Giveaway/Contests

Coffee Chat: September 2009

Karen

AND THE WINNERS FOR THE SEPTEMBER COFFEE CHAT ARE …..

Coffee Chat - Sept - Winners

#161 – Winner of $25.00 Gift Certificate!!
Capture4

#150 – Winner of $10.00 Starbucks Gift Card!!
Capture3

Thank you to everyone who played!! I REALLY enjoy reading your answers and I hope you had fun answering them! We’ll do this again December, just in time for Christmas!! (You can find a complete listing of my giveaways and contests here)

Coffee Chat is ALL about YOU! Here’s what you do: Answer the daily question. That’s it! (Beware! The questions get more challenging as the days go by!)

1. Each answer you leave in the comment section counts as one ticket. (One comment per day, please).

2. Subscribe to my feed, receive another ticket. (Please leave separate comment if subscribed).

3. Follow me on Twitter, receive another ticket. (Please leave separate comment if following).

On September 18th, at 4:00 p.m. CST, I’ll draw two winners – first place winner gets to choose a $25.00 gift certificate to an online retailer of his/her choice (see this page for store listings) AND, the second place winner will receive a $10.00 Starbucks gift card (U.S. residents only for the Starbucks gift card, please).

Confused? Contact Karen.

Ready for the questions?

Question #1: What’s one of your nicknames? What do you prefer to be called?

Question #2: Are you serious-minded, or a jokester? Why?

Question #3: What is your all-time favorite movie, and how many times have you seen it?

Question #4: Who was your best friend in high school and where is he or she right now?


Question #5: If you could change anything about your relationship with your parents, what would it be?

Question #6: What’s the secret to a long life?

Question #7: What phobias have you struggled with?

LAST QUESTION #8: How would you describe a time when you felt alone in a crowd?

My answer: I feel alone in crowds all the time. My husband is a musician. So when he plays gigs and I go to watch him, I’m alone in a crowded bar. Or when we go to football games to watch my youngest son play in the band, I’m alone in the crowd, save for my husband and son. But I watch others laugh and have a good time with fellow parents/friends, and I’m envious. I’m used to being alone and though it’s not always fun, it’s what I choose.

228 thoughts on “Coffee Chat: September 2009”

  3. When I was in New York City for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade I felt alone in a mass of people.

  5. Most of the time I am alone wherever I go. I can be in a crowd at a concert or a football game but I am sitting alone.

  6. I went to a religious retreat last week end and I really felt alone. I also feel very alone at the mall. I have a loving family so I don’t feel alone often.

  7. I love to be in crowds and “people watch” but have sometimes felt alone also. I have a HS son who plays football, and as an older parent I sometimes feel left out among the younger, cuter moms. But it doesn’t really bother me too much. I just sit with my husband and stare adoringly at my son (warming the bench LOL) and it’s USUALLY okay.

    Thanks so much for a great contest and such fun questions everyday. I’ve enjoyed it!

  12. im the same way no wait im worse i really hate crowds..i loathe them such as school functions,my hubs family get togethers,shopping in malls,fairs and all that kind of stuff.actually to be truthful mostly i leave my house maybe once a week to go grocery shopping.i just like to be home and hate going out in the world 😦

  13. I dislike crowds and can feel alone in them even if I am with others. I am very short and feel not only dwarfed by everyone around my but not noticed as well.

  16. That’s what I love about New York City. You can be surrounded by people and yet you’re still all alone. I saw a guy in a gorilla costume – not one person stared at him! I find it very refreshing – nobody wants or needs anything from me for a change!

  19. I feel alone in crowds in general when I’m by myself, I’m not a crowd person. It helps when I’m with someone I know of course. The time I probably felt the most alone in a crowd is when I went to another country by myself when I was 21. I wasn’t alone once I got there but I definitely felt alone until I got to my destination, especially during a stop at an airport.

  20. At my kids school functions I don’t know a lot of the parents so I usually just sit alone reading a magazine untill the activiy starts.

  21. I don’t connect easily with people, so I’m not one of those people you see walking into a crowd and immediately finding a stranger to talk to. I’m always alone in a crowd, looking around wondering how each group I see got connected.

  24. I have felt alone in a crowd when I am there by myself. If there aren’t any people that I feel like I can talk to, then I feel alone. After a while I’ll go and talk to someone and then I won’t be alone anymore.

