Monday, August 25, 2008

100 things about me.

Warning: You will never retrieve the precious minutes you waste reading this list. You may want to just move on!
100. I love to people-watch. I think that's why I'm addicted to reading others' blogs. I got this idea from my friend's wife's blog. Thanks, Jen.
99. I am an Irish Twin. My little sis was born less than a year after I.
98. Neither of my grandmothers ever drove or even held a driver's license.
97. I have lost the 2nd toenail on my left foot multiple times from running. When it's missing, I just paint the skin so no one knows--gross, huh?!
96. I lived and worked in Marin, Switzerland for 3 months in the summer of 1990 as a part of a Foreign Language Internship program through BYU.
95. I taught Home Economics for four years.
94. I have a Teaching Minor in French.
93. I almost missed the last train back to my apartment in Switzerland one night because I misunderstood the German conductor speaking French telling me which train to take.
92. I win stuff--books at conferences, makeup, jewelry, cooking utensils and other wares at home parties, a bike, photo session, $50 gift certificate to a clothing store, etc.
91. I stash/hide stuff at stores when I plan to come back and buy it.
90. I QUIT scrapbooking a couple of years ago. It's such a relief not to compete with the creative geniuses that are stay-at-home Mormon women!!
89. I said the closing prayer at the convocation ceremony where I received my Master's Degree.
88. I gave birth to Kenna on the day of my comprehensive exams for my Master's Program. I had to make the trek up to campus with my 1-week-old girl and spend two days in a small office to make them up.
87. I wanted to name Alec Jack but my bro-in-law's family has a dog with that name.
86. I've been to four rock concerts in my life--Sting in High School, Def Leopard my freshman year at BYU, Sting with Brent in 1994, The Police with Brent in 2008.
85. I've run 1 marathon--St. George 2006.
84. The year I turned 16 and got my driver's license, I got 5 speeding tickets.
83. I was 35 when I first went to Disneyland and I'm still the only one in my family (of origin) that has been.
82. I'm craving fresh peaches right now.
81. I would looooove to get liposuction but I'm too chicken.
80. I know that a lot of people don't like their in laws but I love mine (and not just because they read this blog!!).
79. I got Honors in every subject in High School except for P.E. which I missed by ONE percentage point!!
78. My fingerprints are "worn out". I have had numerous problems with renewing my Green Card and Educator Licenses because no one can get a good print on me.
77. I'm the oldest of six kids.
76. I just got braces on my teeth and have lost 3 pounds in the last 3 days because I still can't chew anything and my cheeks are ripped to shreds.
75. I had braces once before when I was in 6th grade. Wear your retainer, kids!!
74. I set Brent up on a date with my younger sister, Stephanie.
73. I am Canadian.
72. I've never been successful in an attempt to water ski...No, you couldn't get me up either! Many have tried. All have failed.
71. When I was in grade 1 a friend of mine and I switched names while we had a long-term substitute. I realized this wasn't a good when we started reporting our assignment scores.
70. I have rescued a sheep and a goat from the same problem--head stuck in a fence. Stupid ovines.
69. I'm named after my mom's best friend who died when she was in Elementary school.
68. I have a Bachelor's Degree and a Master's Degree from BYU. Go Cougars.
67. I'm a sucker for anything a kid is selling at the door.
66. I resisted tasting avocados and guacamole until a few years ago because of the color.
65. My favorite sound in the world is my kiddos' genuine belly laughs.
64. I participated in 4-H club and raised a bummer lamb named Sugar. (Steph's was named Pepsi.) It sold at auction for $67...a big deal to an 11-year-old.
63. If I had lots of $$$, I'd get weekly massages.
62. I own over 11 pairs of sunglasses.
61. I remember phone numbers very easily.
60. I looooove being an aunt! Spoiling nieces and nephews is so fun and I don't have to deal with the consequences of overindulged offspring!
59. I don't like even numbers or numbers that are divisible by 5.
58. I had a collection of feathers taped to the barn wall when I was younger which remembrance just made me dry heave...Think, "You can't get a disease from a bird," a la Michael Scott on The Office.
57. My fingernails hurt if I don't have polish on them.
56. I just attended my 20-year H.S. reunion and had a blast. Yeah, I wanted to be skinnier, more tan, more successful, etc. but I was surprised that I was mostly comfortable with myself and so VERY glad to see so many people from the past.
55. I would love to be head-turning beautiful for one day.
54. When I taught school my favorite students were trouble-making boys and teacher's pet girls.
53. I was a cheerleader in Jr. High.
52. I was 20 years old before I rode in an airplane.
51. I soooo wanted a Farah Fawcett Glamor Center head for Christmas one year.
50. The person who can make me laugh the hardest is my sister Stephanie.
49. I used to rock my school books at the bus stop because I was so used to holding babies. (See #77.)
48. My sister and I loved to watch the show, "CHiPs" when we were younger. The thought of Erik Estrada still makes me tingle...until someone (BRENT!!) emailed me this picture.
47. My sister Stephanie and I used to tell our sister Barbara that she was adopted. So sorry, Barbs.
