100 Things About Me

Jacob did it. So did Girl With an Alibi, Evercurious, and True Jersey Girl. And I, being the follower that I am, have now done it as well. Yes, I've succumbed to the 100 Things You Didn't Know About Me post. And I am not even halfway to the 100th post point. But this is yet another excuse to talk about ME! Cause let's face it, nobody in my daily life is interested in hearing 100 things about me. If you are not interested in reading 100 things about me, then feel free to click the next blog button at the top of the page. And then you can bite me.

Here we go.

1. I was born and raised in South Jersey.
2. But I do not have the "Joisey" accent.
3. I moved to South Florida five years ago.
4. I really hate hurricanes.
5. And I really miss the change of seasons.
6. I am on my second career.
7. I was a chef in my first career.
8. At 19, I was running a catering service.
9. I didn't think it was a big deal at the time.
10. Now I realize what a big deal it was.
11. I was known as the "Soup Queen" when I was a chef.
12. I should have written a cookbook.
13. I graduated college two months ago - at the age of 39.
14. I missed graduating with highest honors by .011.
15. Now I am an elementary school teacher.
16. I once worked as a nanny - which could be why I became a teacher.
17. I abhor the word "bored" - only boring people get bored.
18. I can be very stubborn.
19. I have a tendency to be a tad anal retentive.
20. I can quote more movies than I would like to admit.
21. My favorite all-time tv show is Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
22. I have a magazine addiction.
23. I am a huge football (go Packers!) fan.
24. I cry when I am really happy.
25. I spend too much time on my computer.
26. I spend a lot of time with my family.
27. Sometimes more than I would choose to if it were up to me.
28. I am turning 40 on September 7th.
29. I'm a little freaked out by this.
30. Mostly because I never thought I would live this long.
31. Most people guess that I am in my mid to late 20's.
32. They say it's because I look young.
33. I say it's because I'm immature.
34. I am not married.
35. I don't know if I want to be married.
36. I would rather be alone than settle.
37. I don't have any children.
38. I don't know if I want to have any children.
39. I have a new movie star crush every few months.
40. Currently it's Viggo Mortensen.
41. I think I would have his children.
42. If I do have children, I know what I will name them.
43. But I won't say the names here.
44. I have never been to Disneyworld.
45. I lived in Australia for almost 2 years.
46. I was in love with a boy there.
47. If he had asked me to stay, I would have.
48. Sydney is my favorite city in the world.
49. Florence is a close second.
50. I backpacked in Europe for six months.
51. I was on the Berlin Wall New Year's Eve 89 - the year the wall came down.
52. It was one of the greatest nights of my life.
53. I have a tattoo of a rose on my ass.
54. It was done by Tattoo Molly at the Hanky Panky in Amsterdam.
55. I think that Molly is somewhat famous in the tattoo world.
56. Molly got me stinking drunk the night before he tattooed me.
57. He also saved me from being killed by a homicidal prostitute.
58. I should blog about that night.
59. I should have written a book about my travels.
60. I have always wanted to go to Bora Bora.
61. Maybe Viggo will take me there for our honeymoon.
62. I have had many nicknames, none of which I am willing to reveal here.
63. One of my favorite things to eat for dinner is a big bowl of popcorn.
64. I play the flute.
65. I do not like shopping.
66. I would like to own my own home - with a yard - someday.
67. I really want a dog, hence the need for a yard.
68. I collect Russel Wright dinnerware.
69. I have a lot of cool antiques.
70. I love to decorate.
71. I like to imagine what I would do if I won millions in the lottery.
72. I tend to procrastinate.
73. I like spending time alone.
74. I can go for days without talking to anyone.
75. Although most people would say I am very social.
76. I have had sex on three of the seven continents.
77. I have not had a boyfriend in waaaaaaaay too long.
78. Two of my former boyfriends are seven years younger than I am.
79. I have a weakness for dimples.
80. And Levi's jeans that fit just right.
81. I have seen Bruce Springsteen in concert six times.
82. I hate getting out of bed in the morning.
83. I love bubble baths.
84. I used to smoke.
85. I am still trying to lose the weight I gained from quitting.
86. My parents divorced when I was 12.
87. According to my mother, I was a wild teenager.
88. Mom was no picnic herself in those days.
89. Now we are the best of friends.
90. I am not religious, but I do have faith.
91. I believe that everything happens for a reason.
92. I used to ride my bike every single day.
93. It's too hot to ride in Florida.
94. That is one of the reasons I want to move back to Jersey.
95. I have moved 16 times in my life, not including my travels.
96. I believe in love at first sight.
97. It happened to me a long time ago.
98. And I still love him now.
99. I wonder sometimes if I'll ever get over him.
100. Or if I should.

