If you've been paying attention, you've noticed that I gave up my crossword puzzle mission. I think it lasted for 2 weeks, and if you recall, I was trying to create a new habit by doing the crossword puzzle every day for 30 days. I've been trying to think of a new habit to create or break, so let me know if you have suggestions. Today, I'm posting 25 Random Facts about me, which is a task that's been circulating like a chain letter on Facebook.
1. My favorite candy is Sour Patch Kids. Not the fruit wedges, but the kids. I never eat the fruit wedges.
2. I can hold my own at the poker table. I learned to play in college, and one time I played in a friendly poker tournament. I was the only girl out of 22 players, and I came in 2nd. I impressed many of the guys, some of whom admitted that they had underestimated my poker skills.
3. I was a diver in high school, and I was notorious for hitting the diving board. It didn't matter which direction I was diving: forwards, backwards, inward, or reverse, somehow, I managed to hit the board.
4. I went to 4 colleges. I spent one semester at St. Mary's University in Winona, MN studying biology. I thought I was going to be some sort of medical doctor. Then I went to Rochester Community and Technical College for 2-1/2 years. I still thought I was going to be a doctor, but I was considering psychotherapy. Then I switched gears and decided to study photography, so I spent a year at the School of Visual Arts in New York City. And finally, I ended up at the University of Minnesota for 2 years, where I finally graduated with degrees in art and political science. Applying to grad school was mildly annoying because I had to hunt down transcripts from 4 schools. At the end of this quarter, I will have been at UCI for 2-2/3 years, the longest time at any one school.
5. And adding on to that previous note, I am a very indecisive person. Yes, I have a backbone and I can make decisions when it matters, but when it comes to the trivial stuff, I just can't decide. Sometimes, I can't even order coffee. I never realized how indecisive I could be until one of my boyfriends pointed it out to me 10 years ago. I vehemently denied it, but then I reluctantly said "yeah, maybe you're right. I guess I can be indecisive." See? I'm indecisive about being indecisive!
6. I once ate a super burrito and 6 and 3/4 tacos in an eating challenge. When I lived in New York, I had some friends at the Rhode Island School of Design (shout out to Christina!). Sometimes we would get together over long breaks. And then, for some strange reason, we would challenge each other to these eating contests where we would eat outrageous amounts of food. The first time we did this, we got take out from this Mexican place in Providence. The walk home was dubbed the "Mexican Mile." The restaurant had a dancing taco, which we commemorated on this brick I found on our walk. Nearly ten years later, I still have the dancing taco brick. (Note: Christina is a reasonable person and did not partake in these strange eating challenges)
7. When I was 7, my 2nd grade teacher made me stand in the corner. My crime? Talking too much. Ten years later, I got kicked out of my high school orchestra class for the same reason.
8. I was 8 when I decided that I was a Democrat. Michael Dukakis was running for president. I went to a private Catholic school, and my class had a mock election. Since many of my classmates just voted as their parents would, they voted for Bush. I wanted to be different, so I voted for Dukakis. I think I was the only one.
9. I am a fairly decent pool player. I learned to play in high school, and I played with my friends a lot when I was in college. I never considered myself to be very good, until I realized that one of my friends tried to handicap me. We were out one night and she agreed to play pool with me, but only if I first drank a couple beers. I'm out of practice now, but I played a pretty decent game last Friday (even while drinking vodka cranberries).
10. I think that I was a stand up comedian in another lifetime. I like to laugh and make other people laugh. I love to tell jokes, I think I'm hilarious, and I like it when my friends appreciate my humor. In fact, telling jokes and being funny is such a defining characteristic that when I was looking for a new adviser, finding someone who would laugh at my jokes was one of my most important criteria.
11. I was 11 the last time I went trick-or-treating. This was 1991, the year of the infamous Halloween Blizzard. It was cold, it was wet, it snowed, and there was a lot of slush.
12. The last time I was in a spelling bee, I was 12. I have always been a pretty good speller, and I was in quite a few spelling bees when I was a kid.
13. I knit and crochet. It's a good challenge, and I like learning new stitches and patterns. Plus, it's a great de-stresser and I like to see what can be made from just a skein of yarn. Currently, I'm working on 2 baby blankets and 2 sweaters.
