Are You Alone in the House?

So, last night I was driving home after work and met a car that didn't have its lights on. Now I know I don't have the world's best night vision, but seriously. It was only dusk, but it was definitely dark enough that, unless he was sporting some night vision goggles, this guy wasn't seeing clearly. Trying to be helpful, I flashed lights at the car. Nothing. I did it again. Still nothing. Was this guy kidding? Right as we passed, I flashed them a third time.

And then he turned around. Before I knew what was happening, he was on my tail with his brights on, flooding my car with light. I kept speeding up to get away, but he matched me mile for mile. Becoming frantic, I picked up my phone to call 911 and heard what I'm pretty sure was a shot come from the other car. What was I going to do?!

HA! Gotcha, didn't I?

Urban legends. We all know them, and some of us love them. All of us fall for more of them than we want to admit. Some are silly and explain why you'll never mix Pop Rocks and Coca Cola. Others are a little more serious... which is why you will never ever say the words "Bloody Mary" while standing in front of any mirror. Maybe your superstitions run so deep that you won't answer the phone when you're home alone, minding your business and making your Jiffy Pop, b/c there's the off chance that the call is coming from inside your own house. Hey! It can happen. Look how long Drew Barrymore lasted in Scream.

It's okay to admit you're a little scared or embarrassed. We've fallen for the best of these too. Tell us - what urban legends give you a case of goosebumps every time you hear them?

Baby, it's cold outside, part deux

I stayed in bed this morning until the last possible minute, listening to a local radio station and praying for a snow day.

No luck.

Andrew had the day off, anyway, so he and the boys are home, sleeping in, staying in their jammies all morning, who knows what else? I'm so jealous.

What would you rather be doing (realistically) today, than what you're doing right now?

The List

Yep, you know what I'm talking about. The List. Imagine this...

You're out to dinner with your spouse/significant other. You're having a perfectly lovely time, enjoying each other's company, the food, the ambiance of the restaurant... When out of the corner of your eye, you see someone approaching your table. S/he looks down at at you and says, "Pardon me, but I can't help but notice how unbelievably attractive you are. You must come join me for dinner at my table."

Without a backward glance at your partner, you leap out of your chair to follow. And you know that when you arrive home, your partner can't say a word about it because this is part of the pact. You're allowed to ditch each other in a heartbeat if that certain someone comes along to sweep you off your feet.

Who's on your list?

Date Night!

It's Friday!! Date night, for those of you who are still lucky enough to have the energy and funds to do so.

Since I do so love a flashback QOD, indulge me...

There you are, stepping out of the shower to get ready for your date. Your stomach is all in knots and you're positively giddy about the night ahead of you. Maybe it's a first date. Maybe it's Prom. Maybe you're hoping to get engaged that night. You pick out the perfect outfit, do your hair just right (guys - you towel dry it to stunning perfection) and you know, absolutely know, that this is going to be the best night of your life.

[insert clock with hands zooming around here]

It's the end of the night. You come home utterly exhausted. You stumble into your room and don't even bother brushing your teeth because it would take too much energy. You flop on your bed and think to yourself, "Ho-ly crap, that was the single WORST date that I have EVER been on in my ENTIRE life."

Spill it. What happened?

It's a contest!

Okay, QODers, here's the deal...

We love y'all, but we're greedy. We want more. So, to inspire you to spread the word, we're holding a contest. Tell your friends, family members, co-workers, best friend's sister's boyfriend's brother's girlfriend -- you name it -- about us. Have them come check us out, peruse the board, answer some questions and join our community. Then, have them send a note to twopeasinaqod-at-gmail.com to tell us all about how wonderful you are for bringing such a light to their lives.

Whoever rounds up the most suckers new members of our community will win a lovely little prize from your hosts, A Pea and T Pea. And really, who doesn't want a little Pea Love to brighten up their day?

So go. Spread the word. Have your friends tune in and write us by Friday, February 8. The winner will be announced that following weekend.

Peas out!

Do I spy a fin?

For those of you unfamiliar with the term "jump the shark," this refers to that moment in a show when you know it will never be the same again. It's allll downhill from here. (This term stems from the episode of Happy Days when Fonzie jumped the shark on water skis. For more info, see: www.jumptheshark.com.)

