Friday Five!

[shadesong]

When was the last time you...

1. ...sent a handwritten letter? Woo. Way a long time ago. Do thank-you notes count? I really should get back into letter-writing...

2. ...baked something from scratch or made something by hand? Hm. Baked something from a mix for Elayna's school's Spring Fling. From scratch? Probably Thanksgiving. *guilty look*

3. ...camped in a tent? Never. Never gonna, either. I camped in the wilderness with a leaky tarp shelter for 6 months in 1990-1991. Never again.

4. ...volunteered your time to church, school, or community? That's recent - I'm a Girl Scout co-leader. :)

5. ...helped a stranger? Hm. What counts as helping a stranger? Donating clothes to the Salvation Army? Holding the door for someone? I caught one of the Pet Rescue dogs before he ran out into the street, what, two weeks ago? I try to do things that help people-in-general on a regular basis.

You?

Comments

[gwynraven.livejournal.com]

When was the last time you...

1. ...sent a handwritten letter? Woah -- uh probably 5+ years ago. I went through a letter writing phase early in high school, but haven't really written any since.

2. ...baked something from scratch or made something by hand? hmm . . . I've baked pancakes and brownies from a mix quite recently, and I baked oatmeal cookies from scratch probably about 2 months ago.

3. ...camped in a tent? 1998, freshman year of college, 4 years ago. I went on a camping trip and ended up sharing my tent with a guy who then later like to torment me by telling everyone he met that he'd slept with me -- different sleeping bags in the same tent counts, he claimed. I really need to go camping again. I miss it.


4. ...volunteered your time to church, school, or community? Again, far too long ago -- I was part of the community outreach day my sophomore year, which was 1999. Nothing since then.

5. ...helped a stranger? Hmm . . not sure what counts. I donated clothes to Salvation Army about a month ago and I've got another bag sitting in my apartment waiting until I make it out there. I hold open doors and such on a regular basis. I try to do what I can whenever I can.

[ariadnesthread.livejournal.com]

1) I haven't sent a *letter* in a while, but I am fond of semi-randomly sending cards to people, and they always include a handwritten note (sometimes very long). Sent John A a birthday card just this week.

2) Two weeks ago, I made a big batch of pumpkin bread from scratch for my office. We rotate bringing in breakfast for Friday staff meetings, and it was my turn. Most people buy bagels at the nearby Einstein, but I prefer to home-bake.

I also knit *every*, and I mean *every* evening, so I'm always making things by hand. In fact, just last night I finished a "snuggle" (hand-knit mat to be given to a local animal shelter for an incarcerated critter to sleep on)--that's the charity project of the month for my knitting guild. Of course, making it made me want my own dog even more.

3) I think I last camped back around 1988 or so, at the Summit Point Raceway. My parents and I went there for a weekend of car races. We used to do a good bit of state park camping when I was a kid. Dad still backpacks every year or two with friends in Colorado.

4) I haven't actively volunteered in a while, but as stated above, I do charity knitting (I'm trying to do more of it). I will be volunteering as a knitting teacher at a big community event in the fall.

5) Honestly, I don't meet many new people, so I don't have the opportunity that much. I helped someone carry grocery bags a month or so ago. That's about it.

My five

[alphafem.livejournal.com]

1) Currently (well not RIGHT now because I'm at work, but at home) writing one to a friend in Ottawa that I write to periodically. The handwritten letter is becoming a lost art. I love to write letters. I have all kinds of funky stationary and pens and stuff. I can stand in the aisles of a stationary store for hours just staring. Honestly.

2) Handmade stuff? Ummm... let's see... candles most week... I made a pie a few weeks ago I think... oh and handmade chocolates with Lisa that became handmade flat nougat filled pancakes because of the heat.

3) Camped in a tent? Never my friends and never will. My idea of roughing it is a Holiday Inn where you have to walk across the hall to the bathrooms.

4) Helped out in a community? Hmmm... I work in a community based organization. But that doesn't count. Too long I'm afraid.

5) Probably the most recent time I helped a stranger was when a van pulled up in front of my parents' house a few weekends ago and this young girl stuck her head out and proceeded to get sick on the road. I got her a damp towel. But I could have done something more recent than that and just have forgotten about it. I'm stranger-helping girl.

[sage-and-sea.livejournal.com]

When was the last time you...

1. ...sent a handwritten letter? Last Yule, every card I sent out had a handwritten note. That's the best I've done since college, when my friends and I sent reams of paper through the USPS. I still have most of them, too. Sentimental much?

2. ...baked something from scratch or made something by hand? Nearly every night, dinner is made from scratch. I don't care for processed foods, much healthier and tastier and cheaper to make it myself. I bake all the time (if anyone would be brave enough to try Christmas cake, let me know and I'll send you one - all raisin goodness!), and I counted cross-stitched a wedding sampler for my Dad & Lola this spring - started in January when they decided to get married and had it done by March. Whew!

3. ...camped in a tent? Last fall, and if the weather would cooperate I would be doing so again tonight!! Love me some camping, lying in the sun by the river...mmm....

4. ...volunteered your time to church, school, or community? I start at Outside In, a homeless teen clinic and shelter, on Tuesday - one of my kids talked me into it. "Mom, hello, event planning AND working with street rats? Dream job!"

5. ...helped a stranger? I gave directions the other day to someone who was lost, I try to help whenever I can.

[crimmycat.livejournal.com]

1. um, do transcript requests count? then a week ago, more or less. Besides that? uh... well, over two years.

2. baked something from scratch or made something by hand? um, I made breakfast this morning (eggs, bacon, toast and tea). Also helped make jam a couple days ago. Swapped out parts and rebuilt a computer last week. Aside from food and tech, well, used a shovel to make my cat's grave but buried her by hand about 3 weeks ago.

3. camped in a tent 3 weeks ago when working Vahalla Ren Faire.

4. donated time? I don't. I help friends and people i know, giving my too-ample free time away for them. But I don't do things for the larger "community" good. I don't belong to places, or churches, and hold no loyalty to the schools I attend.

5. helped a tsranger? *shrugs* I give directions, I hold doors, I poke people who fall asleep on the BART awake at their stop, but I don't really help people. Don't leave the house that much, either.