Finish This....

I don't remember how I came across this blog, but I like the idea of a little get to know you.

My favorite makeup item is… a concealer stick. Greetings, young adult breakouts! They lessen a bit when I stay away from gluten, but even with deramatology help, I still get acne. Oh, joy.

The best book I ever read was…all of them? A Feast of Love, Krik? Krak!, Atlas of the Human Heart

My favorite TV show is… Ghost Whisperer. Laugh if you will. Charmed and The Walking Dead also make the list. Can you tell I love realistic shows?

The most spontaneous thing I've ever done is…probably attempt to skip class in high school. I thought we had a sub for my Russian class and I ended up at the school library. To read. I was the worst rebellious teenager ever.

I prefer DOGS/CATS because … 

Need I say more? I did grow up with a lovely dog, Bear, but cats steal my heart time and time again.

I met my husband...in middle school. Yes. I promise I'm not making that up. We had art class together and he annoyed the bejesus out of me. I didn't actually enjoy his company until junior year of high school. And now, ten and a half years after our first date....

I might be a smidge unbiased, but I think he's even cuter now.

I'll try not to let this go to my head

From Christina:

For those of you not in the know, a Liebster is an award given from bloggers to bloggers with less than 200 followers. It is meant to bring light to lesser known blogs that we read and love and to give a little blogger pat-on-the-back via this screen.

I was extremely touched to receive this award and from a fellow college friend as well. Check out Christina at The Murrayed Life!

>> Rules <<

1. Thank the bloggers with their link.
2. Post 11 random facts about yourself.
3. Answer the 11 questions set for you.
4. Choose 11 blogs that inspire you with under 200 followers and link their pages to your post.
5. Create 11 questions for them.
6. Inform your nominees.

>> 11 Random Facts <<


1. I love Heinz Ketchup. It was one of the four basic food groups growing up and I love it to this day.

2. When the hubs and I were first dating, he made me a steak. He sat down and waited to see how I liked it. I instead put ketchup on it. I have not lived this down nor do I believe I ever will.

3. I took karate class for eight years as a kid/teenager.

4. I actually like drinking scotch and really dark beer.

5. I was neighbors with Neal DeGrasse Tyson when I was a kid.

6. I have Gemini twin younger brothers.

7. I snort when I laugh.

8. I can change my own oil in my car.

9. I was in the Slavic Honor Society in high school.

10. I once procrastinated on a paper in school for three months past its deadline.

11. I used to watch the second Austin Powers movie enough times that I could recite the entire thing from memory.


>> Questions <<

1. Favorite book?
I have a lot of favorites. Probably Atlas of the Human Heart by Ariel Gore or Letting the Body Lead by Jenn Crowell.

2. Dream vacation?
Iceland or Russia. Or spending a month in Prague.

3. Favorite food?
Mac n cheese

4. One future goal.
To have a book published

5. City or country?
After my years of commuting, I'm retiring in a rural area.

6. How would you explain your basic life philosophy?
Be a good/kind person (especially to yourself) and tell everyone you love that you love them. Often.

7. Favorite recipe?
Um. Not really a baker. I have recipes that I use but none are really a go to favorite. My mom makes amazing pinwheel cookies as a holiday staple, but if I tell you that, I may have to kill you.

8. If you could try out any job for a day, what would you try?
Forensic scientist. We had a mock crime scene set up in science class in elementary school and years of reading Nancy Drew meant I was the only one in the class who solved it. I loved it.

9. What's the best decision you ever made?
Going back to therapy

10. If you could spend a day with anyone, dead or alive, who would it be?
Our old family friend Margaret. There was so much I didn't get to know before she passed.

11. Who are your celebrity crushes?
James McAvoy, Matt Bomer, Clive Owen. I'm a sucker for men with accents/dark hair.

Alrighty, eleven questions for the nominees.

1. Deserted island. One item you take

2. Feminist or not?

3. Favorite dessert

4. One item on your bucket list

5. Cat or dog?

6. If you won the lottery, first thing you would do

7. Favorite movie

8. Least favorite book/book that you wanted to pitch across a room you've ever read

9. How many tattoos do you have?

10. Favorite decade of the 20th century and why

11. Favorite age you've been thus far and why

And the nominees are....