46. I honestly used to think that eating a fruit-flavored milkshake was significantly better for you than a chocolate shake. I wish!
45. I have the same middle name as my mom and as my daughter.
44. When I was pregnant with Kenna and nearing the end of my Master's Degree, I applied for admission to and was accepted by the Counseling Psychology PhD program at BYU but decided against going. Maybe someday.
43. I've been a in Relief Society presidency 7 times.
42. I like yoga but rarely make the time to attend a class.
41. I love to play the card game, Rook.
40. I met Neleh Dennis (a Survivor contestant from Utah) and was the first person to get her autograph. We were on the same bus traveling to attend the Olympic Festival in downtown Salt Lake City in 2002.
39. Every once-in-a-while I get a craving for a corn dog.
38. My parents used to let me drive before I got my driver's license.
37. Once I drove into town when I was 15 and ignored my parents' rule to not drive anyone else around. I ran out of gas at a friend's house and had to have another friend's dad bail me out with some fuel from his gas station.
36. If there were a Diet Dr. Pepper Addicts Club, I'd be the president. "Hello. My name is Rita and I have a problem...a 2-44 oz mugs/day problem."
35. Once a couple at a gas station asked if I could "help them out" and buy them some gas. I agreed and told them to fill up their truck. This charitable impulse cost me $127. Ouch.
34. When I was in Europe, several men kissed me on the cheek or asked to have their picture taken with me because of my ORANGE hair.
33. I've never voted in a national election. I was not old enough or not in the country during Canadian elections and can't vote in the U.S.A.
32. I have a collection of keychains from places I've been. This started in Switzerland when I bought a cowbell keychain in most cities that I visited.
31. I resisted reading the Twilight series as long as I could. I gave in and am 1/3 finished the final book.
30. Since we finally took the dive and got Dish Network programming, I hardly ever watch anything that's not on HGTV (Home and Garden TV) or the Disney Channel. I've missed all sorts of bad local, state, national, and world news. I've never been so stylishly, ignorantly blissful.
29. Brent liked my roommate before he liked me.
28. I call our 61" television the Golden Calf. It feels like we worship it sometimes...The kids for the entertainment and me for the babysitting. I can't believe I just admitted that.
27. I always thought about doing Marriage and Family Therapy but decided to go into School Counseling when I taught at a Young Mother's High School for a year.
26. When I applied to graduate school, I almost indicated the wrong department--Educational Leadership rather than Educational Psychology. I might have been a Principal instead of a School Psychologist right now if I hadn't figured it out!
25. I believe that I am on the earth at this time for a reason...epidurals have now been invented.
24. I struggle with road rage. Use a signal light already, people...and use it to get out of the left lane.
23. Brent and I have a deal. If Cameron Diaz ever comes knocking, he is free to go. He loves her.
22. I've had stitches once. Stephanie and I got into a yelling match and she threw a pancake turner at me. It caught me right above the right eyebrow.
21. Little kids always ask me what my freckles are. "What are those SPOTS, SPECKLES, DOTS, SPECKS, etc.?" My favorite..."What are all those SPARKLES on you?"
20. I could drink hot chocolate by the gallon.
19. I want to marry Mr. Goodbar.
18. To celebrate(?) the year of my 40th birthday, I have a goal to run the Utah Grand Slam--4 to 6 Utah Marathons. (Ogden, Salt Lake, Deseret News, Park City, Top of Utah, St. George)
17. My life is like treading water in a sea of guilt. Someone throw me a life preserver already!!
16. Whenever we played "Charlie's Angels" with my cousins as kids, I wanted to be Kelly but they made me be Sabrina because I was the
smart one.
15. My brother threw an ice cube tray at me the day before Grade 9 Honor Night. I sported a bruised, fat lip for the occasion.
14. Lortab makes me LOOPY...my body crashes but my mind goes nuts. I hate it.
13. I like to play Mario Kart on GameCube with my kids. Too bad Todd can beat me 99% of the time now.
12. I can't dive. I get scared at the last minute and jerk my head up to ensure a BELLYFLOP. D'oh.
11. I'm not a fan of Mexican food.
10. I'm a picky eater but not nearly as bad as Todd or my dad.
9. In grade 11 I went through a short stint of skipping school. Two of the truant activities I recall were: watching "Dirty Dancing" in a friend's basement and shooting a pistol at a weasel in a field by another friend's home.
8. I cried when Princess Diana died. It still makes me sad.
7. I like and feel compelled to write complaint letters. Hey, people and companies need to know how lame they are.
6. I'm always cold.
5. I loved my English 30 class (grade 12) and CRIED a LOT at home and to the teacher when I didn't get an 'a' on the provincial departmental exam worth 50% of my final grade. (Missed it by 4 percentage points!!) I re-took it the following semester and did very well.
4. I got to work at a florist shop during the Mother's Day rush one year after I had taken a floral design course at BYU. Totally fun.
3. I like to have poetry read to me.
2. I took the ACT twice in order to improve my chances of getting a scholarship. I didn't bother to calculate many of the answers on the Math section on my second time through because I remembered them from the first time!
1. I'm a pretty boring person. (Wouldn't you agree?!)

