Since I have received this request several times now, I thought with the extra time I have today, I would make my list of 25 (plus 2) things about myself.
1. Emma was biggest ‘surprise’ of my life. At first, I didn’t know how I was going to manage, much less get through graduate school, but she’s been the best thing in my life for 7 years now (Oliver has been for the past 3 years).
2. If it weren’t for Emma, I would have moved to NYC after college.
3. I am extremely low maintenance. I can get ready in less than 20 minutes.
4. I feel I became who I am today while working on my MA in English. These were the most influential years of my life. It greatly changed the way I think. I am more analytical, I question everything, and I highly value a person’s intellect.
5, Before Oliver, I thought I had the parenting thing figured out. Now I understand having to leave a full cart of goods in the store to deal with a tantrum.
6. I live in St. Louis because of my kids. My sister jokes that the day after Oliver’s graduation she thinks I will move. (she’s probably right)
7. I don’t know what I will exactly do with my PhD – I just know I want it.
8. I am extremely optimistic.
9. I carry Burt Bee’s chap stick with me at all times. It is my lipstick (relating back to #3). I have tried to wear lipstick and just feel I look stupid in it.
10. I recycle everything and cringe when I think of trash I used to throw out of my car windows in high school (that’s for you, Linds)
11. I think it takes a bad situation to realize a good one. This is one reason I am so content and happy being single.
12. I truly love my job. I think I work with some of the best people, and I love my students. I also think if my entire English Dept. were in an office setting, we would not get anything accomplished in a day’s time. There would be more pranks and laughter and ridicule than anyone thought possible.
13. I could never be a stay at home mom (certainly, I respect those who can – you are truly better people than I am). After even a short break, I am ready to go back to work.
14. My high school/college boyfriend dying greatly affected my college years. While there has not been a Dec. 11th in which that has not occupied my thoughts, it seems so surreal now. That was such a hard experience to go through at such a young age, when I knew so little and had so few life experiences.
15. I tend to make friends on an individual basis.
16. I have never had a friendship develop as quickly as mine with Natasha. She is the one person in the world that truly gets me. Likewise, Lindsey’s friendship is more important to me than most. We have endured so many years together and still are just as close as we always were. I value these two more than words can say.
17. I am passionate about many things: theater, music, traveling, running, among others. At the start of a show, or when I’m out running and think about crossing the finish line of a marathon, I tear up. At most curtain calls, I have tears – my sister endlessly makes fun of me for this.
18. I find pleasure in the small things in life: I like the way green trees look against a blue, cloudless sky. I love the bells that toll at 9:30 each morning in my neighborhood. I love how my neighborhood coffee shop makes a latte with a pattern on top. I like when my students say thank you. I love the little quirky comments that come from Emma and Oliver; they make my days.
19. I hope to travel the world. There are very few places that I do not hope to someday visit.
20. While I don’t not like chocolate, I certainly do not crave it. I will pass up the best piece of chocolate for cheese every time.
21. I live where I do so Emma and Oliver will have the best education possible. There is nothing more important to me than their education.
22. Clutter drives me crazy! I constantly go through things we have asking ‘do we really need this?’ We donate/sell a lot of stuff.
23. I have a hard time having conversations that never probe through through the surface stuff of life (probably why I make friends individually – I want to know people, not just what they have done with their day).
24. I am very close with my parents even though, as they will tell you, I am nothing like them. I talk to my mom everyday. She understands me and is my rock. To my dad, I am a big mystery; he does not understand anything about me, but I love him for it!
25. I constantly count things and am secretly pleased when I find numbers are divisible by two. Stairs, push pins in a bulletin board, lockers in the hallway, windows, drawers on a dresser, etc.
25 1/2. As the Edith Piaf song goes, “non, je ne regrette rien.” I don’t have regrets; I am one who feel all experiences make us who we are.
25 3/4. Nicole and I call each other ‘sister’ like it is our name. It’s really annoying to others, I’m sure.
