15 Random Things About Me

1. I don’t like getting flowers.  Scratch that, I HATE getting flowers.  They remind me of funerals.  Bring me cupcakes, bring me a book, bring me a bottle of water, but please don’t bring me flowers. 

2. When I turned 19, I moved to Paris.  Originally, I went over for a semester abroad, but when the semester ended, I didn’t particularly feel like coming home.  Since the school was out, I didn’t have a place to stay or any type of job to do. When I called home and talked to my mom, she told me if I really didn’t want to come home, I’d figure it out.  Good advice. She was right.  It was one of the most enlightening experiences I’ve ever had. I’ve often returned to this advice  – “If you really want to do it, you’ll figure it out.”

3. I have super quirky dog.  He’s actually more of a cat than a dog. He likes to climb fences, sleep in the sun, yodel, and run around like a hyena. We paid $1,000 to send him to a fancy-pants dog training school, and all he can do is “sit” (with about a 50% accuracy. Seriously. Google “Basenji.”

4. I’m homesick for all the places I’ve yet to be. I haven’t been everywhere, but it’s on my list.

5. In 2012, my husband and I quit our jobs, sold everything that didn’t fit in our (small) car, and flew to Asia.  We had no plans, no itinerary and no job to come to back to.  Life hasn’t been the same since.

6. When I was 5 years old, the movie Top Gun came out, and I told the world that when I grew up, I’d marry Tom Cruise.  When I turned 24, that’s exactly what I did.  Seriously.  While trekking around the Grand Canyon, a tour bus filled with Japanese teenagers insisted he was Tom Cruise AND ALL POSED FOR PICTURES WITH HIM.  Hilarious!  True Story.  He’s also my best friend and a doting daddy to our daughter.

7. One of my favorite books is “Le Petit Prince.”  I’ve read it in French and English, and feel pretty strongly it should be required reading.  I re-read it often and hope I never forget to view the world through the eyes of child.

8. I think the sexiest part of a man is his brain.  If you can’t hold your own in a debate, challenge me to my very core, stay up for hours discussing religion, politics, current events, social injustice, movies, books, etc, than I’m just not that into you.

9. I live with the belief that there is very little that a long walk and a glass of red wine can’t fix.

10. I have a bad habit of reading 4-5 different books all at the same time.  Different books for different moods. 

11. I have terrible cell phone manners.  First of all, I rarely remember to bring my cell phone with me.  On the off chance it’s on me, it’s not likely to be charged.  If it’s both with me and charged, I almost never feel like answering it.  Please don’t take it personally.  It’s not you, it’s me.  Really.  If you need to get my attention, email me.

12. My favorite thing to do is laugh.  The “unstoppable, deep-from-within-your-gut, giggling for DAYS after” variety.

13. I’ll always choose comfort over style.  I’m a worn-in jeans, UGGs, soft-old-sweatshirt kind of girl.  My husband finds that sexy.

14. I’m not vegetarian, but I probably should be.  I don’t care for the taste or texture of meat, and I’ve never met a vegetable I didn’t love.

15. I’m a hopeless romantic.  I’ve been married for 10 years, and with my husband a total of 15 years and I’m still ridiculously in love. Date night gets me giddy. When he puts on a black suit, my heart skips a beat. I love all the lovey-dovey stuff. Hand-holding, long walks on the beach, fireplaces, candle-lit dinners, the whole deal.  Except flowers.  See #1.