Friday, September 25, 2009

Your humble hostess, unplugged


Were you named after anyone? My middle name is Elizabeth. Wasn't she a queen or something?

If you were another person would you be friends with you? Two Erins? The world only needs one Erin. If there were two Erins, the last thing you people'd need to worry about is whether or not they'd be friends.

Do you still have your tonsils? Yes.

Would you bungee jump? I like bungee cords, keep one in my trunk at all times.

Do you untie your shoes when you take them off? You know, I don't think I've ever gone to bed with a man who left his socks on. Good christ-awmighty, that's a relief.

Do you think you are strong? I am stronger than shallots, almost as strong as garlic. I might be as strong as onions, although I don't make people cry. Except my kid. I hate it when I do that.

What is your favorite ice cream?
When you're naked in front of the open freezer at three in the morning with a carton in one hand and a spoon in the other, particulars are really not important.

What is the first thing you notice about people?
What is beautiful about them.

Red or pink?
Hm. It's more of a dusky rose.

Do you like your handwriting? After my brother died I couldn't write. My hand would just cramp up into an impossible knot. It eventually came back to about 90 percent. Then Dad died and I really couldn't write. Had one hell of a time writing thank-you notes to all the neighbors for the casseroles. Wrote them in pencil and badly at that. My writing came back to about 60 percent. Signing books is always embarrassing for me because of it.

What is the least favorite thing about yourself? Wow. The cornucopia of choices before me is dizzying. My obsession to write is the best and worst thing about me. I am an awful housekeeper. I hate my belly, but not as much as I used to.

Who do you miss the most? When the gentle tether between us billows in the breeze like the strand of a spider web and threatens to break, I weep at the fear of losing you. I love you. Do not go away. Please never, ever go away. I must stay connected to you.

What color pants and shoes are you wearing?
I am in a pair of undies. That's it. They are gray.

What was the last thing you ate? A piece of cold pizza or my husband. Can't remember the order.



What are you listening to right now? Bubbles in my club soda, the sound of typing.

If you where a crayon, what color would you be? The blue velvet of the sky when the clock reads one handful of diamonds before dark.

Favorite smells? Fresh air. My daughter and all of her tweeny-sweet perfumes.

Who was the last person you talked to on the phone?
A man who spent his life toiling to build the pyramids of Giza.

Favorite sports to watch? Sex.

Hair color? Eye color? Do you wear contacts? Brown, brown, no.

Favorite food? I am thankful for every morsel I put in my mouth. Well ... that one breakfast at the Huddle Hut off the highway in one of the Carolinas produced effects other than feelings of being thankful.

Summer or winter? Whiskey on the rocks with a splash of soda.

Hugs or kisses? I could probably sleep with another woman, but my profound desire for the heterosexual experience would turn the affair into a train wreck.

What book are you reading now? Chris Adrian's "The Children's Hospital."

What did you watch on t.v. last night? I sleep on my tummy.

Favorite sound? Laughter. I love the coo of mourning doves. I was sad when I learned they are mourning doves and not morning doves.

Rolling stones or Beatles? Dig "Torn and Frayed." Or "Before They Make Me Run." A'course "Hide Your Love Away" makes me swoon as well.

What is the farthest you have been from home? California.

Do you have a special talent? I can hula-hoop for an hour.

Where were you born?
My father pulled me from the banks of the Cuyahoga River.

* * *

This in an updated repost of a previous entry. Photos are of Erin O'Brien, her husband Eric, Erin's toe (and resident toad), daughter Jessica's original artwork, and a funny set of Adam and Eve figures that stare at Erin from their windowsill perch while she does the dishes, peels the potatoes or leans over the sink eating a tomato.

26 comments:

Anonymous said...

i love how you totally didn't answer some of these. "Summer or winter? Whiskey on the rocks with a splash of soda." LOL.
i like long meme surveys. they waste time and are fun. i did one last night. go see if you want.
i need to get out of bed.
bye.

Toby said...

I cried, not blabbering crying, but I cried last night after reading my jail blog. You won't cry, but you may enjoy the read. Check your in box. I like In boxes. :)

dean said...

Rolling stones or Beatles? Dig "Torn and Frayed." Or "Before They Make Me Run." Acourse "Hide Your Love Away" makes me swoon as well.

This tears it, O'Brien. I am completely in love with you. "Torn and Frayed"? Fabulous. Wonderful.

dean said...

And now I have to put on Exile on Main Street because 'Rip This Joint' and 'Sweet Virginia' and 'Shine a Light' and 'Torn and Frayed' are calling to me.

Anonymous said...

And I love the way Shaina takes her computer to bed with her.

My answer to Beatles or Stones would be Zeppelin, but then, I think I'd fail the beer test, too :)

Think I'll do this one later. Looks like fun.

SIMON said...

Hula hoop for an hour! Wow how did you find that out?

Ken Houghton said...

Unfair. You answered the questions that were really being asked, instead of the text on the page.

What are you, a novelist or something?

Anonymous said...

I use to have good penmanship too...what's that about??

Anonymous said...

I knew you'd make a masterpiece out of a meme!


~DogsDontPurr

Jim Winter said...

"I like bungee cords, keep one in my trunk at all times."

A bungee cord in your trunk says, "I'm from Ohio."

A bungee cord used to hold up your back bumper says, "And I have the income to prove it."

Anonymous said...

my computer lives on my bed, doug. it sits on the end all day, and moves a foot off the bed at night so i dont kick it. it is the first thing i do when i get up and the last when i go to bed. so there.

Carla said...

