Started: August 10, 2007
Updated: August 13, 2007
Updated: January 31, 2011
1. I want a new couch. Good enough way to start off this list, right? Totally random to those reading though not to me since I'm currently sitting on the couch. It's a hand-me-down from MacGyver's parents and it's a great couch but beginning to show its age. And it's beige. Which wouldn't be a problem if the walls and the carpets and the ceiling weren't beige as well. Feels rather institutional. But the one I truly want is $4000 (thankyouverymuchPotteryBarn) and I can't justify that right now.
2. I love Starbucks. And yet I don't like coffee. Go figure. I am a HUGE tea fan (you should see all of the teas I have in the cupboard!) and I'm hooked on their chai tea. And now they have this blueberry white tea thing...YUM! I first had chai at a hole-in-the-wall coffee shop in Colorado when I was in college. Long before Starbucks spread like a virus across the nation (world?) and long before anyone else knew what the hell "chai" was. And yes, I am well aware of the fact that I can make chai at home and I often do. But I like the atmosphere at SBUX - the music, the barristas, all of it. I love the fact that they are invariably found in/attached to bookstores. That is heaven right there. Only way it could get better is if LIBRARIES starting having SBUX in them.
3. At this rate, it's going to take me the better part of a month to list 100 things.
4. I find it hard to get to bed much before 11pm. Were I able to sleep until 9am, this wouldn't be a problem. Unfortunately, I cannot. So it IS a problem.
5. I am typing this at 11:20 p.m.
6. I am a huge fan of breakfast for dinner. Personally speaking it wouldn't bother me in the least bit to have it for dinner every night. Though I am NOT a fan of dinner for breakfast.
7. My ceiling fan needs to have the blades dusted.
8. I am a procrastinator.
9. Given #8, it will be a while before #7 is accomplished.
10. I drive a stick shift. Automatics are fine but only in a 6 cylinder (or higher) engine. Otherwise they are just too wimpy for my tastes.
11. Hawaii has the second-worst drivers on the planet. Atlanta is #1 in my book for horrible drivers.
12. I am a mountain person. Which is amusing given the fact that I grew up in Los Angeles (#13) and currently live in Hawaii (#14). It is frustrating as well.
15. I miss the mountains.
16. I would KILL to be able to live in Colorado.
17. I love chocolate. The darker, the better.
18. There is See's candy in the back fridge! I forgot it was even there. Woohoo! I love dark chocolate bordeaux.
19. My favorite book used to be "Catcher in the Rye" by J.D. Salinger but then I read "Atlas Shrugged" by Ayn Rand.
20. "Atlas Shrugged" is my favorite book.
21. I read. A lot. Mostly non-fiction but I try to keep an open mind.
22. I am Irish. (and English, and American Indian)
23. Given #22, I am also stubborn.
No, really.
Stop laughing.
24. I am an Army wife. I have been so now for about 9 years and honestly cannot imagine any other life. Yes, military life sucks from time to time but show me a life that doesn't and I'll show you someone who lives in denial.
25. Even though I have come to love them, I still think Chinooks are the most awkward and ungainly looking helicopter out there. But man, are they powerful!
26. I can change a tire, change the oil, and replace some engine components. My daddy didn't raise a fool.
27. Given #26, I have Roadside Assistance on both vehicles and do not hesitate to use it if I need it. I may be capable but that doesn't mean I can't ask for help!
28. I feel everything too strongly in the beginning. Love, hate, happiness, anger, sadness, joy. You name it. It overwhelms me to the point that I feel I cannot breathe.
29. I am terrified of bridges. Especially those that go over water. Watched some stupid movie when I was a kid about the Golden Gate Bridge falling apart and trapping cars on sections of it that were left standing and ever since, I have a fear of bridges. I used to think it was irrational but then the one in Minneapolis came tumbling down and all I can think is, "SEE!!! And you all thought I was being silly!!!" Good thing I don't live in Portland (have you SEEN how many bridges they have there?!?)
30. I am a high school teacher (health, wellness, and physical education) and swim coach by trade. I prefer high school health/wellness above any other subject/grade level. (#31)
32. I never wanted to BE a teacher when I was growing up. I wanted to be a large animal veterinarian, a fighter pilot, an astronaut, and a marine biologist but never a teacher.
33. I have had a foster child. Only for a brief amount of time. And giving her up was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do. It was the RIGHT thing to do (she moved on to a more permanent foster home) but it hurt terribly and I miss her. It amazes me that you can fall so in love with a child that is not yours so quickly.
