Sunday Stealing: Sign Up Genius - Ramblin' with Roger

This Sunday Stealing is from Sign Up Genius

1. Would you rather ride a bike, ride a horse, or drive a car?

I don’t drive a car. I’ve never had a license, though I’ve had seven (!) driver’s permits, which is why I know the rules of road so well. The last time I rode a horse was June 9, 1976; I had a hangover, which I don’t recommend. I do have a bike, and have ridden it, although not yet this year because I can’t find my bike lock, so we’ll go with that.

2. Who is your favorite author?

It’s been a long time since I wrote more than two books by a single author, and that was when Russell Baker was still writing for the New York Times. I could cheat and say the late Joel Whitburn, who is more of a compiler of pop music citations than an author as such. I’ll pick Art Spiegelman, author of Maus, because I used to know him personally, back when he was

the co-creator of RAW magazine.

3. Would you rather vacation in Hawaii or Alaska, and why?

Either, because they’re both changing rapidly. Alaska is too warm now, and I expect much of Hawaii will be underwater in a few decades.

4. If you could go back in time, what year would you travel to?

About a week ago and say no to a couple projects that have become a time suck.

They’re insincere

5. What’s your favorite zoo animal?

The giraffe because they’re so freakishly strange. Incidentally, my post about the song At The Zoo by Simon and Garfunkel.

6. What’s the tallest building you’ve been to the top of?

The 86th floor of the Empire State Building.

7. How often do you buy clothes?

Almost never unless they wear out. My wife buys me clothes because my criterion for “worn out” and hers are not the same.

8. What was the last thing you recorded on TV?

Jeopardy, and I’ve already watched it. On the other hand, the DVR is 52% filled, some of it going back to December 2022.

9. What was the last book you read?

We Return Fighting: World War I and the Shaping of Modern Black Identity, edited by Kinshasha Holman Conwill

10. What’s your favorite type of foreign food?

I answered this before, so I’ll answer it again differently. I had some Jamaican food this weekend which was quite good.

11. What kitchen appliance do you use every day?

The electric can opener, usually to open tuna.

Saint Nick lives!

12. How old were you when you learned Santa wasn’t real? How did you find out?

WHAT? What are you telling me here? Santa’s not real? Why would ever say such a thing?!

13. What was your favorite subject in school?

From 5th to 11th grade, math: algebra, geometry, trigonometry.

14. What’s the most unusual thing you’ve ever eaten?

I don’t believe I’ve eaten anything particularly weird. OK, this is a story from my youth. My mother made… something. It was awful. It had green specks in it. At the time, there was a laundry detergent call Oxydol, and it advertised as having “green bleaching crystals.” So we referred to… whatever it was… as tasting as though it had green bleaching crystals.

15. What’s your favorite family recipe?

I recall no family recipes. My maternal grandmother probably had some, but she evidently never passed them down to her daughter, and certainly not to me. My father was actually a better cook than my mom, but his methodology was to find random leftovers in the refrigerator and mix them together, usually quite well. He called the concoction goulygoop, which we didn’t know until some years later was merely his term for goulash.

Author: Roger

I'm a librarian. I hear music, even when it's not being played. I used to work at a comic book store, and it still informs my life. I won once on JEOPARDY! - ditto. View all posts by Roger

9 thoughts on “Sunday Stealing: Sign Up Genius”

There are many things I make that never turn out the same way twice; meatloaf, for example. Goulygoop is a great way to describe what your father did with his cooking. I hadn’t considered the possibility of Hawaii sinking/flooding, but you’re right. It could happen.

I love that term of goulygoop. My mom likes to make goulash and my son loves it. Loved your answers! Have a nice day! ♥

https://lorisbusylife.blogspot.com/

I laughed out loud when I read your comment about your wife’s idea of “worn out” versus your idea!

We record Jeopardy every night too.

Lots of fun answers!

I started laughing so hard at “my criterion for “worn out” and hers are not the same. You should write a piece about that! Oxydol was the best but not for eating ! Thanks for making me giggle today Roger.