Random quiz post

For once I'm not doing a quiz to trick y'all into thinking I regularly post. This one interested me.
Behold! A fully completed quiz.
If there are American typos that I've not picked up on, I apologise profusely.

1. Favorite childhood book?

Agent Angel, by Annie Dalton, and Harry Potter, by JK Rowling. Both of these series followed me well into my teens.

2. What are you reading right now?

From Notting Hill With Love… Actually, by Ali McNamara.

3. What books do you have on request at the library?

I don’t have any at the moment, due to awfully high overdue fees. I liked re-reading my books.

4. Bad book habit?

Starting one, flicking to the middle, and flicking to the end to decide whether or not I’ll read the whole thing. It was a smart move with Fitzwilliam Darcy: Rock Star, though I can’t imagine what possessed me to read it to begin with.

5. What do you currently have checked out at the library?

Again, none, due to the aforementioned overdues.

6. Do you have an e-reader?

I’ve downloaded the iBooks, Kindle and Bluefire apps on my phone – it makes for easy reading on the train trips to uni.

7. Do you prefer to read one book at a time, or several at once?

Several if I’m going to draw them out; if it’s a good enough book, I usually have it finished in a few hours so there’s no chance to have multiples.

8. Have your reading habits changed since starting a blog?

Not really, except I’ve tried branching out a bit more. There’s a lot more that I’ve found through trawling review sites. My blog isn’t 100% devoted to books, obviously, so there you have it.

9. Least favorite book you read this year (so far?)

Fitzwilliam Darcy, Rock Star by Heather Lynn Regaud, or Unsticky, by Sara Manning. Can’t figure out why I read them. They were vapid reads, and Fitzwilliam Darcy: Rock Star just ruined Pride and Prejudice. Ruined it. Unsticky seems to be the book version of Pretty Woman, and Pretty Woman didn’t appeal to me either.

10. Favorite book you’ve read this year?

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green.

11. How often do you read out of your comfort zone?

Not very often, though a notable exception was The Godfather – and that was awesome. Awesome in all the ways.

12. What is your reading comfort zone?

YA, adult fic, classics, historical fic and chick-lit.

13. Can you read on the bus?

Oddly enough, I can’t read books, but I can read on my phone just fine. Trains are easier to read on.

14. Favorite place to read?

My bed, or my parents’ lovely corner couch. The hammock used to be great for reading in too, before the dog claimed it as her own and broke it.

15. What is your policy on book lending?

I share, occasionally. If I like you I share.

16. Do you ever dog-ear books?

Not intentionally, ever.

17. Do you ever write in the margins of your books?

*gasp* Get thee out of here. Get out. No. You do not do that to books.

18. Not even with text books?

Okay, yes. I do this to my textbooks (well, more highlight). I also do it to my Bible.

19. What is your favorite language to read in?

English. I’m working on Spanish, I can understand bits but not enough to make my reading experience smooth.

20. What makes you love a book?

The characters have to draw me in. For instance, I just read The Jane Austen Marriage Manual (Kim Izzo) and The Wedding Season (Su Dharmapala). Both very generic chick lit formulas – I needed something very simple for post-op, and I was sick of slogging my way through big texts courtesy of uni. JAMM had nothing to offer in the way of characters – why anyone would go for Kate is beyond me, and every character was two-dimensional and boring. The Wedding Season, however, was brilliant – because of the characters. Heck, even the four-year-old was realistic.

21. What will inspire you to recommend a book?

Friends, covers, and my old school librarian, Gloria.

22. Favorite genre?

YA, primarily. Chick lit is just not as good as it used to be, whereas YA just goes from strength to strength.

23. Genre you rarely read (but wish you did?)

Fantasy. When I find the right fantasy, I get into it to near Potter levels, but I don’t know enough authors to keep my reading up.

24. Favorite biography?

David Sedaris, When You Are Engulfed in Flames. Okay, it’s memoir, but it’s amazing and brilliant and why can’t I be David Sedaris unghhhhhh

25. Have you ever read a self-help book?

I don’t think so. Self-help books are hilarity.

26. Favorite cookbook?

Marie Claire Kitchen, and anything Donna Hay. Donna Hay is a complete genius and I want to become the monster that lives in her kitchen devouring all her baked goods. Sort of like Cookie Monster, except baked goods are an always food.

27. Most inspirational book you’ve read this year (fiction or non-fiction)?

The Fault in Our Stars, by John Green. It made me realise that my gosh, my life is good.

28. Favorite reading snack?

Tomato soup. Odd, I know. Also enjoy two-minute noodles.

