table topic #35

haven't done a table topic in ages! inspired by the above headline on yahoo:

35. Do you have a food phobia? If so, what?

Surprisingly, raisins (as pictured) are on yahoo's list. I quite enjoy them, personally. And while I don't like fish at all, i wouldn't necessarily call it a phobia. Same with vinegar. Aversion, severe dislike - yes. Phobia, no. But what I do have a tremendous disgust - and dare I say, phobia - for is mayonnaise. I simply cannot deal. Ew. Ew. Ew.

table topic #34

easy one this week...

in honor of my incessant listening of the killers "live at royal albert hall" album this past weekend, i ask you:

34. Are we human, or are we dancer?

i'm going human.

in case you need a little help making up your mind:

table topic #33

so, i really don't like that my work starbucks now needs my name to order a latte. while it might help alieviate some confusion at the bar, i don't feel like the world needs to know my identity, nor my order. so, i've decide that i will start giving them fake names...

33. What should my Starbucks fake-name be?

kiki? trixie? comments are open for suggestions!

table topic #32

it's hard for me to believe that 2009 is coming to a end. with that, it's time for a new theme for 2010. year of____?

so far, we've had the "year of decisions" (2007), the "year of rest" (2008) and, of course, this year's "year of new york city," aka YoNYC. so, here's a new table topic:

32. What should bizarro gnome's 2010 "year of..." theme be?

as you can see, crate and barrel has suggested "year of cookies" -

which, is not a bad suggestion. perhaps "muffin of the week" could morph into the "year of baking"? how about "year of reinvention"? "year of hijinx"?

thoughts...? i welcome your thematic comments!

table topic #31 - no answer required

apparently, table topics are exploding - there are decades editions, pets, food, wedding, etc. this one is from the "picnic" edition, but i think i can answer for all of us:

31. How much dirt is okay in picnic food?

really?! this is a table topic? now, i am no germaphobe, but NO DIRT IS OK in my food, picnic or otherwise! feel free to comment if you disagree.

table topic #30

apologies - we have not had a table topic in ages. here's one from the 80s edition:

30. Which was better - Fame, Footloose or Flashdance?

rock n' roll & dancing illegal? a young kevin bacon? let's here it for the boy? i think i'll go footloose on this one. check out the sweet zig-zag move at 2:49...

table topic #29

food topic this week:

29. What is the most impressive thing you've ever cooked? 

i actually like to cook, but don't do anything super impressive very often. i think my best dish was a chocolate & banana bread pudding. i went to the bakery just before closing and ended up with 3 free loaves. rather than go to waste, i whipped up a pudding - complete with a water bath and everything. even served it with custard. yum.

table topic #28

this week's topic is from the travel edition:

28. What trip would you most like to take in your lifetime? 

there are a loads of places i want to see...mt. rushmore, japan, alaska, australia, etc. 

but if we are talking trip of a lifetime here, i have to go antarctica for sure. yes, cold. yes, desolate. but, i've always been fascinated by the place. maybe one day...

table topic #27

multiple choice today:

27. Would you rather have a great wardrobe or an amazing car?

i'm neither a clothes person, nor a car person. but, i'd have to choose clothes. not just because I don't have much use for one in NYC. it's just that i've never been into cars. 

i have always driven any P.O.S. car that was handed down to me - the maroon chevy caprice family station wagon, the grey oldsmobile nicknamed "the silver bullet," the pink "champagne supernova" lebaron & the lavender ford probe that came with insta-car payments.  

hmmm...actually...on second thought, i'll pick an amazing car. it's about time.

table topic #26

in honor today's inauguration, let's have a presidential question this week:

26. If you could have dinner with any of the US Presidents which would it be? 

hmm...tough one. i have to remember my AP American History for this one. they all certainly have their merits.  i was considering Taft - weighing in at over 300 lbs, i'm sure he'd serve a good meal. 

but, i think i'll vote for Jefferson, seeing as how i am a big fan of the louisiana purchase, the lewis & clark exhibition and mount rushmore.  

and the winner is...

drum roll, please...

clocking in at 8 jazzy comments, the 2008 post of the year goes to Table Topic #19, when we took a walk down memory lane of games past. candyland, perfection, don't tip the waiter, chinese checkers - oldies, but goodies. 

keep those comments coming! 

table topic #25

easy(ish) table topic to kick off the new year - just requires a bit of counting:

25. How many states have you visited?

now, a friend of mine always said that it doesn't count unless you've actually had your feet on the ground and spent at least a dollar there to count as "visit," so with that in mind my number is 22.

counting things like airport transfers & rest stops on roadtrips, it increases to 29, but i think that's cheating, don't you? 

table topic #24

holiday themed one this week...

