1. Gum must be eaten in sticks of two
If it's not a STICK of gum, it doesn't have to be two of them. Like Hubba Bubba are bigger, so that's okay. And if someone offers me a stick of gum, I'm not going to be rude and demand a second stick just so I can eat it.
2. The Kleenex (yes, actual Kleenex) boxes in my house must match
I have crashed entire Kleenex displays looking for matching boxes. I would even rather have the ugly green box than have mismatched boxes. And I prefer the Kleenex Anti-Viral tissues. Those lotioned tissue creep me out.
3. I have to have at least five SEPTA tokens in my pocket when I leave the house
If I know I'm going more than one round trip, I pack more than five tokens. If I take less than five tokens, I get nervous. I have no idea what I think will happen that will necessitate these extra three tokens, but I must have five.
4. I can't stand to blow my nose in front of other people
If I'm in a restaurant, for instance, I'll excuse myself to the restroom just to do that. One time, I was with a friend and had a cold, and I went to the restroom a few times and he finally asked if I was okay. So I told him I was just blowing my nose. After that, every time we'd go to lunch and I'd go to the restroom, he'd offer me a tissue. Ha ha.
5. French fries should not be eaten solo, but should be eaten with fries of equal length
It doesn't matter how many other fries there are, as long as there isn't only one. If there are no other fries of equal length, just bend a long one in half. Or take a long one and a short one, then bite the long one until it's the same length as the short one. THEN treat them as equal-length fries.
Showing posts with label 52lists. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 52lists. Show all posts
18 November 2011
11 November 2011
List #34: Words I Dislike
You know how some people have words they REALLY hate? Some people hate some words so much that they start twitching when they hear certain words. I don't hate any words THAT much, but some words are definitely on my "ugh - WHY is that a word" list.
1. nostril
It's just a weird combination of sounds.
2. horny
I only dislike it in the "I'm feeling horny" meaning. I hate it then.
3. pubes
I'm not a huge fan of "pubic," either (I think the "pyoo" sound is off-putting, maybe?), but "pubes" is way more offensive of the two.
4. tweet
This only disturbs me in the "You can Tweet to your favourite celebrity now" sense of the word. It doesn't bother me in the "birds are tweeting" meaning.
5. baby daddy
Really? Is it THAT difficult to say "baby's daddy" or "father/dad of my/her baby"
There are probably more, but that's all I can think of right now. I might do a Part II later.
1. nostril
It's just a weird combination of sounds.
2. horny
I only dislike it in the "I'm feeling horny" meaning. I hate it then.
3. pubes
I'm not a huge fan of "pubic," either (I think the "pyoo" sound is off-putting, maybe?), but "pubes" is way more offensive of the two.
4. tweet
This only disturbs me in the "You can Tweet to your favourite celebrity now" sense of the word. It doesn't bother me in the "birds are tweeting" meaning.
5. baby daddy
Really? Is it THAT difficult to say "baby's daddy" or "father/dad of my/her baby"
There are probably more, but that's all I can think of right now. I might do a Part II later.
05 November 2011
List #34: My Least Favourite Candy
(In honour of Halloween)
1. Tootsie Rolls
I don't like how they feel in my teeth, but I like the flavour. This works out well since my mom inhales them.
2. Necco wafers
Worst idea ever. They feel awful on my teeth, the flavour is awful, and I don't even like the feel of them in my fingers. I even just shuddered typing "Necco wafers" (again). UGH. (Again, my mom inhales these.)
3. Whoppers
Who the hell invented these???? Why do people make things that feel so gross on my teeth?????? Stop doing this!
4. Milk Duds
Are they supposed to be chewed? dissolved? It's like a candy with an identity disorder. I can't take it.
5. Candy corn
These are just disgrossting. (Srsly, my mom will stab you for these. Hmm, there's a pattern emerging here.)
6. Orange peanuts
They don't taste good, they feel weird, and... okay, really - no redeeming value whatsoever.
1. Tootsie Rolls
I don't like how they feel in my teeth, but I like the flavour. This works out well since my mom inhales them.
2. Necco wafers
Worst idea ever. They feel awful on my teeth, the flavour is awful, and I don't even like the feel of them in my fingers. I even just shuddered typing "Necco wafers" (again). UGH. (Again, my mom inhales these.)
3. Whoppers
Who the hell invented these???? Why do people make things that feel so gross on my teeth?????? Stop doing this!
4. Milk Duds
Are they supposed to be chewed? dissolved? It's like a candy with an identity disorder. I can't take it.
5. Candy corn
These are just disgrossting. (Srsly, my mom will stab you for these. Hmm, there's a pattern emerging here.)
6. Orange peanuts
They don't taste good, they feel weird, and... okay, really - no redeeming value whatsoever.
28 October 2011
List #33: Things I Wish I Knew More About
1. Art
I always wanted to take an art history class, but I never had space for it when I was choosing classes. In high school, I took every biology class offered and I packed in six years worth of English courses in my four years there, including taking a "study hall" my senior year, during which I TAed the Anatomy & Physiology class.
2. History (both US and world)
I've always been bored to death by every history class I've ever taken, but I get sucked into a lot of History Channel shows and documentaries. I think (like many classes), I just need(ed) a really great teacher who didn't just stand at the front of the room and recite facts, dates, and names. I mean, in law school, we learnt a TON of history, but it was taught with passion and as stories (which they were, since it was taught as case history), so it wasn't like the typical "learn this date and person and war so you can recite them back on a test later this month." Everything had context.
3. Music
I always wanted to take a music appreciation course, too. While I love music and know a bit about playing it (I played violin), I don't really know that much music history, or that much about different composers, what they wrote, why they're significant (I mean, other than "because they wrote great piece that became famous - duh"), etc.
4. Physics
Our high school physics teacher was completely popular because she had a kick-ass fun class. I always wanted to take it, but (1) I didn't have enough time and (2) I didn't fulfil the prereqs anyway (again, because of the whole time thing). But now there's a guy at work who taught Physics for years, and we've been talking about several of us doing lunches together every once in awhile to discuss real-world issues and how physics applies. Why, no, we're not geeks at all.
5. Basketball
This is one of the few sports I don't follow. I don't have anything against it (like my mom's husband does - omg, please don't get him started). But it's just not a sport I really understand. I mean, I get the fundamentals - dribble, shoot, two-points, three-points, free throws, technical fouls, blah blah blah. But I can't tell you much about the different fouls (I bet I couldn't name more than a few), and I DEFINITELY can't tell you anything about the strategy of the game.
6. World Geography
I used to be fairly decent at this, but I suck at it now. I'm good at pockets. I know North America really well, I'm fairly good with eastern/northern Europe, and eastern Asia. I used to kick-ass at the Mid-East, but not so much anymore. It's kind of embarrassing, really. It kind of makes me want to track down one of those more fun colouring books for geography and work through it. (Hey, it's how I learnt anatomy - why not geography?).