29. Name a case in which hype ruined your reading experience.

Could not understand the appeal of Eragon, nor the Sookie Stackhouse series. Both of them were boring as anything and, in the case of SS, was filled with way too much sex for me to consider it normal. Why does vampirism equal higher-than-average sexytimes, as opposed to the far more rational fleeing?

30. How often do you agree with critics about a book?

Very rarely read critical reviews.

31. How do you feel about giving bad/negative reviews?

If the book is horrifyingly bad, I am vocal. Actually, no matter what, I’m vocal. Thankfully I’ve not read a lot of books that  I openly despise.

32. If you could read in a foreign language, which language would you choose?

Spanish, because I want to read Neruda in Spanish. And The Shadow of the Wind (which I actually own in Spanish but is taking forever to get through). And Marquez. Spanish-language authors really are magnificent, and that’s reading a translation. Imagine how they must be in Spanish, which is an infinitely more beautiful language than English I do believe.

33. Most intimidating book you’ve ever read? 

Anna Karenina, because it was huge. Worth every page.

34. Most intimidating book you’re too nervous to begin?

The Count of Monte Cristo, because I’ve heard so many things about it that are magnificent and I don’t want to be disappointed.

35. Favorite Poet?

Neruda. I don’t think I’ve mentioned that before, ever, because – I can’t keep up the sarcasm.

36. How many books do you usually have checked out of the library at any given time?

As many as they allow (so for the Richmond-Tweed libraries, that’s 20).

37. How often have you returned book to the library unread?

Never. They all are read, repeatedly.

38. Favorite fictional character? 

I’ve covered this here.

39. Favorite fictional villain?

Voldemort. Oooh. I also like Wickham.

40. Books you’re most likely to bring on vacation?

Whatever’s on my phone, and whatever I can afford while I’m away.

41. The longest you’ve gone without reading.

Never more than a week or two.

42. Name a book that you could/would not finish.

Beastly. I liked the movie and the book was just blerghhhhh.

43. What distracts you easily when you’re reading?

My thoughts, and occasionally story ideas.

44. Favorite film adaptation of a novel?

Atonement, The Notebook, Pride and Prejudice 2005 (I await the rocks and spears)… and Beastly, because it was awesome and way better than the book.

45. Most disappointing film adaptation?

Goblet of Fire and A Walk to Remember. GoF was way too rushed (so much awesome they missed). And, A Walk to Remember? Come on, whoever directed that. The book was amazing to begin with. Why did you have to make it so… painful?

46. The most money I’ve ever spent in the bookstore at one time?

Probably a hundred or so. Would have been on a box set or just going all out and buying happiness.

47. How often do you skim a book before reading it?

Quite a bit. Voice is important for me.

48. What would cause you to stop reading a book half-way through?

Boredom. If the characters are just irritating, or the plot is ridiculous, or the writing is just atrocious, I’m ready to put them away.

49. Do you like to keep your books organized?

I group by category (fiction/non), then by genre, then by author within genre.

50. Do you prefer to keep books or give them away once you’ve read them?

Keep. They be my books.

51. Are there any books you’ve been avoiding?

Right now, just The Great Gatsby. The film’s coming out soon and I want to enjoy it as a film, before falling happily into the book.

52. Name a book that made you angry.

Atonement, Ian McEwan. But it was a perfect and brilliant anger, and I love that it made me angry.

53. A book you didn’t expect to like but did?

Technically, not a book, but The Crucible by Arthur Miller. Also Nineteen Eighty-Four by the brilliant Orwell – dystopian fiction was not my thing at the time.

54. A book that you expected to like but didn’t?

Asking for Trouble, by Elizabeth Young. I read it because it was meant to be the inspiration for The Wedding Date (Debra Messing and Dermot Mulroney I think?), which I adore and have adored for years. It just wasn’t as punchy.

55. Favourite guilt-free, pleasure reading?

Chick-lit all the way. Apparently, being a media and communications student/vaguely literature student/writing student, I’m meant to be all high-brow and whatnot. Genre fic is brilliant though, and shouldn’t be discounted.

I originally posted this without a title and thus, I have already started my March fail with style.

Uh.

Yeah.

Hi, there.

Even though I moved to Brisbane a month ago (and my gosh, that has absolutely flown), I have been lazy.

Have I been blogging as I promised I would?

No. I have not. Clearly, I have not. This is an abhorrent thing and I am a terrible person. *awaits the onslaught of rocks*

However, I am here! And now, because you are unfortunate enough to click on the link that led you here, a general run-down of what I'm doing now.