9 comments:

Eric said...

I love this list! I did something similar on my blog and frankly, you're way more interesting then me.

Amy and Brad said...

I loved it, too! It so comfirms for me our kindred-spirt-ness! Well over half of your "100 Things" we have in common!

Amy and Brad said...

That's "kindred spirit" not "spirt" I'm not actually sure what a kindred spirt is :)

Mandy said...

gosh...and I thought I knew you! I do now :) how fun. I love it. I liked how you linked things too.....so clever!

Andrea said...

Great list. Coming up with 100 things is kind of hard. I actually didn't know as many things as I thought I would. I did love how many of the things about you included Stephanie. You guys have such a cute, unique, and special connection. I like her.

kmmclain said...

I'm so glad I found your blog. It was fun to see your children all grown up! Little Alec was a newborn last time I saw him. Time flies!

Kristen said...

Hey Rita! I found you via Brad and Amy's blog. I'm fairly new in the blogging world and I love it...it's a great way to keep in touch with friends. I love what you've posted. Very fun to read! Check out our blog: kristengregson.blogspot.com

Debbie said...

I read them all, Rita, and loved it. I would say you're definitely not boring. I did a similar list on my blog. It is fun to write and wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. I've been in a RS presidency 7 times too, but not since we moved to Texas. Hmmm. What happened here? Reading your blog made me realize I miss chatting with you!

Melissa said...

I loved this list! And no I don't think you are a boring person at all. I learned a lot about you... I too am a sucker for kids selling ANYTHING, even ask Marshall!