Real Life Wednesday: On 52 Random Facts.
[hi hi. i’m finishing up my book edits and coming out of obscurity later this afternoon. for now, we’re doing this. i jacked this idea from, oh, i don’t know, like thousands of blogs i’ve seen over the last four+ years. it’s long. i’m wordy. i don’t ever shut up. it can be a bit much. i get it.]
[p.s. please share something random with me so i feel less vulnerable and freakish. k thanks bye.]
1. I have zero fashion sense and no eye for interior design. I mean, I can pick things out that I like (hello neon, pastel, black, leopard print everything), but when it comes to putting things together it is one giant hot mess.
2. I still haven’t changed my last name. I never intended to keep my maiden name but I did so… mostly out of laziness… and five years later I’m still using it. I actually would like to change it but it seems a little late (and confusing) now.
3. I was petrified of animals when I was a kid and cried for hours when my parents said we were getting a dog.
4. I went into college as a history major and have an absolute fascination with all things American history.
5. The only thing I like to drink cold is iced coffee, otherwise I prefer my water or beverages to be room temperature. So weird.
6. I still can’t get into the habit of making our bed every morning. I need to grow up.
7. I don’t understand how people can’t be insanely passionate about SOMETHING. It’s just how I’m wired.
8. As a kid, I hated butter. My mom used to butter our bread for sandwiches and I’d have a complete meltdown. On the same note, I once walked into the kitchen and found one of my brothers eating a stick of butter straight up.
9. The most challenging time in my life so far was the first year or so of marriage. If you read my blog back then, you probably get this.
10. The second most challenging time was my freshman year of college. Never ever want to relive that.
11. The only drink I ever crave is water. Carbonation burns my throat.
12. I rarely can read an entire book without reading the last few pages first. I ruin everything.
13. I could never go camping. Please don’t make me.
14. I rarely have interest in the bread basket on the table at dinner. I find it to be boring.
15. Also, I can pass up cake at a birthday party 85% of the time. It has to be over the top to interest me.
16. I am insanely disgusted by entitlement. See also: I don’t think there is a thing such as working too hard.
17. I love my work so much that many nights I wish I didn’t need sleep to function.
18. Even though I get emotionally attached to TV shows and books, I don’t get emotionally attached to objects and can throw most stuff away without batting an eye. I’m not a pack rat.
19. I succumbed to peer pressure and did a juice cleanse last year… and thought it was horrific. Made it all three days though.
20. I’ve never drank (drunk?) a glass of milk in my life.
21. I never cared for cartoons when I was a kid. I’ve never seen the little mermaid or bambi. Who am I?
22. I didn’t get my ears pieced until I was 18. My mom still doesn’t have hers pierced.
23. I’ve had my hair done by the same person for over 20 years and can’t imagine anyone else touching it.
24. I’m not super into astrology but believe I’m a scorpio to a T. Seriously. Like to a TEEEE.
25. I took over six years of Spanish but absorbed nothing other than “Hola.”
26. I am scared of the dark. Not kidding.
27. I cannot stand someone touching my feet. EVER.
28. I have a killer memory. My husband hates it. Apparently not when it comes to learning other languages though.
29. I couldn’t have cared less about antiques until I started photographing food.
30. I never get road rage and don’t believe in it. I feel like it’s the biggest waste of time and a ridiculous use of emotional resources.
31. I’ve never put a cigarette to my lips, ever.
32. I couldn’t get into Breaking Bad. I know. My taste is wretched.
33. My first job was at a car wash. And I definitely wrecked a customer’s car while pulling it out of the wash.
34. I fangirl over my favorite authors way more than any actor or musician.
35. I did my own makeup on my wedding day. Looking back now, I so shouldn’t have.
36. I can no longer watch horror films. The Strangers ruined everything for me.
37. One of my life fears is that my future kids will be bullied.
38. I can’t fathom what it’s like to “forget” to eat. That is a foreign concept to me.
39. I got my belly button pierced in college and it was a nightmare. It lasted about a month before I decided that I hated it.
