100 Random Things

Several friends have done this, and now that I'm forced into some down time with this pregnancy I figured I'd take a crack at it.  Here's 100 random things about me (in no particular order).

1.  I love to cook and have an obsession with cookbooks and recipe websites.

2.  Peppermint and eucalyptus are my favorite smells.

3.  I'm totally addicted to Aveda products, but I typically can't justify spending the money on them when Burt's Bees products are a reasonable substitute.

4.  Our decision to name our son did not originate with the Bible story of Hannah and Samuel.  It actually started while watching Lord of the Rings and talking about how much we both love the character of Samwise Gamgee.  Remembering the story of Hannah and Samuel just sealed the deal.

5.  I have a weakness for chewy, fruity candy like gummy bears, Laffy Taffy, and Starburst.

6.  I hate McDonald's, but every now and then I get a serious craving for McD's chicken nuggets.

7.  I'm a big Star Trek fan, but I don't really like the original series because I just can't take William Shatner seriously.

8.  I buy Pixar movies on the first day they come out on DVD - whether I've seen the movie or not.

9.  Ratatouille is my favorite Pixar movie, but I am uncomfortable around rats.  Their tails gross me out.

10.  I hate birds.  They fly, scratch, and peck, and they have little dark beady eyes which completely creep me out.

11.  The current trend of decorating with owls just doesn't make any sense to me.

12.  I don't really consider ducks and penguins to be birds.  Ducks don't have sharp beaks, and penguins don't fly. 

13.  I've spent way too much time thinking about my bird issues.

14.  The entire reason we pay for satellite TV is so we can watch sports.  Any sport will work.

15.  I once spent an entire day watching Law & Order via Netflix Instant Streaming.

16.  I'm a loyal Dallas Mavericks fan, but I'm not a "homer" who always thinks her team is the best.  If they are sucking it up I'll admit it.

17.  I hate being called "sweet".

18.  I am cynical and sarcastic.  See #17.

19.  I enjoy scrapbooking, but I am not "crafty".  I'm very jealous of "crafty" people who can see something in their head and make it happen from scratch.

20.  Washing dirty dishes grosses me out.  I just hate putting my hands in grimy, greasy water.

21.  People who drive slow in the fast lane make me want to scream.

22.  So do people who get on the highway without accelerating to the flow of traffic.

23.  I have a major soft spot for stray animals.  I would adopt them all if I could.

24.  Someday I would love to have a large plot of land and open my own "no-kill" animal shelter.

25.  Breakfast food makes me nauseous.  Except for breakfast burritos which I love.

26.  Things that most people would consider to be "cute" generally make me cringe.

27.  I can't stand reality TV.  Call me crazy, but I don't think being an idiot qualifies someone for celebrity status.

28.  I firmly believe that in heaven I'll be able to eat pasta or Tex-Mex everyday and not gain an ounce.

29.  I think Taco Bueno puts crack in their Party Burritos.  There's other explanation for the addictive power of what is essentially just beans and cheese.

30.  I'm terrified of water.  I don't like being in boats, and I won't go into water if I can't see AND touch the bottom.  This includes the deep end of swimming pools.

31.  Tudor England fascinates me and horrifies me all at the same time.

32.  I'm still irritated that Gwyneth Paltrow won the 1998 Best Actress Oscar (for Shakespeare in Love) instead of Cate Blanchette (for Elizabeth).

33.  I'm a former band nerd, and I'm proud to admit it.

34.  I firmly believe that there are few problems in life that can't be resolved by slowing down long enough to enjoy a hot bath, a good book, or a good glass of wine.  (Or better yet, by a combination of all three!)

35.  Classic literature always bored me until recently.  Now I've come to appreciate it and even enjoy it.

36.  If I could live anywhere in the USA I would choose Denver, CO.

37.  If I could live anywhere in the world I would choose Cinque Terre, Italy.

38.  I lived in Portland, OR for three years.  After being back in Texas for almost eight years I STILL catch myself looking out the window expecting to see Mt Hood.

39.  I have the unfortunate habit of over-thinking simple things and under-thinking important things. 

40.  Singing Broadway show tunes at the top of my lungs always makes me happy.

41.  So does singing ABBA songs.

42.  I have never been able to bake a perfect cheesecake.  This bothers me significantly.

43.  I love the idea of using a slow-cooker, but I always seem to screw it up somehow. 

44.  I previously blamed my slow-cooker fiascos on my old, cheap slow cooker.  So I bought a nice new one, and I've only used it once since November. 

45.  I won't pair up clean socks.  I just dump them in the drawer and dig out matching ones when I need them.

46.  People who fold their underwear scare me.

47.  If I have to iron it I won't wear it.  Wrinkles should come out with a quick tumble in the dryer.

48.  Sometimes I have the undeniable urge to go to Half Price Books and wander aimlessly for an afternoon.

49.  I would rather stay home and cook a homemade dinner with my husband than go out to eat at a nice restaurant.

50.  I can take a kitchen from clean and organized to utter disaster in under 2 minutes.  It's a talent that mystifies my mother and my grandmother.

51.  I own one dress, and the only reason I bought it was because I had to go to a company holiday party.

52.  I don't own a skirt, nor do I want to.

53.  Wickless candles and plug-in air fresheners will never fully replace scented candles at my house.  I love the ambience that a burning candle creates.

54.  I don't understand e-readers like the Kindle or the Nook.  There's just something about the feel and smell of a book that can't be replaced.