I always wanted to take an art history class, but I never had space for it when I was choosing classes. In high school, I took every biology class offered and I packed in six years worth of English courses in my four years there, including taking a "study hall" my senior year, during which I TAed the Anatomy & Physiology class.
2. History (both US and world)
I've always been bored to death by every history class I've ever taken, but I get sucked into a lot of History Channel shows and documentaries. I think (like many classes), I just need(ed) a really great teacher who didn't just stand at the front of the room and recite facts, dates, and names. I mean, in law school, we learnt a TON of history, but it was taught with passion and as stories (which they were, since it was taught as case history), so it wasn't like the typical "learn this date and person and war so you can recite them back on a test later this month." Everything had context.
3. Music
I always wanted to take a music appreciation course, too. While I love music and know a bit about playing it (I played violin), I don't really know that much music history, or that much about different composers, what they wrote, why they're significant (I mean, other than "because they wrote great piece that became famous - duh"), etc.
4. Physics
Our high school physics teacher was completely popular because she had a kick-ass fun class. I always wanted to take it, but (1) I didn't have enough time and (2) I didn't fulfil the prereqs anyway (again, because of the whole time thing). But now there's a guy at work who taught Physics for years, and we've been talking about several of us doing lunches together every once in awhile to discuss real-world issues and how physics applies. Why, no, we're not geeks at all.
5. Basketball
This is one of the few sports I don't follow. I don't have anything against it (like my mom's husband does - omg, please don't get him started). But it's just not a sport I really understand. I mean, I get the fundamentals - dribble, shoot, two-points, three-points, free throws, technical fouls, blah blah blah. But I can't tell you much about the different fouls (I bet I couldn't name more than a few), and I DEFINITELY can't tell you anything about the strategy of the game.
6. World Geography
I used to be fairly decent at this, but I suck at it now. I'm good at pockets. I know North America really well, I'm fairly good with eastern/northern Europe, and eastern Asia. I used to kick-ass at the Mid-East, but not so much anymore. It's kind of embarrassing, really. It kind of makes me want to track down one of those more fun colouring books for geography and work through it. (Hey, it's how I learnt anatomy - why not geography?).
21 October 2011
List #32: Things I Miss About Being Unemployed
1. Sleeping in; not having to set an alarm clock
(Duh)
2. Being able to go to doctor's appointments anytime during the day
Although my job has flex-time and is pretty good about letting you leave early/stay late to make up time if you have appointments, it was great to be able to just call the doctor and accept whatever first available appointment they gave.
3. Being able to do household chores when I wanted to
There are three students in my building (six of us in my building total), so it isn't as if we're all competing for precious evening/weekend spots for the one washer/dryer that are in the basement, but most of us tend to do our laundry in the evenings/weekends anyway, for some reason. So when I was unemployed, I tended to aim for Monday mornings. Now I aim for Friday night or early Saturday morning. I keep trying to Monday evening since I figure I'll be the only one going for that time slot, but I keep forgetting.
4. Being able to run errands at off-peak times
This actually isn't that bad since I get off work at 3:00 p.m., but it does mean that even though I get to the stores in the city before everyone else, if I'm not careful, I still end up hitting the rush-hour commute on the way home.
(Duh)
2. Being able to go to doctor's appointments anytime during the day
Although my job has flex-time and is pretty good about letting you leave early/stay late to make up time if you have appointments, it was great to be able to just call the doctor and accept whatever first available appointment they gave.
3. Being able to do household chores when I wanted to
There are three students in my building (six of us in my building total), so it isn't as if we're all competing for precious evening/weekend spots for the one washer/dryer that are in the basement, but most of us tend to do our laundry in the evenings/weekends anyway, for some reason. So when I was unemployed, I tended to aim for Monday mornings. Now I aim for Friday night or early Saturday morning. I keep trying to Monday evening since I figure I'll be the only one going for that time slot, but I keep forgetting.
4. Being able to run errands at off-peak times
This actually isn't that bad since I get off work at 3:00 p.m., but it does mean that even though I get to the stores in the city before everyone else, if I'm not careful, I still end up hitting the rush-hour commute on the way home.
14 October 2011
List #31: My Favourite Poets
1. Edgar Allan Poe
2. Maya Angelou
3. Langston Hughes
4. A. A. Milne
Hmm, I clearly need to either be less discerning or read more poetry.
2. Maya Angelou
3. Langston Hughes
4. A. A. Milne
Hmm, I clearly need to either be less discerning or read more poetry.
07 October 2011
List #30: Fall TV Shows I'm Digging
1. The Playboy Club
This just got cancelled, so I'm not going to bother to tell you what I liked about it, lest you get excited about it. I will say that I'm not entirely surprised that it's been cancelled. While it was good, it wasn't GREAT.
2. Person of Interest
I am absolutely fascinated with this show. The (very, VERY basic) premise is that "The Machine" (built after 11 September and originally designed to predict who would commit acts of terrorism) spits out the social security numbers of persons of interest. The problem is that these people may be of interest because they are going to commit a crime or because they are going to be a victim. A team of two men track down the person of interest from only their SSN, find out what their story is, and try to prevent the bad thing from happening. And, as with successful dramas these days (that aren't police procedurals), there is a ton of mythology that goes along with this.
3. Unforgettable
This is about Carrie Wells who has a medical condition that ensures that she never forgets anything - ever. Which, of course, makes her a great detective. Ask her a date, and she can tell you anything that happened that day (involving her, or as long as she had some experience with it). She often solves crimes because she's able to recall the crime scene and then compare that memory to things she experiences and sees during the investigation. While I like her character, I really don't like any of the other characters. And the thing with her mother having dementia is just too... cutesy (in an ironic way, but you know what I mean). And I'm not sure how they'll keep this show fresh.
4. Prime Suspect
Maria Bello plays a detective in New York City who is competing with the Ol' Boy's Club. She's not your average "I'm trying to use my womanly ways to my advantage" kind of female detective. She's hard, tough, and completely gung-ho. But not so much so that she's a caricature. I'm really loving this show so far. Also, Maria Bello is just hot.
5. Pan Am
I didn't think I'd like this show. I only watched the pilot episode on a fluke. In fact, I had forgotten that I set it to record "when possible" since it conflicted with some other shows with it originally débuted. But this is quickly becoming a favourite. I was wary of it, because really - a show about flight attendants? or people flying? Really? But it's actually a show about people who just happen to work in the flight industry. The story is told non-linearly, which apparently bothers some people, but I'm enjoying it (although I HATE books that use this device). For instance, one of the stewardesses (remember when we still called them that?) is a runaway bride. And as the flight takes off in the first episode, we flash back to the day of her wedding to find out exactly what happened. And we're still finding out the entire story about the other characters a few weeks in.
This just got cancelled, so I'm not going to bother to tell you what I liked about it, lest you get excited about it. I will say that I'm not entirely surprised that it's been cancelled. While it was good, it wasn't GREAT.