40. I can’t keep the inside of my car clean to save my life. Like to the point where Eddie refuses to drive it.
41. The smooth jazz Pandora station is playing on my computer right now. And often.
42. For over 10 years, my go-to quote has been “when you want something you’ve never had, you must do something you’ve never done.” A Thomas Jefferson one, I believe.
43. I broke my arm twice: once when I was 18 months old and the second when I was a tween and one of my brothers threw a football under my bike tire. While I was riding it.
44. I don’t miss personal training at all, even though it was what I wanted to do from the age of 16 and I was obsessed with my job at the time.
45. I still wish that skinny jeans never came into style.
46. I’m don’t feel ready to have kids but want a big family in the future so riddle me that. Time’s a tickin’!
47. Twice in my life I’ve cut my hair to almost chin-length, removing like 10+ inches. Hilariously enough, it was after my college freshman year and a month after I got married (see #’s 10 & 11) I’m such a cliché.
48. I call myself a faux country music fan because I wasn’t really into it until I met Eddie. Now, however, I’m obsessed and it’s almost all that I listen to. I like the new “pop-pier” stuff though. You can hate me. It’s okay.
49. I have zero desire to eat most fast food, and it’s not even a food snob thing. I just don’t think it tastes that good?
50. I did tae bo religiously in high school. Billy Blanks for life.
51. My first real crush was on Patrick Swayze in Dirty Dancing. I started my blog on the day that he died and reference him in my first post.
52. I loathe almost everything I “create” or write when I look back on it later. I’ve heard this is normal behavior for someone in a creative field but I definitely never consider myself to be a creative person.
175 Comments on “Real Life Wednesday: On 52 Random Facts.”
9. The most challenging time in my life so far was the first year or so of marriage. If you read my blog back then, you probably get this.
I didn’t read your blog back then but I get ya. In fact, I had to seek therapy and attended Cheryl Paul’s “The Conscience Bride” sessions so I could even GET married because of my struggle with anxiety and needing to know if I was doing the right, perfect thing! I am on month four of marriage and it is hard. Worth it, but hard nonetheless. I think we seek the euphoric, never ending butterflies and romantic kissing scenes in the movie when they finally hook up emotions! And when those disappear you have a human being with flaws you now live with who leaves hair all over the bathroom and wants to fix everything instead of just hear you out like your girlfriends do. ha!
I definitely spent some time reading Cheryl’s Conscious Bride blog last spring, when I was freaking out about giving up my good job and friends to move for my new fiance’s job! I think her wisdom is something EVERY new couple could use.
Oh man, reading this was so fun, but now I have 52 questions!! I’ll start with one: at your wedding ceremony were you announced as “Mr & Mrs Sweet (same last name)?
Love this!! Ok…. in random order: Afraid of the dark, scary movies, cigarettes are disgusting and I will never touch one. OMG First year or marriage, I am living this, I know it will get easier but just… so much change! I did change my last name right away though. I once got caught sneaking a spoonful of butter as a kid, I was also terrified of dogs. Breaking bad: I don’t love it, I keep watching because my husband wants to but I cant help it, I just don’t like it. The characters are all such jerks that I don’t care what happens to them. Apparently it gets better after season 2 so I’m trying to stick with it.
I am terrified of man hole covers or grates in the sidewalk and will go to ridiculous lengths not to walk over them (lest I fall to the centre of the earth), I never learned how to ride a bike and I feel like I’m too old to start now (this is the thing I am most embarrassed of in life by far).
I love lists, keep making them please :D
Never too late to change your name. If you want to – do it.
Have you considered the ida your hair may be in some way magic? Because it sounds it. :P
Random factoids: I love horror movies but I am really bad at handling gore, so I spend large portions of films with my hands over my mouth . I like the flavour of popcorn, but I want it to be crunchier! The spongy texture feels all weird. I own two house rabbits who are adorable, but they chew on the legs of my desk and I’m petrified we’re verging towards a loony-tunes cartoon.