  25. I was at a concert put on by our local orchestra a few years back. All of a sudden I was so caught up in the music it was like I was the only one there. None of the hundreds of people surrounding me were there any more. It was an incredible feeling. Thanks!

    nicolekay@hotmail.com

  26. I am rarely comfortable in crowds (I prefer more intimate groups or small gatherings), especially when meeting new people, so I really felt alone in the crowd when I attended my grad school visitation weekends prior to deciding which university to attend. The situation being stressful enough, having to meet and interact with so many new people all at once in situations I wasn’t totally comfortable with (e.g., going to parties and bars) made me all the more anxious — so the way I dealt with it was to make it a point to focus on one or two people at a time and engage them in conversation. Eventually the crowd of strangers became one of new acquaintances and I didn’t feel so alone anymore!

  27. I’m not much of a one for parties. The last one I went to was a big crowd and I naturally navigated to a relatively quiet corner. I actually like to do that and “people watch”.

  28. My last name is also the color of a crayon, and I am not very good looking and so with that I can thoroughly remember being in the school yard with a hundred kids playing and feeling like I was the only one there. It was a horrible feeling that continued thru my younger years and definitely shaped my perception of people in general.

  29. If there is a family gathering and my husband cannot go because of work I always feel alone in the crowd. It isnt that I dont get along with them but that I never quite fit into thier mold. I simply dont have the same interests. Communication is the key and some people dont really communicate. I dont think someone talking about thier self the whole time is really communication. lol

  31. I felt very alone in a big crowd a few days ago. I was waiting for my husband and my daughter while we were at the Circus, and I was outside in a bad part of town, and freakin SCARED!

  32. I always feel alone in a crowd. It doesn’t matter what crowd it is. I am wondering why I am here on Earth with the biggest crowd of all, wht’s the purpose. J haven’t figured it out. I have spent a lot of time thinking about it.

  34. My phobia is lots of bugs. I can deal with one or two of just about any kind, but if there are a lot I get crazed and run away screaming.

  35. My number one phobia is losing my family. I have been married for 13 years and before the 13 years I was a foster child. Now I have two biological children and 4 adoptive children and a wonderful husband . My husband is a Deputy Sheriff and I worry everyday that he goes to work that he will not come home. I do not think I could make it if I lost any of my children of my husband.

  40. I have a flooding phobia — sounds funny living in a land locked state, but we had problems for so long with our basement flooding and then we finally sold our house, but yet still whenever it rains I get this funny feeling in the pit of my stomach. We bought a home now with no basement, but now I’m afraid the windows will leak. Its silly really, but nonetheless, my phobia!

  43. I don’t have any real phobias but I can’t stand little green caterpillars. They really creep me out.

  46. I used to have a phobia about the grates in the sidewalk over the sewer, subway, etc. But, after working in NYC for a couple years, I HAD to get over that one!

  47. well, i suppose my main phobia was thinking that, for some reason, i caused my parents to split up when i was 3 for goodness sake! what a stupid phobia! hope i am over it after LOTS of years!!!

  48. I have lots of phobias, though not so much the common ones (snakes and spiders are my friends–LOL.) I have a fear of driving and a fear of making phone calls but receiving them is fine. Weird, I know!

  51. I have two phobias although they don’t run my life. I have a terrible fear of heights and can’t stand glass elevators, escalators, etc. I also have a fear of enclosed spaces and have had to be sedated to have MRIs of my head because I freak out when they put me in the tube. Thanks.

  52. I don’t have phobias but I have anxiety. Sometimes its just like the feeling you get when you trip down stairs – actually usually its like that, but sometimes it feels like a Mac truck is heading my way. Fast.

  53. I am like you a worrier. I worry about everything even if I have already done it. I am getting better thanks with some help from the doctors. I do however fear fires. My brother died in one when he was 4 and I am to scared for my daughter to be in her own room so we co sleep.

  57. I struggle with my phobia of bodies of water, any water that you can’t see the bottom of and I’m terrified. I don’t go in the ocean at all, or lakes. I don’t know that it’s completely irrational since I drowned in the ocean as a child but still, I’m 28 now so I suppose it is irrational lol.

  58. I’m such a Worrier myself!! For phobias, I have a fear of ever learning to drive, driving….fears of stretch marks on my legs and not finding someone that will love me regardless of any scars like stretch marks on my body. purposedrivenlife4you at gmail dot com

  60. I get scared of the dark when I’m bymyself… I have to leave the TV on …but on mute so I can sleep shhhh ;o)

  61. Fear of insects. I am really trying to control it so as not to freak out my kids and pass my totally irrational fear onto them

  64. I used to have a bad arachniphobia but I’ve been better. I still don’t like spiders but I won’t freak out if one is around. As far as worrying I used to be a real bad worryer to the point that it ran my life but that too has gotten under control.

