Oh, well

So much for November NaBloPoMo. Blogging didn't even cross my mind yesterday -- pretty surprising after 33 straight days of it. So much for "21 days to make a habit," etc. I never win participation prizes anyway, so no big deal.

We finally officially celebrated Caleb's birth with a small get-together last night. Evan and even Brooke and Johnathan's Anna Rae, 4 months, hardly looked like babies compared with him, while Claire and Riley might as well have been full-grown. At one point I peeked in on them curled up in a recliner in front of the TV, shooing away Evan, ignoring the adults and sharing a bag of chips, and I got a glimpse of what our life may look like in 10 or 15 years.

I also took a picture of our new house, slowly but surely taking shape next door.

Books and more books

1. What author do you own the most books by? Anne Tyler (but Dr. Seuss is catching up fast)

2. What book do you own the most copies of? The Bible

3. What fictional character are you secretly in love with? I'm not in love with him, per se, but Atticus Finch has always been one of my favorite fictional people.

4. What book have you read the most times in your life? Unless the AP stylebook counts, probably "Raney," by Clyde Edgerton. I reread it myself every time I recommend it to someone, and it never gets old. Although I'm not sure how far its appeal extends beyond this region.

5. Favorite book as a 10-year-old? All things Judy Blume

6. What is the worst book you’ve read in the past year? "The Shipping News" by Annie Proulx is the worst one I finished. There were worse ones that I abandoned.

7. What is the best book you’ve read in the past year? "Memoirs of a Geisha" by Arthur Golden

8. If you could force everyone you know to read one book, what would it be? I think people should be encouraged to read what they like, not forced to read anything. That's how people start to hate reading. (On the other hand, some of my favorite books are ones I read only because I was "forced" to ... so I guess I'm a little conflicted on this point.)

9. What is the most difficult book you’ve ever read? "Moby Dick." I don't like it, I don't get it and I have no idea why it's a classic.

10. What are you reading right now? James. Over and over, trying to memorize it. But I'm overdue for a library run, and here's my list: "The Help," Kathryn Stockett; "The 19th Wife," David Ebershoff; "The Politician," Andrew Young; "The Unlikely Disciple," Kevin Roose; "The Patron Saint of Liars," Ann Patchett; "Noah's Compass," Anne Tyler

One word

Bless you, Amanda, for a late-night easy out on blogging.

And no, Rachel, I'm not going to drop NaBloPoMo ... I hope you won't either!

Where is your cell phone? Car
Significant other? Amazing
Your hair? Neglected
Your mother? Compassionate
Your father? Generous
Your favorite thing? Connecting
Your dream last night? Forgotten
Your favorite drink? Coke
What room are you in? Living
Your hobby? Working
Your fear? Religiosity
Where do you want to be in 6 years? There
Where were you last night? Romans
Something that you aren't? Musical
Muffins? Ambivalent
Wish list item? Sleep
Last thing you did? Edited
What are you wearing? Pajamas
TV? Thursdays
Your pet? Nonexistent
Friends? Eclectic
Your life? Balanced
Your mood? Chill
Missing someone? No
Drinking? Pinot
Your car? Dusty
Something you're not wearing? Socks
Your favorite store? Thrift
Your favorite color? Green
When is the last time you cried? Sunday
Who will repost this? Few
Where do you go over and over? CFA
Five people who email me regularly? Amanda, Matt, work, spam, randoms
Favorite place to eat? Outdoors
Place I'd like to be at right now? Here

One last thing ...

Happy birthday to Lauren G.! I love you!

Lazy blogger

(From this blog.)

Outside my window…it looks like summer but feels like fall.
I am thinking…why would anyone have eaten lunch indoors today?
I am thankful for…safe, free(ish) tap water.
From the kitchen…I can't walk past the pan of last night's brownies without swiping a bite. They aren't even that good.
I am wearing…shorts, a T-shirt and running shoes, in anticipation of Matt's arrival home and my subsequent run sans baby on this gorgeous day.
I am creating…a killer cheat sheet for tonight's League of Dorks (aka fantasy football) draft.
I am going…to have to find the title to the Acura before we can sell it.
I am reading…"Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child" by Marc Weissbluth.
I am praying…for wisdom.
I am hearing…a humming computer and a snoring Claire.
Around the house…we're making a punch list of items to be completed before we list the house later this month.
One of my favorite things…a shelf brimming with marked-up, dog-eared paperback books.
A few plans for the rest of the week…turning 30, two cookouts, the beach (and all the bumming/sunning/junk food eating that implies), the outlets, a Calabash date with a favorite family.

