more than 100 Things

1. Throughout my twenties, I said that I would not have any kids.
2. There is *nothing* in my life that I am so completely glad I was wrong about.
3. I have a strong sense of having been my same essential self since I was a very little kid. It was a long time before I realized that not everyone feels this way.
4. I was an insomniac as a child, and analyzed the numerical patterns of my digital clock to pass the time. My current theory is that the insomnia stemmed from needing about 66-75% of the sleep that little kids are "supposed" to need.
5. Not only do I love them, I really, really like my family of origin. I had difficult relationships with my dad and sister growing up, but now I think they are just wonderful. My mom I liked even when I was an adolescent!
6. I corresponded with my husband on a more or less platonic basis for about five years before we met.
7. We decided to marry before we met.
8. I have been working since I was eleven or twelve, but have held relatively few jobs. I have babysat children, taught beginning piano and music theory, sold men's clothing, shipped books for a university press, collected parking fees, answered phones & etc at a performing arts center, counted transit riders, worked as a program assistant in continuing education, and worked in accounting for an art handling company. I am currently a full-time mom and a part-time research assistant.
9. I have panic disorder without agoraphobia, which is usually under control via cognitive therapy and watchful consumption of caffeine.
10. I love knitting—the movement, making something useful, learning new things, color, texture, design, math….
11. I love getting mail, and I always maneuver to be the one to check the post office box.
12. I have lived in Nebraska, Michigan, California, and Washington State.
13. I didn't like California, although I'm quite fond of the native Californian I convinced to emigrate.
14. I have not eaten any meat (that I know of) since 1988 or 1989.
15. When I am playing with blocks or legos with my son, I have a nearly uncontrollable urge to make all structures symmetrical.
16. I attended college on a full scholarship. Although I am happy with my life, I usually feel that my benefactor is disappointed by my lack of spectacular achievement. This may or may not be a justified point of view.
17. My college degree is a B.A. in English lit, with a women's studies thematic. (Women's studies didn't exist as a major until a few years later.)
18. I am almost never asleep before 2 a.m. or after 10 a.m., and I am almost never awake between 4 a.m. and 8 a.m.
19. I need to be alone for at least a couple of hours during the day.
20. I escort most bugs out of the house, rather than killing them.
21. I am registered as a permanent absentee voter, and I try to vote in ALL elections, unless I am undecided in an informed way.
22. I am an extreme social liberal who likes balanced budgets.
23. I tend to go on a bit.
24. My husband claims I speak in non sequiturs. However, he is a bit deaf.
25. I not-infrequently take the trash can to the curb in my pajamas.
26. I do all the bookkeeping for our household, and I prepare our tax returns.
27. I own a rather nice acoustic guitar, and learning to play it reasonably well is a long-term goal.
28. I also want to play the piano again. Obtaining a piano would be helpful in this regard.
29. I love to read, but I rarely remember book titles or plots. Or song/album titles.
30. On the other hand, I still remember my high-school pseudo-boyfriend's phone number: 384-8932. This was questionably useful information when it was actually his number.
31. I have known my dearest friend for almost 30 years. I haven't seen her for eight, though we correspond frequently.
32. My house is filled with books, and most of them have been read by someone who lives here.
33. I use the library extensively, and legitimately hold library cards from four separate library systems.
34. My purse usually contains: my wallet, my Palm Pilot, my cell phone, ibuprofen, a band-aid or two, a Shout wipe, a multi-function pocket knife, my keys, a pocket-pack of Kleenex and, if I'm lucky, a pen.
35. I generally get along with my in-laws.
36. I favor expensive European shoes, but I dislike having too many pairs. Currently, I own one pair of Dansko boots, a pair of Birkenstock shoes, a pair of tennis shoes, a pair of dress sandals, and a pair of sport sandals.
