Appetizer
What job would you definitely not want to have?
Soup
Oprah calls and wants you to appear on her show. What would that day's show be about?
Salad
Name 3 vegetables that you eat on a regular basis.
Main Course
If you were commissioned to rename your hometown, what would you call it?
Dessert
If you had a personal assistant, what kind of tasks would you have them to do?
I'll answer in the comments box with ya'll.
Appetizer: I wouldn't want to be Pope or President. I don't have the charity to do either.
Soup: First of all, I'd never want to be ON the Oprah show. I don't even watch it. At least not very often. If I had to be on the show it would be a show on "Women Who Can't Say No To Even One More Volunteer Activity And Are Driving Themselves Insane."
Salad: I eat green beans, squash and broccoli on a regular basis. I also eat potatoes, corn, cauliflower, and all kinds of salad veggies. I don't eat brussels sprouts, asparagus or those nasty little green peas that pop in your mouth when you chew them. Well, unless they are in a stew or something.
Main Course: Abilene is just fine. It could be renamed "Churchtown" I guess--it has 3 religiously affiliated small universities and a myriad of churches. Growing up there was like "Footloose"--we had no high school dances and no prom. That's changed now.
Dessert: My personal assistant would make all my phone calls for me. But I don't need a personal assistant. I'd rather have a maid or a cook.
Appetizer I wouldn't want to do anything that required me to ever be on a TV talk show.
Soup Why the guest didn't show up. If I were there against my will, then it would be on the totalitarian tendencies of mass media.
Salad Carrots, tomatoes and green beans are big regulars. Anything not in the cabbage family, really, well, except beets.
Main Course Leo after the late Fr. Leo Heinrichs OFM Cap., the first martyr of our town.
Dessert Personal assistant would be a chauffeur so I could do other stuff while in transit, would also do filing and screen phone calls for me at work.
Appetizer: Definitely not president. Or press secretary to the president. Or head of FEMA. Neither would I like to be any sort of celebrity idol (tv, movies, music, etc.) And I would NOT want to be the person dressed in a chicken suit, handing out coupons.
Soup: I would never go on Oprah, either. I wouldn't even be in the audience, even if she was in one of her give-away moods. If I was on it, it would have to be one of those shows where they tell somebody they're going to a family reunion or something, but actually mean it's an intervention or some other unpleasantry unfolding in front of millions of TV viewers. Maybe, "America's most boring Midwesterner?"
Salad: Carrots, peas, lettuce (and anything else you put on a salad or in an sandwich). I love veggies!
Main Course: Lincoln's a cool name because we were named after the president. But if I had to pick -- Plainsville? Or HigerTaxesTon?
Dessert: Clean the house, balance the checkbook and organize our tax stuff for the tax guy so I have more time with the kids.
Appetizer...definitely President. Waaaaay too much pressure and scrutiny.
Soup...Internet communities. I'm a part of several and I'm utterly fascinated by their dynamics.
Salad...asparagus, broccoli, and carrots.
Main Course....I don't think I could do it. Love my hometown, name included. I can't imagine it any other way!
Dessert...well, they're my assistant, right? That means I can make them clean my floors and do my laundry, right? That's the stuff I can't stand. I'll do bills, do the taxes, make phone calls, no problem. But the floors and the laundry...UGH.
1) Mortician
2) the ill effects of the Oprahification (i.e. the feminization) of America
3) broccoli, brussel sprouts, lima beans
4) Guinnessland!
5) Pray for me
Appetizer: a personal trainer.
Soup: why the "cult of oprah" must be stopped.
Salad: whaaaHHHHAAAAAAhhhhhaaaaaahahaha!
Main Course: rename houston, are you insane? sam houston was once the president of the REPUBLIC OF TEXAS. tres sexy!
Dessert: laundry.
Appetizer
Any job that would require being elected by the rabble.
Soup
Iberian pre-classical harpsichord music, Italian food, and Abstract Expressionism, of course.
Salad
Kale, mushrooms, cardoni.
Main Course
Erikkeilholtzstadt or Citta della Duce
Dessert
Laundry. Cleaning. Detailing the car. Answering the phone and ALWAYS saying "Mr. Keilholtz is in a meeting right now." Polishing my shoes weekly. Taking care of my dry cleaning. Taking care of Christmas cards. Keeping track of my schedule.
Appetizer:
I don't want to be the guy who drives a truck around to various places emptying the port-o-potties.
Soup:
The virtues of eating beef. Or maybe why she should sign me up for a book deal. I promise that all my lies will be true.
Salad:
Tomatoes and two kinds of lettuce. I see TSO likes everything I hate. Erik: what in hale's kale? Ditto cardoni. Mushrooms are not vegetables.
Main Course:
Just add a 'u' after the O so I can feel like I own the place.
Dessert:
If I had a personal assistant what would I have them do? You mean her? I can't finish this one.
Appetizer: Anything political. I am not a persno who is into politics.
Soup: I agree on the "i wouldn't ever BE on oprah" show but if I were on some kinda talk show i'm sure it would be something mom-related.
Salad: carrots, green beans, and uhm broccoli (i'm just naming my favorites, not sure how regular i eat em. wait carrots isnt a favorite. but i eat em).
Main Course: What hometown? I'm from all over.
Dessert: Cook n clean! And change the diapers
Hey, Mr. Luse, I don't write 'em, I just cut and paste 'em! (I didn't want you to think I'm grammatically illiterate, though I can be!).
Ourlando?????
You mean her? I can't finish this one.
Me too. That's when I decided "pray for me" was appropriate.
Terry, I would never think that of you. You got the city right. That's what my brother called it when he was a child.
Kale is one of the many forms that the cabbage group takes. The kind that I particularly favor is known variously as lacinato kale, dinosaur kale or Tuscan black cabbage. I recommend it in a short braise (olive oil in hot pan. Chopped pancetta (or substitute anchovies for Friday), fry for a bit, add a peeled clove of garlic. Fry a little more. Add chopped, washed kale and a teaspoon of fennel seeds. Coat with hot oil. Add a generous splash of dry, white vermouth, lower the heat and cover. Cook until tender. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Cardoni (Cardons, cardoons, Cynara cardunculus) is the ancestor of the artichoke (Cynara cynara). While the artichoke is cultivated for its flower buds, the cardoon is cultivated for its stalk (and for the heart of the plant, for those who know about this part). It takes a considerable amount of prep, usually a par boiling and then a pan or grill finish, but is well worth the effort. Their flavor is sort of like artichokes, but with a slight bittersweetness and a pronounced grassiness. I often make a gratin of it with gruyere, reggiano parmiggiana, cream, garlic, bay, thyme, and finish it with white truffle oil.
In England the cardoon is primarily grown as an ornamental. In Northern California it grows wild in the hills.
As to mushrooms, I suppose not, so change that to asparagus or butter lettuce.
1. Janitor. I hate to clean my own family's mess, let alone someone else's.
2. Hyperemesis gravidarum, and how it is not morning sickness and how crackers won't help!
3. Green peppers, celery and mushrooms in stir fry.
4. Can't think of anything other than its name -- Sydney.
5. Cook, clean, laundry -- nuts to the assistant, I need a maid!
Erik, re the kale: showoff.
(All right I'll admit the way you describe preparing it sounds good.)