25 things you (probably) don't know about me

I've started about five different blog posts and haven't gotten around to posting any of them. I blame feeling a little bit better and summer, in that order. Instead of finishing one of those entries, I figured it made more sense to start another. I haven't written a "what I've been doing" post in some time, so that's up next. But I wanted something fun -- so starting something new is MUCH more exciting than finishing up one of the more serious posts in the queue.

So, without further ado...

1) My toenails have been continuously painted since I stopped playing competitive soccer -- 12 + years of pretty toes. I think women's' feet are so much prettier that way.

2) This September, I'll celebrate 25 years of playing the piano. My baby grand is my second-favorite purchase (after my house).

She might've been Ampersand! 

3) My initial cat name choices were Apostrophe and Ampersand. Astrix was shorter and easier to yell. The cat name I envy the most is Italics (from Runaway Bride).

4) Speaking of pets, I generally dislike dogs. If you have a small dog, I will be wary of you because a good small pet is a cat, not a dog. My grandparents always had big dogs (mainly German Shepherds), so any affinity I have for dogs are for large breeds.

5) I don't put milk on my cereal. I really don't eat that much cereal anymore -- just (dry) Cheerios from time to time.

6) Careers I had in mind before the one I chose -- actuary, lawyer (this was a long-running one), author, architect, music education teacher, sports journalist, print journalist (close!), and something in marketing. I didn't even know jobs like mine existed.

7) If money were no object, I'd spend my life writing books. And coaching. And I'd probably own a bookstore, assuming it was a viable business. But -- trick question. Money is no object, so I will have my bookstore.

8) I learned about highly sensitive person(hood) last year, and when I read it, I knew I was an HSP. I experience most stimuli much more intensely than other people (especially light/visual stimuli, temperature, and sound).  I read a book about it and spent two hundred pages nodding.

9) I've broken bones four times -- left pinky (twice), left forearm, and a carpal/metacarpal in my right hand, by far the most painful. I also sprained my left ankle on a hurdle in high school, the first time I said the f-word in hearing range of an adult (my track coach).

Bet you didn't know I ran 300m hurdles! Summary: Brutal.
That's me winning, BTW. In Lane 8.

10) I have always wanted to be a twin. No luck yet. I blame my dad, who has a twin sister.

11) I have slight OCD tendencies. One of my favorite things to organize when I was little was the shopping cart at the store or our pantry. I've learned to embrace some chaos because organizing things takes time. My shopping cart now looks like a pile of food in a shopping cart -- success.

12) I know how to do about four things with my hair -- wear it down, wear it in a ponytail, wear it in a bun, and flat-iron it. I'm incredibly hair-challenged. I started getting digital perms because I knew it was time to surrender.

13) My favorite television show of all-time is Seinfeld. I watch it through every year or two.

14) I am afraid of needles, spiders, snakes, and heights -- and I'm easily startled. I've been desensitizing myself to needles since an incident when I was eleven. I can get blood drawn without crying now. I used to be afraid of flying -- I get a little nervous sometimes, but I'm generally good.

15) I had my first drink at 23. I don't like beer or liquor (unless it's in a drink with an umbrella). If I'm drinking, it's probably hard cider or red wine -- or hot chocolate with peppermint schnapps. Is it winter yet?

16) All of my pajamas are pink. Yes -- all of them.

On Whidbey Island in Sherman.

17) Sherman is the first car I've owned that I have named (as well as determined that he is a boy-car). As soon as I started driving him, I felt like I was in a tank -- and the name came naturally at that point. I've always wanted to drive a big car.

18) When I commute alone, I practice delivery for courses or questions for coaching sessions or presentations for teammates. I like to make plenty of mistakes and trip over my own words a few times because it helps me polish my message.

19) If I could be on any game show, it would be Supermarket Sweep. Hoses, hams, and hair dye -- I would OWN that show, including the mystery items and the inflatable bonuses.

20) It's been two years since I've been to church. It was at a time when I was cleaning out a lot of things in my life, and it became clear that it had to go with the rest of them. I believe in God as much as always at the same time as being pretty disillusioned with "the church" itself. We'll see where that goes.

21) I've collected many things over the years (cows, stamps, bears, seals, miniature boxes, tea sets -- just to name a few) but the only current collection item for me are postcards -- either from where I visit or from where friends or family visit. They take up much less space and bring back so many memories -- which is why I created my travel wall in my office so I can look at (a subset of) them at any time.

22) If I could live in heels, I would. Heels... and TOMS.

23) I have wild, engaging, dramatic, scary -- and often lucid -- dreams. I've always had an overactive imagination -- why would it stop when I go to bed?

Kirkland waterfront -- ah, summer!

24) I'm sort-of excited to have my own personal photographer. Sometimes it can be a little weird to have Sergio always behind the lens (a true photographer, he doesn't like to be photographed nearly as much as he likes observing and clicking away), but I feel like my memories are in Technicolor now. I just have to flip through a few albums and the sights, smells, and sounds come racing back to me.

25) Despite all of the challenges of the last nine months or so, I'm still filled with so much hope -- and love. Life can be hard, broken, and still beautiful -- right?

That's it! That's twenty-five. If you knew all of these, you must be my mom (love you, Mom).

Back to regular blogs soon -- I promise. We're off on a family vacation later this week, so I'll have a chance to catch up!

xo,
Sarah