  66. I have a fear “phobia” of being stared at or watched. I think it is called scopophobia. Crazy, I know.

  67. Hey – this reminds me of a book I just read. A serial killer found out what women’s worst fears were and then he used that to torture them with before they died.

    Claustrophobia is my thing – I have to close my eyes in elevators because I can’t stand the closed in space.

  69. I have a fear of heights. It came on me in my 30’s, before that I was fine. Now if I get more than a couple feet off the ground, I get dizzy and scared.

  71. My phobia would have to be small spaces. I have to be able to move around freely. But I would also say that I worry more than anything like you do. I worry about everything and anything.

  74. I have fears, but I wouldn’t classify them as phobias. Except for maybe climbing ladders. I can go two, sometimes three rungs and then I start to hyperventilate. Don’t know why. I’m not afraid of heights, I’m not afraid of falling. There’s just something about ladders that gets me.

  75. I don’t think I have any phobias. I am careful about some things, but not excessively afraid of them.

  77. I have a fear of flying. I’ve only done it when I went to Italy a few years ago and I started crying before we even got to the airport. I didn’t even know I was that scared!

  78. For years I struggled with a phobia about public speaking, which isn’t exactly an asset for an aspiring professor, but luckily I took a speech class my freshman year of college and the instructor taught us some wonderful relaxation techniques and strategies for alleviating stress and anxiety when speaking before a group. At the same time, I forced myself to do things to get out of my comfort zone – volunteering to give speeches in classes and in groups I belonged to, giving a toast at a friend’s wedding, even singing karaoke – and with time I was able to control the phobia!

  81. Question #6
    I read a quote once that said “If you want to live to be a hundred, all you have to do is give up everything that makes you want to live to a hundred.”

  82. The first secret to a long life is unfortunately genetics. You can live to utmost of your longevity potential by making good health choices but genetically some people are just programmed to live longer.

    Maybe the key is living for quality of years and quantity would be a bonus.

  84. I think it’s a combination of good genes (since so many illnesses have a genetic component) and living a healthy lifestyle. Being happy in life and having a positive attitude has also been shown to increase longevity. Thanks.

  93. Is there a secret to a long life? I guess it would be to take care of yourself both mentally and physically. Personally I am not looking for a long life necessarily but just a good one while I am here, I think that’s more important 😀

  94. Definitely a calm and positive spirit, optimistic outlook, unconditionally supportive friends and family, self-awareness and mindfulness, plenty of laughs, and a balance between work and rest.

  97. The secret to long life is not to bottle up anger and resentment. That can kill you emotionally and physically faster than anything.

  98. Good genes. One of my great grams lived to be 100 and was sharp as a tack. The other one was 98 when she passed.

    #150

  100. #5. How to have a long life? Don’t die young. =D

    Seriously? Take care of yourself – physically, emotionally, spiritually. By doing that, you’re setting yourself up for the best life possible.

  103. I wish I would have spent more time with my Mother before she died.
    That has shown me to spend more time with my Father.

  104. #5
    andrus.shelly at gmail.com

    I wish that my parents weren’t always so willing to help me… I tend to fall back on them too much when I need soemthing rather than figuring it out myself.

  106. If I could change anything about my relationship with my parents, I would be more patient, and listen what they trying to say. They gave the best to me, I do feel very bad that in the past I yelled at them. I hope I am it is not too late to be a good daughter.

  107. I wish I could have cut my mother out of my life sooner. I’d have a lot less problems now if I had been free of her poison sooner.

    Thanks for the giveaway >^..^<

  111. I wish I could move back East and live closer to my parents. They are getting pretty old and need help and I feel awful that I can’t be there for them as often as I should

  112. My parents are both deceased so the answer would be that I wish I had spent more time with them. I was very close to my mother but had a difficult relationship with my father and I wish I could have understood him better and worked more on being closer to him before he died. Thanks.

  113. Since my dad died, I have fallen into a more parental role with my mom- a change I am not enjoying.

  115. I would change the way we communicate with each other. Perhaps one day the lines of communication will be better.

  116. My best friend is Jon, to whom I have known for 4o years. From Elementary to High school and thru some local College classes. He lives in Peoria Ill. he was just in Springfield a couple weeks ago and might just relocate here which would be very cool.

  117. Sometimes, I wish I was more open and shared more about what I’m up to. But then, it’s my personality to be quiet, so maybe I wouldn’t want that after all.

  118. If I could change one thing, I would like a mute button. My mother HAS to be constantly giving advice; HAS to be constantly venting her every thought and fear. If I were going to take advice from somebody, it wouldn’t be from The Little Engine Who Can’t, and I have enough of my own problems without worrying about what SHE should wear to a family wedding. She’s in her 80’s – it’s not like people are looking to her for a fashion statement! It’s just too exhausting listening to her – I need a break.

