16 Things

I posted this already on Facebook, but I'll put it here too, just for kicks.

16 Facts About Me

1. I have absolutely no sense of direction. The only place I have a chance of figuring out cardinal directions is Albuquerque, New Mexico. It's pretty much impossible to mess it up there.

2. I have a black belt in tae kwon do, but I'm 20 years out of practice.

3. I am convinced that I have a facility for languages, though I only speak English.

4. I have never worn high heels.

5. I strongly dislike mustard, celery, and bell peppers. I found out a few years ago that my brother also hates these things, though our parents like all of them.

6. I have chicken pox scars all over my body, including several on my face. Apparently, I had a really, really bad case, but I was four and barely remember it.

7. I cannot read the big E on the top of the eye chart without my glasses.

8. I make a mean pot roast.

9. I would nap every day if I could. And I used to until very recently.

10. I'm left-handed, but I tend to do sports right-handed. This may or may not explain why I suck at them. All of them.

11. I hate doing hand-done dishes more than any other household chore, including cleaning the toilet.

12. I don't like to cook, but I like to bake.

13. I have been to Eastern but not Western Europe, unless you count an overnight layover in Amsterdam.

14. I like to think that one day I'll start writing again, but I know that today is not that day.

15. I have now lived in California longer than I've lived in any other state and I don't see myself leaving, unless cost of living becomes too prohibitive.

16. I don't think I'm as old as my age would indicate.

60 Things*


1. What is in the back seat of your car right now?

A carseat, a book about fire trucks, and probably some old cheerios.

2. When was the last time you threw up?

I don't think it was the most recent, but the most memorable one was due to food poisoning from Mexican restaurant that I will NEVER return to. There was more than puking going on for a few hours.

3. What's your favorite curse word?

The one I use when I really mean it or the one I use most often? They aren't the same.



4. Name 3 people who made you smile today?

Lynn, DJ, John



5. What were you doing at 8 am this morning?

Getting up.



6. What were you doing 30 minutes ago?

Watching Winnie-the-Pooh.



7. What will you be doing 3 hours from now?

Either talking to my husband or watching something.



8. Have you ever been to a strip club?

Nope.



9. What is the last thing you said aloud?

Are you done?



10. What is the best ice cream flavor?

Today I'll say chocolate chip. Tomorrow might be something different.



11. What was the last thing you had to drink?

Water.



12. What are you wearing right now?

Sweater, jeans.



13. What was the last thing you ate?

A me-created casserole of sorts, leftover from last night.



14. Have you bought any new clothing items this week?

No. I tried to buy some sweat pants for DJ, but they didn't have any I liked.



15. When was the last time you ran?

Probably when I had run across a field in a park to stop DJ from getting too close to the street.



16. What's the last sporting event you watched?

Live? A San Jose Giants (minor league) baseball. Or do you count Calvinball? 'Cause DJ plays that pretty much daily.



18. Who is the last person you emailed?

My friend Kelly who was telling me about preschool she visited.



19. Ever go camping?

Yes.



20. Do you have a tan?

Um, it's February. 



24. Do you drink your soda from a straw?

Yes.



25. What did your last IM say?

I think it was an "I love you" from John.



26. Are you someone's best friend?

I have someone I consider my best friend. I like to think I am also hers. 



27. What are you doing tomorrow?

House-hunting in the morning, napping in the afternoon.

28. Where is your mom right now?

She's kinda hard to keep up with, but I'm assuming she's somewhere in the Ukraine.



29. Look to your left, what do you see?

My endtable covered with two remotes, coasters, a lamp, a picture, coupla kleenexes and various other items.

30. What color is your watch?

Silver band with a blue face.


31. What do you think of when you think of Australia ?

Down Under.



32. Would you consider plastic surgery?

No, unless I needed it for reconstruction after an accident or something like that

.

33. What is your birthstone?

Garnet

.

34. Do you go in at a fast food place or just hit the drive thru?

I can literally count the number of times I've driven through on two fingers.



35.How many kids do you want?

Two sounds about right.



36. Do you have a dog?

No, I have an almost-three-year-old

.

37. Last person you talked to on the phone?

Lynn.



38. Have you met anyone famous?

Neil Gaiman. And Sarah Vowell, if she's considered famous.



39. Any plans today?
I hope to sleep tonight.



40. How many states have you lived in?

Three.



41. Ever go to college?

Yeah. It helps if you want your degree.



42. Where are you right now?

Living room.



43. Biggest annoyance in your life right now?

My left ear needs to pop.



44. Last song listened to?

Whatever was on the radio in the car this morning.



46. Are you allergic to anything?

Yes, but I don't know what.



47. Favorite pair of shoes you wear all the time?

I wear my tennis shoes all the time, though this particular pair isn't my favorite.