I ...

I am…taking a break from writing thank-you notes.
I think…people whine too much.
I know…much less than I should about world history.
I want…a bunch of babies.
I have…more of everything than I need.
I wish…working out were as easy as being lazy.
I hate…drama.
I fear…outliving everyone I love.
I feel…guilty that we still don't know our neighbors.
I hear…rain.
I smell…Chick-fil-A on my fingers.
I regret...not studying abroad during college.
I love…fresh fruit.
I care…too much about a lot of stupid things, and not enough about some more important ones.
I always…get a refill to go if I'm at a restaurant with styrofoam cups.
I am not…good at faking how I feel.
I believe…love is a choice.
I dance…only if I'm tipsy.
I sing…along with the radio and it sounds terrible.
I write...regardless of whether I get paid for it, which I usually don't.
I win...arguments about how things are spelled.
I lose…March Madness every year.
I never…wear deodorant in the winter.
I listen…but I can be easily distracted.
I can usually be found…in the vicinity of more Kirbys.
I’m scared of…flying roaches.
I read…as often as possible.
I forget…anything I don't write down.
I just…hate that Flannery O'Connor died so young.
I am happy about…a million and one things.

(Thanks to Ally.)

Lazy

More blogging laziness, this time thanks to Amy (via Facebook).

Five names I go by:
1. Jennifer
2. Jenn
3. Jenndare
4. Jenniferloyd (only Maegan)
5. Tulipan (only Lib)

Three things I’m wearing right now:
1. Jeans
2. Black button-up shirt
3. Black ballerina flats ... it's a boring clothes day

Two things I want very badly at the moment:
1. 7 For All Mankind maternity jeans
2. To find out what Matt's planning for tomorrow night

Two things I did last night:
1. Went to Bible study
2. Watched Carolina beat Duke

Two things I ate today:
1. Chick-fil-A biscuit (breakfast with Mom -- free)
2. Chick-fil-A sandwich (lunch with Matt -- free)

Two people I last talked to on the phone:
1. Amanda
2. Lauren G.

Two things I am going to do tomorrow:
1. Go to a boring breakfast meeting
2. Look for a baby dresser to paint

My two longest car rides:
1. Pinehurst, N.C., to Bar Harbor, Maine, and back (about 2,150 miles)
2. Flagstaff, Ariz., to California: Los Angeles/Santa Monica to Santa Cruz to San Francisco to Yosemite to Sacramento (about 1,250 miles)

My favorite beverages:
1. Coke
2. Grapefruit juice

25 things

I keep getting tagged on Facebook to do this but decided to post my list here instead. Let's see if I can manage not to repeat myself from my multitude of previous "let's talk about me" posts.

Rules: Once you've been tagged, you are supposed to write a note with 25 random things, facts, habits or goals about you. At the end, choose 25 people to be tagged.

1. I wish I'd taken some kind of home-ec class in high school.

2. I love talking about relationships and giving relationship advice (only if solicited) and really think Matt and I would make a good marriage-counseling team.

3. Remember this chair? I just sold it for $120 through my Etsy store. I can't believe it!

4. I hope I have at least two more careers in my lifetime: something in the medical field and something in undergraduate admissions.

5. Inexplicably, I have found a lucky penny (or other coin) almost every single day since I found out I was pregnant. Yesterday I found FIVE.

6. My favorite year of both high school and college was my sophomore year.

7. I am EXTREMELY grateful for the sacrifices, probably including many I don't even know about, that my parents made to allow me and Amanda to graduate from college debt-free.

8. Windows Vista confuses the crap out of me.

9. I can't tell the difference between regular and decaf coffee or tea, but I think I can in Coke, although I'll admit it might be psychological.