  121. My best friend in high school was Deneva. We lost touch while in college. Probably my fault; I moved out of state and am terrible at keeping in touch with people. Last I heard (5 years ago at least) she was married and had 3 kids and was still living in Florida.

  122. Question #3: My all time favorite movie? Oh, goodness, I don’t know. I have a lot of movies that I could watch over and over again – Ever After, Sense and Sensibility, Phantom of the Opera are three that come to mind first. I have watched all three of these more times than I could count. They’re the ones I go to when doing laundry and I need something to take my mind off the mind-numbing chore of folding clothes and ironing.

  123. Question #2: I’m both a jokester and serious minded. I love a good sense of humor and play-on-words, but I’m also very thoughtful in my dealings with other people. I don’t pull pranks on people very often, but when I do, I get them good. The last major one was my best ever. I left my hubby’s best friend speechless – and he is never at a loss for words! The only words out of his mouth were holy sh**. It made up for 10 years worth of pranks pulled by him.

  124. My best friend in HS was my best friend from 2nd grade all the way through HS. Her name was Virginia and we were inseparable. I lost contact with her a while back but I believe she still lives in my home town that I no longer live in. THanks.

  128. My best friend in high school was Jen. I actually found her through Facebook this summer and she is still in MD, single and no kids! Like me! LOL

  129. My two best friends from HS are still living in the vicinity of our HS but I moved out of state. I wish I got to see them more often.

  131. Who was your best friend in high school and where is he or she right now? I had four – Lea (my baby sis), moved to OH and I miss her terribly; Gwen, married with kids not sure where she is though; Tash, last I heard in a state trooper in S.C.; Big Al, moved to Dallas right after hs, not sure where is he now.

  134. My best friend from high school was Liz. She’s now a successful lawyer with 3 kids in Washington, DC.

  135. My best friend in high school was Jennifer; we were joined at the hip, members of all of the same after-school organizations (e..g, marching band, school newspaper, student senate), and fond of the same types of movies, music, and sports. She’s now living in Toronto with her husband, and we still talk on the phone at least once a week and see each other every summer.

  136. My best friend in high school was Tammy, and she’s living in a condo on the South Miami Beach waterfront.

  137. I have a number of favorites because I like old, old movies as well as some new and indie movies. The Wizard of Oz is one I’ve watched since I was very little. How many times? At least 20.

  138. Oh gosh….I’m not sure of my FAVORITE movie. I guess I’ll say Sound of Music because I never get tired of seeing it. Thanks so much.

  142. Dirty Dancing.

    Hundreds. I used to set it on a loop & play it 3-4 times in a row.

    Thanks for the giveaway >^..^<

  144. That is a hard one. I don’t have a fave. The movie that I have watched the most is probably Sound of Music. I have seen it at least 20 times and I still sing along with it.

  146. My favorite movie is Gone with the Wind. I can’t begin to tell you how many times I’ve seen it. When I was growing up, it would be in the theaters once a year, so I’d see it every year. Then I got the VHS version as a gift and I watched it frequently. I’m sure I’ve seen it over 30 times. It’s great for stress relief because I can cry and cry and cry, and when the movie’s over, I can just stop crying – unlife tough real-life situations.

  148. Oh Brother were Art Thou is one of my favorites, I have seen it many times, but not sure how many,I have it on DVD and watch it when I need a laugh

  152. My favorite movie of all time would have to be Alfred Hitchcock’s “Vertigo” — I’ve probably seen it at least two dozen times, and I always find something new and interesting to admire about the story and visual style of the film and the performances of James Stewart and Kim Novak. I love suspense and mystery films, and to me this one’s a masterpiece of the genre.

  157. I am neither serious minded nor especially funny, but a good sense of humor is important to me when I am choosing friends.

  159. Can we pick both? I’m very serious and thoughtful about things I do and things I say. But I ALSO have a wicked sense of humor. If I can only say one, I’d pick serious, but I love a good sense of humor. Thanks so much.

  160. I’m more serious. I can’t pull off a decent joke to save my life and my sense of humor is very sarcastic.

    Thanks for the giveaway >^..^<

  161. serious minded. especially these days — being unemployed is not fun!

    Thanks for the giveaway!

  163. i get called Littlebit at work because i am short for one and look younger than i am. i dont mind it because it makes me feel accepte4d

  167. I think I would have to say I am more serious minded but I do have a sarcastic, dry sort of wit that many people do not get. I love to laugh but I am not a fan of practical jokes at all.