2. Person of Interest
I am absolutely fascinated with this show. The (very, VERY basic) premise is that "The Machine" (built after 11 September and originally designed to predict who would commit acts of terrorism) spits out the social security numbers of persons of interest. The problem is that these people may be of interest because they are going to commit a crime or because they are going to be a victim. A team of two men track down the person of interest from only their SSN, find out what their story is, and try to prevent the bad thing from happening. And, as with successful dramas these days (that aren't police procedurals), there is a ton of mythology that goes along with this.
3. Unforgettable
This is about Carrie Wells who has a medical condition that ensures that she never forgets anything - ever. Which, of course, makes her a great detective. Ask her a date, and she can tell you anything that happened that day (involving her, or as long as she had some experience with it). She often solves crimes because she's able to recall the crime scene and then compare that memory to things she experiences and sees during the investigation. While I like her character, I really don't like any of the other characters. And the thing with her mother having dementia is just too... cutesy (in an ironic way, but you know what I mean). And I'm not sure how they'll keep this show fresh.
4. Prime Suspect
Maria Bello plays a detective in New York City who is competing with the Ol' Boy's Club. She's not your average "I'm trying to use my womanly ways to my advantage" kind of female detective. She's hard, tough, and completely gung-ho. But not so much so that she's a caricature. I'm really loving this show so far. Also, Maria Bello is just hot.
5. Pan Am
I didn't think I'd like this show. I only watched the pilot episode on a fluke. In fact, I had forgotten that I set it to record "when possible" since it conflicted with some other shows with it originally débuted. But this is quickly becoming a favourite. I was wary of it, because really - a show about flight attendants? or people flying? Really? But it's actually a show about people who just happen to work in the flight industry. The story is told non-linearly, which apparently bothers some people, but I'm enjoying it (although I HATE books that use this device). For instance, one of the stewardesses (remember when we still called them that?) is a runaway bride. And as the flight takes off in the first episode, we flash back to the day of her wedding to find out exactly what happened. And we're still finding out the entire story about the other characters a few weeks in.
30 September 2011
List #29: My Future Children's Names
1. Michael
Do I really need to explain this one? Have you not been paying any attention at all to this blog?
2. Charlotte
For those of you who don't know why I don't eat pork, two words: Charlotte's Web. Since I read this book, I've always told my mom that I would name my first daughter Charlotte. And I would name my first son...
3. Wilbur
I think she thinks I'm kidding. We'll see.
4. Jonathan
It's a bit of a story, but I used to be friends with a family (he was a pro athlete, she was a friend of mine and his girlfriend) who had a very special kid. It was actually the little brother of my friend, but because of the age difference and because their mother was - ahem - incapable of taking care of him, my friend had legal custody of him. I nannied for him until he needed an actual nurse, because he had juvenile Huntington's Disease. He passed away at the age of 10. Because of him and Jonathan Larson (writer of "Rent" and "tick, tick... BOOM"), I've always thought I might name a son Jonathan. Plus, I just like the versatility of the name - John, Johnny, Nathan, Nate...
5. Ben
This one is for personal reasons. Some of you know this story.
Then there's the day I was having supper with Mom and threatened to name all of my kids after Michael Jackson songs: Diana, Annie, Billy Jean, Ben, Liberian Girl...
Do I really need to explain this one? Have you not been paying any attention at all to this blog?
2. Charlotte
For those of you who don't know why I don't eat pork, two words: Charlotte's Web. Since I read this book, I've always told my mom that I would name my first daughter Charlotte. And I would name my first son...
3. Wilbur
I think she thinks I'm kidding. We'll see.
4. Jonathan
It's a bit of a story, but I used to be friends with a family (he was a pro athlete, she was a friend of mine and his girlfriend) who had a very special kid. It was actually the little brother of my friend, but because of the age difference and because their mother was - ahem - incapable of taking care of him, my friend had legal custody of him. I nannied for him until he needed an actual nurse, because he had juvenile Huntington's Disease. He passed away at the age of 10. Because of him and Jonathan Larson (writer of "Rent" and "tick, tick... BOOM"), I've always thought I might name a son Jonathan. Plus, I just like the versatility of the name - John, Johnny, Nathan, Nate...
5. Ben
This one is for personal reasons. Some of you know this story.
Then there's the day I was having supper with Mom and threatened to name all of my kids after Michael Jackson songs: Diana, Annie, Billy Jean, Ben, Liberian Girl...
23 September 2011
List #28: My Favourite Stores
1. Target
2. IKEA
If you combine those stores into one, I could live there and be completely happy.
3. Victoria's Secret
I'm not that girly about many things, but I do love my VS underwears. Plus, they're one of few places that sell scented lotions and body mists that I'm not allergic to.
4. Lush
Funnily enough, I don't use many of their products, although I buy a ton of them. I shop here often for birthday, Christmas, special occasion, and just because gifts. But now that I might be able to spring for some stuff for myself, I might splurge for myself every once in awhile.
5. Barnes & Noble
Tons o' books. 'Nuff said.
6. CVS
I don't know what it is about this place, but I love it.
7. Staples
Who doesn't love office supplies???
2. IKEA
If you combine those stores into one, I could live there and be completely happy.
3. Victoria's Secret
I'm not that girly about many things, but I do love my VS underwears. Plus, they're one of few places that sell scented lotions and body mists that I'm not allergic to.
4. Lush
Funnily enough, I don't use many of their products, although I buy a ton of them. I shop here often for birthday, Christmas, special occasion, and just because gifts. But now that I might be able to spring for some stuff for myself, I might splurge for myself every once in awhile.
5. Barnes & Noble
Tons o' books. 'Nuff said.
6. CVS
I don't know what it is about this place, but I love it.
7. Staples
Who doesn't love office supplies???
16 September 2011
List #27: Movies I Can Watch Over and Over
This is not an all-inclusive list, and it is in no particular order.
1. The Karate Kid. I didn't realise this until I watched it about four times in the past week alone. The mystical meaning of "wax on, wax off" holds up after all these years, as does Mr. Miyagi's wisdom.
2. Titanic. It's a difficult one to pass up when one has crushes on both Kate and Leo. And no matter how many times I watch it, I still cry every time when Rose jumps off the life boat and Jack tells her how stupid she is when they find each other.
3. Notting Hill. "I'm just a girl, standing in front of a boy, asking him to love her." EW once named that line as one of the most romantic movie lines, and I think they're right. For those who don't know, it's a movie about a celeb (Julia Roberts) and a "commoner" (Hugh Grant) who try to make a go of it together.
4. The Shawshank Redemption. Any movie with Morgan Freeman in it is bound to be damned good. And some of you know I have an obsession with prisons. Put them together, and you have a movie I'll watch over and over.
5. Kissing Jessica Stein. A movie written and produced by two friends. It's about what happens when a woman (Jessica) just happens to answer a personal ad written by a woman. It's adorable, funny, and stars some amazing people who have gone on to some pretty awesome careers.