10. I am embarrassingly bad at knowing who celebrities are, what movies they've been in, etc. I'm also bad at recognizing casual acquaintances out of context, and these facts might be related.

11. I have terrible retention of movies except for the few I've seen over and over. If you ever say to me "You know that scene where blah blah blah" you will probably be met with a blank stare.

12. I never finish movies, TV shows or books that I don't like a lot unless I have a good reason (such as required reading).

13. Matt, Jacob and Carrie, Stephen and I still haven't given Ron his Christmas 2007 present. I'm looking at it right now but we keep forgetting to give it to him.

14. I have a reputation for being much more critical of spelling/grammar/punctuation/etc. mistakes than I am. I don't expect perfection from the average person, but it REALLY bothers me when I see mistakes in print or, worse, somewhere permanent (like on a monument or in a business name).

15. I am sure I could eat nothing but Subway and Chick-fil-A every day -- one for lunch, the other for dinner -- for weeks and weeks without getting tired of either one. That pretty much was my daily menu through much of college.

16. I grew up hating baked beans and chili and now they're two of my favorite foods.

17. In pondering baby names I've realized I often like or dislike names as much for the way they look on paper as for how they sound. I'm also very affected by how I feel about other people I know by particular names, e.g. if I knew three Heathers growing up and didn't like any of them, I'm not going to like the name Heather. That's just an example, so don't be offended if you're a Heather.

18. Apparently I am going to be on prescription toothpaste (I didn't even know there was such a thing) after I have this baby because of my weak enamel.

19. As soon as Matt and I got married we made it known to all family and friends that we didn't plan to have kids for at least five years, and that cut way down on the comments/questions/speculations. I highly recommend this to other newlyweds who don't want kids right away.

20. I never imagined any scenario in which Matt and I would be able to work together, but it is one of my favorite aspects of life.

21. Running a marathon and going on a cruise are two things I'm glad to have done but don't care if I never do again.

22. I think I would be happy living in almost any house and driving almost any car as long as they were clean.

23. I like my handwriting best with a fine-tip Sharpie marker.

24. I have never had a hairstyle I really liked. I hope every one of our babies inherits Matt's gorgeous hair.

25. Tomorrow Mom, Amanda and I are going to Greenville, S.C., for our second annual girls' trip. More low-key than last year due to babies Brianna and Kirby, but I know it will be a lot of fun. I borrowed Jacob and Carrie's GPS so we can find every thrift store in the vicinity. YAY!

I'm supposed to tag people ... if you're reading this and want to do it, go for it!

Pardon the blogging laziness

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? For giving: gift bags. For receiving: wrapping paper.
2. Real tree or artificial? Real
3. When do you put up the tree? The weekend after Thanksgiving
4. When do you take the tree down? Around New Year's
5. Do you like eggnog? No
6. Favorite gift received as a child? I have a bad memory for stuff like this ... but I remember being really excited when I got my first bicycle
7. Hardest person to buy for? Terry
8. Easiest person to buy for? Riley
9. Do you have a nativity scene? Yes
10. Mail or email Christmas cards? Mail
11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? Plastic dancing Santa Claus
12. Favorite Christmas Movie? "How the Grinch Stole Christmas"
13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? Mid-December -- which means it's about time to get on that
14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Of course
15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Finger foods at all the parties
16. Lights on the tree? They're the most important part
17. Favorite Christmas song? "Carol of the Bells"
18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Stay home
19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer's? Yes
20. Angel on the tree top or a star? Star
21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Morning
22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? We never get a white Christmas
23. Favorite ornament theme or color? Mom, Terry and Gran give us an ornament every year, and most of those are our favorites -- no particular theme, though
24. Favorite for Christmas dinner? Ham
25. What do you want for Christmas this year? A healthy start to my second trimester (which begins on Christmas Eve). And a healthy baby for Lib (due any day)!

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Riley picture of the day

97 things

Thanks, Amanda. These list things are perfect for days when I'm feeling lazy and uninspired ... like today. The items in bold are the ones I've completed. The items not in bold made me feel either untraveled, boring or fortunate.

