50 Things About ME

1. I do not like ice in my beverages. I prefer most at room temperature or just slightly cool. (I think I should've been born in Europe because I also don't like air conditioning. Or foods served at extreme temperatures.)

2. I do not like lemon in my water. Gak. And no, I can't just pick it out.

3. I have lived in 3 states: NY, MA, & FL.

4. I always wanted freckles. I threaten to steal my little step-brother's all the time.

5. I love Anne of Green Gables (freckles!) and believe in kindred spirits and the depths of despair.

6. I've been inside my "house of dreams" but couldn't afford it at the time.

7. I think everyone should drive Smart Cars. The world would be safer and happier. And cuter.

8. I've only climbed 3 of the 46 High Peaks in the Adirondacks. I dream of one day being a 46er, but every summer passes without me doing anything about it.

9. I love good sushi, especially the Dynamite roll I used to get at the Beach in FL.

10. I never had a curfew growing up.

11. I never got grounded either.

12. My first car was a Renault. The heat was broken on, the window cranks had no knobs, the speedometer was broken, and the doors didn't lock, but I loved it.

13. I crochet scarves and blankets.

14. I want to be a mom.

15. In fact, I actually look forward to pregnancy itself.

16. I am not career driven. Ideally, I would like to be a stay-at-home-mom. But since we are not independently wealthy, that will never happen.

17. My hair is beyond straight and baby fine. I am constantly considering getting a body wave like I had in middle school, but people are always talking me out of it.

18. I love soynut butter.

19. If given a choice, I would almost always chose to have tofu in a dish rather than meat (i.e. in Thai or Chinese).

20. I had my first paid job as a camp naturalist (counselor) at the age of 17. I'd volunteered for 40 hours a week for at least the two summers prior to that at the same educational day camp.

21. I worked as an IMAX projectionist, retail assistant manager, and naturalist before getting into my current career as an office lady.

22. The thumb on my left hand is double-jointed. So are my hips.

23. I can still put my feet behind my head if I try.

24. I have 4 piercings: both ear lobes, belly button, and tragus.

25. I have one tattoo: a star on the top of my right foot.

26. I have a Darwin's Tubercle on my left ear.

27. I am a very light sleeper.

28. I took 5 1/2 years of French in high school and regret having not kept up with it since then.

28. I am extremely sensitive to caffeine and try never to drink any after noon. Thanks, Dad, for passing that trait on.

29. The fact that I don't have clear skin has been a huge issue for me and my self-esteem. I wish I had not been told that I would outgrow my pimples after I left my teen years behind. What a lie and a let down.

30. I am a jeans and sweatshirt kinda gal.

31. I collect postcards.

32. My best first kiss story was the time Christian and I went to the dump in Long Lake to look for bears.

33. I have been donating blood since high school. I've recently been turned off by the American Red Cross because they call me at all hours. Sunday, 9pm. That does not put me in a giving mood.

34. I am a bit of a control freak and tend towards the obsessive.

35. I am, however, not neat and clean when it comes to keeping house.

36. I do not like beer. Or most liquor.

37. I enjoy classical music and opera.

38. I was sweet sixteen and never been kissed. (I do not count the kindergarten boyfriend's kisses, you see.)

39. I have a wicked sweet tooth.

40. Bungalows are my favorite style of houses.

41. I like simple, clutter-free decor. Preferably country or farm-style.

42. I am allergic to dust, mold, and some pollen.

43. Both of my eyes are -4.25. I wear contacts whenever possible.

44. The first concert I went to was PHISH, New Year's Eve '93 in Worcester MA. What an experience.

45. I am a dog person. I do not believe that cats are designed for indoor use.

46. I like taking snapshots of people I know.

47. I have excellent short-term memory and awful long-term memory. I excelled at classes that involved memorization, like French and dendrology.

48. I started watching Star Trek: TNG because I thought Ensign Wesley Crusher (Wil Wheaton) was cute. I liked Voyager quite a bit, but never got into DS9 because of the Ferengi. Yuck.

49. I have a weakness for shoes and purses.

50. I love pasta and bread and all things starch.

Wow. That was harder than you might imagine.
I hope you still like me after reading all that.

A Small Whine

It's Wednesday, which is the official day for whining. But given the nature of my whine, it's all a bit hypocritical.