Think back to your favorite shows that you've enjoyed over the years. Were you crushed when Brenda moved away? Or maybe when Kimberly pulled off her wig, you knew it was all over. And you've never quite forgiven that Oliver kid for infiltrating the Brady family. Or Vaughn for marrying Lauren while poor Syd was being brainwashed. Whatever the show, whatever the moment, lie down on the couch and tell us all about it.

We'll be right here for you, listening and channel surfing.

Members Only

With a final spray of Aqua Net, you crimp your bangs one last time and fluff the rest of your perfectly teased sideways ponytail that's held in place by your favorite neon scrunchie (which, of course, matches your brand new leg warmers and jelly shoes). After a finishing coat of blue mascara and swipe of hot pink lipstick, you slip on your fringed jean jacket, give yourself one final look in the mirror and decide you are ready to roll. Watch out world. You, my friend, are lookin' goooood.

Or, maybe you were one of those too cool guys with the effortlessly chic Flock of Seagulls haircut who laughed at all the girls around you who looked so ridiculously un-rad, all the while sporting your popped collar polo shirt and finest pegged jeans with your Reebok high tops.

Dust off the never fail duds of your past that you would now never be caught dead wearing. What were some of your "best" clothes of the decades past that now make you shake your head in shame?

Drive It Like You Stole It

HONK HONK!

You're suddenly zapped back to consciousness by the impatient driver behind you, gesturing at you to get a move on since the light obviously turned green more than two seconds ago, and he's in a hurry. With a roll of your eyes and an exasperated sigh, you're on your way. But you can't stop thinking about the very thing that distracted you in the first place - the bumper sticker on the car ahead of you that proudly proclaimed one of the most outrageous statements you've ever seen.

There's nothing wrong with personal expression and all the creative urges it fulfills. But enough is enough. Must there really be a bumper stick for *every* cause, belief and/or accomplishment out there? Have you ever found yourself glaring at the driver who finally zooms past you after miles of tailgating, only to see a sticker on his bumper that states he wasn't tailgating after all - he was draftin'! Well thank goodness he cleared that up for you - you had spent the past ten miles cursing him for riding your bumper for no reason! Or possibly you've avoided hitting the car that pulled out in front of you simply because that yellow diamond reminded you there was a Baby on Board. Otherwise, it would have been fair game, even if their kid could have beaten up your honor student.

You don't have to own up to any of your own bumper stickers (we all have those skeletons in our closet - it's okay) but tell us, what are some of the most outrageous, unbelievable or just downright dumb stickers and/or auto flair you've ever seen?

Baby, it's cold outside.

Ugh, I hate the cold. I'm a total baby in this weather. (And in the extreme heat, too, but that's a different post for a different day.) It makes me want to curl up on my couch with a comfy blanket and a cup of hot chocolate and watch movies all day.

Fully realizing that the answer to "what's your favorite movie?" can vary, depending on the way you look at the question, today's question is a two-parter: 1.) What's the best movie you've ever seen? and 2.) What movie can you watch over and over and over and never get sick of it?

Oh Snap!

The snap of gum coming from the obnoxious girl in line ahead of you at the grocery store is enough to send you over the edge. Then she whips out her cell phone and starts to talk as the poor cashier attempts to tell her the total of her purchase, and you are certain you're going to lose it. Shaking your head in disbelief as she leaves the store, you make your purchase just in time to see her speeding out of her handicapped parking spot, although she didn't look the least bit hurt when you last saw her.

Pet peeves. We all have them. The little things that people do that drive us past the brink. What are yours??

Excuse me while I kiss this guy.

So there you are. Cruising along with your best friend, on your way to have some fun in the sun. You have the windows down and the tunes cranked. You're both singing at the top of your lungs when suddenly, you realize you're the only one singing. You look over to see your friend staring at you with an odd hint of shock and confusion dancing in her eyes.

"What?"

Silence. Then hysterical laughter.

"I want a new TRUCK?! A truck?!? Since when are those the words? It's drug. I want a new drug. Who would sing a song about wanting a new truck?!"