34. My lucky numbers are 6, 12, and 24.
35. My left foot is 1/2 size bigger than my right. My left hand is bigger than my right. (#36)
37. I've lived in 6 states so far in my life.
38. I lived in the same house all my childhood. Since I turned 18, I've moved at least once a year on average. Sometimes more.
39. After about a year in one house, I start to itch for a change.
40. I miss Alaska. I was so ready to LEAVE when the time came and now, the longer I'm gone the more I miss it!
...it's late and I can't focus on the screen so I think that's my cue to hit the sack. More later.
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And we're back...
41. I'd much rather be cold than hot. You can always put more clothing on. But you can only take so much off before you get arrested. Besides, with my Irish heritage, I look a heckuva lot better in jeans and a sweater than I do in a bikini (#42).
43. My eyes change color when I'm truly angry. They go from blue to a steely gray. If you see me with gray eyes, run.
44. I'm a realist. I tend toward optimism but it's more hope that things will be ok than a delusion that they will definitely work out. Pessimism is not my style. Even if I flirt with it, it's usually brief.
45. I cannot abide stupidity. And there is a difference between ignorance and stupidity. Ignorance is merely not knowing something. Stupidity is the unwillingness to learn. I was not blessed with a lot of patience in the first place (#46) and the #1 way to dance on my last nerve is to be stupid.
47. When life begins to overwhelm me, I tend to retreat into my cocoon. I hole up, close off, withdraw...whatever you want to call it. People take it personally but 9 times out of 10, it's MY problem not theirs. I'm working on overcoming this.
48. Schedules and routines give me comfort. I'm all for being spontaneous but only on occasion. Life in the military is unpredictable at best so I tend to crave the illusion of control that comes with routines and schedules.
49. I'm a Cancer (the twins) but on the cusp with Gemini. So I have 3 distinct personalities, according to astrology. Those of you who know me might agree with this.
50. I'm a Washington Redskins fan. For no other reason than this cute boy named Alan in 4th grade liked them. I've been a Redskins fan ever since. I remember my dad was on a business trip and mom and I were eating dinner when Joe Theismann broke his leg. I was 13. LT (Lawerence Taylor) tackled him and he stayed down and then they started showing the reverse angle replay and you could see his lower leg bending in a place that has no joint. I can STILL see that image in my mind. Gives me shivers even now. Did you know that Joe Theismann's last name used to be pronounced "Theezman" but he changed it to match the pronounciation of "Heisman". Just a bit of useless trivia!
And that is all I have for now.
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Wow...it's been 3.5 YEARS since I last updated this thing. Thanks to my friend Scott for pointing out that I had seriously neglected this thing. Let's see how far I get today...
51. I do not like my food to touch. The sectioned, cafeteria-style trays were designed for ME. Between this quirk and my desire for structure and routine, it's amazing to me that I'm not in the military. Or prison. As for the food, it's ok if it is something like peanut butter and jelly, mashed potatoes and gravy (though I'm not a gravy fan #52), etc. But foods that are not designed to go together MUST.NOT.TOUCH. Ever.
53. I am horrible at goodbyes. You can read about how much I loathe them HERE or HERE. Right now, I'm in the middle of not only having to say goodbye to one of my closest friends here but it looks like we are also headed off the island in the not so distant future so that involves goodbyes as well. Makes me want to run screaming.
54. I am a grammar Nazi. Typos I can tolerate but poor grammar is like fingernails on a chalkboard - painful. Honestly, how hard is it to learn the difference between your/you're, to/too/two, their/there/they're?? Or to learn when to use an apostrophe? It's really not that difficult. I cut people slack (mentally) when it's Facebook or Twitter or text messaging (#55). But a blog post? Or - worse - a letter or instructions or a report? Unacceptable. Proofread, people. (and now that I've posted that, I will make 19 different grammar errors in this post).
56. I use proper spelling, punctuation, and capitalization when texting. I am incapable of doing any differently.
57. My very first car was a 1965 Ford Mustang. Dark green with black interior. The standard 289 V8. She was my mom's car before she was mine. And eventually I had to give her up because she was nickle and diming me to death and I didn't have the money to pay for her upkeep. I miss that car.
58. Since then, I have owned/driven: 1989 Ford Escort GT (biggest POS Ford put out beyond the Pinto and the Tempo), 1973 Jeep CJ5 (I miss this car!!!), 1985 Buick Skyhawk (it got me from point A to point B), 1999 Honda Civic, 1993 Nissan Pathfinder, 1990 Honda Civic DX hatchback, 2006 Honda Pilot, and a 1998 VW Jetta. (#s 59-65)
66. I miss the Jeep the most. That was a fun vehicle. The guy that owned her before us had built the body out of fiberglass. She was built for uphill, off-road racing. She had great headers, a meaty suspension, and 5-point racing harnesses and bucket seats. And she had an exhaust leak that, when you downshifted, caused her to backfire. I loved it.
