Random Facts

In honor of my 28th post shortly after my 28th birthday, I decided to post 28 things you should know about me. Well, there's way more than 28 things you would probably be interested to know, so I decided to move the list here and update is as I see fit. :-)

A city out of my birthstone/favorite color? Done.

1. I love everything about the Wizard of Oz. I love the story, the book, the movie. I love the songs from the movie and the stage play. I also love the spin-offs, i.e. The Wiz and Wicked.
2. I knew Greg and I were meant to be on our first date when, instead of flowers, he gave me a Dorothy bobblehead.
3. All that being said... The Wizard of Oz is not my favorite movie. I actually don't have a favorite. Or rather, my favorite changes depending on my mood.

Part of the collection.

4. I have a magnet collection. I'm not entirely positive how it started, but I keep most of them on the chest freezer. Some are souvenirs, some are for things I've done (like Relay), and some are completely random.
5. I don't like clowns. I wouldn't call it a fear of clowns, because I can be around them, they just creep me out. I think it is because you could be anyone under that make-up. Creepy...
6. I used drink 3-4 cups of coffee a day. I'm not sure why though because caffeine doesn't really have much effect on me. I think I stopped when I started counting my calories. I'll still have a cup every now and then, but I drink more teas these days.

7. I like being outside and looking at nature, but I don't do it very often. I have dozens, if not hundreds of hiking trails near me, but I don't take advantage of it nearly enough.

I'm on the right

8. I have a fear of falling. I wouldn't call it a fear of heights because I like being up high if I feel reasonably safe. But if I think I might plunge to my death, I freak out.
9.  I hate Ferris Wheels. I don't necessarily think I'm going to plunge to my death, but I get really nervous when I've been talked into getting on one. I get dizzy and woozy, so I try to avoid them whenever possible. I know they are avoidable, but when an 7 y/o begs you to ride with him, it's hard to tell him you're a weeny and you don't want to!

Orange & White game, 2009

10. My BFF, Amy, introduced me to Greg as her "hot friend Jen." Actually, she was trying to set me up with someone else. However, the name stuck and he introduced me to everyone as his "hot friend Jen" for the next 2 years.
11. Greg's nickname, "Mr. Wonderful," came from me being a smart alec. He was complaining because one of his friends harassed him after I tagged him in an fb status (for doing something really sweet for a total stranger), so I said I would never tag him again. I started referring to him as Mr. Wonderful. He gets harassed more for that than he did for whatever I said before. :-)
12. I love to crochet. My mom taught me the basics when I was a teen and now she says I am better than her.
13. Most times, I can look at the picture of a crochet project and figure out what they did without ever looking at the pattern. I started doing this when the patterns didn't make sense to me, so I just figured it out. I'm right about 95% of the time and the other 5% I'm close enough. ;-)
14. I was born in VA, and moved to TN when I was 10.
15. When I first moved to TN, people made fun of my accent (what accent??). So I started talking like the people I heard until they stopped. Sometimes when I hear my self in a recording I'm surprised at how Southern I sound.

Mimi & Me, 2010

16. For the first 3 months I lived here, my mom and I stayed with my Grandmother. I called her house Mimi's Boot Camp for Manners because she was very strict about table manners, yes ma'ams and no sirs, and pleases and thank yous.
17. I am thankful on a near daily basis for my "boot camp training" because I know it has been what has gotten me interviews and jobs.
18. My dream job would probably be to open a real "Mimi's Boot Camp for Manners" and teach people of all ages proper etiquette for things like letter writing, business dinners, job interviews, and just regular table manners.
19. I blame my Mimi for my stationery addiction. I think letter writing is a lost art. Who doesn't like getting a letter or card in the mail??
20. My hand-writing sucks. lol

So fit!

21. On more than one occasion, people have started a conversation with Amy and tried to finish it with me. We've worked together at 3 different places, and I guess we're interchangeable. 

22. Amy's step-son once said that we were mental twins and we decided he was correct. We have a lot of conversations without opening our mouths and have been known to have the same completely random thought at the same time.
23. We call wine "funny cups." Once, while enjoying a bottle of wine, we were laughing about something and she looked at her husband and said "you're not laughing, which means whatever is funny must be in this cup."
24. I really want to take a ride in a hot air balloon.
25. I have a goal of visiting all 50 states. I have been to Virginia, Tennessee, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Maryland, Connecticut, New York, Massachusetts, Michigan, Alabama, and Colorado. Only 37 states to go! I also want to visit Ireland, Italy, Greece, and Australia.
26. If I ever won the lottery, after I did the responsible thing of paying off my bills and what not, I would spend 16 months just traveling.

27. I love to read. I did not read for pleasure the entire time I was getting my MA, so once I graduated I tore through like 20 books in a month. I love getting lost in a book, especially in a series.
28. I love trying new, interesting foods. My favorite recent dessert was a chocolate gelato with habenero peppers in it.