  168. Can one be half and half? I take certain things very seriously but I also have a prankster that comes out on occasion and I love humor with a dry, ironic edge (Steve Martin, you’re my hero for “Roxanne”) . My only (and it is a major one) gripe: humor that is at the expense of another person.

  169. I am too serious minded. I am always reading or studying and rarely make time for fun. I don’t know why-just the way I am.
    smchester at gmail dot com

  174. I am more serious minded because I realize that every action has a reaction. Not only that but many actions have rippling effects that reach out to others.

  175. I am serious minded. I have definitely had a lot of responsibility at a young age so I think through things alot.

  177. I’m serious-minded. I have this inner-drive that makes me need to have everything in my life completed. Once everything is done, THEN I’ll lighten up 🙂

  181. The only nickname I have ever had was ‘The Walking Dictionary’ in school, and I am very glad that it disappeared ater graduation. What I like to be called depends entirely on who is speaking to me, but for non-family members, it is usually my first name.

  185. The only nickname I really have is Susie which my mother calls me. I prefer to be called by my given name.

  189. Well my name is Lisa and the only real nickname I have had is an abbreviation of that. Usually lis or lee. But most people call me Lisa and I am good with that.

  191. Most people just call me by my first name. My dad used to call me Pammy Sue and now my hubby calls me that sometimes, but not to often. My hubby USED to call me “honey-darling-baby doll”, but he’d kill me if he knew I was telling that LOL

    Thanks.

  194. One of my nicknames is Jo . But I only like people close to me to use it.

    Thanks for the giveaway!

  195. My nickname is Ig. Had it since I was a freshman in high school, so 25+ years. No idea where it came from . All my friends & most of my family call me Ig. When I talk to myself, I call myself Ig, so I guess you’d say I prefer it.

    Thanks for the giveaway >^..^<

  196. My nickname is Tiffie. Had it ever since I was born and my grandpa decided he didn’t like Stephanie. It stuck!
    tvollowitz at aol dot com

  198. My only nickname is the diminutive and most common “short-for” for my given first name. I prefer to be called that nickname.

  204. Although I prefer to be called simply by my name, I’ve acquired two pretty unfortunate nicknames from my close friends and family, the first being “Goof” (because a substitute teacher from 1st grade actually mispronounced my name to be “Goof!”) and “Geoffy,” which I actually mind less but could still live without. 🙂

  213. I don’t have a nickname. In middle school, people tried to give me names, but none of them stuck – for which I’m glad.

    For a while in high school, I was Rachel #1. THere were three Rachels in my circle of friends and I was the oldest, thus #1.

    My closest friends sometimes call me Rach – never on a regular basis. I’m just Rachel!

  214. Lately, my beloved has been calling me Twitter because I’m on so much. Our nicknames for each other change a lot, to reflect our private jokes. He also calls me Chicken because that’s his fave food. I don’t really mind being called any nickname vs my proper name. It’s a sign of affection when my loved ones do it- so I’ll never complain.

  216. I follow you on Twitter.

    I forgot to mention in my first comment that I prefer to be called by my name, Alicia.

  218. My nickname as a child was Punkin (from my mom and dad) and Cream Puff (from my grandma). When my grandma was mad at me she called me Josephine (presumably because she disliked that name). My husband calls me “Honey”, but I suppose that is an endearment and not a nickname, so I guess that I don’t have one.

  219. When I was Married to my first wife she called me Blue I never really knew why she came up with that nickname but it has been years and lotts of personal friends call me blue it’s been with me so long I sign in and out of the blogs I read it’s a habit that has been hard to break. So There you go now you know why I sign in as Blue.

  220. My nickname is “BowieTip”. Named after the Bowie Knife. The favored knife of American rednecks.

  221. I don’t really have a nickname. My close friends just call me Brit, but i hate it when someone who barely knows me calls me that.

  223. I have been called Al and also Aly-I really hate Aly but I had one boyfriend who I really cared about and allowed him to call me Aly. We are still in touch (as freinds) and he still calls me that after 10 years! Anyway I prefer my name-Alyce.

  226. My best friend calls me Sunshine and has for a few years right now. I’m not sure how it came about but it’s always felt fitting coming from her – however, if anyone else called me that, I’d look at them like they had 18 million heads.

    I prefer to be called Jen by people who know me, but when it’s like a doctor or semi-important person, I’d rather Jennifer or even Mrs. E…. Jen would just seem way too casual coming from a non-friend or family person, you know?

  227. I don’t really have a nickname other than my husband and I call each other “Sweetie” every now and again.

  228. Hmmm, my wife has had a nickname for me for the past 25 years but it would not be socially prudent to say but I bet most people can figure it out! It starts with a A and ends with a hole. Darn it! Does that count?

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