My First Wednesday Hodgepodge

Okay, so I've decided it's time to end my blogging hiatus.  I've taken a long enough break since the A to Z Challenge.  I got myself through busy season at work, and now that we're starting a renovation project at work, I'm going to have boat loads of free time to bore you all with my ramblings.


To work my way back into the scene, I decided to join the Wednesday Hodgepodge.  My mom started participating a few weeks ago, and it just sounds like fun!  So, thank you in advance to Joyce over at From This Side of the Pond for giving me something to write about on Wednesdays!  Without further ado....

1. Summer officially rolls in with the Hodgepodge, for those of us in the Northern hemisphere anyway. What song says summer 2012 to you?

I now live in Phoenix.  It's hotter than the surface of the sun here in the summer.  People think I'm crazy when I say that I prefer the humid summers of Washington, DC to summers here, but believe me, I'm not lying.  The heat is gross and I hate it more than I could actually put into words.  So, this is an oldie but a goodie.  I think Nelly's got it right by pointing out that it's so hot all you want to do is strip.

2. What is the quintessential summer food?

Great White Shark Popsicles!  I used to eat these all the time in the summer during my brother's little league games.

Photo Courtesy of: ebay.com 

3. I've spent a lot of time traipsing up and down the NJ turnpike in recent weeks. Did you know the rest stops on the turnpike are named after people who lived or worked in NJ? Clara Barton, Walt Whitman, James Fenimore Cooper, Molly Pitcher, Joyce Kilmer, Thomas Edison, and Grover Cleveland just to name a few. Of those I listed who would you most like to have known and why?

Even though Walt Whitman's rest stop is one of my favorites, I'm going to have to go with Clara Barton.  She did such amazing things, not only for women and feminism, but for society as a whole by founding the American Red Cross.  I think knowing her would have been amazing.

4. At what age did you move out of your parent's house and what prompted the move?

I was 18, and I was moving north to Flagstaff to attend Northern Arizona University.  I've spent most of my time since then away from home.  For the four years I was in college I only came home for short visits and when they made us leave the dorms during extended vacations at school.  I moved home for a year right after college before I embarked on my 3 year adventure in Washington, DC, and now I'm back again.  I've been back almost a year, though it doesn't seem like that long.

5. What's more satisfying to you-saving time or saving money?

Right now?  Money.  I do anything to be able to save some money.

6. Name something you think brings out the good in people.

Like most things in life, I think this varies by person.  I really don't think there's one thing more than any other that brings out the best in everyone.  Some things that I think are up there?  Laughter, good music, puppies and faith in something bigger than us.

7. This last question comes to you courtesy of Kathy at Reflections...are you taking a vacation or staycation this summer? If so where are will you go? If a staycation is on the calendar have you made any special plans to fill the time?

Due to a renovation project going on at work this summer, I'll be taking a lot of time away from my job.  Unfortunately most of it will be unpaid, so I'll be doing a lot of staycationing and working on my tan (I'm blessed with the ability to tan while wearing a very high SPF sun block.  Please be safe in the sun this summer everyone!  Skin cancer is nothing to brush off.)!  However, my sister and I are headed to glorious San Diego for two days at the end of July, and I'm hoping to make some day trips up to Flagstaff to get out of the heat.

8. Insert your own random thought here.

I'm really tired, and should probably go to sleep (it's 10:20 PM as I'm writing this, and past my bed time!), but I'm sucked in to the baseball game that I already thought might never end, but is now, of course, in extra innings.  The D-Backs need to lock it up and finish this game!

Thanks for reading!  And don't forget to head over to This Side of the Pond and visit Joyce!