25 Random Things About Me

This posting is a copy of an entry from my Facebook page. Four of my friends made a "25 things" list and tagged me as having to do one as well. It took me a couple of days to write this list, but I think it was worth posting here as well (that and the fact that I haven't made an entry this week). Making the list was especially tough since I have so many friends who are way too clever for their own good and their 25 things lists were marvelous. So without further ado here is my list in no particular (yet seemingly erratic) order.

1. I used to play the oboe, trumpet, viola and saxophone. My times and friends in band are the fondest memories of my childhood and teen years.

2. My grandparents have been married for over 65 years. I was born on their anniversary. They have always been kind and loving to each other, never once raising their voices in anger. I consider them my heroes and my best role model on a great marriage.

3. My partner Brooke and I were together for 10 years before we got married.

4. Every time I had a major move north, there has been a devastating earthquake within 6 months. I will never move to Alaska because of it.

5. The thing I hate most about myself is that I am a horrible procrastinator.

6. Deep down I am either a total pacifist or an axe-wielding Viking berzerker.

7. We always had dogs while I was growing up. When my family lost our house and moved into the crappy ghetto apartment, we had to give our dogs away. It broke my heart and I lost the only souls who would always listen, never judge, and lick my face when I felt bad.

8. I would love to do more nude photography, but am too chicken to ask people to be my models.

9. I love the fact that I am a weirdo, nerd, geek and dork. “Normal” people make me edgy.

10. I have hugged Eddie Palmieri and shaken Stanley Jordan’s magical hand in thanks for the joy their music has given me.

11. I had my picture on the front page of a major newspaper on New Years Day, but I completely forgot about it until my mom showed me the clipping. I have also had my photo in the LA Times.

12. My Mom nicknamed me “SuperBitch” when I was a baby (BTW-I love my mom for this, she is too awesome). She says it was because of the way I would stare down little old ladies who tried disturb me. “What a cute little baybee…oh good heavens.” My brother was the charmer.

13. I think it would be neat to have a time machine, but I wouldn’t use it if you could alter the past.

14. Before I die, I would like to go into space. Orbiting the earth in a space hotel would be good enough for me…and I would like to spend time in zero G.

15. My favorite Sci-Fi TV series I have watched are in this order: Babylon 5, Firefly, Farscape, Star Trek Original, The Prisoner, Star Trek Next Gen. I have not watched Battlestar Galactica yet. I am saving it for 2009.

16. I have way too many ingredients in my pantry, fridge, freezer and spice cupboard. Opening any of the doors may result in food avalanche. You have been warned.

17. I love to cook for friends and family. I consider myself very lucky that others are willing to take time out from their busy schedules to visit me and share my table. I consider this one of life’s greatest pleasures.

18. I love going to Farmer’s Markets and Art Fairs. I would rather spend my money buying local goods direct from the artisan who made or grew them.

19. It never worked out for me to go to college when I was young. I am always nervous that my writing is laden with mistakes in grammar, word choice and syntax. This list is killing me.

20. I wish I understood mathematics and physics in the way that Brooke does. I find the idea that you can describe the universe with math very interesting, but don’t understand how it works.

21. When driving to and from places, I like to take alternate routes, side streets, etc. I have always found the most interesting places this way. I think it is somehow genetic since my Dad does the same thing. In our family it is called “Nerping” as in, “Take the freeway, we don’t have time to go nerping around.”

22. I have always had a really good sense of direction. I am an excellent navigator and know how to properly refold a map.

23. Bubblebaths are the way to go. No ifs ands or buts about it.

24. I’m plagiarizing Julie on this one – “This line reserved for all the things, facts, habits, and goals I’m not willing to post on the internet.”

25. My favorite color is dark green, my favorite ice cream is mint-chip (specifically at 31 flavors), my favorite beer is Mac and Jacks African amber, my favorite sandwich is The Reuben at Zingermann’s Deli in Ann Arbor, MI, my favorite sport to watch is Rally Racing, my favorite sport to play is soccer, my favorite expensive restaurant is Boulevard in San Francisco CA, my favorite cheap lunch place is Meze in Kirkland WA, my favorite hobby is photography, my favorite home-made meal is Honey-Glazed Chipotle Meatloaf with mashed potatoes, my favorite weather has lots of puffy Rene Magritte clouds, my favorite painter is Vincent Van Gogh (especially his later work), my favorite Sci-Fi book is Titan by John Varley, my favorite comic book hero is John Constantine, my favorite sound in the world is Brooke’s whooping laughter.

FIN.

The Snow That Ate Seattle

So yeah, it doesn’t snow too often in the Seattle area.  We typically get a dusting once or twice a year that sticks on the road for a day or two and then the temps rise, the rain returns and the snow is gone in a flash.  This December, we’ve had 12 days of snow and ice and it’s causing this area major trouble.  We’ve had no UPS deliveries, no trash pick up (going on 2 weeks now).  Here are a few news headlines with links:

Snow begins to melt as state, county declare emergencies
Christmas outage affected 18,000 PSE customers on Eastside

No plows or sanding/de-icing trucks can even make it up and down the steep hill of our neighborhood.  Some  cars have been stuck in the middle of the street for a week.  The office closed down due to the bad unplowed roads on several days, so Brooke and I were able to go out and enjoy the winter a little bit while running errands.

I just wanted to show off a couple of photos I took to let those of you in hot places see my snowy winter wonderland. 

A powder-covered magical forest outside

Outside our living room windows shows a foot of snow on the deck railings

We had so much snow, our neighbors made a 6' tall snowman

I grew up in the LA area and it never snowed.  I never got to go sledding down icy slopes, make snowmen, have snowball fights behind an ice fort, or get out of going to school because it was a snow day (we did get out of school if there was an earthquake, does that count?).  In fact, I didn’t see snow fall from the sky until I was 21 years old.  It is always astounding for me to watch it snow and listen to how whisper quiet it makes everything outdoors. It’s a shame that it was hard on some and transportation was a bear, but this gal from sunny So. Cal had a great week.