• I am living in Brisbane, as said before. I live on a particularly freaky-deaky train line. So freaky, in fact, security guards man the train at night. (If you live in Brisbane, you'll probably know which train line I refer to.) There are also large spiders and a see-through gecko.
• University has begun! I'm in week 2. I'm meant to be doing readings now. PROCRASTINATION. I'm studying media and comms now, and will hopefully be doing so for 2 years. Then - and this is pretty much the only thing getting me through the next two years, because I am forever haunted by the thought that this could have been my last year - I am fleeing to Melbourne for journalistic post-grad.  
• A cat followed me home today. I nearly won our house a pet, but alas, the cat seemed to realise it wasn't meant to follow me inside and instead sat outside, staring at me.
• There might be work, there might be Centrelink, there might be both. Excitement.

Okay, so there isn't really much going on. There's a real reason why I'm posting. 

My pal Justin (by which I mean, pal that I haven't technically met but because he and I exchanged in a Rick Astley Lyric-Off on Twitter we are pals for life) (I am overusing pal, someone make it stop) posted a delightful post with questions. It came from this one here, and you know how I am with memes and questions and things! I do all those things in lieu of posting normally, because I am lazy.

Without further ado, answers to questions!

Why do you blog?

I blog because I'm a writer. I like to think I'm a writer, anyway. Rather than howling at various unfinished manuscripts, I might as well show the world that I can write and get a variety of hits.

Also, it's a way to vent. Imagine if all these thoughts were stuck in my head all the time. 

Who is the one person that's meant the most to you, alive or dead?

It's been so long since I've read through my posts, I can't remember if I've mentioned my grandfather. My Tata, as we all call him, is the greatest person alive. The majority of my family regard him as a lunatic, which, to be fair, he really is. But he toes the line of genius and madness pretty well. Throughout everything I've ever gone through, he's the only one who's just let me be who I was. The emo hair, dyed purple then blue then black? Greeted with, "It's lovely, mi Natashita, because you are lovely," rather than my grandmother's, "WHAT ON EARTH HAVE YOU DONE" and feverish prayers to la madre. The freaking out over school, and subsequent home schooling? All met with general coolness. He is also the only person in my family to actually converse with us as though we're intelligent adults.

Which would you choose, if you could one have one: wealth, wisdom, love, or fame?

Probably love. Love is all... you... need... *hides face*

I would like to be loved and to love someone else, because it's a darn awesome feeling.

Do you have any hilarious stories that you can share involving alcohol or "other"?

I don't drink or participate in 'other', but I was extremely tired once - 11 hour shift waitressing coming off 6 hours sleep, then a train trip up to the Sunshine Coast for a friend's 21st with extremely hyper friends. My best friend told her boyfriend to watch me when we were at another friend's place after the party, because I was that tired I would probably do something stupid while she sorted out beds and whatnot. Conversation ensued.

Me, looking at table: Wow. That's a lot of lightbulbs.

Him:Yeah.

Me: They're probably doing something illegal with that many lightbulbs.

Him: What can you do that's illegal with a lightbulb?

Me: You should smoke one.

Him:  You should probably go to bed.

Me: Probably.

Trina had made up a nice bed for me, but I found a pile of pillows on the floor that I also liked and refused to leave. So she made the bed for me on the pillows, and that is the last I recall.

What's one thing that you have a problem with, morally/politically/etc., in the world?

I'm a Christian, and the one thing Jesus told us to do was to love everyone. Every. One. It's hard to do, I know that as a fact, but what really gets me going is when Christians preach hate and intolerance. 

Name one genre of music that you've always wanted to get in to, but never knew where to start.

Classical. There were some really great musicians and composers that I listened to at work last year, but beyond my minute knowledge of classical guitar I know nothing about it at all.

If you could have any ONE piece of technology, fictional or real, what would it be?

Jetpack. Hands down.

What superpower would you want, if you could have any besides omnipotence?

The ability to fly. It would come in extremely handy during peak traffic times. Except I'd like to fly like Johnny Storm. FIRE!*

*am not a pyromaniac

If you had that power, would you use it for good or evil?

Good. Escaping peak traffic in a ball of fire is always good.

Have you ever thought about whether or not you'd survive the zombie apocalypse? If so, what's your plan?

If the zombie apocalypse happens, I'm far enough away from the Brisbane River that I should have enough time to get away. (If you look at the river, that's where they'll probably come from.) If I'm at uni, I'm stealing a car and driving to the centre of the country. The zombies will probably die by the time they reach said centre of the country.

