences about a good date or a bad date or both.
Write 10 sentences about a good friend or your enemy or both.
Write 10 sentences about a funny story or a sad story or both.
Compare and contrast two microprocessors. Write 10 sentences.
Compare and contrast three operating systems. Write 10 sentences.
Write 10 sentences about your work experience.
Write 10 sentences about your work history.
Write 10 sentences about your work related education.
Write your c.v.
Write a letter of introduction about yourself using the above.
Write 10 sentences about what you liked about your last job.
Write 10 sentences about why you want to work at another company.
Write 10 sentences about a formative experience or your military service.
Write 10 sentences about a dream vacation.
Write 10 sentences about cars, auto maintenance, or the best make.
Write 10 sentences about your wife, girlfriend, or boyfriend.
Write 10 sentences about a teacher.
Write 10 sentences about your family.
Write 10 sentences about your favorite food.
Write 10 sentences about your free time.
Write 10 sentences about PC games.
Write 10 sentences about PC applications.
Write 10 sentences about the city you live in.
Write 10 sentences about your country.
Write 10 sentences about the TV.
Write 10 sentences about your favorite movie or book or story.
Write 10 sentences about personal health and first aid.
Write 10 sentences about men’s fashion.
Write 10 sentences about women’s fashion.
Write 10 sentences about contemporary women.
Write 10 sentences about contemporary men.
Write 10 sentences about the post office and express delivery.
Write 10 sentences about cell phones, or pagers, or telephones.
Write 10 sentences about camping or outdoor activities.
Write 10 sentences about shopping.
Write 10 sentences about whether it’s better to be lucky or smart.
Write 10 sentences about paying for something without cash or where to park your money.
Write 10 sentences about household essentials.
Write 10 sentences about romance.
Write 10 sentences about good bosses and bad bosses.
Write 10 sentences about Taiwan’s future or the world’s future.
Write 10 sentences about the best way to train, learn, and instruct.
Write 10 sentences about the future of PCs vis-à-vis hand held devices.
Write 10 sentences about the future of the Internet.
Write 10 sentences about your ideal career.
Write 10 sentences about your future plans.
If the above isn’t enough:
What’s your last name? How do you spell your last name? When were you born?
Where is your apartment?
What’s your school? What do you want to be when you grow up?
Can you speak Mandarin? Do you speak Taiwanese?
Do you have many friends? Do you have a girl/boyfriend?
What are you like? What do you look like? What do you like?
What do you do in your free time? What do you do for fun? Do you like rollerblading?
What kind of music do you listen to?
Do you like sports? What sports do you play? What sports do you like? What do you play? How well do
you play? Do you like (the NBA)? Who’s your favorite (player)?
Do you like ice cream? What’s your favorite flavor?
Does it always rain in Taiwan? How cold (hot) does it get in Taiwan?
Are you a student? What do you study? Why do you want to learn English?
Do you like the smell and taste of stinky tofu? Where can I buy some? How much is it?
How well do you (write simplified characters)? How good are you at (speaking Taiwanese)?
Do you like to play mah jong? Do you play mah jong?
Where is the best place to buy a VCD? A DVD? Where is it cheapest to shop?
Are you Chinese or Taiwanese? What’s the difference?
When is lunar new year? What’s your day off? What do you do on Sunday?
Do you want to meet on Saturday? When and where can we meet?
I can’t stand (durian). How about you?
What do you do when (you’re late for school)?
What do you watch on TV? What kind of movies do you like? Do you like (action) (romantic) (scary)
movies (mysteries)(thrillers) (true crime movies)?
Do you ever (go scuba diving)? Where do you swim? Dance? Exercise? Shop? Study? Work? Relax? Live?
Get your haircut? Eat? Where do you meet your friends?
Where do you buy your food?
Is it better to be rich or famous? Why [rich]?
By: Warren on October 23, 2009
at 12:24 am
Dude. That’s a hellacious list sitting right there over my head. That would put me off blogging for a year, trying to finish that. I’m just saying. And I mean that in the kindest possible way.
But I gotta ask, is there a subcurrent of crushtata going on with one of the other admins on a certain Flickr group?
By: Jeremy Sloan on October 23, 2009
at 12:44 am
Alright, couple o’questions:
1. Do you have a specific exercise routine?
2. Have you ever seen a quacking goat?
By: Bill Ectric on October 23, 2009
at 9:33 am
If you had a pet chicken, what would you name it?
