Amanda tagged me for this list ages and ages ago but I didn't get around to it until last night. So here it is:
1. I am an only child.
2. I have a dog named Bailey, even though he's a boy. We'll go to the dog park and when I holler his name, several little girls will think they are being summoned. Had we known it was going to be such a popular name, we’d have called him something else, despite the fact that he fits his name perfectly. He is the sweetest dog you'll ever meet, hands down.
3. My husband and I are currently looking to buy a house. He is 6'5". We've eliminated several houses from our search based on ceiling and door frame height. You have no idea how many Seattle homes are out there with 6’ basement ceilings.
4. I currently have a sore throat. I hate being sick; thankfully it doesn’t happen very often.
5. I tend to have a few really good friends, rather than a large group of not-so-close friends. Despite this, I think I get along reasonably well with most people.
6. I went to an all-girls catholic school for high school, although I am not catholic. Despite disappointing the nuns greatly by not converting, Holy Names was (and still is) an excellent school. My favorite teacher was Ms. DuPen, biology. Duh.
7. I have a tendency to faint; often in inconvenient situations. The first time was in college and I was trying to make weight for a crew race (Hadn’t eaten in 3 days, long sweat runs, etc). I woke up on the floor of the bathroom, having no idea as to how I arrived there. I'm pretty good at watching for the signs now; I'm down to a fainting spell about once every two years.
8. I am practically blind without my contacts.
9. I always wanted an older brother, but never a younger one. I definitely never wanted a sister. Why? Probably because I had a girl friend who was constantly fighting with her younger sister. They’re close friends now but back then it was awful. My husband, on the other hand, has no older brother but three younger siblings. He loved having sibs (most of the time) and can’t imagine what it would be like to have none. Clearly he didn’t have any imaginary friends growing up.
10. Despite the fact that I love to cook, I'm really quite awful. I usually get distracted by the pretty pictures in the cookbook only to turn around and discover that my dinner has burnt on the stove behind me.
11. I once got stung by a bee on the bum at a jobsite that was without a bathroom and only staffed by male construction workers. I had to wait until I got to another jobsite for a female coworker to make sure that I’d gotten the stinger out. Why do they not put full length mirrors in porta potties?
12. Today I learned how to reroute a light switch, thanks to my dad. And I didn't even electrocute myself, either.
13. This year I would like to learn how to knit. I want to make a pair of fuzzy mittens. My mother and I are looking into classes.
14. I won’t eat octopus, not because I don’t like the taste, but because I think they are amazingly intelligent critters. Never seen one in its natural habitat? Become a scuba diver. Or check out this link: http://axiomsun.com/home/video/intelligent_octopus.html. On the other hand, I’ve never met a fish I would mind meeting again with chopsticks and some soy sauce.
15. I met my husband in college. We were both on the crew team. I am amazed at the number of people out there that have met their significant other on their college crew team.
16. My most favorite summer job was working for the BLM in Salem, Oregon. I spent the summer tracking owls, snails, and bald eagles. I also discovered that I have a knack for pulling tiny birds out of fine bird nets. The next time you have a songbird stuck in a net, give me a call. I’m your man (er, woman). Yes, it’s a rather specialized expertise but hey, we’re all good at something, right?
17. I would like to raise bees, pygmy goats, and chickens. That way I can add honey, cheese and eggs to my jam enterprise. I'm good at making jam, probably because it only requires light cooking.
18. I have a grandfather that is 97 years old and fit as a fiddle. Physically, at least. He has no idea who I am when I go over to visit.
19. I would spend the entire day reading, if permitted. I am currently reading Beekeeping for Dummies (I hate the title), The Ann Lovejoy Handbook of Northwest Gardening and Savage Love (from Dan Savage, the advice columnist). Last night I finished Black Swan Green (so-so) and the Greatest Thing Since Sliced Bread (also so-so). The most entertaining book I’ve read lately was called The Book Thief, a recommendation from my mother.
20. I eat non-fat yogurt, granola, and fruit for breakfast almost every morning.
21. I’m planning on riding a 200 mile bike ride this summer and I’m really scared that I’m going to run out of steam half way through the first day.
22. I’ve only ever owned black dogs. Other colored dogs are nice, I suppose, but black dogs have such a knack for inserting their hair into light colored substances (your breakfast omelet, or say, onto your white angora sweater) that I’ve grown used to those with the darker fur. Besides dogs, I’ve had an assortment of friendly critters: turtles (one ran away.), hamsters, frogs, fish and a bird named Petey. Definitely no cats.
23. I’ve never broken a bone. Knock on wood.
24. I will try any food once. Sometimes a second time, too, to make sure I really don’t like it.
25. I enjoy being physically tired after a long day in the field (for work), out hiking, or biking. It means that I’ve worked hard and deserve to put my feet up in front of the fire with a good book.