67. I am not a patient person.
68. The roads here in Hawaii are that of a third world country. I often wonder if the road maintenance people every actually drive on them after they have "patched" them. I"ve driven on dirt roads that were smoother.
69. I don't do drama. Can't stand it. I will run away from it if at all possible. Life is dramatic enough without stupid people adding their own drama to it.
70. I love Carlos Mencia.
71. My favorite comic strip of all time is Calvin and Hobbes and I have gleaned many of my parenting skills from Calvin's dad.
72. My favorite TV shows at the moment are: House, Burn Notice, Hawaii 5-0 (just so I can pick the show apart and see all the places I recognize), Grey's Anatomy (brain candy), and Royal Pains. Oh, and Human Target because Mark Valley is YUMMY. (#73-77)
78. My favorite author is Brad Thor. Great writer. Great American.
79. I know the lyrics to the Veggie Tales intro.
80. I can recite the preamble to the United States Constitution, the first 10 amendments to the Bill of Rights, and the first portion of the Declaration of Independence up to "...as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness". Thank you Mr. Cooper and Mr. Marshall (Social Studies and AP US History)
81. I am learning Latin. With my children.
82. I am homeschooling my children.
83. The past 20 months of my life have been the most difficult of my life. If it weren't for my family, my friends, and (most importantly) my faith in God, I would not have made it through them.
84. After a 25-year "hiatus", I got back on a BMX bike and rode practice laps at the local track. However, I am old and it about kicked my butt! But I plan to do it again and maybe even race at some point. It was great to be back on a bike!
85. I miss swimming. I miss coaching. Desperately. The smell of chlorine makes me homesick. I feel more at home on a pool deck than just about anywhere else on earth. Except maybe a horse. It's a toss up.
86. I have never set foot outside of the United States. I've never been to Mexico and I don't think I've ever even been into Canada (during our time in Alaska). I have a list of countries I wouldn't mind visiting but nowhere I have a true burning desire to get to. There are so many places in the US that I still want to visit.
87. I have never been to the Grand Canyon, Yosemite, Yellowstone, Niagra Falls, Mount Rushmore...
88. One of the best places I have ever visited is Washington D.C. The first time I went was my senior year in high school and I have been back 3 other times and I can't get enough. Ideally I would like to take 2 weeks, go stay with some family I have in the area, and explore our nation's capital properly.
89. I was a messy, MESSY child but sometime in high school, things changed and I became a neat freak. Sadly, my people are not. It's 3 against 1 and I am constantly behind.
90. Given the choice of a small house versus a large house, I'll take the small house. I grew up in just over 1,000 square feet. The house I live in now is only 1,500 square feet and we really only live in about 1,000 of it. I know where my children are at all times. I know what they are up to at all times. There are no secrets in a small house.
91. We only have 1 television. It's in the living room. The kids would love to have one in their rooms. That won't happen (I won't say "never" but it won't be a decision *I* will choose to make).
92. My ceiling fans (both of them) need to have their blades dusted again (see #7). Please note that I did, in fact, dust them after I had posted #7 but they need it again.
93. I cannot dance. At all. Even after ingesting alcohol. Even though I think I can (after ingesting alcohol).
94. I am a mimic. I can easily pick up someone's accent. Southern, Hawaiian/pidgin, native Alaskan dialects...it's pretty easy to pick up the rhythm. Half the time, I don't even notice that I'm doing it.
95. There are days that I get so overwhelmed that all I want to do is sit in a room with a book and nothing else and not speak to anyone for hours. Thankfully, my husband understands this about me and doesn't mind when I take off to Barnes and Noble for a few hours.
96. My sniffer works overtime. My nose is incredibly sensitive to smells. I can tell you what shampoo you use, what detergent you washed your clothes in, and (ew) what you had for lunch if you don't brush your teeth. The funny thing is that my daughter has a poorly developed sense of smell and can only smell the strongest of scents.
97. I love getting pedicures. I had never had one until I moved to Alaska and now that I live in Hawaii, they are a regular thing. I love getting a foot massage!
98. I firmly believe that if you are not part of the solution, you are part of the problem. There is a time and a place for griping but then it's time to figure out the options and work toward a solution.
99. I managed to get further on this list than I expected. It only took me 3 years!
100. This is the last thing. I have no idea what to write. I still need a new couch - this one is bad for my back.
Thanks for reading about all of my idiosyncracies!
Pau.
- hfs