6. Mambo Italiano. Childhood friends renew their friendship, which becomes more than a friendship when they start a relationship -- a gay male relationship. One is a cop and the other works at a travel agency. They have radically different ways of dealing with the relationship. Set in Little Italy in Montréal, Canada, this is a hysterically funny movie.
7. Any Mae West movie. She was glam trailblazer who didn't take shit from anybody. She was accepting of black people and gay people WAY before it was acceptable. Plus, she's just gorgeous and wicked smart.
1. The Karate Kid. I didn't realise this until I watched it about four times in the past week alone. The mystical meaning of "wax on, wax off" holds up after all these years, as does Mr. Miyagi's wisdom.
2. Titanic. It's a difficult one to pass up when one has crushes on both Kate and Leo. And no matter how many times I watch it, I still cry every time when Rose jumps off the life boat and Jack tells her how stupid she is when they find each other.
3. Notting Hill. "I'm just a girl, standing in front of a boy, asking him to love her." EW once named that line as one of the most romantic movie lines, and I think they're right. For those who don't know, it's a movie about a celeb (Julia Roberts) and a "commoner" (Hugh Grant) who try to make a go of it together.
4. The Shawshank Redemption. Any movie with Morgan Freeman in it is bound to be damned good. And some of you know I have an obsession with prisons. Put them together, and you have a movie I'll watch over and over.
5. Kissing Jessica Stein. A movie written and produced by two friends. It's about what happens when a woman (Jessica) just happens to answer a personal ad written by a woman. It's adorable, funny, and stars some amazing people who have gone on to some pretty awesome careers.
6. Mambo Italiano. Childhood friends renew their friendship, which becomes more than a friendship when they start a relationship -- a gay male relationship. One is a cop and the other works at a travel agency. They have radically different ways of dealing with the relationship. Set in Little Italy in Montréal, Canada, this is a hysterically funny movie.
7. Any Mae West movie. She was glam trailblazer who didn't take shit from anybody. She was accepting of black people and gay people WAY before it was acceptable. Plus, she's just gorgeous and wicked smart.
09 September 2011
List #26: My Favourite Desserts
1. Tiramisu
But I'm not crazy about Olive Garden's. It makes me sad.
2. Créme brûlée
A really nicely done créme brûlée makes me EXTREMELY happy. The perfectly burnt top with the custard under. Mmmmm.
3. Red velvet cake
I can take red velvet in any form. Lately, I've been stopping at Wawa WAY too much for a red velvet muffin for breakfast. And then one the days I go out for lunch, I've been getting red velvet frozen yoghurt at Kiwi Yoghurt for dessert. But I was sad yesterday when I was told that yesterday was red velvet's last day so they could make room for the seasonal flavours. As if red velvet knows a season!
4. Fried ice cream
I love this. SO. MUCH. The crunch outside against the creamy inside. Oh yeah.
5. Soft-serve ice cream
I mean the old-fashioned soft-serve ice cream that had that gritty texture to it. Yum.
6. Mint chip ice cream
The best. Period.
7. The corner of brownies
Especially if the brownies are crunchy. I bake my brownies until they're crunchy as all hell. I don't like those soft brownies. I like 'em hard and crunchy. (Yeah, I know. Shut up.)
But I'm not crazy about Olive Garden's. It makes me sad.
2. Créme brûlée
A really nicely done créme brûlée makes me EXTREMELY happy. The perfectly burnt top with the custard under. Mmmmm.
3. Red velvet cake
I can take red velvet in any form. Lately, I've been stopping at Wawa WAY too much for a red velvet muffin for breakfast. And then one the days I go out for lunch, I've been getting red velvet frozen yoghurt at Kiwi Yoghurt for dessert. But I was sad yesterday when I was told that yesterday was red velvet's last day so they could make room for the seasonal flavours. As if red velvet knows a season!
4. Fried ice cream
I love this. SO. MUCH. The crunch outside against the creamy inside. Oh yeah.
5. Soft-serve ice cream
I mean the old-fashioned soft-serve ice cream that had that gritty texture to it. Yum.
6. Mint chip ice cream
The best. Period.
7. The corner of brownies
Especially if the brownies are crunchy. I bake my brownies until they're crunchy as all hell. I don't like those soft brownies. I like 'em hard and crunchy. (Yeah, I know. Shut up.)
02 September 2011
List #25: Natural Disasters I've Been In
3 Hurricanes:
Multiple ice storms (I'm from Missouri)
Multiple blizzards (I'm from Missouri)
The Great Flood of 1993 (I'm from Missouri)
Microbursts (they're the opposite of tornadoes, meteorologically-speaking) (seriously, people, I'm from freaking Missouri!)
- Hurricane Danny (1985): We were vacationing in Lousiana at the time. The only specific memory I have is that our motel room had a small step up into the room from the outside sidewalk. We were travelling with a couple that we were good friends with, and the guy (Mark) joked, "We won't worry until the water comes up the door." Well, not very much longer, the water was nearly there. Our ultimate goal was Florida, and as we travelled from LA to FL, Danny seemed to want to chase us. Not cool, Danny.
- Floyd (1999): This was my second year in Philly. My first floor flat kept leaking water down one wall, and one particularly troubling spot was where the water kept trickling over an electrical socket. I kept calling my landlord to let him know, and he kept assuring me he'd send the painter out as soon as the rain stopped. Gee, thanks.
- Irene (2011): I don't think I really need to say a lot about this one.
Multiple ice storms (I'm from Missouri)
Multiple blizzards (I'm from Missouri)
The Great Flood of 1993 (I'm from Missouri)
Microbursts (they're the opposite of tornadoes, meteorologically-speaking) (seriously, people, I'm from freaking Missouri!)
26 August 2011
List #24: Things I Keep in My Office Desk
1. Vitamins
Before I took prescription Vit D, I took that every day. I take a huge loading dose of Vit C when I think I'm getting sick, and I take a multi when I can remember (so keeping a bottle in my desk is helpful).
2. Hand-sanitiser
Especially helpful for when people with grubby hands insist on coming in and handling everything.
3. Feminine hygiene products
For days when I need extra supplies
4. Hand lotion
Neutrogena, of course.
5. Facial blotting tissues
Neutrogena, of course.
6. Chapstick
Do I really need to tell you which brand?
7. Toothbrush/toothpaste
For days when lunch was garlicky, when I had a dental appointment right after work, or just wanted to freshen up between work and meeting someone after. Though someone mentioned having the Brush-Ups, and I might do that instead.
8. Extra nylons in case I got a run in the ones I was wearing
If the run was up the leg, I didn't care. But I can't stand my toe poking through. *shudder*
9. A paring knife
For FRUIT to eat for snacks/lunch, people! Relax!
10. A few CDs
11. My favourite pens
The workplace always supplies pens, but I have a certain pen I prefer.
What are some other suggestions for things I should be toting in? I won't necessarily be hauling in a huge bag my first day, of course. But there are some things I'll want right away and some things I'll discover I'll want as I go. What do you have in your desk/locker?
