November 08, 2005
The Average American
Not your average Americans...Amish at the fair, taken near Butler, Richland County Ohio 2004
I saw this great meme on the wonderful blog "
Fire Ant Gazette" Eric always manages to dish up something interesting, and I try to get over there often to see whats up.
Sunday's post featured a meme that I found most interesting. Eric had "borrowed it from some other blogs listed in the link. When I researched the book in question, called "The Average American" I found this review by NPR. For those of you that know me well, you know I dont have much to do with this outlet of ultra liberal meaness, but I do love the book reviews and musical programming, which I have only been able to get sans NPR, in Los Angeles via KUSC, a broadcasting arm of the University of Southern California and fully independent of the NPR system...but I digress
The Average American: The Extraordinary Search for the Nation's Most Ordinary Citizen, by Kevin O'Keefe sounds like a very interesting read based on this American Snapshot he came up with... see how you fit in
According to the book, a majority of Americans:
• Eats peanut butter at least once a week Yes, love it on toasted cinnamon rasin bagels
• Prefers smooth peanut butter over chunky No Chunky over Creamy... Texture over spreadability, sometimes you have to sacrifice function to get the best of a great thing.
• Can name all Three Stooges Yes Larry Moe and Curly
• Lives within a 20-minute drive of a Wal-Mart How about 10 of them and the Internationa HQ as well as the very first Wal-Mart now used as a museum
• Eats at McDonald's at least once a year Only if I must, if its my only choice. Heres a factoid. The National Geographic Society has a number of criteria that is uses to determine "civilization". One of them was how close you live to a Mc Donalds. The closer you are the more "civilized" the area. Currently I live 8 miles from a Mickey D's, In Hawaii I lived 22 miles away... I love the country life.
• Takes a shower for approximately 10.4 minutes a day Longer if I can. An endless stream of hot water is one of the great gifts of the modern age
• Never sings in the shower Moi? She Who Lives to Sing and Sings to Live...The shower is also known as My private rehersal studio. Today is was Liturgy, the night before it was Joan Jett... You just never know what is going to come out of Hoku's liquid juke box...
• Lives in a house, not an apartment or condominium Hale Pau'ana Huakai home sweet house...
• Has a home valued between $100,000 and $300,000 Barely 140k... I think the best housing deals in America can be found here.
• Has fired a gun Only in play, however I dont think I would have any qualms about shooting a looter.
• Is between 5 feet and 6 feet tall Six feet of glorious womanhood...Woody is 5'8"
• Weighs 135 to 205 pounds Nope... Maximum density has been achieved, in Hawaii I was known as a Wahine Nui Loa or Great Woman, you have to be pushing 300 and over 6 feet. The Hawaiian Chiefesses were big like this, which takes Queen Size to a whole new level.
• Is between the ages of 18 and 53 Yep, 43
• Believes gambling is an acceptable entertainment option only if you have a set limit and can push away from the table when finished. Most cant and spend money they shouldnt.
• Grew up within 50 miles of current home No try 1700 miles away
So what say you? are you average? post the meme just for fun!