The TMI 'Fest — and an Anniversary!

The blog is turning 5! 

Back on June 1st, 2011, when the first post went up on Quiet Laughter, I had no clue what blogging was, or how the blogging world would shape my life. And me. It's been a magical discovery... And to celebrate I'm joining Debbie D. Doglady's bloghop, The TMI 'Fest. Originally started on Facebook (yep, I answered there, too), the TMI—Too Much Information—Questionnaire has now been brought over into the blogosphere. Join the fun—if you dare! Sign up, before July 13th, in the linky at Debbie's blog (or at the end of this post).

This is me, from A to Z

A: Age

43 (1973)

B: Biggest fear

Being unable to protect my dogs from harm. (As in someone breaking into the house to rob us and hurting the dogs.)

C: Current time

1:27 pm (Took me some time to complete this post, as you can see...)

D: Drink you last had

Hazelnut cappuccino, from Barista. (Just like MIRACLE protagonist Luis Villalobos :D )

E: Every day starts with

"Today I'm going to write all day. No, seriously."

F: Favourite Song

Pfffff... Impossible choice. 'Bittersweet Symphony' (The Verve), maybe. 'Wish You Were Here', or pretty much anything by Pink Floyd. 'Solsbury Hill' (Peter Gabriel) is my go-to for feel-good. And lately, because I've been on an R.E.M. kick, there's Leaving New York.

G: Ghosts, are they real?

No. (If you mean in the supernatural, scary-apparition sense.)

H: Hometown

Cuernavaca (Mexico)

I: In love with

Life

J: Jealous of?

Jennifer Egan (writer, A Visit From The Goon Squad)

K: Killed someone?

I hope not.

L: Last time you cried?

Pfffff... I tear up easily. Animal rescue videos, stories of kindness, father-oriented poetry... All of those (and more) will make me shed a tear or two. But cry-cry, as in heaving-sobs-cry? The last time I was in Cuernavaca, paging through my dad's high school yearbook. My dad died in 1992 and, although the loss never gets easier, in the near-quarter-century since I've learned to live with it. Every now and then, though, it'll sneak in a surprisingly incisive sting. This wasn't the first time I pored over that yearbook, but all of a sudden it hit me: all these stories of his high school days that I'd never hear, all these names and scribbled autographs—he was a popular kid, my dad—that I'd never be able to ask him about, an entire chapter of his life that I'll only know in the sketchiest way.

M: Middle name

No middle name. Which is fairly uncommon in Mexico, especially since my name, being a product of my dad's creative mind, isn't in the list of "Christian" names. Then again, both my parents were atheists, so having a church-endorsed moniker for their child was probably not high on their list of priorities.

N: Number of siblings

None. (Also pretty weird for a Mexican family.)

O: One wish

To set up and run an animal sanctuary.

P: Person you last called?

Cor, natuurlijk :)

Q: Question you're always asked

"How did you end up in Curaçao?"

R: Reason to smile

Too many to list. But they usually have something to do with dogs.

S: Sounds that annoy you

The Haitian handyman at the apartment complex next door has this habit of singing while he works. The same song, over and over. Not even the whole song but just a piece of it (or maybe it's a very short song). Over and over. A cheery, sort of childish, kind of tune. It annoys the hell out of me. And yes, I realize how petty this is.

T: Time you woke up

Eek. Today? Around 10, I think. I stayed up way too late last night watching movies. Black Sea, to be exact. (It was good.)

U: Underwear colour

I actually need to check, haha. Okay, black. (I did warn you this was a TMI 'fest, didn't I?)

V: Vacation destination

As in favorite? Or as in bucket list? Favorite so far I'd say Perú. Most visited would be either Holland or Mexico (for obvious reasons). Highest on the bucket list would be South Asia.

W: Worst habit

People-pleasing.

X: X-Rays you've had

I don't think I've had any. Maybe teeth, back when I was a kid and orthodontists were all the rage.

Y: Your favourite food

Sla-vinken met spinazie—but only if Cor makes it.

Sla-vinken (or blinden vinken) is a typically Dutch sausage-like thing...
Ground meat (we won't ask exactly what meat) wrapped in bacon, and
served with potatoes and spinach (spinazie). Probably doesn't sound too exotic,
but to this Mexican's taste buds it's pure heaven.

Z: Zodiac sign

Aquarius.