Before I took prescription Vit D, I took that every day. I take a huge loading dose of Vit C when I think I'm getting sick, and I take a multi when I can remember (so keeping a bottle in my desk is helpful).
2. Hand-sanitiser
Especially helpful for when people with grubby hands insist on coming in and handling everything.
3. Feminine hygiene products
For days when I need extra supplies
4. Hand lotion
Neutrogena, of course.
5. Facial blotting tissues
Neutrogena, of course.
6. Chapstick
Do I really need to tell you which brand?
7. Toothbrush/toothpaste
For days when lunch was garlicky, when I had a dental appointment right after work, or just wanted to freshen up between work and meeting someone after. Though someone mentioned having the Brush-Ups, and I might do that instead.
8. Extra nylons in case I got a run in the ones I was wearing
If the run was up the leg, I didn't care. But I can't stand my toe poking through. *shudder*
9. A paring knife
For FRUIT to eat for snacks/lunch, people! Relax!
10. A few CDs
11. My favourite pens
The workplace always supplies pens, but I have a certain pen I prefer.
What are some other suggestions for things I should be toting in? I won't necessarily be hauling in a huge bag my first day, of course. But there are some things I'll want right away and some things I'll discover I'll want as I go. What do you have in your desk/locker?
19 August 2011
List #23: People I Don't Want to Date
Lately, I've been trying to ask my friends to set me up with their single friends. But in addition to the usual qualities I'm looking for in a person (intelligent, good sense of humour, etc.), I've also been weeding out certain occupations wholesale.
1. Plastic surgeons
I'd be too worried they'd be looking at me as a canvas. I'd keep waiting for them to say, "Have you ever considered...?" "NO! And why are you asking me?" I just don't need that in my life.
2. Therapists
Therapy has its time and place, and it's not in my everyday life. It's especially not when I'm trying to tell my bf/gf about my bad day, and it's ESPECIALLY not when we're having an argument. "Are you SURE this is what you're really upset about?" "YES! I'm actually upset about you leaving your friggin' underwear in the middle of the kitchen floor! This is NOT about anything else!"
3. Archeologists
This was actually suggested by my friend who happens to be one. She said this because they go off on digs for months at a time several thousand miles away. And what happens in the forests of Brazil, stays in Brazil... until it gives you a nasty disease. Oops. Okay, she didn't actually add that last part -- my imagination did. But you get the drift.
4. Prostitutes
In this day and age, there are just too many diseases. And I'm not that confident about anything, really.
(which brings me to...)
5. Strippers
I used to be friends with a stripper. She ended up dating a lot of her "clients," which I guess cut out the awkward "So, what do you do for a living" conversation that often comes up on a first date. But I don't think I could deal with the jealousy issues knowing that my bf/gf would go to work just to be ogled.
Is there any particular occupation that would turn you off?
1. Plastic surgeons
I'd be too worried they'd be looking at me as a canvas. I'd keep waiting for them to say, "Have you ever considered...?" "NO! And why are you asking me?" I just don't need that in my life.
2. Therapists
Therapy has its time and place, and it's not in my everyday life. It's especially not when I'm trying to tell my bf/gf about my bad day, and it's ESPECIALLY not when we're having an argument. "Are you SURE this is what you're really upset about?" "YES! I'm actually upset about you leaving your friggin' underwear in the middle of the kitchen floor! This is NOT about anything else!"
3. Archeologists
This was actually suggested by my friend who happens to be one. She said this because they go off on digs for months at a time several thousand miles away. And what happens in the forests of Brazil, stays in Brazil... until it gives you a nasty disease. Oops. Okay, she didn't actually add that last part -- my imagination did. But you get the drift.
4. Prostitutes
In this day and age, there are just too many diseases. And I'm not that confident about anything, really.
(which brings me to...)
5. Strippers
I used to be friends with a stripper. She ended up dating a lot of her "clients," which I guess cut out the awkward "So, what do you do for a living" conversation that often comes up on a first date. But I don't think I could deal with the jealousy issues knowing that my bf/gf would go to work just to be ogled.
Is there any particular occupation that would turn you off?
12 August 2011
List #22: Would-be Celeb Indulgences
If I had celebrity millions to spend, I would indulge in the following:
1. New sheets when the sheets were changed. I don't need new sheets every day, and I don't mean freshly washed sheets every day. I mean brand-spanking new sheets. Crisp, new, never-before slept on sheets. But I'd like my blanket and quilt to remain the same. I would, of course, donate the "old" sheets every time changing.
My mom said she would want freshly washed sheets every day, so I told her when my housekeepers changed the sheets, I could have them wash them and send them to her house.
2. A trainer. The gym I used to go to gave free training sessions when you joined, and I loved the trainer I worked with (Melissa). She was really awesome, and I miss working out with her. I can't really justify the cost of working with someone now, but I'd if I had celeb wealth, I would definitely splurge.
3. An interior decorator. I don't want someone to totally do everything for me, but I definitely need help in this department. I know which colours I like, but I suck at knowing how to place things so that it doesn't look like I just threw pictures on a wall haphazardly. Or how to place my furniture in such a way that maximizes my space - all those things that decorators know and do.
4. A personal shopper who will just go buy clothes for me and alter them so I never have to try anything on ever again. I hate clothes shopping. HATE it. God bless Rachel who is going work clothes shopping with me on Tuesday next week. She has done this with me before (when I needed to buy a suit for our thesis defence/job interviews) and she told me told not to wear my sourpuss face and grumble about her making me try everything on.
5. I don't want a cook/personal chef because I love cooking, but sometimes I wish I had someone who could suggest things to cook. For instance, Angel Food almost always has a head of cabbage in their fruit and veggie box. And I'm running out of ideas for what to do with cabbage. It'd be nice to have someone who knows my tastes AND my dietary restrictions (low-carb, low-gluten, and pork-free) who can suggest things.
6. I would need a super-large freezer to hold most of the Ben and Jerry's flavours. I like a lot of them, and it's difficult to decide what I'm in the mood for. If I was a celeb, though, I wouldn't have to limit myself to the couple of pints that (1) I can afford and (2) my freezer will hold. So I can just stock up.
7. I will have frozen egg noodles shipped to me (and Ria) on a regular basis.
If you were a celeb, what things would you indulge in?
1. New sheets when the sheets were changed. I don't need new sheets every day, and I don't mean freshly washed sheets every day. I mean brand-spanking new sheets. Crisp, new, never-before slept on sheets. But I'd like my blanket and quilt to remain the same. I would, of course, donate the "old" sheets every time changing.
My mom said she would want freshly washed sheets every day, so I told her when my housekeepers changed the sheets, I could have them wash them and send them to her house.
2. A trainer. The gym I used to go to gave free training sessions when you joined, and I loved the trainer I worked with (Melissa). She was really awesome, and I miss working out with her. I can't really justify the cost of working with someone now, but I'd if I had celeb wealth, I would definitely splurge.
