25 random things about me
1) Sometimes I play a game where I try to do normal things as if I one of my arms had been blown off in a war. Cooking, cleaning, opening things... they become much more interesting with one arm.
2) So far, Spain is the only country I've lived in where I dont get made fun of for eating so much mayonnaise. French fries, green beans, sandwiches, potatoes... its all better with mayo. Spaniards agree, though I think many other europeans would also stand by my side on this issue.
3) I have odd vocabulary in English. Sometimes people interpret my use of large SAT sounding words as either a sign of pretentiousness or intelligence. Mostly it is because I grew up transliterating words from spanish into english and vice versa. To say that "water is potable" or to talk about "quotidian things" sounds normal to me. It wasnt until I went to College in the US that I realized that I sounded weird.
4) After years, I have begrudgingly come to accept that I like quite a bit of Pop music. I still think most of it is empty and unoriginal. But hey, its catchy. And if I like watching stupid movies sometimes, why cant I listen to the musical equivalent sometimes? Keep on rockin' Justin, keep on rockin.
5) I studied English in college because I like to read and write and am decent at both. But more and more I realize I like books because I like stories. I am a bit indifferent to Literary Criticism, except when they uncover something useful. This worried me for a bit, and led me to the conclusion that I probably should have done History... then I discovered poetry and was glad I stuck with Lit.
6) Growing up, in High School and such, I was quite clique-ish. I have few friends but was very close with them. I didnt particularly care about letting new people in. Then in college it was a complete reversal, as I had a wide array of friends in many opposing social groups. I think I am somewhere in the middle now.
7) I am grossed out by pretty much any insect that is larger than an inch. And terrified by several of them. In fact, if you gave me the option of getting into a glass case filled with mice, or snakes, or eels, or rabid beavers... and then one filled with medium sized moths. I would pick anything but the moths. Oddly enough, I am still fascinated by insects.
8) Clowns should be made illegal. Too many children have been scarred. Stephen King already wrote "It". The damage is done. Pack it up and go home.
9) I am studying vocabulary for the GREs. When reviewing words, I try to associate them with a sentence or a word. Sometimes these mnemonic associations make no real sense. Like, "truculent badger" or "penurious weasel."
10) I hate watching movies with others. I am always too aware of what they are thinking or if they are hating or enjoying the movie. I never end up getting caught up in the movie like if I were by myself. The exception to this rule is if a bunch of the guys and I are watching "guys' movies". Explosions and toilet humor (even better if combined) are better enjoyed in groups.
11) I love to cook. This is a fairly recent discovery, though I suspected as much towards the end of college. There is nothing more relaxing that following cooking instructions, forgetting about everything else and then getting to eat your stresses away.
12) When I was little, my favorite number was 6. I believe Ernie from Sesame Street was to blame, since he sang a song called My Favorite Number is Six. Later on in my childhood, I realized that most horror movies and satanic paraphernalia was full of sixes. I felt bad about liking the number and tried to erase it from my favorites. I never really could though, and felt guilty about this for years.
13) I love living things. Trees, animals, some people... If I were better at math I would have studied some sort of life science: biology, botany, zoology, maybe even medicine. Unfortunately, I get woozy with medical stuff, am allergic to most hairy animals, and suck at math. So its the Arts for me.
14) The streets of Heaven will not be paved with gold. They will be paved with haribo gummy bears. I will be a street cleaner.
15) I was a sensitive child and movies and tv had a strong effect on me. Because of this, I had never seen a horror movie until I turned 18. It was then that I realized that horror movies arent really scary, because my imagination is much worse. After a summer with Dustin Davies, I had watched a bunch of them. I am now addicted to Zombie flicks, and most monster movies in general.
16) I somehow managed to graduate with an English degree without having ever read Milton, Ulysses, or Austen or studying Chaucer.
17) I am terrified and paralyzed when I am expected to do a specific task that I have never done before and have not been trained to do. This is the reason I never went to any formal dances or balls in college. On the flipside, this is why I liked raves and techno. There werent any rules for you to mess up.
18) After my Uncle's family left Spain when I was about 13, I grew up far from family. As a result, I am closer to most of my friends than I am with my family. It has created great friendships, but I never realized that I had missed out on anything until recently when my Aunt started getting my mom's side together for the past few christmases.
19) I'm 25 and still dont have my driver's license. This is mostly due to how much it costs to get one here in spain. Though, really, the only reason I've ever wanted a car was to drive with my music blaring, windows down. Also to take trips to the countryside.
20) Though I live overseas, I've had quite a few people come visit me in Spain: Erin Davidson, Ed Rand, Alex Oldfield, David Garza, Dave Macadam, Emily Sydow, soon Sradda Thapa, Miriam Moser and perhaps I'm forgetting someone. Sometimes the people were in the neighborhood, others they came to see me. Either way, not too shabby for someone who lives 3000 miles away. I hope my life continues with this pattern as I move around.
21) My childhood trumpet teacher was an old gruff man from the Spanish Civil Guard band. He would stomp, curse obscenities at me, and threaten to beat me with a stick if I didnt practice or got things wrong. When I got things right he would stomp, curse obscenities at me, and tell me that he loved me like a son. My mother would sometimes sit in the room next door and enjoy the whole thing.
22) I am a very spiritual person, but I am not as disciplined as I should be in that regard. At the same time, my lack of discipline stems from my fatalist frustration at my own imperfection. I think I really need to learn to accept cosmic love and grace if I ever want to fully evolve spiritually. I am too proud though.
23) When I was a kid, for a few years I liked making a tradition out of sleeping in one of the christmas boxes for a few days. This became impossible as I got older. I am still looking forward to the day I am given a new fridge.
24) To this day, the best job I've ever had is still working as a groundskeeper during a summer at college. You work with your hands, have varied duties, work alone and with people, are outside, see your progress at the end of the day, are out of work by 4. If only...
25) I played "pretend" all the time as a kid. My mom was great about playing along, calling me "Robin Hood" or whoever I was that day. I remember in 4th grade when my friends told me that we were too old to do that anymore. Life got a lot more boring after that.