55.  Facebook and I have a love-hate relationship.  I love keeping up with old friends, but I hate the pressure of feeling like I have to respond tactfully when I really want to be sarcastic.

56.  Biggest pet peeve ever:  People who treat me like they know me well, but they really have no clue what makes me tick.

57.  Unfortunately for the above mentioned people, I'm not an easy person to get to know.  I try to keep that in mind before I get too sarcastic. 

58.  My husband may quite possibly be the only person on the planet that has understood me from the moment we met.  I'm not sure what this says about him as a person, but it's a little scary if I examine it too closely. :)

59.  I would rather be sick in any way EXCEPT sick to my stomach.  There's something about nausea and vomiting that completely takes my feet out from under me.

60.  One summer during college I traveled with a drama group.  We did a show at a youth camp where they had exotic animals, and a lion peed on me.

61.  I played the viola for two years.

62.  I played the flute for six years.

63.  Between junior high, high school, and college I took nearly ten years of private voice lessons.

64.  I tried to play the cello, but I never really got comfortable with it.

65.  I wish I had taken tap dance classes.  I'm so jealous of people who can tap dance.

66.  I could never live in the country.  I'm too reliant on SuperTarget, Taco Bueno, and Sonic.

67.  I was more nervous about drinking the stuff for my 28 week glucose test than I am about labor pains. 

68.  I leave dirty clothes in the floor instead of putting them in the hamper.

69.  Scary movies are not an option for me.  I won't sleep for days after watching one.

70.  I procrastinate.

71.  I squeeze the toothpaste tube in the middle.

72.  I've wanted to be a stay-at-home mom for years and now that it's actually about to happen I'm not exactly sure what to do with myself.

73. My sense of humor is dry and a little dark.  I think this scares people sometimes.

74.  Everytime I read something by CS Lewis I feel like he has been sitting in my living room watching me.  The man was such a genius that it scares me!

75.  In November 2011, I will celebrate 11 cancer-free years after a melanoma scare when I was 20.

76.  Women who have said the words "I loved being pregnant" or "My pregnancy was easy" make me want to knock their teeth out.  It's not that I'm not thankful every single day (I most definitely am).  I'm just also reasonably miserable.

77.  I can say with certainty that I will try to get pregnant again despite the miserable-ness.  It's only temporary, after all.

78.  There is a spider web with a gigantic spider in it above my front door.  My husband keeps telling me he'll take care of it.  It's been more than a week now, and I'm considering using the back door until he actually does.

79.  In my kitchen there's a sign that says "There's a skinny girl inside me that keeps trying to get out, but I can usually shut her up with cookies".  My husband bought me this sign.  It's a good thing I have a sense of humor or he might be dead. 

80.  Spaghetti is my favorite thing to cook.  Here's my recipe:  http://onesassychef.blogspot.com/2010/05/leftover-spaghetti.html

81.  I have seen the movie "What's Up Doc" roughly 4.2 million times, and I laugh out loud every single time.

82.  I also laugh hysterically at the scene in Ocean's Eleven when Reuben explains the three most successful bank robberies in the history of Las Vegas.  That third guy with the pink shirt and the cigarette kills me!  Nobody but me seems to find this particular scene quite as funny as I do.

83.  I hate sitting in a quiet room.  I need a movie or music or something.  I also can't sit without fidgeting.

84.  I can read a book, watch a movie, and track a sporting event online all at the same time.  And, yes, I know what's happening in all three.

85.  I have a major crush on George Clooney and Mark Wahlberg.

86.  Pastel colors irritate me.  I refer to them as "baby burp" pink, blue, green, etc. 

87.  I have a thing about moose.  It started the first time I watched Monty Python and the Holy Grail.  Despite collecting them for years I have never seen a live moose.

88.  I like to say plurals incorrectly (ie. cactuses instead of cacti) because it annoys my husband.

89.  I wish I was a natural redhead. 

90.  I wish I liked coffee.  I love the smell, but I don't like the taste.

91.  I don't really enjoy baking because it's too precise.  I prefer to make things where I can throw a bunch of stuff into a pot and see what happens.  I hate measuring ingredients.

92.  No one on the planet makes me laugh harder than my 2 year old nephew, Jake.

93.  I rarely buy store brand groceries, and Great Value (ie. WalMart) brand will never be in my house unless I have no other option.  There's a reason that stuff is so cheap, folks! 

94.  I can tell the difference between French's mustard and other mustards via blind taste test.  It's a proven fact.

95.  I would rather drive than fly if I have the time - no matter the distance.  I really enjoy road trips.  Except through Kansas.  I hate driving through Kansas.  (My apologies to Ty Feldkamp!)

96.  I typically stay out of political conversations because I get myself in trouble.  Especially when people just assume I must be a conservative Republican because I'm a Christian who lives in Texas.

97.  I have a horrible brown thumb.  Plants tremble in fear when they see me coming.  I planted a small herb garden in containers on my back porch several weeks ago.  Somehow they are still alive.  I think someone must be tending to them when I'm not home. 

98.  When I'm watching a movie or reading a book I always identify more with the sassy, slightly quirky sidekick than with the main character.  The only exceptions I can think of are Katniss Everdeen (from Hunger Games), Claire Fraser (from Outlander), and Sydney Bristow (from Alias).

99.  I have a secret desire to be Sydney Bristow.  Don't judge me.

100.  This list took me five days to complete.