No doubt why I'm still single....

Flash Fiction #4 - A Lou Reed Day

The day was hot, but there was ice in their glasses that had not yet melted. The ice was not alone, of course. It was in the good company of tequila, Grand Marnier, lime juice, and sour mix. The Golden Margarita - champion of the Ritas.

The Goldens had been made by her boyfriend, who had then brought the perfect pitcher to the two of them on the beach. He poured the drinks, gave his girl a kiss on the lips, her friend a kiss on the forehead, and told them to enjoy. Then he left.

They laughed and gossiped. They smoked Marlboro Lights and read trash magazines to each other. They made fun of the various people on the beach; the women with fake boobs, the men with back hair. They gorged themselves on subs and washed them down with their icy Goldens. They toasted to past loves and mortifying moments.

They took dips in the warm sea, staying in so long their skin pruned. They giggled when the young lifeguards checked them out as they walked back to their chairs. The familiar combination of Coppertone, bulkhead tar, and Atlantic Ocean scented the air. The summer soundtrack of seagulls cawing and waves breaking wafted in the background. Sand sifted between their toes. They leaned their chairs back and let the late afternoon sun dry the salt water on their skin.

Just a perfect day.

Questions, Comments, General Concerns

Idea stolen from nonvocabulum.

Apples and Grapes

Women are like apples on trees.

The best ones are at the top of the tree. Most men don't want to reach for the best ones because they are afraid of falling and getting hurt. And let's face it, most men just don't want to make the extra effort needed to find the best. Instead, they take the apples from the ground that aren't nearly as good, but are much easier to obtain.

The apples at the top think something is wrong with them, when in reality, they're amazing. They just have to wait for the right man to come along, the one who's brave enough to climb all the way to the top of the tree.

Men are like a fine wine.

They begin as grapes, and it's up to women to stomp the shit out of them until they turn into something acceptable to have dinner with.

Just one of those silly emails I like to share now and then......

Flash Fiction #3 - The Glamorous Life

"You thought I forgot, didn't you? You thought I blew off all of our dreams, our hopes, our plans. I know I made promises, and I intended to keep them. I really did. I wanted more for us. I wanted everything. We were going to travel and see the world. Discover new cultures and meet exciting people. Speak French in Parisian cafes and drink Chianti in Italy. Wear designer clothes and drive Porsches to our high powered jobs. We were going to live the Sheila E. Glamorous Life.

And then when we tired of all that jetsetting, we'd settle down and have a family. Live on a farm....near the beach....with horses and dogs. There would be a studio in the loft for us to do our artwork. We'd shop at the general store and walk our kids to school. We'd sell our art and have the love that was always promised to us in storybooks......

I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. I never meant for things to turn out like this."

She felt tears rise and a sob choke in her throat. All those dreams...gone...she stared at the picture and wiped a tear from her eye before it dropped onto the beautiful smiling face in the image.

She heard the door bang shut. He was standing behind her. She could smell the whiskey on his breath and the cigarette smoke on his clothes.

"Where'd that picture come from? I never seen that one." He was drunk again. She could tell. He lost his grammar when he was drunk.

"Art school. We went to the beach to take photos," she replied.

He stared intently over her shoulder at the photo. "I forgot you even went to art school," he slurred, "Damn, girl. You were one hot little chick back then. Girl in that picture doesn't even look like you," he laughed and smacked her ass. He thought he was being funny.

"I know," she said quietly, "I was just thinking the same thing. I don't resemble her at all anymore." He didn't hear her. He had already turned on the television.

She slipped the photo of her young happy self back into its hiding place and went to the kitchen to start dinner.

Yay for Memes

Thank you JerseyGirl for posting this meme. With no time for real blogging lately, the meme is a handy little fallback.

1. When you look at yourself in the mirror, what's the first thing you look at?
I check for zits. Yes, I'm going on 40 and I still get zits. And people wonder why I say I'm a loser.

2. How much cash do you have on you right now?
One dollar in change, which I wouldn't have if the soda machine at school actually worked.

3. What's a word that rhymes with "TEST"?
Best

4. Favourite plant?
Orchids

5. Who is the 4th person on your missed call list on your cell phone?
Me. Figure that one out.

6. What is your main ring tone on your phone?
The theme from I Dream of Jeannie.

7. What shirt are you wearing?
The tee shirt from the cafe I worked at in Sydney.

8. Do you "label" yourself?
Yes, so my students know my name. That's probably not the answer the writer of this was looking for.

9. Name brand of your shoes currently wearing?
Barefoot

10. Do you prefer a bright or dark room?
Dark. It's that whole wannabe vampire thing.

11. What did you have for breakfast?
Tunafish. Shut up.

13. What were you doing at midnight last night?
I was completely unconscious.

(What happened to number 12?)