Number 10 is almost the same as what I am going through now…
here’s something I have never told my blog readers: I am a sophomore in college and I absolutely hate it. This past year has been my hardest year yet. Coincidently, I was just yesterday thinking of sharing this on my blog. I have thought about it for awhile, but I just find it so hard to talk about because I feel like everyone is so nostalgic about college and how it was the best 4 years of their life, not for me.
P.S. I am TERRIFIED of the dark. I drive to my NEXT DOOR neighbor’s house when I have to babysit because I am afraid a coyote is going to pop out of the woods and eat me,
girl! i so feel for you. i did not love college either and felt like an idiot because everyone said it was the best time of your life. luckily, i did have a few people telling me that your 30s were the best time of your life, and i agree with that. but i do think it’s what you make of it. i promise that it gets better and – try not to wish the years away!
and you should totally share it.
OH MY GOD. THE STRANGERS. SO SCARY.
I have a phobia of bath tubs and tub/shower floors. I CANNOT stand flat footed while in the shower (or on any flooring that is wet, like the cement around a pool). I’m dreading having to move my baby from bathing in the baby tub in the sink to an actual tub. I’m pretty sure I’m going to teach him to shower when he can’t fit in his baby tub anymore.
i hate down escalators. i have to watch two or three steps pop out before i’m ready to step on.
when i was young, i always thought i would get cooler as i got older, but now i think i’m getting nerdier. tutoring SAT prep has turned me into a grammar nerd (see below, sorry!), and i recently realized that i am the aunt that always gifts books.
20: you’re right, it should be “drunk”! :) i’ve = i have, so you need the past participle instead of the past tense. i learned all the grammar i need to know from king’s cup, i mean college. (banning the words drink, drank, and drunk always gets me!)
24: me too! and even though i never picked boyfriends/crushes based on astrology, they all turned out to be pisces, one of scorpio’s best matches.
32: i’m with you on that too. my man is trying to get me to watch breaking bad because i do love sons of anarchy, but i am just not on board.
52: i love all of the things you create here! seriously, this is one of the blogs i am most excited about in my feedly. <3
I thought I was the only one, Carbonation burns my throat too!!!
38. Yes. How do you forget to eat? Or be hungry and decide not to eat, if it’s relatively convenient to eat??
Well this was way too fun. xo I nodding so many times. I won’t even list them all out because I don’t want to stalky.
I could never get into Breaking Bad either! I tried but I hated it.
You are not required in life to like Breaking Bad. I know that hipsters think that they must like what is cutting edge, but the show is over and you missed it. Literally and metaphorically.
First off…I love this. Your recipes are amazing, but its fun to learn more about you :)
You know that I agree with this “16. I am insanely disgusted by entitlement. See also: I don’t think there is a thing such as working too hard.” Seriously….
I don’t have my ears pierced…never have! I also have never smoked a cigarette.
Can’t wait to see your book.
<3
It’s so funny that you don’t like cold drinks because I don’t like hot drinks! Not tea, not coffee, nothing. People always think I’m weird if I tell them, and they usually forget anyway. I think no one can fathom someone not liking a hot drink. So I try to keep it to myself. Eek.
Very interesting and brave to write it!
http://inatrendytown.blogspot.com.es/
More on name changing! I got married in Quebec, where they actually don’t allow you to legally change your name when you get married (they feel like it’s not a good enough reason or some silliness like that). I moved soon after and always intended to change my name, but now it’s been 7 years and my husband thinks it would confuse people (“They’ll think we got divorced!!”). I’m just about to give birth to our first child, though, and I really want to be The Hislastnames, not The Hislastnames and Outlier. One day I’ll get around to it. Really.
I LOVE this because I had so many of the same ones!! No milk made me laugh bc I’ve never had a glass of milk either.
Random facts, in the 8th grade we had to do a project on what we wanted to be when we grew up, and I wanted to be an obstetrician. My project partner couldn’t even read the word.