Bree-Not Taken, Not Available

#Team Thompson

Christina at The Murrayed Life (Don't care if I can't nominate her again. :)

May Blogging Challenge: Days 29-31

Day 29, Wednesday: Five songs or pieces of music that speak to you or bring back memories. Use Grooveshark or YouTube to include them in the post
Day 30, Thursday: React to this term: Letting Go
Day 31, Friday: A vivid memory

Day 29-

If I let i-Tunes play the entire collection of music, I'd have so many memories flooding over me. For now:

-Bittersweet Symphony by The Verve. This song has been present at major milestones in my life. I walked down the aisle to this song, it was the last song I heard before I graduated college, etc.

-No Diggity by Blackstreet. I first heard this song on a cassette tape. I found the single in a parking lot and was nine years old. I played it endlessly and loved the beat.

-Wannabe by The Spice Girls. One of my first loves. The Spice Girls was part of my feminist awakening. Yes, feminists world over just shuddered with that disturbance in the force.

-Possession by Sarah McLachlan. Yes, this song is about a stalker. However, it is a beautiful song. I listened to a lot while I was in Prague and the melody became embedded in my steps around the city.

-Hands Held High by Linkin Park. I put this song and the entire Minutes to Midnight cd on my iPod before I left for Prague. I listened to this song on repeat for two hours after I visited Terezen, on the outskirts of Prague. It was a concentration camp and one of the most surreal and horrifying experiences of my life.

Day 30-

I don't let go. That's the problem (hey therapy!). Letting go means not really, maybe, this might come back because that apology wasn't enough, those tears weren't enough. I didn't get to let go of anything growing up.  That legacy haunts me to this day. When I finally do let go, it may crop up again, but sometimes, the memories, the pain, they stay down for mostly good.

Day 31-

I have so many. Each are quilt blocks inside of me. Feeling people's eyes as I held husband's hand at the altar, being so very aware of my body humming with every single emotion possible. Standing up to my father for the first time. Breakthroughs in therapy. So many good and bad things, but they make me who I am. With the sour comes the sweet.

May Blogging Challenge: Days 25-28

Day 25, Saturday: Something someone told you about yourself that you'll never forget (good or bad)
Day 26, Sunday: Something you read online. Leave a link and discuss, if you'd like.
Day 27, Monday: A letter to your readers
Day 28, Tuesday: Only pictures

At least with my catch up posts, the reader is left with something long and meaty to read.


Yeah, my brain is running on about five hours of sleep because we still have plumbing issues at the houses.

Hopefully, the plumber will be riding in on his/her white horse sometime tomorrow.

Day 25: On a more serious note...during a therapy session, my therapist gently asked if I had thought I was a bad person and before I could think about it, I burst into tears. She handed me a tissue box and said, "You're not." Simple but whenever I'm down, I think of that.


Day 26: Something? Goodness, I read all the things. I'm like an anteater, soaking up everything I can.

Both are from the blog A Practical Wedding (aka, love them)
Mourning Your Maiden Name

Daycare

Day 27: Letter to readers.

Um.

*waves* Thanks for coming! I hope you like what you read, also possibly sometimes get my sense of humor. Comments are fun and I try to respond to all. If I could send cookies over the internet, I would. :)

Day 28

May Blogging Challenge

Day 20, Monday: Get real. Share something you're struggling with right now.
Day 21, Tuesday: A list of links to your favorite posts in your archives
Day 22, Wednesday: Rant about something. Get up on your soapbox and tell us how you really feel. (a pet peeve, a current event, a controversial topic, something your husband or roommate or neighbor or boss does that really ticks you off)
Day 23, Thursday: Things you've learned that school won't teach you
Day 24, Friday: Your top 3 worst traits

20-I struggle with family issues. My brothers are going through some really intense stuff right now and while I can love them and be there for them, I have to struggle with not being Wonder Woman, tying on the cape and swooping in. (Somewhere, my therapist just sang Hallelujah!) But I can continue to send them good vibes and love.

21-

The Retro Backlash (one of my many rants)

That whole name thing

Anxiety and Marriage

Motherhood

Buying our first house!