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland/world
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitchhiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Run a marathon
27. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
28. Seen a total eclipse
29. Watched a sunrise or sunset
30. Hit a home run
31. Been on a cruise
32. Seen Niagara Falls in person
33. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
34. Seen an Amish community
35. Taught yourself a new language
36. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
37. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
38. Gone rock climbing
39. Seen Michelangelo’s David
40. Sung karaoke
41. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
42. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
43. Visited Africa
44. Walked on a beach by moonlight
45. Been transported in an ambulance
46. Had your portrait painted
47. Gone deep sea fishing
48. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
49. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
50. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
51. Kissed in the rain
52. Played in the mud
53. Gone to a drive-in theater
54. Been in a movie
55. Visited the Great Wall of China
56. Started a business
57. Taken a martial arts class
58. Visited Russia
59. Served at a soup kitchen
60. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
61. Gone whale watching
62. Got flowers for no reason
63. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
64. Gone sky diving
65. Visited a Nazi concentration camp
66. Bounced a check
67. Flown in a helicopter
68. Saved a favorite childhood toy
69. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
70. Eaten caviar
71. Pieced a quilt
72. Stood in Times Square
73. Toured the Everglades
74. Been fired from a job
75. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
76. Broken a bone
77. Been on a speeding motorcycle
78. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
79. Published a book
80. Visited the Vatican
81. Bought a brand new car
82. Walked in Jerusalem
83. Had your picture in the newspaper
84. Read the entire Bible
85. Visited the White House
86. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
87. Had chickenpox
88. Sat on a jury
89. Met someone famous
90. Joined a book club
91. Lost a loved one
92. Had a baby
93. Seen the Alamo in person
94. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
95. Been involved in a lawsuit
96. Owned a cell phone
97. Been stung by a bee

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Riley picture of the day

Cop-out

4 things I did today:
1. Went through the Wendy's drive-through, brought my food inside and finished eating before the people I would have been behind in line had ordered
2. Distressed and stained a mirror I bought at the Habitat store for $5
3. Got my circa 2004 buyer moved into "his" house (he's renting until the June closing)
4. Edited an article about trucker blogs. Really.

4 things on my to-do list:
1. Get baby-shower gifts that are not gift cards for Carrie and Lib and (way belatedly) Holly
2. Schedule inspections for Mel and Thomas' new house
3. Win one fantasy football game. Bill, you know I love you, but I desperately hope this happens tonight.
4. Finish the Greensburg article

4 of my guiltiest pleasures:
1. Blogging and blog-reading
2. Running to the "Bootylicious "playlist on my iPod (which, ironically, used to be named "Guilty Pleasures")
3. Leaving my cell phone in my car so I can't hear it ring and then refusing to check for missed calls or messages
4. Book sales. If a book is cheap enough, I'll buy it based on the cover alone.

4 random facts about me:
1. Favorite book - It's impossible for me to pick just one, but for today I'll say "Gilead," by Marilyn Robinson
2. Favorite movie - "Closer"
3. Favorite magazine - Real Simple
4. Favorite TV show - "The Office"

If you have a blog, and you too want a no-brainer post day, consider yourself tagged!

Tagged

I've been tagged by Amanda. Here are the rules:

1. Post the rules on your blog
2. Write six random things about yourself
3. Tag six people at the end of your post
4. If you are tagged, just do it, and pass the tag along!

Here goes:

1. I wasn't supposed to have my ears pierced until I was 13 (although Mom ended up relenting a month before I turned 12) and that was pretty much all I wanted for the first decade of my life. Pre-piercing, I was a fan of clip-on hoops because they could pass for pierced, but post-piercing I refused to wear them because they could be mistaken for clip-ons.

2. I was in college before I ate a bagel (and I am forever grateful to Holly for introducing me to Bruegger's). I did not try plain cream cheese on a bagel until after I graduated.

3. I haven't eaten a McDonald's cheeseburger in at least three or four years and I kind of doubt I ever will again. It wasn't a conscious decision, but the combination of so much bad press and those random hard chunks of ??? mixed in the meat did me in.

4. I have a high school letterman's jacket full of pins that I have never worn. They weren't cool at Union Pines, which probably means they haven't been cool anywhere for a long time.