I hate everything I’ve posted too. It drives me nuts. Especially my photos. I hate them.
I have never met anyone else, aside from children, who thought soda burned their throat too! My husband thinks I’m crazy for this. I’m a 100% water drinker.
Also, the first 4 years of my marriage were the hardest time in my life. I like to tell people it was high school, but it wasn’t.
My random info: I didn’t have my first alcoholic drink until I was 28.
Birthday cake – everyone is always like, “Oh, you love cake! Eat some!” And I’m all, “No thanks, I like awesome cake, not the weird sugar-bomb you just bought from Costco.” I’m turning into such a food snob. Also, HOW have you gone your whole life without a glass of milk?! Maybe it’s just because I live in Wisconsin but that stuff is practically a birthright. I went fangirl on a film editor once. An EDITOR. I’m such a freak. Since we’ve been talking about conferences, have you thought of going to MixedCon? It’s at the resort where they filmed Dirty Dancing! I hiked out to the middle of the lake last year (it’s mostly dried up) and it stands as one of the best things I’ve ever done. Plus there’s a Patrick Swayze memorial and museum!
The only Costco cake I will stuff down my gullet is the chocolate on chocolate on chocolate. Zapped in the microwave for about 11 seconds. OMG.
Umm, okay, I totally agree with:
1, and we have lived in our home over 4 years and the only “art” on our walls is what my kid has created.
5, I actually heat half my water in the microwave so it’s a good warm.
7
12
13
18, I want New Girl to be my life so much that I dream I’m in it. TV and books make me cry because I invest so much into the characters.
25, and I took 4 years of Spanish and, oh yeah, am Mexican
32
35, makeup AND hair. Ugh!
37, scares the crap out of me that this will happen. I have cried myself to sleep about it.
52, although I don’t think Im especially creative, but I bake and don’t think I’m that good and write, but don’t think it will ever go anywhere. Both are therapeutic though.
A random fact about me: I went to culinary school, graduated with honors, and seriously have no business in the kitchen! ;) I want to write. Publishing an article would give me great joy. Especially if I could reach out to just one person in need.
#38. Yes. People tell me that and I just shake my head and say “HOW?!”
Also, #11 and #20. One time my uncle took my brother and I out to breakfast and he MADE us each drink a glass of milk. After that, not only did I not like the taste, but I also associated it with the memory and more adamantly refused to drink it.
I’m so glad I’m not the only one who doesn’t like carbonation! I always feel like such a wuss when I say it burns my throat, but IT TOTALLY DOES. Also, you need to go watch Little Mermaid, like now.
Breaking Bad WHAT. It did take me a whole season to get into it, I really didn’t care until the second half of season 2 or so, but now looking back I think I was crazy. It’s the BEST. SHOW. EVER.
But I digress…
Here’s my random fact: I don’t like hard-boiled eggs and I loathe egg salad, but I love deviled eggs. Riddle me that!
ha! now that egg situation is pretty nuts.
So you’re in my head then? It seems like much of this could have spilled from my own fingertips (particularly today, #46: I know very little, but the only thing I’ve ever known with certainty is that I am made to be a mother. But, not yet. Not yet. Then I look in the mirror at the fine lines around my eyes and face the fact that each day, I am older than the last and… here we are.).
One difference about our last names: I actually took my husband’s last name when we married, but it was such an identity crisis that I cried and cried and cried. And changed it back. I realize that sounds overly dramatic, but, what the hell, it’s the truth.
Then, a completely random fact: I am very particular that the clothes in the closet all face the same direction and that my towels are neatly folded (and used the same amount, so that I put the newly washed ones underneath the clean ones). It sounds like I should be neurotically tidy, but that’s as far as my organization goes.
Thanks for a post of random quirks and vulnerable honestly. Best blog ever. For real.
LOVED breaking bad and I’m a scorpio..in fact, born on Halloween! I believe that is the ultimate scorpio birthdate..haha
OMG I have an obsession with American History too! I seriously would go back in time just to be homies with Benjamin Franklin. I definitely read the page of a book before I start it, too! I’m too curious haha
#1. Ditto.