14. What did your last text message you received on your cell phone say?
Thank you for choosing Cingular Wireless.

15. Do you ever click on "Pop Ups" or Banners?
NEVER

16. What's an expression that you say a lot?
There ya go.

17. Who told you they loved you last?
One of my students. :)

18. Last furry thing you touched?
Is this a trick question?

19. How many hours a week do you work?
Lately, more than I can count.

20. How many rolls of film do you need to get developed?
Who wrote these questions?

21. Favourite age you have been so far?
19. No, 24. No, 26. Let's just say the years from 18-26 were golden.

22. Your worst enemy?
The zit man.

23. What is your current desk top picture?
Wanna see? Click here.

24. What was the last thing you said to someone?
Thank you. No, you don't need to carry my groceries out. I can do it.

25. If you had to choose between a million bucks or to be able to go back in time and fix all your mistakes which would you choose?
Oh I would so go back in time!!! I would invent post-it notes and be worth billions. Then I could blog all day. And take care of my and Brad's babies.

Flash Fiction #2 - Oops I Did It Again

I put the "Do Not Disturb" sign on the door, shut it, locked it, and turned around to find that I had locked myself on the wrong side of the door. No. This is not happening to me. Not again. I looked frantically down the hall at the elevator, but my boyfriend was well on his way down to the lobby by now. I tried to turn the knob every which way but - duh - it was locked. I kicked it - which resulted only in breaking a toenail. I even tried shouldering the door like they do in the tough guy movies. No luck.

So there I stood.
On the wrong side of the door.
In the hallway of the hotel.
In my underwear.

I ran down the hall to the house phone and called the lobby. The men at the desk called the floor, and tracked down which table he was playing. They always keep an eye on the high rollers. It's never been a problem finding him.

"What. Don't tell me you locked yourself out again?"

"Yes, I did. I know, I know! Hurry! I'm in my underwear here!"

"Fine, I'm on my way. You are so lucky to have me."

"I know I am, dear."

I snuck into the hallway bathroom. I splashed my face and fixed my hair. At least I looked presentable. And then I sat down on the counter and waited for my husband to come up and let me back in our room.

Shoulda Gone to Law School

Click here for The World's Shortest Personality Test.

You are elegant, withdrawn, and brilliant. Your mind is a weapon, able to solve any puzzle. You are also great at poking holes in arguments and common beliefs. For you, comfort and calm are very important. You tend to thrive on your own and shrug off most affection. You prefer to protect your emotions and stay strong.

Teacher Teacher

Power Words

Words are amazing things. They can chastise, insult, curse, and cut. They can encourage, compliment, praise, and mend. While the scar from a physical cut can heal; the scar from cruel words almost never leaves us. Words communicate a myriad of emotions, and they have become all the more powerful due to this remarkable thing we know as the internet. It's incredible how so many words are out there for everyone to view with just the click of a mouse.

The blogworld centers around the written word. Some of us are gifted in how we put our words together. Some of us are not so gifted - to put it kindly. Some use words to express their frustration, or humor, or love, or religious beliefs. Some use them to make others laugh. Some use them to make others think. Some write words only for themselves, while others write for as many people to read as possible.

What I have found most fascinating in the blogworld is that a person's personality can be seen in their words. We can see the sarcasm (usually), the pain, the laughter, the fear. And we can tell the difference between sincerity and bullshit in almost every post. Sometimes we can be fooled, but usually not for long. Blogging has created a whole new world, and like most worlds, it is made up of many small communities. I feel lucky that I have found my way into a very special blog community, and even luckier that it just keeps growing with new and interesting people.

In elementary education, power words are words that are used repeatedly and therefore important to memorize (sometimes referred to as high frequency words). Out in the big bad world, the term power words often refers to words that express positive affirmations. This past weekend, one of the special people in my blog community wrote a beautiful and thoughtful blog - a perfect example of power words - and I was lucky enough to be the recipient of this lovely gesture. Sarah, the author of the fabulous The Only Reason I Feel Secure*, created a post just for me, for no other reason than to make me feel blessed and good about myself. She had no agenda, gave me no indication it was coming, and got nothing out of it but my sincere and heartfelt thanks. Her powerful words made my day. They made my month. They were indeed a blessing. And I won't forget them. Thank you Sarah. You are classy, lovely, and full of grace. I wish the world was filled with people like you.

**Note to readers: Now go read her blog and give her lots of power words back! And add her to your bloglist! And ooooh and aaaah over her gorgeous baby pictures! And tell her husband Jacob* how fabulous he is too!

*Bloggers are no longer blogging. Links removed.