5. In general, going under bridges makes me more nervous than going over them does.

6. Given an option, I would choose to visit pretty much any city/town I haven't been to rather than go back to a city/town I've been to before -- no matter how much I loved it. I like to see different places.

I am tagging Brandee, Brody, Kate, Lauren G., Lauren R. and Loretta. Go!

I almost forgot ... Movie meme answers

1. "Where is this love? I can't see it, I can't touch it. I can't feel it. I can hear it. I can hear some words, but I can't do anything with your easy words." "Closer," guessed by Amanda

2. "In a good shoe, I wear a size six, but a seven feels so good, I buy a size eight." "Steel Magnolias," guessed by Melody

3. "I can't believe what a bunch of nerds we are. We're looking up 'money laundering' in a dictionary." "Office Space," guessed by Amanda

4. "'Not Allowed' signs are the latest trend! The other day, I was in a shop with my friend the kangaroo, but their sign said 'No Kangaroos Allowed,' and I said to my friend, 'Well, what can I do? They don't allow kangaroos.'" "Life Is Beautiful"

5. "Meanwhile, the more fortunate in Flint were holding their annual Great Gatsby party at the home of one of GM's founding families. To show that they weren't totally insensitive to the plight of others, they hired local people to be human statues at the party." "Roger and Me"

6. "I don't want anyone sitting on the furniture. If you have to sit down, just sit on the floor. Also, don't anybody use the telephone. ... And furthermore, Daddy's bourbon is strictly off limits. Other than that, make yourselves at home!" "Shag"

7. "After all, the wool from the black sheep is just as warm." "The Sound of Music," guessed by Rachel

8. "Oh my God, I'm getting pulled over. Everyone, just ... pretend to be normal." "Little Miss Sunshine"

9. "Boys, you must strive to find your own voice. Because the longer you wait to begin, the less likely you are to find it at all. Thoreau said, 'Most men lead lives of quiet desperation.' Don't be resigned to that. Break out!" "Dead Poets Society," guessed by Ally

10. "Wow, your shorts are, like, especially gold today." "Juno"

Movie meme

Here are the rules:
1. Pick 10 of your favorite movies.
2. Go to IMDb.com and find a quote from each movie.
3. Post them here for everyone to guess.
4. Strike each out when someone guesses correctly, and put who guessed it and the movie.
5. No Googling or IMDb-ing. That’s cheating and that’s no fun.

1. "Where is this love? I can't see it, I can't touch it. I can't feel it. I can hear it. I can hear some words, but I can't do anything with your easy words." "Closer," guessed by Amanda

2. "In a good shoe, I wear a size six, but a seven feels so good, I buy a size eight." "Steel Magnolias," guessed by Melody (hi!)

3. "I can't believe what a bunch of nerds we are. We're looking up 'money laundering' in a dictionary." "Office Space," guessed by Amanda

4. "'Not Allowed' signs are the latest trend! The other day, I was in a shop with my friend the kangaroo, but their sign said 'No Kangaroos Allowed,' and I said to my friend, 'Well, what can I do? They don't allow kangaroos.'"

5. "Meanwhile, the more fortunate in Flint were holding their annual Great Gatsby party at the home of one of GM's founding families. To show that they weren't totally insensitive to the plight of others, they hired local people to be human statues at the party."

6. "I don't want anyone sitting on the furniture. If you have to sit down, just sit on the floor. Also, don't anybody use the telephone. ... And furthermore, Daddy's bourbon is strictly off limits. Other than that, make yourselves at home!"

7. "After all, the wool from the black sheep is just as warm."

8. "Oh my God, I'm getting pulled over. Everyone, just ... pretend to be normal."

9. "Boys, you must strive to find your own voice. Because the longer you wait to begin, the less likely you are to find it at all. Thoreau said, 'Most men lead lives of quiet desperation.' Don't be resigned to that. Break out!" "Dead Poets Society," guessed by Ally

10. "Wow, your shorts are, like, especially gold today."