37. I am a decent cook, though when making food only for myself, I tend to rely on very odd salad combinations.
38. I am extremely introverted, though not particularly shy. Being around people I'm not intimate with is exhausting.
39. I will answer nearly any question put to me, unless I have grave doubts about the asker's motivation.
40. Honesty is extremely important to me.
41. I tidy the house nightly, though it usually looks like hell during the day.
42. I dislike driving, and did not do so for about a decade.
43. I am a courteous driver, although I yell at other drivers. A lot. My son chastises me for this.
44. I have never owned a new car, nor do I expect to.
45. I have never learned to drive a manual transmission.
46. I am fairly thrifty in some regards, a complete spendthrift in others.
47. I love pajamas.
48. We have two cats. Both were strays adopted as kittens.
49. I wear my hair [more or less] as I did when I was four.
50. I occasionally have my hair cut by the woman who cut it when I was four.
51. I have a good sense of direction. This is useful, as my husband does not.
52. If I had to choose between permanently abstaining from chocolate v. red bell peppers, red bell peppers would win handily.
53. I have lived in cities of 1,000; 40,000; 430,000, 200,000; 200,000 within metro area of 6.7 million; and 536,000 within metro area of 2.5 million (three times).
54. In high school, I ratted out a homophobic teacher to the school administration.
55. I am deeply non-competitive.
56. I quit a softball team over my teammates' egregious show of bad sportsmanship.
57. I believe in my child's autonomy.
58. I love talking to my child.
59. My husband and I wrote our wedding vows, which included a pledge to support each other's creative work.
60. Everyone in our family has a working computer. My husband jokes that the cats are next.
61. I detest malicious gossip, and have only minimal patience with its less malevolent forms.
62. I have lived in snowy climates for 26 of my 35 years.
63. I like distinct seasons.
64. When especially tired or ill, I experience intense spatial hallucinations. These were particularly vivid when I was a child.
65. I am a born-again born-again Christian, which is to say I am a heathen with a healthy respect for mystery, the natural world, and the diversity of human spiritual experience.
66. I am deeply opposed to evangelism. Sharing of information and experiences is welcome; expecting a particular response is not.
67. My browser home page is www.refdesk.com.
68. Tea: black with milk and sugar or green with honey. Coffee: decaf Americano with a little cream, no sugar.
69. I operate a pro-toy, pro-ice cream household.
70. My favorite children's book is Alexander and the Magical Mouse, which is out of print. However, I have my childhood copy of the book.
71. I like to assemble things, fill out forms, and make lists.
72. With the exception of melons and bananas, my food dislikes are about texture, not taste.
73. I have a strong preference for vegetables over fruit.
74. I have lived by myself for almost exactly one year; except for that year, I've lived with immediate family (by birth or relationship), and a few roommates.
75. I will make the bed immediately before going to sleep if it's not already made.
76. I don't like to travel as much as I think I ought to.
77. I call my mom several times a week.
78. I like plants with purple foilage.
79. I apologize a lot.
80. I accept apologies easily.
81. My hometown was heavily damaged by tornadoes in 1980, and I remember (among other things) how cold the cans of soda on the Red Cross lunch truck were.
82. My immediate family frequently quotes Toy Story.
83. I really like the films of Hayao Miyazaki.
84. I know how to read a horse racing form.
85. My dream dog is a chocolate brown standard poodle.
86. My vision is around 20/400. Currently, I wear glasses, although I prefer contact lenses. Laser surgery would be even better.
87. I like to sing. Harmony parts, in particular.
88. I'm a fast and silent walker.
89. I always wear jeans. Unless it's really hot.
90. I have a friend who stopped speaking to me for reasons I don't know. I miss him daily. [Reconnected as of 12/03]
91. My husband and I once received a $1500 settlement from a major home improvement chain over a spectacularly bad paint mixing error.
92. I swear a little.
93. I write letters of complaint, but also of commendation.
94. I sleep on a twenty year old futon.
95. I love living in a small town.
96. I listen to a lot of Neil Young, Indigo Girls, classical music (small ensemble or solo), and miscellaneous world music.
97. I listen to NPR.
98. I don't much like television.
99. I am a Libra.
100. I am extremely loyal.
101. I always multi-task while brushing my teeth and microwaving things.
102. I never met a multi-bit screwdriver I didn't like.
103. My hair was extremely short when I got married in 1995.
104. Five years later, I had 12" cut off to send to Locks of Love, and it was still shoulder-length.
105. Re: #85, black lab mixes are awfully nice, too.

< ? # >