What's in a Meme?

A meme is a unit of cultural information passed from one gene to another. A meme-complex is a whole set of cultural bits that are related: religions are a good example of that.

Of course, on the Internet, we've watered it down considerably: We use it to mean any of a zillion questionnaires that we answer and post on blogs or via email to others. Generally these are a collection of cultural bits (e.g., "Were you named for anyone?" and "My four favorite television programs are . . . " and "Six weird things you don't know about me"), although not necessarily related.

Intrigued, I have undertaken to write my own meme. If you want to copy it and complete it for your own blog or email, please be my guest.

1. Today's Date: 29 Mar 2007

2. In which state/province and/or country are you as you complete this?
Nebraska, USA

3. What are you wearing?
A burgundy polo shirt with a company logo on it; black trousers, socks, shoes, and belt; and, of course, underwear.

4a. If you have a car or truck or van (or other enclosed motorized transportation), what's in it right now?
Um.... my knitting bag, a pair of walking shoes, three laundry baskets, three pillow-cases stuffed with dirty laundry (it's a long story), some odd bits of paper I'm sure with God-knows-what written on them, a pair of wrap-around sunglasses (yes, I admit to it!), two garage-door openers (again, a long story), a whole lot of crap in the trunk that I haven't looked at in months, and crumbs.

4b. If you don't have a form of enclosed transportion (that can hold a lot of junk), how did you get around and how do you carry your stuff? What stuff do you carry with you?

5. What's the first song you remember hearing (and possibly sang along with), and how old were you (best guess will do)?
I can remember my mother singing to me, something without words, but a nice melody, and her voice was a kind of contralto. She was carrying me at the time (I was just out of a bath), but it wasn't like I was too small to walk. I know I was younger than 5 because we were still living in the old house. As for a song with words, I was watching something on television (a black-and-white!) that had Berl Ives singing something about "a little yellow duck, sitting on the water; a little yellow duck, doing what he ought-er" or something like that. It also mentioned a frog, I believe, that "jumped right out of a lily pad .... and he said, "I'm glad." Again, I was younger than five. [If anyone knows the song, let me know!]

6. What was your first, regular paid job (part-time or full-time, and not counting getting a few coins for running an errand) and how old were you?
I had a regular Monday-night babysitting gig for a family in my town. They had two children, a girl and a boy, and I was 16 or 17 at the time. I think I was paid 50¢ per hour.

7. What did your mom and/or dad do for a living?
My family ran a telephone business in the town. Dad did the line work and my mom did the billing. Also, my dad played saxophone and clarinet in a band that had a pretty regular Saturday night thing going on. He got paid for it, but I'm sure that was for fun. And there was an insurance agency on the side.

8. What did you want to be when you grew up? (Name as many as you can remember.)
I remember wanting to be a teacher. And a nurse (that lasted only a short while, though). And I wanted to be a famous folk singer like John Denver or James Taylor. For a while in college I wanted to be an orchestral conductor. [I don't think I've grown up yet.]

9. What is something (or, what are some things) you'd like to do before you die?
Oh, I'd love to win the Powerball big-time because then I can pretty much do whatever my heart desires! Speaking in terms of what I can probably do in reality, .... um..... well, I don't know if this counts, but I'd really like a ride in a fighter jet! :) Other than that, I think I'm good.

10. What is heaven like?
Knitting all day without my hands getting tired; knitting 30 things at once; singing in six-part harmony with just your own voice; watching shooting stars and changing their colors when you point at them; speaking to my Czech grandmother in a language she understands; meeting my grandfathers (because they died before I was born); being whole and healed; -- It's every good thing you can imagine, and then a touch of something magical and unexpected.