From Bernie's "Pop Quiz":

1. So, how have you spent your summer vacation?
   Summer vacation? Do adults even have those? I've spent these last few months looking for a new job, running the Black Weblog Awards and trying to get a date. I've been successful in the first two.
   
   
2. What three things do you most want to accomplish before the end of the year?
   Buy a Mac (preferably a laptop). Date a guy (i.e., more than one date with the same guy). Get a new desk chair. Those first two should be easy tasks.
   
   
3. This is the one year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. A year from now, how far along do you think the Gulf Coast will be towards recovery?
   Better than now, but not "back to normal" for anyone living there. I think it's important to remember that Hurricane Katrina did not just hit New Orleans, but nowadays, the disaster area of Katrina is synonymous with the city, so I wonder if further aid will go to other parts of Southern Louisiana and Mississippi which were affected as well.
   
   
4. In the movie of your life, who gets cast to play you (and you can’t play yourself)?
   I don't know his name…but the guy in this commercial.
   
   
5. Is your overall health and fitness better or worse than it was a year ago?
   I'd say it's probably better. The one thing about my old job that was great was that it allowed me the chance to walk a lot. I mean a whole lot — like a mile a day; the campus was very spread out. I hate going to the gym, so any working out I can get done outside of there is good for me. My apartment is also near the pool, so I can go take a dip whenever I like (and when it's not filled with smelly, noisy kids).
   
   
6. Are your personal finances better or worse than they were a year ago?
   Much better. I cancelled one of my delinquent credit cards from college, paid off my IRS money and raised my credit score significantly, in hopes of getting a home in the next five years. I also rolled over my old 401(k) into a traditional IRA, then started a Roth IRA for other deductions. I've also been able to pull in some money from freelancing, not to mention putting BlackGayBlogger.com to work by bringing in about $100 in ad money every month. It's not a lot, but it helps.
   
   
7. How’s your love life?
   I'm afraid I don't have one of those. The boys ain't checkin' for me.
   
   
8. Seen any good movies lately? Seen any bad ones? Are you looking forward to any upcoming ones in particular?
   I think the ones I've seen lately have all been fairly decent (An Inconvenient Truth, Superman Returns, X-Men 3, The Devil Wears Prada), but none really stands out as great. I just saw Idlewild on Saturday which was…cute. Very nice to look at. Think Belly meets Eve's Bayou. I couldn't even tell you what's coming up that looks remotely interesting to me.
   
   
9. Will the Republicans lose control of Congress this November or will the Democrats find a way to fumble a clear opportunity?
   The Dems have repeatedly been fumbling their opportunities to take over Congress by not connecting with their constituents. Hell, the recent elections here in Georgia are a prime example of that. I still think that gay marriage is going to be a hot topic up through November, so stay tuned for some eleventh-hour changes. Just ask Cathy Cox. Oop!
   
   
10. Schools across the country will open up in the next few days and weeks. What was your favorite grade and what teacher had the most positive impact on you?
    My favorite grade was probably twelfth grade, mainly because I knew there wasn't another grade after it and I wouldn't have to deal with the huge loser base I'd been associated with throughout my formative years. The teacher that had the most positive impact on me was my advisor in Mu Alpha Theta, Mr. Swift. He was never actually my teacher, but he did help me realize my love for Math and was my main reason for pursuing it in college.