Friday, February 13, 2009

25 Random Things Meme

All right, this thing has been circulating around and I've been tagged several times. Finally got around to doing it.

Here we go!

1. The "dating anniversary" of my fiance and I matches his parents' wedding anniversary, and the "dating anniversary" of my fiance's twin and his fiancee matches her parents' wedding anniversary. Both couples started dating around the same time, and both got engaged around the same time, unbeknown to each other.

2. I share my birthday with Edgar Allan Poe, Robert E. Lee, Janis Joplin, and Dolly Parton.

3. I've had a stuffed bear since I was born known as the "Tickle-y Bear" because I used his nose for tickling and eventually rubbed all the fur off his nose.

4. When I was very young I was terrified of car headlights shining through my bedroom window; they would travel along the wall toward my bed as cars passed by. I thought they were coming to get me and called them "The Angries."

5. I've run eight marathons, with number nine coming up in April. My biggest goal in life right now is to qualify for the Boston Marathon. I am currently running 60-70 miles a week in pursuit of this goal.

6. Up until about a month ago, I collected books and never let them go. I have several hundred (at least) books stuffed into our one-bedroom apartment. I recently decided that rereading books is generally not going to happen. So I decided to give the majority of them that I've read away. I had already vowed to stop acquiring new ones until I've reduced my "to-be-read" list to a manageable amount, meeting with limited success.

7. I wish people still communicated by exchanging handwritten letters. Somehow I doubt anyone will be interested in reading "The Collected Emails and Texts of So-and-So." Although I wouldn't be above trying to get a book by this title published. I've seen worse.

8. I actually set a school record in college for the 3,000m steeplechase. I only held it briefly, but it was cool to be in the record books at all.

9. I played the clarinet in high school concert/marching/pep bands, two youth orchestras, a community concert band, numerous honor bands, and college concert band, and got to be pretty good at it. Sadly, though, I haven't touched it since college. I always really wanted to successfully play that bit that starts off Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue but never quite got it.

10. I used to drive faster, but now I rarely drive over the speed limit, and hate it when people tailgate me! I've never been in accident in which I was driving, and I've never received a speeding ticket. More people should drive like me, right?

11. I am terrified of children. Not just the prospect of having children, but children themselves. I get really nervous and afraid that I'm going to say or do the wrong thing. I'm literally afraid to touch babies. I really wish I was better with children, although I have no desire to have my own.

12. I've never been in credit card debt.

13. I never quite managed to run a six-minute mile, and I haven't given up on this goal.

14. I discovered recently that sometimes, with some things, I find it easier to talk to people I don't know very well than to those I do.

15. Although I had a lot of fun in college, I've since mellowed out and usually prefer to stay in on weekends.

16. I endeavor to be less materialistic, but it's been hard. I love buying stuff. My two major vices are running gear and books. Luckily, if I don't need something, I have developed a guilt complex that usually prevents me from buying it.

17. More than just about anything else, I hate being the center of attention. I can't think straight and become tongue-tied. Public speaking is pure torture, and ice-breaking games with large groups are incredibly nerve-wracking and miserable.

18. I have a constant feeling of social awkwardness when I'm with all but a very few people. Usually I can overcome it and even carry on perfectly normal conversations. But I never quite lose the feeling of discomfort.

19. I have very little tolerance for "hot" foods (peppers, salsa, etc.). I used to refuse to eat that sort of thing altogether, but now I enjoy it in moderation. I like spicy ethnic foods as long as they're not TOO spicy, and I can now manage some brands of medium salsa as long as I have something cold to drink handy. I know, I know, wimpy. Meanwhile, my fiance has trouble finding foods hot enough.

20. I still love reading young adult novels. Not just the ones I enjoyed as a child. I buy new ones, as well. I love them unabashedly. I feel the same way about movies--I still love kids' movies, especially animated ones.

21. I hate talking on the phone. There are only a few people I feel comfortable talking to on the phone for more than a few moments, and either way I tend to ramble. If I can't have a face-to-face conversation, I actually prefer computer chat to the phone. Even texting would be better than talking, but I'm too cheap to add texting to my current plan. Most of all, I hate calling people because I'm so afraid I will disturb or interrupt them.

22. I still say "like," like, all the time. If I could pick one bad habit to break, that would probably be it.

23. I have never smoked a cigarette in my life. Once in 6th grade, a girl who sat next to me asked me about that, and was amazed that that I'd never tried. Yes, 6th grade, aka 11 or 12 years old. W. T. F.

24. I am sick of this list!

25. I had a lot of trouble coming up with this much stuff.

Oh...and I'm not tagging anyone because I figure if you want to do the meme, you do the meme. Also, everyone and their cousin has already done it. ;)

2 comments:

jen said...

Very fun list. My favorite is that you share a birthday with Janis Joplin and Dolly Parton- what an awesome birthday!! :D I also love that you've never been in CC debt or smoked a cigarette. Smart girl.

Tracy Lightfoot said...

We are the same on 12, 14, 18, 19, 20 and 21.

I can't believe you've run that many marathons. You need to get your butt down here and run with me some and we'll get you to Boston. =D