14. Around Valentine's Day, more than any other time of the year, is the time of the year that I seem to be most likely to meet someone new, go out on dates, or start a new relationship. Is this the case with anyone else? It doesn't happen every year, but it's a pattern that I've noticed. I don't believe in Valentine's Day, so I am definitely not actively pursuing dates or relationships during this time of the year. By the way, in case you're wondering, I think it's going to be a quiet February.
15. I love to bake, but I don't have much of a sweet tooth. You know those people that can't keep cookies in their house because they might devour them all? Yeah, I'm not one of them. If I kept cookies in my apartment, they would last for years because I wouldn't eat them and then I'd forget about them. In fact, I just found some half eaten, forgotten ice cream in my freezer.
16. I got my driver's license when I was 16. I have always been a good driver, but for about 2 years after getting my license, I had a really hard time parking my car. I used to accidentally sideswipe and tap parked cars, but don't worry, it wasn't anything serious enough to leave dents or scratches.
17. I was 17 when I decided that I liked the color pink. Until this point, I thought that pink was anti-feminist. Then I wore a pink dress to my high school prom. Now, I love the color pink: I have a pink laptop, a pink yoga mat, lots of pink clothes, and I just bought some pink Nikes today.
18. When I was 18, I decided to be a vegetarian. This lasted for two years, until I broke down and ate sausage and pepperoni pizza at Bilotti's, this little Italian restaurant in Rochester.
19. I was 19 when I made the conscious decision to keep my name if I ever got married. While I had always considered eschewing this tradition, it wasn't until I was 19 that I consciously decided to give the metaphorical finger to this patriarchal practice.
20. When I was 20, I wanted to be a humor columnist. Dave Barry was my idol, and I wanted to be him. I wrote a few funny editorials for my school newspaper, and I even considered majoring in journalism.
21. 21 was a big year for me. It was the first summer that I worked at Girl Scout Camp. This was the time when I decided that I wanted to live a life in which I would somehow make a difference, empower girls, and fight for women's rights. It was the year that I stepped out of my comfort zone and moved the farthest away from home that I'd ever lived, to New York City. It was the year that the Twin Towers fell. And, it was the year that my most serious and longest relationship ended. This is when I embraced my independence, and I realized how resilient I truly could be.
22. At 22, I became totally politically aware and active. I had always been interested in politics, but I was reluctant to major in political science because I had no idea what one did with a poli sci degree (apparently, you go to grad school). I heard Representative Betty McCollum (D-MN) speak at this women's rights meeting, and I decided right then and there to major in political science (and figure out what to do with it later). I began to identify as a pro-choice feminist, I interned for the MN Women's Political Caucus, and I participated in my first protest. On April 1st, 2003, I and several others protested the 24 hour waiting period outside the governor's mansion.
23. I was 23 when I marched in the University of MN marching band (I was in the colorguard). Among other traditions, one was to hiss at anyone wearing paraphernalia from other Big 10 schools. To this day, I instinctively want to hiss at people wearing t-shirts, sweatshirts, hats, etc from other Big 10 schools.
24. I canvassed for NARAL Pro-Choice MN when I was 24. This means that I went door to door, fundraising. It was a difficult job, I didn't enjoy it, and I got called lots of mean names, but it helped me develop my communciation skills and a thick skin. In the canvassing world, a $120 donation is the grandaddy of all donations, and I racked up more 120s than any other member of our canvassing team.
25. When I was 25, I mourned the loss of my last real winter. I was applying to grad schools at the time. I was not geographically constrained, but I prefered a school in the midwest or the east coast so that I could still have my winters. Yet for some strange reason, I sensed that 2005 would be my last real winter and I just had this feeling that I would end up in Southern California. So, that year, I tried to consciously appreciate the snow and cold. I can't remember when I got my acceptance letter to UCI, but I knew near the end of March that I was going. So, even when the temperatures dipped well below zero, I tried not to complain. The winter lasted well into April, and every time it snowed or every time the temperature dropped, I quietly mourned the last snow, the last time the temperature was below zero, and the last time I got to bundle up in my peacoat. (By the way, I've been in Southern California now for 2-1/2 years, and I hate the weather. Seriously. I miss real winters. I haven't changed at all.)
