Randomness from me to you

I've seen this floating around.  No one "nominated" me or "awarded" me specifically, but Karen and Katrin both recently answered some questions, and I thought why not jump in the game.

 1. Where is the farthest from home you've ever traveled?
If you consider home Texas (and not where I'm currently living), the farthest I've ever been away from Texas IS where I'm currently living - Houston, Texas is 8,581 miles (13,809 km) away from Sydney, Australia.

2. Where is the next destination you'd like to visit?
I'm going back to Texas next month.  Next place after that I'd like to visit for fun? I'd like my guy and I to have a mini-holiday together somewhere in Australia that I've never been.  Maybe Port Douglas.

Photo source

3. What is your favorite movie?
So many to choose, but if I have to pick just one, I say Love Actually

Or Almost Famous

Or Grease 2

Or The Outsiders

 Or Urban Cowboy

Okay...so I couldn't choose.

4. What is a movie you absolutely hate?
Most things with Ben Stiller.  I just do not find him funny.  At all.  (exception, Reality Bites)

5. Other than basic essentials like food and toilet paper, if you could only spend your money in one store for the rest of your life, which store would it be?
Target, because it has everything.

6. What's your favorite small shop/boutique?
Well, I have to give a shameless plug to my shop...really my guy's shop.  Family owned and operated fine jewellery and watch repairs is our specialty - POLA Jewellers

My guy made these - yep, he's talented

7. Are you looking forward to the 2016 election?
Not at all...because I hate the media reporting during election years.  I get disappointed in most all candidates and often think: "Are these really the two best people there are for this job?" 

8. If you were elected President, what would you do on your first day?
That's got to be the toughest question, I've ever been asked in one of these blogger (myspace type) questionnaires.  I have never imagined myself a politician.  I suppose the very first thing I'd do is take a deep breath and pray.

9. What is something that scares you, but that you really want to try?
Sky diving - it doesn't exactly "scare" me, but I imagine my heart would thump a little harder when it happens.

10. What's something you've done that you think everyone should try at least once?
Adopting an animal from an animal shelter

1. What 2015 book are you most excited about?
John Sandford's Gathering Prey - I've read every book in this Prey series, and I'm always excited when there is a new one.

 2. Which blog did you discover recently that you can't believe you didn't know about?
Isabel at The Sunny Side of This - a beautiful Mexican woman who lives in the gorgeous Slovenia; she shares lovely photos and uplifting stories as she walks her life side by side with her handsome husband in a country she is still learning so much about

 3. What's the best book outside of your regular genres/topics/authors you've read in the past year?
The Girls with All the Gifts by M.R. Carey 

 4. Judging books by their covers: yay or nay?
Always

 5. What's your favourite book-to-movie adaptation?
I'll say Gone Girl because I wasn't as wild about the book as most, and I thought the movie was excellent.  Better than the book.

 6. Which fictional world do you wish you could move into?
I'm at a loss.  I read so much...why can't I come up with an answer for this one?  Suggestions??

 7. Hardcover or paperback?
Both, but never e-readers

 8. How many books do you read in a week, on average, and are you happy with your number?
I'm inconsistent.  Sometimes I read one to two books a week...sometimes it takes me two weeks to get through one book.  

 9. Which books are on the top of your TBR list?
I'm in a few books challenges, one of which tackles by "To Be Read" pile..next up to tackle is Those Who Save Us by Jenna Blum because it's checked out of the library, and I've been meaning to read it for ages.

 10. Because this is Backlist Books, which books published at least a year ago are highest on your TBR?
There are two other library books already checked out and sitting on my floor - Mr. Mercedes by Stephen King and The Universe Versus Alex Woods by Gavin Extence.

If you are reading this, chances are I want to know how you'd answer these questions.  Go on, answer them.