3. An interior decorator. I don't want someone to totally do everything for me, but I definitely need help in this department. I know which colours I like, but I suck at knowing how to place things so that it doesn't look like I just threw pictures on a wall haphazardly. Or how to place my furniture in such a way that maximizes my space - all those things that decorators know and do.
4. A personal shopper who will just go buy clothes for me and alter them so I never have to try anything on ever again. I hate clothes shopping. HATE it. God bless Rachel who is going work clothes shopping with me on Tuesday next week. She has done this with me before (when I needed to buy a suit for our thesis defence/job interviews) and she told me told not to wear my sourpuss face and grumble about her making me try everything on.
5. I don't want a cook/personal chef because I love cooking, but sometimes I wish I had someone who could suggest things to cook. For instance, Angel Food almost always has a head of cabbage in their fruit and veggie box. And I'm running out of ideas for what to do with cabbage. It'd be nice to have someone who knows my tastes AND my dietary restrictions (low-carb, low-gluten, and pork-free) who can suggest things.
6. I would need a super-large freezer to hold most of the Ben and Jerry's flavours. I like a lot of them, and it's difficult to decide what I'm in the mood for. If I was a celeb, though, I wouldn't have to limit myself to the couple of pints that (1) I can afford and (2) my freezer will hold. So I can just stock up.
7. I will have frozen egg noodles shipped to me (and Ria) on a regular basis.
If you were a celeb, what things would you indulge in?
05 August 2011
List #21: Lies My Mom Told Me
Every parent tells the little lies. But these are the lies my mom told just because she could.
1. Anyone remember "The People's Court" when it was still with Judge Wapner? We used to watch that every day. And when they would go to commercial in the middle of a longer case, they would freeze the frame. When I was a kid, I obviously didn't understand a "freeze-frame," so I asked Mom how they did that. She told me they had an artist who drew the people they way they were and when they came back from commercial, they had the people get back in position they way the guy had drawn them.
2. When Price Chopper (our grocery store) started using a scanner at the check-out, I was FASCINATED and didn't understand how it worked. Mom told me that the Price Chopper man (the mascot for the store was a guy in a butcher apron with a tiny axe who would chop the prices) was inside the scanner and he worked in the machine all day. Sometimes she would even pick me up, and then she'd tell me I hadn't looked fast enough. Occasionally, I'd go to the cashier for confirmation. "Is that true?" One cashier hedged one day and I got suspicious.
3. When I fell asleep in the car and Mom wanted to wake me up before we got home (so she didn't have to deal with carrying me in or waste the extra minutes waking me up when we got home), she'd yell, "OH MY GOD! There's an elephant!" I have no idea why, but this worked for years. This cracks my mom up to this day. "But you fell for it EVERY TIME!" (In my defence, I didn't want to miss the elephant standing by I-70! Would you????)
I'm sure there are others, but these are the ones that have apparently scarred me for life.
1. Anyone remember "The People's Court" when it was still with Judge Wapner? We used to watch that every day. And when they would go to commercial in the middle of a longer case, they would freeze the frame. When I was a kid, I obviously didn't understand a "freeze-frame," so I asked Mom how they did that. She told me they had an artist who drew the people they way they were and when they came back from commercial, they had the people get back in position they way the guy had drawn them.
2. When Price Chopper (our grocery store) started using a scanner at the check-out, I was FASCINATED and didn't understand how it worked. Mom told me that the Price Chopper man (the mascot for the store was a guy in a butcher apron with a tiny axe who would chop the prices) was inside the scanner and he worked in the machine all day. Sometimes she would even pick me up, and then she'd tell me I hadn't looked fast enough. Occasionally, I'd go to the cashier for confirmation. "Is that true?" One cashier hedged one day and I got suspicious.
3. When I fell asleep in the car and Mom wanted to wake me up before we got home (so she didn't have to deal with carrying me in or waste the extra minutes waking me up when we got home), she'd yell, "OH MY GOD! There's an elephant!" I have no idea why, but this worked for years. This cracks my mom up to this day. "But you fell for it EVERY TIME!" (In my defence, I didn't want to miss the elephant standing by I-70! Would you????)
I'm sure there are others, but these are the ones that have apparently scarred me for life.
29 July 2011
List #20: Things I Want in a Dream House
Disclaimer: These are not the ONLY things I want, just the things that might be unique to me. I'm not putting things like "plenty of closet space" or "huge master bedroom." I'm also not getting into energy aspects -- just physical desires of the space.
1. A bay window with a seat
I almost have this now since my current flat has a bay window and I have my couch in the bay window, but that isn't what I envision. I want a bay window with a wooden bench. And in the bench I will store afghans and throws that I can use to keep myself nice and warm when I curl up on said bench and read or knit as I enjoy the natural light and watch passers-by outside. Did I mention this window is on either the second or third floor?
2. A kitchen with an island
I have yet to work out if the island is one of those counterspace-only jobs (of course with storage underneath), or what. But I know I must have an island.
3. A craft room
I can display my yarn, have a table for my sewing machine, a table for laying out/cutting material, hooks for my cross-stitch hoops, shelves for my embroidery floss... just for starters. Mind, the crafting won't be limited to this room -- that's just nonsense! But at least I could organise all of the supplies in this room.
4. A utility/laundry room NOT in the basement
I've lived in houses both ways and the not-in-the-basement way was much better. I get that if the washer springs a bad leak, it's awesome if the leak is already in the basement and you don't have to worry about the water flooding the floor below, but otherwise, it's just much more convenient for daily life to not trudge to the basement for tools, laundry, etc.
What would you like in a dream house?
1. A bay window with a seat
I almost have this now since my current flat has a bay window and I have my couch in the bay window, but that isn't what I envision. I want a bay window with a wooden bench. And in the bench I will store afghans and throws that I can use to keep myself nice and warm when I curl up on said bench and read or knit as I enjoy the natural light and watch passers-by outside. Did I mention this window is on either the second or third floor?
2. A kitchen with an island
I have yet to work out if the island is one of those counterspace-only jobs (of course with storage underneath), or what. But I know I must have an island.
3. A craft room
I can display my yarn, have a table for my sewing machine, a table for laying out/cutting material, hooks for my cross-stitch hoops, shelves for my embroidery floss... just for starters. Mind, the crafting won't be limited to this room -- that's just nonsense! But at least I could organise all of the supplies in this room.
4. A utility/laundry room NOT in the basement
I've lived in houses both ways and the not-in-the-basement way was much better. I get that if the washer springs a bad leak, it's awesome if the leak is already in the basement and you don't have to worry about the water flooding the floor below, but otherwise, it's just much more convenient for daily life to not trudge to the basement for tools, laundry, etc.
What would you like in a dream house?
22 July 2011
List #19: Jobs I Would Never Want
1. Garbage man
God bless the good people who do this. On most days I could handle the weather (especially depending on the city), but I really couldn't handle the stench. I used to know someone who did this (the husband of my Girl Scout troop leader), and he claimed that you just got used to it. I supposed you'd have to.
