My 100

According to Brooke, you can't be a real blogger without posting your 100. I'm extremely intimidated by the task....I try not to think THAT much about myself. But, maybe I'll gain some insights that will finally help me achieve the adolescent task of identity formation.

So, here's a sneak peak inside my slightly irregular brain.

1. Halloween is my favorite holiday.
2. I love the smell of Pirates of the Caribbean.
3. I don't mind wearing glasses.....I think they make my nose look shorter.
4. No one can make me laugh like my brother, Rick.
5. I'm still surprized at how much I love my kids.
6. I hate the soft center of bread.

7. I love my shower.
8. I dream every night and can remember every dream.
9. In college I had a 20 inch waist. Now I have a 20 inch forearm.
10. My mother was the most honest person I've ever known.
11. I fantasize about having a condo of my own.
12. I love being alone and could take a cruise by myself and love it.
13. I am addicted to reading.
14. My dream home would have ceiling to floor windows with no curtains or blinds
to obscure my view of the woods.

15. The two most beautiful places I've ever seen are the mountains of North Carolina
and the Swiss Alps.
16. I think I may have been a druid in another life.
17. I detest arrogance.
18. One of my most favorite childhood memories is swinging on the front porch with my
Maw Maw Herman. The smell of fresh peaches from the tree in front of the porch
and the sound of the squeaky swing will forever suggest peace and safety to me.
19. My father was both an honorary member of the KKK and a Renaissance man. He loved
classical music and literature, but was intolerant of anyone whose views differed
from his.
20. I wear black, white, red and blue. Pastels make me look like a faded
Impressionist painting.
21. I collect art depicting children and books.
22. My hair is short because when it grows out I look like Cousin It.
23. I started liking pigs when my friend in high school, Shelley Martin, started
illustrating her notes to me with cute little pigs. She married a guy whose
last name was Swineheart. No kidding.
24. My favorite singers are James Taylor and Simon and Garfunkle. I've seen
both in concert.
25. I can't sleep if doors or drawers are open.
26. Roses are cliche and boring. I'd rather have no flowers than roses.

27. I love Bailey's new expressions.
28. I'd rather spend time with my kids than anyone.
29. I married a man who is my opposite in almost every way.

30. I love horror movies, but not the slasher ones.
31. I was Relief Society President for over 3 years and loved it.
32. My only fear is having something terrible happen to my kids or grandkid(s).
33. I once was so moved by a Van Gogh exhibit that I cried.
34. I've never won a trophy...not one.

35. I've never seen a more beauitful color than the blue in a Caribbean ocean.
36. The funniest movie I've ever seen is Young Frankenstein. My brothers and I have
watched it dozens of times....and we still laugh like fools every time.
37. I love the sound of crunchy snow.
38. I feel conflicted about whether I'd rather have a second home in the mountains
or at the beach. Yes, I can dream.
39. Seeing the movie Eight Below nearly put me in an institution.
40. I love raw potatoes.
41. When I was a young child - probably 4 or 5 - I was spending the night with my
cousin and had to get up in the night to use the bathroom. When I walked past
my uncle's bed I saw his shoes dancing. Honest to gosh.
42. When I was a little girl I use to design graves and decorate them with the
flowers from the neighbor's gardens. No comment.
43. We owned the very first microwave in Hickory, North Carolina. When my dad brought
it home and told us what it would do, I thought he'd lost his mind.
44. My greatest gift is my ability to teach.
45. I tried to learn to play the piano as an adult, but couldn't keep my left hand
from following my right. So, I gave it up and went shopping.
45. I've had nearly every calling in the church except Scouts, Enrichment, Activities
Committee, and Seminary teacher.
46. When I first started teaching we had very little money. One day I heard some of
my students taking bets on what I would be wearing. I was so embarrassed that I
told Mark I had to get new clothes. About a week later I was wearing one of my
beautiful new dresses (navy blue striped). After class a student approachd me
and told me never to wear the dress again because it gave her a migraine.
47. I once had a boyfriend who came to visit me in North Carolina. I took him out
to our house at the lake and left him for a week. I've since tried to locate him
to apologize. To this day, I feel horrible.
48. I'm obsessive about squeegying (is that a word??) my shower.
49. I hate to be hot.
50. My favorite color to wear is red, my favorite color to live around is green.
51. I love old people.
52. I love word games and play online Boggle every single day. My kids tease me
about my "opponents". "Who ya playing today, Ma....Sally from Mars....or Omar
from Wisconsin???"
53. The first time I went to Europe I took 7 suitcases. The last time I took 1.
54. The only other member of the Church in my family is an aunt. Regardless of their
religious beliefs, however, my extended family includes some of the kindest, most
generous, loving, devoted, Christ-like people on the planet.
55. I genuinely love all my nieces and nephews and their spouses.
56. On my side of the family, I have only one niece and no nephews.
57. Almost every Thursday Bailey and I take a trip to Target. She likes to look at
the stuff....and I like to look at her.
58. Even though I've never had a strong Southern drawl, I love to listen to them.
59. I love being alone in my own house.
60. My family knows to NEVER enter my "getting ready" space in the morning until
I'm dressed.
61. Listening to Miles Davis and John Coltrane makes me wish I lived in a different
time.
62. During stress I mentally go to one of my "safe" places. I can end up floating
on a raft in the Caribbean or sitting on a pier in Myrtle Beach, S.C. Both work
very well.

