50 Things About Me

In no particular order:

1. I used to have a habit of always leaving the last bit of food on my plate. I have no idea why I did it. Now I clean my plate (unless it’s way too much food, like at a restaurant), I think because I am the one who buys, stores, and prepares everything we eat. So I value the food and I don’t want any of it to go to waste.

2. I am the oldest of 7 children in my family, 5 are girls, 2 are boys. I was seventeen when my youngest sister was born. I love having kid siblings – they are the best!

3. I am a very fast reader. I don’t know what my page-per-hour rate is, but if I’m really motivated I can finish a decent-sized novel in a matter of days.

4. I hate missing part of the story. When I was a kid, my best friend was a voracious reader like me, but partway through a book she would go read the last page to see how the book ended. I would never, ever do that. I only want to watch a movie if I can see the whole thing, from start to finish.

5. I love to cook. I measure ingredients carefully and follow recipes, but I can improvise and adapt/combine recipes to suit my tastes and available ingredients.

6. I love seafood. I grew up hating fish, probably because my mom never served it, and a tuna sandwich was the closest to seafood I got. Now I love fish tacos, grilled salmon, shrimp, clam chowder, even sashimi. Yummy!!!

7. I hate to blow-dry my hair, and so I never do it.

8. I grew up wearing hand-me-downs, even though I was the oldest, I got clothes from my cousins. I hated that, and as soon as I started earning money would buy my own clothes. But now I buy much of my clothing from thrift stores or sew it myself. I have a very eclectic style.

9. hardly ever remember my dreams. Usually all I remember is that I had a dream of some kind.

10. I am a very visual person. If I remember how to spell a word, it’s because I can picture it in my head. If I write something down I can usually remember it, even if I never look at the list again.

11. I have a hard time getting rid of artwork, magazines that I paid for, art supplies, and clothes.

12. I don’t wear makeup, but I am definitely addicted to Chapstick.

13. I like chocolate with mint, fruit, or caramel, but not with peanut butter.

14. I never exercised regularly until I was 27. Now I try to jog or do strength training every day but Sunday. It usually works out to be about 5 times a week.

15. My most embarrassing moment is I was with a group of ladies from church, all of whom were quite a bit older (and less thin) than me. They were talking about a new mix for baking brownies, which contain no fat if you use nonfat sour cream. I said, I didn’t realize there was such a thing as nonfat sour cream. They all stared at me balefully.

16. I look very young for my age. This has been true ever since I was born. Seriously! 🙂 When I was 7, kids on the playground wouldn’t believe it – they were sure I was 5. The worst was when I was in high school and looked like a 6th grader. In my early 20’s I was a camp counselor at junior high camp and the ropes course guide mistook me for a camper. Only now that I’m 30, is it finally starting to pay off because people think I’m around 24 (if I ask them to guess.)

17. I am a one-purse woman. Some girls have a huge collection to go with every outfit, but once I find a good purse (I’ve made many of them myself) I stick with it till it’s falling apart.

18. I am not a morning person. But I’m not a night owl, really. I’m a mid-morning / early evening kind of person.

19. It does not matter when or how much breakfast I eat; I am always hungry at lunch time. My husband can vouch for the fact that I get very cranky if I don’t eat lunch.

20. I hate flying. I would love to like it, but I always, always get airsick. I don’t get panicky, boredom’s not the issue (well, maybe a little). Just the icky feeling as soon as we get into the air.

21. I have flown across the Pacific 3 times. It’s no picnic. I love Asia, though – totally worth the trip.

22. I don’t like coffee or coffee-flavored desserts.

23. I don’t eat internal organs.

24. The only foods I don’t like are meatloaf, turnips, and lima beans. (I much prefer falafel, sweet potatoes, and edamame.)

25. I have a rare genetic condition in my teeth. They are weak, grayish in color, and have no nerves. I’ve had oral surgery 3 times, plus a root canal, and numerous crowns. Other than that, my health is excellent.