24. What is your favorite holiday song?

hmm...i have a couple of faves. 

on the traditional side, joy to the world brings back fond memories - my sister & i getting the church giggles during mass from the cadence of the pew in front of us - when we were way too old to be caught laughing at church. 

as far as music videos go, you can't beat the ridiculous holiday attire and over the top facial expressions of the hall & oates version of jingle bell rock. on the contemporary side, i always loved christmas in hollis by run dmc - this is usually my #1. 

but, this year the top spot is going to christmas wrapping, by the waitresses. you mean you forgot cranberries too??

table topic #23 - interactive!

thanks to faithful reader yr. fav. librarian for suggesting this table topic - our first interactive, one! this will require a little work on everyone's part. it's called the "nearest book meme" (what a great word meme):

23. Here are the instructions:

*Get the book nearest you to. Right now. 

*Go to page 56. 

*Find the 5th sentence. 

*Write that sentence here in the comments (as adapted for this table topic). 

*Don't look for your favorite book or your coolest, but really the nearest.

here's mine:

"A gracefully time-worn mirror and round coffee table (an excellent foil for a boxy seating area) introduce some history and patina to the modern mix." 

from domino: the book of decorating. actually, i really need this sentence. i've got a nice patina mirror in my living room at the moment, but my black, rectangular coffee table is really sucking the life out of the space, particularly given the boxy seating arrangement i have. round you say? 

fun. i've already seen this pop up in a facebook status. will be very interested to see what everyone comes up with! 

table topic #22

in honor of turkey day, here is a festive table topic:

22. What is your favorite part of the Thanksgiving holiday? 

well, thanksgiving is not my favorite holiday. that said, i don't mind having a nice 4 day weekend. 

as far as the meal goes, i do love me some cranberry sauce. not the homemade variety - the more canned, the better. ring imprints and all. yum. 

table topic #21

a multiple choice this week...

21. Would you rather be too hot or too cold?

hmmm....this is a tough one. but quite apropos this time of year when the office thermostat swings like a pendulum. 

i think i'll have to go too hot on this one. 

table topic #20

here's an arty table topic this week:

20. If you could design a postage stamp what would you create?

hmm...totally random, but for some reason my initial thinking is a peach. a juicy summery peach. in a retro sort of style. maybe with a funky art deco style font. or like old general store signs. even though i have a lot of heart for the pineapple, i'm going to go peach. 

table topic #19

an adapted table topic from the pregnancy edition, this week:

19. What was your favorite board game growing up?

i love board games. unfortunately, my parents did not. so, family game night was few & far between. and they inevitably ended in tears. 

years later, my mom would find an old version of pictionary in our back hallway. in the box would be a list i had written entitled, "games i will never play with my family again". #1 on the list - pictionary. 

but, i digress. growing up i really loved candyland. the gumdrop mountains, queen frostine. it was similar in approach to chutes & ladders, but that felt so methodical. candyland, however, was pure, sugary fun. 

table topic #18

this week, we have a medical edition of table topics:

18. If you were a doctor which specialty would you choose?

easy. i'd go eye doctor. my optometrists have been some of the nicest people i've ever met. and my opthamologists the funniest. i'd be up for carrying on either of those traditions. plus, my eyes are so bad that i could really be sympathetic to my patients and get a pretty good discount on my own glasses to boot. i might even have a bit of fun prescribing someone an eyepatch. 

table topic #17

in honor of the season premiere of the amazing race tonight here is this weeks table topic, from the travel topics edition:

17. Who would you want to be your partner in a race around the world?

hmm...interesting question. you have to choose these things carefully. i think i would choose my brother-in-law. my sister & i would probably get into a few stand-offs (sorry, sweets). but i think my brother-in-law and i are equally resourceful and just polite enough to not kill each other. unless, of course, he questions my sense of direction.