Livin' and Lovin' in A-town

25 Random Things

Those of you who are facebook fans have probably noticed the "25 Random Things" trend that's been going around. This past week I finally broke down and made a list and posted it on my facebook profile. I enjoyed it so much, I decided to make another list and post it on my blog. Some of these may be on my facebook list or be similar to ones I listed...that just means they're important. So, here's another 25 random things about me:

1. I love to drive. Most of my friends will tell you that I pretty much do all of the driving. I love it! Driving is one of the most relaxing things I do. I do my best thinking when I'm alone in the car. The only thing I don't like about driving...slow drivers! I hate slow drivers...and people who should no longer be driving. Kills me...take their license away already!

2. I love to travel...love love love to travel! This was on my facebook list, but it seriously warrants being mentioned again. I get excited even if it's a trip to Dallas...2 hours away and I'm as giddy as a little kid! I have several trips coming up in the next few months and I can hardly contain myself. If any of you ever needs a travel buddy, I'm there!

3. I hate taking food to-go from restaurants unless it is a fast-food restaurant like McDonald's or Taco Bell. The food from those places is meant to be taken with you. I can't stand it when someone says "Let's just pick it up from Chili's or Olive Garden or Pasados and eat it at home." It's meant to be eaten at a restaurant. It's best when eaten at the restaurant. Once you get it home, it's never as hot or crisp or flavorful as it would have been if it was brought straight to your plate. And it never fails they forget something. Don't even get me started.

4. I love blasting a good song in my car when I'm alone. Goes back to number 1...driving with a great song, windows rolled down, all by myself. I do not however love playing my music loud when people are in the car with me. It's weird...I only like loud music when I'm by myself. One song, if it's a great song, is sometimes ok. But in general, whether I'm a passenger or the driver, if I'm with other people, I like the music at a moderate level. Maybe it has something to do with hearing...I don't hear well anyway, so when there is loud music and people are talking, it's way too much noise for me to process. Or, maybe it just annoys me to turn down the music when people begin to talk. Whatever the reason, I'm a loner when it comes to blasting the music.

5. I tend to be overprotective of people I love...mainly family and close friends. I'm a protector and fixer by nature. I can't help it. If you have a problem, I automatically think of ways to fix it...whether you've asked me to or not. When someone is being mean to a friend, I'm like a bodyguard, ready to attack. Say I won't be an amazing soccer mom! Some kid starts pushing my kid around on the soccer field, I'm there! My mother is exactly the same way. You should have seen her the night I got slammed into the goal post and broke my jaw. Boy, Janine was about ready to fly off those bleachers! Even today, at work if there is drama or something going wrong, my mom is ready to stand in and take some punches. And, I can admit, I'm sometimes a hypocrite about it. It's ok for me to go to Las Vegas by myself, but if my sister did it, I'd freak out. It's ok for me to work 70 hour weeks, but when my parents do it, I'm worried about them. The list goes on and on.

6. I love ACU! I was born to bleed purple and white. My parents went to ACU and my siblings and I were raised that if we wanted mom/dad to pay for school, we had to go to ACU. I can't tell you how many Sing Songs and Homecomings I've been to. My memories of ACU are amazing and I'll love that school till the day I die. I might not always agree with its policies or decisions, but I love it. It helped make me who I am today and I can trace so many steps of my life back to that campus.

7. I love to travel, but I don't have a passport. All of my international travel was before a passport was required.

8. I desperately want an Infiniti QX56. It is my dream car...or dream SUV I should say. I will have one. I hope very soon!

9. I learned the most about life, people and work when I was the Catering Director for ACU. I've loved all of the jobs I've had, but I learned the most in catering. I think every person, for at least 2 months of their life, should work in the food service industry. It is a humbling experience and opens your eyes to literally a new world. If I have kids, they will spend at least one summer in a restaurant or catering. No questions asked.

10. Because I worked in catering, I learned a lot about jail, drugs, prostitution, stripping, stealing, abuse...and the list goes on. Sometimes I talk about jail or prostitution like I've been there...it's because I have. I've been to the jail to bail out my employees. I've visited them behind bars so I can tell them how their family is doing. I've been on the visiting list of inmates. I've gone to shady motels to pick up employees who are sharing rooms with prostitutes or transexuals...or transexual prostitutes. I've seen the track marks and bruises on my employees who were messed up the night before, but they knew they better show up to work, or I'd be coming to their door. My team learned a lot from me when I was their director...but none of them learned as much as I did. They'll never know how they impacted my life.

