preferences...

recently, on Dy's page, she mentioned the Irrawaddy River, which is a main waterway in the country of Burma (now Myanmar). most people find trivial information like this either fascinating or downright insipid. you can count me in with the former; ever since i was eight, i've liked perusing through Guinness Book of World Records. i've bought a world almanac every year since 1982 (and look for older editions at garage sales/thrift stores). and of course, i do like trivia games. although i am not a rabid Trivia Face-Off or NTN Trivia player...anymore ;)

i do prefer non-fiction and pure reference books though. nowadays, there is too much apathy toward details; we are drowning in a pool of vagueness. dates are important in history because of implications that may later have arisen due to that historical occurrence. 9/11/2001 will always be our recent day of infamy...we will remember that date for some time to come.

still, what about other dates? for example, 7/4/1776...12/7/1941...or maybe 6/15/1970. sadly, some of our youth (and even adults) may not know the importance of these dates. perhaps it's the anthropologist in me. dates aren't quite as important as events, but how can you place something if you don't know WHEN it happened? ever forget a birthday or anniversary? then you know what i be talkin' about...

i guess the same goes for geography. now, i'm not expecting everyone to join me on a Geography team and win the bee, but when a large number of American people can't even point to the USA (or North America) on a map...geez!

maybe it's generational...maybe it's the lackadaisical attitudes we have toward public schooling...taxing to fund em'...or even the lack of interest we have in our own children's education. our public school teachers are often given the too-large task of raising some of their students. parents want the 'best' for their child, yet will never okay more taxes for schools or libraries. moreover, they want their child to have the most positive experience at school...and will never ask 'how is school?' or 'what are you doing in school?' did i mention that public school teachers are woefully underpaid while we pay some professional athletes millions of dollars a year as a reward for getting someone else to take tests for them in college? the direction of our priorities can simply be baffling...

before i stray off the subject of preferences any more...

Preferences (i know these get old...but you'll know me a leetle better afterwards)

What...
movies do you prefer? comedy, foreign, or documentary
magazines do you subscribe (to)? Consumer Reports, Volleyball, Frommer's Budget Travel, and Men's Journal
magazines would you like to subscribe, if it cost weren't involved? Wine Spectator
types of games? most word games (Boggle, Scrabble, Crossword, Perquackey)
soft drink? Dr. Pepper...Coke...7-Up (in that order)
beer? i prefer pale ales and extra special bitters (ESB)...but i'm not too picky
wine? red...but i can drink almost any wine
water (tap or bottled)? unless the tap is just foul tasting...
would you settle for in a restaurant, great service and lousy food...or lousy service but great food? lousy (but not dismal) service but great food
regular keyboard or ergonomic? doesn't matter...i can adjust
dogs or cats? dogs, even though i'm slightly allergic
spiders or roaches? spiders...even though i still kill 'em (look for my spider story, 7/4)
season do you prefer? wabbit season ;) summer and fall
sausage or meatballs? sausage! and no phallic jokes...DENNY!
sandals or barefoot? sandals, unless i'm on a beach
jalapeños or habaneros? habaneros...bring on the pain!
rice or potatoes? you're asking a Chinese guy this?!?
Cancún or Vegas? Cancún (even though i would take off for another city in Mexico)
sauna or jacuzzi? jacuzzi...saunas are okay for less than 10 minutes...that's all!
digital or analog watches? digital...although i have more analog (3 to 1)

man, i think i'm going to make these lists smaller...20 random things may be ten too many!

now that you know me a little better, tell me which 60's group performed 'Like To Get To Know You'. the winner will receive one less annoying blog from me ;) hurry, or you may be stuck with another, "What a lame post, Spencer!" and to think that this is a daily ramble...