Tuesday, October 7, 2008

I've got the answer

Well only for the question "what is a meme?" anyway. First I went to my good friend google for the answer, I was sent to my other friend wikipedia, where i finally found the explanation i'd been looking for and here is what w.p. had to say:



A meme (pronounced /miːm/)[1] consists of any idea or behavior that can pass from one person to another by learning or imitation. Examples include thoughts, ideas, theories, gestures, practices, fashions, habits, songs, and dances. Memes propagate themselves and can move through the cultural sociosphere in a manner similar to the contagious behavior of a virus.




This cleared things right up for me. That explains the lists that are circulating all over the web in blogland. We are so interested in each other that we want to know more about what its like being you, or me, as the case may be. I'm sure that's why i do this, it's fun to write about myself, (i didn't realize just how fun!) but more, I want to know about you, what you think, to learn something new about you and where you live in this big, beautiful world.




I could've just read blogs. Alot of people do. But where is the fun in that? Only by commenting and replying does this come to life. You are just like me, i'm sure. Doing your daily stuff. And whether you pray or meditate or believe in menehunes you are out there. Real as rain.




The sharing that is going on is phenomenal to me. This goes much deeper than any idea or photo could show, it is a connection with compassion. I can feel minds and hearts meeting. Ok, so my kids roll their eyes and say to each other, oh mom's talking to her "friends" again. I only smile and say when you want to know, i could show you what its like to have friends on any level. Even in ones you haven't met.





It exists.


So. i'm next to be tagged by Val! I'm not entirely sure how to play but i think the first part goes like this...

You have to choose a person to describe that's in your phones address book and so i...



did push 3 times,and then go down 3. I'm pretty sure i am not following the rules but do you really care? ok. getting on with it. Twice it landed on a restaurant. The third time it landed on MyGirlHannah. This is just the way i have her written in my phone, but i did want to talk about someone else so i went one up and finally... Mr. Bill.



Mr. Bill is a one of a kind, truebluegoodguy friend. He was a friend of my husbands first, until i met him, now he is a friend of my entire family. I'm not sure when the Mr. started, he probably coulden't tell you either.



Mr.Bill is something of an enigma, most of what he does is a mystery. He has never really had a job, save for halfheartedly selling his surf photos to magazines. We often wondered how he supported himself. You can find him everywhere. Everyone knows him. Some of our friends were on a surf trip to Tahiti and who did they bump into? Mr. Bill! My husband was on a trip with him one time, they were in Chile. Eating at a little outdoor cafe. My husband got up to use the bathroom , and when he came back he found Mr. Bill talking to some people he knew from California. My daughter has been taking public transportation, she said to us "Guess who i saw on the bus? Mr. Bill!" And it doesn't matter where he is, if i bake a chocolate cake he will be at my door before its cooled. i have a feeling my husband tips him off on this one.



Every one should have a friend like Mr. Bill. There isn't anything he woulden't do for us. Or anyone we know. Or anybody period. There is just one problem with this man. He would live with us if we let him. He doesn't know when to go home or say goodbye. The first time we had him over was with a group of friends. Everyone left. Except Bill. He stayed on and on. I looked at my husband (who was then my boyfriend) and he looked at me, and he saw i was ready to be alone. My husband said Good Nite Bill. Its Time to Go Now. I was quite embarrassed, i 'd never told someone to go home before. But Mr. Bill got up, stretched, smiled and left. My husband said sorry honey, its what you have to do with Mr. Bill. He told me for years he would just turn out the lights and go to bed, leaving Mr. Bill sitting there alone in the dark continuing to watch the t.v. It's just the way he is. So now, even the kids know, unless you want to miss your sleep, miss your bus, be late for work, you have to say good- bye Mr. Bill. But we love you still. always.


And now it's time for The List. I think you must answer the question's on the list using only 8 words, but maybe i'm wrong. In any case i coulden't do that, that would be too much thinking , like writing a haiku. But still for your sakes, i kept it short. pretty much.


1. Where were you 10 years ago?


In a pippi longstocking house(do you know villa villakula?, decrepit and all that, a horse and monkey on the porch?) down by the beach, newly separated, shaken , miserable.


2. What's on your to do list today?



meditate, then run in the a.m., throw in a load of laundry, go to work, go to market, bring a salad to the girls varsity for their pre-game meal, go to my daughters game, come home from game, cook dinner, eat, read, shower, have sex. that's the plan anyway. this does not include any extracurricular activities.