Anyway, onward (and downward). I definitely buy into the not-blogging-about-work thing because you just never know when that could turn around and bite you in the ass. That said, I feel like I must say a little piece about one of my co-workers. I know everyone must have worked with someone similar at some point. You know the person I'm talking about, the person who no matter how good your mood when you arrive at work has driven you to the depths of despair by the time you leave.

Complaining, whining, grumbling, sighing. Etc, etc. Everything is miserable, everyone is stupid.

And then there's the nail clipping, finger sucking, burbing, non-stop eating...

Please tell me you want to share an office space with this individual. Please? I'll be more than happy to donate them.

Geeky Enough

While wandering through the archives over at Repressed Librarian's, I happened up this quiz. I can report that I've scored a 14, which I do believe makes me Geeky Enough to be a Librarian.

(And yes, I know I already posted today. So kill me, why don't you?)

Keeping up with the Joneses

In a ploy to appear as if we care, my fiance and I did some hasty raking last night at sunset. We created huge mounds of leaves along the road on both sides of the driveway. Of course, we didn't even make a dent in what has to be done. But the point was to show the neighbors that we are at least putting some effort into it. Ha. I asked him to remember when we do any planting in the future, we should stick to evergreens.

We weren't able to work on the yard earlier (oh darn) because we had tickets to the basketball game. It was only the second exhibition game of the season and barely drew a crowd. It was a snoozer to watch because they whomped the opposition so thoroughly, but I do love the excitement of a live game. I don't think I've heard the arena that quiet since the day I watched my high school football team play there over 12 years ago.

I'm not really a big sports person, so don't worry about having to wade through a lot of sports-related posts. I do like "our" basketball team, but besides that I pretty much limit my sports watching to Grand Slam tennis and le Tour de France. I am fanatical about le Tour, actually. Consider yourself warned.

My Saturday as a Plumber's Assistant

After a morning spent casually (lazily?) doing research for my poster project, I went to the "new" house to meet Dad & Deb.

On Thursday night I had discovered a leak beneath the kitchen sink which had pooled onto the floor. My fiance eventually shut off the water main, since after searching high and low we discovered that there are no shut-off valves anywhere in the house (besides the one my father had installed on the toilet years ago).

This was disturbing me because how could we clean without water?

So we met at the house to discuss our options, and then Dad tackled the task of removing the old faucet. It was a messy, difficult job. If he was a swearing man, this would've been the time and place. He even resorted to sawing at things with a bread knife.

From there we went to Home Depot and put my credit card to good use: a kitchen faucet and a bathroom faucet.

Some seven hours later, the kitchen faucet and the new shut-off valves were successfully installed, but the bathroom faucet had to be put on hold. The old trap wouldn't line up, and by that point all of the hardware stores were long closed.

The faucets are pretty and shiny and new! Our next plumbing job will be the bathtub, which scares the pants off me.

Not So Patiently Waiting

One of my best girlfriends was scheduled for an induction with her second baby yesterday. I am so anxious to hear how everything went and if little Evie has arrived.

But Emily must have her space, so I will wait to hear from her. I'd like to be calling, but I know her so well.

It's a good thing we don't live in the same city anymore. How could I possibly stay away from the hospital? She doesn't even tell her family when she's gone into labor until after the baby is born.

If it was me, and she lived nearby, I'd want her in the delivery room! Each to their own, of course.

And so I wait.

Public Service Announcement

When you come to a stop at a red light and you are the first in line, please be sure you pull far enough up to trip the light. Yes, some lights are actually trip lights. That means that if you don't trip them, you will never get the green. In fact, many stoplights in our city function this way. So Pull! Up!

And, if by chance, you forget to pull up to a reasonable position and you have to sit through an extra cycle, please pay attention and take into consideration that you are responsible being at the front of the line. There should never be an occasion where the light cycles 3! or 4! times before you figure out that you are an Ass!, and are making many people late to work.

Pull! Up! you freakin' moron. Trip the freakin' light already.

And if you are the next car in line when this occurs, I am holding you personally responsible for not climbing in their trunk or honking or doing something else to bring it to their attention that they need to Pull! Up!. Therefore you are also an Ass!

End of message.