1. My favorite candy is Sour Patch Kids. Not the fruit wedges, but the kids. I never eat the fruit wedges.
2. I can hold my own at the poker table. I learned to play in college, and one time I played in a friendly poker tournament. I was the only girl out of 22 players, and I came in 2nd. I impressed many of the guys, some of whom admitted that they had underestimated my poker skills.
3. I was a diver in high school, and I was notorious for hitting the diving board. It didn't matter which direction I was diving: forwards, backwards, inward, or reverse, somehow, I managed to hit the board.
4. I went to 4 colleges. I spent one semester at St. Mary's University in Winona, MN studying biology. I thought I was going to be some sort of medical doctor. Then I went to Rochester Community and Technical College for 2-1/2 years. I still thought I was going to be a doctor, but I was considering psychotherapy. Then I switched gears and decided to study photography, so I spent a year at the School of Visual Arts in New York City. And finally, I ended up at the University of Minnesota for 2 years, where I finally graduated with degrees in art and political science. Applying to grad school was mildly annoying because I had to hunt down transcripts from 4 schools. At the end of this quarter, I will have been at UCI for 2-2/3 years, the longest time at any one school.
5. And adding on to that previous note, I am a very indecisive person. Yes, I have a backbone and I can make decisions when it matters, but when it comes to the trivial stuff, I just can't decide. Sometimes, I can't even order coffee. I never realized how indecisive I could be until one of my boyfriends pointed it out to me 10 years ago. I vehemently denied it, but then I reluctantly said "yeah, maybe you're right. I guess I can be indecisive." See? I'm indecisive about being indecisive!
6. I once ate a super burrito and 6 and 3/4 tacos in an eating challenge. When I lived in New York, I had some friends at the Rhode Island School of Design (shout out to Christina!). Sometimes we would get together over long breaks. And then, for some strange reason, we would challenge each other to these eating contests where we would eat outrageous amounts of food. The first time we did this, we got take out from this Mexican place in Providence. The walk home was dubbed the "Mexican Mile." The restaurant had a dancing taco, which we commemorated on this brick I found on our walk. Nearly ten years later, I still have the dancing taco brick. (Note: Christina is a reasonable person and did not partake in these strange eating challenges)
7. When I was 7, my 2nd grade teacher made me stand in the corner. My crime? Talking too much. Ten years later, I got kicked out of my high school orchestra class for the same reason.
8. I was 8 when I decided that I was a Democrat. Michael Dukakis was running for president. I went to a private Catholic school, and my class had a mock election. Since many of my classmates just voted as their parents would, they voted for Bush. I wanted to be different, so I voted for Dukakis. I think I was the only one.
9. I am a fairly decent pool player. I learned to play in high school, and I played with my friends a lot when I was in college. I never considered myself to be very good, until I realized that one of my friends tried to handicap me. We were out one night and she agreed to play pool with me, but only if I first drank a couple beers. I'm out of practice now, but I played a pretty decent game last Friday (even while drinking vodka cranberries).
10. I think that I was a stand up comedian in another lifetime. I like to laugh and make other people laugh. I love to tell jokes, I think I'm hilarious, and I like it when my friends appreciate my humor. In fact, telling jokes and being funny is such a defining characteristic that when I was looking for a new adviser, finding someone who would laugh at my jokes was one of my most important criteria.
11. I was 11 the last time I went trick-or-treating. This was 1991, the year of the infamous Halloween Blizzard. It was cold, it was wet, it snowed, and there was a lot of slush.
12. The last time I was in a spelling bee, I was 12. I have always been a pretty good speller, and I was in quite a few spelling bees when I was a kid.
13. I knit and crochet. It's a good challenge, and I like learning new stitches and patterns. Plus, it's a great de-stresser and I like to see what can be made from just a skein of yarn. Currently, I'm working on 2 baby blankets and 2 sweaters.
14. Around Valentine's Day, more than any other time of the year, is the time of the year that I seem to be most likely to meet someone new, go out on dates, or start a new relationship. Is this the case with anyone else? It doesn't happen every year, but it's a pattern that I've noticed. I don't believe in Valentine's Day, so I am definitely not actively pursuing dates or relationships during this time of the year. By the way, in case you're wondering, I think it's going to be a quiet February.