#2. It’s way too complicated. I’m half changed, which is also confusing.
#5. I have to drink my water room temperature.
#8. My husband puts butter on everything. He puts butter in his oatmeal.
#15. My grandmother is a professional caterer. As such, her cakes are made of magic and unicorns (and the extra protein makes it healthy?) and birthday party cakes never quite do it for me.
#33. My first job was cleaning out the back of an auto dealership. At the end of the day, they asked me to help pull the cars in. I pulled one in…right to the garage door.
#38. Yup. Especially now that I’m growing a person. I don’t forget to eat anyway, but baby will remind me that I need to eat…like constantly.
#43. I broke my leg when I was 18 months old! We’re baby cast buddies!
I find these interesting! Thanks for sharing. It makes others feel less weird as well. You’re not alone ;-)
Do you happen to know any people who have OCD or autism? You should ask them about their habits. You will feel super normal. :-) Not itending to offend anyone! Normal actually doesn’t exist. Everyone is different.
Many questions arising from this, but I will pick probably the most inane one because it interests me. Regarding beverages: Are you saying you prefer champagne and white wine warm? Also, I’m not normally skittish, but after we saw The Strangers I couldn’t get a drink of water at night without freaking our like a looney. Made my husband get a house alarm the next week. I also can’t sleep sometimes because I’m too excited to attack the day :)
hmmm excellent point. no no, i definitely like white wine chilled, but when it comes to everyday beverages, room temp all the way. (though i really wish white wine was an everyday beverage…)
Ahaha! Just throw a few fresh pieces of fruit in there and it’s practically a breakfast juice.. See? Good rationalization skills make life super awesome.
Such a fun post! :)
Love #s 34 and 38. I totally agree about the writer freakouts. I met Emily Giffin and could barely speak. I know I said something, but it was just fangirl-rambling. I also met Lauren Willig and flipped. Btw, she’s the author of the History of the Pink Carnation series, a REALLY great historical fictions series. SInce you’re a history buff, you probably should go ahead and read all of them ;)
#53. You are AWESOME. It would take me a bajillion years to think of 52 random facts about myself…or at least 52 that I thought were interesting.
I’m also a complete scorpio. I have an ever changing list of tattoos that I want (definite evidence that I should never, ever get one) and currently topping the list is a teeny scorpio constellation on my shoulder.
Finally, another person who couldn’t get into Breaking Bad!!!! Patrick Swayze was also my first childhood crush!
I have a freakish memory too! I have near-perfect recall of conversations and activities. I can even remember what people were wearing most of the time.
I have not seen The Strangers because the commercials gave me nightmares. I am a huge wimp when it comes to horror movies! Dawn of the Dead completely traumatized me and I developed an intense fear of zombies. My stress dreams are about the zombie apocalypse. To calm myself down when I wake up from one, I lay in bed and think of survival plans.
I eat Kit Kats in a very specific way: I make sure the first bite breaks the stick in half (between the words Kit and Kat) and then on the 2nd half of the stick (NOT the first half) i break it in half hotdog style with my teeth and continue to devour it. So weird. I don’t think I’ve ever said (err, typed?) that outloud to anyone before. You’re welcome.
now i just want a kit kat.
I relate to SOOO much of this (esp. that carbonation also burns my throat/tongue and I’ve never had a glass of milk! water all the way!)
I got my ears pierced when I was 16 and my mum was horrified and disgusted and said she couldn’t believe I “put pieces of metal through my body”. THEN she got her own ears pierced at the age of 60.
I have a feeling that one day you will get into Breaking Bad, you said you didn’t like SOA when you first started watching it either. It is a very good show! We’ve just started watching True Detective (2 eps in, no spoilers) and my fiancee thinks it’s boring. I’m making him persevere.
