1.27.2009

A List.

More than one person "tagged" me to do this on Facebook, so here you go: 25 Random Things About Me:

1) I've kept a blog since 2001. Through various key slips, computer crashes, and location changes, a large portion of it is lost to the inky depths of the Interwebs.

2) The second word I ever said was "dog," so I have literally been asking for a dog since I could speak, and consequently have more potential dog names in mind (about 235) than potential baby names (0).

3) When I was in second or third grade, I decided to write a big, thick, impressive book like the ones my dad liked to read, which had names like "CARNEGIE" and "[IMPORTANT HISTORICAL EVENT]." My book was called "THE CIVIL WAR" and I spent a lot of time making an incredibly impressive title page in my neatest handwriting. The entire text of "THE CIVIL WAR" is reproduced here for your enjoyment - "The Civil War was." Shockingly, it did not make the best-seller lists.

4) The first time I ever drank tea was while studying abroad in Ireland. The people I worked with in Ireland took at least five tea breaks a day so it became a nice habit and chance to sit back and be social (it was more like we took "work breaks" during an 8 hour tea). One day at my internship I sneaked a bag of Earl Grey from the stash of someone in another department, and as I poured my hot water into my cup I chuckled at my caper and said (aloud, seriously), "Tea. Earl Grey. Hot." Then I tried a sip and let me tell you, after months of thinking that all tea tasted like Irish or English Breakfast Tea, that cup of Earl Grey blew my mind. I think I made some sort of inappropriate animal-type noise when I smelled it. I don't drink Earl Grey often because I keep trying to try to surprise myself with its flavor again and occasionally it works, but nothing will ever compare to the mind-blowing holy crap where has this been all my life-ness of that first cup. It was only later I learned that Earl Grey is considered poncy amongst many tea connoisseurs. I say poncy or not, if it's good enough for Picard, it's good enough for me.

5) When I was a kid, I wanted to grow up to be a Muppeteer. I still think it would be just about the coolest job in the world.

6) I went to my undergraduate institution intending to major in Archaeology. I settled for an unofficial Arc minor, thinking English and History would be more marketable. Oh, young and foolish self!

7) I did a dance when I found out my favorite author in the world won the Newbery Award.

8) If given the choice between argyle and any other pattern, I will choose argyle 95% of the time. If the other pattern is paisley or tartan, we'll have a pattern rumble.

9) I watched Top Gun at least once a week during 8th grade (I had it on Beta!). Tom Cruise was so dreamy before we all found out he's totally insane.

10) An insanely high percentage of my clothes are from Target because I'm cheap and too lazy to find another inexpensive clothing store where one can also buy hot chocolate and bookshelves.

11) My laptop is named Lamont Cranston, after one of The Shadow's alter-egos.

12) The reason I taught myself to knit was because I wanted to have my own Gryffindor scarf.

13) I can't get into an unmade bed and consequently make my bed every single morning with varying degrees of neatness.

14) Two years ago I won a kayak (first prize, even!) in a photography contest for the picture below:


This was the first thing I had ever won. No, seriously. The first thing. I'd ever won. Ever. Including those stupid awards like, "Best At Staying Inside the Lines" they give to everyone in kindergarten.

15) About three and a half years ago I lost around 50 pounds. I might be prouder of that than of any of my degrees. Grad school is hard, but losing weight is really hard - I mean, you have to eat. Like Vincent Vega says, bacon tastes good. A lot of people don't think they can lose weight, and neither did I. I always knew I could get a master's degree.

16) I like Wisconsin, yet I keep trying to go west, young woman. I'm having trouble leaving the things about Wisconsin I like - mostly the people.

17) I think I need to learn to drive a manual transmission just in case one day there is a zombie apocalypse, and there's nobody left un-zombified who knows how to drive stick and that's all there is available. Or if I'm in Europe at the time of said zombie apocalypse.

18) Even though it's generally cheesy and over the top, I wish people still made film noir.

19) When I'm having a really bad day, Peggy Bunny (who was pink when I got her at age three) still sleeps with me.

20) For a long time I thought Johnny Rivers was singing "Secret Asian Man," not "Secret Agent Man." The actual words make a lot more sense.

21) I have never seen a single episode of Saved By the Bell, nor have I ever owned a Barbie. These are cultural phenomenons I will never understand.

22) When I was in elementary school I made a window hanging for a friend as a birthday gift. Her father made fun of it and since then I have never given something homemade as a gift - which is lame, especially since homemade gifts are my favorite kind to get.

23) I am hoping to take a picture every day of 2009. So far I have missed zero days. Here is today's picture:


Ah yes, the trophy from the Packers' only Superbowl win during my lifetime. Spring had better get here soon - I've just about exhausted the things you can do and see inside the stadium in Green Bay when it's this cold.

24) My all-time favorite album is The Joshua Tree by U2, my favorite food is the green olive, my favorite domestic microbrew is Capital Brewery's Island Wheat (admittedly, mostly because the wheat comes from one of my favorite places in the state), and my favorite song is Fairytale of New York by The Pogues.

25) This is where the funniest story about Kindergarten Jessie would go, if I didn't think it would totally gross you out. Unsurprisingly, it involves barf and underpants.

I miss my friends. :(

2 comments:

Chetter said...

Thanks for making me laugh during a truly sucky day at work.

by the way...what does poncy mean?

notasecretagent said...

No problem - and I hope your day gets better! How are things otherwise?

(Oh, and according to the Urban Dictionary, poncy is "Someone, something or somewhere which is overpriced, over styled, over rated, or thinks more highly of itself than it deserves." Y'know, just... poncy.)