In one word (thanks, Lib)

1. Your cell phone? Off
2. Your significant other? Integrity
3. Your hair? Tangled
4. Your mother? Compassionate
5. Your father? Gifted
6. Your favorite thing? Inspiration
7. Your dream last night? Forgotten
8. Your favorite drink? Coke
9. Your dream/goal? Impact
10. The room you're in? Living
11. Your hobby? Etsy
12. Your fear? Ordinariness
13. Where do you want to be in 6 years? Surprised
14. Where were you last night? Parents'
15. What you're not? Bored
16. Muffins? Homemade
17. One of your wish list items? Travel
18. Where you grew up? Pinehurst
19. The last thing you did? Dinner
20. What are you wearing? Jeans
21. Your TV? Big
22. Your pets? None
23. Your computer? Overused
24. Your life? Full
25. Your mood? Irritable
26. Missing someone? Several
27. Your car? Dirty
28. Something you're not wearing? Shoes
29. Favorite store? Thrift
30. Your summer? Ideal
31. Like someone? Usually
32. Your favorite color? Green
33. When is the last time you laughed? Dinner
34. Last time you cried? Yesterday
35. You believe in? Prayer

Alternate lives

4 careers I might seriously consider pursuing before I die:
Undergraduate admissions counselor
Book editor
Real estate appraiser
Neonatal nurse

5 careers I used to think I wanted to pursue:
Forensic scientist
Attorney
Speech writer
Psychiatrist
Architect

6 jobs I'd like to hold for one week only:
Consignment-store owner
Private tennis coach
Fortune teller
SAT tutor
Astronaut
Auctioneer

100 questions

I'm shamelessly copying Lib with this one. Sorry, but I'm short on inspiration.