48. Are you jealous of anyone?
Occasionally

.

50. Is anyone jealous of you?

I highly doubt it.



51. What time is it?

About 7:00 p.m.



52. Do any of your friends have children?

I'm in that stage of life where most of my friends have children.


53. Do you eat healthy?

Yes, but I also eat crap. I like to think it evens out.

My son eats way better than I do.


54. What do you usually do during the day?

Sit on the couch and eat bon-bons. Isn't that what all stay-at-home moms do?



55. Do you hate anyone right now?

No.



56. Do you use the word 'hello' daily?

Yes, most days I answer the phone.



58. How old will you be turning on your next birthday?

*sigh*



59. Have you ever been to Six Flags?

Yeah, in, like, 1985. Oh wait, Magic Mountain is a Six Flags, isn't it? Okay, in that case, 1995 or so.



60. How did you get one of your scars?

The most noticeable one is from falling out of a tree and hitting my lip on a chair on the way down.

*I don't know what happened to some of the numbers. They weren't there on the list I got. So, I guess it's 55 things.

Another of these, Christmas-style


1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Wrapping paper, unless the gift is oddly shaped.

2. Real or artificial tree? I prefer real, but I currently have an artificial.

3. When do you put up the tree?  A couple weeks before Christmas.
 
4. When do you take the tree down?  Some time close to New Year's.

5. Do you like eggnog? Yes, but I only drink about a glass a year. After that, it gets kinda nasty.

6. Favorite gift received as a child? I liked most of the stuff I got. I don't have a specific memory of a favorite, though.

7. Do you have a nativity scene? Yes, but it came without a baby Jesus, so kinda no.

8. Hardest person to buy for?  My father-in-law.

9. Easiest person to buy for?  My son.

10. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? There was this big, heavy, god-awful onyx-looking choker-necklace thing I got one year. I'm sure there were other not-so-greats, like when my mom gave functional gifts like underwear. I don't really keep track of that sort of thing, though.
 
11. Mail or email Christmas cards?  Christmas cards? People are expecting cards from me again this year? That's unfortunate.
 
12. Favorite Christmas Movie? 
Does Lethal Weapon count as a Christmas movie? (-:
It's probably While You Were Sleeping, though I consider Gone with the Wind a Christmas movie because it got played on TNT a couple Christmases in a row when I was teenager and that's when I first saw it. And it's my guilty pleasure movie.
 
13. When do you start shopping for Christmas?  December.
 
14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present?  Probably, if it was made of paper.

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Chocolate, naturally. 

16. Clear lights or colored on the tree?  Clear.
 
17. Favorite Christmas song?    God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen.

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? I like to be with my family, but it doesn't really matter to me who does the traveling.

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer?   Yes.
 
20. What is on the tree top, angel or a star?  Nothing. But I prefer stars, because the other looks like an angel got a tree shoved up her butt, which is weird and slightly off-putting.

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or Christmas morning? Christmas Eve.

22. Most annoying thing about this time of year?  The horrible crooner-esque, sappy easy-listening "music" I'm subjected to when I go outside my house.

23. Do you decorate your tree in any specific theme or color?  I call it The Eclectic Collection.

24. What do/did you leave for Santa? Didn't/don't.


If you're reading this, consider yourself tagged.

You're it.

I got tagged by Lynn on Monday, but I'm feeling kinda lazy this week (as you might have noticed since I haven't given the birdie update or reviewed the book I finished). So you get a late and pared-down version of the original, but so be it. Here goes.

I'm supposed to list my top five local restaurants. I decided to go with the truly local establishments, and not list anything that has locations outside of the Bay Area. And by cuisine-type 'cause it helps narrow things down.

1. Thai--The Blue Mango in Santa Clara, although Thai Basil in Sunnyvale is also worth visiting. It'll hit your Thai spot. Lots of flavor in everything. Try their spicy noodles. Yum!
2. Mexican--For a taqueria, La Victoria in downtown San Jose; for a sit-down place, La Fiesta/Fiesta Del Mar in Mountain View. Fresh, flavorful guac, outstanding enchiladas, 4 salsas at every table. And margaritas.
3. Pizza--Willow Street Pizza (Westgate location preferable). It's a wood-fired pizza place and I haven't had a pizza there I didn't like. Salads aren't so great, though.
4. Breakfast--Hobees. Super yummy everything I've tried. Even the coffee cake is of note. (I usually go to the one in the Pruneyard, 'cause it's the closest.)
5. Chinese--Hong Fu in Cupertino--based solely on their walnut prawns (though the kung pao is also good).


Okay, so now I'm supposed to tag five people, so Doug, Jodi, Crystal,Daphne, and Barbara consider yourself tagged.