I have a feeling I’ve posted some of these before, but no harm in a little repetition from time to time… you’re supposed to tag people here but eh, I’m just posting 25 random facts. Just cause. As I’m sitting here on my futon, still in my PJs, watching all the coverage in Washington. Don’t think I’ve watched so much CNN at one time…

1. My kindergarten teacher wanted to hold me back. I was so disorganized. Really disorganized. I was always the youngest in my grade. I wasn’t even 18 when I started college. My mom said “I don’t think so”. My disorganized beginnings contributed somewhat to my current organizational tendencies.

2. I’m a huge Tori Amos fan. I’ve met her twice, seen I believe seven concerts, and have some 70 CDs of hers. And she’s rumored to have a new CD coming out this year, with tour to follow. I’m saving some of my traveling for that!

3. Until I went to college, I’d never lived anywhere other than the house I grew up in. I’d never even changed rooms… which is why it’s funny how many times I’ve moved since.

4. So speaking of moving, I’ve moved a lot since. After college, I lived in three different apartments in South Florida. I then moved to DC, where I lived three different places in the Metro area – two actually in DC and one in Arlington (that I lived in for all of two months before breaking my lease to move to NYC – oooops). Now in NYC, I am on my second apartment. So overall, that’s 8 different places in 7 years. Maybe averaging more than one move per year is not a good thing?

5. I technically attended five different undergraduate schools – Auburn University, University of Alabama in Huntsville, Calhoun Community College, Mississippi State University, University of Maryland University College (for my study abroad) and I had three different majors – computer engineering, computer science, and international business. I still managed to finish a dual degree five year program in five years. Not half-bad.

6. I cannot go to sleep if I do not put Blistex on my lips. Otherwise, I will toss and turn. It’s random, but it’s a definite.

7. I hate milk. Hate hate hate it. My sole milk intake is via cappuccinos. If milk is in my cereal, I will drain it off. It really irks me – smell, taste, flavor, texture, ewwww. Same thing with all forms of beans. Cuban restaurants in Miami thought I was nuts when I would tell them to keep their beans.

8. I would have thought that having lived in the city for over a year, I would have seen more famous people. To date, I’ve only seen Mario Lopez (pump up the A. C.!) and Michael Cera, twice. My sister and I saw lots of that little car in “Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist” tooling around the Lower East Side. At the time, I just thought Michael Cera liked to drive crappy cars.

9. I’ve stopped eating bar-b-que chicken after getting food poisoning the last three times I’ve eaten it. Worst was when I ended up in the hospital in college to get pumped with glucose. I decided it was a sign that it wasn’t supposed to be in my diet.

10. I love performing. Karaoke is my favorite thing to do — anything from Britney Spears to Avril Lavigne to Joss Stone. One of my favorite college memories was my senior year, singing the opening number in our rush skit – “Girl’s Just Wanna Have Fun” – dancing and singing solo in a skin tight short skirt from Salvation Army. I also won a couple of concerto competitions and played my flute as a soloist with two different symphonies. However, speeches and presentations still petrify me.

11. I am really close to finishing my first longer piece of memoir writing, in large part due to participating in NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month). It’s funny… the older you get, the more you begin to forget details… but writing something like this makes so much come back. Some good – some bad – but all important.

12. I’ve traveled a fair amount internationally, although there’s more that I’d like to see of course. I’ve been to a fair amount of Europe (England, Scotland, France, Spain, Switzerland, Germany, Czech Republic, Hungary, Austria, Gibraltar, Portugal) and also been to Canada, the Bahamas, and Brazil. However, I’ve never really been out West in the U. S. Some of the traveling I would most like to do doesn’t involve crossing oceans – just lots of land.

13. I almost never went to the interview that landed my internship, without which who knows where I would be today. My advisor chewed me out as I was about to go in to it (I’d accidentally written down the wrong date for the “mandatory pre-interview session” and missed it) and I almost had an asthma attack. I went ahead and went in and when the very senior gentleman who was interviewing introduced himself, stating “I don’t believe we’ve met…” (implying I wasn’t at the session) I responded in an equally vague manner with, “I don’t know – I don’t believe so”.

14. My mom was the champion of the day on Wheel of Fortune and my dad was on The Price is Right (he was one of the last ones called up to contestant row but didn’t make it up on stage). My sister and I both have not yet been on a game show. I suppose I should figure out what my show of choice should (and would) be.

15. Since college, I’ve become very comfortable with doing things alone if it’s either doing that or not getting to do them. Things I’ve regularly done solo include concerts, movies, and dining. One thing I’ll likely never do solo is travel.

16. I haven’t seen my natural hair color completely in years. My hair has been blond, red, and brown. It’s been straight and it’s been permed. It’s been short, and it’s been long. It’s been hot pink – oh wait. That was my Pebbles wig. Anyhow, it’s ever changing. Keeps life interesting.

17. I’ve been known to have a shoe problem. At last count, I had 35 pairs of shoes. I believe I may have bought a few more since that count was done.

18. After I finished my MBA program, I decided I was going to do all of the things I never had time to do during school. I’ve taken writing classes, leading to me writing my memoir and doing a weekly food column. I completed a professional photography program through the Washington School of Photography. I’ve been taking ballet classes (not so frequently as of late, but I’m working on correcting that!) at one of the local ballet schools and also at my gym. I’m trying to stop taking on new interests though and work on getting better at the ones I’ve already got. Easier said than done!

19. Anyone who tells you that getting a dog will turn your life upside down is absolutely right. And they’re equally right if they tell you that you’ll never be alone again. One of the single most petrifying moments of my life was closing the door behind me as I returned from Huntsville with nothing but Dixie’s eyes looking back at me. I thought – “Crap. What do I do now?”. And I still think that sometimes, but she’s the best.

20. I haven’t driven a car in over a year now, and am a bit anxious to do so now. The only thing I miss about driving is singing at the top of my lungs to my music (and dancing).

21. I used to go dancing all of the time in Miami. No one seems to dance in New York. That’s on my list of New Year’s Resolutions… find somewhere to dance in this city!

22. I love theme parties and costumes. The most recent ones were a Tacky Holiday Party (where I wore my slammin’ holiday sweater vest, turtleneck, and light-up snowflake necklace) and Halloween (where I was Miss Alabama). Some of my favorite parties though were while I lived with Sarah and Yenie and our row house (the house with the purple door). We had a “Trailer Trash” Party and another one which was a “Saved By the Bell Reunion” (80s/90s). I’m a firm believer every weekend would be better if it were themed.

23. My most prized possession is my Raggedy Ann/Andy blanket I’ve had since I was born. It’s torn a lot because it was long and when I was younger, I fell all of the time on it. It was so worn out that my mom had to sew an entire new back on it, but it’s still clinging on for life. My father once drove back 8 hours round-trip to get it when I left it behind on a family trip.

24. I really want to go skiing, but am embarrassed about the prospect of the bunny slopes at 29 and am scared it could be break numero dos.

25. The only real scar (aside from a few minor ones from chicken pox) is on my nose. It’s from a ridiculous carpet burn I once had on my nose from a couple of friends’ birthday party. It’s caused me nothing but trouble ever since, but you’d only really notice it if you knew to look… and now, you do!