15. I love to bake, but I don't have much of a sweet tooth. You know those people that can't keep cookies in their house because they might devour them all? Yeah, I'm not one of them. If I kept cookies in my apartment, they would last for years because I wouldn't eat them and then I'd forget about them. In fact, I just found some half eaten, forgotten ice cream in my freezer.
16. I got my driver's license when I was 16. I have always been a good driver, but for about 2 years after getting my license, I had a really hard time parking my car. I used to accidentally sideswipe and tap parked cars, but don't worry, it wasn't anything serious enough to leave dents or scratches.
17. I was 17 when I decided that I liked the color pink. Until this point, I thought that pink was anti-feminist. Then I wore a pink dress to my high school prom. Now, I love the color pink: I have a pink laptop, a pink yoga mat, lots of pink clothes, and I just bought some pink Nikes today.
18. When I was 18, I decided to be a vegetarian. This lasted for two years, until I broke down and ate sausage and pepperoni pizza at Bilotti's, this little Italian restaurant in Rochester.
19. I was 19 when I made the conscious decision to keep my name if I ever got married. While I had always considered eschewing this tradition, it wasn't until I was 19 that I consciously decided to give the metaphorical finger to this patriarchal practice.
20. When I was 20, I wanted to be a humor columnist. Dave Barry was my idol, and I wanted to be him. I wrote a few funny editorials for my school newspaper, and I even considered majoring in journalism.
21. 21 was a big year for me. It was the first summer that I worked at Girl Scout Camp. This was the time when I decided that I wanted to live a life in which I would somehow make a difference, empower girls, and fight for women's rights. It was the year that I stepped out of my comfort zone and moved the farthest away from home that I'd ever lived, to New York City. It was the year that the Twin Towers fell. And, it was the year that my most serious and longest relationship ended. This is when I embraced my independence, and I realized how resilient I truly could be.
22. At 22, I became totally politically aware and active. I had always been interested in politics, but I was reluctant to major in political science because I had no idea what one did with a poli sci degree (apparently, you go to grad school). I heard Representative Betty McCollum (D-MN) speak at this women's rights meeting, and I decided right then and there to major in political science (and figure out what to do with it later). I began to identify as a pro-choice feminist, I interned for the MN Women's Political Caucus, and I participated in my first protest. On April 1st, 2003, I and several others protested the 24 hour waiting period outside the governor's mansion.
23. I was 23 when I marched in the University of MN marching band (I was in the colorguard). Among other traditions, one was to hiss at anyone wearing paraphernalia from other Big 10 schools. To this day, I instinctively want to hiss at people wearing t-shirts, sweatshirts, hats, etc from other Big 10 schools.
24. I canvassed for NARAL Pro-Choice MN when I was 24. This means that I went door to door, fundraising. It was a difficult job, I didn't enjoy it, and I got called lots of mean names, but it helped me develop my communciation skills and a thick skin. In the canvassing world, a $120 donation is the grandaddy of all donations, and I racked up more 120s than any other member of our canvassing team.
25. When I was 25, I mourned the loss of my last real winter. I was applying to grad schools at the time. I was not geographically constrained, but I prefered a school in the midwest or the east coast so that I could still have my winters. Yet for some strange reason, I sensed that 2005 would be my last real winter and I just had this feeling that I would end up in Southern California. So, that year, I tried to consciously appreciate the snow and cold. I can't remember when I got my acceptance letter to UCI, but I knew near the end of March that I was going. So, even when the temperatures dipped well below zero, I tried not to complain. The winter lasted well into April, and every time it snowed or every time the temperature dropped, I quietly mourned the last snow, the last time the temperature was below zero, and the last time I got to bundle up in my peacoat. (By the way, I've been in Southern California now for 2-1/2 years, and I hate the weather. Seriously. I miss real winters. I haven't changed at all.)
2 comments:
I was a diver in high school too, and I actually QUIT junior year because my teammate hit the board and it gave me a mental block.
And yes....I too love pink more than anything in the world! My racing bike has a pink seat, pink pedals, and pink hibiscus flower decals (so it doesn't look quite so 'hard').
Yay! The Hubs and I were just talking about Taco Express the other day. I seem to remember you beat him and Matt in another eating challenge, this time in NYC, involving doughnuts. You are a legend in their eyes for that one.
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