What is the worst book you've ever read? (If you don't read, "What is the worst movie you've ever watched?" is a potential substitute... but start reading, fool!)

Oooh. Jaid Black's Deep Dark and Dangerous. Misogynistic, terribly written and - oh man. Herp Derp Derpalot is more appropriate.

And, finally, if you could travel back in time to any time period, which era would you choose?

I would probably go to the 1700s, 1800s, or back to ancient shenanigans. My opinions of all have been tainted by movies and Mr Darcy.

Your turn now! 11 questions plus one for good luck.


EDIT: Justin - the guy I linked to above - has informed me that I'm supposed to put 11 questions of my own at the bottom. I never said I was good at this blogging thing.

If you could meet any person, past or present, who would you meet and why?

The character you most identify with in books (or movies, if you're that way inclined, but really. Books)?

The stupidest thing you've ever done. 

The stupidest thing you've ever seen posted on Facebook. Failbook does not count. 

What is your favourite video game (inspired by said best friend's boyfriend opening up his computer and the start noise being something from Halo, he tells me)?

If you were to become known by any name in particular - a tabloid nickname, if you will - what would you like to be known as, and what would you actually be known as?

Is there a particular piece of clothing you're attached to? You know, your ratty old Cons or something?

Name a job, existent or not, that you'd happily do for the rest of your days?

What does it take for you to wake up in the morning? 

If you could be any villain from anywhere - I accept Wickham as a suitable villain - who would you be, and why?

You're signing off from an email, text, FB message, whatever. How do you do it? 

Random questions, but whatever. Enjoy!

Hey, remember that time I said I'd do the truths posts?

I lied. Well, not really lied. I'm doing them all in one hit now. I might go and do that 30 Days one at some stage, but I found this one courtesy of the lovely Belinda on Facebook. (As a result, I'm going to have to find another quiz to earn Binda's forgiveness again for this theft.)

Away we go into the abyss of truthtellingandwhatnot!

WHAT WAS YOUR: 

1. Last beverage: Some disgusting concoction with lemon and sugar. It didn't go down to well. 

2. Last phone call: The chocolate-making school my parents want to go to when we visit Melbourne. Conversation as follows:

"Hey, I'm from [school], I received your booking last night and have a few things to discuss with you all."
"... I have no idea what you're talking about."

3. Last text message: Sent - to Nick, about some funky funding thing for gamers. Received - Dad, about when the bed they're trying to get rid of left the house.

4. Last song you listened to: Would be out of Coldplay, 'Hurts Like Heaven', or 'Salaam Namaste' or 'What's Going On', both from the Salaam Namaste soundtrack.

HAVE YOU EVER:

6. Dated someone twice: Nope.

7. Been cheated on: I have presented no opportunity for this to occur.

8. Kissed someone & regretted it: Nope.

9. Lost someone special: Yes, most definitely, and it sucked.

10. Been depressed: See the majority of my teenage years.

11. Been drunk and threw up: Oh lulz. I have not.

LIST THREE FAVORITE COLORS: 

12. Red

13. Black

14. White

THIS YEAR HAVE YOU: (2011) 

15. Made a new friend: Yessir, yessir.

16. Fallen out of love: I believe not.

17. Laughed until you cried: Oh yes. So many times. 

18. Met someone who changed you: It happens, yep. Sometimes it's not very pleasant. Grr to those unpleasant ones.

19. Found out who your true friends were: Yes. It was not pretty. (Wait, lies. It was pretty sometimes.)

20. Found out someone was talking about you: HAHAHAHAHAHA. It's life, of course that happens. 

21. Kissed anyone on your fb friend's list: Nope.

GENERAL: 

22. How many people on your fb friends list do you know in real life: All but two, I believe.

23. Favourite band: Coldplay.

24. Do you have any pets: Two dogs. They make life interesting. 

25. Do you want to change your name: I've always been fascinated with those coming of age ceremonies where your name gets changed, marking your new life as an adult. If that were to happen, I would be Natalia. Similar enough to my own name, but sounds slightly more classy.

