Habit forming

It has been a long time since I have played the RevGalBlogPal's Friday Five.... but here we are.

This week we are talking about habits:

1. Have you ever successfully quit a bad habit, or gotten a good habit established? Tell us about how you did it.

17 years ago this August I quit a pack-and-a-half-a-day Camel Filters habit. How I did it: For about 3 months before the quit date, I told myself that as of that date I was going to be a non-smoker. I repeated this to myself all day long. I told everyone who would listen. I chose a symbolic date and pictured it in my head. This was long before internet support, so I bought a little book by the American Lung Association that had a step by step daily program for the first three weeks. It was brutal, but I did it. And have been smoke free since. (Well, except for the very occasional cigar... but I have even given those up now. I promised my kids I would never smoke again if they would promise never to start.)


2. "If only there were a 12-step program for _________________!"

Hello, my name is Rachel and I am a nap addict....

3. Share one of your healthy "obsessions" with us.

This one is so obvious. God.

4. Share the habit of a spouse, friend or loved one that drives you C-R-A-Z-Y.

My husband, because he has an underbite, chews funny, especially if his food is hot. Blow on the food, honey. It really works.

5. "I'd love to get into the habit of ___________________."

Exercising? Nah.

Praying daily? Been doing it pretty regularly since Easter.

Doing laundry once in awhile? Yup. And actually putting it away. That would be a GREAT habit to form.

Bonus: What is one small action you might take immediately to make #5 a reality?

Stick the current load into the dryer before it mildews and has to be washed a second time. As in, today. Like, right now.

Bonus 2: Try it, and let us know how it goes in a future post!

Really want to know? OK!

Friday Five

For this mid-December Friday Five, let's explore some Yuletide favorites.

1) It's a Wonderful Life--Is it? Do you remember seeing it for the first time?

Here's the thing: I don't believe I have ever watched the thing all the way through. Even though I am a vintage movie fan, and LOVE Jimmy Stewart, I have never warmed up to this movie. Sacrilege, I know. Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, by the way, is another thing entirely.

2) Miracle on 34th Street--old version or new? Haven't seen the new, liked the old.

3) Do you have a favorite incarnation of Mr. Scrooge? My former step father played him at Trinity Rep here in RI. I loved his version because, well, I recognized it, LOL!

4) Why should it be a problem for an elf to be a dentist? I've been watching Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer for years now, and I still don't get it.

Because Santa is a fascist?

5) Who's the scariest character in Christmas specials/movies?

• The Bumble
• The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come, Muppet Version
• That Mean Magician Who Tries to Melt Frosty
• Your Nomination

I love the Bumble. But my favorite scary character happens to be in my favorite Christmas movie, which, oddly, wasn't mentioned in this Friday Five:

Scut Farcus in "A Christmas Story" is the scariest of all characters.