Day 122/365: Face paint + Random meme

[nanila]

My children went to a birthday party last weekend where there was a particularly skilled face-painter. They had both decided to attend in costume, since they’d been told the birthday girl was dressing up. Humuhumu went for “princess of her own devising”, while Keiki went for “Gecko from PJ Masks”. After the face-painting, Humuhumu was transformed into a “butterfly princess” and Keiki was, er, “Gecko from PJ Masks”. But he didn’t have to wear his plastic Gecko mask any more! (Thank goodness, because it was driving him bonkers.)



Keiki and Humuhumu together.


Keiki as Gecko. Humuhumu photobombing.


Humuhumu as butterfly princess with balloon sword - smiling this time!

Below the cut, a random 33-question meme that lots of people have been doing.

1. Have you ever driven an electric car?
   
   No, but when we were in Vienna we were picked up in a taxi that was a Tesla. With a sunroof. It was AMAZING and I want one but can’t afford it.
   
   
2. Do you live in an area that is prone to tornadoes?
   
   No.
   
   
3. How many closets does your house have?
   
   If we are using the US-UK equivalence of “closet” == “wardrobe”, we have two: one upstairs and one downstairs. It is...insufficient.
   
   
4. When was the last time you saw someone you went to high school with?
   
   Since I live in a country other than the one I grew up in, I suspect this would be about four years ago, when I saw my high school friend Roya. She lives in Sweden and was visiting London.
   
   
5. Have you ever eaten moussaka?
   
   Yes. I like it. I don’t eat it regularly, though.
   
   
6. What breed was the last dog you saw?
   
   It was the old Old English sheepdog that moseys past our house every day at 5:45 PM. She’s lovely.
   
   
7. How long have your parents been together (or how long were they together if they no longer are)?
   
   Their 50th wedding anniversary is next year.
   
   
8. What has been your most epic cooking failure?
   
   Well, I’ve never set anything on fire, but as I don’t consider myself a good cook, I can’t say there was anything too diabolical.
   
   
9. Do you read other people's survey answers on here?
   
   Yes, always. I don’t often comment on them, though, sorry.
   
   
10. What's your bedtime routine?
    
    During the week, it’s: Put kids to bed with stories. Then half an hour for daily DW/LJ post prep, half an hour for comments. Then an hour for telly and beer/whisky/herb tea, or reading in the bath and then beer/whisky/herb tea.
    
    
11. Do you agree with the saying 'distance makes the heart grow fonder'?
    
    I think it’s oversimplified. If it’s a romantic relationship, physical distance is tolerable as long as there is occasional (for me it has to be at least every few weeks) physical presence. For friendship, I find it’s more “distance matters not as long as there is occasional communication, and that can be via phone, text, e-mail or in person, doesn’t matter.”
    
    
12. Have you ever been to Mexico?
    
    Yes, but it has been many years.
    
    
13. Do you have a bad temper?
    
    Yes. I have much better control over it than I did a decade ago.
    
    
14. When was the last time it stormed where you live?
    
    This winter was very stormy in the UK.
    
    
15. Do you ever fact-check the things you read on the internet?
    
    Yes.
    
    
16. How long would it take you to walk to the nearest store?
    
    About 20 minutes to the nearest supermarket.
    
    
17. What five words best describe your mother's personality?
    
    Sensitive, shy, perceptive, intense, dedicated
    
    
18. Do you know any transgender people?
    
    Yes, several, both IRL and on the internets, but I’m hardly going to out them here. *frown*
    
    
19. What's your dream job?
    
    This question is a bucket of nope for a public post.
    
    
20. How old were you when you got your first smartphone?
    
    I don’t know. Sometime in my late twenties/early thirties??
    
    
21. Have you ever had a parrot sit on your shoulder?
    
    No.
    
    
22. In the morning, do you eat breakfast first or brush your teeth first?
    
    Breakfast first.
    
    
23. What's something you had to learn the hard way?
    
    How not to be a complete arsehole about losing an argument. Still have some way to go on this one. I’d say I’m at “minimal arsehole” now. Hoping to get to “almost not an arsehole” by the age of fity.
    
    
24. What sort of window coverings do you have in your living room?
    
    Curtains.
    
    
25. Has anyone in your life ever treated you abusively?
    
    I will put it this way: My life experience is not exceptional for a woman my age.
    
    
26. What's the weather like right now?
    
    Cold and wet.
    
    
27. How long has it been since your last breakup?
    
    More than a decade.
    
    
28. Can you concentrate well while listening to music, or do you find it distracting?
    
    It depends on the music and what I’m doing. I can concentrate through most music that doesn’t have words in it. Exceptions include when I’m writing code or a brand new document - for those, I need complete silence.
    
    
29. What's the name of the amusement park closest to your house?
    
    I have no idea.
    
    
30. Do you like The Rolling Stones?
    
    Not particularly.
    
    
31. What was the last single item you spent over $100 on?
    
    Your timing is remarkable, meme. It was a new car, and it cost a hell of a lot more than $100.
    
    
32. What's something you've been struggling with lately?
    
    Trying to maintain a work-life balance. Trying to get to the gym (not happened for a month).
    
    
33. What was the last caffeinated drink you had?
    
    Coffee (black), of which I drink far too much.

Comments

[silveradept]

I like the concept of the princess of their own making. I'll have to keep that one in mind.

[nanila]

Humuhumu is happy to have inspired a librarian. :)

[st_aurafina]

That is one gifted face painter - Keiki must have been pleased at such a good gecko mask. So much better than a plastic one. And Humuhumu is adorbs. Butterfly princess of her own making!

Face painting has come a long way since I was a kid, seriously.

[nanila]

She had this amazing array of paint palettes, and special sponges that let her daub on multiple strips of colour simultaneously (as in Humuhumu's butterfly wings). She used a stencil to do the scale effect on Keiki's mask. It took her maybe 2-3 minutes to do each of their masks? It was amazing to watch.

[meepettemu]

Heh. And I assumed closets=cupboards.

[bryangb]

I'd assumed it's wardrobes - as in cupboards specifically for clothing.

But it's occurred to me that, as you say, maybe it could be any cupboard. Can any USAnian hereabouts confirm that you could have a cleaning closet, for example, or an office supplies closet?

[meepettemu]

I assumed an inbuilt thing, so I didn’t count my freestanding wardrobe. Mind you I also didn’t count the cupboard that IS in the bedroom that’s empty, so...

[bryangb]

Any idea what a freestanding wardrobe is called in American English?

[meepettemu]

‘Wardrobe’ according to a Seattle friend!

[bryangb]

LOL! Well, maybe we are a bit unusual in that our house has five built-in cupboards around the place. None of them currently has provisions for hanging up clothing though.

[fauxklore]

I think what you would call a free-standing wardrobe is what I'd call an armoire.

[bryangb]

How delightfully retro!

[nanila]

Interesting. I suspect there is some regional variation within the US, but that's the equivalence I would draw. Cupboards == cupboards as far as I'm concerned. ;)