I really do want world peace.

Interview by Amy from Bite the Rabbit:

1. Why the heck are you Velocibadgergirl? That is one crazy name. Crazier than BiteTheRabbit, in my opinion.

This has two parts, really. First, I joined the Knot back in 2003 when MB and I got engaged, and I didn't want to use my real name or the Hotmail ID I'd had for years, because I'm a bit paranoid. Since MB's nickname in high school was the Badger (long story), I somewhat cheesily decided I'd be "badgergirl" on the Knot. Then, when my message board group broke away from the Knot to form our own private board, I kept the badgergirl name on MSN.

In late 2005, when I decided to move my fledgling blog from Diaryland to Blogger, badgergirl as a blogspot URL was already taken. I didn't really want to create an entirely new web identity since I was so fond of the badgergirl moniker, but I also wanted something to add to it that would make it more mine. Badgergirl is a great name, but it's basically like saying, "Hi, I'm Mrs. Badger." I'm good with being FirstName Badger, but Mrs. Badger seems a little like bowing to the patriarchy. MB's long-time nickname for me has been velocigirl, as in velociraptor, and so...a hybrid was born. I am velocibadgergirl.


2. I'm assuming you're a cat person. What don't you like about dogs?

I wouldn't say I dislike dogs, I just like cats more. Things I prefer about cats:  it's easier to scoop a litter box than patrol a whole yard; they don't bark; they rarely drool; they're somewhat self-sufficient; they don't need to be walked every day; they rarely need to be bathed; they hardly ever chew on things; they can be raised in an apartment with no backyard to speak of, without guilt.

Things that make me sometimes wish we had a dog:  cats can't go hiking or canoeing; I can't take my cat with me to the park to help me feel safe; our cat won't be able to play outside with our future spawn.

I tend to say that I'm more of a cat person than a dog person, but my real issue is that I tend to like specific individual dogs more than I like dogs in general. For instance, I think my dad's dog is really cool. If I could have a dog just like him, I would get one. I always liked the dog that my kidsitting charge's family had. If I could have a dog like her, I'd get one. But when I just meet a dog, I'm usually thinking, "Gah, don't slobber on me! And no jumping! And you sort of smell funny."

Also, I vastly prefer medium-to-large dogs to small dogs. Little yappy dogs drive me effing nuts, and dogs that are too small to do dog things (like hike, play Frisbee, go for long walks), at that point I figure I might as well just have a cat. Plus--and this is sort of awful--I generally think cats are a cuter species. Almost every cat is cute, but there are lots of dogs that just aren't.


3. Are you going to participate in NaBloPoMo again? I am.

Definitely! I met so many cool people through NaBloPoMo, and I loved the challenge of writing every day.


4. What's the hardest thing about blogging?

At first, the hardest thing was coming up with things to say that I felt were interesting enough, and not being too shy to express my real feelings. Plus, I was really out of practice with writing things other than emails. Now, finding topics and being myself is a lot easier, but I still have to try not to take it too seriously. I sometimes have to remind myself that I'm never going to be a famous A-list blogger, and that it is totally okay.


5. What song makes you cringe?

"Love Shack" by the B-52s. I truly believe that it is the worst earworm ever recorded. Just writing about it here will probably get it stuck in my head for the next week. I can't even think about the song without having it run through my head for hours. HATE!



To participate:

1. Leave me a comment saying, "Interview me."

2. I will respond by emailing you five questions of my choice, but probably not until early next week.

3. Then, you should update your blog with the answers to the questions.

4. You have to include this explanation and an offer to interview someone else in the same post.

5. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you get to ask them five questions.


Interviewed by me (so far):

That Chick Over There

SSFB at Starting Fresh

Megs, my sister from another mister



Also, doesn't this make you wish you got invited to the kinds of parties my friends throw?


This was the graphic that went out on an invitation to a birthday party this Saturday night. Good times.


Edited to add: This is how cool MB is...remember that train whistle I found in my car last week? I left it in the dirty dish pile, figuring it was probably way too germy to chuck into the box of spawn hoardage. Today, I found it in the clean dish pile:


He didn't even demand an explanation. He really is a very patient husband, you know it?