2. Full-time retail
I've done retail on a part-time/seasonal basis, but I couldn't do it as my full-time career. I just don't have the patience to deal with rude, stupid people on a regular basis.
3. Marketing
I consider myself a creative person. I make my own greeting cards, I used to do a lot of writing (including stand-up material), and I have a few other creative outlets. But I don't think I could be creative on demand. Especially for particular clients whose products I just didn't "get" or found ridiculous but was paid to push anyway.
4. Podiatrist
There's no way I want to look at people's feet all day. Ew.
5. Dentist
Really? Stare inside people's mouths all day? Sorry, but no.
6. Gynaecologist
No. Just... no.
7. Postal worker
I never really gave this one much thought until the past year when I've become friendly with my mail carrier and we've had a lot of conversations about her job. She's taken to wearing rubber gloves when she empties blue drop boxes because of all of the hazardous items dropped in there. She finds needles, guns, and other random items. (Random fact: She recommends not dropping anything important in there because people set them on fire as pranks.) I've also learnt a LOT about the politics of the job - wowza. The USPS is no longer a government job, but it's still pretty political since it's union, and some of the stories she's told just amaze me. Also, this combines the weather issue with working with crazy people (she's told me about some of the people on her route), so it just seems like too many issues in one job.
God bless the good people who do this. On most days I could handle the weather (especially depending on the city), but I really couldn't handle the stench. I used to know someone who did this (the husband of my Girl Scout troop leader), and he claimed that you just got used to it. I supposed you'd have to.
2. Full-time retail
I've done retail on a part-time/seasonal basis, but I couldn't do it as my full-time career. I just don't have the patience to deal with rude, stupid people on a regular basis.
3. Marketing
I consider myself a creative person. I make my own greeting cards, I used to do a lot of writing (including stand-up material), and I have a few other creative outlets. But I don't think I could be creative on demand. Especially for particular clients whose products I just didn't "get" or found ridiculous but was paid to push anyway.
4. Podiatrist
There's no way I want to look at people's feet all day. Ew.
5. Dentist
Really? Stare inside people's mouths all day? Sorry, but no.
6. Gynaecologist
No. Just... no.
7. Postal worker
I never really gave this one much thought until the past year when I've become friendly with my mail carrier and we've had a lot of conversations about her job. She's taken to wearing rubber gloves when she empties blue drop boxes because of all of the hazardous items dropped in there. She finds needles, guns, and other random items. (Random fact: She recommends not dropping anything important in there because people set them on fire as pranks.) I've also learnt a LOT about the politics of the job - wowza. The USPS is no longer a government job, but it's still pretty political since it's union, and some of the stories she's told just amaze me. Also, this combines the weather issue with working with crazy people (she's told me about some of the people on her route), so it just seems like too many issues in one job.
15 July 2011
List #18: Pets I've Had
1. Beth - a dog of unknown breed
If Mom wasn't asleep because she has to wake up at 4:00 a.m. because she has to be at the American Girl doll place at 6:00 a.m. tomorrow, she could probably tell me what kind of dog Beth was. Funny thing is, until about 20 years ago (which was LONG after Beth had died), I thought the poor girl's name was Bath.
2. Mimi - a miniature poodle (but not a toy)
She was a great dog. Poor girl got blamed for all these holes in every sheet we had. She loved to lick our sheets, and we always thought Mimi licked holes in our sheets. Then she died. And new holes popped up. We figured out the culprit -- the washing machine. Sorry, Mimi.
3. Max - a cairn terrier.
Max and Mimi were the best of friends. Max was an awesome dog. As long as you were petting him, he was happy. I used to put barrettes in his hair and them pull them out because I always found barrettes difficult to pull apart. He never once barked or yelped at me. He found him as a stray in a Hardee's parking lot and took him home. I wanted to name him Maxwell House. To this day, I'm bitter I got voted down.
4. Smokey - an awesome cat.
He'd kill you for a piece of cantaloupe. It got to the point where we wouldn't even try to eat cantaloupe if he was in the house. One day, he bit me, so I grabbed his tail and bit him back; he never bit me again. He was an indoor/outdoor cat. One day, he left and never came back.
5. A duck whose name I can't remember
Mom bought him at a Swap 'n' Shop because she loved ducks. Fortunately, we had a small pond with a small waterfall in our backyard where he was supposed to live. Did you know ducklings can drown if left unattended too long in a pond? Neither did we.
6. Rocky - a parakeet
He mostly stayed in his cage, but when he was allowed to roam, he LOVED to chew paper. I got in trouble a lot for handing in homework that was nibbled. He had him when we collected Coca-Cola memorabilia, and he was able to say "Coke is it!" When we hit the road for the summer, our pet-sitter tried to teach him how to say "But Pepsi's better!"
7. Nicky - a Yorkshire terrier
When Mimi died, Mom was heartbroken so we got Nicky as a Christmas present. Nicholas Sebastian was a smart dog most days. But he burped a lot. Mostly right in your face right when you picked him up. Nicky and Max were awesome friends, and they ruled the backyard. No squirrels allowed!
8. New Dog - half Lab/half Shepherd (we think)
He was dumped in the parking lot of the school Mom worked in. Mom brought him home while a co-worker asked his wife if he could bring the dog home. I told Mom if he had to ask, the answer was no; I was right. Meanwhile, we fostered the dog until we could find a home for him. We didn't want to name him, so we referred to him as the new dog. "Let Nicky and the new dog out." By the time it was apparent that WE were his new home, he was answering to New Dog.
9. Oscar - a black cat
The awesomest black cat ever. The shower-loving cat who could open a closed door using his paws to turn a door handle.
10. Felix - a white/grey cat
The awesomest Felix cat ever. Sometime during the night last night, he turned the tv to the "How to use the remote" channel. It's not enough that the regularly changes the channel, but now he's actively trying to educate himself on the rest of the remote. He frightens me.
If Mom wasn't asleep because she has to wake up at 4:00 a.m. because she has to be at the American Girl doll place at 6:00 a.m. tomorrow, she could probably tell me what kind of dog Beth was. Funny thing is, until about 20 years ago (which was LONG after Beth had died), I thought the poor girl's name was Bath.
2. Mimi - a miniature poodle (but not a toy)
She was a great dog. Poor girl got blamed for all these holes in every sheet we had. She loved to lick our sheets, and we always thought Mimi licked holes in our sheets. Then she died. And new holes popped up. We figured out the culprit -- the washing machine. Sorry, Mimi.
3. Max - a cairn terrier.
Max and Mimi were the best of friends. Max was an awesome dog. As long as you were petting him, he was happy. I used to put barrettes in his hair and them pull them out because I always found barrettes difficult to pull apart. He never once barked or yelped at me. He found him as a stray in a Hardee's parking lot and took him home. I wanted to name him Maxwell House. To this day, I'm bitter I got voted down.
