27 Things
For those who are on facebook, the title of this entry is self-explanatory. For those who aren't... I'm going to list 27 things about myself that people may or may not know - I think the goal is to be particularly transparent, but we'll see how successful I am. Although I intend to post this on facebook, I thought it would be fun to post it here, too, since there might be something worth expanding upon later*!
*and posting it here will help me fulfill my New Year's Resolution to mark 150 blog entries this year... two birds with one stone!
Here goes:
1. I have kept a journal for almost two years solid - writing in it almost every day, usually in the morning before I do anything else. This is quite an accomplishment for someone who had tried on no less than five occasions to keep a journal in the past - I guess sixth time's the charm!
2. I spent my 25th birthday on the set of the N*Sync music video, "Pop." No, the guys didn't sing "Happy Birthday" to me, but we did get to hang out with them between shots. This piece of trivia used to hold a lot of weight when I was a substitute teacher, but now it usually only rates a mild, "Cool."
3. At recess, when I was in third grade, I somehow managed to convince the guys in my class to chase the girls and catch them for me while I spent my time swinging... I would then give the girls a kiss on the cheek and tell the guys to release them. This was a scene that was repeated numerous times and when one girl told my teacher, he said "Way to go!"
4. As a kid, I used to put my boom box in front of the television and record the songs from the cartoon "Jem." I still know the words to *almost* every song.
5. The first time I lived in Los Angeles, I ended up living in my car for almost three months... then my car was stolen... I moved back to Michigan shortly thereafter...
6. I have been living without a television for almost two years - and I don't miss it at all! Prior to this, I spent countless hours in front of the tv and I regret losing the time I could have spent cultivating relationships with others and enriching my own "real" experiences. I wonder if this is related to Number 1?
7. There are three things about my body that have always made me very sensitive and I still struggle with trying to "hide" them: my neck is too long, my ears stick out, and I have no tendons in my thumbs making me unable to give a "thumbs up" or flip a coin. I feel particularly vulnerable about my thumbs and almost had surgery to correct them - until I sat in the waiting room and saw other people who were missing thumbs or had other hand disfigurements... I decided things could be worse. I still try to hide my thumbs when I'm around other people.
8. I believe great experiences are made even greater when you have someone to share them with. That was proven when I picked up a hitchhiker on my way to the Grand Canyon - he and I spent the next 24 hours together and I still count that experience among my greatest blessings.
9. I can't swim. I actually took a swimming class with my mom when I was very small, and I remember the instructor letting go of me in the pool and I sank. That single memory has become magnified in my mind to the point that I'm currently very uncomfortable the deep ends of pools.
10. I don't know where the perfect place to live would be - but I know it's near a large body of water.
11. I've had the same cell phone number for almost eight years. I originally kept it because I wanted to have a local number for my former high school students to call if they needed to talk. In this day of cell phones, that reasoning has gone out the window... now I hold on to the number for the principle of the matter.
12. I have NEVER liked peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. I like peanut butter and I like jelly - but not mixed together. As a kid, I used to ask for peanut butter and butter sandwiches or peanut butter and potato chip sandwiches. It's crazy that I don't weigh more than I do.
13. I was inspired to play violin after watching Claudia play it at a bus stop on the tv show "Party of Five." I finally bought one and began lessons when I was living in Orlando (My first teacher was a mermaid - thanks Sarah Q.), but after living on the road I have yet to get into a regular routine of practicing.
14. I spent a year and a half (three semesters) as a missionary traveling the country doing character education assemblies in middle schools and high schools. I lived in a van and went to places I'd never been to before staying with strangers who would become friends. I hope to take a tour of the country again one day just to see those great people again!
15. I always wash the dishes in a particular order based on an episode of Oprah. Wash the flatware first (that actually goes in your mouth so you want the cleanest water) then the glasses and cups (they also go in your mouth). Next wash dishes that touch your food and finally pots and pans used to prepare food. After selling Cutco knives for a summer, I won't allow wood to be used in food prep.
16. I love milk. There was a time when my roommate and I would go through over four gallons of milk a week!
17. My favorite colors are orange and purple, but "my signature color is pink." Orange because it stands out in a crowd, purple because it brings out my eyes and pink because I think it's honest.
18. I'm not an animal person. When I was little, I used to tell my friend's parents that I was allergic to dogs just so they wouldn't bring them around me. Don't get me wrong - I don't want to see them hit by trucks... I just don't want them around me.
19. My motto concerning food is that I need to try everything twice - in case it wasn't prepared correctly the first time.
20. I'm still trying to figure out what my ideal job is, but I think it would combine ministry with high school/college-aged students, stage performance, illustration, counseling and diversity education. I've contemplated seminary before (and I'm contemplating it again) and one of the only things I know for sure is that I have a call to ministry... now it's a matter of tying all the pieces together...
21. I came out for the first time as a senior in high school, and despite all the practice I've had - it's still one of the hardest things to do... particularly in the circles I travel in!
22. Although friendship is one of the most important things in my life, I'm still struggling to find a "best friend."
23. I was a platinum blond for over six years and only decided to go back to my natural color when I knew I was going to be on the road and finding someone to style and bleach it regularly would be a challenge. The natural color stage didn't last long though as I started shaving my head once I was on the road and I haven't gone back... but if I did decide to grow my hair out again I would probably bleach it, too.
24. I started drinking when I was in high school and by the time I was a senior I could tie one on with the best of them. I stopped drinking during college and with a single exception, I haven't gone back. I don't miss it.
25. I love my brother more than he knows... I'm also a very patient person and he's the only one who can push certain buttons to get a reaction out of me. I guess that comes with shared history.
26. I had cavities when I had baby teeth, but since my "big boy" teeth have grown in, I've never had another cavity. I've also never worn braces. I guess I saved my mom on some dental expenses... though college probably made up for that...
27. My biggest vice is online chatting. I've lost hours online chatting with people I don't even know... sometimes great things come out of it... but I think my time would be better spent in the "real world." I guess that's what I'll do now!
Now I know 27 things about you: if I prepared a meal for you it might be peanut butter and chips, and milk, but I will make sure I washed the dishes in the right order first and use no wood handled knives; you swim like a rock; someone stole your house in L.A.; you are one of the few ppl who actually like N*Sync (I heard they existed but I have never met one before); overall, interesting. p.s. I would give you "two thumbs up" but you may think I was just making fun of you :p
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Blaine...
I'm impressed with your attention to detail and your ability to incorporate so many intricacies of my character into a single statement. In response, I'd probably enjoy the meal... could we listen to N*Sync while we eat? I bear no grudge against LA for what one (or possibly a few) moron(s) perpetrated against me years ago and I hope to return before too long... though not to swim. I developed the tendency to put my pinky up when people asked for a "thumbs up" so if this sounds good to you I'll watch for your pinky.
Thanks for checking my site out!
K.
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