I Was Tagged...

... with this meme by Loulou from Chez Loulou.

The last time I did a meme was just about a year ago. Then, I tried to describe what a meme is before I answered it. You can read that here if you're interested.

So, here goes. The questions are in French but I tried to translate them for my anglophone pals.

Quelle est votre situation de famille – What’s your family situation?
I live with my partner of 24 years and our (second) dog.

Quelle est votre date d'anniversaire – What’s your birth date?
21 December, the winter solstice. Shortest day of the year.

Vivez vous en ville ou à la campagne – Do you live in the city or in the country?
I live in the country in the Touraine region of France. Before that I was a city boy.

Quels métiers exercez vous ou avez vous exercés – What jobs do you have or have you had?
I was an executive manager at a large urban transit system in California. I’m a transportation planner by profession. I was also a congressional staffer in Washington, DC, for a short time. And I was a Broadway star... oh wait, that was a dream.

Avez vous des allergies – Do you suffer from allergies?
Not really. But I do get symptoms every now and then. And I get nervous in large crowds. Riding in airplanes makes me sick these days.

Quelle est votre odeur préférée – What’s your favorite smell?
Onions being sautéed in olive oil.

Aimez vous les sucreries – Do you like sweets?
Not particularly.

Si oui, quelles sont vos préférées – If yes, what are your favorites?
--

Quels sont vos goûts culinaires – What’s your taste in food?
I love French, Italian, Aisian, Indian, and North African cuisines. And Greek. Oh, and Mexican. And a good hamburger every once in a while. And those great fried shrimp in North Carolina.
And don’t forget NC style pork barbecue. And I consider wine a food.

I guess there’s not much I don’t like, except for over-processed industrial food. And I really resent waiting in line for food, and that includes those trendy, over-priced, fancy-pants restaurants where the food is mediocre but everybody pretends it's great because they're embarrassed to admit they paid too much for it. Call me a geezer.

Quel genre de musique aimez vous – What kind of music do you like?
I like 70s American pop/rock, some country, and French pop from the 70s and 80s. And this will surprise no one... Barbra Streisand. And, yes, I like show tunes, especially when they’re sung by Barbra Streisand. Don’t rain on my parade.

My ticket to see Barbra.

Quelle est votre couleur préférée – What’s your favorite color?
Green. But it’s not easy. Ask Kermit.

Quelle est votre saison préférée – What’s your favorite season?
Clay court season. And hard court season. Most of the indoor and grass court seasons, too.

Collectionnez vous un objet quelconque – Do you collect anything in particular?
I have a small collection of little Eiffel Towers. I also collect dust from time to time.

Quel magazines lisez vous – What magazines do you read?
I read online these days. No more magazines. Before moving to France I had subscriptions to the Advocate and National Geographic Traveler. The only magazines I read now are at the barber shop, or the dentist’s or doctor’s office. And “read” is not really the right word. Let's say "peruse," just because it's fun to say.

Quel est votre style vestimentaire – What’s your clothing style?
Extremely casual, shorts or jeans and t-shirts or casual shirts with collars. I haven’t worn a tie in over four years and if I had to wear one again I’d need to look up how to tie it on the internet.

Pratiquez vous une activité manuelle – Do you do any handiwork/crafts?
Do mowing the lawn and gardening count ? I do operate power tools once in a while. Otherwise, I’m neither very handy nor crafty.

Quel est votre animal préféré – What’s your favorite animal?
Dogs, I guess. But I also like cows, pigs, chickens, and many fish, but in a different way. Like when they're called beef, pork, poultry, and seafood.

Quels sont vos loisirs – What are your hobbies?
I like to take pictures and watch tennis (see the question about seasons above). Cooking is fun, too, as is eating. I used to go camping, but haven’t done that (officially) since I moved to France. I say "officially" because we kind of camped in our house for a while when we moved here, waiting for the furniture to arrive. Oh yeah, and I blog a bit.

Comment décorez vous votre intérieur – How is your home decorated?
Very plainly. Simple things on the walls.

Avez vous une liste de cadeaux en ligne – Do you have an online wish list?
No. Just send cash.