4. Smokey - an awesome cat.
He'd kill you for a piece of cantaloupe. It got to the point where we wouldn't even try to eat cantaloupe if he was in the house. One day, he bit me, so I grabbed his tail and bit him back; he never bit me again. He was an indoor/outdoor cat. One day, he left and never came back.
5. A duck whose name I can't remember
Mom bought him at a Swap 'n' Shop because she loved ducks. Fortunately, we had a small pond with a small waterfall in our backyard where he was supposed to live. Did you know ducklings can drown if left unattended too long in a pond? Neither did we.
6. Rocky - a parakeet
He mostly stayed in his cage, but when he was allowed to roam, he LOVED to chew paper. I got in trouble a lot for handing in homework that was nibbled. He had him when we collected Coca-Cola memorabilia, and he was able to say "Coke is it!" When we hit the road for the summer, our pet-sitter tried to teach him how to say "But Pepsi's better!"
7. Nicky - a Yorkshire terrier
When Mimi died, Mom was heartbroken so we got Nicky as a Christmas present. Nicholas Sebastian was a smart dog most days. But he burped a lot. Mostly right in your face right when you picked him up. Nicky and Max were awesome friends, and they ruled the backyard. No squirrels allowed!
8. New Dog - half Lab/half Shepherd (we think)
He was dumped in the parking lot of the school Mom worked in. Mom brought him home while a co-worker asked his wife if he could bring the dog home. I told Mom if he had to ask, the answer was no; I was right. Meanwhile, we fostered the dog until we could find a home for him. We didn't want to name him, so we referred to him as the new dog. "Let Nicky and the new dog out." By the time it was apparent that WE were his new home, he was answering to New Dog.
9. Oscar - a black cat
The awesomest black cat ever. The shower-loving cat who could open a closed door using his paws to turn a door handle.
10. Felix - a white/grey cat
The awesomest Felix cat ever. Sometime during the night last night, he turned the tv to the "How to use the remote" channel. It's not enough that the regularly changes the channel, but now he's actively trying to educate himself on the rest of the remote. He frightens me.
08 July 2011
List #17: Sports I Enjoy Watching
(in no particular order)
1. NASCAR. My mom was an auto-racing fan before I came along. In fact, before I came along, she and her second husband used to drive from Kansas City to Indianapolis for the Indy time trials. So I grew up watching NASCAR (and IRL, but mostly NASCAR) and rooting for Bill Elliott and Cale Yarborough.
2. American football. This was another sport my mom taught me to love. She TRIED to teach me to love the Chiefs. It didn't take. (Go Raiders!) She DID, however, successfully teach me to hate the Dolphins and the Cowboys.
3. Ice hockey. Another sport mom brainwashed me into loving. Before I came along, she had season tickets to the Kansas City Scouts. I would have been going as a baby, but they relocated just as came along. When the KC Blades rolled into town, we got season tickets again. When I moved to Philly, it became difficult to follow my team (the SJ Sharks) since everyone out here is Flyers-crazy and the Sharks aren't even in the same conference. When I go home for the winter holidays, we try to catch a Missouri Mavericks game (the Blades left a couple of years after I left KC).
4. Tennis. Finally - a sport Mom did not introduce me to! When Mom was married to her second husband, this sport didn't get watched much - he didn't allow it because "it doesn't make sense." Uh, okay then. I started watching it because Lindsay Davenport and Monica Seles are hot. Then I started loving it because it's a great sport. Then in 2000, Marat Safin defeated Pete Sampras to win the US Open and take the #1 world ranking (at the age of 20), and I watched a lot of that tournament live. I was hooked. Marat (who is fluent in four languages, at last count), then went on to set a record for most racquets broken in pro tournaments. If you know much about me, you know I like my athletes to be smart, fiery competitors (and cute doesn't hurt). Marat fit the bill nicely.
5. Olympic sports. I like both the Summer Games and the Winter Games. There are few of the sports that I dislike.
6. X-Games. My mom and I both like to watch these. I *think* I started watching these first (one of the years Philly was hosting them), but my Mom REALLY latched on to them. Two years ago, she yelled at me when she mentioned Shaun White and it took me a minute to place his name. "YOU DON'T KNOW WHO SHAUN WHITE IS? DIDN'T I RAISE YOU RIGHT?" The guys in line around us waiting to go drifting were dying laughing. (We are at a NASCAR race.)
I also occasionally watch golf and WWE. Mom sometimes watches golf, but we rarely overlap on the same events. And even Mom was shocked to find out I watch wrestling. Shaddup and leave me alone. We all have our vices.
1. NASCAR. My mom was an auto-racing fan before I came along. In fact, before I came along, she and her second husband used to drive from Kansas City to Indianapolis for the Indy time trials. So I grew up watching NASCAR (and IRL, but mostly NASCAR) and rooting for Bill Elliott and Cale Yarborough.
2. American football. This was another sport my mom taught me to love. She TRIED to teach me to love the Chiefs. It didn't take. (Go Raiders!) She DID, however, successfully teach me to hate the Dolphins and the Cowboys.
3. Ice hockey. Another sport mom brainwashed me into loving. Before I came along, she had season tickets to the Kansas City Scouts. I would have been going as a baby, but they relocated just as came along. When the KC Blades rolled into town, we got season tickets again. When I moved to Philly, it became difficult to follow my team (the SJ Sharks) since everyone out here is Flyers-crazy and the Sharks aren't even in the same conference. When I go home for the winter holidays, we try to catch a Missouri Mavericks game (the Blades left a couple of years after I left KC).
4. Tennis. Finally - a sport Mom did not introduce me to! When Mom was married to her second husband, this sport didn't get watched much - he didn't allow it because "it doesn't make sense." Uh, okay then. I started watching it because Lindsay Davenport and Monica Seles are hot. Then I started loving it because it's a great sport. Then in 2000, Marat Safin defeated Pete Sampras to win the US Open and take the #1 world ranking (at the age of 20), and I watched a lot of that tournament live. I was hooked. Marat (who is fluent in four languages, at last count), then went on to set a record for most racquets broken in pro tournaments. If you know much about me, you know I like my athletes to be smart, fiery competitors (and cute doesn't hurt). Marat fit the bill nicely.
5. Olympic sports. I like both the Summer Games and the Winter Games. There are few of the sports that I dislike.
6. X-Games. My mom and I both like to watch these. I *think* I started watching these first (one of the years Philly was hosting them), but my Mom REALLY latched on to them. Two years ago, she yelled at me when she mentioned Shaun White and it took me a minute to place his name. "YOU DON'T KNOW WHO SHAUN WHITE IS? DIDN'T I RAISE YOU RIGHT?" The guys in line around us waiting to go drifting were dying laughing. (We are at a NASCAR race.)
I also occasionally watch golf and WWE. Mom sometimes watches golf, but we rarely overlap on the same events. And even Mom was shocked to find out I watch wrestling. Shaddup and leave me alone. We all have our vices.
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