1. Were you named after anyone? My middle name is after a woman who mentored Mom when she was a young nurse and/or Virginia Dare, the first baby born to English parents in an American colony.
2. When was the last time you cried? I honestly can't remember.
3. Do you like your handwriting? It's too messy, but I like it better than most people's.
4. What is your favorite lunch meat? Turkey.
5. Do you use sarcasm a lot? Not nearly as much as I did when I was 16.
6. Do you still have your tonsils? Yes.
7. Would you bungee jump? If there were a lot of money on the line, but I would hate it.
8. What’s your favorite cereal? The Food Lion version of Special K With Red Berries.
9. Do you untie your shoes when you take them off? Rarely.
10. Do you think you are strong? Yes.
11. What is your favorite ice cream? Chocolate-chip cookie dough.
12. What is your least favorite thing about yourself? How critical I can be.
13. Who do you miss the most? Holly.
14. What color pants & shoes are you wearing? Blue jeans, brown plaid open-toed ballet slippers.
15. What was the last thing you ate? Chili, a half-turkey sandwich, chips with extra ranch dressing, and a Coke with no ice at The Villager.
16. What are you listening to right now? "1, 2 Step" by Ciara (from Amanda's hip-hop mix) and Matt and Stephen telling Carrie she needs to go home if she really was just diagnosed with strep throat.
17. Favorite smells? Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day lemon-verbona scent, Gain laundry detergent, Jergens cherry-almond lotion, a slightly sweaty Matt.
18. Who did you last talk to on the phone? Mom.
19. Favorite sports to watch? Carolina basketball, tennis.
20. Eye color? Blue.
21. Favorite food? Italian, American, dessert.
22. Scary movies or happy endings? Neither especially, but I guess I like happy endings better.
23. Last movie you watched? "Juno."
24. Summer or winter? Summer.
25. Hugs or kisses? Kisses.
26. Favorite dessert? Key lime pie.
27. What book are you reading now? "The Reader," "Thinking Out Loud," "Tolkien and C.S. Lewis: The Gift of Friendship"
28. What is on your mouse pad? Dell. Boring.
29. What did you watch on TV last night? Nothing.
30. Rolling Stones or Beatles? Beatles.
31. What is the farthest you have been from home? Roatan? Vancouver? I'm bad at geography.
32. Do you have a special talent? How do you define special? I can't sing or dance.
33. What time did you get up this morning? 7:30.
34. Where is the most beautiful place you've ever been? Scenic U.S. 1 along the California coast.
35. What do you usually have for breakfast? Cereal and coffee.
36. What is your middle name? Dare.
37. What food do you dislike? Sushi, turnip greens, black-eyed peas.
38. What is your favorite CD? A custom creation by Amanda.
39. What kind of car do you drive? Acura TL.
40.Favorite sandwich? A six-inch veggie sub from Subway on white bread with double white American cheese, a tiny bit of lettuce, tomatoes, green peppers, extra pickles, a little extra mayonnaise and mustard, and extra salt and pepper.
41. What characteristics do you despise? Dishonesty, arrogance, intentional meanness.
42. Favorite item of clothing? A great pair of jeans.
43. If you could go anywhere in the world for a vacation, where would you go? All over Europe.
44. What color is your bathroom? Some shade of khaki.
45. Favorite brand of clothing? 7 for All Mankind jeans, Express work pants, J.Crew everything else.
46. Where would you retire? I'd like a home base somewhere in North Carolina, but I'd want to travel all over the country and the world.
47. What was your most memorable birthday? I don't particularly care about celebrating my birthday, but my 26th was memorable -- it was Amanda and Stephen's wedding day, and they had a surprise cake for me at the reception.
48. Favorite saying? "It is what it is."
49. When is your birthday? Sept. 3.
50. Are you a morning person or a night person? Night.
51. What is your shoe size? 8.5.
52. What did you want to be when you were little? Among many other things, a speechwriter. I wrote a letter to Peggy Noonan and she wrote me back.
53. What is you favorite candy? Tootsie Rolls.
54. What is your favorite flower? Tulips.
55. If you were a crayon, what color would you be? Granny Smith Apple.
56. Pet peeves? People chewing with their mouth open. People interrupting other people. People trying to be funny by being mean.
57. Favorite television show? "The Office," "Brothers and Sisters," "The West Wing," "Lost," "Studio 60."
58. Favorite soft drink? Coca-Cola Classic.
59. Favorite fast-food restaurant? Chick-Fil-A.
60. Hair color? Dirty blonde/light brown.
61. What was your favorite toy as a child? Sit 'n' spin. But really I just wanted to be climbing a tree.
62. Chocolate or vanilla? Chocolate.
63. What is under your bed? Nothing.
64. Who is the friend you've had longest? Grace.
65. What are you afraid of? Very, very, very deep ocean water.
66. How many years at your current job? Three.
67. Favorite day of the week? Saturday.
68. How many towns have you lived in? Eight, if you count summers during college.
69. Do you make friends easily? Yes. But I can be pretty anti-social sometimes.
70. Can you drive a stick shift? I could in an emergency, but it would NOT be a smooth ride.
71. Last movie you watched in the theater? "Juno."
72. Favorite holiday of the year? July 4.
73. What do you do to vent anger? Discuss it with people who already know the backstory and/or cry.
74. What is your favorite, fall or spring? Spring.
75. Is your house mostly clean or dirty? Clean.
76. Cherry or blueberry? Blueberry.
77. What inspires you? Idealistic conversations. Studying the Bible. The prospect of doing things I haven't done yet.
78. Hamburger or cheeseburger? Cheeseburger.
79. Favorite car you've owned? My old Camry.
80. How many U.S. states have you visited? 25. I've never been to most of the Midwest states.
81. Favorite movie(s)? "Closer," "Rent," "Juno," "Man on Fire," "Roger and Me," "Office Space," "Life Is Beautiful," "Little Miss Sunshine," "Primal Fear," "Steel Magnolias," "Shag," "Dead Poets Society" (those are pretty much all the movies I like).
82. Favorite candy bar? Milk Way.
83. Salty or sweet? Usually salty.
84. If you were stuck in a deserted island, which celebrity would you like to be stuck with? I think Kristin Armstrong, if she counts as a celebrity, would be good company.
85. Favorite drink? Pretty much any white wine. I'm not picky.
86. What is on the floor of your closet? A laundry basket for dirty clothes and a basket full of my flats.
87. Do you think you're funny? Not especially, but I love being around funny people.
88. What do you collect? Used books.
89. What do you like to do in your free time? Read, run, hang out with people, be active, be lazy, go shopping, start a project around the house, paint something, clean, blog, sit outside with a drink, watch two or three straight episodes of a good TV show.
90. What's on your shopping list? Aluminum foil, laundry detergent, Band-aids, patio furniture.
91. Where do you sit to eat dinner? At the kitchen table.
92. Favorite room in your house? Our living room. But come summer, it will be the porch.
93. Favorite beauty product? Mascara.
94. Longest you've gone without a shower? A weekend.
95. What do you wish you could buy? Time, a lake house.
96. Do you like roller coasters? Very much.
97. What's the most important thing you keep in your purse? My cash-back credit card.
98. How many songs are on your iPod? Maybe 500?
99. What's the first thing you do when you get home? Kick off my shoes, go through the mail.
100. How long did it take you to answer these questions? Longer than I anticipated!