I don’t want to change my name when I get married & one of my biggest battles with my fiancee is what we will name our baby – I think if I have to go through the pain of childbirth etc then the kid should have my surname. We’re going to have to go double-barreled even though neither of us are fans of that because it’s a compromise & neither of us will ever back down. Oh and we’re “trying” for a baby now so this issue will becoming more & more prominent! I’m not a huge feminist but I do think it’s sexist that it’s just assumed a woman and their children will take a man’s name – women work in business now & their surnames could be just as much of an advantage as a man’s name etc. Plus I just really like my name. Rant over!
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Okay, first of all your blog rocks and is always the one I read first with my morning coffee! Love your recipes and your humor–as if I am sitting with my friends! Now, I laughed the most at numbers 5, 7, 13, and 49. I cannot even drink Iced coffee in the summer in 100 degree heat. My food also has to be room temp. Passion, yes please :)
Camping? NO thanks lol. Fast food? NO thanks LOL! As for me. I have to buy everything as far as produce (or almost anything) by threes. My favorite number. I even have one and only one child. We equal three. I am in the scrappy arts and I buy single sheets of paper in threes. The list goes on :) The first two years of my marriage were the most difficult so don’t worry you are normal *wink* On that note, I met my husband on a blind date and our Birthdays are one day apart :)
Thanks for always sharing your time, humor and recipes!
Thank you! You validated my viewpoint! I too believe there’s no such thing as working too hard….love history….have no fashion sense….have little to no emotional attachment to material things, much to the dismay of my husband who keeps EVERYTHING…. abhor skinny jeans….am afraid of the dark and can’t stand having someone touching my feet.
Oh My! Jessica in 52 answers! So great!
What we call a Chinese Portrait in journalism.
And referring to #52 : yes, you are creative. Totally. Don’t kid yourself about that. You think crative, you cook creative, you write creative, you Instagram creative. So…
Love it and your creative writing! I said, “I don’t have time to read all this” and then couldn’t take my eyes off of it. You’re interesting and write about stuff I can so relate to. Keep it coming. LOVE!
11 and 12!!!! YESSSSSSSSSS!!! #26 – I FINALLY think I’ve gotten over that. And I think it has to do with when we moved into this house. I don’t know why, but it went away. I think it means I’m really home.
Those that have been reading for a while already know half of these! Nothing to worry about! It’s fun getting the bigger picture and learning more about you!
I really admire your work ethic, your authenticity and honesty, and your ability to dream big. Go you!
Also, I’m with ya on not being ready for kids but wanting a big family. What’s a girl to do?!
You know what I don’t understand? People who aren’t ambitious. The ones who are okay with spending the majority of their free time doing nothing of value. I’m the opposite. If I’m not doing something productive with my time, I feel like I’ve completely wasted it. And that is my random fact about me :)
Ahh…so rare to see someone else that has never had a glass of milk. People always think I’m crazy for not having had a glass of milk. I’m allergic to it, don’t really enjoy the throat closing aspect of milk…thanks though.
And oh my goodness…the butter. I used to make my mom toast the bread, let it cool off, and then have it buttered. If ANY of the butter melted, I wouldn’t eat it. My mother finally told me to make my own toast (Now that I’m an adult, I think she should have told me long before when she did!).
Most women think I’m odd. I don’t want to change my name (though kids are not involved). I like my name. Why should I have to change it? I’ve had it for 35 years, it’s kind of a part of me at this point. I am now thinking of moving to Quebec.
GREAT post!
Not too late to change your name! I had a friend do it at least 5 years after they were married. But if it’s not that big of a deal to you or your spouse, why bother?
I had a really hard time letting go of my last name, but I didn’t want to have separate names (I think too confusing in couple situations) and I didn’t want a hyphenated name. So I made my changed middle name to my maiden name. It’s there for me, but when I write out Christmas Cards, etc, I just use my married last name.
It all depends on what you want and you can change it up at any time. ;-)
These were too funny. As I was reading, I kept thinking, that’s just like me..can’t stand to have my feet touched, killer memory etc. Loved it!
you’ve never drank a glass of milk? this one strikes me!