By: jessica fantastica on October 26, 2009
at 6:01 am
Well, shit. I guess that is a one word answer type of question. Sorry about that.
By: jessica fantastica on October 26, 2009
at 6:02 am
Do you know if chickens eat tofu? Would it be okay if one did?
By: Bill Ectric on October 26, 2009
at 12:56 pm
I am existentially lost. What should I, Emily T, your former roommate and current wife, do with my life, career-wise? What are some realistic goals I should set?
Have fun with that one.
xoxo
By: wifey on October 26, 2009
at 5:05 pm
You know, I was thinking about NaBloPoMo this morning… and remembering how we still need to do the Hotlympics.
By: Caryn on October 27, 2009
at 9:25 am
What if you approached the pearly gates and a chicken greeted you? That would be weird. But then you found out, it was just a joke being played on you by Vincent Price, becasue although everyone assumes it will be Saint Peter, he hasn’t worked the gates in ages – it’s Vincent Price now. And he’s a nice man, but what a kidder. So, what if all that happened? Hmmmm?
By: Bill Ectric on October 27, 2009
at 1:18 pm
Oh, and then Vincent Price asked you, “Have you considered NaNoWriMo, my dear? They say it can be quite rewarding.”
By: Bill Ectric on October 27, 2009
at 1:20 pm
I haven’t anything clever to say about NamblaPoMo, but I do have a question. Actually, it’s a question I stole from James Lipton, who stole it from Bernard Pivot.
What sound or noise do you love? (There’s also an implied “and why?” in there, if you didn’t notice.)
There are nine other Pivot-Lipton questions, but that’s always been my favorite.
By: greg on October 28, 2009
at 3:55 pm
What’s your biggest turn on? Biggest turn off?
By: ykw on October 28, 2009
at 7:44 pm
Do you believe your beloved “walks”? Kinda like Kanye’s “Jesus Walks”. And if so does this give you solace and comfort or other such feelings.
ps Happy Birthday
luv
Rah
By: * on October 29, 2009
at 4:45 am
You are standing in line at the Pearly Gates, James Lipton is in front of you. Vincent Price is presiding.
(you have to imagine the voices)
PRICE: Hello, Lipton. I suppose you want a suite with a jucuzi?
LIPTON: A bungalo will suffice, you overdone ham.
PRICE: Quite the smart-ass, aren’t you? Well, maybe you can practice your method-acting in purgatory for a couple of years. Next!
Multiple Choice Question: Would you
a. Step around James Lipton as he falls through a trap door
b. Yank Lipton to safety before he falls into purgatory and say to Vincent Price, “Where are your manners, Vincent? Sure you can make room for one more fawning seraphim.
c. Just stand there, grateful you are wearing some totally rad shoes and knowing happily that Lipton’s fate is none of your business.
d. Laaaaugh like a mo-fo!
d.
By: Bill Ectric on October 29, 2009
at 11:31 am
the comments for this post are really weird.
By: wifey on October 29, 2009
at 2:59 pm
They sure are. I guess I should have known.
By: jamelah on October 29, 2009
at 5:53 pm
Start with a leitmotif and work your way back to a character. Now double it, subtract 1 trope, roll it in a theme, and extract your plot.
By: Bill Ectric on October 30, 2009
at 1:27 pm
What do you think about video games, television and electronic entertainment?
Also, what do you think about the spanish language? Do you like to read books by people like Jorge Luís Borges?
By: frsh on October 30, 2009
at 6:11 pm
Was it worth it? Why (not)?
By: sisyphus on October 30, 2009
at 9:09 pm
May be one post related to photography ?
Discuss/comment on following :
Photography deals exquisitely with appearances, but nothing is what it appears to be. – Duane Michals
By: Arvind K on October 31, 2009
at 12:44 pm
Hey Jamelah- I don’t have a question, I just wanted to say hi. I randomly clicked over from NaBloPoMo and have enjoyed poking around your blog. So I’ll be reading, in the next month (and beyond). Looking forward to it!
By: margosita on November 1, 2009
at 1:21 am
Hi everybody. Thanks to those who played along and thanks to those who left a comment. I’m officially not taking any more questions, so I’m closing the comments on this post now. Now I just have a lot of writing to do… see you in November.
By: jamelah on November 1, 2009
at 10:12 am