Everything you never wanted to know...

When I wander around other people’s blogs, I often see something called “101 things about me.” Apparently someone thought it would be a good idea to make a list of random minutiae about their life, and this idea caught on. And now these “101” lists are all over the place. (Why 101? Why not 100? Or 110? Or 99?) The other day I was wondering about what kinds of things make me “me” – so maybe I should give the list thing a try. I’m not sure if I can even THINK of 101 things about me, but maybe it’ll be interesting to attempt this…

So, in no particular order of importance:

1. I was born in the thriving metropolis of Buffalo, NY.
2. My hair starts to turn red when I’m out in the sun a lot.
3. I took piano lessons for about six years.
4. My middle name is Carol, because my mom and dad both have sisters named Carol.
5. I have a dog named Echo and a cat named Allegro.
6. My favorite color is purple.
7. When I was 12, I tried to write a book about kids who were stranded in a forest and forced to live off leaves and berries and water from a creek.
8. We moved a few times when I was a kid, so from fourth grade to ninth grade, I was in a different school every year.
9. According to my mom, I liked dill pickles and olives by the time I was two years old… apparently that’s unusual.
10. I’ve always been highly allergic to mosquito bites.
11. I didn’t like coffee until I was about 25.
12. I never had an entire alcoholic drink until I was 30.
13. As you can probably imagine, I’ve never been much of a party animal.
14. I can NOT grow plants, no matter how hard I try.
15. I think clowns are creepy.
16. I don’t get sick very often, and I haven’t had the flu in 7 years (I probably just jinxed myself…).
17. When Eric and I were kids, we had about 100 stuffed animals that I kept in a huge box in my closet.
18. Eric is my younger brother, and I also have an older brother named Robert.
19. I had a half-sister named Aimee who died about four years ago.
20. I think I look pretty good in hats.
21. I only own two hats.
22. I’m about 5’4” and a half… maybe 5’5” if I stand up really straight.
23. I wish I was taller.
24. I wish I was thinner.
25. I always think if I was taller, I probably wouldn’t need to weigh less.
26. I have a fear of lakes and the ocean, at least when I can’t see through the water.
27. When I was a kid, I once had a spider bite that caused my eye to swell shut.
28. I had all my wisdom teeth by the time I was 16, and they served me well for fifteen years (but then I had them all removed...).
29. I love cherries – they’re my favorite fruit.
30. I was the only person in my high school’s German Honor Society.
31. I was barred from the National Honor Society because I was “too quiet” and “not enough of a leader.”
32. That shouldn’t still bother me, but sometimes it does.
33. I have two full sets of magnetic poetry on my fridge.
34. I make the best chocolate cake in the world. Really. It’s the best.
35. I’ve never really known what to call my green/brown eyes on my license, so I always say hazel.
36. I hate talking to strangers on the phone – even more than in person.
37. Don Mattingly was my favorite baseball player when I was a teenager.
38. Derek Jeter is my favorite now.
39. I turn the thermostat down to 67 when I sleep, and Rick hates that.
40. The closest I’ve ever been to a tornado was about a mile or so away – it destroyed the grocery store where I shopped.
41. I really hate old Bugs Bunny cartoons.
42. I love different colored pens, and I have about three dozen of them lying around.
43. Sometimes I’ll start a new book before I’ve finished an old one, and then go back and finish the old one when I’m done with the new one.
44. I hate licorice.
45. I love chocolate, but I don’t suppose that will come as a surprise to anyone.
46. I haven’t been to Disneyworld since I was 15, but I’d like to go back some day.
47. I don’t like sweet apples, but I like sour green ones.
48. I really don’t think Brad Pitt is THAT attractive.
49. When I was a kid, I was afraid of Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny.
50. I have freckles all over the left side of my stomach, but not the right side.
51. I love the word “synchronicity.”
52. I have a fear of sudden loud noises.
53. Some of the countries I’ve been lucky enough to visit are: Canada, Mexico, Costa Rica, Panama, Spain, Portugal, France, Germany, Poland, Russia, Estonia, Italy, Sweden, Finland, Denmark... plus airports in England and Norway (but that probably doesn’t count).
54. Some of the countries I’d LIKE to visit: all the rest of them (it’s easier to say that than to make a list).
55. I hated the movie “Gone With the Wind.”
56. In contrast, I loved “Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle.”
57. I hate White Castle.
58. I haven’t had really short hair since I was six years old.
59. I once stole a milkshake from Fuddrucker’s, because the teenage girl behind the counter was too busy flirting with her teenage-boy-coworker to notice the money I was waving in front of her face.
60. I never sit on hotel bedspreads, and I remove them as soon as I get to my room.
61. A lot of people tell me I look good when I wear the color red.
62. I don’t like riding in boats, unless they’re big enough to have restaurants and casinos.
63. I never wore the slightest bit of makeup until I met my friend Cindy (she was selling for Mary Kay at the time…).
64. I can tell the difference between Dasani bottled water and Evian.
65. I don’t like Evian.
66. I have five different tubes of lip balm in my purse.
67. I love the smell of curry.
68. When I was young, I was terrified of being kidnapped and thought all adults were out to get me.
69. Sometimes, I think my cat actually tries to talk to me.
70. I wish I was better at playing baseball/softball/basketball/soccer/sports in general.
71. I think the platypus is a fascinating animal.
72. I don’t like peppermint candy, but I love peppermint ice cream.
73. I think it would be cool to have secret passages in my house.
74. My first car was an Eagle Medallion… I think they made them for all of two years.
75. I used to volunteer at a thrift store with Cindy, where I ran the cash register… all the profits went to charity.
76. I like playing Trivial Pursuit.
77. I’ve always wanted to live in a downtown apartment in a big city.
78. I think baby animals are cuter than baby humans.
79. I’ve never danced in public, although countless men have asked me to (and by “countless” I mean, like, one. Hey, what do you know? I WAS able to count).
80. I really love my iPod.
81. I think Christopher Walken is hilarious.
82. I don’t believe in love at first sight.
83. I think people take a lot of things too seriously, and some things, not seriously enough.
84. I find Bollywood movies strangely mesmerizing.
85. I can wink with both eyes, but I can hold my left eyelid closed indefinitely, so I look half asleep/half awake.
86. I won’t buy a pair of shoes unless I can think of at least three outfits to wear them with.
87. I have perfected the art of dressing for airport security.
88. I love to sit outside at night and look at stars.
89. We used to go camping when I was young, but I’m not sure I’d go camping now.
90. I read up on medical conditions just for the fun of it.
91. I am obsessive about flossing my teeth.
92. I like shopping for clothes on the internet so much more than shopping for clothes at the mall.
93. I was always the one picked last in gym.
94. I can’t whistle.
95. I’m afraid to wear swimsuits in public.
96. My favorite TV show of all time is Northern Exposure.
97. I hate pulpy orange juice.
98. The most ticklish place on my body is my collarbones.
99. My dream job would probably be a travel writer.
100. I’ve recently discovered that I love margaritas.
101. I can’t believe anyone read this entire list.

Wow, that took a while... if you're still reading this, you might have too much time on your hands... :)