So come on, spill it. Give us a laugh today. Tell us about a time that you were driving along and belting out the lyrics to one of your favorite songs, only to have your passenger look at you and say, "Um.... those aren't the words..."

QOD FYI ASAP!

Holy acronyms, Batman - it must be time for some quick question of the day information!

We have heard your cries, loyal readers, and we apologize for not further clarifying ourselves when we originally launched this thing. So, in an attempt to make things better for you (and let's face it, for us too), we're going to give you a little refresher course in the beauty of blogging.

• You can answer ANY question - not just today's! Not so inspired by today's musings? That's fine - go back a couple days or a couple months and see if there's something else that strikes your fancy.
• To answer the question for another day, you have a few options. You can either scroll down through and read them all (which is our suggestion - you never know which ones you'll love!) or visit the Blog Archive on the right side menu that features the titles of all past posts organized by month/year.
• Once you find the question/questions you like, replying is easy! Simply click on the little note below the post that says "3 Comments" (or however many we've had for the day). You'll be taken to a screen on which you can write your response in the handy box on the right side. Our only request - please leave a nickname! Don't want to fess up to your response for fear that your 6th grade crush will finally discover your long-lasting unrequited love? It's okay to create a clever alias - no one said the name has to really be yours!
• Posting alerts are available through RSS feeds. We admit this is a bit over our heads. For more info, drop Andrew a line at his yahoo address: act8686.
• The best way to show off your newfound tech savvy knowledge? Share the blog with your friends! Tell them about Two Peas and invite them to join in!!
  

We hope this gives you a little more freedom to release your inner blogger! Peas out!

Is This Thing On?

We're taking a bit of a detour from our traditional QOD at twopeas today.

To make a long story short, we miss our readers and respondents! Where have you all gone?! After some good momentum to send '07 out on a high note, we've started off '08 a bit slowly. So, what can we do to make the deal sweeter? What would make you suddenly pause in the middle of your busy schedule to say "I haven't answered twopeas yet today!" and immediately hop over to the blog?

Do Over

There you are. 18 and ready to face the world. Fresh off high school graduation, you're flying high with anticipation about what the future has to offer. You're optimism is unclouded - you're ready for college and the chance to make your dream career a reality.

Fast forward to the first test you barely pass or the first horrible group project you trudge through, and you're suddenly in the Twilight Zone... wondering whether your dream career will turn into a nightmare life sentence. Maybe you change your major, maybe you work through it, maybe you give up. Whatever option, you're now questioning why society makes us choose our futures (or at least take a good stab at it) at such a young age.

Ahh yes... the formative years that shape our souls. Go back to those day when you're reviewing all your "major" options with an adviser, picking the course that will define the glory days until you reach retirement. But, one thing is different. Your 18 year old self has all the knowledge and life experience that the 2008 you has right now. With this in mind, what would you *really* choose to study? Would you be in college at all? Would you pursue another dream?

Hold on to the Nights

As my kids were running around the house this morning, getting under our feet, bickering with each other and screaming the classic "HE STARTED IT!!", I thought, "Oh, dear God, when does it END??"

So let's escape and hold on to the nights of yesteryear...

If you could relieve any year of your life in exactly the same way (no changes!!), which year would it be?

The Name Game

What is your iPod's name?

Dream a little dream of ... ?

Okay, the holidays are over. You shopped 'til you dropped. For everyone BUT you. Let's continue in our fantasy world this week...

Someone gives you $1000 with some very specific rules: It must be spent on you. For non-necessities. In one place.

Where do you go?

V-A-C-A-T-I-O-N

Just because most of us are returning from an extended holiday break doesn't mean we can't still think about vacation. Face it. When you woke up this morning, you probably didn't think "Finally! I get to go back to work!" And if you did... what's wrong w/you???

In the spirit of escaping from the ho hum corporate world for a bit longer, let's take a little trip together, shall we? Leave behind the snow that never seems to stop falling, reminding you flake by flake of how nice it would be to be somewhere sunny, warm and miles away from the monotony of everyday life.

You're on a plane (or in a car, depends on where you're going), headed for your dream vacation destination(s). Of course, in our world, money and time are no objects, so feel free to indulge your wildest vacation desires on this little fantasy trip. Where are you going to escape for a while, if only in your dreams?