22- Ooh, so many different things. Probably the utter lack of respect that most of the US gov't has for women; be it passing archaic reproductive laws or the absolute shit maternity care and leave policies.

23-How to be kind. How to listen. Most of the feminist literature or articles (thanks, tumblr!). How to pull one's head out of one's ass.

24-Sometimes too excitable. Not everyone goes at Jillian's warp speed. I can snap too quickly if I'm tired or overstressed. Not being able to let go (hey-o anxiety!)

May Blogging Challenge: Days 16-19

I swear, I was all set up for Day 16 and then life happened. Also, when you discover a leak in your front yard, along with other plumbing problems...

Carrying on.

Day 16, Thursday: Something difficult about your "lot in life" and how you're working to overcome it
Day 17, Friday: A favorite photo of yourself and why
Day 18, Saturday: Tell a story from your childhood. Dig deep and try to be descriptive about what you remember and how you felt.
Day 19, Sunday: Five of your favorite blogs and what you love about them


16-I have a lot of difficult things in my life, but quite frankly, my life is awesome right now. Sure, I have issues and yes, money does not fall down from the sky on me, but compared to where I was in 2008? Glorious right now.


17-

Quite possibly my favorite. The hubby took this photo senior year of college. I love it.

18-Story from childhood? Probably all my different stories I made up with my brothers and dress up clothes. We had a big yard when we lived in Hyattsville and I would routinely spend whole days outside, making up grand tales.

For giggles.....

My younger brother is on the left and I think I'm about seven in that photo.

19-I mentioned in an earlier post and I love the copy and paste feature. 

Favorite blogger friends. Like I could pick just one. Obviously, The Murrayed Life. Womanist Musings, TransGriot,Girls Gone Child (the fangirl crush I have on her is disgusting), Dooce, A Cup of Jo, A Practical Wedding, the midnight blues, another dear friend's tumblr from college, but not sure if she would want it shared, Not Taken, Not Available, all the Offbeat Life ones, The Simple Dollar...the list goes on. What can I say, I love to read.

May Blogging Challenge: Day 15

Day 15, Wednesday: A Day in the life (include photos from throughout your typical day - this could be "a photo an hour" if you'd like)

Since it's a Wednesday, I'll start with:

-Wake up next to this cute guy.

-I work from home on Wednesdays (hey, awesome job!) so I get to watch him get ready and leave, whereas normally, I've left the house and am stuck cursing the gods that govern traffic in the DMV by the time he leaves.

-Do work things. Be a helpful minion to my dept.

-Fend off this creature. She is under the impression that my desk is her plaything and step-stool since it's right next to a window. She also thinks that because I'm at home, all of my time must be devoted to her.

-Am usually catching on favorite tv shows or reading after I sign off (no worries about a commute today!).

-Sometimes, I end up in the backyard. Much as I keep telling it to clean and mow itself, it never listens.

-I usually get sucked into FB/Twitter/reruns of Say Yes to the Dress on Netflix, but I try to be in bed by 11.

May Blogging Challenge: Days 11-14

About that keeping up...

Day 11, Saturday: Sell yourself in 10 words or less
Day 12, Sunday: What do you miss? (a person, a thing, a place, a time of your life...)
Day 13, Monday: Issue a public apology. This can be as funny or as serious or as creative as you want it to be.
Day 14, Tuesday: Ten things that make you really happy

11-See, now this is just confusing. Am I selling myself for my photography? As a person? That is too broad. Also, only ten words?
Here goes: I am amazingly kind & considerate. Can be badass if necessary.

Eleven. Close enough.


12-Is it weird to miss something you never really had? I don't as much anymore, but I used to miss what my father and I's relationship could have been if he hadn't been who he was/is. I see examples of wonderful father-daughter relationships and it used to tear me up. Now I sometimes sigh, but the pain lessens each day.


13-Public Apology? Oh lord, for crimes alphabetically or chronologically? ;)

I would apologize to my brothers. I wish I could have been there for you more while I was in college but I couldn't. I love you all so much and I'm sorry.


14-Oooh. In no particular order.