26. What did you do for your last birthday: Ran around Brisbane.

27. What time did you wake up today: 8am, I think.

28. What were you doing at midnight last night: DANCING!

29. Name something you CANNOT wait for: Next year. Or, as Binda phrased it, life in general.

30. Last time you saw your Mother: Last night.

31. What is one thing you wish you could change about your life? My tendency to make stupid decisions.

32. What are you listening to right now: The dulcet tones of Offspring Season 1, Episode 2. DEAR WORLD THE SECOND SEASON IS OUT NEXT MONTH

33. Have you ever talked to a person named Tom: Oh wow. I don't think so, or at least not in a while.

34. What's getting on your nerves right now: Darn cramps. I hate your face.  

35. Most visited webpage: Blogger, Facebook, Twitter, Gmail. Also, varying Tumblrs.

36. Whats your real name: Natasha Carolina Pavez. Carolina is Caroleenah.

37. Relationship Status: Single, baby.

39. Zodiac sign: Aries. We do things with style.

40. Male or female? Female.  

41. Elementary? Was awesome.

42. High School/College: Was painful.

43. Uni/College: Was awesome, and at QUT.

44. Hair colour: Brown.

45. Long or short: Long by my standards.

46. Height: The exact same height as Reese Witherspoon. Same birthday, too. Kooky.

47. Do you have a crush on someone? Creepily, yes. How do you know these things?

48: What do you like about yourself? I know how to write and draw, and my eyes make me happy.

49. Piercings: Earlobes, and a small puncture wound where that stupid dog decided to bite me yesterday for ignoring her. I might put a stud there to make it seem less attackish, more stylish.

50. Tattoos: I fainted when I accidentally got a cut from a dog. Tattoos are not high on my priority list.

51. Righty or lefty: Right!

FIRSTS : 

52. First surgery: I'm sure there was something around the time of my premmie birth. Or maybe not! I do recall an endoscopy. That was fun, being drugged... I shouldn't say things like that, you'll lock me up.

53. First piercing: Ears

54. First best friend: Alyssa.

55. First sport you joined: Cricket. UGH WHY

56. First vacation: Uh... "I don't even remember five minutes ago. Back to your skulking."

57. First Pet: Inca. She doesn't bite.

58. First pair of trainers: Were cute. Mum has a photo of me wearing them. 

RIGHT NOW 

59. Eating: Cookies.

60. Drinking: Water.

61. I'm about to: start making dinner.

62. Listening to: Nina's ringtone on Offspring.

63. Waiting on: life.

YOUR FUTURE

64. Want kids? Yup, they will hopefully be awesome.

65. Get Married? Please.

66. Career? WRITERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRrrrrrrrrrrrrRRRrrr *ahem*

WHICH IS BETTER IN OPPOSITE SEX 

67. Lips or eyes: Eyes.

68. Hugs or kisses: Hugs.

69. Shorter or taller: Taller. I don't think I could find anyone shorter than me.

70. Older or Younger: Around about the same age as me.

71. Romantic or spontaneous: I have not experienced either.

72. Nice stomach or nice arms: Due to Ryan Reynolds, I'm going to have to admit to my sad abs obsession and say stomach.

73. Sensitive or loud: *shrugs*

74. Hook-up or relationship: Relationship. 

75. Trouble maker or hesitant: *shrugs*

HAVE YOU EVER

76. Kissed a stranger: Nah.

77. Drank hard liquor: I believe not, as I don't drink.

78. Lost glasses/contacts: Glasses, many a time.

79. Had sex on first date: Nope.

80. Broken someone's heart: I highly doubt it.  

81. Had your own heart broken: If I said yes, it'd be too dramatic for what really happened. Let's just say my heart fell over and skinned its knees.

82. Been arrested: Nope. Taaame.

83. Turned someone down: Yes.  

84. Cried when someone died: I think I exhausted my tear ducts.

85. Fallen for a friend? He wasn't really a friend-friend, so no. He was sort of in my group of friends, but not technically. BABBLE.

DO YOU BELIEVE IN

86. Yourself: At times.

87. Miracles: Yesh indeedly. God does a daily one with me.

88. Love at first sight: Oh, there are so many things going either way. I would say definite interest can be formed.  

89. Heaven: Heck yes.

90. Santa Claus: Nah.

91. Kiss on the first date: Cannot accurately say either way.

92. Angels: Of course.

ANSWER TRUTHFULLY: 

94. Had more than 1 girlfriend/boyfriend at a time: Not a snowball's chance in the nether regions of hell.

95. Did you sing today? Mimed into a microphone. I'm so eighties.

96. Ever cheated on somebody? That's just cruel and cheap.

97. If you could go back in time, how far would you go? Jane Austen Era, or the fifties, or pioneering era. Perhaps even way back to Roman times. 

98. If you could pick a day from last year 2010 and relive it, what would it be: Stanfield's Cookie Bonfire.

99. Are you afraid of falling in love? I suspect yes.

100. Posting this as 100 truths? NO! HAHA!