These are the funnest answers I've seen to a meme in a long time. And hula-hooping? Wow! Not one of my talents, that's for sure.

Anonymous said...

Loved the meme. Interesting take on everything, but sex isn't a sport. Sports have plastic trophies and the only things I've won at sex weren't plastic.

Oh, and Doug, how does one FAIL a beer test? Isn't it a win-win thing???

Leslie Morgan said...

You've done it again! I sat back in my chair and thought, "I want to rip her off. I want to rip off her answers, too!"

Rolling Stones: The Girl with the Far Away Eyes, Love in Vain, Send Me Dead Flowers.

Beatles: Couldn't single out just a few, but Happiness is a Warm Gun always warms my heart.

Thanks for ending my Friday on such an up note. I chuckled and I teared up.

Al the Retired Army Guy said...

Were you named after anyone?

Nope. I was almost named Albert, though. For most of my life, my Mom would sometimes call me "Bert" as a result.

If you were another person would you be friends with you? Of course. I'm a great guy. Just ask me. Or my wife ... ;-)

Do you still have your tonsils? Yes.

Would you bungee jump? No. But I have no qualms at jumping out of a perfectly good airplane. I've done it 55 times, after all.

Do you untie your shoes when you take them off? No.

Do you think you are strong? Yes. Having been shot at in Iraq not once, but multiple times, I think I'm strong.

What is your favorite ice cream?
Pistachio followed by chocolate chip.

What is the first thing you notice about people? Their eyes.

Red or pink? Neither. Scarlet and Gray is more my speed.

Do you like your handwriting? Yes. I really like it that most can't read it!

What is the least favorite thing about yourself? I suck at baking. Mostly, but I can follow a recipe.

Who do you miss the most? My father.

What was the last thing you ate? Foie Gras Torchon served on a artisan baguette with fresh figs.

What are you listening to right now? Rush, tune is "Different Strings."

If you where a crayon, what color would you be? Dark blue. Or, of course, scarlet and gray.

Favorite smells? Diesel fuel (exhaust). Smoke from BBQ. Real BBQ. My wife's shampoo (well, really, my wife's hair after she's used said shampoo).

Who was the last person you talked to on the phone? Pete Haller, the best man at my wedding and my best friend period.

Favorite sports to watch? Ohio State Football. Cleveland Browns Football (if you can call it that these days). Cleveland Indians baseball (ditto).

Hair color? Eye color? Do you wear contacts? Brown (mostly gray these days), green, no.

Favorite food? Too many to list, but ... BBQ .. foie gras ... onion soup ... caviar ... sausage ... risotto ... meatloaf ... cheese ... hot, hot, hot chicken wings .. blue cheese ... omelettes ... pasta ... butter ... cornichons ... mustard ... good baguettes ...

Summer or winter? Neither ... spring or fall for me.

Hugs or kisses? Both. From my wife.

What book are you reading now? Dick Morris - "Fleeced."

What did you watch on t.v. last night? Schindler's List. One of my favorites.

Favorite sound? The bass guitar.

Rolling stones or Beatles? Both. Satisfaction is a great tune, as is Lady Madonna.

What is the farthest you have been from home? Iraq. Kuwait. Dubai. Bahrain. Germany. England. The Republic of Korea. Guam. Thailand. Canada. Puerto Rico. Washington. Texas. Georgia. Florida. Tennessee. Kentucky. Illinois. Indiana. Pennsylvania. Vermont. Virginia. New York. Arkansas. Louisiana. California. Kansas. Missouri. Mississippi. Alabama. Maryland. Take your pick.

Do you have a special talent? I can make decorations out of napkins.

Where were you born? Fairview Park Hospital.

Leslie Morgan said...

Ha! Al the Retired Army Guy, I wanted to do JUST that. But I was concerned about being too deriviative and ripping off Erin all the time. Yours was cool to read!

VideoDude said...

I think the goat is the luckiest guy in the world. Don't tell my wife!!!! However, you looked as if you were having way too much fun in that video!!! lmfao!!!!!!

Tony Rugare said...

Speaking of being unplugged, that was a wonderful article in The Plain Dealer this morning about Erin O'Brien. Hope it opens some doors for you. Congratulations!

Rory L. Aronsky said...

Hey Erin, was this a standard, if-it-was-on-Facebook-it-would-annoy-the-crap-out-of-you-because-of-the-sheer-number-of-"friends"-who-would-take-it-and-let-you-know-they-took-it survey? Ok to use on my blog (with my own answers, of course)?

Erin O'Brien said...

Rory, of course you can use this. I normally don't do memes, but these questions obviously evoked the imp in me.

I updated and reposted this mainly due to the Plain Dealer article Tony references. It showcases who I am and what I do, and I thought it was nice fare for any new readers.

Now I want some of that fancy Torcho stuff Al ate.

Al The Retired Army Guy said...

Erin,

The torchon was incredible - literally melts in your mouth good. All you have to do is buy a $165 lobe of foie gras, and you can do it yourself! BTW, I didn't buy it - the school did.

Al
TRAG
Sometimes AKA Mr. Baddie Cloud

Kirk said...

Is "I Sleep On My Tummy" on one of those Showtime channels?

Joe said...

I enjoyed the nice article about you in the Cleveland paper.

Anonymous said...

Oh to have been at Villa Nelcote during the "Exile" sessions. William Burroughs, Gram Parsons, Terry Southern et al. Who says there's no hope in dope? Guess I need a meeting.

RJ

Diane Vogel Ferri said...

Great PD article and photo - but if YOU can't find a publisher - what hope is there for the rest of us????

Jim said...

You make my lilies laugh!