11. I am a procrastinator. I shouldn't be in my line of work and I'm trying to get better. But, by nature, I am a procrastinator. Always have been. Probably always will be. I'm procrastinating right now...I should be doing my production schedule for upcoming events...instead I'm writing a blog. Good use of my time!

12. I am horrible with money. I make a lot and spend a lot. I am a horrible saver. I have a savings account, but usually by the end of each month, it's empty. I can't keep a budget to save my life. Thank goodness for online banking or I'd have no clue what was in my checking account. I need to marry someone who is good with money. Someone who can budget for me...give me a weekly allowance and I'll be good to go! I am a spender! And most people who know me well will agree...I like to buy buy buy.

13. I keep a running list of dream jobs...the list includes owning a restaurant, being a travel writer, being a food critic and owning a ranch.

14. When I get married, I want to take a long honeymoon. I don't want one of these week long honeymoons...I'm talking 3 weeks. If that's ok with you, honey :)

15. Some of my favorite cities are cities I would never want to live in. I love New York, but I would never want to live there. I love Las Vegas and Los Angeles, but I would never want to live there. I would consider the outskirts of Los Angeles, but not the other two cities.

16. It amuses me how you can be so close to someone for years of your life, but how over time you grow apart and end up not really knowing them at all.

17. My favorite time of the year in Abilene is the summer. While it's hotter than you know where, it's still so great. The students are gone, the atmosphere is relaxed and I can spend a ton of time at Betsey's pool. Some of my fondest memories over the past few years have been at their pool. All day swimming and bar-b-ques at night. Simple pleasures.

18. I am a nosey person. I always want to know more details. I'm often the one who asks the inappropriate questions. I don't mean to be rude...I'm just nosey. If someone is telling me a story, I usually have questions for them at the end, and if they don't know the answers, it seriously bothers me! If you don't know all of the answers, just don't tell me the story!

19. I've been in several weddings, but I'm pretty sure I'll only have 2 people stand up there with me...Jes and Jody. That is, if Jody isn't too old by the time I get married ;)

20. I'm not usually an emotional person. I have a big heart, but I don't always let it show. I don't cry easily and I often seem cold or intimidating. Actually, about the only emotion I freely show is happiness/laughter. I am a laughing junkie! I LOVE to laugh! And it's pretty easy to make me laugh. I seriously laugh out loud all them time...even when I'm by myself. I often laugh when I'm watching tv all alone. Heck, I'll even laugh out loud when I remember something funny. People probably think I'm crazy when I do that.

21. My desk is almost always a mess. I can't help it. For me to be productive, it has to be a mess. I'm the only one who can navigate through the stacks of papers, post-its, etc. I hate it when people try to organize my desk. My co-workers and the janitors know to never touch the things on my desk...I know where everything is and it will rock my world if it gets organized! Don't get me wrong, I love the days when I take time to make neat little piles and my desk looks so straight and clean...but it doesn't happen very often.

22. Dolly Parton is my all time favorite celebrity. I realize that most of you know this, but I just have to say it. I adore her. I have to meet her before I die...or before she dies...whichever comes first. If any of you can pull any strings to get me to meet her, I'd love you forever. I'd pay an amazing amount of money to meet her. I know she and I are destined to be great friends!

23. I enjoy savoury over sweet. I will almost always go for something salty over something sweet. However, there are moments when I crave something deliciously homemade...a cookie or cake. The operative word being homemade. Don't give me store bought. Homemade!

24. I love thunderstorms. Especially daytime thunderstorms. Saturday daytime thunderstorms. When all you have to do is open the windows, smell and hear the rain, listen to the thunder, curl up under a blanket, watch your favorite movies and cuddle. Those are the best.

25. Every week night from 11pm to 1:30am I watch Frasier and Golden Girls. It's the Lifetime lineup. I start out with Frasier as I'm winding down, getting ready for bed. Then Golden Girls comes on. I usually watch the first show which runs from 12-12:30am...and I laugh out loud because I stinkin' love that show. Then from 12:30-1:30 I'm preparing my mind to go to sleep. I set the sleep timer, wrap my blankets around me and close my eyes while listening to those funny ladies in the background. Usually sometime between 11 and 1:30 I'll get a call from Lindsey or Caddie. With the 2 hour time difference, it makes sense for them to call around 11. So, talking on the phone and Golden Girls...that's my evening ritual.