10-Pictures of baby animals. Instant Jillian puddle
9-Wandering around a bookstore. They really should bottle that smell as a perfume.
8-Snuggling with the husbeast
7-The first salt and vinegar chip out of the bag.
6-The first few seconds the paycheck hits your account before you realize it's all going to bills.
5-Reading
4-Curling up with old episodes of favorite tv shows (usually Ghost Whisperer, much to the husband's chagrin. Yes, it's a totally sappy show and I love it. No shame.)
3-Taking an amazing picture
2-Climbing into bed after getting up and feeling your partner's arms wrap around you, even when they are sound asleep
1-Writing an really amazing piece of writing. I get into the groove at a local Barnes and Noble and frequently have to stop myself from dancing on tables. I like shopping there and I have a feeling such actions are discouraged.

May Blogging Challenge

A dear friend asked if I would partake in this blogging challenge. And honestly, who needs a prompt to start talking about themselves?

Ahem.

Since it's now the tenth of May, I will keep up as best I can and give a condensed version of the first ten days.


Day 1, Wednesday: The story of your life in 250 words or less (or one paragraph... no one will be counting your words... probably)
Day 2, Thursday: Educate us on something you know alot about or are good at. Take any approach you'd like (serious and educational or funny and sarcastic)
Day 3, Friday: Things that make you uncomfortable
Day 4, Saturday: Favorite quote (from a person, from a book, etc) and why you love it
Day 5, Sunday: Publicly profess your love and devotion for one of your blogger friends. What makes them great? Why do you love them? If you don't have blogger friends, talk about a real-life friend or even a family member
Day 6, Monday: If you couldn't answer with your job, how would you answer the question, 'what do you do'?
Day 7, Tuesday: The thing(s) you're most afraid of
Day 8, Wednesday: A piece of advice you have for others. Anything at all.
Day 9, Thursday: A moment in your day (this can be just a photo or both a photo and words)
Day 10, Friday: Most embarrassing moment (s). Spill.

• I remember when 250 words was so hard to fill for an inschool essay. And yet, here I am, trying to condense my sparkly life into less than that. Have many different identities; human, writer, poet, daughter, wife (to three people! Yes, that is a long story for another day), friend, feminist, photographer, crafter, attempting DIY projects in a new home while trying not to set myself or the cat on fire...in no particular order.

• I am fairly good at taking pictures and it's a skill I love honing. I've had a camera in my hand since I was eight and now have a gorgeous Canon XSi named Oscar.

• Uncomfortable? Racism, classism, sexism, ablism, etc. Beyond uncomfortable, of course.

• Quote? Is it sad or telling that I had to look up my Facebook profile to remember my favorite quotes? "When I get a little money, I buy books. And if there is any left over, I buy food." Desiderous Erasmus

• Favorite blogger friends. Like I could pick just one. Obviously, The Murrayed Life. Womanist Musings, TransGriot, Girls Gone Child (the fangirl crush I have on her is disgusting), Dooce, A Cup of Jo, A Practical Wedding, the midnight blues, another dear friend's tumblr from college, but not sure if she would want it shared, Not Taken, Not Available, all the Offbeat Life ones, The Simple Dollar...the list goes on. What can I say, I love to read.

• So I can't answer with my job. Fair enough. Americans work-life balance is in need of a serious overhaul anyway. I make sure I am kind to people. I spill over with bubbly laughter and usually end up hugging everyone in the room. I try to live life to the fullest and show everyone I love them that I do, every day.

• Most afraid of? Losing the ones I love. I know that's inevitable. But when was fear rational?
•  Advice for others? Really? I eat food out of a pan over the stove and have yet to feel like a grown up. Alright, if you're really asking. Make time to listen. For any relationship. My favorite moments of college is having talks with friends and getting so excited because you click so hard. My hubs and I were really good friends before we started dating and on one of our last road trips, for three hours straight, we turned off the radio and just talked. I love it.

• This is a moment and a bit of the nutshell that is my life. Yes. That is a sugar packet that I'm downing like a shot of Patron.

• There are oh so many embarrassing moments in my life. My life could be one giant such moment. But honestly, not a whole really embarrasses me anymore. Although dancing to Usher on your iPod while working outside cleaning and realizing the neighbors have been watching you the whole time might rank up there.