The maid of honor

http://www.okcupid.com/online.dating.persona.test
Who can resist a good personality quiz? Not I.

Deliberate Gentle Love Master (DGLM)

Appreciated for your kindness and envied for all your experience, you are The Maid of Honor. Charismatic, affectionate, and terrific in relationships, you are what many guys would call a "perfect catch"--and you probably have many admirers, each wishing to capture your long-term love. You're careful, extra careful, because the last thing you want is to hurt anyone. Especially some poor boy whose only crime was liking you.

We've deduced you're fully capable of a dirty fling, but you do feel that post-coital attachment after hooking up. So, conscientious person that you are, you do your best to reserve physical affection for those you respect...so you can respect yourself.

Your biggest negative is the byproduct of your careful nature: indecision. You're just as slow rejecting someone as you are accepting them.

Your exact female opposite:
Half-Cocked
Random Brutal Sex Dreamer

Always avoid: The False Messiah (DBLM), The 5-Night Stand (DBSM), The Vapor Trail (RBLM), The Bachelor (DGSM)

Consider: The Gentleman (DGLM), someone just like you.

Photo meme

Thanks to Jinny for the idea.

The rules: Answer the questions below, type each answer into Photobucket and post any picture from the results.

1. What is your occupation?


2. What is your mother's first name?

3. What kind of car do you drive?

4. What kind of car do you want to drive?

5. What is something you like to do in your spare time?

6. What thing do you collect?

7. What is your father's first name?

8. Are you male or female?

9. Describe your mood right now.

10. What is your biggest fear?

11. What are your favorite words?

Also, that girl from 'Wild Hearts Can't Be Broken'

I have to admit I'm going to be glad when NaBloPoMo is over. Sometimes (like right now) I just don't have much to say! Thus, a celebrity look-alike collage:



Despite these results, Sandra Bullock is the only famous person I've ever been told I resemble.

I did, however, used to have a non-celebrity look-alike in town. We went to different high schools but were the same age and knew some of the same people, and all through high school and even college (she randomly lived in Matt's dorm freshman year) people used to tell us we looked like each other. Basically we just had the same coloring, body type and hair length, but I guess that was enough.

I'm it

I've been tagged by Rachel. The rules:

• Link to the person who tagged you and post the rules on your blog.


• Share seven random and/or weird things about yourself.


• Tag seven random people at the end of your post and include links to their blogs.


• Let those people know that they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blogs.

Fortunately, I seem to thrive on posting random/weird things about me for all the world to see. Here goes:

1. I just found out I get to interview Randy Owen, Alabama's lead singer, next week for a magazine article.

2. I never had braces.

3. I spent the first 11 years of my life dreaming of the dangly earrings I would wear when I was finally allowed to pierce my ears, and now I've spent the past five or so years wearing nothing but diamond studs or, when I feel like something different, pearls.

4. When I was little I read a story about a girl who got chicken pox and had to wear gloves to keep from scratching herself, and after that I sometimes wore gloves in an attempt to build my endurance for resisting itching in the event I ever got chicken pox.

5. This picture, of my recycling can at work, says all there is to say about why most of my pants are too tight at the moment.

6. I don't remember the last time I watched TV by myself.

7. I love tennis even more than I love running, but I haven't played since college because I don't have anyone to play with. Tennis is a sport that, to me, really is fun only if a) you're pretty good and b) you're playing someone who's about equally good. Next year one of my resolutions might be to join a tennis league.

I'm tagging:

Amanda
Lib
Kaitlin
Lauren
Lisa at Mix'd Equally
Ally at Carpe Diem
JR at Face Down