63. I have many friends but my soulmate is my cousin, Linda. We are very different
but are connected at the heart.

64. I never thought I'd own a dog. Then we got Oakley. I'll never be without one.
65. More than anything I want a bigger house to accomodate my growing family.
66. For years (way before Twilight) I've been entrigued with vampires. I think it
started with Dark Shadows back in the 70's.
67. My childhood crushes were Paul McCartney and Davey Jones.
68. I'm a Weather Channel groupie.
69. My friend, Shelley, and I love ghost stories. We took a trip to Charleston,
South Carolina once and went on two ghost tours. One of the tours was of an
old prison. As we were leaving a crew was setting up cameras to film a special
on paranormal activity. By the time we returned to our room, we were certain
a ghost had followed us home. We scared ourselves half to death!
70. I loved school as a child and still remember much of what I was taught. I
remember all of my teachers and still feel very fortunate to have been taught so
well.
71. I was the only girl in elementary school invited to play baseball with the boys.
72. I loved living in Salt Lake City and still consider our neighbors there the best
in the world.
73. I cooked for an apartment of boys in college. One of them was an NCAA decathlon
champion. I took all the credit.
74. My first car was a Toyota Corona. When I put on the breaks the back seat fell
out.
75. When I started attending church at about age 8 we met in a Woman's Club. We
would have to clean up every Sunday morning before church began. Often the
prayer, talks, and lessons were given by the same people. Attendance was
usually 15 or so. I learned the Articles of Faith in that building.
76. A man who is meticulously dressed turns me on. I prefer an average man who
is well dressed to a gorgous man who isn't. (dressed well, that is...)
77. I have two types of pants. One is black dress and the other is denim. My
favorite jeans are David Kahns.
78. When I dream about myself, I have long hair.
79. My husband would do anything in the world for me. Sometimes that scares me.
80. I wouldn't go back to any earlier age. I'm more comfortable with myself now
than I've ever been and I truly think my best years are yet to come.
81. I can't stand Uma Thurman.
82. I love anything that Will Smith does - even his rap.
83. Every Sunday my heart races as I wait for my kids to show up. Things aren't
right until they're all here.
84. I've lied about my height for years. I think I'm only 5'1", not 5'2".
85. My mother was so beautiful that I always felt ugly by comparison.
86. I could live forever without sweets, but could eat my weight in chips and salsa.
87. I love mashed potatoes and any kind of bean.
88. I love the smell of fresh-cut grass.

89. I'm horrified of spiders, but decorate my house with hundreds of them at
Halloween. Aversion therapy?????

90. I want to smack tall, thin women.
91. I love setting a beautiful table, but hate cooking.
92. The faster and crazier the ride, the more I like it.
93. I cry when I hear children sing.
94. Every February or so, I walk outside, throw my arms in the air and say, "This is
why I live in San Diego!"
95. I love to sleep in a cold room with lots of covers.
96. My favorite flavor is GRAPE. I think I could love wine.
97. I have a wonderful stepsister named Tina. She is a breast cancer survivor and
she just adopted a beautiful baby girl named Katie. Welcome to the family, Katie!
98. I am 14 years older than my youngest brother. I raised him until I left for
college and still think of him as my child at times.
99. I knew the church was true the first time I heard it...at age 8.
100.In spite of all the crazy people and happenings in the world, I still think
there is more good than bad. Mostly, I believe you find what you're looking for.

Amen.