Three Little Words

After many requests to have me start my own blog (Claudia asked me twice so that is many) here it is. This first post is dedicated to Claudia, who, I am afraid, may be its sole reader. Claudia, you challenged me with a 'tag'. I am to post ten things about myself and then challenge ten more bloggers to do the same. Unfortunately I am going to fall short from the get-go. As bloggers go, I only know you and your sisters and my husbands friend, Matt. Your sisters have been tagged and Matt would never do it. So, I will post ten things and then I will leave it at that. I hope to have future posts, but no promises (see #8 ). Claudia, this is for you and because you know most things about me I am going to leave the major and obvious and post only those obscure, petty and probably uninteresting things about myself that you may not know. And, to make up for my breaking the chain of blog tag I will up the ante a bit and end each of my ten posts with a three word sentence. There is no deep reason for my doing this. I just will.

1. I don't like fireworks. I especially don't like the dinky supermarket ones people light off in the street. They are expensive, loud, unimpressive, stinky, messy and well, that about covers it. I must make one exception, for you, Claudia. The firework display I witnessed on the banks of the river in Portland during the Rose Festival was impressive due to its sheer length. I think there was 20 minutes of nonstop blasts at the end. This exception noted, I could live forever without the reminder of real bombs being blasted in other parts and forego the July and January blares. Also, once I got ash in my eye at a large Fourth of July display. That was painful.

2. I love plain yogurt. Never used to. When I was pregnant with Lily, I craved it! I would buy two 32 oz containers at a time because I would go through it so fast. I don't eat quite as much now but I still love it. Probiotics are awesome!

3. I hate carnivals.

4. I often daydream of opening a bakery cafe. I love the idea of fresh breads and muffins, creamy soups and a quaint atmosphere. I would decorate from Anthropologie, of course, much like your digs in Green Bay. I would serve salads, sanbos, and soups with homemade breads and desserts. I realize that the dream of the food industry in idealistic. The hardwork and headache of the reality are disenchanting. But for now I have my daydream. I'll keep that.

5. Having a baby changes your life. Obviously. It changed my life in ways I never expected. I knew I would get less sleep, spend more time at home and get excited about things like patterned pacifiers and Organic baby cereal. What I didn't know is that my health and body would be changed forever. I knew I would never again be the 18 year old body that was flat in the right places and perky in the right places. I didn't know that having a baby would throw my body into some crazy medical mystery of chronic illness. If you are reading this I am sure you know that my health has been very poor since Lily was born. You may not know, however, an interesting (and much less serious) physical change that has occured in me: my hair. It is straight.

6. I don't like going to movies. I don't like the crowds or the soda that invariably is spilled on my shoe. I don't like the uncomfortable chairs with gum on the back and I don't like having to shimmy past 17 grouchy people to pee in the middle of the best part. I much prefer a video in my own home: bathroom accessible (and TV still visible from the toilet in my current home), pajama party ready, kitchen adjacent. If I do go to the theater I actually prefer to go by myself in the middle of the day. It costs less.

7. I love reading cookbooks. I love to eat. I love making food, watching it being made, going out to eat, trying new food, eating old favorites, talking about food, thinking about food, trying new recipes. I love food. Except chicken potpies. I hate those.

8. When people ask what my hobbies are I balk. I love to try new things. I never stick with it. I always start things and never finish. Some hobbies I have tried but never excelled at are: rock climbing, piano playing, song writing, scrapbooking, surfing, bird watching, sewing, embroidery, painting, running, biking, baking, singing, and many others. I am typically pretty good at something the first time I try. I am, however, unwilling to work to get really good at anything. I just quit, or proceed recreationally. Next hobby please!

9. I love mountains.

10. There are a few American Icons that annoy me. I feel almost unpatriotic and a little mean admitting this but, it is true. I appreciate their donation to the nation, even to the world, but as people they bug me. Oprah, Rachel Ray, Ty whats-his-name from Extreme Makeover Home Edition, Howie the guy who made Bobby's World that now hosts the worst game show ever, all of the Friends, and Fergie. Good people. They just bug.