3. What if you were a billionaire?



i would hand it all over to my son(the one with the marketing degree, not the one who works at a wine bar) to figure out . i can't be trusted with money.


4. Five places you have lived?



California and Hawaii


5. Three bad habits?


only 3 shewww... i take one bite out of each chocolate in the box and put it back (its just a tiny bite ok?) i never balance my checkbook and i think i can read minds.



6. Snacks you like?


i don't really snack, so can i say i love, red wine, risotto and chocolate?



That's it. oh and one last thing about meme, i read somewhere it rhymes with dream.




now that's it.





xxx lori

7 comments:

  1. I`m the first one to comment - great! Can I use ALL the space? I feel like answering loads to every bit you said! So nice to get to know you better, Lori! Thanks for finding out about the meme/dream! Must tell Miranda!
    Are you sure there is only ONE Mr. Bill? He sounds like those Mexican flute players in the shopping malls - you can`t figure out if they are always the same ones or hundreds of them, looking exactly alike!
    Pippi Longstocking was my favourite friend when I was eight and in hospital, and when I was grown I wrote a letter to Astrid Lindgren (in Swedish, learned it for that occasion)AND GOT ONE BACK!
    So I would have loved to share that house with you!
    Also I love the Mma Ramotswe books you mentioned! And all the others about Scotland from the author!
    Can I still write on?
    Having lived "only" on Hawaii and CA leaves no room for Wanderlust, hey? (German word, so spelled with a capital W)
    You think you can read minds?? Tell us more!!
    Oh, and a last comment: I agree so much with you about our new-found friends in blogland! I can`t get enough of meeting you all, even if only virtually! And you for sure, Lori! A pleasure to know you!
    Now I shut up.

    ReplyDelete
  2. hey Lori - am so glad you demystified the 'meme' word. I never thought of google - just thumbed my ancient dictionary. i thought maybe it was because it was things about me-me-me and i also had the pronounciation wrong.
    Ok so now - menehunes????? off to google in a mo.
    loved this post, and will be looking out for Mr Bill. he sounds great.

    Tell us more about you! I also love this new blog-world-friendship kin and learning about each others lives in such vastly different places.

    Its so good to look at ten years ago and realise how far you have come - a long way it seems. well done you!
    you deserve to have more than one bit out of every chocolate :-)

    ReplyDelete
  3. I've always wondered about the meme too, I didn't think the answer would be anything like that!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Angela, thank you so muchfor your great comment! there is so much to talk about it seems! yes, bill, maybe one in every town? Pippi, is one of my favorites too, i read all the books when i was young and then to my children too. more on that, but Hey! you got a letter from Astrid Lindgren! excellent! you amaze me learning swedish for that, i would have a hard time. and yes all alexander mcCallsmith books-perfect. and SO strange that you should say the word wanderlust, one of my favorites, i even have a book called this.
    and i cannot read minds at all, it is a not good habit of mine that i try to do sometimes, better to communicate with words.
    and its my pleasure as well. and please don't shut up.

    xx lori

    val, i perhaps have too much of an addiction to the internet at the moment, its even on the phone! i would really rather look up things in books, like you, but the attraction is too great...
    did you find out that menehunes are like fairies in hawaii? there are strong beliefs that they do exist!anythings possible heh?!
    i know what you mean, i have come a long way, life has always been good to me and i am positively grateful.
    but the chocolates...oh believe me i get enough, because it adds up, my husband said it is like a little mouse has gotten in the box, it's a bad habit!! cant stop tho. thanks val.

    xx lori

    dear b.t.m.
    the best part of all this, besides the good people is the learning!
    thanks for the comment,

    xx lori

    ReplyDelete
  5. I've been blogging for 18 months now, I'm into my third blog name... long story to do with a broken heart!
    I just love blogging, whether writing or reading, it is so good to connect with other people in the world.
    I have met several fellow bloggers now and I can truely say that they either are or are turning into genuinely good friends.
    I'm going to have my third blog party at Christmas, so if you've got the airfare stop by!
    x

    ReplyDelete
  6. fire byrd! you are so right about the friendconnection, it's amazing! ooh, thanks for the invite, if i had half a chance i would take you up on it!

    xx lori

    ReplyDelete
  7. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

    ReplyDelete

xoxo lori