A meme to cleanse my palate

I want to write a festive, happy yuletide TT, but I'm not feeling very upbeat or Christmasy (see post below). Thanks to Sassy Lucy for tagging me, giving me something to write about as I transition from blah-blah-blah-blah-blah to fah-la-la-la-la …

Crazy Eights Tag

8 Things I’m passionate about
*The state of our union. I care very deeply about what's going on with this country
*Animal welfare issues -- especially spay/neuter and making adoption everyone's first option
*My own fabulous felines
*The Chicago Cubs
*The Beatles 
*Sir Paul (My adoration is so expansive it deserves two mentions)
*My friends
*My family (esp. my mom, niece and nephew)

8 Things I want to do before I die
*Lose some damn weight (taken verbatim from Sassy Lucy's 8's, but it's a good one for me, too)
*Redo my bathroom and kitchen (I've been planning for 5 years now)
*Visit states I've never been to (like Wyoming, or Alaska)
*Renew my passport (I keep saying I'm gonna …)
*Get rid of all the clutter! I'm not being metaphorical here. My apartment is overrun by paper and stuff!
*Stop fixating and awfulizing
*See a World Series game played in Wrigley Field
*Do more and do better

8 Things I often say
*"My beloved, future Hall of Famer Greg Maddux"
*"The thing of it is …"
*"I, on the other hand, thought it was funny"
*"Can I ask you a question that's none of my business?"
*"Hi, hi, oh, hi!" (Which is gal-speak for, "I'm so glad you called")
*"You know I completely love you, but …"
*"I don't hate Sox fans. I pity them."
*"Sure, I could do that … if I was someone else entirely"

8 Books I’ve recently or currently reading
* American Legacy by C. David Heyman (current)
* Courting Trouble by Lisa Scottoline (current)

* Now and Then by Robert Parker
* Manhunt: The 12 Day Chase for Lincoln's Killer by James L. Swanson
* The Other Woman by Jane Green
* Almost Paradise by Kieran Crowley
* Diana by Sarah Bradford
* Where There's a Will by Rex Stout

8 Songs I could listen to over and over
*The Old Heart of Mine by the Isley Brothers
*River by James Taylor
*I Will by the Beatles
*Lily, Rosemary and the Jack of Hearts by Bob Dylan
*Rosalita by Bruce Springsteen
*Sunday Morning by Maroon 5
*If Only You Knew by Patti LaBelle
*Come See About Me by The Supremes

8 Things that attract me to my best friends
*Sense of humor
*Compassion
*Honesty
*Smarts
*Diversity
*Tolerance
*Love of animals
*They tolerate me

8 People I think should do Crazy 8s
I'm not tagging anyone specifically. But I encourage you to check out these answers, as well as Sassy Lucy's, and then let me know if you decide to play so I can check out your responses.

I did not enjoy today

I took Amtrak down to visit the client this morning. It's a trip I usually enjoy. Today I most emphatically did not. We got stuck in fog and were a full 90 minutes late. I missed the first half hour of my meeting. Fortunately the client was very gracious. If anyone back at the office says shit to me about it, I'll scream. FOG CANNOT POSSIBLY BE MY FAULT.

Then on the way home, a drunk guy on the train just wouldn't leave me alone. I'd prefer not to relive his drunken banter, instead moving onto my psycho cab driver. He:

1) had to stop for gas! He said he would halt the meter. Damn straight, Skippy!

2) asked me "what's wrong with having children" and wondered why I didn't have any.

3) tried to charge me meter-and-a-half, which isn't legal.

I'm so glad to be home, surrounded by the felines who love me!