26. I still use my wooden “lucky pig” keychain that I bought in Germany when I was 17, before I could even drive. I suppose it’s brought me luck.

27. I don’t believe in Evolution. (Adaptation within species, fine. Big bang, no way.) I just don’t feel the evidence supports it.

28. I like striped tights and colorful socks.

29. In my opinion I have a good enough sense of color that I don’t worry about mixing prints and using color liberally in my clothes, home, and design projects.

30. I don’t really like shopping. I like having new stuff, but the hunt wearies me very quickly unless I’m in just the right mood. Exceptions are yarn, fabric, beads, and art/office supplies. I like thrift stores because I hate spending a lot of money on clothes.

31. I’m extremely un-athletic. I’m no good with activities that require aim, ball handling, coordination, or regulated breathing. That’s why I jog. Oh, and I can rock-climb.

32. I’m not afraid of heights as long as I am firmly attached to a stable object. I have climbed very exposed walls and cliffs but the scariest thing I have had to do is stand on a platform at the end of a ropes course and jump. I guess I’m afraid of the sensation of falling, but not of being up high.

33. For that reason I was afraid to go on roller coasters until I was in late high school. Now I love them but I still hate the slow climb uphill before the downward, falling, rush.

34. I can sing on key (and sometimes harmonize) but I don’t play any instruments.

35. I like jazz but not blues, classical but not opera, folk but not country, ska but not reggae, rock but not pop. I like singers who sing, not scream, sob, whine or chant.

36. I never buy bottled salad dressing. It’s so easy to make oneself, you just need an oil, a sour substance, salt, pepper and garlic powder. Mustard, soy sauce, fruit juice, or herbs make it special.

37. I’m an extroverted introvert. I like to be around people, but I feel awkward in a crowd of strangers and I need my alone-time to recharge.

38. I never had my own room, until I lived alone for 3 years and had a studio apartment to myself. (It was pretty much one room.) Now I’m married and don’t mind sharing.

39. I can sleep through noise very easily, as long as it’s not talking which forces me to eavesdrop.

40. I was homeschooled from K thru 12, which on the whole was a very good experience. I learned how to learn.

41. I got very good grades in college. The only test I ever failed was the Pig Dissection Practical exam in my Biology-for-non-majors class. It was a group project, and the 4 of us flunked by a mile.

42. I hate to clean house. I don’t mind doing laundry or washing dishes, though.

43. My favorite colors are green and red, and I actually like them together. Not Christmas-y shades of course – if the green is light or bright, I like it with dark rusty or winey reds. If the red is bright or orangey, I like it with neutral army or olive greens.

44. At our wedding we had baklava instead of cake. I had never really eaten baklava until I met my husband but he loves it. And I think it’s way better than boring old cake.

45. My degree is a Bachelor’s of Science in Art. Funny, huh? I like to say I’m a Design Scientist. I actually am more of an engineer than an artist in some ways. I like to solve problems and I’m pretty analytical. I don’t have the vision or self-expressive drive necessary to be a Fine Artist.

46. I am allergic to cats. My reaction varies depending on the cats and their habits. At my in-laws, I can live there for a week and not have a problem – their cats are indoor/outdoor cats and not particularly fluffy. At another friend’s home, I can’t even sit on her couch for 5 minutes because she has cats that are always indoors and quite long-haired. I do like cats, and my husband loves them, but I’m not sure we’d be able to keep one as a pet.

47. When they learn I’m from a large family, people often ask me if I’m going to have a lot of kids. I tell them, let me try having one before I answer that question.

48. We eat more rice than we do bread. Our rice cooker gets used several times a week; the breads and tortillas live in the freezer and we thaw out one or two pieces at a time. Otherwise it would get stale way before we finished it.

49. I used to like white wine better but now I prefer red.

50. I’m big on making lists… but I guess that’s obvious.